Under A Steal Sky; FFVII A Rufus Shinra HEA

Changes

Taya; 4 years before events

Another year, another birthday, but otherwise my life didn't change to much. I was starting to explore Midgar more with Rufus meeting people, including Zach Fair. As well as a young boy named Cloud, who followed him around. He was dressed as the other guards, while Zach was obviously a soldier like Sephiroth. I could tell something was happening. As both Rufus and his father wore worried looks and would grow quiet whenever I came near. "What's wrong Rufus?, You've been very distracted lately." "It's nothing serious just that we've lost contact with Zach and Sephiroth. But it's nothing it's happened before, so it's just a matter of time before we hear from them. It's just my father is stressing about it. So he's putting pressure on everyone else to find them." Even though he's said that they would eventually get back to normal. It was later announced that Sephiroth was killed in an accident. Although Rufus seemed to return to normal after that, he still seemed off. We took a walk around Wall Market one evening, displaying our relationship to the Don and his lackeys. They never said anything when I was with him, but I heard the whispers. He still wanted me in his auditions, and said to watch for any signs of us breaking up. I had just come on the halfway point till I would be an adult. It was that night Rufus gave me what he called a promise ring. "This is my promise for our future, Taya. When you are ready I would like to make you my wife." I couldn't help but cry as he did it on the main stage of the Honey Bee inn. During my dad's show, "Oh my yes a hundred times yes!" It was then I heard the cheers, and congratulations from the crowd. I couldn't help the flush that rose into my cheeks. My father and uncle Jules hugged me. Asking if I was happy I replied with, "Of course I am he's all I've ever wanted since I was fifteen. You've made me so very happy Rufus!" I hugged him to me and let him kiss me for the umpteenth time. Only this time I was in full view of my family. "That's enough of that she's still mine for the foreseeable future. Come Taya it's late and your father is starving." I laughed out loud happy in this moment.

That night my head began to pound, I felt sick from my headache. I knew the runner had pain relievers for this. I snuck my way down into the runner. I was looking at the photos of my family, as I waited for the medicine to work. It was then I saw it the beacon light saying the other runner survived the crash. I pressed it and up came Dane's face. "Taya if you see this we know your alive! I've sent you our coordinates, if you ever want to come find us. We love you kiddo and hope to see you at some point." Dane and Marissa were alive I was so happy I could go see them. Dane was my mom's youngest brother, in truth he was closer to my age then he was to mom's. The medicine was finally working so I went up to bed. When I awoke the next morning I felt different, like something happened while I was asleep. When my dad joined me for lunch I could feel him, his love, his care, his defense of me, the fierceness of his determination, to protect me from the world! In that moment I knew what was happening I was becoming a sentinel, we were the people who stood in defense of normal people. We were the ones to guide them back to being a good member of our society. I didn't want to be a sentinel! It was going to derail my life knowing peoples emotions, and later as I became more powerful their thoughts. I didn't want it so pushed it down and away. That seemed to work. It was like I was done being a sentinel, and it was going away. Until I awoke with the most horrible headache. I couldn't even see so I laid in bed. My dad came to find me that afternoon. "What's wrong honey?" "I think I'm coming down with something my head is pounding, and I just don't feel well." "Oh well I'll get you some of the pain medicine you took from the runner. Will that help?" "Yeah, dad those will help." I took the pills when he brought them to me. I fell asleep right after they started working. I awoke when I heard Rufus talking with my uncle Jules. "She's isn't feeling very well, and has been sleeping all day." "Hello my darling you've been sick today?" "Yes my heads been hurting, but I feel better now that you're here. If you'll leave me for a minute I'll get dressed and meet you on the roof. For dinner?" "Yes dear, it's dinner. I'll leave you two to it then, if she feels sick again please let me know. I'm going to the gym, be good and I'll send dinner." He kissed my forehead and left. I dressed slowly after I was left alone in my room. My headache gone for now, but I knew it was only a matter of time before it started again. I stepped out onto the rooftop the table covered with dinner. Rufus stood as I approached him, his smile the best thing I had seen today. It was short lived as with my dad earlier I got everything from him. I could feel how much he cared for me, it was definitely love. But there was something else a dark corner, of him where he hid his darkest secrets. I could clearly see the things he did, this man I was in love with was ruthless! He would step on people in his way to what he wants. My heart broke then and there, I pretended as hard as I could to be normal. The way he knows me to be, but it would slip here and there. "Do you still not feel well love? I can stay until your father comes home." I still loved him even with the darkness. I saw he knew who caused my allergic reaction, and he did something about it! Going after the scientist as well as the guard who followed his orders. I couldn't help wonder what the 49 were and why Dr Hojo seemed so upset about it. "I don't feel bad, but I don't feel like myself either. Would you hold me while I sleep?" "Of course I will if that is all you want. I'll do so gladly, please try to eat a little more you haven't had much all day." When I ate what I could I pulled his hand to my room, and told him to wait outside the door. I changed into cute pajamas and opened the door for him. I noticed he was changed to what appeared to be sleeping clothes. He noticed my puzzled expression and explained. "I always have something to sleep in when I come here in case I'm to tired to return. Now let's lay down, I think it's best if we leave the door open so your father doesn't want to kill me. I fell asleep even as conflicted as I was. I awoke with warm arms holding me safe I could see my clock display it was very early in the morning. I knew Rufus needed to be at work sometime soon. "I can feel that your awake. How are you feeling today?" "Fine much better than yesterday, I think I might have been exhausted so I just needed sleep." His smirk was quite cocky, telling me something else happened last night. "Okay spill you look awfully please with yourself." "I was awake when you're father came home. I expected him to toss me out for being here like this with you. Even though I left the door open, so he could see I was just holding you. But he left us be, I think I've finally won over Andrea." "I wouldn't bet on that! It was most likely because I was sick, and sleeping in your arms. Meaning he'd disturb me if he made you leave. Remember Rufus I'm still his girl, even if I'm yours too!" I leaned in and boldly kissed him. Touching my tongue to the seam of his lips, he opened them letting me take the lead. We broke the kiss surfacing for air minutes later. "I have to go. I'll see you tomorrow night I'll need to put in extra since I'm late today." He kissed my lips once more lightly and was gone. I rose to take a shower. As I stood under the hot water, I remembered I forgotten my soap on the counter. I'd have to step out to grab it, when suddenly it was their sitting on the side of the shower. I remember hearing sentinels could move things at will, could I have that power as well! I held my hand in the air willing the soap into it sure enough it was in my hand a second later.

That afternoon I found myself on the plate in sector 8. It was there I met a lovely flower seller. "Hi are you selling those?" "Yes I am, would you like to buy one?" "Oh I seemed to have lost my guide let's see where did he go. Oh there he is, Tseng! Could you please buy her flowers I want to put them in the vases at home." I saw a look pass between them, but he said nothing. "You have more than enough flowers to fill every vase in both Mr Shinra's penthouse, and your own you don't need any more Taya." "Please Tseng my flowers don't flower very often and we're in a void period." "Fine how much for the whole basket?" The girl looked confused and shocked when he acquiesced. In that second I felt arms wrap around me I was getting used to the dark side of Rufus. But sometimes it made my heart hurt so much. I saw Cloud and Zack in a lab being treated like labrats. "Hello my darling, Tseng said you called to explore the city. So I thought we could have a treat somewhere before I need to return to work. Thank you Tseng for looking after my fiance. I'll take it from here, I'll call when she's ready to go home." "Good bye Tseng please don't forget my flowers." "Please deliver the flowers here and I'll have someone take care of them until you go back later. Now let's go!" I could hear the flower seller's thoughts about me being Rufus Shinra's fiance and she hoped I wasn't being pushed into it. Rufus and Tseng knew her she was an ancient! Oh my gosh they thought I had the ability to become an ancient, too! My DNA was the baseline of all ancients DNA how was that possible. Wait the lost settlers, could it be they settled here. I remembered that story my mom told me about them.

Anna, Taya's mother telling her the story;

"Now settle down, and I'll tell you of the lost settlers. In the beginning days of space travel thousands of years ago, we sent a group of sentinels to find a promised land. A land that gave us hope for something better and brighter. The sentinels had to leave Moria as the government made their existence a death sentence. So they went in search of this planet and were never heard from again. Although it's said that if a sentinel was born they could find them again. Using their powers they could find them. On that peaceful planet they now call home. Now sleep Taya.... We need to go now Daniel if she's tested they'll know that she a sentinel and it's a death sentence for her. Call the others we'll leave tonight, or they'll come for her tomorrow. Then we lose her, they'll kill her where she stands I watched as my sister was executed. She was the same age as Taya." I watched my 3 year old daughter sleep peacefully as we loaded our ship and blasted off she never knew anything. My brother was also a sentinel gene carrier as well as a girl named Marissa. They would sterilize any gene carrier. I was lucky as was my husband ours was a hidden gene, so it didn't show when we were scanned as children. As were the other members of our crew. Dane and Marissa were just twelve years old. My mom and dad said to take him find him a better home. That's what Marissa parents said too. So that is what I'm going to do!