Chapter 5:

"We're here for you"

" No, Squall, I'm not joking." Laguna stepped forward just a little bit, but stopped himself. He looked at Squall's face hoping for something else, anything but that blank expression. " I'm sorry I didn't tell you until now, but I thought it'd be for the best if I didn't. I mean, you seemed to be doing fine on your own..."

That's right.... I'm doing fine ... I turned out fine on my own....

" You expect me to stand here and believe this? I have no parents, so don't try to tell me otherwise now, not now that I've made it this far. I don't need these... These stories!" Squall shook his head, and began to feel anger like he never thought he'd feel, and ontop of the anger was confusion.

" Squall! Please! Just listen to me, hear me out, I'll explain everything to you," Laguna began towards Squall holding out his hand.

" No! This is ridiculous, I don't even know why I'm listening to you." Squall turned and walked quickly to the door. He hasn't ever thought about who is parents might have been, and to find out now was something he was not prepared for. Who did Laguna think he was?. Squall had just found a little bit of peace, but now he was spiraling back down into his dark closed up world again. Why did he chose now to tell him?

" Squall.. I'm sorry. Just know... I am your father and I do care about you," Laguna said, as if he thought it might make Squall calmer. But, Squall turned around slowly, and looked Laguna straight in his eyes, with his icy blue gems.

" I've made it this far, and I turned out fine. I don't need a father now." He turned and left without another word. Laguna sighed deeply and rubbed his eyes and forehead, then his face trying to figure out what to do.

" Ah man I really messed that one up...," Laguna sat down and slouched in his chair.

"I heard you yelling, Squall, what's wrong?" Rinoa had to catch up with Squall since he stormed through the door and down the hallway towards the lift.

" Nothing," Squall kept walking, his eyes on the ground. Suddenly he left his arm jerk back, he turned. Rinoa had a hold of his arm.

" Don't blow me off this time. I know something's wrong. I want to help." She kept a hold of his arm as if she though that it would prevent him from leaving.

".........," He looked at Rinoa , then her hand. I 'm sorry. I know you just want to help, but I.... I can't depend on anyone to comfort me I ju-.... What am I saying? This is what messed me up to begin with.... Get over it... She'll help me..

" Squall, I've said it a million times before, but this time I mean it. We're really here for you. So whatever's on your mind, just tell us."

" You won't leave...?" Squall said so quietly, Rinoa could only see his mouth move.

" Hmm?"

Just tell her... This is step one... If you're ever going to open up... Then.... I can't.. Why can't I talk? What's wrong with me? Why is there a wall between me and everyone else?

" I'd rather not talk about it..", Squall turned his head away and tried to resist the urge to spin around and spill out everything in his mind. Rinoa released his arm and sighed.

"Oh Squall, I wish you'd understand." Rinoa turned away and began walking.

" Laguna's my father..... And Raine was my mother..," Squall kept his back facing Rinoa, even though he felt relieved. Rinoa spun around.

" Squall?"

" He's been here in Esthar this whole time... I guess he was busy as the president. So he waited until now to tell me," Squall shook his head. " He...left to find Ellone. My mother.. She died shortly after I was born. That's what I've heard anyway."

" Squall.....," Rinoa put her hand on his shoulder. He didn't really respond, he just stared at the floor.

" I hate him." Squall said grimly.

" Squall... Don't say that. Sir Laguna is a good man, and you know it. Don't say you hate your father, because if you do, so much time is lost and it can never be taken back. I should know. You weren't meant to hate Squall," she removed her hand from his shoulder and walked around to face him, she knelt down slightly and looked up into his eyes. " Sure, you're a little cold, and you can be a real jerk sometimes, but I know it's not in you to hate. You think you're so tough, but I can see right through that mask," Rinoa smiled.

That smile.... That smile can free me from all of this.

" Look, I know that you must feel realy confused. I would too," Rinoa stood up and made sure Squall's eyes left the floor. " So, I guess you and I really aren't that different. My mother died when I was very young too." Rinoa put her hands behind her back and walked around slowly. Squall had never heard Rinoa really talk about her mother. He watched her, did she have some point to this?

" The memories I have of her are vague, but they're there. She was a pianist, you know." Rinoa stopped and faced him smiling. " Julia Heartilly. She also had a song, "Eyes On Me"."

" I know..," Squall was now remembering what information he'd learned in his dream that Ellone had caused.

" You do? I didn't think it was that well known anymore."

" There's a lot of things that are too confusing to talk about right now."

" Oh, I see. Like what?" Rinoa had ways to get Squall to talk.

"Everything."

" Well, you have 24 hours to sort it out and tell me,' she said smiling.

"......?"

" After we go explore the city, and I won't let you "be alone"", She grabbed his arm much like the first day he'd ever seen her, leading him to the dance floor.

" What's taking them so long?" Zell was punching the air and cracking his neck.

" EW! Don't do that!" Selphie plugged her ears.

" What?!" Zell stopped and held out his arms. Seifer smirked and cracked his fingers just to gross Selphie out.

" Please, stop acting like children," Quistis rolled her eyes.

" Maybe we should just go. If they want alone time..." Irvine looked up from behind the rim of his hat.

" There they are!!!' Selphie said jumping and pointing.

" So where do we go first?" Rinoa said rejoining the group.

" Weapon shop, I need to upgrade my weapon." Seifer ran his finger over his gunblade edge.

" Well I'm hungry," Zell rubbed his stomach.

" You're always hungry," said Selphie. Irvine stood up from leaning against the wall, and tilted up his hat.

" Wherever Selphie wants to go," he winked at Selphie. Her nose wrinkled up again, then there was a spark of an idea.

" HEY! Let's go to the Esthar clothing shop, and get Irvy a whole new look!!"

Irvine frowned...." Uhhh maybe you wanna go to the pet store or-" it was too late for Irvine, Selphie had a lock on his arm and was leading im towards the clothing store.

" The weapon can wait, I want to see this," Seifer snickered following. Quistis shook her head as if disapproving, but deep down she thought it was funny as hell.

" C'mon," Rinoa ran ahead with Selphie.

" Well I s'pose food can wait. I'd pay money to see Irvine with one of those hats on his head." He pointed to a man who's head was devoured by a large purple dome like hat.

" Yeah.." Now that would be interestingly funny.

" So how are things?" Zell tried to make small chat as they followed the group.

" Okay."

" Sounds cool. You know.. I was thinking and thinking about it." Zell rubbed his head.

" About what?"

" You know, after all those times Ellone sent us into that dream. I was trying to figure something out."

" Zell, get to the point' Squall was in no mood for things to be drawn out.

" Okay okay, sheesh! Well after all the info I gathered.... Squall I think Laguna's your dad," Zell was a lot smarter than what people gave him credit for. " I didn't tell anyone, just in case I was wrong or something."

".....!" Squall looked at Zell. How could he know before I did?

" Sorry, just a thought. I'm probably wrong though. But ya know cause Raine and all,you look a like her, and Ellone told me she died shortly after she had a kid. And then-"

" You're right Zell."

" Oh good cause I tho- WHAT?!"

"....," Squall rolled his eyes.

" Really?!!"

" I'd rather not talk about it."

" Oh.. Oh okay...............So when'd Lagu-'

"Zell!"

" Sorry!"