saved5

Chapter Five

. . . .O n e y e a r l a t e r. . . .

"What do you think of this one, honey?" Mimi said, returning from behind the dressing room curtains.

Seifer lounged against the soft cushioned sofa in a large expensive department store, waiting impatiently as Mimi tried on yet another dress. He didn't even bother looking up at her when she finally emerged from the dressing room. Very little of her large breasts were left to be covered by the revealing piece of fabric being worn by Mimi. She did a twirl in front of the indolent Seifer.

"Isn't it just darling?" she asked smiling widely, but her smile soon faded when she noticed that Seifer's attention was on the ceiling rather then on her. Angry, she stomped over to him and heavily plopped down onto his lap.

"What the hell?! Get off!" Seifer started to push Mimi away but she clung to him, grazing his chest with her breasts.

"Do you like my dress?" she batted her eye lashes up at him innocently.

"It's fine," he said impatiently, squirming underneath her touch. "Haven't you bought enough? I'd like to get home."

"Home!" Mimi jumped up, looking down at Seifer. "You hardly ever leave that horrid Balamb Garden and when you do, you're always on mindless SeeD missions. What happened to you? To us? You used to take me dancing. You used to. . .do a lot of things with me." She grazed his chest with a finger.

Removing her hand from his chest, Seifer gave her a weary look. "I've changed."

"Changed! Like hell you did! After that little runt Rinoa left, you've been cold towards everyone, including me! You never go to the Roxy anymore and Rajin says you're always complied with missions. That's not you Seifer," Mimi's look of rage was replaced by a calm one. She pressed her body against his and looked up at him with liquid eyes, "Rinoa left you. She proved she didn't want you. . ."

Seifer's anger boiled up inside him and by the power of the heavens, he managed to keep himself from striking Mimi. The jingling of the bell on the department door stopped Mimi's next words as they both turned to see Selphie Tilmitt enter, she was an affiliate of Seifer on their last mission completed.

"I thought I saw you, Seifer," she called cheerfully, running over to him. "Hi Mimi," she added curtly, Selphie never really favored Mimi. She had heard about Seifer's Rinoa, his newest and prettiest girlfriend, from working with Rajin at the Discipline Committee while she was filling in for Fujin one day. From knowing Mimi for years, she had a gut feeling that this woman was probably the reason why that poor girl ran away.

"Headmaster Cid just posted a new mission that is set before the new SeeD graduation." Selphie continued, acting as if Mimi wasn't there. "But since we just completed the Esthar mission, he gave the new assignment to another group, giving us a break and a time to relax, but he wants us to attend the graduation and congratulate the new members."

Seifer managed to push Mimi away from him as he digested the new information informed by Selphie. "When is this graduation?"

"It's two days from now," she held up two small fingers. "Oh yeah, it seems as though the Timber Owls are going to be there, or at least one member, and the Headmaster wants you to get acquainted with them and show them around since Squall is going to be busy with his welcoming speech to the graduates. After the graduation celebration, the Headmaster is to call another assignment to be accomplished with the Timber Owls."

"Lovely," Seifer muttered sarcastically as he left the women's department store.

Selphie gave Mimi a quick nod of goodbye and hastily scurried after Seifer, leaving Mimi standing alone.

~*~*~*~

"So, what do you think, princess?"

A small girl sat alone in the corner of the well confined room that held several rather large men, making the room all nice and stuffy. Her russet colored hair now contained highlights of a lighter auburn color, hanging long and loose pass her shoulders. Her attire consisted of a black tank top and short black shorts underneath a baby blue trench-like cloak that came down to her ankles, flowing freely behind her. Printed on the back of her trench was a pair of angel wings. She changed her identity by high lighting her hair and dressing differently, not so much like an upper-class person, and altered her last name to Heartilly after her mother's, so that she wouldn't be recognized easily by Caraway's military.

"Rinoa?" the man called again.

But Rinoa did not hear. Her attention was out the window rather then on that was being discussed. Watching the people going on with their daily tasks became a hobby she picked up easily. And there were times when that familiar image of the man that saved her a year back would come back to haunt her.

Oh, it was Seifer.

His sexy smirk. His taunting eyes. His tempting lips. They just wouldn't leave her. There were times at night where she would cry herself to sleep, needing his warmth by her side, hungry for the touch of his gentle hands on her bodice once again. The first months of her escape had been very harsh on her. The agony of his absence nearly drove her mad. If she hadn't ran into the two gentlemen, who kindly took her in, she would of been- what was it Seifer had thought she was? Ah, yes. Just another whore on the street.

Watts sighed heavily and looked up at Rinoa with a tired expression. "I think she's zoned out on us again." He gently swatted Angelo on the butt and pointed towards Rinoa. The clever canine wagged his tail happily as if he understood, and waddled over to Rinoa.

Rinoa nearly jumped out of her skin at the dog's sloppy lick upon her arm. "What?"

"We were just discussing the mission that we are about to undergo with Balamb's SeeDs in approximately four days. I was just checking to make sure you understand your part in this operation." Watts informed.

"Oh, yes of course." Rinoa lied, rubbing the slimly slobber off her forearm.

But after a long quiet pause, she whispered meekly, "What was the mission again?"

Watts let out a long weary sigh and place a hand on his throbbing forehead, rubbing his temples. "Zone, can you do the honor of restating the mission to our bright little princess here?"

"Sure thing," Zone perked up. "The assignment is to- o0o0o0o. . .my stomach!" With a hand over his mouth and the other over his stomach, Zone hauled butt down the hallway towards the bathroom.

Rinoa gave Watts an amused look.

"The thing is Rinoa, you are responsible for making a model of President Deling's train and explain the strategy we came up with to the SeeDs that Headmaster Cid are sending over to help us with this mission. The proposal we came up with is to take President of Galbadia into custody when he passes through Timber," he handed her a piece of paper. "I drew what you are supposed to build and, oh, lookey here," he held the paper up for her to see, "I even colored coated it for you."

Rinoa gave Watts a cheesy grin before stuffing the paper into her bag. "May I be dismissed now?"

"Do you understand your duty? You have two to three days to complete this model. Follow every step I have written out for you. Don't screw up, this is important."

"Yes yes yes, I know I know. Come Angelo," She called to her dog and left the small meeting room.

Rinoa opened up the large steel door of the train and let Angelo out to do his business. Rinoa stepped out into the cool night and breathed in deeply. The fresh breeze calmed her, relieving her from her stress and anxiety. She dropped her bag and sat down by a nearby tree, leaning against it to watch Angelo sniff the area around him.

"Oh, Angelo," she sighed.

The dog perked his ears up at her, his plumy tail wagged, his tongue lolled, and he grinned his doggy grin before tearing across the vast park towards her. As always, Angelo sensed her mood and thrust himself closer to her, licking her hands, her cheek, her ear, almost knocking her down in his frenzy of sympathy. Rinoa grabbed onto him to keep from being pushed over.

"All right, all right, thanks for the bath," she laughed as she wiped away the slobber.

Rinoa tapped her lap with her hand, motioning Angelo to lay down. Closing her eyes while gently stroking Angelo's soft mane, she let her mind flow back to Seifer. Never in her life had she felt so needed and loved by anyone. No, she thought, I was just one of his many conquests. He could of had any girl he wanted whenever he wanted one. Mimi said so herself. If Rinoa wasn't in a helpless need that night, Seifer would of been out with Mimi and all his other friends like he does every night.

Her thoughts were interrupted by Angelo's low growl. Rinoa looked ahead and saw a squirrel scampering across the path in front of them. Without even an apologetic look for abandoning her, he tore out in furious pursuit of the squirrel, barking madly. Clearing Timber of the iniquitous squirrels was Angelo's ambition in life, though he never caught one, he never stopped trying.

Rinoa watched, laughing at her silly mutt as the squirrel quickly scampered high up the nearest tree and stopped, sitting on a low branch looking down at Angelo, as if taunting him. Leaving the dog to it's fun, Rinoa stood up and grabbed her bag before heading back to her room. She whistled loudly at Angelo and he tore across the field after her. Of course, he reached the door before she did and turned his head to bark at her, impatient to get inside.

"Hush silly. You can't wait to get out and once you're out, you can't wait to get back inside," Rinoa said to him before turning the knob.

Logic made no sense to Angelo. He merely wagged his tail harder and when the door opened, he zoomed in, nearly knocking her over. He trotted loudly down the hallway towards Rinoa's bedroom in the very back and sniffed around rapidly before returning to Rinoa as if to say, "I've checked out everything and it's okay to enter."

To Rinoa, her room was beautiful. It wasn't as grand, luxurious, and exquisite as her bedroom back at home, but it was beautiful. She threw her bag on the floor next to her bed and tore off her clothes, heading to her very own bathroom.

After a relaxing hot shower, she came back into her room to see that Angelo had already claimed the bed for his own. His tail thumped against the mattress when she bent down to give his ear a nice hard scratch. Rinoa managed to shove Angelo aside to make barely enough room for her to squeeze under the covers. Once her head hit the pillow, she was asleep instantly.

~*~*~*~

The next two days left Rinoa exhausted as she finished the final touches of her model of the President's trains. She rubbed her dirty hands on her paint covered apron before wiping the sweat off her forehead.

"Hey Rinoa," Watts called from behind.

"Yeah?" Rinoa turned around, paint all over her face.

"How's the model?" he asked, walking over beside her.

"It's done, finally," she smiled up at him, but her smile faded when she saw the redness of Watt's face. "What is it?"

Watts burst of laughter not only scared Rinoa, but confused her. "That doesn't look anything like my sketches I made!"

"Shut up!" she gave him a hard punch on the shoulder. "I tried."

"Don't worry, princess, this will do. At least it's recognizable of what is what. Just hope the SeeD can make out if that there is a banana or a train." Watts scratched his head, "Oh, by the way, I came to tell you that tonight you have to attend the SeeD graduation. There, you can confirm the mission with Headmaster Cid. So, find something pretty to wear besides this old thing," he picked at her clothing, but drew his hand back sharply when Rinoa slapped him.

Back in her room, Rinoa looked at herself in the mirror and groaned loudly in distress, throwing herself onto the fluffiness of her warm bed, burying herself into the covers. She did not have the ambiance to go to some lame ball and being all dressed up. She looked up at the dress Zone had bought for her to wear tonight. Very short and tight. It's pearl white color brought back memories of Seifer's large trench coat. Swatting at the memory, Rinoa urged herself out of bed and she grabbed the dress off it's hook.

"Rinoa!" Zone bellowed from the other side of her door, pounding lightly several times.

"Almost ready!" she called, hastily pulling on the dress.

"You said that thirty minutes ago! Does it take this damn long to put on a dress?"

Zone raised his hand to pound on her door once more but halted when the door opened. Rinoa stepped out wearing the revealing pearly dress. She gave him a meek smile and walked over to him, tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear. Zone looked her up and down and grinned at her.

"Ready?" Zone extended his arm, "Remember, your goal is to talk with the Headmaster and verify the mission with him. Tomorrow is the big day." He tapped her hand gently, leading her towards the great stairway of Balamb Garden.

~*~*~*~

Rinoa's heels clicked against the vast marble floor, her footsteps echoing through the walls as she made her way towards the Quad of Balamb. Two men in uniform stood solid stiff and moved only to open immense doors of the Quad when she approached. Feeling like Cinderella, Rinoa shielded her eyes at the brightness of the ballroom, her mouth gaping open when she saw all the couples dancing in front of her, reminding her of that awful night of her engagement party with her fiancè.

Swallowing hard, she walked around the enormous ballroom, letting her fingers slide over the solid granite statue and smiled sweetly at the passers-by. You can do this, she calmed herself, just talk to the old man and you're home free. Rinoa's eyes surveyed the surroundings around her for the Headmaster, but all she saw were young people her age clad in the same uniform dancing all over the place or in large groups, chatting. Rinoa saw a bouncing girl ahead with flipped hair and walked over to her, lightly tapping her on the shoulder.

"Excuse me, but can you help me find the Headmaster? Is he around somewhere?" Rinoa politely asked.

"Sure! I'm Selphie, follow me!" the brunette looped her arm around Rinoa's and guided her through the crowd. Instead of helping her find the Headmaster, she introduced Rinoa to every single person they ran into.

Rinoa courteously excused herself from Selphie, saying that she needed to use the bathroom, and hurried away from the girl before she introduced her to the other half of the SeeDs of Garden. She glanced down at her watch and noticed that she had been here for a solid hour already and still haven't found Headmaster Cid anywhere. Sighing, she looked up at the beautifully designed ceiling of the ballroom that revealed the clear night's sky along with the numerous of stars it beheld.

She smiled when she caught a glimpse of a shooting star. Feeling watched, she looked to her right and saw a tall young man looking her way. Rinoa glanced to her left, making her he was looking at her and not someone else. She paused before looking up again, this time through her eye lashes. Yes, he was still looking at her. Rinoa gasped when she saw that the young man had a familiar looking scar on his forehead. Leaning towards him a bit more, she squinted her eyes at him to make sure she wasn't seeing things.

Rinoa looked surprised when the man she was peeping at walked up to her. She felt the blood rush to her face under this gorgeous man's hot stare. He was handsome indeed. Tall, dark, with brilliant blue eyes that seemed to be sparkling with hilarity. Light brown hair cascading down his face, hiding that scar he detained. His shoulders broad and his waist slim. Not as bulk and big as Seifer, but pretty cut, she can tell. Rinoa did nothing but stood there, gazing up at the tall man as he looked her up and down, his smug face showed that he was satisfied.

"I noticed you were looking at me. Would you like to dance?" he asked, a small smile playing at the corner of his lips. He held his hand out to her to take.

"S-sure," Rinoa replied meekly, allowing him to guide her to the dance floor.

The last time she ever danced was a year back at that appalling night club Seifer had taken her to, and she wasn't sure she still had her moves with her. She felt him place a hand behind her at the curve of her waist and right above the curve of her bottom, pulling her body to be pressed up against his. The only arms of a man she'd ever been in was Seifer, and she remembered what happened afterwards. She could feel herself beginning to shiver, not from coldness, but uneasiness.

"I don't know how to dance." she whispered, looking up at him.

He smiled down at her. "It's all right," he said in a stern, low voice.

He began to sidestep, following the movements of the dance, but Rinoa's numb body wouldn't budge causing his foot to trip over hers. Rinoa looked up at him wide-eyed.

"Just follow me," he assured, and began to force her numb body to move with him. Rinoa felt herself beginning to loosen up, but the next thing she knew, the heel of her shoe slammed down hard on his foot.

"Whoa, I'm so-"

"Don't worry about it,â€? he cut her off, giving her another reassuring smile.

Rinoa blushed hard, feeling a hot wave cascade down her body. Suddenly, she felt herself bolted straight up as a familiar tune sounded. Yes, it was her mother's song! Smiling widely and with all the confidence she could muster, she grabbed his hand and guided her to the dance that she'd seen her mother and father danced when she was a little girl. A dance that was made just for this song. Boldly, she leaded him to the dance. She heard him laugh as he twirled her around in his arms.

When the had music ended and the dance was over, Rinoa was breathless. Her chest heaving with every intake of breath, her body crushed up against this mysterious dark man. Above, fireworks exploded and the grand lights of the ballroom dimmed. She took this chance to etch this man's face into her memory before pulling away from his arms.

Over his shoulder, she caught a glimpse of Headmaster Cid in a mist of a large crowd around him. Rinoa nearly jumped out of the man's arms. She politely gave him an excuse to go to the ladies room and he solemnly nodded at her, looking disappointed. Quickly, she ran from the dance floor towards the Headmaster.

"Headmaster Cid!" she called to the old man.

The Headmaster looked up at the call of his name and saw a petite young woman running towards him. He smiled at her when she grabbed his hand and shook it wildly, breathless.

"Headmaster, I am a member of the Forest Owls. My name is Rinoa Heartilly and I was sent here to confirm the mission we agreed to achieve mutually together. It's a pleasure to meet you," Rinoa introduced.

"Ahh, yes, of course. The mission's date is set on tomorrow mid-morning. I'm delighted to meet you, Miss Heartilly." He smiled warmly at her.

After a brief conversation with the Headmaster, Rinoa glanced up at the giant clock and saw that it was near midnight. She was to meet Zone at the stairway entrance of Balmab in ten minutes. Silently cursing at herself, she swiftly made her way through the large crowd of SeeDs, lightly pushing people out of her way muttering "excuse me" and headed towards the immense doors she entered before. Nodding at the two gentleman, they opened the doors for her to pass.

The large doors of the Quad closed behind her making a loud boom that echoed through the dark halls of Balmab. The lights have been turned off due to the pass curfew. The SeeDs and students of Balamb were either in their dorms by now or still in the Quad partying away through the night.

Following the light at the end of the hallway, Rinoa pulled off her high heels and ran blindlessly through the dark.

~*~*~*~

Seifer inhaled the last bit of his cigarette before throwing it on the ground, crushing it with the tip of his heavy boot. After ten minutes of the graduation revelry, Seifer called it quits for the night and paid Squall fifty bucks for him to take his place in showing the Forest Owls member around the ballroom. He spent the night by laying out by himself out in the Secret Area of the Training Center, just gazing up at the sky's phenomenon. Catching a few shooting stars here and there, smoking and relaxing.

Seifer felt himself beginning to doze off and decided to head back to his dorm before he fell asleep out here in the Secret Area. Slowly, he made his way from the Training Center towards the Dormitory, but stopped abruptly when he heard a sound of heavy breathing coming from the other side of the Garden hallway. It sounded as if someone was running somewhere. Seifer let out a sigh. Being in charge of the Discipline Committee, he was used to having to catch students who roam about the halls late after curfew.

As swiftly and quietly as a cat, Seifer tore across the hall and after the running person. The sound of the person was closer, so close that Seifer can feel their presence. Unexpectedly, Seifer halted, pausing, standing absolutely still, listening for the running feet of the incoming victim. He hid around the corner and right when the person rounded the curve, Seifer threw out his arm and grabbed the individual about the waist, slamming them against the wall and pressed his body to theirs, placing a hand over their mouth.

"It's pass curfew," Seifer hissed.

Rinoa squirmed violently under her attacker's seize, and felt him pressed himself up against her even harder. The size of him was exceedingly immense for her to escape from. After a long attempt of struggling, she stopped and breathed hard, surrendering. The thoughts of rape and death flowing through her mind, she choked back sobs that were on it's way out. Seifer's hand was still over her mouth and the other was around her small waist. His face was buried in the tangles of her soft hair. He began roam his free hand down the curves of her body.

"Who are you?" he whispered, his hot breath caressing her ear.

Rinoa's body became ridged under his touch. The familiarity of his voice made her body shake and his touches were like fire to her body. Hot tears begin to roll down her cheeks. Even in the darkness, she knew his presence and felt it. Seifer felt the body beneath his began to shake and he quickly grabbed the person by the shoulder and held her out to the light for him to see.

Yes, finally. A sight Seifer had been longing to see for the past year.

"Rinoa?" Seifer managed to choke out, eyes wide as oranges.

Neither of them moved; they just stood looking at eachother. Rinoa's eyes scanned his face; it was still the similar face she knew long ago. Firm set jaw, blue eyes that still twinkled with that same laughter, short hair. Nothing has changed, except maybe the rather large scar across his forehead, but she remember vividly those days of nursing him back to health.

After minutes, hours it seemed, Seifer grabbed her limp body and slung her over his shoulder as if she was a piece of firewood. Rinoa allowed herself to be carried away by him, still numbed over by their shocking reunion. Moments later, she felt herself being thrown onto a small yet cozy bed. She looked around her, confused but not quite frightened, wondering where she was. Seifer stood back by the doorway, blocking the hallway light with his big body. Her body went stiff as her eyes locked with his.

"Why did you leave me?" he demanded in a low whisper, his piercing blue eyes drilling into hers.

As he walked over to her slowly, she could not speak, but could only look at him wildly.

"I asked you a question," Seifer said, his face inches from hers.

Rinoa felt herself shrinking away from him, intimated by his aggressiveness and bigness. Seifer gently touched her temples with his fingertips, and Rinoa felt herself go weak. Before she could collapse, he caught her, lifted her off the bed and into his arms, burying his face in her neck and breathed in her lovely scent. Rinoa's mind was too full to think at all, she never considered what she was doing or committing herself to. All she knew was that Seifer held her, and, more than life itself, she wanted him to make love to her. The rendezvous with Zone at midnight was soon forgotten.

Gently, as if she might break, Seifer laid her back on the bed and then sat down beside her, his hands holding her face, fingertips caressing her face and temples. He smiled down at her and she melted under his gaze. "I had almost forgotten how beautiful you are," he whispered.

Rinoa's hands went up his arms. How splendid it felt to feel his strength once again, to feel the nearness and warmth of him! Her nervous trembling slowly ceased and was replaced by a hot desire flooding her entire body.

"Seifer," she managed to whisper before his mouth covered hers.

As his hands roamed about her body, Rinoa moved, stretching out her body to give him freer access. Her kissed her face, her neck, while his shaking hand tore away the gown she wore, completely ripping it off her body and discarding it on the floor. Once she was nude, he began to stroke her body, her legs, the back of her, and his touch made her feel beautiful in a way no compliment or a pretty dress ever had. She closed her eyes and gave herself up to the lovely sensations of the darkened room and this man's big, wide, hard hands going up and down her body, curving over surfaces she forgot she had owned.

When she opened her eyes to look at him, she saw the softness in his face that she dreamed about all those long sleepless nights over the past year. His eyes were dark and hot-looking.

"Seifer?" she whispered.

"I'm right here, baby, I'm not going anywhere," he said as he began to touch her again.

Desperately needing to feel his skin against hers, she struggled to take off his clothes. Once every piece of clothing was off his body, Seifer attacked her with all the pent-up desire that he had stored inside for so long. And Rinoa responded in the same manner. His hands were on her breasts as his mouth sought hers in the darkness, and she opened to him like a flower to a bee. Crushing her to him, his mouth clinging to hers, he put his hands on her bottom and raised her to meet him. Rinoa gasped at the first thrust, but there was no pain as she began to move with him. She dug her nails into his flesh and pulled him closer and closer to her.

Rinoa had no idea of the time or of how long they were in his dorm, because her thoughts were taken up with Seifer's body that was sometimes on top of hers, sometimes under, beside, and even sitting. Her hair was plastered to her face with sweat, hanging down her back in wet locks. Everywhere, she was surrounded by Seifer's skin: hot, damp, delicious skin that was hers for the tasting and touching.

Instinctively, Rinoa wrapped her legs around his waist and clutched his neck as he lifted her from the bed and shoving her against the wall, increasing the passion of this thrusts as Rinoa threw her head back and loudly exclaimed her pleasure. When the last hard, fiery thrust came, Rinoa screamed, grabbing onto Seifer's head as he fell limp against her.

For a moment, Seifer held her suspended and she clung to him as if for her life. After several long minutes, he eased both of them back down to his bed, and snuggled her so close she could barely breathe.

"Damn, a screamer, huh," he murmured, "Did you miss me that much?"

Rinoa was too exhausted to reply before she fell asleep in his arms.