Um, naughty Renegade! But I'm not a lemon writer, so the story jumps.

Chapter 8

                        And they ask me why I don't like the newspapers!

            Rinoa awoke to find the sun shining brightly on her face. All the dampness from yesterdays rain had cleared up, leaving a fresh feeling day. Rinoa yawned, bringing her arms over her head in a lazy stretch. But then froze.

            This wasn't her room! Memories of last night came creeping back to her and she smiled guiltily into the bed sheets. After a few minuets she was giggling to herself and feeling extremely light hearted. Looking around the room she took in her surroundings. Squall had disappeared somewhere, but this didn't alarm her. He had told her previously that he would have to leave early.

            After closing her eyes for another ten minuets, Rinoa became aware of a small pressure on her neck. She moved her hand up to her neck to feel what was there and frowned when her fingers clasped onto a metal object.

            "What the?" She mumbled pulling gently at the object, but stopped when she realised that it was attatched around the back of her neck.

            After sitting up Rinoa studied the metal trinket around her neck. There were words carved onto the side, but Rinoa couldn't make them out. Squinting and holding the necklace at a strange angle she managed to read it finally.

No more tears.   

            Rinoa smiled inwardly. Half an hour passed as she lay there in his bed, until an angry knock at the door disturbed her silent thoughts.

            "Squall? Squall you there?" Someone called from outside. Rinoa recognized it to be Selphie. Grabbing a sheet from the bed and wrapping it around herself and hurried over to the door. Rinoa was greeted by a look of shock from Selphie. "Rinoa!" Selphie said gasping.

            "Surprise!" Rinoa said quietly. Selphie stared open mouthed.

            "Is he…is he still here?" She said finally. Rinoa shook her head. Selphie pushed herself in and Rinoa shut the door quickly.

            "Rinoa, really! I would have expected better." Selphie said teasingly. Rinoa blushed red and smiled nervously.

            "Well…Oh stop it Selphie." Rinoa replied.  Selphie laughed.

            "Well at least you were with your man last night. Irvine spent his whole time playing pool." Selphie said in her childish voice. "He's being extra nice to me this morning." She continued inspecting her nails in a nonchalant way. "So where Squall?" Selphie asked.

            "He had to send something to his dad. He'll catch us up later." Rinoa informed her curious friend. But the moment was shattered by another loud knock at the door.

            "Selphie? Selphie you in there?" Irvine shouted from the other side of the door. Selphie rolled her eyes.

            "Yes, what do you want?" Selphie asked, her voice not reflecting the smile that was growing on her face.

            "The biggest limo I've ever seen has just pulled up outside." He said excitedly. Selphie ran over to the window to peer outside leaving Rinoa to open the door. Irvine looked at her in a state of shock until his usual smile came back to him. "Rinoa! I like it." He said looking over her.

            "Shut up Irvine." Rinoa scolded. "But I guess I better change." Rinoa said darting away up the hallway. Irvine watched her leave with a smirk on his face, but turned to Selphie confused.

            "I thought this was her room." Irvine said scratching the back of his head in thought. Selphie giggled.

            "It's Squall's room." Selphie answered smiling.

            "Oh." Irvine answered simply.

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            "Miss Heartilly? Please allow me to escort you to your car on behalf of Mr Leonhart." The valet said as he held the door open for them. Rinoa exchanged an amused glance with Selphie.

            "I'm going to have a serious talk to Squall about his idea of camping vehicles. Stretch limousines don't really work for me." Rinoa said smiling. Irvine came staggering behind them with the entire luggage.

            "Well I'm not complaining! This Squall guy knows his stuff all right. Who wants a hippy van when you can have a stretch?" He said looking at the gleaming white car with love. Selphie slapped him playfully. 

            "Shut it Irvine." She said leading the way to the car. "But on second thoughts, a hippy van would be more fun." 

            "No way! I'm missing Squall already, I mean the guy would have snapped his fingers by now and someone else would carry this stuff instead of me." Irvine whined.

            "You've noticed that too huh?" Rinoa asked as they climbed into the long car.

            "Plus everything's on tab while he's here." He grumbled finally, sitting down and rubbing his shoulders in relief from the bag straps. "And he'd probably have three course meals going on now, if he was here in the limo." Irvine continued into the silence.

            "Shut up Irvine, stop talking about him like he's dead." Selphie snapped, annoyed by Irvine's constant moaning.

            "Sorry." He mumbled.

            "You seem to hold Squall in high regard." Rinoa observed.

            "Well anyone who pays for all my drinks deserves some respect." Irvine said smiling. Selphie gave him a death glare and he stopped grinning at once.

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            Squall pushed the main doors open noisily and causing them to bang on the walls with their handles. Quistis who had been hurrying past with her daily duties dropped her paperwork on the floor in shock.       

            "Sir! You're back already?" Quistis asked as Squall strolled into the palace.

            "Laguna forgot some notes. Apparently it is in his study or something." Squall said, not quite remembering exactly where Laguna had said it would be. Quistis grabbed her papers and commenced firing information at him.

            "Squall, Galbadia called yesterday. They want an conference about the new soldiers being trained here." Quistis said chasing him down the corridor. "Also, Balamb Garden has asked for a meeting with you about the Gardens being built in the Esthar region." She continued.

            "All this happened in two days?" Squall asked.

            "Yep, I'm up to my eyes in paper work since you're not around. I never appreciated your strict work rules until now, I quite missing you shouting at people down the phone. You wouldn't believe what some guy said to me yesterday!" Quistis said, this last comment made Squall smile slightly.

            "I've left a woman in charge of the country, expect the remarks. I'll be back in a few days, but until then don't let them take advantage just because there's a female voice on the end of the telephone." Squall said handing Quistis another bundle of papers. "These need to go to my father, send Zell with them. They are very important, well not really but Laguna thinks they are. If I am needed again, I shall be heading for the sorceress memorial."

            "You're being very nice today!" Quistis remarked taking the papers.

            "And if you want it to stay that way, you better do what I say, and now!" Squall said, his face showing no hint of amusement.

            "Yep back to normal already, I knew it wouldn't last." Quistis said cheekily.

            "Move now!" Squall shouted. Quistis smiled and hurried up the corridor.

            "I'm so glad your home sir." She said over her shoulder as she walked away. Squall watched her leave and then made his way to his car once more.

            As soon as he appeared outside of the building a blinding flash hit him in the eyes.

            "Mr Leonhart, can you tell us about the lovely young lady we saw you with yesterday?" A female reporter asked holding a microphone to his face. Squall fixed her with a cold stare and pushed past her. "Will we be seeing her on your arm in the future?" The reporter asked as a few more cameras clicked around them.

            Squall clicked his fingers and the driver jumped into his car. Squall followed him into the back and slammed the door on the noisy reporters.

            "To the Sorceress Memorial Petres."  Squall ordered from the back seat. "And Petres?"

            "Yes sir?"

            "Drive fast." Squall said looking back at the reporters that were being left behind. "And they ask me why I don't like the newspapers!" Squall mumbled to himself. Petres smiled at the younger man in his car and changed into a higher gear.  

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            "Oi, Irvine!" Selphie squealed as he kicked her.

            "Sorry Selph, I just need to reach…" Irvine said, leaning over the back of his chair for something that neither girl could see.

            "For Hyne sake Irvine, is it really that important?" Rinoa asked frustrated by being hit in the face with Irvine's jacket for countless numbers of times.

            "Yes, ah here we go!" He answered excitedly. Rinoa looked for what he had found, but he kept it hidden under his jacket.

            "Irvine what is it?" Selphie asked.

            "Ta da! The all and important remote, that controls everything in the limo. They always have these." He said holding like it was made of gold. Selphie snatched it out of his hand and started to hit the buttons.

            "Hey! I found it!" Irvine exclaimed. Selphie glared at him. "I mean um you go right ahead!"

            A whirring noise sounded from in front of them and a small screen appeared out of the floor. The bemused passengers stared at it in wonder until it produced a picture and a noise that made them jump in unison.

            Almost instantly they burst out laughing and carrying on pressing random buttons until they had everything they could think of in front of them.    

            Selphie was busying herself with a personal stereo that had appeared on her right, and Irvine was adjusting the air-con. Rinoa smiled as she watched them, until something on the foldout tray in front of her caught her eye. It was today's paper. Rinoa stared at the front cover, it was a picture of her and Squall arriving to the restaurant on the day the Laguna had left. Rinoa started to read the article beneath it.    

            Mr Squall Leonhart pictured here with Miss Rinoa Heartilly on their way to a well-known Restaurant. Reports say that Miss Heartilly is a Galbadian journalist, summoned to Esthar by order of the President. What her role is here is not clear, but it appears that she has already attached herself to Mr Leonhart.   

            Rinoa stared at the paper, an angry wave swept through her body. But then a question drove away her anger. Did she make people feel this embarrassed when she wrote about them?  

           

            "Hey, Rin you ok?" Selphie asked nodding along to the music in her ears. Rinoa looked away from the paper.

            "Yeah. Yeah I'm fine." She replied adding a fake smile.

A/N: Thankyou for reading! (But try reading this 30+ times and you'll be as insane as I am!)

Thankyou to: Kaisui, Mariko, Sandra Leonhart, The Angel of The Lion, miss wings, Keiry, Cute Mooglez, Steel Magnolia, Hiasha, Angelwingedprincess, RPG Hui, Ashley Heartilly, CTHKSI, Charlie Girl, Rinoa Heartilly73, Bianka-chan, Lionhart, Aimee, Sammy Chan, Karla.

Ps: to the people who threatened to beat me up for many reasons regarding this fic, you haven't caught me yet. But thanks for reading anyhow!