Chapter One
It was by a freak chance, complete luck, and total destiny, I believe, that we even met in the first place...and I
look back at all the times he drove me nuts, and wonder what I was thinking...and if I could rewind back to the very
beginning and relive it all, perhaps, for the first time in my life, I wouldn't have changed a thing...
They day they brought him in was rainy and wet, such a dismal display of the monotonous week I'd somehow managed to
survive.
"Um...hey-ya, Raine!"
I glanced up from where I was doing dishes. It was late at night, long past midnight, but after a busy day I had
more dishes then I could almost stand to do. But work is work, and I wouldn't be able to get the sleep I deserved until
this place was sparkling clean and the dishes were all done.
"We're closed," I said as politely as I could, which sounded more exasparated than polite. Despite the fact I keep the
hours posted on the door, no one seems to understand them, and with enough bribery, I can sometimes be talked into cooking
a late night meal for the few Galbadian soldiers that sometimes appear around the tiny town of Winhill.
"Mm-hmm. I know," he replied.
All of the Galbadian soldiers seem to look alike to me. I still have yet to meet one that I can stand to be around
for more than a few moments. I glance at the name-tag this soldier wears, and see the name Joey.
"Captain Joey, or whoever you are, since we are closed I kindly ask that you remove yourself from this building," I say slowly and sternly. Sometimes the newer soldiers just can't catch on that this isn't an all-night facility.
"No, no, we need your help!"
"What is it then?!" I find myself losing patience. Deep breaths, Raine, you can handle this...
"We found this guy washed up on the shore! He's pretty bad hurt! And I think you're the only person in all of this dumpy
little town that even knows how to help her!"
I run the only restaruant in town, and I guess someone had decided that I was next up doctor material. Whatever they say...
"Well, bring him in, then," I sigh, waving my hand.
"M'kay," the guy nods quickly. "Jim and Peter'll be bringin' him in. They were the ones who found him. I figured you'd
say yes, so I told 'em to start bringing him. So they should be here any--"
As if on cue, the door slammed open. A thunderstorm raged on outside, lightning flashing in the sky and thunder
rattling the windows. Jim and Peter, two Galbadian soldiers, drag in another Galbadian soldier with longish brown hair and
blue eyes. My eyes widen, mainly because of the state that this poor man is in.
"Where do y'want them, Miss Raine?" Peter asks politely. I can somewhat stand Peter, until he starts telling annoying
jokes he picked up in the army. Other than that, he's fairly polite and doesn't bother me much.
"Upstairs in the spare room," I order, dropping behind the counter and fishing around for a few potions and a few remedies.
I followed Peter up the stairs. The soldier yelled out in pain as Peter clumsily dropped him on the bed.
"Good luck, Raine," Jim nods. "G'night."
"Later, Raine," Peter waves, and follows Jim out. I hear the door slam, and quickly lock it. I'm afraid of leaving anything to chance...
I return to the Galbadian soldier, who's crying like a small child, whimpering in pain and fear. He's trying to
speak, mumbling syllabals that make no sense, though they sound like the beginning of names I don't recognize.
"Sir?" I gently shake his shoulder, and he shudders in pain. "Sir, I need some information from you."
"Kir-Kiros?"
"No--"
"--War-Ward?" he interuppts, stuttering in a voice filled with pain as he stares up to me with confused, pain-filled eyes.
"No..."
He pauses, and an even more confused look passes through his eyes.
"Julia?" he finally questions questions.
"No," I answer, and the only thing that keeps me from losing my patience is the fact that he's obviously in so much pain.
He slumps down, seeming to lose all interest in anything.
"Who are you?" I ask slowly.
"Loire," he replies softly, unfocused eyes closing slowly. "Laguna Loire."
"What happened to you?"
"Escaped."
That was the only answer I got from him, no matter how many times I asked for more detail.
"How were you hurt?"
"Escaped."
I deducted that it was pointless to keep rephrasing this question, and gave up with a sigh.
"Take this," I say, pulling out a potion and watching the cool, green healing light wash over him. He still looks
miserable, so I toss him another one. More green light.
He still looks sick. A disadvantage of potions--they take quite a while to work, and I wouldn't be surprised if this
man...this Laguna...broke every bone in his body. Only time will heal him, however, and I've done about as much as I can
do for the night. I sit a glass of water and a few acetominiphine beside his bed, and tell him to make sure he gets some
rest.
I stand up to leave, and he reaches out towards me.
"Was-was I the-the o-only one?" he asks, voice thick with emotion.
I pause, bite my lip, and nod slowly.
He's unable to fight off another wave of tears, and instantly falls asleep.
I crash on my own bed, ready for a good night's sleep. It's nearly three in the morning, and I have to get up early
tomorrow. I sigh...what a long day.
Through the paper-thin walls of the house I hear someone cry out. My first thought is that something's bothering
Ellone, my 'adopted' daughter. Really, she's just the daughter of my best friend, but she's my daughter at heart. I've
taken care of her ever since the fateful day that Esthar came looking for her and killed her parents...I run to Elle's
room, but she's still sound asleep. I poke my head in Laguna's room, and he's talking to people in his sleep.
I roll my eyes and smack my head before returning to my own room, and without even bothering to change my outfit, I
flop down and fall asleep.
~//~
A/N: My apologies for the terrible formatting (or lack of ^^) on my first draft of this! Hopefully this one will turn out better! Thanks to all who've read and reviewed, and I hope you all like this!
~Xifa~
It was by a freak chance, complete luck, and total destiny, I believe, that we even met in the first place...and I
look back at all the times he drove me nuts, and wonder what I was thinking...and if I could rewind back to the very
beginning and relive it all, perhaps, for the first time in my life, I wouldn't have changed a thing...
They day they brought him in was rainy and wet, such a dismal display of the monotonous week I'd somehow managed to
survive.
"Um...hey-ya, Raine!"
I glanced up from where I was doing dishes. It was late at night, long past midnight, but after a busy day I had
more dishes then I could almost stand to do. But work is work, and I wouldn't be able to get the sleep I deserved until
this place was sparkling clean and the dishes were all done.
"We're closed," I said as politely as I could, which sounded more exasparated than polite. Despite the fact I keep the
hours posted on the door, no one seems to understand them, and with enough bribery, I can sometimes be talked into cooking
a late night meal for the few Galbadian soldiers that sometimes appear around the tiny town of Winhill.
"Mm-hmm. I know," he replied.
All of the Galbadian soldiers seem to look alike to me. I still have yet to meet one that I can stand to be around
for more than a few moments. I glance at the name-tag this soldier wears, and see the name Joey.
"Captain Joey, or whoever you are, since we are closed I kindly ask that you remove yourself from this building," I say slowly and sternly. Sometimes the newer soldiers just can't catch on that this isn't an all-night facility.
"No, no, we need your help!"
"What is it then?!" I find myself losing patience. Deep breaths, Raine, you can handle this...
"We found this guy washed up on the shore! He's pretty bad hurt! And I think you're the only person in all of this dumpy
little town that even knows how to help her!"
I run the only restaruant in town, and I guess someone had decided that I was next up doctor material. Whatever they say...
"Well, bring him in, then," I sigh, waving my hand.
"M'kay," the guy nods quickly. "Jim and Peter'll be bringin' him in. They were the ones who found him. I figured you'd
say yes, so I told 'em to start bringing him. So they should be here any--"
As if on cue, the door slammed open. A thunderstorm raged on outside, lightning flashing in the sky and thunder
rattling the windows. Jim and Peter, two Galbadian soldiers, drag in another Galbadian soldier with longish brown hair and
blue eyes. My eyes widen, mainly because of the state that this poor man is in.
"Where do y'want them, Miss Raine?" Peter asks politely. I can somewhat stand Peter, until he starts telling annoying
jokes he picked up in the army. Other than that, he's fairly polite and doesn't bother me much.
"Upstairs in the spare room," I order, dropping behind the counter and fishing around for a few potions and a few remedies.
I followed Peter up the stairs. The soldier yelled out in pain as Peter clumsily dropped him on the bed.
"Good luck, Raine," Jim nods. "G'night."
"Later, Raine," Peter waves, and follows Jim out. I hear the door slam, and quickly lock it. I'm afraid of leaving anything to chance...
I return to the Galbadian soldier, who's crying like a small child, whimpering in pain and fear. He's trying to
speak, mumbling syllabals that make no sense, though they sound like the beginning of names I don't recognize.
"Sir?" I gently shake his shoulder, and he shudders in pain. "Sir, I need some information from you."
"Kir-Kiros?"
"No--"
"--War-Ward?" he interuppts, stuttering in a voice filled with pain as he stares up to me with confused, pain-filled eyes.
"No..."
He pauses, and an even more confused look passes through his eyes.
"Julia?" he finally questions questions.
"No," I answer, and the only thing that keeps me from losing my patience is the fact that he's obviously in so much pain.
He slumps down, seeming to lose all interest in anything.
"Who are you?" I ask slowly.
"Loire," he replies softly, unfocused eyes closing slowly. "Laguna Loire."
"What happened to you?"
"Escaped."
That was the only answer I got from him, no matter how many times I asked for more detail.
"How were you hurt?"
"Escaped."
I deducted that it was pointless to keep rephrasing this question, and gave up with a sigh.
"Take this," I say, pulling out a potion and watching the cool, green healing light wash over him. He still looks
miserable, so I toss him another one. More green light.
He still looks sick. A disadvantage of potions--they take quite a while to work, and I wouldn't be surprised if this
man...this Laguna...broke every bone in his body. Only time will heal him, however, and I've done about as much as I can
do for the night. I sit a glass of water and a few acetominiphine beside his bed, and tell him to make sure he gets some
rest.
I stand up to leave, and he reaches out towards me.
"Was-was I the-the o-only one?" he asks, voice thick with emotion.
I pause, bite my lip, and nod slowly.
He's unable to fight off another wave of tears, and instantly falls asleep.
I crash on my own bed, ready for a good night's sleep. It's nearly three in the morning, and I have to get up early
tomorrow. I sigh...what a long day.
Through the paper-thin walls of the house I hear someone cry out. My first thought is that something's bothering
Ellone, my 'adopted' daughter. Really, she's just the daughter of my best friend, but she's my daughter at heart. I've
taken care of her ever since the fateful day that Esthar came looking for her and killed her parents...I run to Elle's
room, but she's still sound asleep. I poke my head in Laguna's room, and he's talking to people in his sleep.
I roll my eyes and smack my head before returning to my own room, and without even bothering to change my outfit, I
flop down and fall asleep.
~//~
A/N: My apologies for the terrible formatting (or lack of ^^) on my first draft of this! Hopefully this one will turn out better! Thanks to all who've read and reviewed, and I hope you all like this!
~Xifa~