Reeve Leander slumped over his desk, concentrating hard on the project at hand, his dark hair falling over his eyes. Shinra wanted a city, and the seventeen year old was constructing one for submission. Then well known weapons manufacturers had turned to drawing Mako energy from the planet and using it as electricity. The President of the company had found an area rich in Mako energy located on the eastern continent, just a few miles from Reeve's hometown of Kalm. His idea was to build a city there, a Headquarters for the company. A place where large amounts of Mako could be extracted from the land and used to power the entire metropolis. Reeve was young, but he was deemed as brilliant by his teachers. He had an ingenious idea for Shinra's city of dreams, and he was determined to see his dreams built before his eyes.

    It was as if he were born to construct. As a child Reeve played with blocks as he dreamed of some day constructing a real life city where real life people would live, work and be happy.

    Because he was so smart, the young man had been permitted to skip several grades. He learned easily and quickly, not to mention eagerly. Reeve soaked up information like a dry sponge and he allowed none of it to go to waste.

    His mother had been dead many years, but Reeve lived comfortably with his father, Drewdin, and his grandmother, Rose, who was spunky and full of spirit, despite her weathered age. Drewdin owned the materia store in town, an establishment that had been in the family longer than anyone alive could even remember. The Leanders were not wealthy people, but they had never wanted for anything more than what they had.

    Not until Reeve began chasing his dream of becoming a city planner. The dark haired teenager wanted nothing more than to rise to success, to be well known, to be respected and to make people happy.

    So for hours he sat hunched over his plans, double, triple and quadruple checking each measurement, making sure his lines were straight, the overall design flawless and the presentation thoroughly professional and pleasing.

    Reeve was oblivious to the outside, so he didn't notice his grandmother shuffle into his room, refreshment in hand. "Still slaving over that blueprint, Reeve?" The old woman chuckled as she lay down the glass.

    "Yes," murmured the teen, taking a sip from the glass without taking his eyes from the paper. "My interview with Shinra is tomorrow. Everything must be perfect."

    "Tomorrow, huh?" The old woman glanced around his messy room. "You have something to wear?"

    "My blue suit," he answered curtly. "It's hanging on the back of the door."

    "Oh. Well I can see you're busy." She headed for the door before stopping again. "Good luck tomorrow, Reeve."

    "Thanks, grandma."

    The door closed Reeve away with his dream again.

    He was half an hour early for his ten thirty appointment. Now with five minutes between him and the rest of his life, Reeve was a nervous wreck. He held his masterpiece tightly as his leg nervously twitched up and down. There were several other applicants sitting in the waiting room as well. They all looked cool, calm, collected and thoroughly professional. Reeve envied them.

    Deep breaths, Reeve. Think positive. Don't let them intimidate you with their fancy suits and slicked back hairstyles. You....you have---

    "Reeve Leander?"

    The young man was jerked out of his thoughts by his own name. "Hmm? I'm he."

    The secretary stepped aside. "They're ready for you, sir."

    Reeve drew a deep, though shaky, breath, gathered his plans and confidence and marched right into the office.

    The room was bathed in a soft shadow, due to it's lack in lighting. There were only three executives present: an old blonde man, a young light haired woman in a revealing red dress and another older man with bushy hair and a face as well worn as a catcher's mitt.

    "You must be Reeve Leander," said the old blonde man. "Welcome. I'm President Shinra and this is Scarlet, head of weapons development, and this is Heidegger, head of public maintenance."

    The young man nodded in greeting. "A pleasure to meet you all." He smiled, but he must have looked uneasy.

    "Relax, boy! We don't bite," Heidegger chuckled.

    Scarlet looked like she might. Reeve glanced at her several times, made even more uncomfortable by her constant ogling. Each time he looked over she raised her eyebrows seductively. He didn't like it.

    "You are seventeen years old?" the President said in surprise, reading over his resume.

    "Yes, sir," the young man replied eagerly, setting his blue print up on the easel at the head of the table. "But my youth could be described as potential."

    "Most definitely," Scarlet replied sensuously.

    Reeve swallowed nervously and resisted the urge to wring his hands.

    "Can you explain your blueprint for us, young man? It does look unique."

    Reeve relaxed a bit, and managed a bit of a smile. They seemed to like it...and Scarlet seemed to like him...perhaps not too pleasant now, but if it helped him secure the job later...His confidence level rose. "I have divided the city into eight parts, or sectors," he pointed each one out before continuing, "in the center is the Shinra Headquarters, at the top of the plate. Each sector has it's own Mako reactor to provide power. Also, in order to support the Headquarters, each sector is covered by a plate of steel, held up by a support pole. This way the entire city is protected from the elements, as well as supporting the Headquarters."

    The President watched the presentation intently, his head resting on his hand. When Reeve had finished speaking the head of Shinra thought silently a moment before nodding slowly. "Shinra is above the common people, looking over them. I like that."

    "What would happen if one of the support structures holding up the plate shattered?" asked Heidegger.

    Reeve stammered. This would not be happy news. "Uh....well the entire sector would be crushed by the falling plate. However that is very unlikely to happen. It would take some strong explosives to destroy the supports in my blueprints."

    Scarlet asked, "does it have a name?"

    Reeve paused. He had named it Midgar after his mother...."Midgar," he said honestly, "but of course I understand if you wish to name your own city."

    "I believe an artist should name his own work," the President explained. "Besides, I believe Midgar would make a splendid city name. How did you come up with it?"

    Reeve quietly admitted, "it was my mother's," and shyly cast his eyes to the ground.

    "She must have been quite a person," Scarlet put in.

    Reeve shifted his eyes to the blonde. "She was."

    "I'm thoroughly impressed," the President spoke up. "You have an extraordinary vision, Mr. Leander. We will most certainly give it heavy consideration."

    Reeve smiled excitedly and picked up his masterpiece. They liked it! They really liked it! "Thank you very much. It has been a pleasure."

    Scarlet again raised her eyebrows at him. "The pleasure's been ours, Mr. Leander." She left his name roll off her tongue with a smile.

    The young man left the office light headed and giddy. The job of his dreams was so close he could see the city being built. Midgar....oh god, please. Just give me this and I'll never ask for anything ever again.

    He headed home.

    Reeve sat quietly, thought impatiently, through dinner. He was wriggling in his seat, praying the PHS would ring.

    His father and grandmother were quiet too. They would look at the young man, then at each other, growing nervous themselves.

    The PHS rang out with a shrill pitch, making everyone jump. Reeve sat like a statue, too scared to answer the call, afraid it wouldn't be what he was dying for. It rang again.

    "Get it!" his father ordered.

    Reeve sprang to action at his father's words and dived for the device. "Hello?....yes, this is he..." his voice shook as he spoke, a smile growing rapidly across his face as he listened to the voice at the other end. "Thank you! Thank you so much!" He hung up, and squeezed his eyes shut, pushing back tears of joy. "I got the job."

    Reeve had never felt so much excitement in his entire life. His first day of work for Shinra... The young man must have grinned at his own reflection for a good ten minutes before he was satisfied with his appearance and left for the meeting.

    He walked in meekly, glancing around for any familiar face.

    "Hello, *Reeve*," Scarlet drawled, sliding up besides him in another revealing red dress. How many of these does she have?

    "Um, hello, Scarlet," he replied, nervously straightening his tie and trying not to stare at her chest. It was very difficult for him. After all, he was a seventeen year old, often known to think with something else besides his brain. Plus, there they were, almost right in his face.

    "I'm very excited about working together," she went on, running a hand down his chest.

    The young man couldn't help but helplessly watch. "I'm honored to have been chosen," he stammered. "I'm looking forward to working wit you too--with everyone here." Oh boy...this is a *bad* time to be getting an erection....

    "There's my boy wonder!" The President walked over and shook the young man's hand vibrantly, freeing him from Scarlet's spell. "Welcome to the future, Reeve. Welcome to Shinra Inc."

    "Thank you, sir. Thank you very much." As he was led across the room by the President, Reeve saw Scarlet wink at him. Working here was to be very interesting indeed.

    In the beginning work was simple and enjoyable. Every day they would go over the plans, formulating the exact cost of the building materials. Scarlet always seemed to be right behind him with a smile or a wink or a play of teasing fingers across his back. It was very distracting, and he found himself extremely attracted to her. Still, he concentrated on his work.

    At home, things were quiet as they always were. His father never said a word about work or anything else. Reeve had always found his father to be a cold and secretive man, but it was coming to be that his own father didn't speak to him. His grandmother tried her best to make up for it, but the distance between father and son was growing rapidly. Reeve found he dreaded coming home and consequentially spent more and more time at work.

    There was a lull in the process right now. The supplies had been ordered, and all they could do was wait before moving on.

    It was going on nine o'clock, and the only ones left in that meeting room where Reeve and the President. Even Scarlet had managed to pry herself away from the young man's side, after running a finger down his arm with a lusty, "see you tomorrow."

    "You're always here so late," the President chuckled. "Such a hard worker, Reeve."

    The young man reluctantly added up the last few digits on the financial report. "I don't mind at all, sir."

    "Good," replied Shinra. "Very good."

    Reeve was just slowly putting away the papers when a knock disturbed the evening silence.

    "Who could that be?" Shinra mumbled. "Come in!"

    The figure that stepped into the room drew a startled gasp from Reeve. Those green eyes...that silver hair...he would have know Sephiroth of SOLDIER anywhere. The sight of him in his intimidating black clothes was undermined by the presence of a child at his side, holding onto his hand.

    "Sephiroth...." Shinra stepped away from the table. "They've brought Rufus to me already?"

    "I'm afraid so, sir." The silver haired man nodded. "Is it inconvenient?"

    The President seemed uncomfortable. "I hate to step out for awhile."

    "I'll watch him!" Reeve eagerly jumped in, drawing the attention of everyone in the room. He must have sounded eager to suck up, when in reality he was eager to prolong his time away from home.

    Shinra smiled. "Reeve! Delightful! I'll be back soon." He left the room without so much as a look at his son.

    The green eyed SOLDIER looked after the President with a sigh and a shake of his head. Looking down at the child he said, "all right, Rufus. You stay here with this man and your father will return shortly."

    Rufus shook his head, looking up at Sephiroth pleadingly. "No, Sephy. You stay too."

    The older man made no verbal protest. "Well....all right." He ushered the child inside and glanced at Reeve. "You can go if you wish. I'll stay with him."

    "I'd rather stay here if you don't mind," Reeve explained, "I've got nowhere to rush home to."

    The other man nodded as he shut the door. "As you wish."

    "I'm Reeve Leander," he introduced himself, extending a hand.

    "Sephiroth," the green eyed man replied simply, roughly shaking the younger man's hand.

    "It's a pleasure to meet you." He took a seat again.

    Sephiroth sat too. "You're the one they have building their city?"

    He nodded. "Yes."

    "Hmn," muttered the older one,  "good luck with it."

    "I didn't know the President had a son."

    Sephiroth shook his head. "Yeah, well...." he trailed off with a sigh. "This is Rufus. He's five."

    Reeve gave the child a small wave. "Hiya, Rufus."

    The child was suddenly shy. "Hi....."

    "Do you happen to know why the President had to step out?" asked Sephiroth.

    Reeve shook his head no. "I haven't a clue."

    Sephiroth frowned and muttered, "typical."

    "Why's he always leaving me?" Rufus asked quietly, looking innocently up at Sephiroth.

    "I don't know," he honestly replied, eyes cast down on the table.

    Reeve was confused. The President frequently ran out on his little boy? He began to wonder why himself.

    The boy climbed up on Sephiroth's lap without asking, startling the green eyed man. "Oh, Rufus," he grunted, helping the child up. "Don't you think you're getting a little old for this?"

    Reeve couldn't help but find this all terribly amusing. Sephiroth seemed so cold to everyone and everything, by reputation anyway, now here he was with the child.... "He sure likes you," he commented.

    Green eyes looked over at him, narrowing slightly. "Yes, well--"

    "I love my Sephy!" Rufus proclaimed, wrapping his arms around Sephiroth's neck.

    Reeve watched as the SOLDIER's face grew bright red, very slowly, like an hourglass. Then, to his shock, Sephiroth burst out laughing. He looked down at Rufus and just laughed for a minute or so, while Reeve sat there, jaw dropped, blinking in surprise.

    When he calmed down, Sephiroth wiped a tear from his eye, ruffled the boy's hair and said, "yes, Rufus."

    Reeve finally managed to close his mouth and get over his shock. Well his vision of Sephiroth was altered forever....

    "Anyway...." again Sephiroth turned his eyes to Reeve, "how old are you, if you don't mind my asking."

    "I don't mind," he replied, "I'm seventeen."

    "Ah yes...." the older man nodded slowly, as though he was trying to recall something. "I remember hearing you were young." He paused. "I have heard a lot about you actually."

    "Hopefully all good things," Reeve answered with a nervous laugh.

    "Yes," Sephiroth confirmed with a tiny smile, "no need to worry."

    "I've heard many, many good things about you too," Reeve put in. "There are many stories circulating on the street about the mighty Sephiroth."

    Green eyes shifted back to the young boy and he grew quiet. "Oh...."

    Guess he doesn't like to talk about himself, Reeve thought.

    Rufus broke the silence. "Sephy," he said, a piece of silver hair in his hand, "I wanna grow my hair long like you."

    "No you don't," Sephiroth replied, removing his hair from the child's grasp.

    The child frowned. "Oh. Why not?"

    "It's a lot of work," he explained.

    "Oh." The boy thought a moment. "Then why don't you cut yours?"

    "I can't."

    "Why not?"

    "I just can't," he said bluntly.

    Rufus just blinked. Silently he looked from Reeve to Sephiroth and back again. He said to the younger man, "do you know Vincent?"

    "Rufus," Sephiroth interjected firmly, "I told you no."

    "Sorry....." the boy murmured.

    Before Reeve could attempt to change the subject the President reentered, accompanied by another man. "Take Rufus," he instructed, gesturing to the boy. The unfamiliar man nodded, picked up the child and headed for the door.

    "Bye, Sephy!" he called, waving happily.

    "Good-bye, Rufus," Sephiroth replied with a tiny smile.

    "Bye, Reeve!"

    Reeve waved to the boy. "Bye bye, Rufus."

    The door was closed and the child was gone.

    Sephiroth stood. "A pleasure as always, sir." He headed for the door.

    "Sephiroth," Shinra called, halting the young SOLDIER, "...I'm afraid you won't be watching Rufus anymore."

    The other man turned. "Why?"

    "I think I should go..." Reeve said quietly, inching towards the door.

    "Stay, Reeve," Sephiroth commanded.

    Reeve stopped dead, not willing to go against the word of Sephiroth.

    The President looked at both men before he said, "I don't think it's a good idea for him to be getting too attached to anyone. We'll be sending him away again."

    Sephiroth thinned his lips and Reeve could tell the older man was not too happy with the news. "I see, sir."

    "I'm sorry," the President offered weakly.

    Without another word, Sephiroth turned and left the room in a swirl of black.

    Reeve stood still another minute before he too headed for the door.

    "Wait, Reeve," the President called to him.

    "Yes?" he turned.

    "There are some things you must know...." he trailed off and pulled out a chair from under the table. "Have a seat."

    He did, slightly wary. The President told him about the Jenova project, and about Sephiroth's creation. Reeve listened in amazement. "Does he *know*?" he asked quietly.

    "No," Shinra answered firmly, eyes intent. "No, and you must not breathe a word of this to him or anyone outside the company."

    Reeve nodded solemnly.

    "There's more....my son, Rufus....he has also been injected with Jenova."

    "Oh?"

    "He doesn't know either..." Shinra trailed off, giving the young man an intense glare. "We have secrets here which must be *kept* secret," he said firmly. "I trust you'll remember that, Reeve."

    He nodded. "Yes, sir. You can trust me."

    And so Midgar was built. The President rushed the process so that it took only a few months for the sprawling metropolis to spring up. Eight Sectors, arranged like the spokes of a wheel. And at the center of that wheel was Shinra, as it was now and always would be.

    Already the property was selling like hot cakes, as everyone was drooling for a piece of Shinra and all it's promise.

    Reeve looked out from one of the office windows--a room that would be *his*. There was no need of shades of any kind. He never wanted an obstructed view of this city. He had dreamed it and designed it. Now people were moving their lives here. They were starting over with a reliance on all Shinra had to offer. Reeve smiled, his heart swelling with pride as he gazed at what he created. It was remarkable. *So* remarkable, however, that he was still waiting to wake up and discover it was all a terrific dream.

    Reeve loved his city. And he was sure wherever his mother was, she was proud. Proud of hi accomplishment and honored that he used her name to make so many dreams come true.

    "Beautiful, isn't it?"

    He jumped and half turned, glancing back at Scarlet before going back to the window. "Yes. It is, isn't it."

    He felt her come up behind him, pressing herself against his back. Suddenly his mind was giving him different signals and he couldn't help sneaking glances back at her. "I guess beauty just comes easily to you, Reeve," she purred in his ear.

    Frozen, he griped the window sill for control. "Thank you." It was nothing louder than a whisper.

    "Mm." Scarlet cracked a smile, backing away. "The ceremony will start soon."

    He pried himself away from the window. "I'm ready," he replied, offering her his arm."

    Scarlet took it with a smile. "Good."

    They sat in a row. The President to his left, Scarlet to his right. He was so nervous. His palms were sweating and he moved his hands back and forth over his knees, trying to relieve the tension.

    The ceremony began, but he couldn't really listen. He was too exited, too nervous, too overwhelmed. After all, here he was at seventeen, already a success. How could it have been so easy? Everything still seemed to be a dream. But oh....if he woke up now...what a disappointment.

    The President's mention of his name jerked Reeve back to reality. He looked up to see the President was motioning for him to come up to the podium. Eyes widened, and he shakily got to his feet. Something pinched at his rear end, and he turned his head to catch Scarlet's wink. Swallowing the nervous lump in his throat, he drew a shallow breath and approached the podium.

    As he reached the mic and looked down at the crowd, every planned word flew out of him head. The image of so many faces, so many people, looking up full of hope, eyes eager to start fresh. Start new. Start over. Yes, he had always known the impact the city would have but it wasn't until that moment did he fully understand why. People were drawn to Shinra and everything it promised. People needed hope, and Shinra, and Midgar, were that hope. The picture stunned him, the emotion of it, and he knew that he would never forget it as long as he lived. What could he say? Nothing, except, "welcome to Midgar."

    The following morning he moved out of his home in Kalm to be in his city and with Shinra. As he loaded the last of his belongings into the car, his grandmother joined him outside, and his father though outside, remained in the doorway.

    "I'm so proud of us, Reeve." His grandmother had tears in her eyes as she embraced him. "You really followed your dream."

    "Thank you," Reeve replied with a weak smile.

    "You'll come back and see your old grandmother, won't you, Reeve?"

    "As often as I'm able," he assured her.

    "Make sure you eat right." With those words she kissed his cheek, told him she loved him and headed back up the stairs to the house.

    He looked at his father a moment and wondered why he wasn't saying anything. As happy as he was, his father's actions made him feel as though he was doing something horribly wrong. And he looked so stern, standing with with his arms crossed, a sour expression on his face. It was though he was being let out of jail instead of leaving home. Frowning, he waved quickly. "Bye, dad."

    His father frowned, turned, and went into the house.

    Reeve wondered what he had done wrong to deserve this from his own father.

    His grandmother hurried into the house too, leaving the young man alone.

    That's it, Reeve thought, climbing into the car. I'm on my own.

    He drove home to Midgar.