Chapter 10- The Eye of the Storm

Squall walked into the darkness of the hospital room, the only light shone was a low lit lamp on Laguna's bedside table. It was quiet, except for the sounds of the machines whirring and beeping. He slumped into a chair across from Laguna's bedside, his leather-clad arms folded loosely over his chest and stared at the unconscious form of his father. The unsettling sound of the ventilator breathing for the President, along with the bleeps and blips of the various machines he was hooked up to made Squall feel uneasy. He ran a hand over his face and huffed a sigh. Nothing had changed in terms of Laguna's condition.

After nearly falling apart on Rinoa over two days ago, the SeeD Commander had once more retreated into himself, losing any and all capability of wanting to talk about anything with anyone, express anything to anyone, regardless of how much he was screaming inside. He had already said and shown too much. More than he cared to admit, but it was like he had been a freight train with no breaks, and couldn't control himself or how he felt. Once he had calmed that night, he clammed up again, unable to really speak much to Rinoa and his friends, who of course had all sorts of questions for him.

He had answered some of them in short, one-word responses or just shook his head and brushed them off, shutting himself down again, and he wasn't sure why. Maybe he was embarrassed with himself for his display of emotion in front of Rinoa and those soldiers. Maybe he was unsure of why he'd gotten so emotional over Laguna, and was confused with himself, and he definitely knew he did not want anyone else to see this side of him, a new side of him that only Rinoa seemed to bring out. He had been unable to bring himself to enter Laguna's hospital room that night after learning the news he did from the doctor, and at one point Kiros and Ward had forced him back to the Presidential Palace to get some rest.

Squall had tried his best to sleep, but all he did was toss and turn the entire time he was there, losing himself in his head. If he did sleep, it was only maybe a couple of hours at a time, if even that, but nothing restful like he needed. There was just too much going on, too much happening. At one point, Kiros had come in and offered him a potion that would help him sleep through the night, which Squall appreciated, but refused to take. After giving up on trying to get a normal night's sleep on his own, Squall got up early that morning, showered and changed, pleased to see his jacket was cleaned and ready for him.

He had avoided talking to people when invited for breakfast, informing them he wasn't hungry and only giving a little attention to Rinoa long enough to give her a quick kiss and tell her he was heading out, that wanted to be alone when she asked if he'd like her to accompany him. He pretended to not notice the worried looks on Rinoa and his friends' faces and quickly left the Palace. He'd began walking through Esthar, not even sure where his feet were carrying him. He just walked and lost himself in a silent, heavy reverie. It seemed like his walk hadn't been going for long before he'd found himself standing in front of Esthar Memorial Hospital and Medical Facility.

Squall had reluctantly gone inside, only to be dismayed to find out that his father was still not awake, and that not much had changed. Two days since the attack, two days since his emergency surgery, and two days since everything had happened, and his condition had not changed. It remained stable but still critical. All of the machines and IVs the President of Esthar was hooked up to were the only things sustaining his life. Squall wondered if he should even be in the room with Laguna given that the man was unconscious and would have no idea his only son was even in there with him.

Something glinted out of the corner of Squall's eye in the small, dim light coming from the lamp and he inclined his head, glancing toward the table at Laguna's bedside. He noticed it was Laguna's dog tag necklace that he'd always wore. Curious, Squall reached a hand out for it and grabbed it, staring down at the cold steel in his hand. His heart sank down into his stomach as he realized the dog tags were stained by what he was certain was father's dried blood, and his fingers wrapped tightly around the tags, clenching them as hard as his fingers would allow.

"Laguna...?" Squall swallowed, finding his voice. "It's been two days now. Don't you think maybe it's time you wake up? Ellone would sure love to see you and talk to you, I'm sure." He hesitated and ran his free hand through his hair.

This is like talking to a wall... again...

He flashbacked to the time Rinoa was unconscious, and he highly doubted that Laguna would hear him, but his friends and the nurses had encouraged him to talk to the President over the past couple of days, so Squall took it upon himself to try.

This is going to be such a waste of time, but what have I got to lose, I guess?

Squall cleared his throat. "You know, speaking of Ellone, her powers are really something else. She sent me and some of my friends back to your, Kiros and Ward's pasts a lot. I saw all kinds of stuff. I saw when you were a Galbadian Soldier, and your stupid crush on Rinoa's mom, that Julia woman who played the piano. Back then I thought you were seriously some kind of moron who didn't have a clue in his brain, and I might even still kinda think that, but you know? It's ok... it's just... I wish you'd maybe try and wake up so we could try again..." Squall closed his eyes and shook his head. He sounded ridiculous. "I also got to see Raine too, m-my mom... Yeah, when Ellone took me back there, I saw her at her pub. It's...,"

The SeeD Commander hesitated and sighed, shaking his head of brown locks. "It's not doing any damn good sitting here trying to talk to you, is it? Because you're not hearing a single word I'm saying, are you...?" Squall just stared down at Laguna's rising and falling chest with each pumping sound of the ventilator, releasing oxygen into the President's lungs. He scooted his chair with a loud scrape across the floor of the hospital room so he could be closer to Laguna's bedside.

Squall reached his free hand out to place on his father's shoulder, his other hand still clutching the bloodstained dog tag necklace, the chain dangling between his fingers.

"Laguna... Dad... Please, please wake up."

With a defeated huff, Squall rested his tired head against the mattress of Laguna's hospital bed, the softness of the sheets comfortable against the side of his face, his hand laying loosely on top of his father's shoulder. Squall allowed his eyelids, now growing heavy, to slip close, but he would only allow them to for a moment. He just needed to rest his eyes...

"Squall...? Hey, Squall? Wake up..." came a soft, feminine voice and a warm hand on his back, shaking him gently out of his slumber. He blinked and looked up at the source of the voice with bleary eyes and could tell he'd been asleep for at least a couple of hours, though it was odd because he'd only intended on just resting his eyes for a moment. A girl dressed in a blue top, long white skirt and a green scarf draped over her arms stood in front of him.

...Sis?

"I-I'm sorry for coming here, but I saw you asleep and.. I-I'm sorry for waking you, but that couldn't have been comfortable. You look so tired, and I'm sure you've barely slept at all. You should go back to sleep," Ellone stated nervously, tucking some dark hair behind an ear. "I-If you want me to leave, I can-," she began to say, but Squall cut her off by sitting up and shaking his head.

"No... You don't have to leave, Sis. Stay," he replied, his voice a bit gruff and drawn from sleep.

He stifled a yawn and stood up to push his chair back, next to another one and looked toward it, inviting Ellone to sit down. Ellone gave a small smile and took a seat beside him and they both fell into reticence, unsure of what to say to one another. Squall tucked Laguna's dog tags into the pocket of his jacket and attempted to break the silence. "His condition hasn't changed," the SeeD said with a sigh, staring down into his lap.

He felt extremely awkward and uncomfortable. The last time he and Ellone had spoken, they'd gotten into an argument, and things had not been resolved between the two of them. Looking back on it, Squall realized that he had come across rather mean toward her, but in his defense, he had just had a massive anvil of new responsibilities and news that could impact his life greatly dropped right on him. He really needed to work on that.

Ellone folded her hands and placed them in between her knees, bowing her head. "I know. I heard. Kiros and Ward have been keeping me up-to-date on his condition. This is the first time I've been able to bring myself to come here because I wasn't sure I could handle seeing Uncle Laguna in this kind of shape. I was right. I don't think I can."

Squall did not mistake the tremor he could hear in Ellone's tone. He'd heard it in Rinoa's voice plenty of times, and Squall had to resist the urge to comfort her much like he would comfort Rinoa whenever she was about to cry. Ellone raised a hand to her mouth to stifle a sob.

"He just looks so frail and lifeless," she spoke out in barely a whisper. Ellone was right. He did. There was an almost ashen shade of Laguna's face, and his body was too still. There were no comical, cartoon character-like movements coming from him. It just wasn't normal. "There's got to be something they can do for him, right Squall?"

Squall was just about to reach a hand out to her when the steady beeping of Laguna's heart monitor began making one, long, loud continuous sound, and Squall's heart felt like it was going to fly out of his chest. He knew what that noise was. Laguna Loire was flatlining. He wasted no time jumping to his feet and turned to make for the hospital room door.

"Squall? What is happening!" Ellone cried out as she rose to her own feet following him, and Squall threw open Laguna's hospital door.

"WE NEED A DOCTOR! SOMETHING IS HAPPENING!" Not even moments later a team of nurses and Laguna's doctor came rushing into the hospital room, leaving Squall and Ellone to hover by the doorway.

"CODE BLUE! HE'S FLATLINING! FULL CARDIAC ARREST! BEGIN CHEST COMPRESSIONS!"

The doctor was hovering over Laguna's body, but Squall could hardly see anything as the sheets were ripped back and he watched the doctors and nurses begin to work on Laguna frantically, while a nurse rushed out, pushing Squall and Ellone out of the way, and came back within moments with what appeared to be a defibrillator machine on a silver cart, along with various syringes. She wheeled it past them and into the room while the voices of the doctor and nurses resounded wildly around them.

Ellone grabbed ahold of Squall's jacket. "Squall? Squall, what's happening to him!" Her dark eyes glazed with tears stared up into Squall's ice blue ones, and all he could do was grab his Sis and pull her close to him, shaking his head, unable to bring himself to say the words. "He can't, Squall! He can't die! Uncle Laguna can't die! He promised Raine. He promised her that he would stay here and take care of you! He promised Raine he'd make us all a family! They have to save him! Please, please tell me they're going to save him, Squall!" Ellone was loudly and openly sobbing as Squall kept one arm around her. "I can't stand it. Uncle Laguna!" Squall shushed her and held her tighter, all the while Ellone's words 'Raine, promised and family' thumped residually in his head.

"...CC'S OF EPINEPHRINE, STAT!" the doctor's voice yelled out above the others, and he grabbed the paddles for the machine. "We are NOT going to let this man die! CLEAR!" Squall cringed as he watched Laguna's body fly up from the impact of the paddles of the defibrillator as they shocked his father in hopes of restarting his heart. "CLEAR!"And again a second time.

Ellone turned her face into Squall's shoulder unable to watch anymore, clutching at her mouth to hold in her cries, but Squall could not take his eyes off of his father. They had to save him. They couldn't let him die. It wouldn't be the same without Laguna's goofy antics, silly way of speaking, weird habits and out-of-the-blue leg cramps. He watched the doctor raising the paddles again, ready to try for a third time when the shrill sound of his father flatlining returned back to a steady, beeping tone once more. His heart monitor had returned to normal which meant the President was alive.

Ellone pulled back from Squall's shoulder looking up at him, her face streaked with tears and more pooling in her brown eyes before turning to look back at the team of nurses, the doctor, and Laguna. "It's ok, Sis. It's all going to be ok," Squall finally spoke up, finding his voice again, and was a bit surprised at how unsteady his own tone was. "That was just... that was hard to watch, but I think he's going to be ok." His hand rubbed up and down Ellone's arm. "He's not going to die. He's going to be just fine. They'll figure it out. They better hope like hell they do," Squall added, and he couldn't help but feel a little bit irritated with the doctors.

Just what the hell are they doing? Why are they dragging their feet on this? It's like they're not even bothering to properly help him. If he had the right care in the first place, this shouldn't have happened.

The doctor approached Squall and Ellone as the nurses hovered around the still unconscious President.

"Can you please step out and wait in the waiting room? I'm sorry, but we have to move the President into a different room to be more closely monitored, and I need to discuss further, appropriate treatment options with his surgeon. He's stabilized for now, but we may have to take more drastic measures to aid in his recovery."

"And what exactly do you mean by 'drastic measures', doctor?" Squall asked coldly. "Because it seems to me all these drastic measures and precautions that you've been taking have been doing him no good, and in fact could have killed him. He almost died just now. What kind of treatment is that?"

The SeeD glared at the doctor with a sniffling Ellone still at his side.

"So tell me this time how you propose to save him and help him because it doesn't look like you're doing too fantastic of a job to me."

The doctor didn't even flinch over Squall's icy tone which only served to irritate him even more. He'd had just about enough of doctors at this point, and it was going on close to day number three that Laguna still had not woken up, and had nearly died a second time.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Leonhart, but I don't have all the answers for you right now. I understand that the President is your father, and I understand your frustrations and that you are scared, but I am honest with the family members of my patients. Once I know something more about his condition and treatment options, I will find you and inform you as soon as I possibly can. In the meantime, I need you and your friend to please go and wait in the waiting room until we know something further. Once he is settled into his new room and is allowed to have guests, you will be informed. I apologize that you had to witness something like this," the doctor added kindly, more addressing Ellone with the apology than Squall.

He gave them a small nod and turned on his heel walking away as the nurses began wheeling Laguna's hospital bed out of his room and transporting him to lord only knew where. The size of the Estharian hospital was ridiculous as is. Now they had no clue where Laguna would even be.

Squall walked quietly next to Ellone as the two approached the empty waiting room, to which he was thankful there was nobody else in there. He and Ellone seated themselves on one of the couch-like benches, and Squall rested his elbows on his knees, folding his hands and staring at the floor. The only sounds that could be heard were Ellone still sniffling. After a long moment of silence between the two, Squall spoke up.

"Sis, why...?"

"Huh? Why what, Squall?" her small voice responded, sounding like she had a slight head cold, but Squall still couldn't bring himself to sit up and look at her. "I'm not sure I understand what you mean. I'm sorry, Squall."

"I mean, why did you want me getting so close to Laguna? Why did you want for me to hear him out and give him a chance?" He rubbed the temples of his aching head in frustration and stood up as he began pacing the waiting room.

"Why did you, Rinoa and everyone else push me so much to get close to him? You all wanted me to have this big father/son relationship with him, and because I agreed to it, we're dealing with this now."

He was so frustrated with everyone and terrified out of his mind because for some reason, the idea of something this horrible happening to Laguna had severely shaken him. A few days ago, he had been an emotional wreck that entire day after watching Laguna nearly be ripped to shreds. For the past two days, he had completely shut down and been an emotionless husk, and now he was just a pissed off and frustrated mess.

I'm sick to death of all of these... feelings. I feel like a corny little child again. I feel like the big crybaby four-year-old waiting for Sis to come back. If Seifer or anyone saw me, they'd laugh at me for sure, and I won't have that. I'm over this.

He just wanted everything to go back to normal. This wasn't him, and he had no idea how to handle everything that had been thrown at him in a matter of what, a week if even that. From dealing with the fact that he had all of Garden tossed onto his shoulders and all the responsibilities of its operations without his say-so, and then the stuff with Laguna being his father and never knowing it, the argument with Ellone, and not to mention there was still the issue with Rinoa being a sorceress and living with them at Garden. It was just too much to take in all at once, and he didn't even have enough time to just sit back and process everything and just how overwhelming it all was. His quick decisions weren't for him. They were for everyone else.

How is any of this even fair to me? I just keep doing and doing what everyone expects out of me, but what about me...? Do I even know what I want? No, I don't. I'm so damned confused...

"I did what everyone wanted me to do, what you wanted me to do. I gave him a chance. I went to Winhill with him and saw Raine's grave, and agreed for SeeD to come back here and aid in Esthar's restoration as well as getting rid of the moon monsters because I knew that's what everyone wanted me to do. It was so obvious what everyone expected out of me, and so I did every damn thing people wanted, and for what? So I could have him taken away from me again? So I could lose him? You all wanted me to accept him as my father and as my family. You all insisted that I get to know him. Rinoa drove it down my throat that he was my father and I needed to do all this crap, and so I tried, and if he dies...," Squall's throat closed up and his voice faded.

He turned to face the tall, glass window inside of the waiting room and placed his arm against it, resting his forehead on his wrist. He swallowed hard against the tightness in his throat. "I don't think that's something I can ever recover from, Sis. It was hard enough when you left. I don't think I ever really got over it. What am I going to do if something happens to him?"

Why do I even care so much? I barely know him... I just know what I've seen in the past and I know what I've seen now... Is it because I know now that he's my dad? That he's my flesh and blood? My only family, I have left?

Ellone stepped up next to Squall and placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Squall, please understand... of course I didn't want this for you or him. It never even occurred to me that something this serious could happen to Uncle Laguna of all people. He's so protected and safe all of the time, I had no idea he'd charge out into battle like that. All I ever wanted was nothing but happiness for my family, meaning for you and for Uncle Laguna. I never asked for anything like this to happen. Not even in my wildest dreams did I imagine something like this."

The girl sighed and rested her forehead against Squall's arm.

"Squall, I know how much my leaving affected you. I know how abandoned you felt because of me. I've talked to Cid, Edea, and Quistis about it after Uncle Laguna got hurt. They told me about your abandonment issues and fears of being alone, and now I know. I am so truly sorry. From the bottom of my heart, I am. I never meant to cause you so much pain because of my leaving the orphanage. It was never my intention for you to be left alone and feeling abandoned and hurt."

Squall tried hard to hide his embarrassment at this revelation, but guessed it was bound to come out sooner or later. He dropped his arm and stared out the glass window, all of the energy seemingly leaving him and he felt drained.

Ellone lifted her head from Squall's arm and brushed back more tears, working to gather composure.

"Rinoa told me, you know. She told me that you were here at the hospital with Uncle Laguna. She's the one who encouraged me to come to the hospital and talk to you. She said now was as good of a time as any to make up with you and to say the things that needed to be said. She was right. Under these circumstances, well this is certainly not the way I'd wish for you and me to make up after all that happened, but," her voice trailed off with a chuckle and she shrugged her bare, slim shoulders. "I'm truly sorry, Squall. If I understood then what I know now, I wouldn't have been so quick to try and push Uncle Laguna onto you. I would've taken more time and baby steps so maybe it would've been easier for you. I just... I felt you deserved to know the truth."

Squall's legs were growing weaker and beginning to shake underneath him and he walked to the nearest seat, slumping down into it with a sigh and closed his tired eyes.

"I know, Sis. I get why you did what you did. I know you'd never do anything without the best of intentions, but it was just a lot to take in, you know? It was like a huge sledgehammer hitting me with full force after everything Cid and had dropped on me, and then all of the stuff about Laguna. I'm still not quite sure how to handle it properly, but-" he ran a hand through his hair. "I'm sorry too," he managed to mumble out, staring at his hands. "You know, for what happened a days ago with you and me."

He glanced awkwardly up at Ellone who was still standing next to him, and she cracked a genuinely warm smile at him and took a seat next to him.

"You know, Squall. You really have changed and for the better. You're so grown up and handling so much now better than most people would your age. Rinoa has been really good for you and a very positive influence. It's amazing. She really has changed you in so many good ways."

Squall just blushed, unable to say anything. It wasn't like he hadn't heard this before, but hearing it confirmed by even Sis was kind of a nice feeling.

So, I've changed for the better, huh? I guess Rinoa just had that sort of effect on me. If it hadn't been for her, I probably wouldn't even be here right now.

"Well, she did save my life," Squall pointed out. "A couple of times and in more ways than just one, but when I was trapped in the void of the time compressed world, it was Rinoa who found me and Rinoa who brought me back. She saved me. People act afraid of her because they know she's a sorceress, but if only they knew her like I know her."

Ellone just sat quietly, facing Squall and listening to every word he said, nodding her head in understanding.

"That's something else I have to help figure out for her. I don't want people to fear her. She's not an evil sorceress. I don't think she ever could be."

"And so long as she has you, Squall, she won't be. You are her knight after all," Ellone added.

Squall just bowed his head sheepishly, remembering his own words, before the two were interrupted by the doors to the waiting room crashing open. In rushed Rinoa, Quistis, and Zell. The martial artist clutched a newspaper in his hands, with Rinoa and Quistis both appearing frantic and worried before him.

"Squall, man, you have GOT to read this!" Zell thrust the newspaper into a surprised Squall's hands. "We know exactly what happened to Laguna, and it's all right here! Hurry! Read it!"

"The news has been spreading like wildfire," Quistis added, folding her peach-clad arms over her stomach. "We weren't sure if it had reached the hospital yet or not."

Squall glanced down at the newspaper in his hands and right on the front page in giant letters above a picture of Laguna read the words ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT ON PRESIDENT LAGUNA LOIRE OF ESTHAR. The SeeD Commander's blue eyes widened more and more as he scanned the page.

What!? Assassination attempt? How was a monster battle an assassination attempt!?

Just two days ago, an assassination attempt was made on the President of Esthar's life. For anyone else, it would have appeared to be just a normal battle in the eyes of an outsider, but sources report that a Winhill resident by the name of Odell Donner is responsible for the monster attack that nearly took the life of Laguna Loire, President of Esthar. Rumor has it that Donner came into some money and hired the renowned scientist Doctor Odine to perform heavy experimentation on one of the mutants that fell from the Lunar Cry just weeks ago. Both Donner and Odine have been taken into police custody for interrogation. President Loire is currently in critical condition at Esthar Memorial Hospital. No more details are presently known at this time.

Squall sat in stunned silence while Rinoa swept to his side and seated herself next to him, placing her hand comfortingly on his shoulder. He hadn't realized that the newspaper held in his hand had begun shaking because his hands were now trembling.

"What... the hell... is this? I... I don't get it. Assassination attempt? Odine experiments? Just what the hell is going on?"

"Calm down, Squall," Rinoa told him softly. "The only thing we know as of right now is that both men were taken into custody. Kiros and Ward are there and are performing the interrogations on the President's behalf."

The SeeD Commander quickly rose to his feet and made for the door of the waiting room. "Where the hell are they interrogating him? I want you to take me there now. I want to see this man. I want to meet him and talk to him face to face," he demanded. "I have my own questions for him."

"I don't know if that's such a good idea, Squall-," Quistis began to interject, before Ellone stepped up, a fierce look in her eyes.

"I'm sorry, Quisty, but I agree with Squall. Let's go find out exactly just what is going on here and why an attempt was made on Uncle Laguna's life. Even if we can't question him ourselves, Squall is the President's son and the Commander of SeeD. He's more than entitled to get the answers we need."

She turned and looked at Squall who both nodded their heads in agreement. Quistis just shook hers appearing worried.

"Quistis, I think Ellone is right," Rinoa, too, stepped up. "I'll support you both in any way I can. I know how important Sir Laguna is to you, Ellone, and I know what he is to Squall. So I'm with you! Let's get Squall there and find out just what the hell is going on!"

Squall had to keep himself from beaming at his little sorceress. He was more appreciative then she understood of her support, and this is something he needed to do. Just what kind of an assassination attempt could be on the President of Esthar, Squall didn't know.

"If Dr. Odine was involved in Sir Laguna's assassination attempt, then we know it's serious," Rinoa added.

"You've got a point," Quistis sighed still sounding somewhat reluctant. "Just try and keep your cool, Squall. Interrogations are not something that comes easy." Squall just rolled his eyes and facepalmed.

What, does she think I'm going to go in and torture him for information?

Zell began punching the air furiously. "He's being interrogated back at the Presidential Palace! They have him downstairs in the interrogation room is what I overheard from Kiros! C'mon, Squall! Let's go! We got a car waiting out in front of the hospital!" Zell stated excitedly, sounding very pumped up, and Squall wasted no more time. He followed Zell and Quistis out to the car, with Rinoa and Ellone on either side of him.

The car trip back to the Presidential Palace was quick, but to Squall seemed to take forever. Luckily enough the hospital was not far away from the Palace when driving a car rather than on foot, and as soon as they pulled up to the doors, Selphie and Irvine were waiting outside for their arrival. Squall was the first to get out, and he marched straight up to where they stood, beginning to feel adrenaline running through his veins, his heart thrumming heavily against his ribcage.

"Squall! Welcome back!" Selphie called out as he approached them, with Rinoa, Ellone, Quistis, and Zell following in his wake. Selphie blanched as Squall stopped in front of her. "Whoa, calm down there. Don't have to look so intimidating! Irvine and I are just here to take you down to where Kiros and Ward are!

Irvine tipped his hat. "We figured you'd be coming back, so we thought we'd wait here for you and escort you down. Both Odell Donner and Odine are downstairs right now being questioned, and as soon as we found out Quistis and Zell left to fill you in, we gave Kiros and Ward a head's up. They're both expecting you."

"Good," Squall spat out coldly. "Lead the way."