For the first time, Wufei stared down the barrel of a gun, and he felt an emotion he hadn't felt in a long time. Fear. The girl, a mere child of ten was staring down a Gundam pilot, and she was showing no fear.
She regarded him with tearstained eyes and cheeks, "Why couldn't you save my mommy?"
Wufei nodded impassively, "I'm sorry, little one. She was beyond my power to help."
She sniffled again, and burst into tears. She buried her face in her hands and tried to stop crying. Strangely, Wufei found his arms going out to her. When he touched her shoulder, she flinched and moved away. He bit his lower lip, and felt her sorrow. She looked up at him, tears pouring freely, and without warning, she came to him. The top of her head was around the height of his middle, and he scooped her up in his arms. He held her head to his shoulder, and felt it. All her anger, all her hate, and all her pain drained out of her like those tears running down his shoulder. He stroked her hair with his hands, and his thoughts drifted to Merian.
Eventually, the crying subsided, and she sat beside him on the bed. She looked up to Wufei hopefully, as though hoping he would say something.
He cleared his throat nervously and said, "Do you have a father, little girl?"
She shook her head side to side.
"Any other family? Brothers, sisters?"
Shake.
"So you are alone?"
Nod.
Wufei let this sink in, and he sat beside her, as she kicked her feet out beside him.
"Faith," she said.
He wrinkled his brow and glanced down at her, "What?"
"My name, its Faith."
"Faith…" He let it sink in. "I am Chang Wufei."
She smiled up at him, and he found himself smiling back. They locked eyes for a second, before Wufei turned to the bathroom door, "I'm going to shower, you make yourself comfortable. You'll stay with me until I can find a home for you."
When Wufei emerged in a sleeping Kimono, he saw her prone form beneath the covers of the bed. Her inky black hair was displayed in a wave across the pillow, and her beautiful amber brown eyes were closed. Her chest rose and fell rhythmically, and he winced, trying not to make a sound. A lone lamp sat in the corner with the light still on. He moved to turn it off, and clicked the button.
"Chang…" she said.
Wufei jumped in a startled way, "Yes Faith?"
"Can I call you Papa?"