Chapter 18

Lyrics in this fic are owned by the BeeGee's. Although I don't listen to them (sorry guys,) except in 'Saturday night fever'. I just liked the words so there you go.

Although the lyrics sound eerily familiar.....

Rinoa I won't loose you

   Look at me I'm riding high
don't know what's wrong with me.
Can't you see I'm not the guy
that I pretend to be.
Though I know I will be lonely
but our love will never die
I close my eyes, everyday, I close my eyes.
 

Rinoa stared at her silver phone that rested on her bed as it started to ring. Nervously she moved to pick it up. With hesitance Rinoa flipped it open slowly and held it up to her ear.

"Err Hello?"

"Miss Heartilly?" Asked the voice on the other end. There weren't many people who had her number. Only Selphie and her office, and anyone else who held it were under strict instructions of not calling unless it was an emergency.  Out of instinct, Rinoa knew instantly that it was not Selphie. 

"Yes, speaking." Rinoa replied worried. The feeling of bad news was taking over the calmness of her voice. 

"Miss Heartilly the famous reporter?" The voice asked once again with a touch of humour. Rinoa frowned and almost looked into the phone with a questioning. 

            "What do you mean famous? Who is this? Is this a joke? You know if this if a joke..." Rinoa warned becoming angry. Her fear upon answering the phone was now being mocked by this anonymous joker.

            "No, no, this isn't a joke. You are famous Rin.

            "Err ok." Rinoa replied confused.

            "Your interview had more ratings than anything else on TV for the past 20 years!"

            "What? No hang on, I don't believe you. Who is this?" Rinoa asked walking across the small room with a quick step.

            "It's Santa"

            "What? No I know this is a joke. If I ever find out who this is..." Rinoa started becoming angry once more. 

"It's your boss Rin. We want you back right away, you need to catch a train and get back here as soon as you can." Her boss ordered, sounding slightly happier than what she remembered him to be. Rinoa gulped, shouting at her boss probably wasn't the best idea.

            "What?" Rinoa asked still very confused and baffled. "Err I'm not really understanding you. I thought I was fired!"

            "Fired! What would give you that idea?" Her boss asked almost laughing.

            "Well I hadn't heard anything, so I just assumed...that I was fired." Rinoa answered. She heard a scoff from the other end.

            "Rinoa you're now earning more than anyone in the office, including me."

            "Err ok" Rinoa replied now starting to believe her boss, although this was all coming as a shock.

"Your book has been published and it is just waiting for you to launch it. The interest has been phenomenal! It's going to be hit! Your hot property Rin, we need you back. So get to that train station."

"Um right away sir." Rinoa answered hanging up and staring at the phone blindly.

It took ten minutes for Rinoa to work out what the best thing was to do.  After staring at her phone and the dead line, Rinoa grabbed her bag and began throwing clothes back into it. One last look around the room was all she needed to convince herself that leaving right away was the best idea.

Slinging her bag onto her back with difficulty, Rinoa proceeded down the hall, dropping her key off with the receptionist.

            "Hey beautiful! Where are you going?" Asked a cool and calm voice from behind her. Rinoa turned around annoyed.

            "Seifer. Are you spying on me?"

            "What would give you that idea?" Seifer said smiling, and holding his arms out in a gesture that showed he was innocent. Rinoa rolled her eyes.   

"I'm going home." Rinoa answered pushing past him. Seifer allowed her to pass before trying to catch her up.

            "Wait, Rin. I said I'd take you back." Seifer said running after her and stopping her from waving down a taxi. Rinoa looked back at him in irritation.  

            "We never agreed anything Seifer." Rinoa said quietly, doubting her own power against him.

            "Come on, I can take you." Seifer persisted. Rinoa sighed and waved for a taxi.

            "The office called me; they want me back to launch the book and stuff. I have to leave now." Rinoa told him as a taxi appeared up along the road. Rinoa looked at it hopefully and waved to the driver. 

            "Well how do you know there will be a train leaving?" Seifer asked smirking.

            "There's always a train leaving in Esthar, and if not, I'll wait." Rinoa answered. Seifer smiled in reply.

            A yellow car with the word 'taxi' on the side brought relief to Rinoa. It was one more step towards getting home as far as she was concerned. The driver looked at her and smiled before facing the front once more.

"I'll go with you." Seifer said climbing into the taxi behind Rinoa.

            "You can't just leave!" Rinoa exclaimed, but it was too late, the taxi had already started moving.

            "You are." Seifer answered. "To the train station please." He added to the driver.

            "But...but I have a reason."

            "So do I. I want to be with you, and if you are leaving, so am I." Seifer said smiling in what he hoped a winning way. Rinoa took her gaze away from him. Although it was nice that she didn't have to make the journey on her own, she wasn't sure she really wanted the company of Seifer.

            "Fine. But this still doesn't mean anything. We are not back together, not that we were ever really together in the first place." Rinoa answered, placing her bag between them to keep Seifer as far away she could without being rude.

            "Oh come on Rin, we weren't so bad together." Seifer argued, although feeling that it was a useless argument.

            "Seifer, you only took me out when you're other girl friends bailed." Rinoa said enjoying making him uncomfortable.

            "Ok, ok I was a fool. But Rin I really do love you." Seifer said trying to take her hand.

Rinoa stared out at the passing traffic and sighed. She didn't want to talk to Seifer anymore. All this 'I love you' stuff was beginning to scare her slightly. Why had she allowed him to come back into her life?



            Squall paced over his carpet counting the number of distorted shapes he could see. Ellone was watching him concerned, he had been in this present state of nervousness for too long now.

            "Squall there is nothing you can do. You've done everything you can." Ellone said trying to calm him. Squall shook his head determined.

            "I should be out there looking, she might be anywhere." Squall said stopping to look out of the window, hoping to see Rinoa walking up the path.

            "Exactly! She could be anywhere; the chances of finding her are so small." Ellone said, before being interrupted by Laguna running into the room in a bunny costume.  Squall rolled his eyes and groaned in frustration before lying on his bed and staying perfectly still. His gaze shot straight into Laguna through silted eyes. "Dad!" Ellone exclaimed. "What the...hell are you doing?"

            "Do you think it's too much?" He asked turning around so that they could the full costume. "I'm supposed to be the Easter-Bunny!" 

"Yeah, I kinda guessed. Err why are you dressed....like um...?" Ellone asked confused. Laguna had never played dressing up before; this had to be a new game of his.

            "It's for the ball." Laguna answered perfectly indifferent. Ellone looked at Squall worried, but his expression only increased her worry.

            "The ball?" Ellone asked. Laguna nodded while admiring his reflection in the mirror.

            "Yeah, fancy dress fund raising ball." Laguna replied still striking poses to the mirror. "AH no my cookies! I left them in the oven!" He shrieked running out. Ellone shut the door after him.

            "Great, now it's a fancy dress party." Ellone said sitting down next to Squall on the bed. "You are going right?"

            "To the dance?" Squall asked with a muffled voice.

            "Yes to the dance. Squall you know that I think you should, I mean you must, you have to go." Ellone said. Squall remained face down on his pillow and didn't reply. Ellone frowned and poked him in the back with her longest nail.

            "Oww! Ellone stop it." Squall complained, but still refusing to give in.

            "You going then?"

            "No, go away." Squall said turning over and pushed her backwards so she fell off of the bed. Ellone didn't take kindly to being roughly pushed on the floor.

            "Argh, Squall."

            "No, no please have mercy. Don't hit me with your freakishly weak girl arms." Squall said grinning.

            "Squall you are going. Now what as....I think a pirate would be so you..." Ellone said enjoying the look of disgust on Squall's face.

            "Fuck off am I dressing up as a pirate." Squall said stomping out of the room in mood. Ellone blew the air out of her cheeks and smiled, he'd be in a pirate costume if it killed her.

            Rinoa's taxi pulled up outside the train station and Rinoa looked up at it gravely. This time there was no guarantee that she would be returning, at least not into the company she had been keeping.

            With some good luck in a few more years, she might be posted out here again. Or even a job might become available at Esthar papers of she was fortunate.

            "Rin, let me carry your bag for you." Seifer offered placing on hand on the bag strap. Rinoa shook her head.

"No, I'm fine." She answered leading the way into the crowded waiting rooms.

            "Hi, is there a train leaving for Galbadia today?" Rinoa asked in to the glass ticket booth. The girl on the desk looked up after being addressed and nodded.

            "Yup, one is leaving in 10 minutes. It's nearly full, so you will have to ride in first class. That's the only carriage that isn't full." The girl replied, checking her computer for something. 

            "Ok, two tickets." Rinoa ordered handing over the correct money in return for the tickets.

            "We can wait over here." Seifer said pointing to an empty bench on the platform. Rinoa followed him slowly and sat down.

Her mind was telling her that was something she had forgotten to do, but her present state of excitement of going home was interrupting every attempt to remember. Then it hit her and she instantly felt guilty, she was supposed to tell Ellone when she was leaving.

            Rinoa quickly pulled out her phone and began searching for Ellone's number, only to remember that they had never exchanged.

"Hello, operator? I need to contact the presidents office. Yes it is important." Rinoa told the operator. It took a few minutes of persuasion for her to be put through and as soon as the line was answered Rinoa wasted no time in stating what she needed.

            "Hello, this is the president's office."

            "Oh, Quistis it's Rinoa. Look, I need to speak to Ellone." Rinoa said hastily.

            "Rinoa! Err one second I'll connect you." Quistis said putting the phone on hold. The connecting consisted of Quistis screaming down the hall for Ellone. "Ellone, Rinoa's on the phone."

            Ellone dropped straight away what she was doing and rushed into the office and grabbed the phone.

            "Rinoa where are you?" Ellone asked instantly. Squall walked into the room almost immediately after, and began talking about the lack of decent music on the presidential radio before being hushed. Ellone held up her hand to stop him from talking and mouthed the word 'Rinoa' while pointing at the phone. Squall stopped talking at once.

            "I'm at the train station Ell. I'm going back to the office. I'll call you when I get there." Rinoa answered. Ellone became white and Squall looked at her for answers.

            "No wait Rinoa, do you have to leave now?" Ellone asked.

            "Yes, my train leaves in 10 minutes. I have to go..."

            "No wait...." Ellone said into the already dead line.

            "Where is she?" Squall asked desperately.

            "She's on her way home." Ellone answered feeling her heart pang with sadness, at the sight of Squall's disappointed face. "She leaves in 10 minutes. Let me come with you."

            Squall nodded somewhat speechless.

            "Alright." He answered walking out of the room in a sort of daze.

            Ellone followed Squall to his car in silence. She couldn't let him drive off alone in the state he was in.           

            "Squall we've five minutes until the train leaves" Ellone said looking at her watch as they drove into the train station car park.

"Park the car" Squall said jumping out and running towards the platforms.

            "But...But I can't drive!" Ellone shouted after him before shifting into the drivers seat. "Oh cripes." She whispered looking at the numerous buttons and levers of the car.

            Squall hurried into the waiting room and looked around frantically. The room was filled with people and suitcases, and individuals were not easily recognised.  

            "Rinoa?" Squall called. A few old people looked up at him confused but soon looked away again. After deciding that Rinoa wasn't there, Squall headed towards the ticket office.

            "Hey you." Squall said abruptly to the girl behind the glass. "I'm looking for someone. Has a young lady about so tall, with dark hair come through here at all today."

            "Look Mister. Do you know how many people got through here everyday?" She replied annoyed. "Get lost you're wasting my time."

            Squall scowled and walked through the turnstile and onto the platform.

            "Hey, you can't go through there without a ticket!" The girl shouted after him. 

"Oi, do you know who you were just shouting at?" Asked her colleague from beside her.

"Do I look like I care?" The girl spat back looking at Squall's disappearing form with annoyance.

"Ok, but it's your funeral." Her friend said smiling and turning back to her computer.

Rinoa tensed as Seifer placed his arm around her. The gesture had come as a shock as her mind wasn't totally focused on the moment.

"We belong together Rinoa. You'll see." Seifer said squeezing her tighter. Rinoa tried her hardest not to be held so close to him, but his grip was too strong around her.

"Seifer can you let go, please." Rinoa asked careful not to anger him. Seifer slowly removed his arm and sat in silence for a while. Rinoa looked along the track for the train. Why couldn't she be more assertive and just say 'no Seifer, your not coming back with me.' But she knew it would be useless anyway.

Squall looked around at the many people on the platform. The train for Galbadia was leaving on platform 2, and Squall checked to see if he was on the correct one.
            A large white sign with the number '2' was hanging above him and squeaking in an eerie hypnotic way.

            Squall stopped his search as the train rushed into the station. The sudden appearance of the train sent the platform into a frenzy. Hands reached for bags and companions as everyone rushed to the edge of the platform and got ready to board the train.

            The new mass of anxious people put a hold on Squall's search as he was pushed out of the way. Upon standing against the wall in hope as to not be pushed onto the train, Squall spotted Rinoa out of the corner of his eye.

            Rinoa was waiting to board the train, her eyes looked red and weary and her hands were clutching tightly onto her bag.

            "Rinoa!" Squall called trying in vain to push his way forward through the masses of people.

            Rinoa turned at the sound of her name and gazed into the faceless crowd. Seeing no one she knew, Rinoa dismissed the voice and turned back to hand over her ticket and board the train. 

            Squall lost his sight of her instantly as a group of happy chattering people walked in front of him and obscured his vision.

            "Rinoa!" Squall called as he finally came clear of the crowds.

            Finally he saw Rinoa boarding the train some way off from him. Quickening his pace he hoped to catch her before she disappeared. Fixing his gaze upon her with a hope of not being forced to look away again, Squall prepared to call again. But his confidence was cut short when Seifer appeared behind her and climbed up the steps and into the train.

            "What the hell is he doing here?" Squall growled through clenched teeth.

            Rinoa placed her bag on the floor and sat down by the window, this wasn't shaping out to be a very good trip, they had already been given some really horrid seats. Seifer followed her to the seats and sat down smiling. Rinoa forced a smiled back and looked ahead of her at the seat in front.

            "I'm sorry sir, but you cannot board the train without showing me your ticket."

            "I don't want to go to Galbadia, I just need to talk to someone." Squall said earnestly.

            "I'm sorry sir."

            Squall stepped back from the train defeated. He had lost her again. After walking back along the platform looking into the train windows, he finally saw Rinoa behind the glass.

            Not sure how to get her attention, Squall tapped on the glass and stood back in hope.

            Rinoa started out of her daydream and turned to look out of the window. It took a few moments to recognize the person on the other side before Rinoa could move.

            "Squall" she whispered standing up and opening the top window. "Squall what are you doing here?"

            Squall looked up into her worried face before answering.

            "I'm here, I'm here because I need to tell you..."

            "Hey Leonhart! What the fuck do you want?" Seifer asked smirking. Squall frowned but kept his eyes on Rinoa, seeing the flicker of frustration on her face as Seifer joined the conversation.

            "I'm talking to Rinoa." Squall replied simply.

            "What do you want Squall?" Rinoa asked uncomfortable with the atmosphere around them.

            "I wanted to tell you that I...I love you and I...I don't want you to go." Squall said avoiding Seifer's gaze and looking straight into Rinoa's eyes. Seifer's harsh laughter brought Rinoa back to her body with a crash. She had been in danger of losing herself in Squall's saddened eyes and heart spoken words.

            "Squall you're too late. I win! Go home and leave us alone." Seifer said shutting the window and pulling Rinoa back down so that she sat next to him. Rinoa felt her self be pulled away and shook her head. But could not stop Seifer from taking her away from Squall's eyes.

            "No, no I want to speak to him. Let go of me Seifer. Let go." Rinoa said brushing off Seifer's grasp and standing back up.

            "Squall it's too late. My office is promoting me, I can't leave all of that Squall...I...can't."

            "Rinoa, I can't talk to you like this. Please come off the train." Squall begged, showing his heart in his words through the look in his eyes.

            "I can't it's too late to get off the train."

            "I'll go to Galbadia, Rinoa I won't lose you." Squall said looking up into her face. Rinoa had to take her eyes away from him for a moment to recover control of her heart.

            "Don't make a promise you can't keep Squall." Rinoa said finally sitting back down and looking away from him.

            "Rinoa." Squall pleaded.

            The whistle of the train cut short Squall's appeals. Slowly she put her hand on the glass in an attempt to touch his face. Her eyes glistened a tear as the train began motion.

            "I love you." Rinoa mouthed to him before the train attempted to take her away. Squall looked at her in hope, she still loved him, he hadn't lost her yet.

            "No, Rinoa. Wait." Squall called running after the train, but it had already picked up too much speed. "Rinoa!"

The more I try the more I fail,
I'd like to run away.
But if I try you pass me by,

I know that I can't stay.
Though I know I will be lonely
but our love will never die
I close my eyes, everyday, I close my eyes.


            "Squall?" Ellone asked softly as she walked onto the platform behind him. Squall turned to look at her before staring back at the empty train track once more.

            "She's gone." Squall said quietly.

            "I know." Ellone said taking his hand in hers.

            "I couldn't reach her in time." Squall said in monotone.

            "It's ok Squall. She's not gone forever. She'll be back here soon, I know she will" Ellone said squeezing his hand. Squall nodded and let Ellone walk him off the platform. 

            Squall followed her reluctantly out of the train station and into the car park. Looking around for his car he found it parked across 3 parking places.

            "Ellone can't you park a car?" He asked seriously. Ellone frowned.

            "I didn't think it was that bad."  Ellone answered looking at the car in its crooked position.

            "Give me back those keys." Squall demanded. Ellone handed them over dutifully.

            "So where to now?" Ellone asked walking next to him. He seemed to be thinking clearly now, which was an improvement from 2 hours ago.

            "Call off the detective, because I'm going to Galbadia." Squall said striding towards the car. Ellone scoffed.

            "Sure riiight, Galbadia." Ellone said almost laughing in the belief that Squall was joking.

            "Just do what your told." Squall snapped.

            "Your not joking are you?" Ellone asked worried.

            "No. I am not." Squall said climbing into his car.

            "HEY YOU KID, what do you think you're doing, taking up all this room parking. We all need spaces too." Shouted an angry looking man from inside a nearby car. A line of other cars were stacked up behind him looking equally angry. Squall looked at him as if he was going to walk over and kill the man.

            "Just Piss off!" Squall shouted just as loud. The man frowned but stopped his insults and decided to rev his car in response.

            "Soo...if we can't take the train...and we can't drive....then how you going to....oh no. Squall....you are so busted if Dad finds out." Ellone said, more than nervous with what she expected Squall to be planning.    

            "Oh come on, Laguna hardly ever uses his helicopter anyway. He won't know it's missing."

            "Oh nuh....... he won't notice. Squall this is the most stupidest plan I have ever heard." Ellone said folding her arms. "Plus you can't fly it." The look of Squall's face made Ellone consider that she had got this fact wrong. 

            "You so sure about that?" Squall said, turning his head towards her slowly for maximum effect, and smiling with an evil glint in his eye.

            "Don't tell me you've stolen it before!" Ellone exclaimed incredulously. Squall smiled wickedly. "I can't believe you sometimes."

            "Well try...we steal it tonight."

******************************************************

            Rinoa stepped off of the train about as happy as she stepped onto it. Although circumstances had changed, they hadn't moved in her favour. Her meeting with Squall, although brief, was enough to tell her heart where she wanted to be right now. But even as her heart screamed for one thing, her mind told her to forget it and do what she came her to do.

            Seifer was grinning in a smug way that made Rinoa feel sick, and he looked down on her in a controlling way. Then something happened that Rinoa wasn't expecting.

            "Seifer! Where the hell have you been?" Screamed a shrill female voice from somewhere in the busy crowd. Seifer's smile vanished and was replaced with a look of raw fear.

            "Oh hi Anie, what are you doing here?" Seifer asked as a blonde woman pushed her way over to them, knocking Rinoa out of the way as she did so.

            "I'm here to pick up my mother from Esthar. What the hell are you doing here, and who is this? Some tart from Esthar?" Shouted the blonde haired woman, looking threatening towards Rinoa.

            "Anie, this is Rinoa. She is a friend." Seifer answered. This answer just angered the blonde even more.

            "Oh a friend. I suppose you just picked her up in Esthar did you?"

            "No, no."

            "Seifer how can I trust you? We are supposed to be engaged....."

            Rinoa stood stunned as the rest of the speech was lost to her. The last word just repeated over and over in her head until it erupted from her mouth.

            "Engaged?" Rinoa asked quietly.

            "Yes, engaged." Replied the blonde woman, less annoyed when it was clear that news was a shock to Rinoa.

            "So...you really love hey? Well thanks a lot Seifer." Rinoa said venomously before disappearing into the crowd, only to turn and see him being slapped by the blonde woman. Rinoa smiled and continued to walk away; never would he be able to know her again.      

Authors Note: Ah ha it's not over yet....thanks to that handy helicopter that we all keep in our garages. This story is coming to an end, but hopefully you can't guess yet where it is heading. Thank you everyone for the support throughout this fic, all your comments have inspired me to keep writing, even though the temptation of abandoning the story and starting a new one has sometimes been a very near possibility. Again thank you for all the reviews and encouragement.

Thankyou to:

Shaman King, The Angel of the Lion, Angelwingedprincess, Danielle Breon, omnitoad, CuteMooglez, AngelPrincess29, Archangel_666 (no I don't live in a cottage, but thanks for asking. Ps Sorry Seifer didn't die, but you can pretend that he did if it makes you happy. Dunno about that happy days theme tho...) Billie the wild angel (Hope Ralph the penny is still around!) Lady Yevon, Sandra Leonhart, Natsumi, Mariko, Rinoa Heartilly-Leonhart, Lionheart, The Notorious Naurwen, Shattered Sword, Eiggem3, Griever Leonhart, Charlie girl, Dark Flame Sorceress Starlight, Sleeping Chocobo, CTHKSI (Yes I have been on an updating spree lately) Bianka-chan, mariana-chan, Liliangel, Sammy-chan, Hiasha, ima hopeless romantic, Karla, Jewels14.