Chapter 5: Healing Before Leaving
Irvine was on the phone.
"Ok…we're waiting for you, Dr. Kadowaki."
He hanged up and went to the room they put Squall in, rubbing his chin and frowning. Squall was in bed, his chest bandaged once again. He was still unconscious. Rinoa was sitting on the bed nearby him, holding his hand.
When Irvine entered the room, Selphie rushed to him. Everyone was in the room, sitting or leaning against a wall all over.
"What did you learn?" she asked.
Irvine crossed his arms on his chest, still frowning. Everyone was looking at him.
"Apparently, the doctor treated that wound a week ago."
Zell approached.
"Last week? Nonsense! It was bleeding like it was just made!"
"It was supposed to be a fast healing wound, but Squall didn't take care of it so it just kept up reopening."
Zell's face became guilty.
"That's why he didn't want to train with me! I'm supposed to be his best friend and I didn't see that!"
He heavily sat down on the floor. Quistis leant by his side and put a hand on his back.
"How could you know?"
Zell looked at her.
"But you noticed something was wrong… I didn't."
Quistis tried to comfort him.
"Yes I knew. There was hesitation when he was attacking, he was paler than usual and looked tired after a single fight. I know him for a long time not like you."
Zell took his head in his hands, his elbows on his knees.
"How blind I was! Of course he was tired!"
Rinoa looked at Irvine.
"It reopened when he dragged me to the ground?"
"I think so."
Rinoa looked at Squall before getting up and went to Irvine.
"Give me your coat, Irvine. I'll make it washed."
"Huh?"
He looked at his left sleeve. It was covered by blood, Squall's blood. This arm was on Squall's back when he carried him inside. Everyone was so worried about him he hasn't noticed yet.
"Oh! Well, ok."
He took off his coat and handed it to Rinoa. She took the opportunity to take Squall's T-shirt and jacket along.
When Rinoa left the room, Irvine and Selphie went to sit down not far from the side of the bed Rinoa was sitting on earlier. They sat down on the floor and talked. Seifer was leaning against a wall, looking at Squall, his arms crossed on his chest. He was looking preoccupy, thoughtful. Selphie noticed.
"What are you thinking about, Seifer?"
Seifer shook his head and looked at her for a while before putting his gaze back on Squall.
"Well…"
Rinoa entered the room followed by Kadowaki. Zell got up.
"How is he?" she asked.
"As you can see," Rinoa answered.
Kadowaki crossed her arms on her chest and sighed, slowly shaking her head.
"I told him to be careful! It's a fast healing wound if you take care of it, young fool!"
"It happened last week?" Zell asked.
Rinoa went back to Squall's side.
"He didn't want me to tell you, but now…"
"How did it happen?" Irvine asked.
"Ask yourself: what happened last week?"
The others thought. Kadowaki turned her gaze to Seifer.
"Don't you know, Seifer?"
As everyone turned to him, he looked at his feet. Rinoa suddenly understood.
"The fight…"
She looked at Seifer and frowned.
"It's your fault!"
Seifer tried to avoid her eyes, but he couldn't.
"I didn't know I touched him! At first I was sure I did, but when I saw him keeping on fighting, I thought at least I didn't, but… looks like I did…"
Rinoa calmed herself down.
"It's not your fault, then…"
She looked back at Squall and stroked his face.
"I think everybody should get out. Waiting here is useless and he really needs the rest," Kadowaki said.
Selphie and Irvine got up and went outside with Zell and Quistis.
"He lost so much blood… it will take some time before he's full healthy again. If he can end up doing what's good for him!"
Just before following the others, Kadowaki turned to Rinoa.
"I think Rinoa can stay here. When he'll wake up, he'll probably want to see you," she added before leaving.
Seifer was about to go too but at the last minute, he went back to Rinoa.
"I'm…I'm sorry, Rinoa…If I knew it you can be sure…"
"It's ok, Seifer. I'm not taking you for responsible. He is. A whole week is more than enough to heal that kind of wound, but he didn't take the time to rest…"
She rested her head on Squall's chest.
"And you lied to me…" she whispered to her beloved.
She closed her eyes and fell asleep, Seifer still standing by her side. He took off his coat and put it on Rinoa's shoulders. He had a little smile for her and a curious look for Squall.
"What's going on with me?" he asked himself. "Not so long ago I would have been pretty happy to see Squall like that, but I'm not! I'm…worried…"
He approached Squall from the other side of the bed and looked at him.
"You better get better fast!"
He faced the unconscious guy his back to leave, but just before, he turned his head and had a smile.
"My friend…"
He left the room.
Squall slowly opened his eyes. He felt so weak he was sure he couldn't even get up.
"Where am I? What happened?"
He remembered in a flash: the soldier who shot to him.
"My wound…"
When he weakly turned his head, he noticed Rinoa sleeping with Seifer's coat on, her head on his chest. He caressed her hair.
"I have to…"
He tried to slowly put her aside to permit him sit up. He suddenly felt so weak he dropped back on his pillow. He closed his eyes to wait for the weakness to go away. Rinoa woke up.
"How do you feel?" she asked with concern.
"Weak…" he said with a low voice. "Very weak…"
"I'm not surprised! You were bleeding so much!"
There was something in her voice telling him he did something wrong. He identified it as anger.
"My wound…"
"Yes, your wound! The one you got last week from Seifer during the fight!"
Now she was angry.
"You lied to me!! You said you were alright!"
"Rinoa…"
"You lied to me!"
She faced him her back, angry and sad.
Squall forced himself to sit up and put his hands on Rinoa's shoulders. Another weakness forced him to lean against her back not to fall.
"S…sorry…I…I didn't want you to worry about me…"
He was speaking in a so low and weak voice Rinoa changed her angry face for a worried one and turned around to help Squall lay back on the bed. She approached her face to his as he was closing his eyes.
"You just rest now," she said in a low voice. "You get better, you hear? You'll stay here until you get better."
She got up after kissing him on his forehead and left with Seifer's coat on her arm.
"As soon as I'm strong enough to stand up, I'll leave…I have to…I won't put you in danger, Rinoa…"
He fell asleep.
After getting news from Squall, the others went back to Garden as Rinoa asked them to, making them promise to come back the next week to get Squall. The whole week long, she made Squall eat in bed, forced him to rest all day long. She was always staying with him to make sure he was resting. Every single minute she wasn't with him, he was trying to get up and leave, but she was always coming back before he could, acting angry and forcing him back to bed. Of course he wasn't strong enough to walk. All the time spent in bed weakened him, but he knew in his heart there wasn't much time left.
At the end of the week, Irvine, Quistis, Selphie and Zell went to Deling to get Squall. Seifer had some work to do in Garden so he didn't come along.
Rinoa got out of the house, Squall leaning against her, too weak to walk by himself. Zell got out of the car and took Rinoa's place to take Squall to the car. Rinoa kissed Squall just before he left.
"Take care!" she said waving at him.
When the boys entered the car, Irvine drove them back to Garden. The Garden then left his spot and went full north. It landed on the continent.
Zell wanted to help Squall walking but Squall pushed him away.
"I can walk," he said. "Leave me alone…"
Feeling sad, Zell looked at his friend walking to his dorm, sometimes leaning against a wall from weakness, but he managed to get to his room. He dropped onto his bed and rested a few minutes.
"Squall?" a voice asked at the entrance of the room.
Squall took a peek at the door. It was Quistis.
"You got a letter. I was sure you were too weak to come and get it so I brought it."
She handed him the sealed envelope.
"Who is it from?"
"Don't know. The Headmaster got it yesterday."
Squall didn't open it.
"You hungry? Wanna come with us?"
He was hungry of course, but the only thing he was thinking about was to leave that place! But eating gives energy…"
"Ok…"
He put the letter in his jacket and slowly got up. Quistis resisted the desire to help him. She just walked slower to the cafeteria with him. Once there, the others were waiting for them.
"You're still pretty weak, huh?" Selphie asked as she looked at his face.
"Rinoa forced me to stay in bed the whole week, of course I'm still weak!"
Irvine laughed.
"Mommy Rinoa!"
The others laughed along and Squall smiled. Thanks to Irvine Squall wasn't thinking about leaving during this time.
"Where's Seifer?" Squall asked eating.
"He got lot of work," Quistis answered.
Squall turned to Zell.
"Did you train with him again?"
"Yup!" he answered between two munches of hotdogs. "But I can't wait to train with you again!"
Squall smiled but what he was thinking about wasn't to make smile anybody.
'When I'll leave, I could get killed… If I am, we'll never train again, Zell…Sorry…'
"Is there something wrong?" Zell asked.
Squall shook his head.
"Just tired."
He finished eating then got up.
"I think I'll rest for the rest of the afternoon."
His friends nodded. He walked to the entrance and decided to read his letter on the way. The others looked at him until he disappeared from their sights. Reading his letter, he stopped walking just when he past by the corner of the entrance. He suddenly ran to his room, tripping all the way long, but never falling. There was fear all over his face, but determination too.
The 'Disciplinary Posse' didn't see him running. If they had, they would surely have stopped him.
Irvine was on the phone.
"Ok…we're waiting for you, Dr. Kadowaki."
He hanged up and went to the room they put Squall in, rubbing his chin and frowning. Squall was in bed, his chest bandaged once again. He was still unconscious. Rinoa was sitting on the bed nearby him, holding his hand.
When Irvine entered the room, Selphie rushed to him. Everyone was in the room, sitting or leaning against a wall all over.
"What did you learn?" she asked.
Irvine crossed his arms on his chest, still frowning. Everyone was looking at him.
"Apparently, the doctor treated that wound a week ago."
Zell approached.
"Last week? Nonsense! It was bleeding like it was just made!"
"It was supposed to be a fast healing wound, but Squall didn't take care of it so it just kept up reopening."
Zell's face became guilty.
"That's why he didn't want to train with me! I'm supposed to be his best friend and I didn't see that!"
He heavily sat down on the floor. Quistis leant by his side and put a hand on his back.
"How could you know?"
Zell looked at her.
"But you noticed something was wrong… I didn't."
Quistis tried to comfort him.
"Yes I knew. There was hesitation when he was attacking, he was paler than usual and looked tired after a single fight. I know him for a long time not like you."
Zell took his head in his hands, his elbows on his knees.
"How blind I was! Of course he was tired!"
Rinoa looked at Irvine.
"It reopened when he dragged me to the ground?"
"I think so."
Rinoa looked at Squall before getting up and went to Irvine.
"Give me your coat, Irvine. I'll make it washed."
"Huh?"
He looked at his left sleeve. It was covered by blood, Squall's blood. This arm was on Squall's back when he carried him inside. Everyone was so worried about him he hasn't noticed yet.
"Oh! Well, ok."
He took off his coat and handed it to Rinoa. She took the opportunity to take Squall's T-shirt and jacket along.
When Rinoa left the room, Irvine and Selphie went to sit down not far from the side of the bed Rinoa was sitting on earlier. They sat down on the floor and talked. Seifer was leaning against a wall, looking at Squall, his arms crossed on his chest. He was looking preoccupy, thoughtful. Selphie noticed.
"What are you thinking about, Seifer?"
Seifer shook his head and looked at her for a while before putting his gaze back on Squall.
"Well…"
Rinoa entered the room followed by Kadowaki. Zell got up.
"How is he?" she asked.
"As you can see," Rinoa answered.
Kadowaki crossed her arms on her chest and sighed, slowly shaking her head.
"I told him to be careful! It's a fast healing wound if you take care of it, young fool!"
"It happened last week?" Zell asked.
Rinoa went back to Squall's side.
"He didn't want me to tell you, but now…"
"How did it happen?" Irvine asked.
"Ask yourself: what happened last week?"
The others thought. Kadowaki turned her gaze to Seifer.
"Don't you know, Seifer?"
As everyone turned to him, he looked at his feet. Rinoa suddenly understood.
"The fight…"
She looked at Seifer and frowned.
"It's your fault!"
Seifer tried to avoid her eyes, but he couldn't.
"I didn't know I touched him! At first I was sure I did, but when I saw him keeping on fighting, I thought at least I didn't, but… looks like I did…"
Rinoa calmed herself down.
"It's not your fault, then…"
She looked back at Squall and stroked his face.
"I think everybody should get out. Waiting here is useless and he really needs the rest," Kadowaki said.
Selphie and Irvine got up and went outside with Zell and Quistis.
"He lost so much blood… it will take some time before he's full healthy again. If he can end up doing what's good for him!"
Just before following the others, Kadowaki turned to Rinoa.
"I think Rinoa can stay here. When he'll wake up, he'll probably want to see you," she added before leaving.
Seifer was about to go too but at the last minute, he went back to Rinoa.
"I'm…I'm sorry, Rinoa…If I knew it you can be sure…"
"It's ok, Seifer. I'm not taking you for responsible. He is. A whole week is more than enough to heal that kind of wound, but he didn't take the time to rest…"
She rested her head on Squall's chest.
"And you lied to me…" she whispered to her beloved.
She closed her eyes and fell asleep, Seifer still standing by her side. He took off his coat and put it on Rinoa's shoulders. He had a little smile for her and a curious look for Squall.
"What's going on with me?" he asked himself. "Not so long ago I would have been pretty happy to see Squall like that, but I'm not! I'm…worried…"
He approached Squall from the other side of the bed and looked at him.
"You better get better fast!"
He faced the unconscious guy his back to leave, but just before, he turned his head and had a smile.
"My friend…"
He left the room.
Squall slowly opened his eyes. He felt so weak he was sure he couldn't even get up.
"Where am I? What happened?"
He remembered in a flash: the soldier who shot to him.
"My wound…"
When he weakly turned his head, he noticed Rinoa sleeping with Seifer's coat on, her head on his chest. He caressed her hair.
"I have to…"
He tried to slowly put her aside to permit him sit up. He suddenly felt so weak he dropped back on his pillow. He closed his eyes to wait for the weakness to go away. Rinoa woke up.
"How do you feel?" she asked with concern.
"Weak…" he said with a low voice. "Very weak…"
"I'm not surprised! You were bleeding so much!"
There was something in her voice telling him he did something wrong. He identified it as anger.
"My wound…"
"Yes, your wound! The one you got last week from Seifer during the fight!"
Now she was angry.
"You lied to me!! You said you were alright!"
"Rinoa…"
"You lied to me!"
She faced him her back, angry and sad.
Squall forced himself to sit up and put his hands on Rinoa's shoulders. Another weakness forced him to lean against her back not to fall.
"S…sorry…I…I didn't want you to worry about me…"
He was speaking in a so low and weak voice Rinoa changed her angry face for a worried one and turned around to help Squall lay back on the bed. She approached her face to his as he was closing his eyes.
"You just rest now," she said in a low voice. "You get better, you hear? You'll stay here until you get better."
She got up after kissing him on his forehead and left with Seifer's coat on her arm.
"As soon as I'm strong enough to stand up, I'll leave…I have to…I won't put you in danger, Rinoa…"
He fell asleep.
After getting news from Squall, the others went back to Garden as Rinoa asked them to, making them promise to come back the next week to get Squall. The whole week long, she made Squall eat in bed, forced him to rest all day long. She was always staying with him to make sure he was resting. Every single minute she wasn't with him, he was trying to get up and leave, but she was always coming back before he could, acting angry and forcing him back to bed. Of course he wasn't strong enough to walk. All the time spent in bed weakened him, but he knew in his heart there wasn't much time left.
At the end of the week, Irvine, Quistis, Selphie and Zell went to Deling to get Squall. Seifer had some work to do in Garden so he didn't come along.
Rinoa got out of the house, Squall leaning against her, too weak to walk by himself. Zell got out of the car and took Rinoa's place to take Squall to the car. Rinoa kissed Squall just before he left.
"Take care!" she said waving at him.
When the boys entered the car, Irvine drove them back to Garden. The Garden then left his spot and went full north. It landed on the continent.
Zell wanted to help Squall walking but Squall pushed him away.
"I can walk," he said. "Leave me alone…"
Feeling sad, Zell looked at his friend walking to his dorm, sometimes leaning against a wall from weakness, but he managed to get to his room. He dropped onto his bed and rested a few minutes.
"Squall?" a voice asked at the entrance of the room.
Squall took a peek at the door. It was Quistis.
"You got a letter. I was sure you were too weak to come and get it so I brought it."
She handed him the sealed envelope.
"Who is it from?"
"Don't know. The Headmaster got it yesterday."
Squall didn't open it.
"You hungry? Wanna come with us?"
He was hungry of course, but the only thing he was thinking about was to leave that place! But eating gives energy…"
"Ok…"
He put the letter in his jacket and slowly got up. Quistis resisted the desire to help him. She just walked slower to the cafeteria with him. Once there, the others were waiting for them.
"You're still pretty weak, huh?" Selphie asked as she looked at his face.
"Rinoa forced me to stay in bed the whole week, of course I'm still weak!"
Irvine laughed.
"Mommy Rinoa!"
The others laughed along and Squall smiled. Thanks to Irvine Squall wasn't thinking about leaving during this time.
"Where's Seifer?" Squall asked eating.
"He got lot of work," Quistis answered.
Squall turned to Zell.
"Did you train with him again?"
"Yup!" he answered between two munches of hotdogs. "But I can't wait to train with you again!"
Squall smiled but what he was thinking about wasn't to make smile anybody.
'When I'll leave, I could get killed… If I am, we'll never train again, Zell…Sorry…'
"Is there something wrong?" Zell asked.
Squall shook his head.
"Just tired."
He finished eating then got up.
"I think I'll rest for the rest of the afternoon."
His friends nodded. He walked to the entrance and decided to read his letter on the way. The others looked at him until he disappeared from their sights. Reading his letter, he stopped walking just when he past by the corner of the entrance. He suddenly ran to his room, tripping all the way long, but never falling. There was fear all over his face, but determination too.
The 'Disciplinary Posse' didn't see him running. If they had, they would surely have stopped him.