Disclaimer: I don't own Final Fantasy 8. I own this final chapter.

(A/N: I'm so so sorry that this was late. Between school and the holidays, I had little time to write, but I hope this is a fantastic final chapter for you all.)

Chapter 14 - A Blue Velvet Box

Wishing on stars can come true.

"Squall just tell me where we're going already!" I said, running my hands through my hair. He just stood, almost grinning, on the doorway.

"No." He left the room and I rolled my eyes. Normally he didn't keep surprises, and I didn't mind that. I wasn't one to actually crave anticipation like my friends; I was too curious to wait.

"Please?" I called out in my wonderfully sweet voice, that I kept for such occasions of pleading. I thought I almost heard a laugh from the other room.

"For being the better half of me, you can't notice the obvious." If he would've been in the room, I would've shot my share of glares, but to my misfortune, he was in the bedroom.

"I don't want to get dressed up for nothing." I picked up a brush, and continued to pull it through my hair. If it were something special, I wouldn't want to look bad . . .

"I promise, it won't be for just anything." I put the brush down.

"Fine, but we're going to do this the formal way. I'm going to get dressed, in a dress that I spent a lot of money on, may I add, and you have to leave. Then, you're going to come, and ring on the doorbell." I said, satisfied with my rules. I sat up and started going in the bedroom. He put his hand in the door before I shut it.

"Do we have to go through this unneeded process?" He asked, holding open the door. I poked my head out.

"You know, you never formally asked to take me on a date. So ask me." He looked as if I had just told him to go streaking. "Go ahead, ask. I'll say yes." He rolled his eyes, and lamely asked.

"Rinoa, will you go out with me?"

"Why, sure Squall. Pick me up at eight." I closed the door in his face, and I could just imagine the look on the other side. Locking the door, I picked up the dress from under the bed, where I hid it, and opened it. I had spent a lot on this dress. No exaggeration included. It was a navy blue dress, that came to my knee, with a small flare at the end. It was strapless, and the deep color contrasted with my pale skin, but I thought it looked beautiful on me. I put it on, and adjusted it, making sure it looked absolutely perfect. Next step for me, was make-up. After mascara and blush, I was about to put on my lip gloss, but I put it away. Why would I put it on when I knew a certain someone was going to be taking it off?

Squall had been especially 'friendly' the past few months, and I didn't care at all. Of course, he still had his problems of showing affection in public, but he couldn't change all his habits. I dug in my jewelry box, which had accumulated a lot of jewels over time, and clasped the perfect, strand of pearls around my neck. I found a matching bracelet and put it on my wrist. I looked at my hand and frowned at the absence of a ring. Shaking my head, I looked at the time and tried to hurry. Fussing with my hair, I decided to wear it down instead of clipping it up. My phone started to ring and I picked it up.

"Hello?"

"Are you ready yet?"

"I said eight."

"What am I supposed to do until then?"

"Get dressed."

" . . . My clothes are in the house." I hung up, and I grabbed what I assumed were his clothes. I put them on the porch, and I was sure he was waiting around the corner. I wouldn't let him see me yet, so I slammed the door and hurried back in. It was 7:45, but I still needed to touch myself up. I put on some perfume and packed a small purse. Then, I slipped into my brand new shoes, and looked in the mirror, finally satisfied with my appearance. It took him a few minutes, but he eventually rung the doorbell. Trying my best on high heels, I made my way to the door, and opened it. Squall stood there in a tuxedo, which must've been the black outfit I had thrown on the porch a few minutes ago.

"Hello." He said smoothly.

"How'd you change."

"The back of the house. Now let's go."

"I swear if this is a fast food restaurant . . ."

"Trust me." I did like he said as he took my hand and started to lead me to his car. He even opened the door for me like a gentleman was supposed to. He helped me in, and I sat there, extremely satisfied with the behavior. After getting in the driver's seat, he started to pull out of the driveway, and his driving was nothing like Seifer's. Either he was as effected by the accident as I was, or he was just understood my recent fear of speeds, he drove slow and smooth without jerking around.

"You look beautiful tonight."

"You look beautiful too." He laughed at me, but kept his eyes on the road. "So when are you going to tell me where we're going?"

"If you look out the window, eventually you'll find out." I huffed and crossed my arms, staring out. It was getting a little dark, and soon I wouldn't be able to make out the outlines of everything outside. I turned on the radio, and it was yet another bliss to listen to my own station without someone changing the station. It was the little things that made me appreciate our situation anymore. I hummed along to the words, staring outside for a clue. Soon I was quietly singing the words, like the natural response that all people have to a song they knew.

"You're a lovely singer." He commented.

"So I've been told."

"By whom?" He inquired.

"When me and Selphie shared a dorm. I sing in the shower."

"Did you guys have fun sharing a dorm?"

"Yeah. She's my best friend."

"I know. Do you know what we never covered together?"

"Hm?"

"Middle names." I laughed at him and he looked over strangely, then quickly readjusted his sight to the road. He still wore his funny face.

"What's so funny?" He asked me.

"You've never been so curious. I thought that was my job. What's up?"

"I don't want to forget anything about you again."

"Well you failed." He looked baffled for a moment.

"What do you mean?"

"I told you my middle name yesterday." He stayed silent, and looked a little disappointed when I cracked up in the seat next to him. I still stared out into the open, which was actually pretty boring. Trees passed, then more trees, a few hills, until one thing far up ahead caught my eye. It had bright lights, but I could barely tell what it was. After a few moments of observing and analyzing, the place clicked.

"Hey, it's Balamb!"

"Congratulations. Took you a while."

"That's no way to treat your date." Soon, we drove in and parked in the empty lot. He helped me out of the car again, into the cold parking lot. When we went down the halls that led to the center of Balamb, I started to hear music. "You're kidding me." I saw him smile, and I knew he was serious. I linked his arm into his, and we walked to the Balamb ballroom, where I looked around at all the people dancing, some in SeeD uniforms, some just looking nice. I looked around, in awe and amazement, and looked back to my hero.

"I thought you didn't go to Balamb anymore? This is one of the SeeD dances."

"I don't go here, but I pulled it off with Cid to let us on the invite list. Quistis and Seifer are here, they're the cute couple over there in the corner." He pointed where I saw the two of them, looking very nice together. "And Selphie will probably run up to you in a few minutes, with Irvine trailing behind her."

"What about Zell?"

"He's with pigtails somewhere." I laughed at the codename for his girlfriend. Just as said, Selphie came and threw her arms around her neck.

"Hey Rinny! It's just like old times, isn't it!" I nodded while she continued to jabber on about her date, my date, the ballroom, the decorations, but I just kept on looking at Squall, smiling the whole time. He put a lot of effort into this one. After Selphie had walked off, I wrapped my arms around Squall and looked up at him. He looked down and smile, his Squall smile, the one that always made me feel good, and was coming more and more common. It was almost as wonderful as his laughs and kisses. It was a few minutes of the false mingling where you go up to people, act like the reason you came there was to see them, and then said 'Well, hope to talk to you sometime. Call me.' I sat there by the food, watching the other couples happily danced, when Squall jumped another surprise on me.

"Would you like to dance?" I nodded and he grabbed my hand. I remembered a time when it had been the other way around, me dragging him. When we collided together, I put my hand in his and the other on his shoulder, while he put his on my waist. It was nostalgic, being in the Balamb ballroom holding Squall. This time, however, he didn't make any mistakes in his dancing. Everything, every step was in perfect tempo.

"When did you get so good?"

"I've been practicing." He said quietly. He must've practiced hard, because he wasn't a step out of place, even if I was. Even when he spun me around, it was to perfection. When the dance ended, I put my hand on his chest, practically out of breath.

"Need . . . Air." I gasped, exaggerating. We went out to the balcony, and the cool, night air hit me, making me shiver. He put his arm around me and we looked up at the stars. It was gorgeous on the black sky, and then I saw a shooting star streaming across the heavens.

"Make a wish." I turned around from leaning on the balcony and winked at him.

"I think I already have everything I want." He wrapped me tighter, and I leaned at him, still gazing after recovering my breath, that he always seemed to take away.

"You should still wish."

"What about you?"

"I'll wish too." I closed my eyes, and thought of the perfect thing to wish for. I was counting on this shooting star to make my night even better. When I opened my eyes, Squall was looking at me, and I giggled. "What did you wish for?"

"I can't tell you. What did you wish for?" He turned his gaze out back to the night, but still answered me.

"An answer." I furrowed my eyebrows.

"For what?" He looked at me, and smiled again. He was doing that a lot tonight.

"I don't want to wait anymore, but I don't want to rush you. I don't want to burden you, but I don't want to lose you. I don't want to forget you, but I don't want to make you hold on. I don't want a lot of things. But I know one that I do." He got down on one knee and started opening up his jacket.

"And the thing I do want is to hold onto you until the day I die. I want you to be mine, Rinoa Heartilly, forever and for always." When he pulled out the velvet blue box, I already knew what was coming, but it still excited me more. He lifted the top, and hidden in the middle of the white inside, glistened a beautiful, silver band with a diamond in the middle, surrounded by tiny sapphires. "Will you marry me?"

I squealed and threw my hands around his neck. I thought it was foolish to hope on a shooting star, but everything had came true. I was crying but when I finally released Squall, he put the beautiful ring on my finger, making me cry even more. If things could've "" better, they did when he wiped away my tears and kissed me.

"Of course I will, Squall. I'll be yours, forever." We pulled away, and almost on cue, Selphie was waiting around the corner with a video camera, Irvine behind her.

"Congratulations Rinoa! Can I be the Maid of Honor? Please? Pleaseeee?" I nodded to her, still trying to get the tears out from my eyes, but I couldn't help it. The moment made me ecstatic. Irvine strode over and took my hand, holding it to the camera.

"Look at that rock!" He said. Selphie looked at him, her green eyes were dreamily glistening.

"I hope one day you buy me a ring like that. But with yellow or something instead of blue." He blushed and rubbed the back of his head, intimidated by the thought of settling down, not to mention emptying his wallet. The rest of the ball was spent with Selphie and I, making plans about everything, and Squall doing the old 'Congratulations' hand shaking routine that followed. Although Selphie was excited, compared to her she was dull. I had never been so perky and happy in my life. After the ballroom was a little less crowded, Squall and I sat together, alone, talking. Sweet words flowed as magically as the champagne, and soon we were the only people left.

We finally drove home, and even though it was late, I was still wide awake.

"Squall, you're wonderful." Whether it was from the high of the night, or from those glasses of gold bubbles, I felt giddy. When we got home, believe it or not we didn't head for the bedroom, but instead, to the flower field. This time, I knew he'd be there, I knew there was nothing to worry about anymore. If for just one night, things would go one hundred percent right. There were lame love lines, smiles, small kisses, and holding hands, and I couldn't of loved it more. We sat down, half hidden by the flowers, and I curled up into him, not caring how messy my dress was getting.

"Rin, are you still awake."

"Yeah . . ." I said quietly.

"This field is a real important place, you know."

"Yeah, because of the promise."

"More then that." My eyes were closing, but I still tried to stay awake.

"Why?" I asked him, almost murmuring.

"It's when I first realized that I loved you more then anyone in the world." He could be so romantic sometimes. . . "Were you scared?"

"Hm?" My eyes were completely closed but I was still listening.

"When you saw me in the crash, and when you thought I'd never remember you again."

"It was scary. I didn't know what was going to happen to me, if you'd end up with someone else, how I'd take care of myself. I was so afraid when I saw you laying on the pavement. I never thought someone could take my knight away. I didn't feel safe anymore."

"Rinoa, you'll always be safe." It was quiet for a moment, I knew he was right. Whether I was in his arms, or all alone, as long as I was thinking of him I knew I was untouchable, invincible. Things were falling into place for once.

"You never told me, what your wish was." I looked at him, and kissed him softly on the lips.

"It already came true." He laid on his back, and I curled up next to him, laying my head on his stomach. His breathing became deeper until I finally knew that he was asleep. His arm was around me, and even though we were in the open, I felt good, comforted. I knew that this is where I was supposed to be, and I had the greatest feeling of all envelope me.

I was safe.

I hope you found this chapter satisfying. I know that writing it, I felt pretty good about it. I'm sorry if you didn't like the story, happy if you did. My FanFic is finally completed, and I'm pretty happy with it. I'm sad to see all you reviewers go, but I promise you, another Final Fantasy 8 Fic will come soon, upon the completion of my other story.

Thank you Chapter 13 Reviewers. . .

Cerulean Crystal - The last update, and the last response to one of the best and loyal reviewers of all time. It makes me sad too . . . I hope you liked this, thanks!

SavannahX - Well, it's over, but at least I can still read your story. I hope you liked it half as much as I like yours.