Disclaimer: I don't own Final Fantasy 8 or any of it's characters...if I did then I would be on a private island sipping an erotic drink with millions of bucks! Tee-Hee! ï
Chapter OneSquall stared at the mirror before him and sighed as he listened to the roaring television as he impatiently waited for the news to turn on. There was little snow outside of his bedroom window as the sun slowly came up through the mountains surrounding Timber. Since the defeat of Ultimicia Squall had quit attending Balamb Garden and moved to Timber in search of a better life. True, Timber was not the best place to live and there was always some sort of trouble in the government, but still, it was his new home.
The news turned back on and an older woman with bright red hair and giant green eyes started talking about the entertainment that was going on in the country. Her voice was really perky and it was starting to get on Squall's nerves. He was just about to turn it off when her voice said a once familiar name...
"...And in local news, singer Rinoa Heartilly is going to be performing in her friend's bar right here in Timber." The camera had cut from the chubby woman's face to Rinoa singing and dancing in a music video. Squall was frozen, his eyes refused to blink and his heart was racing madly with a passion he used to feel whenever she was in view of his hazel eyes.
"Miss Heartilly will be at the 'Lighthouse' club tonight from eight to midnight." The newswoman said, taking the images of the angel away from the Lion, bringing him back to reality. Rinoa had disappeared without a trace from the Garden one night a few months after Ultimicia, leaving her knight nothing but memories of the short time they had spent together. She was the reason Squall had left Balamb Garden; she was the reason why he had shut himself back into the cold wasteland he had lived in. She was the reason he had never found another love. Even eight years later he still could not bring himself to even consider another, he only loved Rinoa Heartilly.
He had never felt the need to feel secure in another's arms while his heart belonged to the one that had abandoned him. Her smile was the one thing that could brighten his day other than knowing that she was always there to support him. Squall quickly remembered why he never had let anyone into his heart soon after she left...they always leave. His parents left him to live in the orphanage; Ellone left him, and he abandoned by his soul mate.
Squall ran to his computer, went to the internet and typed in Rinoa's name in the search panel. Dozens of websites appeared showing pictures of her in some skimpy, some modest designs of clothes in different parts of the world. There was one picture that caught Squall's eye was one of Rinoa leaning against Laguna, only there was a little girl holding onto Rinoa's creamy mini skirt. She looked so much like Rinoa, yet there was a strange resemblance to someone familiar that Squall had seen before. There was no caption to tell Squall who the young girl was, so he figured that it was probably a fan of hers.
Squall stared at the large doors that lead to the Lighthouse and inhaled a deep breath of Timber air before walking into the crowded bar. He just had to see her for himself...if that meant only in a concert...
