Night is his favorite time of day.
Not because he is alone, not because no one is there to question him, bother him with daily tasks, force him to go about his day on autopilot.
Night is his favorite time of day, because that's when he gets to see her.
Her.
He's become a shell of a human, just going through the motions, day, by day, by day.
He's filled with sorrow and regret. Sorrow, for knowing he was too late, and regret, for not being able to save her.
He knows she's never blamed him; she's told him herself. He still just can't let go of her.
So that's why he comes here, to the fields with flowers. He takes photos and leaves them on his desk. He feels her there. Sometimes, he thinks he can even see her if he looks hard enough. She'll be sitting there, among the flowers, talking to them about her day. He hopes they're talking back to her.
He visits the orphanage, and her mother's house. He feels her there. And, he likes hearing the stories told by the people who knew her before he did. A part of them too, is missing, and it's comforting knowing he's not alone in his grief.
Sometimes, he visits the Forgotten City, where she was laid to rest. He leaves flowers, and these days are usually his hardest. The pain is still so raw, but he goes anyway, to show her he still cares.
He visits her church. Actually, he does more than that. He sleeps there every night, because that's where he feels her the most. Where their connection is the strongest. Every night, he falls asleep there, knowing she'll be in his dreams. Knowing she's waiting in his promised land.
In these dreams, which feel so real, they talk for hours, until morning comes and she has to leave. He is unwilling to move on with his life, or let her go. So, she is stuck, unable to return to the planet. She doesn't mind though, because by his side is her favorite place to be.
In his dreams, he kisses her. He feels her body under his, and they have a full life together. He knows it isn't real, but it will be. Once he finds his promised land.
One day, he wakes up somewhere unfamiliar to him. There is a boy, with spiky hair, who travels with a talking duck and dog creature. Very strange.
His enemy is also here, so he sets out, looking to finally finish things.
Eventually, it is over. Cid takes him to a place, in a town he's never heard of, and he opens a door. He sees Yuffie, that's a surprise. And a man is there, dressed in black, with a blank, sort of scowling look upon his face, and a gunblade behind him. He idly wonders if that's Yuffie's new boyfriend, when the man turns and suddenly he sees something pink from behind him.
It's her.
She's wearing a different dress, and her ribbon is red, but it's her. They come together at once and he holds her.
"Is this real?" He asks, over and over into her hair as his hands run up and down her arms and face — touching her to verify it isn't a dream.
She's holding him too, and her face is pressed into his chest but he feels her nod and suddenly an overwhelming feeling bursts through his chest, a feeling he hadn't felt in so long, a feeling he had forgotten; he's filled with joy. Joy, and warmth, and a sense of completeness.
"How?" He asks.
"This is the promised land." She says simply.
"I'll never let you go again." He says. There's so much he wants to say to her. So much he didn't get to say to her before she died. This his chance and he will not squander it. "I love you." He said. "I've loved you almost since we met in your church, and I've never stopped."
"I know," she responds. "I love you too. I've been by your side even though you couldn't see me, except for in your dreams."
"And now we'll never be parted?" He asks.
"No." She smiles.