Author: tyrne J
email: tyrnej@netscape.net

Title: Inexplicable
Type: one-shot
Teaser: Sally Po and Noin have a conversation over the commlink.
Rating: G
Spoilers: GW: Endless Waltz. (And thus, probably the entire series, but, not really)
Warnings: Some FUNKY ANGST. You have been warned.
Archive: As long as I know where it's going.
Disclaimer: All of Gundam Wing belongs to its respective owners, which do not include me. This fic is written by a fan, for fans, for entertainment purposes only, and not for profit.
t_j: Just something random.

Inexplicable

"How's Mars coming, Noin?" Sally smiled at her friend over the communications screen, watching as Noin paused to take a sip from her drink.

The dark-haired woman smiled back, savoring the taste of her chai tea as she tried to think of an appropriate answer to Sally's question. "Well, there doesn't seem to be anything big going on here; the terraforming is on schedule, and Zechs thinks that we'll be able to complete at least two sectors before the end of the year."

Several blonde curls bounced as the other woman chuckled and steepled her fingers, a serious look on her face. "That's not what I'm talking about, Lucrezia." An eyebrow arched, and mischievous eyes winked at Noin.

"Hm, I wonder what you mean." Grayish-blue eyes widened in feigned innocence as Noin took another sip of her tea. "Mmmm, this tea is wonderful, Sally; thank you for sending this to me."

The blonde made a face on the screen, and Noin had to laugh.

"You're evading the subject."

"Mm?"

"Fine." Sally glared, resisting the urge to stick her tongue out at her friend. "I want to know how you and Zechs are faring - and don't give me that look again! You know exactly what I'm talking about!"

Lucrezia took another sip and breathed deeply, eyeing her fellow Preventer again before dropping the pretense with a vague grin and a wistful look, her gaze drifting toward the picture frame on her desk. "Okay, okay, if you must know, it's perfectly the same thing as the last time we talked."

There was a thump and a low groan on the other end, and Noin looked back at the screen with alarm.

"I... can't believe this..." Sally moaned from her desktop. "Almost three months practically alone with the man, and you're nowhere closer together than you were two years ago!" A fist pounded near the screen, causing the image to wobble a little, spurting lines of static in the process.

"I know, I know," Noin sighed, running her free hand through her hair. It had grown longer in the past few months, in a half-hearted attempt to grow her hair out to impress the long-haired man. She twirled a few black strands around slowly, watching as the separate hairs detached themselves from the bunch as they wound around her finger. "It just doesn't seem to go anywhere, but..."

There was an echo of a sigh on the other end. "Y'know, 'Crezia, sometimes I wonder why you even put up with him - "

"It's - "

"Inexplicable, I know." Sally grinned wryly, her own look softening as she glanced away for a moment to look at something on her desk, then looked back. "I know. But still, the frustration..."

Both women fell silent, the only sound in both rooms the underlying hum of their communicator screens. After a minute or so, Noin spoke, her voice quiet.

"Do you think I'm right? In doing this?"

"... Chasing after him, you mean?"

"After all this time, I mean... " Slender fingers tightened around the black strands, jerked suddenly, violently. "Wouldn't he have said anything? Anything at all?... Or are we just what we look like? Just friends?"

Sally gazed at the profile of her friend, then spoke, slowly. "You know him better than I, Lucrezia, but... But I think that's just the way he is." Her voice rose a little when she saw the other woman's face fall even further than it already was. "He let you be with him at the end of the war, right? You're on Mars with him now. Doesn't that say something?

"I have a feeling he would never allow it for anyone else."

When the figure on her commscreen didn't move, Sally grinned a little, eyes glowing mischievously again. "He never asked Treize to come to Mars with him, did he?"

Noin glanced up, blinked at Sally, the look of surprise apparent on her face. "... No... But - "

"There you have it, then!" The blonde smiled triumphantly, a finger pointed out at her. "Proof!"

The former OZ pilot frowned, sweatdropping a little. "That's not really proof. It has no real connection."

"Ah, but it's proof nonetheless." Sally wagged her finger, still smiling. "As little as it is, it still means something." Blonde curls bounced as she straightened in her chair.

"There's hope for you yet."

Noin allowed herself a small smile at her friend's optimism, and turned her gaze once more to the picture frame on her desk. Her collected pictures of Zechs, glued to a single sheet of paper and framed neatly in one of her graduation-present frames. Even then - and now it seemed like ages ago - she felt that she would follow him forever.

It seems like forever -

"I hope so."

"He sees something in you, 'Crezia, I know it. And one day he'll show it; just give him time." Sally's grin softened as she said this, but it brightened again in an instant, the glow reappearing in her eyes.

"Until then, I'm going to keep sending unlikely candidates to Mars to help with the terraforming project." She smirked, reaching to the side for her own mug to drink from.

"Sally..."

The sound of laughter crossed the distance between Earth and Mars, filling Noin's room with echoes that seemed to her to last -

To last, well, forever.

End