"Squall it's not like I'm complaining or anything but don't you think you'd better be going. I mean what would the headmaster say if he knew his seed commander was spending his nights in the female dorms?"

Squall Leonhart was kneeling down lacing up his boots and he looked up at the little brunette sitting on the edge of her bed with a mixture of amusement, annoyance, and affection, three very familiar emotions for him to experience as far as his feelings for her were concerned. He couldn't remember a time in the last two years when he hadn't felt at least one of those things when he saw her, nor could he remember the exact time another feeling had been added.

Love.

He only knew that he'd never felt anything like it before.

Not even Rinoa had made him feel the way the little brunette made him feel. It wasn't even close.

Rinoa had been his first. She had opened his eyes and heart to a world of love and friendship he hadn't suspected existed, and he loved her because of it. But it would always be first love, puppy love.

The little brunette with the emerald eyes would be his last. He was sure of it.

Selphie Tilmitt. The little brunette. Was it possible he had loved her from the moment she had slammed into him full tilt on her way to exam registration, late on her very first day in her new home?

He supposed he had. Why else had he picked her up off the floor, gathered up her books, and took her on a personal tour round Balamb Garden. Making himself late in the process and not caring at all.

He hadn't done anything like that before. For anyone, but he had done it for her. Selphie Tilmitt, the little brunette.

And later that morning, dog tired and beat up after a trip to the fire cavern, He had found himself up a long ladder in the quad. Hanging up banners and bunting, oblivious to the bemused stares of his fellow seeds who were wondering just who, or what, could make Squall Leonhart, who never did anything for anyone unless ordered, climb to dizzying heights with a smile on his face.

She had asked him to. That's why. Selphie Tilmitt, the little brunette with emerald eyes and hair like nothing on earth,

She only had to ask and he would obey. Though a lot of water would have to flow under many bridges before he had the sense to realize that he'd do absolutely anything for her.

Anything at all.

Why, He sometimes asked himself.

Because he loved her that's why, and he would never need any other reason than that.

"Were you listening Squall I..."

"I hear you Selphie." He interrupted gently.

"Oh, because you looked like you were miles away. Thinking again huh, gonna tell me what about?"

"Memories..." He answered softly. "Good memories."

"They're the best kind, but you still haven't answered my question."

He finished lacing his boots before answering. "Well, what do you think the headmaster would say."

"I don't suppose he'd be very happy Squall. You're the commander after all."

"And you're an ensign. What's rank got to do with anything?" He pointed out quite reasonably.

She sighed and stared down at her feet. How to make him understand. It wasn't about rank or about being caught breaking the rules. She was frightened. Not of him or of her love for him, he was the least frightening man she'd ever known, though without doubt the most dangerous. She was frightened by what people might say if they found out about them. She hated herself for it. Was she so shallow that she'd be put off by what others might think or say? And just what was it that they would say? She thought angrily. That he's no good for her. Rubbish! Her heart raged at the injustice of the suggestion. He was the best thing that had ever happened to her, ever, period, and end of story. And she was constantly amazed that he'd want her as much as she'd always wanted him. When she was with him, she didn't have to be the ditzy girl with the ridiculous hair people always expected her to be. She could be herself. And brother if that wasn't a gift worth having she didn't know what was. No, she was afraid, almost terrified of what people would say about her, that she was no good for him.

That Squall would be deeply offended by such a suggestion and would refute it angrily had perhaps predictably never occurred to her. She was only eighteen after all, still naive, despite her outward bluster and go to hell grin.

"That's not the point." She answered, looking right at him, hoping he'd understand.

"It's not the headmaster you're worried about is it"? He asked, displaying empathy beyond his nineteen years. "You're worried about us."

Her silence was answer enough.

"Do you love me Selphie?" He asked. He knew she did, but he was very young too, only nineteen, not able to understand that when a woman had a problem, or thought she did, it wasn't automatically the fault of a man.

She was at his side in an instant, arms round him. "Yes, yes, oh god yes." She insisted vehemently. "Don't be stupid Squall."

He didn't think he was being stupid, but he was glad to hear her words all the same. He pulled her tight against him, her sweet smell filling his nose, the feel of her beautiful hair and flawless skin against his own filled him with awe and wonder. She was utter perfection and his opinion not only the most beautiful woman alive, but the most beautiful woman who had or would ever live.

"Glad to hear it." He said, relieved. "Now what's the matter huh?"

"It's nothing." She lied, not liking or wanting to lie to him, but not wanting him to think her an idiot either. These last few months with him had been like a fairytale for her, the kind of enchanted romance that had brought her to tears as a young girl with the magical wonder of it all. And still could. And it was happening to her. Her. She never wanted it to end. And in her innocence, she thought going public about her romance with her very own prince would burst the fairy tales bubble, collapsing her dreams into darkness and dust.

She just couldn't bare it.

"I'm just being silly Squall; I must be getting my period. Maybe you should spend a few nights in your own room huh?"

Squall; who had a good idea about what she was worried about stroked her lovely hair; she just didn't think she was good enough for him, which was stupid and slightly offensive. He was a man in charge of his own destiny and was perfectly capable of deciding what was good for himself or not. And if he ever got round to making a list about the things that were good for him she'd find herself sitting fairly and squarely in the number one slot.

"You make it sound like I'm never in my room." He was, occasionally. But people were getting suspicious. One or two of his friends had asked him whom he was seeing, in a friendly, ladish kind of way. He'd told them to go to hell.

He would have told them, and happily, being in love was nothing to be ashamed of after all. But for some reason Selphie didn't want anyone to know, people were bound to find out eventually though. Balamb Garden was just too big and too full of wagging tongues for it to remain secret much longer. They'd been lucky so far. He was seed commander and therefore no place in Garden was off limits to him. But he couldn't continue making up excuses about why he was visiting the ladies dorms after lights out forever. Moreover, Selphie would drop dead on the spot if he suggested she slept in the men's dorm. Some were already starting to talk. Who's he seeing? No one seemed to know. He smiled to himself knowingly, wondering what their reaction would be when they found out. It would be positive, he was sure of it. If only Selphie would see it that way.

Maybe he could do something about it. An idea he'd been playing with for weeks crystallized in his mind. Why not do it today? He wondered. There's absolutely no time like the present after all. That he'd have to act on it right now was just another spur. He could make it up as he went along just like every other plan he'd ever had.

He started grinning like an idiot. It would work. It would have to work.

"What are you grinning about?" She asked as she ran a finger lovingly up and down a scar on his muscular shoulder.

"Nothing." Now it was his turn to lie. "Listen, I've just remembered something, I'm gonna have to get going". He was trembling inside as if an electric current was passing through him and was suddenly so nervous it was almost making him sick. Only his self-control, which was immense, kept his voice normal. She could not suspect a thing.

"Oh, really, where, what are you up to Squall?" He was never usually in such a rush. In fact, it was difficult to get rid of him at times.

"Nothing". He lied again. "What time is it?"

"Seven forty six." She answered after checking her Disney princess wall clock, a gift on her tenth birthday and something she would never part with. It fitted in well with the rest of her room that was wall to wall with posters, pillows, and DVD's of Pocahontas, Ariel, Snow white, and a dozen more princesses that Squall couldn't possibly identify along with the princes that loved them. She's a serious Disney princess freak he'd thought on first seeing her room though he'd grown used to it over time. He'd had to, it was either that or go totally nuts.

So late already. He thought anxiously. He had had barely ninety minutes to put a plan together.

He kissed her lightly and disengaged her from his arms. "What are your plans this morning"? He asked as he stood and helped himself to a clean white tee shirt, one of many she kept for him.

"Nothing much, a shower, division roll call, then breakfast I guess. Why?"

"Can you do me a favour?" He asked.

"Sure." She answered in some bemusement. Wondering why he was hopping around as he finished dressing, like a hyperactive kid on Christmas morning.

"What do you want?"

"Have you're breakfast in the cafeteria okay, and be there between nine thirty and ten."

"But that's when it's busy." She objected.

He nodded. "That's right; we'll have breakfast together for a change. And when it's busy fewer people will suspect there's anything going on between us". He said using a convoluted logic he hoped she couldn't get her head round.

"Alright." She agreed doubtfully. "But there's something going on Squall. I can tell. You don't eat in the cafeteria."

"There's nothing going on." He insisted, smiling insanely at the absurdity of such a suggestion "I've just got a few things to do then we'll meet up okay."

"What things?"

"Things." He replied vaguely.

"Okay." She agreed, there not being much else she could do. And it would be nice to sit down with him in the crowded cafeteria eye to eye over eggs and bacon like two secret lovers adrift in a sea of indifference.

He stood at her door, checking as always that the coast was clear. It was. Muffled music was playing on a stereo somewhere but there was no one in sight, good.

"Remember, between nine thirty and ten. Be there Selphie, Okay."

She nodded obediently, knowing an order when she was given one. "I'll be there Squall, don't worry."

He seemed satisfied with her answer. Then he did something she'd never seen him do before, he crossed himself like a knight before a battle, whispered something that might have been a silent prayer, then took off down the corridor at a run.

What was that all about she wondered as she watched him disappear. She had no idea, only that he'd suddenly started acting in a manner that was odd to say the least. He'd gone from his usual placid but sweet self to apparent lunatic in the span of seconds.

She stood at the door, listening to his fading footfalls. When they'd gone entirely she collected her towel and bathrobe and headed the other way down the long corridor towards the showers. Half way there, two of her friends caught up with her and they tried to engage her in conversation. She barely heard. All she could think about was Squall and the feeling that he was up to something.

She had no idea what. No one did. They soon would though. And when it happened, it would be something all right.

Something wonderful.

Zell Dincht could scarcely believe it. He'd spent the better part of an hour looking for Squall in every place he could think of without success only to have his friend and commanding officer almost run into him as he came charging round a corner at sprint speed.

"What the hell man!" Zell cried in alarm as he jumped out of the way of his blindly charging friend.

Squall stopped reluctantly, acutely aware of the minutes and seconds ticking by. He had given himself a deadline so strict that a delay of just a few seconds could prove fatal.

"Sorry Zell, guess I didn't see you there, but I'm kind of in a hurry." He took off again but Zell was having none of it.

"Whoa Squall, what's your hurry. I need to talk to you man."

Squall halted again. Feeling like he would literally die of frustration if he didn't get a move on.

"What is it Zell?" He snapped, sure he could feel every single nano second racing by.

Zell looked at him mistrustfully, hurt by his friends sharp tone of voice. "Relax Squall. Okay. I just need you to sign the daily assignment reports. You sign them every day don't you?"

"You sign them." Squall said, astounding Zell completely.

"What?" Zell answered, appalled. "I can't do that man. You're the commander, they need your signature".

"Forge it." Squall insisted. "You know how I sign my name, so sign it. That's an order Zell."

He took off again, heading down the wide steps that led to Balamb Gardens main exit six at a time, the closed barriers at the exit were no obstacles either, he simply leapt over them, much to the astonishment of a group of young seeds who were waiting to have their day passes stamped. None of them had ever heard of or seen their commanding officer behaving anything like it before. It seemed utterly impossible, and his strange behaviour at the gates would have gone into Garden legend there and then had he not returned an hour or so later and done something so astounding, so unexpected, it would be remembered in Balamb Garden for all time to come.

"Where the hell are you going Squall?" Zell yelled at his rapidly disappearing friend.

He didn't expect an answer that made any sense, Squall had obviously taken leave of his senses, but he did receive an answer of sorts, apparently absurd. Yet thinking about it later that day Zell realized it had made perfect sense all along. As he vaulted the last barrier, Squall had yelled back over his shoulder that he was heading into Balamb Town to see a man about a couple of rings and a horse big enough to sit him and a princess on.

Out of such things legends are born.