[A/N Phew! For some reason, it took me forever to type up this chapter. Don't ask why. I was away for awhile and I finished it when I got back. So this one is mainly about Quistis' conversation or argument with the Headmaster about Seifer returning! And… she also got pretty upset about something else. 0o Just read.]

Chapter 3: Good Luck

"How could Cid allow that?" I asked no one in particular.

Xu was back, teaching her classes. Selphie and Irvine were already gone and it was just me and Squall at the Quad. I was sitting down on the stage, trying to calm myself down.

I thought about Seifer returning to the Garden. After all he did to us... They'd still take him back? Then again... Seifer wasn't too bad... Maybe he had changed. If that was actually possible for someone like him.

I didn't expect and answer to my question but Squall gave me one.

"He sees no reason not to allow him back since we all know now that Seifer really wasn't responsible for his actions. Matron also believes so. Technically, their right. There's no law that says we can reject his return. He was already a student once after all and that would make it even more unfair if we rejected him."

"It's still not right." I protested quietly. It wasn't right. But it wasn't wrong either. There was no reason to deprive Seifer of training and education. But still...

"I know." Squall agreed with me. "He shouldn't be allowed. It just wouldn't be safe. It's nothing against Seifer… well, maybe it is." He grinned. "A lot of the other Instructors

said that we shouldn't take him back but Cid would not listen to them. I think Matron convinced him."

I already had my license as an Instructor back and was worrying about something else.

"Hopefully, he won't be in any of my classes. Do you remember what he used to do?" I shook my head. "I don't want to lose my Instructor's license a second time."

"Don't worry. I'm sure you'll be fine, even if that..." He shook his head but said nothing. "...Seifer is in your class." He reassured me by taking my hand and squeezing it.

"I hope so." I wondered if it would really be fine. Did Seifer really change? Or was he still an arrogant lapdog? I think it was easier to believe the second one I thought of. But there was a really good chance that he had changed… after all… He was one of us. And I felt guilty but couldn't help remembering what had happened on the night we defeated Ultimecia. He was so… different. Seifer was kind… and, maybe in a way sweet.

Squall sat down next to me. I rested my head on his shoulder. I felt guilty though, thinking about what had happened then on that night.

"You worry too much." Squall told me. I knew he was only half-serious.

"I got it from you." I said to him. "You're a bad influence." I laughed softly.

He smiled.

"When's he coming back?" I switched back to our original topic. I really was worrying too much about this. But I knew Squall was too, just not saying so.

"Today or tomorrow. Depends on him." Squall said.

"It would be at least interesting to see what happens… things haven't been very surprising lately." I wondered.

"Surprising? It would be a war, a never-ending battle."

"Well, at least things would be more exciting."

"I think boring would be better than blood-shed in this Garden. If that's your version of excitement."

I laughed.

"Maybe excitement is exactly the sort of thing we need to lessen here..." Squall said after a while and looked at me.

"Maybe." I shrugged and then smiled. "Just maybe."

"Instructor Quistis Trepe please report to the Headmaster's Office. Instructor Quistis..."

I sighed. It was late. I was already on my way to my room when the PA called me. I made my way to the elevator and rode up to the Headmaster's.

"Quistis." Ainna, the Headmaster's new secretary greeted me. "He's waiting for you inside."

"Thanks, Ainna." I told her and opened the door.

"Headmaster... why did you call for me?" I asked the figure inside.

"Ah, hello, Quistis." Cid smiled warmly. "Sit down, this may take awhile."

I took a seat on one of the chairs in the office and then glanced once more at the Headmaster.

"Well, I suppose I should get to the point now, shouldn't I?" Cid said. "I don't know if you'd be surprised by this news, I doubt not since you are very close to the commander…" Squall? "But Seifer is returning to Balamb Garden…" He looked at me in the eye to see my reaction. I can tell when Cid does this. He always likes knowing what I think of things. Me and everyone else. "I should've known that Squall told you. From the looks of you, you aren't exactly jumping for joy inside are you?"

"I guess not, sir." I told him.

"I might've guessed that you haven't completely forgotten everything that had happened because of Seifer…" He nodded. "Well, forgive him Quistis. In time you'll see that he was not responsible for his actions."
I looked at him. "It's not usually hard to forgive…" I held the headmaster's gaze. "But it's hard to forget what has happened."

He nodded slowly. "I understand, Quistis. But you'd have to try to put that aside for now because Seifer is here."

As in: now? Hell, no…

"Here…? Sir…"

"Yes, Quistis. He's here now. He's probably somewhere in this Garden or in his room getting ready. I've instructed him to be here once his things have been properly placed."

"I think I understand, sir, but, I mean, what does all of this have to do with me?"

He smiled warmly once more. "Quistis, I've been meaning to tell you but I guess I got confused. Well, Seifer… will need, of course, an Instructor and I've decided that since none of the other Instructors have had any real experience with Seifer that you get the job."

I sat up in my chair and started shaking my head, disbelievingly. "Oh… no, no, no… No. You know I can't handle that."

"Quistis, you will have to." He told me gently. "Seifer will feel out of place and I believe you are the only one who is actually capable of managing him."

"Of course not." I stood up suddenly and shook my head quickly. "No, no… Xu and… and all the other Instructors are so much better at disciplining than me! I, I lost my Instructor's license because of my lack of control."

"Yes, I know all that. And that is also why I am assigning you this job." He looked so sure of himself. How could the headmaster believe I could do that?

"But…"

"Quistis, you can handle this. I know you can. I don't think Seifer needs just someone to discipline him but he needs someone to teach him. Teach him, listen to him, understand him, make him change and… to just plain help him. All the Instructors are very well-qualified and they know how to do their jobs…" He looked straight at me. "But you, Quistis, are the only one I know who can make real connections with the most impossible of students."

I laughed shakily.

"It's quite true." He smiled. "Why do you think that out of all the Instructors you have the admirers? The Trepies?"

"Oh, please… they don't really admire me. They just… they're not serious at all."
Cid shook his head. "Quistis, you have to take this job. Quite frankly, I think you're the only one who's gotten through Seifer…" He looked at me completely serious. "He needs you."

Silence.

I was quieted. I was shocked. I was going insane. I slowly nodded my head, as almost an impulse. It's hard not to say 'yes' to hypnotic words like those.

What was I getting myself into?

"Hey, Headmaster… and Trepe?" An old familiar voice came into the room. The tones in it sounded in my head, a distant memory now clearing as the person behind me.

Seifer.

I was a loss for words. A mix of anger, feelings of betrayal and yet I remembered the words of the Headmaster just a moment ago, 'He needs you'. Maybe so and maybe not. But this wasn't going to be easy.

"Hello, Seifer. It's about time you arrived." Cid said, as if Seifer was just an ordinary student come back from a vacation.

I simply nodded, still not trusting my capabilities to hold myself from screaming insults.

Seifer grinned obnoxiously. I had this feeling that he hadn't really changed.

"Take a seat now, Quistis and I were just discussing your lessons." Cid told Seifer. "You already know about the arrangements… we just need the Instructor over here to… agree to them." He raised his eyebrows at me.

"Sir… my… my license? And what exactly are the… the rules? And how exactly will I be in charge of Seifer?"

"Your license… well, you do have it back. You are allowed to teach. And if you are worrying about losing it… it's safe on this job." He tapped his chin with one hand and thought hard. "You will be Seifer's Instructor, plain as that. He will be attending few of your classes ones that we think he'll be able to understand. Other than that, you'll be tutoring him outside of classes if you or he feels like it is needed."

"…What if-"

"Yes, you should report to me about any… misunderstandings… or trouble." He turned to Seifer. "You do understand though, that you have been given a second chance and I urge you not to lose that. All of the staff will be watching you and any time we see something wrong they can urge me to withdraw that chance you were given. And I shall consider it very well." Again he turned to me. "Quistis, anything you feel you should report to me then do. I'd very much like to know about Seifer's progress. Note that you may get out of this job if I see that things get out of your control."

I nodded.

"That is all. Seifer… your schedule…" Cid handed him some papers and explained other things as I tried to figure out what had changed with Seifer.

He hadn't changed much. He wore the same outfit, same gunblade, same everything.

He glanced at me and I looked back steadily.

"You may go now. Good luck to both of you." Cid said with a smile.

"I hate it when people wish me luck, Instructor. Save it for someone who needs it." Those words came back to me, Seifer's words from the SeeD exam.

I shook my head. I think I'll take the good luck. I may need it.