Ok you know the drill, I dont own them yadda yadda yadda. Thanks for the reviews, although I would like more but oh well.

Chapter 4: Fight For You

Here in my lonely room,

When I'm dreaming of you,

Oh what can I do?

I still need you but I don't want to.

Beeps. Annoying ongoing beeps coursed through his ears like an alarm clock you can't reach but are too comfortable to get up and grab. Things were still dark, he figured he was still asleep in the middle of the night and had mis set that damn alarm. He never was one for technology truth be told. Something was different though from his other mornings much like this…A few things were different, actually, everything was different. What jumped out at him though were the voiced arguing fervently. He realized that it wasn't dark, but that his eyes were closed, and that he couldn't open them. Something like that should be scary, but for some reason he wasn't. Those voices were interesting him the most at the moment.

"Look, you can't do this to him," one voice said, it was a woman's…It was soft but at the moment she was trying to keep her composure. Hmph it had to be Quistis.

"Quistis," yup he was right, "he failed."

"No, he didn't," she was getting more frustrated, he could tell, "we defeated the monster."

"But you didn't kill it did you?" this had to be Cid, no doubt.

"The mission protocol didn't say anything about killing it now did it?" there was a brief silence. "Hell it said go investigate and IF there is a monster, defeat it. We investigated; we defeated; he passes."

"Quistis...You know it meant kill," he was trying to be gentle with her, trying to calm her down but his mind was made up, "plus, backup was called."

"Yes, but he didn't call for back up, I did, and probably too hastily too!" was she fighting for him?

"But it was still called and you know that almost always is an automatic failure," he too was getting pressed with this matter.

"Almost is the key word there Cid," she had a venom in her voice like a hellcat.

At that moment he wished he could see her face…But his eyes wouldn't open…What was wrong with him? Why couldn't he lift his lids? Or better yet, why wasn't he too concerned about it? It was more curiosity than anything that caused him to ask in the first place...He was...Tired...And that scared him a little...He couldn't even bring himself to remember what had happened. It was as if his mind were awake, but his body refused to stir. Bizarre is what it was.

"What's this really about Instructor?" the older man questioned.

"What do you mean?" oh she knew exactly what he meant.

"Why do you all of a sudden have such a strong confidence in Mr. Almasy?" Uh oh, this definitely couldn't lead anywhere good.

"I have faith in all my students Headmaster," well, since he had begun the formalities, she would continue them.

"But, if I do recall correctly, weren't you just in my office complaining to Xu about what a troublemaker he was? How he was 'unteachable' and I don't even know if that's a real word."

"It isn't," she sighed, seemingly exhausted by this whole argument.

"Then why have you suddenly reversed your opinion? Its not like you at all."

"Seifer is a good student, he may be a pain in the ass but he is years ahead of the other cadets. We don't have a gunblade specialist, and frankly, he could be the best this Garden has ever seen. You would be doing yourself and your institution a disservice if you failed him on a stupid technicality." Wow, she said all that about him? For him? Seifer couldn't believe what he was hearing…Then again, it was probably just because they were…Well...What the hell were they? No, she wouldn't say something like that unless she meant it...Hopefully.

"We have that Leonhart boy, he seems promising," Cid pointed out.

"That's true..." it was true. "But Seifer...He just has this natural ability with that weapon, combat, magic...He is the ideal candidate for SeeD. Hell, with a little bit of work he could even negotiate." That one was a stretch but hey, he could be quite charming when he wasn't being an asshole.

"I didn't realize you felt so strongly…" he was quiet for a moment. "Instructor Trepe…Quistis, although you make a valid argument, I just can't pass him."

"Damnit Cid he deserves it!"

"Enough!" he yelled…Cid never yells. "He can go out on the next field exam."

"That's not for months, he's ready now!" her voice was rising as well.

"He's ready when we deem him ready, and that is the end of this discussion," with that a set of footsteps stormed out of the room, leaving one very sore instructor.

Seifer heard her footsteps get closer and a chair move, indicating that she was sitting next to him. Gently, she pushed a stray strand of hair from his brow...It was nice, having someone do nice simple gestures like that. Although, nothing could ever compare to what she just did for him.

"I'm sorry Seifer," she said quietly, tears in her voice.

He wanted to say it was okay, he wanted to say that it wasn't her fault...But he couldn't...He could only lay there, not feeling of this world, but somewhere above it. Hyne he was tired, so tired...He could feel his mind shutting off, the sounds around him become blurry and incomprehensible. He gave into the darkness, just for now...Just for a little bit.

She had come to visit him as often as she could since the exam. Quistis wished she could have gone to see him more, but she was teaching a full load so it was difficult. She couldn't help but think it was her fault...Her fault for not making sure he was more careful; her fault for calling back up; her fault he wasn't a SeeD right now; her fault he was hurt.

It was scary, watching him lie there, day after day and not wake up. He wasn't in a coma though, they had assured her of that. They had to run an I.V. of Remedy straight into his blood. Whatever poison that monster had sure was potent stuff. Seifer's body made sure he'd sleep, just so it could put its full attention into healing. It sounded weird, but apparently it was quite logical. The brain shut down the body; the medulla oblongata sensed that something was wrong so it pretty much put him to sleep. It was like if a person was holding their breath too much. The brain would make them pass out to get them to breath again. Same thing...Apparently.

Still though, it was frightening, after all, he had been laying there for five days now...And here he was looking so innocent while he slept. She found it kind of funny how much younger he looked right now. Seifer was always so careful with himself, he always put on this façade, but he was still young...He was still just a child to the world as she was.

"Well...THAT was fun..." he was awake! Or rather, waking up.

"Seifer!" she got up from her normal chair and knelt next to his bed. He lifted his right arm up and shaded his eyes from the light.

"Hey," he said sleepily, looking around the room curiously.

"Hey," she replied gently.

"How long I been here?" he sat up and cringed as his i.v. got tugged a little.

"Five days…How are you feeling?"

"Oh I'm fucking fantastic," he threw his legs over the bed and began to examine the needle going into his vein at his wrist.

"What are you doing?" she stood up.

"Getting out of here…I hate this place...Hospitals, all the like," he stood up, still contemplating the medical device pumping liquid into his body.

"Seifer, you can't just leave," she put her hands on her hips as she tends to do.

"And why not?" he grabbed onto the little tube.

"You still need medical attention," she saw what he was going to do. "You really shouldn't do that…"

"You think I can't handle it? Please how much could a tiny needle hurt," in a show of manly bravery, or manly stupidity he yanked the IV right out of his arm. "SHIT!" blood started pouring out of his wrist.

"I hate to say I told you so…But I told you so," she sighed and went to a nearby cabinet, grabbing a towel and wetting it. Quistis kneeled down and tried to look at his arm, but he was holding it fiercely. "Seifer, let me see it."

"Its fine," he said through gritted teeth.

"Seifer," she was a little more forceful, and this time she looked him in the eyes, "let me see it."

This time he complied, though he still looked a bit hesitant. She pressed the damp towel to the wound and held it there firmly.

"Next time maybe you'll listen to me," she was looking at the towel, and not him.

"Not my style," he replied gruffly.

"You're a grumpy riser aren't you?" she put his hand where hers was. "Press down."

She got up and returned to the cabinet, this time grabbing a few bandages and whatnot. Removing his hand carefully she lifted the towel and began treating the wound. It was then that she realized that he was only in a pair of boxers and that she was in a rather compromising level. Quistis tried her best not to blush at this thought.

"That damn monster got me good didn't he?" Seifer was intently looking up as not to see what she was doing. Surprisingly enough, he wasn't one for gore when it came to himself.

"Well, we're just lucky we got you here when we did...Its poison was pretty bad...It was actually a good thing you were half frozen, it made the blood flow slower and the poison didn't travel as fast."

"...I didn't make SeeD did I?" his voice was quiet and grave. She stopped for a moment, surprised and then finished with the bandage. She got up and took a seat next to him on the bed.

"I'm sorry," what else could she say. He remained silent. "I tried Seifer, I really did," she expected some sarcastic caustic remark but it didn't come.

"It's okay," he took a deep sigh and looked over to her, "I know you did."

"You do?"

"Yeah...And..." ugh it was so hard for him to just be grateful. "And...Thanks."

"You'll pass next time," she put a gloved hand on his. He just nodded, not really wanting to say anything. Quistis got a little closer to him and put her head on his shoulder. She didn't know if this was the smartest thing to do, but he didn't seem to mind. In his solitude he enjoyed the company.

After a little while she saw his eyes start to droop a little. Being awake was a big step sure, but he was far from well.

"Alright big guy, time to get you to your dorm," she helped him stand up, which was no picnic because that guy was almost pure muscle. "I'm surprised...You...Can even stand."

"I'm a fast healer" he informed her drowsily, his previous coherence fleeting fast.

"Yeah I see that," she said as she led him out of the room, nearly crushed by his weight. For a second she thought about grabbing him some clothes first, but this might be a good knock on his overly inflated ego.

It took more than triple the normal amount it would to get to the dorms but they finally arrived. Quistis couldn't help but smile a little at the odd looks she was getting. Here she was, Instructor Trepe, youngest SeeD and instructor ever helping a mostly naked Seifer Almasy get around...Looking back on it, he looked drunk more than anything.

Quistis struggled to reach in her pocket and pull out a master key card. How she got one was a perk of her job. She led him into his unusually large dorm. He had a queen sized bed going into the room under a window; his own bathroom and even a little kitchen.

"Hyne Seifer how did you get such a good dorm?"

"Its my good looks," he smirked, even when he's so out of it he can still be so arrogant.

"Huh must be," she mused, "Well, lets get you to bed."

"Okay."

"Here we go," she kind of just let him fall into his bed, but she didn't count on being taken down with him. Somehow he managed to bring the covers up over both of them and secure her under his arms. "Um Seifer?"

"Hm?"

"I'm kind of not supposed to be here," this was awkward.

"Just for a little while."

"But..."

"I won't tell if you don't," she knew he was smiling even though she couldn't see his face.

"You're not going to let me go are you?" she struggled to get free but damn he was strong.

"Nope."

"And you do realize that you'll regret this later don't you?"

"Yup," he yawned and she sighed.

It was totally inappropriate, how dare he do this? Although...It was kind of nice...And she had been working really hard lately. Quistis had planned to just slip out when he was completely asleep...But sleepiness is contagious, and though her mind screamed not to, she fell asleep despite herself.

Somehow, somewhere deep down both of them knew that they would pay for this later...But for now it seemed worth it.