Disclaimer: Sadly, I don't own Final Fantasy 8, but this story is 100 mine.

I'll Be With You Always

By: Angel Wings-008

The sun shone brightly in the nursery on a fine Winhill morning. Raine Leonhart Loire sat feeding her beautiful baby boy. A thin layer of light-brown hair was beginning to come in on the small boy's head, and a pair of gray eyes stared up at her. Squall was his name. Squall Laguna Leonhart Loire. Gods how she wished Laguna was here to see him, he'd adore his new son. It had been 11 months since Laguna had left to save Ellone, after she was taken by means of Sorceress Adel. She couldn't believe it had been almost a full year since she'd seen their smiling faces.

Raine settled her sleeping son in his crib for a nap. Suddenly, she froze. She heard footsteps down in the bar. She walked out of the nursery, and cautiously made her way down the stairs.

A single Estharian soldier stood at the bar. " Raine Loire?" He asked.

" I'm Raine. What do you want?" She asked him, suspicious. The soldier called out, " Bring her in." Another soldier walked in, folowed by a welcome sight she was thrilled to see.

" Elle!" The small girl ran toward Raine, and she scooped the little girl up into her arms.

" Raine, I missed yoo!" Ellone said in that adorable little high pitched voice of hers.

" Oh sweetheart I missed you to!"

" Uncle Laguna saved me from the mean Sorceress lady."

Raine asked, fearfully. " Where is my husband?"

The soldier who had come in with Ellone spoke up. " Mr. Loire asked us to escort her to Winhill and bring her to you. He had some matters to attend to and told us to tell you he'd be along soon."

Raine's heart sank and lifted at the same time. She was glad Laguna was all right, but wished he was here, and had come with Ellone. She missed him so much.

" Thank you for escorting her back."

" Our pleasure ma'am." He said, and they walked out.

Raine set Ellone down and spoke to her in excited tones. " Come with me Elle, there's someone I want you to meet."

" Oh, REALLY? Will I like them?" She asked in a curious voice filled with wonder.

" Oh I think you're going to like him very much." Raine said with a smile. She took her hand and led her upstairs to the nursery. Squall was fussing in his crib, the men's voices and footsteps had probably woken him. Ellone looked at him with an expression of delight.

" Wow he's pwetty, Raine! Who is he?"

" His name is Squall. He's you're little brother."

" Yoo mean yoo and Uncle Laguna are Pawents now! She had such a wondrous expression on her face Raine almost laughed.

" Uh-huh. You want to hold him?"

Ellone nodded her head enthusiastically. Raine picked up her baby son, and gently placed him in Ellone's arms. Squall looked up at his sis with big, curious, gray eyes. Ellone smiled big.

" Hey I think he likes me!" She said with delight.

" I think so to." Raine replied. " Elle do you promise you'll always take care of him, no matter what happens?"

" I pwomise!"

" Good! Now I think we should celebrate. How does our very own slumber party sound? With all the ice cream you can eat!"

" Yay!" Squealed Ellone. Raine laughed. Laguna would be home soon, and they could all be a family again.

Always.

ooooooooooooo

He crept in the bushes, staring strait through the windows of the bar in Winhill. He'd get what he wanted tonight.

Loire would pay for humiliating him. Once and for all. If he couldn't have him, his bitch would do.

Zeek thought back to the horrible day. He'd been taunting the shy, bumbling idiot, showing off to everyone who idolized him. Then he'd started the fight, and Loire had destroyed him. Everyone who'd respected Zeek, or cared turned on his, not even giving a second glance. Loire had ruined his life, and now Zeek would ruin his.

Tonight.

oooooooooooooo

The windows shattered, spraying them with shards of glass and cutting there skin. A haggard man with a shock of greasy red hair stood in the wreckage. Then, leering at Raine, he laughed and pointed the gun, strait at Ellone. Raine's eyes widened in horror. Sprinting toward Ellone, she knocked her out of the way, taking three shots in the chest herself. Blossoms of blood appeared on her chest, and Raine's beautiful face twisted in pain.

" NOOOOO!" Screamed Ellone, crying and shaking on the floor. A villager shot Zeek down, killing him instantly with a shot to the head, but the damage was done. He'd gotten what he wanted.

oooooooooooooo

Raine hung on by a thread. She'd bled a lot from the dreadful wounds inflicted. The doctor had said it was a maricle she'd made it for this long. She would never recover, she knew. But there was one more thing she had to do.

" My baby. Please- I must see- my baby. One more time." Raine smiled weakly at Ellone. " Make sure- you tell your Uncle Laguna- that I love him. Ok?" Ellone nodded, tears streaming down her cheeks.

The midwife placed her baby in Raine's arms. Raine looked at her sweet little boy. " Hi their sweetie. It's mommy. I love you sweet boy- so much. I love you very much but-I have- to go now. But don't you fret. Your big sis will take care of you. And your daddy- will to. Someday, I'm sure. Remember sweet Squall. I'll be with you- always."

Her last breath left her, and her body was limp. Lost was her voice like a song. Gone forever was her sweet smile like a rose, and laugh like the wind. And no more tears would be shed from her eyes. But her last words still rang on, forever and true: " I'll be with you always."

And she would be.

Ooooooooooooo

Wow… that was sad wasn't it? I think I cried when I wrote this. So what do you think? Reviews are much appreciated.