Notes: Review this chapter please. I think it's one of my better ones, although it isn't poerfect…

Chapter 39: Save Yourself

     Squall held onto the frail, drugged woman in front of him. The sealing contraption held her body frozen up to her throat, which gulped in fear. He looked into her languishing eyes, and sensed her phobia of being parted with him. His gloved hand grabbed his gun blade, unable to feel anything, but hatred towards his father. He stood before Laguna, whom was also ready to attack, his machinegun loaded, and ready to fire upon his son, his heir.

      Laguna had decided that should Squall win the fight against him, that he'd let the sorceress be under Squall's supervision. Should Squall fail against his father, he would give up all rights to her, and his daughter, whom would be sealed as well with her mother. Dewn looked horrified at Ellone, her fate resting in her father's hands against her "grandfather." Squall knew then what anguish Tinsîr faced in their youth,; one's own family bent against him.

     Squall took a deep breath, and ran towards his father, all of the hatred built up inside him over the years. He struck a glancing blow, and Laguna shot him in the arm. Squall's bicep bleed heavily as he charged again, but with more hate. The two exchanged blows for a very long time, Oceania screaming out for her love to stop this, and to save himself, and their child. Squall's sweating chest glistened in the artificial light, as he fought bitterly with his father. However, eventually Laguna, severely injured, was hovering over a badly wounded Squall. The old man had used Holy on his son, and the darkness of Squall's soul made it all the worse. Oceania called out to Squall to summon her, and he nodded as he used his gunblade to shield him from his Laguna's fist. The blade cut Laguna's knuckles, revealing the soft flesh inside. Blood spurted from them, and Dewn hid her face in Ellone's side.

     Squall used this opportunity to arise, and summon his beloved. Oceania's soul left her body, and appeared with the fury of heaven, and hell in front of Laguna. A ocean of black was at her feet, and gray storm clouds over head. She, and Latisha held hands, and between them an orb of black, and pure evil formed. The shocked Laguna watched, and they sent his soul to the underworld, where they performed unthinkable tortures. Laguna cried out in laments, but only they, and Hades heard his cries.

     The orb spat back out Laguna, as the women walked out from it. Next came the wrath of heaven. Light streamed down from the now clear sky, and shot through the hate in him. The man fell to his knees on the green grass, and sighed. He wasn't done yet, however. Latisha faded as Oceania's single attack commenced. From her throat came the most disturbing call. It sounded like the waves crashing down upon an unsuspecting victim. The long forgotten siren call sent the catalyst inot effect. The portal to the spirit world formed in the ground, and Raine came forth. Her spirit distracted Laguna as Oceania cut him with a black sword, like her teacher Odin had taught her. Laguna fell once more to his knees, and fainted. Oceania had held back her strength as to not kill the aged man.

     The panting sorceress returned to her body, and Squall went to his father's side. The unconscious man breathed shallowly as Kiros, and Ward took him to the infirmary, his body badly damaged. Squall rose, in great dismay over what he had just seen. He went to his love's side, using his gunblade to free her from the machine. Her lifeless body flopped over into his arms, and he held her close. Large gashes were all over her body, caused by the stress of summoning. Blood poured onto Squall's skin, dying it an awful shade. She told him to save himself, and in her saving him, she gave up her life.

     Dewn ran to her mother's side, feeling compassion as her mother had tried to save her father this time. Squall meant the world to Dewn, and she saw that Oceania wasn't such an appalling a person after all. She wept into her mother's hair, the blue turning a shade darker from the tears. It was much like the scene years before, except the dieing gave her soul up freely, and to save the others, and that it was Squall that held her instead.

     Ellone cried into Irvine's chest, her sobs violently shaking her frail body. The others stood bewildered.

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     Squall stood outside his father's hospital room impatiently, his foot tapping the ground, as he held his wounded arm carefully. He had been out there for an hour, or more, when he could be somewhere else. But no, she had told him to go. Her eyes flickered at him so sweetly, begging him to see his father. "Those eyes," he thought, "They're so…" He didn't get to finish his thought when Kiros exited the room. They talked about Laguna's condition, and how he was going to recover. Laguna was presently in a coma, his feverish dreams made him call out to Raine.

     Squall sniffed the snot running down his sinuses, and turned away. There was no point in staying when he had to plan so much. He had been worried about Laguna, and those mixed emotions captured his mind as he walked down the hospital hall. He went into the cafeteria, and bought a Coke. He had almost dropped it, as the pain from his gunshot-wounded chest ran through his side. His attention returned to his soda, and he slugged down some more pain meds. He needed something to wake himself up with. He hadn't slept since the day before, since the day he almost lost her for good again.

     He wandered down the hall, wondering what he should do about Dewn. His present condition was not fit to raise a child in, especially since Dewn had seen so much…He found himself outside her room, and paused. He took in a deep breath, preparing himself for what he was about to see. He opened the door slowly, making sure she wouldn't wake up. The room was dark, but he managed to get around the machines, and stuff easily.

     He sat down in a chair next to her bed, placing his soda on the table next to him. Squall picked up her hand, and held it, bringing it closer to his face. He kissed it gently, as to not stir her from her slumber, and wept into its open palm. He had almost lost her. He was sure of it. There was no way that even an immortal could bounce back easily from that…

     Oceania's hand twitched in pain, her morphine wearing off. She woke up to darkness, and looked at who possessed her hand. She smiled weakly, and used her strength to roll over to face him. She began to speak, but he put his finger on her lips, and shushed her. She smiled again, amused by his expression. She turned to look at a chair across the room, where Dewn slumbered quietly.

     Squall held her hand to his face again, breathing in the reassurance of her survival. The occident had given him a wake up call in the most unexpected way, for him, and their daughter. Dewn opened up to the idea that Oceania wasn't what she made her out to be in her head, and Squall realized that he, in fact, did love the odd woman at his side. She scooted over so he could lie down as well, and motioned for him to do so.

     He got into bed with her, and slipped under the covers after removing his boots. He put his head on the pillow, and held her in his arms. They laid their motionless except for their abdomens rise, and fall due to their breathing. Squall watched her stomach, making sure that she was still breathing. After satisfying his paranoia, his himself fell asleep.