Epilogue: As Time Goes By, So Does Life
Ten years later...
The headmaster was standing in his office, facing his desk when the elevator was heard coming up from the other side of the closed door. The headmaster sighed,
"Wonder who it can be?"
But when a smile was brought to his lips, he had a feeling he wouldn,T mind that visitor.
The door was knocked and opened right away. A woman stepped in and saluted.
"Headmaster, sir. I would like to ask..."
The headmaster raised a hand to interrupt her. He placed a hand on his hip and turned around, his ponytail resting over his shoulder.
"There's no one here, you don't have to be formal."
"Alright, Squall," the woman said with a smile walking to him. "I'm sorry."
She wrapped her arms around his neck and he held her waist.
"How do you feel, Commander Carole?" Squall asked.
"Just like you, Headmaster Squall."
Squall lowered his head.
"Still not used to the title?"
"I feel like I'll never be," Squall answered shaking his head.
A week after the Great Battle, there was a big party in Garden. Some students still has not completely recovered but everyone enjoyed it. And on that very night, Squall proposed to Carole. Cid has asked him to be the next headmaster but Squall refused. He was a SeeD and wanted to work with SeeDs. Paper work and boring life wasn't much for him. [Then how come he's headmaster now?]
Five years later, Cid died from a disease and his last wish was for Squall to be headmaster. He couldn't think of anyone else to take his place. Squall accepted the honor and made Carole the leader of SeeD. The new SeeDs unaware of the Great Battle at that time all thought Squall chose her only because they were married but the other SeeDs spread the rumor of her great work at incredible speed and she was soon well respected.
"You miss him?" Carole asked.
"Everyone does. He was a father to all the orphans here."
"Speaking of father, Laguna invited us for dinner again?"
"Yup and I told him we'd be there."
Carole smiled.
"You really made up for the past didn't you?"
"Yeah..."
Squall smiled back then decided to leave the past behind.
"Why have you come to see me?"
"Oh, yeah! It's about..."
"Mommy!" a boy exclaimed bursting in the office.
Carole turned around, freeing herself from Squall's grip and crouched down to the little boy.
"Wait a little longer, Cid. Mommy still hasn't talked to Daddy."
"Oh, well..."
Carole kissed the top of the brown haired little boy and he turned away, leaving his parents alone. Carole got up and turned to Squall.
"I thought it'd be time for him to enter the junior. I can't stop him from running around and he keeps asking: when will I be a SeeD? Then I answer: you'll be a junior first. Then when will I be a junior?"
Carole sighed with exhaustion and Squall laughed.
"Alright, alright!"
He turned to his desk and took some papers he filled and signed. Then he put his pen on the desk.
"There!" he said turning around. "Now, Cid Leonhart is a junior. Are you happy, Commander Carole Leonhart?"
Carole closed her eyes and smiled. Squall bent his head aside, looking at the woman.
"There's something more, is there? I can tell from the way you look."
Carole lowered her head, joining her hands together on her pants.
"I... I missed two cycles, Squall."
"What do you mean?"
"Last month, I didn't have my period. I thought it could have been a problem caused by all the missions we had but I missed this month too and I started to feel... weird."
Squall had big eyes, beginning to figure out but he wanted to hear her to the end.
"I took a test this morning..."
She looked up to him with an emotionless face but her eyes were shining like five years ago...
"You," he started.
"I'm pregnant," she said nodding.
Squall's eyes shone a moment before his face shew concern.
"Aren't you happy?"
"I am... I was afraid you wouldn't be but I see you are."
Then both let out their joy. Squall lifted carole off the floor and turned around. They were laughing happily.
"It's a great event!" Squall exclaimed putting her back on her feet.
"I've been thinking recently that it would be good for Cid to have a brother or a sister before he's too old. The only thing is..."
She looked away.
"What?" he inquired.
"What about the SeeDs? I'm the leader..."
Squall shrugged.
"Like we did five years ago: I'm sure Zell would be happy to replace you."
"I don't think so," Carole said shaking her head. "Have you forgotten how he's been since him and Rachel are married? He's even worse now that they have a son, he's too excited to lead Garden."
"Gackt?"
"He's gone on a mission with Miaka and with their two sons in the juniors, they're quite busy."
"Then..."
"Why don't you do it? You got experience."
"Then that's settled! I can't believe it: another child."
He took Carole in his arms and kissed her passionately.
"Hum, um!"
Squall and Carole broke apart at the sound of a familiar voice by the door. They looked at the door and saw Rachel standing there, wearing her SeeD uniform.
"Ra... Rachel!" Carole exclaimed. "You're in uniform today."
"Of course!"
"What is it?" Squall asked.
Rachel bowed with a smile.
"Sorry to disturb you but you have a guest... in fact thrre guests."
Squall and Carole looked at each other with curiosity in their eyes.
"Who is it?" Carole asked.
"You'll see," Rachel answered mysteriously.
"Let them in," Squall said.
Rachel bowed again and turned around to open the door and let two persons in before leaving behind them, closing the door. A little girl was hiding behind the two adults.
"Rinoa?!" Squall exclaimed.
"Adam!!"
Carole ran to her friend and threw herself in his arms.
"It's been so long!" she exclaimed.
Rinoa walked to Squall and hugged him friendly.
The headmaster and the commander couldn't believe it. They haven't seen each other for five years, since Cid's funeral.
"What's the honor?" Squall asked with a smile.
"I have something to aske you," Rinoa said.
She took a look at Adam who nodded. He turned to Carole and invited her out the office, leaving Rinoa alone with Squall.
Ten years have been more than enough to put everything aside but there was still something in the air when they were together.
"Rinoa, I never thanked you for what you did ten years ago..."
"I just did part of the job. I didn't know why but I feel like it was my very purpose as a Sorceress toget you back."
"But you already did, don't you remember?"
He was talking about when he got lost in time after defeating Ultimecia. Rinoa found him and he was dead but her feelings brought him back and brought them in the flower field.
"It's not the same thing," Rinoa said. I didn't use any of my powers then."
Squall nodded, understanding what she meant.
"What is it you wanted to ask me?"
She smiled.
"I would like my daughter to be a SeeD, Squall."
Outside the office, Carole and Adam were talking about the past. Rachel and Zell were married and had a boy, Miaka and Gackt had two boys, Audrey quit as a SeeD to be only working in the disciplinary committee with Seifer, They had a boy and a little girl.
"I guess Squall and I were the only ones out of time for kids," Carole said crouching down the little girl.
The dark brown haired girl his behind her father's leg.
"Come on, Erin," Adam said. "She's the SeeD leader so she might be your leader someday."
"Erin, you want to be a SeeD?"
The little girl nodded.
"That's great!" carole said with a smile patting the kid's head.
She got up.
"She's cute," Carole commented.
"She looks like her mother."
"Oh, I see a little of you in her."
The elevator came up and the door opened on a little brown haired boy.
"Mommy!" he exclaimed pulling onto Carole's pants.
She crouched down to him again.
"It's okay, Cid. You're registered now."
"Hurray!"
He jumped around.
"I'll be a SeeD!! I'll be a SeeD!!"
Erin jumped in front of him.
"Me too, me too!"
And the kids jumped around the laughing adults together.
"It's your son?" Adam asked. "I thought you said..."
"I meant it took a while until we had a kid. Now that I think about it, Rinoa was pregnant at Cid's funeral."
"She was and you too, I think. I guess your son was named after the late headmaster?"
Carole nodded.
"Hey, let's play!" Erin said to Cid.
"Okay! I'll show you around Garden!"
He looked at Carole, waiting for her approval.
"Okay, but don't disturb anyone."
"Promise!"
And the kids left in the elevator.
"But I guess I have time left."
"What do you mean?"
She turned to him and smiled.
"I'm pregnant..."
Everything turned out fine but deep inside, they all felt like they tricked destiny. Maybe not themselves but maybe somebody crossed the stars to make happen what wasn't supposed to happen.
THE END
Written Dec 26 2000
Typed Nov 16 2002 16:55
Note:This is it! The weirdest (but not bad) fanfic I ever wrote. Of course for my friends or just the 'real' people involved in this story, some things can look familiar and for others... you can pretend they're just original characters.
I'd really like to have your opinion about this one. My friends said it's good because they're part of it. One of them read this ONLY because we're part of it. He doesn't even know FFVIII! At least he read it!
I hesitated a long time before typing this one. I didn't really want to take Squall from Rinoa. I think they belong together so when I read fanfics about Squall going out with someone else, I tend to get mad... They just belong to each other! Well that's why there're two years between the day I wrote it and the day I typed it.
Liked my story, my style, just click on my pen name to get to my other 7 fanfics! Personnally, I'd suggest to look for Squall's Sister, the first part to a trilogy I hope I'll continue.... No I will continue!! It may take some time, but I always finish what I start.
Keep reading my stories and give me comments, it encourages me!!
Finally, I'd dedicate this story to all my friends and family I gave something to do in this story! It wouldn't have been the same without you guys!!
I'll leave you with this poem-like thing I wrote just for this fic.
Thanks for reading! I love you all!
My next fic should be a twisted version between FFVIII and Romeo and Juliet. Guess who's who and how the story ends...
Love Ballad
Squall Being with her
I thought I would never be lonely Anymore
CaroleI only looked at you from afar
Thinking you were great and handsome
I heard so much about you
Squall
When we first met
I turned you down
To go meet her
CaroleI've been hurt
Seeing you were not as I heard
SquallShe left me, then
I regreted
I turned you down
CaroleI tried to be kind
But acted mean
SquallI've been hard
For nothing at all
CaroleI knew it was too late
My feelings were clear
Both
Sometimes we were friendly
Doing great things together
SquallBut then I start being hard
And you say
Carole
'You're such a pain!' And you just answerSquall
'Whatever...'
But I'm lying to myself
Both
We share the same feelings
Even though it doesn't show
Carole
I don't want to show them
Because I kow...
Squall
I'm still thinking about her
But now...
BothI can't lie anymore
Or try to hide it
It's too strong deep inside
I have to let it out
SquallI haven'y paid attention before
But now I know...
CaroleI couldn't face it before
But now I know
BothI love you...
SquallCan we start over again?
CaroleCan you forgive me?
BothFor what I did to you
I'm sorry
But now I see,
Now I know
I love you...
Carole M.
October 2 2000