Rating: R (I tried to keep it lower, but it just wasn't destined to happen - unlike other things [which are responsible for the rating])

Disclaimer: SG characters are (c) MGM (thankie to Morrigan for that :p).  FF8 characters are (c) Squaresoft, original characters are mine – ask nicely and I might let you play with them, s'long's you don't break them...

Warnings: SxS - Yaoi (guyxguy) later - if u don't like, don't read.  Character death.  Maybe angst (I do like to torture my characters sometimes :p), language (prob nothin u aint heard b4, but still...)

~Chapter Sixteen: Into the Valley of Death~

Laguna was fighting a losing argument with himself.  He knew that Squall had made his decision clear after the Ultemecia business, vanishing with Rinoa was a pretty good indication of how things were, and that he probably never wanted to be dragged into anything ever again.  Laguna thought he'd feel the same if he'd been through all his son had.

But, despite all that, he still felt Squall should know what was going on.  After all, if things got out of hand, Squall was indisputably the best fighter Garden had ever had.  There was no way Ultemecia could've been defeated without him.  Laguna smiled rather smugly.  Like father like son.  There was no way Esthar could've defeated Adel without him either.

Sighing at the inevitable defeat he could see looming on his mental horizons, Laguna turned to Kiros, his constant companion.

"I found Squall."  To his surprise Kiros began to laugh.  "What?!"  Laguna demanded.

"I didn't think you'd be able to keep from telling me for so long."  Kiros admitted.  Laguna's face fell.

"How did you know?"  He asked disconsolately.  Kiros laughed again at the expression on Laguna's face.

"You talk in your sleep.  I've known for about three weeks."  Laguna sighed.

"I guess you know where he is then."  Kiros nodded.

"And who he's with.  Yes.  Am I correct in assuming you want to send a message to him?"  Laguna nodded.

"Yes.  He needs to be told about the Centra excavation site being reopened.  And that Selphie, Irvine, Quistis and Zell have all suddenly been called out there."  Kiros nodded.

"I'll be back before you realise I've gone."  He turned away, halting as Laguna placed a hand on his arm.  Laguna walked around so he was in front of the dark-skinned man, then leaned up and firmly kissed him on the lips.  For a moment they stood, locked together, then with a soft, reluctant sigh, Laguna pulled away.  Kiros grinned, then strode away without a word, or a backwards glance.

***

It didn't take Kiros long, after commandeering one of the prototype landspeeders, to reach the outskirts of the Grandidi forest, and he set off along the broad trail which led to the increasingly popular Chocobo sanctuary.  The sanctuary wasn't where he was heading of course, but it went past where he would turn aside for the remote cabin that Laguna had discovered Squall and Rinoa were hiding in.  With luck he would reach it before noon.

AN: Guess I always thought Laguna was more than he seemed.  Guess there had to be some reason the Shumi and Moombas love him so much, and the fact that he's remained Esthar's president for, hmm, at least 20 years in this fic.