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AN: thanks to all who reviewed

Chapter 3

They arrived at Balam Garden at nightfall, Samael sleeping on Seifer's back, Squall holding onto their luggage while he held onto Chaos's leash. The dog being fed meant he wouldn't back down as easily now if there was a confrontation or threat to its masters.

"Well, here we are," said Seifer as he stopped a few feet from the main gates.

"Don't stop now. It was you who said we should come," replied coldly Squall.

"I wonder how Raijin and Fujin are doing. We didn't keep in touch much in the last year," mused the blond, ignoring what Squall had just said.

"I'm sure they're fine. They'll be glad to see Samael," sighed Squall.

"And that you'll be a mother once more," snickered Seifer.

Squall ignored him. They soon entered and were welcomed by the sight of Quistis, Zell, Irvine, Selphie, Fujin, Raijin and Xu waiting for them. They looked more of less happy, but it didn't compare to the anger they could see in Rinoa's eyes at the sight of Samael. After all, there was no denying he did look almost exactly like Squall did.

Fujin took a step forward and smiled a bit.

"SAMAEL!"

The boy jumped awake, startled. He then noticed Fujin and jumped from Seifer's back.

"Aunt Fu!"

Fujin picked him up and swung him around, hugging him to herself, glad to see her nephew. Quistis moved to Squall and Seifer, a small smile on her lips both from seeing them but also seeing Squall's son being much more open than the mentioned man.

"It's good to you both. Had I known Fujin and Raijin knew your whereabouts, I would have asked them."

"They wouldn't have told you. Only I kept ties with them and Squall won't have a thing to do with Garden. We're only here so you can see us, then we expect that you'll leave us be, never to bother us again. That understandable?"

Quistis' lips now made a thin line, showing her displeasure at the demand.

"We'll see about that. Come inside and rest. We've accommodated you with two apartments, right besides each other."

"Before you keep on going, I'll tell you right now. We'll share the apartment. It would mix up Samael too much if we suddenly changed that. And anyways, we're a couple," interrupted Seifer loudly to make sure they all heard.

Rinoa fainted on the spot while Zell chocked, his disbelief clear to all as he simply stared at the two gunblade masters. Fujin and Reijin obviously already knew as they smiled proudly. Irvine's eyes were wide, Selphie squealed and Xu just shook her head in exasperation.

"So, whose puppy is this?" asked Selphie as she knelt in front of Chaos to let the dog smell her hand.

It did and licked the hand, accepting her. She giggled and hugged it, much like a child would do. Chaos, used to that behaviour, just sat there, keeping an eye on everyone else.

"His name is Chaos. He's supposed to be mine, but he follows Squall everywhere and is Samy's huge teddy bear. And yours too, it seems," sighed Seifer as he took the luggage from Squall.

Selphie just giggled again. She then let go it Chaos and gave Squall a loose but welcoming hug. Squall hugged back a bit, if only to please her.

"Almasy," said in a strict voice Xu.

"Commander Xu. Congratulation on your promotion. Same to you, headmistress Trepe."

Both women flushed a bit, having forgotten what a charmer Seifer was. Since it didn't seem to bother Squall, they guessed it was just how the blond acted with everyone.

"How long will you be staying?" asked Selphie, hopeful.

"Only five days. We then got to go back and I have work the next day."

"Oh," she said, disappointed.

Seifer didn't care, not really good with people. The only ones who could really understand him, or that he could stand for long, were Squall, Fujin, Reijin and Samael. The ones he considered his family.

"So, where is that apartment? I know a certain little boy who'd like to go to bed."

"I'm not tired!" replied Samael, but a yawned widely right after.

"Yeah, right. Not tired. And your mother isn't a man."

That earned him a slap behind the head. A few snickered, having guessed Seifer would treat Squall as the weaker gender in their 'couple'. More than a few were starting to believe Seifer's declaration was more to keep them away from Samael's real mother and so Rinoa didn't believe she had a chance.

"That hurt, ya know," whined Seifer, rubbing his head.

"Not enough if you're still talking. Too bad I left my Leonhart back at home."

Seifer just winced, proof that he still feared Squall's might. It then made Irvine wonder if Seifer was still in good shape. He only needed to look at how the blond seemed to hold the luggage as if it was a feather to answer that one. No, the ex-knight had only gotten stronger since the Sorceress' Second War.

Before reaching the apartment, Samael fell back asleep, on Raijin's back this time. Both Seifer and Squall rolled their eyes.

"Are you sure it's a child and not a cat we got?" joked Seifer.

"I was pretty sure it was a child, but now…we've never been that sleepy before, have we?"

"Nope, not even when you were sulking and not talking to anyone. Maybe he got it from hi grand-parents?"

"Too bad we don't know them," chuckled Squall as he moved a few strands of hair from his son's face.

"But…Squall…we do know your father. I'm sure he could tell you about it all. Ellone also knew both of your parents very well!" said Selphie.

The two gunblade masters stopped and just stared at her.

"Look hun, if President Loire is too dumb to take Squall in when he took back Sis, he ain't worth his attention. As for Sis, if she'd known, she should have told, okay? We don't want to know nothing about those people," said Seifer very clearly.

It was also clear he didn't like Laguna for his ignorance and Ellone for her silence, especially when she left the orphanage.

"You shouldn't judge Mr. Loire before having met him, Seifer," scolded Quistis.

"I ain't; I'm judging his actions. As for meeting him; never going to happen."

"Doesn't Samael have a right to meet his grand-father?"

"Didn't Squall have the right to be raised by his father?"

That immediately shut up Quistis. The larger blond clearly wasn't in a negotiating mood.

"Here we are. The only problem is; there's only a single bed in Squall's room. Do you want us to bring in a second one?" asked Xu.

"No, it's fine. If we ever get uncomfortable, Seifer'll sleep on the couch or I'll sleep with Samael," replied Squall as he let Chaos roam the apartment on his own.

"Hey, where's Heartilly's mutt?" suddenly asked Seifer.

"In her room. It will be allowed out tomorrow. Keep an eye on your own dog," warned Irvine.

Seifer just shrugged and dropped the luggage in his room. He pulled out a child's pyjamas and handed it to Fujin, who took Samael and moved into the second bedroom to change him and put him to bed.

"Chaos, Samael's bed tonight," said Squall.

The dog gave a small bark and went into the boy's room, curling up on the end of the bed, giving Samael enough place to stretch fully and then some. Fujin finished changing her nephew and put the clothes in the hamper, coming back to join the adults, leaving a crack in the door.

"SLEEPING!"

"Thanks Fu. You'll get to baby him like that all week. Aren't you happy?" teased Seifer.

"RAGE!"

Seifer just laughed and sat down on the couch, pulling Squall on his lap. Zell entered the apartment to that scene, having been nominated as the one to bring Rinoa to the Infirmary. He made a small gagging noise before just taking a seat, as far away from them as possible. Quistis was brave enough to sit across from them, Fujin at ease as she sat directly besides the couple. Raijin sat cross legged on the floor in front of them. A few wondered if having Chaos as a guard dog wasn't less threatening than having Raijin do the job.

"So, where do you live?" asked Selphie to break the tension.

"A day's walk from here. It's called Welmhill. It grew in the past five years," answered Seifer, chin on Squall's shoulder.

"A house or apartment?" asked Quistis, curious.

"House we built ourselves. Samael was about four months, I believe."

Squall gave a nod of approval.

"Really? Why not built it before he was born?" asked Zell.

"We lived in an apartment, and when we learned the rug-rat was coming, it was too late to do much, not to mention it was dead winter. He was born on the seventh of April. So, it wasn't until July that we moved in."

"Do you guys expect to have more kids?" asked Xu, arms crossed under her bosom.

"Yeah, we are. Actually, we've got a little one on the way right now," smirked proudly Seifer.

"What?! Why didn't you bring the mother? Is it yours or Squall's this time?" asked excitedly Selphie.

Neither answered for a second, faces emotionless.

"It's mine, this time. As for the mother; she doesn't want anything to do with any Garden," said Squall, monotone.

"Is she with the sorceress?" asked Zell, suspicious of this mystery woman.

"No. She's just mad at what happened to us. We are the fathers of her children, after all," replied Squall, getting up and going in the bedroom.

Seifer sighed and also stood, stretching his arms over his head.

"Well, it's off to bed for us. Leave now before I kick you out. We'll be here all week anyways."

No one dared to argue.

AN; here you go. another chapter