AN: Hey everyone!

I'M SO SORRY FOR NOT UPDATING!!

I'm finally on holidays, for only four more days! NO!! I finally had time to write up a chapter, and now I can individual answer the reviews.

But thanks to everyone who has put this story as a favourite and/ or story alert. Thank you so much!

And the reviewers:

Life'sAbitchAndThenYouDie: Thank you for the comments! I'm glad you like the story so far, and I hope you like this chapter.

Kairi-loves-Sushi: Glad you like the story, and I hope you enjoy this chapter!

URGENT FOR READERS: I have a new poll on my profile. The poll is for how you picture Zack as a monster. Trust me; this'll help me a lot more then you know. I mean don't get me wrong I picture him, it's just I can't decide on some aspects.

Hope this chapter was worth the wait and that you like it!

Disclaimer: I own this computer, this keyboard, this idea and that brick over there (o_O), Square Enix owns Final Fantasy VII.

Chapter Six: Life after You

His eye slowly opened, the pain coursing through his body almost unbearable. The faint beeping of the heart monitor was the only sound that could be heard. Something cover his left eye. He tried to move but found he couldn't. Something was constricting him.

His gaze fell to his left. The IV package was the first thing he saw. He then looked down at the rest of his body.

The damage had been done to its worst...

It's what he expected. He felt the smile curl on his half bandaged face. Then the heart monitor sound could no longer be heard over the evil laughter. He laughed even though his pain only increased. In fact, the reason he was laughing was because he wasin pain.

He had done. The experiment had worked. He had expected this for a long time now. But then his laughter came to a stop as a thought passed through his mind.

What if he could enhance it? Make it more lethal, more deadly, more powerful then Sephiroth was...

What if he could make...more of them using another powerful being?

His laughter came back, more loudly that it hurt his throat more. He didn't care; to him this was pure joy as a new plan conjured up in his mind.

In truth, it was pure madness...

"Aerith?"

I sat up pressing my back against the wall of the cell that blocked me from him. I was starting to fall asleep. Today had been quiet and me Zack talked for a long time. We talked about old memories and other things. We both noticed that the SOLDIER's didn't come for either us to escort us to Hojo's office. We we're both relieved, but how long would that last?

"Yes, Zack?" I replied after a moment.

"How did...What's been happening since I haven't been around?"

I was wondering if he would ever ask. It's not that I wanted him to; I was just thinking about why he didn't. I felt a smile on my lips as I began "Well, it all started when I went to church one day..."

I continued on telling him about when Cloud through the roof –that part made him laugh. This surprised me for some reason. Maybe it was because before he was sad and felt hopeless. Today, though, he seems to be more cheerful, a bit more optimistic.

I kept going on about where went and who we met along the way. When I got the parts about Sephiroth, I made sure not to go into too much detail. I knew that Zack still didn't want to be reminded of the events that led him back here.

Then I told him about the near death experience "Sephiroth dove from above me, he was planning on killing me. But then Cloud reached me in time and dove for me. The only thing is I lost my material and the ribbon you gave got cut in half. I managed to retrieve the piece and sew them back together."

"You still have the ribbon?" He sounded quite shocked.

I giggled thinking about what kind of expression he might have on his face.

"Of course I still have it, silly!" I said, feeling happy. I found it strange that I was happy in this place, but I guess with Zack around even a graveyard can be happy with him. I fingered the ribbon as I continued "Why wouldn't I keep it? It means so much to me..."

"I owe Cloud one. If it weren't for him, well..." He trailed off. I guess he was thinking about the outcome of what were to happen if Cloud hadn't pushed me away.

Finally, I told him about the events afterwards. How I got home and that Cloud was asking me about Tifa.

"I knew it!"

I felt a frown pull on my eyebrows "What?"

"I knew Cloud really liked her! He kept saying 'No, of course I don't! We're just friends...' I knew all along!" he said laughing afterwards. It made me smiled to hear his laughter again after so long. I just wish I could see his smile as well.

It hit me just then. Why didn't I see it before? Why could I see he liked Tifa? That was why he asked me about what she might like, if I knew something he didn't about her, if she would like to go out with him...

"Aerith, you okay?"

Zack's voice knocked me out of my daze "Yeah, I'm fine. So, anyway after another month..." I kept continuing on with what happened.

Then I came to the bit about my capture. I wasn't sure if I wanted to tell him this, because I wasn't sure what his reaction would be. Despite this, I did and as I told him, I saw it all clearly in my head...

The full moon's rays of light shone through the hole in the roof to the flowers. I sighed in contentment looking at the flowers in the pale blue-white light. It was so quiet tonight, more than usual. Usually there would be a man drunk shouting out from the Honey Bee inn or wall market.

I felt a prick in my finger "Ouch!" I said aloud feeling a small pain in my finger. Blood oozed from the small prick in my skin. My hand searched along the pew for a cloth to clear up the blood. I found one bring it to my finger and wrapping it around.

The needle and string were in my lap along with the two halves I was trying to sew together. Seeing this in half made me kind of sad. I never got around the repairing this until now. I had so much on my mind and I've been helping out so much at Seventh Heaven.

I pulled the cloth away from my finger seeing the blood was no longer oozing out. I put the cloth next to me and continued with my work. I wasn't very good at sewing, but I'm giving it a try anyway. I had to mend this ribbon; it was so precious to me and I didn't feel the same way without it. I felt strange, like I was incomplete...

I almost finished sewing it up when I thought about the person who gave it to me. I sighed heavily as the past flooded back. Zack...was he still alive?

He probably was, but with some other woman. She was probably better than me at everything, probably more his type...

The ribbon was sewn back together. I smiled at my work and got the scissors and cut the pink string. I put the needle next to me as I looked over my work again. I think I did okay; maybe I should have gotten Elmyra to do it.

I guess the real test was putting it on. I felt for the top of the braid and wrapped the ribbon around the elastic hair band that held my braid up and tied a bow slowly. I waited for a few seconds to see if it would fall apart.

It didn't.

I was so pleased with myself I smiled. I brought my hands down and collected everything I used into the small box. Once that was done I slowly stood up taking one last look at the flowers. They swayed gently in the low wind.

Something creaked.

I stopped standing as still as I could. Someone, or something, was in the church. But nothing happened.

It must have been my imagination or something. I turned around, but the next thing I knew I was falling. Pain throbbed in back of my head and then footsteps filled my ears. Darkness consumed me, I tried to fight back but couldn't. The last thing I saw was a familiar face.

"I became conscious in the elevator and, well...you know the rest." I concluded.

"I'm gonna kill them!"

I froze, eyes wide. Zack was angry, angrier then he normally would be. What if he...what would happen if he turned...into that...

"Zack, calm down!" I said pleadingly, trying to remain calm myself "its okay. They didn't hurt me afterwards. They just took me to the cell, I swear! Zack...please, calm down."

Nothing.

No reply, nothing. I hope he hasn't...

But if he did I would have heard something. I would have heard something from that –

"Right...calm"

I sighed in relief hearing his voice. He sounded like he was trying to calm himself down slowly. I offered words of encouragement "It's okay, everything's okay, it's alright."

"Yeah, okay...right."

"Maybe...maybe we should get some sleep" I suggested slowly.

It took him a moment to answer me back "Yeah, you're right. G'night!"

"Good night, Zack."

I lay back down on the cell floor not bothering to move to the cot in the corner. I wanted to be as close to Zack as possible. My thought took over as I closed my eyes. I went back to what I said earlier about Cloud coming to talk to me about Tifa.

But why didn't I see it before? Was it because at the time I may have had feelings for Cloud? I remember when he first fell through roof and protected me from the Turks that I thought he may have been Zack. Maybe, that was reason I stopped thinking about Zack, because I saw Zacks image and mind carved into Cloud.

I fell for what was Zack in Cloud...

Was I really that desperate? Was I so desperate to not believe that he had ran off with some other girl that I clung onto what Cloud had picked up from Zack?

Maybe I loved some aspects of Cloud, but only as a friend. Yes, Cloud was just a very good friend to me. Zack, he was still is...my only love.

Some of the inspiration came from the latest album from Daughtry, Leave this Town. I love the song Life after you, it's yet another song that reminds me of Zack and Aerith, go listen to it if you can, it's really good. The other song that reminds me of the couple is Home, also from Daughtry.

You like the chapter? Reviews are greatly appreciated and are inspiration to keep going!

Don't forget the poll if you have time!

Thanks again and I hope you enjoyed this chapter!

Keep Writing!!

-Warrayfinson