Guardian Angel

Chapter 8

The teenage silver-haired SOLDIER stood in front of the bay window in the guestroom, looking at the clear midnight sky, trying to digest the striking revelations of his destiny…

And hers.

Crisis from the Sky. Jenova.

Holy materia.

Holy sword. -His- masamune…

The six-foot long sword lied ever so faithfully on the desk. His mako-enhanced eyes unconsciously landed on the Holy sword as he recalled his strange encounter in the cave.

No wonder the sword felt so familiar in his hand.

No wonder -that- dream was so real…

No, it wasn't just a dream.

It was his past…

And hers.

His mako eyes left his masamune and shifted back to the full moon at the thought of his angel.

His?

He frowned a little at that thought. He couldn't help but remember the magazine he read on the plane. The pictures of Aeris as Rufus Shinra's date somehow made him…

…jealous…

His thin lips pressed into a line as he identified the sour feeling. It did not matter how he felt; it did not matter who she eventually chose. He would still be there for her, to keep her safe from harm.

To keep her safe from the Crisis. Whatever the Crisis might be; whenever the Crisis would arrive.

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(Three Years Later)

Sitting inside his executive office, Rufus Shinra looked out from the dust-free windows to the bright lights along the Junon harbor. The familiar sight of the diamond-like shining lights had been Rufus' only companion during his midnight break for the past three years in Junon. The blonde Vice President took a last look at the view before he turned back to the endless piles of paperwork on his mahogany desk.

He blinked his tired icy sapphire eyes a few times, as he reached for the next document waiting on the desk. He quickly scanned through the paper and signed his name without even looking. Another boring document was out of the way. Twenty more to go before he could go back to his apartment.

Yet, instead of reaching out for another folder, Rufus opened one of his drawers with a slight smile across his handsome face. Slowly he took a little velvet box from the drawer and opened it gently.

A delicate golden bracelet with several little heart-shape charms was lying neatly inside the velvet box.

Tomorrow, he would have this box sent out…

To her.

Just in time for her sixteenth birthday.

Not a day too early, not a day too late.

Rufus put the box back to the drawer after taking another look at the bracelet. Once again, he had to shift his attention back to his work. Yet, this time, with a warm smile on his usual cold face.

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Aeris shifted the weight of the books in her arms a bit as she walked down an empty alley. Even though it was four in the afternoon, the tall buildings in Midgar had blocked most of the sunlight from this dark alley. Aeris wondered what Sephiroth's reaction would be if he knew she had been taken this shortcut from her school to her mother's floral. He had been extremely protective ever since… ever since she was born! Yes, he had always been very protective. Too protective sometimes.

He would frown and shake his head. Then he would tell her not to take that path, if not….

She couldn't suppress a giggle as his ever so serious face appeared on her mind. Too engrossed in her own thought, the brunette teenage girl failed to notice a shadowy figure quietly approached her from behind. Nor did she know a black gloved hand that was slowly reaching out for her.

Aeris jumped a little as she suddenly felt a light tap on her shoulder. Instinctively, she turned around and met a pair of mako eyes.

"Hello my lady." The first-class SOLDIER bowed slightly at Aeris.

"Oh, hi Zack!" Aeris greeted the spiky haired young man cheerfully. Yet she turned and continued to walk away before Zack could respond, knowing that the SOLDIER would follow her to her mother's shop.

"So, how was your day?" Just as she expected, Zack quickly picked up his pace and accompanied her down the alley.

"It was okay." She glanced at the SOLDIER before she turned her attention back to the road in front of her. His shoulder-length black hair seemed to have a life of its own. Aeris couldn't help but wonder if he ever combed his hair.

"I wonder if today would be the day…" Even though he seemed to be talking to himself, Aeris knew Zack meant for her to hear his meaningful statement. Yet, she decided to play dumb for a while.

"What do you mean?" She asked innocently.

The tall SOLDIER smirked a little as he set his deep blue eyes on the pretty girl walking next to him.

"So, are you going to tell me your name today?" He asked patiently. Yes, patiently should be the word. He had been asking her this question almost everyday ever since he met her at her mother's shop.

"Why do you always want to know my name?"

"Well, I have to call you something, right?"

"You can call me whatever you want." Aeris giggled a bit.

"Okay then. I'll call you 'honey' from now on…" A wild grin appeared on his handsome face.

Aeris looked at the spiky-haired young man with wild eyes.

"What? You don't like your name, honey?" Zack couldn't hold his laughter any longer. Not only was she pretty, the girl in front of him was also extremely interesting.

"I am NOT your 'honey'!!"

"Ha ha ha ha. I was just kidding. Sorry, okay? Here, let me hold those books for you." He reached out for those heavy books. Aeris looked at his gloved hand for a while before she handed them to him.

The SOLDIER next to her was the same age as Sephiroth. In fact, they were both first-class SOLDIERs. She had heard about Zack from Sephiroth. It was hard to belief they were best friends. Zack was the complete opposite of Sephiroth. One was playful and flirtatious; the other was serious and quiet. Suddenly, she wondered if Sephiroth had ever talked about her in front of Zack…

"One day you'll tell me." Zack said confidently all of a sudden.

"What?" Her train of thought was cut out.

"Your name, 'honey'!" The tall young man emphasized her code name playfully as he opened the glass door in front of the shop for Aeris. She hushed him nervously, not wanting anyone around to hear him called her "honey", especially not her mother.

"So, are you going to buy any flowers today?" Aeris asked as Zack put her books on the counter.

"If it would make you happy, then yes." He leaned closer to the brunette girl and winked at her flirtatiously.

Aeris ignored his comment and picked a few flesh blossoms from the vase. She wrapped the flowers nicely and tied the bouquet with a ribbon before she handed him the final product.

"Here, 30 gils." Zack winced as if he was in pain.

"Oh man! No discounts?"

"Okay, for you, 10 percent discount. 27 gils." Aeris said in a business tone.

"Fine." Zack handed her the gils before he took the bouquet. "Since you have taken most of my salary, would you like to go to dinner with me as compensation?"

"Sorry. I have to watch the shop and then be home at six everyday." She looked at him sympathetically.

The back door of the shop suddenly opened and a brown haired woman stepped out.

"Aeris, you are back?"

A sly smile appeared on the SOLDIER's face before Aeris could answer her mother. "Finally." He murmured. "Aeris… what a pretty name!" Once again he winked at her before he headed for the door.

"Goodbye, AERIS!" He left with a satisfying smile on his face.

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