Disclaimer: I don't own Final Fantasy VIII, or any of the characters…that's it.

The Imposter

Chapter 2

Whatever Happens After…

I'm coming after you…

Squ…a…ll…

Squall Leonhart bolted from his bed, sweat dripping down the side of his face. It was the same nightmare again, that had once more disrupted him from his needed sleep. His hands groped around, squeezing the sheets on his mattress bed tightly, in order to calm his breathing. Running a hand through his silky brown hair, his piercing, cold blue eyes frowned in thoughts. Looking at his surrounding, trying to figure out if anything around could have caused the nightmares, but all he was able to see was the four walls of his private dorm in Balamb Garden, his desk in which his papers were still piled from last night, and his cabinet, in which an alarm clock rested upon. Sighing, he glanced to the alarm clock to discover it was already six in the morning. Throwing his sheets aside, he began to lower his feet to the floor. Getting up to his full height, he began to stretch and take a glance in the mirror on the left wall. The image that stared back at him was a tall, muscular, and proud looking man, but his face spoke something entirely different. In his eyes were the reflection of both distress and grief.

Ever since the day in which he returned from the fight with Ultimecia, his position as SeeD Commander seemed to rise over his head. Everyone admired him and looked up to him, even Seifer now was avoiding trouble with him. Rinoa was closer to him than ever, spending almost all of her time with him when he was not in his office. Selphie and Irvine had gotten closer to each other before anyone knew it. However, she decided to transfer back to Trabia to look after things and Irvine then gave up his place as sharpshooter in Galbadia to be with her. The couple still visited Balamb once in a while to check on how things were done. Quistis is no longer an instructor. Rather, she quitted her position in Garden and began a quest of her own. To search her soul and the world's soul, she had said. She also promised after she was able to understand life more, she would return. Quistis had changed completely. Cid and Edea are still close. Cid had invited his wife in as Headmistress of Garden, and the Orphanage now had became a sacred and memorable place in which all the ones who had spent their childhood there visited from time to time.

Laguna is still President of Esthar, and Ellone had moved in to help him with the small stuff, such as not so significant paperwork. She was there to help him too, when he came to confess to Squall that he was his father. Squall went into shock after that, and Ellone, being the big Sis she was, was by his side, comforting him and helping him swallow the news. It was still a bit awkward and uncomfortable between them, and Squall had never brought himself to call Laguna "father" or "dad".

Seifer had came back to Balamb Garden and made an official apology to all, bearing the humiliation and jeers that he received. After that though, he fled with Raijin and Fujin, no matter how much Squall and the Headmaster convinced he could stay, but under close watch. No one heard of him again ever since that day, but they are glad he is staying out of trouble.

Squall turned and picked up his clothes from the rack next to the doorway to his dorm. Quickly putting them on and straightening his hair, he turned to the right to enter the doorframe there that leads to his bathroom. After all morning business, he came out of his dorm at last, looking the hallway both sides for anyone in sight. Then realizing he was the first one up, he sighed and strolled to his office, which the Headmaster had hired some workers at Fisherman's Horizon to build for him on the second floor. The office is now as messy as it was nice before. He entered it slowly and breathed out as he took in his office surroundings. Papers, pencils, scraps of papers, broken pieces of pencils, and blotches of ink were all over the floor and on his desk. He smiled sheepishly and realized he hadn't kept his promise to be clean after all.

Squall sat down and began working. He shuffled between papers, some asking for his permission to do this and that, and some asked for his approval about some stuff, such as bringing back the Spring Festival. Thinking hard, he began reading the paper.

Dear Squall Leonhart, SeeD Commander,

I am a new student at Balamb and a new member to the Garden Festival Club, I am really enjoying my time at Garden and I was wondering if we could get the Spring Garden Festival back since we sort of forgot about it ever since the chaos of Ultimecia. I am afraid to take it to the Headmaster, perhaps you could help me?

Sincerely,

Trainee: Laera

Squall grinned with importance and began thinking about speaking to the Headmaster about this. Nevertheless, he was quite sure Cid would agree without questions.

Suddenly, a gentle knock at the door made Squall put down the paper.

"Come in," he said monotonously, wondering who would want to see him at this hour.

The door clicked open and standing there was a girl who looked no more than sixteen. Her long hair, tied in a high ponytail, was the most striking feature that Squall set his eyes on. It was pitched black but somewhere in between the strands were locks and waves of brown. Her large eyes were also another exclusive feature. Squall leaned back in his chair with surprise as he noticed that one orb of her eyes was light lavender and the other one was hazy pink. Shyly, she stepped into his office, her black boots clicked on the marble floor. Squall stood up and pulled a chair from the other end of his office and offered her a seat. Smiling shyly, the girl adjusted her pink skirt and tank top before sitting down slowly.

"Who might you be?" Squall asked curtly at last.

"I hope you've read my request letter," the girl spoke, her voice sounding like there are a choir of angels at her throat, "I'm sorry for bothering you so early, but I couldn't wait…"

"Wait…" Squall stopped her, "You're Laera?"

She nodded, smiling.

"Wow, I haven't seen such a beautiful trainee around for so long," Squall said, and then couldn't believe himself for saying it.

"Thanks," Laera blushed.

"So many students are applying for Balamb Garden now, I don't have time to meet person to person with every single new trainee anymore," Squall said, "I'm glad I get to meet with you."

"So about my request…?"

"Yes, I'll speak to the Headmaster about it," Squall nodded, "Take this as a yes, guaranteed."

"Yes! Oh, my gosh!" Laera jumped out of her chair, twirled around with excitement, then turned around and wrapped her arms around Squall, whispering a word of thanks. Blushing, she stepped back and ebbed out of his office. Squall, taken aback by her reaction, sat there, staring at the closed door.

Dear Spirits, he thought, My heart belongs to Rinoa…