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A Past Flower

The old church creaked in protest as a figure walked slowly toward the altar. With every step she took a new echo assaulted the church's quiet atmosphere. Faint moonlight peeked through a lone hole in the ceiling and rested on a patch of white and yellow lilies. The figure had come to a stop as soon as she reached the patch of flowers, before she slowly knelt down. With a soft sigh the woman closed her eyes and extended her arm towards a still flower. The flower's white pedals felt like cool silk against her fingers and she smiled weakly.

Suddenly flashes of the past erupted in her vision. She saw a small blonde-headed boy staring at her with cerulean-sad eyes; she saw a familiar Soldier fall to his knees, clutching a shot wound before his mako eyes glazed over in death and his body limply fell to the ground. Images of a silver haired warrior alone in the Shinra mansion library, his confusion and sorrow deepening with each book he read.

The woman's brow furrowed and lips formed a frown, as a whimper escaped her lips. More images flashed before her. A young woman huddled in a cold cell, her eyes were filled with tears as she held her newborn close, a large scarred lion howled at the moon in all hopelessness, her own father laid cold and lifeless as she called out to him.

Without warning the planet's screams pulsed in her ears; the screams were high pitched, and unbearable… as if someone were taking their nails and running them sharply across a chalkboard. The woman let out a strangled scream as she tore her hand away from the ivory colored flower. Instantly everything came to an abrupt stop, the images and the screams left her as soon they came. Her wine-colored eyes were wide in astonishment as she stared blankly at the simple looking flower.

She stayed like that for awhile until her curiosity got the best of her, and she slowly reached out to touch the fragile lily once more.

"What are you doing here?"

The brunette jumped out the trance she was under and sharply looked behind her. Her eyes instantly recognized the figure and she stood up to face him.

"I should be asking you the same thing." She answered grimly.

The blonde man sighed and shook his head, "Tifa… I'm here to rest." He mumbled flatly.

"I'm here for that too, Cloud." Tifa said, biting her lip. "This place is so… different from the rest of Midgar."

Cloud looked down, "I know." His voice trailed off before he made his way over to a thin blanket resting on the wood floor. Tifa sighed when she saw him settle down on the blanket and turn his back to her.

"Why do you sleep here, Cloud?" Tifa's voice was drowned in pity. "There's a warm bed at the Seventh Heaven you could sleep in…"

Tifa waited a moment, but there was no answer. "The children miss you— they've been missing you." She continued, staring at his back.

She heard Cloud breathe out slowly. "I'm closest to home here." He murmured to himself.

'…In the past?' She thought darkly.

Tifa's eyes closed and she turned away.She could feel a familiar burning in her eyes. "But if you're ever feeling alone—" Tifa hesitated.

"I know." Cloud broke in abruptly. "It's okay, Tifa, I'm fine."

Tifa almost replied to that, but stopped herself and let out a heavy sigh. "All right, if you say so," She said faintly before she started for the church doors. "Goodnight, Cloud."

"Night, Tifa." Cloud said curtly.

---

Hours after Tifa's departure, Cloud was still lying awake. His mako infused eyes had a faint glow as he stared up at the ceiling. His whole body was still with the acceptation of his chest slowly rising and falling. Cloud hadn't slept for days now because he couldn't— wouldn't let his body relax. He feared where his dreams would take him… or what they'd tell him.

Feeling an ache in his back, Cloud sat up into the sitting position. His eyes were stinging him now, and they were fighting him to close. Cloud rubbed his eyes, and winced as he ran a hand down his throbbing back.

Cloud tried to get to his feet to walk off the pain, but his knees screamed for rest and he immediately sat back down. The blonde man briefly wondered why the Planet cursed him so.

With a sigh, Cloud started to lie back down onto the blanket… but that's when something caught his eye. It was a quick movement, like a bird darting from one point to another. His pupil's contacted and he scanned the environment of the church urgently, as his body went rigid as if expecting an attack.

When he felt a change in temperature he knew there was something behind him. The hair stood up on the back of his neck and his blood-shot eyes narrowed.

'There was something watching me… this… whole time?' He thought angrily

Setting his jaw, Cloud jumped up and snatched his large sword from the ground. Then he quickly whipped around with a snarl.

To Cloud's frustration there was nothing there, nothing but the shadows staring back at him.

"What do you want!" The man roared to nothingness. "Just leave me be!" The church echoed his calls until they faded.

He could feel his control slipping out of him, and his strings being pulled. Suddenly he felt a sharp pain stab into his arm, and he cried out in pain as his sword clattered to the ground. The geostigma was shooting up his arm and it climbed up into his head. It felt like merciless, cold claws were gripping him and crushing him, making it feel like his bones were snapping like twigs. Cloud fell over into the flowers, gripping his pulsing temples as tight as he could.

Cloud squeezed his eyes shut as sweat bedded his forehead. Soon his mouth went dry, and his cries were reduced to silence as his mouth moved in unspoken pleas. Psychotic, cold, uncontrolled laugher filled his mind, and Cloud couldn't stop his body from convulsing and shaking violently. Cloud was rapidly starting to lose the fight of consciousness. He was feeling so heavy as his limbs went limp, but his mind was feeling so light… and he knew his sanity was starting to fade.

Then everything was still. The throbbing creased, the geostigma calmed, and the laugher recoiled into the back of his mind. Cloud took in a greedy about of air, before he let the oxygen out slowly. Almost angrily, Cloud wiped the sweat from his forehead with the back of his hand. The blonde shakily got to his hands and knees and looked up, only to completely freeze in place.

Cloud felt his stomach lurch and twist as his blue eyes widened. There, only a few feet away, was a woman sitting amongst the flowers. Her legs were crossed and her arms rested in her lap. Her dark emerald eyes that held him captive were glowing under the moonlight, as a soft smile crossed her pink lips. The bow in her hair moved slightly in the passing breeze, as her long braid rested motionless in the flowers.

"…Cloud, Cloud, Cloud," She murmured quietly to him, the smile never leaving her lips. "Why must you torture yourself?"

Cloud didn't move from the spot, and he kept staring into her green depths. "A—Aer…" He croaked, his mouth still dry.

When he heard her giggle at his attempt to speak, he felt butterflies.

"Yes?" She said, as she reached out to rest her hand on his.

Cloud looked down at their hands and back up to her eyes. "Aerith… is this—are… you real?" He said, his voice almost shaking.

Without warning Aerith grabbed his nose and playfully pinched it, "Real enough?"

Cloud's eyes brightened, and then he wrapped his arms around her in a tight— almost desperate embrace. When Aerith felt his arms go around her torso possessively, she savored his warmth that surrounded her. Then she rested her chin on his shoulder, closed her eyes, and returned the embrace.

The brunette heard him whisper words into her ear as he rocked her back and forth.

"Don't… don't go away… again…"

"Please…"

The woman slightly pulled away, so that she could look into his eyes. His deep blue orbs looked like those of a broken man.

"Cloud," She started, lost in his sea of cerulean. "I never was gone…"

She laid her small hand over his beating heart.

"…I was always here." She said softly, "and always will be."

Cloud felt his heart double in speed when she leaned forward dangerously close to his lips.

"…Am I making you nervous?" She whispered with amusement against his lips. When Cloud felt her warm breath against his skin he shivered involuntarily.

Aerith noticed this and giggled, "I suppose I am."

She started to pull away from his lips… knowing this was only causing him anxiety, but she was stopped with a hand that was on the back of her head.

Aerith sent Cloud a questionable glance, before Cloud grinned and pulled his head down to lightly brush his lips to hers.

"No," He started shyly.

"You're making me feel alive."

With that his lips connected to hers in a delicate kiss. It took Aerith a moment to respond, but she did so with feverish passion. When their kiss deepened, Cloud brought a hand up to her cheek and ran his fingers over her jaw, as Aerith reached up to intertwine her hands into his soft blonde locks.

Cloud tugged her down with him, and they fell into the flowers. Aerith pulled Cloud closer as they rested on their sides. The blonde felt a blush coming up to cover his cheeks when he felt her breasts flattening against his hard chest.

As if she sensed this, Aerith slowly broke away from the kiss and looked into his mako infused eyes.

"Cloud…" She sighed dreamily, letting her green eyes drift shut.

His eyes were half-closed as he looked at her through thick lashes. "Stay with me." He murmured, resting his forehead on hers.

"…Always will." Was all she said before she let sleep take her.

Cloud lips formed a smile before he finally gave into night, and let his body relax.

---

Birds chirped, and the sunrays rested on a man sleeping quietly with the yellow and white lilies. Cloud turned in his sleep; a smile still graced his lips. Groggily, the blonde's eyes opened and he sat up. He was alone and slightly confused, but then the memories flooded his mind and flashed before him.

Her musical laugh, her soft lips, her quiet eyes…

Cloud's eyes widened and stomach twisted in knots as he feverishly looked around for any sign of her, anything at all. When he had no luck his eyes started to burn and his hands started to shake.

He felt so… weak.

So— so useless.

…Broken.

But that's when he noticed something resting his hand.

His lips parted, and his breath hitched in his throat…

It was a bright ivory flower that seemed to glow the morning sunlight. Cloud continued to stare at the small lily looking like he was under a trance.

"Always…" He whispered smiling.

---