A. N. pokes head around corner hello all! Please don't shoot me!

Disclaimer: they so ain't mine.

I shlump down the hallway, Selphie bouncing merrily at my side. Grandpa hmf, I am no grandpa! Hey, wait a minute food means cafeteria. . . I put on the brakes without realizing it. "Uh, on second thought I'm not really all that hungry."

Selphie turned to me, bright green eyes shimmering with apprehension. "Did I do something wrong? I'm sorry I'll stop talking like right now! I promise! Don't go! I mean it really is a good thing that Squall's trying to do here and he's been so. . . morose. I mean more so than usual and then you come back and he actually starts giving one word answers again! You've helped him so much, just by being here!"

My irritation shot up two notches. One: I had been lied to. Two: Selphie was still babbling. "What are you talking about?"

"Oopsies."

"What oopsies?"

When all she did was chewed on her bottom lip and looked at the ground nervously my rather minimal patience snapped. With a purpose I grabbed Selphie's arm and started moving towards my room. I am going to get some answers, dammit. I think in hopes of preserving her own life, she simply let me drag her along. We got to my door and the constant reminder that I am not free here burns into the back of my eyelids.

Seconds before I completely nuke, I hear the telltale ding of my door being opened. I glance Selphie's way just in time to see the little plastic card disappear back into her pocket. I'm torn between being grateful and going homicidal. As soon as the door slides shut, I press the lockdown button. I'll have at least a ten second warning before anyone can open that door again. Good.

Hey, maybe I haven't lost all of my menace, Selphie actually looks apprehensive. Swaggering over to the couch, I plop down in the center and peg her with a stare that demands answers.

"Spill."

Her nervous giggle does nothing for my apprehension. I swear to Hyne I'm growling.

Selphie puts her hands up in surrender, "OK! Ok, just. . . I mean. . . Do I really have to? They're all gonna be so mad at me!"

My eyes flash as my temper skyrockets. I'm about to loose it when I feel a sort of otherwordly calm about me. A brief vision of flames and sharp teeth flits before me, Ifrit. Sometimes I swear that GF hates me, and it's times like this that I appreciate him the most. Taking a deep breath I slowly raise my eyes to Selphie, who honestly looks like she could shit her dress right about now. "Why am I here?"

Trembling, the yellow clad girl takes a deep breath, much like mine. "We brought you back because of Squall. He was. . . Floundering. And all of us. . ."

"With the exception of Quistis, I image."

Selphie winced and nodded, ". . . Thought it would be good for him, if you, like, came back."

I leaned back on the couch somewhat stunned. "Why me?"

"Squall wanted to help you. He'd always kept tabs on you, where ever you happened to be at the moment. First you were in Balamb, then you just wandered for a bit, and then you went to Fisherman's Horizon and just stayed put. We thought you were both kinda floundering. Neither of you were going anywhere. I mean yeah, day to day menial tasks, but that wasn't where either of you were supposed to be. So, we tried to help, even Zell agreed that the chafing rivalry between you two would bring the spark back into both of your lives. You were the perfect excuse." Selphie finished, looking defeated.

I'm pretty sure the only reason I haven't burst a vein is because Ifrit has heavily locked down on my emotions right now. I'm Puberty Boy's pet project? To make him feel better?

"I'm. . . I'm just gonna go now?" Selphie said, inching towards the door.

I think I nodded, because the next second she was gone.

Holy Hyne. I mean Squall must have really been in trouble if everyone had agreed to me coming back. That shouldn't make me feel all warm and fuzzy. They were willing to risk my life for his. Damn. Why am I not angry?

Concentrating, I got as close to the fire as I could in my own mind. Ifrit already knew what I was going to ask, he resided in my mind. So I waited patiently, watching the flames lick at the darkness between us. Ifrit's low rumble of amusement seemed to make the ground ripple. "Humans are such simple creatures. Their bodies and souls at the mercy of hormones and impulses. They could never wish to understand, much less reach the plains of understanding that I reside within."

"Then you must understand us," I said reverently.

"Yes human, I understand your question, and as such, I also have your answer."

I waited for the answer as Ifrit blinked at me from behind the flames. A stomped down on the itch of irritation, knowing that he knew and just wouldn't tell me. I waited. This had always been the game between Ifrit and I. When I had first acquired the GF he had constantly nagged me about patience. When I discovered I could speak back, I asked him why. And then we did what we're doing now. I wait, until he deems my patience worthy of the answer.

"Ask me again tomorrow, human. This answer requires much patience."

"But. . ."

"Or there shall be no answer at all."

With what grace and dignity I could muster in the beginnings of a temper tantrum I withdrew from the recesses of my mind. Needless to say popping out of Ifrit's domain and popping right back to mine, with Leonheart not a foot away and staring at me did nothing for my present mood. Glowering I shifted, noticing my legs were somewhat numb. Hyne, how long had I been sitting there?

"What?" I grumbled, leaning down to massage my calf and get some blood movement down there.

"I thought no one else could speak to their GF's." he said, studying me from under that mop of brown hair. "How do you do it?"

I lifted my eyebrow at him and pointedly ignored that question. "What time is it?"

"1600 hours."

Whoa! I had been with Ifrit for three hours? I can distantly hear a chuckle of amusement in my mind, and I tamper down on my instant rebellion. Stupid, firey, hairy, useless. . .

"Almasy!"

I blinked, coming back to reality. "Yeah?"

"How long have you had Ifrit junctioned?" Squall hissed. Hey look at that, he's pissed. I hadn't even noticed. Why though?

"What's got your panties in a twist?" I said, standing from the couch and testing out my still tingling legs.

"This isn't a joke Almasy how long have you had Ifrit junctioned? Your memories you idiot! You're loosing them, that's where . . ."

"Ifrit lives I know. I'm fine." I shrug past the Ice Prince and make my way towards my bedroom. "So what's up for today? Sparring, more imprisonment?"

A hand shoots past me and connects with the door jam to my bedroom, and Squall, even though he's shorter than me by about an inch, seems to loom in my doorway. "How Long?"

Now, that rankles my temper and I'm just itching for a fight. I step up to the smaller man, going almost toe to toe with him. If I were to inhale deeply my chest would press against his own. "Let's set this straight, right now, you and me. I've already gotten dragged back here, put through lessons you know I know, and no one will even give me a copy of my own damn door key. So give a little to get a little, yea?"

I really shouldn't be noticing the different shades of color in his eyes right now, nor should I be staring at his lips. Damn. This is bad, this is so very bad. Almost like Leonheart realized what was happening to me, his eyes flared and he inhaled deeply, staring at me like he had just seen me for the first time. I took a very deliberate step back. "So what's it gonna be?"

Squall glared at me for a moment and then took his own step back. "I'll see about your room key. But for now you have a combat lesson."

With a swift turn, I grabbed Hyperion's handle and followed the leather clad ass out of my room. I was still reeling from that thing in the bedroom. He had smelled like fresh rain and, hell, I know he didn't do that on purpose. In my mind I could see myself leaning down and kissing him. I swear if his lips were made of spikes I'd still enjoy it, just because it was Leonheart. Wrap my arms around that lithe body that held all the muscles and knowledge that a warrior should have. The lean lines of his body pressed against mine.

We passed through th Garden and into the training center. As Squall removed his jacket and reached for his gunblade case I pulled myself out of that train of thought before it went to far, but one thing was very, very obvious.

I smiled and leaned into the ready position, my eyes bright and gleaming.

I wanted to make Leonheart scream for me.