Squall Leonhart headed back to his house in Balmb, he could've lived in Garden but there would've been no room for his family. It was only a fifteen minute drive to Balmb, so he didn't mind too much. He drove through the sleepy village, it was late and most people were in a deep slumber by now.

He arrived at his house, he noticed the upstairs bedroom light was on. Rinoa was still awake, Squall cursed inwardly. Whenever she was still up it meant she wanted to talk to him, although he usually told her he was tired and told her it could wait. She'd usually complain a bit until he just rolled over and went to sleep. He felt like a bastard every time he did it, but he was usually just too tired to talk. He never talked to her anymore, work was more important, and he was tired from working.

He trudged up to the room, and there was his wife sitting on the bed staring at him,

"Squall, we need to-"

"Tomorrow." He mumbled, she glared at him,

"No, not this time. I know that you won't talk to me tomorrow and I'll be damned if you put this off for any longer." She said firmly, Squall was taken aback by his wife's sudden change in tone.

"Look Rin,"

"No. You always do this, well let me tell you something. I'm tired of it, and I'm tired of you coming home late,"

"I had to work!" Squall protested,

"And I'm tired of you missing out on your daughter's lives. They do exist you know," She said sarcastically,

"Look, I said I was sorry about missing Julia's party," Squall began,

"And you were also sorry about missing her ballet recital, her school play, her hockey match, the day she began to talk, the day she began to walk, and every other countless thing that you missed. Don't forget about Raine either, she's also your daughter, where were you the day she was born? Where were you the day she said her first word? Where were you on her first day of school? I'm not going to list everything, because you know what you missed. If you don't show any interest in me, fine so be it, but how dare you ignore your two daughters!"

"Rinoa, I'm sorry! But I have to work a lot!"

"It always comes down to your damn job, doesn't it? You've sacrificed an amazing family for a job you hate!" Rinoa yelled, by now she had stood up.

"It puts food on the table!" Squall yelled, "It pays for their education, it pays for their doctor bills, it pays for their clothes, it pays for their toys, it pays for everything they need!"

"It doesn't pay for everything they need, they need a father and nothing can pay for that! They love you Squall, they look up to you and they'd do anything for you to at least acknowledge their existence. Squall, we have plenty of money, if you were to quit your job in the morning we'd have enough money in the bank account to keep us going, but most importantly, Julia and Raine would have a father!"

"So that's what you want me to do? Give up my job, give up my whole life?" Squall snapped

"You're family is your life too, or at least they should be!" Rinoa retorted.

"What about what I want? Maybe I don't want to give up my job!" Squall yelled,

"I don't believe that for one second, you hate that job and you know it!"

"Maybe so, but it's the only thing that gets me away from you and your constant complaining!" If Squall could change one thing that happened in his entire life, he would've changed what he had just said. The look of hurt and dismay on Rinoa's face was enough to make him want to kill himself, he couldn't believe what he had just said. "Rinoa, I'm sorry," He said trying to comfort her, "I didn't mean what I just said," He said placing a hand on her shoulder, she pushed his hand off forcefully. Although he refused to admit it, he did feel that way and he loathed himself for it.

"You did mean it!" She yelled spitefully, "Otherwise you wouldn't have said it." She began to cry, "I loved you Squall." Squall cringed at her harsh words, they were in the past tense. "But I can't cope with this anymore, for the past ten years I've devoted every emotion to Julia and Raine because you don't care about them."

"I do care about them!" Squall protested,

"And I complain because I've received fuck all support from you! Don't go on about how you were financially supporting us, because that's bullshit! We've always had enough money from the Ultimecia mission and from what my father left us! When he died, I cried. Not because I loved him, but because he treated me the exact way you treat Julia and Raine. I spent my entire life wishing he cared about me! And then he was gone, and I'll never know if he cared at all, he sure as hell never showed it! Do you want your daughters to be the same on the day of your funeral?"

"Rinoa, I do care about them, I'd do anything for them."

"You'd do anything money can buy, but when involves showing that you love them or being there when they truly need you, that's when you ignore them! They don't know that you care about them, and they'll never know unless you start putting in a bit of effort now! Now answer my question, do you want them to feel the same way I feel about my father on the day of your funeral?"

Squall paused for a moment, "No..." He whispered,

"Then at least come home at a reasonable hour so we can all have dinner together or at least be there on their birthday and other special occasions! At least tell them you love them once in a while!"

"Rinoa, I wish it was that simple."

"What's the problem? Is it because I'm around as well? Squall, for Hyne's sake! Today they told me that you didn't care about them, I tried to tell them you did but I wasn't so sure myself! But I did it anyway, for your sake! If I can do that, then you can at least pretend you don't resent me!"

"Resent you? Rinoa, I don't resent you!"

"Well you sure as hell don't seem to love me!"

"I do Rinoa!"

"Look me in the eye and tell me that you love me!" Rinoa's voice was shaking, she wanted to think that he could look her in the eye and tell her that he loved her they way he used to, but in her heart she knew he couldn't.

"Rinoa, I-" He began, he looked down, why the hell couldn't he say it? "Rinoa, please,"

"Don't." She said firmly, "Spare me the excuses,"

"Please, hear me out!" Squall asserted, unsure of what he was going to say, what was there to say?

"No Squall, I don't need to hear it. You don't love me anymore, there's nothing I can do about that, just at least show your daughter's that you care about them. Your feelings towards me isn't my main priority, but Raine and Julia's feelings are." She wasn't shouting at him, although he wished she was.

"It's not like that Rinoa!"

"Then what's it like?" Rinoa asked. Squall couldn't answer, he opened and closed his mouth a few times, "I thought so," Rinoa said forlornly, "I'm going to bed. Good night Squall."

She climbed into the bed and pulled the covers over her, she managed to hide the sounds of her sobs, but the tears came pouring uncontrollably out of her eyes, she just hoped Squall wouldn't see, the last thing she needed was him trying to comfort her.

Squall stood rooted the spot unsure of what to do next, should he hold her and tell her he's sorry? Should he leave? Or should he just stay there? He never felt so lost in his entire life, he wanted to tell her he loved her, but he wasn't so sure he did anymore. He left the room and went for a walk, he need some serious thinking time.