{Fan Fic} Always

[breyzyyin.livejournal.com]

Username: Yin (of breyzyyin)
Class: White Mage
Title: Always
Summary: A fic written for the "closure" prompt over at airship_lounge, as well as the unfilled prompt for FFVIII: Julia/Caraway. Fury Caraway thinks about his past, present, and possible future.
Characters/Pairings: Fury Caraway is the main focus, though Julia and Rinoa also play important roles. Laguna, Squall, Angelo, and a few other FFVIII characters mentioned. Main pairing is Caraway x Julia, with mentions of Laguna x Julia and Squall x Rinoa.
Word count: 9,449 (It ended up being much bigger than I originally planned it to be! O_O)
Rating/warnings: PG.

----Legal Disclaimer: I do not own Final Fantasy VIII or any of the game's characters. They are the rightful property of Square-Enix.----

The café was a sleepy little one, nestled nondescriptly between two equally charming establishments, an item shop and an art gallery--all three had window displays to attract passersby: often using decorations from their neighbors to do so. He picked a table in the middle of the room where patrons sat...close enough to the window for visitors to see him, but strategically positioned so that the sun's rays beating through the glass weren't glaring.

Unsure of how to feel about what was to come, Fury Caraway sat in quiet contemplation as he waited for his guests to arrive. He'd been surprised that the invitation had been proffered at all...though he supposed it had something to do with the fact that'd been the frontrunner for the dialogues about the possible independence of Timber in a few years' time--along with their earlier conversation a few months ago.

He and Rinoa had been in steady contact since then: first with slow, awkward conversations that lasted only a few minutes at best and then, later on, hour-long talks or pages worth of written content.

He had to admit, the fact that Rinoa was the one who first suggested the meeting (she wanted him to "meet someone," she had said) had surprised him somewhat--he always figured he would have to be the first one to finally suggest such a thing. It was another reminder of how much Rinoa had matured when he wasn't looking.

The old feeling of guilt crept up on him, but he tried to ignore it. As he'd said at their last meeting at their home...it would be best to start fresh, if they could. His daughter, who was just as stubborn and prideful as he had been in his youth whether or not she acknowledged it, had also agreed it was the best path that they could take.

'It took a bit longer to reach that point then I would care to admit, Julia...but I'm going to try. It's what you would do, isn't it?'

Julia had always been a very understanding and supportive figure: an ideal parent to their little girl. If their fates had been reversed, if it had been her who had lived and he who had passed away due to that accident...he imagined the strained relationship between parent and child that positioned itself almost immediately after the tragedy would not have even occurred at all.

"Give yourself a bit more credit, Fury." She had always told him every time they were alone together and he voiced his fears about not being a good enough father to her, "You do your best and it shows that you care. No one can ask you for more."

She would always end the dialogue with a quick kiss on the cheek, and his doubts would subside in the comforting thought that he was truly blessed to have such a loving wife and a spirited daughter.

...There had been times when, after her passing, Fury doubted the truths of her words as he watched the gap between himself and Rinoa deepen--largely in part to his own misguided attempts to do "right" for his daughter by not wanting to trouble her with his own grief and by focusing on his career in order to offer continued financial stability.

But doubting now wouldn't help the present or the potential future. Julia would playfully chide him if she were here, telling him it was better to focus on the now, the moment, rather than on past mistakes. She had always had a sentimental side to her, but she would always say it was best to hold on to treasured memories and help them to influence the future in a positive way instead of dwelling on the negative.

The scent of flowers on the table in front of him wafted through the air. As he sat and waited, he let the nostalgic fragrance spark some memories he hadn't allowed himself to think on in quite awhile.

*****

...Why he had let his "friends" drag him to yet another bar was beyond him. He used the term loosely, as whenever they invited him out for drinks he knew his fellow army officers only did so because they were aware that he didn't drink alcohol and they'd be able to have a designated driver without arguing amongst themselves about which unfortunate soul would have to remain sober that night.

He was seated in a table in the back of the room with a soda, how he loved the reactions he got from his friends and bartenders alike whenever he ordered that. A ridiculously large vase of red flowers that seemed to be exceptionally fragrant (his head was already starting to pulse in response to the overwhelming scents assaulting his sinuses) covering the majority of the table. It would be several months before patron complaints caused the staff at the Galbadia Hotel to finally cut back on the floral decorations, to the relief of many.

His fellows were glued to the bar, ordering one drink the second they'd finished their previous one. Not really having a strong like of being in close proximity to people who were already well under way in the process of consuming copious amounts of alcohol...he'd ordered his drink and sat discreetly far away from the festivities.

He'd be damned if he was going to be thrown out of an establishment again for being associated with their rowdy behavior, though he had to admit that the photos he had of them crossdressing in pastel pink cocktail dresses and wearing curly blond wigs later on that same evening were rather entertaining...and good blackmail material too, he thought amusedly. Especially not since he had recently been promoted to the rank of general despite still being relatively young for a decorated military officer.

At least the downstairs lounge and barroom of the Galbadia Hotel was a much nicer establishment than some of the seedier bars they'd gone to in Deling City in the past.

The space was open and well-lit, unlike the cramped and dark dungeon motifs they'd been to before--many of which had probably only passed their health and safety inspections through healthy amounts of bribing. Even his friends, despite their sometimes rowdier moods when drunk, seemed to be keeping themselves a bit calmer and more quiet in order to fit in with the "classier" and more "upscale" atmosphere.

Despite the constant jokes of how 'socially awkward' Fury often tended to be, he wasn't so completely focused on his service to Galbadia that he couldn't understand the need to relax every now and then: especially with how heated the Sorceress War had become. He could appreciate the relaxed and surprisingly calm atmosphere of establishments such as this hotel...maybe even more so than his friends who often seemed to just want to get plastered and blow off some steam every few months or so.

...He could especially appreciate the very large piano that was featured prominently in the hotel lounge. Having grown up in a family of music lovers, Fury had a surprisingly keen eye and ear for anything related to music--something that shocked others to find out about due to how practical and to-the-point he often was in other areas of his life. His parents had both played instruments to some degree of success though he, unfortunately, had always struggled to do so as a child. But he could still appreciate a well-crafted instrument or someone who was truly talented in the musical field.

An hour or so had passed since he had arrived here, and no performer had risen up to take a spot at the piano. Regrettably, he began to think that perhaps he'd been unfortunate enough to get dragged to a promising spot for a drinking binge he had no interest in taking part in and that he wouldn't even be able to enjoy his time there either. And sadly, he knew he had work to do tomorrow as well...which meant this was turning into a rather wasted evening off.

He stared down at the smooth wooden surface of the table and the drink he was still nursing, a contemplative frown on his face as he thought of the current situation in regards to the war with Eshtar...because that was a relaxing topic to think of, he thought wryly.

It was when he had been focused on that it happened. At first, the melody was a soft one that whispered into his ears without him really noticing. The notes began to get bolder moments later, a soothing piece reflecting the atmosphere of the lounge wonderfully.

Someone had begun to play the piano...and quite superbly at that. Each stroke of the keys was perfectly timed and precise, resonating in the air as the familiar melody, a relaxing piece designed for the piano by a rather famous Galbadian composer, made itself known. Everything seemed to stop momentarily in quiet appreciation of the music being so expertly played...even Fury's military friends were silent in their seats for a few blissful seconds.

Curious, Fury looked up: a young woman with black hair cut just above her shoulders was seated in front of the piano, her brown eyes focused on the keys before her with the focused intensity of a professional musician. She was wearing a simple but elegant dress that fit in rather well with the décor of the lounge, the dangling silver earrings she was wearing swinging back and forth in a mesmerizing fashion with every graceful tilt of her head as she moved through the piece.

"...Julia's performance is amazing, huh?" Fury started at the question, much to the amusement of the waitress who had brought him a drink refill, "It's great that the owners finally decided to hire her fulltime...especially for the evening shifts."

"So she's the pianist for the hotel?" while somewhat annoyed at the intrusion, Fury couldn't help but be a little curious now that the conversation had gotten started.

"Every night."

"...She's incredible." Even his parents' own talents with instruments paled in comparison to what he was hearing now. The woman was clearly in her element as she played: a true talent with ability honed through constant dedication. The piece she was playing was an old favorite of his, but it was as though he was hearing it in a completely new way now. 'Stern and Awkward Fury' was utterly captivated by the melody he was hearing.

The waitress smiled to herself, hoping from the look in the officer's eyes that they'd just bagged another return patron.

*****

It was raining outside by the time Julia's performance was over. Typical, he supposed.

...Every time he was back in Deling City, Fury found himself visiting the lounge of the Galbadia Hotel whenever he had a free evening. He was always pleasantly surprised to find that, no matter what the pianist, Julia, played...he still found himself as captivated by it as he had been by her playing that first night. It relaxed him to hear such amazing music, always putting him in a better mindset the next day. It was even worth the headaches he'd sometimes get from the always strangely pungent flowers the management was still debating whether or not to cut back on. He wondered if they dipped them in perfume sometimes.

Of course, in his excitement at being able to finally visit again after a period of several months (he was relieved that she was still working there)...the usually very cautious Fury Caraway had forgotten to take into account the darkening clouds in the alter afternoon hours. By the time the night had settled in, there was a torrential downpour.

"Well, water isn't going to kill you." he mused, standing in the relatively dry alcove of the hotel's doorways to watch the rain coming down in sheets on the street.

"Look at it coming down!"

The woman's voice came from near his right shoulder. He turned his head slightly, surprised to see the musician whose work he'd been so enthralled with for quite some time now standing there...her complete attention focused on the pouring rain before them. Now that she was not sitting in front of the piano with a serious look on her features, he saw that there was a youthful, almost whimsical quality about her mannerisms and body language. She appeared to be around his own age, give or take a few years. It was...odd in a way, to think on that.

A shawl was wrapped about her shoulders now, the exact same color as the expensive-looking red dress beneath it. In her hand was a small compact umbrella, though she was so mesmerized by the rain that she seemed to have forgotten it momentarily. The silver earrings still dangled from her ears.

After what seemed a rather long time, she turned her head slightly to regard him...an embarrassed blush forming on her cheeks at the realization that she hadn't noticed someone had been there as she'd stared with childlike wonderment at the rain.

"...Sorry! I hope I wasn't intruding on anything."

"..." Fury paused, unsure of how to respond. Truthfully, he wasn't the best socializer on the planet (you don't get a nickname like 'Awkward Fury' as a joke for nothing), and his experience with interacting with the opposite gender outside of military affairs was...limited to say the least, largely because of that fact. Besides, the woman was actually someone whose talent he'd become increasingly in awe of...making his mind go absolutely blank for a few moments.

"...It's all right." He somehow finally managed to get his mouth working properly, "I was just standing here."

"The rain is rather hypnotic, isn't it?" Julia looked out at it appreciatively, momentarily closing her eyes and inhaling, "I love it when it rains like this. How it looks, how it smells, how it sounds..." she smiled, "It's like magic to me."

Fury stared at the rain hitting the pavement in droves, at the rivulets of water making their way to form a puddle at his boots. He'd never thought of it in such a way before, but it was a rather refreshing way to view rain.

"...The scent of rain is better than those flowers in there." He was surprised that he managed to make something resembling a joke.

She laughed at that, "True enough! I think they go overboard with the flowers. I usually love them, but it seems like they pick the smelliest ones they can find on purpose. Even at the piano I get a little sick with them." She regarded him thoughtfully, "I'm amazed you're able to sit at a table with a vase of them sticking in your face so often."

Now it was Fury's turn to blush slightly. He had no idea she'd noticed him being there that much, as she always seemed incredibly focused on her performances whenever he was there. He hoped it didn't make him appear creepy, "I...enjoy the rest of the atmosphere. The music especially."

"I figured as much. You seem to listen to it pretty intently. There are only a few other people who do that...and only one other person in the military." At the mention of that "other person," a small smile formed on Julia's face. Fury was somewhat curious, but when Julia looked at him again a different smile crossed her face: an open and friendly one.

"It's always nice to meet a fellow music lover." She said, "My name is Julia Heartilly. What can I call you, Officer...?"

"Fury Caraway."

Her smiled widened, "Fury? That sounds almost as joke-inducing as 'Heartilly' was for me when I was a child."

Despite himself, he couldn't help but smile in return, "Name puns were the bane of my existence in school."

Julia laughed again, a pleasant sound. Holding her hand out in front of her, she pressed a button on her umbrella...the red fabric opening wide.

"Well, Officer Fury Caraway, since it appears you don't have an umbrella...care to share mine for at least a little bit of the way?"

*****

Following that first dialogue, it was surprising just how quickly Fury and Julia became rather good friends. It was their love of music that first had the two talking regularly, Julia encouraging Fury to show her how much he knew about playing the piano...soothingly trying to assure him he wasn't nearly as terrible as he thought, and trying to give him pointers on how to improve. They talked about their favorite composers or concerts they'd been to.

She mentioned wanting to perhaps write her own songs or sing on occasion, and though that wasn't in Fury's realm of expertise, he encouraged her to do so whole-heartedly...though Julia still seemed a bit unsure of the idea herself.

It wasn't until much later on that Fury found out about the rumors that he had become smitten with the beautiful pianist at the Galbadia Hotel or the ones about how they were already seeing one another. He was actually surprised by them when he first heard them, bewildered at the notion that he apparently couldn't simply be friends with someone outside of the government circles...besides, it was also none of the people who speculating on the matter's business to begin with.

Yes, Julia Heartilly was a gorgeous woman with a creative intelligence who made him smile. You'd have to be a blind idiot to not see how attractive she was.

But Fury wasn't exactly the most social person on the planet. Simply being able to form a close friendship with someone was a milestone he didn't want to jeopardize.

Besides...Julia had someone else she had her eye on as well. She never really said who it was beyond the fact that he was a soldier who frequented the lounge often, but she expressed an honest desire to talk to him more--finding his mannerisms "charming."

Fury encouraged it. Julia's friendship was important to him, after all. And he wanted her to be happy.

*****

...He'd been surprised when Julia had contacted him out of the blue one night: over the course of their developing friendship, they usually met at the lounge where she worked...hanging out together after her performances only when both of their schedules permitted it.

In a voice that was far too quiet and uneasy-sounding than he was accustomed to...she had requested to meet him in a café that afternoon that they would sometimes go to after her performances. Concerned, but knowing Julia well enough to gauge that she wouldn't say anything more until they were face-to-face, Fury had agreed.

While the café was very quiet in the late night hours, which made sense...most weren't in the mood for caffeinated drinks at that time when bars were opening their doors instead. It was a very different picture around noon--the sleepy spot coming to life in a bustle of activity as the busy life of Deling City seemed to pour into every business from the streets.

The young man found Julia nestled into a small table in a corner of the establishment. She was dressed simply, her hair hanging straight down close to her shoulders. A solemn look was etched into her features as she acknowledged his presence with a guarded expression and a slight nod.

"Fury." She smiled faintly, though it didn't quite reach her darkened eyes, "Thank you for coming on such short notice. I...needed someone to talk to."

He'd learned already that despite Julia's many admirers and acquaintances, a lost list of friends was something she surprisingly lacked--Julia herself admitted it had largely been in part due to her status as something of a musical prodigy growing up and her later focus solely on her music career. If she ever were to become more social, he imagined that would quickly change due to her warm and thoughtful personality.

"Of course." He watched her with an assessing look, it was obvious something was troubling her greatly, "Is something the matter?"

"I'm...I'm not sure yet." Julia frowned, her gaze focused on her half-filled porcelain teacup, "Do you remember the man I told you about who visited the lounge a lot? The one you said I should try talking to?"

"...The soldier, you mean?" Fury's stomach tightened in nervous apprehension. He had a sneaking suspicion he knew where the conversation was going.

A brief nod in reply as Julia's fingertip traced the rim of her cup, "I finally decided to do it. Talk to him, I mean." A smile, "It was...nice. He has a good ear for music--and for listening."

He was about to say that he was glad, thinking perhaps he had been wrong in his earlier suspicion...but the words caught in his throat when all traces of happiness vanished from Julia's face moments later. Her gaze remained rooted on the tabletop.

"He was...deployed the very next day. I don't know all of the details, but it seems like the mission went badly. He's missing."

...Of course. Fury sighed inwardly, hating the fact that he'd guessed correctly.

It made sense: the war was intensifying everyday, and soldiers on the frontlines always had a higher probability of becoming casualties. It was a tragedy that was becoming more and more commonplace...something he took very seriously in regards to the fates of his own troops.

"I'm sorry, Julia." He told her sincerely, "I truly am."

A sad smile crossed her lips at this, "...He helped inspire me to write lyrics for that song I was working on, remember?" When he nodded, she whispered, "I felt so excited writing them down to music."

"...I would have loved to have heard it. And so would he, I'm sure."

They sat in silence for a few seconds, and Fury finally worked up the courage to break it, "Julia...the soldier's name, what was it? I might be able to get a search going for him."

"Laguna...Loire, I believe." It took her a few minutes to come up with a last name, though that didn't surprise Fury since he knew the two had only talked on a limited basis before that night.

He couldn't make too many promises, unfortunately. When soldiers were declared "missing" it was usually a code that most in the military knew stood for "presumed killed in action"...since the Sorceress War was escalating, there just wasn't really enough manpower to actively search for missing soldiers. He would do what he could to help, of course (after all, Julia was a personal friend), but even he knew he didn't have enough clear influence yet to really go against protocol too much. And time mattered a lot in cases like this too.

Julia was pretty sharp about such things. Though he tried to keep it from showing on his face, he was certain she picked up on the momentary doubt he had on his potential for success. Still, she smiled at the sincerity behind his words and his resolve to help all the same.

"Thank you, Fury." Her voice sounded touched, a thoughtful quality entering it.

"...The most important thing you can do is not give up hope. He could be found soon, for all we know."

She nodded slightly, though the look on her face was doubtful. She knew the reports, after all.

"Could you do me another favor then, Fury?" she asked after several minutes of silence.

He nodded, wanting to help her any way he could, "Of course."

"...Will you help me with getting my song heard?"

*****

The song, a romantic ballad, became a tribute to Julia's missing soldier. It was the song that he had inspired the lyrics for after their night of talking to one another.

Due to Fury's family ties to several prominent musicians and his connections in broadcasting due to his rising status in the military, along with Julia's growing status as a pianist among Galbadian music circles...it only took a few weeks of persistent effort before the song was allowed to be played on the airwaves.

"Eyes on Me" became a hit throughout all of Galbadia and even beyond its borders: it seemed to play at least once every day on one radio station or another.

Julia Heartilly became a rather respected musician in her own right afterwards...her piano playing venues switched from her one lounge job to concert halls rather quickly, and many had as much, or even more, interest in her song writing and singing skills as well.

Still, despite the newfound success she had, Julia still seemed to maintain a rather down-to-earth view on things.

She had fulfilled her goal of getting her song...their song out there, she once told him. Nothing else mattered at that point. If her soldier was still alive, he would hear it and know what she had done...or at least she prayed that would be the case.

Fury wondered in a way if the song hadn't been a sense of closure to her in a way: that she still thought of Laguna and their time together, of the possibilities that could have transpired between them if things had been different.

But time wore on and despite his best efforts, he could find no word on any missing soldiers. The worried look that had hung constantly in Julia's eyes turned into a quiet sort of acceptance once the months wore on and the song started to play more regularly.

She would hope to see him again, she confided to Fury, but she wasn't going to stop living her life because of it.

*****

The friendship between Fury, now a rather highly decorated officer in the Galbadian military, and Julia, a well-respected musician, continued despite their very different paths of life. The bond between them had deepened even more with Fury's efforts to find her soldier and their combined efforts of getting her song out on the air.

It was Julia who finally told him after several months that his efforts were perhaps better suited doing something else...a sad tone to her voice but a determined emphasis that she believed it was time--if her soldier was still alive, he was hopefully safe and able to move on and find happiness as well.

...Fury, at one point, began to wonder when his views on his friend changed so much.

The act of falling in love had not come to him at first sight, or in a passionate realization that hit him like a ton of bricks...though that did not mean that for a man as stoic and awkward about such things as 'prim and proper' Fury it did not still take him for surprise.

Rather, it had been a gradual change...a subtle one in how he regarded Julia, how he felt in her presence. Her mannerisms became more cherished, he valued her company more and more, he felt himself thinking of her fondly or out of concern without even realizing he was doing so even when they hadn't seen each other for days. His heartbeat sped up during their conversations together and he felt self-conscious in a way he hadn't even thought of in their interactions before.

It was an odd sensation indeed, though he wouldn't necessarily describe it as unpleasant.

Without even realizing it, he had fallen in love.

But he didn't act on it. His past romances had not been very memorable...awkward moments and dates that became the oubject of 'teasing' by many of his more romance-savvy and experienced friends. He treasured being in Julia's company and having her as a friend. A part of him was terrified of saying anything, of potentially driving her away.

The thought of the stern and disciplined general that so many viewed him as being so afraid over such a matter made him smile somewhat in irony.

So he remained silent, preferring for things to remain the same than perhaps have everything end.

*****

Surprisingly, it was Julia who initiated the next phase in their relationship.

They had just eaten dinner together in celebration of her latest concert and the promise of the completion of a goal he'd been working towards in his job for quite some time. After they'd stepped out into the chilly evening air, without even thinking once about it he'd offered her his coat and draped it over her bare shoulders. She had accepted the gesture.

Not sure of how that would be regarded from a friendship stance, Fury tried to ignore that he had done it by finding the plants lining the sidewalk utterly fascinating.

Julia traced the inside of his coat with a finger, and it caught him completely off-guard when she leaned slightly to the side, her head resting at his shoulder as they walked.

"Fury...for a man I think of as being rather brave, it's odd how cowardly you've been acting lately." Her tone was thoughtful, almost joking even, "...Though I think I've been acting the same way as well, so I suppose I don't really have a leg to stand on there."

"...What do you mean?" Fury asked, perplexed. He stopped walking, not at all minding the closeness they continued to share despite his heart beating faster and louder in his chest.

Julia looked up at him with warm eyes, the smile on her lips faint and content, "I mean us. What's happening between us. Growing."

"..." He was unsure of how to respond, sure that his voice would get caught in his throat.

A momentary glimmer of doubt flickered over Julia's normally bright features and, the back of her head still resting on his shoulder, she reached up tentatively with her fingers to touch his cheek. "Am I wrong then?" she whispered, frowning slightly at the thought and still looking up at him with a questioning gaze, "Am I the only one who has started to feel this way?"

"No." he was surprised at how even his voice still sounded despite his heart beating frantically against his ribcage at the moment, "...You're most certainly not."

Julia's smile lit up her face again, and it was no surprise that he shared the gesture on his own features as well.

Their lips met for the first time right there on the sidewalk...a soft gesture that became more natural and lingering over time as it continued, followed by the warmest embrace he had ever experienced.

Within the week, they officially decided to announce their courtship...and within a month or so after that, they were engaged and subsequently married.

Both had fallen in love, their relationship a happy and content one built upon an earlier foundation of friendship. Soon enough, they were blessed with a beautiful, happy daughter with eyes that always seemed to smile and who enjoyed sitting on either parents' laps when she was little enough to do so constantly.

Neither Fury nor Julia could have asked for anything more.

*****

"...I can't play."

Five year-old Rinoa's chin jerked angrily in the direction of the object of her derision: the grand piano in the foyer of their mansion. Her eyes narrowed, and it seemed as if she was contemplating kicking the offending instrument from how her foot twitched from side to side.

Julia smiled and patted her daughter's shoulder comfortingly, "Give it time, Rinoa. You only just started practicing and you're still young yet. Even I didn't learn to play in a week."

She glanced sideways at her husband who was watching their child's attempts to rein in her anger at an inanimate object with barely concealed amusement in his brown eyes, "...Or you might be exactly like your father and get so angry with the piano you break a finger trying to slam the casing shut."

She smirked somewhat in a momentary teasing triumph when Fury's cheeks reddened slightly in embarrassment at that particular childhood memory.

"Is that true, Daddy?" Julia's ploy seemed to work, as their young daughter focused her attention away from thoughts of maiming her mother's antique piano to stare at her father incredulously.

"...Well, it was a long time ago." Fury, wanting to save face, tried not to give an exact answer.

Rinoa frowned at this, and the officer knew he wasn't going to be getting off the hook so easily. She was about to open her mouth to ask the string of questions probably running through her mind at that very instance when her dark eyes fell on Julia's evening dress.

"Oh! You're going out tonight, Mommy?" she raced forward and circled around the woman excitedly, the burgundy dress happened to be one of her favorites from her mother's closet.

Julia smiled, reaching out to grasp Rinoa's shoulders in an attempt to keep the flailing girl from spinning herself dizzy, "Yes...it's the first night of the concert series in the park, remember?"

A quick nod, then another frown, "How come we're not going with you?"

The brown-haired woman glanced over at her husband and smiled down at their daughter again, "Because...Daddy has been working a lot recently and this week is his first off in a long time. The two of you should do something fun together for a change. You both will be attending all of the other nights, I promise."

It had been something the couple had discussed earlier. Fury had admitted to feeling slightly guilty about not being able to spend more time with his family, and Julia had insisted that a day of "father-daughter" bonding would be a good way with which to start the week off.

All three of them would spend the rest of his leave time together, possibly even looking for a pet for Rinoa: the girl had, not-so-subtly, been making comments about how a large dog would take up no room at all in their house and would be well-cared for by a certain responsible young lady so that her parents wouldn't worry--a collie puppy would be ideal, for instance...did they know there was an advertisement for a litter in the paper recently? Her parents were quite amused when she even left the highlighted clipping on their pillows one evening with a smiley face and heart motif in marker around the sides of it.

...And both Fury and Rinoa would watch the concert series at night so that all three of them could make a fun evening of it afterwards. Rinoa loved seeing her mother play the piano and sing, unlike most children her age who would probably be bored out of their minds at such concert recitals, and they doubted she would have any objections to staying up a few nights past her usual bedtime.

"...What do you say, Rinoa? Do you have any movies you'd like to watch?" Fury asked her, "We'll stay up late and have a ton of ice cream while we wait for your mother to come home."

The little girl grinned, there were always movies she liked to watch over and over again--and getting one of her parents to sit through them with her was especially exciting for some reason...particularly Fury, as she always found his overly-bored expressions with the content of her made-for-children films to be especially hilarious.

"Sure...but, can I hear you play the piano later, Daddy?" the girl's grin widened, "I don't think you're that bad at all!"

"Nowhere near your mother's level, I assure you." He smiled, glad that his daughter didn't have any objections to the evening. Perhaps Julia was right, and he wasn't as bad a father as he thought he was, "But I'll see if I can remember a piece or two for you...if you want, we could practice together."

"...Maybe." Rinoa glanced at the piano again, frowning. Her earlier problems with it remembered.

"...You'll get better, don't worry." Julia hugged Rinoa and kissed her cheek before heading to the door.

"I'll see the two of you later. Don't destroy the house or anything like that, all right?" she called over her shoulder.

Rinoa giggled, "Making a mess in the living room isn't destroying the house, Mommy."

"Well, if that's all that happens I suppose I'll be content." She smiled, embracing Fury at the door. What she did next surprised her husband somewhat, as she kissed him softly on the lips and whispered a quick "I love you both." in his ear before stepping outside and waving to them one last time, a gesture Rinoa emphatically returned as Fury watched his wife head to the car in surprise.

...Considering how she'd often gone on her own to certain events due to their conflicting schedules and had never once felt the need to say that beforehand, it had caught him somewhat off-guard.

Later on, once they had gotten that horrible news about the accident...Fury would repeat that moment again and again in his head, wondering if perhaps Julia had felt that something was going to happen that night and had been subconsciously reacting to it. If he had felt that same thing or if he'd reacted to the surprised tension that had built up inside of him at her saying those words that night as he watched her leave, would he have begged her not to go? Or would he have done as she had, and simply tried moving through it?

He wasn't sure. No matter how much he dwelled on what had happened that evening, he couldn't come up with a definite answer. All that was left was what had happened: the sadness that followed and the inescapable sense of loss that resulted from it.

That evening was when little Rinoa lost her mother, and when Fury Caraway lost the only woman he had ever loved.

*****

Julia Caraway died instantly in the car accident, leaving behind her young family and a music career that had yet to come full circle. The newspapers covered the story with a flourish at first: Julia was a budding musician and the wife of a highly decorated officer in the Galbadian military, so the tragedy was guaranteed to be a news sensation for awhile. Fury tried his best to keep Rinoa from reading the headlines too much, from becoming a target of overzealous reporters...though the girl, too washed up in her understandable grief at the time, seemed to be too shocked by her loss to notice all of the talk and not-very-subtle stares.

...The funeral service was a quick and formal affair, the days following being mostly a blur in Fury's mind. He barely registered what happened then: caught up in his own grief and unsure of what the future held--he wasn't in any better of condition than his daughter was for quite some time.

When he was at home, he isolated himself...not taking any visitors. He was unsure of how to approach Rinoa, uncomfortable with his own displays of grief as he was. Afraid that perhaps seeing him so upset would in turn make things worse for her, he became much more silent when at home.

And he went to work again rather early on...far too early, some of his co-workers said gently, but he didn't mind: it took his mind off of what had happened, gave him something else to focus on instead. Keeping himself busy let an odd sense of numbness settle into the emptiness that had been with him since the accident. Besides, giving Rinoa time to herself instead of smothering her...maintaining an income so that she could be provided for, he convinced himself at the time that was what was necessary for both of them to adjust to the horrible change they'd been presented with.

He didn't realize his mistake until it was far too late to repair the damage: a guilt he kept with him to this very day.

He should have realized that Rinoa needed to have him close by then. He was the adult in the relationship, it was his responsibility to make sure she was all right even if he was feeling the same loss himself.

Rinoa saw him working late, bringing his work home more and more...and she naturally assumed it was because he just didn't care. His stoic mannerisms in regards to adversity, something that was often considered a good quality in terms of his career, didn't help the matter any as all the little girl saw was him being horribly cold and unfeeling.

The distance between them grew into a chasm. When Rinoa became a teenager, her political leanings began turning away from Galbadia as she learned more about the world around her...when they did talk then, it almost always seemed to be in the form of an argument.

Fury was unsure of how to fix things, didn't know if there was anything he could do at that point. He tried ignoring it, tried overlooking the whole matter and sweeping it under the rug.

That only made Rinoa's viewpoint of him worsen, as she accused him of dismissing her completely when he did so...of him viewing her as not even being worth debating with.

When she became older, she took on Julia's maiden name and started calling herself Rinoa Heartilly...symbolically severing ties with Fury completely at that point. She left home, Fury later on finding out that she had joined a resistance group in the Galbadian-occupied city of Timber.

...It was somewhat embarrassing for him as a General in the Galbadian military to have that happen, though he didn't deny her that right.

Despite that and the distance between them, Rinoa was still his daughter...his and Julia's pride and joy. He couldn't bring himself to disown her as several of his colleagues suggested he do officially in public. Instead, he looked the other way and let her do as she pleased.

Knowing that she seemed to vehemently hate him hurt more than he cared to show, but he knew he had to take at least part of the blame for that. He had not handled Julia's death well and Rinoa had been too young to fully understand why...and he'd never worked up the courage to talk to her about it when he still had the chance to do so.

He regretted that more than anyone would ever know. And despite what Rinoa felt about him now...all that he wanted for her was her safety and happiness, even if she wanted nothing more to do with him.

*****

One note pierced through the air jarringly, abruptly halting almost as quickly as it had come--the deafening silence that followed seeming to swallow it whole.

"Huh! I still can't play at all." The black-haired girl smiled faintly, lost in memories.

Fury stood at the opposite side of the grand piano, a small flicker of a smile on his face at the mention, "...We didn't really practice too much, did we?"

Rinoa's hand dropped to her side quickly, her gaze on the polished black wood of the instrument. One could make out both of their reflections almost as clearly as if they were looking at black-tinted glass.

To say that Fury had been surprised by Rinoa's impromptu visit had been an understatement, though he supposed it made sense: he had received word recently through his military connections that SeeD's battle against the Sorceress Ultimecia had been successful. Rinoa had played a vital role in the fight, something that he couldn't help but feel immensely proud of.

Looking at her now, Fury was taken aback by just how much she'd truly grown since the last time he had seen her. His daughter had matured quite a lot. She was a Sorceress herself now, though he already knew she would be strong enough to handle that regardless of what others might think--she had proven that herself already, and he especially knew how strong-willed and determined she could be when she put her mind to something. She resembled Julia more and more every day...though, he thought with a wry smile, Julia would probably mention that their daughter's mile-wide stubborn streak was all his.

She had been surprisingly civil to him when he'd opened the door and stood staring at her almost stupidly, the hostility that normally accompanied being in his presence not showing up in her mannerisms at all. Asking if she could come inside, she'd almost immediately gone into the room with the grand piano as if drawn to it.

"...I'm surprised you still have this." She finally said, fixing her dark eyes on his, "...But then again, this house--it's like nothing ever changed."

"..." Caraway was unsure of where she was going with her train of thought and remained silent.

"My room...everything was exactly how it had been when I left. And all of Mom's things are still out in the open, still cleaned every day."

"I told you before, Rinoa: no matter what you might feel about me, I want you to know that there's always a place for you in this house."

Rinoa nodded briefly, acknowledging that he had said something similarly to her before, when the two of them had still been more or less at odds with one another.

"As for your mother's things...I couldn't bring myself to pack any of it away." The words sounded strange as he said them out loud, "Your mother's things, this piano...they're constant reminders that she was here. Of our time together."

Rinoa listened, her fingers tracing the glossy wood of the piano absentmindedly, a gesture she had picked up as a small child from observing her mother.

"...You really did love her, didn't you?"

She didn't look at him when she spoke, the question barely audible. She pressed lightly on one of the piano keys, but not enough to make any sound come out of it.

"Always."

There was a lot more Fury wanted to say at that point, but it felt like it took far too much effort just to pass that one word out of his lips.

His daughter glanced up then and her voice shook a little, as if she wasn't quite sure what to say next but that she needed to say something to fill the gap, "Dad, I..." she paused, shook her head slightly from side to side, and switched tactics, "Ultimecia is defeated and President Deling is dead. What are you going to do now?"

...A good question, actually. He'd been dismissed from his military duties after the Sorceress had taken control of the government, but with the recent turn of events he'd been asked to accept a reinstatement offer by the Interim President as the Galbadian government tried to get back on its feet. Martine had already returned to his position as Headmaster at Galbadia Garden.

"I suppose I'll probably be going back into service." He finally told her, "I can do more good from that position in order to help repair Galbadia's status with the rest of the world."

"...I figured as much." Rinoa smiled somewhat, as if she'd just won a personal bet with herself.

"And you? What are you doing now that you're a Sorceress?"

She looked surprised, "Who told you that?"

"The young officer from SeeD you were traveling with...the brown-haired boy with the scar?" she nodded and he continued, "He contacted me awhile ago with the news, to tell me about the preparations for the final battle."

"..." Now Rinoa looked like someone had just run over her favorite piece of furniture with a truck. Fury raised an eyebrow, curious as to her daughter's reaction to his statement.

"...I believe he was just trying to look out for you, to let me know what was happening since we aren't exactly...talking regularly."

An amused glint came into Rinoa's eyes at this and she smiled brightly, a bit of color on her cheeks, "That Squall! He acts so tough, but he's way more thoughtful than he lets on. I can't wait to rub it in his face that I found out about this!"

Unsure of what was happening but feeling a bit more relaxed and relieved to see Rinoa acting this way in his presence again, Fury couldn't help but smile a little himself, "I take it the two of you are close now?"

The color on her cheeks deepened, her expression turning somewhat nostalgic, "Umm...you could say that in a manner of speaking, yes."

He almost wanted to ask more, but wasn't sure what would be crossing some unspoken boundary between the two of them. As this was the most open dialogue they'd had in quite some time, Fury was terrified at the thought that he might do something to close it off completely again.

The smile fading from her face, Rinoa shook her head as if to clear out whatever diversionary thoughts she was thinking of. Her expression was a bit more serious as she thought on his earlier question, "...I'm not too sure yet. I'm still going to be working with the Forest Owls somewhat, but I've been starting to adjust to life at SeeD as well. With my new status, I think it would be better for everyone if I stayed close to them for awhile."

Fury nodded, it was a practical and rather mature decision on her part considering how the world generally viewed Sorceresses and the reasoning behind SeeD's creation in the first place.

"And since you said that you were going to be joining the military again...I just want to say one thing." Rinoa's expression was deadly serious this time, her voice determined as she spoke a single word: "Timber."

The city that was occupied by Galbadian forces under President Deling's term, largely due to the abundance of natural resources surrounding it. The Forest Owls, the resistance group Rinoa had joined, were working to regain the city's independence.

Fury sighed, "Rinoa..."

She raised a hand, "Hear me out this time, Dad...please!"

When it became apparent that he would let her continue, she did so, "I can understand to an extent why you really didn't agree with me before on the subject. President Deling was in power and for whatever bizarre reason you had...you thought he had Galbadia's best interests at heart."

Well, Deling had been in control of the country during the war with Eshtar...his actions then had instilled a sense of loyalty in many of the older Galbadian citizens due to the harsh actions of Sorceress Adel. It wasn't until much later, when Deling had allied himself with another Sorceress after all of the suffering of that previous war, that people began to see him as being the ambitious and power-hungry figure he truly was. Not wanting to remind Rinoa of this fact and get into an argument when they were talking again, he remained quiet and let her continue.

"But things are different now. President Deling is dead, Ultimecia is defeated. Galbadia has the chance to change things for the better now. You were talking about wanting to change Galbadia's status with the rest of the world, right?"

He nodded, somewhat impressed by how passionate and well thought-out Rinoa's speech was. When she was younger, she'd always been screaming the words out to him in a fit of anger...but she was incredibly composed now.

"This is the perfect opportunity to do it! Timber has suffered a lot during its occupation. I think you'd really be shocked if you gathered up information from the citizens themselves instead of the reports you get from government officials about it. At the very least, setting in place the steps leading to Timber's eventual liberation or just trying to better relations could work wonders for everyone concerned."

"..."

"Dad?" Rinoa looked at him in concern, as if afraid he would yell. Or possibly faint, his facial expressions were usually pretty hard for her to read.

"I can't make any promises." He finally said, "But I'll set up an inquiry with the Timber citizenry and offer up some potential diplomatic solutions to others in the government."

Her face lit up and Fury smiled proudly, "Rinoa...that was a very good argument you made."

"I figured I had to try, you know?" her cheeks reddened somewhat again at the praise, "A lot of things have happened, Dad. I don't really want to leave anything unresolved."

Having felt the same way for quite some time now, Fury nodded his head in understanding.

The short conversation that followed fell back to more mundane topics and had some awkward pauses, but it was a start. He didn't want to lose this opportunity again.

*****

"...Can I get you anything?"

Fury blinked, surprised to see a rather bored-looking waitress staring down at him. He'd been so preoccupied with his thoughts that he hadn't seen her finally take notice of him.

"Tea, thank you."

She looked surprised, "Not booze?"

The Galbadian general raised an eyebrow at this, "In a café?"

A shrug was her response, "Most of the Galbadian army types that come in here are looking for a drink or two. They can get pretty rowdy."

...Which was something that had been mentioned in the compiled reports he had promised Rinoa that he'd have done, and one of the many reasons why there were now several attempts being made to improve relations with Timber within the higher branches of Galbadia's government.

Fury offered an apologetic look for what most likely were several indiscretions made by soldiers who were either directly or indirectly under his command and shook his head, "I'm sorry."

She shrugged again, "Sorry if I sounded cold, it's not your problem. It's gotten better recently though, actually. New guidelines and everything. The Forest Owls are even working with the Galbadian patrols at times now--hopefully they'll show them where the actual bars are at some point."

He smiled slightly, "I'm glad to hear that."

The waitress nodded her head in silent agreement and turned to get his beverage, though she paused right before reaching the doorway that led into the small kitchen and asked over her shoulder, "Should I bring just a cup of tea then or a whole pot? Are you waiting for someone?"

Fury was about to answer her when the door to the café opened, a bell positioned over the doorframe chiming cheerfully with the motion.

His daughter stood there for a moment, looking inside. When her eyes landed on him, she gave a slight wave, "Dad, did you have trouble finding the place?"

"I managed to find it pretty well on my own."

He accompanied his response to Rinoa's question with a shake of his head, as he did so he noticed that Angelo, the dog Rinoa had gotten for herself finally (without asking him for permission, of course), was waiting outside: her head eagerly pressed against the window of the establishment. He wondered if the café had any kind of treat that would be healthy for a dog to eat. He would have to ask the waitress later.

Next to Rinoa's pet was a rather familiar-looking young man, his body language somewhat awkward as he stood outside...it almost seemed as if he was unsure of whether or not he should come inside or wait to be invited.

Rinoa seemed to notice Fury's gaze, and she turned her head slightly...a tired sigh coming out of her mouth though her eyes seemed to light up and she smiled at the exact same time, "Oh, well, I know you've already met before...but, this was the person I was talking to you about earlier. The one I'd like you to 'meet.'"

When the SeeD officer didn't volunteer to take a step inside, Rinoa took matters into her own hands and grasped his arm...the smile on her face widening into a huge, playful grin, "Come on, Squall! Sitting in a café isn't going to kill you."

Squall looked somewhat exasperated at the idea, though Fury couldn't help but notice the smiles in both of the teenagers' eyes as they bantered with one another.

Seeing his daughter happy, and her willing to let him see her this way made Fury smile somewhat himself...his amusement growing as Rinoa playfully tugged on Squall's arm while the young man trudged through the doorway with a look that seemed to say he was clearly out of his element in this picturesque peaceful-looking spot.

He could almost picture his wife staring at the two happily, her arm snaked through his in the way she often did when they both watched Rinoa playing outside...the contented and loving gaze she cast on both him and their daughter when she didn't realize anyone was watching.

Having the two of them talking again would have made her happy, there was no doubt about that. In a way, it felt as if her presence lingered in this moment just by thinking of her...the odd thought comforted him somewhat.

"Julia, I promise you...I'm going to try even harder from here on out. Always."