Final Fantasy - All Series Fan Fiction ❯ My Happy Ending ❯ Beautifully Broken ( Chapter 38 )

Chapter 38: Beautifully Broken

 

“It seems like yesterday

That my world fell from the sky,

It seems like yesterday

I didn't know how hard I could cry,

It feels like tomorrow

I may not get by,

But I will try

And wipe the tears from my eyes.”

-Ashlee Simpson “Beautifully Broken”

 

Raye began to stir at the desk and she opened her eyes, awaking to the sound of an air compressor and the sound of lug nuts being driven into a tire. She sat up slowly as Cid's jacket slid from her shoulders and fell to the floor. She glanced down, rubbing her eyes, and stretched before picking up the jacket. Raye blinked and frowned, wondering why Cid had left his jacked behind.

She stood up and folded the jacket over her arm and ventured out of the office and down to the shop where, to her absolute surprise, Brad and Cid were ducked beneath a hood together and Shera was working on another vehicle by herself. The other woman stood up for a moment, adjusted her glasses, and went to the tool chest to pick another tool. She glanced over at the door and noticed Raye standing there in total awe.

Shera smiled. “Hello, Raye. Did you sleep okay?”

Raye blinked and stepped fully into the shop. “Yeah…I guess.” She walked over to the car that she was working on. “What…what are you and Cid doing here?”

Shera smiled and leaned under the hood. “Brad called me and said you guys needed some help, so I came.” She glanced up at Raye, her glasses slipping down her nose. “Raye…I am so sorry to hear about Mark.”

Raye didn't say anything, but she went over to Cid and Brad who were trying to figure out why the alternator had gone bad. “What the hell are you doing, Cid? I told you I didn't need any help.”

Cid stood up and scowled. “Yer fuckin' welcome.”

“And why didn't any of you fuckers wake me up?” Raye complained. “It's well after ten!”

Brad put in a socket wrench and began to turn it. “Well, you were asleep, Sis, and we didn't want to wake you up. You've been working the hardest out of all of us.”

Then Raye put her hands up on her head. “Oh...God…” She shook her head. “I wish you wouldn't let me do that…but what about Mark?”

Cid tinkered with the alternator he'd pulled from the car. “He's fine. Yer dad's takin' care of him. We're sort of givin' you an' him a break.”

Brad smiled tiredly. “And then when Dad comes back, I'll take a break for a while.”

Raye stood there clenching and unclenching her fists. She couldn't decide whether she should be angry, touched, or relieved. She turned on her heel and wordlessly left the garage and returned to the office from which she came. Cid glanced up after her and put the component down.

“I'll be right back…” he said to Brad as he trailed after Raye.

Cid found her in the office and went in, closing the door behind him. She turned her back to him and crossed her arms.

“Why, Cid? Why?” she softly asked, her voice shaking.

Cid bit his lip. “Well…why not?” He came up and ventured to place his hands on her shoulders. She stepped out of his grasp. “Look, Raye…I know yer too proud to beg…”

She whirled around and met his gaze with a mixture of anger and relief. “Yes…I am, Cid. I didn't want you to get involved. You've got your own stuff to worry about with your job and all…”

“But it dun mean I shouldn't worry about you,” he softly said. Cid put his hands on her shoulders a little more firmly this time. “Look…I care about you, Raye, and…I wish I knew whether you felt the same, but…putting all that aside, I just dun want to see you miserable and suffering when you've got people who would be willing to jump in for you and fight. I mean, hell, that's what I learned when I was travelin' with Avalanche…” He pulled her into him. “I wouldn't be here if…if I didn't love you. You've done a lot for me this past year, and…it's time I repay the favor.”

Raye's eyes widened as her head rested on Cid's shoulder. “You…you just said you love me…Cid.”

The realization hit Cid over what he'd said, and he wasn't sure how to react to that. Yet…it didn't feel wrong and maybe he simply didn't realize it until he'd seen Raye so torn up over what was happening in her life.

He swallowed. “Yeah…yeah I do.”

Raye closed her eyes and she was unable to stop a tear rolling from her cheek. “Why? I'm…not pretty…and I'm…not at all like a lady, and…God everything is just so screwed up right now. Why do you have to come in here and screw it up more?”

He rubbed her back. “Because that's what I seem to be good at…fucking things up. And for what it's worth…I saw one o' those ads the other day…” He lifted her chin to gaze at her. “I thought ya looked amazing.”

Raye was silent and she glanced down again. “I didn't think so, but…thanks.”

“Oh, now yer gonna have to get over that,” Cid told her. “And a lot of other things…like this not asking for help bullshit…that's gotta change.” He put an arm around her. “Now c'mon, let's get caught up, alright?”

Raye offered a sheepish smile. “Yeah…” She did not move.

“Somethin' wrong?”

“I'm sorry…for being so stubborn.”

Cid laughed and punched her lightly on the shoulder. “Oi…you an' I ain't that different, ya know.” He pushed her down to the shop. “I dunno how we'll make this work bein' as stubborn as we are, but I think we kin manage…”

 

Cid and Raye wiped their hands on some red shop towels and threw them in a dirty rage bucket. Brad and Shera had gone in over an hour ago to cook dinner for the Shields family, and Cid turned to Raye, holding up the last invoice.

“Well, looks like we're just about caught up,” he said.

Cid hung up the invoice on a peg and rubbed his eyes tiredly. He had been working almost non-stop along with Shera and Brad to get the work that was backed up finished. Raye sat down on a shop stool to take a breather as Cid began putting away tools they didn't need.

He polished off a wrench with a cloth and glanced at Raye who was sitting quietly with a worried expression written all over her face.

“Worryin' about yer brother?” Cid asked.

Raye nodded. “I'm worried about a lot of things, but especially my brother.”

Cid put the wrench into a drawer and closed it. He put down the rag and came up behind Raye to rub her shoulders.

“I kin tell yer worried…yer tense…”

Raye didn't answer, and Cid put his arms around her.

“Hey…it'll be okay. I got yer back.”

Raye reached up and grabbed Cid's wrists and held onto them. “I never thought I'd be saying this, but I'm…I'm glad you came.”

Cid gave her a squeeze and kissed her on the top of her head. “Well, it's about fuckin' time I got some thanks around here.”

He grinned devilishly and pulled her off the stool with her clinging onto his arm.

“Cid!” Raye hollered. “What was that for?!”

Cid let go of her and popped a shop towel at her rear. “I just wanted to hear ya bitch fer a change. Seems to have worked!”

Raye picked up an empty oil can and hurled it at Cid who ducked, letting the can bounce off the wall. He popped the towel at her again, this time, nailing her, and she let out a yelp as he took off for the house with Raye hot on his heels.

The door burst open, and the pair scuttled into the kitchen as Shera and Brad tried to dodge them. Cid managed to get a hold of Raye and lift her up and fling her over his shoulder, grinning all the way.

“Cid! Damn it! You put me down!” Raye squawked, beating her fists on his backside.

He laughed as Shera shooed them out with a broom. He trudged upstairs and set Raye down in the hallway.

Raye crossed her arms and scowled at Cid, but he gave her a slight push.

“Aw c'mon, I'm just fuckin' with ya a little.” He lifted her chin with his fingers. “I thought you'd want to check on yer brother and…well, I kinder wanted to see the little guy, if that's okay with you, Miss High an' Mighty.”

Raye slugged Cid, making him dance away. “I am not high and mighty!” She paused. “But yeah…we'll look in on him. I'm sure he'd be happy to see you. Too bad you didn't bring Captain with you.”

“I will next time,” he said as Raye opened the door.

There were two beds in the room - one for Mark and the other for Thomas. Mark lay in his bead with a cloth over his forehead and there was an ugly, oozing black spot on his right cheek. He looked as though he had been sweating, and his breathing was heavy and staggered.

Raye sat down on the edge of the bed and adjusted her brother's cloth. He opened his eyes and looked at his sister weakly. “Hi, Raye.”

She smiled tenderly. “Hey there…are you in the mood for a visitor? Someone else wants to say hello.”

She gestured toward Cid, and Mark looked up at him. “Hey…I haven't seen you in a while. Where's Captain?”

Cid shuffled toward the bed and rubbed the back of his neck. “Well, he didn't come with me today…but I kin bring him tomorrow. I'm sure he'd love to keep you company.”

Mark smiled feebly. “That's okay…you don't have to go through the trouble.”

Cid sat down behind Raye on the edge of the bed with his hands on her shoulders. “Your sister says you been sick. How ya feeling today?”

“Mmm. I don't feel too good today, but maybe I'll be better tomorrow and I can go outside and play,” Mark told him. He paused and looked at Raye. “I'm hungry, Raye. When's dinner gonna be done?”

Raye stroked Mark's short brown hair. “Brad and Shera are almost done cooking it. We'll have it brought up.”

“Oh, Shera's here, too?” Mark asked.

Raye nodded. “Mmhmm. She came to help us down in the shop. So did Cid.”

Mark suddenly looked sad. “Man…I'm really messing things up for everyone, aren't I?”

Before Raye could answer Cid spoke. “Now, hold on just a minute, kiddo. You ain't messin' nothin' up, you hear? Yer sick and you can't help it. Things just…got busy. Nothin' you could have helped. Don't go off an' blame yerself fer everything like your sister does, alright? You just worry about getting' better an' leave the rest to us. You got that?”

Mark blinked. Then he smiled a little. “Yeah…sorry.”

Cid and Raye stood up, and Raye leaned down to remove the washcloth. “How about I have another cloth brought up, too? This one's pretty nasty.”

Mark nodded as Raye closed the door behind her. Cid looked back at the door as he followed Raye downstairs.

“Shit, girl…he looks rough,” he said solemnly.

“Doesn't he?” Raye remarked sadly. “I wish there were a cure, but…there isn't. So he'll have to learn to live with it until a cure comes along or he dies from it.”

“Have a lot of kids died already?” Cid asked.

“Yeah,” Raye said gravely. “I just…I hope he won't be one of them.”

Cid nodded understandingly. “Things…have a way of workin' themselves out, Raye.”

“I hope you're right,” she replied, pushing open the kitchen door.

Shera turned and glanced at the pair, a knowing smile crossing her lips as she chopped lettuce for a salad. Brad grinned widely, and he stirred his pot before coming over to slap his sister on the shoulder a few times.

“What's with you, Brad?” Raye asked darkly.

“I think a congrats are in order.”

“For what?”

Brad's grin reached epic proportions. “I know about it.”

“About…” She dropped off, realizing that Cid had told him! “Aw, goddamn it!” She turned around t Cid. “Why did you tell him that?!”

Cid rubbed the back of his head. “Well, I had to tell him why I was so worried about ya an' shit…an why I was there! I thought you was avoiding me!”

Shera smiled as she put the lettuce in the bowl. “You sound like you've done a horrible thing. I'm happy for you - both of you.”

Raye crossed her arms and grumbled something incomprehensible.

“What? You ashamed of me or somethin'?” Cid demanded.

“Pfft, no. I'm just…taken a little. You could have at least told me you told my idiot brother.”

“Well…there wasn't exactly time for that today.” He grinned. “Besides, I knew it would come out one way or another.”

Shera took the salad bowl out to the table and Brad followed with a couple of side dishes. Cid took the moment alone with Raye to scoop her up with his arm and give her a good kiss on the lips, even though she struggled against him. She eventually gave up and kissed him back, but pulled away just as the door opened so Brad and Shera could come back in for more food.

Brad grinned. “Don't let Dad catch you two in the act.”

“Doing what?” the redhead growled as she picked up a cup.

Brad laughed away and jogged out of the kitchen with the pan of oven-roasted halibut in his hands. Shera grabbed the plates and silverware and gave a giggle herself before leaving the kitchen again.

Raye leaned back against the counter with a thoughtful look. “You know…I hadn't thought about that.”

“About what?” Cid asked dumbly.

“About what Dad would say,” Raye said.

“Yer a grown woman. You kin make our own choices, right?”

“Well, yeah, but…I don't know if it would weird him out if I were in a relationship with a friend of his.”

“I think yer old man would be cool with it, long as I was good to ya,” Cid said. “And I swear to you that I will be.”

Raye offered a smile to Cid. “You know if you're not, I'll cut off your balls, right?”

Cid's hand instinctively went over his jewels. “Oh, I dun put that past ya.” He went over to her and hugged Raye. The smell of cigarettes, grease, and vanilla that was ever present on Cid's person was the best thing that she had ever smelled at the moment.

She was quiet for a while and deep in thought when Cid glanced down at her. “Something wrong?”

“Just thinking.”

“About?”

“Dad.”

“Look I told you…”

“No, it's not that,” Raye said, cutting him off.

“Then what is it?”

She shrugged. “Well, I just wish there was a way that we could all get what we want and still be happy. Like…I wish more than anything I could see Dad retire and for Brad to go to cooking school…and I want to go to college, but…there's never been a way for any of us to do that.”

Cid nodded. “Yeah…sounds like you guys have had a tough run of things for a long time.”

“Yeah, since Mom died, nothing has ever been the same,” Raye replied as she gazed distantly out the kitchen window. “And now Mark is sick and there is nothing I can do about that, either, except hope that he fights and learns to live with his illness.” She put her head in her hands. “God, no matter what I do, I'm trapped.”

Cid looked at her worriedly. Then, he reached out to her and pulled her into an embrace. “Hey…it'll be alright. I know it's cliché, but…things'll work themselves out eventually.”

“I keep telling myself that, but so far, it hasn't happened…” she responded, sulking.

Cid held her a little longer before he pulled back and held Raye at arm's length. “Look…how about we go an' eat, and then you go to bed. Yer tired and worn out, an' you just dun need to think about shit like this anymore tonight. Just…worry about you for just one night for a change.”

Raye looked up at him, putting her hands on his. “Well…maybe you're right about the going to bed part…”

Cid grinned toothily. “Want me to come up and tuck ya in?”

Raye crossed her arms and glared at Raye. “We haven't even been together two weeks and already you're trying to get into my pants.”

“So that's a no?” Cid asked.

Instead of answering, Raye reached up and took a hold of his goggles.

“Aw, hell no! Not…!”

Raye grinned and snapped his goggles before she opened the door, poking her head out long enough to smirk weakly at Cid before joining her family at the table. Cid looked after her as he straightened his goggles and shook his head with a bemused smile.

“Crazy fuckin' bitch…”