Here's something I've been itching to write. Now that I've somewhat settled into Cid n' Shera's characters, I figure I can drabble on something else that would be probable in their relationship. Something like this would probably take place after Advent Children. Shera is officially Cid's wife. How bout' that.

This will probably be a small series of three to four short chapters. We'll see.

From what she read and was told by her physician, this was supposed to be exciting and painless. She was grateful for it. Most of the treatment Shera received before today required a great deal of uncomfortable insertions, pricking, and other precautionary administrations and tests. Not to mention all of the vitamins and pamphlets. Shera hadn't been to the doctor's this frequently since she struggled with Geostigma.

It was nearly four months ago that the symptoms presented themselves. Shera would have a late dinner with Cid after working the day away with the other employees on the oil drill, share a shower and a few well deserved kisses, and then lie down with him for the night soon after. It would have been restful sleep if it weren't for all the bubbling in her stomach, and the nauseousness that came to her if she had ignored it for too long. Cid was convinced it was overworking and indigestion, but something told Shera otherwise.

Then, there was all the tenderness, of which at the time, Shera couldn't explain. Of course, Cid complained about it (Shera keeps tellin' me I c'aint touch her tits!) when it came time to be intimate. After she'd had enough of feeling nauseous and fatigued and achy, she worried it might have been the stigma coming back to haunt her. Shera left for a visit on her free time, only to come back and (gently) report to her Captain that she was pregnant.

Surprisingly, it didn't take much convincing to get Cid to come with her. Shera pushed her glasses up the bridge of her nose, and gave her husband a warm smile to comfort the both of them. She wasn't sure who was more anxious. He had been quietly muttering all day. It was probably him more than her then…

"So how's this suppos'd to go?" Cid came around to the other side of the plastic covered bed Shera was directed to lay on. His eyes drifted over the round of her stomach the moment she lifted her sweater. That tell-tale 'baby bump' was very slight at the moment, but was certainly there. There and making him nervous. Hopefully, his old habit hadn't hurt anything. It was the most that Cid worried about. He hated having to wear nicotine patches, hated having to let strangers in the house to professionally remove the effects of cigarette smoke, hated having to spend his own money to buy new furniture and clothes, but he'd do anything to insure his child was healthy.

"We're just going to rub a bit of this gel on Mom's belly," Shera's doctor returned and answered before she could "and then we'll flick on the screens and see what's going on inside. We'll be sure to take pictures for you to take home, and for documentation of her progress." The doctor was obviously familiar with Shera, but Cid was a new face. They placed down a clip board and folder holding all of Shera's previous visit information, and extended their hand for a firm hand shake. "You must be Dad."

"Yeah, that'd be me." Though skepticism was written all over Cid's face, he returned the gesture.

A brief rundown of procedure was given again, and soon enough, the gel mentioned before was placed over Shera's stomach. "It's a bit cold." She softly laughed from nervousness, and anticipated the curve of the device in her doctor's hand to touch her slicked skin. "Sorry about that! Probably should have warned you."

Cid leaned over Shera's head the moment the physician stepped out of the way to allow the hopeful, future parents to see the screen. "Haven't a damn clue what I'm lookin' at here, Doc." He squinted. The dark, fuzzy screen was outlined in boxes, parameters, and numbers he sure as hell wasn't trained to read. The shifting picture and white outlines in the center of an arch were even more unreadable. It didn't look like much at all. Where was the baby?

"I'm sure he'll explain." Shera lightly touched Cid's forearm; eyes intently searching the screen as well.

"Haven't had the pleasure of giving this sort of news in a few years." They swept their hair over their doctor's smock and used their pen to tap the screen.

"News?" Shera was a little confused. "What do you mean?" Both she and Cid were still waiting for an explanation of what they were viewing.

"You see these here?" They didn't seem to mind Cid nosily moving a little closer. The tip of their pen circled and pointed out three large ovals of black in the shifting white image.

"C'mon Doc, what is it? You're killin' me."

"This is a head." The doctor took a delight in the bit of suspense they had caused. Cid breathed a momentary sigh of relief and took Shera's hand. "So that there's the b-"

"This is a head, too. And, so is this one." They chuckled and began to count. "One, two, three. Three heads."

"…Cid?" Both of Shera's brows arched and her hazel eyes widened behind her glasses. There was a long pause; room quiet before Cid dared to open his mouth again.

"Holy shit."