Incognito

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Nothing in the world lasts forever, but wouldn't we all want certain things to last as long as possible? Perhaps our friends, families, lovers, things that are precious to us. When they are gone, all we have left are the memories of them, but sometimes memories may be too painful to hold on to. What then? Do we just let go of the memories? But then we would have nothing.

And she could never stand with being left with nothing.

The flower girl finished tending her newly budding roses and glanced up at the small crack in her rooftop like she would do everyday. She never did get the roof patched up, and she wanted it that way. She liked the way the raindrops would hit her skin when it rained above the plates, and she liked the way the sunrays would kiss her skin when the warmth filled the sky that was shrouded by the plates. It was the sky that she had once feared because of how vast it was, but now it was the sky she longed to see, and maybe she would find him somewhere up there, watching over her. That was where he was now, right? Somewhere up there in the mysteries of the unknown.

Just like the sky, he was a mystery to her. Just like the sky, he could be quite the tempest, or the gentlest calm. He was someone strange, yet she could read him so clearly. He was part of something so frightening, yet she thought he was beautiful. Sometimes he would leave her heart feeling light, and other times he would make her feel as if the pressure of the entire Planet was upon her. The last five years felt like the entire sky was crushing upon her, just waiting to devour her existence. But she could never hate the sky because he loved it. He promised her one day that he was going to take her on the Highwind when ShinRa finished its construction of the world's fastest and most technical airship. Then they would be able to see, reach, and be one with the sky together.

But it seemed he got there first.

And now she was alone, left with the dear memories she could never forget no matter how much it hurt her to live with it with each passing day. She was left with questions and no answers and dreams that could never be fulfilled. Maybe it was about time to let go of the dreams and face reality.

She wondered if the letters ever did get to him, at least the very last one she really wanted him to have. They were meant to lead him back home to her, like he had promised. She even wore pink, knowing that he once told her that he would love to see her in that color. And she granted his wish, hoping that he would fulfill his end of the promise and return to her. But he never did.

Did he find someone else? He was a handsome and rather flirtatious man. Why wouldn't women swoon over him? But he made her feel special, like she was the only one for him, and she believed her heart when it told her that Zack would never cheat on her. He loved her, and she knew that was enough to lead him back home to her, and as the days turned into months and the months turned into years, he never returned.

And there could only be one possible explanation for that: he was dead. Plain and simple.

She had always thought that might have been the case, but it was too difficult for her to face up to the reality of it. But one day, when the rain splashed against her skin, burning her like acid, she could sense that he was slipping away from whatever little grasp he had on life. Her tears burned her hot cheeks and skin as she stood helplessly beneath the cracked rooftop, letting the bitter downpour drench her. She felt like she was going to drown in his tears, his blood, and his final memories. And when the rain finally stopped, the sun peaked out once again, and she knew it was all over. She spoke with the Planet and it reassured her that Zack was safe and free from the torment that had imprisoned him in his final days before his death.

She was never satisfied with the Planet's words even though she had accepted it. There was just so much she continued to long for even after his death. It was just so sudden. No final good-bye, nothing.

Many months passed after that unforgettable day when she felt him slip away from her, away from the Planet, but nothing had really changed. She was still a flower girl of the slums, tending her precious flowers in her church every morning. But then, today, something occurred that set off all her emotions and memories that she tried to keep dormant. Like the very first spark of fireworks, everything she tried to suppress exploded, revealing images and flashes of memories that she had tried so hard to forget, but could never quite erase them permanently.

A stranger fell from her rooftop, dressed in a SOLDIER uniform with a familiar sword strapped on his back. His intense blue eyes mirrored the ones that belonged to a man who could never be with her again.

She couldn't stop staring at the man before her, but she understood that it was not Zack. Zack was gone. But still, why did she sense such a strong presence of him in this man standing in front of her right now?

She bent down and made sure to double check that her flowers had not been crushed from the stranger's fall. She could feel him moving up behind her and she resisted the urge to release the tears from the corner of her eyes that were threatening to escape with every heavy breath she took. She couldn't live like this anymore. She could never let go of his memories, but something else had to be sacrificed so she could at least find a new meaning and purpose to her life. She just couldn't go on moping anymore, and Zack wouldn't want that. She could never give him up, but maybe she could give up a part of herself. She squeezed her brilliant emerald eyes shut for a moment, and when they fluttered open again, she realized exactly what needed to be done.

"Just a little longer. Oh! Now that you mention it…We don't know each other's names, do we? My name is Aeris, the flower girl. Nice to meet you." I no longer want to live by Aerith anymore…perhaps it's time to let her go, for my sake and Zack's. He wouldn't want me dwelling on the past…

"The name's Cloud. Me? I do a little bit of everything."

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A/N: I've been wanting to write a Crisis Core fic pertaining Zack and Aerith's relationship for awhile now. This was just something random that came to mind when I kept thinking about the name difference between Aerith and Aeris. I know she is known as Aerith in the Japanese version of Final Fantasy VII and Aeris in the American version, but I guess it doesn't hurt to create some back-story as to why the names are different, right? D Hope you guys enjoyed it, and please leave a review if you can to let me know your opinion! Thanks!

Btw, the Highwind scene was never in the game. I decided to make it up since I remembered Aeris really wanted to ride on the airship in FFVII. Kinda serves as a parallel to when Cloud said he would take her on it. Since the Highwind model was mentioned in the ShinRa building in CC, I figured it would be something nice to throw into the fic. ;)