Disclaimer: I do not own Final Fantasy VIII

Chapter XI: . . . . The start . . . .

"Okay, this is Irvine's car." Zell stated. "We should be able to push this junk into the lake." Everyone stood around as Zell tried to think seriously. They were in the woods not far from Balamb High.

"Hey guys, can't we just . . . . maybe repair it?" Irvine asked. "I mean, my dad'll want to know what happened to his car."

"Just listen!" Zell yelled angrily. Irvine turned to him. "Ya' gotta' learn to let this car go! Now, help me push this." Rinoa looked on as Squall went to go help Zell and Irvine begin to push the car. Her vision began to blur a bit. She strained her eyes to see, the darkness of the night not helping her a bit.

"One! . . . Two! . . . . Three!!" Zell yelled, as they pushed their hardest. "Come on you . . . . guys!" Zell said, managing to say what he had to say. "Quistis! Selphie, help us!"

"Uh, right!" Selphie excitedly yelled. "Don't cry Irvy!" she sarcastically said. Soon, the car was near the lake. "Alright! We're almost there!"

"Break!!" Irvine and Zell said in unison.

"I am wiped out!" The blonde spoke. Irvine and Zell sat down on the woody ground.

"Hurry! We have to be back at school before anyone knows we're gone!" Quistis said, folding her arms.

"Ah," Zell waved his arm "we'll be okay. No one will catch us." Squall lifted himself from the car and turned to Rinoa, who stood a little unstable. He walked to her.

"Rinoa, are you alright?" he asked, holding her by the waist. She looked up to him, her eyes half opened, leaning on Squall.

"Huh? What?" she asked.

"Are you alright?" Squall asked again.

"What's wrong?" Rinoa asked curiously.

"Okay, I'm taking you back to the hospital." By then, Irvine and Zell had gotten up.

"Hey, she okay?" Zell asked, whispering to Irvine.

"I don't know." Irvine stood.

"No, I'm okay, really." Rinoa said. Squall let go of Rinoa. "Please, I don't want to go back to that hospital."

"Stop being stubborn, your not fully healed." Squall said, a bit of frustration in his voice.

"Rinoa, you'd better listen to Squall," Quistis budded in. "you might faint or something."

". . . . Rinoa . . . ." A deep voice boomed from behind Squall and Rinoa. The voice began to laugh. Squall turned around, pushing Rinoa back some. "Your just the same from when you were little."

"Who's there?" Squall asked. Zell and Irvine moved up beside Squall and Rinoa.

"You should remember me, Rinoa." The face from which the voice belonged to stepped out as the moonlight's light hit his scared face. The man with black, long hair, a black muscle shirt and jeans to match, and a face that gave you the feeling of insecurity said.

"Biggs?" Rinoa asked, feeling even more weak. She felt unsafe around him. Ever since she was little, Rinoa didn't trust him. She knew he was bad business. Rinoa's eyes widened as he pulled out a thirty-two caliber gun from his leather belt and pointed it to Rinoa.

"I'm sorry dear, but I just want my damn money!"

"What?" Rinoa. Selphie screamed, as did Quistis.

"Get down!" Squall yelled, as Biggs pulled the trigger, Rinoa covered her ears as Squall shoved Rinoa out of the way, forcing her to the ground. Squall missed the bullet by a hair. He stayed on the ground and quickly got up.

"Hunh, so, you're her body-guard huh?" Mr. Biggs said.

"What do you want?!" Squall asked, yelling. He stood up.

"Listen, ya' little brat, I want my money, Caraway is dead, he owes me money!"

"And what makes you think we have it?!" Squall asked. He wasn't going to risk fighting the man, he had a huge gun in his hand, ready to shoot anyone at any moment.

"If I were you, I'd watch my mouth and run!"

"And if I were you, I'd get the hell out of here before my jaw get's knocked." Squall retorted.

"Damn you kid! No one talks back to me like that! Mr. Biggs!" He pulled the trigger once more, by then, Quistis and Selphie had hid behind the car as the bullet hit Squall in the shoulder. He fell to the ground, holding his bleeding shoulder as blood gushed out.

"AHHH!!" he yelled.

"Squall!" Irvine yelled, still on the ground. Rinoa lie on the ground unconscious.

"Hmph, serves you right, I'll be taking Rinoa now." Mr. Biggs moved his huge body towards Rinoa.

"No . . . . No!! You won't have her!" Squall yelled, jumping up. By then, Mr. Biggs put his gun back on his belt and knelt down to Rinoa. Squall ran to Biggs and punched in square in the jaw, causing Biggs's jaw to bleed. His head vigorously turned from the impact of the punch. Squall held his painful wound on the shoulder. "Quistis! Selphie, everyone! Get out of here!"

"But-" Quistis said.

"Now!" Squall repeated. "Get out of here while you can." Zell stood up and so did Irvine. Biggs stood from his crouching position, punched Squall in the stomach. As Squall bent down, Biggs head-budded him and threw him to the ground.

"Never get in my way." he growled. Biggs picked Rinoa up and walked away into the woods.

"R-Rinoa . . . . N-No!!" Squall yelled, managing to stand on his knees. He fell back down, unconscious. "No . . . ."

"Get him some medical attention!!" Quistis yelled.

A/N: Hey, hey, hey!! It's me again, well! I never expected that! Also, I got a review saying that I would say I'd add fluff but wouldn't, I just want to say I am truly sorry, but for some reason, the plot wouldn't seem right if I'd fluff into it now, so, what I'm going to do to assure that you get full fluff is . . . . I can't tell you, it will ruin it! But, I'll say this, it will happen once the Biggs case is resolved, but there will be plenty more surprises and fluff afterward, in the next chapter. Squall will be thinking and sorting his feelings out! He'll have to choose between his career or Rinoa, you'll see why.

I want to thank everyone for the wonderful reviews I received! Thank you so very much, you don't know what they mean to me, especially since you've been loyal to me and I haven't even updated in like what months? Well, to make up for that, I'm going to be updating every week, promise!

And to make things better, I'm starting on the next chapter. Want a preview?

" . . . . Now! Give me his damn money!!" John yelled, Mr. Biggs most trusted friend yelled to the tied up Rinoa.

"I-I, don't have it. . . ." Rinoa replied, unable to stay awake. 'Help me Squall, I-I can't die, because you need me and I-I, love you. . . .' Rinoa thought to herself.

That's it! No more!!*sticks tongue out!* Just kidding!!