It was raining in Timber. Not gentle, calm rain, but ferocious, wild rain that thundered down at shop windows, threatening to break the fragile glass. The wind swept up fallen leaves, creating mini tornadoes, and howled through nooks and crannies in people's homes. The pet shop and item shops were closed, and no trains were running on this gloomy day. The bare trees darted back and forth, and there was a low rumble of thunder in the distance.

"Even the weather hates me," Rinoa Heartilly muttered sadly to herself, and pulled her knees up closer to her chin. The beautiful young Sorceress was hauled up in her bedroom, located at the very back of the Timber Owls train carriage. The train was stationary, as it always was these days, and all the lights were off because of a power cut, due to the terrible weather conditions. Zone and Watts had been seeing to it for the past half hour or so.

Rinoa barely left her room lately. She gazed through teary eyes at the dusky pink walls, which looked haunting and spooky in such dim light. She realised, like she did every day, that she was all alone. As far as Rinoa knew, the love of her life, the only person that had kept her going through every treacheous day, had teamed up with his Sorceress-hating little sister, and was currently campaigning for them all to be killed – including Rinoa. She had now convinced herself that there would be Esthar soldiers looking for her wherever she went, and for the past few months she had never set foot out of her home.

Unfortunately, the Sorceress was also gravely ill. Everyday she hacked and coughed so painfully that she was easily reduced to tears. Refusing to leave the base, Rinoa had not yet had a diagnosis from a doctor. Worried for their friend, Zone and Watts did much research into her symptoms, trying to figure out what was wrong, but they had so far come up with nothing. As well as the uncontrollable coughs, Rinoa also suffered from insomia. When she did fall asleep, she had awful nightmares. She talked in her sleep, sometimes sleepwalking too. The glow in her eyes had faded, her voice was weak, and her once peachy pink skin was now an unhealthy grey. Her hair didn't shine anymore, her teeth didn't glisten, and her face never broke into a smile. Rinoa was dying.

"We're back on line, sir!" Watts said happily as the duo entered Rinoa's bedroom. The light on the ceiling flickered on, and she grimaced, shiledling her face with her weak arms.

"Turn it off," she grunted, and the smile faded from Watts' face as he did as he was instructed. Rinoa didn't thank him, and instead busied herself by hoisting up the blanket that covered her shoulders. "Any news of Angelo?"

As if Rinoa's life hadn't span out of control enough already, her pet dog and faithful battle companion Angelo had been missing for the past fortnight. After the first couple of days everyone in the Timber Owls just imagined he had maybe gotten lost and would find his way back, or perhaps a local family had taken him in, thinking he was a stray. Zone and Watts put up hundereds of posters in the area, but so far, no luck. He had just run away, and didn't seem to be coming back.

Zone, who had entered just behind Watts, bit his bottom lip and shook his head slowly, looking at the rose coloured carpeted floor.

"Great," Rinoa muttered sarcastically, in a rasp that was barely audible, "Not even a dog can stand to be around me."

After idly fidgeting with the pane of the window right next to her bed, Rinoa rested her head on her knees and began to cry quietly. The whole thing was very painful for Zone and Watts. They had had to watch while their once happy, determined princess slowly slipped into depression and disease. It had not been easy. Rinoa hated to listen to or take part in any kind of optomistic speeches, persuasion, or even mindless chatter. She had stayed inside for too long to be coaxed back out into the real world. They simply didn't know what to do. Not even Watts, who was always so throuogh and reliable at finding information, could think of anything to help her. They didn't feel they had any choice but to leave her as she was.

"Anything else you need, Rinoa?" Zone asked gently, trying to be helpful. She had stopped crying now, and was staring blankly out of the window, as if in a trance. She didn't reply, so Zone turned to Watts, offering him a shrug, and the two left the room, closing the door behind them.

As soon as the door snapped shut, Rinoa leapt off the bed and hurried to her desk. Opening a drawer, she reached in and pulled out a silver lion charm. It had a chain attached from the head that was broken at the top, as if it had been snapped from something. The charm fit nicely into Rinoa's palm and she folded her wrist around it tightly, exactly like she had once done with a ring of a similar design …

Rinoa plopped herself back down on her comfy bed, and readjusted the blanket over her shoulders. Opening her wrist, she peered down at Griever and remembered the final battle against the real Griever – the incarnation of what Squall saw as the most powerful being on the planet. It was still very clear in her mind; it was one of the many things that woke her up at night.

Maybe I'm a lion, Rinoa had once told herself proudly. Now she pocketed the lion charm on her chest, so it was close to her heart. It felt hot, as if it was alive, and she could feel warmth and love washing through her dying body. She breathed in through her nose, and out through her mouth, suddenly feeling very calm. She thought back to the last night she had spent with him, their first and last kiss, and the typically flirtatious way in which she had badgered him into letting her keep the charm…

They withdrew from the kiss gently, and Squall's face broke into a wide, genuine smile. Rinoa smiled back, and wandered over to the balcony, resting on the wide marble barrier. She gazed out at the ocean, and the stars that twinkled in its reflection, and the huge glowing moon that hung low in the sky. She was just thinking how it must have been the most beautiful thing she had ever seen, when she moved her foot slightly and noticed a large weapon leaning up against the banister by her ankles.

"Your gunblade," she told Squall, peering over her shoulder at him. He came over and picked up the heavy weapon with ease. "I guess you won't be needing it anymore."

"Then what should I do with it?" he inquired of her, resting it in both hands and joining her where she stood, leaning on the banister with his elbows.

"Keep it," she replied with a tiny smile, then glanced down at the handle of the blade. "Hey, is that Griever again?"

He looked to where her delicate finger was pointed, at the small charm which hung from a chain attached to the gunblade's handle.

"Yes," he grinned. "The same as my – your ring."

He lifted up a gloved finger and gently tapped the ring that was looped through a thin silver chain around Rinoa's neck. She giggled and gently took his hand away.

"I think you should give me this then, too," she said forwardly, and Squall held up the gunblade for her.

"Alright then," he agreed. "Hold onto Griever, then we'll both tug. If you're strong enough to make the chain snap, you get to keep it. And if you aren't, I do."

"Okay!" Rinoa said brightly, and took the lion charm between both hands.

"And don't forget to make a wish!"

Back in the present, Rinoa heaved a great sigh as she removed the charm from her breast pocket. Tears fell onto it and slid off the cool metal.

She had been strong enough. The chain had snapped. And Rinoa had made a wish that night.

I wish that we'll be together forever, Squall.