Disclaimer: I don't own Final Fantasy VIII....

Author's Note: I know, I know! You guys all hate Quistis and Squall together. Believe me when I say that it's no joyous task to write the two of them as a couple. I think most of you know what a die-hard Squinoa fan I am. All I can say is that things WILL be getting better. It's just going to take a bit of time. It'll be a long journey for everyone, but you'll just have to trust me. Also, please don't kill me for this chapter. *Gulps*

To Love You More

Chapter Eight

"Will you?

Will you love me tomorrow?

So will you?

Will you stay with me today?

Will you?

Will you be here tomorrow?

Will you remember yesterday?"

-"Will You" ~ P.O.D.

Two Years Later....

Every eye in the ballroom was trained on the double doors at the opposite end of the room. All of Garden had turned up for this special event; their commander's wedding. The feelings of the guests were mixed. Some, more specifically the Trepies, were against it. They didn't believe that Squall was good enough for their beloved instructor. Others, such as their friends, were happy to see Squall finally moving on. Still, there were others, such as Laguna (who had also shown up for the occasion), that felt sadness that another girl, one with raven black hair and chocolate brown eyes, was not to be Squall's future wife.

As for Squall? If there was one word to describe him, then it would be stoic. As he stood at the end of the aisle, waiting with the rest of them, his expression was impossible to read. Not that he had ever been one to show his emotions in the first place. It was funny, really. No one had ever expected him to walk down the aisle, especially not with his former instructor. Some things just change...or do they?

Squall took a deep breath. Get a hold of yourself, Leonhart. People get married every day; it's no big deal. All you have to do is say the words and get it over with. That's all there is to it.

He felt no excitement as the music started up and the flower girl started to make her way down the aisle. Squall had always hated being the center of attention, yet here he was. This feels like a fucking joke. I'm surrounded by all these people, ninety percent of them strangers, while I watch a little girl walk down the aisle whom I've never seen in my life! Why am I doing this? He thought back to what, exactly, had made him decide to ask Quistis to marry him in the first place.

"Do we have a future, Squall? I need to hear this from you. Please answer me honestly," Quistis said, sadness in her eyes. They had been seeing each other for a year and a half, and he still barely opened up to her. Sometimes, she felt like they had gotten nowhere.

Squall groaned. "Could you please stop asking me that? I told you, I'd rather not think about the future right now."

"Then when would you like to think about it?" she snapped. "You're still so caught up in the past, Squall. Even after all this time. I thought you had changed."

He had wanted to change, he really had, but the truth was, he couldn't. His life was one big lie. He needed something in his life to be real, and that person was Quistis. She was the only one who could get through to him now. He couldn't lose her. "I'm sorry. What do you want from me?" he whispered.

"I want you to be honest with me. That's all I ever wanted."

"You want honesty? You're not supposed to live in the past, but how can I not? Especially when the past was so much better than my life now."

Quistis gasped, shocked that he would say such a thing. "So that's how you really feel? No one can live up to Rinoa, can they?"

"What?" Squall narrowed his eyes. "So you're going to make this about Rinoa now?"

"Go to hell, Squall! I spent the past year and a half giving my heart to you, loving you. I live for the moments, those rare moments, when you show me your true colors, your true emotions. Maybe that was all an act. Just get out, Squall. I don't want to see your face."

"Quistis, don't do this..."

"I said OUT! Now!" Grabbing him by the collar, she shoved him out of her room, slamming the door behind him.

She had been pissed, and Squall had really begun to feel that he had lost her. He didn't want to be alone for the rest of his life. He couldn't be alone. So he had gone out and bought the engagement ring. Quistis had immediately forgiven him after the proposal. She was thrilled that he was actually making a commitment. In all honesty, she had never really thought that he would do it.

Squall looked up as Quistis entered through the double doors. She looked beautiful. Her golden blonde hair was loose and flowing down her back. She wore a pale white dress, sleeveless, with lacy layers and silk. Every eye was on her, admiring her beauty. She looked like a goddess. Squall just stared at her, mesmerized by how wonderful she looked. Is my attraction purely physical? He shook his head. No, I care about her. I...love her. Don't I?

A voice in the back of his head seemed to taunt him. "You loved Rinoa."

Yes, he agreed. I love Quistis, too.

"Or do you? If you are so sure that you love her, then why are you doubting yourself? You never had to doubt yourself with Rinoa."

This is different, Squall's voice of reason argued.

"Yes, it is very different. You loved Rinoa, but you do not love Quistis. You are merely attracted to her. You want to love her. The thought of being alone for the rest of your life is unbearable. You need to believe that you have someone to love...someone that loves you."

Quistis loves me. She always has.

"That is true. Do you think that it is acceptable to take advantage of her love for you?"

I'm not taking advantage of her.

"You're not being fair to her, yourself, or Rinoa. You promised Rinoa forever. Remember?"

Rinoa is gone.

"A part of you still hopes that she is alive...still believes that she is."

Squall narrowed his eyes. Get out of my head.

"Certainly. Your bride has arrived, anyway. You didn't notice that, did you? You are too preoccupied with your thoughts. If you really love Quistis, wouldn't your thoughts be of her alone?"

Well, that certainly gave Squall a lot to think about. Quistis was by his side now, grinning from ear to ear. He offered her a small smile in return as she took his hands. The priest began to speak.

"Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today..."

Squall found his mind wandering again. You promised Rinoa forever... The words of his subconscious echoed in his head. He found his mind, and his heart, wandering back to exactly when he had made that promise.

"Squall...do you ever think about the future?" He had been sitting on the roof of Balamb Garden with Rinoa, watching the stars.

"Of course, I do. I thought you said that you didn't want to think about it, though."

Rinoa sighed. "Yes, but that's not what I meant. What I meant to say was, do you ever think about our future?"

"Our future?" he repeated.

"Yeah. Do you, um, think we'll be together for awhile?"

Squall shook his head. "I don't know about 'awhile', but I do know about forever. You're the best thing that ever happened to me, Rinoa. I know you never give yourself any credit, but it's the truth. You saved me from myself. I'm never going to leave you."

"Do you promise?"

"Of course. Why do you sound so unsure? It used to be me, not you, who was afraid of this relationship."

"I'm not afraid," she said quietly. "Just...worried, I guess."

Squall frowned. "Nothing is guaranteed; no one can predict the future. Do you remember those words? You certainly engraved them in my mind."

Rinoa smiled. "You're right. I was wrong to worry." She started to laugh.

"What's so funny?"

"It's just...who ever thought you were such a romantic? Remember when we first met?" She kept laughing. "You were ice cold!"

Squall cracked a smile at that. "You have a point. See, you really have changed me."

Rinoa snuggled closer to him. "You're perfect the way you are, Squall. You just needed a little fine tuning."

He chuckled. "Fine tuning? So I'm a car now?"

"That's not what I meant!" she giggled.

"Of course it wasn't." He looked at her seriously, gently lifting her chin. "I love you, Rinoa. Don't ever change."

She returned his unwavering gaze. "I love you, too, Squall."

Squall was again jerked from his thoughts as Quistis squeezed his hands.

"I do," she said confidently.

Shit! he mentally cursed. He had basically missed the whole ceremony. I can't do this. I still love Rinoa... I can't marry Quistis. He looked deep into Quistis' eyes and saw the love burning there. Rinoa is gone, Squall. Quistis is all you have now.

The priest turned his attention towards Squall. "Do you, Squall, take Quistis..."

The words were all a blur to him. Rinoa, Quistis, Rinoa, Quistis. For a moment, it was as if everything in the room had disappeared. The only person in front of him was Rinoa. He was going to marry Rinoa. Yes, I do. I'll marry you, Rinoa. The world was spinning; Squall was losing his grip on reality. His mind was a blur of images: embracing Quistis, kissing Rinoa, feeling her in his arms as they made love. There was never any emotion on his part when he was with Quistis. She is just a replacement! his mind screamed. That's what she's always been!

Quistis looked at him questioningly. "Squall?"

Say "I do." Just say it. You need her. You don't want to be alone again, do you? Say it! Squall looked deep into her eyes. He couldn't let her down. "I do."

Quistis smiled and the priest beamed. "I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride."

******************************************************************************************

Marianna sat quietly by Rinoa's bedside, studying the girl who had been in a coma for three years. Her condition was still the same. The only changes in her brain pattern showed that she was dreaming.

"Poor girl," she whispered.

With a sudden jolt, Rinoa opened her eyes and gasped. "Squall!"

~*~

Author's Note: Sorry if this chapter was confusing, I know there were a lot of italics. The italicized part towards the middle that starts with "You loved Rinoa" is Squall arguing with a voice inside of his head. The parts in quotes are the voice, and the other parts are Squall's responses to him. Sorry if that confused anyone.