Disclaimer: I don't own any of the FF8 characters, just the story idea. THAT I guarantee you is all mine. (

Author's Note: Thank you all for the reviews, it means a lot to me. I really hope you enjoy the rest of the story, because it will only get better from here. Keep reviewing, and I'll keep posting.

Alternate Realm

Chapter 6

Growing Love



I've screwed it over. She'll never talk to me again. What was I thinking? Squall battled with his conscience over and over. The scene from the lunchroom played back in his mind, and he couldn't get the look of hurt on Rinoa's face out of his mind. Why had he exploded on her like that?

"How come you keep to yourself so much…?" she'd asked, just before he'd blown up at her. Something about the question? Maybe she'd just dug too deep… but he was so content to sit with her. It was all so confusing. His heart felt like someone was clamping a fist around it, while all the time, one by one, every wall he'd ever built around his heart was knocked down.

"What's happening to me?"



Rinoa wore no smile as she stepped into the lunchroom again. She saw Squall, but made no attempt to go and see him. After the way he'd fumed at her yesterday, she felt a little skittish. She could take a hint. If he didn't want her around, that was his problem. Selphie had told her that. They wandered over to a nearby table and sat down, munching on different things and gossiping.

"You know Rinoa," Selphie said as they ate. "For someone who's only been here three or four days, there sure has been a lot of excitement for you!"

Tell me about it, Rinoa thought. I never expected to find him, and now I've lost him.

"Squall is the only reason for the excitement."

Selphie fell quiet, knowing the subject was still touchy. Suddenly, a familiar face sat down with them.

"I've caused excitement?" he asked as he sat. "Now there's a sentence you don't hear everyday."

Selphie giggled, trying to lighten the mood. Rinoa kept it heavy. "I thought you wanted me to leave you alone."

Squall's eyes turned from hers. "Look, I'm sorry about yesterday."

"…That's it?"

Squall's brow crinkled. "Okay, fine," he said as he stood. Rinoa burst out into laughter.

"I'm kidding! I'm kidding!" she grabbed his hand. "Sit down Leonhart."



The next weeks that ensued Rinoa thought had to be the best of her life. She and Squall were becoming more and more infatuated with each other, and just about everyone in the school knew it. One morning, after much deliberation with himself about commitment, Squall asked Rinoa "the question." (A/N, I KNOW what you people are thinking, and you're sick! :P)

They walked side by side as they headed for class, until Squall stopped. "What's wrong?" she asked, looking back at him.

"Rinoa… these past weeks have been really great, huh?"

She smiled. "Yeah, yeah they have."

"Well I figured since we kind of are already… well, I was just wondering…"

"Wondering what?"

"Wondering if… well… will you go out with me?"

Her smile turned to a grin. "Of course I will!"

She walked over to him and took hi hand. "Forever and always Squall, forever and always."



Julia couldn't help feeling happy as she sat on the couch with her husband. Rinoa was out on a date with her new boyfriend, and Julia didn't know if she'd ever seen her daughter so jubilant.

"So what do you think of Squall, Laguna?"

Laguna's heart shifted at the sound of the name, though he showed no indication of being uncomfortable with the subject. "He seems like an okay kid. Why? What do you think of him?"

Julia sighed thoughtfully. "I think he's changed Rinoa's life… a lot."

"She has been very… unlike herself lately. Not that that's a bad thing."

"It's too bad you only ever knew the angry side of her. Before John died, she was a completely different person."

Laguna said nothing, letting her reminisce in times that he had no part in.

"I remember one time… it was our 6th anniversary. Rinoa was asleep upstairs, and he had made a gorgeous dinner for the two of us, and he'd gotten me a rose. We had the most romantic evening… talking about our future, and Rinoa's future with us."

She began to choke up with tears, but kept going. "I'll never forget that night… it was the only night I ever felt that John and I truly belonged together, not me and you."

"…Really?"

"Really. Oh, but I never stopped thinking of you all these years Laguna, even when I thought you were dead. I never stopped loving you."

Julia touched his face, and they leaned into kiss, but Laguna pulled back, breaking the moment. "What is it?"

He shook his head, trying to get up the courage to say it. "I just can't help but feel like the only reason we're together is because someone else is dead. I don't want that kind of love, Jules. If Caraway hadn't died… you and I would still be apart. I just can't think of anything but the fact that I took advantage of his death."

Her breathing quickened. "How long have you been- been feeling this way?"

He cleared his throat, shifting a little on the couch. "Since a few months after the wedding I guess. I want this marriage Julia, believe me, with all my heart I do. It's just been bothering me a little, that's all."

Julia's head found its way down to his chest, and he welcomed it. "What do you need me to do?" she asked softly, keeping the position they were in.

"I dunno… there's really nothing you can do. Our love has nothing to do with him, but I can't help feeling like it does."

"I loved John… I always will. But that doesn't mean we can't be happy together. I want you to be happy too though Laguna, that's all I've ever wanted."

"And I am happy. I want all of us to be. I love you."

"I love you too."

Their eyes locked with each other, and their lips met in the kiss they'd intended to have earlier. As their mouths released, Julia said, "How do you feel now?"

"Better," he replied. It was only half of a lie. He did feel better about their situation with Julia's previous marriage, but his heart was still very disturbed by the name "Squall," and the fact that Rinoa was his girlfriend. Nevertheless, he masked his feeling and gave all he had to Julia.



Rinoa giggled as she stumbled up the walkway to her home. She was overtaken by laughter, and was finding it hard to keep her balance. Squall had said something unparticularly funny to her, and she couldn't stop laughing. He barely smiled, but inside he was beaming.

As she did her best to quit laughing, he took her hand. She stared into his eyes, watching them intently. Squall leaned in, and so did Rinoa. Their lips met in their first kiss, and Rinoa never wanted it to end. As it did however, Squall whispered, "Goodnight," and released her hand. She blushed deeply and replied a barely perceptible "Goodnight," back.

She sighed dreamily as he walked away, watching as his figure faded into the night. She leaned against the door, and yelped as it opened and she almost fell in. It was dark inside the house, and Rinoa knew her parents had already gone to bed. She tiptoed up the stairs, and snuck into her room. Her night had been wonderful, and she slipped into a sleep filled with dreams of Squall.



Next morning Rinoa woke up refreshed and cheerful. She breathed in clean air from the slightly open window in her room, and birds chirped outside. Never had she witnessed a brighter morning. She could still taste Squall's kiss on her lips, but as the smell of fresh bacon and eggs cooking downstairs filled her senses, her mouth began to water in hunger. She bounded down the stairs, into the steamy kitchen.

"Morning Mother, Laguna," she greeted, giving BOTH of them a hug and a kiss.

"Are you feeling alright this morning Rin?" Laguna asked, a puzzled look crossing his features. She simply laughed, making him even more confused.

"So how was your date with Squall last night?" Julia asked, stirring the eggs.

"Oh, it was wonderful! I had the best time. I don't think I've ever laughed that much in my life."

Julia's lips moved upward, though she still had her back to Rinoa. Finally… maybe someone can finally make her happier than I can.

Laguna couldn't help but feel a little protective, since he was Rinoa's stepfather, and he'd had no other daughter to be protective of. He felt as if he had a responsibility to her because she had no on else.

"So what does Squall have planned for his future?"

Rinoa's smile faded. Where was Laguna going? "I don't know… he wants to be a SeeD like me I would guess. Why do you care?"

"Oh nothing. I'm just curious. Is he the same age as you?"

"Yes…"

"Okay, okay, there's no need to get defensive. I'm just wondering."

Laguna hadn't seen Squall yet… but inside his heart, he had a strange feeling he didn't want to. "When are you going to introduce him to me? You only showed him to your Mother."

"Well excuse me if you were gone. You can see him tonight if you're home."

I think she'll always have that sharp little tongue, he thought to himself. I wonder if she'll ever think of me as her stepfather instead of her archenemy.

"Okay, good, I'll look behind to meeting him," he retorted, and walked out of the kitchen.

Rinoa looked at her Mother strangely, and they both burst into laughter.



Squall's heart leapt to his throat as his finger pushed the doorbell and listened to it echo through the large home. Rinoa opened the door, looking radiant in a crisp spring dress and small summer shoes. The night was young and warm, but Rinoa invited him in.

"I thought we were going to…"

"I know. My stepfather wants to meet you," she said in a piercing voice. She led him to the living room, looking annoyed at the fact that she had to do this.

"Laguna, this is Squall. Squall, this is Laguna."

Laguna's jaw barely stopped itself from dropping. Good Hyne, he thought in amazement. He's the spitting image of her. Does that mean I'm a…

"It's good to m-meet you Squall," he stumbled, extending a hand to him in greeting. Squall took it and shook it firmly, replying, "It's good to meet you too sir."

Rinoa grinned. He was making a good impression by being a gentlemen, she knew it by the look on Laguna's face. Or maybe that was a different look… in any case, the look he wore was not one she knew well.

"So, where are you two goin tonight?"

The young couple looked at one another, and Squall responded, "To the movies probably. Right Rin?"

She smiled mischievously, knowing what he meant. "Yeah, we're going to go see that new movie that came out yesterday, I don't remember what it was called…"

Laguna was clueless. "Alright then, have fun!"

She had to struggle to keep a straight face as she said, "Oh, we will. C'mon Squall."

It was easy for him to hide a smirk, much easier than it was for Rinoa. Unperturbed by their behavior, Laguna went back to what he was doing, never expecting their true intentions. Of course, their true intentions were to most likely go to the movies, but not to actually watch it. They knew what they wanted to do.

As Rinoa shut the door behind them, she exploded in laughter. Squall watched her in amusement, though he showed no other emotion. "Hyne he can be stupid!" she exclaimed, walking down the path to the sidewalks of Deling City. An ebony night sky hung above their heads, dotted with tiny white stars and lit up by a full moon. Silence lingered between the two of them as her last comment fell into the night, and they stopped to behold the skies' beauty.

"Squall?"

"Yeah?"

"I'm really glad I met you."

He looked over at her, and she to him. Both eyes met, and he said, "Me too," so easily and finally, the two heads simply turned back up to the night sky.

"Oh, Squall look!" she cried, pointing a finger to a spot in the blackness. A star raced across a short part of the heavens, and just as quickly as it came, vanished. Rinoa closed her eyes, soundlessly wishing to stay with Squall forever.



ANOTHER author's note (: I wanted to say a special recognition to Chibi. You're a great friend! Everybody, you need to read her FF:TSW story, "A Boy Named Adam." It's wonderful! Oh, and I spent a LONG time deliberating whether Squall should shake Laguna's hand or not. Cause if I made it that he didn't, it would've made him more in character, right? But I decided that since Squall would want to impress her stepfather, and since he met her earlier than he did in the game, maybe it would've changed his personality. I dunno, tell me what you all think, okay? Please REVIEW!