The Promise Rings

Chapter 10

This Time I Run to You

Cloud stood on platform 7, waiting for his train to pull up. In his hand he had a one way ticket back to Nibelheim. He was sick of Midgar to the point that it made him want to explode on the next thing that set him off. Perhaps the refreshing scenery of his old home would do him better than the steel scenery of this place. Maybe then, he could forget all the pain he went through.

He sighed sadly. Maybe things were just not meant to be. What could he do anyways? Aerith rejected him. Yet, as he came to think about it, he was now unintentionally hurting his sons. Cloud sighed even heavier and sadder. He only hoped he would someday make it up to Sora and Roxas and that they would forgive him.

"Their birthdays are in a few weeks," he reminded himself aloud. "I never asked the exact date… I guess I'll just send them something."

It was a pathetic way to make up his disappearance to his sons but maybe one day he would return when he finally purged his feelings for his ex-girlfriend and could look her in the eyes without falling in love with her all over again.

A train whistle sounded. Cloud looked up as the train screeched to a halt and stood before him. The doors slid open and the conductor stepped out to announce the arrival of the train and the next departure time, which would be in fifteen minutes. Cloud gathered up his things and waited for the passengers to exit before entering the train.

Elsewhere, riding down the busy roads of Midgar, Zack Fair was zigzagging his way through the heavy traffic on his motorcycle. Aerith clutched to him, silently urging him to go faster and yet to be careful. She trusted Zack and in his ability to drive, but to do something reckless and end up in the hospital days before his wedding, she would never forgive herself. Not to mention Tifa would pummel them both into the ground for ruining the most special day of her and Zack's life. Aerith rather not have to face her best friend's fury.

Zack's bike screeched to a halt as they came to a huge line of cars, blocking the exit that Zack had to take to the train station.

"Damn it," Zack cursed. "We're going to be stuck here for a while."

"But Cloud could be getting onto a train as we speak!" Aerith protested. "Is there any way around this?"

"Even if I could the next exit would cause to backtrack and it would take at least an hour." Zack replied.

Aerith ripped off the helmet she was wearing and shoved to Zack before getting off the bike. Zack looked at her bewildered.

"What are you doing?" he questioned in alarm.

"If I don't reach Cloud now I may never get another chance. If I know Cloud… if he is still the same Cloud as back then I won't find him if he leaves Midgar. Cloud could always find me when I was upset but when he wanted to be left alone I couldn't find him no matter how hard I tried. I cannot risk losing him… not again."

"But it will take you forever to get there!" Zack exaggerated.

However, Aerith already began to run. "It's faster than waiting for this traffic to continue moving."

Her voice was faint back Zack could hear it. He smiled at her and silently wished her luck. He hopes she would make it in time before Cloud did something he would regret.

Aerith sprinted down the streets toward the train station. Aerith remembered the times she used to run away from Cloud, running away from him with all her might. Funny, how after all her running away she was now running to him. All she could think about was having Cloud be a part of her family now. No longer would she run, she would face him and finally they would be together. That is if Cloud still wanted her.

Aerith arrived at the train station amidst a crowd of people trying to get through the entry way. Aerith tried her best to push through the crowd of people but found them reluctant to allow her to pass. She cursed mentally using her tiny body to slip through the crowd, between small passages between people. Finally, when she arrived at the platform with the only train waiting, Aerith scanned the area to find no trace of Cloud.

Fear washed over her. What if he was already gone? Hoping she was wrong, she ran toward the train, hoping to spot them through the windows since the conductor would refuse her entry onto the train unless she had a ticket. Aerith looked through the first couple of windows when the conductor sounded.

"Train number 761; bound of Nibelheim will be leaving in five minutes!"

Aerith looked back at him, wishing there would be some delay. Aerith continued her search, peering through windows and hoping that if Cloud was on this train, the cabin he was in was on this side of the train and not the other.

Then a familiar blond, spiky hair appeared in a window. Aerith sucked in a sharp breath as she saw Cloud sitting near the window, looking off in the distance. Her heart slammed into her, remembering the last time she met Cloud at the train station. The last time, she could not stop him from leaving her. She only hoped this time would be different. Clutching her hands tightly, she could feel two objects in her hands, digging into her palm. She ran to him shouting loudly.

"CLOUD!"

Cloud, who was sitting in his seat, lost in his thoughts did not hear Aerith's call. He did, however, when he looked out the window and saw her familiar pink bow and pink ensemble appear like a sore thumb in the midst of people dressed in grays and other muted colors. The blond haired man looked in shock.

Why was she here? Was his mind playing tricks on him? Was this a dream?

Cloud opened the window to his cabin and poked his head out, hands against the edge. He stared wide eye at the girl, who was nearing him.

"Cloud!" she cried, her breathing laboring.

Aerith nearly collapsed to the ground in front of his windows from exhausting. Her legs were burning from all the running, sweat beaded down her face, her face was red, and the distress in her eyes burned into Cloud's own eyes.

"What… What are you doing here?" he asked.

"Cloud, don't go! I don't want you to go!"

Cloud looked away, too hurt by her words. Why now anyways? She made it perfectly clear that she did not want to be with him. Was it for their children? Was it some brilliant lie to keep Sora and Roxas happy? Cloud turned away from her, the very idea hurt too much. His heart could not take it.

"Stop it," Cloud said sternly. "I'm done Aerith. I don't want to be a part of your life."

The words stung Aerith straight into the heart. She shook her head and felt tears forming in her eyes.

"No, Cloud, please don't say that. I don't want you to go!" Aerith cried. "I want you to stay here."

"Not after what you put me through." Cloud replied. "Go home to our kids. They need their mother."

Cloud dismissed her and began to return to his seat. The tears in Aerith's eyes began to fall. She could not lose Cloud. Not after all this. Not after knowing the truth. Without hesitating, Aerith pulled her arm back and launched the two items in her hands at Cloud. The sored through the open window, one smacked Cloud in the cheek while the other zoomed past him and landed on the floor.

Startled, Cloud leaned down and picked the item that hit him. It was the wolf ring that Aerith had given him and that he discarded earlier when he stormed out of Tifa's bar. The second, he found after searching on the floor was a silver colored ring, which began fading over the years, in the shape of a flower with a pink jewel in the center. Cloud's heart tightened in his chest. It was the ring he swore upon that when he was able to afford a real ring he would marry her.

Cloud spun around and returned to the window to see Aerith looking up at him with uncertainty. Tears flowed down her cheeks as she clutched a hand to her chest.

"The ring… you kept it?' he questioned, although the answer obvious.

"I waited for you Cloud. I did write you letters, letters that told you everything but once Roxas and Sora were born I stopped because I believed you didn't care for me anymore. Zack told me the truth that new recruits in SOLDIER were barred from having outside contact until they made it to third class. I know I said terrible things Cloud but… I was all alone for so long that… I wanted you to return every day. Yet, it was so long that when I did see you… I was afraid that you would disappear again and hurt our children… hurt me…"

Aerith looked down, more tears flowing freely. Cloud reached out to her, touching her face.

"If I had known, I would have come back for you. I would have been there for you!" Cloud confessed sincerely. "I love you more than anything Aerith. I love you, I love our children and I want nothing more than to be with you."

Aerith looked at him, her heart melting by his words. "I never stopped loving you Cloud and I'm sorry for what I did to you. I'm sorry for hurting you."

"I know why you did," he replied. "Let's start over, Aerith. This time we can make it right."

Aerith nodded, reaching up to touch his hand.

Suddenly, the whistle sounding and the train began to move. Cloud gasped. "I have to get off this train!"

Aerith stared at him as the train slowly began to move away. Cloud cursed loudly, realizing there would be no way for him to get off the train.

"Aerith!" he called out desperately as the train began to pull away. "I'll come back for you! I promise. Please wait for me!"

Aerith smiled, remembering those lines from so many years prior. She looked at him and nodded.

"Cloud, I'll wait for you…" she called as the train took him away from her again.

Aerith wiped the tears from her face, remaining rooted at her spot until the train was no longer in sight.

"I've been waiting for you Cloud," she whispered. "Because I promised to wait for you…. Forever."

Epilogue

This New Promise

Golden bells ring loudly; alerting those outside of the grand church of the matrimonial ceremony has come to an end. The large twin doors open as the bride and groom rush hand in hand down the steps as they are gently pummeled with assortment of various colored flower petals. Friends and family cheered as they rushed through the path the crowd parted for them.

At the top of the stoop Sora and Roxas are throwing handfuls of flowers they had been anxiously waiting to throw at the couple since their mother had instructed them to do so after the couple was married. The two twins, dressed in their own little tuxedos, cheered as loud as they could, wanting their "aunt" and "uncle" to hear them above the rest.

Behind them, leaning against the doorway, their mother watched smiling at their antics. Her hair flowed in a mass of curls with a single rose decorating her hair. She watched as the newly couple reached the awaiting car that would take them to the reception at the 7th Haven.

Lost in her thoughts, Aerith did not see a person approach her from behind. He stood behind her for a moment before placing a hand gently along on the small of her back. Aerith turned, slightly startled by the gesture. However, her eyes softened immediately as she found herself staring into a pair of beautiful sapphire orbs. Her eyes averted to the ground, cheeks becoming a faint hint of pink.

"It was a beautiful wedding," Aerith said.

Cloud smiled, taking her left hand into his right and bringing it up to his lips. Aerith looked at him becoming embarrassed even more so.

"It was hard for me to pay attention," Cloud admitted. "I was too busy looking at you."

"I noticed," Aerith muttered. "Oh, we should hurry to Tifa's place and make sure everything is ready for the reception."

Cloud nodded. He then dropped his right hand to his side but did not release Aerith's hand. Aerith looked out over the crowd as they waved to Zack and Tifa as they drove off.

Cloud pondered something. "Do you think…? I can make you happy like that?"

Aerith gave Cloud a loving and gentle smile. He felt her squeeze his hand. He looked down at her hand, where two rings rested on her finger. One ring was in the shape of a flower, obviously plastic, and another in the shape of a wolf which was also plastic.

"You already do." She whispered. "Your promise, remember when you returned was that you would never leave me again and you gave me your wolf ring."

Cloud smiled, "but I have one more promise to keep the one that comes with the flower ring I gave you."

Cloud took her left hand and placed something within it. Aerith looked down and sucked in a sharp breath. Lying in her palm was a single white gold ring with a heart shape diamond in the center. Aerith looked up at Cloud, almost in tears. Cloud leaned forward, kissing her. When they broke apart, Cloud looked into her emerald orbs and smiled gently.

"I promised you didn't I?" he asked. "I promised to marry you when I could afford a real ring."

"Cloud…" the brunette whispered.

"I made you wait long enough."

"Let's get married as soon as possible then."

"Anything for you."

Just then a flurry of petals flew at the couple. The two looked down to see their sons, their eyes radiating with happiness.

"Did you ask mom yet?" Sora asked.

"Did she say yes?" Roxas added.

"You two knew about this?" Aerith asked.

"Dad took us to pick out the ring." The twins announced. "We had to keep it a secret."

Aerith looked at Cloud and back at the twins. She was shocked that the two boys could keep a secret without blabbing, especially Sora who was such a chatterbox.

"Did you say yes?" Roxas asked.

Aerith smiled. "Yes, I did."

The twins cheered throwing the rest of their flower petals at their parents. Once that was done, they hugged their parents tightly. Cloud smiled and looked at Aerith.

"I promise to be a good father to them."

"I know you will."

"And…" he added gently cupping her face with one hand, "To love you forever."

Aerith blushed and leaned forward, kissing her fiancé. Cloud slipped an arm around Aerith's waist, holding her to him. Cloud felt at ease with his fiancée at his side. Knowing it only a few short weeks he would be calling her his wife. Then he would be fully a part of a family and fulfilling the new promise he made, to be a husband and a father to the people that mattered the most. For Aerith, she knew that whatever hardships would come, she would never have to face it anything alone again. For Sora and Roxas, they were just happy to have the two people that mattered most in their lives, together, forever because it was their promise.

The End

Author note- I know it took me long enough to finish and I'm pretty sure you are all happy I did. I'm grateful for all the reviews and those of you who have been patient with me to finish. Thank you!