"Either way you turn,

I'll be there.

Open up your skull,

I'll be there.

Climbing up the walls."

Radiohead

Chapter 7

A shot rang out in the darkness.

"No!" Rinoa screamed as accomplice released Squall. He slumped to the floor, where he lay still. Red was seeping through the carpet.

"Oh my god…" sobbed Rinoa, struggling to be released. "You shot him!"

"I warned him," Ponytail said smugly.

"I c-can't believe you shot him!" Rinoa stammered, tears tickling down her face. She was still struggling to go to Squall. Selphie, forgotten, had edged away into the kitchen. Her hands were tied behind her, but she managed to open a drawer and draw out a rather wicked looking carving knife. She maneuvered the knife behind her and started hacking at her bonds.

"Stop squirming!" Ponytail snapped, back in the living room.

"What do you want?" Rinoa yelled. Her heard was beating so loudly she was sure the men could hear it. She drew a shaky breath, her eyes wildly scanning the room for some kind of weapon. Then she noticed that Selphie was no longer on the floor. She could hear noise from the kitchen.

"I'll come quietly if you tell me what's going on." Rinoa said loudly, trying to give Selphie some time and drown out the sawing noise.

"You're in no position to negotiate." Said ponytail, sounding very self-satisfied "But I'll humor you, just this once…"

"I've called the cops."

Selphie had returned, and was standing boldly in the doorway, carving knife in hand.

"Foolish girl!" Ponytail snapped, his voice angry again. "It makes no difference though." His arms tightened around Rinoa. "I'll just take her now, and I won't explain anything."

"I…D-don't think…you'll be doing that… anytime soon. Whooaa…"

Ponytail didn't even answer, just stared at Squall as if he couldn't quite believe what he was seeing. His mouth slowly opened and stayed that way.

Squall got shakily to his feet, clutching his head and reeling slightly, looking even paler than usual. He blinked hard, trying to get the room to focus. There seemed to be double of everything….

Ponytail abruptly closed his mouth, looking angry with himself for losing his nerve. "Impossible!" he barked, his gaze flicking over to accomplice. His hold on Rinoa lessened slightly. "You were shot in the head!"

"Which I don't really appreciate." Squall said, frowning and shaking his head, still trying to make his eyes focus.

Ponytail was still staring at Squall, as if glaring at him would make him lie down on the floor and be quiet again. Sensing his distraction, Rinoa took the opportunity to shove a well-aimed elbow backwards into his crotch.

He yelled, then released Rinoa to double over, cursing.

Rinoa looked truly savage as she grabbed Ponytail's head forcefully with both hands and brought her knee up violently into his face; a move she had learned in a self-defense class that her father had forced her to take. There was the sound of bones breaking.

"Don't you ever touch me again." She spat, glaring down at Ponytail with contempt.

"You bitch!" Ponytail spluttered, backing away and holding his broken nose, trying to stem the flow of blood seeping through his fingers.

Accomplice, who had been watching in amazement, now came forward as if to grab Rinoa, but stopped suddenly. It soon became apparent why.

Squall had grabbed the gun right out of his hand so quickly that accomplice didn't even have time to stop him. He pressed it into his back.

"Leave."

Accomplice's arms slowly rose to show submission.

"Get out. And don't bother us again."

Accomplice didn't need telling twice. He slipped through the door and was gone.

"Really loyal partners you got there," Said Squall casually to Ponytail, toying with the gun in his hand. "I suggest you do the same thing. Get lost."

Ponytail's eyes narrowed over the hands that were still cupped to his face.

"Oh," continued Squall "you also might want to make a little trip to the hospital and get that checked out. It looks pretty nasty."

Ponytail spat a mixture of saliva and blood contemptuously at Squall's feet.

"I'll be back."

Squall's expression remained passive.

"I wouldn't doubt it," he said, examining a nail and looking as if he really had better things to do. "But I would advise you not to."

Ponytail snarled, and, taking one last look at Rinoa, strode out the door and slammed it behind him.

As soon as he was gone, Squall dropped the gun as if it was contaminated and staggered to the left a few steps, clutching his head. He winced and dropped heavily onto the floor.

"Are you alright?" Rinoa asked, kneeling down beside him. Selphie left her post at the doorway and took a few steps closer to Squall, looking concerned.

Squall fought the urge to snap a witty comment about being all right after being shot in the head and managed to choke out "Fine."

Her fingers gently pried his hand away from his temple. Somewhere in the back of her mind she noticed that his hands didn't feel right. They were so cold…

"Don't." he whispered, trying to edge out of her reach.

"I'm not going to hurt you," Rinoa said softly. "Just let me see."

"Its not you hurting me that I'm worried about."

Rinoa froze.

Squall looked away. He didn't want to see her expression.

The sounds of sirens cut through the air, quietly at first but growing louder by the second.

Selphie gave a little wail, wringing her hands.

"There's blood all over my carpet! How am I going to explain this one?"

"Sorry," Squall snapped, his frustration getting the better of him. "I'll try not to bleed so much the next time that I'm shot."

Selphie looked flustered.

Rinoa stood up and took one end of the couch.

"Help me move this," she grunted.

Selphie crossed the room, giving Squall a wide berth, and picked up the other end of the couch. Together they moved it on top of the large red stain, neatly covering it from view.

The sirens were ear splitting now, and flashing red and blue could be seen on the walls. They suddenly cut out, and they could hear two car doors slamming.

"They're here." Selphie said in a stage whisper. Squall rolled his eyes to himself, and struggled to seat himself on the couch just as there was a knock on the door.

Selphie squared her petite shoulders and marched over to the door. She paused for a moment before opening it and peeking her head out.

"Yes?"

"We had a call come from here earlier." Came a gruff voice. "Some kind of disturbance. Can we come in?"

"Umm. No."

"Is there a reason why not, miss?"

"I'm, um…naked. Yeah. Naked. Right here. Right now. Sorry."

"Can you tell us why we got a call from here, then?" The officer asked slowly.

"That was an accident. Sorry about that. I thought I heard somebody in the house. I panicked and called you." Rinoa had never realized that Selphie was a truly talented actor.

"And what was it? The noise, I mean."

"Oh! It was my…cat."

"Your cat." The officer repeated.

"My cat."

"Right." He said slowly again. "Well, if you're sure that everything, we've got important things to be doing. Not cat break-ins, mind you."

"Right you are, officer, sir. Sorry about the call and everything."

"Well, you can never be too safe, I guess."

"Erm, yes. I'll keep that in mind. Have a good night!" Selphie gave a limp little wave, then remembered that she was supposed to be naked and slipped behind the door again. The officer was already heading down the walk towards his car and didn't notice.

Selphie quickly shut the door and leaned against it, her hand over her heart.

She took a deep breath.

"Well that was embarrassing. My cat? Seriously. I don't even own a cat." She made her way to the kitchen, grumbling.

Rinoa was still sitting on the floor, looking dazed.

"Can anyone tell me what just happened?" She asked faintly to nobody in particular.

Squall was gazing down at the floor. At the sound of her voice his eyes shifted to where she sat. He crossed his arms.

"I think you need to tell me."

Rinoa glared at him.

"I have no idea. I don't know who those men were. Or who you are, come to think of it."

"It doesn't matter," Squall said, somewhat bitterly.

"No. It does matter. Selphie was tied up, gagged, and lying on the floor. Some strange men grabbed me and tried to take me away. You were shot, for heaven's sake! Don't you dare try to tell me that it doesn't matter!" She paused, and then asked, her voice softer.

"Who are you?"

Squall noticed that she hadn't asked "What are you?". He brushed the thought away impatiently.

"Nobody. I'm nobody."

Rinoa scoffed.

"Like hell you're nobody. I've never met a person who could be shot in the head and then stand up three minutes later, quite alive."

It was Squalls give a dry laugh.

"Alive? Is that what you think I am?" He sounded defeated, bitter. "I don't even remember what being alive feels like."

A slight cough caused both Rinoa and Squall to jump slightly. It was Selphie.

"Uh, guys? I don't mean to change the subject, or anything, but my parents are going to be home soon and there's blood all over my living room floor and some strange men entered my house and tied me up and …" she continued rambling, sounding slightly hysterical.

Rinoa jumped up and went over to her friend.

"Shh, Selphie, calm down."

"Calm down?" Selphie shrieked. Squall winced from his perch on the couch as her shrill voice pierced his eardrums. "How am I supposed to calm down? You have no idea what it was like! No idea!"

"I know I don't Selphie, really, but you need to be calm right now. I don't know what's happening either. We'll just have to figure this out."

Selphie sniffled and ran her sleeve across her nose.

"You're right, Rin." She gave another little sniff and then wrapped her arms around Rinoa, hugging her tightly.

"Yes, well…" Rinoa patted Selphie's head awkwardly.

"Well if you guys are finished, I'm just going to go."

Squall was standing by the door, his pale skin gleaming in the dim lamplight.

"Not yet, you're not." Rinoa snapped, all business again. She pushed herself away from Selphie and stepped in front of the door, barring Squall's escape. "I want you to answer a couple questions first."

Squall looked livid. He opened his mouth furiously to retort, then slowly closed it again.

She deserves this much.

"Shoot." He said, looking away and crossing his arms again.

"Okay. First off, what's your name?"

He seemed reluctant to answer. There was a pause.

"Squall," he snapped finally, carefully not looking at Rinoa.

"Squall." She repeated. "Alright, Squall. Now, what were you doing in Selphie's house? Not that we minded the help, or anything."

"I was just passing by, saw you go in, recognized you, heard some weird noises, and came in to check it out. Can I go now?"

Rinoa didn't answer. She was too busy looking thoughtfully at Squall. He shifted uncomfortably under her gaze.

"Who were those men?"

"I already told you," Squall said, sounding exasperated "I have no idea."

"Hmm…."

Suddenly, the living room was filled with light. It was the headlights off Selphie's parent's car as they pulled into the driveway.

Selphie groaned from where she was still standing near the entrance to the kitchen.

"Just tell them you re-arranged some furniture." Rinoa whispered, squinting in the bright light. The lights cut out and they were enveloped in darkness again. Rinoa could hear Selphie's parents laughing as they walked up to the door. There was the jingle of keys, the soft murmur of voices. The door swung open.

"Why was the door unlocked?" Came Selphie's father's voice.

"Oh hi, Rinoa." Selphie's mother said, coming in after her husband. "I didn't know you were spending the night."

"Must have slipped my mind," Selphie croaked, her hands clasped rigidly in front of her.

"Well," said Selphie's mother in a kindly voice "We're heading to bed. Don't stay up too late, ladies." They both bustled out of the living room as swiftly as they had come.

Ladies?

Rinoa gasped and spun around.

Squall was gone.

Welllllll...that was interesting. Thanks for everybody who reviewed last time, it means a lot. Give me some feedback (