A love not meant to be?
(Second and last part)
Sequel to 'A love not meant to be' (Obviously)
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
They entered Cid's office. Their hands barely touched each others when they walk through the door. Quistis quickly looked up at Squall, but he showed no emotions, as usual. Cid came towards them, looking worried.
"Good, there you are. I have some terrible news."
"Cid, by the look on your face it would be the end of the world." Quistis said, trying to cheer him up a bit.
"Well… it might be."
Both Quistis and Squall stared at him in total shock.
"You're joking right?" she asked
"I'm afraid not. It turned out the old legend about the Sky Worrier is true and…" he didn't get any further, Quistis and Squall snapped out of their shock at the same time and started asking a trillion questions.
"No, it can't be! That's…"
"It's just a legend… it's not…"
"True! Like we didn't have…"
"… enough to deal with"
"QUIET!"
The two SeeD's shut up immediately.
"Now, I called the two of you up here because I feel like you are the only ones who can handle a mission like this. Quistis, you have always been a remarkable student and I am proud to have you as an instructor at my Garden. Not to mention that I love you like a daughter." Cid smiled. Quistis blushed and looked down, but it was obviously his words flattered her. He turned to Squall.
"Squall Leonhart, you sure are a mystery, but never the less, an extraordinary student and fighter. You may do things you're own way, but I know that I can always count on you."
"……"
Cid laughed. "No, you don't have to say anything. I was simply telling you the truth and both of you deserve to hear that once in a while. It's a shame you two aren't attracted to each other. You would make an excellent couple, you know."
Quistis quickly looked down, suddenly feeling all uncomfortable. She didn't dare to look at Squall, so she didn't see that he too was very uncomfortable with that statement. Cid noticed their reaction and added: "But that would of course make everything very complicated with you," he nodded towards Quistis, "being his teacher, so I guess everything is the way it's supposed to be. Pay no attention to the old romantic fella," he laughed.
"But from jokes over to reality, the Sky Worrier legend is true. From what I have read, he wakes up every thousand year and if he gets strong enough, he will flood the earth and everything living on land will die. The strongest worriers from time's beginning have tried to kill him, but no one has succeed. They manage to put him to sleep, but after a thousand years he wakes up again. After my calculations he has just began to wake up, and I need the worlds best soldiers on this mission. I know you're in the middle of another mission which also needs you excellency, but it's just a matter of days before he will be strong enough to flood the world. I really need my best men," with a smile to Quistis, "on this one. And I could only think of you two." Cid was finished. He could only wait for his students answer.
There was a silence before Quistis finally spoke.
"Do we stand a chance? To win?
"Yes, I believe so."
"And if we don't?"
"You will die. And soon the world will follow you."
Quistis looked over at Squall. He hadn't said a word. He was probably thinking of…
"I'll do it. I'll go."
Quistis gasped with surprise. She knew deep inside that they both would go, but how could he decide so soon?
"I'll… I… Can I get tonight to think about it?"
"No, you have to leave immediately. He is getting stronger for each minute.
"If… if we die…"
"No, Quistis, I have so much faith in you, in both of you. But you must leave now. There's a plane on the deck, ready to take you to his Sky Castle.
Quistis nodded slowly. Squall said: "We won't let you down, sir."
They walked to the plane in silence. She didn't know what Squall was thinking, but herself… she had never been so sure she was gonna lose a battle. Never had she walked into a battle and feared for her life. In battle she had total control. She attracted, the target got hurt, maybe it hurt her, she healed herself and finished the target off. But now she kept hearing Cid's words: You will die. And the world will follow.
Neither of them said much on the plane either. Squall asked her if she had the right G. F.'s with her and she nodded. When the castle was in sight, she allowed herself to look at Squall. He was the same as he always had been, but something seemed different. It was the way he acted. So… not Squall. Almost happy? No, not happy, but he couldn't sit still, which was very unlike him. On previous missions he had sat and listened to his instructor and done his mission without making a unnecessary sound. But this wasn't a usual mission, she wasn't the instructor, they were equal. Ready to fight the battle of their life.
She gasped when she saw the castle as they came closer. It was beautiful. It looked like it was made out of golden clouds.
"I can't believe the world's most dangerous creature lives here. It's so beautiful." She said as she looked through the little plane window. He came up beside her. His chin was almost touching hers.
"Maybe he has good taste?"
She laughed a soft little laughter as the plane landed outside the castle. They walked out and the plane left. They were all alone, and the silence was deafening.
"Do you think he knows we're here?"
"I don't know."
Quistis took out the little courage she had left.
"Squall… I… I need to talk to you. There is something… something I've been wanting to tell you…"
"Really?" He turned to face her.
"I… I've been having these… the… these feelings… and…"
He interrupted her.
"You know what, why don't you tell me later ok? Let's just get through this battle and leave all other stuff behind."
It wasn't even a question. He wasn't planning on hearing her out, the battle was all he had on his mind. Quistis felt like dying. And as they entered the castle it didn't matter if she got out of it alive, she thought. Her heart was broken and the body could might as well follow it. Her thoughts were cut off by Squall who suddenly said: "It's now or never."
"What?" she whispered.
"Nothing, just stay close to me."
They entered a huge dark room. She couldn't see a thing and prayed that the creature wasn't hiding here.
Suddenly a bright light filled the room, blinding her. She heard a sound of something breaking high above her and the next thing she knew she was lying on the ground, with Squall on top of her as a big ceiling girder fell down next to them, at the exact place she would've been standing if Squall hadn't rescued her . She heard voices asking if they were ok, and if anybody got hurt and looked up at Squall.
"What is going on?" She asked, more confused than she had been in her entire life.
Squall smiled. "I'll explain everything later, first you gotta answer one question."
"Yes?"
"Will you marry me?"
"Yes!"
And then his kissed her. The love of her life kissed her. And she was going to merry him too. If she hadn't been confused before, she sure was now. Squall got up and bend down to help her too. She took his hand while looking at all the people who was there. Everyone she had ever known was there! The whole Garden, the students and the faculty. Cid and Edea. Zell. Selphie and Irvine. Even Seifer. And much to her surprise: Rinoa!
They came towards them, overwhelming them with congratulations. Selphie hugged her and whispered: "I always knew you were meant for each other. It just took HIM some while to figure it out."
Quistis laughed. "It took us both some time, I guess."
"Yo, Quisty. You better send out a memo to your fanclub, saying you're taken for good."
"Thanks, Zell. I will."
Finally Rinoa came up to her. Quistis was a little unsure on how to react, but Rinoa made it easy for her. "Congratulations," she said. Seeing Quistis face expression she laughed. "Oh, don't worry about me. I'm surprised you of all people didn't know. Squall and I broke up for a couple of days ago. Remember how I wanted him to open up. Well, he opened up alright. To the point where I found up he was hopelessly in love with you. And have been for quite sometime now. But I have to admit I'm a little jealous, look at all the trouble he went through to just to ask you to merry him. A guy like that you can't help being jealous of," she laughed.
"Are you sure you're ok with this?" Quistis still couldn't believe what was happening
"YES! I just have to go look for my perfect man somewhere else. And with this look, I won't have any problems," she joked.
Squall came up behind Quistis and put his arms around her waist. He hugged her softly.
"Hi, Rinoa," he said.
"Hi, Squall. Wow, that was beautiful. I'm so happy for you guys."
"Thanks…"
"Well, gotta go. I'm seeing a cute guy over there." Rinoa said and left with a last wave back at them.
"Some people never change I guess," Squall said, hugging her even tighter.
"But some do" She let her fingers run down his cheek.
"Ah, the happy couple," a voice said behind them. Squall let go of Quistis and they turned around.
"CID!" Quistis said and hugged him.
He laughed and hugged her back, then he looked over at Squall.
"I'm sorry, Squall. When telling you about the 'mission' I got so caught up in the idea of you two getting married, I almost ruined your surprise."
"It's ok. I don't think she got suspicious, or did you?" He put his arm around her shoulder.
"Never." She smiled. "I was just fearing for my life, didn't have time to think about anything else."
"Yeah, sorry about that. We just wanted to take you by surprise, that's all. You have been such a wonderful instructor and everyone at the Garden wants you to be happy. Which you hopefully will be with Squall here."
"I will."
"Well, I'll leave you two alone now. Talking to an old man probably isn't what you most want right now."
"Oh come on, Cid," Quistis laughed. He laughed too, and left them.
Quistis put her hands behind Squall's neck and looked into his blue eyes.
"I can't believe this is happening."
"You better believe it, or I have really made a fool of myself."
She laughed. "Yeah, like that would be your biggest fear."
He stopped her laughter by kissing her. When they broke it of, he asked: "What was it you wanted to tell me outside again?"
"That I love you, Squall Leonhart. I love you."
"And I love you, Mrs. Leonhart."
"Or Trepe."
"Or Trepe…"
The End
A/N: Okay, this turned out to be nothing like I was thinking when I started it. I meant to have a real monster there and it would almost kill Squall, before Quistis cried out her love for him. Oh well, guess I'm just a sucker for happy-endings. I even made Rinoa happy which is VERY unlike me.