~Watch Out...~
Quistis let herself fall into the sand, relshing the fact that she was finally alone. No Triepies, no camera upon her, no grey eyes that were looking at another. She unhooked the belt that carried her most treasured weapon. Save the Queen. It fell into the sand beside her, forgotten. Like herself, she thought. I am a weapon. A living one. Like him. But unlike him, I cant hide my feelings, though I try.
Well, he had hid his feelings, till tonight. She'd seen them together, kissing. And something inside her broke. Of course, she had told Squall that cared for him as a big sister. Nothing more. But she still loved him.
Where had she gone wrong? Perhaps she should have told him before the Seed ball, before he had met Rinoa.
~I see you on the street and you walk on by...
You make me wanna hang my head down and cry...
If you gave me half a chance you'd see...
My desire burning inside of me...~
When she had appraoched him that night, she wasn't expecting him to be so... stand-offish still. He was a Seed now, equal footing to her. Yet, he sill called her Instructor. So, she had teased him about the unknown girl, to which she got his usual whatever. She figured that after she told him about what had happened, he'd actually open up to her. Hah, fat chance there.
He'd told her to go talk to a wall. But she wouldn't give up. She was determined to have him open up to her, to have his heart as he had hers; all this time.
~But you choose to look the other way...
I've had to work much harder than this...
For something I want don't try to resist me...~
She could hear the music, drifting from the floating garden. They had been on their way from Matron's little stone house, back to Balamb. They had just reached the shore about an hour ago. And once they had docked, she had escapsed. She knew that Selphie had figured out the reason... Quistis had gone pale the moment she had seen them kissing. Why... Why... A teardrop trickled down her cheek, unnoticed.
~Open your heart to me, baby...
I hold the lock and you hold the key...
Open your heart to me, darlin'...
I'll give you love if you, you turn the key...~
She remembered the one time he had dared to look into her eyes. When he had to assign someone to go to the base with Selphie. The choice was between her and Rinoa. He pulled her aside, asking her to go with Selphie. Before she could ask why, he told her that he needed someone he could trust. Irvine was still unknown to them, and Rinoa... She had nodded, pleased that he trusted her. And then he told her to be careful.
~I think that you're afraid to look in my eyes...
You look a little sad boy, I wonder why...
I follow you around but you can't see...
You're too wrapped up in yourself to notice...~
More fool her, for thinking he was expressing genuine feelings. Of course they needed an expirenced Seed for the base mission. Selphie to eager to blow anything and everything up, Irvine only to glad to help her. And while they were away, Squall and Rinoa had been able to bond. She recalled her last regret, not telling Squall how she truly felt. It still was. But now, she could never tell him.
~So you choose to look the other way...
Well, I've got something to say...
Don't try to run I can keep up with you...
Nothing can stop me from trying, you've got to...~
Upon their return, he had been truly glad to see them. Some of the ice had melted from his eyes. And she had been so proud to hear of his promotion, and was happy to help Selphie out with her little plan. But oh, how she wished she had been the one to lure Squall to the party, and to talk with him, instead of playing the fiddle. To see the two of them together, were driving daggers into her heart.
~Open your heart to me, baby...
I hold the lock and you hold the key...
Open your heart to me, darlin'...
I'll give you love if you, you turn the key...~
She didn't notice that the waves were growing closer to her, that the cold water already tickled the edges of her leather boots. Or that eyes were upon her, from a distance.
She knew that he was lost to her, but she still had to try. And so, she tried to tell him, but he never listened. Not with his heart, for it belonged to another. That became painfuly clear, when he had jumped into space to save Rinoa. Would he have done the same for her?
~Open your heart with the key...
One is such a lonely number...
Ah, ah, ah, ah...
Open your heart, I'll make you love me...
It's not that hard, if you just turn the key...~
Damnit Squall, why'd you have to be so perfect, and so unreachable? Why couldn't you ever just look at me the way you look at her? Quistis wiped at her eyes, disgusted with herself from crying. She couldn't hate Rinoa, though she tried. It wasn't her fault Squall loved her.
~Don't try to run I can keep up with you...
Nothing can stop me from trying, you've got to...~
The music had changed again, to a song Quistis knew well. Although only Zell knew about it, she was a huge Madonna fan. Mostly her earlier work though. She sang along to the song, softly.
"Open your heart to me, baby...
I hold the lock and you hold the key...
Open your heart to me, darlin'...
I'll give you love if you, you turn the key..."
The person watching, crept closer, wondering what she was doing out here. He had figured she come here to be alone for a while, which was understandable. But it looked as though, she had been crying. Why? They had just saved the world. As he drew closer though, he found out.
"Open your heart with the key..." Softly. "Squall.."
~Open your heart, I'll make you love me..
It's not that hard, if you just turn the key...
Open your heart, I'll make you love me...
It's not that hard, if you just turn the key... ~
She finally noticed that the water was upon her, and reached down to where she had dropped her whip. It was gone. Her eyes widened slightly, and she leaned forward, fingers digging through the sand/mud around her. Although she had enc-none equipped, she couldn't loose that whip.
"Looking for something?"
Quistis jumped, blue eyes going upwards, before meeting those of moonlight. Then, she saw that he was holding her whip.
"...How...?"
"Guess you were lost in thought. Good thing you have Diablos, something could have creapt up on you."
'Not that *you* would have cared, of course. You have Rinoa now. I'm just your ex-teacher.'
Squall frowned thoughtfully, and Quistis flushed. Although he wasn't a mind reader, so far as she knew, he did have this unneaving talent to get right to the heart of a matter. Even if you didn't want him to.
"Quistis... I..." He paused, uncertain.
"What is it?" She asked softly, holding out mud caked fingers for her whip. She would feel a lot better if that was back in her hands. He placed it in her hand, and she shived at the light contact, even though they both wore gloves. His eyes narrowed slightly.
"Quistis."
She rose, shaking her head, eyes dimmed.
"Forget it Squall. Whatever it was, just forget it... I.." She broke off, tears beginning anew. "I can't.."
'Damnit, tell her. You can do this.'
Squall glanced downwards, trying to build her the nerve to tell her. But, while he was doing that, she took off.
He glanced back up, only to see her walking off into the darkness, her hair silver in the moonlight. He sighed softly.
"You did open my heart, Quistis. If only I had known earlier...."
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A/N - Yep, I had had this one up before, but I did some heavy editing.... actually, I ended up rewriting it, and this is how it came out. I can only hope that I did her justice this time. (and see, Rinoa fans, they're still together.. so .. ;P )
Disclaimer: Square owns the people - Madonna, Gardner Cole, and Peter Rafelson own the lyrics.