Author's notes: I am very sorry for this late update but I was caught up with my school assignments and in the same time suffered from a laziness syndrome (wink wink). On the other hand, I am exceptionally happy to know that the number of reviews had reached 70. Millions of thank for those who reviewed and supported my fiction till today. Last but not least, thank you for reading this chapter.

Chapter 9

What kind of plan was that?

"What in the world are you thinking?" Luxter shouted angrily at Kiros. Kiros sighed at looked away. "I'm talking to you god damn it!"

"It's part of my plan," Kiros stated simply.

"What kind of stupid plan was that? You bombed the presidential palace, causing chaos all over and what's worse? You left a note with your name there! Are you trying to be a hero or something?"

"Don't try to insult my intelligence with your simple brain,"

"Why you?!"

"Do you want to overthrow the Galbadia government?" Kiros spat back.

"Of course I do! Why do you think I paid all the money to release you from the prison?" Luxter growled.

"Then did you see any improvement made from your followers apart from being caught by the police?" Kiros laughed.

"...Now why must you remind me of that two idiots? Luxter scowled making Kiros to smirked triumphantly.

"By the way, do you want me to deal with them?"

"....Well, since their in the prison now and they may be giving more and more information about me to those damn cops any moment and SINCE they are so goddamn stupid to fail such an easy mission, kill them,"

"All right that can be done, but I need to your full trust from now on.So do you trust me now?" Kiros asked.

"...Tch fine fine. Do whatever you want but make sure it really turns out good," Luxter groaned.

"You shall see...."

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"You had no idea how happy I was when I heard that you're all right!" Zell exclaimed as he hugged Rinoa tightly.

"Chill down, Zell. You're going to kill her with that big hug of yours!" Selphie said as she pulled Rinoa out of Zell's deathly grasp.

"Geez sorry, Rin. It's been a long time since we met and there's so many fricking things happening to you! You can't blame me for being worried about you as a friend," Zell grinned widely as he sat down on a sofa.

"Right...anyway, I heard you had won the International Martial Arts competition for the second straight year! Congrats!" Rinoa exclaimed excitedly.

"Nah, it's nothing. After all, who can defeat the ever great Zell!" Zell laughed loudly making Selphie and Rinoa sighed and shook their heads.

"Yeah yeah whatever, by the way, Irvy asked me to apologize for him as he couldn't make it here today. He went for a driving lesson," Selphie said as she took a sipped of the tea. Silence filled the air of the presidential palace's living room suddenly.

"Irvine, learning.... how.. to... .drive?" Rinoa said before bursting into laughter and later joined by the other two. "How in the world did that happen?"

"Well, if you want to know, actually..." Selphie's voice trailed off. Before long, it was fast approaching the evening. Zell and Selphie decided that it's best for them to go back. After saying some goodbyes and miss you Rinoa finally closed the door. Sighing softly, Rinoa looked up to the staircase and noticed that someone was watching over her silently. Rinoa smiled almost immediately when her eyes met with his.

"My dad's not here tonight as you know it. He'll be away in Timber for a week. So, since there's only two of us here not counting the whole bunch of armies out there, care to join me for dinner?" Rinoa asked courteously. Smiling softly, Squall nodded.

*Moments later *

Squall and Rinoa were silently savouring their dinner. Occasionally, Rinoa would look up and stole a glance of Squall. However, she only met with disappointment each time as Squall was looking down all the time refusing to meet her eyes.

"So....how's your forehead?" Rinoa asked in all of a sudden.

"Forehead? Oh, the scar. It's all right," Squall replied.

"Didn't hurt anymore?"

"No,"

"Oh, I see," Rinoa muttered under her breath and continued eating up her dinner. That was the last conversation they ever had during the dinner. After the dinner, Rinoa sat down in the living room and watched the television boringly with Squall who did nothing but leaned on the sofa and closes his eyes. (He still have to keep an eye on her.)

"Ever since that day he got injured, he didn't really talk to me again. What's happening? It's been three days for goodness sake!" Thinking of that, Rinoa growled in annoyance making Squall to open his eyes.

"Is there any problem?" he asked.

Yeah and the problem is you. Rinoa felt like shouting those words out but instead she found herself just muttering the word nothing.

"Squall?" Rinoa spoke getting Squall's attention.

"Yeah?"

"I'm going out tomorrow to the shopping arcade,"

"Right,"

"You....you're coming right?"

"....Of course I am," Squall answered. "Is there anything?"

"....Nothing. It's kinda late now, I'm going to bed. Good night Squall," Rinoa rose from the sofa but did not move as she was hoping that Squall would say something but he didn't. Sighing for the thousandth time for the day, she walked up the stairs and to her bedroom.

Closing the bedroom's door behind her, Rinoa slumped herself on the bed and looked up at the ceiling.

"Is he trying to avoid me? Maybe he really thinks that protecting me is a job and nothing else. Maybe he really doesn't like me...."Rinoa murmured before sliding her eyes close, hoping to get a sweet dream after a tiresome day.

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Meanwhile in the headquaters of the Galbadia police station, two cranky criminals were not having a good night sleep. Somehow, they knew something was going to happen after they failed their mission of kidnapping the president's daughter, Rinoa.

"Geez Luke stop moving! I can't sleep if you go on moving!" Abs shouted angrily.

"Sorry Abs, but I just can't help it! I'm worry, mate" Luke explained.

"Worried about what now, Luke! Yesterday, you worried about where we going to stay if we got banished by our boss, the day before you worried about dying here due to starvation, so what now?" Abs growled through his gritted teeth. He was getting very impatient towards Luke. "You know, I should worried about how to get some sleep if you continue blabbering about you worries! Oh yeah, maybe I should just kill you or cut your tongue off eh? What do YOU think?"

"Geez, cool down mate. I'm sorry if I really disturbed you but this time I'm serious about it!" Luke argued.

"What!?"

"Well, since we failed our mission....well, you do know what happens to the members who failed their mission right?

"....Yea..Yeah. They got killed," Abs gulped.

"So...it's been quite some time we're in the jail now...don't you think we're too safe to notice dangers approaching?"

"What the hell are you talking about? I don't understand a word! In fact your words don't make sense at all!" Abs shouted nervously.

"Well at least they make sense to me," a voice suddenly boomed in front of them. Slowly, both of them averted their gaze to the door of the cell only to be confronted by their worst nightmares.

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All righty! I'm ending this chapter here. I hope that all the readers out there don't stop reading this fiction because of the last update. The good news is I'm getting free lately, so I shall update this fiction more frequently. Till then, happy reading and thanks for waiting! :) Please review by the way!