A/N: This was inspired by a beautiful picture I found on deviantART, the link to which can be found on my profile. The person who drew it was kind enough to let me use the picture as my inspiration. I absolutely love Zaeris! That and Squinoa are my favorite Final Fantasy couples. Anyway, enjoy!

It was the strangest feeling, Aeris thought. She knew that she was dead, but her soul seemed to still be attached to her body, and she felt utterly weak. She could dimly make out colors, shapes, and sounds, and she could tell that the others were gathered around her body and weeping, and that she had been laid at the shore of the lake at the Forgotten City, but she didn't know exactly where she was, or which person was who.

Suddenly, she could tell that someone had picked her body up, and her soul moved with her body, however, it was as though this person's arms went through her, but at the same time held her firmly. Even with her dim perception, she could see a gravity-defying mess of blonde hair on this person's head and she knew that Cloud was carrying her to her final resting place.

The waters of the Lifestream engulfed Aeris's body as Cloud took his arms from her, and the dead Cetra felt her empty shell sink down faster than her soul. Oh, her soul was sinking as well, but her body was dead weight. If Aeris could still have smiled, she would have as she thought this pun. Of course her body was dead weight, she was dead.

As she sank down further, Aeris began to feel afraid. How long would she have to float in the Lifestream? For eternity? Until the absolute end of time? If that was going to be the case, Aeris was going to dive down, find her body, and force her soul back so that she could return to her friends.

However, as soon as these thoughts entered Aeris' mind, she was caught by another pair of arms. But unlike Cloud's arms, this person's arms felt solid, warm, and secure. The fear, anxiety, and feeling of emptiness and detachment fled and were replaced by a sense of peace, fulfillment, and utter bliss. She could feel the gaping hole in her stomach, where Sephiroth had stabbed her, begin to heal, and soon, her eyes fluttered open.

Instantly, the flower girl could see clearly, and a radiant smile graced her lips when she saw that she was once again in the arms of her SOLDIER. One of her hands went up to caress his cheek. "You're here." She breathed.

Zack smiled back at her, but his smile was faint, he was still sad that she had been killed. "Yes." He whispered back. "Aeris, I'm so sorry."

"About what?"

The SOLDIER couldn't help but to allow his smile to widen ever so slightly. Aeris sounded like she had already forgiven him, which she probably had. "For dying," he explained. "For leaving you." A tear slipped down his cheek and brushed against Aeris's hand. His flower girl frowned when she noticed that he was crying, and she quickly brushed away the tears that were forming at the corners of his eyes.

Aeris began to open her mouth to speak, but Zack wasn't finished yet. "You should know that my last thought was how much I love you." He made to continue, but Aeris gently place her finger on his lips, effectively shushing him.

"I knew you were there. All the time." Her voice washed over Zack and comforted him. "I could feel you watching over me. I knew that I was never alone. Thank you." The last Ancient to die shifted herself in Zack's arms so that she could capture his lips with her own.

Now that they were in the Lifestream, time had no meaning. The ethereal, flower girl and her fallen SOLDIER had no idea how long they stayed that way, with her in his arms and their lips pressed together, and they didn't care. All that mattered was that they were finally together again.