Author's Notes:

Hi there, peeps! This is my very first Final Fantasy VIII fic & guess who I'm centering the plot on? Irvine & Selphie. I don't know, I just enjoy their pairing. You know, the bickering & noisy type, just like Sano & Megumi of Rurouni Kenshin. Anyway, I was inspired by our school play to write this fic. It talks about the infidelity of a man to his woman (maybe wife? I don't know, I don't have the whole plot made up.) I want this to be sheer drama…just keeping my fingers crossed so that I can do it!

Disclaimers: Yeah, it's no surprise. None of us fanfic authors own FF8.

==== denotes a flashback

~~~~ change of scene

italics denote a thought

U n b e l o v e d

By: g3oLizh

Chapter One

Irvine Kinneas couldn't believe it. There, nestled in his 23-year old wife's arms was there newly born baby boy. It's thin brown hair covered his little head and eyes of the deepest mocha-brown stared back at him. The baby then made a cute gurgling sound and Selphie Tilmitt, his wife for five months now, glanced up at him and smiled. He noted the weariness in her appearance but she was nonetheless radiating with unexplained joy and beauty.

"Hey," Selphie acknowledged him softly.

"Hey to you too." He took off his hat and laid it down on the chair beside him. He held out his arms. "Can I hold him?"

"Sure, but be careful not to crush him," She chided teasingly.

As Irvine took their baby in his arms, she couldn't help but be amazed at how the picture of being a father seemed oh so right to him, not to mention that gentle way he was holding the child wrapped in light blue blankets.

Irvine made this funny distorted face while the baby only yawned in response. Selphie giggled. She doesn't feel that tired anymore.

Suddenly, Irvine glanced up. "What should we name him?"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"C'mon, Sean. Let's go surprise your father. He'll be very glad to see us."

The one-year and 6-month old boy moved excitedly in her arms.

They had been out for the weekend visiting her friends: Squall Leonhart, Rinoa Heartilly, Quistis Trepe and Zell Dincht. She had missed them dearly since Irvine and her had moved to settle in Timber (I'm making up a city in Timber to fit my story) after they got married. She was surprised to discover that Rinoa was still Heartilly. Sheesh! Those two had been together for so long and still, Irvine and I beat them to it. During her visit in Balamb garden, she noticed that whenever Rinoa spotted the two of them together (she and Baby Sean), she has this wistful expression on her face. Selphie remembered all too well what Rinoa confided in her:

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"Uuuhhhh! That Squall." She sat down with a big plop on the bed as Selphie changed Sean's clothes. "When is that guy ever going to propose to me? I've been waiting like forever!" She crossed her arms over her chest in that pouting way of hers.

Selphie glanced at her from her slightly bent position over the high chair. "Oh, Rinoa. You know how Squall is ---"

Rinoa grunted, eyebrows drawn together.

"--- it will take him… uh, more time to ask for your hand." Selphie herself thought that Rinoa had waited long enough --- more even --- time for Squall to gather up his courage and just ask the poor girl those four words. But for the sake of her friend's sanity, she'll just have point out to the side's brighter point of view. ---- wait! What brighter point of view? This is as darn downright as it can get!

Rinoa shot her an incredulous look. "More time?! Is he expecting to marry a menopausal woman? 'Coz I think by the time he does ask me, I'll be like fifty years old." Her face scrunched up at the idea.

Selphie chuckled. "Of course not, Rin."

"Really, Selphie. Tell me honestly. Am I waiting for the right guy? Am I loving the right guy?"

Midway in putting on her son's shirt, Selphie stopped, alarmed. She looked at her friend's face and realized that she didn't mean what she just had said. The young mother exhaled with relief. "Oh, yes, definitely!" She put in hastily. "Why, if I were in your place, I'll never let him go, not with hundreds of girls clamoring over him."

"You do know that I was kidding, right?" Rinoa gave her a look of mock suspicion.

Selphie nodded vehemently. "Oh, yes. I wouldn't want to get in the way of the Commander's girlfriend." She smiled slyly.

Sighing heavily, Rinoa fell back onto the bed, arms out-stretched at the sides. "That's just exactly it. Half of the male population is scared as hell as to even go talk to me. If Squall doesn't ask me soon, I'm afraid I'll be one of those bitter old maids."

Giggling, Selphie hoisted her son on her left hip, supporting with her arm.

Rinoa joined along giggling with her. She got up, seeing that they were ready to have there little picnic on the nearby beach. "Hah… nothing that a good laugh won't cure." She led the way out of the room, locking the door behind her. Glancing at Selphie, she mused, "I did overreact a bit."

"You sure did." They were now walking along that wide corridor.

"Hey," Rinoa placed a finger on her chin, thinking. "Why don't I take your's and Quistis' advise on making the first move?"

"You could but there's no guarantee that that will work. You know how dense Squall gets when it comes to those kind of stuff. Remember last year ---?"

"Oh, yeah, how can I forget!" Rinoa cut in bitterly, rolling her eyes. "All those hard work for nothing."

"Anyway," Selphie steered the conversation away from that topic. "Look on the bright side, Squall's coming with us."

At this, Rinoa brightened up. "You're right. It's a very rare chance that Squall gets to get away from his work, with all those new responsibilities thrown to his shoulders. He needs to smell the fresh air once in a while. And I'll tell you this, Selph, he's growing paler by the day. Sooner or later, his lone wolf attitude and pale appearance will match up to that of Dracula!"

Selphie laughed. "Ha! You wouldn't want that." They had now reached the place near the stairs going up the elevator. As if on cue, the elevator slid open and Squall appeared, calm as ever.

"Speak of the Devil." Selphie nudged Rinoa on the side.

"Here, let me carry Seanie. Squall can take a hint." She took the baby into her arms. The baby squirmed a bit but settled contentedly as he found a new toy: the two rings on her necklace. "Maybe then he'll realize what a good wife I can be."

==========

She was awakened from her reverie when Sean began to feel restless, noting that she was walking at a snail's pace. No wonder the trip to Irvine's room took so long.

She was still fuming a bit about Irvine not even making an effort to stop for the meantime whatever it was he was "busy doing" to have a chance to visit his friends. He better be finished with it now. A devious smiled played on her lips. I miss him so much.

As she stopped in front of their temporary room to look for the keycard in her bag, the unmistaken faint smell of liquor found its way to her nose.

I see. So he has been drinking again. She shook her head disapprovingly. Addressing to the child, "Cover your nose, Sean. Daddy thinks that he can get away with this." She grunted as she pushed the door open. " Sean, you're getting heavier."

The door slowly closed behind her with a soft click. Sighing with exhaustion and relief, she placed her small bag on the loveseat near the door. "C'mon, Seanie-pooh!" She pinched the baby's chubby cheeks, suddenly energized. "Let's go pounce on your sleeping daddykins." Turning a corner and walking on tip-toes, she poked her head to their room. What she saw made her heart stop and her blood run cold.

She stood dumb-foundedly at the door. "This couldn't be…" Her shaking voice was barely above a whisper. There, on the bed, was a woman sleeping. A naked woman, the rumpled sheets barely covering her body. The sight made her want to faint and she staggered a little as she took a step back, hand clamped over mouth. But what made her want to run was the sight of her husband, lying face down, with the girl. Noticing for the first time, Selphie traced where Irvine's arms led downward and discovering where, it brought tears to her eyes.

Baby Sean, who was unusually quiet during those few shocking seconds --- as if he himself was contemplating what his father had done --- made a sound as he saw her mother cry. "Mommy!"

At that sound, Selphie's head jerked to her son. At the same time, Irvine stirred; the woman appeared to be still out cold.

Selphie's mind screamed at her to turn back and run but she felt rooted to the spot. All she can do was hold her breath and wish that as soon as Irvine's eyes meet hers, everything would fall back like a bad dream.

Irvine shifted in a sitting position and groggily rubbed his eyes. "Uhhh…" He groaned, placing a hand to this throbbing head.

"Dad-din!" The baby squealed.

Irvine suddenly stopped moving. Selphie just continued to stare with a dazed look. Slowly, he raised his head and just the look on Irvine's face as he saw them made it all clear for Selphie.

"S-Selphie…"

Selphie's whole body shook with suppressed sobs.

"Sel --- "

Selphie shook her head slowly, as if she herself could not believe what she is witnessing. She tightly held the baby.

The baby reached out for his dad, grinning. "Dad-dy…"

Irvine's eyes shifted to his son.

"How could you?!!"

His eyes shot back to Selphie and the look on her face was devastating.

Not one more word, Selphie turned around and ran. She can hear Irvine calling out her name and hear his struggling movements as he tried to scramble out of bed.

"Leave me alone." She yelled back, not turning her head.

She doesn't care if the woman woke up. She doesn't care if Irvine stumbled along his way and the way the few people passing by stared at her as she half-ran, half-stumbled, tears blurring her vision. She doesn't care if her arms and legs were screaming her to stop; and the baby crying along with her. She doesn't care if the whole damned world will know about it. She doesn't care anymore! All she cares about was that… Irvine betrayed her. He broke his promise!

She blindly turned a corner. The last thing she remembered was a car screeching and she twisting her back to cover the baby as something heavy slammed into her.

Author's Notes:

Sorry if I made Irvine appear heartless as to what he did. Any corrections to the facts used (I just made up Timber City), feel free to let me know. Also, I might twist some details a bit to go along with the story. Uhmm… I'll just add more later. @.@ As always, comments and suggestions are welcome! Yeah, I know. Not a very original story line… hehehe…