Disclaimer: I don't own Final Fantasy VIII...

Author's Note: I'm on a roll here! Updates three weeks in a row? What's wrong with me, lol! It seems like every chapter that I write, the more confidence I gain. Without the added pressure of school, I'm able to write chapters more efficiently, and more often. I actually know pretty much where this is will be going. For those of you who commented about the incident with Tanya Harding and Nancy Kerrigan, well, it definitely had an influence in the last chapter. Anyway, this is going to be my last update for at least a week since I am leaving for Bermuda tomorrow. I will be gone for a week, so I might be able to get in some writing. I'd also just like to say if you're reading this right now, and I have been reviewing your fic, if you update your fic in the coming week, don't think that if I don't review I stopped reading it, or I don't like it. I just won't be around to review it! I'll try to catch up to everyone's fics when I come back. Thank you again to everyone that reviewed. I hope you enjoy this chapter.

On the Ice

Chapter 12- Harsh Reality

Squall exited his car feeling irritable. His patience had been tried multiple times, with cars honking and fighting over parking spaces. Shaking his head, he alarmed the car and made his way toward the side entrance of the arena. This was no time to be annoyed; he needed to concentrate on the task at hand. Seifer and Quistis had lost, twice now, and Squall had an uneasy feeling thinking about what they could try.

You're being ridiculous, Squall. That's what Rinoa would say if she heard you right now. The thought of Rinoa brought a smile to his face. Just thinking of her put him at ease. His pace quickened as he found that he just really wanted to see her, regardless of being with her a few minutes earlier. He opened the door that led right into the backstage area, flashing his ID at the guard. Walking down the hall, he reached the locker room and opened the door.

"Hey," Selphie greeted him as soon as she walked in. "Where's Rinoa?"

Squall frowned. "Isn't she here? I dropped her off a few minutes ago when I went to look for a place to park."

"Hmmm...that's funny. I haven't seen her at all. Maybe she went to the bathroom?"

Squall shook his head. "She had her equipment with her. I'm sure she would have dropped it off here first. Are you sure she didn't already come here?"

Selphie nodded. "I'm positive. I've been in here the whole time, and if she came in here, I would have noticed."

Squall took a deep breath. "Something is wrong here...Rinoa wouldn't just disappear. I have to find her," Squall said worriedly. He ran out of the locker room hoping that this was all a big misunderstanding and Rinoa would appear before him, wearing that beautiful smile.

"Sir, Sir!" A man ran up to him frantically. "I need your help!"

Squall sighed impatiently. I don't have time to deal with this! "What is it?"

The man took a minute to catch his breath. "I just called an ambulance," he wheezed. "There's a woman in the front of the building, unconscious. She's hurt pretty badly. I think she's one of the skaters, but I have no idea what I should do!"

Squall's blood froze at the man's words. "W-where is she?" He managed to choke out.

"In the front, Sir. Would you like me to show you?"

Squall nodded numbly and followed the man down the hall. Everything was a blur to him: the voices, the sounds, the emotions. It can't be Rinoa.

After what seemed like hours, they made it outside. Squall saw the body lying there and knew at once that it his worst fear had come true. It was Rinoa. Squall dropped down to his knees beside her.

"Rinoa? Rinoa, can you hear me? It's Squall." There was no response from her. "You called an ambulance?" Squall directed his question to the man.

He nodded. "Yes, Sir."

"Then where the hell are they," he shouted angrily.

"I'm sure they're on their way, Sir," the man assured him.

Blood...there was so much blood. How could a person survive losing that much blood? "Come on, Rinoa, hang on. The ambulance is on its way. Please, you have to hold on." A siren was heard in the distance. "Thank God," Squall whispered.

Minutes later, the ambulance pulled up beside them. Two of the paramedics jumped out and loaded Rinoa onto a stretcher and into the ambulance.

"I'm coming with you," Squall told one of them.

He nodded. "Alright, get on."

Squall did as he was told and the ambulance sped down the street.

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Caraway was enjoying a quiet lunch outside. It was a beautiful day and no matter how much he tried to deny it, he was a nature lover. Nothing made him happier than sitting peacefully, watching the garden grow. Today, however, his peace was interrupted as Sherry cam running outside.

"Sir," she called frantically.

Caraway raised an eyebrow, annoyed at being interrupted by some trivial matter that Sherry was sure to report. "What is it, Sherry?"
"There has been an accident. I just got word of it..."

"What kind of accident?" He asked impatiently. "What has this got to do with me?"

"Sir...Rinoa was involved in the accident. She was taken to the hospital a while ago. I don't know the details of what happened, but I do know that she was severely injured."

"Do you know which hospital she was taken to?"

Sherry nodded. "I've already got a car waiting to take you there. You will be going, won't you?"
Caraway sighed. "Rinoa is my daughter. I have a duty as her father to go see her."

Satisfied, Sherry led Caraway to the car that would take him to Rinoa.

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Squall paced back and forth in the waiting room. What the hell was taking so long? The more time that went by, the more anxious he became. Rinoa had to be fine. There was no way that she wouldn't come out of this alive. At least, that's what Squall kept telling himself. The thought of losing Rinoa was pushed to the farthest corner of his mind. He just couldn't face that possibility.

Who the hell could have done this? Who am I kidding...it had to be Seifer and Quistis. No one had a motive to attack Rinoa, except for the other skaters. Out of them, the only ones who really hated them with a passion were Seifer and Quistis. The reasons were all there. Squall was determined to get his revenge. They would never get away with what they had done.

"Mr. Leonhart?" A doctor approached Squall. "My name is Doctor Kadowaki. I've been treating Rinoa."

Squall shook his head impatiently. "Please, doctor, tell me, how is she? She's going to live, right?"

Doctor Kadowaki nodded. "She has taken a terrible beating, but she will survive. However..."

Squall frowned. "What is it?"

"The person who attacked Rinoa really did some damage to her right leg. Because of that damage, there could be some...complications."

"What kind of complications?" Squall asked, panic rising in his voice.

"She'll need to have surgery, of course. After the surgery, and physical therapy, walking shouldn't be a problem. However, you are skaters, correct?"

Squall nodded. "We're partners."

Dr. Kadowaki nodded. "That's the problem. Because of this injury, there is a high possibility that Rinoa might not be able to skate again."

"Exactly how high is that possibility?" Squall asked, dreading the answer.

"Well, it depends on how the surgery goes, but right now, I'd say that there is a seventy-five percent chance."

Squall sighed. "When is this surgery going to be taking place?"
"Rinoa should be waking up soon. I would like to discuss the surgery options with her, and ultimately, she will make the final decision," she told him. "You know, Mr. Leonhart, the recovery process is going to be extremely difficult, both physically and emotionally. Rinoa is going to need someone to support her through it all."

Squall nodded. "I understand, and I would be more than happy to fill that roll. Is there any way that I could see her now?"

"Yes. Like I said, she should be waking up soon. We can discuss treatment whenever she feels ready to. Right now, I think you're the best thing for her. Just, try not to tire her. She has just been through a terrible ordeal."

Who does she think I am? "With all due respect, doctor, I'm not a child. I think I know that Rinoa needs to take it easy."

Doctor Kadowaki smiled. "I know you do. The technical doctor side of me was kicking in," she said, chuckling. "Anyway, enough of this chatter. I'm sure that you want to see your girlfriend. She's in room two-forty-seven...right down the hall."

"Thank you, doctor," Squall said sincerely as he shook her hand.

"You're extremely welcome, Mr. Leonhart." With a genuine smile, she turned around and disappeared down the hallway.

Room two-forty-seven... Squall walked down the hall, scanning the numbers on each door. Two-forty-one, two-forty-three, two-forty-five... Squall stopped in front of the next door. "Two-forty-seven."

He opened the door quietly so he wouldn't wake Rinoa. He felt the anger burn inside of him when he saw her. She looked so pale...a deathly white. Her right leg was wrapped up in multiple bandages, and Squall couldn't help feeling relieved that he wouldn't have to see the extent of the damage. Seeing that would just cause his anger to boil over. He sat down beside her, grasping her hand for comfort. Comfort for who...her or me? The answer was most likely him.

"Please wake up, Rinoa," Squall whispered. "I know that this injury is going to be hard for you, but you will get through it. You're one of the strongest people I know. I'm going to be beside you every step of the way. There's no way I'll ever leave you alone."

"Squall?" Rinoa called softly as she opened her eyes.

Squall smiled. "You're awake." He hugged her close to him. "I was so worried."
"Squall...what happened?"

He frowned. "You don't remember?"

"I was walking toward the entrance of the arena. Someone...someone attacked me. I remember...pain in my leg...so much pain." Rinoa shuddered. "That's all I can remember."

Squall nodded. "Did you see who attacked you?"

Rinoa shook her head. "I heard a voice, though.... I can't remember anything about it...."

"That's okay. Right now, you just need to take it easy. You're going to have to stay strong."

Rinoa tried to move her leg, but found that she couldn't. The slightest movement caused her to reel back in pain. She looked at Squall, bracing herself for bad news. "I heard what you said about this being hard. I can feel that something is wrong with my leg. Please, Squall, be honest with me. What is the extent of my injury?"

Squall sighed. "I've talked to the doctor. She said that you could talk to her about your options for surgery whenever you feel up to it."

Rinoa looked at him with fear in her eyes. "Surgery? I am going to be able to walk again, right?"

"Yes. After you have the surgery, you'll be able to walk normally. However...."

"I'm not going to be able to skate again, am I," she said it as a statement, not a question.

"Rinoa, we don't know that for sure. There is still a good chance that you will be able to skate. I know you, Rinoa, and you are not a quitter. You're going to make it through this."

"What are my chances of skating again?" Squall hesitated. "Squall..."

He sighed again, defeated. "The doctor says you have a seventy-five percent chance of not skating again." Rinoa's face fell. "But the surgery can change that! The doctor says the final outcome depends on the surgery. It will be hard, but you can do it, Rinoa. I'll be there for you the whole time."

Rinoa looked at her hands. "Is that really what you want to do, Squall? Be tied down by an invalid? What about your career? You can still skate."

Squall shook his head. "No, not without you. I am going to be right beside you every step of the way."

Rinoa rested her head on his chest. "You don't know how much that means to me." They stayed there like that for a few minutes, until Rinoa sat up again. "I want to talk to the doctor now."

Squall looked at her in surprise. "Now? Aren't you tired?"

"No...I'd rather just hear my options. I want to know exactly where I stand and how I'm going to overcome this."

Squall kissed her forehead gently. "I love you. You know that, right?"

"Mhmmm," she smiled. "Squall...how did things go from being so wonderful to becoming a nightmare?"

"I don't know," he told her softly. "But I do know one thing. Whoever did this to you...I don't care who they are...they are going to pay for this."

~*~