Just Wait

Chapter Six

Stars in her Sky

A/N: Sorry about the long delay. But I have had no time whatsoever.
Enjoy chapter six! They are getting closer and closer to meeting ;)

A Few Months Later....

A man around his mid-twenties exited a small but convenient car. He stretched and groaned, looking down at the desert he was so fortunate to park on.

"Having trouble, Squall?" A voice called out from the car.

"Not really, no. Just wanted to get out and stretch a little."

"Hmm."

The car door opened and a woman with short brown hair came out, shading her eyes from the heavy sun with one hand.

"Damn, it's pretty hot out here."

"Sure is."

"You sure you don't want any water?"

"No, we're almost there." He replied professionally.

The woman giggled.

"Honestly Squall, driving me to Winhill single handedly was very sweet of you to do, but you don't have to take it so seriously!"

Squall frowned.

"Whatever. Look, I'm sure everyone is waiting for us."

I'm also sure that it was a bad idea to drive to Winhill from Deling.

"Yeah, they probably are, but- let's rest here a while, eh little bro?"

He didn't reply, just sat down on the soft sand.

"Sooo...you interested to hear who I invited to the wedding?"

"Lemme guess....all your high school, middle school, and elementary school friends, as well as all of their families." He rolled his eyes and dug into his pocket for a box of Malboros.

Ellone sighed.

"Squall, why do you always smoke when I'm around?" She eyed the Malboro monster on the box suspiciously. They appeared once in a while around Esthar, and when they did, tobacco companies rushed to the scene to kill it. Apparently, the chemicals from one Malboro was enough for 500,000 cigarettes. But Ellone knew the demand was far worse than that number.

"I don't think it's the smoke that bothers you." He shrugged and lit it pocketing the lighter. "I'm not stupid, Ellone, I know you don't want endangered monsters, but seriously, they're Malboros, they're everywhere in that forest by Trabia. Like- little ant colonies."

She could tell her little brother was trying in his special way to cheer her up, and Ellone appreciated that.

"Okay, I guess. But what about the ones around Esthar?" She hugged her knees to her chest. "Remember how Wedge and I were always talking about how it's not about the animals being endangered, it's the habitat they live in, and-"

Ellone sighed.

"And that's what's important."

Squall nodded slowly, taking a deep drag of his cigarette and looking at the horizon which blurred slightly due to the heat. His sister shifted slightly so that her back was against the car door.

"You know Squall, if you could've seen my face when I heard you weren't going to college, you would've probably gotten more mad than you got when you received my letter. I know that maybe I haven't set a very good example as far as education and family values go, but I want you to know- before I get married and raise my own family- that I'm sorry for any disillusions you may have had when I left for Centra. I'm also sorry for you know- not being there for so long. I just-"

"It's okay." He placed his free hand on hers and shook his head. "I never blamed you for that shit."

They sat there silently until Squall threw his cigarette on the ground, stood up, smooshed it with his foot and headed back in the car.


Rinoa licked her lips softly, tasting the pudding she was making for dessert tonight. Chocolate was pure heaven in her book.

A timer beeped impatiently to her left, and Rinoa jumped up involuntarily, cursing the stain on her apron.

"Dammit!" She turned off the stove and jumped back to the table.

A brief chuckle came from the doorway.

"Yep, you always did have a knack for spilling things Rinoa."

She smirked.

"Thank you so much Zone. Your poor wife making dinner for a grand party tonight, and you, laughing you ass off. I feel so...honored."

Zone walked up and kissed her forehead.

"I appreciate you, wifey. Very very much."

"Hmm...."

"I do!"

Rinoa giggled.

"If you say so! Now, I'm going to go upstairs and change. Why don't you-" She poked his chest softly. "Take the pie from the oven and set it by the counter. Then go take a shower. The guests'll be here in two hours!"

She slipped her apron over her head and onto Zone's, and then bounded up the stairs to their bedroom.

It was surprising, to say the least, that Zone had gotten that promotion he was waiting for. She had also gotten a job at the local mall. With that money, they bought a new house. And now, all of their friends were coming to check it out.

But there had been one problem.

Rinoa thought she might be pregnant.

She had missed her period by 4 weeks now. Rinoa didn't want to go to the clinic to make sure. She hadn't even told anyone.

I need a damn vacation from life.



"I really appreciate you coming here early, Squall." Ellone hopped out of the car and started for the stairs that led into the main square of Winhill.

Squall shrugged in a no-big-deal way.

"I wanted to see how everything with you was. And anyway, dad thought I needed a vacation from work."

"Yeah, well, you do!"

"Whatever."

He opened the trunk and took out his suitcase and her duffel bag.

"So how long until the wedding you think?"

Ellone shrugged, leaning on the railing.

"Probably a month or two." She grinned. "You think you're ready to stay that long?"

"After 13 years of living with you..." He bounded up the stairs. "I think I'm ready for anything.


Pretty and relaxing classical music played in the background as Rinoa walked around her living room, talking to family friends. Her parents couldn't make it, as usual. But Selphie was here, jumping around excitedly and talking about some guy she met the other week.

Rinoa smiled at everyone, danced with anyone who asked, making sure to smile at Zone in the meanwhile.

Yes, it was a beautifully perfect night.

"Hey Rinoa, you listening? I was just saying..." Selphie's voice faded into the background as Rinoa kept smiling.

Beautiful. The sky was just like at her high school graduation. She had sat in that metal chair and counted the stars until her parents came. Rinoa had counted 540.

I'll count them again one day.

"Rinoa?" She heard Zone. Her vision felt blurry.

"RINOA!"

Five hundred and forty stars in the sky...

A/N: Welll.....
I'm not going to be able to update for a week or so, again.
So please review, because I wasn't going to type another chapter due to endless amounts of work begging to be done. But your reviews made me clench my teeth and type!
Review!