Disclaimer: I do not yet own FF8 so could someone please get me SQUARESOFT for my birthday?  Please?

Chapter Fifteen

Squall pushed her off roughly before their lips met and got off the bed quickly, backing into a wall, "I've got to show you something!" He cried out suddenly and held up his left hand, "If you look really carefully at the ring finger on this hand you'll notice a wedding band which means I'm married.  You don't have one so I can't be married to you … that's because I'm married to someone named Rinoa and that's not your name is it?"

Quistis simply stared back spitefully and Squall resumed his 'intelligent' speech, "So if you aren't my wife could I please ask what the hell you were trying to kiss me for?"

"It's not about who is your wife, it's about who should be your wife.  And trust me, the answer isn't 'Rinoa Heartilly'." She snapped back at him, getting up from the bed herself and brushing herself off.

"What the hell would you know, Quistis?" He hissed back, "Tell me again how it's my problem that you just can't let it go!"

This seemed to throw her off guard, stunning her momentarily with painful realization, "She doesn't love you!" Were the first words that were spat from her mouth, "She never has and she never will!"

"You don't know anything, shut up!" Squall yelled.

"I know more than you ever will because I'm not blind to the truth.  She doesn't even know you like I do, Squall, because she doesn't care!  She doesn't love you, she doesn't love you!"

"Shut up!  You sound like a goddamn broken record!  Shut up!" He screamed and he suddenly found his right hand pressed against her neck firmly, threatening to snap it in two.

Quistis coughed and held his wrist, "You know you don't want to do this … because you still love me."

He shoved her body against the wall, his hand still on her neck, "Is that a dare?"

"I don't understand how you can do this!" She sputtered.

"I'm an assassin, sweetheart, this isn't the beginning of my extensive lists of sins." He replied but loosened his grip on her throat, "I though that since you think you know me so well … you'd know that too."

"I do know you well.  Better than you know yourself.  Better than she can ever think of knowing you." Quistis replied weakly, her air supply being cut off.  Once again the strong hand loosened its grip.

Squall didn't speak so she thought it was up to her to do the talking, "Remember when we used to date?  Rinoa and Seifer were an item too.  She loved Seifer … you know that?  More than she does you.  And I loved you more than anyone did and the funny thing is that I still do."

Squall swallowed hard and she continued on, "All four of us were wild in high school … we used to go out, under-aged, in bars and get drunk … we liked Dollet city best because no one cared if we were raging drunk, singing in the streets."

"We were stupid, what the hell do you want me to do about it?  It's over … just let what was be!" He snapped back, "Stop picking at the fucking scab and leave it alone!"

She ignored him and went on, "And then we used to go back to the hotel and … you made love to me.  God, it was good …" She smiled at the memories though the hand still hadn't lost its firmness against her neck.

"I knew you better than anyone … you used to tell me everything.  Remember … when you told me that you wanted to move to FH because you loved the sea?  I remember everything … I know you … she doesn't."

"I also like pickles on my sandwiches." He added sarcastically, "I don't care what was or what could have been, ok? "

"And then suddenly, everything changed." She continued narrating their past to him, "Suddenly Rinoa became more distant.  Seifer was pretty damn worried and I have to admit, we were friends then so I had my share of concern.  But you … you were the one who she seemed to find the most comfort in."

Squall grit his teeth and she continued, "I never really understood that and I don't particularly care anymore.  You were all over her, I'm sure you called her every fucking night to ask her how she was feeling and you just drifted so far from me.  Suddenly, you were the one who became cold and distant.  That must have been when she told you … that her parents were agents … murderers and that she was joining this fucking agency.  You were her best friend then … and so you followed her in."

She had the accuracy of the facts down pact.  He couldn't deny that he had called Rinoa every night, making sure that she was ok.  He was already in love with her.  Then there was that fateful phone conversation that unveiled him the truth about the agency, about assassins.  So to protect her … to try and protect her, he had joined.

"I mean … the day you told Seifer and I … was quite a shock.  Even after Seifer and I joined … our relationship was over, wasn't it Squall?  Without words you had already told me that it was finished."

"And never to be mended, is that clear?" He had found his voice again.

Quistis swallowed back tears that were prickling the back of her eyes, "And then they assigned you two as partners.  Hundreds of missions completed to perfection, you guys were really agent models.  Then that fateful night happened …" She seemed to be trying to repress the thought, "Were you at least thinking of me when you were fucking her?"

"The thought of you did not cross my mind, not once, during my entire night with her.  Not once … not ever." He still held on tightly to her neck and with one swift move he threw her on the bed and left her alone in the room to cry.

He shut the door behind him, not really paying attention to the struggling sobs in the room he had just exited.  He once again traveled to the elevator and pressed the 'Up' button.  A 'ding' answered his wishes as he stepped into the nearest elevator and pressed for the sixtieth floor.

He arrived and entered the office once more, noticing that this time, Seifer wasn't present.  "So have you made the right decision?" Ackroyde's cold voice greeted him.

"Yes, indeed I have." Squall answered just as coolly, "This is the right decision." He brought up his right hand with only his middle finger up, "Fuck off."

Mr. Ackroyde didn't lose his composure, neither did he feel intimidated by the young man's impulsive rudeness, "I'm sorry you feel that way."
"Well … that makes one of us." Squall answered and left the room as suddenly as he had come.

Ackroyde sat there, hands folded on the desk, motionless for minutes that composed to make half an hour until Quistis once again came into the room.  Her eyes were slightly red however her mentor paid no heed.

"Would you like a mission?  It will … get your mind off things." Ackroyde proposed gently, "How would you like to be assigned Squall Leonheart's murder?"

Her veins bubbling with ecstasy at those words, her spirit eased with the thought that vengeance would be hers she replied, "It would be an honor."

***

Rinoa had just finished putting Riana to bed when she retreated to her own bedroom, weary and tired of the day's events, 'He'll be back tomorrow … he can't leave forever … his clothes are still here …' Were her only thoughts of comfort presently.

She began brushing her teeth slowly in the bathroom, washing her face, doing all the things she usually did before she went to bed.  She was just about to change into her pajamas when her son's voice rang clearly though the house, "MOMMY!  HELP!  There's a MONSTER!  MOMMY!"

To her, that was the last straw, grinding her teeth she stepped out of her room and headed towards her son's room.  His light was on and his face held a look of pure terror as he sat hugging his knees on his bed, "For the last time Alex, there are no such things as monsters in your goddamn closet!"

"I wouldn't be so sure about that, Rin …" And she felt the barrel of a cold gun being pressed against her temple as she passed the doorframe.

Sabam: I'm sure you all love me now, don't you?  Cliffhanger madness, muwahaha!  I'm an evil little child, there's nothing you can do about it!  *Readers start throwing random objects at her* HEY!  *Gets a shoe in the forehead* I said, HEY!  Review or else … or else … or else the next chapter doesn't get posted! =P