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Part V:

"Dear sweet Mia, just think about it," Herzog cupped her cheek in his hands, tracing his thumb alone the bone, "Think of what it would mean."

Mia leaned her face into his touch, closing her eyes, imaging it was anyone but the man in front of her as she smiled at him convincingly.

"You could finally be free, Mia. The power. Get rid of that man at Garden. You will have anything you could ever want and never have to be hurt again."

Mia opened her eyes and studied Herzog carefully. Getting rid of Cid was a tempting offer.

"You'll be the Sorceress. Everyone will worship you, and I will be your knight. Just think about when I found you. A SeeD being thrown into war as a young girl. I took care of you, I saved you."

Mia nodded. Herzog had "saved" her alright. He had taken care of her, it was true, she wanted for nothing, but it came with a very steep price. All the power in the world. She would never have to sell herself again, she wouldn't have to run anymore, would never need to rely on favors to stay alive. Then, maybe then she could go back to Laguna. She could protect him and be the Sorceress that Adel should have been. She could finally repay him for helping her long ago. Then maybe, just maybe, he would love her.

Mia smiled and cupped Herzog's hand, meeting his gaze with fire in her eyes as she licked her lips, "Let's do it."

Rinoa was furious, furious and lost, she didn't know whether to be angry or destroyed. She wanted to cry and run, but confront and scream at the same time.

"Dammit, Mia!" A grunt. His.

She was not prepared for nor was she expecting what lay in store on the other side of the door. Slamming it open, her heart stopped

Squall was leaning back on his elbows, his chest bare, as Mia bent over him her head down. Squall's eyes were shut tight and he hissed, biting his lip. They were too absorbed to even hear Rinoa burst in. Mia wasn't much better in terms of clothing, a pair of incredibly inappropriately short booty shorts with SeeD written on one of the butt-cheeks, and what looked like a red bra. For the first time, Rinoa saw most of her tattoo.

Rinoa tried to say something, but her mouth was dry, and her voice seemed gone. How COULD they?! She trusted him. Hell, she trusted Mia! "H...HEY!" she finally managed

Mia jerked up and looked over her shoulder, face guilty. Squall's head jerked up as well and he screamed, "FUCK. Dammit." His face appeared guilty as well.

There was a moment of dead silence, Mia turning her face away from Rinoa refusing to meet her gaze. The moment dragged on and Rinoa swore she could hear the clock in the atrium of Garden ticking.

Mia finally spoke, "Well, bad news is, she knows..." she lifted up her hand, she was wearing gloves, holding something, and her fingers were covered in... blood, "Good news, Rinoa's interruption helped me finally get this stupid thing out."

It was then that Rinoa took in the surrounding. There was a medical tray on the floor, gauze soaked in blood, sutures, some lidocaine. Mia's side was taped in an abdominal pad, and her shoulder wrapped, the unmistakable rusty stain of blood in the center of one of the pads. Rinoa realized that what 'thing' Mia was referring to was a bullet as Mia held it in her hand studying it carefully. That meant that the blood on her hands and the bullet must have been Squall's. Rinoa was able to finally see past Mia's body to a fresh gun shot wound in Squall's side.

Rinoa just stared at the two, Squall was still not speaking, closing his eyes again. Rinoa was angry, and relived and scared all at the same time. It wasn't exactly a normal scene to walk in on, even for their group of friends.

The silence was broken again, interrupted by the sound of a metal clink as the bullet was dropped into a tray. Rinoa narrowed her eyes and slumped down to her knees next to them, "What. The. Hell."

Mia turned her head down and started to pick up a suture kit. Rinoa could see from her view that there were unmistakable finger-print bruises around her throat, and one of her eyes was blood shot. Squall's gun-blade was tossed on the floor, dried blood on the handle. Rinoa looked at Squall, daring him to speak.

Squall sighed, "Rin, I didn't... we didn't."

"Obviously." Rinoa looked away from him, crossing her arms.

Mia snipped the suture loudly and stood up quickly, grabbing her jacket and slumping it over her shoulders. Rinoa noticed she was trying not to move her left arm too much.

"Rinoa, we were trying to... it was just... we didn't want the infirmary to report it to Cid, cause it wasn't an official operation..." Mia didn't know how else to proceed, deciding it was best to be discussed between lovers. She picked up her knife, also covered in dried blood, slipped it into the holster on her thigh, and lifted her bag, "I'm sorry." she finished lamely.

Rinoa glared at the girl, "I'm sure you're sorry, WOMAN." she said pointedly, "I'm sure you didn't mind being half naked with him and..." Rinoa huffed in frustration, "just... just go do that thing you don't think anyone knows that you do, even though we all do." the last words were spit out with more venom than Rinoa had intended.

Mia looked at her, eyes sad. She sighed and her face hardened into something Rinoa had never seen on Mia before. It was like ice. She knew the face, it was the face her friends put on before battle. It was the face of someone wiping their mind clean of emotion and becoming a perfect machine. She was SeeD.

"It was for you, stupid princess." Mia muttered, desperately digging through her bag for a cigarette, "Sorry for keeping my baby sister's hands clean."

"What?" Rinoa's head shot up and met the blank green eyes of the other woman. Caraway's eyes. Of course. Rinoa's head began to ring as she felt Mia's mind assault her with thoughts and information. Mia was Caraway's bastard child, growing up in Timber, finding her Mom dead, living alone, Laguna bringing her to Garden, growing up more in Garden, working for Caraway, finding out Caraway was her father, wanting to protect Rinoa, make sure Rinoa would never have to see what she saw. It was muddled and dark, but the intentions were clear and pure: the most important thing to Mia was to protect Rinoa. Of that, Rinoa had no doubt.

The stream of consciousness abruptly stopped, "But you had figured most of that out," Mia murmured softly, "Caraway hired me to keep an eye on Herzog. Unfortunately Herzog had a... had a taste for young girls. We've been together for a very long time. When I found out that he was going after you, I... that's why I came back."

Rinoa covered her mouth and looked over at Squall, who did not seem nearly as surprised as she was, "The baby."

Mia took a last drag from her cigarette before crushing it to the back of her hand to extinguish it, eliciting a wince from Rinoa and Squall. Mia didn't flinch as it burned her skin, "Yeah. Despite it all, Herzog has taken care of me. Going after my blood though." Mia shook her head, "Rinoa, you have no idea what I've been through for you." With that she left the room, slamming the door behind her.

As the door slammed, Rinoa found her voice, "Okay, Squall, I can't even... what, how co-" her voice was cut off as Squall kissed her roughly. She shoved him away, "what the HELL!"

He pushed himself forward, slamming his lips to hers again, climbing on top of her. Rinoa was furious... FURIOUS, but yet, intrigued.

"Just.. be quiet and listen," he whispered against her lips before covering them with his own again, adding, "for once."

Rinoa nodded. Squall was usually gentle with her, sweet, afraid he would break her. This side of Squall was something that came home from missions. Hungry, full of adrenaline, wild. This side intrigued her, thrilled her, but scared her.

Squall pulled off of her, pulling her to him as he leaned his back against the wall, tugging her into his lap and taking in the scent of her hair. He was quiet and Rinoa wondered if he would speak, but she stayed quiet, obediently. She was about to say something when Squall spoke,

"That's not all of the story, Rinoa..."

"EXCUSE ME."

Squall sighed and tightened his arm around her, "Rinoa, PLEASE, just let me get this out. You know I would never. EVER. Especially not with.. I mean she's slept with half the League!"

Rinoa looked up at him. She knew he wouldn't. She felt it in his heart and knew from the times she had heard his mind.

Squall looked down at her, seemingly reading her thoughts, "Why do you think Garden doesn't dare to kick her out? Cid is terrified, she could probably take down the whole system, her connections and the dirt she has on people is... incredible." He sounded almost impressed and disgusted at the same time, "and I have never seen someone that hates Cid so much... I'm not exactly sure why she hasn't taken Garden down."

Rinoa pursed her lips, while Mia's distain of Cid was a generally known fact amount of the upper echelon at Garden, it was news to her. Mia hated Cid? But why? "Her friends are here. She would never hurt them." Rinoa finally said, and she knew the statement was true. Mia wouldn't hurt her. She felt it in her brain and finally relaxed, knowing whatever Squall was sharing was truth, and that nothing nefarious had taken place.

Squall hmmed, "of course," he mumbled, then clearing his throat, started again, "You know that we've been following the lead on kidnapping you. Well, we know that someone named Brutus is in Deling and is going to be the one to do it. We are trying to get more on this guy."

"Just you guys?" she looked up at Squall again finding it hard to believe that Garden would have no involvement in something that directly involved the Sorceress.

"Quistis and Selphie know. Irvine and Zell know some of it, and..." The last person in the loop Squall himself was non-plussed at being involved, but there was no point in holding back from Rinoa now, "And Seifer. He knows all of it."

"Seifer is back in Garden?!"

"Rinoa, Garden isn't involved. As few people know as possible, that's why we are being so secretive. Mia won't be involved if Cid is and frankly, we need her. She just confirmed a lot of what I had suspected, especially involving Delegate Herzog." he gripped Rinoa's shoulder painfully, "Herzog is planning on killing you and.. giving your powers. To Mia."

"Oh." What do I even say to that? Finding out you have a bastard sister who's pedophile boyfriend wants to kill you, there isn't exactly a Hallmark card on how to respond to that information.

He sighed and closed his eyes, "It's close. Rinoa, we will protect you, okay? You'll be safe. I'm never going to leave your side." Squall grabbed Rinoa's hand and placed it on the side of his face, "Just... look inside."

Her mouth formed a small O as she realized what Squall was giving her permission to do. Pluck the memory directly from his brain. If that wasn't trust, she didn't know what was. Rinoa closed her eyes and lifted her other hand to his face, twisting in his lap to face him. His mind was open and focusing on the events having led up to the place they were now. Rinoa felt like she was being pulled from the bottom of her stomach and thrust into a place where she didn't fit. It felt uncomfortable and she felt like she was intruding on a private moment, or places in this case.

As the feeling of nausea and unease subsided she could SEE the memories. As if she was looking through Squall's eyes. People whispered and moved like ghosts, she realized her heart was pounding... or was that Squall's?

After being assaulted with more information she could process Rinoa found herself feeling tugged back into Squall's room, the same lurching feeling in her gut as she relived conversations, memories, missions that had taken place over the course of the past few weeks. They mixed in with the memories she had seen from Mia moments earlier. Her head aching as things fell into place.

"She has to protect me." Rinoa finally concluded, "Fix her past mistakes by protecting me." Quistis had called it her penance.

"Just like I have to. But, for me, I'm your knight." He pulled her up again to his lips, "and I love you. Forever." He kissed her again, guiding her to the floor, "anything, for you."

Rinoa closed her eyes, allowing his weight to push on her. Safe. Warm. She felt his urgency and gave in. She loved him. Forgetting the concern of whomever was coming after her, and why a possibly sociopathic girl, correction, sister, was killing people to keep her safe, she let her knight make love to her on the floor, his bloodied gunblade feet away from her feet. She loved him...

Later that night Squall watched Rinoa sleep in his arms. A habit he had started from the few times they had made love. Usually he was nervous about her sleeping in his room, not wanting to break Garden rules, but honestly, he didn't care anymore. Fuck Garden. For a brief second he sympathized with how much Mia disliked it as he suddenly felt extremely claustrophobic within it's walls.

He winced slightly at the pain in his side from the bullet wound. Making love to Rinoa had been almost unbearably painful, but he wouldn't take it back for the world. Any pain was worth having her. What kind of life is that? He knew that as long as Rinoa was close, he would live anywhere and do anything.

For once he was able to sympathize with Laguna. His willingness to take on any job to stay in Winhill with Raine, even though deep down he was someone that was full of adventure. Squall shoved that thought out of his head Yeah willing to stay for a while, then leave her to die pregnant. So much for commitment. Deep down he knew that Laguna was not at fault and that somewhere down the line the memo got lost and Laguna truly was clueless as to Squall's birth, but it still happened, and Squall was never truly going to be able to forget it.

Would they ever have a life where they weren't running or there wasn't a threat to the Sorceress? Rinoa deserved far more than this: a huge prison. I'll give her more. They could run. Find a place where she wasn't the sorceress and start a new life. A life together. Could he give up being a soldier? If it means a life with Rinoa, I'll give it all in a heartbeat. With new resolve he closed his eyes and sunk down into the bed, kissing Rinoa on the forehead I promise.

"I thought we had an understanding."

Mia was leaning her forearms on the balcony overlooking the Sea that Garden was currently drifting along, cigarette dangling daintily in between her fingers, "Sorry, Irvine. I don't do well with blackmail... and you should have known better than to mess with me."

Irvine leaned against the railing facing away from her as he passed her the silver cigarette case, "I a'int happy. Selphie won't even speak to me." So much for sounding threatening.

Mia plucked the case from his hands, "Not my problem. I weighed my hand, made the most sense to just come out with the truth. For what it's worth, I told Selphie to forgive you." She opened the cigarette case checking the contents. It was all there. She plucked out on of the tablets and flipped it in her mouth, chewing before swallowing loudly. Taking drugs in public in the middle of Garden? This girl either was the most brazen person in the universe, completely insane, that hardcore of an addict, or knew something he didn't. All of them spelled trouble.

Irvine narrowed his eyes and tipped his hat, "Still don't trust you by the way. The crap you're taking, your loyalty to that will break any other loyalties you have. I know that much." He pushed himself off the balcony and walked away from her to seek out Selphie.

Selphie's confrontation of Irvine had been less than ideal. His first instinct had been to deny everything emphatically, that is, until he realized Selphie had heard it from Mia herself. The weird part was, Selphie didn't seem to be upset with Mia in the slightest. It is horribly unfair. Then again, he had been horribly unfair by lying in the first place. Correction. Lie of OMISSION. Technically a lie, but ONLY on a technicality.

He had begged for Selphie to hear him out, she listened but refused to speak. If Selphie wasn't speaking, that was a really bad sign. Finally, after he had spoken for over an hour, rehashing the whole event, and including some other choice events just incase, Selphie merely said, 'Tigers can't change their stripes.'

How could she think that? Irvine was a new man since Selphie came into his life! Gone were the days of womanizing and desperately seeking a momentary connection to dull the loneliness of being a sniper. For once in his life he didn't want to be alone anymore. Selphie would go on and on about how much Squall had changed because of Rinoa, how poor lonely Squall wasn't so sad anymore. Didn't she see it in him too? He didn't want to spend another day without her. Ever. He wanted to wake up next to her for the rest of his life.

For the rest of his life.

Holy shit. I want to spend my life with her. Actually saying it like that made him feel a dry lump in his throat. He knew that this was the girl he was going to marry eventually, have kids with, help tape various videos on the camcorder, and a few that won't make it on her blog, heh. No one, NO ONE would ever come close to Selphie. Irvine wasn't willing to go on without her. He would get her to listen. He would fix it. Or he would die trying.

Maybe there was some light at the end of this awful tunnel whose awfulness could only be drowned out with top shelf whiskey. They say you only can truly appreciate something after you've lost it, maybe there was some truth in that. He would fix it and never lose her again.

"To je storila," Mia murmured into her phone, nodding as she listened to the other end of the line.

Mia continued, "Jaz sem notri. Sorceress mi zaupa. To je enostavno. Vidimo se v Deling." she flipped the phone shut and turned around, hoping the figure behind her had not heard any of her conversation, "Zell!"

Zell looked her up and down, "What the hell happened to you? You look terrible," It was true. She had bruising around her neck, a huge black eye and the near-asphyxiation had caused the capillaries in her eyes to burst, the pearly white of her iris now red.

Mia sighed and put a pair of sunglasses on, "Botched mission. Not worth talking about. We did manage to get some information though."

Zell nodded before adding casually, "I knew you spoke Galbadian, but I didn't know you knew the Slove dialect."

Mia smirked, "I grew up in Timber. Back then a lot of people spoke that dialect. I'm impressed you recognize it."

Zell watched her eyes carefully, "Who are you going to meet in Deling?" He wasn't an idiot. While he didn't speak the particular language he had heard, he knew things that were close and was able to pick out some choice words in her conversation.

Mia bent her head down to light a cigarette, not meeting his eyes, "Brutus. I'm going to meet Brutus."

A/N: Short chapter, I know, I didn't want to start the part in Deling in this chapter. :) Oh, and Mia is speaking Slovenian, btw.

PLEASE Read and Review, even if you hate it! Constructive criticism is helpful!

(Wow, my authors notes sections are boring)