---Disclaimer: Everything is © Square.

---Author's Note: Yes, for me, this chapter has been a little delayed. I had to attend a ceremony for my brother, who was graduating Boys' State, as well as go to a party for my soccer team and stay over at my friend's house (got to watch 'The Matrix', 'Tomb Raider', 'Final Destination', and 'Catch Me if You Can'). Also, I'm a ninth of the way through 'The Order of the Phoenix', so I'm sure that had something to do with the delay. This chapter was written during the ceremony, so it might be a little odd and jumpy at times. Thanks for waiting patiently.

~

"Hello, Squall."

He shook his head, unable to believe what he was seeing. Just the mere thought of her sent shivers racing up his spine; having her in the same room with him again was overwhelming. He passed a hand quickly over his eyes, determined to make the vision pass. She had haunted him for too many weeks to get her claws into his brain again.

"Wake up," He told himself firmly, jamming his eyes closed. Rinoa's mouth opened slightly as she watched him; his actions suggested that he thought that he was dreaming, or something.

"Squall -" She began, but he quickly cut her off, digging his nails into his palms.

"Stop it, just wake up!" He told himself softly through gritted teeth. Suddenly it hit her that this must have happened to him a lot, and immediately she felt a familiar prick in the corner of her eyes. She almost didn't feel her legs moving as she ran over to him, soft hands enclosing his bare wrist.

"Squall, I'm real! Look at me," She pleaded, shaking him. He stopped his mantra, and, a second later, slowly opened his eyes. He took a deep, steadying breath and stared at her, long and hard, before he spoke.

"Kadowaki was right then." He paused, releasing one of his hands from her grip and passing it over his eyes again. "Hyne Rinoa . . . why did you come back?" He said hoarsely, looking at her for the first time in the eyes.

She swallowed under his intense blue glare. Although his eyes held not the dominance that Quistis' blazing cobalt optics held, they were unmistakably unavoidable, and seemed to pierce her soul.

"I love you, Squall. You didn't think I'd forgotten that, did you?" she asked, her voice small.

"You never called or sent us anything," He said pointedly, and his gaze came close to a glare. Rinoa sighed, defeated.

"There's no excuse for that. I admit it, I just didn't want give you - or anyone else for that matter - false hope. Please forgive me," She said quietly, looking up at him with sad eyes. He groaned, missing her more that she was so close to him. Gently and slowly, so unlike him, he bent down and wrapped his arms around the petite Sorceress, sliding off of the bench and rubbing her back in smooth, slow circles. He could almost feel her tears seeping into his white cotton shirt, her arm draped over his should just as it had been when he saved her from the Sorceress Memorial.

". . . Why did you leave if you were going to come back?" He managed to ask.

"Becausessss . . ." An all too familiar voice hissed into his shoulder, and he pushed the girl in light-blue back from him, recoiling in horror at the face the he beheld: jagged lines, demonic eyes, ragged, singed hair and a cruel, twisted expression. Ultimecia's hand shot out, encircling his wrist and drawing him in. No matter what he did, what strength he had, he couldn't fight her. Finally, he did the only thing that his brain was willing to command -

Scream.

~

"Squall! Hyne Squall, wake up!"

His azure eyes snapped open, and he found himself face-to-face with Quistis, whose blonde hair glowed loose and free like the new dawn and blazing eyes shone with concern. He realized belatedly that he was sweating like a pig, his white shirt plastered to his chest and uncomfortable. Pushing a hand across his brow, he tried desperately to recall what he had been doing to have fallen asleep in the Quad.

"Are you . . . okay?" Quistis asked uncertainly, sitting down next to him and placing a comforting hand on his shoulder.

"Where's Rinoa?" He asked urgently, snatching up her wrist and squinting at the watch that was tight to her skin. His eyes widened as he saw the time.

"In the Cafeteria, with Irvine and Selphie. She's the one that found you here, but didn't want to be the one to wake you, so she came and got me. Oh, and Kadowaki is letting you back into office today."

He nodded absently. "I'm going . . . to get dressed," He murmured, gesturing to the faded cotton shirt and black shorts he was informally sporting. Quistis smiled, nodding and standing. As he watched her exit, she began to put her hair back into hits normal style, but he grabbed her wrist.

"Don't. Its better that way."

"Okay," She said, somewhat surprised.

~

"W-what am I going to say to him? I betrayed him - what more is there to be said?" Rinoa whispered, her brown eyes staring hard at Irvine and Selphie, begging for help. The Kinneas family stared at her solemnly.

"You hurt him when you left. He would have supported you if you hadn't been for such a stupid reason. He thought that you would handle anything for him, not just leave because of a couple rumors. In all honesty, Rinoa, it really could have been worse on you, what with the given ammo and all," Irvine told her, uncharacteristically serious. His hotdogs remained untouched before him and Selphie alike. Rinoa had a half-frozen coffee in front of her that she had downed half of.

"You hurt all of us, Rin," Selphie added, holding up a finger. The Sorceress nodded in understanding. "Are you . . . going to stay?" Mrs. Kinneas asked meekly, poking her rice. Rinoa shook her head, dark hair swaying around her ears.

"Just for a week. I-I have an obligation to Trabia, you know," She said, adopting a matter-of-fact tone. Selphie's eyes narrowed.

"You have an obligation to Squall first," She said angrily. "Just like he will always put you first, no matter what foolhardy things you do." Rinoa rubbed her temples and scraped back her chair. She couldn't stand this chastisement any longer.

"I'll . . . see you around," She said before hurrying off. In her rush, she knocked into Seifer, throwing herself off balance and tumbling to the floor.

"Watch it, princess." He spat the title, brushing the remnants of her touch from his filth-covered trench coat. The red cross of the Knight still gleamed as always.

"Beat it, Seifer," She said venomously, and he rolled his eyes, running a thumb over Hyperion's hilt before going the opposite way from her.

~

A knock on the door further addled the Commander's thoughts, and he clenched his teeth, clutching the papers tight in his hand.

"What?" He snarled irritably to the door, tossing the crumpled papers across the office. The door opened and Quistis entered.

"Are you doing okay?" She asked quietly, clutching a manila folder in her hands.

"I can't think, I can't concentrate," He muttered, clutching his head. "Whether it's the phone or the com, I keep getting interrupted, disturbed . . . would someone please nail a blasted 'Do Not Disturb' sign onto my door, for Hyne in Heaven!" Quistis grimaced at his current frustration. HE looked over at her, as if acknowledging her presence for the first time. "What?"

"SeeD field exam rubrics. Cid said to have you grade them," She said briskly, stepping forward and tossing the folder lightly onto his desk.

"Great. Another responsibility to top of my day of headaches and paranoia. All I need now is -" A chime on the com cut him off, and he growled low, snatching it and pounding on the button. "What?"

"Commander sir -" (it was Xu's voice) "-Miss Heartilly requests an audience with you in the ballroom." He put his head in his hands, making his voice come out muffled.

"Who should I bring?"

"A private audience, sir. In twenty minutes time," Xu amended. He waved his hand dismissively; this was what he had been expecting all morning.

"Fine." He switched off the intercom and collapsed into his chair. "I have a headache."

"What else is new?" Quistis muttered, folding her arms and leaning against the doorpost. "Just get down there, talk to her - and I mean talk, Squall, not 'whatever' for every response - and take some pills. A headache's a headache, and pills'll put you out in a minute if you take them now." He nodded, not really comprehending the meaning but understanding the overall moral. He exited quietly, as always, and Quistis let out a long0held breath. Now that she did, she wished she hadn't.

She had a headache too.

~

Yeah, I know, jumbled and distorted and lacking the long, detailed paragraphs I'm hated for. Ah well, at least I finally got it up, which is an improvement. You know how long that was? 11 pages on a seven-inch (width) notepad. Demonic. Hated it; I could barely read my own handwriting, let alone type it up. Ugh. I'm NEVER doing that again. x.x