Wings of an Angel
By Henrika

Henrika-Finally! We get to the real explanation! I was so evil to leave that cliffhanger. Though, I hate to say it, I kind of did it again. Don't kill me (innocent look). Thank you so much for all the reviews and for being so patient with me. I love you guys! Enjoy and Review!

She wasn't really aware of anything as she carried the pile of dirty bandages down the stairs. It was unlike her, both as a fighter and as a person to ignore everything. But even with that truth, she still jumped when Marlene and Denzel confronted her at the foot of the stairs. Their eyes were drawn instantly to the blackened bandages.

"Is Cloud sick again?"

"Is the Planet mad at Cloud?

"Is it coming back?" Denzel asked, hand going to his forehead. Tifa shook her head, walking past the children.

How can I answer when even I don't understand? She thought, depositing the bandages in the trash. "I don't think so. I'm sure you'll be just fine." And then the question Marlene had asked hit her. "Marlene, what did you ask?"

"I said, is the Planet mad at Cloud?"

And suddenly Tifa knew exactly where she had to go to get answers. But she was faced with two problems, one that was staring her in the face and one that was sweating and moaning in his sleep upstairs. "Marlene, you remember how you took care of Denzel right?" The little girl nodded her head. "Can you show Denzel what to do?"

"Yes!"

Tifa grabbed Cloud's keys off the tiny hook behind the bar, sorting through them until she found Fenrir's. She knelt down in front of the pair. "I need you two to do something very important. I need you to take care of Cloud until I get back. And I want you to call me if he gets worse at all. Do you understand?"

"Where are you going Tifa?" Denzel asked, looking slightly scared at how serious Tifa was being.

"I'm going to find out why Cloud's sick. And I need you two to watch him while I'm gone, okay?" She put a hand on each of their shoulders. "This is very important. Can I trust you guys with this?"

"Of course!" Denzel answered.

"We'll do our very best!" Marlene said.

"I'm counting on you guys." She smiled, breaking the tension. She checked to make sure she had her phone. "Remember to call me if anything happens okay?"

"Okay!"

Tifa watched the children scurry up the stairs to Cloud's room before she walked outside, locating the large black motorcycle next to the bar. Cloud's goggles hung off the handlebars and she put them on, adjusting the strap so they fit her. She swung a leg over the seat and started the engine, making sure not to activate the sword rack as she leaned forward and kicked the bike into motion, aiming it towards Midgar and the remains of Sector 5.

She wasn't nearly as steady on the bike as Cloud was, but she had no trouble reaching her destination in record time. She flipped the kickstand and stood outside for a moment, already absorbing the calm that the place radiated. She pulled off the goggles and hung them on the handlebar, walking through the entryway of the building, the doors having been torn off when Fenrir had slammed through them.

It was always going to be her church. Even though most of the pews were smashed to bits, the stone columns fallen and broken, half of the stained glass was cracked or shattered, and most of the floor taken up by the enormous pool of healing water; the church still radiated the peace and calm that Aeris had always radiated. Tifa walked through the rubble, grateful that everyone had banded together to clear a path to the pool.

She reached the pool and gazed down into it, happy to see that the flowers had again started to grow on the borders.

"Aeris? I need to ask you a question. It's about Cloud."

The church remained silent, the only noise being the soft ripple of the water as Tifa sat down by the edge and passed her hand through it. This won't cure him this time. And once she thought it, she knew it was true. "But does that mean he's just going to die? After everything he's done, he's just going to have to die?"

A drop of water rose up from the surface before dropping back down. ""We're trying to save him."

A pair of booted feet and the hem of a pink dress came into Tifa's line of vision. She looked up and there was Aeris, standing beside her and gazing out on the water's surface. "What?"

"We're trying to save him. The Planet wants him to live, but they can't afford to let Sephiroth have another chance."

"So, wait. You mean that…"

"The Planet caused his Geostigma."

"Why would you do that! He's in so much pain!"

"I know." Aeris said softly, a catch in her throat.

"Then why are you doing this to him?" Tifa asked her just as quietly.

"There's something like the Lifestream in the body. Geostigma is a disease that gets rid of bad things like Sephiroth by eliminating them from the body. The Planet decided that this is the easiest way to destroy Jenova's legacy, even though Cloud has to suffer."

Tifa mulled that over for a moment. "But Cloud said the remnants were coming from him. Won't this make more of them?"

"The Planet will prevent that."

"How?"

"It will."

"Is he going to die?"

"I trust him to pull through this."

Tifa thought over what else her friend had said. "You said there was something like the Lifestream in the body. Is there any way to summon something like Holy? Would that help him?"

And for the first time since she had appeared, Aeris looked down at her friend and smiled. "He loves you, you know."

"What?"

"He loves you. He loved me too," She added, seeing the incredulous look on Tifa's face. "But I think he got confused when he had Zack's feelings and his own all mixed up in his head. Zack and I love each other and I think that Cloud, just Cloud, loved me like a sister. He really loves you though." The flower girl paused for a moment. "Holy…mmm. It's not a bad idea really."

"But…"

"Of course, the White Materia is at the bottom of a lake, but I'm sure that would work." Aeris muttered happily, until Tifa finally had to catch her attention.

"Aeris!"

"Oh sorry. I was just thinking that maybe you could summon his Holy. The one I summoned was a deep love for the Planet and I'm positive that you could do the same for Cloud!"

"Really?"

"It's worth trying. Anything that could help someone is worth trying."

The women rested in the calming silence for a moment before Tifa spoke. "You really did keep your promise didn't you?"

"Hmm?"

"I'll come back when it's all over. That's what you told Cloud right? And you did. You came back and protected us, just like you promised."

"We'll all be together again someday. But Zack and I are willing to wait a long time to see you all again."

"How is Zack?"

"Running around as a wolf half the time." She giggled. "But he makes a much better pillow than Nanaki." The pair giggled, Tifa snickering as she imagined the kind SOLDIER from her memories acting as a pillow for her friend. "I think he likes to check up on everyone."

Tifa fingered the ring on her finger, the wolf head design matching the ones on Cloud's armor and earring. "I think you're right."

"Aeris?"

"Yes?"

"Thank you. For everything you've done."

Aeris smiled again "And thanks for being my friend." Her silver bracelets jangled as she held out her hand.

Tifa went to take it, wondering whether her hand would pass right through the other woman's when her phone began ringing, a pretty piano melody that she had played as a kid. It was one that Cloud said always reminded him of her.

She reached for it and flipped it open. "This is Tifa."

Marlene's voice sounded tearful over the phone and Tifa's heart twisted painfully. "Tifa you have to come home right now. Cloud's getting worse."

"I'll be right there Marlene. I'm coming right now."

Tifa stood instantly, feeling a hand against her shoulder, but when she turned to look, Aeris had gone.

"Summon Holy." The words echoed off the church walls.

"I'll try!" She shouted as she bolted from the sacred place. "Thank you!"

Once the roar of the motorcycle had faded away, Aeris knelt in prayer before the pool. "Let their love be strong enough to save them both."

Zack appeared beside her. "It will be. It has to."

Henrika- In case you're wondering, I put Tifa's phone ring as Tifa's Theme. I found it so amusing when Loz had the FFVII victory music for his ring. Heehee. And the Holy concept hit me when Vincent explained that there was something like the Lifestream in the body. So, any questions? Or have I just confused you all worse than before? Thanks for reading!