A/N: This chapter might answer some questions, or it might not. Thanks for the reviews guys!

Chapter Twenty Five

The snow globe hit the filing cabinet with such force that it made a loud clang and a heavy dent. It rolled onto the floor with it's little white specks of snow whirring inside like a snowstorm. Squall stared at it, the sudden burst of spontaneous anger slowly leaving him with every shaky breath. He had no idea how he had managed to keep it together for so long.

Once the rage subsided, a sense of the ridiculous set in. He had just thrown a snow globe across the room. The event seemed surreal, why was he acting like this? He'd been in plenty of worse situations. Retrieving the offending object, Squall watched its snow settle to the bottom in tiny drifts. Ellone had made him a present of this from her holiday in Trabia, and he now added guilt to the list of emotions he was feeling, by having treated it with disrespect.

He put it back on the self where it belonged, and felt his anger returning. Pressing the intercom he told his secretary to call up Quistis and Zell.

Squall sat in his office waiting, Quistis and Zell hadn't been expecting to be called to a meeting so soon, but it didn't excuse them for taking so long to arrive. He was trying to keep his temper cool, but it was difficult. He had been keeping a lid on it ever since last night, and he refused to start throwing other objects around in his office.

Quistis entered the room first, not expecting to be verbally attacked, and for a moment didn't know how to respond. Zell, who usually had to account for his actions, was more prepared.

"Who authorised the party?" Squall asked standing from his seat. His agitation was clearly visible, and Quistis couldn't remember the last time she had seen him so discomposed. She felt her mind go blank, she had no idea what he was talking about, and felt uncomfortable not having prepared an answer.

"What? What party?" Zell asked in his usual blunt manner. He was so used to being called in to see headmaster Cid, and on occasion Squall for his lax views on training his students, that being intimidated no longer featured in this situation.

"I thought I made it clear that although we were leaving, Rinoa's safety was still fundamental. Which one of you disregarded my orders?"

Squall couldn't help the tone of his voice, it was harsh, and he was fully aware that Quistis and Zell didn't deserve to be spoken to in this manner. But at the same time, he couldn't reign in his anger. It was his fault that Rinoa had had to experience what she had. He should have expressly forbidden her to see Seifer, not rely on the hope that she would avoid him herself.

Maybe he hadn't been blunt enough? He had thought he had said enough before, and had thought she had understood his feelings about her friends. Obviously she had been too innocent to believe of Seifer, what he could see clearly.

"Seifer's party," Squall answered through gritted teeth.

"We didn't even know she was going out until we were leaving!" Zell said quickly, before Quistis could reply.

"Zell's right, by then it was too late to ask questions. I am sorry Squall, but we didn't have the time. We had the cadets waiting at the train station."

Even to her own ears her words sounded feeble. Whatever had happened to Rinoa at this party had clearly angered Squall, to such a degree that he was unable to rationally ask for an explanation.

"What happened?" Zell asked.

"That scumbag Seifer is what happened," Squall said before walking to the window. "If I ever see him again…" he trained off, but his words were no less threatening.

"Is… is she OK?" Quistis asked gently. She had understood what Squall had meant, even if Zell was still confused.

"What do you think?" Squall snapped walking to this desk now. "When I picked her up she was in tears. She's blaming herself."

Squall had been ready with plenty of disapproving words the moment he had received Rinoa's call. But when he had arrived at Seifer's house, and had seen her standing in the dark, alone and with tears running down her face, he had kept them to himself. The overwhelming anger he had first felt at hearing where she had gone changed into something more powerful, a desire to protect and defend her.

If she hadn't had been in such an emotional state he would had sought Seifer out, and in that moment would not have had much control over his actions. As it was, it was clear that Rinoa must be cared for first, she was more important to him than anything else.

He knew that she was blaming herself more than she should for what had happened; he could see it in her eyes. She felt ashamed. The last thing she needed was for him to start shouting at her. So he had swallowed his words, and kept his anger hidden. One day she would stop blaming herself…but until then, anything that he could say, she would take as more ammunition to beat herself up with.

"Zell," Quistis said not taking her eyes off of Squall. "Would you please give us a moment?"

Zell saluted Squall, and left. As far as was concerned he'd got off pretty lightly there, and if Quistis wanted to take the fall for this one, then she was welcome to it. He had no idea what was going on anyway, and didn't want to be reprimanded for something he didn't understand.

As soon as the door shut Quistis took a better look at Squall. He looked exhausted, and his actions were very out of character. Commander Leonhart would have called an official meeting, stated what had happened, told them what he was displeased with, and then asked for reports. This interview was born of something else.

"Squall, are you sure that your relationship with Rinoa has not become personal?" she asked, aware that in his present state she had no idea how he was going to react.

He turned his back on her. Squall not wanting to answer was usually a sign that she had touched a nerve somewhere, and Quistis had known Squall long enough not to pry any further.

"Commander," she said making it clear that this was strictly business. "I am not interested in anything further. I am asking because, if this is the case, I feel that I have been unduly pressed this afternoon into answering questions that were not essential. I therefore appeal that no action be taken against me, if Miss Heartily returned home safely."

She stood with correct SeeD posture, waiting. Maybe she was being hard on Squall, but a disciplinary mark against her name would stick for a long time. Besides, effectually she had no longer been employed to watch over Rinoa at the time of this incident. But she decided not to pull out the big guns. Squall was clearly struggling with something, and from the outside it looked pretty obvious what it was.

It took a while before anything more was said, but eventually Squall turned back and his face was resolved. He had come to terms with his mixed feelings, as Quistis' clearheaded words had laid everything bare. Yes, his feelings for Rinoa were no longer in the business sense.

"Thank you instructor Trepe. Nothing of what has been said in this room must be repeated to Rinoa. Understood? You may go."

Quistis left the room feeling dazed. That had to be the strangest thing that had ever happened, but she was relieved to get away. Squall could be extremely daunting to face when he was in his commander's office. But it was not that that had puzzled her; it was the instruction not to relay this to Rinoa. It would be very difficult to do anything other than asked, unless Squall had brought her with him.

Rinoa sat in the headmaster's office feeling annoyed. She had been unceremoniously abandoned by Squall as soon as they had arrived. And rather than being allowed to look around and admire the enormity that was Balamb Garden, she had been shunted into the elevator and whisked away to the office.

Cid had supplied them with cups of tea, and biscuits, like he would any other visitor, but beyond that he was at a loss of what to do with them.

"Balamb Garden doesn't have many visitors, other than family…" he said as if he wished more people would stop in for their holidays. "How long are you staying with us?"

Rinoa swallowed her tea to answer, but Selphie was quicker.

"I'm here for three days," she said ignoring Rinoa's surprised glance. "My boyfriend wants to take me out when I get back. Rinoa's staying longer."

"Oh, that's nice."

Cid had then excused himself as the phone was ringing. By the time he had finished his very informal conversation about fishing, the weather, and how he was looking forwards to the callers next visit, he was interrupted by the arrival of Quistis and Zell. The new arrivals looked stunned to see that the headmaster had company. Clearly whatever they had to say couldn't be said in Rinoa's and Selphie's presence.

"Ah, excellent. Perhaps you might like to escort these young ladies to the dormitories. It seems they have not yet seen where they will be staying."

Quistis frowned.

"I… I'm sorry sir, but I was not aware that Miss Heartily and her friend would be staying here. I haven't been told to assign them rooms," Quistis said uncomfortably.

Cid sighed.

"Yes, Mr Leonhart loves to spring surprises on me," he muttered turning to his computer. "Never tells me anything…"

He began tapping away; ignoring the fact that everyone was watching him expectantly. He printed something out and handed it to Selphie.

"You'll be happy to know that you are in the staff quarters," he said smiling joyfully.

Rinoa wondered why they should be happy about that. Were the student digs not very nice, or did he think that they would be happier nearer their 'friends'? She thanked him, even though she didn't understand, and took the information from Selphie, as she seemed loathed to take responsibility for it. Dragging their suitcases behind them, they closed the door on Quistis' voice, just as she said, "Sir, I have concerns about Sq…"