SURPRISE! Didn't know there would be a sequel, did you? LOL. I'm sure you'll enjoy it as much as the first one.
"Koner, dude, wake up!"
The young man groaned in frustration as he felt tiny hands pulling at his nose. "Five more minutes, Denzel, come on!" Nineteen-year-old Denzel Strife smiles from his position over his seventeen-year-old friend's bed, "Nope, sorry. Marlene and Noah say its time to wake up. Now, get up before I completely let Noah go!" His grin widens as Koner Valentine shoots up and grabs a seven-month-old baby boy grouchily, "There, I'm up!" he grumbles, "I'll be down in a few minutes. "Gotta get Noah ready for the day. Don't forget the concert's tonight." His brother nods, walking out the door, he calls over his shoulder, "I know, I know!"
The teenager turns to the baby in his arms, his young son stares at him with large silver eyes. Eyes that he inheirited from his father. He holds him close before laying him on the bed for a quick diaper change.
Koner lives with his friends Denzel and Marlene, as he was kicked out of his parents' home at the age of sixteen. He was forced out by his father, Vincent Valentine at sixteen for impregnating his fifteen-year-old girlfriend. But as soon as young Noah Valentine was born, his girlfriend dumped him and signed over her parental rights over their son. That left Koner homeless with a child. So, his life-long friends took them in, and they have been there ever since.
Koner and Vincent have had a bad relationship since he turned thirteen, and his sixteen-year-old brother Sephiroth Valentine was sent to a mental institute. Their parents had told them the story of Sephiroth being adopted at the age of eight, and how he was experimented on when he was a toddler by his real mother. They only told them that story because young Sephiroth felt like a freak, and was picked on at school. He was fine at first, then slowly started to draw within himself, then he went crazy. Koner was really close to his older brother, so when they had him commited, he began to rebel.
After he was kicked out, he rarely even saw his family; his father, his mother, his sister (elven-year-old Silver) or his brother (six-year-old Chaos). But he frequented the bar that his Aunt Tifa and Uncle Zack work at, so he got to see his cousins; ten-year-old Lilia and six-year-old Riah (Zack Jr). And they kept him up to date with his famiily.
Koner finished getting his son ready, and carried him downstairs for breakfast. "Its about time, bum!" eighteen-year-old Marlene playfully scolds, "You'd better hurry up, or you're going to be late, again, Koner Valentine." He quickly grabs a pop tart and his son's diaper bag, and runs out the door, briefly stopping to wave good bye to his friends.
First, he had to drop Noah off with the babysitter, Aunt Tifa, head for work, and then he had a live performance later that night with his band. He's the lead singer in a band called "Simple Plan" and a few of his friends were in the band, Blade Almasy is lead guitar, Julian Loire is rythm guitar and back-up singer, Zane Dincht is drummist and precussionist, and Toby Kinneas is bass and back-up vocals.
After what seemed like an eternity, it was time for the performance. Koner nervously peeks through the curtains, and instantly spots his family. Surprisingly, his parents and sister were there with Denzel and Marlene and Lilia. Tifa and Zack had agreed to stay home with Chaos, Riah and Noah as they were too young to attend.
"Hey, Valentine, you ready to rock?" Blade questions, placing a hand on his friend's shoulder. Koner instantly turns around in fright, but nods, "Yes, lets do this!"
As the curtains draw back, the lights grow dim, all but around the band, everyone begins to cheer and applaud. THe night goes on and on, song after song. Finally, grey eyes lock on his father's claret-colored ones as he grabs the microphone, and says, "Thank you all for coming. This is the last song we're gonna play tonight, it is dedicated to my father."
The music begins almost instantly, but his eyes never leave his father's.
Hey dad look at me
Think back and talk to me
Did I grow up according to plan?
And do you think I'm wasting my time doing things I wanna do?
But it hurts when you disapprove all along
And now I try hard to make it
I just want to make you proud
I'm never gonna be good enough for you
I can't pretend that
I'm alright
And you can't change me
'Cuz we lost it all
Nothing lasts forever
I'm sorry
I can't be perfect
Now it's just too late and
We can't go back
I'm sorry
I can't be perfect
I try not to think
About the pain I feel inside
Did you know you used to be my hero?
All the days you spent with me
Now seem so far away
And it feels like you don't care anymore
And now I try hard to make it
I just want to make you proud
I'm never gonna be good enough for you
I can't stand another fight
And nothing's alright
'Cuz we lost it all
Nothing lasts forever
I'm sorry
I can't be perfect
Now it's just too late and
We can't go back
I'm sorry
I can't be perfect
Nothing's gonna change the things that you said
Nothing's gonna make this right again
Please don't turn your back
I can't believe it's hard
Just to talk to you
But you don't understand
'Cuz we lost it all
Nothing lasts forever
I'm sorry
I can't be perfect
Now it's just too late and
We can't go back
I'm sorry
I can't be perfect
'Cuz we lost it all
Nothing lasts forever
I'm sorry
I can't be perfect
Now it's just too late and
We can't go back
I'm sorry
I can't be perfect
The entire stadium raises to their feet to clap and whistle in deep approval of that last performance. Throughout the song, Koner's eyes never budged, not even when they started to fill with tears. Now his father knew how he felt and what it meant to him about their fighting and seperation.
Once the band members were in the back room with the press and their families, the young Valentine brushes his hair from his eyes as he sat silently in a corner, far from the press.
"Koner!"
He looks up at his mother's voice. Everyone was walking toward him now, including Zack with Noah. He quickly takes his son up in his arms, planting a kiss on the baby's rosy cheeks. Yuffie wraps her arms around her son and grandson, she whispers in his ear, "That was a great performance, sweetheart, I loved it." A grin spreads across his face as he hugs her back, "Thanks, Mom."
"It was great, son." Vincent's monotonious voice fills the room, all the family's eyes turn to him. Zack begins to walk away, and everyone follows his example, leaving him alone with his son and grandson. Koner adjusts Noah on his hip, before replying quietly, "Thanks, Dad. Look, I...I'm sorry for everything I did. The last thing in the world I want to do is hate you, or have Noah hate you."
The older Valentine's eyes sparkle at the name, "His name is Noah?" When Noah wa born, the only people who cared to come visit him at the hospital were his aunt and uncle, friends and his mother. Vincent wanted nothing to do with them then. "Do you ... Do you mind if I hold him?" he questions quietly. His son passes him on with no hesitation, "He's seven months old now. He looks just like Mom." His fathe laughs, brushing ebony hair out of the boy's eyes, "That he does. And so do you." He shifts uncomfortably, "I'm sorry for causing you all this trouble, son. But I wanted what was best for you. Do you see that, now, that you have a child?" Koner nods instantly, "I totally agree with you."
Vincent wraps an arm around his son's shouulders, and says with a sigh of contentment, "Lets go home. Our family is waiting on us." And with that, they headed back to the Valentine home.
THE END
The song is "Perfect" by "Simple Plan" And, yes, I used FF8 children in this fic.
So, what'd you think? R&R, please!