A brief word, if you will, Reader, before diving in! While writing, I was unable to fact check as I went, but, once I finished, I checked and corrected much! Though, admittedly, there was little I could do to salvage the wonky timeline I write about in this tale - as you will no doubt read very shortly! So, I suppose, you will need to take solace in the idea that this is an AU. Or, for those not privy; Alternate Universe. Despite the timeline, I had meant it to be such! In my telling, Atlas was a real person with a real wife and son. Not just a figment of Fontaine's imagination. Do keep that in mind, please. And if this tale seems preachy, I apologize. This is the character. She has notions of how she thinks Society should be and you get to peak at all of that. If you're not in for a touch of politics - which confounds me entirely! You're the one looking up Bioshock stories! - then this is not a tale for you.

If you're a fond reader of my various other works, you will find this tale to be a touch unlike the others. Call it an expansion of my, hm, repertoire... If you will? As you mosey along, - and have read some of my other works - you will find just what I happen to be speaking about. If not... I'll see if I can't put a little end note. But only at the end of the story. Those who did not read this little message may find that confusing, but that is their problem, not mine. Or yours!

Now that I've briefed you on that which might utterly confuse you, I implore you enjoy. Should you find any grammatical or spelling errors, please notify me of the chapter and sentence. I have found Beta readers unreliable. So, I must rely upon you, dear Reader. Do enjoy!

~Scitah

P.S. Do remember to exhale when coming up for air.

Brown eyes observed the workings of Steinman. "Doctor Steinman…" she called softly, reaching out to set a hand on his trembling hands. The man let his brows mesh in confusion and shock. He looked up at her, his nurse. She had the skill to be a Doctor herself, but she was a woman… He supposed that was why she came to Rapture. "Your hands are quivering."

Heaving a sigh, Steinman nodded and stepped back from the unconscious body of one of his patients. A young woman who wished to be perfect… Looking. "You can handle this, can't you, Moema?" When she nodded, he set the scalpel down and left the room.

Moema waited until she was sure he was in his office before taking over and completing the surgery rather efficiently. The two other nurses eyed Moema's work, one commenting to the other "Good work for a feather head." The other nurse chuckled. Their conversation was mostly ignored by Moema as she scrubbed her hands clean.

She came to Rapture to escape the nonsense of the above world full of its prejudices and viciousness… Yes, her mother was a Tupi Native of Brazil who had come to America with her brother and was then gang raped. Moema had no clue as to who her father was and quite frankly, did not give a damn. White Men were unreliable wrecks… Monsters more like! Moema couldn't recount how many times she'd been propositioned, called a slave, or some other ingenious slur, touched… How many times she'd almost been raped herself! White people were generally terrible people to Moema and her full blooded mother.

While the other two nurses continued talking, not about Moema thankfully, Moema cleaned up, wanting to keep up to standard. Outside of Rapture, she had been a local physician to the 'un-white'. She was usually paid with food or labor or what-have-you… She was protected by thugs and gang members of colored groups because she had tended to their mothers or sisters or lovers… They stole medical books for her to study so she could do more for the people. It made her quite the Go-to. She enjoyed being part of the community…

But here… In Rapture… She was a colored spot in a sea, literally, of white folks… She wondered if she should have stayed topside? They would have arrested her mother if they'd stayed, though… She'd been accused of stealing food from a farm, which was completely preposterous. The white cops just wanted leverage against the colored! Or at least, that was how Moema saw it.

Cleo and Sarah, the other two Nurses were called away as Moema waited for the patient to awaken. The three had moved the young woman to a private recovery room. Beatrice Watts. Moema was going over some medical notes she'd had taken with her before she left the surface when Beatrice inhaled deeply. Glancing over towards Beatrice, Moema marked her spot with a light pencil marking. "Good evening Miss Watts. How are you feeling?"

Beatrice gave a concerned look to Moema through the head wrappings. "Dizzy…"That earned her a nod from Moema. "Where is Doctor Steinman?"

Moema didn't even hesitate; "He was called for a consultation and left you in my care for the time being so that you would have someone to speak to when you awoke." She stood, moving her long black braid behind her shoulder so that when she leaned over to adjust an IV it didn't touch Beatrice. "Let me know if that helps."

Beatrice offered a very faint twitch of a smile, since all the work done was above her mouth. "What about the other nurses who work here?" It was then that Steinman walked in. "Doctor Steinman."

"Good evening, Miss." He couldn't recall the young woman's name, so he carried on. "Their bedside mannerisms are not as superior to Nurse Moema's here. I assure you, I would not leave a patient in just anyone's hands!"

He flattered Moema because he knew that if he stepped on her toes, she would not hesitate to explain to everyone who would listen about his lackluster performances when he was using ADAM. He couldn't have that information get out right now. Not at the beginning of the Modification Craze.

"Oh." Smiled the young woman. She looked towards Moema, "I apologize for my behavior."

Moema forced a rather convincing smile before collecting her things, and said a perfectly rehearsed "You have nothing to apologize for, Miss Watt." She nodded her head before looking to Steinman, "A brief word, Doctor?"

He grinned rather charismatically, "Of course!" he followed her to the door.

"Her name is Beatrice Watt. She had her eyes adjusted, nose curved, and forehead smoothed." She said quietly to the taller man who nodded, taking in this information.

"Ah, okay. Thank you." He cleared his throat quietly, "Uh, there is this gathering that Andrew Ryan is hosting for the Well-to-Dos… I would appreciate if you would escort me there… It would be good to have another person to do surgeries legitimately so that they do not all end up in my hands."

A flutter grew in Moema that she inhaled to quell so that she could think clearer. "That would be nearly pointless, Doctor Steinman. Have you looked at me recently?" she said, voice a very controlled hiss.

"This is Rapture, Moema… The people tend to be more open minded here." He offered.

Heaving a sigh, Moema nodded. "Fine. I will accompany you to this gathering." She looked towards Beatrice and smiled, "Have a pleasant evening, Miss Watt. I will check on you when I get in tomorrow morning."

Beatrice offered an uncertain smile and nodded. "Oh, okay."

Looking back to Steinman, Moema tilted her head in a sort of greeting, "Good evening Doctor."

"Same to you, Moema." He then opened the door for Moema and shut it behind her.

Moema inhaled as deep as she could before heading to the locker-room to change. Once done, she punched out and left the Medical Pavilion. She made her way to the Farmer's Market where her mother, Maiara, worked as a Sales Clerk. As Moema approached, she noticed a man standing too close to her mother, a firm grip on her arm, speaking lowly to her. The look on Maiara's face was a mix of defiance and fear.

"Mother." Moema called, drawing both her mother's attention as well as the man's. Maiara raised her hand for Moema to stay back, so she did so. Moema shook her head before inspecting some of the Rapture Grown Produce. White smelling a peach, Moema felt a sudden chill, as if someone was stood behind her, touching her hair. Turning, Moema found no one there. Looking to her left, towards her mother, she found a scowl on the woman's face at something beyond Moema. So, she followed her gaze to see that man just leaving.

As Moema set the peach back and moved towards her mother, she heard her mother cursing. "Mother, who was that?"

"No one you should know…" answered her tired mother, whom Moema looked almost a spitting image of. The brow color of her eyes, the warm dark tone of her skin, the darkness of her wavy hair… Though, Maiara's hair was kept relatively short, especially compared to the seemingly miles of hair Moema had.

"Was he propositioning you?" pressed Moema.

The appalled look on Maiara's face showed clear disgust, "By God, no!"

"Threatening?" continued Moema. A sigh came from Maiara as she turned to return to the counter, "What would you expect from me, Mother? If you do not tell me, I will continue to guess."

"By God, Moema!" blurted Maiara as she pinched the bridge of her nose. She turned and latched onto her taller daughter's upper arms, "My dearest daughter-"

"Only daughter." Corrected Moema, earning a serious look of reprimand from the older woman.

"-do not get involved with this. Please? You are able to work in the Medical Pavilion. You get paid well. Do not jeopardize your chances by getting involved with this issue." There was a moment of quiet between the two as understanding crossed Moema's face. Maiara released her daughter so that she could turn towards the confounded mother of two active sons and rang her up.

"I still don't know why you won't move in with me, Mother…" Moema stated in Portuguese.

"I do well on my own." Came the stark response from Maiara, also in Portuguese.

"Mother, I've seen the area you live in. Don't you want something better?" Moema tried, leaning against the counter beside her mother, who huffed.

"Of course, my little star…" she sighed and shook her head, "But it is time you take care of you and not me. I will survive… You will thrive."

"But Mother-" Moema was silenced when Maiara set a calloused hand to her mouth.

"No more, Moema. We will never speak of this again. You can provide yourself a life I never could give you. Be proud. You made it. You took a vague dream and turned it into truth. And I am so proud of you." The mother and daughter go quiet again before Maiara turns back to man the register.

"… Do you still want to have dinner tonight?" Moema asks softly.

Maiara doesn't answer as she thinks a long moment, weighing options and what would be best for her daughter. "No, my little star… No more dinners…"

"Mother?"

A sigh escapes Maiara as she nods. "It is time you let your mother go." The shocked silence from Moema causes a small bitter chuckle to escape Maiara. "Something is happening and it is very possible that I will end up involved – whether I want to be or not! I do not want to take you from the skies…" she turns and looks seriously towards Moema. "Don't come to see me anymore, Moema."

The younger woman tries desperately to hold in tears as she blinks and nods. "Yes Mother."

"Maiara." Corrects the older woman.

Moema's chin quivers as she nods again, "Yes Maiara." She turns and begins out but stops to look up at the wooden ceiling of the Market Stall. "The Doctor wishes to take me to some party with Ryan…"

Maiara inhales shakily, nodding, "I would be proud were I your mother, Moema."

Moema's face crumbles before she quickly darts off, leaving her mother to continue on, stone-faced.