Noin gritted her teeth in pain as her muscles tightened and curled in agony. Sweat had drenched her hair into three purple strands which clung to her face itching as she labored. Her muscles cramped again in pain and Noin bit back a scream as she forced them to move.
Letting go of the bar she let the weight fall, with a loud clack, onto the weights, as she herself collapsed onto a bench in the physical therapy room. Noin glared at the weight; it was only fifteen pounds. She sighed, knowing exactly why she couldn't lift it; the weeks wrapped in plaster casts had ruined her muscle strength and now she had to rebuild it.
But in her head a voice began to nag at her. Burying her face in her hands Noin tried to evade it as strong hands came down on her shoulders. She jumped, startled, and turned as Zechs was settling down on the bench behind her. He smiled pleasantly as his hands tightened on her shoulders marginally, turning her away from him, as he massaged the sore muscles there.
"How is physical therapy going?" Zechs murmured, feeling the tension in her muscles.
"Great." She answered looking up and glaring at the weight machine. She wished it would wither under her glare. "I'm only up to fifteen pounds; I feel miserable about it." She heard him laugh under his breath.
"Well, you were in the casts for three weeks." He answered.
Secretly Noin already missed the casts. She missed him coming to see her at all hours of the day, him taking care of her, and just sitting around talking. The inane conversations about life and healing and the academy. She blushed as she thought about another thing that she missed, while she'd been in casts she couldn't move her arms far enough to get food to her mouth. So Zechs had fed her, everyday.
As it was, she wondered why he was taking care of her as much as he was. Sure they were friends, but this was beyond friendship. And she refused to hope that it could be anything else. Zechs didn't feel that way about her...
"Whats on your mind?" Zechs purred in her ear. Noin turned slightly until they were almost face to face. He saw the tears in her eyes and his arms tightened, pulling her against him. "Its ok, Noin, things will get better," He paused. "You'll get stronger-"
"No." Noin moaned and shoved against his chest, pushing away from him. "I'm not getting stronger. I've been doing fifteen pounds since physical therapy began."
Suddenly anger flared inside her at her weakness; she'd was the academy's second best student, and now anyone could beat her. Who couldn't lift fifteen pounds? She was weak...An image of the Gundam pilot flashed in her mind, smirking as he lifted the sword over his head. He was laughing. And the Zero Five was towering behind him proudly.
Noin glared at Zechs; how could he believe that she'd get stronger? He always was the best, and recovery would have never been a problem for him. He wouldn't have even gone down in battle; he would have destroyed the Zero Five. Why was he sympathizing with her? In the shine on his mask she could see herself and the image was pitiful. She looked more like a street-child than a warrior.
"Whats wrong, Noin?" Zechs asked, worried at the expression on her face, she looked like she was going to slap him. Noin sighed and got up, walking towards the door. "Do you need help-" Zechs floundered at the glare sent his way, "With anything?".
"No." Noin answered quietly before walking out the door, leaving Zechs seated on the bench in the therapy room, puzzled. He stared at the door as it swung shut wondering if he should go after her; only the glare she had fired earlier stopped him. Obviously something was wrong with her; she was angry and she was focusing it at him for no apparent reason.
There was no reason for her to be angry at her progress with the weights, she had recovered more in two weeks than most people would do in two months. More than he would have done in a month.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Treize stood in the hallway watching Noin walk by. He loved to watch her, in fact he'd had cameras rerouted to video screens in his office so that he could watch her at all times of the day. What he didn't like seeing was Zechs with her; the sickening way she smiled at him and how they were always together. He didn't like the fact that they'd been friends in the Academy, or rather he knew they had been friends but he didn't like how close they were now. And they'd been getting closer. It made him sick when he knew he was the one for her, her perfect match. There was no way he was going to allow Zechs to take the place that was rightly his.
Frowning at his thoughts he realized he'd let Noin walk by because he'd been distracted by his anger. Ah, well, it was worth it this time so he could put his plan into action. Straightening his lapels he walked to the door of the therapy room that Zechs had yet to come out of, and opened the door. His LT. looked up, startled, and bounded to his feet to salute his commander.
"Yes, sir?" Zechs asked.
"I'd like to speak to you," Treize started. "Privately. Perhaps tomorrow? In my office?"
Zechs nodded.
"Of course, sir." He answered and Treize smiled before turning and leaving through the door. In the hall Treize smiled wolfishly; the first part of his plan was going into action, he'd have them split up in no time!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Noin stood in the locker rooms gripping the towel to herself, her head bent and resting against the lockers. She was fresh out of the showers and the bandages had just come off her scars; she was frightened. She'd never had scars before. She suddenly wanted to find Zechs and let him make her laugh about it and make her feel better.
Instead she quickly pulled on her uniform and trudged to the mess hall for lunch. There was no reason to show that much emotion. She stood in line and got a small lunch since she didn't have much of an appetite and then she found a table away from the one she normally sat at.
Lady Une and Zechs watched her from across the room with worried expressions on their faces.
"And she just marched out of there like I'd said something wrong." Zechs told Lady Une. "I'm worried about her, and she's angry at herself because she doesn't think she's recovering fast enough."
"How fast is she recovering?" Une asked.
"She's done enough recovery in two weeks to equal two months, what would take me a month to recover from." He answered, picking at his food and not eating much of it. "And Treize wants to speak to me about something tomorrow."
"I wish he wanted to speak to me." Lady Une said sadly and sighed. "I wish he wanted anything from me."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Noin was halfway to her quarters in the barracks when she saw Zechs in front of her door waiting for her to arrive. For a second she paused and almost decided to go back. But, steeling herself she went forward towards her room.
Zechs looked up as Noin neared, and he inwardly frowned at her scowl, wondering what could have upset her so much. He feverishly hoped it wasn't him.
"Why are you here?" Noin asked. Why would anyone stronger want her?
"Noin." Zechs said, shocked. "I'm your friend, I'm supposed to be here for you. I'm supposed to help you when you need help-" Noin cut him off snarling.
"I don't need help from anybody!" She yelled at him, ignoring the wounded look in his eyes.
"Noin," Zechs lunged forward suddenly and grabbed her by her shoulders. "Whats wrong? Let me help you."
Only weak people need help, the Gundam Pilot's voice told her. Noin struggled free from him and found her back to her door. Without looking she groped for the doorknob and twisted it roughly.
"I don't need your help!" Noin slipped through the door and slammed it shut, clicking the lock seconds later. Turning her back to it she slid down it to the floor and listened in the darkness. She heard Zechs sigh sadly and then his boot heels as he walked away.
In the darkness Noin burst into tears.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Zechs stormed into his quarters angry. A day ago they'd been the best of friends and now Noin wouldn't even tell him what was wrong. He knew it had to do with her therapy, but he couldn't understand why she would be angry; her progression was remarkable. Falling onto his bed he pulled off his mask and dropped it onto the floor. His hands rose up to rub his face and forehead before moving onto his hair, in an effort to remove tension. It didn't help.
And the look she'd had on her face, the pure anger there. It was a look he'd never seen from her before and he'd known her for more than ten years. But there was something else with that anger; he thought he'd seen fear in her eyes.
Somewhere inside it was killing him and he knew it. Noin had been just his friend for so many years, she'd been a tomboy, challenging him to climb higher in the tree than their tree house. In the academy she'd been his roommate and study pal and his best friend, the one who stuck up for him when the other trainees tortured him for wearing a mask day in and day out. And she'd never asked for a single glimpse, always respecting his wishes to remain anonymous. Not even that day, weeks ago, when he'd fallen asleep at her bedside in the infirmary. She could have slipped his mask off while he was asleep, but she hadn't. From that first second when he heard the screams over the radio that a Gundam was attacking it had hit him suddenly, just how much she meant to him, just how much he needed her. How all of it added up over the years.
He wasn't about to let that slip away. Not when he knew he loved her.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Zechs stood outside the door to her quarters and listened. There was nothing inside, not a sound. Noin had left.
He turned on his heels and headed for the physical therapy room. From 30 feet down the hall he could see the light seeping under the door, and knew it could only be her. Zechs paused outside the door to collect his thoughts, before pushing the door open and stepping in. Noin stood with her back to him struggling to lift the fifteen pound weight, and her shoulder muscles tightened and bunched when she realized someone was there, knowing it could only be Zechs. She dropped the weight with a clink and turned to face him as he shut the door behind himself.
"Noin, I..." He started, and she glared. "We've been friends a long time and I can't bear to lose you to whatever problem it is you're having; let me help you."
Only weak people need help, a voice told her, and Noin flinched.
"I don't need your help, or anyone else's!" She yelled back, flipping the hair out of her eyes. Zechs snapped.
"No, Noin, you do need help." He told her though gritted teeth. "Even I need help! Look at you! Its four AM for god's sake and you're in here pushing yourself to a limit that is above human grasp!" Noin attempted to shove past him and Zechs grabbed her by her shoulders and shoved her down onto the workbench. "I'm watching you destroy yourself here, Noin. And destroy the person I saved from the Gundam attack. You're destroying the girl I grew up with. I won't let you do this."
Noin stared at the floor. He couldn't want her, he couldn't care. No one was going to come for her. No one cared.
"I'm weak." She murmured. Zechs jaw dropped open in shock and without thinking he reached for her, yanking her to her feet.
"Dammit! Can't you understand me, Noin? If I were you..." He sighed exasperated. "The amount of work you've done so far is two months worth of recovery. What would take me a month to do." Noin barely flinched.
"You would have defeated the Gundam pilot." She told him. You wouldn't be fighting an inner war over who was weak and who was strong. You wouldn't be haunted by the voice and sight of your attacker, she told herself.
"Noin." He said waiting for her to look up and make eye contact. "I need you. I need you more than I've ever known, I never realized it until I heard that pilot screaming over the radio that you were being attacked. It kills me to hear you say that you don't need anyone, especially not me." He paused trying to collect his thoughts. "It really kills me Noin, because I love you. I love your strength, and your fire, and your beauty. I love your sense of humor and your compassion. I love everything about you."
Noin listened impassively, and she saw something shut down in his eyes. She saw something die. The arms that held her let go and he stepped back, reaching for the door nob to leave. He stopped halfway out the door.
"If thats the way you want it Noin..." He sighed. "Besides, I've never beaten a Gundam in battle."
With that he was gone.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Inside her room Noin broke down, letting the mask drop. He was still offering his help to her, and she heard the voice say that he must think she was weak. That Zechs must think that she couldn't do anything on her own. That he must pity her.
No one will love you, no one will need you, no one will come for you or even to retrieve your Mobile Suit. The words seemed to echo for her, because she'd been in pain. Then the Gundam pilot looked up, because something was approaching. And Noin had blacked out. Zechs had saved her life and he had realized he loved her.
He doesn't, no one could, the Gundam pilots voice said. Zechs loved her. He had come for her, and had saved her, and had spent all of his spare time in the infirmary with her. He had doctored her, and pampered her, and made her smile.
She had to apologize to him, and Noin struggled to sit up, but the past nights had been haunted by the Gundam pilot and she hadn't slept, now that he was vanquished Noin was tired and her muscles refused to work. Instead of getting up she curled on her side peacefully and fell asleep.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Zechs," Treize purred, early in the morning, when his LT. entered his office. "How good of you to come, and right on time as usual."
Zechs nodded and sat down on one of the chairs in front of his commander's desk.
"Would you care for some wine?" Treize asked even as he poured two glasses; Zechs silently received his and sipped at it, watching Treize carefully out of the corner of his eyes. "Yes, well, lets get right to business...You've heard of the Interex Base haven't you?" Zechs nodded, silently. "Its going to host our largest mobile suit manufacturing plant yet, over a mile under ground. It will be impossible to trace from any location." Treize paused realizing that Zechs was still quiet and that it was beginning to unnerve him. "I'm going to promote you to General, Zechs. And I want you to take over that base for me." He paused. "Of course you're entirely welcome to stay here." Treize smirked with his back to Zechs. He knew how things were going between him and Noin, he knew they were fighting; and he knew that it was as good as a reason as any to leave this base. Most of all he wanted Zechs as far out of the picture as he could possibly be, like a mile beneath the Antarctic Ice Sheet, which, convenient as it seemed, was right where the Interex Base was.
Zechs sat his glass of wine down on the edge of the desk in hopes of not dropping it in shock and spilling it all over the floor. He...General...General Zechs Merquise? It had a nice ring to it, but did it mean leaving everything behind? Everyone behind?
"Sir?" Zechs asked, watching his commander's back tighten in tension. "To become General must I take over the Interex Base?"
Treize sighed.
"No. But I would prefer that you were the one managing that base." Treize falsely smiled. "As I said, you are entirely welcome to stay here, and still be a general."
"How long do I have to decide?"
"The last carrier flying out tonight leaves at one AM; You have until then, General Zechs Merquise, and you can fly any time today that you want to."
"Then I guess I had better get ready, Sir." Zechs answered standing up, and extending his hand to Treize in a handshake.
As the door shut behind General Zechs Merquise, Treize smiled. His plan was working very well, as well as he hoped his plans for the Interex Base would. He'd purposely had it build under the heaviest part of the ice shelf, and had the supports holding the ice up weakened. His competition for Noin would soon be dead and gone.
He smiled wickedly and finished his glass of wine.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Lady?" Noin asked approaching the general's desk. Lady Une looked up, uncertain of how Noin was going to act, before motioning her to the chair in front of her desk. Noin sank into it dismally. "Do you know where Zechs is? I can't find him anywhere in the base."
Lady Une frowned, not wanting to deliver bad news, but knowing she had to.
"You haven't heard?" She asked.
"Heard what?"
"He's gone. Zechs was promoted to General this morning and asked to take over Interex Base in Antarctica." Lady Une sighed.
"What have I done?" Noin asked bursting into tears. "This is all my fault. I should have told him..." Noin sniffled trying to bring her tears under control, when she felt her friend's arms around her, trying to comfort her. Noin waited until she stopped sniffling and Lady Une's arms loosened from around her before she stumbled out of the room towards her quarters.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Zechs sat at the controls of TallGeese, comfortable in the darkness of its cabin. He needed to think about his decision very carefully. His hands brushed over the controls and the interior, remembering all of the battles he had fought. Turning slightly he could see the roll bar he had broken his shoulder out of socket on and it brought back the rush of adrenalin he'd had when the battle had been reported in the hanger.
He tried to imagine TallGeese in Antarctica's snow and ice landscape, covered in frost. The thought of the cold didn't suit him. But he was a soldier and also a General, he could put up with such things. Treize was depending on him.
Yes, Treize was depending on him.
Zechs reached for the radio controls and patched through to Treize's office.
"Sir," He began. "I have decided..."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Noin stood at the door to his room, disbelieving what she had heard, that Zechs was gone. Gone to Antarctica. Gone for good. Noin sank to her knees, leaning against the door, crying. This was all her fault because she'd given in to the fears the Gundam pilot had inspired.
"I'm so sorry." She murmured to the darkness. "I'm so sorry, Zechs. I shouldn't have turned you away. You were right, I do need someone. I need you. I...I love you. I've loved you for so long and I couldn't say it. I was afraid." She pulled her knees up to her chest and pillowed her head on them. "I'm sorry...I was wrong, and I'm sorry Zechs. I need you."
An elevator opened silently at the end of the hall and the man inside started down the line of doors to his quarters. He paused when he saw the figure huddled in the doorway.
"You were right Zechs, I do need someone. I need you." She sobbed. "I love you."
He knelt down beside the figure and slid his arms under her knees and around her shoulders, lifting her into his arms. Noin latched her arms around his neck glad to have someone to cry on, and not really caring who it was. He slid a key into the door and opened it, the dim light in the corner giving a soft touch to the furniture in his quarters, and he shut the door with a foot, carrying Noin to the bed and sitting down with her in his arms. His hand rose up to brush over her hair in a comforting gesture.
"Shhh, Noin." he murmured. "Everythings going to be ok. I'm here now, theres no reason to cry."
Noin wrinkled her eyes in shock and opened them surveying the blue color of a General's uniform. And the long blonde hair cascading over the shoulder. She pulled back in shock.
"Zechs?!"
His warm smiled greeted her.
"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry Zechs, I shouldn't have-"
"Shhh." He told her placing a finger against her lips. "I heard you in the hall." His smile brightened as the hand that had been behind her knees stroked against her cheek. "I love you too."
"But...Didn't you leave, for the Interex Base?" Noin asked leaning into his touch.
"I spent the day in the hanger sitting in TallGeese's cabin thinking it over. I couldn't leave this unresolved. I couldn't abandon you, no matter how you felt about me." He told her. "I love you and I had to stay."
"Thank you." Noin murmured. Zechs' eyes darkened with doubt for a second and he looked away.
"Noin, I..." He started. "In all the time I've known you, you've never once asked to see my face. I've lived anonymously for thirteen years...I want you to see...My face and know who I am."
"I could love you even with your mask." She told him, knowing she would never force him into revealing his face.
"I know, thats why I want to show you." He answered and he lifted his hands to the sides of his mask and closed his eyes for a second, trying to calm his inner demons. Gently he lifted the mask off and dropped it onto the bed, keeping his eyes closed as his hand ruffled his hair slightly to shake it out. He opened his eyes to thin cobalt slits and surveyed Noin's reaction, which appeared to be shock. "My name is Prince Milyardo Peacecraft of the Peacecraft monarchy of the Sanq Kingdom. My family line and my kingdom were destroyed by the Earth Sphere Alliance when I was six years old and I vowed to remain anonymously hidden within a war faction and see them destroyed."
"You...You're a..." Noin gaped. "You're a Prince?" At his nod she continued to fumble with the idea. "As in knights and armor," he nodded again trying not to laugh. "and castles..."
"There was one once, but its in ruins now." Sadness touched his eyes and Noin regretted unknowingly leading him into an area of sad thoughts.
"So you've been a Prince your entire life?" He nodded. "Thats where you get the manners, then." Noin said smiling and he laughed.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Treize sat in his office in the early hours of the morning, his hands gripping the edge of the desk as if he was going to rip it off. Finally he struggled out of his chair and stood with his hands firmly planted on the table top, gritting his teeth together.
His plan. His beautiful plan had gone to hell. Damn Zechs. He should have been in Antarctica by now, but no, he'd stayed. He'd stayed and he and Noin had made up and now Treize knew there was no conceivable way to get Zechs out of the picture.
This was not good.
the end
Letting go of the bar she let the weight fall, with a loud clack, onto the weights, as she herself collapsed onto a bench in the physical therapy room. Noin glared at the weight; it was only fifteen pounds. She sighed, knowing exactly why she couldn't lift it; the weeks wrapped in plaster casts had ruined her muscle strength and now she had to rebuild it.
But in her head a voice began to nag at her. Burying her face in her hands Noin tried to evade it as strong hands came down on her shoulders. She jumped, startled, and turned as Zechs was settling down on the bench behind her. He smiled pleasantly as his hands tightened on her shoulders marginally, turning her away from him, as he massaged the sore muscles there.
"How is physical therapy going?" Zechs murmured, feeling the tension in her muscles.
"Great." She answered looking up and glaring at the weight machine. She wished it would wither under her glare. "I'm only up to fifteen pounds; I feel miserable about it." She heard him laugh under his breath.
"Well, you were in the casts for three weeks." He answered.
Secretly Noin already missed the casts. She missed him coming to see her at all hours of the day, him taking care of her, and just sitting around talking. The inane conversations about life and healing and the academy. She blushed as she thought about another thing that she missed, while she'd been in casts she couldn't move her arms far enough to get food to her mouth. So Zechs had fed her, everyday.
As it was, she wondered why he was taking care of her as much as he was. Sure they were friends, but this was beyond friendship. And she refused to hope that it could be anything else. Zechs didn't feel that way about her...
"Whats on your mind?" Zechs purred in her ear. Noin turned slightly until they were almost face to face. He saw the tears in her eyes and his arms tightened, pulling her against him. "Its ok, Noin, things will get better," He paused. "You'll get stronger-"
"No." Noin moaned and shoved against his chest, pushing away from him. "I'm not getting stronger. I've been doing fifteen pounds since physical therapy began."
Suddenly anger flared inside her at her weakness; she'd was the academy's second best student, and now anyone could beat her. Who couldn't lift fifteen pounds? She was weak...An image of the Gundam pilot flashed in her mind, smirking as he lifted the sword over his head. He was laughing. And the Zero Five was towering behind him proudly.
Noin glared at Zechs; how could he believe that she'd get stronger? He always was the best, and recovery would have never been a problem for him. He wouldn't have even gone down in battle; he would have destroyed the Zero Five. Why was he sympathizing with her? In the shine on his mask she could see herself and the image was pitiful. She looked more like a street-child than a warrior.
"Whats wrong, Noin?" Zechs asked, worried at the expression on her face, she looked like she was going to slap him. Noin sighed and got up, walking towards the door. "Do you need help-" Zechs floundered at the glare sent his way, "With anything?".
"No." Noin answered quietly before walking out the door, leaving Zechs seated on the bench in the therapy room, puzzled. He stared at the door as it swung shut wondering if he should go after her; only the glare she had fired earlier stopped him. Obviously something was wrong with her; she was angry and she was focusing it at him for no apparent reason.
There was no reason for her to be angry at her progress with the weights, she had recovered more in two weeks than most people would do in two months. More than he would have done in a month.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Treize stood in the hallway watching Noin walk by. He loved to watch her, in fact he'd had cameras rerouted to video screens in his office so that he could watch her at all times of the day. What he didn't like seeing was Zechs with her; the sickening way she smiled at him and how they were always together. He didn't like the fact that they'd been friends in the Academy, or rather he knew they had been friends but he didn't like how close they were now. And they'd been getting closer. It made him sick when he knew he was the one for her, her perfect match. There was no way he was going to allow Zechs to take the place that was rightly his.
Frowning at his thoughts he realized he'd let Noin walk by because he'd been distracted by his anger. Ah, well, it was worth it this time so he could put his plan into action. Straightening his lapels he walked to the door of the therapy room that Zechs had yet to come out of, and opened the door. His LT. looked up, startled, and bounded to his feet to salute his commander.
"Yes, sir?" Zechs asked.
"I'd like to speak to you," Treize started. "Privately. Perhaps tomorrow? In my office?"
Zechs nodded.
"Of course, sir." He answered and Treize smiled before turning and leaving through the door. In the hall Treize smiled wolfishly; the first part of his plan was going into action, he'd have them split up in no time!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Noin stood in the locker rooms gripping the towel to herself, her head bent and resting against the lockers. She was fresh out of the showers and the bandages had just come off her scars; she was frightened. She'd never had scars before. She suddenly wanted to find Zechs and let him make her laugh about it and make her feel better.
Instead she quickly pulled on her uniform and trudged to the mess hall for lunch. There was no reason to show that much emotion. She stood in line and got a small lunch since she didn't have much of an appetite and then she found a table away from the one she normally sat at.
Lady Une and Zechs watched her from across the room with worried expressions on their faces.
"And she just marched out of there like I'd said something wrong." Zechs told Lady Une. "I'm worried about her, and she's angry at herself because she doesn't think she's recovering fast enough."
"How fast is she recovering?" Une asked.
"She's done enough recovery in two weeks to equal two months, what would take me a month to recover from." He answered, picking at his food and not eating much of it. "And Treize wants to speak to me about something tomorrow."
"I wish he wanted to speak to me." Lady Une said sadly and sighed. "I wish he wanted anything from me."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Noin was halfway to her quarters in the barracks when she saw Zechs in front of her door waiting for her to arrive. For a second she paused and almost decided to go back. But, steeling herself she went forward towards her room.
Zechs looked up as Noin neared, and he inwardly frowned at her scowl, wondering what could have upset her so much. He feverishly hoped it wasn't him.
"Why are you here?" Noin asked. Why would anyone stronger want her?
"Noin." Zechs said, shocked. "I'm your friend, I'm supposed to be here for you. I'm supposed to help you when you need help-" Noin cut him off snarling.
"I don't need help from anybody!" She yelled at him, ignoring the wounded look in his eyes.
"Noin," Zechs lunged forward suddenly and grabbed her by her shoulders. "Whats wrong? Let me help you."
Only weak people need help, the Gundam Pilot's voice told her. Noin struggled free from him and found her back to her door. Without looking she groped for the doorknob and twisted it roughly.
"I don't need your help!" Noin slipped through the door and slammed it shut, clicking the lock seconds later. Turning her back to it she slid down it to the floor and listened in the darkness. She heard Zechs sigh sadly and then his boot heels as he walked away.
In the darkness Noin burst into tears.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Zechs stormed into his quarters angry. A day ago they'd been the best of friends and now Noin wouldn't even tell him what was wrong. He knew it had to do with her therapy, but he couldn't understand why she would be angry; her progression was remarkable. Falling onto his bed he pulled off his mask and dropped it onto the floor. His hands rose up to rub his face and forehead before moving onto his hair, in an effort to remove tension. It didn't help.
And the look she'd had on her face, the pure anger there. It was a look he'd never seen from her before and he'd known her for more than ten years. But there was something else with that anger; he thought he'd seen fear in her eyes.
Somewhere inside it was killing him and he knew it. Noin had been just his friend for so many years, she'd been a tomboy, challenging him to climb higher in the tree than their tree house. In the academy she'd been his roommate and study pal and his best friend, the one who stuck up for him when the other trainees tortured him for wearing a mask day in and day out. And she'd never asked for a single glimpse, always respecting his wishes to remain anonymous. Not even that day, weeks ago, when he'd fallen asleep at her bedside in the infirmary. She could have slipped his mask off while he was asleep, but she hadn't. From that first second when he heard the screams over the radio that a Gundam was attacking it had hit him suddenly, just how much she meant to him, just how much he needed her. How all of it added up over the years.
He wasn't about to let that slip away. Not when he knew he loved her.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Zechs stood outside the door to her quarters and listened. There was nothing inside, not a sound. Noin had left.
He turned on his heels and headed for the physical therapy room. From 30 feet down the hall he could see the light seeping under the door, and knew it could only be her. Zechs paused outside the door to collect his thoughts, before pushing the door open and stepping in. Noin stood with her back to him struggling to lift the fifteen pound weight, and her shoulder muscles tightened and bunched when she realized someone was there, knowing it could only be Zechs. She dropped the weight with a clink and turned to face him as he shut the door behind himself.
"Noin, I..." He started, and she glared. "We've been friends a long time and I can't bear to lose you to whatever problem it is you're having; let me help you."
Only weak people need help, a voice told her, and Noin flinched.
"I don't need your help, or anyone else's!" She yelled back, flipping the hair out of her eyes. Zechs snapped.
"No, Noin, you do need help." He told her though gritted teeth. "Even I need help! Look at you! Its four AM for god's sake and you're in here pushing yourself to a limit that is above human grasp!" Noin attempted to shove past him and Zechs grabbed her by her shoulders and shoved her down onto the workbench. "I'm watching you destroy yourself here, Noin. And destroy the person I saved from the Gundam attack. You're destroying the girl I grew up with. I won't let you do this."
Noin stared at the floor. He couldn't want her, he couldn't care. No one was going to come for her. No one cared.
"I'm weak." She murmured. Zechs jaw dropped open in shock and without thinking he reached for her, yanking her to her feet.
"Dammit! Can't you understand me, Noin? If I were you..." He sighed exasperated. "The amount of work you've done so far is two months worth of recovery. What would take me a month to do." Noin barely flinched.
"You would have defeated the Gundam pilot." She told him. You wouldn't be fighting an inner war over who was weak and who was strong. You wouldn't be haunted by the voice and sight of your attacker, she told herself.
"Noin." He said waiting for her to look up and make eye contact. "I need you. I need you more than I've ever known, I never realized it until I heard that pilot screaming over the radio that you were being attacked. It kills me to hear you say that you don't need anyone, especially not me." He paused trying to collect his thoughts. "It really kills me Noin, because I love you. I love your strength, and your fire, and your beauty. I love your sense of humor and your compassion. I love everything about you."
Noin listened impassively, and she saw something shut down in his eyes. She saw something die. The arms that held her let go and he stepped back, reaching for the door nob to leave. He stopped halfway out the door.
"If thats the way you want it Noin..." He sighed. "Besides, I've never beaten a Gundam in battle."
With that he was gone.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Inside her room Noin broke down, letting the mask drop. He was still offering his help to her, and she heard the voice say that he must think she was weak. That Zechs must think that she couldn't do anything on her own. That he must pity her.
No one will love you, no one will need you, no one will come for you or even to retrieve your Mobile Suit. The words seemed to echo for her, because she'd been in pain. Then the Gundam pilot looked up, because something was approaching. And Noin had blacked out. Zechs had saved her life and he had realized he loved her.
He doesn't, no one could, the Gundam pilots voice said. Zechs loved her. He had come for her, and had saved her, and had spent all of his spare time in the infirmary with her. He had doctored her, and pampered her, and made her smile.
She had to apologize to him, and Noin struggled to sit up, but the past nights had been haunted by the Gundam pilot and she hadn't slept, now that he was vanquished Noin was tired and her muscles refused to work. Instead of getting up she curled on her side peacefully and fell asleep.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Zechs," Treize purred, early in the morning, when his LT. entered his office. "How good of you to come, and right on time as usual."
Zechs nodded and sat down on one of the chairs in front of his commander's desk.
"Would you care for some wine?" Treize asked even as he poured two glasses; Zechs silently received his and sipped at it, watching Treize carefully out of the corner of his eyes. "Yes, well, lets get right to business...You've heard of the Interex Base haven't you?" Zechs nodded, silently. "Its going to host our largest mobile suit manufacturing plant yet, over a mile under ground. It will be impossible to trace from any location." Treize paused realizing that Zechs was still quiet and that it was beginning to unnerve him. "I'm going to promote you to General, Zechs. And I want you to take over that base for me." He paused. "Of course you're entirely welcome to stay here." Treize smirked with his back to Zechs. He knew how things were going between him and Noin, he knew they were fighting; and he knew that it was as good as a reason as any to leave this base. Most of all he wanted Zechs as far out of the picture as he could possibly be, like a mile beneath the Antarctic Ice Sheet, which, convenient as it seemed, was right where the Interex Base was.
Zechs sat his glass of wine down on the edge of the desk in hopes of not dropping it in shock and spilling it all over the floor. He...General...General Zechs Merquise? It had a nice ring to it, but did it mean leaving everything behind? Everyone behind?
"Sir?" Zechs asked, watching his commander's back tighten in tension. "To become General must I take over the Interex Base?"
Treize sighed.
"No. But I would prefer that you were the one managing that base." Treize falsely smiled. "As I said, you are entirely welcome to stay here, and still be a general."
"How long do I have to decide?"
"The last carrier flying out tonight leaves at one AM; You have until then, General Zechs Merquise, and you can fly any time today that you want to."
"Then I guess I had better get ready, Sir." Zechs answered standing up, and extending his hand to Treize in a handshake.
As the door shut behind General Zechs Merquise, Treize smiled. His plan was working very well, as well as he hoped his plans for the Interex Base would. He'd purposely had it build under the heaviest part of the ice shelf, and had the supports holding the ice up weakened. His competition for Noin would soon be dead and gone.
He smiled wickedly and finished his glass of wine.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Lady?" Noin asked approaching the general's desk. Lady Une looked up, uncertain of how Noin was going to act, before motioning her to the chair in front of her desk. Noin sank into it dismally. "Do you know where Zechs is? I can't find him anywhere in the base."
Lady Une frowned, not wanting to deliver bad news, but knowing she had to.
"You haven't heard?" She asked.
"Heard what?"
"He's gone. Zechs was promoted to General this morning and asked to take over Interex Base in Antarctica." Lady Une sighed.
"What have I done?" Noin asked bursting into tears. "This is all my fault. I should have told him..." Noin sniffled trying to bring her tears under control, when she felt her friend's arms around her, trying to comfort her. Noin waited until she stopped sniffling and Lady Une's arms loosened from around her before she stumbled out of the room towards her quarters.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Zechs sat at the controls of TallGeese, comfortable in the darkness of its cabin. He needed to think about his decision very carefully. His hands brushed over the controls and the interior, remembering all of the battles he had fought. Turning slightly he could see the roll bar he had broken his shoulder out of socket on and it brought back the rush of adrenalin he'd had when the battle had been reported in the hanger.
He tried to imagine TallGeese in Antarctica's snow and ice landscape, covered in frost. The thought of the cold didn't suit him. But he was a soldier and also a General, he could put up with such things. Treize was depending on him.
Yes, Treize was depending on him.
Zechs reached for the radio controls and patched through to Treize's office.
"Sir," He began. "I have decided..."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Noin stood at the door to his room, disbelieving what she had heard, that Zechs was gone. Gone to Antarctica. Gone for good. Noin sank to her knees, leaning against the door, crying. This was all her fault because she'd given in to the fears the Gundam pilot had inspired.
"I'm so sorry." She murmured to the darkness. "I'm so sorry, Zechs. I shouldn't have turned you away. You were right, I do need someone. I need you. I...I love you. I've loved you for so long and I couldn't say it. I was afraid." She pulled her knees up to her chest and pillowed her head on them. "I'm sorry...I was wrong, and I'm sorry Zechs. I need you."
An elevator opened silently at the end of the hall and the man inside started down the line of doors to his quarters. He paused when he saw the figure huddled in the doorway.
"You were right Zechs, I do need someone. I need you." She sobbed. "I love you."
He knelt down beside the figure and slid his arms under her knees and around her shoulders, lifting her into his arms. Noin latched her arms around his neck glad to have someone to cry on, and not really caring who it was. He slid a key into the door and opened it, the dim light in the corner giving a soft touch to the furniture in his quarters, and he shut the door with a foot, carrying Noin to the bed and sitting down with her in his arms. His hand rose up to brush over her hair in a comforting gesture.
"Shhh, Noin." he murmured. "Everythings going to be ok. I'm here now, theres no reason to cry."
Noin wrinkled her eyes in shock and opened them surveying the blue color of a General's uniform. And the long blonde hair cascading over the shoulder. She pulled back in shock.
"Zechs?!"
His warm smiled greeted her.
"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry Zechs, I shouldn't have-"
"Shhh." He told her placing a finger against her lips. "I heard you in the hall." His smile brightened as the hand that had been behind her knees stroked against her cheek. "I love you too."
"But...Didn't you leave, for the Interex Base?" Noin asked leaning into his touch.
"I spent the day in the hanger sitting in TallGeese's cabin thinking it over. I couldn't leave this unresolved. I couldn't abandon you, no matter how you felt about me." He told her. "I love you and I had to stay."
"Thank you." Noin murmured. Zechs' eyes darkened with doubt for a second and he looked away.
"Noin, I..." He started. "In all the time I've known you, you've never once asked to see my face. I've lived anonymously for thirteen years...I want you to see...My face and know who I am."
"I could love you even with your mask." She told him, knowing she would never force him into revealing his face.
"I know, thats why I want to show you." He answered and he lifted his hands to the sides of his mask and closed his eyes for a second, trying to calm his inner demons. Gently he lifted the mask off and dropped it onto the bed, keeping his eyes closed as his hand ruffled his hair slightly to shake it out. He opened his eyes to thin cobalt slits and surveyed Noin's reaction, which appeared to be shock. "My name is Prince Milyardo Peacecraft of the Peacecraft monarchy of the Sanq Kingdom. My family line and my kingdom were destroyed by the Earth Sphere Alliance when I was six years old and I vowed to remain anonymously hidden within a war faction and see them destroyed."
"You...You're a..." Noin gaped. "You're a Prince?" At his nod she continued to fumble with the idea. "As in knights and armor," he nodded again trying not to laugh. "and castles..."
"There was one once, but its in ruins now." Sadness touched his eyes and Noin regretted unknowingly leading him into an area of sad thoughts.
"So you've been a Prince your entire life?" He nodded. "Thats where you get the manners, then." Noin said smiling and he laughed.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Treize sat in his office in the early hours of the morning, his hands gripping the edge of the desk as if he was going to rip it off. Finally he struggled out of his chair and stood with his hands firmly planted on the table top, gritting his teeth together.
His plan. His beautiful plan had gone to hell. Damn Zechs. He should have been in Antarctica by now, but no, he'd stayed. He'd stayed and he and Noin had made up and now Treize knew there was no conceivable way to get Zechs out of the picture.
This was not good.
the end