Blissful Ignorance

Rinoa leaned against the railing, looking at the stars. She closed her eyes, recalling all the events that had happened and her hand grasped the two rings around her neck. Space, almost being frozen--and Squall, always there protecting her..whether he was there physically or not.
It seemed like eons ago that she had stood on that dance floor and made eye contact with him and pointed at the shooting star they were both looking at. The next second she was doing some rediculous guesture, hoping to make him smile. Instead she had gotten the most breath-taking dance ever. Him pulling her against her, god it felt good to be in his arms.
The next time she had been in his arms, Rinoa couldn't remeber why...some monster, possessing souceress...it blurred together in a mirad of bad memories. She just remember him holding her tightly and a gloved hand heasitantly stroking her hair. When Rinoa opened her eyes he was standing beside her, eyes searching the stars. Rinoa didn't say anything, just looked up as well.

Squall stood inside the celebratory ball. He used to hate occasions like this, he still did. Although the last time he'd been to one, he had danced with Rinoa. Rinoa who felt so right when he pulled her against him, beautiful Rinoa who made him feel....well made him feel, simple as that.
of course nothing was ever simple and feeling scared the shit out of him.
How could a simple chemical reaction have such an insaine power. Squall thrived on discipline, logic, control, rules--that's it. Rinoa seemed to thrive on every and anything. Always something to smile about, Squall couldn't remember the last time he'd smiled, he begun to doubt he ever had.
When Rinoa had been in a coma--it was probably the first time he'd realized the raven haired beauty ment something to him, something more than he could explain.
that scared the shit out of him too.
He wasn't in control of himself when he'd sneak into the hospital room and beg her to call out his name, when vowed to watch over her forever, when he'd realized life without her seemed rather impossible.
was that friendship? or something else...........no!
Squall remprimanded himself strongly, no love. Love=pain, hurt, loss..just when Squall was starting to heal he wasn't going to go through that for one totally amazing girl. A blue hem trailed out onto the balcony. Squall pushed himself up and walked closer, fianlly making it out onto the balcony. He stood by her and looked up, he saw the stars.

Rinoa looked at Squall, he tore his eyes away from the sky and focused on her. out of the corner of her eye, Rinoa saw a shooting star streak across the sky. She smiled wickedly and pointed up, like she had the night of the dance. Squall's eyes narrowed and Rinoa was ready for him to shut himself off.
Squall smiled.
Not a fake smile, but a genuine smile. Rinoa froze and her eyes widened as Squalls danced with the light of a thousand stars. He covered her pointing hand with his own and pulled her closer, Rinoa came foward willingly. Squall wrapped one hand around her waist
and gently pressed his lips to hers.
Her eyes shut as Rinoa's arms came around him before she could stop herself,
'He's kissing me!' her mind screamed at the tauntingly light kiss he was giving her. Rinoa finally got her body to respond to the kiss. They broke apart, staring into each others eyes. Squall smiled again and pulled her against him, like he had that night at the dance, except this time he kissed her without fear and doubt.
Rinoa's breath was practically knocked out of her as her mind was wiped clean by the most amazing kiss she'd ever gotten. Her arms left his and encircled his neck, playing with his hair while his were wrapped around her waist.
Both were lost in the moment.
*****************************A/N*****************************
okay, so that was a replay/interpretation of the infamous balcony scene at the end of the game/ the replay/interpetation of the infamous Graduates Dance at the begining of the game.
the sap almost killed me
so this story is going to cover Rinoa, Squall and the rest of the gang for the next adventure.
how's squall going to deal with what he did? He's not one for simplicity....
Rinoa, what's her reaction?
what about the entire crew thats seen the tension since the begining?
you'll see next chapter

until then....................



[/i]

'you were posessed'
'you are a soceress'
'that's Squall Leonheart, he's a gunblade master, works with SeeDs'
'SeeDs, we kill soceress's'
'you can kill me, as long as it's only you'
'Remember the Flower Field, I'll be here waiting for you...so if you come you'll find me, I promise'
'dance with me'

Rinoa pulled away from Squall.
"Squall--we--you--we can't" she said. His eyes flickered with confusion, asking the obvious without words "Squall, I'm a soceress. You, you're the SeeDs captain. We're enemies, allies but not" she made a motion with her hand "Not this"
"Rinoa--"
"No, what happens if I get posessed? What happens then? Would you be able to kill me?"
"Rinoa!" Squall said sharply "Rinoa you're not making any sense, what happened?"
"What happened? I became the soceress Squall, I got posessed--"
'i fell in love with you' she added silently, the final straw. Tears fell down her eyes as the burning in her throat increased. Squall pulled her into his arms and hugged her to him, running a hand through her hair like he had so long ago.
"I took a vow to protect you Rinoa, I swear I will, from anything and anyone" She pulled away and looked at him.
"Then protect me from you" she said through her tears before turning and leaving him on the blacony.

Rinoa ran into her room and closed the door, pressing her back to it and sliding down it, tears still streaming from her eyes.
"I did it" she whispered and looked at the shadow on her wall "I did it, did you hear me!? I did what you wanted, Squall won't come after you now!"
"Good" the shadows whispered "Now, for you" The shadows reached foward for her and pulled her to her feet.
"Rinoa, No!"

It took Squall about twenty seconds after Rinoa dissapeared for him to realize something was seriously wrong to force her into such a state. It took him thirty to get the guts up to go after her. It took him another minuet running flat out to get to her room and throw open the door. He saw the shadows grip Rinoa and pull her to her feet.
"Rino No!" he yelled. Rinoa turned, her eyes widened seeing Squall standing infront of her. He had been forced to leave his gunblade in his room. Something pinned him to the wall, he couldn't move.
"You said he wouldn't come!" the shadows roared furiously "You said you'd turned him away!"
"Even if she did I'd still come back!" the cry was torn from Squall's throat before he could stop it. their eyes locked.
"You're too late Leonheart!" something small and red sailed through the air and pierced Rinoa's arm, vanishing into the girl "She is mine"
"Squall!" Rinoa screamed as the shadows pulled her tighter.
"Rinoa!" whatever was pinning him to the wall was too tight, he couldn't move. The shadows covered her completely, she screamed his name as she vanished
"No!"

Seifer ran down the halls at full speed. He had seen Squall and Rinoa kiss, had seen her say something and begin to cry, seen her run away.
'somethings wrong' he throught. Anyone who didn't see how deeply Rinoa was in love with Squall cough*squall*cough was blind. People insainely in love didn't run off the second they were kissed, especially not Rinoa. With a quick word to some official he was talking to he ducked out. Pit-stopping at his room to pick up a tracking device and his gunblade.
'trust Leonheart to go and mess this up' he thought closing the door.
"Rinoa No!" the tortured yell from Squall reached his ears.
'oh shit' Seifer took off running towards the yell. Rinoa's door was open. Seifer pressed himself to the wall outside and pulled out a tracking device, setting it for stealth tracking.
"You told me you turned him away!"
"Even if I she did I'd still come back!" Seifer shook his head, what a sob-story.
"You're too late Leonheart!"
'sure he is, but what about me?'
He turned, this had to work the first time. Drawing back his hand he threw it. The dart sailed and hit Rinoa square on.
'bingo' he thought before ducking back. He wanted to attack but he didn't stand a chance against and unkown force. 'That Leonheart'll be the death of me' he thought, wanting to run in and attack.
"Squall!"
"Rinoa!" there was the sound of something pulling something back.
"Squall!"
"No!"
Seifer looked at the device
'work you stupid thing!' a red dot sailed across the scene with co-ordinates scrolling faster than he could see. Seifer looked in heasitantly and saw Squall pinned to the wall and the room empty. Seifer unsheathed the gunblade and walked into the room. Silently he slashed the bindings that held Squall to the wall.
"'Is it working?" Seifer almost grimaced, Squall had gone back into dead-mode. He nodded and passed him the device.
"We should wait until it stops"
"The second it does I'm gone" he said and walked out to prepare his gunblade. Once he was alone Squall sat on the bed and stared at the wall.
'I'm sorry i failed you Rinoa' he thought despairingly 'i'm so sorry' something flared up, some anger and--dare he say it--love? he clenched his fists. 'i haven't failed you yet' he thought furiously 'i'm going to get you back Rinoa, i swear' Squall looked at the dot, it's flashing light was taunting him, while at the same time comforting him. Every flash showed Rinoa was alive, every flash was another second, another breath, another chance to get her back.

"Squall!" Rinoa was flying backwards, the last thing she saw was his face, struggling against what was holding him to the wall.
'Even if she did I'd still come back!' Rinoa choked back a sob at hearing him say that, stand up to the shadows. Rinoa stopped flying backwards when she was slammed into a wall. The young soceress slid down it and fell into a crumpled heap on the ground.

Sweat poured into his eyes, tracing the line of his scar but Squall didn't care, he just kept practicing with the sword--jab up, fire, twisting, turning. Focusing solely on the gunblade gave him something else to think about and Squall needed that right now. His gunblade came crahsing down and was met squarely by another gunblade. Squall looked at Seifer, the silent challenge was declared between them. Squall brought his blade up and around, Seifer's rising up to meet him. The two had honed their skills since the day on the mountain when their twin scars were delt. Now the battle was fierce but for something else, for something neither could describe. The blades flashed and flickered, dancing with the light as their masters dance with each other.
"What is going on in here?" Quistis demanded looking at the two of them "Rinoa is gone and you two decide to fight? That is so--typical" she stormed inside and grabbed the device studying it. She put it down and turned to go.
"Where are you going?"
"I'm going to get Rinoa, you two can finish your little fight" Squall and Seifer traded a glance and followed her out. Quistis looked at the men following her.
"Seifer did you use the new trackers?"
"Yeah"
"Good we should be able to see her vitals then" Quistis tapped the tracking device and they came up obiedently

Rinoa's eyes slowly opened and she bit back a cry of pain. Rinoa had been literally nailed to a wall, the nails biting into her palms and feet, pinning her.
"Where am I?" she asked aloud
"In my domain" the shadows whispered "I do not have a form--yet. I need a soceress to carry me, to host me" the shadows laughed "However you my dear prove to be much stronger than I anticipated. This is good, you'll survive the transfer, but it poses a problem, you're too strong. I can't perform the transfer! Which is why your up there" the shadows said "I'm going to break you Rinoa, you will be mine"
"N--" Rinoa cried out as pain swamped her body. It faded as soon as it had come "No" Rinoa hissed through gritted teeth "I won't lay down and I won't be yours!" the shadows seemed to scream and pain ripped through her again, Rinoa fell into darkness as Quistis quickly shoved the monitor into a compartment so Squall wouldn't try to push the ship to it's speed limit..........they'd need that for getting out of there.

Squall stared out onto the mountainside.
"Are we going to finish this or should I just give you another scar and get it over with?" Seifer asked from behind him. Squall was about to fight him when pain enfulged his system. Someone elses pain was racking him while they screamed for something to stop. He felt like he was drowning in the fear, desparation and pain of the person.....until they fell unconcious and Squall was on his hands and knees gasping for air.
"Squall what happened?" Quistis asked crouching by him
"S-someone's in trouble, deep trouble and I-I felt it"
"It's got to be Rinoa" she said "Soceress's can do that"
"But she was fighting it--" Squall protested
"Then the shadows were trying to make her do it--and suceeding"
"Oh shit, well if she's doing that does that mean--" Seifer began
"I don't know" she said cutting him off "Squall, you said despair?" Squall nodded "Try to use the connection--just see if you can tell her to hold on"

"Oh god" Rinoa sobbed, the pain was now never ending. The Shadows had forced her to connect with Squall and force her pain on him, she had almost died resisting them. Squall wouldn't come, not if she was making him suffer. Something warm wrapped around her waist and brushed against her lips.
"Hold on Rinoa, I'm coming, just hold on" the soft voice whispered
"Squall" Rinoa whispered "I'll hold on, as long as I can"
"Well it won't be very long!" The Shadows roared and swirrled towards her, she felt them rip at her heart
"I'm so sorry squall" Rinoa whispered and closed her eyes

"Let her go" Rinoa's head jerked up, standing in the doorway was Seifer, his gunblade poised for attack "Of course you couldn't hurt her if you wanted--weakling!" The shadows roared and pulled back from Rinoa "You couldn't even break her down!"
"Fool! You die now!" A hand slipped over Rinoa's mouth, muffling her scream as the nails that held her in place were pulled out. She fell foward into a familiar embrace. Squall scooped her up and hugged her to him, vanishing into the shadows. He ducked out the window and hit the ground running as fast as he could. Rinoa's eyes were wide, staring at him. He looked at her, and for the second time in memory, he smiled
"I said I was coming, and here I am" he said, his hope renewed by the ship infront of him.
"Hurry!" Quistis hissed urgently. Squall got onto the ship "Where's Seifer"
"Close the doors!" Seifer yelled at them "Close them now!" he dove as the Shadows roared after him. He hit the ship's closing door before the shadows could take him. "Punch it!" Quistis was all to happy to oblige and the ship took off like a rocket. Squall tore his eyes away and looked back at the girl in his arms who had begun to shake. He lowered her to the floor but kept his hold on her. Only then did he look down and see his once white shirt was mostly red. Squall's eyes widened and he looked at Rinoa who's eyes were closing.
"No Rinoa open your eyes, keep them open" Quistis instructed kneeling by the injured girl "Seifer, go in that cabnet and get all the fabric--sheets, uniforms, whatever--just get it" he nodded and went off "Squall go in the cockpit and get the first aid kit" Squall ducked out.
"Rinoa look at me" Rinoa turned glassy eyes to Quistis, who saw the fire dying in them "You cannot die"
"I may not have a choice" she whispered
"Listen to me you always have a choice" Quistis leaned foward and lowered her voice "If you die, Squall will not make it out of this alive" Rinoa looked at the older woman "I've known Squall for a long time and I have never seen him care about anyone or thing--well maybe his gunblade and beating Seifer--at all, until he met you. You got him to smile Rinoa, you have something of his that can't be replace" Rinoa's eyes were closing
"You have his heart Rinoa, don't break it"
"Sorry" she whispered, her eyes closing. Even with her wounds, one hand clasped aorund the rings that hung from her neck.
"Sorry doesn't cut it" Quistis said fiercely "Now keep your eyes open Rinoa" the younger woman closed her eyes "Squall! Seifer! Get back here now!" the two men dropped what they were doing and ran back. Squall's eyes flew to Rinoa who was laying still on the floor. He gave a strangled cry and ran over to her.
"is she--"
"Not yet, not if we can help it--Seifer contact the Garden, I want a med-team on standby" Seifer called ahead
"We're landing in 5 minuets!"
"Squall pick her up, this might be rough" Squall picked RInoa up. The movment caused her to wake up and cry out. She gripped his jacked and buried her face in his chest as pain assaulted her. Squall was shocked at how weak her grip was.
"it's okay Rinoa, I've got you" he said softly "it's alright" The pain receeded slightly and she looked up at Squall, her eyes shining
"If I don't survive this--promise me you will" she said. Squall looked away "Squall?"
"I can't promise that" he whispered to her "Don't ask me to, I can't promise if you don't make it that I will" Rinoa swallowed "You'll just have to survive" she looked up at him "
"I'll do my best--not to break your heart"
"You're the only one who could" he said softly
'i am becoming a complete sap--why?' he thought
"Like you are the only one who could break mine" she said as he pulled her tighter. The ship rocked, Squall made sure he was steady and Rinoa secure. They landed. Rinoa looked up at Squall, fear in her eyes. He leaned down and kissed her gently. Rinoa let herself relax. they broke the kiss and he walked foward, gently putting her on the waiting bed. The doctors immediately began to fuss over her. they hurried out leaving Squall with a memory and a prayer

"You think it was another soceress?" Quistis nodded
"I think it might have been"
"Great" Selphie threw up her hands "Just great, we defeat one and there's another ready to go" she looked around the room "Where's Squall?"
"As close as he can get to Rinoa" Irvine said leaning back in his chair.
"odes eh coarw anywhmpheg" Zell asked through a mouthful of hotdog.
"I'm sorry Zell-what did you say?" Quistis asked
"I said, does squall know anything?"
"I doubt it," Quistis said
"where's Rinoa?"
"Trying to be saved" she held up a hand "And Squall is as close to her as he can get--aka the infirmary waiting room"
"Should we go visit him or something?" Selphie asked
"I think he needs some alone time right now Selph" Irvine said. Selphie nodded.
"Seifer" Seifer looked at Quistis "They forged a connection before, Squall moping won't help. Get him angry, mad, anything but moping--something to inspire Rinoa to fight" Seifer nodded and got up.

"Alright get up," Squall looked up to see Seifer tapping his gunblade against his foot impaitently "We've got something to finish"
"I am in no mood Seif--"
"Sitting here moping isn't going to help her, now get up and fight me!"
"Lower your voice sir" he threw a glare at the woman who reprimanded him.
"Squall-now!" Squall sighed and walked after him.
"I'll be back" he whispered to the room, looking at the doorway where Rinoa was.

There were no scars during that battle--thankfully--just a simple duel between rivals. By the time Squall and Seifer got back to the waiting room, Rinoa was out of surgery and a doctor was waiting for them there.
"Gentlemen, good news she'll survive--hopefully" Squall looked at him sharply "there is no guarentee, she's been through a lot, but she has a good chance"
"Is she--"
"No she is not in a coma--thankfully--she's simply resting in the next room, that girl has one hell of a fighting spirit" neither could understand why Seifer laughed at that. "Unfortunately I can't let you see her--" Squalls fingers itched towards the gunblade. The doctor swallowed "Of course I don't think one visitor would kill her"

Opening the door was the hardest thing Squall had to do in a while. He had never been more scared or happy in his entire life. Once he pushed open the door, he was at her side in the blink of an eye. Squall covered one of Rinoa's limp hands with his own and took in her apperance. Bandages were everywhere, blending with her pale skin. Her hair had been cut short to help stop the fever. Rinoa was sleeping peacefully. Squall closed his eyes, determined to wait out the night.

Rinoa's eyes opened slightly, then further. she could hardly think through the drugs they injected her with to stop the pain. She was aware of monitors and--and something on the edge of her bead. Rinoa blinked and looked down, hunched in a chair, his head on her bed and his hand over hers was Squall. Rinoa smiled faintly, he looked so peaceful in his sleep. Squall opened his eyes and looked up into her own brown ones.
"Hey" he said softly straitening up "How are you feeling?"
"I've been better" she said softly. Squall smiled and laced his fingers through hers.
"Rinoa you're up!" Selphie cried "That doctor refused to let us in--Quistis had to put in a word for us"
"How you feeling?" Irvine asked
"I'll be alright" Selphie looked at their interlocked fingers.
"Well it took you two long enough" she said putting her hands on her hips. Irvine and Zell stared at her. Irvine spotted their interlocked fingers and laughed. Zell caught on as well.
"Finally" Zell said "You certainly took your sweet time" Squall couldn't help but smile. Rinoa laughed slightly and tightened her grip on him. Seifer grabbed a nurse.
"Did you get the tracking dot out of her?" he asked
"What tracking dot sir?" Seifer's eyes widened
"I--never mind" he ran out and returned a minuet later with the tracking consol. "The Shadows, they took in the tracking dot--we know where they are and you guys aren't going to believe this, but the Shadows have vital signs!"

Irvine lay on the grass inside the Gardens, Selphie on his chest. Selphie looked up at the sniper, suddenly she felt more tired than she had in a long time.
"Why's this happening?" she asked him
"hmmm?" Selphie stood up.
"Why is there another soceress? Why did Rinoa almost die?" Irvien got up and hugged her tighly
"There's always going to be things like that, always" he pulled back a bit "But whatever there is, I'll be there with you and we'll fight it together," he put his fingers under her chin and lifted her face up to look at him,
"Promise?" she asked
"Promise" he confirmed with a smile.

When Squall came back the next day, Rinoa was still weak but looked a lot better. The nurses had all but called in the rest of the SeeDs to throw him out and get some rest.
"How are you feeling?" Squall asked her
"almost the same," she said. "Squall, what's wrong?" Squall didn't say anything. Rinoa looked at him "Squall?" she asked him. Squall looked at her with anguished blue eyes.
"I......I was...." he stopped "I was afraid


*****************AN****************************
okay i had a faulty source, i know irvine/selphie were supposed to kiss, but it turns out there are only hints at an almost-relationship......so no kiss.........yet

"Shit! This is so fucking unfair! How the fuck did you let them get away like that you faliture!"the Shadows winced at their Mistress's face "Take that cloak off this instant!" The Shadows blew apart to reveal a young woman pale blue eyes and flowing silver hair "You must kill Leonheart! Do I make myself clear? You know what happens otherwise! That damn Elleon Leonheart, that's what! I will not have that boy running rampant in my time!"
"Yes ma'm" she said bowing,
"Well get on it!"

Currently the subject of their discussion was running down the street, fast as humanly possible. Strapped to his waist was a gunblade. Glancing behind him Elleon kept running.
"ALright Elleon?" he looked to his left, the ever-cool Trabia Kinneas asked.
"I'll live, you?"
"Been better"
'Would you three stop and concentrate on geetting to Balamb?" Edea Almasy yelled at them. They traded glances and picked up the pace. All of a sudden white covered them. "Where the hell are we--Trabia what'd you do?!"
"Nothing, I sw---ahh!"

Squall and Rinoa were talking when the portal appeared above them. Three figures slammed into the ground.
"Elleon move your gunblade!"
"Ooof! I would if someone would take this whip off me!"
"Sorry, Trabia put the guns down!" the three straitened up.
"Ow, that hurt--Trabia what'd you do?" Traibia held up his hands
"I swear I did nothing."
"Elleon?"
"Look at yourself Edea" he said crossing his arms
"Oh don't even think about it!" her hand went for her whip. Elleon grabbed his gunblade.
"Hang on, lets approach this like rational people, for once" Trabia said holding up his hands.
"What is going on in here?! WHo are you people?!" a frantic nurse shouted
'I'm Trabia Kinneas" Trabia said winking at the nurse and making her blush.
"Edea Almasy" Edea said putting her whip back
"Elleon Leonheart" he said re-sheathing his gunblade. Rinoa looked at the young man. He looked exactly like Squall, down to the gunblade---except for his eyes, he had her eyes.