So, kind of a delay in posting the chapters for the last two weeks because I had family visiting. So exhausting! Anyway... Here they are along with my heartfelt apologies. I'm uploading both of them right now.
.03.
When Squall's phone rang with the tone reserved for Quistis, he considered ignoring it. He wasn't really in the mood to talk, more interested in simply thinking about everything. Between work, Rinoa and his father, there was a lot going on and plenty to think about.
Still, he picked up. She wouldn't call him for small things.
"Hey Squall, Matron's stopped by for a visit and she wants everyone to go into Balamb for lunch. She wants us all there. We're all in the lobby."
He hung up and headed straight for the lobby. A visit from Matron was always a nice surprise. They were fairly frequent during the first two months, but the past couple of weeks, she'd been busy with something else and he was already missing her.
She was there, just as Quistis had said. Everyone was already with her. Even Rinoa, who made it clear she wasn't going to speak to him. He wasn't really bothered. She was wrong and besides, Matron was here. There was no way some stupid fight with Rinoa was going to ruin that.
Matron swept him into a hug. "Squall, darling, you look and feel so thin. Have you not been eating?" She poked his ribs lightly. "Well, you'll get your fill tonight. I have a few things I'd like to talk about with all of you, so let's head out."
The ride to the restaurant had been a short one and Matron had filled it with an entertaining story of how she had awoken one morning when they still lived at the orphanage to find Selphie in Irvinne's bed because the cowboy had been having a nightmare.
Once they arrived, she hurried everyone to sit and they listened. Once the waitress had taken their orders, Edea took a deep breath and asked, "Which would you like to hear about first? The project that's been keeping me busy or the project that's likely to upset someone?"
"The busy thing first," Zell answered, "So it might cushion the blow of the upsetting thing."
She nodded. "Well, I haven't been around as much this last little while and it's because I've been working very hard to rebuild the orphanage. Cid and I agreed it's a good idea since there's a group of children who lost parents during Ultamecia's war. I thought about how many wonderful memories I had of raising you all and how many more I could make by giving these children a place to go."
Rinoa nodded enthusiastically and it bothered Squall. What did she know about growing up in the orphanage or what it meant to be raised by Matron?
"That's great," Irvinne said, "I think it's a good thing."
There seemed to be a general air of agreement around the table.
"It means I'll likely have to take Cid from you for a little while, so he can help me get everything settled once the reconstruction is finished. We're almost there," Edea continued.
"What about this upsetting project?" Quistis asked calmly.
"You see, I know you're all mature enough to handle this like adults and not throw tantrums, but I've been looking for Seifer."
"That's not so upsetting. I think I'd be surprised if you weren't looking for him," Selphie said, smiling brightly at her mother figure, "In the end he was still one of the orphanage gang."
"I'm glad you see things that way, because once I've found him, I plan to offer him the opportunity to return to Garden's program and become a SeeD."
There was silence all around the table.
Finally Zell asked if she was serious.
"Absolutely. His situation was as complicated as mine. His possession was my fault. I can't just leave him to live the rest of his life skulking about, being hated for something that he couldn't control."
"It wasn't your fault, Matron," Quistis told her as she gently placed a hand upon the older woman's shoulder. "He followed you because he chose to."
"No, he didn't. He followed me because he recognized me, because he was in my memories and she knew that. She knew just how to manipulate him. He wasn't possessed, but there was mind control. If only I could explain it more properly to you, but I don't think I know how."
Her eyes were wet with oncoming tears.
"It's fine," Squall said, unable to handle the idea of her crying, "We'll deal with his return when the time comes."
There was more agreement from the others and Matron looked up. "Thank you children. I'm so proud to hear you say that. I couldn't ask for more than that."
Selphie redirected the conversation to the orphanage project and they all chatted excitedly about memories that had been resurfacing since they'd given up on guardian forces.
Squall contributed nothing because he didn't really feel like it. They were his memories and he wanted to keep the little bits of happiness to himself. Things like the smell of Cid making waffles and Ellone helping him pour his syrup.
He smiled down at his meal and ate while he listened.
Quistis was enjoying the moment of happy nostalgia, but she had some questions. For starters, if Cid was going to help Matron, how long would he be gone? Did they have plans for a stand in headmaster? How exactly had Matron been looking for Seifer?
She smiled as though she had no concerns and looked around at her friends. Rinoa was pressing Edea for stories that might embarrass them and of course the one she told was about Zell, whose face was on fire. Selphie and Irvinne were actually leaning toward one another a little. She wondered whether they were doing so intentionally or if this was just the result of their obvious magnetism. Squall was eating and occasionally allowing himself to smile.
Her phone rang and she excused herself.
She answered as she stood.
"Good afternoon, Ambassador Trepe. President Loire has heard a new Headmistress has been appointed for the Galbadian location and would like to visit this Saturday to offer his congratulations in person. I understand you would be the best person to ask about this?"
Quistis didn't know the girl's name, but whenever anything came up involving Estharian relations, she was the one she spoke to. She was obviously a secretary of some sort and if it weren't for the professionalism exuded by the caller, she might have asked if it was possible to arrange for Squall to have some private time with his father.
She couldn't bring herself to do it and instead thanked the caller and agreed to have Xu available to meet the President Saturday at eleven am.
Rinoa watched Quistis return and decided to ask if everything was alright.
"Oh yes. Actually, it was just Esthar. President Loire wants to come this Saturday to congratulate Xu on her promotion."
Allowing herself to look at Squall a moment, she could gather no discernable emotion from his face as usual. She wondered if Laguna even knew they were dating.
Maybe Laguna knew Layla...
In Deling, Seifer was sitting in the Caraway Gardens because he knew no one would look for him there. He really shouldn't even be in city anymore. The recent murders were bad and worse; he was to blame. It just seemed like no matter what he did, he was killing people.
He groaned and flopped backward into the manicured grass. He needed help. He wanted to ask, but it wasn't as though there were really any options. Since he'd wisely chosen to go off the radar, his friends had been harassed regularly by vigilante justice groups looking to find him. Garden had basically said in a press release that they had nothing to do with him.
Someone was looking for him and he was fairly certain that someone was interested in killing him. Fortunately, Deling had a few seedy underbelly types that watched his back as long as he watched theirs.
The men who'd died were murdered because they were bastards and while he didn't necessarily disapprove of their deaths, he was noticing that nobody knew why they were dying. Instead of being scorned for the dirt-bags they were, they were achieving some sort of saint hood. He thought about the girl. The one who'd begged him to teach her how to use a gunblade.
She was young. Should have been in school or having slumber parties, but she was jaded and after hearing only a small portion of her life story, he agreed.
He was regretting that now. She was young and impulsive. Too irrational in her technique. She'd learned quickly how to use a blade and easily adopted his style, but she wasn't making a point with the deaths and he was pretty sure the last guy hadn't deserved it.
However, if he stopped her, he'd be found and put to death himself. People wanted his head and he wasn't about to just give it to them. No, this way at least the girls would keep him supplied with information about people putting the squeeze to find him.
He wondered, not for the first time since the war, what Squall was doing. Probably getting nasty with Rinoa. She'd never been one to move slowly. He smirked and said aloud, "Enjoy my sloppy seconds, Squall."
"I hope you don't mean my daughter," Fury Caraway said as he came to stand over the lounging blonde.
"Shit."
"What are you doing in my yard?"
Seifer stared up at him silently, deciding that sarcasm was probably a bad route to take when your head was inches away from the boot of a hardened general.
"I don't suppose you've heard from Rinoa," Fury continued.
"I think she'd rather hang than speak to me," Seifer replied, slowly getting up.
"I suppose that's something we have in common than. When was the last time you ate something of substance?"
Seifer shrugged and Fury scowled, gesturing for him to follow. He hesitated, but obeyed. It wasn't exactly like he had options.
They walked back to the house, where his staff awkwardly tried not to make eye contact with either man as they whisked about.
"When was the last time you spoke to Edea?"
"Edea? I was a child. Ultamecia? Just before your daughter and her friends stormed the castle."
"She's looking for you."
"Edea? I thought she might, but it's better for her if she doesn't find me."
"Foolishness. I'll call her." The general stopped a passing butler and told them to make arrangements for dinner guests. "She's been worried sick. You have no idea what it does to a parent when their child hides from them."
Seifer didn't answer. When he had met Rinoa, she was on the train to Timber. She'd said she needed to escape her vile father who was some sort of emotionless bastard who never really loved her. This was the first time he'd actually met the man that they weren't engaged in combat.
"I'll ask her over to eat. She'll want to see you." Fury led him up a staircase and pointed to a door. "There's a shower in there. I'll see about something more appropriate to wear. I'd rather she didn't think I was trying to pass a homeless man as her long lost adopted son."
He left him alone and all Seifer could do was wonder his motive. Was Caraway really helping him or did he plan to distract him with hospitality until officials could get there to arrest him? He looked around. There were uniforms everywhere. No, if he was having him arrested, he'd just have a couple of these military men hold him.
Squall heard a ringing he didn't recognize as belonging to his phone. He was a little surprised for some reason to see Edea take a cell phone from her simple handbag. She disappeared to take the call and returned smiling.
"Good news?" Zell asked.
"I'll have to go children. I've just been informed of an important dinner. Let's get the bill."
She was suspiciously happy and Squall wondered if the call had been from Seifer. That was what he needed on top of all his problems – his bully back.
