Sorry about the wait on this one folks. My sister was down here from Oregon with her two kids. I had to be the uncle who was completely badass at Video Games and couldn't find any time to write.

Cerulean Devil: All of those questions will be answered in due time.

zornoid13: Yeah, it took a while, but it's finally here!

Lady-Rinoa: Thanks for the encouragement.

JadeAlmasy: Exactly what I was thinking, but that may just be my ego again.

CHAPTER 5: SHOOTIN' THE BREEZE

Laguna wandered behind the counter at the pub looking for the phone. He had to give Kiros a call to make sure Adel got to where he wanted her to be. After pulling out his wallet to find the phone number, Laguna dialed Kiros' number. After a few rings on the other end, there was an answer.

"Hello?" The other person said.

"Is this Kiros?" Laguna asked.

"No, it's Ward, genius." Kiros said. "What's up, Laguna."

"I was just callin' to make sure everything went down alright."

"Yeah, everything's fine." Kiros said. "Adel's exactly where we want her. Dr. Odine keeps on babbling about how he wants to study Adel and her powers."

"So let him." Laguna said. "Adel's in no position to object."

"I guess that's true." Kiros said. "So when can we expect to see you again?"

"Not for a while, probably." Laguna said. "I came home to a hell of a surprise."

"What surprise?" Kiros asked.

"Turns out Raine's pregnant." Laguna said. "She's been pregnant since before we left. I had no Idea."

"Wow, what a shocker!" Kiros said. "Congratulations dad."

"Don't call me that." Laguna said. "At least not yet. It makes me feel old."

"So when is this baby due?" Kiros asked.

"Any day now." Laguna said. "I'm kinda nervous, I just know Raine's gonna be screaming that she hates me for what I did to her."

"Well, that's to be expected. I've heard painful things about childbirth."

"Don't tell me what they are." Laguna said. "I'm kinda hungry and don't want to lose my appetite."

"Sorry. Well, I guess I'll let you go then." Kiros said.

"Alright, take care of everything." Laguna said.

"I always do."

"Not when it comes to planning." Laguna said. "I'll see ya in a couple of weeks."

"OK, see ya." With that, Laguna hung up the phone.

"Uncle Laguna, who were yoo talking to?" Ellone asked.

"Kiros." Laguna said. "He's the one keeping an eye on Adel while I'm here."

"What did yoo do to her?" Ellone asked.

"I froze her and had her shot into space." Laguna said. "I have to keep her somewhere where I can keep an eye on her without being mean to people."

"People like us?" Ellone said.

"Yep, people just like us." Laguna said as he flashed the small girl a smile.

"Laguna, I need some help here!" Raine called from upstairs.

"Be right there." Laguna called back. "C'mon Ellone, let's go help."

"Ok!" Ellone piped up as she bolted up the stairs, Laguna not too far behind. Ellone waited at the door to the bathroom as Laguna stepped inside. Soon, he came back out with one of Raine's arms over his shoulders. Ellone wasted no time in grabbing Raine's other arm.

"That's it Raine, small steps." Laguna told her.

"Baby steps even." Ellone added. After a few moments, Raine was back in her bed.

"Thank you, both of you." Raine said, smiling at Laguna, and ruffling Ellone's hair.

"Hey, only Uncle Laguna's allowed to do that!" Ellone protested.

"Why is that?" Raine asked.

"Because he was the first one to ever do it!" Ellone squeaked. "So only he gets to do it, that's the rule."

"Oh, OK then, I wont do it anymore." Raine said.

"Ellone, why don't you go and play." Laguna said. "I have some things I need to talk to Raine about."

"Ok!" Ellone said as she ran back down the stairs.

"So what things do you need to talk to me about?" Raine asked.

"Actually, I first wanted to ask about our…baby." Laguna said. It felt weird that he could call a child his. "Stuff like what the gender is, the name, that kind of stuff."

"Laguna, we're having a son." Raine said.

"All right!" Laguna said. "Someone who I can pass guy stuff down to."

"Guy stuff?" Raine asked.

"You know." Laguna said. "Fishing, dirty magazines, homemade fireworks."

"What were you taught as a child?" Raine asked.

"Hey, Deling City is a lot different from Winhill." Laguna said. "If you didn't learn it in school, odds are you were going to pick it up on the street sooner or later. But enough about that, I'm sure you decided on a name already by now."

"I have." Raine said. "I want to give him Leonhart as his middle name, since his last will be Loire."

"OK, I'm fine with that, but what about a first name?" Laguna asked.

"Only one thing came to mind." Raine said. "I was thinking of naming him Squall."

"Squall Leonhart Loire." Laguna whispered to himself. "I…like it."

"Really?" Raine asked.

"Yeah, It's unique. Not many people are named Squall." Laguna said.

"What did you think I would name him?" Raine asked.

"I honestly have no Idea." Laguna said. "But you always have good ideas."

"Oh come on, it was a spur of the moment type thing." Raine said.

"Don't be modest, you're the best decision maker I've ever known" Laguna said. "Remember, you CHOSE to help me when I was hurt, you didn't have to."

"And look what came of it." Raine said. "I married a klutz."

"Gee, I love you too." Laguna said. "So I need your help with a tough decision I'm having."

"OK, so what is it?" Raine asked.

"After I sealed Adel and made that worldwide speech, the leader of the Esthar Army, General Frederic Mason approached me and made me an offer." Laguna said.

"What offer." Raine said.

"There's no way to build this up, so I'm just going to say it." Laguna said. "Raine, I've been asked to be Esthar's new President."

"Wow…I'm in shock." Raine said; her eyes wide open.

"I haven't given him an answer yet, but I promised him one face-to-face." Laguna said. "So sooner or later, after I've made my decision, I have to go back to Esthar."

"So what have you decided?" Raine asked.

"That's just it, I haven't yet." Laguna said. "If I accepted this offer, I'd be able to provide all of us with everything we would ever need. But I won't take it unless you come to Esthar with me."

"Laguna, this is so sudden." Raine said. "I've lived in Winhill all my life, it would be so hard to just pack up and leave."

"I know, so I'm not even going to think about this anymore until Squall is born and you can walk without help again." Laguna said. "So that's what I need help with, is deciding whether or not to take the offer."

"Laguna, you're babbling again." Raine said.

"Right, sorry." Laguna said.

"Tell you what." Raine began, "Let's sleep on it, think it over, and we'll decide later."

"Sounds good to me." Laguna replied. "Well, I guess I'd better get dinner on."

"That's another thing Laguna." Raine said. "Where in the world did you learn how to cook?"

"Shumi Village." Laguna replied without missing a beat. "I'm sure Ellone would tell you all about it." Laguna then served dinner, put Ellone to bed, and soon went to bed himself.

A few days later, Laguna felt a sharp jab in his ribs while he was sleeping.

"Ungh…I don't wanna go to school today!" Laguna mumbled in his semi-conscious frame of mind.

"Laguna, wake your ass up!" Raine called out to him. Laguna looked over that the clock and saw that it was 3:41 A.M.

"What is it Raine?" Laguna whined, "Was I snoring again?"

"Laguna, get the doctor!" Raine said. "My water just broke! The baby's coming!"