Wings of an Angel
By Henrika

Henrika- You're going to kill me, aren't you? I have excuses to hide behind! First, I took a vacation and saw part of my family. That was what delayed me the first week. The second week's delay was caused by my keyboard. Some of you knew that my "S" key kept falling off my keyboard. I used to be able to just snap it back on and it would stay, at least for a few minutes, but it finally got to the point where I had to replace the entire keyboard in order to work. Which I did. (Stripped the screws too. Sigh.)

I know you're upset (some more than others), but I plan to make it up to you. Though I will say that the next update will come, I will no longer put a a mark on when. I will still try to keep them on time, but this way, no one is counting on me. (Cop-out).

The other part of the whole make-up plan will be announced in the next chapter, preferably as part of a landmark I am expecting for this story.

And you're REALLY going to hate me. Another cliffhanger. PLEASE don't murder me! (Fans poke Henrika's body)

Anyways, enjoy and review!

The wing at his back was being stretched, ripped away from his body by the silver chain that had encircled it. He felt something hot and sticky slide down his skin. He pulled away from Aeris, reaching around and drawing his fingers back to discover them covered in brilliant sanguine blood. His thoughts sharpened for a brief moment and he saw a beautiful church. It was her church, yet something didn't fit about the Aeris in front of him and the one in that church. The one there had been kind, had loved the Planet, had had a man with her with blue hair that she obviously loved, and had cured the Geostigma that Jenova brought.

"Jenova!" The pink feather fluoresced, shimmering brightly and forcing "Aeris" back towards the veil that had been raised.

"Cloud! What's wrong? You're scaring me!"

"Shut up! Stop using her face!"

"Cloud…please." She was pleading, her voice small and frightened.

"Aeris! Help!" Cloud shouted, but he wasn't speaking to the girl in front of him. The pink feather glowed brightly, a bright light shining forth from it and focusing directly on the girl's face.

The face melted away, revealing Jenova, who was hissing in pain and anger. "Fool. You'll regret this."

"You used her." His rage was quiet, but palpable. The anger flooded through his body, white-hot and racing along the silvery chain that was dripping with his blood. The links blasted away from him, the feedback racing towards Jenova and driving her to the ground.

Cloud flexed his wings, adrenaline freeing him from the pain. The white wing hung limply from his back, crimson running down his back and leg, the feathers barely twitching.

"You believed it was her." Jenova rasped, standing again. "You wanted so badly to believe that your precious flower girl had returned that you actually believed I was her."

Cloud, please…

"You did this to the Ancients. You changed into their loved ones, infected them with your virus and turned them into monsters."

Jenova purred. "And it worked perfectly. I destroyed the Ancients. And I will destroy this Planet. Whether you want to or not."

…snap… of it…

"You think you're going to use me."

…please…

And suddenly she was beside him, whispering in his ear. "I am going to use you."

Cloud…

Cloud swiped at her, but she was already beyond his range. He glanced over at the glowing sphere, the silver chains racing turbulently, almost distorting with their speed.

…please.

"You failed the flower girl. You failed to save your best friend. And you will fail to save the Planet. You will destroy everything you've ever loved."

Don't.

"Tifa."

She froze, unable to do anything but clutch at the now useless Time materia, willing that she would somehow be able to cast the spell and knowing that she wasn't able to. Cloud stood over her, First Tsurugi poised over her head. She tried to move, to get her legs under her and get out of the way, but she couldn't find the strength. The splinters embedded in her legs from the floor sent small twinges of pain through her body, but she was almost too numb to feel them.

She hung her head, remembering her promise. He had fought and he had failed. She knew he'd tried, but she also knew he would never attack the kids if he had control. The realization of what she was about to do hung thick on her tongue and clenched her heart so hard in her chest that she stopped breathing for a moment.

It didn't occur to her that the sword above her hadn't fell. Or that Cloud had frozen strangely just as he had when he had been about to attack the children. All that occurred to Tifa was that she had an opening and she had to take it.

Even if it meant that what she was taking was Cloud's life.

She took stock of her surroundings, made her decision, and scraped together every last bit of strength she could find in her body.

In one swift movement, she got her feet underneath her and drove herself forward, her hands catching Cloud's sword hilt and forcing it away from her. The combined momentum of both her and the heavy sword propelled them backwards, forcing Cloud to drop the sword moments before they crashed through the glass window behind them. And it was as they fell the two stories down to the street, with shards of glass raining all around them, with silence rushing into her head and narrowing the world down to her descent that she heard the word that escaped Cloud's lips, his beautifully clear blue eyes capturing her own.

"Tifa."

Henrika- In case you didn't recognize the dialogue it was what Tifa was trying to say to Cloud in the last chapter. And I know it seems that he fell for Jenova-in-disguise-as-Aeris awfully easily, but I will try to clear that up a bit. Thanks for putting up with me!