Hey everyone! In an effort to continue, I was reading over Unceasing, Unsaid, Unsettling, Uncertain, but I just couldn't go on with it. It has been too long and I have changed (matured? never! ha!) so much not only as a story teller, but as an individual. I didn't just want to completely abandon it though; in fact, I want to try and finish my first baby. Thank you to those of you who tuned in and followed the first version, and I really hope that you will appreciate this just as much and not choose to imagine choking me with your bare hands by the throat in frustration because truthfully, the title of this new rendition not only implies a significant meaning to the story, but to the writing and the writer.

No beta. All errors are on me. Please R/R and constructive criticisms are always welcome! Please enjoy!

Chapter One: Waiting

A silent Lisa sat quietly in front of the café, the wind blowing her soft brown hair. If she was anything, she was persistent. So she waited.

A part of her, though, already knew the outcome. He didn't love her, nor did he have any srt of special feeling for her. She may no longer be the old sourpuss, but she was still a friend. But then, why did he ask her out for a picnic in the first place? There had to be a reason, and after he saved her life (and more than once), he deserved a moment of doubt. So she kept on waiting.

She bit her lip in concentration until her eyebrows raised in speculation. What if something had happened? She ought to go check out the base, or even his quarters, herself. So she took off, as fast as her toned legs could carry her. She didn't realize that she could be so impulsive; it must be him rubbing off on her

All of a sudden, something stopped her. Beneath the glass window of an electronics shop, displayed televisions flashed a picture of Rick Hunter in a tuxedo, his arm encircling the feminine shoulders of Lynn Minmei. It was apparently now the new scandal of the celebrity gossip news show.

Instantly on Lisa's face was a blank expression that concealed her shattered heart. Like a black hole, the little picture on the screens sucked up every little glimmer of hope; her chest was now as empty as her countenance.

Tears didn't even threaten to fall. All Lisa wanted was to get out of there, into warm safety, whereever it was. She needed it.

~ O ~ O ~ O ~ O ~ O ~ O ~ O ~

It was behind her desk where she knew she would feel comfort. She was her father's daughter, after all. So she headed there as fast as possible on the way, now in the base, ran into a blonde hair, gray eyed man.

"I'm so sorry." She looked up. Already, he was saluting; she repliedwith a short one of her own. "At ease."

" It is alright, Ma'am. However, excuse me, but would you happen to know where 'coffee' is?" he abruptly asked.

"In the mess hall."

"Where is the 'mess hall'?"

She gave him a puzzled look. He must be newly stationed here. "I'll show you. Follow me."

When they got there though, she discovered that he had no idea how to make coffee. It must be the machine. Thus, she made two cups, for her and for him.

For a while, they quietly enjoyed their sips of coffee, him standing straight up holding his cup while she leaned on the table until the silence broke when he, with a pleased expression, said, "Coffee is soothing."

She smiled, somebody was as addicted as she was. "Sure is."

"Are you ok, ma'am?"

"Hmm?"

"A while ago.."

"Yeah. I'm fine. I apologize for that."

"You seemed…. What do they call it? Sad," he described with an apparent look of concern.

"I'm fine. I'm just sorry I bumped into you."

"It is alright. At the very least, you now have coffee," he replied with a smile.

She laughed. "I should get back to work. Good-bye, officer."

He gave her another salute as she made her way, a bit more calmly this time, to her desk, her cup of coffee in hand.

~ O ~ O ~ O ~ O ~ O ~ O ~ O ~

Meanwhile, at the very moment, Rick Hunter stood in the front of Lisa's door. No matter how much he rang the doorbell or pounded on her door, there was simply no answer. Maybe it's best to give her space. She must be really mad. He sighed, retreating back to his quarters.

About an hour later, in the warm softness of his bed, Rick closed his eyes, a hand over his head, exhausted from the long day he experience today. His hand travelled upwards, his fingers brushed his unruly hair off his face as his eyes opened again. He remembered….

He was shaving now, preparing for his picnic date with Lisa. Lately, his thoughts of her have been really different, he knew he had an attachment, but his feelings were shifting into something else. It was as if he wanted more. Things began to change since that rainy night. For the first time, in the comfort of his home with a cup of warm tea in her hand, Lisa Hayes talked to him like the real Lisa Hayes, the sweet, feminine woman behind the strict, but highly capable officer. He listened intently to every word as she described her childhood, Karl Riber, her military climb to her current post, and even their friendship. Since then, he thought a lot about the information that Vanessa shared, that Lisa was in love with him. He originally laughed it off, but now he began to consider it as a possibility, especially now that he realized that he could be reciprocating something special in return. This was what convinced Rick to ask her out for the picnic as soon as he flew by and caught a glimpse of the spot of abundant greenery. Now, he found himself excited to see if anything could possibly blossom.

These thoughts, though, were interrupted by a ring of the phone. Quickly, he ran towards it and picked up.

"This is Rick Hunter speaking."

"Hey, Rick! It's me, Minmei!" the songbird announced ever so enthusiastically.

"Oh, hi Minmei."

"I'm in town. Do you think we could meet today? We need to catch up!"

"I'm sorry, Minmei, but I have already had plans."

"Oh, please, Rick?"

"I really am sorry, Minmei, but it's really important."

"Why, do you have another friend to meet?"

"Yeah, something like that." He smiled, his thoughts wandering into the idea of the possibility of something more than friendship.

"I see. Good-bye then." Before he could respond, she had already hung up.

Minutes later, Rick dressed in a tuxedo meant to impress, he opened his front door and made his way out. It was then when he saw Minmei running towards him.

"Rick!" she called, out of breath. "I'm so glad I wasn't too late. Now we can go and have lunch together."

"Minmei, I already told you I had plans."

"But, Rick, it's been a long time since we've seen each other!"

"I know that, but it's not any of our fault. You've just been too busy with your stardom, Minmei."

"Oh, stardom, stardom, stardom! I'm so sick of it!"

"Minmei, you love showing your talent to people. What's wrong?"

"Of course nothing's wrong! What could be the issue? I'm perfectly fine! I just need you to come with me." She took his arm and pulled him. He stopped them both.

"I'm sorry Minmei, but I really have to go somewhere else."

She turned hysterical, her eyes wide in panic. "No, you have to come with me! You have to come with me and make Kyle jealous! He left me, Rick! And I need him back. I love him so much! I need him back with me or I will just die!"

"Minmei! Don't talk like that."

"Oh, I will, Rick! I'll die. I'm already suffocating and I can't go on without him much longer! So please come! I need him!"

Rick realized that his friend was having a nervous breakdown, and he needed to get her out of there quick, before someone else noticed. "Ok, and I know where he is, so come with me." He lightly put his arm around her, calming her, making sure she wouldn't escape.

She followed, seemingly not even wondering why he would know where Kyle was. When they arrived at the hospital, though, and Rick requested for a private room for a professional to examine her, she again went berserk. She wouldn't let go of his arm, insisting again that they go to Kyle and make him jealous, trying to convince him that she wasn't crazy. Rick, though, was worried about her, her life. So even when her perfectly polished nails dug into his skin in a desperate effort to keep him, he did what he could to release himself off her arm and left the room. He then requested that the nurse ensure that not even a slight mention of the incident ever go public for Minmei's career's sake.

On his way out the hospital, he realized that his blood from the struggle had stained his shirt. He needed to get back to his quarters and change quickly. He did so, and right when he was about to leave, already two hours late, his phone rang once again. This time, it was from the base; they needed him. Oh Lisa, I'm so sorry! He knew Lisa though, and he knew she would want him to get this done first.

Later, despite his exhaustion and as soon as the battle was over, Rick dashed, still in his flight suit, to the café where they were supposed to meet. She was no longer there. So he headed straight to her house and rang the doorbell. He waited. No answer. He rang the door bell again. He waited again. No answer again. He rang the doorbell, called her name loudly, and pounded furiously on the door. Once again, there was no answer. Lisa was apparently just too mad to talk to him.

Rick turned sideways on his bed and closed his eyes again, trying to sleep. All he could do now was wait till tomorrow, and explain everything to her then.