FIFTY-FIVE

The last act of the play opened with Cloud locked in a cell deep in the dungeons of Guardia. He was sitting silently in the gloom, a pile of rubble on his right and a torchlit corridor on his left past the bars. The walls were fitted stone, unlike the rest of Varvados' metal fortress. The holographic background was really detailed, both its visuals and sound totally immersive as they effortlessly set the mood.

"I must away!" Cloud stood up at last and grabbed onto the bars. "I cannot allow my comrades to have fallen in vain! Release me now! My blade thirsts for vengeance and hungers for justice!"

Just then, I rushed down the passageway, now in a white gown like the one I'd worn earlier, sleeveless and trimmed in gold. I wore bracers on my wrists and a crowned tiara on my head. Ruby was with me, too, in a tight-fitting suit of tough, dark leather armor. Her footsteps didn't make a sound as she crept along at my side.

"Alphreid!" I called, sighing in relief. "Are you unharmed?"

Cloud's eyes widened as we approached the door to his cell. "Rosa! How did you find me? And why is Regina with you?"

I smiled. "Your woeful cries could not help but reach mine ears. As for my sister, a clever trick and my given word earned her a place at my side. I could not have come this far without her."

"Can you free me from this stifling tomb?" he asked.

"'Tis child's play!" Ruby smirked.

She took a set of thin metal tools from a pouch on her belt and got to work picking the lock. While she did that, Cloud hurried to the back of his cell and retrieved his sword and shield, then returned. Ruby had a blade of her own as well, short and slender as it hung from her hip in a plain leather scabbard, and I had my magic. Only a moment later, the door swung open, and Cloud rushed into the hall.

I embraced him. "Thank the Goddess! I would stay in your arms a while longer, my love, but we must move quickly."

Cloud nodded. "Of course. You have Minerva's gift?"

"Yes," I assured him as we all got moving. "Regina and I journeyed in haste to the Font before traveling here."

"Good," he said, taking the lead. "This way!"

We hurried back up the passageway but hadn't gone very far when a strange, thick mist swept toward us from the other end. It enveloped us and hid the dungeons from sight. It was a great effect, like the rest of the holographic projections, and bathed the stage in an eerie light. For a moment, all we could see was each other. Then the fog finally cleared and we found ourselves in the castle's main hall.

But we weren't alone. In front of us stood Varvados, who was being played perfectly by Zander in a suit of black and red armor that was all sharp curves and pointed horns with steel dragon wings fitted onto the back, and a mask that covered the upper half of his face. With a sweep of his arm and a blast of holographic fire aimed at the stone floor right in front of us, he brought us to a sudden halt.

"Pray take not another step, gentle Rosa," he said.

"Varvados…" I breathed.

As Cloud stepped forward with his hand on his sword hilt, Zander laughed coldly. "So, would the cur defy his captor?"

"Aye," Cloud drew his sword. "By the grace of the Goddess! As She has set me free, even now, so too shall she guide my blade! And that of she who I gladly call sister! Regina's right to be here and face you is no less than mine. And Rosa's spells will find their mark!"

Then a hulking, shadowy form materialized next to Zander. It was Garm, the black wolf. As he gazed at us with his blazing red eyes, Ruby immediately stiffened and drew her own blade. She was quivering with rage, and a low, deep growl escaped her throat.

"Vile dog!" she spat. "You will pay for spilling the blood of my dear Heinrich! He and my brother shall be avenged!"

"Do try, whelp," Garm sneered.

My hands glowed with a bright, pale blue aura as I readied myself to cast a spell, and when Zander hurled another sizzling fireball at us, I thrust my arm out in front of me, and a stream of bitter cold snuffed it out in an instant. He tried again, and again I blocked him. Then, with a snarl, he drew his sword, and it burst into flame. With a yell, he slashed it across, and a wave of fire flew toward us.

I doused it with a concentrated blast of frost. "You cannot harm us, Dragon King. For we are protected by the Goddess. Fire may burn, but ice will always rob it of its power and destroy it."

"Ice melts, Rosa," Zander taunted. "As will your heart. I am for you, and you are for me. There can be no other way."

I shook my head. "Never! And though ice may melt, its water shall still always overpower fire in the end. You cannot win, and I will never be your bride! I would rather die than marry you!"

Zander's roar filled the room. "That can be arranged!"

"Now!" Cloud yelled, brandishing his sword. "Regina, slay Garm! I will confront Varvados! Rosa, support us with your spells!"

Ruby readied her blade. "He will fall this day!"

Garm simply laughed. "My infernal fangs shall find their mark and taste of your sweet flesh, little girl. As they did of your mate. And then you shall know true terror. All that awaits you is death."

We launched ourselves at our enemies, swords and spells flashing, and the music sped up with a pounding, pulsing beat to match. With a dizzying array of holographic effects, we fought Varvados and Garm in a spectacular battle that raged back and forth across the stage. I'd done this play often in the past in Midgar, but this time was different. And I also felt it was little ironic that Rosa favored ice as her element when in reality I was more partial to fire after my experiences with Phoenix and Claudia and my new abilities. But I understood why.

Garm spewed a stream of purple flame at Ruby, but she dove to the side to avoid it and struck nimbly at him with her blade. I added blasts of ice to her assault, driving the wolf back while Cloud's sword clashed against Zander's again and again. In rehearsal, we'd used a ball hung on a string to show Garm's position since he was really just a hologram. I'd figured it would be better for our performance if we never actually saw him until the actual play so our reactions would be more real. The way Ruby glared at him with bitter hatred was perfect.

Some versions of the play went all out with flashy effects and crazy gravity-defying stunts for this battle, but I knew from experience back in Midgar how exhausting that too often was for the actors despite the clever interweaving of holographic duplicates to pull off the tricks they couldn't. So I'd suggested to Zander and Gwen that we make ours a bit more sensible and grounded and less over the top. They'd agreed, and I found I enjoyed this style a lot more. We moved around, of course, but our feet stayed firmly on the stage as we fought.

I stretched my hand out above me, and a slender holographic staff with a wide, feathered headpiece appeared in it. I used it to fire a beam of magical energy at Zander, driving him back while Ruby sliced at the black wolf with fury in her eyes. Cloud darted between the two, sword flashing as he spun and slashed. The battle raged and the music soared as our movements grew faster and more intense.

Then Ruby leaped right over Garm in a forward flip as he snapped his sharp teeth at her, and with a loud yell, she landed right on his back and drove her sword down into it all the way through his chest. Garm's pained, gurgling snarl brought us all to a stop for a moment, and as we watched, Ruby twisted the sword viciously. The black wolf yelped again as he slumped over and the light faded from his eyes.

"Breathe your last, monster!" Ruby hissed. "And may your heart be forever stilled! My love and brother are avenged!"

But as she jumped off Garm's body, a flaming dagger suddenly flew end over end through the air and buried itself in her chest. Ruby's eyes went wide, and she gasped in pain as her sword slid from her fingers to clatter onto the stone floor. Zander just sneered at her, his left arm still extended, as she collapsed with a pained cry.

"And now, you shall join them," he laughed coldly.

I stared at Ruby in shock. "Regina!"

She looked weakly at me as I rushed over and took her in my arms, Cloud at my side. "I fear… my time is done, dear sister. Do not burden yourself with guilt… for letting me come with you."

"You mustn't die!" I sobbed. It wasn't that hard for me to pull off. I just imagined losing Lydia instead of Regina. "I cannot conceive of my life without you. Always have you been at my side…"

Ruby smiled sadly. "And that… shall not change. Our loved ones… are ever near us. I go now to my sweet Heinrich. But I will be with you always, Rosa… never forget that. Never… forget…"

Cloud gently clasped her shoulder. "We shall not, dear Regina. My sister, in deed if not by blood. You fought bravely."

"Rosa…" she clung to me with the last of her strength. "Remember the gift… of the Goddess. Use it… to destroy the darkness. Save… our world. And please… tell Father… I love… him…"

Then she slumped in my arms, her hand falling away and her gaze locking in place as her breathing stopped. Ruby really looked dead, and as I closed her eyes with shaking hands, I couldn't help but admire her acting skills. With a tearful sigh, I gently laid her down as Cloud pulled the holographic dagger out of her body with one smooth stroke. Then, after taking a last look at her, we both stood up, weapons ready, to face Varvados once more and put an end to this.

Cloud lifted his sword high as his eyes narrowed. "Goddess above, let my blade strike true! Grant me the power to lay this fiend low at last and bring a final end to his vile terror forever!"

Lightning struck the blade as the dagger in his other hand erupted with a crackling charge of electricity. His quick, brutal charge, followed by an icy barrage of spells I let loose, caught Zander off guard. He tried to fight back, but our rage and determination were too much for him. I felt Rosa's grief and fury as if they were my own as I pounded him with my magic, spinning and thrusting my staff with every incantation. And Cloud never let up, striking Zander again and again before driving the dagger that had killed Regina into his chest.

Zander looked down at it and laughed grimly. "A poetic justice… I suppose. You found… the weakness in my armor."

"My sister's spirit, safe within the arms of the Goddess, guided me," Cloud pointed his sword at him. "Striking her down was your doom. I consign you now to the abyss, bereft of strength and broken. And there you will find oblivion waiting for you, Dragon King."

"But what awaits you at journey's end?" Zander retorted. "There is naught that remains for you… but death. You may have defeated me… but the shadow remains… and it will consume all. As it has fed… since time began. It shall reveal itself soon. And then, Puppet of Fate… your strings will be cut… and you will know… terror…"

Then he collapsed and lay still. I stared uneasily at him. "At last he is gone. But I fear the evil he served remains. Look!"

As we watched, a shadow slowly rose from the body of the Dragon King to hover before us, a formless black vapor that pulsed and hissed like a living thing. It drained the light and warmth from the scene, and I shivered as if I were cold. This was the darkest part of the play, and it left the whole theater in gloom to add to the effect.

"What is this new devilry?" Cloud asked.

"A darkness of the ancient world," I breathed. "It has no name. But it is alive. Like a force of nature. It exists only to consume, to feed on all life and light. Varvados was but a pawn, Alphried. A host for this thing, this… parasite. And now it seeks another."

Cloud readied his sword. "Then we must destroy it!"

I touched his arm and shook my head. "Nay, lower your blade, my love. Force will not avail us here, for to fight it would be to fight smoke. How would one slay such a thing? There is only one answer. The gift of the Goddess. For this is why it was given to me."

"Are you certain?" he wondered.

"You believed, as did Heinrich and my brother, that the gift was to be a weapon against Varvados," I explained. "But it is not. In truth, it is the means by which we can unmake this living shadow. I will banish it with Her light, but it will attempt to stop me."

Cloud caressed my cheek. "It will never touch you."

I bowed my head and concentrated, focusing on bringing forth the light. Tendrils of darkness whipped toward me from the living shadow, but Cloud darted into their path, letting them strike him instead of me as he stood looking at me, his face twisted with exertion.

"Hurry, Rosa!" he urged me. "I cannot… hold it back much longer. I can feel it… reaching into me. So cold… so empty… it has nothing of itself. Only what it takes from others. It will… corrupt me, Rosa. It will make me into another Varvados, another Dragon King. A fiend as vile as he. Or worse. If that happens… you must slay me."

"Never!" I swore. "I will save you!"

He reached for me even as the darkness began streaming into him. "I love you, Rosa. I will always love you."

"I love you, too, Alphried," I reached for him as well.

The moment our fingers touched, light burst forth from our joined hands, so bright and white that it flooded the entire theater. The living darkness recoiled with an unearthly screech, and for a moment, Cloud held onto me. Then he fell, his strength gone.

Not letting up, I thrust my hands forward, both of them glowing as I advanced upon the shadow. "Begone, faithless and accursed! You who were cast down from the heavens before time began! You are nameless and powerless! For the gift of the Goddess is upon you! And that gift is light! Pure and untouched. The light of love!"

Then a burst of white radiance erupted from my hands and struck the living darkness. As it writhed and wailed, its withdrew its whiplike tendrils from Cloud and shrank back. I kept up my assault, flooding it with light, and when he stood up again, sword in hand, he touched his sword to the light, making it glow a brilliant white.

I nodded. "Now, Alphried!"

Cloud ran, jumped high into the air, and thrust his glowing sword downward into heart of the pulsing darkness just as the stream of light flowing from my hands intensified at the same time. There was a burst of white fire, a final pained screech from the shadow, and then, finally, it was gone. A different light emerged now even as the glow of the gift Minerva had given us faded. A warm, familiar light.

"Look, Alphried…" I pointed. "The sun is rising."

He followed my gaze through the shattered windows of the castle's great hall. "I see it, Rosa. A good sign. At last… it is over."

I sighed sadly, though, as I knelt by Ruby and took her hand. "So it is. But at what cost? I shall miss her dearly, Alphried. Always she was at my side, ever since were were children."

"And so she always will be, as she said," Cloud gently picked her up in his arms. "One day, we will be reunited with her. But she would have you smile again, Rosa. Not grieve endlessly for her and those others we have lost. We will hold a proper memorial for them, of course, but then we must move on and live in joy and peace."

"Yes," I agreed, wiping the tears from my eyes. "We must. For their sake. Regina would want me to be happy."

Then we sang a duet, slow and bittersweet. It spoke about both our victory over the darkness and the pain of the losses we'd endured. I was pleasantly surprised by how well Cloud did. His voice was rich and full as it hit each note as perfectly as if he were swinging Buster in a fight. It was a delight to hear, and mine joined his in perfect harmony until our song eventually ended and the music faded away.

"Come, my love," Cloud said softly. "Let us go home."

We walked calmly out of the vast, crumbling ruins of Guardia into the light of the new day. Then the inner curtain fell just long enough to give everyone time to get into position for the last scene and for Cloud and I to hurry backstage and change costumes one more time. As soon as we were ready, we moved into place on opposite sides of the stage. A host of butterflies swarmed in my stomach at the thought of what was coming even though it was just a play. I'd always adored this scene, but being able to do it with Cloud made it even better.

When the curtain rose, the background had changed again. It was the wide upper hall of Cornelia Castle, flanked by the battlements, but at sunrise instead of sundown as had originally been planned. After all she'd gone through, Rosa had felt it would be more meaningful to have the ceremony at daybreak. The castle had been busy ever since she and Alphried had returned from their long journey.

Cloud stood on one side of the aisle at the front of the room in full royal finery, sword belted at his hip and his blue cloak flowing from his shoulders. I'd never seen him look so regal before, and I had to remind myself that this was just a play. I couldn't take my eyes off him as a host of trumpets began playing a joyful fanfare and I walked down the aisle under a long row of raised swords, Baku's arm looped through mine. I held a bouquet of flowers in front me and smiled.

I hadn't let Cloud see me like this until now, and his reaction when he finally did was as good as I'd hoped. Rosa's wedding dress was a full, gorgeous white silk gown with a long train and matching elbow-length gloves. As he gaped at me in adoring wonder that I was sure wasn't just an act, I couldn't help wondering what my own wedding would be like. I thought of that happy future Materia had showed me in Costa del Sol as I gazed warmly at Cloud from behind my veil.

He took my hand as I joined him and Baku stood behind us. King Balian had suffered a great blow with the loss of his wife, daughter, and son, but he was determined not to let his grief ruin his surviving child's happiest day. Cinna, who as Vorman was a respected high priest of the Goddess as well as a sage, smiled knowingly at us.

"My people, we come this day to celebrate the joining of two lives," he said. "Although we have lost much, peace has at last been restored to this land. Our fallen loved ones, whom we have laid to rest but will not ever forget, would have us take joy in this happy time. And so we come here under the sight of the Goddess Minerva to join Princess Rosa and Prince Alphried in the bonds of matrimony."

He went on. "Who gives this woman in marriage?"

"I do," Baku replied.

"Prince Alphried Ardonell, do you take Princess Rosa Elani Du'leil of Cornelia to be your wedded wife?" Cinna asked, turning to him. "To have and to hold, whether sick or well, wealthy or poor, no matter what may come, for as long as you both shall live?"

Cloud nodded. "I do."

Then Cinna looked at me. "Princess Rosa Elani Du'leil of Cornelia, do you take Prince Alphried Ardonell to be your wedded husband? To have and to hold, whether sick or well, wealthy or poor, no matter what may come, for as long as you both shall live?"

"I do," I smiled.

"The rings you now exchange will be a symbol of your love for one another," Cinna continued as we each took one from the little boy who held them out to us on blue satin pillow. "The same love that saved our world. Give them to one another now, dear friends."

Cloud tenderly slid the golden band onto my finger, his baby blues focused only on me. "With this ring, I thee wed."

I put his ring on his finger. "With this ring, I thee wed."

"Then, by the power of the Goddess Minerva, I now declare you to be man and wife," Cinna announced in a loud voice, his eyes glittering brightly as he beamed at us. "You may kiss the bride."

"I know that," Cloud smirked.

Another little bit of ad lib on his part, but I loved it. When he lifted the veil and kissed me, it was with a passion I hadn't expected. I kissed him back just as fiercely, and as we stood there locked in our embrace, both the cast and the audience erupted in cheers and the music rose in a triumphant, joyous melody. And at the same time, the morning sun's first light rose above the battlements to shine upon the new day and on Rosa and Alphried's wonderful new life together.

Will I get to have a moment like this for real? I hope so. Cloud and I have been together for five years now, and it's something we've talked about from time to time. Finally getting married would be a dream for me, but he hasn't asked me yet. I hope he will, though. I've wanted that for a long time. I was never able to have my wedding with Kunsel when I was younger, and losing that special day hurt me for a long time. But I love Cloud so much, and having our wedding would heal that hole in my heart and bring my life around full circle.

Anyway, once Cloud and I came up for air and the cheers had died down, I turned to address both the people on stage and everyone in the audience. "I thank you all for your warm wishes, my friends, and now I would like to close out this happy occasion with a song. It is a new one, which I composed myself with great care during my long absence, and I very much hope you will find it a pleasing tune."

Baku grinned. "Do grace us with your lovely voice, my daughter. It would bring me joy to hear you sing once more."

"And so I shall, Father," I smiled. Then my gaze found Cloud again. "This melody holds deep meaning for me, as you will understand. For it speaks of my life, what once was, and what now can be. As the sun of a new day now rises, so too does my heart."

Then I faced the audience again and took a few steps forward, and as the spotlights all converged on me, I began to sing. I'd never written a song before, and I hoped everyone would like it. I'd developed it over the past few months, bits and pieces at a time during our long journey to stop Sephiroth. Part of a life I'd never had before. Even now, after all this time and all I was still going through, I felt grateful just to be alive. My eyes found Cloud's, and as I sang, I gently shared with him through the music what I'd never been able to say in words.

In the dark of the night
I was destined to die
When fate's grasp was so tight
You freed me to fly

Now there's a new dawn
A new day
Destiny's changed
A new life is made
Another day
Another way
A new dawn

In this new gifted life
I can join in the fray
In the midst of the strife
You're with me to stay

Now there's a new dawn
A new day
Destiny's changed
A new life is made
Another day
Another way
A new dawn

A new road's before me
A new path to take
So much more I can be now
It's my choice to make

I see a new dawn
A new day
Nothing's the same
My life has been saved
Another day
Another way
A new dawn

Another day
Another way
A new dawn

When I finished singing and the last notes of the music had faded, the whole theater erupted into furious applause. Cheers filled the room again, even louder than before, and as we all took our bows together, I couldn't stop smiling. Gwen, Ruby, and the others came out and joined us, waving to the audience and bowing along with us as our play finally came to a close, and then they and the others backed away to give me a moment by myself as the center of attention.

Everyone was on their feet now, clapping and cheering for us—for me. A standing ovation, and I had to blink happy tears from my eyes as I took it all in. Aerith, Tifa, and most of the others were ecstatic as they cheered me on, but I was shocked by Barret's reaction. He was actually crying, and I realized he couldn't clap for me even though I knew how much he must've wanted to. But Cid caught on, and after giving him a knowing nod, applauded even more fiercely for both of them as Yuffie just about jumped up and down in excitement.

After bowing again and waving to the crowd, I left with the others, and the curtain fell for the last time that night. As soon as Gwen, Ruby, and I were alone with the rest of the cast backstage, we cheered, shared hugs, and laughed together. Cloud didn't do the hugs much, aside from me, of course. But he was happy enough. I threw my arms around him and showered him with kisses, not caring who saw.

"We did it, Cloud! We did it!" I grinned, squeezing him tight. "I've missed this so much! And I'm so glad you were there with me tonight. We were a hell of a team, wouldn't you say?"

"Still are," he quipped.

I giggled. "You got that right! So… did you like my song?"

Cloud gave me a tender kiss. "A lot. And I understand."

"I thought you would," I smiled, returning it.

For a moment, I lost myself in Cloud as our lips met and lightning rushed through my body again at the sensation. Then we turned when we heard Tifa and the others rushing happily into the backstage area to meet us. I'd told Zander and Gwen earlier to let them in after the show, and they surrounded us almost at once.

Aerith pulled me into a crushing embrace. "You were great, Jessie! Even better than I remember. Everyone loved you!"

"Guess I've got an 'I told you so' coming," I chuckled.

"Yep!" she laughed. "Told ya!"

Tifa hugged me next. "I've never seen you look so beautiful, Jessie. I'm so glad I got to watch you perform! You were born for this."

"Thanks, Tifa," I said, returning the hug.

Barret wiped his eyes. "Jessie… you was amazin', ya know that? You ain't a star. You a legend. I jus' wish I coulda clapped for ya… I wanted to, ya know. More than anythin'. But I couldn't."

I slid my arms around him. "I know, Barret. And someday, I think you'll find a way. Nothing ever keeps you down. I'm just glad you liked the show. Means a lot to me that you came to see it."

"No way I'd miss it," he assured me.

"Pretty cool show, Jessie!" Yuffie grinned, giving me a fist bump as I let go of Barret. "Had me on the edge of my seat!"

Red nodded. "It really was! Although you did catch me by surprise with that wolf. Not that I mind playing the villain. It looked like a lot of fun, and I'm glad you had such a good time up there."

"I really did, Red, thanks," I said, scratching behind his ear for him and patting his nose. "Lets just say you inspired me!"

"What are friends for?" he quipped.

Vincent nodded slightly to me. "Impressive."

I just laughed. "That's high praise coming from you, Vince! Thanks so much! Guess I'm closer to making you smile!"

"I wouldn't go that far," he shrugged.

"Ha! Just you wait!" I smirked.

Cid flashed me a grin. "Well, I gotta say, you really are somethin'! I didn't doze off once the whole time. You got some serious talent, Jessie. Keep it up and you'll really be goin' places!"

"Thanks, Cid," I hugged him.

Cait Sith bounced atop his moogle mount. "Aye, ye were incredible as ever, Jessica! A right fine performance. Ahn we're nae the only ones who think so. Did ye know that—oh, well, here he is!"

Just then, Dio strode into the backstage area to join us. "I must say, that was quite a show! Congratulations, all of you."

"Thank you, sir," Zander said. "It was a team effort."

Dio laughed. "Indeed! And what a team you are! But of course, we can't forget the star of tonight's production. You were a vision, my dear Jessica. And I can see now that all the acclaim and renown you earned in Midgar years ago was indeed very well-deserved!"

"I just love what I do," I smiled.

"Of that, I have no doubt," Dio continued. "And as a matter of fact, I'd like to offer you the chance to continue doing it. Every theater needs a headliner, after all. And I'd like ours to be you."

My eyes widened. "Be part of the show? Full-time?"

"Once your journey is finished, of course," Dio went on. "But yes. I also have contacts in Midgar and Junon and could get you some acting work in those places as well if you wanted it."

"Hell yeah!" I squealed. "Where do I sign up? Thank you!"

Dio laid one of his big hands on my shoulder. "Think nothing of it! I'd be a fool to let an opportunity like this slip away, after all. Oh, and I almost forgot. A pair of old friends is here to see you."

When I saw who followed him in to join us, my eyes lit up and I let out a little gasp of delight. "Esther! Joe! Hi, guys!"

"Jessie!" Esther crushed me in a hug. "You were amazing up there!"

"Quite a fine performance," Joe tipped his hat to me.

Although he wasn't wearing his jockey's uniform, his outfit tonight was still just as dapper. A fine silk shirt with long sleeves, a pair of long black slacks, and shiny shoes. Esther looked great in a strapless evening dress made of cream-colored satin that highlighted her fiery hair. She'd piled it into a nice, curly bun, and of course, her chocobo feather stuck up from it like always. Her makeup really suited her, and Joe definitely seemed to agree. He couldn't keep his eyes off her.

"Thanks!" I grinned. "You guys really dressed up tonight!"

"We're on a special date," Esther giggled.

I smirked impishly. "Oh, really?"

"Today's a year since we first met," she sighed fondly. "Even though we were just friends for most of that time. But we wouldn't have gotten this far if we hadn't started there. So we're celebrating."

"Well, good for you!" I laughed.

Esthar joined me. "As soon as I heard you were starring in the play tonight, I knew we had to come see you perform. And now we're going to ride the Starwheel Gondola. It's so romantic!"

I didn't doubt it. "Have fun! And thanks for coming."

"Anytime," Esther said. Then she snapped her finger excitedly as an idea hit her. "Hey, you and Cloud should ride it, too! You'll love it! Lots of fireworks, and you'll get to see all the sights of the park."

"Good thinking!" I agreed. Then I looked at Cloud. "What do you say, SOLDIER boy? Wanna go ride the Starwheel with me?"

He nodded. "Sure. A little time alone'll be good."

"It'll be closing pretty soon, so Joe and I'll go on ahead and tell the ride operator to let you on," Esther assured us.

"We'll be there soon," I promised. "Thank you!"

After giving Esther a tender kiss, Joe offered her his arm, and once she slid hers through it, they waved to everyone and left. I lingered for a little longer, joining the rest of the cast for a meet and greet session in the theater for the VIP ticket holders who had come to the play. Doing that brought back so many good memories of my days in Midgar at the LOVELESS Theater. And now, through the play tonight and Dio's kind offer, I'd finally found my way back to the stage.

After a while, once the crowd had finally left, I smiled at Cloud. "I think it's time we made a discreet exit, don't you?"

"Lead the way," he agreed.

As we said our goodbyes to everyone and left Event Square, I took Cloud's hand in mine before he could slip in a word of protest. He just looked at me, blinking in astonishment, then let out a sigh that I knew was more show than substance. But he didn't let go, and I flashed him a grateful little smirk as we made our way over to the Skywheel Gondola hand in hand to continue our romantic date.

Author's Note:

Jessie's song "A New Dawn" is an original piece written by me specifically for this story. It's my first, just like it was hers, and I hope it turned out okay and that you guys like it. :)