Chapter Five
They made their way through the ShinRa Building, Aeris averting her eyes so she could not see the destruction the man she adored could do.
"Aeris? What's wrong?" Cloud asked.
Aeris looked at him, her face not showing any emotion whatsoever, and looked away quickly. Cloud continued to watch her with careful eyes, and then looked back at Tifa to see what she thought. Tifa just shrugged.
Aeris continued walking, speeding up as to escape the prison that Sephiroth had made worse. She was trapped in her own little mind, couldn't escape the horror of her tripping into someone's blood and Sephiroth not telling her. His last words to her rang in her mind and she shook her head to get rid of them. Then she remembered the kiss he gave her…
"Aeris?" Tifa's voice came softly in her mind, erupting through all her thoughts and bringing her back to life.
Aeris turned to her and stopped walking. "What?" she asked.
Tifa gulped. "Why are you walking so fast?"
Aeris froze and looked suddenly at the distance between them. She also realized there were tears running down her cheeks.
"Aeris, what is going on?" Cloud asked. Aeris shook her head.
"Nothing. Can we continue?" she asked, and turned and began walking slowly again without waiting for an answer. She quickly wiped away her tears and cosed her eyes. She had followed the blood right to an elevator. Aeris sighed and got in. Tifa, Cloud and Barret followed. Aeris saw the number one had blood on it, and pressed it. Instantly the elevator began going down.
"Aeris?" Tifa asked. Aeris looked at her and sighed.
"Don't worry about me. I have never been around so much blood. I just wanted to get out as fast as possible." Aeris said. Cloud watched her closely.
"Aeris..." Cloud stepped to her and lightly touched her arm. She watched him in surprise, as did Tifa. "If you ned anything. I am here for you." he said, then let go and moved away.
Aeris let out a breath she didn't know she was holding and watched the back of Cloud's head. He cared for her! The thought came to her like a bolt of lightning. She realized then she also had feelings for him. But what about Sephiroth? He had saved her life twice now, whereas Cloud had only saved her once in the church. But Cloud would never do what Sephiroth did just to save Aeris. Cloud was not that heartless. He would not go to lengths like Sephiroth had to save her. Perhaps Sephiroth actually loved her? Could he feel love? Aeris' mind raced with questions, but it all came back to her growing want to feel somebody's arms around her.
Sephiroth's...or Cloud's...
The elevator dinged and the doors slid open. The blood trail continued and Aeris followed it. But there were no more dead bodies. Aeris sighed with relief and followed the blood down the stairs and right to a truck. Aeris gasped.
"Let's use this!" she exclaimed. Tifa jumped in the drivers side door and Aeris got in with her, and Barrett jumped in the back. But CLoud was nowhere to be seen.
"Cloud?" Tifa screamed. Aeris looked at her expression. She was scared that Cloud had been killed somehow. Aeris suddenly understood the depth of Tifa's emotions for Cloud.
She loved him.
Aeris felt as if a rock had been dropped in her chest, and she breathed in a careful sigh. She would not want to take Cloud from Tifa. But maybe she was seeing things. Maybe Tifa didn't love Cloud after all.
Suddenly they heard an engine roar and down the stairs came Cloud on the back of a motorcycle.
"Let's go. " he said. Tifa nodded and they both drove out onto a highway that ShinRa had apparently been building.
Suddenly, three soldiers on motorcycles came up from behind them, swords drawn, swinging at the truck. Aeris screamed as the blade sliced her arm open.
"Aeris!" Tifa exclaimed. Barret began firing his gunarm at them, and Cloud was speeding up and slowing down to slice the men on motorcycles, starting with the one that hurt Aeris. Aeris held her hand to the wound, trying to stop the bleeding. Her materia was in her hand, and her arm was bleeding too much to let go to get it.
"Oh no..." Tifa said softly. Aeris looked at her and saw she was staring straight ahead. She followed Tifa's gaze and saw the highway ended where they were still building it.
"Cloud stop!" Aeris screamed. Cloud saw the end of the highway and tried to stop the motorcycle, but the last ShinRa soldier sliced his back wide open and he went flying from the vehicle. The motorcycle kept going and ramped right off the end of the highway. Barret shot the soldier off his motorcycle and Tifa pulled the truck to a stop and ran to Cloud, laying on his back in a pool of his own blood.
Aeris also ran to him, forgetting about her own wound and grabbing her materia out of her hair. "Turn him over!" she exclaimed. Tifa did as she was told, and began crying. "Cloud...don't leave me, I love you!" she exclaimed. Aeris froze... No longer could she ignore the signs, even if she wanted to.
Tifa was in love with Cloud.
Aeris gripped her materia. She would save Cloud for Tifa. Her arm began bleeding faster, but she ignored it. Cloud was of more importance than her arm bleeding. She closed her eyes and said a little prayer, and white beams of light came from her materia and wound themselves into Cloud's wound, sewing his cut and making it seem as if it never happened. Then the light went back into Aeris' materia like snakes slithering home. Tifa gasped as Cloud opened his eyes.
"Cloud..." Tifa said, hugging him tight.
"What...happened?" he asked.
"Aeris. She saved you...somehow she saved you."
Cloud looked over at Aeris, who suddenly fell over unconscious and her materia rolled out of her hand.
"Aeris!" Cloud jumped up and ran to her, and cupped his hand on her cheek. He saw how fast her arm was bleeding. Her face was pale. It was as if she was already dead.
"No." he said firmly, looking around for a way to stop the bleeding. He spotted her materia and grabbed it.
"Let this work." he whispered. Rays of green light came out this time and healed Aeris, but instead of being sucked back inside, they went into his head. He yelled in pain and fell to the ground.
"Cloud!" Tifa screamed. Aeris stirred and felt her arm, then looked around and saw Cloud.
"No...He used my materia didn't he?" she asked. Tifa nodded.
"What is wrong with him?" she asked. Aeris sighed.
"Only Cetra are to use this materia. Since he used it, they are making him pay for his sin... it will only take a few moments." Aeris said, watching Cloud.
Tifa watched him too, and within the next minute Cloud stirred and sat up. "Oh.. I have a headache." he said.
"What did they say to you?" Aeris asked sternly.
"That the materia I used was holy... and I was never to touch it again for I could ruin it's power and it's possesor... you Aeris."
"I figured as much. You are better now?" she asked.
Cloud nodded.
"We need to hurry. More soldiers could be coming soon." Tifa said. Cloud nodded and Aeris helped him up. Barret motioned for a cable that led down.
"Let's use this." he said. Everyone followed his motion to the ground and when everyone was safe, it didn't take long for them to find where they were. They were just on the other side of the Sector 6 gate. Barret ran to it and tried to open it, but it was locked.
"Marlene!" he yelled in anger, pounding on the gate hard. Tifa ran to him and grabbed his arm.
"We will find a way to get to her. But for now...we need to follow Sephiroth. All the destruction and murder he just did. He needs to be payed back for it." Tifa said. Barret watched her for a moment, then nodded. Aeris looked between the three of them, feeling as if it was obvious to the whole world her feelings for Sephiroth. She felt like she was wearing a sign saying,"I like Sephiroth and I will continue to see him even though you all hate him."
"Let's go. I think he was headed for Kalm." Cloud said. He led the way and everyone followed. They stopped at nightfall by a small forest near a creek. They made camp just outside the forest, and slept in separate tents but all close together. Aeris woke up in the dead of night sweating. She dreamed of Sephiroth, watching him commit all those murders. She shuddered and unzipped her tent. Immediately she felt the rush of cool wind blow onto her wet face and smiled, breathing deeply. She smiled and stood up. The moon was shining brightly. This was a lovely night for a stroll in the moonlight. She walked towards the forest with her staff in hand, in case she were attacked. She did not walk far before she felt the presence of another. She whirled around and stared into the darkness, realizing suddenly she was encased in the beautiful moonlight, whilst her other presence was encased in darkness. They could see her, but she could not see them.
"Aeris." a deep male voice said softly. Aeris watched as Sephiroth stepped out of the shadows into the moonlight, and stopping inches from her face. She studied his face, noting how the moonlight shows all the features on his face. His hair lit up with highlights in the moonlight, and every good aspect of him was amplified, making him the most desireable thing on her mind. But she shook off her deep fondness for him, and her loving gaze averted to an angry one. She launched herself at him, hitting his arm as hard as she could and yelling in anger. He was taken aback at her, and jerked away. But she continued to hit him, and finally, he grabbed her arm and held her fast. She withdrew, staring at him in fear.
"Aeris..." he whisered. Aeris yanked her hand from his grasp and hit him once more. "What were you thinking! Why did you murder all those men? Then you blame it on me? Why?" she pleaded. She almost fell to her knees, but Sephiroth grabbed her and pulled her into his embrace.
"It was the only way to get you safely out of there. I could not trust Strife and the others to properly escort you out of there without you being hurt. Even with the few soldiers left, they still managed to hurt you." he whispered. Aeris pulled away from him.
"Sephiroth, you cannot really expect me to go through life without ever being hurt? I must go through pain and trials of suffering. It is life. And I must learn to deal with that. And you must too. You did not have to murder all of those people." Aeris said. Sephiroth sighed and hung his head.
"Can you really blame me for just trying to assure your safety?" he asked. Aeris looked at him. He reached down and touched her face with his hand, feeling her soft features and pushing down his longing urge to kiss her. She met his gaze with a look of fondness, and Sephiroth realized she was wanting him to kiss her. He leaned closer and touched his lips softly to hers, just barely, as if a tease. She leaned in the rest of the way and met his kiss with the same softness as he was giving, and her hand slid to his neck and pulled him closer for a deeper kiss. He did not pull away, or even give one ounce of a fight, and pulled her body closer to his. His hands went up and down her back, pulling her closer still. Her body was completely against his, neither letting the other escaspe their grasp. The kissing continued, until they heard a twig snap. Both parted and looked towards the sound. Aeris looked back at Sephiroth, but he had disappeared like smoke. She looked back towards the sound, and Cloud stumbled sleepily into view, looing at Aeris astonished.
"Aeris? What are you doing out here?" he asked. Aeris was about to give her answer when Cloud stumbled. Aeris jumped forward and grabbed him, pulling him back to his feet. He must be sleepwalking. Cloud fell over, taking Aeris with him. Aeris let out a startled scream, and Cloud rolled on top of her.
"Aeris? Have I ever told you how beautiful you are in the moonlight?" he asked. Aeris' eyes widened. She wanted so badly to kiss him, but she knew Sephiroth must be watching, and she knew he must be wanting to kill Cloud. She didn't want Sepiroth to kill Cloud. She had to protect Cloud.
"Cloud...are you even awake?" she asked, snapping her fingers in front of his face. He sighed.
"Aeris, I'm serious." he said. Aeris sighed.
"Cloud, Tifa loves you. I refuse to interfere with that."
"Aeris. I don't like Tifa the way I like you. She is like my little sister. You are someone I can see as..."
"Cloud..." He leaned in close and gently kissed her lips. She refused to kiss him back, fighting down her longing. She turned her head to the side and fought back a tear.
"Aeris?" he asked. Aeris sat up and turned away from him. Cloud sighed and nodded.
"I understand." he said angrily, then got up and stomped off. Aeris hung her head and wiped away her tears. She knew Sephiroth was watching, but she didn't care. She didn't want Cloud to go. Sephiroth walked to her and hugged her. She didn't need to say anything. His embrace was just enough to make her forget the pain of what just happened and she focused on her feelings for Sephiroth. His warmth aginst her was like the sun on a winter morning, melting the angry ice and making her heart and soul feel warm. She turned to him and wrapped her arms around his neck ,and cried into his shouder.
How dare him. How dare Strife hurt his angel? How could the mere anger of him make tears come to her eyes? He made her cry. He would pay. Sephiroth looked down at her, and kissed her hair. Strife would pay.
Strife would pay.
