Zack walked the streets of Midgar silently along with Cloud and Tseng. Cissnei had stayed behind, knowing she wasn't needed anymore. Before they left, she smiled at Zack and told him to 'Be a good puppy and follow Tseng.' He rolled his eyes and muttered something incoherent back at her.
Zack admired the old sights to himself. He missed this place. Missed all the times he'd be out at missions, trying to find some Wutai spies. Oh, how he loved the looks ob their faces when they were caught. The thought brought a smirk to his face. But it soon dropped when he thought of other times. The memories of training with Angeal flooded his mind. When they laughed at Angeal's or his jokes. He really missed him a lot.
Due to the fact that Zack and Cloud couldn't be recognized by anyone outside of the Shinra building, they were forced to wear gray cloaks that covered their obvious hair styles and the top portion of their faces. This was one thing they were required to wear, as directed by Tseng.
They soon reached Sector 5, The Slums. Zack grew nervous all of a sudden. What if Aerith didn't want to see him? What if she was so mad that she spat in his face and shoo'd him away? What if she cried and screamed at him? He couldn't take that. Already knowing that he hurt her from his absence was already crushing him on the inside. They reached the doors the the church; Aerith's church. His palms grew sweaty and his heart beat quicker than usual. He stopped abruptly as Cloud and Tseng descended up on the stairs. Cloud stopped, noticing Zack had as well.
"Zack?" Cloud inquired.
Tseng soon stopped at the door and turned. "Well? What are you waiting for?"
Zack shook his head,"I don't know if I can do it... I don't know if her seeing me is going to make her happy or more grief stricken. I can't," He breathed in a shaky breath,"... Do that to her. Hurt her more."
Cloud looked at him with pity. He felt the same way when they had gone to his hometown in Nibelheim. He wore his helmet mostly the entire time just to avoid Tifa the best he could. He didn't want to see her broken face. But, he soon found out it wouldn't be a broken face; it was a face of hope and smiles.
"She won't be hurt."
Zack snapped his head up at Cloud.
"She'll be overjoyed to know you're okay. She won't shun you, I swear." Cloud smiled his first smile in a long time.
Tseng lightly smiled.
Zack's big eyes soon softened. He nodded his head. "Thanks, Cloud."
Cloud nodded and walked up the stairs once more with Zack at his heel.
Tseng opened the door casually, like he owned the place. Zack frowned a little. He used to do that, too...
"Aerith?" Tseng called out. "Aerith, where are you?"
"I'm right here!" A light voice called rang out.
Zack's breath hitched at the sound of her voice.
A girl who looked about eighteen or nineteen stood up slowly, still looking at the ground attentively. Her eyes soon traveled up to Tseng. She blinked and then smiled. Her hair was brown, a light dark autumn brown that was tied up with a pink ribbon and fell in a braid to her lower back. Her bangs fell on the two sides of her face that reached the ends oh her cheeks. They splayed across them beautifully, in little wisps. She wore a pink dress with a red overcoat that came a little after her chest. The dress stopped right above her ankles and she wore brown boots that also stopped at her ankles. Her figure was that of an hourglass as it molded at all the right places. She was a beautiful young lady and she was Zack's Aerith. She had matured, yes, but she still was Aerith.
Cloud admired her for a minute, too. He had never met Aerith and was a little curious to what she looked like. Now that he had, he knew why Zack had eyes only for her.
She walked over as Tseng smiled at her. She smiled back.
"Hello, Tseng. It's nice of you to come and see me." She said in that light voice of hers.
Tseng nodded,"Hello." He motioned to the two cloaked figures,"I have a surprise for you."
She blinked at the two, as if she just noticed they were there. "Oh, really? What is it?"
Tseng nodded at the two as they pulled down their hoods. Her eyes first found the blond boy. He was about her age, maybe a little older, and had very spikey blond hair. He had piercing blue eyes that looked so sad but also had a warmth. She smiled and nodded at him and then her eyes found something else.
Her breathing stopped.
The other man had black hair that was spiked back with one piece dangling over his forehead. He head a 'x' shaped scar on his left cheek. His eyes were the color of the sky as they stared at her.
Neither one of them looked away from eachother. No one spoke. Aerith felt like her world was moving in slow motion. Zack felt that way, too. He didn't know what to say. Hell, he didn't even know how to speak at the moment.
She slowly walked forward and stood in front of him. She kept her eyes on his as she kept searching into them. She didn't want to stop looking, afraid this might all be a dream again. She dreamt so many times that she'd wake up and he'd be there as always, smiling and being a goofball. She knew she woke up this morning. So thos wasn't a dream, right?
She reached up slowly and placed her hand on his cheek. When she felt skin on skin, she couldn't contain herself anymore. Tears escaped her eyes rapidly.
"It really is you... Zack." That name glided off her tongue smoothly. It felt so good to say it after so long.
He smiled softly as he cupped her hand with his on his cheek.
"Hey, Aerith. I'm back."
Her insides turned as he said her name. Her breath hitched as her crying continued.
She hugged him around the waist tightly.
Cloud and Tseng knew this would be a private reunion so they quietly stepped outside.
He placed his hands on her upper back, holding her just as tight. Her crying became louder for a minute but soon slowed. He rubbed her back slowly.
"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry."
She pushed back a little to look at his face,"Why were you gone so long? Why didn't you reply to me? I was so worried... Everyone kept me in the dark. I didn't know if you were..."
She looked down.
"I tried so hard, Aerith. I was taken during a mission and everything after that is a blur. I... I hurried here as quick as I could. I was stuck in a pod for four years. I didn't mean to leave you like that. I really didn't. I'm so sorry." A tear of his own fell off his cheek.
She looked up with a smile. "I understand. I'm just glad you're okay."
He smiled at her words. Same old Aerith.
He didn't let her go after that.
They soon sat near her flower bed. Where he first met her.
He played with a few petals that had fallen off onto the ground.
"I wanna spend more time with you, too. And we can start now."
Aerith looked up quickly with big eyes.
He smiled fondly at her.
She soon smiled back and looked onto his eyes,"I'd love to, Zack Fair."
He nods,"Good, Aerith Gainsborough."
Cloud sat on the steps outside as Tseng leaned against the foundation of the church. It was getting old, but it was still standing. Cloud looked up at the sky. He was glad to be where he was right now. And it was all thanks to Zack. He always looked up to him. He would always be his rolemodel. He just wished Tifa was here with him. He wondered how she was after the whole Sephiroth ordeal. He narrowed his eyes at the word. He was that cause of all this chaos. He'd never forgive him. Ever.
Tseng listened intently inside the church. He did give them privacy, but not too much. He was still Aerith's protector, until Rufus said otherwise. But secretly, he would always look after Aerith. He had grown fond of her over the years and he hated it. But, it couldn't be helped. He loved Aerith Gainsborough behind closed doors and that was how it would remain.
Tsengs phone soon ringed and he picked it up,"Yes?"
"Tseng, I want to speak with the Fair boy." Rufus' voice rang into his ears. "I want him here. By ten minutes ago."
Tseng blinked,"A-Ah, yes sir." He shut the phone.
Cloud looked at him questionably as he walked into the church once again.
Zack and Aerith both looked up.
"Aerith, I'm sorry to cut this short, but would like to see Zack."
She blinked and looked worriedly at Zack. Anytime Shinra would like to 'talk to her' he'd usually yell at her or... She shivered at the thought. She nodded and smiled at Zack.
"I'll see you soon, right?"
Zack stood up and helped her up,"Of course! Don't miss this face too much, okay? 'Cause you'll be seeing a lot more of it!"
She giggled as he walked over to Tseng.
Tseng nodded at him as he turned and smiled at Aerith, then turned and followed Zack out.
Tseng knocked on Shinra's door once again that evening. A curt,"Come in," was heard as they opened it. Tseng stepped in with Zack, leaving Cloud on the outside, frantically wanting to go in. Rufus sat there with both Reno and Rude at both his sides. He smiled at Zack.
"Zackary, how nice to meet you."
Tseng motioned him to sit down and he obliged reluctantly. He shifted to get comfortable and then looked at him dead on. He didn't reply, he just looked at him.
Rufus chuckled,"Impatient one, eh? Well, then I'll cut to the chase."
He put both his hands on his desk and smiled amusingly,"How would you like to work for me for the rest of your life?"
Zack widened his eyes.
A/N: Oh my God. I sm SOOOOO sorry for this VERY OVERDUE update. I could give you a million excuses but theres one: I've had no computer for the past couple months. Sigh. Gotta love being poor._
Anyway, I hope this'll make up for it. Towards the end is when I started running out of things to write about and that may be why it seems rushed.:/ I really don't know where to go with this story but I have ideas. So I want to thank all the people who reviewed such kind words. Even the,"Please update," ones. They all mean a bunch and helps me write.
And I apologize for all my mistakes in previous chapters. Grammical wise. And for the beginning of sentences that look like there's supposed to be a word but isn't. The doctors name was supposed to be there but for some reason it got cut out.-_- It stumps me, but it happened. Also, my friends story is,"The Gunslinger and the Singer." I apologize to EllenAndKeats4Eva for that mistake. But really, drop her a review on that and read it. MAKE HER WRITE MORE. Lolol and also write me one for this chaoter too?:) Thanks a lot again guys. And I'll be back soon with another chapter.:) (As I write this at 2:30 in the morning. That's how much I love you guys.) P.S. Do any of you like Kingdom Hearts? If you do, have you seen the new trailer and opening to the new game: Dream Drop Distance? It looks amazing! So much happening!:D I love that game series with a passion! But anyway, Bye!:D