This is the first thing I have written in ages! I thought I should try and do something with all the free time they give you at uni, and I'm too lazy to do the reading they want us to do so this happened instead! For some reason I think the tense I use has changed, it seems to be more present, play scripty type thing rather than narrative of the past. Not sure why I've done this it just happened and may change again in the next chapter. Tell me what you think in a lovely review!!

I blinked into the sun as it filtered through my windows and woke me from my repetitive nightmares. In it I was running through Garden, pursued by a female form, I ran terrified, unarmed and alone and as I tried to cry for help no sound left my mouth. After running for what seemed like eternity I entered the Quad to find my friends sitting in circle, ignoring me as I begged them silently to help. Among them sat Selphie, as battered and bruised as I had seen her in my first dream, the others did no more than stare at her as she stared at me. I gave up trying to shout and unable to move I stood still and returned Selphies stare. As the silence became overwhelming I could hear the footsteps of my pursuer behind me, still unable to move I stood there in fear. Just as I could feel the form behind me reach out to grab me, Selphie tilted her head back at an impossible angle and let out a deep loud inhuman bellow that sounded more animal than human. Her cry halted my attacker and at this point I awoke every time.

As a sensible minded person I know that dreams have no meaning, yet I cannot help but try and search for one in this and as I drag my tired and aching body out of bed it plagues my thoughts. In the shower as I watch the steam rise from my skin, my thoughts turn to Seifer, a smile creeps over my face as I am reminded of our long slow shower together, but as I smile I cannot help but cry. My heart is breaking to think of him lying in the medical ward. I know Rinoa had a part in this 'accident', and not just that of the innocent bystander. But what baffles me the most is her reason, why would she do this? What possible reason would she have to hurt Seifer or kill Selphie? Jealousy? Anger? What?! Her recent change of personality is so dramatic that I wonder about the possibility of sorceress powers emerging, and why do I seem to be the only one to have noticed how much she has changed; everyone else is acting like this is the same wonderful, strong, scared Rinoa that we met on the train all that time ago. I knew that Squall had detected a change within Rinoa but he was too scared of losing the one person he loved to ask any questions or air any doubts. But all my suspicions were just that; only suspicions, I have no proof that she's behind these attacks.

I dress slowly, I know that I am simply delaying the inevitable, but I try to put off seeing Seifer in such a heartbreaking state for as long as possible. I'm still not sure of my feeling for him, I know that I have never felt this way about any one before, yet my heart still pounds when I look at Squall, and when he held my hands outside the infirmary my whole body shook.

Eventually I force myself to face the reality of the situation and walk through the corridors towards the infirmary. The corridors are virtually deserted this time of day, all the students are in lessons and the only figures I encounter are those of the faculty sweeping past to reach there various different destinations. Wondering through these halls makes me conscious of how alone I really am; Selphie my best friend dead, Irvine heartbroken and mourning, Zell absorbed in his girlfriend, Squall lost to Rinoa and of course Seifer in a place where I cannot reach him.

At the end of my long slow walk I reach the infirmary but rather than entering immediately, I stand holding the door handle, preparing myself mentally to pull it open and see what I really don't want to. Just as I start to feel like I do not have the mental energy, I pull together what little mental strength I have and heave the door open.

Inside I desperately hoped to see Seifer sitting up in bed fully recovered; instead he is in the same comatose state that I left him in but to my surprise besides him sits Squall. I stand for a minute unsure whether to stay or go but I know that I cannot bring myself to leave now that I am here. I sit across the bed from Squall and a comfortable silence fills the air.

'Hi', he says quietly to me. I guess we're both lost for words and I simply repeat his 'Hi' back to him.

'How are you doing?' he asks me in the same quiet tone. He stops staring at Siefer and looks into my face to search for the truth that I won't ever tell him.

'I'm doing okay', I say to him. 'Still a little shocked I think. Has Rinoa remembered any thing else? Can she give us any clues as to what happened?' I tried not to let the scorn in my voice become too obvious but no doubt Squall, the master of subtly, had noticed.

He sighed despairingly and his eyes crease into a look of confusion. 'No she says that it's all a blur and that she can't understand why all these bad things keep happening around her'

'It is odd' I can't help but let some of my suspicions air. 'How she escapes virtually unharmed and the people she is training with are the ones who get hurt'

Squall continues to stare at me, I can see he has asked himself these same questions; he was my pupil after all, I believe I passed on some of my suspicious nature.

'Just before Seifer was attacked' I continue. 'I saw her kill a T-rexaur in the training centre; she killed it easily and by her self. Why was that one so different to the one that attacked her and Selphie?'

'She's been training a lot since' He says to my, his voice becoming more defensive. To hear my suspicions makes to harder for him to deny his own, I know he wants to pretend like nothing has changed but it's getting harder for him to deny that nothing has. 'You would too if you saw someone died because you weren't strong enough.' He rises abruptly from his chair and hurriedly grabs his things to leave.

'But her levels were staggering when I left her with Seifer!' I stand and shout after him as he walks towards the door. 'There is no good reason why this happened!'

'Look!' Squall says heatedly as he stops and faces me. 'I don't know why this is happening! I don't have all the answers, I love her and I believe what she says. You have to trust the ones you love,' he paused for a moment and looked down at Seifer. 'You trusted that he's not a monster.'

I have nothing more to say to him, he's right; we do have to trust the ones we love or our whole world falls apart. I sit back down as Squall walks out and I realise that I trust Seifer because I think I love him, he could be the monster that everyone claims he is, yet I trust that he isn't. I gaze at his face and wonder - is this the face of a monster? Am I too blinded by passion to see this?

I sit there in that bed side chair for two hours considering this question and my mind does nothing but wonder in circles. I know that sitting here agonising does me no good; I grip the whip at my side and head to the training centre to see how strong the new monsters are myself.

As I walk up the corridor towards the Training centre I hear what sounds like Rinoa shouting for help. For a second I consider just leaving her to the monsters but my better judgement takes over and I realise that this is my chance to see what is really going on. I pull my whip from by my side and run towards her hoping to find some answers to my many questions.

I love cliff-hangers! Don't you? Any way hope you liked it, it has been a long time coming! Please REVIEW!!! I'm very insecure and need reassurance that my efforts are being read. If you hate it tell me why and if you like it then my ego could do with a boost!