Rinoa sighed softly as she drank from her cup of water. She was on a fifteen minute break as Natalie played soft and romantic piano music for the enthralled crowd. Rinoa had broken from tradition so far, singing old songs first. Rinoa found herself unable to summon much spirit in her singing. Squall's death was still bothering her greatly. Or maybe it's these damn whispers! Rinoa squeezed her eyes shut and rubbed her head, trying to block out the quiet buzz. She was not sure if it was the whispers that started the night Squall died, or the crowd in the club right now, but they were getting on her nerves.

Rinoa felt strangely detached from Squall's death despite it all. That initial emptiness from right after she felt Squall's fatal wounding seemed to have diminished after her death. She thought about him a great deal, but something inside of her made her feel like he was still alive, somewhere, somehow. Not making me feel... calling me and telling me.

"Can I buy you a drink? You look like you could use it. "

Rinoa looked up annoyed then softened as she saw Irvine's friendly face. "Irvine… I thought you were one of my many... admirers. " She rolled her eyes.

Irvine gave her his infamous smile and looked her down. She was wearing a deep burgundy dress with a single inch thick strap which ran over her right shoulder. The dress ran down her chest diagonally front and back, and met there under her arm. At her legs, the dress ended on her left side at the top of her thigh, leaving her left side uncomfortably exposed as the dress traveled diagonally again down to her right knee, tapering off into a point. She could feel Irvine's eyes traveling down and probably using his x-ray vision to see underneath. She felt like covering her chest with her hands but didn't give Irvine the satisfaction. She knew that he would never think about her seriously, even... No don't think about it! Irvine shook his head and grinned. "Who says I don't admire you, ma'am?"

Rinoa rolled her eyes again and looked at the crowd. They seem dumber than I thought. Usually most of the crowd was goggling at her because they all knew that her father was the President of Galbadia, and she was the easiest way to an alliance with him. But right now, I'm off stage. Out of sight, out of mind. The crowd seemed enthralled by Natalie's playing… and power. Rinoa sighed softly and shook her head. How many of them are just imagining an alliance with the CEO of Defiance Industries? Rinoa massaged her head again. I should stop thinking of Galbadian politics… it always makes my head hurt. Rinoa chuckled to herself. How many of them are drooling over her looks? It's just as good, she's better looking than me, and I don't want people undressing me with their eyes.

A hand waved in front of her face, snapping her mind back to her company. "Garden to Rinoa… come in Rinoa… you there?"

Rinoa sighed softly and rested her elbow on the table, and her chin in her hand. "Irvine… Did Squall suffer?"

Irvine looked as two drinks were set on the table. What did that rambunctious cowboy order me? "He must have a bit. The doctors couldn't anethisize him, but I don't think too much. "

Rinoa shook her head softly. "No, I mean… did he suffer during the last three years?"

Irvine stared at his drink for a moment then took the entire shot down. Rinoa lifted the shot glass and sniffed it. Whiskey… knowing Irvine probably Crown Royal. She took the glass and turned it up, but choked as it passed down her throat and almost spit half of it back out. Her nostrils flared and her mind dizzied up before she swallowed the rest.

Irvine chucked at her. "Still can't hold your alcohol?"

Rinoa shot him a warning glance. Irvine quickly turned back to his glass as the bartender refilled it. He is being very generous with Natalie's money tonight. "Right sorry…"

Rinoa pointed at her glass too and the bartender filled it as well. "Squall?"

Irvine stared at his drink as he spoke. "Yea… he suffered a lot. When you slammed the door on him, all the china he had just picked up off the floor came shattering down again. Pretty much, you did what Seifer couldn't do. Not even what Ultimecia could do. You broke him. Not just that, you broke him in one swift action. "

Both stared at their glasses then turned them both up at the same time. Rinoa choked again but got it all down at once. The pressure on her mind seemed to be lifting, the buzzing voices disappearing. Rinoa opened her purse and took out the little purple box that held the ring in it. "When…"

Irvine looked at her as the bartender filled their glasses yet again. "When did he decide? When did he buy it?" Rinoa nodded. Irvine stared at the whiskey and thought a moment. "He came to me right after the Christmas party. He was worried mostly about the fact that you two were so young, that he wasn't sure if either of you would be ready for marriage. Quickly though, the issue was how he would propose to you. By the time the New Year's party was over, the two of us had a rough sketch of the plan. We pulled in Zell and Cid, and then Xu, and... Well... the rest is history. "

Rinoa nodded as thunderous applause erupted in the club. Natalie stood up and bowed then looked at Rinoa. Rinoa nodded and turned back to Irvine. "I need to get up there."

Irvine nodded and Rinoa turned to leave, but stopped for a moment. Turning around, she picked up the shot glass and raised it to Irvine. "To Squall."

Irvine nodded solemnly and raised his. "To Squall."

The both downed their whiskey, quickly. Rinoa felt she was getting the hang of that. No burn, no choke, she felt pretty good. She turned around and started to walk towards the stage but suddenly her world was spinning and she felt herself falling. Only a hand wrapping around her arm kept her from being deposited on the ground in a heap, probably to embarrassing results considering the length of the skirt. She turned to her savior and smiled softly at Irvine. "Thanks"

Irvine nodded. "Ya can't take that much whiskey your first time and expect to walk normally there."

Rinoa closed her eyes softly and nodded. She felt 17 again, just when she met Squall, young, carefree. She nodded reminiscently of those times and started slowly for the stage again. Irvine smiled genuinely for the first time in what felt like ages as he watched her go. Squall you'd be proud of me... I'm smiling at a beautiful woman with no thoughts of what's underneath that there dress of hers.

Rinoa climbed up the stage to thundering applause. She bowed, ignoring the whispers of the crowd. Applause continued unabated for almost a minute, and Rinoa rolled her eyes. The crowd stopped their applause and sat down. "Ladies and gentlemen… I know I've broken from my normal routine, tonight, and given you old songs first. This song…" Rinoa stopped for a minute inhaling "This song is dedicated to all of us who have lost loved ones in our lives."

As far as the meager light from the stage would let her see, almost every member of the audience bowed their head, thinking of their lost loved ones. Rinoa let them have their moment of silence. For once, the crowd seemed docile, like she wasn't what was on most people's minds. Maybe I should do this more often. Rinoa nodded to Natalie who played the introductory bars of the song.

Midnight… not a sound from the pavement

Has the moon lost her memory?

She is smiling alone

In the lamplight the withered leave collect at my feet

And the wind… begins to moan.

Rinoa inhaled softly and projected her voice louder, but even more sorrowful than before, letting the thought of all the torture she put Squall through seep into her memories.

Memory… all alone in the moonlight

I can smile at the old days

I was beautiful then

I remember the time I knew what happiness was

Let the Memory… live again

Natalie's accompaniment turned minor and a little more forceful as Rinoa continued

Every streetlamp seems to beat a fatalistic warning

Someone mutters and the streetlamp sputters

And soon it will be morning!

The music returned to the original theme as Rinoa's voice turned bitter sweet. She remembered everything about Squall, all the fun times, and all the pain after, and now, all the memories that would never be.

Daylight… I must wait for the sunrise

I must think of a new light, and I mustn't give in

When the dawn comes tonight will be a memory too

And a new day… Will begin!

Natalie began a solo part as Rinoa stopped and took a breath. The crowd was whispering again... don't they know that rude! Rinoa could not see past the first few people, but she could hear it. She squeezes her eyes shut and shook her head softly trying to block it out, but their chatter seemed to only increase. Even Natalie's music seemed distorted. Is she plotting with them too? What is going on? Rinoa looked at the crowd again.

Kill them...

Rinoa blinked. What? Who was that?

Kill them...

Rinoa shook her head and banished the thought and forcing it down as Natalie stressed a chord. Rinoa looked at her and realized her part was fast approaching. The incessant whispering stopped and her music seemed regular again. Rinoa was not sure what happened, but she was not sure she wanted to know.

Burned out ends of smoky days

The stale cold smell of morning

The streetlamp dies and when the night is over

Another day is dawning...

Rinoa opened her windpipe as her voice soared beautifully. A few audience members gasped with pleasure as the song crescendoed to its conclusion.

Touch me! It's so easy to leave me

All alone with memory of my days in the sun

If you touch me, you'll understand what happiness is

Look a new day... has begun!

Rinoa held the last note for nearly a minute before tapering off and letting Natalie close the song. Immediately, the crowd erupted in massive applause, but Rinoa did not really notice. The chattering had begun again, and softly, like a voice in the back of her mind, someone was telling her to kill them all. Another voice, somewhere in her mind was calling her, trying desperately to get her attention, and it seemed familiar, but very faint, almost inaudible. Rinoa winced again. What's happening to me?

Irvine watched as the crowd gave Rinoa a standing ovation. She looked like she was taking Squall's death well, despite the last second knowledge of the truth before he died. He was content with that knowledge. It coulda been much worse for us. She could have been driven mad.

Irvine.

Irvine looked around. A voice seemed to whisper in his ear but no one was anywhere near him. He shook his head and attributed it to the alcohol.

Irvine.

This time the voice was louder in his mind. He knew it was someone actually in his mind, so he merely thought a message. Who's there?

It is the Guardian of Fire, Ifrit.

Irvine's world suddenly took on a red tone, and little flames seemed to dance up from people's bodies, including his own. One person however stood out though it all. Rinoa was a veritable pillar of fire. The sorceress is not well, mortal. She is starting to feel the effects of being knightless. You must help her soon before she is lost to the world.

Irvine looked at Rinoa again as his vision faded back to normal. No fire seemed to engulf Rinoa, no red tint to the room. What can I do to help her?

Find her knight.

Ifrit, ask Shiva and Bahamut. Squall is dead, she has no knight. I doubt she will be able to fall in love again so quickly.

Ifrit however was silent in his mind. Ifrit?

Find her knight.

No matter what he tried, Irvine could get nothing else from Ifrit. Someone laid a hand on his shoulder and he spun with a start. Quistis stared at him with concerned blue orbs. "Something wrong?" her voice seemed a bit startled herself.

Irvine stood up. "Ifrit just gave me a warning about Rinoa. He said..."

"... She is starting to feel the effects of being knightless. You must help her soon before she is lost to the world. "

Irvine blinked and stared at Quistis. She stared right back at him as she explained herself. "Shiva just told me the same thing."

Both looked over to the stage as Natalie accompanied Rinoa off for the night. Recorded music started playing softly as the performance ended and the lights came up. Irvine and Quistis looked at each other, and neither of them could doubt what was going through the other's mind right now.

Author's notes: Yep... I'm a lazy procrastinating bastard lol. sorry bout that. I'm going to work to get chapter 20 up by Wednesday, as its already half done. sigh schoolwork is a pain... and certain computer games are eating up more time than I want them too lol. anyways, no updates on any of the future stories. The song is Memory from Cats by Andrew Lloyd Webber (again lol) as always, i dont own, so dont sue!