One hour ... no Zell. Two hours ... no Zell. Three hours ... no Zell.

'Fuck this,' Seifer muttered. He stood and holstered Hyperion, moving quickly out the door and towards Quistis' room. She had always been the nosy one, she should know where Zell was.

'Quistis?' he called out.

'It's open. Come in,' came the muffled reply. Seifer pressed on the sensor and moved in to see Quistis with a towel wrapped around her long hair. She dropped the cloth to the floor and snatched up Save The Queen upon seeing Seifer. Out of reflex, he pulled Hyperion out.

Realizing the mistake he'd just made, Seifer hastily put the gunblade away. Quistis held the whip taut between her hands and watched him carefully.

'What do you want, Seifer? What're you doing in Garden?' She quickly snapped the weapon against the floor by his feet.

'I'm readmitted to Garden. I can't find Zell though. Have you seen him?' Quistis eyed the man before believing that he was telling the truth.

'No, I haven't. Why are you looking for him?' she asked.

'He was supposed to come up to Squall's office with me. But I haven't seen him in about four and a half hours.'

'I don't know. Hang on.' She moved over to the intercom by her door, and pressed the small red button. A second later, Squall's voice crackled over the line.

'Yes, Quistis?'

'Have you seen Zell around lately? He's been missing for about four and a half hours.'

'No. Try the Infirmary. He probably got beat up in the Training Center again.'

'Thanks, Squall.' She nodded at Seifer. 'There you go. Try the Infirmary. He probably got in a fight with a T-Rexaur that caught him by surprise.' He nodded and left.

~*~*~*~

'Headmaster? This is Dr. Kadowaki. I have something to report,' she said grimly.

'Yes? What's wrong, Doctor?' Squall unconsciously tensed at the unease in her voice.

'One of the SeeDs has gone into a coma. I don't know how long until he awakens.'

'He? Which one of my SeeDs is ill?'

'Um ... It's ... It's Zell Dincht, sir.'

'Zell ... Dincht?'

'Headmaster?'

Squall snapped out of his astonishment. 'Thank you, Dr Kadowaki.'

Seifer walked into the infirmary that minute.

'Doctor? Have you seen Zell Dincht? He's been missing for about four and a half hours.' She paused and stared at him, amazed to see the Sorceress' Knight back in the Garden.

'Oh, sorry. I should probably mention I've been allowed back into Balamb Garden.' Seifer waited for her to recover, but it didn't appear she was going to.

'Dr Kadowaki? Have you seen Zell?' She placed a hand over her mouth and started stammering.

'Zell? Zell Dincht?'

'Yes, ma'am.'

'Um ... Seifer. He's ... he's in there.' She pointed to the room at her left. He moved forward and made to pull open the curtains when she grabbed his hand.

'Seifer? Um ... Zell's ... He's ... in a coma. Selphie found him in the Training Center. A T-Rexaur attacked him. There's been a severe blow to his head. I ... I don't know when he'll come to.'

'Zell's ... in a coma?' Seifer repeated. He sat down heavily in a nearby chair, placing his hands on the sides of his head. 'He's ... in a coma. Zell Dincht ...' Tears started to well up in his eyes. He stood up, unsteadily and moved to the closed off room. Dr Kadowaki went to stop him.

'No. I ... I need to see him myself. Please?' She stopped and watched as Seifer pulled apart the curtains. Zell lay on the bed with a few machines attached to his arm and head, taking pulses and checking brain waves. The thin blue line on the brain wave monitor flowed steadily, every now and then flickering with large irregularities.

Seifer moved closer and sat on the edge of the bed, letting the curtain close behind him. He picked up Zell's hand. He looked so unnatural, so pale. Not bouncing around, perfectly still. This wasn't Zell Dincht. It was a faint shadow of who he was.

Seifer couldn't take it anymore. Tears started to fall down his cheeks, bitter salt tainting his lips. His shoulders racked with sobs.

'Hyne, Zell.'




ANs: Ah man! Seifer found out! Now it's really going soap opera. Did I make Seifer too sappy? I mean ... Seifer Almasy, former Sorceress' Knight crying? Please review so I know!