Disclaimer:-

I do not own any of the characters as they belong to Squaresoft

This is my version of what happened at the end of the game. Its my first go at story writing so reviews are welcome, so is advise.

Thanks for looking.

Jessies Dream

Love Forever

Chapter One - The Return

A sense of relief washed over all of them, as it became apparant that they had finally beaten Ultimecia. The final blow from Squall's gunblade had destroyed the evil sorceress and she was gone. One large flash of light and then all that was left was an eerie fog that had started to surround them.

"What's happening?" asked Rinoa.

Quistis looked back at Rinoa and replied " It's Time Compression!"

"Oh Hyne Yes!" Selphie gasped, she followed by saying " We just have to think of the place that we most want to be and we'll go there ...remember?"

Squall stood silently deep in thought, as he cast his mind back to all the things Laguna had told them to do before this final battle. So much so was he in his own little world that he missed Zell leave as he shouted to the others " See you back at the orphanage!" As he disappeared into the fog punching the air with his right fist. " Tch...trust Zell" said Quistis as she too thought of the orphanage and vanished through the fog.

" Well I know where I want to be pretty lady" Irvine said this as he took hold of Selphie's hand, looking into her already smiling face. "Me Too!!" Selphie replied. Irvine's last words were " Let's go together" as they too disappeared from view.

Rinoa stood silently, she had seen the others all leave it seemed easy. She hoped that they had all made it to the other side. Reaching with her left hand towards the two rings that hung on her necklace. One ring her Mothers that she had treasured all her life and the other ring was Squall's Griever ring and although he hadn't exactly given her his ring it mean't the world to her. Looking at Squall, only one place came to her mind, the only place that she wanted to be. She closed her eyes and vanished from the time compressed world.

If Squall had looked at that moment, he would have seen a smile on Rinoa's face. But instead he was lost within his own insecurities, he was so unsure of where he wanted to be. Balamb Garden had been his home for as long as he could remember. He'd spent most of his teenage years training and fighting for this one moment, to defeat any and all sorceresses. But what now was he to do, where was he to go. 'Is this all my life will ever be? ' he thought to himself, as he turned around to look for the others.

" Rinoa!....Where are you?" He called out but no answer. " Zell,...Selphie..are you still here?" Once again there was no reply. "Irvine...Quistis?......Have I been left alone again?" Realisation hit him hard, it was like a slap in the face. They had all gone and he was left here in the middle of.........

He looked around and turned full circle and although the fog had lifted as fast as it had formed, he seemed to be in the middle of a complete wasteland. No trees, no grass, no buildings, nothing but a dry cracked barren landscape. "Where Am I?" He asked.

Squall looked up at the burning sun in the sky and then at his watch. 1pm 'Great it's lunchtime and I'm thinking of hotdogs!......oh no...now I'm thinking like Zell' He slapped his forehead with his right hand. " Stupid think" he said to himself. He cast his mind back to all the training he had endured,surely it would come in useful in situations like this. Then it clicked in his mind like a lightswitch being turned on..."of course" he said to himself. It was 1pm so the sun was in the south, he turned left to face the east. Balamb Garden was in the east so that's the direction to start walking. 'Who would have thought that using a watch as a compass would actually really be useful ' thought Squall as he started to walk.

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There was a flash of light as Zell landed with a thud on the sandy shores of the orphanage. He looked around and shouted "Yeah baby I'm back...I can't wait to see the others as that was AWESOME!!!" He went running up the beach towards the steps that led up to the orphanage, nearly knocking down Irvine and Selphie as they were about to kiss. "What the??" Asked Irvine as he turned round to see who had interupted his and Selphies big moment. "Zell!!" Selphie squeeled as she rushed straight towards Zell to give him one of her big, big hugs. "It's great to see you back" said Selphie with a " Was that amazing or what?" "Awesome!...Just Awesome!" shouted Zell.

"I can hear you over a mile away as per usual Zell" They turned to see Qustis smiling for the first time after her comment as she walked towards them. "Howdy! Pretty Lady!" said Irvine as he touched the rim of his cowboy hat. "Don't start that womanising on me Irvine Kinneas!...save that for Selphie!" Once again Quistis smiled. "My goodness Quisty!!" said a shocked Selphie, just before she too gave her a hug. Selphie looked back at Irvine as she said to Quistis "I know it's all for show...except for when he is with me...then he's very sweet" Zell said "Please...I think I'm going to be sick! Selphie just glared at him and stuck out her tongue. "I think it's really sweet" said Quistis.

"I am so hungry!.....I really feel like some hotdogs" said Zell. Irvine looked at Zell and said "Don't you ever eat anything else?" Zell looked at him and said "Yeah of course I do....but they are my favourite and right now that's what I want. I wanna celebrate that we won, have a big party and eat all the hotdogs I can." Quistis shook her head, but Selphie said "Party?...Did you just say party?"

"Yeah I did" replied Zell. "PARTY...PARTY PARTY!!!" Both Zell and Selphie started to chant, just as Rinoa appeared on the path.

Selphie ran straight towards Rinoa, her arms outstretched "Rinoa!!! It's so good to see you!" said Selphie as she hugged her closely. "Thanks Selphie...it's good to be back" replied Rinoa.

Quistis smiled and said "Thank Hyne Rinoa..." She had also noticed that one Squall Leonhart was yet to return, but seeing Rinoa just made her come to the conclusion that he wouldn't be far behind.

"I'm surrounded by three lovely ladies and and idiot" said Irvine as he moved in to cuddle Selphie, Rinoa and Quistis. Selphie said "Oh that's lovely Irvy." Rinoa smiled and said "Same old Irvine!"

Quistis although uncomfortable with Irvines arm around her waist just smiled and thought of what they had achieved as a team. She only moved towards Zell as he said "I'm not an Idiot...I'll knock you for six Kinneas" as he approached Irvine with his fists raised. Quistis grabbed Zell's arm and stated "He's only trying to wind you up Zell..." "Gee can't you take a joke?" said Irvine.

"Nothing changes " said Rinoa.

Selphie looked at Rinoa and said "This is great...we are going to have one big party when we get back to Balamn Garden....We can celebrate that we've won .....I can organise it with yours and Quisty's help. Oh it will be Awesome...food, drinks, music...We did it, we really did it..the gang's all here and we're going to party...WoooHooo!!!" "That is a great idea" said Rinoa "I was so worried before the last battle that we wouldn't make it...but we did...we truly beat Ultimicia and her Time Compression and I for one couldn't wait to get back and see everyone!" Rinoa looked at each and everyone of her friends a smile on her face. Selphie leaned closer to Rinoa and whisperd "Would that include anyone particular?" Rinoa blushed at the thought of Squall came to her mind. "Hey where is Squall?" asked Rinoa. Looking round hoping that he would suddenly appear behind her take her in his arms and ...But he wasn't there, as she turned back to her friends hopeful that they would enlighten her with the answer she needed. Quistis saw the fear in Rinoa's eyes and so she said "We haven't seem him, but as we came through the Time Compression world before you ..it's logical that he will appear soon after you" "Yeah he'll be okay ..you know Squall...he's probably calculating the best arrival point as we speak" said Selphie, trying to lighten and lift Rinoa's spirits. Irvine touched Rinoa's shoulder and said "I'll go down to the beach in case he arrived there...as soon as I see him I will send him straight to you ...how's that?" "Thanks Irvine, I appreciate that" replied Rinoa. Zell shouted " I'll go and look around the building for you Rinoa" as he ran towards the orphanage. He was already out of range to hear Rinoa reply "Thanks Zell."

Rinoa looked back at Selphie and said "I'm worried Selph, he should be here by now."

"I know Rin, but I know that Squall will do anything for you.." said Selphie. "I wish...I know how I feel about him, but does he feel the same way about me?" Rinoa asked. "I know he does Rin, he carried you on his back all the way to Esthar when you were unconscious, jumped into space and free'd you from the sorceress memorial....I'd say he loves you" Rinoa looked a little shocked, she didn't know that Squall had carried her to Esthar and it felt so good when he hugged her after freeing her from the memorial. "Oh Hyne Selph ...I know where he will be..he promised" said Rinoa as she headed up the path to the Orphanage. "Promised?" asked Selphie following after her.

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