Note: I don't know if anyone ever wrote a story like this before, so if anyone did, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to rip off your idea... this just came to me one day. =)
"When this is all over, we should really get to talk," I said to you, "there's alot that I want to tell you," you nodded slowly. For the first time since we met, I felt that you were somehow interested in something, the look in your eyes told me.
Then, it was over. Your team had beaten Ultimcia and brought peace to the world again. A typical SeeD's mission for you guys, or so it seemed. But did we ever get the chance to talk? We didn't even meet after that time in the Ragnarok.
Once, while going on my usual walk around Windmill Bluffs, I saw Balamb Garden, floating right above my head. I knew you were somewhere inside it. I hoped you were doing well, no - I knew you were doing well.
As I walked, I reached a tomb-stone. I stood in front of it. I took one final breath, inhaling the sweet scent of the white roses I held in my hand, then placed the roses in front of the tomb-stone. Looking at the name carved into the stone, I took a step back. I felt a single tear, run down my cheek. I sighed.
Raine Loire. My wife.
I felt the heavy weigh of certain memories on my heart. It ached.
I started to remember the night Raine and I got married. It was the night before I decided to leave and find Ellone. Those Estherians chose the worst time to kidnap her. Part of Raine wanted me to go and find her adopted daughter, but the rest of her wanted me to stay by her side. She had a secret. And I knew it without her telling me. It showed. Raine was pregnant. I held her near as I ran my fingers through her hair after exchanging wedding rings. I heard her sweet voice whisper, "I love you," into my ear.
"I love you, too" I whispered back, "take care of yourself,"
"I will, you do, too," she whispered again. And we let go. I never saw her again.
After a while, my two friends (Ward and Kiros) and I got involved into the whole thing with Sorceress Adel. We ended up fighting her then tossing her frozen body into space. Ellone was then free. So I sent her home.
Home. Windmill.
As much as I wanted to go home, I couldn't. I had to stay in Esther to make sure Adel doesn't decide to come back. I had to make sure none of her followers were planning to get her down. Before I knew it, I had become the president of Esther.
I got so busy with work that I had no time for anything. No time to spend with my team-mates, my best friends. No time to spend to dwell on the past. No time to get in touch with my loved ones.
One day, Raine came to mind. I couldn't remember how long was it since I last saw her, but it was long - that I knew well. So I decided to call her house in Windmill, but only to discovered that she died two years ago. I asked what has become of Ellone, but they told me that the children were sent to Edea's Orphanage. I was given the address to it.
That night, I cried. I sat at the window of my office, over looking the magnificent city of Esther and cried. Esther took away my family. It got me to work for it that I lost my only family. I lost Raine because of Esther. That night I decided that I hated Esther.
The next morning, I went to Windmill, then I visited Raine's grave for the first time. That was the time that I realized that I lost her... forever. I couldn't stop the tears from running down my cheeks. I wept bitterly. I don't remember ever feeling worse than I did that day.
The following week, Edea informed me that she put Ellone on a ship protected by young people who used to be in her care as children. She told me that they'd protect her in case someone was after her again. And she asked me if I wanted to visit my son. I don't know why didn't she say, "take him home with you," perhaps she thought I didn't ask about him at first because I didn't want to keep him. But he was Raine's child... and mine, too.
I passed near the orphanage alot on my usual visits to Raine's grave. But I never really got the courage to ring their bell and ask to see my son. I was afraid, I think.
And one cold, windy afternoon, I saw a young boy. I couldn't explain what I felt but there was something special about him. He was running along the beach, then he started walking into the water. What was so surprising about it is that he didn't look a day over four. I froze in my place in fear as he started to battle the waves. Then I couldn't see him anymore. That's when I started running towards the sea, without even feeling it. The water had come up chest high to me when I finally found the boy. I quickly grabbed him and headed back to the shore. It wasn't easy, as it was very windy that day. But I made it. I set the shivering boy on the ground and stopped to catch my breath. He was gasping for air, then coughing. Then he started crying.
I lifted him up and started walking towards the orphanage. I assumed he came from there. It was cold, I shivered so much on my way I thought I'd pass out. Before reaching the orphanage, I ran into a pale woman with long black hair, she wore a long dress and a jacket over it. She gasped when she saw me.
"Squall... Oh Gosh, what happened?" She ran over to me and took the child into her arms.
"I found him at the beach," I said feeling faint, "what was he doing there?"
"He runs off alot," she said, I thought she'd start crying that minute, "he keeps looking for his sister," I wasn't focued on what she said, it was so cold and everything looked blurry in front of me.
"Sir... are you alright? Would you like to come inside to dry off?" she asked me. And my answer was clear.
In a few hours, I was sitting inside covered with a warm blanket on a couch near the window of the orphanage. Edea Kramer and her husband Cid were sitting nearby. We talked. Edea was telling me about the child I found today. And whenever we were silent, I'd try to gather my strength and ask about my own child. Even though, I was almost sure I knew the answer to that.
"...about the girl you put on the White SeeD ship," I started saying. I obviously took Edea by surprise. She asked how I knew about the White SeeD ship.
"Ellone is my wife's adopted daughter," I said. Edea gasped.
"Then you are Mr. Loire," she said. I nodded. She smiled.
"Then... you met your son, for the very first time today," she informed me. I nodded saying, "I know,". I let out a breath of relief. I knew who he was when I first saw him. He looked very much like Raine. I missed her.
That was when I caught some kind of fever and got sent back to Esther. It took me about a week to recover, but that week felt like death. I was bedridden for most of it. I, then, realized that there were bits and pieces of what was left of my family scattered all over the world. Ellone would be in danger if her location was revealed. My son being in an orphanage, I would have brought him to Esther but I wouldn't have time to take care of him. So I decided I would travel to space to make sure Adel stays suspended in her coffin. Until today, the only places that I went to were my apartment in the presidental palace in Esther and the space station. Raine's grave occasionaly, but no where else. Ellone would come visit sometimes. I heard from her that my son was sent to the famous militiary school, Garden. I was proud of him, even if I didn't know him. I wished I could go visit him sometime. But work always tied me down.
I heard Ellone call me. I was brought back from my flashback then. I was standing in front of Raine's tomb-stone. I looked back and saw her standing on the hill. She waved, I waved back. Kiros and Ward were standing there, too. They must've drove her here. I looked up at the sky and saw Graden floating there, still. It was flying away. The only thought that came up to mind was, "Good luck, son,"
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Author's note: Uh... this kinda came out different that I'd originally planned. They were supposed to be Squall's thoughts not Laguna's. But since we got enough of the way Squall thinks in the game, I thought I'd do something different, y'know. And Laguna was one of my favourite characters in the game, so there you have it. =D
- Rikku-chan.