Squall woke up on the 23rd, unsure of what to think. He got up, stretched, and looked at the table. My letter's gone…? He got up, wondering how on earth that had happened, and got dressed. Today didn't feel special, even though a lot of people regarded birthdays that way. Squall shook his head. Were things ever going to change? The door thumped as it hit something when he opened it. A wrapped package about six inches long and four and a half inches wide lay there. The wrapping paper was bright blue, and a dark blue bow was on it, under that was a card in a lavender envelope. He opened it. It was a book called Checklist For Life For Teens by Marcia Ford. He read the back, slightly interested, and put it down long enough to open the card.

            For a reason beyond his comprehension it made him smile, and he noted she signed her name with a heart. He hadn't expected a greeting today, much less a card and a gift. He laughed to himself. Maybe Skye could be annoying, but she always kept you guessing. There was a knock at the door, and Squall quickly answered it.

"Hello?"

"Hi Squall!" It was Selphie, and she was beaming as usual.  

"How're you?"

"Fine, you?"

"Alright…"

"Happy birthday!" she shoved a card into his hand.

"Thanks, Selphie…" Why's everyone doing this for me? Birthdays aren't big deals.

"19's a special age, right? So, um, everyone wants to tell you happy birthday later… okay? They'll be waiting in the Quad this afternoon about 3. Please come!"

"Okay…"

"Squall… I have a question."

"Yeah?"

"For today, will you loosen up? Let down that barrier of ice?"

"… I'll see what I can do."

"Thank you! I promise you'll enjoy yourself a lot more. Well, I gotta go, Squall! See ya at 3."

"Bye…"

He leaned on the door facing long after she had left, contemplating what she had said. Eventually he sat down with a pencil and a pad of sketch paper, and began drawing. It was about half an hour and several wasted papers later until he was satisfied with it.

            ~*~

Selphie ducked behind the stage.

"C'mon! Hurry, Skye!"

"Just one minor adjustment…!" she whispered in reply, straightening the banner.

"This isn't the best thing to do, y'know…. He's as hard and cold as a brick. He won't be easily surprised." Commented one of the gang Skye seemed to remember as Quistis.

"Aw, don't worry. Everything'll turn out fine!" grinned Zell.

"I hope." Skye glanced at her watch.

Squall walked in, and everyone made sure they were out of sight. He took one step in, glanced around for half a second, stuck his hands in his pockets, and began to walk out. Typical Squall. Has to make even a surprise party a pain! Surely he's not dumb enough to think that Selphie set him up… Looks like I'll have to do this myself… Skye stuck her fingers in her mouth and made an odd whistling sound. He turned around, grimacing, and everybody jumped out.

"Surprise!" they all shouted in perfect unison.

It was the first time Skye had seen Squall grin and mean it. Selphie skipped happily up to him.

"Happy Birthday, Squall! I knew you'd come…!" she giggled, smiling in satisfaction.

"Thank you everyone…" Squall said quietly, the expression never abandoning his face.

I truly have some great friends…

"You're very welcome!" Skye beamed.

Squall gestured at the decorations.

"You all did great. Thankyou so much…"

("See, Skye? He has a heart.")

("If you stick around long enough to find it.")

("Not to find it, but penetrate the defenses. He thinks he can protect himself by putting up a shield of ice. But you really have gotten to him.")

("How do you know?")

("You should see what he made…")

("What's that supposed to mean?")

("You'll see soon enough. He'll show it to you eventually. Don't press until then.")

("Whatever. You make no sense.")

("Am I supposed to?")

("Sisters…")

("Can't live with 'em, can't live without 'em.")

("Exactly.")

"Here!" Selphie motioned for Squall to come over. "You hafta make a wish and blow out the candles before we cut the cake."

He walked over. The cake had a gunblade beneath the words 'Happy 19th Birthday Squall!' in midnight blue icing. Above that were nineteen small blue candles in a perfect line. They had just been lit. He closed his eyes, waited a second, then blew them out.

"Well?"

"Secret."

"C'mon, Squall!"

"No."

"Pleeeease?"

"No."

"Whatever ^^;"

"Thank you guys…" Squall shook his head as he cut the cake, smiling.

Soon everyone had a piece of cake and were seated. Squall, Selphie, and Skye sat cross-legged in somewhat a half circle. 

"So. Do you have any regrets from your 18th year?" Selphie asked.

"Yes."

"Hmm. Like what?"

"Like failing my SeeD mission. Letting Rinoa die. Not being able to accept much." Squall gazed at the sky. "I regret not realizing how precious something is until it's gone."

"Those are some deep regrets. Well, since they're over now, ya might as well move on, cause what's done is done and we can't change it, right?"

"… That's right." Squall said quietly. But I'd… I only wish… I'd give up my own life to be with Rinoa…

"So, um…! Let's see, what do you wanna do next? You're the one who's having a birthday, so you decide, Squall!"

"… I don't care."

"okay…"

Skye looked anxiously at gray clouds. I sense something. Echo. I bet it's Echo. I wonder what she's up to…? Sorceress Echo. That sounds so wrong. It's always been just Echo. Echo, my cousin. Echo, my friend. Echo, whom I could always confide in. What happened? Did she lose her mind? Or has another sorceress possessed her? Am I powerless to help her? I think I could snap her out of this… if only I could talk to her. Where is she? How did she get this fixated on evil? Will I ever see the Echo I knew again?