----Chapter 1-----
The confession
Rinoa's bare foot felt a wet nose touch her toes. It was Angelo.
Rinoa rolled over and sighed. Today she had another long battle.
A little girl had been captured along with Quistis, Ivrine, and
Selphie. She, Zell, and Squall had been battling and searching
around for the last two weeks and sleeping outside without much
food. She was tired of sleeping on the ground in a crowed tent and
eating canned foods. She was ill but she had to go on because it
was for what she wanted to do. She wanted to have all her friends
safe and back with her. She pulled the sheet from the two others
grasp and rolled around in it and closed her eyes with her head aching.
Zell groaned and shivered and turned to look at Rinoa still shivering.
Though wrapped in the long blue sheet. Squall wasn't in the tent.
'Up already' Zell asumed. He got up. "Rinoa. Are you gonna sleep
in? We have duties you know." he said. Rinoa sat up groaned and
smoothed down her hair. Zell stared at her. "Your flushed. Are you
ok?" he asked. "Yes." she said looking at the wall of the tent.
Zell put the palm of his hand on her forehead. "Cripes! Your burning
a fever!" he said. She smiled and started to cry. She wanted to
stop but she was to tired. "I'll be ok. I need something to eat."
she said staggering to stand up but fell back down and closed her
eyes exhausted. Zell stared at her. He laid her down again on the
tent ground and raised her head up by a pillow. He covered her by
the blanket. Zell got his water bottle from his bag and poured it
over Rinoa's face. Rinoa choked and then was silent.
He walked out of the tent to see Squall cooking soup. "Squall!"
Zell yelled alert. "Rinoa is out cold and has a fever." he paused
to look at the soup and paused. It was mushroom soup with peas and
hotdogs cut into it. He had brought extra food for everyone favorite
food and had prepared it into one special. Zell covered his mouth
to stop a laugh. It looked disgusting. But at least he had tried.
Squall sat there not moving then stood up. He poked his head into
the tent window and saw Rinoa fighting herself in the bed Literally.
He looked at Zell. "I'll see what's wrong. She should be better
soon." He said. He took the ladle in the soup bowl and put some
soup in a wooden bowl. He took a spoon as well and ran it under water.
He walked over to the door and was careful not to spill it and walked
in. He saw Rinoa shivering. He put his hand on her forehead and
removed it quickly realizing it was burning. He shook Rinoa's shoulder
She didn't move. "Rinoa. Are you awake?" he asked. No response.
He reaches for Zells water bottle. He opens Rinoa's mouth and paused.
He opened the bottle and poured some in. She coughed it up. He
looked at her and she made no movement. He leaned toward her. Then
he backed away. "I should apologize." he murmured. "Umm. Rinoa.
I hope you can hear me say this but I have to feed you mouth to
mouth because I don't want you to die." he said. Rinoa seemed to
nod although still asleep. Squall put the soup in his mouth and
chewed up the hotdogs, mushrooms and peas. He opened her mouth
a little wider and leaned over her and his skin was barely touching
hers so every small hair touched the other. He breathed over her.
She moved around in the bed. then Squall pinned her down and His
lips no longer struggled and touched hers. He fed the food to her
mouth to mouth and released his tight lip lock with her. He picked
up her head and then her back to stable her to swallow. He was relived
to watch her swallow and cough as well. He tucked her in again.
"Feel better. We need you." He said exiting the tent.
Zell was sipping soup from a plastic cup. "is she ok?" he murmured
taking another sip and chewing the hotdogs. He was surprised to
find it wasn't as bad as it looked. 'Don't try this at home kiddies.'
She may sleep for a few days. We'll pack up and keep on going. "Umm.
Squall? How do we know where they are?" he asked. Squall looked
at Zell. "Ellone teleported me to the future and i took note on
where they were and what may occur. If we don't make it within another
week they will all be killed." he said gravely. "Then we better get going."
Zell got to his feet and drank the rest of the soup broth and wiped
his face. Squall walked into the tent to see Rinoa up. "Hello Rinoa.
Are you ok?" he asked sitting down on the burlap ground. "Yes."
she said looking into his worried eyes. "I'm not... gonna be able
to battle Squall. I'm sorry I just can't right now. I can't lie.
Not to you. I'm not gonna struggle. I want to dream forever of that
moment. That moment you finally cared for me, and not try in battle."
she said reaching up to put her hand on his cheek. "Did you know
I've always wanted to be loved by someone and have them realize
I'm more then a face in the crowd? You showed me earlier that you
cared. No one has ever showed me that kind of kindness before you.... Squall.
It was so sweet... really. Although I was out I was slightly aware
of what was going on and that was very nice. I'm certain now that
now if it was needed I would talk or help you with anything you
needed or wanted. Just ask me. I promise to help you." she said
blinking and struggling to keep her eyelids open. "I'll battle. If that is what you want."
"Don't struggle Rinoa. Your very sick by your fever. You need
rest. It's your main remedy." he said standing up still leaning
over to keep his head from hitting the cealing. Rinoa grabbed his
pant leg and Squall stopped. "Don't leave me! Don't please I don't
want to be alone in my dreams." she said crying. Squall squatted
down and smoothed her hair. "Hey. We will find the others and the
little girl don't worry. So I want you to get better and not worry
about me leaving you. At the end everything will be alright. I promise
at the end of this nightmare we will win and be happy again. The
first thing I will do is get you better and we will all be together
again. But now I want you rest." he said. "No Squall. Please hold
me... just for moment then I will rest." she said in a invitingly
soft whisper. Squall's eyes widened and he nodded. "Ok but only
for a minute." he said. He lifted her up and cradled her in his
arms. "I hope. I wish. That little girl who was kidnapped with
the others is alright. She is young. Still has a lot to live for.
She must be scared. I have more than her. I have my Squall by my
side to protect me." Squally blushed and almost jumped out of his
skin then relaxed. "I'm sure... I'm sure the others are taking care
of them." Squall said. Rinoa put her arms around Squalls neck. "I
wish this minute with you was forever. I could die like this." she
said. "Oh no! Please don't Rinoa. Don't die now!" he said. "No I
would never leave you. I love you too much." she said and Squall
remained calm. "That's the first time you said that Rinoa. I knew
you cared but love? How? How could you love me?" he asked staring
at her and she suddenly looked like a baby and shy. "My heart chose
you and I followed it which made my world seem a perfect place.
Do you feel the same about me?" she asked hugging Sqall tightly.
"I ummm... yes. I have to be honest I love you too. I thought I'd
say that to anyone. But you are different you are like vein attached
to my heart no closer then that like a sister. Rinoa gasped. "That
close?" she asked. Squall smacked himself in the head and shook his head.
"No, Squall I love you a lot and it's almost amazing though that
my dreams came true and answered my wish and cry of hope with you.
I didn't know you felt so strongly about me. I love you more.
I will cherish this memory forever never forgetting how. Oh Squall
we are destined!" Rinoa said rubbing his neck and then fell limp
and sighed into a peaceful sleep. Squall felt her forehead it was
still hot and she seemed pale with flushed checks.
He carried her out of the tent and wrapped her in his jacket. He
handed her to Zell. "Hold her while I pack up the tent." he said
letting himself stay a minute to gaze upon her once more. He squatted
and pulled out the tent pegs from the ground. As he did this Zell
began to talk. "You really do love Rinoa don't you buddy?" he asked.
Squall paused and felt sweat run down the back of his neck. "No.
Why would you think that? Zell." he said calmly. Zell laid Rinoa
very carefully on a blanket of snow on the ground. Zell walked up
to a corner of the tent. "Hey! Zell! What are you doing to her!
She's sick enough as it is! Rinoa catch her death like that!" he
yelled running over to help and tossing and turning Rinoa. "Do that
again to her and I'll kill you Zell." he said sternly holding Rinoa
her hair with snow in it. He held her close to his chest and she
seemed to smile almost. "Woa take it easy buddy. First you know
you are over reacting. Second of all you know that if you were to
attempt killing me we both have equal opportunity of winning. And
third I told you that you loved Rinoa and this proves it to me." he said crossing his arms.
Squall stammered. "Well... so what.... if I do? Are you gonna go
against me?" he asked cradling Rinoa more to warm her. She suddenly
got in coughing fit. Squall patted her on the back and she relaxed
again content and trusting who was holding her feeling safe and
happy Squall assumed from her face of her sleep. "I don't have anything
against it Squall. Rinoa is very pretty you know. I think she deserves
someone like you and you deserve someone as devoted as her." Zell
smiled at Squall. "Are you my father or mother????" "No but if you
to get married could I be the minister???" "Ummm...." "No, But could
I be! Come on man! I'd even wear a tux!" "Um... if we get married
I'll think about it..." "Yeah! I'll be the best minister ever!"
Zell said. "That is a big IF" Squall stared at Rinoa. He said to
himself. "What do you think Rinoa?" Rinoa tilted her head and opened
her eyes and Squall smiled a small smile. "Let's go." he said as
he walked over to Ragonrock. "Zell do you think you could manage
to drive this?" he asked placing Rinoa in the back chair pulling
her hair back from her face and laid his jacket over her she began
to fall asleep again. "Me?" he asked looking at the complicated
control counter. "I need to move the tent to the storage and read
you the map." "Why can't it be the other way around?" Zell asked.
"Because I only can read my handwriting on the clues to where they
are." he said picking up the tent. "Ok." he grinned and picked up
the manual to the ship and began some light reading. "Hey Squall,
look at this Rinoa left a paper in this book." he said pulling it
out. "What?" Squall demanded and pulled it out of Zell's hands and
un-folded it. It was a diary entry.
The confession
Rinoa's bare foot felt a wet nose touch her toes. It was Angelo.
Rinoa rolled over and sighed. Today she had another long battle.
A little girl had been captured along with Quistis, Ivrine, and
Selphie. She, Zell, and Squall had been battling and searching
around for the last two weeks and sleeping outside without much
food. She was tired of sleeping on the ground in a crowed tent and
eating canned foods. She was ill but she had to go on because it
was for what she wanted to do. She wanted to have all her friends
safe and back with her. She pulled the sheet from the two others
grasp and rolled around in it and closed her eyes with her head aching.
Zell groaned and shivered and turned to look at Rinoa still shivering.
Though wrapped in the long blue sheet. Squall wasn't in the tent.
'Up already' Zell asumed. He got up. "Rinoa. Are you gonna sleep
in? We have duties you know." he said. Rinoa sat up groaned and
smoothed down her hair. Zell stared at her. "Your flushed. Are you
ok?" he asked. "Yes." she said looking at the wall of the tent.
Zell put the palm of his hand on her forehead. "Cripes! Your burning
a fever!" he said. She smiled and started to cry. She wanted to
stop but she was to tired. "I'll be ok. I need something to eat."
she said staggering to stand up but fell back down and closed her
eyes exhausted. Zell stared at her. He laid her down again on the
tent ground and raised her head up by a pillow. He covered her by
the blanket. Zell got his water bottle from his bag and poured it
over Rinoa's face. Rinoa choked and then was silent.
He walked out of the tent to see Squall cooking soup. "Squall!"
Zell yelled alert. "Rinoa is out cold and has a fever." he paused
to look at the soup and paused. It was mushroom soup with peas and
hotdogs cut into it. He had brought extra food for everyone favorite
food and had prepared it into one special. Zell covered his mouth
to stop a laugh. It looked disgusting. But at least he had tried.
Squall sat there not moving then stood up. He poked his head into
the tent window and saw Rinoa fighting herself in the bed Literally.
He looked at Zell. "I'll see what's wrong. She should be better
soon." He said. He took the ladle in the soup bowl and put some
soup in a wooden bowl. He took a spoon as well and ran it under water.
He walked over to the door and was careful not to spill it and walked
in. He saw Rinoa shivering. He put his hand on her forehead and
removed it quickly realizing it was burning. He shook Rinoa's shoulder
She didn't move. "Rinoa. Are you awake?" he asked. No response.
He reaches for Zells water bottle. He opens Rinoa's mouth and paused.
He opened the bottle and poured some in. She coughed it up. He
looked at her and she made no movement. He leaned toward her. Then
he backed away. "I should apologize." he murmured. "Umm. Rinoa.
I hope you can hear me say this but I have to feed you mouth to
mouth because I don't want you to die." he said. Rinoa seemed to
nod although still asleep. Squall put the soup in his mouth and
chewed up the hotdogs, mushrooms and peas. He opened her mouth
a little wider and leaned over her and his skin was barely touching
hers so every small hair touched the other. He breathed over her.
She moved around in the bed. then Squall pinned her down and His
lips no longer struggled and touched hers. He fed the food to her
mouth to mouth and released his tight lip lock with her. He picked
up her head and then her back to stable her to swallow. He was relived
to watch her swallow and cough as well. He tucked her in again.
"Feel better. We need you." He said exiting the tent.
Zell was sipping soup from a plastic cup. "is she ok?" he murmured
taking another sip and chewing the hotdogs. He was surprised to
find it wasn't as bad as it looked. 'Don't try this at home kiddies.'
She may sleep for a few days. We'll pack up and keep on going. "Umm.
Squall? How do we know where they are?" he asked. Squall looked
at Zell. "Ellone teleported me to the future and i took note on
where they were and what may occur. If we don't make it within another
week they will all be killed." he said gravely. "Then we better get going."
Zell got to his feet and drank the rest of the soup broth and wiped
his face. Squall walked into the tent to see Rinoa up. "Hello Rinoa.
Are you ok?" he asked sitting down on the burlap ground. "Yes."
she said looking into his worried eyes. "I'm not... gonna be able
to battle Squall. I'm sorry I just can't right now. I can't lie.
Not to you. I'm not gonna struggle. I want to dream forever of that
moment. That moment you finally cared for me, and not try in battle."
she said reaching up to put her hand on his cheek. "Did you know
I've always wanted to be loved by someone and have them realize
I'm more then a face in the crowd? You showed me earlier that you
cared. No one has ever showed me that kind of kindness before you.... Squall.
It was so sweet... really. Although I was out I was slightly aware
of what was going on and that was very nice. I'm certain now that
now if it was needed I would talk or help you with anything you
needed or wanted. Just ask me. I promise to help you." she said
blinking and struggling to keep her eyelids open. "I'll battle. If that is what you want."
"Don't struggle Rinoa. Your very sick by your fever. You need
rest. It's your main remedy." he said standing up still leaning
over to keep his head from hitting the cealing. Rinoa grabbed his
pant leg and Squall stopped. "Don't leave me! Don't please I don't
want to be alone in my dreams." she said crying. Squall squatted
down and smoothed her hair. "Hey. We will find the others and the
little girl don't worry. So I want you to get better and not worry
about me leaving you. At the end everything will be alright. I promise
at the end of this nightmare we will win and be happy again. The
first thing I will do is get you better and we will all be together
again. But now I want you rest." he said. "No Squall. Please hold
me... just for moment then I will rest." she said in a invitingly
soft whisper. Squall's eyes widened and he nodded. "Ok but only
for a minute." he said. He lifted her up and cradled her in his
arms. "I hope. I wish. That little girl who was kidnapped with
the others is alright. She is young. Still has a lot to live for.
She must be scared. I have more than her. I have my Squall by my
side to protect me." Squally blushed and almost jumped out of his
skin then relaxed. "I'm sure... I'm sure the others are taking care
of them." Squall said. Rinoa put her arms around Squalls neck. "I
wish this minute with you was forever. I could die like this." she
said. "Oh no! Please don't Rinoa. Don't die now!" he said. "No I
would never leave you. I love you too much." she said and Squall
remained calm. "That's the first time you said that Rinoa. I knew
you cared but love? How? How could you love me?" he asked staring
at her and she suddenly looked like a baby and shy. "My heart chose
you and I followed it which made my world seem a perfect place.
Do you feel the same about me?" she asked hugging Sqall tightly.
"I ummm... yes. I have to be honest I love you too. I thought I'd
say that to anyone. But you are different you are like vein attached
to my heart no closer then that like a sister. Rinoa gasped. "That
close?" she asked. Squall smacked himself in the head and shook his head.
"No, Squall I love you a lot and it's almost amazing though that
my dreams came true and answered my wish and cry of hope with you.
I didn't know you felt so strongly about me. I love you more.
I will cherish this memory forever never forgetting how. Oh Squall
we are destined!" Rinoa said rubbing his neck and then fell limp
and sighed into a peaceful sleep. Squall felt her forehead it was
still hot and she seemed pale with flushed checks.
He carried her out of the tent and wrapped her in his jacket. He
handed her to Zell. "Hold her while I pack up the tent." he said
letting himself stay a minute to gaze upon her once more. He squatted
and pulled out the tent pegs from the ground. As he did this Zell
began to talk. "You really do love Rinoa don't you buddy?" he asked.
Squall paused and felt sweat run down the back of his neck. "No.
Why would you think that? Zell." he said calmly. Zell laid Rinoa
very carefully on a blanket of snow on the ground. Zell walked up
to a corner of the tent. "Hey! Zell! What are you doing to her!
She's sick enough as it is! Rinoa catch her death like that!" he
yelled running over to help and tossing and turning Rinoa. "Do that
again to her and I'll kill you Zell." he said sternly holding Rinoa
her hair with snow in it. He held her close to his chest and she
seemed to smile almost. "Woa take it easy buddy. First you know
you are over reacting. Second of all you know that if you were to
attempt killing me we both have equal opportunity of winning. And
third I told you that you loved Rinoa and this proves it to me." he said crossing his arms.
Squall stammered. "Well... so what.... if I do? Are you gonna go
against me?" he asked cradling Rinoa more to warm her. She suddenly
got in coughing fit. Squall patted her on the back and she relaxed
again content and trusting who was holding her feeling safe and
happy Squall assumed from her face of her sleep. "I don't have anything
against it Squall. Rinoa is very pretty you know. I think she deserves
someone like you and you deserve someone as devoted as her." Zell
smiled at Squall. "Are you my father or mother????" "No but if you
to get married could I be the minister???" "Ummm...." "No, But could
I be! Come on man! I'd even wear a tux!" "Um... if we get married
I'll think about it..." "Yeah! I'll be the best minister ever!"
Zell said. "That is a big IF" Squall stared at Rinoa. He said to
himself. "What do you think Rinoa?" Rinoa tilted her head and opened
her eyes and Squall smiled a small smile. "Let's go." he said as
he walked over to Ragonrock. "Zell do you think you could manage
to drive this?" he asked placing Rinoa in the back chair pulling
her hair back from her face and laid his jacket over her she began
to fall asleep again. "Me?" he asked looking at the complicated
control counter. "I need to move the tent to the storage and read
you the map." "Why can't it be the other way around?" Zell asked.
"Because I only can read my handwriting on the clues to where they
are." he said picking up the tent. "Ok." he grinned and picked up
the manual to the ship and began some light reading. "Hey Squall,
look at this Rinoa left a paper in this book." he said pulling it
out. "What?" Squall demanded and pulled it out of Zell's hands and
un-folded it. It was a diary entry.