Disclaimer: I don't own Final Fantasy VIII or the song "Name" by the Goo Goo Dolls.
Author's Note: This is just something that came to me last night as I was listening to this song. It's a beautiful song and it really got me thinking. This is what resulted from that. Please tell me what you think.
Name
Squall Leonhart stood out on the balcony of Balamb Garden, staring out at the rising sun. It had been five months since that horrible day. One month prior had been the last time he had set foot on that balcony. He closed his eyes, thinking of the times when life seemed perfect. She had made him feel that way, but now she was gone. Squall sighed as he thought back to that day...
"Quistis, I need to show you something," Squall said quietly as he approached Quistis in the Quad.
"What is it?" Quistis asked, clearly concerned. "Is everything alright?" After the Ultimecia affair, Squall had grown closer to Quistis and they had developed a strong brother/sister-like bond. That's why Squall had come straight to her now.
"I did it," He announced. "I bought the ring."
Quistis smiled warmly. "Did you ask her yet?"
Squall shook his head. "I'm planning on asking her tonight. I wanted to show you the ring..." He took out the black velvet box from his pocket gently. Slowly, and with the greatest care, he opened the box.
Quistis gasped. "It's gorgeous," She whispered. And it truly was. The band was pure gold, and set into it was the design of an angel's wings. In between the wings was a magnificent, sparkling diamond. "She'll love it."
"I don't know how to go about asking her..."
Quistis smiled. "Pretend I'm Rinoa. What are you going to say to me tonight?"
Squall looked deep into Quistis' eyes and said, "I love you with all my heart. I want to spend forever and beyond waking up to your beautiful smile. Will you do me the honor of becoming my wife?"
Quistis laughed. "Of course! Oh Squall, Rinoa will love it! I'm so happy for you two!"
"Thanks Quistis."
Squall had searched for Rinoa everywhere that night, but she was nowhere to be found. He found a letter in her room addressed to him. It was short, but it got the point across.
Squall,
I don't love you anymore and I know now that you don't love me. I'm leaving to start a new life. Please don't try to find me.
-Rinoa
And now she was marrying Seifer Almasy. Seifer Almasy. Today was the day of her wedding, the start of her new life. A life without him.
And even though the moment passed me by
I still can't turn away
Cause all the dreams you never thought you'd lose
Got tossed along the way
Rinoa Heartilly stood looking out her window. Today was her wedding day, the happiest day of her life. So why was she feeling anything but happy? She refused to think of a certain man who she had given her heart to many moths ago. Did you ever get your heart back? She asked herself. Her head was telling her to say yes, she was completely in love with Seifer, but she wasn't being true to herself. Sighing, she sank into an armchair. This is all for the best. She reminded herself.
She had written many letters to Squall, pouring out her feelings to him, but she never sent them. Regaining contact with him was too painful.
The letters that you never meant to send
Get lost or thrown away
"Rinoa?" General Caraway entered the room. "Are you ready to meet with your friends?"
Rinoa perked right up. "Selphie and Quistis are here?" She asked in disbelief.
Caraway shook his head. "I'm sorry, honey, but I don't think they'll be coming. Nina and Christina are here, though."
She sighed. "Daddy, what if I'm doing the wrong thing?"
"Follow your heart, Rinoa," He told her. "Your mother gave up her first love...I don't want you to follow in her footsteps. Do what your heart is telling you."
And now we've grown up orphans
That never knew their names
We don't belong to no one
That's a shame
"Squall..." Quistis tapped him lightly on the shoulder. "Today's Rinoa's wedding."
Squall nodded. "I know that, Quistis."
"Well," She insisted, "What are you going to do about it?"
He sighed. "Rinoa made up her mind about me, Quistis. It's her life, her decisions. It's none of my business if she wants to marry Seifer."
"You're a fool if you believe that." Quistis shook her head. "Have you learned nothing? Rinoa left five months ago for a reason. You can live your life questioning her motives, or you can face her personally and resolve this."
"I miss her, Quistis..."
But if you could hide beside me
Maybe for a while
And I won't tell no one your name
And I won't tell 'em your name
Rinoa stared at herself in the full-length mirror. Her gown was gorgeous and it sparkled where the light hit it. If only I was sparkling instead... She studied her reflection again. "Mrs. Seifer Almasy..." Rinoa's face fell. Seifer was a great guy, but she didn't get that feeling when she though of him. That indescribable feeling that the world could stop, but their love would keep going on forever and ever.
Scars are souvenirs you never lose
The past is never far
Did you lose yourself somewhere out there
Did you get to be a star
And don't it make you sad to know that life
Is more than who we are
Squall boarded the train headed into Deling City. He had let the woman he loved slip through his fingers once before. He would not repeat his mistake. Fate was giving him another chance to be with Rinoa and he was more than willing to take it. Squall found himself wondering what Rinoa had been doing these past months. Had she achieved what she had wanted to without Squall holding her down?
You grew up way too fast
And now there's nothing to believe
And reruns all become our history
"Mrs. Squall Leonhart." Rinoa smiled. It sounded perfect, but better yet, it felt perfect. What the hell am I doing? I'm getting married in less than two hours and I'm in love with someone else. Rinoa grinned to herself as she found that she really didn't care.
A tired song keeps playing on a tired radio
And I won't tell no one your name
And I won't tell 'em your name
Squall got off the train and ran as fast as he could to the Caraway Mansion. Imagine his surprise when he bumped into a woman and discovered it to be Rinoa, wedding dress and all.
"Rinoa..." Squall breathed. "You can't marry Seifer."
"I know," Rinoa replied. "I can't marry him because my heart belongs to another."
"Why did you leave?" Squall asked, hurt evident in his features.
"I saw you with Quistis." Tears filled her eyes. "You were proposing to her."
Squall stared at her in disbelief. "You thought I was proposing to Quistis?"
"Weren't you?"
"No! I was going to propose to you that night. I was just practicing what I would say to you on Quistis."
"You mean, you don't love her?" She asked hopefully.
"I love you, Rinoa."
I think about you all the time
But I don't need the same
Squall drew the black velvet box out of his pocket and gently slipped the ring out. "This ring was meant for you." He closed his eyes, and began to recite the words he had said so long ago. " I love you with all my heart. I want to spend forever and beyond waking up to your beautiful smile. Rinoa Heartilly, will you do me the honor of becoming my wife?"
Rinoa smiled as tears poured down her face. "I don't think anyone's ever proposed to a woman who's about to get married, but we can fix that, right?" She took her engagement ring off and hurled it down the street.
Squall slipped the new ring on her finger and kissed her with every fiber of his being.
It's lonely where you are come back down
And I won't tell 'em your name
~*~