CHAPTER TEN

"You're killing that poor thing and it can't even defend itself," Roy said as he came next to Rick. "What's the matter with you?"

Rick's senses did not function; he could neither see nor hear for he was busy hitting the face of the man who was holding Lisa in the elevator.

"Rick!"

When Rick finally stopped hitting the punching bag, his face was dark with anger and pain.

"Go away, Roy," Rick swore loudly. "Can't a man have some punching time in peace without you hovering around like a mother hen?"

"Then act like a man, Rick! Dixon did not deserve that dressing down you gave him in front of the squadron earlier. He was just blowing off steam, trying to laugh off the battle with humor and jokes. I don't need to remind you how dangerous and short a pilot's life is."

Rick blinked back tears of frustration. "You said she wasn't…" he began then stopped when he saw Roy's look of fatherly disapproval. "Forget it! You wouldn't understand anyway."

Taking off his boxing glove, he shoved it at Roy and began walking towards the shower room.

"What?" Roy asked after him but Rick did not turn back or explain further and Roy let him go.

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"Hey, what's the matter? Are you hurt?" Rick asked with caution as he approached the girl whom he recognized as Minmei.

She didn't answer but kept crying as if she hadn't heard him.

"Hey!" he said sharply this time. "Are you hurt?"

"No. Yes… please go away," she finally said between tears and sobs as she tired to hide her face away from him.

"Look, it you're hurt, I can help. Do you need a doctor?"

"No! You can't help me. Nobody can help—" she broke off when she looked up and recognized him. "You're him, aren't you? You're Commander Fokker's friend. Did he send you after me?"

"What?" Confused now, Rick sat down next to her on the bench. "I just came out for a walk and heard you crying."

"Oh," Minmei sighed with hopelessness and Rick couldn't help noticing the sadness in her blue eyes—beautiful eyes, he thought and took another look at her again.

"Would you like me to leave? I didn't mean to intrude," Rick quickly said when she made eye contact with him. "I just wanted to make sure you weren't seriously hurt."

"No. Please stay. I don't want to be alone."

Reaching into his pocket, he handed Minmei his handkerchief. "Okay. I guess I could stay, that's if you really don't mind?"

"Rick, that's your name right?" Minmei asked as she dried her eyes.

"Yes. My name is Rick Hunter and we've met a couple of times but I—"

"I heard he has a girlfriend," Minmei said, cutting Rick off.

"I told myself that I didn't care but I do. When I saw them shopping together at the mall yesterday, I cried because he looked at her like she was amazing. She is pretty and all but I didn't think she's that amazing. Anyway today I went to see him and I asked him if he was in love with her. He snapped at me and told me to mind my own business."

"HE, as in Commander Fokker?"

"Of course! Who did you think I mean? Why are boys so dumb?"

Not waiting for Rick to reply, she continued.

"I love him, you know? I do! I love him! I love him! He's my hero. I've loved him the moment I met him. I told him so and he told me that I was just a silly school girl. He hurt me. He hurt me so much with is mean words and he doesn't even care that he's breaking my heart…"

And she began crying all over again now in earnest.

"Hey, I don't think Roy meant it like that. Maybe you just caught him in a bad time. Besides, don't you think he's a bit old for you? I mean..."

"What!?" Minmei turned and stared at him, her eyes blazing with anger. "You're just as mean as him! I'm not too young to know what love is! You're stupid! Just like him! Get away from me! Go before I start screaming."

Surprised by her anger and confused as to what he'd said that was wrong, Rick quickly got up and was going to leave when he stopped himself.

"Hey! I'm not the one who is crying his eyes out. I'm not the one who is pissed off at the world because she is too blind to see what is right in front of her! I'm not the one who is so angry at himself for being so stupid as to fall for someone who is way beyond his reach! And why are you laughing at me, Minmei?"

"Because… you're funny," Minmei said quietly and giggled.

"Funny?"

"Yes. We're funny, the both of us, because it's obvious we're in love with people who doesn't even know that we exist. Who is she?"

"Who is she?"

"Yes! Who is she? The girl you're in love with, dummy?" Minmei asked frustrated now by Rick's lack of comprehension.

"Oh, you mean, Lisa?"

"Lisa. Lisa, who? Do I know her? Come on now, tell me, don't stop. You know who I'm in love with so why can't I know who you're in love with?"

"Because it's none of your business!" Rick said, a bit rough and curt.

"Fine! Go and cry in your room all by yourself for all I care. I'm not the one who minutes ago, was yelling for the world to hear that he's miserable, lonely, unloved and pissed," Minmei said with righteousness.

"I was not yelling."

"Yes, you were."

"Did not!"

"Did too!"

"Stop!" Rick said and resigned himself to sitting back down on the bench.

"For your information, Miss Nosey, her name is Lisa Hayes," Rick said after a long pause. "She's my CO and she's driving me crazy because she's too stupid to notice that I'm nuts about her. Two days ago, I caught her making out with another man in the elevator."

"Oh Rick, I'm so sorry. No wonder you were yelling," Minmei said as she scooted closer to him. "At least I knew Commander Fokker has a girlfriend from the beginning so I was kind of prepared. But you, I bet you just got whammed in the head with that one— and in the elevator of all places. That's just tacky!"

"It wasn't quiet like that," Rick said looking at his feet. "I think they were just hugging each other but it still hurt."

"Yea, I know what you mean…" Minmei sighed and hung her head down.

"Look, Minmei, I'm sure Roy didn't mean to hurt you. He's not a mean person, in fact he's one of the most—"

"It doesn't matter if he meant it or not. He broke my heart and I don't think I'll ever love again. It hurts too much," Minmei said and crossed her arms around herself.

"She's so lucky to have him. I wish I was her."

Rick smiled, remembering Claudia's reaction to Minmei's dedication at the Valentine's Dance.

"I think they do know how lucky they are to have each other. I've never known Roy to keep a girl around this long before, usually two weeks is his record--"

"You're not helping, Rick!"

"Sorry."

Turning Minmei gave him a tentative smile. "It's okay... It's just that he's so HOT! Perfect and wonderful! I don't know if I'll ever find anyone like him. Thank you, thought, for listening to me, Rick. I don't have very many friends…"

"You're kidding me, right? I always see you being surrounded by people and they seem to love you."

Minmei smile brightly now and her eyes sparkled. "Really, I didn't know you pay any attention to me."

"Well… I don't, not really, not that you're not pretty. You are! It's just that Lisa has gotten me so wrapped up… I don't know! God! I hate this feeling!"

Running a hand through his hair, Rick got up. "I hate being left out. Like I don't matter and sometimes I hate her. I hate her for being so in control like nothing bothers her or nothing touches her at all!"

"Hey, you're yelling again."

Taking a deep breath, Rick closed his eyes and slowly counts to ten before walking back to Minmei.

"I mean it, Minmei. Everyone needs a friend sometime and I'll be honor to have you consider me as one of yours"

"That goes for you too, Rick Hunter."

They grinned at each other and laughed.

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So here she was-- alone in Rick's quarters, nervous, anxious, excited, happy and feeling stupid for feeling this way.

She was alone because when she'd gotten to his door and would have knocked, he opened it as if expecting company. She could see the surprised in his eyes but he quickly recovered and told her that he had to drop off something for Roy. But before he dashed off he'd asked her to wait for him in his quarters.

Taking a deep breath, Lisa gave 'thanks' to God for giving her some time to collect her thoughts before she had to face Rick again. She'd thought she was prepared but seeing him again face to face had an unsettling effect on her.

Why him? She asked herself and finding no answer, sighed in defeat.

Looking around, a slim leather portfolio underneath a photo album on the coffee table caught her eyes and she walked toward it.

Lisa knew she shouldn't but she couldn't help herself. Moving the photo album aside, she opened the portfolio and saw an exquisite charcoal sketch. It was a woman in profile with one shoulder bared, a cascade of hair framing the unmistakably familiar face.

Lisa inhaled sharply. It was the same face she saw looking back at her in the mirror each day.

"Sorry about the delay, Lisa," Rick said as he walked in. "Roy is such a perfectionist. He had me working on this briefing all afternoon and just when I thought I was done, he told me to rewrite it again."

Lisa looked away as she hastily closed the portfolio, her cheeks aflame. Her stomach felt as if it had dropped to her knees.

"I… I came to give you the flight plan for tomorrow's mission. It's changed since you last received it this morning. You know how these secret missions are… I think that's the reason why Roy wanted you to redo the briefing."

"Oh, right. Thanks." Rick reached for the disk Lisa was holding and she handed it to him.

Had it truly been a drawing of her? She couldn't stop the words that issued forth. "The sketch, Rick, it's beautiful. Did you... is it yours?"

Caught off guard by Lisa's question, Rick gazed over her shoulder at the portfolio underneath his photo album before turning back to face her.

"Yes," he said, looking at her squarely in the eye.

"I had no idea you were an artist, Rick."

He hesitated briefly before speaking. "I dabble. There's a difference."

Lisa was fascinated. Rick simply didn't strike her as the artistic type. "I'd love to see more of your drawings."

"No, I've never— I'm sorry. I've never shared them with anyone before and…"

"I understand," Lisa said quickly and wished she'd kept her mouth shut. It was obvious that Rick wanted to keep his sensitive side a secret.

"There's another reason why I'm here, Rick. Last week, what you saw, I wanted you to know that…"

"Yes, go on," Rick said, his heart soared with hope.

"I've known Daniel forever and for the longest time I was told that he'd died. So you can imagine my shock and happiness in seeing him—"

"Yes, it was obvious that you were really happy to see him. I've never seen you so expressive." Rick's tone was cold, accusing and he moved away from her, putting some distance between them.

He would never understand this maddening woman. She broke down his defenses, drew him into her web of warmth and easy camaraderie, and then, once he was there in her clutches, turned on him with inexplicable ire. He wished she would leave now for he did not want to hear her "let's just be friends" speech.

"Yes, I am. Shouldn't I?" Lisa shook her head in confusion.

"Thank you for the updates, Command Hayes," Rick said and sat back down on his desk. "I'm happy for you and Sinclair, I really am. But if you'd excused me, I do have a briefing to rewrite."

"What's the matter with you, Rick? Why are you acting like this? Why have you been ignoring me?"

"I don't know what you're talking about, Commander. I see and talk to you everyday on the tac--"

Lisa's chin, which she had thrust in the air so defiantly when Rick had literally dismissed her, began to tremble and treacherous tears threatened her eyes. She knew she had to leave now and without another word to Rick, turned and fled.

At the closing of his door, guilt and frustration washed over him and he got up. What in God's name had he done? He hadn't meant to make her cry.

Rick stood there indecisively for a moment, and then followed the direction Lisa had taken.