A/N: I know I haven't updated, but I've been grounded, ok?? lol. Well, time to continue my fav. FF story!! YAYNESS! I know this chapter is a tad confusing and I haven't clarified everything yet.. hmm... maybe I should have put this as a mystery? lol. Nah, it isn't that hard to figure out after the next couple of chapters!

~Chapter six: Wings of the Heart~

Quistis stood outside the Headmaster's office and watched the elevator closely. She had tried to carry on conversations with Xu, but it always ended in an awkward silence. The former instructor had been watching people go in and out of Cid's office with blank and ghost-like expressions branded onto their faces. Quistis knew exactly why. It had been two months since this war has started and Galbadia was going straight for Esthar's falling defenses. The day before last the entire wall around Esthar was penetrated and Galbadian's were taking their time to charge through.

Timber, Dollet, and Galbadia Garden where against Esthar, Trabia and Balamb. Esthar, who was lead by High Counsilor Kiro Seagill, had lost one fifth of their army trying to defend their boundries. Balamb and Trabia were also having a difficult time dispatching able and experienced SeeDs due to their overwhelming population of new cadets. Quistis, along with the majority of the world, knew that Galbadia had the upper hand and the odds of Esthar winning this war wasn't looking well.

After Quistis's thoughts had roamed enough, the person she had been waiting for arrived silently and walked off of the elevator. Zell went to Xu's desk and looked up at his old instructor with his usual grin. "What's up, Quisty?"

"About time, Zell!" Quistis exclaimed. "What kept you?"

"I had to say 'Good bye' to Selphie... she went back to Trabia GArden to lead a group of SeeDs in a mission to the missle base. I shoulda went with her!" Zell frustratedly said.

"Zell... no one knows the missle base better than Selphie! Besides, you didn't even go on the last mission to there! And, also, you're needed in a mission here..." Quistis let her voice drop as she finished her sentence.

"Oh?" Zell asked as he looked towards the door. Five young men who looked semi-grim, but overall hopeful expression walked out of the headmaster's office. The men talked amongst themselves and to the women until nearly five minutes later, when Squall came out. But Squall kept walking until he was at the back of the room, away from everyone... He punched the metal door to the elevator violently and the sound of his bare fist agianst the metal was enough to make the entire room silent. The commander tried to regain himself by taking a deep breath, then turned to face the eight sets of eyes that had burned a hole in his back.

"Tomorrow," he began, "0500 hour sharpe. We will leave without you, we cannot afford to wait. Get some sleep." Squall turned and left just as silently as he had walked into the room. It took the ones standing there a few moments to bring themselves to talk again... except for Zell.

"SHESH!" Zell exclaimed as he turned to Nida, "What the hell was that about?"

Nida shook his head and shurgged. "I'm not too sure, but Headmaster Cid said that he's going to be the leader of our squad in our mission tomorrow. He must be kin of stressed!"

"Is that so? Must be a really dangerous mission if Squall is in charge! What is this mission all about?" Zell asked.

"Well... as usual, I can't say much, but we're going to infiltrate Galbadia Garden and destroy it!" Nida said shamelessly.

Zell nodded, ten stared at Nida suspiciously. "I thought you weren't allowed to say much!"

"Oh yeah... uh... just... don't tell anyone I told you!" Nida said, panicking over his outburst and inability to keep a secret. Zell backed away from Nida, who was now shaking his head and chanting to himself: "I can't tell anyone! I can't tell anyone!" over and over.

"What's wrong with Nida?" Xu asked when Zell nearly backed into her.

Zell turned around. "Oh, he's having a self-prep because he can't keep a secret." Zell said simply. Upon hearing this, Quistis lightly nudged Xu towards Nida with a smile and Xu walked over to Nida with a sigh.

"Nida...? Are you ok?" She asked as she crossed her arms over her chest.

Nida stopped moving around like an idiot and talking like one, too. He smiled sheepishly at Xu as he replied, "Uh, yes! I'm fine!" He said quickly.

"Well, Zell told me you--" Xu began to say, but Nida cut her off.

"What?! Word gets around that fast?! NOOO! I'm such a screw up! I shouldn't even be allowed to talk to you!" Nida sid and ran off to the elevator with Xu running after him.

"Nida! Wait! It isn't that!!" Xu yelled as she jumped into the elevator with him leaving Quistis, Zell and the remaining 4 young men staring after them in confusion. Quistis was the only one laughing.

Zell looked at the chuckling woman and tilted his head to the side. "Do YOU know what's going on?" He asked and Quistis looked back at him as if he were a fool.

"Isn't it obvious?" She asked and he shook his head cluelessly. "Nida as a little crush on Xu..." Quistis whispered.

Silence.

"..And Xu has a slight interest in Nida..."

Silence.

"You really ARE clueless, huh Zell?"

"Yeup!"

~

"Squall...?" Rinoa asked as the door to their shared dorm room opened. Rinoa looked up from a novel she had been reading and looked right at squall, who had a blank expression on his face.

"..." Squall said nothing as he sat down on the end of the bed. Rinoa, curious and concerned, set her book aside and walked on her knees to him.

"What's wrong?" She asked and put her head on his shoulder.

"... you know I love you, Rinoa. I don't want you to worry, but living this life, it's inevitable. I promised you the sky, and I'll keep that promise, but... may not be able to in this life." Squall said quietly.

"What are you saying, Squall?" Rinoa asked but regretted speaking... she really didn't want to know, she was too frightened by his cold tone to hear any more!

"..." Squall remained silent. 'How can I tell her? One of her greatest fears is to be hated, and that's what she would be! She'd be hated by those who don't understand... how can I tell her that she is the reason why this war started?!'

"If this is about your mission, it's alright. I know you'll come back to me..." Rinoa said and hugged him around his shoulders.

"The war... I don't know how to say this, Rinoa, but..." Squall struggled with his words, he had to tell her so she would be safe! He opened his mouth to speak once more, but was surprised to see Rinoa put her sliender fingers to his lips.

"Don't say anything more... I know this is difficult for you, but you'll be fine... we'll be fine. The wings on our hearts will never be broken."