Relena stood at the window of her office looking out over the front lawn and the driveway, anxious for her guests to arrive. She had called everyone. A gathering of old friends had been too long in the coming, in her opinion. Quatre, of course, had been thrilled with the idea. He had left the colonies sometime yesterday. Wufei and Sally should arrive this afternoon. When she had contacted her brother and Noin, neither had been able to say they would come, though she got a second email from Noin later that day saying she was coming with a friend. With the Mars colony project still in its early stages, she understood why Zechs couldn't come, though she would have liked to see him.
Catherine had sounded giddy and excited; assuring Relena that "wild horses" couldn't keep her and Trowa away. Duo was also rather enthusiastic; saying he and Chelle Lee would be driving out right away. Relena still got a laugh when he hung up the phone with a "Roger that, over and out."
As for Heero, well, he was already here, and the reason for calling everyone together again. Relena smiled and looked down at the diamond ring on her left-hand, delighting in the bright sparkle the sunlight brought to it. After years of being her "bodyguard", Heero had finally popped the question. She had wanted to tell everyone right away, but Heero had nixed the idea. He wanted to tell their friends first, before the press started hounding them. Heero had become used to the paparazzi, but he still distrusted and disliked them.
Relena's train of thought was broken with the roar of an engine. She looked up to see a sleek, silver Mercedes cruse to a stop at the top of the driveway. Relena giggled to herself, then said loud enough for Heero to hear her in the other room, "Quatre's here!"
------
At the same time, Wufei and Sally were nearing Relena's home in their 'borrowed' jeep. They had taken a Preventer's transport to the closest compound outside of the Sanq Kingdom, and from the base they had acquired a jeep from an unobservant lieutenant, and drove the rest of the way. Sally was speeding down the highway with Wufei fidgeting in the shotgun seat.
"So why did she call us anyway? What's with all the secrecy?" Wufei grumbled as he played with knob on the glove compartment. "Is there some new threat for the Preventers to deal with? Why not just say so?"
Sally grinned. Wufei had never been big on patience. "We'll know soon enough. We're almost there."
Wufei frowned. "How much longer?"
Sally chuckled. "Relax would ya? We'll be there in ten."
Wufei looked at her, one eyebrow raised. He knew she was laughing at him, and though it didn't really bother him, he decided to play along. "What's so funny?"
Now Sally out and out laughed. "You are! You're always so damn suspicious of everything! Did it ever occur to you that maybe this was just a reunion? Jeez, Wu-man, lighten up!"
Wufei rolled his eyes at her unofficial nickname for him. Now he knew she was teasing him, and decided his best course of action was to ignore it for now. Normally he didn't like being picked on, but when Sally did it, it was different. If anyone else called him "Wu-man" they would probably come down with a serious case of getting their ass kicked, but he had to admit, at least to himself, he didn't mind when Sally said it. The corners of his mouth turned up a little. "Awful lot of secrecy for a bar-b-q though."
Sally grinned over at him. "Well, that's Heero for ya. He could be thinking there's a bomb in the hot dogs."
Wufei chuckled to himself. "I just might yell "grenade!" and see if he dives onto the potato salad!" Sally laughed in agreement, and the remainder if the drive was spent in pleasant silence, with Wufei resting his hand on Sally's thigh as they laughed at Heero's expense.
----
The traveling circus troop had been on Earth when Relena's call had caught up with them. In fact, their current route had taken them quite near the Sanq kingdom. Though it took Catherine some fast-talking, and a little threatening, to get the manager to let them take some time off, he had finally caved in and agreed to let his three star performers take a few personal days.
Catherine was thrilled, excited beyond words. She knew that Trowa hadn't told anyone about Jill yet; it was still "too soon". Catherine thought that was a crock, and she had told him so. Trowa and Jill had been an item for the past 8 months, and a hot item at that, so she saw no reason to not invite her along. After days of incessant nagging, Trowa had agreed to invite Jill along to meet the other Gundam pilots, and Catherine was looking forward to the expressions on everyone's faces when Mr. Silence walked in the door with a cute girl on his arm.
They had left the troop shortly after dawn in Catherine's Chevy S10. It was a cramped fit, all three bodies smushed together on the bench seat. Trowa sat rigidly in the middle, straddling the gearshift, nervously guarding his "jewels" whenever Catherine shifted gears. Jill dozed, her head resting on Trowa's shoulder.
Catherine reached for the radio, the truck swerving slightly. She put on a rock station at a low volume. Trowa didn't move, he sat still, staring at the road ahead. Catherine sighed a little. "Are you nervous, Trowa?" she asked.
Trowa grunted. "Not really. Should I be?"
"I was just asking because you haven't mentioned Jill to any of your friends. I thought you would have at least told Quatre by now."
"My friends are a little busy reconstructing Earth and space to give a shit about my social life Cathy."
Catherine shook her head. "I don't think so. They'll always have time for you Trowa. It wouldn't hurt for you to pick up the phone once in a while you know. How long has it been since you talked to any of them?"
Trowa shrugged. "I talked to Quatre just four months ago."
Catherine rolled her eyes. "Not exactly the chatty type, are ya little bro?"
"Like I said, they're busy."
She rolled her eyes at that. "None of them are too busy to take some time to talk to you. I think Relena called us all together to reinforce that idea."
"For all you know, she called this meeting to tell us were being invaded by aliens."
Catherine sighed heavily. "Such an optimist. Well, we'll see won't we?"
Trowa nodded slightly and shifted some in his seat. "Yes, we'll see."
----------
Duo was speeding down the highway. The top was down on his new convertible, the wind pulling at the loose strands of hair around his face. In the passenger's seat, Chelle Lee slouched, her feet up on the dash, ponytail swirling in the wind behind her. Dark purple-tinted sunglasses covered her eyes. She was glad for that. As of late she had been complaining about the dark circles under her eyes. The wind felt good, refreshing. It subsided her urge to vomit, thankfully.
Duo looked from her to the road. "How ya holdin' up there toots?" he asked with a grin, patting her on the knee.
She frowned a bit. "I'll live. At least I'm not feeling sick anymore."
Duo's face held that same silly grin. He stretched a little. "Perfectly natural."
Chelle sat up in her seat and scowled at him. "Yeah? Well why don't you try the nausea and the feeding frenzies on for size, braid boy?"
Duo laughed. "I still eat twice as much as you do on any given day!"
"That's because you're a bottomless pit," she replied, sticking her tongue out at him.
Duo nodded in consent. "It helps that you're an outstanding cook."
"Outstanding, nothing! You're the better cook."
Duo laughed at that. "But your food was made with love. Isn't that what you keep tellin' me?"
Chelle smiled and gave him a quick peck on the cheek. "Your such a suck up," she said with a smile.
Duo grinned back. "I can't wait to tell everyone the good news! They're gonna freak out."
Chelle raised an eyebrow. "Yeah, well, lets just wait and see what Relena springs on us before you go shootin' off that big pie hole of yours."
"Alright, alright! Jeez you're moody!"
She glared at him. "Twit," she grumbled. Her hand shot out quickly and pinched his shoulder.
"Oww!" he over-dramatized, then a laughing fit took over.
Unable to help herself, Chelle started laughing too. Duo hit the gas and the sleek red Corvette flew down the highway.
---------
It seemed like only moments ago Noin had kissed Zechs good-by and boarded the shuttle to Earth. Now the blue orb of the planet was in clear view through her window. She smiled a sad smile and touched the glass. Earth. Home. It had been too long.
A soft snore interrupted her train of thought. She looked to her left, where her friend Heather was curled up in the seat, finally asleep. She was cradling a small titanium briefcase in her arms. Noin sighed as she thought about what that case contained. Another, more plain briefcase rested at her feet, containing all the precious data that she and Zechs had collected in their years on the Martian surface, but that other case had something more important. She rubbed her eyes. 'I've been away for far to long,' she thought to herself, trying to keep awake.
"And that about wraps it up for this week's discussion on hockey in outer space! I just can't wait for the new season to start, can you Fred?"
Noin turned off her headphones to avoid listening to the inane chatter of the 'news' anchors. She had been hoping to catch up on what had been happening on Earth lately, but she had yet to find a good news show. The information they received on Mars was always outdated, and she was just curious to see what had changed. She leaned back in her chair with a sigh. She had asked Zechs several times over the years for them to just leave, if only for a little while. She had longed for the blue skies and the green grass, the sweet smell of the wind of Earth. Yet, it was always the same response from him. "Too much to do." "I'm in the middle of something important." "Maybe next month." The time had never come, and she had never left his side. Now, without him on the shuttle speeding toward the Earth, she felt the first pangs of loneliness.
"It will be alright," she whispered to herself. "Zechs is fine, and soon I'll see everyone again. It's going to be just fine."
In truth, she wasn't sure if things would be 'just fine'. They had found something on Mars. Noin had wanted to inform the Preventers and Relena right away, but Zechs had said no. He swore her to secrecy. This was something that he wanted to investigate himself, and he didn't want 'underlings' meddling in his research. Only after lots of begging and pleading did he agree to let her take along the data in her briefcases now, and then only if she agreed to take Heather with her. As for the item, it had been hell getting it away from him. He was like a man obsessed. But finally, he let her take it, under the agreement that she would return with it to Mars immediately after meeting with Relena. Sacrifice time on her home world to show them what they found. Sad and unfair, but a deal nonetheless.
Noin shifted in her seat as the pilot spoke monotonously into the intercom about entering the atmosphere. She clipped her seatbelt on, and reached over to shake her friend awake. She smothered a grin as Heather started awake, then turned to watch the air around the shuttle turn red from the heat of re-entry.
"Earth..."she breathed. "Home."
Catherine had sounded giddy and excited; assuring Relena that "wild horses" couldn't keep her and Trowa away. Duo was also rather enthusiastic; saying he and Chelle Lee would be driving out right away. Relena still got a laugh when he hung up the phone with a "Roger that, over and out."
As for Heero, well, he was already here, and the reason for calling everyone together again. Relena smiled and looked down at the diamond ring on her left-hand, delighting in the bright sparkle the sunlight brought to it. After years of being her "bodyguard", Heero had finally popped the question. She had wanted to tell everyone right away, but Heero had nixed the idea. He wanted to tell their friends first, before the press started hounding them. Heero had become used to the paparazzi, but he still distrusted and disliked them.
Relena's train of thought was broken with the roar of an engine. She looked up to see a sleek, silver Mercedes cruse to a stop at the top of the driveway. Relena giggled to herself, then said loud enough for Heero to hear her in the other room, "Quatre's here!"
------
At the same time, Wufei and Sally were nearing Relena's home in their 'borrowed' jeep. They had taken a Preventer's transport to the closest compound outside of the Sanq Kingdom, and from the base they had acquired a jeep from an unobservant lieutenant, and drove the rest of the way. Sally was speeding down the highway with Wufei fidgeting in the shotgun seat.
"So why did she call us anyway? What's with all the secrecy?" Wufei grumbled as he played with knob on the glove compartment. "Is there some new threat for the Preventers to deal with? Why not just say so?"
Sally grinned. Wufei had never been big on patience. "We'll know soon enough. We're almost there."
Wufei frowned. "How much longer?"
Sally chuckled. "Relax would ya? We'll be there in ten."
Wufei looked at her, one eyebrow raised. He knew she was laughing at him, and though it didn't really bother him, he decided to play along. "What's so funny?"
Now Sally out and out laughed. "You are! You're always so damn suspicious of everything! Did it ever occur to you that maybe this was just a reunion? Jeez, Wu-man, lighten up!"
Wufei rolled his eyes at her unofficial nickname for him. Now he knew she was teasing him, and decided his best course of action was to ignore it for now. Normally he didn't like being picked on, but when Sally did it, it was different. If anyone else called him "Wu-man" they would probably come down with a serious case of getting their ass kicked, but he had to admit, at least to himself, he didn't mind when Sally said it. The corners of his mouth turned up a little. "Awful lot of secrecy for a bar-b-q though."
Sally grinned over at him. "Well, that's Heero for ya. He could be thinking there's a bomb in the hot dogs."
Wufei chuckled to himself. "I just might yell "grenade!" and see if he dives onto the potato salad!" Sally laughed in agreement, and the remainder if the drive was spent in pleasant silence, with Wufei resting his hand on Sally's thigh as they laughed at Heero's expense.
----
The traveling circus troop had been on Earth when Relena's call had caught up with them. In fact, their current route had taken them quite near the Sanq kingdom. Though it took Catherine some fast-talking, and a little threatening, to get the manager to let them take some time off, he had finally caved in and agreed to let his three star performers take a few personal days.
Catherine was thrilled, excited beyond words. She knew that Trowa hadn't told anyone about Jill yet; it was still "too soon". Catherine thought that was a crock, and she had told him so. Trowa and Jill had been an item for the past 8 months, and a hot item at that, so she saw no reason to not invite her along. After days of incessant nagging, Trowa had agreed to invite Jill along to meet the other Gundam pilots, and Catherine was looking forward to the expressions on everyone's faces when Mr. Silence walked in the door with a cute girl on his arm.
They had left the troop shortly after dawn in Catherine's Chevy S10. It was a cramped fit, all three bodies smushed together on the bench seat. Trowa sat rigidly in the middle, straddling the gearshift, nervously guarding his "jewels" whenever Catherine shifted gears. Jill dozed, her head resting on Trowa's shoulder.
Catherine reached for the radio, the truck swerving slightly. She put on a rock station at a low volume. Trowa didn't move, he sat still, staring at the road ahead. Catherine sighed a little. "Are you nervous, Trowa?" she asked.
Trowa grunted. "Not really. Should I be?"
"I was just asking because you haven't mentioned Jill to any of your friends. I thought you would have at least told Quatre by now."
"My friends are a little busy reconstructing Earth and space to give a shit about my social life Cathy."
Catherine shook her head. "I don't think so. They'll always have time for you Trowa. It wouldn't hurt for you to pick up the phone once in a while you know. How long has it been since you talked to any of them?"
Trowa shrugged. "I talked to Quatre just four months ago."
Catherine rolled her eyes. "Not exactly the chatty type, are ya little bro?"
"Like I said, they're busy."
She rolled her eyes at that. "None of them are too busy to take some time to talk to you. I think Relena called us all together to reinforce that idea."
"For all you know, she called this meeting to tell us were being invaded by aliens."
Catherine sighed heavily. "Such an optimist. Well, we'll see won't we?"
Trowa nodded slightly and shifted some in his seat. "Yes, we'll see."
----------
Duo was speeding down the highway. The top was down on his new convertible, the wind pulling at the loose strands of hair around his face. In the passenger's seat, Chelle Lee slouched, her feet up on the dash, ponytail swirling in the wind behind her. Dark purple-tinted sunglasses covered her eyes. She was glad for that. As of late she had been complaining about the dark circles under her eyes. The wind felt good, refreshing. It subsided her urge to vomit, thankfully.
Duo looked from her to the road. "How ya holdin' up there toots?" he asked with a grin, patting her on the knee.
She frowned a bit. "I'll live. At least I'm not feeling sick anymore."
Duo's face held that same silly grin. He stretched a little. "Perfectly natural."
Chelle sat up in her seat and scowled at him. "Yeah? Well why don't you try the nausea and the feeding frenzies on for size, braid boy?"
Duo laughed. "I still eat twice as much as you do on any given day!"
"That's because you're a bottomless pit," she replied, sticking her tongue out at him.
Duo nodded in consent. "It helps that you're an outstanding cook."
"Outstanding, nothing! You're the better cook."
Duo laughed at that. "But your food was made with love. Isn't that what you keep tellin' me?"
Chelle smiled and gave him a quick peck on the cheek. "Your such a suck up," she said with a smile.
Duo grinned back. "I can't wait to tell everyone the good news! They're gonna freak out."
Chelle raised an eyebrow. "Yeah, well, lets just wait and see what Relena springs on us before you go shootin' off that big pie hole of yours."
"Alright, alright! Jeez you're moody!"
She glared at him. "Twit," she grumbled. Her hand shot out quickly and pinched his shoulder.
"Oww!" he over-dramatized, then a laughing fit took over.
Unable to help herself, Chelle started laughing too. Duo hit the gas and the sleek red Corvette flew down the highway.
---------
It seemed like only moments ago Noin had kissed Zechs good-by and boarded the shuttle to Earth. Now the blue orb of the planet was in clear view through her window. She smiled a sad smile and touched the glass. Earth. Home. It had been too long.
A soft snore interrupted her train of thought. She looked to her left, where her friend Heather was curled up in the seat, finally asleep. She was cradling a small titanium briefcase in her arms. Noin sighed as she thought about what that case contained. Another, more plain briefcase rested at her feet, containing all the precious data that she and Zechs had collected in their years on the Martian surface, but that other case had something more important. She rubbed her eyes. 'I've been away for far to long,' she thought to herself, trying to keep awake.
"And that about wraps it up for this week's discussion on hockey in outer space! I just can't wait for the new season to start, can you Fred?"
Noin turned off her headphones to avoid listening to the inane chatter of the 'news' anchors. She had been hoping to catch up on what had been happening on Earth lately, but she had yet to find a good news show. The information they received on Mars was always outdated, and she was just curious to see what had changed. She leaned back in her chair with a sigh. She had asked Zechs several times over the years for them to just leave, if only for a little while. She had longed for the blue skies and the green grass, the sweet smell of the wind of Earth. Yet, it was always the same response from him. "Too much to do." "I'm in the middle of something important." "Maybe next month." The time had never come, and she had never left his side. Now, without him on the shuttle speeding toward the Earth, she felt the first pangs of loneliness.
"It will be alright," she whispered to herself. "Zechs is fine, and soon I'll see everyone again. It's going to be just fine."
In truth, she wasn't sure if things would be 'just fine'. They had found something on Mars. Noin had wanted to inform the Preventers and Relena right away, but Zechs had said no. He swore her to secrecy. This was something that he wanted to investigate himself, and he didn't want 'underlings' meddling in his research. Only after lots of begging and pleading did he agree to let her take along the data in her briefcases now, and then only if she agreed to take Heather with her. As for the item, it had been hell getting it away from him. He was like a man obsessed. But finally, he let her take it, under the agreement that she would return with it to Mars immediately after meeting with Relena. Sacrifice time on her home world to show them what they found. Sad and unfair, but a deal nonetheless.
Noin shifted in her seat as the pilot spoke monotonously into the intercom about entering the atmosphere. She clipped her seatbelt on, and reached over to shake her friend awake. She smothered a grin as Heather started awake, then turned to watch the air around the shuttle turn red from the heat of re-entry.
"Earth..."she breathed. "Home."