"Karen?" a familiar blonde asked. He had noticed her from a far, sitting near a playground, as he rode by in his limousine. He had to check, it had been so long since he had seen, his former teammate. He had heard that she was living in space, but here she was on Earth sitting on a park bench at a children's park. The red head looked up from her park bench surprised. She had lost muscle mass, but it was still the same Karen. Fiery red hair, dark blue eyes and a messy braid, nothing but her figured seemed to change. "Karen…Joshua?" He couldn't read her expression. It was as if she was confused, like the name wasn't her own. Her left hand on a baby stroller and her right held leashes attached to two white fluffy dogs. Eledore couldn't help but laugh, she looked exactly like a 'woman' now, all that space she took up while she was in the military, was now replaced with a gentle feminine air. She looked around them trying to mentally sort out everything. There were cameras, and fans approaching, something she didn't want. Something she never wanted. Eledore continued to laugh, it was too strange, Karen looked like a mother, something that he couldn't imagine.

"Sanders…" her voice cracked. "It's Sanders now." She looked at the jungle gym anxiously, as if she was keeping tracking of something. Her shoulders relaxed as her eyes tracked whatever she was looking at. "Dr. Karen Sanders." Time seemed to stop as her mouth muttered "Sanders" repeatedly. He was brought back to reality by the little pink tongues of Karen's two dogs against his fingers. She called them back to her, which they happily obliged. Karen rubbed her hand across the larger dog's head.

"Wha…What?" Eledore asked. Her eyebrows furrowed in disbelief, the hand on the stroller tightening. She stopped rubbing her dog's head.

"I'm married to Sanders," Karen answered in a tone he was familiar with. It took him back, he missed being yelled at some level. "Your other teammate."

"Really?" Eledore asked.

"Yes really." Karen sighed, some things never changed. She muttered angrily to herself. Eledore stared dumbfounded, she married Sanders?! The last time he remembered, they were sent to different bases in space. Karen had been off the grid, it seemed impossible for the two of them to meet up or get married.

"What about us?!" Karen flinched looking at him as if he was absurd. Rolling her eyes, it was just like him to make a scene, especially in front of the cameras. It wasn't hard to keep track of Eledore after the war. After he hit it big, he was always in the news for something. Always playing it up for the cameras.

"What do you mean what about us?! There was no us!" Karen snapped. "Look I'd appreciate it, if you'd please get back into your little limo and left. I don't want to create a scene." He had four bodyguards preventing anyone from getting closer to them, but it made Karen nervous. She rocked the stroller slightly looking at the crowd that was gathering. There were so many women. So. Many. Women. They were chanting his name like an incantation to summon a holy spirit. Throwing themselves all over the bodyguards just to get a touch.

"I was coming back for you."

"Coming back? Ha! Where were you when I 'needed' you? I got in a bad car accident. I still have the plates in my left leg because of it. I don't even remember what happened. Guess who came to visit while I was in the hospital, Terry. After that Terry helped me out after I was discharged. Even Michel helped out for a few weeks. Where were you?!" Karen demanded quietly. Eledore remained silent. "Too busy to be bothered." Eledore grimaced at the sound of Sanders' first name. It felt strange…he never looked like a Terry…he always looked like just a 'Sanders' and nothing else. His first name rolled off her tongue so easily, it made Eledore feel like he didn't know Karen anymore.

"I…I…." He looked around at the cameras, he hated seeing dumbfounded but this woman in front of him…was physically Karen…but mentally, she was a different person. A woman who married, one of the ugliest men and was acting as if there was something wrong with him. Eledore had everything she could want, anything she wanted, she could have, money was no option…not to mention he was better looking.

"You always made excuses for yourself," Karen laughed anxiously. "Now please leave me be."

"Are you happy?"

"A modest happy life is better then a wealthy one. We have children," Karen smiled tenderly. Eledore took a step back in horror…not only did she marry one of the ugliest men…she allowed him close enough to have children with him?! "Our oldest is a four year old, curly-haired, red-haired little girl. She mellow like her dad. And we have a son that 18 months who's also mellow like his dad." Eledore gazed at the stroller…there was a baby inside that he failed to notice. The child's hair was also red with gentle curls framing his face, his light brown skin looked smooth to the touch, yet he was adorable. The boy was tired, batting his bright blue twinkling eyes, with long slow blinks. Eledore was amazed that Sanders could create a cute kid. Eledore scanned the jungle gym behind him, a little light-skinned brown girl played with a woman that Eledore assumed was a nanny or a close family friend. She had the same fierce curls that billowed from her head like Karen, adorable chubby cheeks and the same twinkling blue eyes like her brother.

"You guys did it?!" Eledore demanded. Karen's cheeks flustered, she couldn't believe his brazenness they were surrounded by children and their parents. Karen grimaced looking around at all the disapproving faces. This would probably be the last time she took the kids to this park…or for that matter any park until this whole mess was settled.

"Lower your voice this is a children's park. He's my husband. Michel and Kiki were there for the baby showers…we even received something from the Commander. Where were you? I sent you…does it even matter?" Karen shook her head looking down at her feet, why was she trying to explain this to him. She knew he wouldn't understand. "Did you know that they're married?! Do you know they have two boys?!"

"I…"

"You should know all of this. All the announcements, and you ignored all of them…figures," Karen scoffed. Her left hand came off her stroller moving it to her head. "What are you doing here?" Her tone was reminiscent of all the times she got mad at Eledore during the war. She looked so defeated and felt deaf from all the screaming. The 'Eledore' incantation just seemed to drone on like a song that never ends.

"I was coming to see you." Karen dropped her hand in her lap. She looked up at him shaking her head. Did he really think she'd believe that lie. She let out a defeated sigh shaking her head in shame. She felt so embarrassed and there was no way to escape until Eledore left, and even then, there was a possibility that she would be hounded by the paparazzi. It was rare for Eledore to spend so much time with a 'random' woman.

"Sure you were!" Karen rolled her eyes, "Well you've seen me." Karen crossed her arms. Eledore smiled sheepishly, this was not the way he wanted his reunion with Karen to go. He suddenly remembered his promise to her; the very promise he made to her after her Gundam's head was punched off by an Acguy.

"Please let me take you out. What do you say? I still owe you that dinner." Karen looked at his in horror, he literally believed that everything was fine, even though he continued to insult her.

Karen laughed anxiously. There were so many cameras and fans it made her nauseous. She was trying to keep a close eye on her daughter but it was becoming increasingly difficult. She was glad for her nanny, or she'd be more panicked than she already was. "That was what seven years ago! I have a husband and children. It wouldn't be appropriate for a married woman to go out with someone like you." Karen's face was hard and cold. "Now please leave me and my baby be. I don't want to be on the news."

"Not as a date, but to catch up. I mean how long has it been?" Eledore suggested. The fans continued to pour in, screaming girls just trying to get to him. They were clawing at the bodyguards, several had already been 'detained'. The police would probably be called. Karen shook her head, what a mess.

"I just said seven years, idiot. Alright then Terry and I will be there," Karen answered. Karen looked back to the jungle gym; her daughter was missing. Panicked Karen looked to the swings; she was still missing. Karen let out a sigh of relief as her nanny carried the little girl through the crowd. Karen placed a hand over her heart, she sighed again. The nanny put the young child down and the little girl quickly scampered to Karen. Karen smiled rubbing the child's cheek. The little girl climbed on to her mother's lap so she could see this strange man that her mother was talking to.

"I mean just the…" Eledore could care less about Sanders, all he wanted was to share some time with Karen. Sanders was quiet and awkward, he never knew what to talk about and preferred to be alone. Eledore couldn't see why the hell Karen would marry him, but if he could get her alone, perhaps she'd see the error of her ways

"You don't want to see Sanders? Your teammate?" The little girl looked back at her mom, it was weird to hear her mommy refer to her Daddy by their last name. Confused the little girl looked back at the strange man. The little girl frowned, this man was making her Mommy mad.

"Mommy who is this?" she asked. Karen kissed the little girl's head.

"Melissa, this is Mr. Massis. He was on the same team as Daddy and I and Uncle Michel. Can you tell him hello?" Eledore grumbled, why the hell was Michel 'Uncle' and he was simply 'Mister'?!

"Hello…" she muttered shyly. Eledore looked down at the kid, that thing wasn't something he wanted, let alone something he thought Karen would want. Kids meant she'd have to get rid of that figure she worked so hard to maintain; yet here she was with TWO of them. Melissa impulsively grabbed her mother's hand. She didn't like Mr. Massis he made her feel uncomfortable.

"Hello Mr. Massis please," Karen corrected. Karen rubbed the little girl's back to soothe her. Melissa shifted her eyes between the ground and Eledore.

Making eye contact her voice cracked, "Hello Mr. Massis. Why are you mad at him?"

"Sometimes adults don't see eye to eye, that's all. He was actually getting ready to leave in his nice big limo. So make sure to give him a nice warm good bye, okay?" Karen looked up at him with daggers in her eyes. She was just about ready to murder him. Eledore sighed, and nodded. He had a concert to get to…and at this rate he'd be late.

"I'll have my people call you," Eledore mustered with the last bit of strength he had. He never would have imagined that Karen would turn out this way. He had such high hoped, only for them to be squandered on the likes of Sanders.

"Oh and I thought it would be a personal call," Karen chuckled sarcastically. "Tell Mr. Massis goodbye Mellie."

"Good bye Mr. Massis," Melissa replied. Eledore just nodded, he didn't want to say goodbye. It wasn't a guarantee that she'd even accept his call. He turned around and head for the limo. His crowd followed him along, the adoring fans, weren't anything to him right now. All he ever wanted was for Karen to show that she cared, truly cared for him, and seven years later…he still couldn't get her to show her true feelings. Getting to the door, he looked back at the red-head on the park bench. Perhaps it would have been better if he had kept on going. It would have saved him the heartache of knowing that one of the few women he truly tried to impress, was happier with another man, and with a lifestyle that Eledore couldn't bring himself to embrace.