Hello readers, I got asked a question about Squall's behaviour. I don't mind being asked questions; it keeps me on my toes. Just want to say that yes Squall is occ, well very occ in fact. But he is playing the role of a spoilt little rich kid in this fic, who is used to having his own way (probably with the girls as well, but I wont go into details). I am working on his original character trends; hopefully they will start to show through once Rinoa gets to know him better.   

Ps, yes Squall was a bit 'full on' but he needed to make an impression. Whether it was a good or bad one waits to be seen. And Yeah, Zell was being on his 'good behaviour' but that surely cant last. Think that was it….ok well on with the fic!

Chapter 5  Time off with Squall?

Rinoa grabbed her notes and headed for the presidents office. She placed her hand on the door handle then took it away sharply. Maybe she should knock first. Rinoa juggled her papers around in her arms and reached for the door again, but before she could touch it the door swung inwards causing her to jump.

Quistis appeared on the other side looked flustered and mumbled something as she walked out, Rinoa stepped out of the way.

"It's always the same when he's here. He has everyone jumping!" She said in a low voice. Rinoa looked puzzled. "He's in a bad mood today, so watch your back." Quistis warned, leaving Rinoa confused.

"Ah Rinoa. Come on in!" Spoke Laguna's cheerful voice from behind his desk. Rinoa walked reluctantly into the room and shut the door behind her.

"Good morning Sir" She said smiling, trying to avoid the same cold blue eyes searching over her once more.

"Look, skip formalities I told you not to use them. There is a reason that I've asked you here." Laguna said shifting in his chair. Rinoa swallowed nervously, he was going to send her home. She could tell from the nervousness in his eyes that he was having difficulty finding the right words.

"You've been here a while now." (Here it comes, Rinoa thought miserably) "And you must be getting bored with hanging about the palace all day." (Well she couldn't deny that. But still she didn't want to leave.) "I thought, well that. Well you and. Well you see me and Ell were going, and I thought…" Laguna stumbled. Rinoa listened attentively, but soon got annoyed. Well was she going home or not?

"What is it? You know if you tell her some time today, it would be a great help." Squall said, his voice in a tone that nobody wanted to argue with.

"I thought maybe you'd want some sort of a holiday, you know a break from working here. Invite some friends over and spend a week touring Esthar. Me and Ell are going to be out of the country anyway, so there's no point in you just staying on your own." Laguna said in a rush. Rinoa smiled, so he wasn't sending her home he was sending her on a holiday.

"I'd love to! I mean are you sure that's all right" Rinoa asked after her honest outburst. Laguna waved his hand to dismiss the question.

"I am taking my work with me, so Squall I suggest you join Rinoa and her friends on the trip. That way they won't get lost. Esthar's a pretty big place to someone who doesn't know the way around." Laguna said enjoying the look of shock that spread over his son's face. "And besides you work too hard. It is an order that you take a week off."

Squall sat dumbfounded while Rinoa adjusted her ideas. Did she really want him travelling about with her? But it seemed he was dead against it from the look on his face, so she wouldn't have to worry.

"What? Oh no, I'm not babysitting your pet reporter Sir. I've got work to do." Squall argued. In Squall's mind the room suddenly became a lot bigger and he a lot smaller. Although it seemed to everyone else that he always had the upper hand over his father, secretly he respected him and if he wished him to go on this trip he would, only he'd be as difficult as he could.             

"Squall I just said you are not to work, and if you cant do that I will fire you for a week. Clear?" Laguna said, his voice rising. Rinoa tried to stop herself from smiling, but it was difficult. Here was the man that was calm over bomb threats, the same guy who didn't worry about rules and yet found himself getting angry over his son not wanting to stop working. Rinoa decided to keep this newfound information for her book rather that blurt it out here.

"Well fine then, whatever. I'll take Rinoa and her friends around Esthar? There happy now?" Squall said spitefully. A smiled cracked over Laguna's face.

"That's my boy!" He said standing up. Squall scowled at him but Laguna ignored it. "Rinoa, Squall I must leave you now. Ellone and I have to make a few stops before our journey gets underway. Rinoa make sure your Friends arrive here via my own train carriage wont you? Oh and Squall?" Squall looked around angrily as his dad made a quick exit. "You're paying."

"Yeah right!" Squall said to the now closed door. Rinoa moved her papers in her arms and set them down on Laguna's desk. She wondered whether this was a good time to ask Squall about her book, seeing as he couldn't avoid her the question here. Squall watched as she flipped though her note pad and sat down in a chair opposite him.

"Do you think I could interview you now?" She asked finding her voice to be nervous even though she told herself that she wasn't. Squall remained silent until she gave up on the hope of an answer.

"What? So you can twist it and send it home to your newspaper office, so that they can change it into what they think will sell?" Squall said icily. Rinoa sat shocked, she had never changed anything that people had told her and never would; it was cruel to do something like that. 

"Look, I'm here to do a job ok? I didn't ask to come here all right, I was told to, and the quicker I can get this book written, the quicker I go home." Rinoa said. Something flashed in Squall's eyes that she could determine and she dropped her gaze.

"Now now Rinoa, you shouldn't talk to the president's son like this." He replied sarcastically. Rinoa felt the blood rush into her cheeks, only this time from anger.

"Well you shouldn't talk to a lady like this?" Rinoa snapped, her voice rising dangerously high. After glaring at Squall for as long as she could, Rinoa got up and walked over to the window.

"I don't see a lady." Squall said quietly, but loud enough to hit Rinoa's ears. She turned around furiously.

"Well if I'm not a lady, then you must be gay!" She shouted, her face contorting into creases of anger. Squall laughed in response making Rinoa clench her fists.

"I'm not gay, Rinoa." Squall replied calmly. His calm tone soothed her but not nearly enough.

"Well that waits to be proven." She said walking back to the window. The dark clouds outside had begun to drop their heavy load over the busy city below. Rinoa hadn't seen it rain here yet, and was curious to see whether they had the same dangerous thunder that they had back home. Squall sat thinking, a smile moving on his lips.

"Well, yes it does wait to be proven." He said. Fixing Rinoa with a long stare. Rinoa looked back out of the window, but he was doing it again. She could almost feel his eyes travelling down her back.

"Would you stop that?" She said looking at him; he was still sat in his chair.

"Stop what?" Squall asked, playing with an innocent voice.

"Stop looking at me like that. It makes me uncomfortable." Rinoa replied, choosing her words carefully. If anybody were going to play at twisting words, it would be him.

"Sorry" He said smiling.

Well, I have to go phone Selphie and…and" Rinoa began, but her voice became weaker as Squall came closer to her. "I have to…go and phone…" She stammered.

"Look Rinoa, I'm sorry about last night." He said standing (in Rinoa's opinion) too close. Rinoa swallowed her beating heart and tried once again for her voice.

"It's…it's ok." She managed to squeeze out before her heartbeats took over once more. Squall tried to catch her eyes, but she kept them firmly on the floor.

"I'm sorry it didn't last longer." Squall said after moving even closer. Rinoa felt her heart jump again. Why did he keep doing this to her? She tried to tell him that someone would come into the room at any minuet, but her voice had truly gone. Biting her lip she felt her blood run cold; and until that moment standing with him, she didn't think it was possible for blood to turn cold like book writers said it did. But no matter how this was producing new experiences in her skin, she still didn't want to be found in this position.

Squall seemed to be enjoying himself. Damn him again Rinoa thought, watching paralysed as he tried to hold her hand. Just as their fingers touched the door made a clicking sound. In unison they turned their heads sharply in the direction of the disturbing noise.

"Oh um, sorry Sir. I was sent to tell you your father is leaving now." Zell said keeping his eyes away from the couple by the window. Squall moved away from Rinoa and walked towards Zell.

"So soon?" He asked surprised. Zell nodded and watched Squall suspiciously.

"The president won't like this." Zell whispered, looking specifically at Rinoa and then to Squall and then back again. Rinoa strained to hear what they were saying, but couldn't and gave up, looking back out at the rain.

"Rinoa, go make your phone calls." Squall ordered before striding out of the room. Without an argument Rinoa picked up the phone on the table and started to dial Selphie's number. She was glad he had left, but was angry with herself for being so weak. Zell hovered around the desk until Rinoa had to ask him what he wanted.

"It's just that, well you and Squall." He said blushing. Rinoa put the phone down leaving a very confused Selphie on the other line.

"Zell, there's no me and Squall." Rinoa explained, trying to make herself believe what she was saying.

"Well I was just wondering." Zell said backing out of the room. Rinoa sat in silence before shrugging off her doubts and calling Selphie once more.

"Hello?" Selphie asked cautiously down the phone.

"Yeah hi Selph, guess who?" Rinoa said happily, sitting on the desk rather than the chairs.

"Oh you. Well did you know that i've had a very angry Seifer phoning me all week!" Selphie said angrily. "I can't believe you didn't tell him!"

"I meant to honestly, but I just…" Rinoa stopped; she didn't really have a reason to have not called him. "But anyway Selph, he deserves a bit of his own treatment."

"He sure does!" Selphie said laughing.

"But anyway, guess what?" Rinoa said excitedly.

"What?" Selphie asked expecting to hear something great that she wouldn't be a part of.

"You're coming to Esthar!" Rinoa screamed down the phone.

"You're kidding!"

"Nope you and Irvy better start packing! You can catch the train tomorrow and ride in the presidential carriage like I did. I'll fix it so you just have to give your name at the desk and they'll escort you on." Rinoa confirmed.

"Gosh listen to you! You sound so posh, fixing us up with train tickets and stuff." Selphie said.

"Well get packing! I'll phone you later with the train times." Rinoa said before hanging up the phone.

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Squall waited for Laguna to finish hugging him. He wasn't much for 'family hugs' but today he was even more reluctant. The rain pelted down onto his thin jacket and soak into his shirt. His hair wasn't such better either; it stuck to his forehead in an angry protest of being brushed away.  

"Squall, I'm leaving her with you because I trust you alright" Laguna said as he clambered into his car. Ellone followed him into the back.

"Yes Sir." Squall replied. "She'll be safe with me."

"Well…ok. I should be back in a weeks time." Laguna said, Ellone shut the car door and wound down the window.

"See you later then!" She said happily, and then wound the window back up. Squall nodded and signalled for the driver to leave.

The car began its motion out of the driveway and rounded the corner out of sight. Squall smiled into the heavy rain, although he was an adult now he still felt the excitement of having no authority around him. He remembered the parties he'd had at 16, when everyone got so drunk and camped out all over the house. He doubted very much that Rinoa would approve of getting drunk, yet he reminded himself that she might surprise him.      

Once inside, Squall removed his jacket and shirt. His black smart shoes squeaked on the floor from the rain and his suit trousers clung to his legs. Throwing the soaking clothes to a maid that walked by he made his was to the elevator. As he waited for its descent, Rinoa appeared on his left.

"My friend is going to take the train early tomorrow morning and arrive at 9am. Woah." She said, finally looking past his shoes. Squall walked into the elevator before her. "Is it custom here to strip off in the hall?" Rinoa asked jokingly.

"Yes it is. Get too it." Squall answered, his face remaining calm. Rinoa smiled.

"Like hell I will." Rinoa replied. Squall smiled to himself.

"Shame" He said quietly as they reached their floor. Rinoa stood in the corridor watching him walk to his room at the end door. She hadn't found a reply to his last statement and decided that she was probably better off without prolonging this conversation. She didn't like the turn it was taking.

Walking swiftly to her room, she threw her books and papers on her desk and looked out of the window. It was fast approaching lunchtime and she could find nothing to do.  Except maybe pack for the trip, but that was done quickly enough leaving her bored again.  She was beginning to miss her busy schedules and rushed hours. Rinoa caught herself before she became to involved in this thought. Maybe she would take a long bath and then go out for something to eat later. The more she considered this, the better it sounded. She would rather be alone in a restaurant, that alone in a house with Squall.

Rinoa ran the bath taps until the steam from the water misted up the mirrors and the window. Rinoa dipped her hand into the water experimentally and then stepped in. It was good to be in the warm on such a miserable day. Half an hour later; when the water temperature had dipped. Rinoa heard a knock at her door. Rolling her eyes she clambered out of the bathtub and wrapped one of the soft white towels around her. It was probably one of the servants with her freshly washed clothes. Rinoa pulled out the plug from the bath and took the hair clips out of her hair. The knocking at the door became more frequent and a lot more persistent.

"Ok! Alright I'm coming" She called tightening the towel around her. Rinoa undid the lock and opened the door.

"You know I said about stripping. I was only joking."

"Oh it's you. What do you want?" Rinoa asked not bothering to hind the annoyance in her voice.

"I wondered what you had planned for this evening." Squall said, leaning on the doorframe. Rinoa was glad that he wasn't trying to look past her towel.   

"Well, I was going to get some dinner at the restaurant me and Ellone went to the other day." Rinoa answered.

"Alone?" Squall asked surprised.

"Yes." Rinoa said adjusting her towel.

"I think we can do better than that. Would you join me for dinner?" Squall asked. Rinoa considered this. "Maybe I could give you that interview. What do you think?"

"Business?" Rinoa said fixing him with a warning stare. Squall smiled.

"Of course. Meet me down stairs at 5." He said, and then walked towards the stairway. Rinoa sighed watching him leave. She was doing it again, why couldn't she just stick to regular guys?

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The evening had past pleasantly enough, although Rinoa found that his manner in dealing with the public was something to be discussed. The photographers had been out in full force, and she observed that there was more publicity around Squall than his father. Rinoa expected to see her face in the newspapers tomorrow, under the title of Squall's latest flame. But that didn't seem to bother Squall, and after awhile the papers left them alone to their meal. Which Rinoa thought was pretty nice of them, until she found out that Squall had paid the restaurant manager to shut them all out into the rain, which had soon driven them away.  

Rinoa was thankful that he behaved appropriately this evening, but even then she made sure that she had worn a high cut dress just in case he tried anything on. But she doubted he would do anything like that. But even after all the bad points of Squall, Rinoa had to admit that he was a pretty interesting guy. After teaching her the correct way to hold a champagne glass and how to drink it, Rinoa was certain that she was now a champagne expert. Maybe after tonight she would teach him the best way to drink tequila slammers.

But after a while his questions and replies began to get too command like, and Rinoa found herself constantly fighting against him. This provoked their conversations into things that produced strange looks and smiles from the people around them.

Rinoa thought about all of this with her head firmly on her pillow. She didn't trust her feet to support her anywhere and she gave up trying, only to fall onto her bed. Her mind drifted off into a dreamless sleep, and she woke the next morning to the sound of her alarm at half seven.       

"Hyne damn it!"

A/N: Well another chapter down. Selphie will be back in the picture soon, along with Irvine. (I haven't forgotten Seifer!) 

Thankyou to all of you who reviewed chapter 4!

(Squall did have bit of a change of heart towards Rinoa, to say the least. But I wasn't sure that a Squall pov would fit in with the storyline at the moment. This story focuses on Rinoa's view rather than Squall's, so a jump between characters will be *in my opinion* tricky. But there will be one, so watch out!)   

Thanks to…

Angelwingedprincess

Angel-Wing

The Angel of the Lion

Rinoa Leonhart73

Ink

FFgal

CTHKSI

Ariescelestial

Mariko

Lionhart

Phoenix Blade

Sandra Leonhart

Mip the Demon Fox

Kayli the Maiden Moon

CuteMooglez

RPG Hui

Steel Magnolia