CharlieGirl: Hello! I just finished beta-reading three different stories. Hope this is considered worthwhile. Yeah, I know it'd be a crummy deal if I took so long just to write something that no one wants ta read. Anyways, just to remind y'all (Not that you need to be reminded) please perform the standard procedure of R&R (Told ya. I mean, so many people write it in their summary that even when I close my eyes, I see 'R&R'. It's getting to a point where my dying words might be "Read and Review". Man, that's sad.) Anyways, enough of my ramblings (What'll I write at the end?) and on with the story/show/saga (Not quite)/ whatever you wanna call it.

~Arrival~

After 3 hours in a car together, Zell and Irvine stopped at a hotel. They had a fight in the car about the smallest thing: whether or not Zell snored. It was sad.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Irvine claimed that Zell did, and still does snore. He argued that the last time they took a mission together; he would not have survived, had it not been for "that wonderful invention called caffeine."

Of course, Zell had to defend himself and stated that Irvine was unable to sleep because of the discotheque beneath them.

"Right," Irvine sneered, "And I'm a monkey's uncle!"

"Well," Zell said, "I heard that Michael Jackson's looking for an uncle for his monkey, Bubbles. I think you'd be the perfect candidate. Besides, you do have that furry hair thing going on."

"Oh yeah! Well, remember the earthquake from a couple of years ago? Well, they found out that the earthquake originated from your bedroom!" He shot back.

After that comment, the two boys sat in the car silently for the rest of the ride. The tension in the air weighed down heavily. The two friends never had an argument this massive. What hurt even more to them was that the fight struck a little too close to home. Just a little.

In the right corner, our first contender pondered in deep thought. Irvine wished he could take back what he had said. This was his best friend and he was not going to lose him in a fight that married couples had (and they weren't even married, or at least not the last time he checked) about whether or not they snored. Sure that whole monkey thing hurt. He was not furry, nor was he hairy. He had shaved that morning and was as smooth as a baby's bottom. Besides, he did not think he looked like a monkey, but more like a pig; not that he'd ever admit it to anyone, not even to himself. 

In the left corner, the defendant reflected on his actions. Zell did not mean the words he had said. They just popped out of his mouth in the spur of the moment. He did not mean a single word about the whole monkey business. He also thought that Irvine just said the thing about the earthquake just to say something. 'Come on, even a five year old boy can come up with that. Hell, I can even do better than that! He could've at least said something like, "Once, I woke up and saw the curtains go back and forth to the rhythm of your snoring." or something like that.' Zell thought as they rode in silence to Dollet.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

So there they were, trying to decide whether or not they should get two rooms or one.

"Man, you need your sleep. Have your own room." Zell said apologetically.

"No man, it'd be so much easier for us if we were in the same room. Just two separate beds, you know? Because I love you and all (As a friend), but not enough to sleep in the same bed with ya." Irvine said.

"I'd be really afraid if you did. But you don't need to listen to me saw wood, so just have your own room."

"You know what guys?" the clerk stepped into the heart felt fight that they were having, "We have a room with two twin beds and there's wall in between them. This must be your lucky day because the room is vacant, empty, unoccupied. Get my drift?" She said with fake enthusiasm.

The sight of the two men in front of her was beginning to piss her off. They must have had a fight about whether or not one of them snored. It was a common fight amongst married couples. But a quick glance at their left hands to her that she was wrong. Thank god! Then she thought that those arguments most been common between relatives, but they looked nothing alike. The first guy looked like an adrenaline junky with the odd tattoo on the side of his face. The second guy looked like he came straight off a ranch somewhere… Cowboy hat and all. Giving up, she decided that to whom those fights were common amongst was none of her business.

Zell and Irvine looked at each other, and as if they could read each other mind, looked at the receptionist and said, "Sure!" simultaneously. It was scary.

The receptionist was pleased. No more mushy, gushy, "No, you need your sleep. Two rooms. I'm sorry dude; it'd be easier if we were in the same room. One room." Not to seem cold-hearted or anything, but she didn't have that type of patience.

That was the stuff that got her fired from her old job of being a caddy. She had taken one of the golf clubs and had beat the man up with it because he had taken too long, getting his feet aligned and was constantly wiggling his butt, as if to say, "Here, cop a feel." The manager had told her that she was fired and needed to attend an anger management class. She decided against her ex-boss' advice.

She took down their personal information and typed it into the computer. Just because she was not patient did not mean that she had not taken a personal liking towards this Zell fellow. She smiled at him as she swiped the cards through the card reader.

"Room 637. Sixth floor, number 637 is down the left corridor, beside the ice machine. If you need anything, just call room service. Enjoy your stay at the Regent Hotel." She said as she gave them their credit and key cards, while batting her eyelashes at Zell.

They muttered, "Thanks." And picked up their bags. They made their way to the elevators and pushed the 'Up' button.

"Dude, she's totally into ya." Irvine pointed out.

"The receptionist? Nah, there's no way that's true. There's no way that's possible. Besides, the last time I took your advice on that stuff, the chick was staring at the guy behind me. She was basically looking through me!"

The elevator dinged, announcing its arrival. The elevator on the far right opened and an elderly couple got off and eyed the two men suspiciously.

Just last year, someone had set off a cherry bomb in the pool and the suspects were two young men in their early twenty's. The elderly couple had the misfortune to have been swimming when the bomb exploded. Flutter boards, foam noodles and beach balls were sent hurling through the air. The couple themselves were sent high into the air and almost hit the ceiling. The poor seniors have not been able to go swimming ever since, for fear that the same thing might happen once more.

The two SeeDs ignored them and proceeded to board the elevator once the elderly couple had vacated the entrance. Zell pushed the '6' button and the doors closed. Irvine began to study the buttons closely.

"Ground Floor, Physically Disabled, Mentally Disabled, Gym, Café, Discotheque, 6, 7,8,9,10,11,12,14 and 15." Those words were written on the buttons in gold.

"Oh man! We're right on top of a discotheque again! Last time I got "Groove Thing" stuck in my head. This is so unfair! And… Who puts the Gym on the third floor and the pool in the basement?" Irvine whined.

"I guess it's not only my snoring you'll have to sleep through, bud." Zell teased.

"Oh yeah, you can't snore if you can't sleep, dude." Irvine retorted.

The elevator dinged once more, indicating that they had reached their destination.

The two men got off the elevator and began the walk down the hall.

"31, … 33, … 35, … 35, … 37. Hey wait a minute, there's no ice machine beside us!" Zell said.

"Oh well. It's not like you were actually going to use it, were you?" Irvine said as he opened the door.

The room was nothing spectacular. It was spacious with the standard hotel decorum. The bathroom was to the right of the door. When one walked past the wall the bathroom and looked around the wall, there was the first twin bed, a closet and a TV. If you walked past the bed, there was another wall and a door in the center of it. Inside the other part of the room was the second twin bed, another TV set and another closet.

Zell looked around, scanning the room for a specific item, but did not find it.

"Hey, there's no mini bar!" He pointed out.

"It's probably for the best. That way we can't go broke on that thing." Irvine stated. Credit cards were not cheap, especially the interest charges; they were murder.

"True." Zell agreed, "You want the side closest to the window or the bathroom?"

"Bathroom" Irvine said as he flopped down on the bed.

"Whatever."

"You know what, if you keep thinking like Squall, we might be able to find him faster."

"Yeah, but if Squall was thinking like himself, we wouldn't be here, Squall would be back at Galbadia Garden and so would Rinoa. Therefore, thinking like Squall wouldn't really help us. Get my drift?"

"Yeah, I guess so." The cowboy said in defeat.

"So, where do we start?" The 'Adrenaline Junky' asked.

"I don't know, but I'm thinking that breakfast sounds good. I'm starved." The cowboy suggested.

"So we start with breakfast. Sounds good to me too."

They left the room and walked towards the elevator. They pushed the 'down' button and waited for the elevator.

The elevator on the far left dinged and the men hopped on. For some odd reason, the elevator on the left was more spacious than the one on the right. Both, however, had a mahogany finishing and a golden railing that went around three of the four sides of the cube, the exception being the entrance/exit. The floor was carpeted and on three walls, there were mirrors.

"So, do you know any good restaurants around here that serves breakfast at ten in the morning?" Zell asked.

"As a matter of fact, I do. There's a little café down the street called 'Food For Thought'. It's really good."

"Alright, if you say so."

The elevator dinged once more and the two guys disembarked. Irvine held Zell before they turned the corner. He stuck his head around the corner, looked towards the reception and saw the same receptionist as before.

"Did you believe me before when I said that the receptionist likes you?" he asked.

"Psh, no!" Zell replied. He thought that his friend's cowboy was on too tight and was cutting off the circulation to his brain.

"Well, she's still there. I'll prove it to you. Follow my lead."

He walked out, looked towards the receptionist and said, "Hiya" as he tipped his hat. The receptionist stared at him and smirked.

Zell had trouble suppressing his fit of laughter. Irvine had just finished making a complete ass of himself and expected Zell to do the same! 'Well, why not?' Zell thought.

He straightened up and walked around the corner. He looked at the receptionist and said, "Hi" and walked on. This time, the receptionist looked up and gave him her best smile and returned the greeting with a wave.

As soon as the two SeeDs exited the hotel, they burst out laughing.

"Oh my god! How did you know?" Zell asked.

"Well, it was simple, really. When she swiped your card, she stuck out her chest a little. Then later, when she gave it back, she blushed a little at the contact between her hand and yours. Also, she kept on staring at you." His friend said As-A-Matter-Of-Fact-ly.

"Wow, I must be blind." Zell said, "Note to self: get glasses."

They continued to talk about unimportant matters as they walked towards the café.

They entered the café and a waitress came over to seat them. The café was small and quaint. The walls were painted a calming green color and there wasn't that many people eating at this hour. But the fact that it was a Sunday morning must be taken into consideration.

A few tables away, two fishermen who looked like they had just come off a boat were happily talking and eating.  The first was a bit chubby and had a beard. His bangs were stuck to his forehead.  His companion looked almost the same as him, save for the fact that he was in better shape than him and held a cigarette in between his index and middle fingers.

It was quiet in the café and one could eavesdrop on another's conversation without having to lean in.

The waitress gave the two SeeDs their menus and left them to decide what they wanted for breakfast. Whilst they decided, Zell could not help himself but over hear the conversation a few tables away.

"Hey, remember the body we pulled outta the water a couple 'a weeks ago?" The first guy said.

The second guy took a few puffs of his cigarette and answered him, "Yeah? Whatta 'bout him?"

"I heard he can't remember who he is. He's got amnesiosis…amnesiatosis?"

"Amnesia. Aww, that means we can't take credit for anything. Oh well. At least he wasn't ass ugly when we pulled him out because the poor guy might be even more devastated if he was. I heard that from the doctor that he hadda piece if film in him that said he was Sefeir Almasy. Did he look like him to you?"

  Zell dropped his menu on the table when he heard that. A few years ago, all SeeD were to get pieces of film for identification purposes, if ever it should happen that their bodies were mauled beyond recognition.  He also knew that Squall's and Seifer's got mixed up somehow and they were just too lazy to change them. Damn the system.

"Ha! There was no way that he couldda been Almasy! He was four inches too short! And besides, isn't Almasy a blond?"

"Yeah, that's what I said!"  And they began to laugh. The first guy was laughing so hard that he began to choke on his eggs. He began to cough and it still did not come out. Pretty soon, he was not making any noise.

Zell jumped out of his seat and went to the man and stood him up. He began to perform the Heimlich maneuver. He began his J-thrusts when the piece of egg was hurled across the room and hit the waitress in the forehead.   

The waitress was both shocked and relieved. She was shocked that she had just been hit in the forehead with a piece of egg and that a client of hers nearly choked to death (Wouldn't you be too?). She was, however, relieved that someone knew the Heimlich maneuver and was able to save him. Silently, she removed the piece of egg from her head and made a face of disgust.

The men began to laugh again, all four of them this time. This was a Kodak Moment and no one had a camera. The waitress was humiliated beyond belief. She was just glad that that sort of thing did not happen everyday.

"Thank you for saving my life. How's about you join us for breakfast. My treat." The fisherman said. It was common courtesy to treat the person that saves your life to a meal.

"Sure. Thank you." Zell replied. He was not just born yesterday and knew that it was rude to refuse an offer. It would tarnish the man's pride and make the man feel unworthy. Plus, Zell wanted to know more about the body they found.

The waitress added another table to the fishermen's table and returned to her job when the gang finally sat down.

"What can I get you gentlemen?" She asked, putting the entire incident behind her.

"I would like two eggs scrambled with sausages. For the toast, I'd like white bread. Thank you." Zell said.

"Ok. And you, sir?" She said to Irvine.

"I'd like a mushroom omelet, please." He replied.

"Sure. Would any of you like something to drink?" She asked the two SeeDs.

"Coffee." They said simultaneously. It was beginning to get very scary.

"Ok." She said as she left.

"So, what brings you to Dollet?" the plump fisherman asked.

"Well, we're here looking for someone. A friend of ours." Irvine said.

"Yeah, what's his name?" The smoker asked, "Maybe we've heard of him."

"Squall Leonheart." Irvine said. Sure, confidentiality was important, but people might think that the smoke finally began to affect his brain. It was a theory; and he knew that the smoke was getting to his.

"Nope, never heard of him. Describe him. Maybe we saw him somewhere." Said the first.

"Well, he's got long brown hair, blue eyes and a scar across his face. He went missing a couple of weeks ago. This is where he was last." Zell described, "He's about 5'8" and says 'Whatever' a lot."

"He sounds a lot like the guy we pulled out of the water. Did he have a piece of film in him that said 'Sefeir Almasy' on it?" the smoker asked.

"I think so. I'm not sure. Maybe." Irvine said.

"Well then, you might want to pay a visit to Doctor James Fisher. He has an amnesiac with him. He's the same guy we pulled out of the sea a couple of weeks ago. Maybe he's your friend Squall, but just doesn't know it yet." The fit fisherman said. He did not trust his friend to say 'Amnesiac' properly.

"Sure. Do you have the doctor's address?" Irvine asked.

"Yeah, it's 13 579 Brilliant Blue drive." Said the plump fisherman.

"Brilliant Blue drive? What kind of a name is that?" Irvine laughed.

"I don't know. Don't ask us, we didn't invent the names of the streets, you know." The second man laughed.

The waitress came over with the coffee and breakfast. No sooner had she placed the plates down had the two SeeDs attacked the food in front of them. When she finished pouring the coffee, it was gone. 'Man, when was the last time these two ate food? Four years ago? My god! They're like vacuum cleaners! Nothing's safe!" she though as the 'Hoover Backs' did their job.

"My god! And we thought we were bad! Ha!" the fishermen joked.

The two SeeDs said nothing and just ate. The fishermen let them eat, but did not have to wait long because in five mere minutes, their plates did not have a single crumb on them.

"Wow! You guys get down to business. Would you like anything else to eat?" The plump man asked.

"No. We're fine." They replied together, again. This was getting out of hand.

"Wow! You guys are scary. That's twice in the span of half an hour! Anyways, are you sure?" He asked once more. Twice never hurt anyone before.

"Yup." Zell said.

"Okay. Check please." He asked the waitress.

The waitress punched the numbers in and brought the check to the plump fisherman. She walked back to the cash and began to talk with the cook.

The man looked at the check and began to pull some Gils out of his wallet.

The waitress walked over and collected the cash.

The men got up and put their coats on.

"Well, we have to get down to the docks. We set sail in about an hour or so. If ever you should come to Dollet again, stop by this café. We eat here most of the time anyways." The smoker said as hit lit another cigarette.

"Alright. We're going to check out that doctor's place. So, we'll see you guys again, hopefully. And next time, I hope you don't end up choking on some eggs again." Zell said as they went their separate ways.

'Eleven thirty and we already have a lead. This is beginning to be a good day." Zell thought as they went back to the hotel to get the car. Hyne knows where this doctor's house was and he was not going to find it on foot. But this was only the beginning of something more than what they had bargained for.

_________________________________________

In the Caraway Mansion, on the outskirts of Deling City, Rinoa Heartilly was just beginning to wake up. Her clock read 8:30 in its bright red numbers. She opened her eyes, wondering where she was, but it all came back to her. She was in her father's mansion.

She got up and took her shower. The warm water brought her comfort that she had not felt since the last time she was held in Squall's arms. She had never felt like this before. She was never dependent on the human touch to give her comfort and security.

She began to remember her dream last night and smiled. Then it struck her. She could not just wait here while Squall was Hyne knows where. She began to devise a plan in her head.

When she got out, she would hack into the Garden database and find out where Squall was last. It was standard procedure to report your whereabouts and progress to your supervisor. Then she would tell Ula that she was going to where ever Squall was, to visit her friend… Marpessa. The reason for leaving was… She was ill! That was it. She had the flu and would like to see her friend before she passed away. That was it. Marpessa over exaggerated whenever she got sick and thought that the flu would be the end of her!

Rinoa silently congratulated herself for being very clever and for coming up with a plan so quickly.

She turned off the water and got dressed. She brushed her teeth and hair and went to the computer room.

She logged on and put her hacking skills to use. She got into the database without a problem. She put up a search for 'Leonheart, Squall' and found his dental records, medical records, personal information and lastly, his status report. What she read, she did not believe.

The file before her eyes read as follows:

 'Name: Leonheart, Squall.

Current location: Dollet

Mission: Capture Johnny the Piranha and bring him in for questioning.

Progress: Became a trusted member of the mob. Was found out November 1st, 2042.

Further information: Current whereabouts for November22nd, 2042: unknown.'

'Squall became a member of a mob? Was that why he never called me? And what does that mean " Current whereabouts for November22nd, 2042: unknown."'  She thought. 'Oh well. I'm going to Dollet then.'

She quickly logged off the computer and went to eat breakfast. If she hurried, she could make the 12:30 train to Dollet.

Ula hugged her good morning and had managed not to cut off Rinoa's air supply. 'Wow, that was a first' Rinoa thought. Ula brought Rinoa's food to the table as Rinoa took her seat. 'Mm, blueberry pancakes. This is sign of a good day ahead of me.' Rinoa thought as she performed her magic trick of making food disappear from her plate.

When she was finished, she decided to approach the woman about her trip to Dollet to 'Visit Marpessa'.

"Um, Ula?" She began, "My friend… Marpessa isn't feeling well. She's… got the flu and she tends to exaggerate a lot when she gets sick. She said that the flu was… 'Going to be the end of her'. She said that she would like to spend 'Her last minutes on earth' with me. But, the problem is that she lives in… Dollet. I was thinking that… I'd go down there today and stay with her until she gets better. It could mean that I'd be gone for a couple of days, weeks, months even. And I thought that if I hurried, I could make the 12:30 train to Dollet."

The nanny looked reluctant to give up her precious Rinoa for more than a minute. She changed her mind when Rinoa gave her her best 'Sad Puppy Dog' face. "Alright, but call me when you get there and every night before you sleep." She said in her thick accent. Ula knew that she had to stop falling for the sad puppy dog look eventually. It was just too easy for Rinoa because she always got what she wanted from her ever since she was five and Ula knew it.

Rinoa raced upstairs to her room to pack her things. She was careful to not mess up all the folding that Nancy had done for her as she shoved the clothes into her suitcases. She was finished before 10:00.

She decided to drive into the city immediately and go do a little shopping while she waited. She was accompanied by Ula, who was going to bring the car back to the mansion and waited outside while Rinoa shopped. At 12:00, Rinoa was finished and Ula drove her to the train station.

"Now, listen to me, Rinoa. I want you to call me when you get there, tell me which hotel you're staying at because you will not be staying with Marpessa because you will catch her flu. Be careful of…"

" 'Perverts, pimps and muggers. Stay away from anyone suspicious and keep your hotel room locked.' I know Ula. You've been telling me that since I was seven when I went to Garden."

"Alright child. I get your point, but someone has to worry about since your father won't. And remember, I love you and I'll miss you once more when you're gone."

"I'll miss you too, Ula." Rinoa said as she got out of the car. She went to the trunk and got her things. 

Rinoa didn't know why, but she was crying. Maybe it was the fact that she was leaving her poor nanny all alone in that big mansion (her father insisted on buying many years ago, saying that a big house meant power. 'And a welcome sign for murderers and thieves. "Oh, sure. We'll leave the back door unlocked for you, Mr. Robber. Take the big screen TV and all the top-secret documents. Be our guest"' Rinoa had thought at the time).  Or possibly because she had left, lying to a woman that loved her like a daughter. The possibility of Rinoa feeling sorry for the nanny was always a possibility. She wiped her tear-streaked face and got out from behind the car and walked onto the sidewalk.

Rinoa waved her nanny good-bye. The car retreated into the distance ahead of it. Rinoa turned around, purchased her ticket and stood on the quay as she waited for the train to come. She thought about what she'd say to Squall when she found him. She wondered what he'd say when he saw her, but more importantly, how he'd react. 'He'll be happy to see me." She told herself.

The train arrived, snapping Rinoa out of her thoughts. She gathered her things and boarded the train.  She found a compartment all to herself and thought about the journey ahead of her.

_____________________________

Dr Fisher had just finished reminiscing about the night prior to his morning glass of brandy for breakfast. The sleeping form of his patient had just awakened. The doctor looked at him.

"Good morning." The patient greeted him.

"More like afternoon." The doctor responded.

"Afternoon? What time is it?" The patient asked, slightly concerned.

The doctor pointed to the clock on the nightstand beside the bed. The bright red numbers gave out the time and realized that it was not quite the afternoon.

"10:30 am is not quite the afternoon. Frankly, I don't know how you made it as a doctor if you can't tell the difference between morning and afternoon." The patient teased.

"Knowing the difference between night and day was good enough for them." Fisher replied.

Old Chap laughed as he walked into the bathroom. Hygiene was as important to the patient as it was to the doctor. Old Chap closed the door behind him, leaving the doctor by himself once again.

The doctor walked over to the kitchen and pulled out a frying pan, some eggs, ham and home fries out. He was going to try to make breakfast. He turned on the stove and realized that he forgot the oil.

Grumbling, he walking back to the cupboard and pulled out the olive oil. There was not that much left, but just enough to make breakfast.

He pored some in the pan and went back to the cupboard to put it away.  He walked over to the stove and began to crack the eggs against side of the pan. He carefully dropped the yolk and egg white in the pan and listened to it sputter. He did the same to the second egg.

He pulled out a second pan and proceeded to cook the ham. He put down two slices after he had pored the oil in it. He listened as the cold ham met the hot oil and the crackling sounds emitted from the pan.

They demanded his attention as he saw the egg white was actually white. He removed the two eggs and placed them on a plate. He put the hot pan in the sink. He turned on the tap and the water streamed in the pan and steam filled the air above the pan, hovering like a black cloud and evaporated a few seconds later.

The smell of cooked ham brought him out of his trance. He diverted his attention from the steam and flipped the ham, letting the other side cook.

He walked back to the sink and washed it so he could cook the home fries. As he scrubbed the pan clean, he thought about the last time he had eaten home fries. They were delicious and were his favorite part of breakfast, but he stopped eating breakfast long ago when he had discovered brandy.

Pleased with his handy work, he dried off the pan and set it once more on the stove and pored the rest of the oil on the pan. He sighed with relief when he saw the he had enough to oil the pan. He shoveled some of the fries into the pan and checked on his ham. It was perfect. Slightly browned, the way that ham should be eaten. He took the ham off the pan and placed it on the plate.

He took the pan and placed it in the sink and watched the steam again. For some odd reason, the steam had always mesmerized him since he was a little boy of three years old.

Old Chap walked through the door at that moment and saw the man who held his fate in his hands staring at something so simple. He sighed and looked at what held the doctor's attention. What he saw was very odd. For some reason, he could have sworn that he saw her again. The woman that was stuck in his memory was there before him, in a cloud of smoke. He closed his eyes and looked again and saw nothing but a lot of steam. 

He glanced at the stove and saw that the home fries were still in the pan, unattended to. He knew that they could be burned quickly, so he walked over to the stove and shook them. The oil beneath them sputtered and Old Chap saw that the fries were done. He turned off all the burners and shoveled the fries on the plate beside the stove.

"Huh?" the doctor said as he walked out of his trance. He jumped when he saw his patient beside him, placing the hot pan that had once contained home fries into the sink. He became mesmerized once more as the steam rose to the ceiling. This time, however, Old Chap snapped him out of his trance.

"Dude, you gotta stop doing that. You'll get easily distracted when the fireworks roll out."

"Oh, really? Says who?" The doctor retorted.

"Says the fact that you're easily distracted by steam." His patient replied smugly.

"What if it was only the steam that distracts me?" The doctor tried to out wit him.

"Well, … Then I'd say that you're one messed up doctor. I'd also say that I'm glad that you're not still on the operating table." He said with a smile.

"Really? Who ever said that I wasn't still operating? I mean, how do you think you survived that storm?" the doctor retorted. He pointed his index finger at himself and mouthed the word 'Me'. He smiled triumphantly at his patient.

The patient was stunned. He never thought that this alcoholic doctor was ever fit to cure anyone with the proper medication, let alone operate on someone. The notion of James Fisher operating on him scared him to death. He had been told a few times about how lucky he was to not have died like the poor guy getting heart surgery.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

It was June 23rd, 2042 and James Fisher had just gotten ready to do heart surgery on Jerry Gladstone. Fisher had finished downing a shot of tequila and was listening to some rock music. He put on his scrubs and washed his hands. He began to feel a little light-headed as he did his pre-surgery preparation. Maybe he had too much tequila. Non-sense. There was no such thing as too much tequila.

He tossed the feeling aside and continued to the table. They already had the guy stabilized. He was set to perform open-heart surgery. The monitor beeped and booped, indicated that his heart beat was normal. All was going very well. He began cutting through the man's rib cage. All was well.

He then proceeded to cut the ribs. All was well, so far. The ribs were cut one by one. The nurses around him gave him what he called for and moped his brow so the perspiration did not mix with the patient's blood.

The minutes that seemed like hours passed, one by one.  Just when he thought that he could not take anymore, the last bone was cut and the heart was beating right before his intoxicated eyes. He raised his scalpel, ready to attack the left ventricle… Or was it the right? Maybe he was supposed to cut the right atrium… Or the left?

He couldn't remember. He then remembered that he was supposed to start with the septum, but completely missed and sliced the aorta and pulmonary artery. Blood began to gush and the heart monitor began to slow down and the red light began to blink on and off. The nurses began to stare at him quizzically. They were shocked that Dollet's best surgeon had completely messed up open-heart surgery by mistaking the left ventricle for the aorta and pulmonary artery. It was very simple. Any student in the ninth grade would know the difference between the three.

The people around the doctor tried to patch the man up while the surgeon just stood there. He could not believe that he had just messed that up. The alarms and shouts in the room faded as the doctor immersed in deep thought.

The patient eventually wound up in cardiac arrest and his family eventually found Dr. Fisher and sued him and the hospital. The hospital got off easy They were told that they had to fire the intoxicated doctor and pay for the funeral services and a fine of 30 000 Gil. The doctor, however, got his beautiful loft atop of the Sunset Skyscraper taken away (to pay a fine of 200 000 Gil), fired, was never hired again, not even as a pediatrician. He was ordered to attend a support group for alcoholics (but he never got around to that) and to do thirty hours of community service.

From time to time, certain celebrities called for his help in situations that they wanted to be kept confidential. He did demand a hefty sum for his services, but these were the people that did value secrecy more than they did money. He was not proud of it, but hey, a man's got to do what he has to.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

A/N: Well, I think that's it. I mean, what's next remains to be seen. I promise that in the next chapter, I'll add more 'mobish' scenes and answer a few questions that you might have. Anyways, I'll see y'all in the next chapter. Anyways, um, … I've been pretty busy the past few weeks or so. I haven't updated in the longest time, but hey, better late than never. You know what? I think this chapter was just to stall a little and to do a little spring-cleaning in the doctor's closet. Anyways, please review, lest you want to be sedated by a yeti. It's your choice. Seriously, I'll have one imported from the Himalayas.  I write faster with feedback (and less to edit, but that's not the point! :D). So, what are you doing still reading this? GO! If you're Sammy-Chan or Heida, read on.

I'm not complaining. Actually, I feel quite flattered that you actually want me to edit your fic(s). Yup, there goes that warm, tingly feeling. So, I now release you to go write your reviews (you owe me that much. Besides, you're my friends. It'd just be cruel if you didn't.)