Summary: Squall, son of the President of Loire Enterprises is unwillingly dragged onto his parents wedding vow renewal cruise. Rinoa, journalist for the Timber Times is assigned to cover the 'cruise of the century'. What will happen when complete opposites collide in still waters?

Disclaimer: I don't own FF8 or anything that relates to it, I just love the game!

Squall Leonheart was pissed.

And not just a little pissed off too, oh no, he was livid. Laguna really had done it this time. He stalked down the pristine hallways of Loire Enterprises, nearly bulldozing a secretary in his way. She almost told him off but upon seeing the dark blue pinstriped suit, the dark blue tie and the icy blue eyes to match blanched, looked down, and continued about her way. Unless they wanted to get fired, no one messed with Squall Leonheart-Loire.

Squall glared ahead, taking little notice of the woman and proceeded to march down the marble floors, his black dress shoes clicking on the marble floor as he went.

He was about ready to blast a hole through his old man's stomach. It was one thing to lose several hundred dollars for the company but how could one misplace several million dollars? Could he have really been that stupid?

Of course he was. This was Laguna he was thinking about.

Approaching a closed office door he jerked it open without hesitation. The name plate on the door read Laguna Loire, president of Loire Enterprise.

Laguna was sitting at his desk smiling happily to himself, listening to some headphones when he noticed his son before him. He smiled sheepishly and turned off his CD player.

"That new song Eyes on Me is pretty catchy."

Squall glared at his father.

"When were you planning to inform me that you just happened to misplace seven million, three thousand and thirty six dollars from Loire Enterprise's main funds?"

The smile disappeared from the older man's face and he took to staring at his cherry wood desk.

"Oh, um that… Well Squall I…"

"Imagine my surprise when I checked the financial account for the company this morning and there was seven million dollars missing. Do you know what we were saving that money for Laguna? Do you? We were planning on remodeling the branch in Balamb. We've already tore down half the place."

Laguna nodded dumbly back at him, his head now down in shame. He hated to disappoint his son but somehow…he always did.

"Can't we use money from another account?"

Squall paused momentarily,

"…What other money? We can't use the millions that you just happened to misplace and we can't use what you've dedicated to that stupid vow renewal cruise…"

"But can't we-"

"…."

Shutting him up with a glare that could freeze hell itself his son turned from him and left out of the door.

Laguna sighed deeply staring dejectedly where Squall had just previously stood.

"…I'm sorry."

---

Rinoa Heartilly was humming.

She always hummed in the elevator before she got to work; it was a morning ritual. Yesterday she had hummed to Buddy Holly, today it was the Beatles.

She had just finished humming Sgt. Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band when the elevator door opened at the 7th floor; her stop. She was greeted by the purr of several copy machines, paper bustling around and people talking while scribbling furiously on note pads.

She smiled,

"Another day on the job."

Before long a woman bounded up to her, her sandy brown hair flipped up on the edges. She was wearing a bright yellow sundress and wielding a large camera around her neck. A manila folder was in her left hand.

"Rinoa! I was just looking for you! Remember how the boss put me on assignment to the Centra Ruins to capture pictures of the archeological site they had just started? Well, as I was looking casually around the place I found these!"

She ecstatically thrust the folder of pictures into Rinoa's hands. After taking a moment to flip through its contents the young woman gaped at the brunette.

"Are these-?"

"YES! T-Rexaur bones! I couldn't believe it myself when I found them. Oooh, I think the boss might promote me for this one, I mean, who do you know that has recently gotten a picture of T-Rexaur bones?"

Rinoa smiled brightly at her friend who had snatched the pictures away from her and was gleefully clutching them to her chest.

"Congrats Selphie!"

"You know what? We should all go out for drinks tonight to celebrate, on me!"

"Selphie, I don't think we'll be able to do that."

Another woman had just approached them. She had long dirty blonde hair that was neatly pulled into a floppy bun and two long bangs framed her face. She adjusted her glasses, a somewhat stern look on her features.

"Shouldn't you two be working? We're behind enough today as it is."

Selphie frowned at the blonde haired woman.

"We can't go for drinks tonight? Oh, come on Quisty, I'll pay for yours, you really need to loosen up!"

Rinoa glanced at Quistis,

"You seem stressed today. More so than usual, what's wrong?"

Quistis sighed, moving some of her bangs behind an ear.

"You would be stressed too if you had to edit half of this places articles before tomorrow morning. The other two editors are out sick so I'm stuck with the entire job."

"I'm sorry Quisty, but it'd help to have a drink tonight, you'd feel better."

Quistis frowned slightly at Selphie,

"I'm sure it would but you don't understand. You two can't go. You know of the Loire's correct?"

Both Rinoa and Selphie nodded their heads.

"Everyone who's anyone knows who the Loire's are. They own the biggest, most successful business in the state."

Rinoa nodded at Selphie's statement before speaking.

"Yes, but what do they have to do with us?"

Quistis arched an eyebrow quizzically,

"You mean you haven't heard of the vow renewal cruise that's supposed to take place in a couple of days? Where have you been Rinoa?"

Selphie's dark brown eyes widened,

"Do you think the boss would put us on assignment for the cruise? It's going to be the most extravagant, most lavish cruise of the century!"

"The boss sent me out here to call you two into his office. I talked with him this morning and he said--"

Selphie screeched causing both Rinoa and Quistis to jump.

"Ooh my gosh!! I'll have to buy new clothes, get my hair done and…"

Beaming at the other two women she squealed,

"This day couldn't get any better!"

Then she rushed off. Rinoa giggled motioning to the cloud of dust Selphie had left behind,

"I'd better get to the bosses office for the both of us before he chooses someone else. But, why aren't you going on the cruise Quistis? Some one else could take care of the editing job you know."

Quistis shrugged,

"I was going to go but I told the boss to send you instead of me. I figured you'd like a chance to get away from you- know- who."

Rinoa's face was wiped clear of the smile it held. She stared shocked at her friend.

"You did it for… me?"

Nodding, Quistis smiled slightly as gratitude radiated from the raven haired woman's face. Rinoa hugged her tightly.

"Thank you Quistis, honestly, thank you! I do need to get away from my 'fiancé' …and I use that term loosely."

"No problem, that's what friends are for. Have fun and don't make me regret this. I'll be slaving away here while you're practically vacationing. You'd better write one amazing article."

Quistis looked stern as she pulled away from her friend but smiled as Rinoa laughed,

"Oh, don't worry about that. I'll write a hell of an article."

---

"Squall, he was just trying to help you with your job."

"Losing six million dollars is hardly what I'd call helping."

Squall sat in the back of a black stretch limo with his mother by his side. His father had had business meetings to attend to before coming with them.

Raine Loire looked at her son with soft hazel eyes.

"Everyone makes mistakes."

"He's the president of the company. I would not tolerate his "mistakes" if I was his superior."

"But you're not Squall."

He refused to look at her and instead chose to scowl moodily out of the window.

It took him a while to answer and when he did it was a highly irritated "Whatever".

Raine sighed, her son could be so stubborn when he saw things a certain way. She desperately wished that he would get along with his father…heck, she'd be content if he could stand being in Laguna's presence.

She loved both her husband and their son very much and she couldn't understand why Squall hated his father so much. She decided to change the subject.

"So, Zell and Irvine are going to keep you company on the cruise. It's going to be a lot of fun."

"Whatever."

Raine placed a hand on her son's broad shoulder. He turned to look at her, his mouth set in a thin agitated line. At least he wasn't scowling anymore.

"Promise me you'll try and have a good time. Please? I won't be able to relax if I know my son's miserable."

Squall's features softened a bit as he looked at his mothers pleading face. He cared about her so much. Why was she in love with his idiot of a father?

"…I'll try…"

Raine smiled slightly at her son giving his shoulder a gentle squeeze.

"Hey, we're almost here."

Ok, so how is this so far? This is my first fan fiction story so please review with your comments. No flames please! Thanks for reading

-Almostpoeticgrl1 :P