Chapter 8-The joker

AN- I'm so sorry for the late update I started university in September and its virtually left me no time to do any writing but thankfully things are starting to calm down a little and I just have a few more weeks before my exams. Thank you everyone for being patient and I hoped you all had a great new year.

Disclaimer- I don't own final fantasy VIII

Warnings- mild threat, swearing, lemony moment

ENJOY XX

Chapter 8- The joker

The trip back was silent the only noise being the hum of the engine. Quistis slowed the Ragnorak ready for landing. Her hands were steady on the gears but her mind was in turmoil. She was so used to order and playing by the rules. The meeting with Laguna had unnerved everyone especially Squall. She looked across at him in the pilot's seat. The leather on his gloves strained he was clutching the accelerator so hard that it could have snapped.

Quistis really wasn't looking forward to the landing. For once she had no idea what to do. Ellone had texted her shortly after they left the palace, she wrote in the text that she had tried to look into Rinoa's past consciousness, and she had threatened to kill Ellone. The best thing would have been to tell Squall but she didn't want to stress him out even more.

The Ragnorak started its descent onto Balamb gardens aircraft pad. The others were nervous she could tell, to reveal to Cid that the mission was a complete bust and that a high-profile figure was hacked so easily would put even the usual calm man on high alert. The space craft landed and they all filed out as slowly as possible.

Nida met them at the terminal, the young pilot waved towards the group cheerfully only to retract it once he saw the look on Squall's face.

"Nida, we need to see Cid straight away, could you pre-warn him that we are coming up" squall said coldly. The others rushed towards the main elevator. Squall turned to them.

"There's no point in us all being here so Quistis go find Seifer, Selphie and willow keep Edea busy and you two write up the details of the mission and start following the leads of the case." Squall didn't give them any say in the matter before he clicked the button that would send him up to the headmaster's office. He was nervous the others could tell, it was disturbing to feel like this. He massaged his aching temples, couldn't he just have a break from everything, take Rinoa someplace special, a day without responsibility, paperwork would be nice.

The elevator pinged and the doors opened. Cid looked up shock and surprise clearly visible on his face. The short man put his pen down and stood up.

"Squall what are you doing here, what's happened" There was a concern in Cid's voice, the last time Squall was in this situation it was from his first failed mission to assassinate Sorceress Edea.

"Cid sit down, the mission was a bust, I've sent the others to look into the issue, it should take no longer than a week" Squall answered straight to the point. Cid seemed to relax at the information.

"Oh, im glad that's all it was and you didn't come back for another reason" he said quietly hoping that Squall wouldn't actually pick up what he said. But no such luck.

"Tell me what the hell is going on, Cid, I've had enough of this bullshit" squall growled. Cid winced uncomfortably, he'd heard the young SeeD swear several times but only when he was really angry or annoyed. He was glad that a table was between them not that it would stop Squall.

"Well you see something happened whilst you were away, there's no need for concern, Ellone's ok"

"What do you mean Ellone's ok" Squall shouted. Another beeping came from the elevator and Quistis, Ellone and Seifer ran through the open door.

"Squall". Ellone ran to him and hugged him tightly, she was shaken up but not hurt. He hugged he back and searched Quistis's face; she knew.

"I swear Squall I was going to tell you it was Seifers idea actually but I think its best if it comes from Ellone". Quistis said, she felt guilty that she hadn't told him when she found out.

Squall pushed Ellone gently off from his body, his hands still holding her upper arms. There would only be one reason why they would all be shaken like this.

"What has she done". He watched Ellone's bottom lip wobble and her eyes watered.

"I think its best that I just show you" Ellone looked deep into his eyes, it would only take a few minutes.

Seifer watched Squall let go of Ellone and step away. He had to admit he felt bad for the guy maybe it's because he found it relatable all though not the same circumstance. Seifer grabbed Quistis's hand in silent thanks and appreciation. He had been the first to know about the situation, he'd come across Ellone in the café sobbing and shaking uncontrollably, she told him what happened.

Squall's face showed no emotion he didn't know what to think.

"Do you know where she is" Ellone looked concerned, his voice was so cold and detached.

"Felicity came and Rin went with her so I assume she's still with her" Squall turned his head to stare at Quistis and Seifer.

"I want you two to debrief Cid about what happened in Esthar, Ellone I think you should go back to Laguna… for your own safety"

Ellone gave him a soft peck on the cheek.

"I understand will you keep me updated"

Squall walked to the elevator without another word.

Rinoa came awake slowly and disorientated, she felt something warm and hard near her legs, she went to go stroke it expecting Angelo to be there but a hand grabbed her wrist. She jolted upright quickly and sighed in relief.

"Squall you're back, I missed you so much" she went to hug him but he moved from the bed.

"I thought you were with Felicity but I could sense you here" he said coldly. Her forehead furrowed in confusion the last time he'd been off with her was when the train kidnapping failed back when she was with the forest owls.

"Why would you think I'd be there, I've not spoken to her since the other night". It was Squall's turn to look confused.

"You met up with Ellone this morning, do you remember?" Rinoa had no idea what he was talking about, all she could think about was how itchy her arms were, wait was that a pinprick in her vein.

Both her hands were stopped, she didn't realise she's been scratching at herself sub consciously.

Squall was mad when he'd sensed her in bed, all she seemed to be doing lately was sleeping, using his master key which opened all doors, he walked in and sat on the bed for a good 5 minutes just watching her doze. When she'd woken her eyes were bloodshot, her face pale, she looked like she could have been drunk.

He grabbed her wrists tight when she started clawing herself. He turned her arms over to see red nail marks and rashes starting to appear on her soft skin but that wasn't what bothered him. If he wasn't a SeeD he would probably have missed it. On the inside of her elbow, in the vein was a small pinprick. It all added up.

"Rinoa what are you on?" he made it his commander voice so she would have to answer him.

"Squall please I have no idea what you're talking about, I wouldn't go anywhere near drugs."

"Rin I'm not stupid, what is going on?" he growled. Rinoa put her head in her hands, her shoulders shaking.

"Pleas…se Squall I'm so confused I have no idea what's happening to me anymore". Strong arms surrounded her, holding her close, Squall laid his head on hers and hugged her tight.

"Come on we're going to see Edea and Odine" he grabbed her hand and yanked her off the bed. She slipped her ballerina pumps on and followed him, her head down.

They reached Edea's office in record time, it had been awkward as neither spoke but what could be said. Squall marched the two of them through the door. Edea was taken aback by the stormy expression on his face.

"Squall, Rinoa what can I help you with"? Edea looked Rinoa up and down, the girl looked tired, her face red and puffy like she had been crying for ages. Selphie and Willow had spoken to her an hour ago talking about what happened with the mission and that she should be weary of any strange activity on her email.

"Edea I need you to do a blood test on Rinoa, I think she's been drugged which made her threaten Ellone". Edea heard Rinoa gasp.

"What do you mean I threatened Ellone"? Rinoa forcefully pulled her hand out of Squall's. She turned towards Edea sorrow and fear on her face. Rinoa took a step towards the door but Squall grabbed her waist before she could go any further.

"Let me go Squall, I'm leaving it will be safer for everyone" she continued to struggle against him pushing at his arm and twisting her body anything to get her away from him, but he held fast.

"Why do you think she's been drugged, Squall" Edea asked timidly, she watched the couple interact it was clear that their bond was getting stronger just by how Squall was acting around her.

"She has a pinprick hole in her vein, and amongst other symptoms she can't remember what happened this morning with Ellone and Felicity". Squall answered.

Squall looked down at Rinoa she was still struggling against his arm, it was futile even if she did escape him, she wouldn't get far. He saw how Edea was regarding them, he was well aware the position he was holding over Rin, his possessiveness and protective instinct kicking in. Edea nodded her head.

"Very well, bring her over to the bed and I'll take some blood" Edea said as she was walking towards the hospital bed.

Squall grabbed both of Rinoa's upper arms and guided her towards it, she had stopped struggling obviously aware that she wasn't going anywhere with Squall in tow. He helped her onto the clinical white hospital bed, he couldn't stand to see the misery and hatred in her eyes not towards him but at herself.

Squall held her arm steady as Edea prepared a syringe and an elastic band, she wrapped the band tight around Rinoa's upper arm. She cleaned the vein with an antibacterial wipe and stopped.

Edea stroked her fingers lightly over the vulnerable vein one that had apparently been used way too many times.

"I can't take blood from her vein" Edea announced standing straight.

"What do you mean?" Squall demanded, his hand was steady on Rinoa who was noticeably panicking.

"Her veins have collapsed in this area it's a sign of over drug use" she said sadly.

"Are you telling me this isn't the first time I've been drugged like this" Rinoa was shaking to get out of Squall's grasp, her heart beat running wild in her chest.

"Why is this happening to me don't I have enough to contend with, why can't I remember this, no one has come close to me like this" Rinoa was now weeping sadly in Squall's arms. He sat on the bed next to her and held her face up.

"Rin, I swear to you I will find out who is doing this, I think it's safe to assume it's someone at garden, could it be Odine"

Rinoa looked up at Squall's blue eyes, this was the man she fell in love, the man who would do anything to protect her.

Rinoa grabbed Squall into a massive hug, she brought her second hand from her pocket to the back of his neck, her fingers came away slightly red, she reached back into the pocket, the tissue with the blood on was gone, she'd totally forgotten about it.

Squall felt a buzzing in his pocket, it was Quistis texting him that they have made progress with the case. He reluctantly pulled away from Rinoa.

"Rin, I have to leave it's important, but I want you to stay with Edea for the afternoon, if that's ok, I don't want you on your own and also I'm gonna take you on a date tonight so be ready for 7" Squall kissed her head before he regarded Edea with a nod, he walked out of the room like a man on a mission.

Edea looked at Rin who was trying so hard to pull herself together but understandably anyone would be terrified in the same position, it brought her back to her own experience of being a sorceress being alone all those nights missing her knight and not sure when she would feel a blade pointing at her back.

"Rinoa sweetheart I'm going to take blood from your other arm so we can find out what type of drug this is and hopefully trace the whereabouts and then I'll treat you to some hot chocolate"

For once in a long time Rinoa smiled and drifted off peacefully unaware of the needle sinking into her vein.

"What's the report" Squall demanded as he stepped through the conference room, the whole gang including Seifer and Cid were gathered around the large oval wooden table.

Quistis nudged Seifer with her elbow and nodded toward Squall. Seifer stood up slowly and walked to him. He itched the back of his head uncomfortably.

"I just wanna say again that I'm sorry for this, I shouldn't have approached Rinoa like that and I'm aware my presence is probably making it more-. Seifer grabbed his face in his hands, his nose coming away bleeding and an odd angle, he should have seen that coming.

"Thanks, I'll keep that in mind Seifer" Squall snarled, he shook his right hand out the impact of his fist hitting Seifers nose also hurt his hand.

Selphie snickered at Seifers misfortune as she rose to give her report.

"We managed to find the iP address but it's going to take time to decrypt it and it may not necessarily lead us to the hacker, if they managed to hack into Laguna's computer and take over his account which we should assume would be heavily guarded with encryptions, passwords galore, fire walls, back up files than they will be a skilled hacker not one of these amateurs"

Squall held a hand up. "Yes, Selphie I get the picture you don't need to get into anything technical, how long will it take you to decrypt it"

"No more than a week, Willow and Nida are also giving me a hand so definitely should get it done soonish"

"Good thankyou Selphie and everyone, is there anything else" Squall asked idly watching Cid putting new batteries into a clock.

"Cid" he barked.

Cid looked up at the sound of his name being shouted.

"Nothing to report on my end but Laguna called me earlier requesting a meeting in person here"

Squall nodded at Cid. "Tell him I'll speak to him the earliest opportunity".

"How's Rin" Willow's timid voice came from behind a laptop.

"She's with Edea at the moment having a blood test"

"A blood test?" Willow asked confused. Squall regarded her with a look, judging by everyone else they had no clue.

"Rinoa has been drugged numerous times, there are pinpricks in her veins, I am assuming whoever is doing this is injecting her when she least expects it so probably whilst she's sleeping, which means someone has a copy of the master key"

Everyone gasped in response to the news, Cid looked pale and Quistis looked like she wanted to kill someone.

"Oh no poor Rinoa, this is horrible news" Cid murmured.

"What aren't you telling me Cid" Squall demanded, he was getting pissed at how everything seemed to be a secret and he was always the last to know.

Cid sat down his head in his hands. "Drugs and alcohol mess with inhibitions, making you have less control over your body and mind, for sorceresses this is even more so it's documented that just two drinks and one drug usage can hinder control of powers and cause issues which I'm sure you can all imagine".

Cid stopped talking his face now turning ashen and old he looked at Squall with dread in his eyes.

"Whoever is doing this knows Rinoa is a sorceress and is actually trying to force her to lose control of her powers, but why I don't understand"

"Selphie you need to decrypt the iP address ASAP". Squall said, unease and weariness creeping into his voice for the first time.

"Wow this place is so beautiful, Squall" Rinoa shouted, she spun around her wind proof jacket twirling with her, she looked like a young adult just enjoying life instead of the dark evil being she had the potential of being.

As promised Squall had picked her up at 7 and taken her to his secret cove that he found one night when exploring. He led her by the hand up the little cliff where the gap was, it was October so the night was cold but the skies clear. Squall laid out the blanket and dragged her down so she rested half on him, her head nestled on his chest and her thigh across his legs.

They looked up at the sky, watching the comets leave a trail of white dust as they burned in space, the constellations twinkled above them, the only witness to their precious moments.

"Squall do you still want to be with me?" Rinoa asked nervously. She looked up his handsome face.

"Rinoa, you are the only one I have ever wanted to be with and that will remain until I stop breathing"

"Aren't you afraid of my sorceress powers, everyone else is, what if they hurt you and the others and you're forced to imprison me or kil…"

She was cut off by a tender kiss on her cold lips, Squall gazed at her beautiful but haunted face through his eyelashes.

"Rin that will never happen, I'm your knight and we will complete the bonding process and then nothing bad will happen again to us"

"How can you be sure?"

"As long as I have you in my arms I'm sure of anything"

Rinoa reached up with her fingers to trace his scar, her lips descended on him shyly at first and then more boldly as she heard his soft grunts of pleasure. She yelped in surprise as she was flipped slightly so he was on top of her, his hard thigh in between her legs. Squall's tongue was demanding, there was no air leaving the two of them they were joined so deeply they could have been one. Her kisses her over and over until they both realised they needed to breathe. They looked at each other with desire and love filled eyes and continued their passionate display all through the night.

Bright eyes watched them from the beach, a snarl escaped from a shrouded face, the sorceress was starting to regain her control over her powers, something needed to separate the two, the girl would be nothing without her precious knight, they believed that the poison could only be administrated through an injection but they were all wrong, on day break the poison would slip into the girl's coffee at least they would have tonight before things really got chaotic.

The eyes watched them for a few more seconds before silently walking away back to garden.

AN: Thank you so much and again so sorry for being on hiatus for so long, hopefully I can get this finished by summer but no promises I'm afraid. The next chapter starts taking a turn for the worse for our beloved heroes.

Songs

Body by SYML

White blood by Oh wonder

Game of survival by Ruelle.