Disclaimer: I don't own the characters or places in this story. I do own all the OC's though.

Phase III

Two Years Later

Two Miles Outside Timber/Timber Forest

September 28th, 2009.

1930 hrs

Footsteps broke the twigs under his heavy boots as he stepped over logs and around slanted trees. His dark eyes searched the area for anything suspicious or out of place. He had lived in these woods for over twenty years knowing the placement of every rock, shrub, and trail. He had gotten a call recently from his partner in Deling City to patrol the woodlands surrounding Timber. Apparently the Galbadians were coming up this way next.

His contacts had told him that they were just outside of Dollet in the mountains now. Cellular reception was few and far between in these parts as a lot of towers were malfunctioning lately. The communication streams were getting less reliable and probably being listened in on by the enemy. He could only guess why.

From what the man gathered after visiting Timber in the past month or so, something was about to happen judging by the heightened security and Galbadian presence in various areas that never needed security before. The Underground Network on the western continent was staring rumble with anxiety over it.

Whatever he was supposed to do, his orders if you wanted to call them that, required him to report back on his findings.

By his side was his trusty hound, Rex. He carried a semi automatic pump action shot gun in his left hand. Whoever was roaming the forest in Galbadian blue was going to be eating dirt six feet under tonight.

After a few moments, he found himself in a clearing greeted by the smell of rotting corpses that unwelcomingly filled his large nostrils. The man recoiled back for a moment covering his mouth and nose with the sleeve of his checkered shirt. The hound ran up ahead inspecting the dead men lying in the dirt with a curious nose. An intense sound of buzzing suggested that black flies were having a feast on the bodies.

Five of them, he counted. All of them either burnt, shot, or maliciously sliced open. He made his way towards the closest one and kicked the body over to get a closer look. Now lying on his back, a long gash ran across his chest that had burns along the edges of the wound. It wasn't caused by something blunt, either. A sword. Judging by the length of it that spilt the man's blood onto the earth under him, it couldn't have been an ordinary military model, either.

Seeing nothing like this before, Jenkins whistled for his hound and turned to rush back to his cottage hidden deep in the woods. When he got there, he started for the small wooden desk by the kitchen. He took out an old morose code kit, creating message to send to the others determined to keep this information off of conventional wireless airwaves.

SOLDIERS FOUND IN FOREST. LARGE SWORD WOUNDS WITH BURNS ON 'EM. YA WERE RIGHT. SOMETHIN' S 'BOUT TO HAPPEN.

Just as he finished the last word, he heard something knock over and crash to the floor in the kitchen. Jenkins stood up slowly checking to see where his dog was. Rex had been snoozing on he couch nearby, but jumped up to his feet and barked at the front door upon hearing the crash. Jenkins' dark eyes located his gun, snatching it up from its position on the coffee table. He kneeled onto the old couch carefully peering through his blinds. They emerged from the bush surrounding the old cottage. Galbadians, but they didn't have their patriotic blue on.

They were clad black.

And those weren't the same uniforms most active underground agents wore these days. They had no coloured bandanas tied to their biceps that told him which faction they belonged to. They weren't his allies. They were his enemy.

That's when the gunfire started. A barrage of bullets cracked through the air, possibly a hundred at a time with barrels blazing at him. Jenkins threw himself to the side and rolled onto the floor. Glass shattered and burst into pieces scattering all over the living room. Old wood from the walls splintered off mixing in with the glass soon after. The dog kept on barking and running around like he was ready to fight a war.

Jenkins ducked behind the couch periodically poking his head and gun up through the window to defend himself. He thanked his Pa for teaching him to shoot as a boy; may Hyne rest his soul. Expertly, Jenkins shot one man down at a time with ease. When the gunfire stopped, he knew he had won. All six of them had fallen, and an eerie silence took over.

Jenkins wasn't a stupid man. At least he didn't think he was. Those were just six soldiers, a small squadron. Others would come, and he needed to be prepared for them. He stumbled around toppled furniture and scattered belongings to his small meagre kitchen. The cabinet door above his sink flew open, and his hand clumsily threw aside old cans and tea boxes to his stash of ammo. He spun around to load it into his weapon when he found that he wasn't alone in his house.

Dressed in the same uniform as the men he just killed, a blond one stood smirking back at him from the kitchen door. A man he knew personally, but hadn't personally met yet. The blond stepped forward, quickly kicking the weapon from his hand and pulled a large black blade on him. Green envious eyes bore right into his, and suddenly a crippling pain erupted from Jenkins hip to just under his shoulder. The long slender wound burned into his skin, and then came the crack of a gunshot that was so close to his ear everything began to ring. He felt his leg grow wet, and his body hit the wooden floor hard.

The last thing he saw was the dusty kitchen floor and a pair of black combat boots turning the corner and retreating from his sight. Rex had gone. He couldn't hear the dog no more.

Slowly, his life was sucked out from his body leaving his soul to roam oblivion.

Dollet Dukedom/Westside

September 28th, 2009.

2000 hrs

The break that invited all instruments into a solo created the climax to the song. Drums kept the beat, bass a gentle hum in the background, and guitars playing rapid notes at the same time to give the song its musical identity. The singer seized their vocals for a 25 second break.

His boot tapped along with the music blaring into his ears through white ear buds connected to the Smartphone in the pocket of his jeans. He temporarily checked out of reality while he also thumbed through the latest issue of Weapon's Monthly September.

His blue eyes scanned over some new gunblade parts with interest. There were additional ones and some he hadn't even seen yet. Maybe it was time for an upgrade after all.

Just as he inspected the glossy pages closer to examine the spec list, his headphones were torn from his ears cutting his relaxing evening short.

"What the hell!?" He snapped at the blond standing over him from his spot on the leather couch. His icy glare met a rather amused smile.

"Hey, Squall!" Zell Dincht exclaimed, pushing a flyer of another one of his events in his face. "Wanna go out tonight?"

"No." Squall Leonhart didn't even miss a beat.

"Oh come on, man!" He complained.

"I said 'no', leave me alone." Squall replied, pushing away the flyer and going back to his magazine.

"Pu-lease! Many hot chicks!" Zell sung aloud, pointing to the very line that ensured that many attractive women were going to attend as well. "See? Says it right there!"

Squall grunted, "I don't care."

A sly smile crossed Zell's tattooed face, trying a different approach "Well, guess somebody is too scared to meet anyone special at the party because he hasn't gotten over a certain girl who shacked up with his rival."

Squall growled getting to his feet to storm off into the kitchen of their small Dollet apartment. "I shouldn't have told you that. I knew this was gonna happen."

"Then why did you tell me?" Zell mocked, making his way to the fridge to grab a beer. Their fridge was full of them with the insistence of Zell stating that Dollet was the hub of authentic brews from all over the world. The past two years slowly trickled by for the two ex-SeeD's who where fortunately just shy of turning 20. Outside of SeeD, guys their age were partying, hooking up with women, and drinking. Squall only conformed to the drinking part.

"I might have been drunk or something," Squall answered.

This is where Zell started getting serious. He sighed and slammed his hand onto the nearby counter, "Honestly, honestly? As your best friend, I really think you should move on, man! It's been two fuckin' years, and I don't think Rinoa's comin' back anytime soon!"

"Whatever." Squall shrugged, knowing where this whole speech was going because he heard it at least three times a week, and it never got less annoying. Even Irvine had been getting on his ass about it every time he came over. Squall's new favorite pastime was tuning his roommate and the freeloading, self-proclaimed bachelor out.

"So, will you come to the club or not!?" Zell shouted, "I can't go alone, it'd be weird!"

"Then why don't you not go?" Squall exclaimed sarcastically.

"Because, it's a Friday night, and who stays home on a Friday night anyway? Look, the party doesn't start til 2200. It gives us tons of time to get ready, drink a bit, and go."

"Whatever." Squall muttered, angry at the fact that he was about to relent because he didn't want to hear about it anymore, "What's it in for me?"

"Girls and girls!" Zell chirped.

"Besides that," Squall waved a dismissive hand.

Zell began to think, "Ummm…." His face brightened to an idea like a light bulb turning on. "I'll do your laundry with my laundry fare for a month, make dinner, and also buy you as many drinks as you want tonight!"

Squall deliberated for a second and spoke up again, "How about, six months, make dinner for a week, and keep the free drinks whenever I want deal, and you got yourself an agreement."

As he always did, Zell jumped in excitement and wrapped his arms around Squall into a bear hug much to his dismay. Squall did not say anything after that. He was going to a club with Zell, which involved loud music, freaky men trying to pick up fifteen year old girls who used a fake ID to get in, and women coming up to him for a dance- he hated all aspects of that.

"Oh and Zell?" Squall said when Zell started back to his room. "Don't expect me to dance, because I won't."

The blond waved his hands in the air, disappearing into the hallway. As for Squall, he sighed and settled down to read his magazine again in the living area.

SeeD had disbanded two years ago leaving everyone who resided in the Gardens to find their own paths in life. The two men had lived in Balamb town for a few months with Zell's mother, and then moved out to Dollet just over a year ago as a fresh start.

Squall was still trying to figure his own out, while Zell had considered enrolling at Dollet University to further his studies in metallurgy next term. Irvine had been doing some traveling, living the life as a single bachelor. The cowboy would stop by from time to time and tell them stories of his adventures, often sleeping on their couch for a few weeks at a time. Together Zell and Irvine berated him about his relationship status, and the 'lack of women' in his life.

When Rinoa left something in him broke. He couldn't bring himself to get into another relationship that would inevitably end the same way. More often than not now, Squall believed he was over Rinoa. Other times he missed her.

Yet again, the club scene was not Squall's choice of a good night. He absolutely loathed them with a passion for many reasons. The type of music was far from the genres he listened to. It was party music, and nothing like what he heard in any rock or metal track. This type of music was upbeat; the kind that would give you an extreme adrenaline rush, and make you dance some more.

Squall hated dancing.

Dollet Dukedom/Amaro Club

2331 hrs

And yet, he ended up going to the club that night. It was just hours prior that Squall agreed to participate in Zell's little 'outing'. He and Zell walked through the doors of the nightclub after standing in a line that was so long it circled the block with an hour of waiting time. They had finally got up to the bouncers; two huge muscular men that seemed as if they took steroids to get that big. They both wore black, tight pants, tight shirts, and all. He just passed through flashing his ID and walked through the door with Zell trailing him.

"Check it out, man!" Zell yelled, clearly excited. The interior of the club was an astonishing sight making even Squall drop his jaw in amazement. Lights beamed everywhere in an array of colours that moved along to the sound of the faded music playing in the nearest room.

"There are four types of music. " Zell explained, "Each have their own room. I think they're Reggae, Hip-Hop, Latin, and Electronic."

"Terrific…" Squall muttered. His frown had been ripped from his face as his eyes came upon the hip hop room. The lighting was red and blue with a large bar crowded with dancers and other patrons getting their orders of alcoholic beverages. Platforms came out from the walls with women and men dressed in outrageously colourful outfits grinding up on each other. The music blared from large speakers by the stage playing some over rated song he had heard frequently on the radio as of late. Far atop an elaborate stage was the DJ spinning his remix.

So, this is what a club is like, he thought just as he checked out a rather attractive blonde in a revealing dress strutting by.

"Isn't this place awesome!?" Zell yelled over the loud music.

"I guess!" Squall shouted, turning his attention back to his friend.

"Yo, wanna get some drinks first!?" He asked him and lead the way to the crowded bar.

Zell ordered two Heinekens from a male bartender as they both pulled up a few stools. Their order came within five minutes, and the two were left to sip their beers observing the adjacent women that strode around in their outrageously high heels and short skirts.

Zell's attention caught sight of one brunette that was dancing off onto the dance floor with one of her girlfriends. She wore a faded blue short skirt with a white tank top that showed off one bare shoulder. She had on brown knee high boots that complimented her attire quiet well. Brown bangs flamed her face as her long hair swished from side to side.

When she turned towards him again, Zell instantly recognized her.

He nudged Squall's shoulder, eyes still on her. Squall dealt him an annoyed glance, sipping his beer. "Yo man, look at that brunette!"

Squall scanned the area, seeing five or maybe six brunettes around the spot Zell had pointed. "Which one?"

"That one!"

"Oh her?" He asked with little interest, "What about her?"

"Look at her face, doesn't she look familiar?"

Squall narrowed his eyes while the girl swayed to the music. She was familiar.

Zell jumped off the stool, strolling right up to her from behind and tapped her shoulder.

The girl huffed, "I told you! I don't wanna da-"

Selphie Tilmitt's green eyes lit up. Zell looked peculiar wearing a cleanly pressed white shirt and not the street clothes he usually wore. He had grown in a goatee, and his hair was styled in its usual up do.

"Zell!" She jumped at him, hugging him tightly. "I can't believe it's you!"

"Same…here!" Zell choked and broke off the hug.

Her heart almost leaped into her throat when she saw Squall come up from behind him dressed in a black button up shirt and dark jeans; he looked so out of place on a dance floor. Unlike Zell, his appearance was generally the same as she remembered.

Squall tried to push away any attraction he had for her at the moment as well as the memory of his lips on hers that night in the Quad. Selphie and himself had never spoken about it afterwards- they actually had never spoken at all in the past two years.

Despite this, Selphie still gave him a hug, just like she did when they said goodbye at the train station before she left for Trabia.

"Hey, Selphie." He muttered resorting to a simple pat on the shoulder.

"You guys look great! Tee-hee." She giggled, looking them over again.

"You do, too." Zell complimented, taking in her transformation. Selphie really did look more mature with her hair like that.

"Oh! Guys, this is Stacy. We went to Trabia together, and now we're roommates. This is Zell and Squall. I graduated with them at Balamb Garden!"

"It's nice to meet you two." Her friend smiled warmly, but her brown eyes locked onto Zell's frame in particular.

Stacy was a taller girl than Selphie. She had on a tight black evening dress and matching heels. Her red hair was in loose ringlets that cascaded down to her shoulders. Her hand slipped into Zell's and pulled him away laughing, "Wanna dance?"

"Hell yeah!" Disappearing into the crowd, Selphie and Squall were left alone together. Tension immediately thick in the air.

Trying to avoid an awkward conversation, Squall promptly turned on his heels and weaved his way between the dancers to get another beer at the bar. Selphie followed him.

Once back at the bar area, she found Squall leaning against the counter waiting for a bartender to take his order.

"Heineken." He muttered to the man and passed him off some Gil. "What do you want?"

Selphie knew that he wasn't asking her about the alcohol, and the question was more literal than he made it out to be. She smirked and replied, "Amaretto." The lion sighed, and the bartender went off to make the drink. After getting their orders, the two sat in silence for a while before she broke it.

"So…" Selphie started awkwardly, sipping at her drink through a small straw. "Why didn't you keep in touch with me, Squall?"

Squall remained composed, but knew this was coming. "I was busy."

"Doing what?"

What is this all about?

He replied, "I was working and training."

"I guess you haven't changed much then, huh?"

"Whatever…" was all he could say before he took in another mouthful of beer. Squall didn't know what her problem was. He could sense hostility in the way she spoke and acted. He felt like that comment was unnecessary and a poor attempt to get under his skin. This wasn't the Selphie he remembered.

Selphie tried a different approach, "I guess you're finally over Rinoa. That's why you're here, right? So, you can check out some nice ladies?"

"Not really," Just by bringing his ex-girlfriend up, he knew what her intention was now. Although truthfully, he wasn't really there for the ladies, but had checked out three or four before Selphie showed up.

She scoffed in disbelief, tucking a strand of her hair behind her ear, "Very funny, Squall." As she stood up, she patted his shoulder. He looked at her hand and suddenly didn't want it there.

"I'm serious." He cocked an eyebrow.

The brunette rolled her eyes before turning away. Squall knew he had done something to irritate her. I suppose it's because I never kept in contact with her. I didn't really keep in contact with anyone aside from Zell and Irvine. What was I supposed to say? After a few seconds, he didn't even care anymore.

"It was nice talking to you." She finally said walking off to the dance floor to find her friend, leaving Squall to sulk. The DJ switched songs with a smooth transition, and the crowd of partygoers went wild to the chart-topping tune.

Squall felt the floor under him shake, and all the glasses on the bar rattled and some smashed to the floor. The walls jolted, and smoke began to fill the inside of the club. The sudden rumble was followed by a loud eruption. Between the explosion and screaming, Squall couldn't hear anything aside from the ringing in his ears.

"Everyone RUN!" the DJ yelled through a microphone and disappeared out of sight.

His reflexes kicked in, feeling unfamiliar to him from the lack of consistent training; it was the same feeling he got when a battle broke out. Immediately his thoughts processed the situation, breaking his objectives down into steps. First he needed to get to Selphie, and then he needed to locate Zell and Stacy. They had to find an exit and get the hell out of here as fast as they could.

Squall's hand reached out for Selphie's arm, spinning her around. She was both horrified and confused, but otherwise safe.

"Squall, what the hell's goin' on!?"

"I don't know." He replied, "We need to find Zell and Stacy!"

"Squall!" They heard Zell's shout over the yelling and screaming of other patrons. Stacy wasn't too far behind.

"Selphie!" Stacy cried, hugging her tightly, "What is going on!?"

"I have no idea!"

"We need to get out of here!" Zell yelled.

"He's right. If we value our lives, we have to leave now!" Squall said, still holding onto Selphie's wrist. They rushed to the closest door, the one next to the stage.

The four of them cut through the crowd, struggling every inch of the way to that exit. Half way to their escape route, soldiers burst through the doors and windows with uniforms and guns drawn, rushing everyone in one swoop.

"Soldiers!?" Selphie cried. Galbadian, but not blue. Black uniforms?

"Another Galbadian invasion!? What the fuck!?" Zell snapped.

Stacy pointed out the logical, "This is insane!"

"You're tellin' me…" Selphie muttered, "Squall?"

"Why would Galbadian soldiers be attacking now? What do they want?" He asked himself more than he asked the group.

A distressed shriek drew him from his thoughts. A soldier was mistreating a blonde woman, pulling her by her long ponytail. "Stop it, please!" She pleaded with him, kicking around and flailing her arms.

"Hey!" Squall demanded, "Let her go!"

The soldier laughed, "Who do you think yer talkin' to, kid?"

"I said, let her go." He repeated in a more threatening tone this time.

"And what if I don't?" The obnoxious soldier asked, scornfully smirking at him.

Just a split second after the man had finished asking his question, Squall replied by charging at him. The soldier didn't even know whom he was dealing with; Squall kicked his gun away and made it go flying somewhere on the ground disarming him.

His fist collided into the soldier's face, then three times to the stomach to knock the wind out of him. Squall's left leg sprang off the ground while his right swung high enough to to hook the guy's head with his foot. The soldier's body spun around sending him onto the floor to fall on his stomach. Squall's opponent groaned in defeat, crumbling on the ground holding his bloodied face in his hands.

The woman struggled to get up, panting heavily. Squall grabbed her bicep and helped get her to her feet. "Thank you so much…" she said in a Trabian accent.

Her long hair was tied up in a high ponytail. Her eyes were a honey brown, complimenting her tanned skin. Her blue and white silk dress was more formal than this club even required.

"Umm…pardon me?" Her sweet voice asked, and Squall realized that he was making her nervous with his prolonged stare.

"Selene!" A male called out from somewhere nearby. Squall and the others looked in the general direction of the voice, but couldn't identify who had shouted. The girl named Selene steadied herself on her feet and disappeared into the mess of partygoers.

"How rude! She didn't even say goodbye!" Stacy huffed, planting her hands to her curvy hips.

"Let's go!" Squall ordered.

When they finally got out of the building, the streets were filled with people and flashing lights. Police and swat teams in riot gear got out of various vehicles in preparation to swarm the building. Patrons were either clustering in groups or trying to make phone calls to locate their lost friends, but cellular connection was horribly lacking. The paramedics were there to take in the injured. News station trucks drove into the area and began to interview witnesses, officers, and other personnel.

"But didn't Galbadian soldiers do this?" Selphie asked Squall when they got into a vacant alleyway across the street. The four of them hid in the shadows relieved to get fresh air and a quieter place to talk.

"That makes no sense…" Squall muttered, placing his hand over the scar on his forehead.

Zell took matters into his own hands and stormed out of the alley just when a cop ran by.

"Zell, where are you going!?" Selphie called after him.

"Hey! We saw Galbadian soldiers attack the club! What the hell is goin' on?" he demanded when he approached.

"Soldiers didn't attack the club; terrorists did. We're working hard to get this under control, kid. " The cop quickly explained, "Just round up your friends and get as far away from here as possible. I suggest you go home now." Then the officer left to tend to his duties.

"Hear that?" Zell asked the three of them as he strode back into the alley, "Terrorists!"

"Why would they attack a club of all places?" Squall asked.

"Maybe we should do what the cop said and get out of here," Selphie suggested.

"Good idea, Sefie," Stacy agreed, "But our apartment is on the Eastside, it's too dangerous to go there now with all this chaos!"

"Then come to ours, it's just a few blocks away from here." Zell offered.

A/N: And there we are folks! Writing this is like a roller coaster ride, seriously. Anyways, thanks to for the review. I'd do a shout out, but I guess they were a guest user. Thanks to the person who followed as well! Again, I will try to answer reviews, and I love reading them.

Also, if any of you reading this is a beta user and you like it so far, I would highly suggest we connect. PM me in my profile. I'd love to get your thoughts!

Happy reading guys!