Disclaimer: Refer to Chapter 1

Revival

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Twelve

Zell and Laguna pushed what had just happened behind them. Squall was their most important concern now. He had to be found, Rinoa depended on them that they did. Laguna held his machine gun close to his chest, prepared to blast away any daring Galbadian forces. Zell held his fists by his sides, clenched. It was only them now. Laguna, father of Squall. Zell, friend of the bravest SeeD.

The sun was rising slowly in the sky, the orange haze surrounding it was touched with a blue aura and the navy blue sky slowly began to turn into a beautiful clear blue sky. Laguna and Zell became increasingly worried. Squall was no where to be seen. Zell showed signs of panicking. They had promised that they would bring Squall back to Rinoa, alive, not until they found him, could they return. Rinoa was crying for Squall, she loved him, they couldn't fail her. She would marry Squall. She must!

Zell felt the strength grow in his fists. Seifer. Zell still hated than man, never again would he call him a chicken wuss, Zell would see that he died, if he wasn't already. Smiling he thought about Squall killing Seifer, if only he was there to watch. Nostalgia took over Zell, his childhood home, back in the orphanage with all his friends he knew so well now apart from Rinoa, but she was different.

Cry baby Zeeeeeeell!!!!! Seifer yelled

I am no cry baby! I'm not scared of you! Zell answered back in his thoughts, but his child self just began to cry and went running all the way to their matron, Edea.

Tell tale! Why can't you just stop crying for once! Chicken! Tell Tale Zeeeeeell! Still Seifer.

Stop it! More tears. Years of teasing and picking from Seifer. Squall had always been fighting with him too. Squall always won though, he never started crying and ran to matron for support. Zell began to sink into a deep depression as all his childhood memories began to come back to him. Why now he didn't know, but looking for Squall, worrying about Squall, all these memories just came flooding back. At least now though, he had his girl, back at garden, his little ballerina.

It seemed funny to think. Zell and a ballerina named Leesa. They made an odd couple, as Zell had never appreciated ballet, but something had attracted him to Leesa, something odd and strange. Now what would Seifer think of him. Zell couldn't help but laugh at this. Leesa was his though, he had a girl and Seifer didn't...did he?

Laguna looked over to his thoughtful companion and nudged him. "Squall isn't dead yet you know Zell, what's the funny faces for?" he asked, suddenly feeling like a dad to the young man. Zell snapped out of his deep thoughts.

"Uh-nothing, just thinking you knows," Zell almost stuttered. Laguna let a smile cross over his face.

"If I know young men, then I guess that you are thinking about one thing," he said, looking over at Zell with a sly smile. "A girl yeah? I've seen that kind of look on many peoples faces you know Zell. On mine too," Laguna said calmly. "Raine was a special woman you know Zell, she was Squall's mother," he sighed, "and I still love her."

"Why you telling me this? We should be looking for Squall, not... talking about this," Zell snapped harshly. He didn't want to hear Laguna's woes.

"Yeah, I know that, I know," Laguna muttered, "well, come on then, Squall's life may be depending on us," Laguna's tone changed into something a little hostile.

They walked together in silence, each not daring to think of what might happen if they found Squall's body lying dead on the ground in a pool of blood. Both were fully functioned with all their strongest magic and carried a radio in case of emergencies. It was oddly quiet now; they had suspected it to be swarming with Galbadian soldiers, but there was none. Not a single soul, the place appeared to be dead. The two men kept their guard, this all appeared too weird. First impressions had been that something was wrong, but there was something else, the storm had left quickly, in fact far too quickly to be natural. There had been a bright blue light earlier on too; the storm had disappeared as soon as that had gone

From the darkness of an alleyway a cat mewed, Laguna pointed his gun in the direction as a ginger cat ran out and down the street they had just come up from. Zell stood beside him and waited for whoever or whatever to emerge from the shadows where for now they hid. If it's you, Seifer...

"Halt!" Laguna suddenly called, his voice echoed around the place. The dark figure which was still coming through the dark alleyway stopped, his head bowed to his chin he didn't say a word. In fact, it seemed as if he was almost in a dream, for he had just stopped, no question, no nothing. "Seifer, is that you," Laguna asked frowning, for a moment he thought he had seen the blonde haired enemy and rival to his son. Laguna stepped closer and gasped aloud.

Squall!

Zell's eyes widened as Squall dreamily walked up, his eyes misted, and stopped in front of Zell. Laguna stared at his son, who looked as if he was possessed by some demon or worse. Squall's eyes were still looking to the ground when he fell to his knees and then over onto his face as he collapsed. Zell and Laguna rushed to his side and knelt down, turning him over onto his back.

Squall's face was gaunt and drawn, his eyes were sunken into his sockets and his cheek bones formed to sharp white bumps. Squalls skin was almost transparent. His wrist was turned to an odd and painful angle, the huge laceration across his back was turning septic.

"Oh shit Squall!" Laguna shook his dead looking son gently by the shoulders.

"How is he supposed to marry Rinoa like this?" Zell cried out and tried prodding his friend into consciousness..

"Who cares about that Zell!! He has to live first! Contact base Zell! Shit!" Laguna swore. "Full-Life!" he muttered ad cast the full life spell upon Squall who lay like a lifeless body in his KOed status. It didn't work.

"Xu! Send help now!" Zell yelled down the radio mic as Xu answered his call.

"What's happened? Have you found Squall?" There was excitement in her voice at the other end.

"No! He's half dead! "Zell almost yelled in panic as he watched Laguna cast every single curing spell he had on him, including the command revive and even restore. "We can't revive him!"

"We'll be there immediately. Where are you?" Xu asked, Zell heard her screaming orders at her end.

"Don't know" Zell replied feeling rather stupid. "Where are we Laguna?" Zell asked, turning to the ex-Galbadian. Laguna shrugged as he sent three Curagas at Squall at the same time. "We're lost"

We'll be able to track you don't worry, don't turn your radio off, we can track your signals. Xu commanded, Zell nodded, although Xu couldn't see him nod.

"How's Irvine?" Zell asked. Xu seemed to sigh impatiently as if this was not the time to ask such questions."

"He's fine. Describe Squalls current state

"KOed and nothing can revive him. His wrist badly broken and so is his back. No healing magic will work though. Laguna is unable to revive him..".Zell explained, slightly surprised with himself. When he was given the chance to have some responsibility, he carried his job out well. Laguna looked slightly surprised himself with Zell's accomplishment.

"Nothing at all?" Xu sounded disbelieving, as if they were doing something wrong.

"I said nothing, Laguna's been trying everything Hyne damn it! "Zell snapped.

"OK. Help will be on its way, a vehicle will come for you alright. Keep an eye out. There are people there with the most advanced curing magic junction to them, be patient" Xu informed them.

"Great, tell them to hurry up will you, Squall's dying!" Zell said staring as Laguna did everything in his power to help Squall. He had bandaged Squalls back up, put his wrist back in a more comfortable position and laid him in an easy position. Zell shook all over, his friend was dying, the man whom had saved his life once or twice, who had trusted him and had given his confidence to. Squall's friendship meant a lot to Zell.

"They are going as fast as they can Zell. I'm scared too you now. We all are" Xu told him. "Irvine and Quistis are behind us and Mischa..he's in his room" Xu told the panicking blonde. "Here's Quistis" Xu said and Quistis came on.

"Zell, you Okay? "She asked with concern, knowing how frightened and worried he could get.

"I'm fine!" Zell yelled, annoyed, of course he was fine, but what about Squall.

"Is the car there yet "she asked, lost for words to say.

"No!"

"Calm down Zell, you're not helping anyone, especially yourself," Laguna said checking Squalls pulse. "I can barely feel his heartbeat," he muttered and cast more curagas on him until he had none left.

"Don't give up!" Quistis told Zell, trying to calm her own nerves as she patted Irvine's back, he was still crying like a baby.

"Zell, they're here!" Laguna said, pointing to the speeding van that came hurterling down the road and skidded to a halt. Five people jumped out carrying a stretcher between them.

"Okay, we'll see you back here, over and out"!

"Stand back!" called a SeeD and two beams of blue light struck Squall at the same time. His body had a blue aura form around him, sparker ling and glistening. Three more of these followed until someone called for them to stop. Laguna and Zell watched in stunned amazement.

"Okay, his pulse is a lot stronger!" said another SeeD. "Bring on the Nostruma!" he called with a grin, "been waitingto test this one out for ages!" he grinned.

"Excuse me! This is a serious case; now quit acting as if this is a godsend from heaven to test this it is on, Squall is no guinea pig!" Laguna snapped angrily at the SeeD.

"Hey cool it man!" he said backing off. "The Nostruma is a GF! A healing GF to be precise! We discovered it..." Laguna lifted the excited little SeeD up from the ground and looked deep into his eyes with the anger of a bull just seen red.

"Look, I don't care Okay, just bring my son back to life!" he snapped angrily at the frightened little man.

"Ye--es sir!" he said in a squeaky voice and Laguna put him back down on the ground.

"Summon the Nostruma!" yelled the SeeD who had sent the curing beams of light, which seemed to of worked on Squall a little bit.

A spotty little SeeD, of the same age as Xu stepped forward and yelled the name of the GF and the summoning began.

The sky glowed an electric pink as the GF Nostruma came its way to heal Squall of his wounds. The pink grew stronger and thicker as it exploded into golden beams of light, which rained down upon the now see through ground. All but Squall disappeared from the scene, but watched the GF come to do its thing. The golden beams of light carried on raining down, blue, green and red beams joined it and the whole place was filled with the beautiful beams of light with the pinkish reddish sky above still glowing brightly. Something darkened in the sky as golden clouds rimmed with red floated into the middle, a shadow of a creature appeared behind the clouds and then the GF appeared into view. It was the most beautiful thing most of the SeeDs(and president) had ever seen before in their lives.

The Nostruma bird was outstanding in its beauty as it flew gracefully from the sky and brought out its wings wide, hovering above Squalls body. Its golden wing feathers were rimmed with a deep reddish tinge, it's breast feathers were also golden as were all it's feathers, but were rimmed with a light purpled pink, at different angles, its coloring were so different as its body shimmered in the golden-red light from above. Its long red, green, godly-brown and blue tail feathers touched the ground as it hovered above Squall.

With a beautiful harmonic song, the bird flew around Squall, touching his body with the tips of its tail feathers, sending a golden cloud of dust fall over his body, the Nostruma turned and looked back to the clouds where it had just come from, laying it's entire river of tail feathers upon Squalls body, which lay still on the invisible ground. The Nostruma spread its wings wide and took off, flying with perfect ease back up to the pink sky's and disappearing completely, the pink sky cleared and the world returned to normal.

Laguna ran to his son's side, quickly followed by Zell and the five other SeeDs.

"Dr Odine will be kicking himself! He's wanted to test...."the spotty SeeD began to say.

"Look, I don't care about all that! Squall's still..."Laguna flared at the spotty little man.

Squall's eyes flicked open and he looked around him. His back was healed as were all of his other wounds, including his wrist, which was returned to its usual position. Laguna smiled silently with happiness as he saw his son come alive and conscious.

"Squall...are you are you alright?" he asked, almost choked with tears of happiness. There was a great weight suddenly lifted off from his heart. His son was alive now. Rinoa will be so happy!

"Yeah… what's... Seifer..."Squall said still a little dazed. He pulled himself to his feet and stood upright, a little wobber, but he was standing up and he was alive. "Seifer...I killed him and then he wasn't there…" Squall said, not even noticing Zell or anyone else at all. Laguna laid his hands down firmly on Squalls shoulders, making him look into his father's eyes.

"Squall, that doesn't matter right now yeah? You are alive and well now; we have to go back now ok, Rinoa's back at Balamb Garden waiting for you. Everybody's worried about you Squall; you've been gone for over a month, all your friends, we're all worried about you, all of us, so let's go back huh?" Laguna said, with a friendly and loving fatherly smile.

Zell grinned at Squall, overjoyed to see one of his best friends alive again and coming home. "Yo Squall! So glad to see ya!" he grinned madly, his blue eyes shining happiness. The five other SeeDs also smiled their welcome at him.

"What about Reene and Javri?" Squall asked, suddenly panicking as he remembered what he had first set out to do. Laguna forced his smile not to fade and hoped that his eyes did not give away his pain and guilt, but Squall didn't seem to notice the little change in the atmosphere. Zell made sure he kept his lips shut and pretended he was sneezing.

"They're both perfectly fine...they've umm, gone away to rest some where's, it's been a big ordeal for them you know," Laguna lied. Squall seemed convinced by this, but a look of guilt and failure came over him. "Squall, you couldn't have helped them, it wasn't your fault they're safe now. Both of them," he was almost in tears as he lied to his son to prevent him from upset. The wedding could not be spoiled.

"......How is Rinoa?" Squall asked, forgetting about Reene and Javri, remembering his one true love would be at home worrying over him. Would she worry? She wouldn't marry me....so... Of course she will be worrying though...Rinoa, you must love me...you must… Squall hated these doubts; they came into his mind frequently, although he knew the truth well. Rinoa did love him, he knew that, or why did she tell him like she did? Brushing the back of her hand over his cheek, caressing him and loving him. Rinoa I know you love me! And I know I love you!

"Scared, worried, missing you," Laguna replied, "come on, you're expected back in garden, in SeeD uniform," Laguna told Squall and patted his son on the back.

"In uniform? Laguna… I've just. .killed Seifer... or I think I have and all I want is to go back to be with Rinoa, if Cid wants to talk to me or promote me again, then he'll have to wait, I want to return to Rinoa, the one I love, please Laguna, contact Cid and tell him that I don't want to do anything else but that. I'll take Rinoa and we'll o to the Shumi Village, she loves it there," Squall almost begged his father, he was that desperate.

"Squall, you have to. Rinoa will be there too, by your side, holding your hand, please Squall. You have to do this, for the Gardens sake! I know it's the last thing on your mind and Cid didn't really want to do this either, but he's been forced into it. Do you want some rest before you go?" Laguna asked.

"No, I've had all the rest I need thanks," Squall replied with a small laugh, barely a chuckle.

"All right, you sure have son," Laguna said, the 'son' had truly slipped out accidentally. Squall stared at him a little while, only then remembering that Laguna was his father. My father Laguna realized his mistake and cleared his throat uncomfortably, they went quiet with Zell and the others looking at them. "Sorry," he muttered, "let's go then." Squall nodded and they climbed into the vehicle.

Zell sat down beside Squall and Laguna beside Zell, neither father nor son talked, both caught up in their own thoughts. The journey back to base went in silence, such a thick silence that it was hard for people to breath. The look on Squall's face and on Laguna's was thick and troubled, both wondering what to do. Whether they could just forget that they were indeed, father and son.