(a/n: Xifa helped write this. She is Laguna and Elle and Sakura, and I am Raine.  Also this has no relation to I'll Be, nor do any of the characters. Okay?! And I DON'T OWN FINAL FANTASY VIII! Only Squall In any case, go read Xifa's stories! They're great!)

Sometimes it's black, Sometimes it's white, Sometimes she's wrong, Sometimes I'm right…every other time.

Morning came all to soon… Bringing me out of my dreams. I closed my eyes again, trying to remember some of the dreams I had. It was like trying to hold water… every little detail trickled away. I sighed, stood up, stretching, and went into the kitchen. It felt so strange to cook breakfast for three. Usually it was only Elle and I. Laguna hadn't made any complaints since going to sleep, but seemed to be stirring now. I brought him a tray, lost for words, then sat cross-legged on the love seat. I started to eat without talking to Laguna, because I didn't want to wake Elle up.

"Good morning." He said, and I looked up.

"Morning. Feeling better this morning?" I feigned brightness and cheerfulness.

"A bit," he nodded with a smile, "I don't hurt for the first time in a few days. I'm afraid to move and screw that up."

"Do you need some help?"

He really needed to change out of that beat up uniform, and despite how embarrassing it may be, I doubted he could stand up on his own yet. Heck, I doubted he could move.

"Help what?" he blinked.

"Raine, I'm hungry!" Elle ran down the stairs, making as much noise as possible.  "Oh! Ah!" she cried, seeing Laguna and ducking behind me.

"It's okay." I laughed a little. "This is Laguna. He'll be staying for a while. Laguna, this is Ellone."

"Is he bad?" Elle asked me.

"Nice to meetcha, Miss Ellone." I hoped and prayed that Elle wouldn't pick up Laguna's awful speech habits.

"Of course he's not bad. He's… a friend of mine. He had an accident, and he's far from home, so he can stay here as long as he needs."

"Okay. I'm gonna go get my plate now. Bye!" Elle ran off.

"Where am I, anyway? What hospital is this?"

"There isn't a hospital in Winhill. This is my restaurant, and the upstairs is my house."

"OhmyGOD! I'm gonna die of an infection or something unsanitary! Why did they take me to a restaurant?! DO I LOOK HUNGRY?! …Are you even a doctor?!"

I sighed. "I'm as close to a doctor as you can get in Winhill, Laguna."

"You don't have a doctor?! What kind of junky little town am I in?!"

"The 'junky town' that I grew up in. Hey, at least someone here knows what to do." Temper… rising… calm down, Raine…

"You're not a doctor!! How can you know what you're doing? Omigod, you're not like, the janitor of this place, are you? You washed your hands, right?! I'm gonna die!!!!!"

"Laguna!" I yelled, heat creeping into my face. I'd finally had enough. "Calm down already!"

"Where's my coat? I have sanitizer in my pocket! I can't die! I'm too young to die!"

I disgustedly threw his coat at him. "You obsessive little…" In case Elle was listening, I didn't finish that thought.

"Ouch!" he yelled, wincing, and I immediately felt guilty. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a bottle. "OH GOD! EMPTY!"

"Ha." It served him right. I dug through my pack. I was still angry with him. "If I'm so unclean, then here, I use hand sanitizer. That is, if you aren't afraid to touch the bottle." I laughed… not a happy laugh, either. A bitter laugh. I put the bottle of hand sanitizer in his hand. He dropped it instantly.

"How do I know that's sanitizer? Oh, are you trying to kill me?! I'll wake up tomorrow, dead…." I wanted very badly to point out if he was dead, then he quite clearly wouldn't be waking up. But I didn't. "…nobody'll care."

"Just grow up." I fumed, sinking down on the couch. "I'm not a murderer."

"Not yet!" he cried indignantly.

I sighed, deciding I liked him much better asleep. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have gotten so flared up." I frowned apologetically.

"Guess I shouldn't have panicked." He, too, sighed. "Sorry."

I nodded, bringing my plate to the kitchen. I had to let my anger burn off before I went back into the room with Laguna. I shuddered. I had a long time till he got better…. How the heck was I supposed to deal with so long with him? I closed my eyes, sinking down at the table and pulling out my notebook. I shook my head. I had a long couple of months ahead of me.