Workings of a Happily Ever After, The

  ~*~

  "Hi, Rinoa," I greeted as we hugged. She looked as lovely as ever in a sleeveless summer frock of pale blue with pink ribbons stitched around the hem and the neckline. Her dark hair had been braided beginning from the crown of her head, and little wisps of hair had escaped to give her a very soft and pretty look. "Thanks for helping me with this. I need all the help I can get if this is going to work."

  Rinoa smiled, "Sally, don't be silly. The wedding is going to be spectacular," as Zell and Squall did their infamous 'secret handshake' that Zell confessed they had worked out while fighting their way to Sorceress Ultimecia.

  Rinoa linked her arm with mine as we made our way to the train that would take us from Timber and the print-shop to Deling and the wedding boutique. Squall and Zell followed behind talking about Garden related stuff; more than likely the 'go ahead' for the selling/buying of our ex-property in Winhill.

  "Selphie and I worked on coordinating the flowers and decorations for the Wedding and the Reception with the two possibilities of dresses last night," Rinoa informed, "so there won't be a lot of change from one to the other. You've only got to pick which one you want and then try on the wedding gown and you're done."

  I shook my head, completely floored. "This shouldn't be this easy, Rin," I confessed. "Something’s going to go wrong."

  Rinoa gave my arm a squeeze. "Don't be such a gloom and doom. It's easy because you're having a lot of people help you rather than trying to do it for yourself. The only thing you need to worry about is whether or not Seifer says 'no' to the final Reception plans."

  I gasped, pausing in the entrance of the train as I focused on Rinoa's pretty face with a wide-eyed gaze. "He wouldn't--Would he?"

  Rinoa smirked. "It depends on how much of a pain he wants to be. He likes pranks, and what better prank than saying 'no' to your Reception just to see the look on your face?"

  I shook my head. "Oh please. Don't say that. I don't want to think about that. Not now. Not when everything's going so smoothly."

  Rinoa softly laughed and drew me into the train car and then down the hallway, pausing long enough to unlock the entry with her ticket. "I'm sorry, Sal. I'm sure everything will be fine. After all, you're his favorite."

  I blinked at her as I stepped along beside toward the SeeD cabin. "Whose favorite?"

  "Seifer's."

  "Favorite? Me? Favorite what?" My poor mind couldn't make sense of what or how I could be a favorite of anything of SLC Seifer Almasy. He scared me to death.

  "You're so silly," Rinoa laughed. "His favorite everything. You're basically his personal assistant." Rinoa looked over her right shoulder toward Squall. "I'm telling you he should give her a raise."

  Squall smirked but didn't say 'yay' or 'nay' as I wordlessly blinked at Rinoa.

  Rinoa focused again on me, her dark eyes twinkling with her smile. "You're the envy of the Security Office, except for Ahndra. Everyone else wishes Seifer was as easy on them as he is on you."

  "Easy?" Zell scoffed. "He still ties her up in knots."

  "He doesn't do it on purpose," I defended. I flushed and lowered my gaze as we made our way into the SeeD cabin. "I do that myself."

  Rinoa guided Sally to sit beside her. "I know you do, Sal, and that's why--"

  "Rin," Squall said, giving a slight shake of his head when Rinoa looked over at him.

  I noticed her small, acknowledging smile with a blink and a wave of curiosity. She focused on me again. "And that's why I'm sure he does his best to be a little nicer. After all, he's read your file, and he's watched you here at Garden. He knows what you're like, and what he needs to do to make things a little more bearable for you. Plus, you work so hard, too. That's why you're his favorite. You pamper him with coffee and good work. No one else does."

  Everyone laughed, but I could only blink at Rinoa and her twinkling eyes and pretty face while trying to figure out what was so wrong with being nice to my boss.

  "Uh-oh," Zell said, chuckling, "she's gone under. She's trying to figure out what's so funny."

  I flushed and sent him a playful glare. "Oh leave me alone, you big bully."

  Zell smirked and leaned back, as did Squall seated beside him, crossing his arms as he watched me and Rinoa. "Bully, huh? You didn't say that earlier today."

  "Zell," I hissed, my face and neck more red than ever.

  Squall smirked and Rinoa laughed. She reached over and gave my hand a squeeze. "Zelly, be nice. The poor girl's embarrassed enough."

  Zell grinned. "I know. I like that shade of pink."

  Even I laughed this time. In fact, all of us laughed most of the way to Deling. Even Commander Squall voiced more than his usual quiet chuckle. I don't remember now what was so funny. I remember talking about some of the trips to Timber and the TV station, and Zell talked about the behind-the-scenes trips we'd taken to the Timber Wolves locker rooms and courtside seats and things like that, but most of all I only remember being comfortable with more than just me and Zell.

  I hadn't been able to hang out with Commander Squall and Rinoa together. Actually, I hadn't ever been able to really hang out with Commander Squall. He was always so busy with Garden. But the train ride over to Deling made me have trouble thinking of him as 'Commander Squall' anymore, which made me a little. . . awed. I mean, I know Rinoa and Zell were just as important on the 'Sorceress Slayer' list, and Selphie, too, but Commander Squall had always been so much more. . . I don't know. Unreachable? Or something. But as Zell and he talked about different things that were less Garden and more civilian stuff, it was as if the uniform--which he wasn't wearing--began to fade away and I saw a person.

  A person who tried as hard as I did to be perfect to keep from hurting others.

  That revelation was quite a blow to my previous perception of the type of person Commander Squall was. In my limited view, I guess he'd seemed super-human because of all the wonderful things he'd done. I mean, he'd saved the world, travelling different dimensions to get it done, and then he'd come back and saved the Garden Network from collapse. He'd inspired everyone to greater things because he hadn't given up. But listening to him and Zell joking and laughing... it reminded me that he was barely an adult. He was only, what?, two years older than me and he had at least three times more responsibility!

  That made him more human to me.

  Then the train did an emergency stop with red lights flashing and sirens blaring and the humans became SeeD all over again.

  Emergency Lock-Down commencing. No unauthorized access allowed. Please remain in your seats. Repeat: Emergency Lock-Down commencing. No unauthorized access allowed. Please remain in your seats.

  Squall and Zell stood up in unison, serious expressions replacing humor. Squall pointed at Rinoa. "Stay here. I'm going to lock the door and seal it. Don't open it at all. Understood?"

  Rinoa wordlessly nodded.

  Squall focused on me. "Stay with her. If it's forced open, you know what to do."

  I gave a single nod, distancing the fear and focusing on keeping my calm the same as I kept my focus away from Zell.

  Squall turned for the door with a brusque, "Come on," to Zell, who sent me a glance while following.

  The door closed and both Rinoa and I heard the high-level security seal lock into place.

  Rinoa gripped the cushion of the seat on each side of her before looking toward me. "What's going on?" she whispered.

  It was then I remembered she hadn't been in a situation like this since returning from the battle with the sorceress. Rinoa had gone back to her civilian life, not even really needed for the Timber Owls because of the pull-out of Galbadian forces. After two years of peace and only having to worry about therapy with her boyfriend, I'm sure battle techniques were easily forgotten.

  "I don't know, but I'm sure it's nothing," I assured her, keeping my tone and my smile as calm and natural as possible.

  I hadn't read or heard anything about radical activity in the area of Deling, b
ut that didn't mean it wasn't a possibility. Anything was, and my life with SeeD working under SLC Seifer Almasy taught me that better than anything--

  Rinoa and I both gave a startled jump at the loud report of Squall's gunblade from outside the train, both focusing on the sealed door while wondering what in Hyne's name could be going on beyond it. An altercation involving my Commander and my fiancé was the last thing I'd wanted on the day we were scheduled to pick up my wedding dress and order my bridesmaid dresses and invitations. Today was supposed to be sunny and calm. Why couldn't that be what happened?

  "Squall. . ." Rinoa whispered.

  And I was internally whispering my own sweetie's name. But I knew he could handle himself. He and I trained hard to keep in shape. And Garden had adopted a regular policy of Physical Endurance/Aptitude Tests, unjunctioned the main focus, to make sure the SeeDs were in top form. Zell and I always passed with high marks.

  Another collection of blasts sounded. Rinoa's hands tightened on the cushions, more than likely to keep herself from standing and flying to his side. I knew she was still considered a 'Sorceress', but no one knew just how much power she still had. Or how much she controlled it. I bet she wants to find out.

  I know that if she'd made a move to leave, I wouldn't have stopped her. I would've followed right after, more than likely leading the way to the battle--There was a sudden vibration in the pocket of my jacket and I remembered the handheld SLC Seifer made me take with me at all times. I pulled it out of my pocket and opened the protective cover to reveal Ahndra's stern expression.

  "Yes, ma'am?" I prompted while giving a salute.

  "Report of radicals in your area just received. Report."

  "Emergency lock-down of Deling-bound train. Commander Squall and Head Instructor Zell have intercepted and are in the process of subduing."

  Ahndra swore. "Team dispatched and en-route. Expected arrival time: five minutes. Force number?"

  I swallowed hard and shook my head. "Unable to determine," I admitted, voice a little choked. "Commander Squall sealed the exit with express orders to remain."

  Ahndra looked to Rinoa seated beside me, pressing her lips together as she realized the reason for the order. She swore again and spoke to someone on her right.

  A few moments later, SLC Seifer shoved Ahndra out of the way. "Regal, you get your ass out there and supply back-up. Rin, keep your ass in that seat. If I hear you've moved, your ass is mine. You hear me?"

  Rinoa wordlessly nodded.

  "Regal," Seifer spoke again, "keep the handheld on so that we can track your position. Now move!"

  I scrambled to my feet and toward the door, using the handheld to override the seal only long enough for me to get through. It slid closed and the seal locked in place again. Sirens and lights still flashed as I dashed for the doors on my right and had to do the same, overriding the seal on that door and the outer door only long enough to let me through. Then I was out and onto the grassy plains outside of Deling City and running all-out toward the sounds of battle at the head of the train, my hands tucking the handheld away and digging my battle gloves out of my other pocket.

  The only thought that ran through my mind was the 'Now move!' order Seifer shouted before disconnecting. Then I was quickly running up on the team of two SeeDs taking on the close to ten radicals in the black jumpsuits and thanking Hyne for wearing jeans and a t-shirt as well as my favorite--and very hard-soled-athletic shoes.

  I used my momentum and inertia the best I could, as well as the element of surprise at my sudden appearance behind them, and used 'Hell Strike' on the nearest group of three. Two went down, the third stumbling aside and allowing me through to Zell and Commander Squall on the other side of the group.

  "Here as ordered," I said, breathless and defending an attack from a nearby radical while hoping against hope my boss hadn't just gotten me fired and court-martialled.

  "One guess," Zell said, performing his infamous 'Booya' on another radical before again standing beside me. "Seifer."

  "Yes."

  'Quick Silver' was next the same time I heard the ring of metal as Commander Squall made a downward slash, this one unblocked, and then the immediate report of the gunblade. Soon after that, though, the sounds of battle melded into one giant blob as I focused only on what I was there to do: offer back-up.

  This battle was different than my Field Exam because not only did I get hit, but I had to watch Zell and my Commander get hit, too. That made me angry. Angrier than I had ever been in my life. I mean, these people were threatening the man I loved! And they were threatening every innocent life on the train! That made me see red.

  Black and red--

  --"Whoa there, kitten!"

  Zell's voice and firm grip on my arms brought me back from the murky black and red with a snap. I looked around, eyes wide at the fallen bodies and the other SeeDs standing around me and Zell. They looked surprised.

  I looked up at Zell with a small smile. "We won?"

  Zell lifted an eyebrow. "Yeah, kitten. We won, and now I think you and me and Commander Squall need to have a little chat."

  "Chat?" I asked as he released one hand on my arm and kept the other, leading me away from the group. "About what?" My smile vanished. "Am I in trouble? I was only following orders. I swear I was going to stay--"

  "You're not in trouble," Commander Squall soothed, coming to stand on my other side and also holding onto an arm as they led me away from the aftermath. "We just have a question for you."

  I blinked at Commander Squall and then Zell. "Question?" I asked slowly. "About what?" I hadn't done anything more than what Zell and Commander Squall had ever already seen.

  "Where did you get that GF summon?"