Rockaby

Disclaimer: I don't own anything but the idea of doing this... Its untraditional... So shoot me?

Author's Note: I am working on other stories so maybe I can get my Inu Yasha fic back up and going... In need of inspiration so I am writing this to get my brain working... Oddly, yes, I do have one... Anywho R&R or else the elite tef asf assassinating ferrets will get you!


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Rockaby

Zell had been training hard in the training center. His thoughts were focused on the many things that were bothering him. “I need to get away from here,” he panted between punches to a Grat, “Too many problems going on with Squall and Rinoa… What am I going to do?” The Grat was dead and he watched his EXP and AP go up slightly.

Zell had kept a secret for far too long. He was in love with Rinoa and he had to watch at a distance as she loved a man who was so emotionless that he hardly ever showed her affection even in private. Rinoa had not smiled in a good week and it was driving Zell crazy. Every time he saw the poor pitiful sight that was once the dark raven haired beauty who fought Ultemecia with them he had to come to the training center and work himself to the point of exhaustion so he would not say anything to Squall or Rinoa. When they argued and Zell heard about it he would lock himself in his room until Rinoa came to his door and asked him to drive her to her fathers house.

The General had moved out of the city and his mis mansion built just outside Dollet where he could live in peace. It was a beautiful place and she would stay there only for a little while because even though they father and daughter had patched things up Rinoa could not stay there long and would go back to Squall and take the blame for everything. Zell woulng ang around Dollet for a fays ays and she would call him and ask him to drive her home.

During those drives Zell would talk with her withouttintting on his true feelings. He was gentle and kind and showed Rinoa that he had matured greatly over the past five years. Listening to the radio with her and singing along with her when they found a song they both liked. Stopping for lunch before driving across the bridge that had been built between Balamb and Dollet. Those were happy times and he always managed to get her smiling even when she felt she could never be happy again.

Those happy times were the only thing that kept Zell from cracking under the stress and the pain in his heart, that, and extensive training. He leaned against the rock in the Secret Area. ‘I wish they would send me on a mission or something this is driving me crazy,’ he looked out from the shadows he was resting in and continued to think and watch the sky.

Zell was so tired that he fell asleep in the cool shade hoping to forget about his troubles and think of the sweet forbidden angel that usually haunted his dreams. The world faded away and he found himself in a field of tall grass laying on a blanket with HIS Rinoa. They were having such a wonderful time that he knew it was nothing but a dream. As it began to fade he swore he heard her calling his name. “Zell… Zell…” she was calling his name and he was sure that it was real and he woke with a start.

“Come on Zell… I know you are here somewhere. I saw you come in here…” it was Rinoa and she was searching for him on the other side of the Secret Area. Oh, how beautiful she looked in that sassy blue duster and cute black shorts he would give anything to hold her in his arms and close his eyes and go back to sleep. Yet, he knew that would never happen.

“I am over here, Rinoa…” he called to her. Zell had a white tank top on and a pair of blue jeans and he had dosed off under the cover of shade with his back pressed against the smoothness of a large boulder. Over the years he had matured and toned his body to resemble that of one of the young pagan gods out of the history books. He was no longer the little chicken wuss Seifer had claimed him all those years ago, he was a man now and had both the body and mind to prove it, and although many of the women in Garden desired him he only had eyes for one.

“Zell,” Rinoa panted slightly as if the search for him had been long and hard, “I have been everywhere looking for you…” She sat down next to him and he scooted over slightly so she could share his cool resting place. In her hand were several pieces of paper and he could not help but give them a curious glance. “You have been assigned to a mission,” as she said this she ruffled the papers in her hand. There was something different about her tone and attitude as if she was happier.

If he had been assigned a mission then that would mean he would be leaving and he did not know for how long and she would have no one to talk to openly about everything. Did this sudden change in tone mean she wanted him to leave? Pushing those bad thoughts away he looked at her and forced a grin.

“Well, are you going to brief me or do I have to wrestle you for the papers?” he asked jokingly. They always joked around and occasionally sparred each other. All in all they were the best of friends. Perhaps, even br frr friends than her and Selphie and defiantly better friends than her and Squall.

“I am going to brief you,” she smiled at him and Zell melted. To cover any sign that the smile might be having some affect on him he slid back into a comfortable position and waited for her to tell him what the Mission was. “You are to go to Dollet undercover as a Musician. There you will finding out where a new drug called GFC is being manufactured. When you have located the place where it is being produced you will call for SeeD back up,” she explained in that sweet heavenly voice of hers.

Zell had his eyes closed and was hardly paying attention to what she was saying. It was her voice he was listening to and it was driving him wild just thinking about it, but he had ways of coping with this. He had to or else she would find out what his true feelings for her were.

“Zell are you listening?” she poked his side and he nearly jumped out of his skin. “What… I’m awake honest!” he looked over to see her giving him a scolding look. “Didn’t you hear what I said?” she asked him as she tried her best to give him one of Quistis’s looks of authority. “Forgive me, Rin. I just had a mega work out before you found me. Please repeat what ya said,” he smiled inwardly. Rinoa was never good at being anyone but herself even if it was just for a slight second she could not pull it off.

“I said that I put my foot down with Squall and he made me your partner for this mission,” she was smiling, proud that she had finally stood up to her boyfriend, and happy that Zell would not have to do this mission on his own.

It was shockingly wonderful news! Rinoa and him would be going off on a mission together by themselves. It had been awhile since Garden had to send anyone out for anything more than guard duty. So once Rinoa had become a SeeD, thanks to the many private lessons from himself, there was not much for her to do except hang on Headmaster Squall’s arm.

“So I am going to be a musician… Does that make you my manager?” he questioned hopefully. Although they were good as a duet he knew how nervous she got on stage or in front of a big crowd. He remembered fondly her first time on a field mission she was so nervous that she had nearly jumped twenty feet back when they assigned her a six person group. He outranked Selphie on that one and took charge of her group and helped her through the mission with little sweat. “Yup! I am going to be to be your manager we have a gig tonight in Dollet at the local pub! I know you still have your guitar and you could sing one of those songs you have been working on,” she smiled and relaxed against the rock with him getting comfortable.

“Well I assume we will be going to Dollet today if I have to perform tonight. If we leave now maybe my mom will pack us a lunch so we can stop atfpoifpoint and eat,” Zell got to his feet then offered his hand to help her up. She put her hand in his and he pulled her up and to him. It seemed so easy for him to help her up that sometimes his own strength scared him.

“We can go now only if you’ll buy me our secret ice cream on the way there,” after her request she emphasized it by giving him the “puppy eyes”. Their secret ice cream consisted of two scoops of rocky road and one scoop of vanilla cherry all ontop of a waffle cone. They did not even know they liked the same combination of flavors until he had offered to buy her some during one of the drives. They had stopped at Halfpoint, a rest stop halfway across the bridge between Balamb and Dollet, for ice cream and surprisingly had ordered the same kind. Ever since then they had called it their secret ice cream. He would never deny her anything, even his heart if she would but take it, and so he agreed by ing ing his head. To his surprise he was rewarded by a friendly kiss to the cheek and a happy smile.

“See you in the Parking Lot in an hour, and thank you Zell. Without you I am not sure I would have made it here for so long,” she smiled then ran off to the dorm rooms to get her things packed. Zell was blushing hotly and had to hurry back to his room to fix a problem he had with his boxers being too small before he could even think of getting packed for the trip. He was grateful for always wearing baggy jeans.

‘I need her…’ was his only thought as he began to pack his things the the mission. His guitar was already packed in its case and he was shuffling through all of the songs he had written about her and about other things. Prehaps he should put himself out of his misery. If he sung one of these songs on stage he knew that she would know who he was talking about. So what? He could just make it all part of the mission. It would be a great relief off his chest, and if by some chance she took him seriously he would face those consequences when they came. He grabbed up his favorite songs and stuffed them into his duffle bag.

In one hand he carried his guitar case and duffle bag and in the other he had a cup of coffee as he made his way through the hallways of Balamb Garden. He was so deep in thought that he did not even notice when Quistis started walking beside him. When he stopped to set his coffee on the desk of the Parking Lot receptionist she startled him. “Hello Zell,” she smiled slightly trying to make herself seem more friendly.

Quistis Trepe was still her same old Instructor but now she had some one to keep her from being completely cold. After the Second Sorceress War she had become completelyb tob to the world and despite everyone’s efforts nothing and no one could help her. Well, no one except him… Zell never did like him but he had helped Quistis get over her emotionless period and saved her from suicide so he had grown accustomed to his presence in Garden. A full reprieve for Seifer Alamasy was granted after that, and Quistis was now Mrs. Alamasy. What she saw in the guy Zell did not know, but he did have to give Seifer some credit. When he first came back to Garden it had given Zell another insentive to train harder.

“Something I can do for ya, Quistis?” Zell gave her a warm smile after all she probably did not mean to sneak up on him. “Well I came to tell you Good luck and that I want you to take care of R. He. Her and Squall have not been getting along lately at all so maybe ing ing away from here will clear her head some,” Quistis’s tone was firm but not harsh and Zell took it as a friend looking out for another friend. “Don’t worry I will take care of her,” he grinned and gave her a wave good bye. The SeeD at the desk had given him his car keys and he picked them and his coffee up and headed towards his vehicle.

He had just loaded his stuff into the jeep when Rinoa came with her luggage. Taking her luggage and putting it in the back with his own was something he did out of habit now, and she also out of habit knew to wait for him to open her door. Had anyone who not known them seen how they acted they could have swore that Zell and Rinoa were dating instead of just good friends. Zell’s jeep sped off like a rocket towards the town of Balamb. The drive was short and it was a good thing or else the lunch he had asked his mom to pack would end up being dinner.

The signal internce nce had been cleared with Sorceress Adel’s tombs destruction. Radio waves and telephones were now used on a daily bases. Television shows and music has become very big and popular and Timber was the T.V. central of the world. So Zell had called his mom ahead of time and asked her to pack a lunch for them to eat on the way. She of course agreed and asked him, “When are you going to marry gir girl?” His mother was the only one who had ever known about him loving Rinoa. “Soon mom… You will have lots of grandkids soon… I promise.” was all Zell ever could say to his mom on the subject.

The drive through Balamb was not bad. Although the land bridge made Balamb fully accessable to Dollet many still preferred the larger cities to that of the peaceful city by the sea. Zell parked his jeep by his mothers car behind the house and asked Rinoa to wait while he got lunch. Getting out of the car he went through the backdoor into his house. “Mom, I’m home,” Zell yelled as he made his way toward the kitchen.

“In the kitchen, son!” His mother called from her place at the sink where she was washing dishes. Zell walked into the kitchen and gave his mom a giant bear hug from behind. “Woah,” his mom began to laugh, “Zell put me down and let me finish my dishes.” She was so proud of her son and how he became a hero to the entire world. “Sorry mom was just wondering if you had managed to get lunch packed for us?” he asked hopefully. Normally he gave his mother more notice than this and he felt kind of bad.

“Your lunch is over there. You better get going you don’t want to be late for your mission,” Mrs. Dintch smiled and wiped her soapy hands on her apron and gave her son another hug before returning to the dishes. “Thanks mom, love ya,” he grinned and kissed her cheek then grabbed the picnic basket on the counter and hurried out the door. Getting back into his jeep he tossed the picnic basket in the back seat and put the vehicle in gear. They sped off towards the land bridge. It would be a long easy going drive across the sea. If he timed things right they would be having lunch in a half hour in the center of the bridge.


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Author's Note: Well I hope I get some decent reviews.... Will post chapter two later.... Enjoy....

~Wuv Missa and the Elite Team of Assassinating Ferrets~