Author's Note: Squaresoft owns characters and I own plot. I'm back, finally, after a month of vacationing. Sorry to keep everyone waiting. Hopefully this story's going back on track.

Connecticut

Chapter 18

By Jamaica

"Doctor, what exactly is wrong with him? How is he?"

The man in white looked directly into the silver-haired girl's eye. He took a breath. "He's got a broken nose, a couple of broken ribs, and severe anal tearing. Along with minor bruises and cuts, of course. He had traces of certain anesthetics in his system, but that's not a problem anymore. He also has a fever. We're putting him on antibiotics right now." He looked around at the group. "Any of you his family?"

"Yes," the brunette girl next to him quickly replied. "I'm his sister."

"Let me speak with you privately." The doctor directed. He led the teary-eyed girl into another room. "I suggest you let us run some more tests on him."

"What kind of tests?" Her voice shook a little.

"STDS. Genital herpes. HIV/AIDS. The like."

She gasped involuntarily. Then she pressed her lips together. "It'd be best." She said after a moment.

The doctor nodded in consent.

After he left to tell the nurses, Ellone broke down once again and buried her face in her hands.

It was Quistis who found him.

She screamed when she did. Her shrill voice eventually led to the presence of the others, who eventually called the ambulance, which brought out the cops, and then came the questioning.

No one was actually overly concerned until Irvine phoned Fujin and found out she wasn't there. The sinking feeling deep in his girlfriend's stomach that she staunchly mentioned plus a few other clues and factors he gathered recently made Irvine turn from suspicion to fear. He made Seifer dialed Fujin's cell phone, and told Rinoa to contact Ellone. They all went out for the search.

When they found Squall lying unconscious in his own blood, half naked, with obviously semen streaked on his pants, it didn't take a genius to guess what happened. After the boys finally calmed down the freaking Quistis and the sobbing Ellone, while managing to call the right people, Fujin was furious enough to kill someone.

And not surprisingly, so was Seifer.

It was Irvine who logically pointed out that they had no target, and would probably not have any target until Squall wakes up. Even then, he had to be emotionally stable enough to tell it, perhaps to the police. They were wasting energy to try to figure this out right now. Let's help Squall first.

That's what he *said.* Someone had to say it, to keep the racing minds under control.

But inside, every single one of them knew the only possible suspect of this crime. There was even enough verification (as in bodily fluids and DNA) to prove the suspect guilty like before. And like every single previous crime committed involving said suspect, with evidences and witnesses, the guilty would still run free of the law's grasp and remain as a "wronged innocent", and continued to prey.

There really isn't much one could do when a gun is pointed at his temple, and a large sum of money is placed on the table in front of him.

"But that doesn't make it right!" A flustered Quistis yelled.

"Quiet down, girl, this *is* a hospital." Zell shushed.

"I don't care!" She did lower her voice even though her tone remained the same. "We know it's him. The police know it's him. There's evidence to prove it's him. That's enough to get him jailed!"

"You know it doesn't work like that." Irvine replied quietly from his seat in the waiting room.

"Just because Keith's father is the -"

"And that means everything!" Irvine rebutted. "Sweetie, calm down. There's nothing we could do, however unfair it may be."

"Not necessarily," Fujin mumbled in her corner.

"Fu." Irvine warned her. "Don't do anything irrational. Keith's not worth that."

She scoffed but said nothing more.

"Where's Seifer?" Selphie suddenly perked. "And Elle?"

"He's with Squall." The door to the room opened as Ellone stepped back in. She sighed as she dropped in a spare chair. "He kept on apologizing. To me. To Squall's unconscious form. I mean, it's rather odd."

"Apologizing? For what?" Irvine raised an eyebrow.

"For driving him out the house, duh." Zell rolled his eyes.

"And destroying his painting." Quistis added. "Irvine, what's wrong with you?"

Irvine shook his head. "Nothing. Ellone, what did the doctor said to you?"

Ellone looked tired. "Just more tests."

"Tests? What tests?" Selphie piped.

When Ellone didn't answer, the majority of the room nodded in understanding and retreated. Except for Zell.

"What?" He persisted.

"Use your head, dufus." Fujin slapped the back of Zell's head.

"Man, what's that . . . oh. Oh! Oh." He fumbled.

No one said anything more. They sat in the waiting room, none knew what exactly were they waiting for but nevertheless stayed. Soon a nurse came in and handed Ellone some papers to sign - consent forms. As she filled out the works, the door opened and in came a man in the police uniform.

"Are all of you here because of this . . ." the policeman checked a piece of paper in his hand. ". . . Squall Leonhart?"

Everyone nodded in unison.

"Well, I'm afraid everyone of you is needed for further questioning. Who first discovered the case?"

Quistis feebly raised her hand. The policeman pointed to an adjacent room, "Come this way, young lady."

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