Minako paled and Ami looked as if she would pass out.
"N-nani?!" Minako choked. "You must have it wrong. There must be another Minako Aino...."
The doctor shook his head. "You're the only one miss, and we double checked to make sure. I suggest that you contact the father and let him know."
Minako nodded slightly, staring straight ahead in a daze. She didn't even notice when Ami lead her back into her car and started to drive.
"Minako..." Ami said quietly, "...What happened?"
Minako shook her head as the tears began to fall. She reached into her pocket and pulled out the wedding ring. "Ami... I haven't told anyone this...... Do you remember Quatre?"
Ami tried to hide her shock, for she still hadn't seen the ring. "Minako?"
"Ami-chan.." she opened her hand, showing Ami the ring. "We were married."
Ami swerved slightly, then pulled over to avoid a traffic accident. "You...you what?"
"Gods, Ami.... I love him so much.... he proposed to me, and.... I couldn't say no. I knew that I would have to leave one day, but I needed him.." she sobbed quietly.
Ami gently placed a hand on her friend's shoulder. "I'm sorry, Minako. I could never possibly imagine what you're going through right now. I will do anything and everything I can to help you."
Minako smiled slightly. "Arigato, Ami-chan."
Ami smiled, and started the car. "What are you going to tell the others?" she asked quietly as she continued to drive back to Rei's temple.
"I have to tell them.." Minako said, a bit dazed. "I just... don't know what to do..."
"Don't worry, Minako. We'll help you. We're your friends... we'll see you through this."
"Arigato, Ami-chan.." Minako smiled.
All the While (I got a little bored of meanwhile)
Quatre stared out his window at the stars. It was very late but he just couldn't sleep. He hadn't slept much at all since Minako had left. In fact… he hadn't done much at all. Mostly he spent his time playing his violin or piano.
He knew that it was worrying his friends, but there wasn't much he could do about it. As hard as he tried to convince himself he was happy, it never worked. No matter how many times he smiled or laughed, if it wasn't real it couldn't make a difference.
Faintly, very faintly, he could feel her presence, so far away… And with it… another presence. One he hadn't felt before, but he loved this presence already. So much like Minako's…
Holding back tears, Quatre smiled up at Venus. "Aishiteru, Minako… I won't cry anymore… I promise…"
In the Morning-
Quatre trudged down the hall to his laptop. With a few clicks he signed into the Gundam pilot's database. He read that they were going on a mission later that day.
"04- Condition- Depression- Status- On leave."
Smiling, he filed a new report on himself. "04-Condition- I'm okay- Status- I'll see you at rendezvous point."
A new message popped up. "01- Condition- 100%- Status- Commencing mission in 2:3:56- Comment- 04, no."
Quatre glared at the screen and typed. "04- Condition- fine- Status- ready to work- Comment- 01, I'm okay now. I'll be there."
"02- Condition- Why do we have to fill this out EVERY TIME!- Status-…I'm good…Comment- 04- you sure?"
"03- Condition- 100%- Status- Commencing Mission in 2:34:24- Comment- 04- will you be okay there?"
"04- Condition- 700%- Status- Leaving for Mission in 0:55:00- Comment- 02,03- YES."
"02-Condition-85% and lowering- Status-… dying of annoyance- Comment- 04- okay then… we'll see you there."
"05- Condition- 100%- Status- Commencing Mission in 2:33:59- Comment- 04- be careful."
"04-Condition-… you're right… this is annoying- Status- Commencing Mission in 2:33-34- Comment- 01,
02, 03, 05- thanks guys."
"01-Condition-100%- Status- Commencing Mission in 2:33:12- Comment- You realize HQ will be reading this."
"02- Condition- Probably about to be killed by an HQ hit man- Status- Running Away- Comment- Well hi HQ… Isn't this a lot more interesting than usu-"
"02-booted at 2:32:45 to Commence Mission- HQ- Comment- Anyone else?"
"01, 03, 04, 05- logged off at 2:32:42."
"HQ-Comment- well that's just no fun…"
Quatre smiled and got up from his computer . Work was what he needed. He just needed his mind off of Minako. "I can be happy," he told himself, "And I will be."
(meanwhile)
"You're.... what?" Rei asked as her eyes widened in shock.
"But... How, Minako?" Usagi asked, dumbfounded.
Makoto laughed nervously. "What she means is.... who? I mean... where? I mean... ARGH!"
Minako shook her head. "Listen, minna. Remember Quatre?"
Everyone nodded slowly.
"We were... are married." she held up her ring for everyone to see.
"You're...?" Rei couldn't finish so Makoto did for her.
"Married?"
Minako nodded, sadness evident in her face. "A few months ago now..."
"I'm so sorry, Minako.... we had no idea... no wonder you're so upset.." Usagi said sadly.
Minako shook her head. "I have to live on though. I have to continue my life and maybe, one day, we'll meet again. I just don't know what I'm going to do for now... I mean... me, a mother...."
"Don't worry, Mina-chan." Rei smiled, "You'll be a great mother!"
Everyone else nodded in agreement. "And we'll help you!" Makoto shouted. "You won't be on your own!"
Minako smiled as tears made their way down her face. "Arigato, minna..."
(Six Months Later)
Duo ate his 8th hamburger in a row.
"Stop it, Duo, you'll make yourself sick." Quatre laughed.
"No way, I'm going for a record." He chomped into his 9th burger.
"Maxwell, you're an idiot." Wufei spat.
"Nuh UH!" Duo replied. "You won't be saying that when my names on a plaque."
"Yeah, it'll say, 'Duo Maxwell- the biggest moron on earth.'" Hiiro said.
"Hey! A little support here?" Duo finished his 9th burger. "… Y'know I'm just not hungry anymore… Oh well… someone else can have the record."
A young, stressed looking waitress stopped in front of their table. "A-are you done now, sir?"
"Yes, ma'am. My compliments to the cook." Duo tipped his hat. "And to the lovely waitress." He winked at her.
She got a big sweatdrop. "Uh… Yes, sir… here's your bill."
Quatre took it from her. "Thank you, miss." He said with a smile.
The waitress blushed at him. "Y-you're welcome, sir…Um… just pay at the front…"
Curiously, Quatre looked at her face. "Are you alright, miss? You look a little red."
She blushed brighter. "Oh… it's nothing, sir… I probably used to much blush… tee hee." She bowed. "Thank you for your concern." She walked away.
"Ooh, Quatre, always the ladies man." Duo smirked.
"Wha-? What are you talking about?" Quatre questioned.
"You had her BLUSHING! She was turned on by your gentlemanly ways. Maybe I should try that sometime.. hmmm."
"…She was not!" Quatre argued, his own face turning red
"Fine then, don't believe me, but I think you should start going out again. You hang out with us too much. It's not good for your health."
Quatre stared ahead of him. "Why shouldn't I be with my friends?"
Minako Winner wanted more! SO here ya go, Minako-SAMA!
"It was just an idea. Maybe you need more time…"
"How could I even think about another woman when I'm MARRIED to Minako?" Quatre asked, getting angry.
"Uh… sorry man… Well I better go now, c-ya." Duo left the restaurant with a last wink at the waitress.
In the next five minutes the other pilots had left as well, leaving Quatre alone.
"Minako…" he whispered, fiddling with his wedding ring. "I'm still waiting… And I've stopped crying… I just wish I could see you again before I die…"
A light surrounded him. "Huh?" Quatre stared at it. And then he vanished.
Earlier.....
Minako panted heavily as she made her way up the stairs in her apartment. Rei had insisted on letting her stay in the temple, but she needed some time to be alone. To think.
She was eight months pregnant now, and boy did it show! She couldn't tell anyone else about Quatre, but she didn't care what people thought of her now anyway.
She unlocked her apartment door and stepped inside. Looking around, she fought back tears. She shook her head and tried not to cry, but it was no use.
She had done well, as far as not crying or feeling sorry for herself, but every once in a while, she would just break down. She couldn't help it.
She turned on the light and gasped when she saw a body on her floor... shaking her head and blinking her eyes, she tried to convince herself that it was an illusion. "...Quatre...?"
"N-nani?!" Minako choked. "You must have it wrong. There must be another Minako Aino...."
The doctor shook his head. "You're the only one miss, and we double checked to make sure. I suggest that you contact the father and let him know."
Minako nodded slightly, staring straight ahead in a daze. She didn't even notice when Ami lead her back into her car and started to drive.
"Minako..." Ami said quietly, "...What happened?"
Minako shook her head as the tears began to fall. She reached into her pocket and pulled out the wedding ring. "Ami... I haven't told anyone this...... Do you remember Quatre?"
Ami tried to hide her shock, for she still hadn't seen the ring. "Minako?"
"Ami-chan.." she opened her hand, showing Ami the ring. "We were married."
Ami swerved slightly, then pulled over to avoid a traffic accident. "You...you what?"
"Gods, Ami.... I love him so much.... he proposed to me, and.... I couldn't say no. I knew that I would have to leave one day, but I needed him.." she sobbed quietly.
Ami gently placed a hand on her friend's shoulder. "I'm sorry, Minako. I could never possibly imagine what you're going through right now. I will do anything and everything I can to help you."
Minako smiled slightly. "Arigato, Ami-chan."
Ami smiled, and started the car. "What are you going to tell the others?" she asked quietly as she continued to drive back to Rei's temple.
"I have to tell them.." Minako said, a bit dazed. "I just... don't know what to do..."
"Don't worry, Minako. We'll help you. We're your friends... we'll see you through this."
"Arigato, Ami-chan.." Minako smiled.
All the While (I got a little bored of meanwhile)
Quatre stared out his window at the stars. It was very late but he just couldn't sleep. He hadn't slept much at all since Minako had left. In fact… he hadn't done much at all. Mostly he spent his time playing his violin or piano.
He knew that it was worrying his friends, but there wasn't much he could do about it. As hard as he tried to convince himself he was happy, it never worked. No matter how many times he smiled or laughed, if it wasn't real it couldn't make a difference.
Faintly, very faintly, he could feel her presence, so far away… And with it… another presence. One he hadn't felt before, but he loved this presence already. So much like Minako's…
Holding back tears, Quatre smiled up at Venus. "Aishiteru, Minako… I won't cry anymore… I promise…"
In the Morning-
Quatre trudged down the hall to his laptop. With a few clicks he signed into the Gundam pilot's database. He read that they were going on a mission later that day.
"04- Condition- Depression- Status- On leave."
Smiling, he filed a new report on himself. "04-Condition- I'm okay- Status- I'll see you at rendezvous point."
A new message popped up. "01- Condition- 100%- Status- Commencing mission in 2:3:56- Comment- 04, no."
Quatre glared at the screen and typed. "04- Condition- fine- Status- ready to work- Comment- 01, I'm okay now. I'll be there."
"02- Condition- Why do we have to fill this out EVERY TIME!- Status-…I'm good…Comment- 04- you sure?"
"03- Condition- 100%- Status- Commencing Mission in 2:34:24- Comment- 04- will you be okay there?"
"04- Condition- 700%- Status- Leaving for Mission in 0:55:00- Comment- 02,03- YES."
"02-Condition-85% and lowering- Status-… dying of annoyance- Comment- 04- okay then… we'll see you there."
"05- Condition- 100%- Status- Commencing Mission in 2:33:59- Comment- 04- be careful."
"04-Condition-… you're right… this is annoying- Status- Commencing Mission in 2:33-34- Comment- 01,
02, 03, 05- thanks guys."
"01-Condition-100%- Status- Commencing Mission in 2:33:12- Comment- You realize HQ will be reading this."
"02- Condition- Probably about to be killed by an HQ hit man- Status- Running Away- Comment- Well hi HQ… Isn't this a lot more interesting than usu-"
"02-booted at 2:32:45 to Commence Mission- HQ- Comment- Anyone else?"
"01, 03, 04, 05- logged off at 2:32:42."
"HQ-Comment- well that's just no fun…"
Quatre smiled and got up from his computer . Work was what he needed. He just needed his mind off of Minako. "I can be happy," he told himself, "And I will be."
(meanwhile)
"You're.... what?" Rei asked as her eyes widened in shock.
"But... How, Minako?" Usagi asked, dumbfounded.
Makoto laughed nervously. "What she means is.... who? I mean... where? I mean... ARGH!"
Minako shook her head. "Listen, minna. Remember Quatre?"
Everyone nodded slowly.
"We were... are married." she held up her ring for everyone to see.
"You're...?" Rei couldn't finish so Makoto did for her.
"Married?"
Minako nodded, sadness evident in her face. "A few months ago now..."
"I'm so sorry, Minako.... we had no idea... no wonder you're so upset.." Usagi said sadly.
Minako shook her head. "I have to live on though. I have to continue my life and maybe, one day, we'll meet again. I just don't know what I'm going to do for now... I mean... me, a mother...."
"Don't worry, Mina-chan." Rei smiled, "You'll be a great mother!"
Everyone else nodded in agreement. "And we'll help you!" Makoto shouted. "You won't be on your own!"
Minako smiled as tears made their way down her face. "Arigato, minna..."
(Six Months Later)
Duo ate his 8th hamburger in a row.
"Stop it, Duo, you'll make yourself sick." Quatre laughed.
"No way, I'm going for a record." He chomped into his 9th burger.
"Maxwell, you're an idiot." Wufei spat.
"Nuh UH!" Duo replied. "You won't be saying that when my names on a plaque."
"Yeah, it'll say, 'Duo Maxwell- the biggest moron on earth.'" Hiiro said.
"Hey! A little support here?" Duo finished his 9th burger. "… Y'know I'm just not hungry anymore… Oh well… someone else can have the record."
A young, stressed looking waitress stopped in front of their table. "A-are you done now, sir?"
"Yes, ma'am. My compliments to the cook." Duo tipped his hat. "And to the lovely waitress." He winked at her.
She got a big sweatdrop. "Uh… Yes, sir… here's your bill."
Quatre took it from her. "Thank you, miss." He said with a smile.
The waitress blushed at him. "Y-you're welcome, sir…Um… just pay at the front…"
Curiously, Quatre looked at her face. "Are you alright, miss? You look a little red."
She blushed brighter. "Oh… it's nothing, sir… I probably used to much blush… tee hee." She bowed. "Thank you for your concern." She walked away.
"Ooh, Quatre, always the ladies man." Duo smirked.
"Wha-? What are you talking about?" Quatre questioned.
"You had her BLUSHING! She was turned on by your gentlemanly ways. Maybe I should try that sometime.. hmmm."
"…She was not!" Quatre argued, his own face turning red
"Fine then, don't believe me, but I think you should start going out again. You hang out with us too much. It's not good for your health."
Quatre stared ahead of him. "Why shouldn't I be with my friends?"
Minako Winner wanted more! SO here ya go, Minako-SAMA!
"It was just an idea. Maybe you need more time…"
"How could I even think about another woman when I'm MARRIED to Minako?" Quatre asked, getting angry.
"Uh… sorry man… Well I better go now, c-ya." Duo left the restaurant with a last wink at the waitress.
In the next five minutes the other pilots had left as well, leaving Quatre alone.
"Minako…" he whispered, fiddling with his wedding ring. "I'm still waiting… And I've stopped crying… I just wish I could see you again before I die…"
A light surrounded him. "Huh?" Quatre stared at it. And then he vanished.
Earlier.....
Minako panted heavily as she made her way up the stairs in her apartment. Rei had insisted on letting her stay in the temple, but she needed some time to be alone. To think.
She was eight months pregnant now, and boy did it show! She couldn't tell anyone else about Quatre, but she didn't care what people thought of her now anyway.
She unlocked her apartment door and stepped inside. Looking around, she fought back tears. She shook her head and tried not to cry, but it was no use.
She had done well, as far as not crying or feeling sorry for herself, but every once in a while, she would just break down. She couldn't help it.
She turned on the light and gasped when she saw a body on her floor... shaking her head and blinking her eyes, she tried to convince herself that it was an illusion. "...Quatre...?"