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"How can they get away with doing this?" Quistis spoke into her cell phone. She'd almost reached her office.

"I might be able to get a few answers for you. Are you sending him else where?" Xu's voice sounded into her ear.

"Squall seems determined to guard him here until a higher authority gives him word."

"Galbadian soldiers brought him you say? Any names or identification? They had to of had some to get on the grounds."

Quistis hurriedly unlocked the door to her office, propping her phone between her shoulder and ear. "We got a name: Lieutenant Wedge. Galbadian soldiers can't be treated like the law, not after Ultimecia..."

"Wedge? Right, I'll check up on that...so, how's Squall taking it?"

Quistis paused at her desk considering her answer for a moment, "Not too well...he's angry, but I guess that was expected. I think to some degree we all dislike Seifer, but I don't think for one minute that any of us want him dead, especially Squall."

"Really?"

"Yeah, Squall's just not that sort of guy. Well I'll let you go; I need to contact staff members."

"Okay, I'll ring as soon as I can. Good luck!"

The cell disconnected with a beep and Quistis once again turned her attention to her office. Searching the draws she removed a large contacts book and pushed her glasses back up the bridge of her nose. It's gonna be a long night.

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A small array of people was gathered outside of his office door when he'd finally escaped from the basement. Squall braced himself for questioning by his staff members as he approached. "Squall!" Selphie shrieked, throwing herself before the wary Commander.

"Is this everyone?" Squall asked, unlocking the door.

"Quistis is on her way" Irvine finally speaks up, trying to make himself disappear behind the small gathering. Squall ignores the cowboy's gaze as he opens the door and steps inside. Finally standing before his desk and with his staff members stood before him, Squall began to explain the situation.

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He hadn't slept much since he'd arrived. There was little to do in his cold isolation. There were no windows to gaze out of and no bedding to rest on. His metal cell reminded him of his time with the Sorceress, though his cage had been a mental cage and it's walls had been his own delusions, blocking him from reality. Now he had returned to Garden, but his time here gave him no clarity, just a haze of memories and all that he'd left behind could never be unbroken. Whatever he'd returned to was not his to salvage. How long until they convicted him? What would it be, life imprisonment or death? What did it really matter?

He lay back down on the metal slab, resting his head upon his hands. Maybe he'd try and sleep some more, or jerk off, or do something to pass away the time. He was guessing that it was getting pretty late. The SeeD outside had spoken of switching with the night shift guards. Footsteps broke him from his reverie. He listened intensely to the opening and sliding of the doors, keeping perfectly still. A cold draft blew into the cell as a figure entered. Turning to see the Commander before him, Seifer schooled a devilish grin. Squall only stared impassively at the wall ahead before clearing his throat.

Squall would not tell a soul that he was a little physically intimidated by Seifer and had decided that he'd have no problem unleashing a gun blade onto the blonde if he stepped out of line. The door slid shut behind him as if to remind him of his fate as he placed down the hard backed chair he'd brought with him. Seifer studied the form before him and gave a low appreciative growl in the back of his throat. Squall chose to ignore the blonde once more and sat down.

He made himself look sternly into Seifer's eyes as began. "I'm going to ask you a few questions and I don't want any fucking about. You give me straight answers and we'll have this over and done in no time."

Seifer stretched out and turned to stare lazily at the brunette, propping his head up with a hand. Squall gave him no chance to speak before shooting the first question "Have you used or consumed any alcohol or drugs in the last 48 hours?"

Seifer rolled onto his back once more, "Let me think about this one...vodka, no, whiskey, no, wait I had that beer...no that was more like 54 hours ago...what day is it?"

Squall scowled at the blonde and made a mental note to kill him before his trial ever happened. "Just answer the question."

"Couldn't get any SeeD to do this? Instructors? Soldiers? So tell me, why exactly are you questioning me?" Seifer asked, swinging his legs over the side of the slab. He sat up and looked at the Commander. "See I thought that perhaps you'd finally decided to face your fears." Squall gave Seifer a cold look, "Don't flatter yourself." Seifer ran a hand through his mane of hair, "Don't pretend like you hate this."

Squall stood up and towered over Seifer "I hate every fucking minute of it. You think I'd be doing this if I had the choice?"

"But you wouldn't let anyone else do it either, would you?" Seifer supplied, staring up at the strong stance of the man. Seifer's words seemed to ring true. Squall thought to distance himself from Seifer once more. He felt a tug at his hip, Seifer's hand rested on the hilt of Lionheart. Panic flashed through the Commander's eyes, and the blonde considered using the situation to his advantage..."You're a stubborn bastard Squall. Give it up while you're young."

Seifer released the hilt and let the Commander sit back down, a mutual sense of trust exchanging between them. Squall's voice calmed as he took his seat. "Are you going to answer my questions?"

Seifer nodded, "They've already gotten a lot of information out of me, things they wanted to hear."

Squall's brow knitted in anger, "Galbadian soldiers?" Seifer nodded again. "Are you hurt?" Squall asked, though no concern was evident in his voice. Seifer chuckled, "Not badly." Squall checked his watch, "You'll be sent to the hospital wing after questioning." Seifer searched the man's eyes for a justification "Seriously? I don't need any treatment, baby, just someone to kiss it better" he winked at the Commander, testing his limits. "A routine check-up is mandatory. Of course, you will be restrained."

Squall sat back in his chair and looked at the blonde sternly "Are you going to be this care free when they sentence you to death?"

There was an odd look in the eyes of the Commander that made Seifer's stomach clench. "You mean, am I gonna plea guilty? I'm not trying to be a martyr here Commander, but who would I be kidding? I don't have a fucking chance. I'll tell them what they want to hear. I'll tell them that I was aware of what I was doing, hell, I'll even admit that I'm a murderer."

A shiver raged through Squall's body. A lengthily silence sat between them, and at that moment the distance between them seemed vast. Squall dared not look in the blonde's eyes. "I'll have Selphie accompany you to the clinic." Squall left in silence. Seifer grimaced. Fuck! What the fuck am I doing? Feeling that the Commander felt no less than disgusted by him, the blonde did nothing to stop the retreating back.

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The honesty behind Seifer's words intimidated Squall. He was not as disturbed by the word 'murderer' but more so by the implications behind it. Seifer might die, and who the hell knew when? He wasn't willing to even begin to explore the intensity of his feelings surrounding this possibility. He couldn't go through the anguish and confusion again. How empty he'd felt, longing for weeks and months to be free of this hurt. Why did he care if this man lived or died?

"Tilmitt", he spoke into his cell phone, "Can you meet me in the basement?"

He waited for a while by the elevator doors until the familiar voice of Instructor Tilmitt shrieked loudly "Squall! What the hell are you doing down here at this hour?" Squall cringed inwardly and stared blankly at Selphie. "Sorry to have called you, but I think you'll find it's worth it...I've got a job you might like." The colourful ninja clapped her hands and followed the Commander through a high security cell. "Oooooh, and here I thought you didn't love me."

Selphie had just this year enrolled as an instructor, though the extra responsibilities seemed to have done nothing to dampen her spirits. Squall had to admire her, nothing seemed to get at her. "Will you escort Seifer to Dr Kadowaki's? He's to have a full medical examination. These SeeD will accompany you of course."

"Isn't that a bit dangerous? Couldn't the Doc just come down here?"

"The basement isn't equipped, it's too inconvenient. It's eleven-fifteen now, past curfew, though there are SeeD patrolling. No students will see. I'll come and find you in the hospital wing as soon as I've spoken with Quistis, okay?"

"Awesome! I've got my best handcuffs!" Selphie skipped towards the SeeD guarding the cell door as Squall retreated. She carries handcuffs...

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By the time Squall had tracked down Quistis and told her of his unsuccessful questioning the time had already passed midnight. Walking hastily through the empty halls Squall came to the hospital wing. Knocking gently on the door, he entered to find the party of six had lessened. Selphie was dosing in Dr Kadowaki's chair as he approached her and shook her gently. "Squall, the Doc's just through there with Seifer" she managed with a yawn. "Where are the SeeD?" Squall asked, pinching the bridge of his nose with firm fingertips. "Oh, I dismissed them. It was getting on a bit and I decided that we could just bring him back."

Squall stared at the girl as if she'd grown two heads. "Selphie this situation needs to be treated carefully. If Trabadia knew we were letting Ultimecia's Knight out of his cage to come and go as he pleases then our reputation would be on the line." Selphie gawked up at Squall and poked him playfully in the side, "Squall, it's Seifer! As if he'd do anything out of place!" Squall frowned, shaking his head, "Seifer is a criminal."

Selphie looked hurt. She hung her head and didn't speak any more of it, thinking that this whole situation was an awful shame. "Is that you Commander?" came the voice of Dr Kadowaki. The brunette looked up to catch the entrance of the pleasant middle aged doctor. "Doctor" he addressed her, bowing his head slightly. Kadowaki had never the mind for such formalities and dismissed the boy's respect. Walking over to her desk she supplied Squall with a small slip of paperwork. "He's as fit as a whistle" she chuckled.

"Damn right I am."

Seifer rounded the corner holding his shirt in hand. Squall's eyes swept over the slightly lither, though trimmed chest at the doorway until he finally caught the devilish smile on Seifer's face. Seifer was a beautiful creature, though Squall would not admit this. "Seifer!" Selphie piped up, "Hyne, you've been working out in exile!"

Seifer grinned broadly at the female attention. Even Dr Kadowaki looked at the boy appreciatively. The stark jade green eyes turned to Squall as Seifer shrugged his shirt back on. Selphie approached the man once more to cuff his hands together and led him towards the door.

"He's a little malnourished", the doctor spoke to Squall, "and not nearly as fighting fit as he used to be. It's such a shame, he's so young. I always did like Seifer, but I'd hoped that he might return a free man." Squall gave the woman a look of understanding. "It is a shame."

The party of three had soon arrived at Seifer's cell. "A blanket? And a pillow? Hell I feel like the luckiest girl in the world" Seifer approached the bedding, the soft cotton sheets inviting him. He turned back to smile at the Commander, "You big softie, you did this?" Squall raised a finely arched eyebrow, "Think nothing of it."

"Squall" Seifer had touched his arm, the depth of his eyes almost reaching out to him, "Thank you." Squall nodded, moving warily away from the blonde. Selphie pretended to be otherwise engaged, all the while, silently pleading herself not to blurt out something obscene.

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For this I feel that Squall is more uptight in general, and that he resents his job quite a lot ('I hate every fucking minute' heh). I also think that Seifer's character is a lot more perceptive than Squall's...what say you?

Anywho, I do hope you're enjoying so far.

This was a one chapter story but to hell with it. BTW- I know chapter two is too sudden and out of character so lots of explanations and flashbacks will hopefully justify this and save my ass!

Lots of yaoi to come...reviews are kindly accepted .

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