I woke up screaming. I hadn't actually seen it since that day, and that dream was so vivid. I could never live with this kind of regret; it was as if I were living my life with a heavy weight sitting on my shoulders. I heard feet running to my room, but I was faster and I locked the door before any of them could barge in. I heard them turning the knob trying to get in.

"Kaylee, are you okay! Open the door, is there something wrong?" Tifa yelled.

Through sobs, I managed to get out:

"I'm okay Tifa; it was just a nightmare, go back to bed. There's no one in here I swear, it's just me re living the past again and again and again…"

She kept trying to break the door open, she could tell that there was something really wrong. I heard other voices outside the door.

"No Vincent, don't just pop in there- she won't like that. Cloud, would you be able to get her out of there? Hey where are you going! Come back here, we need your- oh well."

I heard them all disperse. Cloud was willing to let me stay in my room for the rest of my life, and at the moment I was grateful for that. I've always had the urge to take my own sword to myself, but never had the guts to do it. I felt like Cloud would eventually be the stimulant for that, but what was it about him that made me so eager to please? I didn't want to believe it, but I was beginning to think I was growing feelings for him. Of all people, Cloud Strife, the one who can say so much by just looking at a person. I didn't want this to happen; in fact it was a fear of mine. Commitment and affection for someone…just couldn't be something I did. Especially with someone who would despise my very existence if he ever knew my secret. I went and sat against my cupboard door where I kept my clothes and held my head in my hands.

"Aeris, why did you have to be the pink fox? Of all people, it had to be you, my best friend. God I miss you so much. If I could do anything for you, I would send myself straight to hell where I would never have to burden you again- because I know you've been watching over me, otherwise I would have never made it here. I ruined Cloud Strife's life because of a job where the money wasn't even good! I destroyed my life because of money and Sephiroth. I can't even gain the courage enough to ask for your help now."

It felt like hours of me just sitting there silently weeping to myself on the ground. I felt the aura in the room slowly changing, and I realized everything went white and I was sitting on a small circle of different colored flowers. I felt someone sitting behind me with their back to mine.

"Still moping around, I see. I thought you would understand that's not what I would want, Kaylee."

"There's no way this is really happening right now. I must be sleeping. You're not really there, you can't be- I destroyed you." I said in a panic.

"You could be dreaming, I don't really know. The difference between living and dreaming is all the same to me now. Kaylee, you could never destroy me, I'll always live forever in your heart. And I really should be thanking you- I'm living happily here, taking care of the new comers with Zack himself. He told me to tell you he said hey, by the way."

I heard her laugh. I hadn't heard that in forever, literally. I decided this was actually happening and I wasn't going crazy, so I went with it.

"How could you act like I did you a favor? I ruined the rest of your life, I ruined Midgar forever, I killed Cloud Strife, I killed myself. Sephiroth is winning, and it's all my fault."

"Kaylee, you were drugged and you didn't know. Even if you didn't need the money, destiny would have led you to join Sephiroth anyway. Don't punish yourself for fate's mistake. I'm so happy up here, living my life the way it should have been. The only person missing is you, but I watch over you and all of my friends every day, so it's not so bad. Zack is here for me, and the hurt is gone. Whatever you did you did in the past, and you know what Kaylee? I forgive you."

That was the last thing I heard before I found myself back in my room, in the fetal position. The clock said that it was 9 am, so I decided to get up. I really didn't want to leave my room because I couldn't bear to face Cloud, but I got dressed and as I was about to turn the knob when Vincent randomly popped into my room.

"Kaylee, I know something's going on. Cloud's been acting even stranger than usual and you didn't come out of your room all day. Tell me what's going on, right now."

"Vincent, don't pester yourself with my pitiful life. It means nothing in the end. I have an announcement for you all anyway, and after you hear that you won't be so keen on making sure I'm alright all the time. I'm not who you think I am, and I'll never be able to take back what I've done in the past."

I walked right past him, and he followed right behind me as I climbed down the stairs. I walked right into the center of the bar, thank god it was Wednesday. I noticed that Yuffie and everyone were back. Great, now everyone could hear it and hate me forever. It's exactly what I deserved. She was about to come and pounce on me when I put my hand up to stop her and she saw my face. She stood back next to Cid and Red.

"Everyone, I need to make an important announcement." I said.

They all turned to look at me, except for Cloud.

"I'll just tell you the good news first- my bags are already packed upstairs for me to go. I know that you were all friends with the wonderful Aeris Gainsborough."

That grabbed their attention. Before the questions could start flying, I continued.

"Well, I was too. She was my best friend before the tragic accident. To make a long story short, she left when she received a piece of her deceased boyfriends' armor from when he was killed- and I thought I would never see her again. I wish that were the case. I, being desperate for money, joined a small resistance group…of which the leader was in fact Sephiroth."

People spit their drinks out at that one.

"He was paying alright money to do his dirty work. I was living on the streets; I felt as if there was nothing else left to do. Using that money, I bought a small apartment that I just recently lost, leading for me to come here."

Cid cut in:

"Well that ain't so bad. You used the guy for his money, not like you did anything terrible."

"Now Cid, that's where you're wrong, I brought up Aeris for a reason. The last mission I did with him was the mission that destroyed my life forever and some of yours also. For those of you that were there, I'm sure you recall seeing a woman with a giant sword coming down and killing her. Well, sorry to say that the woman you saw was me. I was the one who slain Aeris, I ended that poor girl's life…after all she did for me. After being my friend through the other rough times in my life. Sephiroth fed me a drug and told me to destroy the "pink fox", which was her code name. He refused to tell me her true identity the entire time I trained for that moment. I don't know what kind of drug he used, but it wore off just in time for me to recognize her face when she was lying in the water. I remember Cloud sprinting forward to her, but I was gone by the time he reached her. I was the monster who took her life and doomed our world as we know it. But the funny thing is that after I woke up from that nightmare of a dream earlier today, I was taken somewhere as I sat on my floor. I guess you could say I blacked out if you don't believe me. But she visited me, and told me that she forgave me. That's all that I needed to know, and I'm sorry to have troubled you for all this time, without ever telling you who I was. Thank you for your hospitality, I really, really do appreciate it." I said.

Everyone's mouths were gaping by the time my story finished. Even Cloud's was open a little bit. He was probably surprised that I came clean. I started up the stairs when Yuffie yelled.

"Wait, Kaylee! It can't really be true, you would never do that."

"Sorry Yuffie, but there's no way I would ever make something like that up in such a small period of time."

I kept climbing the stairs when there was a knock at the door. I stopped and looked, just to see who it was before I left for good.

"Hello there! Is your name Tifa? Are you the owner of this here bar? My name's Odette, and this here is my partner Chewy. It's a pleasure to meet you! My boss, whose name will remain unmentioned, has sent us here to study your bar- he says it's one of the most famous places in Midgar. Will you be kind enough to let us stay?" she said with a glamorous smile.

Tifa seemed a little dumbstruck; after hearing one of her tenants killed her friend- she probably wasn't in the mood to have any more strange guests.

"Um, I suppose so. I don't see why not. We're lacking in rooms though."

I cut in:

"No you're not Tifa, my room will be open in five minutes, just give me time to clear out. They can share the bed or sleep on the window sill."

Cloud then cut in:

"You're not going anywhere, Kaylee. I told you, you're not leaving anytime soon."

"Cloud, I'm uncomfortable staying here. I would rather be killed by Kadaj's gang then be here with people who hate me."

They all looked a little taken- aback by this. Tifa spoke in the gentlest voice,

"Kaylee, no one here hates you. You said yourself that you were drugged and desperate for money. You didn't know what you were doing. Sure, it's shocking, but it's not like we're going to feed you to the dogs for a mistake. I know that I forgive you, and knowing the type of person she was, I know Aeris forgives you too, just as you said earlier."

Everyone nodded in agreement. Vincent offered to escort me upstairs, and I took it knowing how he wasn't going to kill me.

"Kaylee, that was extremely honorable of you to tell us that. I understand how hard life must be for you now. You can't blame yourself for this forever."

"Thanks Vincent, I appreciate your courtesy. And I'm just warning you now, that girl at the front door is my friend, but she's been acting a little weird lately- don't trust her completely, alright?"

He nodded once and left me to my room for me to unpack my things once more. I suppose they really were my friends, no doubt about it. I could really get used to this life—for once, it was comfortable.