Perhaps I should have seen it all coming… should have known better. Still, reason speaks to me, saying "well, how could you have?" It never made anything less painless, though. The truth hurts, ya know, and the truth is that humans in general are a sick, bloodthirsty bunch that will take any excuse they can get to bring a man down. Humans are supposed to be above other animals… above God and fate and the forces of nature. But they're not. They're at the bottom. They think they're above sin, above all the bad things that happen to everyone else: Above death. Given, some aren't but most of them…

…I…shouldn't get into it. Too late, now…

Chapter 7

When Shera finally came home, it was well past midnight. She had gone to a girlfriend's house, initially planning to stay the night there, but deciding to return to Cid's house, anyway. Shera had spilled everything she knew about Cid's circumstances to her one true friend and confidante, seeking assistance.

She felt for Cid: It was obvious the kind of pain the man was in, but then again, he had been cruel to her for years.

Perhaps, Shera reasoned, though she regretted it, perhaps he had it coming for him, all along. Shera didn't want to think that, but all it took was memories of some of the things he had said, and that guilt washed away. She consoled herself with the decision that she herself would not turn him in. If somebody else caught him, well… that was Cid's problem.

She found the man in question up, and back at the table with a fresh cup of tea and, strangely, a loaf of bread. He was munching a piece of dry sliced sandwich bread when she came in, but paused to look up at her. He was composed now, but silent as death, and honestly, looking as dead as he sounded.

Pale as moonlight, with red, sunken eyes, Shera wondered if he might be a ghost, that she'd find the real Cid Highwind back in his room, dead, drowned in his own self-pity.

It wasn't certain if Shera was disappointed or reassured when he smiled weakly at her.

Moving in the silence, Shera sat down across from him, staring into gray eyes. She noted briefly that his eyes, as always, matched the sky outside, though it was dark now. It had been overcast and threatening rain all day. In their silence, she could hear a million frogs calling out their pulsing, broken-bell song for the rain to come. It made the night seem incredibly close, almost tangible.

Cid was still watching her, though not with any outward interest. He was still sipping at his tea, working on that same slice of bread, eating it almost hesitantly. Shera furrowed her brow.

"What's up with the bread?" She asked finally. The question sounded coarse against the soft sounds of the deep night, but Cid either didn't mind, didn't care, or didn't notice. He swallowed, shrugging weakly.

"Couldn't keep anything else down…" He said softly, before raising the half-eaten slice of bread up slightly. "This seems okay, though…." He added. "Dun really feel like eating….but… I'm not going to recover from anything if I don't get my strength back…" He finished. Shera nodded sagely, accepting this.

At least he's going to try and get his ass back in gear…Her thoughts concerning Cid had been alarmingly bitter since he had returned, and while she sincerely believed his story -she knew he wouldn't tarnish his beautiful sky with something as horrible as that Meteor thing- she still…didn't… didn't….trust him.

This is perhaps why she jumped, as he moved suddenly, the squeak of wood on linoleum breaking the silence as he stood, pushing his chair away from himself.

Cid didn't fail to notice this, and he turned his back to her, pushing his eyes shut to try and block out the hurt. The pain numbed after a while, and he decided to reassure her in some way.

"I'm going to bed…I'll start catchin' up on all the shit I've missed tomorrow…" Cid then wandered off towards his room at the back of the house, still limping but quiet. Outside, it had finally begun to rain again, silencing the frogs outside, to replace them with a softer, firmer sound. Shera sighed, sitting back in her chair. She liked the rain. The sound of a steady rain could drown out noise from the rest of the world, could seclude a person from trouble, and it could even drown out one's most pestering thoughts, with barely a sound. The only problem with rain, Shera reasoned, was that it was cold, and that it blocked out the natural beauties of the sky and the stars. But, rain didn't last forever, and eventually, the glories of the sun, sky and stars would return. It was always one or the other, and she was aware of the constant need for sacrifice.

Cid rose early the next morning, up with the sunlight, managed to find himself breakfast -an oddity in its own - and was out back working before ten in the morning. This surprised Shera, because he wasn't out tinkering like she'd expected, but actually straightening up the messes that had formed in his absence. He spent that day, and the next through the following two weeks, going over every aspect of his home that had been neglected.

He would not, however, leave his own property. He stayed low behind the fence in the back, or inside. If something was needed, Shera had to go out and get it herself. That she was used to, and didn't mind. What was new, was that it wasn't just her doing all the work.

She took Cid's help without word or worry.

After a month of self-imposed house arrest, Cid had finally gained the window of good weather he needed to climb up onto the roof, and begin repairs there, as well.

It was one of those quiet, weekend mornings where most of Rocket Town slept in late, and Cid had the privilege of watching the town awaken from his high perch. He watched idly as he worked, noticing first a few, then more people finally entering the streets of town, out on their daily business. The day was warmer than it had been in months, the skies clear and blue, a gentle breeze blowing. It promised of an early spring and a long, warm summer.

It was the kind of day that Cid lived for. The fresh, clean air blowing in just gently enough to ruffle his hair and shirt gently filled his lungs and cleared his system of the tight confines of winter. For a short, sweet while, it dried the tears he had shed weeks ago, and cooled his face. Each feather-light brush of atmosphere soothed aches deep in his heart, and Cid felt that maybe if he stood up high, and spread his arms wide, that he might just take flight on his own, then and there.

Of course, he didn't even bother to try. He had work to do, but as long as the weather was as sweet as it was today, he could work forever and be happy about it.

Up where he was, it was all accentuated. The sunlight was warmer, the breeze stronger, the sky just that much closer, and if Cid closed one eye, he could almost reach up and poke one of the big, fluffy white clouds near the horizon. He took the liberty to pretend to do just so with the handle of the tack hammer he held, chuckling softly. Turning at the sound of rustling wings, Cid saw a small flock of starlings dart through the trees nearest his home, one tiny black bird zipping right by his head. Cid laughed, batting at it playfully as it passed.

"Whoa there, little guy!" He commented, still chuckling as he went back to work. Cid felt no shame in talking to birds. He understood them, loved them for what they were, and if anything, only envied them to some level.

The sun began to descend toward the horizon again, passing noon and going into the early evening, the sky still bright and clear, but the temperature dropping, but Cid whistled gently as he worked. His tune was slightly off, he'd forgotten part of the melody, and his whistling was out of key, but he was quiet, and no one would hear him all the way up here, anyway. It was his indulgence to have.

Down below in the streets of town, Cid didn't notice the figures gathering below an opening in the trees, watching him. Cid's only warning was the glint of golden sunlight off the metallic barrel of a shotgun before one loud bang sent the rest of town into hiding. Closer to the sky, a flock of birds erupted out of the trees, crying out in alarm, and Cid took a mad dive for cover, rolling foreword as a bullet stuck the roof edge he'd been crouched near.

"Shit!"

Tumbling down the slanted rooftop, Cid let out a yelp, before catching the lowest edge, leading toward his back yard, and managed to catch his heel into it. Leaping up, Cid took a flip, then two into the air, landing in a crouched position in the center of his yard, his booted heels sinking heavily into the rain softened ground. Battle senses tingling, Cid managed to look over his shoulder just as the gun glinted again, and he dashed foreword towards the safety of his home just as another bullet ripped a hole in his fence, only to keep going and ricochet off some spare parts in the opposite corner with a distinctive ping!

Gasping, Cid stumbled inside, locking the back door as he went.

"Sheeerrrraaaaaaa!!!" He cried, slamming windows shut, closing blinds. "Lock the door!" He didn't know if Shera even heard him, let alone if she would obey -he'd learned through her new attitude toward him, that she would not help nor hinder him- but heaved a sigh of relieve when he heard the distinctive sound of the dead bolt being thrown. He continued to close windows and draw curtains, and met Shera in the kitchen, panting.

"What's going on?!" Shera demanded. "I heard gunshots!" Cid only stood, leaning foreword with his hands on his knees, shaking his head as he gathered his breath.

"Shit….those bastards were tryin' ta shoot me…." Shera remained silent, shook up. Cid continued to try and control his breathing, occasionally uttering a small oath or another.

Another gunshot rang, even as silence had covered the house, and a window shattered in the front room.

"HIGHWIND!!" A voice bellowed from outside. "You got away this time, ya bastard, but we'll get you! Have no doubt about it!" Cid watched, crouched in front of Shera, eyes narrowed and dark. Yes, he had a lot on his conscience, but he didn't like being hunted for it. Wiping sweat from his brow, Cid finally straightened up, moving away from the kitchen and toward the back.

"…Shit…"

After that, only silence.

OoOoOoOoOoO

AN:

1) I take pride in that moment of happiness in the middle. Here in my little secluded valley we just had a day like that... Rocket Town reminds me a lot of where I live...Cradled among mountains and forested hills... Not too far from the ocean... Anyway, we had a break after weeks of rain, and FREEZING COLD weather, and one warm, sunny day in the middle, lol. was inspiring, at least.

2) A little lighter for us all, right? :) Still not happy, but Cid's over himself at least a little, now. (and I consider a month an incredibly quick recovery, but the last /week/ in Cid's life had been so drawn out, I needed to move on with this, a little more plot and a little less total angstness, if you get what I mean)

3) The narratives at the begginning of each chapter, by the way, are from 2 seperate people, the same person every other time. I'm hoping by the end of the story, I'll have been able to reveal both of them without completely botching it up, lol. That's all I should say on that for now. Ree knows, I had to tell somebody, lol. .

4) Crikey...this is only 7 chapters...doesn't it feel a lot longer than that to everyone else? I guess just because its so heavy, yeah? Honestly, though, I'm beginning to feel very proud of this. I didn't think I was capapble of serious/heavy works. It was another self challenge at first, but somehow, this is easier to write than the other fic, at this point. (and you'll all be surprised to know that I'm not a depressed or angry person at all... I'm actually quite chipper 24/7 (caffeine induced, mostly, but still chipper!) )

Anyway... yeah, I'm back.

MRE