NOTICE: The following chapter is was originally intended to be part of chapter 7, however I think it is best used in this context. You might find it rather odd, and a tad short, but I did it this way for effect. And hopefully it affects you:)

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Chapter Eight: Breathe!

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"Well...that didn't go so well did it?"

Squall opened eyes. Everything was a blur, shadows stretched out as far as he could see. He ran his hand over his face, and heard the faint sound of a raspy breathe coming from his right. Slowly and painstakingly he turned his head and saw a figure standing near him covered in a dark gray cloak and hood. He could see piercing grayish-blue eyes staring back at him. The face was old and lined with wrinkles and the hair that protruded from under the hood was brown with long streaks of gray.

"W-who...are you?" he asked in a coarse whisper.

The old man smirked at him, "Lets just say...I'm a friend...You might want to take a look around, see if anything looks familiar..."

Squall swayed his head about and saw that he was still in the auditorium of Galbadia Garden. The witch Edea was frozen in place to his left, a scowl upon her face, Seifer was still standing in front of him gripping the gunblade that was still digging into his stomach, his own blood frozen in the air mere inches from the ground. Squall could see his friends beyond the wall, their expressions a mixture of shock and horror. He laid his eyes upon his angel, her tear streaked cheeks and red puffy eyes tearing away at his soul.

"Sad isn't it?" the old man asked with a sympathetic tone.

"What happened?" asked Squall, keeping his eyes on Rinoa.

The old man chuckled, "You died. Isn't that obvious?"

Squall shook his head, "I don't understand...If I'm dead...how can I see you? How can I see them?"

"Okay, I guess I'm gonna have to get technical. Fine, you're not dead. But your damn close. You are in that place between life and death. Here time stops. Here, I control time."

"Why?"

"It is my curse and my gift. Listen to what I tell you now, Squall Leonhart. There is a power at work here that you cannot begin to comprehend. I have existed...for too long, and I have seen so much. More than anyone one man should ever witness... So, anyway...I am going to help you. Just this once, I am going to turn back the hands of time, and give you the chance to live."

"Why would you do that? What power is behind this?"

"I believe I already answered the second question. You're not ready for the truth. I know I wasn't...Your first question is much simpler to answer. I don't want to see...I don't want this to happen again. For too long I have allowed it...I couldn't stop it before...I was too afraid of failing, afraid of having to watch her die all over again. Now I must stop it, or atleast lend my aid, so that you and her can prevent this horrific nightmare from occurring again."

"Stop what?" Squall whispered.

"Stop that witch from taking your life away! Stop her from changing everything to fit her own foolish greed! Stop your love from dying a horrible death! Stop time from repeating itself!"

"How? I don't understand?"

"Damn! How did I-you become so fucking stupid? Think! All the visions, the dreams, the white light...it's all connected, Squall...It will come to you..."

"Okay..."

"Through you, I shall have my redemption...I warn you though, what happens here in this place after you return cannot be changed, that is Fate. Time knows no master...but Fate rules all..."

The old man slowly walked over to Squall's broken and battered body. He placed a wrinkled finger on the young man's forehead and began to whisper in a dialect that Squall couldn't understand. Squall raised his eyes to meet the old man, and for a brief moment he saw beyond the shadows that dwelled beneath the hooded cloak. He saw the features of a man that was incredibly old, he saw the blue-gray eyes that might once have contained an unbridled passion for life, now they were hollow and drowning in despair. He saw the faded outline of scars both physical and spiritual. But it was one of the physical scars that caught his attention.

"What I wouldn't do to have a mirror...Heh Heh...don't worry boy...you wont remember what you saw, only what you heard...now...BREATHE!"

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Breathing is a natural phenomenon. So many people take it for granted, they live their lives not once understand the true meaning of the word. The sun rises and sets, day becomes night, people in love have sex, trees produce the oxygen that allow those same people to breathe. Yet they still do not understand it. So well will attempt to explain it to you in a simple way. To breathe is to live. To live is to see that sun rise and set, to live is to make love, to live is too see those beautiful trees produce the one thing that no one understands, but everyone needs.

The blood that had once filled his lungs gave way to an even greater power, air. It started slowly at first, only inaudible intakes of life giving air. Then it began to increase, more air was drawn in, his lungs filled as that life giving air pumped the blood out of his lungs, and back to the places that he needed them most. His eyes fluttered then opened, darkness became light. Sounds that were at once familiar yet unknown rang in his ears. His mind began to register ideas and memories as synapses fired in his cerebral cortex, feeling returned to his extremities, not the cold numbness that he felt before, but actual pain. He welcomed it.

He heard the bark of a firearm and muffled screams. He felt a burning sensation in his gut and he welcomed it.

The bark of Seifer's gunblade silenced everything and everyone. Then he heard Seifer howl in pain and then felt the man recoil from him.

Squall looked down to see Seifer had released his grip on the gunblade and was now holding his trigger hand and screaming in agony.

Backfire.

BREATHE!

Squall lifted his broken gunblade over his head and then drove it down into Seifer's chest. The taller man screamed as Squall pressed the jagged blade further into his chest cavity as blood and tissue sprayed forth from the wound. Seifer was forced to his knees, his screams turning to gurgles as blood forced its way up his throat and out his mouth.

Squall looked down at his old friend, his eyes burning a hole through him, "Now...it ends..." Goodbye...old friend...

The broken gunblade roared then flashed as the ferro-titanium shell tore through Seifer's chest puncturing major arteries, a lung and finally ripping through his heart, before it gorged a fist size hole in his back and impaling itself into the carpeted floor.

Seifer didn't make a single noise as all this happened, his emerald eyes stayed transfixed on Squall's sapphire pools. Even as he fell backwards to the floor, his eyes continued to stay on Squall's, and even as his last breath left his ruined lungs, Seifer's eyes remained, never closing.

Squall heard a monstrous scream from behind him, and as much as he wanted to turn to face the source he found that his body did not hold that same desire. He felt himself began to stumble forward slowly, he tried to put his foot forward to hold himself up but his legs were too weak to support his weight. So he fell, only it was not what he expected, someone had caught him and gently placed him on the ground. He could feel his head being propped up and rested on something soft and firm. He tried to open his eyes, but it was too hard. They, like his legs were too weak and heavy. He could feel cold palms on his face, brushing the hair away from his eyes, he knew that touch...

"Rinoa..."

"Shhh...I'm here baby...don't be scared..."

"Seifer...?"

"He's gone, my love. Don't worry about him..."

"I'm sorry...I didn't...have...a choice..."

"Shhh...I know...You're gonna be just fine...trust me..."

"Zell! Damnit, help him!"

"Where the fuck did Seifer go?!"

"Impressive nuisance...I will end your lives now...you are nothing without him..."

"Squall...I love you...wait for me ok? Don't leave without me..."

"FUCK! Die Witch!"

"Zell! Please, don't worry about me! Help Squall!"

"Rin!"

"Rinoa?!"

"What happened?"

"Matron?"

"Oh dear God...what have I done?"

"Matron! Please help them!"

"Move! Let me see him! Oh Squall...I am so sorry, this is not how it was meant to be...Forgive me..."

"FUCK! There's too much blood!"

"We have to stabilize him!"

"Quisty, grab Rinoa! Get her back to the Garden!"

"FUCK! Don't you DIE on us Squall! You hear me! You better hold on damnit! Rin needs ya man!"

"SHIT! Look at all this blood! How the hell did he live this long?!"

"Rinoa...."

"Wait for me, my love...Don't leave me..."

"Selphie! Put your hand here! Do NOT move it! Keep pressing down on it!"

"Ok Ok, please don't die Squall...That would make me sad....Squall? It's Selphie...can you hear me?...pleaaaseee don't die..."

"I don't give a shit how many people you got in the infirmary! You damn well better make room for 2 more! Both are critical!"

"Zell? They gonna make room?!"

"The bastards better or I'll kill them!"

"Rinoa..."

"Wait for me, my love...."

BREATHE!

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Whew! I don't know about you guys...but that chapter gave me chills...heh, that was cool...R&R!!