Chapter Twenty-Five
Quatre knew it wasn't home for either of them, but he was happy the both of them were out of the hospital. He watched as Lista changed into a loose-fitting nightie that draped over her baby bump like a gentle curtain. She climbed into bed, sighing as her back settled against the soft mattress. He threw their clothes into a nearby hamper and smiled as she spread her arms across the bed, murmuring something to herself about a real bed.
He turned away from her and sighed. She seemed far too sated for him to bring up his plan now. He knew she wouldn't take well to him uprooting them from their friends, but it was something he knew had to be done. It would no easier for him than it would be for her.
"Quatre? Are you okay over there?"
Quatre spun around, facing Lista as pushed herself up against the headboard. "Oh, I'm just fine, sweetheart. I was just thinking that you will be able to gain a great deal of sleep tonight as opposed to sleeping in the hospital." He flashed her a quick smile and walked to his designated side of the bed. Instead of sliding in next to her, he stood there watching her carefully.
Lista's smile slowly faded as he stared down at her silently, betraying nothing. She tilted her head to the side in confusion. "Are you sure you're all right? You look like you have something on your mind."
Quatre blinked and shook his head. "No. I'm fine. Forgive me. A certain sense of normalcy is returning, despite the war going on in the background. It doesn't seem real that I'm with you again after all this time."
The ebony-haired woman chuckled lightly and leaned forward, taking his hand in hers. "I have faith in Duo's strength. I know he'll be all right. The others told us they would let us know how he was doing when they got back from visiting him tonight." A blush climbed up her neck, splashing her cheeks. "And, well, if you're concerned about this being a dream, I'm sure I can do something to prove to you that it's all real."
Chuckling, Quatre allowed her to gently tug him into bed. She wrapped her arms around his neck and pressed a kiss against his cheek. "We should probably get some rest," Quatre suggested as she pulled away from him.
"I guess so," Lista agreed. Quatre reached for her, but she pulled away, smiling wide. "But I want to hold you."
Quatre hesitated, something gnawing at his mind. "I have no issue with that, sweetheart, but there's something we should probably take care of first."
"Oh. Well, all right," Lista said hesitantly. "What is it?"
He framed her face with his palms and gently drew her close to him. He felt her breath quicken before pressing his lips against hers in a tender, chaste kiss that quickly evolved into an explosion of unfulfilled passion. She moaned against him, savoring the nearly forgotten taste of his mouth.
Although the kiss only lasted for several seconds, it felt like a pleasant eternity. Quatre pulled away from her, his breath ragged and his hands sliding down to her neck. His fingers left butterfly kisses down her flesh, rousing a content noise from the bed of her throat.
"I missed that," Lista said, her voice a contented purr.
Quatre nodded against her and brushed his hand against her belly, stopping when he felt a little thump of a kick against the middle of his palm.
"We need to inform your family about the baby," Quatre replied, his face now serious. "They have yet to find out we're having a child. We shouldn't wait any longer to tell them the truth. This is going to be a lot for them to process."
Lista winced. She couldn't help but imagine the wrath she'd suffer on behalf of her father for keeping something so important from him. Her mother, on the other hand, would probably be ecstatic either way and overlook the fact she'd kept the truth from them for five months. "Yeah, I guess you're right. They deserve to know the truth. What about your sisters? They deserve to know, as well."
Quatre smiled. "Don't you worry about them. I'll take care of it."
She curled her fingers over his shoulders and nuzzled into his side, sighing contently. She closed her eyes and nipped her mouth against his collarbone, listening to the soft moan that escaped his lips as a result. That seemingly innocent action sparked something within both of them, something that was unknown yet entirely recognizable. It was the same feeling that churned through their veins, their own brand of blood.
Lista stared at him for a moment, smiling, thoughtful, as her eyes delved deep into his. They seemed blissfully bottomless, much like the ocean, azure and green mixed in a delightful swirl.
She was leaning down to him, careful of her bulging stomach as she did so, her eyes lidded and her heart quickening within her chest. Her lips touched his with a spark of electricity, despite the innocence behind the action. He welcomed the gentle brush of her body atop his, his hands framing her cheeks as he deepened their kiss, helping it to evolve far past what Lista had initially intended it to be.
She was on her back within seconds, Quatre looming over her like a protective umbrella. His mouth blanketed over hers, one hand propping himself above her while the other grazed a gentle trail along her jaw, down her neck, tracing over her collarbone. She moaned against him, such a teasing touch stirring her blood, heating every nook of her body.
As soon as he pulled away for the short moment they needed to breathe, she whispered his name in a stammer, as if the two syllables were far too much for her to form. Fingers curled over his arms, pulling him down to rest across her chest. She wrapped an arm around his neck and pulled him down into another soul-soaring kiss, this time daring to slide her tongue into the warm recesses of his mouth.
Quatre complied, satisfied to taste her again, to feel her touching him. The time spent apart from her was unbearable. He was certain he had a bitter taste of Hell without her. And now, this single moment was like coming up for fresh air. He happily drank her in.
The next few minutes passed too quickly. Quatre was unsure of whether he was still conscious or whether everything he'd been experiencing had even been real. Lista now lay beneath him, her lips bruised from his kisses, her eyes swirling in desire, and the skirts of her provocative nightwear now bunched at her waist, welcoming him, drawing him in.
He was aching for her like a teenage boy, but he stopped himself. He hovered over her for a moment, drawers dropped below his knees, a single drop of sweat rolling down the side of his face. Lista waited, unmoving, for him. But he did nothing.
"Quatre? Are you all right?" she finally asked, sliding stray bangs from his eyes. There was an immense amount of guilt hiding there now, guilt that she could not figure out.
"Forgive me, sweetheart," he apologized, turning away from her, his eyes now closed. "I don't think I can do this."
Breath caught in her throat, she propped herself up on her elbows, concerned. "What? Why? What is it?"
"It's you," he admitted, swallowing hard as he looked at her once more, just in time to catch her widened gaze. "I can't make love to you while you're pregnant. I'm afraid I'll hurt you and the baby. I can't take my pleasure at the expense of your pain or the possibility that I'll harm our child."
Lista stared at him for a moment, her face solid. She finally remembered how to breathe, and she offered him a smile. "It's all right," she whispered, resting back against the mattress once more. She reached for him, ignoring the satin feel of his naked body against her semi-nude one. She urged him to lay his head on her chest, to listen to the calm of her thumping heart. His hot, damp breath beat against her flesh as he relaxed against her, allowing her to hold him. "We'll just go to sleep, then."
"I'm sorry," he repeated, nuzzling his face against her chest. "I know you wish to, but—"
"Stop," Lista shushed quietly, sifting her fingers comfortingly through his hair. "It's not important. Let's just to go to sleep, Quatre."
He said nothing else, instead closing his eyes and allowing her body heat to lull him into a gentle slumber. He murmured his gratitude for understanding his worry, although he couldn't remember whether he managed to voice his thanks before falling asleep or if it was merely the onset of his night full of dreams.
Even without Noin, Sally, and Zechs, who had all reported for duty that morning, as well as Duo, who was still laid up in the hospital, the table was still overly crammed with Melody and the Gundam pilots. Lista and Melody had cooked a large breakfast fit to feed an entire colony; however, the heaps of food were disappearing rather quickly.
Quatre cut a small square from his syrup-drenched waffle and offered it to Lista, who had just finished the last bite of her toast. At first, she shook her head, refusing his breakfast, but a warning eye from Quatre convinced her otherwise, and she let him feed her the forkful of waffle.
"The breakfast is delicious, ladies," Trowa spoke up after dabbing the corners of his mouth with a napkin. "Thank you for going through all the trouble."
Melody ignored the uncomfortable flush of her own cheeks, turning her gaze away as Quatre continued to insist on feeding Lista the remaining few bites on his own plate. She heard him murmur something about the baby getting enough nourishment. Melody couldn't stifle a smile.
The sound of wood scraping against wood interrupted the silence. Everyone turned their heads in Melody's direction as she stood from her own spot. "Excuse me, but I should start getting ready for work. I'd hate to be late."
Quatre's eyes fell. He could practically see the tremble in her hands as she stood still at the table, making no movement to leave the room. "Are you sure you're going to be all right, Melody? Perhaps someone should go with you."
Melody shook her head, plastering a fake smile on her face. "No, that's okay, Quatre. I have to face the music sooner or later. I don't want to be worried about seeing my father every single day. I'm sure once I get there, my nerves will calm down a little."
"Don't give him a reason to believe something is going on," Heero spoke up, his voice firm. "Act as natural as you can. He's your father. More than likely, he'll know if something is bothering you. You'll have to play actress for a while, at least until we can make some headway on our plans to thwart him. The longer he doesn't know that you and Quatre have joined with us, the better."
Melody nodded in understanding. "I'll do what I can." She turned to Quatre. "I hope you and Lista have a nice day with her family, Quatre. You both deserve it." Before he could respond to her, she turned on her heel and walked quickly from the room.
Quatre made a noise in his throat as he sighed. "I worry for her," he admitted quietly. "This is not easy for her to deal with alone."
"Worrying is not going to get you anywhere," Wufei pointed out. "Besides, we'll all be watching carefully from the sidelines. If Wysor does something, we should know about it. In the meantime, you and Di Nevella need to take care of your personal agenda. We'll take care of the rest here."
Quatre smiled weakly and nodded, pushing himself from his chair and walking from the room. His worry didn't necessarily fall with the possibility of another battle on the colony. He was more concerned with how Lista's parents were going to take the sudden news that their eldest daughter was five months pregnant with his child. He hoped he was in their good graces as much as Lista boasted; otherwise, he feared the consequences against a man slightly more terrifying than Merrick Wysor: Lista's military-bred father.
"Glad to see you're up and about," Heero said, watching as Duo paced slowly through his hospital room. Despite the tight bandages wrapped beneath his chestnut bangs, his vibrant grin had returned full-force.
"Yeah, well, I'm not sitting in bed all damn day doing nothing. I want to get out of here and help out with everything," Duo pointed out. "Not doing any good to all of you being in here."
"Careful. You're starting to sound like the woman," Wufei warned, his arms folded over his chest as he leaned against the wall. "You need to concern yourself with getting better. You're not going to be any good to us if you're anything less than one hundred percent."
Duo scoffed and waved a hand dismissively at him. "Yeah, well, I'm not pregnant, so I don't think you'll have to worry as much about me," he replied, settling himself back into bed. "And speaking of Lissy, how's she doing?"
"She's doing well, everything considered," Trowa spoke up. "She and Quatre were heading to see her parents as we left to come here and see you. They were going to give them the news of her pregnancy."
"Yeah, Lissy called me before she left and told me," Duo said with a nod. "Sounds good to me. Hopefully I won't still be in this damn bed by the time she has Mini Quatre."
"You won't be," Trowa said. "I spoke with Doctor Vale. She said she should be able to get you out of here in several days, a week at the latest. You are recovering well enough, and since you have regained your memory of what put you in here, that's always a good sign. She's going to be doing another CT scan eventually to see if anything has changed."
Duo curled his hands into fists on his knees and frowned. "Yeah. Sounds fine to me." His eyes, violet and bright, connected with the dark, midnight blue of Heero's. "How's Quatre? I know he's gotta be worried to hell and back for Lissy after finding out everything that's been going down."
"Well, that's to be expected," Heero answered. "I think he's a little aggravated that Lista acted on raw emotion while being pregnant with his son. I can't imagine he's feeling too favorable for what she did, even if it was to save you. It would have been another story entirely if she weren't pregnant, but she is, not to mention she used his Gundam to do it. But naturally, Quatre probably won't voice his opinion on the matter. He's just glad to be back with her again."
"Well, he needs to tell the woman that what she did was idiotic and childish," Wufei spoke up, scowling. "The woman is responsible for that child's life. She all but spat all over everything Winner's ever done for her when she rushed out to save Maxwell. She could have killed him, herself, and that baby in seconds. She got incredibly lucky."
Duo sighed exasperatingly, turning all attention back over to him. He raked his fingers through his bangs. "Look, we can sit here all day and blame her for what she's done, but it's not going to do anything right now. Let's just be glad that nothing bad happened to her, to me, or the baby. Really, I owe her my life. There's no mistake that I probably would have died if she hadn't come to my rescue. None of you were close enough to do anything for me."
There was silence in the room for a moment before Trowa took the opportunity to speak up. "Actually, Duo, I had my guns set on the mobile dolls. I was prepared to fire when Lista got in the way."
Everyone turned to face the uni-banged pilot. "What?" Duo paled, hoping he'd somehow misheard. "Why didn't you say anything?"
"I knew if I told Lista, she would undoubtedly feel more regret on what happened out there. I didn't see her until it was too late. I thought I was going to be quick enough, but her actions were far too erratic for me to read. But I would have been able to fire on the mobile dolls and likely prevented you from being hospitalized.
"Jesus," Duo swore through clenched teeth. "So she came out there for no reason at all? She risked her life, her baby's life, for mine and didn't even have to do it?"
"Well, you sure as hell can't be made responsible for what the woman did," Wufei pointed out, turning to the green-eyed Heavyarms pilot. "None of us knew what she was doing. She was reacting to her emotions and nothing else. And I suppose Winner will never come to know of this?"
Trowa shook his head. "No, he already knows. I discussed it with him in private while Lista was still in the hospital. I felt he had every right to know what happened on that battlefield."
"Oh, damn it," Duo swore again, shaking his head. "He's pissed off, isn't he?"
"Well, he's certainly not pleased about what happened," Trowa replied. "He's quite angry with Lista but has let it go in favor of reaping the benefits of being with her again and knowing she is safe. And for the most part, we know that the baby is, as well."
A brow arched high over Duo's bandaged forehead. "For the most part? What the hell does that mean?"
"It means that there is a possibility there will be consequences to Lista's actions and the baby may have some permanent defect when he is born," Heero reiterated. "We don't know anything yet. Right now, Quatre's planning on taking Lista away from the fighting as soon as they take care of everything with her parents. He wants her far away from this to prevent her from making those decisions again."
Duo fell back against his pillows, covering her face with his palms. "This is just freakin' perfect. I swore I would do everything I could to keep her safe while he was gone, and I sure as hell didn't do that great of a job if she got herself into this whole mess."
"You're not her keeper, Maxwell," Wufei scolded. "She's a grown woman. She would have made those decisions with or without you. You're not responsible. She is. And if something is wrong with that baby, then so be it. Maybe that's what she needs to realize that she's responsible for the life of an innocent child that will suffer the consequences of every decision she makes."
"That's what I'm afraid of," Duo admitted, his palms falling away from his face. "I know Lissy, and she's one stubborn woman. I don't know if she'll ever get it."
Quatre could tell that Lista was an overridden bundle of nerves as they came to a slow stop in front of the Di Nevella home. Ever since they landed on the colony and picked up their rental car, Lista was fidgety and quiet. He caught her murmuring something to herself when she realized they were only minutes away. He felt sorry for her, even more than he felt sorry for himself when he had to face the wrath of her father for being kept in the dark about her pregnancy.
He could rehearse excuses in his head as much as he wished; he knew none of them would be suitable for the man. He was strict and traditional. He wanted his daughter to be well taken care of. Quatre had always ensured that Lista never had a want for anything, and despite regular protests from her, he spoiled her endlessly. And he was good at it.
He finally put the car in park and turned off the ignition, turning his head to gaze at Lista. Her eyes settled on the front door of the house nearly hidden by the covered wrap-around porch. "It's going to be fine, sweetheart," he assured her, resting his hand on top of hers. "I'm right here with you."
He turned his head towards the house, noticing movement from the corner of his eyes. Three girls, all looking nearly identical to Lista, came pouring from the house, excitedly screaming and rushing towards their car. He smiled warmly. "Well, it appears as if your sisters have come to welcome us. We better get this over with." He leaned over and pressed a quick kiss against her cheek before climbing out of the car and walking around the front to the passenger side. He waved to Lista's three younger sisters as he did so and opened Lista's door.
He didn't have the chance to help her out. The three girls, all of them wrapping their arms around his waist, bombarded him. "Quatre! Lista! You're here! We missed you!"
Smiling, he nodded. "We missed you, as well, Carina. It's good to see the three of you."
Gabriela, the next eldest at seventeen years old, shifted her way in between Quatre, her younger sisters, and the open passenger door. Lista was staring up at her, smiling weakly. Identical emerald eyes bore into her older sister's, immediately taking note to the very noticeable bulge on her stomach. Eyes wide, she leaned down, her nose a mere inch from Lista's. "Tell me my eyes are playing tricks on me, Lista," she said, her voice considerably deeper than her older sister's.
Lista shook her head and said nothing. Gabriela offered her hand, pulling her older sister out of the car. The younger girls, Alessandra and Carina, pried themselves off Quatre and turned to their eldest sister. Both girls, like their older sisters, had a full head of black hair. However, unlike Lista and Gabriela, they inherited the same crystal blue eyes their mother donned.
Carina, the youngest at eleven, leaned in, staring at her eldest sister in confusion and deep thought. Lista said nothing; instead, she waited patiently, watching her sister study the difference in her body form. "Lista, you look fatter."
Gabriela's mouth hung open in disbelief, and she elbowed her youngest sister in her side. "Carina! Don't say that!"
"It's all right, Gabby," Lista said quietly, resting her hand on her sister's shoulder. "We should probably get inside and talk about this. There's a lot to discuss."
Gabriela's brow rose high. "You think? Mom and Dad are going to have a cow." She turned to Quatre. "My parents are going to have full-blown strokes when they see this."
Quatre offered her a smile. "We'll take the repercussions of our actions, Gabriela, and if your father wishes to give me a thrashing, I would gladly receive it if he believes I have wronged your sister in any way."
Lista scowled. "I don't think so. My father's not going to touch you. He won't go to those extremes. His temper isn't that bad. He likes you."
"I wouldn't be so sure," Gabriela mumbled under her breath, directing her attention towards the porch. "Speak of the devil. Don't look now, sis."
Lista winced and drew a preparatory breath through her nose before turning her head. Her parents were now standing on the porch, both smiling and waiting patiently. She was surprised her mother still had the color in her cheeks and that her father hadn't come stomping towards them with roaring demands. Of course, it took her several short moments to realize that her younger sisters were standing right in front of her, barring their vision of her belly. So, they didn't notice yet. Somehow that made things even worse.
She exchanged a worried glance with Quatre. Her eyes were asking him if they could high tail it, but he shook his head and stepped in front of her. He grabbed her hands and leaned forward, his lips grazing against her ear. "We have to do this, sweetheart. I'll be right here next to you, and somehow I have the feeling your sisters will be here for you, as well. Everything will be fine."
"Okay," she whispered. She turned to her sisters and smiled. "Come on. We should get inside. We have a lot to catch up on." Her fingers tightened over Quatre's, especially once Carina and Alessandra moved aside, leaving her blossoming form free for her parents to see.
Now the soft scarlet color drained from her mother's cheeks, as well as the smile that had painted her lips from the moment she stepped out onto the porch. She snapped her head to her husband, studying his expression. His eyes were wide, and he stood still, his breathing all but nonexistent.
Lista and Quatre started forward, Gabriela and Carina to Lista's side while Alessandra occupied Quatre's. They came to the bottom of the stairs, and the expectant couple flashed smiles up at the waiting parents. "Hi, Mom. Dad. It's good to see you," Lista said, her voice weak behind her breathing.
Joelle Di Nevella's finger lifted from her side, pointing down to the middle of Lista's body. "What…What is going on? Are you…"
Lista nodded once. "I am." She swallowed hard and turned to look at her father, who remained silent and unmoving next to her mother. It was even worse for him to be silent than to hear him roar in anger. She almost wished he would. At least then she would know what was going through his mind.
Joelle collapsed against her husband's steely side, pressing a hand against her head. "My God," she gasped. "Is this why you haven't been around to see us lately? You didn't want us to know you were…" She trailed off again, as if the word she wished to use were an unholy one.
"It's complicated, Mom," Lista replied. "Can we go inside and talk about this? You look like you're about to faint."
"That would probably be the best idea," Lorenzo Di Nevella finally spoke up, his voice still a rumble even as he spoke quietly. He turned to his three other daughters. "Girls, take your mother into the den and get her some water. Quatre, Lista, and I will be right in."
"Good luck," Gabriela whispered in her sister's ear before following her father's order, she and her two other sisters turning their mother into the house as if she suddenly transformed into a mindless zombie.
Lista swallowed again. She knew her knuckles had to be white as she continued to clutch Quatre's hand as if her very life depended on it. She had to wonder if she was crushing bones at this point. She gazed up at her father's stern stare and swallowed hard. "Dad—"
"I'm sure you have a perfectly good explanation for keeping this knowledge from us," Lorenzo interrupted, folding his arms over his broad chest. "And I'm prepared to hear it at any moment."
Lista cowered into Quatre's side, unsure of whether the storm of anger was about to come. "It might be better for us to go inside as well and discuss it," Quatre spoke up, his smile fading. "I'd prefer to explain it all at once and somewhere that Lista would be able to get off her feet."
Lorenzo loosened his arms, letting them rest at his sides once more. Nodding, he signaled for the two of them to enter the house. "Good idea. Come on in."
Quatre looked at Lista and smiled, tugging her up the stairs. She had no difficulty, but Quatre refused to let go of her hand as they climbed the four stairs to the top of the porch. Quatre nodded his head to Lista's father as he led Lista inside the house, not noticing the pleased smile on Lorenzo's face as he followed the twosome inside, closing the door behind him.
"He's not freaking out," Lista whispered, staring at Quatre in disbelief. "He must be stoned, drunk, drugged, something."
Quatre chuckled and shook his head, leading her through the foyer and into the living room where Lista's mother and sisters were sitting on the leather sectional in the corner of the room, waiting patiently. Gabriela was urging her mother to drink the glass of ice water she'd gotten for her, but her mother appeared to be in another world entirely. He led Lista to the loveseat diagonal from the sectional, feeling Joelle's eyes suddenly on the two of them. Lorenzo was following closely behind them, quietly asking for Gabriela to move over so he could sit next to his wife.
"So," Lorenzo started, sighing as he got comfortable, resting his elbows on his legs. "We know that the two of you were separated not very many months back and that Quatre had to marry Merrick Wysor's daughter in order to keep Lista safe. And now the two of you sit before us, apparently reunited, with a baby on the way."
"A baby?" Carina exclaimed, blue eyes wide. She thrust her finger forward. "That's what that is? You're not just getting fat?"
Lista smiled, appreciative of her sister's relative innocence on the subject. "No, I'm not just gaining weight, Carina. I'm pregnant."
"Let Lista and Quatre explain, Carina," Alessandra spoke up, her voice small and meek, as she rested a hand on her spunky sister's shoulder. Carina grumbled and fell back against the sofa, arms folded impatiently over her chest.
"I could do nothing else but accept the terms of Merrick's agreement. I was prepared to do what was needed in order to keep her safe from him. That was my only option at the time, as much I despised it," Quatre explained. He lowered his head, closing his eyes, recalling the rather painful choice.
Lista patted her hand against his in comfort, silently reminding him that ship had long since sailed. "But Melody turned out to be a pawn in her father's plans, as well, and out of her care for Quatre, she let him come back," Lista informed. "In fact, the reason I kept this a secret from you is because Quatre didn't know either until we were reunited in the hospital. I didn't want to take the chance of Merrick finding out about it and using it to keep Quatre and I apart for even longer. I wanted him to find out before anyone else did, so I decided not to tell you until after he came to know of it."
She blinked her gaze to her mother, who continued to remain silent. The elder woman's blank cerulean expression had softened since their explanation began. "I hated keeping the truth from everyone, but it was the only thing I could come up with. I didn't want Quatre to find out last that he was going to be a father when he should have been the first."
"That's understandable," Lorenzo said. "I know the both of you are still relatively embroiled in this war with Merrick Wysor, so your personal lives are thrown around a bit."
Quatre looked to Lista, whose face contorted into an unhappy frown. "We want nothing more than to see his reign of terror come to an end and to bring our son into a peaceful world."
"Son?" Joelle spoke up, her voice cracking. Her cerulean blue eyes lit up. "The two of you are having a boy?"
Relieved to hear her mother speak, Lista sighed and nodded. "Yes. Neither of us found out until we were in the hospital. I didn't want to find out unless Quatre did, so that was one thing we discovered together."
A small smile cracked through Joelle's neutral expression, and she looked at her husband. "A grandson, Lorenzo. We'll have a baby boy in the family. Finally."
Lorenzo chuckled and shook his head. "After having four girls, we'll finally have a boy in this family," he said. "I found it difficult to share masculine pastimes with my daughters. I suppose now I'll have a boy in the family to make up for it."
"Indeed you will," Quatre agreed. "We would like nothing more than for our son to be well-acquainted with his grandparents." Smiling sadly, he lowered his head. "My parents are no longer alive, so I would like for him to know you both as well as possible." He shook his head and sighed deeply. "Either way, I would like to apologize."
Lista snapped her head in his direction, frowning. "What? What do you need to apologize to them for?"
Looking at her, he squeezed her hand. "Sweetheart, you are their daughter, and you had to go through many emotional hardships due to several poor choices I made. They deserve an apology from me."
"You didn't make any poor choices," Lista snapped. "We both had a lack of options. I don't blame you for making the decision to stay with Melody. Your marriage to her was illegal, anyway. I knew that."
He patted his hand on hers and said nothing in response, knowing that if he did so, it would continue their quarrel. Instead, he turned back to her parents. "I know how important Lista is to the both of you, and I feel I have failed in my promise to keep her safe. I also promised to keep her happy, which I have failed to do. I know words cannot erase the past and the pain you have all felt due to my actions, but it is the only thing I can offer you now. I am truly sorry." He bowed his head and released a slow, long breath. He felt Lista's fingers tighten around his, reminding him that she was there with him.
"My boy, look at me," Lorenzo ordered. Quatre lifted his head, looking at him with unblinking eyes, waiting for what he expected to be a right verbal thrashing. "I appreciate the apology, but my daughter is right. You have nothing to apologize for. We've known for a long time that your decisions have always reflected the best you could offer her, and sometimes there are shadows hanging over us that we can do nothing about. Merrick Wysor is one of those shadows. You did what you thought was best, and that in itself is a commendable act. I am just glad you two are back together and you can look to better things." He wrapped his arm around his wife, flashing her a wide smile. "Take it from me. There's nothing better in this world than making a family with someone you love."
Lista leaned forward, a slender brow curving above her eye. "Are you sure you're my father? Because the one I know would have been pulling out guns by now."
The former colonel released a bellowing laugh. "Only a crazy man would try to shoot his son-in-law, not to mention the father of his first grandchild. If it were anyone else, I probably would have," he admitted. "But as long as you're happy, then so am I, and I know Quatre never had an intention of hurting you. So if you did go through such an ordeal, it was accidental and something he had no other choice on. The only thing I worry about is that you're safe and well cared for. Quatre has done an excellent job fulfilling both of those requirements."
Lista stared at him for a moment, absorbing his words, before turning to look at her mother. "Mom? What about you?"
"Oh, I agree with your father, dear," she replied, waving her hand up and down with a smile. "I couldn't be happier that the two of you are having a family together. I know how much in love you are with one another. That child will be spoiled to the core." She patted her hands on her knees with a contented sigh. "So, how about something to eat? That grandson of mine needs the nourishment."
"Now, before we head off to lunch, I want to make something clear," Lorenzo suddenly said, clearing his throat. He pointed to his eldest daughter. "I know you're of age to make your own choices, Lista, but I sure hope you don't plan on going anywhere near a battlefield for the remainder of your pregnancy. You don't need another bump on the head from piloting a Gundam. That's dangerous. I taught you better than that."
Lista felt her throat tighten. "Wha— How did you know about that?" Lista sputtered, eyes wide.
"Your dear friend Heero gave us a call to inform us, long before you did," Joelle answered. "He thought you would refrain from telling us the truth to keep us from worrying about you, and he was right. We wanted to come to the hospital to see you, but he told us that you were being discharged, so we decided against it."
Lista frowned, breaking the hold on Quatre's hand for the first time during their visit to fold her arms over her chest. "What a traitor," she grumbled. "I should have known he'd do something like that."
"Well, I'm glad he did," Lorenzo said, frowning. "I know you did it to protect Duo, but you have to be more careful next time. In fact, I'd like to think there won't be a next time." Before Lista could respond, Lorenzo exchanged glances with his other daughters. "Well, the three of you have been awful quiet. I'm sure you'd like to congratulate your sister and Quatre. They're having a baby. That's a rather momentous occasion for our family."
"We just wanted to wait until you were both finished," Gabriela replied. "I thought for sure you'd lay it into them."
Lista's face lowered. "Thanks for the vote of confidence, Gabby," she murmured wryly.
Carina was the first to stand, cautiously walking over to Lista and Quatre as they remained seated, holding hands. "So, you really have a baby in there?" she asked in a hushed whisper, pointing at the bulge at Lista's stomach.
Lista chuckled and nodded at her youngest sister's innocence. "I do." She held out her hand, palm up. "Give me your hand, Carina."
The young Di Nevella girl hesitated, but slid her hand into her sister's. Lista slowly tugged her sister's hand against her belly, holding it still. "I think he's waking up. I can feel him moving."
"You can feel him moving in there?" Alessandra exclaimed, jumping up and rushing over to her youngest sister's side. "That's so weird and…gross!" Her nose wrinkled in a frown.
Lista shook her head. "It was weird at first, but it's a wonderful feeling, Alessandra. That's my baby boy in there. I have to keep him warm and safe. And plus, he enjoys when people touch my belly. He likes the attention, and he hasn't met any of you yet. I'm sure he'd like to get to know his aunts," she said, smiling wide. The look in her younger sisters' eyes was enlightening, reminding her just how much of a miracle, and a gift, it was to have the ability to nurture and carry human life.
"They're rather entertained by this," Quatre whispered, leaning towards Lista's ear as Alessandra weaseled her way in to place a palm against her blossoming belly. He was amused, and happy, that her sisters were as excited as he was to have this baby in their lives. Gabriela, Joelle, and Lorenzo towered behind the two girls, watching with smiles that rivaled the brightness of the sun in its intensity.
He suddenly had no idea why he'd been so worried about this visit.