Springing from her bed, Rinoa crouched down on the floor of her small dorm room in a blind panic. With the sound of her heart beating in her eardrums she wildly scanned the room searching for a threat in the darkness. She saw nothing. She stiffened when she heard soft knocking on her door. Shakily, she stood up from the ground and moved to turn on the light switch.

Making her way to the door, she took a deep breath, "Who is it?" She tried to make her voice sound calm. Glancing over at her clock she noted that it was only 11:00 p.m., less than an hour after she had gone to bed.

"Squall," came a muffled reply. She hurriedly opened the door and banished all attempts at composure.

"Squall!" Rinoa flung herself into his arms, gratified he was there. While holding the frightened, trembling girl, he stealthily closed the door behind him.

"Were you dreaming, Rinoa?"

"It was more of a nightmare! I was alone and there were evil…things and shadows. Horrible things. Hideous things. Squall, it was awful." He could feel that her skin was damp with sweat. "And then Ultimecia was there and she was laughing and shrieking and…she let me know that I would never be safe" her voice failed.

"I think," Squall murmured against her hair, "I might have had a similar dream… somewhat similar, at least. In mine, I was alone. I didn't dream of monsters, just emptiness. I think I was back in the desolate place where I found myself after she was defeated and I had warned Edea. Before you saved me…"

"Edea?" Rinoa questioned him. She realized there were pieces to the story she was still unaware of.

"Mmm, I need to tell you about that. Rinoa, there is still so much you need to know, but tomorrow we'll talk with her and Cid."

"OK," Rinoa replied, too tired to feel much curiosity at the moment.

Squall then noticed Rinoa's clock. "It's eleven? I only left you an hour and a half ago!"

Rinoa sighed in contentment as she felt Squall's arms tighten more around her. "I am glad you came," she said simply.

Perhaps it was inevitable that the young Seed's experience haunting nightmares after their ordeal with Ultimecia, the sorceress from the future. Dark, terrifying months had led up to their final confrontation with her amidst the swirling effects of ravaged time. After battling and defeating Ultimecia, thus keeping her from the ability to compress all of time into one single moment, Squall Leonhart and Rinoa Heartilly, along with Quistis Trepe, Selphie Tilmitt, Irvine Kinneas and Zell Dincht were hurtled once again through time to their own era.

Finding themselves on the grounds of Edea's orphanage on the Centran continent, they immediately noticed that Squall was the only one not amongst them. Frantically they began searching everywhere, but Rinoa sensed that Squall could not be found in that dimension. Running towards the endless field of flowers that lay beyond the northern edge of the orphanage, she focused all of her power and awareness on her knight. Once there, she began to feel pain and confusion radiate throughout her body, but it was not hers. She slowed to a walk and felt herself pass through a curtain of time. She took another step forward, opened her eyes once again and found that she was not in the glorious, colorful field any longer, but on a somber, barren plain.

She knew she was headed in the right direction as the sense of him grew more profound with each step. After walking for what seemed an eternity, she found him lying still on the hard, rocky ground. In relief she knelt down beside him and lovingly stroked his cheek, yet her relief was short-lived as she realized that the face she caressed was cold and that he seemed near death, if not dead already. Squall, no, she internally screamed. Do not leave me. I need you with me…always.

In her despair she clutched him to her warmth and cradled his still form against her breast. Her anguish lasted for only a moment, however, as she began to feel life seep back into his frame. The wind began to howl around them, but it caused the bleak landscape to vanish. In wonder, Rinoa observed her surroundings and noticed they were once again back in the flowery field where weeks before they had made a binding promise to the other to meet if they should ever be separated. Their promise was in that instant kept.

Joining their friends, they made their way towards the orphanage. They noticed the enormous, yet mobile Balamb Garden in the sky flying above, looking for a place to land near the sea. When it was grounded, without saying much to their fellow students, SeeD and the Kramers, who all solemnly eyed the group of warriors, Squall, Rinoa, Selphie, Irvine, Zell and Quistis each boarded the ship, unreservedly spent from the battle and its aftermath. They went to their rooms where they fell into exhausted slumber for over twenty-four hours.

When they awoke in early evening of the next day, they heard that all of Garden was assembling in the elegant ballroom for hotdogs and drinks in their honor. Despite their utter fatigue, the group was in high-spirits knowing they could put the past behind them and move onwards towards their future. Selphie and Irvine, still a little unsure as to where their relationship stood, flirted with each other, while Zell split his time between stuffing hotdogs down his throat and sitting close to the little library girl, named Sadie, his friends knew he was interested in. Quistis meandered through the room, speaking to her former students and fellow SeeD operatives, although she spent the majority of her time with the Kramers, Cid and Edea.

Rinoa would always remember the evening as one of the most special of her life. Leaning against the rails of the balcony that was situated off of the ballroom, she looked up into the sky and noticed a shooting star. She turned towards Squall, who was standing behind her in the shadows, and with an awestruck smile pointed her finger up towards the sky, in mimicry of the night they first met. Smiling down at her, he drew her close and kissed her gently and also a little shyly. It was the first time he had ever kissed her and Rinoa was thrilled by the tenderness she saw in his eyes.

As she later got ready for bed, she relived their kiss and hoped to have pleasant dreams of it during the night. However, it was not to be so, and the nightmare she experienced left her shaken and scared.

After a few minutes of being held by Squall, he loosened his embrace, stepped away and looked her up and down. Raising his eyebrows at the white, v-necked shirt she solely wore, he commented, "What is that you're wearing?"

Rinoa flushed scarlet, "Umm, one of your t-shirts. I kind of stole it from your room one day. I couldn't help myself. Plus, I didn't have any pajamas!"

Surprising her, Squall gave her a small grin; his second in the evening, and then shook his head in mock disbelief. "You're a bit of a thief. I hope this doesn't become a habit."

"I just wanted something that smelled…" Rinoa flushed again when he raised his eyebrows, knowing what she was about to say. "I can't help being a bit romantic! Most girls are and I really didn't have any pajamas!"

Squall looked her over and decided that he liked seeing her legs so exposed, but admitted to himself that it made him feel nervous, "Well, it looks better on you, I guess. Keep it, although, I suppose you planned on doing that anyway."

Rinoa stuck her tongue out at him and then went to her small twin-sized bed and sat on the edge of it.

"Squall, I am tired. So, so tired. I feel like I could sleep for a week, but I am also scared to be alone." She eyed him uncertainly while fidgeting with the two rings on her necklace, one Griever, his ring, and the other her dead mothers'. "Will you maybe stay here tonight with me? Please?"

Squall sighed, and once again that night, surprised her. "I hate admitting this, but I don't want to be alone either. It just brings me back to that place," he shuddered. "That's kind of why I am here. I can, umm, sleep on your floor."

"If you do, I am coming down there next to you, hard floor and all. Do you think the bed is too small for the two of us?"

It was Squall's turn to blush. Seeing it, Rinoa smiled cheekily, "We are both exhausted. We might as well be comfortable. I promise I won't compromise your virtue."

"Whatever." Squall shook his head, but made his way over to her. "Do you want the wall side?"

"Sure." Rinoa lay down on the bed and scooted herself under the blanket and over to the side that stood against the wall. "Will you turn off the light?" She asked him.

Without answering, Squall stood up and walked over to the switch and flipped it off. Rinoa shivered when she found herself once again enveloped in darkness, but when Squall entered the bed, she felt her body relax.

"Thank you so much for staying with me, Squall." She murmured before turning onto her side, facing away from him.

"No problem. Same here. Night." Squall replied, although he wondered as he felt her backside against him, if he would sleep at all that night. But before he could wonder too long, he himself drifted off into peaceful, well-needed sleep.

Squall and Rinoa were not the only members of the team who were experiencing horrific dreams that night. Selphie, like Squall, decided to abandon her room in favor of finding comfort and solace elsewhere. At first, she considered heading over to Quistis's room, but then she began to remember how out of each of her friends, Irvine had been her biggest support over the past dark weeks. Behind his smooth talking, flirty exterior, she knew he was a sensitive, caring, yet bruised young man. She felt a little silly knocking on his door and she braced herself for the lewd comment that would surely follow upon him seeing her there. However, when the door opened, he grabbed her arm and pulled her roughly into his room.

"Thank Hyne you are here, Sefie! I couldn't take it! You too?"

"Oh my gosh, Irvy, it was awful! I don't want to be alone," she replied with a trembling lilt to her voice.

"Well, just stay here with me, darling, and we'll do this together," he replied. Selphie had never seen him so serious.

"OK! Yeah, we can do this. We need sleep! I think I am at the end of my rope. Aren't you?" she asked him while getting into his bed.

"Bone tired. Too tired to even ponder how amazing it is to have a beautiful woman in my bed." A hint of his usual humor was creeping into his voice.

Selphie rolled her eyes. "Ponder it tomorrow. I am going to bed. I'm exhausted."

"Night, darling."

Quistis faced her dreams alone. She was frightened by their intensity, but vowed that they would not cower her. She was Quistis Trepe, Rank A SeeD. She refused to let fear bring her to her knees. She resisted with all of her will, but she wasn't strong enough to oppose the torture of her soul. Eyes wide open in the dark, she cried bitterly that she was all alone.

Zell slept soundly.

Squall finally awoke at 12:30 the next afternoon in Rinoa's room. She was still asleep when he awoke and for a moment he allowed himself the luxury of watching her. This cannot be real, he thought to himself. For years he had shut people out of his heart until she came waltzing into his life, challenging him, laughing at him, encouraging him to move forward and be a hero. It wasn't until Rinoa's life was abruptly snuffed out in the coma-like state by Ultimecia that Squall began to understand what she meant to him. He shook his head remembering it. No, I can't think about that right now. It still hurts.

She was so beautiful. It gnawed at him that a girl as sweet and caring as she, now had the stigma of being a sorceress. He wished he could have protected her better from such a fate. He would never forget the moment he learned the truth aboard the Ragnarok. All of her spirit and strength melted away as she told him how she had been forever altered.

He acknowledged that she seemed to have accepted becoming a sorceress since that day. Her power had been a great boon in the fight against Ultimecia. He didn't think they would have won without her. And he was her knight now, swearing to protect her from any adversity, even herself, if it came to it. He prayed it never would.

He noticed Rinoa stirring and immediately got out of bed.

"I know you were staring at me Squall." Rinoa sleepily teased him. "Whatever." He replied, but smiled softly at her.

"I think I could get used to that." Rinoa stretched while flashing her own teeth at him.

"What are you talking about? Get used to what?" Squall asked puzzled.

"Your smile. Well, I mean, it is a rather small one, but it's a pretty good start. I always liked Serious Squall, but once in awhile it's kind of fun to see you lighthearted for a change."

"Serious Squall?"

"Yeah, it's pretty sexy. It reeled me in right away!" Rinoa winked at him.

In retaliation, he walked over to her and grabbed the pillow out from under her head.

"Hey! What…" Rinoa had no time to finish her sentence as he gently slammed the pillow onto her face.

"I'll come get you in a half hour. I need to go shower and change. We'll head to the cafeteria, get a bite to eat, and then go have a talk with Cid and Edea."

"Ummm, ok. Can I have a little longer than a half hour?"

"Aren't you hungry?" he asked her.

Rinoa felt her stomach growl. "Yeah, I am. Ok, but I'll meet you in the cafeteria instead in thirty-five minutes." Squall nodded his head and left the room.

Rinoa groaned as she rolled out of her bed. She felt like she could have slept for another few hours. "Crazy SeeD Commander!" she grumbled to herself, but then she smiled. He really seemed to be a lot more comfortable with her now than he had in the past. It was a slow process, but every day she could feel him let down his guard. The kiss alone had been a huge step in their relationship, let alone him sleeping with her last night. In a fit of quirkiness, she blessed the nightmares that brought them together.

She made her way to the bathroom off of her room and grimaced at how small it was. Wow, this is certainly not a shower two people could share! She thought before chastising her own thoughts. Rinoa Heartilly, I do not need you turning into Irvine Kinneas! She laughed at her own silliness. While Squall and she had made some definite progress in their relationship, she doubted that showering together was in their near future. It would be interesting…

The warmth of the shower felt nice on her body that still ached from the encounter with Ultimecia. She forced herself to wash quickly, wrapped her towel around her body and stepped out into her room.

She sighed as she viewed her meager wardrobe. Her blue sweater and black shorts were worn out from overuse during the past few weeks. In addition, Quistis had rounded up a couple pairs of sweatpants and t-shirts with Balamb Garden's insignia printed on them for her to wear, as neither she nor Selphie were built similarly to Rinoa. Rinoa was grateful for them, but entirely disliked the thought of having to don the unattractive clothing.

"I really need to go shopping." She muttered to herself while slipping on the hideous garments. "I wonder if they have any decent stores in Balamb. They must. The other girls here have pretty clothing." She turned in front of a long, rectangular mirror that was attached to the room end of her bathroom door. "These sweatpants are horrible!" She thought sadly of her closet filled with clothes in her home in New Delling, however, she decided that she was in no hurry to go retrieve them. Realizing it was close to the time to meet Squall, she hurriedly left her room.

They ate a quick lunch conscious of the many stares the two of them were receiving from the other SeeDs and cadets currently in the cafeteria. Rinoa wondered if their stares were due to the fact that she and Squall were obviously now a couple, or if they had found out she had become a sorceress. Regardless, she felt uncomfortable and was certain Squall felt the same. When she took her last bite of salad, he quickly arose from the table and took their trays with him. Together they walked out of the cafeteria, through Garden's massive, atrium foyer and towards the elevator. Once in the elevator, Squall reached out his hand to touch her cheek.

"I don't think they know you are a sorceress yet, Rinoa." He told her.

"How did you know I was even thinking that?" she asked him, amazed he had read her so well.

"I don't know. At first I wondered if they knew, but they couldn't. They were probably just staring at us, because I am sure by now they know that we…." He trailed off.

"That we what?" Rinoa knew what he had been going to say, but felt the need to hear him say it.

"That we are together." He replied, obviously ill at ease.

Rinoa stiffened and her eyes narrowed slightly, taking his embarrassment the wrong way. She disliked the idea of him not wanting others to know they were a couple.

Squall sensed she thought he was embarrassed of their relationship. "Rinoa, it's not what you think."

"Then what is it?" she asked him tartly.

"There is so much more to our relationship than a typical one entails. Simply calling you my girlfriend seems a bit trite. I don't know," Squall ran his fingers through his hair trying to properly find a way to convey his thoughts to Rinoa. "You're not justmy girlfriend.'"

Rinoa apologetically responded, "Sorry. You're right. I was being silly. It's just that sometimes it would be nice to think we are normal. I think that I will always have a hard time with the fact that we are not. It kind of…stings a bit. But then," Rinoa tried her best to brighten her mood for him, "Most normal girls are not members of Resistance Factions and most normal guys are not Commanders of the world's most elite mercenary institution!" As the door opened up to the second level of Garden, Rinoa stepped out of the elevator and turned her head slightly to smile at Squall. "Maybe it's nicer to not be normal." She playfully nudged his body with her own before moving down the hall towards Headmaster Cid's temporary office. Admiring her attitude, but knowing that most of it was forced, Squall followed his sorceress.

Cid's original office had been turned into the air command center of Garden a few months earlier when they had realized the mobile abilities the structure had. He had relocated to a small, dark room on the second floor, not wanting any more space wasted than necessary.

"Come in!" Squall and Rinoa heard the Headmaster call out after they knocked on his door. Squall grabbed Rinoa by the hand as they entered the office.

The Headmaster was not alone. Primly seated on one of the chairs facing his desk, sat Cid's wife, Edea. Rinoa was struck by how stunning and youthful the former sorceress appeared. By contrast, her husband looked older than his years; however, his homely face was beautified by the kindness that radiated from it. Edea had to be around forty years old, if not older, but she more closely resembled a woman near twenty. Rinoa felt her body flush when she finally came face to face with the woman whose powers she had inherited.

As they entered the room, Edea rose from her chair and swiftly walked over to the couple, grabbing Rinoa's free hand.

"Before anything is said," She began quietly, with tears starting to spill from her eyes, "I just want to say that I am sorry."

"It's ok. It wasn't your fault," Rinoa reassured the woman while at the same time letting go of the nervousness she had been feeling. "I too now know what it was like being controlled by Ultimecia."

Edea gave her a forlorn smile. "Yes, I guess you do," she sighed with sorrow.

"Matron…can I call you that?" Edea nodded and Rinoa continued. "I'll be fine. I am not going to be afraid of my power or of myself." She tried to put her thoughts into words while pacing around the small office. "I've had some time to really think about all of this. There have been good sorceresses in the past and I know you were one of them before Ultimecia took over your mind." Rinoa looked at Squall, her companion in the situation. "With Squall as my knight, I guess I feel up to the challenge."

"Plucky girl! Way to go, Rinoa!" Cid beamed down at her.

Rinoa laughed, but a moment later became serious. "I have a lot to be thankful for, Mr. Kramer. I am not going to waste my life wishing that things had turned out differently. I mean it. I am ready to face this. If I have to be a sorceress, then I am going to be a strong, yet good one."

"Anything you need…advice, support, friendship, you have only to ask me, Rinoa." Edea hugged the younger girl warmly.

"Thank you, Matron." Rinoa hugged her back.

Cid cleared his throat, "Squall, how are you? Are you ok?"

Squall, whose eyes had been closed in thought, snapped them open and responded to the Headmaster's question. "I'm fine," he said succinctly.

Cid studied him for a moment with a frown upon his face. "Are you sure? I know that you don't like to talk about your feelings, but I wish you would at least let us know what they are right now. I am afraid that Edea and I alone understand what you are experiencing…and we want to help."

"My feelings," Squall spat out, "Are that I wish this would have never happened to her. I worry for her. I worry people will believe she is evil. I hate the thought that she might be looked at with disgust. I hate the thought that someday I might fail in my duty to her."

Rinoa turned towards her knight, her eyes softening at the fear for her she saw in his own, "Squall, I think it is going to be ok. I truly do. Only our friends, a few SeeD, and the people of Esthar know what I am now. Yes, eventually, the rest of the world might learn of it, but I hope that by then I will have many allies won by who I am as a person, not as a sorceress."

"You're right, Rinoa," Cid agreed with her. "I talked with President Loire about the matter yesterday and he himself seemed positive that the Estharians would be quick to forgive the Adel situation as you were part of the team who defeated Ultimecia."

"Plus he seems eager to endorse you, if you will, to the people of Esthar. They love and trust him and accept whom he accepts." Edea chimed in.

"President Laguna is such a lovely man!" Rinoa laughed, shooting Squall a sly look.

Over the next few hours, the two couples discussed the events that had led up to their final battle with Ultimecia. Squall had given Cid a brief report after boarding Garden at the Orphanage, but had been so exhausted that it had lacked much detail. It was difficult relating the terror of Time Compression, but it needed to be done. Rinoa was surprised when she learned that after Ultimecia's defeat, Squall had traveled back in time to find a dying Ultimecia secede her powers to a much younger Matron, who was then the proprietress of the orphanage. Squall then counseled Edea to start up a mercenary organization, call it SeeD and make its primary goal to defeat the Sorceress Ultimecia in the future. It's like a weird, crazy cycle, she thought to herself. She ran through the confusing events that led up to their point in time. Edea was already a sorceress. She further took on the dying Ultimecia's powers. She spent the next ten years with Cid establishing SeeD before succumbing to the Ultimecia who was still alive in the future. Ultimecia then used her body to seek and find Ellone to help further her quest for Time Compression. Ultimecia then abandoned Edea and I inherited her powers. We traveled to the future, or at least somewhere in Time and defeated Ultimecia. And then, as she was dying, she traveled back through Time to transfer to Edea her powers. She could barely wrap her head around it all.

"At some point in the future we will still have problems with Ultimecia." Rinoa blurted out. "It will not be in my time, but whoever inherits my powers will one day have to deal with her."

"I thought she was dead?" Cid questioned Rinoa, clearly puzzled.

"She is, in a sense. But before she came to our era, she was using future sorceresses in her plan to manipulate time. That will still have to occur. I thought you should know this. I have a hard time understanding it, but it will never be over until she is finally dead during her reign in the future."

"I am certainly with you on not understanding it at all," Cid muttered. "But I think I am grasping what you are saying. It is something to consider."

"We need to be prepared for anything." Squall said seriously. "Rinoa brings up a good point. We saw the bodies of thousands of SeeD's littering her realm. It was a gruesome sight. She reviled SeeD and thought to have Seifer torture me to find out secrets of the founding of our organization. I think she knew that we existed solely to one day defy her, but in a way, I think she might have hoped to gain some knowledge to change the past, future, or some point in time that could have been pivotal for her survival. Ellone says we cannot change the past, but is she right? What about the future?"

"Maybe we should ask Dr. Odine?" mentioned Edea.

"That man irritates the hell out of me," Squall shook his head in disgust.

"Me too!" Edea fervently agreed.

"Rinoa, what are your plans for your future right now?" Cid abruptly asked her, changing the subject, "I was wondering if you would like to join SeeD?"

"But I haven't the training for it!" Rinoa exclaimed.

"Actually, my dear, I disagree. You have had a lot of training in these past months. I would say you passed the field part of the exam by helping to destroy Ultimecia, and you have shown exemplary skill in working with Guardian Forces. You are adept at your weapon, and as a sorceress, no one could surpass your skill with magic. Really, you only need study for the written part of the exam. I think we could have you sworn in as a SeeD very soon."

"I would love that!" Rinoa cried out in excitement, causing Squall to almost fall out of his chair.

"You would?" Squall asked her. "When I first met you, you seemed put off by us being mercenaries."

"That was before I realized SeeD had a bigger purpose in the world! SeeD is needed to keep the world safe from Sorceresses, not just Ultimecia. I can help with that! Plus, it will make it easier for you to keep your eye on me," Rinoa winked at him, but immediately sobered, "Would you be fine with me becoming a SeeD, Squall?" she asked him wistfully.

"If it is what you want, of course I would. I admit, it would make things slightly easier. I wasn't sure where we were to go from here."

"That is just the thing," Cid began. "Squall, I still need you here as the Commander of SeeD. I am getting tired and would like to slowly back away from my duties over the next few years. Trabia and Galbadia Garden are in disrepair and I am hoping that now that Esthar is once again open to the world, we could establish a Garden there. There is so much to do, and I can't do all of it on my own. I know it is asking a lot of you, but if Rinoa is accepting of becoming a SeeD and you are accepting of staying in a position of leadership, it will help SeeD move forward in preparing our future SeeD's for what is to come."

"Fine. I'll continue as the Commander of SeeD." Squall replied. It was hard for the others to read if he was happy with this decision or not.

"For now," Edea said, "The two of you, along with the rest of the group, deserve a break. You have all been through a lot. President Loire has extended an invitation for all of you to stay at the Presidential Palace in Esthar for a week or so. It might be nice for you to accept. I have heard that the place is amazing."

Squall groaned. "I am fine here."

"What if everyone else wants to go?" Cid questioned him. "Would you consider accompanying your friends?"

Squall noticed Rinoa wiggling in her chair and judged by the look on her face she thought going to Esthar was a great idea. "Fine, I'd go." The city did intrigue him and if it was important to Rinoa…

"Great! We should be landing in Balamb by tomorrow evening. Nida has the Ragnarok already parked there and I am sure he could fly you over to Esthar the following morning. I will call the President's assistant and make the arrangements." Cid said.

"Don't you think you should first ask the others first if they want to go?" Squall questioned the Headmaster.

Rinoa grinned at her knight. "I highly doubt any of our friends would want to turn down the President's offer. Just you! The others, especially Selphie, will be so excited!" Rinoa then turned to the Headmaster. "Sir, would you know if Esthar's palace has a very extensive library?"

"I would think so. Why?"

"I think that we should gather all of the information we can on past sorceresses to know what we could be up against with me, but also to put together any knowledge we can acquire for future SeeD's to be able to reference."

"I see. That's not too bad of an idea." Cid nodded his head thoughtfully.

"It's a great idea, Rinoa!" Edea exclaimed. She gave Rinoa a quick wink, before turning towards her husband. "Cid, you were mentioning the other night that the girl who works in our library, Sadie, was a both a gifted cataloguer and researcher. Perhaps you should send her with the others and have her do some research in the Estharian library."

Cid chuckled. "Yes she is a very talented, brilliant young lady. And interestingly, she is also seeing Zell Dincht right now, am I right?"

Edea tried to make her eyes look innocent. "What a happy coincidence! I am sure Zell would love her going to Esthar with him!"

Rinoa laughed. "This is going to be great!" she said to Squall, who rolled his eyes in response.

Squall and Cid stayed in the Headmaster's office to discuss Garden, while Rinoa and Edea went to get a cup of coffee. Over their beverages, the two women discussed being a sorceress and the importance of the bond between them and their knight. Rinoa found the discussion both enlightening and embarrassing in its personal nature. It left her with much to ponder.

"I guess I am a little afraid," Rinoa finally admitted to the older woman, "But I try to not let Squall see it, although perhaps I should, as he is my knight."

"What are you afraid of the most, dear?" Edea's eyes looked at her with concern over the rim of her mug.

"I don't know. Maybe that some day I will hurt someone or that someone will try to hurt Squall for trying to protect me. I don't like to admit this, but I also fear being despised for who I am. I've always wanted everyone to love me."

"You will never hurt anyone if you stay true to goodness and maintain a purity of spirit. I have faith you can easily do this.

Squall, will go down in history as one of the most powerful men of all times. I would not worry for him either. Together, the two of you will grow more and more powerful together, able to defeat any foe that would try to destroy or challenge you. Perhaps I should not let you know this, but it is the truth. You have inherited my, Adel's and Ultimecia's powers. You now have the means to become the most powerful sorceress that ever lived. As those powers are passed down through the future generations, yes, it could get ugly, but it never will by your hand. I know this to be true."

"Maybe the Estharian's have a good idea in sealing up a sorceress's powers. Maybe that would be the best solution to this after all." Rinoa replied dismally.

"Actually, I don't think that it would be a good solution. They sealed up Adel, yet still she was released. Accidents happen, equipment fails and you cannot always trust the people you think you can. Ultimecia will exist someday in the future, regardless of what happens from here on out. I don't believe we can change that future any more than we can change the past. Besides," she continued, "Squall wouldn't let them seal you off the first time and I doubt he would let them try again." Edea reminded her firmly, "having a strong bond with a knight is what keeps a sorceress pure. Adel never had a knight and until Seifer, neither did Ultimecia. Seifer was just a puppet, as it was. Their bond was not a true one as is yours and Squall's. It is important to pass down this truth to future generations."

Before returning to Cid's office, Edea reached over and put her hand over Rinoa's. "The two of you are very young, but I have a good feeling about this, nonetheless. Squall has always had a special place in my heart. He is a good person. I know the two of you will make this work."

"I think you are right, Matron." Rinoa agreed.

A couple hours after Squall was done meeting with Cid, he joined Rinoa, Quistis, Selphie, Irvine, and Zell for dinner in the cafeteria. The others had been informed of President Loire's invitation and they were all chattering excitedly.

"This is going to ROCK!" Zell pounded his fist against the table, causing everyone's drinks to spill a little. "Whoops! Sorry, guys!"

"Sir Laguna is the best!" Selphie exclaimed. "He is so sweet for inviting us! Cid said he has a pool! I want to lie by it all week long and drink yummy drinks and eat yummy food and…"

"Will you be wearing a bikini at that pool?" Irvine asked her. Selphie only laughed in response and playfully slapped his shoulder.

"It feels wrong to be leaving again. There is so much that needs to be done at Garden." Quistis fretted, her beautiful face marked with distress and tiredness from her lack of sleep.

"You've got to be kidding me, Quisty! We've been going and going at a grueling pace these past few weeks. I am thoroughly burnt out!" said Selphie shaking her head at her.

"You sound like Squall, Quistis." Zell snickered.

"Actually, I didn't like the idea at first, but it's kind of growing on me," Squall admitted. "I worked on a few things with Cid this afternoon and it left me with a headache."

"I need to do some shopping!" Rinoa piped in. "I swear you were trying to get back at me for something with these sweats, Quistis!"

Quistis laughed and held up her hands in denial. "I'm innocent! I swear it. It's all Garden had in your size."

"Speaking of Garden," Irvine said, "Cid asked me today if I would want to apply for SeeD. He said I would only have to take the written exam."

"He told me that too!" Rinoa said.

"The two of you would be wonderful assets to SeeD. You are going to do it, right?" Quistis asked. They both shook their heads affirmatively.

"I'd like to stay here instead of going back to Galbadia. Y'all feel like family to me." Irvine stated.

"We are family!" Selphie chirped happily.

After dinner, everyone began to tire. Slowly, they made their way towards the SeeD dorms. Rinoa, who was staying in the guest dorms, broke away from the group to head towards her room after saying her goodnights.

Once there, she took off her clothing and put Squall's t-shirt back on. She was about to climb into her bed when she heard another knock on her door. With a smile, she skipped to the door, checked to make sure she was decent, and opened it.

Dressed in a t-shirt and matching black sweats to the ones she had worn during the day, Squall nervously walked into her room.

"Hey."

"Are you here to stay with me again?" Rinoa asked hopefully. She felt a small thrill course through her body. He looked shy and uncertain.

"Would you like me to?"

"Yes." She answered him and gave him a quick hug.

Despite his nervousness, Squall knew he had made the right decision. Nightmares aside, he really disliked the idea of being apart from her for too long and Cid had been firm in the necessity of a knight staying close to his sorceress.

Rinoa tried to act casual. She wanted to throw herself in his arms and make him kiss her again, but knew that it would be better to move slowly and cautiously. She didn't want to scare him away. But she couldn't help herself from snuggling close to him after he joined her in her bed. She felt him stiffen, but then give a small sigh and relax his body against hers.

"So what should we talk about?" she asked him cheekily. She was as drained as he, but couldn't miss the opportunity to tease him.

"I don't know. Nothing. Don't you think we should sleep?"

"I thought nice, normal couples had pillow talk time before bed?"

"Didn't we already decide that we aren't a normal couple?"

"Well, yeah, but I bet really abnormal couples engage in pillow talk too!"

"Where is Angelo?" he asked after her dog.

"See! You can do it, Squall! What a great topic to discuss…my dog!" Rinoa laughed at him. "Angelo is with the younger cadets. Cid agreed to let her be a sort of mascot for them for awhile. With me sleeping so much, it was too hard to let her out as much as she needed."

"That's nice."

"Yeah, the kids are really loving it! She is too. She likes being the center of attention. Kind of like…"

"Good night Rinoa."

"Don't I get a goodnight kiss?" she asked him mischievously. He surprised her with a gentle kiss to her forehead.

"That was nice, but it felt kind of brotherly." She teased him. Squall groaned next to her, but before Rinoa could laugh, she felt his mouth softly press down upon hers. The kiss lasted for only a moment, but it still took Rinoa's breath away. She snuggled a little closer to Squall and let herself enjoy the warmth of his presence in her bed.

"Now I know how to shut you up." Squall murmured.

"Mmmm." Their sleep was dreamless that night.