He's dead.

Squall is dead.

Rinoa clutched the two rings in their hand. The wind blew hard, tousling her hair into total disarray. A faint whisper of I love you reached her ears, reminding her of Squall whispering the same words that fateful night. Some things can never be avoided, huh? He told her, People would talk about me in past tense after all. Then she clung to him, held him fast, never to let him go.

She clamped her hands to her ears. No.... NO!!! "No...." she said helplessly, falling down on her knees. Tears started pouring down her face, No. Please...

Selphie watched her friend helplessly. As much as she wanted to make the sadness stop, she knew there's nothing to be done. Rinoa loved Squall so much, everyone knew that. They had been through tough times; they've given up many things for each other. It's hard to accept that such a story would end so abruptly, so tragically.

Looking at the tombstone with Squall's name engraved in gold, Selphie knew she had to make Rinoa accept the tragedy, first step of which would be to make her believe that he isn't coming back. It's been a week since Squall's body was made to rest in this grassy cemetery and everyday, Rinoa would spend her time crying over her beloved's grave nearly the entire day.

"Rinoa..." Selphie said, grasping her shoulders. "It's ok..."

"It's not ok!" Rinoa snapped, pulling Selphie's hands off her shoulders. Then she continued sobbing, now leaning against Selphie for comfort. "He's gone," she whimpered.

"Oh, Rinoa..." Selphie rubbed her hand gently against Rinoa's back and shot a meaningful glance at Irvine and the rest of the guys. He returned the look and took one step forward but he hesitated on the next and decided to leave the two alone. There is nothing he can do to help.

"Rinoa…."

She gave a strong shove of her arm that sent Selphie tumbling away. "Leave me alone!"

Selphie, kind and understanding as she is, decided to give her friend all the space she wanted. Rinoa wanted to be alone? So be it. Knowing Rinoa, she would be able to gather herself up sooner or later. She'll get up… Selphie assured herself and left.

For the next few days, Selphie, as well as the others who believed in Rinoa's strength, realized that they were wrong.

"She's a complete wreck." Selphie whispered as she emerged from Rinoa's room. Irvine and Zell were all looking at Rinoa's door, then to her.

"We have to do something!" Zell insisted, keeping his voice as low as possible. "How about cheering her up?"

"I've already done that and it's no use. She wouldn't even look at me." Selphie said helplessly.

"Maybe you lack enthusiasm… maybe you're…" Zell trailed off, looking at Irvine as he took a step toward Rinoa's door. "I'll handle this." He said, fixing his cowboy hat. Selphie stepped aside, darting questioning glances toward Zell, who, on the other hand, kept shrugging. When the door slid close and Irvine was inside, Zell and Selphie pressed their ears against the steel door to eavesdrop.

"Heyy… pretty…" Irvine said. "Wanna go out fishing with me?"

Zell and Selphie nearly exploded into peals of laughter at the other side of the door.

"Go away, Irvine."

"Oh come on, I can teach you how to catch the biggest fish in the world!" he said with pride.

"GO AWAY!"

It was more than enough to send him away.

After Rinoa's door closed behind Irvine, Zell and Selphie exploded into fits of laughter.

"I tried my best, alright? She wouldn't come with me."

"Who would?" Selphie said in between laughter. "Who ever said fishing is the most enjoying past time in this world? Even if you asked me the same thing, I wouldn't go with you."

Irvine darted an accusing glance toward Zell. "I never said that," was the answer. "I simply said that women go for men who can survive in a crisis."

"Ok… ok…"

Meanwhile, Quistis was on her way to her room when she overheard the noise. Although her room was at the other end of the hallway, she decided to take the left hallway and check the students responsible for the commotion.

"Quisty!"

"You, of all people, should know that making any form of noise along the dormitory area is strictly prohibited." She scolded as she started toward the three. "And of all places…" she glanced meaningfully at Rinoa's door.

"We were attempting to cheer her up." Zell said.

"And?" she asked, hands on her hips. "How was it?"

All three nodded simultaneously.

"Just as I thought."

Selphie shrugged. "She wouldn't listen…hey… maybe you could talk some sense into her."

"Me?"

Irvine shrugged. "You're the only one among us who never tried."

Quistis shrugged. "I think she'll get over it."

"It's been months." Irvine said practically. "It's about time we interfere."

"It'll even take a year to recover from something as painful as that." Quistis answered matter-of-factly. "I mean, put yourselves in her shoes. How would you feel? Losing someone really special isn't like losing a game, or ruining your new pair of whatever stuff you're obsessed with. She lost Squall, and he's gone for good."

Selphie shrugged. "I know… but take one look at her, Quisty. She's torn apart!"

"She should be." Quistis said with a faint touch of sadness that went unnoticed, except by her. I am, too… With that, she turned her back and headed for her room, leaving the three in silence as they exchanged questioning glances.

"Oh well…" Irvine began, breaking the silence. "We better leave her now, I guess."

With a nod, the three agreed to go on their way.

Quistis was in her room, completely incapable of accomplishing the paperwork stacked on her desk. The sudden unearthing of her emotions regarding Squall's death made her helpless. She never actually considered it, but at that very moment, she really felt the strongest impulse to cry. The day of Squall's death, she felt like she was split in two and the other half died with him. She's got feelings for him, sure, but Quistis held it in check. Sensible woman that she is, she knew it would be of no use to her. Squall loved Rinoa. Rinoa loved Squall. That's all there is to it. Why the hell would he go at extreme, nearly impossible lengths just to have her back? Quistis understood and accepted that fact, and she stepped aside… not that she really had to. Should she stand in the way of those lovebirds, it would never matter. It'll still be Squall and Rinoa in the end.

Well, that was easier to accept than to have him leave for a place where no one, not she nor Rinoa, could reach. And thy will never see him again but in the deep recesses of their thoughts called memories.

Clenching her hands into tight fists, she slammed them against her desk and surrendered to the heavy tears building up at the corner of her eyes.

Selphie decided to meet up with her other friends. Since Squall's death, which was three months ago, she had completely shunned her activities, even her responsibilities at the Garden Festival Program she had set up. For one thing, she couldn't really force herself into being her old self and make things seem as if nothing has happened. And for another thing, she couldn't have fun without her best friend, Rinoa, laughing with her.

Oh, Rinoa… She glanced at her right and realized she had paused right in front of her door. Rinoa's in there, she thought, weeping her heart out for the next twenty-four hours. Then she recalled the look of rejection on her best friend's face when she offered explanations and ended up being shoved away. She was hurt, but Rinoa's pain was even greater. And Selphie wanted to extend a helping hand, if not a shoulder to cry on.

Turning, she decided to try her luck and step inside. Maybe Rinoa is a little more levelheaded today. But she was held back by voices coming from inside. Somebody's inside! Who is it? She pressed her ear against the door and listened. Quisty?

"You have to get past this, Rinoa…" Quistis said strongly. "Just take a good look at yourself. You don't sleep. You seldom eat. You talk to no one. You cry all day. Do you think you'll get anywhere with this?"

"None of your business!" Rinoa fought back, turning her back on Quistis and folding her hands over her chest. "You guys have been snooping around and it's irritating me! Don't I get my privacy in this place? This is my life, and it's none of your –or anybody else's- business."

"We understand how hard it must've been for you. We know it'll be hard for you to get back up on your heels and all we wanted was to help you. Selphie… she's worrying about you. She hardly works with the Garden Festival and.…"

"And it's my fault?"

"No. Several times she tried to cheer you up and what, you sent her away. Do you understand how hard that must've been for her? Everyone's been very understanding as far as you're concerned, but you… you've become the opposite of what I once thought you were." With a twinge of despair, she said, "Rinoa, I thought I know you… Now it turns out as if I was wrong about you. And Squall…"

Her voice softened. "Please don't … bring… that up." Then, standing by the window, she fell to her knees and started crying. Quistis ran to her side.

"Shh… it's alright. You have to let it out sometimes to be able to get past it."

"I love him so much, Quistis. I miss him!" she wrapped her arms around Quistis and cried on her shoulder. "He doesn't deserve to die just like that… he doesn't…" her voice trailed off and started sobbing even harder. "He doesn't deserve it. It's so unfair."

"The world can be really unfair sometimes." She said with sadness, remembering the times she had asked herself how could Squall love Rinoa and not love her?

"He doesn't deserve it." Quistis repeated to herself as she gave in to her own emotions… and wept.

"I won't let anybody talk about him in past tense…" Rinoa muttered under her breath.

The next day, Selphie decided to pay Rinoa a visit. Considering the conversation she accidentally overheard between Quistis and Rinoa, she expected some sense in her friend today. If there were one person in this world who could talk some sense into anyone, Quistis would be that person. It was quite surprising, though, that Quistis came to talk to her… perhaps even offered her stronger shoulder for Rinoa to cry on. She knew by instinct that the two never got along well, perhaps not as well as Selphie was with the rest of the gang. There was some unnamed distance between the Rinoa and Quistis, and Selphie sensed it. Determined as she was to bridge that gap, she was just as afraid to do so. Interfering with that unspoken rift was like walking into dangerous grounds and Selphie wasn't prepared to do that.

But last night, Selphie foresaw that gap vanish into oblivion… and was glad. For that, she was in very high spirits as she got out of bed. First thing that came to her mind was to visit Rinoa, half-expecting to see her sweet smile.

She knocked, then listened for any stirring movements coming from inside. Pressing her ear against the surface of the door, Selphie heard nothing. Maybe she's asleep, Selphie thought so she decided to go inside.

To her surprise, she found no one.

On the bed, she found an old, hardbound book, its pages wrinkled with time. Settling herself onto of the bed, Selphie carefully observed the things surrounding scattered across the bed: pieces of paper, several stands of hair (black hair, probably Rinoa's), Squall's ring, and an Ouija board.

"Oh my…"

Selphie hurriedly left the room. She had a particular idea in mind, and she couldn't believe Rinoa would actually consider doing it. It once came to her mind -- to use sorceress powers in order to bring Squall back – but Selphie never really considered it possible. For one thing, the sorcerers have all been doomed, and the only way to bring them back is to summon.

Rinoa, what have you done?

To summon the sorcerers would be to put all their hard work -- especially Squall's – into waste. All those fighting and death…

As Selphie raced her way to Headmaster Cid, she wished with all her heart she were wrong.