A quick change of perspective for once.

_____________________________________________________________________

Fifty Days

Chapter 9: Best Friend's Trust

Xu was worried.

She and Quistis had been friends as long as… well… forever, going back to when they had both been cadets in their first year, and their new uniforms had still been starchy and uncomfortable on their backs. They'd been through training together, had been on their first actual field mission – which Quistis had passed and she had not – together, and she had smiled and clapped harder than everyone else when the nervous young blonde had gotten her Instructor's license. She'd helped with class arrangements and shifting aside work when Quistis had been snowed over with grading and papers, and had been ready with a shoulder to cry on whenever she had needed it. She never had. The strength of the barely-turned-twenties woman was amazing, and Xu had never once been worried about her ability to cope with whatever life threw at her.

If she was reading the signs right, maybe she had been wrong.

No-one else seemed to have noticed, but Xu could tell her friend was in pain. A glance, a conversation, a slight haze to the eyes, was all it took. That and even the stupidest person in existence couldn't fail to notice she was popping pills with the regularity of a junkie.

Xu walked down the corridor towards her best-friend's dorm as fast as she could without looking worried. Generally she could depend upon a pining Trepe being there, and she didn't need the envy shooting at her from jealous adolescents. She knocked briskly and waited for the reply.

The door creaked open, and Xu put her foot in the door before it could be closed upon her. She didn't have to bother. "Quisty, you're- Quisty?"

"What?" Quistis asked hoarsely.

Xu stared for a second before recovering. She had been right. Nothing to obvious. Nothing someone could point to and say 'you're ill', but her skin was paler, and her eyes were a lighter shade of blue than they had been the day before. "Are you- No, you're not OK," Xu said.

Quistis shook her head. "Xu, I'll be fine in a few-"

Xu tried to push her way past Quistis into the woman's dorm without actually touching her. Still, she brushed her shoulder, and was reached out as Quistis' reeled backwards as if struck. She caught the Instructor's shoulder and stared at her. "Quistis, you need to see Dr Kadowski," Xu said forcefully.

Quistis shook her head. "No," she said weakly. She tried to push Xu away from her, but all she succeeded in doing was concerning her friend more when she found she couldn't.

"Quistis, you're not well," Xu said with more volume, as if shouting would hammer the fact into her friend's head. "Please."

"Won't matter," Quistis whispered.

"Yes it will. You can't act like you're not sick. Someone will notice."

Quistis shook her head again. "I don't mean like that," she said.

Xu frowned. "What?"

Again the same gesture of futility. "Xu, there's nothing I can do except wait," Quistis said. She finally managed to dislodge Xu and sat down on her bed. Xu stayed standing.

"What, the doc doesn't have anything?" the brunette asked.

Quistis laughed. A laugh that sent shivers down Xu's spine for a reason she didn't know. "No." Suddenly she started to retch violently, and Xu's eyes widened as she fell to the floor. Quistis reached for hand out. "Bottle… please…" she gasped.

Xu looked around, and her gaze rested on the small container. She snatched them up and knelt down next to Quistis. The young instructor grabbed one and forced it down her throat, visibly struggling. Xu closed her eyes. "Water," she whispered, and cupped her hands. Instantly a small pool accumulated there, and Xu tilted Quistis' head up, allowing the cool liquid to run down her throat. Xu knelt down beside her and wrapped a comforting hand around her waist. "You OK?" she asked.

Quistis smiled wanly. "Aside from you having to hand-feed me you mean?" she whispered.

Xu smiled back, but there was no humour in it. "You're really sick aren't you?" she asked.

Quistis nodded. "I'm sorry."

Xu shook her head. "Are you… are you going to get better?" No reaction. "Are you?" she asked again. Quistis shook her head, slowly. Xu's hands flew to her mouth, badly suppressing a gasp. "Quisty…"

"Xu… don't cry, please," Quistis begged.

Xu stared at her. "How am I supposed not to!" she nearly shouted. She ran her fingers through her hair. "I mean… You tell me this now and… after we'd all won and… Hynedamnit this isn't fair!"

Quistis' mouth dropped open. After about five seconds she recovered the use of her voice. "You think I don't think this is unfair? You think I wanted this? You think I wanted to die?" she demanded.

Xu wiped tears from her eyes. "No, damnit!" She took a deep breath. She blinked. "No, that isn't gonna work." She moved forwards and wrapped her arms around Quistis, and began to cry.

Quistis on her part didn't know how to respond. She had the vague idea that she should be trying to sooth her friend, but somehow it just didn't seem appropriate.

Xu picked pulled herself together and wiped the tears from her eyes. "What… How did you… What is it?" she asked quietly.

Quistis sighed, and explained.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

She sat down heavily, and winced as a small ache shot through her. It felt like someone had stuck a needle in her head and sucked out al the fluid that cushions the brain, leaving hers bouncing around inside her skull. It hurts like hell.

"Miss Trepe, are you listening?" Cid asked.

Quistis looked up at the rest of the staff. "Sorry sir, yes. I think it's a good idea."

Cid smiled and nodded around the table. "Excellent! We'll approve the funds transfer to Trabia before the end of the day."

Elisium, Trabia's new headmaster, nodded gratefully. "Thank you Cid. I know there hasn't been much income recently, but…"

Cid waved it away. "Nonsense! You're a fellow Garden. We have an obligation to help you."

Elisium smiled. "Still, we're grateful."

Cid beamed. "If that's everything else, no problems with the student body…" He looked around at Quistis, who shook her head as little as she could. "…Then meeting adjourned, and I'll see you next time!" He stood, and the others followed suit. Quistis winced again as she worked out a crick in her neck.

Cid needs new chairs…

A tap on her shoulder brought her out of her short reverie, and she turned to see the brunette head teacher of Trabia staring at her.

"Instructor Trepe, it's an honour," Elisium said. "I read about the Ultimecia Incident. We all owe you and the others a great deal." She held out her hand.

Quistis put aside her worries and smiled, shaking it. To her surprise, it was cold. "Headmistress."

Elisium smiled. "I may sound like a pining fangirl I know, but I've always wanted to meet you. There are a lot of people who do." The smile changed slightly. "I saw you on TV."

Quistis sighed. She knew what the woman was referring to. Her errant chase of Seifer through Timber. "That was an accident."

Elisium laughed. "Well, I just wanted to say 'hi'. I'll see you around." She gave one final smile and turned to walk from the meeting room, leaving Quistis to wonder what she had just missed.

That… was unusual.

Quistis frowned, and walked to the elevator without thinking about it. She entered the cafeteria about five minutes later to see a full lunch line, and checked for watch. The meeting must have really overrun.

"Quisty!"

Quistis looked up as Selphie shrill greeting rung through the high-ceiling-ed room. She shook her head dramatically, making sure the bouncy young woman saw, and walked over.

"I wasn't that loud!" Selphie complained.

"Sefie, people in Esthar heard you," Quistis said as she took a seat. A guilty though ran through her head. This is the only place you ever see your friends anymore… She dismissed it.

"Nuh-uh!"

Quistis laughed at the horrified expression on her friend's face, when suddenly the laugh turned to a cough, and her throat burned.

"You OK?" Selphie asked.

Quistis waved her friend's concerns away. It's just a bug. It'll go away soon. She hoped. This was what she said anyways.

Selphie shrugged. "If you're sure." Her eyes lit up. "I forgot! I have to ask you some stuff about the Graduation Ball!" Selphie leaped into a tirade about the plans she had for world domination by way of party planning. At least, that was what it sounded like. She caught every other word and hoped to Hyne that this damn bug cleared up.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"It comes and goes. The… effects… are different every time. I could be fine one day and half-dead the next," Quistis finished.

Xu had stayed silent throughout the entire thing. Twice she had reached out as if to touch her, and then sat back down on the floor. "I don't know what to say," she said weakly. "I just… don't."

Quistis laughed weakly. "Me neither." She sighed, holding back tears on behalf of her friend.

Xu stood. "IS there anything I can d-"

"No. I'm sorry Xu. I'm waiting on Odine now."

Xu's eyes blazed. "Don't trust that little bastard. He'd keep anyone hoping if it meant he had a subject to play with," she almost snarled.

Quistis smiled. "Thanks, but I need it." Hope.

Xu nodded. "It's not fair," she said quietly.

Quistis stood. "Life isn't. Learn to deal with it. Oh, and can I ask a favour?"

Xu nodded. "Anything."

"Don't tell anyone. Please," she asked quietly.

Xu hesitated only for one second. "Yes."

Quistis smiled again, and for a second Xu saw her old friend through the mask of pain and drugs. "Thank you." She paused. "You were always there for me, even if I never knew it," she whispered.

Xu smiled weakly. "I always will be." She stood and brushed a stray tear from her eye. "See you around Quisty," she said quietly, sliding open the door.

Quistis smiled back. "I'll still be here," she replied. The unspoken addendum was not said. For now.

Xu walked from the room, and nearly walked into someone in the corridors.. "Watch where you're going!" she hissed.

"Hey, you're the one walking around with your head in the mud."

Xu looked up, and if anything her mood got even worse. "Seifer. What are you doing here?" she asked.

Seifer scratched his head in mock puzzlement. "Well, since I do kinda live here, I thought I might have a look around, see if I can find anywhere to sleep, y'know?" he drawled.

Xu pushed past him and walked away. "Just go wherever it is you're going," she said.

Seifer stared after Xu and smiled. Running out of comebacks? He didn't say it though. He watched Xu leave, and saw her reach a hand to her face to wipe away something. He turned to see where she had walked out of, and sighed. Trepe. What the hell was going on with that woman?

He was about to turn and walk away when the door swung open.

"What do you want?" Quistis asked tiredly.

For the first time in years, Seifer was caught totally short. "Er, what?"

Quistis frowned. "You heard," she said in exasperation.

Seifer did some quick thinking. "I… uh... was just wondering… when next study session is," he finished unconvincingly.

Quistis wasn't convinced. "Really?" Seifer nodded. "Tomorrow, nine ay-em," she said sharply, and made to shut the door.

Seifer tried to win back some points. "You sure you're up to it?" he asked cockily.

If looks could kill, Seifer would have been dust. "Depend on it," Quistis said quietly, and summarily slammed the door in his face.

Seifer stood there for a few seconds before moving off, thinking.

Damn, she's pissed at something alright.

That's you, you idiot.

Doesn't seem like it. Xu came from her room nearly crying…

Something's up…

Wonder what…

_____________________________________________________________________

Yeah, I know the romance is taking its own sweet time. Don't rush me.