Author's Notes: Fast enough for you Silv? No that was not the end; I still
have a few more things to do. Get out your tissues because this chapter
will make you cry. And this chapter is very cool if you are playing the FF8
Piano collection, especially eyes on me or Succession of Witches... Shoot,
any are cool with it... I recommend Fisherman's Horizon if you have this FF8
Piano Collection available. Any of the three mentioned songs played
normally is also okay, the piano versions are so much better. Oh Yeah...
Um... Ami is very good at the end... Shoot, any sad music!
Firefly-Dreams: You make me think of Butterflies! Nevermind. If you want to understand, read the writer Ktrenal's Butterflies and Spirituality.
Silver-nex: I don't mind late. I was waiting for you. It's not over; it's just beginning to get sad. Working on a sequel and intend prequels.
Chapter 18: Comings and Goings
"Push!" I echoed the doctor's words.
Squall, still uncomfortable with this whole thing, had left the room, leaving my hand in the vice like grip of Rinoa. Granted, it had been my idea to use Rinoa as our surrogate mother this time, but she'd been all for it. The sorceress had loved being pampered for eight month, with me and occasionally Squall catering to her every whim. Along with it Squall and I have been training our replacements. Nida was.... OWW!
"Damn Rinoa! That is my gunblade hand!"
"Shut the fuck up Seifer!" Rinoa growled, squeezing harder as the doctor directed her to push again; if this keeps up, I'm going to loose my hand.
"What are you going to name him?" Rinoa asked from the bed, holding my son in her arms.
"Reyn Kiros Almasy," I smiled, hoping she'd think his name was a tribute to my mother, when in fact it was for Mercale's son.
"By giving him Kiros's name, are you trying to say you want him to be smarter and more graceful than your father? I think that it is also sweet you gave him a name like your mother's Mr. Leonhart-Loire."
"... ..." I hated it when she used my full last name. Seifer had taken mine when we were married. But I'd taken Loire to link myself to my father as I always should have been.
"Rinoa," Seifer's voice came in to save me, "You know he doesn't like to hear about his mother."
"Yes Mister Almasy-Leonhart."
Quickly my husband took the sleeping boy in his arms and led me from the room. We both knew what conversation had to take place. Elections were soon and everything was chaotic. We'd wit till Reyn turned 12 then pull out of Estharian government. We'd leave him in with of one of his many aunts and uncles or even with Laguna. Then we'd disappear.
"He's beautiful," Seifer said softly, running his fingers through Reyn's short, soft hair.
"Just like you," I tried to assure Seifer.
"Squall... I..." he started before his cell phone rang.
We both froze for a moment. Seifer placed Reyn in my arms. My head of security and my husband moved away while answering the phone. Slowly I rock the waking child in my arms. I have to wonder if Seifer will try to inflict his reckless one-handed gunblade style on this kid. I'd have to find a way for dad to keep Seifer out of the way while the kid did early training. Wait, He's coming back and he's got tears in his eyes. What is going on now?
"Seifer?" I question, fearing the worst, maybe he had heard from my doctor. Maybe they had my test results and that illness of mine was coming up again.
"Squall, you better sit down," he said, wiping away his tears.
"What?"
He forces me to sit and took Reyn away from me, giving him to a nurse who was hovering nearby. Then he sat beside me, taking my hand in a tight squeeze, trying to comfort me.
"It's Laguna."
I was confused. My father couldn't be having a problem. Maybe he'd called us about something. Maybe he was going to move in with us.
"He's in the hospital. There was... a shooting. Damien was with him. He's dead. Your father is barely hanging on to life," Seifer said slowly, tears flowing freely down his face.
"Oh Hyne..." I mumbled. For a moment I'm glad Reyn wasn't in my arms, for I'd have squeezed him like I'm squeezing Seifer's hand. I'm ashamed to be happy Laguna is still alive for Seifer's father, a man we've only known for two years, is not.
"Where is he?" I demand, Seifer'd go to his father's side in denial, but I had to see Laguna. I can't deny that I love my father.
There were four wings in the Estharian presidential hospital situated in the basement of the presidential palace. I'd just come from the quieter nursery wing where my son was born. It was run by our old friend from Balamb Garden, Doctor K. My destination was the mortuary. Already they'd moved my father there. Sadly Laguna'd end up here eventually. Squall was with him in the ICU wing. Other than that there was the basic care wing we all knew. That could handle anything from cuts and broken bones to basic checkups. Slowly I came to a halt and stared down the cold steel hall to the doctor waiting for me.
"Mister Almasy..." he began.
"No," I cut him off, "Later. There is time for hows and whys later. I have to see him now!"
With no further words, he guided me into a cold room where a cloth covered body lay on a metal table. "DAD!" I sobbed out and ran to the body.
"You can look at him, but..." the doctor silenced himself and pulled the cloth down to the edge of the neck.
The dead green eyes, glassy and so deep, stared up at me, "Oh god," never until now had I understood death, or believed how it was supposed to make a person look.
"No... Dad... You can't be dead. You never saw your grandson."
"He has your eyes."
"Laguna," I asked at the door.
"Squall," he mumbled weakly, "I want to see Reyn."
"I'll have a nurse get him... Laguna... Don't die," I begged, moving to his bedside.
"How is Ward?" his body guard and friend had been in the car too, and shrapnel had slit his throat... He was currently in surgery and no one expected him to survive.
"He's dying dad," I said, knowing that now he'd definitely realize the seriousness of his state, for I never called him dad, "Damien is already dead."
Laguna looked at me, smiling but with tears in his eyes, "I love you Squall."
"Please don't say that, I love you dad... So don't die!"
At this point a nurse brought Reyn in, putting him in his grandfather's arms. The child looked at Laguna and smiled.
"Squall... Around my neck. Take the chain..."
I obeyed him, realizing this could be his final wish. I took the gold chain and inspected the locket attached. It was a special Estharian kind. A digital locket with a holopicture scrapbook in it. Quickly I flipped through the images. One of my wedding, me dancing with Seifer. One of Rained, Ellone and me as a baby with Laguna. Another with my father, Kiros, Ward and Damien, very recent.
"For Reyn. Take care of him."
"Dad," I said sadly, taking Reyn and giving him to a nurse.
"You take care of my country," he said, his smile fading.
Machines protected with a loud, insistent beep. Here lies Laguna Loire, my father. He was a great man, important to the world... And here he lies dead, having waited to see his grandson.
"He will have your name as his own."
Firefly-Dreams: You make me think of Butterflies! Nevermind. If you want to understand, read the writer Ktrenal's Butterflies and Spirituality.
Silver-nex: I don't mind late. I was waiting for you. It's not over; it's just beginning to get sad. Working on a sequel and intend prequels.
Chapter 18: Comings and Goings
"Push!" I echoed the doctor's words.
Squall, still uncomfortable with this whole thing, had left the room, leaving my hand in the vice like grip of Rinoa. Granted, it had been my idea to use Rinoa as our surrogate mother this time, but she'd been all for it. The sorceress had loved being pampered for eight month, with me and occasionally Squall catering to her every whim. Along with it Squall and I have been training our replacements. Nida was.... OWW!
"Damn Rinoa! That is my gunblade hand!"
"Shut the fuck up Seifer!" Rinoa growled, squeezing harder as the doctor directed her to push again; if this keeps up, I'm going to loose my hand.
"What are you going to name him?" Rinoa asked from the bed, holding my son in her arms.
"Reyn Kiros Almasy," I smiled, hoping she'd think his name was a tribute to my mother, when in fact it was for Mercale's son.
"By giving him Kiros's name, are you trying to say you want him to be smarter and more graceful than your father? I think that it is also sweet you gave him a name like your mother's Mr. Leonhart-Loire."
"... ..." I hated it when she used my full last name. Seifer had taken mine when we were married. But I'd taken Loire to link myself to my father as I always should have been.
"Rinoa," Seifer's voice came in to save me, "You know he doesn't like to hear about his mother."
"Yes Mister Almasy-Leonhart."
Quickly my husband took the sleeping boy in his arms and led me from the room. We both knew what conversation had to take place. Elections were soon and everything was chaotic. We'd wit till Reyn turned 12 then pull out of Estharian government. We'd leave him in with of one of his many aunts and uncles or even with Laguna. Then we'd disappear.
"He's beautiful," Seifer said softly, running his fingers through Reyn's short, soft hair.
"Just like you," I tried to assure Seifer.
"Squall... I..." he started before his cell phone rang.
We both froze for a moment. Seifer placed Reyn in my arms. My head of security and my husband moved away while answering the phone. Slowly I rock the waking child in my arms. I have to wonder if Seifer will try to inflict his reckless one-handed gunblade style on this kid. I'd have to find a way for dad to keep Seifer out of the way while the kid did early training. Wait, He's coming back and he's got tears in his eyes. What is going on now?
"Seifer?" I question, fearing the worst, maybe he had heard from my doctor. Maybe they had my test results and that illness of mine was coming up again.
"Squall, you better sit down," he said, wiping away his tears.
"What?"
He forces me to sit and took Reyn away from me, giving him to a nurse who was hovering nearby. Then he sat beside me, taking my hand in a tight squeeze, trying to comfort me.
"It's Laguna."
I was confused. My father couldn't be having a problem. Maybe he'd called us about something. Maybe he was going to move in with us.
"He's in the hospital. There was... a shooting. Damien was with him. He's dead. Your father is barely hanging on to life," Seifer said slowly, tears flowing freely down his face.
"Oh Hyne..." I mumbled. For a moment I'm glad Reyn wasn't in my arms, for I'd have squeezed him like I'm squeezing Seifer's hand. I'm ashamed to be happy Laguna is still alive for Seifer's father, a man we've only known for two years, is not.
"Where is he?" I demand, Seifer'd go to his father's side in denial, but I had to see Laguna. I can't deny that I love my father.
There were four wings in the Estharian presidential hospital situated in the basement of the presidential palace. I'd just come from the quieter nursery wing where my son was born. It was run by our old friend from Balamb Garden, Doctor K. My destination was the mortuary. Already they'd moved my father there. Sadly Laguna'd end up here eventually. Squall was with him in the ICU wing. Other than that there was the basic care wing we all knew. That could handle anything from cuts and broken bones to basic checkups. Slowly I came to a halt and stared down the cold steel hall to the doctor waiting for me.
"Mister Almasy..." he began.
"No," I cut him off, "Later. There is time for hows and whys later. I have to see him now!"
With no further words, he guided me into a cold room where a cloth covered body lay on a metal table. "DAD!" I sobbed out and ran to the body.
"You can look at him, but..." the doctor silenced himself and pulled the cloth down to the edge of the neck.
The dead green eyes, glassy and so deep, stared up at me, "Oh god," never until now had I understood death, or believed how it was supposed to make a person look.
"No... Dad... You can't be dead. You never saw your grandson."
"He has your eyes."
"Laguna," I asked at the door.
"Squall," he mumbled weakly, "I want to see Reyn."
"I'll have a nurse get him... Laguna... Don't die," I begged, moving to his bedside.
"How is Ward?" his body guard and friend had been in the car too, and shrapnel had slit his throat... He was currently in surgery and no one expected him to survive.
"He's dying dad," I said, knowing that now he'd definitely realize the seriousness of his state, for I never called him dad, "Damien is already dead."
Laguna looked at me, smiling but with tears in his eyes, "I love you Squall."
"Please don't say that, I love you dad... So don't die!"
At this point a nurse brought Reyn in, putting him in his grandfather's arms. The child looked at Laguna and smiled.
"Squall... Around my neck. Take the chain..."
I obeyed him, realizing this could be his final wish. I took the gold chain and inspected the locket attached. It was a special Estharian kind. A digital locket with a holopicture scrapbook in it. Quickly I flipped through the images. One of my wedding, me dancing with Seifer. One of Rained, Ellone and me as a baby with Laguna. Another with my father, Kiros, Ward and Damien, very recent.
"For Reyn. Take care of him."
"Dad," I said sadly, taking Reyn and giving him to a nurse.
"You take care of my country," he said, his smile fading.
Machines protected with a loud, insistent beep. Here lies Laguna Loire, my father. He was a great man, important to the world... And here he lies dead, having waited to see his grandson.
"He will have your name as his own."