Kiros Seagill strode into the small town of Winhill, wondering what in the hell he was doing here. He'd been looking for Laguna for months now, this was the last lead he'd gotten. Frankly, he was tired of looking. If he didn't find the idiot here, he was officially giving up.

It'd been so long since he saw Laguna last, not since their escape from the laboratory in Esthar. Laguna had gotten lost on patrol, again. Leading them into some kind of secret experimental facility in the deepest part of Esthar, far away from where they were supposed to have been stationed and away from their unit. Laguna, in his short sightedness, didn't turn around or check his bearings like any sane person would. Instead, he decided to charge into the building, to check it out. Esthar soldiers had eventually chased them out and the whole debacle had almost cost them their lives. They escaped by leaping off a cliff to the ocean below, another of Laguna's brilliant ideas. He should have been angry, but really, it was his own fault. Who's the bigger idiot...Laguna or him for going along with Laguna's crazy ideas? They managed to find a small boat that served them for most of their journey, until a freak storm had destroyed it. They had been separated in the melee. Laguna and Ward had drifted off in different directions than Kiros had.

He ended up being found by some fishermen, who helped him get back to Galbadia. Once he was home and well enough, Government representatives came and asked him what he knew about that lab. He told them what little he could remember.

Despite Laguna's habit of getting lost, he had an excellent memory when it came to technical readouts and machinery. Strange that Directions were an entirely different matter. When they were in that lab it was amazing what he knew. Pointing out the use of various pieces of equipment, sounding like some damn tech manual. Kiros remembered Laguna had swiped some piece of machinery, as a memento. He told the agents this, and they responded favorably. That's when they asked him to help find Laguna, as well as Ward. He agreed, hell, he was planning to do it once he was well anyway. Galbadia had become desperate for any advantage. Esthar and the Sorceress were gathering power, storing up for something big. The Galbadian Government had already made allies with Balamb, in an effort to combine forces. They'd also secured help from a new military academy in Balamb, called The Garden,  who trained elite combat teams that everyone hoped would make a difference.

 Kiros wasn't what you'd call gung-ho for fighting for any government.....but what they'd told him about what Esthar had done since they'd been taken out changed his mind. His home continent had been destroyed by Esthar, while he recovered. Millions of innocent people, his family, his friends...died as a result of Esthar and the Sorceress. He couldn't afford to be cynical any longer. If what Laguna could tell them would help, he'd find him no matter what.

He'd found Ward just a few weeks ago. Living the high life in the south west as a janitor for a minimum security prison. Ward has lost his voice as a direct result of their adventure. A wound to the neck from an Esthar cyborg had severed his vocal cords. It was lucky that Ward was such a strong fellow, built like an ox. Anyone else would've died with a wound like that. He told Kiros that he'd been picked up by a Balamb Marine patrol. Spent his months on the sunny little island recuperating. Talked about the nice room, and the pretty nurse, Anna,  who had helped him get well.

"Any chance for a love connection?" Kiros teased.

Ward shook his head, writing furiously on his pad and handing it to Kiros. "No....she just got married to a local fisherman.....Dincht, nice guy, he's good for her....be there more than I would....besides, she's not my type."

Kiros nodded, telling Ward why he'd really come. The Galbadian government needed them. They were very interested in any information on the laboratory they'd been to. They called it the Lunatic Pandora, said that it was more than just a lab....it was some kind of weapon that could unleash incredible destructive power. Though they didn't tell him what it would do. Ward, Laguna, and himself were the only ones that could help. If they could find any weakness in Esthar's defense and exploit it, they were willing. They also needed a hand liberating Deling City. If we can escape a top secret military lab with our lives, why not free a city?  Ward had agreed to go, leaving with Kiros for Timber, the temporary capital while Deling was occupied.

The only hitch was finding Laguna. After the incident in Esthar, almost a year ago, very little had been heard about Laguna. Kiros tracked down a lead in Trabia around six months ago. The Shumi tribe had contacted Galbadia about a soldier that had washed up on their shores. He was wounded badly, and they'd nursed him back to heath. Once he was well enough to talk, they'd asked him where he'd come from, so they could return him to his people. Laguna being a naturally gregarious fellow had made instant friends with the Tribe. He ended up staying for quite some time before they called the Galbadian Government. By the time Kiros arrived, Laguna had already split. He'd questioned the village elders where they thought he might go. They told him he'd gone off to  Fishermen's Horizon. Once he made it there, he learned from locals that Laguna had been there but left a few days ago. It had been like that for the last few months, always arriving in a town a few days or hours too late. His only clues to Laguna's whereabouts the occasional article in Timber Maniacs magazine, and the offhand witness to Laguna's unique brand of genius.

After all this time, he'd finally tracked Loire down to this tiny hamlet. Kiros walked through the unpaved streets of Winhill, getting the occasional look from a passing villager. He wasn't offended, not often you saw a six foot tall Centra warrior, dressed in traditional garb. Kiros asked the old woman at the flower shop if she'd seen Laguna. She had, pointing to a pub near the center of the village. He thanked her, bowing and then taking his leave.

Kiros stepped into the only restaurant in Winhill, Blue Heaven, where he hoped to find his friend. The bar keep looked up as he entered, regarding him with a warm smile. The first thing Kiros noticed about her, were her eyes, gray blue orbs sparkling like pale diamonds. Tucking a strand of light brown hair behind her ear she greeted him.

"What can I get you?"

"Nothing actually.....I'm looking for someone that I've been told is here. Might I inquire if you've seen him?" Kiros said, holding out Laguna's photo.

A look of shock passed over her face, "Yes...... Is he in trouble?"

"No, not at all, love. I'm an old friend of his from the army. I'd like to see him if he's here. You see, I've got some urgent news that greatly concerns him. Is he about?"

"Yes...I'll go get him." She said, running upstairs.

Shortly she returned, Laguna appeared moments later, a little girl riding on his broad shoulders.  He stopped dead when he saw Kiros standing at the counter, breaking into that silly smile of his.

"KIROS!" Laguna shouted, flipping the little girl over his shoulder and setting her on her feet, giggling. He strode over to his friend, giving him a big bear hug, "How are you, buddy?"

"Quite well.....be much better if I could breathe......and you?"

"Sorry....Fine, fine.....Oh!....probably should introduce everybody....Kiros, this is Raine.....Raine, Kiros....and this little bundle of trouble is Ellie. So, what brings you here?"

"Well, I'm sure you don't want to hear this....but I'm here on official business. You've been called back into service."

Laguna sat down hard on one of the bar stools, a look so sad and forlorn on his face. They ended up talking the entire night. Kiros telling him all that had happened, suspecting he knew more about it than he acted like he knew. It became clear to Laguna that he'd have to go back into service, leaving his tiny piece of heaven. Raine had gone silent as they talked on and on. Laguna was sure there'd be some kind of fight with her on the horizon. He asked Kiros if he might put his affairs into order before he had to leave.  Kiros gave him three days. Three days to say all the things he'd left unsaid to Raine....In his whole life, Laguna had never met anyone like her...She was funny and always spoke her mind without reservation....She was a single mother, not born of privilege....working her entire life, buying that bar.....independent....so different from Julia....he loved her more than anything in the world and he didn't want to leave her or her sweet little daughter....she called him Uncle Laguna....After Kiros had left to get a hotel room....he and Raine had fought...just a little. He'd lead her out into their favorite spot since he'd come to Winhill.  It was a tiny little overlook, with a stunning view of the nighttime sky. Laguna looked up at the stars, noticing a tiny meteorite burning in the atmosphere......

 "Raine......" he said, pointing upward at the shooting star, "Make a wish....."

She looked up, her gray blue eyes regarding the sky, "I wish you didn't have to leave....but since I've said it, I guess it won't come true, will it?"

Laguna was silent for a moment, "No, I'm sorry......."

Raine nodded soberly, looking up at him with those storm clouded eyes. They were full of tears, tears that he caused. Laguna's face struggled with emotion, why did this have to happen now?

"So.....Will you come back?" Raine asked, her voice bitterly hopeless, as if she already knew the answer was no, "Don't bullshit me Loire......I want to know, because if this is just some stupid excuse to let me down easy.....I'll kick your ass. Elle deserves a real father....She already looks up to you, Laguna.....you owe it to her, if not to me, to give a strait answer...."

Laguna almost laughed, almost, Raine wouldn't take it well if he did. She was in one of her moods, and when Raine was in a mood, you didn't mess with her.

He looked at her, eyes as dark blue as the bottom of the ocean, "I love you Raine.....I love Ellie. I know that you've been hurt in the past.....I know that anything I could say will sound like more hollow, empty promises. But, I want you to know.....No matter what, I will come back for you and Elle. Even if I have to drag myself here, I will come........"

He pulled out a small, velvet box and gave it to her. Raine took the box, examining it for a moment before she looked up at Laguna uncertainly. Slowly, she opened it, inside was a tiny gold ring, with a single diamond in the center.

Her mouth opened in surprise, "......Laguna.....What is this?"

"It's an engagement ring....they do have those here, right?", a sly grin spreading across his face.

She smiled back at him, swatting at his arm as punishment for being so glib, "Yes, they do......and I accept."

"HEY! I haven't even asked yet....."

"So, You don't need to......you'd probably just get tongue tied and screw it up anyway...." Raine laughed, her smile lighting her face like the most brilliant of stars.

Laguna chuckled, how couldn't he? It was true. A noise from behind them startled the dreaming couple. It was Elle, with Kiros in tow.

"Mama, what's taking you so long......Me 'n Kiros were worried 'bout you and Uncle Laguna.....right?" The little girl stretched her neck up to look at the tall Centran. Even then, it was hard for her to see him as tall as he was.

"Yes, we were......Sorry if we interrupted anything..."

Raine shook her head, "Not really.......Well okay, but only just a little" She smiled at her little daughter, bending down she gestured for the girl to come over to her, "Me and Laguna need to ask you a very important question, right Laguna?"

Laguna nodded, sitting himself on the ground next to Raine. Elle trotted over to her mom, sitting on her lap, she curled her tiny arms around her mother's neck.

"What?" she asked, her child's voice high and piping.

"Well, what would you say, if me and Uncle Laguna were married?"

Elle thought for a moment, ".......Would that make him my daddy then?"

"Well, Yes......"

"Then......" Elle grinned, the gaps in her teeth showing, ".....I say....'bout time. Me and Uncle Kiros think you two took too long, we think you shoulda done it a looooooong time ago. We were talking about it. Uncle Kiros is really smart....." She stopped for a moment as if to contemplate a troubling thought, "So.....When can I start calling Laguna Daddy?"

Everyone laughed at this bit of innocence, though Elle herself could see no reason why it was so funny to the adults. Such quick decision making was a child's luxury, not an adult's.

"Right now.....if it's alright with Raine." Laguna answered, waiting for her consent.

"Sounds good to me......"

A bright smile washed over Elle's face, and she quickly left her mother's side, into Laguna's waiting arms. He held the tiny girl, his emotions so mixed. Happy that he'd found the woman of his dreams, with perhaps the sweetest kid on earth, sad that he'd have to leave this little slice of heaven so soon.....why now, of all times? He released his grip on the girl, holding her out so she could see his face.

"Elle, I also have something else to tell you.....can you be very brave?" He waited for her nod, "Okay, You know about the Sorceress, right?" the girl nodded again, "Well, Kiros is here because the Sorceress did something really bad. She killed a lot of innocent people, and you know.......she has to be stopped right?" another nod, "Well, Me and Kiros, we know some stuff that might help stop her, and so.....I'm gonna hafta go away for awhile."

"But.....you'll be back, right?"

"Yup......."

".......You promise?"

Laguna looked at girl, his eyes serious, "Yes, I promise." he stopped, slipping his ring off his finger. It had been a gift from the Shumi, they had said he had a heart like a lion. So they made a ring for him, a little lion adorning the outside band and a favorite Galbadian proverb that he'd taught them on the inside. He placed the large ring in her tiny hands, "I gave your mommy a ring......but I want you to keep this one. This ring is really important to me, it was a gift from some dear friends. I want you to hold onto this for me, so you better be careful with it.....because I'm going to come back for it, for you and your mommy......"

" 'Kay......" Elle grasped the heavy ring in her chubby hands, that was enough of a promise for her.

Raine looked at her daughter quizzically, "Hey, little miss.....I think someone should be in bed by now......"

The little girl giggled as Laguna swung her upwards into his arms. They walked slowly back to the little bar, night stars twinkling as time ran ever on. Laguna looked at those stars, wondering if he'd ever see this part of the sky again. A wriggle in the back of his mind interrupted the moment. He smiled, the faeries were back. The clouds of memory rolled in again, time warping and twisting until nothing was left but gray fog.

Quistis woke with a start, looking around the white walled prison cell as if surprised to be there. What a weird dream.....She rubbed her head, at least her headache was gone. Selphie lay next to her, fast asleep. Quistis wondered what time it was, curious to know how long she was out. Selphie awoke briefly, looking up at Quistis with her dull  green eyes. The bright sparkle hidden away, perhaps even lost forever to the pain.

"Quistis, you okay?" She asked groggily.

"No......" Quistis looked down at the young girl, and for once she didn't have the will power to be strong anymore.

Quistis wept, letting out every last bit of pain that she held back for the last 72 hours. It scared Selphie a little to see her superior officer like this, and she too felt more tears well in her eyes. She held Quistis, and together in the dull prison cell they wept. The sounds of their sobs echoing in the empty room.

Author's Notes--

Okay, finally the Laguna chapter. Hope you liked it. I think Mrs. Blackdragon was about to kill me cus I put it off so long and left her hangin'. Sorry 'bout that. You'll notice I kinda mushed multiple "dream sequences" together, along with the little CG bit from the end. I wanted this one to be poignant  and significant. Revealing the tender layers of story in a highly subtle way. I think I mostly succeeded. There is a fifty percent chance of failure, or rain...I'm not sure which. Huggs to all.

Love, Peace, n Waffles

Noacat ^-^