Disclaimer: I do not own Final Fantasy 8, yadda yadda yadda, they belong to Squaresoft.....blahblahblah..so don't sue blah blah blah I'm too poor to pay a good lawyer yadda yadda....Yay Squarsoft!

Though I don't own FF8, some characters in this story are creations from my million-mile-a-minute imagination,(whoa, say that 10 times fast O_o) and so is the plot! Thankit you very much, and happy reading!


Author's Note: Hey it's me! After yet another, extremely long hiadas I decided that I'd try and get this fic started up once again. (I kinda had an extreme case of writer's block once again)
I hope you like it! O_o


Tell Me I'm Not Alone
(Chapter 1: Rush, Rush, Rush)

(Who are you...?

Why are you here?)

The figure just stood there, in the cover of darkness. More images flashed by...most too quick to recognize clearly.

(So many faces....

So many people....

What is all this....?)

The figure took a step forward. Their lower body now visible in the light. Was that a Garden uniform?
(One more step.....Just one more.....!)
The pounding of a heart. The sound became deafening, almost unbearable...
(Are you trying to tell me something...?)
The figure just stared at her from the shadows. They were standing like a statue......
All of a sudden, they reached for her, hand outstretched, seemingly pleading for her to take it. She reached for the hand, just as she was about to make contact..........

Quistis' eyes flew open. Her alarm clock sounding on her night stand. She rubbed her eyes, and gave it an irritated look.
To her horror, the harsh red-digital numbers read "7:30".
"I'm LATE!!!"

It's been a quiet year since the defeat of the now well-known Ultimecia. Not much's changed. Zell continues to plow down anyone who happens to get in the way of him and his hot dogs. Irvine's still quite the ladies man.... ...when Selphie's not in the vicinity, Squall's still the "Commander", though he'll mouth off anyone who calls him that, and Rinoa's still seen by his side. Quistis, of course, reapplied for her instructor's liscence and's to begin teaching again. Cid stayed as second in command, and is accompanied by his loving wife Edea. When she first came to Balamb Garden, no one seemed to recognize her, which was a relief to Squall and company. The less the students knew, the better. They didn't want to start a mutiny among the students and staff for having a former threat to the world staying in the Garden. Also, there was no word from Seifer and his posse, but Quistis figured that everyone liked it that way.
And so life goes on.

As she made her way to the cafeteria, her eyes wandered over the various students and SeeDs that were lazily roaming the main hall of Balamb Garden.
"( There's a lot of new people here...... I wonder why so many transfered here in such a small time frame...)" Quistis thought as she shifted the papers that she was holding to her chest.
In a period of two weeks, there had been a sudden inpouring of tranfers from Galbadia Garden. There were some problems at first, what with the fact that some in Garden still had a bit if a grudge against Galbadia, but after a little while people loosened up and let the new kids be.
The blue eyed instructor sighed as she recalled one fight in particular that had to be dispersed by using a sleep spell. One of the senior students a week before, had used a berserk spell un an unsuspecting junior classmen. The boy had ended up causing a lot of damage and had to be sedated so the spell could be removed. The senior student had been assigned to the worst duty the Garden could offer as punishment......... He had to wash the entire Ragnarok.
Quistis thought that that was overdoing it a bit, but Squall had dismissed her disapproval and stated that it will set an example for any others who might think torturing the new students would be fun.
As much as she hated to admit it, he was right....

The heavy doors of the cafeteria creaked as she pushed it open with her shoulder, the test papers still securely in her grasp.
The area was buzzing with conversation, almost every table was taken.
"...Great. How am I going to find them in all this..." she muttered under her breath as she glanced around.
"Q-U-I-S-T-Y!!!!!"
Quistis cringed, the entire cafeteria went silent. As she looked around again, she realized that a majority of the crowd was staring straight at her. She felt her cheeks flush as she made her way source of the un-necessary out cry.

Selphie stood there with a big grin on her face, "Hi!"
Quistis plopped the stack of papers down on the table and pulled out a chair, "Please don't ever do that again..." she sighed with a look of embarrasment.
The spry brunette tilted her head, "What do you mean..?"
"She means don't draw so much attention to her Sefie. You know our Quistis doesn't like that." Irvine answered sitting back in his chair.
Quistis sat down, and rested her chin on her hands, "How do you know what I like..?" she mused looking at the sharpshooter.
He sat up straight, leaned forward and whispered, "I pay attention."
"(A little too much attention if you ask me....)"
"Squall, Rinoa and Zell aren't coming for breakfast today." Selphie said as she took a seat next to Quistis, "I think Squall has meetings, and Rinoa and Zell are running errands in Balamb..."
"Errands for what..?" the older girl asked blowing a blond hair off of her face.
"Beats me. I think maybe supplies for a welcoming bash for the transfers.."
"Really..? I never heard of that happening before." Quistis asked adjusting her glasses.
Irvine shrugged, "First time for everything, I guess Cid and Squall just want them to feel a little more at home."
"That's pretty nice of them..." Selphie cut in crossing her arms, "I hope they'll consider me when they decide who's going to organize it..."
Quistis nodded and smiled, "I'm sure they--" her watch started beeping.
"(Damn).... I have to get going, I'll see you guys later okay?" she grabbed the papers off the table and clutched them tightly.
"Sure Quisty." Irvine answered tipping his hat.
Selphie waved as the blond retreated to the main hall.

Emerging from the cafeteria, Quistis walked down the well lit halls of Balamb Garden. "10 minutes to spare." she said looking at her watch. Today was her first day as an Instructor since the SeeD inauguration party that seemed like ages ago.
"(That would go over real well with the staff.... me being late on my first day back.)" she thought as she pushed the 2 button in the elevator.

After the oh so familiar chime, the elevator's doors opened. She stepped out and continued down the curved hall to the classroom that held so many memories to her, running the curriculum she was going to teach today over in her head for the thousandth time.
She stopped suddenly. A wave of dizziness swept over her. She put her palm on her forehead and leaned on the wall.
"(What a rush. What was that?)" she shook her head.
"Are you alright Instructor?"
Quistis turned around to come face to face with a tall brown-haired boy. She adjusted her glasses and blushed, "Yes, I'm fine. Must be the cafeteria coffee."
The boy nodded, "Maybe. That stuff's brutal!"
Quistis gave an awkward chuckle. She studied him for a quick moment. He looked a couple years younger than herself. She hadn't seen him around here before, was he a transfer too?
The boy squinted for a second, "You're Instructor Trepe aren't you?"
She nodded, "Yes, why?"
"Oh nothing. It's your first day back isn't it?"
"Why yes actually." she looked at her watch, "You're going to be late if you don't get to class you know."
He pointed towards her classroom,"It's right there. I promised a friend I'd wait here for her, she's still sort of getting used to this place."
(Hmmm... guess he's not a transfer)
"Well there's zero tolerence for tartiness, so don't wait around here for too long."
"I won't Instructor."
"Better not." she chuckled.
The boy smiled, turned, and walked away.
Quistis shook her head, and continued toward her classroom.

The doors slid open, she went to take a step in, but hesitated. Those butterflies in her stomach just wouldn't take a hike.
"(Why am I nervous? It's not like this is the first class I've ever taught or anything..)"
She took deep breath and stepped in. The doors sliding shut behind her.

*******************************************************************************************
He checked his watch again.
"(She's so late! What's taking her so long!?)"
Looking around, he noticed all the students rushing through the halls. He grinned slightly.
"(Looks like I'm not the only one that's going to get reemed out..)"
His watch's alarm beeped. That usually was his cue to get his ass to class, but he just turned it off and looked around the hall impatiently. After making an irritated groan, he stomped off down the hall towards the dorms.

********************************************************************************************

Quistis shuffled through some papers on her desk. The early bell rang throughout the Garden. She looked around her class at the new group of students she'd be guiding 'til the big day of their SeeD exams. Needless to say, she was a little disappointed.
One student had their feet up on the bench, another was sleeping on their desk panel, and a bunch were clambering through the door. She sighed and put her papers down.
"(The new ones are always a little uncoordinated..Let's just hope it doesn't stay that way....)" she thought looking at the door.
Just as the second bell rang, another swarm of exasperated students came flying through the doors. They all shuffled to their study panels. Quistis waited, making sure everyone was in. Looking around the class, she realized that the young man she'd spoken to this morning wasn't there. She shrugged and stood up.
"Welcome new SeeD candidates, to your first day of training. I'm Instructor Trepe and I'll be evaluating all of you for the next year."

*********************************************************************************************
He walked down the dorm hall, muttering an array of curses under his breath. The bell rang 10 minutes ago, and he knew that he'd be serving a hefty sentence in study hall.
He turned the corner to see a frantic girl running down the hall towards him. Her uniform all crooked, one knee sock bunched at the ankle. He stopped and angrily pointed at his watch.
"You are BEYOND late! Where've you been!?"
She stopped in front of him, trying to catch her breath, "I'm sorry.....*puff*...my...*wheez*....alarm ," she took a deep breath, "didn't...*pant*...go off..."
"When did you wake up?" he asked raising an eyebrow.
She bent down and pulled up her sock, "When the bell rang for class to start."
"Geez Lyseria!"
She laughed in a tone of embarrasment, "Aw c'mon Darren, You mean you've never been late for class before?"
He shook his head, "I hope this isn't going to become a habit of yours. You'll get kicked out of the Garden if you're late like this."
"I know...."
He shrugged, "Come on. If we get going maybe we'll be able to beg for forgivness from the new Instructor." Darren started to walk away.
"Hey! Wait up!"


The halls were almost bare except for a few SeeDs that were playing cards in front of the cafeteria. Darren and Lyseria strode down the huge main hall.
"Hey, I'm really sorry I was late. It won't happen again I promise." Lyseria said as she and Darren walked past the SeeDs.
He shrugged, "Don't make promises you can't keep.... Don't worry, I know it was tough for you in the passed little while."
She didn't say anything. Darren glanced at her for a second, "Don't worry about it. You'll get used to it here."
She nodded, "Yeah. I know..."
"Besides..." Darren continued, "This place isn't much different from your old Garden." They stepped into the elevator. He pushed the botton, and it began to ascend.
"Well, actually it's a lot different." Lyseria said,"This place is smaller, there's not as many people, the uniforms are different...."
"Cripes, Lyseria, I was trying to make you feel better."
"Ah cripes yourself." she snorted. The brown haired boy shook his head, "You ARE bitchy in the morning aren't you?"
"Bite me." the blondish haired girl retorted with a hint of a smile. The elevator chimed.
"Point proven."
She gave him a playful slap on the arm,"Ah, I'm sorry. I didn't mean it."
He shrugged.

They stepped into the curved hall and headed toward the classroom.
"So how do you know there's a new Istructor?" she asked.
Darren scratched his head, "I talked to her this morning."
"Really? Was she nice?"
"Yeah. She seemed okay. Better than Intructor Douglas anyway."
Lyseria nodded, "Never could figure out that guy's problem......"
They reached the doors to the class. Lyseria hesitated.
Darren stopped and turned around, "What's wrong?" She didn't answer, her blue-gray eyes were blankly fixated on the door.
"Lyseria?"
She shook her head, "Huh?"
"What's wrong? You went all spacey there for a minute."
She shook her head, "Just a strange feeling. It's nothing, I'll be fine." Darren studied her for a moment, "Are you sure?"
"Yeah. It was nothing."
"Okay then. Let's go."
The doors to the class slid open.
Lyseria let Darren step in in front of her. Why was she hesitating? Was she nervous about the new class? That's a part of it, but what was that weird feeling she had gotten a moment ago...?
It had an air of familiarity about it.......
"(Don't be silly... It's nothing, really. I just need to get more sleep... That's all...)"
With a deep breath she strided into the class.

It was packed, so many students. She looked around and sighed. As her eyes fell on the figure at the front of the room...she froze..
Her eyes wide, she clutched the hem of her Garden jacket.
"....I-It.. can't be....."