Author's Note: Some people have been requesting that I write longer stories, so here we go. I thought I'd start with another Zack/Aerith, since the original story I wrote, 'Pink Forget-Me-Nots' is one of my more popular stories. Once again, I write this in complete disregard of any deaths/events in the Compilation of FF7 (and isn't sleepy Cloud cute?). Enjoy!

Just How Far I'd Go

Part 1: Drowning in Green

Aerith sank into the healing pool in the center of her church, smiling as her white and blue skirt swirled around her waist like some exotic, aquatic flower. The pool had appeared in the center of the church after one particularly violent rainstorm in the ruins of Midgar; rather than being upset, Aerith was pleased, mostly because the flowers that had grown so well in the occupied space survived just as well under the crystal clear water. She brushed a yellow lily petal with the tip of her big toe and it moved sensuously with the water, like a miniature dancer.

A sudden ray of sunlight shot glare off the surface of the pool, causing Aerith to shield her eyes. The crystal surface sparkled like a diamond.

Aerith was sure the water was magic. It was always either perfectly warm or perfectly cool, depending on who was soaking; clothes dipped in it became clean and dry upon exiting the water, and injuries and diseases mysteriously evaporated under the surface. Aerith's boyfriend Zack and her good friend Tifa were also in concurrence with her assessment, having experienced the healing power firsthand. As for Cloud…well, no one could ever tell what he was thinking…

Aerith felt a twinge of sadness thinking of them.

The three of them had been employed directly by Rufus Shinra to protect the planet from attack along with a whole motley group of others; others like Cid and Vincent, Yuffie and Barrett, Reno and Rude and Cissnei. Aerith ached to be with them, but no one was willing to put the last Cetra in harms' way. So she was forced to wait, in agony, not knowing whether any of her loved ones would return from their mission. She wanted peace.

She pressed her hands over her heart, looking up at the sky.

She prayed to nothing in particular, but prayed nonetheless, to see Tifa's tender smile…see Cloud's expressionless, but endearing face…and Zack. She wished from the very depths of her heart to run her hands through his lush black hair, look deep into those fathomless blue eyes of his, feel him grip her tight in a hug. His embrace was the best, the only time she felt safe from all the evils in the world. Even now, she hugged her shoulders tight, but it wasn't the same. Zack loomed over her like a shield, holding her close to his loud heartbeat. It wasn't the same…

With a sharp sigh, Aerith submerged herself for the feeling of weightlessness. She didn't want to be a burden. She wanted to fight with them…She understood the need for her survival, but still…she wanted it so badly.

As she rose for air, Aerith tried to unleash all her worries and frustrations in a cloud of bubbles. Zack was scheduled to come home the next day and she wanted to smile for him in relief that he was safe. As she breached the surface, she shook out her hair-a very dog-like habit she had adopted from Zack- and proceeded to hoist herself out of the water.

She basked in the gentle warmth of the sun for only a few moments, waiting for all the water to run off her skin. She turned to pick up her shoes and the small basket she'd brought with her…

…The last things she saw were his eyes. Cat-shaped, with long dark lashes and heavy eyelids. They were green. Envy green, with blue shot through them like bolts of lightning, the same piercing blue as Zack's eyes. She was drowning in his eyes…drowning…

….

Zack caught Tifa before she hit the bed of the truck. It was the dead of night, thankfully still warm with only a vestige of a breeze, with a new moon and a blanket of stars. But Zack and company were too exhausted to enjoy the pleasant night.

Cid, the resident insomniac, was driving the rattling hunk of tin that the locals had tried to pass off as a working truck, cursing quietly under his breath while a loudly snoring Barrett took up the remaining two seats to himself in the front cab. Vincent was brooding silently, his red eyes closed in apparent sleep, but Zack knew better by now; in his clawed hands, he cradled the unconscious and slight form of Yuffie, who had only conceded to be held after she almost broke her bones against the sides of the truck. Cloud was struggling to stay awake, dirt and blood on his face, dark circles under his half-closed eyes. He was leaning heavily into the side of the vehicle, and he looked up when Tifa collapsed.

She too had been trying to stay awake, but her body got the better of her as well, and she had lurched over in a dead sleep, about to slam hard into the metal bed. Luckily, Zack's reflexes were not dulled and he snatched her in midair. Cloud looked at Zack in exhausted thanks.

Zack's muscles screamed as he struggled to hold Tifa. "You want her?"

Cloud nodded (although it could have just been his head bouncing with the truck), and Zack passed her over into Cloud's shaking arms. Within moments the two of them were dozing peacefully for the first time in three nights.

"Aren't you tired, Zack?" Vincent asked, his dark hair blowing in the wind. He knew that Vince had been awake.

Zack smiled. "Are you kidding me? I'm ready to go!" It was an obvious lie. He could barely lift his sword; the Shinra Corporation had put them through hell this time. Even the Turks (who had the resilience of barnacles) had to radio in a chopper after this past mission, two weeks of hell on earth. "What about you?"

Vincent looked calmly toward the non-existent moon. "I find with each passing year I feel the strain of life press on me less." He was a morbid guy. "I don't feel pain or fear or exhaustion as acutely, but I also pay for these accommodations dearly. I find it harder to sleep and I no longer feel the need for food or liquid…"

Zack twisted his lips. "That sounds uncomfortable…"

"It's not so bad, though the nights are longer with each day it seems." Vincent was a study in black and crimson and stoicism, but Zack actually kind of liked him. He was better than the Turks anyway. "I too am ready to return to Lucrecia."

Zack could hardly blame him. Doctor Lucrecia Crescent was easily one of the most beautiful women on the planet, gentle and poised as a queen and staggeringly intelligent…and she was very much in love with Vincent. It was clear that Vincent ached for her every moment they were apart and Zack could hardly blame him…Lucrecia was his type as well.

"Yeah, I know how you feel." He folded his arms behind his head. "I want to see Aerith too." The only reason Zack had undertaken these ridiculous enterprises, aside from keeping an eye on Cloud, was that he wanted to keep Aerith safe from the untold evils of the world. With a sigh that flexed his burning muscles, Zack prayed for a safe and speedy journey home so that he could collapse into Aerith's arms and sleep. It sounded like heaven.

By the time the rattletrap excuse for a pickup reached the outskirts of Edge, the horizon was turning a lighter shade of violet in anticipation of the rising sun.

Although Edge was better than Midgar, especially Sector Seven, everything seemed dull and gray, even under direct sunlight, as though even the sun could not relieve the residents of their depression of having lost their original home. If Midgar had been a scab, a plague on the face of the planet, Edge was a healing scar, a wound with some of the pain fresh in the memories of all. Zack was still getting used to it.

First out of the truck were Vincent, and the still sleeping Yuffie. Vincent's tattered scarlet cloak stood out like a splotch of blood in the dull city, but he seemed unaffected as he practically floated over the concrete.

"Sure you don't want us to take 'er?" Cid asked, chomping a smoldering cigarette between his incisors. "Tifa's got a spare room in the bar."

Vincent shook his head, clutching their tiny friend closer. "It's no trouble. Besides…I believe there's someone at the Shinra Corporation who's desperately awaiting her return..."

"See you around, Vince!" Zack called softly, not wanting to wake Tifa and Cloud. Vincent nodded before continuing on.

Next was Barrett who only lived a block from the bar with his adoptive children, Marlene and Denzel. It was hard to rouse him, Zack only managing as a last-ditch effort when Cid threatened to put out his burning cigarette in Barrett's mouth. Still, even though his eyes were open, Barrett was still very much asleep and Zack's muscles screamed in pain as he dragged Barrett to the front door of his apartment. Luckily, Denzel and Marlene were awake and ready to guide him into the room.

He ruffled Denzel's auburn hair and the boy looked up at him with a smile. Barrett told Zack on this latest mission that Denzel idolized him, going on and on about how someday he wanted to be as strong and tall as Zack.

"How's it going?" Zack whispered.

"Did you beat them?" Denzel asked with excitement in his enormous eyes.

Zack flexed his arms, although the motion was painful. "Of course! We're the strongest!" Denzel nodded and Zack jumped at the impatient sound of a car horn. "We can catch up later, Denzel! I gotta run home and get some rest. Bye Marlene!"

Zack vaulted into the back of the truck, landing softly, even in his boots. His heart was pounding and he no longer felt so tired. His stop was next, and he quivered in anticipation at seeing Aerith again. Zack was never good at waiting.

When the rusting truck slowed in front of Seventh Heaven, Zack roused Cloud, as he could not conceivably carry both Cloud and Tifa in his current exhausted state. His best friend was hilarious when roused; like a child, he rubbed his heavy eyes and generally just looked sorrowful while his spiky blond hair stuck up in all directions. Cloud stumbled as he stood on the pavement, and Zack scooped Tifa up, rocking her like a baby.

"See you guys!" Cid barked. Zack smiled and inclined his shoulder while Cloud blinked in confusion. Cid took off in a squeal of tires and Cloud yawned pitifully.

Zack would have ruffled his hair if his hands had not been full of Tifa. "Ok, ok. I'll get you inside." Ignoring the cry of his body, Zack shifted Tifa to one arm and unlocked the entrance to the bar. He ushered zombie-Cloud through the door before locking the door behind him.

Once Zack had seen Cloud and Tifa safely to their beds (feeling much like a mother hen), only then did he truly relax, undoing his suspenders and kicking off his boots as he trudged up the final gauntlet of stairs to the room he shared with Aerith. With a gentle motion, he nudged the door open with his toe.

Zack inhaled deeply, as the room was awash with the scent of her, so familiar and comforting, it never dulled to him. As he slid into the bed, exhaustion claiming him before his head hit the pillow, he slowly reached out, grasping to encounter her sleeping form.

However, it was not there, and Zack felt his fingers grip the edge of the bed. The entire expanse was cold as if no one had slept there for a long while. He should have been worried. She should be there. But the sleep was too strong and Zack fell deep into it, his brow furrowing in concern…

….

Zack woke up in a cold sweat. He could not recall the precise details of his nightmare, but it had been enough to make him shudder from head to toe. It was still dark outside. He reached for Aerith's body and he felt more than slightly sick when he found she was not there.

He flung himself out of bed, not even bothering to put on his sweater or suspenders, and took the steps two at a time.

He skidded into the kitchen, hearing the sound of voices, but it was only Cloud and Tifa, making coffee. Like Zack, Cloud only wore a pair of white pajama pants, leaving his chest bare, while Tifa wore the shirt that was probably supposed to go with Cloud's pants and a pair of his boxer shorts; despite being so shy with one another (in comparison to Zack and Aerith, anyway) Cloud really was liberal with letting Tifa wear his clothes. Tifa smiled at Zack, still looking gorgeous, even with her messy hair tied back.

"Coffee?"

Cloud looked at his own mug like it contained something secretive in the bottom.

"How long did I sleep?" Zack asked, trying to keep his panic at a manageable level.

Tifa looked at the clock above the bar. "About…seventeen hours I think. Cloud and I just woke up ourselves." Zack felt the color drain from his face and Tifa, sensitive to emotions, noticed instantly. "Zack? You ok?"

Zack shook his head. "No…I'm not ok. Aerith wasn't here when we got back and she's still not here now." He looked at Tifa with desperation in his eyes. "I'm worried…"

He didn't have to say anything else. Tifa and Cloud both set down their coffee mugs instantly, Cloud moving toward clothes and shoes as Tifa began to question Zack. He felt pride and love for them swell in his heart like a balloon. There were no friends as exemplary as Cloud and Tifa.

The three of them got ready in record time, rounding the back of the bar to where Cloud and Zack's motorcycles were parked. Both vehicles were sleek and black, like predators, but Cloud's was devoid of design, while Zack's had small wings painted towards the tailpipe, the color a faint imitation of his vivid blue eyes. Tifa moved behind Cloud so that she could hold onto him as he drove, and the machines turned on with the growl of powerful engines.

They were headed toward the ruins of Midgar, the most likely place where Aerith would be: in her church.

Despite his upbeat personality, Zack could not help but think of all the horrible scenarios that could have caused Aerith's absence, including the horrific thought of the unstable structure collapsing on her delicate frame. He shook his head and tried to convince himself that the blurring of his eyes was caused by the wind. Tifa kept glancing back at him, in concern.

The ruins of Midgar at night were simultaneously serene and eerie. All noise was slightly muted and the silence was oppressive. Zack half expected to see either an angel or a demon to materialize from behind what was left of one of the gaunt buildings. It made the hair on his arms rise and he shivered, even though it was warm out.

As Zack and Cloud turned off their motorcycles, reaching the place where the streets were blocked, save for on foot, the silence truly enveloped them, and Zack hated quiet more than anything.

He sprinted to the church, the path to the sacred place as secondary as breathing. Zack would never forget where that church was, he had been there so often. He ran hard, to create noise and to get a peace of mind; he had no thought for Cloud and Tifa, whose levels of stamina were far inferior to his, he only urged himself faster.

Thankfully, the church was still intact (or as much as it had when he had last seen it) and Zack blasted through the half open doors, causing one to bounce off its' hinges and it swung on a pivot, creaking pitifully.

Inside was also the same: the crumbling pillars, the gaping hole in the ceiling, and the crystalline pool where the flower patch had been. But there was no Aerith.

Zack felt his skin prickle and become chilled as sweat ran down his face. He barely noticed as Cloud and Tifa joined him, both of them gasping for air. But they also noted Aerith's absence, and instantly sobered.

It was Tifa who finally found the strength to walk past the invisible barrier of loss that was restricting Zack. She stepped softly on the wood floors, seeking clues silently as Cloud and Zack watched with bated breath. Finally, as she looked to her right, she gave a sharp gasp and ran into the darkness of the side aisle.

The sound of Tifa's horror, snapped Zack and Cloud into action, and it was a miracle that they didn't splinter the floorboards, as hard as they ran to her.

Cloud was first; his concern for Tifa helped him outstrip Zack. "Tifa! What is it?"

Tifa was crouched on the floor, holding some familiar items. Zack's heart rose in his throat. "Aerith…she was here." In the corner were Aerith's sandals, a small basket, and her cell phone, all things she would not have left without. "If she didn't leave them here...She wouldn't have left them…not unless…" Tifa's eyes became panicked.

Zack's cold fear was replaced by burning, unlike anything he had ever felt before. It raced through his blood and his throat and his chest until he swore his vision was scarlet. He had to struggle to speak at all.

"…Unless we can assume that she didn't want to leave them. That maybe she wasn't given a choice." He turned toward the door, still squeaking ominously on it's hinges from where Zack had blasted them open. They had been slightly ajar when they came in. And Aerith always closed the doors behind her. "I think someone took her." He clenched his fists, vowing death on whoever had dared to take her from him.