Note: This story is receiving a complete make over. Basically, it's a completely different story, but with the same title. This one is more in keeping with my usual style, something I think I will do better at, and be more comfortable with. I hope you enjoy it.

Chapter 1

In the city of neon lights and eternal rain, an endless army of faceless people march passed, entering and disappearing in a blur of noise and confusion, mere pieces of scenery in the waking dream of some celestial being. A solid gray sky, spread out over the tops of the towering buildings like a silver canopy shields the stars from the eyes of those unworthy, those trapped within the city that makes you forget there is a world beyond its borders. Ensnared by an invisible beast that lashes out with fangs of misery and sorrow, those who wish to escape the ordinary and mundane life bestowed upon them can do nothing but dream. To dream endlessly, to blind yourself to that which is real until fantasy is the only reality you know... To shatter the barrier that separates the waking from the dreaming... In this way, even the darkest of souls can have beautiful dreams...

"It'll be fine."

The train shuddered and shook as it hugged the iron rails in a death grip, giving off the occasional screech in the otherwise silent car. Shadows danced across the aisle and the backs of the seats, flitting in through the windows as if falling from the sky itself.

"It doesn't matter either way. He's been a thorn in our sides for quite some time..."

Eyes the color of the ocean but with the edge of an icy blade darted from side to side before settling on the attendant who was slowly making her way down the center of the aisle. The bubbly blonde woman, feeling a pair of eyes upon her, turned to him with a wide smile, but allowed it to fade after seeing his expression. Normal, and inconspicuous as he tried to be, his glare still sent the woman scurrying into the next car as quickly as she could in her heels.

"This way, I benefit more," he continued. "It won't affect you in the least."

He sighed, the lecturing words from the man at the other end of his cell phone becoming tiresome. He glanced around the mostly deserted train car once more, satisfied to see the only other inhabitant snoring loudly in his seat toward the front.

"Enough," he growled finally. "I've waited years for this, you won't steal it from me. I'm doing everyone a favor, anyway. I'll remove that thorn from our side, and anyone associated with him. I'll take care of my own unfinished business. Keep out of it."

He slammed the off button with his thumb before glancing out the window once more. The drops of rain streaming down the window distorted the gray city in the distance. He'd heard it rained almost non-stop in Deling City. That was fine. He'd complete his mission and never return. He would eagerly hammer the final nail in Caraway's coffin and wash his hands clean of the blood that had collected there. Everything in his life came down to this.

The train entered a tunnel, darkness flooding the space where light once prevailed, casting the man's face in shadows as he watched the occasional orange-tinted light flash by. It appeared as though he were transfixed with the blackness outside, and yet, while he peered into that void, he could see only that which was invisible to all else.

Dust floated in the air, suspended as if that single moment in time had been frozen forever. The heavy, booted footsteps pounded rhythmically in his ears, coming closer... dangerously close. A light blinked within the gray rectangle of light that served as a doorway, and he backed up until he could feel icy brick lined against his spine. The circular light swept the room, briefly peeking in through the iron grating that separated his haven from the hell outside, before moving on to rest in the opposite corner of the room.

"Nothing here."

"Are you sure?"

He dared to crawl closer at the sound of that voice, the deep, dark voice that would haunt him for the rest of his life. He dared to peep out into the world beyond, seeing the tall, dark-haired man with soulless eyes standing in the doorway. His head turned, eyes swinging around to glare in his direction. He just managed to duck beneath the grating before that terrible gaze caught him. The footsteps sounded again, sounding heavier with the promise of death as they came closer. The brilliant white light seeped in once more and he huddled against the wall opposite the one he sat against before, knowing that the man would hear his heart pounding in his chest and find him.

"Guess you're right. There's nothing here. Let's go."

He chanced a sigh of relief, but couldn't make himself move. His tiny limbs still trembled, and he couldn't force himself up from the dirt where he lay, praying for someone to rescue him. He waited, at least a day if not more, waited for someone, anyone to come, and yet, no one ever did...

"We are now arriving at Deling City. Please gather your things and prepare to disembark."

He closed his eyes and allowed himself a deep breath before snatching up the single suitcase he'd brought along. Glancing out the window, he could now see the inside of the train station, the blurring scenery slowly coming to a standstill as the train screeched to a halt. The doors slid open a few seconds later, and he stepped toward the exit, stopping for a brief moment as he considered waking the man who was still snoring in the front seat. Shaking his head he walked on, leaving the man behind to his own mistakes and stepping out into the dim light of the station. Friends and family members were lined up along a short stone barricade, eagerly awaiting the return of a loved one. He shoved past them, not once looking back at the joyous reunions taking place behind him. How foolish, to depend on their returning...

He checked the silver watch on his wrist before moving on, keeping his eyes trained ahead, never once allowing his vision to stray from his destination... aside from checking his watch again, then glancing around to make sure he didn't look out of place. No, every other person in the station was doing the exact same thing, he was fine. He checked it again... twelve-thirty-three... As if on cue someone bumped elbows with him, but he didn't bother looking at the person, appearing to brush it off as an accident.

He waited until he was outside to jam both of his gloved hands into his coat pockets, as if in reaction to the cold. There, in his right pocket, were a bundle of papers and such that weren't there a minute earlier. He showed no sign that anything out of the ordinary had occurred, and instead stepped to the corner where a line of taxis were waiting.

After nearly half an hour of weaving through traffic, he arrived at the Deling City Hotel, where he fully expected to have reservations, though he had never called them in himself.

The hotel was extravagant, quite different from what he was used to, with shining marble floors and a crystal chandelier that hung down from the high ceiling. Down a red-carpeted set of stairs to his right, the sound of a piano floated up, followed by a smooth feminine voice that tugged at his mind, causing him to momentarily loose concentration and become ensnared by the melody. Shaking his head, he pulled the papers from his pocket and thumbed through until he found the fake I.D. he knew would be there.

With utter confidence, he strode up to the front desk and handed her the flawlessly forged card. "I believe I have a reservation."

The woman studied the card before typing something into her computer. "Ah, yes, Mr. Lee, room 224." She stepped into the back room and returned with two cards in a thin paper sheath sporting the hotel's logo. "Here you are, enjoy your stay."

He nodded and returned a fake, practiced smile to equal her own. Once he was alone inside the elevator, he took a moment to study his new I.D. So I'll be Mr. Lee for a while... at least it's easier to remember than Mr. Umenokoji... they really have to stop generating these randomly...

In the safety of his room, where he knew there would be no security cameras (the hotel had been previously checked for that) he searched through the rest of his papers until he found a small, handwritten one. There was a time, and a place written, but nothing more. He tore it into tiny pieces and flushed it down the toilet, having memorized the information.

Night had fallen and the rain was still pouring in torrents as he walked along the path beneath the local train railing. He checked his watch and glanced around. Seeing no one, he leaned against the chain-link fence that separated the two sides of the path, and scowled at the screeching, bumping sound above him as the train passed overhead.

"So, you're really going it alone on this one?" he heard a voice ask from the other side of the fence.

"That's the plan. What do you have?"

From the corner of his eye, he saw the blonde man shrug. "Nothing much. The train to Timber will be down for a month, though. They're doing some big upgrades, apparently. If you're planning to escape to some place outside Galbadian territory, and I'm sure you are, then you'll have to time it just right. You'll wanna get a ticket in advance, too. I'm sure that with transportation to Timber being halted for a month, a lot of people are going to be trying to catch that next train out."

"I'll do that. What about blue prints?"

"There are only three sets of blue prints to the Presidential Palace. The original is in the palace itself. There are two copies, one in City Hall, for records, and another in the police station, in case of emergency. All of them are closely guarded, for just this sort of thing. The palace itself is also closely guarded. There is a very small opening, in between guard shifts, but the guard schedule is another closely guarded secret." The informant chuckled. "They really did think of everything."

"It's nothing I can't get passed. Nothing I won't get passed."

"You're starting to sound like me, Squall. I'd tell you how stupid you are for wanting to do this on your own, but I'm sure Cid has covered that already."

"A million times and more."

"Really... I'm not sure if you're a genius, or just incredibly stupid. On the one hand, they'll never see it coming. After all, who would be dumb enough to try and attack the president of Galbadia all by himself? They'll never know it's you. Hell, they think you're dead. And if you succeed, Vinzer will take over in his place, and Galbadia will be ours. On the other hand... it's insane. Their intelligence team is top notch. I would know, of course..."

"You're not thinking of betraying us, are you Seifer?" Squall asked, without looking at him. "We put you in that position thinking we could trust you. You won't prove us wrong, will you? If you did... I'd have to fire you..."

"Fire me? I know what that leads to... no one leaves the syndicate and lives to tell about it... except you. That is what you're planning, right?"

"I'm a different story. I wasn't just some stray kid they picked up... unlike you."

"Nice," Seifer sneered. "Well, I'm out of this little operation. That's all the info I've got, anyhow. I'm still on the low end. Good luck. You'll need it..."

"I'm sorry, sir. There are currently no tickets for the train to Timber on sale. Check back tomorrow."

Squall didn't bother to acknowledge her any further, walking away without another word. He was already irritated at having slept half the day, something highly unusual for him, and now he couldn't secure those train tickets that were so vital to his plan. He leaned against the wall just outside the train station, staring aimlessly into the gray sky as a light drizzle sprinkled water over his face. He ignored it, as if it wasn't there at all.

A yell broke out from the constant clamor of the crowded area behind him, along with the scuffling of quick footsteps, but this, too, went ignored, at least until the cause of the commotion became forcefully acquainted with the ground at Squall's feet. Squall studied the man for a moment, who was now flat on his face and clutching a small black purse, before realizing the thief had tripped over his foot, which was accidentally in the path of the doorway.

A raven-haired blur sped past him, coming to an abrupt halt next to the fallen criminal and snatching up the purse the man held before promptly smacking him in the head with it. "Asshole..." the woman murmured, straightening her clothes before turning to the man behind her.

It had been her intention to thank him, and yet, the words instantly died on her lips. It had been his intention to ignore her, to look away from her, but he couldn't seem to do that, either. Her eyes were wide and bright, like that of a child, her midnight locks plastered to her porcelain cheeks and hanging limply down her shoulders. She was ordinary, yet special, normal but beautiful. He couldn't say what it was that struck him about her, what it was that kept his gaze locked as one with hers. She was just a woman. Nothing more, and nothing less.

It was as if by looking at her, he had stolen the very thoughts from her mind. She could do nothing but stare, like a deer caught in the headlights, she suddenly found her self immobilized prey to the man before her. Strong hands suddenly clamped down on her shoulders, and her heart seemed to jump into her throat. Whether it was fear, excitement or a mixture of both that pumped through her veins as he grabbed her, she wasn't sure. As quickly as he took hold of her, he let her go, shoving her aside and raising his now freed arm in an expert block before knocking away the knife held in the purse thief's hand. A punch to the man's nose sent him back to his knees, and her mysterious savior brushed past her, his trance broken by the abrupt attack.

"I suggest you leave this area before he comes after you again," he advised, leaving her to fend for herself.

"Hey, wait!" she called, her brain jolting back into working order as she chased after him. When he didn't show any signs of slowing down, she grabbed on to his arm and forced him to turn around and look at her. "Hey, I just wanted to thank you. You helped me out twice."

"It was an accident."

"The first time maybe, but the second time-"

"The last thing I need is to be involved with a stranger's murder," he interrupted her. "Now let me go."

"So that's it?" she asked. "You did it out of selfishness?"

"Yes."

"I don't believe you."

"Then don't," he returned, attempting to pull away from her.

She tightened her hold on his arm and sought out his gaze until once again she could stare into the icy void through which each thought and emotion he owned seemed to pass. "My name's Rinoa," she said softly, her voice threatening not to work. "I at least deserve to know the name of the man that saved me."

She could have been anyone. She could have been the president's secretary, the wife or daughter of a palace guard. To tell her the truth was to risk his own life, and even more important to him, his revenge. Yet, staring into her eyes, he found that the lies that usually came second nature to him refused to leave his throat, as though she were some sort of witch or gypsy that had cast a spell over him. "I'm Squall," he said, without permission from his brain. It wasn't speaking to him, anyway, having been enchanted once more into a useless stupor.

"That's... a beautiful name," she smiled, stretching her small, pink lips into a smooth and easy expression that looked more natural than any other on her face. Before he could reply, the moment was interrupted by a loud beep from Rinoa's wrist, and she cursed beneath her breath. "I'm late." She frowned briefly before returning her gaze to his. She allowed an almost wistful smile to distort her features as she said, "Well, I have to go. Thank you, though. I'm... glad I met you, Squall."

With that she turned and ran, as if she were afraid that if she didn't leave fast enough, she wouldn't leave at all. He watched her, his eyes drawn to her every movement until she was out of sight, before sighing to himself in frustration.

A woman. A complication. Nothing less... and nothing more...

Another Note: In regards to the story previously placed beneath this title (I really liked the title and thought it would fit this new story well) yes, I took it down. I didn't like it, and didn't think I could finish it anyway. I originally had just intended to replace the chapters all ready listed under the original story with the new ones, then it occurred to me that some people wouldn't be able to review, having all ready reviewed for those chapters. At any rate, I'm sorry for not being able to finish the original, but I like this one much better. And, to clear things up a bit, I'm not really going for the 'love at first sight' angle here, more the 'infatuation at first sight that grows into something more' angle. Hope you enjoy!