Sniff* It's so sad, this is the final chapter. I hope you've
all had as much fun reading it as I did writing it. I would like
to thank all the people that reviewed my story for it was all of
you that inspired me to keep writing. And as always I don't own
FF8 although I wish I did, all characters are property of Square
Soft blah blah blah. Hope you enjoy the final chapter in my
story that was originally titled Unforgiven.
Chapter 10
It had been two weeks after the battle with Dameon. Every one was back to their usual schedules, except for Zell. The mornings were almost the same but without Zell there it was a little to quiet and some how their hour together seemed too short. Zell was spending his last day under the careful watch of Dr. Kadowaki. He was expected to make a full recovery. On that day he was being visited by Quistis who had stayed be his bedside the whole time he was brought back to Balamb Garden. As news of his speedy recovery reached Squall he decided that he would go see Zell and make sure he was really ok; after what happened with Dameon he wasn't really sure Zell was even alive when they found him. He entered Dr. Kadowaki's office and asked if he could see him. As he was walking towards Zell's door he could see through the glass window Zell in the hospital bed talking to Quistis and telling another one of his bad jokes. Squall, after pausing finally entered the room and showed a light smile as Zell turned to look at him. "Hey if it isn't our fearless leader!" Zell shouted. Squall almost started to blush, compliments were still kind of new to him. He looked down at Zell, "Wow Zell your such a mess, and look at you all bandaged up. What are we going to do with you?" Zell started to laugh, "Ha! Squall telling a joke! Well you know me you just can't get rid of me ya'know." Squall looked at Quistis, "Um. could you give a moment alone?" She nodded her head and quietly made her way out. Squall sat in the chair Quistis was just using and looked down as he talked. "I really don't know what to say, what you did that day was very noble of you Zell. I honestly don't know if we could have made it out of that hellhole if it weren't for you. You really are a good friend. But I have to say what you did was also incredibly stupid." Zell almost started to laugh again. "Hey you don't have to tell me that, but at least if anything I proved that in the end I would do anything for you guys." Squall looked at Zell eye to eye. "Your wrong, you proved that even without knowing the part you play is just as important as anyone else's. Anyway it's good to know your going to be ok, I have to go Rinoa is waiting for me. I'll see you when you get out." And with that they shook hands and Squall left the room. As he did Quistis walked back into it. Once the two were all alone they started talking again, about their missions, hopes, aspirations, and of course about how much they meant to each other.
It was still early enough in the day that the sun would not go down for at least another hour or so. Irvine was out on the balcony entrance and Selphie was at the Quad supervising the next Garden event. Squall had just left Rinoa at her room, they were going to go out and she was getting prepared. As he waited for her an announcement come over the intercom system. "Would Commander Squall Leonhart please report to Cid's office? That is all." Squall knocked on Rinoa's door, "I'll be right back I have to go see Cid, and he probably wants my report on what happened with Dameon." He heard her shout back, "Ok I'll be here when you get back." He looked around himself to make sure he had all his things together and headed towards the elevator. Once he entered through the doors he saw Cid waiting for him. "Ah Squall, good. I asked for you to come here because you still haven't given me your report on what happened with Dameon." Squall walked up and saluted. "Of course." Hmm.where do I start? He thought to himself. He told Cid about how both Laguna and Rinoa were kidnapped by Dameon, how they chased after him in the Ragnarok Laguna came in and of how they crashed. He then went on about how they made it to the cave entrance, Zell sacrificing himself so that they could save the others and finally of how he had single handedly killed Dameon. But Squall had a puzzled look to his face. "What about Laguna?" Squall turned around, "What about him?" Cid stood up. "Is he alright? And are you going to." Squall cut him off. "He's fine, once we made it back home I escorted him to Esthar. As for your second question the answer is no. And I'm not going to." Cid walked around his desk. "Why didn't you try to bring Dameon back alive? We could have learned a lot from his body, why did you go through such efforts take him out permanently?" Squall looked down at the ground. "I'd rather not talk about that Sir." Cid pushed on. "You could have let him live and have Dr. Odine lock him up. It would be a risk but there was something else wasn't there?" Squall looked at Cid, "No, that was it. He was just too much of a risk." Cid smiled as he raised an eyebrow. "C'mon what's it worth to you?" Squall nodded his head. "Very well, I want you to push back the usual breakfast time so that my squad and I can have an extra hour together in the mornings." Cid agreed and made his way back to his chair. Squall sighed getting ready to talk. But he didn't know what to say, so Cid stepped in. "It was your squad wasn't it, Dameon threatened to start another massacre with them didn't he?" Squall lifted his head up to speak; breathing heavily he looked up praying to the gods that he didn't choke up. "These people mean the world to me, they're more than just my squad, they're my family. And I couldn't imagine anything worse than having to part with them. There, you happy?" Cid let out a small smile, nodded and let Squall go.
Zell was just leaving Dr. Kadowaki's office, when Selphie saw him and ran straight towards him arms open. She had come to visit him many times in the past two weeks but was always excited to see him. As she jumped on him he let out a short scream; his ribs were still tender and every part of his head still hurt. "So what are you going to do now?" Selphie began. Zell limped as she walked him to his room. "I don't know, doc says to take it easy and I think I'll do just that ya'know?" He looked at her and saw that she was slightly shivering. The sun had gone down, Squall and Rinoa had already left. He put his jacket around her to keep her warm and she smiled at him. Once they reached his room Selphie tried to get in. "Need someone to tuck you in?" Zell looked at her and grinned back. "I'd bet you'd love that, but you know Quistis and I are togeth.." Selphie cut him off. "So what do you think is going to happen from now on?" Zell let out a sigh, "I don't know, but you heard the announcement. If we all get up at our usual time we can all hang out for an extra hour together! It'll be great." Selphie jumped up and down gave Zell a big hug and wished him a good night. He wished her one back and then they went into their rooms witch were right next to each other.
Since Dameon had killed so many people Laguna felt a little responsible, so he had a mural built in honor of the family and friends of the deceased. It was a statue of Squall kneeling with his head hung down, crying and his gunblade being held in front of him with the remains of Dameon surrounding the edges of the sculpture, angels also crying hovered over as part of the mural. Squall and Rinoa were there staring up at it. It was the least Laguna could have done, seeing as how he was partly responsible for the tragedy Squall thought. He held Rinoa's hand tightly, he had never felt such rage, the thought of losing all his friends and her. Then there was Laguna. Rinoa could see how tormented Squall was, he wanted to forgive but just didn't know how to let all his anger towards Laguna go. Still staring at the mural Squall started talking to Rinoa. "Tell me it gets easier." She started hugging his arm. "You mean life? What do you want me to tell you?" He reached over with his other hand and put it on hers. "Lie to me." Rinoa looked back at the mural. "Very well. Yes the older you get the simpler life gets. The good guys are strong and true. The bad guys are distinguishable by their pointy horns and black hats. Everyone lives happily ever after and no one ever dies."
The End
Chapter 10
It had been two weeks after the battle with Dameon. Every one was back to their usual schedules, except for Zell. The mornings were almost the same but without Zell there it was a little to quiet and some how their hour together seemed too short. Zell was spending his last day under the careful watch of Dr. Kadowaki. He was expected to make a full recovery. On that day he was being visited by Quistis who had stayed be his bedside the whole time he was brought back to Balamb Garden. As news of his speedy recovery reached Squall he decided that he would go see Zell and make sure he was really ok; after what happened with Dameon he wasn't really sure Zell was even alive when they found him. He entered Dr. Kadowaki's office and asked if he could see him. As he was walking towards Zell's door he could see through the glass window Zell in the hospital bed talking to Quistis and telling another one of his bad jokes. Squall, after pausing finally entered the room and showed a light smile as Zell turned to look at him. "Hey if it isn't our fearless leader!" Zell shouted. Squall almost started to blush, compliments were still kind of new to him. He looked down at Zell, "Wow Zell your such a mess, and look at you all bandaged up. What are we going to do with you?" Zell started to laugh, "Ha! Squall telling a joke! Well you know me you just can't get rid of me ya'know." Squall looked at Quistis, "Um. could you give a moment alone?" She nodded her head and quietly made her way out. Squall sat in the chair Quistis was just using and looked down as he talked. "I really don't know what to say, what you did that day was very noble of you Zell. I honestly don't know if we could have made it out of that hellhole if it weren't for you. You really are a good friend. But I have to say what you did was also incredibly stupid." Zell almost started to laugh again. "Hey you don't have to tell me that, but at least if anything I proved that in the end I would do anything for you guys." Squall looked at Zell eye to eye. "Your wrong, you proved that even without knowing the part you play is just as important as anyone else's. Anyway it's good to know your going to be ok, I have to go Rinoa is waiting for me. I'll see you when you get out." And with that they shook hands and Squall left the room. As he did Quistis walked back into it. Once the two were all alone they started talking again, about their missions, hopes, aspirations, and of course about how much they meant to each other.
It was still early enough in the day that the sun would not go down for at least another hour or so. Irvine was out on the balcony entrance and Selphie was at the Quad supervising the next Garden event. Squall had just left Rinoa at her room, they were going to go out and she was getting prepared. As he waited for her an announcement come over the intercom system. "Would Commander Squall Leonhart please report to Cid's office? That is all." Squall knocked on Rinoa's door, "I'll be right back I have to go see Cid, and he probably wants my report on what happened with Dameon." He heard her shout back, "Ok I'll be here when you get back." He looked around himself to make sure he had all his things together and headed towards the elevator. Once he entered through the doors he saw Cid waiting for him. "Ah Squall, good. I asked for you to come here because you still haven't given me your report on what happened with Dameon." Squall walked up and saluted. "Of course." Hmm.where do I start? He thought to himself. He told Cid about how both Laguna and Rinoa were kidnapped by Dameon, how they chased after him in the Ragnarok Laguna came in and of how they crashed. He then went on about how they made it to the cave entrance, Zell sacrificing himself so that they could save the others and finally of how he had single handedly killed Dameon. But Squall had a puzzled look to his face. "What about Laguna?" Squall turned around, "What about him?" Cid stood up. "Is he alright? And are you going to." Squall cut him off. "He's fine, once we made it back home I escorted him to Esthar. As for your second question the answer is no. And I'm not going to." Cid walked around his desk. "Why didn't you try to bring Dameon back alive? We could have learned a lot from his body, why did you go through such efforts take him out permanently?" Squall looked down at the ground. "I'd rather not talk about that Sir." Cid pushed on. "You could have let him live and have Dr. Odine lock him up. It would be a risk but there was something else wasn't there?" Squall looked at Cid, "No, that was it. He was just too much of a risk." Cid smiled as he raised an eyebrow. "C'mon what's it worth to you?" Squall nodded his head. "Very well, I want you to push back the usual breakfast time so that my squad and I can have an extra hour together in the mornings." Cid agreed and made his way back to his chair. Squall sighed getting ready to talk. But he didn't know what to say, so Cid stepped in. "It was your squad wasn't it, Dameon threatened to start another massacre with them didn't he?" Squall lifted his head up to speak; breathing heavily he looked up praying to the gods that he didn't choke up. "These people mean the world to me, they're more than just my squad, they're my family. And I couldn't imagine anything worse than having to part with them. There, you happy?" Cid let out a small smile, nodded and let Squall go.
Zell was just leaving Dr. Kadowaki's office, when Selphie saw him and ran straight towards him arms open. She had come to visit him many times in the past two weeks but was always excited to see him. As she jumped on him he let out a short scream; his ribs were still tender and every part of his head still hurt. "So what are you going to do now?" Selphie began. Zell limped as she walked him to his room. "I don't know, doc says to take it easy and I think I'll do just that ya'know?" He looked at her and saw that she was slightly shivering. The sun had gone down, Squall and Rinoa had already left. He put his jacket around her to keep her warm and she smiled at him. Once they reached his room Selphie tried to get in. "Need someone to tuck you in?" Zell looked at her and grinned back. "I'd bet you'd love that, but you know Quistis and I are togeth.." Selphie cut him off. "So what do you think is going to happen from now on?" Zell let out a sigh, "I don't know, but you heard the announcement. If we all get up at our usual time we can all hang out for an extra hour together! It'll be great." Selphie jumped up and down gave Zell a big hug and wished him a good night. He wished her one back and then they went into their rooms witch were right next to each other.
Since Dameon had killed so many people Laguna felt a little responsible, so he had a mural built in honor of the family and friends of the deceased. It was a statue of Squall kneeling with his head hung down, crying and his gunblade being held in front of him with the remains of Dameon surrounding the edges of the sculpture, angels also crying hovered over as part of the mural. Squall and Rinoa were there staring up at it. It was the least Laguna could have done, seeing as how he was partly responsible for the tragedy Squall thought. He held Rinoa's hand tightly, he had never felt such rage, the thought of losing all his friends and her. Then there was Laguna. Rinoa could see how tormented Squall was, he wanted to forgive but just didn't know how to let all his anger towards Laguna go. Still staring at the mural Squall started talking to Rinoa. "Tell me it gets easier." She started hugging his arm. "You mean life? What do you want me to tell you?" He reached over with his other hand and put it on hers. "Lie to me." Rinoa looked back at the mural. "Very well. Yes the older you get the simpler life gets. The good guys are strong and true. The bad guys are distinguishable by their pointy horns and black hats. Everyone lives happily ever after and no one ever dies."
The End
