VI Everything Will Be Alright

"I don't understand Zack" Aerith said softly as they both gazed up at the sky worriedly. "Why isn't Holy coming?"

The wind was blowing strong, and Meteor loomed dangerously close over Midgar. They had watched Cloud and the others defeat Sephiroth, but there were still no signs of Meteor being destroyed.

"I don't know" he answered honestly.

It didn't make any sense, and as he tried to come up with a way to possibly stop it, Meteor just came closer.

"Damn it" he whispered.

Was there no way? Why couldn't they do something? Knowing this was the end, that those in the lifestream would forever perish when the planet was destroyed, he held Aerith close to him, not wanting to let go.

"Zack…" she whispered.

She now understood that Holy was having the opposite effect that it should, that it was drawing Meteor towards the planet faster and increasing it's horrible destructive power. Zack was just about close his eyes and wait for it to be over, not wanting to watch anymore, when Angeal placed a hand on his shoulder.

"We might be able to stop it" he said calmly, now getting their full attention.

"What?" Zack asked. "But how?"

Angeal didn't answer him right away, instead he turned his gaze back to Meteor.

"We may not be alive physically, but we're all still here spiritually, and we can still fight back"

As he spoke he spread his white wings as if he was getting ready to take flight, then to their shock and surprise he actually took off towards Meteor. They saw him materialize into a green stream of light, then he used his energy to fight against it. It wasn't much, but Zack now knew what he had been talking about.

"Aerith, talk to the planet!"

He closed his eyes as he built up the energy inside him and mentally pictured himself moving towards Meteor like Angeal just did. He felt himself lift off the ground, and when he opened his eyes up later he was in a sea of green.

Yes!

It was working! More and more people in the lifestream were now working together and pushing Meteor back. Holy was also starting to take effect and acting as a barrier against it, dissolving any bits of it that fell through. The planet had been saved, and it had all been thanks to them.

I guess we still can make a difference, even if we're not alive.

Two years past, and the world began to get back on its feet again after everything that happened, but there were still things that threatened peace. Geostigma was now threatening the lives of many people, most of them being children, but what worried Zack and Aerith the most was that Cloud had it, and was hiding it from everyone else. Aerith tried to use her powers as a Cetra to try and heal them, but it was like some greater dark force was surpressing her powers and pushing her back. However, she didn't give up, especially since Cloud's life depended on it.

He was also still grieving over her, for her death had been a big blow to him. It hurt both of them to see him like that, and while Tifa kept trying to help him, he just kept pushing everyone away. He wanted to fight alone.

Zack kept looking for a moment to talk to him again, and almost did when Cloud visited his grave, but him having a sudden Geostigma attack stopped him from doing so.

Why Cloud?

Why had this happened to him? Why was he acting like this?

"Do you think I should go and talk to him?" Aerith suggested to him as they watched him drive towards the Forgotten City to confront the remnants and take back all the children they kidnapped.

"Yeah"

It was easy to tell that Cloud was still very much in love with her, and while she had respected that, she realized that she belonged with Zack more than him.

So using her Cetra powers she was able to talk to him with Cloud actually being able to feel her presence and see her there, while Zack continued to watch what was going on. At first, it didn't seem to have an effect on him, for he wasn't able to defeat the remnants in the forest and take back the children, but then as they watched him talk to Vincent, and tell him that he was going to repent for his sins, they both knew there was hope.

"Everything's going to be alright" he told her.

Again Aerith stepped in when everyone else helped Cloud with his final blow to the summon that Kadaj had called, but Zack stayed back quietly and continued to watch. He had faith in him, faith that he would do well without him.

However that faith was crushed in front of him during the fight with Sephiroth. Cloud had put up a good fight, and just when it looked like it was going to be over, Sephiroth suddenly turned the tables on him. Again and again Cloud was stabbed, then thrown back down from the air.

Aerith gasped in horror when she saw how badly he was bleeding, and even Zack knew that he wasn't going to last much longer in this condition. He needed to talk to him, to let him know that he was there.

"Aerith, I need you're help"

So again, she used her powers, but this time for Cloud to see Zack, not herself.

"So what if it looks hopeless?" he asked him as he stood back to back with Cloud holding his Buster Sword. "If it were me, I still wouldn't give up"

He thought back to the day he died, to that last battle with that army of infantrymen. He knew then he wasn't going to be able to live though it, but even then he fought hard and strong holding on to the small thread of hope that he could actually return to Midgar.

"Zack…." Cloud said softly, making him smile slightly.

"Embrace your dreams" he said, repeating Angeal's words as he bowed his head in front of his sword. "And, whatever happens, protect your honor as SOLDIER"

It felt like it had been ages since he had last said that.

" Well, ok, so you never made SOLDIER"

True.

"But it's what's in here that counts" he said as he put his fist to his heart.

Also true.

"Well, you need a hand with him?" he asked, not minding one bit helping Cloud defeating him.

But Cloud shook his head, and gathered his strength to lift his sword and stand up. He was shaking a bit and his breathing was heavy, but he knew that it was working.

"You already beat him once right?" he asked turning towards him, knowing that it was actually technically twice, but that wasn't the point. "This should be a synch"

"Yeah" he said softly.

"You remember what I told you right?" he asked, making sure that he hadn't forgotten.

He nodded.

"I am your living legacy"

He smiled as he faded out of Cloud's sight and took his place next to Aerith, knowing that his job was now done. They watched as Cloud leapt up into the air to finish off Sephiroth with a limit break, which he had to admit was pretty awesome considering he pulled it off with all six of his swords.

He heard Aerith breath a sigh of relief when Cloud landed back on the ground safely and Sephiroth faded away, and was finally able to use her powers to heal those with Geostigma in the area. Rain poured down around Midgar and Edge, and the same water that had healed Cloud, healed most of the others with the terrible disease. She also was able to talk to Kadaj, pretending to be 'mother' so he would finally let go and fade into the lifestream willingly.

Once he was gone, Cid's airship pulled into view, and as Cloud looked up at the sky and closed his eyes Zack picked up Aerith and spun her around happily as they laughed. Things were finally looking up. However, as they held each other affectionately and were just about to kiss a loud gunshot rang out which immediately caught everyone's attention.

Cloud fell to his knees, now bleeding from a chest wound as the two remaining remnants stood behind him, also fading into the lifstream like Kadaj had, but still determined to take Cloud with them.

Aerith gasped at the whole scene, and Zack was just as scared as she was. Cloud stood up and charged at both them, but they weren't able to see what happened due to the explosion from their materia they had used.

"No..."

Neither one of them was going to admit it, but they both knew that it was very unlikely that Cloud would make it through that.

However, to their hopes, his spirit didn't go to the lifestream, for he was between life and death, a sign that his body was trying to hold on to whatever life was left. They were both relieved as they stood over him as he floated in the vast space of white with his eyes closed, looking very peaceful. When Aerith placed her hand on his forehead, he spoke softly.

"Mother?" he asked.

"Again?" she replied. "Why is everyone calling me their mother lately?"

"I guess they must be fond of you" Zack commented.

"This one's a little two big to adopt" she said, knowing that he was going to live after all.

"Tough luck friend. Sounds like you don't have a place here"

Cloud faded out of their view once more, and they decided to go check up on him once more, just to make sure that he really was going to be alright.

There was quite a celebration Aerith's old church. Children were jumping in playing down in the pool of water that was now there instead of her flowers, but they would grow back. Cloud stood there in the middle of it all, just looking around at everyone calmly. Zack leaned in the doorway while Aerith stood near by, both waiting for Cloud to see them once more. When he did a look of surprise formed on his face, but he didn't say anything. Aerith said something to him that Zack couldn't quite make out, then began to head towards the door. Seeing that it was time to leave Zack stood up and waved to his friend with a smile, then faded out into the sunlight outside. As he looked back for the final time, he saw Cloud smile, and he knew then that things were going to be alright after all.

~FIN~

Author's Notes

I'm really sorry this took much longer than I said it would. Part of it was block and lack of motivation, and of course when that all went away my computer got infected AGAIN -_- *Sighs* Three more months 'til laptop...

Anyway, so that's the end of this one, but I'll definitely write more FFVII stuff, and I have at least one more lifestream based fic planned. I know that most of you will agree with me when I said this was way to short, and I know that, but really what more could I do here? I wanted to put the little scene with Cloud and Denzel at Zack's Grave and the Buster Sword in the church, but I didn't think I could squeeze it in. So, in short, I hope you liked it, and please review ^_^