Last chapter. Thank you all for reading!

Cid was in no way squeamish, but a majority of the procedures he chose to sit and watch over were absolutely cringe worthy. He knew it was going to be a long night when he found Shera in the nursery, and he knew it was going to be a long morning when they gave his wife her epidural. They wouldn't allow her to see the needle. Shera asked Cid how big the long ass, mosquito-leg poker was, and he lied and told her it wasn't much. If that made him anxious, the c-whatever was probably going to make him bilious.

He held her hand when they laid her down, and watched them hook her up to all sorts of weird machines. Cid wasn't too keen on having to change his clothes either, but the nurses insisted he had to if he wanted to be at Shera's side during delivery. Cid kept his tired eyes trained on her face because he really couldn't focus on anything else. Everyone in the room was working around her…cooch and he felt a little dumb for it slightly bothering him.

Shera seemed so calm, though. She neatly laid her hands above the bloat of her stomach and looked, and responded to questions whenever she was directed to. The doc they had been transferred to in the small hospital (who was practiced in multiple birth apparently) gave them both a general description for what was about to happen, confirmed that Shera was fully numb, asked her if she had any final requests, and like that, they hopped right to it. He turned his head to one of the three heart monitors in the room. He could hear the stick-up-the-butt physician working. Cid just couldn't look while they were.

"I'm fine, Captain. Everything is okay." Shera squeezed the hand that held hers. She was un-fucking-believable sometimes. Wasn't he supposed to be the one comforting her?

Approximately nine months of shenaniganry, and all three of their girls were delivered in less an hour.

SIMON SIERRA HIGHWIND delivered 4:23 AM. 5lbs 3oz

CIDNEY SKYLAR HIGHWIND II delivered 4:39 AM. 5lbs 6oz

SAMSON SABREENE HIGHWIND delivered 5:04 AM. 5lbs 4oz

It only took them an extra half hour to properly stitch Shera back up and grant her a few oddly named medications. They were all thankful that the surgery proceeded with little difficulty. They had them washed up, checked for any precautions, and properly name tagged with bands around their wrists. Simon, Samson, and Cidney were given back to to be held by their exhausted mother (aside from Cid being there with her, that was Shera's only request). Only two infants fit comfortably in her arms at once, and all three just long enough to take a few decent pictures. Cid's phone buzzed periodically with message responses most of the morning.

(1/1)No, I'm awake. Congrats, Cid. Tifa has a basket for Shera.

(1/2)Why are you messaging so early?

(2/2) Oh, they're adorable...

(1/2)Ya woman looks worn out.

(2/2)Better take care of her!

(1/2)Hey! You're a dad now. You can add this achievement to your sash of cranky old man patches.

(2/2)You gonna pay me to babysit, right?

The room was rather quiet while things were being sorted out. From beyond a window, transferred back to a more rest suited facility, Cid could see the first warm hues of morning light. The curtained glass cast symmetrical brackets over the sheets of the room's bed and bathed Shera in ginger. He propped himself up in yet another stiff hospital chair, resisted the urge to chew on something, and continued his dignified job of being his wife's support. Cid only gotten a few hours of sleep, but he knew better than to complain.

"Know what yer' doin'?" His voice was textured by resisting the urge to yawn.

"I think so." Shera's voice was equally grained. She somewhat figured out how to nurse, leaving Cid with one to hold. Nervousness twisted the very pit of his stomach. It was rare that Cid was speechless, but the sight in his arms humbled him deeply. A full head of blonde hair, closed content eyes, and pink little faces and fingers; they were so damn tiny. So very tiny, and so very delicate in his big, hairy forearms. Cid didn't have a gentle bone in his body until today.

"Damn..." He mouthed to himself. Shera looked over the side of her pillow with very crooked glasses. Tiredness had caused her hazel eyes to droop, but in their cores, he could tell that she was just as content.

"You know you're going to have to work on that now." The grin she gave Cid was a goofy one. Shera was already proud of him for putting down cigarettes…even if he constantly grumbled about the quitting process. She was sure he could get the hang of learning to censor himself.

"Now? They cain't understand it yet!" Cid slowly moved the crease of his arm in the way the nurse had demonstrated earlier. Support the head? He sure as hell hoped he was doing it right.

"They say time flies. They'll start talking in the next three years. Better start early." Shera's dumb grin thinned into a very small smile. With her eyes closed, she sighed. Cid knew the tone well.

The next three years, huh? "Don't you go'n worry 'bout that money, Shera. We'cn recover, get back on our feet, save again." Something like that. He could admit he was a little iffy about what they were going to do about child care funds. When they get the hospital bill, his recent paycheck was probably going to bleed right through the cracks of his fingers.

"I know we can, Cid."

Shera didn't know Cid had it in him to be a worrier, but he called her at least every other hour while she was recovering at home. He just wanted to know if she and the girls were doing okay. Ideally, Cid wanted to take off work for a few days to help his wife adjust to tending to their children, but he knew he couldn't. The few days after the hospital visit were an aggressive dash to get home to his family.

The Captain was somewhat hopeful when Shera mentioned they had someone volunteer to help. His hope was thrown out the door when he realized it was Yuffie. Worst babysitter ever. She kept blurting Cid questions over his voice mail. "Why is the color in this room barf?!" And of course the occasional back handed compliment. "Aww~! They're loud and pissy like you!" Shera was very happy to have her company. Supposedly, Yuffie wasn't all that bad with babies. Supposedly…

It was also surprising (okay maybe not all that surprising) to find that many Rocket Town residents had their noses stuck in, and heavily invested in their business. Cid was the only town...celebrity, and when word got around that she was pregnant; the civic was buzzing again. A bit more than when Cid and Shera were married, and much more when they renewed their vows after her Geostigma scare. Shera had come to expect the random visit here and there. Sometimes it was someone she recognized, like Cloud (who had come to deliver a care package from Tifa), or even Vincent (as mysterious as he was). Other times, it was someone she vaguely remembered. They wanted to, with a pretty please, come in to see the Highwind triplets. It tickled Shera that they had already made a name for themselves. Cid would be more than happy to soak up the spot light for them. He already walked with squared shoulders and a pridefully puffed chest.

"In a moment!" Shera called from upstairs. A knock came to the door, and she took her time carefully climbing down the steps to answer. Minding her soreness, and keeping an ear trained for upstairs, she assumed it was another random pop-in and unlocked all the latches to the door. Shera expected a body, but found nothing but her mail for the day stacked neatly in the box on the porch. "Thank you!" She caught the mail carrier just as they were rounding the corner to another house.

"Let's see her." With things locked up again, Shera laid a small package for Cid, probably more machinery parts or a toy, on the table and sifted through the letters. She tossed what she knew was junk in the trash, and then paused when she saw a letter addressed in legitimate, cursive handwriting. "To Cid and Sheraton Highwind…" Shera mouthed as she read "From Dottie Highwind." This letter was from Cid's mother?

When Cid was finally home, both sat down at the table after warming up a pre-prepared meal. The small parcel on the wood top became the elephant in the room and they both occasionally glanced at it while eating.

"Are you going to open it…?" Shera gently asked her husband, and he responded with an indecisive grunt. Last time he opened anything from one of his parents it didn't go well. Of course, he knew his mama to be a much more trust worthy person, very free spirited and never in one place, but trustworthy. Cid was wary of opening it anyway.

"I opened the last one." Cid argued. "S'got both our names on it. You can open it this time."

"It is your mother, Captain. I don't know her very well. I think this letter is more for you." She smoothly retorted.

"C'mon Shera I-" Cid didn't even finish his sentence. He was up and out of his seat the very second he heard a cry. Shera watched him disappear up the stairs with a sigh. Fine, she'd open it this time.

Yoo-hoo!

I couldn't help but hear you two were in a tight bunch. Wait, where are my manners?! First of all, con-grat-u-lations! Had no clue I was a grandmammay. You'd better send me plenty of pictures of your precious little girls! Take them my way to visit when you can. I mean it. I haven't heard from my son since the Cetra discovered fire, so you can tell I'm pleasantly surprised. Shera, I would love to meet, and see how Cid is treating you. So, your hiding days are up. I'm coming for you. Be ready.

Now, back to business. As I was writing before, I couldn't help but hear my husband's been creeping around again. Not the first time it's happened. I should keep him on a tighter leash, or slap some gloves on his sticky fingers. The son of a gun is harder to track down than a half carat diamond in a white carpet floor. What the hell is he going to steal next? The entire wealth of Wutai?! Good God I hope not. That's what I get for marrying the human embodiment of a treasure hoarding, over grown lizard. Whatever. Point is, I decided to hunt him down help you out. You're welcome~

Cidney, sweetheart~! Your Mammy loves and misses you. Call me you damn brat!

And Shera, I'm serious about that visit y'hear?! Clear out your schedule when I come by, we're getting our nails done, honey!

P.S. Held him by his neck to a jet turbine and had Johnathan fork over a little extra. Consider it an equal exchange for all the random trouble. xoxo!

Shera read the letter over again a second time. She could certainly believe that this was Cid's mother. When she stuck her hand back into the envelope the scented, floral stationary had been in, she found another item. It was a check for over twenty thousand gil; filled out by Johnny G. Highwind himself. The memo: for being a dirty thief! was written in the same feminine cursive as the letter.

"Cid…"

"Wah? What's the damage? She comin' for somethin', too?" He was holding a bottle to Samson's mouth with his chin while he carefully held the infant on his way down the stairs. Thank god she was the only one awake for now. No guarantee who was going to keep them up later that night.

"Cid, come and look." Shera sank further in her chair. She removed her glasses and placed them on the table next to her empty plate. She wiped the moisture that began to form in her eyes. Shera was so relieved. They had to reply as soon as possible.

"What is it?!" Cid saw her tears first and assumed the absolute worse. He was almost afraid to take the letter from her as they switched.

"Just read it. Look." Shera took Samson in her arms and dabbed the rest of the dampness from her ducts.

"Ah, shit!" The Captain's eyes tore over the paper.

"Isn't it great news? That was so kind of her to go out of her way and get out money back. I finally think things are going to be okay." She swayed; rocking her daughter while she ate.

"No it ain't! My Mama's comin'!"

"Cid…"

Another rotation of feeding passed by and tiredness was beginning to creep up on Shera. The dishes were cleared away in the sink hours ago and doors locked up for the night. While Cid was finishing his final calls, she took some time out before bed to write Dottie a prompt reply. She couldn't thank Cid's mother enough. The check would be deposited as soon as possible the very next day. Both parents were in the bed by nine, and up again by twelve. And in the bed by twelve thirty, and awake yet again by four. She had tagged out, and Cid rolled himself from bed instead.

A long while had passed this time. Shera collected her glasses, and gathered some motivation to see what was taking Cid so long to bottle feed, or change whoever was awake. She sleepily teetered in supposing that she'd find the Captain grumbling in the rocking chair, but he was standing in the center of the room watching. She came to a brief stop beside him and gazed at the no longer empty cribs that filled the room. Three beautiful mobiles were twinkling above their wooden supports. Each were adorned with thick baby blankets, and three lazily turning windmills cast light that crackled with kaleidoscopic patterns off to each side.

"How you feelin'?" Cid spoke after a drawn out, comfortable silence.

"Reassured. Sore. A little odd, but not in a bad way. I'm so used to them here," Shera placed her hand on her flattened stomach. "but now they're there. I can see and hold them."

"Cain't say I know how you feel." Cid spoke honestly. It was an accurate response. "But m here for ya, Shera." That went without saying.

"How are you feeling, Captain?" Shera returned the question.

"Fuckin' beat. But y'know what?"

"What?"

"I feel good. We've got work to do, Mama."