"And pass me that doo hickey"

"Here"

"Ah b******s, Denzel go get me some more of these f***ing screws would ya?"

"Yes mister Highwind"

"It's cappin' captain Highwind"

Marlene came into the yard carrying an armful of wrenches and other assorted tools.

"urm captain, I got the effing wrench and the bad word drill, but I couldn't find the piece of s word cross head screw driver"

"That's okay. SHERA! Can you get the cross head screw driver for me?

A few seconds later Shera came over and brought him the screw driver. She looked around the garden at all the pieces of machinery that had been laid out, then she look at the two exhausted looking children.

"Cid, I'm going to take these two in for some lunch and a break"

"Fine, I've got what I need n if I need any help I'll call"

The children looked relieved and followed Shera into the kitchen. They sat down and Shera set a plate of sandwiches in front of them. Eagerly they started eating,

"I wonder how Tifa and Cloud are doing"

"I'm sure they are fine"

"I miss them Denzel and dad"

"… It I'll be alright"

Shera pretended she wasn't listening but to distract the children she put down a large pile of blank A4 paper.

"Would you two mind drawing some pictures for me? You see this wall looks like it needs a little colour" she waved a hand at the wall behind them.

"Okay !"

Shera smiled as she watched them scrawl with concentrated faces, she left them to it and brought a plate of sandwiches out to Cid and a cup of tea.

"I brought you some lunch"

"Ah huh just stick it down there a minute, I have to get this f$%£ing piece of $#!t engine to work"

"I hope you weren't talking like that around the children"

"Course nah"

"They seemed quite happy to help you out"

"Yeah they're good kids"

"I wonder if you'd be happy with a little man of your own to help you out"

There was a loud bang followed by a symphony of swearing, Cid had clearly banged his head. He rolled out from underneath the machine and picked up the cup of tea, draining it in seconds.

"Maybe I should go see what dem kids are doing"

"Yeah" Shera looked down slightly embarrassed. Cid picked up the plate of sandwiches and walked inside.

"watcha drawing"

He smiled as Denzel held up a picture of a big airship, the pilot closely resembled Cid. He turned his head to see what Marlene drew and frown.

"Ah sweet Gaia! Another one?"

Marlene looked at the picture smiling

"He is so pretty"

The picture was a face with light purple hair scribbled around it and two dark purple eyes.

"I donnae this cant be normal"

Shera nudged him and whispered

"It isn't uncommon for children her age to have imaginary friends"

"Ah gotcha" Cid took the picture and put it on a pile of similar pictures she had drawn on different days. They all featured the purple man; some of them were quite good.

"Right well as suppose I should start sticking these up"

He reached into a drawer and got out some blue tac, after softening it he started sticking the pictures to the walls.

"There!" he said proudly, someone knocked on the door and Shera opened it

"Mister Tuesti"

Reeve smiled warmly.

"Hello Shera, I was hoping to talk to Cid" he held up a large stuffed toy "for some repairs"

"Of course"

She stepped aside letting him in, a Cait Sith walked in behind him. Reeve stopped at one of the purple faces and smiled thinly "looks like Carl has been on there minds"

"Carl?"

Reeve pointed to the picture

"The man in the picture, Carl Jameson"

"You and ya spy cat would know wouldn't ya. Shera how bout some tea?"

Reeve sat down and gratefully accepted some tea.

"I was hoping you would be able to fix this MOG for Cait Sith to ride on… it would be a long way for him to walk and I don't want his joints wearing out"

"I take it Red doesn't want to walk him round any longer"

"No it isn't that, the last Cait Sith met its end the yesterday at the hands of some R-E-M-N-A-N-T-S" Cid whistled and lit a cigarette. He looked at Shera then whispered

"I would have loved to come for soma the action but Shera wants me to stay, something bothering her, plus now we have the kids"

"Of course" Reeve whispered back "I understand"

"Good"

"But do you think you can repair it?"

"I don't see why naht let me have a look at it…

Shera smiled as the both started talking technically about OS' and requirements and briefly let her hand stray to her belly.

dun dun da, poor shera shes up the duff in every fanfic isnt she