Note: This story is basically a retelling of On the Way to a Smile- Case of ShinRa as well as Advent Children through an OC.

FF7 obviously does not belong to me.


1 ~ Job Assignment

When I was approached by Reno and Rude from the Turks… well... let's just say I was really surprised.

Why?

Well, how about the fact that I'm a nobody that you've probably never heard of? Even though I'm an aspiring Turk, I never quite made it, and was only noticed until everything went haywire. I'm a hard worker though and it was like my dream to wear that navy blue suit! The money and influence was very… inspiring.

My name's Kiera Race, and as of this visit, I had been eighteen for the last few months. Not that you care, since you don't know me… but I thought I might as well get that out there. I grew up in Midgar, in one of the better areas under the plate, sector 5. Obviously not the one that kind of fell down on everyone, since I'm still alive and kicking.

Supposedly I'm really from Costa del Sol, but I can't remember that. I certainly had the tanned skin of someone from there, as well as straight black hair and apparently exotic eyes. Or so I've heard. Never been there myself, though I've heard it's the place to go, with its beautiful beaches and beautiful sunbathing people. My first memories that I can recall are being taken off the streets by Mrs. Race, an older woman who had lost her husband and sons to the war.

She was a nice old woman, strict and hardworking, and made sure I was too. We stayed in a small shanty house which we continued fixing up until it looked… well not anything posh, but decent enough, for someone who lived near the slums near sector 7. Which I was really, really glad I didn't live in.

Enough of my past already. Let's get back to the story.

^.^

It was early morning when the buzzer rang in my own room flat; I was still pretty much half asleep, not really doing anything as I chugged down coffee and waited for it to kick in. I let out a yawn and scratched the back of my head with my free hand before setting down my mug and trudging to the door.

"Uhm… yes?" I asked as I peered out of the still chain latched door of my small room in Kalm. I blinked and rubbed my eyes. Was it… Woah. Even in my sleepy state I was pretty psyched but also nervous at seeing Reno of the Turks there!

"Wanna job?" he asked nonchalantly as he leaned against the railing of the stairs that lead up to my humble abode. "An' open up, yo, not gonna eat ya."

I flushed a teeny bit but complied, accidentally knocking someone. Turns out it was Rude, and the door kind of knocked him in the head. Well, why was he standing in such an awkward place anyway? I blinked as the poor guy stumbled a little but looked otherwise unfazed.

Reno wasn't even paying attention as he tapped his food. I rubbed the back of my neck. "But I do have a job, well kinda… like with you guys?"

"It's finished now, kid," said Reno with a sigh. "Ya gotta get on with the plan! I'm here givin' a good deal… I need ya as a babysitter."

"Reno," said Rude in his way too deep voice. "I don't think-"

"Keeper?" provided the red head.

"No," said Rude, shaking his head. "That's worse."

"Whatever!" whined Reno before clearing his throat. "Listen kid-"

"I'm eighteen," I said, finally awake enough to feel a little offended.

"-Adult," amended Reno with a huff. "I need, well, we need… The Turks need someone to look over Mister Shinra. You wanna help or no?"

My eyes widened at that, sleep at last completely gone. Wait, did he mean that... Rufus Shinra was alive?! Well it had to be him Reno was talking about because the other one had definitely died at the hands of Sephiroth!

"I didn't know he survived!" I exclaimed, clearly surprised.

"Shhhh," said Reno, putting a finger on his lips. "Yo, it's still classified news! Now shush and listen up carefully…"

^.^

So, I shushed and listened to Reno explain what had happened, along with interjections from Rude who made sure the red head stayed on track. Apparently Rufus Shinra was very much alive and he was staying in a house in Kalm. Conveniently, I also happened to be staying there too, albeit in a much less refined place, I can assure you of that.

Essentially, the figuratively speaking poor man was in a bad shape. Well, getting struck by a blast from the ginormous Weapon had to have done some damage, I would think. Wouldn't make sense if he came out of that unscathed; it was a miracle enough he was actually alive!

They'd brought him over here to Kalm to recuperate, which made sense once more… I didn't think people in Midgar would want to be around the one who they probably blamed for their current misery. I wondered why the Turks didn't take him farther away… I mean there was a whole wide world and I was sure they had helicopters. Reno simply told me I didn't need to know when I asked, and Rude kept as quiet as a door.

So now, apparently I was being asked to play housekeeper to the house where Rufus freakin' Shinra was staying because Reno and Rude had to search for friends while Tseng and Elena were busy gathering intelligence.

Why they decided to pick me? I can only guess it's because a) I was conveniently close by and b) I was totally willing to work for money and seemed to have a thing for possessing that uniforms.

Besides, if anyone was going to survive this post Meteor chaos, ShinRa would. They were like cockroaches, according to my mom; they could survive anything. And I, for one, wanted to be with the survivors.

^.^

I was a little worried when I arrived at the house the first day. Hello, this is like being under the most powerful person in the world, or, the ex most powerful person in the world. And did I say 'like'. Scratch that. He had been the most powerful person. Huh. It was rather daunting. Then I realized that for the most part, he was in his bedroom. I felt sorry for him the first time I was taken to his room to meet him. I mean, who wouldn't feel sorry? He was in a wheelchair with a cast and bandages like all over. Well, not all over, but enough of them.

"I don't want to see that look in your eyes," was the first thing Rufus said to me after I was introduced by Rude as the new housekeeper.

"Pardon, sir?" I hadn't even mentioned my name yet and already a minus mark?

"That pitying look," he said coldly. I cringed inwardly. Handicapped or not, those blue eyes were intimidating, as cold as ice. "Keep that pity for someone else. I don't need you here. I'm simply pacifying my subordinates."

His ice cold gaze moved from my 5'3 frame and up to Rude, who shuffled his feet a little. I wished I could snatch his pair of sunglasses and wear them for myself.

"I apologize, sir." Might as well humble myself. Sigh.

"Good. You may leave." And that was it. Dismissed already, and I was probably happier of that than Rufus was. Well, I guess I should have expected something like that anyways.

Rude made a coughing noise to get me going. I left the room and made my way downstairs, feeling both annoyed but also relieved. I just had to keep out of his way, keep the house clean and cook food for the ex President, and my future in these worrisome times would be somewhat guaranteed.

Well that was the plan anyway.

Just as Rude opened the front door to leave, Reno popped in to add a whole lot of extra things for me to add in my duties, including changing bandages and help with putting on Rufus' clothes. He and Rude then skedaddled like children before I could say a word in refusal.

Well, this was just great. Why couldn't they just do all that sort of thing? They would come back in the evening anyways!

Still, I guess the supposed money would make it worth it.

Hopefully.


Note: Thanks for reading! Please Review!