 
~**~

In Theory

A Bookworms and Booya Book

© 2003 By Nona Mae King & J. 'Peppermint' Seay

Inspired by the characters Quistis Trepe, Zone, Seifer Almasy,

and other characters from

Final Fantasy VIII © SquareEnix

Published by Mintfield Books

Cover design by Nona Mae King & Fury Publishing

Discover other titles by Nona Mae King:

Fantasy:

To Save A Soul

Romance:

My Fair Princess

Searching for Sara

Fan-Fiction:

Bookworms and Booya (series)

Few Words

The Reluctant Knight

A Rose By Any Other Name

Terra (series)

Ace of Diamonds

Digital Edition, License Notes

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you're reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to the site and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

~**~
**Glossary of** Characters **:**

 Quistis Trepe\--Head of Instruction at Balamb Garden. She grew up at the same orphanage as Zell, Squall, Seifer, Selphie and Irvine. She was adopted at a young age, though never grew close to her adoptive family.

Zone McCormick-- a determined man dedicated to justice, even should that put him at odds with people in authority. Because of his serious view of life and justice, he acquired ulcers at the age of 13 and has battled them ever since.

 Seifer Almasy\--Head of Network Security and long-time rival of Squall. He is hard on his team and demands nothing but the best. The head of the Disciplinary Committee before the second Sorceress War. He is often seen as a bully rather than a true law enforcer.

Janine Larabie\--(property of Nona Mae King) Outspoken and highly opinionated, she is not above questioning orders if it means saving the life of innocent civilians or her squad. On her own since the age of 13, she and her brother lived on the street until she was taken in by a missionary and his wife. She is the only female gun-blader.

Jaxon Crest\--(property of J. Seay) Entered Trabia Garden at the age of fifteen and quickly progressed through the ranks. Studied battle theory and practiced swordsmanship since the age of ten. He is easy to work with and is often requested for missions outside of the Garden Network. He still feels guilt about the death of his fiancée.

 Fujin 'Ahndra' Kelley\-- a young woman with pale skin, short silver hair and an eye patch. She was a member of Seifer's Disciplinary Committee and is now part of Garden's Security Network. Fujin prefers to speak in terse sentences, often with only a single word.

Marshal Beita\--(property of Nona Mae King) a calm individual who thinks before acting, generally only behaving irrationally when protecting those he cares about. He has a tendency of using sarcastic humor to alleviate tension. He witnessed his younger sister's rape and murder.

 Zell Dincht\--an impulsive martial artist who is loyal to his friends. He also has a passion for hot dogs, a recurring gag of the game being they are always sold out by the time he reaches the cafeteria. He grew up at the same orphanage as Selphie, Irvine, Quistis, Squall and Seifer, who gave him the nickname "chicken-wuss". Zell was adopted by "Ma Dincht" from the city of Balamb.

 Sally Regal (the Library Girl)-- a timid individual who has a knack for solving puzzles and a fierce loyalty to Zell Dincht. She was originally enrolled at Garden by her parents to help her with her extreme shyness and lack of social aptitude.

 Selphie Tilmitt\--an instructor at Balamb Garden who originally transferred from the now destroyed Trabia Garden. She is active and energetic, although slightly clumsy. She participates in many extracurricular activities, such as planning the Garden Festival and running the school's website.

 Squall Leonhart\--Commander of the Garden Network. He rarely speaks and is known as a lone wolf who always focuses on duty. He grew up at the same orphanage as Quistis, Zell, Seifer, Selphie, and Irvine, though he was never adopted.

 Rinoa Heartilly\--the daughter of General Caraway and singer/pianist Julia Heartilly. She is a member of the Forest Owls, a resistance faction seeking to liberate the small nation of Timber from Galbadian occupation. Squall and Rinoa are romantically involved.

 Irvine Kinneas\-- one of the Garden's elite sharpshooters. He acts like a carefree, but misunderstood loner; however, this is merely a façade to charm women and hide his lack of confidence. He grew up at the same orphanage as Quistis, Zell, Seifer, Selphie, and Squall.

_Author's Note:_ _The following is a work of Fan-Fiction based on the world and characters from the video game_ Final Fantasy VIII _by Square-Enix. Additional information about the game and characters can be found at_ Mintfield.net _and_ Wikipedia _._

What is "Balamb Garden"--Garden is a prestigious network of military academies for elite mercenaries known as "SeeDs". There are four Gardens as of this series: Balamb, Galbadia, Trabia, and Deling.

What is a "GF"--GF stands for Guardian Force and is a magical creature able to be summoned in battle. There are a wide variety of GFs in the Final Fantasy universe. A side-effect of consistent use is loss of long-term memory.

_If you have not read_ Bookworms and . . . Booya! _, I would recommend doing so before reading_ In Theory _. The following book is a side-story which takes place during books 3 and 4 of the_ Bookworms and Booya _series._

### In Theory

### Prologue

Emails

Quistis Trepe stared at her computer, slightly frowning as her slender fingers tapped an absent rhythm on her desk in her office on the second floor. The radicals that had invaded the Network through her computer had been caught just the morning before, but she still didn't trust the email sitting in her in-box. There were no viruses detected. No hidden attachments. No imbedded dangers.

Quistis briefly frowned and clicked on and highlighted an e-mail in her 'sent' folder. Her fingers stopped tapping.

'Zone, I wanted to let you know that Sally told me you weren't responsible for the Trojan on my computer here at Garden. I'm not able to tell you much more than that. Security reasons. But I can tell you I was relieved. You helped us so much before that I didn't want to think you had changed sides. It's nice to have allies outside Garden. And it's very important to have friends there, too. Quistis'

Quistis stared at the email, frown gone. Then she clicked back over to the waiting message in her in-box. With a deep breath, Quistis highlighted the message.

'Quistis, Thanks.'

She smiled and shook her head. _Two words._ She'd been staring at the message header for five minutes and it held only two words? She chuckled and hit reply.

'Zone, You'll be pleased to know the radicals are enjoying Seifer's hospitality in the brig. Fujin has plans to begin interrogations after they've spent a few more days under his wing. They'll likely be ready to talk then. If you want to come out and have a session of 'discussion' with them, I'll see what I can do. Seifer already offered me some time, and since your reputation was also affected, I thought you might like to watch the fun. Just let me know. Quistis'

Quistis sent the note, still slightly smiling, and then moved her focus to her work. _Two words._ She chuckled.

*

The tone of the accepted message in her inbox caused a twitch. Quistis looked at the clock on the wall and then the icon in the system tray noting the waiting message. _Thirty minutes since. . . ._ She lowered her pen and clicked the icon. It brought up her mail program and displayed the list of mail, read and unread, within her inbox. The one unopened message was from Zone. Quistis cleared her throat, feeling an unexpected flutter of something as she highlighted the message.

'Quistis, I don't think me going there would be a very good idea. I'd probably do something stupid and get me put in the brig. I'll just let you have all the fun. Thanks anyway. Zone'

Quistis smiled and absently tapped her fingers on her desk. 'He reads naughty magazines.' She gave a slight shrug. She had a few herself. Who didn't? She smirked. _Sally._ Quistis chuckled and hit reply.

'Zone, Too bad. It would have been fun. Quistis'

She sent the email. Alright, Zone. Your turn. You serious? Or not?

*

Quistis absently towel dried her hair as she stared down at the computer in her room. She stared, specifically, at the 'email' icon in the system tray. It had been two days since her email. She draped the towel over her chair and then slowly sat. She double-clicked the icon and highlighted the message header.

'Quistis, I've been meaning to ask, what made you get into Garden in the first place? I started with the Owls because me and Watts and Rinoa were pissed that there were all these rebels not rebelling. We wanted to do something to change everything for the better. It was damn hard getting people to take us serious, even Squall thought we were a joke, but we've never been afraid to do something if it meant life'd be better. Is it the same for you and garden? Just curious. Zone.'

Quistis sat back in her chair and slowly crossed her arms as she re read the message. The first serious email from him and it was about who she was and what she was about: making a difference. Quistis released a slow breath and ran a finger lightly down the bridge of her nose. Then she cleared her throat and sat up, rubbing her palms on her terry-cloth robe.

"Okay, Zone," she said under her breath as she prepared the new email. "You want to know about me and Garden."

_'Zone, Don't worry about Squall. About that time he thought everyone was a joke. Didn't stray from 'orders' and didn't want to get involved. It was safer for him. Now he gets involved in_ every _thing, and it's a pain in the ass. Makes more work for us. :) Not that I mind. As for me and my role with Garden, that evolved with my candidacy. At first I was enrolled by my foster parents at the age of eleven. I was told I had a control issue, and the studying at Garden would either curb it or put it to good use. I liked studying at Garden, and as the years passed I found that I liked being a part of something. We helped people on a grand scale. We affected change. In a way, we controlled things. I liked that. I suppose it was the power. Very addicting for someone like me. At times I wondered at the ethics of our assignments, morally, but Headmaster Cid did a wonderful job of choosing which to accept and which to pass. I know some of the other Gardens weren't so... differentiating._

'I stay with Garden now for much the same reason. I affect change. I affect lives for the better. And, I learn myself. that is the greatest draw; the inner change. The inner challenge. And that is likely why I will be a member of Garden until it's time to retire. Thank you for asking. Quistis'

Quistis gave a brusque nod and clicked 'send'. _Point one in your favor. Next match._

*

"You going to the game tonight, right?" Zone asked as he pushed his arms into his favorite green pullover.

Watts, ever the energetic fetcher of information, stood ready in the middle of the living room of Zone's apartment for anything. Zone didn't think his friend knew how to relax.

"I think so, sir." Watts dug an envelope out of his back pocket. "Yes. Here are the tickets, and it says it's for tonight's game."

Zone laughed and ran a hand through his short, straight black hair. "Geez, Watts. Relax." He put on his team cap. "Galbadia doesn't look over our shoulders anymore, so bre--" Zone's computer chimed notice of received email, causing both Zone and Watts to look over at it with surprised expressions.

"You've got mail, sir?"

Zone's ears pinked. "Y-Yeah. I've been, uh. . . ." He cleared his throat and scrubbed at his scalp after removing his cap.

"Aren't you going to read it, sir?"

"Um... S Sure." Zone hesitantly walked to his desk and sat down, sending Watts a glance as he moved to stand beside him.

Zone double-clicked the icon in the system tray as he said, "Dude, can you get me a soda? Ice and a glass would be killer."

"Right away, sir." And he disappeared to the kitchen.

Zone released a deep breath and highlighted the message header of the new mail. Exchanging emails with Quistis Trepe still seemed surreal. Each time he saw that icon in his system tray he had to blink and look again. After all, she was everything he wasn't. And now he was telling her why he joined Rinoa and the Owls, and she was telling him why she stayed with Garden. The reasons were so similar it freaked him out.

Zone flinched when Watts set the requested glass of soda beside him on the desk. Then he innocently asked, "Who's it from, sir? Rinoa?"

Zone closed the program window with hurried motions and stood. "No one. Nothing. Chill. It's all good."

Watts blinked at him. "O-Okay."

"Look." He cleared his throat and gestured to the door. "Can I meet you and Dwight later? I'll look for you at the front gate."

Watts nodded. "Yes, sir." And he left the apartment without a question about anything. Zone released a deep breath and then turned back for his computer. He stared at his monitor, tapping his foot without even realizing it. Then he released another breath and reopened the mail program. "I'm emailing Quistis Trepe," he mumbled. "What am I doing? She's--" He opened a new email window. "She's. . . she's **Quistis**!"

Zone scrubbed at his scalp and started typing.

'Quistis...'

He stared at the one word, unable to type a single word after that. "Dude! What am I doing?" he mumbled. He scrubbed at his scalp and leaned back, remembering Zell's pushes to tell the gorgeous blonde Instructor how he felt. "But just like that? She'll think I'm a stalker!"

Zone leaned onto his desk, arms crossed as he stared at her note enclosed in the body of the email. She'd told him something about her life. _Do girls do that when they're not interested?_ Zone groaned and hid his face in his arms. _Crap. I'm toast._ And his stomach twisted and flared in pain just to prove him right.

He lifted his gaze to the email again. "Oh hell. Why not? Might as well have major ulcers for something." He straightened and started the letter again.

'I guess it's no surprise when I say that I like you. Zell says you already know. Hell. All of Timber knows. Why else did the dickhead at the ISP try and screw me over by using my ID to infect your computer with a Trojan. And I'm really sorry about that, Quistis. I didn't think you'd ever want to talk to me after that. And then you sent me the email. That's why I only said 'Thanks'. I couldn't believe you wrote.'

_\--Dude, you're rambling!_ \--

'So, if you don't mind keeping on sending emails back and forth, I'd really like to hang out with you every once and a while. I know Seifer'll shit bricks with all the security issues it'll bring up and stuff, but I don't care. I like you, and I think you're damn gorgeous. So, yeah. Talk to you later, Quistis.'

Zone hit 'send' before he could change his mind and then doubled over with a grumble of "Ow ow ow ow ow," as he stood and went in search of his medication.

*

Quistis' lips twitched at the recognizable chime of the incoming Instant Message. She sent a sidelong glance to her monitor in the second story classroom. A few of the candidates lifted gazes from papers.

"Eyes on your papers, candidates," she instructed firmly.

The eyes returned to their previous focus and Quistis turned toward her computer.

**TREPE** : Well hello. I thought you and Watts were going to Deling City to scope some possible radicals.

**ZMAN** : had to go to the dr

**TREPE** : Ulcer giving you problems again?

**ZMAN** : always. i guess it's better tho. don't ahve to take as many meds.

Quistis looked up from the computer to the approaching candidate. "Yes, Trevor?"

The tall candidate with the blond thatch and green eyes flushed and rubbed at the back of his neck. "Um... I need to go."

Quistis motioned to the door. "Five minutes."

Trevor nodded and exited the classroom. Quistis focused again on her computer.

**ZMAN** : regal back from her exam yet?

**TREPE** : No. According to reports, the tranz has only just arrived at the mission site.

**ZMAN** : how's dincht? nuts yet?

**TREPE** : Hasn't left the T.C. since she deployed.

**ZMAN** : what a crack, dincht losing it over a girl. maybe he'll get ulcers too

**TREPE** : And have him bitching about that *and* not enough hot dogs? No thanks.

**ZMAN** : you think he eats so many of those to make up for something?

Quistis restrained a howl of laughter. "Eyes on papers. Trevor, sit down."

**TREPE** : I doubt it.

**ZMAN** : i've told him he needs to quit or he'll have people wondering. he doesn't take me serious.

**TREPE** : I guess he'll learn the hard way.

**ZMAN** : ^0^ you said hard.

**TREPE** : That's as close as you'll ever get to it.

**ZMAN** : d'oh

Quistis sniggered. "Kelley, one more look and I'll assign a new test. Duncan, stop kicking Ally's chair."

**TREPE** : The warriors are getting restless. I better go.

**ZMAN** : ttyl, Quis. tell me when regal gets back

**TREPE** : I will.

Zone logged off. Quistis stared at the message window for another moment before closing it and turning away. She sent the monitor a sidelong glance.

*

Selphie Tilmett poked her head in and around the door of Quistis' office. "Hey, Quis. How you doing?" she asked in her bright voice.

Quistis looked up from her duty of grading final essays and smiled. "Hello, Selphie." She waved her in. "I'm doing fine and need a break. Come on in."

Selphie entered the rest of the way, her brunette hair bobbing around her shoulders as she stepped forward and sat in the chair across from Quistis' desk. "You going to come to the Inauguration Ball?"

Quistis began absently tapping her finger on her desk. "Well, I'm an Instructor, Selphie. We generally make it a policy to come." _Hm._

Selphie brightly smiled. "Sure. I know that, but you don't stay all that long. So I was wondering if you were even going to come this year." Selphie leaned forward. "You should really come to **this** one, Quis. After all, you'll get to see Zell and Sally. Aren't they adorable?"

Quistis rested her chin in her hand. _A date to the inauguration ball._ "Hm." There was a first time for everything.

Selphie tilted her head as she watched Quistis' expression. "Are you... Are you going to come, then?"

Quistis straightened and turned toward her computer, opening her email program and bringing up a new form as she said "I think I will, Selphie. In fact, I'll ask him if he wants to come." _Hadn't he said he wanted to hang out? Haven't we been having fun in our emails? Haven't I held him out at arm's length long enough?_

"'Him'? 'Him' who?"

One side of Quistis' lips twitched as she typed the name. "Zone."

Selphie's jaw dropped.

*

Zone cleared his throat and straightened the tie of his suit. He adjusted his position on the couch on the train--he got to use the SeeD car!--and crossed his arms. _Inauguration Ball._ That was a big thing. Not everyone invited got to go. Security. And not everyone that wanted to go got invited. _Inauguration Ball. With Quistis._

Zone rubbed at the back of his neck and cleared his throat again. His stomach churned and burned, but he ignored it. _When did this happen? Hell if I remember!_ Emails. That's all it had been for a week and a half. Laughing at the stupid-ass things people did. Talking about missions done and missions to do. Exchanging pics and stories.

Zone shook his head and just stopped himself from straightening his red tie for the fiftieth time.

The train pulled in to the station at Balamb and he made his way into the aisle. He stared out at the eager and not-so-eager faces of those waiting on the platform-- _Oh Hyne._ Quistis waited in full SeeD uniform. Zone swallowed hard, giving a slight smile when she intercepted his gaze. She acknowledged his greeting with her own smile and a lifting of her hand.

_Oh Hyne._ Zone stepped down the aisle and into the last car of the train as he frantically searched the pockets of his suit coat for an antacid. He popped three, swallowing the starchy substance as he descended the train to meet Quistis at the bottom of the steps. She looked hot and smelled better.

"Hi," Zone croaked. His ears burned. _Shit._

Her blue eyes twinkled, and she kept smiling. "Hello, Zone. How was the trip?"

"Good. Good," he said, nodding. _Damn it._ He must have sounded like an idiot.

Quistis' rose lips twitched, and she adjusted her thin, wire-framed glasses before looking and motioning to the exit of the station. "I've rented a car. It's waiting."

"Okay." Zone cleared his throat and then scrubbed at the back of his neck. They didn't move.

"You all right?" Quistis asked.

Zone absently nodded.

She smiled. "You look very nice."

Zone's face and neck burned as his gaze briefly met hers. "Thanks. You look better."

Quistis chuckled. "Thank you."

She shocked him nearly to death by wrapping an arm around his and guiding him to the exit of the station. Zone walked like a zombie, and his gut felt like it would eat him alive.

"Relax, Zone," she said softly. "It's just a party."

_Just a party? I'm going with Quistis Trepe as her_ _date_ _and she says it's_ _just a party_ _?!_ "Yeah. Sorry."

Quistis chuckled again, slightly shaking her head. "Relax."

Zone faced her. "Quistis, how am I supposed to 'relax' when I'm going with **you** to a **dance**!?" he stammered out, Quistis only smiling very slightly. "Y-You're. . . ." He didn't even know what adjective covered what she was.

"I'm what?" Quistis gracefully crossed her arms, a perfect blonde eyebrow arched. "I'm a woman who asked a man to a dance. He said 'yes'." She motioned briefly to him with a hand. "There he is. What else is there?"

And she said it **so** calm. So **Quistis**. Totally in control.

Then she straightened and again wrapped her arm around Zone's, tucking her hand into the nook of his elbow as she turned him toward the exit once more.

Zone swallowed hard as he fisted and unfisted his hands several times. _Is this_ _happening_ _?_ And when Quistis' hand in the nook of his arm gave several squeezes, Zone looked over--and intercepted a reassuring blue-eyed smile. His lips curved upward, but his stomach couldn't decide between flips and walls of fire.

*

Quistis and Zone walked around the main corridor of Garden as the clip, clip, clip, clip of their shoes reverberated through the building like comforting raindrops. Quistis was more than buzzed, and she liked it.

"This has been fun," Zone said, quiet. He sent her a sidelong glance. "Thanks for asking if I wanted to come."

"You're welcome."

Zone sent her another glance. "You want to go out again sometime?"

"I would like that." Quistis laced her fingers with his, smiling when she felt his twitch and heard his slight clearing of the throat. Yes, she definitely liked the buzz. "Did you know this is the first time I've been to the Inauguration Ball with anyone?"

"Nope," he said in a cracked voice.

Quistis sent him a long, sidelong glance. He stared straight ahead, and his ears were red. "No one ever asked."

Zone cleared his throat again, and the red migrated to his neck and face. "I would've," he croaked, and he absently rubbed at his gut.

Quistis' smile widened slightly. "I know."

He quickly glanced and just as quickly looked away. Quistis watched him as Zone rubbed at the back of his neck, still holding her hand and only occasionally sending glances her direction.

Quistis chuckled. "Come with me." She began tugging him toward the Training Center, diving head first into the buzz and loving every minute of it. "I want to show you a secret place."

"A s-secret place?" Zone stammered as he hurried to fall into step beside her.

A place she hadn't been to since Squall's Inauguration Ball. A place that held less than wonderful memories for her. She sent Zone's geeky-attractive persona an impish smile and watched the red flare his face. She laughed. "In all honesty,. it isn't so secret. Hasn't been for years, but it's more adventurous to say it's a 'secret'. SeeD's live for danger and adventure, you know."

Quistis sure as hell liked it.

She led him down the corridor toward the Training Center and then into the front lobby, into the main portion, and then back to the entrance of the Forbidden Area that she wanted to make out in ever since she could remember. Too bad the only memories she had of the place was a less-than-glorious session with Seifer and, later, barely a word exchanged with Squall.

"Wow," Zone whispered.

Quistis smirked. "You haven't seen anything yet." She pulled him to the far side of the area and then pushed him back against the wall, her arms going around his neck as she pressed herself close. Zone blinked down at her with wide eyes. " **Now** you say 'wow'," she whispered as she lightly caressed his nose with hers and then nibbled his lower lip with her teeth.

"Qui--" Kiss "Quistis--" kiss, kiss "Quistis, wait--"

She smiled seductively up at him, her fingers playing in his hair. "Wait? For what? You like me, remember?"

Zone cleared his throat and lowered his gaze from her inviting expression to her lips and then away from those, clearing his throat several times. "I do, but, erm." He glanced toward her again in time to intercept another teasing kiss.

"Come on, Zone," Quistis purred against his lips, and she damn-well liked kissing Zone. It wasn't harsh, like the kisses from Seifer had been, and there was definitely something there. "Let's have a little fun."

And he went along with it, drawing her a little closer and returning the kiss a helluvalot more than he had before. With the buzz, it felt damned good. Quistis smoothed her hands down the front of his shirt and tugged it from his slacks. Zone surprised her by breaking their kiss and pushing her back, his expression serious the same as hers was surprised.

"No," he said, shaking his head.

Quistis arched an eyebrow and then smiled, leaning toward him to kiss the tip of his nose. "No? Or not yet?"

"Quistis, **no**." He pushed her back again. "You're drunk, I'm buzzed, and you'd probably regret it tomorrow. Let's not do this. Okay?"

She freed her arms from his grasp and stepped in again, hands returning to their previous duty. "But I want to," she said, giggling when he tried again to pull her hands away. She evaded them without problem and had him back against the wall, hands working at his buttons as she smirked up into his--Quistis blinked and stopped. He looked positively horrified and Quistis suddenly didn't feel very good. She dropped her hands away, face stricken as she stepped back, her stomach lurching. She covered her mouth with a hand and turned to hurry away.

"Qi-Qi! Wait!" Zone actually grabbed her by the hand and pulled her to a stop.

Quistis turned on him, blue eyes sparking. "Wait?" She pushed a finger into his chest. "First it's 'no' and then it's 'wait'? What the hell do you want from me, Zone? Or am I just a mindgame for you?"

"Mindgame? You?" Zone sputtered several moments before motioning back to the now empty Forbidden Area. "I don't want you to do something that you'll regret."

"Regret? Why the hell would I regret making out with you, Zone? It felt damn good!"

Zone blinked, face and neck and ears turning red as he said, "What?"

Quistis scoffed and crossed her arms as she regarded him. "Do you really think I would have brought you here if I **didn't** want to make out? Sure, sure, I'm drunk, but who the hell cares? I like having the excuse to quit acting the damned ice queen bitch and live a little."

"B-But you're--"

"I'm **what** , Zone?"

"You're not," he forced out.

"Not? Not what?"

Zone swallowed hard. "An ice queen bitch," he forced out. "You're hot. And gorgeous. And a damn good SeeD. And your Battle Theory papers? It's no wonder you and Squall beat the Sorceress' ass."

"So then why can't I have a little fun?" Quistis pressed, stepping closer as she pushed the finger into his chest again. He backed off, but she followed. "Why can't I bend the rules and... and..." She halted and reached up to pull the hair stick out of her hair, throwing it away and shaking her blonde tresses free. Zone swallowed so hard he nearly choked. Then Quistis stepped up, taking hold of his shirt to draw him close. "And have a little damned fun making out with a guy?"

Zone cringed a little, a hand going quickly to his middle.

For some reason, the action caused Quistis to smirk and then laugh. She released his shirt and smoothed the wrinkles as she moved slightly back. "Hyne, Zone," she murmured. She motioned to him. "Do you have your meds?"

"Yeah." He looked down and began a search of his pockets, which eventually slowed and stopped as Quistis watched him with an arched eyebrow and crossed arms. Finally, his arms lowered to his sides and he lifted his gaze to meet hers. "It's only me, Quistis," he said, tone reserved. "Why would you want to make out with me?"

She smirked. "Why would you be hot after me?" Zone flushed red and lowered his gaze. Quistis watched him before giving a delicate shrug. "Who cares? I, for one, would rather not think so much this time. I'd rather go for it."

Zone tucked a hand into his pocket and slowly withdrew it, looking down at the small pouch of antacids before tucking them back away and giving a clearing of his throat. "Okay, Quistis, sure."

Quistis laughed, drawing Zone's gaze and his hesitant smile. "Oh sure, now that the mood is ruined." She looked behind him to the view of Garden and then to Zone, expression thoughtful. She liked him. She liked how she felt when she was with him. When she kissed him. When she talked to him. Maybe it wouldn't be too hard to get back. Quistis lowered her arms and reached out to take his hand and draw him back. "But let's see if we can remember where we left off, shall we?"

Zone's face was still red as he followed. Quistis replaced her arms around his neck and began to tease the hair on the back of his head. "Relax, Zone," she whispered, leaning in to nibble the bottom of his lip.

Zone hesitantly placed his hands around her waist. "Y-yeah."

Her lips teased his, enjoying the advance-and-retreat, the deeper press of his body against hers, and the slow progress of his hands along her curves.

One

Circumstances

"Get out of my office."

Seifer Almasy's green eyes hardened as his face reddened slightly. "Trepe--"

Quistis stood from her desk, hands pressing hard against her desk top. Her blue eyes met and held Seifer's menacing glare. "There is **no** way I'm going to jeopardize my career with Garden for your 'hunch'." She gestured to the door of her office on the second floor of Balamb Garden. "Now **get** **out** **of** **my** **office**."

Seifer snatched up the reports he'd placed on her desk. "Fine." He strode from the room.

Quistis sat back in her chair and tightly crossed her arms. _A hunch._ Her blue eyes sparked as her hands clenched her upper arms. _A_ _hunch_ _? You want me to risk everything on a hunch and a transcript report?_

She pressed her lips together and sharply stood, striding out of her office and turning to make her way toward the second story elevator. Quistis didn't understand why Squall had offered the position of Head of Network Security to Seifer Almasy. He had turned against Garden. He had launched attacks against Trabia **and** Balamb. He had even attacked them on numerous occasions, killing one of their GFs!

Seifer Almasy was an arrogant bastard, but Squall had given him a second chance; allowing him to enroll at Garden and take his final exam, then assigning him **rank** **15** and instilling him as Head of Network Security for the newly partnered Gardens.

A partnership that had been Seifer's idea.

Quistis scoffed and crossed her arms as she waited in the hall on the second floor for the elevator. She had **earned** her re-instatement as Instructor in Garden. She had **earned** her rank of 24. She had **earned** her position as Head Instructor. How had Seifer earned his position? By being an ass?

Quistis scoffed again, stepping aboard the elevator when it arrived. She pushed the third floor button and tapped her fingers against her upper arm. Yes, the original cracker invasion into the Network had been her fault. After all, she had been the one naive enough to believe Zone might actually have sent her an email first, including an ecard and a timid 'hello'.

No such luck.

It had been a Trojan virus that allowed a radical group of Purists to syphon information. But it didn't give Seifer the right to put **her** position on the line. Guilt would never factor into her performance of anything. Especially since the security issue, solved by the ex-librarian Sally Regal and new Special Security Officer, had opened Seifer's eyes to the possibilities of invasion that he missed before.

That had taken his pride down a notch or two.

Now, weeks after the invasion, Garden had new security policies, cracker radicals had been gathered up and put behind bars, and Zone had actually gotten up the nerve to email her.

Quistis reluctantly smirked. _Zone._ He was a bit on the odd side, but she liked him. He was funny, a bit crude but funny nonetheless. She had fun talking to him in their emails, web cam chats, and instant message exchanges. And the evening of the Ball? Quistis absently touched her lips. Yes. She liked him. Her smirk vanished. If she acted like a traitor, would Zone respect her anymore? Would she even respect herself? Quistis frowned. There was no way she was going to risk losing a relationship with Zone as **well** as her post at Garden. No way in hell.

The elevator opened and Quistis strode forward, interrupting Seifer and Squall's conversation. Seifer pointedly ignored her. Squall focused on her as she said " **No** , Squall. **Absolutely** **not**."

Seifer faced her, pointing roughly in her face. "So you'd rather the bastards get away with it? As long as your ass is safe you don't give a flying fu--"

"Guys," Squall interrupted, stepping between. "Seifer, calm down."

"Calm down?" Seifer's green eyes sparked as his tall frame went rigid. "The little bit "

"Seifer," Squall warned. " **At** **ease**."

Seifer clenched his jaw and hands as he breathed deep several times, still glaring at Squall.

Squall focused back on Quistis. "What's the problem?"

Quistis motioned roughly to Seifer. "He's putting **my** career on the line based on a hunch and a collection of transcripts that didn't even get **Sally** 's attention." She pointed to herself, blue eyes flashing while her voice was strictly controlled. "There is **no** way I'm going to publicly complain about Garden and distance myself from it, thereby putting black marks on my record, just so that I **might** **be** recruited by underground radicals or a mole in the Garden Network."

Seifer scoffed.

Squall nodded before facing the Head of Network Security. "I agree with Quistis, Seifer."

" **What**?"

Quistis smirked and crossed her arms.

"Come back with more information that proves the conspiracy exists and I'll reconsider. I won't order **any** SeeD to put their career or their life on the line without more facts. We've been screwed too many times."

Seifer's jaw muscle twitched. "Fine," he said harshly. "I'll get you your damned facts." And he strode from the office, entered the elevator, and punched the button for the basement level.

Squall released a deep breath.

Quistis faced him. "Tell me again why you made him Head of Network Security."

Squall stepped away to take up a report and open it. "It was my call," he said vaguely.

She arched an eyebrow as she regarded him. He had grown and matured a lot since their battles against the Sorceress. Even more since beginning counseling upon the insistence of Rinoa. But he was still close-mouthed, not offering any information except the barest needed.

"And that's all?"

"It doesn't matter."

She frowned. "How can it 'not matter', Squall?" He met her gaze. She gestured roughly behind her to the elevator. "He **turned** **against** **us** , and now you put our lives in his hands?"

"He was controlled, Quis. The same as Matron. And Rinoa," he said calmly. "You want me to put them all in the brig? Or do you want them to be shot?"

Quistis pressed her lips together and crossed her arms. "His scores didn't rate his position."

"Neither did yours," Squall said calmly. He set down the report. "Neither did mine. Zell shouldn't have made Instructor, but he's the most popular one we have. Same with Selphie. Irvine should have been court-martialed because of his hesitation to assassinate the Sorceress, but he wasn't, and now he's a field commander for the elite sent out on high-level assignments. Those were all my call. You want me to 'change my mind' just because their scores didn't match their potential? Then I better quit SeeD and work in Sally's pet shop."

Quistis laughed. "You? Right."

Squall's lips twitched. "Just ignore him, Quis. As much as you can anyway."

Quistis' smile faded. "Transfer him somewhere else and I'll ignore him, otherwise. . . ."

"Seifer stays."

"Fine. Then I'll keep filing complaints against him."

Quistis turned and away and boarded the newly returned elevator.

Squall sighed and shook his head.

*

SPLUT

Quistis' stomach slithered to the chilled floor below as she stared at the collection of photographs. Seifer slowly crossed his arms as his hard green gaze stared down at her; watching but revealing nothing. A hand, trembling, very slowly reached out to adjust the photos. She cringed, and again, and then choked on a sob as her other hand tightened into a fist.

"How," she whispered in a choked voice.

"Routine security sweep of those involved in any way with a member of SeeD." Seifer tightened his crossed arms. "Say the word and it's handled, D.C. style."

Quistis gathered up the photographs as she stood, fingers trembling and face pale. "No."

"Fine." Seifer watched her. "Security is sweeping your room for the tap into the video line. I'll report when it's discovered."

Quistis absently nodded, closing off the view of the pictures with the manila folder. Then she moved from her office with deliberate motions. Shock wouldn't let her feel anything as she clutched the folder in a trembling hold. She made her way to her room, ignored the security team, and grabbed a change of clothes on her way to the bathroom.

Minutes later, the images in the folder within her tight grip continued to burn her mind as she woodenly made her way down the corridor to the parking lot. _Why. I don't--_ No. It didn't make sense, but she knew. Rinoa had said there was that interest. So had Sally. _But--_ and her mind wouldn't let her think further.

Quistis boarded the first car available and headed out to Balamb. Then she was on the train to Timber, sitting stiffly in the seat as her hands clutched the folder in her lap. No conversations had been logged in her shocked mind. Nothing registered but the images that began to melt her calm and control.

Why?

The question rumbled within and began growing in volume and power. She rigidly pulled a phone from her hip to push and hold a single number. Quistis raised the phone to her ear--

"Hello?"

She blinked as the dam sprung a leak. "Meet me at the station in fifteen minutes."

"Quistis? What's the matter?"

She clenched her jaw as she tightened her hold on the phone. "Fifteen minutes, Zone, and your explanation had better be good."

"Huh? How come?"

Quistis pushed 'end'.

*

Zone stared down at the phone. He frowned and scratched at the back of his neck.

"Yo. Dude. Got any grub?"

Zone turned to focus on Dwight. He was a weasel-looking guy with stringy blond hair, pimples, and silver eyes, but they'd been friends for years. "Yeah. In the fridge. Hey, D. Are you sure the SeeDs didn't say anything when they left?"

Dwight turned away. "Nah. Dude. Swear. It's cool."

Zone absently nodded as he focused again on the phone in his hand. He slowly replaced it on its stand. "Okay," he said under his breath. "Fifteen."

*

Quistis stepped down from the train, temper strictly under control--She saw his smiling face and easy lope forward. The images burned and the smile punched her in the gut.

"Hi, Qui--"

She did a quick flick of her wrist and arm and wrapped the end of her whip around his throat with a loud crack. Zone's eyes widened as he gasped for air. Quistis stretched out an arm, hand clutching the folder. "How could you do this?"

"Do what?" he gasped, hands tugging at the coiled whip.

Quistis performed another succession of quick and flowing moves and loosened the coil. The end of the whip dropped to his feet, waiting as Quistis secured the grip to her waist. She opened the folder and retrieved a photo of her stepping from the shower. Zone blanched. "Familiar?" She threw it at him and retrieved another as the predecessor slithered to the floor. "This one?" She was undressing. Zone's complexion tinged yellow. "Or what about this one?"

Zone focused on her angry blue eyes. "Qui--"

She threw the folder at him, and he cringed away from it. "Tell me the truth, Zone. If I hadn't sent you that first email, would you have been fine with those?" She gestured roughly toward the littering of photographs around him. "If Seifer hadn't found them, would you have told me? Or stopped? Or burned them? **Would** **you**?"

Zone stretched his hands toward her with a quick succession of shakes to his head. "Quistis, please--"

" **Are** **these** **from** **your** **computer**?" she asked, voice choked yet harsh as she pointed at him with each word.

Zone slouched and slightly nodded. "Yeah," he whispered.

Quistis cringed. "I never want to hear or see you again," she hissed. " **Ever** ," and she jabbed him hard in the chest.

Zone stared at her, silence dooming every word they'd ever shared. Quistis turned and stalked away, fighting back the tears as she left the station and moved blindly forward.

*

Zone stared after Quistis, rooted to the spot in shock and muted disbelief as the photographs of her flipped and danced along the ground of the station. Passersby sent him the occasional glance, but the dark-haired man didn't notice. He cringed at the burning of his ulcer and moved his focus to the photos around him. Zone slowly bent, crouching to retrieve them and place them face down into the folder.

"Yo, Zone!"

Zone cringed again, and his ulcer growled and grumbled as he lifted his gaze. Zell and Selphie headed toward him, and by the looks on their faces they'd seen the whole thing.

Zone slowly stood, folder in hand. "Hey, guys," he greeted morosely.

Zell gestured after Quistis, and Zone noticed Zell's girlfriend Sally hurrying after her. "What's going on?" Zell asked. "She looked pissed."

"She was." Zone stared again at the folder that held the photos. He couldn't understand.

"How come?" Selphie asked. "Did you say something?"

Zone slightly shook his head, and then he noticed a stray photograph just behind Zell. When Zone went to grab it up, Zell got it first. Zone cringed, nearly doubling over in pain.

"...the hell?" Zell pointed angrily at the photo. "Watcha thinkin', dude? This isn't cool! You wanna ruin everything?"

Selphie released a deep breath. "Zone. . . ."

Zone yanked the photo from Zell's hold and shoved it into the folder. "I know, I know," he muttered. But he **didn't** know. _How?_

"Zone, I thought--"

"Okay! So I screwed up! I'm sorry!"

"'Sorry' don't cut it, Z-man. Quistis--You might as well kiss your ass good bye."

Zone cringed, his insides crawling. He gripped the folder and turned to head for home. It didn't make sense. They **couldn't** have come from his computer. But how else had she gotten them? Zone absently shook his head. He had to find out if Garden Security had **really** found them on his computer. And how.

*

The pungent aroma of second-hand smoke, stale beer, and body odor mixed with bad cologne gave Quistis' eyes an excuse to water as she strode up to the bartender and demanded a "Beer". He handed her a bottle without a word. Quistis pushed herself away from the bar counter and turned away, moving through the people that cluttered the pub and ignoring everyone.

Quistis found a darkened table in the far corner and slowly sat as she set her beer bottle onto the table. She stared at it, slightly hunched while slowly turning the bottle with her fingers. She vaguely noticed a figure standing across from her at her table. But what could anyone say? The person slowly sat, still silent. Quistis didn't look up. _It wasn't supposed to happen this way. He was supposed to stop. I was supposed to be--_

She suddenly leaned back in her chair, an arm resting across her middle as her other lifted the beer bottle for a deep draught. She slammed it down. "The bastard has nudie pics of me," she snarled, but Quistis could hear the tears.

She sent a quick glance to the person sitting across from her, Sally Regal. Sally didn't say anything. She only watched Quistis' face with her big blue eyes that showed sadness and helplessness. Quistis looked away. Sally likely blamed herself. After all, it had been Sally's urging that made Quistis send that first email.

She finished the beer and motioned for another as she slammed the empty bottle down away from her. Then she leaned forward and against the table again, rubbing her forehead with a shaky hand as she sighed deeply. "At least he didn't deny it," she mumbled. "Maybe he should have?" She could have made herself believe it had been a plot to screw with her mind. Maybe a prank by Seifer to piss her off. She could have made herself believe it.

The bartender set down another bottle, asked if Sally wanted anything, and then went back to his counter with a sidelong glance to Quistis when Sally declined. She took another long swig of the fresh beer before setting it slowly down and fingering the body of the bottle.

"It could've worked, Sally," she confessed softly. "We talked about everything in our emails or phone calls. He's funny, too." She released another long sigh, lifting her eyes to meet Sally's again. "It could've worked but for his damned--" Quistis looked away, and the hurt began to spark to anger.

Sally still didn't say a word.

"I'm a person," she told Sally in a carefully controlled voice. "I'm not a pin-up of some porno bimbo for him to get his midnight jollies." She looked over at the ex librarian with flashing eyes, jabbing sharply at her own chest. "Damn it! I'm not a ticket to a wet dream," she whispered in a choked voice.

Sally flushed but held Quistis' gaze while saying, "No, you're not."

Quistis pressed her lips together and then looked away again. She drank her beer with a slow and deliberate action. Then she held it in one hand and stared down at the label. "I should have known better, Sally. Rinoa told me about his collection of mags. You did, too. I didn't think I'd care--No. I just never thought pictures of me. . . ." Quistis sighed and shook her head. _I wanted to be enough, but_ "He screwed up."

Sally gave a slight nod. "Yes, he did," and her voice sounded a choked whisper.

Quistis could hear the guilt and looked over at Sally out of the corner of her eyes. "He said he'll dump them if I give him another chance," she offered slowly. At least, the look in his eyes had said it. The look in his eyes had admitted everything. "I don't think he will. Not permanently." She motioned toward Sally with the beer bottle. "What do **you** think?"

Sally moved her focus to the table-top and began picking at a knot in the wood. "Second chances are. . . important," she said carefully.

Quistis' throat tightened. _How many second chances do I have to give before I can stop being alone?_ "But?"

Sally sighed and finally lifted her eyes. "But you need to do what's best for you. Is Zone best for you?" Sally lowered her gaze again. "Or not?"

Quistis could tell Sally regretted the question. Quistis regretted the question. Because how could she answer? She liked Zone, but. . . . "Not."

Sally met her eyes. "Then that's what you've got to do," she said softly, and then she almost reluctantly smiled. "He'll get over it. Eventually. And who knows? Maybe he'll stop with the naughty magazines?"

Quistis smirked. "Yeah. Right. I won't hold my breath." She held Sally's gaze a moment before looking back to her beer bottle. "It would've worked." _Right?_

"I know, Quistis. Sometimes it doesn't."

"Twice." _Squall. Zone._ "Three times and I'm single for life." Quistis felt as if there was something wrong with her. After all, even Zell had found someone to be with.

Sally shook her head. "Not for you, Quistis." Quistis looked up. "You just have to find the right guy."

_I thought I had._ "Fine." She focused on her beer bottle again. "You got a brother who happens to be single?" She immediately scoffed. _Jump back into the fire after getting burned to hell?_ "Yeah. Right."

Sally remained quiet. Still. Longer. Quistis looked up, and her smirk vanished at the expression on Sally's face. "You're kidding."

Sally met her gaze. "Actually, um, I have an older brother. Zack. He works at the T.V. station," she said as she motioned to the pub exit. "Manager."

"Manager?" Quistis repeated. She crossed her arms. "What is he? Forty? Sorry; not into the marrying my father thing."

Sally giggled. "Zack's only twenty-six, Quistis."

Quistis raised an eyebrow. "Twenty-six. Manager of the T.V. station. Single. Five hundred pounds? Bald?" It would be just her luck.

Sally's eyes crinkled at the corners. "No. He's just really busy at the station." Then Sally slightly bit her lower lip, the smile vanishing. "And, well, he's not really **single**. He's been divorced a couple times."

Quistis smirked. "Sounds like he has the same luck I do." _Well. Worse, actually. At least I've been smart enough to. . ._ Actually, she'd never been given the opportunity to say 'no'.

Sally's smile returned, and she motioned toward the back door of the pub. "You want to meet him? We could watch the shows until he's free."

Quistis moved her gaze to her half-full beer bottle. "No, thanks. I'll give up on love for a while. Maybe another time." _When it won't hurt so much._

"Oh." Sally cleared her throat. "You still want to go shopping with us?"

Quistis shook her head. "I'll pass. Tell Rinoa 'hi' for me."

Sally nodded and stood. "Okay." She paused. "I'm sorry about Zone, Quistis."

Quistis gripped the beer bottle with both hands. "Thanks."

Sally hesitated a bit longer before turning to leave.

"Sally."

She turned. "Yeah?"

Quistis looked up. "Thanks for listening." _It's not your fault._

Sally smiled. "You're welcome."

Quistis stared back at her beer bottle as Sally turned again to leave. _It's mine._

*

Zone stood just outside the T.V. station, manila folder still clutched in his hands. _You have to do this, man._ Zone ignored the pain of his stomach and stepped forward, entering the station and greeting the middle-aged receptionist at the front desk.

"Can I help you, sir?"

"I'm here to talk to Zackary Regal," Zone told her.

The woman directed her glasses to the end of her nose as she regarded Zone in his green felt pullover, t-shirt, and worn black jeans and sneakers. Zone looked down-- _What gives?_ \--and then back up, meeting her gaze.

"Do you have an appointment?" And her slightly cold tone screamed that she knew he didn't.

"I'm a friend."

Her hazel eyes seemed to say 'That's what they all say' as she nearly rolled her eyes. But she lifted the phone receiver and asked, "Name please?"

"Zon--erm, Abe McCormick." Zone rolled his dark eyes. He hated his name. Sounded like a dweeb.

"Wait right over there," she informed him, gesturing to the chairs on the opposite wall before pressing the appropriate button for Zack's office. Zone absently nodded and turned away to approach the chairs. _You're doing the right thing, man. He'll know what to do. You're in way over your head here. Just remember what Rinoa sai--_

"Sir?"

Zone looked up and stood, hands still clutching the thick folder. "Yeah."

"You can go right in."

Zone gave a slight nod and stepped forward, down the hall to the newsroom that bustled with stories and adventures and danger. Today he'd be adding another headline. He passed the desks and computers and research areas and knocked hesitantly on the door labeled 'Manager'. Zack Regal looked up from his desk and ushered Zone in, smiling.

Zack didn't look anything like his baby sister Sally. Zack was built like a bodyguard, easily standing six-foot and towering over Zone. He also had the same no-shit attitude of assurance and authority that Seifer did. Probably the main reason people didn't screw up at the T.V. station like they used to. Zack's blue eyes were bright with intelligence and definitely influenced how people talked to him. They almost seemed to bore right through a person.

Zone entered the office while clearing his throat and adjusting his hold on the folder. Zack motioned for someone--a passerby--to close the door, and it clicked shut.

Zack motioned to Zone. "So what can I do for you, Zone? Got another lead on something?"

He cleared his throat again. "You remember that raid on the ISP here a few weeks ago?"

"Sure," Zack acknowledged, and his blue eyes absorbed every bit of information from Zone's expression and body language. Zack leaned slightly forward. "They strike again?"

"I. . . I don't know." Zone hesitantly offered forward the folder. Zack opened it and slowly scrutinized the pictures and print-outs inside. Zone felt his ears burn. "Those were on my computer, but I don't know anything about it. I swear."

Zack absently nodded. "Who is she?"

Zone's entire face flamed. "Quistis Trepe. She's the Head Instructor at Balamb Garden."

Zack absently nodded again. "Wire. . . no. . . Video line tap into Garden Network. Damn." Zack pursed his lips. "That's inside. Security?"

"I looked at the source dates of the files, and it was just about the time of the whole ISP/Trojan thing with Quistis. With her computer at Garden."

Zack met Zone's slightly wide gaze. "That was from the ISP. How are they getting access to your computer at home?"

Zone flushed and then blanched as he rubbed the back of his neck, gaze lowering.

"Trojan?"

"Not really, but something like it." Zone released a quick breath and looked up again. "What do I do?"

Zack tucked the pictures back inside the folder. "You shut down the link?"

He shook his head. "Didn't want them to know I found it."

Zack nodded. "Good." He stood, gathering up his phone and the folder. "Come on."

Zone hesitantly stood. "What are we going to do?"

"We're going to your place so I can check it out myself. Then I'm going to see what my eyes have seen and listen to what my ears have heard." Zack motioned for Zone to follow. He did. "And then we're going to ask if your girl wants some payback."

Zone shook his head as he followed Zack through the newsroom. "She doesn't want anything to do with me, Zack. She thinks I. . . ."

"Yeah, well, we'll just make her **not** think that."

"But it's my fault."

"Sure it is. And you make the birds shit on my car." Zack sent Zone a flash of a smile. "It's your **computer** they're using. Not your fingers or your brain or anything else. It's not your fault, but we'll find out who's it is." Zack tapped the folder. "When did you get this?"

"Today."

"From girlie? Or SeeD Security?"

"Quistis."

Zack lifted an eyebrow and halted just inside the entrance of the main lobby. "Head Goon hasn't--Interesting." Zack absently smacked the folder against his palm.

"You think Seifer knows it's a security breach?"

"And is using it to draw them out? Hell yes. Twisted bastard, though, using you guys this way."

Zone reluctantly smiled and slugged Zack on the arm. "Too bad he beat you to it."

Zack laughed. "Too right. Now, you think girlie might still be in town?"

"Maybe, but. . . ." Zone cleared his throat and then motioned to Zack. "But could you quit with the 'girlie'. She's not inflatable."

Zack roared and clapped Zone on the back. "Sure, sure. Come on, then. Let's go." They stepped out of the station. "Anyone else use your computer?"

"Besides Watts and Rinoa?"

Zack absently nodded. "Password protected?"

"Just on boot-up, and nothing fancy. There's nothing top-secret on it. Just games and internet, and some research when the Owls were more active."

"I'll need a list of people who've been over."

"Sure." Zone watched Zack's serious profile as they headed toward Zone's studio apartment. "You think it's someone I know?"

Zack sent Zone a reassuring smile and a grip on the shoulder. "Just asking questions, Zone. It's what I do. Too early to tell anything yet, but a video hack into Network surveillance? That's big shit."

Zone absently nodded as he focused ahead. He fisted his hands. _I'm ready to flush it._

*

Quistis released a deep breath.

"Want another one?"

She shook her head, and the bartender stepped away. Quistis was buzzed. Another and she'd likely track Zone down and either make him hurt as bad as she did or prove she looked better in person. Her fingers already itched for one of the two.

"Hey, Zack," the bartender greeted. "What brings your sorry ass in here?"

Quistis lifted a disinterested gaze--Her temper spiked, and she gripped her beer bottle as her expression hardened. _Zone._ He sent her a quick glance while the tall man beside him--Zack, Quistis supposed--returned the bartender's greeting. Zone motioned to Quistis' position with a hand as he whispered something to Zack. Zack focused on him a moment before moving his gaze to Quistis' location. Then he stepped forward, Zone looking less assured than his 'friend'.

Quistis' hands momentarily tightened around the beer bottle as the creak of the floorboards sounded under their feet. Then she pushed back from the table and the bottle, her facial expression going blank as she crossed her arms and leaned back in the chair. Zone's steps hesitated. Zack's didn't. Quistis' eyes narrowed.

Zack pulled out a chair and sat. "I have some information you'll be very interested in, Instructor." He produced a hand as Zone slowly and hesitantly lowered himself into the chair beside him.

Quistis didn't look away from Zack's blue gaze, and the expression on her face didn't soften.

After a moment, Zack lowered his hand. "My name is Zack Regal. I'm the manager of the T.V. station here in Timber."

Quistis remained quiet, eyes still narrowed. He regarded her a moment before tossing a thick folder onto the table. Multitudes of photos slid from the folder to dance across the table in a mockery of Quistis' privacy. Quistis twitched, but she didn't look down. Zone, on the other hand, leaned forward to shove the photos back into hiding while sending Zack a glare.

Zack firmly pressed a finger upon the folder. "You want to find the people responsible? Then you listen to what we have to say. If not. . . ." Zack retrieved the folder. "I do the expose and smear Garden's half-assed security measures."

Quistis' eyes flashed, and her hand only just kept itself from her whip.

"Zack!" Zone hissed. "Geez!" He focused on Quistis. She didn't meet his gaze. "Quis, just hear us out."

Quistis very slowly shifted her focus to Zone. "Hear what?" she asked flatly. "An excuse your macho asshole here helped you figure out to explain those pictures? A nice tidy story that insinuates truths are lies and lies are truths that attack my career? Hear what, Zone?"

"Forget it, Zone," Zack said as he stood, folder in hand. "We'll do it ourselves. Screw Garden."

He turned to walk away. Quistis freed her whip from her side to make a collection of movements with her hand and arm. The whip cracked and hissed, snacking around Zack's wrist and yanking him to a stop and turn. Quistis hadn't moved from her chair.

"Do you know what I have the freedom to do with the utterance of that statement, Mr. Regal?" Zack lifted a somewhat surprised expression from the bite of the whip around his wrist. "I could shut down your T.V. station on suspicion of conspiracy. I could send your arrogant ass to the brig."

"Quis. . . ." Zone said under his breath.

"Fine," Zack said. "Then who's going to help you find the traitor who's trying to smear SeeDs one by one? Who's going to catch the Purist bastard trying to bring Garden down?"

Quistis regarded Zack's intense expression with a slightly tilted head as a single finger tapped the table.

Zone moved to sit in the chair to her left. "They're using my computer to get at you," he said quietly.

Quistis looked sharply over at him. "What?"

Zone nodded. "Because they know the Owls worked with Garden before, they want us enemies now. How else are they going to screw us all over?"

Zack unwrapped the whip from his wrist. It dropped to the ground, but Quistis didn't notice as she held Zone's gaze.

"That's why they used my computer to hold the pictures from their video tap."

"You didn't...?" Quistis slightly shook her head. "The pictures... Not...?"

Zone shook his head as he softly said "Hell no, Qi-Qi."

Quistis dropped her whip and wrapped her arms tightly around him, her voice choked by a sob of relief.

Two

The Plan

The tension in the conference room at Balamb Garden was thick. Quistis rubbed at her temples, trying to calm the headache that would soon rage behind her eyes. Seifer, Fujin/Ahndra, Marshal Beita, Zack Regal, Zone and herself were seated around the table waiting for Squall to arrive from a meeting that had run over by fifteen minutes. The door opened, they all held their breath.

Squall appeared, slammed the door, and dropped a cake pan on the table. "Rinoa made brownies last night. They're good. Eat them." Quistis shook her head when Zone pushed the pan toward her. Her stomach had started tightening; she only hoped she could make it through the meeting.

Squall flipped through a stack of papers, "So, we've got a problem?"

At first, no one spoke. Zack Regal was the first to break the silence. "Actually, I would say the Network has a problem. I'm just in it for the story."

Squall pinched the bridge of his nose "Thank you, Mr. Regal. Anyone else have any gems of wisdom to communicate?"

Quistis looked over when she felt the chair beside her move. Zone stood, preparing to speak. "Commander Leonheart, we have reason to believe there is a group of radicals attempting to interrupt the relations between the Garden Network and certain resistance factions such as the Forest Owls."

"Evidence?"

"Attack via email initially blamed on me because of an email I allegedly sent to Quistis Trepe. The following theft of sensitive missile location information. Pictures found on my computer by your security teams, and the video tap discovered in Instructor Trepe's room. I have been found 'Not Guilty' of either attack on her privacy."

Squall nodded his head in approval. "Well stated, Zone. Anything else?"

Zone shook his head as he lowered himself into his seat. Quistis looked over and sent him a reassuring smile just as she noticed his hand move to his stomach. Her smile softened and she moved her hand to rest on his knee and offer a gentle pressure. He met her gaze and gave a slight lift of lip before again focusing on Squall.

Seifer, seated next to Quistis, opened a folder and began pulling out information on the initial email incident involving the theft of the missiles. A picture from a separate folder slid out of his grasp and over between Zone and Quistis. Seifer reached for it, but not before Zone slapped a hand down on it.

"What's this?" Zone asked.

"Something you shouldn't be looking at." Seifer tried to wrest it from Zone's grasp.

"I've seen this logo, on a shirt," Zone said as he stared at the picture. It was a close up of the red fist from the uniforms of the people who had attacked Fujin/Ahndra and Marshal in Winhill.

Seifer's head snapped up. "Where have you seen that, you mean like on a t-shirt?"

Zone shook his head. "No, the shirt was long sleeved. It looked more like a uniform shirt, but I couldn't figure out why my roommate would have. . . ." Zone trailed off as he realized every security officer in the room stared at him. "What?"

"That weasel of a roommate of yours has a uniform shirt with this logo?" Seifer asked harshly, pointing to the picture. "Did he just show the damn thing to you?"

Zone flinched, sending a sidelong glance to Quistis. "No, I had to go into his room and get the handset for the phone. The shirt was on the back of his desk chair."

Seifer sifted through a few pictures in the other folder before sliding another photo in front of Zone. "Did it look like this one?"

Zone scrutinized the photo. "Yes, but without the stripe. It would be the same thing without the stripe."

Seifer slammed a fist down onto the table. "We need to search that apartment again, damn it. We were looking in the wrong room for the wrong thing!" He swore. "Commander, if we find a connection, we could blow this thing wide open."

Squall lowered the hand massaging the back of his neck. "So now we think the people who tried to steal the missiles and have been hacking our computer system are also involved in the Deling Garden black market arms deals?"

Seifer gave a curt nod.

Squall scrutinized the table-top and a few quickly scratched notes, absently tapping his finger on the table-top. "How does Trabia fit into all this?" he asked absently.

Seifer motioned to Marshal with a tip of his chin. Marshal nodded and leaned forward, silver eyes focusing on Squall. "After the last full Garden inventory at Trabia, there were over fifty missing pieces of equipment listed. It was mostly older stuff; none of the new items coming out of the Esthar research facility. That inventory was a month ago. Since then, a piece here and a piece there disappears once in a while. They expect a certain amount of unaccounted for loss."

Squall looked up from his notes. "That stops." Marshal nodded and sat back. Squall made a motion with his hand. "Refresh my memory as to why we think Deling Garden is involved?"

"Because they're a Garden of degenerates," Quistis muttered under her breath, rewarded with a snort of approval from Seifer, much to her surprise.

Seifer flipped over a few sheets of paper in his folder "The report of the communication activity between Trabia and Deling was made by SSO Regal. Two of the people killed in Winhill by Ahndra's GF were Deling Garden cadets. One of them was a Trabia Garden cadet."

Marshal shifted in his chair. "Come to think of it, I haven't seen any reports of missing equipment from Trabia since his demise."

Squall's pen tapped a steady rhythm. "So Trabia's part in this looks to be essentially over?"

"We'll monitor the situation," Seifer informed crisply, "but yes it seems so. It looks as if we had a group of radicals camping out in Winhill being funded by the illegal arms sales from Deling Garden. Now Deling Garden is the only part left. We need to put someone's ass on the inside."

Squall pressed his lips together. "Didn't they almost kill two of our officers last time we went undercover?"

Seifer's eyes hardened. "It's a risk, sir."

"Okay, do what you've got to do. Inform me later. Now I've got another meeting. The financial committee for the board is still squabbling over next year's budget." Squall flipped his folder closed and slid back from the table, walking out through the same door he entered.

The six people still seated at the table remained silent for a moment. Zack Regal reached out and took another brownie. "We've come up with some ideas," he said before taking a bite.

Seifer's green eyes settled on Sally Regal's brother. "Don't waste my time, Regal."

Zack sat back as he wiped his fingers with a napkin, "You know, you Garden types are all alike. **You** know everything and no one else can teach you a damn thing."

Quistis shot a hand out to Seifer's shoulder, firmly holding him down in his seat while shooting a death glare at Zack. "As much as I enjoy watching all this male posturing, Seifer," she realized she still touched him and jerked her hand back, unconsciously rubbing the touch away on her uniform. "Listen for a minute. I'll even give you the report, so you don't have to listen to it from an outsider. I have yet to decide if I would even agree to it, but it's workable."

Seifer watched her a moment before responding. "Okay, Trepe. I allow myself a few minutes every day for entertainment. Make it good."

Quistis rolled her eyes. _Great, now he has to think about his insults. He's slowing down in his old age._ "Zone and I go in, infiltrate the organization, and bring them down."

Seifer folded his arms across his chest, as if waiting for more. "That's it?" He watched Quistis with a look of dismay. "You want me to approve sending two people in on a dangerous mission, one of them not even a SeeD, and the other an instructor who hasn't been on a field mission in a year?"

"That's not--"

Seifer shook his head, cutting her off, "No chance in hell, Trepe, I've got field officers for this sort of thing."

"Almasy!" Quistis' voice rose as she came up out of her chair.

Seifer's voice rose to match. "What? Tell me why it should be you."

"Because they violated me!" she shouted, vaguely hearing Zone's hushed "Qi-Qi," as a warning to control her temper. When she saw Seifer's left eyebrow raise, she knew he'd been surprised into listening. "They used me," she continued, more controlled. "They violated my privacy, and you have a folder full of pictures to prove it. They tried to smear my good name, and they did it with Zone's computer, nearly destroying him in the process."

Seifer stared at her "Details?"

Quistis slowly returned to her seat. "I'll go to assist at the TV station. Zack and I will make a relationship public. When everything is set up, we'll elope and I can disappear on a honeymoon cruise. Zone will be receiving his punishment for hacking the Network the second time, as he was found 'Not Guilty' by Sally for the first infraction, being reformed at Deling Garden. Our time frame inside Deling Garden will be four to six weeks. I can have a replacement hired for myself within a week of posting the notice. We can set everything in motion tomorrow. Starting the relationship is the first thing. Sally doesn't even know I've met her brother. We'll need you to tell Zell to have him and Sally disappear from Timber the morning after their arrival. I'll handle the invitation."

Seifer once again glanced to Marshal and Ahndra. "Do it. We'll hash out the details over the next week. If this gets cancelled, you get to have a very public break-up. Now, as for Mr. McCormick. . . ."

Quistis cut him off. "Zone will need to be found guilty of hacking the Network computers. Then we have to get him assigned to Deling Garden for his rehabilitation. I don't want him in there for longer than one month prior to my arrival."

Seifer nodded, writing notes. "Agreed. I'll speak with Zell. About a week until the instructor posting comes up?"

"Ten days."

Seifer gathered his notes as he spoke. "Great. Hire someone without a huge chip on their shoulder, would ya, Trepe?"

The growing headache stopped Quistis from any type of worthy retort, as she could only assume he referred to her. So, she merely gave him a glare as he left the room with Ahndra and Marshal following.

Zack turned to Quistis. "So, we set up our meeting for tomorrow?"

Quistis dropped her angry glare to the table. "Yes, Sally and Zell usually work out early. I'll make sure to wander the halls for a while in the morning."

Zack nodded in understanding. "Okay, I'll be there." he stood, stretching, "So, is there a back door to this place?"

"Not really. Just go out the same way you came in. Sally's at work and Zell is in class."

Zack's departure left Quistis and Zone alone in the room. She dropped her head to her hands and immediately felt his hand resting gently on her shoulder.

"Qi-Qi? You okay?"

"Yeah, I'm just tired; stressed." She lifted her head to give him a thin smile. "The usual."

Zone met her gaze. "I wish there was something I could do."

Quistis waved a hand in his direction. "Don't worry about it. I'll be okay. I always am."

"I know." Zone dropped his hand from her shoulder and stood to head toward the door. He abruptly stopped and turned to her. "Hey, Quis, I'm here for you if you ever need to talk or whatever. Okay?"

Quistis held his gaze for a moment, remembering their fun and their laughter. Remembering how much she liked him. She stood and moved to stand in front of him, an unusual wave of uncertainty making her unable to lift her gaze from his chest. Then she lifted confused eyes to his. "I don't ... I don't know what to do with someone who cares about me."

Zone's jaw dropped slightly in surprise before he pulled her into his arms. "Oh, Quis," he whispered.

Quistis wrapped her arms around him and closed her eyes, a tear escaping as he placed a gentle kiss on her hair. "Don't let go, Zone," she said in a hushed voice.

Three

Mission Status

The odor of coffee lingered in the office even after Janine Larabie exited, heading for the security office. _Seifer told me to get someone without a chip on their shoulder. Well, here ya go, big guy._ After having read the numerous applications, Quistis knew Janine was the best candidate for the post. The fact that Janine was so passionate about it only cemented Quistis' decision.

She sighed, shaking her head. _A week from Monday I suddenly become a field officer again._ A knock on the office door brought Quistis out of her thoughts and her eyes up from the desk. Selphie was already settling into a chair.

"How's it going Quistis? You looked like you were daydreaming."

Quistis smiled. "A little I guess."

Selphie's green eyes twinkled "Were you thinking about your new job? I would be. Zack Regal is a hunk."

A finger tapped Quistis' lips. "I suppose I was thinking about the new job, and yes, Zack Regal is a handsome man."

"Where are you going to stay in Timber?"

The sip of coffee Quistis had just taken suddenly slipped down the wrong way causing her to cough. Selphie jumped up and began slapping Quistis on the back. She waved Selphie off as she drew in a breath. "I'm okay, Selph. Your question just reminded me of something."

"Must be pretty important!" Selphie said with a relieved laugh.

"Not really I just have a phone call to make."

"Oh, okay. I'll leave you to it. Maybe I'll see you at dinner?"

Quistis nodded and waved to Selphie as she picked up the telephone and dialed Zack Regal's office number. Ten minutes later, Quistis had a place to stay. Initially, she would live in an apartment near the station. One of the many people who owed Zack a favor for any number of reasons was a landlord.

Quistis slowly pushed away from her desk and stood, taking a moment to gaze out of the window onto the green Alcauld Plains. The view was one she had enjoyed for two years, since Squall had appointed her head of instruction. She was going to miss it, the view being the thing that had brought her tranquility and peace. Privately, Squall had told her he would hold on to her office as long as he could. She hoped it would be long enough.

The classroom on the second floor was empty as Quistis entered. She placed her teaching materials on the desk at the front before taking a slow stroll through the room. Today's class would be the last one she taught for several months. She stopped at the back of the room, looking down at the two desks in front of her. Two of Garden's most promising and skilled students had occupied those seats. She had taught them. Despite her extreme dislike for one, they had both made names for themselves. Squall Leonheart saved the world from a powerful and dangerous sorceress, while Seifer Almasy tried to destroy the same world with the same powerful and dangerous sorceress. _Where did I go wrong with him?_

Shaking off the dark thoughts, Quistis went back to her desk as students began filing in to the room. Several left gifts on her desk. Cards saying "We'll miss you Instructor Trepe!" and "Enjoy your new job!" littered her workspace. She smiled at the displays of affection, desperately holding her emotions in check. They had never seen her cry, and she wasn't about to change that.

*

A knock on the door brought Quistis out of her thoughts. She had been packing up her room and was taking a short break. The door opened slightly and Squall stuck his head inside the room.

"Hey, Quis, how is it going?" he asked quietly, his grey eyes revealing nothing.

Quistis straightened from her position propped up on her elbows on the now stripped bed. "Fine. I'm almost done here. The car is supposed to be ready to take me to Balamb in an hour."

"Good, then you won't mind a little company," Squall said with the barest hint of amusement. He opened the door a little wider allowing Rinoa, Selphie and Irvine into the room. A small smile crept onto Quistis' face as she looked at Irvine.

"So, the troll downstairs gave you a day pass?"

Irvine tipped his hat. "Yeah, but I turn into a pumpkin at 6. Or is it that he's going to beat me into pumpkin pulp at 6? I can't recall." his grin was infectious and soon everyone in the room was wearing one.

"Quistis, it won't be the same around here without you. I hope you'll come back and visit." Rinoa said quietly.

Selphie nodded her head enthusiastically. "Poor Zell is going to be so busy he won't know which way is up. He's going to be Interim Head of Instruction, and he's so wrapped up in Sally. . . ."

"I'm sure he'll be fine." Squall interjected. Another knock on the door made everyone turn.

Zack Regal poked his head into the room. "Hi Quistis, are you ready to go?" he asked.

Selphie's smile almost lit up the room. "Oh that's so sweet, he came all the way from Timber to escort you."

Quistis smiled nervously. "Yeah, that was sweet of him." she mumbled, knowing he had come to speak with Seifer again. A class bell sounded through the building, making Selphie dash out the door closely followed by Irvine. Quistis saw a look pass between Rinoa and Squall, soon after which Rinoa gave Quistis a hug and headed off down the corridor to places unknown. The three remaining people each took a duffle bag and slowly walked through the hallways to the parking lot.

Squall stopped next to the transport that would take Quistis and Zack to Balamb. "If you have any problems, call us. You know standard procedures."

"Like the back of my hand, Commander."

A friendly smile passed between the two as Zack opened the door to the transport, letting Quistis climb in before him. They rode in silence to the train station, where Zack helped her load her bags onto the train. Their compartment was comfortable enough, having a large plush seat on either side of the window. Quistis scanned the compartment for both audio and video listening devices before sitting heavily on the forward facing chair. She rested her chin in her hand and watched the scenery slowly begin to slide past the window.

Quistis looked up at the sound of a rustling newspaper. She watched Zack as he watched her over the top of his copy of "The Timber Times". Quistis was beginning to doubt her ability to pull the mission off successfully. The thought of having to cozy up to Zackary Regal was making her nauseous, especially since she had finally found someone she really liked in Zone. _I hope it's just mission jitters._

Zack finally broke the silence, "So, Quistis, where do we take this from here?"

Her response was to turn her head back to the window where the scenery was now whipping by. "You received the same briefings I did."

"I get the idea you're opposed to this whole operation here, Miss Trepe." Zack's tone was icy and the temperature in the cabin seemed to drop dramatically.

"You expect me to be ecstatic about leaving my position at Garden?"

"No, but I do expect you to be ecstatic about your opportunity to help Garden," Zack pointed at her, "and to bring down the bastards who violated your privacy."

Quistis opened her mouth to respond but snapped it quickly closed as she realized he was right. As he settled back into his seat with a smug grin, Quistis sent him her iciest glare of instant death. Of all the people she had to be set up with it had to be Zack Regal, Hyne's gift to the world of television and machismo. She glared angrily out of the window for the remainder of the trip.

*

"Timber station! We have arrived at Timber station." the sound of the conductor's voice woke Quistis from her light nap. The sharp jolt of the train as it stopped caused her head to run into the window, eliciting a curse. She brought her hand to her forehead to rub the injured spot and scowled at her reflection in the glass.

"Are you all right?" Zack asked, sounding genuinely concerned. He moved toward her, his hand settling onto her shoulder.

Quistis snapped her head around to look at him, "Yeah, I'm fine. I thought you would have been laughing."

"I'm not that much of a creep." he grumbled, gently taking her head in his hands to inspect it for damage. Then he released his hold. "I'm no doctor, but I think you'll live."

Quistis only blinked at him, surprised at his treatment. He could have made comments about her clumsiness, or the red mark developing, but instead he was quite gentle, tender even. She watched as he turned back to the bag at his feet and picked it up, continuing to step out of the compartment.

Quistis also took a bag and slung it over her shoulder, regretting what she had said. Stress always brought out the worst in her, and now she was taking it out on Zack Regal. She couldn't stand the way he swaggered, or his limitless self-confidence, especially when she doubted herself so much. She sighed as she followed him out of the cabin to the luggage claim.

*

The Timber TV station loomed above as Quistis looked up, a feeling of dread settling in her stomach. She was going to be taking on a new job just to set up a phony relationship--then a phony marriage--when her heart was somewhere else. She had only been able to see Zone a few times since the operation had begun. Once in Dollet, once at the waterfall near the fire cavern, and once at the hearing where it was announced he would be sent to Deling Garden for rehabilitation.

Taking a moment to adjust the jacket of her suit, Quistis nodded briefly to herself and strode purposefully into the building. Zack was waiting for her at the front desk, casually leaning on the highly polished counter.

"Good morning, Miss Trepe. I see your third eye faded away." he said, smiling as if he thought it was funny.

She narrowed her eyes. "Yes, thank you." _So much for having a good day._

"Follow me, and I'll show you to your office. Did you have breakfast?"

Quistis nodded. "Yes, I dug my coffee maker out last night before I went to bed."

Zack stopped walking. "All you had was coffee? Is that what you survived on at Garden?"

"Well, we call it 'swamp sludge' or sometimes just 'mud', but yes, the coffee at Garden sustains many people." Quistis smiled, relaxing just enough to be able to show humor.

Zack tapped the papers he was holding against his leg "That explains some things about the place." he returned her smile before continuing down the corridor.

*

The office next to Zack had been empty for some time and now had a fresh coat of paint. Quistis approached the desk and placed her briefcase on top of it.

"Is it satisfactory?"

"It'll do."

A young woman knocked timidly on the door, drawing Quistis and Zack's attention.

"Oh, yes. Quistis this is Reina. She's one of our many interns. She will be your assistant."

Quistis stretched a hand out to the young woman, who weakly shook it. Reina never met Quistis' eyes, looking everywhere but at Quistis or Zack. Quistis had to violently curb her desire to correct the young woman. _Sally is a social butterfly compared to this girl._

Zack cleared his throat, cutting the silence from the room. "I'll be in my office if you need anything." he said before leaving the room. Reina's sad, dark brown eyes followed him before settling on the floor at Quistis' feet.

"You may go to your desk." Quistis said, unable to think of anything else. She could have sworn the girl flinched before retreating quickly from the room.

*

The afternoon was spent arranging and organizing her office. Quistis gave Reina errands, issuing the jobs as she would have spoken to a SeeD cadet. She was unable to come up with any other ways to communicate with the girl, since the girl wouldn't speak. With only a short amount of time before the end of the day, Quistis handed a stack of files to Reina.

"File in the tall cabinet, alphabetically, then numerically by year." But as the files were passed, they slipped through Reina's shaking hands to the floor. Reina looked down at the files in horror, dropping to the floor to scoop them up. Quistis allowed a frustrated sigh to escape before she knelt down next to Reina and began picking up the files as well. This only seemed to make Reina more nervous, as she dropped the files she had already picked up.

"I'll get them, get your things and go home." Quistis said as she continued to pick up the files. She could have sworn she heard a choked sob as Reina scurried out the door. Quistis took the pile of papers and folders and stacked them on the desk. She would have an assistant do it tomorrow.

Quistis finished filing a few more items and turned to see Zack storm into her office and slam his notebook down on her desk.

"What the hell did you do?" he yelled.

Quistis turned to face him, her expression calm. "You're going to have to tell me."

"Reina says you fired her, she was in tears. You do not have the authority to do that to my staff!"

Quistis' eyebrows jumped. "I didn't fire her. I sent her home. There is a difference. The girl was about to fall apart."

"This is the real world, Quistis! You can't treat people out here like they're soldiers because they're not. They're people; they have problems. Not everyone is taken care of and fed three good meals a day and given clothing to wear. The sooner you learn that, the sooner you'll..." he stopped, clenching his jaw.

Quistis stepped closer. "The sooner I'll what, Zack?"

"Never mind. Just don't treat people here like they're robots. They have feelings." He turned away, starting for the door.

"No one has ever given a damn about my feelings." she mumbled at his retreating back.

Zack stopped at the doorway and turned. "You haven't been out of Garden for very long. Give people a chance. They might surprise you."

"I won't hold my breath."

Leaning against the door jamb, Zack regarded her with a thoughtful expression. He raised his notebook and pointed at her with it. "By the time this is all over, you're going to have to tell me what happened to make you 'Quistis Trepe'."

*

For another two hours Quistis sat at her desk reading manuals and standard operating procedure handbooks. She sat back, rubbing her eyes as she realized she hadn't eaten that day, except her morning coffee. The sound of the door opening made her open her eyes to see Zack looking at her, the doorknob still held.

"Hey, what's had you holed up in here for the last few hours?" he asked.

"Manuals and handbooks. I want to be up to date on procedures around here."

"I appreciate your studiousness, but those manuals are a little out of date. We just make it up as we go along." He walked over to the visitor's chair and dropped into it.

Quistis tossed the manual she'd been reading over her shoulder with a sigh of exasperation before she looked up at the chuckling Zack.

"You know, Quistis, we should make use of Garden's dime and go have dinner. Maybe have a little fun."

A slow smile spread across her face. "We might as well. I haven't eaten today. What do you wild Timber types do for fun anyway?"

"I think we should go have dinner, and then go see a movie. Maybe I'll take you back to my house, give whoever might be watching us an eyeful."

One eyebrow arched elegantly. "Only if you want my fist in your face, buster."

"Partly, I was kidding. But we **will** probably have to share a few quick kisses once in a while. I'm an adult, you're an adult. I can control myself." Zack gave her a self-satisfied smirk.

Her eyebrow twitched higher. "I think people will understand if I won't allow public displays of affection. All that military training, you see."

Zack gave her a dubious look before pushing himself up from the chair. "Right, Quistis. Get your stuff together, I'll walk you back to your apartment and then we'll go do something."

*

The aptly named restaurant, _Darkwoods_ , had plenty of atmosphere with brightly polished dark wood everywhere and intimate booths, all lit with candles. The maitre' d greeted Zack by name and lead the two to a table in a quiet corner. A well-dressed waiter immediately appeared for drink orders.

"Would you like your usual, Mr. Regal?"

Zack looked up at him, "Sure." He focused his eyes on her. "Quis, what would you like to have?"

"White wine, please. The Shumi Reserve would be nice."

"Excellent choice, madam. I'll be right back."

"No one has ever called me 'Madam' before." she commented as the waiter walked away.

Zack unfolded the linen napkin and dropped it in his lap "So, are you going to answer my query from earlier in the day?"

"Which one would that be?"

He leaned forward resting his arms on the table. "What makes you Quistis Trepe?"

"SeeD."

"That's not all there is to you, is it? I mean, there was a time you were alive before the Garden Network was formed. You didn't just pop up from a cabbage patch."

"Oh." Quistis remained quiet for a moment, eyes cast down at the table.

Zack reached across the table and touched her arm. "Is it that hard to talk about?"

The waiter appeared with their drinks, a rum and cola for Zack and Quistis' wine. He disappeared as quickly.

Quistis shook her head. "I just..." She picked up the menu and began reading, not really comprehending the words on the page. Then she dropped the menu to the table again before looking up to meet Zack's eyes. "Can we order dinner first? Then I'll talk."

"Yeah, sure. They have an incredible lasagna here."

They sat in silence reading the menus before the waiter appeared. Then they gave their orders, two lasagnas with salad, again sitting in silence after the waiter disappeared.

Quistis broke the silence first. "Okay, um, where to begin?" She cleared her throat. "I don't know who my natural parents are. I grew up in the orphanage run by Edea Kramer until I was adopted. I think I was eight. Then I went to Garden when I was ten. My adoptive family was supportive, but not really able to keep up with me. I made SeeD at 15 and Instructor at 17. I was stripped of my Instructor's position when I was 19 and had it reinstated at 20. I became the Head of Instruction at 21." She looked up to see Zack's amused expression. She frowned. "What?"

"I know all of that. I'm looking for stories about you."

Quistis crossed her arms and looked away. "I don't tell stories about myself. They're generally pretty sad."

"Oh, come on. How old were you when you had your first kiss?"

Quistis rolled her eyes. "Fourteen." _Though I'd rather not remember._

"Was it fun?"

"Absolutely not," she scoffed. "I found out the guy did it on a dare."

Zack watched her intently for a moment, tapping his fingers on the table. Quistis cringed at the look of realization that swept across his face. "Head Goon took advantage of you?"

Quistis moved her focus away as she adjusted her crossed her arms. "No." she said through tightly clenched teeth. "He wasn't 'Head Goon' at the time and I was... thrilled that someone showed interest."

A light chuckle floated across the table. "It's okay Quistis; you were 14. Almasy is a good looking man. Any 14 year old girl would have been falling all over herself just to catch his eye."

"Maybe, but I wanted it to be special, and it ended up being a disaster. He wasn't paying attention, and we almost got caught. I don't remember what he said afterwards, but I know it made me cry."

Zack suddenly sat back in his seat. "Oh, I didn't realize. . . ."

Quistis waved a hand dismissively. "Don't worry about it. It's in the past and I really don't want to dwell on it."

Zack nodded and took a sip of his drink. "Okay, let me ask a different question... why the whip?"

Quistis raised her shoulders in a shrug. "The whip is a graceful but deadly weapon. It's dangerous not only to the person being struck but to the user as well. It's a challenge. I like challenge."

"I never knew why Sally chose the quarterstaff originally, even I could see she struggled with it. But to see her now, in hand to hand combat. . . ." He smiled and shook his head. "I never knew my little sister had it in her."

"Too many people have underestimated her for too long." Quistis leaned back in her chair and crossed her arms, slightly scowling off into the distance. "I have to admit, I did too."

"Isn't it funny how some people see potential where others don't?"

Quistis looked over at him sharply. "What do you mean?"

"Zell and Almasy. They both saw things in her that no one else would have ever thought about."

"Yeah," Quistis agreed with a soft scoff. "Zell Dincht, the world's fastest mouth, and Seifer Almasy, the world's biggest as..."

Zack quickly interrupted her. "This is a family dining establishment, Quistis." He leaned back in his seat, stretching an arm along the top of the booth. "Not to mention the fact that you should give credit where credit is due. If Zell hadn't helped her out, Sally would still be a candidate, and if Seifer hadn't noticed what a whiz she is with the computer, she'd probably still be stuck behind that library desk."

Quistis clenched her jaw. She knew he was absolutely right. _Maybe I should_ \--

"Don't start the self-doubt thing," Zack said, interrupting her thoughts. "I was simply pointing out the fact that you need to give people a chance. You're way too quick to judge. You thought you had Reina pegged the minute you saw her." The self-assured smile on his face was almost too much for Quistis to take.

"You're right," she said a bit harshly. "I'm a horrible person. I should be dragged out during the next Garden Festival and shot before the clamoring crowd." The tight knot of emotion forming in her stomach surprised her. Criticism had never bothered her before. Maybe because the criticism hadn't been so personal in the past.

"I don't think we need to take it that far. Maybe just a tar and feathering," Zack said, smirking.

Any cutting remark was cut-off as the waiter appeared with their food. So, they ate in relative silence. The delicious food took Quistis' mind off their pre-dinner conversation. Instead, she turned her thoughts to the list of things she had to do the next day.

"So, how was it?" Zack asked as he took the napkin from his lap and placed it on the table.

"Excellent. Quite different from the usual fare at Garden." she said quietly with a forced smile.

Zack once again sat back, one arm stretched over the back of the booth and fingers tapping an agitated rhythm on the leather. "I let my big mouth flap around too much, didn't I."

Quistis dropped her napkin onto her plate. "Everything you said is true," she admitted, "in one way or another."

Zack pointed at her. "And that is why I get paid the big bucks, Miss Trepe."

A small and reluctant laugh escaped Quistis before she met Zack's gaze. "I suppose telling the truth would be important in the Television business."

"Not as much as you might think. We can say or suggest whatever we want, as long as we get the details right." Zack slid to the end of the seat, catching the waiter's attention. He appeared instantly.

"Would you like this on your tab, Mr. Regal?" he asked.

"Sure. I'll leave it there, thanks." Zack stood and offered a hand to Quistis who slid out of the booth as well. They walked slowly to the door, winding their way through the other couples in the restaurant.

"So, what would you like to do now?" Zack asked as they stepped out onto the darkened street.

"I think I should go home. I have a lot of things to put in motion tomorrow."

Zack nodded and turned down the street toward Quistis' apartment. "I'll walk with you."

"All right. I suppose I could use the company." The silence between them across the three blocks was comfortable as each enjoyed the night air. They stopped in front of Quistis' door.

"I hope I didn't say too much this evening. I didn't mean to attack you." Zack confessed as he leaned against the doorframe.

Quistis shook her head. "No. Like I said, it was all true in one way or another. No one at Garden is willing to say anything to me."

Zack reached out and placed a hand on her arm. "Look. If I go too far, just punch me or something. I'll get the message at some point."

A slight smile crept onto her lips. "Would you sign an official document stating that you just gave me permission to punch you?"

He shrugged, returning the smile. "Sure. It's only fair, right?"

Quistis arched an eyebrow dubiously. "Right, Mr. Regal... I'll see you in the morning?"

"Yeah, 9 am. Sleep well, Quistis."

"Thanks Zack. Goodnight."

Four

Undercover Blues

Life at the television station was fast paced, and Quistis loved it.

The speed of day to day life made the time go by quickly. At the station during the day, out with Zack at night, and twice a week she met with the Balamb Garden Quarterstaff Master. Other than the occasional encrypted message from Seifer, her training sessions with Master Klamer were the most contact she had with Garden during her months in Timber.

The first time Zack ushered the Quarterstaff Master into the living room, Quistis nearly died laughing. The security department had decided Master Klamer should take on the disguise of a cleaning serviceman during his visits with Quistis. So, he had appeared in blue overalls with a mop in one hand and his "cleaning supply" bag in the other.

As part of her disguise within Deling Garden, Quistis would change weapons to Quarterstaff. Her hair would be dyed brown, and she was given colored contact lenses.

The day had begun as any other day. Quistis had awakened in her room at Zack Regal's house. After the first month in Timber, she had moved from her apartment into Zack's house. It was another part of the mission, and Zack had plenty of room. She padded down the stairs into the expansive kitchen and poured herself a cup of coffee before returning to her room and getting dressed for the day. An uneasy sense of something amiss followed her to the TV station and through the day until she saw the mail-room clerk pass her doorway toward Zack's office.

She turned her attention back to the pile of data in front of her. Her current project was cross checking each member of Deling Garden's staff and making her alter-ego's past record just miss each of them. Quistis closed her eyes for a moment and rubbed them as the numbers and letters were beginning to perform a little dance for her on the page.

Upon opening her eyes again, she saw a light pink envelope in front of her addressed to Zack. She looked up into Zack's amused face.

"I keep telling you to get your eyes checked again, but you never listen," he said with a smirk.

"Fine. As soon as I get a spare moment, I'll do just that. What do you want?" she asked irritably.

The enthusiasm fairly dripped from Zack's tone and expression. "That little envelope is from my sister. Do you know what it is?"

Quistis dropped her gaze back to the envelope and held it to her forehead "Well, since my X-ray vision is out of focus due to a need for new glasses, you're going to have to tell me." She dropped it back to the desk.

"Zell is throwing a birthday party for Sally, and we've been invited."

A sudden flash of panic raced through her stomach. "Goody."

Zack frowned. "What is up with you today? It's a party, you'll get to see all your friends. We can get drunk and dance on the tables."

"Sure, Zack." Quistis picked up the invitation, looking at the date and time. "Two weeks, that's not a lot of time."

Zack reached across the desk and pointed to a small red date. "I would deduct from the postmark on the envelope that it was held up in our mail room."

"It would appear I have to go shopping for a dress."

Sitting on the edge of her desk, Zack leaned forward. "We'll do it this weekend. I'll play the part of the doting boyfriend."

A small smile materialized on Quistis' lips. "Prepare your wallet, my friend."

"I'll find a way to charge it back to the Garden Network, don't you worry."

Quistis smirked, folding her hands in her lap. "I'm not worried at all, what with your creative accounting practices."

"They're not creative; they're bonafide 'Zack-matics'. It's like math, but different."

Quistis laughed before standing up and moving to the window in the office. She looked out over the small city that had grown by leaps and bounds since she had followed Seifer there over four years prior.

"Hey, Quis. Why don't you take a break. Get out of your head for a while."

She started at the proximity of Zack's voice. He had moved across the room without her noticing. She re-focused on him standing next to her at the window. "I've got to finish what I was doing; then maybe I'll take a break."

"All right, make sure you do. I'll see you this evening."

Quistis nodded before returning to her desk and the papers there waiting for her. Humming a nameless tune, she turned most of her attention back to the sizeable project before her. _I wonder what Zell has planned?_

*

Zack offered Quistis a hand as she stepped from the train at Balamb station. It was the first time Quistis had been back since leaving for Timber. She breathed in the scent of the ocean as they waited on the platform for their luggage. Quistis had traded in her old SeeD duffel for a new suitcase with wheels, which made the short walk to the Balamb Hotel very easy. After checking in, the pair proceeded to their room which overlooked the ocean.

"So, you hungry?" Zack ventured. He had noticed Quistis' tension level rising as they got closer to Balamb.

"I guess we have to make the effort to be seen together. You know, present the illusion that we're together." Her thin smile betrayed any humor she tried to put into the statement.

"I'd hate to blow your operation because we're 'just friends'. Remember, we're going to elope in another two months or so." He paused for a moment, watching her gaze through the door to the balcony. "Come on Quis, this should be fun. You'll get to see all your friends again. And I know for a fact Zell has an awesome party planned for this evening."

Quistis sighed as she shook off her foul mood. She stood up and sent Zack a dazzling smile. "Right, let's have some fun. I'm dying to show off my new dress."

"That's my girl." Zack commented returning her smile with his own.

*

As the three horse-drawn carriages came into sight, Quistis hung back in the shadow of the Balamb Hotel. She very suddenly felt out of place among the other SeeDs gathered at Sally Regal's 20th birthday party. _I'm a SeeD too. They just think I've abandoned it all for the 'glamour' of television._ She backed up into the solid body of Zack Regal, who dropped a hand onto her shoulder.

"Going somewhere?" he asked with amusement dancing in his eyes.

Quistis turned to face him, panic rising within.

Zack's amused expression slowly melted into one of concern. "Uh, Quistis are you okay? You're looking a little green, and it doesn't go with your eyes."

Focusing on the white bow tie around Zack's neck, Quistis fought to control the nausea in her stomach. "I think I ate a bad piece of shrimp . . . I'll be in the room." She backed away from him and walked quickly toward the stairs. Zack stopped her at the foot of the staircase with a hand taking firm hold of hers.

"Quistis Trepe, I haven't known you for very long, but you're not the type to run away, why are you doing it now? And don't feed me any crap about bad shrimp. There is no shrimp at the buffet."

Her eyes darted behind him to the door where Sally and Zell had entered, followed by Seifer and Janine. A carefully constructed emotional dam was about to break, and Quistis didn't want to flood the lobby of the Balamb Hotel with her tears and what remained of her pride.

"Zack," the desperation in her voice was as obvious as the tears glistening in her eyes, "I can't do this! Please let me go!" She took advantage of his surprise when he momentarily let go of her hand, and fled the lobby to the relative safety of the room.

*

The evening air held a chill, but Quistis didn't feel it. She could hear the music from downstairs still playing several hours after she had fled the scene. The door to the room opened, allowing a streak of light out onto the balcony where Quistis sat wrapped in a blanket nursing a glass of apple juice. She felt the hard green eyes boring into her, and didn't bother to look up.

"Trepe. What's wrong with you?" Seifer asked, annoyance obvious in his voice. He bent down and took the glass from her hand. "Are you actually sitting out here drinking alone?" His tone was tinged with surprise. The trademark smirk appeared on his face as he sniffed the contents of the glass.

"Oh yeah, Seifer, the really hard stuff." Quistis snapped. "What do you want?"

A scoff escaped him. "An update, Trepe. You think I came up here to chat?"

Quistis turned her eyes on him. "Our time-line is two months. I've been successful in spreading my soon to be alter-ego's record around to various schools and institutions."

"You cross-referenced the staff at Deling and made sure none of them could have run into her?"

He was rewarded with a flat stare. "Yes, Sub-Lieutenant Commander Almasy. I'm not an idiot. I've been at Garden as long as you have." Quistis felt slightly off-balance when no biting remark was made in response. Seifer only regarded her mildly, and she wasn't prepared for what came next.

"Quistis, the important people know you haven't abandoned Garden. Cheer up before I pull your ass off this assignment."

If it had been physically possible, Quistis' jaw would have hit the floor. "What?" she asked, knowing she hadn't heard words of 'comfort' come from the mouth of Seifer Almasy.

He lowered himself to her eye level. "If anyone asks, I came to give you a new temporary ID." He pulled a small piece of plastic from his pocket and handed it to her.

Quistis glanced at the ID, tears springing again to her eyes as she read words "Authorized Civilian Access" next to her name. She heard him hesitate as she tried to wipe the tears away.

"It's only until this is all over," he told her. "Then we'll get you a nice shiny new one with 'Head of Instruction' highlighted, underlined and italicized. I'll even put 'Evil Sorceress Killer' on there if it'll make you stop crying."

"I'm not crying." she snapped.

"I don't doubt it, Trepe. Pull yourself together. You're going to go out there and kick some renegade ass, right? Cause if you make me look like a fool for letting you go on this mission, I'll have to kill you... Here." He handed the glass of juice back to her. "Drink your juice."

Quistis raised her eyes from their scrutiny of the floor to look at the man she had long ago decided was her arch-nemesis. "I would've thought you might let go and have a drink or two this evening."

Seifer laughed and looked away briefly to the ocean. "I haven't had a drink since I came back to Garden." He brought his eyes back to Quistis. "Besides, I couldn't keep up with Janine if I was drunk. Speaking of Janine, she's waiting for me. I have to go, there's some noise about a special event at midnight. It'll take me the next half hour just to find Janine again anyway."

He straightened and headed for the door. Quistis smiled to herself as the door closed softly. _You're welcome, Almasy._

*

Quistis slipped quietly down the stairs toward the ballroom, hanging just out of sight. She was curious as to what the special midnight event could be. At first she thought it might be some sort of a prank Zell had thought up, but the words coming out of his mouth told her just how far off she was. Before she knew it, he was down on one knee proposing to Sally Regal, who appeared as if she was ready to pop from all the attention and excitement. When Sally voiced her very enthusiastic and teary acceptance--followed by a just as enthusiastic vault into Zell's arms--Quistis smiled to herself again as she snuck away through the shadows and back to her room.

Five

Mission Launch

At the sound of the ringing phone, Quistis looked up from the show line-up press release she edited. She was quite surprised, since her phone rarely rang, and it was usually a misdirected call when it did. The voice on the other end nearly made her drop the phone.

"Trepe, this is Seifer, I'm coming to Timber tomorrow. See if you can get me tour of the station, would ya?"

Quistis absently nodded at the phone while placing it back into its cradle. Then she drew in a deep steadying breath as she stood and made her way down the hall to Zack's office. A call and visit from Seifer could only mean one thing. She stuck her head into Zack's office to find him sitting at his desk busily scribbling notes .

"We have a guest tomorrow."

He didn't look up. "Yeah?"

"It's time. I'm going in."

The pen fell to the desk as Zack looked at her with a startled expression. "Oh."

Quistis crossed her arms on her chest and gave him a wry grin. "With that kind of eloquence, it's no wonder you've made it as far as you have."

Zack's hands spread out in front of him. "Give me a break, Quis. I've gotten used to things the way they are. I may have to hire a real assistant when we get back."

"I think I may take that as a compliment."

He grinned. "Whatever makes you happy."

*

The next day couldn't have been more nerve wracking for Quistis. Seifer was due to arrive at eleven, she would give him a tour and they would end up in her office. Garden security had wired the room themselves and monitored it constantly. Nothing happened in her office without Balamb Garden knowing about it.

She sat in the morning staff meeting, alternating between chewing her nails and tapping her pen. At one point it got so bad that Zack reached over and forcefully held her hand down so the incessant tapping would stop. _Why am I so nervous? Is it Seifer? Or is it the mission?_

She broke out of her thoughts to see Zack waving his hand in front of her eyes and then commenting to the people around the table. "I guess she didn't get much sleep last night." he said, wiggling his eyebrows in a suggestive fashion. Quistis gave him a retaliatory elbow in the ribs.

They walked out of the conference room together, where Zack stopped and placed his hands on her shoulders.

"Quis, you're a wreck today. Pull it together. Your tour appointment is going to be here any minute and I'm sure you don't want to give him any ammunition."

Quistis blinked at him, snapping her thoughts to the present. _Focus!_ "I'm okay, I must've had too much coffee this morning."

"Is it too late to tell you I made espresso? I hope you didn't drink that in your usual amounts."

She laughed. "No wonder it was so strong, and I've been so spazzed. I mean I'm nervous about all this, but I, ugh, whatever. I'm good now, bring it on."

"Go get 'em, Torama. He's waiting in the lobby." He turned her around toward the lobby and gave her a gentle shove.

Seifer stood in the lobby, watching the traffic on the street with a slight scowl.

Quistis stood next to him. "Good morning, Sub-Lt. Commander Almasy."

"What took you so long?" he asked turning his scowl on her.

"Gee, somebody got up on the wrong side of the bed." She continued when his gaze didn't waver, "You're early and we're running a television station here. There is a morning staff meeting at ten each day."

Seifer's expression relaxed slightly. "It was a long night in a cold bed, Trepe." He dragged a hand through his short blond hair.

"I don't want to know anything about your bed, you can keep that all to yourself. Now, shall we?" Quistis stretched out an arm as an indication that he should precede her through the doorway.

They stood in silence together at the back of a few live sets, watching a take here and a take there, being seen, creating the illusion that Seifer was a friend from Garden out for a visit. That couldn't be further from the truth. Quistis thought with a wry grin.

Seifer leaned over to whisper in her ear. "This is great, but, I would prefer to sleep in a warm bed this evening. Let's go on to your office." He smirked in satisfaction at the disgusted snort Quistis gave him as she turned on her heel and walked away.

A smiling Zack met them at Quistis' office. She noticed the large ivory colored envelope he held and sent him a questioning glance. Zack wiggled his eyebrows at her before sharing a handshake with Seifer. The three settled into the comfortable office and closed the door.

"My little sister is getting married next month, four weeks from today." Zack said as they sat down to get comfortable. Quistis' heart sank for him. He was obviously excited, but she had a nagging feeling that neither one of them was going to make it.

Seifer rubbed his chin and exchanged a glance with Quistis. They both knew the stated timetable for Deling was four weeks, but the likelihood was that it would be six weeks, and Zack simply could not show up at the wedding without Quistis if her cover was going to hold.

"Zack," Quistis started hesitantly, "I think Seifer's going to tell us that we have to elope next week. In all likelihood, neither you nor I will be able to attend the ceremony."

Zack sat up in his chair, the excitement fading from his face. "What? Sally's only going to get married once, I can't miss it."

Seifer leaned forward, dropping his foot from his knee back to the floor. "You're the one who wanted all this, Mr. Regal. Your sister is a SeeD. When she is finally able to read the reports, she'll understand why you had to miss it."

"But...."

"No, Zack." Quistis gently cut him off, ending the discussion. Zack's expression fell into stony anger, but he did not say another word about the issue.

Seifer shifted his focus back to Quistis. "Things have heated up lately, and the indication from Mr. McCormick is that he has already met some of the members of this radical group."

"That was fast."

"He's been in there a month. I'm surprised the guy is still alive."

Quistis sent him a warning glare. "He's survived worse."

"Everything is set up. You two disappear in three days. Mr. Regal, I suppose you have enough vacation time to cover this?"

Zack lifted his glare from the floor. "Yeah, I do. We'll pull in one of the guys from the Deling station."

"You'll leave for Deling City, spend twenty minutes in the 'House of Love' chapel, and then meet your yacht at the harbor. We procured it for this mission and the skipper will be one of my officers. He was a little too happy about getting out of the office, so make sure you make his life a living hell, Mr. Regal."

Zack responded with a grunt of approval.

Quistis tapped her fingers on the desk. "So, how am I getting off the yacht, Seifer?"

"One of the new underwater transports from Esthar Research will pick you up. Oh, and they will be bringing out a replacement, so Zack won't be left alone with the 'captain' all that time."

Zack perked up. "A replacement that looks like her?" he asked pointing to Quistis.

"Yes, she's tall, thin, blond hair, blue eyes, a security officer from Galbadia Garden."

Quistis glared at the two men as they shared a conspiratorial smile. Men. She rolled her eyes in mock disgust.

"I've got a train to catch. Quistis, I need you to walk with me." Seifer said as he stood up and shrugged back into his black trench coat. Quistis patted Zack on the shoulder as she passed him, walking out the door with Seifer. They walked out of the building and down the street toward the train station.

"Are you ready for this?" Seifer stared straight ahead as he spoke.

She looked up at him, searching his face. "Yeah, I'm ready, why do you ask?"

He shrugged. "You haven't been out of Garden in a long time, there's still time for you to back out, but we're coming down to the wire."

Quistis stopped, planting her feet on the pavement, arms crossing on her chest. "What? Do you think I can't handle it?"

Seifer also stopped rubbing his forehead with a frustrated hand as he turned to her. "Damn it woman, I didn't say that. I'm giving you a way to gracefully step back if you want it. There is no judgment in my question."

Her thoughts jumbled, Quistis took a step toward him, staring him down. She studied his face as he held her gaze. She finally poked him in the chest. "You've changed, Almasy."

Seifer held her gaze for a moment before turning back toward the train station. Upon arrival, Seifer paused at the entry gate.

"Good luck, Instructor." he said turning away.

"Save it for someone who needs it." came her reply to his retreating back.

He stopped and looked over his shoulder with a smirk. "Fine. Good Luck, Instructor."

Remembering a similar exchange that occurred several years earlier, Quistis couldn't stop the small smile from creeping onto her face.

Six

Hark

The 'House of Love' was white on the outside with stained glass windows. The columns on the porch reminded Quistis of a farm house she had seen in Winhill. She looked over at Zack beside her, waiting for him to signal that he was ready. The place was run by a former Balamb Garden SeeD who had retired. Quistis had known him her first two years at Garden. She remembered him as a kind man, fun to be around, somewhat fatherly toward the underclassmen. She felt Zack's hand take hers and looked at him. He nodded slightly, tugging on her hand as he headed up the pathway.

A cool breeze scented with flowers flowed over the porch, making Quistis appreciate the attention to detail in the building. A woman stepped out onto the porch to greet them.

"Hello, my name is Esmeralda. You must be Quistis and Zack. Please come right in."

The pair followed the woman inside where 'Father' Geo was waiting. He stood, recognition passing across his face.

"Wow, Quistis Trepe, I knew I'd heard that name before. Please come with me. Thank you Es." He spoke as they walked. "I got a strange call from the Commander of Balamb Garden a week ago, asking me to pretend to marry a nice young couple. Is this mission going to benefit the Network?"

Quistis cleared her throat. "I'm not at liberty to say, Geo. I think you'll have to settle for whatever Squall told you."

"Ah, so, yes, you have an issue within the Network." he said with a grin.

Quistis shrugged, sitting on the pew he indicated.

Geo sat in a chair he had placed in the ceremony room. "You've grown so much, you were ten or twelve years old the last time I saw you. How is Garden life?"

Again, Quistis shrugged, "It's the same as always, I suppose. Things changed after the Sorceress War. Cid doesn't run Balamb anymore. Martine doesn't run Galbadia anymore."

"Your commander is the same young pup who led you all against Ultimecia.?"

"Yeah, Squall Leonheart. I'm the Head of Instruction, and the former Sorceress' Knight is our Head of Security."

Geo scratched his chin. "Really? Hm. I remember Seifer. He was a messed up kid."

Quistis laughed. "And now he's a messed up adult. The strangest thing though, I'd swear he's growing up or something."

Zack, sitting beside Quistis, chuckled. "It's just taking her a little longer."

The glare she sent his way as the men laughed could have killed him. She sent her elbow into his ribs.

"Ow!" Zack rubbed his side. "You should register those skinny elbows of yours."

A wolfish grin played across her face.

They talked about a few more people around the Network before Geo glanced at his watch and stood. "Okay, time's up. Esmeralda will give you some flowers on your way out. I hope things go the way you need them to."

"Thanks, Geo. It was good to see you again."

"The same to you, Quistis. Be careful out there."

*

They took a limo to the port, found their yacht and boarded. Quistis recognized the 'captain' of the yacht as Lieutenant Boris Gaul. He was a computer specialist who happened to have the hobby of boating when he could sneak away from the office chair Seifer had him strapped to. He looked so happy, Quistis thought he might explode all over the deck.

She and Zack sat on the forward deck of the boat as Boris piloted it out of the harbor into open water.

"So, when are you going to call Sally and the rest of your family?"

"After you're picked up..." He looked down to his hands fidgeting in his lap. "Quis, you know, over these past few weeks, I've come to appreciate you a lot. You've done an excellent job at the station, and you weren't really required to do a damn thing."

Quistis laughed. "I was just keeping up appearances, Zack. It wasn't a big deal, and it was fun. I've never been out of the Garden Network. This was very much like a summer internship."

He nodded, smiling at her as the breeze ruffled his hair. "If I could have another sister, I think it would be nice if it were you."

Her hand reached over to smooth his hair down. "Thanks, Zack. You know I never really was officially adopted. I'm sure your parents want another twenty-something running around the house." Zack broke out into loud, unrestrained laughter.

"I think they'll get a kick out of that once they get over the shock of the elopement, and then finding out we didn't really get married... Mom's going to have a cow, and Dad is just going to shake his head."

Quistis watched him for a few moments. "Is being married all it's cracked up to be?"

"Not for me. My personality is all wrong and I work too much. I'm too self-involved to really make a marriage work."

"At least you know the problem, now you just have to find the solution."

Zack barked with laughter again. "The solution, is for me to not get married."

They shared the laughter for a little while longer, relaxing on the deck of the yacht.

*

Quistis threw two duffels and a weapon bag up the stairs onto the deck as the time for her pickup drew near. She had changed into the black pants and turtleneck that had been provided for her and pulled her hair back into a ponytail. A Garden network undercover specialist would meet her on the transport to dye her hair and provide the contact lenses she would wear.

She caught the rope tossed from the craft and tied it onto one of the cleats on the boat. The exchange of personnel took only a few minutes. Zack caught her arm and pulled her into a tight hug before she changed boats.

"Be safe, Quis."

Quistis pulled back and looked him in the eye. "I will, have a good time on your vacation and don't let Terrie beat you up." Quistis shifted her eyes to the tall blond woman who was to spend the next four weeks with Zack on the boat. "And Terrie, don't take any crap from this guy."

With a hand from Zack, Quistis stepped carefully onto the waiting transport and shifted her focus to the next part of her mission.

*

The architectural monstrosity that was Deling Garden awaited Quistis' arrival. The stainless steel exterior gleamed blindingly in the mid-day sunlight, causing a headache to form behind her eyes as she picked up her duffel from the cargo hold of the transport. She affixed her newly practiced expression of annoyed boredom (All Squall, with a heavy dusting of Seifer.) on her face and waited in the line for registration.

When Quistis finally arrived at the table, an equally bored looking woman barked at her, "Name?"

"Iselle Hark." Quistis didn't miss the tall man two stations down whose head whipped around to look at her, he was the only one wearing a SeeD uniform.

"Oh yes," the bored woman continued, "another lovely discipline problem." she handed Quistis a packet. "Room key, UWS card, and ID tags. Next!"

Quistis moved away from the table to pull out the two cards, wondering what a UWS card was.

"Question?" The tall uniformed SeeD suddenly stood next to her.

Quistis made the mistake of looking up and was caught completely off guard by the intense blue of his eyes. The blue was so vivid it looked as if it might glow in the dark; she wondered idly if it did. Quistis shook the surprise away. "Yeah, what the hell is a UWS card?"

He chuckled. "UWS stands for Uniform, Weapon and Supply. You take it to the supply room and they give you everything you need according to the list that was issued to you. Anything beyond that list is charged to your account."

"My account? Of course, squeeze us for every penny we've got." Quistis stalked away from the officer, a Lieutenant First Class according to the bars on his jacket.

The walkway into the building was concrete, a pool with a fountain on either side made it look nice enough, but then the building itself was quite another matter. A metallic upside down trapezoid was the best way to describe it. The levitator rings circled the center of the building, between the third and fourth floors. Deling Garden wasn't exactly ugly, but it was definitely out of place in the middle of the green field. The Garden was located between Deling City and the Tomb of the Unknown King. _Easy access to a SeeD Field Exam qualifier, I'm not surprised._

She entered the building after sliding her keycard through the ID machine. The atrium was reminiscent of Balamb, but not as bright nor as welcoming. Quistis stopped at the directory, checking the way to the dormitories, and headed up through the center pathway. Each candidate had a single room, which Quistis was grateful for. The room had a tiny bathroom off to the right, a desk, a closet and a single bed. She dropped her duffle on the floor and pulled a tiny listening device from her pocket. The device swept the room for electronics of all kinds. It was a newly updated piece of equipment from the SeeD research facility in Esthar.

Nothing contraband was in the room, video or audio. Just a speaker for the PA system, the telephone and a computer. That didn't mean she wasn't going to check every time she came in to the room. Her first order of business was to locate Zone. Quistis checked the time. _Lunch_. She headed for the cafeteria.

She quickly spotted Zone and concealed a smile behind her hand. He sat alone at a table in the corner. Quistis slowly made her way over to him, perusing the other tables with a smug expression of superiority. Her cover name, Iselle, had been kicked out of schools on every continent. She had started fights, been caught carrying illegal weapons, and been involved in everything from extortion to blackmail. She dropped a folder onto the table across from Zone.

"Is this seat taken?" she asked in a bored tone, sitting before he could respond. His soft brown eyes rose to meet hers, showing no sign of recognition. He shook his head lowering it back to his meal.

Quistis quirked a brown dyed eyebrow, _Time to let him know who I am._ "What kind of place is this? The black lagoon?" She smoothly delivered the password.

Zone choked on the sip of his drink he had just taken. His eyes met hers again. "I've heard about you." was his response.

Quistis smiled lazily. She draped an arm across the table "I'm looking for a lackey, know anyone who might be interested in protection?"

"Yeah, me." he grumbled.

_That was too convincing._ Quistis sat forward. "What's your name?"

"Zone. I already know who you are."

"My, my, word travels fast. I didn't realize I had such a reputation."

Zone crossed his arms in front of him on the table. "Your records came through the system a couple of days ago. Iselle Hark, 17, kicked out of over 8 schools. You take care of yourself. Pretty good with a computer too."

"A hacker yourself, huh?" Quistis settled her eyes on Zone, easily slipping into the pre-scripted discussion.

Zone nodded, tapping his fingers on the table. "That's what they say. Apparently I hacked the Garden Network computers. Sure wish I could remember how I did it."

"Innocent? That's what all the guilty ones say. I gave up telling people I was innocent a long time ago. Always sends 'em for a loop when you deny nothing and claim responsibility for everything."

Zone sent her a glance that spoke volumes. "If you need any supplies, just talk to me. I'm friendly with the supply room computer."

"Really? That could be handy. I got a UWS card when I came in. I bet they don't give you very much."

"Nope. They don't."

Quistis smiled at Zone, while holding her emotions. It was great to see him again, even if she couldn't touch him. _There'll be plenty of time for that later._

*

A low rumbling sound told Quistis that she was hungry, the late hour told her the cafeteria would be closed. She shook her head as she wiped various bits of monster from the quarterstaff she was using.

"Iselle, it's late, I have an early class tomorrow." Zone's voice came to her from the rock near the entrance.

"Oh, I was just finishing up. I'll walk with you." Quistis took her keys from Zone as the two exited the training center. The hallways were empty, the shadows deep and dark. They stopped when they rounded the corner into the dormitory hallway and saw four large guys blocking their path. _Great, the Seifer Almasy wanna-be crowd is here._ One was even wearing a grey trench coat.

"Out a little late, aren't we?" The coated man asked.

"We were training, and now we're going to our dorms, if you don't mind." Quistis handed the staff to Zone. It wasn't suited for combat in hallways being just a little too long.

"Your flunky too?" The group of four took a step toward Quistis and Zone. Quistis stood her ground, knowing this was a bad situation. His first two strikes were blocked and Quistis landed a solid punch to his chin before he could attempt a third. She landed a kick to the committee member on her right, but didn't hear Zone's shout of warning about the one behind her. The blow to the back of her head had her seeing stars and not the third punch the ringleader threw. He doubled her over with the punch to her stomach and dropped her to the floor with the knee in the chest. He threw in a solid kick to her ribs before disappearing as fast they had appeared.

"Quis, you okay?" Zone's concerned voice brought her back. He leaned over her, one hand gently resting on her shoulder.

"Hyne, do they have to wear the steel-toe boots when they do that?" Quistis groaned. "I'll be okay, I'm tough. What about you?"

Zone climbed to his feet. "Just a couple of bruises, the usual. They got spooked by something this time. Damn it, I never learned hand to hand combat."

Quistis nodded. "Help me up." Zone pulled her to her feet, catching her when she stumbled. She smiled, enjoying the near embrace, but knowing they couldn't be caught. They limped together to her room. She stepped inside after the door slid open, leaving it open for Zone. He wasn't behind her when she turned. He was still at the door, watching her.

Quistis waved him inside. "Well, come in, don't get caught out there again by those goons." She checked the room again with the electronic listening device, finding it to be all clear.

Zone shook his head. "I don't want to get caught in here. I hate that detention room."

"Yeah, and I have to find my way in to that same room. Come in, sit down. I don't bite too hard." she was rewarded with an easy smile from him. He tentatively stepped inside, looking around while still hanging back near the door. Quistis walked over to touch the "door close" button on the control panel.

"Have a seat, Zone." She sat on the bed, resting her aching back against the wall. He pulled out the desk chair and straddled it, looking very uncomfortable.

"So, what do you know?" Quistis asked, she pulled one knee up to her chest.

"Not enough to get us out of here yet. I've identified a few suspicious people. I've been offered a contact with 'the group'."

Quistis sat up. "I've heard. That's why Seifer sent me out. Is it a promising lead?"

Zone shrugged. "I was discussing how to hack into the supply room computer with a guy today. I didn't tell him anything other than the fact I had gotten my potions for free. He said, and I quote 'We could use you in the group.' I was about to ask him about it further when we got interrupted by the class bell and he had to go. Wants to talk to me at lunch tomorrow."

"Zone, that's great. It's a big break for us. The trouble is going to be getting me in."

Zone shook his head. "Something tells me it won't be that hard to get in. What'll be hard is getting them to trust you enough to let you wander around in their systems to find the evidence you need."

Quistis leaned her head back against the wall. "Maybe that's why I'm here."

"What?"

"They'll be distracted by the pretty face. They'll shift their focus at the wrong moment and then, we get them." Zone's serious expression melted into the smile she remembered from what seemed a previous life. She sent him a similar smile and confessed, "It's good to see you, Z."

"Damn straight, Qi-Qi," he said softly, his tone all the caress she needed. "Damn straight."

*

After having attended the morning classes assigned to her, and trying her best to get assigned to detention, Quistis was hungry and deflated. It seemed the instructors knew exactly what she wanted and only gave her solitary physical assignments as punishment. _I'm going to blow them off anyway, but, damn! What does someone have to do to get detention around here?_ She took a tray at the beginning of the cafeteria line, slammed it down on the slide, and angrily jerked food off the line onto her tray.

A voice behind her in the cafeteria line made Quistis twitch. "I know who you are." the voice said smoothly. Quistis shifted her eyes behind her to the fully uniformed SeeD Lieutenant she'd spoken to on her first day.

She sneered. "Really? Because I've been wondering lately."

He bent down slightly to get eye to eye with her. "I need to speak with you, cause a disturbance and I'll take you down to my secure office." his voice was low enough for no one else to hear.

Her eyes flashed. She did the first thing she thought of. She picked up her tray of hot soup and mashed potatoes and slammed it into the Lieutenant's chest. Fortunately for him, the cream of broccoli soup had cooled greatly before it slowly made its way down his uniform. A cheer went up from the cafeteria.

Quistis defiantly returned his dangerous smile before he grabbed her arm and twisted it behind her back. He grabbed the other one before she could get a hit in, also roughly twisting it behind her, and then guiding her from the cafeteria. The pain made her eyes water, but the instant he stepped through the door into the empty hallway, he released the pressure on her arms. They were still twisted behind her back, but no force was applied.

"I'll let you go when we get to my office, until then we have to keep up appearances." he whispered in her ear. "Just play along."

Quistis didn't think before turning furious eyes on the Lieutenant and putting up a good show of trying to struggle from his grasp. She wasn't sure what exactly he was going to do once they had gotten to his office, but her instinct was to trust him. She hoped she wasn't being blinded by the uniform, so few people around Deling Garden wore them.

He opened the door before giving her a shove into the office, then slammed the door behind them. A quick flick of the wrist closed the blinds before he paced around the room looking at his hands holding a small device.

"Ah, good we're alone. I am Lt. Jaxon Crest, and I believe you are Balamb's Head of Instruction, Quistis Trepe."

"Why would you say that?" she asked slowly.

He busily unbuttoned his uniform jacket and removed it, revealing a white t shirt underneath. "Because it's what SeeD pays me to do, see the things others don't." He pulled a new jacket out of a closet in the corner and put it on. "I knew who you were the first time I heard you say your name, or rather, your cover name. I've been watching for someone from Balamb."

Quistis watched him move around the room. "What difference does it make to me who you think I am?"

Jaxon sat behind his desk. "You're here to flush out the arms dealer--or dealers--as the case may be, and you might need a little help from the inside one day. I've been trying to find these guys for about three months now since we accidentally got a memo from HOS Almasy. That guy never screws up, but I guess he didn't get his coffee one morning and we got a sensitive fax. It was all coded and what not, but once again, I'm paid to know what I'm looking at."

Quistis' eyes took on a slightly wild appearance. "Is anyone else here paid to know what they're looking at?"

"Not really. They don't have my skill." he said with a smirk.

Quistis scoffed before leaning back in her seat. "All this skill and you're stuck here in Deling Garden?"

"Sucks, doesn't it?" He paused to scrub his scalp with his fingers, "I was considering trying to get Almasy in trouble with that fax, but the good side of me won out, damn it." His hands fisted for a moment on the desk.

One elegant brown eyebrow arched, "You're not a fan of the great Seifer Almasy?"

A flash of remembered pain crossed his face. "I'm from Trabia Garden."

"Oh, I-I'm sorry. We saw what happened."

"Many people, SeeD and civilian, were senselessly slaughtered that day. My rational mind knows he was possessed and not in control of his actions, but still. . . ." the pencil in Jaxon's hands snapped. "You need to be able to blame somebody to ease the ache sometimes and most of us never got to see Sorceress Ultimecia."

Quistis shuddered. "Consider yourself lucky."

Jaxon grunted and Quistis saw the distinct look of bitter loss in his expression. He shook it off and lifted his piercingly blue eyes to hers once again. "Have they assigned you a training partner yet?"

"Yes, but he's inadequate. I'm not getting much challenge from the kid."

"I'm surprised, the Head Instructor of Balamb Garden doesn't see the challenge in no challenge at all." he leaned forward. "You want to mess around a little?"

Quistis narrowed her eyes at him, _If he's coming on to me, I'll strangle him with my whip._

Jaxon held up his hands. "My point is that I offer my services as a training partner. It's general knowledge that several of the SeeD staff members make themselves available on the weekends to advanced students. It's an easy way for you to contact me should you need anything. I'd say someone with your disciplinary record has a lot of steam to let off."

"I have a perfectly clean disciplinary record." Quistis retorted.

"Sure, **you** do, but your cover name, Iselle Hark, she's quite the little hot head. I'm surprised the disciplinary committee hasn't gotten their hands on you."

"Oh they did, once. I've still got the bruises. They know better than to hit your face."

Quistis watched as Jaxon clenched his jaw. "They hit you?" his voice was low and dangerous.

The note of anger in her voice was unmistakable. "Yes, they hit me, they hit Zone, they hit anyone they can get their paws on. I'm surprised you guys down here don't know about it."

"Me, too. I'll see if there is any way to get these guys taken care of."

Quistis shook her head "Just don't blow my cover, I don't need that."

"Of course you don't, I hope you get the chance to stop by the training center this weekend. It'll be the grudge match of the week, Iselle Hark versus SeeD Scum Jaxon Crest."

Quistis' eyes sparkled with excitement at the prospect of a worthy opponent. "I think I might, what's your weapon?"

"The Landesknechte, but with a flamberge blade."

"Flashy, Lieutenant, very flashy. Isn't that sword six feet long and 20 pounds?"

"That's what I tell all my dates." he commented dryly. He shifted in his chair, resting his chin on a fist. "The blade is five feet long, the grip adds another foot. The weight actually comes in at sixteen pounds." he hurriedly wrote something on a piece of paper. "Unfortunately, to make it look like I brought you in here for disciplinary measures, I have to give you some time in detention for messing up the uniform. You can put the time to good use though. There are a couple of regulars in there I've been trying to track. They may very well be your ticket in to the group."

"Thank Hyne, I've been trying to get detention all day." Quistis smiled regarding him for a moment. She knew she liked him, and could trust him, maybe once this was all over they could be friends. "So, as I leave should I make rude gestures?"

He waved a hand at the door. "Sure, that's always entertaining. It'll give them something new to talk about out there in the main office."

Quistis stood up and moved to the door. She reset her mind to the angry misguided persona of Iselle, slammed the door open, and stalked out into the office pausing long enough to turn and give him the finger before heading upstairs to the detention hall.

Seven

Unsung Heroes

Beep. Beep. Beep. Then the sound of Quistis' hand slapping the alarm off. It was five AM on Saturday. A day on which Quistis traditionally slept a little later. She got up and dressed in black leggings and a black tank top. After slipping her brown contact lenses in and checking her hair to make sure the dye job was still convincing, Quistis took her quarterstaff from its place near the door.

Upon her arrival in the training center, Quistis placed the staff in a rack specifically reserved for the weapon and took to the jogging track. The track, elevated as it was from the floor, was safe from monster attack, allowing Quistis to drop a little of her guard and just enjoy the unrestricted movement the early hour allowed her. Fifteen minutes later she slowed to a walking pace and noted the single person standing on the track a few feet away from her. Her guard went immediately back into place when she recognized the "Disciplinary Committee" member. He blocked her access to the lower floor and her weapon. In his hand were a pair of dangerous looking nunchaku.

She could defend herself against the weapon, but the likelihood of her escaping without injury was small at best. Her eyes shifted to the edge of the track, gauging just how long the drop was. On the other end near the ramp, Zone appeared. Quistis let out a breath, at least if she was injured she wouldn't be left to bleed to death, alone. She flinched as her opponent's first attack came dangerously close to her face.

"Would you just leave me alone?" she asked calmly, dodging the flying nunchucks.

"If you aren't looking for a fight, Hark, what are you doing here?" he asked just as calmly.

"I'm looking for a fair fight, you ass." she shot back, beginning to see a pattern to his attack.

"Fights are rarely fair, that's how one side wins and one side loses. One or the other has to get the upper hand." Again, he attacked to the right. _His next attack will be to the left._

"You're so philosophical." Quistis yelled as she shot out a hand and grabbed his flying weapon. Her hand stung when she connected with the stick, but she pulled the weapon away from him, turning it against him. Quistis immediately sent the weapon into his temple to send him crumpling to the floor.

She dropped the nunchaku and cradled her hand to her chest. Fortunately the hand wasn't broken, but it hurt quite a bit.

"Qu... Iselle, are you okay, did he hurt you?" Zone asked running up to her.

"I'm okay, Zone. He's all flash and no skill. Typical for a bully."

"But your hand, it's kind of purple."

Quistis nodded and looked down as she flexed her fingers. "But not broken." She lifted her eyes to his, smiling softly. "I'm okay, really." Her voice lowered. "I came down here to get a challenge from some of the staff members. SeeD trained fighters are the best."

"I know." Zone held her gaze. "I'm glad you're not hurt."

"What happened up here?" a gruff voice asked. Zone jumped a foot away from her.

"The guy on the ground attacked me. Zone witnessed it." Quistis said as she pointed to the still unconscious man on the floor. Instructor Rold knelt next to the reviving bully, a vicious smile played across the Instructor's lips.

"So you like to attack other students?" Instructor Rold asked as he yanked the confused boy off the floor. "Let's go." The Instructor pushed the kid along in front of him, disappearing from sight down the ramp. Quistis allowed her shoulders to relax and continued to flex her hand. It was sore, but she could still fight with it. She walked down the ramp with Zone and retrieved her weapon from the wall.

"Miss Hark!" Quistis placed her best smirk on her lips before turning to the now familiar voice of Jaxon Crest.

"Lieutenant Loser, you want me to kick your ass today?" Quistis was rewarded with a hearty chuckle from Jaxon.

"You sound awfully self-assured Miss Hark. Ever fought against someone skilled with one of these?" He easily flicked the heavy sword up between them. Quistis had no choice but to be impressed. The weapon was just as he had described it to her, the blade alone was five feet long. What made it unique was the wave that had been forged into it.

Quistis scoffed "You know they say SeeD's begin to look like their weapons over time.... Do you have any other equipment that looks like that?"

Lieutenant Crest rolled his eyes. "Oh, come now, Miss Hark. It's not like I haven't heard that one before. Be original. I know you have it in you." He stretched an arm out behind him, indicating an area specially designed for sparring. "May I have this dance?"

"Lock and Load, Lt. Loser." Quistis brushed past him toward the sparring deck.

Jaxon's voice came from behind her. "Wonderful use of alliteration, been writing poetry lately?"

Zone matched her stride, speaking quietly. "But your hand, can you fight someone like him with it?"

"He knows, Zone, he knows everything." Zone's shocked expression made Quistis laugh, "It's okay, and I'm okay." She raised her voice, "A couple of cracks upside the head and he'll be crawling home to his Mommy." Quistis pulled a pair of leather gloves from her belt and slipped them on. Her knuckles on the injured hand popped a couple of times as she continued to flex her fingers. She winced.

"Are you alright, Miss Hark?" Jaxon's voice called to her across the deck.

"Just fine. Let's get to it." Quistis actually hadn't been so unsure of herself in a long time. She was going up against another SeeD with a weapon she didn't use too often. She truly hoped she didn't make a fool of herself or her alter ego. Quistis hefted the staff in one hand, finding its center balance point as she stepped up to the line on her side. She watched Jaxon approach his line dressed in black Garden issue sweats and a black t-shirt, the dark clothes making his curiously bright eyes stand out even more.

"I assume you know the rules? We go on the green lights and stop on the buzzer." he asked from his start position.

"Yeah, whatever, rules are for cowards." she threw back at him.

"Have it your way, Miss Hark, and I'll try not to hurt you too much."

Quistis threw back her head and laughed before coming to her en guard stance. The lights turned green and their dance began. The two warriors rushed forward, meeting in the middle of the deck. Quistis' staff shuddered with the first powerful strike from the Lieutenant. Her eyes met his briefly before she pushed back and spun the staff in a low sweep at his knees. He easily dodged, landing and lunging for her in a move that caught her shirt, putting a hole in it. _I've got to disarm him, or I'm never going to beat him in a weapon to weapon fight. I have to fight dirty, but how?_

She aimed her attacks at his weapon arm while blocking his attacks. Then she saw the opportunity. His body turned just the right way so Quistis could hook him behind the knees, felling him to the deck, and then she reversed the staff into his weapon to send it clattering several feet away. She then brought butt end of her staff to hover centimeters from his throat as the buzzer sounded. The kick behind her knees brought her legs out from under her.

Quistis landed on her back with a loud "Oomph!"

She shook off the daze, sitting up angrily. "Hey, what happened to 'stop at the buzzer?', you--"

Jaxon sat up, resting his arms across his knees. He wiggled a finger at her. "Uh, uh uh, Miss Hark. I do believe you said 'Rules are for cowards' and I'm not a coward. Are you?"

Her eyes narrowed, _How is he always able to do that?_ "Ugh!" she growled as she climbed to her feet and limped away from him. A deep, hearty chuckle met her ears as she walked away. She also felt the unmistakable sensation of a cure spell washing over her. Quistis turned sharply, trying to discern where it had come from, but no one was looking at her. Jaxon had picked up his weapon and was busily cleaning it.

"Iselle, what's...?" Zone asked walking beside her.

Quistis looked over her other shoulder. "Someone cast a cure spell on me, and I can't figure out who."

"The bastard." he quipped with a smile.

"I don't like having magic used on me when I don't even know who the caster is. And you know as well as I that junctioning GFs has been made essentially illegal." Quistis looked behind her one more time as they reached the entry. She caught Jaxon's eye and could have sworn he winked at her.

*

The silence pervading the quad gave Quistis a feeling of peace. She had several books stacked next to her in the grass along with a small bag of carrots she chewed on. The sound of footsteps walking through the grass made her drop her book to her chest and bring her eyes up. Before her stood one of the boys she had seen in the detention hall the day she had managed to get assigned there. To his left was Zone.

"I hear you're pretty good with a computer."

She shrugged. "Maybe, it depends on who wants to know and what's in it for me."

"My name's Trebuchet, and depending on what you can do, there could be a lot in it for you."

Quistis watched him for a few moments before laying back in the grass again. "I don't talk to flunkies."

Trebuchet knelt down beside her and tossed her book away. Quistis returned his gaze with a smirk. "You have issues with authority, don't you."

"No, I have issues with people who **think** they have authority." She picked up another book and began reading it. A growl emanated from the young man next to her.

"Fine, I'll take you to Roman, he's the one who requested you. But I think you're trouble."

Quistis climbed lazily to her feet. "You don't know the half of it, cowboy. I think I might want to talk to this 'Roman' character. Let's go."

The three walked side by side toward Deling City, a mile away. As they walked Quistis threw a glance at Zone . He hadn't said anything since they left the Garden, actually, he hadn't said anything that day. He only returned her glance with a shrug and continued to follow the Deling Garden cadet in front of them.

They approached a small grey building on the outskirts of the city. Trebuchet waved a hand at Quistis' quarterstaff. "Weapons get left out here."

Quistis glared at the cadet. "No way, I don't want this stolen."

"Then Zone can stay out here and watch it, right Zone?" Trebuchet shifted his eyes from Quistis to Zone.

"Whatever," he muttered. Quistis handed her staff over reluctantly.

She stepped closer until she was nose to nose with Zone. "Don't let _anything_ happen to it." _Screw the staff, Zone._ _You_ _be careful out here._

When Quistis stepped within, the interior was dim and smoky, reminiscent of a bar. Windows were covered with a tinted film, disguising the computers set up inside. Quistis wrinkled her nose against the cigarette odor while trying to take in everything she could and commit it to memory.

Her escort stopped in front of a desk with a large man behind it. The man was tall and imposing. A solidly built goon of approximately 30 years of age. His uniform of black made him look all the more dangerous.

"Roman, I presume?" Quistis said with a smirk. A memory tugged at her mind. Quistis had seen this man before, or at least his picture.

"Yeah, you must be Hark. I need a hacker with some skill and flexible morals, you interested?"

Something in the way he spoke jogged her memory. He worked for the Deling Garden Commander, the third in command. "I have skill and my morals are as flexible as a malboro tentacle. My interest depends on what's in it for me."

"If you're good, and you prove yourself to be loyal and trustworthy, there is huge potential. We're like a.... philanthropic organization."

"Philanthropic, eh? Whatever, it still depends on what's in it for me."

The imposing man in front of her threw back his head and laughed. "You're my kind of troublemaker, Hark. Do you want in?"

Quistis narrowed her eyes. He simply wouldn't answer her question. "Will it cause trouble for the Garden system?"

"Maybe."

She returned his wolfish grin "I'm in. When do I start?"

*

Another Saturday came and saw Quistis out of bed and in the training center early. She always looked forward to her training with Jaxon. His fighting skills were superb, as she expected of a SeeD trained swordsman. He was as good as Squall with the blade, although his fighting style was a little more reminiscent of Seifer.

She sent Jaxon a good natured sneer as she entered the Deling Garden Training Center. He was already stretching and preparing for the morning. Quistis spied Zone in a corner to her right and headed toward him. He hadn't noticed her and was busily taping the handle of his spiked mace.

"Hi, Zone," she whispered near his ear. He jerked in surprise, standing to look at her.

"Morning, Iselle. You back to punish that Lieutenant again?" he asked with a grin.

Quistis fought back the desire to give him a very well-deserved good morning kiss. "I think I'll toy with him for a little bit before going in for the kill. I need to work on my stamina."

Zone's dark eyes twinkled. "Have fun."

Quistis nodded before turning to the sparring area. "Wanna see how fast I can bring you down today, Lieutenant?"

Jaxon moved toward her, leaning closer until he was mere inches from her face. "Sure, sure, cadet, all bark and no bite."

They moved around the deck with catlike grace trading blows. She was still baffled as to how to fight the weapon he wielded. A quarterstaff expert, she was not. _I know exactly how to get him with my whip._ She brought her attention back to the task at hand, getting past that weapon and into his defenses.

Her stamina ebbing after a particularly long round, Quistis didn't get her guard up in time to block Jaxon's powerful blade. Things went into slow motion for her. She watched as he easily spun the huge weapon into position, building up momentum for a crippling strike. He couldn't stop the swing, but was able to turn the blade so it hit her with the flat side. Quistis dropped to the ground cradling her arm to her chest, biting down hard on her lip to keep the cry of pain and surprise inside.

"Iselle? Shit, I'm sorry. I couldn't... Let me see the arm." Jaxon was on his knees in front of her, trying to get her to meet his eyes.

"Ow, damn it. It's broken," she bit out through tightly clenched teeth and tear threatened eyes. The coolness of a cure spell washed over her and she cringed at the pain of the bone knitting itself back together. "What the hell, Lieutenant? Are you junctioned right now?" she hissed.

"Yeah, is that a problem?" he asked, his gaze guarded.

"You know it's against regs to be junctioned except during exams and pre-approved missions."

His eyes narrowed. "I do, on occasion enjoy the feeling, and the forgetting that it causes. Few people here care about 'the regs'."

Quistis looked into his face, surprised. She hadn't heard of anyone using the GFs that way. It was clever, but still against the rules. She caught the look of bitter loss flit across his face again as he looked away. "The GFs won't make the pain go away." she finally whispered.

He heaved a sigh. "Tell me about it." he mumbled. He sat on the floor, resting an elbow on his knee as the other hand roughly scrubbed his scalp.

"We probably shouldn't be sitting here acting civil toward each other." Quistis commented as she looked around.

Jaxon waved a dismissive hand at her. "Don't worry, there isn't anyone else here... except your friend Zone. He's a section over beating a grat to shreds."

"I bet I don't even want to know how you know that."

"A simple scan spell, modified a little."

Quistis shook her head, holding her hands up. "Like I said. I don't want to know." she glanced at him thoughtfully. "I had a student who OD'd on potions once. He said it made him feel like he was flying and all his troubles would float away."

Jaxon grunted. "I just want to get out of my head sometimes. I don't really have anything to occupy my mind if I'm not working or training. I don't sleep much. There are few around here who want to hang out with a SeeD officer."

"I understand, in a way. But it's dangerous, Jaxon. After the Sorceress War the research coming out of Esthar suggested many more ill effects than just memory loss. For long term users those risks quadruple."

An ironic chuckle escaped Jaxon, "This conversation sounds like you're giving me a 'don't do drugs' speech."

Quistis settled her eyes on his. "Essentially, I am. You're using the GFs like drugs. It's dangerous, I can't stress it enough. Long term use of GF junctioning can lead to a variety of bad ends. I doubt you want your SeeD record marred by something like that."

He turned to her with a lopsided grin. "You think I should start drinking instead?"

Quistis surprised herself by giggling. "No, get a hobby. Take up knitting." She paused, thinking of the best way to help him. "Talk to someone. The Network has doctors on staff for this sort of thing."

He sent another hand through his hair. This one more shaky and nervous. "Quistis, do you have any idea how hard it is to stop?"

"No, I can't say that I do. That's why you need to get help." she said quietly, leaning down to get a better look at his face. "The doc is required to keep it confidential, unless he thinks you're about to go on a killing spree."

"I can see it in the papers now, 'SeeD Lieutenant Murders Thousands, Stabs Self in Foot.'"

"Thousands, Jaxon? You're awfully sure of yourself, aren't you."

Jaxon reached over and shoved her hard enough to topple her onto her side. "Dincht knows." he said after a few moments of silence. "He made me promise to come to his wedding clean. I was doing pretty well for a while, how long ago was it...? Dincht told me to quit four weeks ago. Dropped the GF the same day. But I got back from a rehearsal on Thursday night, woke up Friday morning, and just couldn't listen to the memories anymore. All of this wedding preparation makes me think of the preparations I had been making two years ago.... I **will** do as I promised and have no GF with me on the day of his wedding."

Quistis swallowed the lump in her throat. "If you start talking to someone now, you might be able to give them up sooner. You could make Zell proud and have no GF for the whole week.... And I'm serious about the hobby."

Jaxon studied her for a moment. "Maybe I should put that weapon forging seminar to good use..."

The look of confusion on Quistis' face made Jaxon laugh. His eyes trailed off of her toward the back of the Training Center. Zone appeared, splattered with the green ooze of a grat.

"I guess you beat the...ooze... out of that grat, huh?" Jaxon asked, the humor evident in his voice. Zone's expression was just as confused as Quistis' had been.

"Yeah, how'd you know?"

Jaxon shook his head, "The poor little guy is all over you. The defenseless grat against that mace of yours..."

"Defenseless, my ass." Zone muttered, kneeling down next to Quistis. The three chuckled lightly for a moment.

Jaxon's expression changed to one of business. "So, how are you guys doing. Do you need anything?"

Quistis sat forward. "Yeah, get a message to Balamb. There's something seriously big going on here. I'm pretty sure it's bigger than they thought it was when they sent me out. There's something about a 'seat of power.' I'd look it up in the library but the hoodlums here have destroyed it..." Quistis' voice trailed off as she thought, _There's something I'm forgetting_.... She snapped her fingers as the memory became clear. "Seifer mentioned something about 'Asura's throne'. 'The seat of power' must be the same thing. I also found out they're sending out attack groups. I don't know what else yet. It's going to take me at least another two weeks to worm my way into the inner circle, maybe four weeks. I may not be able to talk to you anymore. I suspect they're going to start watching both Zone and myself pretty closely. And, I'm sure Seifer already figured this, but the leader, at least of this section, is the Deling Commander's third in command. Sub-Lt. Cmdr. Roman Schalk."

Jaxon's expression fell to a dangerous frown. "SLC Schalk. I should have known. He's dirtier than a pig sty. All right, I'll get the message out, today."

"Thanks Jaxon. That's not all you're going to do today, is it?" Quistis asked giving him a meaningful look.

He sighed. "No. I'll call the psych office today and put my friend back where she came from."

Quistis smiled. "Good man." she stood, and patted him on the shoulder before walking toward the exit with Zone. She paused one last time to look back and felt the pang of sympathy hit her in the gut at the sight of Jaxon sitting alone in the sparring area, his head in his hands.

*

As it turned out, it took Quistis another two weeks to get taken into the confidence of the Deling Radicals. Every day was spent in front of a computer terminal in that smoky hole of an office the radicals kept in Deling City. Her job was to monitor the income from sales, another person monitored purchases, another monitored the stockpiles. The system meant that no one person knew very much about what was going on.

"Hark, come here a minute."

She lifted her head to regard the man behind the desk before standing and stepping across the room. "What?"

"I need you to take an exploratory mission this afternoon."

Quistis raised one eyebrow. "What exactly do I have to explore?"

Roman folded his hands on the desk. "There is an excavation going on below us, I just want you to go down and make sure it's on track."

"Why me? Isn't that something you'd rather send one of the people you trust to do?"

The man before her laughed again. "I trust you Hark, you've got brains in that pretty little head of yours. Most of my guys, they're just lackeys. You could be my second if you wanted."

Quistis' eyes sparkled with the sense of satisfaction that rolled through her. "More power? That sounds like my kind of gig."

"I thought it would. Take your friend Zone with you. The two of you should be able to have a little fun down in those caverns."

She hoped the surprise didn't show on her face. "I'm sure we will."

*

Zone followed Quistis down through the entry to the cavern. The air was cool and slightly musty, making Quistis wrinkle her nose at the smell.

"What does he want us to do?" Zone asked quietly.

"Make out, as far as I can tell." Quistis answered back in a similar whisper. She laughed as she heard Zone's footsteps stop behind her.

"What?"

"We're checking out an excavation, then he told me that I should take you and have a little fun."

Zone was still rooted to his spot a few feet away from her. Quistis closed the gap between them until she was nose to nose with him. "You got a problem with that?"

The look on Zone's face continued to have a shocked quality to it. It only took him a moment to relax, his face morphing into an easy grin. "Not a single problem whatsoever, Iselle. Where's the excavation?"

"I hope it's down this path."

Within a few minutes, they emerged from the tight pathway into a large cavern. The roof extended several stories above their heads, just barely lit with the torches surrounding the perimeter of the cavern.

After many years of learning and then teaching junctioning to students at Garden, Quistis knew the feeling of a Guardian Force settling into her mind. She flinched at the touch of consciousness on hers, gently pushing back against the invasion. She stopped walking, having to concentrate on keeping the GF from settling in.

"Iselle, are you okay? What's wrong?"

As suddenly as it had appeared, the presence disappeared, causing Quistis to blink and take a deep breath. "I'm okay. I've never had **that** happen before."

Zone just watched her with concern etched on his face.

"There is an awesome power down here. A Guardian just tried to junction herself to me. I haven't seen one like that since Eden. And even Eden didn't try to junction of her own free will."

They continued deeper into the cavern until they came up to a group of people working with various rock picks. She stepped over to the one guy who seemed to be in charge.

"Schalk sent me down to check your progress," she said, putting every bit of authority into her voice as she could find.

The foreman turned and gave her a slow up and down appraisal. She scoffed before reaching up and cuffing him on the side of the head.

"I said Schalk sent me down. You got a problem with that?"

"Four weeks." he sneered.

Quistis narrowed her eyes "Four weeks till what? Til the tooth fairy comes to get the teeth I'm about to knock out of your head?"

"Four weeks until the operation is ready to go ahead to the final phase."

Quistis still wasn't satisfied with the answer but decided to drop it. She could figure it out on her own. "Good boy. You get to keep your teeth for now." She turned on her heel and walked away toward the entrance.

Zone stepped after her. "What do you think they're doing?"

Quistis shook her head. "I've no idea, Zone, but it can't be good."

"Why?"

Quistis sent him a sidelong smirk. "Combining GFs, radicals, and excavations doesn't settle too well with me. Let's call it an instinct."

Zone nodded, his face twisting in a serious expression as he said, "Yeah."

Quistis chuckled, glanced over her shoulder back toward the excavation to gauge distance, and then halted and backed Zone against the wall. Zone blinked at her, eyes wide. "Now let's see about that 'make out' insinuation."

Zone slowly grinned as his hands settled onto her waist. "Okay. Got to keep up appearances."

_Appearances, my ass,_ Quistis thought as she kissed him.

Eight

Objectives

Quistis hoped that she would be able to keep the mission to the shortest amount of time necessary, unfortunately she couldn't. So, two days before Sally and Zell's wedding she waited around in the hallways looking for Jaxon. She hadn't seen him in the nearly two weeks, since she had suggested he get help, and was getting worried. He hadn't been in the Training Center the preceding Saturday. When she **did** finally see him in the front entry hall, she grabbed Zone--who happened to be standing next to her--and shoved him against the wall, kissing him.

"I'm sorry, Zone," she whispered against his lips, knowing she was nothing of the sort, "but I have someone that I have to check up on."

"That's okay," he squeaked in surprise, a wide grin forming on his lips.

Quistis smiled when she felt the hand land on her shoulder and pull her away from Zone. One look into Jaxon's face told her all she needed to know.

"Miss Hark, do we need to have a discussion regarding your conduct again?"

Quistis shook her head. "No."

Jaxon turned her around and pushed her toward the security office. "Wrong answer, let's go."

Quistis entered his office and stopped dead in her tracks, only allowing enough room for him to get in behind her and close the door. She stared at all the new weapons around the room, on the walls and piled in the corners.

"Wow. When you take up a hobby, you take up a hobby," she said as she slowly sat in the visitor's chair.

He sat heavily in his chair across the desk from Quistis. She watched him as he roughly ran his hand through his hair and tried to shake the tired look from his eyes.

"How are you doing, Jaxon?"

He rubbed his eyes before fixing her with a flat stare. "It's been two weeks of hell. But, it's getting easier. You know, one day at a time and all that psychological crap they feed you in counseling."

"As long as it's working. Are you going to the wedding?"

"Yeah, I'm leaving this evening; the last train out of here. I arrive in Balamb at some insane hour like 5 am."

"Ouch Jaxon, I'm sorry."

He waved a hand. "Don't listen to me. I've been complaining about everything lately."

"You're dealing with some pretty heavy emotional stuff right now. I'd say you're rather brave for agreeing to be Zell's best man when you're just beginning to deal with the death of someone you were going to marry."

Jaxon brought a hand up to cover his eyes as he let out a heavy breath. "Thanks, Quistis." He dropped his hand and smiled weakly. "The therapist made me laugh the other day. He said I should discuss my feelings whenever I can. My response was 'And who exactly would you like me to discuss them with?'"

Quistis leaned forward, resting her chin on her hand. "We need to get you out of here, don't we."

"Zell's trying to help me out in that department."

"That's good to know." Quistis motioned toward him. "So, what happened to you last Saturday?"

Jaxon sent her a confused look briefly before answering. "Oh, last week I was in Balamb for the wedding rehearsal. I was going to try to get a message to you, but I couldn't."

"How did it go?"

"It'll be a beautiful wedding. Sally's going to be a beautiful bride." He paused, a grin appearing on his face, "and Dincht is about to lose his marbles. He's so drunk with love for her... who wouldn't be?"

Quistis smiled. "I'm sorry I'll miss it, and her brother is stuck out in the middle of the ocean for the duration. I heard rumblings of them trying to get a live video feed for him.... Oh. And I have another message that needs to get to Seifer."

Jaxon leaned forward. "Go on."

"Last week I was sent down into a cavern they've been excavating for the last several months. They're on schedule for the final phase happening three and a half weeks from today. I don't know what exactly it is yet, but I have a bad feeling about it. There's something in that cavern of incredible power, and I'm afraid they want to try to take advantage of it. They've been stockpiling explosives, trafficking the arms to finance the purchase of said explosives. That alone tells me there is no financier. Schalk has to be the one leading the whole thing."

"Okay, I'll get that note to Almasy first thing in the morning. I'm sure Janine will be thrilled when I pound on the door at 5:30 am." A silence fell between them. Jaxon pulled a behavior report out of his desk. "I should send you off to the detention room, or would you prefer a physical assignment?"

"It doesn't matter; I'll blow it off either way."

Jaxon smiled as he wrote some notes. "Spoken with the heart of a true troublemaker." He ripped the paper off the pad with a flourish and handed it across the desk to Quistis. She took it from him and stood to leave the room. She stopped short of the door.

"Do you have anyone to talk to if you can't find me or your doctor?" she asked quietly.

Jaxon pulled a phone from his pocket. "I have Zell's number and I have Janine's number. I accidentally woke Sally Regal up in the middle of the night, after a nightmare, I must've touched Dincht 2 instead of Dincht 1 on the phone."

Quistis nodded and smiled. "I'm glad you're getting help. Good luck, and I'll probably run into you at the reception." She once again submerged into the character of Iselle Hark before tossing the door open and storming out of the security section of Deling Garden.

*

The seldom used ballroom of Deling Garden was only slightly decorated with a few holiday lights and a ribbon or two on the food tables. Quistis entered the room after having had her name checked off on the list outside the door. As a problem student, she was required to attend the reception for Sally and Zell, 'a social-skills building exercise' the notice had said. Otherwise the invitation had been sent to the Deling staff and student body. Zone was going to go as soon as he got out of the office in Deling City.

The ballroom was reminiscent of Balamb's, but obviously not used as often. The happy couple had not yet arrived, so Quistis migrated over to the food table. She was one of only a handful of people in attendance, most of those being instructors and staff who knew either Zell or Sally, even if only by reputation. _It's probably better that way._

Music played and while there was space for a dance floor, no one danced. Quistis looked toward the door as it opened to reveal a comfortable looking Jaxon stepping through. Her eyes followed him as he inspected the room and the tables of food and drink before he turned and his eyes settled on her with surprise. He sent a barely discernible wink in her direction before turning to briskly leave the room again, presumably to make more rounds.

The door didn't open again for several minutes. Quistis spoke with the one or two instructors whose classes she attended. She looked up as a presence stopped beside her. Trebuchet, one of Schalk's lackeys, had stopped to lean against the wall next to her.

"So, Hark, they're making you come to this thing too, huh?"

She scoffed. "Yes, can't see why, but I figured I'd get some free food that's probably better than the usual slop they serve in the cafeteria."

"Yeah, they have hot dogs!" he said as he stuffed one in his mouth.

Quistis rolled her eyes in disgust. "Great." The sarcasm practically dripped from her words.

"Are you excited about the project?" he asked quietly.

"Yeah, it'll be a blast." She didn't expect him to react with guffaws of laughter, so she twitched when he did.

"That's good, Hark. Very funny. I didn't know you had it in you."

She only regarded him with a sneer while hoping he would continue talking. Having already had a few drinks in his room, he was ready to oblige.

"Roman told me we're going to finish the blasting in a little over three weeks. Then we're going to have the greatest power in all the world at our command."

Quistis could barely restrain her desire to hop around the room. Somehow she managed to contain her joy at the new information. "I just hope we're able to obtain enough explosives by then," she said, trying to string him along.

"Oh we will. There's a train next week from the old missile silos in Galbadia. With Almasy's top hacker gone on her honeymoon, how could they possibly find out?"

Quistis turned abruptly toward him, grabbing his shirt. "By drunk idiots like you flapping their lips together too much." She shoved him away hard enough to make him run into the pillar behind him.

"Ow! That hurt, Iselle!"

"Go cry to your Mommy about it," she snapped, dragging him back toward her until he was inches from her face. "If you screw this up for the rest of us, you'll be very unhappy about it for the rest of your life." She shoved him away again, enjoying the reaction on his face.

A hand landed heavily on her shoulder. She smiled inwardly. _Good timing, Jax. I need to speak with you._ She let the hand turn her around to face its owner.

Quistis gaped as her blue eyes met the hard green ones of Seifer. The smirk he wore was more satisfied than usual.

"What is going on here? You getting beaten up by a girl?" he asked the equally surprised Trebuchet who rubbed the back of his head.

Quistis tried to think through the surprise induced fog, so she did the only thing she could think of that would get her hauled from the room. Her fist connected with Seifer's jaw, solidly. He staggered back a few steps from the blow. Quistis shook her hand out, her knuckles protesting the abuse.

She let Seifer manhandle her out of the room to the temporary security office. He shoved her into the room, slamming the door so hard the building seemed to shake.

"Damn it, Trepe. Where'd you learn to hit like that?" he asked rubbing his jaw.

Quistis smirked. "Do you have any idea how many bad characters live here?" She watched Seifer pull a bag of ice out of the refrigerator in the room and hold it to his face. "Did I really hit you that hard?"

"Yes, you did. Now, report."

"The only things you don't know are: 1) The final phase of blasting is supposed to be in three weeks; 2) They're after 'the greatest power in all the world.' and 3) they are expecting to hit a train bound from the Galbadia missile silos next week."

"Well, I'm glad to know my leaks work," he replied.

Quistis raised her eyebrows in surprise. "There's no train?"

"There's a train, but it'll be filled with duds."

Quistis nodded her head, considering the information. "Oh, that's good to know."

"I want you to get back into that reception and see what else you can get. Get me the date of the final phase and we'll be there. Use Crest."

"You've met Jaxon?" Quistis brought her eyes up to look at Seifer.

"Yes. He's a good officer. We could use more SeeDs like him."

"No argument there. How exactly am I going to explain that you just let me go back to the reception?"

Seifer shrugged. "I touched you. You reacted. It's all part of the training."

Quistis exited the room and ran into Zone on the way back to the ballroom.

"Hi, hot stuff," she whispered in his ear.

Zone jumped back from her, his face turning bright red. "Iselle, you've got to quit doing that to me."

"Why? I'm just having a little fun."

"Your fun is going to kill me," he said with a poked finger at his chest.

"Fine, ruin my fun. It's okay," she said with a twinkle in her eye. She turned back to the room at the sound of the main doors opening and a light applause beginning. Sally and Zell descended the stairs into the room, happy as could be. They didn't seem to notice the few glares sent their direction from candidates who had been forced to attend. Quistis tried her best to hide her own happiness for them, slugging Zone lightly on the arm when she caught him smiling.

"Remember, they put you here," she whispered in his ear. He nodded at her, changing his expression from a smile to a dark frown.

The couple began making their rounds of the room saying 'hello' to instructors and staff and largely avoiding the students who glowered at them. As they approached Quistis, Zone ducked behind a pillar. Quistis watched Zell's face as realization dawned who he approached. She restrained the laugh when Zell tugged on Sally's arm who had stopped to take a second look at her.

"Zell, does Quistis have a sister?" she heard floating back to her. Quistis only hoped that no one else heard it.

*

Sally and Zell didn't stay too long at the Deling reception. It had begun raining, and as the sun set on the day, the room got darker and darker. It didn't take too long for the lighting to become soft as the heavy cloud cover outside didn't allow for much natural light to filter into the room. Quistis stood in a shadowy corner with Zone sipping from her club soda.

"So, what are we going to do after this?" Zone asked, looking down into his own glass of soda.

Quistis looked over at him, studying the way the small stringed holiday lights glinted off his hair. "Go to sleep, I guess."

A chuckle came from Zone. "That's not what I mean."

She nodded her head. "I know, but I'm trying not to think about it. We have another three weeks before we can really do anything but concentrate on this."

Zone hesitated, letting out a relieved breath. "But you are thinking about it?"

Her expression relaxed into a smile. "Of course I am."

She turned back to the dance floor where there were a few people dancing to the music in the dim light of the evening. Due to the architectural lighting on the outside, she could see the droplets of rain coursing down the clear dome. Her eyes settled on the tall frame of Jaxon standing near a doorway leading to a balcony. She watched him as he sipped from a glass, his posture straight as he stood just inside enough to keep from getting wet. He bowed his head as he pulled something from the neckline of his dress jacket and brought it to his lips before tucking it back into his jacket and briskly walking from the room. She didn't know what had happened or why it touched her so deeply, but Quistis had to blink back the tears in her eyes and swallow the knot of emotion that had risen in her throat.

Nine

Mission Resolve

A few days after the wedding, and after a morning training exercise, Quistis was surprised to find a piece of paper in her bag. She looked around and caught a glimpse of Jaxon quickly disappearing into building.

Tomb. 1100.

Quistis pressed her lips together committing the note to memory before tearing it into the tiniest pieces her finger could manage. She found Zone in the hallway talking to another member of the radical faction.

"Hi Zone, Miko," she said as she leaned against the wall close to Zone.

The cadet named Miko swept Quistis' body with his eyes. "Iselle, why do you go to these training sessions? No one cares if you do."

She gave a delicate shrug, leaning her body suggestively closer to Zone. "I like to be in shape for my man. I might as well use the opportunity."

"Whatever," Miko scoffed. "I gotta go. Roman called me this morning." And the cadet disappeared into the milling crowd.

Zone grinned, "You like to be in shape for me?"

"Of course, Zone," she purred with a sly smile, a finger running down the front of his shirt. "It's **all** for you." Zone sounded a silly chuckle, which caused a laugh from Quistis. She shook her head and straightened, lowering her hand from the wall. "We're taking a little trip to the tomb out on the peninsula," she informed him.

His face drained of color. "The tomb? Iselle, you know I'm not up for that."

"We won't have to go too far inside." She again leaned toward him, a hand taking hold of his shirt, "And **I'm** the only thing in there you should be afraid of."

His answering grin made her laugh as she turned and walked with him out of the building.

*

Approaching the Tomb of the Unknown King, Quistis took her staff out and held it ready. She only assumed the message came from Jaxon...

"Hey, Iselle, over here!" Quistis spun around at the sound of the familiar voice of Zack Regal. He was lounging under a tree with her double, Terrie, standing guard.

"Zack, what are you doing here?" she asked accepting the hug he gave her.

"I want to know what's going on, Head Goon promised to set up the meeting, and here you are. Hey, Zone."

Zone shook Zack's hand before the four settled into the grass.

"So, what's the scoop, Quis? What's going on?" Zack asked eagerly.

Quistis' expression changed, becoming much more serious. "A lot, and it could be a lot more serious than we originally thought. We've got the guy who is third in command of this Garden, SLC Roman Schalk, recruiting cadets. Both Zone and I were recruited by him. The arms sales aren't about profit."

Zack wrote notes furiously, "What are they about?"

"Explosives, big ones, and lots of them. From what I've gathered the explosives are not going to be used offensively."

He looked up from his paper. "Why?"

"There's a cavern under Deling City they've been excavating for over two years. Something of awesome power is down there. I've felt it myself. I think, and this is pure speculation, I think there is a sentient GF down there. Someone like Odin or Gilgamesh. Before I left I heard something about a GF they were calling Asura. Of course, I've been out of the loop for a while now."

Zack leaned forward. "Can you get me down there?"

Quistis laughed, but when she focused on his face again, she realized he wasn't joking. "Oh, no, absolutely not, Zack. It is guarded 24/7 and they'd recognize you, especially with me, but...," she paused while digging through her bag. She produced a small piece of technology that looked like a computer chip. "There are pictures of everything on this, the office, the cavern, even the warehouse." She handed the chip to him.

His face brightened considerably. "Thanks Quis. You've made my job ten times easier."

"You're welcome." She looked away for a brief moment. "Did you get the live video feed they promised you?"

"Of Sally's wedding? Yeah. It was beautiful. I wish I could have been there. I really hated to miss it. Like I said, she's only going to get married once, unlike me."

Quistis patted his shoulder briefly before she stood up. "We have to go. Zone and I are due in Deling City in an hour."

"Okay, thanks for everything, Quis. I'll see you when you get out."

Quistis smiled and turned toward Deling with Zone beside her.

*

The three weeks following the wedding went much as the one preceding it. Quistis went to a class here and there but spent most of her time in the radicals office in Deling City. She made several more tips down into the cavern supervising crews and reporting back to SLC Schalk. Operations were speeding up and Quistis barely had time to get messages out through Jaxon. She would be prepared with a piece of paper in her hand and literally run into him in the hallways. She didn't risk speaking with him as the final days were approaching.

The attack on the train from the Galbadian missile silos went much as she had expected. Schalk removed several of his people from duty for the error, including his second, which meant Quistis was pulled into the position. She thought it odd that she never saw them again either at the Garden or anywhere else. She began to wonder if she could put murder down on Schalk's list of offenses against the Network and the World.

One particular sunny day, Quistis sat outside waiting for Zone when she saw Seifer walking toward the building. She glared toward him, hoping he was there to tell her the mission was over. Unfortunately, he passed by without a second glance, stopping just a few feet away. "Lieutenant, I have some information for you."

Quistis tried to turn around to watch the exchange as subtly as she could. Jaxon had met Seifer on the front quad, neither man looked particularly relaxed. Jaxon's arms were crossed tightly on his chest. His expression betrayed little as he listened.

"Every transfer request you put in came to a dead halt at SLC Schalk's desk. We haven't figured out why he would want to keep you here."

Quistis watched as Jaxon dropped his gaze to the ground and swallowed hard. He reached up and tightly gripped the tree branch above his head.

"I know why. He used my own weakness against me. He thought no one was going to make me pull my head out of my ass."

Quistis' lips twitched as she saw a multitude of thoughts cross Seifer's face. The now familiar clench of his jaw was apparent.

Seifer gestured toward Jaxon "This weakness, it's a non-issue now, correct?" The knuckles on Jaxon's hand turned white as he gripped the tree harder. "Correct." He lifted his eyes from the ground to look over Seifer's shoulder toward the building. "It's the hardest damn thing I've done in a long time."

The stern expression on Seifer's face wavered for only a moment. "We all have to grow up and move on sometime."

Jaxon's hand dropped from the tree. He rotated his shoulders, "Yeah, we do. There has to be something else waiting in the future or the powers-that-be would have offed me a long time ago."

Seifer smirked widely. "Interesting philosophy, Lieutenant." Seifer looked around briefly, his eyes hesitating on Quistis for a moment. "I'm going to be back in a week, be ready to leave on the transport to Balamb at that time."

Jaxon smiled weakly. "Thanks, I'll be there."

Seifer gripped Jaxon's shoulder briefly, stern expression back in place, "Good, it's time for you to face your future and stop living in the past."

Quistis ducked her head as Seifer strode past her toward the transport landing area. She looked up again to see Jaxon moving back toward Deling Garden. He briefly turned his head to send her a barely discernible wink before disappearing into the building. She shook her head slightly as she picked up her book from the grass and looked around for Zone. She was glad she could help Jaxon, and it looked as if he was going to make the most of the opportunity he had been given.

*

On the day of the final phase, Quistis arrived in the radical faction's office at her assigned time for the day of 3:00 pm. SLC Roman Schalk waved her over and gestured to the chair in front of his desk.

"Well, would you looky at what I have here."

Quistis shifted uncomfortably, not liking the tone in the sub-commander's voice. He rose from his chair and walked around the desk stopping next to her. A file folder appeared under her nose. Every instinct Quistis had was telling her to get out and her cover had been blown, but she stood her ground.

Roman slowly opened the folder and showed her the first picture. Her eyes widened in horror as she realized the pictures were of her at Balamb, this particular one had her standing with Squall and Zell, posing during some SeeD social event.

"You're Quistis Trepe, what the hell are you doing here?. Are you going to tell me that the Network actually thinks a dye job and a phony story about you eloping is going to give you enough cover?" his voice was low and dangerous.

Quistis turned furious eyes on him. "Is this what loyalty gets me? Accusations?". She only had a moment to register his coiling for the jaw shattering backhanded hit that he released. She landed on the floor hard and she idly wondered if she would have a black eye in the morning. She shielded her face as Roman hurled the folder at her, pictures flying everywhere.

He came to stand in front of her, the sun coming in the windows behind him so strongly that Quistis could not really make out his facial expression.

"I'm going to beat you until--" he didn't get to finish his threats due to the shattering of the door, the entrance of a large contingent of Network Security Officers and both of Marshal Beita's .45 caliber pistols being aimed at his head.

Marshal's voice cut through the sudden silence with deadly implications, "Try it. Please."

Several security officers pushed past him into the room, including Jaxon.

Quistis blinked, her jaw dropping slightly at the sight before her. Marshal Beita, head of Galbadia Garden security, was fully into his role. Dressed from head to toe in black, complete with sunglasses and a full length black leather duster, he looked like something out of an action movie. To Marshal's left, Seifer was holding several of Roman's underlings at Gunblade point, grinning like a fool. The only one who seemed remotely concerned about her was Zell who occasionally glanced at her while holding another underling off the floor by his shirt. Each of the other officers had donned a black flack-jacket emblazoned with the letters "GNS". Quistis had to wonder just how big of a fight they expected.

The building trembled slightly under their feet. Quistis' eyes widened in surprise. Did they start the blasting early? She struggled to her feet as the tremble grew in intensity, watching as the security officers tried to keep control of the situation. As pieces of the ceiling began to crumble and rain down on the people, Quistis realized something was going horribly wrong down below. She charged toward Marshal and slammed into him, pushing him, Zell, and Seifer outside. They landed in a heap, slightly tangled together. Zone ran up to them and gave Quistis a hand up.

"Is everyone okay?" Marshal asked. Quistis absently nodded, taking a count of officers.

She cast her eyes around, looking for one more person, Jaxon. _Where is he?_ A horrible thought passed through her mind and before anyone could stop her she dashed back inside.

The air was heavy with dust, making it hard to breathe and see. Quistis coughed as she looked around, her eyes finally settling on Jaxon holding his Landesknechte to the throat of SLC Roman Schalk.

"Take it outside, Jaxon." she yelled in his ear above the increasingly loud rumble.

His slightly wild eyes took a moment to focus on her. She tugged on his arm while grabbing an arm of SLC Schalk. Together they hauled the dazed man out of the crumbling building. Seifer and Marshal met the pair outside, taking Schalk away. Quistis and Jaxon moved away from the building before stopping to bend over and catch their breath.

As suddenly as it had started the noise and motion stopped and a heavy silence descended over the area. An odd feeling of calm blanketed Quistis' mind just before the ground heaved in front of them. Quistis was knocked to the dirt along with Jaxon, her breath getting taken out of her for a moment. More dirt and dust flew everywhere around her and she tried to shield her eyes. When the dust began to settle again she slowly lowered her arm from her eyes. Her jaw went slack as she watched Tiamat, the GF she thought had been defeated during the sorceress war, ascend from the gaping chasm in the ground. Astride Tiamat was the GF she was sure was Asura.

"Holy Hyne." she breathed out in a near whisper.

"My thoughts exactly." Jaxon replied as he grabbed the sleeve of her Deling Cadet uniform and easily hauled her to her feet. They slowly backed away from Guardian Forces hovering above them.

"What the hell is going on?" Seifer asked in the new silence.

Quistis knitted her eyebrows in a confused fashion. "It's over." she said, her voice full of wonder at how exactly she knew that.

The others regarded her with surprise. "Trepe, how do you know?"

"I don't know, I just do. I... I think she told me." Quistis pointed at the multi armed spirit hovering high above them.

"Women." Seifer muttered behind Quistis. He suddenly yelped with surprise and jumped as if someone had pinched him. The GF known as Asura, despite the barely discernible smile on her face, solemnly nodded to the assembled group of SeeDs before she and Tiamat disappeared from sight.

"Trepe, you okay?" Seifer asked as the security officers took control of what was left of the radicals.

"Yeah, they're all here, all the evidence you need is here too. Can I go home now?"

"Tomorrow, Trepe, tomorrow. You're going to have a black eye. We should get you to the doc."

Quistis waved him off, "I'm fine, Seifer," she turned to Zell. "I'm sorry I missed your wedding. I wanted to go so badly but--"

"It's okay Quis, Sally will understand too, once she gets the true story. Right now she thinks you and Zack are having boat trouble. The entire shin-dig is on eight hours of video tape for you to watch back at Balamb." He grinned evilly while wiggling his eyebrows at her.

A hand gripped her upper arm tightly and drew her away from the group in the waning afternoon sunlight, "Trepe, I need you to do two things for me right now." Seifer's voice held a no-nonsense tone.

"What?"

"The first thing is I need you to go see the nice little white coated person over there," he pointed at a transport off to their right, "regarding the fine looking bruise forming under your eye. And second," he pulled a small piece of plastic from his pocket, "I need you to take this."

A sense of joy welled up through Quistis as she looked at the new Balamb Garden ID she was holding in her hands. Under her name was the title "Head of Instruction" and under the title in a smaller font was "Evil Sorceress Killer". Before she even thought about what she was doing, Quistis had thrown her arms around his neck and placed a kiss on his cheek.

Realization as to who it was she had her arms around hit her like a ton of bricks and she leapt away, wiping the back of her hand across her lips. She looked up to see Seifer wiping his hand across his cheek with a look of amused disgust. They both broke out into laughter as Seifer gave her a shove toward the medical transport.

After being checked out by the medical staff, Quistis watched the security officers load members of the radical group into transports bound for Balamb Garden. Zone was several feet behind her talking to Seifer. A shadow fell across her vision.

"Hey Quistis. How does it sound to have your name back?" Jaxon asked with a smile.

"I was getting used to Iselle, it's so much more graceful than Quistis."

Jaxon nodded, looking in the direction of her gaze. "I got good news today."

"Yeah? What about?"

"My transfer came through I'm going in as third from the top at Balamb."

Quistis tried to read his expression, but couldn't discern one emotion from another. "That sounds like a step up, Jaxon."

"It is, and things are going to be so different working for Ahndra and having Seifer breathing down my neck all the time.

Quistis reached up and patted his back. "I can't believe I'm going to say this, but he's not all bad. And I've heard that he's calmed down since I hired Janine Larabie. Apparently they've really hit it off."

The noise from the prisoner area startled Quistis, but she didn't have time to react before she found herself on the ground. There was shouting and her face burned where it had been scraped as she hit the rough surface. She became aware of Jaxon's body shielding hers and then the small group of people surrounding them.

Above her Quistis heard a groan of pain as she saw Jaxon's body stiffen. Two pairs of hands helped Jaxon move away and lay gingerly on the ground nearby, leaving Quistis staring at the blue sky above. Zone appeared in her line of sight, concern evident on his face.

"What happened?" Quistis asked as she sat up with the help of Zone.

"One of the prisoners had a knife and he threw it at you." Zone gently held a gauze pad to her face.

A yell of agony behind her made Quistis turn abruptly. Jaxon was on the ground, his uniform slacks already slit to his hip. Seifer leaned over him holding a six inch dagger in his hand. A med tech was holding a gauze pad to Jaxon's leg. From the stream of expletives coming out of Jaxon's mouth, Quistis could tell he would be fine.

"Augh! Holy Hyne! You couldn't have pistol whipped me first?" he complained at Seifer.

"I'm not sure I want such a baby on my staff! Look at this thing." Seifer held up the dagger. "It barely scratched you!"

"It was lodged in my leg you overgrown lout!"

"Whine, whine, whine, you're still alive, so deal with it--Nice chocobo boxers there, Lieutenant."

Quistis giggled, turning back to Zone. "They're going to be an interesting pair."

Zone watched the two SeeDs squabbling before turning back to Quistis. "I know, but I was hoping to see another interesting pair."

"Really? Who?" Quistis asked, laughing.

Zone leaned closer to her, inches from her face. "You and me."

A smile spread across Quistis' lips. Things were finally falling in to place for her. She had a man who cared for her, a job she loved in a place she knew. She leaned in and placed a soft kiss on his lips. "I'll see what I can do."
Epilogue

New Missions

The leather chair behind her desk beckoned after a long hard day in front of her classroom. Quistis gave in to its call with a sigh as she settled into it. She turned the chair toward the window and looked out over the green plains. In the two weeks since she had returned from Deling Garden, she had been even busier than usual. There were meetings to attend, reports to write and file, and instruction rosters to juggle.

As much as she still wanted to be a thorn in Seifer's side, Quistis was ready to give up that pursuit. Janine had become one of the most popular instructors, second only to Zell, so there was no reason to try to send her back to Trabia. Quistis had to admit Seifer had begun to change for the better thanks to his involvement with the spunky and spike-haired rebel. Squall and Rinoa had thrown a dinner party the week before, and Quistis had actually spoken with Seifer for over five minutes without a single insult being tossed between the two.

Zone accompanied her to that same dinner party, appearing much more comfortable than he had on their first date. He made small talk and even took her hand into his on occasion. Afterwards they walked outside to the front entrance of Garden where Zone had left his car. Quistis blushed now as she remembered the kiss they shared.

"Is this what you do all day?"

Quistis' gaze snapped from the landscape outside to the doorway, settling on Seifer.

"No, I just got here. Is there something I can help you with?" she asked as she self-consciously straightened her uniform jacket.

Seifer placed a folder on the desk. "I was just dropping this off, it contains the reports covering each member of the Deling Group. The case is closed. They won't be bothering you or Garden anymore."

Quistis picked up the folder and glanced through it quickly before setting it back onto the desk. She waved a hand at the chair across from her. "Have a seat."

He uncomfortably sat down, folding his hands in his lap. "Feels like old times, Trepe."

Quistis laughed lightly. "We were never this civil, Seifer. Is there anything else I can help you with?"

Seifer shifted in the seat. "I just needed to say thanks for going on this mission and doing so well."

Quistis gaped at him. _He's saying thank you? I really need to get a tape recording of this._ "Sure Seifer, it was fun to get out of Garden again."

Seifer looked around the room, his eyes finally settling on his hands "And I want to thank you for hiring Janine. If you knew things would have turned out this way, I know you wouldn't have hired her."

Quistis let the back-handed compliment slide. "It's doing us all some good. I heard Sally telling Zell about a joke you told in the office. I was surprised to find out that you knew how to laugh."

Standing again, Seifer presented his hand to Quistis over the desk. "Truce?"

She stared at the hand a moment before taking it in her own. "Truce."

Quistis watched his retreating back with some bewilderment before turning her attention to the folder he gave her. She stared at the cover for a few moments before deciding to file it away. Then she spent a few minutes clearing files and papers from the desktop before she heard another knock on the door. She couldn't withhold the smile that spread across her face when she saw Jaxon leaning against the doorframe.

"Hello, Jaxon. Come in. Have a seat."

He stepped into the office, quickly sitting in the chair vacated by Seifer. "Quistis, I haven't seen you since you left Deling Garden."

"I've been insanely busy. Zell did an admirable job while I was under but, well, this is Zell we're talking about. Newlywed." Quistis motioned to Jaxon. "Has your leg healed at all?"

Jaxon absently rubbed the spot on his thigh. "Yeah. It's much better. Thanks."

Quistis nodded, dropping her gaze to the desk before raising her eyes to his once again. "Thanks for throwing me to the ground that day. Considering where the knife hit you, it probably would have seriously injured me."

He shrugged. "Being tall has its advantages. I just happened to be paying attention at the right moment. Besides, it bought me some time in moving here."

Quistis looked over her glasses at him. "I heard you gave Dr. Kadowaki a headache though, refusing to listen to her instructions."

His arms crossed across his chest "I'm not known for my ability to be a patient. How are things with you?"

Quistis tapped her fingers against her arm, trying to come up with something interesting. "Good, actually. I'm meeting Zone this evening. We're going to dinner in Balamb, then we're taking a little harbor cruise."

A slight smile tugged at his lips. "Sounds like you're happy."

She nodded. "I am." Her expression changed slightly to one of thoughtful concern. "What about you?"

Jaxon shifted uncomfortably in his chair. "I'm okay." He paused, fingering the necklace in his pocket before continuing. "I thought it was going to be really hard to move here and work for Almasy, but it's not so bad. I have a support group here. No one at Deling gave a flying Wendigo's ass about what happened before."

Quistis chuckled. "I didn't know Wendigos could fly."

Jaxon stood up, leaned across the desk, and tweaked her nose with his fingers. "You're just so darn funny, Quis." He turned and moved toward the door.

"Hey, Jax?" she called. He stopped and turned back to her. "Where can I find you if I want a rematch?"

A smile appeared on his face. "Security, almost definitely."

The End

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Other Bookworms & Booya Saga Books Referenced in this Installment:

Bookworms & Booya books 1-4

Few Words – Fujin & Marshal's mission to Winhill

The Reluctant Knight – Seifer and Janine's unique relationship

About the Author | Nona Mae King

Writing has been my passion since I was a child when I began creating skits and songs. My life would be empty without this call. There would be no purpose. No ending to guide my daily struggle. No story toward which to strive. Each day something beckons, and that--I know--is the waiting tale. One last happy ending.

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