By Eve
Warning: Take a guess…
Disclaimer: See the way beginning of the story… That means that you all pick lawyers have to move on back to Chapter One of Book one to read it. ^_^
Dedication: To everybody this time, thank you for being such faithful reviewers. Today, (3/24) is the seven month anniversary of Book Two!
*Mini-Authors notes~ Hiya, guys. Just want to let you know that I'm glad everyone liked the new twist I had. It was completely last minute, but if you liked it I can't complain. Rest of the notes are at the end.
Italics: thoughts
/Italics/: flashbacks
=====================
Chapter 15: Bittersweet
You're not the only one who feels this way.
Ammonia"Catherine's gone."
Hilde's voice was empty. It carried no remorse, but slightest hint of sympathy. They had been expecting this, not this soon though. In the back of her mind, Relena knew that regardless of whatever path they had been geared towards history would somehow manage to repeat itself regardless of the form. Relena closed her eyes.
"It was inevitable," she responded softly.
"But this soon?"
"It wouldn't have matter the time or place. You this as well as I do, love. She'll come back, she always does."
Hilde sat across from her atop the window sill, a sigh escaping her lips. "Dead or alive is the question we'll have to wait for an answer though?"
Relena nodded, gaze landing on the blood-covered knife that lay on top of the wooden bureau. She could picture Catherine's terror-stricken expression in the back of her mind. Soon Catherine was replaced by others, ghost who have still decided to follow her from the grave.
"It's a part of ourselves that we cannot escape," Hilde spoke, cutting into her thoughts. "You know as well as I do that we can never escape the onslaught of our pasts. I have ghost, you have ghost, we all deal with them in different ways. But do not start blaming yourself for the path and for Catherine's leave. What happened, happen chiquita. She made the choice herself."
// Merian and you can turn like a light switch. //
Yes that is true, love. Her eyes turned to the multi-colored sky. It would be dark soon and time for another meeting with the council. But Merian and I are both haunted by more demons then you can keep up with. That is a fact to keep in mind.
"So," Hilde began, slapping her hands on her knees. An ear-to-ear grin spread across her lips, but never reached her eyes. She grabbed her friend's arm and pulled her up to her feet. Relena chuckled.
"Never seen you this enthusiastic about a council meeting."
"And I still plan to never ever be."
Relena's laughter rang through the halls as the two ran giggling towards their destination. Another moment was spared.
Just how many more were allowed to slip through?
**
"You won't find her."
Trowa paused mid-packing, Merian's voice floating within the confined space of the room. She stood, leaning against the doorway with her eyes shut. She wore a traditional Chinese fighting gi, brilliant colors of yellow, green, and orange contrasting with the darkness of her very soul. In his honest opinion, Merian was the strangest and yet the most mysterious out of all of them. He shook his head. "I must, I owe her that much."
"You still won't find her, Trowa. She covers her tracks not only very well, but you'll be killed if you follow her."
"Is it some much to ask any of you for any ounce of concern for her?"
"Nope."
"Any at all?"
"It's a hopeless conversation we got going here," Merian responded. He met her overpowering gaze.
Drowning, drowning, drowning…
Is this how Wufei felt when he looked into her piercing green eyes?
Strength, courage, pain…
// "She was an amazing woman, Barton. Almost impenetrable, but she had her moments. She made me realize that fighting for what you wanted was okay. But she also taught me that there is a difference between the right moment and the wrong. She had so much to offer. //
He dropped the shirt he had held in mid-air. It fell gently to the ground without making even the slightest of noises.
"Come on, circus-boy. We have meeting to make an appearance at."
// She was crying again. Tenth time that night, eighteenth that week… He didn't understand how one relationship could be that profound. //
Her hand was outstretched, offering, beckoning for him to take it and follow.
One step backwards, two steps forward…
// Midii's eyes looked at him with so much trust and love, he almost felt------giddy? He brushed a stray hair out of her beautiful face.
"Take the plunge, Trowa." //
He took her hand.
**
"I want you to go back."
Stop. "But I can't. They've already figured out what-"
"I want you to go back, Natia. I want you to fight. We will deal with the new problem when there is time. Understand?"
Silence. Go. "Yes."
"I'm not asking you to like it, Natia. Just follow orders."
Go. Stop. Pause. Disappear. Darkness.
"Follow her Alexi. Make sure that there are no more misunderstandings."
**
Author's Ramblings:
Bunch of stuff to take care of folks. From April 1-7, I will be in San Francisco on vacation with my *adoring* family. I will try to get out a posting before then, but I can't guarantee it. I have a bunch of research paper stuff to do as well. -_- It'll take a miracle for me to be able to get to a computer on vacation, let alone avoid my paper. I've been procrastinating too damn long anyway.
I know I promised an interlude, but again with the new twist it might happened closer to the end. You will find out about what happened to Heero and Relena even if it means an extra chapter.
The question of the girls' mechas seem to be a favorite in my e-mail, nowadays. They do exist, mind you, but you won't see them until the actual pre-battle and as soon as I get my hands on the new Kenshin DVD. I'm going to cry if they don't have it again…
Question, comments, review or e-mail. It's your choice and I'm with either or even both.