Rinoa sighed soundlessly. There were anxious torrents of thoughts in her head, rapidly passing by before she could match one up with words. She sat at the small wooden table in silence, holding a chipped spoon by her fingertips and absently stirring her cup of tea. Shadows crept forward across the room as twilight set in and the room was bathed in smooth blue light.

A wave of unfamiliar panic rushed over her and the spoon slipped from her fingers, clinking against the sides of the cup. Her eyes were immediately drawn to Squall, hunched over the other side of the table as if protecting his mug of coffee. He instinctively flicked his eyes up and found the source of the noise.

She picked up the spoon again with trembling fingers, as if nothing happened, but the thoughts didn't stop. It was like radio static, piercingly loud, with fragments of sounds that should have made words, overfilling her mind. The same feeling as before...

What's happening to me?

They had stopped at Winhill on her request en route to Esthar, where they would be briefed on what may be their final mission. Between her rescue from the Memorial and the adrenaline-fueled flight to the orphanage, she hadn't taken the time to pay attention to her own thoughts until now, alone in this restaurant decorated with fragile flowers whose fragrance was almost overwhelming.

"What's wrong?"

No, it's obvious what's wrong. Shouldn't have asked, shouldn't have brought it up...

"It's nothing," she answered after a moment, and glanced up at his face.

He looked incredibly pale and gaunt, shadowed in the soft blue light and the flickering of the candles placed around the room, with hard, dark circles under his eyes from days on end without sleep. Yet there was a cool gentleness in his eyes, as haggard as he was.

"You're worried about what'll happen when we get there."

He was always so direct in his words. She nodded, glad that she didn't have to vocalize it, and breathed in the smell of blossoms deeply, layered against the sharpness of his coffee which he clutched with one hand.

He saved her in space - she willfully imprisoned herself. He saved her again - and here she was, having second thoughts.

Shameful second thoughts, and overwhelming fear.

"I'm... confused."

She wanted the ceaseless chattering in her head to stop. Wordless thoughts like knives. She couldn't complain about it - what if it meant she was being possessed again? Would they abandon her? It felt as if she was processing the thoughts of two people, like when she was controlling her. A human can only bear the weight of one set of thoughts before something snaps inside.

She suddenly felt a jolt of energy through her hand and her entire body twitched in fear before realizing he had placed his hand over hers on the table.

"Don't worry. I'll take care of everything."

She opened her mouth to protest when a wave of silence washed over her.

It was a sense of calm, total reassurance, safety. There were no words, just feeling, as if they were connected.

Peace.

A knight will provide you with peace of mind.

The voices stopped and a soft darkness enveloped them, blanketed beneath the scent of flowers.

She squeezed his hand gently, and closed her eyes.