Aetiyu

[Tifa Lockhart]

'Awwwww!" Ynyr whined from his place by the car when Aerith called shotgun. "But i wanted to sit in the front..." He pouted.

"When you're older son." Zack laughed as he released Aerith and loaded all the bags into the back of the car with ease. "Let's go see Grandma G!" He said happily, as he opened Aerith's door for her before hopping in and starting the car.

[The Painted Lady]

Aerith smiled as Zack loaded the car and opened her door for her.
"Put on your seatbelts," she instructed gently to the children behind her.
"And get comfy, okay? It's a long way..."

[Tifa Lockhart]

"We'll be OK mummy." Ynyr replied as he strapped himself in, leaning over to help his sister with her seat belt as well.

Zack smiled slightly, waiting until he could see in the rear-view mirror that the two were secured in their seats. He then put the car into gear and headed down their long drive-way and out into the main township.
"Your... mother seemed a little upset." Zack said, glancing to Aerith as he turned out onto the mostly deserted highway that headed east until the new settlement of Emerald Village, which had been built in the wide green plains south east of Old Midgar and Edge.

[The Painted Lady]

Aerith winced.
"Yeah... She must be really sick of me disappearing all the time."
She reached over, taking hold of Zack arm gently.
"It'll be okay. She'll understand, she always does."

[Tifa Lockhart]

Zack sighed, looking a little distraught, he glanced briefly at Aerith as she touched his arms before turning his eyes back out onto the road.
"There's only so many times I can expect her to just understand and forgive me... i have to stop endangering you before something happens that causes irreparable damage to our already rocky relations... i don't want your mother to hate me."

[The Painted Lady]

Aerith leant over to kiss Zack's shoulder.
"She doesn't hate you. She adores you, really. You make me happy; so, so happy... and that's all that matters to her."
She stroked his cheek with his tender finger.
"And she's used to me putting myself in danger - I had no trouble doing it myself long before you came along," she teased gently.

[Tifa Lockhart]

Zack gave a soft smile, though the expression was not entirely sure of itself.
"I think you'll find the greatest danger you ever got yourself into was upon meeting me." He chuckled and looked at her with a bit of a wink, "Though we're still waiting on the verdict for whether that works out well or not." He glanced over his shoulder to see what his children were doing, the two of them appeared to be drawing together. It made him smile.
"Well i'm sure we can talk ourselves out of this one at least, let's just try to keep dangerous outings to a minimum, i don't wanna tempt fate."

[The Painted Lady]

Aerith smiled, glancing back to her children too.
"I think the verdict's clear personally."
She leant in against his arm.

[Tifa Lockhart]

"I think the verdict will be in if you survive to be an old lady." Zack replied with a light chuckle, he then lowered his voice to a very quiet whisper, "You're lucky i'm a good driver... you're being very distracting." He grinned and turned his head to kiss her quickly before turning his eyes back to the road again. Despite all the healing their world had been doing, this stretch of road through the mountains heading inland was horribly barren, and there were no settlements. That meant no traffic, just a long stretch of boring black road.
"These new highways the WRO are working on are good. It'll be great when the causeway to the Western Continent is done. it'll make going to see my parents a lot easier."

[The Painted Lady]

Aerith smiled.
"It'd be good for the kids to see their grandparents more often..."
She closed her eyes, nestling into Zack's shoulder a little.

[Tifa Lockhart]

Zack glanced down to Aerith and smiled, she really was the most beautiful person he'd ever seen, inside and out. He couldn't imagine what possessed the angels to send her to him.

It was late afternoon when Zack finally pulled into the outskirts of Kalm and stopped the car outside the quaint little house that Elmyra now lived in.
"Angel..." He whispered gently to stir Aerith, who had dozed off not long after the children had a few hours ago. He'd been amazed by how long they'd all stayed asleep XD
"We're here."

[The Painted Lady]

"Mm?..."
Aerith blinked sleepily, looking up to Zack.
"I fell asleep?"
She glanced behind her, smiling when she saw her children sleeping on the back seat.
"Let's not wake them just yet," she said softly to Zack, undoing her sealtbelt. "We'll carry them inside."

[Tifa Lockhart]

"That's what i was thinking." Zack said with a smile as Aerith stirred, surprised she'd fallen asleep. He unbuckled himself and climbed out, fetching all the bags before moving to gently unbuckle Ashlynn and lift her gently out of the car, bracing her carefully against his chest in an effort to ensure she remained asleep. He then carefully kicked the car door closed, all his arms being otherwise preoccupied and headed for the door of the house, pausing for Aerith to join him with Ynyr who hadn't stirred as he was moved.

[The Painted Lady]

Aerith kissed Ynyr very softly as she retrieved him, holding him so his head tucked neatly into the crook of her neck. She rubbed his back very gently as she joined Zack, giving her a tender kiss before she knocked on her mother's door.

Elmyra soon opened the door, about to greet them when she saw her sleeping grandchildren.
"Come in," she said very quietly, moving out of the way.

[Tifa Lockhart]

Zack staggered slightly as he pulled the bags through the door, wincing as he thought he might have woken Ashlynn, a quick check told him otherwise and he quickly moved out of the way of the door and put the bags down so that he might readjust Ashlynn in his arms.