Hands

Note: Hiya… ^^; Been so long, huh? I had this in my head since I heard Jewel's "Hands." It sounded so much like Aeris. I could see her singing that… ^^; Eeeeeeeee! This is a CloudxAeris fic!

To Tifa fans: Please, I have nothing against Tifa. She's a cool chick. I don't want people screaming that Aeris is dead and Cloud gets Tifa, etc… This is what I think. If you are against this view… leave now. People shouldn't waste their time flaming.

And now… the fic!

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Aeris Gainsborough silently slipped out the door, which whined in protest. She crept past Tifa's room, and pressed her ear against it, to make sure that her packing hadn't awaken her neighbor. Her delicate ear heard nothing but the sound of the woman's slow breathing. Aeris averted her green gaze to the side. She was thinking twice about leaving. But the force pulled her.

She looked down on her bags, so small and light compared to the others'. She fingered the string on her sling bag, pulling her toes into curls inside her boots nervously. She didn't want to go. But the inner feelings begged her, taunted her, to go alone. She knew something would happen. And she thought about what would happen to Cloud…

Cloud…?

Aeris pawed the warrior's door open with her hand, and found him curled up peacefully in the corner, not bothering to get into the warm, calling bed. His weapon laid beside him, his head bowed in rest, knees drawn up around him. Aeris knelt down beside him, placing her metal staff beside his blade, making a little "x" on the floor. She placed her hand on his cheek and tilted his face up to her's.

She controlled her emotions, and kissed his forehead with her cherry lips. Aeris laid her forehead against his for a while. He was so warm against her ice-like skin, and she wanted to stay there… But Sephiroth was coming, and she didn't want such a handsome, struggling heart to have a sword plunged through it. Reluctantly, she tore herself away, and laid his head back down on his knees. She scooped up her staff, and her sling bag, walking quietly out the door, closing it lightly. She had a feeling she'd never see him again.

Aeris walked on the path, over and over whispering prayers to the Planet. Her feet moved forward, but her heart stayed pressed against Cloud's warm face. The Planet yelled at her to go. Aeris obeyed, but she still wanted to fall into Cloud's arms and cry, but she had to stay strong. Sephiroth could kill him, she didn't want to endanger him any more then she already had.

She hit a small tree, alerting her to her surroundings. Aeris looked dreamily around, her brown hair slipping in her eyes as she turned her head. She walked aimlessly around the Sleeping Forest. Her feet kicked dirt onto her fading pink dress, but she only stared ahead. Her head burned with so many thoughts. Sephiroth, The Planet, Elmyra, Zack. Cloud…?

She looked ahead. Cloud was standing there, looking quizzically at her. She buckled her feet down, clamped her jaw, and gripped her hand so tightly, her hands bled from her fingernails. "Let me handle Sephiroth." She choked out.

Cloud reached out to her, his hand faded and so did his body, as he mouthed "Aeris…"

Tears finally slid out of her grassy eyes, she didn't move for a good while, until the Planet began to drag her forward again. She placed one foot in front of the other, angrily making herself think of prayer. But then she cursed herself for being selfish. She cared nothing for herself, her body mechanically walking to the City of the Anchients.

She dropped her bag and staff, which made a metallic clang. She walked into the pool of light and looked up. "Is this where you want me?" she asked the Planet aloud.

She slowly nodded, and fell down to her knees, dirtying her dress even more. She interlocked her fingers, and bowed her head, bringing the tips of her fingers down to the back of her hand. Her brown hair brushed the back of her red jacket. Aeris barely felt the touch. Her spirit seemed to slip away from her body, and kneel in front of the planet, begging forgiveness for everyhing.

She could've been there for hours. Maybe a few minutes. Or maybe days. Even though hunger was tearing at her stomach, Aeris couldn't feel it. Even when sleep yearned for her to lay down and rest, her soul felt no physical pain. She thought of the children, her team, her mother, and Cloud…

Her cherry lips parted every now and then to sigh for air, but her eyes hadn't feasted over light in hours. Her palms sweat from the heat of being pressed together for so long. Her head hurt from supporting the weight of her love and loyalty. Her bones ached for rest, while her eyes were closed, she sometimes felt herself falling backwards, body begging her to sleep.

"Aeris…??" broke the silence.

Her soul was thrown back into her body, she opened her eyes. Cloud stood in front of her, Mako-infused eyes burning with confusion. She smiled warmly. Her feet shuffled to stand. To run into his arms, to feel his hand through his hair. To whisper that the earth was safe.

Light blinded her, and cold steel entered her back and slid through her body and reappearing through her stomach. Her hands dropped from their position. Her eyes were wide in shock. The pain hadn't ebbed into her until a few seconds later. She slipped her eyes closed and fell foreward. Her mind was going blank. Her spirit was trying to flee from her body. She forced her eyes open. She blinked her eyes and reached out to Cloud, her breath becoming short.

Cloud held his hand out to hers, eyes widening, his body pumping forward. But tears slid out of out of her eyes as she closed them, never to open them again. Sephiroth pulled his sword out of the flower girl's body. Her lifeless form was to hit the cold rock hard, damaging her still-perfect face. But Cloud caught her fall in his arms. Her feather light body was safely held in his arms.

Her mind barely lingered long enough to feel Cloud's body against hers'. Then she sighed, never gasping for air again. Her head laid back, lips parted, eyes lightly closed. Her unneeded muscles relaxed. She was now just a body. A thing. The happiness that moved her was gone. She laid perfectly still in his arms, being rocked back and forth, everything she always wanted Cloud to do, was being pampered on her.

Her hands laid neatly folded over her stomach, patched with a bit of blood. Cloud cradled her in his arms, almost as if she was asleep. "Shh." He whispered, pretending she was only asleep. He held her closer to him, rocked her a little. Cloud bent down, and kissed her cold, cold forehead. He ran his hands along her folded ones, and looked to her peaceful face, urging him to go forward, when he wanted to sink down with her. He reluctantly let her go, dragging himself back, as she sank to the lifestream.

Her hands finally slipped from their position, relaxed, slipping further into their eternal rest.

"I'm sorry, Aeris…"

End