DISCLAIMER: Okay, I don't own FF8 or "Wind Beneath My Wings," if I did, I wouldn't be here! ;) j/k…Anyway, this is kinda an off shoot of "I Am Not Alone" I thought this up while listening to the song and writing Laguna torture… Hope you enjoy! -Rhyein
*********************
"It must have been cold there in my shadow…
To never have sunlight on your face…
You were content to let me shine…
That's your way…
You always walked a step behind…"
*
Squall stared blankly out the window as the car drove slowly through the streets of Esthar. Kiros glanced in the rear view mirror at the teenager. He'd been so quiet for the past few days. Ever since Laguna had gone into the hospital. Everyone knew what was going to happen. The doctors couldn't do anything for him except ease the pain.
(Squall probably feels the worst out of everyone…) Kiros thought, parking the car in the underground lot. Just before Laguna had fallen ill, he and Squall had had a huge argument. That had ended in Squall going back to the Estharian Garden, more than a little pissed off.
It was strange for Kiros to see the boy he'd helped raise so sullen and brooding. Squall had always become rather like his father as he grew up, less introverted, though not nearly as silly. Now here he was, the great leader of SeeD, a saviour of the world, and a sorceress's knight. He looked like he wanted to cry.
*
"So I was the one with all the glory,
While you were the one with all the strength,
A beautiful face without a name…
For so long…
A beautiful smile to hide the pain…"
*
"What happened to him?" Squall asked the doctor quietly, not wanting to disturb his sleeping father.
"He's got cancer, Squall," the doctor answered.
"…Is he going to-" the word caught in Squall's throat and his eyes began to tear up.
"…Probably…" Squall turned his head away and bit his lip. "Squall-"
"Don't… Just leave me alone," Squall whispered, pain written all over his face. He walked away from the doctor, passing Kiros and Ward.
"…"
"Just leave him be Ward," Kiros answered, watching the young man walk out. "He's got enough problems." Kiros turned to the doctor. "Is it okay if we wake him up?" The doctor shrugged.
"Sure, it's not gonna bother him." Kiros nodded and walked into the small room. He sat down on the edge of the bed and gently shook Laguna.
"Laguna?" The President of Esthar opened his eyes sleepily.
"…Kiros?"
"Heya… How ya feeling?" Kiros asked with a smile. Laguna grimaced a little as he shifted his weight to see Kiros better.
"Like I've been hit by a flying Garden…" Laguna said, smiling weakly. Kiros snorted and then became very serious.
"…Squall's back…"
*
"Did you ever know that you're my hero?
And everything that I would like to be.
I can fly higher than an eagle,
You are the Wind beneath my Wings…"
"Squall?" Kiros said, peeking around the doorframe. Squall was sitting on his bed, staring at a photograph. He gazed up at Kiros and blinked. He looked like shit.
"…Yeah?"
"Rinoa's here…" Kiros replied, walking a little further into the room. Squall didn't look surprised.
"Ellie called her didn't she?"
"I dunno…" Kiros shrugged, but he knew that Squall was right. Ellone had seen the way Squall had been moping over the past few days and figured Rinoa could help out. Kiros glanced out into the hall and gestured for Rinoa. She walked timidly into the room and smiled at Kiros as he walked out, closing the door behind him.
"Hi Squall," she said, coming toward him. "Are you doing alright? You look like you haven't slept lately…" She sat down on the bed next to him. The photo he was staring at was kind of old. It was a picture of Squall, he was about seven or eight, opening a Christmas gift. In the background was a giant Christmas tree and a person, kind of in the back, blending in quite well and smiling. It was Laguna. "Cute. Is that you?"
"…This was the only picture I could find of him…" Squall said quietly. Rinoa frowned.
"Of who?"
"…Laguna…"
"Oh, Squall… I'm sure there are more-"
"There aren't. I looked for hours. All the pictures I could find were of me. Every single one of them." Rinoa watched as Squall's eyes started to tear up. "…He's probably going to die Rinoa, and this is all I'll have to remember him by… You know that feeling? How you never realise what someone means to you until you find out you're gonna lose them?"
"Squall," she said softly. He wrapped his arms around her and cried.
*
"It might have appeared to go unnoticed…
But I've got it all here in my heart…
I want you to know, I know the truth,
Course I know it…
I would be nothing without you…"
"Laguna?"
"Hi Squall," Laguna said, looking up from the papers in front of him. Squall walked awkwardly into the small hospital room.
"I… I wanted to say I was sorry," Squall said, standing in the doorway. Laguna put the papers down.
"Sorry for what?"
"Uh… For the argument we had." Squall walked further into the room and sat down in a chair next to Laguna's bed. "What are those?" he asked, gesturing to the papers. Laguna looked a little uncomfortable and moved the papers so that Squall couldn't see them.
"They're nothing… Uh… I'm sorry too," he answered, scratching his head. Squall ran his fingers through his hair and sighed. How could he do this?
"I also wanted to… to tell you something…"
"Okay," Laguna said, smiling a little. Suddenly he started coughing. Squall leaned forward worriedly, but Laguna waved him away. "I'm alright…" he coughed weakly. Squall waited until the coughing had subsided. "Now what did you want to say?"
"That… I… um… That is to say… Uh…" Squall ran his hand nervously through his hair again. Laguna waited patiently.
"I'm not going to be a grandfather, am I?" Squall blushed furiously.
"No…"
"Good."
"I… Just wanted to tell you… I… I wanted you to know that I… I love you, Dad…" Squall stumbled over the words, he couldn't remember having said that to anyone in his whole life. He hadn't even said it to Rinoa yet. Laguna blinked. Squall hadn't called him 'Dad' for years. "I… I don't want you to leave me…" Laguna watched as a tear fell down Squall's cheek.
"I love you too, Squall…" he whispered back.
*
"Did you ever know that you're my hero?
And everything that I wish I could be
I can fly higher than an eagle,
'Cause you are the Wind beneath my Wings…"
*
Fin.