Dreamworld

What Dreams May Come

Part II

The Galbadia Grand Hotel, which catered to the most prestigious in the world from movie stars to ruthless politicians, was now within view. The stars blanketed the crisp night's sky like scattered diamonds in the beautiful city, as the full moon dwindled overhead in massive form. Laguna glanced up, admiring the beauty of the heavens and all the wonders in its grasp.

There were many off-duty Galbadian soldiers and officers just like them wondering the Deling streets. The soldiers were all laughing and frolicking, getting tipsy and having a good time. Most laughed to mask their true emotion, and how they felt at such a hostile time. The war between Galbadia and neighboring country Timber had become violent, thanks to the onslaught of accusations and threats by President Deling. Many men had fallen victim to the war, and more problems were arising due to a mysterious force in Esthar that no one could explain. Whatever it was though, it was big.

Squall could tell through whosever eyes he was seeing through that this definitely took place sometime before the Sorceress War. He had been listening to the three Galbadian soldiers converse about everything that was going on, and was trying to fit the pieces together. What he had gathered brought him to that conclusion that this 'dream' he was having took place in the past. The war between Galbadia, Timber and Esthar had begun a year before the Sorceress War took place, which led him to believe that he was seeing back close to two decades earlier. Subtle clues through the dream had also played a part in his theory. He first noticed the old fashioned G-Army uniforms, which weren't thermal, and did not dawn the advanced Tri-Sight goggles that had been revolutionary to the Galbadian military, and issued to all soldiers. Also, rather than the red and blue BDU's that distinguished G-Army soldiers and officers in present day, all soldiers dawned the same blue uniform, which was how it was back then.

So, he had succeeded in figuring out what he was seeing, now came the part of figuring out why he was seeing it.

Laguna, Kiros and Ward came face to face with the popular hotel, standing across the street admiring its elegance. The building stood tall, soaring above the city with the towering edifices that surrounded it. The hotel was consisted of red brick and steel, which supported its enormous structure. Gold railing and a cornucopia of flowers decorated the entrance. The three soldiers crossed the eventful boulevard, weaving and winding through the traffic jam that was customary on Friday nights in Deling City. Upon reaching the entrance, the double doors swung open, barely missing Kiros as he jumped backwards.

A well-dressed man and woman strolled somewhat quickly out of the hotel, the gentleman nudging Ward rudely as he walked past. "Pardon me, but you shouldn't be blocking the exit, it's a fire hazard."

Ward shot a peculiar look at the classy chap, "We were just trying to walk in, and you bolted out as if there were a fire." He stated calmly.

The man's smug look turned into anger as he placed his hands on his hips, "You should clear the way then, soldier! You should be doing your job, instead of fraternizing with us upper classes!"

"Upper classes? I don't see any upper classes." Laguna replied, legitimately confused.

"You numskull, what do you think I am?" the egotistic man spat.

"A little pansy with a cheap tuxedo and a bad haircut?" Kiros replied as he accessed the young man from a short distance, attempting to get a rise out of him.

The man gasped in offense and raised his nose in the air, "I do not have to take this from the likes of you. Let's go Annette!" he retorted and walked off with his female escort.

Laguna shook his head, "These society types, I'm tellin' ya."

Kiros shook his head and walked towards the entrance, "Can we go in already?" he asked as Laguna and Ward complied, and followed along.

The three soldiers entered the luxurious hotel lobby, which was decorated with exceptional style. The scarlet paint with gold trim lining looked magnificent, topped off with an assortment of bouquets and stone sculptures. Well-dressed concierges and bellboys assisted the hotel guests with luggage and bags, as receptionists were busy checking people in.

Laguna walked up slowly to the counter with his two comrades close behind, and rang the assistance bell. The young, female bellhop turned around, noticing the three frequents standing at the counter, "Welcome gentleman, and what are your plans for this evening?"

"Our plans?" Laguna questioned, looking back at Kiros and Ward, who just stared at him blankly. "Oh, our plans are to drink, of course!"

The girl began to chuckle, "No, I mean will you be staying or are you just visiting?"

Kiros shook his head and walked up to the oak counter, "Sorry about that, he's taken quite a few bumps on the head." He said jokingly, patting Laguna reassuringly.

Laguna stared at Kiros with a raised eyebrow, and focused back on the woman. "…Visiting."

She nodded and looked down at her reservation list, not seeing their names. She had noticed them in there many times before, and was not quick to turn away hard working soldiers. Still, she needed to confirm there were seats available, "One moment please." She said as she walked from behind the counter to the stairs, where she unfastened the velvet rope and proceeded down the twisting staircase.

Laguna leaned over the counter, scouring the shelves below, "Hmm, where do they keep those mints?"

"Please Laguna, you're a trained professional, not a child." Kiros said in a low voice, catching glances from passing hotel guests.

"C'mon Kiros, I just want a min…Huh?" he spun around, appearing dazed for no reason.

Kiros shot him a bewildered look, "What's wrong?"

Laguna rubbed the back of his head and looked around, "Ahh, I'm not quite sure."

Ward tapped Laguna's shoulder with squinted eyes. "Wait a second…is your head buzzing?"

"What? You too?"

Ward nodded, "Yeah, ever since we were in Timber."

"Me too…" Kiros added. It seemed very peculiar they were all having similar experiences, but they had all been through alot, and were overdue for some rest.

Ward shrugged and started shaking his head quickly, "Hey, we're just tired, that's all. We'll be fine after a drink or two, or three..."

Squall had a million questions that were in need of answering, and a new one just arose. The three soldiers had felt a strange buzz since Timber, which was the same time Squall had began having the visions. What did this mean? Did it have something to do with what Squall was experiencing, or was it just war fatigue? It was just one more question that needed an answer.

Two minutes later, the waitress returned form the bar downstairs and stepped back behind the counter, "Okay, you may head down now. There are still some good seats left if you hurry." She added. The three stepped away from the counter, and proceeded down the red, carpeted marble staircase. As they continued down to the bar below, the three stopped and admired how much effort was put into the interior design. The entire hotel was very fashionable, but the bar area was VIP for the most part, with a few exceptions, especially for Galbadian soldiers. The entire area was carpeted in royal red, with the mahogany walls decorated with paintings and flowers. Scarlet silk curtains flowed around the ceiling of the bar, which made for a very intimate setting.

As they walked out on the floor, Laguna smiled and pointed as he seen a booth open in the front, "You see, we'll have some drinks and we'll have good seats for the show."

Ward chuckled as he watched Laguna, "I knew you'd be happy." He said as him and Kiros joined him.

Laguna shrugged innocently, "Why, who's performing tonight?"

"Come on, don't play…dumb. You know exactly who it is!" Kiros said pointing to the display, reading, 'Tonight, Julia Heartilly performs LIVE!'

Laguna blushed as he read it, "Oh, well…I"

Before Laguna could finish, the female hostess greeted them, "Hey fellas! Your table is ready." She informed them and they followed, all along the way getting curious eyes from the more refined guests.

Laguna, Ward and Kiros walked over to the booth, and sat down on the red leather upholstery, "Thank you." Kiros remarked and bowed his head.

Ward slid down lazily into a slouch, "Finally! I'll never take rest for granted again!"

Laguna nodded with a stretch and a yawn, "Tell me about it, I'm pretty tired. I could sleep standing up."

Kiros laughed, "We know. Don't get too comfortable though, the moment we get the word to report back to H.Q., we're out of here." He told them. All three knew that whatever they were doing, and regardless of how much fun they were having, it was not going to last. They swore allegiance to their country, and in a current state of war, they were needed more than ever.

Laguna patted Kiros on the back, "Relax Kiros, lets just forget about Deling, Dollet, the war and all, and just have a good time."

Kiros reluctantly nodded. "I guess." Each had their own little patterns and idiosyncrasies. Laguna was absent-minded, courageous one, Kiros was the sensible one, and Ward just added his two cents to whatever they said. Despite their differences, they were very good friends, on and off the battlefield.

The hostess walked up to the trio and flipped open her tablet, "May I take your order?"

"The usual." Laguna said.

Kiros nodded, "Me too."

"Keep 'em comin'." Ward finished.

Kiros looked over his shoulder, and began to survey the crowd, and then looked back at Laguna, who seemed to be fidgety and nervous. They hadn't made one trip to Galbadia without stopping to watch Julia Heartilly play, so despite what Laugua said, it was quite clear he was fond of her. The waitress quickly delivered their drinks, Kiros and Ward both got the same domestic beer, but Laguna ordered a foreign brand.

Kiros took a swig and shook his head. "How do you drink that crap?" he asked.

Laguna took a big gulp and took a satisfied gasp, "You don't know what you're missin'!'"

Ward laughed and fake gagged himself, before speaking, "So Laguna, Julia should be making her appearance soon. You goin' for it tonight?"

"Going for what? Just let me drink in peace!" Laguna answered and covered his face, trying to avoid what he knew was bound to happen. Kiros and Ward looked at each other with smiles on their face, determined to get their friend to come out of his shell.

Suddenly, a raving applause began to start along with a few whistles and chants. The three looked to the front, where Julia had made her appearance from behind the curtain, "There she is!" Ward blared as he stood up and began to chant along with the rest.

Kiros nudged Laguna, who was staring at Julia with an entranced glare, "What are you waiting for, go for it!"

Laguna looked up to the front where Juila had taken a seat at the black grand piano in the front, "What-ever man…can't you see she's working?" he said, as he watched Julia wave to the crowd. Julia Heartilly was elegantly beautiful, with a sinfully attractive body and a smile that could make any man forget his name. Her brunette hair was strung back into a small bun, and she wore a skimpy, yet tasteful red dress that stole the attention of the opposite sex.

Kiros shook his head and pointed at Laguna. "Don't go back on your word. C'mon, go wave to her." He insisted, playfully pushing Laguna out of the booth.

"Give me a break…I'm not gonna bother her." Laguna said as he took another drink, not once taking his eyes off Julia.

"So you say, but we all know you'll do it." Ward added with a laugh, taking a few beer nuts from the bowl and tossing them in his mouth. Noticing both Kiros and Ward's expecting eyes on him, Laguna knew he had to do something. He didn't want to seem like he was afraid, but he was. Not that he was timid about approaching women in general, but Julia was different, at least in his eyes. While the countless other soldiers and men in the bar thought of her as an object of sex, Laguna saw an angel.

Laguna stood up and looked around him, where he noticed many of his other colleagues had their eyes on him as well. It was painfully obvious to them that he was going to make a move. Word had spread quickly within his platoon that he had an eye for the young temptress, since there was only so much to do on thirty mile hikes and extended espionage assignments.

He looked down at his uniform, which was stained with dirt and grass. He dusted himself off a bit and checked his breath. He was breathing heavily as he stared up at Julia, who was preparing to play a song for her adoring crowd. Laguna walked forward a few steps and stopped, looking back at his buddies, who had their eyes locked on him, 'Gotta keep goin', Kiros and Ward are watching!' he thought as he psyched himself up, and walked forward.

Oh great, I can hear him think too!

He felt as if she were a mile away, seeming like every step were in the wrong direction. As Julia tapped the first key on the piano and the sound reverberated through his mind, Laguna froze, and swallowed. 'If I run from this now, the guys will rag on me forever. Relax, you've made it this far. Just a few more feet!.' He told himself, and walked forward with his fingers crossed

Is this guy serious?

As he neared two-step staircase which led to the performance platform Julia was on, Laguna paused as he heard the music start. He would've enjoyed anything she had played, but she had started with her most popular ensemble. Laguna listened to it as he looked over at her, dizzy with infatuation. 'Ahh, to be this close to Julia. I never thought I would be so close. She's beautiful. I can even smell her perfume. Oh man, I could stay like this forever.'

I think I'm gonna be sick.

Laguna took a knee as he gazed on at the beauty, whose delicate hands were tickling the ivory keys. His knees were weakened by her exquisite looks and piano playing. He stared at her for a few more moments until her eyes lifted off the keys, and met Laguna's. 'Uhh, she looked at me! We made eye contact! Okay, stay calm!' He attempted to calm himself, but to no avail. He tried to stand up, but felt as if his muscles were locked into the kneeling position, 'Oh no, I can't move! Okay, one step at a time. Stand up!' he told himself as he got to his feet very slowly with cracking knees. Looking over to Julia, he noticed she was finding humor in his actions, which frightened him even more. As he took a few steps to the rear, Laguna felt a tightening in his left thigh, 'Uh oh, my legs cramping up! Oooh boy!' he thought, as he stomped his leg on the ground, trying to relieve the pain.

Pathetic.

As Laguna tried to rid of the cramp, he looked up to his fellow soldiers clapping, whistling, and chanting at his humorous attempt at conversing with the pianist. Laguna raised his hand, trying to play off how humiliated he actually was, and began limping back to his table, before a soldier of his same rank stepped in front of him, "Hey soldier! You got a little too close to Julia." He insisted, as Laguna looked and shook his head.

"I was just…" he began to explain, but didn't finish.

"Yeah, yeah. You were just nothing! It's always the same with you soldiers."

Laguna looked the man's uniform up and down, "You're a soldier too…aren't you?"

"Yes, but I've been appointed as Julia's personal bodyguard. You front-liners are all the same, drooling all over Miss Heartilly. She doesn't wish to be disturbed, especially by the likes of you, and tell all of your buddies the same!" the soldiers demanded with a big head as he walked up to the front and stood there to make sure no one else got as close.

Laguna finally made it back to his table, still trying to get rid of the annoying cramp. Kiros began a jokingly slow clap, "Bravo, Laguna. Bravo."

Ward nodded with a thumps up, "Mission successful!" he said and started laughing.

Laguna didn't laugh, and his face was beat read with embarrassment. Kiros slid over in the booth, "Here, have a seat." He offered.

"I didn't think you'd actually do it!" Ward said and took a quick drink, "Our popularity ratings gone up a point." He finished.

"Yeah, but you cut a pretty pitiful figure up there. I'd say you're about a negative three on the manliness scale." Kiros remarked, leaning back.

"Say what you want." Laguna spoke, letting his buddies get their wise cracks in, then looked back to Julia, who had finished her song and was receiving applause. "Man, she sure is pretty." he said, taking an extended sigh of disillusionment. He never really got his hopes up, knowing they were from two different worlds, but he never felt that way before.

As Laguna sat there, swimming through dreams of what life could've been like, he heard Kiros speak, "Uhh, Laguna."

Thinking he was attempting to crack another joke, Laguna blew him off, "I know Kiros, it was weak. I get it!" he sharply rejoined, taking another sip of beer.

"…Laguna?" Ward followed up with a warped glare on his face.

Laguna shook his head, "Not you too Ward! Give me a break, what am I supposed to do? I'm just a big fan, no more, no less."

Ward, for some reason or another, seemed flustered, "Aaaah, we…umm!"

Laguna stared at Ward in wonderment, as Kiros laid a hand on his shoulder, "Laguna, we're takin' off. C'mon Ward!" he said as he sidled out of the booth quickly.

"But…but?" Ward pleaded.

"Let's go!" Kiros demanded, tugging on Ward's heavy arm.

"Coming." Ward complied and moved out of the booth.

Laguna stood up and jumped in front of them. "Hey, what's the rush!"

Kiros pulled a few gil out of his pocket and placed it in Laguna's hand, "It's on us tonight! Relax, and stay awhile! We'll be at the bar." He said as he walked off towards the bar along with Ward.

Laguna looked back at Kiros and Ward's half-full bottles, "You guys haven't even finished your drinks. Where are you…wha…?" he started calling them back, before feeling another presence behind him. As he turned around, his mouth dropped as he seen the woman standing before him.

Julia Heartilly, more of just a local celebrity, but Laguna knew in his gut she would be famous worldwide someday. She had the looks, the talent, everything. She noticed the absent look in the man's eyes, "I'm sorry, did I startle you?" she asked softly.

Laguna couldn't remember his name as she spoke, her heavenly voice echoing in his mind. "I…umm…no. Its…uhh." He stuttered, feeling the tightening his leg once again.

"May I?" she asked, gesturing to sit down at his table.

Laguna couldn't even think straight, so speaking clearly wasn't an option, "Aaaaa..yea…" Laguna nodded and welcomed her to sit, and then slowly sat down at the other end of the table. He raised his head, noticing she was sitting across from him, smiling. After a few moments, he realized he was gaping at her, and quickly redirected his attention back to the floor. Julia was amused with how unnerved he was, but didn't want to bring it to attention, instead thought of a way to make him more comfortable with her.

"Did I interrupt anything?" she questioned, lightly grazing the side of her face with her fingers.

Laguna shook his head quickly, "N…Not at all!" he answered over his racing mind, 'Oh man, oh man, it's really HER! What do I do? Kiros? Ward? HELP! What do I say? But man, she is pretty…' he thought, again catching himself staring.

"You okay now?" she asked courteously with a grin on her face, trying to ease his mind and calm him down.

"…Kind of." He said with a faint laugh.

"How's your leg?" she asked, looking under the table.

He was so besotted that he didn't realize what she was talking about initially, "L…Leg? Oh this…yeah, uhh…it's fine." Laguna muttered out in broken syllables as he stomped his foot on the floor underneath the table, trying to relieve the irritating cramp. "Happens all the time when I get nervous." He said and then quickly bit his lip after the unintended statement. He began to cough trying to shake the panicky feeling that had taken control of his whole being.

"Were you nervous?"

He nodded, "Yeah, I still am…kinda!"

"You can relax. You don't have to be nervous around me." She told him, but it was easier said than done.

"Oh…sorry. I tend to get nervous easily."

"It's alright. Say…" she said with smile, seemingly pondering an idea. She slid closer to Laguna, the silky material of her dress grazing his forearm, causing his body to go totally immobile. She leaned in closer, "Would you like to go somewhere private, I have a room here." She whispered.

Laguna could feel his temperature skyrocket as she asked the question. He knew she just wanted to talk, but the idea of having her alone in a room made certain thoughts run ramped in his mind ."In…your room?" he asked as he swallowed.

She nodded and whispered again, "Well, it's pretty hard to talk freely here. Everyone's listening in." she told him, hoping in her mind he would concur. She slid out of the booth, and handed him a small card, "If you'd like to, please come by. I've been wanting to talk to you." She explained in a hopeful tone. He looked up at her quickly and stared down at the card, which simply read the room number.

As he continued to stare down at the card, he pondered the possibilities. He prayed for the day that this would happen, but now that it actually did, he didn't know if he could go through with it. He half wondered if she were intoxicated, inviting him up instead of one of the other neatly groomed gentlemen in attendance. He shook his head out of humor, just thinking of how resentful his colleagues would be seeing him walk out with her, but he didn't want to think of her simply as a means of making himself look like a stud. He respected her, as he did with most women. Most soldiers were just looking for a quickie before heading back off to war, but he was more of the romantic type.

After seeing him shake his head, she assumed he didn't agree, "You don't want to?"

Laguna was afraid he gave her the wrong impression, "Of course I do!" he quickly replied, trying not to sound overexcited.

She smiled, "Then I'll go ahead and wait for you. Just show that card at the front, okay?" she said, and slowly started towards the staircase, looking back to Laguna as she did. As she ascended the steps and disappeared from his view, he looked back at the card.

"Am I dreaming? No, this can't be a dream." Laguna mumbled to himself, totally shocked over events that had transpired.

This is too weird to be a dream.

"Julia, wants to talk to me?"

He talks to himself too much.

After Laguna gathered enough common sense, he jumped out of the booth and walked around the crowd, until he found Kiros and Ward sitting at the bar talking. He stood before them without a sound, until Kiros noticed and walked over to him.

"So…" he asked with a shrug.

Ward turned around with a smile on his face and wrapped his arm around Laguna, "Don't keep us in the dark, what'd she say?"

Laguna again looked at the card, making sure it was real, "She uhh…asked me to come up." He told them.

Kiros knew what it sounded like, but it sure didn't sound right, "Up? Up where?" he asked.

Laguna rolled his hand and pointed up, "You know…her room."

"That's not funny man. Her bodyguard might hear you and throw a tantrum." Ward joked after spotting Julia's 'bodyguard' right behind Laguna, who became outraged at the remark. As he turned around with his fist clenched, he stopped cold as he glimpsed at the massive man who spoke it. The man smiled, and slowly inched away, smartly.

Laguna shook his head and rested a hand on it, "I'm not kidding, do you think I'd make something like that up…about her?"

Kiros knew how much he liked Julia, and more than that, knew how respectful Laguna was towards the opposite sex, "Damn, you're serious. Well, don't keep her waiting." Kiros responded with exhilaration, and pointed to the stairs.

Ward, who had already drank much more alcohol than he should have, started to laugh hysterically "Yeah, she keepin' da' udda side of da' bed warm for yooooou!" he yarned with an amusing face.

"Excuse me Sergeant, but do not talk about her like that!" Laguna responded, a bit put out.

"Sorry sirrrrr, 'hic' I so drunk."

"Besides, she said she wanted to talk to me." Laguna explained.

Kiros shook his head, "Can you really carry on a conversation with Julia? Make sure the conversation's sophisticated."

Laguna said and playfully adjusted his collar, "No worries, man! That's like, my specialty."

Kiros shrugged, knowing Laguna well enough to be aware of how he acts, "One wouldn't say you converse, though. All you do is yap-yap-yap, and never listen."

Laguna shook his head, "No way. Besides, how often does a regular guy like me get to talk to Julia?"

"Okay, just be careful what you say." Kiros added.

Ward gave Laguna another muscled pat on the back, shoving him and sending him ahead a few feet, "Go get her, Laguna!" he spoke, and then hiccupped in his sottish state. Laguna began to walk toward the steps, feeling extremely jittery as he did. His stomach was in knots, having no idea what he was going to do when he got there. He reached the first step, giving a final glance back to Kiros and Ward, who raised their bottles in a sign of good fortune. Laguna took a deep breath, and started up to the lobby. Upon arriving the front desk, he reached in his pocket for the card he had been given. Moving his hand throughout his pocket, he could not find it. Checking the other pocket, he realized he must've dropped in down near the bar. Looking up, he noticed the attendant looking at him with a smile on her face.

Laguna cursed himself for losing the card, and began to speak, "Hi, I…umm. Whi…which room, uhh…"

"Ahh, Mr. Laguna Loire, I've been expecting you." The short-haired woman replied expectantly.

Laguna scratched his head, "Uhh, how did you know it was me?"

"Miss Heartilly told us to look out for a sweet, good looking soldier who seemed lost. Let me show you to her room." She said as she walked out from behind the counter.

Laguna stood motionless for a moment, still remarkably tense, "Oh well…I, it's just that…okay." He stumbled over his words and fidgeted with his hands, before finally following her to the elevator.

The attendant escorted him to the luxury suite on the 21st floor, which was reserved for celebrities and wealthier guests of the hotel. She showed him to the door, and amiably left after a generous tip from Laguna. He stood in front of the door, just staring at it, still not having a clue what to say. What was there to say? She was a classy dame, and he was a dog of war…'Hi Julia, wanna hear about the time I blew this guy's brains out?' he thought, wanting to walk away, ashamed with himself that he had nothing classy to talk about.

As he lifted his hand and prepared to knock, the door opened to his surprise, greeted with a smile from the lovely woman, "Hi, thanks for coming." She said, moving off to the side, gesturing for him to enter.

"No…not at all. I mean, thank you for inviting me." He stammered nervously, creeping his way inside the room as if he were sneaking into enemy territory.

"Would you like a glass of wine?" she inquired, walking over to the mini-bar and opening a class of expensive white wine.

"Sure…uh, I mean. Better not, I'm on duty, sorry." Laguna answered, still talking a bit fast.

"It's alright. Have a seat." She said, as she motioned for Laguna to have a seat on the bed. He nodded and walked over, taking a seat on the plush mattress with lavish red bedspread. He looked down then over at Julia who was pouring a drink for herself. He looked around the room as he bobbed back and forth, so incredibly jittery that he couldn't sit still. His eyes studied the suite, the sea-green painted walls, the gold lanterns, the tasteful paintings and the doors that led out to the outer balcony. When he finished, he looked down and saw Julia watching him with a smile on her face. Laguna returned the smile, but was startled as he realized he was sitting on her bed. Laguna hopped off the bed, and walked towards the door as if he were looking for an escape. He was exactly where he wanted to be, but wasn't sure how to act.

"Going so soon? We haven't even talked yet." She stood and asked.

Laguna bowed his head, and took a deep breath. He knew it would be so much easier if he told her what he was feeling, and not have to mask it behind nervous gestures, "No, it's not that. It's just that…I'm a big fan of yours, so I'm really kind of nervous, y'know?" he said, looking up at her, but unable to maintain any solid eye contact.

"So, that's why you come to hear me play so often?"

His head shot up, "You…you saw me?"

"You were always smiling and listening, right?" she asked walking towards him.

He couldn't bring himself to believe what he was hearing, but knew she was being honest from the sincerity in her voice. He gradually began decreasing the distance between them, "I mean…there are always so many people around you, I just can't believe you saw me."

She smiled and laid the wine glass down on the dresser, and sat back on the bed, "I remembered you since the first time I saw you. You looked deep inside my eyes, and I was…well, I was moved. But you haven't looked me in the eye since. Every time I tried, you looked away. I even asked your friends about you."

"Wha…?" You talked to Kiros and Ward? They never told me a thing!" he said, vowing to smack them next time he saw them.

"I asked them to keep it hush. I didn't want to scare you off." She replied, smiling with a slight giggle.

Laguna turned around, and looked at the door, trying not to let her see the emotions in his eyes, "Sorry I…I didn't know."

"You don't need to look away from me. You have beautiful eyes. Though they look a bit scared now." He started to turn around as she spoke. He glanced over at her with gazing greenish-blue eyes, as if he had just seen heaven and never wanted to leave. He too had a hold over her, whether he knew it or not.

She stood up, and walked over to him and took his hand into hers, "Don't worry, I'm not gonna pluck em' out and eat em'. I just want to talk, gazing into those eyes." She told him with passion, as he was finally able to stare deep into her eyes without feeling out of place. Their eyes swelled with emotions both wanted to express, but were afraid of doing. Neither wanted to be hurt, as they had both been old enough to have experienced love at its best and worst. He was twenty-five, just two years her senior, and they had both taken very different paths. At the moment though, he felt as though they were on the same page. Squall could feel the surge of intimate feelings the man was feeling, and was lost in a world of thought.

Laguna finally broke the silence, "I must be dreaming!"

"Why do you say that?"

"I just…its not important." He answered, and she slowly pulled away and again sat on the bed.

"Do you like the military? It must take you to some exotic locations."

He pulled a chair from the side desk, and turned it around, leaning his elbows against the back of the chair, "Sure does. We've been everywhere! Ambervale, Easterly Falls, Figaro…lots of cool places."

"That sounds wonderful! I guess you don't have time to get to know many people." She acknowledged, taking a small drink of her wine.

"Yeah, that stinks. Kiros and Ward are my only real friends right now, only people I spend much time with."

"They seem like nice gentlemen." She replied.

Laguna nodded, and laughed as he thought about what Kiros and Ward were probably talking about at that moment, "Yeah, they're cool."

For a moment, there was silence, as both traded smiles. Julia then looked at the clock, and back to Laguna, "Well, I know we don't have much time, but maybe we could get to know each other a little better."

"Wha…sure! That would be great!" Laguna excitedly replied as he shifted in the seat, almost toppling over. He could barely control himself, seeing that Julia seemingly had an interest in him, which was mind-boggling. He looked deep into her brown eyes, which seemed to locked on him at the moment. Squall looked on through the mans eyes, finding the beautiful woman a bit familiar. He had heard that name before, Julia Heartilly. Those brown eyes, he knew he seen them somewhere before…but where?

It was late…really late. Many guests had either departed or passed out in the booths. Kiros and Ward had a hell of an evening, even with their friend's absence. Another guest of the hotel had challenged Ward to a drinking contest, and with all the bets that were put down, Ward had collected nearly eight thousand gil. Of course, thirteen shots of extremely potent liquor took its tool on Ward, who barely knew where he was.

Kiros, who only had about three beers, looked up at the decorative clock on the wall, and then leaned against the counter, "Wonder how Laguna's doin?" he said to Ward, who was looking at back at him through a shot glass like he was looking through a microscope.

Another drunken soldier held his beer up in a toast, "The Lieutenant's gettin' lucky!"

Kiros shook his head with a small chuckle, "Don't let him hear you say that. He likes her."

"Hell, I like her too. Man, if I had her alone in a room like that, I'd…" the tall man began to explain in a suggestive manner.

Kiros held up his hand, "We don't need the details." He said, and grabbed his beer. As he prepared to take a drink, the television by the bar caught his attention.

"If you're heading out in town tonight, you'd be well advised to take Krafton Boulevard. An abandoned military vehicle is causin' all sorts of trouble down on Empire Boulevard near the town square, and traffic is backed up for miles…" Kiros watched, noticing the armored vehicle that had caused all the trouble. Laguna had left the vehicle in the middle of Ventura Square, where traffic was abundant on weekends, and had made for a terrible traffic jam.

One obnoxious soldier, wearing his formal officer uniform laughed out loud, "Man, it's a parking lot out there. Someone screwed up on that one." He said cracking up as he departed from the bar.

Kiros watched as the camera panned over the streets, showing automobiles backed up for miles, "Oh boy…" Kiros said placing a hand on his forehead.

As he prepared to take another sip of beer, a voice alarmed him from behind, "Sergeant Seagill, Corporal Larroco, delivering a message from General Daves!" the young soldier said with a salute.

"What is it?" Kiros asked.

"The Timber Army is advancing towards Ft. Hawk Missile Base, he needs all off-duty military to report back to HQ on the double!" the soldier reported in a very strict manner.

Timber was not wasting anytime on the offensive, "Ten-four." He told the soldier, and turned around to let Ward know, "Ward."

Ward shifted in his seat, and smiled from his semi-conscious state, "mmm…I like popsicles…cherry…"

Kiros was a bit frustrated Ward had gotten so intoxicated on duty, "WARD!" he yelled, shaking Ward vigorously, trying to wake him, "Come on, we gotta get Laguna and get back to base. The missile base is under attack."

Ward waved him off with hit flickering eyes, "Okay, I'll catch up…mmm, ketchup…"

"Get up!"

"Okay…I'm comin'…geez!" Ward said as he staggered off the barstool, as him and Kiros rushed to find Laguna.

Three hours had passed, and they barely scratched the surface on getting to know one another. Both wanted to know as much as possible, but time was running short. Laguna had revealed more to her than he ever had to anyone else, about his past, present and future aspirations. They were out on the balcony, which overlooked nightclubs and mosques, but neither was focused on anything but each other. If it was only for one night, it was one neither would soon forget.

"Yeah, so I don't like fighting too much. But I get to travel, y'know? See new places and stuff. And it's fun cuz Kiros and Ward are with me." He told her, before a stimulating idea came to mind. "Hey, we should all go drinking sometime, Whaddya say?" Laguna became excited and asked her as he leaned forward in anticipation.

Julia laughed slightly at his boyish comment, and nodded, "That would be nice…"

Laguna excitedly clapped after hearing her answer, "Oh yeah, and like, the other day, one of my articles made the readers column, and..." Laguna continued, amazed with how comfortable he had become with her. In two years, he couldn't even bring himself to make eye contact with her, and now he was having an articulate conversation with the pianist. Just then, he could picture Kiros' face looking at him and laughing as he rambled on about this and that. Laguna realized he had been doing exactly what he always did. He got so carried away with his life story, that he hadn't even let her get a word in.

"Geez…" Laguna cussed, slapping his forehead.

"What's wrong?" she asked a bit concerned.

"I tend to get carried away when I'm talking. I promised I wasn't going to do that…"

"Why, I'm really interested. I love what you've told me so far." She answered still gazing at him with starry eyes.

Laguna paused for a moment and stared at her, admiring how beautiful she was under the star studded sky. "So, tell me about yourself, like your dreams for the future."

Julia shook her head, and bowed it, "Oh, its silly."

"Don't say that. What is it?" he said, encouraging her.

"I…" she began, a bit timid. "I want to sing. Not just play the piano, but sing too."

Laguna's eyes burst open, "Oh! I'd really love to hear it."

"But I can't. I'm not good at writing lyrics."

"Damn, that sucks." He replied hardheadedly. He wanted to support her, but sometimes could not find the right words to do so. He was not used to it, thus he wasn't very good at it.

"But, thanks to you, I think I can come up with something."

Laguna stood shocked. "…Thanks to me?"

"Yes. About the many faces you've shown me." She said as she inched nearer to him, placing a delicate hand on his cheek. "Times when you were hurt, worried, or felt pain deep inside you. Your smiles, your face, your eyes…" she said passionately as her lips neared his until they gently touched, sending a jolt of heavenly shockwaves through both of them. As the kiss ended, Laguna's eyes remained closed, hoping to savor the moment for all eternity.

He opened his eyes, looking back the beautiful brunette sitting across from him, "I must be dreaming." He quietly reflected, words barely able to purge from his lips.

"It's not a dream, is it?" she asked a bit tearfully, not able to hide her emotions. She leaned forward once again to kiss him, not wanting the night to end. Suddenly, before their lips made contact once more, a knock interrupted the moment. Julia looked up at Laguna and smile, and he just shrugged. She broke away from his touch and walked to the door. Upon opening it, Kiros was standing there, appearing a bit impatient.

"Sorry to disturb you. Is Laguna in here?" Kiros questioned with a frantic tone in his voice.

Laguna walked in from the balcony, "What is it, Kiros?"

"New orders! We need to get back to headquarters, on the double! General Daves' orders." Kiros said, and walked away quickly, knowing Laguna would want to say goodbye.

"Damn!" Laguna cursed as he walked towards the open door as Julia stood there, obviously disappointed. "I'm sorry to cut this evening short, but I have to go." He told her as he stood before her, just as upset as she was. They had came so far in such a short time, and now it was about to end, so suddenly.

Before Laguna could even get another word out, Julia wrapped her arms around him, hugging him tightly. As much as she wanted to keep him there with her, she knew it was his job to protect the country in the midst of war. Tears swelled in her eyes, as the thought of never seeing him again lingered in her mind, and that thought alone was tearing her apart. "Will I ever see you again?"

Laguna took a deep breath, trying not to let her see how much it hurt him to leave. He stepped back from her embrace, holding her hand in his as he nodded. "Of course, I have to come hear you sing." He said, and began to turn towards the door, but unable to look away. She was a sight for sore eyes, a glimmer of gold in what was otherwise a barren existence. Until that night, he thought himself incapable of feeling such emotions, but she changed that, and he welcomed it. He vowed then and there he would return and reclaim her, no matter the circumstances. As he closed the door, he memorized her face, tracing every bump and curve from her cheek to her chin, her eyes…her lips. He made sure that wherever he was, he could close his eyes, and imagine he was with her, wherever she was.

He would not forget her.

Whoa, that was fast, huh? Gotta keep running with it!

Inside Look

Added a bunch of extra stuff, and I hope you enjoyed it more than the games version, which I wasn't particularly fond of. I also didn't want to make Laguna seem like a moron, just a little lost at times. Hope it worked! Not much else to say here, so I'll just move on.

Prodigy's Corner

Not many reviews, oh well…like I said, I really love reviews, cuz knowing my story is being read and enjoyed is what keeps me going. It's more than that this time though. After reading Peptuck's, I am intent on completing my version, which will be similar, yet very different. If I had to explain how mine is going to be different, I would probably say that it will be a lot more fantasy-like. Lot's of GF's and magic, lots of side quests that will tie into the story rather than slow it down, but like Peptuck's, it'll have its fair share of sci-fi and technology. And, of course, a ridiculous amount of originality. Enough rambling…

DBZ FF Queen: I could've went either way with the hair, but being in the military it just felt odd having a man with that much hair. But don't worry, he will soon dawn his flowing black hair. I don't wanna give the Major thing away or spoil it, but like I said, if you know the game, you probably know who it is. Now let me finish my beef!

Noacat: Won't be seeing Laguna saying 'whatever' much, it was more of just a way to make Squall think.

Kaiser: Yes, back for good, pending people lose interest, then there's really no reason. Nida will have at least a moment, especially the way I have the Garden battle playing out.

Okay, dats it fo' now! Every chapter I've posted thus far has been posted at least once in the past, but guess what? The next chapter and so on will be debuts! And unlike last time when I got to this point and I was burnt out, I am just getting started now, so get ready for what's coming.

Next chapter will still be out next Friday, since I want to take this time to revise older chapters and perfect the next. But hey, ya never know, it might come out earlier. But as of now, look for next Thursday or Friday. Lata y'all!

Prodigy