Disclaimer: I'm not making money off of this so don't sue me.

~*~ Chapter 13 ~*~

~*~ Painful Memories ~*~

The silver Hyperion cross glistened under the dim moonlight shining through the large room onto Seifer's palm.  His other hand trailed over the length of the pendent, and then with a delicate lift of his figure he flipped the pendent onto its back.  Along the back of the silver Hyperion cross was an engraving "Hyperion Rose." He traced another finger over the engraving, feeling the groove of each letter.  With a heavy sigh he tightly wrapped his hand around the necklace and buried his head into his hands deep in thought.

            He felt completely lost and confused again.  After Soria and her companions left, Seifer had carried Quistis's sleeping form into a room, but before he entered the room, the President approached him.

            "We need to talk," the President commanded.  Seifer remembered he just looked at the man and proceeded to carry Quistis into the room.  After carefully placing the blond woman onto the soft Satin sheets, he removed her shoes and made sure she was comfortable, and then left to speak with the President.

            When Seifer approached the Presidential Room, he found the room looking as it did exactly a week before when he arrived with Quistis.  His eyes searched the room and found the President standing across the room observing a painting.

            "Please take a seat," the President said gesturing to the chair in front of his desk.  "I want to tell you a story," he continued, still observing the painting before him.  He listened for Seifer to settle into the chair and continued.

            "There once was a young man, who had a friend that he loved like a brother.  When one or the other was in need, they were always there to help support each other.  With the help and support from each other they both were able to rise up to high military positions and lived prosperously.

            "One day this young man fell in love with a beautiful woman, who happened to be a friend of his best friend's wife.  She was very beautiful.  She had long blond hair and lovely hazel eyes.  Her demeanor was very patient and caring.  The man loved her more then his own soul.  Not long after, the young man and the woman were married."

            "Then after a year of marriage the man came home to joyous news that he was soon to become a father.  His wife also told him that his best friend was also expecting a child as well.  Apparently the two women had decided that if they either had a boy or a girl the children would be engaged.  If both happen to be of the same sex, they would be joined in sisterhood or brotherhood.  Months later his wife bore him a sturdy boy with blond hair and shining green eyes like himself, while his friend was blessed a few months earlier with a beautiful daughter with bright blue eyes, and blond hair like her mother.  As a symbol for the engagement between the two infants a necklace was made.  The necklaces was made of pure silver and consisted of two parts.  A Hyperion cross, an emblem of the man's family, and a rose, with its leaves stretched out in the shape of a cross.  The rose's stem coiled around the Hyperion cross.  This was meant to symbolize the bond and support both families provided for each other.  The rose cross was given to the girl, while the Hyperion cross was given to the man's son.  With the hope of the future unification of the two children the "Hyperion rose" would become one again, and signify of the unification of the two families, but his unification was to never take place."

            Seth Almasy finally removed his gaze from the painting and observed Seifer, who was intently waiting for him to continue.  Seth started to walk towards Seifer, but changed his mind and started to walk about the room, and proceeded to continue the story.

            "The man was overjoyed with the birth of his son and he felt that is life was complete. Unfortunately, one day something posses him, and he fell into the power of a strong sorceress, who cruelly used him to betray his own friend.  What the sorceress promised him, that caused him to destroy his perfect life, even now he can not recall.  All that he could remember was the pain he caused his friends, his beloved family, and himself.  The sorceress commanded him to hunt and kill all who posses the power of sorcery, especially those with a direct bloodline to sorceresses.  Unfortunately his best friend's wife and daughter fell into that category and was not allowed to be spared.  His friend hearing this immediately fled leaving everything he had behind for the safety of his wife and daughter, but the man knew his friend too well and was able to trace their every step.  Finally he caught up with them and with his sword drawn he fought his lifelong friend and wounded him.  Just as he was about to the strike the killing blow, he heard the cry of a young girl deep in the forest.  The cry reminded him of his command.  He ran wildly with madness toward the voice and was face to face with the girl and her mother.  The blond woman pleaded for him to fight the controlling power over him, but he would not, could not, listen.  He advanced towards them, and the little girl resumed her crying.  As the man and woman fought, her skills with the whip were advance and sharp, but they were not a match with his speed and strength, and she fell wounded.  Just as he raised his sword to kill the woman, he felt a sharp pain shoot up from his right side, and he found that his wounded friend had some how caught up with him and pierced his sword into his side.  With rage he lashed out at the wounded man.  Again the two men fought, but this time only one would survive."

            "As he pulled his blood stained sword from his friend's limp body, the blond woman screams and the little girls cries rang through the silent forest.  In that instant the sight of his best friend's blood on his hands made him break free from his madness and into guilt and realizing is murderous deed.  In shock he dropped his sword and fell onto his knees, and clenched his fist in sorrow.  All trace of the madness that posses him was gone, and all he was left with guilt of murdering his friend.  All he could do was look at his bloody hands in shock, and ask himself if this was real.  Suddenly in his overwhelming grief and shame he picked up his sword and prepared to avenge his friend's death by ending his own life, but the fateful stab to his heart was stopped by the blond woman's flick of her whip.  She pleaded for him to not spill anymore blood even if he was the one, who took the away the one man she loved.  She reminded him of his wife and son, and only he could stop the other killings, or at least hinder the sorceress since he was no longer under her control.  The man could not understand the kindness of the woman and asked her why.  Her only reply was that she didn't not want their children's future to be filled will hate and vengeance. And hopefully their destinies would bring the broken bonds of their two families together again.  She then told him to quickly leave before her guards came, and to take care of his wife and son.  That was the last he had ever seen or heard of the women and her daughter."

            Emotion started to fill his voice, but he took a deep breath and continued on.

             "When the man arrived at home he found his wife had left and had taken their son with her.  She left the man in fear of his sudden blood thirsty madness.  For days he was angry at himself for falling into the power of the sorceress, and losing everything he ever loved.  He finally pulled himself together and decided to search every ends of the world for his wife.  He spent years searching for them ignoring world and the war going on around him, and he found nothing."

            "One day while searching he found a young orphan girl, and decided to adopt her, since he felt that his wife would have done the same thing.  Finally his search came to an end, while he received a message enclosed with the necklace he gave his son for the engagement between the two children.  The message spoke of the location of his wife's final resting place for she died of an unknown disease, and his son was no where to be found and assumed also to be dead.  The necklace was all they could find from the pair.  He immediately visited his wife's grave and wept for her and his son."

            "Years later he still seeks redemption for the blood he had shed, and he hid the past that he would never forget, from everyone.  For years he had been able to bury it, but now the past has returned and he had to face the dust of the past again."

            He now stood at has desk his eyes looking straight at Seifer's and asked, "Now are you ready to face the past?"

            Seifer was surprised at the sudden question, but he was able to control his expressionless facade. He just looked straight ahead at the older and more scarred version of himself leaning on the desk in front of him.  Now there was no doubt in his mind that this man was his father.  The story he just told seemed to make sense, yet at the same time is blurred.  His mind filled with questions, but he couldn't seem to ask any of them.  Finally he took a deep breath and let out a question.

            "How long have you known?"

            Seth looked straight into his eyes and replied, "I knew the day you became her knight. Even though I always heard rumors about an Almasy in Balamb Garden, but I always thought you had died with your mother. 

            "Then why did you wait his long?"

            "Even if I found you before the war I didn't want to burden you with the pain of a past you had forgotten."

            Seifer scoffed, "Of course why burden me with a painful past, when I'm capable of making my own painful past to scar myself with."

            "It wasn't your choice son, he place a hand on Seifer's shoulder trying to comfort him.

            "Seifer hung his head and ran his fingers through his hair. "But we still did it, and we are still responsible for what he did.  That will never change," he said looking into his father's eyes.  Seifer got up from the chair and prepared to remove himself from the room.

            "Wait," Seifer turned to face the older man.  "What are you going to do now?" Seth asked with concern and curiosity.

            "Go back to Quistis, and pretend nothing happened and everything is the same as before."

            "You know that is impossible," Seth said sternly.

            Seifer knew Seth was right. Quistis now remembered more then him, and how would she handle the fact that his father betrayed and murder her family he didn't know.

            "Here this belongs to you," Seth unclasped the necklace he had worn for the last fifteen years and handed to Seifer.

            Seifer looked at it, "What am I suppose to do with this?"

            "It's yours. Do what ever you want."

            "The one thing I want to do with it I can not do," Seifer said with a hint of frustration.

            "Do you love her?"  The question was unexpected and surprised Seifer.

"Taking the role of the father figure already, I see," Seifer scoffed to hide is surprise.

"I many not have been around for most of your life, but I am your father, and you know you are very much like me, whether you like it or not." Seth gazed challenged Seifer's.  "Do you love her?"

Seifer was not pleased with having anyone ordering him around, especially when someone he just barely knew claming to be his long lost father. Then at the same time he was gland that instead of being completely alone he had someone to turn to.  Someone with experience and wisdom to help him sort out the mess of thoughts, and feelings he had of the past, present, and future."

"Yes. I always have." Seifer replied with a sure tone.

"Does she fell the same way?"

"I wish I knew.  Even if she did, how do you love someone who is related to the murderer of your father and destroyer of your family, especially when you witness it with your own eyes?"

Guilt came across the older man's face, "I'm sorry son, I'm sorry for everything.  Your right, now the decision is up to her." Seth sighed and tried to rub the guilt from his eyes. "It's very late.  You should get some rest."

Now here he was sitting across from Quistis's bed watching her sleep.  He couldn't rest.  He was worried and afraid of what Quistis would say.  Afraid that she would hate him even more.  All of his life Seifer never feared anything expect the possibility of former Instructor No. 14 disapproving and hating him.

He tired to sit back and sleep, but found it very uncomfortable, and decided that the bed Quistis was on was big enough for the both of them.  He took off his suit jacket, and proceeded to the other side of the bed. He slowly settled himself onto the bed careful not to wake Quistis up.  The bed was much more comfortable he thought to himself, but he still could not sleep.  He leaned his head deeper into the pillow and closed his eyes letting the events of the day play through is mind again, until finally sleep came and lead him to an uneasy rest.

~~~

Quistis felt herself engulfed in cool silky soft material.  As she ran her hand along the silky material her hand brushed past something warm.  She immediately recoiled her hand and turned her attention to the unknown thing next to her, and relaxed when she saw it was only Seifer.

Seeing Seifer sleeping next to her proved her theory that the supposed events of the previous night was all a dream and that they were both still at the hotel…but they didn't have satin sheets in the hotel, and she noticed she and Seifer were still in their formal attire.  Quistis sat up and let out a disappointing sigh.  Everything revealed to her the night before was true.  She like her mother was born to be sorceress, and Seth Almasy was Seifer's father and her father's killer.

She slowly got out of bed and made sure her movements didn't wake Seifer.  She walked out onto the balcony of the room and saw the sun peaking over the horizon ready to start out the new day.  The morning air was cool, causing her to wrap her arms around her bare shoulders.  She was unsure of what to do, but she knew she was ready to go back to Garden and gather her thoughts in a more familiar place before she made any more life altering decisions.

She suddenly felt something draped over her shoulder from behind. She turned to see Seifer placing his black jacket over her cold shoulders.

"It's cold," was all he could utter, and with a shrug he walked back inside again.  Quistis quickly reached out and grabbed Seifer's arm to catch his attention.

"Seifer," she said softly, her gaze concentrated on the floor.  "I'm ready to go home."  She brought her eyes back up to observe his expression.  Seifer just nodded in agreement and continued into the room leaving Quistis outside alone with her thoughts and his jacket.    

A/N: Sorry for the delayed update.  There are only 4 more chapters left and this story will finally be finished!  I hope these chapter isn't too boring.  Anyways Thanks for all the reviews. I greatly appreciate it. =)