THREE

"Hi!" Aerith smiled, holding her little gift.

Edwyn stood in the doorway of his quarters, the aroma of cooking food wafting through the air, and laughed when he saw the flowers she was holding. A vibrant bouquet of lavender sage and yellow marigolds. She'd convinced Cloud to take her out on the Hardy to get some earlier in the afternoon after his meeting with Edwyn and Samuel, and they'd filled up both of the powerful motorcycle's storage compartments with blossoms. Aerith had spent the rest of the day planting them all around the fortress in little gardens and rows of clay pots.

She'd enlisted Lena to assist her, knowing full well that keeping her active would raise her spirits and help stave off the bouts of depression that she'd been struggling with since becoming paralyzed. Aerith knew that she longed to be back out in the field acting as a scout and spy like she had before, staying in midst of the action where she loved to be at, but it wouldn't be easy. With luck, Jessie's mystery project would allow her to do that. But there were no guarantees. And in the meantime, she was still trying to adjust to her wounded condition.

"Hi, Aerith," Edwyn smirked. "I wasn't expecting flowers. Thought that was something I was supposed to give you."

She giggled. "Who says we have to do things the usual way? Better to mix things up a bit, don't you think? Anyway, since you don't have a lot in the way of decoration for your quarters, I just thought that these might bring a little color to them, you know?"

He nodded, accepting her gift and inhaling their fragrance. "Oh, I agree. They're beautiful, Aerith. Thank you."

"You're welcome," she beamed as she walked inside.

"Well, I guess I'd better find a place for these," Edwyn said, closing the door behind her. "But before I do that…"

He slid his free arm around her waist and drew Aerith into a long, tender kiss. She eagerly returned it, happy to be with him and that he'd liked her flowers. Her heart hammered in her chest at the warm feeling of his lips on hers. Planet forgive her, she shouldn't be doing this… but she couldn't help herself. Edwyn made her feel more alive than she had in years and helped her forget, even for a little while, about what might still be ahead of her once she left this place. And right now, she wanted very much to forget, to block it from her memory.

Aerith stayed in his embrace for a moment after coming up for air, just enjoying being close to him, being held. Then, after giving Edwyn a quick peck on the mouth, she let go of him and stepped away so that he could take care of the flowers. They were in a small purple vase that she'd bought at the quartermaster's shop, and she'd already added some water and soil in just the right amounts to help them thrive. Edwyn set the vase down on the middle of the coffee table.

"Over here?" he asked, looking at her.

Aerith smiled. "Perfect."

Dinner was simple but surprisingly good. As she and Edwyn ate at a small two-person dining table set next to the kitchenette, they talked about what they'd done that day, how the repairs to the fort were going, the plans Aerith and her friends were making for their trip to Junon in another six days, her new flower gardens, and more.

"So you really liked the food?" Edwyn asked.

"I'm having a second helping, aren't I?" she teased. "It's wonderful, Edwyn. Seems you're a man of many talents!"

He chuckled. "Thanks. What'd you tell your friends?"

"Oh, I sat with them while they all had dinner in the mess hall, but I didn't eat much there," Aerith answered. "Had to save plenty of room for this little feast, after all. Lucky for me, nobody really asked about it. Too busy talking about what everyone did today."

"Good to hear," Edwyn replied.

She went on. "And that reminds me, it's okay that Lena, Biggs, and Wedge are gonna be staying here, isn't it?"

He nodded. "Of course."

"Thanks," Aerith smiled. "They mentioned it earlier, but I'd already figured they'd be doing that. Lena needs time to heal after all she's gone through, and it'll be a while before she can walk again."

"Sure. And I've been thinking about that, actually. You see, the fort wasn't designed with someone in her condition in mind. So tomorrow, I'm going to assign some of my men to build a few ramps for her so she can get around this place more easily. And I'll also see what else we can do to make it more accessible. She sacrificed a lot for us, Aerith. And I don't intend for it to go unrecognized and unrewarded."

She gazed lovingly at him. "That's really sweet, Edwyn. Thank you. She'll really appreciate it. It's been very hard on her, more than she lets on, so I think this'll definitely boost her spirits."

"My pleasure," he said. "Besides, I feel I owe it to her. Lena came to help us and wound up crippled because of it."

"It's not your fault," Aerith told him.

Edwyn sighed. "I know. I just regret what happened to her."

"She'll recover, in time," she assured him. "You care a great deal for your friends and those under your command. That's why you're such a good leader, Edwyn. So don't worry. She'll be fine."

"Are you just trying to make me feel better or are those your finely tuned Cetra senses at work?" he grinned.

Aerith lifted a finger and winked. "Both! Did it work?"

"Sure did," Edwyn laughed.

"Great!" she giggled. "By the way, do you like the gardens I planted today? Took a while to get all those flowers in, but this place sure looks a whole lot brighter now, don'tcha think?"

He nodded. "It really does, Aerith. But I'm afraid I haven't had the chance to look at them very much yet. The fort took a lot of damage in the battle, and I've been busy helping with repairs."

"Well, we definitely need to change that!" she smirked. "How about I take you for a walk tomorrow so you can see the flowers? I've planted lots of them all over, and I want to show them off."

"I'd like that," Edwyn smiled.

After finishing dinner and helping him clean the dishes, Aerith let him have his way with her. Clothes came off, starting right there in the kitchen, and as they lay wrapped in each other's arms in bed under the sheets not long afterward, sweaty and breathless, she held Edwyn close and shared passionate kisses with him amidst the sweet fire of pleasure flaring inside of her. It wiped all thoughts of her uncertain future from her mind, much as simply being with him did. She called out his name, and he gasped hers, releasing along with her.

Aerith decided, as she held Edwyn's face tenderly in her hands and pressed her lips to his, that she wanted as much of this as she could get for as long as she was still here at the fortress. The time she could share with him was limited, and she intended to make the most of it. Edywn felt the same way, so he welcomed her eagerness. They made love a few more times during the night, trying different positions, resting for a bit in between, and exploring each other's bodies.

When it was all over, Aerith snuggled comfortably in Edwyn's arms and sighed contentedly. "Wish I didn't have to go…"

"Me too," he agreed, stroking her cheek.

"But the others and I'll be leaving in a few more days," she went on. "So let's really enjoy the time we have, okay?"

Edwyn kissed her. "I intend to."

"Now don't forget, we're going for a walk tomorrow," Aerith teased. "Gotta show you how to look after the flowers."

"I'll be pretty busy in the morning overseeing the repairs, but I can meet you early in the afternoon," he said. "We'll have about an hour or so before I've got to meet with Biggs and my father to plan for the next assault and see about bringing in more supplies and reinforcements in the meantime. And find out what Shinra's doing."

Aerith had figured as much. "Plenty of time. Oh, that reminds me, Jessie mentioned earlier that she thought it might be a good idea to let Lena participate in those meetings, too. It would give her a way to still help out in spite of what happened to her."

He nodded. "Of course. She's more than welcome."

"Thank you," she replied. "Lena needs to know that she can still be useful, Edwyn. It really matters to her. That's why I've been having her help me with the flowers, at least when she can get out of the infirmary for a bit. She should be released in another day or two."

"I'll do what I can for her," Edwyn promised.

Aerith touched her lips to his. "I appreciate it. Now we'd better get some sleep. We both have a busy day ahead of us."

She spent the next morning visiting Lena, checking her injuries to see how they were healing while Biggs moved her legs to exercise them for her so she wouldn't lose any of her strength. Although she put on a tough, cheerful front, Lena couldn't quite hide the sense of loss she felt. Aerith saw it clearly, but whether it was because of her Cetra insight or simply that she knew her friend well, she didn't know. But either way, it wasn't hard for her to see that Lena was struggling.

"Jessie had an interesting idea yesterday," Aerith said as she looked at Lena's arm. "Something you could help with."

"Me?" Lena blinked.

Aerith nodded. "Edwyn's having a meeting with his dad and Biggs later to go over things and plan out the next step for keeping this place safe. You're invited too, Lena, if you want."

She used her hands to push herself up so she could sit from where she'd been laying down on her bed. "Really? But what could I do? Now that I'm… sidelined… I'm kind of at a loss…"

"You saw a lot of the area while you were out scouting with Yuffie, right?" Aerith went on. "And you know where Shinra's staging area is. I think you could be a big help. So does Edwyn."

"I… I'd like that," Lena murmured. "To know I can still be useful… and make a difference. Even if I can't do it the way I used to anymore. I miss it, though. Being in the thick of things."

Aerith smiled. "Remember what I told you, Lena. You'll be back on your feet one day. Just give it time, okay?"

"I'll try…" Lena promised.

Biggs laid a hand on her shoulder. "She's right, sis. You'll be walkin' again before you know it. And in the meantime, we need you. Shinra'll be back one day, and we've gotta be ready."

Lena nodded. "We will be."

"Yeah!" Wedge added as he gently helped Lena into her wheelchair, a hand-pushed one instead of the motorized chair she'd used at first. "I wonder what Jessie's secret project is, though?"

Aerith was more than a little curious herself. She hadn't seen much of Jessie in the past few days since the battle aside from the meals they shared in the mess hall with the others. Probably hard at work, same as ever. While she'd still been living in the Midgar slums, Jessie had built a thriving salvage and repair business. She was a mechanical genius, and Aerith knew without a doubt that if anyone could turn that motorized wheelchair into something special, it was her. In the meantime, Wedge often helped push Lena along in the other one.

Afternoon came faster than Aerith had expected, and when Edywn walked up to her in the courtyard near one of her little gardens, she felt her heart speed up. She smiled and waved at him, but with all the other people milling around the area working on repairs and other tasks, she couldn't give him the kind of affection she wanted to. So she contented herself with showing him the flowers, telling him what she knew about them, and instructing him on how to care for them.

"You actually talk to them?" Edwyn raised an eyebrow.

"Sometimes," Aerith giggled. "Helps them grow. Not that they ever talk back, of course. But they do listen, in their own way."

He chuckled. "I'll keep that in mind."

Inside the fortress was quieter and much less crowded. Aerith had a few indoor gardens she was working on as well as pots of flowers she and Lena had started setting up in the corners and along the walls. She strolled with Edwyn through the place showing them off, doing a little pruning and watering, and enjoying being with him. With a little bit of encouragement, he did a little of the work himself.

"That's what I like about you, Edwyn," Aerith teased gently. "You're not afraid to get your hands dirty. It's kinda cute."

He smiled and brushed them off as he stood up. "Thanks. Though this isn't really what I'm used to. I think I'm starting to understand why you enjoy it so much, though. Seeing them grow…"

Aerith nodded. "Yeah. Now come here…"

She looked to make sure no one else was around, then slid into his arms for a moment and kissed him. The feel of Edwyn's mouth on hers as his fingers slid through her hair made her skin tingle and her blood rush with heat as their tongues played games together. As much as she knew she shouldn't let herself grow so attached to him, she felt helpless to stop it. So she continued, letting her heart go where it wanted as she savored Edwyn's gentle touch and warmth.

"Oh, Aerith have you seen—" a familiar voice started to ask.

She gasped, pulled away from Edwyn in a hurry, and stepped back, her heart pounding as she turned to see Lena gaping at them, every bit as stunned as Aerith felt. She'd been so lost in sharing sweet kisses with Edwyn and enjoying being held that she hadn't heard Lena roll up and had forgotten how quiet her wheelchair was.

"Oh!" she squeaked. "We, uh…"

Lena grinned sheepishly, her eyes wide. "Oh, I'm so sorry, Aerith! I didn't know you two were, um… busy."

Aerith laughed. "Ah, yeah, I guess we were. But it's okay."

"How are you holding up, Lena?" Edwyn asked.

She rubbed her legs and sighed. "Hanging in there, more or less. It still feels a little weird, to be honest. I've gotta be back in the infirmary soon, they just let me out for a bit since aside from my legs I'm doing a lot better now. Every day's a struggle, though."

"You're strong," Aerith assured her. "So keep it up, okay?"

Lena nodded. "I will, best I can. Oh, and Edwyn, I wanted to thank you for the ramps you're having built. That's why I was looking for you. I really appreciate it. And being invited to the meeting."

"You're welcome, Lena," Edwyn replied. "It's the least we can do for you after all you've done for us. The ramps should be finished in a day or two. Then you'll have the run of the fortress."

She giggled. "Thanks. And good luck."

Aerith felt her cheeks turn as pink as her dress. "Seems to be going well so far. Can you keep it quiet, though?"

"Sure, no problem," Lena smiled. "I think I get it."

She relaxed. "Thanks. So where's Wedge?"

Lena chuckled. "Where else? In the mess hall. I told him and Biggs to take a break for a while and get some fresh air. Aside from the party, they haven't left the infirmary since bringing me there."

"It'll do them good!" Aerith agreed.

"That reminds me, it's almost time for the meeting," Edwyn added, checking his watch. "You ready, Lena?"

She nodded. "Yeah. I'll do all I can to help."

"Take care," Aerith said. Then she kissed Edwyn. "I'll see you later. Still got a lot of work to do on the flowers."

After taking hold of the wheelchair, Edwyn pushed Lena along and down the hall toward the lift that would take them upstairs to Samuel's office. Aerith watched them go, worried for her friend. Lena had a long road ahead of her, and Aerith couldn't helping wondering if she would see her reach the end of it. The thought came unbidden, a reminder of the dark fate that might still be waiting for her.

A memory came to her, then. Sephiroth, at the edge of the marshes where she and the others had found that dead serpent, pointing at her, his eyes cunning and cruel. Aerith had felt a sharp sliver of cold sweep through her, piercing her chest like an icy blade. She shivered uneasily, haunted by the weight of what she knew deep in her heart had to be. It felt like she was on a train with no stops but one, going to a place from which she would never return. A one-way ticket.

Aerith shoved the thought from her mind with all her strength and got back to work on her flowers, not wanting to think about it and sure that there had to be some way she could get out of this box she was in. She'd never given it very much thought before, not until coming here… and meeting him. Now she wondered what kind of life she might have if she did somehow manage to cheat fate. Jessie had done it, Wedge and Biggs had done it… so why not her, too?

Her mind made up, Aerith resolved to do the same.

The next afternoon, she and Edwyn left the fortress in his truck for a little while, both to gather more flowers—that was what they told the others—and so they could have some time alone. Aerith had suggested a picnic to him that morning in his quarters while they'd been washing up and getting ready for the day, and they settled in on a low hill where they'd found a small field of marigolds and lavender sage.

"You know we won't be able to do this every day," Edwyn reminded her as they finished their lunch. "People would start to notice. And I've got my duties. But… I'm glad I'm here now."

Aerith smiled. "So am I. And I understand. It's just nice to get away from it all once in a while, though, isn't it?"

He nodded. "Yeah. Thanks for mentioning it."

"I do have some good ideas, don't I?" she giggled. "You're welcome, Edwyn. Don't forget to come out here sometimes after I leave, though. You don't need to be cooped up in that fort all the time."

"I'll make a point of it," Edwyn promised. "But it won't be the same without you, Aerith. Come back soon, alright?"

She took his hand. "If I can, I will."

"I know…" he murmured, stroking her cheek.

Aerith sighed contentedly at his touch, and her lips found his. Eyes closed, she sank into Edwyn's warm embrace. There beneath the bright afternoon sun, they shared tender kisses as she gently pulled him down onto the blanket they had spread out. In that peaceful moment, Aerith let herself go, losing herself in him as he unbuttoned her dress. Soon it was off along with her jacket, tossed aside in an untidy pile nearby. His coveralls and the rest of their clothes soon followed.

Laying there amidst the flowers as their fragrant scent filled the air, Aerith made love to Edwyn, kissing him deeply as she tenderly held his face in her hands and he cradled her in his arms. Her body quivered as she moved with him, her legs wrapped around his waist, and when the sweet fire took her, she cried out in ecstasy, tightened her grip on him, and smashed her lips fiercely against his again and again as his warmth filled her and he responded with equal passion.

Gazing up at the sky as she lay contentedly in Edwyn's arms, Aerith realized she didn't want this to end. She'd never intended to fall in love, not again, and yet she had. In spite of it, however, she would be leaving in three more days with Cloud and the others… or would she? For the first time, Aerith found herself seriously considering staying behind. It was far more tempting than she'd expected.

She could help Lena with her recovery and learning to walk again, tend her flowers, and work with Edwyn, Biggs, and Wedge to help with the preparations for Shinra's next attack. Another path, not the one she felt she'd almost always taken before. But things were different. She was tired of being bound to fate and destiny, unable to break free and have a life of her own apart from all that. The thought that she might finally be able to make it happen excited her, and yet she couldn't ignore what was happening around her or her sense of duty.

Sephiroth had to be stopped, that was true. But did she really have to be there? Always before, she had been. Who else could do what had to be done, what only she could do? As possibly the last of the Cetra, it was her responsibility. But could it be done here, in this place, without the terrible price that had always come with it? She just didn't know. As she laid there amidst the flowers with Edwyn, Aerith wrestled with her conflicted feelings but found herself no closer to a solution by the time she'd gotten dressed again than when she'd begun.

"You okay?" Edwyn asked as he straightened his sleeves.

Aerith nodded. "Yeah. Just got a lot on my mind."

He started gathering up their things. "Want to talk about it?"

"No, sorry," she said as she helped him out. "It's nothing, really. Just a little anxious about leaving this place, I guess."

"I'll miss you, too," Edwyn murmured.

She held his hand to her cheek and kissed him. "Same here."

"Ready to head out?" he asked.

"Yeah," Aerith said. But as she went with him back to his truck, she paused for a moment. "Edwyn, if… if I wanted to… do you think that I could stay? Instead of leaving with the others?"

His eyes widened a little. "Yes, of course, but… are you sure?"

"To be honest, no," she admitted. "Until I met you, I wouldn't have doubted what to do. But now… things are different."

"Have you told anyone else about this?" Edwyn wondered.

Aerith shook her head. "Not yet. Not even sure how I would, really. They're used to me always being so sure of myself, you know? And for a long time, I was. Or at least, I thought I was."

He laid a hand on her shoulder. "Whatever you decide, Aerith, I'm with you. But I don't believe they'd force you to go if you didn't want to. They're good people, all of them. Don't worry."

"They're the best," she smiled.

And they really were. They'd probably understand if she told them, but she didn't think that she would. Her friends needed her stability as a guide, a compass they could follow and rely on. Cloud was the leader of their group, Jessie was its heart, Tifa its care, and Barret its strength. Yuffie and Cait were its playfulness and Red its wisdom. As for her, she was its conscience, its soul. They needed her to be firm and not waver. But she still had time, so as she got into the truck, Aerith decided to set the matter aside for now and enjoy the moment.

But she knew that soon, she'd have to find an answer.