I apologize! I'm sorry! Things have been extremely weird for me lately, but I've gotten this chapter done. I'm terribly sorry for the long wait you all. And I had promised to have this updated about 3 days ago…

Well, this chapter is a bit weird, and I named it Confusion for a reason. So if you get confused, don't worry, it'll come together soon. The end is nigh, okay? I don't want this story to be a drag on, so I'm letting you know now, the end is nigh! Ha-ha! Oh yeah...longness...beware...

Between Heaven and Hell

Chapter 10: Confusion
"Rinoa…did you hear a stream of water somewhere back there?" I asked her, a smile forming upon my lips as the idea flowed easily into my mind.

"…Yeah, why?" She looked at me, curiosity seeping from her eyes.

"…Let's take a mud bath." I said with a smile, and Rinoa's eyes lit up as bright as the moon.

"…You're right! You're absolutely right!" She exclaimed and embraced me quickly, "Where there's water, there's mud! Since mud can aid us, we should definitely use it to our advantage."

"…Well, it won't be much help, but maybe we can create some sort of distraction?" I said as she released me from her grasp. She turned around and scratched her cheek, probably going into her usual thinking mode.

The only thing that would be helpful at this point is if we use one of those cigarette bombs as a decoy. Fujin said that smoke draws the T-Rexaurs' attention---wait a minute. How would she know that? Everyone knows it's impossible to make fire without the use of a lighter on this continent, and that's because of the dampness. Was she just making a statement, or was that statement true? Does she know something we don't?

My eyes fell to the ground, and I felt my feet sinking into the dirty soil beneath me. …Sinking…I'm just sinking. Every time light is shone, it's turned off by some dark and menacing shadow, thus pushing me further away fromhope. …How much I despise the dark right now--

"Squall did you hear me? It's this way." Rinoa said, cutting into my thoughts. I hadn't heard when she first began to talk to me. "Are you okay?" She asked me while walking closer and staring into my eyes.

"Yeah, I'm fine." I avoided eye contact and replied just to be sure she wouldn't try to reach up her hand and check my temperature next…

"Alright then, let's head back to the stream." Rinoa said as she turned back and led me to our next destination.

Not long afterwards, we reached the stream. Rinoa knelt down and plunged her hand into the muddy edges of dirt on the sides of the running stream. She slowly spread the mud across her arms and legs; all the while I had unintentionally stared at her. She felt my eyes on her and smirked, then threw some mud on my shirt, "Hurry up, will you?" I nervously laughed and knelt down to get my own handful of mud.
"It's a good thing we ran into Zell last night because if I saw him now, I'd kill him." Rinoa said as she rubbed her forearm with one hand and her thigh with the other while walking. The dried mud had been agitating her since she smeared it across her skin. I, on the other hand, only applied the mud to my arms because my pants are covering my legs, so it was unnecessary to put mud there. We both knew that the mud would help to deflect our body's perspiration just a little, but any boost of anti-perspiration we have will do us both just fine. She continued with her struggle to relieve the itch caused by the mud on her arm, and I smiled.

Fighting off the urge to laugh at her, I focused my attention elsewhere. After hearing her sigh and give up the scratching, I noticed Rinoa had taken out the lighter and held two cigarette bombs in her hand as we neared the cave grounds; my heart began to race within my chest when I realized this was it. We escape or… we die trying; when it comes down to our fate, it's not totally up to us to decide. She handed me a cigarette and sighed, "…Don't waste it."

"…I won't." I said, carefully taking the bomb into my hands. It was my job to hold onto it just incase Rinoa was somehow unable to send a bomb out. Or I could hand it to her whenever she ran out of the others; we would at least have an extra bomb. This cigarette's sole purpose is for keepsake, and I'll hold to it for as long as I possibly can.

We had stood and stared at the T-Rexaurs, continuing their meaningless social activities, and awaited the perfect opportunity to strike. "Squall…" Rinoa whispered to me. "…if anything happens to me…" She paused, "…Just keep going."

"Rin—"

"I'm serious. Don't even think about coming back for me, do you understand?" Even without her eyes on me, I can feel that she's hurting, hurting for freedom, for survival…for life. Rinoa wants this so bad…and I'll do everything in my power to see to it that she gets what she wants.

There was no way I could contemplate my life over hers for a second, there's no way I can run like a coward and forget about her. Even Seifer admitted that Rinoa is innocent. If any of us deserves out, it's her.

Now she's ordering me to leave her behind? I simply shrugged my shoulders. Unable to counter her words…I sighed and held my peace, but muttered, "…Understood."

In the event danger emerges, each person must scatter from one another for survival: it was the golden rule for us convicts, a rule that I quickly understood and respected. I looked at Rinoa, whose eyes reflected the devil, himself, and I swallowed my breath hard. "…Let's go." I said as we began trotting toward the hungry menaces that lingered before us.

Somewhere in the midst of our running, I don't know what happened. It was like I…I lost myself.

…I opened my eyes and discovered I was surrounded by darkness…

"Rinoa…?" Maybe she's here with me? I know she's got to be here. Becoming nervous, I called out to her with all the energy I could spare, "Rinoa!"

Just as I yelled, I suddenly felt my entire body cringe in heat and fierce agony, and I yelled out in pain. I can't bear it all anymore… it's agonizing! What the hell is happening to me! "Aaaaaah!"

Screaming only worsened the pain, as it seemed to have swelled within my ribs. With all my might I tried to fight off the pain, and squeezed my hands together to create a pressure point that would be sure to ease the pain just a little. And I squeezed…but I felt something in my hand.

I managed to pull my hand to my face and saw the dagger Rinoa had given to me earlier…but this time…it was stained with blood. But…I don't…know why…? I haven't even used it yet.

When I looked at my clothes, they were stained in blood as well. How?

"Rin…Rinoa?" Finally, my eyes had adjusted to the darkness; I saw that I was inside the cavern. I don't remember getting here. Slowly, I stood to my feet and rubbed the back of my head; is it because Seifer used something to knock me out before…is that why my head's killing me? No…my head's been hurting since I rode that vessel here. Dismissing the futile thoughts from my mind, I took a little time to explore my surroundings.

And I looked around at the rocky hollow walls of the cavern; its darkness making my eyes twitch every so often. I searched its depths until I saw the light, but the speck that was in my view seemed to be unrealistic. Every time my pupils zoomed into its illumination, it would disappear. It constantly played this mind game with me, but I shook my head and continued onward. When I took another step, it felt as if every wall around had collapsed and engulfed me into its gloomy depths.

I was breathing heavily and wiping my eyes, but my vision became increasingly blurry. Upon taking one more step, I collapsed of exhaustion and fell to the ground; the crushing of every single grain of dirt sticking to my face and sounds of splashing water droplets stinging the rocks falling from the top, reverberated through the cavern: it seemed as though time had frozen when I landed on the ground. The little energy I had expended with my fall.

I challenged myself once again with the same question: "What is happening to me?"

"Aaaaaaagh!" A man's scream suddenly, another man's scream, shrieked from nowhere. No way is it familiar to me. Its not even Odine's voice… Who could it be? Who's here?

And then there was darkness…once again.

As the sounds of heavy footsteps neared, I gripped the dagger in my hand tightly, and muttered. "…What the-"

"Squall!" Rinoa? She's here, but…I can't see her face clearly. I see something approaching, but it looks like a monster. …It's not Rinoa. Some tall caliginous figure emerges into my view and slams into my face hard, yet it feels like fire burning my skin, and hands…I feel hands everywhere…grabbing me.

It's searing hot…everywhere…! Have I died?

…Is this hell?

"Squall!"

Rinoa I can hear you, but I can't answer you…nor can I wake up… Am I dead?

"Get up!"

I've…lost my mind.

The loud sound of a car's screeching tires pierced my ears and woke me from my slumber. I gasped for air and opened my eyes. Car? Tires?

"Squall?" Rinoa whispered my name as she saw my eyes opening. I was lying down on my back in the cavern, and Rinoa was sitting on top of me. Her eyes were big and puffy, as if she had been crying. They were red and miserable looking, yet I found myself gazing into those eyes, wondering what could have been the matter, wondering what had just happened, wondering…why the hell is she sitting on top of me?

She grabbed my shirt by the collar with both hands and glared at me, "…Are you crazy?"

"…Huh?" Crazy? I don't know…if only I knew what happened…

"You're an idiot…you're a complete idiot…" She said, as tears escaped her eyes. What did I do, but more importantly, why is she crying?

"I don't understand…" I spoke, my voice sounding as if I had been asleep for some centuries.

"Don't you remember?" She hadn't shouted, but her whisper was loud enough to pass as a yell…

I shook my head, no. All I know is that I blanked out again. I'm starting to do that more often now; definitely not a good sign.

She stared into my eyes; I could feel her hands squeezing my shirt tightly within her grip. "No! What do you mean, no! What-were you possessed out there!"

"…Possessed?"

"…You really have no idea…do you?" She asked, and again…I shook my head, no.

-Through the Eyes of Rinoa-

"Don't even think about coming back for me, do you understand?"

He took a moment, but then he whispered softly, "…Understood." His eyes had never left the sight of T-Rexaurs.

…Those things! Those stupid filthy things! They're just parading around with no worries; meanwhile, we live in fear of them and are hunted by them. How I just want to blow them all away!

I feel my hand balling into a fist again, this usually happens when I'm angry: Very angry…and it's a bad habit I've developed since I started working for my dad. Might I add that it's very hereditary too; I often saw him doing the same thing whenever someone was starting to get on his nerves.

I glared at those beasts.

Dad… You've given me the keys, now all I have to do is get to the door. I won't let you down, I promise.

"Let's go." Squall muttered and we began to jog toward those wretches. I'm glad Squall is here… If it weren't for him, I wouldn't even be on my way to this cavern. Seifer would've continued to hide the map from us, and we would have been lost in the forest forever.

Even though we ran toward the T-Rexaurs, we made sure to keep ourselves hidden along the trees of the forest. I took the lighter into my hand as I ran and undid the child proof lock, and then pushed down the gas switch, trying to create fire in my hands; however, while running, this task is impossible, so I stopped behind a tree to light the switch and watched as Squall continued to run. …Good, he's following my wishes.

"…C'mon." I spoke to the lighter in my hand, which was jammed at the moment and giving me a hard to time making fire. Because one thing has gone right, the other has to be complicated: Its rebelliousness is intolerable. "C'mon stupid!" I yelled at the piece of junk, hoping to scare it back to life, back to usefulness.

"Rinoa!" Squall shouted, and when I looked up, I saw two T-Rexaurs charging directly at me. Squall was running behind them shouting, "Run!"

I was scared, and my finger lit the switch once more…this time, I felt the tip of my thumb burning against the heat of a short flame. "Yes!" Quickly, I took the cigarette and set fire to its tip, it instantly burned down. I dropped the cigarette and ran away to escape the explosion of the bomb. "Squall, change course!" I yelled back to Squall, who had still been running behind the T-Rexaurs.

Moments later, I heard the explosion behind me along with the roars of the two T-Rexaurs. I didn't look back; I didn't want to see what had happened. I never look back while in a chase. But…Squall…he's somewhere back there.

I stopped myself and turned around slowly. All the dust and smoke still clouded the area, so it was hard for me to get a good look out for Squall. I wonder if he ran elsewhere when I called out to him. I hope he did.

Looking over at the cavern, I saw the T-Rexaurs fleeting the area quickly. Finally…Finally, I had scared them away. I put fear into their eyes…

I resisted the urge to cheer and continued to watch them flee. "I hope I didn't sweat off the mud barrier. I may have to sneak pass a few beasts that will probably linger here… After all, T-Rexaurs never completely flee the scene."

"Aaaaaagh! Damn you! Die!"

"Huh!" I looked back to where my bomb went off…the mist still heavy in the air, clouding my vision, cloudy my breathing. Smoke is everywhere…everything seems to rush to my face, there's total panic present in my heart when I think about Squall being in more danger, "Squall!"

I ran back through all the smoke in search of his voice again. I heard the agonizing cry of a T-Rexaur, and its loud shriek followed by, "…I hate you!" Squall's voice again…but it sounds like he's crying. "I hate you!"

When the smoke cleared, I saw Squall shoving the dagger into the T-Rexaurs eyes. The beast was too injured to move, its legs had been blown off from the explosion of the fire cigarette bomb. …It was…it was the most gruesome thing I had ever seen in my life. And I looked at Squall, who was lost in his victory, plunging the dagger in and out of the beast's eyes and anywhere that was soft enough to wound.

For a split second…I…I pitied that thing. "Squall! That's enough!"

Squall was crying while shoving the dagger further into the thick scales of the T-Rexaur's skin. He wouldn't give up. "Squall!" He continued.

"Enough!" I yelled and pushed him from towering the T-Rexaur, which sat agonizing in its last hours of life. Squall fell onto the ground; surprisingly, the dagger was still in his hands. He was crying still, and mumbling something, but I'm not too sure what he said.

I focused back onto the T-Rexaur and watched it suffering, almost like an injured kid that had just falling from his bike upon learning to ride for the first time.

"…I'm sorry." I said and pulled out another cigarette bomb. Of course I pity it, and there's no way I can let this animal suffer any longer. When I look into its eyes, this reptile is begging me to end its life.

Just as I pushed down the switch, Squall yelled aloud, "Shut up!"

"Squall? Who are you talking to!"

Squall quickly got to his feet and ran toward the cavern. "Squall!" He ignored me and continued to run. I looked back at the T-Rexaur on the ground and sighed while lighting the cigarette and dropping it beside the beasts face. Seconds after I walked away from it, the bomb went off. I hate those things, but I don't know why…I feel like I want to cry for it.

I walked through the forest, and was heading back to the sight of the cavern, when I saw Squall kneeling in the middle of the plain. He had his hands over his ears and was hunched over on the ground.

"…Squall…oh no…" There was a T-Rexaur emerging from the forest to Squall's left. "Squall!" I yelled as I ran toward him. The T-Rexaur jogged toward Squall, without ever noticing me running. Squall stood to his feet and looked at the T-Rexaur. He just stood in one spot. Just like before, he remained in one spot!

"Not again!" I screamed as I pushed myself to run faster; thus pushing Squall out of the T-Rexaur's fierce jaws. The beast's bite snapped across at me as I had pushed Squall from its deadly attack, we both landed on the ground. Squall fell onto his stomach and I fell against him, no doubt in my mind, I would be the first to be devoured, an appetizer. The beast faced us and walked slowly, saliva dripping from its fangs in an acidy flow.

I took a deep breath and closed my eyes. If I were going to die, I'd rather it be quick and sudden, I don't want to feel each tooth puncture my skin.

Suddenly, I heard the flick of a switch, and smelled burning paper; not to mention the paper was burning right beside my face.

In that moment I realized my position was different. I had fallen with my back against Squall's back, didn't I? Well…why is it that I'm in between his legs? How? How did that happen?

I felt the thrust of his arm beside me, and heard the sound of burning ashes soaring through the air. Seconds after the swooshing of fiery contents, an explosion occurred and my body was plunged to the ground with his body atop me, protecting me from flying debris, which was mostly like T-Rex parts.

My eyes remained closed as the explosion subsided, and I felt his heavy breathing against my neck, it was Squall. The beating of his heart was so swift, and it pounded heavily against my body. I felt each breath he took as his chest moved up and down against me. More than a few seconds had passed, and we remained that way, until I realized we were still in harm's way.

"Squall." I said, trying to rise up from the ground. He didn't budge, "Squall?" Still, no response, and I leaned back on my elbows with him lying on me. "Get up, now!"

He groaned and snuggled against my neck while whispering, "…It wasn't me." I heard him sniffle a bit, "It wasn't me." He said to me…

"…What are you talking about?" I asked him, only this time, he didn't answer me.

After managing to crawl from beneath his body, I pulled him inside the cavern as quickly as I could. I was only able to pull him half way inside.

He mumbled again, and slowly got to his feet. "You're awake?"

He rubbed his face with his hands and stumbled slightly as he stood. I tried to help him to his feet, but he pushed me back. "What's wrong with you!"

"Aaagh!" He screamed and moved his hands from his face. He walked toward me swiftly and threw punches at me, but I avoided the punches and clipped him to the ground. He fell and hit his head hard against the rocks.

I looked at his eyes, and saw that they were half open, half closed. His pupils dilated and were darting from one corner of his eyes to the other.

I watched him on the ground…he was breathing heavily, but never waking. He sounded as if he were whimpering on the ground, just as the T-Rex had done. I realized he was no longer dangerous and tempted faith to touch his face. I moved my hand and tapped the side of his face, "…Squall."

And he gave me no answer, so I knew I had to wake him up now. They say if a person's mind is lost and he zones out, there's a chance he won't return. It's almost like a psychotherapy message…or something. Whatever it may be, I'm going to act by it. I have to wake him up.

"Squall!" I yelled as I climb atop him and grabbed his collar. "Squall!" I shook him harder, "Get up!" I screamed, tears falling from my eyes.

I didn't want to lose him, even if he isn't completely together; he's the only person I can trust now. It was he who showed me the way so there's no way I can lose him now!

-What her Eyestold Squall-

"You almost got us killed... Well, I dragged you inside after you blew that thing to bits, and we've been in here ever since." She said, still sitting on me as if holding me down. Had I attacked her?

I can sense her worries throughout her being. I scared the life out of her back there, yet I can't recall any of it…

"Anyway…" She said while sighing, "We can't get out from here… There's…" She sounded as if she were sobbing

"Rinoa?" I was sitting up now, and she sat back onto the ground.

"There's no exit!" She cried out, "There's no way out of here, Squall! We're dead!" She slapped her forehead and cried against her hand.

I looked around myself and studied the cavern's walls…sure enough, the cavern was deep, but there was no light from the back. "…Maybe if we walked—"

"Don't you think I tried that? I've searched everywhere…but…nothing." She looked at the ground sadly, "They were right…it's hopeless."

"Rinoa…" What can I say? What can I possibly say to her that will make her lighten up a little? …Nothing…nothing I say will make her feel any better than how she feels now. I stood in one place and watched her cry as she stared at the ground. I don't know what to do anymore…I feel the weight of the world on my shoulders. Who knows what she could be feeling now? All that work for nothing, and so I muttered, "…I'm sorry." I'm sorry because this is all my fault too. I had filled her head with stupid ideas and fantasies of freedom. I had sneaked around and turned her against the only person that's here to protect her. It's all my fault. Seifer was right.

She looked up to me from the ground, and whispered, "Squall…" She said, as she leaned closely to me. Too close… I stared into her eyes, not wanting to break the heavy contact we had with one another, for in that moment we were in shared need of warmth and comfort. Too long have I been trapped on this continent and hadn't had contact or physical love and warmth of a woman.Selphie was my one and only, but...Selphie's not here now, is she? She's probably with him.

Rinoa pressed her lips against mine and …I returned her kiss. I placed my hand on her face and caressed her cheek as we kissed, but before I could deepen it, she pulled away and stood to her feet.

"I…I…I'm sorry." She said and walked into the darkness of the cavern.

"Rinoa…" I murmured to her as she walked away from me. I remained on the ground. Only seconds later, I heard something splatter within the darkness, and I also heard Rinoa gasp slightly.

"Squall!" She called out, and I rose to my feet to run behind her. I saw Rinoa pointing at the ground, and when I walked near her, I felt myself crush something big…and crunchy.

I raised my leg and studied the splattered substance on the ground. It was white and pearly with pieces of shell and wet red lumps of only god knows what; I nearly puked at the sight of it, "What is that!" We both said together.

"Look!" Rinoa shouted while pointing to more of the same thing on the ground. And at that moment, we both stared around in a daze. We were standing in the midst of T-Rexaurs' eggs…not good.

Author's Hideaway:

Well, this chapter is a little chaotic, but right now my brain is twisting like crazy…nevertheless, I will continue to write. Update will follow soon, but I can't make any promises anymore. (hey, don't worry! This fic will be finished! I'm determined!) hehehe

I know…I may receive some flames for this chapter…but haven't I warned you all that this story is weird…? -sighs-

So let me have it. Review me:P

Thanks to:

Lady Rinoa-You know, I enjoy writing from Squall's view. It's fun! …But Rinoa basically owns this chapter, so I guess that kinda ruined it, eh? lol oh yeah…I don't think I can drop this habit, haha.

IttanMomen- While the T-Rexaurs are scary, Squall is scarier! lol, Go ahead and jump in the mud if you like, but keep an eye out for T-Rexaurs, they're in love with you cookies! lol

And thanks everyone else that reads, who I know are reading! Haha.