Broken Blades

by LunarBlade Valentine

It's about the life after the game, with Squall and Rinoa and how carring on with life might prove harder with new threats Not to mention Squall's fear of commitment. Mushy and cuddly at most, with a touch of danger.

Broken Blades

Running through the flower field, he drew his weapon.

He ran faster and faster, the flowers passed by like a haze.

The rain slowed him, made the mud slippery, his legs heavy.

But every time he got there it was too late, she was dead.

Slaughtered by an unseen creature.

And he would simply stare down at her body and the weapon would slip from his hand. And then he would always turn and always see only a flash of metal before being slain himself, slashed across the face.

That's where he would wake up with a shout, sweating and breathless. Sometimes his cheeks were wet as well.

Squall lowered his legs to the floor and went sleepily to the bathroom to wash his face. Just another sleepless night for him: There wasn't a chance he would be able to sleep after this dream.

He leaned over the sink and opened the faucet. Cupping his hand, he gathered some water and splashed them on his face. The water that dripped to the sink from his face suddenly caught his attention. His eyes darted to the mirror in front of him alarmingly. His scar was bleeding. He frowned deeply and in confusion and he touched the blood.

"What the…"

It's been months since he got that thing, why would this happen all of the sudden?

He washed his face again, trying to stop the bleeding with water, and when that did not work, a towel.

The dream…? He was slashed right in his scar in his nightmare… But he had nightmares like that a million times already and never did this happen.

Squall returned to his bedroom, still holding the towel to his face. He sat down and tilted his head backwards. He breathed deeply to sooth his nerves.

Maybe he should tell Doctor Kadawaki about this? What good with that do? She can't fix dreams, or stop nightmares.

A knock on his door startled him. Taking the towel off his face, he checked if the bleeding stopped, it hadn't.

Who could it be in… He glanced at the clock- 3:13 in the morning?

Before he even got up to answer the door, it opened and a dark figure came in, it stopped in the little hall that connected the entrance door to the little bedroom.

"Squall?" It whispered softly.

"What are you doing awake in this hour, Rinoa?" he asked, agitated she would see him in his state: Distraught, bleeding and wearing only his boxers.

"Are you okay?" she asked in raising concern, hardly discerning anything in the pre-dawn grayness, "Can I come in?"

He didn't answer, simply tried to tilt his head more. She came and sat by him on the bed. She silently took the blood sowked towel from his hands and frowned,

"What happened to you?" She asked in a whisper, although they were both alone in the room.

"…Nothing." He said, letting her touch his face with the towel. He swallowed hard before he asked,

"What are you doing awake?"

She smiled and withdrew the towel, "There. It stopped bleeding… Now answer my question, Squall." Her voice had a touch of anger.

He gingerly touched his face and then examined the scar. Indeed, it had stopped bleeding.

"I… Had a bad dream." He said unemotionally.

Rinoa blinked at him,

"Why were you bleeding, then?"

He gave her an irritated look,

"I don't know… I just woke up and found out that my scar was bleeding."

She edged closer to him on the bed, a smile on her face,

"What happened in the nightmare?"

He looked away as he said,

"I don't want to talk about it."

She sighed, knowing that she still had a lot of work on him.

Squall woke up with a start as someone knocked on his door. More thumping on his door then knocking.

"Yo!!! Squall!! Are you still sleepin'?" Squall bent over as he tried to remove the sleep from his eyes and glanced at the clock.

9:38

"Damn!"

He tried to get up, but something held his arm, he looked in confusion and saw Rinoa cuddled against him. Carefully, and somewhat reluctantly, he slipped his arm from under her neck. She moaned a little complaint from her sleep and Squall tucked her under the covers before he said,

"Be right out, Zell! Let me throw on a shirt." Not to loud so he won't wake Rinoa.

He went to the bathroom to get dressed.

Zell opened the door without permission. His mouth turned into a little o' as he noticed the blissfully sleeping blue-dressed figure and twisted into an evil smile as Squall walked out of the bathroom and finished wearing his shirt and leather jacket.

"What?" He asked Zell as he grabbed his Gunblade from it's impressive case.

Zell's reply was simply widening his smile and glancing towards the bed. He eyed Squall sagoucesly.

Squall walked up to his friend and smacked him in the top of the head with the hilt of the Gunblade.

"It's not like that." He said, letting his anger reach his voice.

Zell rubbed his head, but refused to stop smirking at Squall.

"What is it, then?"

"I don't remember owing you any explanations, so shut up and let's go before I'm forced into cutting you into tiny pieces."

Zell chuckled as Squall didn't know how red his face was, and followed the later out of the room, sending a glance to the sleeping beauty. The others will enjoy hearing this…

Zell strolled beside Squall in the curving halls of Garden, and they saw Quistis coming towards them from across the main hall. She waved at them, and Zell waved back. Squall, obviously, didn't.

"Good morning!" she said when she was before them, "How are we today?"

"I'm cool." Zell said, punching his fists together as if ready for a fight.

"Tired." Squall said, and then punched Zell again as the later started smirking.

Quistis raised a brow, and Zell laughed, dodging Squall's punches.

"Guess who I found in Mr. Leonhart's bed this morning- Uff!!"

"It's not like that!" Squall shouted, frustrated by the insinuation and by the fact that he couldn't stop his face from tuning bright red.

"We just fell asleep!" Quistis eyed him as well, "NOTHING happened!" he shouted angrily.

Quistis placed a hand on his arm,

"It's okay… We're just teasing! We believe you, right Zell?"

"Zell?"

"I guess you punched him a bit to hard, Squall." Quistis placed her hand on her mouth as they both looked at Zell on the floor.

"Whatever…" Squall said, though he really wanted to say 'He was asking for it.'

Quistis was about to say something when the speaker system of Garden woke to life with an announcement:

"Would Squall Leonhart please report to the Headmaster's office on the [third floor].

I repeat:

Would Squall Leonhart please report to the Headmaster's office on the [third floor]."

Squall rolled his eyes. How many times was he called there! At least Headmaster Cid returned to his office (After Squall strenuously insisted), but he still kept Squall as his second in command, much to the later's discomfort.

"See you later…" Quistis called after him as he left without so much as a goodbye. He ran up the few stair to the elevator and went up to the 3rd floor.

He entered Cid's heightened office and saluted. Looking around, he noticed Edea sitting in a chair and admiring the view.

"Sir?" Squall inquired in his typical detached tone.

"Ah, Squall, I'm glad you're here. We didn't have a lot of time to talk since… A-hem…" He coughed uncomfortably, then continued, "Anyway, how are you doing?"

Squall raised his brows,

"I'm fine, Sir."

Cid smiled at him,

"Heard you enjoyed the victory party."

"I did, Sir."

Then he thought maybe he saw him on the balcony with Rinoa and his expression turned involuntarily to something more miserable and embarrassed, which made Cid laugh good heartedly. He came by Squall and patted him on the back,

"Nothing to be ashamed of!"

Squall frowned, why does everybody laugh and tease him?? It's not like he hadn't a worry in the world or something… He straightened up and regained his composer, colder then before, if possible.

"What was it you wanted, Sir?"

"It's about your destiny, Squall."

Squall was stumped, he didn't expect this topic, he blinked,

"My what, Sir?"

"You're destiny, Squall, your destiny."

Squall was silent a moment,

"May I speak openly, Sir?"

The headmaster frowned at him and said with an irritated wave of his hand,

"Of course you can! How many times must I ask you to drop the formality?"

"Sorry, Sir." He said, then opened, "I don't believe in destiny, Sir."

Headmaster Cid gave him a questioning look, imploring him to explain,

"I believe that everyone's in control of their own destiny, Sir. I think that people who believe in fate are afraid to have control over their lives."

Cid gave him a smile, as if sad that his student thoughts were so misguided,

"Squall, destiny's there. It doesn't ask anybody to believe it, it simply exists."

Squall did not answer.

"Did you plan to fall in love with Rinoa?"

Squall gave a small start at the comment,

"I'm…!" he didn't not finish the sentence, only looked to the side,

This time Edea said, her voice soft and her amber eyes resting on the youth before her,

"You're not going to deny it, are you?"

Squall frowned,

"That's different." He said.

"In what way?" Cid asked, pacing around the room, "In what way is it different? No. It's fate, Squall. And you have a very important role in things to come."

Again, Squall said nothing. The Headmaster continued,

"Rinoa's the sorceress of this era. You are her knight. That is quite a task, you know. You must take good care of her and ensure the future for all of us. It is your destiny to be her knight, and when the time comes, you will help finding Rinoa candidates for the next sorceress."

Here Edea continued,

"A sorceress without a knight will soon turn evil." She paused and looked lovingly at her husband, "Ultimicia did not have a knight in her era… That's why she used Seifer." She reverted her eyes to Squall again, "You must always be there for Rinoa. It is your destiny."

Squall was angry, but managed to suppress most of it. He slashed the air with his hand,

"I'll be there for Rinoa because I want to, and not because of some non-existent destiny! I-" he bit his tongue before he could say anymore. He took some deep breaths before he asked,

"Is that all, Sir?"

Cid looked at him compassionately for a long moment,

"All we want is to make sure you know your duty."

Squall eye's reidiated the cool mask of his entire life, but he said, almost begged,

"For once, Sir, I would like to do as I feel and not as I'm ordered." Then he added weakly, "Please."

Edea nodded at him, and placed one delicate hand on his shoulder,

"Love Rinoa as much as you want, Squall, simply consider it as an order that matches your interests completely."

Cid smiled a wide smile and said, trying to ease the tension that was almost tangible,

"Basically, Squall, your orders are to love Rinoa as much as you can. Is that acceptable?"

"I wouldn't dream of disobeying an order, Sir." He said without a shade of humor, saluted and left the room.

Cid laughed and placed his arm around Edea's shoulders. They walked together to the window.

"A lion he is." She said with a sigh.

"Yes… He is very stubborn in his way. I'm sure he'll be a perfect sorceress knight, don't you, dear?"

She smiled at him,

"I hope we made it clear to him how important his task is…" and then she smiled again, remembering something, "I hear that he's a cub if Rinoa's around."

Cid pressed his lips to her black hair,

"I would like to see that sometime…"

He walked from the elevator in a grumpy disposition. Zell, who was surpassingly smart enough to see this, stepped away from Squall's way as the later strode wide-steply towards the dorms.

He entered his room and locked the door. He didn't want any unwanted visitors.

Soon he'll go and get himself some breakfast, he thought as sat down on his bed.

Rinoa wasn't there anymore.

Thank GF… That was embarrassing…

He placed the Gunblade in it's case for now and opened the door to his bathroom.

Rinoa screamed and poor Squall was so surprised even he gave out a short yelp. He stumbled back to the room by the impact of the shock.

Good thing she had a towel on!

"Sorry!!" He fell on the bed, his eyes firmly closed and his arm covering his face, as if he expected to be beaten. "Sorry!!!"

Rinoa slammed the bathroom door shut. Unfortunately, it had no lock- It was an apartment for one man.

Squall took his arms down and fumbled with his fingers a little while before he recovered from the surprise,

"What are you doing here??" he asked, frustrated and embarrassed.

"Well…" Her voice came from behind the door, "My accommodation aren't as neat as yours- you're a SeeD and a hero, after all… So after I saw your room last night, I decided to move in here."

Squall straightened immediately,

"You what??!"

The door opened and Squall covered his face again,

"It's okey, you big baby." She said, pursing her lips,

Hesitantly, he took his hands off and opened his eyes.

He locked gazes with her a long moment. But had to look away; looking at Rinoa too long made the hard walls he built around his heart to melt. Slowly, but surly. He wasn't ready yet… to open completely… to welcome the pain that came with being even slightly dependant on someone.

Maybe it was too late?

He feared he was hopelessly dependant on one woman's company and love…

When did this happen?

He realized that Rinoa was asking him something,

"I said, what do you think about my idea?"

He frowned at her in that serious way that always brought a smile to her lips,

"You can't move in…" He said, shaking his head, "Where will you sleep?"

He almost feared the answer…

"I can bring the bed from my room and put it… Hmmm…" She scanned the room with one hand on her chin. Then she clapped her hands together in that way she did and pointed to a corner, "…There!"

Squall's frown deepened, that was the Gunblade's corner.

"I don-"

She came and sat across his knees, hugging his neck tightly. When she let go, she fluttered her eyelashes at him and kissed his cheek,

"Thanks!" She said, getting up, "I'll go bring my stuff!" And she ran out of the room as Squall stood up after her and tried to uttered something, but she was already gone, skipping happily down the corridor.

He fell back on the bed and rested his head in his arms.

The other's will have a great time with this…

She came back half an hour later, carrying in both hands an assortment of boxes, all full with clothes. She was having a difficult time with the weight and balance.

Squall just sat there, staring at her as if he never saw her in his life.

"Unt hust hand air!" she let go of the purse she had in her mouth and repeated, "Don't just stand there!" She staggered into the room, "Help me!"

He shook himself from his shock and took some of the boxes from her- he ended up holding the whole building of them, and wondered what has the world come to.

"Okay!" She clapped her hands together, "That'll go there… And that there… Now, put that box there… Careful! …That's there…"

In the end, Squall was exhausted and Rinoa was happy.

The room transformed into something it was never supposed to be:

Feminine.

Again, she clapped her hands together and said,

"I'll be waiting for you in the Cafeteria! See you there, Squally!" She stood on her toes to kiss his lips and left in a little dance.

Squall stayed there, shocked, tired.

Half of the room turned into Rinoa's bed and assorted trinkets she gathered throughout the world, colorful things that stood on little colorful bedside mantels, while the other half remained almost untouched, gray and gloomy.

He grumbled and picked up his Gunblade case from where Rinoa has discarded it. He buckled the weapon.

A lot more then half of the closet was now filled with women's clothing, which Squall wasn't even going to look at, as for the two shelves that were his, they were cramped with white T-Shirts that stuck out amongst the pitch black that was Squall's wardrobe.

How did all this happen?

There wasn't a chance they could live together in this tiny room!

Maybe he could ask Headmaster Cid for a larger room…? No! All the double rooms where… married couples…

"What's wrong with marring Rinoa?" Asked Squall's refection from the mirror Rinoa hanged in the door of the open closet, raising one brow.

"I can't do that!" Squall answered, frustrated.

"Why not? You do love her."

"I guess…" He sighed, sitting back on the bed.

"Then…?"

"What if she says no?"

The reflection laughed,

"You really think she'd do that to you?"

Squall looked away,

"Ya… Maybe…"

"You know as well as I do that she's as much in love with you as you are with her, scar-boy."

Squall looked at his reflection. Nothing new there.

"I can't… Not yet!" he got up and slammed the closet door shut. He didn't know what was stopping him, and it was getting on his nerves. He wanted to be with Rinoa every minute that he lived… For him there were two things he had to do to live:

Breath, be with Rinoa, breath, be with Rinoa…

It was that simple.

Or was it?

"Maybe I'm too young…?"

He leaned his head against the closet, crossing his hands above his head on the closet as well,

"You managed to have time to save the whole world… What more can you do?" This time it was the bathroom reflection.

"I need time…"

"You had plenty."

He shuck his head against the wooden, polished door.

"What… If I fail to protect her…?" his hands clenched into fists involuntarily, "What if… Like in the dream…?"

Here even the reflection was left without a cunning reply,

After a long pause, Squall said in a very, very quiet tone,

"I'll go eat breakfast."

He was gone, and so was the reflection.

Rinoa was sitting in the cafeteria, mixing her milkshake with a straw and leaning her cheek on one hand.

She was waiting for him.

Sometimes she worried about him… After that fright he gave her in the flower field that day, she was almost constantly afraid that something'll happen to him while she wasn't there.

She immediately cheered up as she saw him coming into the cafeteria. He searched the place with his gaze until he met her eye, upon which he smiled back at her.

He sat down across from her and ordered a cup of coffee.

"What are you going to wear for tomorrow night?" she asked and then started to blow bubbles in her drink, eyeing him curiously, "Your SeeD uniform?"

"Why? What happens tomorrow night?"

"It's Cid and Edea's second wedding- don't tell me you forgot!"

Cid and Edea are getting remarried… It totally slipped him mind.

Obviously, after Edea turned to evil ways, they split up… Was Cid Edea's knight?

But if he is… That means that a sorceress can turn evil even if she has a good knight by her side?

No, she was possessed.

But still…

"Earth to Squall- Helloooo, Squall?"

He snapped out of his daydreaming and saw that Rinoa was waving her hand in front of his face. She tilted her head to one side, "You here?"

He nodded, "Ya, sorry. I was-"

"-Just thinking, I know" She sighed, "You think too much!"

Squall smiled a tiny smile, "Would you rather me not thinking at all?"

"Sometimes." She nodded, smiling, "You could be a lot more fun if you wouldn't 'think' all the time."

After a short pause, he said,

"Whatever…"

Rinoa burst laughing after that word.

"What's so funny?" He demanded,

"Oh, Squally…" she calmed down and dragged her chair nearer to him. When closs enough, she leaned her head on his shoulder, "You're so cute… In that stiff, irritating way of yours." There was a slight hint of sadness in her last sentence.

He frowned down at her, but did not attempt to move from her.

"Must you?" he asked quietly after a while. She raised her head slightly and looked into his eyes,

"Must I what?"

"Must you call me 'Squally'? I don't mind the rest… but 'Squally'…?"

"Okey." She said smiling, and he smiled in relief, "From now on, I'll call you Squally-poo!"

His smile was replaced by an expression of dread.

"Don't you dar-"

"Hiya!" Selphie skipped happily to their table and brought a seat across from Squall, where Rinoa sat before moving her chair. Selphie examined Rinoa's milkshake and then began drinking from it.

"Hi, Selphie, me and Squally-poo were just starting our breakfast- Are you okey?"

Selphie coughed and choked.

"S… SQUALLY-POO???" Selphie gasped, wiping the residue of the milkshake from her chin and hands.

Squall frowned.

"Hey Irvy!" she called to the tall man that approached the table, "Wanna join 'Squally-poo' and us to breakfast?"

Here Irvine imitated Selphie's reaction to the nickname and after that just stared at Squall, waiting for some reaction.

Squall simply rolled his eyes, "Whatever…" He mumbled.

The new waiter at the cafeteria brought Squall his coffee. Rinoa straightened from her cozy position so Squall could comfortably drink his drink.

"Hey, this is cold." He said, sipping from the cup.

"Easily remedied…" Rinoa said and pointed her finger at the cup. After a short narrowing of her eyes, the three gaped as the coffee started to fume.

"WOW!" Selphie exclaimed, almost jumping out of her seat, "How did ya do that??"

"I'd like to know too!" Irvine brought a chair and positioned it backwards, leaning his chin on the back of it.

"Hey, I'm a sorceress, remember?" She shrugged, "I can do all sorts of things!"

Squall tried to drink again, but Rinoa said, "Look at this!" she pointed at his cup again and instantly, the liquid inside burst into flames. Squall turned his face from the flames that almost burnt him and dropped the cup on the table in alarm.

The cup fell on it's side, and the little burning material inside spilled on the table and continued to burn.

"Thanks." Said Squall harshly, narrowing his eyes at Rinoa.

She smile sheepishly,

"Errr… Oops?"

"Again!" Selphie jumped up in down in her chair, but cringed when Squall nailed her to the seat with a stare.

"You'we not mad at me that I buwned your coffee, wight, Squawwy-poo?" She hugged his neck tightly, "Awe you?"

He looked in her big, brown eyes, and every ounce of criticism he had melted away.

"Thought so!" She laughed and kissed him on the lips. After that she sat back down and examined the singe marks on the table with Selphie.

Irvine, on the other hand, winked at Squall and nudged his elbow, and later answered him with an innerved frown.

"Squall." Rinoa said in slight concern, she got up, "I think your coffee burnt through the table a bit… I'll leave the explaining to you, okey? I'll be waiting for you in our room, okey?" and started leaving in a bit of a hurry.

"Hey…!" Squall got up as well, but Irvine and Selphie interrupted,

"'Our' room?"

"I'll tell you on the way…"

And they left.

Squall placed his hand on his forehead and sighed, shaking his head.

Without too many words, he went to the counter, produced from his wallet what he thought would be enough to cover the table and the cup, and left.

"Headmaster Cid?"

"Yes, Squall?"

The headmaster looked at Squall, and the later coughed uncomfortably.

"What is it, Squall?"

"I… " Squall stuttered, not knowing how to say what he meant to say, "I… Maybe… I could move to the… other dorms?"

Headmaster Cid tilted his head, a strange request indeed,

"Is something wrong with your current room? To small? I never heard any complaints…" He rubbed his chin, "It is specifically built to accommodate one person…"

"That's the point, Sir." Squall interrupted, slightly blushing.

The things I do for Rinoa… I wasn't like this at all before- how long? Only a few months…

"… Rinoa… and I… are interested in… living together."

Cid suddenly smiled,

"Thinking about tying 'the notch', Squall?"

"Not yet, Sir." He replayed meekly.

"I'll check what I can do." Cid smiled proudly at Squall.

It has only been a few months since he met Rinoa, yet in these months Squall has changed more then he thought possible.

She twisted his world… She uncovered his secrets… She toppled his veiw of the world.

He thought his world worked on discipline, now most of his life was governed by her whims.

He loved her whims… He loved the way she managed to be smart and lightheaded at the same time…

He was her knight.

'…It is his destiny to be Rinoa's knight…'

'…A sorceress without her knight turns evil...'

'…SeeD was created to defeat the sorceress of each era if she turns evil...'

That was SeeD's secret.

He vaguely wondered what was Seifer up too.

He was the knight of an evil sorceress.

Was Ultimicia simply lonely?

Seifer's romantic dream…? He was in love with who? Edea or Ultimicia?

Squall wasn't mad at him. Seifer did not rise any emotion in Squall, only indifference.

A sorceress must have a knight. Always. Through any era and any time.

What if Squall fails?

What if he fails?

What if she dies? What if he will be unable to protect her?

Ultimicia had a knight, and was defeated.

After Seifer more or less returned to the right side, they were able to kill her.

His fists clenched as he thought about the fight and all that happened right before and right after it.

What if he fails?

A sorceress without a knight…

The time will come to find Rinoa candidates to inherit her powers…

He didn't even wanted to start thinking about these kind of things.

A feeling of nausea attacked him.

"Would Squall Leonhart please report to the Headmaster's office on the [third floor].

I repeat:

Would Squall Leonhart please report to the Headmaster's office on the [third floor]."

Sighing, he went to the [third floor].

"You called me, Sir?" asked Squall after saluting.

Cid nodded,

"I found that there is a vacancy in the Other Dorms, you can move in immediately!"

Squall did not react, not knowing if he should be happy or not.

"Thank you, Sir." His voice expressed nothing.

Cid's shoulder's fell in disappointment and then he sighed,

"My mistake… Expecting a reaction from you… Dismissed." His sighing did not lack some humor.

"Thank you, Sir." Squall said again, and left.

Edea came to Cid,

"I sense something disturbing him…"

Cid raised his head,

"What do you mean, dear?"

Edea shook her head with a sigh,

"I sensed it before," She said, pointing to the door, "He is uncertain. But in a way I find unnatural."

"What are you saying?" Cid looked thoughtfully at the door as well, "Are you saying he's in trouble?"

Again she sighed, shaking her head,

"It's not like that… He has much love in him-"

"-For Rinoa, of course-"

"-But at the same time, much fear."

"He was never in love before, I guess he is simply not used to it-"

"-It's not like that!" She let a rare touch of anger into her usually calm, almost hypnotic voice, "It's…" She then threw her hands in the air with frustration, "I cannot explain it!"

Cid placed one arm around her, and she rested her head in his shoulder.

"… What can we do, then?" He asked her quietly after he presumed she calmed down.

"… I don't know… But whatever it is… It frightens me."

Cid looked at her with slight surprise. And then leaned his head on hers, his expression thoughtful, his thoughts concerned.

Rinoa strode like the Queen of a parade though Garden's halls, telling the good news to everybody.

They were moving to the Other Dorms.

She didn't know what the name meant, but she heard the rooms were bigger.

Slightly lagging behind her was a walking tower of furniture and boxes, otherwise known as Squall Leonhart.

He felt the amused stares, and heard the mocking, laughing, teasing voices of everyone that passed.

Everybody who still had doubt about the nature of Squall and Rinoa's relationship or did not hear of it now knew exactly.

The Other Dorms!

The whole Garden knew by now…

He grumbled, but couldn't hardly talk under the heavy weight.

Rinoa turned to him and smiled, but he didn't see her through all the luggage.

Irvine, Selphie, Quistis and Zell heard the news as well and came running.

Thankfully, they decided to help Squall a little and took from him some of the weights.

"…Thanks…" He managed to whisper.

After arriving to their new room and dropping all the burden, Squall massaged his aching shoulders and started to unpack his boxes, the Gunblade first.

His hands froze when he placed the impressive case beside the bed.

One bed.

Double.

He clenched his teeth.

A nudge on the elbow made him look at Irvine, who had a big smile on his face, he winked.

Rinoa was arranging the bathroom.

Selphie silently indicated her finger, the one usually someone would find a wedding ring on, and winked to him as well.

Squall resisted an urge to growl at them.

"I'd like to stay and help," Quistis forced a smile and got up from the double bed, "But I… Really have to go right now…" And she left without another word.

Irvine and Selphie followed her with their gazes until she was out of the room. Obviously, Squall and Rinoa's transfer to the Other Dorms struck a nerve. They both reverted their look to Squall, who was throwing his clothes into the closet, making sure to leave a lot of room for Rinoa.

Rinoa came out of the bathroom, her legs dancing as if there wasn't a single worry in the world.

"What's all the commotion with the Other Dorms?" She asked Selphie while Irvine helped Squall.

"This is," Selphie said, prancing around and indicating the room with her hands, "The married couples dorms!"

Rinoa slightly blushed and hesitantly turned to watch Squall's reaction.

The later was on one knee, opening a box.

Having his back to them, they did not see his expression, but from the rigidness of his back and Irvine's sudden laughing, they got the point.

A while later, Zell, Selphie and Irvine grew tired of helping and left, so Rinoa and Squall continued alone.

Night came quickly, and the young couple was very tired.

Especially Squall.

Now both of them stood by the double bed, looking at each other awkwardly.

"So." Rinoa gulped, "Who's gonna get in first…?"

They felt very weird.

Squall loved Rinoa with all his heart, that he knew, but this was getting into territories that he knew nothing about, and it scared him.

Rinoa said,

"On the count of three, okey? One…"

Both picked up an opposite corner of the blanket,

"Two…"

Their eyes were locked on each other.

"Three!"

They got into the bed together, and Squall lay in the extremity of the bed, nearly falling off. Rinoa, on the other hand, giggled at his shyness and cuddled against him, throwing one arm across his bare chest and the other she put under her head, which lay on his shoulder. He looked down at her with puzzlement written on his face, but said nothing. After a while, he leaned his head on hers and fell fast asleep.

Rinoa stayed awake longer, lifting her head from his shoulder to watch him while he slept. She smiled at him. How he looked different in his sleep, she mused, passing her hand through his hair.

She tilted her head and continued to examine him. She never got a chance to do so while he was awake.

While sleeping, his brows, that she thought were fixed in that everlasting frown, relaxed to a somewhat less scolding expression. She worried how tired he looked, how now that his mask was gone, how lonely and worried he looked, even in his sleep.

She lowered her hand from his hair to his scar, figuring it lightly. From there she went further down to his lips, she touched them once, hesitantly, then brushed his lips with hers and then replaced her arm across his chest and her head on his shoulder.

She lay there a long while, unable to catch the illusive sleepiness she was looking for. But she feared falling asleep because of the nightmares... After a while she noticed that they both forgot to turn out the light and got up, being careful not to stir the sleeping man.

She switched off the lights with a tired sigh. Rinoa then dragged her heavy feet to the bathroom to have a glass of water.

"You totally enslaved the poor guy today, you know." Said the Rinoa in the mirror.

"You again." Rinoa commented without too much enthusiasm. She filled a glass with water and drank most of it in one draught.

"You got what you wanted, did you even care to ask him what he wanted?"

Rinoa glared angrily at herself.

"I didn't twist his arm or something. It was his-"

The reflection placed her index finger on her mouth, reminding her to lower her voice,

"-It was his idea to move here, in the first place." She continued quietly.

"You love him." The reflection stated, and then added meanly "You loved Seifer too, you know."

Here the blood ran out of Rinoa's face with the reminder of the name.

"You loved him too." The reflection repeated, seeing how it affected Rinoa, "He's the one who gave your boyfriend that sexy scar of his in the first place, you know."

Rinoa looked away, absently clutching her double ringed necklace,

"With Seifer it was different." Was all she argued.

The reflection looked at her from the corner of her eye, questioning the credibility of the last remark.

"It was!" She said, then immediately lowered back her voice. "Seifer… He… He had charisma… He made me feel like a could do anything… It was admiration that I felt towards him, and I mistook it for love."

The reflection looked down and said nothing.

Rinoa suddenly grew very sad as she said,

"I worry about Squall."

The other Her in the mirror seemed to try and glance though the half open door of the bathroom into the bedroom, then she looked back at Rinoa.

"The dream." She said in a steady voice.

Rinoa brought both of her hands to her necklace and refused to meet her own eyes. She stared at the sink.

"I don't want him to die because of me... for me…"

She heard a sound from the bed and turned to see Squall frowning at her. Surprised, she stared back at him in the darkness until she noticed he was still sleeping.

He twitched and turned his head sharply to other side, groaning.

She came back to the bed and crawled from her side to his, caressing his face.

He was a having a nightmare.

He started sweating and slowly his struggling grew stronger.

"Squall…" She whispered into his ear, wanting to wake him up.

Nothing, his head turned to her, and she saw his teeth were clenched and his eyes squeezed tightly together.

"Squall." She called him louder, shaking his shoulder.

He refused to wake up, and instead struggled harder against an unseen enemy.

Rinoa shook his shoulder harder, and tried to touch his face, but at that instant he bolted up to a sitting position,

"Rinoa!!!"

"Squall! I'm here!" she placed her hands on his cheeks and made him look at her. His eyes were wild and he was gasping for breath. He placed his hands on hers and forced himself to calm down.

She looked intently into his eyes, as if she could somehow see in his eyes what was so terrible in his dream.

It took a long moment till his breathing settled and he was able to think clearly.

It was the same dream again.

"Rinoa." He gently passed his other hand on her cheek, then, to her surprise, threw both his hands around her and held her very close to him. Shielding her from the darkness, "Don't leave me." He begged her.

He was holding her so tightly she could hardly breath. She looked up and saw that there were tears on his cheeks.

"I'll never leave you." She promised almost inaudibly, but for him to hear, burring her face in his chest and closing her eyes.

He held her very tightly, and she heard his heart beats racing, then slowly become more relaxed.

"Squall…" She whispered, unmoving.

"hmm?" He almost fell asleep in that comfertable position.

"I can't breath."

"Oh." He released her quickly, holding her shoulders and checking that she was okay and he didn't accidently crush her in his grip.

She caughed a couple of times but seemed unharmed.

"Now go back to sleep," she helped him back under the covers, "I'm right here."

He smiled at her and she returned to her former position with her hand across his chest and her head on his shoulder.

Soon he was sleeping tightly again, and after a while, his steady breathing and the rhythm of his heart beats lulled her to sleep as well.

Held thus, none of them had any bad dreams the rest of the night.

The next morning, Squall woke up as the alarm clock went off.

Dazed and groggy, he slammed the thing shut.

Rinoa, after mumbling half coherent things in her sleep, woke up with a start and hopped out of bed, much to Squall's surprise and hidden disappointment.

"Go back to sleep…" She lulled him.

He stared at her, perplexed by her behavior.

"Rinoa, don't go…" He mumbled, reaching out his hand to her.

As much as she wanted to crawl back into bed (It was 5:30 in the morning) she smiled and said to him, "I have to go. You go back to sleep and I'll be back at noon, okey?"

"Don't go…" He mumbled again, half asleep.

She sat down beside him on the bed a moment, passing her hand though his hair,

"Squall, turn over and go back to sleep, okey?"

He looked up at her, not understanding. She explained,

"I'm going to change my clothes, and I'm not going to do it in the bathroom."

He obediently tuned his back to her. Even thought he was mostly asleep, he blushed slightly.

She chuckled to herself and got up, stretching her limbs and yawning.

While she was changing in the middle of the room she smiled evilly and teased,

"You can peek if you want to."

She was expecting his back to become rigid or something, but instead (much to her surprise) he turned over.

She almost yelped as she covered herself by clutching her the shirt in her hand to herself. After a moment, she noticed his eyes were closed.

He was sleeping, and simply tuned over in his sleep.

His hand searched the bed beside him where she had been, obviously finding nothing, he frowned in his sleep.

Still slightly scared, Rinoa put her new shirt and before leaving the room she came beside Squall.

He was adorably and blissfully asleep, so she smacked him out of the bed, both for scaring her and for having the chance to sleep while she had to go.

She shut the door behind her.

Staring at floor, Squall wondered what was he doing on the floor, face first, in his boxers and alone at 5:39 AM.

He sighed and preferred not to know.

He got up painfully, and looked around. Rinoa was no where to be found.

Where was she?

Where could she be in 5:40 in the morning?

He did not remember what happened a few minutes before, or what she said to him.

Alarmed, he thew on his pants and his jacket and rushed out, taking the Gunblade with him, just in case.

He ran though the awakening Garden, asking and checking every corner for her. He reached the second floor. He asked a Cadet if he saw her, and the cadet pointed at the class's direction. The wind of Squall's departure made him loose his balance.

He saw her get in the class, and instantly ran after her. Only half way though the door did he realize that there was a class inside. Grabbing the doorway he skidded to a halt.

They stared at him.

He blinked at Rinoa, who was sitting in the front row and staring at him as well.

She shifted her eyes to the instructor, and she nodded. Then Rinoa got up and walked out of the class with everybody staring at them.

"What are you doing?!" She scolded him once they were outside.

"I… I…"

Rinoa was wearing a Cadet uniform.

"…I just wanted to wish you good luck." He lied.

She eyes him suspiciously,

"You mean… You knew I was going to try and become a Seed?"

"S… Sure!" he stammered, then regained his composure. He crossed his arms across his chest and looked to his side,

"I didn't want to talk about it so I won't end up making you nervous."

"Oh, Squall…" she sighed, then added with a smile, "you look ridicules, you know."

Surprised, Squall examined himself, finding that he had completely forgot to wear his assorted belts, that his hair looked like a blond person from some sort of prequal, and that his jacket constantly fell over one of his shoulders.

"You look like something the Grendel dragged in…" she began to tidy him, passing her hand through his hair to flatten it a bit and give it something of a shape. He gently grabbed her hand,

"You'd better hurry to class, then." He said, though what he was meaning was, 'Don't go. Stay with me.'

She turned to leave, but he refused to let her hand go.

"Squall…" She tugged her hand, and he remembered to release it.

"Go and get yourself tidied up!" She laughed as she entered the class again.

While tugging at his jacket, he dragged his legs to the nearest bathroom- the fact that it has not been a full ten minutes since he was smacked out of bed caught up with him.

"I had no idea that she enrolled for SeeD." Squall said to Headmaster Cid.

"Yes, well…" he coughed, "She knew you would be against it, and she wanted it to be too late for you to protest."

"I have nothing against it." He replied with a shrug, "Why should I?"

Cid sipped from his morning coffee,

"Because she thought that you wouldn't like the fact that she'll be in danger. It'll take a lot of her time, and you'll see each other less. She's going to pass those hard test you all passed and-"

"Okey," Squall frowned, crossing his arms, and looking aside "Now I'm against it."

"Squall." Cid placed his cup and gave Squall a steady stare, "You can't protect Rinoa every minute- She's an independent person- you can't always watch over her. Have some faith in her abilities."

Squall didn't meet the Headmaster's look, and continued to look at the floor, his frown deepening.

"If something happens to her…" his shoulders rose as his arms tensed up, "…And this after you lectured me about that fate cr… " He chose a different word, "…Stuff."

The Headmaster said nothing.

"What if something happens? And I'm not there to help her…?" Squall almost whispered, the words came hard to him when he was actually saying them to someone real and not his reflection.

The pure desperation in Squall's voice made Cid wonder. But more then that, it made him suddenly very sad.

It was almost as if he suddenly had a glimpse of the future.

"I'm sure she'll be fine." He promised without really meaning it, it was just the right thing to say in those situations.

"Don't be too hard on her." Squall suddenly dropped his arms and looked at the Headmaster, "I mean, just because she was on the team that killed Ultimicia doesn't mean-"

"I know, Squall."

"But I don't mean the you should treat her differently-"

"Don't worry so much Squall." The Headmaster couldn't resist a smile at the young boy, "Your princess will be fine." Then after a moment, the Headmaster commented, "Your hair looks like someone that's named after a meteorological phenomenon."

That evening:

"Rinoa! Hurry up!" Squall tapped his foot impatiently, waiting for his princess to come out of the bathroom.

He, of course, had to dress in the bedroom and was ready ten minutes ago.

"Be there in a minute!" She called.

Squall sat on the bed, holding his head in his hands, "That's what you said five minutes ago- We're gonna be late!"

"What's your hurry?! Nothing'll happen if we were a tinsy-winsy late…"

Squall stared at the door with disbelief, being late to somewhere was a thing that Squall just didn't do.

Squall, by definition, wasn't 'late'.

"…Just hurry…" He mumbled, losing all hope to reach the celebration in time.

She opened the door of the bathroom and stepped out.

She was ready.

Squall gulped hard.

She had a pair of white half-heeled shoes, a snow white dress with a slit in the side, showing her well toned leg. There were no sleeves, but the dress held itself miraculously around her upper chest.

She smiled at Squall's reaction.

He loosened his SeeD uniform collar with two fingers- He wondered at the back of his mind who was crazy enough to turn on the heating at summer.

"Let's go." Was all he said.

Rinoa placed her hands on her hips,

"I ain't going anywhere until you compliment my dress." She tilted her head back slightly to give him an up-stuck look.

'Compliment her dress…? Oh, well, better do what she wants so we could go already…'

"Dress, you have a really nice looking Rinoa in you." He said without a shade of humor, talking to Rinoa's stomach, which was even sadder.

Rinoa slapped her forehead and Squall didn't understand what he had done wrong.

"Let's just go…" She mumbled. She sarcastically tried to remember what was it that she found so amazing about him., but remembered part of it when they entered the party. She was the Queen, and he the King, and every princess in the court envied her for showing up with the Garden's commander: The handsome Squall Leonhart.

They entered arm by arm the great hall of Garden. Most of the people were already there. They weren't late by much.

The actual wedding took place in private, at the old orphanage. This was the celebration party.

Rinoa saw some of her new classmates standing at the other side of the hall, waving at her. She waved back and let go of Squall's arm, smiling warmly at him, and skipping to her friends.

Squall was amused by the fact that it was her first day as a Cadet and she already made a group of friends. That's Rinoa for you.

He took a glass of wine and positioned himself strategically at his favorite corner. He looked at the dancing couples and had a disturbing feeling of Deja-vu'.

Just in case, he looked out the window to the stars, trying to catch a falling star again. No such luck. It made him smile to himself nonetheless, the thought of that night so many nights ago, when he first met Rinoa.

He kept a close eye on Rinoa, checking that she was okey, that no one bothered her- or was too friendly for his liking.

"Umm.. Hiya!"

Squall glanced to his side and met the sparkling green eyes of Laguna. Laguna offered Squall his hand to shake, which Squall didn't bother taking, but simply sipped his wine.

Laguna let his hand drop.

"Where's Rinoa?" he asked. Squall pointed to her location among some SeeDs.

After a short silence between the two, Squall asked,

"Did Ellone come too?"

"Whoa!" Laguna took a step back in surprise, "You actually said something!" He then laughed nervously as if to say he didn't mean to offend Squall, then he scratched the back of his head, "Na, she isn't feeling very well, she's with Kiros and Ward now… It's really nice of them to agree to take care of her tonight… You know, she's sooo proud of you guys, I mean, saving the world and all- that was cool, it's a pity Esthar's in such a poor condition, though, I mean-"

"Laguna?" Squall interrupted,

"Yeah?"

"Shut up."

"Oh, sorry… You know how I get-"

Squall sipped from his wine and gave Laguna an icy stare, "Yes, I do."

Laguna laughed with embarrassment, learning first hand what's it like to talk to Squall. He patted the young man on the head like he did with Ellone and left.

Squall 'hmphed' and passed his hand in his hair to rearrange it back to the shapeless mess that he liked.

He searched for Rinoa with his eyes, and was alarmed that he did not see her where she had been moments before. He relaxed back when he saw her at the other side of the hall, walking towards the exit.

Wondering where she was headed, he placed the glass on a table on the way out after her.

Quistis saw Squall leaving just as she approached to talk to him. He apparently did not see her, his eyes followed something- probably Rinoa- So after a while Quistis followed him.

Squall saw Rinoa walking to the other side of the Garden, towards the Dorms. He also saw the T-Raxus that had somehow gotten out of the Training Center attack her, and he heard her scream in terror.

She was unarmed.

Squall drew his GunBlade and ran as fast as he could to her.

He ran faster and faster, every thought he had was to get to her in time.

She screamed in terror as the mighty monster roared at her, bearing it's fangs.

It tried to bite her, but she dodged with a jump to one side, sending a Thundaga at the T-Raxus in the nose as it bit the air right by her side.

She tried to turn around and flee, but her heart skipped a beat when she saw that one of the two pressure door of the corridor was closed.

It could only be opened from the outside.

Hearing another mighty roar, she turned around and faced it.

She saw it in slow motion: The T-Raxus turned and lifted his massive tail to strike and she screamed out Squall's name as she covered her head with her hands, paralyzed by fear.

…I can't fight alone…

Squall reached the door, panic grabbing his heart when he heard something slam against it.

He raised his GunBlade and sliced the door, creating a small door of his own. This pressure door was the weaker of the two.

He rolled under the door in the opening he created and found Rinoa laying unconscious.

"RINOA!!" He shouted in alarm, bending by her side.

She was still alive, and the T-Raxus was preparing to attack again.

Then he saw Quistis.

"Quistis!," he hefted his weapon, ready to attack, "Take Rinoa and shut the other door! We can't let this thing reach the party!"

Quistis, having no weapons with her, reached under the door and dragged Rinoa out, "What about you?!"

Squall dodged a tail attack and tried to flank the dinosaur, "Go for help! Then-" He had to pause to roll on the floor to avoid being eaten, "-Come back and open the door- I'll hold him 'till then!"

Quistis agreed and dragged Rinoa away, reluctantly shutting the primary pressure door after her, locking Squall in there with the monster.

She ran for help.

Squall knew that his plan perhaps wasn't the wisest, but it was the only idea he had at the moment. The T-Raxus could easily break the secondary pressure door if it tried- so without a decoy, he couldn't escape with Quistis and close the other door in time.

He got up again after being knocked down for the second time by the monster's massive tail.

He forgot to tell Quistis to hurry.

He never dreamt he'd need a Junction at the party.

He brought his GunBlade just because he never left the room without it.

The T-Raxus charged him, slamming Squall to the wall with it's head, an attack that left Squall gasping for breath. In that time, the T-Raxus flung it's tail at Squall, hitting his side and sending him crashing against the door. He had to repress a shout as he felt his left shoulder dislocate with impact.

Dazed, he ducked to his left as the monster tried to bite his head off.

He rolled on the floor and quickly got up, facing it again and trying to ignore the pain in his chest and arm.

The room was too small for a Renzokuken! He cursed, having relied on his Renzo' in case he needed to use it.

He dodged another tail swing and attacked the monster's back. It roared in protest and slammed itself against the wall to rid his back of the insolent pest. Squall was thrown off just as he reached for it's neck. He slammed hard on his back against the wall and fell to the floor.

Getting up and dodging towards the door with another bite to his head, he saw Quistis has returned through the hatches in both doors. He returned his weapon to his hip and rolled under the door to reach the relative and temporary safety of the room created by the two doors. But before he fully rolled under it, the T-Ruxus closed it's deadly teeth around Squall's leg. Stiffening a cry of pain, he turned over while the monster started dragging him back to the room. Squall drew the Lionheart and slashed the T-Ruxus across the nose, causing it to roar in pain and let go of Squall's leg. He scrambled to the gap in the doors and finally rolled under it.

Quistis reached the door, panting. She called the all the people in the dance and they ran to get their weapons. They would be here any second.

She saw him roll under the door, looking battered and pained.

She raised her hand to open the door to him and froze.

Rinoa was still unconscious by her feet. Squall might not survive if she doesn't open the door quickly.

Yet she couldn't.

She wanted Squall to herself, and she knew that he'll never love her.

He loved Rinoa.

She starred at him through the hatch, he looked back at her, puzzled by the fact that she did not open the door.

She wore a scared expression, starring at Squall, or at least, through Squall.

He was beginning to worry by her expression and empty eyes.

The door behind him shook.

"Quistis, open the door." He asked.

She stared into space, her lower lip trembling.

Then she turned and fled.

"Quistis?!" Squall slammed his fist on the door, "QUISTIS!!" He yelled at her running figure.

The door was sound proof, anyway.

Squall turned as the door yielded to the sheer force of the monster at the other side. Shrapnel flew at him, cutting his face and tearing his SeeD uniform.

All he could do was stare as the T-Raxus roared and charged at him, it's mouth open to shred Squall piece by piece.

Squall wasn't afraid, even though he pressed his back to the door behind him, his hand searching for a knob, a button, anything!

He wasn't afraid to die. He faced death many times. What did bother him, in those few seconds he had, was the way he was going to die.

By a T-Raxus, no less.

No heroic death. He could've died fighting Ultimicia, he could of died out there in the desert. No. A runaway T-Raxus was going to kill him because he didn't notice that he couldn't do a Renzokuken.

The T-Raxus was inches from his face when Squall felt that he was falling and the world swirled in front of him as it went black.

When he gathered his senses again, he was laying on the floor, with Rinoa closing the door back in a hurry. They heard the Dinosaur crash into the door and roaring with anger.

This door the monster could not break so easily.

Rinoa bent by Squall's side and caressed his cut face, ignoring the blood that smeared on her hands.

Squall breathed painfully for a minute. Every breath was pain, but nothing he couldn't handle.

Black sparks popped in front of his eyes, and his left shoulder screamed in pain. He looked up at Rinoa and smiled.

Rinoa knew that asking if he was okey was stupid.

"Hang on." She said instead, smiling through her concern.

Loud voices reached their ears, and Rinoa smiled with relief when people started running towards them.

Soon they were engulfed with people who helped them both to the infirmary. Others opened the door and attacked the monster.

They had to carry Squall for he found himself unable to walk.

Rinoa checked out to be fine, except a broken shoe-heel.

Squall wasn't so lucky, though.

She shuffled her feet impatiently as she sat outside the infirmary, clutching her hands between her hips and worrying.

Irvine, who was standing next to her, placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. Zell was seated on another chair across from her, looking at the floor helplessly. Selphie sat on the floor at Zell's feet, fingering her pink dress.

Quistis was no where to be found.

No one knew where she was. Exactly as no one knew what she had done.

Rinoa literally jumped out of her seat when Doctor Kadawaki opened the door and walked towards them.

She wiped her hands on a white towel before she addressed them.

"He'll be okey."

Here everyone heaved a relieved breath.

"He got a couple of cracked rips, a dislocated shoulder, some bumps and bruises and his leg's rather bad, still, nothing Squall Leonhart can't handle."

Rinoa smiled happily, clasping her hands and hopping up and down.

Zell and Irvine gave a high five and Selphie hopped happily as well.

Doctor Kadawaki laughed, "You can go see him, if you want."

They rushed in.

Squall looked at the ceiling. He was in this bed so many times throughout the years… It was always quiet here…

Here a lot of things started.

When he thought about it, he could say that all of the Ultimica commotion started right here in this room, when Ellone came to see him right after he got his scar… The same day he passed the SeeD exam… The same day he met Rinoa for the first time.

It struck Squall as odd how he could pinpoint the beginning of it all… One morning you wake up, get into a fight, and you're on the adventure of your lifetime.

He smiled to himself, 'Just like a book or something…' he sighed, placing his healthy arm over his forehead.

Then all hell broke loose with a lot of shouting voices drumming against his tired ears. He cringed with pain.

In a blink, they were all around him, his friends.

Rinoa too.

She was safe.

He smiled at them and tried to get up.

"Nonononono!" Zell shook his head, pressing Squall's shoulder so he'll lay back down, "You shouldn't get up yet."

Squall plopped back to the mattress and grabbed his shoulder.

Zell accidentally pushed his injured arm.

"Oops!" Zell scratched the back of his head, "Sorry."

"Forget about it." Squall smiled.

Irvine and Selphie held each other and pretended to be afraid.

"What's with you guys??" Rinoa laughed at their frightened expressions.

"S… Squall's smiling at us!!" Selphie shrieked in terror.

Squall rolled his eyes, "Whatever." He said.

Selphie and Irvine broke down laughing, taking with them Zell.

After a moment, Rinoa joined as well.

Squall would chuckle as well, but his ribs protested, so he ended up simply widening his grin.

Later that night, Rinoa was laying in the empty bed. Squall had to stay in the infirmary for observation.

She sighed, and cuddled deeper into the covers. The bed seemed immeasurably colder without Squall laying by her side.

She looked at his side of the bed, and smiled to herself as she recalled how he cowered in the end of the bed, as if she was going to eat him or something.

She shivered involuntarily, thinking of his warmth.

She turned over, deciding to pretend that he was simply already asleep and that's why she couldn't talk to him.

After a moment she turned over again, uneasy and restless.

And to think that she got used to living with him after only one day! Yet she did not deceive herself to think that Squall got used to it as quickly as she had, he was a loner by his nature, and Rinoa was vaguely aware that she, at times, could be somewhat difficult.

She sighed tiredly and turned over again.

She had to get up early tomorrow: She was going to a real battle field with her class (they were on the verge of passing the final test).

There was a good side to all this, having Squall confided to the infirmary- Rinoa could go and get herself into as much danger and she wanted without interruption.

She rolled to her other side, staring at the significantly empty side of the bed.

Will she be able to fight alone? Will she be alright? She had grown so used to having a bodyguard over her shoulder, watching her every move and ready to jump into action with the tiniest of threat.

She will be alright- something inside of her told her so.

Or maybe,

Something inside her hoped so.

She was standing in the flower field, the wind wiping her hair. She wasn't at peace or tranquil as she was the first time she saw it, yet she wasn't in turmoil or anxiety as she had been that time after Ultemicia.

She just stood there.

The clouds were pitch black- they weren't even skies, it was an endless black hole that drank light with a mighty thirst.

From an invisible center up above, black, skeletal hands emerged and started to reach for Rinoa. She didn't attempt to move out of the way. She stood there, watching the hands slowly reach out to her.

A mighty crash made her slowly turn to see that Squall was there beside her, fending off the fowl hands, fighting without his weapon.

He struggled against them. Yet for every hand that he was able to defeat, three more came at him; hurting him, tearing at him, grabbing him.

Rinoa knew that if she escaped, the hands will not follow, they could be saved, but- she stayed there, rooted to her spot with an unnatural serenity numbing her body.

She saw him die.

Saw woke up, crying uncontrollably and shivering. This time, though, she had no one to comfort her, no one to make her feel safe again. He was at the infirmary, and because of her, no less…

That only worked to intensify her dream, sending Rinoa into another crying fit. She buried her face in the pillow and cried until she fell asleep.

He stared at the ceiling.

Nothing new there.

By the life of him, he couldn't sleep. If he wanted to sleep on his back, the bandages were uncomfortable, if he wanted to sleep on his stomach, he wouldn't be doing any good to his cracked ribs, and if he wanted to sleep on his side, his bandages, his ribs and his arm pained away from sleep.

Placing his healthy arm over his forehead and sighing irritably, he wondered if Rinoa was okey. She was probably having fun sleeping diagonally all over the double bed.

As much as he didn't want to admit it, he kainda missed the room at The Other Dorms. He remembered how Rinoa coddled against him, and he down right missed it.

He sighed again,

'Rinoa's turning me into a wuss.' He mused sarcastically. Squall knew that Rinoa was both his softspot, and his greatest strength all at once; he could fight longer, harder, faster if he knew it was for her. He could endure more, inflict more and hurt less if he knew it would help her, and even in the slightest way.

Falling in love with her was his greatest mistake yet.

It was great, and a mistake combined.

Two Cadets, violating curfew, passed beside the infirmary,

"…So you're coming to Esthar tomorrow for the exam?"

"No… I ain't cut out for that," Said the other, "I'm gonna stay and try to pass the next semester… I'm sure that the new girl, Rinoa's gonna come even though she just joined yesterday…"

Squall frowned from his place on the bed, and the couple went away, their voices fading as Squall figured they were going into the Training Center for the [secret area].

Squall's frown deepened, his fists clenching tightly.

The SeeD ship pulled up nosily at the Esthar shore. Many cadets, SeeD scattered among them, disembarked and started running back and forth, each organizing at his or hers own squad.

Rinoa slowly got off the ship, looking about her as she stood on the shore. The sea wind wipped her hair all around her face.

First time in a while she was this alone.

People ran all around her, yet she never felt lonelier. Deciding to make the best and make Squall proud, she resultantly stepped up to her squad leader: A stuck- up young woman about Rinoa's age. Her name was Pearelia.

Pearelia was a blond, young woman with an ego that could tightly fit inside a small country. She was very tall and lean, and might have been pretty if she didn't make-up her hair like Mortisha Adams.

Aira was the second one of their group, she was a feisty woman with curly black hair and a eternally stuffy nose.

Their assignment was to patrol the roads of Esthar, each squad on a different route, and to clean the perimeter of any monsters they see.

Rinoa was in squad B.

"Very well," started Xu, disembarking as well and ordering people about, " Their will be SeeDs as your back up in case you fail, they will get the job done- they always do. There are two units, one is arriving at the [Air Station] as we speak. Squad A. You are to go to the [northern road]. You-" she pointed at squad B. "-Are going to go though the [west road]. At 0800 hours everybody is to go the [air station], the two units will meet there and depart. Understood?"

Rinoa raised her hand.

"Yes, Rinoa?"

Rinoa blushed slightly, "Should we spare the cute, fluffy or small monsters?"

Pearelia stared at her as the other cadets snickered,

"That's a silly question and it should not be answered- Move out!" Pearelia scoffed.

The group of three: Pearelia, Aira and Rinoa started running down the [west road].

Well, Pearelia and Aira were running, Rinoa was more like… Skipping happily.

At last, she would make Squall proud of her. She would show him that she could take care of herself.

They continued uninterrupted down the [west road] until-

"Watch out!" Cried Aira, dodging to one side of the road as a group of three Imps shot elemental magic at them from across the street.

Rinoa was the first to retaliate, sending an Ultima at them.

"Hold your magic!" shouted Pearelia angrily, hefting her lance and charging.

Rinoa was slightly confused, she was a sorceress, after all.

Aira produced her shurikans and started handing them around at high velocity.

Rinoa found it very difficult to hit the small creatures with her weapon. An imp fired a Firaga at her, but she was immune to elemental magic. She countered with a deadly shower of meteors. As the imp died, it sent a Holy at Pearelia, making her more agitated at Rinoa's magic. She shouted at Rinoa things that should not be written here. Rinoa ignored.

Aira and Pearlia fought together against a second Imp.

Where was the third one?

hearing something behind her, she swung about and shot a powerful Stop magic. A very dead looking Imp wasn't very impressed with her magic.

Rinoa was known to be a relatively clumsy sorceress, but this was the first time she actually killed something by mistake.

She shrugged and turned around to notice that Pearelia and Aira had continued without her. Pouting, she started walking down one of the streets- Pearelia had the map, and Rinoa didn't have a clue where she was going.

On her way, in one of Esthar's endless high-ways, Rinoa found a small batch of flowers growing in the middle of a great crack in the road. She smiled, bending down and smelling them with delight. She got up and found that their was a dead Elvroth in the middle of the street that she did not notice earlier. Glad that she was probably on one of the squads trail, she happily skipped along.

Squall is going to be so proud of her. She's on her own and nothing happens to her! No animal she met on the way was any threat. The fact that every animal she met was dead was beside the point. Every once in a while, when she didn't see anymore dead animals, she would turn around and notice an animal that she probably missed right behind her.

An Iron Giant gave her an odd look as she skipped carelessly down the street towards him. Rinoa yelped when she saw him and threw a Thundaga towards him with a blinding flash. A moment later his head was rolling on the ground.

She looked around to see if anyone saw her casting such a powerful spell.

Her magic was starting to get out of control, she mused, carefully stepping above the Giant's lifeless body. Either her magic is growing stronger, or the monster's here were weaker then she remembered them.

At a cross road, Rinoa stopped to think which way to turn. She was now totally lost.

In her pondering, she did not notice another Iron Giant creeping behind her. (Actually, he wasn't creeping at all. A monster of that size cannot 'creep'… It was advancing to her, making much noise- but she didn't notice.)

What made Rinoa turn around in alarm was a mighty blast she heard. It sounded like a GunBlade firing.

The Iron Giant lay dead, and on top of him stood the smirking figure of the only man capable of smirking that way.

"Long time no see." Seifer said, cleaning his Hypirion.

"S… Seifer…" Rinoa blinked at him, not quite sure how she should react towards him.

He laughed as he jumped off the Giant's chest. Jerking the Hipyrion so it leaned on his shoulder, he said,

"Heh- hey, don't worry, I ain't gonna hurt ya… Not when your 'guardian' is watching anyway."

Rinoa crossed her hands and glared at him,

"Squall's not here- I'm totally capable of taking care of myself!"

Seifer looked surprised, then he gave Rinoa an impressed look.

"I'm not afraid of you, anyway." She added.

"Good." Seifer's smile widened, "Whatcha doin' here, anyway?"

Rinoa fumbled, "Ahh… Well… Actually, I'm kainda lost. I need to get back to the [air station]…"

Seifer walked towards her and then pointed, "That way." He said.

Rinoa did not cower, even though he was standing a mere two feet from her.

The man he gave Squall his scar.

The man manipulated by Edea… By Ultemicia.

The sorceress's knight.

The man who tortured her love…

"If you want to," Seifer cut into her thoughts, "since, your precious knight left ya, I could be your knight 'till we get to the [air station]."

Rinoa gave his a skeptic look before saying,

"Squall is at garden, he's not feeling well and he is still my knight. He just respects the fact that I'm an independent woman."

"Why do you like'im? He's nothing like me…" Seifer mocked sarcastically.

"Hmph." Rinoa tilted her head back, "Squall didn't ask to come with me- he knows that I don't need a bodyguard 24 hours a da- Are you listening??"

Siefer looked intently all around, as if trying to discern any danger or monster, before snapping his head back to Rinoa.

"So, d'you want me to or not?"

Rinoa crossed her hands again,

"Can I trust you at all?"

Seifer did a lousy impression of being insulted,

"Wha… Hey! I said I won't hurt ya, didn't I?" He glanced around again, "And even if I wanted to do something, say, something like this- !" With lightning speed, he swung the hypirion at Rinoa's head.

She shut her eyes tightly with a scream.

There was a sharp sound of clashing metals.

Opening her eyes, Rinoa's mouth slowly opened bigger with the sight of Squall by her side, his LionHeart crossed with Seifer's Hypirion. The two blades were inches from her face.

"Hah!" Seifer laughed, his face contorting with an evil laugh, "'Knew it!"

"SQUALL!??" Rinoa hollered.

Seifer withdrew his weapon, and so did Squall, nonchalantly returning it to his side and standing in front of Rinoa, his face expressionless.

Seifer laughed again, tilting his head sharply backwards,

"I guess my work here is done!" he strolled away.

Rinoa stared blankly at Squall for a full minute.

He was wearing his SeeD uniform. By his posture, she could tell that he was still in considerable amounts of pain.

"You IDIOT!" she screamed.

He raised his brows.

"You… You… Meanie!!!" She shouted again, closing her eyes that welded up with tears.

"Rinoa…" He said softly, taking a step towards her. She extended her hand. She did not want him to come near her right now.

"You… followed me all the time…?" she asked in a shaken voice, not opening her eyes.

"Yes." He said, "I am your group's SeeD member. It's all legitimate, don't think I hopped aboard just for you."

Rinoa snapped her eyes open, tears streaming down her face,

"Idiot! You want me to believe that Cid just let you come along at your state??"

Squall was taken aback. He was sure that his excuse was full proof.

"I can take care of myself!!!" she shouted at him again, her voice suffocating with her crying.

…So badly did she want to prove to Squall that she could take care of herself… that he didn't need to protect her all the time… didn't need to die for her…

"Take care of yourself?!" Squall waved his hand around him indicating the monster filled streets, anger tingeing his voice, "You almost died a dozen times! I killed twenty monsters that were creeping behind you- and eleven more that were coming right at you!!"

Rinoa stood tall, her face stricken with tears that didn't stop falling down her cheeks.

Squall's tone softened,

"Magic isn't taken kindly in the judging…" He tried to find something to say that would make her feel less betrayed, "You can't fight alone…"

Rinoa hated herself for that very inability, and at that moment, she wasn't too thrilled that Squall remembered that and reminded her of that.

Without another word, she walked to him, slapped him across the face and stormed down the path that Seifer had pointed out earlier. Squall didn't flinch. His head jerked sharply to his side and his eyes open.

His expression stayed the same after the slap. Rinoa's hand started forming in a red mark on his cheek.

He sighed irritably.

"Thank you, Seifer." He said.

"Heh heh… You're welcome, Commander Leonhart." Seifer got up from the shadows he was hiding in.

Just as Seifer could sense Squall's presence, so could Squall sense his.

Their rivalry was intense, and ran down to their deepest core. Yet, it was a cold war now. Each striking blows, but none of them were lethal, none of them were supposed to kill the other.

Both knew that they will probably never fight each other again with their GunBlades, no, it was a different kind of war now.

Not exactly a cold war, as a cooling war.

They hate each other too much to kill each other.

And yet, with each passing day, they found themselves hating each other less. Perhaps some sort of understanding and maturity has come between these two.

"Which way did you say it was to the [air station]?" Squall asked tiredly. His various injuries exhausting him.

Seifer pointed again. Squall nodded in thanks and went down the opposite way, causing Seifer to burst out with laughter.

"We really know each other, huh?" He called after Squall, not really expecting a reply but continuing to laugh.

Squall stumbled through the streets, not really knowing where he was or where he was going.

This was the first time they ever fought.

They never really had a chance.

They used to fight a lot before they fell officially in love with each other. She always called him a meanie, and he would shun her like he did everybody else or remark something uncaring like 'whatever'.

What did it mean? She walked away from him? What's going to happen now?

He knew that Selphie and Irvine constantly fought and they always said that making up afterwards is the whole fun. But Squall didn't know what to do, he never fought before with anyone that he couldn't run his GunBlade through eventually. Does Rinoa still love him? His logic said that it's a remote possibility that she stopped, But… What now? How does he apologize to her-

Why should he?

When he thought about it, he was quite sure he made the right decision, Rinoa really could be way too light headed sometimes. Perhaps he should've told her or something…

What was so fun about the end? He never enjoyed admitting his mistakes. Squall figured that Selphie and Irvine, as he knew them, were weirdos, and what applies to them doesn't necessarily apply to other people.

Enemies were dispatched quickly with efficient Renzokukens. In his weak state, they came easily and without too much work.

Reaching the [air station], he crumbled to his knees as his chest screamed out in pain. He gnashed his teeth tightly and stayed a full moment on his knees and hands.

Raising his head, he noticed that the Ragnarok in which the second group came was gone. It took him too long to get here and they had left without him.

It was 0840 hours.

Squall was too late.

Black spots danced in front of his eyes as he let his head drop back, his shoulders shaking with pain.

"Hey!"

He heard a yell. With considerable effort, he raised his head.

"…You…" he mumbled.

"What's your problem?" Seifer asked, amused.

Squall inhaled deeply, trying to hide his pain as much as he could. He was not in any condition for any kind of fight.

He gnashed his teeth and didn't answer.

"They left without you, huh?" Surpassingly, the last remark was said without venom or sarcasm. When Squall did not answer, Seifer asked, shifting weight uncomfortably,

"…Need help?"

Squall's head snapped up, and he glared at Seifer suspiciously.

Seifer shook his head miserably, "No one trusts me anymore…"

Squall did not reply.

"Hmph!" Seifer shrugged and began to walk away.

"…Wait…" Squall managed to utter. Seifer paused and looked back at him.

"…Could you… Help me to the… presidential… palace?" He asked plainly, his breaths short and painful.

Seifer closed the distance between them and stood looming over the kneeling figure a moment, as if enjoying this position of strength or estimating whether to kill him where he was. Eventually he knelt down and wrapped Squall's arm around his shoulders. He helped him up.

Squall cursed himself as he was forced to lean his weight on Seifer. The back of his mind wondered why was he helping him, while the other part was busy with being numb with pain.

Seifer said nothing as they started to limp along the roads of Esthar, his face fixed in a detriment expression that did not express scorn or jeer. It was an expression only a selected few ever knew that Seifer could wear.

Squall stumbled, but Seifer pulled him back to his feet.

"…why…?" Squall asked hoarsely, his head hanging low for lifting it would take too much of his little strength. Here Seifer smiled sarcastically to himself.

"Shut up." He said, propping him on, "tell anyone I'm helpin' ya and I'll give you a good helpin' of led: I have a reputation to keep, you know!" He snickered to himself.

Squall raised his head painfully and looked up at Seifer, hating himself for being weak. The expression on Seifer's face at the moment was one that forever stayed in Squall's mind and that later changed Squall's attitude towards Seifer altogether. It was an expression that wasn't evil anymore, wasn't haunted as it was before. It was an expression of a man, not a boy anymore, an expression tinged with sadness, yet smiling through it all. His head dropped back and he nearly stumbled again, Seifer pulled him back with an innerved rolling of his eyes,

"What on earth happened to ya?"

"T-Raxaus." Squall plainly stated, shaking his head to keep himself conscious.

Up ahead in the road, a Malboro decided to take advantage of the pair's state and laughed maniacally as it oozed towards them.

"Damn!" Seifer cursed, considering dumping Squall and killing the practically invisible monster. Remembering that he didn't have any junctions and he felt way too good to use Cross Fire, he started retreating back, concerned for maybe the first time in his life.

"Of all the friggin' times to meet a Malboro inside of Esthar!"

That last remark woke Squall from his half conscious state,

"…Let me handle it…" He said as he pushed himself from Seifer, struggling to stand upright.

Seifer laughed at Squall's attempts, in his condition he'll manage to kill himself rather quickly against a Malboro.

"Renzokuken!" Squall fiercely exclaimed as he rushed towards the monster, the hurts and pains disappearing in the battle frenzy and leaving Seifer gaping.

Seifer stood there as Squall finished his Leonhart. He felt happy that he chose to help Squall rather then strike him back near the air station, or he might of ended up in a worse condition than that poor Malboro.

The moment the Renzokuken was finished, Squall slumped back to his knees, fighting to stay conscious.

The Malboro was no more then a lump of green goo.

Again Seifer helped Squall to his feet. The thought that if they continued to be so nice to each other they'll end up friends made him sick. With a short laugh, he started walking to the presidential palace again, supporting Squall all the way.

Maybe it was time for him to find new rivals and new friends, he mused.

Neither spoke all the way to the palace. Seifer taking the right turns without a word.

Reaching the presidential palace, Seifer greeted the guards,

"Hey! Numbskulls! I'm Seifer, and that's-"

The guards jumped Seifer,

"We know you!" They shouted angrily as they attacked the unprepared Seifer, grabbing his arms behind his back, "What have you done to Commander Leonhart??"

Seifer struggled in vain,

"Hey! I didn't do nothin', you morons! You got it wrong!!"

"Tell that to the judge!" They pushed him towards the building while other guards came to take Squall to the presidential clinic.

He opened his eyes and immediately frowned.

"Hiya!" Said Laguna.

Squall observed that he was laying in a bed, his wounds bandaged with new and clean bandages. Laguna was sitting by his side, smiling that overly wide smile of his.

Squall moaned and sat up in his bed.

"I think you should rest…" Laguna mentioned.

Squall was silent a moment, ignoring the recommendation.

"What happened?" Laguna asked.

Squall placed his hand on his head, trying to subdue the pain in it.

"I… Don't really remember."

"We caught the guy that attacked you," Laguna said with some pride, "It turns out to be the same boy who helped the sorceress a while ago, he's-"

"Seifer??" Squall suddenly straightened up, remembering what had happened, then cringed with pain, "Tall, blond and arrogant? With a scar?"

Laguna nodded his head,

"You remember him, I see!" his smile widened.

"…." Was all Squall replayed, then he added, "Where're my things?"

Laguna got up and produced Squall's SeeD uniform from a closet, as well as Squall's GunBlade. Squall's uniform was clean and quite stiff.

Laguna blushed as he saw that Squall noticed it,

"So I can't do laundry, sue me!" he smiled, "starch and shampoo look alike!"

Squall shook his head in dismay before getting out of bed and wearing his uniform, stiffening any signs of pain.

Laguna watched him curiously.

"Please tell me where Seifer is." Squall asked once he finished dressing.

"[Level B5] of the [prison district] in this palace."

Squall looked surprised,

"Prison?"

"Ya, well, he did attack you and-"

Squall shook his head. He headed out of the room.

"He didn't attack me."

Laguna followed Squall, listening attentively,

"I was wounded yesterday… Seifer had nothing to do with it.".

'…I think.' he mentally added, 'maybe he had something to do with it? No it couldn't be, why did he help me then? Seifer was not there to lock Rinoa behind the pressure door… then who did? And where's Quistis?? She has a lot of explaining to do…'

Laguna saw the thoughtful frown of Squall's determined face, and decided to stir up a conversation.

"I couldn't help noticing your necklace." He began, gesturing towards the Lion's necklace on Squall's neck.

Squall did not reply.

"It's very nice, you know," Laguna continued relentlessly, "You know, I had one just like it…" His expression suddenly grew sad and nostalgic, "I got it from a nice woman I helped on my journeys after Ellone. It came with a matching Gunblade and ring… oh yeah, and a really cool case for the GunBlade… I left it at home when I left that last time… never saw it since… I wonder what Rein did with it…? Never saw it around the house when I came looking after she was… gone…"

He trailed off, walking with a dreamy smile on his face and his eyes gazing through the mists of years.

Squall stared at him with wide eyes as they walked side by side, but other than that, no sign of his wonder could be shown.

He kept staring at him for a while, until he turned his eyes to the floor and a deep, thoughtful frown darkened his face. He kept looking at Laguna from the corner of his eyes from time to time, his expression unreadable.

They were silent until they both noticed that they were lost.

After Squall gave Laguna a murderous glare, Laguna suddenly remembered the right way.

'This moron can't possibly be…'

Squall raised his head and saw Quistis watching him from around a corner. Her face seemed hounted and unnatural.

"Quistis!!" He shouted and immediately started to run towards her. She saw him running towards her and started backing away until she turned around and tried to escaped.

Squall reached out and grabbed her arm before she gained enough speed,

She half turned to him, still running.

Squall's eyes widened as their eyes met, he completely froze in his place as time seemed to slow to a near stop.

Quistis' eyes of blue were now pure purple. The pupils were snake like slits. Radiating immense power. Her eyes were bordered with a thick ring of magenta, adding to the sick expression.

The moment broke, and Quistis released herself from Squall's grab with ease and ran down the next corridor.

It took Squall all the time until Laguna caught up with him to brake out of that unnatural spell.

Peaking around the corner, Quistis was gone without a trace.

"What was that all about??" Laguna demanded, leaning his hands on his knees and panting,

Squall's eternal frown grew deeper as he gazed down the deserted corridor.

"Quistis… What happened to you…?" He mumbled to himself, looking about to check that she did not hide anywhere.

Nothing.

"Hello?" Laguna interrupted, understanding that he would not get a straight answer from Squall, "I thought you wanted to see the prisoner?"

"Yeah…" Squall mumbled, his mind racing to understand what happened just now. He started off after Laguna towards the prison section of the Presidential palace.

The prison compound was a long line of cells on one side, the wall on the other side was a crude stone wall. Seifer's cell was two from the last. The corridor ended in a stony dead end.

As the two approached the inner cells of the prison compound, weird shouts started reaching their ears. Upon running to the source of the noise, they saw Seifer in his cell, screaming the top of his head off with the most vile curses. Regarding with much detail the family tree of his imprisons; their ancestors, their future offspring and detailing the nature of their relationship with various farm animals.

"What do you think you're doing?" Squall asked coolly. Behind him Laguna was turning quite red by Seifer's vocabulary.

"Aah! So sleeping beauty finally decided to wake up, eh? Nice of you to drop by- now get me the hell outta here!!" Seifer shouted at Squall, his face contorted with anger as he clutched the bars of his cell. He could use a good shave and his white trench coat was dirty.

Squall turned to Laguna,

"Could you please give me the key to the cell and leave? I need to talk to him in private."

Laguna, still a tad red, said,

"Are you sure it's safe?"

Squall turned his head to meet Seifer's eyes. Their stares stayed fixed on each other for a moment.

"Yes." Squall nodded once, not looking away.

"Okey… whatever you say…" he handed Squall the key and left, asking to guard to keep an eye on them, just in case.

"Why did you help me?" was the first thing Squall asked Seifer once they were alone.

Seifer sneered, jerking his head back,

"What difference does it make? I try to be nice, and they think I beat you up!"

Squall half smiled, leaning on the stone wall across from Seifer's cell,

"You couldn't beat me even if you tried."

Seifer smiled,

"Oh yeah?" He laughed, "You wanna bet on that? I can whoop your sorry ass anytime, SeeD boy."

"You wish." Squall teased back.

Seifer extended his arm between the bars trying to reach the key in Squall's hand.

"Mind getting me outta this stinky cell now?"

"What about 'no'?" Squall suddenly smiled evilly, he tossed the key playfully in his hand. Seifer looked shocked and then furious, but before he could open an attack on Squall's heritage, Squall's smile softened and he said,

"Just kidding. I'm not going to leave you here… after you helped me."

Seifer stepped back as Squall advanced to open the cell, crossing his hands rigidly across his chest and mumbling, 'I knew you were bluffing…'

Squall swung the cell door opened and Seifer stepped outside, a brief expression of relief crossing his face.

He opened his mouth to say something, maybe thanks, maybe to curse, but then they both heard something.

Standing one in front of each other, they turned their heads as the guard that was watching them suddenly flew against one of the cells.

Quistis then stepped into the long corridor of cells, blocking the only way out.

She stood in front of them a moment, a dark aura seemed to glow darkness from her figure. It was hard to even tell that it was Quistis; the eyes of a predator and evil power shining from her.

"Quistis? Quistis!" Squall called her, his hand absently moving to the hilt of his GunBlade.

Could he use it if his gut feeling was right? Could he actually attack one of his teammates?

Seifer just stared at her, his face expressing confusion and the same dread that filled Squall's gut as well.

"What's going on, Quistis?" Squall asked carefully.

Instead of an answer, Quistis lifted both of her hands above her head, as she did so, a black ball of energy formed between her hands.

"Lookout!" Squall shouted as she hurled it towards him and Seifer. Squall pushed himself in front of Seifer and took the blow in the stomach. It was so powerful, it sent him, and Seifer with him, flying against the wall in the end of the corridor. Seifer was hit back first against the wall and Squall smashed on top of him.

Squall got up, and Seifer got up after him, cursing that he did not have his Hypirion with him.

"What are you doing??" Seifer yelled at what-was-Quistis. Squall shook his head to clear it up.

What-was-Quistis smiled the smile that an eagle would probably wear when it spots a mouse in an open field.

She gazed at both of them, standing in front of her as if they could do something against her.

Two knights.

More than she hoped for. But only one of them did she need.

"Your Hypirion is on the other side of the corridor." Squall said in a hushed tone, all attention reverted to the creature that-was-once-Quistis in front of them.

"Damn good does that do!" He replied. If she attacked, he was defensless.

"Cross attack!" Squall hissed commandingly as he rushed forward.

Seifer, after only a second to digest the command, rushed forward after Squall. He may be defenseless, but he sure wasn't offenseless.

She retreated but a step back, the boldness of the attack surprising her.

"Thou dost not know who I am!" She shrieked in an unearthly yell. Her voice as if repeating itself in several dimensions, giving it a somewhat digital effect.

She raised her hands again, and a hailstorm of energy bolts ensued from her hands. Seifer and Squall broke off their head on attack and both of them started to run in a slalom, crossing each other's paths and parting, each time another in front. Quite confusing to the watching eye.

She shrieked again, causing pebbles to fall from the ceiling, and tried in vain to aim at one of them.

When they close enough, and she expected Squall, who came first, to attack her, he did an astonishing back flip right over her head, landing gracefully behind her. She prepared to strike him, but in her attention on him, she forgot Seifer.

With a grunt of anger, Seifer punched her in the stomach. It felt bad hitting a woman. She doubled over slightly.

Squall, in the meanwhile, dashed to the end of the corridor and picked up the Hypirion. Running back towards Quistis and Seifer, he hurled the weapon high in the air.

It tossed and tumbled in the air until it landed in Seifer's gloved hand. He smiled, but not for long. Quistis had regained her composer, and she was agitated to no end by these impudent fools.

As both Squall and Seifer raised their GunBlades to strike her with the hilts, she raised her arm again and screamed.

A ball of energy engulfed her, and then leapt from her to the two knights. In a split second, the two young men were flung against the wall with power that surpassed any known spell.

Squall had the air knocked out of him. Glancing aside through the fuzziness of his sight, he saw that Seifer was suffering as well.

She loomed above them and hissed,

"Fools! You think thou wilt be a match for me??"

With a smooth gesture of her hands, both of them were surrounded with glowing energy. Though harmless by itself, Quistis lifted her hand, and with it the glowing energy with them inside. They were suspended in mid air for a brief moment, unable to move or release themselves. Then Quistis pointed at the opposite wall in a swift motion.

She would let them feel her wrath before she will continue with her plans with them.

Squall and Siefer met the wall with a pained grunt. But they were still surrounded by that glow, and she was not yet willing to release them.

She pointed back at the opposing wall. They met the wall back first, grunting again as they both felt helpless against the power she used.

"Quistis!!"

Surprised, she turned her head sharply backwards.

Laguna and Rinoa were standing there, amazement etched on their faces.

The moment Squall saw Rinoa, his face contorted in dread and he shouted,

"RINOA! Get outta here n-!!" this brave warning was cut short with another brisk hand movement, sending Squall shoulder first into Seifer, and the two of them all the way the corridor and into the wall at the end.

Squall again landed on Siefer as they slumped down, the glow disappearing.

Quistis turned to Laguna and Rinoa with a smirk on her possessed face.

"Sorceress," She spoke, and her voice caused the ceiling to groan, "We meet for the first time, but it will not be the last. Thou art going to hear from me more, I can assure thee."

"What do you want? What have you done to Quistis? Who ARE you??"

She pointed behind her at the two knight stumbling to regain footing,

"Your knight." She stated simply, "I want your knight. As to who I am…"

She would of continued her sentence, but half a dozen Esthar soldiers rushed in behind Laguna.

She narrowed her eyes menacingly.

"In this earthly body, I know when even I am out matched." She regarded Rinoa "We will meet again, sorceress!!"

With a mighty shriek, she pointed at the ceiling and shot out her energy. The result was an explosion that caused the ceiling to start crumbling down on all those present.

Seifer and Squall, at the far end of the corridor, started a mad dash to the other end, to the only exit.

Big pieces of ceiling and stone fell beside them, and dust rised to conceal the way and choke the lungs.

Rinoa stayed by the entrance, trying to pierce through the dust and falling objects.

It seemed as if the corridor has grown longer just to spite them. They stumbled forward in a half blind attempt to reach safety before the ceiling will crush them under itself.

Rinoa stayed there, ignoring Laguna as he desperately tried to get her out of there.

Then she saw a shadow approach through the mists- it was Squall.

He ran towards her, but half way he skidded to a stop.

"Seifer!"

Indeed, the young man was not behind him anymore.

"Danm!" Squall cursed as he bolted back into the collapsing havoc.

"Squall- Squall! What on earth are you doing??"

But it was too late, he had already disappeared.

"Seifer!" He called, dodging falling stones, "SEIFER!!"

He covered his mouth and nose with his sleeve, coughing. The dust got into everything and made his eyes water.

"Seifer!!"

He spotted a white trench coat amongst the derbies on the floor. He rushed to it.

Seifer was caught underneath a large piece of ceiling on his back, and no matter how much he struggled, he could lift himself.

Squall leaned by his side and tried to push the piece away. That's when Seifer noticed Squall.

"What are you doing?!" He cried out, "Get the hell outta here!"

He tried in vain to get up.

"Shut up and push!" Squall ordered.

Together, they managed to lift the largest piece off him, and Squall tossed another one that was on Seifer's leg aside.

"Come on!" Squall yelled, the ceiling collapsing any minute.

"I… I can't get up!" He called out in frustration, lifting himself just to fall again.

Squall hurriedly helped Seifer to his feet as Seifer did before, noticing that Seifer's leg was bleeding bad.

"Let go!" Seifer tried to tear away from Squall, but the later knew that he won't make it without help and pushed him onward.

They were progressing fast, but not fast enough.

Squall looked up just in time to see a huge crack forming directly above them, and then- collapsing on top of them.

Instantly, he pushed Seifer's head with one hand, and shielded his own with the other, expecting to be crushed alive.

There were sounds of collapse, but Squall didn't feel anything.

"Squall!" A high pitched shriek pierced his anxiety. Opening his eyes in alarm, he saw Rinoa was in front of him, arms up in the air, controlling a spell.

"Move!" She ordered them both.

Squall saw that she was holding up a Shell spell that prevented the debree from reaching them.

He grabbed Seifer from the floor and darted forward, sweeping Rinoa with his other arm and running like the ceiling was falling behind him.

Which, obviously, was more than just a tacky metaphor.

Squall only stopped when they were all the way up in the presidential palace. Where even the sounds of the destruction did not reach.

He gently put Rinoa down, and plopped Seifer to the floor.

He leaned his hands on his knees and breathed hard for a while.

Rinoa was on her knees, breathing away her fright.

Seifer was on the floor, since he couldn't stand up or move without his leg sending a hot streak of pain.

After slightly catching his breath, Squall bent by Seifer and helped him sit against the wall. He then examined his leg.

"Seems broken." He noted.

"It's nothing, just let me outta here…" Seifer tried to lean on the wall and get up. He plopped back down with an angry grunt.

"I'll go see what's taking Laguna so long to call the medics!" Rinoa scrambled to her feet and ran up the corridor.

"Why did you come back, you idiot?!" Seifer hissed, grabbing his leg in pain, "I don't want to owe you nothing!!"

"You owe me nothing Seifer," Squall replayed calmly, brushing the back of his hand over his cheek, finding that he had a light cut, "Letting you die would have been useless."

"Now you say I'm not in your debt, but someday, you might want to use it against me."

Squall gave him an irritated glare,

"You know I won't. And one day, you might do the same for me."

"Don't hold your breath." He growled.

"Don't worry about me, I won't."

There was an akward silence. Seifer wanted to say thanks, but whatever he said to Squall just turned out as an insult.

"Where are Fujin and Raijin?" Squall inquired after the short period of silence.

"Balamb… Fishing." Saifer leaned his head on the wall behind him, gripping his injured leg and swallowing hard.

"Where's chicke- Zell and the others?"

Squall smiled as he tore down one of Laguna's curtains and pressed it gently against Seifer's leg in an attempt to slow the bleeding.

"Garden, FH."

"Isn't that presidential material?"

"They were ugly anyway." Squall excused himself with a sly grin.

Again there was silence between them.

Squall moved himself beside Siefer and leaned himself against the wall as well.

Both were pretty tired.

Eventually They saw Laguna running towards them, and behind him a small group of nurses and doctors. Rinoa was among them as well.

Squall got up and pushed himself from the wall. The doctors and Laguna immediately turned to treat Seifer. Rinoa, much to Squall's surprise, leapt to his arms, causing him to slam against the wall for the numerous time that day.

He looked down at her, surprised by her sudden change of attitude towards him. She clung to his chest and pressed her cheek to hear his heart.

"Not angry?" He asked, confused.

She remembered what he had done and pulled away. She gave him a hard glare and plopped back onto his chest.

"You irritating meanie." She mumbled softly,

"What I did was right." He said. She looked up into his eyes,

"But you did it the wrong way…"

"You would of never let me come to protect you."

"I know… I know… But, you did it the wrong way, sneaking up behind me like that!"

He frowned,

"Do you have any idea how many monsters tried to kill you? Huh?"

"Oh, just shut up.." She placed a gentle hand on his cheek and kissed his lips.

Squall closed his eyes and understood what Selphie and Irvine told him, but his eyes flashed open and he looked sideways.

Laguna and the assorted medics were looking at them with smiles all over.

Seifer was looking at them, but his expression was unreadable.

Squall blushed a deep shade of crimson and Rinoa looked away in embarrassment, breaking the kiss.

"How did you get here?" Squall inquired.

"I brought the whole Garden here, looking for you."

"…." 'then why did you slap me and leave me in the middle of Esthar while I was wounded…?'

Squall said nothing.

One of Laguna's doctors addressed Squall,

"His leg is broken and the cut is quite deep, he needs somewhere where he can rest and gain his strength."

Squall and Seifer exchanged a glance.

"We will take him with us to Garden." Squall said firmly.

Laguna, Rinoa, Seifer and the medic crew said together,

"What??"

"No way!" Seifer protested.

Squall gave him a hard stare,

"You rather stay here, where people still think you're Ultemicia's knight?"

Seifer glared back at Squall, but said nothing.

"Are you sure about this?" Rinoa asked gently, her arms still wrapped around his waist.

"Yes. At Garden we have a very good Doctor and he'll be protected from people who still resent him while he's injured."

Seifer audibly growled.

"Shut up, Seifer, it's for your own damn good."

"Are you sure about this, Squall?" Rinoa repeated the question as they went towards the Garden.

Laguna was, naively enough, trying to talk to Siefer. Seifer was having trouble using his brand new crutches.

"Yes. He'll never admit it, but he wants to go back to Garden."

"How come?"

"We both grew up there. It's our home, and he wasn't there in quite a while. With his broken leg he won't be able to fight very well and he wants a secure environment. Even Seifer can't fight all the time."

"What will be with you two? Are you just planning to forget everything that happened?"

Here Squall took his time to answer,

"I'm not sure, Rinoa… It's hard for both of us to keep out GunBlades in their hilts sometimes, but I don't think he'll try anything sneaky… It's a different Seifer now."

"And a different Squall." She added.

He looked at her and knew that she noticed the change in him as well. As he said before, he sure has changed over his time with her.