~*~
I stowed Sally's gear onto the small transport--the same as what had transported me and Squall to Dollet for our field exam. Then I steadied her as she made her way on board from the ramp/plank, sealing the door shut behind her. I gave the pilot the go-ahead and then sat beside her.
I immediately noticed she gnawed her lower lip. "Sally."
She looked over at me. "Yes?"
I smiled. "What're ya stressin' over, shy girl?" Probably guilty for going away with me.
Sally sheepishly smiled as a blush colored her cheeks. "Maybe I should have asked Mom or Ma to chaperone," she said softly. "This is going to be the first time we've been alone overnight without Zack or my parents or Quistis."
Can I call it or what? "What's the problem, Sally?" My insides twisted a little. "You don't trust me?"
Sally shook her head, eyes wide. "No, Zell!" she said quickly, hands stretched outward. Then she flushed and lowered her hands and eyes "I don't trust me."
I blinked, and my mouth gaped. "What're you talkin' about?"
Sally shook her head and stared down at her clasped hands. "Never mind."
"You can't say something like that and then say 'Never mind'," I protested as I watched her face, and then I heard the crinkle of paper in my back pocket. "Oh! Right!" Sally looked over at me as I retrieved the paper and unfolded it. I handed it to her. "I've been wanting to talk to you about this since mail-call yesterday."
"What is it?" she asked as she took it from me.
"It's from Combat King."
"Oh my goodness!" she exclaimed, a hand shielding her mouth. She smiled brightly and turned to throw her arms around me. "Congratulations, sweetie!"
I grinned and pushed gently back with my hands on her waist. "Thanks," I agreed, "but you know, I don't think I'm gonna take it."
Sally's eyes widened. "Why not?"
"Because of this whole Winhill thing. If the Network ends up adding a Garden to Winhill, I want to stay onboard." At least until, oh yeah. Heh heh heh heh.
Sally looked down at the letter again. "But what if they won't hold the position?"
She met my gaze again, and her eyes looked sad and concerned and a bunch of other things. It hurt to see it, and I couldn't help but drop my smile.
"Zell," she continued softly, "you've always wanted to be on staff at Combat King."
I nodded and rested my hand on her knee. "I know, kitten, but I've always wanted to be a soldier, too. If you and I get the Security positions at Winhill--if and when it's built--I want to play it out."
Sally looked again at the letter.
I released a quick breath and sat closer, tipping her head up with a finger under her chin. "Sally, don't stress. Sure I was gonna ask you if I should take the job, before, but, things are different now." I lowered my hand. "I don't like the thought of you being there and me being in Timber, or wherever C.K.'d send me." Hell no.
Sally looked down, but not at the letter. She reached over and took my hand. "I'd quit Garden, Zell," she said softly.
My lips twitched upward. Yeah. I kinda figured. I gave her hand a squeeze. "Thanks, Sally, but you don't hafta. Sure I'd love to work for C.K., but they'll still be there in a couple years, or whenever I feel like retiring. Right now, I wanna stick with where I am, 'specially the way things're going. I mean, geez, everything's fallin’’ into line so that I can stick with Garden. That rocks!"
Sally still looked depressed.
"Come on, kitten. Cheer up." I pulled her close with an arm around her shoulders. Vanilla--Cool it, Dincht! "It's not like I'm saying 'no' forever. I'll just tell 'em that I got a better offer here."
"I'm not sad," she said softly. "I'm just thinking."
"Oh? 'Bout what?" I wonder if I could get a house in Winhill? Dude! I'll have to talk to Laguna; see if he can get me a deal.
Sally released a slow breath and adjusted her position against me, turning into my side so she could put her arms around me. I smiled and lightly rubbed her arm.
"About a lot of stuff," she sighed.
Me, too. Just wait until I tell ya. "You wanna talk about it?"
"I don't know," she said, matter-of-fact.
My smile vanished as I looked down at her, but all I could see was the tip of her nose. I smiled again. "What d'ya mean, you don't know?"
"I mean I don't know if it's the right time to talk to you about it."
Again, my smile disappeared. I raised an eyebrow. Hm. Kinda like me and, yeah. "Okay. No prob. Just blab when you're ready."
She adjusted her arms around me. "I will, sweetie. Promise."
I continued to stare down at her nose, but not really. I kept thinking about what she said. About waiting for the right time. What's the right time to talk to her about...? "Hey, Sally."
"Hmm?"
"How do you know when's the right time?"
Sally remained silent for a second or two, and then she said, "I'm not sure. I guess it's just going to feel right."
I pushed my lips to the side, pausing the rubbing of her arm to just lightly caress it with my thumb. Hm. Feel right. Dude. How does something feel right? I frowned. If it were up to me, I'd probably do it today. Only thing is, this's Sally's life I'm messin' with. I can't screw with this.
I moved my gaze to the partial ring on my right hand, remembering that early morning she gave it to me and just how damn good it'd felt. Hell no I don't screw with this. I've got to get everything in line first.
"What's Winhill like?" Sally asked.
My eyes focused again on her cute nose. I smiled. "It's great. Nothing major like Deling City. Not even like Balamb. It's kinda, I don't know. It's kinda laid back all the time. More farms than anything else. Pretty flower fields, too. You'd like 'em. Oh. There's a chocobo farm out there, too. We could go, if you want."
"I've never ridden a chocobo before." She picked at the lettering on my t-shirt. "Zell, you always take me to do things I've never done before. It's fun."
And I liked how she said it. Really soft, with a smile in her voice. Gave me those awesome 'creeps'. The only other thing that gave me those creeps was the thought of--
"Zell?"
"Hm?"
"Thank you."
I looked down at her, meeting her majorly awesome eyes. Damn. "For what?"
"For staying with Garden." She blinked, and I could see the tears begin to shine in her eyes. "I didn't want you to move away."
I smiled and caressed her cheek. "I wouldn't've left you behind, kitten."
I briefly caressed her lips with mine and then wrapped my arms around her to pull her close, my cheek against the top of her head. Hell no. It's you and me, girl.