Three Memories

A/N: Don't sue me. I'm doing this for my own entertainment, I do not own Final Fantasy or it's characters, I just like them. Besides, I have no money.

Enjoy!

Chapter One: The Sea

> > >

When I woke up, everything still seems so surreal. Are my curtains really moving with the sea breeze? Is the pale light filtering through my windows sunlight? I rolled over and looked at my clock. The red digital numbers glowed bright.

7:47 AM.

Yes, it's real. I heard somewhere you can't read in dreams.

I'm surrounded by the pale walls of Balamb Garden and I wondered if I belong. If things had gone the way it should have, I would still be living with that man. At least it was familiar, and least that was where mother had lived.

I would have stayed with Zone and Watts. I would have stayed with the Forest Owls. I would have liberated Timber the way we were supposed to. I might have stayed with him. But everything that happened, happened.

So I went to Garden that night, so long ago. I went to the party, and I spoke to the headmaster. And I met Squall. How could I have known what would have happened? If I had known…I didn't even think about sorceresses back then.

At least, not a lot.

And then, after, in Timber, I saw him again. Seifer. What was I supposed to do? He was suddenly the bad guy, where he had always been good and mine before.

But do I regret my choices, and coming to live here?

No.

Because I don't regret.

> > >

There was a sudden knocking on my door, and from the sound of it, I knew who it was. Funny, my heart doesn't jump the way it used to. When Squall woke me up for the first time on Forest Owls train, I was so happy, I nearly lost control.

But I don't trouble myself with it; I chalk it up to being grouchy in the morning. Or is that time approaching? I tick the days off with my fingers. Nah, it can't be the hormones. I'm just grouchy.

The door is knocked on again, sounding slightly more impatient.

"Give me a moment!" I called, and I reluctantly sat up in bed, stretching. I stared into the mirror across the room and tentatively smiled at myself. Rinoa, you will have a good day. And the good day starts NOW.

So I walked across to the mirror and stared at myself in more detail. So my hair's messy. For fun, I practiced sloe eyes in the mirror, narrowing them, widening them, blinking languorously. Yep, I'm a bewitcher. My own irony is not lost on myself.

"Come on, Rinoa, you can't still be in bed."

"Alright…" I mumbled. Truthfully, I forgot Squall was waiting outside. I was having fun looking into the mirror. This was strange, because I'm not normally a vain person.I opened the door and found myself suddenly staring into Squall's dark eyes.

Now that's more like it. I feel my heart give a tiny leap and my cheeks grew warmer. Ha, so I was grouchy five minutes ago. Ah, to be in love.

Wait.

In love?

Since when am I in love?

It was only two weeks ago that we had that party. And Squall kissed me for the first time on the balcony. Was that love? Am I in love? Sure, he's my knight, and sure, I do like him tons and care for him more, but love? That's a pretty heavy term.

So I stood there, staring at him blankly, trying to find a gentler and less serious term for it. Erm…affection? Fondness? Or….love? Oh boy. Maybe I should just think of something else for now.

"Good morning," Squall said, as he leaned it to kiss my cheek.

I glowed with pleasure at that. It's so nice to have someone kiss you every morning and night. He must lov-

Uh-oh. That word again. Think of something else.

So I took his hand and pulled him into my room. "Morning," I said, and kissed his cheek. "Give me a moment; I just have to get dressed for breakfast."

I go into the adjoining bathroom and fiddle with the taps until warm water comes out. I splashed it onto my face and then brushed my teeth before getting out of my pajamas. When I got back into my bedroom, Squall's sitting on my bed and looking out the window.

Seeing him in that position forcefully reminds me of another time…

> > >

"So, princess, you have a pretty nice house….er…mansion." Seifer raised an eyebrow at me as he plopped onto the side of my irritatingly fluffy bed and stared out the oversized window. "I thought you were really into this Timber liberation thing, but maybe it's just little rich girl finding something to do in her spare time."

Seifer was always like that. Talking and talking and not caring who he hurt. But this roughness excited me then, and I didn't mind it most of the time. But I did this time, because he chose to make fun of the wrong thing.

"Excuse me?" I said, and my voice had a growl to it. "How could you say something like that?"

Seifer shrugged callously. "If you really cared, I just figured you'd get out of this prissy place and live with your Timber Owls full time."

Oh, I wanted to hit him. So I did. I lunged at him angrily and began pounding his shoulders and chest. Truthfully, what he said really stung me. He had hit a sore spot.

He caught my wrist. "Come off it, princess, I was kidding." He said to me softly. Damn him, he always knew how to get me under control. With those green green green eyes….

"You know I would get out if I could." I hissed at him. "But that man would start a hunt for me, and then the cause would be lost when they got me."

"I'm sorry." He said, and sounded sincere. Seifer grinned boyishly at me. "Would you like a surprise?"

"Alright." I couldn't stay irritated with him. I liked him too much, the way he held my hand, took me seriously when I spoke about the liberation, and his smell. Oh, the way he smelled. Come to think of it, it was just the cologne he used, but it was so spicy, so mysterious, that I loved to breathe it in.

We got into the car he rented when he was in Galbadia with me and started driving. We went past the entire city, left the city, and turned north to the beach when he stopped. Seifer quickly opened the trunk and took out a large basket and a blanket.

"Picnic!" He announced triumphantly, lifting these items over his head.

I laughed and took the blanket from him, and we linked arms as we walked on the sand. I can still remember the salty air, the hushing waves, and the sunlight. Seifer could be so romantic. Not that we were officially dating or anything…

I laid out the blanket and sat down with him and he started unpacking the food he brought. Bread, cheese, and a large bottle of…

"Wine? Come on Seifer, we're both still underage."

I nearly fainted as he nuzzled my ear and whispered to me "Sparkling cider, princess." My heart nearly exploded then. This was the closest he had ever got to me, and his cologne, his scent, had made me heady. There was another feeling in my stomach that just sort of buzzed and sent shivers all over me.

He laughed softly, like he knew what I was feeling, and produced two wine glasses, and poured the cider for us. We clinked glasses.

"To the liberation of Timber." Seifer said.

My mouth had gone dry at the intensity in his eyes. Why hadn't I noticed it before? "To the liberation of Timber." I echoed, and took a sip, relishing the wetness in my mouth.

Seifer lifted his glass again and held my eyes with his gaze. Oh, those green eyes. They can still make me shake in spite of myself. "To the princess."

"To…" I stopped, confused. I didn't know if it was right for me to be toasting myself. But it didn't matter, my fingers went weak and I dropped the wine glass. The cider was being soaked up by the sand. Why did I drop the wineglass?

Seifer had set his own glass down in the sand and was holding my face in his hands. I could feel the calluses and the roughness that came from the training, and it excited to know that the hands so capable of killing a T-Rexaur was holding me gently.

My heart was thumping in staccato. Seifer was using a thumb to stroke my ear, and for some reason, I wanted to shut my eyes and sigh.

And he came closer to my face, looking at me so tenderly I thought it couldn't possibly be real, that I was dreaming. To see that look on Seifer's face… But, oh, Hyne, I was awake, I wasn't dreaming, this was happening, and I felt so aware of everything.

So he put his lips on mine. It was like an electric shock, and I was like a dummy. I knew it was coming, but I didn't think it would happen. But I could feel his lips, and so I pressed back with my own.

Suddenly I felt this urgency, I like I never wanted him to stop, so I twined my arms around his neck and parted my lips slightly. Our kiss deepened, and his hands were slowly threading through my hair.

It was heaven, my first kiss.

> > >

I'll be honest. I've been more intimate with Seifer than I have ever been with Squall. I haven't even made out with Squall. I blushed slightly. If Squall could hear my thoughts…he would have an aneurysm on the spot.

But I'm shaken out of those very thoughts when he takes my hand. They feel exactly like Seifer's, and it's no wonder why. I chided myself for the thought.

We're walking to the cafeteria now, the commander and I. I can't believe Squall actually continued this job after we beat Ultimecia and everything. He wasn't too keen on it in the first place, so why would he want to continue?

His grip on my hand tightened as we passed a bunch of students. They're whispering amongst themselves, no doubt about me, the big bad sorceress.

I realized how grateful I am to have Squall by my side. If it were Seifer, those kids would be dead in half a second. Involuntarily, I cringe. Why can't I stop thinking about Seifer today? I haven't seen him since…since…well, since he offered me as a stinking sacrifice.

I'm sure he wasn't in his right mind. He always had a reason for everything.

> > >

To be continued…

Well folks, thanks for reading! Since this is the first chapter, reviews would be great so I know if I'm heading in the right direction or not. Next chapter coming real soon. In fact, it's written. I just have some editing to do.