A/N: Cliché, I know, but what aspect of Seifer do you really think Quistis would assume? It's blindingly obvious and very tempting. Quistis, anything but loyal? Never! Again, difficulties with characterization – personally, Quistis is far too emotional. But then, wouldn't you be?

Think I'm going to expand this idea out a bit. I likes it very much.

Disclaimer: Seifer is the property of... ME! He's MINE! *crouching in a stance reminiscent of a certain ring loving hobbit* My- my preciousssssssssssssssssss…

SEIFER: Betrayer

PART I: Quistis

Darkness. Darkness was all she could see, she could feel. Twisting her head, it felt as if it wrapped around her in a smothering blanket, wet and dripping in silt and mud. It made her senses cold and numbed. She moved her fingers and toes, surprised she could still feel them. Cold of this magnitude… She guessed she should feel lucky.

Patiently assessing, her mind thought in incessant circles. She guessed she was – somewhere. Taking note of the dank surroundings and the sound of dripping water, a place she'd never seen before – though it did seem vaguely familiar. More importantly, she didn't know why. So her, in a place she didn't know, without the slightest inkling why. Not good odds. She stiffened at the sound of a splash – close – but with her limited senses she could detect no one.

Time passed. She'd called out, but no-one answered.

She knew, without a doubt, that she would die within two hours in this breathtaking cold.

The splash sounded closer now, and suddenly, she wasn't breathing at all.

Something wet was crawling down her back.

She resisted the urge to shudder. Only one thing inhabited, could survive in these conditions, and it was all that she could do not to imagine the tiny fangs scraping the delicate skin of her back. Sleek, slender and utterly beautiful, it hid a deadly poison in it's dangerous grace and sinuous curves. She waited, analyzing, thinking, and the moment it was in the right position, she swept off the thing into the far darkness.

Or tried to.

She could not move.

She lifted an arm experimentally and found that she could not. Calm, Quistis. Panicking, she moved her arms wildly, could feel the jerk and twist of each muscle… but she could not move. This had to be a joke. Her head could still move but her body was numb and lifeless; like a puppet, she was jerked and moved. This had to be a joke. She could hear a faint drumming, the beat of a war drum, and it came louder and louder; paralyzed in the knowledge of her own incapacitance, she could only lie waiting, silently holding in the screams until her lips were red with blood… until she realized it was her own heart. A joke.

Comforted, she tried to walk, and realized that she could not. A joke. She tried to move, and could not. A joke. She tried to think… and that was met with a gasping pain. It's a joke. All a prank. Right?

IT had coiled around her neck. IT was moving; sliding towards her front, it coiled around her chest and remained, basking in the rare heat. She could feel its tongue flickering against her right nipple.

She ignored it, steely minded in determination. She called, calm in voice, trying not to disturb the scaled bundle. It was nestled against her chest in gross parody of a mother and her child.

"Squall, Zell, Irvine. This is not funny. Come on guys, let me out now?"

She tried to laugh, but could not. Please?

"Rinoa, if it's you. Or Selphie. Even Seifer. Come on, the joke's over, let me out?"

Pain wracked her head and she coughed, smelling the distinctive smell of blood, tasting it. She tried to smile, but could not. Please!

"Anyone. Students, if you've put me here, I'm not happy about this at all. Headmaster, Matron, is this your idea of a joke? Xu. _. _. Anyone."

My God.

Maniacal laughter echoed and inwardly, she shuddered. The pitch and magnitude was enough to make her skin creep. She felt the twisting bundle shift, and instinctively she relaxed the tension that tautened her. She shut her mouth with a click.

Shuddering silence.

If I'm here… where are the others? My friends? Matron? I'd just gone to bed, and I woke up. Here.

It was the first time she'd felt so small and alone.

The last thing I remember is… coffee. I'd finished with classes – thank God – and I'd just said night to the rest of the gang.

Freezing, cold. The rush of air made her aware of her own unclothed state.

And I'd seen Seifer fail. I saw Squall and Rinoa dance. I saw… eyes?

Her thoughts disrupted by a growing brightness. Before she was blinded, she saw the figure, a dark nimbus outlined in a halo of white light. The pain subsided a little, and she smiled shakily; she dared not to laugh. The idea of fangs kept her from that. Still, try as she might, the familiarity of the dark hair and blue grey eyes sent her shuddering in relief. "Squall? You've come – "

A slap sent her flinging across the lengths of her restraints. It sent the thing flying, but she didn't notice enough to shudder with even a semblance of relief. She could only note absently that the slap hurt far more than it should have. His voice was low with anger and something else. "How dare you call me that?"

Dazed, she could only blink at him. She didn't know why her eyes were watering. She tried to control her voice but it came out shaky anyway. "S-Squall… I love you." It was pathetic, she knew it. But it was the only defence she had against him.

His eyes were dark with anger and something else. He laughed. "Is that so? Quistis." He spat her name. "Let me express my undying love to you, Quistis, even though you tried to kill Rinoa. When you tried to seduce Seifer. You tried to control him! When you tried to kill all of us!"

Faintly. "But I didn't… Squall…"

Another slap hit her. "Don't. Call. Me. That."

She was very dimly away that she was crying. Of some pain. What pain?

He'd calmed down somewhat. "You have no right. None whatsoever. You betrayed us, Quistis! Maybe I didn't love you in that way, but we were friends!"

"But… Squ – " She almost made the mistake again, dimly saw him raise his hand, dimly felt the tears on her cheeks. "I never did that. It must have been someone else. I could never do that."

Squall eyed her incredulously. She could see the disbelief on his face. "Suuuuuure. You know, deep in your deluded mind – " he tapped her forehead "You're one sick kitty. I think you really do believe it. But you –" pushing her back with one finger " – are wrong."

"I saw you. I fought against you, Quistis. Don't ever call me a liar. Don't ever speak to me again because - " he leaned down very close. " – you disgust me. I came to see if you could at least apologize before the trial. But you can't. Can't even admit it!" At this point his voice had rose to shouting level.

She knew what that something was. Disgust.

"Quistis. Your trial is tomorrow, 1000 hours. If you remember." He smirked. "You will be escorted to your room. There, you will stay until the trial. Rest assured, you will be given what you deserve."

He walked away to the door. She watched him, eyes loving every line. Squall… I-I… didn't do it. Did I. I would never betray you, especially you. Please say no…

He spun around. His face was lined with a heavy relish and cruelty. "By the way, Zell, Irvine, Selph and Rin send a message." He watched her eyes light up.

"To quote: 39 muscles to frown, but only two to raise your middle finger." He coolly did so. "Fuck you."

The door closed quietly with a click and an indiscriminate electronic sound. She knew that she could never get out, that the door was sealed against her fingerprints, that surveillance equipment watched her disinterestedly… and that she did not care. Her weeping was enough. Everything was confirmation.

Betrayer.

"Squall…" she whispered amongst the tears.