Disclaimer: I don't own Squaresoft or FFVIII. I only use them for my own selfish purposes...
Rain pounded against the windows of Balamb Garden. Inside, Rinoa looked out her dorm window and sighed.
"Will this rain ever go away, Angelo? It's been like this for days!" Angelo, her German Shepherd- Breeder Collie mix yawned and then whined softly. Rinoa smiled fondly and scratched the loyal dog's head.
"I know. I miss Squall too. I wish he didn't have to go across the ocean in weather like this."
Squall had left Garden to visit Edea at the orphanage and then bring her back to Garden. Even though he had taken the Raganarok, the stormy skies still posed a threat. Squall had been gone for nearly a week now, and Rinoa felt as lost as ever. They had grown so close that it became unthinkable to be separated for even a day. Rinoa had cried for the first few days, then was consoled by Squall over a radio transmitter. Tap, tap. Someone was knocking softly on Rinoa's door. Rinoa gave Angelo one more pat before she went to answer the door. She opened it and was immediately swept off her feet. Alarmed, her narrowed eyes flicked forward to view her assailant's face. Rinoa's angry expression instantly dissolved into laughter. It was Squall, flashing on of his rare smiles and still in one piece. Rinoa sighed with relief.
"Oh, Squall! I was so worried about you, being in that storm and all! I missed you so much!" Squall gave forward a rare laugh, tipped Rinoa's chin up with his index finger and began nuzzling her neck, making her giggle.
"I missed you too. It was the longest trip I ever took, what with not having you there to pester me every minute of it!" Rinoa gave him a look of mock indignance.
"Now, now, boy-o, you know I'd never bother you! Apologize!" She demanded. Squall's apology was a friendly peck on her cheek. Rinoa shook her head and smiled.
"You'll have to do better than that, Mister!" With a sly grin, he kissed her fiercely.
"How was that, O mighty Princess?" Squall inquired, after their lips parted.
"...That'll work..." Rinoa replied dazedly. She fingered Squall's Griever necklace absentmindedly. Just then Zell came running down the hall, knocking several students over in the process. He came to a sudden stop, red and black Nikes screeching on the pale blue linoleum, leaving dark streaks on the floor.
"Yo, Squall! Headmaster Cid wants you! Its an emergency!" Zell panted. He saw Squall holding Rinoa and added, cringing slightly, "I didn't interrupt anything...did I?" The martial artist slowly began to back up. Rinoa laughed.
"No, you're alright. Squall's not going to hurt you." Rinoa laughed.
"Meet me be the oak tree tonight." Squall whispered into Rinoa's ear and set her down. "See you later."
***
"Squall, I wanted to thank you for bringing Edea back. I didn't like having her down at the house by herself." Squall, Headmaster Cid, and his wife Edea stood inside Cid's office.
"Why?" Squall asked, puzzled. He knew that Edea was perfectly capable of taking care of herself. Headmaster Cid rubbed the back of his neck and sighed.
"I've heard a report about a man who died a few weeks ago near Centra, and those ruins are a little too close to the orphanage for comfort. I didn't want Edea to get hurt."
"So a guy died near the orphanage. So what? What made you think Matron would get hurt?" Squall inquired, not without a sharp look from the former Sorceress. Edea began to answer the young SeeD's question.
"When they found the man, he was brutally mauled and they found his heart several yards away, ripped to shreds." Squall's jaw dropped.
"Didn't they find the killer?" Headmaster Cid shook his head.
"That was the strange thing. There were no footprints, weapons, nor anything. Just the man's body."
"Who was he?" Squall wondered. Cid swallowed.
"...General Caraway."
A/N: Hey! Finally got my first real chapter posted. Let me know what you think! Thank you so much to everyone who reviewed!