Waltzing in the Rain

Twin-Lance

Chapter Seven: Princess with a Plan

Irvine moved up from the floor to sit on the edge of the ottoman beside him. He grinned broadly as he tossed his ponytail over his shoulder and locked his gaze on Jasper. "So you two are basically engaged?" he asked as he spared a quick glance over at Squall.

Zell also looked over as he waited for some kind of protest.

Squall just returned their gazes. What? Was he supposed to get upset over this? It didn't take a genius to pick up on the fact that Ellone and Jasper were a pair. He still considered himself fairly oblivious to a lot of things when it came to relationships, but even he had already figured this out. He wouldn't have been surprised if Kiros and Ward had also known about it, but had just conveniently forgotten to tell Laguna. The thought made him grin slightly.

The grin apparently made Zell think he was amused by him because he turned his attention back towards Irvine and Jasper with a huff. "Unless he's actually popped the question and given her a ring it doesn't count," Zell stated.

"Sure it does," Squall spoke up. The three other men in the room all looked over at him. Squall shifted in his seat before tucking his hair back again and trying to play it off like he hadn't just said what he was thinking aloud.

"No it doesn't," Zell stated. "Or else like, half of the teenage kids back in Balamb would run around thinking they were engaged because they were so in love with their boyfriends and girlfriends, and that they were going to be together for forever."

Jasper sat quietly on the sofa, feeling a slight bit uncomfortable and definitely looking it.

"You're really taking this personal," Irvine pointed out.

"Of course I am, it's Ellone. She's our Sis." Zell looked over at Squall. "What I don't understand is why he isn't upset over this."

Squall raised an eyebrow and ignored the strand of hair that fell into his face. He gave up on making it stay put. With a bit of prodding on Rinoa's part, he had eventually told her about everything he'd learned during the stone setting at the mall. With the story still fresh in his mind and her response to it still ringing in his ears, he found that he really couldn't find any fault in Jasper and Ellone wanting to get married. A ring was just a ring. If it became lost or broken, it didn't mean the marriage was suddenly voided. It was purely decoration. What mattered was the level of devotion two people had for one another. And much like he would never question the sincerity of his mother's devotion to Laguna, he wasn't about to question the level of devotion between Ellone and far, the two seemed to get along and complement each other very well. "Maybe because I don't invest that much importance in material things," Squall offered.

"Coming from the guy who once threatened me for swiping his chain while he was in the shower?" Zell frowned.

"Like my ring, that pendant is one of only a few items that were left with me at the orphanage," Squall clarified. "An engagement ring is just a gift you give a girl so she can show it off to her friends. It's just a physical item that's supposed to represent your love or …whatever," he made a face. He was not going to get into a conversation with them about emotions. "The emotional connection should already be there before the ring ever comes into play. The intent is already there. My chain and pendant were my mother's," Squall informed Zell. "They're part of my heritage, irreplaceable. It's not even comparable."

"So is Rinoa ever going to find out that the engagement ring you're going to give her means nothing to you and is nothing but a shiny showpiece for her friends to swoon over?" Zell asked.

"She already does," he shrugged it off as he leaned back and got comfortable in his chair.

"You gave her a ring already?" Irvine asked as he sat up a bit straighter.

Squall frowned. He knew this conversation was coming whether he wanted it or not. He could ignore their questions but he knew they'd just pester him until he eventually talked. "I bought a ring while Laguna and I were out. I gave it to her when we came back here." He sighed. "I don't have to explain anything. I was leader of our mission, I've been running Garden affairs for eight months, I'm capable of running my own life. I don't need to justify the seriousness of my relationship with Rinoa."

"No, that you don't. We all pretty much understand just how serious you are," Irvine teased. His comment made Jasper laugh, even though he tried to pretend he hadn't.

Zell remained quiet and settled for crossing his arms over his chest and leaning against the back of the couch. "You'll have to ignore the sourpuss over there. He and his crazy girlfriend had a fight and broke up over the phone while you were out shopping with Daddy."

Both Squall and Zell grimaced but for different reasons. "Don't ever call him that again," Squall glared.

"And she isn't crazy," Zell said quietly. "...not entirely."

"Do you want to tell the real story or should I?" Irvine asked him.

"I don't care," Squall shrugged it off. The last thing he wanted to hear were tales about Zell's relationship woes.

"Oh you'll care," Irvine smiled. "He'll care," he gestured over at Jasper.

"Okay you know what? Maybe I just don't want any of you having any kinds of regrets when you're like, twenty-five, divorced and only getting to play daddy to your kids on the weekend!" Zell exclaimed as he bounced up off the couch and stood in the middle of the room.

"Hey, it's okay, we know you care about us," Irvine told him. "But all of this right now, this is the heartbreak talking."

"Look, she didn't break up with me, I broke up with her," Zell set the record straight. "…I didn't want to, but I did."

"That doesn't mean there isn't heartbreak," Irvine stated.

"If he loved her why would he–" Jasper started to ask.

"Because she was crazy," Irvine told him.

"She was not," Zell said defensively. "She was just a little too …obsessed with me."

"She controlled everything," Irvine assured everyone in the room. "We're talking what he ate, when he ate, who he ate with. What he did on his free time, where he went when he was off base… Quistis told me she got mad when you volunteered for that Centra mission last winter."

"Well yeah but it was because she had plans and wanted to do something with me," Zell defended.

"But she always has plans for everything," Irvine reminded him. "Like in February when nobody saw you for like, two weeks, where were you?"

"Visiting her family in Dollet."

"For two weeks," Irvine reminded him. "But yet what happened when she found out you were coming up here with Squall, to see his family? I mean, we're all buds at this point, we're like brothers. One's family should be everyone's family. Your Ma's basically adopted all of us."

Zell looked down at his sneakers.

"Tell them what happened when Ami found out you were going to Esthar."

"...She got mad when she found out I was coming up here with you guys," Zell admitted in a shamed mumble. "I told her I didn't care. And then I told her that I agreed with Ma in that I had the implied obligation as Squall's friend to run interference if Laguna got too clingy or sappy. Then Ami got mad because I was taking Ma's opinion over hers and doing what Ma wanted me to do instead of her."

Irvine adjusted himself on the ottoman and settled in with a smile. He knew exactly where this was going.

"And so I told her that I almost always did what she wanted, but that my Ma would always come first because she was my Ma, and she took me in despite not having to. She chose to adopt me over all of you guys at that orphanage. Well, not you," he gestured to Jasper. "But these two. And then Ami got defensive, and started going on about how she would never be able to hold a candle to Ma, because she couldn't compete with my adoption story. And the more she complained, the more I realized she was jealous that I was so close to Ma. You guys know me pretty well. You know me well enough to know that I'm always going to be close to Ma. There is no one in this world that is going to change that. So the more I thought about it, the more I realized that if I didn't do something, I was going to have to put up with Ami complaining about Ma for the rest of my life."

"So you broke up with her," Squall stated as he tried to imagine the little library girl being an obsessive control freak behind her cute and cool exterior. He did recall hearing about her coming down pretty harshly on a cadet who had intentionally messed up her card catalog. Why it was important to her he didn't know. The catalog was really just an antiquated concept. Every book was registered on the computer system. The catalog was really just for decoration. Not that it was really a good comparison to what Zell was talking about. Although it probably wouldn't hurt to have Quistis or Xu check to make sure that that cadet hadn't been unfairly fined or charged for books he didn't check out.

"She was always so afraid I'd hold someone else's opinion above hers. I just thought it was a self-esteem thing, like she didn't want to look like an idiot or something. I should've listened to Ma. Ma had been trying to warn me since the first time she'd met Ami," he frowned as his expression darkened.

Irvine refrained from saying anything, waiting to see just how long Zell would keep talking on the subject.

"Alright," Jasper cleared his throat. A change in conversation was definitely needed. "So no more talk about relationships. It was… getting kind of girly in here anyway," he dismissed the conversation with a wave of his hand as he stood.

"Then what do you suggest we do?" Irvine asked.

Squall remained silent. Maybe if he didn't make a move or a noise they might forget he was in the room with them. He'd slept poorlyon the couch last night and the bed had been beckoning to him the entire time Zell had been rambling on about his crazy ex-girlfriend.

"Well, for starters there's a pretty nice gym over in the recreation wing," Jasper offered.

"Or if that's not appealing, there is a huge pool over there too. We could swim or play volleyball."

"I'm not really much of a swimmer," Irvine declined.

"Tough. After the afternoon I've had I could really go for some volleyball. And Squall and I are going to show you how it's done," Zell proclaimed as he placed his hands on his hips.

Squall stood. "I don't think so," he told him.

"What? Come on!"

"…." Squall wondered why they even followed him everywhere since they clearly didn't have that many interests in common.

Zell frowned. "Fine. I didn't want to be on your team anyway," he said as he slapped a hand down on Jasper's shoulder. "I just didn't want you to be intimidated by the fact that I had a new best friend."

Jasper looked over at him. "Best friend?" he asked.

Zell offered a lazy shrug. "You laugh at my jokes. The bar's set kind of low," he admitted.

"I'll still accept the title," Jasper said with a grin.

Down the hall, in another of Laguna's guest bedrooms, the girls sat crowded around Rinoa on a small sofa. Ellone held her hand and turned it to the side, admiring the dainty white band and the blue stone that adorned it. Sitting on the sofa's arms, both Quistis and Selphie leaned in toward Rinoa get a good look at the ring as well.

"It's so shiny," Selphie smiled broadly.

"It's beautiful," Quistis commented as she pulled her hair back to keep it out of her face. "I really like the color of the stone. What is it? Do diamonds come in that color?"

Rinoa nodded with a smile. "It's even a Princess Cut."

"I still can't believe Squall picked this out by himself," Ellone said as she let go of Rinoa's hand.

Rinoa held her hand up to admire the ring. "I can. He likes to pretend like he's too cool to care about most things but he pays attention."

"I wish Irvy paid attention to things," Selphie pouted.

Quistis chuckled and shook her head. "Give him a break," she told her. "You're both still young. At least give him a little time to pass his SeeD exam."

"Irvine isn't a SeeD like the rest of you?" Ellone asked.

Quistis shook her head. "He was just a cadet with Galbadia Garden who was assigned to our mission. Rinoa isn't a SeeD either, but she was at least technically our client."

"I do believe the word you meant to say was boss," Rinoa teased.

"And I do believe that the contract you signed with us clearly stated that we got Selphie, Zell and Squall back once the mission was complete."

"Well you can have Selphie and Zell but you're not getting Squall," Rinoa teased.

"Hey!" Selphie protested.

"Okay I'll keep you too," she smiled.

"I'm sure Squall will be ecstatic," Ellone chuckled.

"Doubtful, but I know Zell will be devastated to hear he's your least favorite," Quistis said.

"Don't you dare tell him that! Zell is a great guy, he's just...Zell is just a very high energy, high maintenance person. And by high maintenance I mean he probably goes through his weight in hair gel a month and would eat us out of house and home. He'd be too expensive to keep around," Rinoa defended herself. "Selphie is at least travel-sizedand eats like a bird. If she can stay quiet Squall might not even notice I've smuggled her into the apartment."

"That's a big if," Ellone grinned.

"Ah!" Selphie crossed her arms in feigning insult.

Quistis shook her head. "Speaking of Garden, how do you think everyone is going to react to news of your engagement?"

"I don't really know," Rinoa answered.

"Forget Garden, how will the paparazzi react?" Selphie asked. Both Quistis and Rinoa made faces as that reality set in. "Remember the stories they ran in the tabloids about the strippers, the scandals, and the illegitimate children?"

"Forget about that, remember how they used to stalk and harass us for statements and photographs? No matter where you went, they were there. For months Squall and I used to sneak out a back access to Garden's training grounds just to get into town undetected," Rinoa frowned. "I don't want to go through that again."

"They still harass me sometimes," Quistis admitted. "They wait until I'm alone now and start drilling me about Seifer. They want to know where he's at, how he's been, what he's been up to. I had one person ask if he was dead. More than a few of them have accused me of hiding him or being… You know it really doesn't matter. The fact is because I was his representative when the rest of the world was calling for his head, everyone assumes I'm the person to contact to find out information about him." She shifted on the arm of the sofa. "It's because of them that I've had to organize my minions."

"You're what?" Ellone asked.

Selphie smiled broadly. "Trepies unite!" she exclaimed as she thrust a fist into the air.

"You're joking," Rinoa stated.

"Nope," Quistis replied as she crossed one leg over the other. "They helped us out during the war and they're helping me out afterwards."

"Who are these minions?" Ellone asked again, watching her younger sisters for an answer.

"This fan club that she has back in Balamb," Selphie clarified. "They call themselves the Trepies. It was just a small local thing before the war but once we defeated the sorceress, BOOM! There were Trepies worldwide!"

"….Why did you have a fan club in the first place?" Ellone asked.

"Um, because she's awesome?" Selphie asked. Rinoa giggled as Quistis covered her face.

"What number are you?" Quistis asked her, her voice muffled by her hands.

"The world may never know," Selphie teased her. "Seriously. We have a network on the Garden's computer system. We're even able to connect with Trepies at Galbadia Garden and we're very optimistic about Trabia once they finish rebuilding and bring their system back online."

Ellone just stared at her. "There's an entire fan club devoted to her," she pointed at Quistis, "…for being awesome?"

"Pretty much," Rinoa answered. "I thought it was pretty creepy at first, but then I got to meet the journalists and reporters..."

Quistis smiled. "I'm starting to develop a fondness for my following."

"I kind of wish I had one sometimes," Rinoa admitted. "I know that I'm not the most popular person in Balamb, but just because of my relationship with Squall, they follow me. I don't want to think about what it'll be like once they find out we're engaged."

"It'll be a frenzy," Quistis warned her.

"I hate it," she frowned. "The closer they get the more nervous I become that someone will discover I have powers."

"It isn't common knowledge?" Ellone asked.

Rinoa shook her head, her raven bangs falling into her eyes a bit. "I mean, aside from you guys, only a handful of Estharian scientists and a few soldiers with the highest security clearances know. The thought of the whole world knowing scares me."

Ellone frowned, her gentle features taking on a harsher appearance. "Just make certain you're careful."

"I always do," Rinoa assured her. "But sometimes, accidents happen."

"Which is why you have Squall," Quistis stated.

"Well sometimes Squall and I will answer each other's thoughts aloud. We can share thoughts and things, but it's hard to tell what's spoken and what's thought if I'm not just watching him."

"And the sneezing," Selphie laughed. "Avoid the press during allergy season." Rinoa hid her face, knowing Selphie wouldn't leave it alone. "So the other week, we were taking a detour back to Garden on a dirt path through the forest. She stops to admire some wildflowers, sneezes and freezes the whole plant."

Ellone started to chuckle but stopped herself. "You sneezed and froze a flower?"

"It was a little wildflower," Selphie grinned. "After she was done with it, it looked like a little paperweight. An itty bitty purple flower encased in ice…"

"It was really pretty," Quistis offered.

"Too bad an innocent accident like that could launch a frenzied witch hunt," Rinoa said a bit sadly.

"If you're so worried about the press seeing something as they follow you because of the engagement, why not go back to Balamb already married?" Selphie asked. The other three girls turned to stare at her. "What!? I'm serious! You've already got most of your friends here, you wouldn't have to worry about anyone harassing you while you shop for a dress or anything."

"But we're only going to be in Esthar for a few more days," Quistis stated. "People plan for months, sometimes years for their perfect weddings." They all grew quiet, realizing that Rinoa was sitting silently on the sofa with her eyes closed.

"Rin?" Selphie asked gently.

"Let's do it," she whispered.

"What?" Quistis asked.

"Let's do it," Rinoa repeated as she opened her eyes. "Let's have the wedding here at the Palace."

"Alright! Let's partay!" Selphie exclaimed as she popped up off of the sofa.

"Wait a minute," Quistis interrupted. "Not to sound like a party pooper, but shouldn't Squall be let in on this?"

"The boy carried her to Esthar. He leapt out into space to save her," Selphie stated as she put her hands on her hips. "I think he'll be down with a simple ceremony."

"He does hate being the center of attention," Rinoa agreed. "And he particularly hates being the center of the media's attention."

"Which is why having the ceremony here with absolutely no notice would be perfect."

Rinoa smiled broadly at the thought. "We'll do it."

"Should we go consult Squall?" Quistis asked as she gestured toward the door.

"I already have," Rinoa smiled.

"You weren't letting him eavesdrop on us were you? This is girl time. It's sacred," Selphie stated. "Boys aren't supposed to know what we do and talk about when they're not around."

"Only the parts that pertained to him," she assured her.

"…And he said yes?" Quistis asked.

"He's Squall. He hates the attention of course he went for it. Now all we need is an officiant."

A really long silence settled over the room as all the girls mulled over the topic at hand. Quistis chewed on her thumbnail as she worked out arrangements in her head. "I think we can do a little better than that," she smiled.

"This is going to be so freakin' hectic! I can't wait!" Selphie bounced a little on her seat.

Quistis looked over at Rinoa. "I know you and Squall have this bond between you, but next time, give me a little warning before you link him into one of our conversations."

"Sorry," Rinoa frowned.

"You're fine," she told her. "But the thought of Squall being able to listen in without actually being here kind of creeps me out."

Rinoa grinned. "One day he'll discover it can be used as a surveillance tool."

"I have no doubt that day will come sooner than you think," she warned her with a grin.

Ellone absently wiped her hands on her dress and stood up. She walked over to her window and looked outside. "If Uncle Laguna will let you two get married here, he'd have to at least let Jasper and I date."

"But I thought you two were already dating," Rinoa stated.

"We are, sort of. We're together, Uncle Laguna is just having a really hard time with it. I tried to convince him to let me have my own apartment here at the palace while I studied but he insisted I stayed with him. I don't think he has accepted the fact that I've grown up yet. I love him to death but he really needs to let me make some decisions for myself. Jasper and I have known each other for a very long time. I'd love to be able to marry him."

"So you two are really serious," Selphie smiled.

Ellone smiled. "Very. I love him. I feel safe with him."

Quistis loosely crossed her arms as she stood. She stretched her legs a bit before silently making her way over to the vanity and taking a seat. She listened to them talk as she gently ran her fingers along her jaw line. She examined her reflection in the mirror and frowned faintly at the light bruise on her jaw. "If we're going to do this, we're going to need to get a very early start in the morning," she told them. "I suggest Rinoa goes and talks to Laguna and then the rest of us head to bed."

Rinoa nodded and started for the door. Selphie hopped up off the couch and followed her. "I want to go with you."

Quistis waited until they were gone before turning to Ellone. "Um, Sis? Could I ask you a question?"

Ellone looked up at her. "Sure, anything," she smiled.

"How do you know Jasper is the one?"

"What do you mean?" Ellone asked.

"Just, how do you know you're in love? How do you know when you're with the person you're supposed to marry?"

Ellone smiled. "Do you have someone in mind for yourself?"

Quistis smiled a little sadly. "I don't know that I would necessarily say that. I was just... curious."

Ellone was quiet a moment, staring at the traffic below as she contemplated her question. "I think, when you're in love with someone, you never want to imagine facing the world without them. You would do anything for them. They're your perfect half and without them you feel incomplete."

Quistis silently mulled over her answer before offering a subtle smile. "Thanks for that," she offered.

"Thanks for what?" Ellone asked as she turned to face her and tucked some of her dark hair behind her ear. "I just told you what I believed."

"I know," she told her. "I'm going to go get a shower and head to bed. Tomorrow is going to be busy."

Ellone smiled. "Good night Quisty."

"Good night Ellone," she said before crossing the bedroom and stepping out into the hall. She pulled out her phone once the door was shut and dialed Seifer's dorm room. Not wanting to be overheard, she stepped into the room she wassharing with Selphieand Rinoa. She smiled when she heard his voice. "Hey. I just wanted to check in on you," she whispered.

Back in her bedroom, Ellone turned her attention back to the illuminated buildings outside. Esthar was especially beautiful at night. She sighed, trying to imagine making a life for herself in such a busy place. A small smile crossed her lips as she brought a hand up to her stomach. Getting married would be good for Squall. It was about time he had someone there for him. He needed a family in Balamb. And once Squall and Rinoa were allowed to wed, she was certain it'd be easier to make Laguna more accepting of her and Jasper's relationship. She was running out of time, the sooner Laguna accepted Jasper into the family the better.

Laguna sat on the edge of his desk as he stared out at the Esthar City skyline. The buildings glowed against the dark sky above giving the city an almost surreal appearance. He brought a hand up over his mouth as he replayed the day's events in his mind. He'd managed to catch Kiros before he left for his quarters and the two had spent the past hour discussing the enigma that was Squall.

Kiros leaned against the wall and grinned. "First you were upset he wouldn't speak to you. He would avoid you in both public and private situations. He'd just cross his arms and look embarrassed to even be in the same room with you. But then, you started getting upset when he actually talked to you as a son. He was confiding in you, but you just didn't like his opinions on things. I've got news for you on that one: you two are never going to see eye to eye like you're hoping you will. You didn't raise him Laguna. He grew up alone in a totally different world than you did."

"Gee, thanks for the reminder," Laguna mumbled as he watched the lift system down below.

Kiros continued on, undeterred. "And now you're upset because he's been open with you and shown enough interest in you to challenge your opinions on his life and to have an argument with you? Congratulations Laguna, you've gotten what you've been wanting from the moment you met him. Squall is talking to you and actually listening to what you have to say. He clearly doesn't like most of it, but he is listening. There was a time when you thought he would never have anything to do with you," he reminded him.

Laguna sent him an annoyed, sideways glance.

"It's true. We had a conversation about that right here in this room," he stated. The buzzer sounded, causing both men to look over at the door. "Who would be coming by the office at this hour?"

"I didn't tell anyone I was here," Laguna said, slipping off the desk as Kiros pressed the release and opened the door.

Rinoa stood on the other side with Selphie right behind her. "Hey," she offered sheepishly. "Um, I was wondering if you had a minute? There was something really important I needed to talk to you about."

Kiros looked over at Laguna. "I'll give you three some privacy," he offered.

"No it's alright," Rinoa told him. "I didn't mean to interrupt. I'll keep it brief." She looked over at Laguna and offered him another smile. It was odd. Her father was a difficult person to talk to because of how opinionated and serious he was. Right now, Laguna was difficult to talk to because he looked so damn interested in what she had to ask him. She wasn't used to having this much undivided attention. She was starting to gain an appreciation for Squall's cool, distracted way of handling conversations. "I um… "

"She needs to ask a favor!" Selphie smiled broadly as she clasped her hands in front of her and fought the urge to bounce a little. Rinoa shot a look over at her. "Just a teensy little favor," she elaborated before nudging Rinoa forward a bit.

Rinoa had been rolling her ankle, a nervous gesture she'd developed some time after her mother had passed. When Selphie nudged her, she caused her to stumble into Laguna. She grabbed onto the sleeve of his shirt and nearly knocked him down as he tried to catch her. He let out a goofy chuckle as he righted her and a few strands of hair fell across his face. He moved them with a toss of his head and then he shoved his hands in his pockets. "There we go. Almost lost it there," he smiled. "So, you need a favor? Name it."

Rinoa started to open her mouth to speak but with all the undivided attention in the room on her, she was finding it a bit difficult to form words. She cleared her throat and took a deep breath, rolling her ankle to the side again before catching herself and stopping. "Alright. Squall proposed earlier this evening, and I wanted to know if we could use your rooftop garden as the setting for the wedding." A dead silence washed over the room and suddenly, the only thing Rinoa could hear was the pounding of her own heart in her ears.

Laguna stared at her, his mouth slowly starting to hang agape as it occurred to him that Squall had already proposed. The boy hadn't wasted any time and clearly hadn't cared about what he'd had to say on the matter. Across the room from him, Kiros looked amused, an 'I told you so' smirk gracing his thin lips. Laguna forced himself to focus on Rinoa.

Out of the corner of her eye, Rinoa could see Selphie biting down on her bottom lip as she watched her literary idol in an excited anticipation. Selphie looked like she were about to burst. Back in front of her, Laguna wet his lips and reached down to grab his leg. It was a predictable move but one that proved just what Rinoa had assumed; Laguna wasn't ready for Squall to get married. The way he was acting, one would've thought she'd asked to marry him instead of asking to marry Squall. That was a borderline scandalous thought. Laguna reached back with his free hand to steady himself on his desk but miscalculated and fell down. He landed with a muffled thud on the rug.

A snort escaped Kiros and he didn't try to hide his amusement. "Smooth, Laguna."

Rinoa, however, was less than amused-horrified was a more accurate definition of how she felt. Rushing over, she extended a hand to help Laguna up but he waved it away. "I'm okay," he told her, his face a bit red from embarrassment. "I'm fine. Although that's never happened before," he admitted. Rinoa ignored his assurances as she took hold of his right arm and helped him stand back up.

"I'm sorry," she apologized. "It's just Squall and I have been really serious for well, since I got my powers. And he proposed tonight and instead of being excited, all I can think about is how the press and everybody in Balamb is going to flip out. The attention they gave us after the war was almost frightening at times and they're going to start following us all over again. Every little intimate detail they can find is going to be plastered across the covers of magazines and we're going to lose every bit of privacy we've just started to get back. I just wanted to get the ceremony over with before they even knew there was a reason to chase us…"

Laguna frowned as he took hold of her shoulders to make her stop talking and look at him. "Okay," he told her. "It's all yours. I understand."

Rinoa smiled. It felt like a weight was lifted off her shoulders. "Thank you."

"When do you want to have it?" he asked.

"Tomorrow afternoon if it's possible," she admitted.

Laguna looked past her to Kiros. Getting a nod from the taller man, he offered her a smile. "Alright then. Every girl should be allowed to be excited and look forward to her wedding," he told her. "We'll plan for something around five and I'll make the necessary phone calls to get things lined up for your approval first thing in the morning. If this is what you and Squall want..."

Selphie let out a little squeal of excitement.

Rinoa threw her arms around him and gave him a fierce hug. "Thank you so much," she whispered.

Laguna hesitated momentarily but then returned the hug. "You're welcome." He shot a glance over at the clock. "But if we're going to do this, you need to hit the hay. It's getting late. And don't uh, worry about a thing. I'll take care of it," he assured her.

Rinoa nodded with a smile. "Thanks again," she said as Selphie pulled her out of the office.

"Don't mention it," Laguna smiled as he waved after them.

"Goodnight!" Selphie called out as the door started to slide shut behind them.

Laguna offered a small wave.

Kiros waited until the door was closed. "Well, you handled that with grace."

Laguna nodded as he looked around. "….I don't even know where to start," he conceded. "I told him he wasn't ready and what does he do? He proposes the instant he gets the opportunity. And then sends her in with her big pretty eyes, looking all sweet and –"

"He's good," Kiros smiled. "That's the nature of teenagers Laguna. They're all bull-headed and stubborn and manipulative to different degrees. You've just got to find a way to deal with it."

"Yeah you'd know a thing or two about that wouldn't you," Laguna teased.

"All too well," Kiros agreed.

Disclaimer: My Author's Notes are rarely edited. :P

Author's Notes: I apologize for this chapter taking so long to get posted, but the past few months have been absolutely exhausting for me. I had to write most of this chapter out by hand before it was typed, and even then half of what I had typed ultimately ended up replaced. I want to give a HUGE thank you to my Editor and Muse and my new Beta Reader. Without the two of you this chapter wouldn't have been fully edited for another week or two.

I hope to have the next chapter up much sooner than this one was, and I hope that those of you still reading this enjoy. :)