“So, the question is, how responsible for defeating the Sorceress was Squall?” asked Irvine.

            Seifer leaned back against the large couch’s armrest. It felt good to be back at Balamb Garden. It had taken some convincing to let the guards let them by. It had taken considerably more convincing to get Rinoa and Selphie to lay low in Balamb. Considering the fact that all bets were off about the two timelines being similar, it had been Irvine’s idea that the girls hide out from danger. Actually, it had been Irvine’s idea for the girls to hide out while being protected by a certain overamorous cowboy. Still, it was thanks to him that they had been able to talk Selphie into it, who was instantly sweet on him.

            “Too bad that question has become a hypothetical one,” grumbled Seifer. The situation was really bad, but they still had Ellone and Rinoa. There was still a chance of beating the sorceress.

            Zell yawned loudly, spreading his arms upwards. He leaned his head back against his side of the couch. The yawn was contagious and Irvine yawned too. “We need some rest,” Seifer said, stretching. “First thing tomorrow, we find Ellone.”

            “It shouldn’t be hard for me to find a woman!” declared Irvine. The other two rolled their eyes. Zell took off one of his gloves and threw it across the room at him. Irvine ducked, the glove knocking over some picture frames. Zell groaned.

            “You do have a lot of pictures,” noticed Seifer. Most of the pictures were of Zell’s adopted parents. The rest were split between friends and pets.

            “I was into photography for a while. But I couldn’t sit still for it.” This gave the other two great amusement.

            “Well, I guess I’ll go back to my room,” Seifer said, eyes focused on Zell. After the previous night, he didn’t know how well he could sleep on his own. “Irvine can take the couch, hell two of him could fit on that couch!” His joke wasn’t as funny when he remembered how easily both he and Zell had fit.

            Irvine smiled and then went to the bathroom to wash up for bed. Zell’s dark blue eyes never left Seifer’s sad face as he grabbed his gunblade and coat. “Sleep good Seifer,” he said. Seifer just nodded and grabbing his boots, left.

            It was empty and quiet as he walked back to his room. The cold hallways imitating the way he felt. He silently slipped into his quarters, seeing Raijin’s door closed, he decided that he would sleep on the couch. He had slept on enough hard ground, to feel comfortable anywhere. He climbed onto the small couch and spread his coat over him as a blanket. He wished that his couch were as big as Zell’s. Especially since his legs were hanging off the edge.

            He closed his eyes, only to be assaulted by dreadful images of the Sorceress. He had heard her voice, and he had thought she was calling to him. It had turned him into a kid again. How could he tease Zell, when he was so close to being utterly helpless himself? He tried not to think of where Squall would be tonight. Dreaming of another person’s dreams in a cold room, unable to leave. He clutched the blanket tighter as he tried his hardest to fall asleep.

*          *          *          *          *          *          *          *          *          *          *          *

Zell’s mind kept replaying the image of Squall going willingly into the Sorceress’s void. He knew that it was worse than that. He knew that it was his fault. He was the one who had sent Squall up there. If it hadn’t been for him, Squall would be on their side right now, a mopey but essential part of the team.

And even worse than thinking of Squall was the image of Seifer’s reaction. It was as if she had been taking him all over again. Edea had raped Seifer’s mind. That thought was so disturbing to Zell, that he got up from his comfortable bed. Since Irvine was on his couch, he went out to the hallway and paced. Damn that sorceress. She had broken Seifer. Remembering the look on Seifer’s face before he left, Zell kicked himself for not having stopped him from leaving. He ran to Seifer’s room.

            Seifer hadn’t fallen asleep yet as he heard a soft tapping coming from the door behind his head. He got up quickly, his coat falling to the floor. He had his gunblade in hand, just in case. When he opened the door and saw Zell standing there in a t-shirt and boxers he smiled, not the Seifer smirk, but an actual smile of happiness.

“I’m sorry I left you,” said Zell embarrassed. “Do you want to talk about it?”

            Seifer motioned for him to come in. Zell tiptoed in. It made Seifer want to laugh, but he didn’t want to wake Raijin. He pointed to his room. When he followed behind the soft-footed fighter in front of, him he couldn’t help but chuckle. “It’s not that important to be quiet Chicken Wuss.”

            When they reached his room, Zell punched him in the arm. “I thought you were gonna stop calling me that!” he whined.

            Seifer laid back on his bed. It was much more comfortable than the couch. “It just fits you so well.” He felt a pillow thwack his stomach. He didn’t move, he just grinned.

            Then he sighed. He was getting serious again. “Today, I thought that I should have been the one called Cry Baby.” He heard rustling as Zell sat down in bed beside him. “That maybe it was a bad nickname for you, who has been holding up so well.”

            Zell sighed. Holding up so well? Wasn’t he the one who had come to Seifer. Seifer, who had been through so many bad things that even he couldn’t talk about them. “I wasn’t taken by the sorceress.”

            “No, Squall was. Do you realize how bad this could end up?” Seifer turned and snuggled into Zell’s expectant chest. He hadn’t figured Seifer for such a cuddler, but if anyone deserved it, it was him. He wished that he could say something to console Seifer, but right now he couldn’t even console himself.

            “...”

            Seifer smiled. “Don’t turn into Squall,” he joked.

            “I don’t know what to say. I want to make you feel better..” Zell stopped speaking when Seifer’s head jerked up.

            “You do, don’t you?” Zell just nodded and felt Seifer get closer to him. “Then just stay here and don’t leave me.”

            “I wouldn’t leave you like this Seif...Cry Baby.” Finally, he let his body slide down next to Seifer, wrapping his arms around him. Seifer would be safe tonight. And Zell wouldn’t be alone with his guilt.

His arm hairs were tickled by Seifer’s lips and he giggled. “Are you ticklish?” asked Seifer.

Zell nodded. “Yeah, pretty bad.” That fit Zell. He seemed like the wiggly ticklish type. Seifer moved his head so that his lips were in the space between Zell’s arm and his stomach. This only made Zell giggle louder. It was a cute sound that Seifer liked, and which he heard more of as he wriggled his nose into Zell’s stomach. “Seifer! Cut it out!”

Seifer closed his eyes and smiled. His last thoughts were not of the sorceress and Squall. They were of Zell’s laughter and the kindness that Seifer had never felt before.

*          *          *          *          *          *          *          *          *          *          *          *

            By morning they were one body on the bed. Zell lay on his back, Seifer on his chest, their legs entwined happily. Zell was the first to wake up. He looked over at Seifer’s slack unconscious face. He looked scuzzy. It was very amusing to Zell, or would have been if his shoulder didn’t have an uncomfortable kink in it. He lay there, enduring the pain. Seifer didn’t’ have a window, but Zell saw that by the clock’s terms, it was time to start searching for Ellone.

            He used his free hand to brush Seifer’s face. The skin was bristly and unshaved. “Hey...We’ve got to get going,” he whispered to the sleeping lump on his chest. There was slight movement. “Hey, you bedbug, wake up.”

            Seifer opened his eyes and smiled. Then he frowned, the memories hitting him. He still had to save the world. It was a routine that was getting old to him. “I’m not a bedbug, this is my bed. You’re the intruder here.”

            Zell smiled. It was nice just laying in bed but he was worried that Irvine might panic if he saw that Zell was gone. “You’re right, I ought to be getting back.”

            “Give me some time to bathe, I am sure I could kill the Sorceress by smell alone.”

            “I told you that you were our secret weapon!” They chuckled. Seifer sat up unhappily. He wished that he could just stay in bed and talk all day.

            “I’ll meet you both at your place.”

            Zell nodded. Even if Seifer hadn’t been the one to go back in time, he would have been the leader. He just didn’t’ take orders well. Zell was pretty confident in Irvine’s abilities to find women. He just couldn’t figure out how he fit in to the picture. So far all he’d done was screw over Squall. And yell, a lot. He hoped that he was the one who found Ellone, to atone.

            As Zell open the door to leave Seifer’s room, he hoped with all his might that Raijin wasn’t there. He was in luck! He snuck out uneasily. He wasn’t ready to answer questions about his relationship with Seifer, even in his mind. He knew that what they were doing wasn’t normal for friends. But, hadn’t they been through enough battles to have earned a little eccentricity?

Anyway, it felt good to get out of the tension filled dormroom. His spirits lifted with each step. He could find Ellone! He was Zell! He did a flip to prove his point and continued on to his room.

            His hope for redemption was eliminated as he entered his room to find Irvine chatting happily with Ellone. He was flabbergasted! Irvine had found her before Zell had even showered! He did have some kind of odd women-radar. “Damn Irvine! You missed your calling! Irvine Kinneas Private Eye.”

            Irvine actually had the pride to blush a little and he waved Zell away. Ellone laughed. Zell remembered that laugh. He remembered Ellone. She was all grown up now. Her brown hair short and not quite touching delicate shoulders covered by a wrap. Her smile lit up a room. He remembered how happy she made Squall. It made him remember Squall as a child, something he hadn’t been quite able to put his finger on. As soon as he had seen Irvine, some strange memory had flickered inside him, but he still hadn’t been able to remember Squall. Until Ellone. He was always at her side. Zell would have been, if he hadn’t been so intimidated by Squall’s overprotection.

            “Ellone...” he whispered sweetly. It was wonderful having some memories back. Remembering her and Squall. He reached out his hands for her and she held them back. They just stared at each other and reminisced.

            “Isn’t it great to have her back?” asked Irvine, he winked at her. He knew that he would find her first. He just had this weird feeling that he knew where she was. Sure enough, there she was in the library, smiling as if she had been waiting for him. She was much prettier than she had been as a child, but he still recognized her. Actually, the main physical difference was that she didn’t have a Squall attached to her arm.

            Zell nodded. “Has Irvine told you what we need you for?” he asked.

            Ellone shook her head. “No, but I have an idea of what this is about.” She was a freak and used to being one. Now that the Sorceress was roaming around, she wasn’t even sure that she would be safe in Balamb Garden. She released Zell’s hands and sat back down.

            “You look tired,” noticed Irvine. “Are you feeling okay?”

            “I was manipulating time last night,” she confessed. Zell laughed, because it wasn’t something you heard everyday. It was good that she was admitting to it. It would have been terrible if they kept things from each other. He wished that they hadn’t been having to keep so much from Quistis and Selphie.

*          *          *          *          *          *          *          *          *          *          *          *

            Selphie let out another frustrated squeak. Her two front teeth bit down on her lower lip. “Dammit Rinoa!”

            Rinoa smiled happily. The cards that she had in her hand were no better than Selphie’s but apparently she was the superior player. She surveyed the two empty slots in front of Selphie. She eyed Selphie, the enemy, to see what she would do. So far, she was just whining. “Put down a card!”

            “I’ll take as long as I damn well like!” hissed back Selphie. She had been losing badly for an hour and she was starting to get pissed at her diminishing number of cards. When she was mad, it wasn’t a pleasant sight. Rinoa grumbled and lay back against the wall. Selphie’s cards sucked. Finally, she just chose the weakest one she could, so that it would be less of a loss.

            “Ha!” cried out Rinoa, laying down a card that flipped Selphie’s. “And it looks like I win again!”

            Selphie, frustrated, decided to pout. She laid down on her half of Zell’s bed. It was weird being on a boy’s bed. It was a lot cleaner than she would have expected. In fact, his whole room was cleaner that hers ever was. She wished that they could leave. Getting beaten by Rinoa repeatedly in cards, was not her idea of a good time. With sudden inspiration she sat up, “Can’t we just walk along the beach or something?”

            Quistis, who was standing by the window, shook her head. “Not unless you want to alert the Sorceress to our whereabouts.” Before Zell and Irvine had left to go “run some errands”, Zell had whispered something to her. It was a lot more than what these girls knew, but it wasn’t much. He had told her that the Sorceress was going to be looking for Rinoa and that she couldn’t warn her. Quistis didn’t know Zell that well, he was just a student, but she felt that she could trust him hands down. So here they were in Balamb, hiding out in Zell’s mom’s house.

            Selphie and Rinoa had been practically clawing at the door to get out. Quistis, on the other hand, felt bed-ridden. After having seen Squall dragged off by the Sorceress, she hadn’t been able focus her thoughts on anything else. Was he dead? She didn’t know what the Sorceress was doing to him, and it made her want to cry. Instead, she had been staring out the window for at least an hour. The other girls hadn’t noticed, which was good cause they left her alone. She just wanted them to shutup.

            “Quistis?” asked Selphie, her high pitched happy voice annoying at the moment. “Do you think that Squall is alright?”

            Quistis felt the physical blow to her body. Did they have to discuss it? How Squall could be dead or tortured? How he could be destroyed in so many ways by now? She was glad that her back was to Selphie, not betraying her hurt. “Yes, he’s got to be alright.”

            “He could just mope the Sorceress to death!” joked Rinoa. Selphie laughed. Quistis wanted to reach out and strangle them both. It wasn’t anything to be joking about. She let out a sigh. Her legs were hurting her and she would have to sit down somewhere by the girls. But, she would hold out as long as she could. She just hoped that Squall would do the same.

*          *          *          *          *          *          *          *          *          *          *          *

            “Ellone!” yelled Seifer. He could have jumped up and down for joy, he was sure that Zell probably already had. He looked at Irvine, “You found her!”

            Irvine shrugged. “It’s a gift.”

            Seifer had never really liked Ellone. She was always around Squall, which made her the enemy. But it was neat to see her again, all grown up. She was very elegant. “I have a plan and you need to tell me if it will work,” he said skipping from a heartwarming reunion to a mission briefing.

            She nodded her head understanding that they were under a time limit. He squatted in front of her. “How well can you control time?”

*          *          *          *          *          *          *          *          *          *          *          *

            “Screw this, we have to find out if Squall is alright,” whispered Rinoa to Selphie. She didn’t want to awaken Quistis who had seemingly appointed herself their protector. Her weapon was good enough to take out any minor obstacles they came across. Her and Selphie had been going so crazy. Right now they were sitting on the floor conspiratorially.

            “Look, we have no idea where he is. He probably isn’t in Timber anymore. I want to help him too, but how?” asked Selphie, her large brown eyes making their plotting that much stranger. “I just want to run around Balamb a little. Quistis obviously knows something she’s not telling us and maybe we should just let her lead us.”

            Rinoa wasn’t a good lackey. She preferred to find Squall and save him from the Sorceress. The role reversal of princess and knight appealed to her. Just for once, she wanted to rescue the damsel. “Yeah, but I bet some of my connections in Timber would know something.”

            Selphie shook her head. “I don’t think that we should go without Quistis.” Just talking about working against Quistis made her feel guilty. Rinoa didn’t feel that way of course, because Quistis hadn’t been her instructor. Still,  Selphie couldn’t help thinking that Rinoa was being a bit of a traitor. “I think that we should sneak out to go shopping though.”

            Rinoa smiled. Sure, let Selphie think that was what they would do. She had a mission and she wasn’t going to be stopped by some little girl that couldn’t play cards or her overprotective teacher. “That sounds good,” she said. “Let’s go.”

*          *          *          *          *          *          *          *          *          *          *          *

            Ellone was unequivocally the best deflector of male attention that Irvine had ever seen. He was flirting with her, and it seemed to bounce off of her. More than that, it bounced off of her and the took away the moment in time that he had said it. He had never felt that he was getting nowhere with a girl. It was frustrating to no end. He had never had to deal with a hard to get woman before.

            The four of them were eating dinner in the carried to Balamb. Zell had offered to drive, but Seifer had instantly killed that idea. No one would be leading this mission but him. So, he was driving with Zell as navigator. It was nice seeing them being friends, they hadn’t been as kids, and Irvine had been sure that they never would be. But, Seifer was listening with a small smile as Zell was telling a story about his first time driving. Irvine wasn’t really listening. He was focused on thinking of what to say to the uninterested Ellone.

            They were riding next to the ocean again and with each mile, Seifer seemed to be cheering up more and more. Zell hadn’t realized that Seifer loved the ocean so much, but every few minutes, he would ignore his driving and just stare out at the sea. When he would look back it seemed like his eyes were still holding the image of it. Zell remembered how he had thought that Seifer’s eyes had looked like the ocean. It must have been in Seifer’s blood. “Your parent’s must have been sailors,” he said unexpectedly. He hadn’t meant to say anything.

            Seifer laughed. “I’ve thought that myself,” he glanced at Zell. He was happy that he had noticed. “Call of the sea, and all that...”

            “It is awesome.” He paused. “Why don’t you live closer?”

            Seifer stuck out his tongue and pulling it back in said “Because then I couldn’t live in Garden.” His dreams of being Seed had always overpowered the call of the ocean. But, lately with the prospects of him becoming a Seed looking so far away, he had been running it over more and more in his mind.

            Things were going so well. Ellone had assured Seifer that his plan could work. It only needed two components: Ellone and Rinoa. The only obstacles were Squall and Ellone’s health. The latter would be better after some good food and rest. Squall was a problem. Seifer’s hope was that Rinoa would be enough to break Squall out of the spell. It felt good to be using Rinoa as an object of warfare. His anger with her cut deep within him and it frightened him because it reminded him of when his anger had controlled him.

            ‘Even Rinoa can’t ruin this day for me’, he thought.

            Zell ran out of the car as soon as they had parked. It wasn’t his fault that he had the most energy of the group. He burst through the door to his home. “Mom! I’m home!”

He saw his mom in the other room and waved to her. She smiled at him proudly. She always felt that way about her adopted son, the Seed. She had told him that he was adopted when he was very young, and suprisingly he had never felt alienated from her by this. If anything, it made him feel more wanted.

            He continued up the stairs and entered his room. Quistis was asleep on the bed, with a frown. It looked like she was having nightmares. Then he noticed the fact that she was the only one in the room. Something was wrong with this picture. “Where are they?” he asked loudly, waking up Quistis.

            “What?” she asked back. She took a look around her. She saw Zell in the doorway and no girls on the floor. She jolted up and fell to her knees to look over the edge of the bed. Their cards were in a pile on the floor. “Those whores!”

            Zell punched his doorframe. He felt the adrenaline kick in. He turned around and looked down the stairs at a wide-eyed Seifer. “Did you see them downstairs?” he asked.

            Seifer shook his head. Then he looked down at the ground with a sigh. “They are missing?”

            “Those fucking bitches! They left while I was sleeping!” Irvine and Ellone who had just came into the house heard Quistis’s voice upstairs.  Irvine shook his head. Of course they would leave, it would have been too easy if they had stayed put. The Selphie he knew wouldn’t just run off, but he didn’t know about Rinoa. So, she was gone. Irvine sat down on one of the chairs in the front room. There was no need for him to go upstairs. He had a feeling that he would still be able to hear what was going on.

            Seifer’s brain wouldn’t let him register any of this. “Look, we don’t know anything. They had to have just gone for a walk. They wouldn’t have gone after Squall cause they don’t know where he is.” It sounded rational, but he had a bad feeling in his stomach.

            Zell hit the wall another time. “They shouldn’t have left.” He looked at Quistis.  She was a raging mess of anger. She was so mad, she had lost her ability to move. She just seethed. He had never seen her this upset before. It scared him.

            Seifer walked up the few remaining steps so that he was inside Zell’s room. His coat brushed against a lamp, nearly knocking it over. “Okay, we need to split up. Zell, you know this town. Where do teenage girls hang out?”

            Zell shrugged. “A few places. There aren’t that many shopping places in Balamb, it shouldn’t take too long to search.”

            “Okay, let’s do it then,” he spoke with a low voice that was struggling for rationality. “Quistis, try to calm down. Maybe they were hungry and needed food.”

            It was hard for Quistis to move, but she made herself. Find them, that was what was important. She could kick their asses later. When she was in front of Seifer she said in a scary voice, “If Squall dies because of this, I will kill her.” Seifer nodded. He might be tempted to kill Rinoa if that happened. And when everyone else was safely downstairs, he kicked the pile of cards as hard as he could.

            They had divided up the areas among people and were just ready to step out the door when Selphie walked in. Zell had been reaching for the doorknob and stopped when a little girl in a yellow dress replaced it. “Call off the search party!” announced Zell happily.

            But Selphie was alone and looking very guilty. “Not quite yet...”she said softly. Quistis took a few steps towards her, until Irvine grabbed her arm to stop her.

            “What’s going on?” Irvine asked Selphie.

            She looked down. The breeze from the coast drifted in, making a few papers in the room fly up. “I just wanted to go shopping. Rinoa... ditched me. I think she went to go save Squall.”

            Seifer pinched the bridge of his nose. “She doesn’t know where he is.”

            “Rinoa said that she wanted to ask her Timber friends if they had any information on him.” Her feelings of guilt were much greater than the anger she felt at Rinoa. Rinoa had tricked her, but looking back, it was so obvious. She felt like an idiot for falling for it.

            “We need her Selphie!” shouted out Zell. It wasn’t all her fault, but they didn’t have Rinoa to yell at, so Selphie was the scapegoat. Her head hung low. She looked very sorry. He felt bad for yelling at her.

            “We go to Timber then, we can sleep on the train,” said Seifer. They would have to find her in two days or they would lose the only advantage that they had over the Sorceress. He had to take the only opportunity to take her that he knew of. Damn that Rinoa. “Zell, can you have your mother make us some lunches?”

            “Yes,” said Zell. He looked at his mom who was watching from the other room. She nodded and stood up to get right on the task. She walked as quietly as she could past them into the kitchen.

            “If anyone wants to take the opportunity to clean themselves up, they ought to take it now. Also, if anyone needs more weapons or medicine, they had better buy it quick.” Seifer looked over at Ellone. “Everyone except Ellone.” Selphie and Quistis were surprised. Selphie didn’t stop staring at her shoes though.

            “I get the bath!” announced Irvine, he released Quistis’s arm and ran upstairs. They all watched to make sure that Quistis didn’t make an attempt to lunge at Selphie, not that they didn’t’ feel like it themselves. She calmly walked up to Selphie, one graceful long pink covered step after another and slid past Selphie and outside. Selphie felt a tear roll off her cheek onto the floor.

            Seifer went over to where Ellone sat. “You have to stay by either me or Zell’s side until this is done okay? We can’t have something like this happen to you, or we will all be dead.” Ellone nodded, an infinite sadness in her eyes. It wasn’t fair that the person with the frailest shoulder should have to carry the weight of their situation.          “Seifer,” said Zell, getting his attention. “We have two baths. Under the circumstances, I don’t think that ma would mind one of us using hers.” Seifer nodded.

            “I’m sorry...” said Selphie in the smallest voice.

            “Not right now Selphie,” commanded Seifer. He was in no mood to hear her confession. Rinoa had done it again. He wondered how many times she would end up stabbing his back before he could be rid of her.

*          *          *          *          *          *          *          *          *          *          *          *

            Normally Selphie loved trains, but nobody was talking to her and she felt rejected. She knew that sneaking out had been bad, but she would never have done it if she knew how bad it would be. Selphie watched as Irvine flirted with Ellone the same way that he had with her the night before. She knew that she didn’t deserve his attentions, but it seemed like a harsh punishment when she still didn’t’ know what was going on. It was time for her to find out! They were splitting two train rooms and naturally, the wanted to split into boys and girls. Unfortunately, Irvine didn’t seem to understand in which one he should be.

            “It’s so hard to believe! I mean what a jerk she is!” Zell spouted. He didn’t even think that Seifer was listening to him anymore. It didn’t matter. He didn’t need an audience, he was just as entertaining by himself. “I think that we should let Quistis punch her in the nose when we find her.”

            Seifer snickered. “If she stopped there. Personally, I think she would just as soon take the whip to her.”

            There were only two bunks in the room, so Seifer had opted to take the floor, but Zell wouldn’t let him. It was one thing to be the leader, it was another to be a martyr. From where he was on the floor, he could only see Seifer’s right arm that was behind his head. He was glad they would be sharing a room, if not a bed like the past few nights. “Hey Seifer.” He didn’t like using a serious tone of voice. He preferred to keep conversation on the lighter side. He heard Seifer roll onto his side. “Um, I didn’t think it was bad, last night.”

            Seifer’s head popped over the edge of the bunk and looked down on him. He could see up Seifer’s nose. Thinking that was incredibly hilarious, he went into fits of laughter. Seifer frowned. “What are you laughing at Chicken Wuss?”

            Zell smiled teasingly. “I don’t know, but it sure is ugly!”

            Seifer dropped a pillow on to his head. “Hey, don’t you start bullying me!”

            Zell ripped the pillow off of his head and smiled upwards. Then, he got serious again. “I think that you are the best friend I’ve ever had.”

            Seifer’s oceaneyes became sappy with happiness. “You’re mine too.” They smiled at each other. A knock came at the door. They both looked up feeling foolish.

            “Come in,” yelled Seifer. Selphie came in. She looked determined, but not in her usual peppy way.

            “So who is Ellone?” asked Selphie. And thus, the conversation began. Seifer prepared to tell her a long story.

“You had better get everyone in here. It’s a long story and I’m only telling it one more time,” he said. Selphie left to retrieve everyone. The only person that would sit by her was Rinoa. She sat in the corner sadly, with Quistis on the other side of the room. Once they all gathered round he began. “It’s a story about a Sorceress and her Knight...”

*          *          *          *          *          *          *          *          *          *          *          *

            Once they had arrived in Timber, they learned that Rinoa had gone off to Deling City. Seifer felt like hitting himself. It was so obvious, her informants would have told her about the sorceress’s parade there the following day. Luckily, they had to take the train to Timber anyway since there was no train that ran from Balamb to Deling City.

            “Okay, first car will be me and Ellone,” said Seifer, there would be no one arguing to take Ellone away from him. They all saw the pressure he was under now more than before they knew the full story.

            “I’ll take first car!” cried out Zell. That wasn’t any surprise either since the two had become inseparable.

            That left two teams of three, but Quistis spoke up, “I’ll take first car also.” She didn’t look at Selphie, but the others did. And they saw the devastated look on her face. It would be a while before Quistis forgave Selphie. It would take up until the moment that Squall was safe again and they all knew it. Irvine seemed happy with the arrangement, having already forgiven her. They all knew who was really to blame anyway, it was pointless to hold the grudge with Selphie.

            “It’s kind of a long drive, we might want to switch off,” said Seifer to Zell. It was the biggest leap of faith that he could make. He was entrusting a job to Zell, as a demonstration of his trust. Zell smiled.

            “Well, in that case, I’ll drive first, so that I don’t get all tired at the wheel,” he said. He knew that Seifer would want to be the one that drove into the city. Besides, Zell had never been in Deling City and it made more sense for Seifer to find parking. Letting Zell drive was definitely an experience. He drove like he lived, fast and without any sense. It seemed he enjoyed swerving from left to right just often enough to piss everyone else in the car. “Whoo!”

            Seifer noticed how far away Quistis was. He knew that she had taken a liking to her student, but he didn’t know that it was this strong. Her attentive nature was completely gone. She was acting like Squall now that he thought about it. She was retreating into her head, thinking depressed and lonely thoughts. He hoped that for her sake, Squall was alright.

            Irvine, in the second car, was trying to cheer up Selphie. It was hard. She was carrying all the blame for Rinoa running off. “Have you ever thought of dying your hair? I think it would look cute blonde.”

            Selphie smiled. It was nice to have someone to talk to. Especially Irvine, she thought she was starting to remember him. When she had met him, there had been this feeling of recognition, but now she was getting flashes of what he had looked like as a kid. Maybe it had something to do with the fact that he wasn’t wearing his cowboy hat. “Were we close as children?” she asked him out of the blue.

            He nodded. “We were like best friends.” She couldn’t tell if he was telling the truth or not, but she hoped that he was. The closer they got to Deling City, the closer she got to his side of the car. It felt like heaven to Irvine, who was sick of Stone Cold Ellone.

The minutes flew by on the cars clocks and they got closer to the Sorceress with each one. Each of them with Squall’s safety in mind, and one thinking of Rinoa’s demise.

*          *          *          *          *          *          *          *          *          *          *          *

            In Deling City the word was all over about the parade for the Sorceress. It was no wonder that the Timber Owls had gotten word of it. Rinoa was trying to find out as much as she could about the event, trying to plot a way to kill the Sorceress. Yes, first she would have to defeat the dragon to save the princess. The only problem was that she didn’t know if she could bring down the Sorceress. It would have been easier if the Seeds were there to help her. But, she would have to be self-sufficient in this matter.

            She had no need to hide, since this was her hometown. She didn’t necessarily want to announce her arrival to her father though, so she decided to stay at the hotel. She was lucky she had so much money. She could afford to stay there for weeks. Rich dads, even if they didn’t see eye-to-eye were always good to have.

            She was unhappy with the way that things had turned out so she decided to go for a walk. She slid back on her shoes and opened the door. As she stepped into the hallway she heard a loud, familiar voice yell, “There she is!”. She looked quickly and saw the Seeds, the ones that she had ditched in Balamb! Here they were to aid her in her battle against the Sorceress. ‘It’s about time they caught up to me’, she thought.

            Quistis’s first thought was to kill her. Her whip was in hand and she was ready. But, if what Seifer said was true, there was no saving Squall without her. She lowered the whip in her hand. They had been looking for her all day, if they scared her off, they wouldn’t have her in time for the parade. She watched as Seifer slowly approached Rinoa.

            “You shouldn’t have run off like that Rinoa,” he said as softly as he could make his voice, trying to hide the part of him that dying to take a slug at her. “You know, we are a team.”

            Rinoa nodded, her clean hair sparkling. “Yes, together I know that we can save him!” Zell’s fists balled. That was a nice sentiment coming from her.

            “Yes, we can. And our opportunity will come tomorrow.” Seifer wooed. “Do you think that you could lead the group tomorrow?”

            Selphie, Quistis, Zell, Ellone and Irvine simultaneously thought ‘WHAT?’.

            Rinoa’s face was red with pleasure. She enjoyed the thought of leading this team of Seeds. “Yes, and for my first order, I command all of us to go to sleep!” She yawned to help further her point.

            Seifer nodded, that was a good idea, especially for Ellone. “Okay, Zell, Ellone, and I will stay with Rinoa.” That way he could keep all his eggs in the basket.

            Rinoa raised a finger at him chidingly, wobbling on one leg. “Now Seifer, I’m the leader, remember?” Seifer stared at her. She had to be kidding.

            “Okay, you decide,” he challenged. If she didn’t let him guard her, he would kill her there on the spot and figure out a way to defeat the Sorceress without her.

            “Girls in one room, boys in the other,” she said happily. At least that put Quistis in the room with her. Seifer was pretty damn sure that Quistis wouldn’t let Rinoa sneak out again.

            Selphie looked at Seifer as she said, “Sounds good to me!” She was trying to let him know that she would keep Rinoa in one place. She had to make it up to all of them somehow, and this was her chance to atone.

            “All right,” sighed Seifer. Rinoa squealed and her and Selphie went in to discuss sleeping arrangements. He turned towards Quistis. “We will take shifts guarding the outside door. You and Selphie take turns watching her from inside.”

            Quistis nodded and reluctantly joined Selphie and Rinoa. “It doesn’t look like we’re going to sleep,” whined Zell. He stamped his foot. “I’ll take the first watch.”

            Seifer’s face grew agitated. “No, I should take it.”

            Zell snickered. “If she tries to sneak out, it will probably be on the last shift. This way, it will leave you in charge of it if it happens.”

            Seifer frowned. He was right. It still sucked that Zell could discus his ego-driven power hungry nature. He just nodded. “Okay, but I don’t think I’m going to be able to sleep anyway.”

            Irvine set his hand on Seifer’s shoulder. “I think we all feel like that.”

            Ellone laughed slightly. “I’m going to sleep like the dead.” The guys smiled at her. She was kind of cute in a mascot way. The Seeds’ Ellone. “Goodnight boys.” Zell went to hug her before she went off to the girl’s room. Irvine tried, but she was already walking past him. He snapped his fingers at the loss.

            “Hey Irvine, watch this door for a second,” said Zell, running back to the lounge. Seifer shrugged. He didn’t understand Zell yet, but he was beginning to. All of his life he had thought that Zell was sort of a coward. Like, sure he could fight monsters and things, but he had never had enough backbone to stand up to him. He could insult Zell more than he wanted to, and still the spunky little guy would just be angry with him. He never did anything to defend his honor. But now Seifer was noticing that what he had mistaken for weakness was the thing that he liked most about Zell. It was because of his kind heart that he didn’t fight back. He was just too sensitive.

            Zell came running back with a wicker chair from the lounge.. He figured that standing all night was not the way to go. He had thought it was a good idea to give Irvine middle shift because as much as he cared about the cowboy, he didn’t trust him around women. This way, he would have the shortest shift and therefore the least amount of temptation. As he walked towards them, chair held high overhead, he recognized the reminiscent look on Seifer’s face. He was becoming used to Seifer watching him.

            Irvine laughed. “Good idea Zell! Well, it’s time for me and Seifer to find our room.” He walked past Seifer and then turned, waiting for him to follow. Seifer just nodded at Zell. Seifer knew that he could handle the watch, but he couldn’t help feeling that he was inviting trouble by not keeping all the matters under his control.

*          *          *          *          *          *          *          *          *          *          *          *

            “Irvine...” Zell nudged his foot. He had expected that Irvine would be jumping at the chance to play voyeur to four young, beautiful women. But it was tough waking him up. Apparently he believed in his beauty sleep.

            “Okay, okay!” said Irvine, grumpy. His hair was covering his face as he pulled on his boots, grabbed his gun, and trudged off down the hall to the girls’ room. He knew that he had agreed to watch the girls, but really, was it necessary for two guards? He scowled in an ugly way. Or he did, until he saw Selphie sitting in the chair. He smiled, straightening his hair with his hand and trying to will the bags under his eyes away.

            Zell had kept an eye on the girls’ room while Irvine got up, wanting to make sure that Rinoa didn’t take advantage of the guard change. He saw Selphie come out to the hallway and fill the empty chair. Irvine was one lucky guy, none of the girls had offered to talk to him when he was on his shift! Zell pouted and entered the boys’ room.

            He stood inside the dark room and laughed. He could just sense that Seifer was awake. Besides the logic of Seifer not being able to sleep because he was a control freak, he just felt it. “Seifer, you need your beauty sleep too.”

            Seifer chuckled from the bed which was finally beginning to materialize in the dark. “I can’t sleep.”

            Zell smiled happily and took a flying leap onto the bed landing right on Seifer. Seifer’s breath left him as he felt Zell land on top of him. “That’s because I was gone!”

            Seifer felt the smaller man burrowing into his chest. “Since when did you get so cozy?” He was glad that Zell didn’t feel put off by his new irregular sleeping problem. He was almost sure that it was the main reason that he hadn’t been able to fall asleep yet, not the mission. Now that Zell was joking about it though, it made him feel more comfortable, even if it was still odd. “You are wonderful Chicken Wuss.”

            “Hell yeah!” Zell knew that this was what Seifer had been waiting to sleep for, because his breathing was slow and deep. “This won’t work for me though.”

            Seifer opened his eyes and squinted at Zell’s silhouette. He thought he might die if Zell decided to abandon him for the night. Zell wiggled out of his arms and just as Seifer was about to ask him what the change of heart was for, he felt arms wrap around him. “I get to be the man,” joked Zell. Seifer was so relieved and surprised that he didn’t laugh, just grabbed back at the arms around him.

            Seifer moved his head against Zell’s shoulder, feeling the muscle of Zell’s arm beneath his neck. In the darkness, he could just make out the inked skin of the tattoo. He felt the urge to touch it, which he in response did. It was so beautiful. The strange pattern etched into his face. Seifer felt Zell’s breath as he sighed. It was warm and pleasant. His finger curved down to touch his still slightly opened lips. They were dry. It was hard not to have cracked lips when you were a fighter.

            When Zell turned his face to look at Seifer, he was caught off guard by the finger touching his lip. It was one thing to touch his tattoo, many people felt the urge to do that. But, he could feel the power behind the touch on his lips. He felt the utter need in Seifer, because he felt it too. He wanted the closeness, the love.

            “I wish that I could see your eyes. I like them. I can see the ocean...” Zell started before Seifer cut him off by kissing his tattoo. He felt the hot lips on the colorful area of skin and it completely killed his voice. Seifer waited for his reaction, frozen in the darkness, awaiting disapproval. Zell would never have fought anything that felt this good. He held Seifer tighter as a signal, since he couldn’t talk.

            Seifer couldn’t believe that he had kissed Zell’s cheek. He certainly couldn’t believe that Zell had squeezed him back. And he couldn’t believe that he was doing it again to the other cheek. He had never had this tenderness ever before, and each second he was so afraid that Zell would demand that he stop. That Zell would reject him and he would lose the one person that had ever tried to know him. But, Zell’s hands held tight to him as if he might slip away.  Both so afraid of rejection. And when he kissed Zell’s forehead, he knew what line he would be crossing were he to kiss the lips he was aching to kiss.

            Seifer moved upwards a bit, their foreheads touching. He enjoyed the feel of their touching noses. More than anything, he was aware of Zell’s close lips. They were so close that only a slight movement would put them together. Yet, neither of them moved. Each one afraid.

‘I think I love you Zell’ thought Seifer as he finally bridge the distance between them. His lips touched Zell’s and in that instant he knew that he could never be separated from this man. The need and fear washed away and became something beautiful and satisfying.

            Zell felt himself getting sleepy. Getting up the courage to finally do something that he had wanted to do for days had washed the energy out of him. He didn’t want to move though, and kept breathing out of his nose so as to stay this way as long as possible. Finally though, his mouth did move away from Seifer’s. He pulled Seifer close to him and enveloped him in his arms. Their legs tangling together as they both fell into a warm, fuzzy sleep.

*          *          *          *          *          *          *          *          *          *          *          *

            Irvine had spent two delightful hours with Selphie. He really thought that maybe he had found himself a new girlfriend. She was cute and funny. He could feel himself developing a crush. He may have flirted with a lot of girls, but he was a one woman type guy. And if this thing with Selphie worked out, he would be happy to call her his steady girlfriend. After she had given up to go back to bed, he had been bored outside their room and the temptation was starting to get to him a little. When it finally came time for Seifer’s turn, he was back to being grumpy and sleepy again.

            He opened the door and peered in to the room with the hall light behind him. It shined in on a blinking Seifer that was being held by a snoring Zell. He rubbed his eyes. “It’s your shift Seifer,” he said before kicking off his boots and heading back to the unoccupied bed. He set his gun down by the bed and crashed.

            Seifer sat stunned until he clumsily got out of bed to work his shift.

*          *          *          *          *          *          *          *          *          *          *          *