--Through Torrents of Time--
Author Notes:
Once again to magnusanubis, I thank you repeatedly for your support! I think I did well on the description in Chapter Three as well, the Flash backs are my favorite...I try to get at least one in each chapter.
Okay, this chapter--Home and Heart, is my FAVORITE chapter (Aside from Chapter Six: Burned Salads and Broken Guns) in the whole story. I hope my readers enjoy it as well!
Chapter Four: Home and Heart
A short while later Storm was off the ShinRa grounds. She'd checked in with a guard and told him to alert Rufus of her leave. She was offered many things along with her job…but it felt good to be outside again. She needed a home, no facilities as such were offered to her there at ShinRa and after the reaction she received from the male soldiers on campus, she didn't exactly feel safe…
Sector 7 was a welcoming place to Storm. Here was Tifa's 7th Heaven, a bar that seemed no longer in business. Everyone window was broken and shone a weak candle light through the cracks. The scent of alcohol rose from the building but of lack of paying customers, it'd become more of a home to those who ran it. A series of shops were also in the area. When this little patch of Midgar was looked on with an orphan's eyes this slum was viewed as if it were Beverly Hills.
"This'll be a good place; I knew I can find a home here." Storm said aloud to herself. With that she began to wander.
The area was silent under the dirty light of midday; Storm's watchful eyes couldn't see anyone through the foggy filter of afternoon reluctance. No one appeared to be out and a silence gripped the area.
"Where to begin…" Storm mused to herself, "How about here?"
Just a few paces away stood the Items Shop. With a wide and eager smile, Storm entered.
--
The shop was rundown and not to mention filthy. In the pale filter of light slanting in through the cracking wooden shutters she stood, cautiously and reverently.
"H-hello?"
It was then she stepped in fully, only to see someone looking at her from the counter not far from where she stood at the entrance.
The person standing behind the counter was a man dressed in a white button down shirt and a brown leather work apron. He was an aged man with kind slate grey eyes reminiscent of the sparkling blue they once were. His hands were strong and firm, Storm observed, powdered with soot and covered with evident blisters and calluses. The man's forearms, which were bare because of his rolled up sleeves, showed threads of silver hair crossing his full muscular limbs. Though he looked old, he had a full head of hair; black with a splash of grey washing over his bangs. Pleased wrinkles creased at the corner of his eyes as he smiled at Storm.
"My, my, such a lovely young woman gracing my meager unworthy shop?" he spoke softly, as if in a memory.
Storm cocked her brow, "Pardon?"
"Oh, forgive me!" The old man chuckled, setting down a rag on the splintery counter he'd been swabbing, "Memories…don't mind miss. Is there something I can help you with?"
Storm offered a small smile to him and approached the counter, "Yes, um…my question might seem odd to you…but uh…I need a home…I have a job at ShinRa but they don't supply me with a room for me to live in."
"Don't we all need a place to call our own, miss?" The man said with a smile and a glimmer in his eye, "Well, if you're to be living here, you ought to know my name. I'm Grec, just Grec. No need to bother with formalities as my last name…"
Storm's eyes lit up, "You…you mean that? Do you really mean that?"
Grec chuckled warmly, "Why of course, miss! Now…I can't keep calling you that, can I? What's your name?"
"Storm!" She chimed, "Storm Torrent. And you can trust me, you really can! I'll even work weekends here, clean up the place, I'll--"
"Whoa, hold on! My goodness…" Grec laughed, resting a warm heavy hand on Storm's thin shoulder, "Yes, I trust you. And I could always use the help around the shop!"
Storm smiled.
"You see…there's something about you…." Grec paused, "Here come sit down and I'll tell you."
Storm grinned and nodded, "Alright, I've no where to get in a hurry." She accepted with a giggle and plopped into a large plush chair next to the fireplace.
--
Grec and Storm visited until nightfall. A blazing fire was lit to chase out the chill creeping into the shop, seeping in though the gaps in the wooden walls. Storm was given a steaming cup of hot coffee, which she sipped slowly while exchanging stories with her new found friend.
Grec had told Storm that he used to have a daughter named Ameena. Unfortunately and quite tragically, she was caught in a cross fire in Sector 3 between the ShinRa Guard and a rebel group from the slums. Ameena died with a bullet lodged in the back of her head, just on her upper neck, her lower cerebellum. Ameena was Grec's only daughter and the only one left in his family for his wife, Lindsay, had died giving birth to Ameena. One thing that had caught his eye about Storm was this; she looked much like his daughter.
Storm was touched by his story and took the reference to his daughter as a wonderful compliment.
"She was beautiful, Ameena was…" Grec said distantly after sipping his coffee a moment, "She looked just like her mother. Lifestream knows I miss Lindsay more than anything…" he only sighed, his eyes sparkling in memory of his beloved wife.
"I'm sorry you lost someone so dear to you…" Storm started, warming her hands on the toasty mug, "But maybe that's why we met each other, ya know? My mom and dad died when I was only two…my five brothers and I roughed it on our own and now…well…they're gone too." She fell silent for a moment or two and then smiled, "But, think of it this way; I've gained a father and you've gained a daughter."
Grec looked near tears and tried not to show it by taking an unusually long tongue and throat burning swig of his coffee.
"Thank you, Storm…" He finally managed to rasp out with a quavering voice, "You are always welcome here."
They spoke until midnight, talking about past experiences, hopes and dreams, silly stories…Storm had even spilled her coffee and as they both stooped to pick up the mug they knocked heads. The old sorrowful house was filled with laughter once more; laughter of a fathered orphan and a befriended, no longer lonely, husband.
--
It was early next morning and the sun was still low. Storm bid farewell to Grec and headed off for her first day on the job.
"This is gonna be a busy day!" She sighed to herself, swinging her arms.
When Storm arrived at ShinRa Inc. She found it quiet. The guards that let her in didn't talk much, nay, at all, and so she carried on unceremoniously to her shop.
The shop was (not surprisingly) locked. And so, using her key card given to her yesterday from Vice President Rufus, she opened the green double doors.
The room was dark, so Storm flicked on the lights. The light was weak but it was all she needed, for because of the lights she could see in plain sight a white box with a card addressed to her.
To Storm,
It said.
Something for your new job.
--Rufus
Storm blinked at the letter and then opened the box. Her eyes widened at what she saw.
"New clothes!" She squealed.
Inside was a grey tank top with a giant black ShinRa logo in the center. When she held the top to her chest, she noticed that the end met the edge of her ribs. There was also a pair of dark grey pants that hugged her hips at the so called 'waist line'. A black string hung around the waist line too, tied in a floppy bow at the side. She couldn't help but smile warmly—she changed immediately. They were a perfect fit.
Storm was in absolute shock. She had but one pair of clothes, the ones she wore now. It was near unthinkable having another outfit. She felt blessed, gifted, shined upon by heaven above. She had to thank Rufus, and she knew the perfect way to do it…With a smile she began to clean up the Mech. Shop, dusting, sorting, and sweeping away, singing as she worked.
"Twinkle, twinkle little star…How I wonder what you are…"
!PREVIEW!
Chapter Five: Made Up My Mind
Things between Storm and Vice President Rufus seem to be circular...running around and around, never getting to the point of anything. They seem to be making no progress, do they not? When Storm goes to thank Rufus for the warm welcome and the new clothes, will they be turning circles again? Or maybe...not.