Notes: And this chapter is dedicated to my two reviewers. Biskit, s and s blah thank you for reviewing and I'll try to update this at least once a month. Enjoy!

Chapter 2

Quistis sighed as there came a knock on her door. Setting down the small watering can beside her violets, she wiped her hands on an apron and opened the door. Squall stood in the doorway silently, an amused gleam in his eye at the frilly blue apron. Quistis shrugged in response to the look, it was her apron.

"Come on in, Commander," she said with a small smile. Squall snorted but proceeded to walk past her into the main room. "Throat still sore, Squall?"

"Okay, sit down and I have something. A new syrup you can try. Here let me go and get it. I'll be right back," she stated firmly.

Squall just nodded and sat down on her black leather sofa. The dirty-blond hurried down the hall and into the other room, her high heels clicking on her hardwood floor. The quiet brunette sighed and wrapped his arms around himself. A shiver sweeping harshly through his body. He felt a little cold.

"Here we go!"

Squall let his hands fall to his lap, turning to watch Quistis reenter the room. The blond looked up from reading the label and smiled. In her hands was a smallish blue vial and a large silver tablespoon. Squall, seeing how large the spoon was, raised an perfectly sculpted eyebrow questioningly.

"Oh, don't worry. Half a spoonful should be enough. It's a new formula I've been working on for the past couple of months."

Catching Squall's uncertain look, she smiled reassuringly.

"Now, now, don't give me that look! It's totally and completely fine. And it has already been tested, it works. I've already tested it on six different people, a dog, and fifteen various rodents. It's not lethal."

". . . . . . . . Whatever," Squall paled, but reached out for the spoon and the smallish bottle none the less.

"Hey, I mean it. You're way too suspicious for your own good, Squall. I've been into botany since I was a kid. Since I realized that aloe vera came from a cactus. I'm far better at it than I am with fighting. And look at me I'm a top-notch SeeD," Quistis smiled fondly down at Squall.

"Oh, no, look what your company is doing to me! I'm turning into a blabbering fool, another Selphie! Or maybe Zell! All because you don't talk much and then there's a big awkward silence. And I hate sitting there like a big ninny in a tense silence.

"What are you laughing at?"

Squall's lips pressed together, his eyes gleaming brightly in amusement at Quistis's high speed talking. The blond woman half-heartedly glared at him before both burst out into playful laughter.

Quistis grinned broadly, a warm feeling flooding through her at the sound of Squall's soft little laugh. She knew that Squall was never this open with anyone else. And that she was probably the only one that had ever heard him chuckle, let alone the heart felt laughter she enjoyed listening to so much.

Squall stopped laughing and poured some of the sweet smelling clear-ish liquid onto the spoon. Then without hesitating he downed it all in a single gulp. A gasp escaping his lips in shock as it burned down his throat, Quistis chuckled.

"Hey! That burned!" Squall said loudly, all trace of harshness gone. "And since my voice is back. . . I think I'll use it to give you the tongue lashing of the century! Maybe. . ."

Quistis stuck her tongue out at him.

"Oh, no, you don't!"

Squall lunged at her and started tickling her. Quistis shrieked and tried to pull away. Squall yanked her onto the leather couch, pinning her to it. Quistis felt her face get warm until Squall tickled her again.

Finally she got away and grabbed a large sofa pillow to defend herself. Out of breath, they faced each other. Squall then smirked, throwing his hands up to end the stand off. Quistis chuckled and threw herself down onto the large sofa.

"You're such a pushover, Mr. Ice. Nothing but a kitten playing the lion," Quistis said cheekily. Squall's smile broadened into a smile, playfully smacking the back of the blond's head.

"And you, Madam, are a tease and a flirt," Squall said, laughing when Quistis blushed a fiery red. She glared at him before bursting into laughter again.

Squall smiled but suddenly seemed to become more reserved, introverting once more as he remembered why he had really come. Quistis sighed.

"Okay, you big jerk, what's the matter?"

Squall shook his head warily, confusion floating visibly in his eyes. Quistis arched an eyebrow in question.

"That's just it. I don't know. I've had this strange feeling all day today and most of this past week. I can't quite grasp what 'it' is."

Quistis cocked her head, confused, "Huh?"

"I just get this strange feeling sometimes. The first time I felt it was the day I broke up with Rinoa and Seifer came back from Trabia. He French kissed her for 'old times sake'. The next time. . . let's see, was two weeks later when Seifer made his little announcement, telling everyone at lunch that he was bisexual and he had a new boyfriend. . . To make the guy feel at home with a little warmth when he moved in with him," Squall paused. He was lost in his thoughts so he didn't see the look in the blond woman's eyes.

"And?"

"Well, . . . the next time I can remember the feeling it again, was a couple of days after that 'announcement'. When Zell and Xu were on one of their 'dates'. Zell was half-drunk and wanted to see if Xu would get jealous if he flirted around. He fell back into Seifer's lap and started to giggle and flirt with him. Xu didn't even seem to care. And after that the feeling has come and gone. There doesn't seem to be any kind of order to where it pops up."

Quistis's eyes gleamed deviously and Squall felt his stomach sink. He knew that look and it always meant trouble for him, so he scowled.

"Squall, my dear, I think I know what that feeling that's been bothering you is." She nonchalantly began to examine her fingernails is sudden interest.

"Oh?" Squall braced himself, gripping the chair arms so tightly that his knuckles were turning white, The blond woman smirked as she paused, watching sweat appear on his almost emotionless face. Only his eyes showed that his nerves were quickly wearing thin in anxious impatience.

"You're. . . ." Quistis's eyes glowed with an light that looked rather evil to the waiting brunette. Squall struggled to keep breathing, refusing to hold his breath.

"Yes?" Squall's voice threatened to crack under his worry.

". . . . . jealous."

"WHAT!?!" Squall fell out of his chair and hit the hardwood floor with a decidedly loud thud. Quistis squealed in laughter, her arms wrapped around herself. Squall blinked as he looked up at her from where he was still sprawled out on the floor. He had yet to move from where he'd fallen.

Quistis fell over, now laughing so hard that her sides were heaving and tears streamed from her eyes. The brunette on the floor only looked confused and dazed as he shakily got to his feet.

"Jealous? Of what?" He shook his head in total disbelief, frowning at the nearly hysterical Quistis. The older woman took deep breaths, calming herself down.

"Isn't it obvious?"

Squall snorted, "Obviously not."

"Really?" Quistis snickered under her breath, "Come now, Squall. Think real hard. Who's name has come up every single time?"

Squall's brow furrowed, Quistis giggled. Usually Squall was as sharp as a tack. Today was the first time that he seemed to be able to say that Laguna was truthfully evident as his father. He had been clueless.

Squall's eyes slowly widened. Quistis merely nodded indulgently, she actually thought they would make an absolutely adorable couple.

"Seifer?"

"Yeah," Quistis smiled.

"Oh, my, my, my! He's coming back to me! Then he'll remember his promise. I can hardly wait! Be still my fast beating heart," A smooth voice said sarcastically. It was a tall man with pale blond hair. His twinkling eyes were black as he leered down at a small figure pressed between him and the wall.

"Leave me alone, Baras! And let me go!" The figure squirmed to get away. It was a slip of a girl, in her teens, the top of her head barely coming to the taller man's chest. And her long black hair was braided tightly and fell down over her back, her eyes taking on a fierce gleam to the pale blue irises.

"But, my dear, then that wouldn't be any fun!" She spit at him, "Ugh! You little bitch!"

He slapped her hard, knocking her head against the stone wall. She panted and looked up to glare at him, angrily. Blood trailed down her chin from where he had split her lip. He smirked, leaning closer to lick away the blood.

"And my spit is gross?"

Baras paid her no mind. Then with one hand holding both of hers, his other hand slid down her arm to gently fondle her breast. She kicked at him. Her eyes began to glow and she looked skyward, biting her lip. His hand slid further down her body to pull the hem of her skirt up, his callused hand brushing the soft skin of her pale thigh.

"Baras! What the hell do you think you're doing!"

The blond whirled to see a young woman with strawberry-blond hair and snapping green eyes the color of jade. She strode towards him with a sway to her hips, he swallowed loudly. The girl leaning against the wall turned towards the newcomer in awe. She curtsied low to the woman without another glance at her would be attacker.

"Well- . . . I mean, I was. . . I didn't think-"

"You're right! You didn't think! Let the girl go. I want that sorceress found! Now get a move on!" Baras saluted and almost ran from the smaller woman.

"Oh, thank you kind lady," the girl with black braids said. She rubbed her arm and shivered, "I thought that I wouldn't be able to get away."

"Kind lady? I haven't been called that one before," the strawberry-blond woman took a another couple of steps forward and noticed that she was also taller than the girl. "Do you live here?"

"No, lady, I'm merely visiting my aunt who lives here," she answered meekly.

"Well, then never mind, I shall see you around maybe?" The blacked haired girl nodded in agreement. The older woman smiled crookedly and turned to leave, not catching the murderous gaze that followed her.

"Yes, we will most definitely meet again. And next time, I'll kill you."

Notes: This thing is totally screwing up my format. Oh, well. I'll try my best to not let this get lost in the shuffle. "Until Next Time. . ."