Tiny Miracle

Tiny Miracle2

By: Tori Singer

Disclaimer: I put these up just in case the one from the site doesn't work. I don't own anything remotely related to Final Fantasy, nor do I make any kind of profits.

Notes: Stick with me, kid, and you'll go far. XD Sorry, what I'm trying to say is, don't judge anything by what it appears.

Chapter Two: Breaking the Rules

(Squall)

He never called to tell me he made it alright. I was sure he was OK, but it still annoyed me that he wouldn't do what I asked. I mean, what was with him lately? All he seemed to want to do is work out or experiment in the kitchen. I had to practically drag him away from the house on nice days. I chuckled to myself, pulling the sheet up to my chin. I'm reminded of my old self, how I used to be holed up in the Garden all the time.

I thought back to when I was sick, back at Garden. It was. . .almost three years ago, I believed. I had been so furious that he was even thinking about helping me. I couldn't help myself back then; I was so caught up in that thing with Rinoa. Rinoa. . .I hadn't heard from her in a while; I wondered what happened to her. Last I knew, she had taken over her father's title.

Then again, those were just second hand rumors I'd heard off the streets in Deling. Deling, the city that never slept. I spent a lot of my nights there, before. Back when I was still in hiding from Zell. . .and the authorities. I thought back, rolling over onto my side, ignoring the morning sun glaring at me through the window.

I kind of. . .missed those days. It was so exciting, sort of, to change appearances and keep everybody fooled. To just take and not think about giving back. I laughed a little out loud, remembering when I'd worked at that club. . .with David. David. . .Trixie, whatever. He was a hot little thing; I remembered him in those little shorty shorts he had on. Come to think of it, I thought I still had that outfit I wore. My school girl clothes.

I debated putting them on for old time's sake. Nah, there would be no point. There doesn't have to be a point, I argued with myself. No one would know. . . . No, I couldn't bring myself to. However. . .going out didn't sound like a bad idea at all. Maybe I should give my friends over at Garden a ring. Maybe they wasn't too busy to hang out. Ha, listen to me, after all those years of avoiding people, here I was looking for a party.

I've. . .changed. . .definitely. And I knew that the majority of the credit went to Rinoa and Zell. They both were alike in some ways; making me open up to them. Although, I had to admit, Zell was slightly less annoying about it. He was also there for me while I was getting over the fact that Rinoa and I were over.

I wondered what Zell was doing? I was still peeved that he didn't call. Didn't he know that I worried? I liked to think of myself as a worry wart. But I was trying to get over that part of me. I groaned when the alarm went off. I'd forgotten not to set it last night. It beeped at me impatiently, letting me know it was seven o'clock. This was usually the time I made Zell get up and get ready for work. This morning, though, the empty spot next to me proved that I could sleep in.

Oh well, I could get a head start on my paperwork. More came in the mail yesterday, more forms for me to fill out and sign. I had been debating on going back to Garden, to be close to my computer again. I missed my office, a lot. Plus, it was boring as hell around here. There was nothing to do, most of the time. I think I explored every square foot in a twenty mile radius.

The only excitement came when we made the rare trip to Deling. Which brought me back to my previous thoughts. Maybe I could call Irvine today. I didn't get the chance to think about it before the phone rang from the living room. I could hear it faintly from my bed. I rolled out of bed, not bothering to cover my nudity as I left the room. I raced down the stairs and dashed for the phone.

"Yeah?" I answered, not in a good enough mood to say 'hello'. There was a pause on the other end, followed by Quistis' soft voice.

"Squall? Are you and Zell busy?" I ran my fingers through my tangled hair.
"Not really, Zell's not here." I told her, wondering what she wanted.

"Hmm, well Squall, you should probably come by Gardon. You have more paperwork to fill out." I mentally groaned, practically throwing myself onto the couch.

"What happened?" I asked, placing my hand on my forehead.

"We had a problem last night with the new breakers that were installed, and we had a black out." Uh oh, I knew what that meant. I thought of the Training Center.

"Was anyone injured?" I hoped not, that could probably get us shut down.

"Not seriously. But you still need to fill out the Insurance reports. . .not to mention the health insurance claims for the people who were hurt." Finding motivation to move from the couch wasn't easy. This was unusual; used to I never thought once about lounging the day away. Hmm, this wasn't a good sign. I was going to have to make some changes.

"Squall, are you listening to me?" The big sister, that was Quistis, always taking charge.

"Yeah. I'll be there as soon as I can. Where are you?" I finally got off the couch, heading for the stairs.

"We're parked near Dollet, on the East side of Deling." Great, just where I was thinking about going, anyway. I hung up once I told her I'd be there. I wondered how long this was gonna take. Hopefully not more than a day or two. I didn't want to be gone when Zell got back. I could just hear him whine.

'Squall! I thought you'd left me again!' I grimaced. He was always so paranoid when I went somewhere, that I was never going to come back. I wished he'd stop bringing it up; it just made it harder for me to forget. I packed a few extra clothes into my old duffel bag. Heh, that thing had been with me for so long; it used to carry my disguises. Now, it had a more normal job.

I locked the house up before I left. I made my way down the driveway, toward the old pick up truck I'd bought. I wanted some kind of transportation, just in case the trains stopped running. Besides, nothing beats driving down a dirt road in an old truck. Humph, at least I was responsible enough to leave a note, telling Zell where I was at.

I'd asked Zell to fill the gas tank up the last time he was in Timber. The gauge didn't work, but I was sure he'd filled it.

It didn't take long before I was turning left at the fork in the road, in the direction of Galbadia Garden. It still stood as magnificent as it did the first day I seen it, so long ago. I remembered Zell on the train, upset because he'd blurted out that we were from Garden. I thought he was never going to talk again. I still regretted brushing him off in the forest, but he seemed to get over it.

That's when Rinoa's griping really got to me. She started to get under my skin. I shook my head, I didn't want to think about her. Finally, my thoughts drifted to my upcoming wedding anniversary. I was debating on what would be the perfect gift for Zell. A swift kick in the ass, for one; for almost burning the house to the ground.

Seriously, though, I had no clue as to what he even wanted. I knew he'd been hinting at something, but I didn't get it, yet. He hadn't really come out and said it. I wished he would, though, because it was starting to dominate my thoughts. I passed Galbadia Garden, glancing out the window at the students in the distance. They seemed to be doing some sort of outside exercise.

I felt a pang of loneliness. I missed being at Garden, I missed my old room. Hell, I even missed Seifer's obnoxious ass. To be more specific, I missed training with him. The thrill of battle was one of the most ultimate highs. Especially when you draw first blood. Hm, maybe I'd challenge Seifer to a duel once I got my paperwork done.

Something on the side of the road catches my attention. As I got closer, I noticed it was Irvine. I wondered what the hell he was doing out here. He turned and looked at the truck when I pulled up next to him. I put the truck in park before leaning out the window.

"What's up?" I asked, and he tipped his hat at me.

"Nothin', I was just visitin' the old Garden." He nodded in Galbadia Garden's direction. I understood. . .although he never showed it, Irvine must have missed his old friends in Galbadia.

"You headed to Balamb Garden?" He asked me, and I nodded. He grinned and leaned on the door of the truck.

"So I guess you heard about the black out, huh?" I sighed in response, thinking about all the papers there would be.

"Yeah, but I didn't get too many details. Why don't you get in? I'll give you a ride." I offered, plus I wanted to make plans for later tonight. He grinned at me before walking over toward the passenger side. Suddenly, the truck idled down before dying.

"The hell. . . ?" I tried to start it, it reved, but never turned over. I sighed, trying one more time.

"Pop the hood. . . ." Irvine grumbled, walking over in front of the truck. I pulled on the 'hood' lever underneath the steering wheel. This was just great, what the hell was wrong with my truck, now?

"Everything seems to be OK, you sure you're not just out of gas?" I groaned when Irvine mentioned gas. I knew that Zell was supposed to have filled the truck's double tanks with gasoline. And now, I'm sure that he'd forgotten.

"Dammit. . .help me push it off the road." I grabbed my bag out of the seat before slinging it over my shoulder. I slammed the door, anger evident in my actions. Irvine didn't say anything, but he came to the side of the truck. Finally, he spoke mid-yawn.

"You steer, I'll push from the back." I nodded, then I realized I hadn't put the truck in neutral. After fixing that error, I started pushing along the door, keeping one hand on the steering wheel through the window. The big truck creaked. . .before finally rolling off onto the grassy field next to the road.

"I'll have to come back once I've bought gasoline." I mumbled more to myself. Irvine waved at me from the road. He stuck his thumb toward Deling.

"Goin' my way?" I shot him a glare before falling in step beside him.

"I try to offer you a ride, but instead I'm forced to now walk all the way to Garden." I laughed a bit, it was funny, but it was very irresponsible of Zell. I was beginning to think that I couldn't count on him for anything.

"Ah, it's good exercise." He had a point. Instead of brooding over Zell's demise, I decided to look at the beautiful green scenery around me. Winhil wasn't like this: it was covered in dust and too hot. I was beginning to despise Winhil more and more, despite my futile attempts at making the yard a little greener.

"What's on your mind?" I heard Irvine break the silence. I shrugged, it was nothing to bother him with.

"You can tell me." He pushed, and I'm tempted to spill all my thoughts and feelings. But I restrained myself.

"Just thinking about how much I'm beginning to miss Garden." I told him, hoping he'd take it and then drop it. He didn't. Figures.

"Then why don't you come back? It is boring without you there, and Zell's only there part of the time, so I don't get to visit with him, much." I shuffled along the road, my boots kicking up the dust. It did sound nice. Maybe I could talk to Zell about it.

"We'll see." I mumbled, stripping out of my jacket. It was getting too hot to wear it. My bare arms felt cooler in the slight breeze. Griever hung around my neck, it's weight a reminder of who I was. But, it seemed that I'd lost sight of who I once was. It had been months since I held my gun blade. I itched to strike something down with it, to do battle again.

Maybe. . .maybe I should talk Zell into moving back to Garden. I didn't know how he would react. Oh well. . .I'll just deal with that when it happens. I looked on the horizon, but Deling still wasn't in sight. It was getting farther into the afternoon. At this rate, it would be dark before we got to Deling.

I didn't like the thought of being alone in the dark with Irvine. He was quite unpredictable, and some said he's a little crazy. I couldn't help but laugh as I imagined trying to get away from a horny Irvine.

"What's up?" I'd gained Irvine's attention with my chuckle. I shook my head.

"Just thinking about something."

"No shit, now what was you thinkin' about that was so funny?" Damn, I'd have to think of something fast. I could always say that I forgot to wear underwear. No. . .cause that's true.

"Uh, I was just thinking about Zell's reaction to my prick." There, that sounded plausible. Irvine's eyebrows shot up.

"Say what? Erg, is that really any of my business?" I stopped and crossed my arms in front of my chest.

"I said, I was thinking about Zell's reaction to my gift. Now, is that something you don't want to hear?" I'm confused as Irvine scratched his head.

"I was sure that you'd said something different before. . .maybe not."

"Irvine you're disturbed." I trudged by him, ignoring the glare I was receiving. We stayed in silence for a good hour before Irvine stopped.

"Let's take a break." He suggested. I complied, wanting to dive into my snack stash. He sat on a stump alongside the road, so I sat down on the ground a few feet away from him. I dug around in my bag, looking for the Wheat Thins I'd brought. I finally found them, and offered a few to Irvine. He accepted with hunger in his eyes. He popped a few into his mouth, waiting a few seconds before spitting them back out.

"The hell is this stuff?! You tryin' to kill me?!" I chuckled, tossing one into my mouth. I believed that I was the only one who liked these things.

"Sorry. That's all I brought." It was a defense mechanism, to keep Zell from eating too much when we traveled. Irvine groaned and slumped down against the stump. The long haired cowboy glared at me as I munched on my whole grain snack.

"I don't understand how you can like something that tastes like salted cardboard." I nearly choked, sending him into a frenzy.

"Ha! That's what you get for trying to eat something inedible!" I pecked on my chest, finally getting it unlodged. I tossed my handful of Wheat Thins at him, and he dived to the ground.

"Health food incoming! Take cover!" He covered his hat with his hands, hiding behind the stump. I grabbed another handful before flinging them in Irvine's direction. Irvine pretended he had a radio to his mouth.

"May day may day! Enemy Wheat Crackers are invading! Send Pizza back up! I repeat, send pizza back up!" I finally gave it up, laying down onto the ground, too tickled to say anything. My shoulders shook as I held back my laughter. Irvine came over and sat next to me, his weight caused dust to stir around us.

"I know, I'm a crack up." He said it so seriously that I laughed aloud. I slowly stopped when I realized he wasn't looking at me anymore. His eyes were downcast, and he had his hat pulled down. I briefly thought about Selphie, who was now married to Seifer. I felt a pang of guilt in my chest. If they hadn't been looking for me, Selphie would have never fallen for my old rival.

"Sorry." I offered, tempted to place my hand on his shoulder. He looked over at me, his dark eyes deep and mysterious.

"For what? Nah, I'm just moanin' again. Nobody takes me serious, that's why none of my relationships last very long." I didn't know what to say. I hadn't been keeping up on Irvine's social life. . .up 'til now.

"Oh?" I gave him a rare invitation to continue, but he didn't at first. I sat up, pulling my legs under me.

"It's hard, finding someone you're compatible with." Irvine whispered, looking at me intently. I swallowed hard, not liking that look.

"They just, think of me as a fun fling. . .kind of the way I used to be." He was talking about when we first met, when he was an arrogant ladies' man. But I could sense the maturity in his adult state.

"But, lately. . .after Selphie and I split, I've been thinking that I want to settle down. I just don't know who yet." I looked up at the sky, there were barely any clouds. It was turning into evening, and shadows stretched out from behind everything. I noticed Irvine looking at the sky, too.

"It's just. . .lonely, sometimes, I guess." I didn't know what to say, I almost regretted bringing it up. I was never one to listen to other people's problems. I always thought that everyone could get by on their own. How wrong had I been? Very.

"Sometimes you just need a warm body to wake up next to. Someone who wasn't gonna leave in the middle of the night." I sensed that he was probably talking about his many flings. He leaned closer to me, propping himself on one arm. I could hear him breathe, it was soothing to listen to. I sighed, putting my jacket back on. It was starting to cool down now that evening was approaching.

I catched Irvine's eyes watching me. I was a little unnerved, but it was flattering.

"Where's Zell?" The question came out of the blue, and I didn't answer at first.

"Balamb, visiting his ma." I told him, and he nodded. He seemed to be deep in thought about something. I felt uncomfortable, so I stood. He looked up at me, but didn't say anything.

"We should probably get moving. Deling isn't too far away. We should be there by dark." Finally, he stood up next to me. I turned, and he had his face inches from mine. My heart flipped in my chest, warning me to back away.

"You're unhappy about something." He whispered, brushing the hair out of his eyes. I wanted to jump at the chance of telling him some of 'my' problems, but I couldn't find the words to say.

"I'm not unhappy." It was all I could think of to say. I had to admit, though, that Zell had became more of a routine to me. It was always the same thing. . .work, clean the house, fix the yard up, help Zell with dinner, and have unfulfilling sex after wards. I hated my predicament, but I couldn't find anything to do about it.

"Yes you are, I can see it in your eyes." He reached up and placed his hand on my cheek. His touch stung me like a bee, but I didn't move, even as he ran his thumb over my lower lip. His forbidden closeness sent waves of fire through my body. Why was I feeling this way. . .he wasn't Zell. That thought alone sent shock waves down to my toes.

I closed my eyes, and I heard his breath hitch. I wanted to shove him away, but my damn arms wouldn't move, they just hung at my sides, limp and useless. I felt him getting closer, his breath warm against my face. The smell of gun powder and oil assaulted my nose, but I found it exhilarating.

His dry lips touched mine, and my cheek twitched under his fingers. This was wrong, so wrong, I needed to stop this before it even got started. But instead, I found myself tilting my head to the side, letting him cover my mouth with his. My heart pounded, my fingertips tingling with electricity.

He placed his hand behind my head, pulling me closer. I finally got my hands on his chest, intent on pushing him away. I'm appalled to note that my fingers betrayed me and instead tangled themselves in the collar of his coat. He pulled away, and I finally took a step back.

"Don't. . .don't do that again." I warned him. . .but my 'threat' came out more like a desperate gasp for air. He adjusted his hat, offering me a smile.

"I understand. Let's just forget this ever happened." He turned and walked on down the road.

"Agreed." I nodded, picking up my bag. I continued walking, but I stayed on the opposite side, away from Irvine. I felt the heat from my guilt as it made it's way up to my cheeks. What did I just let happen? How could I possibly disrespect Zell enough to do this with Irvine? . . .Should I tell Zell?

I didn't get a chance to answer myself; the sound of a vehicle came from behind us. We both turned, and we could see a car in the distance. We waited 'til it got closer. I could tell it was an expensive Lincoln. It was sleek and black. I didn't like the looks of it. . .it had tinted windows. That meant only two things.

One, it was just a rich boy coming to the city for a lay. Or two, it was somebody involved with the Mafia. I thought about my gun blade, back at home. I never even thought to bring it. Now, I was wishing I had it's familiar weight in my hands.

"Who could this be?" Irvine walked across the road before standing next to me. The car pulled up next to us and stopped. Oh great, they couldn't just ignore us, could they? The back window rolled down, and a stern looking young man poked his arm out the window. He had a picture in his hands. It was that of a woman whom I'd never met before.

"You seen this wench?" The man growled, sticking the picture out at us. I shook my head.

"No." Irvine told them, and I agreed. That seemed to upset the man in the tux. He yanked his arm back inside before rolling the window back up. They sped off, in the direction of Deling. Irvine shot me a questioning look, but I just shrugged.

"Let's just go." I told him, continuing on our journey.

"I was almost afraid they were gonna 'take us for a ride'." Irvine told me, and I nodded. I knew what he meant by that. We were just lucky. Although, we could have handled them. I was sure Irvine had his gun. And I wasn't bad at hand to hand combat, plus, I had an arsenal of magic at my disposal.

Finally, just as the sun set, I could see Deling on the horizon. I wanted to jump for joy, but I restrained myself. My legs were cramped enough as it was. Irvine seemed to share my relieved mood. Then I wondered, why the hell was he walking out here anyway?

"Hey Irvine, why did you 'walk' all the way to Galbadia Garden?" It had been bothering me for some time now; it just seemed like something he wouldn't do willingly. He looked over his shoulder at me before brushing me off.

"Just for the exercise. . .that and I like walking. It lets me think." I could bet that he wasn't telling me something, but I decided to drop it. It wasn't my business anyway.

"I'll need to make a phone call once we get to Deling. . .I have to call Quistis, and tell her why I'm so late." I explained, though I don't know why he'd want to know that. He just nodded. See?


(Zell)

"Ma! I'm home." I blurted out my usual greeting after I entered her house. Even though I lived in Winhil, this would always be my 'home'. She came out of the kitchen, wiping her hands on her apron. Her face lit up in a big smile.

"Zell! I was afraid you'd forgotten me." I grinned nervously, wrapping her up in a big hug.

"Course not, ma." I lied, letting her rub my back softly. I noticed that she was cooking something in the kitchen.

"I'll help you with supper." I offered, following her into the kitchen. She stirred something on the stove, and a delicious aroma filled my nostrils. I could cook, but I was nothing compared to her meals.

"Squall didn't come?" She asked, her back turned to me. I started chopping up the onions she had laid out on the counter.

"Oh. . .no, he was busy." Suddenly, I wondered why I didn't invite Squall to come with me. He probably would have, if I'd asked. Maybe I just wanted to be alone for a while.

"I see. So, how are things? Planning something big for your anniversary on Monday?" I thought about the recent changes in my marriage to Squall. I wanted her advice, but I didn't want to sound like I was regretting my wedlock .

"Uh, fine." I mumbled, tossing some onion chunks into a small, yellow bowl. She chuckled and smiled at me.

"You can't lie to your mama. What's bothering you, dear?" I took a deep breath. I really needed to learn how to trick her. Ha, but she'd probably still see through it.

"Things are different. We seem to be drifting further apart as time passes. I want to know what the hell went wrong. Was it something I did? Or is he having second thoughts?" I was mainly talking to myself, but I'm reminded of Ma's presence when she sighed.

"Oh, I see. It's missing that 'spark' that you started with, right? Well, marriage isn't a light thing, it's a lifetime commitment. It takes a lot of hard work, and many changes. In yourself, and him." I listened to her, trying to decide what was wrong with my relationship with Squall. She was right though, the electricity that emitted from him had faded, and I was feeling more. . .obligated than anything else.

"It feels more like a damn prison than a marriage." I blurted out, and she pursed her lips.

"You mean, like you can't do the things you used to? Ah, that can be changed. You can always work things out. Maybe you should try doing something new together. Like, take up dancing." I winced at her words. Dancing, sure Squall could dance. . .he gave one hell of a lap dance. . .but me. . . .

I remembered my mission with David. He had tried to teach me to dance, but it didn't work out too well. I felt the heat creep up the back of my neck.

"Ball room dancing seems to be getting more popular these days." Ma smiled knowingly, holding out a wooden spoon to me. The red sauce on the end of it looked good. I took a taste, before moaning in pleasure.

"That's good, Ma. But, I don't know about the whole dancing stuff. I suck at it."

"Well then, find something you both enjoy, and then do it. Break out of the routine." That was good advice. I'd probably give it a shot once I got home.

"Now, mister, set the table so we can eat."

"Yes, ma." I could never deny her anything. My thoughts returned to what I was thinking about on the train. About wanting to adopt a child. I wondered what Squall would say about it. He'd probably say absolutely not, knowing him. He was being so. . .cold lately. He seemed to be falling back into his hardened shell.

"Hey ma. . .what do you think of us adopting a baby?" She dropped her wooden spoon, letting it clatter to the floor.

"Sorry, ma, didn't mean to upset you. I'll get ya a new one." I dropped the dirty spoon in the sink before handing her a new one. She gave me a hug.

"A child is a big responsibility, Zell, and it takes two to raise one properly. So, I would make sure you're in the right marriage before taking such a big step." I let her words sink in. I needed to reevaluate the situation. I should confront Squall about our differences, first thing Monday morning. Monday! The anniversary! I still needed to find a gift for Squall.

"What do you think Squall would like for his anniversary?" She asked me, pulling back from our embrace. Good, I wanted her advice on this, too.

"I don't know! I can't seem ta' think of anything!" I wailed, setting the silverware on the table. She seemed to be thinking about my question, because she didn't answer. I set the plates out, along with the butter and garlic. Ma's spaghetti was the best.

"Well, why don't you just do this. Take him out, show him a good time. Sweep him off his feet all over again." I liked that idea, but I just didn't know what to do with him.

"I know! They're playing that new horror movie down at the Drive-In!" She turned to me, a smile on her face. I looked up, alarmed.

"No! We are not seeing anything spooky, scary, or 'horror-y' of any kind!" She laughed at my blush.

"Sorry, Zell, I forgot you were afraid of ghosts." She had 'no' idea.

Just then, there was a bang on the door.

"The hell. . . ?" I wandered into the living room as three men barged into the house.

"Who the hell do you think you are!" I growled, pushing Ma back into the kitchen. They all had black tuxedos on, and they were carrying pistols. I would have to be careful, I didn't want anything happening to my ma.

"We're searching for this woman. . .do you know anything?!" They shoved a picture under my nose. It was a woman with long dark hair. I didn't know her.

"I know nothing about her." I brushed the picture away. The guy reached out and grabbed the front of my shirt.

"I think he's lying! Search the house!" The other two split up, one going into the lounge and another heading upstairs. Ma came out of the kitchen.

"What are you doing in here?! Let go of Zell!" She grabbed his arm, and he smacked her across the face. My nostrils flared in anger. I shoved his arm away before slugging him in the jaw. He stumbled back a bit before pulling his gun.

"Zell!" Ma screamed from the floor. I swiftly kicked the weapon out of his hand before blackening his eye. Nobody touched my ma and got away with it.

"Hmph." The man spit out the side of his mouth.

"You're tough, the boss would like to have someone like you around. Wanna join?" He offered, and the other two came back into the room.

"We found nothing. . .but I bet he knows something." The man from upstairs shoved my shoulder. I growled at him, clenching my hands into fists. The first man stopped his partners before picking up his gun. He put it back into his jacket.

"Let them go for now. But kid. . .we'll be watching you." With that, they left the house. Ma sobbed as I picked her off the floor. I held her to me, looking at the red streak on her cheek. Those bastards. . .I had half a mind to chase after them and beat the living shit out of them.

"Zell don't leave me!" Ma clutched at my shirt, so I had decided to stay with her.



Notes from me: Whew! Finally got that down! *looks at clock* Ahh! I gotta go to work! Bye!

~Tori

More Notes: Don't jump to conclusions. Anyway, every couple has rocks they gotta get over. We shall see what happens, right? You all know me, so you never know what to expect. *grins evilly*

~Tori

Even More Notes: Ack! No matter what I do or how I space the story, AFF always seems to change it once I post it. grrr. . .I'll have to try something different.

~Tori