Illusion
Part Seven
Okay, in this section I kind of make up my own court system based on the one we have now. It's my fic, no one complain! We get some unexpected kindness from old Rinny. No lemons in this section for all you hentais but I promise a few more in the very near future. Let me know what you think! God knows I'm supposed to be doing my Research Paper for college right now. You'd better appreciate this! (I love you all!)
Sodo
Illusion
Part Seven
"Time for supper!"
The little boy looked up, seeing the young woman in the doorway and smiled.
"We'll be there in a minute!" The man behind him laughed, tossing the ball one more time as the puppy bounded across the grass.
Squall looked up at his father and smiled. "Mommy's gonna get
Ma-yad...""Yah, she probably will." his father nodded.
Squall giggled as the puppy trotted up.
His father tossed the ball again. "You'll never find me you know."
Squall looked at him. "Why?"
"Squall..."
"Co-ming!" He looked back, the image of his mother was fading. "Where's Mommy goin'?"
"She's dead Squall. We're all dead."
"Squall."
Blue eyes flew open, staring blindly up.
"Mommy?"
"No, Squall, it's me...Quistis."
Squall let out a noise, the effects of the dream slowly wearing off as he remembered. "Where's my Dad?"
There was a pause as his eyes focused.
He was lying down. Quistis was there, sitting on the bed beside him.
"Where am I?" He asked, looking around.
"In the hospital. You passed out. We all came back as soon as we heard." She told him, brushing a hand through his hair. "How do you feel?"
"Where's my Dad?"
"They- they haven't found him yet."
"Where's Seifer."
Quistis' gaze- fell away from his and her shoulders hunched slightly. "The police have him."
Squall's eyes widened. "Why?!"
"They say he had something to do with the explosion."
Squall paled. "But he....he didn't..."
"I know." Quistis shook her head. "Don't worry, we getting the best lawyers working for him."
"No one will take my case?" Seifer rested his head against the bars of the jail cell, sighing. It would have been better if Squall had been there. He'd heard that the young man was recovering from shock and had woken up in the hospital but hearing about him and seeing him were two completely different things. He needed Squall, here beside him... "God, I didn't even DO anything."
Fujin sighed, rubbing her forehead as she tossed the folder she'd been searching through on the metal table nearby. "I know. But just because of your reputation no one wants to represent you." She suddenly smirked. "But I think I know SOMEONE."
"Oh, God. You're getting the look." Seifer looked scared, shaking his head frantically. "I HATE that look. That's the look that says "I've got a plan, look out'."
Fujin smirked. "RELAX."
"Kiros?"
Dark eyes opened and pale lips curled up in a slight smile. "Hey, Kid."
Squall sat down, knowing the nurse told him he should stay in bed, looking toward the doorway every few seconds. "How do you feel?"
Kiros laughed a little. "Like shit."
Squall smirked. "Is that any kind of an improvement?"
"Not really." Kiros replied.
"God, Kiros. What happened?"
"I-I don't remember....." Kiros shook his head. "My mind gets all fuzzy when I think about it. The Doc says it might be a few days before I remember everything...Have they found your Dad?"
Squall looked at him sadly.
Kiros smiled a little, looking at his hands, trying to put on a brave face for the son of his lover. Inside, Squall knew he was breaking down. "They didn't find a body, so they think he got out before it happened...."
"That was your Dad's...." Kiros curled a finger around the chain Squall wore. Laguna's ring and Griever hung there.
"I found it...in the room...."
Kiros watched him. "Shouldn't Michael be here?"
Squall swallowed, hard. "He was arrested, they think he had something to do with it..."
Kiros's eyes widened. "You don't believe that, do you?"
"No."
"Why would they?"
The brunet looked guilty. "We lied about him....His name isn't Michael....He's.....He's Seifer....Seifer Almasy....I'm so sorry Kiros I know I should have told you..." the young man's shoulders sagged. "Maybe that would have helped somehow..."
Kiros sat there for a moment before nodding. "I'm sure you had your reasons for not telling us....."
Squall looked hopelessly at him. "He didn't do it."
"I believe you." The black man told him. "Have you seen
him?""Not yet."
"You should let him know you're okay. Go on, I'll be fine."
The brunette's expression turned sheepish. "I'm supposed to be in
bed.""Like that ever stopped you before." Kiros laughed, patting his hand.
Squall smiled and stood, planting a kiss on Kiros's forehead. "Feel better soon. Then we can both go and find Dad."
"Okay." Kiros replied quietly.
When the boy was gone he closed his eyes, tears streaming down his cheeks.
Be alright, Laguna, please be alright.
Seifer stared up at the ceiling, one hand under his head. He hadn't seen Fujin since the evening before and wa slightly worried. He still couldn't get it. Who'd found out who he was? And how had he been connected to the explosion? Fujin wasn't giving him any info, probably because she wasn't getting any.
"Seifer, your lawyer's here!" He heard Fujin call and looked up. The man was large, the suit he wore must have been specially made. His dark hair was slicked back and shone in the bright lighting of the prison. But there was a large grin on his dark skinned face, like it had always been plastered there...
Which sounded familiar.
"Ya know? You gotta learn to stay outta trouble, Seifer."
"RAIJIN!!!!" Seifer was on his feet in a second, hugging the bulking man through the bars.
"Ghaa! Leggo, I can't breathe!"
"I'm sorry, Sir. I can't allow you to see him." The officer at the main desk sighed. "It's for your own safety."
Squall shook his head in disbelief. "You can't be serious! He's behind bars! What's he going to do?!"
"I'm sorry sir. I have my orders."
Squall's eyes narrowed. "Orders? Well, as the president's head of defense I order you to let me through."
The officer didn't know what to do. If he allowed the young man through he would be defying the courts orders. If he didn't, he'd be defying the head of defense, the president's son.
Squall's eyes pleaded with him. "Please....just let me see him....."
The officer sighed. "Oh hell...." He wasn't getting payed all THAT much anyway...
He pressed the unlock code.
A beep rang out and the heave steel door opened.
"It's straight down the corridor. He's in the security office with his lawyer."
The brunet smiled gratefully.
As the young man disappeared the gaurd sighed, going back to his stantion. "Well, there goes ANOTHER job.....I wonder if the cafe is hiring..."
"So I don't know if legally..."
"Squall!!!" Seifer jumped up from his bed and in less than a second he was at the bars. Squall was there an instant later.
Raijin blinked, laving stopped in mid-sentance, mid- search through his legal papers as the two kissed. "I guess Fujin forgot to tell me a few things..."
Squall pulled back, his head resting against Seifer's through the bars of the cell as he looked over at Raijin. "Hey, long time no see."
Raijin waved on hand happily at him. "Hiya."
Seifer nuzzled his forehead against Squall's as his eyes closed. "I didn't do it Squall, I swear."
"No shit." Squall laughed lightly. "I'm so glad you're alright. I thought they might try something."
"Why didn't you come sooner?" Seifer asked him. "I was
worried.""I was in the hospital."
"They released you already?"
Squall grinned sheepishly. Well, he HAD stayed overnight "Uhm...no?"
"You snuck out?" Seifer pulled back, eyeing him. "And you're by yourself too, I'll bet. Squall! You have to be more careful! That maniac is still out there!"
"If I'd brought a gaurd they probably wouldn't have allowed me to see you...." Squall watched as the blond sighed. "Don't be mad at me?"
"You're okay though right?" Seifer brushed a finger over Squall's cheek. "I mean, when you passed out-"
"It was just shock, stress, and a little bit of smoke inhalation. Nothing I can't handle. I'll be okay."
"You guys are so cute!!" Raijin giggled happily, seeing their fingers thred together through the bars. "I thought you hated each other."
"Absence makes the heart grow fonder." Fujin sighed. "They WERE apart for six years...it was bound to have SOME effect..."
"How's Kiros doing?" Seifer asked, then shook his head. "Probably about as good as I would be if YOU were missing."
"Well be right back." Fujin told them, pulling Raijin up.
Raijin blinked. "But--Ow!" He rubbed his shin where Fujin had kicked him. "AW Fu, that hurt, ya know?"
"GOOD."
Then the two were gone. The door shut.
Silently, Squall thanked Seifer for having such understanding friends.
"Good ol' Fu." Seifer chuckled. "Always knew when I wanted to be alone. Always had the consideration to take Raijin with her."
"I'm scared Seifer."
Seifer sighed, touching his face. "Me too lover..."
"Well...." Squall sighed, reaching into his pocket. "I snuck the key off the gaurd..so if you REALLY want out..." Squall dangled the metal key from his fingers.
Seifer shook his head, looking slightly amused. "No, I'm gonna try and see this to the end LEGALLY. Raijin's doing a good job. Besides, I don't like the idea of making you a fugitive of the law..."
Squall nodded. "I DO know a judge. I'll pull some strings..."
Seifer nodded along with him. "That's good...." he smirked lightly. "You know what you can do in the mean time? Use that key to come in here and keep me company for a little while."
Squall smiled sadly. "I like that idea..."
"Okay guys, we got some grub...." Raijin stopped in the doorway, holding a tray of food. He smiled warmly and tilted his head. "Aw...."
Fujin stopped beside him and smiled.
The two were curled up on the small cot together, clothed under the scratchy gray blanket.
Asleep.
Squall opened the door to the apartment, noting the lack of dog bouncing around his legs. Quistis had been taking care of Rufus for as long as he'd been in the hospital and hadn't given him back yet. Which was a good thing seeing as how Squall wasn't sure if he could take care of the little guy in his current state.
Squall made his way in, shutting the door quietly behind him.
He moved straight to the bedroom, even though he hadn't eaten anything all day and dropped himself onto the bed.
It was odd having the bed as cold as it was. It was still in the same order as they had left in days before after their lovemaking. Squall reached a hand over, brushing against the pillow Seifer's head had rested against. Tears sprang into his eyes as he wrapped the blankets around him and cried himself to sleep.
The crowd around the courthouse jeered as Seifer entered, surrounded by gaurds. Squall followed close behind with Fujin and Quistis, keeping his eyes locked on the blonde head not too far ahead and away from the crowd around him. He wanted to shout at them, scream at them for being unkind, unfeeling bastards, booing and cursing at an innocent man, but he kept quiet. To his left, the presence of Kiros made him feel a little more at ease. He'd been released only days before the court date and was bent on seeing Seifer released at all costs.
Squall just hoped it was enough.
Seifer was growing paler and paler by the moment. After hours of accusations and witnesses and circles of evidence being brought up and cancelled out, they had done
it.Squall was on the witness stand.
Raijin smiled at the blonde reassuringly and stood to face Squall, smiling at him as well.
The brunet was as pale as Seifer.
"Mr. Leonhart," Raijin began. "The night before the incident, where were you?"
"At home. I'd taken the day off because I wasn't feeling well." Squall answered simply.
"Mr. Almasy came home at what time?"
"About six-thirty, seven o'clock."
"And he was home from that time until the both of you went to work the next morning."
"Yes."
"During the incident where was he?"
"In my office."
"Were there any witnesses to him being in the office?"
"Uhm..." Squall thought for a moment. "We only were gone for about five minutes. The cleaning lady was in, taking the garbage out when Fujin and I came back in. She stated that he'd been there while she was working. He was there when Fujin and I left and was there when we returned about five minutes later."
"So, pretty much, with the exception of those five minutes he hadn't gone anywhere that morning."
"Right."
"No further questions."
Squall sighed and watched as the other lawyer approached the stand.
"Mr. Leonhart," the imp faced, gray haired man sighed. "You stated that you and the accused were seperated while he was at work. Could he have planted a bomb while you two were apart."
"Kiros was with him during the time that I wasn't."
"That night. Would it have been possible for the accused to leave the house while you were asleep and plant the bomb."
Squall winced. "No."
The laywer mocked surprise. "No? And why not?"
"He was with me the whole night."
"In seperate rooms."
"No, in the same room."
The lawyer blinked at him for a moment. "You say he couldn't have gotten up in the middle of the night at and-"
"The time intervals when we were awake wouldn't have given him enough time to go to the Palace, plant the bomb and come back. It would have taken longer." Squall interrupted coldly.
"Why was it that the two of you kept waking up? Why was he sleeping in your room in the first place. It was stated he was your roommate and his sleeping space was the couch in a different room."
Squall blinked uncomforably under the gaze of the lawyer. "He and I are lovers..."
The lawyer nodded, pacing in front of the stand as the courtroom rumbled with
voices."Have you any interest in becoming the president, Mr. Leonhart."
Squall stared at him, wide-eyed, knowing exactly what he was getting at. "No."
"So, it would be completely out of the question for you to, how-say, AID this lover in the kidnap your father and take his place as president."
"I would never!"
Kiros and Seifer stood at the same time, boiling with anger.
"So you would NOT betray your own father for his power?"
"Objection!" Raijin yelled.
"Sustained!"
"Would you betray your own father for your lover?!"
"Objection sustained!"
"I LOVE my father!!!!!!" Squall roared at him. "I wouldn't do ANYTHING to harm him! And Seifer would NEVER do anything to MAKE me harm him!"
"Got that right." Seifer muttered through gritted teeth.
The enemy lawyer looked almost sympathetically at Squall as the young man sat back down, his shoulders hunching. "Would you think it possible for him to use you to get to your father Squall? That he would do anything to get his revenge for the defeat of his sorceress."
Squall looked him in the eye. "Even when he was under the sorceress I don't think he would. He has more honor than that. He's better than he was. I for one should know that. I know him better than anyone else and no one has the right to judge him like
this.""Maybe you don't know him as well as you think." The lawyer eyed him, then looked at the judge. "The Prosecution rests..."
Squall eyed his glass of water blankly as Kiros sat beside him.
"How much longer until they reach a verdict?" Selphie asked.
"Ten more minutes." Quistis replied.
"I want to see him..." Squall muttered.
Kiros patted his shoulder. "I know you do, but they're not letting anyone near him until it's over."
"How do you think we're doing?" Irvine looked to Raijin.
"I don't know, it's hard to tell. I wish I kne-" he was cut off as he saw a figure in the doorway.
Squall looked up.
There stood Rinoa.
He closed his eyes and aimed his face back down at his untouched glass.
"What are you doing here?" Quistis asked for him.
Rinoa shrugged. "I wanted to see what was going on. Do you think Seifer's gonna win?"
"We're not doing so good...." Irvine told her.
Squall sighed heavily, resting his head in his hand, fighting the tears that threatened his eyes. "I'm gonna lose him...."
He could feel the room staring at him hopelessly.
He looked up. "And you know what they're gonna do to him in prison? I don't even want to think abou-" he cut himself off, his eyes going blank. "They think he attacked the president...." his face paled. "They could sentance him to death....I was....I was so wrapped up in trying to help him that I didn't even think....I can't lose both of them you guys......I can't...."
The room watched him, his eyes blank with tears streaming down them.
Only one person moved.
Squall jumped when he felt arms go around him.
"For what it's worth, I'm rooting for him." Rinoa told him before kissing his cheek. "And, I pulled a few strings of my own......"
Squall looked up at her.
She smiled cheekily. "Almost half the jury is made up of Timber Owls and they're all voting on Seifer's behave under my orders."
Squall swallowed. "W...why? Why did you...How..."
She shrugged. "Seifer's an asshole but he doesn't deserve to die. And I guess I still owe you for saving my ass with Ultimecia. But after this I'm gonna go back to hating your guts you emotionless, self abosorbed bastard." With that she kissed him on the cheek again and began to depart from the room.
"Rinoa?"
"Hm?" she turned, looking back at Squall.
"If I didn't know any better I'd say you were growing something that resembles a heart." Squall smiled a little.
She half heartedly flipped him off and left.
"Thanks..." he muttered after she was gone.
Quistis made a noise. "That was actually very nice of her. She's gonna have to do a lot of bad deeds to make up for this one."
"In honor of her great gift no bashing her for a least five minutes okay?" Fujin smirked.
"Well, that just increased our chances by a lot but we still have to get majority vote..." Raijin sighed.
"What if we don't?"
"Plan B." Fujin said. "We break him out and haul ass out of here."
"And die in the process." Zell humphed. "Great plan..."
"All rise."
Squall stood, his hands bone white as his fists clenched.
Raijin and Seifer stood in front of him, both of them pale.
The judge looked at all three of them, mainly at Squall and Seifer. "You may be seated."
Everyone but the prosecution and the defense sat.
Squall's heart was going a mile a minute, his arms wrapped around him as he braced himself for the verdict. The judge and jury had been in discussion for an hour and a half. In a few minutes, Seifer could be ripped away from him...less than that...
He felt a pressure on his leg and realized Kiros had set his hand there, patting reassuringly.
The judge sighed. "Due to the amount of insufficient evidence, and the fact that the accused was..." he cleared his throat. "preoccupied before and during the attack, the jury and I have no other choice than to find the accused not guilty."
The crowd booed and cheered. Squall collapsed back against the bench, sighing heavily with relief. Kiros was hugging him.
"HOWEVER." The judge continued over the noise in the room. "I hereby order that he be put under house arrest until further notice. For his own safety." With that the gavel went down.
"You mean, you WANT me to stay home?" Seifer asked as people began filing out of the room. Squall came up beside him as he approached the judge, wrapping his arms around his lover's waist.
"Yes, and I think it would be safer for you to stay at him with him Squall. And there will be gaurds posted in your building around the clock." The judge eyed them. "We need our head of defense. If we don't find your father you're the next in line to take his place."
"That's not gonna happen." Squall assured him. "I'll find my dad."
The judge looked to Seifer. "Take care of him." Then to Squall. "Keep him out of trouble."
Squall smiled. "Thanks Cid."
Squall unlocked the door to the apartment, glancing down the hall at the two SeeDs that gaurded the elevator. Three were positioned in the lobby, two at the front entrance and a transport patrolled around the building.
Cid had ordered it.
The unnerved feeling his got with all the gaurds around was overlapped by the warm presence of Seifer by his side.
No gaurds in the apartment, he reminded himself. The door opened and he stepped inside, tossing his jacked onto the couch.
"Are you hungry?" he asked, hearing Seifer shut the door. "I hear prison food can dissolve the rust off a hubcap."
"I'm not hungry." Seifer assured him, following Squall into the kitchen. He watched Squall for a moment as the brunet started buzzing around the kitchen, babbling about how HE was hungry. "Squall..."
Squall stopped, looking up at him, plate in hand.
"Fujin tries to keep busy when she worried about something too..."
Squall sighed, setting the plate down on the counter and leaned against it. "It's just, my dad...Kay got him...."
"How do you know?" Seifer asked. "Not that I don't believe
you.""I just do. I didn't tell anyone because there's no proof. Besides, they say he was taken too..." Squall closed his eyes, a tear falling. "Jesus, everything was so perfect, then this shit happens..."
Seifer put his arms around the young man and sighed. "Things'll be
okay..."Squall hugged him back. "And now we have all these gaurds around. They have to check in every three hours you know..."
"Hey, they're keeping you safe. That's all that matters to me."
"Yeah, but that also means I can't go look for dad."
Seifer sighed. "Squall, let these people do their jobs. I have Fujin and Raijin on it too. And the others are all over it. They'll keep us posted. And, once we find Kay, I'LL be the one sneaking out. You don't need a murder record. I'm not sending you into prison looking as fine as you do. The only wife your gonna be is mine."
Squall let out a small laugh. "Uh uh...I'M not the wife...."
"Oh, I am?" Seifer smirked, lifting Squall onto the counter so he was sitting.
"You know? My dad asked Kiros to marry him once..."
Seifer blinked. "Really? Why didn't Kiros say yes?"
"He was worried my dad might be thrown out of office."
"How long ago was this?"
"Two years I think." Squall smirked sadly. "I wish they would have. They love each other so much."
Seifer nodded. "I can see your dad wearing a veil."
"Hey!" Squall was laughing again.
He moved to punch Seifer lightly in the arm but his hand was captured. His body tilted forward as Seier pulled him closer, kissing him. Their first kiss since they slept in the prison cell. Squall wrapped his arms around Seifer's neck, sighing contently. He pulled back and rested his forehead against Seifer's. "My dad'll be okay. But I'm still gonna go look for him."
"How?"
"Well....if we can get past the gaurd..."
"If they check in every three hours that'll give us more than enough time." Seifer told him. "We just jave to figure some way to get rid of the ones in the hall."
Squall smirked impishly. "I have an idea..."
"Uhhn!"
"Oh!!"
The gaurds looked at one another, then down the hall at the door.
"YES!!"
The shorter gaurd blushed. "No one told us they were a SEXUALLY ACTIVE gay couple..."
"Hey, come on." The taller of the two nudged the other. "Let's go check it out."
"But- but they're having sex!" The first whispered loudly.
"They could be in trouble...."
"Oh Squall HARDER!!" Seifer moaned, trying deperately not to laugh.
The two young men were huddled by the door, Seifer looking through the peekhole, Squall squating near the doornob.
The brunet tossed him a look.
Seifer smirked. "Well, we can't have them thinking you're a SUBMISSIVE head of defense." he winked. "Even though you are."
"Not always." Squall whispered back defensively.
"Ohhhh!!""They're close enough."
"Go?"
"Go."
Squall's eyes closed as he concentrated, muttering a single word.
The guards paused in front of the door.
"Maybe we should leave them alone, give them a little privacy..." the shorter muttered. He felt a warm, humid breath on his neck and waved his hand at it, still looking over the shoulder of the soldier ahead of him. "Knock it off
Hanson.""Hanson's downstairs." The taller pilot looked at him, then behind him. His eyes widened, his face paling.
"Then.....who...."
The shorter man turned slowly.
The giant three headed dog growled.
"AAAAAAHHH!!!!!" The two men screamed, taking off down the hallway.
Cerberus took off after them, all three heads barking wildly, until they disappeared around the corner. He stopped, huffing, then began to trot back.
"What's going on out here?" The old man from 212 peered out angrily. "Is it that Tilmitt girl again?!"
Cerberus came up behind the door and one head began sniffing at the door's edge.
The man huffed, seeing Squall and Seifer emerging from their apartment. "Not you two again."
Seifer blinked at Cerberus, still sniffing around, just beyond the man's line of sight, behind the door.
"Sorry Mr. Murphy." Squall smiled appologetically.
"What does it take to get a little piece and quiet around here?!" The door slammed shut. Startled, the three headed dog jumped, all ears alert, looking around for danger.
"CER-ber-us!" Squall cooed playfully, clapping his hands for the giant hound of hell to come.
The dog trotted foreward, tail wagging, the middle head coming up to rest on Squall's shoulder, the left head nudging his side and the right whimpering happily as the young man stratched behind his ears. The giant tall continued to wag rapidly.
"Glad the pup's not here or they'd be going nuts." Seifer laughed, picking up the twin dufflebags from the doorway.
Squall held out his hand and Cerberus turned into a small ball of light, flying into the hand and disappearing. "Let's get out of here."
"How?"
"Fujin has the car waiting for us downstairs." He looked at his watch. "Zell should be providing a distraction any second now."
Seifer blinked. "You had all this worked out. You were going to do this whether I joined you or not..."
Squall looked at him. "He's my dad Seifer. I'd do the same thing for you."
Then the power went out.
"I'm guessing that's chicken-wuss?"
"Yep." Squall grabbed his hand. "Let's go."
"Took you long enough." Fujin called, watching the duo slide down the sides of the fire escape ladders. She blinked, straightening against the front door of the car parked in the ally beside Squall's building. "I thought you were coming alone."
"Is there a problem?" Seifer asked. "I wasn't going to let you two conspire behind my back about something that could very well get you both killed. Nice job by the way Dincht."
From the passenger side of the car, Zell shrugged. "I do my best."
"They got a transmission at the Garden from the Magi." Fujin told them.
Squall tensed. "My dad?"
"He's alive." Fujin assured him. "Xu called Quistis as soon as they received it. Quistis tried to call you but the gaurds downstairs wouldn't let her through, so she called me. She headed to the Garden right after she called. She has the mutt with her."
"But you're sure my Dad's alive?" Squall's eyes had brightened.
"Xu said he was in the transmission."
"Where's the Garden now?" Seifer asked.
"On the continent about a day's drive from here."
Squall nodded. "Let's go."