After a few minutes the rest of the "motley crew" had met in the bridge of Garden and waited as Squall made the announcement. He turned to them with a slight smirk, but with his signature stare.

"Alright everyone." He started. "Zell, Rinoa, Selphie, Quistis, Irvine… you're all here, good. Now as you can see we've stopped for a little break at the Orphanage." He pointed out the window to the crumbling building.

"I want all of you to try and relax until we get going on the next mission. Just go and try to have fun or something…"

They all look at Squall and shake their heads.

"I don't know what you did to Squall," Said Zell. "But we want the real one back."

They all nod in agreement.

"Hey guys! What are you talking about?" Said Squall with a smile. "I'm the same Squall Leonhart you knew. I know we've all just been under some stress lately with all of these missions in the past month. What with the Esthar War against the Galbadians we've only had a few days off. Even I feel like I need a break so you guys go and take one too."

Rinoa nodded and smiled as Squall finished.

"We all need something to relax right now." She said. "If anything… you get to get away from Garden for a little while."

Zell looked at Squall and gave him a thumb up.

"Let's go then." Squall grabbed the intercom yet again. "All classes have been cancelled for the day, I repeat all classes have been cancelled enjoy your break."

He set down the intercom microphone and sighed rubbing the bridge of his nose. Rinoa came up behind him as he faced away from his friends and gave him a hug.

"Are you okay?" she whispered to him.

"Yeah, just a little stressed is all." He whispered back. "Alright," he said louder as he faced his friends. "You're all dismissed until further notice… have fun guys."

They all nodded to Squall and salute as they left the bridge area now with Rinoa and Squall alone. She moved closer to him and gave him a light kiss on the cheek. He smiled and slowly returned her kiss on her soft supple lips.

"I love you Rinoa." He said in an almost whisper as they broke off their kiss.

"I love you too."

He put both gloved hands on the side of her face and drew her closer for yet another loving kiss.

Down already at the Orphanage the whole group recently on the bridge scanned the area for good places to sit. Irvine saw a nice perch for him and Selphie to sit. Quistis had taken a spot with a beautiful view of the ocean behind the orphanage. Zell, however, had to settle for the rough patch of soil next to the building. It had taken a few more minutes for Squall and Rinoa to exit Garden and make they're way to the Orphanage. Rinoa ran to the field of bright yellow flowers to the left of the entrance to the Orphanage Squall followed close behind her with a contented smile. It seemed no how down he was feeling as long as Rinoa smiled he felt happy. He figured that's what happened when you actually opened up to someone, maybe. Squall spotted Rinoa at the edge of the field with a bright smile on her face and he walked up behind her and gave her a light hug and kiss on the cheek.

"Do you remember the first time we came here?" He asked.

"Yes." She said in his arms. "I remember the promise we made."

He sighed and nodded slightly at her comment. He remembered it alright… it was at that point that he somewhat realized how much he actually cared for her. He hugged her tighter and breathed in taking in her sweet scent. She leaned back into his arms and closed her eyes.

"I always liked this place." She said in a whisper.

"Me too." He replied in the same whisper.

"Hey!"

Squall and Rinoa look back hearing the tell-tale voice of Zell yelling for their attention.

"What is it Zell?" Yelled Squall in return.

"I don't know… but something's moving inside the orphanage and I ain't going to go look for it."

Squall sighed and looked back at Rinoa as he rolled his eyes.

"The scaredy-cat needs me to squash a bug." He chuckled letting go of her and walked back to the building.

Zell stood outside the decrepit and halfway broken door of the orphanage grimacing as Squall came up from the hill that led to the field of flowers where he had left Rinoa. He looked at Zell with an ashamed sigh.

"I thought you were the tough one Zell." Said Squall with a slight chuckle.

"Hey I don't mess with bugs… you know how much I hate 'em man!" He shuddered at the thought.

Squall shook his head, "opened" the door and proceeded into the crumbling building they all once called home. He went to the first room on the left and entered looking in only a few seconds then receding back to what was left of the hallway. He continued deeper into the orphanage searching left and right here and there. He walked to the end of the house and looked at the last door leading to the basement.

'I guess I'd better check.' He thought as he turned the old and rusted door knob.

The door opened with a loud crack as it fell off of its hinges and into the hallway before Squall.

'Well, that was close…'

He looked down the damp and molded steps to the basement with a slight sickening jolt in his stomach. Squall, nevertheless, headed down the steps the light grew increasingly less and less with every step he took.

'Great… you forgot a flashlight.' He thought as he descended further into the darkness.

As he reached the bottom of the slippery steps he looked around the almost pitch black room and had decided that there was nothing there when he heard a quiet cough in the far corner of the room.

"Who's there?" He called out to the dark room.

No answer.

"I said who's there? Show yourself, I won't hurt you."

He half said it to make himself feel better about the situation.

"Come on out, whoever you are. Just tell me who you are and why you're here."

The cough was heard again, this time behind Squall.

'How did they get behind me?'

He turned towards the steps and saw the silhouette of a young man sneaking up them. Squall called out to the man on the steps one more time, yet again no answer. The man just coughed one more time before attempting to craw up the stairs.

"Hey listen do you need help?" Squall squinted to see some kind of features on the man.

"No… I'm fine by my self." The small sickly man answered in a high yet quiet and scratchy voice.

Squall was taken aback by the man's voice he sounded no older than 16 yet looked, from what he could see in the pale light, about his age. He continued to crawl weakly up the steps coughing every step he attempted to climb.

"Hey, let me help." He moved to the man, yet stopped as he put up a hand with some effort.

"I said I'm fine!"

It was more of a forceful whisper than a yell… and he collapsed at that very moment. Squall ran up to the man and looked him over as best as he could then picked him up, surprised by his light weight, and carried him up the steps and out to the from of the orphanage. As he laid him down on the ground the young man opened his eyes for a few seconds.

"Hey, what's your name?" Asked Squall somewhat panicked.

He looked around then back at Squall with a slight smile and gave him a wispy reply.

"Max… Caron."

He then went unconscious again into a world of darkness and silence.

What did you think? A little too mushy? Well what ever you think read and review please. No flaming… it's just not nice. Hope you liked reading it as much as I liked writing it. Vincent Sekod