'Life's a funny thing. It's confusing, usually screwed up and not averse to kicking a person when their down and there's always more down.'

She wasn't surprised. Not really she knew that he was close, she could feel him it was like a dull hum you didn't notice until it disappeared. The last time she had seen him it had been a goodbye. He was leaving on a mission and she had stayed up all night with him to put off that moment as long as possible. She wished more than anything that that was the last time he had seen her.

She had honestly expected him to stay the same. She knew she shouldn't have. After what happened anyone would have changed. But this was different. He hadn't changed. He had become exactly what he was before the Timber mission, at least from what Zell had told her of what he was like before Timber. His physical appearance had changed a lot. Gone was his old too small jacket, replaced by a full length leather duster. The T-shirt once the only piece of white on him had been replaced with black. The pants were the same leather one's as he had always worn, only newer, gone however were the double belts replaced with one with a sturdy metal clasp in the shape of his pendent.

What drew Rinoa's attentions however was the change his face had went through. His hair was long like Irvine's pulled back into a similar pony tail with a single set of strands in a bangle curving next to his left eye. He was wearing rectangular sunglasses low on his nose and looking over them. It was his eyes that had changed most though. Before they had been cold and hard yet now they seemed to have the power and passion of a storm contained within them.

While she stared he moved swiftly to the side of his...employer. All she could think was 'what now' she had been searching for him for two years and now she'd final found him she had no idea what to do next.

'He just walked to the princess. HE. WALKED. TO. HER. No Hi or smiles for his friends or hell even a nod to her!'

Ellone was sure of few things in life especially when it came to judging the actions of someone else but she was sure of this.

'This is NOT good.'

As he walked the reaction from the gathered crowed would have been humorous if she hadn't been so involved. Half the crowd begin ecstatically cheering, his reputation after the Ultimecia thing had if anything grown with his disappearance with weekly rumours of life or death fights and saving the world. The other half mainly SeeDs got a subtle but decent grip on their weapons and gave careful salutes to their ex? Commander.

She watched as he walked away with the princess. Part of her wanted to hug him and welcome him back. The other half wanted to slap him and demand to know where he'd been for the past two years. She knew that she wasn't the only ones with those types of feelings and she also knew enough about Squall to know he would only answer if he wanted to and even then they would be half answers.

'Shit...'

'The past always come back to haunt me. Ever since Tifa... whenever I want something to go away or stay buried it always gets me.'

That is why he never complicated things, so he wouldn't have to deal with them later. He was walking with Yuna... 'The princess NOT Yuna' he thought to himself. Cid was babbling on about how to find your way around B-Garden and the way to guest quarters. 'The mans an idiot' if Squall was in a better mood he would have found Cids babbling and attempts not to meet his eyes amusing. But he was in a place he had grown to despise he had a far too familiar headache and knew sooner or hell even sooner he was going to have to deal with the reason he left. Squall was frankly pissed.

It was obvious to him that he was the centre of attention, years of training and a healthy dose of paranoia confirmed it for him. Caraway was the most discreet but he was outside it all. Squall knew Caraway considered him the same way he considered Seifer, a killer who once held his daughters attention, but unlike Seifer as Squall had come out victorious. Ellone was the worsted she had abandoned all subtlety and just stared. He preferred that to the trained SeeD method though, which was to outwardly pay know attention what so ever, because they were failing miserably. 'At least sis has the spine to challenge what's happening even if it is just by looking.'

"Princess this will be your quarters."

"Thank you Headmaster. I am rather tired." 'You want this tour over-with as quickly as I do'

"Next door will be Squ... You guards quarters." 'Your getting old Cid'

"Storm will be sleeping in my quarters." 'Yeah that's going to straighten out the rumours'

"Storm? Ah... Ok in that case they shall be left empty. Dinner is served in an hour at eight till ten I hope you will join us." 'What happened to the hot dogs?'

"Well ten is quite late but in interests of peace I shall attend." 'This innocent princess crap makes me sick.'

"We would not ask you to stay until 10 if you're too tired after your trip." 'I can't believe he's falling for this.'

"It's quite alright Cid I shall turn in straight afterward though." 'A million gil says she convinces me to take her to some club and we're out until dawn.'

"Until dinner then... oh I forgot to tell you if you need any thing talk to your Garden attaché."

"Who is...?" 'Anyone but Rinoa, please anyone but her.'

"Tifa Lockheart." 'Fuck I must have really pissed Hyne off for this to be happening. But...

it might not be her Squall...

Stay calm shes right behid you she'll be blond and not the woman who...

It won't be her. You've already hit rock bottom of your own personal hell. Besides after how she left she knows you'll kill her is she came back to Balmb, you promised as much'

' Its not her can't be even with everything else you don't deserve that, life is low enough already.'

"Here she is now."

"Hello your Majesty." 'There's always more down.'

"Hi" 'nononononono.'

"Hello Squall. It's been a while." 'Not even close to long enough.'

"..."

"You two know each other?" asked Yuna with a accusary look on her face as she took in the appearance of the obviously powerful woman

"You could say that" 'Please drop it.'

"I'm hurt, is that really all you have to say about your first lover Squall?"

This was possibly the most surprising comment ever made, at least for those who didn't already know. Assumption is the mother of all fuckups and they had all assumed that he had no sex life before Ri...her

"What we did to each-other had nothing to do with love."

"I'm hurt."

"We both knew exactly what we had. That was very clear and what the fuck are you doing back. What was also very clear is what would happen if you ever came into my sight again." 'Please hyne don't let it be anything more then "I wanted to make your life miserable" I don't think I can take delving in to that shit storm

"Yesssss we did know. The question is though why we did what we did. I still see it in you Squall, the darkness even greater than before."

"What are you doing back?"

"Humph always the same with you right to the point no time for chit-chat Squall."

"..."

"well not that it matters but I work here and as for the rest well... half the fun is working it out. Anyway I could ask you the same question" Just kill me now Hyne it would be better then my life

"You aren't the only one with a job to do." Damn I knew I should have went to Triberia instead of Centria.

"Well" Yuna said in an upbeat and obviously false voice "as much fun as this uncomfortable scene is I must freshen up for dinner... Come on Storm."

With that Yuna lead the way into the room closely followed by squall leaving a sea of shocked faces behind them as well as one smirking brunette who left them with the parting words

"WHAT no kiss!"