by Lady Aishiteru
~*~*~*~
Catherine awoke to rays of sunlight caressing her face, inviting her back into consciousness. Eyes still closed, she sighed contentedly. She had the most wonderful dream, and she didn't want to ever wake from it.
She felt a stirring coming from the other side bed, like someone tossing in their sleep. It was then that she noticed the sound of a heartbeat and the feel of strong arms holding her close. She craned her neck upwards, and was greeted by the face of Quatre.
'So it wasn't a dream,' thought Catherine. He really was here with her. She studied his face - an even amount of blond stubble was forming on his jawline, his hair was slightly tousled over his forehead, and his generous lashes rested on his cheeks. 'He really does look sweet when he's sleeping,' she thought.
Aware of being watched, Quatre's eyelids fluttered open. "Morning," he drawled sleepily.
Catherine turned around so her elbows were propped up on his chest. "Morning. Sleep well?"
"Mm-hmm," Quatre said between kissing her hair, inhaling the fragrance. He sighed against her auburn locks. "Can't we just stay here all day?"
"Why, Quatre, I'm turning you into a weak man, aren't I?" said Catherine, twirling a strand of his chest hair.
Quatre groaned; she wasn't making this easy. He was beginning to wonder if, maybe, falling asleep in the same bed wasn't such a good idea. "Hon, didn't we agree to save this for the wedding night?"
Catherine shook her head and smiled impishly. "Nope. I didn't agree to anything. That was your idea, mister." She scooted upwards and looked into his eyes.
"That reminds me," said Quatre. "I have something to give you."
Catherine gasped.
"Well, for us, actually." He reached into his pant pocket and pulled out a small black box. He opened it to reveal a demure, but elegant ring. He dangled the box in front of her shining eyes and grinned. "I reserved a small church nearby. It won't be much, but it will be official."
"A church? Does that mean we're getting married? Today?" she asked eagerly.
He chuckled. "I have the feeling it's best not to keep you waiting."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
They were married that day, in a brief, but tasteful ceremony. Heero, who had been in on the plan all along, was the best man, and Relena was the bridesmaid. Besides the minister, they were the only two present to witness the blessed event, which was exactly what Quatre had in mind. He didn't want an elaborate ceremony, and he had the feeling Catherine didn't, either.
The irony wasn't lost on Catherine that the ceremony took place in the same church as Trowa's funeral. But, in a strange way, it all made sense. It was the place where her life and Quatre's had begun to intertwine. Where one life had ended, a new life was just beginning for her.
Even though Catherine had married her true love, she still had a serious obstacle to overcome. After seeing a psychiatrist, she found out what was causing her depression - a particularly nasty case of post-traumatic stress syndrome. The psychiatrist prescribed a pill to ease her anxiety, but it wasn't a complete cure. Nothing medical science could produce ever would be.
Sometimes, Catherine would still wake up, reeling from images of the accident, breathing heavily and sweating bullets. Then Quatre would rub her back tenderly until she fell asleep again. In time, her condition improved, and she was able to stop taking the medicine.
She was happy with her new life, but neither her or Quatre would ever forget that someone had to die in order to create it. Neither of them would lose their memories of Trowa, who lived on in both their hearts.
End