Chapter 2: My Love for an Angel
Disclaimer: Square Enix owns Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children, its predecessor and all their characters.
"Cloud?"
"Cloud?... Wakey Wakey…"
A Voice?
Cloud opened his eyes slowly to find himself lying in a flower field; the smell of blossoms permeating the air with their soft fragrance. Slowly, he sat up to take in his surroundings but his breath caught in his throat as he came face to face with the angel that had been haunting him in his dreams every night and every time he closed his eyes.
A soft, pretty girl was peering down at him through long, wing-like lashes, with her head cocked slightly to one side. Her large, luminous green eyes the colour of the rich evergreens held laughter and a tinge of mischief.
Sensing his shock, the girl giggled, her laughter the soft musical sound of silver bells echoing around him. Raising a slender hand, she tucked a stray lock of honey brown hair back and slowly, smiled a soft, gentle smile, which melted the corners of his heart like the touch of spring's sun on winter's snow.
My beautiful angel… Oh how I love you… How I've missed you… He thoughtin wonder and longing.
"Cloud… Come on… Come here…" She whispered still smiling warmly and beckoning him with a hand stretched out towards him.
"There's something I want to show you…"
Cloud unconsciously stretched out his own hand in an attempt to grasp hers. But it seemed no matter how much he tried to reach for her, he could not touch her. Frustrated, he felt a frown cross his features as he struggled to reach for her. She was so close! So close…
"Cloud… Hurry…"
Cloud tried to get up and walk towards her, but his backside and feet seemed glued to the ground. "Wait… I can't…"
The girl cocked her head to one side and giggled again. "Now really…" she laughed, with no attempt to hide her amusement and starting skipping lightly towards him. Standing in front of him, she started rocking back and forth on her heels; her eyes seemed to sadden a little at some unknown knowledge as she stretched out her hand.
Cloud quickly grasped her hand, feeling his long fingers folding around hers and feeling that familiar warmth spread across his palm. Smiling gratefully, he felt warm tears touch the corners of his eyes, his heart beating in joyous symphony as he raised his eyes to meet hers. It had been so long… And he had dreamt of this day for… Oh… What seemed like a thousand years…
She was still smiling as she gently cupped a cheek in her free hand sending shivers down his spine. "Say, Cloud? Do you love me?"
Of course I do…
You're the reason for my existence…
My source of light in endless darkness…
"I… I…" He stammered, the words that he'd kept bottled for so long seemed caught in his throat. "I…"
The slicing sound of metal against bone cut through the air and halted him in mid sentence. Cloud's blood froze, the warm tears that were welled up in the corners of his eyes were flowing freely now.
Cold as ice…
His angel's face was a mask of shock, a dribble of blood dripped thickly from the corner of her mouth. The vibrancy in her eyes seemed to dim. That's when Cloud saw it, a blade that glinted coldly in the light, slick and red with her blood…
Sticking a full two feet out of her abdomen.
The blade retracted back into her body and sent her body falling forward into his arms with a sickening lurch. The metallic smell of blood hung like a dark cloud around him. Cloud could not stop the sobs that racked his body as he stared down at her ghostly pale face. Her verdant eyes were rapidly losing their sparkle, staring straight ahead, no longer seeing.
Yet, she managed a small smile and reached a trembling bloodied hand to his cheek, caressing it gently.
Her touch was getting cold… He realised desperately as he held her hand against his cheek in an attempt to warm them.
"You know… Cloud…"
Her voice was weak, a quiet whisper that held desperation and sorrow, as her light continued to fade.
"I… I've… Always…"
Then a deadly silence. Her eyes were still wide open, her face still held that warm smile, but the hand that rested on his cheek slid down, leaving trails of blood in it wake that mingled with the tears that fell from his eyes, and fell lifelessly to her side.
Tears of blood…
Then a cold voice that cut through his heart like a knife… "You are… a puppet…"
Cloud was overwhelmed with a sense of lost as he cradled his angel against his chest and cried like a lost child. A painful agony that broke his heart into pieces so small, he was sure each piece could be fitted through the eye of a needle. His bloodied hands leaving trails of blood against her skin as he gently held her and kissed her forehead. His soul tore painfully from his grief.
He was alone again… Broken… He would never be whole again…
I will never see her smile again… Never hear her voice again…
Shaking his blonde head, his tears blurring his vision, he tossed his head back with a pained cry that could split the heavens.
"AERIS!"0
Cloud Strife shot up in bed panting and drenched in cold sweat. The quiet chirping of birds and the soft peach coloured glow of the rising sun greeted his senses. The light fragrance of flowers seemed to soften his tense being as he rubbed his temples trying to clear his vision that was all blurry from slumber.
"That dream again…" He whispered softly, the bare skin of his back falling back against the comforting warmth of the soft pillows and closing ocean blue Mako eyes in reflection. It was always the same… An onslaught of emotion that always left him cowering the morning after, with unshed tears and reminders of that endless loneliness he had to endure every waking moment since her death...
The former SOLDIER rose slowly from his makeshift bed and swung long legs onto the cool stone floor with a catlike grace that was both smooth and incredibly quiet and padded softly across towards an expansive patch of flowers.
A soft voice seemed to resonate in his head.
"They say you can't grow grass and flowers in Midgar."
"But for some reason, the flowers have no trouble blooming here."
"I love it here."
A ghost of a smile touched his lips at that distant memory as he walked pass the lilies, crocuses and tulips and finally knelt down at a patch of white roses. They reminded him so much of her, their soft white petals the purest of whites that shimmered like crystal. Pure… Untainted by outside influences… And breathtakingly beautiful, just like her…
Cloud fascinated himself with the white roses, tracing his long fingers slowly against the soft petals, momentarily visualizing his hands stroking her face.
A sudden, stinging sensation on the tip of his finger caused him to wince slightly. More shocked than in pain, he peered at his forefinger and saw crimson blood welling in the small cut he had received from the hidden thorns. Cussing silently, he pulled his finger back and stared hypnotized as a drop of blood slowly slid off and fell with a silent 'plop' onto the heart of a single rose, the drop bursting apart on impact and resting finally, sprinkled across the petals.
The bright red of his blood was a startling contrast against the brilliant shimmery white of the petals.
The smell of blood so heavy, he could taste it in the air… My angel… Lying in a pool of blood… The smallest of smiles still lingering on her lips… But she's gone…
I will never see her laugh again… Nor hear her voice again…
Cloud stared blankly at the blood kissed rose. The ghost of a smile on his lips disappeared, his eyes dead and distant… And a torrent of pain. Only a single, silent tear betrayed his emotions and slid down his cheek, falling with a silent splash onto the rose, mingling with the blood, dripping off the petals and onto the soil.
"I miss you…"
"I love you…"
"Will you forgive me…? For not being able to save you….?"
Wrapping his arms around his knees and resting his tousled blonde head wearily against them, as if to encase himself in an imaginary cocoon, to shut himself out from the outside world… Cloud finally started to cry.
Whoa… LONG chappie! Hope that didn't bore you guys to bits!
WOW! I actually got reviews! glomps all my reviewers happily Thanks all! Send more coming ne? I'll do my best!
Shouts To!
LastCetra: Thanks for the support! Writing each chapter is such a challenge, I always end up with writer's block before I start! giggles
asga: Ha ha ha… Hmm… Let's see how the story progresses ne? I hope it'll be up to your expectations!
Clorith: stomps on you playfully hope you like the next chapter!