Here it is! The final chapter! Thank you so much for taking the time to read this and supporting me! I would like to write a sequel but we'll see if my muse is willing! Hope you enjoyed this story as much as I loved writing it! (Yay for Cid and Shera fans!) :D
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Chapter Five
The next few days brought us news that the green lights were life stream, the very life of the planet itself. The white light was said to be some super powerful spell that an ancient race called the Cetra had created to counter meteor. By the will of god and the planet we were spared. It also came to our attention that the WEAPONs were all taken out by an unknown force, we all agreed it was probably the Captain and his friends. I tried to act interested when people would come to the house to give me the news, I would make them tea and they would tell me how well I was taking things. I fooled them. As soon as I was left alone I would cry again. Not immobilizing sobs, but I cried. I had finally cleaned up the last of the remains of the party they had when Cid had said good bye. The house was clean, clean and lonely. It would be a feeling I would have to get used to. I heard someone come in as I was putting the last of the cleaning supplies away.
"Word came in from Kalm that they're all okay over there. They said a lot of people had gotten out of Midgar..." Donnie sat at the table. "They also said that there was a film crew that managed to get enough equipment to start broadcasting again... so we should be able to hear what really happened. Oh." He ruffled through his pockets. "You got a letter from your mom too. Maybe.." He paused. "Maybe you should get out of this house for a little bit, go stay with them for a while?"
"I'm fine Donnie." I faced him trying to be as convincing as possible. "I'll be sure to see them as soon as I can, but I just need a little more time."
"I hope so kiddo." He responded taking me in doubtfully. "Well, they're talking about building a new town to accommodate the people who don't homes anymore. They wanna keep it close to Midgar but not too close to Kalm... that's all they've got so far. Maybe we should volunteer to help?"
"Sounds like a good idea. We could really help them get their lives back..." I had to admit the thought did help me cope.
"I'll look into it and let you know." He stood. "Oh and I've noticed this place is like grand central station lately..."
"Yeah, people just can't seem to get enough of me." I shrugged with a weak smile.
"Maybe because you always give them hope. We're real lucky to have you."
"Lady luck that's me." I said weakly.
"Lady luck huh? Well if you ever tire of entertaining feel free to lock the front door. I have a feeling they won't leave you alone until you do." He left.
Again and again I find myself saying this... Donnie was right. People poured through the door every few minutes and I was down to my last three tea bags, not to mention the dirty dishes. It was dark when the last band of visitors had left. I shook my head with a light smile as I inspected the mountain of cups I had to tackle. I was completely out of clean cups. I wasn't upset, washing and drying them would keep me busy enough to keep my mind from wandering. I found myself going into dazes, I couldn't help but think about what the new town they wanted would be like. It would have to be huge to sustain all those people. Donnie said he'd get back to me... that was hours ago. I was kind of eager to hear more news about that, it was the only thing I had to focus on that didn't remind me of him. I heard someone walk into the house but barely noticed, I was thinking of who would take the place of Shinra, if anyone would at all. I heard a slap of leather on the table and an odd clunk that pulled me out of my thoughts. I turned to see who was there and found myself immediately locked in a kiss.
My skin tingled and my knees shook. He tasted like stale smoke, his scruff dragged across my skin like sand paper, his lips were cracked and dry, and his calloused bare hand slid around to the back of my head. I know it sounds awful, but it was enough to make me swoon with ecstacy. I had to grab onto the counter behind me to keep myself from collapsing. I had waited so long for this kiss, I was only able to close my eyes. He kissed me with his whole heart, and I had to fight to stay standing. This couldn't be real... My face was hot and I was sure it was redder than a tomato when he drew away from me.
"Breathin's important now..." He said quietly as his thumb traced my bottom lip. I hadn't realized I'd stopped breathing, but my chest was tight even when I let out the trembling breath. "There ya go..." Said his playful voice and I felt his lips press against my cheek.
Then he was gone. I was shaking all over. Swallowing hard I collected my courage and opened my eyes. No one was in front of me. My face was sore from his stubble, my heart swelled bigger with each beat, I could still taste him, I held onto the counter to keep standing, and my skin still tingled. Was I going crazy? I let out another quavering breath and saw what had made those odd sounds. A worn pair of dark brown leather gloves and a pair of aviation goggles lay abandoned on the table. My eyes wandered around the house and I saw that his bedroom door was open. Steading my shaking knees I approached the room and looked in.
Cid was collapsed on his bed. I stared at him. He was sleeping. I couldn't do anything but watch him, afraid if I blinked he'd disappear. He was still fully clothed apart from what he had deposited on the table. I stepped in and gently removed his boots. They were filthy, as was he, and I ran the dirt between my fingers... the sensation of the grains was so real. I blinked a few times and rested my fears, he was still there, I wasn't dreaming. I could tell he had become more muscular since he left with Cloud, he seemed so much stronger, even though he was just asleep. He was dirty, and sporting a few new cuts and bruises on what of him I could see. I wanted to wake him up, wanted to make sure he was real, but I sat on the floor with my back to the wall across from his bed. I felt like I was stuck in a wonderful memory, the kind that you remember until your dying breath. I felt my lips gently with my fingertips, had he really kissed me? All the exhaustion I had denied myself, all the heartache that had ripped me apart, caught up to me and I fell asleep where I sat.
"SHERA! SHERA!"
I jumped awake at the sound of Donnie screaming my name. I blinked and tried to remember where I was. There was a groan.
"Goddamn it what the hell is wrong with you people..."
I remembered. Cid looked at me with one eye.
"What the hell are you doin' down there?"
Donnie appeared in the open door, saw me, and then locked his eyes on the bed's inhabitant.
"CAPTAIN! You are back!" Donnie's face broke into a grin the size of the Shinra 26. "I saw your new lance outside and I couldn't believe it!"
"Go away." Cid growled as he put a pillow over his head. "Goddamn it I just helped save the fuckin' world an' I can't even get enough quiet to sleep."
"Sorry." Donnie whispered but his smile didn't flinch. "I'll let everyone know that you're back and grumpy as ever."
"Fuck off..."
"It's great to have you back Captain."
"... Good to be back. Now shut up."
I stifled my laughter and Donnie left. A corner of the pillow that hid his face lifted up and through the shadow I saw his beautiful blue eyes on me. I bit my lip to try to hide my smile.
"Laughin'?" His tone was unreadable. After all this was he really going to be upset with me for laughing at him? He blinked tiredly. "I haven't heard you laugh in a long time." He stretched his legs out and I heard his spine crack. With a light moan he rolled onto his back.
"You saved my ass again. Down there in the crater... we got him. Smacked the sonofabitch around real good. But we were trapped..."
My smile faded. He rubbed his eyelids.
"I think I said it out loud... 'Lady Luck don't fail me now...' ya didn't." He scratched his messy head, sending his hair further into chaos. "The Highwind threw herself into the crater and we managed to get out just in time... she's not how she used to look and pretty beat up... but she got us out."
"Where... where were you these last few days? If you got out before that light..."
"After Holy and the life stream stopped meteor, we tried to get as many people out of the ruins of Midgar as we could... I think Cloud, Barret, and Tifa are still there now... it's a real mess..."
"I..." I fixed my eyes on my knees. "I thought you were dead."
"Disappointed?" He raised an eyebrow at me.
"No!" I shouted and I quickly bit my lip embarrassed.
He laughed and sat up. He cracked his neck and slicked his hands through his hair. My face was still sensitive from his scratchy kiss and I couldn't contain myself anymore.
"Captain... about last night..."
"I kissed you." He looked at me, knowing I questioned my memory.
"W...why?" I asked feeling the blush creep over me again.
"Because you're too shy to do it yourself." He slid off the bed and sat on the floor across from me. He brushed my hair away from my eyes with a gentle touch. "Go on... lay one on me." He gave me his charming crooked smile. I felt my stomach twist into knots, he laughed lightly. "See? What'd I tell ya?" He moved his face toward mine.
"W..wait I have to tell you something..." I breathed and he stopped, only a few inches parted us.
"Stallin'?" His hand ran along the side of my neck.
"I... I love you." I stammered. After all those years I had held it inside me, to let it out was like releasing a breath held in too long. He blinked at me.
"That's it?" He said with a cocked eyebrow.
"What?" I couldn't believe it. How could he be so cold? So uncaring... he saw my anger and his smile turned nervous.
"No, no, wait now... don't get mad. It's just... I knew that."
"Y..you did?" I felt so foolish.
"Unless you just realized it... which I think we both know you haven't." He sat back leaning against the bed frame.
"But I never told anyone..." I searched my memory, I was certain.
"Come on now... you practically told me everyday." He sneered.
"I did?" I replied in horror.
"I never saw you blush so much around anyone else.. Or s..s..stutter as much." He teased.
"T... that doesn't..."
"Ya just did it again." He smiled.
"H... how long have you...?"
"Probably as soon as you got off that plane and saw me for the first time." He put on an arrogant smirk. "Was I really that good lookin'?"
I blushed and avoided answering him.
"So you've known all this time..."
"I wondered sometimes, but at the end of the day, I knew."
"Captain... when you k... when you kissed me..." I couldn't believe this was happening. "And in your letter... you.."
"So ya did get it? I wasn't sure if ya would. Is your brother okay?"
"He's fine..." I shook my head to reprimand him for interrupting me. He must know how difficult this was for me.
"That's good. Didn't bring back any of those dresses did you?" He eyed me carefully.
"No. I have to..." I started again with annoyance, I wanted to ask him something why wouldn't he just let me talk?
"Good they're not your style... though that purple one you were wearin' looked amazing on you."
"Captain..."
"I'm not saying to go get it or nothing. That wasn't you back there, she was trying to change you. I would have skinned her myself if she wasn't some kinda endangered species."
"CAPTAIN..."
"All right I'm sorry, but she's not the nicest of large aquatic mammals. Really I've seen a lot of things these past few months but nothing was as unnaturally annoying as your..."
"CID DO YOU LOVE ME?" I shouted but shrunk in fright as soon as I did. He blinked at me. I wanted to curl up in a ball and turn invisible.
"You kiddin'?" His forehead wrinkled in confusion. "What do I have to do spell it out for you?" He grumbled. "You gotta have people fuckin' tell you things out right... take you by the hand and..."
"So... what are you saying?" What was he rambling about?
"Yes." He sighed in annoyance. " I tried like hell not too..." He crossed his arms and coyly put his eyes on me. "But... yes I love you. Happy now?"
I threw my arms around his neck and kissed him. I felt his shock but he put his arms around me and looked into my eyes.
"Well... what happened to Ms. Shy? Maybe I was wrong about you?" He smiled.
"When did you start?" My world had fallen away, we were the only people left in my eyes. He rolled his.
"All these questions..." He teased.
I kissed him again... it was a feeling I was sure would never loose it's sweetness.
"Okay. You twisted my arm." He faked a grimace. "I guess I realized it completely when I saw you in the rocket when we were in space. But when did I suspect it? Probably... when I took you around on your first night and saw that Velcher Tusk standin' behind you. I don't know... I just panicked. I never used to panic before you came around and started shakin' things up."
"So... if you loved me... why did you turn away from me when.. I tried to kiss you?" It was a hard question. One I had no answer to myself.
"I thought I was going into space... thought you'd be better off with out havin' to wait for me to come back, if I didn't die. That and like I said I tried like hell not to love you. I was the Captain after all... what would people think?" He looked so tired. I was sure he was exhausted, after all he had just been through, it would be scary if he wasn't. " I guess I really shook ya last night huh?" He closed his weary eyes.
"I barely heard you come in... people were coming in all day and we all thought you'd been killed in the crater..." I laid my head on his chest and heard the steady beating of his heart.
"Psh. Figures. I half expected you to smack me."
"Did you want me to?" I traced his Adam's apple with my index finger.
"What the hell kind of question is that! Of course I didn't want you to smack me!"
I shifted in his loving arms, put my hands on either side of his face, and turned it down toward me. He opened his eyes a crack as if to make sure I wasn't going to hit him. I committed him to memory, I wanted to remember him as he was that day, the day he said he loved me. I closed my eyes and kissed him. I wasn't afraid anymore, I knew I wasn't alone in my affection. I opened my heart up to him and he accepted it with open arms, it was more than a kiss. I had devoted my life to him already, but now he had given his to me.
I don' t know what awaits us. I don't know if the world will ever stay this peaceful, chances are they won't. When something happens I know he'll rise to the call of duty again. When that happens I will just have to be his lucky charm. We love each other, and as long as we have this, I don't have to be afraid to be myself anymore.
The End.
-----------------Final Fantasy VII and all related characters are © Square-Enix---------------