Author's Note: Hi! This is my first fanfic, and I've never played the game, so you have to tell me if I get anything wrong. And please review if you like it or I might drop the story… Also, another thing, I don't own anything. Oh yea, and there are FEW CURSES, because that's just how Seifer is, or how I imagined him to be.





Chp. 1.



It was early in the morning, about 5 or so, and only a few SeeDs were up, and that was it. A few instructors talked in the lounge before they had to get ready for their classes. The sun had begun to rise, but most of the Garden was still drowned in light from the lamps. Selphie Tilmitt had gotten up because of hunger pains, and was walking towards the group of instructors by the vending machine.

'Uh… I knew I should have eaten dinner last night.' Selphie sighed.

"I didn't see him, are you sure?" One of the teachers asked.

"Yes I'm sure. The headmaster told me, he's back." Another one answered.

'Huh?' Selphie stopped walking. 'That was Instructor Xu! Who's she talking about?'

'How he got back in is a mystery to me.' The first Instructor said.

'Probably the Matron gave him another chance.' A third teacher replied. 'Don't worry though; he won't pass the SeeD entrance exam. He failed last time, and he's bound to break a rule before he takes the test.'

''Yes, but who would have thought – Seifer Almasy wanted to come back!" A forth instructor exclaimed, and everyone laughed.

'What? Seifer??" Selphie gasped.

Had she heard right? Why would Seifer want to come back? The others would throw a fit! 'Namely Squall. I gotta tell someone.' Selphie turned to head to Galbadia Garden to tell Irvine. 'No wait, he might get mad.' She began to get nervous. 'What to do what to do? People will be up in a while and they'll see Seifer!' Suddenly she smiled. 'Yea! I'll tell Quistis! She'll know what to do!"

Selphie started running down the halls to the sleeping quarters of Quistis. She almost ran down a vase by the corner, but she didn't stop. When she finally got to Quistis' place, she kicked on the door with a loud bang.

"Quistis!! Quistis get up!" Selphie pounded on the door. "C'mon Quistis!! It's an emergency! Get up!"

Inside, Quistis Trepe groaned and rolled over. She couldn't see the clock but she could tell it was early. '_Too_ early infact.' She thought as she pulled herself up. 'Especially for someone like Selphie to be up.'

"Qusitis wake up!' Selphie shouted. A few SeeDs peeked out of their room and stared at the girl, but Selphie kept pounding on the door.

Finally Quistis opened the door. She was bed ragged and yawning.

"What is it Selphie? Can't you use --*yawn* -- your own bathroom?"

"I don't need to pee!" Selphie pushed her in the room and shut the door. The sleepy SeeDs sighed in relief and went back into her room. "I have to tell you something!"

"Can't it wait until breakfast?" Quistis sank in a nearby chair. Selphie placed her hands on her hips.

"No it can't! I had to tell someone and I figured I should tell you!"

"Why me?" Quistis asked as she fought back a yawn.

"Because _you'd_ know what to do!"

"Thank you, I'm flattered. Now what do you need" Quistis closed her eyes. They were starting to hurt.

"He came back."

"Who?"

"Seifer – ooh!! Cookies!" Selphie smiled when she saw the bag of chocolate chip cookies on the table. She made a beeline for it and popped one in her mouth.

"What?!" Quistis' eyes snapped open.

Seifer Almasy, a rebel and a rival to the Garden's hero, was coming back? Didn't he want to be a Sorceress' Knight? Why was he coming back? He knew what he'd be coming back to; the whole Garden had labeled him 'traitor'. Everyone had assumed he had gone to be a thief or was just wondering around in the woods or something, no one gave him much thought really, especially about him coming back.

"Quistis?" Selphie asked as she took her 6th cookie.

"Huh?" Quistis looked at her. "Oh yea. Thanks for coming to me first…. I'll talk to Cid."

"What are you going to tell him?"

"I don't know; I'm not sure." Quistis picked up her brush and began combing her hair. "Where did you hear that Seifer is coming back anyways?"

"Xu and the other instructors; they were talking about it." Selphie replied, placing the bag of cookies back on the tables.

"Alright. I'll see you later." Quistis said as Selphie made her way to the door. With a wave and a click, she left. Quistis hastily took her uniform out and headed for the bathroom.

~ ` * ` ~

Cid sat at his desk, looking over his paper works for Seifer Almasy. He wasn't sure if he should have allowed him back in, but Edea wanted him to come back, and seemed very sure that he wouldn't start anything. 'Maybe she knows best; she did raise him.' Cid thought. But this time Seifer wasn't coming back for the Disciplinary Committee; he was coming back to be a SeeD.

The door knocked, and Cid said "come in" without looking up. Quistis walked in, and Cid finally noticed her after a few minutes.

"Hello Quistis, sit down. A bit early today don't you think?" Cid asked, leaning back in his chair.

"Well Sir, I want to ask you about something." Quistis sat down.

"Go on; I was going to call you in anyways, I have news for you. What is it that you wanted to say?"

"They say that Seifer Almasy was coming back." Quistis looked up at him. "Sir, I know I'm not an instructor anymore and it doesn't concern me, but --"

"Ah, I see you've heard about him. I was hoping you wouldn't mind much." Cid placed his hands on his desk. "His coming back concerns you."

"Me?"

"Yes, I thought about it, and I wanted to give you another chance to be an instructor, but I needed an excuse. So, when I saw Seifer and he said he wanted to come back, I took up the chance. The Matron also encouraged his coming back."

Quistis frowned. "Sir, I don't think want to upset anyone by letting Seifer come back just because of me; if I may, I'd like to resign from your offer."

"You may, bur Seifer will still, so I wouldn't if I were you." Cid smiled. "Don't worry much about what people will think; I won't tell them what I told you. You should be worrying about helping Seifer right now."

Quistis' mind flashed to Squall, and sighed. "What do I do?"

"You have to help Seifer pass the entrance exam, and whether or not he passes and what his score is, you get to keep your job. As of tomorrow, you're an instructor again unitl further notice. He will attend classes with others – not SeeDs of course, and you will give him private tutoring after dinner."

'Helping Almasy pass? I wonder how he did last time.' Quistis thought. 'Alright, I'll do this for my sake…"

"I accept, Headmaster."





'This is going to be a problem.' Quistis sat during lunch at the empty table in the cafeteria. 'I make Seifer pas, the garden is miserable, but I'm happy. I let him fail, I'm miserable, but I did a favor for everyone else. '

She sighed and looked around the cafeteria, and saw Selphie, Irvine, and Zell coming. They were going to congratulate her; all of her Trepies had found out she might get her job back and came up like Bees to honey to congratulate her. She was getting a bit tired of it, since she had to look happy, when truthfully, she didn't know if she was.

"Man! I'm so happy you're getting your job back!" Zell gave her a slap on the back, nearly knocking her over. That was weird, considering she had thought he'd be mad that she was helping an enemy.

"Thanks Zell." Quistis forced a smile. "Have you seen Squall?"

"Nope, don't worry 'bout him though." Irvine sat down across from her and stole one of Zell's hotdogs. "He'll be fine."

"I betted Rinoa that Seifer wouldn't pass." Selphie suddenly said, receiving looks from the others. She wasn't the kind to wish anything bad to anyone, and Zell said that. Selphie ballooned out her cheeks. "Well! I don't want him to stay! But I hope he does pass, so Quisty keeps her job, but I hope he doesn't."

"Do you ever listen to yourself talk?" Irvine laughed. "You're not making much sense."

"He does have a month before the test." Quistis added. "He has a good chance of passing."

"Yea, a month, lucky us, eh Zell?"

"Yea, real lucky. It'd be a miracle if the whole place stays in one piece with him and Squall in the same garden." He banged his fist against the table. "Did you know he's staying in Balamb Garden even though he's not SeeD yet? And they're letting him carry his gunblade around!"

"Calm down Zell." Selphie picked her cup of water up. "You're going to spill my water, and Squall is also carrying his gunblade; Seifer's not going to get special treatment."

"Yea? Well, I hope he doesn't pass."

"Don't say that!" Irvine exclaimed. "You want Quistis to keep her job, don't you?"

"Course I do!" Zell turned to Irvine, " I just wish he –"

Selphie blinked at him. "What's wrong?"

"Look." Zell made a gesture to the middle of the cafeteria.

Suddenly it was as if the whole cafeteria had been empty, and it was all quiet. Everyone watched as Seifer made his way through. You could hear the dirt beneath his boots going "crunch crunch" with the floor. He walked as if no one was there, and sure enough, he was carrying his gunblade, as if he was going to the training area.

"That's it, I'm outta here." Zell stood up, making a squeaky noise with his chair. Irvine got up also.

"Bye girls; I need to get back to Galbadia Garden." Irvine winked and left, walking closely after Zell, as if watching to make sure that he wouldn't start anything. The two of them were the only movements in the whole cafeteria because Seifer had stopped to stare at hem as they walk by. He smirked, and Zell glared at him, but they didn't make a move to fight.

Quistis got up also.

"Where are you going?" Selphie asked.

"I'm going to talk to Seifer." Quistis answered and walked towards him. He was staring at Irvine's retreating back and turned around when he heard her walking calmly towards him. Seifer greeted her first.

"Well well well, if it isn't Instructor Trepe. Still here?"

Quistis ignored his greeting and held out her hand. "Nice to see you back, _Mr_. Almasy."

Seifer looked down at her hand and back up at her face, then shook it. Quistis grimaced, and he smirked again. He knew he was crushing her hand, but he was surprised when she didn't show much signs of it. After a moment, he let go.

"I hope you won't hold a grudge." Quistis stated. "Because I was assigned to work with you… so… I hope you try your hardest not to start anything."

"Is that your opinion or is that a hidden command?" Seifer eyes sparkled as he watched her talk to him. Quistis frowned. He was getting more and more annoying.

"Yes, it is." She said.

"Well then, I'll try not to; afterall, I don't want to miss our private lesson." Seifer replied, "good day to you, _Instructor_ Trepe." He gave a mock bow, turned, and left. Quistis watched him go.

Little by little, the cafeteria started coming back to life. Selphie ran to her.

"You did it! You talked to him! And you weren't scared by him!!" Selphie squealed. "I could see it! He was trying to scare you! Did you see his face when he found out you weren't scared??" She giggled.

"I'm not going to get intimated by someone I'm going to be working with." Quistis said, then sighed and shook out her hand. "I forget how strong he is. I think I broke my hand."



~ ` * ` ~

Seifer walked through the halls of the sleeping quarters to find his room. People stared as he walked by, but he wasn't a bit fazed. He didn't think people were that scared at him. Maybe even mad, but he would never know, because they didn't dare to come up and insult him.

Turning a corner, Seifer found himself face to face with –none other than—Squall. Squall snarled at him, and brushed past. Seifer had expected nothing less, but it was disappointing.

"Losing your touch Leonhart?"

Squall turned right around, griping his gunblade. "You talking to me?"

"Yea I'm talking to you, puberty boy." Seifer smirked, happy that Squall was getting mad. "Should I be calling you Commander Puberty Boy now? With the capitals and everything?"

"I don't have time for you right now Seifer." Squall snapped.

"What, afraid to face your rival? Or are you in a hurry to see that slut."

"Don't call Rinoa that!" Squall shouted. "You better be careful -- you don't want to be on probation Seifer! We'll get you kicked out so fast you – "

"Oooh! Mr. Goody-Two-Shoes now? What's the matter? Been around Quistis too long?" Seifer snarled. "How bout you and me, training area, in 3 hours?"

"I don't think so." Quistis snapped.

The two men turned to her. "Where'd you come from?" Seifer asked.

"I was walking to my dorm." Quistis said. "What gives you permission to threaten SeeDs now Mr. Almasy?"

"Shut up." Seifer snapped and turned around to Squall.

"What are you doing in this part of the Garden anyways?" Quistis inquired.

"I'm looking for my room." Seifer replied, annoyed that she was so nosy. "And now, if you'll go away, I'll let you know that I've found it." He pointed to the door a few feet down.

Quistis' eyes widened. "How do you know that?"

"Cid gave me my room; what do you think!" Seifer exclaimed. "Can't you bother someone else? I'm getting a headache from you!"

Squall gave a half smirk, half smiled. "Your problem Quistis." He said as he passed by and left.

"Whatever." Quistis muttered, imitating him. She turned back to Seifer. "I've had enough of you today, and I don't want you to be loud. Not trying- out-my-weapon, no 'indoor practice', got that?"

"Why would you care?!" Seifer yelled, ready to hit her. "You're really getting annoying _Instructor_ Trepe!"

"Because my room is right there_!!" Quistis pointed to the door right next to his. Without waiting fro a response, she spun around and went away.

Seifer walked her go, then slammed his fist against the wall, making a crack. "Fuck!"



AN: I re-edited it, if you didn't know. I made a few changes when I found out that it didn't make sense. Thanks for the people who reviewed and told me my errors! ^^ From now on I'll re-read everything before posting them up. I never played the game, so if I made mistakes you'll hafta excuse me…