Well here's Part 3. Enjoy ( Feedback is always welcome. Disclaimer: not mine, alrighties?

~*~

Hilde stepped out of the shower, feeling totally refreshed and ready for the night ahead. Walking through the main room of her apartment she noticed that a fax had come in while she'd been showering. Still in her bath towel, she headed for the fax machine. She lifted the paper from its slot and began to read:

Hey Hilde! Hope you're ready for tonight. Just thought I'd let you know that Pagan's come down with the flu and he won't be driving tonight. I've had to hire a limo service, so just look for the silver limo at the terminal, okay? See you tonight, Hilde. Looking forward to it.

-Relena.

Hilde smiled in relief. At least she wouldn't have to ride in Relena's pink car. A silver limo sounded like much more fun. So she headed off for the bathroom to do her hair and make up.

After about twenty minutes, Hilde emerged ready to put on her dress. All she'd really had to was her make up since her hair was short-cropped and only needed a little gel. But she had put some small flower clips in it to help keep her spiky bangs under control.

For make up, Hilde chose a silvery eye shadow to bring out her deep blues. She'd applied mascara and then used an eye pencil to outline and accent her eyes. After that she'd topped it off with a simple sheer gloss and a bit of blush.

She walked to her room, the anticipation beginning to build in her stomach. Lifting her gown from the peg on her door, Hilde felt an inward satisfaction at the way the material shimmered in the light. The dress itself was a pale shade of sea blue, the color that accented her eyes and hair best. Where the spaghetti straps met the gown, there was a band of lighter blue material. The straps were also light blue and the back of the dress was very low cut, with a loose lacing.

After a final scrutinizing glance at her choice of eveningwear, Hilde took a deep breath. She slipped into the elegant gown, goose bumps forming on her skin at the feel of the slick, cool satin. She smoothed out the ripples gently before taking a look in her full-length mirror. A small smile graced her features. 'Well, at least it looks okay.'

The gown was a perfect fit, forming to her now mature body. Even in just the last year her body had filled out, becoming less tomboyish and more like a woman's, with sensual curves and a more adult face.

She was finally ready for the night.appearance-wise anyway. Her mind was still spinning with the excited anticipation of seeing her dearest friends for the first time in over a year. 'But can I really do this?' Self-doubt began to wash up on the shores of her mind, leaving behind thoughts of the past.

'The last time most of us were together was.at Duo's memorial. The last time they saw me, I had tears in my eyes. Will it be the same tonight? No, I am going to try to have some fun at least. I'm due for a break. And besides, Duo wouldn't want me moping around; he would've be the first one to shove me out onto the dance floor.' She chuckled softly to herself. Yes, she'd have a good time, just like if Duo had actually been at her side.

With that fresh and positive outlook on the upcoming event, Hilde glanced at the clock and realized she'd be late for her flight if she didn't hurry. She quickly slipped her feet into 3-inch heel sandals and did up the straps. She then strode as swiftly as she could over to her dresser. On it sat a small, elegant jewelry box, which she reached out and opened. She gently took out the golden cross, Duo's cross, and smiled a little as it glinted in the light. She held it to her lips and kissed it softly, and then clutched it over her heart as she left her room.

In the entryway, she grabbed her miniscule handbag and a wrap the same sea blue as her dress. She slid Duo's cross into her handbag, along with a couple make-up essentials, and then, putting the wrap around her shoulders, she started for the exit. But she paused as she passed the bouquet of roses on the end table. 'Maybe Relena will recognize the handwriting.' She thought as she picked the card from the cluster of flowers and tucked it into her bag. She then swiftly headed out the door to catch her cab to the shuttle terminal.

~*~

The shuttle flight to earth was long, given that the L2 colony was the furthest from the planet. But in a matter of a couple hours, Hilde was gratefully stepping off of the shuttle and setting foot on the earth for the first time in many months.

The ground under her feet felt the same as the ground in the colony, but it still stirred something in her heart. 'I'm back on earth again. It's been so long.' Without even noticing, a smile formed on her lips.

After taking a long, deep breath of earth's fresh air, Hilde began to look about for the limo scheduled to meet her there. Within a few seconds, she saw it parked about fifty feet away from her. She set off in that direction, the gentle breeze making her dress flutter back and forth. She noticed the driver standing beside the vehicle, awaiting her arrival.

She felt like some foreign dignitary gone to a distant conference. She just wasn't used to first class shuttle flights or wearing elegant gowns or having limos waiting for her. Now she knew what it must be like for Relena.

She was soon just a few feet away, and the driver moved to open her door for her. He bowed slightly as she reached the side of the limo and climbed into the passenger compartment.

She tried to get a look at his face as she got in, but his cap was pulled down and his features were hidden in shadows. So she just sat stock still in the luxurious leather seat, the butterflies beating their wings faster as the limo began to move out of the airport.

About five minutes into the ride, Hilde began to relax in the large empty limo. Darkness had already fallen on earth, so she craned her neck to look at the star-filled sky out her window. She let out a small gasp in pleasure; she hadn't seen the stars quite like that for a long time. The driver noticed her stargazing and opened the skylight for her to get a better look.

"Oh," she blushed slightly, "thank you." The driver chuckled. "No problem, Miss. Can't blame ya, it's a beautiful night out." He replied in a young and friendly voice. It had a familiar, comforting quality to it and made her very much at ease. She wondered if she had heard it somewhere before.

She quickly dismissed the thought as the limo made a turn and the moon became visible through the skylight. It illuminated the entire interior with its brightness. She had missed the sight of the moon from earth; on L2 it was just too close to be that beautiful.

She sighed quietly and settled herself back into the seat where she could be comfortable for the rest of the ride. She kept her eyes gazing at the moon, now much easier a task with the skylight open. 'That was really considerate of him. I'll have to thank him again when we get to Relena's.' She smiled slightly and wondered just how far from the airport Relena did live. Hilde'd never bothered to ask. Oh well, she'd find out soon enough.

~*~ End of Part 3. More very soon!!