Chapter Eight: Reconciliation
Once outside the compound the pair found what they were looking for. and walked towards it. Approaching it Zechs and Noin noticed the ship they noticed that the entrance to the ship remained open.
" I wonder why they left it open."
"Who knows." Zechs replied he was about to say something else when he heard footsteps come closer to the door.
"I can't do this Arron, I hate that room, I hate this ship, I hate that we can't just go talk to them. And that's only what this is doing me Aries is more distant then she has ever been it seems that Erick is the only person she talks to. But I mean how often to you get to talk to your dead parents." Arron tried to answer but a look from his wife stopped him." And I hate those damns names, I am proud of my name."
"I know you are honey, but you can't tell them, it could contaminate the time stream. It's not just us we have to think about, in that building is the past forms of you and Aries plus how do you think they would feel if they met their future daughters and they find out that Aries hates Zechs because he chose to save you two and sent you to my family in that tiny capsule," he paused embracing his wife, covering her like a blanket. "I'm sorry, you knew it would be painful but I didn't think coming back would bring you and Aries so much pain." Kissing her neck Arron ran his hands down her physique massaging his way down to her stomach.
"No it's better this way, we have to deal with our feelings instead of just burying them, look what buried feelings did to Aries, let's go outside I need some fresh air." Amanda led her spouse to the open hatch. Noin gestured to Zechs to move in the bushes quickly however it was too late and the couple heard the rustling of the bush.
"Who's there?" Arron called in a tense voice, Amanda standing behind him. Walking over to the sound of the rustling, he stood there and spoke again. "Who's there?" he asked again in a harsher tone.
"It's just us." Noin came out if the bushes and stepped into the light of the open door hands in the air
"You said us." Arron said his eyes narrowing and looking around for an 'us'.
"Yes she did." Zechs followed his wife's led and stepped next to her.
"What are you two doing here?"
"Well you see I was just curious about something you said earlier and I was kind of hoping you could explain for me." She wrung her hands out of nerves. "But now I guess we know why you said that. We're sorry for invading your privacy." She grabbed Zechs' hand and began to walk away.
"Wait! Now you know there is no point in keeping the secret anymore is there?" A look of elation settled on the young woman's face. Before anyone had a chance to say anything more another duel pair of footsteps.
"What are you two doing here?" Aries asked in a dull monotone.
"They wanted to talk to us." Her twin sister offered. "But they heard me and Arron talking and..."
"Don't tell me you were talking about where we came from and that we are related to them." Amanda nodded timidly as her slightly older twin continued to rant. " And now they know that we're future and-" Aries stopped and let out what seemed to a low growl.
"How could you be so stupid? I mean of all the idiotic-" Aries fumed unable to convert her rage into words.
"Aries calm down, that's enough." Erick soothed.
"No Erick, damnit it's has been hard enough just seeing them and now cuz of Amanda's big mouth they know about our connection to them and-"she was cut off by Erick's arms encircled her.
"Breathe Aries, don't talk just breathe."
" No God damnit! It's not fair."
"Shhh." He soothed rubbing her back in rhythmic circles. "I know it's not but weren't you just saying how nice it was to see your mother again?" Aries nodded softly.
"My apologies, how about we all sit down and talk about this because I know you guys are probably confused as hell right now. "Arron offered and the group sat down on the soft grass, Aries sitting as far away from Zechs as she could manage while still being part of the group.
"Now, we're from the future as Aries has already said and we built a machine that allows us to come back in time to a certain point." Arron explained figuring that now they knew the most important thing that sharing the other details would not be a problem.
"Why did you choose to back to this place?" Noin though out loud before she could stop herself.
"Because this mission that we are going on the Zechs and Noin of our time died on that mission."
"How?" Zechs pondered.
"Me and Amanda snuck onto dad's ship and then we got caught.and then daddy broke free and started to fight and so did mom and then there was gunfire and we managed to get all the way back to the ship. B-But as dad was starting the ship mom collapsed and we realized that she had been shot." Aries' voice broke and she sobbed into Erick's chest the painful memory surfacing like it had only happened yesterday.
"So dad goes over to mom to try and help but it's too late I guess she had loss too much blood and she died asking dad to take care of us," Amanda continued. "But dad was so grief stricken that he fired up the escape pod, set it for Earth and forced us into it only telling us he loved us and would meet again."
"What kind of care is that?" Aries managed to say her rage momentarily overriding her grief.
"Aries, Amanda remember, this Zechs and Noin didn't do anything." Erick reiterated as he looked over at Noin to see tears streaming down her face. "You can't be mad it them for something your parents did like I was trying to tell you earlier
"I'm sorry." She whispered.
"No, it's not your fault mo-ahh I mean Miss Noin. It's his fault and mine." The distressed woman pointed a shaky finger at Zechs.
"How is this anyone's fault?" Noin inquired.
"He left us! He just stuck us in that capsule and went and got himself blown up! And I was the reason we were there in the first place." Aries screamed.
"So Miss Aries you are going to criticize your father for loving your mother? And beat yourself up for living?" Zechs asked wanting to play out the anger that he had so often felt after his parents had been slaughtered.
"Well, well He didn't love us enough to come with us. And it's all my fault."
"Come here Aries," the older woman beaconed When she hesitated Noin went over to Aries, cradling her like she had cradled young Aries. "You know what I think. I think that your father knew that that there wasn't enough room in that capsule for anymore then two little people. And that he acted as a decoy for you two to get away. I'm sure it was a hard decision to make but if your father and my Zechs are one in the same then he did what he did because he adores you and couldn't live with the fact that his little angels would face such a grim fate as his."
"He never called us angels."Aries mumbled.
"Never out loud but I know he thinks it everyday." Noin whispered back as Aries lifted up her and head to her mother. "Why don't you forgive yourself, you were curious and hell with us as your parents how could you be anyway else. Then you can try to forgive your father for making that sacrifice for you." Noin kissed Aries on the forehead and released her.
"I couldn't do that, I've hated my life and his memory for you long there is no reason that he should forgive me."
"How about you try me?" He said smirking. Crawling over the grass to where he sat Aries spread her arms accepting him into a warm embrace.
"I'm sorry..." she sobbed into Zechs' shirt slowly Zechs wrapped his arms around his daughter.
"It's alright. I understand and now that you bring this issue to light if I were ever in that situation that is what I would do. But I expect you hate for doing it but I would never want you hate yourself for livining" He smiled at Aries as she clung to him for dear life. After a few more minutes she young woman broke away from him.
"Well we should let you get back now, it was never our intention to pull you away from your family." Amanda said solemnly. She really wanted a hug like Aries got from their mother and father but didn't want to ask too much of them.
"Oh Amanda, it's no trouble at all, come here sweetheart." Noin held her arms out to Amanda. It was the best feeling in the world to Amanda at least for a few minutes fool herself in to thinking that she had both of her parents back.
After a couple more hours of talking Zechs and Noin felt it was time to go back to their room to check on the girls and depart for the mission in another three hours. As soon the couple entered the room they heard yells and screams of excitement. Finding the source they entered Aries and Amanda's room to find them using the bed as a trampoline and throwing the cotton from the unzipped pillow at each other.
"Well at least they didn't miss us." Zechs uttered as the girls stopped their play to face their parents trying to look innocent enough not get scolded for jumping on the bed and throwing stuff at each other.
"Morning." They said in harmony.
"How many times have I told you not to jump on the bed?"
"Not that many." Aries replied to her mother.
"Yeah right, but get dressed and lets go for breakfast your father and I have something to tell you." Zechs watched in amusement as the girls quickly scurried off to the bag in the corner that contained their clothes. Once in the galley Noin ordered breakfast for the four and they sat down at the small table.
"What did you want to tell us?" Aries inquired
"Umm well.." Noin couldn't find the word to explain
"Your mother and I have to leave a mission to sneak into the bad guy's headquarters and dismantled his equipment-"
"You're leaving?" they said in the same unity as before.
"Yes, but we'll only be gone for a few days at the most ." The former officer thought it would be best to leave out the part where there was a chance they might not come back.
"But we don't want to you go." Aries explained.
"I'm sorry honey we have to but we promise after this we will spend all the time in the world together." Noin promised her daughters. Identical worried looks crossed the little girls' faces as they got up from their seats and sat on their parents' lap. They sat like that for longer then either of them knew, just savoring the calm before the battle.
"Where have you guys been?" Duo sat down at the table-cradling baby Arron. "You guys were supposed to be on the lower deck ten minutes ago. Une asked me to go find you."
"Oh is it that time already sorry, we're ready." Noin gathered Amanda more tightly and stood up.
To be continued.
Once outside the compound the pair found what they were looking for. and walked towards it. Approaching it Zechs and Noin noticed the ship they noticed that the entrance to the ship remained open.
" I wonder why they left it open."
"Who knows." Zechs replied he was about to say something else when he heard footsteps come closer to the door.
"I can't do this Arron, I hate that room, I hate this ship, I hate that we can't just go talk to them. And that's only what this is doing me Aries is more distant then she has ever been it seems that Erick is the only person she talks to. But I mean how often to you get to talk to your dead parents." Arron tried to answer but a look from his wife stopped him." And I hate those damns names, I am proud of my name."
"I know you are honey, but you can't tell them, it could contaminate the time stream. It's not just us we have to think about, in that building is the past forms of you and Aries plus how do you think they would feel if they met their future daughters and they find out that Aries hates Zechs because he chose to save you two and sent you to my family in that tiny capsule," he paused embracing his wife, covering her like a blanket. "I'm sorry, you knew it would be painful but I didn't think coming back would bring you and Aries so much pain." Kissing her neck Arron ran his hands down her physique massaging his way down to her stomach.
"No it's better this way, we have to deal with our feelings instead of just burying them, look what buried feelings did to Aries, let's go outside I need some fresh air." Amanda led her spouse to the open hatch. Noin gestured to Zechs to move in the bushes quickly however it was too late and the couple heard the rustling of the bush.
"Who's there?" Arron called in a tense voice, Amanda standing behind him. Walking over to the sound of the rustling, he stood there and spoke again. "Who's there?" he asked again in a harsher tone.
"It's just us." Noin came out if the bushes and stepped into the light of the open door hands in the air
"You said us." Arron said his eyes narrowing and looking around for an 'us'.
"Yes she did." Zechs followed his wife's led and stepped next to her.
"What are you two doing here?"
"Well you see I was just curious about something you said earlier and I was kind of hoping you could explain for me." She wrung her hands out of nerves. "But now I guess we know why you said that. We're sorry for invading your privacy." She grabbed Zechs' hand and began to walk away.
"Wait! Now you know there is no point in keeping the secret anymore is there?" A look of elation settled on the young woman's face. Before anyone had a chance to say anything more another duel pair of footsteps.
"What are you two doing here?" Aries asked in a dull monotone.
"They wanted to talk to us." Her twin sister offered. "But they heard me and Arron talking and..."
"Don't tell me you were talking about where we came from and that we are related to them." Amanda nodded timidly as her slightly older twin continued to rant. " And now they know that we're future and-" Aries stopped and let out what seemed to a low growl.
"How could you be so stupid? I mean of all the idiotic-" Aries fumed unable to convert her rage into words.
"Aries calm down, that's enough." Erick soothed.
"No Erick, damnit it's has been hard enough just seeing them and now cuz of Amanda's big mouth they know about our connection to them and-"she was cut off by Erick's arms encircled her.
"Breathe Aries, don't talk just breathe."
" No God damnit! It's not fair."
"Shhh." He soothed rubbing her back in rhythmic circles. "I know it's not but weren't you just saying how nice it was to see your mother again?" Aries nodded softly.
"My apologies, how about we all sit down and talk about this because I know you guys are probably confused as hell right now. "Arron offered and the group sat down on the soft grass, Aries sitting as far away from Zechs as she could manage while still being part of the group.
"Now, we're from the future as Aries has already said and we built a machine that allows us to come back in time to a certain point." Arron explained figuring that now they knew the most important thing that sharing the other details would not be a problem.
"Why did you choose to back to this place?" Noin though out loud before she could stop herself.
"Because this mission that we are going on the Zechs and Noin of our time died on that mission."
"How?" Zechs pondered.
"Me and Amanda snuck onto dad's ship and then we got caught.and then daddy broke free and started to fight and so did mom and then there was gunfire and we managed to get all the way back to the ship. B-But as dad was starting the ship mom collapsed and we realized that she had been shot." Aries' voice broke and she sobbed into Erick's chest the painful memory surfacing like it had only happened yesterday.
"So dad goes over to mom to try and help but it's too late I guess she had loss too much blood and she died asking dad to take care of us," Amanda continued. "But dad was so grief stricken that he fired up the escape pod, set it for Earth and forced us into it only telling us he loved us and would meet again."
"What kind of care is that?" Aries managed to say her rage momentarily overriding her grief.
"Aries, Amanda remember, this Zechs and Noin didn't do anything." Erick reiterated as he looked over at Noin to see tears streaming down her face. "You can't be mad it them for something your parents did like I was trying to tell you earlier
"I'm sorry." She whispered.
"No, it's not your fault mo-ahh I mean Miss Noin. It's his fault and mine." The distressed woman pointed a shaky finger at Zechs.
"How is this anyone's fault?" Noin inquired.
"He left us! He just stuck us in that capsule and went and got himself blown up! And I was the reason we were there in the first place." Aries screamed.
"So Miss Aries you are going to criticize your father for loving your mother? And beat yourself up for living?" Zechs asked wanting to play out the anger that he had so often felt after his parents had been slaughtered.
"Well, well He didn't love us enough to come with us. And it's all my fault."
"Come here Aries," the older woman beaconed When she hesitated Noin went over to Aries, cradling her like she had cradled young Aries. "You know what I think. I think that your father knew that that there wasn't enough room in that capsule for anymore then two little people. And that he acted as a decoy for you two to get away. I'm sure it was a hard decision to make but if your father and my Zechs are one in the same then he did what he did because he adores you and couldn't live with the fact that his little angels would face such a grim fate as his."
"He never called us angels."Aries mumbled.
"Never out loud but I know he thinks it everyday." Noin whispered back as Aries lifted up her and head to her mother. "Why don't you forgive yourself, you were curious and hell with us as your parents how could you be anyway else. Then you can try to forgive your father for making that sacrifice for you." Noin kissed Aries on the forehead and released her.
"I couldn't do that, I've hated my life and his memory for you long there is no reason that he should forgive me."
"How about you try me?" He said smirking. Crawling over the grass to where he sat Aries spread her arms accepting him into a warm embrace.
"I'm sorry..." she sobbed into Zechs' shirt slowly Zechs wrapped his arms around his daughter.
"It's alright. I understand and now that you bring this issue to light if I were ever in that situation that is what I would do. But I expect you hate for doing it but I would never want you hate yourself for livining" He smiled at Aries as she clung to him for dear life. After a few more minutes she young woman broke away from him.
"Well we should let you get back now, it was never our intention to pull you away from your family." Amanda said solemnly. She really wanted a hug like Aries got from their mother and father but didn't want to ask too much of them.
"Oh Amanda, it's no trouble at all, come here sweetheart." Noin held her arms out to Amanda. It was the best feeling in the world to Amanda at least for a few minutes fool herself in to thinking that she had both of her parents back.
After a couple more hours of talking Zechs and Noin felt it was time to go back to their room to check on the girls and depart for the mission in another three hours. As soon the couple entered the room they heard yells and screams of excitement. Finding the source they entered Aries and Amanda's room to find them using the bed as a trampoline and throwing the cotton from the unzipped pillow at each other.
"Well at least they didn't miss us." Zechs uttered as the girls stopped their play to face their parents trying to look innocent enough not get scolded for jumping on the bed and throwing stuff at each other.
"Morning." They said in harmony.
"How many times have I told you not to jump on the bed?"
"Not that many." Aries replied to her mother.
"Yeah right, but get dressed and lets go for breakfast your father and I have something to tell you." Zechs watched in amusement as the girls quickly scurried off to the bag in the corner that contained their clothes. Once in the galley Noin ordered breakfast for the four and they sat down at the small table.
"What did you want to tell us?" Aries inquired
"Umm well.." Noin couldn't find the word to explain
"Your mother and I have to leave a mission to sneak into the bad guy's headquarters and dismantled his equipment-"
"You're leaving?" they said in the same unity as before.
"Yes, but we'll only be gone for a few days at the most ." The former officer thought it would be best to leave out the part where there was a chance they might not come back.
"But we don't want to you go." Aries explained.
"I'm sorry honey we have to but we promise after this we will spend all the time in the world together." Noin promised her daughters. Identical worried looks crossed the little girls' faces as they got up from their seats and sat on their parents' lap. They sat like that for longer then either of them knew, just savoring the calm before the battle.
"Where have you guys been?" Duo sat down at the table-cradling baby Arron. "You guys were supposed to be on the lower deck ten minutes ago. Une asked me to go find you."
"Oh is it that time already sorry, we're ready." Noin gathered Amanda more tightly and stood up.
To be continued.