Meeting Love, Finding Despair

Chapter Twelve One Day I'll fly away

By Quis

Disclaimer: Final Fantasy does not belong to me, nope, they belong to the wonderful Square-Enix.

Quistis smiled, humming a tune, as she packed box after box. She was packing up the story of her life, closing one chapter as she looked around the apartment with sadness. There had been much joy in this small house of hers, since the day she arrived there, two years ago with a daughter on her hip.

How much had changed since that day. There'd been only several dates, none that turned into a relationship, as they could have done. She supposed it was because of the cancer, not wanting to risk a long-term relationship on her illness.

There was nothing of that with Seifer. No pretences, no trying to be someone she was not, he accepted her for who she was, warts and all. That was why she loved him.

A voice floated through the near emptiness of the apartment. "Quistis?" it called, in a soft feminine voice that could only belong to Ellone.

"Elle," Quistis caught her breath in her throat as she saw her sister. Dressed simply in a long black dress, she reminded Quistis of Edea.

"I'm heading back to Centra," Ellone said, "I'm taking over the Orphanage."

If Quistis was surprised, she didn't show it. Somehow, Quistis knew that the life on the balmy Centra coast would be pleasant for her long-time friend.

"Can you wait?" Quistis asked softly, "until after my wedding?"

Ellone smiled gently, "Of course, Quistis," she said.

Quistis hugged Ellone, the simple gesture bringing slow tears to her eyes. She knew that she would not live to see Shira grow to be a mother, the daughter forever being left when Quistis chose to die, giving in to the pain that was so hard to bear at times.

The child that grew inside Quistis every day brought another painful reminder home to her. This baby would never know its mother.

Quistis knew that she had to go on; if not for the sake of her family, but for the sake of her unborn child.  The sadness that lingered as she looked around the place that had been her home for three years, looking around at the blank walls where there had been portraits.

The walls that had known such joy, such sadness, it pained her to move, pull up her roots once more. She knew it would be inevitable, she'd moved once before when Shira was a tiny baby, to Shumi, then, when Shira was two, they had moved to Esthar.

Quistis remembered that day.

~*~

She had just stepped off the train from Trabia to Esthar, exhausted, with a baby balanced on one hip, trying to hold a bag in the other. Quistis looked around at the train station with disdain. There was a definite air of filth, the city she remembered, as being one of the cleanest in the world was dirty and grimy.

Quistis shifted Shira's weight as the child began to cry. She groaned, fishing in her bag for a bottle to pacify the wailing child. As she handed the bottle to her daughter, she spotted a familiar flash of iridescent blue steel.

Squall. Her breath caught in her throat as she struggled to catch up to him, pushing her way through the crowd. "Squall!" Quistis called as the man in black leather paused.

"Quistis?" The word came out softly, in a whisper almost. "What are you doing here?"

Quistis glared at him. "What do you think, Squall Leonhart? If I'm balancing a baby on one hip and a heavy suitcase in my hand, what do you think?"

Squall shrugged nonchalantly. "I don't know," he said, "but, here, let me take that for you." Squall picked the suitcase up with ease, before heading out of the station, towards a waiting B-Garden hovercraft.

"I see you're still with Garden then," Quistis said softly before deciding to ask for charity, "I need a place to stay."

Squall nodded curtly, "Yes, I am," he said, "And I married her."

Her- Rinoa…The Sorceress. The words that fell from Squall's lips further heightened her pain and betrayal even more. Zone's friend, his princess. Zone…the name was hateful to her now, the man she thought she could love—had tried to love.

There was an uncomfortable silence that was soon broken. "Mummy?" Shira's voice spoke, "who's he?"

Quistis hesitated. "An old friend, sweetheart. Now, try and sleep, okay?"

Shira nodded, nestling her head against Quistis's shoulder, before closing her eyes once more.

"So, Squall…Care to tell me what you're doing here?" Quistis asked nastily, "I don't recall you being exactly-uh- sane the last time I saw you."

He bit back a rude retort. Quistis was definitely not in a good mood that day.

"I'm visiting," he said simply, "I can give you a place, Quistis."

Steel blue eyes met challenging sapphire eyes, unspoken challenges hidden in both sets. A glimmer of defiance could be seen in Quistis's eyes as she nodded without a word.

"Fine then," Quistis said, "Show me the way, Commander." Quistis was being sarcastic now, the stress of seeing Squall too much to cope with.

Squall merely shrugged, "Whatever," he said in a monotone, flat voice.

Together, they wended their way through the streets of Esthar, heading for the Presidential Palace. The two found themselves talking, but although they should have quite a bit to catch up on, there wasn't really anything to talk about.

Soon, the three were standing in Laguna's office. He was smiling at them both, with the official look on his face.

"Hey," Laguna said sheepishly as he remembered his manners, "Please, be seated."

Squall chose to remain at attention, whereas Quistis took the opportunity to sit down.

"I've come to finalize the negotiations for E-Garden," Squall said with a pompous tone only reserved for this sort of work.

Laguna nodded disinterestedly, glancing at the paperwork that was piled up in a messy pile all over his desk.

Squall let an exasperated sigh escape from his lips. "Let's just get it over with," he said tiredly, rubbing a gloved hand across his eyes.

Laguna smiled. "Sure," he replied.

The papers were soon signed, dated. An official stamp was placed on them and Quistis signed them as a witness.

Squall departed. Quistis remained. Laguna smiled sheepishly as Shira woke up from her sleep.

"She's your daughter?" Laguna asked.

Quistis could only nod numbly. "I was married," she said, as she pulled her daughter's fingers from her hair.

"I heard about that… 'Timber's gorgeous young president to be wed', if I remember the newslink headlines correctly," he said with a laugh.

"I need a place to stay," Quistis said, embarrassed at having to ask for charity.

Laguna smiled paternally. He reached out, taking Quistis's hand in his. "I will give you a job…and accommodation."

Quistis had rapidly moved her way through the ranks of Esthar's parliament after that.

~*~

As tears rapidly welled in her azure eyes, threatening to spill over like a cup, she blinked them back. Three years. Three years and she'd accomplished so much. The tastes of her victories had a bittersweet aftertaste, ones that she could not recall without a touch of bitterness, although there was also honey in the cup.

Seifer entered the apartment with a paper bag containing hot jam donuts and a tray consisting of two steaming Styrofoam takeaway cups of coffee.  "Quistis?" he called out, as he walked into the kitchen.

Quistis appeared in his sight soon afterwards. A smile played on pale pink lips, a gentle, loving expression in her eyes.

"I'm here, Seifer," she said quietly, "And I have some news to tell you…" she deliberately trailed off, letting him get curious.

Seifer smiled, wrapping an arm around her waist as he kissed her neck.

"I'm pregnant."

Seifer was shocked. "When?" he asked dazedly, as the information slowly sunk into him.

"The other day…right after then, you remember," Quistis smiled with a coy expression.

Seifer let out a chuckle. He picked Quistis up and spun her around joyfully. Seifer Almasy was not what the type who one would expect to be overjoyed at the news of a baby on the way. Except, he was. He was proud of her.

"Mummy?" Shira's voice wafted through the apartment, "I'm hungry."

"Just a minute, Shira!" Quistis called, breathless from Seifer spinning her around.

Shira followed the sound of Quistis's voice, leading the child into the kitchen. She saw her mother and Seifer locked in an embrace, him spinning Quistis around as she laughed with joy.

"Mummy?" Shira's voice broke the two apart as she looked at them in amaze. What's mummy doing that for? She wondered, I never remember her doing this.

"Shira!" Seifer was startled, as he put Quistis on her feet gently. "We need to tell you something important…"

"What is it, Mummy?" Shira asked softly, as she looked around the room.

"You're going to be a big sister."

A/N. *phew* that's chapter 12 done! Next chappy…* begin wedding march *