Zack jumped at Aeris's cry, eyes startled wide. Killed? He was killed? But that never happened! He'd been fine - tired, sure, but alive - and on his way to Midgar. Back to Aeris, with Cloud at his side. ... Or at least dragging on his shoulder. They were going to work on that.

And now Aeris was telling him that... they'd never made it? He'd never come home?

"I... I was right outside Midgar," he whispered, hands clenching and unclenching at his side, trying to stop his shaking. "I was almost there. How could I have been killed...? I was so close! Just... just one more day!"

One more day... if they'd have waited to kill him, would he really have died?