AN: I am not sure if i mentioned this before, but this will be a crossover fiction. Expect to see elements of FF7 here. I am trying to do that part well and not make it seem like i threw in those characters because i couldn't think of names/personalities of my own chars.

Now then. Man, you guys are absolutely awesome. I can't believe I recieved so many reviews on the first chapter alone. I didn't realize you guys liked it that much! Thanks for all the encouragement, support, critique and comments!

Now I realize that there were many grammatical errors in the last chapter. Please keep in mind that I am more than qualified to edit grammatically (at least in an academic sense) but I don't bother because I write for fun only.

However, I have had three beta-readers to appease all of you. They are some of the nicest people I have met and meeting them are probably the greatest part about joining this sight.

They do excelent work. The errors were my fault. Places where a period was missing or something was my error as I accidently deleted it while fixing another edit they gave me. All other errors were merely things I missed.

So let me once again extend my thanks to all the people who beta-d this fiction, to the readres, and to the reviewers!

I absolutely loved writing this chapter. Of all the stories i have written for all the series I have dabbled in, this has got to be one of my favorites. I hope you guys will enjoy it as well. :-)

I do not own the chars of ff8 or ff7.

Now on with the fiction!


The sun burned brightly in the infinitely blue sky. The pure white clouds gathered around to offer the subjects below momentary relief from the blaze that beat down mercilessly upon them.

An orphanage looked as if it sprang up from the ground beneath, the sole building found in a vast pasture near the beach. The sanctuary bustled with liveliness as children ran around and played with one another as the innate joy they had was expressed with all of their might.

But the most exciting tales would be told by two children who snuck away from the crowd to play alone together in the meadow just beyond. Hand in hand they ran through the blooming flowers till they reached a spot that was no different from any other. They were surrounded on all sides by a vast array of blues, white and purples as each flower released its own exotic aroma.

The two children ran and ran until they could do so no more and fell down in their unremarkable spot huffing and puffing with glee. Soon only the slight breeze whistling through the meadow was the only sound that could be heard until a tiny cute voice of a girl, barely 8 years old, spoke up.

Her short raven black hair fell down to her shoulders and upon a baby blue outfit she had selected for this outing. This was a special day for any girl.

"My cousin Tifa says we're gonna get married someday." A prideful smile was plastered upon her face while two big brown eyes sparkled with innocence.

The young boy with steel blue eyes and chestnut brown hair buried his head in between his hands before falling over on his back. His gaze was locked upon the sky as he watched the clouds wave by. "Whatever."

His peaceful moment came to a crashing halt when Rinoa's hand slammed against his stomach and forced him back to an upright position. An angry scowl marred her face as her lips pursed together tightly. "You don't even know what that means Squall Leonhart!"

Boys could be so stupid sometimes.

Ok, all the time.

The young child did his best to force a look of annoyance to remain upon him, but an exasperated sigh was to follow. He fell back down to his comfortable position on the floor before speaking once more. "So?"

Were one word responses technically speaking? A young Squall certainly believed so.

"If you don't sit up right now I'll hit you again. And lower this time." One didn't need to be in puberty to know that getting hit there hurt no matter how young he was. Especially when the person doing the hitting was Rinoa. Squall silently promised himself he would never again use the expression 'hits like a girl' after one regrettably memorable encounter.

Young Squall needed no further encouragement as he quickly sat straight up with posture so perfect, it was previously thought impossible for children his age.

"So what's it mean Rin?"

Rinoa blushed furiously everytime he spoke that nickname for her. No one else was allowed to call her Rin. It was a special name only Squall used.

Rinoa's eyes quickly darted upwards as she brought a lone finger to tap against her chin. "Ummmm…. I don't really know either." Rinoa certainly wasn't shy. Their life in the orphanage was secluded to the world with no phones or television. It was their little get away from life.

"But I think its when two people like each other so much that they spend all their time together." That sounded about right. The people in the books her matron had who wanted go get married always tried to spend time together. And at night for some reason.

"So aren't we married right now then?" His face immediately froze with concern. Even though he did not fully comprehend the meaning of marriage, an innate fear that was genetically linked to all men somehow gained dominance in his mind.

A wack to the back of his head taught him at a young and tender age just who was the leader in any marriage "Not yet silly." That drained the worry from his face. "We have to do some stuff first." Only for it to return but a few moments later.

The words had great difficulty escaping his quivering mouth. "St..stu….stuff? What st—stuff?" No one said he would have to do anything weird today. He just wanted to play in the field with Rin, even if that meant the Matron would yell only at him again later.

Rinoa carefully ogled a lion-shaped ring that hung around a chain on Squall's neck. It was something she had her eyes on for a while now. "First you gotta get on one knee, say 'Will you marry me' and then give me your ring."

His ring? His ring? HIS RING? He would not stand for that. It was his favorite thing in the world. Now was the time for mankind to stand up to woman and show their unending resolve! "Um, I'm maybe not so sure I wanna get married if that's ok with you?"

Another wack to the back of the head answered that question. Squall sat down on both knees in front of Rinoa as if he were to beg forgiveness. He took off the necklace he wore with the ring strung around it and put it on Rin before saying half-heartedly "Will you marry me?"

"Um, Ok!" How was it possible to change one's mood so quickly? He saw the shining smile that out glowed the sun with its radiance. Perhaps giving up his ring for that wasn't such a terrible trade.

Who was he kidding? Squall was screwed and he knew it.

In an almost whining voice he continued, "So are we married now?"

"No. Now we both have to say 'I Do.'" Hyne, boys really didn't know anything. Squall was lucky to have someone like her to show him the ways of the world.

"I do what?" Why couldn't Rin just say what she meant? Why was he expected to just know and understand all these complicated things? It was no wonder he preferred to spend his time alone. Alone with Rin that is. Other people could take a flying leap.

"Just say I do. On the count of three, ok?" Both already knew who would do the counting.

"One. Two. Three!"

Together their tiny voices rang out in defiance to the calm of the land. "I do!"

Even Squall couldn't help but laugh at the silliness of it all. This whole event was just so absurd!

Questioningly he asked once more "Are we married now?"

Once again a furious blush rushed to little Rin's face as she tucked one foot behind the ankle of another. Her face tilted forward so much it was almost parallel to the ground while her puppy dog eyes kept shifting from the floor to Squall.

Such suspicious behavior did not go unnoticed. "I'm not gonna like this, am I?"

Her voice became high and squeaky as her nervousness overtook her. This was the big part about getting married. "Well um. You see We gotta. Um….to make everything final. WE have too…"

"Yes?" The little boy had no patience for this. Couldn't they just get it over with?

"We gotta kiss one another." She spoke so rapidly the words were barely distinguishable, except to the little horror-stricken boy in front of her.

"Me…? Kiss…? You…?" Today was suddenly a very bad day. "Eww gross! I'll get cooties! No way!" The ring was one thing. He knew it was safe with Rin. But no little boy wanted to die of cooties. That was for sure.

The tiny bundle of energy quickly darted away for dear life as his already weary legs pumped out what little power they could. From behind a blue blur was seen darting in his direction with her arms flailing about while she screamed "Come back here Squall Leonhart! You will marry me this instant or I'll pound you!"

The game of cat and mouse had begun, though it would end the same way it always did. The crafty feline pounced onto her mouse, soon to be man, and pinned his shoulders to the ground. Her angry gaze was met with a look that transcended any known level of fear to create an emotion not yet given a name by mankind.

Little Rin pursed her lips together and slowly inched closer and closer as a storm of thoughts raced through Squall's mind.

'No! No! I'm too young to die! Wait! I had a cootie shot. Those last a week! Thank Hyne! Oh no…It's Sunday. I didn't get another one today. I'm doo-'

However before his mind could register his eternal damnation, he found his lips lightly pressed against those of his best friend. His eyes were clenched tightly though after a second they relaxed.

'This…this wasn't as bad as I thought it was. Was Cloud lying when he said all girls have cooties? But he keeps looking at Tifa funny, like she has got germs or something.'

No sooner had their innocent kiss begun had it ended as Rinoa now sat upon Squall triumphantly. She looked down with a cocky expression that displayed her victory to the world around her.

"Now Squall. Now we are married." Of course, she realized something that Squall simultaneously thought as well.

"So…..what's different now?" Indeed. What was different now? Technically there were two things.

Rin retook her confident look and stared down the boy beneath her. "Um, well if we tell Matron we are married, we get cake, I think. Everyone eats cake when people get married. It's because kids like cake and marriage has something to do with children and stuff."

That quickly got Squall's undivided attention. Not the bit about children. There was cake to be had. Getting married was great! He would have to do it everyday.

"And we go on a honeymoon," Rinoa said thoughtfully.

"Oh right, a honeymoon. Of course." Squall suddenly felt the urge to pretend to know about things he really didn't. It must have something to do with getting married.

However Rinoa could see right through his bluff. No matter, she would allow him this small victory. "I think it's a vacation to celebrate the marriage. Hmm…"

"So where do you want to go?"

Rinoa jumped up excitingly from Squall and clenched her two hands close to her chest. "Um…Costa Del Sol!"

This allowed Squall just enough time to regain a vertical base. He didn't understand girls. When he wanted to lie down, she wouldn't let him. But when he wanted to run she knocked him down. Couldn't they ever make up their minds?

A sudden understanding passed between the 'happy couple' as they both looked at each other with a knowing look. An agreement had been reached. Only one location was worthy for their honeymoon.

Both children screamed excitingly. "Gold Saucer!"

The younglings clasped hands and quickly ran back to tell the matron the good news. They ran with speed unnatural for children. But that much was obvious for, there was cake to be had.


In a dark and dreary cell, a fully grown Squall at the age of 20 rapidly awoke from his dream. The sweat covered his face and slowly slid down his body to meet the sheets beneath him.

While the events he just imagined might have been a nightmare of any boy that age, it certainly was not something that should put the fear of Hyne into Squall. Normally it wouldn't have but those events felt too real. Everything smelled too real.

Slowly he brought one gloved hand to his lips and realized one more thing. They tasted too real.

It was his first dream in years and thus he couldn't quite understand what those collection of images meant.

It must have been the result of the drug. A week has passed by since his abduction from that facility. The supply of the drug used to negate his emotions needed to be rationed. The strange visions must be nothing more than the side effects. Or maybe all men of twenty had such dreams. He certainly had no way of knowing.

For one week, Squall Leonhart remained in the room that was offered to him. Old habits were hard to break.

His new residence was quite similar to his past domicile with only two major differences. There was no TV blaring propaganda twenty-four/seven, and there was no one to collect him for the daily exercise. In a way he was more confined than before. No one realized they needed to tell him he could leave at his will.

'Wait...in those images. Squall? That's the name that strange girl Rinoa gave me. Why was it in my visions? My subconscious must be filling in the gap. DAMN, these clothes burn. I wish I had more of that drug to spare. How do people deal with this?'

His thought process was interrupted by a new series of noises that emanated just outside his door. That alone was enough for him to leave his bed and inch his way closer.


Outside, Rinoa had just returned from a successful seven day mission. Though it pained her to leave Squall so soon after finding him, some assignments needed the leader on hand.

She parted ways from a dark haired ruby eyed woman who bared a striking resemblance to Rinoa. Quickly, she hurried her way to the dorm Squall was kept within. The urge to see how he was doing was soon becoming too great.

Just in front of his room, she ran into a tall though well built blond with crazy spiked hair that ignored every rule of gravity. He sat in watch holding his oversized sword at his side.

"He hasn't left his room all this time. I don't think he realizes he can." The normal pleasantries were not needed nor wanted.

Rinoa's voice raised a few decibels as she fought the urge to berate one of her men. "You mean you left him in there for a week? Cloud. Dismissed!"

The warrior shrugged and started to walk off, though on the inside he felt as if he failed. He knew all to well what challenges Squall had to face. He also knew he was still not the best one to help him through it.

Rinoa's kind nature immediately returned after her brief barking of disappointment. Just as Cloud began walking past her, she grabbed his arm and whispered quickly into his ear. "My cousin is waiting for you upstairs. Hurry!"

With a smirk the young man headed off at double time speed leaving Rinoa alone to deal with their new recruit. That could be a costly mistake.

She slowly headed towards the door and reached for the handle, forcing it to creak open. The door swung back revealing Squall. Half his face was nestled within the shadow of the room. Too much light still bothered him. He refused to doff his old paper like clothing until the pain of touch left him forever.

Slowly the man approached the entryway until Rinoa was in full view. Then for a moment, just a brief moment, a look of childlike innocence flashed through his face and shattered his stone cold expression while a single word resonated from his mouth.

"Rin?"


Questions, thoughts, comments? I would love to here them all. See room for improvement? I wanna know! Do you like the plot or think its dumb? Come on! Leave a review. Its what pushes me to update quickly. Lets see if we can break the record for the past chapter eh? Thanks again guys, you are all great. Until next time, take care. :-)