Reluctant Knight, The

  Seifer laughed again.

  They arrived at Janine's dorm room, where she presented him her key, and then slightly adjusted her position to make it easier for him to unlock and open the door. Upon entering, he kicked the door shut and headed toward her bed. It was still rumpled from her tossing and turning most of the night.

  Seifer's lips twitched, but he didn't say anything as he lowered her onto the mattress. He removed his arms from under her, his hands instead going to her wrists as she adjusted her arms around his neck.

  He held her gaze as he pulled her arms free. "Bed rest," he ordered.

  "I know, damn it. I heard her." Janine smirked and caught his hands as he straightened, drawing him closer and putting his hands on her hips. "You sure you can't at least help me out of these pants? They're damn tight," she purred, all the while hoping he'd opt for the chase.

  Seifer pushed her back into the bed, kissing her mouth as he did. Then he drew himself back and pulled his hands from hers. "Bed rest," he repeated.

  Janine slowly opened her eyes, her breathing a little fast. I love the fast! She smirked as he stepped back and turned for the door, drawing herself up onto her elbows to watch him. "Seifer." He halted at the door but didn't turn, and she could practically feel his body tense. "Don't make me wait too long, babe."

  The tension eased and Seifer opened the door and passed through, closing it quietly behind him. Janine's smirk widened to a mischievous smile. If she knew Seifer, he would make her wait until they were both ready to crack.

  Janine chuckled. Bring it. Let's see who cracks first.

  Chapter Six

  Bed Rest

  The lights flickered.

  "Come on in," Janine called as she marked her place in her book. She looked up as Sally Regal peeked her head around the corner. Smiling, Janine pushed herself up in bed. "Hey, Sal gal. How's it going?"

  "Seifer ordered me to come up here and make sure you were staying in bed," Sally offered, uncertain. Then she gasped and scurried forward. "What happened?"

  "Carelessness," Janine said vaguely. "I've had nastier scrapes than this, Sal. Don't worry about it."

  Sally sat on the edge of the bed. "Did you need me to get you anything from the cafeteria? Coffee? Ice cream? Anything like that?"

  Janine smirked. "I'm fine. Really. It's not as bad as it looks. I just get a little dizzy sometimes."

  Sally wrinkled her nose. "I really hate that feeling."

  Janine arched an eyebrow. "And where in the world would you have been handed a wound like this, Sal gal?"

  "Oh, well. . . ." Cheeks flushed, she shook her head and looked away. "Never mind."

  Janine crossed her arms. "Never mind? Like hell. 'Fess up."

  "What? I've never gone on any missions except for my Field Exam. I don't have anything to confess." Sally peeked up at Janine very briefly. "Really."

  "Fine. Then you won't mind telling me about this 'dizziness' you had. Come on, girl! Don't leave me hanging bored to death by reading books when there's a story to tell!"

  Sally giggled. "You're so silly, Janine. It's nothing majorly exciting."

  "Nothing majorly exciting my ass! You're talking about dizziness, which usually always comes with a head wound or a concussion. Now talk!"

  "Okay, sheesh." She released a deep breath. "You remember when that Galbadian missile-base attacked Garden?"

  Janine clenched her jaw and crossed her arms. "Yeah." The blast had completely negated any chance of her ears healing from the Wendigo attack.

  "Well, um." Sally twisted her hands in her lap as her face flushed. "After that, Galbadia Garden, well, they attacked Balamb Garden and I was, uh, in the wrong place at the wrong time. . . and uh. . . ."

  Janine tilted her head as she watched Sally's face. "Sally, why don't you like telling people about what happened?"

  Sally released a soft breath before meeting Janine's gaze. "Why don't you like telling people you're deaf?"

  Janine arched an eyebrow. "Hm. I think I get what you're saying."

  "I don't like telling people about it because they treat me different. I was hurt, sure, but I'm better."

  Janine regarded Sally for a second before asking "So what happened? Just for shit and giggles."

  "I got caught by a falling bookcase."

  Janine smirked. "I bet my scars are better than yours."

  Giggling, Sally looked at Janine with twinkling eyes. "Bet they aren't."

  "Like hell." She pulled down the blankets, lifted her shirt, and pulled her pajama shorts down to show a wide burn pattern on her right hip and across her right buttock. "See?" Sally's eyes widened as her jaw dropped. When her eyes began to glimmer, panic shot through Janine and she quickly covered up. "Damn, Sally," she said uncomfortably. "No need to get teary. It never did hurt." Yeah. The nerves are shot to hell. Janine motioned to Sally. "Where's yours?"

  Sally wiped the wetness from her cheeks with a timid smile and stood, turning her back to Janine to pull her uniform-top from her skirt and show a surgery scar which spanned almost half her spine.

  Janine actually cringed. "Damn." She forced a smile as Sally tucked her shirt back in and sat back on the side of the bed. "Okay. So you beat me."

  Sally giggled, reluctantly it seemed to Janine. "No, I don't. You lost your hearing. The only thing I lost was full use of one of my lungs."

  Janine laughed. "Hey. As long as I win."

  Sally snickered. "You like winning at everything, don't you?"

  "Hell yes! Finishing second is never the way to prove anything."

  "Janine," Sally giggled, slightly shaking her head. "Second place isn't so bad."

  She scoffed. "Well, it sure as hell isn't first, and I damn well can't get ahead if I'm dead last." Sally smiled and shook her head again with a 'You silly' expression. Janine regarded her. "'Course, how the hell did you get into the Special Security Office? I know you don't push and shove to first place, that's for damn sure."

  "I just do my best," she admitted softly, flushing. "And I try to ask the right questions to learn stuff. You know what? I think people like teaching things to others. I know Zell loves it when I ask him to show me things." She giggled and glanced up at Janine. "He stands at least six inches taller."

  Janine motioned to Sally. "Makes you feel damned important, I bet."

  "I love it when people ask me for help."

  "Never really thought about it," Janine finally said, absently tapping a rhythm on her upper arms. "It's always been about winning and being on top for me. Ever since I can remember. Absolute control. Leading the pack."

  Sally's smile remained. "I bet you're a great leader, too. I know I wouldn't hesitate to follow your orders."

  Janine chuckled. "Brown-noser."

  Sally giggled. "I'm serious."

  "Yeah. I know." She regarded Sally for another moment. "I guess I'm an arrogant ass to think I should always be at the front of the line, huh?"

  "No, you're not. You're just assured. It's good for leaders and Instructors to be that way, isn't it?"

  Janine smirked. "Yeah. I guess." She motioned to Sally. "What about you?"

  Sally's brows twisted. "Me? What about me?"

  "How do you find out how to get people to do what they should? I know for a fact being an SSO means you have to give orders, or at least damned strong recommendations to Seifer. How do you get them to listen?"

  Sally flushed and glanced away. "Well, I've learned a lot by just standing back and. . ." Sally cleared her throat, "listening and watching. Asking questions helps, too." Sally's smile returned as she looked up. "You'd be surprised how much you can learn about people doing that. They like answering questions if you ask them right."

  "Know from personal experience, do ya?"

  "Yes, well, I, uh. . ." She flushed. "I watched Zell for about three years before actually talking to him."

  Janine laughed. "The hell ya say!"

  "Yeah. I know. Pretty pathetic." Her expression softened as she focused on an intriguing ring d
ecorating her right hand. "But I learned so much about him doing that. I learned the subtle things. The little quirks that hinted at moods and emotions. The clues that help me know how to talk to him." Sally's smile widened, and she met Janine's gaze. "Once I started talking to him, I learned even more. It was a different kind of. . . understanding."

  Janine regarded Sally with a thoughtful expression. "Yeah. And you two are pretty damn close. It's eerie how easily you two pick up on what the other's about."

  Sally hugged herself. "I like being that close to Zell. The only people I've ever trusted that much were my parents. . . maybe my brother."

  Janine absently nodded. I'll be damned if I've trusted a person that closely. The ultimate thrill. "Where you two going from here?"

  Sally's smile faded a bit as she again lowered her gaze to the ring. "I'm not sure."

  Janine watched Sally's face. She smiled. "You're going to marry the spaz, right?"

  She slightly nodded. "If he asks." She sighed and lifted her eyes to meet Janine's. "I really hope he asks," she whispered.

  Janine chucked Sally lightly on the chin. "He'll ask, Sal gal. The way he looks at you when you're not looking? It's a wonder he hasn't asked already. He's wilder about you than... than... Hell. I don't know." Yet another thrill Janine craved.

  Sally flushed. "He's a real sweetie."

  "And he kicks ass in a fight."

  Sally giggled as she shook her head. "I don't care about that," she protested.

  Janine smirked and tapped her chest. "But I do. Strength and power are what I look for."

  Sally's lips twitched. "I guess I can understand that." She stood. "But there's different kinds of power and strength. Like Headmaster Cid and his wife. Commander Squall. Quistis. All of them, don't you think?"

  And the comment had Janine regarding the timid girl in a new light. "Yeah. I guess you're right," she said. "Never thought about it before."

  Sally's eyes crinkled at the corners with her giggle. "Sorry, Janine. I didn't mean to lecture you."

  She scoffed. "Lecture? Just a couple girls having a spit-spat. Leave it."

  Sally nodded and then motioned to the door. "I better go."

  "Hey. Thanks for coming, Sal gal. I was about to go nuts from all the quiet."

  "Sure, Janine. I really like talking to you."

  Janine smirked. "Yeah, I bet."

  Sally giggled. "Janine."

  She gestured to the door. "When you see Seifer, could you have him stop by after work?"

  Sally's eyes widened slightly. "Is something wrong?"

  Janine waved a hand. "Nah. Just want to yak at someone who swears as much as I do."

  Sally smiled and giggled. "Oh. Okay. I'll tell him."

  "Not about the swearing part, Sal, if you don't mind. Just let him know I want him to come on over after work."

  Sally nodded. "Okay." She turned and headed for the door. Before she exited, she turned and said "I'm glad you and Seifer are getting along okay. When you first met him, I was afraid you guys hated each other."

  Janine smirked. "Just sizing each other up, Sal gal. It's what we aggressive types do."

  Sally smiled and waved. "I'll try and stop by this evening with dinner and Zell. Maybe we could play a card game or something?"

  Janine's lips twitched upward. "Sure, Sal. Thanks."

  Sally waved again and then closed the door behind her. Janine chuckled.

  ~*~

  "Sir?"

  Seifer sent the email and proceeded to the next report on his computer. "Yeah."

  Regal stepped into his office. "I checked up on Janine Larabie for you, sir."

  He pushed the monitor away. "And?"

  "She seemed fine, and it didn't look as if she had been out of bed at all. We talked for a little bit and she didn't slur her words at all, or anything like that." Sally smiled. "She's so fun to talk to, sir."

  Seifer smirked.

  "Oh." The serious expression returned. "She wanted me to ask you to visit her after work."

  Seifer raised an eyebrow. "Reason?"

  "She... um..." Sally focused on her hands.

  "Regal?"

  "Well... she said she wanted to talk to someone." Sally timidly smiled. "Being in bed under doctor's orders isn't very fun, sir."

  Hell no! "I'll see what I can do."

  Sally saluted and then turned and left his office. Seifer absently tapped his pen on the desktop. Talk. He tossed the pen aside and pulled a report from his left, frowning down at the comparisons and warnings and whatever else was listed. Talk. He tapped his thumb against his desk as he continued to filter through the report with his other hand. He cleared his throat.

  Seifer glanced to his watch. Shit.

  ~*~

  "Ahndra, I'm leaving," Seifer reported as he locked his office door.

  "Appointment?"

  Seifer turned and headed for the elevator. "Request."

  Ahndra's eyebrow twitched.

  He boarded the elevator and pressed the button for the main floor. He stared hard at the seam of the elevator doors--He stepped off and proceeded down the stairs and around the corridors to the side-hall which led to the dorms. Up the stairs and down the hall to her room.

  "Come on in!"

  Seifer momentarily gripped the doorknob before stepping inside. Janine lay in bed reading a book and dressed in a black tank-tee. Seifer's chest tightened as he approached.

  She glanced up and then smiled and lowered the book. "Hey."

  Seifer pulled her computer chair from her desk and wheeled it to the side of her bed. He straddled it. "Larabie."

  She tossed aside the book and motioned to the bed. "This is why I hate following orders." Janine crossed her arms and smirked at him. "Damned boring."

  "You'll survive."

  "Oh hell," Janine responded, grimacing. "I know that. Just don't like sitting on my ass for hours on end. Sure, you do it all day, but at least you get to go on a coffee run every once in a while."

  Seifer's lips twitched. "Sitting on your ass takes skill and discipline. Apparently you don't have what it takes."

  "Oh come on. Cut me some slack. I've done some of my best work flat on my back."

  Seifer chuckled. "Such as?"

  "Hey now. I told you about that engine rebuild I had to do at the front line to get our ass out of the line of fire. Didn't I?"

  "No. I don't believe you did."

  "Shit. Some of my best work, too. Had the transport up and running in five." Janine's brown eyes twinkled as they regarded him. "Of course, I can do more than engine rebuilds. Seems to me I passed-up on performing in the line of duty just the other day."

  Seifer adjusted his arms across the back of the chair. "How so?"

  "Okay. So maybe it was a personal issue, but I still did a damned good job communicating with a superior officer." Janine pointed at him. "I don't usually respect authoritative figures. They usually push the wrong damn buttons and have me all over their ass." She lowered her hand, and the smirk returned. "You know? You and Commander Squall are the only higher officers I can stand talking to. Sounds pathetic."

  Seifer regarded her with a nagging twitch of confusion. "Larabi--"

  "I know. I'm mouthing off more than a drunk parrot. Guess it's the tight quarters. I told you: I don't like sitting my ass in one place for very long. Not unless I like what the hell I'm doing. Otherwise I get jumpy and fidgety and can't shut the hell up."

  His smirk returned as he watched her. Occasionally her hand would lift and make a motion as she spoke in a clearly agitated tone, crossing and adjusting and re-adjusting her arms as she continued to speak. It was damned amusing.

  "I remember I was trapped in a bunker one time on a training mission outside Dollet, some privately owned island or some such shit-hole, and I nearly drove the men in the bunker nuts with chattering and spouting. They said they were inches away from hog-tying me in the corner and stuffing a week-old sock in my mouth. Luckily the transport came before it got to that, but shit. It was d
amned embarrassing. You ever been in a situation like that? I heard you were at the Galbadian invasion of Dollet when the communication tower was opened up. What the hell was that like? Who was in your party? I bet it was damned exciting to be on the edge of something like that and not knowing what the hell was going on."

  "Larabie."

  "What?"

  Seifer regarded her a moment. "Why?"

  "Why what?"

  "Why are you making yourself talk about your past?"

  Janine examined the nails of her left hand. "What the hell are you talking about? I told you. I get like this." She glanced toward him.

  "Janine."

  She looked fully over at him, slightly frowning. "What?"

  He adjusted his crossed arms over the top of the chair. "You don't volunteer information about yourself."

  "And what's that supposed to mean?"

  "Nothing. It's a fact. You don't."

  "So? I am now. You got a problem with that?"

  "No. I want to know why."

  Clenching her jaw, Janine held his hard stare for only a moment before looking away again. "Hell. I don't know." She adjusted her crossed arms.

  Something minutely changed in her profile. Seifer tightened his scrutiny, confusion still tweaking at his mind. People like them held personal info closer than security secrets. It was safer.

  Janine frowned and rubbed at a portion of her scalp behind her right ear--she wasn't wearing her assists. Why the hell didn't I notice the lisp? Seifer clenched his jaw and then reached out to touch her knee under the blankets. She focused on him. "What happened to the chase?"

  "What chase?"

  "Don't give me that shit. You and me. I chase. You chase. What happened?"

  "It got boring," she snapped.

  "Try again."

  Janine pressed her lips together. "Fine. I'm after a different thrill."

  His eyebrow twitched. "Such as?"

  "Getting to know you."

  His jaw clenched. "What?"

  Janine nodded, motioning toward him. "I know. People like us don't do that. We chase, we challenge, and we move on. But you know? Sally and I were talking and she fed me another tidbit of a thrill I think is damned exciting. It sure as hell looks damned fun for her."

  Intrigue bashed him over the head. "Sally--Regal?"

  Janine frowned at him. "Sure 'Sally Regal'. Don't give me that shit. You wouldn't believe some of the things she and Dincht do that sound glorious!"

  Seifer stared at Janine in unguarded shock.

  "What? Quit gawking like a boy staring at his first nudie pic. So I want to find out a little more about you. What's the big deal? Aren't you curious about me?"