Fluff chapter. Figure you guys had enough of that angst crap for the moment. Although there will be a little more of it in the upcoming chapters. I would like to thank Ashbear for helping out with this chapter, means a lot to me. Thanks!

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Chapter Ten: The Promise

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Whomever stated that space was the final frontier, was speaking the truth. It is a never ending ocean of blackness with only the flickering light of far distant stars as the only visible evidence that it truly exists. If were not for those stars there would be nothing, no one could see how empty and hollow space truly is. When her gorgeous brown eyes fluttered open, all she saw was the darkness, pushing at her, and wrapping emptiness around her body. The next thing she experienced was the numbing cold as it gnawed away at her sanity, leaving her feeling isolated and alone. Shortly afterwards she was overcome with grief, she had broken a sacred trust, she had unwillingly deceived the one that meant the most to her. The voice had told her that he would come, to save her. Free her from this eternal darkness, this prison that held her breath at bay and prevented her from feeling the touch of his skin, his lips as they brushed against hers. Never again would she hear him whisper 'I love you'. She didn't notice that she was crying until the tears began to lightly drip on the transparent visor that separated her from the cold blackness of that final frontier. Her had began to spin as her breath became rougher and more sparse. The realization that he was not coming both terrified and delighted her. She was not sure that she could ever face him again knowing that she had hurt him. She would rather die then live with that knowledge. Seeing that all was now lost, she let hopelessness claim her weary eyes, silently telling him one last time that she truly loved him. As the seconds passed, she felt the urge to admire the serene beauty of her crypt, her eyes flickered open and there it was....the lion stared back at her, its brow knitted in anger and its mighty jaw hung open, once again in a silent roar. The faint light from the distant stars reflected off its finely crafted surface, and for one brief moment somewhere in the back of her mind she heard a muffled sound. Like an animal crying out in rage. She smiled to herself, maybe that roar wasn't so silent after all.

Out of her peripheral vision, Rinoa saw a flash of white surround and wrap around her. She heard a faint click sound then a rush of warm air blew her hair about as the backup oxygen unit was activated. She felt herself being tugged around, her eyes clenched shut. She did not want to wake from this dream, because it surely would not be him if she opened her eyes. A light ticking sound on her visor echoed in her helmet, and try as she might Rinoa could not resist the urge to open her eyes. Please, don't let this be a dream...

Rinoa opened her eyes, and he was there. In all his masculine beauty. Her knight. He had come for her. She saw how his eyes showed his relief and joy, his smile made her weep. She wanted to hold him close to her to feel his skin and brush his beautiful hair away from his gorgeous eyes. Although they could not speak, they didn't need to. Their eyes told each other everything. His eyes told her how much he missed her and how he much truly loved her. She saw the corners of his mouth raises slightly to reveal a tiny smile then his lips parted and he mouthed the words. Stay close to me. If she had enough oxygen she would have laughed at his way of trying to lighten the seriousness of the situation. As happy as she was, and as much as she tried to keep her eyes open, the weariness that had tried to claim her body earlier finally took hold. So she slept, oblivious to the large object that appeared before them. Still, she slept, content in the fact that he knight had come, despite all that she had done.

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Squall let her sleep. After pulling her through the ghost ships cargo door he stripped their space suits and carried her to bridge. He went about trying to decipher the controls of the ancient ship. He had placed Rinoa's sleeping form on one of the command couch's. Every so often he would glance back at her to make sure that she was still breathing.

Ragnarok...do you read us?

Startled by the sudden communication, Squall sat down next to Rinoa and began pressing buttons hoping that one of them would be the radio. After a few short moments an audible click could be heard as the radio switched on.

"Umm...Hello?" spoke Squall.

Greetings Ragnarok! This is amazing! Are you okay up there?

Squall raised an eyebrow at the excitement in the mans voice, "Uhh...yeah. I'm fine. Just not sure how to get this thing back to earth."

There was a short pause before the radio cackled to life this time with a new voice, Well, we can take care of that. There should be a console to your right with a world map displayed on the monitor. It's a touch screen just bring up Esthar on that map and press it. Then on your left there is a red button with the words 'Auto-Pilot' under it. Press that button then we can guide you back to Esthar safely.

Squall saw the world map display and touched the area where Esthar was located. "Okay, done."

Good. Oh, one more thing. Is the sorceress with you?

Squall looked down at the sleeping Rinoa, who had now cuddled up next to him and placed her head on his lap When did she do that? This woman had come to mean so much to him. She had broken the walls that covered his heart, and showed him what it was like to love. He could never look at her as anything other then Rinoa. He loved her more then life itself, this fragile being who was pure and innocent. Who made him laugh for no reason other then that she could. She was now a sorceress and he was still a SeeD. Member of a military unit created and trained to defeat the sorceress. He found his hand softly running through her hair, she made no noise at the contact, only smiling slightly and drawing closer to him. His Rinoa. His sorceress. Never would he raise a hand to strike her, never would he turn against her. The thought of turning his back on SeeD didn't please him all too well either, but it was a sacrifice that he knew needed to be made. She loved him, had proven it many times. Now it was his turn to prove his love for her.

Squall switched the radio back on and paused before speaking, "No...she's not..."

He quickly killed the radio and turned back to the map display, scanning for some place that he could take her. Someplace safe. Only one place came to mind, a small beach on the western end of the Centra Continent. The place where he had spent the early years of his life and the place where they had in a past life made their promise. There she would be safe. And he would make her a new promise.

Squall placed his hand on her cheek and pressed the auto-pilot switch. Soon she would be safe.

****

"Squall...?"

"I'm here, Rinny..."

"What...where are we?"

"Open your eyes, Rinny." he said in a whispered chuckle.

Rinoa's eyes fluttered open. The intense light from the sun blinded her at first and she had to clench her eyes open and shut a few times to adjust to the brightness. The sight that welcomed her now focused vision was one of true beauty. Before her laid the picturesque flower field behind the orphanage that Squall and his friends had grown up.

She observed that there was a leather arm wrapped around her midsection, she followed the arm with her eyes until they came to rest on the chiseled face of her lover. His gorgeous blue eyes staring back at her.

"Squall!" her voice trembled as tears of joy and relief filled her almond colored eyes.

Squall pulled her closer to him as they lay on a soft mound of flowers, the sweet aroma filling their senses. He brushed a strand of hair behind her ear and kissed her softly on the forehead. She clung to him, resting her head on his chest with her warm tears now flowing freely down her cheeks.

"It's ok now, Rinny...I'm here..." he whispered while trying to fight back his own tears.

Rinoa pulled away from him and turned her head so he could not see the hurt that had spread across her face, "No, Squall...I...I hurt you...I betrayed you..."

Squall grabbed her wrist and gently pulled her back into his embrace, "No, you didn't. What happened was not your fault."

"It doesn't matter...What's done is done, I can't go back and change it." she continued. "I'm a sorceress now, we can't be together...I would only hurt you..."

Rinoa tried to push herself away from him but he only held on to her more, refusing to release her. Rinoa wanted to struggle against him, but found herself unable and also unwilling. She needed him, now more then ever.

"No, Rinoa...I told you once before that I didn't care...if you were a sorceress. I meant it then...and I mean it now."

"Why? How can you trust me?" she pleaded.

Squall paused for a moment then answered, "You are my angel...I have faith in you and only you. This whole world could go straight to hell for all I care."

She lifted her head to look upon him, "Why do you love me?"

Squall wiped the tears from her cheeks and smiled, "Because you are everything to me...nothing else matters to me but you."

Rinoa pressed her hand against his cheek and smiled through her tears, "Squall...are you sure about this? I don't want you to...do anything that you don't want to do."

Squall's lips spread apart in a heartwarming smile, "Never been more sure of anything, my love."

The same words that she had spoken to him the night they made love. Words that broke down the walls of doubt and uncertainty that she had recently erected around her damaged psyche. Yes, she needed him as much if not more then he needed her. It was a need rooted in love, and strengthened by understanding and commitment.

She hesitated a moment then gently took his hand, intertwining their fingers and asked him in a regal and loving voice, "Squall...Would you be my knight?"

Squall went down on one knee not once taking his eyes from hers, "Rinoa Heartily, I pledge my life to you. Not out of duty or responsibility, but out of love. Forever will I guard your body and spirit, forever will I stand by your side...forever I will love you. Forever your knight."

With tears streaming from her brown eyes she gently placed her hand under his chin and guided him to his feet, "Squall Leonhart, I pledge my life to you. Not out of duty or responsibly, but out of love. Forever will I guard your body and spirit, forever will I stand by your side...forever I will love you, my knight."

Squall smirked, "So does this mean we're going steady?"

Rinoa laughed and slapped him playfully, "It means more then that...it is a bond stronger than any legal marriage. Nothing can ever break it."

Squall leaned forward and softly pressed his lips against hers sealing their bond with a kiss, a bond that is eternal. In this time or any other. Shortly they broke the kiss and just held each other his arms holding her close and her wrapped around his waist.

"Squall?" she asked in a whispered voice.

"Yes?" he replied softly.

She bit her lip and closed her eyes silently praying that the offer was still available, "The answer is yes..."

He smiled, "I left it there for a reason you know?"

She giggled, "You're a sly man Mr. Leonhart, you know that?"

Squall chuckled, "My slyness does not compare to yours, Mrs. Leonhart."

Rinoa squeezed him tighter, releasing herself into his strong body as he took all her fears and doubts into himself. She opened her eyes slightly to reassure herself that it wasn't a dream and noticed a strange object laying on the ground next to his jacket. It appeared to glow with a faint translucent shade of blue.

"What's that Squall?" she gestured to the object.

"Oh...well. Funny thing happened on the way to Esthar." he laughed then continued. "Turns out my father was once the President there."

He took her hand and walked to the object that Rinoa could now identify as a large gunblade. Squall bent down and picked it up. She stared in awe at the weapon, its blade did indeed glow a light blue and was nearly transparent. The handle was carved in the shape of a lions gaping maw looking oddly similar to the Griever ring she wore around her neck.

"It was my father's. The aides at the palace said that he used it in the war against Sorceress Adel. He left it for me..." he whispered.

"Father? Oh, Squall...I'm sorry." she squeezed his hand. Now it was her turn to take his pain away.

He nodded, "It's ok, Rin. I think somewhere and somehow I always knew. But now that I do know...it feels good. He left me something. And you want to know the ironic thing about this gunblade?"

She nodded then laid her head on his shoulder.

"My father called it 'The Lionheart'."

"It is the weapon of a knight, my love. And no knight deserves it more then you." she replied tightening her hold on his waist.

Squall turned to her and wrapped his arm around her waist. "We're gonna win this time, Rin. I want you to believe that. Because I do."

She smiled at him sweetly, "I believe as you do, my love."

That night as the warm breeze caressed their bodies and the pleasant aroma of the various flowers filled their senses, the sorceress and her knight once again became one. Strengthening the bond that they shared. An act that had never once occurred in any other timeline, something that the powers that had gathered against them never thought would occur. Over the two lovers, high in the night sky, a shooting start shot across the horizon. A sign from fate, once again giving the lovers its blessing.