SWEET MERCIFUL CRAP! Where have I been you ask? Working, sleeping, and with a writers block. I just haven't seemed to be in the mood to do this for months. OKAY, Seven months if you want to get technical. Basically, my life has turned to crap over the past half year, and I'd really rather not talk about it. I'm going Squall on this one.

Cerulean Crystal: Don't worry about that loser, I'm paying him no mind.

Angry Girl: Please don't be angry at me, it was a writers block!

Verdanii: Thank you, I hope you keep reading.

Luis: I admit, I could have updated more, but for some reason, I wouldn't allow myself.

JadeAlmasy: I hope you like this one too.

Lady-Rinoa14: I hope you're right, being gone for 7 months REALLY has me worried about this one.

hibeki: Thank you. I hope you keep reading

pinklove: He's a little older in this one.

Jasmine32: I try to put some Laguna humor in each chapter.

Boleyn: Glad you think so.

Amarant Rose Coral: Thank you. I hope you stick with it.

Icedragon012990: I felt it appropriate, even though most schools do not.

Hunter Hatake and Roxxi Uchiha: I take it there's two of you. So I wrote some.

This chapter takes place four years after the last one, so try to keep an open mind.

CHAPTER 9: COWBOYS AND INDIANS

It had been four years since Laguna had become the president of Esthar, and he had to admit, he liked the job. It was a difficult job at times, but it really put a bulge in the Loire family bank account. His relationship with Raine had never been healthier, and the two children living in the presidential residence were doing great…well, sort of.

Now at nine-years-old, Ellone was now in school. She was doing excellent, and was pretty much the envy of her class. But with her gone all day, four-year-old Squall seemed to be bored out of his mind from the hours of 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Most likely it was because Ellone was the only playmate Squall had ever known. As Laguna shuffled through the mountain of paperwork on his desk, he soon felt his wife standing very close.

"Yes?" Laguna asked as he noticed Raine's presence.

"Laguna, have you noticed how…well…lonely Squall has been lately?" Raine asked

"He's been like that since he was two." Laguna said. "I just figured he would grow out of it."

"It's been two years and he hasn't grown out of it." Raine said. "There must be something wrong with him."

"Well, you said lonely." Laguna said. "Maybe he needs someone to play with?"

"But we don't know anybody else with little boys Squall's age." Raine pointed out.

"That's true." Laguna said. "But wouldn't that be picking Squall's friends for him?"

"So what do you suggest?" Raine asked.

"Take him to the park every once in a while." Laguna said. "He's bound to meet some other kids to play with."

"Somebody call the press." Raine said sarcastically. "President Laguna had a good idea."

"Har har har." Laguna said as he rolled his eyes.

At the park, Raine noticed Squall still playing by himself. Other than watch him like a hawk, the most she did was push him on the swings. Mostly, he would just keep climbing over the jungle gym.

Until two other boys about Squalls age showed up.

The first of the two boys was pretty short. He had big blue eyes and bright blond hair. He was carrying with him a toy bow and arrow set, and had a headband with a feather in it. Obviously, he was about to play a game with the other boy who was with him. This boy's red hair stuck out a little bit from underneath a cowboy hat he was wearing, and Squall noticed a plastic toy gun in his hand. No doubt, a game of cowboys and indians was about to start. Squall watched from a distance as the two ran circles around each other. Raine seemed anxious.

"That's right Squall," she whispered to herself, "make some new friends.

This went on for about five minutes before the smaller boy tripped on the sand, and began to cry. His mother was up making her way over to him, but much to Raine's surprise, Squall got there first, and helped the smaller boy back to his feet, which almost immediately stopped the tears.

"Are you OK?" Squall asked.

"Yeah, I'll be Ok.?" The blond haired boy said.

"Hey new kid, you wanna play with us?" Said the taller boy.

"Umm…" Squall looked around for confirmation, and found his mother sitting on a bench with a smile on her face. Her plan was working! Well, ok, maybe it was Laguna's plan, but still, it was working. Noticing the huge grin on his mothers face, Squall sensed that it was ok, and he agreed.

"What's yoor name?" Asked the smaller boy.

"Squall." He admitted.

"Ok Squall, my name's Zell." The blonde indian said.

"And I'm Irvine." The taller cowboy said.

"So how do we play now?" Zell said, "The sides aren't even!"

"We could all play a new game." Squall suggested.

Raine was on a high only rivaled by the time Squall spoke his first word. It wasn't the traditional "Mommy" or "Daddy" that most children spoke. Squall's first word happened to be "Sis", directed at Ellone. But the fact was Raine was ecstatic.

"Looks like our boys are becoming friends." A young blond haired mother said.

"That was the plan." Raine said, "The only playmate my son has ever had was his sister."

"Yeah, being neighbors, all our boys ever had was each other to play with." The other woman said. "By the way, I'm Sandra Kinneas. Irvine is my little boy."

"Mary Dincht." The first mother said. "I'm Zell's mother."

"Hmm, the main idea was for my son to make friends. Maybe I have too." Raine said. "Raine Loire."

"You're kidding!" Sandra said "First lady Raine Loire?"

"Afraid so." Raine admitted.

"What a small world." Mary said. "You must have flipped your lid when you found out it was your husband that sealed Adel."

"Honestly, I still have a hard time believing that he did it." Raine said. "He never acted so smart around the house."

"That was fun." Squall said. He and his new friends played Hide and seek all day.

"Yoo should get yoor mom to bring you back tomorrow." Irvine said.

"Ok, see you guys tomorrow." Squall said.

"Bye." Zell threw in. The three split up and headed back to their mothers. Later that night, Raine was telling Laguna about the new friends Squall had made during dinner.

"Two of 'em eh?" Laguna said. "Vat's mah boy."

"Laguna, don't talk with your mouth full." Raine said.

"I'm the president of Esthar." Laguna said. "I'll talk with my mouth full if I want to." Raine then reached over and smacked Laguna on the back of his head.

"See that Squall?" Laguna said. "It's called an example. Don't talk with your mouth full, or that's what happens." Squall simply nodded to his father, getting the idea.

"I smacked you for back talking." Raine said with a smile.

"That too." Laguna added. "Don't back talk either. But whatever you do. Don't back talk with your mouth full." Raine rolled her eyes as Laguna laughed at his own stupid joke.