A World to belong to
A/N; I'm aware that a lot of the fine details of the storyline are different, particularly with Edea, Ellone and Rinoa but with the inclusion of Harry it can't be helped. Hope you enjoy.
Chapter 8; Lunar
The next day
When Harry woke up he was firstly surprised that he wasn't surprised at being curled up to a naked chest. He found himself moving his head over the centre of his chest to listen to his heartbeat before he realised that the lay of muscles was wrong. He lifted his head in confusion and the sight of the other sixteen-year-old made the memories of the last day rush back to him. Irvine was much more of a teenager than Squall and while his body was still that of a warrior, Irvine fought with a gun and not a heavy sword like Squall. The major difference was that Squall's upper body strength was much higher than Irvine, Harry and Zell's. Irvine had a graceful body, used to lying in wait for long periods of time. He was gorgeous though, at least in Harry's opinion. As was Zell and Seifer though Harry hadn't seen Zell and Seifer half naked since they were little boys.
"What you staring at?" Irvine asked and a smiled twitched across his face. Clearly Harry had woken him up but Irvine hadn't moved a muscle in the process. "I'm not Squall."
"Doesn't matter." Harry laughed and lay back down next to Irvine and put his head on his shoulder. "Still nice to wake up to."
"I'm glad." Irvine laughed before lifting his head. His right hand came up and stroked Harry's right arm and flinched when they hit metal. Harry was suddenly reminded about the bangle and sat up sharply. He pulled his right arm in front of him and stared down at the device. He fiddled with it but it was tight enough not to budge. Honestly it was just uncomfortable. "How do you feel?"
"The same as normal now." Harry shrugged. "I just know I can't use my sorcery anymore. As long as I don't try it won't bug me."
"And your para-magic?" Irvine checked. "And Sabre?"
"They're fine." Harry assured him. "That magic runs through your core. Sorcery resides in the mind, not the magical core."
"Oh..." Irvine grinned suddenly and pulled Harry to him and kissed him on the forehead. "You going to be alright without it?"
"I miss not knowing what Squall is doing." Harry shrugged. "I know he's up in that space station but before I could have just concentrated for thirty seconds and spoken to him. And Seifer..."
"You can't check on him or help him." Irvine nodded.
"One day I hope we can all be together." Harry smiled. "And Zell and Seifer will get along. Maybe we can open the Garden up again. Be mercenaries or something."
"That would be interesting." Irvine laughed. "At least once this thing is off, you could be our organiser, talk to us all and check on us. Be the mother hen."
Harry rolled his eyes. "That's Squall."
"Squall never acts..." Irvine stopped himself before laughing. "Okay he does now doesn't he."
"He always used to as well when he was put in teams. He'd always check everyone's location and status to make sure everyone was safe." Harry pointed out. "He just did it so nobody realised he worried about his teammates."
"Didn't Squall ever complain about privacy?" Irvine asked as they both sat up and slowly got out of bed to get ready for the day.
"The first time I caught him at a private moment he had his boxers around his ankles and was playing with himself." Harry laughed happily. "He tried to pretend I'd imagined it but I'd been in his head for five minutes before I announced myself."
Irvine laughed. "He'd kill me if I told him I knew that."
"Probably." Harry nodded. "By the third or fourth time he didn't try to pretend otherwise anymore but he'd always stop. After a few months, by the time he was fourteen, he just didn't bother even stopping. Eventually he didn't even turn away from what he was doing. Then I started encouraging him and it went from there really."
"That's kind of strange." Irvine smirked suddenly. "But it suits you two perfectly."
Harry knew Irvine though and he moved closer and hugged him, putting his cheek against the taller boy's check. "I wish I could have found you back then too, Irvine. You knew who you were missing and I wish I could have been there for you to make it easier."
"If you had been I'd have left the Garden I think. I would have gone hunting for them." Irvine told him softly. "I wish I hadn't been so alone but now I've got everything I've ever dreamed of. Well, except for this war."
"We'll deal with that." Harry told him resolutely as he pulled away and grabbed up a towel so he could shower.
By the time they'd both showered and dressed for the day everyone else was waiting in the common area for them. Zell bounced up and grabbed Harry so tight Harry wasn't able to even argue as Zell spun him around. When Zell put him down Harry leaned in and quickly pecked him on the lips and then hugged him gently. Zell didn't complain about the loving treatment even though Selphie made a cooing sound. Harry hugged everyone else including Matron and Ellone and answered the two when they checked up on how he was feeling.
XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX
Four hours later
It wasn't long before Selphie, Irvine and Zell were tugging him out of the Presidential Palace and out into the shopping district. Zell wanted to walk but when they realised it would take them almost an hour to cross the city by foot Zell just agreed to go with them on the shuttle trains and simply stayed side by side with Harry for the short trip. Harry let them tug him around the shopping district with their money buying him a few sets of travel clothes, restocking their own supplies and even dropped Harry's new Katars off for a serious overhaul. He'd tried to sharpen them on their journey but it wasn't that easy to do. They were also in dire need of new sheathes and a proper belt for Harry to wear them.
When it happened they'd just luckily picked up Harry's Katars and been sitting down for some food before they headed back to the Palace. Irvine spotted it first and frowned which drew Harry's attention up to the sky. It took Harry a moment to work out how far away it was since its size instantly mislead them all. It was actually way beyond the horizon but was so massive it looked far closer. It was too big. Bigger than anything that Harry had ever seen on Earth but it was definitely moving right towards them.
"What is that?" Zell whistled under his breath.
"Not anything I've ever seen." Irvine shook his head and he, Zell and Selphie all looked at Harry.
"Why do you think I have a clue?" Harry raised an eyebrow.
"You're more worldly than us." Selphie pointed out. "Plus you spend loads of time in people's heads so maybe you've seen something like that."
"Selphie..." Harry shook his head. "Just no." He almost chuckled.
"Our best bet for answers is either back at the Palace or maybe we should go pay a visit to Doctor Odine at his lab."
"Odine's lab?" Zell frowned. "Wait!" He shot to his feet. "I have seen something like that before!"
"When?" Irvine frowned.
"The last time Ellone took us back into the past!" Zell sounded excited. "It was on the ground though, half buried, and Doctor Odine was studying it."
"Ellone's powers only put you back twenty years though." Harry frowned.
"Odine will have answers." Selphie pointed out and the group got their stuff together and took off for the nearest transport platform and Zell didn't even complain as they boarded and shot off towards Doctor Odine's lab on the west side of the city. As they headed for the entrance they took note of the pillar's progress. It wouldn't be long before it was over the city.
The guards didn't even try to stop them from walking into the lab and they found Odine and one of his assistants in his main office pouring over a computer display. "Doctor Odine, what's happening?" Irvine asked.
"It's Lunatic Pandora!" Doctor Odine told them almost gleefully. Harry had quickly realised that fear didn't actually register with the man, as long as it was something he could research.
"What's it doing!" Harry pressed. "And what is it?"
"It's not heading for the city itself." The Assistant explained. "It's heading directly for Tear's Point east of the city."
"Why?" Harry pressed.
"To create a Lunar Cry." Doctor Odine told them as if they should know what that was.
"One hundred years ago a Lunar Cry created the crater on the Centra Continent." The Assistant explained. "Over what was once a large city."
"So the same will happen here?" Selphie asked.
"Can we stop it?" Zell gasped.
"You may be able to board it as it passes across the city using the upper skyway. But reports from the border have warned us that the Galbadian Military is escorting Lunatic Pandora." The Assistant continued. "You will have to fight them for access."
"What if we can't stop it?" Irvine asked.
"We don't know." The Assistant shook his head.
"We'll try." Harry nodded even though he didn't really understand everything about what was going on. More questions could be asked later on. "Selphie, go back to the Palace and made sure Quistis and Matron know what's going on. If the Galbadians find out Matron is here..."
Selphie swallowed and nodded. Who knew what the Galbadians would do to get their Sorceress back in their hands. She took off at a run and Irvine, Zell and Harry followed her a little slower, checking they knew which way to go to get to the upper skyway.
"Harry, do you have any clue what this is all about?" Irvine asked as they jogged through the city.
"Lunar Cry doesn't sound good." Harry shrugged.
"The Moon, or Lunar, is a colony of dangerous monsters." Irvine told him breathlessly. "The Lunar Cry will summon them right down on top of Esthar. We have to try to stop Lunatic Pandora from getting into position."
Harry came up short at the junction between the outer ring road, the upper skyway and one of the western entrances to the city. "Squall?" Harry turned to Zell and Irvine in concern. "He's up on the space station. Is that between us and the moon?"
"Right between us and the moon." Irvine sighed.
"I wish..." Harry trailed off and hung his head miserably. His left hand came up and fiddled with the bracer on his upper right arm. He felt so useless. He couldn't even warn Squall about what might happen. He couldn't even find out if Squall was alright. Squall could be dead right now for all he knew.
'Easy little one.' Sabre soothed and Harry drew in a deep breath and looked up at a worried looking Zell and Irvine.
"Sorry." Harry muttered. "But what's the use in being a Sorcerer if I can't do anything useful."
"Harry, you're one of the best fighters we know and you weren't even trained as a SeeD." Zell smiled at him.
Harry went to retort but a wall of hot air blasted them over. His ears were ringing and he found himself on his back staring up as the pillar appeared in the sky above them. He stared in confusion for a moment before Irvine was yanking him to his feet with one arm why he fired off his automatic rifle with his other. Harry stumbled onto his own two legs and pulled his Katars out of their holsters against his lower back as he studied the scene. Galbadians had blasted open the gates into the city taking with it the guard detail. Zell, Irvine and Harry had been at the edge of the blast but the Galbadians were pouring through the opening. Irvine was doing a lot of damage at range but Zell and Harry needed to be closer.
"Forget them!" Zell grabbed Harry as he fisted his hands around his Katar a little tighter. "We have to worry about Lunatic Pandora."
Zell was right, already they'd have to run to catch up to it. Irvine pulled out another magazine and loaded it on the run as the three sprinted away from the invading Galbadians and along the highest of Esthar's roads. They easily out ran Lunatic Pandora and they were just trying to find an opening when a hatch opened with a whine and they were looking at a red-clad Galbadian officer. Harry lashed out and lightning blasted along the edge of the hatch and electrocuted the soldier who fell back inside the hatch. Harry boosted himself on the railing and caught the edge of the hatchway and slid inside. He went to move the body but Zell hadn't wasted time and he was crouching next to him. Harry pulled out his Katars as he heard calls ahead of them and Zell turned back and grabbed Irvine by the arms and hauled him inside.
Zell and Irvine dumped the Officer's body out of the hatchway onto the road below them and then locked the hatch before catching their breath. "We're not going to be alone long." Harry announced.
"Summon me." Sabre ordered and Harry dipped his head to concentrate and pulled Sabre up and released all of Sabre's power and energy. Sabre flowed out of him, a ghost exploding from his chest, and he became real just as his paws almost silently landed on the metal deck. His head swung all around before he grew in size, his feathered wings curling up to shield him.
"Stay out of the way, Sabre." Harry requested. "Strike from the blind spot if they ignore you."
Sabre growled low in agreement and shrunk in size to almost half the size of a tiger. He'd go unnoticed in favour of the three humans. With Sabre at Harry's side and Zell and Irvine trailing behind them they slowly explored further into the twisting corridors. Sound travelled amazingly well in the tunnels and it was almost five minutes later that they came across someone and they heard him, or them, long before they reached the corridor they were in. Irvine took up post a little down the corridor while Zell and Harry moved up to the corner of the junction.
There were four of them and with the ambush they didn't stand a chance. The first two came out into the corridor unawares and Zell and Harry attacked. Harry's right hand Katar went through the side of his chest even as Zell slammed his studded fist into the side of the other's head sending him stumbling forwards and onto the ground unconscious. The other two backpedalled but Irvine shot one clean between the eyes and the other was slammed forwards as a previously unseen Sabre bit his long teeth down into his neck.
Harry cleaned off his Katar as he crouched down beside his own kill. "Definitely Galbadians but why unearth this thing?"
"Normally I'd suggest Matron's right hand man continuing a plan but..." Irvine trailed off.
"Seifer's nowhere near here." Harry shook his head. "Last I talked to him was only yesterday morning and he was in Dollet. He's probably on a boat to Trabia by now. If not there already."
"Maybe another of the Gabadian Officers?" Zell suggested. "Somebody that knew of the plan?"
"Let's keep going. Find wherever they are controlling this from and turn it around." Harry declared and turned to continue heading deeper in.
They didn't get much further though as they soon came to a large hall with two elevators on the far side. Seemingly nobody was there but before they got two steps inside Harry spun as a light flashed over the doorway behind them. A magical barrier nothing like a protect, reflect or shell.
"What...?" Zell started.
"Down!" Harry yelled as he heard whispers. He rolled forwards just in time as a streak of red light flashed over him at chest height. He pulled up a Quake spell and the ground shook violently even as he dove to the side to narrowly avoid a sickly yellow spell. He just about managed to focus on a ripple of distorted light by the door of the elevator before he was thrown backwards by a wall of hot air. "Sabre!" Harry yelled out mentally and suddenly Sabre exploded in size and leapt forwards, seeking out the magic. Harry heard a crack as one of them disapparated out of the way.
Harry made to glance behind him at Zell and Irvine but was distracted as something invisible grabbed him by the shoulders and yanked him up into the air and twenty feet above the ground. A gun shot rang out and Harry was suddenly released without warning. He just about managed to not scream out as pain shot up his leg from his ankle as it gave way. He crumbled to the ground but managed to watch as Sabre took down an invisible opponent from behind.
It was suddenly rather quiet in the hall as two black-robed figures appeared. One on his back with a bullet hole through his right eye socket and most of the back of his skull missing and the other with a snapped neck and claw marks all down his back.
"Zell!" Irvine cried out and Harry pulled himself to his knees so he could turn and find out what was happening. Zell was face down on the ground and not moving a muscle and it didn't take long for Harry to scramble over to Zell and Irvine just as Irvine turned him over and checked his vitals.
"He's just unconscious?" Irvine checked. Harry checked his pulse and cast a quick scan.
"They call it a Stupefy." Harry sighed. "It's like a sleep spell. I'm not sure what we have that will wake him up. I know shaking him won't work. They have an energy spell that would wake him."
"What about a cure?" Irvine asked.
Harry shrugged and his hands glowed around Zell's head as the basic cure flowed from Harry and into Zell. Nothing happened and Harry released a sigh. "Now what?" Irvine asked.
"It'll wear off in a few hours." Harry sighed. "Sabre can protect him while we go in further."
Sabre growled his agreement and Irvine settled Zell down comfortably. Before he could even stand and help Harry up though a force gripped all four of them and it was like there was no gravity. Even Sabre was held up defenceless. A metal figure hung in the middle of the hall with waves of power floating down around them all.
Harry felt a gut-wrenching sensation and then they were rushing back down the corridor like a blur and then gravity reappeared at the same time as natural sunlight and they were falling. Harry wasn't sure when he blacked out but the next he knew he had a face full of coarse sand and was being tugged over rather haphazardly. Sabre had the back of his jacket, Squall's jacket, in his jaws to pull him around onto his back. Harry sat up with a gasp and looked around. Irvine was checking Zell over carefully while Sabre went back to prowling around.
"We just got our arses handed to us." Harry told Sabre who mewled in response. "How far is it back to Esthar?"
"A vehicle approaches." Sabre told him out loud instead of answering.
"Go find out what it is." Harry requested and Sabre leapt into the north west. His wings opened wide and like only a GF could he was away like a gust of wind. Harry crawled over to Irvine and slumped down next to Zell. "There's some sort of vehicle coming. Sabre went to find out if it's a friend or not."
"Can you fight?" Irvine asked in concern. There hadn't been any mention about Harry's ankle in the hall before and Harry's adrenaline had been helping. Harry let Irvine pull up his trouser leg and saw the wince at the size of Harry's swelling.
"I don't think it's just your ankle." Irvine told him touching his leg gently. His hands glowed green and curing magic flooded his leg, reducing the damage but no amount of magic could heal broken bones instantly. Harry focused for a moment and suddenly felt much weaker physically as he moved his most powerful magic away from his strength and onto his own vitality. It would help speed up the healing and prevent more physical damage. He couldn't fight right now anyway.
"They are Esthar soldiers." Sabre's voice filled his mind just as his GF rejoined him after dismissing himself. Harry could summon him again if they needed to but for now he could rest a little and having him internal would help Harry's healing.
"They're from Esthar." Harry told Irvine and tapped his head to explain how he knew. Irvine straightened up and got to his feet and quickly spotted the military truck rising over the sand dunes. He raised his arms and smiled in satisfaction. Chances are they'd already known they were here.
The truck skidded to a stop and the four men helped get Harry and Zell into the back before with a spray of sand they spun back and roared off towards the relative safety of the city.
XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX
Later on
Harry was propped up in bed with Zell lying next to him. Zell was still out for the count but the doctors had looked him over and listened to Harry's explanation. They were happy that Zell would wake up in time and Harry had seen a number of people under that spell without another Wizard around to wake them. The Lunar Cry had started and monsters had started appearing throughout the Esthar desert around the city. The Esthar Military had good enough defences around the city to cope for the time being but Harry didn't really know what their next move would be. They'd need a better way to attack Lunatic Pandora since their small assault had failed so drastically.
They had learnt one thing though. The Galbadians were definitely running Lunatic Pandora and for some reason the Death Eaters were there too. Most likely whatever the Sorceress' plan it had passed down to Voldemort and Harry didn't have a clue what Voldemort would gain from it.
Harry had been told to stay in bed since there was nothing else he could do until they heard from anyone. The space station had been destroyed and although they'd heard from Squall who had taken over a derelict spaceship they hadn't told Harry whether they'd landed yet or even made it down successfully. So Harry was sitting with Zell's head in his lap waiting for the spell to wear off and to let the special bandage around his left leg heal the damage excruciatingly slowly.
The door opening drew his attention away from the large open window and to the figure walking in through his open bedroom door. He smiled at the sight of his Matron and she smiled back warmly. "How are you doing?"
"There's no pain." Harry shrugged. "Their medical technology is really good."
"I thought as much." She nodded. "What about Zell?"
"Getting the best rest he's had since all this started I imagine." Harry shrugged. "I've seen people hit with that spell before and it doesn't have any lasting effects."
She settled down on the edge of the bed and took Harry's offered hand and squeezed it. "I thought I'd bring you the news myself." She told him. "Irvine, Quistis and Selphie are helping the soldiers protect the edge of the city but Squall and Rinoa just landed out in the desert. He's safe."
"Is he coming here?" Harry asked eagerly.
"I think Irvine mentioned getting a car and you all going to meet him." She smiled.
"What about you?" Harry frowned, catching her hidden meaning.
"It's time I get home, Harry." She smiled. "Rebuild and start over. Without my powers I can't really be of any help to you."
"I suppose you'd be safer there." Harry nodded and rested his head back against the headboard. "Can I ask you something?"
"Of course." She smiled.
"Do you remember where we all came from before the Orphanage?" He asked. "It's just after the Potters took me I started wondering where I was before I was with you. Did you know my real parents? What about the others?"
"Well, Irvine, Quistis, Zell and Selphie were all sent to me when they were found alone so I don't know where their parents are, if they are even still alive." She sighed. "Ellone was dropped off by a man named Laguna. He sort of raised her for a time and fell in love with her mother, Raine. The Esthar soldiers under Sorceress Adel kidnapped her from a small village called Winhill and Laguna came to Esthar to rescue her. He got her to safety with some help from a resistance movement only to find that Raine had died during the birth of their own child."
"So he took her to your orphanage instead?" Harry asked.
She nodded. "And then returned to Esthar to help the resistance overthrow Sorceress Adel. He knew that as a Sorceress myself I could protect Ellone from Adel." She explained. "After he helped overthrow Adel he became Esthar's President. He still is."
"And Squall?" Harry asked. "What about him?"
"That child that Raine died giving birth to was him." She told Harry softly and Harry's eyebrows shot up.
"So Ellone and Squall really are brother and sister?" He gasped before a massive grin split his face. "Do they know that?"
"Ellone learnt of it when she came into her powers." Matron nodded. "I have not yet found the time to tell Squall the truth."
"Or that the President of Esthar is his father." Harry muttered. "It's okay, I'll find a way to tell him gently."
"I thought you might." She laughed.
"And me?" Harry swallowed nervously.
"You and Seifer were together when I came across you." She explained. "You were eighteen months old at a guess and Seifer was a little older. Perhaps two years old. I was never actually sure when any of you were born. Except for Ellone and Squall that is."
"It was just after the Esthar uprising." She continued after a moment. "A small group of fanatics were hunting to try to find another Sorcerer or Sorceress to take over Adel's reign and Laguna and I managed to follow them to Deiling City but we were too late. You and Seifer had grown up as next door neighbours and you were together in your bedroom when they attacked your families. He pulled you into the bottom of a wardrobe with him after the attack started and kept you safe. Now that I know your power I realise what made you so distraught. We were never sure when you first used your gift but we knew you'd had it almost from birth. I think you witnessed the attack from the mind of your mother. If Seifer hadn't hidden you both..."
"Who died?" Harry demanded. "My parents? What about Seifer's?"
"They were visiting your parents." She sighed. "Both of your fathers and mothers were killed as well as..."
"As well as who?" Harry demanded.
"As well as Seifer's older brother and your three week old sister." She squeezed his hands tightly. "I'm sorry, Harry. We didn't arrive until they'd given up looking for you in the house and were searching the city. The Galbadian Military were the ones that actually found you but Seifer wouldn't let you go. I took you both back to the Orphanage with me."
"So that's why I never gave up on Seifer." Harry bit his lip.
"For the longest time you wouldn't be parted from Seifer. Seifer had to feed you because you wouldn't let me. You wouldn't sleep without him there with you. Eventually you opened up to Squall too and then everyone else." She finished and reached over to wipe tears from Harry's cheeks.
"Harry?" Zell flinched as he finally woke up and spotted the look on Harry's face.
"You're awake!" Harry grinned. Zell straightened up and looked around in confusion.
"What happened?" Zell frowned making Harry laugh.
XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX
Three hours later
The truck slowed to a halt under the nose of a massive red airship and as Zell helped Harry down out of the back of the military transport he couldn't help but stare up at the colossal thing. It looked vaguely like a dragon and it looked rather intimidating. It also looked perfect for Squall. Harry chuckled at the thought and wrapped an arm around Zell's waist for stability as the group of five headed over towards the lowered ramp under the ship. The truck turned away and headed back for the city.
They didn't hang around heading for the ship since even though this area wasn't so overrun with monsters it was still dangerous out and Harry was injured. It didn't take long for Squall to spot them and come down to meet them and Harry barely made it onto the bottom of the ramp before Squall was worriedly grabbing his shoulders and checking him over.
"What happened?" Squall asked everyone.
"I got dropped twenty feet by a Death Eater." Harry told him honestly before shifting his arm from around Zell so he could wrap his arms around Squall's waist and let his boyfriend hold him close. "Missed you."
"What happened to the Death Eater? Where were they?" Squall continued to question.
"In Lunatic Pandora." Irvine explained. "We think Voldemort took control of the Galbadian army. And the Death Eater is dead. I shot him in the eye."
"Let's get inside." Squall announced and shocked Harry into squeaking as he lifted him up into his arms. Zell cooed at him and Irvine whacked him over the head. "Selphie, hit that over there and shut up the ramp." Squall ordered as he continued through up into the ship. Harry used the time to reassure himself that Squall was real by putting his face into his warm neck. They took a lift up into an observation deck with nice looking high-backed chairs and Squall settled into one carefully and rearranged Harry into his lap.
"You okay?" Squall asked.
"I'm okay enough to walk on my own." Harry grinned at him. "But thanks for the lift. It still hurts."
"So what now?" Quistis asked once everyone had settled down in chairs. "Where's Rinoa?"
"Odine took her." Squall leaned his head back and Harry leaned back with him. "To lock away her Sorceress power."
"And for now...?" Quistis prompted gently.
"Today. Sleep." Squall told them all tiredly.
"I could go for that." Harry muttered already feeling tired now that he had Squall back with him and safe.
"There are rooms enough for four times our number." Squall announced. "No bedding or anything but we can cope. The ship is secure and we'll know long before anything big enough manages to get through the hull. Tomorrow we can work out what to do."
"You're right." Quistis stood up and the others followed him up. Squall shifted to help Harry up but Harry grabbed his hands to stall him and Squall knew him well enough to stop. The others left them and Irvine paused in the doorway, glanced at them and then smiled and shut off the light. Most of the walls were windows and suddenly only the late day sun was reaching them.
"Are you really okay?" Squall asked. "You're shaking."
Harry twisted and buried himself in Squall's chest. Squall ran his hands up under Harry's jacket and onto his bare skin and stroked him to calm him down. "I found out from Matron what happened to me before I got to the Orphanage."
"Harry..." Squall whispered but didn't go on, letting Harry if he wanted to.
"Did you know Seifer and I knew each other before the Orphanage?" Harry asked rhetorically. "Esthar soldiers came for me because I was a Sorcerer and they killed everyone."
Squall flinched. "Everyone, Squall." Harry whispered brokenly. "Because of me all my family were killed. Not just that but because of me all of Seifer's family were killed too."
Squall gasped. "Maybe that's why I never gave up on Seifer. It's my fault he has no family. I wanted to be his family to make up for it or something. He lost a big brother because of me. They killed his parent and my parents and..."
"And?" Squall asked gently.
"And I had a little baby sister too." Harry cried. "Matron told me she was only three weeks old. That's my fault, Squall."
"How old were you, Harry?" Squall asked.
"Matron guessed I was eighteen months old." Harry looked down at where he was clinging to Squall's hands tightly. "Seifer was about two."
"Then how could you have any control over it?" Squall asked.
"Seifer was only a little older than me but he still managed to do something about it. He saved my life. He hid us both. He did something." Squall swallowed as Harry told him that.
"Then I owe him everything." Squall whispered and kissed just under his ear. Harry turned and returned the kiss properly and they kissed for a while as Harry calmed down.
"Squall, do you know about Ellone?" Harry asked.
"What about her?" Squall frowned.
"Matron told me because she never got the chance to tell you recently." Harry explained. "Your father's still alive."
Squall tensed up but he hugged Harry tighter to him. Harry turned into him, put his head on his shoulder and quietly told him everything that Matron had told him earlier about Squall's parents and Ellone. He could tell the entire time what effect it was having on his boyfriend by the small shakes going through him and afterwards he just sat with Squall watching the last rays of the sun disappear below the horizon.
Eventually Squall shifted and Harry stood to let his boyfriend rise and let himself be helped down through the ship to the room that Squall had put aside for himself. They didn't utter a word as they arrayed their weapons carefully within reach and then stripped down. As an added precaution Harry summoned Sabre to settle down at the bottom of the bed and then curled up against Squall in the bed inside their combined sleeping bag and Harry was asleep almost instantly with Squall warm and solid beside him.
XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX
End Chapter
