Chapter 3:

            Aina watched the white van pull up the drive and stop in front of the main doors. The large green writing on the side of the white can read the name of the hospital and it's telephone number.

            The phone call she had gotten from the hospital was one of the doctors treating Shiro Amada. She has said he was well enough to go home, where she said it would probably be a more comfortable place for him. The problem was, there was no record or where 'home' was except his old colony back in space. Aina needed no further evidence, and offered him a home at the Sakhalin Mansion.

            Two men in white coats got out of the van and went around tot eh back. One unloaded a ramp while the other climbed in and carefully wheeled down Shiro.

            Aina coved a laugh. He couldn't have looked more miserable. His face was pulled in a tight scowl to replace the normal sheepish grin, and he fingered the leavers of his wheelchair with loathing in every movement. The men carefully got him up to the doors where Aina thanked them and watched the van pull away. She looked down at Shiro. What could she possibly say to make him feel at home?

            "I… we've gotten a room set up for you."

            He had let his face relax a little and was now staring at the doors.

            "Shall we go… see? Or do you want to do something else?"

            "What else can I do?" He had a point. She opened the door then turned to bring him in, but he was already past her. "I'm not brain-dead, too."

            She sighed and closed the door behind him.

            Within a month after moving in, Shiro had brightened up considerably. He smiled now, laughed and talked with the people of the house. He stubbornly tried to stand and walk, but he felt like a baby when Aina tired to help him, trying to get him to catch his balance on their arms, or handing him a stick the hospital has given him for when he did stand.

            Aina sat at a couch at the end of his room, letting the sun warm her arms and legs while keeping a steady gaze on the boy across the room. He sighed, shoving food around a plate on his lap and looked up at her.

            "I never thanked you, you know."

            She looked surprised, "You know you don't have to…"

            He shook his head. "No one else would have helped me the way you have."

            "Your team…"

            He looked down, "I almost expected them to pretend to care."

            She got up and went over to him, knelt beside him and put a hand on one of his lifeless knees. "They're just confused, or angry," she said kindly. "They don't know what to do. They never thought a Zeon would offer to take you."

            "But they know you!"

            "That doesn't matter to anyone but us, Shiro."

            He looked down at her and smiled. "Thank you." He placed his hand over hers and squeezed it gently. Smiling, she pushed herself up, leaning her hands heavily on his knees.

            "Ow!"

            "What?!" She stepped back, scared, eyes wide.

            "Ow!" He repeated. They both went quiet for a moment. Then Shiro slammed his fist as hard as he could down onto his knee. "Ooww!" he screamed in pain.

            "Shiro!" Aina laughed with joy, "Shiro! Your legs!" She touched his leg gently.

            Laughing, he drummed his hands on his legs, feeling prickles climbing up through his thighs. He laughed loud and hard despite the tingling and pain racing through his leg muscles as he drummed, "I can feel them! They tingle!" Laughing, Aina threw her arms around his neck and hugged him tightly, kissed his cheek and ran to the door.

He worked at it almost everyday in the privacy of his room, or out in the gardens. He was finally able to send away the people who helped bathe him, and by the time the leaves started to fall from the trees, he could shuffle across the room before having to sit down and catch his breath. Aina spent day after day with him, helping where she was able. She would sit and talk while he got warmed up, and he liked the way she didn't beg to help him, only going over to him when he asked. He felt like a heavy weight had been lifted from his shoulders when she laughed, the sound of her voice encouraging him even more.

"I wouldn't be surprised if we could go out to the stables in a week." Aina said, "It's great." She smiled and kissed him lightly in joy. With the touch of his lips to hers, he felt a gentle flutter in his chest, like a butterfly had flown down his throat and landed softly on his heart. It was like he had been running through a field of birds and they had all taken flight up to the sky as he passed. He looked at Aina, her pale blond head leaning against his knees, watched her eyes as they stared out the window, her face shining with excitement, and he knew what the feeling was. A stone-dropt-to-the-bottom-of-his-heart feeling, and he grinned. He was scared to death of that feeling.

Shiro sat in a cushioned chair watching the snowfall outside the window. He had been here almost ten months now, and he was starting to feel at home.

Aina wouldn't let him do anything to help around the house. Cleaning up after meals, bringing out the laundry or even making his own bed. But she did let him feed the horses, and for the past couple weeks he had been riding regularly. He could walk in a slow shuffle using a stick for balance.

It was almost Christmas, and a huge evergreen tree had had been set up in the living room. Sparkly wrapped presents were already filling the base of the tree.

A bird landed on the windowsill and pecked at the seed scattered there.

That feeling in his chest, the one he had whenever he saw Aina, was love. It had grown stronger so that now whenever the door opened, he looked up, eager to Aina's beautiful face. He knew he shouldn't let the feeling take him over, because he knew that as soon as he could walk, really walk, he would have to leave and return to his team and the Federation. He had made up his mind that he never backed out of something he laid down on the table. He loved her, but he couldn't do anything about it; who ever heard of a Fed and a Zeon, two completely different sides, falling in love?

There was a tap on the door, and Aina walked in, decked in a green dress the color of pines with a ribbon in her hair to match. He smiled. "Eledore was just on the phone," she said, seating herself on a couch. "He said that his ship was just leaving. He should be here by tomorrow." Shiro nodded.

"I haven't heard from any of them in a while," he said, sounding almost sad. "I was starting to think they didn't care about their old commander." His smile was weak. "Last I heard, Karen was being shipped off to command another team, and Sanders reeking havoc at the Zeon camps all over Asia. And that was on the news." He sighed a bit.

"It will be nice to have someone here," Aina looked out the window at the bird.

The next day, as promised, Eledore arrived. He trudged in with loads of luggage from his trip, and was bundled up in a large winter coat with scarves and mittens to match. He took of his gloves and blew on his numb fingers.

"Sorry about the bags, man" he grinned, looking at Shiro who was leaning heavily on his walking stick. "Had to make out like a tourist just to get into the stupid city. Zeons and their…" he slowed to a stop and chuckled at Aina.

She shrugged and smiled, "That's alright. I agree on you there." She laughed with him. Eledore beamed and pulled off his layers. Aina turned to a man standing at the door. "Could you take his bags up to his room?"

The man nodded, "Yes, Miss. Sakhalin."

They watched the man carry the heavy bags up the stairs, and then Shiro looked to Eledore. "What did you bring? You'd got enough suitcases to carry feed for a thousand elephants!"

Eledore grinned. "Gotta bring my music with me everywhere, you of all people should know that."

Aina smiled, then waved them to the living room. "Hot chocolate, anyone?"

The morning before Christmas Shiro woke to the sound of laughter and busy talking. He got up, dressed and made his slow way down to the living room.

Aina and a young girl where putting on hats just as he entered. They quickly said good morning, Aina gave his cheek a quick peck then went out the door in a flurry of snow.

"Last minute shopping," Eledore yawned.

"Ah."

"Coffee?" He picked up a pot on the table and poured him a cup, "Have to say, it's pretty damn good. Not as muddy as the crap we used to make but I suppose it'll have to make do." He took a steaming sip and waved at his mouth.

The presents under the tree seemed to have grown over night, like Santa had come a day early. He couldn't help eyeing them like a hopeful child.

"I brought a bunch," Eledore said, noticing Shiro looking in the direction of the tree. They sat in silence for a long time, both enjoying their coffee. Finally, Eledore smacked his lips and set his cup down. "So how's live here?" he asked. "Livin' with Aina, huh?" He winked and Shiro gave him a smirk.

"It was nice of her to let me stay. I'm actually surprised the Feds would let me out of the damn hospital without killing someone," he said, ignoring the wink. "They didn't even try to fight for me, huh?"

Eledore shrugged and moved back to his topic. "Look at this place!" He waved an arm around the huge room. "I mean this place is freaking giant!" He dropped his arms and propped his feet up on the glass coffee table. "Anyways, I've been here only three days, already feels like home."

Shiro looked at his friend. He could easily tell that he was dodging having to ask about what happened. He glanced at Shiro for out of the corner of his eye and saw the look on his face, one of mock disinterest. He sighed. "At least you're not dead yet."

Shiro nodded and shrugged a bit.

"Man," Eledore breathed. "What else will you live through? I mean no offence, but some of those stunts you pulled with the team… we should've been dead a looooong time ago. It's not good to play God, you know, Commander." He leaned forward and put his elbows on his knees. "A run-in with a MS for no apparent read is a bit strange, don't'cha think? A little over the edge just to kill one person, I mean… a Gundam?"

"It was just some crazy guy who probably hired a hit man to kill the Sakhalins."

"His choice of weapon was happened to be a Guerilla suit?"

Shiro nodded again. "Someone wants to get Ginias back to Earth," he whispered. "He's working on a new weapon up in a colony…"

Eledore's eyes widened, "When'd you find that out?!"

"Aina trusts me."

"But this…."

"I know. She knows she shouldn't have. But who could I tell?" He smirked, "You're a musician, and anyway, the team's broken up." He paused. "Where did everyone end up?"

Eledore rolled his eyes back in thought, "Well… Karen's commanding a team off in the jungle somewhere, Sanders… I think he trouped off to Asia, too. Last I heard of Michel, he was goin' back to that girl of his, Bebe, I think her name was?" he shrugged. "And I write music," He smiled.

"What about Kiki?"

"Ah, the Guerilla girl? I think she went back to her village."

Shiro nodded, again, and tapped his leg. There was a silence.

Eledore looked at him, "How long you been walking?"

"Just a month or so. I actually never thought I'd be able to feel them again… it came as a surprise, for both of us." He smiled, "I can walk again. Not as good as I was, yet." He tapped his cane on the floor.

Eledore laughed. "You, having to use a cane! Ha!" He laughed mockingly. Shiro laughed with him. As their laughter died off, Eledore said, "Thinking about going into space again?"

Shiro looked thoughtful. "Maybe."

"Just don't do anything stupid, you just keep playing God as long as it keeps you alive. For one thing… Aina…" he trailed off, not sure if he was touching a delicate subject. After a moment, he broke out in a laugh. "Lets just enjoy this Christmas, last one was a fucker." He grinned.