A raven haired girl wept on her bed in her dark room. She looked at her door as someone knocked on it.
"…Rinoa? We…we've found him" It was Quistis' voice. Rinoa took a sharp intake of breath and answered.
"Is he alright? Please tell me he's alright Quisty…he's alright…right?" Quistis opened the door and sat next to Rinoa.
I'm so tired of being here
Suppressed by all my childish fears
And if you have to leave
"Rin…Squall's gone. He…by the looks of it…committed sui—"
"NO!" Rinoa screamed as more tears tracked down her cheeks. Quistis watched the tears fall from her cheeks to her bed. Quistis wrapped an arm around Rinoa. She spoke words of assurance to Rinoa, but she didn't think Rinoa heard her.
I'd wish that you would just leave
Cause your presence still lingers here
And it won't leave me alone
THE DAY BEFORE
The church glowed in the bright sunlight. The once beautiful white wedding cake was smeared on the white tiled floor. Two people stood inside the church, one in a beautiful lacy dress, the other in his normal attire.
"Squall Vincent Leonheart where have you been?!" Rinoa yelled. Squall flinched, he felt so bad. Today was a special day for them both and he failed to show up.
These wounds won't seem to heal
This pain is just too real
There's just to much that time cannot erase
"Rin…I want to say I was just nervous…and was scared to show up. But…my drink…it"
"...You're drunk! Squall…get away from me" The last words were spat out.
"No Rinoa. My drink…it was an accident! I just wanted water! You can ask Laguna"
"Do NOT bring your father into this Squall!" Rinoa replied. Squall flinched again, he thought of half an hour earlier.
Laguna heard a knock on his door as he fixed his bow tie. He was glad about Squall and Rinoa's marriage and was most certainly glad Squall had invited him. But he was most particularly surprised when his son was at his front door.
"Not that I don't want you here but…shouldn't you be at the church Squall?"
"I'm nervous Laguna. How did…yours and Raine's wedding go?" That was the first time Squall had asked anything about his mother. About Raine.
"Follow me Squall" Laguna murmured as he opened his door to let his son in. Squall followed reluctantly but still followed. Laguna sat at his mini-bar and motioned for Squall to sit beside him.
"You want to hear about our wedding?" Laguna asked as he looked at a framed photo of Raine he had posted on the wall. He remembered that picture well. Raine was laughing at Laguna behind the camera. He had gotten a present from a bird on his shoulder right before he took the picture of Raine. Her smile warmed up the picture well.
"…Quickly. I still have to grab my tux."
"Then when you leave I'll go with you"
"I'll be flying the Ragnarok"
"Alright with me, Raine and I…our wedding was oddly short Squall. She wanted the wedding in a field of flowers outside of the village. And…it rained. Not trying to be ironic but it was a squall. A sudden burst of rain and wind"
"I am well aware of why I was named Squall thank you. I want to know if you were nervous" Laguna laughed at his son, which made Squall glare at him.
"Er…yeah. My leg cramped up so much I was practically dragging my self down the aisle."
After hearing that Laguna grabbed two shot glasses and filled both up with Tequila.
"No Alcohol" Squall said bluntly.
"Very well then" He poured one glass of Tequila down the little sink and poured water in it. He set both drinks down. Squall looking at the picture of Raine, accidentally grabbed the Tequila shot and downed it.
"…crap" Laguna murmured. Squall looked at him confused, and then realized what he just did. Squall had no alcohol tolerance at all. Squall got drunker then a skunk.
"Get out of my face now. I don't love you anymore, you lying bastard" Rinoa hissed. Her tone made Squall flinch and turn away, he left the church. Laguna who was waiting in the front of the church with everyone else saw his son expression and glared. No one was supposed to make his son hurt like that. He turned around and entered the church.
When you cry I'd wipe away all of your tears
When you scream I'd fight away all of your fears
And I've held your hand through all of these years
And you still have
All of me
"Rinoa Heartily, what in hell are you thinking girl?" He yelled as he walked up to Rinoa, glaring at her.
"It…it's my fault Squall didn't make it to your wedding. I accidentally gave him the Tequila."
"Oh so you did get him drunk?" Rinoa slapped Laguna. Laguna didn't block the slap but he did want to return it.
You used to captivate me with
By your resonating light
Now I'm bound by the life you left behind
Your face it haunts my once pleasant dreams
Your voice it chased away all the sanity in me
"You selfish bitch! Squall came to me nervous! Afraid even! He wanted reassurance, for what I don't know. All you do is turn a cold shoulder! It was an accident that he got drunk! You two could reschedule the wedding! He loves you Rinoa!" But all Rinoa did was ignore him and walk by.
It was hours after the planned wedding and no one had seen Squall. Rinoa was in her room crying, she now regretted what she did and said. No one had seen Squall, and everyone was looking.
"You know she could help too" Irvine hissed. Zell and Selphie nodded in agreement. Quistis sighed and shook her head.
"She's hurting. Let her cry"
"Oh and Squall isn't hurt? That was the first time I'd seen him cry" Selphie snapped back.
"I'm not saying what she did was right Sefy! But I think she's grieving too much to look properly"
"Pfft I never liked her" Laguna added as he walked towards the four.
These wounds won't seem to heal
This pain is just to real
There's just to much that time cannot erase
"Any luck Sir Laguna?" Selphie asked.
"None at all, it's late maybe Squall will show up later." Laguna replied.
"True. It is late, maybe we should look tomorrow" Quistis sighed. So the group of five returned to their homes.
When you cry I'd wipe away all of your tears
When you scream I'd fight away all of your fears
And I've held your hand through all of these years
And you still have
All of me
LATER THAT THE NIGHT
"Laguna…Dad?" Laguna awoke at the word dad.
"Squall…did you just call me dad?"
"…can I stay here tonight?"
"Holy crap Squall, you sneak inside my house and then in my room to ask me that? You're my son Squall, of course you can stay. Come sit down" Laguna groggily replied as he patted next to him on the bed. Squall sat down next to where Laguna lay.
Silence followed that, suddenly Laguna heard silent sobs. Laguna sat up and ignoring what Squall had told him months ago, hugged his son.
"Squall…it's…alright. Rinoa, she's sorry about what she said earlier. She wants you to return" Squall's sobs stopped but he was still slightly shaking.
I've tried so hard to tell myself that you're gone
But though you're still with me
I've been alone all along
"I can't return to her. Not after what she said. If…she can say those things…then what will stop her from saying it again?"
"Squall…she loves you. We all do."
"…I know that…but…dad—"
"You must be bent out of shape if you've called me dad twice in one night Squall"
"…I regret being cold and sour towards you. I forgive you…for…not being there…when…Raine I mean mom…needed you…and…giving me to the…orphanage"
"…Squall…are you alright?"
"No…I feel torn. Torn into pieces…For weeks I've felt empty and haven't known why."
"Squall…you're starting to…scare me"
"I know how to make it all stop" was all that Squall replied. At that Squall sat up and ran out of Laguna's room. Laguna followed but was far behind Squall. He chased Squall around Esthar. It was raining.
"Squall!! Stop…I need…to…breathe…OUCH….my leg" Laguna fell clutching his left leg.
"I'm sorry! Good bye Dad" Laguna heard Squall yell. Laguna was glad it was raining. Glad that it covered his tears. He couldn't stop Squall. What pushed him off that edge Laguna didn't know…but he couldn't stop him. He didn't want to know how Squall would do it. He decided to find Squall, he slowly got up, limping as he walked.
When you cry I'd wipe away all of your tears
When you scream I'd fight away all of your fears
And I've held your hand through all of these years
And you still have
All of me
Laguna walked around Esthar at a loss, but found a figure lying in a puddle of blood. His stomach quenched, it was Squall. Squall's gun blade lay beside him, blood stained the blade. He had cut his wrists open. A note clenched in one of his hands.
Laguna pulled the note out of his hand and read.
Dear Rinoa,
I am terribly sorry. For weeks you may have noticed my gloomy behavior. In fact some of you (Irvine and Zell) thought it was just me being nervous about the wedding. True and untrue. I have been thinking about my life for weeks now, practically an orphan, a dad who only cared when he met his son years after dropping him off at a random orphanage, a fiancée who seems to have lost her glow.
You are not the woman I once knew. The one I saved from space. The one who I made the promise to in the field of flowers, at first I thought.
'Squall you'll get used to it' but it drove me mad. What you said earlier was too far. Now you will truly miss me, truly love me.
Sincerely,
Squall Vincent Leonheart
P.S. I still keep that promise. So if you come here…you will find me…I promise.
Silent tears slide down Laguna's face. He picked up Squall (A/N I bet he was heavy lol) and headed towards his house. The Lionheart was in Laguna's left hand. After setting Squall on his couch, he left to find Kiros and Ward so they could head towards Balamb.
A DAY AFTER SQUALLS DEATH
Laguna did all he could to get Squall's funeral underway. A few strings pulled and he got Squall's burial site to be right next to Raine's. Laguna smiled, knowing Squall would've loved that. The orphan gang, Laguna, Ellone, Rinoa, and all of Balamb garden watched as Squall's casket was lowered into the ground.
Ellone wept on her uncle's shoulder. Rinoa was silent, Selphie wept as she hugged Irvine. Zell shifted uncomfortably and Quistis wiped away tears. Laguna pictured Squall's face; calm, peaceful and happy. He smiled at the thought of him being with Raine at this moment.
R.I.P
Squall Vincent Leonheart
1/28/88 - 5/15/07
The hero who saved not only the world
But time it's self
"Only a life lived for others is a life worthwhile"
Lexraheart: Well I enjoyed typing this. The quote "Only a life lived for others is a life worthwhile" was said by Albert Einstein.