Author's note: Thank you all for the reviews! =) Heh, this is probably my fastest update EVER! Hee-hee, hope you like this chapter…

Disclaimer: Don't own anything. Final Fantasy VIII belongs to Squaresoft.

The Promise in a Kiss

~Chapter 7~

Devastating Sunshine

-*****-

Opening his orbs, the world seemed to come back into place. Squall could see people foreign to him move around the room…if he could even call it that. It was filled with lots of heavy machinery, the kind used in city hospitals…all of which were hooked onto him. He tried to move, but with every minor locomotion his inner being shrieked in agony. He also noticed that his legs were feeling too…calm. Unlike the rest of his body, it felt like…nothing at all. And that scared him. He tried to open his mouth and speak, but when he did Squall heard nothing but his internal voice. Strange, he thought. But it wasn't as strange as his deepening fear. Where was he? Who were all of these people? What happened? Why was he even here in the first place? So many inquiries…no possible answers. Well, due to his terrible condition, that is. If he could only say something and get an explanation…

A young female nurse stopped with her paperwork when she saw Squall's mouth try to vocalize. She stood from her desk and immediately called the doctor to tell her this news. Dr. Kadowaki instantly went out of her office and was welcomed with the sight of a now conscious Squall. She was extremely relieved that he had finally woken up after all of those nerve-wreaking hours.

"Well well well. Look who the devil brought in. How are you feeling?" the doctor asked her patient while checking his health status on the nearby computers.

Squall saw her mouth move, but he couldn't hear anything. Was he feeling okay or was it just her? He couldn't tell…

"Hmmm?" she looked up from her screen and frowned when she saw his facial confusion. Curious enough, the doctor stood from her spot and walked closer to the brunette.

"Did you hear me? How do you feel? Bad, good, tell me. It's my job to know how you feel so I can make it better if you're in pain," she stated.

His anxiety increased. What was she saying? Or yet was she even speaking? Something was definitely wrong, and this was making Squall's heart thump harder and harder every second.

"…Say your name for me," she asked out of deep concern.

Now completely bewildered, he furrowed his eyebrows together, trying to ask a single question…

And failed.

Squall couldn't understand anything. He could feel that his voice box was fine, but the problem was that he couldn't hear what he was saying. And as he said what had sounded more like a growl than an inquiry, Kadowaki panicked. It was not only of how he managed to say the word, "what," but the confusion on his face after he tried his best to say it. It was as if he couldn't comprehend what was coming out of his mouth. She unhesitatingly called for her assistants and they immediately rushed over. Squall's utter bewilderment became tremor when he saw the doctor's facial look and the new swarm of people that had arrived. She was now yelling things, things that he could not devour for some bizarre reason, unknown to him.

At this moment, these new set of medical assistants began sticking things into his fragile body. He screamed in distress but couldn't perceive his own sounds. IV's, tubes, needles, everything of that sort were being poked in. The doctor saw the troubled look on his face and instantly demanded her workers to put him into a state of amnesia. The pain would be gone, this way. The dark-haired woman shook her head mournfully as she watched her anguished patient with nothing but worry and fear painted on her chiseled face. She knew that this was coming. Squall had lost his sense of hearing and full usage of legs. She sighed sadly and closed her eyes before whispering softly.

"We can only pray…"

-*****-

Rinoa gazed at the beautiful outdoor scenery, the warm winds dancing into her peaceful face. Sunshine poured into the cubic dorm she currently found herself in, lighting up the darkest corners. She was alone, at last, not having the company of anyone else but herself. However, lonesome had its effect on people, and she was one of the victims. Oh, how she longed for someone…someone to hold her, to warm her, to comfort her…people like Selphie has, what's his face…Irvine. They may have had their many arguments, but those quarrels were nothing serious and at least her best friend had someone to share her intimate time with. Rinoa had no one, nor had she ever. It was lonely on her, and the only guy who had made her fantasies run wild was the one who she may never get to see again. A really sad statement, no wonder she grew depressed every time her mind drifted towards it. She was about to reach for her remote and flip through the limited channels when a knock on the door ringed into her ears.

"I'm coming!" Rinoa yelled as she made her way towards the sound. A wide-eyed-looking Selphie intercepted her view when Rinoa opened the door.

"Girl, you gotta look at this," she chirped before her friend had a chance to speak. Selphie held a folded-up newspaper she was now in the process of un-doing before flipping through to her designated article.

"Oh boy," she started, "look at this." Rinoa was perturbed at what could have been so exciting to Selphie in the Worldly Newspaper. That company was filled with nothing but he-said she-said bullshit, in her opinion.

The article Tilmitt had showed her didn't chime any bells until her brown eyes read a certain name.

"Squall Leonhart…" Rinoa stammered, her voice cracking with astoundment. She couldn't believe it… Was she seeing correctly? Or were her eyes betraying her sense of sight?

Selphie pouted her lip. "Yup. Do you think it's him, Rin?"

Rinoa was not only shocked, but now she grew fear-stricken. The column she had been reading all this time was about that same teenager getting into a deadly car-accident. And it wasn't just any car, a truck. The reporter had included a small picture of him…an image that proved her former theory of S.L. meaning Squall Leonhart moments before she had seen the picture. Rinoa gasped when her orbs met his weakened ones in that photo. He looked so vulnerable, not that knockout hottie with the sparkling blue eyes she had seen during their short meeting in the hallway. Now his pools looked dull and clouded, and they were staring straight back at Heartilly, piercing her soul. This sight hurt her.

"No doubt," she replied, distressingly.

Selphie sighed. "You don't need to worry so much, Rinoa. I'm sure everything will be all right. I mean, look at the positive side! I don't think that people die on such pretty days…c'mon; take a glance towards the sun! It's smiling, you see? Just like me!" she exclaimed while beaming eagerly.

The raven-haired girl managed a small grin while she looked into the bright, emerald eyes of Selphie Tilmitt. She had a blessing to make every rainy day into a sunny, luminous one.

"I guess you're right," she said, reluctantly. But her face suddenly fell when her eyes darted across the last three sentences of the article.

"Crap! Did you read this, Selphie?" Rinoa cried out while pointing to the sentences. Alarmed, the petite brunette immediately ran over. It read:

From what the paramedics have reported, Squall's life is in jeopardy right now. Too many head trauma and leg injuries from the truck caused serious internal and external bleeding. It doesn't look too good. To clear this all up, we shall only hope for this young man's survival.

Selphie rolled her eyes. "You gonna let some desperate creep with no money fool you into thinking that Squally's gonna die from some bull he made up just to turn heads and get attention? If that's his case, forget it! Read that whole thing all over again, Rinny! He can't write worth his damned life!" she hissed playfully and spit at the newspaper before throwing it into the floor's direction, then jumping on the imprinted sheets like a twisted kangaroo.

Rinoa giggled and Selphie did so too when she saw her friend lighten up.

"There, that's the spirit!" she yelped.

Shortly after, Rinoa's smile faded yet again, which made Selphie frown. She sighed. "What now?"

"Well…we can't be thinking of this like it's no big deal! Poor guy can be mourning in pain right now while we're here pretending like it's not that serious. I feel sorry for him!" she answered, slightly frustrated.

"Um…then we can always pay him a visit, Rin!" she peeked, "like a road trip! Woo-hoo!"

Rinoa's eyes shot up in agreement, but then narrowed themselves almost as soon as the elation came.

"Hello? Trabia to Selphie! He lives in Balamb Garden for Hyne's sake! How can we even manage to get there, huh? And plus, we're not old enough to rent a boat or ask for a plane ride. Besides, what will the Headmaster think, hmmm?"

The brunette's cheerfulness gradually died down. She thought for a brief moment before answering.

"I guess you're right, but how 'bout a phone call? Tee-hee, yeah!! It's the least we can do!!" she said, her voice chiming loudly through Rinoa's ears.

At this, the brown-eyed beauty could not object. Her face immediately blossomed with hope of meeting him, or Squall, again. The increasing possibility sent adrenaline through her blood, causing a rise in exhilaration towards this teenager's mood.

"Yeah!" she obliged spiritedly, "We can do that! But, I suggest that we wait like a day or something, since he was injured only today," she told Selphie as her voice grew solemn towards the end of her vocalization.

Tilmitt nodded. "It's done then!" she exclaimed. "But now, how 'bout we go to class," Selphie said while taking a quick glance at her clock. "Recess is almost over! And you know how damn bitchy Keyza is when we're late for class," she stated in an annoyed tone.

Rinoa agreed, still in her cheerful mood. "Let's go then!" With that said, she and Selphie grabbed their requirements for class and sauntered out of the room, Rinoa's head still spinning with hope.

I will finally get the chance to hear your sexy voice again, Squall…

And oh how very wrong she was.

-*****-

Author's note: Ha-ha, Rinoa's getting a little bit over-excited, nyeh? I think so…and poor Squally can't even hear…bwahaha. Anyway, please tell me what you think! Oh and sorry if this chap was too short. I promise you that the next one will be longer!! ^_^