A/N: It's short, it's sweet, it's simple in the greatest way. Just a heads up, I use the word sweet way too many times in this story in my opinion but oh well, what's done is done. Timing would be in the last scene of FFVII AC in the moments of floaty whiteness towards the end...you'll know what I mean when you read. I know it's short but please R&R if you can, I love feedback ^_^

Disclaimer: I own nothing FFVII (that's all SE, brilliant establishment). Theme song: "Breathe" by Superchick

"Why We Fight"

By MakoRain

There was no floating pool of warmth, no sunlit church, no splashing children. Nothing but an aching pain where his heart used to be; each beat sending a numbness he would usually welcome but not now, not when he was so close. So close to living.

It's not time, not yet.

"Cloud."

Her voice was so sweet, covering him in a blanket of warmth with a single touch of her hand. Aerith stood next to him in a cloud of hazy white and pink with a serene smile but her hand was no where near him.

Cloud, please…another squeeze of his hand made him tingle and glance at Aerith questioningly. Hold on.

What was that?

"You don't have to hold on any longer." Her words rang hollow in the empty space around them.

His own voice echoed her emptiness. Where was he? "But what I cherish…"

"Is gone."

"Gone?!" The haze was clearing with the twinge of panic that one word brought but was brushed away by that voice. Keep breathing.

"You're dead."

That snapped his attention from his hand to Aerith's face, her pure and sweet lips saying such ugly things.

"I have to go back."

"Stop fighting, Cloud. You're with me where you belong; you're finally home."

Home…a face so pail with worry and haloed by dark hair flashed before his eyes. He could feel the tears she cried falling on his cheeks and touched them absently, his gloves coming away wet. Keep fighting, Cloud. I need you to breathe. Her eyes screamed keep my hope alive.

"I can't stay here."

Aerith's voice was losing its sugary sweetness. "You can't go back."

Don't leave me.

"I have to."

Finally, Tifa's essence broke through with so much forceful passion it let Cloud break free of whatever hold he was caught in, coming back to awareness in his own battered body that Tifa was draped over on the church's wooden floor. He carefully pulled her tear-stained face from his chest to hold between his gloved hands, brushing her tears away with his thumbs.

"Goodbye."

Her watery eyes grew larger. "Don't tell me this is goodbye, Cloud Strife. I can't live without you."

"Not you…my past." Her confusion made him smile as the last image of Aerith faded away.

"I'll never leave you, Tifa. You are my reason for living." And with that, he kissed her so sweet and pure and complete that he felt all of his pain washed away from his body and spirit.

"You are my life now; my present and future." As it was meant to be.

The End.

A/N: I hope there was no confusion as to what was Tifa's essence/voice, Cloud's thoughts and Aerith's actual words. There's only so much you can do to alter the lettering in Microsoft word lol. Thanks for reading.