This goes along with With or Without You and gives a slight glimpse into Lady Une from discovering she's pregnant to the Khushrenada Twins.
Disclaimer: I do not own Gundam Wing. I'm a poor college student who can't even afford her co-ed fraternity dues.
A Year From Hell
By: AnitaRealityCheck
Chapter One: In Which Une Finds Out
February 196
It was one of those days or rather one of those weeks. The newly established Preventers, paid for by the money Lady Une had inherited from Treize Khushrenada, was opening it's doors for the first time today. Also, the first headquarter meeting would be this day. Lady Une had been in her office since four that morning, preparing the last of the paperwork that needed to be done.
x-x-x-x-x
The Meeting
The Preventers had gained at least one investor, one by the name of Quatre Raberba Winner. It had not taken as much convincing, all Noin had done was mention the organization to the blond and he told her he'd invest. She told him that they had plenty of money but he refused to back down. Now he sat on the left side of Une, across from Noin, at a huge conference table. They were joined by the newly appointed Vice Foreign Minister Relena Darlain Peacecraft, the President Elect, Maria Westmore, and a few ambassadors from different countries and colonies.
"Are you not eating again?" Noin asked looking at Une with a questioning gaze. The meeting had been slated as a brunch and everyone had received their meals, except for Une. "I know you're still depressed, but this has seriously gotten out of hand. This is the fourth day this week you haven't eaten."
"I'm not feeling well, alright. It's nothing for you to worry about. I'll be fine." She smiled, she hadn't been truthful at all with Noin, she hadn't eaten a thing in over a week and it was starting to take it's toll on her system. She stood and wobbled just a little, letting the slight dizzy spell wash over her and then she was fine.
"Something's not right." Noin mouthed to Quatre. He nodded in agreement, watching Une closely.
"To start, thank you so much for coming today." Une smiled at the group. "We here at," she stopped a moment to compose her self and then continued. "We here at the Preventer..." Her eyes slid shut and she started to collapse. Quatre caught her just before her head would hit the floor. Noin was up immediately and at her side. Relena was up and out of the office to find Sally.
x-x-x-x-x
"She is going to be fine." Sally smiled. "As soon as she is awake, we will give her something to eat."
"Why are you all smiles?" Noin asked.
"Then she doesn't know. She's pregnant." Sally said with a laugh.
"How is that even possible?" Noin asked. "She had eyes for only one man, and that man is dead."
"She is due between the twentieth of September and the tenth of October. Which would mean she would have had sex on or around the twenty-fourth of December and there for would have conceived sometime at or around January first if not sooner."
"She finally catches him, and he perishes. No wonder she's been so depressed." Noin shook her head a moment. "I should let them know that she's alright."
"I wouldn't say anything about…"
"Of course not, it is not my place." Noin said walking towards the waiting room. This was going to be a long year.
x-x-x-x
Une was forcing down the hospital food when Noin knocked on the door and stepped in with a smile.
"You're awake." She said cheerfully taking a seat next to her friend.
"I just want to go home and go to sleep."
"In his room, in his bed, which according to you still smells just like him." Noin stated with a snort. "It's a little pathetic, I'm not going to lie."
"Says the woman who still wears one of Zechs' old pajama tops to bed." Une was quiet a moment and then she looked away towards the window. She felt a tear come down her face as she remembered what Sally had informed her of once she had awoken.
"Is everything alright?" Noin asked disregarding Unes comment.
"Yeah," She turned back to Noin. "Everything is fine." She ate another mysterious item on the tray. "Go get me something other than this crap." She winced swallowing the food.
"What would you like?" Noin asked.
"Anything." Noin stood to leave. "Wait. I want a filet Minong."
"Uh, okay." Noin raised her eyebrow and shook her head. Better to not question the change of mind.
x-x-x-x-x-x
Two Weeks Later
It was the middle of the night and Une was lying there in bed, trying not to think about the last weeks events. It took all she had not to cry, she was happy yes, she had a little bit left of the man she loved, but the child would be a constant reminder of something she was never destined to have. She wasn't going to be able to do this on her own, at least not her current state of mind. Granted she could hire a nanny but then she would lose out on raising her own child. She looked over to the clock and groaned, three am. No point in sleeping. She rolled over. Tears started to fall from her eyes as her thoughts yet again came back to the situation at hand. She sat up, grabbed the phone and dialed.
"Noin here." Came a groggy voice.
"Did I wake you?" Une choked out.
"No, I was just about to go sky diving. What the… is everything alright?" Noin asked after finally registering Unes voice in her mind.
"I need to talk to someone. Could you meet me at that diner by headquarters?"
"Yeah, I'll be there in ten." Noin hung up the phone.
x-x-x-x
"You're a mess." Noin said sitting down across from Lady Une. "Actually you have been since December."
"Don't bring that up." Une commanded. "What gave you the idea that I'm a mess?"
"You are wearing one of his dress shirts, first off, and your hair is a disaster area. You are not wearing any makeup and in general, you look like something the cat dragged in."
"Thanks." Une gave her a sarcastic nod. "It's not like we are dining at the Four Seasons."
"You sleep in his shirts?" Noin quipped. "I thought I had problems."
"Do you want to hear what I have to say or not?"
"What is it?"
"I'm…"
"Welcome to Al's Diner, I'm Alya. Can I get you ladies anything?" A waitress came up and asked.
"Coffee, black." Noin stated. "I'll also have the breakfast special." The waitress turned to Une.
"Tea. And what ever she's having."
"Coffee two?" The waitress questioned.
"No." Une said a bit curtly. The waitress turned to their orders. "As I was about to say. I'm pregnant." Noin just stared at her for ten minutes and then gained her composure.
"Who's the father?" she asked, even though she knew exactly who the child belonged. Une looked down into her lap and shook her head.
"I'm not ready to share that information yet." The waitress set down the coffee, tea, and meals and then walked away.
"Come on Une, I think I already know. It's not rocket science."
"Noin, in this matter, it doesn't concern you." They ate in silence until a mischevious grin crept across Unes face. "So, how are things with our little investor?"
"Little investor?" Noin asked. Une raised her eyebrows a moment.
"There are two, I'm one of them, so obviously it's the other one."
"Quatre? Nothing is going on between us. Nothing ever will go on between us."
"Don't kid me." Une stated. "The way you two look at one another… it's like… and I'm sorry to say this… but it's almost like how you and Zechs would look at one another."
"I highly doubt that. It's only been about two months since… and besides, Quatre is just a friend."
"A friend you visited regularly while he was in the hospital, and that you offered to take care of while he recovered at home. Spill it."
"I'll tell you if you tell me who the father is." Noin countered.
"You first." Une motioned for the Italian to speak.
"We truly are just friends. We did kiss once, but it was by complete accident. I was upset about, well you know, and he leaned over to kiss my forehead, I wasn't paying attention and looked up. I was sitting in a chair, mind you, and we just happen to kiss. He apologized profusely after it happened. Poor boy. That was probably his first kiss too." Noin chuckled to herself. "Trowa found it hysterical by the way. I've never seen him laugh that hard, or laugh in general."
"I've only heard rumors of him laughing." Une qualified. The check came and Noin went to pull out her money to pay her part of the meal. "I've got this, it was I who woke you at three am."