I've read this fanfic of yours in 2003 from a different site. It's one of my earliest and favorite fics of all time. And 8 years since I've read this, I just find myself searching for this over again.

I've read hundreds more stories since then, but The First Watch remains as one of my major influences why I'm in to fanfiction. And it's sad that it took me 8 years to finally review this.

I love this to piece. You didn't miss both their personalities and how their thoughts were conveyed was just admirable.

Before I end this, I would just like to say that almost everything I've said can also be applied to your other stories like Falling Forever (also one of my all-time faves), the Stars Will Cry, and the Camping Trip. :)

All of these are such big inspirations to me. Thanks for writing them. :)

Keep on writing!

So frustrating. You could cut the tension with a humblest and pull the trigger for good measure. Sad how Squall figured that he would not be right for her in the end. I think both of them just need to learn to compromise FOR each other. Work less. Love more. A saying I like to say to my dating friends. I.e spend less time working it out. Spend more time learning to love each other.

Cheers

Keep Writing

This is really good!

Really wonderful, it took me a while to finish but I loved your idea for this fic. Again, you brought more depth and insight into their characters than what was originally there. Very impressive how you wrote this as well as thinking up something of your own creation. Great work again.

That was really nice. I loved the slowness and detail. I could feel the emotions...wonderful.

wow. that was the first thing i said when i finished reading this. just wow. i know you posted this a really long time ago but i got really bored so i'm looking at some of the older fics. and yea. this was a great story. once again. wow. haha. keep it up.
::Sara::

dear god. i love this! i loved the parts where you talked about the shattered glass and the "i hate words they are too cilche/not enough" wow. amazing. please post more like this one!

This has to be the best of the two fics...(The Camping Trip and this one.)It is so sweet and cute and...aw!:D:D:D *Adds story to favorites* There you go!:D

Don't worry, I'll get around to giving all of your stories a review! This is my most favorite story ever of all time! The passion shown in this and the kiss part was just so breathtaking. I thought the "almost kiss" was just so interesting. I must have read this story 9 times! And yes, this story is also part of my room's wallpaper! I hope you write more like this one!

That took me forever to read, but it was well worth it. Your story and veiws are brillant! The way you say that words don't have meaning anymore, I agree with. Love is a sweet thing to say but it is becomming common place and sex is also becoming something some people don't hold precious. And the way you described Squall being scared of death, is so real. Personally I am not scarred of death because I belive in a afterlife but I can see if people don't belive it that how scary it can be to suddenly just disappear, not being able to think, not being able to exist. This story to me was all about emotions and it amazes me how you can get them so real. I see Squall how he is shown in this story. Some people may see him as the unfearing 'god' type but ever one has fears, even cartoon characters!

Anyway you are total great and it is almost mid night so I really have to sleep! It really sounded like bliss at the end when they were all going to sleep!

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Rachel (Lunar-Girl)

That was awesome!

How you captured both the fear and love of these characters astonishes me. I've read numerous fics where they've turned into bumbling lovedup idiots that I Just want to throw up. But you always capture them perfectly. But then looking over all your fics you've never lost that touch, even in 'Judgement Day',your post-game fiction,you've managed to keep them as they are yet you've matured them at the same time. your amazing and on a roll, don't stop yet!

By now I think I can stop commenting on the consistent really-damn-good-ness of your fics,a nd go on to critiquing the fic itself.

Well, I had a wierd moment in the middle when I realized that quite a few of your fics are Squinoa fics. It took me this long to get it because I'm usually nausiated by them-I can't handle romance well-and none of yours did that to me. Take that as a compliment, if you please.

Y'know, when I played through the game and started writing fiction, I only thought that about *one* month passed from beginning to end...

Hmmph. Wow... that quote from Eyes On Me that you used? You used almost the exact same partsand presented it in almost the exact same way as I did when I cameo'd the thing in my "Dark Legion"...

"If the only way he still existed after he was gone would be through other people?s memories, he could be twisted and changed in any way that they chose. Would he face that fate with the darkness? dawn? Or could he survive it, if he faced it with her, followed his heart instead of his fear?"

Heh. Heh heh. It's that weird feeling again. Wonder what Squall woudl think if he realized that there are a bunch of us authors out here twisting and changing his life? Great, now I feel bad. About realizing the fears of a guy that doesn't even exist. Dang.

"But the glory of it all was that this was no fairy tale, no fantasy,"

Ironic. Actually, this is the FINAL fantasy.

Oh...my...god. I think it took me 2 hours to read this, I didn't want to miss anything. I just have to say again oh...my...god. You are definitely going in my fav. author's, this was so incredibly in their heads, you must have had a headache writing and thinking all this. I mean, I don't think you let ANYTHING out! It's like you went into their minds, and portrayed everything they thought, even the muddled parts, like our thoughts normally are, they don't make sense when you try to get them in words, they're jsut lots of fragments jumbled together and are hard to organize and categorize them. My writing is always like that, it takes me forever to put what is in my head into words that make sense. I was so intent on how you described their feelings, I felt like I WAS THEM! Like Squall's fever-thing, I was actually beginning to feel ill and hot too. And the fear! I felt like it was constricting me! My all time fav. line was: "Such a bizarre paradox: he acted so cold because he cared so much. Caring was dangerous to him, and so he feared it, avoided the soft shards of razor-edged compassion.

Rinoa realized then that to help put the pieces back in place, she would have to risk cutting her hands."

Ack! You started it with the stained-glass metaphor and ended it like that! oh my god. beautiful. Oh! And that idea about how someone had to stay awake and keep "watch", lest they all end up sleeping for eternity, was SO COOL! Sounds like something out of a steven King book or something. I never thought of that! You know, when you play the game and are in Ulti's castle, you never think about the characters sleeping. You don't actually know how much time has gone by, actually, which I think I mentioned in another review of your stories. I was beginning to wonder why and how they could stay up that long and not worry about sleeping, but that explains all that. ok, I think I'm done praising now, my fav. story list is I think at the limit, I hope I can squeeze this one in there, but you're certainly going on the fav. author list! (I feel like Squall, I can't find the words to convey how much I loved this fic, there are just the emotions and feelings that it invoked.) wow

I was really impressed at how you depicted that moment in such detail, and in such an enthralling manner. That part about time standing still was great, and well used. Furthermore, you did an amazing job with Squall & Rinoa's emotions, in a vivid and descriptive manner that remained pleasant to read. This is not a story to be read in a casual way, but with one's undivided attention. Kudos to you, once I started reading I just couldn't stop.