Silent Night
Epilogue
By: Starlight – x1

The hospital room was quiet save for the steady beeping of several machines. Sunlight filtered through the half opened Venetian blinds and fell in golden pools onto the floor tiles. Dust motes floated lazily in the beams of light

Trieze lay in the room, eyes closed. The upper half of his bed had been raised slightly so that he was half sitting, half lying as he slept.

A bouquet of red roses was set on a small table. Their subtle fragrance permeated the room, covering the antiseptic smell normally associated with hospitals.

Trieze stirred and slowly opened his eyes, blinking in some confusion. He frowned, lifting his left hand to his face, rubbing his temple slowly as he looked around the room. His gaze stopped at the window, arrested by the small patch of blue sky visible. His gaze then moved to the roses. He breathed deeply, a smile of contentment spreading over his face. His left hand dropped to the bed and landed on something soft. He looked down

Lady Une sat in a chair pulled close to the bed. Her arms were crossed on the mattress, her head pillowed on them, sleeping. Her face was turned toward him as if she had fallen asleep looking up into his face. Her light brown hair spilled over one cheek and onto the mattress. His hand rested lightly on several of the silky strands. Her lashes lay dark against creamy skin and she breathed softly, her back rising and falling rhythmically.

Trieze smiled and carefully brushed her hair back from her face. She sighed and he withdrew his hand, watching intently as she shifted and opened her eyes. She looked up at him for a moment and her lips trembled into an uncertain smile. "Good morning Mister Treize." Her voice was soft, gentle. A tone he couldn't remember hearing before. She sat up and pushed her hair back behind her ears, smoothing it somewhat self consciously. He watched entranced as the brown locks quickly fell into a semblance of order around her shoulders.

"How are you feeling?" Again that soft voice. Her rich brown eyes flicked to his blue ones and then away as if embarrassed or unsure.

"Fine." His voice sounded raspy and he cleared his throat.

Lady Une reached for a pitcher of water and a glass set on the same table as the roses and poured him a drink. "Here. " She offered, helping him as he sipped the lukewarm liquid through a straw.

"Thanks." His voice came out in its normal timbre. He glanced about the room before looking at her again. "What happened? My memory's somewhat blurred."

Her smile was stronger then before and she leaned toward him. "You're in Preventer's private medical facility." She paused for a moment glancing down at her hands and then up into his face. "Right now you're registered under a false name. Only a few people knew who you are or where you are. We figured that would be best."

He nodded and glanced down. Lady Une followed his gaze and blushed as she realized she had grabbed hold of his left hand with her right one as she was speaking. She tried to withdraw her hand but Trieze tightened his grip on her fingers. She stopped tugging and relaxed. He rubbed his thumb over the back of her hand.

"So, what happens now?" Treize's voice was low.

Une sighed, watching his thumb rub back and forth over her soft skin. "It depends on a lot of things." She took a deep breath. "Mostly on how much you were involved with running Xousia." She looked at him again and he could see the pleading in her eyes.

"I don't know how involved I was." He answered honestly. "It's all a blur."

Une nodded, the curt motion familiar to him. "There will be an investigation regarding how involved you were by Preventer." She dropped her gaze. "I won't be in charge because of my past connection to you."

"That is the correct procedure." Trieze agreed. He released her hand and looked over at the bouquet. "Did you bring the roses? They're lovely."

Une folded her hands tightly in her lap. "Yes." She glanced at the flowers. Soft red petals offset by green leaves and tiny thorns. She looked back at Trieze, noting that he had fallen asleep again. A normal occurrence the doctor had assured her. He was still recovering from the drug Reed had poured into his system. He looked so peaceful. She smiled, content for now just to sit and watch him sleep.

-

The room was decorated for Christmas. Hilde looked about her with a sigh. "Beautiful," She breathed, enjoying the lights, holly and evergreen branches that were everywhere.

"It is, isn't it?" Duo came up behind her and slipped his arms about her waist, pulling her snug against him and resting his cheek next to hers. Hilde rested her hands on his well muscled arms and smiled.

"It was real nice of Relena to give this Christmas party." Hilde said, resting the back of her head against Duo's shoulder. "Especially since all of us missed Christmas originally."

"Mmhmm." Duo began swaying back and forth, rocking Hilde with him as he moved to the side. Suddenly he stopped and looked up. "Would you look at that?"

Hilde straightened, suspicious of the sudden innocence in Duo's voice. "What?" She looked up and began to laugh at the sight of mistletoe hanging from the arch of door. "You're shameless." She reached up and put her arms about Duo's neck, pulling his head down so that their lips touched. After a moment she pulled away, her cheeks flushed. "There, you've had your kiss, now behave yourself."

"Aw, Hilde." Duo grinned down at her. "Do I have to?"

"Yes." Hilde was firm and she pulled him out from under the mistletoe. "We can cuddle later, now we have friends to visit with." She pulled him over to where Quatre sat, relaxed on a couch next to the fireplace. Duo sat down next to him with more force then necessary, bouncing Quatre as he did so.

"Hey Quatre!" Duo said cheerily, throwing his arms across the back of the couch, stretching his legs out in front of him.

"Hello Duo, Hilde." Quatre smiled back at Duo and Hilde who had settled herself more circumspectly on the couch next to Duo tugging his arm down around her shoulder as she did so.

"So, how you doing?" Duo asked.

Quatre looked at him. "You're a worrywart." He said. "I'm fine." He smiled gently, lending truth to his words.

Duo grinned easily. "I suppose I am." He looked up and his grin spread, wider. "Look there."

Quatre and Hilde looked up to see Relena and Heero enter together. As they came under the mistletoe Duo called out. "Hey Heero, you'd better kiss her."

Heero frowned darkly at him, not comprehending. Duo just grinned and jerked his thumb up, causing the two to look above them. Relena blushed at the sight of the mistletoe. "It's just a decoration Duo. Christmasy. That's all. I didn't…" She stuttered to a stop and quickly stepped out from under the archway.

"It was real nice of you to have this party Relena." Quatre said, trying to soothe her while Hilde hushed the garrulous Duo.

"I just thought it would be nice to celebrate Christmas, all of us. We did miss it after all." Relena said. Her cheeks still flamed and she excused herself, brushing past Zechs and Noin as they entered.

Zechs looked after his sister, puzzled. "What's wrong with her?" He turned a suspicious glare to the room.

"Nothing much." Hilde assured him. "Duo was just being his regular big mouthed self. Don't worry I've got him well in hand."

Zechs gave a half grin at the sight of Hilde's tight grip on Duo's chestnut braid. "I see."

Duo pouted slightly and glanced around as much as Hilde's grip would let him. Heero had disappeared. He grinned to himself.

"What's so funny now?" Hilde's breath tickled his ear and he scrunched his shoulder in reflex.

"Oh, nothing." He winked at her and relaxed against the soft cushions of the couch. "Hey Wufei, glad you could join us."

Wufei was busy assisting Sally into the room and made a sound that could've been either a greeting or negative comment. He settled his partner into a comfortable overstuffed chair and then straightened.

"Merry Christmas Duo." Sally said, a mischievous twinkle in her eye. "Have you been a good boy this year do you think?"

"Who knows?" Duo shrugged. "Who cares? I got all I need right here, right now." His arm tightened around Hilde and he looked around at all his friends. "We've got peace again." He said in a somber tone. "That's a good enough Christmas present for me."

"Well said Duo." Quatre said. A smile brightened on his face. "Trowa! You made it."

Trowa gave his friend a quiet smile as he entered the room. Duo tipped his head back and looked up at the ceiling. "Go on Heero," he whispered under his breath to his absent friend. "Don't wimp out now."

-

Relena had slipped out onto a balcony. A light breeze blew, cooling her burning cheeks and causing her to shiver. She wrapped her arms about herself and stepped further out onto the balcony, looking up at the sky. The stars were visible, tiny pinpoints of light in the velvet sky. Why had she even put up that mistletoe? She knew the traditions surrounding it, but she'd never thought… No. Relena stopped herself. She had thought. She had entertained a hope that she would get kissed by Heero under the mistletoe. But not in front of the others. And Duo… Her cheeks burned again and she shut her eyes tightly in embarrassment. She breathed out in a long sigh. It wouldn't happen now. Of that she was sure of. It probably would not have happened anyway.

Relena opened her eyes and let out a tiny shriek. "Heero!"

He stood looking at her, half hidden in shadows, his eyes unreadable.

"I – I didn't hear you come out." Relena said. She was babbling, she knew, but she couldn't seem to stop. "I'm so sorry about what Duo said. He can be so annoying sometimes…"

Heero took a step forward and cupped her chin with one hand, cutting off her run on sentences. He tipped her head up gently.

Relena blinked at him, shock and surprise in her eyes. "H-heero?"

"I was under the mistletoe with you." He bent down and kissed her.

Relena's arms crept around his neck, her eyes closed. She didn't know anything, couldn't feel anything but his lips on hers, his arms about her, holding her tightly but ever so gently.

The kiss ended and Heero straightened. Relena smiled up at him. He lifted a hand, touched her cheek and the moisture there. "You're crying." There was concern in his voice. He wiped the tears away carefully.

"I am? I didn't know." Relena said dazedly. She couldn't look away from his face and his beautiful Prussian blue eyes, black now in the darkness.

"You're shivering." Heero said, tightening his arms about her. "I'd better get you inside."

"No, I'm fine." Relena stopped him. "Let's stay out here just a little longer."

"All right." Heero shifted his weight, pulling her comfortably against him.

"Heero?" Relena asked tentatively, looking up at his face.

"Yes?"

"You did kiss me, right?"

"Yes."

Relena could've sworn there was a look of amusement in Heero's eyes as he answered.

"Will you kiss me again?" She couldn't help the note of hope that found its way into her voice.

Again the amusement flitted its way across Heero's eyes. "Probably."

Satisfied she lay her head back on his chest, cuddling close as they both looked up at the stars together.