Irvine looked at Squall's body as they rode in the ambulance. He could clearly recall almost every horrifying moment that ended him up riding in this car, with his best friend dying on that bed. Irvine had seen the Terrorist getting up but between the dizzying high of battle and the laughing, he did not correctly process it. When he finally did, he tried to warn but he was totally out of breath from laughing so hard. He heard Natalie's shout, strangely distant as he watched in horror. Blood sprayed out as the point went out his chest.

Irvine looked at the bleeding hole in Squalls chest and almost wretched. He charged up, Exeter held high and shot the terrorist in the face, a feral scream sounding as he did so. He realized later that was him screaming. Zell ran to Squall and slowly pulled the pike out of him. Trying a Curaga spell and seeing it not work he shouted. "Get an ambulance!"

Irvine glanced at Natalie. She still had the look of horror on her face, and for once in his life, Irvine completely ignored a good looking scantily dressed body. Natalie nearly screamed her head off as Zell tried to keep Squall stable. "Oh Hyne, this is my fault… this is my fault!!!"

Irvine had to grab her and pull her out of the room but she demanded riding in the ambulance. Irvine agreed on the condition that she calm down and not scream that it's her fault. Irvine sighed. I will handle that later.

As the Ambulance pulled into Galbadia Central Hospital, they saw doctors waiting to greet the new arrival. In very quick and efficient order, the bed that Squall was on was rolled away and into surgery as the rest of the group slowly filed out and sat in the lobby. Natalie was nearly in tears, and Irvine went to sit down next to her. "Irvine, it's my fault, if I hadn't been picking on you… If I hadn't taken you up on the challenge…"

Irvine took off his hat and set it on Natalie's head. Of course it looked ridiculous if you actually thought about it, the style of the hat clashed with the upscale clothes that she was wearing. "Listen, Suga, you couldn't know that one of the terrorists was alive. It was our job to find that out, and we failed. You can't blame yourself for this."

Natalie looked into Irvine's eyes and another tear rolled down her cheek. "But… if I hadn't… if my father had not hired you…"

Irvine interrupted her immediately. "You would be dead for weeks now, with your body parts scattered across the Prime Rib."

Natalie closed her eyes and absorbed what Irvine was saying. He had to hand it to her; she took those words in and accepted them, and didn't cry and hug him, saying random things that were either untrue or impossible like so many other women, like Selphie. She just sat and accepted it then reached up to take off Irvine's hat. With a whisper she returned it to his head. "Thank you, Irvine."

Zell walked up to the two. "Irvine, you'd better call Quistis."

Irvine nodded solemnly. This was not going to be fun. He stood up and walked to the front desk, looking like a man walking to his execution.

It was 6 hours before a nurse came to the group. "Your friend is out of surgery now."

Selphie almost assaulted the poor nurse. Only Zell's quick grasp held her from tackling the poor hospital worker. "Is he alright?"

The nurse shook her head. "The prognosis isn't good. The doctor is still cleaning up from the surgery so he hasn't logged his official prognosis yet, but I heard him say that your friend will need a miracle to survive.

Many heads fell dejected at this news. Irvine however didn't. "Then I will find him a miracle." With that he strode out of the room.

Irvine walked out of the hospital with resolve. He knew he had to find Rinoa soon and bring her back to Squall. It was the only chance he had to live. After checking the hotel, he thought about where in the City she could have gone as a native. One answer came to mind. He walked out of the hotel and headed towards the park where Squall and Rinoa first met up again.

As he was walking Irvine started composing possible scenarios of what might happen. As the various situations ran through his mind, he suddenly had a new appreciation for Squall's mind and marveled how with all the bad things that could happen, that he managed to stay hooked on Rinoa all this time.

Entering the park, he walked along the path until he got to the oak tree. Sure enough Rinoa was there, lying on her stomach and staring at a flower which was in her hand. He cautiously approached; worried on how she might react to his presence considering the last few times they met. He was surprised though. "Irvine, please stop sneaking around and come here."

Rinoa had made no indication she was aware of his presence, much less showed any signs of knowing who was behind her. Irvine picked up his pace and sat down, his legs stretched out. Rinoa sat up and started to hug her legs, rocking back and forth. She was wearing her old clothes complete with her blue duster, and Irvine remembered many a time when she sat doing exactly that. He took a breath and held it for a moment. "Squall was injured badly."

"I know" Rinoa's voice was almost too soft to hear.

Irvine was surprised for the second time since he found her "How? I don't recall anybody leaving to tell you."

"Last time Squall and I talked, we figured that our connection as sorceress and knight allows us to feel what the other is feeling. Sometimes, we can even hear each other's thoughts. Last night, I was asleep when I felt something rip through my chest. It felt like my entire insides were splayed open. I was gasping for pain. Then I heard Squall calling my name and the pain stopped. Somehow, I knew that he had been injured."

Irvine let his breath out that he did not realize he was still holding. Rinoa continued "How is he?"

Irvine looked down at the ground for a moment. "He is not expected to survive."

That got Rinoa's attention for sure. She stood up. Squall is going to die? No! She stared at the oak tree in a stupor for several moments, remembering all the things which they had gone through. By the time Irvine had stood up however, she had gotten to the last few months that they were together. Anger started to build up in her.

Irvine gently took her by the wrist. "Come on, I know he wants to see you."

It took Rinoa a moment to realize he was leading her away from the tree, but when she did, she violently ripped her hand from his grasp. "So? It's not like I actually care for the bastard. Why the hell should I go and see him?"

Irvine was stunned speechless. "............." He now understood something else about Squall and his manner of thinking. Staring at Rinoa for a moment, he was finally found his motor control again, just enough to stammer "W...Wha...What?!"

Rinoa turned her back to him "I don't care about Squall, and I am not going to see him. He doesn't care one ounce for me and he caused me too much pain already. I am through with him! I made this perfectly clear to him a few days ago."

Irvine felt his jaw drop. He snapped it back up and clenched his jaws together. "How could you say such a thing?! I spent the last three years keeping him from completely falling apart! Now you have the nerve to say that he doesn't care about you? Great Hyne, Rinoa! On testimony of Zell and Quistis, Squall shed more tears the day you left than the rest of his previous life combined! When you left, you stabbed him with his own gunblade, pulled the trigger, and then ripped it out the other side!"

"Hah, serves him right for forgetting my birthday."

Irvine was stopped speechless yet again. "This is all because he forgot your birthday? Rinoa, do you actually think he could EVER forget your birthday? He had a huge surprise party and everything!"

Rinoa's first bit of doubt came at this point, but she shoved it aside. She spun around and glared angrily at him. "Selphie would have told me about a surprise party. And no, it isn't just 'cause he forgot my birthday. He was cheating on me with Xu!"

"WHAT?!" Irvine's eyes grew wide.

Rinoa smirked. I bet you didn't know this about your "friend" "I went looking for Squall two weeks before I left. He said he was working, but his office was locked, and the light was out. I went back to the dorms, and as I was walking around a corner, I saw Squall walk out of Xu's room. I followed him into his room. When I asked him where he was, he said he was in his office doing important work. Yea right."

Irvine's mind whirled. Coming out of Xu's room? We did go to her room a few times for the party, but we left at the same time. Except that one night he left early... "Oh, no. no, NO! It wasn't like that! He was there to plan your party! I know! I was there every single time!"

"Irvine, drop this masquerade. I know that there was no surprise party. Selphie would have told me. I commend that you are trying to help your friend, but please stop."

"Of course Selphie didn't know! WE DIDN'T TELL HER!!! We knew she would tell you and ruin the surprise. The only people who he told were Zell, Xu, Cid and me! Remember the ball room being closed for 'renovations'? That was to cover our preparations for the party! We were working on it for months! He spent so much time working on it. Hell, he even spent hours just worrying and fretting! Yes, your Squall was worried out of his mind! He spent entire nights just sitting in the ball room staring around at the various decorations!"

Rinoa's mind started to display more doubt at this point. She turned around as angrily as she could muster to hide this from Irvine. "Irvine, even if what you are saying were true, Squall would not have to be worried about me. He was avoiding me for some reason, and I am sure it was because he wanted to be away from me. He didn't love me and I was a total fool to believe he did. No one can open that prince of ice, and he can rot in hell for all I care!"

This time it was Rinoa's turn to be shocked speechless. Irvine replied immediately, and with more fire than she knew he possessed. "How dare you?" His voice started as a whisper, but quickly grew "Don't you DARE say that. How could you love a man yet know so LITTLE about him?! EVERYBODY IN GARDEN knew he was pretty much your slave! Do you want to know WHY he was so damn nervous? He was going to propose to you, Rinoa!"

Rinoa's mind went blank, her jaw slack. Turning back to him she could not even manage a simple word. "Wh... wh...." Irvine had never seen such a battle in someone's eyes before, and he knew he got through to her.

"Yes, Rinoa, he was going to propose to you. He had lunch reservations at the Red Chocobo a week in advance. He knew that was your favorite restaurant. You were supposed to wake up at eleven and he would surprise you with them. He then would take you to lunch with him in his full SeeD uniform. Xu would have come in and suggested you wear your beige dress that you wore when the two of you first met. While you were there, Zell and I would announce the party to everyone and gather everybody into the ballroom. When the two of you got back, he would take you there to be surprised. He had a three story cake for you and everything. He was going to shove a piece of the cake in your face and while you were distracted, pull out the ring and go onto his knee. Cid, Zell and Xu didn't even know about this. I was the only one he told."

Rinoa had fallen to the ground half way through this shaking her head. "No" She put her hands to cover her face and continued chanting "No... No... I don't believe it!" Her voice became more and more desperate each passing moment.

Irvine sighed and opened his jacket. He took the item which Selphie had brought with her from Garden and tossed it on the ground in front of Rinoa. Rinoa looked up. It was a purple velvet box. The lid was slightly twisted away from the base, like it had been thrown violently against something. It was just large enough for a ring. "Open it" He commanded.

Rinoa reached for the box with a shaky hand and slowly grasped the box, like it was a venomous snake which she didn't know whether it was alive or not. Slowly bringing it up, she reached with her other hand and slowly opened it. Inside, there was a perfect replica of Squall's Griever ring. It looked sized for her fingers, and was made of gold. The mouth reached out of the ring and held a perfect diamond in its jaws. Rinoa dropped the box and covered her mouth with both hands, half stiffening a scream.

"Take out the ring and look at the band, if you need more proof still."

Rinoa reached with her shaky left hand and slowly picked up the box. She removed the ring with her right hand.

Rinoa's world crashed down around her.

On the outside of the ring band, etched directly into the gold were the words "I'll be waiting" and on the inside, etched as eloquently, were the words "I promise"

Rinoa no longer held any doubts that she was totally wrong. These simple etchings proved in her mind beyond a reasonable doubt that every word that Irvine had said was true. Slowly she collapsed from her sitting position onto the ground and started crying into her arm bands. Irvine sat down next to her and slowly picked her up. Rinoa turned Irvine's jacket into her new tissue to cry in. "My God, Irvine. What have I done? What have I done?" Rinoa's voice was a hoarse whisper.

Irvine was unsure how to respond to that and remained silent. Rinoa continued to cry mindlessly for a few minutes, but managed to regain control and sit up. "Irvine, how much did he suffer when I left?"

Irvine grimaced. "He pretty much fell apart and retreated back into his shell. Only a very select few knew he was hurting, pretty much just Selph, me, Zell, Quisti, Cid, and Doctor Kadowaki. Cid is really unhappy about his drinking problem."

Rinoa was silent for a moment "Why didn't he come looking for me?"

"He did. That vacation that he was going to use for his honeymoon, in the end, turned out to be spent sitting at the orphanage in that flower field. He said he promised to be there, something like that. He wouldn't even go into the orphanage to sleep the first few weeks. Matron was worried about his health. Meanwhile, Quistis, Zell, Selphie and I took a vacation to try to find you. We searched everywhere, but I guess we didn't look hard enough. We spent.... about six months in total I guess. Then Squall had his first Training Center incident. He almost killed himself, and even asked Doctor Kadowaki to let him die. We realized that we needed to get back to our jobs and try to help Squall. He has been a total wreck since."

Irvine stood up to stretch his legs and collect his thoughts. Rinoa stayed on the ground imagining how much her Squall must have been hurt. Only when a malodorous scent invaded her nose did she look back up at Irvine, to find him smoking a cigarette. She frowned "When did you pick up smoking?"

Irvine looked at the cigarette in his fingers and half grimaced and half smiled. "After Squall did about 2 and a half years ago, right after the first Training Center accident. He was so recluse; it was hard for even Quistis to get him to talk at all. So, I started to hang out with him while he was smoking. He told me under no uncertain terms he did not want to be disturbed, so I started smoking to give me an excuse to stay."

Rinoa covered her face again, but had no more tears to shed. She had cried herself dry of them. "I caused so much suffering. Why?"

Irvine sat down again and puffed his cigarette. Enveloping her in a hug he replied. "Rinoa, you didn't cause it. It's not your fault."

Rinoa looked up at Irvine. "Yes I caused it. If I had only trusted my heart instead of using my mind to leap to conclusions..."

Rinoa looked down again and sighed. "We should get going."

Irvine stayed in place for a moment. "Yea, we should."

Rinoa had a chance to clear her mind somewhat on the brisk walk to the hospital. Irvine guided her up to the 4th floor and around the security to the emergency ward. They traveled down a long white hallway and eventually arrived at a pair of glass double doors. Natalie, Zell, and Selphie stood there staring into the room while two doctors hovered around Squall.

Rinoa looked around for a moment "Where is Quistis?"

Selphie turned around and hugged Rinoa lightly. "She had to meet with some important clients today, as acting Commander. She should be arriving very soon actually."

Further conversation was cut short as one of the doctors came out. He took off his mask which covered his face, revealing a pained expression. "I'm sorry, but there is nothing we can do. The damage is worse than we thought. His heart was grazed by the spear. It ripped a hole in one of the chambers. Every beat of it is ripping the hole a little bigger, and is pumping blood into the hole in his chest at a faster and faster rate. His left lung is a lost cause also. I don't know how he was alive when you brought him in, but whatever it was will not keep him like that much longer."

Irvine grimaced. The guardian forces he has junctioned probably. "Is he awake?"

The doctor looked him in the eye for a moment "Yes, but he is in pain. He refused to let us put him unconscious. "

Irvine nodded "Thank you, doctor."

The group walked in and collected a few feet from the bed. Irvine pushed Rinoa to continue. Slowly, she came to the edge of the bed and stared at Squall's face. Pain was etched lightly on his features, but his closed eyes betrayed no emotion. She ran her right hand through his hair, remembering how soft it always felt. His eyes opened slowly, then widened in surprise.

Rinoa smiled weakly. "Hey"

A shadow of a smile crossed Squall's lips. "Hey"

Rinoa's smile faded. "Squall, Irvine told me everything. The surprise party" She held up her left hand, which contained the purple velvet box. New tears started streaming down her face. "The ring. Everything."

Rinoa paused for a moment; she couldn't speak even if she wanted to. Her throat was closed completely. Instead, she absorbed his features into her memory for a moment. Then, swallowing, she forced herself to continue "Squall, can you forgive me? I caused you so much pain. Oh Hyne, I was so cruel and stupid."

Squall lifted his left hand slightly, which Rinoa took hold of with her free hand. He finally spoke. His voice was almost inaudible, pained, slurred, and broken by light gasps. "Rinoa... It was my fault. Please... don't punish yourself. "

"Squall... our marriage would have been the happiest day of my life. We could have.... we would have..." She gasped with tears.

Squall coughed and his arm muscles could no longer hold his hand up. It slowly lowered onto his chest, taking Rinoa's with it. Slowly, she let go and started to caress his chest. She felt the gaping hole through the medical outfit under his left breast where the spear went all the way through him. His raspy voice came back again. "Rinoa, remember your song. 'Think of all the things we've shared and seen, don't think about the way things might have been.'"

Rinoa managed a little smile at that "There will never be a day when I won't think of you."

The shadow of a smile returned to his face. "Guys?"

Irvine, Zell and Selphie stepped next to the bed. Irvine had stepped onto the right of Rinoa and laid his hand on Squall's pillow, while Selphie and Zell were on her left. Squall picked up Rinoa's right hand and laid it on top of Irvine's "Irvine, take care of her please."

Irvine shook his head. "Squall you shouldn't be..."

Squall interrupted him with a shake of his head. "Irvine, I know. Please."

Irvine only nodded his head slowly. Squall turned his head to Zell "Zell, you have been with me for 8 years. I might have given you a hard time, but you have been a great friend through all the times."

Zell smiled in acknowledgement. Squall continued "Selphie, don't let that womanizing cowboy go."

Selphie managed to choke a laugh through her tears, and add a smile on top of it. Squall's eyes returned to Rinoa. Her hand ran through his hair again.

Suddenly the machine monitoring his heart spiked in noise. Squall closed his eyes in pain and coughed. "Rinoa..." His voice was even raspier than before. "I'll be waiting, so if you come..." Squall's whole body convulsed and he choked on something. When he opened his mouth to speak again, blood trickled down his cheek. "You will find me. I promise."

Squall's body started to convulse heavily, and the machines in the room started to give out warning tones. The doctors and several orderlies rushed in and started shouting. Two of the orderlies cashiered the five back out the glass door, then locked it. Through the glass, they could hear the doctors shouting and giving orders.

"His heart rate is accelerating. Blood pressure dropping fast!"

The doctors rushed around, injecting him with various medicines, shutting off some drip bags and increasing others. An orderly brought a defibulator machine in and charged it up. Squall's body was still in convulsing uncontrollably, and blood was streaming out of his mouth and staining above the hole in his chest. Someone put the defibulator over his heart and Squall's body jumped as the machine did its job. The heart monitor went steady for a second then started to spike again.

"Again!"

Squall's body jumped again, but the heart monitor just continued to go faster and faster.

"Two hundred!"

Squall's body jumped a lot higher, but his body had stopped convulsing. Only his hands were shaking lightly. Then the monitor went flat and blared out the dreaded tone.

"Again!"

Squalls body jumped only lightly, and his hands stopped shaking completely. The monitor continued to blare out the harsh sound.

"Again!"

Another shock did not even bring his body out of the bed. The doctor holding the defibulator sighed and hung his head. "Call it"

One of the orderlies looked at the clock. "Time of death: 10:22 PM"