Disclaimer: I won Final Fantasy VIII in a game of Texas Hold Em last night. Unfortunatly I lost them in the next hand. (I knew I should have folded with a pair of tens!) Don't worry, Zell's teaching me how to win them back. Mwhahahaha. In the meantime, copyright goes to SquareEnix.

Author's Notes: Squall makes a joke. Watch for it or you might just miss it .

Without further ado:

Fated Circle

Chapter Three:

Bad News

"So far, the party's been a HUGE success!" Selphie boasted, excitedly walking backwards through the empty halls of Balamb Garden. "At the last count, we made over twenty thousand gil!"

"Whoa!" Zell exclaimed, as impressed as anyone in the group. "Really?"

"I'm sure that will go a long way towards the rebuilding of Trabia Garden." Rinoa assured them both with a warm smile. "Won't it Squall?"

Everyone looked to him with eyes full of hope as they rode the elevator down to the first floor lobby. Selphie had grown up in Trabia, and was devastated when everybody had arrived too late to evacuate it before a strategic missile strike by Sorceress Edea. Edea had been possessed by Ultimecia, a sorceress from the future, at the time. Zell felt responsible for the missile strike because he had been the one to accidentally leak out who had been behind the would-be assassination attempts on the late Galbadian President, Vinzer Deiling, and in a round-about way felt that if he hadn't the Sorceress would not have attacked the Garden. Squall understood that only by rebuilding Trabia Garden could Zell start to erase some of his guilt. Selphie hoped that one day the Garden could one day house young students again.

Both of them knew that Squall would tell them the truth, no matter how horrifying that realization may be, or how callous it was in the telling. The truth was, it would take a lot more than twenty thousand gil to rebuild the devastated Garden. That being said, the party had raised a lot more money than he thought it would. "Good job, Selphie."

She beamed, rocking back and forth on her heels as the group stepped out of the elevator and continued their walk towards the dormitory. Quistis rose a hand to cover up a yawn.

"Better get some sleep tonight Commander. You have to be up bright and early for that press conference.

(Quistis…damnit.) Squall threw her a tired glance.

"I thought headmaster Cid was going to the press conference?" Irvine asked.

"He felt that Squall could handle it better since Cid was in Centra the past six months."

"Poor Squall." Rinoa frowned. Everyone knew how much Squall hated making speeches. "So where do we meet up in the morning?"

"Huh?" Squall asked, baffled. He stopped in his tracks, and the others stopped with him, Melinda stopping a little late and feeling slightly out of place.

"The train station?"

Squall looked down at her from behind his dark bangs. "You're not going, Rinoa." He told her before looking to everyone else. "None of you are."

"But you're going into Galbadian Territory, right?" Irvine asked with a frown. "Could be dangerous."

"Irvine's right." Quistis stepped in. "Galbadia's unstable right now, and with all the factions vying for control---especially in Timber, no offense Rinoa--"

"Absolutely none taken."

"--Galbadia is the last place a SeeD should go alone."

"No!" he argued with a sweeping motion of his hand. "You're all going to Balamb like we planned. You guys deserve this vacation, and I'm not going to deny you any part of it!"

There was a moment of silence, everyone taken aback by the sudden harshness in Squall's voice.

"See guys?" Rinoa commented all grin. "I told you that underneath his cold exterior Squall really cares about us."

"Whatever. I'll be fine on my own." Squall sighed, massaging his eyes. "I'll catch up with you in Balamb when it's all over."

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His gunblade came down, falling the last of the monsters they'd encounter in the castle. They had reached it at last,an oversized door made of thick, engraved oak beyond which lie the very thing they had come here to find.

The person they had come to destroy.

Taking position on one side of the door, his gloved hand motioned his blond friend over. The martial artist nodded his understanding. He backed up, and then ran forward kicking the door hard with the heel at his sneakers. Once more, and the lock snapped, clearing the way for the SeeD to enter.

He felt his hands tighten on Lionheart as they entered and saw her---really saw her for the first time. She sat regally on her throne high above them. She had long feathery wings that would have better suited an angel. Her eyes fluttered open, a vivid yellow that sent a shudder through him. They weren't yellow like sunshine, or the daffodils that lined the Quad of Balamb Garden. No, they were acidic, as if staring too long into their depths could burn away your very soul.

He saw Rinoa tense beside him, her brown eyes filled with fear, and her Shooting Star aimed with a shakey arm at the Sorceress' head. His heart went to her. Before them was the woman who had caused them so much trouble.
Seifer had been the first casualty in the war she had begun when she had traveled through time to possess Matron Edea. She had lured the SeeD candidate into her web and made him her knight. Then when Rinoa had tried to suppress the woman's powers in Galbadia Ultimecia decided to use her as a sacrifice to bless the start of her reign of terror, and if Squall hadn't been there she would have succeeded. Weeks later when Edea was defeated at Galbadia Garden Ultimecia had transferred herself into Rinoa, placing her in a coma and eventually possessing her and using her to free Sorceress Adel from her prison. Then the Sorceress had left the scared girl floating in space to die.

This was the Sorceress that had caused him so much trouble, so much death…

A hand brushed his hair, waking him from his dream. His stormy eyes fluttered open, dreamily staring up at the face that stared down at his own. "Rinoa?" he muttered, still half-asleep. His body stiffened as he blinked the sleep from his eyes. "I-is everything alright?" he slurred.
Rinoa nodded nervously. "Huh? Oh yeah, it's nothing like that, it's just…"

He could see that something was bothering her, and as much as the old Squall would have sent her flying to the door with a thinly veiled threat, the new Squall was concerned with the look in her eyes. "Wh-what is it?" he asked, putting his elbows beneath him with the intention of sitting, but Rinoa hovering above him prevented him from doing that.

Rinoa frowned, then looked away. "I don't know…it's probably just me being childish."

"Probably." Squall agreed, causing her to give him a look that was both hurt and betrayed. "But it's bothering you, so what is it?"

"I…I couldn't sleep."

Squall furrowed his brows. "Because of what those bastards said before?"

Rinoa thought about that. "Maybe they had something to do with it." She admitted. "But everytime I went to sleep I kept dreaming about Ultimecia." She sighed, sitting down on the bed beside him, and he scooted over to make room for her. "It just seems like every time I close my eyes I see her eyes, or hear her laugh in my ears like I did when she was inside my body. It…it scares me, Squall."
Squall looked at her in a mixture of surprise and concern. "I was just dreaming of our battle with her." He confided in her. "It seems that the whole Time Compression is playing itself out piece by piece."
The tired girl groaned. "Because living it the first time through wasn't enough." They were silent for a long moment, each of them trying to work something out in their own minds before she spoke again. "Squall…can I stay here tonight?"
"What?"
Rinoa's face soured. "Just tonight, please? I just…want to be near you." Her warm brown eyes were pleading, her lips turning just ever so slightly into a pout. He was debating it for a long moment, logic screaming in his ears that this wasn't proper. The rules clearly stated that men weren't to dorm with women, even on the SeeD end of the dorms. Granted he had turned a blind eye when he had seen SeeD emerge from their partners rooms early in the mornings in something he had come to call the walk of shame, but Squall had never thought he'd be breaking that particular rule. Reason said he was the Commander, and he needed to set an example for his subordinates.
But as Squall watched her, half pleading half pouting, sitting on the side of his bed in her pajamas, he also knew that the raven-haired princess was seeking his comfort because it was something she needed. Something she wanted on an emotional level. And he had to admit to himself that he wanted it to. He needed the comfort she had to offer him, and on some primal level he wanted to feel the warmth of her body beside him. He wanted her face to be the first thing he saw when he woke up.
Not that he expected anything adventurous to happen over the course of the evening. The idea that something adventurous could happen with the dark-haired beauty (more likely somewhere down the line) brought the blood rushing to his face.
Reason, or emotional desire. He had to choose now. Argh, screw reason. He was the Commander, and if anybody wanted to comment he knew they'd be making that argument from the business end of Lionheart. Rinoa needed to be near him, and much as he refused to admit it, he needed to be near her. "Whatever…" he said, making room for her to curl up at his side. "But just this once."
Rinoa nodded enthusiastically, slipping under the covers and resting her head on the pillow near his shoulder. "Just this once." she agreed.
He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. His heart was racing, and he needed to relax if he was ever going to sleep.

'Squall, you're going to have to talk about me at the Press Conference, aren't you?"

"Probably."

Rinoa signed and closed her eyes. ''Everyone's going to hate me."

"You didn't free Adel, she did."

"I know, you know, all of our friends know, but is everyone else really going to believe that I was possessed by a Sorceress who

isn't even born yet?"

"I can't make them believe what I say; I can only tell them the truth and give them the opportunity."

"You're really deep sometimes, you know that?"

"...Whatever." A small grin spread across Rinoa's peaceful face.

''Squall, I really don't like the idea of you going into Galbadia alone."

"...I'll be fine."

"Yeah... but it doesn't hurt to be safe right? Could you at least let one of us come with you? Even if it isn't me…"
"Rinoa…"

"I'm sure Quistis wouldn't mind going, or Zell…"
"If I say I'll take someone will you let me sleep?" He felt her nod against his arm. "Fine, I'll take Quistis then."
"Thank you Squall." He felt her warm breath against his shoulder as she fell asleep beside him. He reached a hand over to pull the blanket over her bare arms and stared at her angelic face for a few long moments before sleep gently took him as well.

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"Ladies and gentlemen of the Associated Press: thank you all for coming this morning." Squall stood stiffly at the podium in his dress uniform, wishing he could be anywhere but in the sight of the large cameras. He tried not to think of the millions of people sitting home to watch him on their home televisions. "As you all know it's been exactly one year since anyone has broadcast from Timber Station, and we'd like to ensure you that despite last year's conflicts, you are all safe within the studio."

This brought a short laugh from the crowd, who seemed a bit nervous for reporters, and Squall was glad that Quistis had suggested the joke.

"We have invited General Caraway of Galbadia and President Laguna Loire of Esthar to join us today so that we could bring the general public up to date on the events of the past year."

Squall stared solemnly at the cameras as he began to summarize the events that took place in the most defining year of his life. "With the help of Balamb Garden's SeeD, President Loire, and the people of Esthar, as well as Edea Kramer---"

"Hold on," Someone brandishing a notepad and a cap hailing Timber Maniacs raised his hand to stall Squall's statement. "Isn't Edea the Sorceress' name?"

"At the time of this conflict, Edea Kramer was under the influence of a Sorceress born generations in the future." Squall clarified. "A year ago, Seifer Almasy, a former student of Balamb Garden stood here as he drew arms against Galbadian President Vinzer Deiling in an unsanctioned act of violence. A SeeD team within the city led by myself confronted him within this station. He was also here confronted by Sorceress Edea who lured him away from my team and disappeared with him."

The press conference went terribly.

Squall pressed on past the questions of the reporters, and the crowd had to be warned several times not to interrupt the speaker with questions, but to wait until Squall was finished. The conference went on in a similar fashion, all three representatives jumping in where they were needed. Then, finally it was over.

Squall breathed out a sigh of relief as he headed backstage, glad that verbal battle was now over. He felt a hand grab him roughly by the shoulder and he turned to see a strong fist heading on a collision course with his left cheekbone. Having not anticipated the attack, he didn't have time to block. It sent him reeling backwards into a refreshment stand which toppled over leaving the commander to land on his rear in the mess. "This is all your fault. You dragged her into this mess."

"General Caraway!" Quistis exclaimed as she tried to step between the two of them.

"Are you happy, Commander Leonhart? You saw them out there---they all fear and hate her."

"They fear her because they don't know any better" Quistis answered for him.

"They fear her because of what she is! And she wouldn't be a sorceress if it wasn't for him!"

"Hey---uh, what's going on in here?" Laguna scratched his head. He extended a hand to Squall, but he ignored it, standing on his own.

"Nothing." he answered, turning his back on them all.

Caraway snickered, "You know the truth as well as I do!"

Squall stiffened, Quistis glancing at him in an expression of sympathy. "You want the truth?" he turned around, glaring at Caraway from behind his dark bangs. "The truth is, nobody forced Rinoa to do anything against her will. Rinoa does what she feels is right, and nobody--not you, or I can stop her. If you're so set on placing blame on someone, Rinoa never would have come in contact with SeeD if she didn't join a resistance movement to get away from you.

Squall's remark was unexpected "That doesn't concern you. That's our problem."

"Then don't make it mine."

"Would you tell her---"

Squall shook his head. (You've gotta be joking…) "If you have something to tell her, you can tell her yourself. Like you said, that's none of my business."

Laguna watched in confusion as the man stalked out the door ignoring the angry protests of the Galbadian General, a distraught Quistis close behind. He turned to look at the General with disappointed eyes.

"Don't look at me like that Loire." Caraway remarked, flexing his hand. "I don't have time to deal with you now."

For reasons that were his own, Laguna felt the sudden urge to knock the aging General back to Deiling.

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The news came in early on Saturday when Seifer stood to accept his morning meal. The Estharian guards had been neutral towards him up until this point out of respect for their president, Laguna Loire, hero of the first Sorceress War, but as the guard handed him his morning gruel he leaned over and whispered bitterly. "Looks like you're finally going to get what you deserve kid." Seifer felt his blood run cold. "Maybe all of those people who died because of you will finally be able to rest."

(Galbadia!) It hit him. (I'm going to be transferred to Galbadia.) He would be tortured, tried, and executed. Not necessarily in that order either. He would be all alone through it all, without Laguna, Matron or Ultimecia to coddle him through it all.

Poor, poor boy.

He had failed her, that's why he was here. Or was it that Ultimecia had failed him? He hadn't felt so mixed up in a year, when he failed his SeeD exam. He had decided to help the Forest Owls in their goal to liberate Timber. At the time he thought he was doing it for Rinoa, but now it seemed he had only needed an outlet for his anger, and President Deiling had been it.

Such a confused young boy.

He accomplished his goal to help the Owls in a roundabout way. He protected Ultimecia in Galbadia, and Ultimecia murdered President Deiling. He hadn't realized that made him an accessory to murder until Raijin and Fujin later pointed it out.

Are you going to step forward? Retreat? You have to decide.

What to do now? Arranging an escape wouldn't be too hard if Raijin and Fujin didn't hate him so much. He couldn't blame them. What he had done was horrible. Maybe he should face the crimes he had committed. Maybe he deserved to die. He wasn't sure.

The boy in you is telling you to come. The adult in you is telling you to back off. You can't make up your mind. You know the right answer. You want help don't you? You want to be saved from this predicament? Don't be ashamed to ask for help. Besides, you're only a little boy….

A/N: Creepy. This kid defiantly needs a friend, and I don't mean an evil Sorceress. So how about that little punch, huh, huh? Who knew Caraway had it in him. Almost wish I had Laguna beat him up though -

So what do you think will happen next? What will Seifer do? How will Rinoa cope with the misplaced hatred? Will Laguna ever get up the nerve to say what he so desperately wants to say? Will the group be able to make it through an entire weekend in Balamb, work-free? Find out in Chapter four!

Also if you really like it my DA journal is always full of spoilers. Check it out at http://jenkimimay. Thanks muches! You can also join a great Final fantasy RPG at Thanks to all the people who've been reading! I was surprised to see how many hits this story had. And don't be afraid to leave me a review! Don't be shy, reviews are the feed that get the little chocobo in my head to run, causing the gears to spin which in turn leads to more chapters!