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Knock. Knock. Knock.

"Ya come in." Squall looked at the door as his younger sister entered his office.

"This is where you work? Sweet!" She dropped her stuff on the floor and plopped into the nearest chair. All around the walls of Squall's office were trophies and diplomas and achievement awards. She noticed there were no pictures.

"How did you know where my office was?"

"Ask and you shall receive." She told him, smiling.

"Well, I still have work to do." Squall hadn't told Kelsey about him going to war yet. The information had just been released to SeeDs, officers, and the advanced Garden members yet. Only the top of Garden knew. Should he really tell Kelsey? Would she be okay with it? Would she spread it around?

"Well I'm not going to bother you. I just want to look around." She began to fiddle with the items on his desk.

"So did you have a good day?" He asked, trying to bring it up in casual conversation, getting back to his work.

"It was okay. I told Instructor Trepe I chose the gunblade and it made her happy. She said I would get to work with a bunch of really nice people." She stood up and began surveying the plaques on his walls. She leaned in close to read one of the dusty certificates on his wall.

"Are you sure you want to work with the gunblade?" She turned her head sharply from the frame, still leaning in to it.

"Why wouldn't I?"

"Well...people who master the gunblade are...rare. They're usually very...determined and need to...work a lot more to get to the same level as the others. It's very hard to advance so when you do get your diploma you'll be one of the top in the class but I won't deny it's hard work."

"So? I can do all that." She said turning back and bending over to the credential she was studying.

"And...Well...take Quistis for example-"

"Quistis?"

"Instructor Trepe. Her and her team are always called to battle...and..." His words drifted off into space.

"And?"

"And she is often called to war." She abandoned the plaque and stood up with an unbelieving look on her face.

"Phish! Give me a break! I know the war is raging right now but it's not like they need you - you being in the top battalions. I mean, when's the real last time Instructor Trepe was called to war?" Squall wouldn't meet her eyes. He didn't respond. "Squall?" His eyes were glued to the floor. "When was the last time Instructor Trepe was called to war?" She asked again. He took a deep breath.

"About an hour ago." Kelsey stumbled backwards, her face scared. She shook her head. She knew he would be going with her.

"NO!"

"Who else but me would lead the troupe?" Squall asked, closing his eyes, trying to stay calm for his own sake.

"I won't let you go! I just got here! I'm not going to loose you! I haven't waited this long to spend a week with you! I've waited too long!" She lunged at his desk and slammed her hands down. "YOU CAN'T DO THIS!"

"I can."

"Don't I mean anything to you?" She demanded.

He said nothing.

"Don't I?" Tears were welling up in her eyes. Did her life mean absolutely nothing to her older brother? He took a deep breath.

"This place is my home. If I have to die fighting for it, then so be it."

"So this stupid Garden means more to you than I do? How can you be like this? I've waited my whole life just to be with you and then a week after I do your going to go sacrifice yourself in some stupid war!" She turned away from him.

"This Garden is not stupid and neither is this war." He said, coolly.

"You don't understand!"

"No, I think it's you who doesn't understand. Let me explain something to you." He said, more sharply than before because she was about to speak and he cut her off. "I never had a family. I never lived with my parents somewhere before Garden like all the others kids had, like you have. I was born here. Everything important to me has happened in this building. Having it torn down...I would have nowhere else to go. This is the only place I know...the only place I've ever known...I would be lost without it. And even if I die, it's not good to hold onto the past. You would just have to get on with your life and-"

Somewhere deep inside, Kelsey snapped. She rounded on Squall and with a furious face began to scream at him.

"HOW DARE YOU TELL ME TO LET GO OF THE PAST? YOU WHO CAN'T GET OVER YOUR STUPID SISTER WHO DIED TEN FREAKING YEARS AGO! HOW CAN YOU STAND THERE AND SAY THAT TO MY FACE?" She turned and began to storm out of the room but as she reached for the door he was in front of her with livid eyes. She swallowed hard, immediately realizing she'd gone too far. She wasn't supposed to know about Lisse. Squall looked enraged and full of hate, his eyes flashing dangerously. He grabbed her arm tightly, spun her around and pushed her against the door.

"Who told you about Lisse?" He asked in a deadly whisper. She began to cry. "Who?"

"I- I promised I wouldn't say anything!" She cried.

"I don't care what you promised. Only three people in this Garden could have told you, now damn it TELL ME WHO IT WAS!"

"I promised her I wouldn't say anything!" She shrieked. But he knew who it was. Her. Kelsey had said her. Cid, Squall and Quistis were the only ones who knew. With Quistis being the only girl, Kelsey had narrowed her choices down to one.

He yanked her arm around and opened the door and avoiding the elevator, headed for the stairwell, dragging Kelsey, who was whimpering the whole way down.