Author's notes: Hey guys, I'm back with an excuse for my unplanned, repetitive hiatuses and a new chapter with it.

For those of you who have given up on my reasons, feel free to skip to the chapter. As for those who demand an answer, I can simply put it like this:

I'm a mummy to a beautiful boy!

He was born in May, but, for those of you who have kids will know, I've been busy with taking care of him, learning to be a mother, usual household errands that seem never ending that it left me no time to write. Now he's six months old it's got easier and I use what little time he allows me during his naps to write and managed to flesh out a chapter.

I do hope you'll forgive me for the delay and keep up with this story. I know my updates are seldom but I'll try my best to update when/if I can. I won't give up on this story, even if it takes me years.

Thanks to all of my reviewers, it's really down to you guys that I keep writing because I know how irksome it is when something you're really engrossed in is left incomplete. As for those who don't bother to review - *blows raspberry*

Chapter 25 – Reason To Lie

"How do I know you're going to tell me the truth?"

"Do I have any reason to lie?" Squall looked at me blankly from across the bedroom. He stood leaning against the desk, while I sat on the bed opposite him.

It was true that he did not have any reason, or benefit, to lie to me; however, being kept out of the loop for months left me sceptical and doubtful that what I was about to hear would be the whole truth. It's not that I had trust issues; I just couldn't believe I was finally being granted closure. Nevertheless, my scepticism got the better of me.

"Can't think of any reason, but I don't believe you'd suddenly tell me the truth because you have a guilty conscience. Exactly what's in it for you?"

"Rinoa, you don't have to believe anything I say, but you damn well know our fathers aren't telling us anything worth hearing," he rebutted. "There's nothing in it for me to tell you what really happened two years ago, but I know if I were in your shoes I'd be really grateful for an olive branch."

"Well, thank you and I'm sorry," I said sincerely, "I'm just still a bit confused why you're being nice to me all of a sudden."

"I was being an asshole before; I apologised, didn't I?" Squall smiled.

I couldn't help but wistfully smile back. "Yeah. You were – just a bit surprised you've returned back to your old self so quickly."

"And how would you know what my old self was like?" His words jokingly challenged me.

"Hey, I read your diary, remember? I know all your deepest, darkest secrets," I teased.

Squall snorted and laughed. It took me aback slightly; this was the first time I had actually heard him laugh and, even more shocking, he was laughing at something I had said. I'd seen him smile and lightly chuckle once when Selphie was here a while ago, but I had never seen this happy, carefree side of him. It was refreshing.

"I doubt there were any dark secrets in a journal written for a school project. Nonetheless, on the mention of your reading my diary, I have dibs on yours," Squall remarked.

"Is that so?" I played along. "Well, unfortunately for you, I don't keep a diary."

"That is unfortunate. I guess a kidney will have to do instead."

I burst into confused laughter. He had a weird sense of humour. Before we could continue further, our mirth dissipated as we heard movement on the landing and then a light tapping on the door frame.

"Only me," Laguna whispered, shuffling into the room.

Immediately the atmosphere in the room shifted. Squall had tensed up and my smile had disappeared.

"Listen, guys, I know you're upset and probably don't want to see either of us right now, but I'd like to regain your trust and respect by giving you our side of the story."

"Why now?" Squall asked, echoing my current thoughts.

"It should have been before, I agree. I'm sorry it came down to this, and I don't want to pressure you, Rinoa, but please, don't be too hard on your father."

I winced at the mention of him.

"Just hear me out?" Laguna pleaded.

I waited to see if Squall would resist, but he seemed to be as eager as I was. Eager or hopeful, I wasn't sure exactly which, but this was the final time Laguna would be granted the chance to tell us what was actually going on.

"The truth is Vinzer Deling is a greedy, immoral coward who only thinks of money. He's not afraid to act like a lapdog to anyone who will exchange millions of gil with him even if it means the downfall of his country. He was behind the murder of your mother in order to get your dad to quit the Galbadian cabinet."

"Why?" I asked.

"To secure the treaty with Shumi Village. When Lance had assassinated their leader, the country was left in martial law with no proper government. Galbadia and Esthar set up a treaty with Shumi; each provided billions of gil to reconstruct the city, but in exchange for power and interest. Shumi is indebted to provide interest on the money borrowed, sixty per cent of the mining and extraction rights must be given on any natural resources found in the country, and once they have stabilised their army again, they must aid Galbadia in any future foreign affairs," Laguna briefly explained.

"What? Like wars?" Squall enquired.

"Yes. Esthar have also placed the same conditions, but have stipulated that no Shumi citizen is permitted to seek residence in Esthar until the debt is repaid. Only problem is the debt and interest is colossal; both countries will have a hold of Shumi indefinitely." Laguna shook his head and sighed.

"What does that mean?" I asked.

"What that means is Shumi is like a captive with no hope of release. They will build their country anew only for these two tycoons to reap the benefits. The people will never fully be independent – any laws or rights they want to pass will always be scrutinised to see if it harms or benefits Esthar and Galbadia in any way. Of course, it shouldn't be like that," Laguna quickly added when I opened my mouth to object. "If I had known what Deling's intentions were I would have never played a part in it."

"You were involved?" I was somewhat surprised until I remembered back to something Laguna had revealed the last time we spoke about this issue.

Laguna had helped Shumi Village, not only to rebuild the country, but also, because his friend Lance Walters was a citizen. At the time of the treaty he hadn't known Lance was responsible for the assassination of their president. When the man had fled his country, Laguna had concluded it was down to the country's civil war, and that pushed him to execute the treaty to make his friend's country a home again.

"Sadly, yes. But, at the time I thought it was the rest of the world coming together to help out a country in need. I didn't realise where it would lead. Shumi has abundant natural gases, and just before the leader's assassination they discovered oil, which everyone knows translates to money. Galbadia and Esthar are like pirates to stolen treasure."

Squall didn't seem to be satisfied with what we were hearing. "What does this all have to do with us? We don't live in Shumi Village."

"Squall, Deling wants nothing but money and power. Taking General Caraway, who has never fought in an illegal war, or aided in corruption, out of the cabinet allows him to provide assistance to any evil he sees benefit. He and Jugo have made deals under the table, and God only knows what they've planned for the rest of us," Laguna said defeated.

Hearing the things Laguna was saying was hard to swallow. My mother was killed to force my father to retire? All because someone wanted a couple more million gils in their bank account? There was not an ounce of humanity, or morality, in these people. They treated the rest of the world like pieces in a chess game. They were out for victory and they were willing to destroy anyone who got in their way.

"That can't be right!" I bellowed. The two brunets looked at me in surprise. "He met my mum, he's been to our mansion for thanksgiving; how could he possibly have her killed over a job?"

Laguna glanced at his shoes for a moment. He chewed on his bottom lip before telling me something I wanted to so badly to disbelieve; telling me something that made my stomach churn in disgust: My mother was a bartering chip, ransomed to get my father to do what Deling wanted, however, what my father didn't know was that Deling was behind her kidnapping, the calls her abductor had made to Dad prior to her death, and that it all boiled down to whatever they had planned next.

Squall had at some point crossed the room and stood next to me with his hand on my shoulder. I only realised his close proximity when my shoulder was gently squeezed. It was only faintly comforting. There was nothing that could take the pain away from knowing the cold, ruthless truth.

"By the time we learned that Deling was behind it, it all made sense. He kept insisting your dad did as the abductors ordered, that it was better to reason with the terrorists than to fight them. Fury thought Deling cared for your mother and acted on his advice." Laguna continued.

"He announced his leave officially, I remember that. It was two weeks before her death, and I thought it was because she had left him. I hated that she had such an influence over him that he couldn't work any longer. I thought he was depressed from the love he still had for her – he couldn't think of anything but her. That's why I thought he wanted to quit!" I cried.

All the years of pent up frustration was for nothing. I felt pity for my father; I felt sorrow and guilt over what he had faced, but in reality it was all misplaced. I shouldn't have been angered by my mother, or despised her for leaving him and also leaving me. She hadn't left . . . She was taken away.

"I'm sorry, Rinoa. There were so many times he wanted to tell you, but he was afraid if you knew the truth you might want to do something about it," Laguna excused my father's behaviour.

"Like you guys are," I replied sarcastically.

"We have a lot more experience dealing with these situations than anyone else, I can assure you."

I shook my head. "Is that why we moved here?"

"To safeguard yourselves? Yes. Also because I needed someone to watch over Squall and I knew Fury would be the best person."

Squall's expression didn't change in any way. His nonchalant attitude felt somewhat perplexing giving the nature of the conversation. Downstairs he was flying off the handles, but in the bedroom he was calmly listening to every word Laguna uttered without interruption. Whether that was in respect to me, or not, I wasn't sure; nevertheless, I was very much appreciative.

Laguna carried on telling us more about what had happened since my mother's death up until Raine and Ellone's death. President Jugo had done to him what Deling had done to my father. In order to secure Laguna's departure from Esthar's presidency he had terrorised the Loire family until it resulted in two casualties. Everything was done without trace so neither Dad nor Laguna could do anything about it, or confront the men. Eventually they both planned to play by the same tactics.

"So, what do you have planned?" Squall asked the million gil question.

Laguna seemed hesitant again until Squall reminded him this was his last chance to tell us the whole truth.

"We still have my aids, Kiros and Ward; they'll be keeping an eye on Jugo's plans for the meantime. He doesn't seem to be planning anything big – that we know of. But when they've found incriminating evidence against him they'll provide me the information, and I'll make sure Jugo and Deling pay for what they've done," Laguna promised.

"You've skirted over the questions somewhat," Squall argued. "Exactly how are you going to make the dogs that killed our families pay for what they have done?"

Laguna sighed and scratched the back of his neck. "I'm not sure."

"You're not sure? You're not sure!" Squall's seething demeanour was back. "What the hell do you both exactly do in these secret meetings of yours? Drink peppermint tea and eat cucumber sandwiches? Your wife and daughter are dead. Do you hear? Dead!"

Laguna stared silently at Squall as the younger brunet kept yelling. I could understand Squall's frustration at wanting revenge, but I also didn't think Laguna deserved the brunt of Squall's wrath. It wasn't like he could do anything openly when he was supposedly dead. This wasn't a walk in the park; they were dealing with criminals and powerful men who could just as easily finish off the rest of us. Any action Laguna and Dad were to make needed careful and strategic planning. I understood that. Squall didn't.

"All this time you've let this guy get away with it – you let Deling get away with Julia's murder for two years. You don't care, do you? So long as you're all right, piss all that happens to anyone else."

Laguna moved quickly. He marched over to Squall and gripped him by the collar, shook him hard and squared up to him.

"You!" He said through gritted teeth. "You are all I have left and I am not going to run blindly into a death trap to seek justice when the same fate could happen to you next. I want revenge. I want to see him burn for what he's done to our family. However, I will not do it at the cost of losing the only person I have left to love. What good will it do me if I lose you, too?" Laguna swatted Squall lightly on the side of the head, then he choked a cry and pulled the younger man close to him. Squall's arms hung limply by his sides.

There was no doubt that Laguna was in pain for what had happened to his family, but he was a smart man to wait and bring justice at the correct time. I hoped Squall could finally realise that.

Their silence allowed me leeway to think about my own mother and the people behind her death. Would I ever find out who was directly involved? Did Dad already possess that information? Did I want to know the full details? My head was spinning from confusion. I felt like I couldn't breathe; knowing what little Laguna had confessed felt suffocating. Sure, it was much easier accepting she had died in a car accident. But, knowing she was murdered . . . I didn't know how to handle that. I wanted to say sorry to her, for doubting her, for hating her, and for not crying at her funeral.

The men who were responsible had no morals, no conscience, as far as I was concerned. I couldn't fathom how humans could do that to one another. And all for what? Money. Power. Status. It disgusted me. I wanted Deling to rot in hell.

"There must be more to it," I found myself thinking out loud.

"What do you mean?" Laguna asked. He frowned at me in perplexion.

"Why would they go to such lengths just to get you both to quit your jobs? Killing your families just doesn't make sense. No matter how lunatic they may be," I surmised.

"You're not wrong there, Rinoa. I also told your father I thought there was more to it, specifically because of how Jugo's spoken to me over the years. He knows I'm originally Galbadian, my father fought in the war against Esthar sixty years ago, so there definitely is some racist or xenophobic agenda," Laguna replied.

"Then why would Jugo make treaties with Deling who is also Galbadian?" Squall pointed out.

"That's where I get stumped. I don't know why he'd do something so personal against me, I've only ever interacted with him when I became president and he was senator." Laguna massaged his forehead with both hands, then ran his fingers down his face and rested them on his mouth. "Something just isn't sitting right," he mumbled.

"Maybe that's what it is, your father fought against Esthar in the war – in essence he had destroyed the land you'd go on to rule; a bit ironic, if you ask me," I remarked.

"I guess that's reason enough. War is such a damaging thing; it can help save a nation or destroy it. Galbadian authorities had a lot to answer for that war; a lot of innocent Estharians were killed in towns that were illegal to fight in." Laguna paused for a bit and then added, "My father didn't like talking about the war much, but often he'd close in on himself, deeply pensive, and I just knew he was thinking about it."

"A lot of veterans aren't ever the same after the war," I said.

"Actually, my father wasn't too bad after the war, it was only when he had reached his eighties that it started to affect him. He seemed lost, guilt-ridden even. He'd always say to my mum, 'Why'd they send me, Noa? Why me?'"

"Grandad had it rough, I guess. Must have seen things no one would dare wish on another," said Squall.

Laguna nodded and breathed raucously through his nose. The three of us were silent for a short while again, in that time I gathered my thoughts.

There was more to this than we knew and we wouldn't find out until we spoke to either of those men. I needed answers and I was sure Squall did too. There was no way that we could sit back and allow them to walk the earth innocently when they were guilty of three people's deaths. Eventually, we'd have our vengeance.

"So, let me get this straight," I said. "My mother was murdered two years ago by men hired by Deling. Your mother," I nodded in Squall's direction, "was then killed back in March by men hired by Jugo. Both of these men have some agenda and have made deals with each other that involves removing our fathers from power."

Laguna nodded. "That's correct."

"Ok. Only the thing is you don't exactly know why – other than a broad desire of money and power – why they did this instead of just manipulating the media against you to ensure you're not re-elected,"

"Correct again. Except I very much believe there is more to my history with Jugo," Laguna confirmed.

"You and Dad have aids 'spying' on Jugo, but what about Deling?" I asked.

"He did have someone, but he got caught."

"Who?" I asked.

Laguna looked unwilling to reveal the information and was quick to apologise for agreeing to tell me the whole truth: "Honestly, it's better it comes from your father. I don't want him to feel I betrayed him by telling you things he wants to protect you from."

"Again, with this bullcrap," I moaned. "I know a lot more than before; I highly doubt anything else is going to put me in jeopardy."

"His name is Martine," Squall cried next to me. His eyes were on Laguna, as if daring him to reproach him for his unwillingness to play by Laguna and Dad's rules.

"Martine?" I looked to Laguna for confirmation. He remained silent. "He was here a couple of weeks ago. Before I found you in the basement, there was a night I woke up to loud voices. He and Dad were talking about someone tracking his every move. They spoke about a suicide, or a planned suicide – a fake suicide! Your suicide!" I cried pointing my finger at Laguna as I recollected back to that night.

Laguna tutted. "Yes, that was my suicide they were probably talking about."

"So, that's means he was either talking about Deling or Jugo coming after him."

"He was talking about Deling." Laguna clarified. "I've said too much."

"Not enough!" I argued. "Did Martine find anything on Deling?"

Laguna nodded.

"What?" I demanded.

"Rinoa, it's nothing substantial . . . There is a record of a large sum of money paid to an account only for it to be reversed three weeks later, the owner of the account was the man who serviced your mother's car." Laguna sighed and ran his hands through his hair.

"But you said she was kidnapped and then murdered," I argued. I huffed in agitation; we were jumping from one topic to the next without any order. "What happened to her?"

"She was only kidnapped until your father announced his retirement. She was let go, but they had messed with her brakes and acceleration and that's what caused her death. She wouldn't have crashed otherwise," Laguna explained.

"Then we need to find that asshole and make him confess," I spat angrily.

"He's . . . He's dead. No guesses Deling was behind that, too," Laguna spoke quietly.

I shook my head. There had to be another way to expose Deling. It wasn't fair that he had got away with this for so long. I wouldn't let this be the end. Mum didn't deserve to have her life taken away like that, nor did Raine and Ellone, and I was adamant that I would do everything in my power to help Squall to find a way to make them pay.

Dad knocked at the door and came in to join us. His face was pale and his eyes-bags looked as if he hadn't slept in weeks. He croaked an apology and asked if he could speak to me alone. Squall and Laguna took that as a cue to leave the room, without waiting for me to reply. Laguna merely nodded as he walked out, and Squall, for the second time that night surprised me by giving my shoulder a squeeze and genuinely smiled at me, almost as if to say 'hang in there'.

Being alone with Dad made me feel anxious; I didn't really want to speak to him, but I also wanted to hear him out. However, looking at him was the hard part as I instantly thought of mum and my eyes welled up.

"Dad, please, if you ever loved me as your daughter, you'll be honest with me and tell me you have a plan to make Deling pay," I whimpered before he could get a chance to say anything.

I placed my hand on my mouth and swallowed hard to stop the lump in my throat from forming. But it was too late. The tears had already started falling.

Dad walked over to me and placed a hand on my head. At first he was silent and I wasn't sure whether he was giving me a moment to gather his thoughts. Although, I was angry with him, I found his hand comforting.

"I will do everything in my power to make sure that that man rots in jail for the rest of his life. My dear, the one lead I had was exposed, so you'll have to bear patience until I find something solid. But, don't you fret, God will expose him one way or another," Dad promised.

He was quite the speaker and had a part of me believing that he was going to bring about justice. Yet, another part of me cried harder because I knew his words were more of a comfort than an oath.

"How can this be happening?" My question was rhetoric. It was a testament to how contrasting our lives were before Mum's death and now. I was just a normal teenager who happened to have a father who worked for the government. Now I was the daughter of a murder victim, living with a boy who was in witness protection, and a man wanted for murder. My life had spiralled into a web of chaos and depression. I hadn't the slightest knowledge of how to cope with it all.

"I'm sorry, Rinoa. I'm sorry I didn't tell you all these years, but this is exactly the pain I wanted to save you from." His words came out patronising and it was the last thing I wanted to hear.

"Don't you dare," I said, scowling at him.

"It's the truth," he insisted.

"I've been demanding the truth from you for ages and all I got were lies. I think I can tell one from a mile off now. You kept this from me, and I don't care what your reasons were, they were wrong. I should have known! She was my mother, and you made me hate her," I croaked.

"I didn't realise—"

"What! That making her out to be the bad one wouldn't make me love her less? You tainted the memory I had of her!" I shouted.

Dad dropped his eyes to his shoes.

"Just . . . just leave me alone." I couldn't look at him any longer let alone be in the same room as him. Dad knew I was hurting, but he also had too much pride to stay and beg for my forgiveness. Instead he respected my bitter wishes and removed himself from my sight.

For those moments in Squall's room I let myself cry over Mum for the first time I had set foot in Balamb. Since that night Squall had found me in the garden, I had put her memory inside a little box in my head and shifted it to one side. I didn't like thinking of her, talking about her, or looking at photos of her. Yet now, I wanted to rummage though all our old belongings and relish every part of her. I wanted to run down to the dining room and let my tears fall on her purple chair she'd spend hours reading in. I wanted to find her old shawls and wrap them around me, hoping to find some trace of her scent.

Nothing would ever bring her back and there was no way I could ever forgive myself for how I reacted to her death. In front of all those people who had attended her funeral I hadn't shed a single tear. Sure I had waited till I got home and locked myself in my en suit bathroom before letting my tears have their moment. But, everyone else saw my eyes dry; proof that I hadn't respected her enough to mourn her openly.

The evening had become sombre from the discussions that took place. In hindsight, I was thankful for my new acquaintance with Felix, without him I wouldn't have acquired the knowledge I had.

I had gone to bed feeling empty; like there was hollowness in my chest that was devoid of ever being filled. Not only did I feel guilty for my prior stance towards Mum's death, moreover I had to restart my grieving process insofar as if I were hearing of her death for the first time. This time I felt the pangs at my chest from knowing there would never be a moment we'd share together, the tears that filled my eyes from the thought of the pain she had most definitely suffered, and the heartache of never hearing her voice again.

I cried myself to sleep, or at least crying for her was the last thing I remembered before being aggressively shaken awake by a panic stricken Squall.

"Wake up! Wake up, Rinoa!" he hissed.

I squinted from the brightness coming from the ceiling light above Squall's head. Looking around the room, I tried to find a clock to see what time it was.

"What time is it?" I asked Squall when I failed to find anything.

"It's four o'clock. Get up." He held my arm and yanked it unsuccessfully.

"Hold your horses, what's the rush? You're going to injure yourself," I cautioned him. He hadn't the slightest strength to lift me.

Squall backed away, supporting himself on his crutches. He had a paper in one hand which I questioned him about.

"I couldn't sleep so went to check on Dad, I wanted to ask him about something he mentioned about Jugo. He wasn't in the basement, instead this was left on his bed," Squall said. He held the paper out to me.

I unfolded the note and blinked a couple of times, focusing on what I was reading.

Squall,

Trust me.

Author's End Note: I'd just like to highlight a point regarding Rinoa's inability to cry during her mother's funeral. In chapter 23 'Stab of Pain' Squall points out Rinoa didn't cry during the funeral. However, when he meets her again in the garden "her eyes were puffy and red" indicating she had been crying. I just want to stress that Rinoa did feel sorrowful and hurt by her mother's death, she did cry, she just couldn't do it in front of everyone else. This issue will be developed further in a later chapter, but I felt I had to address it here in case anyone thought Rinoa's behaviour, or lack of, was too harsh.