Breathless

By LiangFeng aka Tyrael

Chapter Ten: Breathe

Disclaimer: I DIDN'T DO IT YOU CAN'T PROVE ANYTHING…oh wait you mean THAT disclaimer…

Well it's all so overrated

In not saying you we feel

So you end up watching chances fade

And wondering what's real

And I give you just a little time

I, wonder if you realize

I've been waiting till I see it in your eyes…

                             -- "Breathe", Michelle Branch

As Xu prepared Quistis for the trials of the day and what would be, they hoped, a road to a brighter future, and as Xu prayed to every deity in the world that everything would be okay for her younger friend, and as Quistis just hoped and scoured her torn mind in vain for a sliver of a memory, in the opposite dormitory wing…

The calm morning serenity in the commander's apartment was broken by the shrill shriek of the alarm clock going off and jarring the occupants of the nearby bed awake…or at least one of them.

A bare arm snaked out from the confines of the warm comforter to grab for the alarm clock and hit the snooze button. Its attempts were in vain as it grasped thin air, for the clock was not sitting on the nightstand, but on the wardrobe a few feet away.

Rinoa growled in frustration as she peeked her head out from the covers. She glanced over at her sleeping partner, wondering how can anyone sleep through such an ear-piercing wail. But then again, they were up all night.

Rinoa reluctantly lifted her body from the bed and shivered as the cold air hit her naked body. Whatever happened to waking up with the sun? She yawned sleepily as she stretched her lithe body, wincing as she heard a few bones pop back into place.

"Oh man, it's too early to get up…"

There was a gruff bark and Rinoa just had the energy to pry one eye open to see Angelo sitting before the bed with a soft bath robe clutched gingerly in his jaws, wagging his tail furiously.

"Oh…" Rinoa cooed. "How sweet!" She smiled as she took the robe from the animal, giving him as rub on the head as soon as she had clothed herself. She kissed Angelo on the nose and hugged him tightly. "Good morning, baby."

"Good morning."

Rinoa blinked. She frowned which quickly changed into a giggle. "Not you, dummy!" She laughed as she grabbed the nearest pillow and threw it at Squall, before running over to the wardrobe, and shutting the alarm clock off.

"Well how am I supposed to know?" Squall grumbled as he pulled the pillow off his face and buried himself back under the covers. "You keep talking to that dog like it's human or something."

"More human than some people!" She retorted as she hugged Angelo, sticking her tongue out in Squall's general direction in a childish manner.

"Whatever." Was Squall's predictable answer. He closed his eyes, trying his best to go back to sleep. He had barely begun dozing when, sensing a new presence on the bed, cracked an eye open to peer at Rinoa. "What?"

Rinoa laughed. "Noooothing." She smiled, rolling onto her stomach, and propping herself up by the elbows. She laid her chin on the bridge of her folded hands. "'Love you…"

Squall sat up. "What's this about?"

"What?" Rinoa giggled. "I can't tell my boyfriend I love him?"

Squall sighed. "Sorry." He reached out, catching her ebony locks of hair in his fingers. "I love you too."

Rinoa leaned forward, catching his lips in hers as she wrapped her arms around his neck. Squall closed his eyes and kissed back.

Quistis studied the arrangement of the cards on the table. She bit her lip before turning her attention to the cards in her hand. It was terrible. "Are you quite sure I use to play Triple Triad all the time?"

Xu nodded. "In fact you were very good at it. You won the CC Group title of King from Kadowaki six years ago. You only had one single defeat…"

Well that's about to change. Quistis thought bitterly as she absently laid a card down. "It was nice of you to lend me your spare deck…"

"Yes, well…"

Quistis shuffled the cards in her hand, looking at it, and shuffling it again.

"What are you doing?"

Quistis laughed weakly, and shrugged. "Stalling."

Xu joined her laugh. "It's alright, when you get your deck back, I'm sure you'll do better."

Quistis shook her head. "I don't think that's the problem. A capable player should be able to play their cards well, regardless of what kind they have in their hand." Quistis looked up at her friend in concern when Xu's laugh had died off abruptly and had changed into a mask of astonishment. "What?"

Xu shook her head. "Nothing. It's just that you told me that once, when I just joined the CC Group…"

Quistis blinked. "O-Oh. Well, uhm…this is good, right?"

"Yes, of course!" Xu said, her voice full of excitement and promise. "This means that your memory is coming back!"

Quistis smiled, but somehow couldn't bring herself to Xu's level of happiness. She had convinced herself that some things were not meant to be remembered.

Just then, Cid's secretary poked her head into the waiting room. "Miss Trepe? Miss Xiang? The Headmaster will see you now." She adjusted her thick glasses, then turned to scribble off something on her clipboard, before disappearing back into the conference room.

Both women rose to their feet at the call. Quistis didn't know why, but she found herself brushing off nonexistent dust and fixing the tie on her uniform. She turned to Xu, checking to see if her companion was ready.

Xu shook her head, waving the younger woman on. "Go on, I'll clean up."

Quistis nodded, before following in the direction the secretary had come from.

Xu collected the card decks, binding them with rubber bands and putting them in her purse. She was about to gather the other cards, but then stopped to study them.

"She beat me…" She muttered in awe.

"I say we put her on probation!"

"Oh come on, Carter! She's not a druggie for crying out loud! She just lost her memory and needs a while to recover…"

"There's still a question as to whether or not her memory will come back. Dr. Kadowaki said that there is a possibility that this…this illness is caused psychologically."

"Then that brings us to a whole other issue. Is she even competent for this job? I mean she has been fired before… Can the mind of a girl so young as her take on such a job as a SeeD Instructor?"

"Don't flatter yourself! Though Miss Trepe has had some problems in her past, I can assure you that she has not gone mad!"

"That is debatable!"

"Silence!" Cid yelled, slamming a heavy palm on the table to effectively hush the disorder. Staff members shut their mouths, surprised at the headmaster's sudden outburst of authority. This was the first time ever they had seen the headmaster raise his voice. Clearly the situation was more stressful to the man than he let on.

Cid sighed wearily, taking off his thick-framed glasses to rub at his brow. "The reason I called you here today was to inform you that Miss Trepe has taken a temporary leave of absence to recover from her injuries. NOT to give you all permission to engage each other in a free-for-all gossip session. May I remind you that this is a fellow co-worker you are speaking of and I had expected more respectable statements NOT insulting remarks." At this he eyed the specific staff members who had been bad-mouthing the young instructor.

"More over, we are now stretched thin in our duties. Xu has agreed to substitute for Quistis' fourth through seventh period classes. Is there anyone who would like to volunteer for the remaining three periods?" He sighed again when no one raised their hands. The staff members were overworked enough as it is.

"Anyone?" Casting another hopeful glance over the conference room. Nothing.

"Well then you are dismissed." He said, waving them off before closing his eyes and falling back into the leather chair.

All around the room, the teachers rose from their chairs and filed neatly out of conference room. As soon as the last person left the room and the door clicked closed, the door popped open again.

Cid, sensing another presence, blinked his tired eyes open. "Oh, Xu, it's you. You just missed the staff meeting." He cleared his throat as he sat up, exuding an aura of professionalism. "This does not sit well with me. I hope you have a good…" The words died on his lips almost as soon as they left his mouth.

Standing in front of him was the last person he thought he would see. She looked different but that was to be expected. Her right hand was clasped tightly in Xu's as if the older woman was her life preserver, her blue eyes held desperation for Xu. But stemming from that desperation was trust-complete trust for her friend. But even in a disadvantaged state, Quistis still exuded her aura of strength, of her unbending will. She was the same Quistis he had always known. She didn't waver, she didn't hesitate, and she was firm. Cid almost laughed. What a fool he had been to expect any less from Quistis. Even with her loss of memory, she never allowed herself such a weakness as uncertainty and irresolution. But he had to wonder…was it done purposely or was her subconscious still active in her mind's weakened state.

"Quistis, this is Headmaster Cid of Balamb Garden." Xu indicated at the older man, conveniently leaving out the fact that he was also the man who had helped raised her when she was young. It wasn't her place to tell.

Cid smiled, and nodded at Quistis, which was returned. He gestured to the chairs beside his own. "Please, have a seat."

This was going to be a long day.