Disclaimer: I don't own ff8.

A/N: Another chapter. You find out what happened with Squall and Rinoa in this one. Btw I have a thing for this story now that each chapter will begin with a song lyric or quote that goes with the chapter. Anyway many thanks to that belle, crazy turkey, rinnyheartillyizawesome,Rinoa2005, Sjsilver, lionhearted, r, sayuri21,angelWings, EmoDiva, black winged white angel and rinny Leonhart. You guys rock. The italics is flashback. Enjoy the chapter.

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-i've become tired of wasting my time, thinking about choices that i've made...i cant move forward while looking behind...-


Squall Leonhart? For a few seconds, Rinoa felt completely frozen. Squall Leonhart, her ex fiancé was standing right in front of her. Squall, her ex fiancé who she had not seen for 3 years.

"S-Squall?"
"Hey, Rinoa!" he said, looking slightly shocked himself.

Rinoa was not quite sure how to react to this situation. She had not been prepared for this at all. But part of her was almost…scared. Then, part of her was a little happy. Squall had been a huger part of her life, and sometimes she wished she hadn't left it all behind completely. She had avoided him all those years, not out of bitterness or hate, just because there was such an attachment, so much emotion. But maybe it had been long enough now…maybe they could be friends.

Feeling it was the right thing to do, Rinoa hugged Squall and said "I …I cant believe it!"

"I know! It's been …what, 3 years?"

"It's certainly been a while. How have you been?"

"good, I've been good. You?"

"Great. I just…I still cant believe this…it's so strange."

"I know."

"Um…you want to maybe, get some coffee? Catch up?" Rinoa asked.

Part of Rinoa was scared still, but part of her really wanted to just sit with him, to talk to him, to find out how he had been. She had always thought she didn't care, but it is amazing what changes when someone is standing right in front of you. Seeing him was bringing back so much to her.

"yeh, that would be good." he smiled, that same captivating smile he had always had, but hardly used "Let me just send all these files." he sighed. He turned around to the girl on the counter and handed her all the files. "could you send them all to Balamb garden please?"

"Sure thing" the girl grinned, "you just need to sign this"

"Don't have a pen."

"Here" the girl purred "you can use mine."

Rinoa rolled her eyes. Sure, now she had a pen. Now she wanted to be helpful. Then again, Rinoa wasn't surprised given that Squall looked like…Squall.

The time since she'd last seen him seemed only to have done him good. He was a lot taller than he had been and slightly broader across the shoulders. His hair was pretty much long and flippy like it had always been, with that fringe that hung just right except now it was a bit darker, and he still had the scar and those amazing eyes…no wonder she had a pen.

When they were done at the post office they headed to the nearest café.

"So, what brings you to timber?" Rinoa asked him over coffee.

"Mission." he said, taking a sip.

"Oh. I live here." Rinoa explained.

"Oh, so this is where you came…after…."

"Yeh. I like it here. It's pretty peaceful."

"you're engaged" Squall said.

"W-what?" How had he known that? "How did you know…?"

"Your wearing a ring.", he laughed a little.

Rinoa had no idea how Squall would take it, but he seemed to be doing fine. It had been 3 years after all. But then again, Rinoa couldn't help but wonder, if he was engaged, would she be taking it so well?

"Oh, yeh. Only since last night though!"

"Congratulations Rinoa" he said, sounding genuinely happy for her.

"Thanks. So how are things, back at Garden?"

"Good, they're good. The usual really."

"Lots of missions still?" Rinoa asked, still remembering how much he had been away when they were together.

"Well, not so many now, they kind of promoted me to commander. I don't do too many myself anymore."

Squall was commander of Garden? Why had Selphie never mentioned that?

"Commander? Wow, congratulations."

"Thanks. But its mostly just a lot of paperwork."

"I…I still cant believe how weird this is." Rinoa laughed. It was completely surreal to her. Part of her couldn't stop thinking about when she was with Squall. And …everything they'd done in that time.

"I still cant believe your engaged" Squall said.

"I know. Me either, really. It's still sinking in. But I'm really happy."

"I'm happy for you. So when are you getting married?"

"We haven't decided yet. Its all a big shock to me too."

At that point, a cell phone rang loudly. It was Squalls, but it actually reminded her that she should probably get home or Jay would be worried.

"Leonhart" he said by way of answering his phone. "Yes. Yeh…yes. Alright. I'll call you in a minute." he said before hanging up the phone. "I should go."

"oh yeh, me too." But oddly, Rinoa really did not want to go, at least part of her wanted to stay. She was actually having a good time catching up with Squall. It was amazing that after 3 years he still made her feel some of the things she did all those years ago. Some of them, not all of them-she loved Jay now and she was definitely over Squall. So, surely there was no harm in them being friends?

"Listen, I'm having an engagement party next week. I mean, if you're still in town you should come. Selphie and Irvine and Zell are coming, you should come too!"

"Ok, sure." he said "Why not."

She wrote down her address and phone number on one of the napkins and gave it to him. "I should get going, but it really was so great to see you."

"You too. It's been a while."

…..

A while. 3 years was certainly a while. Yet…it seemed some feelings lasted 3 years. Because as soon as she walked away and started heading home, so much came flooding back to her. She had been happy with Squall for a long time. She had loved him he had loved her. She had almost married him. So when she saw him it was not even possible for her to feel nothing. But all of a sudden she was feeling too much, it was confusing her. She started remembering all the good times, but that lead her into remembering how it had all gone so very wrong…

It had been about 2 years since they got engaged when things started to get bad. They had decided on a long engagement, both of them being sure they would marry eventually. Originally they had planned to marry early on, but so many things got in the way they decided to leave it until they both had an opening in their life were they could concentrate completely on the wedding. Squall had offered repeatedly to leave his job, but Rinoa wouldn't let him. She dint want him to give up his life, his work, for her. For her being engaged was enough. She knew, regardless of time and dates they would always be together and they knew that eventually they would marry and it would be perfect. But as time went on, that certainty started to fade away.

It was shortly after Rinoas 20th birthday that it all blew up. Rinoa had noticed Squall had become increasingly cold and distant as time went on. He was off on missions more and more and when he was there, he seemed different somehow. It was like he stopped being there for her. And of course Rinoa could do nothing but worry. Worry she'd done something, worry something was happening to him, worry he just didn't love her anymore….

Rinoa remembered with all too much clarity the night it had all became to much and her perfect romance had gone up in flames…

It was around 1.20 in the morning, 3rd April, Rinoa remembered. Squall walked through the door, and lay down on the bed, no explanation, no anything.

"it's nearly 1.30. Where have you been?" Rinoa asked

"Working."

"Until 1.30?"

"Yes. Are we done with the inquisition now, can I get some sleep?"

"What's wrong?" Rinoa asked immediately. Squall had been getting like this a lot lately. Short, snappy and harsh. It usually meant something was wrong. That was one thing Rinoa had always known about Squall, there were times he could be like 2 different people. He, to her, was mostly the sweetest and most caring, protective guy there was. But she also knew he had a side to him where he wasn't particularly nice. Rinoa was rarely on the receiving end of this side of him, but it had become more frequent that she was.

"Nothing."

"Something is wrong. I know it."

"nothing is wrong Rinoa. Well, except you constantly questioning me when I'm trying to sleep."

"Why are you being like this Squall? What did I do."

"Oh my lord" he sighed "This is not about you. Now would you please just let me sleep."

"No. I think…I think we need to talk Squall. You're acting different lately."

No, I'm not."

"You are!" Rinoa said, becoming increasingly angry with him "you can't keep treating me like this."

"Then stop annoying me!" he snapped.

Rinoa felt tears running down her cheeks by this point. She had always been comforted by the fact that no matter how much changed or how much went wrong, she could always count on Squall to make her feel better. She could go to him with anything and he would always be there. But all that seemed to be tumbling down. What was happening to them?

"We can't just ignore this problem Squall." she yelled!

"What problem Rinoa? I don't have a problem. You do. You always seem to have a problem."

Rinoa was starting to seriously worry. Squall was not acting at himself. They had fought before and Rinoa had seen him get mad, but she had never seen him quite this nasty. There had to be something wrong.

"I do not always have a problem."

"oh please Rinoa, yes you do. It's always been that way and you've always just expected me to solve it."

"What are you even talking about?"

They were both yelling so loudly now that they probably could have woken up half of garden.

"oh come on. Ever since we met you've always needed to me to solve your problems. Like how you ran away and got yourself in a whole heap of trouble and then you got into that mess with Seifer.."

"Squall!" That hurt. Why was he dragging all this up? It was all years ago.

"Well it's true isn't it! Then that thing with your father, that was the next drama."

"How can you even say that! It was not a drama it was a serious problem, he was hitting me."

"And I am beginning to see why." he yelled "you never shut up."

That hurt Rinoa more than anything else in the world could have. How could he even say that? How could he even bring that up? It was all too much to hear and she did not handle hearing it very well.

"You…you complete bastard" she sobbed before pulling her ring off her finger and throwing it at him.

She had no idea what to do or were to go she just ran out of the room and down the halls, crying hysterically.

Then she didn't see Squall for a couple of days. She couldn't bring herself to. Until after a few days, when he came to see her. Unfortunately though, it happened at a very bad time. Rinoa had not known what to do with herself the nights since it happened and most mornings she woke up hung-over and regretting something from the night before. But this morning, she had something very particular to regret.

She wasn't even sure who the guy she woke up next to was. She just heard the knocking on the door and opened it. She wasn't sure if she was happy to see Squall or not.

"Rinoa. I…" but he froze up when he glanced past her and his gaze settled on the stranger in her bed. "never mind" he said angrily, turning and walking off.

"Squall, wait!" she called as she followed him down the corridor and to his room.

"I'm sorry" she said instantly. She really was sorry.

"Right, sure you are." he said dismissively.

"I ma Squall really. But its not like you and me…"

"no. You're right. We're not. But you seem to have gotten over it pretty quick. Weren't that concerned I assume"

"that isn't fair. I was all over the place…you hurt me Squall. What you said to me…"
"I know." Squalls expression and tone softened "I never meant that. And I am so sorry."

"What…what happened to us Squall?" she whispered.

"I wish I knew."

Then they talked for several hours. A whole day almost. And gradually they both came to the same conclusion, a conclusion they had never thought they would reach: it was over.

The decision was almost mutual, equally hard on them both. She cried, he held her. Still, they both knew it wouldn't work. It had changed between them. Maybe they were too different…maybe they were to young. Maybe it just wasn't meant to be.

Rinoa decided it was best to leave almost straight away. They both decided not to stay in contact, because it would be to hard. But the last thing he told her was that ever she ever really needed him…he would always be there for her. Then she left. She left it all behind…

Rinoa came out of her memory, tears now dripping down her cheeks. She knew, that part of her would never get over it all.

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Hope you liked it. I will be doing more soon. Xx lemme know what you think.