Rating: R
Disclaimer: I have no money. I have no fame. I'm running out of ideas for a disclaimer. I'm sorry if this one sounds lame. Everything belongs to Squaresoft. The thing vaguely resembling a plot is mine, and I forgot to mention earlier that the quotes at the beginning of each chapter are also mine.
A/N: Thank you for all the reviews. You guys are the greatest. This chapter was a bit rushed (throw in assessments, Attack of the Clones and annoying visitors, and you basically have my life for the past few weeks). It's also relatively light hearted, so I hope you enjoy it (not that there's anything wrong with angst).
Lest We Forget
Chapter 4: Reality
"From dreams we can escape, but reality confines us in a way no prison ever will."
Intruder. Danger.
Alarmed, Quistis was already reaching for her whip before her sleep-befuddled senses identified who it was. Reality filtered in, comprehension dawned and she gasped, amazement clearly etched across her features. Grasping the outstretched arm, she used it as leverage to pull herself upright, before propelling into a bruised and bloodied Seifer. He looked just about as presentable as she did. There was an expression of concern on his face as he gazed at her.
He's probably worried about the SeeDs chasing after us. He's alive. He actually survived.
Impulsively, she hugged him fiercely, then awkwardly stumbled backwards as embarrassed, she realised what she had just done.
This is Seifer remember? Seifer – a wisecracking asshole, not a cute cuddly lovable blonde soft toy.
Her cheeks warmed and she stared resolutely at the floor, refusing to even look at him.
I'm still half-asleep. It's all because of those dreams. I hugged him because I was relieved that he wasn't dead, that I hadn't killed him. Nothing more.
Forcing her racing heartbeat back under control, she swallowed nervously before glancing upwards and meeting Seifer's bemused gaze. He didn't seem to have minded the hug at all.
"You missed me." It wasn't posed as a question. Seifer's quiet comment was devastating in the heavy silence. It immediately shattered Quistis' contrived calm demeanour, irrationally provoking her to go on the defensive.
"No." There was nothing left but damage control. Amnesia or not, she knew she shouldn't have trusted Seifer to be nice or understanding. Being a jerk seemed to come naturally to him.
"But you just hugged me." The insufferable man seemed intent on pushing the point.
"Muscle spasm. Trust me, it won't happen again." Mortified, she groaned inwardly and resisted the urge to slap her forehead in disgust. Even to her own ears, the excuse sounded extremely feeble. Muscle spasm…yeah…what, in both arms? Hah! I should have pleaded temporary insanity, perhaps then it would have been true.
"Oh…cause for a moment I thought you wouldn't mind me doing this." Seifer leaned in and kissed her, far more gently than she ever dreamed him capable of. Caught by surprise, she didn't respond for a moment. Then stiffening, she placed both hands on his chest, trying to shove him away. Absolutely futile. All he did was wrap his arms tighter around her in an iron grip to restrain her struggle. Breaking the kiss, he placed his cheek against hers and whispered haltingly into her ear, "SeeDs followed me. Watching. Listening. No time. Need to escape. Now." Each word was enunciated clearly.
Both were breathing heavily after the kiss. Quistis stopped struggling and moved her face away from Seifer's so she could glare at him. She ached to slap him, but her hands were still trapped beneath his arms. Why was it that only Seifer ever managed to make her feel powerless? Last time, he had usurped her in her own classroom. Recently, by saving her twice, he had relegated her to the position of damsel-in-distress, which was usually reserved for Rinoa. The idea that she depended on someone made her feel inadequate. The fact that that someone was Seifer, caused the frustration to truly well up. And now he had kissed her against her will, not because he liked her, but so he could warn her without being noticed. Seifer…practical? This was surely a parallel universe.
With a Herculean effort, Quistis drew her thoughts back to their current situation. She was a professional for Hyne's sake. According to Seifer, scouts were observing them, probably waiting for reinforcements before making a move. Balamb Garden was after them. Where could they go? No place was safe. She looked desperately at Seifer. They were running out of time.
Come on, think! First obstacle…SeeD perimeter net. We have to break through it and run. Easier said than done. Balamb is the closest train station. Where to then?
The answer remained elusive. Seifer's gaze was fixed firmly on her face, searching. His eyes seemed to hide some inkling of suppressed emotion.
They could catch one to Timber and then head deeper into Galbadia – enemy territory.
Seifer – traitor and Commander of Galbadian forces during the last war…now, her only friend.
With friends as our captors, we hold our enemies dear. How much we have changed. How far we have fallen.
Emerald eyes locked with sapphire and Quistis understood that this was the only way. Escape was not an option and for once, Seifer depended on her. It made her feel back in control despite the circumstances. She was no longer helpless or redundant.
Time to start repaying debts.
There was no turning back.
***
They had burst out of the cave to surprise any scouts and buy a few precious seconds before the pursuit began in earnest. Seifer followed Quistis as she weaved through the undergrowth, darting past branches. Twigs snapped under their feet as secrecy was abandoned in the greater need for haste. They avoided the main path from Balamb Garden to Balamb where everything would be in plain sight. The trees at least provided the barest protection from a sniper's bullet.
Just a little further.
Her breath came in short pants.
Not much more to go.
Legs were like wood, heavy and unfeeling.
SeeDs are coming closer.
She imagined the sound of motor engines drifting through the air.
Will we ever escape?
Were those footsteps behind them?
Killed by friends…what a death.
Everything ached.
A traitor has no honour.
Balamb was just ahead, but Seifer was no longer in sight. Quistis whirled around, anxiety plainly written on her face. Had SeeDs overtaken them? She frantically glanced in the direction of the cave, but spun back as a twig snapped behind her. Seifer stood there, casually leaning against a tree. A smirk was plastered on his face and he idly fingered the remnants of a broken twig. Throwing them to the side, he stepped towards her.
Annoyed, Quistis looked questioningly at him. "What the hell do-?"
"Oh don't you ever shut up, Instructor? SeeD doesn't even know where we are yet." He stood inches from her.
"But you said…but-but the kiss," Quistis stammered, confused. Irritated at herself for mentioning the kiss and sounding like a fool, she glared up at him, ironically challenging him to deny the incident at the cave that she herself tried so hard to forget.
"What I said was true - SeeDs followed me…but I lost them before reaching the cave. Amateurs." Seifer snorted. "Oh well, I needed an excuse to kiss you."
Quistis paled, the blood draining rapidly from her face. She looked like she was going to faint or throw up. Seifer decided to take pity on her.
"Relax, it was just to shut you up. You were going all defensive when I said you missed me. Geez, some people can't take a joke."
The slap came, and his face turned with it. He knew he deserved the pain.
Quistis was practically trembling with barely contained anger. Resentment was too weak a term. At times like this, she hated him with a passion.
Everything was still, a silent deceptive tableau.
Bang! A gunshot blew a nearby branch into tiny pieces. Quistis started, another shot bit into a tree inches from her head, coating her with splinters. Firing range had been achieved. Caught up in their conflict, their pursuers had arrived undetected. SeeD had found them. Together they ran, hatred and resentment forgotten in the desire for survival.
Balamb moved closer into sight.
20 metres.
A bullet whizzed past Seifer's head, leaving a stinging pain and a trickle of sticky warmth down one side of his neck. Blood mingled with sweat. It had clipped his ear.
10 metres.
They ran faster, so far keeping a step ahead as bullets hit the ground just behind them spraying up clouds of shrapnel and dust.
5 metres.
Bullets ricocheted from a metal sign swinging above their heads. The gunshots stopped abruptly, leaving an apprehensive silence as they entered Balamb. Civilian lives, especially those of family, could not be risked by stray fire. Garden's dispatched jeeps had not yet arrived. Doors were locked and windows closed as frightened townsfolk rushed to the safety of their homes. Balamb's pathways were now deserted, lending the impression of a ghost town. It was a disturbing scene, one at odds to the normally peaceful seaside atmosphere.
"SeeD will save us. Squall's our hero. He'll come." A little blonde girl tugged desperately on her brother's hand, as they huddled in a dark street corner.
Quistis, struck by a sense of déjà vu, unconsciously took a step towards them. The children shrunk back in fear til their backs were pressed against the wall. They sobbed loudly, the girl's arms wound protectively around her brother. Quistis wanted so much to comfort them, but their cries grew more frantic as she stepped closer. Hesitating, she slowly stretched an arm out towards them, watching in distress as the girl flinched and squeezed her eyes shut.
Seifer stepped between them and shook his head sadly. There was no time. Quistis let her arm drop dejectedly to the side. Shuddering, she inhaled the sea air in deep breaths, tasting the salt. Moist and cloying, it clung to her clothes and infused her senses. Coupled with the heat, it made the atmosphere feel oppressive and claustrophobic. She fought to keep her composure while Seifer waited anxiously.
"Train to Timber leaving on Platform 1."
The announcement roused Quistis from her inactive state. She ran towards the train station, leading Seifer in a mad dash to catch the only train – their only form of escape. The train doors were already closing. Hurriedly pushing past the uniformed ticket collector, they leapt on board just before the doors finally slid shut, sealing them into this particular course of action.
Quistis punched in the required code on the keypad and the heavy metal door silently slid open. Seifer looked questioningly at her and she shrugged self-consciously. No one had ever gotten round to changing the SeeD compartment code. There had been no need. She stayed outside in the corridor while Seifer entered the SeeD room, disappearing from view. Quistis gazed through the glass window. Her eyes widened and her breathing quickened as she spotted Squall and the others spilling onto the just vacated platform following a shaken ticket collector. Squall angrily motioned for the train to be stopped, but it was already too late.
Suddenly, Zell's eyes narrowed as he locked onto her. He started running towards the train, intent on jumping aboard. For a brief moment, he seemed to keep pace with it, running just beside her window, close enough that she could see the tiny beads of sweat breaking out on his forehead. Their eyes locked, one pair regretful, the other spitting hate. The contact broke as the train picked up speed and he was left behind.
Heart still hammering loudly in her ears, she rested her heated forehead against the cold glass, soothed by the rocking motion of the train. Her breath came in small puffs that stained the window with rapidly reforming condensation marks. She refused to turn around at the sound of a door sliding open behind her. It was just Seifer.
We made it.
The view went black all of a sudden, startling her from her reverie. Jerking away from the window, Quistis belatedly realised they were passing through a tunnel. Her reflection stared back at her, outlined amidst the enveloping darkness.
I'm the same but everything else has changed. Never had she felt so alone.
The darkness lifted as they exited the tunnel.
Such irony. The world has moved on and I've been left behind.
She continued to stare out the window at the blurred scenery, watching but unseeing.
Reluctant to disturb, Seifer simply gazed at her still form, but he never caught the tear that rolled down her cheek.
A/N: See, I don't always end with a cliff-hanger. Well, I don't think this exactly qualifies as one. Anyway, please review so I know what needs to be changed or improved.
