Workings of a Happily Ever After, The

  ~*~

  Zell exclaimed "Oh man!" the same time I said "Oh no!" The printshop had made an error on the invitations.

  "...the hell?!" Zell waved the invitation in the face of the clerk, who flinched and leaned back, his hands lifted to his face. "How in the hell can you screw up off a perfect print? Huh?! Your printing department have their heads up their ass or something!? Damn!"

  "Zell," I soothed, my hands on his arm to try and pull it back from the clerk. "It's an honest mistake, and I'm sure they'll reprint them with no cost to us, since it was their mistake."

  "O-Of course," the clerk said hurriedly. He pulled the box of invitations off the counter and backed off. "I'll put a rush on these and then have them delivered to you at no extra cost."

  "Damn straight!" And Zell punctuated the remark by slamming the invitation down onto the counter.

  The clerk jumped, nearly out of his skin, and turned to hurry into the back to set the plans into motion.

  "Damn!"

  "Zell, it's all right."

  "'All right'? Sally, they screwed up, and now we have to wait another two or three weeks for new invitations! What if they don't get to the people in time?"

  I smiled and patted his cheek. "We've got email, silly. We can let everyone on the list know that the invitations are late but that they're invited. For those few people who don't have email, I'll write them a letter explaining what happened and letting them know to expect the invitation in the mail later than we thought. Like I said, it'll be all right."

  Zell actually groused, frowning as he crossed his arms and glowered after the clerk. I giggled and shook my head before standing on tiptoes and giving him a kiss on the cheek. His lips twitched upward, I already knew he was faking just to get a reaction from me, but he continued to frown.

  I gave his arm a gentle tug. "Come on, grumpy bear. Let's go to the train station and catch the next one to Deling City. I promised Rinoa that we'd stop in and say 'hi'."

  Zell perked up at that, intention of the pouting/grousing forgotten as another thought grabbed his attention. "Say, can we stop in at Deling Garden? I promised a friend that I'd stop by and pick up a transfer request and deliver it personally. He doesn't think the other ones have been making it through the chain-of-command."

  I voiced a soft gasp as we made our way out of the print shop and headed for the train shop. Then I smiled. "Could we see Zone? I feel sorry for him, being there when I know he didn't deserve it."

  "Didn't deserve it? Sally, he tapped Garde--"

  "I don't believe he did it. I think he was framed," I said matter-of-fact.

  Zell blinked and halted, leaning slightly back as he voiced his usual "Wha?"

  "Did you see his face when she walked away that day in Timber? He was heart-broken, not ashamed. And when you confronted him about it? He didn't really say that he'd done it. He admitted they were found on his computer, but that doesn't mean he put them there." I looked away, tilting my chin upward as I crossed my arms. "I think he was framed."

  Zell regarded me another moment before laughing and gathering me into a hug. "Meg, one of these days..."

  I squealed and pushed and shoved. "Lemme go."

  "If we get world peace on this crazy planet, it's going to be because you solved all the problems without breaking a sweat." He kissed my neck and then wrestled me forward toward the train. "Come on, shy girl. Let's go to Deling and get those rings."

  I manipulated myself free and charged forward. "Last one to the train's a bad kisser!"

  "Ack!"

  And Zell and I laughed and squealed and manically chuckled all the way into the SeeD car.

  It was a tie.

  We plopped down into the couch of the SeeD car at the same time, laughing and giggling and shoving each other as we each tried to tickle the other--or some such fool thing love-birds do that looks ridiculous to everyone else. Then we just settled into 'snuggles' and listened to the click-clicka-clicka of the train as it took us to Deling City.

  If my arms hadn't been around Zell's middle, I would have pinched myself.

  When we got off the train at the Deling Station, Zell took hold of my hand and gave me a tug toward the exit. "Come on. Let's go to Deling Garden first. If we stop in and say 'hi' to Rinoa, we won't get out of there until midnight."

  I laughed and let him pull me along. "I don't mind. I've only seen pictures of Deling Garden. I haven't ever been there."

  "It's nothing like Balamb Garden. Not even close. It's more, I don't know, cold or something."

  "Oh. That's too bad." I watched Zell's profile. "So, who's this 'friend'? Have I met him before?"

  "I don't think so. His name's Jaxon. Jaxon Crest. He's a Lieutenant there at Deling. In security."

  "Security again." I smiled. "Is that where you'd really like to work, Zell? You seem to know more security people than anyone else."

  He grinned. "Just luck, I guess."

  I wrinkled my nose at him. "'Luck', my eye."

  We made our way beyond the city limits and then headed for the large structure positioned between the Tomb of the Forgotton King--or was it Unknown King?--and Deling City. Deling Garden, true to Zell's word, was completely different from all the others. 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. . . Deling Garden was definitely out of place in the middle of the green field. A metallic upside-down trapezoid was the best way to describe it, with the levitator rings encircling the center of the building, between the third and fourth floors. Zack would probably have called it an 'architectural monstrosity'. The stainless steel exterior gleamed so bright in the mid-day sunlight that I thought I was going to go blind. I couldn't examine the building for any longer than a few seconds before my eyes started watering and I began to get a headache.

  I hated to say it, but the Garden was ugliness given form.

  "See? Nothing much to look at, huh? I certainly wouldn't want to be stationed here. No wonder Jax wants out."

  I grimaced at the huge thing, all the time very thankful that I lived at the lovely Balamb Garden.

  When we stepped past the initial entry, pinning our assigned 'Visitor' badges on the waistbands of our sweats, I could see that the inside was going to be just as non-artistic as the outside. Strictly business, which was heightened by the long line of new registrants picking up their information and whatnot. I couldn't believe how many new transfers there were. There had to be at least a dozen.

  "Fresh meat," Zell mumbled.

  I sent him a glance before looking again to the line of men and women waiting their turn. Most ignored me, but a few sent me glares and then a very rude gesture. I flushed and looked away, missing Zell's return and the offender's reddening face and rage-filled eyes.

  The atrium was reminiscent of Balamb, but not as bright nor as welcoming. My other hand came over to grip Zell's as my eyes took in the new sights and colors of the Garden. For some reason, I didn't like this place at all.

  Zell reached around and gave my hand a squeeze. "It's okay, kitten," he said quietly.

  "What the hell are you doing here?"

  Zell and I both turned, my eyes wide as they focused on a tall man dressed in a SeeD uniform. He was good-looking, with vivid blue eyes that had me wondering if they were natural. According to the bars on his SeeD jacket, he was a Lieutenant First Class.

  Zell released my hand and stepped forward and in front of me. "What the hell's that to you?"

  The Lieutenant came up to Zell toe-to-toe, towering over him much like Seifer did upon occasion. And, like with Seifer, Zell didn't back off or look away, even though it looked as if this guy could handle himself in a fight. In fact, I was about ready to step in when they smiled and laughed and wrapped each other in a tight hug with firm claps on the back and greetings of "Damn it's good to see your ugly mug!"

  I didn't know whether to be confused, annoyed, or overjoyed that they weren't
going to beat the stuffing out of each other.

  "Jax, this is Sally. Sally, this is Lt. Jaxon Crest."

  The man named 'Jaxon' focused those intense and lovely blue eyes on me with a genuine smile as he presented a hand. "So this is the famous Sally Regal?" He gently gripped my hand and firmly shook it. "Nice to meet you."

  I flushed and pulled my hand away before he finished. "'Famous'? Why 'famous'?"

  Jaxon blinked, the smile replaced by a look of disbelief. "You're kidding, right?" Jaxon looked to Zell and gestured toward me. "Tell me she's kidding."

  Zell smirked and shook his head. "Nope. She's clueless."

  "About what?" I asked, curiosity becoming less easy to control.

  Jaxon moved his gaze back to me and sent me a very cute boyish smile. "Easy prey. Wow, Zell. You shouldn't have."

  "Hey now, Jax. She's my easy prey," Zell warned as he came to stand beside me. "You get your own."

  Jaxon chuckled--it was a very genuine and. . . relaxing sound--and then motioned deeper into the Garden. "Come on. Let me give you the basic, allowed tour on the way to my office. Then I can give you those transfer papers and you can get out of this hellhole, hopefully taking me with you."

  Zell laughed. "What, Jax? You don't love your job?"

  Jaxon scoffed. "Please. I'm a man of many talents. Here? I use one."

  I watched Jaxon's profile as he and Zell joshed back and forth, a smile slowly softening my expression. There was something about Jaxon Crest that had me trusting him. He was a lot different than Zell, although I couldn't tell you how, but he still welcomed that same feeling of safety. A little bit like my brother, but less rugged.

  Selphie would've gone wild for him. Of course, anyone could have. He was very handsome with his dark chocolate brown hair, vivid blue eyes, and ready smile that seemed to hint at. . . mischief.

  "How long have you known Sweetie?"

  Jaxon focused on me and raised an eyebrow moments before breaking out into a fit of laughter and giving Zell a shove. "'Sweetie'?" He howled louder, even having to stop our progress forward to bend at the waist and suck air.

  Zell frowned and crossed his arms. "The hell's wrong with you?"

  Jaxon pointed at Zell and tried to speak, but he could only shake his head and laugh louder and harder, tears actually pouring down his cheeks. I hadn't expected a reaction like that to a simple word like 'sweetie'.

  Zell rolled his eyes and gave Jaxon a hard shove, pushing him onto his backside in the middle of the corridor of the Garden. "Shut your hole, Jax. Geez."

  I looked at Zell. "Hasn't he ever been called anything like that before?" I asked, completely serious.

  Zell crossed his arms again. "And him acting like that? Hell no."

  I moved my focus to Jaxon and gave a sad shake to my head. "Poor guy."

  Zell laughed at that, which made Jaxon stop laughing and straighten. "Hey. I don't need your sympathy. I've had lots of women."

  "Tch! Yeah right. That's why Janine calls you the 'One Date Wonder'?"

  Jaxon smirked. "Like I said, 'I've had lots of women.'"

  Zell scoffed and shook his head. "Come on, come on. Give us the tour already so we can get out of this place. It's giving me the willies."

  Jaxon motioned us forward. "My office is this way. I'll get you the papers and then we'll head to the cafeteria for lunch."

  Zell and I fell into step beside him. "Good idea. I'm getting hungry."

  "You're always hungry," Jaxon and I said at the same time.

  We exchanged surprised blinks and then laughed.