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One (Last) Chance	By : RotSeele Category: Final Fantasy VIII > Yaoi - Male/Male > Seifer/Squall Views: 3719 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 1
Disclaimer: I do not own Final Fantasy 8. I do not make any money from this story.

Chapter List
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Twenty-Nine - Squall POV

I floated out into the cold of space, knowing that I had a very limited time to catch Rinoa. I grabbed onto her as she floated toward me, pulling her close. She grabbed onto me, and I felt her hands tighten around my arms and hand. She turned to face me, her eyes wet with tears, a smile on her face.
“Squall...” she breathed, “thank you. I heard your voice.”
“Good.” I replied. I smiled back at her. “I’m glad you’re back to your old self, as well.”
Her laugh was more of a whimper. “Are we gonna make it?”
“Don’t worry. Of course we are.” Since I was looking for it, it was easy to spot it. I pushed us toward the Ragnarok, guiding us within the giant red ship. As soon as we were in, I closed the hatch, letting the airlock pressurize.
As soon as gravity kicked in for us, I pulled off my suit and helped Rinoa with hers. When she was free of the suit, she turned to look at me, a huge smile blooming on her face. I frowned slightly, trying to figure out what her expression could mean. She hadn’t smiled that way to me Before. I took a slight step back, causing her to laugh.
“Do you think I’m gonna jump your bones? You belong to Seifer!” She laughed harder. “I’m just... I’m just happy! You saved me. You rescued me again.”
I sighed, shaking my head. “Of course I did. You’re my friend.”
She brightened, stepped toward me, and opened her arms wide. “The space suit was in our way before.”
I sighed. I reached out, pulling her tight against me in as strong a hug as I could manage. I pressed my cheek against her hair. Her arms wrapped tight around me, her face buried in my chest, and I felt her start to tremble. Before, I hadn’t indulged her like this. Doing it now, I could feel her break and start to cry. She clung to me, letting out all the fear that had been pent up inside her during her time possessed, her fear that she was going to die out in space, all alone. Everything that she had been through so far, she cried out into my shirt. When she finished, she pulled back and sniffled, poking at the wet spots on my shirt apologetically.
“It’s just cotton.” I said.
She looked at me, an eyebrow quirking above a puffy doe-brown eye. “Did you just make a joke?”
I shrugged.
“It was pretty bad. But then, you are Squall Leonhart.”
“So I’m not allowed to make jokes, be sarcastic, or anything that is considered un-Squall-like?”
“Yes. Because if you stop acting like Squall, people are going to wonder what you did to the real one.”
I smiled slightly, shaking my head. “Whatever.”
She grinned back, finally feeling better it seemed. “Thank you, Squall. Really.”
“I’m your knight. And your friend. I’m supposed to protect you, just like you’re supposed to protect me.”
She looked at me curiously. “My knight?”
I nodded. “You’re a sorceress now.”
Her face fell. “Oh. Right.”
“It’s nothing to be ashamed of.” I said. “Being a sorceress isn’t a bad thing. Yes, sorceresses have done bad things lately, but that’s not you. That’s not who you are. You’re the only one who can decide what you do. You’re the only one who can look at what you have and say ‘This is what I’m going to do with my power’. No one else gets to dictate what you do. No one else can control you. I will protect you. So will Seifer and everyone else.”
She shivered. “You will?”
“Of course.”
“And Seifer? And the others?”
“Seifer’s already told me, with great vigor, that he’s going to be your knight too. A sorceress with two knights is a force to be reckoned with.”
“And no one with a brain would go up against you two.”
I shrugged at that. I was sure there were still a few people who would be stupid enough to pit themselves against Seifer and I. Rinoa rubbed her eyes and smiled, letting out a shaky breath. “Okay.” she said. “I can be a good sorceress. I’ve got two scary knights to protect me, and everyone else too.”
I smiled. “We’re your friends, Rinoa. You’ll see as soon as we get back.” I offered my hand then. She took it, and I led her from the airlock into the ship proper.
After we defeated the monsters lurking about the Ragnarok, we headed into the cockpit. Rinoa gasped in awe at what she found, moving toward the panels and running her fingers gently over buttons. I headed toward the pilot’s seat, easing down into it and focusing on the console before me. I began inputting the sequence to wake the Ragnarok up, pausing when Rinoa frowned at a control panel.
She looked at me then, pointing at the panel. “Squall, it’s trying to talk.”
I sighed quietly and reached to turn up the volume.
“This is Esthar Airstation.”
I stared in silence.
“Ragnarok, do you read? Ragnarok, do you read?!”
Rinoa looked at me, her lips a thin line and her eyes filled with worry. I continued to hold my silence.
“This is Airstation. Do you copy?”
No sense in delaying the inevitable. I reached to press the button that would turn on the microphone and said, “This is the Ragnarok.”
“Whoa! Is this really the Ragnarok? You’re in space, right?”
“No, we’re actually sitting on Cactuar Island, taking in the sights.” I responded, keeping my voice as even and bland as possible. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Rinoa’s nervous expression change and her lips started to split into a wide grin. Who says I couldn’t display a sense of humor now?
There was utter silence from the Airstation. I wanted to laugh, but that would set Rinoa off, and she was already having a hard time stopping herself from bursting out into raucous noise.
“Ragnarok...” The Airstation operator sounded like he wanted to snap at us, but was somehow holding himself back. “It’s been seventeen years! Save the attitude for when you get back.”
“Whatever.”
“You should have enough fuel. Enter your location into the atmospheric reentry program and you’ll be okay. Once you enter the atmosphere, we can guide you down. You’ll be just fine.”
I had already started to input the commands before the Airstation control operator even began he began to give me the information. His voice only ensured that my memory hadn’t faded in the least bit, but I still double-checked my codes and matched them to what he said.
“No errors?”
“It’s fine.” I replied.
“Next, I’m sure you’re okay, but there’s something I need you to do. Turn off the gravity generator. This should save some fuel. Use the same touch panel to turn it off.”
“Done.”
“Congratulations. You’re home free, Ragnarok. And... There’s one more thing we need to tell you. From all of us at Ground Control, we wish you godspeed.”
“Thanks.” I flipped the radio off and sat back in my chair. Rinoa clasped her hands in her lap, her mirthful smile now lessened into a weary, frightened one. I turned to look at her, my head tilting to the side. “Don’t worry. I’ll protect you.”
Rinoa looked at me and smiled. “I know. It’s just... I’m nervous.”
“No need to be. Put on your seatbelt.”
Rinoa did as I asked her, pulling her restraint on. She still seemed a little nervous, but there was nothing I could do now to change that. At least she wasn’t jumping into my lap like she had before. She inhaled softly. “We’re gonna make it home, right?”
“Of course.”
“When we get back... You really meant it? That you wouldn’t let them take me away? Even though I’m a sorceress?”
“I really meant it.” I looked at her as I pulled my own restraints on. “Look, Rinoa, no one can predict the future. There are no guarantees. But I will do whatever I need to do to keep you safe. So will everyone else. So will Seifer.”
“Won’t they be angry with me?”
“Some might. But none of what happened was your fault.” If anything, it was mine, for continuing to keep the timeline going forward. I looked away and closed my eyes, sighing deeply. “You were possessed. There was nothing you could do about it. But as you are now, yeah, there’s something you can do. You can help defeat Adel and Ultimecia, and prove them all wrong.”
Rinoa started to smile again. Her hands relaxed. “Yeah. Yeah, I can do that.”
Before I could say anything more, the radio crackled. “This is Airstation. Ragnarok, please respond.”
I sighed silently so as not to alarm Rinoa. “This is the Ragnarok.”
“We have some questions for you. We’re collecting escape pods. We have a good idea of what happened. I hear no one from Lunar Base is on the Ragnarok. How many of you are there?”
“Just two.”
“...Your names?”
“Squall Leonhart. I’m a SeeD from Balamb Garden.”
“And the other?”
“Rinoa Heartilly.”
“Rinoa? The sorceress!? She’s on the ship!?”
Rinoa went pale and her hands clenched again. I reached over as far as I could and grasped her hand. She clutched mine with a grip that hurt. I lifted my other hand to my lips and told her to be quiet, silently. Rinoa nodded, her lips a thin line. Her eyes regarded me with complete trust.
“Respond, Ragnarok!”
I squeezed her hand back, silently telling her to remember everything that I had told her, and not to waver even the least bit. I was her knight. I was going to protect her no matter what. I knew what we would encounter when we landed, and I knew I would have a harder time fighting Rinoa than the people who came to take her away. Rinoa seemed to know that as well, but she shook her head, and gave me a determined stare with those bright golden eyes of hers.
“Respond, Ragnarok!”
“When we get down there,” I said softly, “don’t let go of my hand. Don’t stand in front of me. Don’t say anything. Let me do the talking. You wouldn’t want Seifer to beat the shit out of me for letting you get captured, would you?”
“Of course not!” Rinoa said, suddenly full of fire. Her other hand curled into a fist. “I still owe him one for not listening to me earlier!”
“The sorceress will be seized upon arrival.” said the Airstation. “Be sure to follow the crew’s instructions.”
I leaned forward then, as close as I could get to the console, and growled, “You lay one hand on Rinoa, and I will bring everything I am down on you. If you even think of taking her from me, I will kill you. She may be a sorceress, but she’s my sorceress, I’m her knight, and she’s my friend. I won’t let you punish her for something she had no choice in. Do you understand me?”
There was utter silence. I wasn’t surprised. Esthar wasn’t used to be spoken to the way that I had just spoken. They definitely had been taken aback by my words. Before, I had been too confused, too hurt, too overwhelmed by my own feelings to really know how to respond until it was too late. Rinoa had been afraid and looking for my strength to lean on, and when I hadn’t responded to her, she had taken matters into her own hands. She had done the only thing she thought was right. This time around, I wasn’t giving her the choice. She was going to stay with me, and I wasn’t going to let her fear dictate her actions. She wasn’t going to try to martyr herself in order to prevent Ultimecia from winning.
Bahamut.
The king of dragons laughed, deep and sonorous, from inside my mind. I was wondering when you were going to get around to being flashy.
I smiled, feeling Rinoa squeeze my hand a little tighter. She didn’t know what I was going to do, what lengths I would go to to ensure her well-being and safety. I had basically declared war with the ground personnel, and they were going to come armed and ready for a fight. Just as well. I was ready for it.
The Ragnarok landed smoothly and I was out of my seatbelt first. Rinoa was a little more sedate in taking off her restraints and joining me. I held out my hand. She slipped hers in mine and clutched tight to me. “Remember,” I started, “stay behind me, and don’t let go.”
“I won’t forget.” Rinoa whispered. “And back at you. Don’t let go.”
We descended from the Ragnarok together. Two Sorceress Memorial personnel were there waiting, along with several Estharian soldiers. No one from our group was there, not even Seifer. I wasn’t surprised; if they had been allowed to come along (and I’m sure Seifer tried) then the Estharian soldiers would be severely outnumbered. But I wasn’t without my tricks either.
One of the men dressed in white stepped forward. “Sorceress Rinoa. Hyne’s descendant.”
The second one stepped forward. “Come with us. We must seal your power for the sake of the world.”
The Estharian soldiers readied their weapons, set to fight if I refused to let Rinoa go, and if Rinoa refused to let go of me. They would shoot. That was how afraid of her they were. How afraid of me and my threat. Rinoa didn’t step out from behind me. She didn’t let go of my hand. I knew she was scared, terrified. She would sacrifice herself for me if they decided to threaten me. I felt her move and glanced over my shoulder at her, to find her gripping my ring that was still on its chain around her throat. I smiled at her.
Bahamut slammed down on all fours, surrounding Rinoa and I with his bulk. He focused on the Estharian soldiers and the Sorceress Memorial personnel and roared. I saw their eyes go wide. Watched them scream and retreat, and the soldiers bring their weapons to bear upon Bahamut. He bowled them over as if they were defenseless kittens with a massive paw. It was a gentle bat, but it still sent the soldiers sprawling. The personnel in white fell to the ground, staring up at Bahamut as the great dragon turned to angle his head to see them better.
“Now that I have your attention,” I said, keeping my voice even. I reached up and offered my hand to Bahamut, who nuzzled it as gently as a loyal dog might. I knew he was doing it on purpose, because it gave him some sick satisfaction to show people that I, and only I, had sole control over his actions. “You will lower your weapons, and you will retreat back to the Sorceress Memorial. You will not come for Rinoa again. If you do, I’ll let my dragon have you. Rinoa and I are going to get back onto the Ragnarok. If you try to the bar the way of anyone who comes, I’ll know. If you try to stop us in any way, I’ll know.”
Bahamut rumbled and stepped past Rinoa and me, his powerful claws tearing deep furrows in the dry earth below. His tail lashed, his wings spread, and he looked huge and menacing. If they try to advance, can I eat them?
Do whatever you want. I told him. Just let Seifer through.
And the others?
When they get here.
Bahamut let out another growl and crouched down. I pushed Rinoa back up the ramp and toward the interior of the ship. She went, and I followed close behind, making sure she didn’t change her mind. When we were safely in the meeting room I had discovered Before, I took a seat in one of the chairs and became almost boneless. Rinoa took a seat in the chair opposite me and sat there, trembling.
“Rinoa?”
She looked up at me and grinned. “I didn’t know you had a dragon. He is so cool!”
I let my head fall back against the chair and laughed, echoing Bahamut’s roar as it reverberated through the Ragnarok from outside.
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One (Last) Chance