End

“We ran into a hitch, didn’t we?” she sat there, with her arms wrapped around her knee, her other leg stretched out, favoring a smile at him.

He swallowed, looking away, “I should’ve never left –

“No, don’t start that,” she shook her head quickly, looking away.

He glanced at her again, watching as she clenched her jaw, her eyes harsh on the nonexistent horizon.

“If this is all the time we have before we go into the lifestream,” she said, forced words, “Then I don’t want you to spend it regretting everything you’ve ever done,” she somehow found the strength to look at him in that moment, her eyes hard and full of sadness.

She sighed, looking away again, pressing her fingertips to her eyes, “Your guilt…for Zack, Aeris…everyone…it was my guilt too, you know? I killed them as much as you did. That’s why I left…you shouldn’t have my guilt on top of your own.”

He blinked slowly, studying the dusty white ground before him, “Maybe so…but for that…I actually killed you. That blade in my hands….and there’s no changing that.”

“It was the sickness, you had it too, you know? Maybe that’s why we aren’t asleep yet. Maybe we’ll never sleep, or maybe they’re just purifying us. You can’t put tainted material into anything. It’s like weaving a blanket with worn thread. It’s planting a flower with no sun and no water.”

“Tainted souls,” he smirked, “I almost like that,” he stared down at his hands, “For once…I feel clean actually. No more haze…no more blood or death. My blood, it feels clean. No mako…”

“Look at me.”

He turned his head quickly, finding her red eyes and he had become so accustomed to disappearing when he saw them in his dreams, that he was lost when the world didn’t fade away. She studied him with her ruby eyes, glittering in a light that wasn’t there, and a smile touched them.

“No mako. Clear, crystal clear blue eyes…just like when you were a little boy.”

“Same goes for you,” an actual smile touching his lips, and she grinned.

“See, maybe dying wasn’t so bad. We got this much, didn’t we? And through our own stupidity wee separated…so we may have never seen each other again. This way we have this when we join the Lifestream. Everything we’ve ever done…it means something now, don’t you think?”

He nodded his head once, a small chuckle gracing his voice. He felt light, lighter than he had in a long time. He supposed this was what a soul should feel like, with no body…there was also something else missing. No Sephiroth, no mako, just him. Cloud Strife.

Somehow, his hand found hers, fingers lacing together, tangled thoughts clear. And at the same time he remembered what she said about something along the lines of weaving a blanket, their fingers the thread.

And if they were the blanket, the thread, than the Lifestream was pulling them apart, green orbs of light, lifestream spinning from their fingertips in graceful patterns. They chased each other, twisting around, leaving thin green tendrils, trailing up towards the endless white sky.

Her eyes met his in a moment of panic, no longer feeling her hand intertwined with his.

“What comes after this?” he whispered, lips barely moving, afraid to speed the process up.

“I don’t know,” there was water in her voice, tears in her eyes, but at least it wasn’t blood.

“But Aeris, she hasn’t even talked to us. Shouldn’t she have…? I mean…we can’t….no…I’m not…” he was at a loss, unsure of what to say, not believing it as his legs unwove themselves, twisting towards the sky in an eerie dance.

“Maybe we aren’t as special as we thought,” she giggled slightly, a sad smile gracing her features.

She down, flexing her right fingers, her hand that still remained, before looking back up into his eyes.

And even though she didn’t say anything as her hand wound around his jaw, her fingers dipping into his hair, lips diving in as if to claim a prize, he heard her voice clear as day.

“If you’ll remember anything…remember this.”

And he felt his remaining hand find her neck, marveling at the smooth strands of her hair as his fingers spiraled apart, no feeling except the press of her lips against his. Nothing but the feeling of happiness, of being complete as the last of him unwove, unfamiliar but welcomed. The taste of her lips was still among his essence as it twisted towards the sky in the strange green orbs that made him up, reaching for something unknown.

And then there was nothing.

A/N: Before you go grrr, should've just left it, let me explain. Me and Sael debated on whether or not to add this epilogue, but the whole title of the story would be pointless without it. This is sort of like Cloud's deliverance from his sins, his forgiveness. That was why this was necessary; if it wasn't, I would've named this like...BLOOD well, something not that corny. It's sort of like AC with him getting forgiven...except he stays dead this time. Why no love confession? I agree with UP, those can sometimes be corny, and by now, I figure it pointless for Tifa to be like 'ehmahgawd kuhloud, i lurve yous'. Sort of ruins the mood, that's why it's just like, a goodbye kiss. What comes after this? Who the heck knows. Use your imagination and devise your own afterlife for them. : )

Some explainations for details and whatnot:

First Chapter: Cloud's death, blood, and mako are there to reinforce what's really controlling his mind right now, and how it will affect his life (and death) dramatically. Tifa's is just shown for her optimistic side, and her want of living even with a life threatening disease. It is also meant as a massive comparision of how the disease affects the two differently. I believe the two probably contracted the disease around the same time, and that helped to contribute to their seperation. Cloud's little explosion in the end is just to show you his rage during his bloodlust, and Vincent's voice is just an introduction to his craziness.

Second Chapter: The nightmares are forshadowing that Cloud would be the cause of Tifa's death (bloodlust or disease) Once again, Tifa's fear of blood and death are just a reinforcement to her death, and the cause of it. I don't even know if Aeris' voice was real XD Vincent never cut himself (it was an introduction to Geostigma's tricks as was Cloud's voices)

Third Chapter: Which may be getting a rewrite. Tifa's memory lapse was once again just for Geostigma purposes. Not much psycological happening here...just happenings

Fourth Chapter: Reno's ramble was for sheer fun, and held no significance. It was just fun to write. The dream talk was a reference to Chapter two when Tifa asks Yuffie about ESP. It was also to show that Tifa/Cloud had a connection, and she could locate him (which is how she does it in Ch. 5) Vincent was never there in the cell. That was all Geostigma.

Fifth Chapter: Why Reno torture? B/c it's more interesting than Rude. He curses, and has a mouth. And yes, Vincent was so badass that he would've taken the killing blow, but Tifa did that. That pretty much covers everything, I think.

Any more questions, just review or PM me.

UP: Ack! I outwitted you. It makes me feel special. So you realized Tifa's impending doom? I'm glad that did nothing to ruin the story. Thank you thank you for all the great compliments. I appreciate them greatly. Anyways, thanks for nominating this for Genesis. Yay.

onewingedangel: Thank you so much! My goal was to try and make people cry...sounds cruel? Heh

Meili: Thank you dear heart! I have misled you! That's like a feat in itself! Thank you so much! And I am evil...grr. Long reviews make meh happy XP

Tibbar Sabertooth: Thanks so much for your reviews! And you aren't dumb, heh, my intention was to fool you. I even fooled Meili and UP, and that's amazin in itself. Thanks again!

Sael: Hug for Sael. Argh, I couldn't have done it without cha! XD

Alma: Thank you thank you thank you! I'm glad you like it so much!

Flaw'd Perfection: :/ I tried to warn you! Hopefully you still enjoyed it, though.

Once again! Thanks to Sael for beta-reading this, and Unpersonified for nominating it for the Genesis Awards! LOVE YOU!