Governor's Residence, L12

This was the last place Duo wanted to be at three o'clock in the morning, but he really had no choice. Despite the urgency, he was finding it near impossible to raise his hand and press the button. If it weren't a life or death problem, he would just go back to bed, but he had no choice.

He pressed the button. There was silence in the dark hall. Duo couldn't even hear the noise the thing made inside the room. He pressed it again. Maybe the damn thing didn't work!

Lifting his hand to knock on the door, he stopped himself just as the door slid open. Trynity leaned against the door frame, her eyes half closed, her hair in her face, and the makeup she hadn't taken off was smeared. When did she start wearing makeup and why? Didn't she realize she was beautiful without it?

"You look like hell," he couldn't keep himself from remarking.

She raised her head to look at him, then drew together her silly pink dressing gown. That garment had to be Relena's idea. "I wasn't expecting to entertain. What do you want?"

"I need you." That didn't come out right. Damn!

Trynity raised her brows. Before she could make a smart remark, he rushed on. "Shamara is ill."

"Come in and fill me in while I get dressed." She disappeared back into her room.

Duo was hesitant to follow, but as he did Trynity passed into another room, probably a dressing room or bathroom if it were designed anything like the suite he occupied. He couldn't see her although she had turned on a light. Duo turned politely away just in case.

"What are her symptoms?" Trynity asked, and he could hear the rustle of the clothing she was putting on.

"She was tossing in her sleep, and when I tried to wake her up, she didn't respond. Her Guerani dreams can be quite vivid to her. But now she is breathing strangely and she is burning with a fever, and I haven't been able to wake her." Duo was afraid for her life. If anything happened to her, he would never be able to live with it. She was more his daughter than Taeron was his son.

Trynity came out of the dressing room carrying a small case. "When did her symptoms start?"

"I don't know. About half an hour ago. I came here as soon as we realized we couldn't help her. Taeron is bathing her with cool water."

He followed Trynity down the hall to his own suite. Once the door opened, Shamara's piteous moaning struck him like an arrow to the heart. She was in agony and there was nothing he could do for her. Despite her writhing on the bed, Taeron was trying to apply a cool compress to her perspiring forehead.

Trynity set aside her case and went to Shamara's side. "Did she eat anything strange? She seems to be feeling some pain in her stomach."

Duo noticed that Shamara seemed to be favoring her midsection. "No. We all ate the same." Relena tried to offer food similar to what she remembered from her trip to Calabria, but she drew the line at having beetles and grubs served at the governor's table. Taeron and Shamara absolutely refused to eat breads, cereals and meats, so their diet consisted mainly of fruits and vegetables.

"Out of practice," added Taeron. "She does not eat unless I partake of the same."

Trynity looked at him. "You are doing well to keep her cool. Keep doing so. I will look at her stomach. If she protests, you will have to hold her down."

Taeron nodded solemnly.

Duo came forward to help them and watched as Trynity gently touched Shamara's belly. The princess cried out in such pain that Duo's toes curled. "What is it?"

"I will have to look." Trynity reached down to pull up her garment. When she gasped, Duo craned his neck to see what had shocked her and he was horrified. Her midsection was darkly bruised, and there appeared to be two huge punctures from which oozed a noxious fluid.

"What the hell is that?!" exclaimed Duo.

"Looks as though she has been bitten," commented Trynity matter-of-factly, having regained her composure.

"Bitten!" Taeron dropped the compress in his hand. "I…I should not have fallen asleep!"

Duo looked closer at the wound. "I think whatever has done that would have awakened the entire household, Taeron. This is not your fault."

"My lord! I am to protect her!"

Trynity looked at him. "You cannot enter her trances, Taeron."

A Guerani trance! Duo should have realized what was going on! "How can this be? Shamara has never done it before. She has entered dreams, but a trance is far different."

"Regardless," said Trynity as she now probed at the nasty punctures, prompting Shamara to moan even louder, "she has apparently tangled with a creature in a trance." She lifted her fingers to smell the ooze from the wound. "Venom. I don't even have to test it to know from what."

Duo watched Trynity leave Shamara and go to her case. "Unfortunately, I did lose one patient to that particular species, but the bright side to the loss was that I was able to develop a simple serum so that any who did manage to survive its attack could be cured of the poisons."

"What are you talking about?" Duo couldn't imagine what could have done such a thing to Shamara. "The teeth of such a thing would have to be…"

"Trust me, you don't want to meet up with it." Trynity returned to Shamara with a syringe, and she quickly stuck the needle in and emptied the contents in her. She then looked at Duo. "There are many creatures on Mars that defy logic. This particular serpent lives in the depths of the bodies of water and occasionally surfaces to snatch a meal from any foolish animal swimming in its habitat."

Duo stared at her incredulously. "That thing lives on Mars? Are telling me it is not some beast conjured up in her trance or dream or whatever is going on?"

"Regrettably, yes, it does live on Mars." She returned to her case and put away the syringe and bottle of antidote.

"She seems to be feeling better," spoke up Taeron.

Duo turned his attention back to Shamara whose movements were less erratic now. Her lashes began to flutter, so Duo went to her side and smoothed back her moist hair. "Are you with us, princess?"

At first she didn't seem to recognize him, then a weak smile curved her lips. "Lord Duo, I had an incredible dream." She turned her head. "Taeron, why do you look so upset?"

Taeron took her limp hand. "I thought you were going to die, princess!"

"Die?" She noticed Trynity. "Why is she here?"

"You were very ill," answered Trynity. "I will give you the same warning I give my patients. Do not swim in natural pools. They are the habitat of some very dangerous creatures." She took Shamara's wrist, and after a moment she nodded. "You should be like new in a few hours."

Duo watched her leave the room, then looked at Shamara. "Just what were you doing?" He was furious now that the danger had passed.

She stared at him wide-eyed. Unfortunately, that innocent look failed to work on him any better than it did her father. "I…I was dreaming."

"That was no dream!"

Shamara sat up as much as she could to look at the wound. She put her hand on it for a moment, and Duo watched with fascination, as a glowing, pulsing light appeared that obscured it from view. After several seconds, Shamara fell back weakly against the pillows, and he saw that the wound was nothing more than a faint red mark.

Taeron gasped. "Princess, I knew that you have such powers, but to see them is truly amazing."

"You need to rest," said Duo.

She smiled at him. "Aren't you afraid I am going to dream again?"

Duo didn't return her smile. "You wouldn't be so foolish, would you?"

She closed her eyes. "I had such a wondrous time!"

"Shamara! You were almost killed!"

Shamara opened one eye to look at him. "I wasn't killed!"

"Princess," implored Taeron, taking her hand and bringing it to his heart. "Please do not endanger yourself with such activities. You have always been like a sister to me."

"I don't think I could face your father to tell him that you got yourself killed in a fantasy," commented Duo.

Shamara looked from Taeron to him. "Lord Duo, I am sure that gods have a reason to take me to that place."

"You can discuss in great length with your mother and her brother when we return to Calabria. Now just get some sleep and we will still be able to leave tomorrow afternoon."

Shamara sighed and closed her eyes again. "I will sleep, Lord Duo. By the way, did you thank the healer?"

"Thank the…?" Had Duo forgotten to thank Trynity? His stomach muscles clenched at the thought of returning to her room. "I…I…"

Shamara's lips curved into a mischievous smile. "Give her my thanks, while you are at it."

"This is ridiculous!" burst out Taeron. "I will go to the healer to give her our thanks." He started toward the door, but Duo stepped in front of him.

"Stay with Shamara." Taeron seemed to be resentful of Trynity, and Duo guessed Taeron harbored some hope that Duo might marry his mother and he viewed Trynity as a threat. That was a fantasy he had to realize would never come true.

Taeron dropped back, his head lowered like a beaten dog. "Yes, my lord."

Duo thought he should reassure him, but he couldn't bring himself to give the young man any words of comfort. Taeron wasn't his son, and he had no particularly fond feeling for his mother. Without a word, he turned on his heel and marched out of the room. He approached Trynity's door with even more dread than the first time he had gone to her this night, rather, morning.

This time when he pressed the button, the door opened almost immediately. Trynity was still dressed, and he noticed that she had reapplied her makeup and clipped back her hair.

"You are not going back to bed?" The first words out of his mouth made Duo cringe.

Trynity raised her brow. This time he could not stop her response. "Were you hoping I was?"

"Of course not!" Duo had never felt this nervous in her presence. "I came to thank you for saving Shamara's life. Shamara thanks you also."

Trynity nodded. "You are welcome. I was happy to be of assistance."

She didn't say anything more. Duo didn't know what to say. He didn't dare look at her face, and she wasn't looking at him either. This was far too damn uncomfortable.

"I'll be glad to return to Calabria," he muttered.

Trynity bit her bottom lip, and for a moment it distracted her from her feelings. "As long as I am awake, I am going to the infirmary. I have some work to catch up on and patients I want to visit."

"I won't keep you." He turned and walked away.

Trynity went straight to the door, and she almost made it when she saw what looked like a ghost gliding out of the darkness. After having just dealt with Shamara and her supernatural powers, Trynity's heart jumped and a tingle of fear ran down her spine until she realized it was Relena in some filmy white negligee.

"Where are you going?" Relena whispered when she reached her.

Trynity sighed. "I am going to the infirmary."

"Are you going to get back in time to at least bid him farewell?" Relena was standing with her hands on her hips.

"He's leaving today?" Trynity shouldn't be surprised, but she was, and just a little hurt that he hadn't spoken to her again for the last two days since their late night encounter.

"Yes! And I think you need to talk to him again."

"We have said all we need to." Trynity turned to the door. "I have to go."

Relena made a sound of disgust. "I didn't really agree with your choice not to tell Duo about your condition when we were on Calabria, but I supported you because you are the best friend I have ever had. But I can't support you now if you let him leave without telling him the truth!"

Trynity ignored her and stepped into the elevator, then pressed the button to close the door. "Butt out, Relena."

A hand stopped the door from closing, and Heero leaned forward. "Don't worry, Trynity, I will make certain that she doesn't get a chance to have a moment alone with Duo."

"Heero! How can you…?"

"It is not our concern!" He took away his hand, and the door closed on their argument.

Trynity tried to distract herself by thinking of the work she had to do, but her thoughts kept returning to Relena's nagging. What good would it do anyone to drag the skeletons out of the closet? Trynity had no intention of causing upheaval in Quynn and Stryfe's life now when they were getting over the loss of the only man they had known as their father. Not only would they be hurt to discover the truth, but the hurt would double when Duo Maxwell preferred to remain in the Calabrian system. He didn't even show his own son any affection! Quynn and Stryfe deserved better than the indifference with which he treated Taeron.

Fortunately she was kept busy at the infirmary. When she arrived she was called on to help in an emergency, and when she was finally able to take a break, it was already late morning. A stack of files sat on the edge of her desk, and her nurse informed her that the waiting room was full. Another doctor left before lunch, feeling sick himself, so Trynity was forced to take some of his patients as well. Stryfe stopped by to take her to lunch, but she had to settle for a sandwich he dropped off later. He told her he was planning to see the Calabrians off and reminded Trynity of the time of their departure. Trynity decided to give in and at least say good-bye in person. That was more than Duo had done for her.

After Stryfe left, she was finishing her sandwich when her telecom buzzed. Trynity waited for the nurse to take the call, and when she didn't, she checked the log to see that it was coming from Earth. Now she understood why the nurse let it go through.

"What do you want, father?" she asked even before Ivan Stryfe's face appeared on the screen.

"Trynity! Why do I have to learn such important news from a news report? Can't my own daughter let me know what is going on?" Her father looked furious.

Trynity sighed. "I don't suppose you are talking about the wormhole?"

"Who gives a damn about the wormhole? I am talking about Duo Maxwell returning!"

She started drumming her fingers on the desk as she looked straight at him. "What is so important about that?"

"Dammit, Trynity, he is the father of your children! I want to know how that space rat reacted when you told him!"

Trynity looked away.

He wasn't as dense as she thought. "You didn't tell him?! What the hell is going through your head?"

Trynity cleared her throat. Why did he make her so nervous? "I don't think this is any of your concern."

"None of my concern?" He was outraged. She could easily cut off his transmission, but then he might just contact Duo, and that she didn't want.

"I am sorry, father, I didn't mean that. Duo is returning to Calabria today, in a few hours, in fact. He has responsibilities."

"Well, I'm glad he understands the word 'responsibility.'" Dr. Stryfe glared at her. "Do you understand that word?"

"Of course I do! I have a responsibility to my children. I don't want to mess up their lives, father."

"You mean that you don't want to mess up your perfect life? I am ashamed of you! You didn't give Duo Maxwell a chance to be a man seventeen years ago because you were so afraid he would reject you, and now you are refusing to tell him what he has a right to know because you are afraid your children will reject you."

"Go to hell!" Trynity was so angry that she was shaking. "How dare you say such a thing to me! Maybe I wouldn't have such fears if you hadn't rejected me in the first place! Good bye father!" She slammed the button to the telecom with her fist. She was surprised it didn't break.

Almost an hour passed before she was calm enough to see more patients. By that time several with minor complaints had left after talking to the nurse. Trynity came to the conclusion that perhaps everyone was right. She would tell Duo, and if he wanted to be part of Quynn and Stryfe's life, he could return and then Trynity would tell her children. But she wasn't going to say anything to them unless Duo wanted it.

When the last patient was on the way out the door Trynity still had fifteen minutes to get to the spaceport. That was cutting it close, but she didn't need much time to say what she had to say. But before she could get away, a frantic man caught her at the door and begged her to attend his wife who had gone into labor. Trynity had helped the woman settle in at the hospital a few nights ago and remembered her immediately. The woman's husband explained that his wife didn't trust any of the other doctors, and despite her resolve to speak to Duo, Trynity had to put her patient's needs above her own. If Duo returned from Calabria, she would tell him. Perhaps it was better this way.

The woman didn't give birth until the following morning. Delivering babies usually filled Trynity with energy and a sense of purpose. But this time she was depressed to the point of tears and was glad to get to her room at Relena's home. Relena made some small talk and didn't bring up Duo's departure. Quynn made an off-hand remark about how she was going to miss Taeron, that she had just started to know him. That gave Trynity something to think about. Quynn had seemed attracted to Taeron when they first arrived, then suddenly the attraction dissolved. Was it just her mercurial nature or did it have something to do with Shamara touching her?

After a good night's sleep, Trynity felt better, but not much. Everyone was gone except Heero who was reading a report as he sat at the kitchen table with a cup of coffee. He didn't look up. "I'm sorry you were caught at the infirmary. Duo was hoping to see you again."

"Did he say so?" Trynity couldn't believe it.

"He'd rather drive that sword he hides through his heart than say your name." Heero glanced at her. "But I know he was watching for you."

"I didn't stay away intentionally. I sent a message…" Trynity felt a sudden urge to cry, but she chased it away by burning her mouth with hot coffee.

Heero looked back to his report. "Are you returning to Mars?"

"Tomorrow. I have a few loose ends at the infirmary to take care of." Loose ends. That was all her life was. She sipped more coffee.

"I am recommending a vacation for Quynn, and Stryfe has a few weeks before his training starts. They can both spend it with you. Since they left for the Academy three years ago you haven't had much time with them either."

Trynity wanted to retort that she didn't need baby-sitters, but she was glad she would have company, especially that of her children. "They won't appreciate it. Neither of them approved of our moving to the Mars colony and they don't like visiting it."

"I don't approve of your returning, but I know your mind is made up, Trynity."

"I have to return. I…I feel responsible."

Heero looked at her. "How could you possibly be responsible for the mess Mars became? You could not have known what primitive life forms were waiting to develop, or that it would be so uninhabitable for humans."

"Quatre doesn't seem to mind," she commented, glaring at her coffee. She looked at Heero. "I am convinced he is up to something despicable! I just can't prove it. There is some tie between him at that gorilla, Magnar."

"I wish I could help you, Trynity, but I can't."

"I understand." She sighed. "I had better get to work if I want to finish up in time to leave."

"If you change your mind, there is a place for you with us, Trynity."

She stepped into the elevator, but after a few seconds, she pressed the button to stop it and she put her cool hands to her face as she burst into tears. Her life had never seemed so meaningless as it did now. The Mars colony was a disaster, her father's disapproval still rang in her ears, and her children would hate her if they ever learned the truth.

Worst of all, Duo Maxwell was gone, and she was afraid she would never see him again.