Chapter 4: Insanity?

"No, Tifa, I don't want to…" He got cut off as she jerked him forward, racing after Marlene.

"Come on, Cloud, once a year Wall Market has a carnival, and Marlene wants you here!"

Cloud stared around at all of the happy faces, children screaming with delight, couples nestled cozily together, and felt a familiar pain in his chest. Aeris would have loved this. He remembered when they were here, when she made him dress as a girl to go rescue Tifa.

He got thrust from her grasp when a gang of small children ran in between them, and Cloud was knocked on his ass. He got up, dusted himself off, and paused.

There, mere footsteps away from him was Aeris. She was as picture perfect as ever. Cloud's blue eyes locked on the magnificent creature as she walked passed him. She turned to him, and smiled, and kept on walking. Who was she? Who was she? He grabbed Tifa's arm, and spun her around.

"Hey, Cloud---"

"Look! There!" He pointed at the girl's back.

"It's a girl." Tifa said.

"It's her." Cloud said. "Tifa, it's Aeris."

Tifa was silent a minute.

"You don't believe me." He said. It was pretty much written all over her face.

Tifa reached up her hand, and rested it against his forehead. "You're burning up. We need to get you home in bed."

"I'm not sick! I know it's her!" Cloud insisted irritably. He pushed away from her, and ran after the angel in the pink dress.

"Cloud!" Tifa shouted after him, but he didn't dare turn back. He pushed people out of the way following her path, and realized he had lost her in the crowd. "No, dammit!" He cursed.

There was a giggle behind him. Cloud turned, and found the girl smiling at him.

"Are you looking for me?" She asked. "I've seen you around."

"I---yes. It's… you remind me of someone…"

"Strange," She whispered, "So do you…"

Cloud reached out, and touched her face.

The girl smiled at him, "If I didn't know better, I'd say you were flirting with me."

"Aer… what's your name?" He asked.

She just smiled at him again, and ruffled his bangs with her fingers. But then she frowned, "I wish I could tell you. I can't seem to remember."

"Aeris," He whispered.

She thought a moment, "Aeris… that's a pretty name, don't you think?"

Cloud thought a moment. "Does the name Cloud mean anything to you?"

The girl grabbed her head. Cloud got ready to catch her in case she fainted. "Cloud… I know that name. How do I know that name?"

"I'm Cloud." He said.

"Are you?" She whispered, drinking the sight of him in. He was definitely gorgeous. "Do you know who I am?"

"I might." He said.

"Well, they've been calling me Mary, the family I'm staying with."

"Mary," Cloud whispered, frowning. Was he losing his mind?

……………………………………………………………………………………

Tifa watched as Cloud ran into the crowd.

"Someone will take him from you."

Tifa jumped, and found a knarled old woman, wooden cane as a support beam whispering in Tifa's ear. "Sorry?"

"Someone will take him from you." She repeated, one beady eye on the young brunette, the other hidden beneath a patch. "Unless you leave here with him this instant."

Tifa backed away slowly. "I have to go." She snatched Marlene's hand and took off in the direction Cloud was headed, finally spotting the blonde. "Cloud!" Tifa came running up to him, saw the girl he was talking to, and stumbled backwards. "Oh my… oh my God…"

"I told you," Cloud said.

"How is this possible?" She asked.

"Care to clue me in? Do you know me?" The girl asked.

"You look like a very close friend of ours that we lost long ago." Tifa replied.

"I'm Mary," The girl said, "and you are?"

"Tifa," She replied, and nodding to the child, "Marlene."

"Aeris?" Marlene asked, looking up at her.

"Her name's Mary." Tifa said, looking at Cloud.

"She can't remember her name, or her past." Cloud told Tifa.

Tifa frowned.

"Well, I should be going," Aeris said, "Nice meeting you all."

"Wait," Cloud said. "Just wait. If you come with me, I could help you find out who you are."

"Cloud," Tifa said warningly. "If she's not Aeris…"

"I know what I'm doing, Tifa!" He shouted. "What do you say?" He asked the girl, "Will you come with me?"

Mary blushed, and thought a moment, "Yes." She said, taking his hand.