Months passed and Raine's health only got worse. She stayed home almost every night, different neighbors being kind and running the bar for her, bringing her food and helping care for Ellone. It was nearing the end of her pregnancy and she ticked the days off of the calendar until her due date. It was only days now until she was supposed to deliver her son.

"Squall, I'll get to see you soon…I can't wait…" she smiled as she rested a hand on her quite round stomach, he was restless inside of her. "You seem like you're just going crazy to get out bud…" she laughed slightly, which turned into a cough that wouldn't stop until she drank some water.

"Raine…is he weally coming soon?" Ellone asked putting her head against Raine's stomach and almost immediately removing it. "He kicked me!" she said with a frown, but giggling.

"Oh are you gonna be mad at baby Squall when he comes then?" Raine asked with a false frown. "I hope not…"

"No! I won't be mad! I'm gonna love him and hold him, and kiss him, and help you change him, and take care of him like he's my baby brother!" she smiled brightly, but there was still that sadness behind her big eyes.

"Now Ellone, that's a lot of things to do, are you sure you want to help?" Raine asked raising a brow to the small girl.

"Of course I do! I promise!" she grinned again, that sadness still drifting in her eyes.

"Ok, then you promise to love him like your own baby brother forever then?" Raine asked with a small smile."

"Of course I do, Raine!" she hugged Raine's middle and kissed her stomach. "I'll love little Squall forever! I'll watch over him and take care of him!" she said. Somehow to Raine it sounded like Ellone did know she would be gone soon, and that Ellone really would have to be sure nothing happened to Squall and that she'd always be there for him and loves him.

"Ok Ellone as long as you promised than I believe you will." She hugged Ellone, tears in her eyes. She let them fall. "I want someone to always be there for him, so he'll never have to feel like he's alone in the world, and promise to tell him I loved him very, very much…" she said shakily, holding Ellone close.

"I…promise…" Ellone said in almost a whisper not fighting the fact that Raine was basically admitting to what Ellone had suspected, that her best friend was going to die soon. The two girls sat there and cried into the night until they couldn't cry anymore.

"I…I think that it's time for bed now, little girls need their rest!" Raine said putting on a smile.

"So do girls who are gonna be mommy's soon!" Ellone said putting on a smile of her own before heading to her room and falling almost immediately asleep as she went to bed.

Raine walked to her room and pulled out her journal…

"Somehow I know that this will be my last entry…after this I will give this journal to a neighbor who I know will keep it safe until the day that my soon to be born son, or his would be father, by any stroke of luck return here, should that neighbor die before either, than it will be that neither of them returned here, or returned too late. I just hope the orphanage will take good care of my child, and my lovely daughter-like friend Ellone. I know Edea will…she already has a few children there already. Maybe they'll be Ellone and Squall's playmates as they grow up together.

I hope he has a good life, and is strong and caring for others like his father was, he was…or is…a wonderful person and he may still be in Esthar…I haven't read the paper since then…I just want to forget the feeling of happiness at seeing his face being struck down by the headline.

I hope that whatever kind of man you turn into, my sweet little Squall, that you have people who care about you and love you as much as I do right now and will forever. I also hope you find someone to love as much as I love you're father and that she's beautiful and sees you for who you truly are, not because you've become something great, like I know you will.

When the time comes that you are strong like your father, take care of Ellone, and please protect her like she was your real sister, like I know she'll protect you until that time. I can't figure it out…but there is something truly special about her. Somehow I see someone wanting to take her in a time to come. So please, protect Ellone.

I love you, Squall, and I always will. You've been my ray of hope for the longest time. Just please know your mom loved you and she never will stop loving you.

I give you my last name, Leonheart, because you'll hopefully know exactly what happened to me. I haven't mentioned your father's last name at all in this journal, because I don't want you to get your hopes up and go searching for someone who may be alive but could very well be dead. At least you'll know for certain that I am gone, and that you'll have your last name to remember me by. And…if you do happen to find your father, you won't know it's him, but if he hears your last name…he'll know it's my son…and hopefully he'll ask who your mother was…and maybe if Ellone is around she'll answer the question that will gnaw at his mind…that he was your father…my last name is a rare one after all, if I'm not the last Leonheart as of now, you soon will be…

Be strong…I know you will, but I'll say it again…be strong, and I love you.

Your loving mother who wishes she could watch you grow, but will settle for watching you from the starry blue sky above.

Look to the stars and I'll be there…

Raine"

She closed her journal and set it on the dresser next to her bed with a note on it for the neighbor that would watch over it. Then her mind slipped away to a dream of the night Laguna and she confessed their love for each other. A smile coming to her lips as she slept away…