Disclaimer: I don't own FF8 or any of it's characters. I'm considering asking Squaresoft to sell me the rights to the coffee mug on Squall's roommate's shelf. (Really)

Author's notes: I don't like this chapter, but oh well, the next one will be better. And as far as I know, it's going to be ten chapters. Well, nine and an epilogue.

Fatal Misunderstanding

Chapter.7

The next day, before dawn, Quistis sat at her desk, trying to make sense of the entire ordeal. . She had contacted Laguna Loire last night and told him. Squall's father would arrive at Balamb garden in a few hours, and in forty five minutes, she would make the official announcement that Commander Squall Leonhart, possibly the most respected person in Balamb garden, or in any of the gardens for that matter, had died. There had been rumors going around since the time Zell and Rinoa had found him, but no one really knew whether or not to believe them. Of course, she wasn't going to mention the suicide, although she knew it would leak out eventually.

Last night had been the worst night of her life. She, Zell, and Irvine had sat in the instructor's lounge, talking quietly, and occasionally crying. Selphie and Rinoa had both been admitted into the infirmary. Selphie had cried for two hours straight, before finally falling asleep, and was still having trouble coping. She had to be given tranquilizers to keep her from lapsing into complete hysteria. But they all agreed Rinoa's condition was worse. She simply sat on the bed, holding Squall's ring in her hand and refusing to talk to anyone. Dr. Kadowaki had said it was the worst case of depression she'd seen in her entire career.

The worst thing was that, although they knew how he had killed himself, and an approximate time of death, nobody had any clue why Squall had chosen to take his life. There had been no note. Zell and Irvine were going to go through his dorm later and look for clues, but Quistis doubted they'd find anything. There was something bothering her. It was as if she had forgotten something important, something that might help them figure it out. But no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't seem to remember.

Looking at her watch, Quistis saw that the students would all be assembled in the cafeteria for breakfast. Turning on the intercom, she announced, "Attention all students and instructors. This is Headmistress Quistis Trepe speaking. I'm afraid I have something upsetting to tell you......"

~*~

Zell watched the faces of the people in the cafeteria as Quistis talked. "Commander Squall Leonhart was, at eight thirty three last night, pronounced dead by Dr. Kadowaki." Silence engulfed the cafeteria so quickly it was as if the entire student body had suddenly been set to mute. "Due to this tragedy, classes will be cancelled until further notice. Grief counselors will be available, and I'd advise you to go to the infirmary to talk to them if you feel you need assistance coping with this. Although the actual funeral will be held in Esthar, there will be a memorial service in two days to honor his memory. That is all."

When Quistis turned off the intercom, the silence lasted another second or two, although it felt like much longer to Zell, before people began to react. Almost all of the students looked crushed, as if Squall had been their father or something, Zell thought, And it made sense. After all, a lot of the students at Balamb garden didn't see their parents for months. The instructors were not only teachers, they were role models and guardians as well. Pretty much every SeeD and aspiring SeeD in Balamb garden had looked up to Squall.

But Zell noticed one person who wasn't upset. TJ Monroe, the brother of Zell's favorite student, was looking smug, as if Squall's death was a victory for him. Zell knew that TJ had tried to master the gunblade, but quit after realizing that being the son of a Trabian government official would not get him special treatment in Squall's class. It was no secret that he had hated the Commander ever since.

"Good," TJ was telling his friends, "Now maybe we'll get a decent commander. I swear, all Leonhart was good for was bossing people around and fucking Heartilly."

Within seconds, Zell had TJ pinned up against the wall, "That kind of disrespect can get you expelled," he told the youth, "In fact, it could even get you killed."

"What's that supposed to mean?" The boy asked, sneering at him. "And put me down, or I can get you fired."

"It means," Zell told him, "That you better watch what you say. And you also better hope I forget about this before classes come back in session. 'Cause if I don't, I'll do everything in my power to get you expelled."

He released TJ and watched as he walked out of the cafeteria, thoroughly subdued. He had never threatened a student. Outside of class, he had never even laid a finger on one. But TJ had deserved it.

After seeing that that two other instructors were Zell left the cafeteria. Laguna would arrive at Balamb in ten minutes, and if was his job to meet him. He didn't know if the president of Esthar would be calm, or hysterical, or even whether Quistis had told Laguna how Squall had died. All he knew for sure was that he wasn't looking forward to it.

~*~

As the plane began to descend, Laguna finally looked up from the magazine in front of him. He had been staring at the same page the entire time. The magazine was weapons monthly. It was a special gunblade issue, published soon after the defeat of Ultimecia, and on page twelve, the page he couldn't stop staring at, was an interview with the person who had made the gunblade a popular weapon, Squall Leonhart. The picture included in the interview was one Laguna knew well. It had been taken during the banquet held for the SeeDs who had saved the world from time compression, and in it Squall was using his gunblade to shield his face form the reporters. But because of the angle, it looked more like he was showing off his skills.

As he had been staring at the picture, Laguna had been dwelling on one thing. Why was it that the only pictures he had of Squall were ones taken by the media? Of course, the question had a simple answer. Because until a little while ago, he hadn't even known he had a son. And once he found out, his son had wanted as little to do with him as possible. That had all begun to change about a month ago. Squall had even agreed to go to Laguna's forty fifth birthday party, although the year before he would have refused to be seen in the same city as Laguna.

It wasn't fair. He had just begun to think that he might have a chance to work things out with his son, that maybe the two of them could get close, and then this had happened.

He still didn't understand why Squall had done it. Quistis had said that no note or clues had been found, but he couldn't accept that. He didn't have time to think about it right then, but he had to eventually. He couldn't live with the guilt of thinking that maybe the reason had been him. Maybe Squall had decided that if his only family was a moron, there was no point in living.

Kiros and Ward had told him over and over that it couldn't have been his fault. They had given plenty of good reasons, and Laguna knew that there was a ninety nine percent chance they were right, but he just couldn't stop blaming himself.

The plane landed and the stair were let down. Laguna was the only passenger, having refused to let Kiros, Ward, or any of his bodyguards, accompany him. When he left, Squall's body would go with him, back to Esthar for the funeral. The press had probably been notified by now, and would be clamoring for seats at the funeral, but Laguna had made it clear that no one who was there for any reason other than to honor his son, would not be allowed in.

He got off the plane and into the limo that waited, ignoring the stares from the people at the airport. The drive was only two minutes long, and when they arrived at the gates of Balamb garden, Laguna handed the limo driver a tip, and got out.

He saw Squall's best friend, Zell, waiting at the gates. They shook hands, then Zell said, "President Loire, I can't tell you how sorry..."

"Cut the crap Zell," Laguna replied, 'First of all, you knew him too, it's not just my loss, it's everybody's. Second of all, it's Laguna."

Zell nodded and asked, "Do you want to go straight to the infirmary or..."

Laguna nodded. He wanted to get it over with as fast as possible. "Yes, lead the way."

End of Chapter Seven

Author's notes: Sorry for the extreme suckiness of this chapter. It was hard cuz I was writing Laguna, but since this is depressing, he couldn't be is normal funny, slightly moronic self. And not a lot of description either. Oh well, next chapter I'll write more details, and possibly from Selphie's point of view for some of it. After all, I've ignored her so far. Almost all of the ninth chapter will be Rinoa's point of view. I'm still trying to decide if anyone else dies. I'll have think about it. Anyway, eight chapter up either tomorrow or Wednesday, depending on whether two certain authors (they know who they are) distract me by talking abut hippos and bacon (trust me, you don't want to know).