Disclaimer: Ditto to what I said in the last 14 chapters.  

~*~ Apologies and Thank you ~*~

~*~ Chapter 15 ~*~

            Seifer stood in front of Seth's empty desk in his office waiting. 

After Quistis left for Deiling, Seifer immediately headed for Deiling hoping to be able to intercept her.  Here he was sitting in his father's office waiting.  He knew Quistis would be coming to see Seth Almasy eventually, but he hoped she only came to speak to him and nothing more.  He knew she would never do anything brash or irrational, yet he wasn't sure why he was so worried.  She would never seek to see vengeance on his father. Would she?  He shook the thought away from his mind.  No. She wasn't like him, but why did he care if this man that disappeared from his life for fifteen years matter so much to him.  He couldn't understand himself anymore.  It was so much easier when he was alone and he only had to care for himself.  

            Seth slowly strode into this office seeing his son sitting in front of his desk lost in deep thought.  He lightly tapped Seifer on the shoulder. 

            "How can I help you so—Seifer?" he asked.

            He raised his head and snapped back to the present and answered, "I was just wondering if Trepe came to see you yet?"

            "Trepe?  You mean the young woman?" he shifted through his thoughts and did not recall any recent visits from her.  "No, she hasn't come to see me as of late."

            Seifer again wasn't sure if he felt relieved or worried.  Seth sat in his desk and observed his son's state of mind.

            "I assume you came here, because she is on her way here," Seifer's eyes met Seth's, with out saying a world Seifer got up from his chair, and prepared to leave.

            "Where are you going?"

            "I'm going to find her," Seifer replied flatly.

            "What are you going to do when you find her?  Is it going to solve anything?" he said sternly and rose from his desk and continued.  "I knew she was going to come to me eventually.  It was only going to be in a matter of time.  Looking at the state of your mood, I don't think your seeking her out right now is going to help the situation between the two of you much.  What happened?"

             "Nothing happened that's what," his irritation with himself was growing as he listened. 

            "Besides maybe she just wants to be alone for a while," Seth reasoned.
            "I've let her alone for nearly damn two weeks," he said frustrated.

            "Maybe she just needs a little more time," he said.  "Besides it's getting late and I'm sure she would come early tomorrow to meet me, and you're welcome to stay here for the night since you are family."

            The mention of him as 'family' sounded odd to Seifer.  After years of being alone and having only himself to look after, he was now considered part of a family.  He felt guilty for not acknowledging Seth as his father, while Seth obviously considered him his son.

            As if reading his mind Seth spoke, "Even if you don't want to acknowledge any connection to me I understand, but you are still a son to me.  I'm sure you've had a very long day.  Come I'll take you to your room.  When Miss Trepe comes tomorrow, I'll let you know."  Seifer complied and followed Seth into the corridor.

~~~

            After lying in the silent darkness for a time, Quistis gave up trying to sleep.  She sat up in the single hotel bed and just stared straight ahead into the darkness.  She ran her hand through her soft hair, and brought her hair down along over her shoulder.  Her hand brushed against the rose cross that hung around her neck.  The necklace hung on her neck ever since the day Seifer put it on for her that night. She had never taken it off.  She reached behind her neck and unclasped the necklace.  She felt the shape of the rose, the details on the leaves, and the coiling stem under her gentle fingertips.  The steady stream of moonlight snuck through the curtains being Quistis's only source of light.

            Looking at the rose cross, she couldn't help but think of Seifer. When she pulled out of the parking lot, the look of confusion, sadness, and disappointment reflected his eyes. Thinking back at that moment made her heart break.  But she felt that she needed to do this alone, since everything seemed so clear and blurry to her at the moment.  A tear escaped from her eyes and came down her smooth porcelain face.  She looked around the empty darkness, and remembered the first time she shared a room with Seifer.  Did she love him? Did he love her…?         

Suddenly a loud knock pounded on her door.  Surprised by the sudden brake in silence, she froze.  She just sat on her bed listening, her hand gripping tightly around her necklace.  Again a loud knock continued.  Now Quistis quickly got out of her bed, and grabbed her Save the Queen.  The loud pounding continued.  With her whip in hand she quickly opened the door and was ready to strike, but she was greeted with the tall figure of a man stumbling his way into her dark room.  Instead of stumbling past her, he walked right into Quistis causing her to lose her footing and knocking her down onto the floor.  Her fall also caused the man to lose footing as well and he came toppling onto her.  She was pinned and couldn't move from the weight of the man on top of her.  She struggled to push the man off her, but he was too heavy. The man finally stirred.

"What the fuck?" he removed himself off of Quistis.  She noticed a scent of alcohol coming from the man.  When she was free she quickly jumped up and flipped the lights on.  The sudden flood of light hurt her eyes, but she proceed to the man and saw he was none other then Seifer.

"Seifer! What the hell are you doing?"

He was rubbing is temple. "Well I'm trying to stand up."

"No! What are you doing here? At this hour?"

"Well, I wanted to talk to you, but apparently my judgment is somewhat impaired by the couple of drinks I had earlier," He finally managed to stand up and leaned his body against the wall.  He observed the flush of anger that filled her face. "I bet my little surprise appearance isn't going to get me any points."

"Somewhat impaired what's new?" she muttered to herself. "No, you think?" she said sarcastically. "first of all you come in the middle of the night drunk off your ass to my hotel room, causing all this ruckus, scaring me half to death, and second of all I asked you not to follow me and yet you're here."  She sat back down onto the bed and roughly drew the blankets over her body and lay down on her side with her back turned towards Seifer.  "Now if you plan to leave and go back to where ever you are staying I'll forget what happened tonight and everything will be the same again."

Seifer stood there confused at her reaction.  He expected her to react more hysterical.  Instead she decides to scold him and return to sleep. 

"By the way on your way out, could you turn off the light" she said through a yawn.

Watching Quistis form lying on the bed, he smirked turned off the light, and walked over to the bed. Sudden Quistis felt a warm body slide into the bed with her.  She was about to turn and protest to Seifer to get out, but become she could utter anything she felt his arm wrap around her waist holding her body close to his.

"Well I've decided that I should stay and wait until you wake up, and maybe when my head stops hurting then we can talk," he whispered into her ear.

"What are you doing? Seifer…" She exclaimed.

"I've missed you Quistis.  I've missed hearing you breathe. I've missed waking up next to you every morning.  I've missed watching you sleep every night. I've just missed you," he whispered each word softly into her ear. 

Quistis wanted to wrest free from his strong embrace, but she felt secure and safe in his strong arms.

"Seifer...," her voice was wavering.

"Shh, isn't this nice?" he whispered holding her tighter to him enchanting her, he softly kissed her cheek. "Go to sleep."

Quistis like a princess under a spell could only nod slightly and fell asleep with Seifer's arms still wrapped around her waist and her back towards him with his chin resting on the groove of her neck and shoulder. 

It was almost noon by the time Quistis awoke again.  She turned her head to see Seifer still in deep slumber.  She slowly slid out of Seifer's embrace, and quietly and quickly got dressed and left the sleeping man as she went straight to the presidential residence.

***

Quistis walked into Seith Almasy's office.  She found him stooped over a stack of papers.  Hearing Quistis soft footsteps, he raised his head from his work and greeted her with a smile. 

"Hello Miss Trepe.  I've been expecting you," Quistis only response was a nod.  He continued, "How may I help you?"

"Since you were expecting me, you must know why I'm here," she said with a straight face. 

"Yes, perhaps I do."

"Then you are prepared for anything?"

"I will accept any punishment for my faults.  Even it means death."

"You speak of punishment and death.  I do no want to punish you or kill you.  I'm am not your judge—"

"But if it is your duty as a daughter, I will not blame you," He interrupted.

Quistis was confused, "I have not come to kill you," she repeated.  He remained silent and she continued.  "You are aware that I remember everything, and I remember my mother's last wish of this feud to end with my generation." Seth nodded as he listened.  "And you are Seifer's father. I will not have the blood of my friend's father in my hands.  Besides I wouldn't be able to live with myself if I killed my friend's long lost father," she stopped to take a breath.

"This isn't why you are here for then," he supplied for her with some relief.

"No, I came here to ask if you know were my parents are buried? I would like to visit their graves as I should."  

"I am sorry Miss Trepe, I don't know.  All I remember is their graves are near my wife's in Centra."

"Centra?" her voice sounded surprised. 

"It seems as though your parents made it to Centra before I found them, and apparently my wife also headed for Centra, since she was also acquainted with Edea.  Unfortunately she didn't make it and Seifer did."

If her parents made it all the way to Centra, the letter in the folder was written before she was sent away with Blaine.  That explains why her memories did not correlate with the physical evidence, but the discrepancies were of no consequence.  She found the information that she wanted to know and she believed that Soria would not plant false memories for her.

"If your wife is buried near my parents …and you don't…unless you haven't…" she was having trouble expressing her thoughts.  She didn't want to accuse Seth for not caring about his wife. 

"No, last time I visited was nearly fifteen years ago.  The day Seth Almasy saw her grave. That was the day he also died.  So I changed my name to Alma, and keep only memories of the past."

Quistis stood there in sympathy, but she still needed some information, "Is there anyone else who would know?"

"Yes, Ivan Blaine would know."

A light glinted in her eye, "Where can I find the Blaines then, Sir?"

"I believe the live a couple miles outside of Deiling," he sifted through a pile on his desk.  "Here is the address," he picked up a piece of paper with a look of satisfaction.  "I knew Nora left me the address."  He copied down the address on a slip of paper and handed it to Quistis.

"Thank you," she said as she took the slip of paper.

"Miss Trepe have you seen Seifer?"

Before she could give him an answer, suddenly rushing into the office was Seifer.

"You left me," he scowled at Quistis.

Quistis just looked at him blankly, "Well you looked tired.  So I let you sleep."

"But I wanted to speak to you before you came here," he said walking towards her. 

"I don't know what you are so worried about," she snapped at Seifer.  "I just came here to clear things up with your father, and find out where my parents are buried at.  There's no need to get all excited."  Seifer just looked at her blankly with a stupid look.  "Well I am going to go see Ivan Blaine, hopefully he knows where my parents are buried." She returned her attention to the president and graciously thanked him.

Walking out the door Seifer quickly went after her.  "Wait, I want to go with you."

"Sure. Why not?  You're going to follow either way," she said rolling her eyes.

"Exactly," he smirked.  I'll follow you wherever you will go."  Quistis rolled her eyes at him again and trotted off to rent a car in Deiling.

It didn't take Quistis long to find the Blaine mansion.  The mansion was isolated in the area.  It felt like an estate, they both thought.  After knocking on the door, she was surprised to see Victor answer the door. 

"Hello, Miss Trepe.  Seifer.  What brings you here?" he looked at Seifer and extended his hand for a handshake.

Before either of them could respond, a voice came up behind, "Victor who is it?"  Quistis recognized Nora's voice, a moment later Nora stood next to her husband.

 "Oh Miss Trepe! Welcome," she said happily.  "Seifer you're here too! I'm glad you came!  Father said you were coming." Seifer was overwhelmed by Nora's sisterly affections, as she dragged both he and Quistis into the large house.

"Please sit down," She gestured for them to sit on a Victorian style couch in the living room. "Would you like something to drink? Tea? Water? Coffee?" she asked.

"NO thank you, we're fine," Seifer answered for both of them, but a couple minutes later a maid brought in a tray of tea and some refreshments for their guests.  Both sat down and accepted the hospitality of their young hostess.

"We truly appreciate your hospitality, but I'm here to see Mr. Ivan Blaine."  Quistis finally said. 

Victor sat down next to his wife.  "My father isn't back yet. He's gone out on an errand, but he should be returning shortly.  So I suggest you make yourself comfortable. I'm sure he won't be long."

Quistis sat and chatted with the couple, while Seifer just sat uneasily pretending to be interested in the trivial conversations. Until they finally they heard the door open and a voice of a man and a woman drifted into the living room. Following the voice in came Ivan and Thea Blaine. 

"Hello," Thea greeted them all with a smile.  "Looks like all the children are here," she said to her husband with a smile.  She walked over to Quistis.  "You've grown beautifully, just like your mother."  Quistis could not help but blush at the compliment.  Thea then switched her attention to Seifer.   She leaned in close to him and whispered into his ear, "Take care of her."  She then stood back and smiled at them both.  Ivan just stood there observing his wife mingling with everyone.

"Can I help the both you?" he said addressing Quistis breaking into the salutations.

"Yes sir, I was wondering if you knew where my parents are buried?" she asked hesitantly feeling a sense of oddness in the question.

"Doesn't Almasy know," he sardonically asked, looking at Seifer.  Seifer turned away the older man's gaze, and crossed his arms over his chest.

"No, he doesn't know, but he did suggests that you might know. Do you know Sir?' her voice wavered in uncertainty.

"Yes, I do know where it is located," he finally said after feeling his wife's warning glare.

Please come into my reading room and I will give you all the necessary information for your trip."  He started to walk up the large winding stair case before he turned to signal them to follow him.

They arrived at his reading room.  He motioned for them to sit in front of his desk.  He looked at the pair.  "Your parents Miss Trepe are buried in Centra.  We've thought about moving them back to Deiling, but thought it best to leave them in Centra instead.  Since Centra was where they lived fore their residency in Galbadia."

"You mean your parents are from Centra?" She repeated.

"Yes, in fact in they are buried near their old house, which is still standing, but it is in ruins from lack of use and neglect over the years.  The land belongs to you Miss Trepe. Since you are the Trepe's heir this property is yours to do as you please."  The man said, while he handed her a file of the legal documents about her ownership of the land.  He sat back waiting for Quistis's response.

"I don't understand, wouldn't the land have been taken away by now, since, I mean…" she was lost for words as she flipped through the old documents.

The man chucked, well apparently Centra isn't much developed as other countries, so no one has sought to take the lands down there.  Besides I've made sure no development has occurred especially with my friends buried there, but because it is so far away from Deiling, I regret to say their resting place has been neglected as of late, and the house is in weathered condition.  It has been fifteen years since it has been last occupied by people.  Also during the war everyone fled abandoning the house.  All I'm saying is don't be surprised with the condition of the place."

Quistis only nodded at Ivan's recollection of the location of her parent's home.

"Well I believe I've talked enough.  Here is the location you want," he handed them a piece of paper.  "I can have Victor take you there of you both like." He offered.

"No, thank you.  I think we can find this place by ourselves just fine." Seifer replied flatly.

"Is there anything else we can help you with?"

"Yes, Mr. Blaine," Quistis formulated the words carefully in her mind and took a deep breath.  "I believe, I owe you a much delayed 'Thank you,' that has been fifteen years too late.  I want to thank you for saving my life and bringing me safely to Edea's orphanage, and keeping this property for me.  I really appreciate everything that you have done, and I am ashamed for the not being aware of the debt my family has owed you for so long."

A smile spread cross Ivan Blaine's face, making him look amiable again.  "Do not worry about this debt Miss Trepe.  I was only doing my duty as a loyal officer and friend to your family.  Your family owes me nothing.  Just seeing you alive and grown into a beautiful strong young lady is enough to repay your debt."

"Thank you again sir." After thanking him again, Quistis finally left the reading room, and said their good-byes to everyone else and they both headed back to Deiling to gather her things at the Galbadia hotel.        

A/N: Again thanks for all the reviews guys and hanging in there with my baby :).  I'm gonna try my best to finish this fic before my finals are over.  *crosses fingers*  So again Thanks so much I hope you chapter meets your standards.