The thing about her job was that the tasks were endless and tended to overlap. Before she finished one, another reared it's head, and soon, she'd be so backed up she would end up taking the work to her rooms so that she wouldn't be accused of working too hard. No one knew how many hours she spent working or how many nights she'd taken the work home, just to get it done in time. Because of this, both Squall and Cid gave her projects they assumed she could handle, when the reality of it was that she was barely able to manage her normal tasks.
It wasn't that she was an inefficient worker, because she was. Her life and her work were terribly organized, but because she pulled it off and managed to produce results in the allotted amount of time without showing how much effort she put into it, everyone assumed that Quistis was the one to give the most time consuming tasks.
So, as she sorted through the stacks of paper, arranging them in piles according to priority, she heard Squall calling her from his office.
What now? What could he possibly want? He knew she was already swamped, so why couldn't he just let her work uninterrupted for one afternoon? Annoyed, she rose from her chair and entered his office. "What is it, Squall?" she asked.
Squall was visibly irritated about something and he motioned for Quistis to take a seat in the chair by the window. He sat across from her and closed his eyes. "The negotiations for the alliance between Galbadian and Esthar have fallen apart," he said, "and it looks like all out war."
"What?" Quistis asked, startled. The negotiations seemed to be going so well, even if there was reluctance on both sides to go through with it. "What happened?"
"The details aren't clear yet, but President Caraway called Laguna personally some time this morning and told him he was no longer in control. Seems some resistance group went into the Presidential Palace, raided the place and set up camp early this morning. They're making demands," Squall said.
"What kind of demands?" she asked.
"The usual. Total control, access to everything, including Esthar's secret research tanks."
"You mean the research tanks that supposedly don't exist?" Quistis said with a knowing smirk.
"That's right. They want immediate action or else."
"Or else what?" Quistis asked, though she already knew the answer.
"Or else they attack."
"Cute," Quistis said. "So a little resistance faction takes over Galbadia. Are we sending in the elite squad?"
Squall shook his head and closed his eyes. "Not yet," he replied. "If it were just a small group, it wouldn't be a problem, but it seems Galbadia as a whole is not happy with Caraway as president, and they're willing to fight with these guys."
"Oh, great," Quistis said. "So it's back to the Vinzer Deling era of dictatorship."
"Funny you should mention that," Squall said and scratched his chin. "The leader of this resistance group is Deling's daughter, Khamella."
Quistis rubbed her eyes in frustration. "So what are your orders, Squall?" she asked.
"For now, find out what you can about the resistance faction, and anything you can find out about Khamella Deling," he said. "Make this your priority for now. Give everything you can to Nida, and let Xu handle the mission assignments. Rinoa will take care of the budget."
For the first time Squall had actually considered that Quistis might be overbooked, and he'd taken steps towards relieving some of her work load. She was grateful that he'd thought of her, and she was glad that he'd already taken care of it. Perhaps the ordeal with Seifer's trial had given him a wake up call as to how much work she actually did, for Quistis knew he'd had to handle the bulk of her projects while she prepared the defense. "Thanks," she told him. "Anything else?"
"Not yet, no, but be advised, we may have to go to war."
"I'll get right on it," Quistis told him and headed back to her office.
Seifer had stayed in Balamb after the train arrived so that he might find a job. He'd lost the one he'd secured just before the trial, and he was actually kind of glad. He wasn't cut out to be a janitor anyhow. He needed something more physical and he needed something that paid well.
Seifer didn't want to stay at Garden unless he could be a SeeD, and that was out of the question. He was too old to take the test now, and he knew he'd make a lousy instructor, even if Squall had hinted that they were in need of a gunblade specialist to teach the upper classmen. He just couldn't picture himself in a role like that. It wasn't a terribly hard or demanding job, especially considering that there were only five students in the entire Garden who needed training. Seifer, however, was not the sort of man who'd make a good teacher and he knew it.
So, his goal now was to make something of himself. He wanted to work, he wanted to make a living, the honest way. If he had to bust his ass to do it, he would. What he wanted was a place to call his own, even if it was just an unfurnished one room apartment. At least then he could say he did it on his own. At least then, he'd do it without help. It was nice sharing a room with Quistis, but he didn't want to overstay his welcome, and he didn't want to take and not give back.
As he waited for the fleet manager of the Balamb Shrimp Company to show up and talk with him, he noticed a familiar pair loading boxes on a boat near by. A large, dark skinned young man lifted box after box as a young woman with silver hair barked orders at him.
Raijin and Fujin, he presumed. His lips curved into a smile and he strolled over to the slip where the boat was moored. Seeing them was like revisiting his childhood. They had been his possee. The only ones at Garden who'd really known him, the only ones who'd seen him for what he really was. They were the only ones who stuck by him, no matter what, even when he'd been possessed. They'd followed his lead and done everything he'd asked of them and never even thought of questioning his motives. Well, not until much later, that was. But, even when he'd done his worst, they'd still believed in him.
He wondered, did they still feel the same way?
"FASTER!" Fujin cried and stomped her foot at Raijin.
"Fuj, I'm workin' as fast as I can, ya know? I'd like a drink, ya know? I'm thirsty and it's hot out here, and you're makin' me work too hard, ya know?"
"BABY!" Fujin said and she kicked him in the shin.
"Owww!" Raijin cried as he clutched his leg. "That hurt, ya know?"
Seifer leaned against the railing of the pier and grinned. "Some things never change," he said loud enough for the pair to hear.
Fujin spun around, her hard gray eye full of anger. When she saw Seifer standing there, the anger was replaced by disbelief. "SEIFER."
"In the flesh," he said and approached his old friends.
Raijin grinned at him, seemingly at a loss for words. The big man surged forward and threw his arms around Seifer. "Can't believe it's really you," Raijin said as he slapped Seifer roughly on the back and let go. "We heard about the trial from the TV, ya know? We thought they was gonna execute you!"
"You can't kill an Almasy," Seifer said with a grin. Though it was on the tip of his tongue to mention Quistis' hard work, he held back. He didn't want them to know his feelings for her, for Fujin had always been able to read between the lines. She would know immediately how he felt, and she'd give him a hard time. She'd call him soft. "So what have you guys been up to?"
"Workin' ya know," Raijin said. "We got an apartment up the road, all to ourselves. We're livin' it up, ya know?"
"That's good to hear," Seifer said and leaned against the railing of the boat.
"SEIFER," Fujin said. "SAFE?"
"I'm standing here, aren't I?"
Fujin eyed him suspiciously for a moment. "DIFFERENT."
"Fuj was just sayin' there's something different about you, ya know?"
Seifer rolled his eyes. "I know what she's saying, Raij. I'm not an idiot."
"She's right, ya know. There is something different about you. Can't tell what it is, but there's something different, ya know?"
Seifer cringed. He didn't want his friends to think that he'd changed. He wanted them to think of him as the same badass he'd always been. Except that he wasn't anymore. He'd lost a bit of that hostile edge. He grew up. Never mind that he had a different outlook on life now. How could he express this to them without coming off as a wuss? He stared out at the water for a moment before speaking. "Yeah, well, things change."
Fujin continued to stare at him with that single anthracite colored eye. "HAPPY," she stated after a moment.
"Yeah, Fuj, I'm happy."
She nodded slowly and a faint smile played upon her narrow mouth.
"GOOD."
Quistis hadn't been able to come up with anything new or interesting on Khamella Deling, even after spending hours searching public and not so public sources of information. It was all common knowledge. Khamella was the only child of lifelong president Vinzer Deling. She was well educated and had attended the finest schools in the world. She'd received a bachelor in military tactics and the art of war, and a double masters degree in politics and political law at the University of Esthar two years ago. Since then, she'd advanced through the ranks of Galbadia's political society with frightening speed. She'd gained a lot of friends in both the legal and the government circles, and it seemed she was well liked. It even seemed she had no enemies and was considered quite the catch.
It was no wonder that she'd been able to orchestrate such a take over. She was a very attractive young woman with dark hair and eyes, and a sincere, sweet smile. She looked terribly innocent in the photographs Quistis had found in the files. Likely, she'd charmed her way up the political ladder, appearing a pawn in her innocence. Quistis guessed that no one had been the wiser, for men often mistook beautiful women for fools. Quistis herself had been underestimated countless times just because of her looks. She guessed that this Khamella Deling was a force to be reckoned with, and she couldn't help but admire the girl's fortitude, despite her guerilla tactics. Her coup had been so well planned, so flawlessly executed. It was too bad the girl wasn't on their side. SeeD could use a few brilliant young women like Khamella within it's ranks.
With a sigh, Quistis sat back and switched off her computer. She was disappointed that she hadn't been able to find anything out of the ordinary. There were no questionable incidents on her record, no arrests, not even a single disciplinary mark on any of her school transcripts. Khamella had been a good girl, a good student and a model citizen, despite being her father's daughter. Vinzer Deling had been a man unafraid of consequences, but it seemed, from her record, Khamella had chosen a different path. Quistis could only assume that one of two things had occurred.
The first was that Khamella, who'd walked the straight and narrow her entire life, became so enraged at her father's death that she'd plotted and then executed her revenge. Quistis didn't think this was likely, unless Khamella had been planning to take over before her father's death. Khamella was too . . . clean cut to have perpetrated such an event on her own. As angry as she might have been, it seemed unlikely that the need for revenge would have driven her to this extreme. But then, Quistis didn't know her personally, so she could only make generalizations based on the information.
The second scenario seemed more likely. Perhaps Khamella was acting out a part, under the influence of someone who might have a grudge against President Caraway. Quistis thought that perhaps young Khamella had met a man, and as young women sometimes are, she been easily swayed by his charm and his promises to love her if she went along with his plans. Quistis had seen it a thousand times in her own Garden. Girls doing things they wouldn't normally do because a man suggested he might love her more if she did what he wanted her to do. Quistis herself had once fallen into this trap, having been promised love if she would only sleep with someone. And when she did, she was forgotten almost as soon as he'd put his clothes back on. She could easily see how the pampered daughter of a dictator who'd been sheltered most of her life might be persuaded in this way, for Quistis thought it unlikely that Deling had ever really had time for the girl.
Quistis pushed her thoughts aside and headed for her rooms, where she planned to go directly to sleep. She was still exhausted from the effort she'd put into Seifer's trial, and she hadn't quite caught up on her rest.
When she opened the door, she was surprised to find the room lit only by candles and the air smelled of something delicious. She realized as she stepped into the room that she hadn't eaten all day, and the scent of food made her stomach growl in anticipation of a meal. Had Seifer done this? Was it possible that the insensitive bastard she'd grown up with had a hidden romantic streak? She smiled and closed the door behind her. "Seifer?" she called as she kicked off her heels. "Where are you?"
Seifer poked his head out of the kitchen and smiled. "Hungry?"
"Starved," she admitted and she dropped her keys onto the table. "What is all this?"
"My way of saying thanks," he replied. "And, we're celebrating."
"Celebrating?" she asked, curious.
"I got a job. Pays well, good benefits."
"What will you be doing?"
"Shrimping," he told her.
Quistis smiled at this. She could picture him, shirtless on the deck of a boat, doing just that. "Congratulations."
There was a knock at the door, and Quistis gave a heavy sigh. She didn't want anyone to interrupt this. Seifer being nice was something she might not see again for a long time, and she was reluctant to answer the door. Still, she got to her feet and went to the door.
She opened it just a little after the second knock and saw Rinoa standing there looking frazzled. "Quisty, I need your help!" she cried. "I was going over the fabric swatches for the bridesmaid gowns . . ." Rinoa paused as her eyes focused on the interior of the room and she pressed her knuckles to her mouth. "Oh . . ."
"Can we look over them tomorrow?" Quistis asked and she felt her cheeks grow warm. She knew Rinoa had seen the candles, and she knew the girl was now assuming things. Bad things.
Rinoa giggled. "Oh, Quisty, I'm sorry. I didn't know!"
"It's not what you think," Quistis countered in a whisper, embarrassed.
"Unhunh. Sure, Quisty," Rinoa tittered and winked. "I'll leave you two alone. Sorry to interrupt."
Mortified, Quistis closed the door and leaned her forehead against it. She knew word would be all over Garden in the morning. Rinoa would tell everyone that Quistis and Seifer did it. By late afternoon, there was no telling what kind of tales would be strung together. Probably, the students would be passing rumors that Quistis was carrying Seifer's love child and that the two had eloped to Centra to be married.
Quistis was torn between wanting him and running from him. She already knew well how he felt about her, and she'd already recognized that she returned his feelings. But it seemed crazy, scary and downright wrong. Seifer was so not the man for her, but Hyne, what a man he was. Her attraction to him was more intense than anything she'd felt before, and as hard as she tried to deny it, she couldn't. Just being in the same room with him made her feel swoony.
But perhaps that was just a combination of the candle light and her weariness.
"Something wrong?" Seifer asked behind her.
Quistis turned around and closed her eyes. "No, nothing's wrong."
"Who was at the door?"
"Just Rinoa."
Seifer chuckled and handed her a glass of wine. "I bet she assumed . . ."
"She did indeed," Quistis said as she accepted the wine, and she felt her cheeks flush once more. "Who could blame her Seifer? It does look like a love den in here."
Was that what this was? A seduction? The candles, dinner, wine? Was Seifer trying to bed her? She sipped her wine and headed for the couch, afraid it was exactly that. Quistis, who had always longed to be loved, was now scared witless when the real thing looked her in the eye. If he kissed her now, what would she do? Would she scream? Run for her room? It had been easy to deny her feelings when there wasn't time for it, but now, it seemed there was all the time in the world, and now that he was a free man, she wasn't so sure she could stop herself before she did something she regretted.
"Quis, what's wrong?" Seifer asked as he took a seat beside her.
"It's been a long day, that's all," she replied and took another sip
of the wine. It was sweet and fruity. The kind she preferred.
A few glasses of this would have her passed out on the couch and she knew
it. After a moment, she downed the rest of it and decided that was
exactly what she'd do.
After Seifer cleared and washed the dishes, he found Quistis sound asleep on the couch. She'd had four glasses of wine during dinner, and Seifer hadn't thought about the possibility it would make her sleepy. He'd hoped that a nice dinner, and a romantic setting might relax her, but he'd been wrong. She'd been tense ever since Rinoa came to the door, and he wondered if maybe Quistis was embarrassed by him. If that was the case, what was the point? Why should he try so hard if she wasn't interested?
But what about her admission to Squall that she loved him? If she didn't care, why did she try so hard to free him? It didn't make any sense to him that she would say it, but then when given the chance she ran like a scared little girl. He didn't think she was afraid of him. She'd been the only one who hadn't been afraid when he returned to Balamb.
But that look in her eye when he'd reached out to touch her hair. That look of panic. He didn't understand the fear or conflict in her eyes. Was she worried that he'd hurt her? It seemed so, from the way she flinched when his fingers touched the skin of her cheek.
He sighed and blew out the candles one by one. So much for
a romantic evening.
In the morning, Quistis entered her office with a pounding headache. There was something about wine that always made her feel terrible the next morning, even if she'd only had a couple of glasses. She felt like calling in sick, but there was work to be done, despite her throbbing head.
Squall was sitting at her desk, reviewing her notes on Khamella Deling when she entered. He looked up and flashed her a rare grin.
"What?" she growled.
"I heard someone finally got some last night," Squall replied, that same grin on his face. Quistis decided she didn't like it when Squall smiled. He looked . . . strange. Maybe it was because she was in a bad mood, or maybe just because she wasn't accustomed to seeing it, but she hoped he'd keep the grinning to a minimum in the future. It was too creepy to deal with on a daily basis.
"For your information, nothing happened, so whatever Rinoa may have told you is wrong," she said.
Squall's expression became serious. "What happened?"
"Why do I have to explain to you of all people?"
Squall stood and threw both hands up, signifying his surrender. "Whatever."
"And tell Rinoa to keep her mouth shut!" Quistis called after him as he fled from her office. She set to work, and tried her best to push all thoughts of Seifer from her mind. She succeeded for a while, but then she caught herself staring blankly at the computer screen, wondering why she was afraid of her own feelings.
Just before lunch, Irvine poked his head in the door. "Hey there, pretty lady," he drawled. "Mind if I come in?"
"As long as you don't want to talk about Seifer," she replied without looking away from her work.
"Actually . . ."
"Oh, hell," she muttered and closed her eyes. "Fine. Come in."
Irvine strolled in slowly and took a seat before her desk. "Rinoa said . . ."
"Nothing happened."
He reached forward and patted her hand. "Don't worry. Squall's doing damage control as we speak."
Quistis groaned and dropped her head onto her desk. Why did anyone care? Why was it such a big deal to them what she did behind closed doors anyhow? "Does damage control involve a roll of duct tape?"
Irvine chuckled. "More or less. So what's the deal?"
"There is no deal."
"You care about him. He cares about you. What more do you want, Quistis?"
How could Quistis tell him of her reservations? How could she begin to explain the doubts and the conflict in her mind about starting a relationship with Seifer? It was all so complicated and scary. She didn't want to give him her heart only to have him break it. That would be too hard to deal with when it happened. "I don't know what I want. I don't know what he wants," she told Irvine.
"So ask him."
"It's not that easy," she replied. Well, perhaps it would be easy to ask him, but Quistis didn't know what it was that she wanted for herself. Knowing that he wanted her would not make the situation any easier to deal with.
"Before, you wanted nothing else. Now you're not sure?" Irvine asked. He rubbed his chin for a moment. "Quistis, what are you afraid of?"
Quistis stared blankly at her computer screen. "I'm afraid of
me."
Quistis had planned to eat in her office in favor of the cafeteria, so she might avoid any questions from her friends, however, she realized that she'd left her lunch in the refrigerator. She cursed herself as she hurried to her rooms, praying that she wouldn't see anyone she knew. She made it to her room without incident, retrieved her meal and locked her door behind her.
She wasn't safe from incident, however. As she rounded the corner near the elevator, she collided with someone and was sent reeling. Her container of salad went flying and spilled across the floor. "Damn it!" Quistis cried as she pulled herself to her feet and spun to glare at the person who'd caused this disaster. When she faced him, however, all the anger drained away and she covered her mouth to repress a smile.
On the floor before her, covered in bits of salad was the most handsome man Quistis had ever laid eyes on. He grinned up at her and wiped the lettuce from his hair. "I could use a hand," he said and sat up.
"I'm so sorry," she apologized and offered her hand. Once he was on his feet, she found she had to look up at him to see his face.
"I'm the one who should be sorry," he said and brushed away the remainder of her lunch. "I'm Dievol Demeter, and you would be?"
"Quistis Trepe," she replied. She found herself unable to tear her eyes away from his, and that made her heart pound in her chest like a hammer.
Dievol groaned and pressed his hand to his face. "Great. My first day here and I assault the assistant commander."
"I won't hold it against you," she replied.
"Good," he replied, appearing relieved. "Seeing as I ruined your lunch, maybe I can make it up to you? My treat."
Quistis remembered her reasons for wanting to eat alone and she hesitated a moment before answering. She decided it was in her best interest to accept his offer. Perhaps it might ward off any further rumor spreading, or at least take the rumors in a different direction. "That sounds nice."
"Really? I mean, great," he said and he shuffled his feet. "I just transferred here from Galbadia Garden, and I don't know anyone. It's kind of scary to eat alone, you know?"
Quistis nodded. She knew what it was like to eat all by herself. Before the Second Sorceress War, before she and her friends had saved the world from Ultimecia, Quistis had spent nearly every lunch period alone. Whether she was grading papers in her class room or sitting in the cafeteria at a table meant for two, Quistis had never been invited to enjoy her lunch with anyone else until then. She smiled a little as she tried to decide whether she would introduce him to her crowd or if she'd be selfish and keep him all to herself.
In the end, she decided that she'd like to get to know him privately rather than deal with Rinoa and Selphie chiding her about Seifer. She wasn't in the mood for it today, nor was she in the mood to discuss fabric swatches for bridesmaid gowns that would look hideous, no matter what color they were.
"You're too old to be a student," Quistis said as they took a seat near the back, she with a salad and he with a plate of hot dogs. "Are you an instructor?"
Dievol nodded. "Quarter Staff."
"Thank Hyne. We've been looking for someone qualified for that
position for months."
Quistis spent her entire lunch break with him discussing Garden politics,
the Ultimecia Affair, time compression and Seifer's trial. She found
him easy to talk to, though he was a bit dull, but perhaps he was just
nervous. As the ate, she noticed the looks she was receiving from
her friends, who sat on the other side of the cafeteria. Even Squall
had turned his head a few times to peer over his shoulder at her.
Rinoa and Selphie openly stared at her, whispering back and forth like
a couple of school girls.
When her break was over, for the first time, Quistis wished that her
lunch was longer. As they parted ways, they made arrangements to
meet for drinks later that evening at the pub in Balamb, and she spent
the afternoon deciding what she would wear as she made a half hearted attempt
at research.
"Seifer, have you seen Quistis?" Rinoa asked as Seifer unlocked the door to Quistis' rooms. He'd spent all day loading and unloading crates at the docks, and he was exhausted. It had been a while since he'd worked that hard, but he'd enjoyed it. He'd especially enjoyed having Fujin and Raijin to keep him company, and he looked forward to returning in the morning.
"Rinoa, I just got in. Does it look like I've seen her?"
Rinoa scowled at him. "Well, if you see her, tell her I need to discuss the wedding plans with her."
"I'll put it at the top of my list of important things to do," he said, not even bothering to hide his sarcasm and opened the door.
Once inside, he dropped his keys on the coffee table and went to the bathroom door, but found it locked. After a moment of hesitation, he knocked. "Quis? You in there?"
"Yeah," her voice called back and he heard a splash of water as if she were in the bath. A very enticing thought. Seifer smiled and shook his head. "I'll be out in a few minutes."
A few minutes turned out to be a half an hour, and when she emerged, she was fluffed, buffed and polished as he'd never seen her before. Her nails were freshly painted, her hair styled in soft waves and she wore a bit of make-up. Never mind the dress. It was a skimpy black little number with thin straps, a low neck line and scandalous hem. His breath was taken away as he gaped at her. He'd never seen her look quite so alluring, and if he'd wanted her badly before, he was mad for her now. "Quis, you look . . . hot."
Quistis ignored his comment. "I'll be out late," Quistis said as she slipped on a pair of strappy heels and grabbed her purse. "Don't wait up."
"Where are you going?"
"I've got a date, if you must know," she said without looking at him.
Seifer was instantly jealous. "With who?" he demanded.
Quistis turned to look at him, unsmiling. "That's none of your business."
"I think it is."
"Seifer Almasy, you have no claim on me. I can go out with whomever I choose without getting your approval first."
Seifer was hurt, but he tried not to show it. "That's fine by me. If you want to go out dressed like that, be my guest."
"You just said I looked hot."
"Don't do yourself any favors, Trepe. You couldn't look hot if you tried," he lied. "I'm sure your date will get the message, though."
Quistis glared at him, shook her head and turned for the door without responding to his implied pot-shot at her virtue. Seifer immediately regretted letting his mouth run unchecked. He hadn't meant a word of it. He was rather frustrated with her for leading him on, then giving him he cold shoulder.
And whoever this other guy might be, Seifer didn't care. He already knew he didn't like him because he was now the competition for Quistis' affections. Seifer didn't know why it mattered so much to him that Quistis return his feelings. He'd never cared before, but he couldn't change the fact that he did have feelings for her.
"Quis," he said in defeat as she turned the knob, but she didn't bother
to look back at him as she walked out the door.
========
Notes
========
So, here it is. The long awaited chapter. This was difficult to write, and I apologize if Quistis flipped too quickly or without proper explanation. If you've read the notes at the end of the last chapter, you'll understand why I had a hard time with it. But just so you know, I'm doing fine, I'm moving on and taking my life back into my own hands. It's hard, and I don't know where I'll end up, but as long as I'm free, it doesn't matter, I guess. Unfortunately, my writing was the first casualty of this situation, and for several weeks now, I've had difficulty even sitting down and writing anything worth a second look. Again, I apologize if this isn't the quality you're used to. But, I'm back, I think......and don't worry....it's still a romance
I will try to post more often, and I plan to put up a couple of chapters for Broken Wings tonight, just so that's out of the way. Also, if you're reading Oceans Apart, be patient. I'm doing the final edit for the next chapter and it'll be up soon.
hang on a sec.....
9:50PM, est
Wow. Looks like we're at war. My thoughts are with my father
tonight, who is on a USAF base in Turkey, and somehow my domestic problems
don't seem so big in the grand scheme of things. If you have anyone
involved in this, my thoughts are with you too.
Peace.
Sara