Author Notes: Third chapter up, bit sooner then expected ^_^ read and enjoy.

Disclaimer: I do not own anything of Final fantasy 8, nor do I own the Square-enix! If only my life was a fantasy then I'd probably had a few things to say bout the ownership though ^_^'

Chapter III: Preperations.

"Anyway the Garden is going to embark later this evening, in a day or two we'll make port on a beach close to Deling, When we make port we can borrow a car from the motor pool to go to Deling. So till then I advice we go back to Garden have some rest and take the necessary preparations for this journey." Quistis said in her usual commanding voice.

"Luckily we have our great instructor to do it for us" Zell snickered, which resulted him in another blow to the ribs from Trepé.

While Zell was lying in agony on the ground, moaning bout the pain, the rest walked slowly towards Garden, leaving Zell to catch up.

"Awww come on, isn't anyone gonna help me out here ? Anybody ???" He pleaded "ah crap" struggling to get up, he staggered after the rest of the group. "Come on, Hey, wait for me"

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**"Selphie, is that you ?" slowly opening his eyes, watching the continuous breathing of the person next to him, he got up and wondered "This isn't my room" he said to himself quietly.

But who was lying next to him then, he slowly walked over to the still form on the other side of the bed, the only thing noticeable was the steady breathing from under the blanket. His eyes now almost completely adjusted to the dark, he slowly walked closer.

"Selphie ?" he mumbled slowly as he felt his heart throbbing in his throat.

Ever so slowly he got closer to the bed, gripping with one hand the point of the blanket, slowly pulling it upward, he revealed the body lying under it...........

"It is Selphie" He exclaimed with a voice mixed with surprise and happiness.

His heart throbbing even more quickly now, he leans closer to her face........

"Wait, something is wrong... I can feel it... something is very very wrong" he slowly backed away from the bed.

Suddenly her eyes shot open, but unlike those perfect emerald green eyes, her eyes shone blood red, radiating an eerie glow. She was looking directly at him. He wanted to flee from this place, but his body didn't seem to feel like cooperating. As he sat there staring at that, that thing on the bed. He heard strange incanting as he saw her lips move, but that wasn't her voice...

"Who... or what are you... What have you done to Selphie" he stammered.

"I am Salvation and Absolution, I am Death, And she's MINE" said the strange voice.

He felt the temperature in the room rising rapidly, as he watched the thing on the bed in mute horror... first the bed sheets caught fire, he noticed he was paralyzed, soon the entire room was a blazing inferno as he saw her body be engulfed by the flames, but strangely enough, the fire didn't touch him. His shirt caught fire from the incinerating heat, but other then that, the flames couldn't reach him. But now with the fire all around him, no where to run, he hears that voice again. "And now you die, I wont let you interfere with my plans", and what seemed first as an invisible barrier holding the flames at bay, collapsed......**

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Breathing heavily, sweat covering every inch of his body, he sits upright in his bed, still feeling like his body is on fire, he slowly places his feet out of the bed, sitting on the edge, he places his hands against his face as he tries to wipe the sweat and tears away.

"Again that dream, that nightmare... what does it mean..." he sighed heavily.

He looked at the clock on the desk reading 4 A.M.

"Well I definitely won't get anymore sleep tonight, might as well do something useful"

He walks towards the bathroom, throwing his drenched clothes in the bin, he pushed a button and the shower starts running. Entering the shower cabin, he leans against the cold stone wall.

Sighing again he mumbles to himself "Every night that same nightmare, ever since you left 3 weeks ago, hope this isn't the legacy you left behind Selph... oh well, no use contemplating it I guess."

After drying up and putting on a clean set of clothes, casual black jeans and a black shirt, he decides to take a walk around the Garden. Leaving behind his trademark hat behind, and picking up the key card from the table, he presses the button next to door. As it slides quietly open, he looks around the hall, seeing no one in plain sight, he puts his hands in his pockets and leaves the dorms, setting course for the elevator. Slowly making his way through the long main hall of the garden he sees a couple making out on a bench in the dark. Feeling a moment of melancholy he just stared back in front of him, sighing he resumed his course.

Reaching the elevator he pressed the up button an waited for the elevator to arrive, luckily no one uses the elevator this time at night so he didn't have to wait long. Entering the elevator he pressed the first floor button and waited while in the background a love song was droning on through the speakers.

"Damn this night is ironic" as he exited the elevator and walked towards the classrooms, but instead of entering he just walked past the classroom and opened the previously known escape hatch which lead to the docking area in case of inbound ships who needed to drop off a passenger.

As he walked to the railing, he saw that the garden was currently moving across the ocean. He climbed up the railing, and sat down on it, leaning against the wall with his back, letting one foot dangle freely, while the other arched in a triangular position. There he sat as he watched across the vast ocean. The sky was clear and hundreds of bright stars shone brightly which was reflected by the gentle waves of the ocean. This was truly a sight to behold, and he felt a certain warmth flowing through his body and immediately felt a bit more relaxed as the minutes dragged on quietly.

Not noticing the door quietly opening and closing, he was startled as a female voice said next to him "Cant sleep cowboy ?"

"DAMNIT Quistis, what are ya trying to do ? give me a heart attack ?? geez"

"Sorry" Quistis giggled "I just saw you walking the halls as I was doing my rounds, I barely noticed you with the black clothes though, anyway I decided to check up on you after a while, and here I am."

"ah right" he said dreamily as he gazed towards the starry sky.

"Its really beautiful out here, never figured you for a dreamer though"

"Well looks can be deceiving I guess"

"So why are you up this late ?"

He shrugged as he said "Couldn't sleep, had this weird nightmare"

"Nightmare ?" Quistis exclaimed worried "Want to talk about it ?" as she placed her hand gently on his.

*what the hell does she think she's doing* he thought as he pulled his hand away, but instead he said "Not really, I'm just here because I wanted some time alone, so if you wouldn't mind"

"You might not like what you find" Quistis stated sharply as she briskly walked back inside.

*What the hell is up with her, and what did she mean by that anyway, must be a woman thing or something* he looked at the horizon as he noticed the sky lightening up ever so slowly.

"Hmm I guess this would have been the perfect sunrise if only I could have shared it with her" his voice heavy with regret as a single tear slowly falls down his face.

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Author Notes: OOoooh whats up with Quisty :-o, and what did she mean by that exactly ;-) answers will come soon, with off course more questions :P. anyway chapter IV will probably be up in a day or 2. Read & Review!