"Was I in love with you?" He asked.

She took a shaky breath, and shook her head. "No." She said weakly. "No." She repeated again, as if reassuring herself of the fact. "We were acquaintances, I suppose." Truth be told, she didn't even know if he even considered her as a friend.

"I see." Said Squall quietly. "I just thought... never mind." He murmured.

"Do you mind if I pack? We can still talk if you want." Quistis asked, getting up.

"Go ahead." The brunette replied, "I've still got a lot of questions left."

She nodded, walking over to her closet and pulling a few sweaters. She sighed judging them, she didn't even know how long she would be gone for.

Squall sighed putting a hand up to his forehead, he paused a moment feeling the scar. "I know this is probably a weird question," He murmured, "but, do you know where I got his scar?"

Quistis looked up from her suitcase, which she had managed to drag out from underneath her bed. She smiled for a moment, "You were practising with Sei-" She paused a moment, she had forgotten that she wasn't supposed to overload him with all the people he used to know. "...another person from your class. I'm assuming the battle got ugly."

"I sound pretty gutsy." He said shifting his position. "Do you want help with that?"

She waved him off, now digging through her pants drawer. "I'm fine." She looked up at him, "I wouldn't got as far as saying you were gutsy, more like lucky." The blonde smiled, "You've gotten away with quite a few law-defying stunts." Like that space one.

"For instance?"

"The robot spider in Dollet..." She trailed off, that wasn't really lucky on his behalf; if she hadn't been there, he probably would have gotten killed.

"A spider robot?" He asked, raising an eyebrow.

"It's a long story." Concluding when you told me to talk to wall. "I'll tell you on the way to Windhill."

Squall nodded, obviously not satisfied with her short barely to the point answers. "Who was the girl who came to greet me when I coming back?"

Quistis froze. "She was..." Your girlfriend? Probably soon to be fiancee? Lover? The person you went out in the middle of space for? She wished so badly she could tell him, so he would remember, so she wouldn't have to live with her guilt for lying to everyone. "A girl from Timber."

"Was she my friend?" Squall asked.

"Yes. You were very close," She took a deep breath, "You lov-"

There was frantic knocking on the door, "Hold on minute." She told Squall; she crossed the door and opened the door.

"Rinoa..." The girl looked up at her sobbing uncontrollably. She immediately closed the door and walked into the hallway with the girl.

"H-He f-forgot e-everything!" She only just managed to get that part out as she literally in hysterics.

"Rinoa, take a deep breath. I know it's hard, but you need to calm down." Quistis said, trying to calm her down.

"I c-can't! H-he doesn't even k-k-know who I a-am!" People were starting to stare, she couldn't let her into her dorm with Squall there. That would get her even more upset and confuse both of them.

"Okay, come on. I'm going to take you to the bathroom, alright?" Rinoa nodded, starting to hyperventilating as the blonde brought her to the staff washroom. She opened the door with her key card and sat the other girl on the toilet.

"I f-feel sick." Rinoa mumbled, gripping the walls.

"You've got yourself worked up," The blonde explained. "Your nerves are making you feel nauseous. Try to calm down and you'll feel better."

"I just... he doesn't r-remember me... H-how can he forget? We w-went through so much together..." She said, still burying her face in her hands.

"Shh... It'll be alright." Quistis said hugging her. "Squall will never forget about you. You two love each other so much. He'll remember you in no time, and when he does, everything will be okay again."

"B-but what if he doesn't remember? God, Quisty, I love him so much... I can't lose him!" Rinoa sobbed.

"You won't." The blonde told her firmly. "I promise."

"Really?" Rinoa asked quietly.

"Yeah. Are you feeling any better?" She asked softly.

Rinoa nodded, forcing a smile. "I-It's a pretty nice bathroom." She joked, trying to push the thoughts of losing her love from her head.

"It is." Quistis said with a small smile, releasing the other girl from the hug. "I know it's a lot to take in," She said softly, "but you have to trust that Squall will come through for you, alright?"

"Okay." Rinoa whispered, getting up and wiping her tears away. "Should I say goodbye now then?" She asked.

"What?" Quistis asked, confused.

"You're leaving in the morning, right?" Rinoa asked, starting to think she got her facts crossed by mistake.

"Oh, yes... I am." She admitted slowly.

Rinoa smiled sadly, "Take good care of Squall for me, okay?"

Quistis nodded, "I promise."

"I hope no one's waiting for the bathroom." Rinoa joked quietly.

Quistis looked at her, "Rinoa...will you be alright?" She asked concerned.

"No," She whispered softly. "But," She smiled at the other woman. "I will be."

"Do you want me to walk you back to your room?" Quistis asked, Rinoa shook her head.

"No, I'm okay. I'm gonna stop by Selphie's room on the way back." The blonde nodded, opening the door to the washroom.

"Um, hey, Quistis?" Rinoa asked.

"Yeah?"

"Thanks." Rinoa said.

"Don't mention it," She smiled. Rinoa waved as she walked away, her hand firmly gripped around the ring Squall had given her.

Quistis took a shaky breath, before going back to her dorm. Squall was still seated in his seat. "Sorry." She apologized, "Was I long?"

Squall shook his head. "No."

"Okay. Good." She sighed and went back to her packing, returning to the shirt drawers.

"There's so many things I don't know..." He said, frustrated. "Do I know any other people here?"

She nodded, "Lots. There's so many people that need you to remember..."

"Even you?" He asked, getting up and sitting beside her.

She smiled bitterly, "Especially me."

Squall sighed, smoothing his hair back. "I feel like you're the only one I can trust," He said quietly. She was almost positive her heart skipped a beat; but she knew he didn't mean it. He was just confused, if it had been Selphie or even Xu talking to him in this situation he probably would have said the same thing to them.

"Why's that?" The blonde asked quietly.

"I don't know, it feels like I've known you forever for some reason. ...Have I?"

"Sort of." She whispered, getting up and walking over to her desk.

"Sort of?" He repeated, confused.

"Yes." She glanced back at him. "You should probably start packing, and get some sleep. Do you remember where your dorm is?"

He shook his head. "I'll walk you there then." Squall got up and followed her when she opened the door quietly and stepped into the hallway, which was practically empty.

"Where is everyone?" Squall asked quietly.

She looked at her watch, "Probably in the Quad, Selphie's getting the Garden band to play tonight."

"Selphie? Who's she?" Squall asked, looking at her expectedly.

Crap. She did it again. "She's from Trabia Garden." She said, he looked at her waiting for more. "I'm sorry, Squall; but if I tell you about everyone you've ever know in one sitting you'll be even more confused. Tomorrow we'll go over people from Balamb, alright? But right now, you need to get pack."

He frowned, but nodded. She stopped when they got to his dorm, "Do you have your key card?" She asked, turning to him.

He fished through his pockets for a moment, and produced the key card. "Is this it?" She nodded.

"Okay, now swipe it through there." He did so obediently. It beeped and the door opened with a 'whoosh'. He walked in slowly.

"Do you remember this room at all?" She asked quietly, he shook his head and walked over to sit on his bed.

"I don't remember anything here." He said quietly. "I don't even know what drawers my clothes are in."

She looked at him smiled sympathetically. "Do you want help?"

He shook his head, "No, it's fine. You should probably be getting back anyways, right? You still have to finish packing."

She looked at him for a moment as if making sure he was alright to be on him own. "Alright then. If you need anything my dorm number is 10H, it's just down the hall to the right."

Squall nodded and she cast one last glance in his direction before leaving quietly. He watched the door close and turned back to his room. He sighed, examining room. Books were neatly shelved in the book case, with the exception of one or two which were sprawled across the desk along with various piles of paper work.

He immediately spotted a framed picture on his desk, slowly he picked it up and looked at it curiously. It was picture of himself and that raven-haired woman again. "Who are you?" He whispered to himself.

[ o [ o [ o

"Matron, I don't think I can do this." Quistis whispered.

The older woman smiled in sympathy at the young instructor, as she helped fold a blouse and put it in the almost full suitcase. "I'm confused," The blonde said quietly, placing a pair or gloves in and then zipping the suitcase shut and dragging it to the door. "I-I don't know what I'm feeling, Matron. I thought it was just a sibling sort of love... but I'm not so sure anymore. I know that I can't interfere with Squall and Rinoa... they love each other so much.. but I still love him." She took a shaky breath and let out a bitter laugh, "I must be stupid."

Matron shook her head, "No, dear." She smiled, "Just misplaced. Now get some sleep, it's going to be a long day tomorrow. Sleep well. We will see you off in the morning before you leave." The door shut with a soft click, and the ex-sorceress was gone.

Quistis managed to nod, the words unrequited love seemed to echo in her mind. She curled up into a fetal position and tried to fall asleep.