Chapter 8 – When Everything Blows Up In Your Face

Laguna lay dumbly on the floor. He felt as if he had cotton in his ears, and someone had hit him over the head with a truck. No, make that a tank. He searched through his mind, struggling to remember what had happened. Oh yes. Bomb. Large explosion. Very bad.

Vaguely, he was aware of something sitting on his chest. He shifted around to find out what it was, and immediately regretted it. Pain roared through his head. He fought to focus his eyes and struggled to see what was on top of him.

Immediately, he discovered that Kylah was on top of him, eyes still closed. This presented a small problem, as she was lying right on his sternum, which was beginning to ache impressively. He lay there for a moment, trying to remember the last time he had a beautiful woman on top of him. Realizing that this was probably neither the time nor the place, he gently tapped her on the shoulder. Receiving no response, he tried gently shaking her. She still didn't move. Finally, he shook her a little harder.

Her eyes flew open and she half sat up and looked around. She immediately focused her attention on Laguna, who was still patiently lying underneath her. She said something to him, but unfortunately he couldn't hear her as the cotton was still firmly wedged in his ears.

"What?" he asked, pointing to his ears.

"Are you okay?" she asked again, making sure to mouth the words in an exaggerated manner so that he could read her lips.

He nodded enthusiastically. "Just bumps and bruises. I'll be fine. Except, you're kinda sitting on my stomach and that really isn't very comfortable."

She quickly slid off of him and he took a deep breath to refill his lungs. Immediately, he began coughing when he got a big lungful of dust and debris.

Still slightly dazed, he began looking around to survey the damage. He was surrounded by chaos as news reporters and presidential aides buzzed around the room tending to wounded.

As he surveyed the room, trying to determine where he could be of the most assistance he found a familiar face among the wounded. His heart stopped and his throat closed so that he could not breathe.

Squall.

Kylah fought through blackness toward consciousness. Someone was annoyingly poking her in the shoulder. When she didn't immediately react, they began shaking her. Gently at first, they switched to a more forceful tactic when they still received no response.

She started awake and halfway sat up to see what in Hyne's name was going on. Finding herself lying in a debris-filled conference room and lying on top of Laguna Loire, she struggled to recall what had happened. When she remembered the bomb and the explosion, her training kicked in and she switched to concern for her client.

"Mr. President, are you okay?" she asked.

"What?" he mouthed, pointing to his ears. Obviously the close proximity to the explosion had temporarily left him unable to hear. This didn't surprise her since she couldn't hear her own voice.

"Are you okay?" she repeated, trying to help him to read her lips.

He nodded, and mouthed back that she was sitting on his stomach and that it was painful. She quickly moved away, allowing him to sit up. Still not completely assured that he truly was unhurt, she continued to watch him for signs of shock or concussion. He looked around the room as if in a daze, which started to raise concern for her. Suddenly, his expression changed to one of shock and horror.

She immediately turned around to see what had upset him so much. She quickly found it, and shock also immediately registered in her eyes.

Squall lay nearby, unconscious, blood pouring from a large wound in his neck.

Kylah immediately sprang to action, leaping over debris to get to his side. She immediately pressed her hand to the wound, trying to stop the flow of blood while checking his pulse with her other hand. He was very pale and still, which frightened her. Quickly she looked around for help, and found Laguna kneeling beside her, ready to offer his aid.

He tossed aside his tie and suit jacket, and to her utter shock ripped one sleeve off of his shirt. "Move your hand," he said to her, tugging on her wrist. She only stared at him in shock. "Move your hand," he repeated, not sure if she had heard him. When she still didn't move, he forcibly removed her hand from Squall's neck and proceeded to use the shirtsleeve as a bandage tying it firmly enough to apply pressure to the wound but not so tightly that it would cut of air flow.

Laguna then placed Kylah's hand back over the wound. He tugged her chin around so that she was looking at him so that he was sure she understood him. "Whatever happens, don't move your hand," he instructed, speaking slowly so that she could read lips if necessary.

She nodded in understanding. Laguna then stood, bent down and scooped Squall up. Adrenaline racing through his veins, he never even stumbled under the younger man's muscular weight. With Kylah struggling to keep up, Laguna moved quickly out of the chaotic room and toward the nearest medical facility, which happened to be there in the presidential palace.

Kylah barely had time to think as she raced alongside Laguna through the corridors. She had no idea where they were going, and only hoped that it would be some place where Squall could get immediate attention. She could feel her heart beating in her throat as she struggled to keep constant pressure over the wound as they rushed along. Silently, she prayed that Squall would be alright.

They soon arrived at the medical clinic and burst through the door. "We need a doctor over here," Laguna called out to whomever was listening.

"Mr. President!" a nurse cried, spying the blood that soaked Laguna's shirtfront. "Are you hurt?"

"No," he replied, "but he needs attention. Now."

The nurse took a brief survey of the situation. "Bring him in here," she gestured toward an emergency exam room. "Quickly. Doctor!" she called, trying to find the nearest physician.

Laguna gently placed Squall on the exam table. He felt fear rise up in his heart as he realized that Squall had never moved or even so much as groaned since he and Kylah had found him. He looked up at Kylah who was still holding her hand against his neck. She was gazing down at Squall with a tender, worried expression. Gently, she reached her free hand up to brush his dark hair off of his pale forehead. She then looked up at Laguna and their gazes locked. They could see the same emotion registered in one another's eyes.

Fear.

A doctor bustled in with two nurses in tow. "I'm afraid the two of you will have to leave this room," he instructed, gently. "We need room."

"But, can't I just –" Laguna protested, trying to push his way back in as the doctor pushed him back out.

"I'm sorry, Mr. President, but you need to go out into the waiting room."

Laguna again tried to move past the doctor. Kylah, who had been relieved by one of the nurses, grabbed Laguna by the arm and began pulling him out of the room. "Let the doctor do his job," she told him. "He knows best how to take care of him."

Recognizing that Kylah was right, Laguna allowed himself to be pulled out of the room.

Kylah found Laguna's reaction a little odd. She knew that he and Squall had worked together before, but she really didn't think that they were all that close. Maybe he's just in shock, or shaken up, she decided. She knew that she was still feeling a little shaky herself.

Laguna sank into a chair in the waiting room, eyes anxiously focused on the exam room door. They could hear muffled sounds coming from the room, but were unable to make out what anyone was saying. His eyes never left the door as he sat there, hoping and praying.

Ellone suddenly burst into the room. "I heard what happened. Uncle Laguna, are you alright?" she gestured toward the blood soaking his shirt.

He looked down numbly then looked back up at Ellone. "I'm fine," he said. "But Squall…" He couldn't finish the sentence.

Ellone closed her eyes briefly. "Is he okay?" she asked, quietly.

Kylah was pacing back and forth across the room. She stopped pacing and turned to Ellone. "We don't know yet. The doctor is with him."

Ellone nodded, then knelt next to her uncle. She wrapped her arms around his neck and rested her cheek against his shoulder. He reached up and patted her arm, comforting both of them.

It seemed like hours before the doctor finally came out into the waiting room. He located Kylah, who had resumed pacing, and addressed her. "Who is his next of kin?" he asked.

"His next of kin is three years old and all the way in Balamb," Kylah explained. "I'm his partner. He's a SeeD, and doesn't have any other family besides his daughter."

The doctor nodded. "Then I need to speak with you a moment."

She followed him over to a nearby corner where they could speak in private.

Laguna felt like screaming. He studied Kylah's serious face as she spoke with the doctor, hoping that her expression would betray something about Squall's condition. She was listening intently to what the doctor had to say. Whatever was going on, it required deep discussion. They were in the corner for several endless minutes, each of which was torture for Laguna.

Ellone moved up behind him and wrapped her arms down around his neck. "It'll be okay," she whispered in his ear. "Everything will be fine."

He hoped she was right.

Kylah gave the doctor a final nod, then strode back over to Laguna and Ellone, a grave expression on her face. "It's not good," she said.

Laguna's heart sank.

"Apparently some of the debris from the bomb went right through Squall's shoulder as he turned to get away from the blast. The wounds themselves are not that serious, as they missed any major organs as they went thought he shoulder. It dislocated the joint, but the doctor was able to reset that pretty easily.

"The real problem," she continued, "is the massive amount of blood that was lost. When the tripod went through his shoulder, a jagged edge caught his neck and nicked his carotid artery. He's lost an incredible amount of blood, and his blood count is extremely low. So low, in fact, that they're having a difficult time getting his vitals to stabilize. He needs a transfusion.

"We know of at least one match for his blood type. But, as I informed the doctor, Cass is too small to donate enough blood and she's too far away."

Laguna was unable to stand it any longer. He jumped up out of his chair, knocking Ellone backwards. "Test me, check my type," he said, offering both arms. He turned to the doctor, who was nearby listening to Kylah's explanation. "Test me. Take it all if you need to. Whatever it takes."

Kylah looked at him as if he had lost his mind. "What are you talking about? What makes you think you would be a match for Squall's blood type?"

Laguna gazed at her with a long, contemplative expression. She could see an inner debate swirling within him. Finally, a defeated look crossed his expressive green eyes. Sighing, Laguna's shoulders sagged. "I might be a match for Squall because I'm his father," he said, releasing the secret he'd held for so long.

Her blue eyes widened in complete shock. Dazed, she stepped backwards to catch her balance. "Excuse me, what?" she asked, weakly.

The doctor stepped up and grabbed Laguna's arm. "Did you say that you're his father, Mr. President?"

Laguna gave Kylah a long, helpless look. "Yes, I am," he said, quietly.

Without hesitating, the doctor began dragging Laguna from the room. "Then let's get you to the lab to see if you match his blood type." A moment later they were gone.

Kylah was still staring at the spot where Laguna had stood. Her thoughts swirled through her head as she tried to make sense of what was happening. Finally, her knees gave out on her and she sank down onto a nearby chair. After a few moments, her head cleared enough to focus on Ellone who was sitting nearby, gazing at her with a slightly sheepish expression.

"You knew, didn't you?" she asked, dully.

Ellone reluctantly nodded.

"How long have you known?"

"Since Squall was born, actually," she responded, gently. "I was there with his mother."

"Why didn't you tell him? He has a right to know!"

She sighed deeply. "I didn't think it was up to me. I thought that if I found Uncle Laguna and told him, that he would find Squall and tell him. Just before all of the stuff broke out with Ultimecia, I even sent Squall back into Uncle Laguna to hopefully prepare him for it.

"When I told Uncle Laguna, it was right before he met Squall. With everything going on, he didn't have a chance to tell him before Squall went out to battle Ultimecia. Afterwards, he just never had the time. Neither of them did, really."

"So, Squall has no idea?"

"Completely clueless."

Laguna reentered the room, rubbing his arm where blood had been drawn. He stopped in the doorway, eyeing Kylah apprehensively.

"That's why you wanted him on this mission," she said, realization hitting her.

He nodded. "Yeah. I thought it was time he knew the truth. I was gonna tell him after all the treaty stuff was done." He paused. "I guess that kinda got shot down."

He gave her a pleading look. "Don't tell him, please?"

"Oh, I wouldn't dream of it," Kylah responded, smiling.

Laguna looked relieved.

"You called him here so that you could tell him, so you're going to."

Before he had a chance to answer, the doctor entered from one side of the room at the same time that Kiros and Ward entered from the other.

"Mr. President," the doctor said. "We've checked the blood types, and unfortunately you are not a match for Mr. Leonhart."

A pang shot through Laguna's heart.

"Don't worry, though," the doctor assured him. "We can search through the blood bank. I'm sure we have a suitable donation. It will just take a little longer." He then turned and ordered one of the nurses to go check the status of the lab search.

"Doctor," Kylah addressed him. "May we see him?"

"Of course," he agreed. "Two at a time, though."

Laguna and Kylah started toward the door together. Before they got far, though, Kiros interrupted them. "Laguna, man, you need to get out of here soon."

"Why?" Laguna asked, looking as if Kiros had gone mad. "I am not leaving until I know that my son is alright."

Kiros looked sympathetic. "I know that you're worried, but we have no idea who planted that bomb and who they were after. This part of the palace isn't secure, yet."

"Then make it secure. I'm not leaving." With that, he grabbed Kylah by the arm and steered her into the exam room.

The room was dim and quiet, save a heart monitor that beeped with every beat of Squall's heart. He had been stripped out of uniform and was covered to mid-chest with a light blanket.

Laguna and Kylah each moved to a different side of his bed. They were both quiet for a long moment, gazing down at his pale, still form.

"I never realized," Laguna finally said softly, "how much he looks like his mother." A lump formed in his throat. "He even has her eyes."

Kylah brushed a lock of hair off of Squall's forehead. He never moved under her touch. "Who was she? His mother, I mean."

Laguna sat down on a chair next to the bed and crossed his arms on the side-rail. Resting his chin on his arms, he fought for control. "Raine. Raine Leonhart Loire. My wife." He closed his eyes and brought up a mental picture of Raine. "I loved her so much."

"Loved?" she asked. "Where is she now?"

He fought back the familiar pain. "She…died." He opened his eyes and looked up at her. "Giving birth to Squall was too much for her."

She looked up at him. She had never noticed it before, but she noted now that he still wore his wedding band. Gently, she leaned over and tapped it. "It looks to me that you still love her. Enough to still wear that almost a quarter of a century after she's gone."

He gazed down at the ring, remembering the night that he gave Raine her ring. "I've never even looked at another woman since."

"What happened?" she asked. "Ellone said that you didn't know you even had a child. How did that happen?"

Laguna sighed tiredly. "It's a very long story. I'll explain it all to you sometime. Maybe. Really, it's too painful to remember it."

"You're going to have to talk about it eventually," she pointed out. "I imagine that he," she gestured toward Squall, "will have questions."

He nodded, eyes focused on his son's face. It was inevitable that he would have to talk to Squall. He just wasn't quite sure what he was going to say.

A nurse stuck her head into the room. "I'm afraid the two of you are going to have to step out for a while. We were able to find a blood donor, and we need to prep Mr. Leonhart for the transfusion."

With a final glance back at Squall's still form, Kylah and Laguna slipped quietly out of the room.

"So," Laguna said, looking around the waiting room at everyone. "What now?"

"I think," Ellone broke in, "that you and Kylah should start by getting a shower and a change of clothes. You're both a mess! You'll probably feel better and more focused once you've taken care of that."

Kylah glanced back toward the door to Squalls room, hesitant to leave. "I'm not sure…"

"Don't worry," Ellone put an arm around her tired shoulders and gave her a quick, friendly hug. "I'll stay with him. I'll call you if there's any change at all. Promise."

"Meet me in my office as soon as you're changed," Laguna said to her. "By then, I'll have preliminary reports and we'll be able to figure out what happens next."

Reluctantly, Kylah and Laguna both strolled off to shower and change.

Kylah had to admit, Ellone was right. She did feel much better and more focused and refreshed once she had changed out of her blood-soaked SeeD uniform and showered. She then changed into a casual pair of navy dance pants, a white camisole, and a navy zip-up hooded sweatshirt, then pulled her unruly auburn curls up into a ponytail, and tied sneakers on her feet.

As she started out of her room, she caught sight of her discarded uniform draped over a nearby chair. She knew that she should get it cleaned immediately, but she just couldn't face that yet. Resolutely, she squared her shoulders and left her suite.

She arrived at Laguna's office door moments later. The guard looked her over quickly, and gestured for her to enter. She tapped the door lightly, then entered the room.

Laguna was seated on the edge of his desk, listening to Kiros' explanation of the events of the earlier afternoon.

"Kylah!" he interrupted Kiros' monologue. "Please, come in. Kiros was just giving me a run-down of what we know happened."

Kiros had a very serious look on his face. "First thing first; the Galbadian representatives have left. Completely. They think that representatives of Esthar were behind the attack and have pulled out of the treaty."

"That's absurd!" Kylah exclaimed. "I've never heard of anything so ridiculous."

"…."

"Ward says that Esthar doesn't think that Galbadia is behind it, either. They'd be stupid to sabotage things now."

"So," Kylah mused, "who is really behind it."

Laguna smiled at her. "That's what I wanted to talk to you about."

She quirked an eyebrow questioningly at him.

"I want to hire SeeD to find that out. I also want to hire you, specifically, to be in charge of my personal security."

"Why me?" she asked.

"Because I figured that, whoever is looking into solving the mystery is going to have to leave Esthar to do some poking around. And I didn't figure you would want to leave Squall."

She blushed and looked quickly out the window. "I'll take care of things," she murmured.

"The fact is, we have no idea who is behind it, and who they were trying to target," Kiros spoke up. "Likely, they were trying to target one or both of the presidents."

"…"

"Ward says," he added, "that it's also possible that they were just trying to stop the treaty from being signed, and that no particular person was the target."

Kylah mulled everything over in her mind. "Well, if SeeD is going to do this, then I need to find a videophone. I'll need to speak with Cid about it and get some back-up to Esthar, pronto."

"I'll send Ragnarok to Balamb immediately to pick up whoever Cid wants to send," Laguna said.

"I already know who I'm going to ask for. I just hope they're all available."

"Who?" Laguna asked.

"Quistis, Zell, Irvine, and Selphie. The ones you worked with before. During the Ultimecia stuff?"

A groan escaped Laguna's lips, and he covered his eyes with one hand.

"What?" Kylah asked.

"Selphie? Does she still have that webpage?"

She chuckled. "Why yes she does….Sir Laguna."

He groaned again as Kiros and Ward joined in with Kylah's chuckles.

"Don't worry," Kylah assured him. "I think she's more head over heels for Irvine and his big guns these days."

Laguna looked indignant. "I'll bet he doesn't have a machine gun! And mine packs quite a mean punch, let me tell ya…" He stopped, flushed, and then looked exasperated. "What am I saying? Forget I said anything! Look, just use my videophone. It's right here."

Laughing, Kylah seated herself at Laguna's desk and turned on the videophone. Quickly, she dialed Cid's office number from memory. A moment later, the kindly headmaster's face appeared on the screen.

"Kylah!" he exclaimed as soon as he saw her. "Thank goodness! I had heard about the explosion and was concerned when I didn't immediately hear from you or Squall."

She sighed. "I escaped pretty well in-tact, but…well…" She paused. "Are you alone?"

"Why yes, I am. Why?"

"Cass isn't there in your office with you?" she asked, as she knew that the little girl sometimes spent afternoons with Cid.

"No," he assured her. "Edea took her into Balamb to visit with Mrs. Dincht."

"Good," she said, relieved. "Squall was injured in the explosion. Badly. He's in the medical clinic here at the presidential palace and in critical condition."

Cid looked concerned. "Is he going to be alright?"

"We think so, but we'll have to wait and see. He needed a blood transfusion, and the doctors are working on that right now."

He nodded.

"Anyway, no one is sure who, exactly, was behind the attack. Galbadia thinks that it was Esthar, and things are beginning to get hostile. President Loire wants to hire SeeD to find out exactly who is behind the attack and take care of it. He also wants me to remain in his employ for the time being to assist with his personal security."

"Yes, of course," Cid replied. "I assume you'll need back-up?"

"You better believe it. And I think you know who I want you to send….."