Disclaimer. Squaresoft owns all these guys and places. I don't mean to infringe you guys so........ just chill, eh???
I had an email saying the things that Ayden does are unrealistic...... And a gunblade would work in the real world? This is the son of a sorceress we're talking about, give a little please?
And Robbie is too nice for words so I'll say the song ai't mine it belongs to that babe!


The Longest Road.


"And think this heart, all evil shed away, a dust in the eternal mind no less, gives somewhere back the thoughts by England given. Her sights and sounds, dreams as happy as her day. And laughter learnt of friends and gentleness, in hearts at peace, under an English heaven."

Part of "The Soldier" By Rupert Brooke. (Darksquall's favourite poem and one she knows off by heart.)



Chapter eighteen; Wing hearts at peace.





The quad was silent at this time of night. A full moon hung low over the horizon and countless stars shone in the heavens.

In the semi darkness Squall sighed with a new appreciation for these sights, new seeing eyes contented with new sights. The feel of the soft wet grass against the back of his neck was relaxing. Even the weight of Zell's head upon his chest as the martial artist lingered in slumber felt right on a night such as this.

But in the back of his head, he wasn't really there. Rinoa's funeral was the next day. Her father's also. Squall couldn't help wondering if there was something he could have done to help her. Nor could he help thinking about those words he had heard whispered to him before her death had been announced. She had chosen to speak to him....

And even after all they'd been through, she had still loved him.

He sighed again and blinked away the burning of a tear.

Zell mumbled something in his sleep and opened his eyes to look up. Squall put a finger on the blonde's lips to shush him.

"Zell...." Squall whispered. "You do know I love you with all my heart, don't you?"

He smiled in response and nodded. "I love you too." Zell sat up and wrapped his arms around Squall's shoulders again. "It's so nice to hear you say it though."

Squall's eyes smiled even if his mouth did not.

"You're thinking about tommorow aren'T you?"

Squall nodded. "I can't get it out of my head.... The fact that if I'd been with her I may have been able to do something to help."

"Don't think about it baby..... All you have to think about now is Ayden."





******** Three hours later, four-thirty am. ********

His eyes still stung and he couldn't put the memory of that bright flash out of his mind. He shook his head to snap himself out of it and turned his concentration to the beating rain from the shower head.

He was dwelling far too much on the past.

"Come on Squall!" He whispered to himself. "Get a grip on yourself."

He still couldn't sleep, and with dripping wet hair he rubbed a towel over his well muscled body before tying it around his waist and walking to the spare room which had become Ayden's bedroom.

The baby was awake, but completely silent. He sat up as soon as Squall entered and reached out wanting to be held.

Squall obliged and picked him up before taking a seat beside the cot on a chair. "I think I'm going crazy kid. All this stuff in my head about your mother and all the others I've lost.... I can't get it out of my mind. I know it's going to end up gettin me hurt..."

Ayden reached up to Squall's old scar and giggled before putting his other hand to his own forehead.

"You saying we're the same?" The baby giggled again. "Trust me kid you don't want to be that much like me....." He brushed a stray strand of hair away, tucking it behind his ear. "Okay?"

Squall began to nod off, despite his best attempts to stay awake.

And Zell found the two of them, still like that, at seven am.




With eyes still hidden behind sunglasses and fortress around his emotions Squall followed the white coffin accented with gold. Selphie sobbed on his left while Zell walked in silence on his right. Irvine was one of the bearers and was aiding the other men in carring the coffin. Quistis was a little way behind them, walking with Edea and Cid.

The funeral took place in a tiny church on the outskirts of Timber. As they entered the church Rinoa's favourite song began. Robbie Williams sang of his love of angels. They found their seats.

"And through it all, she offers me protection. A lotta love and affection, whether I'm right or wrong....." The voice continued. "And I'm the one to fall, wherever it may take me, I know that life won't break me, when I come to call.... She won't forsake me..... I'm loving angels instead."

Ayden was clinging to Squall's jacket for dear life, eyes darting this way and that as though watching something. When the priest steped up to the pulpit and made the sign of the cross, he seemed to settle a little and kept his gaze locked on the coffins, that of her father having been bought in just after Rinoa's, but still would not let go of the jacket.



They were laid to rest in the cemetary, in a small tomb which had been made a shrine to a once famous singer whose remains had already beeen interred there, Julia Heartilly. Now, due to unfortunate circumstances, the whole family had been reunited in death.



Authors notes. Just a short note to apologise for the crappiness of this chapter in comparison to the others only I don't feel at all well and I wanted to finish this section immediately. *Coughs weakly.* Can you forgive me and review please??????????