Disclaimer: Nope. Still don't own 'em. But I'll let you know if I ever do.
Warnings: 5xH pairing, yaoi pairings, yuri pairings (eventually), and look out for angst and weirdness ahead! ^__^
Dedications: To Sabacat who liked this pairing so much and poor Sabastian who shall be remembered always. For Kaze-chan with my aggravation that she has not sent me a new chapter to Giving Away an Angel yet _. For Lara who needs to write me another tasty DxH lemon (pretty please?). And primarily for those who lost friends and family in the terrorist attacks on New York City…my heart goes out to you.
"Miracles will happen as we speak…" – Seal.Miracles – A Someone Else's Star Story – Chapter One
~ Cherry Blossom ~
"No teacher to follow, no prophet to tell me how,
But I know what I want, I know what I want now.
Like water, it rushes,
it's the last thing you see when you close your eyes,
it's the one place you want to be."
Lisa Loeb – Wishing Heart
"Well, what do you think?"
"A little to the left—no! The right! Yeah, that's it. Maybe just a bit forward…"
"Maxwell if you don't hurry up and pick a spot I am going to drop the damn tree on your foot."
"Oi, oi, Wu-man! Hold your horses 'kay? Just a bit more to the right…YES! That's perfect!"
Wufei lowered the base of the pine tree to the ground, sighing with relief as the strain was suddenly taken off his shoulders. Managing to disengage himself from the branches with only a few minor scratches, Wufei took a step back to observe the tree critically. Somehow it had looked much bigger (and felt that way) when he was carrying it from the car, but now, in the corner of the living room, it looked quite small and out of place. Then again, what did he know? Wufei had never had a Christmas tree before and it was only because of Hilde's insistence that he had even considered getting one this year.
But then, he'd been doing a lot of things differently since Hilde had moved in.
Wufei smiled, recalling the exact look of shock and pleasure that had flitted across Hilde's face when he'd asked her to marry him only one year before. It was the one decision that he had never had any doubts about.
~ flashback ~
"You…you want to what?"
Hilde took a step back; one hand pressing to the base of her throat as if she was having trouble swallowing the words her lover was feeding her.
"I want to marry you," Wufei explained, patiently. "As soon as possible. Immediately, even."
"But…" Hilde fumbled around for a reason why this was a bad idea. Because it couldn't possibly be a good idea. Nothing could be this simple, nothing could feel this right and still be good…could it? "Isn't this a little sudden."
"Not really," Wufei said, shrugging. "I knew that I loved you last Christmas when you told me that you wished you had someone who cared for you. I've wanted to marry you ever since our first kiss. And when you nearly died because I couldn't express my feelings for you clearly…" here Wufei looked dejected, "…I knew that I couldn't let you out of my sight ever again. I love you Hilde. Won't you be my wife?"
Hilde looked searchingly into Wufei dark eyes, looking for an answer to a question she could not voice. Wufei looked back, trying to put all the love, all the yearning, all the sincerity he could into the gaze…and after a while, Hilde nodded and smiled.
"Of course I'll marry you, Chang Wufei."
~ end of flashback ~
Smiling, Wufei looked down at the golden band that circled his finger. He remembered the engraving that had been put on the inside of both his and Hilde's bands. A single Chinese character.
'Yong…'[1]
~ flashback ~
"Do you, Hilde, vow to—"
"Actually, I've made my own vows." Impish blue eyes sparkled mischievously behind a red veil as Wufei turned to look with surprise at his soon-to-be-wife. "Don't worry, they won't take long."
"Go right ahead child," said the priest, not seeming shocked at the sudden turn of events.
Hilde nodded and took Wufei's hand in her own.
"I never thought that I would feel this way about anyone," she started, smiling shyly behind her veil. "Love had been such a long time in coming that I almost gave up on ever finding you. And now that I have, I can't ever imagine living without you, Chang Wufei…"
Here Hilde seemed to loose her momentum, glancing nervously out at the throngs of people crowded in the pews. The wedding had been a mix of cultures. In traditional Chinese fashion, both Hilde and Wufei were dressed in red silk, the colour being a symbol of joy and happiness. But instead of a mirror to deflect bad spirits, Hilde held a bouquet of yellow roses in her hands. She had refused to be carried to the ceremony on a sedan chair but she did agree to the rice that was thrown at her feet as soon as she approached the alter and she and Wufei both agreed to the tea ceremony that would take place later.
Sally, Catherine and Dorothy were lined up behind her: her bridesmaids or "good-luck women" as Wufei put it. Relena, her maid of honour, stood to the side. When Hilde looked to them they smiled and nodded their encouragement. Wufei, who couldn't choose just one best man, had decided to make ALL the Gundam pilots his best man, and they stood to the side of him.
Trowa stood silent and still, his face betraying nothing, but Hilde saw the tight grip on Quatre's arm and knew that the stoic pilot was considering the option of marriage as well.
The blonde Arabian was positively beaming with happiness for Hilde and Wufei and his bright smile made Hilde smile back.
Duo fidgeted with his braid and looked miserable in his tuxedo (which, after many bribes and promises of what might occur after the wedding, Heero had finally managed to persuade Duo into wearing) but when Hilde's gaze rested on him he gave her a wink and a patented Maxwell grin. Returning the wink, Hilde then looked at Heero, who patiently held the rings on a red silk pillow. His deep blue eyes connected with hers and silently gave his approval and blessing. Hilde smiled at him and turned back to Wufei who, by now, was extremely anxious.
"Chang Wufei," Hilde said, clearly and decisively, "Wo ai ni.[2]"
Wufei's eyes opened wide, surprised to hear the words of his native tongue spoken by Hilde's lips. But she didn't stop there.
"Xuêhua piao
Piao qîle duoshâo àiliàn
Xuêhua fei
fei qîliâo duoshâo qíngyuán
Liánhua kai zài xuê zhongjian
Duoshâode xiwàng, duoshâode xinyuàn
Mòmò dêngdài you qíng rén
Dàn yuán qíng yì yông bú biàn
Xuêhua piànpiàn fei
Fei mân tian
Wângshì rú mèng sì yúnyan
Duoshâode tiánmì, duoshâode huáiniàn
Zòngrán xiang gé nàme yuân
Zhenqíng yông zhù zài xin tián
Xuêhua piànpiàn fei
Fei mân tian[3]"
Her poem finished, Hilde's eyes flickered nervously to Wufei's face. He said nothing. She bit her lip, worried that she had botched the pronunciation somehow, even though she had practiced for weeks with the more than willing help of Sally Po. Just when she began to pull away, Wufei's hand tightened on her own and he brought it hastily to his lips in a tender kiss.
"Airen…[4]" he began, searching for words to express his feelings and finding nothing more true then the phrase she had first said to him. "Wo ai ni. Yong…yong…"
Not waiting for the priest to indicate that he should do so, Wufei lifted Hilde's veil and kissed her soundly, letting his mouth speak his feelings without saying a word. Relieved, Hilde leaned into the kiss, clasping her hands behind Wufei's head and holding him close. After a few moments, Duo made an impatient sound and Hilde and Wufei pulled apart, both blushing furiously.
"Well…" said the priest. "Normally we would do the rings first but…I suppose it doesn't matter. This is your ceremony after all."
Fighting down his embarrassment, Wufei turned to Heero who offered the rings with a slight smirk on his face.
"I guess I don't have to tell you "good luck" now, do I?" he whispered.
Wufei's blush deepened and he grabbed the rings, hastily sliding the gold band onto Hilde's proffered finger as she did the same to him. They then bowed to each other in a mutual show of respect and honour.
"I now pronounce you man and wife," said the priest solemnly.
The wedding guests immediately cheered and Wufei found himself pelted with more than a few handfuls of rice. Glaring, he turned to Duo who stood off to the side, whistling innocently to himself.
"Maxwell…" he growled threateningly.
"Oi! Wufei! Isn't it time for the nuptial chamber ceremony[5]?" Duo asked, violet eyes brimming with mirth.
Wufei blushed and sputtered, wishing that he had his katana with him. Confused, Hilde turned to him.
"What's that ceremony about?"
"Never mind," Wufei said, placing an arm around his new wife and leading her away from Duo, who was now making monkey faces at the two of them. "You don't want to know. Let's go to the banquet."
"But I do wanna know. Wufei? Wufei tell me! Wufei!"
~ end of flashback ~
"Hellooooooooo! Wu-man! Anybody home?"
Wufei came to himself with a start to find Duo waving a hand in front of his face and looking at him with concern.
"You okay man? You wouldn't answer me for the longest time," Duo inquired.
Wufei rolled his eyes. "I'm fine baka. I was just…remembering."
"Oh." Duo said. "Well remember later. We've still got to decorate this thing and clean up the pine needles before the others get back from their drive—"
"Too late," came a voice from the doorway and both pilots looked up, startled to find Heero Yuy leaning against the wall with something resembling a smirk on his face. "You've made quite a mess with that tree, baka."
"I was gonna clean up," Duo protested defensively. "Besides, it's not my fault Wu-man picked a tree that sheds more than our neighbor's cat."
"Where's the tree? I want to see it!" an excited voice proclaimed from the hall. Wufei brightened considerably at the sound and he looked with eager eyes to the doorway where a tired looking Hilde appeared, stomach swelled with the late stages of pregnancy, supported on both sides by Trowa and Quatre.
Seeing the frail picture his wife presented, Wufei rushed forward to take her in his arms.
"What happened? Do you feel all right? Do you need some water? Do you want to go the doctor's? Should I call Sally?" Wufei questioned, putting a protective hand on his wife's stomach.
Hilde smiled at the rapid inquisition that would have sounded more normal coming from Duo's mouth.
"Calm down." She said. "I'm fine, really. Just a little tired. A cup tea and some rest and I'll be good as new, honest."
Wufei glared at her reproachfully and Hilde squirmed under the force of that disapproving look.
"I'm fine, I swear it! Geez, you'd think no one's ever been pregnant before the way you're carrying on."
"No one's ever been pregnant with my baby before," Wufei commented while easing his wife into a comfortable chair. He turned to the kitchen to make some tea only to find that Quatre had already done so and was now bringing a steaming cup to Hilde's waiting hands.
Smiling, Hilde took a cautious sip of the hot liquid and observed the tree.
"Well…are we decorating this thing or not?" she said, reaching for a nearby box of tinsel.
Trowa took the box from her hastily.
"We are going to decorate the tree. You are going to sit there and drink your tea."
Hilde pouted and took another sip of her tea.
""I'm not made of glass you know! I can do things!" she protested bitterly.
"I know you can," Wufei said in a condescending tone that made Hilde want to smack him upside the head for one brief moment. Seeing her glare, Wufei hesitantly changed tactics.
"I just want you to be comfortable. This is my first child and I want everything to be perfect."
Sighing, Hilde looked up into her husband's earnest eyes and smiled.
"Only two months left. Then we'll have a lovely baby girl," she said.
"Boy." Wufei corrected instantly and the couple began the same routine of argument that they had started when Hilde first told him that she was pregnant.
"Girl."
"Boy."
"Girl."
"Boy."
"Girl."
"B—"
"Uh, excuse me…"
Both parties turned to look at Duo, who through some strange mishap, had managed to get an ornament stuck in his hair. He pouted.
"A little help here?"
"Baka," Heero commented, coming over to pull painfully on the sparkly coloured ball tangled in the chestnut and gold locks.
"OwowowowowOW!" Duo complained as his hair got tugged mercilessly.
Patiently, Heero unwound the strands one by one while Duo fidgeted.
"Itaa~ai!"
"If you'd hold still it wouldn't hurt as much." Heero explained in his flat monotone. But anyone could see the amusement in the quirk of his lips and the glint in his normally expressionless eyes. After a few more strands the braided baka was free once more and running around the room at top speed, launching tinsel in the air and getting more on his fellow pilots then the tree.
"Maxwell! Stop that! You are getting tinsel all over! Give me the box."
"Ya gotta catch me first Wu-man! And I don't think you can. Married life has made you soft and cushy."
"KISAMA!!!"
Wufei's face turned red and he raised his hands, ready to throttle the American. Duo 'eeped' and hid behind Heero, who calmly stepped out of the way.
"Hee~ro! Aren't cha gonna save meeeeee?" Duo complained, inching away from Wufei's outstretched hands.
Heero smiled and went back to decorating the tree, meticulously placing tinsel a strand at a time on each branch.
"Nope." He said. "You got yourself into this mess. Now you get yourself out."
Duo blew a raspberry at him.
"Meenie."
"You're DEAD Maxwell!" Wufei cried as he renewed the chase, grabbing a pair of scissors from the wrapping paper pile and threatening to cut off Duo's braid with them.
Hilde smiled and sipped her tea, her hand reaching down to rub her stomach affectionately. She recalled the day she had found out that she was pregnant. She hadn't even gone to the doctor for any specific reason. It was just a yearly check-up, of no particular importance. When the doctor had told her she'd just about fell off the examination table. Not that Hilde had been anything less but thrilled. She'd always wanted a baby. But she wasn't quite sure how Wufei was going to take it.
~flashback~
"Wufei I can't believe you went to all this trouble just for me!" Hilde exclaimed as she looked at the feast spread before her. A table set for two by glowing candlelight was waiting for her when she arrived home from working at the garage. Her Chinese lover was patiently waiting with a steaming hot pasta dish and a bottle of white wine. Soft music played in the background.
"Nonsense," Wufei said, ushering her to the table. "You've been really stressed out this week."
Hilde opened her mouth to protest but Wufei cut her off.
"Don't argue with me, onna. I know when you are overworking yourself. I thought that you deserved a nice dinner for a change. Now sit down and eat."
Hilde looked down at her dusty coveralls and then back at the delicate china glass Wufei was busily pouring wine into. She self-consciously wiped a streak of grease off her face.
"I'm not dressed for this," she murmured.
Wufei made a 'tsk' sound and glared at her, letting her know that his order was not a request. Hilde grinned and sat down, watching as Wufei placed a good amount of homemade pasta on her plate. It smelled so good Hilde could have kissed him, greasy cheeks and all.
"Have I told you lately how much I love you?"
"Not since this morning," Wufei replied, a hint of a smile quirking his lips.
"Well then," Hilde said, "I'll say it now. I love you, Chang Wufei."
"And I you. Now eat before it gets cold. You haven't been taking care of yourself lately. You're a bit too pale and you've been getting sick in the mornings again."
Hilde froze, wondering if Wufei had figured it out on his own. But no…he was going on about flu season and how she had to be extra careful and eat nutritiously and get enough rest. Inwardly, Hilde snickered.
'If he only knew…'
"Onna?"
Hilde looked up into Wufei's penetrating dark eyes. They were rimmed with concern.
"You're quiet tonight. Is there something you want to tell me?"
Hilde bit her lip and shook her head. Wufei leaned over to capture her hand in his. She pulled away.
"Please tell me," he said quietly. "I love you and I want to know what's bothering you. Maybe I can help?"
Hilde avoided his stare.
"Do you really love me?" she asked timidly.
Wufei scowled at the question. "Didn't I just say that I did? Honestly, I think that Duo's a bad influence on you. Of course I love you. Why would I be here if I didn't?"
Hilde blushed. She knew that it was a stupid question. But she just felt like she had to know…
"Will you love me forever? No matter what?"
"Don't you already know the answer to that, airen?" Wufei asked, confused. "What's with all this self-doubt all of a sudden?"
Hilde twisted a napkin nervously around her finger. "And you're not going to get mad at me for telling you something you might not want to hear?"
Exasperated, Wufei flung his hands up in the air and shouted, "No of course I won't get mad at you! Now for the last time what's the matter?"
"Well…" Hilde said, "I have to tell you that…"
Wufei leaned forward in his chair. "Yes? Yes?"
"…that the pasta is a little over cooked."
Wufei nearly fell out of his chair, a massive sweatdrop appearing on his head.
"That's what you wanted to tell me?" he gasped, vein ticking in his forehead.
"Yup," Hilde chirped, sticking a forkful of said pasta in her mouth.
Wufei sighed and shook his head.
"Woman you drive me crazy," he lamented.
"I know," Hilde said cheerily. "But that's why you love me, right?"
Wufei snorted and lifted his wineglass.
"Now that that's over with," he said, "will you join me in a toast?"
"Of course not," Hilde said, nonchalantly. "Alcohol is bad for the baby."
Wufei shrugged and brought the glass to his lips…only to choke and sputter when he registered what she had said.
"B-b-baby?"
"Would you like some more pasta 'Fei?" Hilde smiled innocently as she held up the offered spoon.
"B-baby?"
"Isn't that what I just said?" Hilde shook her head. "Honestly 'Fei, I think your hearing is beginning to go."
"Woman, if you are joking…"
Hilde put her hands on her hips in indignation.
"Would I joke about something like this?"
Wufei snorted and got out of his chair to stand beside her.
"I wouldn't put it past you."
Hilde's left hand slid down across her hip to rest on the slightly curved stomach. The swelling was not obvious but it soon would be. She caressed it protectively.
"I'm not kidding you Wufei," she said, her eyes downcast. "I'm really and truly pregnant."
"How long?" he questioned, his voice bereft of all emotion.
Hilde's eyes flew to his face but the slanted dark orbs gave away nothing and she wished, not for the first time, that she could read him as easily as he appeared to read her.
"I went to see the doctor last week. She told me I was already four weeks along…"
"Why didn't you tell me?" Wufei's voice wavered a bit and Hilde could see a bit more emotion show through his icy façade. But still, it wasn't enough for her to be sure…
Hilde bit her lip nervously. "I wasn't sure how you'd take the news. I know we didn't plan for this exactly—"
Hilde was cut off suddenly by the force of Wufei's lips against her own. She had barely time to think before he was kissing her passionately and as the kiss progressed she found that thinking was the last thing she wanted to do right now. Of course all good things must come to an end and as Hilde was rapidly running out of breath, she reluctantly pulled away.
"Wha…what was _that_ for?"
Wufei's normally set mouth curved into a dazzling smile and placed his hands reverently on Hilde's abdomen.
"A baby," he said in bewildered joy. "I never again dared to hope…but the Dragon Clan will live on! After all these years of waiting…I'm not the last! We're having a baby!"
Wufei bent to place a kiss on the dirty, coverall clad stomach and in the process, managed to get a grease stain on his nose. Hilde laughed and wiped it off, gently.
"So you're not mad at me?" she asked, pretty sure she knew the answer already.
Wufei mock scowled at her. "Of course not, onna!" his frown disappeared. "I'm going to have a son!"
"Daughter," Hilde corrected absently, stroking the hand that covered her stomach where new life dwelled.
"It will be a boy," Wufei insisted.
"Girl."
"Boy."
"Girl."
"Boy."
"Girl."
"Boy."
"Boy."
"Girl…no Boy!"
"Ha! Gotcha 'Fei."
"Be quiet and eat your dinner, onna. My child needs sustenance."
~ end of flashback ~
Hilde smiled and cupped her now swollen stomach and felt the thrum of tiny feet kicking inside. Her smile turned into a wince when one kick hit especially hard. Seeing her expression, Wufei knelt worriedly beside her.
"What's wrong? Are you in pain?"
Hilde rolled her eyes at his overbearing concern.
'Although I really should be used to it by now. He's done it for the past seven months.'"No, but little nameless seems to be trying her hand at kickboxing. She takes after you, I'm sure."
"He," Wufei said, stubbornly, but he reached down a hand to rest on the rounded belly and soon felt the rhythm of movement inside.
Duo peered down over Hilde's shoulder. "Can I feel too?" he asked.
Not waiting for an answer, he placed his hand a bit higher than Wufei's, laughing when he felt the sharp kick.
"Wow, it's a fighter all right. Probably has Wu-man's temper too."
"That's Wu-FEI, Maxwell."
Quatre spoke up, shyly. "Do you mind if I…"
Hilde sighed and made a 'why not' gesture. "Sure. Go ahead. Why don't we all get it over with?"
As the rest of the pilots hovered 'round and placed a hand on Hilde's ample stomach, Hilde had to repress the urge to knock them all silly.
'It's not that bad,' she thought to herself. 'At least these are friends. Much better then the total strangers I usually get to deal with.'
For the last couple of months, ever since her pregnancy became obvious in fact, it became a habit of every single person walking down the street to stop, congratulate her, grope her belly, and tell her numerous tales about their own pregnancy, or their friend's pregnancy, or give their own opinion on what she should or should not be doing, mostly in regards to eating, walking, breathing, or lifting heavy objects like her purse.
At first it was fun being the center of attention. Then as the stories took on a repetitive style and the nagging and fussing became more annoying, Hilde began to avoid crowded places. The last couple of weeks, Hilde found herself wishing that anybody else who had a baby should keep their opinions to themselves and leave her the hell alone. And of course, with her hormones completely out of whack, Hilde had to physically restrain herself from punching out the would-be well wishers as soon as they came close.
'More then likely I'd cry these days…' Hilde thought bitterly, remembering how her emotions had led her to weeping ridiculously for absolutely no reason what so ever.
'A breeze would touch my cheek and I'd start to cry. A bird would chirp and I'd start to cry. Wufei would ask what the matter was and I'd start to cry. Stupid mood-swings…'~flashback~
"GO TEAM GO!! KILL THE BASTARDS!!! YEAAAAAAAH!!!!"
Wufei looked nervously over at his ranting wife, noting that if she'd gotten any closer to the t.v. her nose would be pressed against the screen.
'I don't think she even likes football. What's with all this aggression?'
"Aw, c'mon Ref that was clearly an illegal tackle! Get some glasses!!"
Wufei took his wife by the arm and tried to lead her back to the couch.
"Calm down," he said. "Too much excitement's not good for the baby."
Hilde glared murderously at him. Wufei gulped audibly. Just as Hilde opened her mouth to let him have it, her attention was pulled away by a sappy telephone company commercial. //Daddy, when are you coming back home? I miss you.// //I'm only a second away Jordan. You can reach me anytime by calling 1-800-CAL-LATT and it will only cost you ten cents a minute.// //I love you Daddy.// "Oh…" Hilde sniffled, tears running down her cheeks, "that's just so beautiful." Mystified, Wufei turned back to the t.v. screen, placing his head in his cupped hands wearily. 'This baby better come soon is all I can say.' ~end of flashback~"All right, that's enough groping the pregnant lady!" Hilde exclaimed a few minutes later. "Don't you people have a tree to decorate?"
The pilots all dispersed at once, finding some scraps of tinsel or coloured glass balls waiting to be hung on the tree. Humming "Jingle Bells" under his breath, Duo nonchalantly placed a garland of fake poinsettias on Heero's head when he thought he wasn't looking. Unfortunately Heero did not seem willing to cooperate.
"Take it off. Now."
"Oh Hee-chan, you're no fun at all."
"…That's not what you said last night."
All activity in the room stopped.
"Heero!" Duo squeaked, turning a brilliant shade of red.
"Yuy! Stop corrupting my unborn child with your hentainess!" Wufei ranted.
Trowa smiled and whispered something to Quatre that made the smaller boy gasp and blush in return, punching him softly in the arm.
"Behave yourself."
Hilde, in the meantime, was trying to hold onto her teacup while laughing convulsively. Tears ran down her face and one hand clutched her belly supportively.
"It wasn't that funny." Heero said, miffed.
Hilde kept on laughing until a particularly sharp kick interrupted her mirth.
"I didn't ask for your opinion you little brat," she told her womb in a semi-amused/semi-annoyed tone. There came another expected kick. But then there came something else, a white hot knife of pain stretching through her stomach down to her groin. It only lasted a second but it made Hilde gasp with its intensity. A wave of dizziness and nausea hit her and she swayed in her seat. The teacup plunged to the floor.
"Hilde!"
Wufei got there first, putting a hand to his wife's forehead and adding a supporting arm around her shoulders. A second after that Trowa was applying a cold compress to the back of her neck and Heero was patiently attending to the burns on her fingertips from the hot tea. Duo was on the phone talking frantically to Sally Po and Quatre had already picked the broken shards of china from the carpet and was busily mopping up the tea. Hilde's head cleared and the pain vanished as abruptly as it had appeared. She found that she was annoyed.
"Duo put that damned phone down."
He looked over at Hilde worriedly.
"Now Hilde," he started, "We're going to drive you to the hospital and Sally's going to have a look at you and then—"
"Put. The. Phone. Down."
"Aw, Hilde I know how much you hate hospitals but this is serious, babe."
First she was annoyed. Now she was pissed. "Duo Maxwell if you don't put that phone down this instant I will punch you so hard…"
Wufei cut in. "We're only concerned—"
"I KNOW THAT!!!"
"It's not good for the baby if you get all upset Hilde," Quatre remarked sweetly. Hilde resisted the urge to smack him. Barely.
"Look, bouts of nausea and dizziness are normal in any pregnancy!" Hilde said desperately, not telling them about the pain. She didn't want to think about that at the moment. "Heero! You tell them!"
Heero looked up from the bandaging job he was doing on Hilde's fingers. "Why do I…" he cut himself off as Hilde glared at him. Sighing, he gave in. "During the last trimester the mother often experiences periods of vertigo, fatigue, and nausea due to the chemical imbalance and extra demands on her body. However, these are considered normal and, if the incidents aren't too serious, should not be considered a danger to the child…"
Quatre looked faintly impressed.
"How did you know all that Heero?"
Heero blushed and looked at the floor. He mumbled something unintelligible.
"What was that Heero?"
"He's been reading my latest copy of Pregnancy Weekly," Hilde offered helpfully.
Heero's face went red.
"Dammit Hilde I told you not to tell!"
Duo still held the phone to his ear, where Sally Po's concerned voice could be heard through the mouthpiece.
"I still think you ought to go to the hospital," he remarked. Wufei nodded, apparently agreeing with him.
Hilde sighed in exasperation. "Look this is perfectly normal. Ask Sally if you don't believe me or Heero."
"Fine, I will." Duo said and asked a question into the phone. After a few moments he hung up, a little sheepish. "Sally says that these things are perfectly normal and shouldn't affect the baby's health in any way. She says that unless you feel that you need to, hospitalization isn't necessary."
Hilde smirked triumphantly. "See?"
Wufei opened his mouth, about to argue when Duo's voice cut in.
"She also said that you weren't to over exert yourself."
It was Wufei's turn to smirk triumphantly. "You see? I knew you shouldn't have gone out tonight! It's compromised your health!"
Hilde rolled her eyes. "Oh for…look, I didn't over exert myself! I just went for a walk with Trowa and Quatre to see the Christmas display in the center. I bundled up nice and warm and I wore that damn scarf and everything. And I let Heero drive us back home instead of walking."
"But that's because you felt tired, right?" Wufei crowed in that superior tone Hilde hated so much. "You must rest more, woman. I will not have you jeopardizing yourself or the baby…"
Hilde was just about to snap at him when his tone went softer and something unidentifiable appeared in his eyes.
"…I care about you both too much to let anything happen to you again."
Hilde's retort died on her lips and she dropped her head on her chest in weary defeat.
/He's just scared. This is his first child and after that scare last year and his previous wife's death he feels the need to protect you and the baby as much as he can/ her mind argued.
'I know,' she thought back. 'And that's why I'm not going to mention the pain. He's already nervous enough as it is. I don't want him to go stark raving bonkers on me. Besides, it's probably nothing. Probably…'
"Why don't you go lie down Hilde?" Quatre offered, seeing the tiredness in her eyes. "We can finish up here. You've had a long day."
Hilde saw the pleading look Wufei gave her and repressed the giant yawn that threatened to pass her lips. She decided to let him have his way. This time.
"Fine. Help me up, would you Wufei?"
As Wufei hauled her gently out of her seat and led her to the bedroom, Hilde turned back and looked at the half-decorated Christmas tree with sudden remorse.
"I wanted to see you put the star on top," she said petulantly.
"I'll come and get you when it's time," Wufei said.
"Promise?"
"Promise."
"Oh," Hilde yawned. "All right then. Goodnight everyone."
Hilde let Wufei lead her into their spacious bedroom and tucked her into bed, making sure and pillow supported her back and that she wasn't too cold. Hilde, having fallen asleep almost as soon as her head hit the pillow, was oblivious to the extreme look of tenderness on Wufei's face as he gently stroked the swell of her abdomen and covered her with the thick blanket. She did feel when he brushed back her short black bangs and pressed a soft kiss to her temple.
"Sweet dreams, Airen," he whispered.
"Mmm…" she murmured, smiling contentedly although keeping her eyes shut. In her ears the rhythm of two heartbeats pulsed strongly and the sound soothed her into a peaceful slumber. It felt so good to rest that she completely forgot about the frightening pain that had shot through her womb only moments before.
In the heavens a star burned brightly, almost fierce with it's light, and then…like a candle snuffed out, the light was gone, leaving only darkness…
To Be Continued…
[1] Yong means "forever" in Chinese, I think. Please tell me if I've got it wrong.
[2] Wo ai ni means "I love you" in Chinese.
[3] The lyrics to a beautiful Chinese song/poem by Huáng Mîn called Xuê zhong lián (Lotus in the snow).
Translation: Snowflakes drift
Bringing with them so many memories of love
Snowflakes fly
Bringing with them so many stories of love
The lily blooms in the middle of the snow
So much hope, so many wishes
Somberly wait for the one who has my love
Hoping that the feelings will never change
Snowflakes endlessly fly
and fill the sky
The past seems like a dream long gone
So much sweetness, so much longing
Though it seems so far away now
True love stays forever in my heart
Snowflakes endlessly fly
and fill the sky
[4] Airen is a Chinese endearment, "beloved".
[5] In Chinese culture the Nuptial Ceremony is when the younger guests, male and female, crowd into the bride and bridegroom's new room and make fun of them after the wedding is completed. The couple is compelled to perform stunts, to make gestures of intimacy, and so forth. It lasts until about midnight, when the guests leave to have yet another feast before returning home and leaving the bride and groom alone for the "honeymoon" ^__^ I can just see Duo poking fun at Hilde and Wufei in the bridal chamber. "Aren't ya gonna kiss her Wu-dude? C'mon give her a big smootch!"
::heaves sigh of relief:: Well…you can't imagine how long it took me to come up with a sequel for this. Well…I guess you could figure it out by adding up the days between the last chapter and this but that would take all the fun out of it. : P
Anyway, I'm hoping that since this series had such a good response last time I might get an even BETTER response with this continuation. As for Hilde's baby…let's just say I haven't decided on a happy ending yet and leave it at that.
