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(A Welcome Fate)

Zander carefully made his way through the fighting Seeds and White Army soldiers. He wished he knew where to find Elise, all he knew was that she wouldn't be fighting with the rest of the soldiers, he knew she had wanted to take care of the commander and his friends herself.

He ran forward but slowed down when he saw some people he didn't recognize standing by the directory; they didn't seem to be involved in the fight with the White Army.

"They couldn't have gone far." He heard the raven-haired girl say. He spotted Elise's sword on the ground.

"The only place we haven't checked is upstairs." The blond, spiky-haired, young man said.

Zander ran up to them. "Who are you looking for?" He asked them, everyone stared at him.

"Who the hell are you?" Seifer demanded.

Zander ignored him. "Are you looking for Elise?"

"Do you know where she is?" Quistis asked him.

That answered his question. He picked up Elise's sword.

"Hey, leave that alone!" Zell commanded.

Zander cast an Ultima on them, then ran to the elevator. He couldn't let the SeeD commander kill Elise...that was what he had come to Balam Garden to do.

"You can't help me, Squall," Elise said. "It's too late."

"You can't give up that easily."

"This is all so confusing. It would just be better if I...died." She wiped her tears away. "That would fix everything." She said firmly.

"Don't say that Elise."

She truly meant what she said. She had been so happy to discover that Ultimicia had lied to her, that Squall truly cared for her. But the fact that she had hurt the only person who cared for her...she didn't know if she could live with that.

When she first plotted to kill him she had not known that he truly cared. She had thought that he was a mere puppet, she had thought she was controlling his words and actions. Obviously, she had been wrong.

Even if she did try to change her path...it would not work. It simply would not work. Why had she not questioned Ultimicia? Why had she believed her?

Ultimicia had ruined her life...there was nothing left. Squall couldn't help her; Hyne himself couldn't help her now. All those years she had wasted, all those years that she would not get back. She knew death was her only escape, the only way that she could make things better. Staying alive would mean too much suffering, and she did not want to suffer anymore. Death. She welcomed the thought.

"ELISE!" She automatically turned around when she heard her name. Squall ran to her trying to stop what was about to happen, but before he could do anything...Zander had sunk her own sword deep inside her chest.

Squall was too shocked to do or say anything. Zander pulled out the blade; his dark eyes were full of hate. He knew exactly what he had done, and was glad to have finally done it.

Elise started to fall backward, Squall snapped out of his trance and caught her before she hit the floor.

At that same moment, the others came up the elevator. They turned the corner and stopped when they saw the scene before them.

Zell rushed to Zander and roughly pinned him against the wall causing him to drop the sword. "I had to do it!" Zander tried to excuse himself. "She ruined my life! I went back home only to find that my mother is dead and my girlfriend is married to some guy who is raising my son as his own. I had to get revenge!"

"Shut the hell up!" Zell slammed him against the wall.

Quistis went over to Squall and Elise; she went down on her knees and took hold of Elise's right hand. "Oh, Elise." She said quietly.

"It's better this way," Elise said weakly.

"Don't say that."

"It's true Squall. It's too late to go back, even if I did have the chance. This would have happened eventually...I've ruined too many lives and committed too many crimes. There would be too many people out to get me."

Selphie had her right hand over her mouth. Zell and Irvine wore grim expressions on their faces.

"I never thought I'd be happy when this moment came." Elise continued. "It makes me so happy to know that you care, but it also makes me sad to know that I wasted all this time trying to hurt you."

"It's not your fault." Squall told her.

"If I hadn't wanted this deep down inside, I wouldn't have listened to Ultimicia. Listen Quistis, I have two GFs, draw them out, I want you to have them." Quistis did as she was told. "And Squall, I know it's not much, but I want you to have my sword."

He nodded. "We'll never forget you, Elise." He knew just as well as everyone that she had but a few moments left. He didn't want to waste them by lying, telling her that everything was going to be fine.

"Rinoa," Elise called to her, she stepped forward. "I need to ask a favor of you."

"Sure."

"Please take my powers so that I may rest in peace."

Rinoa put her hands over Elise, a purple light left her body and enveloped Rinoa for a few seconds, then it was gone. Rinoa fell to her knees, after about two seconds she stood up again.

"Thank you." Elise smiled up at Rinoa. "At least now you know that without me, Ultimicia will never be born." She closed her eyes. "This is nice...I was always afraid I'd die alone. Thank you...for not letting my fear come true..." Her eyes never opened again.

Everyone was silent, Seifer couldn't help feeling sorry for her. In a way he knew how she felt, she had been yet another victim of Ultimicia, just like him. He realized that he was lucky, though he hated to admit it, and would never admit it to anyone other than himself; he could have ended up like her.

At that moment Seifer decided that he would do something with his life, he would defy Ultimicia and become what she had hated the most. That would be his revenge.

Squall gently laid Elise's head on the floor. He stood up and looked around, Quistis was still on her knees, her head down; Irvine was holding Selphie.

"Bastard." Zell hit Zander against the wall again, all he did was look down. Maybe killing her had not been the best alternative, Zander now thought. Yes, Elise had gotten what she deserved, but he knew that he would go to prison for what he did.

Squall saw Elise's sword and picked it up. Rinoa came and laid her head on Squall's chest, tears ran down her cheeks. He put his left arm around her while he studied the bloody blade.

How strange blood was, he thought, he knew that the blood on the blade could be easily wiped away. It would leave no mark; the blade would look as if it had never had a single drop of blood on it. No physical mark. But the mark it left implanted in his soul could never be wiped away.

The battle outside stopped abruptly. Most of the White Army soldiers, confused and realizing that it was SeeD they were fighting dropped their weapons and ran cursing the sorceress they had once respected.

The remaining soldiers wanted to go after the sorceress. But being only a fraction of the army that they once were, and with the entire SeeD force blocking their way into the Garden, they decided to retreat. The White Army was never heard from again. They all tried to forget their ordeal and get back to their old lives.

Squall sat on his bed reading a sheet of paper, he looked at his watch and sighed. He folded the paper, stood up and put it in the pocket of his SeeD uniform.

There was a knock on his door. "Come in."

The door opened and Rinoa stepped inside. "My, my, don't we look sexy?"

"...Whatever." Squall replied to her compliment. "You...um...look nice." He thought she looked beautiful in the long, pale-yellow dress, but he didn't know how to make the right words come out of his mouth.

"That's so sweet," she knew what he meant, "thank you. Quistis sent me to get you, it's almost time for your speech."

"I know."

"Then what are you doing here?"

"I don't want to do the speech."

"Why?"

Squall looked at her as if expecting her to know the answer; she said nothing. "...Because after it I have to congratulate all the new SeeDs."

Rinoa rolled her eyes, she could guess why he didn't want to do it. "And you don't want to congratulate Seifer."

Silence.

"Well, that's mature." She sighed. "Squall, he's not the same. He avoids you and Zell and casually greets the rest of us. If that's not a sign that Seifer changed, I don't know what is." She walked up to him and put her arms around his neck. "Plus, Irvine is graduating too, don't you want to congratulate him?"

"...Whatever."

"But you still don't want to congratulate Seifer."

Squall looked at the ceiling. "Can we change the subject?"

"...Well...I do need to tell you something."

"What?"

"My father called me a few minutes ago. He asked me to go on vacation with him to a place where the three of us used to go when my mom was alive."

"For how long?"

"Two weeks."

Two whole weeks, Squall thought, he had never been apart from her that long. He was so used to seeing her every day. What would he do with all his free time? "I thought you guys didn't get along."

"Well, we both decided that we're going to try. After meeting you guys I realized how lucky I am to have my father still with me."

"I'm glad for you." Whatever made her happy.

"I'll miss you."

"Me too." He looked into her eyes and smiled, she smiled back at him. They were both startled by a loud pounding on the door.

"Squall, open the door," They heard Quistis' voice. Squall opened the door and she stepped inside. She wore a light blue strapless dress. "Rinoa, I thought you came to get him." She sounded rather irritated.

"I did. We were going."

"Well?" Quistis turned to Squall. "Why aren't you going? You have to give your speech in two minutes!"

"Because he doesn't want to congratulate Seifer." Rinoa smiled slyly at Squall.

Quistis' blue eyes burned into Squall's, he looked at Rinoa. "Thanks." He mouthed.

"You don't want to congratulate him?" Squall folded his arms under his chest and turned his head. "What he has done is admirable, he has defied his own destiny! He has walked forward with his head held high when others would have given up! He has my respect and the respect of those who know him and know everything that he has been through."

Squall knew she was right. "...Whatever."

"I suspected as much." Quistis sighed. "Just don't say anything degrading to him. Please."

"...It's a good thing you said that," Squall said, his face expressionless, "I was planning on encouraging all the new SeeDs to throw rotten vegetables at him."

Rinoa and Quistis looked at him, shocked expressions on their faces.

"...I was kidding." Squall said, still expressionless.

They stared at him for a few moments then burst out laughing.

He rolled his eyes, he hated to admit it but he did have to admire Seifer for what he had done. He would never say it of course. He looked at the sword mounted on his wall; Elise's sword, if only she had been as lucky as Seifer.

Noticing what he was looking at Quistis and Rinoa stopped laughing.

"I wish she was here too," Quistis said. "But I have finally come to realize that she is now much happier than she could have been here."

"Will Commander Leonhart and Instructor Trepe kindly present themselves to the Ball Room?" Came Cid's annoyed voice over the intercom.

"Oh," Rinoa said. "I guess we bet—"

"Did he say, instructor?" Quistis interrupted. "Did he?"

"Surprise." Squall said. Earlier that morning Cid had informed Squall that he had decided to give Quistis her Instructor's License back. Squall had attempted to convince Cid to give her the license numerous times, this time, though, it had worked. He knew she deserved it, Cid knew that too.

Quistis put both her hands over her mouth, then hugged Squall. "Thank you." She practically ran out of the room.

"We better go," Rinoa said leading Squall out.

Squall looked at the sword once more then smiled, he was sure that wherever Elise was, she truly was happier.

FIN

The end of my first written story. I want to thank everyone for reviewing this. It truly means a lot to me. You guys have no idea how many times you've made my day. Thank you so much. And I hope you liked it.