The Heart Never Forgets
Chapter 2
Three weeks later
Wufei knocked on the door of Sally's apartment and waited anxiously for her answer. He breathed an inaudible sigh of relief as she opened it.
" Hello, Wufei," she said brightly. Seeing his look of concern and loose hair, it was obvious he'd made this visit a priority. " Are you okay?"
" Are you?" he replied, surveying her cotton shirt and white bandage wrapped around her slender waist.
" Fine, fine," Sally assured him, waving her hand in dismissal. " I'm a big girl, I can handle a little gunshot. It's almost healed now anyway."
Wufei admired her strength, but sighed deeply. " Can I come in, I wanted to talk to you about something..." he finally spoke up, keeping his eyes fixed on his feet.
Sally's brow furrowed but she smiled anyway and stood aside to let him pass. Wufei walked stiffly into the living room and seated himself on the couch. He began kneading his hands and the corners of his mouth twitched uneasily. Sally sat beside him and studied the young man's expression. She'd known Wufei long enough to know he was troubled by something.
" Tell me, what is it? Do you feel bad that you didn't rescue me sooner?" she asked gently. " Because it wasn't your fault. I was foolish, really, for attempting to help that man."
" You always had more compassion than I," Wufei answered distantly, then turned to face her. " And please don't try to deceive me, woman. I think you know what I want to say."
" I..um...is it about what you said to me back then?" Sally asked." Because I know under that kind of pressure people sometimes do and say things they regret."
" I do regret it," Wufei replied. " But not because I didn't mean every word, but because I have no right to you. I let my own wife die. I know that I was only fourteen then - but I told you before all those years ago, I'm just a weakling."
" And what did I tell you all those years ago?" Sally reminded him, a warm smile creeping over her features.
Wufei shrugged as if he couldn't remember. She knew he did, he just wouldn't admit it.
" I told you that your strength comes from in here," she repeated, pressing her hand against his chest. She could feel his heartbeat beneath her palm.
" Ah, now I remember," Wufei replied, as if it was some new revelation.
" You have to refuse to let your past make you suffer," Sally told him earnestly. " And you have to remember that you were as good as a child then but now you are an adult, you cannot continue to punish yourself for the events of your youth."
Wufei lifted his gaze to her liquid eyes, so clear and blue - like water itself. He'd always though Preventer Water was the perfect name for her, as like water, Sally showed him his true reflection.
" Did you love her?" Sally asked, wondering if he was still brooding over the loss of Mieran.
" Who?"
" Your wife."
" Not as I should have done," Wufei answered grimly. " But I guess you can't help who you fall in love with and who you don't."
Instantly, his jet eyes began to cloud over and Sally saw teardrops begin to emerge, then roll down his cheeks. He attempted to wipe them away, ashamed of himself for surrendering to weakness, but she took his hand gently.
" It's all right, Wufei," she soothed him. " You were only children. You can't condemn yourself. I won't let you."
" Do you still judge me as a boy because I want you to judge me as the man I am now," Wufei relied, his voice finally cracking.
Sally leaned back against the cushions and brushed away the stray tears that trailed down his face. " Wufei, I don't judge you at all."
He smiled weakly and let his head fall onto her shoulder. Sally, controlled entirely by her emotions, began to stroke his ebony hair. She knew Wufei would never take affection from a woman but with her he was almost a completely different person - almost. Or maybe she just managed to ignore his faults. And despite how she had tried to battle against it, she adored him more each day that passed.
Wufei exhaled, then turned to face Sally, sliding his arms around her back. Then he leant forward and pressed his lips firmly on hers.
Sally felt an impulse of shivers up and down her spine and she knew what she was doing was wrong, though she was powerless to stop it. She couldn't resist even if she had wanted. Right now, she wanted nothing else in the world but to hold his strong body close and remind herself that she had helped to make this man what he was now.
As their kiss deepened, Sally momentarily freed herself from his clinch. " Wufei, I think we should stop this," she declared. " You and I both know this is not at all honorable. It would be wrong of me to let you continue."
" You're not my teacher," he responded, burying his head in her throat and kissing the ivory skin on her neck. He was aware that despite everything, she liked it.
" I know I'm not your teacher," Sally answered, shaking her head. " But I have always felt it my duty to take care of your heart. It is a duty I have always cherished."
Wufei let out a small sigh and rested his hands on her flushed cheeks. " Don't you see, I only want to take care of you," he insisted. " Tell me, who has ever taken care of you, Sally?"
It was Sally's turn to sigh. " No-one."
" Then let me."
Wufei drew her close again and this time she relented. He tingled at the feeling of her cool fingers tracing his spine and he loved the way her lips felt against his own. Strong but still so gentle and tender. Like Sally herself.
He knew full well the dishonor of his actions but this feeling was just too new to him and he didn't want to let it dissolve. He had let Mieran go and what if Sally disappeared too? This was different - Mieran was a companion but he had never achingly loved her - not like he loved Sally Po.
He savoured the feeling as she played her fingers through his hair and returned his kisses wholeheartedly. He couldn't allow himself to do anything other than pull her closer and closer until their heartbeats merged.
**************************************************************************** **********************
Lady Une strode up to the front door of Sally's apartment, seeking to speak with her about a new mission she was going to assign her on as soon as she had recovered from her ordeal. She rapped on the door and hearing no answer after a good ten minutes, wondered whether Sally might be in some sort of distress. Sally had been instructed not to leave the building and it was unlikely she would deliberately disobey. Une knew Sally valued doctor's orders, being a former surgeon herself.
Finally, Une forced her way into the apartment, uninvited, and it did not take long for her to comprehend the scene before her eyes, even if the subjects had managed to disguise it a little.
" It's not...what it seems," Sally mumbled, not daring to meet Une's fiery eyes.
" I think it's exactly what it looks like," Une answered in a militant tone, casting a fierce glare at Wufei who scowled. " I shan't be taking this kind of unprofessional behavior lightly."
Having just spoken these words, she turned on her heel and marched out of the apartment, securing the door behind her. Once out in the open air, she let the bitter tears spill freely from her eyes.
**************************************************************************** *****************
'Just a couple more minutes', Sally thought with a wave of relief. Just a couple more minutes and the usual Preventers morning briefing would be over. Then she could escape from Une, for a while anyway. So far, the meeting had progressed without incident and her boss had said nothing of her and Wufei's 'scandal' but it could only be a matter of time before their sins caught up with them.
"..................and before I draw to a close, I would just like to add that as members of the Preventers, each and every one of you have a duty to perform both professionally and sensibly not only when carrying out missions but off-duty also. The majority of you adhere to these guidelines successfully but it would do a few select members of our team good to take note of that - isn't that right, Sally Po and Chang Wufei?"
Almost every neck in the room craned to the direction of Sally and Wufei. A few chortled, but most just looked downright confused.
" I suppose you are all wondering what I'm talking about." Une continued pressing her advantage. " I was very unfortunate last night to witness a scene which can only be described as most unchaste and immoral - to say the least. I would like to remind all of you that if I happen to catch anyone else acting out of turn in the way in which Mr Chang and Miss Po were, the consequences will be most dire. Do you understand what I'm saying?"
Echoes of " Yes ma'am" resounded around the conference hall. Sally could only mumble incoherently. She was still acutely aware of the inquisitive gazes both she and Wufei were attracting, having been under Une's line of fire. As everyone stood up to file out in an orderly fashion, Sally almost dashed to the exit, unable to contain her humilation any longer.
**************************************************************************** *****************
" Wey hey!"
" Go on, Chang!"
" Didn't know you had it in ya, pal!"
" You dark horse! Why didn't you tell us you were going to seduce Sally Po? Or was it a closely guarded secret?"
Wufei sighed in exasperation. All day long, no matter where he was, no matter what he was doing, he had been the target of crude and spirited remarks from silly young Preventer agents. And worse still, he hadn't seen Sally since she had hurried out of the door at the end of the meeting that morning. He had considered going after her but came to the conclusion that this would only aggravate the situation further.
Safely hidden in the ladies room, Sally splashed more water on her face to hide the tracks of her tears.
Get a hold of yourself, Sally Po! she silently admonished. It was just a mistake, that's all. You never meant to go that far and neither did he. What you did was wrong- very wrong. It was not professional as Preventers and was totally against Wufei's code of honor. Une was quite within her right to reveal us!
But still she couldn't suppress the burning feeling of anger in the pit of her stomach at Une's betrayal. She wouldn't have minded as much if she had berated them in private but announcing it to all the Preventers was way off the mark. And what would Noin think of her now?
The door gently creaked open, making Sally start in shock.
" Don't worry, Sal It's only me," Noin said softly as she entered the bathroom.
Sally turned her head away towards the wall. Somehow, she just couldn't bear to look her loyal companion in the eye right now.
" Why Sally? Why?" Noin inquired.
" Is there ever a reason for such things?" Sally replied weakly. " We didn't mean for it to happen - honest. Get real, it's not as if we committed a vile murder or something. It's not a hanging offence."
" It is in Wufei's code of honor," Noin shot back. " Boy, he must really be head over heels in love to break it into pieces for you."
" I told you. It was just a meaningless fling," Sally retorted.
" Oh, come off it, Sal. You may be a lot of things but one thing you'll never be is a good liar. I know you mean just as much to each other as Zechs and I."
Sally's iron resolve finally crumbled.
" Okay," she admitted, somewhat defeatedly. " There is some truth to what you're saying. I do love Wufei very much and I know he feels the same way but getting involved any further would mean putting both our careers on the line. Meaningless fling or no meaningless fling, what we both did was not right and will never happen again, despite our strong feelings for each other."
" Tell that to Une." With that, Noin promptly left the room, leaving Sally to gaze in hurt and confusion once again at the blank walls.
**************************************************************************** *****************
Wufei stalked down the hall, having just recieved a message from Lady Une to report to her office. For once, he hoped it was word of a mission and not some kind of rebuke.
Waiting outside was Sally, leaning against the wall, looking anything but casual. She glanced at the floor when she noticed him approach.
" So you got the same message too, huh?" Wufei demanded. " Were you too scared to go into the office by yourself, woman?"
" No," Sally growled. " I thought I'd wait for you as I didn't think you'd have the nerve to enter either without me."
She hated behaving like this around him but he was being so impossible. She thought he'd once and for all refrained from calling her 'woman' but maybe she had been wrong. Maybe she had been wrong about the whole thing. Maybe she hated him.
He rested his arm assuringly on her shoulder and reached for the door knob. He grinned faintly at her. Okay, she loved him.
The door of the office abruptly opened and Une appeared in the doorway, hands on hips.
" In!" she ordered.
Once inside the four walls of Une's office, Wufei's mood returned to the black it had been since that morning. Une promptly seated herself at her desk, and gazed menacingly at the two stood before her. Sally refused to look her in the eye but Wufei took the opposite approach, unleashing all his arrogance in his poisonous glare.
" So?" Une began, donning her steely spectacles.
Sally would dearly have loved to say, " So what?" but kept silent. She had the feeling anything she said to Une at this moment in time would be the wrong thing. It was better just to remain as quiet as possible and sit it out. Wufei didn't think so.
" What are you getting at, Onna?" Wufei spat. He obviously hadn't forgotten about his humiliation that morning.
" HOW DARE YOU ADDRESS ME IN THAT INSOLENT MANNER!" Une bellowed, banging her fist on her desk. Several items toppled off it and crashed to the floor. Sally shuddered, silently willing Wufei not to make too much of a scene.
" Une, please don't-"
" Quiet, Sally! Now!"
" Don't speak to my Sally in that way!" Wufei growled.
" Oh, she's your Sally now is she?" Une's tone was mocking and scornful. " Now what I'm getting at is that two of my most senior, reliable and trusted Preventers violated their positions in the most dishonorable of ways. I completely trusted you both as partners and colleagues but it appears that as soon as the rubber hits the road you cannot even behave in a mature and responsible fashion! "
" Une, it won't happen again, I promise!" Sally insisted. She hated grovelling to Lady Une when she was acting in such a manner. The quiet, gentle Une she used to know was much more amicable. The Une who used be her friend.
" Too right, it won't happen again," Une snapped. " Because I am seperating the pair of you until I see fit to change the verdict. How I do know you might not succumb to each others' charms on your next mission and end up failing it? I want you to have no contact with each other of any kind until further notice! Do I make myself clear? Do I?"
" This is an injustice!" Wufei roared. " You don't extend the same treatment to Zechs and Noin, do you? How is this different?"
" So far, Zechs and Noin have given me no reason to," Une said coolly. " I think both of them show more restraint, dignity and honor than the pair of you! You are a vile hypocrite, Wufei Chang, and there's a word for women like you, Sally Po - it's called slut- dirty SLUT!"
Sally's face crumpled and she burst into tears, fleeing from the office, slamming the door forcefully behind her.
**************************************************************************** *****************
Wufei was engraged. Anger was coursing through his body like poison. He looked ready to breathe fire.
" How dare you sit there Une, as if you have no reason to be condemned!" he screeched. " You have so many things on your conscience, as I have, as everybody has!"
" Wufei.....!"
" I could just leave the Preventers right now, but I'm not going to be a weakling and yield to your vicious remarks!" Wufei declared.
" Always ranting on about honor and justice, Wufei, aren't you?" Une replied sharply. "But when it all comes down to it, you're no better than..than - "
" Treize," Wufei finished her sentence.
Lady Une's eyes began to blaze with an inferno even Wufei had never seen before. " How....how...DARE you...." she choked. Wufei could see she was weakening.
" Mr Treize has..nothing to do with this...," Une carried on.
Wufei spied the small framed photo of Treize Une so dearly treasured, which had fallen to the floor in her previous outburst. He knelt down and picked it up.
" Give me that!" Une demanded.
Wufei smirked and decided to deliver the final blow, the way Une had done to Sally. " Lady Une, you were never worthy of Treize - EVER. You will always be a weak, bitter woman. He didn't even have the will to live for you.."
" Stop..stop..." Lady Une pleaded, tears rolling freely down her cheeks.
Wufei glared at her, triumphant contempt in his expression. He raised his arm and flung the photo at the wall. The glass frame smashed into countless fragments.
" You will pay dearly for that..." Une snarled amid her heartbroken tears.
Wufei said nothing, turning on his heel and exiting the office. Lady Une knelt, retching among the shards of glass, damaged, just like her soul. "Mister Treize..." she muttered, " please tell me Wufei's words weren't true.....talk to me my dear Treize.....I miss you..."
End of chapter 2
Chapter 2
Three weeks later
Wufei knocked on the door of Sally's apartment and waited anxiously for her answer. He breathed an inaudible sigh of relief as she opened it.
" Hello, Wufei," she said brightly. Seeing his look of concern and loose hair, it was obvious he'd made this visit a priority. " Are you okay?"
" Are you?" he replied, surveying her cotton shirt and white bandage wrapped around her slender waist.
" Fine, fine," Sally assured him, waving her hand in dismissal. " I'm a big girl, I can handle a little gunshot. It's almost healed now anyway."
Wufei admired her strength, but sighed deeply. " Can I come in, I wanted to talk to you about something..." he finally spoke up, keeping his eyes fixed on his feet.
Sally's brow furrowed but she smiled anyway and stood aside to let him pass. Wufei walked stiffly into the living room and seated himself on the couch. He began kneading his hands and the corners of his mouth twitched uneasily. Sally sat beside him and studied the young man's expression. She'd known Wufei long enough to know he was troubled by something.
" Tell me, what is it? Do you feel bad that you didn't rescue me sooner?" she asked gently. " Because it wasn't your fault. I was foolish, really, for attempting to help that man."
" You always had more compassion than I," Wufei answered distantly, then turned to face her. " And please don't try to deceive me, woman. I think you know what I want to say."
" I..um...is it about what you said to me back then?" Sally asked." Because I know under that kind of pressure people sometimes do and say things they regret."
" I do regret it," Wufei replied. " But not because I didn't mean every word, but because I have no right to you. I let my own wife die. I know that I was only fourteen then - but I told you before all those years ago, I'm just a weakling."
" And what did I tell you all those years ago?" Sally reminded him, a warm smile creeping over her features.
Wufei shrugged as if he couldn't remember. She knew he did, he just wouldn't admit it.
" I told you that your strength comes from in here," she repeated, pressing her hand against his chest. She could feel his heartbeat beneath her palm.
" Ah, now I remember," Wufei replied, as if it was some new revelation.
" You have to refuse to let your past make you suffer," Sally told him earnestly. " And you have to remember that you were as good as a child then but now you are an adult, you cannot continue to punish yourself for the events of your youth."
Wufei lifted his gaze to her liquid eyes, so clear and blue - like water itself. He'd always though Preventer Water was the perfect name for her, as like water, Sally showed him his true reflection.
" Did you love her?" Sally asked, wondering if he was still brooding over the loss of Mieran.
" Who?"
" Your wife."
" Not as I should have done," Wufei answered grimly. " But I guess you can't help who you fall in love with and who you don't."
Instantly, his jet eyes began to cloud over and Sally saw teardrops begin to emerge, then roll down his cheeks. He attempted to wipe them away, ashamed of himself for surrendering to weakness, but she took his hand gently.
" It's all right, Wufei," she soothed him. " You were only children. You can't condemn yourself. I won't let you."
" Do you still judge me as a boy because I want you to judge me as the man I am now," Wufei relied, his voice finally cracking.
Sally leaned back against the cushions and brushed away the stray tears that trailed down his face. " Wufei, I don't judge you at all."
He smiled weakly and let his head fall onto her shoulder. Sally, controlled entirely by her emotions, began to stroke his ebony hair. She knew Wufei would never take affection from a woman but with her he was almost a completely different person - almost. Or maybe she just managed to ignore his faults. And despite how she had tried to battle against it, she adored him more each day that passed.
Wufei exhaled, then turned to face Sally, sliding his arms around her back. Then he leant forward and pressed his lips firmly on hers.
Sally felt an impulse of shivers up and down her spine and she knew what she was doing was wrong, though she was powerless to stop it. She couldn't resist even if she had wanted. Right now, she wanted nothing else in the world but to hold his strong body close and remind herself that she had helped to make this man what he was now.
As their kiss deepened, Sally momentarily freed herself from his clinch. " Wufei, I think we should stop this," she declared. " You and I both know this is not at all honorable. It would be wrong of me to let you continue."
" You're not my teacher," he responded, burying his head in her throat and kissing the ivory skin on her neck. He was aware that despite everything, she liked it.
" I know I'm not your teacher," Sally answered, shaking her head. " But I have always felt it my duty to take care of your heart. It is a duty I have always cherished."
Wufei let out a small sigh and rested his hands on her flushed cheeks. " Don't you see, I only want to take care of you," he insisted. " Tell me, who has ever taken care of you, Sally?"
It was Sally's turn to sigh. " No-one."
" Then let me."
Wufei drew her close again and this time she relented. He tingled at the feeling of her cool fingers tracing his spine and he loved the way her lips felt against his own. Strong but still so gentle and tender. Like Sally herself.
He knew full well the dishonor of his actions but this feeling was just too new to him and he didn't want to let it dissolve. He had let Mieran go and what if Sally disappeared too? This was different - Mieran was a companion but he had never achingly loved her - not like he loved Sally Po.
He savoured the feeling as she played her fingers through his hair and returned his kisses wholeheartedly. He couldn't allow himself to do anything other than pull her closer and closer until their heartbeats merged.
**************************************************************************** **********************
Lady Une strode up to the front door of Sally's apartment, seeking to speak with her about a new mission she was going to assign her on as soon as she had recovered from her ordeal. She rapped on the door and hearing no answer after a good ten minutes, wondered whether Sally might be in some sort of distress. Sally had been instructed not to leave the building and it was unlikely she would deliberately disobey. Une knew Sally valued doctor's orders, being a former surgeon herself.
Finally, Une forced her way into the apartment, uninvited, and it did not take long for her to comprehend the scene before her eyes, even if the subjects had managed to disguise it a little.
" It's not...what it seems," Sally mumbled, not daring to meet Une's fiery eyes.
" I think it's exactly what it looks like," Une answered in a militant tone, casting a fierce glare at Wufei who scowled. " I shan't be taking this kind of unprofessional behavior lightly."
Having just spoken these words, she turned on her heel and marched out of the apartment, securing the door behind her. Once out in the open air, she let the bitter tears spill freely from her eyes.
**************************************************************************** *****************
'Just a couple more minutes', Sally thought with a wave of relief. Just a couple more minutes and the usual Preventers morning briefing would be over. Then she could escape from Une, for a while anyway. So far, the meeting had progressed without incident and her boss had said nothing of her and Wufei's 'scandal' but it could only be a matter of time before their sins caught up with them.
"..................and before I draw to a close, I would just like to add that as members of the Preventers, each and every one of you have a duty to perform both professionally and sensibly not only when carrying out missions but off-duty also. The majority of you adhere to these guidelines successfully but it would do a few select members of our team good to take note of that - isn't that right, Sally Po and Chang Wufei?"
Almost every neck in the room craned to the direction of Sally and Wufei. A few chortled, but most just looked downright confused.
" I suppose you are all wondering what I'm talking about." Une continued pressing her advantage. " I was very unfortunate last night to witness a scene which can only be described as most unchaste and immoral - to say the least. I would like to remind all of you that if I happen to catch anyone else acting out of turn in the way in which Mr Chang and Miss Po were, the consequences will be most dire. Do you understand what I'm saying?"
Echoes of " Yes ma'am" resounded around the conference hall. Sally could only mumble incoherently. She was still acutely aware of the inquisitive gazes both she and Wufei were attracting, having been under Une's line of fire. As everyone stood up to file out in an orderly fashion, Sally almost dashed to the exit, unable to contain her humilation any longer.
**************************************************************************** *****************
" Wey hey!"
" Go on, Chang!"
" Didn't know you had it in ya, pal!"
" You dark horse! Why didn't you tell us you were going to seduce Sally Po? Or was it a closely guarded secret?"
Wufei sighed in exasperation. All day long, no matter where he was, no matter what he was doing, he had been the target of crude and spirited remarks from silly young Preventer agents. And worse still, he hadn't seen Sally since she had hurried out of the door at the end of the meeting that morning. He had considered going after her but came to the conclusion that this would only aggravate the situation further.
Safely hidden in the ladies room, Sally splashed more water on her face to hide the tracks of her tears.
Get a hold of yourself, Sally Po! she silently admonished. It was just a mistake, that's all. You never meant to go that far and neither did he. What you did was wrong- very wrong. It was not professional as Preventers and was totally against Wufei's code of honor. Une was quite within her right to reveal us!
But still she couldn't suppress the burning feeling of anger in the pit of her stomach at Une's betrayal. She wouldn't have minded as much if she had berated them in private but announcing it to all the Preventers was way off the mark. And what would Noin think of her now?
The door gently creaked open, making Sally start in shock.
" Don't worry, Sal It's only me," Noin said softly as she entered the bathroom.
Sally turned her head away towards the wall. Somehow, she just couldn't bear to look her loyal companion in the eye right now.
" Why Sally? Why?" Noin inquired.
" Is there ever a reason for such things?" Sally replied weakly. " We didn't mean for it to happen - honest. Get real, it's not as if we committed a vile murder or something. It's not a hanging offence."
" It is in Wufei's code of honor," Noin shot back. " Boy, he must really be head over heels in love to break it into pieces for you."
" I told you. It was just a meaningless fling," Sally retorted.
" Oh, come off it, Sal. You may be a lot of things but one thing you'll never be is a good liar. I know you mean just as much to each other as Zechs and I."
Sally's iron resolve finally crumbled.
" Okay," she admitted, somewhat defeatedly. " There is some truth to what you're saying. I do love Wufei very much and I know he feels the same way but getting involved any further would mean putting both our careers on the line. Meaningless fling or no meaningless fling, what we both did was not right and will never happen again, despite our strong feelings for each other."
" Tell that to Une." With that, Noin promptly left the room, leaving Sally to gaze in hurt and confusion once again at the blank walls.
**************************************************************************** *****************
Wufei stalked down the hall, having just recieved a message from Lady Une to report to her office. For once, he hoped it was word of a mission and not some kind of rebuke.
Waiting outside was Sally, leaning against the wall, looking anything but casual. She glanced at the floor when she noticed him approach.
" So you got the same message too, huh?" Wufei demanded. " Were you too scared to go into the office by yourself, woman?"
" No," Sally growled. " I thought I'd wait for you as I didn't think you'd have the nerve to enter either without me."
She hated behaving like this around him but he was being so impossible. She thought he'd once and for all refrained from calling her 'woman' but maybe she had been wrong. Maybe she had been wrong about the whole thing. Maybe she hated him.
He rested his arm assuringly on her shoulder and reached for the door knob. He grinned faintly at her. Okay, she loved him.
The door of the office abruptly opened and Une appeared in the doorway, hands on hips.
" In!" she ordered.
Once inside the four walls of Une's office, Wufei's mood returned to the black it had been since that morning. Une promptly seated herself at her desk, and gazed menacingly at the two stood before her. Sally refused to look her in the eye but Wufei took the opposite approach, unleashing all his arrogance in his poisonous glare.
" So?" Une began, donning her steely spectacles.
Sally would dearly have loved to say, " So what?" but kept silent. She had the feeling anything she said to Une at this moment in time would be the wrong thing. It was better just to remain as quiet as possible and sit it out. Wufei didn't think so.
" What are you getting at, Onna?" Wufei spat. He obviously hadn't forgotten about his humiliation that morning.
" HOW DARE YOU ADDRESS ME IN THAT INSOLENT MANNER!" Une bellowed, banging her fist on her desk. Several items toppled off it and crashed to the floor. Sally shuddered, silently willing Wufei not to make too much of a scene.
" Une, please don't-"
" Quiet, Sally! Now!"
" Don't speak to my Sally in that way!" Wufei growled.
" Oh, she's your Sally now is she?" Une's tone was mocking and scornful. " Now what I'm getting at is that two of my most senior, reliable and trusted Preventers violated their positions in the most dishonorable of ways. I completely trusted you both as partners and colleagues but it appears that as soon as the rubber hits the road you cannot even behave in a mature and responsible fashion! "
" Une, it won't happen again, I promise!" Sally insisted. She hated grovelling to Lady Une when she was acting in such a manner. The quiet, gentle Une she used to know was much more amicable. The Une who used be her friend.
" Too right, it won't happen again," Une snapped. " Because I am seperating the pair of you until I see fit to change the verdict. How I do know you might not succumb to each others' charms on your next mission and end up failing it? I want you to have no contact with each other of any kind until further notice! Do I make myself clear? Do I?"
" This is an injustice!" Wufei roared. " You don't extend the same treatment to Zechs and Noin, do you? How is this different?"
" So far, Zechs and Noin have given me no reason to," Une said coolly. " I think both of them show more restraint, dignity and honor than the pair of you! You are a vile hypocrite, Wufei Chang, and there's a word for women like you, Sally Po - it's called slut- dirty SLUT!"
Sally's face crumpled and she burst into tears, fleeing from the office, slamming the door forcefully behind her.
**************************************************************************** *****************
Wufei was engraged. Anger was coursing through his body like poison. He looked ready to breathe fire.
" How dare you sit there Une, as if you have no reason to be condemned!" he screeched. " You have so many things on your conscience, as I have, as everybody has!"
" Wufei.....!"
" I could just leave the Preventers right now, but I'm not going to be a weakling and yield to your vicious remarks!" Wufei declared.
" Always ranting on about honor and justice, Wufei, aren't you?" Une replied sharply. "But when it all comes down to it, you're no better than..than - "
" Treize," Wufei finished her sentence.
Lady Une's eyes began to blaze with an inferno even Wufei had never seen before. " How....how...DARE you...." she choked. Wufei could see she was weakening.
" Mr Treize has..nothing to do with this...," Une carried on.
Wufei spied the small framed photo of Treize Une so dearly treasured, which had fallen to the floor in her previous outburst. He knelt down and picked it up.
" Give me that!" Une demanded.
Wufei smirked and decided to deliver the final blow, the way Une had done to Sally. " Lady Une, you were never worthy of Treize - EVER. You will always be a weak, bitter woman. He didn't even have the will to live for you.."
" Stop..stop..." Lady Une pleaded, tears rolling freely down her cheeks.
Wufei glared at her, triumphant contempt in his expression. He raised his arm and flung the photo at the wall. The glass frame smashed into countless fragments.
" You will pay dearly for that..." Une snarled amid her heartbroken tears.
Wufei said nothing, turning on his heel and exiting the office. Lady Une knelt, retching among the shards of glass, damaged, just like her soul. "Mister Treize..." she muttered, " please tell me Wufei's words weren't true.....talk to me my dear Treize.....I miss you..."
End of chapter 2
