Chapter Twelve

"Rufus what?" Elena gasped, looking at Reno, her eyes wide. He nodded slowly.

"Yeah… Wants me to bring her in." He repeated, watching as Elena frowned then.

"Are you going to?"

"I have to."

"Is this because I took her to 7th Heaven?" she asked, her eyes growing even wider. Reno considered telling her it was but instead shook his head.

"I doubt we could have kept it up forever anyway." He replied, "Rufus was bound to find out."

Elena ran a hand through her hair as she looked at him. "So, does she know?"

"Yeah." Reno sighed, "She's agreed to work for him, yo."

"Well," Elena tilted her head in that way she did when thinking about something, "I suppose getting to see her everyday will be good…"

"That's what I figured."

"We need some more people working for ShinRa these days, anyway."

"Yup."

When Elena had returned to her paperwork, Reno grabbed his leather jacket and headed out the door. As he headed for Aura's house, his mind raced. He considered every aspect of every situation he could come up with. He had gone through all of them before, but he could not help going through them again. He may have missed something. Having come to no different conclusion by the time he reached her street, Reno pulled his jacket on. It wasn't a complete disguise, but it definitely made his uniform less conspicuous.

He shuffled nervously while he waited for her to answer her door. When she did, he stepped through immediately and wrapped his arms around her as he kicked the door shut behind himself. Aura stumbled slightly before he pulled her tightly to his chest.

"What's wrong?" She murmured, her hand patting him tentatively on the back.

"I just… want you to be sure…" he breathed.

"Reno, it's fine." She replied softly, "It's not like I'm going somewhere you won't be able to see me. I'll be working for the same man you are. You'll be right there."

"At work will be fine." He said, his hand moving down her back, "But it's when you're not at work. When I can't protect you."

Aura titled her head back to look up at him. "You taught me to fight."

"I know."

"Besides, once we're workmates, you will be able to visit me all the time. Every day, even."

Reno watched the small smile turn the corners of her lips, before it spread right across her face. He grinned in turn and then released her. Looking her over, he realised that she had put effort into her outfit. She had clearly tried to look professional. They had not had much exposure to that kind of aesthetic under the plate, and he remembered it had taken him a while to grasp the look when he had first started working for ShinRa. So, yes, Aura had tried. Her look was somewhat off, however.

"What do you think?" She asked, clearly having noticed him looking her over. Reno bit his lip and Aura's smile faded. "That bad, yo?"

"Nah, come on." He grabbed her hand and pulled her up the hallway to her bedroom. "Just…" he flicked through her wardrobe and pulled out a small jacket. Handing it to her, he watched her slip it on over the top she wore. "And…" he cast his eye around the room. "Just a little…" Spotting some ribbons on her night stand, he strode over and picked up one that complimented the jacket Aura now wore. Walking back over to her, he slipped it around behind her neck, and carefully lifted her hair up over it before tying a loose bow around her collar. "There."

Taking her gently by the shoulders, Reno turned her toward the mirror.

"Ah…" She nodded.

"Now you're ready."

"Alright." She turned back to face him, "Take me to ShinRa."

Nodding, Reno turned for the door and led her back down the hallway. When he reached her front door, he turned to see Aura standing, twisting her hands together. "Ready?"

"Do I need to take anything?" She asked him.

"No."

"Then, yes. I'm ready."

Aura forced herself to breathe evenly as Reno walked her up a long corridor. The door at the end seemed to grow more and more intimidating. She turned to look up at her friend when he came to a stop beside her. His hand rested momentarily on the handle. "I can't go in with you." He told her.

"Why?" She asked.

"I don't know you, remember?" He breathed. She nodded slowly.

"Right." She murmured. Reno tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. "Thanks."

"Just remember," he told her, "The President has asked for you. You don't have to seek his approval, Aur. He already wants you."

Nodding silently, Aura kept looking up at him. She watched Reno's aqua eyes move quickly over her. He was clearly as nervous about this as she was. His eyes closed for a second and he moved closer, his hand coming up to her cheek. An instant later he froze, and his eyes flickered open and he glanced quickly down the hall. "I… I'll be waiting right here, yo." He gave her a smile, his hand dropping to her shoulder.

"Okay."

Reno opened the door for her, and Aura stepped through. Holding her breath, she walked slowly into the large room, her eyes moving quickly around, taking everything in. There were several windows along one wall, as well as a few chairs here and there. There was a potted fern over by one corner. Other than that the room was empty. Except, of course, for the large wooden desk sitting in front of the far wall. President Shinra sat behind it.

"Aura, please, come and have a seat." The man gestured to one of the chairs in front of his desk. Aura moved closer, looking at the man. She had only ever seen him from a distance when he had made public appearances. Up close, he looked even more immaculate. His blonde hair was just as perfect as she had imagined it would be, and his white suit jacket over a black shirt was wrinkle-free. She vaguely wondered if he had to try for that effect or if it were just natural. If anyone were to be naturally perfect, she would bet it would be Rufus Shinra.

Sitting lightly in the chair he had indicated, she looked silently at him. "Has Reno told you why I wanted to speak with you?" He asked her simply.

"You have work for me." She answered softly.

"I do." Rufus pressed his hands together, his blue eyes focused intently upon her. "I am told that you have some skill in mixing cures for various ailments." He said, "That you have been working with the Geostigma…"

"I have no cure for that…"

"Not yet." He agreed, "I would like for you to come and work in my labs. You would have access to ingredients I am sure you would have been unable to procure elsewhere… sophisticated equipment…" Rufus gave her a thin smile, "You would be paid a considerable sum… I am sure you will find my generosity more than adequate…"

"The time." Aura said, crossing her legs slowly, "There are people that need my help… What I do is important for a lot of people… I'm not okay with just giving that up."

"You will, of course, be able to continue to see people at your house…" Rufus raised a hand, "You could do half days here… or every second day… whatever you prefer…"

"I would be free to come and go as I please?"

"…Yes."

Aura tilted her head, looking at The President. "Do I have to wear a uniform?"

She watched as Rufus' lip twitched as he clearly tried to work over his answer. "Do you not want to?"

"Wouldn't go down too well in my neighbourhood, yo."

Rufus nodded slowly, his blue eyes looking her over. "Then you can change when you arrive and leave. Is that acceptable to you?"

"Sure."

"Then we have an agreement?" The man leaned back in his chair.

Aura nodded, "Looks like it."

Rufus touched the phone on his desk. "Reno, get in here." He said, before looking back to Aura. "Reno will show you the labs while I have your contract drawn up. You can sign it this afternoon."

Aura looked over her shoulder when the door opened and Reno strode in. If she hadn't known him so well she might not have noticed the stiff way he was holding himself as his eyes flicked quickly between her and his boss before coming to rest on The President.

"Sir?" Reno asked, moving toward the desk and coming to stand beside Aura's chair.

"I want you to show Aura the labs. Show her where she will be working. She will sign her contract this afternoon. Bring her back in an hour."

"Yes, Sir." Reno lightly touched Aura's shoulder and she got to her feet.

"Thank you… Sir." Aura said softly.

Rufus inclined his head and Reno steered Aura out of the room, closing the door behind them. Out in the corridor, he slipped an arm around her shoulders. "So, how did it go?"

"Yeah, alright." Aura replied, smiling up at him.

"What did you agree to?"

"I get to come and go as I please, and I'm still allowed to see people at home." She tilted her head, "And I only have to wear a uniform while actually working here. I get to change when I leave."

Reno flashed her a wide smile. "Good."

"He said I would find his generosity more than adequate…" Aura said as Reno led her up the corridor. "Just how generous is he…?"

Reno glanced down at her as they walked. "Sounds like he's going to give you quite a bit."

"Should I not have asked for a specific number?"

Reno gave a slight shrug. "He knows anything he gives you will be more than you're used to. The amount will be in the contract later, anyway."

Aura tried to pay attention to the hallways and where things were as Reno pointed them out to her. The Lodge wasn't all that big, but it didn't seem to be planned out in any logical way that made sense to Aura.

"So, the labs are up here…" Reno took her up a short flight of stairs and pushed open a large double door. Aura followed him in and looked around.

"OH HI!" A high pitched squeal went up and Aura flinched. She resisted a sigh when Zena came hurrying toward them. "Well, what have we here?" The blonde asked, coming to a stop before them. "I remember you."

Aura nodded, looking back at the woman. "I remember you, too."

"Aura now works for ShinRa." Reno said, "The President has hired her to work here on a cure."

Aura watched as Zena looked her over again, "I figured as much." She said, her tone ever so slightly dismissive. "Very well."

Aura followed Zena around as the woman gave her a slight tour of the lab. Aura was silent, watching Zena as she tried to figure the woman out. She was having difficulty trying to piece together the apparent two sides of the blonde. The woman she had met at the bar the other night who appareared to be a bit of a floozy seemed incompatible with the professional medical officer, doctor, and researcher that this Zena appeared to be. She had been told the other night that Zena was good at her job, but she supposed that she had needed to see it in person to completely understand.

"So… you're the Doctor?" Aura asked.

"I am."

"How much time do you get working up in here then? Working on other things?"

Zena flipped her curly hair over her shoulder. "More than you'd think." She said, "Depends on these ones." She indicated Reno, "And how damaged they go and get themselves…"

"We do what we can, yo." Reno murmured, flashing the women a smile.

"So… who else works up here?" Aura asked lightly.

"There are a few people who come and go for various things." Zena told her, "But they don't stay long. Mostly it's just me when I'm here."

"Oh…"Aura nodded, wondering how well she would be able to deal working that closely with Zena all the time.

"So," Zena said, running her hands absently down her white coat, "Once the President has given me his orders for you, I'll have set you up a station and everything you need. It should all be organised by the time you start."

"Thank you…" Aura smiled at her.

"If you want," Zena offered, "I can show you the infirmary too… You'll probably need to know your way around there, too."

"Yeah. Sound good, yo." Aura followed her to the door, Reno trailing behind.

Zena led the way down the stairs, and Aura looked back over her shoulder at Reno who smiled at her. "This is probably where I spend most of my time." Zena told her as they reached the doors to the infirmary.

"Alright." Aura nodded, following her in. She then stood in the centre of the room while Zena flitted about the place, telling her all the important things that went on in there. After about fifteen minutes of this, Aura looked up at Reno expressionlessly.

"Right, okay, yeah." Reno cut in, stopping Zena, "I need to be getting' Aura back to the Boss." He put an arm around Aura's shoulders and turned her around, steering her back toward the door. "Thanks, Zena."

"I'll see you later, then." Zena's voice rang out behind them as the infirmary doors swung shut.

"Wow." Aura breathed, causing Reno to let out a low chuckle.

"Yeah." He tightened his arm around her shoulders as he led her back up the hallways. Aura was glad he was guiding her, because she was already lost. It would take her a while to get used to the place and figure out her way around. "I'm figuring that The Prez has probably gotten your contract ready by now…"

"Should I be worried about secret clauses in there…?"

Reno looked down at her. "Maybe at one time, but I wouldn't think so now, yo." He paused for a moment, "Read it anyway."

They waited at Reno's desk until Aura was summoned. Returning to Rufus' office, she took up her seat across from him at his desk.

"This is a simple contract." Rufus told her, pushing a piece of paper across the polished surface of the desk. Aura took it and looked at it. "It entails the terms we discussed earlier. You may read it before you sign it."

"Okay."

"If you don't understand anything, feel free to ask."

Aura's eyes flicked up to meet his. "I'm not an idiot, yo."

"No, of course not. Forgive me."

Aura looked back to the paper in her hand.

"There is one thing…" Rufus said softly, "I want you to be clear on this. Your loyalty is now to ShinRa. That means that your responsibilities reach further than the lab."

"…Right…" Aura looked at him uncertainly. "It means that if you happen to be out around Edge, or anywhere else, and you learn something or have the chance to learn something that would be important to ShinRa, you have the responsibility to take that information and report back on it. Anything at all, I want to hear about it."

Aura blinked. She had expected as much. "Yes, Sir."

"Very well." Rufus gestured for her to continue reading. Aura read through the entire contract. It was just as Rufus had said. Her terms from earlier and her responsibilities to the company. Once she was satisfied, she looked back at him.

"May I have a pen?"

Rufus took one from his drawer and passed it to her silently. Aura signed it and pushed it all back across his desk.

"Thank you." Aura watched Rufus' blue eyes scan the document and then nod when everything was to his liking. "Alright, that was all I needed." He looked at her, "You can start as soon as you like. Zena will have everything you need."

Nodding, Aura got to her feet, pushing her hair back behind her ears. "Okay, great. Thank you." He waved his hand, signalling that she was free to go. Turning, Aura walked silently from the room. Reno was waiting for her at his desk. "So… do you officially work for ShinRa now?"

"You know it, yo."

"So, are you going back upstairs or going home?" Reno leaned back in his chair, putting his feet up on his desk.

"I think home for today." She replied, adjusting her jacket. "Better give Zena enough time to get all my stuff ready." She grinned.

Author's Note:

Thank you so much for the reviews. You guys are too sweet.