Disclaimer- I obviously don't own any part of FFVIII....
Author's notes- This story is starting to come to a close with this chapter. Thanks to all who have taken the time to read and review.
Element6- Just get it done...yeah that's the gameplan...:)
JadeAlmasy- I'm glad you liked that quote as much as I did. I was trying so hard to make Laguna seem in character and yet seem upset or at least affected by Elle's babies.
Crescent Pearl- I will always appreciate any review you send me regardless of them sounding alike. Seifer a papa...lol. I just knew that someone would comment on that.
Sleepless Nights Part 1
He watched the familiar scene before him. He'd been here before. This was a dream. 'Ellone?' He thought. She didn't answer. In front of him a blonde headed eleven year old stood impatiently while the instructor assigned the two new students their training staffs. Squall examined his own as he sighed in annoyance. This wasn't a big deal. It was just a big stick. There couldn't be anyone in their right mind willing to fight with these in the real world, could there?
"Have a problem?" The blonde asked as he stepped towards him. Squall looked down and away. "I'm talking to you,"
"Is everything all right?" The instructor asked. When neither of them said anything, the instructor moved on. "Alright, I've explained how our weapons training program works, and now I want you guys to pair off and begin training. Remember that the newer students haven't even learned the basics so don't be too rough," The instructor's gaze fell on them. "Actually, since you two have been here for what is it six years now, how about you two practice with each other?"
"What! Me work with that kid!?" The blonde yelled. "No way." He threw down his staff and crossed his arms.
"I'm not giving you a choice Seifer. Pick that staff up this instant," The instructor scolded him.
"This is stupid," Seifer mumbled. Squall watched as he marched off a few dozen feet away from the rest of the class and stood waiting for him. Bitterly, Squall followed and stopped just a few feet in front of him. He stood, legs just slightly apart as he waited for Seifer to do the same. When he did, he slid his staff behind his back and waited for Seifer to make the next move. "You have to agree this is stupid. He knows we can use the staffs, the headmaster knows we can use the staffs. We should get a new weapon. You still don't talk much do you," Seifer spoke. Squall ignored him. "Tell me you're still not waiting for Sis. She's not coming back. She's probably forgotten all about us." Seifer stared at Squall's glare for a moment. "So you have given up."
Squall gripped his staff a little tighter wishing it were something with a blade. "Enough talking let's go," The Instructor ordered.
Seifer twirled his staff out to his side as he started towards Squall. Squall, recognizing this as one of Seifer's many tricks, pulled his staff up above his waist and continued to rush forward. When they came within striking distance of one another, Seifer dropped low as Squall knew he would and so he reacted by jumping up and releasing his staff in mid air. What he didn't count on was Seifer countering him with the other end of his staff aimed at his head. In reaction to Seifer's shrewd counter- attack, Squall pulled his upper body back and forced himself to do a back hand spring. His hands hit the ground a little late causing him to slide, and land sloppily on his feet. He recovered just in time to catch his staff that was falling towards him. Seifer stood two meters in front of him waiting for his move. Squall regained his composure and charged him. Both of their staffs met in-between them as they stood less than a foot apart. Squall hopped back and held his staff in a defensive manner. To any onlooker who didn't know differently they appeared to be two extremely talented eleven year olds. To the instructor's who knew better they were just seasoned children, raised in a militaristic environment, slowly but surely being conditioned for the art of battle. They weren't talented, they were trained. Extensively.
Their staffs crashed together as they continued. They both pushed away and stood a few meters apart for a moment. Then, as if some force were pulling them together, they charged each other again. When they neared one another, Seifer jumped up, and flipped over Squall's staff. He landed gracefully and then swung out before Squall could realize what was going on.
The last thing Squall saw was Seifer flipping in mid air. He had been so surprised by the action, that he'd momentarily forgotten what he was doing. Seifer made sure that he realized his carelessness by knocking him down and then kicking his staff from his grasp. He stepped back as the Instructor stood up and raised a hand to halt them.
"Good job," The man smiled. "You both are everything we expect from two junior classmen so rigorously trained. Take the rest of the day off just don't leave the Garden." Both boys began walking their opposite directions as the dream began to slip away.
Squall felt himself shaking. Opening his eyes he looked up to see Rinoa looking down at him, her hands holding his shoulders.
"You okay?" She asked.
"Yeah," He answered as he looked around. "I had a dream."
"An Ellone induced one?"
"No, I think this one was an actual memory resurfacing," He answered.
"Maybe the effects of Shiva's presence in your brain are finally starting to wear off?" She grinned. He didn't. "What?"
"I was fighting Seifer. Well, I guess we were really training. Anyway, he kicked my ass," He slumped back against the headboard. Rinoa giggled. "What?" He asked innocently.
"You two are something else," She said as she kissed his cheek. "Try and get back to sleep."
Why couldn't he sleep soundly? He groaned as he rolled over under his blankets and bumped into her body. She groaned lightly and snuggled up closer to him.
"Go to sleep," She mumbled. He opened his eyes to see darkness. After a few moments his eyes adjusted so that he could make out the outline of her face. Yawning he watched her drift off again. A faint cry finally caught his attention. Seifer pushed the blankets off as he stumbled across the room to get to the crib in the darkness.
"Which one of you is crying?" He asked as he turned the light on a low setting. "Blaine," He said quietly as he lifted the baby from the crib. The infant quieted momentarily in his arms but then began to cry again. Fumbling around with his free hand, he reached for one of the bottles Elle had made prior to going to bed. "Here," He said quietly as he gave the baby the bottle. "Don't wake mommy," He whispered. The room became engulfed in a silence only disturbed by the sound of the baby in his arms. Carefully sitting down in a chair he held the tiny infant and watched fascinated. He looked up for just a moment and noticed the door was open. He hadn't left the door open...had he? His thoughts were interrupted by crying. He looked to the crib panicked. He couldn't feed them both at the same time and he didn't want to wake Ellone up.
"Need help?" Kiros asked.
Seifer jumped in surprise, startling the baby in his arms that soon began to cry as well. "Yes," He answered. "But don't ever do that again."
"Oh why not?" Kiros asked as he gingerly lifted Blade up out of the crib and picked up another bottle. "You enjoy doing things like that to me." Seifer adjusted the bottle and watched Blaine try and wrap his tiny fingers around it.
"That's different," Seifer whispered back.
"Is it now?" Kiros asked as he looked over at him.
"Sure it is," Seifer responded. "I think he's done," He frowned at the amount of formula still in the bottle. "He sure didn't take much."
"He took plenty," Kiros reassured him. "He's a little baby, he may not want as much."
"Now what?" Seifer asked.
"Burp him," Kiros answered.
"And how am I supposed to do that?"
Kiros looked at him in disbelief. "You don't know?" Seifer shook his head.
"They're the first babies I've actually had to care for. Cowboy taught me how to change diapers so I wouldn't look like a complete fool in front of Elle. I am out of my league in this department."
Kiros grinned. "See that rag there? Drape it over your shoulder." Seifer did as he was told. "Now lay him up against your chest and tap his back lightly."
Rinoa rolled away from her husband and slowly opened her eyes. Someone was tugging at her blankets and she had a good idea of who it was.
"Mama," Tempest cried at her bedside. "Mama," He whined as he pulled himself up on the bed with little difficulty and clumsily climbed between his parents. Rinoa stiffled a laugh as she watched him try and scoot down under the covers while repeatedly hitting and elbowing his father in the process.
"What's going on?" Squall asked as he sat up.
"I think he just had a bad dream," Rinoa answered. "What's wrong baby?"
"I's seeping an Angewo wan off," Tempest cried. Squall stared at his son for a moment and then looked at her.
"What'd he say?" He asked with a yawn.
"Something about Angelo running off," She answered.
Squall groaned lightly and then laid back down. "Is that all?"
"Squall," She whined. "Angelo always sleeps with him. Come here," She said as she pulled Tempest closer. "Maybe Angelo just wants to go for a walk?"
"No," He began to cry. "He wun off."
"He'll be back," She whispered as she slowly rocked the little dark headed boy to sleep. "You go on and go to sleep."
"No," He whined softly.
"You better. Don't you want to play with Pepaw tomorrow?" At her mention of Laguna he quieted. She smiled knowingly. Lying next to her, Squall waited until she'd laid Tempest down before he wrapped his arm around her waist. She sighed as she too laid down and focused on his hand that was now rested on the bulge of her stomach.
"Number two's going to be here before you know it," He whispered.
"Yeah," She answered. "Its going to be a girl."
"How do you know that?" He asked as he scooted closer to her.
"Call it a sorceress' intuition if you like," She whispered.
"Mm," He yawned. "What'll we call her?"
Rinoa shrugged. "I was wondering if you might speak to your father about that."
At her words he raised up on his elbow. "What for?"
"I was wanting to call her Raina."
"Oh, okay," He mumbled as he drifted back off to sleep. Rinoa listened contentedly to their breaths as they slept soundly. After a few moments she allowed herself to drift off as well.
It had taken a lot of driving around on old country roads but he had finally found this place. He'd finally found the only other logical place Loire could be hiding, the only place not marked on a map and apparently, the place in which his son seemed to be staying. Stepping back away from the open doorway he motioned to his two men.
"Alright you two. This was your mission and you're both going to finish it. After we get Loire we go to Deling, but for the moment only worry about the leg of the mission in front of you," He hissed. "I don't care if you have to kill everyone in this building, Loire doesn't come out alive and neither does anyone who tries to stop us." His men nodded in unison. "Ross, take the third floor, you," He pointed to Lucas. "Take the first. I got this floor covered." They nodded in unison. "Oh, I should at least warn you. This is Almasy's manor. He's more than likely around here somewhere and he's more than likely not far from Loire."
"As in Seifer Almasy?" Lucas asked. Audley nodded.
"Scared," Ross picked at his younger brother.
"Quiet," Audley ordered them. "Almasy's not a force to be reckoned with. He'll tear you apart if you let him catch you off guard." There was a brief silence. "Now go!" He ordered in a hushed voice. He grinned to himself as he watched them turn in two different directions and start searching. Running his gloved hand along the door frame he stepped inside the room on his left and watched the couple who lay sleeping before him. "Weak choice," He whispered to his son. "Weak choice," He repeated as he walked around to the foot of the bed and looked into the playpen. Setting his gun down on the ground he reached down and lightly brushed the sleeping infant's hair. "So you're Canace Dincht. You my little one are very important." He carefully pulled back the baby girl's blankets and glanced up to be sure her parents were still asleep. Pulling a knife off of his belt he leaned back down into the playpen and grabbed a hold of the infant's shirt. A very audible growl rose above the pounding rain and rolling thunder. The growls grew louder until the obscure dog began to bark. Dropping the blade in the pen, Audley turned and groped for his gun somewhere on the floor beside him.
Author's notes- This story is starting to come to a close with this chapter. Thanks to all who have taken the time to read and review.
Element6- Just get it done...yeah that's the gameplan...:)
JadeAlmasy- I'm glad you liked that quote as much as I did. I was trying so hard to make Laguna seem in character and yet seem upset or at least affected by Elle's babies.
Crescent Pearl- I will always appreciate any review you send me regardless of them sounding alike. Seifer a papa...lol. I just knew that someone would comment on that.
Sleepless Nights Part 1
He watched the familiar scene before him. He'd been here before. This was a dream. 'Ellone?' He thought. She didn't answer. In front of him a blonde headed eleven year old stood impatiently while the instructor assigned the two new students their training staffs. Squall examined his own as he sighed in annoyance. This wasn't a big deal. It was just a big stick. There couldn't be anyone in their right mind willing to fight with these in the real world, could there?
"Have a problem?" The blonde asked as he stepped towards him. Squall looked down and away. "I'm talking to you,"
"Is everything all right?" The instructor asked. When neither of them said anything, the instructor moved on. "Alright, I've explained how our weapons training program works, and now I want you guys to pair off and begin training. Remember that the newer students haven't even learned the basics so don't be too rough," The instructor's gaze fell on them. "Actually, since you two have been here for what is it six years now, how about you two practice with each other?"
"What! Me work with that kid!?" The blonde yelled. "No way." He threw down his staff and crossed his arms.
"I'm not giving you a choice Seifer. Pick that staff up this instant," The instructor scolded him.
"This is stupid," Seifer mumbled. Squall watched as he marched off a few dozen feet away from the rest of the class and stood waiting for him. Bitterly, Squall followed and stopped just a few feet in front of him. He stood, legs just slightly apart as he waited for Seifer to do the same. When he did, he slid his staff behind his back and waited for Seifer to make the next move. "You have to agree this is stupid. He knows we can use the staffs, the headmaster knows we can use the staffs. We should get a new weapon. You still don't talk much do you," Seifer spoke. Squall ignored him. "Tell me you're still not waiting for Sis. She's not coming back. She's probably forgotten all about us." Seifer stared at Squall's glare for a moment. "So you have given up."
Squall gripped his staff a little tighter wishing it were something with a blade. "Enough talking let's go," The Instructor ordered.
Seifer twirled his staff out to his side as he started towards Squall. Squall, recognizing this as one of Seifer's many tricks, pulled his staff up above his waist and continued to rush forward. When they came within striking distance of one another, Seifer dropped low as Squall knew he would and so he reacted by jumping up and releasing his staff in mid air. What he didn't count on was Seifer countering him with the other end of his staff aimed at his head. In reaction to Seifer's shrewd counter- attack, Squall pulled his upper body back and forced himself to do a back hand spring. His hands hit the ground a little late causing him to slide, and land sloppily on his feet. He recovered just in time to catch his staff that was falling towards him. Seifer stood two meters in front of him waiting for his move. Squall regained his composure and charged him. Both of their staffs met in-between them as they stood less than a foot apart. Squall hopped back and held his staff in a defensive manner. To any onlooker who didn't know differently they appeared to be two extremely talented eleven year olds. To the instructor's who knew better they were just seasoned children, raised in a militaristic environment, slowly but surely being conditioned for the art of battle. They weren't talented, they were trained. Extensively.
Their staffs crashed together as they continued. They both pushed away and stood a few meters apart for a moment. Then, as if some force were pulling them together, they charged each other again. When they neared one another, Seifer jumped up, and flipped over Squall's staff. He landed gracefully and then swung out before Squall could realize what was going on.
The last thing Squall saw was Seifer flipping in mid air. He had been so surprised by the action, that he'd momentarily forgotten what he was doing. Seifer made sure that he realized his carelessness by knocking him down and then kicking his staff from his grasp. He stepped back as the Instructor stood up and raised a hand to halt them.
"Good job," The man smiled. "You both are everything we expect from two junior classmen so rigorously trained. Take the rest of the day off just don't leave the Garden." Both boys began walking their opposite directions as the dream began to slip away.
Squall felt himself shaking. Opening his eyes he looked up to see Rinoa looking down at him, her hands holding his shoulders.
"You okay?" She asked.
"Yeah," He answered as he looked around. "I had a dream."
"An Ellone induced one?"
"No, I think this one was an actual memory resurfacing," He answered.
"Maybe the effects of Shiva's presence in your brain are finally starting to wear off?" She grinned. He didn't. "What?"
"I was fighting Seifer. Well, I guess we were really training. Anyway, he kicked my ass," He slumped back against the headboard. Rinoa giggled. "What?" He asked innocently.
"You two are something else," She said as she kissed his cheek. "Try and get back to sleep."
Why couldn't he sleep soundly? He groaned as he rolled over under his blankets and bumped into her body. She groaned lightly and snuggled up closer to him.
"Go to sleep," She mumbled. He opened his eyes to see darkness. After a few moments his eyes adjusted so that he could make out the outline of her face. Yawning he watched her drift off again. A faint cry finally caught his attention. Seifer pushed the blankets off as he stumbled across the room to get to the crib in the darkness.
"Which one of you is crying?" He asked as he turned the light on a low setting. "Blaine," He said quietly as he lifted the baby from the crib. The infant quieted momentarily in his arms but then began to cry again. Fumbling around with his free hand, he reached for one of the bottles Elle had made prior to going to bed. "Here," He said quietly as he gave the baby the bottle. "Don't wake mommy," He whispered. The room became engulfed in a silence only disturbed by the sound of the baby in his arms. Carefully sitting down in a chair he held the tiny infant and watched fascinated. He looked up for just a moment and noticed the door was open. He hadn't left the door open...had he? His thoughts were interrupted by crying. He looked to the crib panicked. He couldn't feed them both at the same time and he didn't want to wake Ellone up.
"Need help?" Kiros asked.
Seifer jumped in surprise, startling the baby in his arms that soon began to cry as well. "Yes," He answered. "But don't ever do that again."
"Oh why not?" Kiros asked as he gingerly lifted Blade up out of the crib and picked up another bottle. "You enjoy doing things like that to me." Seifer adjusted the bottle and watched Blaine try and wrap his tiny fingers around it.
"That's different," Seifer whispered back.
"Is it now?" Kiros asked as he looked over at him.
"Sure it is," Seifer responded. "I think he's done," He frowned at the amount of formula still in the bottle. "He sure didn't take much."
"He took plenty," Kiros reassured him. "He's a little baby, he may not want as much."
"Now what?" Seifer asked.
"Burp him," Kiros answered.
"And how am I supposed to do that?"
Kiros looked at him in disbelief. "You don't know?" Seifer shook his head.
"They're the first babies I've actually had to care for. Cowboy taught me how to change diapers so I wouldn't look like a complete fool in front of Elle. I am out of my league in this department."
Kiros grinned. "See that rag there? Drape it over your shoulder." Seifer did as he was told. "Now lay him up against your chest and tap his back lightly."
Rinoa rolled away from her husband and slowly opened her eyes. Someone was tugging at her blankets and she had a good idea of who it was.
"Mama," Tempest cried at her bedside. "Mama," He whined as he pulled himself up on the bed with little difficulty and clumsily climbed between his parents. Rinoa stiffled a laugh as she watched him try and scoot down under the covers while repeatedly hitting and elbowing his father in the process.
"What's going on?" Squall asked as he sat up.
"I think he just had a bad dream," Rinoa answered. "What's wrong baby?"
"I's seeping an Angewo wan off," Tempest cried. Squall stared at his son for a moment and then looked at her.
"What'd he say?" He asked with a yawn.
"Something about Angelo running off," She answered.
Squall groaned lightly and then laid back down. "Is that all?"
"Squall," She whined. "Angelo always sleeps with him. Come here," She said as she pulled Tempest closer. "Maybe Angelo just wants to go for a walk?"
"No," He began to cry. "He wun off."
"He'll be back," She whispered as she slowly rocked the little dark headed boy to sleep. "You go on and go to sleep."
"No," He whined softly.
"You better. Don't you want to play with Pepaw tomorrow?" At her mention of Laguna he quieted. She smiled knowingly. Lying next to her, Squall waited until she'd laid Tempest down before he wrapped his arm around her waist. She sighed as she too laid down and focused on his hand that was now rested on the bulge of her stomach.
"Number two's going to be here before you know it," He whispered.
"Yeah," She answered. "Its going to be a girl."
"How do you know that?" He asked as he scooted closer to her.
"Call it a sorceress' intuition if you like," She whispered.
"Mm," He yawned. "What'll we call her?"
Rinoa shrugged. "I was wondering if you might speak to your father about that."
At her words he raised up on his elbow. "What for?"
"I was wanting to call her Raina."
"Oh, okay," He mumbled as he drifted back off to sleep. Rinoa listened contentedly to their breaths as they slept soundly. After a few moments she allowed herself to drift off as well.
It had taken a lot of driving around on old country roads but he had finally found this place. He'd finally found the only other logical place Loire could be hiding, the only place not marked on a map and apparently, the place in which his son seemed to be staying. Stepping back away from the open doorway he motioned to his two men.
"Alright you two. This was your mission and you're both going to finish it. After we get Loire we go to Deling, but for the moment only worry about the leg of the mission in front of you," He hissed. "I don't care if you have to kill everyone in this building, Loire doesn't come out alive and neither does anyone who tries to stop us." His men nodded in unison. "Ross, take the third floor, you," He pointed to Lucas. "Take the first. I got this floor covered." They nodded in unison. "Oh, I should at least warn you. This is Almasy's manor. He's more than likely around here somewhere and he's more than likely not far from Loire."
"As in Seifer Almasy?" Lucas asked. Audley nodded.
"Scared," Ross picked at his younger brother.
"Quiet," Audley ordered them. "Almasy's not a force to be reckoned with. He'll tear you apart if you let him catch you off guard." There was a brief silence. "Now go!" He ordered in a hushed voice. He grinned to himself as he watched them turn in two different directions and start searching. Running his gloved hand along the door frame he stepped inside the room on his left and watched the couple who lay sleeping before him. "Weak choice," He whispered to his son. "Weak choice," He repeated as he walked around to the foot of the bed and looked into the playpen. Setting his gun down on the ground he reached down and lightly brushed the sleeping infant's hair. "So you're Canace Dincht. You my little one are very important." He carefully pulled back the baby girl's blankets and glanced up to be sure her parents were still asleep. Pulling a knife off of his belt he leaned back down into the playpen and grabbed a hold of the infant's shirt. A very audible growl rose above the pounding rain and rolling thunder. The growls grew louder until the obscure dog began to bark. Dropping the blade in the pen, Audley turned and groped for his gun somewhere on the floor beside him.