Rinoa was sitting in the hotel bar just a few minutes before she was due on stage. Squall was back from the hospital and they had spent a few hours talking. They even spent a half hour trying a mental conversation, though that was much more difficult. Still with all this, every moment there was uncomfortable tension between sorceress and knight. Neither was sure exactly how far the other wanted to take their new relationship, and each knew that the other was thinking it, but was very afraid of bringing up the subject. Squall even tried to hide it from her, but she could still sense it.

Rinoa sighed. That was not the only thing adding to the tension between them. Since Squall had returned from the hospital three days ago, they had shared dreams together in various places, making what should have been a restful and stress relieving break from the anxiety between them instead turn into even longer lengths of time spent looking at their feet when they both wanted to touch each other.

Rinoa couldn't stand it anymore. She could sense that Squall was upstairs, trying to avoid her. She had a plan to end the tensions, ironically, by doing what she had done 4 years ago. She was going to give Squall a choice right now. She was going to give him an opportunity. She was going to give him a chance to right all the wrongs that had been done on both sides 3 years ago.

But first, she needed to get Squall down here.

A very familiar presence sat down on the bar stool next to her. "Hey, Suga"

Rinoa glanced up at Irvine and smiled softly at him. "Hi, Irvine."

Irvine ordered whiskey and looked at her. She was wearing her old short beige dress that had started the whole ordeal between her and the Lion of Balamb. Irvine could see why Squall would have fallen in love with Rinoa if his first memory of her was this dress. Then again Squall's mind worked very different from his. He wondered if Squall would even notice that. "Hoping to conjure up old memories?"

Rinoa couldn't help a shadow of a smile. "You hush. Besides… it's not like I can even fit in this dress anymore. I mean look at it!"

Irvine gave her another look over. As always, Irvine could not see anything wrong with the way the dress looked on her. He never understood why women imagined they were fat or so worried about every last fine detail of their looks. "Well, I can't really tell but if ya think you look fat, you can just take off the dress."

Rinoa smiled and shook her head for a moment before the full reality of Irvine's words sunk in. That damn playboy! No wonder Selphie complains about him constantly! Rinoa watched as Irvine took another shot of whiskey and smirked evilly. Right as he was about to take a sip, she pointed at the class and the whiskey froze over right inside. Instead of pouring into his mouth as expected, the entire block just slid out of the cup and right into the cowboy's nose.

Irvine quickly brought his head back upright and watched the block of frozen whiskey clank to the floor. He stared befuddled for a moment as Rinoa stood up and pat his cowboy hat. "It's alright, Irvine, I'll overlook that comment… this time." She pointed at the point on his jacket where the back split off into the two coat tails and smirked again, casting a low level thunder spell at his rear end and causing him to jump a foot in the air clutching his rear.

Rinoa laughed softly "If you want, me to stop that, you will find Squall and get him down here."

Irvine spun and looked at her with annoyance written all over his face but bit back any comment as Rinoa raised her finger in a manner that Squall would have recognized in an instant. It was the same way that she had pointed when Squall had first laid his eyes on her. This meaning however was totally different when a small ball of flame appeared over her pointer finger. At only an inch in diameter, it did not appear particularly threatening, but Irvine knew different. His mouth quickly closed, cutting off any retort and he silently went off in search of Squall.

Applause, predictably, erupted full swing as Rinoa stepped on the stage. She looked out at the crowd but could not sense Squall among them. She couldn't actually see past the first set of tables because the room was darkened, but her reawakened sorceress powers let her sense and even touch the minds of everybody in the room. In fact it was growing disturbingly easy to stretch that even further. The young sorceress understood how Edea manipulated so many people 4 years ago in this very city, just blocks away at the presidential palace.

Rinoa searched more frantically, pushing her mind's senses outward as the applause continued. She looked at Natalie, sitting in yet another flamboyant, skin tight, and fairly revealing dress. The tall blonde returned the stare and Rinoa shook her head and swallowed softly. They had discussed this before coming on stage. Rinoa wanted Squall in here before she stared but incase he didn't come, they had also prepared other songs for tonight.

Rinoa felt a familiar mind descending the stares and she breathed a sigh of relief. He's here. She smiled and nodded to Natalie who smiled in return and opened her folder and pulled out a set of music. The crowd's cheering had, if anything, grown even louder despite the long wait and Rinoa truly wondered what exactly they were cheering. Natalie started her song and Rinoa tracked Squall mentally as she started singing.

Every night in my dreams

I see you, I feel you

That is how I know you go on

Far across the distance

And spaces between us

You have come to show you go on

Rinoa pushed her voice louder and more clearly, cresendoing higher as her voice rose.

Near, far, wherever you are

I believe that the heart does go on

Once more you open the door

And you're hear in my heart

And my heart will go on and on

Rinoa could sense Squall's attention focusing on her and smiled. She focused her attention on the shadow which she knew was squall and began singing again.

Love can touch us one time
And last for a lifetime
And never let go till we're gone

Memories of the times she spent with Squall flashed through her mind, and she could sense Squall thinking about them too. She could not see which ones he was seeing mostly, however one particularly strong picture flashed in her mind. The two dancing in Balamb on their first meeting. They never spoke a word after the dance started, but it affected both of them deeply.

Love was when I loved you
One true time I hold to
In my life we'll always go on

As Rinoa continued to sing, she felt herself uplifted. Suddenly, it felt like a huge weight was taken off her shoulders, and Squall felt the same way. Both of them had concentrated on the moment that Rinoa left for so long, and the regret and all the bad choices made leading right up to it. They didn't think much about the dance, about their adventure together or lying in the Quad on a sunny day, her in his arms and just enjoying the breeze and the other's company.

Near, far, wherever you are
I believe that the heart does go on
Once more you open the door
And you're here in my heart
And my heart will go on and on

Rinoa smiled as Natalie played a small solo segment

There is some love that will not go away

She had not sung that, but instead thought it to Squall, opening her mind enough that he could sense and hear the thought, then closed it off before she could betray the rest of the plans for the night.

You're here, there's nothing I fear,
And I know that my heart will go on

Rinoa smiled and let her voice soar into new heights, feeling a joy and contentment coming from both Sorceress and Knight as somehow, without actually speaking, the walls between them broke down. He had missed her too, very badly, and she would never make the same mistake. Hyne had been so kind as to give her a second chance, and on top of that, a blunt, foolproof way for both of the two stupid lovebirds to get everything right. Everything WAS right, down to the scar on the face of the man she loved with all her heart. It took her three years and the most painful separation of her life to realize it, but she loved him.

We'll stay forever this way
You are safe in my heart
And my heart will go on and on

She finished the song with a great passion, not one born from sadness this time, but from the new feeling of freedom. Applause immediately erupted and didn't abate for more than three minutes. Finally, Rinoa interrupted it, speaking into the microphone as she took it off the stand and held the object in her hand. "Ladies and gentlemen, as most of you are aware, my mother used to sing in this bar. The anniversary of her marriage to my father is coming up soon and..."

Applause erupted again and a man stood up bowing. Rinoa's face went pale. Even in the dim light, she could recognize the President of Galbadia. Her father. She swallowed hard and continued on, her voice a touch hoarse as her father sat back down. "... and I would like to sing a song by her. In fact, the first song she ever wrote. She dedicated it to someone very special in her life, and I would like to do the same. Ladies and gentlemen, Eyes on Me By Julia Heartily."

Applause erupted again as Natalie began playing. Rinoa took in a breath and began singing, softly at first.

Whenever sang my songs,
On the stage, on my own
Whenever said my words,
Wishing they would be heard

I saw you smiling at me,
Was it real or just my fantasy
You'd always be there in the corner
Of this tiny little bar

Rinoa smiled as the lights were raised a bit. She could barely make out Squall's face, and it didn't take her special connection with him to know he was very surprised. She had arranged this in advance, and Zell was working the lights. Squall wasn't the only one who could plan surprises.

My last night here for you
Same old songs just once more
My last night here with you
Maybe yes, maybe no

I kind of liked it your way
How you shyly placed your eyes on me
Did you ever know that had mine on you?

Rinoa began pacing the stage a bit, smiling as she gazed right at Squall. She had closed her mind even more. Squall was not getting so much as an emotion from her at the moment, just her words sung and a seductive gaze with her chocolate brown eyes. She could literally feel his gaze sweeping over her. She had his full attention now and he was definitely having a few nostalgic thoughts.

Darling so there you are
With that look on your face
As if you're never hurt
As if you're never down

As she sung, she rested her hand on the piano, and slowly wrapped her left hand around a small purple box sitting there unnoticed by the crowd.

Shall I be the one for you?
Who pinches you softly but sure
If frown is shown then
I will know that you are no dreamer

As Natalie played the solo portion she slowly stepped off the stage. She silently thanked the hotel for the cordless microphone as she very slowly strode over to Squall. She felt her heart thundering, knowing that her 'special someone' would be revealed to everybody, including her father. She did not care; he was worth everything to her.

Putting a sexy sway in her hips as she walked over, she smiled softly, half a pleasant smile and have a seducing smile, letting him know she had grown in the last three years and he was getting more of a tiger back. She closed the distance and walked right up to him, microphone in her left hand.

So let me come to you
Close as I want to be
Close enough for me...

Rinoa brought her right hand up and rest it on Squall's chest, right over his heart.

To feel your heart beating fast

Rinoa smiled up at him a bit wider and trailed her hand down off his chest then took the microphone with her right hand and slipped her left hand to his pocket, depositing the purple box that had been hiding there in the dim light back into his possession.

With that done her hand started wandering up his side and along the sleeve of his right arm, feeling the well toned muscles underneath.

And stay there as I whisper
How I loved your peaceful eyes on me

Did you ever know that I had mine on you?

Rinoa spun quickly, almost making it look like she had rejected Squall, and started walking back with the same slow steps, the same sway in her hips and returned to the stage as she sung

Darling so share with me
Your love if you have enough
The tears if you're holding back
The pain if that's what it is

How can I let you know
I'm more than the dress and the voice?
Just reach me out and
You will know that you are not dreaming

Rinoa walked back onto the stage and spun facing the crowd again as the lights dimmed. Zell did a great job. She glanced over at Natalie who smiled back at her. Zell would get his reward soon enough.

Darling so there you are
With that look on your face
As if you're never hurt
As if you're never down

Rinoa focused her eyes on the shadow that she knew was Squall and sang right to him. Murmurs had spread quietly through the crowd, and she knew some of the more influential members of her father's circle were already making their way to him jealousy on their minds. She did not care.

Shall I be the one for you?
Who pinches you softly but sure
If frown is shown then
I will know that you are no dreamer

Rinoa ended the song and applause erupted, not as loud as normal, as some of the members of the audience were clearly not happy, but the rest were ecstatic with their joy and showed it. Rinoa bowed and stepped off the stage, Natalie close behind.

Authors notes: Well here this chapter is, the story is being pushed to 24 chapters + epilogue cause this chapter got longer than I thought. So you guys get more wait ;).

Queen Adreena, thank you for pointing that out. The first thing I'm doing after this story is done is going back and using the skills I've gained in formatting and my beta readers and going to go through this story word by word and correct all those little grammar mistakes and spelling errors in it.

BTW everybody, if you want chapters faster... LEAVE REVIEWS! (lol)