A/N: Hey loves. Sorry about the long delay in the update. I've been trying really hard to keep this story going but the writing muse has been coming up short. Forgive me xoxox

"Again," Squall demanded.

Rinoa let out a squeal and slammed her palm against the headboard. "I can't!" she gasped. Her breath came out raggedly, she felt her cheeks redden. Her thigh muscles quaked and throbbed as Squall's fingers stroked madly between her legs, bringing her to her third orgasm. She released a gasping scream and bucked her hips wildly.

Squall flipped her onto her back, lining his body with hers and crashing his mouth against her lips. He groaned as he felt her winding down, felt her heart thundering against his chest. Her fingers speared into his hair and her teeth scored along the curve of his jaw before nibbling at his earlobe.

"You beast," she murmured into his ear, her breath hot and panting.

"You love it," he growled, thrusting against her once more.

"Damn right I do," she shot back, gripping his jaw and snaking her tongue into his mouth. Her legs wrapped around his hips and squeezed. Even though he himself had finished already, she could feel him growing hard against her. Softly within her throat she chuckled and feathered kisses along his chin and up towards his temple.

He groaned against her cheek and then lifted himself off of her. With a deeply satisfied sigh he rolled onto his back. "So do I," was all he murmured, so softly that Rinoa hardly heard him. Silently she assumed that would be as close to them dropping the "L Bomb" anytime soon. The absurdity nearly made her burst into laughter.

Squall pulled on a pair of sweats and made his way into the kitchen. Rinoa watched his movements, biting her lip as she took notice that he did not put his underwear back on. Easy access, she thought deliciously.

"Coffee?" he called out to her.

"Please." She rubbed at her eyes, momentarily pausing when she realized she still had on her makeup from earlier. With a shrug she figured she'll just take a shower after some coffee…and maybe Squall would join her.

He had made good on his promise earlier: the moment she had walked into the door he hoisted her over his shoulder and ravaged her on the couch before letting her lead him into the bed. She grabbed some pajamas she'd had set atop his dresser and got dressed. "That jambalaya smells delicious, by the way."

"Thought you'd like it," he said. "Make yourself a plate." He grabbed creamer from the fridge for Rinoa and prepared a cup for her while she busied herself in front of the slow cooker. As they ate, he noticed that her gaze was wandering off, her eyes almost becoming foggy as she lost herself in her thoughts.

"What's wrong?" he asked her.

Her gaze shot back towards him, eyes widened as she realized her mind had gone elsewhere. "Met a potential new client at the wedding," she blurted out.

"And…that's bad?" Squall asked, standing to refill her cup. "Normally you're beaming ear to ear when you've found a new victim."

She scrunched her face at him at the usage of the word 'victim' but graciously took hold of the steaming mug. "No, it'd be an amazing project. Anniversary present for his wife of twenty-three years. I only got to talk to them for a few minutes but they are probably one of the most adorable couple I have ever encountered."

"So what's the problem?"

Rinoa swallowed a large gulp of coffee and let out a heavy sigh. "Possible conflict of interest," she muttered.

Squall made a noise of understanding within his throat and turned around to make himself a second cup. "Ah. How so?" He lifted up the lid of the slow cooker and dug out a fat piece of Andouille sausage.

"He's an estranged family member of someone I know and I don't know if working with him will cause any bad blood between me and my friend."

"Does the client know?" he asked between chews.

"Nope."

Squall raised the cup's brim to his lips. "And your friend?"

"No idea."

Squall took a long sip and shrugged his shoulders. "Then you have two options: Say nothing about it to either of them and carry on with the job or lay out your cards on the table to the client and refer him to someone else."

Rinoa narrowed her eyes at how quickly he had come up with a solution. "How dare you," she said, scrunching her nose at him. "Spouting off grown up advice that is actually logical and so cut and dry."

"It's a gift I was blessed with, I will admit."

She chuckled and made her way over to him. "Alright then, Mr. Know it All, answer me this? What do I say to my friend?"

Squall wrapped his arms around her and rested his hands upon her hips. "If your client decides to go through with it, then bring it up to your friend. After all, it's just business. You're not making this personal. Your friend will just have to understand that in your line of business you will run the chance of working with anyone, and that may or may not include people that your friend may not particularly like. It's a small world."

Rinoa groaned and leaned her head back. "You have no idea how small," she muttered.

August 14th

"How're you feeling?" Rinoa asked Selphie, who was sipping on a strawberry slushie.

"Feel pretty good," she said while picking at the bandage wrapped around the bend of her elbow. I'll be glad when all the blood tests will be done," she grumbled. "I feel like they take piss and blood with each visit."

Rinoa cocked her head. "Honey, I think that's pretty normal."

Selphie paused at her prodding of the bandage and looked up at Rinoa with her green eyes large in horror. "Seriously?"

"Don't you have to pee in a cup any other time you go to the doctor's?"

"Yeah but I don't have a give a pint of blood each time!"

Rinoa couldn't help but laugh. She knew Selphie was never a huge fan of needles. It was even to the point that she was hesitant on getting her ears pierced again and always reminded Rinoa that the first piercings were not her choice as they were done when she was an infant. "My mom mostly had them done because I didn't grow any hair until after my first birthday and she was sick of everyone telling her what a lovely little boy she had," Selphie had told her numerous times. "I don't think you'll need to do it at every visit, but in the first trimester it's probably necessary."

Selphie crinkled her nose and went back to her slushie. "Oh, stop being so logical," she said.

"How're things going with Irvine?"

Selphie shrugged. "One day at a time, you know?" A tiny smile crept onto her lips and a slight blush blessed her cheeks. "Well, I had to have an emergency ultrasound appointment yesterday because I had some cramping…I'm ok!" she added quickly, waving her arms when Rinoa suddenly shot up straight with a terrified look on her face. "Today was a regular check up but no ultrasound today. But yesterday Irvy went with me of course, and it was just so sweet watching him ask the doctor and technician all of these questions and being so concerned. The cramping was mostly caused by dehydration apparently. I mean, I already drink like a fish but apparently it isn't enough anymore. Also, with all the hormonal changes and innards moving around…it was just me being paranoid." She giggled sheepishly and her hand instinctively went over her abdomen.

Rinoa gasped and her hands flew to her lips as she watched Selphie morph into the protective mother before her very eyes. Here she was, nearly nine weeks pregnant with a mind full of fear, wonder, love, hesitation, and adoration for this little being growing within her and her heart still mending from Irvine's betrayal. Rinoa couldn't even fathom what Selphie was going through, and yet the other girl had her most genuine smile upon her lips as she spoke of the baby and the father.

"Selphie? Are you happy?"

The question barely wavered the smile from Selphie's face. "I'm terrified," she laughed softly. "A few weeks ago I was ready to terminate because not just because I didn't want to bring a child into this world without both a mother and father, but because I didn't think I'd be able to raise a human. I mean, I can barely keep a dam plant alive! But…that car accident kinda opened my point of view. I had to protect this baby no matter what." Her lip trembled a bit and she tried to shrug it off. "Unplanned doesn't mean unwanted. Perhaps it isn't the best time or the best situation or circumstances…but I will figure out a way to make it work. This baby is already so loved, Rinoa. When Irvine saw the little squish on the screen kinda just floating around and its little nubbins waving…oh, it was magic."

Rinoa took Selphie's hand into her own and kissed it gently. "We are all here for you two," she said. "Three," she quickly added.

"Even if Irvine and I don't work everything out with us, we agreed that we would still be the best damn parents this child would ever have. Our issues won't ever get in the way of that."

"Irvine, stop changing the damn lyrics! We need to finish recording tonight." Zell glanced down at the watch around his wrist and mentally calculated. "They requested our new song by the end of tomorrow and editing needs to start. We're just waiting on your vocal tracks."

Hastily Irvine scratched along the lined notebook paper with his pen. "Almost done!" he promised. "I just…got hit with inspiration yesterday and it ran out of my mind, driving me crazy trying to remember it. Finally it came back!"

Squall nodded and patted Zell's back. "I can relate. We still have time. Not a lot, but some."

Rhythmically Irvine bobbed his head as he counted along with the beat Squall started to produce along the tabletop. "Here," he said to himself as he scribbled and scratched out words and replacing them with new ones. "And here…Squall, play the beat at this part." He tapped his pen about midway through the song. Squall followed suit and watched as Irvine continued his edits.

After a few moments Irvine leaned back as he held the sheet before him. "Yes," he whispered. "Yes." He handed the paper to Squall. "I'm not a master lyricist like you," he said quietly. "What do you think?"

Squall took the paper and scanned through the words as he played the beat within his mind. Instantly he honed in on the changes Irvine had made. "Irvine."

The cowboy looked up, his eyes wide and questioning. For a moment he looked like a child, waiting for the teacher to give him a whopping for such poor marks. "Yes?"

"Your sudden inspiration," Squall said lowly. "Was it Selphie? Or…?"

His eyes suddenly caught a flash of light and Irvine glanced away. His throat tightened and absently he cracked his knuckles, tapped his foot, and started to fiddle with the pen. "I saw him," Irvine whispered. "Or her. We don't know yet. Won't know until she goes in for blood tests in a few weeks."

"Sing," Squall ordered. "Now. While it's still fresh in your mind. Go."

Irvine did as Squall commanded. He shot up from his seat and grabbed the paper before running down the hall where the recorders were waiting.

Quistis nodded at him as he all but burst through the doors. "And he's ready!" she cheered, clapped her hands and ushering him towards the room. "You all set?"

"Yeah, sorry about the wait guys. Thanks for all your hard work and patience."

"No problem! Mic and headphones are ready and waiting for you. Just start when you hear the beat."

Irvine placed the headphones over his ears and adjusted the mic to his height. Even with her dangerous heels, Quistis was not at the same level. Cracking his neck and loosening his muscles, Irvine let out a deep sigh and prepared his vocal chords.

As the words poured from him, gritty and raw, he clenched his fingers, nearly strangling the mic stand as he roared. Behind the glass, Squall watched Irvine. Every emotion, every nerve, every gut wrenching feeling was driven home into the microphone by way of sound.

"Then I saw the worst was over/When I laid my eyes on you/It was all that I could do to know my place."

Lyrics by Stone Sour