~*~ August 17, AC 199 ~*~

~*~ Preventer's Employee Lounge ~*~

~*~ 7:00 AM ~*~

Trowa handed Quatre his fourth cup of tea. Quatre rubbed his eyes and watched as his co-workers enter the lounge for breakfast. Heero was first in. He looked tired and grumpy, but he was always grumpy. Wufei and Sally walked in looking worse than Quatre. Wufei rubbed the bags under his eyes and Sally yawned. Duo and Hilde were the next team in the door. Both of them were their usual chipper and perky selves. The rest of the group glared at the pair.

"What, you guys! Is it my fault you people didn't sleep well?" Duo said, putting his arm around Hilde.

"Yes," Heero said, "It is your fault. You two are very loud."

Hilde blushed and Duo's grin widened. Heero glared at his room mate. Wufei shook his head. Trowa just sipped his coffee.

"You have a rough night, Quatre?" Heero asked. Trowa rolled his emerald colored eyes and everyone knew they were in for a story.

"Yeah. I had the really weird dream," Quatre began, setting his tea down, "It all started in the Cinq Kingdom. It was in ruins, actually worse than after the second fall. And all the people in the kingdom were crying and calling out a name. I can't remember what it was exactly it was, it was all a big mumble! But then there was a big flash of light. Then the kingdom was rebuilt, and all the people where cheering and chanting three names, I can't remember those either. Finally I saw two people a man and a woman, their faces were really blurry, they were holding up a little red haired girl. Her hair wasn't as red as Mariemaia's, but more of a red-blonde color. Then I woke up and realized I was squeezing the life out of Trowa."

Quatre blushed and Trowa sighed. Just then Relena walked in and slumped into a chair.

"Heero, hold me," Relena sighed, holding out her arms, "I am sad and lonely."

"Then sad and lonely is how you will stay," Heero said. At the same time, Noin had walked in and heard Heero's comment. She sadly got herself some coffee and sat down.

"What's wrong, Miss Noin?" Quatre asked, motion for Trowa to get him more tea.

"It's just Zechs. He's been acting strange lately. It's been putting a lot of stress on me," Noin replied.

"Hn. You women! I'm going to my office," Wufei called as he exited the room.

"That's right Fei-Fei! Go finish you nap!" Sally called after him.

Trowa picked up his briefcase and Quatre's shoulder bag, along with the folder he was looking through. He patted Quatre on the arm and walked toward the door.

"I think I'm going to get us started for the day," Trowa said, "Don't stay for too long, Cat."

Trowa left, Heero followed. Duo and Hilde left soon after. Quatre started on his fifth cup of tea. Relena sulked in her chair, Noin sat fuming in hers, and Sally just looked tired.

Then Zechs walked in, his handsome face displaying a beautiful smile. He was greeted by three death threats, and Quatre's large confused eyes.

"What did I do?" Zechs laughed.

"I'd better not keep 'Rowa waiting," Quatre said, getting up and quickly left the room.

"Brother," Relena said in her most royal tone, "I do not know how you can cherish a forgotten promise, and hurt so many that care for you."

"Is the rumor true, Zechs?" Sally asked.

"Which one?" Zechs said cautiously, "There are always so many."

"The one about you being engaged to McDaley from birth," Sally said as Noin slumped further into her seat.

"Well," Zechs sighed, "Yes. It is true."

Relena sighed sadly. Sally resisted the urge to pour her hot coffee over his head. Noin just gave an un-lady-like grunt.

"Why, Zechs, why?" Noin tried to plead with him, as if it might change his mind to hear her beg. "What makes her a better... I don't know... wife?"

"Lu," Zechs said softly, choosing his words carefully so not to emotionally wound her even more, "Maybe it's the way she looks at me. Maybe it's the past we share. Maybe it is her grace, and class, and how she acts like a lady of her age. Maybe it's the way her friends don't do background checks on her out of jealously."

Sally blushed at the reference, but secretly wondered how it was that Zechs knew about the background search. Relena buried her face in her hands. She knew she acted childish sometimes, but now was not the time to bring it up.

"Excuse me, Merquise," Noin said angrily, "But I look at you the same way. I don't if you've realized but we, you and I, share history! And it's not my fault Sally was just being a good friend!"

"Well, I guess I wouldn't know what a good friend is! All mine either die or betray me!" Zechs raised his voice. Zechs quickly composed himself, realizing now was not the time to become flustered over the friends that he had lost over the years.

Relena got scared. Zechs barely ever raised his voice outside of battle. Sally motioned for Relena to head out the door with her. As the girls tried to escape, Relena was stopped by Noin. Sally frowned and ran off.

"Why do you feel you have to lie to me, Zechs?" Noin said, fighting back tears.

"I have never lied to you, Lucretia," Zechs said it a soothing voice. Noin was getting mad. He was controlling his emotions at a time like this! It wasn't fair!

"I thought you loved me, Zechs. I was sure of it," Noin said. She finally let her feelings out, along with her tears. Zechs pulled her into a tight hug, and she buried her face into his shirt, staining it with tears.

"My dear, I do love you," Zechs said. Noin's hope arose. He said the rumor was true, but he didn't say he was going to follow through with it. Zechs continued on, "Although my love for you is only that of a brother's love for his sister. I love you in the same way I love Relena. I'm sorry if I led you on."

He let her out of his strong grip and left. Noin sighed and watched his tall muscular figure walk out the door. He only loved her as a sister. The words stung in her mind. He was so perfect. Everything he did was done with an immense amount of precision and accuracy, and his actions had no flaws to them. Every word he spoke was perfectly chosen for the situation he was in. Noin sighed in regret again think about what her partner had just did. Everything he did was done flawlessly, from killing a man, to breaking her heart.

"Relena, last night Zechs told me he had a 'family thing' to do with you last night. Was he lying?" Noin asked quietly.

"No," Relena said sadly, "He wasn't. I support you, and almost wish he was lying, to justify your anger."

Relena quietly left the room. Noin was now alone. Relena's words echoing in her mind. Justify your anger. She was more sad than angry. She wanted to be angry. She wanted to be angry at Zechs. Noin wanted to yell at him, hit him, make him wish he'd never said those awful things. To her surprise, when ever she tried to think things like that, and try to get herself angry, guilt blossomed in the back of her mind.

"Damn it, Zechs! Why did she have to show up and mess with everything we had?!?" Noin called into the empty air.