Disclaimer: I do not own Final Fantasy VIII, everyone knows this by now …

Chapter Ten

"S-sir?" She managed to stutter, her eyes refusing to look somewhere else.  She was rooted on the spot and was so nervous she could have dropped the milk. "Wha-what are you doing here?"

"Come now, any old fellow has to get his own fine cigars from somewhere." Ackroyde smiled, his face was waxy as if he'd stayed inside for quite a while.  Rinoa noticed he had aged very much since she had last seen him.  "This corner store happens to sell the finest …"

"I … I'm sure …" She couldn't help stuttering, her whole body was shaking.

"Yes …" He took a moment to observe her, "How is the family?  The kids?  Your … mother?" He pressed on the word 'mother' with a despicable tone of voice that withheld an extreme amount of disgust.

"Everyone is fine.  My mother is fine, as is my father." She felt suddenly defiant and angry.  He had no business with her mother … in fact, she knew he didn't withhold one ounce of feeling for her family.

She was oblivious to the fact that Ackroyde could read her like an open book, "That … is wonderful.  Is your marriage still strong?" Suddenly a menacing smile curved upon his lips.

"As ever." No one in the store could know this but they were conflicting each other to see who would snap first.  "Things are rolling along real smooth." Politeness loss she used the dialect of her teenage-hood, "Real smooth."

"Glad to hear it." His hands behind his back he shifted his weight to the balls of his feet, "Wouldn't want to hear of trouble in my best agents' household-"

"Your old best agents." She corrected snappishly.

"You disappoint me greatly, Rinoa." Ackroyde said in a low, deadly whisper.

"Mom, could we buy this?" Alex had returned from the candy section with two chocolate bars, "One for Riana and one for me, please?" He asked and then noticed the old fellow who was speaking with his mom.

"Ah, and this must be Alessandro." Ackroyde's temperament changed slightly, "Yes … you … named him after your grand-father, did you not?"

"Yes … that's right." She placed a hand on Alex's shoulder and held it firmly.

"Poor fellow … died on such a simple mission." Ackroyde hid a smile, "You're grand-father was a great agent … however he was weak where he should have been strong …"

She suddenly felt like spewing out words of hate towards her old employer, 'DON'T TALK ABOUT MY GRAND-FATHER LIKE THAT!!  He died because of you … you're the bastard who … who …' she thought angrily but did her best to reply coolly, "You were the one who sent him on the mission … and you knew very well of his weaknesses …"

"So you blame me?" The sinister man questioned innocently.

Working up all her courage she managed to state in an unyielding manner, "That's the general idea." She turned to her son, "Ok, let's go, Alex.  Good-bye, Mr. Ackroyde.  It's been a pleasure to see you again." She guided her son towards the cash.

"Mom … you're hurting … my shoulder." Alex whined quietly and her grip loosened by a notch, "Who was that man?"

"Shut up … let's just get out of here." She hissed.  When they got to the cash she paid quickly and got out of the store quickly.  When they got into the car she sat there for thirty seconds clutching the steering wheel, breathing deeply.

"M-mommy?" Alex was, needless to say, getting quite scared of his mother's attitude, "Are you ok?"

She did not look at her son, "N-n-never b-been better." She stuttered and started the car, "Just … just a little … a little scared." She was still shaking.

"Mommy stop …" Alessandro put his small hand on her wrist, it looked like he was about to burst into tears, "You're scaring me."

"Ok, sorry, monkey …" She leaned back in the car seat and took a deep breath, "I was just … really … really creeped out.  Let's just go home now." However, Alex noticed that his mother was still shaking.

***

When they arrived back home, Squall and Riana were sitting at the kitchen table eating the cereal from the box.  They were both quite curious to know where Rinoa and Alex had been during the past forty-five minutes.

"That's 45 minutes unaccounted for … where were you?" Squall put on a mocking imitation of his wife's voice, "I'm getting you a dog-collar for your birthday … I know the time table of trains, you could have been here earlier … where were you?"

"SHUT UP, SQUALL!" Even Riana jumped slightly, her hand in the cereal box stopped mid-way.

"I … sense … you … are … in a bad mood?" Squall spoke up innocently, in a weak and frail voice.  His eyes were wide like saucers, the whole kitchen was silent looking at the infuriated woman.

She had started shaking uncontrollably again, "I swear that man wants to kill me …" She looked at Squall pleadingly, not really caring anymore if the kids were present.  They needed to talk about this now.  Alex's jaw dropped slightly as he kept looking at his parents, Riana had never gotten to the bottom of the cereal box.

Squall got up from his chair, "Aw, come on Rin … he just doesn't like you very much … he … he doesn't want to kill you and, kids go play upstairs or something …" He looked at his two children, "Come on … go."

"But we want to stay …" Alex whined slightly.

"GO!" The kids had never quite seen their father so angry at anything before, "I didn't give you a choice." His blue eyes that were usually calm where now darker and meaner than they had ever seen them.  Both Riana and Alex shuffled out of the room silently.

Rinoa's nails dug into the counter and her head was down, "I'm so scared … God, he's going to kill me, I swear he's probably sending someone over right now, I HATE HIM!"

"Christ, Rinoa … calm down.  He hates you, I won't deny that much and yeah, he is probably thinking of snapping your neck in two but that won't happen, ok?" He wrapped his arms around her and rested his chin on her head, "I'm here.  He can't send anyone and he won't … he won't bother us."

"Squall … will we ever live a normal life?  Or has everything been screwed up in advance?" She asked weakly, "I want to go some where else … be someone else and pretend everything is ok …"

"Rin … I'll quit …" Squall offered meekly, "I'll quit the agency.  We'll sign some papers with Ackroyde and just forget everything.  Come on, what do you say?  For the kids?"

She went a little more rigid (if that was possible) with shock. The words that she had silently been begging him to say had finally been said. A new feeling of relief washed over her suddenly and she wanted nothing more but to tell him how she felt. 'He asked last night … I want to answer him today …'

Why hadn't she told him last night? 'Because of the promise I made. But now it doesn't matter anymore … does it?' She thought back to the day she had told her grand-father she was pregnant …

~*~

"Grand-pa, don't worry … it's ok … everything will be fine … because … well, because he loves me and I love him." She had told him. The old, broken man leaned back in the armchair, rubbing his temples in sorrow.

"Rinny …" He began and the teenager listened intently with all the respect she withheld for her grand-father … for her mentor … for one of the best agents in the corporation. "You shouldn't have … things will get very complicated for you now … and … if you really do love him … then don't tell him so."

The girl was slightly confused now, "Why? What would be the harm?"

"Because … if he truly loves you … then he will quit the agency to devote everything to you. And if that happens, there will be no peaceful link between you and Ackroyde … and so he will strike. Rinny, promise your grand-father that you will not tell him."

"Fine … I promise …"

~*~

Her last promise to her grand-father … did it matter anymore? Either way, Squall was quitting so it didn't matter … did it? And yet, now that she wanted to tell him so badly … she couldn't. She couldn't speak … she couldn't open her mouth.

Neither of them knew that their children were standing very close to the kitchen, listening to every word.  They didn't quite understand much however they knew that something oddly suspicious was going on.  In their young minds, conclusions were forming.

And then the doorbell rang, bringing all four people in the house to their senses.

Sammy-Chan: Short and pitiful chapter, I'm deeply sorry.  I wager the next chapter will be a tad longer and I'll try my hardest to make it more interesting than this one.  Please review and be honest, thank you so much for your support!