Disclaimer: And you thought it was over. I still don't own Ff8.




The Rose
part 4



Squall sat in his office on the top floor of Garden, staring into a cold cup of coffee, and
sighed. His instructor was dead. After years of taking her for granted, the smiles she always
gave him, her mature and understanding personality.


He remembered Seifer at the funeral. Squall had been surprised to see him there but he, like
the rest of Garden, knew how Seifer felt about Quistis so it was obvious that Seifer would be
there.


And the way he looked at me, Squall thought, like it was my fault.


Squall heard the ping of the lift and wondered who it could be. He heard muffled noises
coming from the hall and pulled some papers out of his desk drawer to make it look like he
was busy. He didn't think he could handle anyone. Not so soon after this tragedy.


He waited for the knock to sound on his door. Nothing.


Suddenly the door flew open with a crash. The wood cracked at the hinges and splintered,
causing the door to fall forwards.


In the doorway stood Seifer. His gunblade in one hand and a handful of black hair in his
other. He reached down roughly and pulled up a body from the floor. Steadying herself, Rinoa
tried to run to Squall, who stood, horrified, as Seifer kicked out with his foot and sent Rinoa
crashing to the floor.


"Rinoa!" Squall called, running around his desk to her body, sprawled on the floor. Her lip
and forehead were bleeding and she had a bruise around one of her eyes. Helping her up,
Squall saw that half of her hair was short and tatty, matted with blood.


Seifer threw the hair in his hand at Squall and spat.


"She isn't worth it, Squall." He leered. Squall looked at Rinoa who was crying.


"What are you doing, Seifer?" He demanded, stepping in front of Rinoa.


"I thought I'd show you what it's like, to watch the love of your life die in your arms." Seifer
growled at Squall. He pushed Squall to the side and pulled Rinoa up again, touching the point
of his gunblade to her throat.


"Seifer, DON'T." Squall yelled. Rinoa wriggled in Seifers grip and he pressed the blade
further onto her throat.


"Besides, you were the ones who killed her." Seifer snarled. Squall stepped toward forwards.


"Seifer, this is crazy. I know you loved Quistis but you can't blame us for her death." Squall
reasoned frantically, "She chose to die, Seifer. Maybe if you'd told her how you felt, she
wouldn't have made that choice."


Seifer sighed and loosened his grip on Rinoa.


"Maybe you're right." He said lowering the gunblade away from Rinoas throat. Squall
stepped back. Seifer let go of Rinoa and she stumbled towards Squall. Seifer raised his
gunblade at Rinoas back and pulled the trigger.


The shot rang out in the silent Garden.


Rinoas faced creased with pain and she fell forwards. Squall caught her in his arms.


"Didn't you think I'd have thought of that?!?" Seifer yelled at Squall and watched the boy
stroke Rinoas hair and talk to her quietly.


"It'll be OK, Rinoa. It's OK." A tear rolled off his cheek and landed in the pool of blood on
his office floor.



"Didn't you think that maybe that was the only thing I'd thought about since she died, Squall.
You never even realised that she loved you. You deserve this."


Squall held Rinoa up and kissed her blood stained cheek. She opened her mouth and tried to
say something but no words came out. Her eyelids fell shut and her head fell back in Squalls
arms, lifeless.


"No!" Squall cried, holding Rinoas body tight. All he could hear was Seifer behind him,
laughing coldly. Shut up, he thought, shut up! Squall stood, faced Seifer and drew his own
gunblade, pointing it at Seifers chest.


"Oh, no." Seifer mocked. "Poor little baby face is gonna' shoot me."


"Get out, Seifer." Squall growled at him.


"Why? It's not like she loved you. She made me all sorts of offers in exchange for her life."
Seifer grinned at Squall, "She wasn't that good, either."


Seifer laughed cruelly. Squall pulled the trigger. The bullet lodged itself in Seifers shoulder.
Seifer laughed again.


"What's the matter? Does the truth hurt? Face it Squall," Seifer winced and clutched his
shoulder, "She was nothing but a little tart anyway."


"No!" Squall cried. He raised the gunblade and charged at Seifer. The gunblade pierced
Seifers chest and the boy coughed up blood, spitting it in Squalls face. Squall wiped his face
and pushed the gunblade deeper into Seifers chest.


Seifer blew Squall a kiss. "She wanted me to give you that."


Squall withdrew his gunblade and stepped back from Seifer. Blood gushed from the boys
chest and he clutched his chest in agony.


"Rinoa did love me." Squall said defiantly, "But Quistis never even looked at you. SHE loved
me too." Squall grinned. Seifer growled at him.


"At least I can be with her now." Seifer lowered himself to one knee, pain flowed through his
body, "And I'll be with Rinoa too. Think..." He coughed up more blood, "Think what fun
we'll have...thanks."


Seifer laughed viciously and with his last strength, lunged himself towards Rinoas body and
reached out a hand as a last insult. He collapsed onto the office floor, his hand landing on one
of Rinoas breasts.


Squall growled at Seifers limp body and jumped forwards, kicking his hand off Rinoa. He
kicked Seifer again and again until he only had enough energy to fall next to Rinoas body and
cry.







by Astramina