Chapter 12: The Soldier and his Flower Girl

Author's note: Here it is, the last chapter! Sobs I'd like to thank:

everyone that reviewed to this story- I LOVE YOU ALL

Cloud for being irresistible

Aeris for being my favorite female character,

Tetsuya Nomura for creating these wonderful characters

Square-enix (square-soft, squarenix) for creating such a friggin awesome game and steering this author into a life of artwork and happiness. And also for creating Advent Children.

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Aeris smiled as she walked up the isle to Cloud. It was a funny day for a wedding. The sky was overcast, and every now and then a loud clap of thunder would make them all jump. Zack walked up the isle with Aeris to give her away to Cloud.

Wait, Zack? Zack was dead… what was going on here?

As Aeris neared Cloud, a large figure fell from the sky behind her. It was Sephiroth, and he was going to lose her all over again.

"AERIS!" He cried, and turned to run to her, but Barrett grabbed a hold of him. Sephiroth descended from the heavens, and plunged his sword into her. Her white dress was splattered with crimson. And like that, Sephiorth had vanished. "NO!" Cloud howled, and sprung free from Barrett. He ran to her, and cradled her in his arms. "Please no…" The cuff of his shirt under his tuxedo were stained with her blood. "Aeris, please…"

But she didn't respond. He had lost her again. He had failed to save her again.

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Cloud bolted up in bed.

A dream. It had all been a dream. It had been real once, but this time it was a dream.

Just a dream…

Cloud turned to the angel sleeping next to him.

See? He thought, See, she's right here. He laid back down, and wrapped his arms around her.

"Are you okay?" She asked sleepily.

"Yeah," He said, "Just thinking about tomorrow."

She smiled, and soon was snoring again.

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Cloud was surprised how many old faces showed up for the wedding. There was Yuffie, arm-n-arm with Vincent, whose lips twitched as if he were smiling as she hooted and hollered during the ceremony. Barrett sat next to Denzel and Marlene, as he was the best man. Marlene was chosen to be the flower girl, and Denzel the ring barer. Tifa was chosen as the Maid of Honor, and Cid to give Aeris away.

Cloud's heart seemed to jump in his throat as he heard the wedding march start up, and he saw her.

If it was possible, she looked even more beautiful. Like an angel in white, gliding her way toward him. And she was smiling… oh, was she smiling.

And he smiled too. But he couldn't stop himself from glancing at the ceiling until his arm was securely around hers.

It was here in her church that they were married, and it was perfect.

"I know pronounce you man and wife," The priest said.

Aeris giggled as Cloud lifted her veil, and she glanced down at the beautiful emerald ring on her finger that he had given her. "To match your eyes," He had said. He lowered his mouth to hers, and they shared their first kiss as husband and wife.

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2 yrs later…

"Sora, give daddy back his sword…" Cloud pleaded with the toddler who shrieked with delight and drug Cloud's sword further away. The livingroom was a disaster. The curtains Aeris had made were shredded, the TV destroyed along with two lamps and a vase. Aeris was going to kill him. She had just stepped outside to tend to her flowers, and left Cloud in charge of their son. Sora tried to swing the sword again, and cut off a tip of one of his auburn spiked hair. He definitely resembled his parents. Cloud's blue eyes, Aeris's hair color, but Cloud's 'do.

Cloud had thought the move was kind of cute when his son reached for his sword. But after surveying the livingroom again, it wasn't cute at all. "Sora, it's not funny now…"

The door opened and Aeris stepped inside, carrying a basket of roses. Sora squealed, dropped the sword, and ran to his mother.

"Cloud, what happened here?" She demanded as she scooped up her son.

"We… were playing…" He coughed.

"I… see…" She giggled.

Cloud sheathed his sword.

"So you weren't showing him your moves again?"

"Of course not."

She giggled. "Well, how about I put him down for a nap, and then show you my moves?"

Cloud's mouth flopped open.

"After you clean up this place, of course." Aeris said.

"As you wish," Cloud said as Aeris walked out of the room and upstairs to the nursery.

She put her son in his crib, and smiled at him. This was the life she had always dreamed of. This was the life they all deserved.

This was her Promised Land.

Fin