Sub Chapter: Our Return

Notes: Because I am lonely and wired on Coca-Cola, I am writing a rather strange SephirothxAerith fan fiction with hints of CloudxAerith.

"Get up. It's time for us to go…" She put her hand out but every time she tried he didn't budge. "Please get up. For me?" Still, he didn't move. He just stood there in the strange semi-solid semi-liquid land. He shook his head and crossed his arms.

"I won't go…I can't go." She placed her hands behind her back and leaned forward looking up at him. It was somewhat of a strain because he was so tall. He looked down her a tad confused. She was a rather peculiar woman but still a pleasant companion. He turned his back to her and took a few steps. She pulled up and smiled with a small laugh. He was so fun in his I'm-so-serious way.

"Why not? Do you regret your actions? You've tried so hard to atone. I think it is time we went." He plopped down on the ground and sat with his legs crossed. As usual, she was dead on. He did feel some guilt in what he had done. He had grown violently angry with rage that truly wasn't his. He thought he was the last of the cetra when really…that rage belonged to her. Plus, she wasn't even angry. The true last of them took pride in her race but was not out to hurt others for what had happened to them. He killed countless people meaninglessly over a problem that wasn't even his…

"Why weren't you ever mad about it? I mean…I grew furious when I believed myself last of the cetra but…you, the true heir to the race, show no contempt for what had happened." She shifted her mouth to the side and sat down beside him, hugging her knees to her chest. She leaned against him causing him to look away in slight embarrassment.

"That's an easy one! I am not angry because no one caused the extinction of the cetra aside from Jenova. It was no human's fault." He sighed and placed his hands back to support himself. She leaned forward and looked at his face. His eyes were filled with fear and complexity. "Listen, if you don't want to go then…we can stay here a while longer."

"Why can't you go?"

"Simple! I don't want to leave you all alone." He smiled; something had not done with out malicious glee in quite some time. He placed his hand atop hers and gripped in a very passive manner. It had been some time sense someone had held her hand that way. She thought back to when she was traveling with her friends and Cloud would hold her hand that way. They were running and laughing…unaware of what was to come.

"How can you not hate me then? I brought an end to your own life…something I regret still." He finally pulled up the bravery to look her in the eye. It was funny how he fearlessly cut down countless foes but it took all his courage to look one woman in the eyes. "Is this why every time you I try to take your hand mine just slips through your fingers?"

"Well…I am not mad at you simply because you were lost and confused…like a child led into a dark cult while still at an impressionable age. You know, to fix a house that was built wrong first you have to tear it all down but that isn't how it is with people. To fix a person who started off wrong you build them up and help them, not throw them down. I do not blame you because you were lead astray. As for your hand…well that's your own guilt creating hesitation. No wonder you and Cloud are so associated with each other. You both refuse to let go of silly guilt." He let out a rough breath. He did not to even think about that man called "Cloud Strife". It was Cloud's fault Sephiroth couldn't see his own dishevelment completely. He knew though that Cloud was always lying to himself. He pretended that he was chasing him to "save the world" but really it was the call of Reunion pulling him along like all the others. "I remember, back when I was around fifteen years old, you passed through Sector Five and you said to me 'Why are you staring at me'. I gulped in fear and told you that it would probably be the first and last time I'd see such a great soldier. You laughed in your usual haughty manner and said 'Find me and follow me. You'll find me in the dark of matinee' and then you went on walking. I watched you leaved completely baffled by what you had said."

"Really…I was just teasing you. Back then it wasn't uncommon to have teenage girls gaping at me. I didn't think you were any different. Just another 'fan girl' so to speak." He finally stood again, still holding her hand. She followed in suit, filled with a certain amount of hope. "Perhaps it is time we went. The planet is waiting for us." She smiled cheerfully and began running, like she did when she and Cloud were together. But unlike when she was with Cloud, she was pulling him along. Sephiroth was near tripping at her steady, energy filled pace. It was finally time for them to go.

"Before you go…I want you to know that Cloud wants to see you my dear." Ifalna stood to the side, her words causing Aerith to take a sudden stop. Aerith looked back at Sephiroth, her expression asking permission to see Cloud one more time. He nodded and released her hand.

"I'll be back soon. Do not worry." She disappeared with Ifalna, leaving Sephiroth to anticipate their return to the planet together.

The End

A short one but I just felt like writing, To understand the ending you'd have had to read To See Her Smile and Suffer all the way through. Hopefully you did since it is attached to it. Woot!