Author's Note: Next chapter is done. I am not so happy with this chapter. Things feel a little forced. Something just seems a little...off. I rewrote this chapter about four times. This is as good as it is going to get. Please don't hate me!

Disclaimer: I do not own FF8. And my kidney's are out on loan. -glances around- ...I know, I am not funny

"Ma'am, it is time for you to get up and greet the day!"

Rinoa heard the voice, and then heard the sound of the drapes being pulled back. She opened her eyes and groaned. She closed her eyes again and rolled over onto her side pulling the blanket over her head. "Bright light." She whispered softly.

"Come on sleepyhead! It's time for you to wake up!"

The blanket was pulled off of her quickly. "Well, I didn't expect that. Selphie, I am not in the mood to get up yet. Go away."

"Ma'am, I am not this Selphie you are talking about."

As the words registered, she quickly sat up and looked at the girl that was standing in her room. "Who are you?"

The girl laughed softly. "My name is Isabelle, Ma'am."

Slowly the day before came back to her. She blushed as she remembered what Squall and herself had done before falling asleep. She looked down at herself. She was still naked! She quickly reached for the sheet and pulled it over herself. The girl chuckled at this.

"Ma'am, there is no need to be embarrassed. I am here to help you get ready for the day. I will be assisting you in dressing and such." Isabelle said as she walked over to the wardrobe and opened it. She pulled out a few garments, and laid them across a chair. She pulled a robe out, and walked over to Rinoa and handed it to her. "Here, put this on and I will take you to bathroom so you can take a bath."

Rinoa's eyes lit up at the thought of a bath. She took the robe and slid into it. She stood up, and followed Isabelle to the bathroom. When she step inside the room her eyes went big. In the middle of the room was a huge round tub, big enough to fit four people in at once. The room was painted a pale lavender color, the floor was made up of large stones that were surprisingly smooth under her feet. There were also vases full of fresh lavender sitting around the room. On one side of the room, there were two large marble cabinets each with their own sink. Above them large oval mirrors hung on the wall, there was some kind of design sandblasted around the edges of them. On the other side of the room there was a door leading out of the room. She supposed that was where the toilet was since she didn't see one anywhere else. On both sides of the door there was cast iron towel racks, both holding what appeared to be large white towels. the sound of water caused her to look over at the tub. isabelle was filling the tub up with water.

Isabella walked over to her. "Here, give me the robe." She said softly, and Rinoa turned around and took it off, then handed it to her. "Now, into the tub." she said as she walked over and hung the robe on a hook that was beside the towel rack.

Rinoa stepped into the tub, and sat down in the warm water. She sighed as a large smile spread across her face. When she opened them, Isabelle was handing her a sponge that was full of sweet smelling soap. She began to scrub herself, and she felt water being sprayed over her hair. Isabelle started to wash her hair. "What are you doing?" she asked.

"I am washing your hair."

"I can do that myself, thank you."

"I know, but it is my job to do so. Soon you will be able to hire your own personal maid that will do this for you. Untill then, it is my responsibility."

Rinoa thought about this for a moment. This seemed strange to her. She knew her aunt had a personal maid, but she did not know what all she did. Since she had never had one. She was always treated like a servant at her aunts. She was only three when her parents died. She didn't remember them, all she ever remembered was growing up at her aunts. she decided not to think about it now, and enjoyed the bath.

After she was clean, she was helped out of the tub and dried off. then she followed Isabelle back to her room and was she helped her get dressed. Not but ten seconds after she was dressed there was a knock on the door. Isabelle answered it before Rinoa even realized someone had knocked.

"I see your awake."

She turned her head to see Squall standing in the doorway of her room. She stared at him for a second. She couldn't help but think of how good he looked. He had on a pair of black jeans, and a black tee-shirt that was clinging to his chest muscles. She remembered what it felt like to run her hands over his chest. She blushed and looked away.

He cleared his throat. "Yes, well. Lunch will be ready in about ten minutes. I came to take you down to the dinning room."

"Lunch? How long was I asleep?"

"It's almost one in the afternoon. You've been sleeping for a good eighteen hours or so."

"What?" Rinoa had never slept that long in her life. She barely managed to get much more then that in a whole week, let alone all in one day.

"Well, if your ready." He said and held his arm out to her. She walked over and took it, and they walked out of the room.

Squall looked at his wife from across the table. his wife. Boy did that sound strange. He watched her as she finished eating, a smile on his lips. At least he knew she had an appetite. She was a little worried about that when he noticed how skinny she was last night. He groaned inward. Last night, just thinking about it was making his body react. He had never felt such heat before. The feeling he got from just a simple touch from her, was nothing like he had ever felt with any other woman before. She had set him on fire. She had been a virgin, but if it wasn't for the blood and the fact he felt it, he would have never believed it. He needed to stop thinking about it, before he ended up grabbing her and dragging her to the bedroom. That wouldn't be the best thing to do at the moment. He let his eyes roam over her. She was wearing a pair of blue jeans, that hugged her body like a second skin, then flared out from the knees down. The maroon top she had on was a corset like thing, that pushed her large breasts up even higher, with a soft cotton that covered her breast, shoulders and arms giving it the look of a peasant top. There was a ribbon tied around the elbow of the shirt, and it was split from there to her wrist. He thought it looked like a little funny, but on her it looked hot.

"What?"

He looked up to her eyes. He got busted. "Nothing, I was just thinking that that is the strangest top I have ever seen. But on you, it looks good."

She blushed.

Hyne, she looks so cute when she blushes. Stop that!

She sat there staring at him.

"What?"

"Nothing. I was just..." She looked down at the table. "I am just so confused. Everything here is different then I am used to. I do not know how to act, what to do, I have no idea how to be a... wife." She whispered he last word.

He nodded. He understood, he had spent most of his teenage years training. It was hard for him to adjust to back to all of this. "I know it is a lot of change all at once. Just take it one day at a time. You'll slowly get adjusted to the way things around around here. I don't expect you to act any certain way. Just be who you are. The rest will fall into place. you'll see."

"Are you sure about that. I feel like I am about to fall on my face."

"That's what my mother always told me. She was never wrong. You want to go for a walk?"

He watched as her eyes got wide in fear, and she looked away from him.

"I want you to take a walk with me." The voice echoed in her mind.

"What do you think your doing?" She asked.

"I am only doing what your eyes have been begging me to do, ever since that night we first met."

Her mind replayed the events of that day. His hands touching her, his mouth kissing her. Then her running away from him, and him knocking her to the ground. Being strangled, and then his harsh words echoed as clearly as if he was standing next to her saying them.

"Next time, I will kill you."

"Rinoa, are you okay?" Squall's voice cut though her thoughts.

"Yes, I'm sorry. What did you say?"

"I asked you if you wanted to go for a walk with me."

Stop it! He is not Seifer!

He certainly didn't force you last night. No, you did that willingly you little tramp.

Stop it, I am not a tramp! we are married, it is perfectly acceptable for us to do...that.

What ever you need to tell yourself to sleep better.

She argued back and forth with the voice in her head. Oh, Hyne I am going crazy. "Sure." was all she could manage to say. She watched him smile as he stood up. She followed suit and left the room behind him.

"So, tell me something about yourself" Rinoa asked as she sat down on a stone bench.

"I'm not that interesting" He said and sat next to her.

"Oh, come on! Don't you think we should get to know each other. We are married."

She had a point. "You already know who my father is, my mother's name is Raine. They are both still alive, and live in Esthar. I have a sister, her name is Ellone." He paused. He was not used to talking to people like this.

"Go on." She encouraged him.

He took a deep breath. "Well, when I turned twelve, I left my parents. I went to a training academy and lived there until I turned eighteen, then I came here."

"Why did you leave?"

She looked over at her. "No real reason. I just wanted away from my father mostly. He and I didn't have the same ideas about what I should do with my life. We don't really talk anymore."

She placed her hand on his arm. "I'm sorry to hear that."

"So what about you?"

"My parents died with I was younger. I went to live with my aunt. She never liked me. The only reason she took me in was to get the money my parents left to her, in order to care for me. I don't remember anything about them. She would never talk to me about them. In fact, the only time she talked to me was when she was ordering me to do something, or scolding me for something I did wrong."

Squall had a sudden urge to hurt her aunt. He could just imagine a young Rinoa, scared and sad after the death of her parents and leaving the only home she had ever known. And to be treated like a burden by her only family that was left.

"How did you end up at the inn?"

She smiled sadly. "My aunt tried to force me to marry someone. I refused, but all she cared about was the money he was paying her for me. Heh, she was selling me to the highest bidder. He tried to... Well anyway, I left."

Squall wondered what this guy had tried to do to her. Then he remembered Seifer. "Was this guy Seifer?"

She nodded. "Do you know him?"

She turned away from her. He stared out towards the field where the horses where kept. "I think we better get back." He stood up, and took her hand.

"You didn't answer my question." She said.

He just looked at her. How can I tell her how I know him? She would hate me for it.

He just smiled at her, and lead her back towards the house.

"Dammit, I told you to keep her there!"

"I swear, I didn't know she was gone. I thought she was still in her room asleep."

"Well, while you was thinking she was sleeping, she was getting married to that bastard."

"She got married?"

"Yes, to Squall Leonhart."

Zell choked on the bread he had just bitten into. Well he certainly hadn't expected that to happen.

"Listen to me, if you do not figure out a way to get her away from him and back to me. I will kill you."

Zell cursed as he heard the phone being slammed down onto the receiver. Now what in the hell am I going to do?

Zell never imagined his plan would work out like this. He knew how important it was for him to have a wife who's name was completely clean, and unmarked. So he had just figured he would start a small scandal by tarnishing her reputation. He had never thought Squall would actually marry the girl. Now he was screwed.

"Whatcha doin Zell!"

"Nothing Selphie." He said. Wait a minute... "have you heard from that rinoa girl?"

"No, I haven't. She just up and left. I'm really worried about her."

"will you let me know if you do hear from her?"

"Of course, but why?"

"Just curious." He said and walked away from her. He could smell something good coming from the kitchen.

"Sir, there is a call for you."

"Thank you Gerald." Now what?

Squall picked up the phone. "Yes?"

"hey buddy! How is the honeymoon going?"

"What do you want Irvine?" Squall said, getting more agitated.

"I got a call from Cid. Your need back here."

"How soon?"

"We leave day after tomorrow."

"Alright, I'll leave tomorrow morning."

"See ya!"

Squall hung up the phone. Just great. I have to leave her already, and she hasn't even been here twenty four hours yet.

Squall rubbed his temples. He could feel a migraine coming on. he reached in his desk nd took out a small bottle of pills, and took one. He stood up and went upstairs to find Rinoa.

He found her in her room, sitting in a chair by window. She was staring outside. "Hey there."

Rinoa jumped, and turned to look at him. "You startled me."

"Sorry, I just came to tell you that I have to leave tomorrow on business. I don't know when I'll be back."

Rinoa looked down at the floor. "I see."

Before he knew what he was doing, he had crossed the room, and was standing in front of her. He took her hand and pulled her out of the chair into his arms. She looked up at him with them big brown eyes. He stared down at her for a second. Then he lowered his head and kissed her on the lips.

She laid there with her head on his chest. He had his arm wrapped around her. She felt so safe. So content. Even if she was laying naked with a man she hardly knew. Even if that man was her husband. "Squall?"

"Hmm?"

"I was wondering... Would it be alright if I invited someone to stay while your gone?"

He looked at her.

"It's just, I feel so out of place here. And with you gone it is going to be worse. I really don't want to be alone here."

"Rinoa, this is your home too. If it makes you feel better to have someone you know here while I am gone, it is fine with me."

"Thank you." She said and leaned up and kissed him. It felt like the most natural thing in the world to do. All her doubts and concerns disappeared when she was in his arms. She felt him pull her on top of him, and she smiled. I'll just have to wait till morning to call Selphie.