Chapter Twenty-Five: Odd Couples

"Okay, there you go!" Rinoa chirped as she withdrew her glowing hands from the young man's shoulder. "How does that feel?"

Sitting on one of the infirmary's many examination tables, SeeD Chaplain carefully rotated his arm, first at the elbow, then at the wrist. "Amazing…" he breathed as he flexed his fingers, seeing them respond to his command. "I thought I'd never get use of this arm again. I mean, I'm glad that Garden could still use a one-armed SeeD, but still…" He bit his lip as the significance of what had just happened sank in. "Thank you so much, Miss Heartily…"

"You're welcome," Rinoa replied, smiling at him as she stepped back to give him the room needed to hop down from the table. "Before you leave, make sure to check in with Dr. Kadowaki to see when she wants you to come in for a follow-up appointment, okay?"

"Understood," the redheaded youth replied, briefly smiling at his newly-functioning arm before shifting his smile to her. "Follow up with Dr. Kadowaki."

"Right," she giggled. "Have a great day, Mr. Chaplain."

"I will, thanks! You, too!" He bowed to the sorceress before heading out the exam room door and into the lobby, smiling at his flexing fingers as he departed.

She also smiled as well as she watched him leave before turning her attention back to the examination room. "Now, to disinfect…" Gathering raw magical energy in her hand, she focused it into a roughly spherical shape. Once she was satisfied that her cleaning tool was ready, she adjusted her vision to allow herself to see any contaminants that might have been left behind during the exam; bacteria, viruses, and the like. "There you are…" she muttered before passing her cleaning sphere over the surface of the table; she fully intended to clean the whole surface of the table, but she wanted to be sure that she got everything. She briefly considered forming another cleaning sphere in her other hand, but since she was still pretty new to the job she didn't want to take any chances with her patients' health by missing a spot due to distraction.

Even with only one sphere she finished the job quickly and passed it over her open hand to disinfect it before heading out to the lobby. "I'm done in here, Doctor."

"I can see that," the physician said with a smile as she regarded her new assistant. "Reggie nearly floated out of here."

"I didn't cast that spell on him, I promise," Rinoa giggled with her hands raised.

"I'm sure you didn't, dear," Dr. Kadowaki replied, chuckling as well; their relationship had come a long way since Rinoa's magical assault on the good doctor. "And you disinfected afterward, right?"

"Yes, ma'am," Rinoa replied, allowing a smile of pride as she formed the cleaning sphere in her hand. "This works really well at cleaning up the examination table; I even got some blood from between the cushions."

"Ouch, girlie," the doctor chuckled at the sorceress. "I guess I'm not as good at sterilization as I thought."

Rinoa's face fell appropriately. "Oh, I didn't mean anything by that, doctor," Rinoa lamented, the glow fading from her hand. "I just mean that I'm glad that my abilities can be used to help others."

"I understand, dear," Dr. Kadowaki chuckled, giving the younger woman a motherly smile. "I was just teasing you. I'm actually glad to have your help. Have you enjoyed being an assistant?"

"Oh, absolutely!" Rinoa exclaimed. "To be able to heal people's wounds and perform life-saving surgeries…" Her eyes glistened at her brief shared history with the Garden physician. "Thank you for giving me this chance."

"You're welcome," the older woman said as she drew her into a hug. "I've always believed you to be a good girl."

Rinoa had started to snuggle onto the motherly embrace before the sound of the door *whooshing* open brought her back and she quickly straightened, wiping her eyes. Thank you she mouthed to her surrogate mother, who smiled and nodded in return. "Welcome to the Infirmary," she started, turning to their new patient. "How can we help-Oh! Hey, Selphie!"

"H-Hi," the bouncy-haired girl replied from just outside the door, her gaze flicking between the two women.

"What can we do for you this morning, Chief Tilmitt?" Dr. Kadowaki asked, turning her analytical eye on the young woman; in addition to the hesitant greeting she also noticed a slight slouch in Selphie's posture, as well as barely-noticeable darkness and puffiness under her eyes. Clearly, she was distressed. "Is everything all right?"

"Could… Could I talk with Rinoa?" Selphie asked in an uncharacteristically timid tone. "Please?"

The physician and the sorceress looked at each other. "I don't see why not," Dr. Kadowaki replied. "You're about due for lunch, anyway."

Rinoa looked back to her squirming friend with a kind smile. "Let me finish up and I'll be out in a couple of minutes."

"Okay."

As she finished preparing her examination room for the next patient, Rinoa thought about Selphie's reason for wanting to talk with her; she knew that her friend wanted to talk about Squall, and she had a pretty good idea of why. She paused in her organizing, closing her eyes and taking a deep breath at the ache that suddenly formed in her chest; even though she knew that her own intimate relationship with the young commander was over, her heart still had a hard time letting go.

She finished sterilizing the new sheet and headed out to the hallway, where Selphie was waiting for her, leaning against the wall and tapping the heel of one boot against it. "Sorry to keep you waiting."

"It's okay," Selphie replied. "Hey, when did you start working at the Infirmary?"

"A few days ago," the raven-haired sorceress replied as they headed toward the central hub of Balamb Garden. "I'll be happy to tell you the story later, but I'd really like to know what you wanted to talk about."

The shorter woman's pace slowed, bringing them to a stop. "It's…about Squall."

Rinoa managed to ignore another ache in her chest. "May…Maybe we should talk someplace more private."

Ironically, the most private place at Balamb Garden was outside Balamb Garden, near a small grove of trees a short distance from the main gate. The girls settled down against a tree and looked up at the clear, blue sky. At least, Rinoa did; Selphie preferred to study the lush, green grass she'd started to pick at, her knees drawn up to her chest.

Rinoa waited a couple of minutes before daring a guess. "You like Squall, don't you?"

At first Selphie simply nodded, a few tears dripping from her eyes. "I'm…I'm sorry…"

"When did it happen?" Rinoa asked, trying to ignore the ache that had started to well up again.

Selphie drew in a deep breath, letting it out in a shuddering sigh. "I'm not a hundred-percent sure, but I think it was when he…when he…"

"When he comforted you at the graveyard?" Rinoa offered, then blinked in surprise at her friend's shocked look. "What?"

"H-How did you know about that?" Selphie gasped, her breath quickening.

"It…was in the Balamb Guardian…" Rinoa replied, genuinely puzzled. "You mean you didn't know about that?"

Selphie slumped, hiding her face between her bent knees. "Of course… I'd forgotten all about that. I guess it never occurred to me that you'd see it."

The raven-haired girl wasn't sure how to respond, so she didn't.

"I'm really sorry," Selphie lamented, lifting her teary gaze to her dear friend. "I really wasn't trying to steal him from you or anything."

"I believe you," Rinoa said as comfortingly at her broken heart could allow. "Why did he go with you? To Trabia, I mean?"

Selphie leaned back, her eyes tracking a lone white cloud as it lazily glided across the sky. "I was having…problems…with Irvine at about the same time you two were, so I invited him to help out with Trabia's restoration."

"To give everyone a chance to clear their heads?"

The shorter girl nodded before drawing the back of her hand across her face. "I'd been pushing papers so much that I needed to do something physical, and I figured he needed it, too."

Rinoa's eyes lost focus at a memory. "So that's why he seemed so cold to me when I visited, then…"

"Huh?"

Rinoa looked over at her friend's puzzled look before waving a hand. "D-Don't worry about it; please, continue."

"O-Okay." Selphie returned her gaze to the sky. "Anyway, when he found me in the graveyard he told me that it was okay to be sad, that I didn't need to hold in my pain any more. Or more like I shouldn't have held it in in the first place."

"He said that?" Rinoa exclaimed, surprised by her ex-boyfriend's insight.

"He told me that he learned it from Dr. K," Selphie giggled. "He's so humble."

"Yeah…" Rinoa breathed, her eyes losing focus again. "He's something else." She shook her head to clear her mind. "So…what did you want to talk to me about?"

"I guess…" Selphie started fidgeting, knotting her finger repeatedly. "…I guess I wanted to know if there'd be any hard feelings between us if I…you know…"

Rinoa had to fight another ache to ask her next question. "Does he know how you feel about him?"

Selphie nodded with a guilty expression. "The last night of the Restoration Festival."

"I see…."

"I'm really, really, really sorry, Rinoa," Selphie whimpered. "I really should've talked to you, first."

"It's okay, it's okay…" Rinoa cooed, patting her distraught friend on the shoulder. "Look, you don't need my permission to date Squall, if that's what you're talking about." She swallowed hard. "He and I aren't together anymore, so…he's, uh…fair game."

"Okay," Selphie replied quietly.

Rinoa studied her for a moment before getting to her feet. "C'mon, sis," she said, a smile spreading across her face as she extended her arms toward her dear friend. "I think we both need a hug."

Selphie looked up at her in teary bewilderment before a hesitant smile spread across her face as well. Without a word she quickly hopped to her feet, and the two women threw her arms around each other and cried, one in grief and one in relief.


"Heya, boss."

Squall blinked from his musings from the second-tier railing and looked over to find Irvine strolling up to him with a guarded expression. "Morning, chief; what's up?"

"Yeah…" The sharpshooter leaned against the rail a respectful distance away from the commander and looked out over the entryway to the Garden. "Yeah, listen; I just wanna let you know that…" He turned around to lean back against the rail. "…if you and Selphie end up together… Well, I'll be happy for the both of you."

Squall blinked again, this time at the revelation. "Um, thanks?" He turned to fully face his subordinate, though he still leaned against the rail. "Have you given up on Chief Tilmitt, then?"

"Yeah…" Irvine drawled, deliberately not making eye contact with the other man. "Ah figger ah've burned mah bridges with her, so…yeah."

Squall's eyebrows jumped at Irvine's enunciation; he usually didn't slur his words so severely. "Are you okay, chief?"

Irvine briefly glanced over in confusion before an awkward grin took its place. "I'm fine, boss; that was just kinda…hard for me to say."

Squall eyebrow jumped again. "Well, good for you; that must've taken a lot of courage. Well done."

"Yeah. Thanks." Irvine adjusted his cowboy hat a couple of times, trying to find the right angle for the brim. "I've, uh…given up my 'womanizing' ways."

Squall's eyebrows jumped yet again, this time matching his full-on surprised expression. "Seriously? Good for you, but… How'd that happen?"

"I've…" Irvine sighed noisily between his lips before giving his superior another awkward grin. "Let's just say that I've found a woman who can keep me in line."

"You did?" Squall was starting to wonder if the surprises would never end. "Who is she? She must be pretty impressive to lasso you in."

"Ouch!" Irvine laughed. "But I guess I had that coming. Naw, I'd love for you all to meet her, but…it's kinda complicated."

"Any security issues I should know about?" Squall asked, moderately alarmed.

"No, no!" Irvine exclaimed, waving his gloved hands. "She's part of Garden, cleared security and all that; actually, you've worked with her before."

"I have?" Squall started to search his memory, only to realize that he had worked with nearly every female at Garden at one point or another. "Wait, that doesn't really narrow it down for me."

"She's kinda shy," Irvine started, then snapped his fingers. "No, it's not quite that; it's more like she's a little embarrassed." Before Squall could say anything he waved his hands again. "I'll find some way for the two of you to meet; just give me some time, okay?"

"Well…" Squall mused, "…as long as she's not a security risk…" He looked over at the sharpshooter with a lopsided smile. "All right, Kinneas; take your time. I'll just look forward to meeting the girl who tamed the mighty ladies' man."

Irvine threw his head back and laughed. "Thanks, boss. And…thanks, boss."

"You're welcome," Squall chuckled. "Take good care of her, all right?"

"Sure thing," the sharpshooter replied, miming a gunshot at him. "And you take good care of Selphie, ya hear?"

"Um, sure," Squall replied, his grin fading as he pushed himself away from the railing. "See you later, Kinneas."

Irvine watched as his boss headed off, then looked up. "Was that okay?" After a few moments he nodded and said, "Thanks, beautiful; see you in a bit." Then he pushed off the railing, whistling a happy tune as he headed for the Training Center.