A/N: This is a fic for Jez, as she requested as part of the Fanfiction for Charity Drive to help the victims of Hurricane Katrina. Thank you for your donation, Jez! I hope this is satisfactory!
Such Great Heights
Part One: It May Seem Like a Stretch
"So, I thought you just might, you know, like to get away from the Garden, and Trabia really needs the help."
Squall regarded Selphie with a flat stare over the bridge of his nose, which always made Selphie nervous. It was a sign that Squall thought her idea was ridiculous. "You want me to help rebuild a rival Garden?"
Selphie squirmed. "They're not a rival," she said, her voice falling to nearly a whisper. "You know they need help. They're so disorganized, and you're totally organized! If anyone can help them, it'd be you!"
Placing his fingertips to his forehead, Squall took to staring at his desk. The wood grain seemed to become awfully interesting to him at that moment, which only made Selphie feel more uncomfortable. She was only doing this for his well-being, after all.
"Come on," she finally said, putting her hands on the corner of the desk and leaning over a stack of paperwork. "All you do all day is shut yourself up in this office. Yeah, you're Commander of the Garden, but what are you commanding? We aren't doing anything—"
"That's enough," Squall replied, turning in his chair to face away from her. "There's too much work to be done here."
"Too much work doing what?" Selphie protested. "The paperwork? You don't do any of it anyway!"
Squall leveled a glare at her over his shoulder. "A Commander can't just up and leave his Garden—"
"He can if he's going to another Garden!" Selphie clenched her hands into fists, which nearly made her lose her balance as she continued to lean on the desk. "It's like a gesture of friendship, something people do in times of peace when they want to make allies, you know? And aren't Gardens supposed to work together anyway?"
"Ideally," Squall replied, cutting her off. "But that's not the reality."
"No, the reality is you creating these imaginary conflicts," Selphie paused, nearly losing her nerve to state the next bit. Finally, she swallowed and finished her thought. "Just so you can forget about Rinoa."
"This isn't about Rinoa."
"Oh yeah?" Selphie stood up straight now, folding her arms over her chest. "Then why do you spend every second brooding? Why do you keep running away from it?" She then pointed derisively at a picture frame on Squall's desk. "And why do you still have a picture of her in front of you at all times of the day--?"
"This isn't about Rinoa," Squall repeated.
"Sure. Just like this last Sorceress War wasn't about Rinoa, right?"
Squall didn't answer.
"It's been six months," Selphie continued against her better judgment. "She left you six months ago, Squall. Time to move on."
"She said she went to find herself," Squall corrected her flatly.
"Yes, and do you have any idea what that means?" When Squall stayed silent, Selphie decided to answer her own question. "When a woman says that, it means she's going off to find out if there's a better man out there."
"Not Rinoa, she would never—"
"She would, and that's why she hasn't contacted you." Selphie turned her back on Squall now. "So, instead you create all these delusions to occupy yourself to keep from facing the facts." She felt her nerves rise again – she was telling off her Commander. She was telling off Squall! Was that really wise? "So, here's something to occupy you that isn't a delusion – come with me to Trabia to help them get back on their feet. They need someone to organize them, and you can do it, and you'd actually be doing something for the good of the world instead of bickering with Galbadia over imaginary country borders in the middle of the ocean!"
"Fine!" Squall replied, raising his voice in a way that he only rarely did. "If you will stop talking about Rinoa!"
"Fine!" Selphie shouted back, raising her voice much higher than she had intended. She crossed her arms and, with a huff, took a step toward the door.
Maybe this hadn't been such a great idea.