Cinq Kingdom, Earth

Trynity awoke the following morning to a pounding, splitting headache. Very disoriented and aching from head to toe, she carefully opened an eye to see blinding light from a window. She was instantly cognizant of the fact she was not in her own bedroom at Seaside Lab, and with horror she couldn't remember anything after arriving at the Stardust Ball. Trynity was now shocked to realize that she was naked and lying tangled up in satin sheets. Did she sleep with Mitch Weldon? What had she done?! How could she have done something so stupid?

Trynity's heart was pounding erratically as she considered the ramifications of her actions the night before. She could never look him in the eye again! She could never look anyone in the eye again! Mortified by her own irresponsible behavior, she quickly left the bed, tucking the sheet to her. For a moment she stood completely still, listening carefully for any sound from the shower, and hearing nothing, she was relieved that Mitch wasn't still there. At least she had some time to plan what she would say to him, that is, if he hadn't ditched her in this room after taking advantage of her. Looking around at the enormous, elegant suite she gave him a little credit for not taking her to a lowdown dive on the edge of town. But that left her with the unpleasant and embarrassing task of leaving this quality hotel dressed in her ball gown.

After a brief hunt, she found the garment lying on the floor. Stiff and stained, it appeared to have been smeared with cake and frosting. The tiny row of buttons on the back was completely destroyed, and she saw a few of the buttons on the floor nearby and others scattered around the room. Trynity didn't have to use her imagination to know that her gown had been torn off the night before, but she couldn't think of a logical explanation for the cake mess. Her head hurt just trying. What was she going to wear now? How was she going to get out of this predicament?

Just as she thought she was going to have to resort to calling Quynn and confessing to her stupidity, the security code at the door sounded and the lock clicked open. What was she going to say to him? How was she supposed to act after such an escapade? If she weren't wrapped in a satin sheet, she would dive out the window and make a run for it!

Trynity had to think quickly because the door was opening. Perhaps she was just being immature about this whole thing. She wasn't a young girl anymore, and she could be mature about this. Maybe she didn't have such a bad time with Mitch. As she mentally pictured the man, her stomach churned unpleasantly and she felt her face heating. There was absolutely no dignified way to escape this situation. She was just going to have to stay and bear it.

The door opened fully and a man walked in carrying a tray of food. Trynity blinked several times, not daring to believe her eyes when she saw the long braid as he turned to lock the door. When he turned to look at her, her knees became weak.

"Ah, I see you are awake," he said. "I didn't want to have to wake you because I wasn't sure what kind of morning person you are and I didn't really want to find out today."

Duo Maxwell! Duo Maxwell? Duo Maxwell?!

"You're alive?!" she blurted for lack of anything else to say. Trynity reached up to rub her eyes, then blinked at him several times more.

He gave her a half smile and placed the tray on the small table near the door. "Well, despite your attempts to do me in last night, babe, I am alive."

Trynity felt her cheeks burning. "I…I don't understand…" She spent the night with Duo?

What happened to Mitch?

Duo was alive?

Duo came to her and put his hands on her shoulders. They were very real, strong and warm. "You were pretty wasted last night."

"But I thought…" He didn't give her a chance to continue before he covered her mouth with his and gave her a kiss that made her knees completely buckle. He caught her up against him to keep her from sliding out of his embrace. "Are you convinced that I am alive?"

In a daze, she let him lead her to the table on the balcony overlooking the sea and he brought the tray out to her. He was dressed casually wearing jeans and a white shirt open halfway down, the sleeves rolled up to his elbows. He appeared quite strange to Trynity because she was so used to seeing him in his Calabrian clothing. A vague memory of him wearing a tuxedo came to mind.

He pulled the cover off the tray to reveal some pastries, fruit and coffee. Duo poured her a cup of coffee, which she wasted no time in drinking. She still wasn't sure what was going on or why her memories were so fuzzy.

Duo grinned at her. "You don't remember anything, do you?"

She shook her head. "Did I do something foolish?" Was she actually having a conversation with Duo Maxwell? Or was she dreaming?

He shrugged, but he was still smiling. "That would depend on your opinion. I rather enjoyed the evening."

"Did you have to ruin my gown? Quynn and Relena went through a lot of trouble to get it for me, according to Quynn." Trynity tossed a croissant at him.

Duo laughed and caught the pastry. After taking a bite, he said, "I was being very careful with all those little buttons because I was the one who went through a lot of trouble, not to mention expense, in getting it for you. I thought you might like to save it as a memento of the evening. You're the one who got impatient and wrecked it."

She doubted the blush would ever leave her face today. And she wished she could remember what had happened the night before. This wasn't a dream, was it? If it was, she was going to be terribly depressed when she awoke.

"Don't worry, Trynity, we'll have a repeat performance tonight."

"I should be getting back to the Lab," she said lamely. Was she crazy? She didn't want to leave!

He waved a hand. "Forget the lab. You have other responsibilities now."

"Other responsibilities?" she repeated. Trynity was feeling very confused, but she was realizing that this wasn't a dream, because she wouldn't have such awful aches and pains if it were.

"As my wife," he told her.

"Your wife?" Trynity shook her head. "Wait a minute!" She put her hands on the table and stood. "I don't know what is going on! Yesterday I thought you were dead and nobody bothered to tell me otherwise, and now today you say that I am your wife? Are you holding me to that sham of a marriage on Calabria?"

Duo sighed, snatched her arm and pulled her down onto his lap although she was very angry and disoriented. Being in this position didn't help clear her head any. "Listen, babe, I sent many messages through the array, but apparently you and your little buddy Dalton Riggs blasted it before you could get any. I didn't have a chance to talk to you because I have been stuck negotiating treaties with Miliardo Peacecraft since my arrival. I trusted Quynn to tell you, and she botched that by leaving a message with Himmler over at the school telling you to meet us at the banquet at the palace. I fully expected you to be there the night we arrived and I planned to explain everything to you then."

Trynity looked down, embarrassed to admit why. "I was on a date."

He snorted. "With that buffoon you brought as a date to the Stardust Ball? Oh, well, he did have the grace to apologize to me this morning for causing trouble at our wedding."

"Our wedding?" Trynity was becoming increasingly frustrated and upset that she couldn't remember what had happened the previous evening.

Duo smiled and pushed the hair back from her face. "Don't worry, Trynity. I have a full video accounting of the event. Trey insisted upon it, but I don't think he'll be expecting what I have to show him. Our son is also very busy writing a thorough account for the imperial archives."

"Did I do something stupid? Say anything embarrassing?" Trynity made a mental note to get back at Mrs. Drivel. She wondered if the woman had purposely sabotaged her special night.

"Let's just say that I am sure Trey will cherish the full account and be glad he wasn't able to attend." He caressed her cheek with the backs of his fingers. "You really don't remember?"

She sighed. "You will have to save a copy of that video for us to keep. You didn't, by any chance, videotape the honeymoon too?"

"Miss Stryfe!"

Trynity put her arms around his neck and leaned into him. "I guess we don't need a videotape when we can do real life replay."

"I like the way you think, Mrs. Maxwell." He lifted her in his arms and carried her back to the bed.

Later as she lay snuggled against him, her head resting on his shoulder, she wondered how this had come to pass. "I thought you were dead," she murmured.

He tightened his arm around her. "You saved my life, Trynity. Apolo was certain that you had given your life to do so."

"I would have." She looked up at him. "If Quatre hadn't brought me back, I would be dead."

"Three cheers for Quatre Winner," he said wryly.

"He deserves our pity."

"Maybe so. As for me, I was in a coma, and I might have died also if Taeron hadn't been able to get through to me. I had dreamed a wonderful life with you, Trynity, and I didn't want to leave. It won't be the same as my dream, but we have a start on that wonderful life together now."

"Someone could have told me that you were alive," she pouted aloud.

"You can blame Quynn and Relena for that. Once they realized that you didn't know, they thought our wedding would be more romantic."

"I suppose I should apologize to her," Trynity commented with another sigh.

"I tried to talk to her earlier, but she wouldn't even look at me. She's pissed at both of us." Duo scratched his head.

Trynity looked at him. "Why is she angry at you? I probably shouldn't have trusted Agnes Drivel, but you..."

He grinned. "Trust me, Trynity. She has good reason."

She thought of the mess that had been made of her wedding gown and she decided to wait as long as possible to find out exactly what had happened at their wedding. They were married now, and that was good enough. She was going to have Duo all to herself.

"We have to get up. Miliardo was expecting me hours ago, and I think Noin has some type of tea party lined up this afternoon to honor our marriage since they weren't able to make it last night."

Trynity looked at him skeptically. "I'm going to one of those tea parties? Need I remind you how those things turn out for me?"

"Come to think of it, disaster does usually follow you." He chuckled. "Maybe Relena isn't the jinx."

"But…but this is our honeymoon!" Trynity argued. She just didn't want to get out of bed.

"We will have plenty of time for a proper honeymoon when we leave Earth."

Duo left the bed, but Trynity stretched and laid back. He glanced at her before going to the shower. "I insist that you go to the palace with me."

She made a face. "Already ordering me around like some overbearing Calabrian male."

"I am an overbearing Calabrian, Trynity. Now get up."

"I don't have any clothing," she told him. She had him there! Her gown was unwearable!

"I brought a trunk of clothing from Calabria. When she heard my plans, Larya sent an entire wardrobe suitable for a Calabrian governor's wife."

Trynity almost swore out loud. "Three cheers for Larya!"

"Come on, now. We can have a little fun in the shower before we get ready to go."

She dragged herself out of bed, but only because there was the possibility of enjoying herself in the shower. "Say, did she ever get Apolo to marry her?"

"They are married and living on the first moon, Dagmaeus. Their daughter looks a lot like Shamara, and by the time we return to Calabria, she will have given birth to their second child."

She followed him into the shower. "Is that all women do on Calabria? I suppose Arora has had another child."

"And Shamara is a mother," Duo told her. He appeared to be worried as he looked down at her. "You don't want more children?"

Duo wasn't going to be disappointed by her answer. "I want as many as I can have." She would tell him later about the babies she had lost. The doctor already told her there was no reason to believe she couldn't have more children if she wanted. And she did want more children. In fact, Trynity would be happy spending the rest of her life like Arora.

The tea party was an uncomfortable affair. Noin was a gracious hostess, but Trynity doubted the king's wife would ever get over the fact that Trynity had tried to kill her several times. The Cinq Kingdom nobility was polite, yet Trynity imagined that they whispered about her past. And there was plenty to whisper about. She was glad when Relena arrived with Quynn and Stryfe, her father and Lady Virineia. Lady Virineia was more experienced in such gatherings as the nobility of Calabria was far more ruthless. She had the Cinq Kingdom matrons eating out of her hand in minutes, but then Trynity expected no less from the mother of an emperor, the widow of Zeno the Butcher. Ivan Stryfe contented himself with enjoying the tea and cookies while pretending to be a senile old man so that he wouldn't have to socialize.

"I hate these things," Relena said to Trynity as she sat beside her on an ornate, extremely uncomfortable sofa.

Trynity looked at her. "I was ordered to attend."

"That's what you get for marrying a Calabrian." Relena looked at the tea in her cup.

Trynity looked at her own cup. She was embarrassed and ashamed of how she had ruined Relena's best effort at giving her a happy ending and didn't know what to say to her.

Relena sighed after a moment. "I am sorry, Trynity."

Trynity looked at her. "I am the one who should be sorry."

Relena shook her head. "No, I should have told you about our plans and I shouldn't have gone along with Quynn's stupid idea of surprising you."

Trynity looked around the crowded room to find her daughter and saw that she was flirting with Relena's son, Chaz, and Prince Zieben. "She meant well."

"She's your daughter, and to make it worse, she's Duo's daughter and doubly worse, she was raised by that bone-headed Lars Nelson." Relena sighed. "I pity the girl."

Laughing, Trynity set aside her cup and hugged Relena. "Although I don't remember my wedding, I want to thank you anyway. I'm sure it would have been beautiful."

Relena hugged her back. "It may have been without you stumbling around in confusion." She laughed. "I don't know why I thought the two of you could handle that cake-cutting ceremony."

Now Trynity understood the mystery of the cake. "I'm sure I will be duly embarrassed by the video."

Relena smiled at her. "I have a copy for myself for those days that I need a good laugh."

"What happened to Mrs. Drivel? She wasn't fired, was she?" Trynity felt sorry for her old teacher.

"No one can fire that crusty old witch. She insisted she hadn't put anything unusual in her flask except a little whiskey and she called you a light weight." Relena smiled. "Maybe you are."

Trynity really wasn't much of a drinker, but she knew Drivel had more than a little whiskey in her flask. "I suppose so, but she never did like me."

"She did like Duo so she was sorry for spoiling his wedding, but not sorry for spoiling yours."

Trynity shrugged. "It's over and done with."

"I'm still happy for you." Tears glistened in Relena's eyes. "I hope I will see you again."

"Of course you will!" Trynity took her hands and squeezed them. "Without needing the wormhole to travel, we will just have to make the time to visit each other."

"I would love that!"

Before they could talk any further, the men joined them and Trynity could see that Duo wasn't pleased by the results of their negotiations. Accompanied by two Calabrian guards, Duo appeared very regal, and Trynity was struck with a sudden panic that she now had responsibilities that were beyond her. He wasn't the goof ball pilot of the Deathscythe that had stolen her heart. Duo Maxwell was a lord of Calabria, the governor of a moon! She couldn't be his wife! What did she know about governing? All her life she had disdained such people, and now she was one of them.

"Take a deep breath," whispered Relena as she patted her hands. "You'll do fine."

When he spotted her, Duo's expression softened and Trynity felt more at ease. Later, as they sat in the moonlight on the beach under Seaside Lab, Trynity confessed her fears to him.

"I don't know if I can handle the responsibility of being your wife. Although I have never seen it, I have heard enough about your home from Quynn to know that I haven't the slightest experience of even maintaining your household."

He held her close in his arms. "You will do fine, Trynity. I'm sure there will be a few problems while you are settling in, but I have complete confidence in you." She felt better until he continued. "I was going to wait until we were on our way back to Calabria to tell you, but I guess I should warn you now that Trey does not approve of our marriage."

Her confidence wavered as she remembered what Camridaeus had told her, that she would bring shame on Duo's house.

"I would never deliberately embarrass you," she told him earnestly.

Duo pushed her head against his shoulder. "You don't have to prove yourself to me, Trynity. But Trey is a Calabrian through and through and believes you should have spent the last seventeen years pining for me and trying to raise our children on your own."

She looked up at his face. "Do you think I should have done that?"

He chuckled. "You have nothing to be ashamed of, babe. You did what you had to do to make a family for our children, and I am proud of you. I can't begin to imagine how you felt when you realized I wouldn't be there for you. It must have been your worst nightmares come true."

Trynity raised a brow. "When did you become so wise? I seem to recall you being angry that I spent the last seventeen years keeping Lars warm at night."

"Hey, babe, that is still a bit of a sore spot, but one that doesn't ache quite so much. I suppose my little heart to heart with the gods helped me realize that I couldn't change the past."

Duo felt Trynity stiffen in his arms. "Not the gods again!"

He regretted that she couldn't believe when he had complete faith in them. "I think that some day you will acknowledge them, Trynity."

"Don't hold your breath."

She wasn't going to listen to reason, so Duo decided not to press her. Trynity would have to come to the realization on her own that there was a greater force that dictated their lives. She needed rational explanations and there just wasn't one that he could give her.

"We didn't come out here to talk, did we?" asked Trynity as she straddled his lap and pushed him back on the sand.

"I was hoping that we could dispense with the sand." Duo never did like their nighttime beach games. Her father's lip service to proper behavior lead to sneaking off to the beach in the first place, and since they were married now, he would rather not spend the rest of the night trying to get sand out of his hair. "Do I need to remind you," he said as her hands made a thorough search of him, "that there is a huge, comfortable bed with satin sheets back at the hotel."

Trynity made a delighted sound as one of her hands made a discovery. "Ha! You can't tell me you don't want a little fun on the beach."

Duo snorted with laughter. "That is my sword, babe."

"Oh." She sounded disappointed.

Before he could re-direct her search and give in to her – after all, they would be leaving for Calabria and would most likely never be on this beach again – he heard Stryfe calling for them. For once Duo was glad his son's timing was so bad. Quynn accompanied Stryfe, and they soon found them on the moonlit beach.

"Gramps said you needed us," said Stryfe.

Quynn elbowed her brother.

Stryfe scratched his head in obvious embarrassment.

Duo chuckled. Ivan Stryfe couldn't resist getting back at them one last time. "I think we have things under control."

"Especially mom," commented Quynn with a brow raised at her mother.

Trynity gasped and jerked her hand away. "It was his sword!"

Quynn and Stryfe laughed, and Duo joined as he helped Trynity to her feet. She was burning with embarrassment. "Why don't we all head back up to the Lab? Your mother and I would like to make our good-byes."

He started to walk, but Trynity grabbed his hand. "You two go ahead," she told Stryfe and Quynn. "I'm not finished with my walk on the beach."

Duo could hear Stryfe and Quynn laughing as they walked back to the lab. He turned to look at Trynity. "I suppose you intend to get your way."

She slid her arms around his neck and leaned into him. "Get used to it, my lord husband."

Cinq Kingdom Space, near Mars Colony

Duo couldn't sleep. He still wasn't used to sharing his bed even after three months of marriage, and Trynity didn't make the new arrangement any easier because she was not a relaxed in her sleep. Now she was tossing in the midst of yet another nightmare. After all this time together, traveling through space and spending every waking moment within sight of each other, Trynity still had difficulty believing that he wasn't going to disappear. He doubted she even knew how often she reached for him in her sleep just to be assured he was still there. And if she remembered her dreams when she awoke, she didn't say anything. If Lars had put up with this, then the man should be canonized a saint.

"Duo? Where are you? Duo?"

He drew her into his embrace. "I'm here." But she didn't hear him. Trynity was still asleep. All he could do was to hold her close and be there for her when she awoke.

The communications panel by the bed buzzed, and Duo reached over to press it.

"My lord, we will be approaching Mars Colony in approximately one hour."

"Thank you. We will be ready when we do." He pressed the button to close communication and when he turned back he noticed that Trynity had awakened. "Did you hear?"

She nodded, then stretched out against him. "Why don't we just sail past Mars Colony? There is nothing there for me."

"Nothing but lose ends," he said. "Anyway, I was told you never went back, and I think you should."

She hid her face in his neck. "I have nothing there. I would rather forget that whole ugly part of my life."

"You must have had some happy times there, Trynity." He stroked her hair. She didn't respond to him and he imagined her thinking of better times with Lars. Duo wasn't jealous because he now knew how much she had needed someone when he had abandoned her. He was glad that Lars had been a patient, loving man to help her get through her loss.

As for their stop at the Mars Colony, it was the last one before they left this system behind for good. They had already made several stops at different colonies where Duo tried to negotiate trade agreements. Unfortunately, word that the Cinq Kingdom made only limited agreements with Calabria had spread, so the officials at the various colonies were reluctant to make any treaties without the approval of the Cinq Kingdom. Duo couldn't fault Miliardo Peacecraft for his distrust of Calabria. Benton had sent a detailed report, and with his own son's description, the king of the Cinq Kingdom could only view Calabria as a potential hostile threat. Duo could think of some warlords who wouldn't think twice about invading a colony or even Earth if they had the technology to do it. This meant Duo had to sever most ties with his past, and so did his wife. But before they left, he wanted her to return to Mars Colony one last time. He didn't want her to regret not tying the loose ends of her life.

By the time the ship landed at the Mars Colony Spaceport, Trynity was obviously resigned to seeing what remained of her home and her life's work, the clinic, which had been destroyed by Camrin's thugs. Duo had already learned from Relena that Trynity had never gone back to Mars Colony, nor did she seem to regret her decision.

They were met at the port by one of Trynity's former patients. He chatted gaily on the short trip, telling her that the people who remained on Mars Colony had pooled together some money and resources and with additional outside donations, they had managed to rebuild the clinic. Duo was sure that Trynity had imagined the same clinic she had left behind because when they came in view of the structure, she gasped with surprise.

In place of the ramshackle clinic that she and Lars had never been able to finish was a large, modern building fronted by a plaza which was now crowded with at least a hundred people who were obviously awaiting her arrival. Trynity was speechless as she looked around the plaza and many of her former patients hurried forward to greet her. Duo stepped back as she was overwhelmed by their welcome. This was her dream come true.

Finally she was rescued by a couple of doctors who lead her inside the newly constructed clinic. The lobby was comfortable and cheery, unlike the waiting rooms of many hospitals. One of the doctors explained that in the process of cleaning up the previous clinic, they had found the original designs for the building Trynity and Lars had intended to build. Her former patients immediately began to carry out the plans. Thanks to the volunteering of time by builders, the donations of materials and money and in particular one huge donation that arrived only a few months earlier, they were able to complete the clinic in time for her to see when she arrived. Trynity's glance toward Duo told him that she suspected him of the largesse that enabled the building of the Mars Colony Nelson Memorial Infirmary. But she didn't have time to thank him before she was whisked away for a tour of the facility.

The clinic was comprised of several examining rooms, and Dr. Carruthers, the interim director, explained that many physicians were rotating shifts between the planet and L12 as well as three doctors permanently on staff. The equipment was state of the art and the rooms more comfortable than any hospital room Duo had ever seen, almost like a room in a home. If this was Trynity's dream, then he was glad she was able to see it come true.

When the tour came to an end, Duo could see that Trynity was delighted with what had become of her clinic.

Dr. Carruthers led them to a spacious office. "We do not yet have a director," he said at the doorway. He was looking at Trynity expectantly. She did not look at Duo. "Perhaps we can discuss some arrangement?"

Trynity now looked at Duo with her brows raised.

He smiled at her. "Go ahead." She opened her mouth to argue, but he said, "If you don't consider it, you will regret it."

Trynity followed Dr. Carruthers into the office. If she wanted the position, there was nothing Duo could do but accept her decision. At least they didn't have to rely on the wormhole to see each other. The trip from Calabria had taken three months. With new ships that were being constructed at L10 for Calabrian use, the trip would take only two weeks.

One of the Calabrian guards approached Duo and informed him that a man was at the spaceport requesting an audience. Although he wanted to stay behind to hear Trynity's decision as soon as possible, he followed his guard back to the spaceport. Standing near his craft was a man wearing a hat pulled low and dark glasses. Beside him stood an older man that Duo vaguely recognized but couldn't place until he came to the visitor. The older man was a Winner servant Duo had first met many years ago.

"He wanted to come here to speak to you although I warned him of the danger," Quatre Winner's servant told him.

"They don't understand," said Quatre, sliding the glasses down so that Duo could look him in the eye. "I was afraid that you wouldn't come to see me on L11. When your ship passed by the colony, I realized I would have to come here to speak to you."

Duo didn't know how to feel about him. Logically, he could not be blamed for what Camridaeus had done, and yet Duo was finding it difficult to be civil to him. "Say what you have to."

"I…I wanted you to know that I tried…tried to stop him."

Duo did not respond.

Quatre seemed flustered. "It…it was as if I were watching events from afar." He shifted uncomfortably, looked away for a moment, then having gathered what courage he seemed to need, he looked back at Duo. "He never would have harmed Trynity. For all its worth, he seemed to have some genuine affection for her. I know that he regretted, however little, what he had to do to get her..."

Duo cut him off. "What do you want from me, Quatre?" Duo didn't know if he had anything to give him. Quatre was innocent, and yet as he stood before him, Duo could only see the physical presence of the man who had harmed Trynity and caused the deaths of many people here on Mars Colony, on Ulfynaeus and on Calabria.

"I don't know."

The anguish in his voice was enough to move Duo. "I'm sorry," Duo finally said as he put his hands on the other man's shoulders. "I'm sorry that you have to live with this for the rest of your life."

Quatre stood shaking and weak in his grasp. "I couldn't do anything to stop him! He fell into my life, took Dorothy, used her, killed her, twisted our son and killed him, and he nearly destroyed Trynity."

"In the end he did the right thing," Duo reminded him.

"Can that forgive the suffering he caused?"

Duo couldn't answer that question. If Camridaeus hadn't rejected his father, none of them might be alive. "Did you fund the building of the clinic?"

"Although all the assets of the Winner Foundation have been seized, I discovered that Dorothy squirreled away fortunes here and there, probably intending to leave me. I will see that there is always more than adequate funding for the clinic."

Duo let his hands slide down so that he could grasp Quatre's hands. "You have to move on with the life that has been returned to you."

There was a sad smile on his lips. "I'm afraid I have to stay on L11 for the rest of my life. Heero doesn't think anyone in this galaxy could understand what happened to me. I will always be considered the monster that Camrin had made me. I wanted this chance to wish you and Trynity all the happiness you could ever hope for."

The sound of an approaching vehicle drew their attention and Duo turned around to see it pull to a stop and Trynity jump out. As she hurried to him, he could see tears rolling down her cheeks and he wondered what had happened. When she threw herself against him, he felt her trembling.

"Don't leave!" she sobbed into his chest as her hands clutched his arms so tightly that he knew he was going to have bruises. Duo saw that Quatre had discreetly disappeared with his servant. He was glad because he doubted Trynity in this state could cope with seeing him.

"I wasn't planning on leaving," he told her.

She didn't seem to be listening to him as she sobbed against him. "I know what I told you a lifetime ago, but it wasn't true! I would never choose this place over you! Not now and not then! I don't ever want to be without you again."

Duo was so touched he couldn't speak.

Trynity looked up at him. "You won't leave me behind will you?"

Tears blurred his own vision as he looked down at her. "How can you even ask that of me?"

"Will we be together forever?" she insisted.

He crushed her to him. "This I know to be the will of the gods."

Epilogue

Something had awakened Trynity, and she had to blink several times to adjust her sight. Raising her head, she was startled to find Mrs. Drivel standing over her, and glancing down she saw that she had drooled over her literature book. What was happening?

"I realize you have only just arrived from a long space trip, but my classroom is no place for you to catch up on your sleep." Mrs. Drivel walked away to sit at her own desk. "I suggest you get the assignment from one of your new foster siblings and resume your beauty sleep elsewhere."

Trynity picked up her books and headed to the door. By the activity in the hallway, she could tell it was between classes so she hadn't missed the beginning of another. She fumbled through her pockets and found the rumpled class schedule. Her next class was Advanced Mathematical Equations. She frowned. Trynity clearly remembered Sally Po enrolling her in a simple math class that had her fuming.

Before she could wonder about the schedule change any further, she stepped on one of her untied shoelaces and lurched forward. Strong hands caught her and steadied her. She looked up to see Duo Maxwell. Trynity felt disoriented for a moment. This was not the same Duo Maxwell that had been in her wonderful dream. This Duo Maxwell was the buffoon who couldn't write the answer to the simple physics essay question Dr. Plume had given as a test a couple of hours ago.

"Hey, I hope you had a good nap." He reached down to pick up her literature book that had slipped to the floor when she stumbled.

Trynity wanted to say something sarcastically clever, but she just couldn't after the long dream she had. She still couldn't believe she was back here at the Academy. Were the gods giving her a chance to begin again? The gods?

"That lecture of Mrs. Drivel's about the Assyrian gods sure was boring, wasn't it? I had to fight sleep myself. Unfortunately that little catnap I took in Plume's class refreshed me so I had to stay awake."

So now she understood why that business about gods had invaded her dream.

"I mean, who would believe they could possibly come from space?" Duo took the rest of her books from her. "I'll walk you to your next class. I have moron math and it's not far from your classroom."

"You weren't at breakfast this morning," she said, for lack of anything else. Being near him made butterflies flutter in her belly.

"I was out late last night so I kind of overslept."

"A date?"

"Hilde's birthday." He nodded down the hall and Trynity looked to see the girl in question. Hilde took one look at Duo, lifted her chin and spun to walk in the other direction. "What's her problem? It's not like she was the one who got ditched at the dance club."

"She ditched you?" Trynity's dream certainly was more fanciful than reality. So Duo Maxwell wasn't the pilot of a gundam? Was she?

"She hooked up with some pilot who apparently measured up a little better than me because the next thing I knew she was getting her own ride home." He stopped before a door. "We're here."

"Sorry your date ended up a disaster," she said. She really wasn't. Duo Maxwell was kind of cute although he wouldn't have any reason to be interested in a plain girl like her.

He bent down to tie her shoes. "No loss." He straightened. "Hey, since you are new here and you don't really know anybody, myself included, how about you agree to go to the Stardust Ball with me next week-end."

"I don't know how to dance."

"I'll teach you. We have a couple of weeks to practice."

Trynity had no reason to refuse. "Sure." Did she just agree to go to a formal dance with this guy she hadn't even been introduced to properly?

"Maxwell, let's go before Dimster hyperventilates because we're late." Heero Yuy was waiting at the classroom door with Trowa Barton and Quatre Winner.

Duo smiled at her before heading into the class with them.

Trynity could barely concentrate on math because she was thinking about her future date with Duo Maxwell. What did she know about dating boys? She had only known a couple in her life, those two pilots who had come to L10 to train. And the kisses Lars Nelson had stolen from her in the shadows could hardly constitute experience. By the time class came to an end she was quite nervous about seeing Duo again and thought maybe she should tell him that she had changed her mind.

But she heard him before she saw him.

"Get off my back. I'm not going to tell Trynity Stryfe that I have changed my mind now."

"You don't want to take her." Trowa Barton spoke now. They were just around the corner, but she stopped before they could see her. "She'll spoil the night for you. How can you possibly want to spend the rest of your life with her when there are plenty of young beauties around just begging for the chance to be yours."

What was Trowa talking about?

"Don't be a fool, Duo. You should have left her at Mars Colony and visited her when you wanted a little trip down memory lane."

Trynity stepped around the corner. "What did you say?" she demanded of Trowa.

"You heard me well enough. You aren't good enough for him. He's wasted enough of his life lamenting what he could have had with you when you spent it with another man. And now he's stuck with an old woman who can't even fill his house."

Trynity gasped and swung out to hit him, but he countered and slapped her face.

She jerked awake, her heart pounding and her breathing erratic. Trynity realized immediately that she had been dreaming. She hated those dreams, and she certainly didn't understand that dream when that very day Trey had made a special trip to Ulfynaeus to sanction their marriage after several months of refusing to even speak to her. Trynity had been hurt to know that the emperor still didn't trust her. Despite his broad-mindedness, Trey still measured a woman in her ability to produce offspring and the birth of her twin son and daughter had convinced him that the gods meant for her to be with Duo. Trynity thought it was more likely that she was one of those women who were prone to have twins. At least she could prove her worthiness to Trey in that respect.

Trynity turned to see Duo sleeping with his infant daughter cradled gently in his arms. Their son who hadn't been as willful after feeding was sleeping nearby in a cradle. Their birth hadn't been very easy for her. Needless to say there were no drugs to be had, and to make matters worse, Calabrian custom dictated that the father deliver his own offspring. Of course, no one had bothered to tell Trynity that detail until she was in labor and about to give birth. Trynity had been horrified when Apolo and Larya, who had been with her and Duo during the event, left her alone with the man who couldn't even guess twenty years ago that she had been pregnant despite all the most obvious signs. But as usual, Duo proved her wrong and turned out to be quite capable of helping her bring their children into the world. Trynity was at least comforted to know that Apolo and Larya were outside the door just in case the foolish humans couldn't manage on their own.

That was two months ago. Since then she had been busy trying to establish a routine, almost an impossibility due to the stubborn nature of their daughter. Oddly enough Larya had proven to be a big help to her. Trynity would always be bothered by the fact that she had given Duo a son, but as she spent more time with Larya, her hurt and jealousy faded. Seeing her and Apolo so happy together had more than a little bit to do with that because Trynity couldn't view her as a threat. Larya helped her learn her duties and care for the babies at the same time. She would actually miss the Calabrian woman when she returned to Dagmaeus with Apolo.

Her life with Duo was so satisfying and happy that Trynity couldn't believe she had ever doubted him. In that lifetime she had been a lonely girl who was afraid to lose what little she had. She would never completely lose that fear, as evidenced by the anxious feeling she had whenever Duo left the palace to deal with problems. But Duo's trust in the gods was starting to wear her down.

Carefully slipping from the bed, Trynity went first to the cradle to see that her baby boy was sleeping peacefully, a tiny finger popped in his mouth from which he sucked periodically. Trynity knew that he might awaken any moment demanding another feeding, so she moved away and walked to the window door leading to the balcony. She stepped out onto the balcony and went to the edge. As far as she could see in the dimly illuminated distance, there was peace and quiet. The palace was built on a rise overlooking a river valley. The river had been dammed to make a small lake that now seemed to sparkle in the light cast from Calabria and Dagmaeus. Looking up at the dark sky, Trynity marveled at the beauty of this place, with the large planet looming in the sky and the much smaller moon nearby. She understood why Duo didn't want to leave and why he had wanted to bring her here. She knew they would be happy here.

And Trynity was beginning to understand how Duo could put so much faith in his gods. She was foolish to refuse to believe. There was far too much that could not be logically explained. Despite her first instinct to find that logical explanation, Trynity had no choice but to acknowledge Duo's faith. Since the day she had awakened from the coma, she had to reexamine her life. What exactly was she in control of and what had the gods ordained? The wormhole had moved a long distance in space from its original position at L10 to L12 and Mars Colony. What reason was there? Perhaps the gods did have something to do with it, if not for her and Duo's sake, but for uniting Shamara and Dagan. And Duo should have died on Calabria when Orhan had attempted to kill him, but he lived, and Trynity knew in her heart that it was because she had called for the gods for whom he had such deep devotion, even if Camridaeus had something to do with it.

She raised her arms to the sky and closed her eyes as she offered her own prayers to them. Trynity thanked them for all the happiness she had been given, and made a silent promise to honor them from this moment on.

So intent in those prayers, she didn't hear Duo approach or know that he was with her until he slid his hands up her arms and laced their fingers together. "Do you mind if I join you?" he murmured in her ear.

She opened her eyes and she saw a shower of sparkles in the sky. "Did you see that? I think the gods have answered me!"

Duo chuckled and put his arms around her waist to draw her closer. "Babe, that is a meteor shower. Fortunately the atmosphere on the moons is strong enough to burn the meteors attracted to Calabria, so we see them quite frequently."

Trynity turned in his arms and looked up at him. "Don't spoil this for me, Duo."

"Are you done praying? Because I think someone needs you."

She sighed. "I thought he looked like he was going to wake up."

His lips curved in a smile. "I wasn't talking about him." Duo lifted her in his arms. "We have about five minutes before he wakes up."

Trynity laughed. "More than enough time for you."

Duo lightly kissed her lips. "Someday I am going to make you regret that little joke."

She could see the meteor shower reflected in his eyes. "You have the rest of our lives to do it."