Chapter 8: Everything Becomes Clear
Squall slept the rest of the day and woke up late in the night. At the very second he opened his eyes, he got up to go to the infirmary, but he got up too fast it made him feel dizzy. He waited a few seconds then headed there. He saw Quistis leaning on the wall close to the entrance, and Zell sat down against the opposite wall, his arms wrapped around his legs and his head on his arms, apparently sleeping. When Quistis saw Squall coming her way, she waved to him.
"You slept well?"
"Yeah, but still feeling weak."
"Of course…"
He leant on the wall aside her, his arms down.
"How are they?"
"They'll live. Seifer had an arm badly wounded so he won't be able to move it for awhile."
"And Rinoa?"
"She'll need plenty of rest to recover. Just like Seifer."
The door opened and Kadowaki came out of the room. Squall left the wall and turned to her.
"Hi, Squall. When I saw you were gone this morning while I was sure you wouldn't wake up before a while at least…"
"Tell me, Squall," Quistis interrupted. "What happened so that you had to do such dangerous and stupid things?"
Squall knew it was about time he tells everything.
"I think it started a few weeks ago. I had that strange dream…"
He told the whole story to his friend, Kadowaki listening along.
"So Rinoa was right," Quistis said once Squall was done. "It was to protect us you left…"
"Yeah… But I still can't remember where I heard that voice before."
"Get some rest," Kadowaki suggested. "It will come back, you'll see."
"Thanks, doc."
He looked at the closed door and hesitated.
"Can I…see them?"
The doctor rubbed her chin.
"Well, I'm not supposed to do that, but…Ok. If they don't wake up by themselves, don't do so."
Squall nodded and entered the room. He sat on the bench between the two beds his friends were lying on. He looked at Seifer, the sheet just covering half his chest, his wounded arm bandaged and laying on his bandaged chest. After staring at his peacefully sleeping friend for a while, Squall then took a look at Rinoa. She too had her chest bandaged, her arms each side of her. She had Band-Aids on her face. Squall sighed at that sight. Even badly wounded, she was smiling in her sleep probably knowing she'll see him at her awakening.
"I'm sorry, Rinoa," he said softly putting his elbows on the bed, "I wanted to protect you from the Galbadians, but now… look at you…"
He turned to Seifer with the same sorry look on his face.
"I'm sorry, Seifer. I didn't expect that this would happen. I already knew I was in danger when I permitted you to come back. Maybe I shouldn't have…"
His elbows on the bed, he took his face in his hands, confused.
"You're kidding??"
Squall got his eyes back on Seifer. He was smiling at Squall.
"Sorry I woke you up…"
"Are you done apologizing, yet? I chose to jump in front of the soldiers. Rinoa too. It's not your fault if you have lot of enemies."
"Rinoa… It's dangerous for her to love me…"
"I hope you don't mean it!"
Squall turned to Rinoa. She was smiling at him. He gave her a little hug.
"How do you feel?"
She looked down at her chest.
"Besides the bullet holes all over my body, I'm fine."
The three laughed before Rinoa put her hand on Squall's.
"And you?"
"You two didn't left me a single bullet. Selfish!"
"That's a relief," Seifer said. "Would you have received just one you'd be dead. You were much too weak. What a fool…"
Squall took that as a compliment coming from Seifer in that tone.
"Hey, Squall…"
Squall turned to Seifer.
"Will you train with me?"
"I already told you I will. You forgot?"
"I guess…" he answered.
They laughed from Seifer's dumb face. Squall took his hand when he offered it.
"What happened with the soldiers?" Rinoa asked.
Holding two hands, Seifer's and Rinoa's, he explained.
"Irvine shot some and I saw Esthar soldiers behind the Galbadians shooting them as well."
"Esthar?"
"Yeah, and there was that guy with a blue coat and a machine gun…"
Squall suddenly thought.
"Squall," Rinoa called. "That description…"
The SeeD let go his friends' hands.
"Of course…" he said to himself.
He slapped his forehead.
"How blind I was!" he got up and quickly headed for the door.
Rinoa and Seifer exchanged glances and shrugged.
Once out, Squall leant backward on the closed door, his hand on his face.
"Even the voice…now I remember! How could I forget 'his' voice?!"
He looked at the edge of the corridor and saw Quistis, apparently talking to someone hidden out of Squall's sight.
He ran to her.
"Quistis! I figured it out, I know who it is!"
Quistis turned to him and smiled.
"Then we're two," she said.
"Huh?"
Squall stopped near her while she moved aside, permitting the person she was talking to showing himself to Squall. A man with black hair tied up in a ponytail, wearing brown pants and blue shirt, hands in his pockets. Squall stared at the green-eyed man.
"Laguna…"
The man saluted.
"Hey, Squall…so you figured it out at last…"
The SeeD walked to the Esthar president. There was no big difference in their heights. Just an inch or so.
"I wish I'd been there sooner so your friends wouldn't have been hurt. Are they okay?"
If he still had doubts a second ago, he didn't anymore. The origin of the voice from his dream was definitely his.
"Yeah."
"And you?" he asked putting his hands on Squall's shoulders with a little hesitation.
Not used to that familiarity with his father, Squall didn't know how to react.
"Just tired."
Laguna noticed Squall was not at ease with him. So he left his shoulders and crossed his arms on his chest.
"I suppose it's time for explanation, huh?"
"There are so much things I don't understand!!"
"Let me explain. Let's see…"
He rubbed his chin, wondering where to start.
"I think it started a month or two ago. Maybe more. You see, you know me well because Ellone sent you to my past. I considered you know me while I don't even know you… So I asked Ellone to send me to your past…"
Squall frowned.
"I saw your…pretty sad childhood at that orphanage. I felt guilty 'cause it was my fault…"
Laguna shook his head and continued.
"One night, she did it again, but while sleeping so you know she doesn't have control over it while sleeping. Apparently, she has another power: she can send people into the future too!"
"What?"
"I had that vision of your…Rinoa and that …guy being shot… I made some research to know if it was true but it didn't happen…yet. Ellone was positive it would happen. I asked her to let me see that again. At first she was reluctant, saying seeing the future was dangerous, but I insisted. I wanted to know more, where and when… I finally knew."
"But…that dream I had?!"
"I'm almost there. I thought about a way to warn you, even when Ellone told me I couldn't change the future. It was worth a try, don't you think?"
Squall nodded.
"With Ellone, we made up that scene and she sent it to you with me to talk to you."
"Why that and not the real one?"
"'Cause I knew that the other guy wasn't here. Sending that scene to you would have tell you he would be there."
"But I wouldn't have let him come back if you have showed that to me!"
"I don't think so," Quistis cut in. "You still wanted to give him a chance."
"Yeah… Anyway from what I saw in that dream, EVERYBODY was in danger. I still let him come back knowing that."
He turned to Laguna.
"But why a scene like that?"
"I knew you would do as I said if you knew Rinoa was in danger."
"That was a good idea, but not very kind."
"Yeah… I almost wanted to tell you everything when I saw you crying."
Squall blushed from shame.
"Why that?" Laguna asked. "It's normal! Do you think I never cried? When I learned Raine was…"
A great sadness covered Laguna's face remembering his dead wife. He shook his head and continued.
"I just wanted to be sure I could be of some help to avoid it. I knew the soldiers were after you so I tried to make you leave. It wasn't such a good idea: you almost died…"
"Forget it…"
Laguna smiled.
"I think this story maybe got us closer, don't you think?"
"Maybe…"
Laguna put a hand on his son's shoulder.
"What if I come back to have a father and son chat with you? I want to repair the mistakes I did in the past."
He deeply looked in Squall's eyes, making him feel uncomfortable.
"There's so much of your mother in you… I'll tell you about her if you want…"
"Sure."
Laguna turned away. For a second, Squall thought he saw a big, non- measurable sadness on his face.
"Think I'll go now. I got a whole city to preside!"
After a hesitation, he turned to leave. Squall munched his lips, wishing to add something he knew Laguna wanted to hear.
"Wait!!"
The elder one stopped and turned his head.
"What is it, son?"
Then Squall knew Laguna wanted to hear it.
"Thanks………...father…"
Once it past his lips, he thought it wasn't so hard and not so bad to say. He was reluctant of calling Laguna 'father' because he never had real family to call so.
Laguna's eyes were shining.
"You're most welcome…"
Then he left.
Quistis approached, making Squall jump.
"Sorry," she laughed.
"Bah… I was thinking about something else."
"Anyway, I got something to tell you."
The mysterious tone she used made Squall curious as she looked at her, putting a hand on his hip.
"Just before Laguna came," she told. "The Headmaster came and said he wanted to make a big party for you."
"For me? Why?"
"To show you how important you are to all of us, to honor you."
Squall shook his head.
"I don't want any party. I'm not in good form anyway."
"No problem! Cid said it will occur only once you're better."
The SeeD leader crossed his arms on his chest and looked away.
"And there's nothing you can do to avoid it. It's already settled!"
He gave her a surprised look.
"Why am I the leader if nobody ask me before doing things?"
"When people want to make a surprise party for a friend, are they going to tell their friend they'll do it?"
Squall looked away, thinking.
"Come on, Squall… It's been a while since the last party and everyone need it. Nobody is against the fact that it's in your honor."
"…Alright."
Quistis jumped, clapping her hands, reminding Squall of Selphie. He giggled when she got back formal, coughing a little.
"But!! One condition!"
"Yes?"
"I don't want this party before Rinoa is better too!"
Quistis waved her hand away.
"It's a deal!"
"Yaaaaawn… Meal? Where?" a sleepy voice asked behind them.
Zell approached as they looked in the corridor.
"Not 'meal', Zell, 'deal'!" Quistis told him.
"Shit…"
He looked at Squall, slumber covering his face.
"Yo, Squall… I didn't know you were there…"
"Doesn't matter. You should go to bed now," Squall added with a smile.
"I'll do that…see ya tomorrow…"
Zell went away like a sleepwalker.
"You should do that yourself," Quistis said to Squall.
"I slept the whole day, don't you think it's enough?"
"You never get enough rest when it's coming to health."
Squall covered his mouth with his hand to bury a yawn.
"There! You see?"
He smiled.
"Alright, alright, I surrender. Let me say good night to the others and tell them about the party."
"Sure. Good night, Squall."
"You too."
Squall headed back in the infirmary while Quistis went the opposite direction.
Apparently, the others were expecting him because when he entered, they were looking his way.
"Why did you leave all of a sudden?" Rinoa asked.
"Something I figured out I wanted to be sure of."
"What took you so long?" Seifer asked.
"There's gonna be a party."
"When?" they both asked in a single voice.
"Once I'm better and Rinoa too."
"Of course! I'd never miss it! What is it for?"
"Apparently, in my honor."
"Great!"
Squall was about to leave.
"It's all I wanted to tell you for now. I'm going to sleep and you just do that too."
Rinoa saluted.
"Yes, Commander!"
Seifer mimicked her.
"Whatever…"
He left the infirmary, leaving Seifer and Rinoa laughing.
He had lots of rests during the whole week just like Rinoa and Seifer who were healing pretty fast. The party was finally settled to occur Saturday night.
Squall had the week to heal and tell his friends about his father.
Saturday morning, Rinoa and Seifer were examined by Kadowaki one last time. The surgery was successful. This shouldn't leave any scar to any of them.
Rinoa requested to get back to Deling City to change herself, saying she'd be back for the party. Squall couldn't wait.
Soon the afternoon, Rinoa called, saying she couldn't come to the party. Her father was willing to take her with him in a business trip. In reality, when he learned what happened, he gave Squall full responsibility for what happened to Rinoa so he didn't want her to be with him.
Almost crying on the phone, Rinoa was really sad she couldn't come. Squall was very sad too. He thought this party could have been an occasion for him and Rinoa to get even closer to each other.
Once they hanged up, Squall went to his dorm and decided he wouldn't go to the party. No Rinoa? Then no Squall.
Squall slept the rest of the day and woke up late in the night. At the very second he opened his eyes, he got up to go to the infirmary, but he got up too fast it made him feel dizzy. He waited a few seconds then headed there. He saw Quistis leaning on the wall close to the entrance, and Zell sat down against the opposite wall, his arms wrapped around his legs and his head on his arms, apparently sleeping. When Quistis saw Squall coming her way, she waved to him.
"You slept well?"
"Yeah, but still feeling weak."
"Of course…"
He leant on the wall aside her, his arms down.
"How are they?"
"They'll live. Seifer had an arm badly wounded so he won't be able to move it for awhile."
"And Rinoa?"
"She'll need plenty of rest to recover. Just like Seifer."
The door opened and Kadowaki came out of the room. Squall left the wall and turned to her.
"Hi, Squall. When I saw you were gone this morning while I was sure you wouldn't wake up before a while at least…"
"Tell me, Squall," Quistis interrupted. "What happened so that you had to do such dangerous and stupid things?"
Squall knew it was about time he tells everything.
"I think it started a few weeks ago. I had that strange dream…"
He told the whole story to his friend, Kadowaki listening along.
"So Rinoa was right," Quistis said once Squall was done. "It was to protect us you left…"
"Yeah… But I still can't remember where I heard that voice before."
"Get some rest," Kadowaki suggested. "It will come back, you'll see."
"Thanks, doc."
He looked at the closed door and hesitated.
"Can I…see them?"
The doctor rubbed her chin.
"Well, I'm not supposed to do that, but…Ok. If they don't wake up by themselves, don't do so."
Squall nodded and entered the room. He sat on the bench between the two beds his friends were lying on. He looked at Seifer, the sheet just covering half his chest, his wounded arm bandaged and laying on his bandaged chest. After staring at his peacefully sleeping friend for a while, Squall then took a look at Rinoa. She too had her chest bandaged, her arms each side of her. She had Band-Aids on her face. Squall sighed at that sight. Even badly wounded, she was smiling in her sleep probably knowing she'll see him at her awakening.
"I'm sorry, Rinoa," he said softly putting his elbows on the bed, "I wanted to protect you from the Galbadians, but now… look at you…"
He turned to Seifer with the same sorry look on his face.
"I'm sorry, Seifer. I didn't expect that this would happen. I already knew I was in danger when I permitted you to come back. Maybe I shouldn't have…"
His elbows on the bed, he took his face in his hands, confused.
"You're kidding??"
Squall got his eyes back on Seifer. He was smiling at Squall.
"Sorry I woke you up…"
"Are you done apologizing, yet? I chose to jump in front of the soldiers. Rinoa too. It's not your fault if you have lot of enemies."
"Rinoa… It's dangerous for her to love me…"
"I hope you don't mean it!"
Squall turned to Rinoa. She was smiling at him. He gave her a little hug.
"How do you feel?"
She looked down at her chest.
"Besides the bullet holes all over my body, I'm fine."
The three laughed before Rinoa put her hand on Squall's.
"And you?"
"You two didn't left me a single bullet. Selfish!"
"That's a relief," Seifer said. "Would you have received just one you'd be dead. You were much too weak. What a fool…"
Squall took that as a compliment coming from Seifer in that tone.
"Hey, Squall…"
Squall turned to Seifer.
"Will you train with me?"
"I already told you I will. You forgot?"
"I guess…" he answered.
They laughed from Seifer's dumb face. Squall took his hand when he offered it.
"What happened with the soldiers?" Rinoa asked.
Holding two hands, Seifer's and Rinoa's, he explained.
"Irvine shot some and I saw Esthar soldiers behind the Galbadians shooting them as well."
"Esthar?"
"Yeah, and there was that guy with a blue coat and a machine gun…"
Squall suddenly thought.
"Squall," Rinoa called. "That description…"
The SeeD let go his friends' hands.
"Of course…" he said to himself.
He slapped his forehead.
"How blind I was!" he got up and quickly headed for the door.
Rinoa and Seifer exchanged glances and shrugged.
Once out, Squall leant backward on the closed door, his hand on his face.
"Even the voice…now I remember! How could I forget 'his' voice?!"
He looked at the edge of the corridor and saw Quistis, apparently talking to someone hidden out of Squall's sight.
He ran to her.
"Quistis! I figured it out, I know who it is!"
Quistis turned to him and smiled.
"Then we're two," she said.
"Huh?"
Squall stopped near her while she moved aside, permitting the person she was talking to showing himself to Squall. A man with black hair tied up in a ponytail, wearing brown pants and blue shirt, hands in his pockets. Squall stared at the green-eyed man.
"Laguna…"
The man saluted.
"Hey, Squall…so you figured it out at last…"
The SeeD walked to the Esthar president. There was no big difference in their heights. Just an inch or so.
"I wish I'd been there sooner so your friends wouldn't have been hurt. Are they okay?"
If he still had doubts a second ago, he didn't anymore. The origin of the voice from his dream was definitely his.
"Yeah."
"And you?" he asked putting his hands on Squall's shoulders with a little hesitation.
Not used to that familiarity with his father, Squall didn't know how to react.
"Just tired."
Laguna noticed Squall was not at ease with him. So he left his shoulders and crossed his arms on his chest.
"I suppose it's time for explanation, huh?"
"There are so much things I don't understand!!"
"Let me explain. Let's see…"
He rubbed his chin, wondering where to start.
"I think it started a month or two ago. Maybe more. You see, you know me well because Ellone sent you to my past. I considered you know me while I don't even know you… So I asked Ellone to send me to your past…"
Squall frowned.
"I saw your…pretty sad childhood at that orphanage. I felt guilty 'cause it was my fault…"
Laguna shook his head and continued.
"One night, she did it again, but while sleeping so you know she doesn't have control over it while sleeping. Apparently, she has another power: she can send people into the future too!"
"What?"
"I had that vision of your…Rinoa and that …guy being shot… I made some research to know if it was true but it didn't happen…yet. Ellone was positive it would happen. I asked her to let me see that again. At first she was reluctant, saying seeing the future was dangerous, but I insisted. I wanted to know more, where and when… I finally knew."
"But…that dream I had?!"
"I'm almost there. I thought about a way to warn you, even when Ellone told me I couldn't change the future. It was worth a try, don't you think?"
Squall nodded.
"With Ellone, we made up that scene and she sent it to you with me to talk to you."
"Why that and not the real one?"
"'Cause I knew that the other guy wasn't here. Sending that scene to you would have tell you he would be there."
"But I wouldn't have let him come back if you have showed that to me!"
"I don't think so," Quistis cut in. "You still wanted to give him a chance."
"Yeah… Anyway from what I saw in that dream, EVERYBODY was in danger. I still let him come back knowing that."
He turned to Laguna.
"But why a scene like that?"
"I knew you would do as I said if you knew Rinoa was in danger."
"That was a good idea, but not very kind."
"Yeah… I almost wanted to tell you everything when I saw you crying."
Squall blushed from shame.
"Why that?" Laguna asked. "It's normal! Do you think I never cried? When I learned Raine was…"
A great sadness covered Laguna's face remembering his dead wife. He shook his head and continued.
"I just wanted to be sure I could be of some help to avoid it. I knew the soldiers were after you so I tried to make you leave. It wasn't such a good idea: you almost died…"
"Forget it…"
Laguna smiled.
"I think this story maybe got us closer, don't you think?"
"Maybe…"
Laguna put a hand on his son's shoulder.
"What if I come back to have a father and son chat with you? I want to repair the mistakes I did in the past."
He deeply looked in Squall's eyes, making him feel uncomfortable.
"There's so much of your mother in you… I'll tell you about her if you want…"
"Sure."
Laguna turned away. For a second, Squall thought he saw a big, non- measurable sadness on his face.
"Think I'll go now. I got a whole city to preside!"
After a hesitation, he turned to leave. Squall munched his lips, wishing to add something he knew Laguna wanted to hear.
"Wait!!"
The elder one stopped and turned his head.
"What is it, son?"
Then Squall knew Laguna wanted to hear it.
"Thanks………...father…"
Once it past his lips, he thought it wasn't so hard and not so bad to say. He was reluctant of calling Laguna 'father' because he never had real family to call so.
Laguna's eyes were shining.
"You're most welcome…"
Then he left.
Quistis approached, making Squall jump.
"Sorry," she laughed.
"Bah… I was thinking about something else."
"Anyway, I got something to tell you."
The mysterious tone she used made Squall curious as she looked at her, putting a hand on his hip.
"Just before Laguna came," she told. "The Headmaster came and said he wanted to make a big party for you."
"For me? Why?"
"To show you how important you are to all of us, to honor you."
Squall shook his head.
"I don't want any party. I'm not in good form anyway."
"No problem! Cid said it will occur only once you're better."
The SeeD leader crossed his arms on his chest and looked away.
"And there's nothing you can do to avoid it. It's already settled!"
He gave her a surprised look.
"Why am I the leader if nobody ask me before doing things?"
"When people want to make a surprise party for a friend, are they going to tell their friend they'll do it?"
Squall looked away, thinking.
"Come on, Squall… It's been a while since the last party and everyone need it. Nobody is against the fact that it's in your honor."
"…Alright."
Quistis jumped, clapping her hands, reminding Squall of Selphie. He giggled when she got back formal, coughing a little.
"But!! One condition!"
"Yes?"
"I don't want this party before Rinoa is better too!"
Quistis waved her hand away.
"It's a deal!"
"Yaaaaawn… Meal? Where?" a sleepy voice asked behind them.
Zell approached as they looked in the corridor.
"Not 'meal', Zell, 'deal'!" Quistis told him.
"Shit…"
He looked at Squall, slumber covering his face.
"Yo, Squall… I didn't know you were there…"
"Doesn't matter. You should go to bed now," Squall added with a smile.
"I'll do that…see ya tomorrow…"
Zell went away like a sleepwalker.
"You should do that yourself," Quistis said to Squall.
"I slept the whole day, don't you think it's enough?"
"You never get enough rest when it's coming to health."
Squall covered his mouth with his hand to bury a yawn.
"There! You see?"
He smiled.
"Alright, alright, I surrender. Let me say good night to the others and tell them about the party."
"Sure. Good night, Squall."
"You too."
Squall headed back in the infirmary while Quistis went the opposite direction.
Apparently, the others were expecting him because when he entered, they were looking his way.
"Why did you leave all of a sudden?" Rinoa asked.
"Something I figured out I wanted to be sure of."
"What took you so long?" Seifer asked.
"There's gonna be a party."
"When?" they both asked in a single voice.
"Once I'm better and Rinoa too."
"Of course! I'd never miss it! What is it for?"
"Apparently, in my honor."
"Great!"
Squall was about to leave.
"It's all I wanted to tell you for now. I'm going to sleep and you just do that too."
Rinoa saluted.
"Yes, Commander!"
Seifer mimicked her.
"Whatever…"
He left the infirmary, leaving Seifer and Rinoa laughing.
He had lots of rests during the whole week just like Rinoa and Seifer who were healing pretty fast. The party was finally settled to occur Saturday night.
Squall had the week to heal and tell his friends about his father.
Saturday morning, Rinoa and Seifer were examined by Kadowaki one last time. The surgery was successful. This shouldn't leave any scar to any of them.
Rinoa requested to get back to Deling City to change herself, saying she'd be back for the party. Squall couldn't wait.
Soon the afternoon, Rinoa called, saying she couldn't come to the party. Her father was willing to take her with him in a business trip. In reality, when he learned what happened, he gave Squall full responsibility for what happened to Rinoa so he didn't want her to be with him.
Almost crying on the phone, Rinoa was really sad she couldn't come. Squall was very sad too. He thought this party could have been an occasion for him and Rinoa to get even closer to each other.
Once they hanged up, Squall went to his dorm and decided he wouldn't go to the party. No Rinoa? Then no Squall.