SHIELD Agent Rhapsodos: A Part That Remains

:: Dreams ::

"Say Genesis, do you have a dream?"

The teen who was helping out the girl volunteer paused from putting Robert's breakfast on his tray. That question was all too familiar. In the past, he would have said immediately answered to be a hero. But now... he wasn't quite sure of himself.

So, without really thinking Genesis said, "Get out of poverty."

Hazel gave him a sympathetic look. "That's not really a dream, Genesis. A dream should be something you live for, not exist for," she chided. "Come on, you're going to graduate at sixteen from high school with your scholarship and you're an Einstein at your school. There has to be something you really want to have or want to do. You know, like be a President, a dedicated researcher, or a CEO of something like Youtube or Facebook," she ushered.

The former SOLDIER shrugged, "I honestly don't know. I just never thought that far." Genesis truthfully never even thought to be something in the new world he lived in. So far he only cared was about his own survival.

The girl rolled her eyes. "Well, let's make it our agenda today," she said with a smirk, grabbed the tray, and made way to Robert's room leaving Genesis behind. Genesis chased after her too late before she told Robert about their brief conversation.

Much to Genesis' disgruntlement that morning, she was siding with Robert—of all people—and they were trying to bait him so he'd be more open about his personal life. The teen wondered what Robert bribed the girl with to get on his good side; considering the two hardly agreed with each other. Who knew something he was so confident in the past could make him insecure and hesitant now?

But it was a problem. The fact was, he knew so little about Earth he didn't know what to make out of himself in his second life. Did he want the fame and glory like he did in Gaia? Or did he want a peaceful and mundane life? Actually, what did he want in life? The last question alone left him feeling distressed he didn't have any real goals at all.

Feeling that she had done her job, Hazel gave a cheeky glance at Robert and left the room to let Genesis fend for himself against the old man. 'Damn the girl for being so sneaky about it', the teen thought grumbling to himself.

Seeing that Genesis wasn't being cooperative about it, Robert then had played the game of 20 questions, which probably to anyone's guess lead up to over a hundred no thanks to his CIA training. In dismay, the teen wasn't happy that Robert connected the dots to get an answer, even if Genesis gave short and clipped responses throughout the game.

"You want to be accepted and understood for who you are. If anything else, you're looking for a family," Robert concluded on his findings.

That hit straight on target that the red mage could not help but feel strained. Back on Gaia and until now, he probably craved that more than anything.

In the past, his adoptive parents didn't like him at all. No matter what he did, they never seemed to like him. It was only when he started to have a reputation and his fame in SOLDIER that they came back to welcome and accept him. But what they welcomed and accepted was his fame, and what that did to theirs. If Genesis was a normal boy, his parents probably wouldn't have accepted him at all. It just wasn't the real acknowledgment he sought for, and because of that, he kept his distance from them.

Bitterly, that fake love showed its real ugly head when the former SOLDIER was degrading. The very two people who raised him were more afraid of their own fate against ShinRa than the health of their 'son'. It had taken a few threats so they wouldn't report him back, and that was proof how falsely fabricated his life was. He hadn't really meant to kill them, but he was too angry, the degradation did not help him have any semblance of emotional control, and they ended up dead at his feet.

The person who he found family in was Sephiroth (for some time), Angeal, and Gillian (Angeal's mother). However, they too met their own tragic demise that was a ripple effect that Genesis caused back on Gaia.

"Genesis?"

Ah, he had forgotten he was with Robert.

"Umm, I suppose that is kind of my dream," Genesis admitted with a bit of shame.

"There's nothing to be ashamed of for wanting a family," Robert comforted the teen rubbing his back. "You'll find your own type of family when you put your mind to it."

"My own type of family?"

"Families come in different shapes and sizes. Doesn't mean they're related by blood. They might even be because you have the same cause," the old man suggested.

Genesis wondered if there was ever the case where a family had a case for redemption. He doubted it. "You think a family like that exists for someone like me?" the teen asked awkwardly.

"Have a bit of faith in that dream and you'll find it."

"How about you Robert? What's your dream?" Genesis asked back curiously.

This time, it was the old uncomfortable. However, he answered the teen, "To make amends with my son, before I can't anymore." Then there was a sad look that lingered. "Some arguments can come from something petty. You don't mean for them to happen and they can hurt the ones you care the most about just as bad."

"You ever tried to contact your son?"

"I've tried a few times," the old-timer shrugged.

"Then you should keep on trying," Genesis supported Robert in his goal.

Robert then smiled at Genesis' changed demeanor. "Deal. Promise me you'll keep searching for that family you're looking for, even when I'm not around anymore," he said.

"I intend to."

At lunch, when Genesis went out for shopping, Hazel made herself present in the old man's room.

"So, how did it go?" she asked.

"We've managed to come to an understanding on what he wants," Roberts said with an ambiguous tone. "It's a good thing you told me he doesn't have any dreams at all. I wouldn't really know how to help him if I didn't." Genesis' ambitious habits to Robert's observations to this point of time had the old patient thinking the adolescent was just focusing on staying alive.

Hazel shrugged, "Like I said before Robert, I just wanna help Genesis out." Helping out the old man was left unsaid, but she didn't want Robert to know she had a soft spot for him too. She paused before a question came up from her head, "So why were you so worried if he had dreams or not in the first place?"

"There's a saying: 'Give a man a dream and you give him a "car". Add faith and you send him off with a "full tank".' The kid's got smarts, is a genius, and a survivor. What he needs is a goal that can fulfill that empty part he's missing and he can go anywhere."

Hazel chuckled. "I didn't think you had that sort of kindness in you, old coot."

"This doesn't leave the room," Robert said sternly.

She only grinned back, "Your secrets are safe with me."