'Holy Hyne!' Selphie yelled as she came upon Zell laying under a tree, unconscious and bloody. She cast a Curaga spell on him and watched as the wounds started to seal themselves up.

'Curaga, Curaga, Curaga!' she repeated until all but the biggest wounds were closed. Slipping Zell's arm around her shoulders, Selphie cast her last Float spell on him and lead the blonde into the infirmary.

'Oh my heavens! What happened, Selphie?' Dr Kadowaki questioned as she helped to place the unconscious boy on the bed. Quickly, pulling out a curved needle and some thread, she started to suture the tears on his legs and stomach.

Finished, Dr Kadowaki tried a Phoenix Down to pump enough adrenaline into Zell's body to awaken him. He didn't twitch. Dr Kadowaki tried another with the same result.

Selphie sat in the chair outside the small room and cried. She sniffled and tried to wipe her eyes clean, but another glance towards Zell and Dr Kadowaki sent her back into tears.

Dr Kadowaki came out and gripped the small girl by the shoulders.

'Selphie? What happened?'

'I don't know. I just found him under a tree. I cast about four Curagas to try to heal him. What attacked him?'

'Looks like one of the older T-Rexaurs in the Center. The elders don't give up a fight as easily as the younger ones the cadets usually battle.' Dr Kadowaki spared a quick glance at Zell's unconscious form.

'What's wrong with him? Why didn't the adrenaline wake him up?' She studied the doctor's eyes as she took a deep breath and answered.

'Selphie ... I ... Zell's in a coma. The T-Rexaur must've hit him really hard into the ground or a tree.'

'Oh my ...' Selphie trailed off and broke into another round of tears. Dr Kadowaki pulled her into an embrace.

'When ... will he be okay?' she quietly asked, scared of the answer.

'I ... I'm not sure, Selphie.'

~*~*~*~

Seifer paused in front of the door, contemplating whether to knock or just walk in. Sighing, he rapped his knuckles on the mahogany. Squall's sharp, authoritive voice called him in. Taking a deep breath, he pushed the doors open and entered. Squall stood behind his desk, looking out the window, the very image of a leader.

'Yes?'

'My name is Seifer Almasy, coming to reapply for SeeD status,' he recited perfectly. It hadn't been the first time he'd tried for a second chance.

Squall finally turned and looked at Seifer. The sunlight combined with his long bangs producing shadows over his face left his expression unreadable. Unconsciously, he ran his left hand along the hilt of Lionheart. Seifer stood tall and refused to admit he was nervous that Squall would attack him in a second. And he'd been foolish enough to leave Hyperion in Zell's dorm room.

'Where's Zell?' Squall asked quietly. Seifer shrugged one shoulder and flashed his eyes out the window. He had been wondering that, too. Had he hurt Zell? He didn't really know if he did want Zell or not. He certainly didn't want to hurt him. After all he'd done, Zell had been the first one to forgive past grievances and to try and help him.

'Seifer?' Squall snapped him out of his reverie. He straightened his shoulders and braced his legs, ready for the refusal.

'Admitted.' He turned away from Seifer and looked back out the window. Seifer couldn't see the small smile playing on his lips. 'For you, Sis,' he whispered under his breath.

'Thank you, sir ... Thanks, Squall,' Seifer replied as he snapped a salute and left.

As soon as he entered the elevator, Seifer pumped his fist into the air.


~o~

I hope this is long enough for you guys. ^-^ Thanks be to Ethrial, Persephone and Baconfat for reviewing. Next chapter asap! (Damn Zell for going into a coma! It's starting to sound like a soap opera!)