A/N: Chapter 2. Feel free to leave a review, or PM me with any questions you might have. I'll do my best to answer them. I'm not overly familiar with the canon of Final Fantasy 7 outside of the initial game, just as an FYI. I like writing in medias res, so this story is going to be that way.

We Didn't Start the Fire

It was 2:37 in the morning. It was 2:37 in the morning and Kurt Hummel had been working 14 to 15 hour days for the past month for SmytheCorp containing various disasters. So, when the explosion rocked Midgar out of its collective slumber, Kurt Hummel couldn't help but release a groan. He slowly eased himself up, trying hard to not disturb the sleeping man lying facedown on the pillow next to him. Kurt looked out of his window and saw that one of the Sector reactors was up in flames. Eight, he thought to himself.

Predictably, within moments of the explosion his PHS communicator was going off. Where a distant reactor explosion failed to rouse the Vice President of SmytheCorp out of bed, Kurt's very noisy PHS communicator succeeded.

"Mmmmm. . . Kurt . .?" Sebastian said in that half asleep voice as he stretched languidly like a large cat, the blanket sliding down exposing more of his skin to the air.

Kurt willed himself to look away as he reached for the communicator and picked it up. Predictably the voice of his immediate superior in the Turks unit spoke into the receiver.

"Sector 8 reactor. Be there 15 minutes ago."

"See you there Chang. Do you ever get any sleep?" Kurt felt obliged to ask.

"Yep. A couple of hours every third Sunday."

He rolled out of bed gracefully, or at least as gracefully as a half asleep person could. He grabbed one of his standard suits out of the closet and put on a white, slightly rumpled dress shirt to go along with it. Next, he grabbed his Electro-Mag baton, his weapon of choice, out of the case beneath his dresser.

Sebastian's voice drawled out from behind him, "Are they really making you go in?"

Kurt turned around to see Sebastian sitting up, the blanket pooled around him.

"Get back to bed. You've got a flight to Junon to be on in three hours."

"I probably won't be able to get back to bed. I'll sleep on the flight."

"No you won't. Your mind won't let you sleep on moving vehicles. You like to see where you're going."

Sebastian pouted. "Goodnight kiss then?"

Kurt made his way over to the bed. He straddled Sebastian's hips, framing his face in his hands. Sebastian pulled him in and their lips met in a slow easy kiss. Kurt's fingers wove through Sebastian's hair in an intimate caress as he poured himself into the moment.

It couldn't last though. Kurt reluctantly pulled away from Sebastian and finished getting dressed.

In the nightstand was a bottle of hyper pills for this type of situation. Kurt got out the bottle and pondered it for a long moment. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Sebastian slightly shake his head. He let the pills land with a muted thunk inside the drawer and shut it.

"Don't want to end up like my father, after all."

"A billionaire many times over who practically rules the world? Could be worse things to be." Kurt replied.

"You know what I'm talking about."

Kurt did. It was part of his job after all. "I'll see you when you get back from Junon." Was his reply as he sailed out of his apartment on the Upper Plate.

About 10 minutes later, and some excessively speedy maneuvering through the streets of Midgar and Kurt found himself at what was left of the Sector 8 reactor. Smoke and flames were still billowing out of the wreckage as the fire crews struggled against the blaze.

Sweat began breaking out on his brow. He couldn't imagine what it was like for the workers in their contamination suits and masks who were much, much closer to the blaze than he would dream of getting. At least at the present time.

He put on some shades, at three in the morning because that was how he did things, grabbed a mask off one of the trucks and went in search of Chang.

Kurt found Chang leaning against a wall talking with Sam Evans, who had designed the reactors that powered Midgar.

"Why am I here?"

Chang quirked an eyebrow, "Appearances. We have to look like we're in control of the situation. The press will get their shots of us looking over things and battling the blaze and put it out on the nets for the morning."

"Let me guess, Sam. You're going to give the SmytheCorp song and dance about how Mako energy is perfectly safe, the citizens of Midgar have nothing to worry about as far as supply interruptions go, and there is no, I repeat, no risk of Mako contamination in the water?"

Sam replied "There isn't a risk of contamination as the reactor systems that power the city and the systems that supply the water are separate. Save for a brief interruption in service following the explosion the power grid will operate normally."

Kurt smirked, "Going to let Stevie and Stacy drink the water then? Didn't think so."

Sam glared at him, before reaching into his pocket for his communicator. He dialed a number and spoke loudly enough so that Kurt could hear him. "Shut off the water supply, save for the mains being used by the fire crews at Sector 8 until testing can be done to ensure the integrity of the water supply. See that the testing is done immediately." He hung up without letting whomever he was speaking with get in a word edgewise.

"See, that wasn't so hard, was it?"

"Nah. I'll just have a camera crew film a scene of us conducting tests on the water to ensure its safety. If you'd be so kind as to come with me, Kurt?"

"Why do you need me?"

"Gathering water samples from every main line in every sector is a two man job, at least. I figured you'd want to be on hand to make sure it was being done correctly."

Kurt smirked, "Well, Ms. Chang, it appears that they've found a use for me after all! By your leave?" he said demurely

Tina rolled her eyes at him in response.

"Well, we should be going then. Got eight water systems to check out, then back to the lab."

Sam went over to one of the medical supply vehicles and grabbed a case of test tubes and joined Kurt.

"Did you want to ride with me, or take your bike?

Kurt stretched, stifling a yawn. "I should probably ride with you."

Sam smiled, "I'd like that."

They got in, and began the drive to the Sector 8 water treatment plant.