Disclaimer: I do not own the characters of FFVIII.


"You two what?!"

"Requested the SeeD Commander to personally escort you to the treaty signing. Why? Is there a problem?" Kiros lifted an eyebrow. Ward merely grunted or did the equivalent of it.

My hand shaded my eyes as I leaned my head on my elbow on the table. I am so not listening to this.

"Do you have any idea who the SeeD Commander is?" I ask wearily, still covering my eyes from both of them. At the moment I don't want to see anyone at all, much less listen to…to…this ridiculous idea.

"Why, yes Laguna. We actually do. He's only the leader of the six people who sliced Ultimecia in half and ended Time Compression. He's also the world's current hero and one of the VIPs invited to the signing of the peace treaty. Besides that, he's also your only son. Yes, I do think Ward and I know who the SeeD Commander is other than the obvious." Kiros replied sarcastically and Ward chuckled. Not a real audible chuckle but I understand his gestures and grimaces. Unfortunately.

"Are you two trying to kill me or something? That boy wants to slice my head off and mount it on a plaque that says 'The Biggest Moron In All History'!"

"… . …. . . …"

"I agree with Ward. He would probably just toss it into an incinerator and toast it all nice and black."

"Then why for the love of Hyne did you even send that request?" I nearly shouted. We were alone in the room but there were guards outside. Its enough that the media already ate up the story of the estranged commander and his president father. I don't need them to get any more information from inside sources.

"Because the both of you need to talk this out and reach a mutual understanding. This has been going on for too long and its stressing everyone out."

"… .. ….."

I glared at Ward who just folded his arms and returned my look. "That wasn't my fault and you know it!"

"But you didn't stop it." Kiros countered.

"What was I supposed to do? Tell them a lie?"

"Actually we were considering telling them that it was an accident and that he didn't really mean to punch you."

"That would be even more obvious than my not telling them considering that it was witnessed by quite a few people." I retorted hotly.

"Then why did you let him get away with it, Laguna? Your own son just gave you a black eye and refused to even comment about it? Not even a reprimand or an order?"

". .. .. …."

"I deserved it and you two know it." I knew then that desperation had already made its way into our conversation. This was getting worse and I didn't want to know when I'll hit rock-bottom.

"… … . . . ."

Kiros placed a hand on my shoulder as did Ward. "Laguna, Ward is right. It's about time that you faced up to your son and talk man-to-man. You have to let him know that he isn't the only one bearing this news. We are not going to let you two live the rest of your lives, regretting the past."

"… ."

I shook my head. "You two are too late. I already regret it and there's nothing I can do. I don't speak for him but I'm sure everyone in this room knows the truth. Now please just see yourselves out and keep everyone else there as well?" I turned around and stared out the window, hoping that they would take the hint.

Ward must be making some mocking gesture because I heard Kiros reply.

"You know what they say, like father like son." Pah!

The door opened and I heard muffled voices outside. Then footsteps echoed away. Whether the guards were still there or not, I couldn't tell and I certainly didn't want to check. I'll probably just get an earful which I did not want to listen to right now.

How in the name of Hyne, his sorceresses and Guardian Forces am I going to get out of this now?


"Uncle Laguna?" A soft voice called. I leapt to my feet at once to greet her.

"Hello, Elle." I returned a weary but warm smile. No matter how much problems I have, no matter how depressed I am; little Ellone must always be greeted like a lady.

Looking at her, the realization hit me that Ellone wasn't little anymore. She was a young lady now. A mature, beautiful young lady. Here at least was one person who wouldn't shower me with opinions I know too well or treat me like a piece of trash.

"I thought you wanted to go and visit Edea Kramer like you told me yesterday? What are you doing here?" I asked, hoping she wouldn't notice my lethargy.

"I decided to stay. I have some important things to do in Esthar. Besides, Matron asked for me to visit her at a later date." Important things? I wonder what. Ellone looked strangely remote, almost far away.

"Mind if I ask what they are? Or am I being too nosy?" I tried to ask. Ward would have done a better job in subtlety.

Ellone flushed and shook her head. Why is she blushing? What's so embarrassing that she can't tell me? Oh…

I slapped my forehead in mockery of myself. "I'm growing old. Of course I shouldn't ask if it involves a certain someone…" I winked and teased. "About time too."

The glow on her face had already turned into a pretty shade of crimson. I nodded, satisfied. I was right.

"Were you sleeping, Uncle Laguna? I hope I didn't disturb you." She changed the subject abruptly. I understand that one too. Foolish me! Of course she wouldn't want to talk about it, yet. I'll soon get the details though.

"A little too late to ask that, I think." I laughed. "Besides, I shouldn't be sleeping when I should be working."

"But you weren't working, you were lying on the couch." She argued in that cute way of hers. It reminded me of when she was little and used to plead fervently to be allowed to stay up late. Of course, Raine would refuse and so she would throw a tantrum. Ellone would always bring her case to me and I was never one to desert a lady in distress. Eventually Raine would get so worn out from the both of us, she would have agreed to anything Ellone had said. I smiled fondly over the memory. How I hate that word! Memory. Raine is nothing but a memory now…

"Uncle Laguna, can I ask you something?" Ellone was saying. I snapped to attention and assumed the pose of a serious father listening to his daughter's problems. Looks like I'll be hearing the details earlier than I thought. Guess I'm a better listener than I thought!

"Of course, Elle."

"Ward told me that you didn't want to go to the treaty signing with Squall as an escort." Oh Hyne! Why does Ward have to ask Ellone of all people to come and plead with me? He knows I can't refuse her. Damn…

"Elle, I'm not going with him and that's final. I don't want to hear or talk about this anymore." I turned and walked over to my desk. Sitting down, I began to rifle through papers. An easy task seeing as how there are so many on my desk that constantly demand my attention. Sign this, approve that, answer this, rubberstamp that. I dislike paperwork with a vengeance but now I thank Hyne for providing this stack of papers to hide from Ellone's pleading gaze. I was conscious of an anticipation of an assault of pleas and sure enough, they came.

"Uncle Laguna, at least consider it. You two haven't seen each other since the mission you requested SeeD to attend to and that was over three months ago!"

Without looking up, I tried to sound as unsympathetic as possible. "And the last time I saw him, I came away with a black eye. This time, it might be a broken arm." Hyne! Why does she have to make this so difficult?

"But you two didn't even talk at all! Please, Uncle Laguna! At least give him one more chance." I raised my amour higher, trying not to let her entreaties pierce through the scales.

"If a conversation which includes 'Squall, please listen to me' and 'Get the hell away from me, Laguna' isn't a conversation, I don't know what is. Besides, I've already seen him just yesterday…" The last sentence came out of my mouth before I could stop myself. Why can't I ever learn to keep my big mouth shut?

She seized at the opening I gave her and exploited it for all its worth. "In Winhill? At Raine's grave?" I nodded at both questions.

"Then you two must have spoken to each other!"

"Elle, all he said was that he wished he had known his mother and even that wasn't to me. If I hadn't come along just then, I never would have heard it."

"Then he admits his parentage!"

"No, he just admitted his mother not his father. He never said a single word to me. Not a single word. Not a single word…" My voice was falling to a whisper and I could barely hear myself. An image of blood over her grave rose before me, taunting me, jeering at me. He wasn't the only one that hated me. Someone else did too…

"Uncle Laguna…"

I pointed at the door and in an attempt to erase the image; I committed a bigger mistake by issuing an order.

"Ellone, please leave now. I have a lot of work to do and I need some peace." Not only did I order her like how I order an incompetent worker, I just told her that my work was more important than her. Maybe I should buy a huge lock for my mouth. I doubt it'll fit though.

Silence greeted my reply for a while and I daren't look up to see if she was still there. I began to count the seconds that ticked past.

Eight…nine…ten…eleven…twelve…

I hope she's gone and not still standing there. But who will just stand there and do nothing but stare?

Fifteen…sixteen…seventeen…

Why can't they understand what I know? That we can never ever reconcile? Not in this lifetime anyway.

Twenty…twenty-one…twenty-two…

Are they all blind or am I the only one that can see the hostility and loathing glances he gives to me? Don't they know how much it breaks my heart to see him look at me with so much hatred?

Thirty-five…thirty-six…thirty-seven…

It's like watching Raine ignoring me, hating me, wanting me dead. My own son, my own blood hates me for what I did.

Fifty-eight…fifty-nine…sixty.

She should be gone by now. It's been a full minute. Surely she won't still be there.

My curiosity overwhelmed my baser instincts and I lifted my head tentatively. I heaved a sigh of relief. The room was empty and had been for perhaps the past forty seconds.

"You're a fool, Laguna." I told myself aloud and shook my head. Then another voice joined mine.

"I agree with you."

I turned and saw Ellone standing by the window. Her eyes took in the magnificent view of the sun setting over Esthar. As I stared at her, she slowly turned her eyes and looked at me.

"I totally agree with you." She walked over, coming closer and closer and closer until she was inches away from my face. Staring down into my eyes, she spoke.

"Please, just go to the treaty signing with him. Talk to him. Be with him. I don't want to see the only family I have, ignoring each other. Do this for his sake, if not for mine or yours."

Ellone's eyes never looked so pleading yet firm at the same time before. A chink finally appeared in my well-polished amour and I nodded my head.

"Thank you." She said in a half-whisper and planted a kiss on my cheek before leaving the room. I sat there, still staring into the distance. Wondering why


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