Squall found Rinoa sitting on the white, carpeted floor of their empty living room, absently cradling the telephone. The air was thick with disillusionment, had been so ever since they got back to Balamb the day before. What he'd envisioned as a joyous homecoming, had been anything but.
He softly padded across the room and then silently sunk down beside her. "You called him?" he asked.
"Yes."
"You didn't want to wait until I got here?"
"No."
He wanted to shake her, even slap her, out of her funk. They were supposed to be in this together and already she was trying to go her own separate way. But for the moment, he would let it lie.
"How did it go?"
"Pretty well, except that I broke his heart. But I suppose he deserves it. He broke mine often enough."
She dropped her head into her hands. "But it really got to me...hearing him cry. I wouldn't want to learn that my only child was now the most despised being on the planet." She grimaced. "Or that I had missed her wedding."
"Rinoa, stop it. You're not despised."
"Oh, of course not. Esthar only hates me because I'm so pretty."
"Everything is going to be fine," Squall reassured.
She shook her head sadly. "I doubt that."
His head was pounding. She had always trusted him before. Why not now? Were his worries and doubts so evident? He had to face them alone; she could never know how scared he was. Her mind was beginning to falter enough.
Back in Blavely's tent, watching on television the crowds protesting her existence and calling her all sorts of filth, she'd begun to believe it. She was the abomination they claimed her to be. Squall's words to the contrary meant nothing.
The trip home in the Ragnarok had been bleak. SeeD had done a service for a country who'd only reciprocated with open hostility. Already the other mercenaries considered Rinoa one of their own and were especially unhappy at her treatment. There was no small amount of muttering and cursing going on in the hull of the airship where most of them were assembled during the flight.
Upon arriving in Balamb, they'd all amassed onto the gangway in silent salute as Squall and Rinoa exited the ship, a few even calling out words of encouragement. Squall acknowledged the remarks with brief nods of thanks, but Rinoa stared straight ahead, ignoring their support.
Anger towards her knight had replaced her former warmth. During the flight, she'd begged him to take her back to be sealed. He had flatly refused. They'd argued on end, but neither would relent. For the present, Squall had the upper hand. He would keep her safe in Balamb and to hell with anyone who got in his way.
But now a barrier was erected between them.
All he wanted to do was tear it down, kiss her senseless, and prove to her that everything was going to work out fine. And it would. He trusted himself, his organization, and was even beginning to have faith in his father. Calling upon her own would further cement her security.
"So what did he say?" he asked her.
"He'll be here by train tomorrow morning."
"Good."
"Good?" she asked. "My father is incredibly intimidating. It's not going to be an easy meeting."
Squall faced her, taking her chin in his hand. "I respect him, but I'm not intimidated by him."
"Wow, I married such a tough guy."
"What is your problem?" He'd only been trying to reassure her. He picked himself up off of the floor. The honeymoon was definitely over.
At least he had work to do at his office. It was a far more peaceful place than his shiny new home.
Placing his hand on the doorknob, he waited for her to object to his leaving. Not a word left her mouth and it stung.
"Rinoa, you can't face this alone. Don't push me away."
Her glare was intense. "It would be so much easier if you just let me be-"
Before the word left her mouth, Squall slammed his fist into the door. "So help me, if you say it one more time I will-"
"What?" she shrieked.
"I-I'll..." Pain was beginning to radiate up his arm. He was embarrassed he had let his anger get the best of him. "Just stop saying it, Rinoa," he commanded.
Later that evening, he sat alone in his office, staring blankly at his computer screen. When he realized he hadn't accomplished any of the tasks he'd needed to get done, he stood, stalked over to the intercom system and paged Selphie and Quistis. He had used the machine before, but still revolted at the sound of his voice echoing throughout Garden. Next time he would just call.
Several minutes later, several small raps sounded on his door and he rose to answer it. The girls breathlessly entered, sleepy-eyed and in their pajamas. He was chagrined to realize he had interrupted them from their sleep.
"What's up, Squall?" Selphie asked, stifling a yawn. Quistis only raised a brow in inquiry, but it drew his attention to the dark circles under her eyes. He should have checked the time.
"I wanted to talk to you both about Rinoa. I'm worried about her."
"We are too," Quistis admitted. "She's not acting like herself."
"What can you expect?" Selphie asked. "The poor girl feels she's a monster. When I get my hands on whoever took those photos..."
"You won't. I'll get to them first," Squall interrupted her. He nervously ran his fingers through his hair.
"I wanted to ask you two to keep an eye on her, even taking to following her. I'm afraid she'll bolt back to Esthar the first chance she gets."
"Really?" Selphie asked. "You think she'd leave you?"
"Possibly. She's worried for Laguna and the rest of us." He sat heavily in his chair, indicating the girls should sit as well.
"I'm beginning to believe she hadn't been dealing with becoming a sorceress as well as I had thought," he said. "There were a few signs I should have given more attention to, but she seemed so happy. I had hoped everything would turn out okay; that she would accept it. And I think she would have had not this newest development occurred."
" All she wants is protect the ones she loves." Quistis said.
Leveling his gaze on her, he spat. "So you think I should let her be sealed?"
"Of course not! Come on, Squall."
He banged his head against the desk. "I'm sorry. I just don't know what to do. I can fight and win, but I can't fight her." He lifted his face. "Everytime I've tried, I've lost."
Quistis gave him a stern look. "You're not going to lose this one, Squall."
Selphie nodded. "We'll put Zell and Irvine on the task as well. Cid and Edea too. But I think Rinoa will soon snap out of it. Everything just happened so quickly. She's still in shock."
He let out a sigh. "Sorry for waking you up."
"Don't worry about it," Quistis said, giving his shoulder a squeeze.
Selphie pursed her lips thoughtfully. "I guess this means I'm not going to Trabia anytime soon."
Quistis stared at her. "You were going to transfer back to Trabia?"
"Well, I was considering it, but now not until everything's been worked out...for the best."
"Selphie..."
"Quisty, I don't really want to talk about it right now. We're all tired. Let's get back to bed." She looked pointedly at Squall. "You too. You need your rest as well. I have a feeling meeting General Caraway tomorrow is going to be kinda stressful!"
If Rinoa had thought her prior phone conversation with her father would set a precedent for a more open and affectionate relationship, she had been sorely mistaken. He could have done much to ease her self-loathing had he shown her even the smallest trace of approval and acceptance, but unfortunately by his arrival in Balamb he had returned to his normal, indifferent self.
So upon his arrival, they coolly shook hands and then she led him into the conference room where Squall and Cid were waiting.
As they all sat around an oval, hardwood table, she scrutinized him from underneath her eyelashes. She hadn't had much opportunity to study him the past few years. Whenever they had come into contact, their time together was brief and generally explosive.
He was beginning to show signs of age, despite only being in his late fifties, but she supposed the past year had been stressful. And now she was laying more problems upon his shoulders.
His hair had whitened considerably, it still being mostly black the last time they had met. Rinoa wondered what had happened to him during the months after the failed assassination attempt on Edea, but swallowed any questions the further she looked at his stiff, set shoulders. Now, he was hailed a hero by his fellow countrymen for trying to withstand the sorceress and her lackey, Seifer Almasy. She would gather no additional information from him.
General Caraway sat proudly at the conference table, flanked by two trusted aides furiously taking notes. He was listening intently to Cid explaining the details of all that had occurred only several weeks before, nodding thoughtfully whenever a piece of information to which he had not been aware was brought to light.
When the Headmaster divulged how Edea's sorceress powers were transferred to Rinoa, her father gripped the edge of the table, but kept his face otherwise expressionless. But when he later learned of Seifer Almasy junctioning her to the awakening Adel, he flew out of his chair, enraged.
"And where were you, Commander Leonhart?" he spat. "I trusted you to keep Rinoa safe."
Squall remained both expressionless and calm. "I got to her as quickly as I could. She was rescued."
"I was only junctioned to Adel for something like five minutes, Caraway." Rinoa huffed. "The fact that Squall and our friends were able to rescue me from her clutches at all, and then later beat Ultimecia, is proof enough that you can trust my knight." Her voice turned steely. "I'm safer with Squall than anyone, including you."
Caraway sat down with a thud and stared intently at the young couple sitting across the table. Frowning, he turned back to Cid. "Carry on Mr. Kramer."
Cid related the events up to the end of Time Compression, and then bade Squall explain further the situation with Esthar. When Squall admitted to being President Loire's son, Fury Caraway's face drained of all color and he began to drum nervously upon the table.
"This is startling news," he finally said. "But I congratulate you on finding your father. President Loire is...I knew a little of him from long ago," he finished.
The words appeared forced and Rinoa narrowed her eyes, wondering what strong emotion had cowed her father. Could it be jealousy? Fear?
Awhile back, Selphie had briefly mentioned Laguna's relationship with her mother. At the time, Rinoa had eagerly listened, wanting to know everything she could about who Julia had been, not giving much thought to the shadowy figure her friend referred to as Sir Laguna. Her mother had died when she was young and just hearing her name spoken had made her feel close by.
Rinoa had assumed the relationship had been an infatuation of Laguna's for the popular, young piano player. Now she wondered if maybe her mother's heart had been more involved than she'd realized. The way her father was squirming seemed to suggest it.
"You will be glad to know that President Loire will do his best to protect Rinoa and is willing to help us in any way he can," Squall informed her father. "He believes sealing her would be morally wrong."
"I'm glad of it." Caraway nodded slowly. "But regardless, he is only one man. I appreciate his support for my daughter, but it's not enough to ease my mind."
Squall shrugged. "Nor mine, but it's something."
Caraway closed his eyes, evidently chewing on something unpleasant in his mind. Several seconds later, he leaned forward across the table. "I will accept the Presidency of Galbadia. It will help to safeguard Rinoa's future."
"I was hoping for that," Squall admitted. "This relieves me quite a bit."
"How will it help?" Rinoa asked, confused.
"It's just added protection, Rinoa. As the daughter of a president, you'll be treated with more consideration," Squall answered easily. "It adds insult towards Galbadia in wishing you sealed."
"Why would Galbadia even care? I'm a sorceress and they hate sorceresses just as much as Esthar."
"But they know and trust me, and I hope that is enough."
"It works for me," Cid agreed.
"Good. I'll leave for Galbadia immediately and get the process of my installation started," Caraway said. "In the meantime, Mr. Kramer, Rinoa, I would like to speak to Commander...My son-in-law, alone."
Cid stood with a pleasant smile and shook the General's hand. Caraway's aide's followed him out, but Rinoa stayed put. "Whatever you say to Squall can be said in front of me," she said.
"Rinoa, I would like to speak to your father privately as well."
She bristled. "Oh. Very well then; I see how it is." Glaring at them both, she left, slamming the door shut behind her.
"I apologize for my daughter's lack of manners," Caraway grimaced.
Squall raised his brow. "I don't find much amiss in her actions. She's welcome to slam as many doors as she likes."
Caraway chuckled bitterly. "She's always been feisty. Impulsive too." He leaned forward across the table. "She's also quite slippery, so keep a quick eye on her. She's good at running away to do as she pleases and she rarely considers her plans beforehand."
"I'm well aware of that."
"You understand that if Esthar lifts their hand against her, I'll have Galbadia declare war?"
Squall nodded.
"Rinoa was right, my country hates sorceresses, but they hate Esthar even more. This sudden reemergence from their twenty year obscurity is causing no small amount of tension in Deling City. We're on high alert."
"Good. At the very least, it will give Esthar something to think about." They both stood and straightened their uniforms, Caraway studying the regalia his son-in-law wore. "We're very much alike, you and I," he said. "I'm slightly surprised she chose you."
"Me too."
The General snorted. "Take care of her."
"I will."
"I know you will, son. And may you give her everything that I never could." And with his honest wish, left Squall standing alone.
Two twin beds had been brought in to Squall and Rinoa's apartment for their temporary use until they purchased a single, larger one. Their first night home, they had each tumbled into one, neither particularly caring that they were separated in sleep for the first time in weeks. The second night passed the same.
However, after seeing off General Caraway, Squall resolutely shoved them together and spread a large, navy wool blanket across the top. Unfamiliar with the institution of marriage, not having seen it modeled that closely, he knew it at least involved sleeping in the same bed.
"We need to buy some furniture," Squall remarked casually as Rinoa stepped out of the bathroom where she had been preparing for bed. "Perhaps tomorrow night we can take a drive to Balamb, have some dinner and then check out a couple of department stores."
Rinoa looked at him blankly before settling into the side nearest the window. Pulling the covers up beyond her chin, she tightly squeezed her eyes shut, declining to respond.
Squall fought every urge he had to get up and leave, feeling a trip to the training center would be rather nice. Instead, he turned off the light and joined her.
He hated this. He hated lying next to her, side by side, while she didn't seem to care if he was near or not. He had never been good with rejection. How the hell was he supposed to deal with it now?
"Rinoa?"
She ignored him, feigning sleep. He let out his breath in frustration. He wasn't an idiot. He rolled over and tapped her arm. "I know you're still awake. We need to talk."
"About what?"
"About why you want to give up before trying."
She remained silent.
"I know you don't agree with any of this and you've made it quite clear what you want. But-" His voice broke. "I can't let you go. I'll die before I see you sealed."
She rolled over and faced him. He could barely make out the contours of her face, but from what he could see, she was furious.
"You'll die if I'm not."
"I am not going to die. No one is."
She sat up in bed, throwing off the blankets. "You don't get it! It was stupid to think life could continue on as blithely as before. Stupid," she muttered. "It can't and as long as I'm around, others lives will be screwed."
"Rinoa-"
"It will never end," she shrieked.
"Maybe it won't," he conceded. "But there's always hope.
She flung herself off of the bed and began to wildly look around for an escape. He felt pity for her. Garden wasn't truly her home...not yet.
He rolled out of bed, flipped on the light switch and pulled on his pants and a t-shirt.
"Get dressed," he ordered.
"Why?"
"Just do it."
She glared at him, but then stalked over to where her old blue duster and black shorts were lying in a neat pile on the floor. He watched her knowing his idea was a good one. The trembling of her hands as she pulled on her clothing would soon cease. He had just the cure.
When she was finished, he grabbed his gunblade and motioned towards her blaster edge.
"Feel like taking out a T-Rexaur?"
Her eyes teared up and she swallowed. "Yes," she whispered.
They only spent an hour in the training center, but it was enough. Later when they crawled back into bed, she appeared calmer and even allowed him to pull her up against him.
"Rinoa," he murmured in her ear.
This time she answered. "Yes."
"If ever you are sealed, I will be sealed with you, next to your side. Remember that."
She froze for a moment, but then flipped over and buried her face into his chest. "Squall," she shook as if a tempest was raging inside. "I don't want you to die. I need to know you're alive and safe."
He lightly stroked her hair. "You're a part of me now. I can't live without you. I won't live without you."
"But-"
"That's how it is. Consider that, Rinoa. At least for me."
She dug her nails into his wrist. "For you, I'll try." Her tears fell hot against his cheek and he clutched her tightly, feeling them mingle with his own.
Selphie spied her friends quietly sitting around a table in the cafeteria and carried her breakfast tray over to join them. She had an enormous headache, not having slept well the night before and seeing their depressed faces only intensified it.
Quistis was distantly staring off into space picking at her food. Squall and Rinoa sat side by side, missing the marital glow that had oozed out of their pours the past week. Irvine was brooding, most likely over her. And while Zell was scarfing his food as enthusiastically as ever, his posture was tense.
It looked like it would be up to her to put some much needed cheer in her friend's lives. And she knew just how to do it!
"So when I woke up this morning, I realized that the Garden Festival is only eight weeks away! Can you believe it?" she chirped, setting her tray down next to Zell's. He looked at her warily, but she ignored him.
She beamed across the table. "What do you say Commander, are you still a member of my committee?"
Squall stared at her blankly for several seconds, before it dawned on him what she was asking. "Selphie, I don't really have the time anymore."
Her face fell, but she understood. Not only was he the Commander, but he was also Rinoa's knight and husband, and at the moment, both jobs were providing a bit of a challenge.
But here was the perfect thing to bring Rinoa out of her funk. "Rin! How about you?"
Rinoa had been absorbed with studying her food. "What's that, Selphie?" she asked. Picking up a mug of coffee, she took a sip and looked up at her friend.
"The Garden Festival Committee. Do you want to help out?" Selphie did her best to remain patient. "It's going to be so much fun. I have some amazing ideas."
"I've decided to begin studying for my SeeD exam so I'm not sure how available I'll be, but whenever I get the chance, I'll help."
"I'm really glad you're going forward with this, Rinoa. You're going to make a wonderful SeeD," Quistis said, giving Rinoa an approving smile. "If you ever need help studying, I'd be glad to help."
"Thanks. I appreciate it. I guess we'll see how everything goes." Rinoa said, trying to smile back.
Selphie clapped her hands in delight. "You're such a wonderful friend Quisty. Since you'll help Rinoa, you'll help me, right?"
Quistis choked into her napkin. "Well, I'm a little busy as well," she admitted. "I've agreed to work with Squall as an assistant of sorts. But like Rinoa, if I find the time, of course I'll help."
"Well, don't count on me," Zell said, swallowing a large mouthful of scrambled eggs. "It sounds perfectly miserable."
Selphie was greatly offended by his remark. What was his problem? "I wasn't counting on you anyway. I don't want the help of someone who doesn't understand how perfectly awesome this festival is going to be!"
"Maybe you should ask that jackass Eli to help. I'm sure he'd be quite eager to do you. Oh, wow. Did I just say you? I meant 'it'."
Selphie furiously raised her hand to slap him, when she felt someone grab her wrist.
"I'll help you, Sef. We'd already gone over several ideas together, remember?" Irvine asked her.
"You...You'd still help me?"
He smiled softly. "Definitely."
He grabbed his empty tray, stood, and tossed it into the trash. Sauntering back over to the table, he loomed directly behind Zell and hauled his unsuspecting friend out of his seat by the back of his collar.
"And Zell, you shouldn't speak to a lady like that," he chided, shoving him back down with a shake. "Got it buddy?" he asked and walked away.
Zell scraped back his chair and with fists clenched bolted towards Irvine's retreating form. Before he could make it far, however, he tripped and smacked his face upon the floor.
"Whoops," Selphie feigned sheepishness and nervously tucked her foot under her chair. "Sorry."
Zell's lightning bolt tattoo quivered beneath his reddened cheeks. The room was dead quiet as everyone awaited his response. He was a noted hot-head.
Suddenly, he began to choke and Selphie flew to the floor, worried he had food lodged in his esophagus. It had happened before. "Are you okay?" she cried, slapping him on the back. Quistis rushed to her side to help, but Squall only stared at them in annoyance.
"Squall, help us! He's choking!" Selphie began to pound on Zell's back even harder. "We need help picking him up."
"He's not choking, Selphie. He's laughing."
"What!" She paused from her ministrations and saw that it was true. Zell picked himself up off the floor and dusted himself off.
"That's the last time you'll find me taking sides in one of your and Irvine's spats," he said with a grin. "You both are messed up and completely deserve each other."
Selphie began to wonder if perhaps he was right.
Later that afternoon, Squall swiped the keycard to his apartment across the sensor, and then opened the door, wary of what mood he would find Rinoa in. Although things were now better between them, he found himself wishing she would be awaiting him with her usual cheeky grin.
Gone was the grin, but she did give him a small, weary smile as she looked up from where she was sitting against a wall, studying a large volume of SeeD regulations.
"You're home early," she said, closing the book and standing up.
"I had enough today," he replied, beginning to unbutton the top of his uniform. Cid had requested he wear it instead of civilian attire during Garden's formal work hours and it had been choking him all day. He had lowered his office's air conditioning several times that afternoon, finding it hard to get comfortable. But then, he acknowledged, his temperature always ran like a furnace whenever he was stressed.
"Oh," she said. "Well, I'm glad you're home."
She shyly followed him into their room and watched him sit on the edge of the bed to take off his boots, smiling a little when he wiggled his toes in freedom. She took a seat next to him. "How was your day?"
He stretched back onto the bed, groaning. "It was fine, I suppose. I'm sure I'll get used to all of the paperwork soon enough. Although," he confessed, pulling her down beside him, "I gave more than half of it to Quistis to take care of. She seems eager to keep busy at the moment, so I was more than happy to oblige her with the means to."
"Nice."
"I know. That's why I'm home a little early. But I also wanted to check on you. How was your day?"
"It was ok. I spent the entire day studying. My bottom is a little sore from sitting on the floor."
"How about that trip to Balamb for furniture?"
Rinoa looked around, and with a sigh, nodded. "Ok. But I don't know about dinner. I'm really not that hungry."
"Did you eat anything today? You only picked at your breakfast."
"No," she admitted.
"Rin, you've got to, no matter how you feel. I don't want you to get sick." He tried to keep his voice light and positive, not wanting to scold her as if she were a child. "What kind of food could I tempt you with? Seafood? Pizza? Burgers? Please don't tell me cafeteria food."
She smiled again, but it was so tiny and fleeting he almost missed it.
"Rinoa?"
"Can we try pizza?" she asked in a small voice.
He nodded. "Pizza it is."
She looked up at him. "Thanks, Squall. You're being really nice and I'm sorry for how I'm acting. But I really am trying to...to keep on going. One step at a time, you know?"
"Thank you," he whispered. He picked up her hand and lightly twisted the band of her silver wedding ring around her finger. "It makes me happy to see you wearing this."
She didn't answer, but instead planted a quick, hesitant kiss upon his lips, but he wouldn't let her escape, needing her so badly to remain close. He sharply inhaled her scent and began to caress the back of her head, liking the softness of her hair.
It felt wonderful to possess a safe place where he could be with her alone, a place of their own. A place they could run to when life got to be too much and take their rest in each other.
He began to kiss her again, shifting both their bodies towards the middle of the bed. His other hand began to lazily unzip the back of her dress and she sighed, finally relaxing against him.
Their lovemaking was slower and sweeter than ever before, Squall desiring above all else to show her how precious she was to him. Perhaps his body could bring her more comfort than his words ever could.
"I'm really proud of you," he informed her later, grabbing her hand as they entered Randolph's, Balamb's famous furniture and department store.
She bit her lip in puzzlement. "For what?"
"Managing to eat three slices of pizza. Good job. And you thought you weren't hungry..."
"It really was good," she admitted. "I haven't had pizza in years."
He tightened his grip upon her hand. "Let's try to go at least once a week. Next time we could catch a movie or something after."
She froze beside him and he was forced to stop. "Rinoa?" he asked, although he knew what was wrong and was beginning to see a familiar pattern. Every time the future was mentioned, she began to retreat. He could see that in her mind she was afraid of their tomorrows.
But she tried to be brave. "It's a good idea," she said lamely. "I like pizza. You like pizza. It's a great place for a date."
"Good girl." He said in encouragement, his step becoming lighter.
But it again grew heavier as they later made their way back to the car. His temples throbbed from gritting his teeth. Everything she had bought had been in shades of grey. It appeared their apartment was going to be arrayed without a drip of color.
After she fell asleep that night, he lay there unable to drift off, until finally he slipped out of bed and dressed. Leaving their apartment, he found himself minutes later in front of the door of Cid and Edea's, trying to work up the courage to knock. It went against his nature to ask for advice or even involve others in his life, but he was at a loss over what to do with his wife. If anyone could help, he figured the woman Rinoa had first inherited her powers from could.
He flinched the moment he heard his knuckled rap upon the door. He hadn't meant to pound so loudly. So desperately.
Cid was quick to answer, dressed in an old, blue robe. His eyes squinted into the darkened hall, his glasses perched crookedly on his nose.
"Squall, is everything all right?" he asked with concern. "Of course it isn't," he corrected himself. "If it were, you wouldn't be here. And if it had to do with Garden, you would have paged me or waited until morning."
Edea appeared at her husband's side and gently took Squall's arm. "Come in," she said warmly.
Their apartment was almost as sparsely decorated as his and Rinoa's, but what they did have appeared comfortable and warm. Cid's former rooms had become the control center months ago when Garden became mobile and Squall was chagrined to realize their quarters appeared much smaller than his.
Cid motioned Squall to a pale blue, upholstered couch and Squall slumped into it, folding his arms across his chest. Cid remained standing, but Edea sat next to him, softly taking his hand.
He was immediately comforted by her touch. Edea was the only mother he had ever known, and while his memories of her were now dimmed through the junctioning of GF's, his spirit remembered her quite well. He should have come to her sooner.
She didn't wait for him to speak, nor did she offer idle pleasantries. She knew why he was there. "Tell us about Rinoa."
So he did. And none of it surprised them.
"I've been waiting for you to come to me," Edea admitted, patting his arm. "The moment she arrived back in Balamb, I could see how it was with her. She questions what she is and if she's evil."
"I can't make her see that she's not. She's questioned it in the past, but I was always able to convince her otherwise. But now...she's trying," he said. "She really is, but I'm afraid she's going to lose. What am I supposed to do?"
"You're doing all that you can do, Squall," Edea said. "You can only stand by her, comfort her, encourage her, give her hope and try to draw her out of her depression."
"It's impossible."
Cid shook his head. "No, it's not," he replied sympathetically. "But I imagine you thought you would be tangibly fighting her enemies when you became a knight...not this."
"It would have been a lot easier."
Cid chuckled. "Yes it would, but what good would it really have done?"
"She can fight them herself."
"Yes, she can. She's now stronger than even you," Edea said.
"I sympathize, I really do. Edea's powers were never that strong, so it wasn't necessary for me to be anything more than what I am now. But even still, I failed."
"Cid!" Edea protested.
"You know I did."
"No. My case was special. Who could have foreseen Ultimecia possessing me from the future?"
"But if I had stayed close..."
Squall looked between the unlikely couple, uncomfortable at this turn in conversation, but also by the obvious love out-flowing from each of them. He cleared his throat and both Edea and Cid began to smile.
"Sorry about that, but we should probably explain," Edea ruffled his hair. Squall decided that she was the only person he would ever allow to touch him like that. Unless it was Ellone. Or Rinoa. He cringed. Hell, he might as well add Irvine and Zell to the list the way things were going.
Cid and Edea shared another private smile and then Cid began.
"After you came to Edea from the future, giving her the idea for SeeD, she shared it with me and both of us grew obsessed-and rightly so-with the endeavor. She still had you and the other children under her charge so it fell upon me to leave and figure out the logistics of everything."
"It was a lot of work," Edea chimed in.
"Yes, but we both realized its utmost importance. So it was with the best of intentions that we let our bond slip. I was gone for longer stretches of time, finding the various locations for the Gardens, acquiring funds, instructors I could trust...things of that sort I won't bore you with at the moment."
"And from Centra I began the creation of the White SeeDs, deciding the best way to keep Ellone safe would be aboard a ship that was fast and easy to hide among its shorelines."
"When everything was completed and it was finally time to move you kids from the orphanage, Edea and I naturally parted ways to go with each of our endeavors. We always planned to regroup and live together again, but life and the demands of each branch of SeeD got the better of us and after years of being apart, Ultimecia was finally able to gain entrance to Edea's mind. It's ironic how our building of the machine that was to destroy the sorceress enabled her to get a hold on Edea in the first place."
"But it's all in the past," Edea whispered and Cid swallowed and looked as much of a love-sick bridegroom as Squall ever had.
Squall again shifted uncomfortably. "So, I can never let her out of my sight, apparently," he said dryly.
"The irony of the story," Cid chuckled, "Is that someone as aloof and independent as you should wind up becoming a knight. If that's not fate laughing..."
"Stay close to her, Squall."
"And don't ever let work consume you. She is more important-"
Edea stood and placed her hands on her hips. "You're already giving him too much, Headmaster Cid."
"But there's so much that needs doing," Cid protested. He turned towards Squall. "I'd always banked on Quistis being your right-hand man-er, woman, as Xu is mine. But I'm thinking we're going to have to work out something else. Although, it's a shame really. Quistis is the most intelligent of all you SeeDs."
Squall raised a brow. "Then what's the problem?"
"We just don't know how long she'll be around. President Loire-"
"That's over."
"We're not so sure that it is."