Disclaimer: I do not own anything related to Final Fantasy VIII. I only own the idea for this story.

Chapter 5

"What are you planning." She hissed as she tightened her grip on his neck. "Killing me didn't work so you decided to play it sweet? Or did your conscience bother you."

He couldn't answer, his fingers on the chain around his neck.

"Well screw conscience. I don't get a bad conscience from killing someone who tried to kill me. I really don't."

He gasped for breath, one hand clasped to the chain. He raised his other hand and prayed to every deity he could think of that he was aiming properly.

"…gah! T-Thundaga!"

He felt his chest expand as suddenly air came surging into his lungs. He heard Selphie squeal. Her body had been thrown backwards by the impact of the shock.

Squall was still gasping on the ground. He forced himself up and grabbed his Gunblade. He heard her gasp from her spot on the ground.

"Selphie, in Hyne's name what were you thinking! You could have bloody well killed me!"

"I- I meant to! That's what you get for trying to kill me! Stay away from me."

He shook his head. "I never tried to kill you, I found you in the forest, remember? You were nearly dead."

"Yeah, thanks to you! I'm warning you, don't come any closer."

He ignored her threats. "So you intend to hurt me if I come closer. And then what? You'll be alone in this forest…this dream. Because that's what this all is, Selphie! A dream!"

She clasped her hands over her ears. "I don't want to hear it! I'm not a dream! This isn't a dream!"

He pulled her up, grabbing her wrists tightly. "It is. You are in the infirmary. You're safe in Balamb Garden. I'm there too, in a chair next to you."

She tried not to cry. "B- But how can you be? You're here!"

"No, Selphie. I'm only here…when I sleep. You want to know why I disappear? It's because I wake up. You stay here because you can't. You're in a coma, Selphie…" He softly wiped the tears that stained her face away with his thumb. "You have to trust me.""

"But…why did you attack me?"

"Why do you keep saying that? You know I'd never hurt you…right?"

She nodded slowly. "But…if you didn't…then who?"

Squall noticed that his vision was blurring slightly. "Selphie, I'm waking up. Listen carefully. You're not alone in this forest, but I'll never hurt you, okay? I'll be back as soon as possible. Be careful."

She nodded subdued.

"I- I will. Come back soon, okay?" She stood on tiptoe and gave him a peck on his cheek. "I'm scared, Squall. I-"

But the last of her sentence was lost as Squall opened his eyes and returned to the infirmary. He looked pale.

"Squall? Man, are you okay? You went all rigid…like Selphie had done."

Squall stared around confusedly.

"Damn…" he muttered. "Couldn't you have given me a higher dose?"

"It worked, then." The doctor stated.

Squall scratched his head. "Yeah…how is she doing?"

"Well, her heartbeat has stabilised and calmed down. But she's still cold. You helped her somehow."

"She was attacked. Someone attacked her. But that someone…looked like me."

Irvine coughed. "You mean you're the one who's doing this?"

"No. Doctor, she's not alone in there. She's in danger."

But the doctor had turned away from them and seemed to be reading something on the clipboard. Squall stood up from his chair and looked into the mirror. His neck was red and bruised as if someone had tried to strangle him.

"Doctor, are you even listening?"

She didn't answer.

"I see…" she muttered.

Squall sighed loudly. "Doctor!"

She snapped up.

"I was just reading your report, commander." She said, stressing the last word. "I'll need some time…mister Kramer should be notified…Yes, I'll do that now. Squall, go to your dorm and rest. Just don't sleep. They must now you're there…you mustn't sleep. That's the main thing."

She rummaged around in a cupboard and produced a small green bottle.

"If you really have to sleep, then drink this. Put five drops of this into a glass of water. It'll make sure you don't dream. Now, if you'll both excuse me…"

Squall watched her leave.

"Are you okay?" Irvine asked.

"No."

He pulled his chair closer to Selphie's bed. He watched her face.

'Hyne, she's so pale…'

He took her hand and caressed her forehead. "It'll be okay, Selphie. It'll be okay. Hang in there."

Irvine quietly left Squall alone at Selphie's bed.

Squall leaned forward and pecked her forehead. He tightly gripped the bottle and pocketed it. He left the room silently, as if he was afraid to wake her.

He found Irvine on a bench outside the infirmary.

"…Hey. Listen, the doctor told me to keep you awake, so…what do you want to do? Train? Talk?"

"No."

"Ah, come on, Squall. You've gotta stay awake so…so think of something."

Squall shrugged. "I want to talk to Cid."

He brushed past Irvine and marched towards the elevator.

"Squall, you can't, man."

But Squall had already pressed the button. He waited patiently for the elevator to reach the top floor, but he cursed the little wait-music that played between the four walls unavoidably.

When the door opened he strode out.

"Oh, Squall. You know you can't just-" Said Xu, half risen from her chair.

"I don't care. Selphie's dying down there and they're just talking."

Xu jumped over her desk and pulled him back by his jacket. "Squall, you might be the commander around here, but you have got some rules to listen to too, you know. Now get back downstairs. They'll tell you what they're talking about if and when it concerns you."

"Xu! You- ah, never mind!"

He kicked the door and grouchily turned around. When he reached the main floor again he saw Irvine was waiting for him.

"Got kicked out, huh." He said, suppressing a smirk. "Come on. Let's see if we can find Quistis or something."

"No, I want to be alone for a while. I'll go to my dorm."

He could feel that Irvine kept staring at him but he ignored it. He didn't look up until he had reached his own dorm. He flung himself on his bed and stared at the ceiling.

'Who in Hyne's name attacked her?' he thought angrily.

He tried to picture himself fighting Selphie, but he knew that he would never attack any of his friends, least of all her.

He yawned. Those dreams were tiring.

'Don't sleep.' That's what the doctor had said. But with that she had meant 'don't dream.'

He looked at the bottle.

Don't dream. And by that, leaving Selphie to handle what ever was going on by herself?

"As if."

He took the bottle in one hand and weighed it. Then he threw it against the wall with all his strength. He watched the thick liquid slowly drip down to the floor.

Great.

Now he'd have to clean that up. He hadn't thought of that…

He felt like screaming but he didn't. He closed his eyes.

'Screw not dreaming…'


"Selphie! Where are you?"

He ran through the trees, following a trail of crushed leaves. The trail led him to an opening between the trees. Scorch marks covered the ground and the dirt was roughed up as if someone had been running up and down.

Somewhere in the back of his mind something told him that he had been here before.

There!

Her yellow dress was covered in brown dust. She wasn't moving.

"Selphie!"

'This…already happened..' he thought. '…didn't it?'

He looked at her. She groaned.

Her body was covered with deep gashes and cuts. Blood had dried up and cracked as she moved her neck.

'This already happened!'

Slowly Selphie opened her eyes.

"…Squall…" she said softly.

A soft smile washed over her face as she stretched a hand out to caress his face. He gave her a strange look.

'Wait…that didn't…'

He tightly gripped her hand. "Who are you."

Her smile changed to a smirk. "It's me, silly."

"Where is Selphie? Where is she!"

Selphie stood up and laughed. "Smarter than I thought. But we'll see how smart you really are."

"What do you mean!"

But Selphie just laughed. "Bye, bye Squall."

"Come back here! Face me! You're nothing but a cowardess!"

Selphie just laughed again and started to walk away.

"I'm not done with you yet!"

He lunged forward and tried to grab her, but the moment his skin touched hers he froze. And then he woke.

"Koë!" he yelled as loud as he could. "Cowardess!"

He breathed heavily and kicked the door, the wall and the table.


"I want to talk to them right now!" he roared.

Xu looked at him desperately. "You can't just barge in there! You can't just disobey the rules. Commander or not, you can't just walk in there."

"Watch me." He snarled.

He pushed her aside and threw the door open. With a determined look on his face he stepped inside the office. Cid and Kadowaki stared at him.

"I've got something to say." He stated.

Cid slowly motioned him to sit down. "…Alright then, talk…"

"I think I know who attacked Selphie."

Kadowaki raised her eyebrow. "Do you, now."

"It wasn't me. It was Koë."

Cid leaned back in his chair. "Koë? Sorceress Koë?"

"You said yourself that she could shape-shift."

"I was thinking the same thing." The doctor admitted. "It's a logical explanation. But I don't know for sure."

"I had another dream. I saw something that had happened before. Only this time it was different. Selphie was different. I knew it was Koë."

Cid glanced at Kadowaki. She nodded.

"Squall…you must realize that it will be dangerous."

He nodded.

"We won't be able to help you. You'll be entirely on your own."

"I know, sir. But I won't be alone. Selphie will be there."

Cid glanced at Kadowaki again, this time suppressing a smile.

"Indeed…Squall, if you get hurt or if you die, we can't help you. You'll die here too."

"I'm willing to take that chance, sir."

"And there's a chance you might never wake up. You might be stuck in that forest forever."

He stood up. "Sir."

Cid stood up too. "Very well…go to your friends and tell them about this situation. They'd like to know what you are about to do, I'm sure. After that, come to the infirmary. We'll proceed with this today."

"Yes sir."

Squall turned around. Just before he left the office, he stopped.

"And sir...thank you."

Cid smiled. He waited until Squall had closed the door before he chuckled. Kadowaki smiled too.

"So Koë changed into both of them…interesting, isn't it?"

Cid nodded.

"Come. We have to go to the infirmary."

"We? Headmaster…"

"Yes. We. I am sending my commander on a somewhat strange and highly dangerous mission. It is my duty to attend."

"Then let's go. There is a lot to do and Selphie is running out of time."



Ah, another chapter finished. It always feels good when you're done with another chapter.

Matron Raenee: I agree; Selphie makes squall loosen up and vice versa. That's what makes them fit together so well. But then again, Rinoa can be like that too, so that's why so many people out there prefer squinoa's. I don't really like them, btw. In most of my fics Rinoa's either going to die or she's a cow, or she's out of the way. She's a hard person to work with :P (but I'm trying, though. I'm writing a fic with her as main character, now. And I'm trying to present her as a sympathetic character.) Anyway, glad you like it still. See you at the next chapter!

Animewatcher: yupyup! Surprises all around. But I think there will be less of those when the story goes further, I mean; you have to explain everything after just writing surprises. Otherwise no one understands :). But I'm glad you like it a lot and I'm very happy that you'll read this all the way to the end.

WhitakerX: Thank you :) I hope you'll keep reading!

Thanks again for the kind reviews. And I hope to see everyone at the next chapter.
Love, Raven55