Embrace…
Soft, warm rays of light seeped through the film of dirt on the window. She gently stirred under the thick, scratchy but welcomingly warm blankets, letting out a soft moan as her crystal cerulean eyes slowly, groggily opened. Surrounding the bed she was in was a shabby scratched up bureau and beyond it there was a small bathroom with the door ajar and a dingy tile floor. To her right was a tiny kitchen. For a brief moment she didn't know where she was and a wave of panic washed over her. She sat up quickly, trying to get her bearings straight. Her loose golden wavy hair flowed over her shoulders down her back like a veil of silk. She still wore the same light blue pinstriped blouse and navy blue above knee length skirt, her now filthy-looking outfit she had on since a few days ago. Her white knee high stockings were falling down now, with runs galore. Then she realized she had no shoes. A few strands of gold blocked her view. She brushed them back and subconsciously reached for her whip…which was nowhere to be found. Finally looking all the way around the small apartment, she saw a man sound asleep under a tattered gray trench coat. This she recognized.
She let out a gentle sigh of relief as she slowly relaxed and gazed at the slumbering figure sprawled out on the couch. Quietly she placed her feet over the side of the bed and silently moved to toward the unconscious man. He stirred beneath the trench coat and she froze, awaiting his awakening, but he then settled back down now facing her, his eyes remained hidden behind his closed lids.
She could see his back slowly rising and falling with each soft sleeping breath. His blonde locks glistened in the pale sunlight of the early morning. Quistis slowly came up to him and gently began to bend her head towards his in a good-morning kiss.
Seifer felt soft feathery sensations across his face. The sleep lifting from him, he realized Quistis was just above him and it was her hair that tickled his nose so.
Quistis suddenly felt Seifer holding her head and then he placed his lips upon hers in a deep, passionate kiss. Quistis's eyes flew open in surprise. Seifer opened his eyes and tugged Quistis beneath him, kissing her more tentatively now.
"Quistis…" he smiled down at the beautiful woman beneath him. Quistis softly smiled and looped her arms around his neck and played with his hair.
"Seifer…" Then an odd question popped into her mind, odd, but important. "What happened last night?"
"Last night…" Seifer's eyes looked far away, as if the night's events happened years ago. "Last night was the best night of my life. And it's all because of you, my Quistis." He intertwined his long, callused fingers with hers, in a lovingly delicate way. "Last night you fell asleep in my arms, so I carried you to my bed and I took the couch."
Quistis let out a small laugh. "I thought so," she said as she began to kiss him lightly on the cheek. Seifer caught her lips instead and began to kiss her with more passion.
"Wait…Seifer…" she whispered between kisses.
"Hmm?" he murmured in response, but continued to kiss her. She lay still and turned her head. Finally Seifer came to a halt as he let out sigh. "What?"
"Seifer…" She sat up. "…Let me go… let me go."
He knew what she meant. Seifer simply stared at her. His face remained emotionless, but his eyes betrayed him, as they were deeply troubled in a dark storm. "How could you ask me to do this?"
She only gazed at him knowingly.
"I- I can't. How can I? How can I ever survive without you?" He pleaded with her; something the old Seifer would never do, not until he found someone worth pleading to.
"Well you survived this far," Quistis leaned her head against his shoulder.
"Now that I know you, the real you, I can't live without you." As he said this he leaned in, in intent to kiss her, but she moved. He slowly sat back, disappointed, but not deeply wounded. He knew she was still trying to make a point.
"Let me go…" she repeated.
Seifer swallowed hard, but the lump in his throat wouldn't go down. How could he let her go? She was the only real person he knew and the only one he ever loved. He turned away. He couldn't bear to look at her when he spoke.
"Then I'll let go…because I love you."
For the first time in Quistis's entire life, some one had finally uttered the words she so longed for.
***
Balamb Garden still functioned as if nothing unusual happened at all. The students still hustled about between classes, as normal. But for how long? Sooner or later the instructors would begin to notice something amiss in the leaders of the institution. Until then, Zell had to find out what the hell happened to Cid and with extreme precaution as to not promote any panic.
The only person qualified in this type of 'work' in Garden would have to be Dr. Kadawaki.
"Holy Shit, Zell!" The doctor gasped as she saw him, as discretely as he could, drag Cid's body into her office. "Oh…oh dear God! What happened to him!?"
"That's what I came here to find out, doc."
Zell quickly exclaimed what was going on, including the kidnapping of Quistis, the death of Cid, and Squall's rampage to Timber in search and destruction of Seifer and his 'posse,' and the shocking information of Seifer being Cid's son.
The doctor shook her head shocked and saddened.
"So what do you think happened to him?" Zell inquired the doctor after about an hour of study of the body.
"Well, Zell, I think, I believe it was a heart attack, or some kinda of cardiovascular collapse, I suppose. I can't be too accurate, you know I'm not frickin' professional on autopsies, ya know?"
Zell nodded. "So that's it? A heart attack?…CRHIST!"
"Squall…" Kadawaki said.
"That's right. God if it weren't for his 'emotional constipation' he wouldn't be out there, not only putting his life in danger but Quistis as well!"
"What are you saying, Zell? Squall thought Seifer did it?"
"Exactly! All those years of bottled up rage musta finally exploded or some shit like that. He wouldn't even listen to reason. I dunno. I hope he doesn't do anything drastic."
"Wait a minute! Now why would Seifer want to hurt the guy he's getting the ransom from?"
"Hell if I know, I'm no frickin' psychologist!" Zell exclaimed throwing his hands up in frustration.
"Well anyhow, we can't just leave him here in the infirmary." Kadawaki referred to the body of Cid.
"Oh yeah? What the hell should we do with him?"
"He's gotta get reported."
"Oh hell no. If his death becomes public it'll all fall on Squall's shoulders, and with Squall's recent 'state' it'll be total chaos around here and probably all Gardens, not to mention the publicity! Oh god… not the reporters!"
"Alright, alright! Simmer down, Zell." She sat down and looked down solemnly at Cid's body on the infirmary bed.
"Can you tell how long he's been dead?" Zell asked looking at Cid with his cracked now useless glasses.
"Well it's hard to tell, with me not being one of them autopsy people and all, but by the looks of it, not more than a day, and since you found him out in the sun and his body not decaying yet, probably not more than a couple hours.
"Christ…" Zell whispered as he crossed his arms and leaned against the wall next to window. "What are ya gonna do with him?"
"…Hmm… Well, we could probably put him in the medicine freezer for now. But not for long. "
Zell nodded and looked out the window in concentration.
***
"Don't' look at me like that Quisty," Seifer forced a smile. He would be strong.
Quistis was close to tears. She stood up. She couldn't be with him. He was a criminal running from the law. He was a fugitive. Their lives were too complicated to ever be with each other. She stood up, slowly. He looked up at her. His eyes were so sad. She reached down to caress his face. He closed his eyes trying to remember the way her warm, soft palm of her hand felt against his cheek as he put his own hand over hers. They realized this may have been the last they'd ever see each other again. He breathed in deep and kissed her hand, memorizing every curve of her face, every wisp of her hair. He stood up and looked down at her. Quistis embraced him as hard as she could, breathing him in. Seifer closed his eyes wrapping her in his arms, one hand caressing her hair, which smelled so sweet, he could hardly bear it. He felt her shudder. Was she crying?
"I love you Quistis." He whispered into her ear as he longed to kiss her. She hugged him tighter and felt her eyes begin to water, the salty tears stinging her eyes. "Oh, shh…Baby, don't cry. Be strong. I know you're strong. " He rocked her and she looked up into his hurting wounded eyes, the only evidence of a deeply troubled little boy inside. She looped her arms around his neck and they kissed for so long, to this day, they don't know. The good-bye kiss of a lifetime.
