Zack's kisses were becoming more insistent. Aeris felt dizzy and light headed as feelings awakened she didn't know she had. Another part of her held back assessing the situation and voiced an urgent warning. She tried to pull away from him.

His arms tightened around her, pressing her closer to him. The warmth of his body was beguiling. She relaxed in his arms.

"Don't fight it Aeris," he whispered. "Who knows when I'll come back this time? Please let me be with you tonight."

His kisses traveled over her face, teasing her earlobes. She was kissing him back. Their breathing quickened. The warning voice rose another notch.

"No," she whispered, but her voice was weak. The touch of Zack's lips was melting away her resistance.

He murmured her name as his lips pressed feathery kisses against her throat. The warning voice screamed inside her head. Aeris heard it this time.

"Zack . . . no . . . please!"

He responded with such a passionate kiss, the last of her reluctance melted away. Aeris was immersed in the sweet sensations of the moment. She was losing all sense of her surroundings when a cat chasing a mouse across the crumbling roof above, jumped on a rotten beam. The sudden crack of splitting wood, startled her into realizing just where this moment was leading. She cried out and pushed herself away from Zack.

"No Zack, don't. I mean it!"

His eyes were pleading as he reached for her again.

"Aeris . . . "

"No!" Wrapping her arms around herself, Aeris turned her back to him. She could feel his disappointment. Her heart was pounding. If the ceiling hadn't creaked, would they have gone all they way? She closed her eyes and shivered.

"I'm sorry."

She stared at the patch of flowers growing in the center of the old church, not knowing what to say.

"Aeris?"

He came up behind her, resisting the urge to pull her back into his arms.

"I'm all right." She took a deep breath and turned to face him.

"I'm sorry," she said blinking rapidly. "This was my fault, I shouldn't have let it go on so long."

"Nonsense." Zack's voice was gentle. "Both of us were expressing our feelings. You wanted me as much as I wanted you."

Aeris reddened.

"Don't be embarrassed Aeris," he said. "We weren't doing anything wrong."

"In an old church alone late at night, hiding the fact that we're together?" Aeris' green eyes were sad. "If we're not doing anything wrong, why are we here?"

"We're here because your mother won't let me see you out in the open, the way I want to," answered Zack. "I don't like having to sneak around either Aeris. I want to show the world how I feel about you."

"How do you feel Zack?" she asked.

"I love you." His dark Mako eyes stared into hers. "I love you with all my heart. Please let me be with you tonight."

"I love you too Zack, I really do." The joy in his eyes warmed her heart. "But I don't want to be with you like . . . this . . . here."

"I'm going to Nibelheim tomorrow," he said softly. "After that Sephiroth is taking us out on field maneuvers for at least a couple of weeks. Who knows where we'll go from there? I have no idea when I'll get to see you again. I'm going to miss you Aeris. I'm going to miss you a lot. That's why it's so important for me to be with you tonight."

"There are so many pretty girls out there." Her voice fell. "I see them every day fawning over you. They don't even care if we're together. When you get to Nibelheim, there will be others just like them. You'll forget all about me and what happened tonight."

"Never!" Zack shook his head vehemently

Aeris turned away again. "You'll forget you love me."

Zack moved around to stand in front of her. "I was a playboy when I first came to town. I can have any girl I want with just a smile, and I know it. It's always been that way for me. I never even bothered to remember their names. There were always more where those came from. I could have gone on like that forever . . . until I met you."

"Zack . . . "Aeris' voice trailed off.

She dropped her head, but Zack raised her chin with the tip of his fingers.

"When I first met you Aeris, I expected you to throw yourself at me just like the others, but you didn't. I took that as a challenge and I went after you because I thought you were playing hard to get. It took a while for it to sink in, that you weren't just stringing me along. You're different. And in the time I've come to know you, I've learned you're special too. Very special."

"There's something about you, that makes me want to always be by your side. For the first time in my life, I see a woman I could spend the rest of my life with. A woman I can love, honor and protect. You bring out feelings in me that I've never felt for a woman before. I can't think when I'm with you; I can't remember my name or where I am. All I know is how much I want you Aeris."

She reached out and touched his face.

"I love you Zack."

The joy in his eyes was unmistakable.

"Aeris . . . there's so much more I want to say to you, but the words escape me."

She smiled up at him. "You don't have to say anything. I can feel what you're feeling now that I'm not afraid to open my heart."

They kissed again and the world faded away for a moment. Aeris laid her head on his shoulder.

"I wish you didn't have to go away."

"I'm seriously considering deserting Shinra and running off with you." Zack's eyes burned into hers. "I don't want to leave you either.

"You can't do that." She wrapped a strand of his hair around her finger. "I don't think anyone deserts Sephiroth's army."

Zack gave her a rueful smile.

"You're right. They don't."

He pulled her close again.

"I love you Aeris."

They stayed that way for a while. At last Aeris roused herself.

"I have to go home. Mom always gets up in the middle of the night to check on me. She'll panic if I'm not there."

"She's too protective of you," answered Zack. "She should give you more freedom.:

"She's been like that ever since someone tried to kidnap me a few weeks ago," explained Aeris. She doesn't trust strangers, anyone from Shinra or SOLDIER."

"Why is that?" Zack frowned. "You never said. What does she have against SOLDIER?"

Aeris shook her head. "I don't know. She won't talk about it. I think it has to do with her husband."

"If only she'd get to know me. We might get along." Zack shook his head. "I don't want to have to sneak around to see you."

"I know, but we don't have a choice," she replied. "Maybe someday she'll come around."

"I doubt that. I meant what I said about being with you tonight."

Aeris stared into his eyes for a moment then looked away.

"Not like this." She shook her head. "Not this way. I can't. This is so . . . ."

She bit her lower lip.

"I understand." Zack took her hands in his. "But that doesn't make it any easier on me. You don't know how much I want you."

She looked up at him. "Do you?"

He nodded.

"You're a special lady Aeris. You deserve better than a life in this dreary slum."

Her eyes were bright.

"I'm going on that mission with Sephiroth," he said with grim determination. "When I get back, I'm going to see your mother."

Aeris looked startled. "Why?"

"I'm going to tell her I am going to court her daughter in the light of day, where everyone can see us. No more sneaking around."

"She won't listen." Aeris gave him a sad smile. "She'll never change her mind."

"I'll MAKE her listen." Zack's voice was firm.

"I love you Aeris and I want the Planet to know I'm not ashamed of that love."

He touched her face.

"I'm coming back to you."

"I'll be waiting."

He hugged her to him.

"Let me walk you home.

Aeris took his arm. They walked in the shadows of the dimly lit sector until they stood outside her house. All the light were off. Zack walked her to the back door. It was still unlocked as Aeris had left it. She turned to him. He took her in his arms.

"I swear I'm coming back to you Aeris," he promised. "Wait for me. Don't fall for another guy while I'm gone."

"Will you write me?"

"Yes."

They shared a long sweet kiss, then Zack pressed her close to him.

"I'm coming back. I promise."

"No matter how many girls you have to fight your way through?"

"No matter how many pretty girl I have to fight my way through." He laughed softly and raised her chin. "I'm going to take you to Gongaga to meet my parents."

"Really?"

"Really." Zack kissed the tip of her nose. "They're going to love you."

Aeris' heart was filled with warmth.

"I have to go now, but I don't want to." Zack's expression was suddenly sad. "I still wish I could have been with you tonight, but I would never push you into anything you didn't want to do."

She brushed her fingertips over his lips. He kissed them.

"I love you Zack."

"And I love you," he said. "Now get inside before I really do desert the army."

Aeris opened the back door quietly. She stopped suddenly, turned and threw her arms around his neck. Her kiss made him tremble.

He pulled her away gently.

"Go to bed," he said in a husky voice. "Or your mother will have a very good reason to hate me."

"Goodbye Zack," whispered Aeris.

"Goodbye Aeris . . . my love," he said. "Dream of me tonight. And you'd better answer every letter I send!"

"I promise."

He smiled. "Now close the door and go."

Aeris closed the door and stood looking out the window at him.

His mouth formed the words. "I love you."

"I love you too," she mouthed back.

Zack blew her a kiss. He turned and walked away. Before he walked out of her line of sight, he turned and waved at her. Aeris waved back.

"I love you," she whispered.

Then he was gone.

Aeris had a sudden urge to open the door and run after him. Would it be so bad to spend the night with Zack? Would it be so bad if he deserted and they ran away? She reached for the doornob and froze as she heard her mother talking in her sleep to a husband long dead.

She crept up the stairs quietly and slipped into her room. She looked out the window. She was just in time to see Zack standing at the edge of a pool of light. He was looking back at the house. She knew he couldn't see her in the darkened window. Did he know she was there? She waved. Her heart soared as he waved back. He couldn't have seen her, but he waved, just in case she was there. He turned and walked into the darkness.

Pressed against the window, her heart was filled with love and pain. Zack was gone, but he was coming back. Even though she believed him, she sat in the dark on the edge of her bed and allowed herself time to have a silent cry. After a time she dried her eyes, resolving to get up early and rinse her face so Elmyra wouldn't about her tears.

Zack was going to Nibelheim. She would look forward to his letters. Once she had his address, she could write back to him. Each letter would be filled with her love. She dressed for bed and climbed in, pulling the covers up to her chin.

"I love you Zack," she whispered. "And I will wait for you. Don't forget me."

Zack loved her. He was taking her to meet his parents when he came back. That had to mean something didn't it? She smiled, then yawned. The memory of his kisses made her blush. Feeling at peace with herself, Aeris drifted off to sleep unaware that tomorrow would be the beginning of her wait for letters that would never come.