Author's Note: Once again, I'm rushing. Please forgive me…I seriously only have a few minutes to write every chapter. You see, I'm suffering from a chronic illness and I need lots of rest. On top of that, I have a lot of absences at school so I have a lot of tests to make up for. Tomorrow, I have an accounting long test, big pain. So I have to hurry. Besides, wouldn't want to keep you waiting, would I? Now here are the thank you notes:
Kusuri-suri – Thanks for reviewing. I like Seifer, too. I wasn't supposed to get too far with the Seifer/Rinoa pairing. Things just got out of hand. Hehe…
Tai-Style – Thanks for the review. It was sad and scary? I didn't think so…but anyway, I think I'm gonna have to change genre to drama. I'll try not to leave you hanging…sorry for this chapter, I guess.
PasifiKStaR – Thank you for reviewing. Uh…I've been wondering…is Angelo a girl or a boy? You've been referring to him/her as 'she' so it's making me think. Anyway, they will both live, no worries. You'll see in this Chapter.
flare draco – Thank you, and I'm pretty happy you're looking forward to the next chapters. I'm sorry that I'm using cliché ideas and just putting them together. Another cliché is in this chapter, so…bear with it, okay? Anyway, have fun!
lostfallenangel – Thanks for the review. I'm sorry I'm rushing but I don't have much of a choice. I wish I had more time, but I don't really get to set that, do I? Anyhow, I hope you like this chapter!
SquallsGIRL – Hm…I can't really get rid of the drama…it is a part of the story. So, thanks for the review. I hope you won't mind all the drama…
LionHeart823 – Thanks for reviewing. Awesome? Now I wouldn't say that. But I appreciate your compliment. You'll see Seifer's reaction in the next chapter/s.
The wise – Thank you for reviewing. You still have that question, huh? Well, I'll try to get it answered real soon. It will most likely be in the next chapter.
Chapter Twenty
Hours had passed since Squall got to the hospital. Angelo was in a recovery room for the time being. A veterinarian clinic was already contacted to pick him up. Rinoa had just finished her surgery and was now lying in her own private ward, Seifer doting on her. Fortunately, the bullet had missed all vital organs and had not gone as deep as Squall had thought it did. Though she did suffer from blood loss, it wasn't that severe.
Squall stood at the door of the room, looking at Seifer and Rinoa. He knew Seifer was softly whispering things to her but he couldn't hear what he was saying. Squall leaned on the wall outside her room, thinking about what he would say to her if he was in Seifer's place. They were most likely even now. He saved her life and she saved his.
He thought back to when she was shot. She had called him first, warned him, but he was so slow. She took the bullet for him. He wondered why. Was it just on impulse? Squall suddenly thought he needed someone to talk to. He reached into his pocket and brought out his cellphone. He quickly dialed a number he had already memorized.
"Hello?" asked a voice on the other end of the line.
"Hey, Sis," Squall answered.
After a while, Squall finally hung up and took one more peek into the room. Seifer was asleep. His head was resting on the bed while his hand held Rinoa's. Squall would have given anything to be there in Seifer's place. He would have given anything to be the first person Rinoa sees when she woke up. He sighed and walked away. "I'll see you tomorrow," he said softly.
- : - : - : -
Squall lay on his bed while Zell, who was paying him a visit, was busying himself with a punching bag Squall had put in his hotel room. It had helped Squall vent his jealousy on Seifer out, though, of course, he still wished he could punch the real thing. Three days had passed since Rinoa was shot. He wondered how much longer it will be before she woke up. The doctor had already said she would be alright soon. The only problem was that 'soon' seemed to be taking forever to get there and Squall was getting impatient.
"Can you stop that now?" he finally told Zell, annoyed with the endless punching.
"You won't talk to me," answered Zell.
"Why should I talk to you?" asked Squall.
Zell shrugged. "Why shouldn't you?"
"There isn't anything to talk about," said Squall.
"I know you're worried about Rinoa and all but there's no reason to let her take over your life," said Zell. "All you think about these days is her."
"Why do you care?" said Squall.
Zell continued punching and said, "Actually, it's not me. It's everybody. We're all worried about this infatuation of yours. Irvine is really guilty about spreading that rumor. He swore he never believed you could open your heart to anyone."
"Irvine…" said Squall. "He should feel guilty."
The phone rang and Squall picked it up. The woman at the desk said the hospital called. They were asking if he would like to visit a patient named Rinoa Heartilly. "They said she was asking about you," said the woman on the phone. "I put them on hold, would you like to speak with them yourself or would you like me to tell them your message?"
"Tell them I'll go there, right now," said Squall and he hung up. "Stay here," he said to Zell. "Don't go anywhere."
"But, Squall---darn…what's up with him?" Zell said when Squall suddenly dashed out of the hotel room and left him alone. Sighing, Zell just continued hitting the punching bag. It was the only pass time that would keep him distracted.
- : - : - : -
Squall walked towards her room and peeked inside. He found her looking out the window at the night sky. He opened the door and went inside. "Thinking of me again, Rinoa?" he asked teasingly.
She turned to him, a look of surprise in her eyes. But that quickly faded and she smiled. "How did you know?" she asked.
"I just do," he said, sitting down on the chair beside her. "How do you feel?"
"Numb," she answered.
"Does anything hurt?" he questioned.
She shook her head weakly. "I don't really feel anything." She continued to smile at him and look at him selflessly and thoughtfully, as though he had been the one shot and not her. "How are you doing, Squall? Were you hurt?"
"No," he said. "Thanks to you, Rinoa…"
She looked back out the window. "You know, Squall," she murmured, "I had a very strange dream. At least I think it was a dream."
"What was it about?" he said.
"You," she replied. "I dreamt about you." She laughed a little and added, "Well, at least…I think it was you."
"Tell me about it," he said.
Rinoa paused, thinking. "Um…" she said. "I…I guess I don't remember much about the dream. But…but I feel sure it really happened. I was a little girl and I was running away from someone. I was calling out for help just as I reached an alleyway. Then a little boy with brown hair called to me and told me to follow him. I was so desperate to get away from my pursuer that I didn't care who I followed."
She stopped again and he said, "Go on."
"Well…" she continued. "The little boy led me through an open low window and into an old building. Then he told me to sit down in a corner and keep quiet. I did as he said and watched as he stood by the window. I could hear footsteps, then some muttering, and then all became silent. The boy went to me again and said that he was gone. I suppose he meant the man who was chasing me."
Squall stared at her. "What was the boy's name?"
"I asked him that and he hesitated for so long," she said, turning to face him. "I think it isn't his real name but he told me, 'I'm Leon.' I think the boy was you, actually. He looked so very much like you. Anyway, since I didn't think that was his real name, I thought I shouldn't give him my real name either. I said my name was---"
"Julia," Squall said.
"That's right," said Rinoa. "I said my name was Julia. I think that's my mother's name. But anyway, we talked for a while, I don't really remember about what…then I had to go and we didn't see each other anymore. How did you know what I told him, Squall?"
He just continued to stare at her. "So, you're Julia…you were that little girl I kept seeing playing around the street. You were always arguing with…this blond man…Seifer's father. At least, that's what I remember. The man looked like Seifer's father. He always yelled at you and you always tried to run away…" Squall mumbled.
"What?" Rinoa asked.
"We…we talked about why you kept running from him, Rinoa," Squall said. "Don't you remember? Didn't Seifer tell you?"
"Tell me what?" Rinoa questioned.