Chapter 2: Fragments of Memories
"You never did get the letters I sent you.. did you?" The single most important question Aerith has been meaning to ask a few years back slipped right through her lips. "I wonder where Tseng's keeping them…"
The both of them decided to take a little stroll out of the Lifestream since the Lifestream isn't much of an interesting place to be hanging out in. Zack was lying comfortably on his back in a field of flowers, with Aerith not too far beside him, both staring at the blue sky.
"Only the 89th, which led me to my demise" Zack slipped a grin and a sideways glance towards Aerith. What greeted him was silence as he continued to stare at the petite figure lying beside him, a figure he never thought he would be meeting so soon. She was staring at the sky, eyes of emerald imbued with concern. He looked away, unsure of what to say. It was a rather awkward situation.
"What happened…?" Aerith asked, gaze unmoving.
"Uh…" Zack scratched his head, the way he always does, in Aerith's memories. "That letter came to me when I was fleeing Shinra Mansion, while I was trying to get back to Midgar. It was carried by Angeal's monster copy."
"The one that saved us in the church?" She turned sideaways, taking in his side profile in full.
"Yeah" Zack nodded, and smiled. "Sorry that I never got any of the other letters…"
"I… guess everything's okay now. I… didn't know what to do anymore at the time. I was so worried. You promised you'd come back but… 4 years is a long time" Aerith buried her hand into Zack's hair.
"Aerith…" Zack stared back at Aerith with a dejected look. "Did you… Are you with someone else now?"
Aerith only let out a bittersweet smile. "I… wonder" Seeing Zack's reaction made her add "I want to know what happened to you those years…"
"Oh, right." Zack managed a smile as he started his tale. "You must have heard of the Nibelheim Incident then. Sephiroth and I were assigned to the area, along with Cloud." He stole a quick glance at Aerith upon mentioning his best friend's name, eager to see a change in expression. Sure enough, her eyes did betray her as they widened slightly. He continued.
"Cloud and I were caught by Hojo for his freaky experiments, I managed to break out of confinement without realizing that 4 years has passed. Cloud was suffering from Mako poisoning and I figured it best to leave the area as soon as possible." He held back from telling her it was his memories of her that urged him to return in the shortest time allowed. He smiled. "I still had things to settle and after that… I received your letter."
At this Zack sat up. "To tell you the truth, I was really mad. Mad at how Shinra was treating its personnels, SOLDIERs, human lives. And to take away 4 years of my life just like that… I couldn't even accomplish what I'd promised to do. Then I knew I had to get back to Midgar. Get back to you." He turned his head around and smiled smugly at her. "Before you forget how I look like."
Aerith could only smile.
"During our last ride to Midgar, not too far out, we were cornered. So I figured it best to make sure of Cloud's safety. I did all I could and gave up my life in the end. Sorry…" Zack bowed his head to the ground. "But, I was happy to see Cloud was alright, so I handed him my sword, my dreams… and my honour."
Aerith listened; impressed by the story she is finally enlightened with. "Is that why Cloud assumed your identity when I first met him? I almost convinced myself it was you in another person's body…" Aerith looked at the ground. "But he's not you…"
"Despite all that, he's real. Mako can deal a lot of change to a man," Zack nodded and smiled as he looked Aerith straight in the eye. "He's a cool guy. You sure you have no feelings for Cloud? Cause I'd perfectly understand" Zack gave a smirk again, but one discretely woven with pain and hesitation. The question was out. It was all or nothing.
Hearing what was said, Aerith burst into giggles. "Hahaha"
"Hey, what's so funny…? I-I'm…" Zack stuttered and stop, having failed to get the proper words out. Why is it always her that makes him this way? Being with her always has this effect. The stutters, the nervousness. Light, she does have a huge impact on him.
"Are you… jealous?" Aerith pushed her face closer to Zack's, leaving only inches between their noses, green staring into blue, blue staring into green. She broke into a smile. Even that, feels familiar.
"I-I… Of course I am!" Zack, turned away. "I wouldn't want my girl falling for my best friend. But, I want you to be happy. I told you I was watching… Couldn't really sleep with all the racket about and Sephiroth."
Something in their way of communication relived those memories of things that once were. It brought a strange sense of warmth and belonging in Aerith. A feeling she has long awaited for, without her knowing it. At that moment, she knew. After all those lonely years wrought with anxiety, pain and false hope, she finally realized. It was not the one with the blonde-hair that she has been having growing interest on but rather the familiar sense of belonging she felt from him. How did she fail to notice it was always another 'him' she was reminded of. She knew she could only belong in a particular place. And that place was…
"I am happy" Aerith placed her hands into his. "I am happy now… Zack. You're… not going anywhere anymore… right? You're.. free"
Zack stared wide-eyed at Aerith and smiled, returning her words with a squeeze of his hand on hers. "Yeah, maybe now's the best time to fulfill your 23 luxuries"
She buried her head into his chest, feeling the warmth she has been looking for all these years. The warmth that was never gone from her heart. A warmth rekindled.
Zack brought her closer in a mild embrace. "Hey… you sure you don't fancy Cloud?"
"Oh you!" She pinched him.
"Ow!"
She giggled. It was the prettiest sound that was once heard during a time long ago, under the shelter that was an old church in the Sector 5 slums. A sound ceased for the following years, only to find its way back again.
