She was in a bed of pure white. Opening her eyes she saw a black sky, the air was clean as she sat up and looked
around. She was covered in white cotton sheets, the soft fabric was like butter against her skin. She closed her
eyes and smiled. It was then she felt the bed give behind her, strong arms wrapping around her, pulling her tightly
against a hard body.
"Wh...who.." she was cut off, a rough hand sliding over her mouth.
"Who do you think?" a deep voice whispered in her ear.
Her stomach fluttered as his scent hit her, she moaned lightly before catching herself. He turned her to look at
him, his hand brushing her cheek.
"I've missed you." He said, his eyes taking her hostage.
"God how I've wanted you." She sighed. His mouth coming down on hers, tasting her. She melted against him, her mind
going numb.
Breaking the kiss he moved down to her neck, licking her skin. She purred, the sheet falling from her body.
"I'm so happy you came back to me." He said between kisses and licks.
She frowned. "What do you mean?" She said confused.
He sat back up and looked at her with a smile.
"Rinoa what are you talking about?" He said, brushing her hair from her face.
Her eyes went wide. "What did you just call me?" she was angry.
"Silly, what's the problem? I want you, let me have you."
She reached up and touched her hair, pulling it around to her view. It was jet black.
"No, no no no please why?!" she was panicing.
"I love you Rinoa," Squall said kissing her collar bone.
Quistis woke up with a jolt. Panting tears rolled down her face. She had to get out of the garden. As fast as she could she was on the deck with Nida discussing their current destination. Back to Balamb it was.
She liked it there, it was quiet and calm, but the nightlife was surprisingly wild. They would arrive in about a half an hour, so she decided to make herself scarce until then.
After a quick thanks and goodbye she strolled out of the room and down the elevator and to the training center she
went. She fought a few measly monsters, mostly just walked past them and found a quiet little place behind some
rocks where she could sit and stay until the announcement that they were landing came over the loud speaker. It was
childish to hide from problems like this, but she really didn't want to face him, or anyone, she just wanted to sit
and stay until she could find a better place to hide at Balamb.
She was nowhere to be found. After asking Nida and some other people he passed in the halls, he had gotten nothing
but a lot of "I saw her earlier, but I don't know where she is now." He was getting frustrated, he knew she was
hiding, but he didn't know where, so he decided to give up and let her be until she was ready to face him. But the
truth was, he wasn't ready to face her either, so he was relieved and irritated at the same time and this made for
an excellent headache.
He wanted to go to Balamb and sit on a dock and just pass time and let the breeze cure what ailed him. But he knew
that wouldn't work entirely. He had to do something about her. The more he had thought of the situation, the more
he found himself wanting to hold her, wanting to feel her under his fingers, wanting to kiss her and make her feel
safe like she never had. He was lonely too. The thought of maybe being with Quistis was something novel and new. He
might find something more than sex with her.
He had thought that's all there was to relationships, but he was finding out that there were such things as
feelings, and he had them for Quistis. Finally the announcement that they were in Balamb came over the speaker, and
students began to leave the garden for the weekend. He stood by the front gates and watched them all leave, trying
to find her in the crowd. She was not there, she was long gone already. He should have known. He then followed the
stragglers into town and aimlessly walked around for god knows how long until it began to get dark.
The night was warm just like the last, but there was no rain this time and she walked the cobblestone streets for
hours with a jacket on her arm and her hair blowing in the breeze. She decided to go to the beach, even though she
didn't like it very much, she knew that Squall would never be caught dead there. She held the same feelings, but
she sucked it up and continued walking right out of town and down the road a good while until she found a spot not
too particularly sandy, but enough to know she was there. She laid her jacket on the ground and sat on it.
What was she going to do? She couldn't hide from him forever, she was like his second in command, even though they
never really spoke, she still had to see him every once and again. She could resign, but the pay was too good to do
something that stupid. She was stuck, and she didn't like it. She would either just have to face him and suck it
up, or keep being awkward for the rest of their lives. She knew he could be cold and act like nothing was wrong,
but she didn't know if she could. She closed her eyes, thinking about the horrible dream she had. Would she never
be better than Rinoa? What was it about her? She sighed.
He had been watching her. She walked around for a bit and then she headed for the town exit. Was she going back to
garden? He felt very guilty watching her, but he needed to speak with her, so he followed. She must have been deep
in thought because even though he had made some noise as he followed, she didn't flinch. No she wasn't headed for
the garden; she was going to the beach. He had never known her to like it much; he didn't like the beach either.
Maybe that's why she was going he thought, because she knew he wouldn't. She sat down on a grassy part of the
beach, wrapped her arms around her knees, and began to rock slightly. He wanted to hold her steady, but he stayed a distance behind her for a bit longer. Then she spoke.
"Why does this happen to me, what did I do? I fought so hard to just stay focused, but for what?!" she said aloud
to no one but herself.
She began to cry, out loud this time, not like the silent sobs he witnessed the night before. It hurt to hear her
in pain, and the fact that he caused it made it worse. He finally decided that he would hide no longer and he
walked to her and stood behind her before kneeling and placing once hand on her shaking shoulder.
She spun around and flung sand in the air, jumping. She then wiped her face and stood up quickly while backing away
from him.
"What are you doing here, what do you want?" she asked defensively.
"It was always me you cried over, it was always me that had you worried and sad all the time wasn't it?" he asked
in turn.
She decided to let it out now. He was asking, so she would tell him. "Yes it was, it was always you, for as long as
I can remember, I was always there for you to land on, I was there to help you and tell you that it was ok, and
that life wasn't so bad, but you always disagreed, and that made me feel so worthless, because you couldn't see
that I was a good part in your life. I was there to make it better."
She was losing it now, and he could see it.
"What would you say if I told you that I know that now, that I see you, and I want you to make it better, make it
better for you?"
She just stared at him almost unable to replied.
"I would say that it's bullshit, what would stop you from going right back to her when she shows up. You know she
will, it's what she's good at." she snapped at him.
"I don't want that, I thought I did, but I don't love her, I never did, and I know that, and I know who I love now,
who I was made for, it's you Quistis, it's always been you."
The words coming out of his mouth sounded so genuine, but strange coming from him, he who cared for nothing. She
wanted to believe him, she thought something just wasn't right, but it was only the fact that her long lost dream
was coming true, that she would maybe have a knight to save her after all.
"You mean that, you aren't just saying something to make me feel better, because those words mean more than you
think if that's the case."
He smiled.
"I don't lie, and I'm not stupid enough to say something that I don't know the meaning of."
Tears rolled down her face. Her beautiful silk hair flew around her wildly in the strong serf wind. He placed his
hands on her waist, and they felt like they belonged there. Then he lowered his head and kissed the tears on her
face.
