(DISCLAIMER: I took some liberties with Ellone's age to give her more of a true older sister feel.)

Morning came and the gang was gathered around the Ragnarok; everyone except for Rinoa and Squall.

Selphie scanned the area. "Where's Squall and Rinoa?"

Irvine shifted his hat on his head. "I have no clue but I though this flight left bright and early. Well atleast its still bright." He smirked.

"I'm sure there is a reason for their tardy..." Old Quistis again. "For them not being here. Don't get bent out of shape." She tucked her flailing hair behind her ear, dying to put it in a ponytail.

Quistis, in the spirit of continuing to change herself, had opted for a new selection of clothing for this trip. She wore a pair of form fitting black slacks with an equally form fitting red jacket and black high heeled boots. She felt confident with her new found look. Not to mention sexy!

Zell shadow boxed with himself, as he usually did when he was bored. "Man I'm bored. Let's get this show on the road already."

Selphie shifted from foot to foot. "I hope everything's okay. I haven't really seen Rinoa since I been back. Maybe something happened to her."

Zell shook his fist. "DAMMIT that's it I'm going to look for them!"

Just before Zell could walk away Rinoa and Squall cam running across the field.

Selphie put her hands on her hips. "Hey where were you guys? We were worried."

Quistis laughed. "You guys were worried. I knew everything was alright."

Selphie playfully jabbed Quistis with her elbow.

Rinoa stood there silently as if her mind was miles away. Squall glanced at her and then to Selphie.

"I had to let Xu know that we were leaving and that she would make the decisions in my absence. She even found a cover for you classes Instructor."

Squall smirked at Quistis who blushed.

Damn I forgot all about my classes. I definitely got to Xu a major thank you gift.

Squall turned to Zell. "And Seifer helping our Fujin with the recruits, so Zell your covered too."

Zell nodded.

Squall nodded in Selphie's direction. "Ok Selphie, set the course for Esthar."

Selphie beamed. "Right away captain."

The ramp of the Ragnarok lowered and Selphie ran up it followed by Irvine. The rest of the team filed in on after another. After they were all in the ramp raised and sealed itself with a hiss. Selphie and Irvine took their seats in the cockpit while everyone else took their seat down in the rest area.

Rinoa had been so caught up in herself lately. She didn't want to seem so distant but so much was going on. She looked at Quistis who sat across from her.

"Quistis you cut your hair! It looks gorgeous on you!" She found herself smiling which was something she hadn't done a lot lately.

Quistis ran her fingers through her hair. "Thanks, just thought I needed a little change that's all."

"Yeah, yeah she's smoking hot but what's the plan once we get to Esthar?" Zell asked looking at Squall.

"Well we need to talk to Dr. Odine to see what he can do about Rinoa's powers. That's our first priority."

With those words Rinoa's smile diminished a little.

"Hey you think Sis will be in Esthar?" Zell asked. "She is close to Laguna after all."

Squall shrugged. "Who knows. She very well may have went back to the White SeeD ship. It would be nice to get a chance to talk to her again."

"Squall after we finish up in Esthar, you think we can look for the White SeeD ship? I think we ask them to join Balamb. Since Sis isn't being targeted anymore there's no need for her to hide or for the other SeeD to be separated from us. And even if they don't want to stay at Balamb Garden the can always we helpful at Trabia."

Squall nodded.

"Oh man! That's an awesome idea Quistis! That way we could be around Sis more like when we were younger. I wished I thought of it first."

Inside the thought of being around Sis made him so happy. He was so devastated all those years ago when she left without warning. And when he saw her a few months back he never really got a chance to express himself.

"You know what? Let's go to the SeeD ship now." Rinoa looked at Squall but said nothing.

"Is that alright with you Rinoa?" Squall asked.

Rinoa smiled again. "Yes. I want to meet Sis too. She's the one who helped you save me right?"

Squall nodded.

"Then I owe her a thank you anyway."

Zell hopped up out of his seat. "Imma let Selphie know to head for the Centra continent." He ran out of the rest area.

Squall could feel the Ragnarok changing its course. Hel sat down beside and Rinoa who laid her head on his chest.

"I love you." He said to her.

She smiled. "I know I can read your mind remember."

They traveled for what seemed like hours until they felt the Ragnarok land.

"Selphie must have had a time some trouble tracking them down." Squall said as they exited the rest area.

They met Zell, Irvine and Selphie as they were coming down from the cockpit.

"Those White SeeD guys were pretty darn hard to track down but I found them." She sounded so proud of herself.

"And I helped." Irvine said with a goofy grin pointing to himself.

They exited the Ragnarok and saw the White SeeD ship docked near the edge of a nearby coastline.

Once they made their way onto the ship Squall decided that he alone should speak with their leader and made his way to the leader's cabin.

"So we meet again. I have to congratulate on the completion of your mission. We owe you debt of gratitude."

Squall waved his hand. "You don't owe us anything. It was something that had to be done. We just so happened to be the ones to do it. But since the threat is over I was thinking that you could join us at Balamb. There's no more need to be secluded anymore."

The leader paced back and forth for a moment. "That's seems logical, but I must first talk to everyone else to get their feelings. a good leader always takes into account the feeling of his people. Excuse me."

He stepped out of the room leaving Squall alone.

Moments later he heard the door knob turning. That was pretty fast. I wonder what the verdict is. The door opened.

It was Ellone, the girl whose life he saved from Ultimecia's plan and the Sis he'd loved as a little boy. His heart thumped in his chest.

"Hello Squall. I saw the others and they told me that you were here. I had to see you again."

Squall felt his eyes tear up. "Sis."

Ellone walked over to him and hugged him. Squall hugged her so hard he feared might snap her in two. He reluctantly let go as she looked at him.

"Oh it is so good to see you again. My little Squall, all grown up and saving the world." She laughed. "I have missed you so. All of you. Come, there's so much to discuss."

She grabbed him by the hand and they sat on a chair in the corner of the room. "I wanted to apologize for leaving you Squall. As you saw, there was nothing I could do when sorceress Adel came looking for me. I had to go. I just wish I could have said by to you all and let you know how much I loved you."

Her eyes started to tear up as well.

"Sis you have nothing to apologize for. You had it rougher than I thought. Having to leave two places you called home just so you could feel safe, but never really being completely safe."

Ellone nodded. "Its true. This place has truly become a home for me. And I'm grateful for that. But there is something else you must know."

"Much of the past you have experienced through the eyes of Uncle Laguna; his being a Galbadian soldier, coming to Winhill and rescuing me. But there is more to the story that I must show. I doubt anyone else knows what I'm about to show you. Are you ready Squall?"

Ellone reached out her hands to Squall. He nodded taking her hands. She closed her eyes. Squall felt the a tingling in his mind as he lost conciousness.

(Winhill 17 years ago)

A five year old Ellone stands at the bedside of a pregnant Raine.

"I went and got Miss Fox just like you said. I was a good girl right?"

Raine tried to smile through her pain. "Yes Ellone you are a really good girl. You been such a big help to me and the baby."

Her breaths were ragged. She was hit with another contraction.

"Raine are you gonna be ok?" Ellone looked so worried.

"She's gonna be just fine kid." Miss Fox said as she entered the room.

Ellone stepped back as Miss Fox moved over to Raine. She lifted up the sheet covering Raine's body.

"Oh boy! This baby's ready to be born. You're already crowning."

She turned to Ellone. "Honey can you get a bucket of warm water and lots of towels?"

Ellone nodded and took off running.

"Now Raine I need you to relax as much as possible. And push when I tell you, okay?"

Raine nodded still breathing heavy.

Ellone came back with the water and towels.

"Okay Raine, push!" Raine screamed out in pain.

Miss Fox took the damp towel and patted Raine's forehead. "You're doing fine honey. Just keep breathing."

Raine started shaking her head. "I can't push anymore. It hurts so badly."

Miss Fox wiped her fore head again. "Honey let me share a quick story with you. All my life I lived in this town and I told myself that one day I would leave and move to Timber. But for years things just kept popping up and kept staying. But I have faith that I can do it that I can move on with my life. Now you got to have faith that you can do this honey. Okay?"

Raine whimpered but nodded her head. Miss Fox lifted the covers once more.

"Oh my honey, you're almost there. When I tell you, give me one more huge push. Push!"

Raine pushed and screamed and in a matter of minutes she heard the sounds of a crying baby.

Miss Fox cut the umbilical cord and toweled the baby off.

Ellone looked on in shock. The baby was so little and pink and loud.

Miss Fox brought the baby over to Raine.

"Congratulations Raine, it's a beautiful baby boy."

Raine held the baby in her arms as tears rolled down her face.

"My beautiful baby boy. You look so much like your father."

Ellone moved closer to Raine.

"Raine is that my baby brother?" Raine smiled.

"Yes Ellone. This is your new baby brother Squall."

Ellone danced around the room. "I wish Uncle Laguna was here to see baby Squall."

Raine's smile faded. "Me too honey."

Squall felt himself return to consciousness.

Ellone looked at him with tear filled eyes.

"Raine died a few days later. Miss Fox wanted to make sure you and me were safe so she sent us to Edea's Orphanage. She said that since we and Raine were gone she may as well move on too. It was the last I saw of her."

She wiped the tears away from her eyes.

"It's a bittersweet memory; your birth and her death. I'll never forget it I but try not to revisit it. It was hard living without Uncle Laguna and Raine. But I showed you that so you would know who you parents are Squall."

Squall stood up. "You mean to tell me..."

He couldn't say the words. His mind raced. The whole entire time I was looking on Laguna's life I was really watching...

He tried not to believe it but things started coming back to his remembrance. In Dr. Odine's lab Laguna had worked with and rescued a Moomba. And in the Shumi Village there's a stone statue of him. And in the D-District prison the Moomba's called me Laguna. They thought that I looked or seemed enough like him to be him!

Squall turned and looked at Ellone. "Laguna is my father?"

The words sounded so odd coming from his mouth. He never thought about his life in terms of parents. The orphanage and the Garden was all he knew.

"And Raine was your mother." Ellone said softly.

Squall walked over to the chair and sat back down. "I don't know what to say. I mean what can you say?"

Ellone sat down beside him and took his hands. "I know it's a lot to take in but it is the truth. He never knew about you and we all ended up separated. Only to be brought back into each other's lives once more."

Squall scoffed. "The whole time I felt that I was alone and I had a family out there in the world."

Ellone hugged him. "We are going to change that. I'm leaving the White SeeD ship to join you."

Squall looked shocked. "What? You're leaving I thought this place was your home?"

Ellone nodded. "It is and will always be. But as Miss Fox told me all those years ago 'I've got to move on'. And that's what I'm doing. I'm getting my family back together." She smiled through her tears.

"It's funny that you said that because that's the reason I came here; to ask you and the White SeeD's to come join us at Balamb, since there's no need to keep you hidden anymore."

Ellone smiled wiping away her tears. "That's an excellent idea. Oh I can't wait!"

Just then the leader came back in. "Oh Ellone I had no idea you were here."

She and Squall both stood up.

"It's okay Jacob. I was just getting reunited with my little brother."

Jacob looked at Squall. "I had no idea you two were realated."

Neither did I. Squall thought to himself.

"Well we have come to a decision. We will take you up on your offer to join the Garden. We will start making preparations to move soon."

He walked over to Squall and extended his hand. "Thank you so much. Truly, you are a great leader." Squall shook his hand.

"You too." Squall looked to Ellone.

"We are heading to Esthar now. I have to take Rinoa to see Dr. Odine."

Ellone clapped her hands together. "Perfect while she's with Dr. Odine we can go see Uncle Laguna!" Squall gave a half smile.

She might be excited to see him but I'm not. What am I supposed to say, 'Hey I'm your long lost son who helped save the the world?'

"Squall, let's go get the others so we can head to Esthar."

Ellone left out of the cabin.

Squall turned to Jacob. "Just head to Balamb. Once you get there speak to a young woman named Xu and tell her that I sent you all. She'll know what to do afterward."

Jacob nodded and Squall left the cabin.

He walked until he saw the gang standing there with Ellone, Zone and Watts.

"It's good to see you and the princess again sir." Watts said shaking Squall's hand.

"I hear we're moving to Balamb to join the Garden." Zone said also shaking Squall's hand. "We get to be near the princess again."

Rinoa smiled. The thought of all them safe and together again was a happy one.

Zone's hand went to his stomach as he doubled over in pain. Watts walked over to him. "Don't worry sir. Everything will be alright. Come on Zone."

They walked away to the upper level of the ship.

Selphie squealed in excitement. "Now that Sis is with us everything will be great!"

"Oh yeah!" Zell said loudly. "Next stop Esthar!"