Chapter 43: And Forever…

Sometimes I feel so all alone

Finding myself calling your name

When we're apart

So far away

Hoping it's me that you're thinking of

Could it be true?

Could it be real?

My heart says that you're the one

There's nothing else

You're the only one for me

Yes, this time my loves the real thing

Never felt that love is so right

The world seems such an empty place

We need someone we can keep around

Baby it's you

We'll be together now and forever

And Forever… - Big O

Aeris woke on Thursday morning to sunlight streaming through the window. She stretched and yawned. Vincent rolled over and smiled at her.

"Good morning."

"G'morning." She smiled, "What time is it?"

"7:30. We've got a little while before we have to be up."

"Yay." Aeris stretched again and Vincent leant over to kiss her. She laid her head on his bare chest.

"Last day of filming."

"I know. Relieved?" Vincent asked.

"Kind of. I mean, it was fun, but it got kinda boring. I'll be glad to get back to being an ordinary girl."

"You're far from ordinary. You're incredible." She went pink and he smiled, "You still blush when I compliment you."

"Of course!"

"I just thought you'd be used to it by now."

"You always made me blush. Since the first time I met you. When I gave you back your sketchpad, you looked at me and I started blushing." Aeris said, looking up at him. Vincent played with a lock of her hair.

"Really?"

"Really." She whispered. He smiled. Aeris giggled and said,

"I never would have guessed back then that I'd end up here!"
"What is life if you don't have a few surprises now and again?" Vincent commented. Aeris smiled.

"I guess so. Want breakfast?"

"Barret's or here?

"You decide."

"…Barret's. I haven't done any food shopping." Vincent decided. Aeris smiled.

"OK. I'll just have a shower first."

"So, did you decide about this weekend yet?" Aeris asked as she buttered some toast. They were sitting at the back table in the café. Vincent smiled.

"Yes. But you'll find out on Saturday."

"What? A surprise? Oh, you have to tell me!"

"Aeris, what did we decide that a surprise was?" Vincent asked as he cut his eggs.

"I know, I know, something that I'm not supposed to know or ask about. But I want to know!" Aeris sulked.

"Just make sure that you keep the whole weekend free."

She went to music early and sat at the piano to practise. Her hands flew over the keys, but she wasn't really paying attention. She didn't even notice as Yuffie came in and stood behind her, watching her play.

"Aeris? You OK?" She jumped and then grinned.

"Yeah… sorry, you made me jump!"

"I noticed. Hey, it's our song!" She grinned as she recognised Too Lost in You. Aeris smiled.

"Yup. Want to go through it?"

Yuffie sang the opening verse as the door opened and the crew came in. Matt grinned and grabbed the cameraman.

"Whatever you were just doing, do it again!" Yuffie laughed and Aeris started to play from the beginning.

While Matt and the film crew got some final footage of the classroom Yuffie whispered,

"Did they send you the bit with James?"

"Yeah."

"Well?"

"Well nothing. He just said that I was very good at music and that I was really nice. So now I look like a bitch."

"No, you're OK. Just a little paranoid."

"Yes, I know. A paranoid bitch. Come on, do you want a piano lesson?"

Matt, Aeris and the rest of the crew sat in the café.

"OK, we've got all the footage we need now. We did the bit with the Turks last week. So we just need to pile it all together and call it art!" Matt said, smiling.

"It was fun, thanks so much."

"No, thank you. The documentary will be out in a week and a half, just when the Turks are going on their break. We'd better get going. It was great working with you."

They stood up to shake hands and then Matt looked slightly embarrassed.

"Um… Aeris? My little sister wanted me to get your autograph…" Aeris laughed and scribbled on a piece of paper.

"Thanks. Becky will love me for this." Matt grinned.

Aeris settled down with her literature book at the counter and began to read as she waited for the others. After about twenty minutes Cloud arrived.

"Hey Beautiful." He said, sitting down.

"Hey Cloud. How was business management?"

"Endlessly fascinating." She eyed him shrewdly.

"Did you fall asleep again?"

"What? No! Anyway, Mom called. She wants us to come to Sunday Dinner."

"Oh, I can't. Vincent is organising a surprise for our first date."

"Oh, OK. I'll just take Tifa. Mom really wants to meet her."

"She hasn't met her yet?"

"Nope. She doesn't even know about her yet."

"How come?"

Cloud looked at her.

"Aeris, how many girlfriends have I had? Serious ones."

"You… well, just Tifa."

"Exactly. And you know what Mom's like. She'd scare Tifa away. That's why I decided to wait until I was certain before mentioning her to Mom."

"Good idea. Anyway, do you want a coffee?"

When Tifa arrived Cloud smiled winningly.

"Hey, Tifa. Want to come to Sunday lunch?"

"Sure."

"See, she's cool with meeting Mom." Cloud said to Aeris. Tifa smiled and went behind the counter. Aeris pointed to a chocolate éclair.

"Can I have that Tifa? It looks good."

"Sure. Barret made them."

"Yeah, and no one's ordered them yet." Barret said, emerging from the kitchen. He watched as Aeris tried it.

"It's great!" She said, swallowing the mouthful. Cloud pointed at the blackboard.

"Hey, another Open Mic Night?"

"Yeah. Got to try and win back some people from the bar."

"Still pushing for business are they?"

"Like you wouldn't believe. I just happen to have the bonus of a celebrity customer!" Barret said, winking at Aeris.

Vincent slid into the seat next to Aeris. He kissed her and said,

"What's going on?"

"Not much. Open Mic Night. I don't think I'll enter this one. It'd be nice to just watch for a change."

"It's on Monday night. Tifa, can you make some more coffee?" Barret said. A boy went to the counter and ordered a hot chocolate. He leant on the counter as he waited and his eyes fell on Aeris. His eyes promptly widened. Aeris went pink and Tifa giggled.

"You're Aeris Gainsborough, right?"

"Yeah."

"Wow… that's so cool." The boy said, awed. Aeris flushed a darker shade of pink. Tifa grinned at the boy.

"She gets embarrassed easily."

"I was just listening to your CD. It's really good. Are you going to be doing any more songs?"

"I hope so. My manager is going to look into some other artists, see if anyone wants one."

"You should sing your own songs. You're really good."

"I'm a writer, not a singer." Aeris blushed. The boy picked up his hot chocolate.

"I can't believe I just met Aeris Gainsborough. I've gotta go and call everyone I've ever met!"

"Oh, Aeris, you've gone all red!" Tifa teased.

"Shut up!" Aeris hissed. She caught sight of Vincent with a smile creeping onto his lips.

"Stop it! It's not funny!"

"Hey, you always wanted to be famous." Cloud said.

"I know… but it's still weird!"

"Hey, don't complain." Tifa said, wiping the counter.

Saturday arrived, bright and clear. Aeris slept in late and when she woke up, she found Vincent gone. She pulled on a robe and went into the living room. On the sofa was a suitcase with a letter on it. Smiling, Aeris opened the letter.

Take the 1:15 train from platform 9 at Midgar Central. Get off at the 14th stop and exit the station. Turn left and walk 300 feet to Thompson Street. Turn right and walk another 50 feet. I'll be waiting.

Vincent.

Aeris hurriedly got dressed and looked at her watch. 12:30. She smiled and went to catch a train.

The fourteenth stop from platform 9 at Midgar Central took Aeris to a place she did not expect. It took her right out of Midgar and deep into the countryside to a small town by the name of Fort Condor. She remembered that Tifa and Cloud had passed through here on their way to Costa del Sol.

"Lovely town. Not much in it, but it's really pretty." Tifa had said. And she was right. The town had a charming, rustic look, enhanced by the fact that the sea was so close. And the main attraction of the place was the sculpture of an enormous bird, carved into hill.

Aeris took another look at the instructions and started to walk. After turning down Thompson Street she followed the path and then looked right. A small alley led forward, twisting out of sight. She smiled and walked along. At the end of the alley, about fifty feet down, was a cottage. Aeris hesitated and knocked on the door.

After about a minute the door opened. Aeris smiled.

(No real action in this chapter I'm afraid. I've been having trouble sorting out what's going to happen. I mean, I KNOW what's going to happen but it's all kinda confused in my head. My head is a confusing place in general actually! LOL, I'm sorry for the wait by the way. I don't know when the next chapter is going to be, because I've got two other stories due for December. But I'll do my best!)