The next week was quite busy. It seemed that everyone from Traverse Town suddenly picked up their stuff and all moved into Hollow Bastion. And by everyone, that meant everyone. Merlin, Fairy Godmother, even the ducklings moved there. Once Hollow Bastion was to be restored, it would be more convenient to live in, seeing that it was almost three times as big as Traverse Town.

Cid had set out some rules on who stayed in which houses. Cloud and Aerith were to share a house together, Cloud was responsible for paying and Aerith was responsible for taking care of it. Cid had forced Yuffie to stay with him in a house close to the couple, saying he wouldn't let her get her own place until she was old enough.

Yuffie reluctantly agreed.

Leon stayed in a house further away; it was of his choice. Much larger than what he would have needed, but that might have been because Aerith was supposed to stay with him. He stayed there most of the time, only coming out when Cid made him, for work. He agreed to it, but only if he didn't have to be in the same room as Aerith.

They were setting up their new house. Cloud and Aerith grew closer and closer as they worked together to deliver items into their new home. Cloud still seemed a little dark at times, but he couldn't help but smile whenever Aerith was around him.

Aerith knew he had been through a lot, but she made up a fun guessing game, and if he played and guessed right, he'd get a prize.

"Okay, okay," she said, staking up a pile of blankets onto her bed. "Mmmm… your favorite color? I'd say… blue." Cloud smiled and nodded, setting the chair down next to Aerith's desk. He went over to her and planted a kiss on her temple. She giggled.

"Yes! I got it right!" she laughed. "Now it's your turn." Cloud raised his hand to his chin as he mocked a thoughtful look.

"Hmmm… I'd have to say… pink." He turned around to see her reaction. Aerith laughed again and kissed him on the cheek. It was a fun game.

"Something you can't go through the day without?" she said to Cloud. He thought and thought as he took out her stuff from a box onto her desk. He then clicked his fingers as something came to mind

"Your ribbons," he said finally, though he knew it was a lame attempt. "To keep your hair out of your face?" Aerith laughed and shook her hair. She kissed the palm of her hand and blew it to him.

"Close, though," she said, smirking. She looked at his thoughtfully. "I'd say…hair gel." She burst out laughing. Cloud let out a scoff and pushed her onto the bed, flat on her back. He lay on top of her, holding her down by the wrists so she wouldn't be able to escape.

"So not," he murmured. He silenced her giggling with a kiss. Cloud pulled away after a moment, tasting his lips.

"I got it," he said, looking down at her. He grinned. "Strawberry Chapstick." Aerith laughed. She cupped his face and pulled him down to her lips.

"Playtime's over, children," Cid's voice came from the door. They couple looked over at him. "Get back to work." He muffled a chuckle and left.

Cloud laughed and got off Aerith, helping her up with him. He turned back to the desk and resumed unpacking. Aerith watched.

"You grew up good, didn't you?" she said, teasing. "Did some girl take care of you?" Cloud smiled.

"A few of them saved my life, actually," he said serenely. "A few of them I have to thank for guiding me." Aerith set down a bedsheet and smoothed it out carefully, her eyes on Cloud.

"Did you ever fall in love with any of them?" she asked. Cloud looked at her, his eyes slightly widened in surprise. But he smiled as he read her mind.

"No," he said. "It was always you." His voice was so truthful, that Aerith felt something burn in her heart, and she forced herself to look away as his last words rang in her head.

It was always her.

All these years, he had loved her so much, that he didn't ever need anyone else beside him. He was so strong, so determined, his love for her was so strong that he stayed faithful.

She didn't.

"How about you?" Cloud asked, his voice calling her back to reality. Aerith flinched, resuming the straightening of the bedsheet. She plastered a smile.

"What about me?" she joked, hoping to steer the conversation another way.

"Did you find love with anyone else?" The blue eyes flickered with uncertainty, as if they were actually asking her something else.

'Did you stop loving me and replaced me?' it asked.

She didn't know what happened. The moment suddenly became blurry. She couldn't move, she couldn't breathe. Her throat closed up, and someone else spoke with her voice.

"No," the voice said.

Cloud's blue eyes softened again and he nodded to himself. As he turned to collect some more things from the box, Aerith saw him smile.

She shook her head, the blood rushing abruptly to her head, making her realize what she just said.

She had just lied to him. If she just said she never found love with anyone else, then she just told him that a relationship, let alone an engagement to Leon, never existed. Her eyes widened in horror and she placed a hand at her temple, feeling dizzy.

There was a sudden knock that almost caused a disorientated Aerith a heart attack. Both she and Cloud looked at the door.

It was Leon and Yuffie.

They seemed to have heard the conversation from the expressions on their faces. Yuffie looked shocked, and Leon, utterly heartbroken.

"What is it?" Cloud asked, with a casual air. Yuffie snapped out of it and plastered a smile.

"We need some man power!" she said brightly. She pushed Leon in front of her. He didn't take his eyes off Aerith. "Could you give Leon here a hand with the furniture? I need a tiny word with Aerith." Cloud looked over at Aerith. She stared blankly back.

"It'll only be a minute," Yuffie added. Cloud shrugged. He quickly gave Aerith a kiss on the cheek and went over to Leon. He shot Aerith one last smile and walked out, pulling the unknowingly devastated Leon with him. Yuffie's smile instantly disappeared and it was replaced with a look of horror and confusion.

"Did you just tell him what I think you told him?!"

Aerith quickly released the now-stretched bedsheet. She stood up and turned away, a little unsteady on her feet. She couldn't look at Yuffie. She couldn't even think properly. Yuffie grabbed her by the arm and spun her around to face her. The shock was still on her face.

"Aerith, snap out of it!" Yuffie exclaimed, shaking her best friend. "Do you realize what you've just done?!" She shook her hard, until Aerith couldn't even breathe. "Do you realize what you've just said to Cloud?!"

Aerith spun out of control as Yuffie suddenly released her. She stumbled and fell onto the hard floor. She slowly pushed herself off the ground, realization hitting her for real.

"I lied to him," she breathed. She stared up at Yuffie, who was towering over her, dumbstruck.

Aerith had never seen Yuffie look so shell-shocked, unable to believe what she had just heard. The look in her eyes, the disbelief. It seemed that she was the one who could clearly see what that lie would become. Yuffie crouched down to Aerith, taking her by the shoulders.

"You have to tell him the truth, Aerith," she uttered. "This is going to get bad real quick if you don't tell him."

Aerith sat up, her green eyes focused again. She summed up the events in her head, terror striking at her stomach as she realized.

Cloud couldn't know. Now that she had told him she was faithful, she couldn't tell him she wasn't.

"I can't tell him the truth," Aerith muttered. "I can't do it."

Yuffie's eyes widened. This didn't sound like Aerith at all.

"What?!"

"I said I can't tell him the truth!" Aerith burst out.

"Why not?!" Aerith shut her eyes and rubbed her forehead.

"Because he thinks I never betrayed him," she said tearfully.

Oh God… everything was going wrong. Why was she thinking like this now? Why was she so afraid to take back one word?

One word that would change everything.

"What about Leon?!" Yuffie shouted, desperate to bring out some sense. "How can you lie about you and Leon?!"

"Yuffie, please… I don't know what's wrong with me."

Yuffie jumped to her feet, her eyes flashing with distress. She slowly backed away from the girl she thought was kind, sincere and caring.

"I thought you loved him, Aerith," Yuffie exclaimed. "Why would you hurt Leon if you love him?" She shook her head. "And I thought you loved Cloud as well. Don't you see how all this will fall apart?!"

Aerith said nothing, and she looked away, ashamed and confused. Yuffie couldn't take staring at her any longer, and she sprinted out of the room before she exploded.

Aerith slowly stood up, making her way to the bed and collapsing into it. Her eyes were glassy, her heart pounding, her breath at her throat, threatening to choke her.

She had told a lie, and she felt like a coward, disgusted at herself. It was just… those eyes. Those eyes and the longing and yearning for her love all those years. For a woman who was pure and chaste, whose love for him was so strong that she never needed another in her heart.

But she wasn't that girl. She moved on. With his best friend. Aerith thought about Leon, and the look on his face when he heard her say she had never loved another man. Her heart pulsed painfully as she felt the guilt of her lie.

Something inside her stopped Aerith from telling the truth, and it stopped her from wanting to tell the truth. Aerith suddenly broke into a fit of coughs, stumbling back onto the bed. She shook her head, unable to clear it of those unsettling thoughts.

What was wrong with her? What was going to happen now?

Cloud lifted one end of the table as Leon did the same to the other end. They brought it out of the van and carefully onto the ground. Leon was unusually quiet.

"Hey!" Cloud called out. "You alright over there?" Leon nodded. They moved the last table onto the carpet. Cloud let out a relieved sigh. He looked over at Leon.

"So why did you change your name, anyway?" he asked. "What was wrong with Squall?" Leon took a seat on a chair and shrugged.

"Squall died when the Heartless came," he muttered, his gaze on the ground. Cloud went over and sat down next to him. He glanced at his friend.

"Too bad," he remarked. "Squall was my best friend. But I guess you'll just have to do." He playfully punched him in the shoulder. "You took good care of the girls, didn't you?" Leon closed his eyes, trying to ignore the pain.

"Yeah…" he replied monotonically. "I probably did." Cloud slapped him in the back and got up.

"Well, we better get back to work or Cid will be riding us." He went back over to the van and started to take out more furniture. Leon sat for a moment, trying to stay focused and stopping himself from breaking down again.

But really, why did she just… lie like that? Didn't she care how that would affect him? Didn't she care how much it would hurt him? Leon sighed.

He still loved her, so much, but he knew something bad was going to come of this. He stood up and went over to the van.

She didn't tell Cloud about their engagement. Why? Did she still love him? Was there a chance that might have been the reason?

What will become of this lie? What destruction will it release?

Will it tear apart their lives? Will it destroy their friendships?

Leon tried to shake off his thoughts. He just didn't know.