A Painful Past

Chapter 7

"Robert!"
It was the same morning as Kaylee's bad dream. She was now doing her simulator battles. She was doing really well, but the others couldn't tell if it was just a good day or her anger at her dream. Trowa and Hilde had told the others while Kaylee was out for a run, but warned them not to mention it or do anything that might trigger her memory of it. Except Wufei-he had his mission to think of.
"Robert!"
Again came a voice from across the hanger. The pilots and Kaylee turned to see a girl just a few years older than them standing in the hanger doorway. She had blond, tight-curly hair and was about 5'8. Robert came out of the barracks, rubbing his eyes. He never woke up early.
"Hai? Who is it? What do you want?" He asked kind of groggily.
"Is that how you speak to your wife Robert? Shame on you!" Jen said with a wink. She and Hilde had just got back from the store.
"Duo, you have got to stop eating so much!" Hilde said with a grunt as she put a heavy sack on the floor.
"But it wasn't me, babe!" he protested. As if on cue, Kaylee claimed down from the simulator machine and burped. Heero and Wufei gave her a disgusted look, Trowa managed a small smile, and the rest laughed.
"What?" Kaylee asked, knowing she was guilty. All of the sudden there was a shout from across the hanger. Everyone looked up to see Robert swinging a laughing Tracy around in a circle. The three girls looked at each other and quickly walked towards the other side of the hanger.
"What's going on?" Jen asked.
"I'm going to have a baby!" Tracy squealed and Jen and Hilde smothered her with hugs and laughter while Kaylee shouted and threw herself at Robert. She had momentarily forgot she was still fighting with him.
"Oh my gosh! That's so great! I'm so happy for you!" Robert grinned, but then they finally realized the 'fight'.
"Listen, Robert, I'm sorry about the other day. I didn't mean--"
"I know and you don't need to apologize. We are both sorry." He smiled and they hugged. Kaylee could hear the other girls talking about baby names, room colors, and all the other baby stuff.
"Wait. How do you two know Tracy?" Kaylee asked.
"I didn't leave here till about two months ago and they have been here about a year." Tracy said.
"Oh I see. I didn't know that. Well let's go get reacquainted. How bout some pizza rolls?" Jen groaned but grudgingly agreed and they took off towards the lounge.
"Too weak to finish your battles onna? You women always have to have your breaks." Wufei called after Kaylee. She didn't even turn around. Instead she put her hand behind her back and stuck up her middle finger.
"Looks like your comments won't work this time," Heero said with a small almost non-existent smile.
"Hn," was the only response.

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Trowa walked though the barrack hallway, heading to his room for a nap. He was helping to build Kaylee's Gundam using a gutted old MS and the parts Hilde and Jen got on their 'shopping trips'. The hardest part was finding enough Gundanium to cover the MS. As Trowa opened his door, he saw the light on his laptop beeping. That meant only one thing-an incoming transmission from Doktor S.

Tyler,
I hope you have settled in well with your Uncle James. You will be coming to Earth soon to visit with your mom and I in the Sanq Kingdom. Your brothers are also receiving this message. How does September 6th, 12 noon sound to you? At the Park? See you soon!
-Scott

This was a coded message. Trowa knew it was being seen by the other pilots, except a different codename, instead of Tyler. It was coded because it could be seen by Oz spies. Trowa knew it would be the Sanq Kingdom in one week for the pilot's new mission. This must be a big one if it involved all the pilots.
But he knew he was going one day, one hour earlier than listed, because it was one week later. If it had been two or three, the number would have been proportional. He walked to Heero's room.
"Looks like we have work to do," Heero said with out even looking up from his laptop.
"Yes. Will Kaylee's Gundam be done by then?"
"Don't know. But I don't think she is invited to the party. Relena's in the Sanq Kingdom that week."
"Relena? As in Queen Relena?" Kaylee appeared at Heero's door.
"She's not the Queen anymore, but yes, her." Trowa said.
"Hey! I got one of those," Kaylee said, seeing the note. "But I don't have any brothers or uncles, or do I know anyone named Scott. I figured by saying Katie, they just spelled my name wrong." Trowa explained the code system. Her eyes got wide.
"They can't possibly want me! I'm not ready. I can't do this!"
"You still have about a week to train. And your doing fine." Trowa said.
"Of course, if you're scared, you can stay with the other onnas." Wufei said as he walked in.
"I'm not scared of anything, you baka! I'll show you..." Kaylee retorted and walked out the door.

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Trowa was walking out of his room the next evening when his thoughts were interrupted by the sound of sniffling and small sobs coming from Kaylee's room. He stood in the doorway, and saw Kaylee on the floor next to her bed. She had her head on her arm on the bed and she was facing the wall. She looked up at him with tear tracks down her face, and quickly wiped them away,
heading for the bathroom.
"Is there something you needed?" she blew her nose. "Allergies" she said, hoping Trowa would buy it. He obviously didn't but all he said was, "Got to watch out for those weeds when you go running." She gave a half laugh. She sat down on the bed and Trowa sat next to her. He wasn't going to prod, but just waited patiently for her to tell him what was wrong.
"I didn't mean to disturb you. I just hate it here. Too many bad memories" She looked up at him, and he wanted to hold her and comfort her, but he waited for her to continue.
"Everyday, I see those Gundams and the destruction they have the ability to cause. I hear the shouts of kids at play whose lives haven't yet been destroyed by this war." She looked up to see Wufei standing in the doorway, with Heero a little behind him. She could hear Duo and Quatre talking down the hall. She clamed up not wanting to reveal this to anyone but Trowa. She trusted him.
"That's what makes you women weak. You let your emotions get in the way of good judgment." Wufei said with an evil gleam in his eye.
"Piss off Wufei. You don't show any emotion so how would you know?"
"Oh onna has bark but not any bite?" Wufei said mockingly.
"You don't know what it was like to grow up here. To not know anything but battles and how to win them. Your the one who's weak because only weak people have to degrade others."
"No, only weak people hide from their past."
"AHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!" Kaylee screamed and threw herself at an unsuspecting Wufei and pinning him to the ground. Quatre and Duo went to stop her, but Heero and Trowa waved them off. He could take care of himself.
"How DARE you! You stupid, arrogant, ASSHOLE! You want to know what happened? Do you really want to know what I did? The destruction caused? The children who watched their parents die before them? I took a mission and it went bad." she was shaking him, hitting him on the floor. "I knew better but I did it anyway and innocent lives were lost. It was all my fault." She stopped
shaking him and visibly grew weaker, sobs wracking her body. Her hands came up and covered her face. "I failed because I was too arrogant to admit I was wrong and see my own inadequacy." Duo and Quatre came over and dragged her off an obviously satisfied Wufei.
"...all my fault...I'm sorry...so sorry..." Quatre wiped her eyes with his shirtsleeve. The other women were coming down the hall, so Heero went to his room and Duo, Quatre, and Wufei ushered the women out so they could work on something. Trowa was left looking at a softly crying Kaylee.
He bent down and scooped her up like she was a baby. She just rested her head near the crook in his neck. She felt so safe in his arms. He closed the door to her room with his foot and set her on her bed. He cupped her face in his hands, silently asking if she would be o.k. She nodded. He made to leave but her hand on his arm stopped him.
"Please, just stay till I go to sleep. I..." she trailed off. Before he could stop himself, Trowa was kissing her. It just felt so right. He could stay like this forever. He broke away and saw the love in her eyes he felt. They smiled at each other and laid down on the bed, Trowa at her back. He stroked her head and in about 10 minutes she was asleep. He soon followed suit.
The next morning when Trowa woke up, he found they had switched position in the night and now Kaylee's head was on his chest. Amazing he didn't wake up when that happened. He had the best sleep he had had in a long time. He knew Kaylee was all he would ever need. Sliding his arm from behind her, he gently laid her head on the bed and went to the bathroom. As he was drying his face, Kaylee came up and slipped her arms around his waist, head resting on his back. His arms circled behind him.
"Sleep well?" She asked, even thought she knew the answer.
"Very." He turned and kissed her on the forehead.
"What's wrong? You know, your cuter when you smile." she said
"The others will ask questions about last night. Could you talk about it?"
"I don't know..." Trowa tilted her head back and looked into her eyes and she loved how he could communicate with her with out saying anything. She nodded and went to change for her run. Trowa watched her leave. Heero came out of his room and saw Trowa watching Kaylee.
"Just don't let it get in the way of your mission." He said.
"You never do," Trowa said and went to get breakfast.