"It might not be the right time.
I might not be the right one.
But there's something about us I want to say.
Cause there's something between us anyway."

It'd been almost a month since they'd spoken on the beach. Now, she avoided him like the plague. Every time he tried to talk to her, she'd change the subject, or just leave. It was annoying.
Of course, since he was now 'Commander' of Garden, and she was back to being an Instructor, it was easy for her to avoid him, except for meetings and such. They also ate lunch together, the group. But she usually sat away from him, and ate quickly, saying she had paperwork to grade, or a student to help. Everyone wondered what was going on, but only Rinoa had an idea of what had happened. The others assume she and Squall were this perfect couple, but it wasn't so. She loved him, but she wasn't certain she was 'in love' with him. Quistis she knew... she was. Though she had said otherwise. Of course, there was that promise he'd made to her, but friends could make promises like that... Couldn't they?

He was back in his office after lunch, going through some reports, when she walked in.
"Here." She dropped a folder in front of him, and he scowled.
"Cid assigns the missions. Not me."
"This was one was marked for you, Squall."
"..." He opened it, scanning over the documents. "The President is requesting two Seed bodyguards at a ball..." He trailed off, then shut the folder. "Assign Selphie and Irvine." He let the folder drop onto the pile of papers upon his desk and leaned back closing his eyes.
Rinoa resisted the urge to smack him with something, hard.
"He *asked* for you, Squall. You. And if you assigned Quistis as the other Seed...."
One eye cracked open, regarding Rinoa warily.
"Just what are you getting at, Rinoa?" He sounded tired, and his guard was up. This was a tender subject, so she knew she'd have to handle it carefully.
"You've been wanting to talk to her Squall. I can tell. If you're alone on the mission... she'll have to talk to you." A pause. "Besides, you and she..." She trailed off, noting that his eyes were locked on her.
Both eyes were open, narrowed slightly and a deep blue color. When he spoke, his tone could have frozen Shiva in place. "Drop it, Rinoa. Selphie and Irvine will go. That's all." Beat. "Dismissed."
"But Squall...."
"Dismissed." He closed his eyes once more, turning away from her now as well. Rinoa scowled, leaving the room in a huff. And she made sure to slam the door shut behind her. Squall winced, rubbing the bridge of his nose. While her idea had been a good one, it'd never work.

"Come in."
Quistis glanced away from the homework she was grading, and smiled slightly as Rinoa entered. "What's up?"
She removed her glasses, setting them on her desk as Rinoa took a seat across from her. "Oh.. Nothing much..."
Rinoa was scuffing the carpet with the toe of a boot, meaning she either had news, or was nervous about something. Or both.
"Ok. What's wrong." Rinoa blinked, looked at her, and then stopped scuffing the carpet. Both laughed.
"Well... Squall has a mission coming up..." She waited to see if she could catch a reaction from the older girl, but all that happened was a faint crease between her eyebrows.
"You see, Laguna asked for him to be a bodyguard for an upcoming ball. But, he wanted two Seeds. Two certain Seeds..."
Another pause. Quistis nodded faintly. So, she was going to a dance with him, so what? Why was she telling her?
"He asked for you, Quistis. You and Squall."
"What?!" Quistis' eyes widened. "But I... I can't..."
"Oh c'mon. It's only for a few days. Selphie and me can take over your classes. And he asked for you, Quistis. Asked for you, and you'd turn him down?"
"Rinoa.. I..."
Rinoa's smile faded a bit, her eyes growing darker as locked her gaze on Quistis'. "I know how you feel about him. And I think he might return those feelings. But, you two aren't doing a favor to anyone till you talk it over."
"Rinoa..."
"Please, Quistis. For me, at least. I'm stuck in limbo... I have nowhere to go until this is resolved."
"Alright... For you. I'll go."
"Thanks!" Rinoa's mood and eyes lightened, and she leapt from her chair, wrapping her arms around Quistis. She hugged the surprised girl, then skipped the door. "Get to his office in twenty minutes, ok? He'll brief you then!" Before Quistis could do or say anything, Rinoa was out the door.... And plowing into Irvine.
"Whoa there..."
He caught her and himself before he fell. "Sorry, Irvine." Rinoa grinned, brushing her bangs back. "Why in such a rush?"
"Quistis was lecturing me on a grade. You know how it goes. Once a teacher, always a teacher. Even if not your own."
Irvine laughed, nodding. That had happened to him too. Rinoa was an honorary Seed, though she'd be taking the exam later this year to become a true Seed. "Ya know why Squall paged me and Selphie?"
"Actually, I do. Were you on your way to get Selphie?"
"Yep, she's in the Quad. And has her headphones on, if I know her."
"Okay. I'll just walk with you. And I'll explain everything."
"Alright, let's go then."


Twenty minutes later....

"Come in." Squall didn't bother looking up as the door to his office was opened and closed. He finished signing the paper he'd been reading, and glanced upwards. '....Quistis?'
"Rinoa told me about the mission."
'Damnit....' Squall leaned back in his chair, closing his eyes for a moment. "You're willing to go?"
A slight shrug. "He asked for us, didn't he?"
"That he did. Very well." Squall opened his eyes, leaning forward. "We're to spend a week there. Basically, it's a simple bodyguard job. We just need to be with him at any public functions. Other then that, nothing."
"Hmm. So, we'll need to be around him for maybe four hours a day. The rest of the time we could stay in our rooms if we want?"
Squall shrugged, looking back down at the paper before him. "We're leaving tomorrow at noon. Bring some casual clothes, and whatever else you need for a week. He'll be supplying us with any formal clothes we need. You have the rest of the day off."
"That's all?"
Squall looked up again, their eyes locking for the briefest of moments. "Do you mean work related, or personal?" She looked down. A wry twist of his lips, then he continued. "No. That's all, Quistis. You may go now."
She glanced up, frowning slightly, but he was engrossed in his paperwork once again. He didn't look up as the creak of leather from her chair signaled her leaving. It was only after that the door opened and closed that he allowed himself to show the pent up emotion from this past month.


In the Quad:

"So, him and Quistis are going on a mission. How come not you and him?"
Rinoa just smiled slightly. "They were the ones asked for. Besides, I'm not a full Seed yet. He was going to ask you two to take over my training next week. Oh, and Selphie... we're gonna take over Quistis' classes."
"What?! We have to teach her students?"
Selphie nearly fell off her perch. Irvine snickered. Teaching Rinoa wouldn't be too hard - she was a quick learner. But actually having to teach cadets? He didn't envy them at all.


Next Morning:

Quistis opened the door for Squall. Both were dressed in their Seed uniforms, and Quistis glanced at him for a moment. It was amazing; he hadn't seemed to age any since he'd become a Seed. Of course, it hadn't been that long ago. A year maybe? Less then? Perhaps it was because of all those battles they had fought, that he should seem older...
But inwardly, he had changed. He smiled every so often, so his eyes seemed less arctic. He listened, instead of telling people to talk to a wall. He was...
"Quistis?"
She blinked. "Oh, sorry..."
'Was she staring at me, or through me?' He pondered for a moment, then continued. "Ready?"
"Yes." She turned slightly, gabbing the two bags she had packed last night. One was for her clothes, the slimmer bag held her CD player, CDs, and a few books she had been wanting to read.
Squall waited, then took the heavier duffel bag from her, before she could sling it over her shoulder.
"Let's go."

----
Yeps, a Quall. ^_^ This takes place after "Open Your Heart" if you'd like a bit more background.
So, continue? Review and let me know what you think.
Disclaimers: Square owns them. Daft Punk - "Something about Us."