"......Will they be ok doctor ?" Asked Squall as he stood in the dimed lights in the infirmary of Balamb Garden. The cold, sterile room was where Irvine, Selphie and Seifer hed been taken after the incident in the training facility. It was now three months since the accident and only Seifer was out of the infirmary.
"Irvine woke up the other day Squall, he's been asking about Selphie... but i don't want to give him the bad news, so i've been avoiding the subject as much as posible. He's still not ready to leave here yet and if i tell him about her condition he'll just up and leave on some idiotic quest.....". Replied the Dr Kadowaki. She had taken students under her tutorship recently and the infirmary was buzzing with the sound of pupils milling around tending to the less servere cases.
"I'm not sure about Selphie though... her condition is doesn't seem to be getting worse, it is stable but still i'm worried about it.....".
"That doesn't help doc... I need to know if she's ever going to wake up..." Said Squall looking through the glass partion into the room where Selphie lay on the hospital bed.
"To be honest Squall... I'm just not sure...." She shrugged and walked over to her desk. Sitting down behind it and puting her hands together she said. "At the moment there is nothing I can do.... there may be ONE person that can....."
"Who ?" Asked Squall. "And where might this person be ?
"If this person is still alive. Then she is in Galbadia. She is my daugher...... Answered the doctor. A strange look on her face as she mentioned her child.
"Your daughter ?" Said Squall, shocked that the doctor had managed to keep her child a secret for so long. "Why didn't you mention a daughter before now ? You do realise that this means i'm taking the Garden back to Galbadia ? I don't care what happens... I'm going to help my friend....."
"Yes.... I realise that.... Just do me a small favour.. Promise not to tell Irvine just yet...." Said the doctor. The look on her face told Squall that she was not happy about her secret. But she could no longer stand by and not do anything to help Selphe, it went against all the oaths she had taken while she was learning her vocation.
Squall left the infirmary without even going to see Irvine who was sleeping. Instead he went to the class room on the second floor where Quistis was teaching a new group of candidates. She had been reinstated as a teacher at Squall's request after the Ultimecia inccident, and was now a better person and teacher than she ever was.
As he entered the class room the students stood a gave him a crisp salute, which he returne.
"Ok class back to work" He said looking at the students in the room. Was it just him or were thry getting younger now-a-days ? They all sat back down and got back to work (or at least looked as though they were working. it wasn't every day that the leader of SeeD came into a class of trainees ).
"Quistis can i please talk to you outside for a moment ?" He asked.
Quistis looked at him strangley and nodded once. "Alright class keep quiet and talk among yourselves... Concider this as in class free time. But remember that your written test is at the end of the week".
The class stood and saluted again as the pair left the room. Squall again returned the salute and smiled at the students knowing what they were going through...
"What's the problem Squall ?" She asked as he closed the door behind him.
"Kadowaki can't help Selphie... but she knows someone that can...." Replied Squall.
"I'm taking the Garden back to Galbadia. And i just wanted to ask if you if you are up for a little adventure again.... It must be boring in those classes ?" He added, knowing that this might of been a bad thing to say. The look on Quistis' face however told him otherwise.
Quistis was lent on the wall opposite the class room door, her teachers uniform now decorated with an assortment of medals and emblems, comemerating her actions during the Ultimecia incidet was pressed as sharp and as neat as ever.
"Someone that can help ? Great. Just say the word and i'm with you all the way Squall". Said Quistis, she looked exited to be offered the chance to go out in battle if need be again. Eighteen months was a long time to be out of action.....
"Great. Thanks Quistis... I didn't think i'd have such an easy job talking you into it...." He said with a grin. He left her to get back to her class and spent the rest of the day talking to the rest of the original group.
Zell was easy to persuade. He jumped at the chance quicker than Quistis had done, but Seifer was more difficult to talk around. He still blamed himself for what had happened. After a while though even he was onboard ( If only to prove himself to the others ).
Rinoa did not need talking to at all. She was with this as soon as Squall was, it rare for the pair of them not to be togther but today she was with Edea.
Edea had retained her knowledge from the time she spent as a sorceress even though she no longer had the power herself. She had taken Rinoa under her wing and was teaching her how best to use her new found powers and how to control them.
Squall decided to go inform the headmaster about his plan, even though Cid was now only themaster of the school, Squall still hought of him as his mentor and talked of all his plans and ideas with the headmaster. He spent all of five minutes justifying his actions to the headmaster before the look on Cids face told him he was wasting his time so he decided to explain what he was planning to do once they reached Galbadia instead. After a few hours of discution Squall was ready for his bed and so took his leave of the skools head and went to Rinoa. When he told her of his plans she was a little reluctant at first but would not let Squall enter into anything on his own. She was a little worried about her father getting mad at her for not calling him for a while. Especialy since the Garden was in Galbadia only a few weeks ago. She couldn't really tell him that he was going to be a grandfather in a few more months. Just the thought of that could kill the poor old man....
The next day Balamb Garden was on it's way from Esthar back to Galbadia.............