Chapter Six: Falling In Too Deep
Author's Note: Matron, dear, you make me very happy. That is my shout out for the day.
Otherwise, sorry about this chapter taking awhile. It is currently 11 on Sunday night, and I am going to try my hardest to get this posted by the time I go to work at 4 tomorrow. Really, it shouldn't take me that long, but we shall see. Crosses fingers.
Quistis stepped into the room.
Seifer sat up a little straighter in his bed. "Instructor," he said in a slightly mocking tone.
She crossed her arms, stern. "Cut the bullshit. What are you doing here?"
"Oh, I'm doing quite fine, thanks. In fact, I think I may be able to get up out of bed soon. Now isn't that good news?" He watched her, calculating, and smirking the whole time.
Determined not to be unnerved, she replied with, "Well, then you can leave."
"You know that I can't."
"No, I don't know why!" She screamed in a whisper. "I'll ask you again. What are you doing here?"
A laugh barked from his mouth. "Why do you ask questions you already know the answer to? And… by the way… how are you feeling, Instructor. Last I heard you weren't fairing too well."
She sighed. "So you know what's going on too, then?"
"Yup, afraid so."
"Shit." Quistis fell down into one of the chairs. She rested her head on one hand and looked forlornly out the window. Sighing, she continued. "So this means that what is happening to me really is…"
"It's really what you think it is, what you know it is."
Something clicked inside of her. "Then that means that when she gets here… oh my God…" She didn't need to see Seifer's face to know that he was paling and that he was slightly nodding, confirming her fears. "I knew all this was a mistake. That's why I pushed Cid away. I mean, having her here will only bring about bad things."
"What can we do now?" Seifer said softly. "No one told me she was coming, but I can feel her, drawing close."
When there was no response, he looked over to where Quistis was sitting and found her seemingly asleep. Looking closer, he saw her struggling for her next breath. Panic seized him. If she wasn't here then he was helpless.
All the things he knew, that he remembered before returning to the Garden, came flooding back to him in an instant. Why he needed to be there, to get to Quistis so she could help him.
Then it hit him like a wall. "Help!" he cried out, hoping that maybe someone was outside, passing by the room. "Someone, please God, HELP!"
He fell out of the bed in a tumble of sheets. "NO!"
Trying to control it, trying to beat it back, he screamed as long and hard as he could. In the end, however, he fell face first to the cool tile, and a low, evil laugh issued forth from his perfect mouth.
Squall was the one to meet them when the front doors of Balamb Garden opened up and admitted it's old Headmaster and his wife back within it's grounds. The sky overhead was slightly cloudy, and he could tell from the way the air felt and smelled as it brushed past him and further into the school that rain was well on its way. Graciously shaking both of their hands, Squall had no idea what had just happened in the hospital wing, and no idea of what threat the two frightened people had been discussing.
Motioning behind him, two young students ran to grab their guests' bags. Squall greeted them with a wan smile, letting some of the unsettlement of the past few days wash into his eyes. Usually so concealed about his emotions, he knew that this would set them both off.
"Where is Quistis? I suspect that there is a lot of work to be done," Cid said with a heavy sigh. "I need to be caught up on all the going-ons in this place. Can you show me to her?"
Edea remained wraith-like. Silent, she observed everything before her. All the kids running around who had no idea who she was, what she had done in the past that led her down the dark road she was now on. Running a gloved hand through her raven black hair, she tried to offer a genuine smile to Squall, but she knew it looked as forced as it felt.
"I, uh, actually, don't know where Quistis is at the moment," the younger man replied, avoiding Cid's gaze. "We had a slight misunderstanding previous to your arrival."
"Squall," Cid said in his knowing tone. It made Squall meet his eyes, as it had so many times in the past. "Is our presence here really that disturbing? That the friends whom I always thought were so close are beginning to unravel?"
Knowing that he could not lie if he wanted to, Squall gave him the entire truth. "The two of you being here, yes, that is a factor. But there are a lot of other things as well. The night Quistis first fainted, Seifer appeared at our doors, beaten. What other choice did we have but take him in? And Selphie has run away, for reasons we can't begin to comprehend."
He paused to take a breath. "I had to call you. You always knew what had to be done in the past, and now I hope that you will be able to help us again. There are a lot of broken people in this place, and I think you might be able to repair what damage has been caused."
Cid was silent for a moment. "I will do what I can. You kids have been the greatest joy of my life, and I don't intend to give that up so easily. I will go to my old office and see what I can do. When Quistis reappears, please send her to me."
Speaking up for the first time, Edea asked, "And what am I to do?" Her voice came out silken, just like Squall remembered it. Just like he had heard in his nightmares for the past several months.
"You, my dear, can go to our rooms and set them up very nicely." Cid leaned forward and kissed her on the cheek.
Edea turned to Squall. "If anyone wants to see, me, please let them in," she said in her most even voice. Squall felt what it took for her to say that, so he only nodded in return.
Zell had a sneaking suspicion about something that happened long ago. "Now that he's back," he whispered to himself as he walked the length of the hospital wing en route to Seifer's room. "Now that he's back, I can see it."
His back, pressed up against the wall, his pants at his ankles. The Dollet mission looming before him, just like the man who was thrusting inside him.
Taking a short break, Zell slammed his hand into the white wall. "Of course it was him!" he cried.
Picking up his pace, he began to job lightly down the way. The door was swiftly approaching, and as he slowed down to enter the room, he felt something was off. There was something not quite right about the way the air shifted outside his room.
One hand on the door, the other ready to block a blow or deal a punch, he turned the handle as gently as he could. Energy ran out of the room in waves, hitting him in the face. It took all his might to stand against the energy.
Letting the door slam shut, he threw his eyes open wide just as the door clicked back into place, and he knew. Quistis was in there, and she was hurt. Or worse.
He did not know how he suddenly knew that piece of information, only that he did know it now. The other thing that crept into his mind sent a chill rolling down his spine. It was about the person that was supposed to be in that room. Seifer was gone.
There was only one light on in his old office when he went up the elevator. Quistis had not changed a thing. The light was fading swiftly from the day and Cid peered into the shadows as he made his way to his desk.
He heard movement from behind him.
Startled, a bit frightened, he turned slowly, asking, "Hello?" to the darkness. "Is anyone there?"
Something scrambled around in the dark, and before Cid knew what was happening, two strong hands grabbed him from behind. One closed over his mouth while the other gripped both of his hands and held them tight behind his back. A familiar voice leaned down and whispered in his ear, "Scream and I'll kill you," before letting go of his mouth and pushing the older man with all his might into the desk.
Letting out a surprised gasp of pain, Cid crumbled to the floor. His vision swam in front of him, and he wanted to regroup, but knew that the other man in the room wouldn't give him the chance.
Hands took hold of the front of his shirt and pulled him to his feet. Just as he had feared, Cid saw Seifer was the one to have a hold on him.
"What, what do you want?" Cid cried out.
"Quiet, old man," Seifer said in a voice that didn't seem quite his own. He took one of Cid's arms in his hand and squeezed, hard. Cid let out a small whimper but refused to scream. "Good boy."
"Please, just tell me what you want!"
"What I want?" Seifer's eyes lost a tad of their glare. "What I WANT?" He released Cid, who stumbled back a few steps but managed to remain standing. "What I want is to be is free of all this shit that I am going through, but she won't let me, you see."
"Who won't let you?" Cid asked, taking a step backwards.
"You know damn well who! Where is she?" Seifer asked, that edge rising in his voice again. He started pacing, drawing Hyperion out of his belt as he did so. "She controls me still, you know…"
"Oh God," Cid said in a harsh whisper, throwing one hand over his mouth. "What have I done?"
"You?" Seifer asked in a incredulous tone. "No, this has nothing to do with you. It has everything to do with her. What she wants, what she desires. I will always be her Knight!"
More than anything at that moment Cid wanted to turn and run. He backed up another step, but when Seifer brought Hyperion up, the tip brushing lightly against Cid's throat, he stopped in his tracks. Closing his eyes, he took a deep breath that shook his body. Each tremor brought the blade into his throat and he wanted to scream so badly but knew that he couldn't.
"And what does she want, Seifer? What exactly is this thing that she desires?"
Seifer looked at him as though Cid was the crazy one. "What do you think?"
"Seifer, would I be asking you if I really didn't know?"
He seemed to ponder that for a moment, then, "No, you wouldn't, Headmaster. She wants power, glory. She wants freedom."
"She has all freedom."
Chuckling his sadistic chuckle, he said, "No. She wants freedom… from you."
All went silent, and it seemed that time had stopped for a moment. They stood there, Seifer's arm outstretched, the tip of his blade tickling along Cid's skin.
With one flick of his wrist, it was all over.
The deed was done.