I do not own Final Fantasy 8 and neither it's characters and/or monsters. Squaresoft does. I only own the characters that appears in this fanfic who dosen't appear in the original game.

By the way, english is my second language. So please bear with me and review fairly. (This means not only the grammar flaws. I know I am far from perfect but I try my best to write in a different language than my native one.) So please, try to give a fair ammount of the good critics as well of the bad ones. It would be more motivating for me to hear some critics about my initial storyline as it unfolds...

Thank you

Overnight

Chapter 3.5

Cards

Squall left Balamb Garden very early that morning. But what happened then?

Quistis coudn't sleep at all the night prior to Squall's departure. She coudn't drift off to her dreamland last night. Although she tried countless times to doze off for the evening. It didn't work at all. She tried everything. Relaxing, drinking hot milk, snoozing with the television on but it was to no avail. She knew that what kept her awake was only about Squall. She felt extremely worried about him. After she tried for many years, she coudn't crack up his shell and have a place inside his heart. Rinoa just had to storm into his life one fatal night and she got him. Even though she forced herself to accept the fact that Rinoa was the strongest or most luckiest of them, she wanted Squall for herself and there was no denying it.

Quistis was lying on her bed with only her black bra and panties on among the light pink sheets that surrounded her and partially covered her body.

'' Why Squall? Why would you never leave me a chance?'' She thought as she removed her right hand from her forehead to slam her mattress afterwards with her fist.

Her eyes was drowning in tears.

'' Dammit Squall, why?''

Her tears flowed from the corners of her eyes and made their way to her ears. She calmy breathed air throught her nose.

'' How coudn't you notice, back to the Dollet mission, that I was the one that insisted to wait for your return at the ship. If I never asked for the sake of your return, they would had never waited. I've always been your guardian angel hidden in your deepest shadows. I love you Squall but either, you don't care or you don't know. None the less, both tears me apart...''

The sun started to rise by Quistis's balcony window. As she looked through her balcony window, she saw the radient ocean shining gold next to the golden sun rising in the sky banishing the night's shadows into nothingness. She got off her bed and opened the balcony's glass door. The cold sea breeze caressed her body. She enjoyed the coldness of the world since she felt coldness in her heart already. As she looked to the horizon, she wondered :

''Squall, if I ever could tell you I love you, would you even matter?''

A few moments later, Quistis felt she needed coffee. She got a white t-shirt on and a pair of jeans which she used to wear during her off-duty days. As she walked to the cafeteria, it was totally empty except for Zell who was at a table staring at his breakfast.

''Hey Zell, why you're so early?'' she asked

''Same thing Quistis. Why you are so early?'' he replied not lifting his eyes from hs breakfast he didn't eaten yet.

''Well, i left my window opened last night and the cold air woke me up.'' she replied as she looked for the first excuse she could make up.

''What about you?'' she continued as she sat in front of him.

'' I promised not to say anything...'' Zell whispered.

'' Don't tell me your relationship with the library girl is over?!'' Quistis said crossing her arms.

'' No! No! Not at all!'' Zell said breaking the stare off his plate.

'' What's the matter then?'' She asked again.

'' Well, I don't think it would be wise to say it...'' Zell said as he integrated back into his stare.

'' Ah, cut it out Zell! What's wrong with you?''

''Well, you remember Winhill asked for assistance?''

''Yes, so?'' Quistis said intrigued

'' I was supposed to go this morning to Winhill with Irvine and Selphie. I saw Squall this morning. He told me some changes had been made to the dispatch mission.''

'' What were they?'' said Quistis as she uncrossed her arms and layed them on the table.

'' Squall informed me this morning he was going there by himself. He didn't said anything more. I figured out he wanted to be alone for a while. Rinoa's departure is a big blow for him. So Squall went by himself to chase his demons away... At least, that's my theory.''

'' What?! And you didn't stop him? What if he decide to do something terrible to himself?'' said Quistis with a loud voice as she stood off her chair.

''Easy Quistis! Geez! Squall ain't stupid. I mean, he didn't suffered this much to end everything here. Besides, it's only a breakup. It may be hard, I know. However, if he wants to be alone, we have to respect that. I mean, Squall is our friend, we grew up together since Matron's orphanage. Just let him be. Besides, even though he is pretty quiet, he really isn't the mysterious and cryptic type of person. He is like an open book to us. Besides, as the professional Squall observer that you are, you should know what to do...'' Zell said as he finished his speech off.

'' He'll be fine, you have my word for it.'' said Zell as he chuckled a bit.

'' I guess so. I'll be going now.'' said Quistis as she left the table

'' Hey Quistis! '' shouted Quistis before she was out of reach.

'' What?''

'' You are going to see Squall aren't you?''

'' Yes... Why do you ask?'' Quistis said as she wondered what did Zell wanted to say.

'' Would you mind?... I mean, sheesh. Um... Well, Give this to him from me.'' He said as he lended a white box in Quistis's right hand.

''What is it? Can I open it?''

'' Sure. It's Squall's anyways It's his triple triad card deck. I borrowed it to flash off to my girlfriend because I don't have good cards myself and I suck pretty badly at this game.'' He said as he rubbed the back of his head.

''Showing off?'' Quistis asked.

'' Yeah... Well, it's a guy's thing. Nevermind that... But anyway open it if you wish.'' Zell said as he pointed the white box.

As she opened it, she saw a pile of cards and a couple of hundred gills beside them. Also, on the top of the deck, she saw a shining card that was sparkling brand new. On the card, there was a artistic design of Griever made by Zell himself that was printed next to the letters A and A on the top and left side. The numbers of the card were 6 and 5 on the bottom and right side respectively. The sketch of the mythical GF was pencil made and colored with a soft ink that created a pleasant eye contact automatically on sight.

'' I asked the Queen of Cards to make this unique edition for me. She gladly accepted... In exchange of 10,000 gils and my Phoenix card... But for Squall, I guess it's worth it'' Zell said

'' I'm sure he might be very happy about it. I'll deliver the message.'' said Quistis as she left the cafeteria to her dormroom. On the way, she encountered Selphie and Irvine talking in the hallway.

'' I was worried sick! Where were you?'' said Selphie hugging Irvine.

'' Need I remind you that you actually thrown me out?'' Irvine said as his voice taken a sarcastic and rather serious tone.

'' Please Irvy, don't talk about this anymore. I regret it. Really. I do. No more fighting ever again. I don't want to lose you. Never.'' said Selphie as she pratically buried her face in Irvine torso and soaked it with her tears.

'' I was only at Squall's room for the night. I didn't do anything else. Honest. The odd thing though is that he wasen't in his room this morning when I woke up.''

Quistis, who overheard the last sentence, replied ''Well, he is on a dispatch mission. He'll be back soon.''

'' No need to alarm them too of Squall's condition.'' Quistis thought.

''Wanna go take a walk in the training center? I feel like having some enjoyable moments with you to forget about last night.''

'' I guess so...'' Irvy replied as they headed for the training district.

Quistis kept heading back to her dormroom but she stopped for an instant. A lonesome feeling began to emerge within her. It wasen't about feeling left out from a group or feeling lonely. She felt those long enouogh to know what they were about She coudn't consider it like jealousy either. What could she be jealous of? She never had anything to envy for anyone except about Squall and Rinoa. The feeling she wanted to decript was this kind of feeling she would refuse to ignore even though the pain was unbearable. This feeling probably was jealousy after all. She felt jealous. Jealous of other people's happiness with one and another. She hated it so much that she thought it would kill her if she would have to fell it again.. Then again, she could get rid of it by forgetting about the source of this feeling or moving away from it. Yet she coudn'r. She was in love and nothing could be done about it. Period

'' Old habits die hard, I guess'' she thought

Quistis had enter her room. It was a total mess. Her room was the perfect contradiction of the alleged fact that girl's rooms and always tidy and clean. Clothes of all kinds were laying on the floor. Underwears, socks, SeeD uniform, t-shirts, skirts... They were scaretered around like seashells of a shore.Quistis packed her belongings rather quickly. She picked a few cosmetics in her bathroom. She randomly picked clothes around and she brought with her a couple of magazines. Before she left, she picked up the phone and called Cid's office.

''Hello? Cid speaking''

''Hello Cid, this is Quistis. As for my next assignement, I would like to go assist Squall in the Winhill dispatch mission''

''Why is that?''

Usually, Cid never questionned anything about modifications to a mission especially when Quistis asked for it. She had been one of his top SeeDs for a long time. He knew she woudn't take a risk for herself or anyone else involved in a mission. Success was his top priority as the headmaster of Balamb Garden. However, he remebered that Squall asked him to keep quitet about the mission and his departure but he wasen't a fool. He knew she was aware of his departure so this is why he didn't denied about Squall being dispatch to Winhill.

'' I would like to be sent there to assist him in any means necessary as for the mission and to be of aid if the pressure becomes to much for him.'' Quistis said as she sounded very concerned.

A sigh was heard at the other end of the line. Cid cared about his students. He wasen't too sure about Quistis's capacity to handle the mission, herself and Squall all at once.

''Very well. Make me proud Quistis.'' Cid replied even though he never agreed with Quistis's idea in the first place.

''Thank you Cid.'' She said as she hanged up the phone.

She then picked her packed belongings and left Balamb to Winhill.

Rain had being falling from the heavens since this morning. The white and grey clouds had been passing over her like a lonely parade As a precaution, she brought her green umbrella with her and she started walking along the road.

'' It's so cold outside...So windy too.'' She thought as she seen the thin fog in her breath dancing in the air.

She hasten up the pace to get to Balamb's train station. Her boots's steps kept splashing on the road at a rythmic pace.

She deeply knew the risk she was taking. Why would Squall listen to het? He never wanted to lend an ear except for orders when she was an instructor. Then again, as a fellow SeeD, he hardly given her any credits for whatever except for common sense when he was confused.

'' If you only knew Squall, how much...''

''How much I cared, loved and protected you. I kept calling your name but you never answered me back..''

She was well aware that he really couldn't care less of Quistis's arrival except for professionnal purposes.However, if he did care, what else could go wrong?