By NightsDawne
[Okay, okay, I know some of you were disappointed to find out that Irvine and Seifer were just going to be friends in this one, but I haven't forgotten you. I've put up the first chapter of Ride 'Em, Cowboy!, a SeiferXIrvineXSquallXZell yaoi for your R&R pleasure. As always, thanks for the feedback on Cowboy and I hope I can keep all of you interested in the adventures of a Quirvy and a Seiphie.]
Chapter 16: Under Pressure
Cid sipped at the cup of tea Ellone had provided for him while she rested from the exertion of sending Cid back. He tried not to let his thoughts stray to what danger his son could be in at the present moment, but he was unable to stop the flood of parental fear. He knew that Irvine was good at what he did and capable of taking care of himself. Martine had at least provided him that. Still, images of a wounded Irvine, perhaps lost in the desert, perhaps captured by the enemy forces haunted him. He chided himself. He had survived allowing Irvine to fight with Squall and the others against Ultimecia, although he doubted he could have done anything to stop him even if he had tried. Irvine was like him in that respect, seeming easy-going, even submissive, but stubborn when he perceived danger to those he cared about.
Cid rubbed at his chest, lamenting the heart condition that had stopped his army career over a decade ago. A large part of him wanted to dig out his old gunblade and head into the desert to find Irvine and the others, but he knew the idea was ridiculous. He would only put himself in danger and make it that much harder for Squall to do his job. He had to trust Irvine, had to trust the others with him. It was their time to fight the fights now.
"Are you ready to try again?" Ellone sat down in the chair next to him, putting her hand on his shoulder. "Your heart isn't giving you problems, is it?"
Cid shook his head with a slight smile. "No, I'm fine, thank you."
Ellone took the teacup, setting it on the table in front of them. "You'll have to stop worrying about him if this is going to work, Cid. He's stronger than he looks, he's survived worse before."
"I know, I know. Foolishness on my part." Cid leaned back against the chair, clearing his mind.
"More like a father's love," said Ellone softly. "Close your eyes and relax."
Cid closed his eyes, feeling himself drift into the cool blue haze of Ellone's gift.
He felt pain radiating through his chest and side. His eyes were closed as he lay against something hard, his fingers still clenched around the grip of his rifle. Cold air swept across his face. He panicked for a moment until he felt the soft movements of Irvine's chest as he breathed, heard the faint rhythm of his heart. He was alive, but wounded, deeply gashed by a sharp blade.
"Check them, my knight. See if they survived." It was Edea's voice, but the heartless tone chilled Cid. It wasn't his wife who spoke, it was Ultimecia, the powerful sorceress who had taken her over. Irvine. Irvine, wake up. Can you hear me?
"Squall is. Barely." Cid could hear Seifer's boots as the possessed cadet moved between the casualties. "Well, well, Rinoa is, too. Not that I need her anymore, my sorceress." Cid forced away the wave of rage at Seifer's tone of intimacy. It hadn't been the cadet's fault. He hadn't been in control of himself. It wasn't his wife Seifer had been the consort of. He felt a hand on Irvine's neck, searching for a pulse. Don't touch my son. He was like a brother to you, Seifer! Some part of you has to remember that! He could feel the faint throb against Seifer's fingers, betraying Irvine's life. The hand slowly withdrew, almost uncertainly. "The sniper's dead."
"Leave him, then. He belongs to Martine, let him deal with it. Have the other two imprisoned to await interrogation." Several pairs of booted feet hurried to obey the sorceress's command. "Come, my dear Seifer, you did well. Tomorrow you shall have your fun with those two."
"Thank you, my sorceress." Seifer's footsteps died away. Cid felt relief wash over him. You knew he was alive, Seifer. Even in the clutches of the sorceress, even after you inflicted these injuries on him, you spared him.
It seemed ages that Irvine lay there motionless, only the slow drumming of his heart reassuring Cid that his son survived. Silence surrounded them like a prison. Cid ached for Irvine to open his eyes, to give him some clue of what was going on around them. After an agonizing eon passed, Cid heard a truck approach, stop next to them, a door open and close.
"Kinneas. You fucking failure!" Cid started at Martine's words, shocked by them more than the kick that followed, elliciting a moan from Irvine. How dare you treat my son like this? He was supposed to shoot the woman who raised him, can't you show a little more understanding, a little compassion? He tried, you son of a bitch! He felt Irvine pulled up roughly, a healing potion forced on him. Irvine coughed, opened his eyes slowly.
"S-Squall..." Irvine rolled his head to the side, seeing the pool of blood left where his friend had fallen, pierced by the sorceress's powerful magic.
"He's alive, no thanks to you. Get on your feet." Martine stood, shoving Irvine roughly in the back with his boot. "So, you worthless piece of shit, is the sorceress!"
Irvine struggled to his feet, shaking his head. "She blocked the shot. She knew. I... I tried, Martine."
Martine shoved him roughly toward the truck. "Shut up, idiot. The whole plan's gone wrong and the blame is resting fully on you."
Irvine climbed into the truck and sank down in the seat, running his hand over the dried blood on his side. "I'm s-sorry. I tried. I couldn't--"
"Save it for the general, Kinneas." Martine settled himself in the driver's seat, casting a disgusted glare at Irvine. Irvine dropped his head against the window, his thoughts drifting to Squall, remembering him crouched in front of him, hand on his shoulder, fearless eyes on his, telling him that he could do it. He had failed them, failed them all. The gunslinger who never missed had caved to the pressure of seeing the face of his matron through his rifle scope. Frozen, unable to pull the trigger. And Seifer, his eyes holding no recognition, only avarice, only the desire to kill, to bring pain. His hands shook as he remembered his finger on the trigger, squeezing, closing his eyes, not wanting to see the bullet strike someone he cared so much about, hearing Seifer cry out as the shot sent him reeling back, preventing his gunblade from falling on Squall's neck. You had to, Irvine. But you couldn't aim for the heart, could you. You just couldn't kill the one who you thought of as brother.
"I failed," whispered Irvine, staring at the darkness as if wishing it would swallow him up. "It's not Seifer anymore. I chickened out." No, you just couldn't destroy a bond so strong. You have to save them, Irvine. Only you know. Only you can keep them together and save the ones you love, don't you understand that? Don't give up. "Save them. Seifer. Matron."
Irvine stepped out of the truck, pulling his hat down over his eyes as he made his way up the steps of General Caraway's house after Martine. What could he do? None of the others even remembered him, not even Selphie and Quistis. They didn't even know the sorceress was their old matron. Everything had changed and changed so badly. It was a nightmare he only wanted to wake up from. He was nothing but an errand boy and assassin. His only worth to anyone was following Martine and Caraway's orders. How could he save anyone? You're worth so much more, Irvine. You have it in you. You're stronger than you think.
Irvine hung his head as he stepped into Caraway's office, feeling anything but strong. He'd lacked the strength to pull the trigger and end Ultimecia's plans of world domination when he had the chance. The only thing he'd been able to do was fire the second time, knowing she was prepared for him, waiting for the shot. He had seen her eyes look directly at him as he targetted her from the tower. All he could offer was a signal for the others to follow so they could attack and do the job he'd failed at. Nobody blames you, Irvine. Squall's words echoed through his mind. It's okay. The shot was right on target. You did your best, Irvine. I'll take it from here. He remembered the questioning, accusing look in Rinoa's eyes as Squall rushed from the room. Her muttered comment about Squall's seeming sudden closeness to a practical stranger when he'd barely talk to his friends. He'd turned away, unsure at the tone of jealousy in her voice, watched Squall race from the tower in a stolen car to cover the block and a half between themselves and the sorceress's float, trapped between the closed gate and the crowd. The slamming of the door and Rinoa's feet echoing on the metal ladder made him turn to find her gone, leaving to fight beside Squall, not even asking Irvine to join her. Was he that much of a coward that he'd let Squall fight alone? He'd followed after, determined to protect the girl and help Squall, but he'd still failed.
"I should kill you, Kinneas." Irvine looked up hesitantly at Caraway, seeing his face full of outrage. "You were supposed to kill her. It wasn't that fucking difficult of a job, we set it all up for you!"
"I couldn't drop her, General." Irvine backed up a step as Caraway came out from behind his desk, but Martine pushed him forward again. "She knew somehow. She put up some kinda shield and blocked the shot."
"Don't give me your excuses," growled Caraway, grabbing Irvine's coat in one hand. "Do you have any fucking idea how much you messed things up?"
Irvine looked down. "I'm s-sorry, General. I t-tried."
"Shut up! You couldn't even finish your job, and on top of that you dragged my daughter into it! They arrested my daughter as a traitor!"
"It wasn't like I asked her ta do anything, General. We found her about ta be sacrificed by the sorceress, we had ta save her. She took off after Squall on her own."
"You screwed up, Kinneas!" Caraway gave Irvine a shake. "The one time we really count on you to do something that matters and you blow everything!" He shoved Irvine back at Martine, who caught him by the collar and held him while Caraway paced. "You're going to at least fix part of it."
Irvine swallowed, trying to keep his knees from shaking. "What do ya want me ta do, General?"
Caraway fixed Irvine with a cold glare. "You're going to get my daughter out of prison and bring her back here."
"But what about Squall and the others?"
"Let them rot. We don't need them anymore." Caraway stepped up to Irvine again, the young gunslinger shrinking away from him slightly. "And to make sure you do your job, I'm going to give you a little incentive. If my daughter, and just my daughter, isn't back here in one hour, I'll fire off enough missiles at Balamb and Trabia Gardens to turn them into rubble, understood?"
Irvine nodded slowly, his stomach churning. Leave his friends in prison or bear the guilt of the blood of a bunch of kids on his hands. His mind went blank, unable to cope with the agonizing decision.
Cid sat forward, gulping for air as he returned to the present. This was the hell his former army comrade had put his son through, his own son.
"Cid?" Ellone put her hand on his shoulder worriedly. "Breathe. Your heart, remember your heart."
"That bastard." Cid pulled away from her hand, rising to his feet. "Irvine was still a boy. Is still a boy. Martine made him feel like enough of a failure as it was, but to leave him with the guilt for all the deaths at Trabia Garden!"
"It wasn't Irvine's fault, we both know that. Caraway was the one who fired the missiles. For God's sake, Irvine came with Squall and Rinoa to warn you about the impending attack."
"That doesn't matter." Cid turned to face her. "He's my son, I know what he would feel. His choosing to save Squall and the others set that attack off in the first place. As wrong as it is, he blames himself."
Ellone took his hand in hers, giving it a little squeeze. "Then he's going to need his father to help him heal."
