Chapter 24 Waiting
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A/N: Sorry for the delay. My hard drive crashed, my husband broke his arm(the klutz) and I've had a severe case of writers block! I hope someone still wants to read this. LOL.
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Seifer eyed Drayson indifferently as he was pushed into the room. 'This is going to be too easy' he thought as he sized up their other prisoner, 'maybe we'll still be able to get out of here tonight.' He looked over at Quistis, trying to catch her eye but she was busy looking at Drayson as well.
Arno Drayson was a non-descript man. Short and thin, with graying hair and a pleasant face, he didn't look the least bit menacing. He was the sort of person that blended into the crowd. A man easily overlooked.
Seifer had never seen him before and knew he wasn't a guard, so his attention wandered as the man was led to the table and asked to sit down.
"Mr. Drayson?" Ian asked, checking the papers he was holding.
"Yes. That's right." Drayson smiled at Ian.
Seifer leaned against the wall, outwardly feigning boredom while his mind screamed at him to get out of here as fast as possible. He felt like the walls were closing in on him and the thought of having to stay the night certainly didn't help as memories flashed through his mind. Seifer lifted his face and glanced up when he sensed someone standing beside him.
Quistis smiled as Seifer looked up. She knew it must be killing him, standing in this room, even if he seemed calm for the moment. She saw the pain briefly when their eyes met and reached out and took his hand in hers as they stood back in the shadows watching Ian.
"Mr. Drayson, what is your job here at the prison?" Ian asked politely, sitting down across from him, "you don't look like a guard."
Drayson chuckled at that comment. "No, of course not. I'm just an aide. One of many employed here. Nothing more."
"Um hmm," Ian said. "Can you please tell me what that entails? For the record," Ian asked.
Seifer watched as the questioning went on. After an hour of getting nowhere, Seifer was growing edgy even with Quistis' calming presence beside him.
Ian was convinced that this man, coolly answering questions knew more then he was letting on. Drayson was cagey and good at evading giving too much information. With every minute that ticked by, Seifer's hopes of some easy answers and a quick trip out of here, died.
Impatiently Seifer shoved away from the wall and strode across the room to where the two men sat. He slammed his fist down on the table causing Drayson to jump.
"For Hyne sake" Seifer growled to Ian "just let me have him." He looked at Drayson with an evil smile "I'll make him talk." Drayson looked nervously from Seifer to Ian.
"Well, Mr. Drayson? I don't feel that you are being totally honest with me here. It's up to you…him …or me?"
Drayson looked back at Seifer. He swallowed uneasily, seeing the angry eyes leveled at him.
"I can guarantee my way of questioning won't be pleasant," Seifer smirked.
"Alright, alright." Drayson held up his hands in mock surrender. "I did know what Warden Perry was doing here, anyone working here would have to be blind not to, but Perry was not a trusting man. He didn't confide in many people. I certainly didn't know what his plans for the future were."
Ian looked at Seifer then back at Drayson. "Mr. Drayson, do you know where Perry is now?"
Well…" Drayson hedged, "not really."
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Despite Seifer's offer to move things along with a little persuasion, Ian decided to continue questioning Mr. Drayson himself.
"Quistis?" Ian asked, looking in the direction he knew she was standing.
"Yes" she answered stepping forward.
"Why don't you and Seifer go ahead and find out where we will be staying tonight and take care of the arrangements."
"Sure, anything else?" she asked.
"No. I think that'll do it," Ian said then turned back to the prisoner sitting across from him. "Sorry for the interruption, Mr. Drayson. Where were we?"
Quistis turned to Seifer "Come on, Seifer. Lets go find out what accommodations they have for us."
"Fine." Seifer said irritably. He marched over to the door and held it open for Quistis to go through.
As he closed the door behind him Seifer heard Ian say "Ok, it's just you and me here now, Mr. Drayson. What kind of deal can…"
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Seifer stood alone in the dark room. He couldn't sleep and didn't even want to try. Every time he closed his eyes, it all came flooding back. His imprisonment and subsequent torture, while here, were still too fresh in his mind.
He hated having to come here again, and having to stay the night was pure hell even though he knew Ian was right about getting the information they needed. 'I'll walk through hell to get Perry. If that's what it takes,' Seifer thought, leaning his forehead against the cool glass of the window he was staring out of.
That's how Quistis saw him as she slipped quietly into the room. She couldn't sleep either, because she was worried about him.
Seifer heard the door open and close softly. Knowing it was Quistis, he didn't move. He felt her run her fingertips soothingly over his back.
"You OK?" she asked, gently.
Seifer sighed, "I am now."
"Can't you sleep?" she asked.
"Didn't even try," he replied turning to face her. Seifer smiled down at her upturned face. He could see the worry in her eyes.
"Why aren't you sleeping?" he asked Quistis.
"I-I was worried…" Quistis looked past Seifer, not meeting his eyes as she continued "about you." She had an almost shy look on her face.
Seifer wrapped his arms around Quistis. 'She looks so cute' Seifer thought, pulling her against him.
"Thank you" he said touching her forehead with his lips.
"For what?" Quistis pulled away, slightly, so she could look up at him.
Seifer just smiled.
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In the early morning hours Seifer lay awake. He gazed down at the woman sleeping in his arms. He wondered how he could be so happy when everything was still up in the air. He knew the answer to that in one word… Quistis.
Seifer didn't know why Hyne had finally decided to smile down on him but he wasn't going to argue. He snuggled his face down into the curve of Quistis' neck and sighed in contentment as his eyes slid closed.
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Seifer heard the water dripping, somewhere in the distance. It echoed against the walls. And then he couldn't breathe. 'How did they find me?' he looked around in a panic. "No" he screamed "please don't do this to me, again!"
He felt them grab him and struggled to get away "No."
"Seifer, it's Ok" Quistis said in his ear. She shook Seifer, trying to wake him from the nightmare as she heard him say "No."
Seifer struck out and hit the guard. He felt the man release him. Maybe he could run. But where to. He looked around frantically, not seeing anywhere to go.
Quistis fell back as Seifer flung his arm out wildly connecting with the side of her face, catching her off guard. She shoved hard against him "Seifer, wake up, NOW!"
The soldier in him heard the command and responded. Seifer sat up abruptly, and then looked around in desperation. His harsh breathing filled the silent room.
Seifer frowned. 'Where am I?' he thought. His eyes fell on Quistis when she pulled herself back up on the bed. "Quistis?" he asked.
She looked up and he saw the bright red mark running along her cheekbone. It hit him then, what had happened. The dream hit him full force.
"Oh Hyne," he groaned, "What did I do?" Seifer scooted across the bed and wrapped his arms around her. "I'm so sorry."
"It's alright, Seifer. You were having a nightmare." Quistis answered, her voice muffled against Seifer's shoulder. Quistis lifted her head and smiled at him," Besides, I've been hit a lot harder than this before. It was a lucky punch, Almasy," she joked, "I wasn't expecting it. That's all."
Even though she was joking about it, Seifer still felt bad. He'd hit the woman he loved. 'I guess now wouldn't be the best time to tell her,' he thought.
"Seifer…" Quistis looked at him "Seifer?"
"What?" he looked at her, only hearing his name being called.
"I asked if you're Ok" Quistis said.
"Yeah, I'm fine. Are you sure…" he started only to have Quistis wave his concern away.
"I'm fine. I think we should get dressed and go find Ian, however," She said getting up off the bed. Seifer watched her cross the room, admiring her body as she went.
When Quistis reached the door, she turned abruptly, catching him. "I'll be back as soon as I'm ready," she smirked at him before disappearing out of the room.
Seifer threw his legs over the side of the bed and stood up. "I wonder what Ian found out after we left. I sure as hell hope whatever it is, we can get out of here, today. I don't think I can take another night…Hyne, I don't think Quistis can take another night here." Seifer shook his head and headed for the shower.
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A/N: Thanks for any and all reviews. I love them.=0.0=
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A/N: Sorry for the delay. My hard drive crashed, my husband broke his arm(the klutz) and I've had a severe case of writers block! I hope someone still wants to read this. LOL.
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Seifer eyed Drayson indifferently as he was pushed into the room. 'This is going to be too easy' he thought as he sized up their other prisoner, 'maybe we'll still be able to get out of here tonight.' He looked over at Quistis, trying to catch her eye but she was busy looking at Drayson as well.
Arno Drayson was a non-descript man. Short and thin, with graying hair and a pleasant face, he didn't look the least bit menacing. He was the sort of person that blended into the crowd. A man easily overlooked.
Seifer had never seen him before and knew he wasn't a guard, so his attention wandered as the man was led to the table and asked to sit down.
"Mr. Drayson?" Ian asked, checking the papers he was holding.
"Yes. That's right." Drayson smiled at Ian.
Seifer leaned against the wall, outwardly feigning boredom while his mind screamed at him to get out of here as fast as possible. He felt like the walls were closing in on him and the thought of having to stay the night certainly didn't help as memories flashed through his mind. Seifer lifted his face and glanced up when he sensed someone standing beside him.
Quistis smiled as Seifer looked up. She knew it must be killing him, standing in this room, even if he seemed calm for the moment. She saw the pain briefly when their eyes met and reached out and took his hand in hers as they stood back in the shadows watching Ian.
"Mr. Drayson, what is your job here at the prison?" Ian asked politely, sitting down across from him, "you don't look like a guard."
Drayson chuckled at that comment. "No, of course not. I'm just an aide. One of many employed here. Nothing more."
"Um hmm," Ian said. "Can you please tell me what that entails? For the record," Ian asked.
Seifer watched as the questioning went on. After an hour of getting nowhere, Seifer was growing edgy even with Quistis' calming presence beside him.
Ian was convinced that this man, coolly answering questions knew more then he was letting on. Drayson was cagey and good at evading giving too much information. With every minute that ticked by, Seifer's hopes of some easy answers and a quick trip out of here, died.
Impatiently Seifer shoved away from the wall and strode across the room to where the two men sat. He slammed his fist down on the table causing Drayson to jump.
"For Hyne sake" Seifer growled to Ian "just let me have him." He looked at Drayson with an evil smile "I'll make him talk." Drayson looked nervously from Seifer to Ian.
"Well, Mr. Drayson? I don't feel that you are being totally honest with me here. It's up to you…him …or me?"
Drayson looked back at Seifer. He swallowed uneasily, seeing the angry eyes leveled at him.
"I can guarantee my way of questioning won't be pleasant," Seifer smirked.
"Alright, alright." Drayson held up his hands in mock surrender. "I did know what Warden Perry was doing here, anyone working here would have to be blind not to, but Perry was not a trusting man. He didn't confide in many people. I certainly didn't know what his plans for the future were."
Ian looked at Seifer then back at Drayson. "Mr. Drayson, do you know where Perry is now?"
Well…" Drayson hedged, "not really."
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Despite Seifer's offer to move things along with a little persuasion, Ian decided to continue questioning Mr. Drayson himself.
"Quistis?" Ian asked, looking in the direction he knew she was standing.
"Yes" she answered stepping forward.
"Why don't you and Seifer go ahead and find out where we will be staying tonight and take care of the arrangements."
"Sure, anything else?" she asked.
"No. I think that'll do it," Ian said then turned back to the prisoner sitting across from him. "Sorry for the interruption, Mr. Drayson. Where were we?"
Quistis turned to Seifer "Come on, Seifer. Lets go find out what accommodations they have for us."
"Fine." Seifer said irritably. He marched over to the door and held it open for Quistis to go through.
As he closed the door behind him Seifer heard Ian say "Ok, it's just you and me here now, Mr. Drayson. What kind of deal can…"
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Seifer stood alone in the dark room. He couldn't sleep and didn't even want to try. Every time he closed his eyes, it all came flooding back. His imprisonment and subsequent torture, while here, were still too fresh in his mind.
He hated having to come here again, and having to stay the night was pure hell even though he knew Ian was right about getting the information they needed. 'I'll walk through hell to get Perry. If that's what it takes,' Seifer thought, leaning his forehead against the cool glass of the window he was staring out of.
That's how Quistis saw him as she slipped quietly into the room. She couldn't sleep either, because she was worried about him.
Seifer heard the door open and close softly. Knowing it was Quistis, he didn't move. He felt her run her fingertips soothingly over his back.
"You OK?" she asked, gently.
Seifer sighed, "I am now."
"Can't you sleep?" she asked.
"Didn't even try," he replied turning to face her. Seifer smiled down at her upturned face. He could see the worry in her eyes.
"Why aren't you sleeping?" he asked Quistis.
"I-I was worried…" Quistis looked past Seifer, not meeting his eyes as she continued "about you." She had an almost shy look on her face.
Seifer wrapped his arms around Quistis. 'She looks so cute' Seifer thought, pulling her against him.
"Thank you" he said touching her forehead with his lips.
"For what?" Quistis pulled away, slightly, so she could look up at him.
Seifer just smiled.
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In the early morning hours Seifer lay awake. He gazed down at the woman sleeping in his arms. He wondered how he could be so happy when everything was still up in the air. He knew the answer to that in one word… Quistis.
Seifer didn't know why Hyne had finally decided to smile down on him but he wasn't going to argue. He snuggled his face down into the curve of Quistis' neck and sighed in contentment as his eyes slid closed.
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Seifer heard the water dripping, somewhere in the distance. It echoed against the walls. And then he couldn't breathe. 'How did they find me?' he looked around in a panic. "No" he screamed "please don't do this to me, again!"
He felt them grab him and struggled to get away "No."
"Seifer, it's Ok" Quistis said in his ear. She shook Seifer, trying to wake him from the nightmare as she heard him say "No."
Seifer struck out and hit the guard. He felt the man release him. Maybe he could run. But where to. He looked around frantically, not seeing anywhere to go.
Quistis fell back as Seifer flung his arm out wildly connecting with the side of her face, catching her off guard. She shoved hard against him "Seifer, wake up, NOW!"
The soldier in him heard the command and responded. Seifer sat up abruptly, and then looked around in desperation. His harsh breathing filled the silent room.
Seifer frowned. 'Where am I?' he thought. His eyes fell on Quistis when she pulled herself back up on the bed. "Quistis?" he asked.
She looked up and he saw the bright red mark running along her cheekbone. It hit him then, what had happened. The dream hit him full force.
"Oh Hyne," he groaned, "What did I do?" Seifer scooted across the bed and wrapped his arms around her. "I'm so sorry."
"It's alright, Seifer. You were having a nightmare." Quistis answered, her voice muffled against Seifer's shoulder. Quistis lifted her head and smiled at him," Besides, I've been hit a lot harder than this before. It was a lucky punch, Almasy," she joked, "I wasn't expecting it. That's all."
Even though she was joking about it, Seifer still felt bad. He'd hit the woman he loved. 'I guess now wouldn't be the best time to tell her,' he thought.
"Seifer…" Quistis looked at him "Seifer?"
"What?" he looked at her, only hearing his name being called.
"I asked if you're Ok" Quistis said.
"Yeah, I'm fine. Are you sure…" he started only to have Quistis wave his concern away.
"I'm fine. I think we should get dressed and go find Ian, however," She said getting up off the bed. Seifer watched her cross the room, admiring her body as she went.
When Quistis reached the door, she turned abruptly, catching him. "I'll be back as soon as I'm ready," she smirked at him before disappearing out of the room.
Seifer threw his legs over the side of the bed and stood up. "I wonder what Ian found out after we left. I sure as hell hope whatever it is, we can get out of here, today. I don't think I can take another night…Hyne, I don't think Quistis can take another night here." Seifer shook his head and headed for the shower.
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A/N: Thanks for any and all reviews. I love them.=0.0=
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