Title: Ghost Knight 8/?
Author: Anne Khushrenada
Disclaimer: Standard. Gundam Wing belongs to other
people.

Lucian Khushrenada set his history text aside with a
sigh. The book was quite interesting, but it wasn't
the same without Terra there reading with him. His
sister had gone off to visit a historic battlefield
with their summer tutor, a man employed through July
and August because the twins could only tolerate
about a month's worth of sheer vacation time before
boredom, and their voracious appetite for knowledge
began to overwhelm them. And Lucian had been looking
forward to joining them, but he'd woken that morning
absolutely exhausted, despite having slept well, and
when Terra had described him as 'looking like death
warmed over', when his mother had gotten that look
that said she didn't want to disappoint him but was
going to have to, he'd known he wasn't going.

A knock upon his bedroom door announced Alice
McKenzie, recruited by his mother to keep an eye upon
him. Only when she'd secured Alice's promise to call
her if Lucian felt worse did Lady Une go into work.
If he had to have someone hovering over him, he'd
rather it was Alice. Anyone else, even Aunt Lucrezia
or Uncle Milliardo, would have taken his books away.

"How're you feeling, Lucian?" Alice asked.

"Fine, thanks," the boy replied, brushing a strand of
ginger hair out of his eye. He'd seen enough of the
old family albums to know he looked a lot like his
father had at his age.

Alice apparently had the same thought, for she smiled
and reached out to brush her fingers against the gilt
framed image of his father upon the wall. "You look a
lot like him," she said. "I guess everybody tells you
that."

"Yeah." Lucian paused. "Is that why Mama looks so sad
sometimes, when she looks at me?"

Alice nodded slowly. "I think so. She really loved
your father- she never talked about it, but it was
pretty obvious, at least to me. I think she regrets-
well, a lot of things." She shrugged, searching for a
way to change the subject. "What're you reading?"

"Nothing. Just a dumb old history book." Lucian
coughed, a sound that seemed to come from deep in his
chest. "I guess Terra's not back yet."

"Nope," Alice said. "She really didn't want to go
without you, you know."

"I know," Lucian said. "But just 'cause I've got this
stupid cold, doesn't mean she should skip out on
this." He shrugged. "Might be better if I can go
visit it by myself someday, anyway. Ter says we have
to understand how horrible the war really was, to
understand the way it hurt people. I don't think I
want to know that much more about it, you know? The
war killed my father, and it broke Mama's heart. Let
alone what happened to Mariemaia. Isn't that enough
for anybody to know?"

"I think so," Alice said. She handed him a tissue.
"Cough again, if you can, Lucian."

"Why?" he asked suspiciously.

"'Cause."

He brought the tissue to his lips and coughed,
doubling over, small body shaking with a series of
coughs that seemed they might never stop.

Before he'd even had a moment to catch his breath,
Alice was reaching for the telephone. "Please tell me
you're not calling Mama," Lucian said. "She'll come
straight home, and I'm /fine/..."

"No," Alice told him. "I'm calling Sally."

"Aw, man. Why?"

Alice held up a hand, then spoke into the phone.
"Yes, you can take a message. Please tell Dr. Chang
that Alice McKenzie called, regarding Lucian. I'd
like her to take a look at him today if she can. If
not- Yes, Lady Une's son. Thank you." She set the
phone aside. "My first year at the Lake Victoria
Academy, one of my classmates had a cough like that.
He was stubborn, like you, and didn't want to see
anybody about it. By the time we got him to admit he
was sick, he looked /terrible/ and we all thought he
was dying. We weren't far wrong, either- he had
pnemonia."

"Great," said Lucian.

* * *

Sally put her stethoscope aside and nodded. "Looks
like you called it right, Alice. If you can have Lady
Une meet us at the hospital, I'll go ahead and take
him in-"

"Aw, /man./ Aunt Sally, I'm /fine./ I just don't feel
very good..."

"How long have you 'not felt very good'?" Sally asked
with narrowed eyes.

"Uh...A few days." Sally's expression did not change.
"Maybe a week. Okay, /two/ weeks, but I didn't want
Mama to worry. Do I really have to go to the
hospital?"

"You do now," Sally told him. "If you'd said
something a few weeks ago, we might have caught this
before it went into pneumonia, and you'd be getting
better already. Alice-"

"I'll call her," Alice said.

* * *

Lady Une tried to hide her annoyance as she passed
Nichol in the hospital waiting room. Uniform jacket
draped over one arm, she'd come as soon as Alice had
called her, and at just that moment, her primary
concern was Lucian. The /last/ thing she wanted to
deal with was Nichol.

"Lady Une- I heard your son was sick. Is he alright?"
The concern dripping from the man's voice just about
made her ill.

"You've clearly been here longer than I, perhaps you
can tell me." Nichol said nothing. "No? Excuse me,
then. I'd like to see Lucian now."

Shaking her head, Une walked away. After she had
gone, Milliardo Peacecraft faded out of the shadows
near the door at the opposite end of the room.

"I hope she's okay," Nichol said with a sigh. "She
was a little short with me."

Milliardo shook his head. "Nichol- Might I offer you
a word of advice?"

"Of course."

"Ease up on Lady Une. Don't expect so much of her.
You're not going to get it, but you /will/ get a bit
of pain for your troubles if you're not careful."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Nichol asked. "You
don't really think she'll hurt me, do you?"

"You have kids, Nichol?" Of course he knew the other
man didn't; that wasn't the point. When Nichol shook
his head, Milliardo went on. "When your kids are
hurt, or sick, they are your /first/ concern.
Sometimes your only one."

"I see." Without another word, Nichol turned and left
the room.

Alice stepped into the room through the door Lady Une
had last used, casting a quick glance about. "Is he
gone?"

Milliardo laughed softly. "For now. How's Lucian?"

"Should be fine, Sally says. He just needs to stay
here and rest for a few days- which thrills him to no
end, let me tell you. Mostly he thinks we're fussing
over nothing..."

Milliardo shook his head. "Treize was like that, too.
Perfectly fine even when he was just about to pass
out."

"Man liked his drink, didn't he?" Alice asked
quietly.

"Not as much as you think. He couldn't, really- not
near as much as he wanted to. Duke Lucian, the
original, was an alcoholic." Milliardo paused. "Most
people don't know that."

Alice shrugged. "Neither do I." She sighed, wondering
if Milliardo had any idea just how much she 'didn't
know' about Treize Khushrenada and his family, both
past and present. "I feel kinda bad, doing this to
Lucian. Poor kid looks so miserable."

"He needs to be here, Sally was quite firm on that
point. You caught it?"

"I guess I did."

Milliardo said nothing for a few long moments. Then,
"Walker?"

"Yeah. That first year at Victoria, some
upperclassman dared him to go run around the campus
in the pouring rain- in gym shorts and nothing else,
might I add -and he did it." She shook her head.
"Walker was too much of a good sport. Damned fool, of
course he got sick..."

He nodded, and briefly squeezed her shoulder. "Alice,
I- know you two were close. I'm...sorry, for what-"

She shook her head. "No, don't. Walker was truly
dedicated to you. He /believed/ in you, it was his
choice to risk his life for you, and if I denied him
his right to do that... He wouldn't have been
/Walker/. Even though it got him killed, I admired
that loyalty."

"I always wondered if I'd ever live up to it."

"Walker thought you did. So did Lady Une- she didn't
like you, but she had to respect you for your
skills."

"Treize said once he found that rather amusing. He'd
finally realized she was /jealous/- of me, can you
imagine?"

Alice could, but she wasn't about to say so. Even
now, she felt Lady Une's secrets were her own- even
if they weren't really secrets anymore.

"Daddy!"

Elena's cry as she launched herself across the room
and into her father's arms could not have done better
to shatter the sad and solemn mood of Alice and
Milliardo. He caught her and held her tight, brushing
back her long platinum blonde hair.

"How's my girl?" he asked. "Hmm?"

"Mariemaia said Lucian was sick. She's bringing Terra
from her field trip. Daddy, is Lucian going to be
okay?" Elena's blue eyes clearly showed her concern
for the boy. Anyone who did not know the children
would have thought her own brother had fallen ill,
instead of that of her best friend. But particularly
among the younger Peacecrafts and Khushrenadas, there
was very little difference.

"Yeah, baby. He'll be fine. Where's your brother?"
Milliardo asked. Six-year-old Galen was very likely
to get into trouble if someone didn't keep an eye on
him, and the sight of Elena, alone, was probably not
a good omen.

"Playing with the buttons on the elevator. Mama said
to tell you she'll be up as soon as she catches
/your/ son. And, there was something else, she
sounded kind of mad when she said it- Something about
'damned Peacecrafts'. What'd she mean by that?"

"Never mind," Milliardo said quickly. He shook his
head, muttering. "Lucrezia, please, God, they don't
need to pick up any more words..."

Elena tugged on his sleeve, and he returned his
attention to her. "Yes?"

"That lady's downstairs in the lobby," Elena said.

"What lady, honey?"

"The lady who showed up at Aunt Une's summer party,
the one you guys took away."

Milliardo and Alice traded gazes over Elena's pale
head. "I wouldn't worry about her, sweetheart," he
told his daughter.

"She's looking for Terra," Elena said. "I know she
is."

"Well, she can look all she wants to," Alice told
her. "Terra's not here. When she gets here, she'll be
with Mariemaia. And I don't think that lady likes
Terra's big sister very much."

Elena giggled. "I don't think she does either. Do you
think I could go say hi to Lucian?"

"Sure, honey," Milliardo said, setting her down. "I
bet he'd like that. He's been dealing with adults all
day."

As they exited the room, he looked back at Alice, who
nodded slowly. She would take care of it. If Linnea
was still there, after being spotted by Elena, if she
was dumb enough to stick around and make trouble,
Alice would deal with it.

* * *

Lady Une stood in the room's doorway, looking in on
Lucian. Despite her son's protests that he was just
fine, thank you, he hardly looked well. Une sighed
and shook her head. Stepping away from the door, she
met Milliardo and Elena as they came down the hall.

"Auntie Une?" asked the little girl.

Une smiled. "Yes, Elena?"

"How's Lucian?"

"He's sleeping right now, but he'll be alright. He
just needs to rest."

Elena nodded. "He hasn't felt good for a while. We
tried to tell him he needed to tell you he was sick,
but you know Lucian."

Une smiled again and nodded. "As stubborn as his
father," she said, rather fondly. "Speaking of
Terra...?"

"Mariemaia's got her," Milliardo said. He turned to
his daughter. "Sweetheart, would you go and wait for
your mother, please?"

Elena pouted at him, but nodded and skipped off back
towards the waiting room.

Une raised an eyebrow curiously. "Something the
matter?" she asked.

"I don't know. Elena saw Linnea downstairs." Une
started to turn for the bank of elevators, but
Milliardo caught her arm. "Alice is...dealing with
it. And that's not all. Nichol-"

"I know," Une said with a deep sigh. "He won't take
no for an answer."

"Lady Une, I know you're perfectly capable of taking
care of yourself, but-"

"If I need help, I know where to reach you." She
turned back towards the waiting room. "Where's that
son of yours?"

"/Milliardo!/" came the shout from the elevators
before he could answer Lady Une's question. Lucrezia
Noin Peacecraft did not sound best pleased, by any
means.

"Thataway, one should think," he replied. "Coming!"

* * *

The Place Between Worlds
Well of Souls

Treize tossed a stone into the pool, and it sent
ripples out to the edges of the water, originating
from the point it had hit- where Nichol's head had
been only a moment ago.

Death chuckled softly behind him. "If you truly mean
to deal with that one in any way, you're capable of
causing greater harm than that."

"I'm far more concerned about Linnea, actually. My
girls can certainly deal with /that/ one." Treize
directed a scowl at Nichol's retreating back.
"Although..."

"He challenges you," Death said quietly. "He tries to
lay claim to what is yours- Apparently he does not
know as well as I do how little power even I have to
so much as give pause to your devotion to them. All
of them, but especially her."

"Perhaps if I have the time to spare, he will learn
otherwise."

Death smiled, a sight that did not disturb Treize
near as much as it once had. "You see now why I chose
you, Treize. Come."

Treize rose to his feet and nodded. "What do you need
of me?"

"I need," Death said, "for you to undo whatever you
have done to the River."

"And once again I tell you that I cannot. I don't
know what, if anything, I /did/."

Death sighed. "Very well. Since you still protest
your innocence in those matters, perhaps you can aid
me in gathering up the newly-departed who should be
making the journey through the River, before they
intrude further upon our realm."

Treize smiled; that was the first time the specter
had referred to the Place Between Worlds as theirs,
rather than his alone. "I suppose I can manage that,"
he said at last. "I was something of a commander of
men in my day."

As they approached the River, Death and his Ghost
Knight, Treize saw to his shock that Death had not
been exaggerating their problem in the slightest.
Hundreds, perhaps thousands, of souls drifted about
the River's bank, most studying the snow at their
feet and the frozen waters before them with varying
degrees of surprise and confusion.

And not all of these were newly dead, either. From
amidst their ranks Treize caught sight of an old OZ
uniform, and a pale hand waving an OZ cap through the
air. When the crowd chanced to part enough for him to
get a good look at the man's face, Treize gasped.

"Walker!"

The other man looked up at Treize's shout, and for a
moment his image blinked out, only to reappear beside
Treize and the specter of Death. Walker's ghost
saluted smartly. "Sir."

Treize, shaking his head, turned to Death. "I do not
understand this."

"Nor I," Death agreed. "I sent you on years ago,
Walker."

"Something called me back, I expect," said Walker. He
raised an eyebrow at Treize. "Perhaps as it did for
you. Let me guess- Lady Une?"

"Alice McKenzie?" Treize countered with a smile. "You
might as well ease up on the formality, Walker- I
believe OZ is as dead as I am."

Death sighed. "Gentlemen, if I may interrupt this
touching reunion..."

"Yes, yes," Treize muttered. "Excuse me, Walker. This
won't take but a minute." Sweeping his uniform cape
back over his shoulder, Treize strode towards the
River's shore and the front of the milling crowd of
spirits. He leapt up onto an ice-coated tree stump,
struck a pose, and raised his hands for silence.

"Showoff," Walker muttered.

Death laughed softly. "Yes. I suppose he is. Watch,
though."

"Ladies and gentlemen, if I may..."

Gasps of "Treize Khushrenada!" filled the air for a
moment; Treize smiled. Immediately thereafter there
was silence, though.

"I see my reputation precedes me. Good. Perhaps
that'll make this a bit easier. Ladies and gentlemen,
as you can see we have something of an issue at hand
here. My good friend Lord Death- would you stand up,
please, old friend? Thank you. My good friend Lord
Death and I are currently at work upon the problem;
you'll know as soon as we reach a solution."

Treize stepped down from the tree stump, and was
immediately accosted by a tall man in crimson and
black, a beret with the emblem of the Mariemaia Army
perched atop his head.

"Still as pretentious as ever, Treize," Dekim Barton
snarled. "You aren't any better than the rest of us,
now."

"Really," Treize said. "Perhaps you're right. Would
you care to find out?" His fingers loosely grasped
the rapier he wore at his side, and Dekim shot him a
questioning look. "There are worse fates than death,
you know. Your pardon," he added with a mocking bow,
"I am summoned."

Treize vanished from Barton's immediate view, to
reappear near Death and the ghost of Officer Walker.

"Oh, gee," said Walker with a feral grin. "Somebody
nailed Old Man Barton. What a loss."

"I believe he was killed by one of his own, too,"
Treize said rather musingly.

"Somehow I'm not surprised," Walker replied. "Listen,
sir- Treize -is there someplace we can talk?"

Treize looked to Death, who nodded. "The Well of
Souls should be quiet enough," Treize said. "I don't
believe anyone save ourselves cares for the affairs
of the living anymore."

"Selfish bastards, aren't they?" Walker muttered.
"Alright. I'll see you there."

* * *

"In a way," Walker said, seating himself upon a rock
beside the Well, "I /am/ here because of Alice. You
guessed rightly on that."

Nodding, Treize took a seat near the other man. "I
must tell you, I think, that you are hardly the
oddest thing I've seen since my death, but you do
rank fairly high upon the list."

Walker laughed quietly. "That's nice to know, I
think."

"But you seem troubled, Walker. What is it? You said
in a /way/ it was Alice who'd called you back. What
do you mean by that?"

"Well, it's Alice's connection, through Lady Une, to
you, that began it, really. It all comes back to you,
one way or another. Because of what you are. And even
Death doesn't understand that entirely." Walker
shrugged. "Neither do I, but what I do know is that
they're in danger, all of them- your children, Lady
Une, Alice..."

"Linnea," Treize said under his breath. "/Damn/ that
woman."

"It isn't just her, I'm afraid. I've been here-
wherever here is -a while longer than you. No one
pays the sort of attention they do the Ghost Knight,
to a simple departed soul, and so I've seen a lot you
might not have. Death and his Ghost Knight are not
the only powers that exist here."

"I find I don't like what you're implying, Walker,"
Treize said with a sigh.

"I like it even less," Walker replied. "It's not like
the living might think- most of them anyway. It's not
heaven or hell, but there's good and evil here, more
defined than in the world of the living."

"I understand," Treize said. "There are forces that
oppose us even now, are there not?"

"We have powerful enemies, my friend- ones who will
hurt the ones we love just because they can."

Treize gestured about them, to the snow-covered
Place, to the frozen River beyond. "Did they do
this?"

"It's possible," Walker replied. "/You/ could have
done it, from what I've heard, but you say you did
not, and you've no reason to lie. Besides, anyone
with any sense would have frozen the River /before/
they had to go through it. Although I have a feeling
that soon enough you are going to wish you did."

"That sounds terribly ominous, Walker."

"I'm afraid it is."