EverShadow: And thus begins the new life for Seifer and Quistis…and in this chapyter, you find out more of the aftermath.

Tiger of Blackness: ……I'm back.

EverShadow: You smell like smoke…

Tiger of Blackness: Eh…I'm going to bed.

EverShadow: Ok…on with the show.

What Ends Must Begin

"Seifer?" Quistis whispered as they walked through the blankness.

"Hmm?" He answered, looking back at her.

"I thought I heard someone scream…back when you were still fighting. I thought I heard Irvine scream. Is he ok?" Seifer turned back, going silent. Quistis felt chills run up her spine and she paled. "What happened? Is everyone ok?"

"Quistis…"

"It's not ok, is it?" Seifer sighed and closed his eyes. Instantly, they were transported to a place near the sea. It was a beautiful beach and in the background, there were tall majestic trees. The sun was shining and everything was perfect.

"We can live here." He whispered. "We never have to return to the world. It's a dark place out there."

"What have you done?" Quistis whispered.

"I've created a place where there's no pain. Quistis, this is the perfect place. We can live together here. We can just be, without any anguish, no anger, no fear or anything." He said, taking both her hands and looking around. "This is where we can be."

"How…"

"So long as we don't think about anything but this, we can just survive here. Can't you imagine it? Can't you? I'll build a house for us, I'll gather and hunt for food. We'll have little kids everywhere, just running around happily."

"It's an illusion." Quistis said, slipping out of his grasp. "If we had kids, they'd just exist in an illusion."

"It can be as real as you want it to be." Hyne said, appearing. Their heads snapped to the side. "That's what Time Compression is. It can be as real as you want it to be. If you really want this, then it won't be an illusion, it'll be your reality. You're kids wouldn't know, in fact, over time, you wouldn't remember, this is what would be your world."

"See?" Seifer asked, jumping up and down giddily. "We can live together without anyone always saying stuff about us!"

"Seifer…what happened to everyone?" The beach vanished, the trees were gone. They were once again back in Time Compression. Seifer sighed.

"Irvine…he's gone. I don't know if Selphie survived…it just happened. Rinoa…she's hurt badly. I don't know what happened to the Balamb units that were dispatched. Probably lost a lot of them." Quistis put her hand over her mouth in disbelief.

"No…"

"I don't know what happened either. One minute, cowboy was shooting wildly, the next minute…the Omega Weapon had stomped on him…" Hyne looked on grimly. Quistis's eyes watered.

"No…Selphie…Irvine…Rinoa…"

"That's why I'm asking for you to live in my reality, our reality. Please…"

"Seifer."

"We can escape."

"Seifer…"

"We would never have to cry again. We'd never lose each other again."

"Seifer no…no…it would be wrong. We'd be abandoning them. Even if…even if I have to go back and see so many people die…" Seifer took her hands and kissed them gently. "I want to go back."

"Ok." He whispered.

-

-

SeeD had lost numerous irreplaceable units in what would be considered the Omega War. Cid had dispatched several SeeD around the world to look for the Ultimate Weapon, which was still on the loose. But when Seifer carried Quistis Trepe back from the seemingly dead, everyone nearly fainted. Zell hugged the man, sobbing, saying how sorry he was for being so mean. That was, until Seifer kicked him.

"Let me get her back home first before you start blubbering!" He snapped though his eyes looked upon Quistis softly. I found you…he thought, feeling as though he himself could faint at any moment. It had been one hellava trip…and it wasn't over. She needed rest but at least she was safe.

-

"Where's Irvine?" It was the first thing Selphie whispered when she awoke. "Dr. Kadowaki?! Where's Irvine?!!" She grabbed at the doctor's coat.

"Selphie…there's something you need to see…" The girl stood up shakily, tears already springing to her eyes. She knew something was wrong. Her heart knew it and she was afraid.

"He…he'll be ok…right?" Selphie stared at the body.

"Selphie…he stopped breathing three hours ago…we put him on a respirator but he just couldn't…"

"No, you don't know what you're saying, doc…you…you don't know Irvine. He'll come around the oaf. He's too strong…" She whispered from the wheelchair. "He's my man, he…he…Irvy baby…come on." She gave a strangled sob before bursting into tears. "IRVINE!! NOO!! IRVINE…please…" Dr. Kadowaki walked out.

"How is she?" Zell asked.

"It's going to be hard coping…"

"Are you sure he's…well…gone?"

"Yes. Science doesn't lie. It would take a miracle to bring him back…a miracle neither science nor magic can produce." Kadowaki replied. Zell stuck his hands in his pockets and sniffed. "How are your wounds?"

"They're ok. Seifer's roughed me up worse so I'll be ok. How are the others?"

"Quistis is awake but Rinoa's still in her coma. About a dozen SeeD are dead, a few dozen more are injured, some are on the brink of death…Seifer's watching over Quistis. You can visit him but Squall I would leave alone."

"Ok." Zell replied, walking over to the door. He opened it.

"Zell?" Quistis whispered from the bed. Seifer sat next to her, wrapped up in bandages and holding her hand.

"Hey…"

"Hey, chicken wuss."

"Seifer…" Quistis sighed. He shot her an apologetic look.

"Nah, it's ok. I've gotten used to it. Besides, he brought you back, he can call me whatever he wants." Seifer bit his tongue to stop from making any more comments or name-callings.

"How's Selphie?" She asked.

"Not good. She just woke up…Dr. Kadowaki showed her Irvine." Zell replied, looking at the ground. "It's not fair, you know? I want everything to be ok. I want everyone to be happy. I mean, you're alive but Irvine's dead and so are a lot of other SeeD. They didn't deserve it." Quistis sighed and Seifer snapped his head around.

"I know what you're thinking and Hyne help me if you say that you weren't worth it."

"I just wish we could've done it without the sacrifice. Even so…was I really that worth it? I'm just one person after all."

"Well, Miss Trepe," Zell said sheepishly. "We would've taken on the world for you." Quistis smiled at him.

"Besides, we would've needed to take down the Omega Weapon anyway." Seifer said. "That thing was too dangerous. It just so happened that the most beautiful, if a little domineering woman was trapped within it." She gave him a small smile and kissed his hand. Zell grimaced but let it go.

"Listen, Miss Trepe…"

"Quistis. Or Quisty, just like old times." She said.

"Quisty, I'm going to go and check up on some of the other SeeD, ok? You get better, you hear?" He stuck his hands in his pockets and stumbled outside. Quistis collapsed into a fit of tears, no longer able to keep her cool demeanor.

"Of all people…" she sobbed. "Why did Irvine have to die?" Seifer held her close and she found comfort in his strength.

"We can't help it now…" He whispered. She pulled away, shocked at his words. "It's true. We can't help it. What's left now is just Selphie. That's who we need to take care of."

"No, I refuse to believe that there's nothing we can do." Quistis replied.

"He's dead, Quistis…"

"So was I. People thought I was dead too."

"That's because the Omega Weapon took you. Irvine died, I saw him physically die!" Quistis shook her head.

"I just don't want to come back and start grieving immediately. It hurts me so much." She buried her head into Seifer's chest again. Seifer clenched his fists and stood up, looking angrily around.

"Hyne! I know you can hear me! Show yourself!" He shouted. Nothing happened. "Hyne! I swear that if you don't show yourself I'll make you regret it!" The door opened and Dr. Kadowaki stepped in.

"Quistis, there's a man here to see you. His name is…"

"Synk." Hyne walked in the room in his human form and smiled. Seifer and Quistis watched him strode over to her bedside.

"Ok, well, I'll leave you then." Dr. Kadowaki exited.

"Well, you're looking a lot better than when I last saw you." Synk laughed. Seifer growled low in his throat.

"Fix this. Fix this entire mess!" He ordered.

"How? I may be powerful but I'm certainly no life giver. I can't give him another life." He replied sternly.

"Yes you can! I don't care what it takes, this entire mess is…"

"Even if we could, what do you want to do about the other SeeD then? Do you value one person over another?" Synk demanded. "You tell me to save this man, what about the others? I keep telling you, I can't give him another life." He looked Quistis in the eye seriously.

"Wait, do you mean that…"

"What do you think I mean?" Synk asked.

"What do you think he thinks you think he means?!" Seifer demanded. Quistis nearly leapt up.

"We have to stop Kadowaki! Irvine's still alive!"

-

-

-

-

Tiger of Blackness: What? He's alive?

EverShadow: You'll see….

Tiger of Blackness: …this sucks.

EverShadow: You'll see. EverShadow signing off.