A/N: I apologize for this chapter taking so long. I'm surprised I got it up this soon as I currently have the flu. My mother won't take me to the doctor and since I can't breath I can't sleep and since I can't sleep here I am. Special thanks for this chapter goes to my wonderful beta readers NightShadow131 and Virulent Enmity.
Squall paused once as he slipped back on the fresh snow. He slammed the blade of his gunblade into the ground, doing his best to catch his balance. The snow was slick and the wind was much too fierce now. As the seconds began to string together Squall found himself becoming panicked. He couldn't seem to get any further. He could see Seifer above, nearby now. His eyes were open as was his mouth. His body contracted as if to scream but blood surfaced instead. The same blood came from nose then mouth then his skin as portions began to crack and peel away. He was dying and it was all Squall's fault. Everything had been his fault.
Just saying that to yourself doesn't change anything, His thoughts were screaming, drowning out the sound of the storm raging around him. Damnit, do something! Squall drove his gunblade further into the ground and with a sudden yell, used it to push himself forward. Gaining momentum he pulled the blade free and lunged onto the top of the hill. He drove his body against Seifer's side. The other fell to one side, seemingly unconscious as he slid to the opposite base of the hill. Squall swung his blade but hit nothing. He should have known better and as if to confirm his suspicions the creature before him had become smaller in size. He ignored this, striking again. Still nothing. It was no use "Damnit," Squall closed his eyes, dropping his gunblade so that it fell at his feet.
He felt the thing wrap around his waist then pull him in close. Squall
opened his mouth to scream but the cry became strangled in his throat. The
pain was unbearable and in moments his knees buckled and his body fell back
only to be caught there. Not that this was any relief. He barely noticed the
cold anymore though his eyes were focused upon the sky. It was grey and
cloudy, specked with falling white. Seifer's place in time compression.
Seifer? Was he all right? He wasn't dead, was he? Did it matter? Squall was
probably dying now himself. His skin was tingling then burning. His body
began to shake and as something red clouded his eyes he had no doubt that he
was dying. Then it was over.
Squall was vaguely aware that he hit the ground. His breath was slow and
ragged. Was he still dying? Where was Seifer? Hyne don't let him be dead.
I'm dying, right? Just let me see him one more time.
"...Squall...?"
Squall's vision steadied some and he tilted his head to the side. Seifer was blurred but he was there, unable to stand just yet but crawling towards him. He stopped beside him, not quite touching. His face was smeared with blood and his clothes and hair with snow from the fall. "You look like hell."
Seifer seemed to smile in relief. Squall realized he must not look much better or even dead already to deserve a response like that "Is that all?" Seifer asked, his voice weak with strain, both physical and emotional.
Squall shook his head or at least tried to it only amounted to a minimal sort of movement "I wanted to tell you that I'm sorry...and that I love you..." Suddenly Seifer's arms were wrapped around him. It should have hurt but didn't or maybe Squall had already experienced far worse pain for his mind to even register this.
"You're sure?" Seifer put his hand to the back of Squall's head, brushing his fingers through the other's hair. Squall noted that despite their current predicament he had never seen Seifer happier.
"Yes," Squall closed his eyes as his heart suddenly began to race "...I don't want to leave..." Was all he could manage afterwards.
"What?" Seifer looked Squall over then put a hand to the other other's cheek, coaxing him into opening his eyes "You mean die?" He smiled "You're not dying...You'll be fine..." He assured, kissing him for a moment and paying no mind to the blood "Don't get me wrong. You came awfully close...we both did..."
Squall met his eyes, doubt there. "I'm all right?"
"You feel better already don't you?"
Squall nodded again, this time finding he had the strength to make it noticeable. It was certainly strange though he supposed it did make sense. Now he could see the sky again. The sun was coming out but the edges were growing darker "It's disappearing," Squall said in sudden realization. "We'll be out soon."
"Yeah," Suddenly Seifer froze, tensing.
"What is it?" Squall slowly sat up, wrapping his arms around Seifer's neck as he found the process slow.
"Oh Hyne Squall, I'm sorry," Seifer wrapped his arms around Squall,
holding him closer still.
Squall's eyes were open in surprise. The world was falling away on the horizon. They would be home soon. "Why?" He asked, doing his best to continue smiling "I love you Seifer. If you'll still have me we can be together now. You still want me...don't you...?"
"Of course I still want you," His voice was strained as if near tears "...But...I'm so sorry," He dropped his head against Squall's shoulder.
Squall raised his hands in a puzzled manor, running them over Seifer's back in an attempt to calm him down "Why? You haven't done anything wrong."
Seifer said, skirting the question, shaking his head and pulling back to kiss Squall. He would find out soon enough. Why waste time explaining now. "I love you Squall. This isn't your fault."
"What-" That was all he managed as the ground beneath them suddenly gave way. He clung to Seifer as they fell and felt Seifer keeping a firm hold on him until the darkness cleared and Squall found himself in a bed. Was he in his room? Squall opened his eyes slowly then shut them again as the light proved too much.
"He's awake!" It was Selphie's voice. He must be in the hospital wing. He had been attacked in the hallway; naturally someone must have found him. Squall did his best to open his eyes again. This time he took his time, giving himself time to adjust. When his vision cleared he immediately found himself face to face with Rinoa. She wasn't exactly the first person he had hoped to see.
"Oh Squall," She threw her arms around him and Squall caught a glimpse of all his friends. They really were loyal weren't they? Perhaps he needed to start showing a bit more appreciation towards everyone who had put up with him for this long. But first things first. Seifer deserved an apology the most. Shouldn't he be in the infirmary too?
Squall pulled away from Rinoa, shaking his head. "Where's Seifer?"
Rinoa gaped at him for a moment. She hadn't expected that response "I don't know... In his dorm room...? Why?"
Of course. Seifer was reclusive lately anyway. No one would suspect anything if he hadn't been seen. Squall sat up and quickly stood. A head rush ensued and Squall felt himself falling back only to be caught by Irvine "Woah, not so fast there. You had a close call. You really need to stay in bed."
Squall shook his head. He was sore all right. The wounds he had sustained in time compression were still here. But he wanted to see Seifer. "I'll be right back," He assured, pushing past both Irvine and Rinoa. He heard his fiancé shout his name as he sprinted out of the hospital wing still dressed in only light blue scrub pants. He felt dizzy, as if he might collapse at any minute but he kept up his pace. No one was in the hall to stop him, not that he would have noticed them had they been. Within moments he was pounding on Seifer's door. "Seifer!" He called. The smile on his face became nervous when no one answered. Swallowing he tried the door. It opened with ease and Squall took several hesitant steps inside "...Seifer...?" Maybe he had gone to the dorm he shared with Rinoa? That was always a possibility.
He scanned the room, his eyes falling up the bed then the paper sitting
there. Slowly Squall crossed the room, lifting the note from the mattress.
He only needed scan over the words for a few moments before it dropped from
his fingers. His lips parted, his breath came in quick frightened gasps as
he rushed towards the bathroom. Seifer was indeed there, seated on the
floor, shirtless. He was leaning forward, arms draped over the edge of the
tub. His arms were streaked with red. The flow of blood had slowed to a
rhythmic drip, resonating in Squall's ears as time seemed to slow as well.
"Seifer!" Squall rushed forward and dropped to his knees. He wrapped his
arms around Seifer's waist,
pulling him back and against his own body. Seifer fell back against him
without resistance. His head fell to one side, exposing his neck as Squall's
fingers searched desperately for a pulse "Someone help me!"
A/N: I'm almost finished. Things will be wrapped up in one more chapter and perhaps an Epilogue. Please continue reading and reviewing and don't leave me now! You've come this far. It's been two years but I promise it's going to wrap up soon...I'll get back to work as soon as I can breath again...Or my fever goes down...Or someone takes me to the doctor...! All right, all right. Now I'm just venting. Until next time, I love ya all...save for one individual who flammed me for putting Seifer and Squall together...If for some strange reason you're still reading this you know who you are.