"Hold still, Leon!"

Leon was constantly tilting his head from side to side while sitting in a chair, narrowing avoiding having a bit of his ear being cut off by Aerith's scissors.

"Hey! Ouch! Not too close!"

"That's because you keep moving! Hold still or you're going to make me poke out an eye!"

That did it.

Leon sat so still, Aerith didn't even need to use both hands.

She carefully trimmed the back of his hair before straightening up and sighing with satisfaction.

She took a mirror and placed it in font of him. She rested her chin on his left shoulder, smiling at his reflection. Leon examined his new haircut.

"Very cute," Aerith commented. " Leon examined himself for a very long time, much to Aerith's nerves. Slowly, but surely, he smiled.

"You're pretty good," he remarked, brushing through his hair with his fingers. Aerith sighed, stroking her own hair.

"Maybe I should get it cut too," she said, grabbing the mirror off Leon. She tilted her head and cocked an eyebrow. "Maybe cut it like Tifa and Rinoa." Leon glanced at her and laughed.

"What?"

"Their hair was always so nice," Aerith said, brushing aside her bangs. "So silky, simple and neat. I was always the odd one out. With my puffy bangs and all." She chuckled and set the mirror down on the kitchen table. She continued to play with her hair, until it suddenly broke from its braid.

"Huh?" Aerith attempted to keep it all in place, but it was hopeless. The pink ribbon found its way into her hand. Aerith sighed irritably.

"Darn it…" she muttered, staring at the ribbon. It was all shredded and worn out. "That was my favourite." Leon got up to see. He smiled.

"You've been wearing that for almost 5 years," he told her. Aerith stuck out her lower lip in a pout.

"Because it was my favourite." She threw it aside and pushed her hair back. She went over to the sofa and sat down. Leon watched her for a moment, then followed. He reached into his pocket and fished out a brand new red ribbon.

He stood behind her and dangled it above her head. Aerith looked up at it and smiled.

"You bought me a new ribbon?" she said as he dropped it in her hands. Leon nodded and jumped onto the spot next to her. Aerith examined the ribbon.

"Hmmm… red." She laced it with her fingers. "It'd go well with that cute dress the Fairy Godmother bought me."

"Which?"

"The white one."

"The one with the corset?"

Aerith closed her eyes and tried not to smile. She elbowed Leon in the side and laughed.

"it is most definitely not a corset!" she said, shaking her head. Leon just shrugged, putting an arm around her as she gazed back at the ribbon.

"Hmmm, so why did you suddenly go out and buy me a new ribbon?" she asked, leaning onto him.

"Well, it was supposed to go with your birthday present," he said truthfully. Aerith smiled. "But I think you'd appreciate it more now."

The girl in pink sat up and tied her hair with the new red ribbon. It was much easier to tie up than the pink one, and held more hair in place. Aerith beamed at Leon.

"You are so sweet," she told him. She cupped his jaw with one hand, leaned in and kissed his cheek. She pulled away very slowly, staring into his eyes. Leon leaned in again to kiss her on the lips, but she tilted back to avoid him. He frowned.

"What's wrong?" he asked. Aerith let out a laugh to hide her discomfort. She stood up.

"Nothing," she lied. She started walking towards the kitchen. "I just forgot I was making lunch." She started opening the cupboards and taking out food. Leon watched, still concerned, but then smiled and shook it off. He stood up and walked to the piano. Tapping the keys gently with one hand, he sat down at the chair and played a single tune (1000 Words).

Aerith mindlessly took out the utensils. The melancholy tune was drowned out by her thoughts and doubts. Was she still thinking about Cloud at a time like this?

Aerith suddenly felt cold, really cold. She shivered and hugged her arms. It wasn't a normal chill, the ones she usually felt whenever she had a bad feeling, it was as if an icy breeze blew onto her.

She set aside the things and grabbed her coat. She put it on as she headed to the door. The music suddenly stopped.

"Where are you going?" Leon asked, walking over to her. Aerith turned to him.

"It's a little cold in here," she said. "I thought I'd go get some more firewood." Leon raise an eyebrow, touching her cheek

"You're heating up a little," he said, a not of concern in his voice. "Maybe you're sick." Aerith placed her hand on her forehead.

It was warmer than normal. Leon pushed her to one side.

"It's really cold outside," he said, putting on his own coat. "I'll get the firewood for you."

Aerith smiled gratefully.

"Thanks." She pulled off the jacket and hung it back up. She took down her scarf and wrapped it around Leon's neck. "But I want you to be warm too." Leon nodded. He leaned in to kiss her again, but like before, Aerith looked away to avoid it. She tried to act normal.

"I… uh… I'm going to get lunch ready now," she said merrily, backing away to the kitchen. She turned around to hide her guilty expression.

Leon stood there for a moment, deeply hurt and disappointed by her actions. He emitted a heavy sigh and went outside.

Aerith took a deep breath and rubbed the back of her neck.

"Just walk away," she mumbled to herself. "Don't see me like this." She took a loaf of bread out and started to cut it into thick slices.

Then, she heard something fall with a thump in the far corner. She looked over to its direction and saw her shoulder bag on the ground.

"Oh no…"

Her favourite shoulder bag was hung from a strap on a hook on the wall, but the strap had broken so the bag had crashed to the floor, all her accessories spilt out.

Aerith sighed with frustration and marched to the mess. She bent down and began cleaning it all up.

Breathmints, dental floss, compact disc, a small comb, lipgloss, mascara, sugar free gum, extra ribbons, tissues, an ether, a potion, hand lotion…

Aerith couldn't believe all the junk she had in her shoulder bag.

Suddenly, her hand came across something she had completely forgotten she had. She picked it up and stared sadly.

It was the photo of her and Cloud, the one she took just before midnight on New Year's Eve.

Just before he proposed.

Aerith immediately looked away from it, pain pumping through her heart. She took a deep breath.

"Walk away," she whispered again. She dropped everything and stood up. She turned back to the kitchen. "Walk away…" She walked back and started taking out some vegetables.

Aerith tried to go on like nothing had happened. She cut out the crusty bread and spread the cream cheese evenly onto it. She went on to chopping the carrots into thin sticks, but then stopped.

She closed her eyes.

Aerith knew she wouldn't be able to keep going on without being able to talk to someone. She needed someone.

Someone she knew would understand and support her no matter what.

Aerith opened her eyes again. She continued chopping the carrots, but she didn't feel like she was alone in the house anymore.

Because she wasn't.

"Aerith."

Aerith stopped and tilted her head to the voice's direction.

A beautiful young woman in her late-20s was sitting by the far window, watching her. A ghost.

She had Aerith's flowing chestnut hair and her crystal green eyes, but rosier cheeks and plumper lips. Her eyes didn't have Aerith's naivety and carefreeness, but more wisdom and serenity. Aerith smiled sadly, yet thankfully, at the sight of her.

"Mother…" she said softly.

Ifalna Gast's spirit straightened her pure white dress and slowly walked over to her daughter. Aerith drew closer to her, smiling peacefully. Ifalna took her face in her hands, but didn't smile.

"You've grown," she said. "You've grown a lot."

Aerith nodded. She placed her hands on Ifalna's.

"Mother… I'm so happy to see you again."

Ifalna's smile appeared and disappeared. She let go and walked slowly towards the piano.

"I'm glad to see you too, darling," she said softly. "How are you?" She ran her fingers on the keys.

Aerith dropped her gaze for a second, then smiled.

"Great, Mom," she said enthusiastically. "Things are great."

Ifalna didn't look at her.

"Aerith, darling," she said gently. "You don't have to lie to me." Her daughter's smile disappeared and she looked away. Ifalna turned around to her.

"Darling, I know you're not happy."

Aerith stubbornly shook her head.

"I am," she said, her voice quivering a little. "Everything's fine." She went over and stared out the window. Ifalna followed her.

"Aerith," she said again. Aerith stopped and looked at her again. "You can't go on like this."

"What are you talking—"

"Cloud and Squall."

Ifalna's eyes flashed and Aerith knew it would be hopeless lying.

"I need to know what you're trying to do to yourself," Ifalna said very quietly.

"You don't understand."

"I will if you tell me."

"There's nothing to tell. I was with Cloud, now I'm with Squall."

"I need to know more than just that, Aerith."

Ifalna's eyes pierced into Aerith's very soul, and she was able to pinpoint exactly what kind of heartache it was that was beating in that hollow chest. Aerith turned away, hoping that once their eye contact broke, the river of guilt that was flowing through her veins would cease.

It didn't.

"You're running away," Ifalna said. "You're trying to get away from the life you've created because of everything that has happened."

Outside, the wind began to blow hard. Something blue got caught in the window frame. Aerith opened the window and gently pulled it in.

It was a forget-me-not.

Small, sad and lonely. Just like Cloud. Just like Leon.

She felt a surge of sadness and guilt as she stared at it. Ifalna noticed.

"Aerith…" she said softly. "Aerith, listen to me. Please."

Aerith didn't move. Her mother understood why.

"I know how much you're going through," Ifalna said. "You're guilt-ridden because two people are in love with you."

Aerith closed her eyes.

"Please stop…" she pleaded. "I can't talk about this now."

"You can't run, sweetheart. You can't hide from that fact. Cloud, Squall, they're both madly in love with you, and you blame yourself for breaking their hearts because of your mistakes." Ifalna smiled sadly. "And you think you can't be forgiven because of that." Aerith looked back at the blue flower in her hand.

"You still don't understand. I know I can't be forgiven."

"Yes, you can. You can still save them. You can still save yourself from those mistakes." Ifalna shook her head. "You just need to trust yourself to be brave." Aerith stared at the flower in a trance. She frowned and tightened her hand into a fist.

"No," she said firmly. "I can't go back. I can't." She sighed shakily.

"I'm scared, I'm too scared because I know I can't ever be forgiven for lying to Cloud and Squall. I want to forget. I want to forget everything from the past and start over with Squall, because I know I can make him happy." She inhaled, the air stinging her lungs. "I want to forget all the horrible things I ever did to him, and I want to forget everything I've done to Cloud, and I just…" Her hand trembled. "I want to forget Cloud!" She threw the flower violently onto the floor. She suddenly realized what she was doing, and she stared down at it, unable to catch her breath. "And I think I'm starting to…" She smiled sadly.

"I can't even remember the last time I kissed him," she said, rubbing her forehead with her hand. She laughed bitterly at her pathetic situation. Ifalna was shocked as she saw the peak of her daughter's despair. Aerith sighed deeply as she continued to stare at the flower on the dusty ground in front of her.

"I can't go back," Aerith went on, her voice almost a whisper. " I've forgotten too much. Too much about Cloud, and… and it has to stay that way."

Aerith looked at her mother.

"I need it to be this way," she said. Ifalna studied her, reading Aerith's mind.

"Aerith, you have to know the difference between what you have to do and what you feel you have to do." Aerith nodded, her eyes lowered.

"I know," she muttered. Ifalna sighed again, but smiled.

"I know you can get through this and do what's right. I know you. Don't listen to those doubts in your mind. Just think about yourself for once, and think about what makes you happy." Aerith closed her eyes. She felt Ifalna slowly release her hand.

"Please, Aerith," Ifalna's voice whispered. "Just be happy." After a moment, Aerith suddenly felt alone again, everything around her returning silent.

"Mom?"

She opened her eyes.

Ifalna was gone.

Aerith sighed heavily. She stared around the room. No one was there. She smiled sadly to herself.

"Goodbye, Mommy." She glanced back and picked up the forget-me-not, staring at it fondly. She walked over to the piano, lost in her thoughts.

Everything her mother's spirit had said, was it all true? Was she merely causing more pain and grief for everyone around her?

Aerith collapsed onto the chair. She placed the flower on top of the piano.

The truth. How she hated the truth.

Everything as it was now was calm, no one was hurting. If she would confess to her true feelings, it would be too cruel. It would be unbearable for Leon, and she couldn't stand the thought of hurting him again.

Aerith would hide it, and that would be the only thing that would stop his heart, and her heart as well, from smashing into a million pieces, all over again.

She looked down at the ring on her finger. She smiled at it. He had done too much for her already, and she wanted to keep her promise to him.

Aerith's fingers rested on the keys and she started to play a gentle song (Aerith's Theme).

She smiled as she played it. It was peaceful and sweet, calming her down instantly. Her gaze drifted up, at the window. Her fingers slowed down.

The beautiful sky. Clear and blue, with pure white clouds sailing through it. Aerith smiled sadly, remembering that magical night when Cloud proposed to her. Subconsciously, her hands stopped and played a new song (Cloud Smiles).

The song made her remember all the good times with Cloud. How he could make her feel so happy and special, how he could make her feel so loved and whole. She thought about Celeste, the name for the little girl they would never have.

It was a sin.

Suddenly, Aerith began to cough hard. She stumbled onto the keys, bringing the song to a stop. She scrambled over to the nearest tissue box and quickly torn one out, still coughing and spluttering uncontrollably.

Aerith covered it over her mouth to muffle her coughs. Her chest began to hurt, but she couldn't help it. As she started to calm down, she felt something moist in the tissue. Aerith blinked and held the tissue out in her hands.

Her heart stopped.

Blood. She was coughing up blood.

Aerith quickly looked up from the tissue. She felt cold, but she had to calm down.

She heard the door open and quickly hid the tissue in her pocket. She wiped her mouth before turning around to Leon, who was carrying a load of wood in his arms.

"Hey," he said, going over to the fireplace. He noticed she was very pale. "You alright?"

Aerith nodded and smiled.

"Yeah," she said brightly. "Just a little cold."

Leon quickly threw a spell into the fireplace and started a fire, letting Aerith sit in front of it. She rubbed her hands together warmly as she watched the flames. Aerith hugged her knees tightly.

She couldn't help but feel a little scared.