Author's Note: Uh…the story might seem rushed and I don't really have time to put in details. Just hope you guys will have fun reading and I'd appreciate reviews. Oh yeah, sorry the chapter is short. I'll try to make the next ones longer. And also, Squall will be OOC to some extent. Lastly, this won't be a long story. It might not go over ten chapters.

Disclaimer: Obviously…I do not own Final Fantasy 8…This will be the only disclaimer for the entire story.

Chapter One

                'How I'd like to show that Irvine…' Squall thought. He really didn't care but he was tired of telling everyone that he didn't have a girlfriend. Irvine had spread the rumor a week ago, just for the fun of it, and now everyone in the Garden wanted to meet her. It was almost like they couldn't believe that a loner like Squall could ever have a girl. Selphie, who had gotten permission from the headmaster to have a party at the quad next week, also added to the problem. She had invited Squall and his girlfriend. Irvine then started the second rumor that Squall would be bringing her.

                He could remember the other rumor than Irvine had spread before, also just for kicks. He had said that Squall had had a little rendezvous with Instructor Trepe and things got out of hand. Of course, that meant 'something' happened between them. If Instructor Trepe hadn't learned of it and straightened things out, Squall would have murdered Irvine.

                It wasn't really much, but Squall wished he did have a girl to bring at the party just to show Irvine that he could get back at whatever is thrown at him. Of course, he could always bribe some girl but that could soon lead to blackmail and other problems. He could also simply not attend the party but that would only make Irvine feel even better and probably start another rumor. But there was just no way he could get a girlfriend in about a week.

                Squall lay in bed and decided that he would just skip the party. One loss wouldn't hurt much. Irvine would end up admitting that it was just a rumor anyway. Or if he won't, Squall would make him. That sounded like a good idea.

- : - : - : -

                "Don't you think it's a little too early for marriage, Seifer?" Rinoa asked softly as she looked at the beautiful engagement ring she wore.

                "Everything's been made ready, Rinoa. I asked you to marry me weeks ago," Seifer said as he paid the bill for their dinner. "I don't think it will be such a good idea to call it off now. But if you think so, maybe…"

                Rinoa shook her head and said, "No, you're right. I guess I should have thought about it before I said yes." She smiled and murmured, "But never mind. It doesn't matter much. I love you."

                "I love you, too, Rin," Seifer replied with a smile as he stood up from his seat. "Come on, I'll drive you home."

                "No, I was thinking of visiting my Father at the hospital tonight," she said. "I haven't been to see him all week." Seifer looked at her first and she added, "Don't say it doesn't make a difference whether I visit him or not because he isn't even going to know I'm there."

                "I know, I know," Seifer said. "I'll drive you to the hospital then."

                The drive didn't take very long and soon they reached the hospital. The street was lined with many other parked cars so Seifer was some distance from the hospital. Rinoa kissed Seifer's cheek and said, "I love you…"

                "Ditto," he said and she got out of the car. He watched as she walked towards the hospital but before she got there some thugs got out of one of the parked cars and went to her. Seifer immediately stepped out of this car as one of the three thugs grabbed Rinoa by the arm. "Hey!" he yelled, running now.

                One of them shoved Rinoa into the car while the other two fought Seifer. A moment later, Seifer was lying beaten on the ground while the thugs drove off. "Rinoa…" he mumbled, getting up and ignoring the pain he felt. "Shit!" He fell to the ground again, unable to stay standing. He could see blood but had no idea where it came from. "Rinoa…" he muttered again before fainting.

- : - : - : -

                Squall was in Balamb, at the docks. It had been a few days since he decided what he would do. During those few days, he had spent most of his time at the city. The other students at the Garden didn't want to stop asking him about his girlfriend and he was getting tired of it.

                His moment of silence was interrupted by some men who started shouting at each other not far from him. He had thought he was alone because it was pretty late at night. Squall was just about to walk away when he realized that these men had kidnapped someone. Should he stay and help? No, he didn't care, anyway, right?

                He stood there and listened.

                "What do you want us to do now, you idiot?" shouted one of four men. "That stupid guy hasn't tried to look for her at all!"

                "Yeah!" agreed another. "You made us go from Deling to Dollet and now to Balamb! We should have just stayed in Deling and sent a ransom note or something!"

                "You're making us run away from something that isn't even hell chasing us!" said the third guy.

                "Shut up! Fine, we'll send a ransom note!" said an impatient voice. "In the meantime, let's enjoy what time we still have with her, eh?"

                "Best idea you've had for days," said one of the men.

                "No! Please don't!" he heard a girl scream. "Help! Someone!"

                "Scream again and we'll kill you!" yelled the men.

                'I don't care…' Squall thought. 'But…' He ran towards the men, who were shrouded in shadows, his Gunblade in his hands.

                In a second he had killed one of the men and a fight began. The light was dim and it was pretty hard to see what he was hitting. Squall felt a blade cut into his arm and he turned around, hitting someone hard on the head with the hilt of his blade, just before he received a punch to his stomach. He gritted his teeth and kicked the man who punched him.

                He saw the fourth and last of the men running away, taking the girl with him. Before he could follow, the man he had just kicked got up and lunged at him again. Out of the corner of his eye he could see the girl fighting against the man who held her. Of course, she was no match. Squall hurried with his own opponent until the guy was out cold. By then the girl was unconscious and the man had just flung her into the water. Squall groaned but he jumped into the water after her.

                When he was able to get hold of her and drag her out of the water, the men had gone, leaving nothing but stains of blood her and there. The salt water stung the wound on his arm but Squall carried the girl to the inn nearby. He hastily paid for a room and brought the girl upstairs where he laid her on a bed.

                He looked at her. She had no wounds and, as far as he knew, no broken bones or anything that seemed fatal. All he had to do now was to decide on what to do with her. He had barely started thinking when a knock came on the door. He opened it and saw the manager and a doctor.

                "I thought you might need medical help," the manager said. Squall let them in and the doctor cleaned and bandaged his wound before examining Rinoa. Squall glanced at a clock on the wall and said, "Hey, I'll leave her here."

                "What?" said the manager.

                "Just watch her tonight and I'll be back tomorrow morning," Squall said. He handed the manager some more Gil, since he happened to be loaded – thanks to the fact that he was a SeeD – and left. 'Tomorrow,' he thought, 'I'll decide on what to do with you.'