Chapter 2: Missing Pieces

Zell was silent for a moment, "So where do you want me to start?"

"The day I left... When you all found out I was gone..." Squall stated bluntly.

"The beginning a good a place as any to start. Ok Rinoa obviously knew you were gone first before everyone. She just didn't know how gone..." Flashback: 20 years ago
(Rinoa and Zell are talking)
Rinoa: Um Zell have you seen Squall this morning?
Zell: Not yet... Rinoa what's wrong?
Rinoa: Zell! No one's seen Squall! He's disappeared!
Zell: C'mon Rinoa he's gotta be around here someplace!
Rinoa(crying): No Zell! Cid's already got the search parties going!
Zell: What the frickin' hell!?!?

Zell let Squall absorb the story before he continued, "We searched for a month. People said you were dead. Cid called off the search parties. It was too costly but he assigned me to the specific job of looking for you. My title was officially Balamb Garden World Liaison but Cid and I had a silent agreement that I was supposed to keep looking for you. You'd been gone two months the day I left for my first liaison assignment.

Flashback: 20 years ago
(Zell is at the Dincht house in Balamb packing his bags when
a nervous Rinoa walks in wearing a hooded cape.)

Rinoa: Hi Zell. Do you have a moment?
Zell: Well I'm kind of busy but for you Rinoa I can spare some time. Wassup?
Rinoa: I'm kind of embarrassed to say this but I'm scared and I've got to tell someone and I didn't know where else to turn...
Zell: Ok shoot.
Rinoa (takes a deep breath):All right... I'm pregnant. With Squall's baby.
Zell: Whoa!
(Rinoa starts crying and Zell walks over and enfolds her in his arms)
Zell: Shh! Shh! It's ok Rinoa! I'm going to find him and bring him back to you. No matter what happens I promise you I will find Squall but remember you will never be alone. Now I want you to go somewhere safe. Selphie or Quistis could help you
or your father in Deling City. Please go to them and they'll take care of you while I'm gone.
(Rinoa nods)

Squall's mouth fell open, "I'm a father? Zell you gotta tell me about him! Her? What're they like? Are they safe? Happy? C'mon Zell!"

Zell rolled his eyes, "I'm getting there so calm down ok! So anyway a year later my travels took me to Trabia. Close to here... Selphie and Irvine were there. They'd been assigned to rebuild Trabia Garden and they were overseeing construction and helping out Selphie's old friends. I stopped by for a visit.

Flashback: 19 years ago
(Zell arrives at Trabia and sees Irvine and Selphie working. He cries out to them)
Zell: Hey strangers!
Selphie (squealing): Zell!
Irvine: Hi Zell. How are you?
Zell: Great! Great! This place looks great! Selphie: Yeah everyone's been working so hard! So Zell what about you? How's the search for Squall going?
Irvine: We haven't heard from you for a while. We've been curious.
Zell: No luck. I can't spend as much time as I'd like searching. Jobs like this one checking on the Trabia progress keep me busy. Hey could you tell me about Rinoa? I've been worried.
(Selphie and Irvine's expressions both turn grim)
Zell: What! What is it? She's not dead is she? Is the baby ok?
Selphie: No she's alive...
Irvine: Zell, I guess I'm just going to come right out and say it: She married Seifer.
Zell: What the hell? No oh man no! Why?
Selphie: She was desperate I guess. You'd have to ask her why she wouldn't tell us.
Zell: What about the baby?
Irvine: The baby... Squall's baby... She's fine... She's beautiful... Rinoa named her after Julia and Raine.. Her name is Juliane
Selphie: I don't trust Seifer but Rinoa claims everything's ok. She's pregnant again. And there's talk of Seifer reopening Galbadia Garden as the permanent headmaster but I suppose as Garden Liaison you already knew that.
Zell: Yeah but I sure as hell didn't know about him marrying Rinoa man!
Irvine: Days like this I really hate Squall for leaving.
Zell: Yeah damn you Squall! Curse you for leaving.

Squall had buried his head in his hands at this point, "You guys really hate me?"
Zell folded his hands behind his head, "Yeah but only because we missed you so much."
"I'm no better than Laguna or Seifer! I have become everything I hate!" Squall moaned. "I shouldn't have left! I've ruined everything!"
"Lemme continue... Ok it turned out Seifer was a real jerk no matter what Rinoa insisted. But none of us could interfere. Seifer hated us and Rinoa was too proud and scared to admit anything was wrong. I saw her once briefly when Seifer Junior
was born."

Flashback: 18 Years Ago
Zell: Hi Seifer I have a present for your son and Rinoa.
Seifer: Ok you can go in for a moment.
Rinoa: Zell... have you seen Seifer Jr.? He looks just like Seifer.
Zell: Oh Rinoa you don't sound happy about it...
Rinoa: I'm not but I am resigned! I should just forget about Squall! This is my life now: Seifer, our son, Galbadia...
Zell: What about Juliane? She's part of your life now too.
Rinoa: I know but Seifer hates her. I do my best. She's my baby too but now I have Seifer Jr. to worry about.
Seifer: You'd better go now Zell!
Zell: Whatever!
(While Seifer's back is turned Rinoa mouths the words 'Squall
always said that' to Zell. He nods to her and leaves)

"Oh Squall," Zell remarked sadly, "It was like she was a living dead woman. Seifer had stolen all the light from her heart. I didn't see her much after that. At least not until Irvine and Selphie's wedding."

Flashback:13 Years Ago
Selphie: It's a beautiful day for our wedding! I was so afraid it was gonna rain.
Irvine: Yeah it sure is perfect.
Zell: You guys got lucky. So you never did tell me who all's coming?
Selphie: Well everyone from Trabia and Balamb.
Irvine: Quistis, Ellone, Cid, Edea,...
Selphie: Xu, Nida...
Irvine: Caraway, Laguna, Kiros, Ward,...
Selphie: Dr. Odine, the moombas...
Irvine: Martine... well basically everyone we know or have met will be there.
Zell: No! Not everyone! One person was notably missing from that list!
Irvine: Oh Squall? Well he'll be in our hearts today.
Zell: NO! Not Squall! Damn it! Rinoa!
Selphie: Oh we invited her but Seifer might not let her come.

Zell scratched his head, "Rinoa and Seifer were there. Poor Rinoa was worn out and tired and Seifer was ruder and cruder than ever. Their three sons Seifer 2, Manon and Amon were brats. But Juliane was an angel. Caraway and Laguna both agreed that she looked like Julia but that she had your eyes. She sat on my lap and I promised her the same thing I had promised Rinoa. That I'd find you no matter what. She knew you were her daddy. Seifer made sure she knew that. He hated her so much for being yours."

Squall shook his head, "I hate Seifer so much right now but I think I hate myself even more."

Zell said nothing, "Shortly after that I went to Balamb on vacation as I periodically did to see my family and girlfriend. You guys all called her the pigtail girl but her name was Sierra. Little did I know that would be my last vacation for a long time."

Flashback: 12 years ago
(Zell and Sierra are swimming in the moonlight)
Sierra: Zell I wish it could always be like this... me and you together.
Zell: I've been meaning to talk to you about that.
Sierra: Really? I hope you're going to tell me you're going to get a job closer to home so we can see each other more. I miss you when you're away from me.
Zell: I have something better in mind!
Sierra: And what might that be?
Zell: How would you like to see the world? I wanna take you with me. I never want to leave you behind again. Whaddaya say? We could get married and travel in style!
Sierra: Zell, I would be honored to be your wife. I want to be with you always. I love you Zell!
(They hold each other close and kiss them she swims away)
Zell: Hey where're you going?
Sierra: Oh I just want to dive off the dock!
Zell: Ok but be careful! People throw garbage down there and seaweed is growing wild!
Sierra: Zell you always say that! I've jumped off these docks plenty of times and nothing's ever happened to me! It's perfectly safe!
Zell: Ok just looking out for you!

Zell was crying when he told Squall what happened next, "She went over and dove off the edge. She didn't surface right away but I knew sometimes she liked to swim underwater. But I knew an instant later that something was wrong. I swam over but it was too late. She'd hit her head on a concrete block and I couldn't save her..."

Squall wasn't sure how to approach the moment, "It's ok, Zell you don't have to continue."

Zell shook his head, "There's a little more I want to tell you...
About Juliane..."

Flashback: 5 years ago
(Deling City)
Juliane: Uncle Zell!
Zell: Hey little princess you sure are growing up!
Juliane: I'm fourteen now.
Zell: I see you're visiting Grandpa...
Juliane: Yeah Seifer didn't want me to but Mama put her foot down and said I was going.
Caraway: Juliane's a good girl unlike her younger brothers. They never come to see me.
Juliane: Poor Mama is sick again and they are so horrid to her!
Zell: I wish Squall hadn't left...
Juliane: My father... Would he have taken care of Mama?
Zell: Yeah she wouldn't always be sick like this!
Caraway: I wish I could help but Rinoa says she's fine and...
Zell: Yeah Seifer's such an ass...
Juliane: I'll protect Mama I promise!

Zell looked disheartened by the memory, "Rinoa begged us all not to interfere and we all gave in to appease her... But it was so hard not to want to kill Seifer..."

Flashback:3 years ago
(A shop in a new city called Centra City)
Zell: Excuse me?
Rinoa: Oh? Zell? You startled me!
Juliane: Um.. hi Uncle Zell.
Zell: Rinoa how are you? You don't look well...
Rinoa: I'm fine Zell! Honestly all of you worry way too much! Seifer takes very good care of me!
Zell: Alright Rinoa but you look like hell. So you know I don't believe you!
Rinoa: Zell...
Zell: Well if you ever decide you need me; I'm there for you! A lot of people are, Rinoa! All you ever have to do is ask...
Rinoa: It's alright! Things are fine! Tell him Juliane!
Juliane: Uh sure whatever mama...
Rinoa: Well anyway we've got to go!

Zell swallowed, "Man Squall I don't know how she could stand being with Seifer for so many years. It broke my heart to see her like that. Seifer did his best to keep Juliane down but he couldn't back her into a corner...

Flashback: Esthar Garden 1 year ago
(Quistis is the headmaster of the relatively new Garden. She is in her office sitting at her desk. Zell is leaning against a counter and Laguna is staring out the window. Juliane walks in)
Juliane: You wanted to see me, Aunt Quistis?
Quistis: Yes about your SeeD exams. You've worked so hard
on your home study course that it was nearly impossible to tell
you weren't in school...
Zell: Yeah especially since the only school you ever attended
was Seifer's...
Juliane: So tell me. Did I pass?
Quistis: As a matter of fact... Yes you did!
Juliane: Yay! Did you hear that Grandpa Laguna? I'm a SeeD!
Laguna: Congratulations!
Zell: Way to go Juliane! I bet Squall would be so proud of you!

"I wish I'd been there," Squall softly remarked.

"Regret? Now there's a step in the right direction, Squall. Now let me finish."

Flashback: Balamb Garden 2 months ago
Cid: Listen Zell it's been so long since you had a vacation and I was thinking you ought to take a break...
Zell: Aw man you know how I feel about vacations...
Cid: No Zell I insist. You're going to wear yourself out if you don't take some time to rest. Besides I'm starting to doubt we'll ever find Squall.
Edea: Yes Zell you really should go.
Zell: All right I'll try to arrange it...

"A month ago I took a leave of absence. First I stopped by Trabia Garden to see Selphie and Irvine."

Flashback 1 week ago
Irvine: It's good to see you taking some time off, Zell.
Selphie: So where're you heading?
Zell: I'm going to rent a boat and explore the northern islands a bit. And I'm going to decide how to let go of my search for Squall.
Selphie: I think it's time we all let go of him.
Irvine: Maybe a memorial service when you get back?
Zell: Yeah maybe...

"It's crazy Squall but after all these years of looking nonstop for you I find you on a vacation..."

Squall nodded, "Crazy...yeah Zell I don't think I can stay
here any longer! Not after everything you've said."

Zell smiled, "Are you sure? You've been her for so long."

"And I've been a selfish jerk for too long! Is it too late for me
to make amends?"

"You never know... Well we'll leave in the morning!"

"Oh yeah and sometime I'd like to show you the journal."

Zell was confused, "What journal? Oh you mean the one left
here by a former occupant? Well if you think it's important take
it with us when we leave. Now let's get some rest I want to get
an early start."