Epilogue

"Ah can't believe this! How come no one ever tells me these things?" Yuffie snapped angrily, while Zack just grinned happily, shrugging his shoulders as he saddled up his chocobo, who was warking happily, ready to get out on the road.

"Ah know. Who would've thought that Cid actually would ask Miz Shera to marry him. Ain't it grand?" Zack said with a slight grin on his face while Yuffie sighed, hands on her hips as she rolled her eyes.

"Ah just hope we get back in time for the wedding. Besides, bein' a mercenary sounds a bit hard." Yuffie added after a moment, a tinge serious for a moment, a thoughtful look crossing her face slightly, while Zack just grinned, leaning down and planting a small flirtatious kiss on the bridge of her crinkled nose. She was really cute when she pulled that face.

"That's why Ah'm here Miz Yuffie." He said with a drawl, while Yuffie blushed, pushing him out of the way with a light shove.

"Oh Zack, ya horrible." She said with a slight sigh, rolling her eyes though a blush stained her cheeks, while Zack just grinned mounting his chocobo as he held out his hand to her.

"That's why ya love me, now get on."

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"Ain't it so romantic? Everyone all paired up an' everything!" Aeris sighed dreamily, her eyes locked up on Rude, sighing slightly while Elena giggled, tilting her head to the side.

"Uh huh, Ah just feel so sorry for Reno, fallin' for Scarlet like that. Don' he know she's untouchable?" Elena asked, while Aeris only grinned, twirling a flower in her fingers, gently caressing the petals.

"Yea, ain't that what ya thought 'bout Mista Tseng? What's become of him an' Vincent recently?" Elena only sighed, looking dreamily out into the horizon, as if searching for him. Her heart ached for him, though she remembered his almond eyes staring deeply into hers, his lips moving delicately as he promised to be home. The same lips had kissed her gently on her own, before he had turned and mounted a chocobo with his brother, turning and riding off into the horizon on which she was staring at now.

"They left to escort Mista Cloud home, though he promised me he'd be back." Elena said, while Aeris grinned, giving the younger woman a playful nudge, before tilting her head to the side slightly, a thoughtful look crossing her face. It was nice and to know that everything was turning out so well, when things had started becoming bleak, and like a heaven sent angel, Tifa had shown up and righted everything.

"Speakin' of Cloud, what happened to Sephiroth?" Aeris asked, while Elena burst out laughing, grinning happily.

"Oh ya should have heard what Scarlet was sayin'! She told me how Tifa shot the sheriff and he left with his tail between his legs! Ah wish Ah could have seen that!" Elena hooted, while Aeris merely smiled. Oh, what a shame. Sephiroth had been so dashingly handsome too, though she supposed he couldn't compare with Rude, who was so sweet and kind it made her tingle all over.

"Ahh, Tifa, how Ah envy her! Marryin' Sir an' all! Though Ah guess Sir deserves some happiness." Aeris bubbled happily, grinning as Rude settled himself next to her, saying nothing though giving her a slight glance with his stormy gray depths that it sent shivers down her spine. On her request, he had stopped covering up his eyes, though he had become mysteriously popular with the ladies all of a sudden.

"Oh, Ah see. Ah'll leave ya two alone." And without another word, Elena got up and left, while Aeris just turned to Rude with a small, mischievous smile.

"Ready for an adventure, cowboy?" She teased, while the corner of Rude's mouth twitched upward, and Aeris smiled also. Things would turn out all right, she knew it.

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"I love you." Those were the first words that accompanied the strong arms that wrapped around her petite form, and a warm tingling sensation wrapped itself around her body also, and a soft sigh escaped her lips.

"I love you too." She said with a slight grin, turning her neck slightly to spy roguish blue eyes, the barren landscape she had once seen now glittered and shined like a gem newly cleaned, all the dust and grim wiped clean from them. She loved his eyes more than anything, except maybe his lips, which were now slowly trailing up her neck, sending shivers down her spine. How he loved to play with her!

"You make a beautiful spouse." Rufus told her, and she giggled slightly, tilting her head back to the sunset, the golden globe sinking slightly, sending bright bursts of golden and orange across the darkening sky, pulling with it the last threads of light while the moon threw its tapestries of stars across the sky. It was beautiful, and she would never want to be anywhere else but here, with him.

"And you too, Mr. Outlaw." She teased, feeling his breath trickle down her neck, and for a slight moment there was a thoughtful pause, a small silence shared between two lovers enjoying the other's company.

"How did I even find you?" He asked, and she giggled slightly, looking up at the sky, remembering how she had always longed to be anywhere but with Cloud, and when she had been with Rufus, well . . . she had even wished to be back with him. How fickle she seemed to herself, now that she thought about it.

"You didn't love, you kidnapped me, remember?" The silence returned again, the one shared by lovers enjoying the company of the other, and a tumble weed toppled lazily by the sign of the town renamed 'Wanderlust' as the two embraced.

~*Author's Notes*~ It's. over! *sobs hysterically* Sorry, I always hate leaving good stories behind! *wails* Sorry if the ending is so corny, but I couldn't help it! *sobs sniffle wail* I really hoped you liked this because it was one of my favorite stories to write! *sniffles* Thanks to everyone who reviewed! Please do it one last time! *sobs* Thank you!