THE NIGHT ON THE TOWN
"You look lovely."
"Why thank you," Aeris replied. "You look very handsome yourself, as usual."
Zack smiled in return, fiddling with one of the buttons on his dress Soldier uniform. He stood inside the door of Elmyra's house. Aeris had just come down the steps from upstairs and now stood before him, hands clasped in front of her, wearing a dark blue sleeveless dress. Her hair was unbound, not in it's usual braid, and flowed over her shoulders and down her back. She wore no jewelry except for a thin silver chain around her neck. She was pretty to begin with, but all dressed up she nearly took his breath away. He hadn't been exaggerating when he had called her lovely.
She tilted her head slightly, looking at him as if wondering why he was looking at her that way. He realized he was staring.
"Umm, are you ready to go?" he asked.
Aeris nodded. She had come down the stairs almost immediately when Elmyra had announced his arrival. She hardly ever kept him waiting. It was rare that a woman didn't make him wait, and was one of the things he liked about her.
He took her hand and turned toward the door. Aeris looked over her shoulder.
"We're leaving Mom," she called out.
"Okay," Elmyra's voice floated in from the other room. "Have a good time and don't be too late."
"Yes Mom."
Zack led her out the door. The air was crisp and clear, though a little cold. Though there was no vegetation here, on the plains surrounding the city fresh green grass was springing up, the trees were turning green again as spring brought it's annual renewal. The sun had just sunk below the horizon, turning the western sky a riot of purples and blues. None of that, of course, could be seen here under the plate, in Sector Five. Here they could only see the drab grays and browns of the buildings surrounding them, and the chill of winter still lingered in the air. Thought it felt cold, Aeris wore no coat. The thin material of her dress left her arms exposed, and hardly seemed adequate protection from the weather in any case. Nevertheless, she followed Zack down the street without complaint, as if she didn't feel the chill at all.
"So where are we going?" she inquired.
He had been quite secretive about their destination, telling her only to dress nicely. Today was the anniversary of the day they had met three years ago, so she knew he had something special planned. She had to admit she was quite curious as to exactly what it was. It wasn't often they got to go out to someplace nice. In fact, it wasn't too often they got to go out at all since Zack had joined Solider. Most of the time he was away on missions, often for a month or more at a time. Even when he was in Midgar he was usually too busy to see her more than once or twice. She understood, he had a career that was important to him, but sometimes it was hard. Even though they had been going out for three years now, she sometimes felt like she hardly knew him.
"The train station," he replied.
Train station. Well, that didn't tell her much, except that wherever they were going it was not nearby. No surprise there, considering the fact that Sector Five wasn't exactly known for it's high class establishments. Even so, before now they had always managed to find someplace. Zack seemed to know the city like the back of his hand, and she always marveled at his seemingly innate ability to find hidden away places that had a nice atmosphere or good food, even in the slums. Still, she suspected he had something different planned this time, but she didn't question him. It was obvious he wanted to enjoy his little secret, and she saw no harm in humoring him.
It was only a short walk to the train station. They boarded and found seats. They were a bit overdressed. They were still in the slums after all. A few people eyed Zack in his Soldier uniform warily, but no one said anything to them. As the train passed each stop without their departing, Aeris began to feel more and more certain of a suspicion that had been growing inside her since the night began. Eventually they passed the last stop on the lower plate and her suspicions were confirmed. They were headed for the upper plate. She couldn't help but feel a little bit excited. She had only been to the upper plate a couple of times in her life, at least, after she had escaped from Shinra. There were security checks on everyone headed there, and no one got through unless they lived there or got special permission that was dreadfully hard to obtain.
Now that she thought about it, it did seem a little strange that she hadn't been up there more, seeing as how her boyfriend of three years lived there. It certainly wasn't any trouble for someone from Soldier to bring someone from the slums up there, yet it hadn't happened. He had never suggested it, and she had always been happy with whatever time they could eke out together, no matter what the location.
As the train spiraled around the central core of the city on it's way up security guards passed through the cars checking everyone's ID. They just walked right by her and Zack. Apparently her companions uniform was ID enough for them.
The view outside suddenly vanished as the train passed into the upper plate itself, and the rumbling vibrations grew louder, confined by the walls around them. The lights flickered a few times, each time momentarily plunging them into an inky blackness that Aeris found very disconcerting, but it only lasted a second or two each time.
Eventually the light returned outside as the train finally emerged from the tunnel. Aeris looked out the window eagerly, staring up at the darkening blue sky above, fading to black to the east. Staring off in that direction, she could see a few faint stars twinkling.
Zack looked at her curiously as she sat with her face plastered to the window like a little child. He was tempted to admonish her, to tell her staring at the sky made it blatantly obvious she was from the slums below, but he held his tongue. It was their anniversary, after all. He knew she rarely came up here. As far as he was concerned, she was entitled to do a little gawking, no matter what anyone else might think.
The train pulled into another station, this one much more modern (and cleaner to boot) than any of the previous ones, and Zack, taking her hand once again, stood up. Aeris followed him as he stepped out of the train and started down a broad avenue that led toward the center of the city. If Zack hadn't been holding her hand, she quickly would have fallen behind, or worse, run into something. She kept turning around, as if trying to take in everything at the same time. It seemed around every corner stood a building taller or more magnificent than the last.
They reached a plaza almost as large as a city block. Tall oak trees lined the perimeter, and in the center stood a huge fountain on a raised dais. Multicolored lights below the surface illuminated the streams of waters shooting high in the air in the center.
Zack pointed past the fountain.
"That's where we're going," he proclaimed.
Aeris lifted her head and for a moment thought he was pointing to the Shinra tower that loomed up above the city in the distance, but then realized he was referring to a much closer building. A large glass structure, lights blazing around it lighting up the area like daytime, stood at the far end of the plaza. The walls were made almost entirely of glass, letting the lights from inside add to the brightness of the exterior.
"It's called the Sword Dance. The most exclusive restaurant in all of Midgar," Zack stated proudly. "People wait months to get a reservation. Everyone who's anyone in Midgar can be found there."
Aeris didn't reply, just stood there looking at the glass and steel edifice in front of them. She had to admit it looked...impressive.
"Not that...that matters much to you," Zack continued, seeing the look on her face. He had known her long enough to know she wouldn't be impressed by such things. "They also have the best food in Midgar by far."
Aeris stood there for a moment, the nodded and smiled at him.
"It looks like a lovely place," she said. "Shall we go?"
They walked the remaining distance between themselves and the restaurant. Entering, Aeris saw that the inside was just as impressive as the exterior. The ceiling arched high over their head, again mostly of glass except for the steel supporting structure. Chandeliers hung from it, also mostly of glass. Aeris looked around slowly. The place almost seemed like something out of a fantasy to her, like some kind of palace of crystal.
The maître de approached them and Zack gave them his name, then they took a seat in a lounge section by a bar just off the entrance. The lounge was nearly full, the two of them taking a pair of the few seats that were left. Ordinarily, Zack's status as a Soldier would have gotten them a seat in the restaurant proper immediately, but this was no ordinary restaurant. Shinra senior execs, government officials, even foreign dignitaries frequented the place. Here someone from Soldier occupied one of the lower rungs on the social ladder.
On the train in the slums, they had seemed overdressed, here the situation was reversed. Zack looked around and saw a few other men in uniform, but most men wore immaculate business suits, the women in flowing full length gowns, most of them wearing more jewelry than was possessed by some small countries. Aeris especially looked rather plain in her simple dress, at least, compared to all the others. Still, Zack couldn't help but notice that in spite of her lack of jewelry she was still the prettiest girl there.
Twenty minutes later they were called to be seated. The restaurant was two stories tall, and the Maître de led them up a wide staircase to the second floor. Their seats were near the front of the room, looking out over the plaza below.
"This place is gorgeous," Aeris said after they had been seated. "Thank you for bringing me here."
"Well, you deserve it," Zack replied. "I just wish we could do things like this more often."
"Yes, well, I know how busy you can be," she replied.
"Speaking of that," Zack stated, picking up a menu, "I have some good news."
"Oh?" she said, looking at him. "What?"
"We've got a new assignment, and it's here in Midgar."
"Really?" Aeris said, her face brightening. Most of Zack's assignments had been far away, and he was constantly traveling off to distant destinations.
"Yeah," he continued. "In fact, it's down on the lower plate, so we should be able to see each other more often, at least, until it's done."
Aeris smiled.
"That's great."
Zack nodded.
"I know. It seems like ages that we've spent any time together. I feel like we're drifting apart."
Aeris picked up her own menu. Looking it over she couldn't help but notice that the prices were astronomical.
"I feel the same way sometimes," she said slowly. "I don't want that to happen."
"Neither do I," Zack replied.
A waiter came over and inquired if they were ready to order. Zack ordered immediately. Aeris looked the menu over for a bit before making her selection, eventually settling on a modestly priced item (at least, compared to the other items on the menu). Once the waiter was gone, Zack took her hand again.
"I mean that," he continued. "You're special Aeris. I've never had a relationship with a girl that has lasted as long as ours. That tells me something."
"That tells you that we don't see much of each other," she replied with a smile. "I wonder if you would feel the same if we saw each other every day."
"I mean it," he said seriously. "I think about you all the time."
You mean, when you're not with someone else, Aeris thought, then silently admonished herself for that thought. Aeris didn't have any real proof Zack saw other girls, she had never caught him with anyone. Yet she was still certain he did. She could tell by the things he said sometimes, and the way he acted. The way he looked at other girls on the street when he thought she wouldn't notice, and the fact that when she brought it up, he never actually denied it. Still, she didn't really hold it against him. They weren't married. Far from it. He was young, attractive and sought after. It wasn't really any shock to her that he would play the field. How else would he find out who was really right for him. If their relationship ever did blossom into something really serious, that might be another story, but for now she would let it slide. After all, he was at least polite enough never to mention anyone else when he was with her, and he always treated her nicely. This was not the time to be petty.
She had a feeling his roving eye would stop if he ever did really settle down once and for all. She thought he would make a wonderful husband, someone well worth waiting for.
"Thank you Zack," she found herself saying.
What was she thinking? She had to admit she had often entertained the thought of marriage, but it never seemed really right to her. Some of the people she knew at school talked about it all the time, but she never said anything. Perhaps it was that Cetra thing again. She always felt different, felt like her life would not progress the way everyone else's did. She wasn't sure if she would ever find the right person, or be a suitable candidate for marriage. After all, she had been going out with Zack for three years now and how far had things progressed? She knew some people who had had dozens of relationships in the same amount of time. She didn't think there was anything wrong with Zack playing the field, nor was it for her, really, but she never had. How could she tell if Zack was really the one for her that way?
She looked up and saw him looking closely at her.
"What are you thinking about?" he questioned.
She paused for a moment, returning his gaze. He looked so sincere, his dark blue eyes looking into hers. She certainly didn't want to break the romantic mood by telling him what she had actually been thinking about.
"Umm, about the day we first met," she finally settled upon.
He nodded slowly.
"You remember, the little country boy lost in the big city?" she continued. "I always wondered where you would have ended up if you hadn't run into me."
He smiled ruefully.
"Strange how things work out, eh?
She nodded. It did seem strange, how out of all the people in Midgar, they had chanced to run into one another, but she supposed that was the way most friendships began, with a chance meeting.
"Excuse me, miss?"
Aeris turned around at the tap on her shoulder to face a tall young man with jet black hair. His light blue eyes were looking at her keenly, and she couldn't help but notice how handsome he was.
"Do you know how to get to the train station from here?" he inquired.
He looked about her age, maybe a little younger. His accent was strange. That and his clothing gave away the fact that he almost certainly wasn't from Midgar, but if he had been, he probably wouldn't be asking where the train station was, now would he?
"It's back that way," she pointed behind him. "Three blocks back, then make a left and go...I think, two or three more blocks."
"That way?" he said, pointing in the same direction as her.
Aeris nodded.
He looked frustrated.
"But I just came from that way," he stated. "They told me it was in this direction."
"They?" Aeris inquired. "They who?"
"I don't know," he replied. "Some person I asked earlier."
Aeris brow furrowed.
"Where are you from?" she said.
The boy hesitated a moment before answering.
"Gongaga," he replied. "Are you sure it's that way?"
Aeris nodded again.
"Quite," she replied. "I'm afraid whoever you spoke too either was incorrect of steered you wrong. It's back the way you came."
"Steered me wrong? Why would anyone do that?"
"This is Midgar, people don't need a reason to do anything," she replied. "Some people around here might get a kick out of sending some stranger off on a wild goose chase."
The boy gave her a sour look and scratched his head.
"Great," he muttered. "It's bad enough that this place is bigger than any city I've ever seen, now I have to worry about people sending me off in the wrong direction..."
"Well, they could have just been mistaken," Aeris commented.
"Yeah, I suppose," he replied. "I hope I can find it quick. I've got an interview at three o'clock and it's already..." he glanced down at his watch. "Geez, two fifteen. I've got to hurry. I hope I don't get lost again."
"Where is your appointment?" she asked.
"In the Shinra building," he replied.
Aeris looked just slightly surprised.
"Up on the upper plate," she said slowly.
"Yeah, do you think I can make it in time?"
"Umm, yeah, I suppose," she returned after a moment. "If you like, I can lead you to the train station. This way you won't get lost for sure."
The boy's face filled with relief.
"If you can do that that would be great!" he said enthusiastically.
"C'mon," she said, starting back down the road.
"My name's Zack, by the way," he ventured after they had walked a short distance.
"Aeris."
"Aeris, eh. That's an unusual name."
"Yes it is," she agreed.
They were silent for a short time.
"You live around here?"
"Not too far away," Aeris replied.
"I'm not sure I'll be able to get used to this," Zack continued. "This is so different from Gongaga."
"I wouldn't know," Aeris replied. "I've lived here all my life. Or at least, all of it that I can remember."
Zack looked up at the massive steel roof above their head.
"Down here, under the plate?" he questioned.
"Well, not exactly," Aeris replied, remembering her time spent as a prisoner in the Shinra building.
He looked at her, obviously wondering exactly what that answer meant, but she did not elaborate.
"Where were you coming from?" she asked instead.
"Huh, what do you mean?"
"You were going the train station from where? How did you get here?"
"Oh, by bus," he replied. "I came here on a bus."
"By bus?" she questioned. "The bus terminal is right down the road from the train station. You can see one from the other."
Zack just shrugged.
"I never was very good with directions," he replied matter of factly.
Aeris just looked at him. She was impressed. It was unusual to find a man who would admit to being geographically challenged.
"Besides, I didn't expect anyone to steer me wrong," he added.
Yeah, there was that, she thought. That in itself instantly marked him as a stranger to Midgar. No one who had lived here any length of time would just take someone else's word about anything without independent verification.
"There it is up ahead," she said, pointing.
Zack followed her gaze, then swiveled his head to see the bus terminal at the far corner of the street.
"Well, shoot, I practically walked right past it," he stated.
"Yes you did," Aeris agreed, stopping. "Well, you should be able to find your way from here..."
He halted as well, looking at her then at the train station.
"Thanks a million."
"You're welcome," she replied.
They stood there for a moment in silence. For some reason, Aeris felt reluctant to leave him. Most of the people she knew in Midgar shunned her because of her heritage. It wasn't often she met new people.
She noticed he was hesitating too.
"Umm, do you know which train it is that goes up to the upper plate," he said after a moment.
"You don't know which train to get on?" he said slowly.
"Well, I'm pretty sure I can find it," he replied a bit defensively. "But after what happened with the station, and considering I don't have time for another mistake, I'd like to be sure."
Aeris gave him a look, then nodded. She was kind of pleased to have an excuse to stay with him anyway.
"Let's go," she said.
She led him down the block and over to the tracks. When they arrived she pointed to the only train sitting on the tracks.
"It goes through all the other sectors before it reaches the top," she told him.
"Um hum," he said slowly as the walked up to the train, then they stopped once again.
"I guess this really is it then," he said.
"I suppose so," she said. "It was nice meeting you Zack."
"You too," he replied, stepping onto the step of the train that led up into the car. "Umm, how close does the train let out to the Shinra building once it gets to the upper plate?"
"I'm not sure," she replied. "I don't get up there much. The Shinra building isn't hard to find though. It's the tallest building in the city."
"Okay," he nodded slowly. The sharp sound of the train's whistle cut through the air.
"Looks like it's going to start moving," he said. "Are you sure I can find it?"
"I'm sure," she stated.
He looked at her hesitantly.
"Come with me," he suddenly blurted out.
"Huh?"
"Come with me the rest of the way," he repeated. "I don't want to be late. I'll...I'll buy you lunch, after my interview, as payment for being my guide."
She opened her mouth to say no, then closed it again. She wasn't used to anyone paying any attention to her like this. She had to admit she felt a certain attraction for him, which was highly unusual. She had never met anyone in Midgar she had even the slightest interest in. It seemed crazy, but she was tempted to take him up on his offer. Unfortunately, there were other constraints.
"I can't," he replied.
"Why not?" he retorted, looking terribly disappointed.
"The people who live down here aren't allowed onto the upper plate without special permission," he stated. "And I don't have it."
"You need permission to go onto the upper plate?" he questioned.
"Yes," she replied. "It...it's kind of complicated. The Midgar up there is very different from down here, the people and the city itself. You'll see when you get up there."
He pondered this. The train whistle blew one more time and suddenly the train started forward.
"Wait for me here then," he said suddenly. "I still want to thank you for your help. I'll come back here when I'm done and I'll buy you lunch or something. How's that?"
"Umm," she replied, not sure what to say. She did want to see him again, but this whole thing just seemed so weird. She wasn't used to doing things spur of the moment like that, especially with someone who was a total stranger. She had learned long ago never to trust someone from Midgar, but he wasn't from Midgar, now was he?
The train was rapidly pulling away now.
"Okay, it's a date!" she called out.
Aeris was brought back to reality as the waiter placed their food in front of them. Still, a smile lingered on her face throughout the meal at the thought of that meeting. Zack had been so young and naive then, and impulsive. In a way, he was still a lot like that, at least, the impulsive part. Though he knew his way around town now, he hadn't changed all that much in the three years she had known him.
For the next forty five minutes most of their time was taken up concentrating on eating, with a bit of small talk thrown in for good measure. Aeris had to admit Zack had been right, the food was excellent, each course more delicious than the previous. Zack ordered a carafe of wine. Though Aeris was no drinker, she had two glasses, being that it was their anniversary. Certainly not enough to get her drunk, it still left her with a warm feeling in the pit of her stomach. Zack drank a bit more, but didn't go overboard. By the time they had finished their meal the carafe was nearly empty.
Zack pushed his plate aside, then reached into his uniform pocket and took out a small wrapped gift. He placed it down on the table in front of Aeris.
"Happy anniversary."
Aeris beamed. She took the box and opened it, neatly unwrapping it. Inside was a silver bracelet studded with small diamonds.
"Oh Zack, it's beautiful!" Aeris exclaimed.
Zack didn't reply, but she could see the satisfied look on his face as she placed it on her wrist and tightened the clasp. She lifted her pocketbook off the floor and opened it, taking out Zack's gift.
He smiled and opened it, much less neatly than she had. His gift was a watch.
"Ahh, I needed a new one," he stated as he lifted it up. "My old one was constantly stopping."
"I remember you mentioning that the last time we spoke," Aeris told him.
"Thank you Aeris."
"Thank you," she replied. "It's been a wonderful evening."
The waiter came over once more, even before they could signal him, and Zack paid the bill. As they exited the building, Zack looked up at the sky, now studded with stars.
"It's still early," he said. "I know you don't come up to the upper plate very often. Would you like to talk a little tour?"
"Sure," Aeris replied. Everything seemed so perfect, she was no more anxious for the night to end than he.
They spent the next hour and a half strolling around the city. The air was crisp and clear, the night cool. Unlike the slums below, the upper plate had plenty of parks and gardens, plenty of places to relax and enjoy the atmosphere. Where the slums below were dismal and dangerous during the night, here the city was filled with light and beauty.
Eventually Aeris suggested that it might be time to head back.
Zack looked at his new watch.
"It's still not that late," he protested.
"Well, I want to stop at the church before I go home and check on the flowers," Aeris replied.
"You and your flowers," Zack said, smiling. "Don't you think they can survive on their own for one day without you?"
Aeris shrugged.
"It's difficult to keep them alive under the plate you know. They need constant care in order to survive."
"Well, the last time I saw them they looked pretty good, as usual," Zack observed. "I really don't know how you do it."
Aeris didn't reply. They headed back to the train station and soon found themselves back in Sector Five. Aeris looked around at the drab buildings when they departed the train, so different from the city above. Already it almost seemed as if the entire night had been nothing more than a pleasant dream.
They made their way quickly through the streets. For some reason it seemed colder down here, and Aeris was beginning to feel the chill. The road was dark and mostly deserted. They did see a few people here and there, some of them walking down the road, others lurking in the shadows, but no one bothered them.
Though the church had no heat, for some reason it felt distinctly warmer as soon as they stepped inside. Aeris lit a small oil lamp that stood on a counter near the front of the church. She had brought the lamp from home a long time ago. The church had no electricity as well as heat, and she was sometimes here after dark, and she needed to be able to see what she was doing. Even so, the lamp gave off only enough light to fill a small circle with it's orange radiance, leaving the rest of the church in darkness.
She quickly bent down in the middle of her garden, while Zack stood back, leaning on one of the wooden posts holding up the ceiling and looking at her thoughtfully. The flowers growing in the small patch of dirt in the center of the church was like nothing else down here below the plate, the only bit of brightness in the dreariness around them. No one else he knew could coax any plant to grow down here at all, much less bloom. There really was something special about her.
About ten minutes later Aeris stood up, looking around, apparently satisfied with her work.
"All done?" Zack questioned.
Aeris nodded and came over to him.
"Thanks for being so patient."
"You don't have to thank me," he replied. "I don't mind. I hope you had a good time tonight."
"It was wonderful," Aeris replied.
He took hold of her hand, then pulled her to him, slipping his arms around her waist.
"I'm glad you think so," he said. "I wanted it to be special, for a special girl."
Aeris cheeks flushed a bit.
"You're pretty special yourself," she told him.
"Nah, there's nothing special about me," he said modestly.
She couldn't help but notice that his face was slowly drifting closer to hers.
"I'm just an ordinary guy," he continued.
"No, you're much more than that," she found herself disagreeing.
"I don't..." he began, but she cut him off by putting a finger to his lips. She didn't say anything at all, just stood there looking up into his eyes. For just a moment he hesitated, then their lips met.
They had kissed before, on special occasions and when they had said goodbye, but those had usually been mostly quick pecks. This time their lips lingered together, in no rush to part at all. Aeris felt Zack's arms tighten around her as he pulled her closer still. It felt wonderful to be in his arms, she felt so warm and so safe, as if nothing could touch her here, and all he troubles seemed to have faded to someplace far away. The night had been like a fantasy, and she didn't want it to end.
They kissed more forcibly now. Aeris felt heat in her cheeks, her heart beating faster. She felt Zack's hands moving more freely over he body. She felt like she was being swept away by some powerful force, a force she was powerless to resist, even if she had wanted to, which she did not. Whether it was the alcohol she had consumed or the euphoria of the moment, she didn't know. All she knew was that she had never felt like this before and she didn't want it to stop.
Her senses seemed to be heightened. She could feel his body pressing against hers, the slightest touch of his finger, or his lips against her own. She could hear the sound of his breathing, that had suddenly seemed to get much heavier and...something else.
She lifted up her hands and pressed them against his chest, gently forcing him back until their lips parted.
"You better stop," she said, the words coming out heavily, as if against her will, which was the truth. "Or we'll end up doing something we'll regret."
He stood there looking at her for a moment, disappointment plainly written on his face.
"Are you sure?"
"Yes," she replied. "It's not right. I'm not the right time. I'm not ready."
She stood there looking at him, trying to gauge his reaction, to see what he was thinking. Would he be mad at her? She didn't want him to be but she half expected him to be. They had been going out for three years now and had never gotten past the social kissing stage. She knew girls in school who were younger than her, or had been going out for far less time who had gone much much farther.
Zack had been patient with her, he had never pushed it, but she wondered how he felt about it, whether he was getting impatient. She couldn't help but wonder if it was because of that that he saw other people?
Nevertheless, she couldn't help the way she felt, and she wasn't going to compromise her principles for anyone. If he truly loved her, he would wait. She had to admit right now she felt tempted. However, she looked suspiciously into the darkness near the back of the church, back where she had thought she heard movement a moment ago, and knew this was not the time even if the mood had been right.
"I think you better go," she said.
Zack looked at her, an expression of shock on his face.
"What?"
"I think you should go," she repeated, stepping back so they were no longer in contact. "I still have a little work to do here. There's no reason for you to stay. I'll be fine going home."
He just stared at her.
"C'mon, Aeris," he said after a moment, obviously and understandably mistaking her thinking. "I didn't mean anything by that. I just thought..."
"It's okay," she said quickly. "It's not that. I had a great time tonight. I really did."
He remained silent for a moment, trying to understand what she was telling him, and failing miserably.
"I don't get it," he said finally. "I thought..."
Again she cut him off.
"It's alright," she said as reassuringly as she could. "It's nothing, really. I'm not mad at you or anything, in fact, I had a great time. It's just that now's not a good time."
She took him by the hand and started leading him to the door. He walked along beside her, shaking his head and muttering to himself.
"You seemed to think it was a good time a minute ago..."
They reached the entrance.
"I'll see you soon," she said.
"I'll see what I can do," he replied, rather unenthusiastically.
"I hope it's soon," she said, leaning forward to kiss him on the cheek. He stood there for just a moment.
"Are you sure you're going to be all right?"
"Yes, I'll be fine," she said reassuringly. "Be careful getting back."
"Uh huh," he said. He stood there for a moment more, then turned and started down the road, looking bewildered.
She walked back into the church, over to the lamp. She turned and stared into the back.
"You can come out now, he's gone," she announced.
For a moment nothing happened. She folded her arms across her chest and gave the darkness a cold stare.
There was a sudden scuffling sound, and then Mouse emerged timidly from behind a stack of old crates piled up in one corner.
"How did you know I was here?" she questioned.
"Apparently you're not as quiet as your namesake," she responded. "Didn't anyone tell you it's not polite to spy on people?"
"I wasn't spying," Mouse defended herself. "I came here to talk to you, but when I saw you with that Soldier guy, I thought it would be better if I stayed out of sight."
Aeris looked at Mouse for a minute, then sighed. Since Shinra was hunting for Mouse and her cohorts, she supposed that was a logical decision. Actually, she had been expecting Tseng. She certainly hadn't wanted him to catch her making out with Zack. Of course, Mouse was not much better, and the young girl had certainly messed up her moment with Zack. Aeris just had to hope that the poor boy wasn't permanently put off by this. After the wonderful night he had shown her and the cold shoulder she had given him, she wouldn't be surprised if he was.
"What do you want?" she said, in no mood to be generous.
"I came here to tell you that Marcus agreed not to have you killed," Mouse replied.
"Lucky me," Aeris said. "And just what was it that brought about this magnanimous change of heart?"
Mouse just looked at her for a moment.
"Did I come at the wrong time?"
"Yes!" Aeris retorted.
"Sorry."
Aeris took a deep breath to calm herself. It had been such an emotional night, she wasn't thinking straight. It really wasn't Mouse's fault.
"So why did he change his mind?" she asked.
"I talked him out of it," Mouse replied. She hesitated a moment, then continued. "But there is a condition."
"Oh, and what might that be?"
"That you join us."
Aeris brow furrowed.
"Join you. You mean that little group of yours?"
"The Nighthawks," Mouse said, nodding.
Aeris didn't speak for a moment. This was certainly something she hadn't been expecting.
"First you want me to forget I ever heard the name, now you want me to join?" she said eventually.
"I explained to Marcus how you healed me. I told him someone who could do that could be very useful to us. You could really help us."
"Why would I want to?" Aeris replied.
"Why not?" Mouse said a bit sharply. "You helped me didn't you?"
"Yes, but no one was forcing me," Aeris retorted.
"No one is forcing you now," Mouse told her.
"He won't kill me if I help, that sounds pretty much like force to me," Aeris pointed out.
Mouse stepped out of the shadows into the light in front of her.
"Don't look at it that way," she said. "I know you want to help people. You proved it when you helped me. That's what we're doing. A lot of people would have had no heat over the winter if it wasn't for us. A lot of people might have frozen to death. Do you think Shinra would care? The energy we stole are providing people with electricity and heat that they wouldn't be able to get otherwise. Isn't that a good cause?"
"I have nothing against helping people," Aeris replied. "That doesn't mean I agree with your methods. I saw your leader. He threatened to kill me. You can't help people by just killing anyone who gets in your way, or anyone you just happen to come across at the wrong time. That makes you no better than Shinra."
"He was hasty," Mouse defended him. "It was foolish, but he was just trying to protect us."
"That's too high a price to pay," Aeris replied.
Mouse gave her a frustrated look.
"I really thought you would agree," she said.
"I'm sorry," Aeris replied. "What Shinra is doing might be bad, but your group doesn't seem any better. I'm going to stay out of it."
"It's too late for that," Mouse replied urgently. "You don't seem to be taking his threat very seriously. He really will kill you."
"I'm not afraid of him," Aeris replied.
Mouse just looked at her for a moment.
"Your Soldier friend can't protect you all the time," she stated.
"I don't need his help," Aeris said firmly. "I can take care of myself."
Mouse gave her a skeptical look. She opened her mouth again, then shut it. The look on her face suddenly darkened.
"Fine! If that's the way you want it. I tried to help you out because of what you did for me, though don't ask me why I bothered. I gave you a chance. Don't come crying to me when Marcus comes for you."
She spun on her heels and walked rapidly back toward the rear of the church. Aeris stood there looking at her go. She felt bad for not accepting, not because of what might happen to her but because she thought she and Mouse could become friends under the proper circumstances. Beneath Mouse's rough exterior she seemed like a decent person. Now, she might never see the young girl again.
Still, she felt she would have betrayed her values if she had accepted, and that was more important.
Mouse slipped out the back door and walked quickly into the darkness, cursing under her breath. She didn't really know why. Aeris was nothing to her. It shouldn't matter to her either way whether the girl accepted the offer or not. Like she had said, she had made an attempt. If Aeris was too stupid to accept, that was her own fault, and she deserved whatever fate befell her. Either way, what difference did it make. She wasn't going to let it bother her. Stupid girl! She deserved what she got!
So she said, but even so, her conscious rested uneasily as she slipped into the darkness.
So lost in her own thoughts was she that she never noticed the deeper shadow in the darkness down at the end of the alley, a shadow that suddenly detached itself from the background and followed after her as she disappeared down the street.