AN: hey! So sorry for the delay I've been like sooo busy! But here it is. So much thanks to all who've been reading so far. I love ya guys XX

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"What's wrong Sweetie?" Jay asked as soon as he saw Rinoa walk in "Have you been crying?"

"Um…oh no I haven't. It's just…this eye make up..it really stings."

"oh, alright, sweetie."

"You want me to help out?"

"Sure. Pretty busy actually. If you don't mind that is."

"Of course not." Rinoa said happily. She was glad he'd said yes, she needed something to do to take her mind of what had just been going on. Rinoa helped out at the pub most nights and she loved it. She would serve drinks, but also sometimes just chat with the regulars.

"I got you something" Jay said, appearing from behind Rinoa and wrapping his arms around her waist. Rinoa felt instantly comforted by this and she remembered how she really and truly loved Jay.

"Something else?" she giggled "the proposal was enough!"

"You'll like this…it's shiny." he smiled, handing her a little blue bag. Inside the bag was a little box. Rinoa opened the blue velvet lid and saw the most beautiful necklace ever. It was a diamond heart, hanging from a long, delicate chain.

'Jay! It's beautiful!"

"Well not as beautiful as you. But as close as anything is gonna get."

Rinoa wrapped her arms around him and drew him into a long kiss.

"Hey hey hey, public place." Callie, who had appeared at the bar without Rinoa noticing, said as she sat down at the bar.

"Hey Callie." Jay said.

"Look, look!" Rinoa held up the necklace to show her friend.

"Oh wow. Now I'm jealous. You get a proposal and diamonds? I'm single and my necklace cost 3.50...and I bought it myself.!"

"Unlucky." Rinoa grinned. Because she knew herself she was very lucky. She couldn't be happier with Jay. Although maybe she would be a little happier if she had never bumped into Squall. She was happy to see him in a way, but now everything between them was going around in the back of her mind. She wondered if she could tell Callie. They were after all best friends, at it may make her feel better if somebody else knew. Maybe Callie could even help her understand all the crazy mixed up things she was feeling.

"hey Callie, could I just have maybe a private word with you?"

"Oooh gossip?" Callie said her eyes shining.

"Sort of. You wanna come through to the back?"

"Yep.!"

Rinoa and Callie went through to the back room of the pub and as soon as Rinoa shut the door, Callie said "Tell me! What happened? Who, where and when? Details!"

Callie certainly loved gossip.

"Okay. But you have to promise not to tell anybody. Anybody at all."

"Okay I promise. Now spill."

"Well, remember how I told you I was engaged?"

Callie looked at Rinoa strangely "Well yes because it was earlier today, remember. you're engaged to Jay, hence the nice sparkling ring."

"No, I don't mean Jay! I mean…" Rinoa lowered her voice "Remember how I told you I was engaged once before, before I came here to Timber.?"

"Oh yeh. When you were younger. That guy from Garden right? Squall or something."

"Yeh, Squall Leonhart. Will I kind of bumped into him earlier…literally."

"Really? Where?"

"In the post office."

"Why was he in the post office in Timber. I thought he lived in Balamb?"

"He was on a SeeD mission I think."

"Wow. What was it like when you saw him?"

"It was…confusing. I mean, I was actually kind of happy to see him. It was like, I hadn't realised it, but when I saw him I realised I kind of missed him. A little. And then I couldn't help thinking about when we were together."

"But, you are over him right?"

"Yes, of course! I love Jay so much. But is it wrong that I maybe want to still keep some contact with Squall? I mean, before, it was always too hard. But now I'm secure and I'm settled would it be so bad for us to be friends?"

"I guess not. I mean, I suppose he was a huge part of your life. You are who you are because of your past, and your past with him is always going to be there, you're never going to forget him are you. You were together what, 3 years? There must be so many memories there, no one expects you to want to throw that all away."

Rinoa was glad she had told Callie. It comforted her to know somebody else understood.

"Oh good. Plus I kind of …um…invited him to the engagement party."

But instead of looking shocked, as Rinoa had assumed she would, Callie looked happy.

"So I get to meet your Ex-Fiancé?"

"Yeh, I guess you do."

"Wow. I mean, its just that when you told me about you two he always sounded pretty nice."

"He was, he was a god guy. We just didn't work."

"Does Jay know he's coming?"

"No. I haven't told him yet. I will soon, I don't think he'll mind though. He 's too perfect."

"Alright, rub it in." Callie muttered darkly.

"Oh, I have something else to ask you. Will you be my maid of honour?"

"Really?? Me?? I'd love to!"

"What are we ladies talking about?" Jay asked, wandering into the room.

Rinoa hesitated…she did not want to lie to him, but this was not the right moment to tell him.

"Uhmm…bridesmaid stuff." Callie covered "You know, make up, dresses, hair, shoes."

Jay shrugged "Not my department" he grinned before leaving the room again.

"Thanks Callie. I just couldn't lie to him. This is all pretty complicated."

"You know what, forget it! We have a party to plan."

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

Rinoa was incredibly nervous when the day of the party arrived. The guest list had grown massively over the last week and she now had lots more people to accommodate than she had planned. Luckily, Jays house was large enough for everyone, and all the details food and drink, were sorted. But that was not what was bugging her. It was her decision that was playing on her mind, her decision to invite her ex-fiancé to her engagement party. She now could not wholly understand why she did it. It would more than likely cause some sort of trouble, and what was she going to tell Jay about it all.

She couldn't lie to him. But she couldn't tell him.

It also didn't help that this was not her first engagement party. Every time she thought about that she couldn't help but worry that this could end up the same way.. she knew she shouldn't think that…but she did.

She had been finding it hard not to think about Squall after she had seen him that day, but luckily whenever she was with Jay the only thoughts that filled her head where of him and how incredibly happy she was. She loved Jay, and she couldn't wait to marry him. And when everyone arrived and starting congratulating her and talking about the upcoming wedding she forgot completely all her troubling thoughts.

But then she had to dash around playing mad host, checking on everyone and if they were having a good time.

"Uh-oh" Jay said, sliding his arm around Rinoas' waist "here comes my Sister. Just smile and nod."

"Tanya's here?"

"Yep."

Rinoa couldn't believe this. This partly was rapidly turning into a drama. Not only was her ex going to be there, but now his ex was too.

"Oh my god" Selphie, who had arrived not long ago, said running over to Rinoa, "You wont believe who just walked in!"

"Tanya?"

"Yeh, and Seifer! They came together!"

Rinoa panicked even more. Now she had both her exes there-although Squall was yet to show-and Tanya was there to top it all off. It was like 6 years ago all over again.

"Who's Seifer?" Jay asked looking puzzled.

But before Rinoa had a chance to answer, Callie pulled her aside form the conversation.

"What's up Rinoa? You like kind of… pale."

"I'm…I'm fine."

"Good. Now look." Callie pointed to the door "Totally hot guy just walked in, who is he?"

"That's Squall." Rinoa said feeling herself smile for some reason.

Callies jaw dropped "That's your ex fiancé?"

"Yeh."

"I so hate you right now." Callie said playfully.

"Charming." Rinoa laughed. She raised her hand in the air and waved getting Squall attention.

"Hey." he said, coming over to them "Congratulations"

"Thanks Squall." She said reaching up and giving him a quick kiss on the cheek. "Thanks for coming."

"No problem. Here, I bought you some champagne."

"Aww thank you. That's so sweet."

"I'm Callie by the way."

"Hey. I'm Squall."

"Oh Squall." Rinoa said, "I should probably tell you that…"

But before Rinoa could finish her sentence, somebody went "Well well well, Squall Leonhart."

"Seifer. " Squall shook his head "Why is he here?"

"I came with Tanya." he said.

"Tanya?"

"Tanya is Jays sister." Rinoa said.

"Surely you remember me." Tanya said sarcastically, now appearing behind Seifer.

"How could I forget." Squall sighed.

"And Rinoa…" Tanya said, rolling her eyes "Certainly haven't forgotten you. First it was my boyfriend, now its my brother. You don't change do you.?"

Rinoa was completely surprised by this girls rudeness. It had been years, why wasn't she over it?

"Get over it Tanya." Squall sighed "That's not why we're here."

"I figured you wouldn't want to talk about it." Tanya snapped.

"It was six years ago."

"Feels like yesterday." Seifer laughed sarcastically. "So Squall, you all alone? How sad."

"Shut up Seifer."

"Hey you guys." Jay said, walking over "What's going on? And who are you?" he said to Squall.

"I'm…."
"He used to be engaged to Rinoa." Tanya said, clearly enjoying herself. Rinoa didn't remember her being this mean.

"What?" Jay said, seeming to become very annoyed, very quickly.

"Yeh. Well, we actually used to date too, but then he cheated on me with Rinoa."

"actually, you cheated on me with him." Squall said, indicating Seifer.

"Oh yeh, he also used to date Rinoa." Tanya said smugly.

"Rinoa can I have a word please?" Jay said, his voice a mixture of annoyance and confusion.

Then he pulled her aside "You invited your ex-fiancé?"

"Yeah. I kind of bumped into him and invited him. I'm so sorry it just slipped my mind and I never told you."

"And what's all this with Tanya? I thought you didn't know her."

So Rinoa had no choice but to very briefly explain the whole story to him, the story of Squall, Tanya and Seifer. And when she was talking about it, it occurred to her how long ago it really was.

"Well" Jays said stiffly, "I think we need to talk about it later. But now we might want to do something before those guys get into a fight."

At that moment, Callie came running over to them "Um Rinoa, I think those guys are about to start a huge fight."

"we need to do something" Rinoa sighed, her party was turning into a disaster.

"Okay!" Callie said looking as if she had an idea. Then she stood up on the chair and yelled to get peoples attention "Ladies and Gentleman!!! I'm Callie, I'm the maid of honour and I'd like to make a small toast!"

Rinoa was grateful to Callie, although this might be an even bigger disaster, given that she was totally winging it.

"Well" she begun "I just want to say firstly, congratulations to Rinoa and Jay. I really couldn't be happier for them. I've seen them together for the past year or so, from when they first met, right up to this moment and just from that one year I am so sure that their marriage will last forever. I've never seen two people so completely in love. I've never seen more respect than when these two speak to each other, I've never seen so much happiness as when they are together and I've never seen so much warmth as when these guys look at each other. So I wish you guys a life time of happiness, more than I can express. So once again, to Rinoa and Jay, congratulations!"

Rinoa felt tears in her eyes the speech had been so beautiful. Bit it made her realise something too. It didn't matter. Tanya, Seifer, Squall the whole thing was in the past. She loved Jay now and that was the present, all that mattered.

"I love you." She said, leaning her head on his shoulder.

"I love you too."

Fortunately the evening ran a little smoother after that. Tanya and Seifer appeared to have gone and everyone seemed to be having a good time. Selphie of course was dancing, while Jay actually seemed to have hit it off with Irvine and they were off talking over by all the drinks. Rinoa was glad they got on, it at least meant she could keep some link between her past and her present.

"Hey Rinoa." Squall said, tapping her on the shoulder "Could I maybe have a word with you?"

"Sure." Rinoa said "Is everything alright?"

"Yeh. I just need to talk to you."

"Well it's a little loud in here. Um lets go over there." Rinoa said and she went over and sat on the stairs outside the room.

"Alright I have to tell you something."

"Sure. Go ahead."

"Alright. I'm telling you this because I don't think it's fair to be here without you knowing why so I'm going to be honest."

"What are you talking about?"

Squall took a deep breath "I still love you Rinoa. And I want you back."

---------------------------------------------------------------------------

Pardon Squall….what was that?????ahh hes crazy hehehe. Again sorry for the delay annd hope you enjoyed.