A/N: Hey! I hope you liked the last chapter. Please review my story even if its still on its early stages! I'd love to hear from anyone! I don't care how harsh you are just please make it constructive. Thank you very much! BTW I don't really like creating long chapters but I feel like the last two chapters deserve to be long ones. This is because chapter four is very very important to the storyline and chapter five gives us a sense of who Louie really is. I promise that now that I feel like I have introduced Louie Leonhart properly, I'll concentrate on other things. Thanks for reading! R&R enjoy!

BTW if you went straight to this chapter because you've read the other chapters, please read chapters 4 & 5 again. I've changed them a bit, especially chapter 5. It'll seem like I skipped some things if you haven't read the new version of chapter 5. THANKS! ENJOY!

Chapter 6: Dream

The sun had just set on everyone's second day in Centra. The moon rose high upon the heavens and the cobalt expanse of the night sky was covered with myriads of silver stars that help the magnificent pale orb light the land. A fire was just set ablaze in the center of a small circle of logs on the beach behind the orphanage. On one of the logs sat Squall and Rinoa, the latter being wrapped by the former's arms. Squall wore an orange shirt with two horizontal black stripes that ran across his chest and dark blue pants while Rinoa wore black cycling shorts and Squall's black leather jacket above her blue tank top. They stared at the beach just across from the fire as they shared this moment together. Moments like this were rare. It had been rare ever since they had a son, 17 years ago.

"You called for me?" the familiar voice of their son caught them. Squall quickly removed his arm upon his wife.

"Yes. Sit." Squall motioned for his son to sit on the log in front of them. "Louie. We talked to Matron. And... Your mother and I think it would be best for you to have a knight."

"Yeah. I talked to her too. She said I could think about it." Louie replied, confused as to what this conversation is about.

"Well, we decided that it would be best if you did have a knight." Rinoa said softly, expecting a harsh reply from Louie.

"Yeah. Okay I hear you. And I will think about it." Louie replied with a little more assertion.

"There is nothing to think about, Louie. You will have a knight." Squall said firmly.

Louie chuckled to himself, expecting the answer from his father. "I don't even know why you called me here. You've already decided. What am I to do?!"

"I do not want to have to fight about this." Squall raised his voice a bit.

Louie started standing up, chuckling even more. "Okay. Whatever." He started walking away from the campsite.

"Louie come back here!" Rinoa stood up as well. "We will discuss this."

Louie stopped in his tracks and turned to face his mother. "What else is there to discuss, mom? You've already decided everything for me! Next thing I know you would've already chosen a knight for me."

"You need a knight, Louie. You must understand that."

"I may need a knight. We are not the same, mom. You got your abilities from Matron and an evil dictator sorceress from the past at age 17. I have them since birth. Don't you ever think of the possibility that maybe, just maybe, I am not like you?! That I don't need a knight like you?!"

Squall stood up, his tone was lower but his voice, firmer. "We don't want to take any chances."

"I AM NOT EVIL, DAD!" Louie shouted. He stopped, realizing he lost his temper for a second, and lowered his tone. "I don't want to be someone else's burden. I don't want a knight just because there is a small possibility of me becoming a power-hungry oppressor."

"Louie, we understan-"

"No you don't, Mom! You don't understand. If you did understand my predicament, you wouldn't have decided this for me." Louie paused. "I just want you to trust me. To believe that I can be my own knight. You've selected each and every path I go through in my life. What I'm asking you both is to please, just this one time, trust me with my own decisions."

Rinoa's face softened. It may be the heat of the fire but she just saw herself in her son. The adolescent trying to break free from the inescapable hands of one's parents. Squall's face hasn't changed. Louie started walking away, and this time, his parents decided not to stop him. The pair sat down on the log once again.

"Squall, am I turning into my father?" Rinoa asked her husband.

"What?" Squall faced Rinoa.

"I just saw myself in Louie. I don't know why but what he said would have been what I would tell my father at that age."

"Rinoa, you are not turning into your father. We're doing what's best for Louie."

"We're doing what we think is best for Louie. There is no way to be sure. Do you think we've been too in control of his life. He's our son, not our doll."

There was silence. Squall got to thinking.

"I don't know how to be a parent, Rin. I never had one." Squall's face softened at last. It was something he had been scared to admit. He was the commander of Balamb Garden and the leader of the team that saved the world from Ultimecia, yet he does not know one of the things that is basic to humankind. He sighed. If Laguna were here, he would know what to do.

"He's growing up, Squall."

The campsite was silent again. A few moments later, the couple heard footsteps coming from behind them. It was Seifer and Quistis, walking hand-in-hand. Seifer noticed Squall's head in its ultimate thinking position.

"Somethin' botherin' you, Squally boy?" Seifer teased as he sat on the log in front of them. Quistis sat beside him. Seifer was wearing a blue tank top with a cross insignia on it and light gray pants while Quistis was wearing a tight blue shirt that was tucked into maroon pants. Her long blonde hair extended to her back.

"What's the matter, you two?" Quistis asked, putting an arm around Seifer's arm.

"It's Louie." Rinoa answered.

"What did you do, this time?" Seifer grinned. They all know that Squall is good in raising soldiers, not sons. Seifer started vexing Squall as soon as they realized this weakness.

"Nothing. He just..." Squall looked up, noticing the grins on the faces of Quistis and Seifer. "What's so funny?"

"Oh nothing." Quistis replied.

Squall sighed. "I'm a terrible father."

Seifer burst into laughter upon hearing Squall's statement. He enjoyed seeing Squall miserable, and he doesn't know why. They have reconciled their differences a long time ago and have agreed to move past their stupid feud but somehow, seeing his "rival" in misery brings him joy. And it's also funny to see Squall out of his comfort zone and declaring feelings all of a sudden.

From behind, another set of footsteps was heard, one seem to be faster and another one was taking its time in its walk. It was Zell and Ellone, coming to join the campfire.

"What's so funny?" Zell asked as he sat on a log opposite Ellone. Zell wore a white button down shirt and blue shorts. Ellone wore a long sky blue dress and she used her green scarf as a blanket to keep her shoulders warm.

"Squall, what did you do?" Quistis tried asking again. Seifer wouldn't stop laughing. Squall wouldn't answer as long as Seifer was cackling.

Irvine and Selphie arrived just in time. Irvine brought a square glass bottle filled with a caramel colored liquid. He was wearing an olive green shirt and white pants. Selphie brought eight shot glasses with her. She wore a loose yellow shirt and yellow green shorts.

"Matron has a wine distillery? Who knew?!" Selphie started as she and Irvine sat down on the log beside Squall and Rinoa. "What's happening?" she asked as Seifer's laugh died down.

"Great! Now everyone will know what a great dad I am." Squall thought.

"We kinda... forced Louie to have a knight." Rinoa finally broke Seifer's laughter.

"You forced him? How?" Quistis got more curious and leaned in closer.

"We talked to Matron and she said sorceresses need a knight. Seeing that Louie is a sorcerer, he might also need one. So we told him that we are getting him a knight."

"Are you crazy? He'll get mad at you, alright." Seifer answered in shock.

"Look, honey. Louie is growing up. Maybe a little less control over his life wouldn't hurt." Quistis told Rinoa.

"Besides, it's not like he's gonna turn evil, or anything." Selphie added.

"You know what? Let's just relax and enjoy this time together. Soon we'll go back to our own lives and not see each other anymore." Irvine poured a shot for everyone and passed them down. Once everybody got a shot, they raised their glasses.

"To the orphanage gang!" Quistis started.

"To forever!" Ellone added.

They clinked their glasses over the fire and took the shot. They all sat down.

"Things were a lot easier 18 years ago." Rinoa sighed.

"Not for me." Seifer retorted.

Seifer ruminated on the events from 18 years ago.

The second Sorceress War had just ended and Seifer was not welcome in Galbadia, Eshtar or Balamb. He decided to let go of Fuujin and Raijin as he was starting become a burden to them. He had nothing and no-one. Even his romantic dreams seemed like a nightmare at this point in his life. He began to regret having sent Fuujin and Raijin away. The two half-heartedly complied. Seifer sought help from Sorceress Edea Kramer and Headmaster Cid. He was brought back to his feet at the orphanage.

It was Headmaster Cid's idea to bring Quistis and Seifer together. He didn't intend for them to be a couple. He just wanted Quistis to get to know the new Seifer. He figured Quistis would understand Seifer because he didn't scar her face, bomb her Garden, break her heart or anything throughout the Ultimecia ordeal. The worst thing Seifer has done to Quistis was insult her right after his last SeeD field exam. Headmaster Cid figured Quistis would be mature enough to get past the incident. He was wrong.

Cid sent Quistis to Centra, making her think she had a special mission for Sorceress Edea. The moment when Quistis arrived at the orphanage, the fighting began. Quistis was shocked to see Seifer in the orphanage and was about to attack him when Sorceress Edes stopped her. Edea explained the situation to her, saying that Seifer has come to her to make ammends and that Seifer had nothing. she refused to believe. Seifer insisted that Quistis would never be able to get over his insult to her and would never understand why he had done those things. Edea decided to let Quistis go.

Then, something happened on Quistis's supposed last night in Centra. She and Seifer didn't talk much during the two days she stayed. She was packing her stuff when Seifer entered.

"Hey." Seifer started.

"Hi." Quistis answered.

"So you're leaving." He walked towards her, helping her pack.

"Yeah. Going back to Balamb. Have a lot of things."

"When?"

"As soon as the sun rises tomorrow morning."

"Alright."

She noticed him helping and quickly grabbed one of the clothes he was about to put on her suitcase.

"What are you doing here, Seifer?!"

"I decided to help you pack."

"Not here in my room. Here in Centra. with Matron."

"I had nowhere else to go."

"If you touch a single hair on Matron's head I am going to come back here and ki-"

"What? Quistis you're forgetting. Matron is my mother too."

"And you Seifer are forgetting what you have done in the past year. You started a war Seifer."

"I was blinded!" He stood up, defending himself, eyes welling with tears.

"You know what?! Why don't you just get out?! There are plenty of fiends in the forest you can eat. Do what you have to do to survive, Seifer, I don't care! Just stay away from Matron, Uncle Cid and us."

Seifer was silent. He looked at Quistis with mixed anger and desperation. "I was a part of this family. I'd like to think that I still am."

"Well you thought wrong!"

"Quistis, I have nothing."

"You deserve nothing." Quistis said as she finished packing and closed her brief case. Seifer left her room. Quistis sat in her bad, thinking about the words she had said to a former friend. Sorceress Edea entered.

"Are you sure you're leaving, sweetie?" Edea sat beside Quistis.

"Yes, Matron. I have a lot of things to do in Balamb."

Edea sighed. "Quistis, Seifer's been through a lot of confusion and mental breakdowns before he got here. Don't you think he has changed?!"

"Don't you believe a word he says, Matron. Seifer is a bastard, he started a war, he destroyed Trabia Garden, he made it rain monsters on Eshtar, for Hyne's sake!"

"He may be all that Quistis. but Seifer is not a liar. Now, with his track record, you may believe that he is indeed capable of lying, but I refuse to believe so. As a mother, I had to help Seifer and make him realize who he really is."

Quistis sighed.

Edea spoke once more. "Think about leaving tonight. Seifer has nothing, Quistis. Nothing. Not even a dream to hold on to."

Edea left Quistis alone. She slowly reminisced the point in her life that she felt like she had nothing. It was the night of the SeeD inauguration party. Seifer had just said mean things to her, she had just been fired as an instructor and Squall had just chose to ignore her. She remembered her feelings of helplessness, depression and isolation. She remembered what it was like to have your dream and see it crushed before your very eyes. She would never wish to have anyone feel the same feelings she had felt, even if it is Seifer Almasy.

She had said many mean things to Seifer that night. Maybe she didn't really mean some of them. Seifer had a dream, no, Seifer attained his dream, just like she got hers as an instructor. Seifer's dream was also crushed in front of his very eyes. Seifer is suffering the way she suffered back then.

She fell asleep thinking about how Seifer's flight and fall may have changed him for the better. She woke up and the sun was shining already. She saw her suitcase on the floor and knew she had something to decide about. She walked out of the room and saw Matron alone.

"Where is he?" Quistis asked Edea.

"I don't know. I woke up and he is gone." Edea answered

"Did he bring everything he owned?!" Quistis started panicking. She hated what she had said to Seifer about leaving Matron. Seifer, in fact, had nowhere else to go.

"The clothes on his back are everything he has owned." Edea replied.

Quistis ran out to the flower fields and he wasn't there. She ran out to the beach and he wasn't there also. She decided to run to the Centran landscape, searching the vast horizon for a glimpse of Seifer's trench coat.

"He just walked, he couldn't have gotten far." Quistis thought. She didn't know why she came out looking for her disgraced ally. All she knew was she had to take back what she said. She wasn't the type of person to be giving second chances but somehow, her gut tells her Seifer needs one.

She searched everywhere and there was no sign of him. Tired, she sat on the beach beside the orphanage. A moment later, a shadow covered the sun that was bathing her in the sand.

"You're still here?" It was Seifer Almasy.

Quistis jumped up and hugged Seifer out of delight.

"Whoa. What's gotten into you?" Seifer was holding the fish he caught for the morning.

Quistis quickly pulled back. "Where were you? I've been looking for you!"

"I was fishing. I decided to make you some breakfast before you leave today so I woke up really early so I could catch you. Why were you looking for me?" Seifer smirked.

"Matron! Matron was looking for you! Why would I look for you." Quistis gave an uncomfortable laugh. Seifer smiled.

"So we're okay?" Seifer asked.

"Depends on that breakfast you promised." Quistis answered as she sped back to the orphanage.

That day, Quistis decided to stay in Centra and help Edea nurse Seifer back to life.

The rest was history.

The two became friends much quicker than anyone thought. They would spend the whole day together, reminiscing about their childhood memories. Seifer was beginning to be happy again. He lost his dream but he gained a friend.

Later on, Quistis, Edea and Cid convinced Seifer to try becoming SeeD again. It took some time for him to be convinced that he could do it. The war took a lot of morale from Seifer. Eventually, he did agree to try it out, on one condition - that Quistis be his girlfriend. The blonde warrior was delighted at the offer as she was hiding her feelings from Seifer from the moment he cooked her breakfast.

Quistis brought her boyfriend, Seifer to Balamb Garden and at first, the gang wouldn't warm up to him, especially Rinoa. However, with Quistis's urging and Seifer's new personality, they agreed to let him be a student again. Seifer became one of the best students in his batch, him knowing the tests and all. He became a SeeD in no time.

It was Squall who decided to offer Seifer the empty position of G-Garden Commander. This position was built so that Galbadia Garden SeeD candidates would not need to go to Balamb to become SeeD. The Commander takes charge of the SeeD missions and the SeeD exams.

"Seifer, there's an empty position in G-Garden. I think you might like it." Squall was sitting behind his desk, obviously uncomfortable with the presence of Seifer in his office. Quistis was behind him, wearing a wide grin on her face. Cid was beside her.

"You want to get rid of me that quickly, huh?" Seifer smirked. "No thanks, Squall. I'm not cut out for the administrative positions."

"It's not totally administrative." Squall answered.

"Oh. Then, lay it on me."

"Galbadia Garden's headmaster told us that G-Garden is not the military academy for Galbadia's troops anymore. G-Garden has abandoned all its links to Galbadia. We have decided to form a pact with the other Gardens in accomplishing our mission. Therefore, G-Garden needs SeeDs. However, Galbadia Garden is not authorized to have SeeD because they do not have a commander."

"Are you serious?! Me?! The commander of G-Garden?! You have to be kidding, Squall! You know what happens to me when I have too much power."

"Listen, Seifer. You've proven yourself to us already. Don't you think it's time to prove yourself to the whole world?" Quistis interjected.

"Q, I can't just beco-"

Cid interrupted. "At least think about it, boy. It's an offer. And somehow, I know you want the position. You're just scared that it'll happen again. Think about it Seifer."

"Alright." Seifer answered.

"Okay. How many days do you need to think about it?" Squall said.

"One."

"Okay. Dismissed." Squall stood. Seifer saluted. He left the room, in a hurry to be alone to think.

Seifer ran to the training center and after slashing his way through countless Grats and a couple of T-Rexaurs, he went to the secret area.

"I knew you'd be here." Seifer turned around to see Quistis Trepe approaching him.

"Hey" Seifer said as he kissed Quistis on the forehead. Quistis placed an arm around Seifer's waist. They looked at the majestic beauty of the Balamb Garden together.

"Why did Squall think that I could become the Commander of Galbadia Garden?" Seifer asked.

"It was my idea. At first, he didn't agree, but as I forced him to view your track record as a student and a SeeD, he said you'd do great for the job. And you, sort of, have experience in running the Garden, right?" Quistis answered.

"Yeah, sort of." Seifer sighed again.

"Do this to redeem yourself, Seifer. The whole world needs to see how great you are. Isn't that your dream?"

"No. I already got my dream." Seifer turned to Quistis.

Quistis turned to look at Seifer. "What is it?"

"You."