Chapter 5: Dance with Me Seifer

Seifer walked down the empty dark hallway of Balamb Garden, a cigarette resting between his lips and deep in thought. He didn't know where he was going but all he knew is that he wanted to be alone.

Five days had passed since Squall and Quistis had come back and he'd stayed away the whole time. He just couldn't bring himself to see them together knowing that Squall'd once again won. He was the father to Quistis's child, he was the only one Quistis could remember…Squall always won, why didn't he learn that?

Suddenly something caught his eye and he moved inside the ballroom. There underneath the moonlight coming from the large windows stood Quistis, dressed in black pajama pants and a light blue top. She was staring out into the night, lost in thought but then turned her head slightly and smiled towards him. "Come and join me Seifer"

He took one shaky step forward and then another, knowing that this was a bad idea and that he should turn around. Five years wasn't nearly enough time. "H…how did you know my name? Do you…?" he asked, letting the sentence trail off.

"The others told me" she answered. "They didn't tell me much about you otherwise, they thought I should try and remember it myself…but of all the people here it feels as if you're the most special one"

Seifer gulped and looked down at his shaking hands. He took a deep breath and clutched them against his sides. "How are things going with Dante and Squall?"

She chuckled. "Great, but Dante's showing signs of possessing some of my blue magic and nearly blew a hole in the wall earlier tonight. Squall freaked…partly 'cause he was standing between his son and the wall"

That made him laugh and he relaxed. Then Quistis turned around, took his hands and placed them on her lower back while sliding her own ones around his neck. "W…what are you doing?"

Quistis didn't answer but instead started moving slowly together with him. Her eyes weren't looking at him, they were staring at something he couldn't see and tears started running down her cheeks. "Quisty, what's wrong?" he asked quietly, not really sure what to do.

"…And how can I stand here with you, and not be moved by you? Would you tell me how could it be, any better than this? 'Cause you're all I want, you're all I need…you're everything" she whispered and buried her head into his chest. "You're everything"

Seifer blinked in shock and felt his hands begin trembling all over again and then pulled her harder into his embrace. "Do you know what that was?"

"I remember dancing to it and I remember that I never wanted the night to end and that I was so happy I think I cried" she mumbled against his chest.

He placed a finger under her cheek and forced her too look up at him. Tears were still streaming down her face and he gently wiped them away. "We danced to that song, the night before we all split up and went on different missions. I went alone and you went with Squall and that was the last time I saw you…until now" he told her, his fingers still gently stroking her cheek.

Quistis's face crumbled. "I can't remember your face" she whispered. "But the feeling I get, standing this close to you makes me wanna stand here forever"

"Quisty" he said quietly, fighting the urge to cry.

"Your eyes" she continued and trailed the skin underneath his green eyes with her fingertips. "They're the ones burned into my memory and when I dream at night I see them, I've seen them five years now…whatever you were, you must have meant the world to me Seifer. I…your eyes, they're always there"

Without thinking he lowered his head so that their lips met.

*touch* *touch*

Then he pulled her deeper into the kiss and felt her respond. Everything else seized to exist and that powerful feeling burned through him once more. When they broke apart they were both breathless and Quistis took a shaky step back while trailing her lips. "Y…you kissed me"

"Yeah" he answered sheepishly and looked down at the floor. "Sorry"

"And I remembered the sensation of you kissing me" she continued with a big smile. "I could feel the other time's you did that to me, I could feel how happy I'd been. God Seifer, I remember you kissing me inside this room as we were moving to the song that continues playing in my head"

"Lifehouse – Everything" he said, feeling hope raise in his chest the first time in a very long time. "You always did love that song, do you remember anything else?"

She was twirling to the music in her head. "I don't know" she laughed. "I just…"

"There you are"

Seifer winced, recognizing the voice. Leave it to his *girlfriend* to break the moment. "Hi Courtney" he mumbled.

The tall blond came up behind him and took his hand in his. "I waited for you, you said you'd come by my dorm and…oh my God, Quistis Trepe? It's you, isn't it? I heard you were back but...wow"

Quistis stopped dancing and smiled softly at the other girl. "Yes, I'm back and I'm trying to remember, with the help of my friends" she said, the last words spoken while looking deep into Seifer's eyes.

Courtney shook Quistis's hand with a squeal. "I'm so honored to meet you, I've heard a thousand things about you and I must admit I can see why the Trepies worship you"

"You're gonna make me blush you know" Quistis pointed out with a laugh. "So you're Seifer's girlfriend?"

Courtney nodded. "Uh-huh, since three months back"

"That's good, he deserves to be happy. I'll leave the two of you alone, I have to go back to Squall and Dante" she said and then nodded softly towards them before walking out of the ballroom.

Seifer followed her retreating back, feeling as she was walking out of his life once more. She was walking back to her son…to Squall and he wished to Hyne that it'd be him and not the ex-commander that would be waiting for her to come back. He wanted to lay there with *their* son and smile as Quistis would climb into bed and snuggle up to him. He wanted to kiss her and dream of a future; he wanted it all but it was just another dream shattered…