Note: While I realize that the idea of a 'Lifestream' is an idea of Japanese culture, and to compare it to heaven would be quite a stretch, I am only making that comparison for the purpose of this story. Also, I apologize if the religious nature of this chapter offends anyone.

Chapter Nine- The Light in Aeris' Garden

The door to Midgar Catholic Church creaked and squealed as Tifa Lockheart opened it, a sure sign that the building had been around for a long time. The funeral for Marlene had just ended, but Tifa couldn't stay away. She felt compelled to go back.

The Church had undergone a lot of major changes since the second Sephiroth encounter. For instance, the structural damage that had been done over the years was repaired. A priest had been found, and the confession booth had been set up. For the first time in ages, the Church where Aeris had once grown her flowers was now an actual Church.

The stained glass windows shone down upon the footsteps of Tifa. It's panes were illuminated with the colorful depictions of a peaceful-looking man in a robe, and a young lady with a child in her arms. There was a big T in the center pane, except that it wasn't a T like one that you would normally see. The vertical line did not stop at the point of intersection, but continued on, as if unsure of when to stop. The T was adorned with a purple thing that looked like a robe.

"Hello, there. Can I help you?"

Tifa looked around, and saw a man sitting on a bench to her right. He was a short, older man, with glasses and a thinning patch of brown hair. He was dressed in black, except for a ring of white around the neck of his garment.

"I don't know. Can you?"

The man looked up at Tifa, smiled, and said, "I am Father Smith, the priest at this place of worship." Tifa looked as if she had just sucked on a lemon. "Worship of what? Aeris?"

Father Smith laughed and explained, "No. I can see why you would say that. From what I have heard around town, a lot of people seem to think that." Tifa replied, "I knew Aeris better than anyone on earth. She was the closest thing to a goddess that I've ever seen in my life. She can speak to us, even though she is in the grave. Doesn't that mean something?"

The priest simply asked, "Aeris has a lot of power in the lifestream, but who do you think created the lifestream?" "I don't know. The planet?"

"No. God created it. In the Western world, the lifestream is better known as 'heaven'." "Who is this 'God'?" The priest thought for a while, trying to find a way to explain a higher being to someone who was totally clueless. "He is the one that created everything and everyone. He had a son, who was born of a virgin, who died and rose again so that we would have forgiveness of sin and that we could enter into the Lifestream."

"That's a bunch of bullcrap…

…but I have to admit, I do need to be forgiven. What must I do to go to the Lifestream?"

"You must simply believe, and ask for forgiveness with an honest heart, believing that he is the only one that can forgive you."

Tifa knelt down and prayed, "Okay, 'God', if you're really out there, I have to confess something that I need forgiveness for. All of my life, I have been a fighter. I have killed many enemies, and I feel so guilty for that. I'm not talking about Sephiroth. He deserved to die. I'm talking about when I helped to destroy the Mako reactors so long ago. Many innocents died. Please forgive me...for everything. I want to go to the Lifestream with Aeris. I believe."

When she had finished, Tifa stood up, and began to cry. As she walked out the door, she said, "Father Smith, all of my life people told me that your kind of God was just a crutch for the weak." Father replied, "Would it not be inhumane to deny the weak their right to a crutch? The addicted get rehabilitated. The innocent go free. The sick receive medicine. If religion is a crutch, then it is a crutch that you need."

"I am only willing to follow this stranger to the gates of the Lifestream, nothing more."

"Then may God have mercy upon your soul."

Tifa turned around and asked, "If you are right, then do you think that Aeris made it in to the Lifestream?"

"I do. Right before she was killed by Sephiroth, I have heard that she was praying for the planet. I have to believe that wasn't the only thing she was praying for."