What Lies Beneath

Chapter 11

Switch

Cloud found his sword in his hand, unsure when he had reached for it or why. This sword belonged to that man. That man he was damn sure that had left this city, left this sword, and left Aerith forever. Zack Fair, looked as if he were painted to perfection, a complete opposite of Cloud. He was taller, more heavily muscled, darker hair, and a definite stark contrast was the grin on his face that Cloud could barely manage.

A hand slipped on his shoulder, causing him to jump. He looked back and saw Aerith smiling at him. He then noticed Tifa was right next to her. His heart clenched. He never expected to see her again, here and now. Not after what happened between them.

"Cloud," Aerith said softly. "Is something wrong?"

He looked back at Aerith, wanting to say something but had no words able to say what he was feeling. Aerith let her hand slip off his shoulder and walked around him.

"How?" Cloud asked following her.

"How what?" the brunette asked.

Zack crossed his arms, "Did you hear me?"

Cloud looked back at Zack and then back at Aerith. He swallowed hard, unsure what was going on. How could this be happening? How could these people be here after one night? How could Aerith do this?

"Cloud," Tifa said.

The pain inside Cloud doubled upon hearing his name. The ache in his heart caused him to be unable to look at her. Her voice sounded so beautiful and yet so foreign because never expected to hear it again. Tifa had left him. He was alone. Now she was here? How did this make sense? To Cloud, it seemed ludicrous.

A white hand reached up touching his cheek. Cloud's eyes moved to see the person. He expected it to be Aerith. Aerith who was always doing such things, always trying to be sweet and caring. Yet, when their eyes met it was a dark brown, almost ruby in color, set of eyes that he found. Her hand on his cheek remained as they stared at one another.

"Cloud," she whispered again. "I have come back to you."

A soft gasp escaped Cloud and his eyes went wide. Tifa flung herself into him, wrapping her arms around him. Dropping the sword, Cloud looked down at her and ever so slowly brought his arms around her.

Cloud felt agony clench his heart. Holding her now, it felt so right and yet so wrong at the same time. How could he accept this? He should have rejected her, save himself the pain if she were to leave him again. It was not right. He could not accept this.

But... how could he not?

He held her close, holding her like a precious treasure. He rested his cheek on top of her head. Emotions welled up inside of him but all he could was say one word.

"Tifa..."

They stood like that what seemed like forever. For this moment, nothing else seemed to matter. However, when he opened his eyes he found the pair of emerald eyes looking at him from a few feet away. Aerith smiled at him before looking away. Cloud's grip around Tifa loosened.

"Aerith," Cloud looked to the side to see Zack was calling out to her, something he was going to do.

She nodded toward him before looking back toward Cloud.

"I'm sorry," she said softly. "But, Zack is here to challenge you for possession."

Cloud gulped and then pushed himself away from Tifa. He had to fight now? Now after this reunion? Now after Zack's sudden reappearance? Why would he want her now? Why come back for her? Cloud felt his mind jumble with questions.

"That's right," Zack said, "you and I are going to fight. But first... give me back my sword."

Cloud looked at Zack discarded sword on the ground. That was the sword he fought with.

"That's my... sword..." Cloud replied. He bent down and picked it up.

"Afraid not," Zack snapped, waving a finger at him. "Aerith may have let you borrow it but this sword is mine."

Zack held out his hand. Cloud felt himself lose the grip of the sword from his hand. He looked down and saw the sword vanish. Looking back up, the sword reappeared in Zack hand. The raven-haired man swung it in the air and took a few practice swings to make sure he was not rusty.

Zack smiled and then looked at Cloud. "Well, I'm ready whenever you are."

Cloud tensed. He had no weapon. Would this guy attack him like Kadaj? He was intending on taking Aerith! How could he protect her without a weapon. He looked over at Aerith she frowned at him.

"What's wrong?" she asked.

"I have no weapon." he replied. "I need a weapon!"

She gave him the first weapon, Zack's sword. Surely she had another weapon for him.

"Draw your weapon!" Zack ordered, annoyed with the stalling.

Cloud shook his head, holding up his empty hands.

"Everyone who competes must have a weapon," Zack explained, "where is yours?"

Cloud did not know what to do. His sword was Zack's sword. He used that sword! Now he was suppose to draw a new one out of thin air? Cloud looked between Aerith and Zack. Why did she not give him a weapon now? Why was she just standing there looking at him?

"Aerith..." he called.

"Those without a weapon can't fight." Aerith stated. "Those are the rules. No one can attack someone without one, that would be against the rules."

What was against the rules or not did not matter to some of the competitors. Cloud remembered that all to well. He had been attacked by them unarmed but each time Aerith came to his rescue. However, Zack did not look as if he was going to hurt Cloud in anyway. Instead he placed his sword on his back, strapping it to him.

"Well then, you know the rules for those who cannot compete," Zack stated.

Cloud felt relief. He as not going to be senselessly attacked. He could talk to Aerith about finding a weapon and then he could fight Zack. Then he could protect...

"You forfeit the right to have Aerith," he finished.

It was if a weight fell down on Cloud. His stomach dropped and his skin paled.

"What?"

Aerith walked away. "I'm sorry Cloud but without a weapon how can your properly protect me? This isn't like when you battled Kadaj. Kadaj did not have to fight you unless you challenged him. But, when someone challenges you, you must accept or forfeit because you are in possession of me."

"But you gave me that sword!" Cloud yelled. "Each time someone challenged me and I was unarmed you gave me HIS sword!"

"To borrow..." she said, standing next to Zack.

Cloud watched at Zack and Aerith looked at one another. He was going to take her from him.

"I can still fight!" Cloud exclaimed. "I... I can fight without a weapon."

Cloud promised to protect her. He had to protect her. He needed to fight him. He needed to win. He needed to...

"Cloud..." Tifa said softly. "You could get hurt. Don't fight..."

Zack drew his sword, holding it out in front of him. A grin made its way on his face.

"If you want to fight then let's fight!"

Tifa looked alarmed. Aerith looked away knowing she could not stop the blond. Zack held out his sword and Cloud felt a bead of sweat drop down his back. He was weaponless. The odds were clearly against him. Yet, he could not lose.

The battle began and the two men charged toward one another. Cloud dodged a swing but before he could even counter with his own attack Zack and brought the sword back around and hit him in the head with the hilt. Cloud saw stars from the blow. Zack picked him up with one hand and tossed him aside, knocking him into a pillar. The blond slid down the pillar into a crumbled heap.

He lost.

In less than a minute, he lost.

Tifa scrambled over to him, calling his name.

"Game over," Zack said. "Aerith is mine now."

Zack sheathed his sword on his back and turned toward the exit. He walked, passing by Aerith. He gave her a brief nod and continued toward the doors. She began to leave when she heard Cloud calling out her name, pain etched in his voice.

"Aerith... wait..."

She turned her head toward him and for a moment their eyes met. Sadness, worry, fear, hopelessness, radiated there. Aerith closed her eyes and when they reopened there was a smile on her face, her eyes glittering with happiness.

"It's okay now." she said. "You don't have to protect me any longer. Zack will now. You can... protect Tifa now."

With that she turned and left the church, meeting Zack at the exit and together they were gone. Cloud watched in disbelief. He lost. Aerith was gone. He failed. Cloud slumped froward, expecting to crash on the floor but Tifa was there to catch him.

"Cloud," she whispered. "It's okay now."

But was it?

X, X, X,

Author Note- Unedited version. Sorry to keep you waiting.