Chapter 29

Rinoa stood and admired her reflection in mirror.  Her breath caught in her throat, unable to escape her lips.  This was the first time she had seen herself properly in her wedding dress.  It was made from pure white silk and hugged the top half of her figure, whilst trailing more loosely from the waist, coming to rest just below her ankles.  She had tried it on the shop as soon as she saw it, but this was different.  Today was her wedding day. 

"You look absolutely beautiful," gasped Selphie, wide-eyed in delight.  "Squall is going to have to pick his jaw up off the floor when he sees you."

"Do you honestly think I look alright?" she asked, still unsure.

"Yes," she reassured her.

"Will he like the dress?  I mean, he hasn't seen it yet."

"Will you stop worrying, girl?!  He will love the dress, it's perfect.  Now can we please get going, or don't you plan on turning up to your own wedding?"

"I'll be ready in a minute.  I don't want to rush, I haven't finished my makeup yet."

"But we did your makeup hours ago," Selphie protested.  "You can't do any more now you've got your dress on.  You don't want it to get dirty now do you?"

"It won't.  I just need a little more blusher," she replied, applying some to her cheeks.

"Erm, Rinoa, that's eye shadow," Selphie pointed out, giggling at the other girl's misfortune.

"What?!" she screamed, panic spreading across her face.

"You can't tell.  Now come on, Squall will be waiting.  We'll have to hurry or they'll start without you."

"How exactly will they start without me?"

"If you keep them waiting any longer they might have to turn it into a funeral for some of the older guests," she snapped, dragging Rinoa out by her arm. 

"Hey just wait a minute," she protested.

"No.  You look perfect, everything's alright, so just go and get married, okay?"

"Fine," she replied, a grin spreading across her features.  "I'll go and get married."

"What if she changed her mind?  Maybe she isn't coming after all," Squall thought.  He was receiving pitying looks from all around him.  Obviously they didn't think that she was going to show up.  "I can hardly blame her though, after all I've put her through."

"Don't worry.  They all do this," a guest whispered to him.  Squall didn't have to acknowledge this, however, as the doors opened and in stepped Rinoa.  He mouth opened wide in shock as he saw just how beautiful she was.  She looked even more breathtaking than the night he first saw her, playing the piano in the bar at the Deling City Hotel.  Neither of the pair could take their eyes off each other as they said their vows, both revelling in the joy that they felt from just being with each other. 

"I now pronounce you husband and wife."

As they kissed, all time and meaning was forgotten.  For those few short moments, everything was about that kiss, the whole universe revolved around them, and they knew that their happiness would last forever.

Squall and Rinoa looked deep into each other's eyes, both entranced by what they saw.  They were alone on the dance floor, waiting for their moment.  As the band struck up and began to play, they began to move, each in time with the other's movements, as if they were one and the same.

"I wrote this song for you, you know?" Rinoa whispered into Squall's ear as they danced.

"You wrote this song?" he asked, surprised.

"As a present to you."  Squall had assumed that Selphie was responsible for all of the music, and had no idea that Rinoa had written a song especially for him.

"I chose the band too.  They're old friends from Deling."

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"It wouldn't have been much of a surprise then, would it?" she replied, her eyes grinning mischievously.

Are you ready maybe,

Are you willing to run?

Are you ready to let yourself down?

Are you holding your breath?

Are you ready or not?

"Squall.  I never said thank you."

"For what?"

"For everything.  You saved me.  I know that it was hard to get to where we are today, and I caused so much trouble, but you stood by me, and that really means something.  You're the first person that's ever done that, instead of just ordering me about."

"I just did what I wanted to do."

"I know, and that's what means so much, that you'd do that for me.  Thank you."

Are you ready maybe,

Do you long to confess?

Do you feel that you're already known?

Are you sure of yourself?

Would you lie if you're not?

"Squall, can I tell you something?"

"Anything."

"I…I had this horrible dream last night.  I dreamt of what life would be like without you.  It was horrible, really, really horrible.  I was married to Seifer and I hated him so much.  I had the most wretched life, so full of despair and sadness, but then I woke up next to you and realised just how lucky I was."

"It'll always be me you wake up next to.  I'll be the last thing you see at night and the first thing you see in the morning."

"I love you, Squall."

"I love you too."

So put your arms around me,

You let me believe that I am someone else.

Because only time can take you,

So let me believe,

That I am somewhere else.

The couple stopped dancing and stared into the heavens.

"Look," Squall pointed at the golden streak darting across the night sky.

"A shooting star.  Make a wish."

"I don't need to.  I've got everything I could ever wish for right here."

As they smiled at each other, they knew. 

They knew that this was only to be the beginning for them. 

Make me believe,

Take me, take me somewhere,

Somewhere.

Let me believe.

Because only time can take you.

So stop.

Put Your Arms Around Me is by Texas so I obviously don't own it.

A/N.  I finally finished it!! I've been meaning to write this last chapter for so long, but I've spent so much time on my other three fics that I almost forgot about it.  A huge thanks to those who reviewed, it means so much.  I was really thrilled at the response that this got, as it's one of the first I wrote and I was just experimenting really.  For this to get over 100 reviews was really special so thanks everybody.