Disclaimer: I don't own FF8 or the song "Learning to Breathe" by Switchfoot.
Author's Note: Sorry for the delay in getting this chapter up. As it said in my FF.net profile, I have been sick, so I wasn't able to concentrate on writing this chapter. Here it is now, though, I hope you all like it.
Rhapsody
Chapter 16- Learning to Breathe
Squall turned around, forcing his expression to turn impassive. "I could say the same for you. Since when do you take an interest in your daughter's performances?"
Caraway winced slightly. "I deserve that." He admitted. "You're right...I haven't been taking an interest in Rinoa for a long time."
"You seem to be taking an interest in me, though." Squall told him. "Why is that? If you don't care about your daughter, then why do you care about me?"
Caraway sighed. "I do care about Rinoa, regardless of what you think. I admit, I haven't been the best father and I have neglected my duties towards her."
"So, that's it?" Squall asked incredulously. "Rinoa's a duty to you?"
"Dammit, Leonhart, don't put words in my mouth!" Caraway hissed. "Yes, I do have duties towards her because I am her father. However, I do care for her. I don't need to prove anything to you. All I ask is that you hear me out."
Squall nodded impatiently. "Fine. What do you have to tell me?"
Caraway took a deep breath and prepared to explain himself. "I don't know if you noticed it, but when Rinoa was with you, she was happy. I really can't think of a way to explain it, but she had this glow about her...like she was on top of the world. Now...well, I've never seen her this way, either. It's like a part of her is missing."
"I don't know why you're telling me this." Squall told him truthfully. "Not so long ago, you were telling me how I was a danger and that I should just stay away from Rinoa."
"I honestly thought that you were a danger to Rinoa. A part of me still thinks you are." Caraway paused for a moment, taking another deep breath. "You have to take some risks in life. I learned that lesson too late. After my wife died, I became bitter towards the world. All I had left was my daughter. I was careful around her...too careful, I realize now. I kept my distance, but I also became overbearing. I didn't want to see my daughter taken by the same fate as her mother.
"You're probably wondering what all this has to do with you. I tried to scare you off, but I knew the only way to ensure my daughter's safety was for you to be out of her life. That's why I told you all that crap about being dangerous, but who am I to judge? The important thing is that my daughter is in love with you. I think you feel the same way."
Squall just stared at him. Was this really Caraway speaking? He had just seen a side of Caraway that he never could have imagined existed. Caraway's words had really affected Squall, and he wasn't sure what to do or say.
"I hope I have made my point clear to you. Any life with you in it is far more better for Rinoa than a life without you." That said, Caraway turned and left the ballroom.
Sighing, Squall walked out onto the balcony. Was he really a danger? Did Rinoa really need him in her life? Squall looked up at the dark ,starry sky, remembering the wish he had made the night he met Rinoa. If only things were different...
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Rinoa stood in a corner of the ballroom, waiting for her friends. Selphie was off with Irvine somewhere and Quistis had made some new friends and was off talking to them. Rinoa just really wanted to go home. She had seen her father talking to Squall, but had decided that she wouldn't interfere. The next time she had looked up, Squall was gone, as was her father.
Spying a balcony a few feet away, she made her way towards it. She could definitely use some fresh air. Walking out onto the balcony, she was completely oblivious of Squall standing to her right. She, too, gazed at the stars, feeling a strong sense of irony. A slight movement caught her eye, and turning, she saw him. He was so wrapped up in his thoughts that he hadn't even seen her.
Deciding that now would be a good time to sort things out, she broke the silence. "Squall?" She called softly.
Squall tensed slightly at the sound of her voice, but forced himself to face her. "Rinoa." He said as politely as possible. "I didn't hear you come out here."
Rinoa shrugged. "I didn't see you out here, either. I can go if I'm disturbing you."
Squall shook his head. "No, it's alright."
Rinoa nodded, but said nothing. They stood there in uncomfortable silence until she said, "I saw you with my father."
Squall looked surprised. "Oh..." Was all he said.
"I know that you went to see him the night that you promised me you wouldn't." Rinoa sighed. "I also know what he said to you. Honestly, I don't know how you could have believed a word he told you. All that bull about you being a danger to me? How could you have thought that?"
"It's the truth, isn't it?" He said quietly.
"No, Squall, it's not!" Rinoa exclaimed. "You aren't, and never were, a danger to me." She looked right into his crystal blue eyes and said, "I gave you my heart, Squall Leonhart, and you chose to break it. I wish things could have been different, I really do." She shrugged. "I honestly thought you were the one. Looks like I was wrong." With one last look at him, she turned around and left.
Squall stood there, a hurt expression on his face. What the hell have I done?
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Needless to say, Squall did not get any sleep that night. He couldn't stop thinking about what Caraway had told him and what Rinoa had said. She thought he was the one? Squall didn't know whether to laugh or cry. And what about the song she had sung? Was it for him? Could she still possibly love him after all he'd done?
Sighing, Squall got up and pulled something out from underneath his bed...his guitar. He hadn't played it in awhile, but as soon as his fingers touched the strings, the room was filled with a haunting melody. In a moment of sudden inspiration, he picked up a pen and started writing down the words to a song...
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Rinoa opened her eyes and squinted as she was met with rays of sunlight. Like Squall, she too, had had trouble sleeping the previous night. Now, it felt like just as she had fallen asleep, it was time to get up again. Looking at her clock, it read 12:03 pm.
"Shit!" She exclaimed as she jumped out of bed. How did I oversleep this late? She frantically threw on a pair of jeans, a light blue sweater, and her usual pair of black boots. As she reached for her brush on her dresser, a piece of paper caught her eye. Her name was written on the top and she opened it curiously. It read:
Rinoa,
I've been doing a lot of thinking...mostly
about you. I know now what I have to do. This
probably isn't making sense. Please meet me at
the park so I can explain. You know the one.
-Squall
Puzzled, Rinoa put down the paper. Was this note really from Squall? It seemed to be and she realized that she really didn't have anything to loose. She left her room, locking the door behind her. After going downstairs and telling Tim she was going out, she was finally on her way.
It wasn't a very long walk to the park that Squall was talking about. Of course she knew the one. It was where she had shared her first real kiss with Squall. She smiled sadly, thinking about how happy she had been. If only it had lasted. Thinking about it now, she had really shared something special with Squall. God, she had tried to get over him, but nothing worked. This wasn't like her breakup with Seifer. Then, she had been angry, and sure, she was hurt, but all she wanted was for Seifer to leave her alone. With Squall, she wanted the complete opposite. She wasn't so sure that a life without Squall was one that she was ready to live.
Shaking off the feelings of sadness and longing, Rinoa crossed the street and entered the park. Why did Squall want her to meet him there? He's probably leaving...and never coming back. He wants to say goodbye...for good. Looking around, she suddenly saw him there. He was sitting on a bench with something next to him. Upon walking closer, she discovered that the object next to him was a guitar. Puzzled, she sat down next to him.
"You came." He said quietly, his tone telling her he had thought she wouldn't.
Rinoa nodded. "Squall, why did you ask me to come here?"
Squall was silent for a few seconds, but then he replied. "Rinoa, I don't even know how to explain what's been going on in my head lately. All I know is that I didn't sleep at all last night because I couldn't stop thinking about you."
"Squall..." Rinoa said softly.
He shook his head. "No, don't say anything. I need to tell you this. I...I told you that I couldn't explain my feelings, so I spent the night thinking about how I could make you understand. I think that I came up with something." He picked up the guitar by his side. "I wrote this for you." He began strumming the strings, playing the same melody that had haunted him last night. Then, he began singing, in a strong, confident voice, the song he had put his heart into:
"Hello, good morning, how you do?
What makes your rising sun so new?
I could use a fresh beginning too
All of my regrets are nothing new
So this is a way that I say I need you
This is a way, this is a way that I'm
Learning to breathe
I'm learning to crawl
I'm finding that you and you alone can break my fall
I'm living again, awake and alive
I'm dying to breathe in these abundant skies
Hello, good morning, how you been?
Yesterday left my head kicked in
I never, never thought that
I could fall like that
Never knew that I could hurt this bad
I'm learning to breathe
I'm learning to crawl
I'm finding that you and you alone can break my fall
I'm living again, awake and alive
I'm dying to breathe in these abundant skies
In these abundant skies, yeah
Abundant skies, yeah
So this is the way that I say I need you
This is the way that I say I love you
This is the way that I say I'm yours
This is the way, this is the way that I'm
Learning to breathe
I'm learning to crawl
I'm finding that you and you alone can break my fall
I'm living again, awake and alive
I'm dying to breathe in these abundant skies
Yes, I'm dying to breathe in these abundant skies
These abundant skies, yeah
I'm dying to breathe in these abundant skies
Hello, good morning, how you do?
Squall finished the song and lowered his head shyly. He was afraid to see Rinoa's reaction.
Rinoa sat there, stunned. "You wrote that...for me?"
"Yeah." Squall said. "I'm sorry if you don't like it." He stood up to go.
"No, Squall, wait!" Rinoa grabbed his wrist, pulling him back beside her. "I loved it." She grinned, but then had to ask him a question. "Why did you write that for me, Squall?"
A look of surprise came over Squall's face. "I thought that was obvious. I love you."
Rinoa smiled again. She loved the way he said those three simple words. "Yes, but why the sudden change of heart? I thought that you wanted nothing to do with me."
Squall shook his head. "I didn't want you to get hurt because of me. I thought it would be better if I stayed away from you."
"Then what changed your mind?"
"Well, partly you. What you said to me and just thinking about you. Part of it was because of your father."
"My father?" Now it was Rinoa's turn to be surprised.
"He told me a lot of things about him and his past...and about you. He told me that you have to take risks in life before it's too late."
"My father said this?" She asked incredulously.
Squall nodded. "Being with you is a risk, Rinoa, but it's one that I'm willing to take. The question is, are you willing to take the risk?"
A smile spread across Rinoa's face. "Yes, I am willing to take whatever risks are involved, as long as it means being with you." Squall grinned at her words. "And Squall?"
"Yeah?"
"You can kiss me now." Squall was never more happier to oblige. She wrapped his arms around his neck as they engaged in a passionate kiss. And this time, they weren't interrupted by a football.
Author's Note: Aw, don't you just love happy endings? Hee hee, sorry if that was too sappy, but by now you must have realized what a hopeless romantic I am. This was not the last chapter, though! There will be one or two more chapters depending on how it works out. Thanks for reading everyone!