Disclaimer: I don't own final fantasy 8, it's the property of squaresoft. No money has or will exchange hands. However all original characters and storylines are mine thanx.

Thanx to all those who reviewed my first two chapters, here's the third, sorry it took so long, I just didn't know where to stop. Next one up soon. Enjoy!

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The Ragnarok eventually set of at 12.15 and surprisingly it wasn't Squall and Rinoa that were late. Apparently the earlier time hadn't been relayed to all the students due to head out and it took a message over the P.A system to get everybody together.

Squall had taken the helm, which all agreed was an improvement on Selphies steering abilities, with Rinoa keeping an eye on any problems and Laurie sorting out the majority of the cadets. "We'll be there in the next few minutes, everybody prepare to depart. Commander Leonhart out." Squall announced as the beach and building came into view.

"It looks so different." Rinoa said, half to herself and half to him.

"I know, it's more like I remember it." His voice was quiet but she heard him and put her hand on his shoulder, she knew he had so memories from this place and more so since GF use had been almost discontinued and that amongst the happiness there had been incredible sadness. It was the first place he'd ever felt truly alone and the start of an internal torment she knew still plagued him sometimes and dreams that woke him in the middle of the night.

* "It is good to see you again Squall, Rinoa. How is everything in Balamb?" Edea asked as everybody else went about sorting their belongings and job areas. The three of them were sat in the courtyard that over looked the beach.

"Fine, nothing really major has happened in a while." Squall told her taking a sip of his drink before putting the glass back down on the table and casting a glance in Rinoa's direction.

"I got the results from Dr. Odine this morning." She said to the older woman, taking Squall's lead.

"And?" the matron asked, not really sure what to expect.

"I'm good, my powers are centred in white magic so Dr. Odine said there should be nothing to worry about any more." The young woman's smile was beaming, as what that of the young man next to her and Edea smiled too.

"Well that is good to know dear, but I don't think it would have been much of a problem if you had black originated powers. I after all now have them and as long as your heart stays true it doesn't matter." After she had spoken a slightly uncomfortable silence fell over the three of them and it became evident that there was something Edea was hiding from them, however neither Squall nor Rinoa wanted to bring it up.

It eventually fell to Zell, although it wasn't intentional on his part as he came out onto the courtyard to check when they would be leaving.

"YO Squall, we heading back yet?" he asked impatiently bouncing on the balls of his feet with the blue file he'd been given earlier.

"Fifteen minutes Zell, give everybody time to get ready." Squall told him sounding slightly annoyed although in truth he was glad for an interruption into the silence. Then he noticed the file and the way the blonde man was holding onto it. "What's in the file?" he asked and immediately saw his expression change.

"My umm...my family history." He answered; his tone was as solemn as his face. His two friends looked at him and then at each other.

"Where did you get it?" Rinoa asked carefully, she knew something of the pain he must be feeling as she could remember finding out the full truth of how her mother died.

"Edea and me managed to open the chest this morning... it had all the records of our families and our time here." He looked so uncomfortable and a little sad, it was a complete contrast to how he Usually was and Squall was beginning to wish that he'd never brought it up. For Zells sake and for himself and the rest of the orphanage group.

"I was going to bring it up, I just didn't know what to say or if you wanted to know how you got here, or what happened to you parents." Their former matron told them very quietly, her eyes focused where her hands rested on the table.

"Do you really know?" Squall asked and she nodded.

"Yes. I have information on both of your parents Squall and files for each of your friends that stayed here." When she looked up at him it was with a mixture of sadness and regret and he half wondered why, it wasn't as if he'd ever really known his parents. Even though some where in the back of his mind something told him that he was more acquainted than he was aware – a memory suppressed by the GF and not yet released? Or just something he didn't want to consider.

"I'll um leave you guys to it." Zell announced, before the conversation became too uncomfortable.

"I think I'll join you." Rinoa piped up and went to stand, but Squall grabbed her hand.

"You don't have to leave." He told her and she planted a kiss on his check.

"I know but I think you need to see this for yourself first, I'll come back and get you in a little while." She reassured him before squeezing his hand and walking towards Zell.

If anything Squall was more uncomfortable and nervous on his own with only Edea for company and he couldn't explain why, he already knew he was an orphan – what did a file full of names he wouldn't recognise do to help that?

"If you don't want to see it I'll understand, your situation is a little complicated to say the least." But her comment only fuelled the curious part of his mind and he knew full well he couldn't leave without knowing what the 'situation' was.

"How is it complicated?" he asked and for a few seconds she didn't answer him – just sat there deliberating something within her mind. After what seemed like a lot longer than it actually was she stood and walked over to the corner of the courtyard where she picked up five faded blue files and something, which appeared to be a large green envelope before returning to the table.

"Here." She said quietly and handed him the top file, it was larger than the rest of them in the pile and he figured that was due to whatever problem made him so unique.

His answer came when he opened the file and made himself look at the information on the front page, he still wasn't sure about this – it wasn't as if he'd had chance to consider what he was going to read as he'd only known about the files existence for five minutes, but it was probably better that way – there was no deliberating and agonising.

Name: Squall Leonhart.( he is to have his mothers maiden name)

D.O.B: August 23

AGE on arrival: 2 months old.

Parents: mother: Raine Loire. (Deceased)

Father: Laguna Loire. (Missing)

Place of birth: Whinhill, Galbadia.

Personal information: he arrived with his 'sister' Ellone who had been adopted by his mother and father. His mother, Raine died two weeks after childbirth and her only wishes were that Squall stay safe and for her husband to know of his existence. These wishes have been elaborated in a letter that she dictated to a close friend and was given to us on Squalls arrival. Since then we have tried to locate Mr. Loire but have so far been unsuccessful, there are rumours that he is in Estar but due to the situation at the moment it has been decided to wait until the end of the war before a further attempt at contact can be made.

After he'd read the page four times it began to sink in, it also seemed to make sense in an odd sort of way – those moomba's in the district prison had recognised him as Laguna and they could only do that it there was a blood connection. Then there were all the things in Winhill when he had gone there for real – he could have sworn he'd seen Raine – his 'mother' in the pub she had owned.

But his mind was filled with a thousand other things, why hadn't Laguna ever returned? How could he have left her there while he became the president? Did he know that she was pregnant? Had he ever made an attempt to find out? Had it been the people of Winhill that had kept his existence a secret? Why hadn't he been told earlier? Three years had passed since the defeat of Ultimiacia so why hadn't he been told in that time? And more importantly what the hell was he supposed to do now ? "Squall?" Edea asked concerned at his silence, she knew that this was going to be hard for him to come to terms with and there was still the letter yet to come. Half for him and half for his father.

"HE is my dad?" he asked her just to make sure, as if there could have been some mistake.

"Yes he is. I'm just sorry we couldn't tell you sooner, we just didn't remember because of all that happened." There was a genuine concern in her voice but he could barely register what was going on or what he had actually been told and if Laguna didn't know did that mean it would be him that had to tell him?

"Um... I, we need to leave now." he stuttered, realising that he needed some time to think this over – some time away form this place.

"Are you... " She started but trailed off when she realise how stupid her question would sound. "I just need some time to think this over." Came the reply, although he sounded like he was a million miles away.

"Where are you headed?" she asked carefully, not wanting to push the subject.

"Balamb. But I'm guessing that you want me to visit Estar as well." It sounded colder than he meant it but he was just too confused to pay much attention to what was happening.

Edea shook her head in defeat. "That is up to you, I could easily send the information via the network. But I do think it would be better coming from you." She paused before passing the other files over to him as well. "Could you? If you don't mind take these back with you? They're Selphie, Irvine, Quistis and Seifers files and I don't want them feeling left out." He looked at them and then at her.

"What's with the envelope?" he asked although he already knew the answer.

"It's a copy of the letter for Laguna." That confirmed it. "The original is in your file and I haven't read it before you ask. It's for you two only."

"Thanks." He replied before picking up the files and heading back into the orphanage.

"I'm sorry." Edea said as he walked away.

"I know, and this isn't your fault. I just have to do this my way." He answered, knowing it was awkward but he needed to get out of there and she let him leave with out another comment.

* Rinoa had only been there for ten minutes before Squall came out of the main building and headed in her direction. She could see the files he was carrying and although she wondered what they contained, her more immediate concern was the expression on his face.

"Squall?" she asked when he was only a little way in front of her. He didn't give her an answer – at least not a verbal one. Instead he put the files on the bench she was leaning against and pulled her into his arms. He was holding her so tight that she could hardly breath and there was urgency in his embrace that worried her, but she preferred that he hold her than push her away.

"I'm never going to leave you, not ever." He told her determinedly. "No matter what." She didn't know what to say – quite taken aback by his behaviour, she guessed that it had something to do with his parents and a mistake that he didn't want to repeat. So she didn't say anything in response, just held on to him as tightly as she could and stayed there until he released his firm hold.

"What's going on?" she asked after a moment of silence. It was a better question than asking if he was ok as the answer to that was plainly obvious.

"Um, I... ah, I have a father." He managed to say and he reached for the pile of files, making sure that he had all of them before turning back to Rinoa.

"Oh." She paused, "Do you know who?" she asked him tentatively and he nodded.

"Yeah and infact it turns out we all know him pretty well." This was met by a confused look from her as she mentally ran through a list of all the men they knew that would be old enough to be his dad. Laguna came top of this list and given everything Squall had told her about the 'dreams' Ellone had given him it made perfect sense.

"No." she whispered and he took her hand leading her to the Ragnarok.

"Oh yeah." He replied, with more than a touch of venom in his voice as they walked.

"Does he know?" she knew that she was pushing her luck but Rinoa wanted to get as much out of his talkative mood while she could. She knew only too well how much brooding could go on in that head of his.

It took him a while to answer her but as they approached the ramp he finally said something. "No." he sighed. "At least Edea doesn't seem to think he does." He sounded a little sad when he spoke and she gave his hand a little squeeze.

"Is that why you have all the files?" she asked when the hatch doors closed behind them, they were the last on board as Zell and Laurie had taken the initiative and brought everybody on board.

"Sort of." Then when she looked at him he elaborated, "One of them is mine, the envelope has a letter for Laguna to read and the rest are for everyone else that was at the orphanage." She nodded satisfied at his explanation and not a little surprised that he called his 'father' Laguna'.

"You guys ready yet?" Came Zells voice over the intercom.

"Give that guy an inch..." Squall muttered as the two headed to the bridge.

* Quistis was sat at her desk in her classroom staring at the two blue files on her desk. Squall had dropped off both her and Seifer's an hour ago and then left quickly without really saying anything apart from what was in the files. She'd tried to ask Zell for some sort of explanation as to what was going on with Squall but he'd just shrugged and said it was something personal that he had to sort out, and then he and Laurie had left to enjoy the rest of their wedding anniversary.

So in short she was left with no clue what to expect and a Garden to look after until the commander returned – she didn't even know when that would be.

"You hoping it'll disappear or something?" a voice asked from the door of the room. He was early. "Cause I wasn't aware the almightily Quistis Trepe could do that, maybe I should take a look at the treppie website under 'special abilities'." He remarked as he made his way to her desk. She glared at him as he sat down.

"Shows how much you know." She retorted and she watched as he sat down across from her with a smirk on his face and his blue eyes looking right back at her. "This is for you." She told him pushing the top file towards him, hoping he would stop staring at her and wondering what his motives were.

"What is it now? Some report that says I need another year's probation? I thought that was over now." He asked, taking it from her and flipping through the pages, he wasn't really taking any of it in at all but it was something to do.

Quistis shook her head and took off her glasses pulling her own file towards her, "It's you records from your time at the orphanage. Squall said it's got the details of who your parents were and what happened to them." She explained as she considered opening her own.

Seifer across from her suddenly stopped what he was doing and put it down on the table, the noise made her turn her head to look at him again, was he afraid of a file?

"What?" she asked and he shrugged dismissively. "Seifer come on, what?" but he just sat back in his chair and lifted his legs to rest his feet on the edge of her desk – needless to say she was not impressed. "You mean to tell me that you don't want to know where you came from?" all he did was shrug again and she sighed. "Oh come on! Don't give me that crap, you don't hide your feelings – you act on them remember. Or have I actually managed to get through to you over this past year?" she asked and finally he made some sort of comment.

"I already know." He told her simply.

She blinked a few times before registering what he'd just said. "How?" she'd been told that these were the only records that Edea knew of and that Zell had just gotten lucky finding them.

"I didn't go to the orphanage until I was four so I knew my parents, they died from some sort of radiation poisoning and after they'd died my moms friends brought me to the orphanage." Quistis was silent after he'd spoken and for some reason she couldn't take her eyes off him. He'd just described something so painful as if it didn't matter and she honestly didn't know how he did it.

"Don't feel sorry for me, I don't." he remarked smiling in an attempt to cheer his former instructor and current life coach up.

"Well, if you're not going to read yours at least take it with you." She told him pulling her eyes away from his and wondering if she would be so calm after she read hers. But she doubted it.

"What no big speeches and no yelling at me to take life more seriously?" he teased, he was only really there because of the weekly sessions the two of them had together around that time.

"Do you want me to?" she asked, still concerned over his reaction or there lack of.

"Nah, I'll go kill a couple of grats instead – call it anger management, same time next week?" he asked standing and heading towards the door.

"Yeah." She told him and he nodded before grabbing the file and leaving the room and a very nervous Quistis staring at a file that contained a history she really didn't want to know.

If u liked it please review cause it cheers me up and makes me write faster, constructive feedback also welcome!!!