Savior
By Leanne Ashley


Quick summary: (AU) SeeD battles Ultimecia & her followers. When a prophecy foretells the coming of a savior (Sorceress Rinoa) SeeD, led by Squall, is ordered to protect her from Galbadia's assassins as she journeys to defeat Ultimecia. Squall/Rinoa

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Chapter 14: So Undeniably Yours
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Seifer got up angrily as the heavy dust particles began to settle. His foot slid clumsily against the rough debris as he struggled to maintain his balance on the dilapidated platform. The crowd was in complete chaos.

"Yo, Seifer!"

Raijin and Fujin pushed their way through the panic-stricken crowd and were quickly at his side.

"GONE!?" Fujin asked in her usual manner of speaking.

Seifer shook his head. "They couldn't have gotten far."

"We gotta do something about this crowd, ya know?" Raijin said as he backed up slightly.

"Tell them they'll all be shot if they don't settle down," Seifer snapped bitterly. He turned quickly to Fujin, the captain of his army. "Get everyone out there! Search every goddamn house and building! He's not leaving with her!"

They both nodded in unison to him and ran off in different directions, leaving him to sulk in his own growing hatred.


"Squall, where are we going!?" Rinoa asked breathlessly.

He had been running at full speed and unknowingly dragging her along as he held onto her wrist.

"The last place he'll think to look for us!" Squall yelled over his shoulder. "The others are hopefully doing the same. They'll know to meet up with us after things settle."

He suddenly slowed his pace as if the sound of fatigue in Rinoa's voice was finally beginning to register. Looking around quickly, he noted the rather large mansion just across a short, stone walkway. "The general's mansion?"

Rinoa nodded. "That's where I was held."

"Then he probably wouldn't think to look for you here," Squall told her. "Come on."

As he lead the way through Seifer's vast backyard garden, his hand remained protectively clasped around her wrist. Rinoa watched his gesture questionably as if any type of intentional physical contact from Squall was something completely foreign.

"Are you hurt?" he asked suddenly.

"What?" she asked as she was broken from her thoughts.

"Seifer," Squall replied bitterly. "He hit you pretty hard."

Rinoa raised a hand to her cheek. "Oh…" Everything had happened so fast she had practically forgotten. "I'm alright. It doesn't hurt."

Squall stopped walking then and turned to face her. "Let me see."

Even though his hand was encased in leather, she could still feel the warmth of his touch as he grazed her cheek. His cerulean eyes burned intently as he inspected the now blushing surface of her skin.

After he had passed his thumb beneath her eye, he quickly pulled away and diverted his eyes. "Guess you do heal fast. The bruising is already gone."

Walking ahead, Squall scanned the dimly lit yard and spotted a garage hidden away in the far corner. After signaling Rinoa to follow, he ran up to the door of the garage and peered through the dusty glass. Inside held a collection of rather expensive looking Galbadian vehicles and motor bikes. Finally… Squall thought with a smirk, Seifer's actually useful for something. Without a second thought, he smashed his fist through the glass window and unlocked the door. Before proceeding in, he turned to Rinoa.

"We have to lay low for a bit. Knowing Seifer, he's probably got the entire Galbadian army out there."

Rinoa nodded and followed him in. She couldn't help but smile at the fact that a room filled with cars and bikes could somehow bring a lightness to a man's eyes. She closed the door carefully behind her as Squall began searching for keys in any of the ignitions.

"As soon as we hear from the others we'll jack one of these and get outta here," he told her over his shoulder.

She ran her hands down the sides of her dress, smoothing the white material. She loathed it. She was forced to wear it by the man she was now technically married to.

Memories of when she had given up on herself flashed by. The blood, the relentless gnawing of the jagged glass against her skin… God, how she hated herself.

As Squall proceeded to the back of the room, Rinoa turned her gaze to the window. She couldn't bear to let him see her cry. Squall was always so strong, so sure of himself. And she… well…

She was now the opposite of that.

As Rinoa struggled to keep the hot tears from falling, Squall made his way back to her.

"Okay," he told her obliviously, "I got a key to one of the bikes. We'll be able to get around easier in it anyway."

With her back to him, she merely nodded in response.

She's been through a lot, Squall reminded himself. Better just leave her alone. He folded his arms with considerable patience and leaned his back against the wall. In the vague reflection that was available upon the glass, Rinoa let her watering eyes drift to him as he stood waiting casually. The awkward silence grew steadily between them.

I should apologize… she thought suddenly. He goes through so much for me…Her mouth felt dry as she parted her lips to speak.

"Squall, I'm s—"

"I'm sorry." Squall blurted out instantaneously.

Her glassy brown eyes grew wide. "Wh-what…?"

"I'm sorry… Rinoa," he repeated. "It was my fault you had to go through all this. If I had protected you like I said I would, none of this would've happened."

"Don't..." she begged softly. She could feel her voice begin to crack.

Squall watched with surprise as she turned to face him. Her eyes, filled with sorrow and regret, penetrated him with their sadness. The tears streaked uncontrollably down the sides of her face. He had never seen her look so lost.

"Don't blame yourself," she said as she brushed a hand under her eye. "I'm …sorry. I'm sorry for the trouble I'm causing… sorry for the fact that this all couldn't be easier… Squall…"

She looked away to smile softly to herself. She had no choice but to reveal it to him. The part that made her weak. The part that perhaps... scared her the most.

"I don't know what I'm suppose to do now…" There was almost a chuckle in her voice as the tears continued to fall. How foolish he would find her now. How can one lose perspective on the only thing that they're meant to do? But she couldn't help it. Everywhere around her people didn't want her help. They didn't deserve her help. They wanted her dead. And yet, she just kept trying… for what?

"Rinoa…" Squall started softly.

"…And for what!?" she continued, her emotions reaching mid-hysteria. "Because… I have to… There's people counting on me! But everyone else…! They're trying to… but I can't… Squall, I don't know what I'm doing anymore! WHAT AM I DOING!?"

She could feel herself losing control as she unconsciously began clawing at the fabrics of her white dress. It was so pure yet, so tainted. Perhaps it identified with her a little too well. How horrible it felt against her. How horrible it felt to be trapped in such a fragile state.

"Hey…! HEY!" Squall protested as Rinoa proceeded in attacking herself. He moved quickly to her and forcefully grabbed both her wrists. Without realizing it, she struggled against him. "Stop it!" he growled. "I need you to stay with me, okay!? Don't do this to yourself!"

His stern voice brought about a tranquilizing effect as she slowly let her wrists rest in his restraining grip. Their breathing remained rapid as they stared at one another in silence. They didn't even react or seem notice when a group of Galbadia soldiers ran past Seifer's mansion. Squall's assumption had been correct.

"...I'm scared." Rinoa whispered finally. "I'm so scared, Squall…"

He set his mouth in a firm line as he let his hands move up to clasp her shoulders. "I know… I've been there. But I'm here for you, okay? You don't have to be scared."

Rinoa's deep brown eyes sparkled majestically from her tears. Those eyes. Those same penetrating eyes that had continued to mystify him since day one. Squall continued to stare into them as he brushed away the strands of hair that had fallen infront of her face. He knew he had to hide his feelings. He knew that nothing good could come from what he wanted to do. And he knew that everything from that instant on would work against him. But in that moment, in that one perfect moment, it was just her. And he officially didn't care.

With a gloved hand resting against her neck, he tilted Rinoa's angelic face upward and kissed her. Her eyes widened with surprise when she felt the familiar softness of Squall's lips against hers. Only this time, it was for the purpose she had daydreamed briefly about. Her worries and her fears seemed to temporarily vanish into a carefree nothing as Squall deepened the kiss.

Is this… how it's suppose to feel?

A final tear rolled down her cheek as she smiled softly and closed her eyes. Everything felt so calm and yet, so thrilling at the same time. She couldn't help but feel serenely protected as he wrapped an arm around her waist and pressed her body against his. Their lips moved passionately in a kiss so brilliant and deep, nothing in the world could've pulled them apart.

Time stood still. Worries were forgotten. For now... just for now... it was just them.


Authors note: Sorry for the wait... again. School is almost over but I still have two more provincial exams to write. haha plus summer is here, my car has no air conditioning, and heat makes me sleepy P so lately I've been either studying or sleeping... Zzz. As soon as school is out of the way I'll have these chapters up A LOT faster. So until then... sorry again for the wait. I guess this chapter was pretty self explanitory (short and sweet) For those of you wondering if Rinoa's slowly going mad? lol no.. but we all have emotional breakdowns at some point. By the way, the others (Zell, Quistis, Selphie and Irvine) haven't left or anything. They're all hiding somewhere in Deling City too.