A/N: Decided to do something different. Hope it works out!

Disclaimer: I own nothing but this tub of Boy Scout Popcorn...now made with 100 Percent Boy Scouts! Taste the honor!

Something smelled...sweet.

Akalara kept her eyes closed, not really knowing where she was but feeling extreme peace for once in her troubled life. The air here was warm, but not overly so; and there was a gentle breeze that almost seemed as it if came from the ocean; but she couldn't hear the ocean. Slowly, she eased her eyes opened, staring up into a bright blue sky with just enough of the big, soft, fluffy clouds to make one want to stare up at them for the entire day.

"Wow," she breathed in, just watching the shapes float by. She heard someone giggle and turned her head toward the sound, the white and yellow lillies she was laying in tickling her face as they touched her skin. Sitting up, she stared at the woman, her short white pleated mini-shirt twirling as she spun with her arms wide open. She wore a matching white tank top, white knee socks and white Converses. Falling over as she made herself dizzy, she laughed, clutching her stomach as her sable hair fanned out in the flowers.

"Niki?" Akalara asked, elation filling her. She wasn't dead! She didn't kill her! The green-haired woman scrambled to her feet, rushing over to the other woman. "Niki!" she exclaimed launching herself at her and tackling her in a hug. "Oh thank the gods! I thought you were dead!"

Niki returned the hug with the child like innocence she'd always displayed. "Hi Ak!" she said with a genuine smile.

Akalara was so overcome with relief, she kissed the girl on both of her cheeks. "Niki, I'm so sorry about the bomb," she told her. "I really didn't want you to get hurt."

Niki giggled again, arching up into a crab crawl and flipping her legs up to walk on her hands. "I know," she said with a smile as she righted herself and then did a back handspring. "We all know."

Akalara looked at her in confusion as she continued doing her tricks. "Everyone knows?" she asked hopefully. "No one thinks I tried to kill you on purpose? Reno and Revan know the truth of it?"

"Oh, I don't know," Niki said, standing on her feet and tapping her chin. "But Zack knows you didn't. So does Aeris(th). Oh! And Sephiroth, too! He totally believes you."

Akalara's stomach dropped and she placed a hand to her mouth. She looked down at herself, noting that she was dressed all in white, too; white capris, white tank and white flip flops. "Niki," she whispered. "We're dead."

"Nope," Niki said, turning a series of cartwheels before ending in a cheerleader crouch. "Just...sleeping, I think. I think I'm in a coma and you're sedated so you won't harm yourself."

"How do you know?" Akalara asked, looking at the clinically insane Turk oddly.

Niki grabbed Akalara's hand and took off running to a pool in the center of the field. "Look!" she said, pointing at the water with a grin. "There we are! They put us in the same room. I'm out of surgery now, at least. I'll probably have a really bad headache if I wake up."

"But...why are we here if we aren't dead?" Akalara asked frantically. "I thought the Lifestream was for people who died! Why?! Why are we here?!"

"Chill, Ak," came a chuckling voice she was all too familiar with. "Gods, you're gonna fret yourself into an early grave."

Akalara turned sharply to see the most outrageous head of black spikes she'd ever seen. She couldn't help it; she didn't want to. Tears sprang to her eyes, seeing her friend for the first time in nine years. "Zack," she whispered. She began running toward him, throwing herself into his arms. "Zack!"

Zack caught her with a laugh and nearly squeezed the breath out of her. "Hey, Green Girl," he said softly, planting a kiss to her cheek. "Gods, I've missed you."

Akalara couldn't speak through the harsh sobs escaping her. And she didn't care that she was crying. She really didn't. There was no need to keep up pretenses anymore; no need to be strong when she wasn't. She was in the Lifestream. Showing weakness here didn't matter. And so she cried on the shoulder of her friend, clinging to him fiercely. "Oh my gods," she whispered through her tears. "I've missed you so much."

Zack continued to hold her, softly stroking her forest green locks and kissing her temple lightly. "I know," he said, giving her a comforting squeeze before pulling back to look at her. "I know, Ak."

Akalara ran the back of her hand over her eyes, grinning up at Zack. "You look damn good for a dead guy, you know that?" she laughed.

"Oh, he knows it. He's always been full of himself," came a feminine giggle.

Akalara turned to see a pretty young woman with long chestnut hair and eyes a bright shade of green. "Ak," Zack said with a grin, holding his hand out to the girl. "This is Aeris(th)."

"A pleasure to meet you, Akalara," Aeris(th) said sweetly. Akalara simply plastered on a fake smile. For some reason, she really didn't like her. Of course, she had never liked the perfect girls who were too pretty for their own good.

"Likewise," she said cordially.

Niki bounded over to them and jumped on Zack's shoulders. "Isn't he cute?" she squealed, wrapping her arms around his shoulders. "No wonder Kandi can't forget about him! He's yummy!"

Zack laughed and flipped Niki over his shoulder and into his arms. "I can't forget about my yummy Kandi either," he said tickling Niki on her sides, causing the clinically insane rookie to squeal in laughter.

Something flashed in Aeris(th)'s eyes that only Akalara caught. Jealousy. A slow grin spread across the green-haired Turk's face. The dead Cetra chick was jealous of her friend. "Who could forget about Kandi?" she said, digging the knife into Aeris(th)'s gut a little further. "Remember all the times we danced for you guys? Always ended in the hottest sex ever. I don't think anyone could make you scream like Kandi could. Not even me, which is a bit disappointing. I guess you and Kandi just had the right kind of chemistry."

Aeris(th) smiled slightly, her eyes flashing with barely concealed anger. "I'm going to see what can be done about getting these two home, all right, Zack?" she said, her voice dripping with saccarine. Zack didn't hear her as he continued tickling Niki. "Zack? Zack?"

Akalara crossed her arms and smiled, cocking her head to the side. "I'll tell him you're gone, okay? Okay. Bye-bye," she said, turning on her heel and jogging off to where Zack was now chasing Niki.

The clinically insane rookie glomped Zack, tackling him to the ground. "I like him, Ak," she said gleefully. "Can we take him back with us?"

"I wish," Akalara grumbled, staring after the retreating pink menace. "Ugh, Zack. What did you see in her? Kandi is way hotter. Hell, Reno is better than that and you aren't even bi!"

"Oooh, yeah!" Niki squealed. "Reno's hot! I don't like the Cetra girl. She scolded me for trying to summon the Lifestream from the toilet at Tifa's bar."

Zack chuckled. "That's because it was at Tifa's bar," he told them. "Aeris(th) is a little on the jealous side."

"Ya think?" Akalara asked. "Gods, if she wasn't dead, I'd kill her ass."

Grinning, Zack shook his head. "Now, come on," he said sweetly. "That's my girl you're talking about."

"No, your girl is on the other side of the Lifestream, raising the daughter you two created together...alone," Akalara huffed.

"Last I saw, she was Rude's girl," Zack said with a grin. "And he's helping her out."

"Whatever," Akalara said, rolling her eyes and crossing her arms over her chest. "She was your girl first."

Niki pouted and stuck her hands on her hips, standing next to her nemesis. "Yeah!" she exclaimed. She turned to Akalara. "Oh, but I like her and Rude together."

"He does suit her," Zack said.

"Whatever, I still don't like the Pink Bitch," Akalara said. Her eyes narrowed. "And she'd better stay the fuck away from my man!"

"Oddly enough, I severed any affection she could ever have for me when I ran Masamune through her back," came a low chuckle. Sephiroth stepped out of the brightness and stood next to Zack. "I believe that is the only thing Jenova did that I am thankful for."

Akalara's eyes prickled again as she stepped toward him. "Seph," she whispered, reaching her hand out to touch his face.

Zack grabbed Niki's hand and pulled her over to the pond to give Akalara and Seph some privacy. "Come on, Niki," he said, kneeling down and touching the pool. "Let's see how everyone's holding up, huh?"

"Okay!" Niki exclaimed, plopping down beside him. She peered into the water and looked at all their friends waiting in the Medical Facility. "Aw, they all look so sad."

"Yeah, they do," Zack said softly, staring at Reno holding Axys in his lap. "Reno's worried about you."

"I know," she answered quietly staring at the red-head.

The pool shimmered and focused in on Tseng and Elena, comforting each other. "Tseng even looks upset," he observed in shock. "When I knew him, he hardly ever displayed emotions."

"Ferret Face is cool," Niki giggled. "Hot Lips has really helped to get the stick outta his ass."

Zack laughed. "I'll bet," he said, touching the pool again, watching as Kandi and Rude came into view, Andria sitting on Rude's lap and talking softly to her mother. Zack just stared at the two females, his heart longing to be with them.

"She really misses you," Niki told him. "It was actually the anniversary night of the day you and Sephiroth we're reported dead that started this whole thing."

"I know," Zack said, still staring into the pool. "I'm glad she has Rude, though. I chose well for her."

Niki cocked her head at him, her hair hitting the ground with the action. "Huh?" she asked cutely.

Zack grinned. "When someone dies and goes to the Lifestream, they can transfer some of their feelings and emotions to someone else for the people they love and care about," he explained. "Which is why Aeris(th) and Cloud were drawn to each other. I gave Cloud my feelings for Aeris(th) and Aeris(th) my feelings for Cloud."

Niki giggled at that.

Zack narrowed his eyes at her. "Not like that!" he snapped. "Cloud is like a brother to me, nothing else. Aeris(th) just took the feelings I had and added to them."

"So, the feelings you had for Kandi..."

"I gave to Rude."

Niki looked at the couple again and smiled. "I think he loves her," she told him.

Zack nodded, reaching out as if to run his fingers through her red-streaked hair. "He does," he said softly.

"Trying to be so strong, yet succombing to your weakness," Sephiroth observed, as he cupped Akalara's cheek in his hand. "I thought you above self-slaughter, Ak."

Akalara's tear filled eyes narrowed at the man she loved. "You of all people should know that the strength I display is simply a farce," she spat out. "I have to be strong. I have to be tough. Otherwise, I'm nothing."

"But you're not strong."

"Of course I'm not!" she yelled, pounding on his chest. "I'm scared! Scared of being alone. Scared of never being loved. You were the only person I could truly be myself with and you left me!"

Sephiroth's gaze hardened. "You act as if it was intentional on my part," he growled. He let his hands travel to grasp her shoulders. "If I knew then what I know now, I never would have gone on that mission. I would have stayed there, with you. I would have raised our son, with you. I would have lived my life, with you. You, Akalara. Only you."

Akalara broke into hoarse sobs, burying her face in his chest. "But you didn't," she cried. "You didn't."

The former general wrapped his strong arms around the woman that had held all of his hope and dreams and pulled her close to him, each sob coming from her shattering his heart further. "I know," he whispered. "And I'm sorry. If I could change the past, I would. But what's done is done." He kissed the top of her head, breathing in the scent of her hair. "My life is over. But you still have yours to live."

"Alone," she said pitifully.

"Never alone," he told her. "You have our son, you have your friends and you have Revan."

"Revan hates me for what he thinks I did to Niki," she whispered.

"Then you'll just have to convince him otherwise," Sephiroth told her with a smile. "You always were good at persuassion, Ak. Utilize that talent on him. But, I don't think he'll need much convincing. The bastard loves you."

Akalara couldn't help laughing a bit a that. "Jealous, Seph?" she asked innocently.

"He's going to have to realize that he can only have you until your life is over," he explained in a low voice. "Once you return to me, I'm never letting you go."

"Don't let me go now," Akalara pleaded. "Let me stay here with you. I'm already in the Lifestream, don't send me back."

"What about Azrael?" Sephiroth asked. "An orphan son of mine could still be in danger, inspite of all the Turks watching out for him." Akalara was silent, then reluctantly nodded. "Besides," he continued, pulling her into his arms again. "This isn't quite the Lifestream. You and Niki aren't dead. Just unconscious. This is a sort of realm where those who are dead and those who are living can meet. It's hard to get to and this is a rare case, so don't get any ideas of trying to stay here."

"You know me too well, Seph," Akalara said with a smile. She turned her head when she heard a female clearing her throat. Aeris(th) gave her a gentle, fake smile.

"It's time," she said, gesturing for Zack to bring Niki over. A bright light opened up and the Cetra stepped aside. "You're time to leave the Planet has not yet come. Return home and live out the remainder of your days."

Niki grabbed Akalara's hand and began pulling her through. "Come on, Ak!" she said excitedly. "Reno's gonna be so happy we're okay!"

Akalara nodded and smiled. "Just one second, Niki," she said, before turning back to Sephiroth. "I'll never stop loving you."

"Nor I you," he replied, planting a gentle kiss to her lips. "And that is as it should be."

Niki hugged Zack. "I'll tell Kandi you send your love, okay?" she asked.

Zack nodded and hugged her back. "You do that, Niki-chan," he said, tweaking her nose, ignoring Aeris(th)'s pout. "Tell her she knows where to find me if she needs me."

"'Kay!" Niki said, throwing her arms around Akalara. "I'm done fighting with you," she told her, snuggling into her shoulder. "When we get back, let's just stop it, okay?"

Again, Akalara nodded. "Sounds good, Niki," she said, returning the hug. "Let's go."

As the two women disappeared back into the world of life, the three deceased watched. Zack shook his head once the light vanished. "Seems really quiet without Niki here," he commented.

"Indeed," Sephiroth chuckled. "She's a bundle of energy, isn't she?"

"I kinda miss her," his second-in-command laughed.

Aeris(th) turned on her heel and glared at him. "You shouldn't," she snapped before turning and walking away, mumbling something that sounded similar to, "...won't be gone long."

Sephiroth shook his head. "Zackary, my friend..." he began.

"Don't Seph," Zack interrupted. "Don't even say it."

Sephiroth just chuckled as he fell into step beside his best friend. "It's going to be a long afterlife," he told him.

Zack groaned. "I told you not to say it!"

A/N: I never liked Aeris(th). She always seemed to good to be true, you know? Sorry to all you Aeris(th) fans out there, but to each his/her own, right? Review please!