Reviews are welcome but not necessary XD You can flame if you want. It's not going to be to everyone's taste after all.

Disclaimer: I do not own the characters mentioned in this one-shot. They belong to SquareEnix

I know that, sometimes, you don't understand me. I know sometimes, I can be antisocial and I know that I block out those close to me. I know you want me to stop and I try. Really, I try! It is just…I feel…

Trapped?

Lonely?

Lost?

I know I have Tifa, who would lay down her life for me and I'm forever grateful to her. I have friends from Avalanche who are always checking that I'm okay and I know they are always there if I ever need to talk to someone. I have Marlene and Denzel who are too young and innocent to understand the anguish that holds my soul. Yet the very moment they enter a room, I feel as though they have lifted a weight off my shoulders. Maybe it is because they remind me of you.

I have all this and yet it is not enough. Nothing is ever complete anymore without you. I know that I never really got a chance to tell you how I felt about you but…the truth is…

I love you Aerith.

I have always loved you.

I know that even if I had told you back then, it might not have changed anything. You probably would have still died. I just needed to get it off my chest, take the easy route for once.

I hope you get this letter because hopefully then, you might understand why I'm so scared of moving on and living my life as you want me to. I can't lose anyone else Aerith. Losing you, it nearly destroyed me…no, it did destroy me. There is not a single day where I don't think of you or how things could have been. I know it's foolish to think of such things when they can never be but I can't help it. I know that this sappy nonsense written here isn't much like me at all but I just had to let you know how I felt.

So now, you know exactly how I feel about you. One day we can be together again. I know we will.

Cloud sighed softly as he read over the words carefully and then placed the paper in its envelope. He carefully wrote out the name of the person to whom the letter was addressed. With a tired moan, he forced himself to stand and make his way to the edge of the lifestream, peering silently at the green liquid. After a moment, he held the letter out over the stream and gently loosened his grasp, watching as it floated for a second on the surface of the liquid and then disappeared.

"Um…" he stated dumbly, rubbing the back of his neck. "Could you not let Zack see that please? He would tease me to no end about it."

Taking the silence to be acceptance of his request, Cloud nodded slightly and made his way out of the Church, taking one last look around as if he were saying goodbye. In a way, he supposed he was. He knew he had to move on and stop being so dependant on Aerith's spirit. It wasn't fair on her and it wasn't fair on him. He would always love her, nothing in the world, not even death could change that. He just knew he had to move on as well and let another girl have a chance, maybe even Tifa. Aerith wouldn't be jealous of it. After all, he was sure that she knew that she would always be his one true love.