A tall dark figure watched stood over the cliff overlooking the ruins of the Ancient's City. His blood red eyes were fixed on the beast that slumbered in the forest. He grinned, his plans were working and soon the world would learn to fear him.

"I am disappointed you turned against me. You were my favorite pet." Racoon told his unseen intruder behind him.

"You amaze me, Racoon." Sephiroth stepped out from behind a huge rock and joined Racoon by the side of the cliff.

"I had so many plans for you and Aerith. Absorbing materia energy and abilities have so much possibilities. Shinra was a fool to concentrate on Mako infusion and electricity." Racoon glanced at Sephiroth who stood with his back turned to him. "But I'm afraid that I've made a terrible mistake of reviving Aerith."

Sephiroth spun around and glared at Racoon.

"I was blinded by her beauty and neglected to see that she would be the greatest obstacle in my plans. That Ancient and the White Materia." He turned to Sephiroth. "Why, I should just kill you now for letting her get away with it. But instead, I am asking you to join me in my quest to rule the world, with my Beast and my army of monsters."

Sephiroth stared back at the great plains and mountains that stood before them and smiled. "True, I know I was destined to be the ruler of the planet, until she and her friends stopped me."

"Then," Racoon's eyes gleamed. "You will help me? You will help me get rid of the Ancient and her materia?"

Sephiroth stood still, his eyes cold and there were no traces of emotions, then he threw his head back and started laughing out loudly. "You idiot!" he said, "I will never join you! I will rule this world alone!" Sephiroth leaped backwards and disappeared from view.

Racoon chuckled softly and turned around. "You can't stop me."

Cloud found Aerith standing alone at the empty beach of Costa Del Sol waiting for the sun to rise. Two days have passed since the attack on the Ancient's City, and they decided that their homebase for now would be Villa Strife. They needed more time to prepare for another attack on Racoon.

Aerith played with the gentle waves that tickled her feet. It was the first time, in almost a year, that she was able to come out and enjoy nature without worrying if there's a monster lurking around the corner.

During the past days since she was rescued by her friends, she remained in bed. Weakened terribly by fatigue and a terrible fever. Had it not been for the tender loving care of her mother, Tifa, Red XIII, Vincent and Miss Shera, she would not have recovered quickly and would cause the team to worry more about her.

Cloud took a deep breath and stepped out into the sand, "Hello, Aerith." He said softly.

Aerith's eyes sparkled with joy, this was the first time she'd seen Cloud for a long time since she was resuced, he was either too busy training or out getting materials for battle. A smile brightened her lovely face and she ran to him. "Cloud! I didn't know you were there."

"Yeah, sorry, I wasn't able to visit you the past few days..." Cloud walked to the water and picked up a cowrie shell.

"That's alright. Everyone's so tense these days, all worried about Beast and Racoon." She walked in front of Cloud and held out her white materia. "But don't worry, I have this...I've asked the planet for help, they've agreed...now, all I need is a little more time to summon whatever the planet will give us." Aerith crouched on the wet sand and run her fingers through the waves.

"Whoa--Hey, you're not saying that you're gonna go back to the Ancient's City with us?" Cloud said out loud. Aerith looked up at him. "No," Cloud shook his head and walked a little deeper into the water. "It's too dangerous, I'm NOT putting you in any danger again." Cloud felt his eyes burn, inspite of the cold ocean water that was splashing against his knees.

"But, I have to be there. Or else planet's gift will not come." Aerith said, following Cloud into the water. "There's nothing to worry about, I'm sure everything will turn out alright." Aerith smiled, the sky was growing brighter, soon the sun would rise and another day will begin. "Look around us. Look at how beautiful the planet has become after the Shinra Empire fell. The planet has been able to recover from it's wounds. Imagine, how much more beautiful it could become after five hundred years? If I don't fight, then your children may never know what freedom and the beauty of this planet is." She closed her eyes and felt the cold morning wind brush her skin.

Cloud remained silent. His children? What about hers? What about the planet that will never know the beauty and innocence of the girl standing next to him? Cloud let out a deep sigh and lowered his eyes. "Aerith, I want you to know that---" He felt a pang in his chest and tears began to well up in his eyes. He glanced at her and saw her looking at the water. "---I don't want to lose you again."

Aerith giggled, "You won't lose me, Cloud. You never did, I was always watching over all of you. When you were lost in the Snow Mountain, when you fought Sephiroth, when Meteor fell to earth...when you entered the Lifestream...with Tifa." She smiled, "No, nothing will keep me away from all my friends and loved ones."

Cloud shook his head, and sank to his knees, the icy chill of the water enhancing the coldness he felt inside. "Please, don't talk that way...you don't understand, Aerith. Why do you throw your life away so easily? You don't deserve that! You deserve to be happy, to be loved. What about our pain?" He looked sharply at her, tears streaming down his face, his hands trembling around his shoulders." What about my pain, Aerith? Seeing you go away once...I never---never will forgive myself for letting that happen. Now, I have another chance and yet---"

Aerith knelt down beside Cloud and lay her hands on his arm. "I'm sorry, Cloud. I never wanted to hurt you or the others. I knew what Sephiroth was up to during that time...I had to, if not Holy alone would never have stopped meteor. But, Cloud...you're surrounded by people who love you. You shouldn't turn your back on them because of me." Cloud did not respond, his breathing was hoarse, his head was bowed down letting his long spiky hair dance on the ocean's surface. She sighed, "Oh, Cloud...please forgive me, I never thought that I'd be the cause of your pain."

His pain? She was his joy."Then tell her." Cloud raised his head quickly, the little voice in his head was back. His eyes widened. "Sephiroth?" He whispered to himself.

Aerith sat with him in the water, the sun has risen and the sky was beginning to brighten. Then he looked at her and held her hands. "Aerith," he said softly. "I am a fool, a totally blind fool. I never saw the blessing that was given to me, the day I opened my eyes and saw an angel." He paused for a moment and closed his eyes. "It's taken me a year and great suffering to realize this, but now I'm very sure..." He took a deep breath, his heart was racing, she was looking at him silently. Then, without warning he pulled her into an embrace. "Aerith, I love you. I want to be with you forever. Please, say that you love me too..."

Aerith's eyes widened in shock, then emotion filled them and tears started falling. It took her a few moments to recover before she wrapped her arms around him. She does love him, she's been fighting for him all this time. She was surprised that she did have a place in his heart, then she remembered---Tifa. No, she couldn't take him away from her, his childhood friend that has stayed with him for so long. Not this way. It wouldn't be right.

She pulled away from the embrace and faced Cloud, wiping away his tears with her hand. "Oh, Cloud..."

"I know..."Cloud said. "I wish it didn't have to be this way. But she kept on throwing herself at me...I know she's concerned, I know she cares...but somehow, it was also choking me. I couldn't breathe. Until I felt that it was only my obligation to love her too, because she was my childhood friend. It sounds cold, I know. I do love her, as my childhood friend, and as someone who's stood by me all the time. But I'm afraid that no matter, how I tried...I couldn't make it run deeper than that." Cloud looked at the rising sun, surprisingly the beaches were still empty and no one has come out of the Villa yet.

Cloud looked at Aerith and stroked her cheek gently with his finger. "Well, you know how I feel." He smiled, his mako blue eyes glowing like the sky. "Please, promise me you'll think about it." His head felt lighter now that he was able to release another heavy burden. She smiled at him and nodded. Then they both fell silent watching the waves get higher and higher.

*SPLASH!* The water hit Cloud's face making him fall back. He rubbed his eyes and saw Aerith standing before him knee-deep in the ocean. "What did you do that for?"

Aerith giggled. "You're too serious, Cloud. I told you, don't be too serious or you'll go crazy." As she spoke she kept on hitting him with handfuls of water. Cloud jumped to his feet and started paddling water at her.

"Oh, yeah? Well, let's see how crazy I can be!" He called back, continuing to mercilessly splash cold ocean water at Aerith.

They laughed as they ran after each other, soaking wet against the beautiful sunrise and clear blue waters of the Costa del Sol. Until he decided to sneak back into the Villa before her mother would catch them and scold them for being reckless. But nevertheless, they were happy.

During the afternoon, Cloud, Barret and Cid left to look for equipment to upgrade their weapons in order to fight Racoon and his Beast. The others stayed at the Villa to rest. Yuffie and Red XIII took Marlene to the beach to have some fun, while Shera and Elmyra was busy preparing meals. Reeve had dropped by with another Cait Sith to aid them in their battle.

Tifa was walking down the corridors of the Villa humming happily to herself when she overheard Aerith and Vincent talking in the Villa's library. Aerith sounded distressed, Tifa decided to eavesdrop.

"...please help me, Vincent. I don't know what to do." She heard her say. "I do love him, too, but I'm worried about Tifa...they've known each other for so long now...I don't want to waltz in and just take him away from her."

Vincent looked at Aerith, no trace of emotions were running through his face. Then slowly he said, "But you love Cloud, right? And he loves you that he is willing to spend the rest of forever with you. I don't see any problem with that. You've been separated before, but not even death could keep you apart. Then I think that it was indeed meant to be."

Aerith sighed and looked at the floor. "Yes, I love him, from the very start. But I can't help but think of Tifa. I know that this will hurt her, I don't want that to happen, she doesn't deserve that, she's stood by his side althroughout."

"But will you just stand there and see Cloud get hurt over losing you again? Aerith, sometimes, not everyone is happy when two people get married." Vincent closed his eyes and smiled. 'I should know...'he thought 'I'm one of those who weep, because I have grown to like you Aerith.' He looked at her again, "I think, when he gets back, you should tell him how you really feel, put aside all of your worries. I'm sure that you two were meant to be together."

Aerith smiled. "Thank you, Vincent."

The waves splashed recklessly on the shore, Yuffie and Marlene laughed at RedXIII as they buried him in sand. The pots clanged and banged in the kitchen as the two ladies scurried about preparing for the next meal. Everything was so loud, that the running footsteps of a crying girl were not heard. She ran straight into her room and threw herself across the bed and cried.

Tifa could never understand why he had chosen Aerith, she curled on her bed and fell asleep with tears in her eyes.