Part 16:
Zell and Quistis stared at badly hurt Seifer for a few seconds, gasping after carrying him all the way into the cabin.
'…now what?' Zell asked Quistis impatiently.
'…humph… now...C'mon Zell, what do you mean with "now what"!...we're going to restore his health, that's what we're going to do…get him back on his feet!...' Quistis was feeling cocky…
'…awe!...no way!...C'mon…you must be jokin'!' Zell didn't like the idea…
'…no, I'm not joking…now do me a favour and cast Full Cure on him…NOW!' Quistis ordered.
'…Hey!...You wanna bring the bloke back, you do it!...I can't take his guts, why should I "cure" him…!' Zell disagreed.
'Zell, I have no Cure's left, alright? Now, just do it, so we can get over and done with this…we can't just leave him this way, ok? It's not right; he's one of us…' Quistis tried her best to get Zell to do it, being less bossy this time.
'…Ok, ok…there's my masterpiece going down the drain…didn't even get to photograph him, damn it!' Zell mumbled to himself as he opened his hand in Seifer's direction to cast it on him.
'What was that?' Quistis pulled his hand down, before he could cast Full Cure on Seifer…
'…Huh!' Zell frowned awkwardly at her.
'…something about a "masterpiece going down the drain" and "taking a photograph"? Zell what did that mean! '
Quistis was starting to loose it…
'…oh! That!...umm…errr…when I said masterpiece, you see, I meant…err…you know…a…a bet!...Yeah, that's it…I made a bet with a…a…Irvine, that…errr…'
'Zell, stuff it!...If what I'm thinking is right…you are so dead…!' Quistis took Zell by his collar.
'Whoa…whoa! Hey take it easy, Quisty!...It was a joke…a stupid one…really!' Zell started revealing the truth…
'…ZELL! How could you! I don't believe this...' she threw Zell down brutally and clapped her hand to her head in disbelief.
'…I'm sorry Quisty!...It was an accident! I mean…ya know…it was just a joke, an innocent one…please…for-give—me?'
'…yeah, right…an innocent joke… that almost killed him!…If I hadn't showed up, that flipping Unicorn beast would have tore him to bits…and why?...all because Zell decided to tie him up to a tree in one of the worlds most dangerous forests! Nice going Zell!...nice going!' Quistis turned her back to Zell in disapproval.
'…I…I'm sorry…' Zell mumbled a few seconds later, now sitting on the floor next to the bed's foot end.
'…I'm sorry Quistis, will you forgive me…?' Zell asked her softly, afraid of having his eyeballs scratched out of his head…
Quistis sighed as she closed her eyes for a few moments, trying to regain her patience, counting up to ten and breathing out again…
'…fine…' she murmured as she looked at him.
'…Hey don't look at me like that, Quisty!...You know he deserved it, that and much more, I'm tellin' you!...'
'…but still Zell, you didn't have the right to just…' she waved her hand in Seifer's direction as she spoke…
'…why not!'
'…because Zell…Zell shut up and do as I asked…b- before I change my mind!' Quistis put one hand on her hip and pointed in Seifer's direction.
'…yes, ma'am!' Zell jumped up, turned to Seifer, opened his hand and…
'Full Cure!' he cast.
Blue and purple light sprung out of his hand involving Seifer's body magically as most of the cuts and bruises disappeared, leaving only a medium sized wound on his side, which had been from the beast's last attack…
'…that's the best I've got…I'm kind of scarce with HM 's ya know?...' Zell explained.
'…yeah…me too…we haven't been in battles for some time now, huh?' Quistis stared at Seifer…
'…yeah…hopefully we'll have some real one's in Ganahir…' Zell daydreamed as he punched the palm of his hand and grinned.
'...there are thousands of different species there, you know? Lots of new magic to draw…' Quistis daydreamed as well.
'...right… lets get going!...I swear Zell, if we can't find those two, this mission will be so much more complicated than it already is…' Quistis murmured as she took a few steps towards the door as suddenly Seifer opened his eyes slowly and stared at the ceiling.
'It's not like it's your fault, Quisty …they have minds of their own…' Zell followed her to the door.
'…where're you going…?' Seifer mumbled weakly.
'…oh, Seifer…I- I thought you were sleeping…' Quistis turned around the moment he spoke, getting the creeps as she heard his voice.
'…C'mon Quisty lets get goin' we don't exactly have all day, do we?' Zell took her arm as she walked towards the door.
'…well we were going to look for Squall and Rinoa, they're missing…we can't start our mission without them…' Quistis's head drooped down.
'…I can't see why…' Seifer replied tonelessly.
'Well I can. In fact, we all can, except for you really. Seifer, Squall is your comrade, we all are. Sooner or later you will know what that means, but in case you don't, I'll tell you: a comrade is friend, and you don't hurt friends the way you two did last night to each other…and if I were you I'd…' Laguna started as he walked in the cabin, looking at Seifer as he spoke, but Seifer didn't allow him to finish.
'…I don't need your lectures, thank you. I have better things to do then to listen to a failed Galbadian Soldier's speech, spare it for someone else who needs it…' Seifer interrupted Laguna as he kept on staring at the ceiling blankly.
'…it's Ok Laguna, it's no use anyway…' Selphie pat Laguna's shoulder friendly.
'…So…what's happening here…?' Irvine asked as sat on the old armchair.
'…we've got to find Squall and Rinoa, they're missing…something might have happened and we're here standing around like fools.' Quistis said anxiously.
'I'm sure Squall is Ok, I'm just kind of worried about Rinoa. She's just a girl, man!' Irvine shared his thoughts.
'Gosh, I hope she made it to Squall...' Selphie gasped.
'Calm down guys! Everything is going to be fine. Seifer get some clothes on, you're coming with us. C'mon guys, we're going to get Squall and Rinoa back!' Laguna tried his best to cheer everyone up again.
'We'll be waiting outside. C'mon guys…' Laguna made his way out of the cabin with the others.
Irvine looked in shock at Seifer's bad state silently and then anxiously at Zell, frowning nervously as Zell made him a "go" gesture, patting Quistis on her shoulder comfortingly. Irvine awkwardly walked out with the others.
'Lets go Quisty' Zell pulled Quistis by her arm as he made his way out, thinking she'd follow him, but she didn't.
'…it's Ok Zell, you go on. I'm coming, let me just stay here a little longer. I need to find some maps, the ones I had were destroyed.' She answered as she stared at Seifer who covered his face with his arm.
'…oh, o-ok…' Zell glared at her for a second awkwardly and then made his way out, looking back several times and finally shutting the door.
Seifer then heard Quistis walking away from the bed and opening some draws as she scuffled around in them.
As soon as she had found a map, she got up, and made her way towards the door, but the second her hand touched the door knob…
'Wait...' Seifer groaned.
Quistis froze at the sound of his voice, having all the hairs on the back of her neck stick up.
'Yes?' she tried to sound stable emotion wise, but the truth was that Seifer made her nervous, anxious, scared, angry, hurt…
'Why did you do that?' Seifer's tone softened a bit.
'…do what?' Quistis replied as she approached him thinking it was strange the fact he covered his face with his arm.
'…why did you…you know what I mean…' Seifer pulled his arm off his face and now looked at Quistis in her eyes as he sat up on his bed.
'…you mean save you from that beast?' she asked now stopping and taking a step back.
'…yeah…that's what I mean…after all, you're the one who planed that stupid prank on me, wasn't it…?' Seifer got up slowly and approached her slowly with a frown on his face. He looked kind of funny in his underwear, besides having a great, well-built strong body. But he was starting to scare Quistis, she was regretting not having left with Zell.
'…don't be ridiculous!...' Quistis crossed her arms, trying to mask her nervousness.
'…ridiculous, me?...the only ridiculous one here is you, denying facts, like a coward, besides being a failure.' Seifer smirked.
'…like a coward?...you mean like you?...and as for failure, if you're referring to being a horrible Instructor…don't hope I'll pass you next time, ok? I don't change for my students…specially when it comes to stupid ones…' Quistis chuckled sarcastically as he continued to approach her frighteningly.
'Did I hear right?...Instructor Trepe, calling me a coward and stupid?' Seifer grinned wickedly.
'Yes, that's exactly what you heard…' Quistis turned around and with one hand reached quickly to the door knob.
'Uh-uh…' Seifer grabbed her hand and forced it away from the door as with the other one he locked it with the key, took it out and threw it on the bed, turned his face back at her, now that he was much closer to her and with one hand held her face, forcing her to look at him as he stared into her eyes threateningly…
'…Seifer, let go of me!' Quistis struggled to escape from his hands.
'…admit it…' Seifer's shocking cold blue intimidating eyes were closing in on hers.
'Seifer, I don't know what you're talking about, just let go of me…' Quistis tried to release herself. Besides knowing who the real culprit was, she wasn't going to admit anything. She didn't want Zell to get into trouble any further…
'…are you sure? 'Cause I've got a strong feeling you're the one who has certain issues to straighten out, isn't that so?…'
Quistis started feeling helpless; she didn't want to scream either, so she remained silent, tired of his stupid accusations.
'Awe…the little Instructor decides to remain silent. I guess that means it was you, after all, huh?' Seifer smirked.
This is when a desperate idea occurred in Quistis's frustrated tired mind.
Quistis's eyes shut and her body went limp as if she had fainted, making Seifer panic and grab her by her arms, avoiding her from falling.
Seifer looked at her in surprise for a few seconds, shook her a bit, trying to wake her up.
Seifer just kept quiet, flipped her over his shoulder and rested her in the armchair carefully, sat on the floor next to her and watched her. Quistis pretended to be fainted and tried her best to look really unconscious, not knowing exactly what she would gain with it.
Seifer then blew her hair out of her face. Quistis eyes twitched…
'Humph…you're really bad at pretending!' Seifer smirked as now Quistis opened her eyes quickly and kicked Seifer backwards as she tried to make a quick run towards the door, just that when she reached it, it was locked…
'…need these!' Seifer grinned demonically at her as he wiggled the key in his hand and approached her once again.
'…give me it or I'll scream…' Quistis warned him, now moving backwards, leaning against the door uneasily as he came along.
'…that won't be necessary, will it? All you have to do is asked for it nicely…'
'…give it to me…' Quistis spoke threw her teeth.
'Ok, I will. If it means so much to you, I will…' Seifer leaned against her and now was very close to her, too close actually. But as usual, Quistis's body went all numb again and the only thing she could feel was Seifer's warm breath hovering on top of her.
'…take it…' he whispered in her ear as he held the key in front of her.
Quistis didn't know what was happening to her, her whole body was completely numb and she couldn't control any of her movements; she seemed to be mesmerizing somehow.
'…c'mon…I thought you wanted to leave…' he whispered as a horrible grin grew on his face.
Quistis was trying her best to keep her eyes open and to move her body, but somehow, the warmth of Seifer's body and the sound of his strong voice whispering in her ear had an awful effect on her, paralysing her like some poisonous creature…
Seifer turned his face slowly to look at her.
'Changed your mind?' he glared at her with a grin on his face.
Quistis just looked into his eyes bleakly and helplessly, he held some kind of force over her, forbidding her to react…
'I thought so…' Seifer pressed his face against hers and kissed her slowly, for he knew she was under his control.
Suddenly, a voice sounded:
'Hey Quistis! Everythin' alright in there?' Irvine called for her.
Quistis's eyes opened wide, the silence was broken and she could now feel her body again…
'Urgh!' Quistis kicked Seifer in his private parts while he still held on to her and kissed her, making him part quickly. She grabbed the key from his hand, pushed him backwards as he fell and curled on the floor wincing in pain and finally answered Irvine:
'Yes, I'm coming!'
Quistis then knelled down to Seifer and grabbed his soft spiky blond hair brutally
'…You know what?...I should've let that Unicorn beat the living days out of you ...I don't know what I was thinking to have saved your useless life…and one more thing, if you ever touch me again, I'm going to make sure you die in a lot of pain, do you hear? ' she hissed at him, dropping his head on the floor carelessly, getting up afterwards and leaving the cabin, leaving Seifer alone in pain as he heard the conversation outside…
'Isn't he done yet?' Laguna asked Quistis as she came out.
'Umm…no, actually I think he needs some help…' she chuckled sarcastically, conscious that he was hearing her.
Meanwhile, in the forest…
Rinoa slept with Squall in her arms, both of them leaning against the old log as the fire burnt lively next to them.
Squall's swollen eyes opened slowly, hurting a bit with the intensity of the fire's light. He was facing the sky, but he felt somebody's warm skin against his, so he turned his neck slightly and found himself facing someone's raven dark hair. He instinctively touched it, brushed it away with his fingers and saw the profile of a girl's angelical face…
He remained silent, frowning, feeling awful. How did she get there? Why is she here?
Squall was confused, for he had dreamt he had had a long conversation with Rinoa and that she had forgave him, and now there she was…holding him with so much care.
Squall just sat there a few moments staring at her, not knowing what had happened, what he was going to say, how she would react or what he had to do…
He tried lifting up, feeling a cold metal object touch his skin; he had his griever on.
This made him frown and grab it, looking at it in wonder. He thought he had dropped it in the forest and now it was around his neck like always.
'What's happening?' he thought to himself.
He tried to remove Rinoa's arm from of his shoulder without waking her up…but he failed…
'Hmph…' Rinoa turned her neck to face him as she opened her eyes and found her lover right in front of her…this made her smile.
'…' she smiled at him as he just kept still as a rock, with his mouth slightly open and his eyes wide open.
'…it's Ok…' she whispered at him, smiling sweetly at him afterwards.
'…but…' Squall tried to understand what was happening.
'…just forget it. It's not important. I understand…you don't need to say anything, everything's fine…I just need to know one thing…' Rinoa caressed his face as she spoke to him.
'…what do you need to know?' he asked still, a little puzzled.
'…can you forgive me?' she asked him seriously.
'…forgive what?' Squall chuckled slightly.
'…for what I said last night…I promise you, I had no idea what you were going threw, I was selfish…I know, but I'm sorry, really I am…'she spoke softly in a sad tone of voice as if she were about to cry…
'…don't say that…' Squall gasped softly as he grabbed her arm and pulled her towards him to hug her.
'…I'm sorry…' he gasped softly again…
'…Squall its ok, really… I understand…' she gasped into his shoulder.
'…I don't know what I was thinking…I promised never to leave you and I almost did…I'm so sorry…' he gasped shutting his eyes tightly as he held her very close.
'…Squall it's alright. I mean it. It's not your fault, these things happen… 'she murmured softly as she embraced him tightly as well.
'…I don't care; I shouldn't have put you through that! I'm such a jerk…I'm so sorry!' he gasped still shutting his eyes tightly and holding so very tightly to her, feeling awful.
'…sorry…' he murmured in deep sorrow with a deep voice.
'Squall!' Rinoa parted from the hug and held his face with her hands, forcing him to look her in the eyes.
'…there's nothing to be sorry for. Trust me, I understand. I know what's been going on in your heart…I know you're sore, I know what's making you hurt…' she whispered glaring at him lovingly.
'…' Squall kept silent and his eyes dropped down in sadness along with his head…
'No you don't, it's not what you think it is, Rin…it's more complicated than it seems…' he murmured sadly looking down.
'Squall, it can be simple if you want…sometimes we're the ones who complicate everything, you know?' she murmured back at him, now putting her hands around his face comfortingly.
'I wish, Rin…' he chuckled bleakly.
'It's not hard if you try…' she smiled trying to give him some hope.
'…Rin, it's not all that simple' he gave her a sheepish bleak corner smile.
'I know, I know…but Squall just think about it, ok? Promise you'll think about it? 'she kissed his cheek softly.
'Ok, I will. I promise.' he whispered.
'…are you willing to go back now?' she asked him sweetly.
'…I can't…' Squall murmured sadly as he grabbed his own hair and shut his eyes.
'Why? You're feeling better aren't you? Besides it would make Laguna so happy…' she smiled dreamily.
'Yeah, but…what do you mean with "it would make Laguna so happy"?' Squall frowned a bit puzzled.
'Oops…' she smiled sheepishly.
'…oops?' Squall smiled slightly.
'Squall, I…as I said before…I know what's been on your mind…and when I say this I'm not only referring to Seifer and all that but also to Laguna…Squall, I know Laguna is your fa…' Rinoa tried to explain, but…
'…hold on, hold on…Rin, you're telling me you already know of me and…that he is my…' Squall gaggled nervously.
'Yes…' Rinoa nodded, looking him in the eyes with some sorrow.
'…' Squall's mouth dropped slightly open…
'Ok…ok…now besides wanting me to be his son seventeen years later, he also goes around telling everyone else, before he even tells me…that's fine, just fine…' Squall laid his head back on log carelessly.
'See, Rin…now you know why I can't go back…that's just one more reason for me never to talk to him ever again…now I'm really not going back…' Squall mumbled covering his face with his arm…
'But Squall…!' Rinoa tried to explain…
'…Rin, lets just forget about it…I don't wanna waist one more second thinking about this, the sun is up…I should start making my Journey to Ganahir…and you coming with me…I won't let you go back…not where Seifer is…as long as you're with me you're safe, that's all that matters…' Squall got up and cast ice on the fire, making the fire ice up, grabbed his Gunblade furiously and walked towards the trees…
' …hey!' Rinoa got up and ran after him, yanked him by his arm and forced him to stop…
'Squall, Laguna hasn't told anyone about you being his son, I'm the one who found out…Squall, he would have never told everyone else about this, before he actually told you…He would have never done that…' Rinoa told him, trying to bring him back to his senses.
'…so, you see? It's not all that bad, is it?' Rinoa smiled at him, rubbing his hand gently as she spoke.
'How do you know, then? I never told anyone about it…' Squall mumbled.
'Know what?' Rinoa asked puzzled.
'How do you know that Laguna's m-my father?' Squall looked at her with a puzzled frown.
'…oh…well…to be honest, Squall,…you told me…' she looked at him sheepishly.
'What!...Oh c'mon, Rin!' Squall smiled in disbelief…
'Don't laugh, Squall it's true!...' Rinoa smiled too and spanked him on the arm.
'…oh yeah?...well that I can remember I haven't spoke to you about that yet…I mean I just found it out last night and all…' he giggled looking at her adorably.
'…but you did tell me! I swear you did, just that you don't remember because…'
'No, don't tell me… I don't remember because ('you were sleeping!)I was sleeping?' they both said the last words at the same time…
'Ha!...You're kidding!...' Squall smiled.
'No, no, no! I'm telling the truth!...You spoke to me in your sleep…last night, when I found you here sleeping...it was …so unusual…special…' Rinoa said dreamily remembering his words…
'Are you sure?...'cause I remember dreaming of you, but I can't remember telling you any of that…' Squall concentrated now…
'That's because you were telling me things you held so tightly to, silly…not even in your dreams you'd tell me…or maybe you would, just not so early…'Rinoa explained.
'Oh yeah?' And tell me something, what else did I tell you? 'Cause you know, I'm starting to worry here…' Squall chuckled nervously.
'…oh, nothing much…just that… oh let me see…that I have beautiful hands and…what else let me see… umm…' Rinoa looked at him charmingly touching her hands as she spoke.
'Ok, ok…that's enough…I don't think I wanna hear the rest…just keep it to yourself…' Squall started to blush…
'You know, I think I'm going to start talking more to you while you're sleeping, you are such a darling…!' Rinoa teased him.
'…Hey that's not fair, that's private stuff…' Squall complained playfully.
'…I'm joking, I love you anyhow…sleeping or awake, secrets or no secrets…You'll always be my Squall Leonhart…won't you?' she smiled and gave him a peck on the cheek.
'Whatever…' Squall smiled lovingly at her, grabbing her waist like he always did and kissed her passionately.
When they parted, Squall looked at her weirdly at her…
'I don't get it…I don't usually talk in my sleep…at least I ever used to…' Squall held her next to him as he concentrated on finding an answer…
'…hey, don't worry…I heard once that people usually talk in their sleep when their under great pressure or grief…It must have been this whole situation that caused you to call me in your sleep, maybe also because I started talking to you…' Rinoa said sincerely.
'I suppose…' Squall looked at her in worry…
'I've told you: don't worry, you aren't vulnerable, if that's what bothers you…to the contrary, you are strong…very strong…' Rinoa looked at him caringly.
'Yeah?' Squall asked her a decisively, but charmingly.
'Yeah…' Rinoa murmured reassuringly.
Squall smiled in response, once again, one of the most beautiful smiles she had ever known, the most sincere and warm smile she knew. And yet Squall wasn't in his finest shape, far too thin, underfed, eyes swollen, bloody nose and lips, bruises and cuts all over, untidy hair and torn and dirty clothes, he remained the most hansom man she had ever seen. The only one she truly loved.
After gazing at his lovely smile for a few moments, she kissed his sore lips lovingly with a true smile on her face…
To be continued…
Ok, part 16. Hope it pleased you, it was slightly larger then the others (huh? Angelo what do you think? Was it too short…? Huh? Huh?). Well, actually I finished this chapter off here because it sounded like a nice ending…Stay toned for part 17!
And please, please review…Have mercy! Thank you so much for reading, just that, brings me great happiness…Thank you so much. Love to all…