CHAPTER IV

Day One

Her beauty was undeniable, everything about her just sparkled. Macy Zimmer was a woman that most men beg and pray for, and Squall would be lying if he didn't admit that at one time or another he wasn't one of them.

Everything that Macy wore complemented her figure almost unbelievably. It didn't matter if she was wearing a voluptuous dress, or simple sweats and a t-shirt; Macy Zimmer was gorgeous whenever, however and wherever.

That night was defiantly not an exception.

The group was at Booya's and Macy had just finished her show. Conversing, or rather, listened to a conversation between Zell and Irvine; Squall was not prepared for a seductive voice to whisper into his ear.

"You care to join me in my stage room, Mr. Leonhart?"

Quicker then he intended Squall turned around. Bent towards his chair was Macy; her eyes were flickering with playfulness.

Gaining his composure, Squall mildly answered Macy's offer. "If you don't mind my company, Miss Zimmer?"

"I don't think I'll mind Mr. Leonhart," she answered back, grabbing a hold of one of his hands.

Without putting up much of a fight Macy pulled him out of his chair and began to lead him to the back of the bar. Squall had to ignore his friends' smirks as he followed the singer.

Being dragged by a beautiful women would normally fill Squall with excitement, but tonight that feeling that he normally felt when he was around Macy wasn't there, and Squall knew exactly why. Quistis had placed Rinoa in his head.

He and Macy had been playing this game for quite some time now. After her shows Macy would show up some time during the night at his table. At first they would talk, Squall was hesitant around Macy, getting words out was difficult. It wasn't that he became nervous around her; it was the mistrust that built inside of him. She was a woman trying to get his affection, and for reasons that Squall had buried in his past, he wouldn't let himself fall into another trap.

Despite his reluctance Macy's flirting continued, eventually Squall caved into the Booya's star. Still, his trust and heart wasn't completely there. Rinoa's mark of betrayal was burned into him forever.

Reaching Macy's dressing room Macy stopped outside her door, staring up and down the hall before staring up at him.

"I think the coast is clear," she whispered to him.

"What are you suggesting Miss Zimmer," he teased her. With a seductive grin Macy grabbed Squall by the collar and pulled him into her room.

Her kisses where fast and intense, something that on any other night Squall wouldn't mind, but tonight he couldn't get his mind to stop. Not even thinking Squall pulled himself away from Macy.

"Wh...what is it?" She asked, confused by his sudden departure from her lips.

With a silence that he had used so many times before, Squall took a seat on Macy's couch.

Daring a glance up Squall was surprised by Macy's genuine concern.

"It's nothing that you should worry about," he told her in a deadpan voice.

Moving a hand to her forehead Macy took a seat next to him on the couch, it was the first time that Squall hadn't seen a fake smile, or enticing stare spread across her face. Replacing those things was concern and frustration. Squall had the feeling that this was the first time he had truly seen Macy Zimmer.

"Squall, I know what we have isn't serious and I won't lie to you. I never intended it to be," she sighed deeply; he could tell that she was searching for what to say next. "I know what we have and I'm not going to ask more of you, but sometimes when I stare into your eyes...even I feel lost."

When Squall had first followed Macy to her dressing room that evening this was the last thing he expected, and had he known he probably wouldn't have followed. But now that he was there and listening to her...

"Macy, I don't understand some of the things that I feel. You shouldn't expect yourself to."

Staring at him with an empty expression a whisper of words escaped her lips "I guess not."

Not able to handle an emotional conversation, Squall got up from the couch and moved towards the door.

"Squall, I'm leaving Booya's."

Stopping where he stood, Squall turned to her. Even if he wished to speak no words would have been able to come out of his mouth.

"I was offered a spot at one of Galbadia's bars," Macy went on to explain. "I wasn't even going to tell you, but here I am."

"When do you leave?" He asked her, his voice was small and husky.

"Tomorrow night."

Looking down at himself in disbelief he asked her bitterly. "What am I suppose to do about this?"

"I never asked you to do anything." She said defensively. "It's not even my style to let a guy know that I'm leaving." Shaking her head Macy started to rub the bridge between her eyes. "I guess Squall. For my own sense of closure, I needed to tell you."

With his own confusion and frustration Squall threw up his hands in the air. "I don't know what you expect of me Macy?"

Slowly Macy got up from the couch. She moved up to him so her hands pressed against his chest.

"I...I just wished for one time someone would truly care. I look at you and for the first time I see someone just as lost as I am. I guess because of that I felt a connection with you that I never felt with anyone else before."

Suddenly a yearning feeling took over every fiber in Squall's body. In a defeated voice he asked her. "And now you're leaving?"

"I got to find whatever it is that I'm searching for, and you know you got to too Squall."

The two stared at each other, with an odd smile Macy leaned forward and kissed him lightly on the lips.

"Maybe when we both find what were looking for we'll find each other again."

With one last kiss Macy slowly backed out of the room, and Squall was left with nothing but wonder of what he was really looking for.


Watching Squall being pulled away by Macy made Quistis confusion raise ten fold. By all outer appearances Squall seemed fine, well as fine as Squall Leonhart would ever seem to anybody who didn't know him well. He was in a new relationship; he had friends that adored him and a job where people admired him. Even still, sometimes Quistis would look at him when nobody else would; it was at these moments when she saw the whole that was missing in Squall. A whole that nobody else saw, but her, because Quistis knew it was the place where Rinoa Heartilly belonged.

It couldn't be a mere coincidence that in a span of two days Quistis saw both Rinoa and Laguna. They were two people who shared no connection with each other, but Quistis knew better. Every intuition inside of her was saying that something was going on; it was just for the life of her Quistis couldn't figure out what that connection was.

Deeply involved with her own thoughts, Quistis didn't even notice that all her friends were staring at her, at least not until Selphie said something.

"Quistis, what's going on with you? You've been acting so weird lately."

She stared at her friends, who were all watching her with their different concerned glares. Zell, who looked worried and nervous, Irvine's expression was calm and waiting while Selphie just stared at her wide eyed and dying with curiosity. All that was missing was Squall's cool and collective glare.

"Guys," she began, not quite sure how she should word what she was about to say. "A couple things have happened in the last two days, but I'm not sure if I'm jumping to conclusions or not. And I'm defiantly not sure if I should tell Squall any of it, even though I think he should know."

"Darling, it might help us if you explain what happened to you," said Irvine, speaking up for everyone's confusion. "because I'm just lost."

Looking around the room nervously, as if what she was about to say was vital information Quistis finally said something to her friends. "Right before we got to the bar me and Squall ran into Laguna."

The three of them looked at each other, then back to her, all of them waiting for more.

"Don't any of you guys think that's weird? How often does Laguna come to Balamb? When we ran into him he wasn't himself either, I can't quite explain it, but he did tell us that he was here to see Cid."

Still the three stared at her; Zell even went as far as to say something.

"Sure that's weird Quistis, but it's not totally out of the question. Both Cid and Laguna are important men; I can think of at least a hundred legitimate reasons why they need to talk to each other."

"Maybe," Quistis replied slowly "But here's the thing." Taking a deep breath Quistis told her friends what had been eating away at her for the past two days. "Last night I ran into someone, someone who could change everything. Especially for Squall."

"Who?" Selphie squealed, the anticipation was killing her.

"Rinoa."

All three of their eyes suddenly grew to the size of golf balls and their jaws dropped like anchors.

"What do you mean you saw her?" Zell asked stupidly.

"I mean I saw her Zell, my own two eyes saw her as I ran into her, and they saw her running away after I said her name."

"Did you chase after her?" Selphie asked, you could tell that she still didn't believe it.

"Of course, but by the time I gained my senses enough to actually run after her she was gone."

"And what do you think Laguna has to do with this?" Irvine asked skeptically. "Where do you see the connection between the two?"

"That's the thing Irvine I can't see it, only feel it."

"You have to tell Squall!" Selphie exclaimed.

Quistis was ready to agree with her hyper active friend when Zell made an objection.

"I think telling Squall is the last thing you should do Quistis. It took him so long to get over her, and now he's doing so well. If you bring it up it will just mess with his head."

"But is he really doing that well Zell?" Quistis asked, a bit amazed that Zell wasn't pushing her to tell him.

"Squall's always going to have his hang-ups, but when's the last time you saw him as up beat as he is right now? Bring Rinoa up will only bring him down."

"Don't you think he has the right to know?" Selphie argued.

"He might have a right, but that doesn't mean he should," Irvine said, taking up Zell's side. "I mean right now he's alone with a beautiful woman. Let him move on."

"So both you guys think I shouldn't tell Squall any of this?" Quistis asked disbelievingly.

"Let's put it this way," Irvine replied. "Rinoa saw you at the bar which means she probably saw Squall, and she still ran away. If you ask me Quistis, I don't think Rinoa wants Squall to know."

Letting out a whirled wind of breathe, Quistis sighed. "I suppose your right, I just wish it all made sense to me."

Getting up from her seat Quistis left the table, nobody tried to stop her as she walked out of the bar.

Balamb was empty that night. Not a soul was roaming the streets, not a sound could be heard from any corner. It was dead and Quistis took great solace in that.

There was nothing to interrupt her thoughts, nothing that hooked her into becoming side tracked. It was just Quistis and Balamb.

Leaving the town behind her, Quistis aimlessly started heading to the beach.

As much as Quistis loved the town, there was always something that pulled you to the waking ocean. Nobody could resist its leer. The beach was a magnet and nothing could stop its force.

Reaching the white sand Quistis instinctively untied her boats and let her bare feet bury themselves in the cool grit.

The late hour had left Balamb's beach just as empty as its streets, save for one girl who Quistis could see in the distance. She was on the far end of the curving beach, standing alone on the brim where the waves met the sand. The girl was staring off into the vast ocean; her eyes were reading the horizon.

Letting the girl be Quistis started to drift back into her own thoughts, pacing along the beach without much rhyme or reason. As she walked debates started to go through her head, topics which ranged from; if she should tell Squall or what the hell was going on were taking center stage.

"I don't know," Quistis said to herself just as she reached where the girl stood. Startled at hearing another presence the girl turned to face her. This time Quistis was startled.

"Rinoa?"

Immediately the girl took off, sand flew in her wake. Not even thinking about it, Quistis once again began to chase after her.

With the grip of the sand between her toes and determination being her wings, Quistis caught up with Rinoa, grabbing the girl by one of her arms she flung her back so the two of them became face to face.

"I have to admit Rinoa," Quistis spoke with a heavy breath "yours is a face that I thought I never see again."

"Likewise," Rinoa replied, her voice was neither cold nor pleasant. It was simply matter of fact.

"What are you doing here Rinoa?" Quistis questioned, her inner SeeD taking over.

To this Rinoa didn't answer, she just stood there silently, her gaze now drifting to the sand.

"Rinoa, why are you in Balamb? Why have you come back, does Laguna have anything to do with it."

"Quistis, please," Rinoa begged "just leave me alone."

"I will as soon as you give me some answers." Quistis replied indignantly.

Looking back up at her, a desperation glowed in the sorceress' eyes. At that moment Quistis could feel her heart caving in for her one time friend.

"You know I can't keep this from Squall, Rinoa? He should know you're here, though I wish you be the one to tell him."

"I can't," she said, her voice was weak, but there was a conviction in her eyes.

Letting go of her arm, Quistis couldn't fight the questions that were swirling in her head. "Why can't you Rinoa?" Quistis asked with her own sense of desperation. "What's going on with you?"

"Listen Quistis, I can't stop you from doing anything. All I can do is ask if you do tell Squall tell him that I'm fine and we should leave it like that."

"Rinoa..." Quistis began, but all she could do was listen to her own voice fade. There seemed to be nothing else she could say.

"It was nice seeing you again Quistis," Rinoa told her, quickly wiping away the tears that were forming in her eyes. "Please take care," was the last thing that she said before taking off into the night.

And all Quistis did was watch her fade off into the distance.

AUTHORS NOTE: Sorry to all reading my story for such a long wait. College is quite the balance of work and play, not to mention the added stress of adaptation and transition. Thankfully I will always have my vice in writing.

As far as this chapter is concerned, I promise that this is a strictly Squall and Rinoa story, though I won't say if the sensuous Macy won't make a reappearance. Anyways, I like to give my genuine thanks to anyone who's taking the time to ready my story.

Take Care,

Leah