A/N: Deaths are so sad... but what if the dead don't stay dead??? Seifer's funeral and memorial took place and his friends are left with the aftermath. His killer is up to something and it's not gonna be pretty if they don't stop him.

Disclaimer: Final Fantasy 8 is not mine. Never will. Never have.

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Departed Dream Take Flight

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by Diaz

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Chapter 3: From the Beyond Another Chance for Love ((AKA The Snack Gone Bad... Very Bad))

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Where am I? came a fuzzy thought. Everything surrounding him was white. All he could remember was slashing Squall's arm and a gunshot... HYNE! Am I dead?!?!?!

Yes, Seifer Almasy. You are dead. Killed by that gunshot.

Whirling around he came face to face with a long woman dressed in white robes. A pair of shimmering white wings sprouted from her back. Long blonde hair flowed around her and intent, kind blue eyes rested upon him.

He gasped softly. The face was so familiar, yet it couldn't be her. She wasn't dead.

Right, again. It seems to be easier to take on a comforting form the soul once knew. I can answer any questions you may have.

Relief flooded his body, followed by the grief that he would never see his angel again. Did Squall die?

No... he was unconscious when you died. No one knows who killed you. Except two people. And they will never tell who did the deed that cost you your life. You remember don't you?

The pain of his death washed over him. Yes, he remembered. Betrayal clung to every part of his soul-body. How could he be betrayed in such a way like that?

Unrest fills your mind, Knight of Edea. What is wrong?

I... I left behind an untold love... someone who never knew how I felt...

She means a lot to you...

Yes...

The angel looked at him with sad eyes. You know you can't go back, at least not with your body and soul joined...

But?

Yes there is a but... it is possible to send your soul...

Such as a ghost?

We prefer the term free floating spirit. She looked at him and touched his shoulder with one hand. This can be done if something meaningful was left unfinished. They can't see you, nor hear you. But you will be able to reach them. There are ways.

Please, left me go, Angel. He begged hope lighting his heart. Knowing he had a chance to return to finish what he had never been accomplished never knowing if one day he would tell her how he felt, never knowing early death awaited him.

I see how much she means to you. You may go, but once you are done... you will come back and never be able to return.

Thank you, Angel... silent lips muttered as he knelt down before her.

Go, my knight, and find your love.

~~~~~

"Quistis? Are you home?"

"Oh, I'm sorry. What were you saying?" She looked up at her friends as they sat around the Quad eating their lunches and catching up on the latest news around the Garden.

Rinoa smiled sympathetically. The blonde friend had not been the same since Seifer's unexpected death the week before. "Squall is leaving for his mission to Deling City tomorrow morning," she repeated patiently.

"He is still going?" Selphie asked taking a bite of her sandwich.

"Yea... it needs to be done. Headmaster Cid said I can go along."

"They're letting you go on a mission???" Quistis asked surprised.

"Well Headmaster Cid thinks that if I know what happens on a mission, I won't be so against them. He wants to send Squall out more, but doesn't want to upset me at the same time. Also, he knows how attached I am to Squall now."

"By good golly gee, I think the Headmaster has gone soft in the head," Selphie said crumpling up her sandwich wrapper into a small ball and scored a basket into the trash can. "Two points! And the crowd goes wild!"

The three laughed. Things were slowly piecing themselves together in the aftermath of death.

~~~~~

"Hey, Squall," a student stopped him in the hall. The two had a quick talk about the upcoming SeeD tests, and then went their separate ways.

The brown haired commander had nothing to do. He was leaving the next day with Rinoa for Deling City, and everything had been packed.

"Squall? Have you seen Selphie?" Irvine asked walking towards him.

"I think Rinoa, Quistis, and her were having lunch out on the Quad."

"Okay. Thanks." He turned around and headed in that direction.

Squall sighed then groaned in frustration. Damn it! How could I forget it??? One of the most important things he had planned to bring with him was not packed. He headed off to his dorm praying it was still where he had left it.

~~~~~

"Selphie?" The girls' talk stopped as the sharpshooter approached. "Could I talk to you?"

"Sure, Irvy!" she got up and walked over to him throwing her arms around him.

He took her arm and led her gently away out of earshot of her friends. "Have you told anyone?"

"Told anyone?" she asked a confused expression covered her perky face.

"About who killed Seifer..."

She shook her head. "I... I can't."

He eyed his girlfriend. "I know who did it, too..."

Her eyes widened. "How... how do you know? No one was suppose to know..."

His eyes rested gently on hers. "I know more things than you think I know..."

"You know then. I'm sorry, Irvine... I really do love you..."

He nodded wrapping his arms around her. "I know, Selphie, I know. We'll get through this somehow. We have to."

~~~~~

"Squall? What are you doing?"

"Huh?" he looked up from the mess he had made in his dorm.

Ever since becoming a SeeD, he enjoyed having his own room to himself. Everyone kept quiet about Rinoa paying nightly visits to his room, they just turned their heads as if nothing was going on. The room was now covered in discarded clothes, magazines, and assorted other items that were not going with him on his mission.

"Oh hey, Zell," he said wondering why in the world he had left his door open when searching for the item. Oh that's right. He thought he knew where it was, but of course he didn't.

"What's going on? It looks like Pandemona used Tornado Zone in here." ((A/N: For those of you that don't know, Pandemona is the wind based GF.))

"Yea, well..."

"What are you looking for?"

"I uhh... lost something that I want to take with me..."

"It's that important? Well what is it and maybe I can help?" Zell said as he eyed the muddle of junk spewed about the room.

Zell was one of his friends. Ever since the SeeD field exam in Dollet, the two had become pretty good friends. That seemed like so long ago, but the friendship was still strong.

"Shut the door if you can, and I'll tell you," Squall said frowning at the open door.

"Yes, sir!" the blonde saluted and nudged the door shut. "So...?"

"I'm looking for a small red velvet box."

"A... small... red... velvet... box..." Zell repeated. "You don't mean..."

Squall nodded.

"Dude! Congrats! You're finally going to ask her!" He slapped Squall on the back and shook his hand laughing.

A faint red blush crept up to the commander's face. "Thanks, Zell. I'm glad I got your consent."

"So, you are going to ask her in Deling? Does anyone else know?"

"How bout I answer those once I have the damn box?"

"Opps! Sorry! I got a little carried away." With a foot, Zell kicked some of the matter on the floor away.

Squall sunk to the floor searching under his bed.

A grunt of disgust made him peer out. "What is it?"

"I think you are growing something here..."

"What are you talking about?" Squall said standing up.

"Look!" Zell held up a seemingly innocent box of pizza and opened it.

"HYNE! It's glowing! And the smell! Open the door!" Squall gasped running for the door.

The "pizza" probably would have to be carbon-14 dated or something. Squall had no idea when he got that pizza. Barely recognizable, the pizza pie was covered in fuzz of blue, yellow, white, black, and green. It appeared to be radiating light of some sort. The two were doing everything they could to suppress their gag reflexes.

"Get the door open!" Zell screeched closing the box cover.

"It's stuck!"

The wailing of two trapped and suffocating could be heard throughout the dorms.

~~~~~

Quistis stopped in front of Squall's door wondering if she heard moaning and wails just before or if it was her imagination.

Nice, Quistis. Now you're paranoid. She scolded herself.

Just then the door swung open, and two bodies fell out gasping for breath.

A horrific stench wafted to her nose. "Hyne! What is that?"

"A little snack gone bad!" Zell gasped.

The two were not the only things that fell out into the hall. Everything near the door had spilled out as well.

"Hm... what's this?" Quistis asked picking up a small red velvet box.

Squall's and Zell's eyes widened as she opened it up.

A small gasp escaped her lips as she laid her eyes on the gold ring with a good size diamond in the shape of a heart in the center. "Is this what I think it is?"

"An engagement ring...?"

Squall shot Zell a look to kill.

"For Rinoa." Her voice was soft almost unheard.

Excellent move, Dincht. He had forgotten Quistis Trepe had long ago sought after Squall Leonhart's heart. It was a known fact around the Garden. Everyone knew, even the newest additions knew. Common knowledge.

Squall didn't know what to say. As much as everyone knew Quistis loved him, they also knew how much he loved Rinoa Heartilly.

"It's okay, guys. I'll always love you, Squall, but I know that you love Rinoa more than anything. I think there's somebody else that I love."

Zell's mouth dropped and hit the floor with a dull thud. "Who?" was all he managed to choke out of his gapping mouth.

A scarlet blush snuck up her neck and to her face. "I can't say."

With that she turned around and headed off to her dorm, not letting them see the tears running down her face.

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A/N: Poor Quistis! She misses him! And so do I! I like the pizza scene... I need some comedy relief... Anyway... next chapter Seifer will be back with more clues to reveal who killed him and what will happen with the rest of the members of the Balamb Garden.