Chapter 10 Brick By Brick

Author's Note: A thousand apologies again for being so tardy! Anyways, I just discovered a thing called C-2? in , so I created a Quall community! Anyone who wants to be a staff member can email me and I will gladly let you in . The whole aim is to give easy access to Quall fics, so they're within easy reach!

He glared in distaste at the raven-clad men standing outside the door. He couldn't see their eyes, but it wasn't hard to see that they were wrinkling their noses. But they made an attempt to smile at the girl behind him. "Miss Yuna," They bowed and she smiled in return. "Did Madame inform you of our guest's quarters?"

"Yes," They nodded and moved out of the way. "Do you have any other orders?"

"None, thank you," Yuna opened the door and guided Storm in. Ever since they first collected him until now, he hadn't said a word. "These will be your rooms from now," She hoped her voice wasn't trembling. "My rooms are next door, Rikku's are next to mine and Quisty's are down the hall. Don't even think of escaping, because she's taken every precaution possible," her voice was heavy and he nodded slowly, though his mind was in turmoil. Wasn't he supposed to meet Seifer by now? Why is he here?

Patience, his tortured mind whispered. It looks like Quistis Trepe has some plans she doesn't wish to share with you yet. You've waited five long years; a few mere weeks or months would hardly make any difference. And if you want to run, you know you can. Just be patient and gather your strength.

"I think you should shower and refresh a bit," Yuna was walking around, switching the fixtures on. "Later Quisty will come and see you." She smiled and left the room, carefully shutting the door behind her.

Quistis was now heading back to the jet, her eyes kept fast on the gleaming hull of the Ragnarok. Behind her, Kiros and Rikku were trying to keep up. 'Sis!" Rikku cried desperately. "What are you planning?! And where are you going now?!"

Quistis halted in her tracks and glanced swiftly at the girl. "I am going to Balamb. I will be back in a few days time. Kiros, have Dr. Odine come and check on him. I want those wounds tended to."

"Sis!"

"And keep him under 24 hour surveillance," Quistis resumed walking again, ignoring Rikku. "Give him whatever he wants as long as it's reasonable. If he's leaving the grounds, make sure Yuna accompanies him."

"Then what about me?" Rikku finally got Quistis' attention. "You've given orders to everyone except me. Just how long can you ignore me?" She knew she was shouting now, but she didn't care. At least Quistis was looking at her now. For a moment Kiros held his breath, not sure how the older woman was going to respond.

"Calm yourself down, Rikku," Quistis' voice was as even as before. Rikku furiously clenched her fingers.

"There is a reason why I took him back. I will tell you... when you're ready to listen. Now I trust you to take care of affairs while I'm gone, is that clear?"

"...Yes." Rikku nodded sullenly. Quistis glanced at Kiros and he sighed. "Alright, you're the boss. It's suicide though, that's what they'd call it."

Quistis almost smiled, but turned heel and proceeded to the jet. A few seconds later the hatch closed and the jet took off with a roar.

Rikku watched helplessly as the jet disappeared into the clouds. "Doesn't she care how I feel...?"

Kiros gently touched her shoulder. "Your sister's wisdom is sometimes beyond us," He said gently. "Even I doubt her sanity now... but I can't risk disobeying. Now when we have a dead man in our hands."

Rikku furiously scuffed the ground with the toe of a sneaker. "She knows how much I hate him!" She hissed fiercely. "Why?! Why is she doing this?! Why doesn't she kill him? Why take him home and treat like some...some...guest?!"

Kiros shrugged helplessly. "Try to keep out of his way as possible, Rikku. And for the sake of your sister, don't do anything rash."

If I can stop myself, that is, Rikku thought murderously. If I can.

The pain almost made him keel over in the shower. But he gripped the rail and forced himself to accept the stinging agony running down his back. After a few more minutes of torture, he turned off the water and fumbled for a terry-robe. He paused in front of the mirror and a slightly cleaner, unkept skeleton looked back. He might have looked better dead, he thought. Yanking the door open, he was startled to see the coffee table full of food.

"We figured you would be hungry," Yuna's quiet voice floated to his ears and he looked at the girl. She sat on one of the sofas, with the dark-skinned man across her. Kiros, he recalled. Feeling that standing in front of the bathroom made him look stupid, he walked to the sofa and gingerly sat down, careful not to move his back much.

"I'll have a doctor this evening to look at your wounds," Kiros said calmly as Yuna poured coffee. Squall watched this with some fascination. It had been ages since he had made contact with people who did not intend to ham him... at least not yet. "Meanwhile, Quistis has instructed us to tend to your needs."

Quistis. The woman who took him out from that living hell . He glanced questioningly at Kiros, who frowned. "What's wrong? Why can't you talk?"

Slowly, Squall pushed back his hair and looked again at Kiros. But it was Yuna who understood. "Your throat... there's a scar."

"They crushed your larynx?!" Kiros cursed sharply and Squall felt the urge to grin. And grin he did. It was the first real grin that actually meant humor. Only, he never smiled in anything less that that twisted smile.

"Sis would not be happy..." Yuna paled. "Kiros..."

"I think she actually expects it." Kiros was fiddling with his thumbs now. The coffee was forgotten. "Quistis was prepared for the worse, you know that."

Squall got up and walked to the study table. Picking up a paper and pen, he scribbled something on it and showed it to Kiros. The writing was messy; the hand of someone who is out of practice but still legible.

WHAT DOES SHE WANT FROM ME?

Kiros exchanged helpless looks with Yuna. "We don't know," Yuna replied. "She... she made the decision without consulting us... and she won't tell us a thing. She only told us to watch after you – "

BAM! Yuna was stunned when Squall slammed his fist into the wall. "Storm!' Kiros said sharply but Yuna stopped him. "No, not Storm." Yuna said shakily. She turned to Squall, who looked at her questioningly. "Sis said Storm is dead. We will use your name from now on. Squall. Squall Leonheart."

Night had fallen in Balamb. Outside a modest two-storey building, a dark-haired woman serenely enjoyed the sparkling sky over a cup of coffee. The vast Balamb Reserve Forest lay before her, acres and acres of untouched forest and beasts living in its shelter. And on the other side of the forest...

She shook her head. It wasn't right to call it her plantation any longer. She had nothing now but this false identity and this false life. Nothing except her memories which should be kept buried. But a chance meeting with a girl a week ago changed that. A life she thought no longer existed resurfaced in her soul and she longed to return to those times... but it wasn't possible.

A discreet knock on her door made her get up and frown. A visitor at so late an hour? She approached the door and pressed the intercom. "Who's there?"

"...me."

Her eyes widened. How in-teresting. She unlocked the electronic locks and let her visitor in. "What a surprise," She murmured graciously and her visitor nodded. "It's been awhile, Lulu. Looks like you're doing well."

"I live." Lulu said shortly and motioned for her guest to sit. "Coffee?"

"If you don't mind."

Lulu took out two mugs from the shelf and began to brew some more coffee. "Don't tell me this is a courtesy call. I'm not that stupid."

"It isn't."

"Then?" She took the mugs over and sat opposite her guest. "I've told you before, I'm grateful to you for saving me but I can't work with you."

"It's not that either." Her guest sipped her coffee and set it back on the table. "Lulu, do you still remember our pact?"

"Of course. How can I, when it's right in front of me? I know you keep your word." Lulu laughed a little. "I don't want it, I told you before didn't I?"

"And I told you I couldn't take it." Her visitor looked out of the window now. "Lulu, sometimes I don't know what makes me do what I do, but I can't explain it."

"Sure, all of us do." Lulu said reasonably. "In your business, you must rely on your instinct if you're going to keep ahead. Your mind can only analyze what you see, but your instinct will tell you what you don't."

Silence.

"Did he feel the same way too?"

Lulu smiled sadly. "I can't really tell. He can see what we can't... and sometimes overlook the most obvious mistakes. Silly, isn't it?"

Her guest was quiet for a moment. "Did I do well, Lulu?"

Lulu gazed fondly at her guest. So vulnerable, yet so strong. So mature, at the same time she was still confused with her life. Amazing what time can do to you... "He couldn't have done better, I think." Lulu said softly. "This... wealth... he would never have dreamt it could be worth so much."

"...If there was a chance to see him, do you want to?"

Lulu laughed, but it was a bitter sound. "I dream of the trial every night. Every single detail still hurts me... because in the end, I could do nothing to save him." Tears began to pool in her eyes. "In the end all I could do was run..."

"I think... he would prefer to see you alive," her guest stood up and smoothed down her skirt. "He was a killer... but he valued those close to him. A real lion," She headed to the door and Lulu stood there for a long time, even when her guest had disappeared into the night.

"You too, are a lioness... Quistis."

Footnote: To those who have patiently waited for me, thank you so much from the bottom of my heart!