Three Memories

Disclaimer: I do not own Final Fantasy VIII, or any other Final Fantasy, in any way shape or form. I'm making no money off of this, I am doing it for just my own entertainment and hopefully for the entertainment of those who deign to read my story.

A/N: Not much to say….here's the second chapter, enjoy!

Chapter 2: The Mission

> > >

Oh Hyne, she's gorgeous. I was staring out Rinoa's bedroom window when she came out of the bathroom. But she does have this strange look on her face, and I wonder what she's thinking about. It doesn't last long, so I don't think about it much.

I was never too set on this commander job. Why would I want to have the safety of Balamb Garden on my hands? What if I made a fatal mistake? Everything would rest on my shoulders. I didn't want all the burden and trouble that came with it. It didn't make sense then, it only makes a little more sense now.

Back then…it was complicated, wasn't it? Cid needed someone, and I was somehow smack in the middle of the sorceress business. Of course I was. Matron was a sorceress… I was supposed to aid Rinoa and her rebellion and take whatever orders came my way. And of course, Rinoa actually became a sorceress.

I still don't know why I was chosen. I had just become a SeeD, and I was probably not the most qualified person around. If Seifer were still at Garden, he would have wet himself at the news. I smile a little at the thought.

I'm hanging onto this job now because of Rinoa.

She needs a place where she can be protected and a place she can stay.

So some of the students are less than friendly…they don't matter. Most of them will never be a SeeD anyway. There's also another reason.

It's stupid.

I can't believe I'm actually thinking this.

Get a grip, Commander.

But here it is…if I want to stay with Rinoa forever, like we promised on the balcony, then I have to earn a living, don't I? So I can support us. I could always just revert to being a SeeD, but this way, I'm always at Balamb with her.

I squeeze her hand, and she turns to look at me. Her familiar face looks up at mine and I feel this rush.

"Rinoa, do you remember the balcony?"

> > >

That happened two weeks ago. Balamb Garden was throwing a huge party, and we could hear the laughing and chattering from inside the ballroom. Selphie was running around with a video camera, and I didn't want this to be caught on tape. Anyway, Zell was making a spectacle of himself with the hot dogs and Selphie was engrossed by that. Another student nearly fell over Angelo, who was doing laps around the room excitedly. Irvine was ogling some girls far too young for him. What a cradle robber.

Truthfully, I had never been so nervous. Not even when I had my SeeD exam, not when I was floating to Rinoa in space, not even when I got halfway caught in time compression. I mean, time compression. I could have caused a paradox or something. But this….was much worse.

"Uh, Rinoa?" I said gruffly. "Let's go get some air on the balcony."

"Okay." She slipped her hand into mine and we walked outside.

My mouth was like cotton. I swallowed hard. "I…"

"Look!" Rinoa let me go and leaned over the railing excitedly, staring up into the sky.

I stood a little apart from her and wondered if I should move closer. I looked up and actually found myself amazed by the stars. Since Rinoa was kind of distracted by the sky, I decided to step closer. She turned to me and smiled, placing her hand on my arm.

Damn it, she noticed.

And damn it, I like her touch.

So we just stared at each other, and she looked at me expectantly.

I knew I had to say something to her now. Oh no. Oh no. Oh no. Hyne help me, I forgot what I was supposed to say! Damn it, I even practiced in front of the stupid mirror.

I think I'm in the middle of a panic attack. My chest is all fluttery and it's difficult to breath. It's starting to get really hot in this jacket, and I'm sure my face has turned red. Why does this stupid jacket have fur on it? It's not like we live in Trabia!

"Uh….umm….ah…"

Smooth, Squall, smooth. Now you're just stammering like a fool.

"Err…."

Okay, just be silent.

Rinoa's attention is briefly caught by something else as she gave a small gasp and looked up. She took a step back from me and pointed up with a finger, smiling. "Look."

I looked. It was a shooting star, just like the one in the ballroom. And then it hits me, why I took her outside, what I came here to do and say to her. So I step back to her and take her hands.

"Rinoa." I sound too determined. Like I'm on a mission or something. I wince and clear my throat.

"Rinoa…" Much better. Oh Hyne. Oh Hyne. I'm going to do this. I actually am going to do this. "I want to stay with you forever…because I care for you so much."

I don't think she digested this at first. She kept looking at me blankly, until a small smile appeared at her lips, growing larger and larger until her whole face was glowing.

"Oh, Squall." She said softly.

Okay, I know I'm supposed to kiss her now. That what they do in movies, right? But it sounds so nice, hearing my name said like that for the first time in my life, especially from her voice. I break out into a huge smile too. It feels weird. I probably look weird. I didn't practice this in front of the mirror.

So now I wrap my arms around her, and her arms are coming up around my neck, and I place my lips on hers. They were so soft, and the pressure was so inviting. It was much easier than I thought. I think I should do this more often.

When we broke apart, she hugged me and placed her head on my shoulder. "Squall, you'll be my knight, right?"

"Yes. Of course."

"Forever?"

"Forever. No matter what."

> > >

From the look in her eyes, Rinoa remembered the balcony. Of course she did. Neither of us would ever forget. That made me feel nice. We arrived in the cafeteria, and I joined the line for breakfast with Rinoa. I nodded towards Selphie, who was waving to us from our regular table. Irvine and Zell were also there, but were both too distracted by the pancakes.

Rinoa picked up a carton of milk and set it on her tray next to her plate. "So, what's up with you today?"

I'm still not accustomed to talking so much. I fumbled. "Uh, paperwork. And stuff. I think." I mentally smack myself and follow her to the table. I took a seat next to her. Truth was, I had no idea what I had to do today. I left the office early because the computers were down and, irritatingly enough, I couldn't do anything about it.

"Hey Squall," Zell said, pushing another forkful of pancake into his mouth. "I heard we may have SeeD stuff to do."

Irvine leaned forward and took a sip from his mug. "Yeah, we met Cid on the way here, and he said something about a mission. He said we should ask you."

Rinoa looked at me with a puzzled look on her face. Of course she did. I told her two minutes ago I just had paperwork to do. But honestly, a mission? I can't remember anything about a mission.

I frowned. The papers in the folder Quistis left for me yesterday might have detailed it. I can't remember, because I left work early in frustration. Damn. This won't look very professional of me...wait, there is a way out.

"I will disclose that information as I see fit." I said coolly.

"Oooh, Squall is too high and mighty to tell us things now," Selphie teased.

"Good morning," said a voice from behind Rinoa. I turned my head. It was Quistis. "Squall, have you briefed them yet? Cid just told me we can leave once you have done so."

I stared stonily at Quistis. She wrecked it. She didn't seem to notice, though. "No, I haven't," I said dourly. "Why don't you?"

The corners of her lips twitched, as if she wanted to smile. "Alright, I will."

Rinoa looked up from her breakfast. "Squall, am I to come as well?" she asked.

I know why she asked. She wasn't an official SeeD, but she had fought alongside us and was equal to any of us. I also know that she didn't want to stay in Garden alone, because of all the students who thought wrong about her. "Of course," I said, and my hand instinctively went to hers. I ignored Selphie's wistful sigh as she saw the touch.

"If that's settled, I will begin." Quistis said. I glanced quickly towards her. I couldn't tell if she was displeased by Rinoa coming. She's so uptight on SeeD regulations sometimes. Or maybe it was me touching Rinoa. Maybe she still has feelings for me and is unhappy. I never solved that with her. But it wasn't my problem in the first place.

"This will be a very short and easy mission. As you know, the port at Balamb city has had some trouble with robbers and such, making it difficult for the merchants to conduct business. Later on today, there will be a shipment of some particularly valuable merchandise. All we have to do is protect the merchants and their product until they are done loading. Any questions?" Quistis looked around the table. "Normally, I would not conduct the briefing in the cafeteria, but this isn't really a top secret thing."

"Is that all?" Zell asked incredulously. "Look after a shipment of T-shirts?"

"Sounds like it!" Selphie said excitedly. "At least we get to be by the sea, right?"

Rinoa brightened at Selphie's logic. "Hey, maybe we can spend some time in town after we're done."

I nodded. "Sounds good." I saw Quistis staring at and I sighed impatiently. "Yes?" I said to her, a little too curtly, because she winced slightly.

"May I speak to you in private for a moment?" she asked, and her eyes never left my face.

"Alright," I replied. I turned to Rinoa first. "I'll be back in a moment, Quistis and I have some business to discuss." I stood up and followed Quistis out of the cafeteria and into the hallway. I ignored the giggling Trepies, who were also Rinoa's biggest critics. I'll bet anything they only have something against Rinoa because I'm not with Quistis, not because Rinoa was a sorceress.

Quistis turned around abruptly and faced me. "Rinoa isn't a SeeD."

I knew it. I knew it was coming, and only Quistis, who loved to follow the rules, would have actually brought it up. Even Cid wouldn't have minded. You'd think Quistis was a Garden Faculty, the way she brought up the rules. I shrugged. "So?"

"She shouldn't be on this mission."

"Why not?" I folded my arms across my chest.

"Squall, SeeD only insures members of SeeD. If anything were to happen to one of us, if we ever needed a lawyer or medical treatment, we'd be okay. Rinoa isn't. And you better hope she'll never have a run in with the law, because no matter what happens, she's still the sorceress and the bad guy in everybody else's eyes. Why would you take the risk?"

"First of all, I don't see Dr. Kadowaski sending us bills every time we visit her. And secondly, you didn't seem to mind when Rinoa was fighting with us before." I said, a little too petulantly. I felt like I was a child be scolded, and I didn't like it.

Quistis seemed a little impatient with me. Good. "Dr. Kadowaski is employed by Garden, and her fees are part of tuition. And Rinoa fighting with us before? That was different! We had no choice! She hasn't had the training we've had, she could fall to pieces in the middle of battle!"

"But she hasn't. If she were to lose it in battle, don't you think she would have done it already?" I pointed out, making myself sound politely reasonable. "You'd think fighting Ultemecia would have done her in."

She sighed. "I'm just saying Squall, SeeD can't take any responsibility for her if anything happens. It doesn't matter how much she's helped us, or that she's our friend, she's still not a SeeD."

I finally lost my temper. "Then I'll take responsibility for her!" I half-shouted. I stalked off, and then stopped. "We'll meet at the parking garage in half an hour." I said without looking back to her.

I could feel Quistis' eyes on my back as I left her standing there.

> > >

To be continued…

So there's the second chapter, up as soon as I said it would be! Thank you to everyone who did review, you were all very encouraging, and I would appreciate even more reviews, because it's nice to think people are reading what you have written.

The next chapter is in it's editing phase, expect it up in a day or two!