Don't anyone give up hope yet! Anything can happen at this point. Enjoy!

Night fell, and the team decided now that the Heartless had disappeared, it was much safer in Hollow Bastion. The sky had cleared, and the moon and stars were finally in sight. They decided they would be able to stay, for good now. The castle was to be their home until they could find and rebuild the houses outside. That was okay, seeing it used to be Ansem's home.

Leon disappeared completely afterwards, surely to his new room. Yuffie knew what he must have been going through, but she knew better than to bother him.

That night, Aerith made dinner. It was Cloud's first plentiful meal in years, and he was extremely grateful. They still seemed to be trapped in their own world together. After dinner, Cloud took Aerith by the hand and she led him to his room. Cid and Yuffie high-fived.

As they entered the room, Cloud immediately collapsed flat onto the bed, smiling. It had been a long time since he had laid down on a bed this comfortable. Aerith closed the door behind her, and reached for the light switch.

"Don't," Cloud said just before she turned on the lights. Aerith raised an eyebrow.

"Why not?" she asked, taking a seat at his side. She stroked his hair.

"It doesn't suit me," he replied simply. He sat up and walked over to the window, staring out at the darkness. He took his red cloak off and threw it onto the floor. He looked at his clawed hand. Aerith walked up behind him, staring wide-eyed at it. He pulled it off roughly and threw it too onto the floor. He opened and closed his now-bare hand; it was no longer black. Aerith watched him with confusion.

"What happened to you after the Heartless came?" she asked. Cloud let out a sigh and turned to gaze into her eyes.

"Can we go some place else?" he said. He pushed the window open and climbed out.

"Hey!" Aerith exclaimed. "What are you doing? Get back here." She poked her head out to see where he went. Two hands reached under her arms and pulled her up onto the roof next to him. Cloud grinned bashfully.

"Remember when we used to do this all the time?" he said, looking up at the sky. Aerith smiled and followed suit. It was so peaceful up here.

"Yeah," she replied softly. "I remember everything." She turned to look at Cloud. "I know you've been through a lot." He looked away. She placed a hand on his shoulder. "Please. I promise I won't get mad at you." Cloud looked back up at her. He still didn't know if he could tell her everything, but he couldn't lie to her. He just couldn't.

Cloud took a deep breath and began telling her everything. He told her how it all began; when he met Sephiroth for the first time. How he killed his mother and how he shot the seed of darkness into his heart. He told her how the Gummi Ship crashed, and how he, Tifa, Rinoa and a little girl were the only ones who were able to escape. How he was forced to survive on his own for 9 years. Aerith listened to every word in awe.

"So, do you think Tifa and Rinoa are out there somewhere?" she asked when he finished. Cloud nodded.

"If Kairi made it out alive, then I bet my life that Tifa and Rinoa did too." Aerith smiled at him. She still couldn't stop staring into his baby blues.

"I'm glad you're home," she said, moving closer to him. She placed her head on his shoulder and sighed dreamily. "I missed you." Cloud couldn't help but smile back.

"The light is strong," he said, stroking her hair. "It led me back home." He cupped her jaw gently, staring into her beautiful face. "It's because of you that I continued to fight, even when I slipped into darkness." Aerith's smile faded and she pushed his hand off. She looked away and let out a sigh.

"Cloud," she said. "You can't just look at me and see me as your light." She turned back to him. "Because I'm not." Cloud's smile disappeared and he dropped his gaze. "I can't give you the light you need, Cloud. No one can." Aerith tilted her head sideways to see his face. She shook her head. "I want to, but I can't." She took his left hand and examined it. It was still a little dusky.

"You're tainted by the darkness." She ran her fingers through the faded scorch marks. "If I give you my light, if anyone gives you their light, you won't be able to bear it. You can't take in that much light in at once, it could kill you." Cloud pulled his hand out of her grip and stared grimly at it.

"So no light can save me." Aerith shook her head, bringing his face over to her. She took his hand and placed it over his heart.

"Everyone has light in their heart, even if they are exposed to darkness." Aerith smiled at him. "You have the light you need inside, and only you can release it." She looked him in the eyes. "This is your battle. Only you can fight it, Cloud. No one else can for you." Cloud let out a sigh and looked back up at the sky.

"Then I might have to leave again one day," he told her.

"To find him?" she asked. "To confront your darkness once and for all?" She looked away sadly. She didn't want him to leave again.

"I'll come back," he said, watching her. Aerith looked up at him. "No matter what, I'll come back to you." Aerith smiled.

"I know you will," she replied. She resumed her gaze at the stars. She chuckled.

"What's so funny?" Cloud asked, looking over at her. She continued to laugh.

"Remember how we were as kids?" she said, glancing over at him. "How lovey-dovey we were?" She laughed again. Cloud couldn't help but smile. Aerith moved closer to him, staring deep into his eyes. "I want us to start over again. From the very beginning." Cloud nodded.

The couple made their way back down into Cloud's room. Aerith dusted her dress. She smiled shyly at him.

"Well, I hope you sleep well," she said, looking over at his bed. It had been a long time since Cloud actually slept in a proper bed. Aerith extended her hand to him. "It's great to have you back, Cloud."

Cloud stared at the hand for a moment, a little disappointed, but shook it. She smiled and made her way to the door. Cloud didn't expect anymore so he turned to his bed.

She reached for the doorknob, but didn't turn it. She took a deep breath and spun around. She ran over to him, tapped him on the back. As soon as Cloud turned around, Aerith planted a soft kiss on his lips. That was all she intended to do, but Cloud grabbed her before their lips could part and pulled her closer. The kiss grew more and more passionate; it was what they had wanted for so long. Aerith's hand moved to his cheek and she gently pushed him away as she came up for air. She pushed his blonde hair out of his face to one side with her fingers. She looked into his eyes and beamed at him.

"Goodnight," she whispered. She kissed him lightly again and went over to the door. She shot him a wink before leaving. Cloud smiled. He walked over to his bed and fell flat on his back. He rested his hands behind his head and closed his eyes, letting out a contented sigh.

Aerith closed the door quietly behind her. She turned around and was surprised to see Leon standing there, leaning on the wall and watching her. He looked hurt. Aerith realized she was still wearing her engagement ring. She looked back at him and sighed sadly. She walked over to him, taking off her ring. She handed it to him.

"I'm sorry," she said, trying not to look him in the eye. She turned and walked away.

Leon stared at the ring in his hand.

It hurt so much.

His back slid down the wall as he collapsed onto his knees, unable to bear it. He closed up his fist and pressed it against his heart. Leon took out a small piece of paper from his pocket. He took a deep breath to stop himself from breaking down. It was his vows, the vows he had written for the wedding, for his wedding to Aerith. He had poured his heart and soul into it, for the woman he loved, but now…there was nothing left to do.

He smiled a little as he remembered back his thoughts when he wrote them.

"Aerith, in the presence of our friends and family," he read. "I take you as my wife and my true love. We have grown up together for the last 9 years, and I know you for the truly beautiful person you are, inside and out. I want to stay by you, to laugh with you, to cry with you. I promise to love you faithfully through good times and bad, regardless of the obstacles we may face together. I give you my hand, my heart, and my love from this day on. I will stay with you for all eternity, falling in love a little more everyday. I will cherish every moment being with you. You are my love, you are my life. I love you."

A tear seeped from the corner of his eye as he scrunched up the piece of paper. He threw it violently into the nearby dustbin, and he pressed his back onto the wall. He closed his eyes and started banging his head hard onto the wall. It hurt, but nothing, nothing, could compare to the pain in his heart.

Nothing.

Okay, so that was my extremely lame definition of Cloud's light, and the reason why Aerith was so understanding when Cloud left in KH2. :)

Yeah, I may have been pretty cruel to Leon, but hey, I couldn't let you guys go completely and utterly Clorith on me, could I? lol Hoped you enjoyed it!

The next chapter...oh, we'll be getting tangled very very soon...stay tuned, my pretties...hehehehe