The next few days were quite awkward. It separated the team, too. Cid was on Leon's side from hearing his side of the story, Yuffie was on Aerith's side from hearing her side of the story. They still took turns cleaning up the vacant house, but as said before, it was awkward. Aerith tried her hardest to avoid Leon. However, a week later, Cid and Yuffie realized that the only way to end the tension was for Aerith and Leon to talk it over with each other.

"Seriously," Yuffie said quietly to Cid as they unloaded the new furniture into the house. "They'd look cute together."

"That," Cid said. "And the fact they both really need someone in their lives." He shook his head as he remembered the event in Hollow Bastion. "Poor kids."

Leon came out of the house and moved to one side for Cid and Yuffie. He bumped into the person behind them, who was carrying a large box.

"Sorry," he murmured robotically. The person peeped over from behind the box.

It was Aerith.

As soon as she realized who she bumped into, she looked away. Leon moved to one side for her.

"Aerith…" he said when she put the box down. Aerith tried not to give him eye contact.

"Leon," she raised up her hands when he tried to come closer. "Just don't." She brushed past him.

Cid and Yuffie watched their friends concernedly.

Leon shook his head and followed her outside. Aerith was leaning out on the balcony, looking out at the scenery of Third District. He walked over and stood next to her. He looked out at the view.

"Why me?" Aerith asked after a while. Leon looked at her. She turned to him. Anger and confusion was marked in her emerald eyes. "Why did you have to pick me?"

"Aerith…"

"We grew up together," she said angrily. "All my life you've always been like a big brother to me, and then just now… you're telling me all these things." She turned away and closed her eyes, letting out a frustrated sigh. "Why is this happening?" She opened her eyes again and shook her head. "It shouldn't be happening!" She slammed her hand down. Aerith closed her eyes and leaned further out the balcony.

"I don't know," Leon said, looking over the balcony again. "Maybe it's fate."

"Fate?" Aerith repeated in disbelief. She looked at him and shook her head. "What has gotten into you these days?"

Leon didn't look up. "I'm sorry," he said after a moment.

"I didn't mean it like that," Aerith muttered softly, looking away.

"No," Leon said. He gazed back at her. "I'm sorry for acting like that to you." Aerith sighed. "I didn't mean to be like that."

"You shouldn't store things up inside until you explode like that," she told him. "It never does you any good. It actually hurts even more."

Leon was a little surprised by her words. Aerith lifted her eyes back up at him. They gazed into each other's eyes. It seemed to go on for an eternity.

A child's scream jolted the couple back to reality. They looked over the balcony. A 5-year-old girl was cowering as three Heartless monsters surrounded her. Aerith's eyes widened. She knew that girl.

"Mira!" she called out. The girl glanced over her shoulder.

"Miss Gainsborough!" Mira cried. "Help!" Cid and Yuffie came running out of the house.

"What's going on?" Cid asked.

Yuffie gasped and covered her mouth. "Oh my god, it's Mira!"

Aerith turned and ran down the stairs. A shadow Heartless appeared in front of her.

"Lightning!" she screamed, raising her hand at it. A bolt of lightning shot down onto it, vanquishing it into dust.

"Mira!" she called out as she reached a few feet of the girl. Suddenly, a huge Heartless stepped in front of her. Aerith stopped dead, petrified. She slowly backed away. It was about to attack, when a metal shuriken swished itself through the Heartless. It disappeared in an instant.

Yuffie jumped down in front of her and caught her shuriken. She grinned at Aerith.

Mira screamed again as the other Heartless closed in on her. Yuffie gasped and ran over to it, only to be knocked in the stomach and thrown against the wall hard. Cid jumped down, his spear in hand, and pierced the Heartless right through its head. It was instantly vanquished.

Aerith ran over to Mira and threw her arms over her. Cid stood behind them for a while, until he was grabbed from behind and thrown back. Aerith looked in horror at her two unconscious friends, then at the monstrous Heartless in front of her. She squeezed shut her eyes and held Mira tightly. Leon jumped down in front of them, blocking the attack just in time. Aerith opened her eyes to see her savior.

"Leon…" she said.

"Take Mira and get out of here," Leon told her. Aerith nodded, picked up Mira and ran to a safe area.

Leon watched the Heartless for a moment, his Gunblade in hand. Suddenly, the Heartless jumped up and hit Leon hard on his left. He collapsed, then got up again, clearly angered. He jumped up, raised his Gunblade and brought it down on the Heartless. It was sliced in half before vanishing. Leon stood there for a moment, checking if any more Heartless would appear, then ran over to Aerith and Mira.

Mira immediately ran over to him and greeted him with a hug around his leg.

"You saved us, Mister Leonhart!" she cried. "You saved me and Miss Gainsborough!" Leon looked down at Mira, then at Aerith. She stood up and smiled at him.

"He did, didn't he?" Aerith said, walking over. Her gaze never left Leon.

Cid and Yuffie had regained consciousness and they went over to their friends.

"Come on," Yuffie told Mira. "We'll take you back to your parents." She seemed to see that Aerith and Leon were sharing a moment. Cid did too, and decided to play along. He took Mira by the hand, and the three made their way back to First District.

"Your arm…" Aerith gasped as she saw his left sleeve. It was bleeding.

Leon looked at it. "It's nothing." Aerith moved closer and pulled into view. Leon winced as she carefully pulled back his sleeve. His arm was badly bruised and battered. Aerith looked back at Leon. He blushed and looked away.

"You need to get this fixed," Aerith told him firmly. "Come on." She pushed him towards the door to First District.

"What?" Leon said, trying to pull away.

"Whether you like it or not," she said, turning to him. "I'm going to fix it."

She held out her hand. Leon was confused for a moment, but then took it and they made their way back. Leon smiled.

They were in the Accessory Shop. Leon was sitting down on the chairs while Aerith had gone upstairs for a first aid kit.

Leon sat there, thinking.

Aerith climbed down the ladder after a few minutes, carrying a medic's bag. She walked over to Leon and sat down next to him.

"Take your jacket off," she said, not looking at him. She opened the bag. Leon carefully removed his jacket and showed her his arm. Aerith took out a cotton ball and soaked it in some potion mix. She started dabbing it gently on the bruised arm. It was silent for a while.

"You were very brave," Aerith said finally, glancing up at him. "Jumping in front of a direct attack like that."

Leon smiled. "It was nothing." He winced as Aerith dabbed the cotton ball on the cut on his forearm.

"There," she said, putting the equipment away. "That'll hold it. It'll heal over in a few weeks." Leon examined it. It had stopped bleeding but was still dark. He looked back up at Aerith.

"Thanks again," she said, smiling. "For what you did today." Leon nodded and they stared at each other.

"Ahem!" said a squeaky voice. Aerith snapped out of it and turned to see a moogle. It was holding a vile up to her.

"This is the elixir you ordered," it told her. "Freshly synthesized!" Aerith took the vile. She smiled at the moogle.

"Thank you," she said. The moogle bowed, and then quickly climbed back up the ladder. Aerith examined the elixir carefully.

"An elixir," Leon said, slightly interested. "You don't see those around too often." He tried with difficulty to put on his jacket, despite the painful wound on his forearm. Aerith watched concernedly. She looked at the elixir again. She had ordered it over a month ago, and it was for her illness. The coughing had gotten a lot worse, but she was able to manage. Leon, on the other hand, had to fight Heartless everyday, and an injured arm wasn't going to do him any good. He needed to have it healed. Aerith sighed and looked at Leon. He needs it more than me, she told herself.

"Here," she said, holding out the vile. "Drink this."

Leon stared at the elixir.

"It'll heal your arm," Aerith told him.

"But… it's yours," he said, pushing the vile back at her. "Don't waste it on me." Aerith just smiled.

"No, you do need it," she said firmly. "You're hurt, I'll just ordered another one later." She held out the elixir again. "Take it, Leon. I don't need it right now as much as you do."

Leon glanced at her, and then slowly, he raised his hand to take it. He opened it and poured the elixir mix into his mouth and down his throat. Leon then closed his eyes and let out a long sigh as light shone from the wound. A second later, the light faded and his arm was healed completely. Leon examined it for a moment, then gazed up at Aerith. He smiled softly.

Aerith blushed and looked away. She nervously fixed up her hair.

"I'm glad you're feeling better," she told him.

Yuffie and Cid were leaning against a wall distanced from the couple. They watched with concern.

Yuffie shook her head. "It can't go on like this," she said, throwing up her arms.

Cid removed the straw from his mouth. "Better than nothing, kid. This is the closest they've gotten in over a week." He went over and picked up a newspaper and started reading it.

"There has to be a way," Yuffie muttered, shaking her head. She glared at Cid. "Are you even helping?" Cid didn't seem to hear her. His full attention was on an article in the paper.

"Jesus Christ," he mumbled to himself. "It's gonna be pouring tomorrow. Guess we can't work on the house." Yuffie snatched the paper from his hands.

"Hey!" Cid yelled angrily. Yuffie buried her face in the newspaper for a minute, then looked up and smiled evilly at Cid.

"Perfect," she said silkily. She looked back at Leon and Aerith. Her smile widened.