When I next open my eyes, I'm clearly not at the lodge anymore. In fact, I'm clearly not even on the ground anymore. In the pit of my stomach, I feel empty. Hollow. Shadow? Nothing. Nothing but silence. I can't even feel her presence. It's the first time in decades where I've felt both true loneliness and security in my thoughts. I'd be lying if I said I won't miss her snarky comments, but I'd also be a liar if I said I won't enjoy the liberation.

"She's awake, Captain!"

I jump, looking around the Shera's sickbay in search of any signs of the source of the voice. Two soldiers peer into my room. Cid jolts awake in the seat he's pulled up to the bedside, rubbing his face.

"You alright?" he asks finally, motioning for the soldiers to leave us alone.

"Yeah," I nod. "I'm a little sore, though."

"I'll bet. Reno said you were screamin' bloody murder."

"Was I?" I frown. #$%^. "She's gone."

"No need to sound so excited," Cid chuckles. "It'll take some gettin' used to, huh?"

"Yeah." I sigh. "Guess now I'm no different than Cloud."

"Don't go mopin' on us," Cid scoffs, clapping a hand down on my shoulder. "You'll get over it."

"You never know. I could start a delivery business of my own."

"Here," Cid chuckles, reaching toward the desk behind him. "Tseng and Reno dropped these off with you." My heart catches in my throat. I forgot about that. I take the bow and the sword from Cid's hands, laying them on my lap. I trace my fingers over the twisting, rough cut edges of Sacrifice, glancing back up at the pilot as I lean back.

"I think I'm a little tired still." Cid rolls his eyes and takes hold of my arm, dragging me to my feet.

"Call Vince back. He tried gettin' ahold of you while you were out." He laughs, scratching the back of his head. "Poor #$^%^*$ just wants to know if you're alright."

"Fine," I sigh, pulling my phone off of the table beside me and scrolling through my contacts until I find "Emo #$%^&." Fighting a laugh, I look up at Cid. "He's probably fighting Deepground by now."

"Yeah," Cid shrugs. "C'mon. Yer boys've been waitin', too."

"My boys?" I raise an eyebrow.

"David and Josh." He stands, heading out the door. I follow slowly, frowning when I suddenly realize how much heavier I am when I have to carry my own weight around. "They're still in the engine room. Been catchin' up since Callie put 'em to work. Never knew Dave was a handyman."

"Yeah, he tries," I huff, rolling my eyes. Tried. Joshua notices me first, hurrying over to me.

"Mom?!"

"Yeah?"

He laughs, squeezing the life out of me. I wince, patting his back as my sore body screams in protest. Gratefully, I accept David's much more ginger approach, his touch light and his body warm. He presses his lips to my forehead, pulling away slowly.

"How're you feeling?"

"Alright," I sigh. "Empty. Sore."

"Like you gave birth?"

"Uh, no."

"You sure? That's how you described what it was like after having Josh," David laughs, nudging me playfully. I roll my eyes.

"Shadow didn't leave through my vagina, so I think we're okay."

"I would hope not," David scoffs, glancing over at Cid. "You just wait until Shera has kids, Chief."

"#$%^ no," Cid snaps. "Don't ever plan on it."

"#$%^ happens," I shrug, motioning to Josh. "That was not in the plan."

"Ouch," Josh mutters.

"It's too early for that #$%^," Cid bites back, rubbing his face.

"Excuse me? I was twenty-three when I had Joshua. You're like, what, thirty-five? Definitely not too early."

"Yer phone's ringing," the pilot grumbles, scowling at David. The ex-Tsviet merely smiles at him. I pick up quickly, pressing the phone to my ear as I wander a few steps away from the others.

"Hey, Vince," I greet.

"Violet."

"You called? Sorry, I was asleep. Y'know, resting up like you told me to."

"... Yeah. Cid said there was something you need to tell me."

"He what?" I shoot a pointed look at the snickering captain. "It's not a big deal, really."

"Violet—"

"Okay, okay. So I called up Reno and went to the Lodge—"

"I'm a little afraid of where this is headed."

"Don't be," I laugh, playing with the end of my hair. "I'm teasing. Remember Hojo's file? There was a way to get rid of Shadow written in there. I'll explain the technicalities to you when you get back, but basically, all it took was a mako purification and now we've gone our separate ways. She's gone."

"..."

"Reno and the rest of the Turks helped me out. Hurt like #$%^0, but I'm alive."

"I'm glad to hear that." There's something odd in his voice and I find myself surprised that he doesn't argue with me about Shadow and my impromptu cleansing.

"How are things going?"

"Shelke and I are near the center of the complex. I have to hang up soon."

"Unfortunate," I sigh, falling against the wall. "Looks like I'm not stronger than you anymore."

"... You never were."

"Uh, yeah. I was."

"No."

"You're just jealous," I scoff, though I'm smiling.

"Hn." There's a pause. "Violet, I have to go."

"Bye, Vince. See ya soon."

"Violet..." Vincent hesitates and I close my eyes, dreading his next words. "About earlier—"

"I have to go," I say suddenly, hanging up and taking a deep breath. I knew I shouldn't have said that...

"So?" Josh asks, cocking his head to the side.

"So none of your business," I retort, patting the side of his face and heading to the cockpit, where Cid disappeared to. He leans against the wheel impatiently, lighting up a cigarette.

"What's takin' 'em so long?" he mutters, scowling at the large window at the front of the room. I shrug, looking out over the city.

"You wouldn't believe how big that place is. It's like an anthill. I'd say we were only about halfway when I left."

"After all that?"

"Yeah." I fan Cid's smoke out of my face with a grimace. "You should really quit, you know."

"I know," he huffs. "Shera tells me all the time. Tries to pull the secondhand smoke BS on me."

"Well," I shrug, point made.

"It's just ain't that easy," he shakes his head, tipping his cigarette toward me. "You'd know."

"Yeah," I sigh, watching Josh return to his seat at the control panel. Cid chuckles and I glance back at him, eyebrow raised expectantly. He shakes his head.

"Nothin'. I was just thinkin' about what a bunch of little Vinnie-Violet hybrids would look like."

"Oh gods," I groan, shaking my head. "Never."

"Not even one?"

"Absolutely not," I mumble, turning and heading toward the stairs. "I'm going back to bed."

"G'night Vi," he replies, laughing as he smokes away his anxieties about this whole ordeal.

I lay back down in the sick bay, staring at the ceiling. It's weird, isn't it? Being alone? I close my eyes, trying to picture what Vincent's up to now. Kicking #$%, probably. I sigh and turn onto my side. C'mon, sleep. You can do this. Scoffing at myself, I sit up.

"There's no way," I huff.

"You always talk to yourself?" I jump, looking up to see David smiling in the doorway, arms loaded with blankets. "Or is this just a one-time thing?"

"I don't know anymore," I sigh, laying back down. "What're you doing here?"

"Can't sleep?" he asks, ignoring my question and coming closer. I nod, yawning. "Here." Gingerly, he lays two blankets over me, sitting in the seat Cid left. "Better?"

"Not really," I reply, grinning up at him. He laughs, shaking his head.

"Can't help you, then. Are you hungry?"

"A little?" At the prospect of food, my stomach growls loudly. David chuckles.

"A little?"

"Yeah," I retort. "Don't question me, #$%^&*^." He smiles, shaking his head and forcing himself to his feet. Immediately, I feel nothing but agonizing guilt. I sit up sharply, taking hold of his wrist. "Hey, you don't have to go. You're exhausted."

"I'm fine," he shakes his head. "You need to eat something."

"You don't have to care so much," I huff, letting go of him to cross my arms. "I can help myself; you don't have to do everything."

"For you, I'd do anything," he replies quietly, stuffing his hands into his pockets and strolling out of the room.

Closing my eyes, I take a deep breath. He's doing this to himself. I haven't done anything wrong. I haven't... He comes back about twenty minutes later with a black tray in his hands, coming to sit in the seat beside the bed.

"Two grilled cheeses and some water," he announces, flashing his winning smile.

"Thanks." The smell alone nearly makes me devour the sandwich in one bite. "It's still warm." I glance up at him, speaking around a cheek full of bread and cheese. "Where the #$%^ did you get this?"

"Some guy named Elliot," he shrugs. "Cid's chef. Apparently, he was hired a few weeks before all this. Nice guy."

"Your fellow gentleman," I scoff, taking another bite. He chuckles.

"I try."

"A little too hard."

"Yeah, maybe." He takes a bite of his own dinner. "I don't like to brag, but I think I'm a pretty good guy."

"A good catch," I snicker, taking a drink from my glass of water. "You're a real happy guy."

"Yeah, well," he shrugs. "I've got a head full of good memories to keep me on my feet."

"Memories?"

"Yeah. You and little Josh painting in the mansion, laughing until your bellies hurt and tears were rolling down your cheeks." He allows a small smile. "My pretty girl and my little boy... All I needed."

"All you need," I mumble, chewing on my cheek to fight back the pain of nostalgia. Those days feel like centuries ago. David tilts his head to the side.

"I don't want this to be weird, but... If Hojo hadn't meddled, do you think we'd still be together?"

"Us?" I ask, feeling my heart skip a beat. "I guess..." Feeling that guilt all over again, I rest a hand on his knee. "Yeah. Our wedding would've been great. We'd find a house in Nibelheim so we didn't have to stay in that Manor and it'd be a cute one, too. Eventually, you'd retire from SOLDIER and I'd drop monster hunting." But... our separation wasn't Hojo's decision, now was it?

"Do you think we would've had more kids?"

"Maybe. #$%^ happens, right?"

"#$%^ happens," he nods, satisfied with my answer. My insecurity is quick to ruin the moment.

"But, y'know, neither of us is entirely human anymore and Hojo did meddle." I draw my hand away, staring hard at the blankets. "Don't pretend you didn't have anything to do with your disappearance, David. You did that of your own volition."

"... I know." He takes a deep breath. "I did that, and I take full responsibility. I was selfish and stupid. I ruined what could've been a good life—for both of us."

"No," I shake my head. "I chose to go to Hojo. That part's on me, not you."

"Okay." David takes a drink of his water and I finish off my grilled cheese. "Did you have the stigma?"

"Yeah. It blinded one eye for a while."

"And you're alright now?"

"Yeah," I nod, playing with the material that covers my lap. "They distributed the cure across the Planet."

"Josh told me. Said he had it." He hesitates, his throat tight when he speaks again. "Said it killed his daughter." He sets his empty water glass down and runs a hand through his hair, his eyes overwhelmed with guilt. "I was a grandfather and I didn't even know it."

"Well, you still are if his ex-wife is still alive," I scoff, finally meeting his gaze. "The #$%^ took his son and ran off to gods-know-where after the Jenova Crisis."

"Things just never get better, do they?" he asks, laughing bitterly.

"No." I shake my head, taking the tray off his lap and setting it on the floor. "They do." I scoot over, patting the bed. "Come here."

"I need to take care of—"

"David," I cut him off, rolling my eyes. "Seriously? We can take care of it later. You're tired; just lay down." With a sigh, he gives, facing the doorway. I press my back to his for warmth and tug the blankets up to my chin. "Goodnight."

"Goodnight, Violet."

~|~|~|~|~

"C'mon, get up, lazy #$%," I coax, shaking David's shoulder. He mumbles something and pulls the blankets tighter around him, relaxing as he returns to whatever dreams he was chasing. I huff, reaching over him and grabbing my water. I take a long sip before slinging a leg over his waist, looming over him with a devilish grin. "Okay, you asked for it." Slowly, I let drops of water run from the glass to his ear. He jerks awake, sitting up abruptly and rubbing the side of his head. Laughing, I sit back.

"What the #$%^?" he whines.

"I told you to get up," I point out, drinking the rest of the water and putting the glass back on the tray. He scoffs, ruffling his hair and standing.

"I was comfortable."

"I need to pee," I retort. "Where's the bathroom on this fortress?"

"Down the hall and to the right," he sighs.

When I return, David's back in bed like a young boy who doesn't want to go to school, rolled up in layer upon layer of blankets. Sighing, I pick my bow up off the floor and sling it over my head, letting the bowstring hold it in place across my chest. I strap Nightmare to my side, crouching and brushing David's hair out of his face.

"Vi..."

"Yeah?" I whisper. His eyelids flutter, but they remain closed. He's dreaming.

"Don't go..."

I sigh, shaking my head and picking up the tray. I head toward the door, unsure of where to find the kitchen.

"I... love you..."

I clench my jaw and keep walking. He chose this, I remind myself. He did. Shaking my head to clear my thoughts, I go on a hunt for this Elliot guy. I find the kitchen easily enough, finding Cid standing outside of it as well.

"Hey, Cid," I greet. Clearly tired, Cid turns to face me with another cigarette burning between his lips. "Where's Elliot?"

"Elijah?" he asks, raising an eyebrow. I shrug.

"Whatever. I just need to return this."

"Jus' put it wherever," he grumbles, waving toward the countertop that's just inside the doors. Frowning, I set the tray down and head back over to the grouchy pilot, cocking my head to the side.

"Are you alright?" I ask, reach out to touch his shoulder. He jerks away, scowling at me. The expression fades quickly, though, and he pushes a hand through his hair.

"It's nothin', kid. Don't worry about it."

"It's obviously not nothing," I retort, crossing my arms. "C'mon, what's up?"

"The sky," he mutters. I roll my eyes and he glances at the wall. "Look, it's none of your business, okay? Shera called and now I'm stressed. That's all." He nods toward the swinging doors that lead into the kitchen. "Go find Elliot."

"Elijah."

"Right, Elijah. Go find 'im." He throws his cigarette to the floor and stomps on it with the toe of his boot, pushing the doors open. "Eli!"

"Captain? How are you?" A tall, bald man steps out, nodding toward Cid. He turns his friendly green eyes to me and smiles warmly. "Did you need something?"

"Nope. Vi, this is Elijah. Eli, this is Violet."

"Pleasure to finally meet you," Elijah says, holding out his hand for me to shake. I take it. "What is it, Chief?"

"She's just bringin' back a tray 'n #$%^," Cid replies, brushing off our concerned looks. "Dave picked it up earlier."

"I see," Elijah replies gingerly, picking up the tray and looking back at me. "So, you're the beauty Harper and Valentine find themselves enraptured with these days."

"I wouldn't say beauty," I reply, laughing nervously. "It's definitely complicated."

"I get to hear all the gossip from the kitchen," he smiles. "The sound carries well through these halls."

"Yeah, well, people will say what they want to say."

"Exactly. I wouldn't worry too much."

He heads into the kitchen and Cid and I follow. While the chef goes to the sink to wash the dishes, Cid plops into a seat against the wall. I stand at his side.

"So," the pilot starts, lighting a cigarette. "Did Vin say anything?"

"About?"

"You said you were givin' him three days to shape up or you were done."

"Right. He's decided to stay and try to get rid of his weird obsession with Lucy. Apparently, that also means he's my authority."

"Don't take it too hard," Cid chuckles, though it looks as though his mind is thousands of miles away. "He's, uh, he just doesn't want to lose another one, y'know?"

"Is something wrong?" Eli asks, raising a reddish eyebrow.

"Huh? No, it's nothin'."

"Trust me, I tried squeezing something out of him earlier," I huff, crossing my arms. "He's too stubborn for his own good."

"Says you," Cid scoffs.

"Hey! I've never kept anything from you. You're Papa Cid."

"What a nickname," Eli chuckles quietly, diligently scrubbing at the dishes.

"I told you to stop callin' me that," Cid scowls. I lose my cool, grabbing his arm and dragging him up out of his seat.

"C'mon, gramps. We're gonna go for a walk."

"Get off me!" Cid snaps, tugging. I pull him after me, letting him go once we're in the hall. "Son of a #$%^&, Vi!"

"Shut it," I snap. "Spill."

"I ain't tellin' you anything," he bites back. "It's no one's business but mine and Shera's." This feels familiar. "Get yer nose outta my—"

"She's pregnant, isn't she?" I demand, waiting expectantly for a reply. He stops dead in his tracks, jaw snapping shut and hands pushing into his pockets.

"Who?"

"Shera, #$%^&*^."

"Vi—"

"I knew it!" I cheer, throwing a fist in the air. "Alright, here's what we're gonna do. First, you need to drop the cigarettes. I should probably get you a swear jar. Shera might be able to—"

"Shut yer trap," he interrupts, his voice sharper than usual. "Calm the #$%^ down."

"This kid's gonna be so spoiled," I grin, patting his back. He gives me a flat look and scratches at his stubbly chin.

"Keep it down, would ya? I don't wanna be bothered by the crew and I'm already freakin' out as it is."

"If it's any consolation, David passed out when I broke the news," I shrug. "Actually, he fell on top of Vincent and somehow they got tangled and Vince's pants tore and he had to walk back to the mansion in his underwear." The light slowly begins to return to Cid's eyes.

"Sometimes I forgot y'all were completely different people before all this."

"And that I'm almost twice your age? Yeah," I laugh, nudging him with my elbow. "Listen, I need some fresh air. Mind if I take a walk under the ship?"

"Not at all," Cid replies, shaking his head. "Just be careful. My men caught some Deepground punks #$%^&*' around down there last night. Don't really know what they were up to."

"Alright, I'll take David with me then."

I head back to the sick bay and shake David awake. Groaning, he bats my hand away and sits up, rubbing his face.

"What now?"

"Come on. We're checking out the ground; Deepground was down there last night."

"What?" He suddenly seems to wake up, reaching for his sword. I explain as we