Chapter 7: A Wing and a Prayer

Mary sprinted up the isle of the church, taking in its beauty. She looked at the stained glass windows, at the altar, at ivy growing on the walls. She bent down to tend to the flowers at the very spot where he fell through the roof over two years ago… She ran her fingers over the petals.

"Anything?" Cloud asked.

"This place is special," She whispered. "I feel like I know it… like it's right there, I just can't… remember…" Her voice broke on the last word.

Cloud sighed. He thought this of all places would make her remember, prove to him that she was Aeris. But he had to face the facts. If her own church couldn't jog her memory, maybe it was just wishful thinking that Aeris had returned. This girl wasn't Aeris, no matter how much Cloud wanted her to be, and he had put her through enough grief. "Listen," Cloud started.

The girl turned to him.

Cloud drank in her big green eyes, pale lips, soft brown hair, angelic skin… she looked so much like Aeris. She even sounded like her, to her sweet voice and silly giggles. But, no matter what, he couldn't get it through his head that this wasn't her.

"Don't give up on me," She begged. "I know I'm close to something, I know it."

Cloud raked a hand through his hair. "I won't. I promise."

"Really?"

Cloud gave a nod.

"But what if I'm not the person you think I am?" She whispered.

"Then, I guess I'll just have to keep looking." He then placed a hand to his ribs as an unbearable wave of pain descended upon him.

"You're hurt!" She cried.

"It's nothing." He panted. He wanted to collapse into a pew… he needed to, but he didn't want to worry her.

"It's something."

"Come on, let's get home, it's late." He said, and hoping he didn't pass out, lead the way out of the church.

…………………………………………………………………………

"You must really love her." The girl said as she flopped down on Cloud's bed.

"What?" Cloud asked. The pain had gone, but his heart was still disappointed from the church. He sat down beside her.

"The girl you're looking for."

"Oh," Cloud nodded, "I did, and I still do, but I never had the chance to tell her. We were only together for a short time, and things kept getting in the way." Why the hell was it so easy for him to say that now? If he could have only told Aeris…

"What happened to her?" She asked.

Cloud's eyes grew cold, "Another man took her away from me." And it was true, had it not been for Sephiroth, he'd still have Aeris.

"I'm sorry." She said, "If I had someone like you who loved me, I would never leave."

Cloud gave a small sigh, "Sometimes, there's just things we can't control."

"I know that," She said. "I'd give anything to remember… anything." She kicked off her shoes and wiggled her toes happily.

Cloud gave a nod.

"This is really nice of you, helping me out like this."

"I can't really help it," He said, "You remind me so much of Aeris."

She looked up at him with a frown, "I don't think it's helping you, me being here."

"No," Cloud said quickly, "No, please stay… I--- it's been a long time since I've been close to someone, and… please don't leave."

"Are you sure?"

He nodded, "Yeah."

She smiled, "Okay then. You know, someone as good looking as you, it's kind of hard to believe all the ladies aren't chasing after you."

"I have issues," He said with a shrug.

Aeris swooned, "It's because of… Aeris, is that her name?"

Cloud nodded, and she swooned again.

"Wow," She whispered, "She must have been something."

"She was."

There was a pause between them.

"Can I tell you something?"

He shrugged, "Alright."

"Well… lately, I've been hearing… voices."

Cloud's pupils dilated, and he jumped off of the bed. "What?"

"You think I'm crazy."

"No," Cloud said, "What do they say?" Holy Moses… what the hell was going on here?

She shook her head, "It's hard to make out sometimes, but mostly it's a woman saying she misses me. I think it's… I think it's my mother, but…"

"But what?" Cloud prodded.

"I have the feeling she's dead." She sighed, and locked her eyes on her hands. "You must really think I'm crazy."

Cloud raked a hand through his hair. This was becoming too real for him. Could she really be Aeris, or was this girl nuts?

"Cloud?" She said softly, still staring at her hands.

"I don't know what's happening," He said, "but, I'm not going anywhere… except to bed." His mind was racing… he had to go somewhere and think…

She grinned from ear to ear. "Thank you." She leaned over, and kissed his cheek.

Cloud froze, a zillion memories racing through his brain.

It's her.

He couldn't shake that feeling. It felt… like Aeris.

"I'm sorry," She said, "did I do something wrong?"

Cloud realized he was frozen, and shook his head, "No, it's just… nothing. Goodnight."

"Good night," She whispered back, her eyes already closed.

…………………………………………………………………………

Cloud lay on the couch, a hand to his cheek. It's Aeris, it's her, I know it… he shoved his hands through his hair. But if it was her, why didn't she remember him? Could Tifa be right? Could he want her so badly that his mind put her qualities in a stranger? And in every sense of the word, this girl was a stranger, she didn't even have her own name. Cloud closed his eyes with all of this on his mind.