A/N Incredibly long wait, sorry! School, and stuff like that, university can be a real btch. Story's almost done, really I mean it

verdiani: late reviews, late updates. . . heh just kidding, I guess all that matters is FINISHING this story.

Arami Heartilly: This is going to another two chapters, that's where this is going. Well, story-wise I'm not entirely certain, except it'll be an ending for the books

. . . : So did I! So I wrote one :)

Karaoke Risa: Thanks for the compliment, I hope your emotions take a good turn.

Charm65: best one so far? I like that. Thanks, Charm65

Lynn-Minmay: How could I not have the posse step in? I mean, it is ME after all. :)

Twin-Lance: Lee, you are my muse would send hugs, but a couple of cracked ribs and extreme pain are preventing me. I wanted Squall to feel a bit more real, like an actual guy who, for all things concerned, is beginning to feel better about life and everything else. at least for a minute. Yeah, I tend to drag things out this fic is proof of that and it's sad, really I can't just finish things, but the Laguna/Raine scene at the end felt right. It just did.

"Okay. . . and plan b?" Laguna said looking over the prospective plan of attack Quistis drew up.

"We run like hell to the White SeeDs and call Eden and Bahamut"

"Are you out of your mind?" Squall said, breaking his silence, "Not happening. We'd better think of a new plan and fast"

"Rinoa won't be in any danger"

"How can you be sure? She's not a Lionheart"

"No, but she's carrying one" Laguna said, rubbing his chin and letting the plan haphazardly fall to the bartop.

"I thought you were on my side!?" Squall said, spinning around as Seifer began to speak,

"Listen, Squall. Griever won't hurt wings. He can't. Not until Squall Jr. is screaming at the world"

"I don't wanna hear it Seifer!"

"Well sorry Commander High and Mighty, but that's the best we can do"

"Then leave!"

"NO!"

"Why!!"

"Because Ellone asked for our help! You don't seem to get it, do you!? We gave up our freedom to come help you! The least you could do is stop with the bullshit and take a logical look at what Trepe and Elle are proposing here"

"Advice from Judas"

"Squall!" Rinoa yelled, "Hello! Rinoa here, yeah, the one you're bickering over? Right here! Ever thought of asking what I think about this?"

All eyes on Rinoa, the room fell eerily calm as Fujin pulled Seifer back down to his chair, whispering quiet assurances in his ear as Squall stood beside Rinoa fuming.

"Okay then, now that I have your attention, I think this plan can actually work"

"Rin"

"Nuh uh, Squall. Lemme finish. I'm not thrilled with the whole idea either, but what else can we do? I think. . . the more time I spend in Winhill the more I know that reuniting Ciel with everybody is what Raine wanted. In her dying breaths she wanted it. She wanted Ciel to know the world and it's about time we honour that. Squall, Ciel is the last piece of Raine we have left. Now that we actually have the choice of chasing the monsters again, will we? Laguna did. He got Ellone back. Yes there probably will be a sacrifice, but think of what we're here for. Maybe it is for death, but I doubt it. Hyne is fair, but she has to follow the rules she set up. Otherwise she'd be no better than Griever."

"Well said, my child"

"Eddie!" Laguna greeted, standing up to leap over the bar and give his sister-in-law a hug. With a short chuckle, Edea Kramer patted Laguna on the back, before turning to adress the group.
Dear Laguna,
My hands are shaking. As you can guess I am barely holding onto my pen. I saw Griever today. I was out in the field watching the Chocobos play. It was always something we loved to take Ellone to, but this time I was alone, and there was a lot of breathing and rustling coming through the trees. I thought it was just another Chocobo until it charged, and . . and I don't remember much more than getting knocked over by a huge molten wall of air until being plastered against the grass by something a bit more familiar. Griever came to save me and it was as horrid as the first time. Maybe worse. No, it was worse, because I didn't have anyone to worry about other than myself and the twins. Yes, you read right, Laguna, we're having twins. Twins! I want them to have weather names, just in case. I know you tell me not to worry, but I do anyways. All the time. I wish I had gone with you, but I never would have made it. You know that. I hoe you get this letter, although I have a feeling you've already left where I'm sending it to. Three came back last week, and I'm getting your letters and the cheques from Timber Maniacs. Everything will be alright. Please let everything be alright. Tell Elle I love her. Please. I hope you come home soon. Please, I need you.

Love, Raine
"She loved you more than anything"

"Yeah. Me too"

"She wanted this"

"I want to hold her again"

"Ciel?"

"Raine."

"I know. I want to see her, too"

"I was her husband, Edea. I loved her more. . . I was ready to give up everything I ever dreamed about to live in this dink of a town for her. EVERYTHING!" Laguna threw the glass to the ground and it went shattering to pieces against the cobblestone of the porch. Taking sobbing wretches of breaths Laguna let his eyes water as Edea knelt and sat beside him on the step just . . . staring at him with those big, dark, dangerously gentle eyes. It was all Laguna could do to breathe.

"I want her back"

"I know"

"I want her"

"Do you regret chasing after Ellone?" Edea asked, slinking a feminine arm over Laguna's heaving shoulders.

". . . Sometimes, but then I just have to look at Ellone and I feel happy all over again. Squall. He's so like Raine in so many ways. He reminds me of her so much more than Ellone does. Ellone will always be that little girl, but Squall: he's Raine's SON. Our SON, and I hate it. I hate that I couldn't just be selfish and leave Esthar to the fallout of Adel and take Squall and Ellone to Winhill again, I hate that I had to watch him grow up without him knowing I was his father, or that I was even there, but the thing I hate the most is the anger Squall has, the bitter, tortured personality he conjured all because of me. Life would have been so much better for Raine without me. She wouldn't have died if it wasn't for me. It's all my fault, Ed. Just like Griever said, it's all.. my fault"

Edea sat back, watching the wretch of a man that sat beside her. He should have been a king. This wandering warrior who was dumped at Raine's door by an overflowing river had the fate of worlds in his hands and he hated himself for it. In all her wanderings and her days, Edea had never seen a man so destined for something much greater than most people will imagine. The balance of all things was held in his hands, he had one more weight to either add or take away.

"What do you want to do?"

"I want to see Squall happy"

"What else?"

"I want to hold my daughter again"

"Then do it"

"There are too many risks"

"Not for you"

"For everyone else! I can't risk any more lives! Not again! I did it with Raine, Ellone, Kiros, Ward, Esthar, Squall! Who else? Oh, you! I can't, Eddie, I just can't be the one who gives the order for someone else to die"

"If you do not, Squall will."

"He's the soldier"

"He's 19 in a day. You have seen him, do you want another weight to fall on his shoulders? It will break him"

"I know"

"Then"

". . . I'll do it. I just. . why does someone always have to die?"

"Why do some always have to live?"

". . . You mean Raine don't you"

"All she wanted was to love and die in peace. She got that."

"There was no peace in her death"

"Her body had given up. She had nothing left to fight with. Everything she had was put into birthing the twins. Would you have had her linger?"

"Can you just tell me what the moral of your story is?"

"Her death was a mercy"

"No"

"Laguna, she lived, she loved, she gave everything to you. Are you going to still be selfish and say no to the last thing she had left to give you?"

"Stopit"

"Are you going to let Ciel wither away like Raine would have?"

"It's not LIKE that"

"It is and you know it. Ciel didn't kill Raine"

"Having her did"

"Raine was dead long before they came"

"No!"

"Laguna, you can't have Raine back"

"I know!"

"You can have Ciel"

"Some consolation"

"It should be"

". . . I know. I KNOW! I must sound horrible, I know Ciel's everything I have left of Raine, but can't I just be selfish?"

"You sound like Squall"

"I am his father"

"You will be fine, all of us will get through this, and Ciel will be rescued from Griever"

"Maybe it's not Ciel who needs the rescuing"

"We have a better chance with this plan than Squall did with Ultimecia"

"Skin of our teeth, great."
"Achem. If you two are done moping, I think I can do something to help, here"

Laguna and Edea looked up to see Mrs. Jordan standing with her hands on her hips and a hankie in her hand.

"What do you want?"

"I know Ellone's gifted. I seen her do it, and don't tell me different"

"Okay, what's your point?" Laguna asked, wringing his hands.

"She has to use somebody who was there to send people back, right?"

"Yeah. . . and there's no one left. . "

"Don't be too sure, Mr. Loire. You're looking at the midwife"

Realitization grazed Laguna's face as he stood with Edea at his side.

"Ellone!! Squall!!" he shouted, running into the house where everyone was preparing a last battle.

"Well, if that don't beat all hosp. . ."

Running back out, Laguna lept and wrapped his arms around Mrs. Jordan, giving her a big kiss on the cheek before swinging her around,

"Thank you!! thank you thank you thank you!!! Elle!!! Stop. . . EvERYTHING!"

After Laguna left to scramble up the troops and the new plan, Mrs. Jordan just stood there, Edea beside her.

"He just. . . said the nicest thing anyone's ever said to me"

"Laguna can be like that"

"You know, I think everything's gonna turn out just fine."

"Mrs. Jordan? I have a feeling you're right"

"Huh. What a day"
"Please! Listen to me! Don't hurt them, please!"

"I have no choice"

"Yes you do!"

"Silence!"

"Or you'll what? Send me to my room?"

"Ciel, I saved you for a purpose, I will not give that purpose up"

"Plans change, they want me back, why not let them?"

"You are mine!"

"Not anymore"

"Ciel, I gave you life"

"And I thank you for it, but I'm not a doll or a pet, I'm supposed to be your master, not the other way around"

"What are you saying?"

"I'm saying you can adequately protect all of us if I'm down in the world"

"That is impossible"

"They may have found a way"

"Ciel"

"Griever, let me go"

Bowing his magnificent head down low, Griever sighed thick and pulsing with a weary voice.

"As you wish"

"Thank you" Ciel whispered, reaching up to the Guardian's furred face, gingerly letting herpalm and fingers run across his cheek and up to his forehead and the crest of hair below his red crown. Purring, Griever shivered once, as Ciel smiled broadly.

"Everything will work for the best, I promise"

"Never forget"

"I won't"

"You are a Queen, Ciel Lionheart, you shall rule the world"

"What if I don't want to?"

"You will always rule me"

"I'll miss you"

"Ask and I will be there"

"Squall has the ring"

"I will make you a crown"

"A little one"

"To match your beauty"

". . . I'm scared"

"Let fear drive you"

"I'm still scared"

Griever grunted softly, taking the young woman into his arms like a father to a child, comforting her in the knowledge that all the immense weight of grief and sadness in the history of the world would be taken off her shoulders, onto his. As time crawled, they waited for what?

They hoped they knew.