I do not own ff8 and never will it all belongs to square Enix except for my OC character, which you know they are except Tash she's new.

I would like to say thank you to those who have been supportive and to Kreg who has added this to your C2 I'm very honored and pleased there are people who like this fic.

This will be mainly featuring the characters as children so that's just a heads up on it in case you get confused. It takes place a few hours after the battle in chapter 16.oh and the writing in italics is the flashbacks.

Chapter 17: Remnants of a long forgotten childhood

Zek Loire looked at the ceiling of his Dorm in deep thought it had been hours since Galibadia garden had mysteriously left leaving their wounded and some other students from Galibadia Garden behind. James and Julia had gone to sleep hours before well James did anyway, Julia had collapsed from exhaustion shortly after they reached Zeks Dorm so they had to visit the Infirmary for a second time.

"Guess this means we'll have a few more students here then who know where that thing went" he muttered to himself.

Something inside of him was literally telling him that Tash was important, but how did she know him then something came to him when he looked at his Fathers Army dogtag he had worn it around his neck since he could remember it was all he had ever had to remember his parents by.

Zek began to play with it twirling it round and round theslightly scratched metal shinning in the pitch on the dark Dorms walls,this had been a habit he haddone since he was a small child,whenever hehad feltlost or sad as a child he would do that it had back then always seemed to calm him down, so why was he going back to such childish habits again!.

Zeks thoughts went back to Tash her short black hair and blue eyes kept etching at his brain, stopping Zek from getting any sleep what so ever "argh I hate it when I start thinking like this but yet I wonder how did she know me and Julia, Julia remembered her but why not me argh this is so damm annoying I just know she's important to me somehow" Zek said aloud to himself.

Zek tried to stop thinking about who she was and found him thinking about something else "she was kinda cute wait did I say she was cute no no no never she's just some other girl" he said aloud to himself again.

Flashback

"Children I want you all to meet Tash she's going to join us now so be nice and welcome her" asked Jason to several other orphan children.

"hi I'm Zek why are you here" a 3 year old boy with messy short blackish/brownish hair asked the little girl with jet black hair, she looked at Zek shyly then realized he was of no threat.

"I'm Tasha but my parent used to call me Tash well that was before these big meanies with guns came and separated them into this big room then I heard a big bang noise and this big man hit me" she asked back sobbing from the memory.

Zek looked at her feeling sorry for her "I'm 3 and a quarter I never met my parents Jason said it was just me but my Daddy was a Sergeant in the Army I got my Daddies dog taggy thing see" Zek replied back slightly unsure of how she would react.

Tash smiled "that's nice my Mummy gave me this before those men took them away I can't read what it says though and what's a quarter" she asked him. Zek laughed "I don't know but Jason said he'll tell me when I'm older".

Tash giggled "same here adults always say stuff like that wanna play a game you can choose" she said happy that she had found a friend.

Zek looked around to see what they could play "how about we play that" Zek said pointing to a board of snakes or ladders "okay how do we play then" Tash asked ,Zek explained it to her.

Tash was still confused "your really smart aren't you" she asked.

Zek frowned then began sobbing "go on laugh everyone else does" he said though sobs ,Tash smiled "I'm not laughing your really nice and kinda funny wanna be friends" she asked offering her hand.

Zek looked up and smiled "sure your nicer then the others" he said to the girls offer ,she looked at him confused "why?" she asked waiting for the boy to answer her ,Zek looked at her "they tease me" he replied back shyly.

Tash smiled "I won't tease you I promise" she told him, Zek looked at her "promise" he said again shyly "pinky promise" she said again causing the two to giggle childishly.

Zek woke up at the dark walls of his dorm shaken by the dream "it has to be a dream but it seemed so real wait" Zek murmured calming down.

Zek looked at the Dog tag as if to check if it was the same one from the dream "nah I must just have been a stupid dream but I wonder who in hynes name is Jason he sounded almost familiar ...ha ha it has to be a bad dream I was never that wimpy as a kid" Zek muttered quietly lying on the pillows again, he felt something under his pillow and pulled out an old timber maniacs magazine, Zek sighed "must have fallen under there" Zek said while drifting asleep once more.

Flashback

"Come on children nap time I know your all in here Julia quit picking on Zek and Tash is that how you would like to be treated" Jason scolded a little girl with short blondish hair, the girl looked at Zek and Tash who were looking at some pictures in an old magazine "seeya wimps" the girl snared at the two other children.

(A/N sorry to portray Julia as such a meanie there)

Tash groaned and stood up knowing Jason would get annoyed if they didn't come soon she urged at her friend "come on Zeke Jason wants us" she said looking at her friend.

Zek just looked away silently and went back to reading an old Timber Maniacs magazine of Jason's.

"Where's Zek gone" Jason asked the children once they had gathered into a small group one of the older boys around seven answered "over there in the corner that little wimp I bet he's just scared of me" the boy proclaimed. Jason frowned, Tash stood up and looked the boy straight in the eye "he's not a wimp he's just smart smarter then you" she defended her friend, Jason smiled at the girl who was defending him.

Zek of course had heard everything and looked at Tash for a second as if to thank her, she smiled back ignoring another boy poking her, "Zek why don't you come over to the others" Jason asked Zek, Zek refused to budge.

Jason sighed and walked over to him "Zek why don't you want to join them" Jason asked again, Zek looked at him "they don't like me they said I was stupid" Zek told Jason.

Jason groaned "Zek you're smarter then they are and Tash likes you and...Hey are you reading my Timber Maniacs magazine do you actually understand what its saying" Jason asked the four year old.

Zek shyly nodded "it's about a place in Deljing city called a Hotel" was Zeks reply, Jason was impressed at the child's understanding of the magazine "are you angry Jason" Zek said looking at him innocently.

Jason smiled at him "no of course not I'm actually really impressed" Jason replied at the little boys remark ,Zek looked at him confused "Jason why are you impressed" Zek blurted out, but was ignored as the Matron came over to ask what was wrong.

Zek tried to listen to what he was saying "honey tend to the others I'm going to show Zek something" Jason was heard to say, Zek may have been smart for a four year old but didn't yet understand some words.

Jason took Zeks hand and lead him out of the room "Zek get your shoes on we're going somewhere" Jason told the little boy happily, Zek tied his shoes up as he was one of the few at the Orphanage that could and went over to Jason looking confused "where we going" he asked.

Jason smiled "you'll see I would hate to ruin the surprise" was Jason's simple reply, Zek nodded and continued to walk along the streets of Timber taking in the surroundings "Jason where we going?" Zek asked again determined to get an answer.

Jason ignored him this time Zek was insistent though "who we going to see" Zek asked again but in a different way, Jason sighed then looked at him "you really ask a lot of questions for one so smart" Jason joked.

Zek looked at him "I do" he said "yeah you do but the good news is that we're here" Jason announced cheerfully pointing to a large building with Timber Maniacs written across it.

"Is that where that magazine was written" Zek asked ,Jason laughed "wow I didn't even have to explain it to you good boy" Jason said ruffling Zek short messy hair.

When they entered there were magazines over the floor "hello Mr Smith are you expected or just here to see the editor" the receptionist woman asked Jason, Jason looked down at Zek "take a seat over there kiddo" Jason told him before responding to the woman "I'm here to see Henry is he busy" Jason asked, the woman shook her head and smiled at Zek.

Jason signaled for Zek to follow, Zek did as he was told and followed when they entered the office was large well at least to a Childs point of view .The editor wore a baseball cap and looked at Jason" well hello Jason good to see you again and is this one of your little menaces" the man teased, Zek glared at him the man smiled at Zek "sorry kiddo just joking what's your name" the man asked again.

Jason looked at Zek as if to say something, Zek sighed and replied "Zek...my names Zek" the man laughed "well nice to meet you Zek I'm Henry the big boss of all this and behind the Timber maniacs Jason said that you were reading one you I haven't met many kids your age who can read let alone as smart as you".

Zek looked at him and hid behind Jason, for the next while Jason spent his time talking to the man about things he could not understand to stop Zek from getting bored the man gave Zek a lollipop and a bear to play with.

It was hours later they left the man called Henry let him keep the Teddy bear "oh sorry but I really must go Henry my wife will have me for keeping Zek up past his bed time" Jason said happily looking at his watch.

"oh I understand well see you around Jason and you kiddo if you ever want to be a writer someday come to me when your older like 18 or 19 okay" the man said to Zeks eye level "bye Henry thanks for showing Zek around" Jason thanked him.

"Pleasure Jason" the man said again happily Jason looked at Zek who was cuddling his new teddy bear happily "don't you have something to say" Jason said to him ,Zek realized what Jason meant and said "thank you Mr" the man laughed "my pleasure kid".

It was 11am the next day when Zek woke up again the sun hitting his face directly causing Zek to squint and look away he looked at the time on his watch "woah man I swear that dream was almost familiar wait Tash, Jason , Julia nah it had to be a dream but I guess I could ask".

Zek then rose from the bed throwing the pillows "but if it was really real then maybe she knows what happened to Jason after all …oh well there's only one way to find out" Zek said to himself as he got dressed into some unbloody clothes. As he did he managed to slip over he looked himself over only to see a cut on his knee it didn't look deep but he knew he better get it looked at "it figures mind you I probably got the least injuries out of all of us for once ha ha but the Docs going to kill me" Zek muttered as he grasped it painfully.

And I'll stop here wow this was fun to write especially the childhood memory's I might actually update my other fic cause I enjoyed that. But enough of that read and review and yeah cya