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

Author's Note: Well, here is the second to last chapter of this fic. I actually finished writing TLYM about a week ago, but I chose to hold off posting this for a bit. As usual, thank you for your continued support. I hope you enjoy this chapter.

To Love You More

Chapter Thirty-Nine

"Yeah I got caught in the ruse of the world

It's just a promise no one ever keeps

And now it's changing while you sleep

And no one can see

You know all I am

Feel this moment in you

You know all I am

Can you teach me to believe in something?"

-"Truth Is a Whisper" Goo Goo Dolls

QUISTIS sighed as she looked around the apartment. All of her belongings had been packed up, and now lay in several suitcases at her feet. She had packed everything in a hurry, knowing that if she waited, she would probably change her mind about going. It was such a spontaneous decision, and Quistis was not one to jump into something without giving it a second thought. In this matter, though, her brain didn't have to think anything over; her heart had done all of the talking for her.

There was only one object that was yet to be packed; the music box. Quistis held it in her hands gently, once again marveling over its simple beauty. She still couldn't believe that Seifer was the one to have given it to her. At the thought of the blonde, she involuntarily shivered. Ever since she had met up with him in FH, he had constantly been surprising her. Quistis hadn't realized it then, but she had slowly begun to fall in love with him. Of course, she never would have admitted that to herself, especially when she was still so caught up in her marriage to Squall. Now, however, she was finally able to close the door on that chapter of her life. As she had told Rinoa, she was ready for a new beginning. Seifer had been throwing all of those surprises at her, but now it was her turn. She would go to FH and see him. She wasn't exactly sure about what to say once she got there, but she did know that she had to see him.

Quistis took one last glance at the music box before tucking it safely into her bag. Then, with one more check of the room, she picked up her bags and left. As the door to the apartment closed shut behind her, Quistis felt an immense sense of relief. She had wasted so much time clinging to the past, but now she would spend her time looking toward the future. Hopefully, once she arrived in FH, she would see that that future was still available to her. She had no idea what she would do if her plans fell through, so she decided to simply not think about that.

As she walked down the halls, she tried her best to memorize the features of Garden. Who knows when she would be back, if ever. She did not care to say goodbye to anyone, or even make her departure known. It was simply easier to walk away without anyone knowing. Besides, she had made her peace with Rinoa and she had a feeling that the young sorceress knew exactly what she was up to. Oddly enough, she also felt like Rinoa understood and had given her blessing. That was all she could ask for. Forgiveness was a powerful thing, and Quistis knew that she had forgiven Rinoa. She finally understood what Rinoa had been going through. Everyone had made mistakes. Now, it was time to heal.

Quistis had almost made it to the front door when a cadet suddenly ran up to her. The boy looked to be about sixteen with dark brown hair and gray eyes. He looked strangely familiar, and it took Quistis several minutes to realize that he was one of the Trepies. Quistis inwardly groaned. This was the last thing that she needed right now.

"Instructor Trepe, are you going somewhere?" the boy asked.

Quistis nodded. "Yes, I am going away for awhile."

"Don't leave us, Instructor! Garden won't be the same without you!"

Quistis resisted the urge to roll her eyes. "I'm sorry, but it's something I must do."

The boy suddenly became angry. "This is because of that slut, Rinoa, isn't it? You're leaving Garden because Rinoa is pregnant with Squall's baby!"

Quistis gaped at the boy. "Where did you hear that?"

"Word gets around," he replied simply.

"Well, don't believe everything that you hear. I would recommend that you go back to class now. If you'll excuse me, I have a train to catch."

Quistis turned around, head held high, and made her way out of Balamb Garden. People like that boy were things about Garden that she would definitely not miss. Still, how had he found out about Rinoa? Garden was sure to be buzzing with rumors by the end of the day. Thankfully, she thought, I won't be there to hear them.

"YOU'RE joking, right?" Squall finally managed to say after staring dumbly at Caraway. Surely that was the only explanation.

"No, Leonhart, I am not joking. The man that I just spoke to told me that Rinoa is pregnant with your child. Are you telling me that this is the first that you've heard of this?"

Squall nodded mutely. Who would have called the General to say such a thing? Someone was most likely just trying to stir up trouble. "With all due respect, Sir, there has to be some mistake."

Caraway glared at Squall. "So what you are telling me is that there is no possible way that what this man said is correct?"

Squall sighed. "It's possible, but-"

He never had a chance to finish as the next thing he knew, Caraway's fist had connected with his jaw and sent him reeling. "You son of a bitch!" he roared. "You defiled my little girl! I told her that you were only after one thing, but did she listen to me? Now look where it's gotten her." Caraway prepared to strike Squall again. "You fucking son of a bitch!"

"Hey, what's going on in here?" An official hurried into the room, quickly separating the two men. "If you're going to fight, take it outside. This isn't the place for that."

"I was just leaving," Squall snarled as he shot an angry glance at the General.

"Don't you walk away from me, boy! Where the hell do you think you're going?" Caraway demanded.

"I'm going to see Rinoa, and I don't really give a damn if you don't like it. She's the only one who can set these rumors straight."

"I'm coming with you. I believe that there's a train leaving for Balamb in fifteen minutes. If you move your ass, we can make it."

Squall shook his head in disbelief. "You're not coming back to Garden with me."

"I don't believe that is your decision to make. I have a right to see my daughter, too, Leonhart, and I have a right to know what's going on in her life."

"Do you really think that she's going to welcome you with open arms?"

"Well, Leonhart, perhaps you don't know my daughter as well as you think. Now move it, or we're going to miss that train."

Fifteen minutes later, Squall and Caraway sat side by side in a train heading for Balamb. Both men were silent, lost in their own thoughts. Squall was surprised to find that he was nervous. The fact that Rinoa could be pregnant with his child terrified him, but at the same time, it thrilled him. He remembered their conversation about having children from so long ago, and how Rinoa's eyes had lit up at the mere thought. Seeing how excited she was at the idea of starting a family made Squall excited as well. However, times had changed since then. Gossip about the baby would surround Squall and Rinoa, and while Squall knew that he could ignore it, he also knew that Rinoa could not.

Squall sighed. He was already jumping to conclusions when he didn't even know if Rinoa was pregnant. Besides, if she was, she would have told him, right? Their conversation from before he left suddenly popped into his head. "Squall," she had said, "There's something that I have to tell you." The damn phone had interrupted them then, so he never had a chance to find out what that something was. Could Rinoa have been referring to being pregnant? If not that, then what? Squall shook his head. There was no use in going over every little detail now. He wouldn't know anything until he talked to Rinoa. It looked like he was just going to have to wait.

In the meantime, he had General Caraway to worry about. The man had never been a fan of Squall's, so the prospect of Rinoa being pregnant wasn't helping much. Squall glanced over at the General, who was staring out the window vacantly. He wondered what could possibly be going through the man's mind right now. Probably something along the lines of what a bastard Squall was for getting his daughter knocked up. Squall knew he didn't have to justify his relationship with Rinoa to anyone, but he suddenly felt the need to make Caraway understand how much he cared about his daughter.

"I love her, you know," Squall said quietly.

Caraway turned around, facing Squall. He studied the young man in front of him and saw the sincerity in his eyes. Caraway did not like Squall, but he was not lying. "I know you do," he grunted.

Squall was surprised. "Then why all the talk about me only being after one thing?"

"I wanted Rinoa to stay away from you, so I did everything in my power to try to convince her to do so. Staying with you would only hurt her."

"Why do you keep saying that?" Squall demanded. "Why are you so convinced that I'm going to hurt Rinoa?"

"We always hurt the people we love, no matter how hard we try not to. You married Quistis, didn't you? Don't you think that hurt my daughter?"

"I know it did," Squall whispered.

"Then perhaps you see my point and why I am so set on you staying away from my daughter."

Squall shook his head. "What you said is right; I did hurt Rinoa. However, I'm not the same person I was back then. I've changed, and so has Rinoa. I am not going to walk away from her. Marrying Quistis was the biggest mistake of my life."

Caraway shook his head. "She's better off without you and you know it. You are the commander of Balamb Garden, and she is the sorceress. You come from two different worlds. Let it stay that way."

"I'm sorry, General, but I can't do that."

Before Caraway had a chance to respond, Squall's cell phone went off. With a sigh, Squall answered it, putting his conversation with Caraway on hold.

"Hello?"

"Squall, my boy, congratulations! I just heard the joyous news that I'm going to be a grandfather!"

Squall groaned. "Laguna, where did you hear that?"

"I just got a call from some guy at Garden. Why didn't you tell me yourself?"

"Hmm...I don't know," Squall said sarcastically, "Maybe because I had no idea."

"What do you mean you had no idea? Squall, it's all over the news!"

"The news?" Squall rubbed his forehead wearily. Could things get any worse? "I haven't even talked to Rinoa yet. This could just be a rumor that someone started to stir things up."

"I don't know, son, it looks pretty accurate to me. Anyway, where are you? How about I pay you and Rinoa a visit?"

"Sorry, but I'm not even at Garden yet. I'm on my way now with General Caraway."

"Oh boy, then you really need me there! I'm getting on my express jet now. I'll probably arrive around the same time as you."

"Laguna, there's no need for that. Just stay in Esthar."

"Don't be silly! I'll be there right away! Ooh, this is just so exciting! Bye, Squall!"

"Laguna, wait!" Click. "Dammit!" Squall exclaimed.

"So, what did the President have to say?" Caraway asked coolly.

Squall sighed. "He's coming to Garden. Someone called him to tell him about the news, too."

The General frowned. "Who would know how to get in touch with both Laguna and myself?"

Squall shrugged. "Who knows?" The last thing on his mind right then was who had made the calls. He was more concerned with Laguna coming to Garden. Squall, Rinoa, Caraway, and Laguna; one big happy family. Yeah, right.

"May I ask you a question?" Caraway suddenly said.

"Even if I say no, I have a feeling you're still going to ask me."

Caraway smiled wryly. "That would be correct. My question is, if Rinoa is indeed pregnant, what do you plan on doing?"

"Whether Rinoa is pregnant or not, I will stand by her," Squall said automatically. He didn't even need to give it a second's thought. His place was with Rinoa, wherever that may be.

The General snorted. "Ah, to be young and naive. You have no idea what you are getting yourself into, do you? You are the commander of Balamb Garden. How on Earth do you expect to be able to raise a child in that position? All responsibility will fall to my daughter. Intentional or not, you will fail her. You do not realize it now, but you are just setting yourself up for disappointment."

Squall shook his head. "Disappointment? Are you kidding me? Yeah, I know a baby is a lot of work, but you know what? I don't care. To wake up every morning and see Rinoa holding our child in her arms, that is what makes it all worth it. I don't care about my job, or my position, whatever. As long as I have Rinoa in my life, it's worth it."

"You're an intelligent man, Leonhart," Caraway commented, "So why are you so foolish in this matter? What happened to that stoic man I met in my study years ago? I see no traces of him now. All I see is a fool in love."

"A fool in love, huh?" Squall smiled. "Who said I wasn't? You see, General, you can spit the facts at me as many times as you want. I don't give a damn if there's a one in a million chance of this working out. Statistics don't apply to Rinoa and me; they never have. What you have to understand is that I love your daughter, and I will do anything, anything for her. If she's not pregnant, fine. We'll get married and eventually have kids, anyway. If she is pregnant, fine. Like I said, we're gonna have kids eventually, so why not start early?" He smirked. "I told you, General. Nothing can tear us apart. We've had every damn thing thrown at us, but look at where we are. That will never change."

Caraway just grunted. "We'll see."

QUISTIS stepped out of the train, her arms loaded down with suitcases, and was immediately thrown back into the past. Of course, that had been a mere two weeks ago, but to Quistis, it felt like years had passed. Her time with Seifer in FH seemed to exist within another world, another time. Even now, it seemed like a dream. She quickly reached into her bag and pulled out the music box. It was the proof that she needed. No, this was not a dream.

With a sigh, Quistis made her way away from the station. The most obvious place to find Seifer was at the docks, and that was exactly where she was headed. She didn't even bother to check in at the hotel first to drop her stuff off. No, she had wasted enough time. Even now, it could already be too late. There were so many things that could go wrong, but Quistis refused to think of them. She was here now, and she would never know how things could have been unless she tried to find the man that would lead her there.

Her stomach was a web of knots as she approached the pier. She kept on envisioning herself coming upon the area empty and abandoned. A quick glance towards the sky further intensified her fears. The sky had turned a dark shade of gray, and it looked like it was going to pour any minute. Only someone reckless would be out in this weather. Lucky for her, Seifer was just that.

As the pier come into view, her heart seemed to stop. A lone fisherman was seated on the edge of the dock, his back toward her. She knew automatically that it was him. The moment reminded her so much of the first time she had seen Seifer in FH that she suddenly lost her composure. The suitcases she was carrying slipped to ground with a small thud as tears suddenly stung the blonde's eyes. Perhaps he heard the sound of the suitcases falling, or perhaps he just sensed her presence. What ever the case was, Seifer suddenly turned around and saw Quistis standing there. He blinked in astonishment, and then had to rub his eyes to make sure that he wasn't seeing things. When he had convinced himself that she was no ghost, he quickly stood up and crossed the distance between them.

"Quistis," he breathed, having to restrain himself from crushing her against him and never letting go. "What are you doing here?"

Quistis faced Seifer, unsure of what to say. Now that she was actually there, face to face, words seemed to fail her. She took a deep breath. "I came to see you."

Seifer allowed a small sense of hope to trickle in. For once, his sarcasm seemed to fail him. Quistis was there, standing right in front of him, and that realization took his breath away. He only had one question to ask her. "Why?"

Quistis sighed. Where to begin? On the train ride over, she had rehearsed what to say hundreds of times. Now, though, words seemed to fail her. "I...had to thank you. For the gift, I mean. You know, the music box."

"You came here to thank me?" Seifer's face fell.

Quistis could have smacked herself after that ridiculous comment. Get a hold of yourself! her mind roared. Why had she never had this problem with Squall? It was hard to believe, but he had never made her feel this way. What she was experiencing with Seifer...this was a whole new ballgame. She took a deep breath.

"I'm sorry, that's not the real reason I came. The music box was gorgeous, Seifer, but it wasn't my reason for coming."

"Then what was?" he asked exasperatedly. "Are you back together with Squall? Is that what you came here to say?"

"No, dammit!" Quistis shouted. She was really starting to get frustrated with Seifer, but even more than that, she was frustrated with herself. "I came here because I want to be with you, okay? I made my choice, and it's you! I don't want to stay at Garden anymore, being miserable. The only time I've been happy lately, the only time I've been able to let go, has been here, with you." She paused, meeting his gaze. "I think I'm in love with you, Seifer. There, I said it. Are you happy now?"

Seifer stared at her in disbelief. "You want to be with me? Are you serious?"

"Yes, dammit! Isn't that what I just said?"

"Alright," Seifer said, grinning, "We'll be together. There's no need to swear."

"Seifer!" Quistis exclaimed, and then burst out laughing. This was why she had fallen in love with him.

She took the final step toward him, wrapping her arms around his neck. And as she kissed him, the heavens opened up, pouring rain down onto the couple. Neither could have been more oblivious to it. They were too wrapped up in each other, and what they had finally found. They hadn't dared to wish for it, but now it was a reality. The future was theirs. Quistis felt herself smiling. She was finally free.

RINOA sat in her room, reading a book, when a sudden pounding came at her door. Frowning, she set the book aside and got up from the bed. She crossed the room, wondering who it could be, and cautiously opened the door. The sight before her eyes terrified her. Hundreds of students had gathered outside of her dorm, packing the hallway. In front of her now stood a man with a microphone, and behind him were two cameramen, their lenses pointed at Rinoa. The man suddenly shoved the microphone into Rinoa's face.

"Rinoa Heartilly, is it true that you are pregnant with Squall Leonhart's baby?"

Rinoa blinked, feeling dazed. "Excuse me?"

"Are you pregnant, Ms. Heartilly?" he asked again.

"Come on, Rinoa, just admit it!" one of the students shouted.

"Yeah, you whore!" someone else exclaimed. "How did it feel, getting down and dirty with our commander? I'm sure Quistis was thrilled."

"How can you live with yourself, knowing that you're an adulteress?"

"Are you going to have an abortion?"

The voices surrounded Rinoa, suffocating her. She wanted to scream at them all, tell them that they were all wrong, but her voice seemed to be frozen in her throat. They were all staring at her, waiting for her to say something. What could she possibly say? She hadn't even told Squall about the baby yet! How could she possibly tell all these people? It was none of their business!

"How did you get in here?" she demanded. "I'm calling security."

"Come on, Rinoa," the reporter coaxed. "Just tell us the truth. What have you got to hide? Are you pregnant or not?"

"That's enough!"

The crowd froze, immediately turning silent. All eyes turned towards the speaker. Before them all stood their commander, an angry scowl on his face. Behind him stood Caraway and Laguna, neither one of them looking pleased. Squall turned his gaze to the reporter.

"Who the hell are you and how the hell did you get in here?"

"My name is Kevin, Sir. I'm a r-reporter." Kevin was visibly shaking. He did not want to face the commander's wrath.

"Well, Kevin," Squall snapped, "Get the hell out of Garden, and take your fucking cameramen with you. If I ever, ever catch you here again, you are a dead man. Do you understand?"

"Y-Yes, Sir!" he stuttered, and then quickly fled the scene, his cameramen behind him.

Squall now faced the students, his eyes blazing with anger. "What the hell is wrong with you people? Not only do you allow a stranger into Garden with no question, but you embrace him! Your behavior today is a disgrace to Garden. Now get the hell out of here. Go back to class, the cafeteria, whatever. Just get the hell out of my sight."

"Yes, Sir," they mumbled, and quickly dispersed.

Squall turned to Rinoa, his gaze softening. In that moment, she looked so shaken and torn. He just wanted to wrap his arms around her and assure her that everything was going to be fine. "Are you okay?"

Rinoa nodded. "They just took me by surprise. I didn't know what to say."

"I won't let them bother you again," Squall promised.

Rinoa nodded once more, but couldn't keep the tears from falling from her eyes. "Thank you," she whispered.

"Hey," Squall said, quickly taking her in his arms. "Don't worry about them, okay? They have nothing better to do than gossip about other people because they hate their own lives so much." He stroked her hair comfortingly, and then pulled away gently to wipe the tears from her eyes. "Feeling better?"

"Yeah," Rinoa said quietly. "Now that you're here, I am. But why are you here?" She suddenly remembered that Caraway and Laguna were standing right there. "All of you."

"Well, Rinoa," Caraway piped up, "We've all heard the rumors going around..."

"So you came here to lecture me?" she asked increduously.

"I came here to find out the truth," Caraway snapped.

"How is that any of your business? This is between me and Squall."

"I think that I have the right to know whether I'm going to be a grandfather or not!" he exclaimed.

Rinoa ignored the General, instead turning to face Squall. "Squall, I need to talk to you, alone." She shot a glance at her father pointedly.

"Okay," he said simply, following her into her room and closing the door behind them.

Rinoa paced the length of the room nervously, her hands clasped behind her back. Now that she was finally alone with Squall, she was nervous beyond belief. "I'm sorry that you had to leave Deling early because of me," she said finally.

Squall waved that aside. "It wasn't important. What's important is being here with you."

"You might not feel so sure of that after you hear what I have to say," Rinoa said quietly. "I tried to tell you this morning, but..." she trailed off, then sighed. "Of course you've heard the rumors. Everyone's heard them by now. I don't know how they even started in the first place. Someone must have heard Quistis and I talking."

Squall frowned. "You were talking to Quistis?"

"Yes," Rinoa said, nodding. "She found out and I had to tell her everything. She was angry at first, but it was strange. I think we finally understand each other.

"Rinoa," Squall said exasperatedly, "What are you talking about? Are you saying that you told Quistis about the affair?"

Rinoa nodded. "I told her everything, Squall, and now it's time to tell you." She took a deep breath. "As I said, I tried to tell you this morning, but then you had to go, and it just didn't seem like the right time." She sighed. "The rumors are true, Squall. I'm pregnant."

Squall was so still that Rinoa feared the worst. What could be going on in his mind right now? "I'm going to be a father?" Squall asked, disbelief and awe in his voice.

"Yes, you are. I'm sorry, Squall. I know that this is a shock, and that it couldn't have come at a worse time. I...I was going to leave when I found out. I didn't want to ruin your life with a child, and...with me."

Squall suddenly shot up from the bed, causing Rinoa to jump. He walked right up to her, so that their faces were mere inches apart. "Don't you ever, ever think I would want you to leave me," he whispered fiercely. "I love you, Rinoa, and I want to spend the rest of my life with you. With you and this child."

"You're not upset?" Rinoa asked in disbelief.

"Upset?" Squall echoed. "Rinoa, you're going to have our baby. Why would I be upset?"

"Squall, I know how busy you are with running Garden. The last thing you need is more responisbility. On top of that, people will talk. You saw how they were today. Once this becomes official, what will they say?"

From outside of the door, Caraway beamed. He and Laguna were pressed up against the door, listening to every word the couple uttered. "That's my girl!" he exclaimed, "Always thinking logically."

"Rinoa, I've told you before that I don't give a damn about what people say about me. However, I saw what they did to you today, and that was unacceptable. I'm not going to let them attack you like that, Rinoa, and I'm not going to have our child grow up in such an enviroment."

Rinoa's eyes widened. "What are you saying?"

"Marry me, Rinoa," he breathed. "Marry me and come away with me. We can leave Garden behind and start a new life somewhere else. Anywehere you want, as long as I'm with you. My first marriage was a mistake. This is what should have happened in the first place."

Squall's words melted Rinoa's heart, and she wanted nothing more than to agree to them wholeheartedly. However, she knew how much Garden meant to Squall. How could she allow him to give that up for her? "But Squall, what about Garden? You can't just walk away from it. It's your life."

"No, Rinoa," Squall said, shaking his head firmly. "You're my life. I had Garden when I thought you were gone, didn't I? What good did that do me? I was still miserable every day of my life because I didn't have you. I have you now, and I'm not about to let you walk out of my life again. If that means leaving Garden, so be it. You're the only thing that matters to me, Rinoa."

This time, Laguna grinned. "That's my boy," he said proudly. "He gets it from his father."

"Touché," Caraway grumbled.

Rinoa couldn't keep the smile from spreading across her face. "I love you so much, Squall!" she exclaimed. "I'll go anywhere with you."

"Does that mean we're getting married?" Squall asked, a grin playing about his lips.

Rinoa nodded. "I believe it does."

"Good answer," Squall said, and then drew her into a passionate kiss...only to be interrupted by a hammering on the door.

"Leonhart!" Caraway roared. "You open the door this instant! You two have done enough talking!"

Rinoa groaned. "I'll handle this," she told Squall, as she opened the door. "What do you think you're doing?" she demanded.

"Congratulations!" Laguna exclaimed before Caraway could respond. "On everything, I mean. The engagement and the baby."

"Thank you, Laguna," Rinoa said sincerely, glad that he was there.

"Oh, believe me, Rinoa," Caraway grumbled, "After the state he put you in, I would have made him marry you."

Rinoa rolled here eyes. "The state he put me in? I hate to tell you this, Dad, but it takes two people to 'put me in this state'."

The General's eyes widened at Rinoa's impudence, but before he could speak, Laguna did. "Looks like she got you there, General," he laughed.

"Sorry, Dad," Rinoa said, smiling, "But I'm marrying Squall whether you like it or not. The least you could do is congratulate us."

"Congratulations," he muttered. "We'll see how long it lasts."

Rinoa chose to ignore the latter comments, and instead turned to Laguna. "Would you like to join us for dinner tonight? I think that a celebration is in order, and we'd love for you to join us. Right, Squall?"

Squall nodded reluctantly. "Yeah, sure."

"Well, I'd love to," Laguna said happily. "I also understand that you and Squall want to get away from everything. It made me think to myself, what place is more perfect than Whinhill?"

"Winhill?" Rinoa smiled. "Squall, what do you think?"

Squall shrugged. "It's a small town. We could live a quiet life there. If you think that would suit you, then it's fine with me."

"Oh, I think that would suit me just fine," she said, grinning. "Peace and quiet sounds wonderful."

"Winhill it is, then," Squall said, grinning back.

"Yes," Rinoa said, her grin widening, "Winhill it is."