Quistis heard the voices long before she awoke. So familiar. But they were shifting, changing to other voice. One was...

     She stretched her arms above her head, and opened her dazed blue eyes. She'd fallen asleep on that carpet. It was no wonder, it was so soft. This time she had a slinky black slip on, and she immediately wondered how she could feel so warm in such a thin piece of cloth, but the thought vanished from her mind almost before it formed.

     The figure standing behind her caught her attention, her blue eyes widening, before giving him a brilliant smile that showed every inch of her heart. Pleasure was evident on his handsome face, but so was astonishment. Quickly, she dismissed it as concern and surprise at her well-being. "I knew you'd come for me," and threw herself into his strong arms. Ah, to be there at last. She'd waited so long.

     "I love you," she whispered against his shoulder. She felt him stiffen and a gasp from the back of the room made her turn her head. Instantly her eyes narrowed and she hissed at the brunette. She liked Rinoa, honest she did, but couldn't he have come without her?

     Her vision wavered. It wasn't Rinoa, it was that sorceress...Lila. And the arms holding her weren't clothed in black leather, but gray suede. The eyes staring down at her weren't the color of ice, but the color of burning sky...or maybe jade. Seifer. What had she done that made him look so stunned? She blinked.

     Black leather. Blue-gray eyes. She laughed inwardly. Just your mind playing tricks on you again, Quistis. It's happening a lot. Stop it, she chided herself. Still smiling like a fool, she rested her head against his shoulder.

     Seifer stared down at the blond head on his chest, and brows furrowed, looked at Lila for an explanation. Lila watched them with interest, but she shrank under Seifer's accusing glare.

     "What's wrong with her?" he demanded, forcing Quistis' head into the air to look up at him adoringly.

     "I-"

     "The truth, Lila."

     "Honestly, I don't know everything, but I have an idea..." Lila hedged, searching for an escape route. Seifer moved quickly to guard the door, leaving Quistis standing alone and wobbly in the middle of the room, looking at him in confusion. Sighing, Lila glanced at Quistis and lowered her voice. "It's the mind test. She was given a drug that makes her see and feel exactly what she wants to see and feel. Once it wears off, the test begins. If the subject can move on with their lives and not dwell on what never was, they pass. If they don't, they..." Lila hesitated.

     "They what?" Seifer asked softly, dangerously.

     Lila bit her lip. "It's kind of like a drug addiction. They become so depressed and crave that warm feeling so much that they usually commit suicide."

     "Is this drug legal?"

     "Well...it hasn't really been released outside of our alliance. It's very dangerous and could be used to mass murder, though indirectly," Lila admitted.

     "I see." And Seifer did. Was Rueday crazy enough to attempt murdering those who stood in his way with a drug. "How much did you give her?" He jerked his head in the direction of the swaying Quistis.

     "Not much!" Lila said defensively. "Not enough to make her crave it all the time...unless she's mentally unstable. And she won't remember anything, except the feeling."

     It made sense. Seifer stared at the dreamy Quistis with comprehension. She thought he was Squall. She hissed at Lila, because she saw Rinoa impeding on her time with him. She still loved Squall, even though she accepted Rinoa's claim on him. Sighing, Seifer ignored the ache in his chest, and glared at Lila. "She will make it." Lila recognized the warning, and opened her mouth, but Seifer cut her off. "She will make it." He didn't need to say anything more to make her understand that he would hold her personally responsible. "Get out."

     Lila bolted for the door, and was halfway out when Seifer caught her arm and pulled her close to him, eyes blazing into hers. "If you want our cooperation, there will be no more tests. No drugs, no spikes, no nothing. Understand?" Without another word, he let her go and slammed the door behind her. A hand on his arm made him spin around and catch the tall blonde as she fell into his arms.

     "I've always wanted to do that," she giggled stupidly. "When you freed Rinoa at the Sorceress Memorial, you caught her. I remember thinking,' I wish someone would hold me like that', and now you have." Another giggle. She raised her face to his, blue eyes fastening on his lips, and Seifer forced himself not to think about it. He sighed inwardly. Time to get to work. Hyne, it was going to be painful. For both of them.

     "Quistis, who am I?"

     "Squall. Squall Leonhart. Commander. My love," she said almost inaudibly. Seifer winced, but forced himself to continue.

     "What makes you think I love you?"

     She stared at him in incomprehension.

     "Listen, Quistis." Seifer swallowed. "I love Rinoa. Rinoa. Not you. I've never loved you." Pain began to fill her oceanic eyes. "I've never done anything to encourage you. Anything but, and I hate the idea of you lusting after me like some love-crazed idiot." He knew Squall would never say that much, but perhaps Quistis was so drugged that she wouldn't know the difference.

     "Squall," she whispered in a broken voice, tears beginning to run down her white face. "I don't understand. Why-"

     "What's not to understand?! Are you stupid?" Seifer continued, putting all the venom and contempt he could muster into his tone.  All the venom and contempt he directed at himself.  "I don't love you. I don't mind you for a friend, but I don't love you. So get over it, before you sicken me even more."

     She stared at him in anguish, blue eyes swimming in crystal clear tears, before her face crumpled and she began to sob. She fell to the floor in heap and the quiet sobs became louder, rougher, harsher keening. Seifer looked down at her, and kept himself immobile, though every bone in his body wanted to comfort her.

     "How could you?" she rasped, through her wails. "That's so cruel..."

     Shrugging his shoulders, he turned his back and settled to the floor to await the end of the tears. It was a long time coming, and when it stopped, Seifer stood and lifted the sleeping Quistis into his arms, before settling her on the bed, his coat spread over her. Gently he wiped the tearstains from her face, and slid to the floor. He saw himself reflected in the mirrors, and looked at the floor.

     How could he be so cruel?

     How come he didn't feel sorry for what he did?

     "You're a heartless bastard," he muttered, and kept telling himself that until he fell asleep, head resting on his chest.