Disclaimer: Thai no own . . . you no sue . . . everyone is happy!
Authors note: Ok, y'know what? I just can't seem to shake this series! I mean I wrote 'Starz' and immediately had a sequel and I finished writing 'Dear Daddy' about 20 minutes ago and I'm already starting on this! If only I could get my updates sorted out, it would be perfect! Please RnR and thank you SO much for those who are interested in this!
- - -
Nostalgia's true form.
"To the future."
The line ran through Paige's mind as if it were participating in a marathon. It had been bugging her ever since this morning . . .
~* That morning *~
Beep beep beep beep beep beep . . .
Paige groaned and rolled over as her mobile phone which was positioned very close to her head began to squeal in a very high, off-pitched tone, Blurry by Puddle of mudd. Groping blinding in the white light of the morning sun she finally reached the vibrating phone which danced atop of her bedside table,
"'Ello?" She croaked into the receiver,
"Good morning!"
"Ugh! Yan! You jerk . . . it's . . . 6:13 . . . what do you want?" Paige snapped,
"What? Did I wake you up or something?"
"Well . . . actually . . ."
"Heero's been here for at least half an hour!"
"That's Heero . . . I'm not Heero . . . I got to College, not strait to work . . . now, what do you want?"
"To tell you that I think I've found something . . ."
Paige rolled her eyes at Yan's comment,
"When will he learn? Our fathers are dead! Gone! Have been for 3 years, not missing, DEAD!" She thought before sighing out loud, "Ok, Yan . . . tell me . . . what have you found?"
"Oh, no, I can't TELL you!"
She rubbed her temples with frustration,
"Ok, then . . . why are you calling me?"
"I wanted to let you know as soon as possible that you have to come strait to my office this afternoon, after your last lecture! I'll be waiting!"
"Y'know, I do have a job to do myself!" She scolded, frowning slightly,
"Yes, I realise that, but it won't take long and trust me, you'll be SO excited when you see!" He chuckled,
"Yes . . . I'm sure . . . Cya later then . . ."
"Bye . . . oh, wait!"
"What?" She snarled restlessly,
"I love you."
"Yeah, I love you too . . ."
"Ok, go get some more rest!"
Paige hung up, dropping her phone into the covers of her bed somewhere, burying her face in her pillow,
"Will they ever give up?" She moaned into her pillow, getting a mouth-full of 'fluffy goodness', "I don't believe them sometimes!"
"Don't believe who?" Hilde asked, wondering in un announced,
"Good morning Hilde . . . and I'm talking about Yan and Heero!"
"Hmmm." Hilde thought aloud, "Well, Paige, you've got to understand that losing his father crushed Yan."
"And you don't think it crushed me too?"
"I'm not saying that, what I'm saying is that as a soldier, Yan felt it his responsibility to protect them and he feels he fails, both of them have a feeling that they're both . . . well . . . still alive someplace!"
Paige growled, punching her pillow,
"What are you doing here anyway?"
"Well, the door was unlocked and I thought that I'd pop in and see how you both were. Heero left you a note on the kitchen counter by the way."
"Oh goody! More chores?"
"No . . . he made you lunch."
"He did?"
"Uh, well, kinda . . . you'll understand when you read it, well, I just brought all those clothes that needed fixing back and now I'm off to work, so I'll see you around Paige."
"Bye Hilde." Paige murmured, flinging her limbs across the bed in an attempt to untangle herself from the wreckage of her duvet.
~* Back to the afternoon *~
She sighed, pushing a few stray strands of Auburn hair from her eyes as she crossed the busy main street, narrowly avoiding being hit by a double Decker bus as she headed towards the Preventers HQ.
Tightening her grip upon the books that were pressed to her chest she straightened the little black backpack on her shoulder and entered the large building,
"Good afternoon Frank." She said as she walked past the main desk,
"Hello Paige, how're things?"
"Ugh." She replied as she pressed the button for the lift, "I forgot my uniform this morning!"
"Oh dear . . . did you hear about Mr Wufei's discovery?"
"Yes, at 6:13 this morning! I'm on my way to find out what all the fuss was about now."
"Ok, well, take care."
"You too."
The doors closed and the elevator rushed upwards towards the 16th floor where Yan's office was. She walked briskly towards his door, receiving several wolf whistles as she walked through the large office that surrounded her boyfriends which was almost entirely men. She had foolishly work black leather ankle boots, a short black skirt and a red corset to College that morning as she had an Art Critique and had to look good for it.
Yan glanced up as she breezed in,
"Hello there." He said with a grin, standing up, "Looking ood, dress that way for me, huh?" He teased,
"As if." She chuckled, "Have you seen Heero?"
"I think he's out with Une on some routine thing for Miss Peacecraft, why?"
"I forgot my uniform and need to go home and get it before Une catches me, no matter what; I'm going to be late!"
"Why do you need Heero to go home, it's a 5 minute walk!"
"I forgot my key . . ."
"Paige . . ." Yan growled, shaking his head,
"It's not my fault!" She whined, "I got distracted!"
Yan rolled his eyes and stood, moving to a large metal locker unit against one wall, he opened a big door, pulled something out and threw it at her. She caught it and looked at the heavy material object,
"It might be a little big, but it'll do to cover up that top, I think that you'll get away with the rest as your uniform is black boots and skirt." He said turning slightly,
"Thanks." She said awkwardly and slipped on his uniform jacket.
He smiled faintly and sat back down at his desk, looking down at his hands,
"Paige . . . there's been a development . . ."
Paige felt all air from her lungs expel and she placed a hand to her forehead, feeling another infamous headache creeping up upon her. She let sapphire eyes close with fatigue as she prepared to listen to her boyfriend,
"Ok Yan, I'm listening." She said simply,
"Well . . . recently, some soldiers performing a routine clear-up in one of the far colonies discovered a small pocket of resistance . . ."
"WHAT ARE CLEAN UP CREWS DOING THREE YEARS ON FROM THE WAR!?" Paige fumed, flinging her arms up into the air,
"Well, normally, in previous wars, such thorough clan-ups were not performed, but seeing as the circumstances were different . . ."
"Different!?"
"Well . . . all mobile suits were banned, yet somehow, there were mobile suits in this war! Did you not know that?"
"No, remember? I was sent away!" She snapped, folding her arms,
"You're still mad at everyone, huh?"
"Damn right I'm mad!"
"Well . . . will you at least let me finish what I was saying, it's important!"
"Fine!"
"Anyway, like I was saying, some troops were just clearing up the last of the colonies when they came across a small pocket of resistance. That was taken care of pretty quickly and then their base was investigated."
"How comes I didn't know about this?"
"It was on a need-to-know basis."
"How did you fit into that!?"
"Well, I'm older and I'm also the last in my family left in the preventers, my father was lost in the war and my mother died of grief, Paige, you know all this already!"
Paige sulked,
"Yeah . . . I do . . . I'm just . . . confused!" She looked at the ground, "Please continue . . ."
"They found experiments . . . bodies . . . prisoners . . . other . . . things . . ."
Paige looked up, her lip quivering and her eyes large,
"What do you mean other things?" She managed to whisper,
"Well . . ." Yan stood, walking around his desk and placing a reassuring hand on his girlfriends shoulder, "C'mon, perhaps you should sit down." He sighed, moving her to a seat, "No one knows yet, Paige, only you, me, and a few others . . ."
"Does Heero know?"
"Not yet . . . not even Une knows!"
Paige nodded slightly, still a little shaken up,
"Why doesn't she know?"
"Well, she's out and I haven't finished my report, Paige, you can't tell anyone, ok?" She nodded, "Not even Heero, promise?"
"Promise." She murmured, inspecting her nails in an effort to distract her attention.
Suddenly, there was a knock at the door, Yan stood up, leaving the Auburn- haired teen to continued to stare at his dull green carpet,
"Come in." He said, turning his head to the door.
A tall woman with shoulder-length brown hair and thin-rimmed spectacles marched in with a taller man of medium build and 'scruffy-look' brown hair behind her,
"Miss Une, Yuy." He said with a brief nod, folding his arms in front of his chest,
"Alright, Wufei, do you have this report for me, or not?" Une snapped, looking a little hot and bothered, "And Maxwell! Shouldn't you be at your desk?"
"Yes ma'am, sorry ma'am." Paige mumbled as she stood, rubbing her eyes slightly as she pushed past her boss and then her guardian.
Heero caught her arm as she walked past, turning her to look at him. She looked away and he sighed, shaking his head and releasing her to let her get on with work while his attentions were turned back to Yan.
"To the future."
The line was back in her mind as she sat at her desk, flicking her monitor on with a simple press of a delicately manicured nail,
"Ugh! Go away!" She muttered to herself as she grabbed a pen and started scribbling out notes on post-its,
"Woah! Calm down there, Trio!" Paige rolled her eyes at the comment,
"Barton, why must you insist on calling me that ridiculous nick-name?" She muttered,
"Because I thought that it would be good to have another number around!"
"What do you mean?" She snapped,
"Well, your father got his name from Solo. Your father was Duo, so, I guess, we figured that that would make you Trio!" He chuckled,
"That's not funny."
"No, it's cute!" Quatre gushed,
"You WOULD think that!" She growled, "Don't you people have a job to do?"
"Break."
"Grrrrrrreat . . ."
"Oh Paige!" Quatre sighed, sitting atop of her desk, "What's wrong?"
"Nothing."
"Well, that's a lie." Trowa stated calmly,
"I'm not supposed to tell."
"Well, I'm going to go get some coffees then." Quatre said, "Would you like something, Paige?"
"No thanks."
"I'll be back in a few minutes, Trowa, alright?"
"Alright."
Quatre winked slightly and turned away, leaving the pair alone. Trowa pulled up a seat in front Paige's desk and leant upon the top, arms folded,
"Is this all about the clean-up mission?"
"You know."
"Yes."
"I'm scared."
"Why?"
"Of what they'll find."
"What do you mean?"
"Well . . . I'm not like Yan and Heero. I truly believed that my father was dead. I gave up . . . or . . . at least . . . I thought that I did . . . but . . . apparently not! I dunno, it just feels as though I'm scared that he is dead . . . all over again, y'know?"
"Yes . . . I know . . . but, don't worry about it, alright?" He stood and winked slightly, "You never know!"
She nodded slightly, shrugging off Trowa's comment. She only wanted to be left alone. Within minutes a shadow was cast over her desk,
"Paige,"
She looked up to see Heero,
"Heya Heero, what can I do for ya?" She asked, blinking up at the tall Japanese man,
"I just wanted to tell you that I'm headed home now, alright?"
"Ok." She replied,
"Will you be alright getting home tonight?"
"Yup. See you at the usual time Heero." She said and looked back down at her work,
"Are you sure?"
"Yeah. I mean, it's not like I don't do it three days a week!"
"Hmmm, ok, well, see you later then."
"Bye."
Heero nodded and grunted ever-so-slightly as he turned and walked away from his teenage companion.
~**~
"Paige . . . I'm really, really sorry to hear about your father." The blonde man said, grasping her hands within his own small ones, "I hope that you'll let me stand by your side during this tough time, Paige, Duo was a good friend to all of us and will be greatly missed."
Tears slithered down the American teenager's face as Sapphire eyes met turquoise. She nodded dumbly, not really hearing his words as she gripped his pale hands tightly,
"Come on . . ." Trowa murmured, placing a hand on her back, "Now that the war's over, you can stay with us and see about getting you settled down, alright?"
Once again, words feel upon deaf ears as she followed them to the waiting limousine, the chauffer taking her suitcase and trunk, stuffing them into the large boot,
"Alone . . ." She murmured as she sat between the older men, staring at her trainers, a faded blue Nike tick that seemed dull in the faint light,
"Would you like a drink?"
"No thank you." She answered, closing her eyes. Feeling the others staring at her, she gulped, "I'm alright . . ." She mumbled, wiping her eyes, "I . . . I need to see Hilde." She finally said,
"That'll be arranged ASAP for you, Paige." Quatre spoke softly, placing an arm around her, "Everything'll be alright."
She doubted it.
She doubted it strongly.
~**~
She continued to stare into space, her legs folded under her desk as she drifted off into deep thoughts, tears trickling down her pale cheeks,
"Paige . . .?"
"Huh!?" Paige jumped, meeting Yan's dark eyes as her head shot up, "Oh . . . Heya . . ."
"Are you alright?"
"Yes. Fine." She answered sharply, "Just thinking . . ." She mumbled, wiping her eyes subconsciously,
"Are you sure?"
"Positive."
"Ok, well, it's time to clock out."
"But I've . . ." Paige glanced up at her clock, "I've been here 3 hours!?" She blinked in shock, "Yipes!"
"C'mon! Time to go home."
She nodded, standing up, handing his the uniform jacket,
"Uh . . . give it back tomorrow, alright?"
"Alright." She slipped it back on, grabbing her things, she followed him downstairs to the main door, "G'night, Frank!" Paige called to the security man sitting at the desk,
"Sleep well!" He called back, winking slightly.
Paige rolled her eyes and stepped out into the darkening street,
"Well, I guess then I'll see you . . .?"
"Wednesday?"
"It's Monday . . . I have to wait until then!?" She pouted,
"Well, I'm working tomorrow."
"What about after work?"
"I can't! I promised Alan . . ."
"Ugh . . . you're always hanging out with him! Honestly! I swear that you're . . ."
Yan chuckled,
"Paige, you know for a FACT that I'm not gay."
"You could be faking it . . ." She muttered under her breath,
"Hey . . ." He tilted her chin up to make her look at him, "I love you, alright?"
"I love you too . . ."
"Hey, how about I walk you home?"
"You can stay for dinner if you like . . . I think Heero will have shut himself away somewhere with his laptop."
Yan chuckled,
"Alright, sounds great, what're we having?"
"Microwavable pop-corn."
"Pop-corn?" Yan asked, raising an eyebrow "Is that healthy?"
"Hey! Back in the day! I lived on the stuff!"
"Back in the day?" The other brow rose,
"Yeah, back in the day!"
"Can I get a timeframe on this 'day'?" He chuckled, wrapping an arm around her waist,
"Back when I lived with Dad, up on L2 . . . Dad was always really busy, and pop-corn was the first thing that I learnt how to 'zap'!"
"Oh . . ." Yan grinned as they reached the small street of neat, matching multi-coloured houses. They stopped outside of a faint blue home, a black convertible parked in the driveway and a single light on in an upstairs room, "Looks like Heero's in his room."
"Yeah . . ." Paige replied, walking up the front path, key-chain in hand, "He does that most nights, he's usually disappeared by the time I come in from work."
"Oh."
Stepping in, Paige grabbed the stereo remote and flicked on a CD as she walked into the open kitchen, placing her bag upon the top of the breakfast bar,
"Now . . . let's see . . ." Paige mused as she began opening random cupboards in the kitchen of the Yuy residence,
"Paige Maxwell . . . your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to find food for both yourself AND your absolutely gorgeous boyfriend, Yan Wufei."
"Mission accepted!" She declared with a swift nod,
"Paige?" A call from upstairs snapped the two from their fantasy,
"Hello Heero." Paige called back as she stepped into the hallway towards the stairs,
"How was work?"
"Good."
"Did Une say anything else to you?"
"No."
"Ok, well, are you getting Dinner?"
"Yeah, Yan's here to."
"Ok, well, there's some Pizza in the fridge if you want."
"Ooooo, pizza! Hmmm, pizza or pop-corn?"
Paige knew that Heero would have rolled his eyes at that point, but none- the-less, kept his comments to himself,
"Hmmm . . . Maxwell . . ." He muttered as if it were an insult,
"Good night Heero."
"Good night."
Footsteps thudded upstairs as Heero walked back to his room, closing the door behind him,
"Hey Yan! Pizza or Pop-corn?"
"Y'know what, why don't you just go and sit down, I'll sort Dinner out, alright?"
"Alright!"
Paige happily bounced off into the living room, curling up on the sofa as Yan reached for the phone.
- - - To be continued . . .
Well, what did you think!? It took me a hella long time, and it's hella longer than the other ones, for 1 chappie that is, but? Please RnR! Remember, Thai LUVZ ya all!
Authors note: Ok, y'know what? I just can't seem to shake this series! I mean I wrote 'Starz' and immediately had a sequel and I finished writing 'Dear Daddy' about 20 minutes ago and I'm already starting on this! If only I could get my updates sorted out, it would be perfect! Please RnR and thank you SO much for those who are interested in this!
- - -
Nostalgia's true form.
"To the future."
The line ran through Paige's mind as if it were participating in a marathon. It had been bugging her ever since this morning . . .
~* That morning *~
Beep beep beep beep beep beep . . .
Paige groaned and rolled over as her mobile phone which was positioned very close to her head began to squeal in a very high, off-pitched tone, Blurry by Puddle of mudd. Groping blinding in the white light of the morning sun she finally reached the vibrating phone which danced atop of her bedside table,
"'Ello?" She croaked into the receiver,
"Good morning!"
"Ugh! Yan! You jerk . . . it's . . . 6:13 . . . what do you want?" Paige snapped,
"What? Did I wake you up or something?"
"Well . . . actually . . ."
"Heero's been here for at least half an hour!"
"That's Heero . . . I'm not Heero . . . I got to College, not strait to work . . . now, what do you want?"
"To tell you that I think I've found something . . ."
Paige rolled her eyes at Yan's comment,
"When will he learn? Our fathers are dead! Gone! Have been for 3 years, not missing, DEAD!" She thought before sighing out loud, "Ok, Yan . . . tell me . . . what have you found?"
"Oh, no, I can't TELL you!"
She rubbed her temples with frustration,
"Ok, then . . . why are you calling me?"
"I wanted to let you know as soon as possible that you have to come strait to my office this afternoon, after your last lecture! I'll be waiting!"
"Y'know, I do have a job to do myself!" She scolded, frowning slightly,
"Yes, I realise that, but it won't take long and trust me, you'll be SO excited when you see!" He chuckled,
"Yes . . . I'm sure . . . Cya later then . . ."
"Bye . . . oh, wait!"
"What?" She snarled restlessly,
"I love you."
"Yeah, I love you too . . ."
"Ok, go get some more rest!"
Paige hung up, dropping her phone into the covers of her bed somewhere, burying her face in her pillow,
"Will they ever give up?" She moaned into her pillow, getting a mouth-full of 'fluffy goodness', "I don't believe them sometimes!"
"Don't believe who?" Hilde asked, wondering in un announced,
"Good morning Hilde . . . and I'm talking about Yan and Heero!"
"Hmmm." Hilde thought aloud, "Well, Paige, you've got to understand that losing his father crushed Yan."
"And you don't think it crushed me too?"
"I'm not saying that, what I'm saying is that as a soldier, Yan felt it his responsibility to protect them and he feels he fails, both of them have a feeling that they're both . . . well . . . still alive someplace!"
Paige growled, punching her pillow,
"What are you doing here anyway?"
"Well, the door was unlocked and I thought that I'd pop in and see how you both were. Heero left you a note on the kitchen counter by the way."
"Oh goody! More chores?"
"No . . . he made you lunch."
"He did?"
"Uh, well, kinda . . . you'll understand when you read it, well, I just brought all those clothes that needed fixing back and now I'm off to work, so I'll see you around Paige."
"Bye Hilde." Paige murmured, flinging her limbs across the bed in an attempt to untangle herself from the wreckage of her duvet.
~* Back to the afternoon *~
She sighed, pushing a few stray strands of Auburn hair from her eyes as she crossed the busy main street, narrowly avoiding being hit by a double Decker bus as she headed towards the Preventers HQ.
Tightening her grip upon the books that were pressed to her chest she straightened the little black backpack on her shoulder and entered the large building,
"Good afternoon Frank." She said as she walked past the main desk,
"Hello Paige, how're things?"
"Ugh." She replied as she pressed the button for the lift, "I forgot my uniform this morning!"
"Oh dear . . . did you hear about Mr Wufei's discovery?"
"Yes, at 6:13 this morning! I'm on my way to find out what all the fuss was about now."
"Ok, well, take care."
"You too."
The doors closed and the elevator rushed upwards towards the 16th floor where Yan's office was. She walked briskly towards his door, receiving several wolf whistles as she walked through the large office that surrounded her boyfriends which was almost entirely men. She had foolishly work black leather ankle boots, a short black skirt and a red corset to College that morning as she had an Art Critique and had to look good for it.
Yan glanced up as she breezed in,
"Hello there." He said with a grin, standing up, "Looking ood, dress that way for me, huh?" He teased,
"As if." She chuckled, "Have you seen Heero?"
"I think he's out with Une on some routine thing for Miss Peacecraft, why?"
"I forgot my uniform and need to go home and get it before Une catches me, no matter what; I'm going to be late!"
"Why do you need Heero to go home, it's a 5 minute walk!"
"I forgot my key . . ."
"Paige . . ." Yan growled, shaking his head,
"It's not my fault!" She whined, "I got distracted!"
Yan rolled his eyes and stood, moving to a large metal locker unit against one wall, he opened a big door, pulled something out and threw it at her. She caught it and looked at the heavy material object,
"It might be a little big, but it'll do to cover up that top, I think that you'll get away with the rest as your uniform is black boots and skirt." He said turning slightly,
"Thanks." She said awkwardly and slipped on his uniform jacket.
He smiled faintly and sat back down at his desk, looking down at his hands,
"Paige . . . there's been a development . . ."
Paige felt all air from her lungs expel and she placed a hand to her forehead, feeling another infamous headache creeping up upon her. She let sapphire eyes close with fatigue as she prepared to listen to her boyfriend,
"Ok Yan, I'm listening." She said simply,
"Well . . . recently, some soldiers performing a routine clear-up in one of the far colonies discovered a small pocket of resistance . . ."
"WHAT ARE CLEAN UP CREWS DOING THREE YEARS ON FROM THE WAR!?" Paige fumed, flinging her arms up into the air,
"Well, normally, in previous wars, such thorough clan-ups were not performed, but seeing as the circumstances were different . . ."
"Different!?"
"Well . . . all mobile suits were banned, yet somehow, there were mobile suits in this war! Did you not know that?"
"No, remember? I was sent away!" She snapped, folding her arms,
"You're still mad at everyone, huh?"
"Damn right I'm mad!"
"Well . . . will you at least let me finish what I was saying, it's important!"
"Fine!"
"Anyway, like I was saying, some troops were just clearing up the last of the colonies when they came across a small pocket of resistance. That was taken care of pretty quickly and then their base was investigated."
"How comes I didn't know about this?"
"It was on a need-to-know basis."
"How did you fit into that!?"
"Well, I'm older and I'm also the last in my family left in the preventers, my father was lost in the war and my mother died of grief, Paige, you know all this already!"
Paige sulked,
"Yeah . . . I do . . . I'm just . . . confused!" She looked at the ground, "Please continue . . ."
"They found experiments . . . bodies . . . prisoners . . . other . . . things . . ."
Paige looked up, her lip quivering and her eyes large,
"What do you mean other things?" She managed to whisper,
"Well . . ." Yan stood, walking around his desk and placing a reassuring hand on his girlfriends shoulder, "C'mon, perhaps you should sit down." He sighed, moving her to a seat, "No one knows yet, Paige, only you, me, and a few others . . ."
"Does Heero know?"
"Not yet . . . not even Une knows!"
Paige nodded slightly, still a little shaken up,
"Why doesn't she know?"
"Well, she's out and I haven't finished my report, Paige, you can't tell anyone, ok?" She nodded, "Not even Heero, promise?"
"Promise." She murmured, inspecting her nails in an effort to distract her attention.
Suddenly, there was a knock at the door, Yan stood up, leaving the Auburn- haired teen to continued to stare at his dull green carpet,
"Come in." He said, turning his head to the door.
A tall woman with shoulder-length brown hair and thin-rimmed spectacles marched in with a taller man of medium build and 'scruffy-look' brown hair behind her,
"Miss Une, Yuy." He said with a brief nod, folding his arms in front of his chest,
"Alright, Wufei, do you have this report for me, or not?" Une snapped, looking a little hot and bothered, "And Maxwell! Shouldn't you be at your desk?"
"Yes ma'am, sorry ma'am." Paige mumbled as she stood, rubbing her eyes slightly as she pushed past her boss and then her guardian.
Heero caught her arm as she walked past, turning her to look at him. She looked away and he sighed, shaking his head and releasing her to let her get on with work while his attentions were turned back to Yan.
"To the future."
The line was back in her mind as she sat at her desk, flicking her monitor on with a simple press of a delicately manicured nail,
"Ugh! Go away!" She muttered to herself as she grabbed a pen and started scribbling out notes on post-its,
"Woah! Calm down there, Trio!" Paige rolled her eyes at the comment,
"Barton, why must you insist on calling me that ridiculous nick-name?" She muttered,
"Because I thought that it would be good to have another number around!"
"What do you mean?" She snapped,
"Well, your father got his name from Solo. Your father was Duo, so, I guess, we figured that that would make you Trio!" He chuckled,
"That's not funny."
"No, it's cute!" Quatre gushed,
"You WOULD think that!" She growled, "Don't you people have a job to do?"
"Break."
"Grrrrrrreat . . ."
"Oh Paige!" Quatre sighed, sitting atop of her desk, "What's wrong?"
"Nothing."
"Well, that's a lie." Trowa stated calmly,
"I'm not supposed to tell."
"Well, I'm going to go get some coffees then." Quatre said, "Would you like something, Paige?"
"No thanks."
"I'll be back in a few minutes, Trowa, alright?"
"Alright."
Quatre winked slightly and turned away, leaving the pair alone. Trowa pulled up a seat in front Paige's desk and leant upon the top, arms folded,
"Is this all about the clean-up mission?"
"You know."
"Yes."
"I'm scared."
"Why?"
"Of what they'll find."
"What do you mean?"
"Well . . . I'm not like Yan and Heero. I truly believed that my father was dead. I gave up . . . or . . . at least . . . I thought that I did . . . but . . . apparently not! I dunno, it just feels as though I'm scared that he is dead . . . all over again, y'know?"
"Yes . . . I know . . . but, don't worry about it, alright?" He stood and winked slightly, "You never know!"
She nodded slightly, shrugging off Trowa's comment. She only wanted to be left alone. Within minutes a shadow was cast over her desk,
"Paige,"
She looked up to see Heero,
"Heya Heero, what can I do for ya?" She asked, blinking up at the tall Japanese man,
"I just wanted to tell you that I'm headed home now, alright?"
"Ok." She replied,
"Will you be alright getting home tonight?"
"Yup. See you at the usual time Heero." She said and looked back down at her work,
"Are you sure?"
"Yeah. I mean, it's not like I don't do it three days a week!"
"Hmmm, ok, well, see you later then."
"Bye."
Heero nodded and grunted ever-so-slightly as he turned and walked away from his teenage companion.
~**~
"Paige . . . I'm really, really sorry to hear about your father." The blonde man said, grasping her hands within his own small ones, "I hope that you'll let me stand by your side during this tough time, Paige, Duo was a good friend to all of us and will be greatly missed."
Tears slithered down the American teenager's face as Sapphire eyes met turquoise. She nodded dumbly, not really hearing his words as she gripped his pale hands tightly,
"Come on . . ." Trowa murmured, placing a hand on her back, "Now that the war's over, you can stay with us and see about getting you settled down, alright?"
Once again, words feel upon deaf ears as she followed them to the waiting limousine, the chauffer taking her suitcase and trunk, stuffing them into the large boot,
"Alone . . ." She murmured as she sat between the older men, staring at her trainers, a faded blue Nike tick that seemed dull in the faint light,
"Would you like a drink?"
"No thank you." She answered, closing her eyes. Feeling the others staring at her, she gulped, "I'm alright . . ." She mumbled, wiping her eyes, "I . . . I need to see Hilde." She finally said,
"That'll be arranged ASAP for you, Paige." Quatre spoke softly, placing an arm around her, "Everything'll be alright."
She doubted it.
She doubted it strongly.
~**~
She continued to stare into space, her legs folded under her desk as she drifted off into deep thoughts, tears trickling down her pale cheeks,
"Paige . . .?"
"Huh!?" Paige jumped, meeting Yan's dark eyes as her head shot up, "Oh . . . Heya . . ."
"Are you alright?"
"Yes. Fine." She answered sharply, "Just thinking . . ." She mumbled, wiping her eyes subconsciously,
"Are you sure?"
"Positive."
"Ok, well, it's time to clock out."
"But I've . . ." Paige glanced up at her clock, "I've been here 3 hours!?" She blinked in shock, "Yipes!"
"C'mon! Time to go home."
She nodded, standing up, handing his the uniform jacket,
"Uh . . . give it back tomorrow, alright?"
"Alright." She slipped it back on, grabbing her things, she followed him downstairs to the main door, "G'night, Frank!" Paige called to the security man sitting at the desk,
"Sleep well!" He called back, winking slightly.
Paige rolled her eyes and stepped out into the darkening street,
"Well, I guess then I'll see you . . .?"
"Wednesday?"
"It's Monday . . . I have to wait until then!?" She pouted,
"Well, I'm working tomorrow."
"What about after work?"
"I can't! I promised Alan . . ."
"Ugh . . . you're always hanging out with him! Honestly! I swear that you're . . ."
Yan chuckled,
"Paige, you know for a FACT that I'm not gay."
"You could be faking it . . ." She muttered under her breath,
"Hey . . ." He tilted her chin up to make her look at him, "I love you, alright?"
"I love you too . . ."
"Hey, how about I walk you home?"
"You can stay for dinner if you like . . . I think Heero will have shut himself away somewhere with his laptop."
Yan chuckled,
"Alright, sounds great, what're we having?"
"Microwavable pop-corn."
"Pop-corn?" Yan asked, raising an eyebrow "Is that healthy?"
"Hey! Back in the day! I lived on the stuff!"
"Back in the day?" The other brow rose,
"Yeah, back in the day!"
"Can I get a timeframe on this 'day'?" He chuckled, wrapping an arm around her waist,
"Back when I lived with Dad, up on L2 . . . Dad was always really busy, and pop-corn was the first thing that I learnt how to 'zap'!"
"Oh . . ." Yan grinned as they reached the small street of neat, matching multi-coloured houses. They stopped outside of a faint blue home, a black convertible parked in the driveway and a single light on in an upstairs room, "Looks like Heero's in his room."
"Yeah . . ." Paige replied, walking up the front path, key-chain in hand, "He does that most nights, he's usually disappeared by the time I come in from work."
"Oh."
Stepping in, Paige grabbed the stereo remote and flicked on a CD as she walked into the open kitchen, placing her bag upon the top of the breakfast bar,
"Now . . . let's see . . ." Paige mused as she began opening random cupboards in the kitchen of the Yuy residence,
"Paige Maxwell . . . your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to find food for both yourself AND your absolutely gorgeous boyfriend, Yan Wufei."
"Mission accepted!" She declared with a swift nod,
"Paige?" A call from upstairs snapped the two from their fantasy,
"Hello Heero." Paige called back as she stepped into the hallway towards the stairs,
"How was work?"
"Good."
"Did Une say anything else to you?"
"No."
"Ok, well, are you getting Dinner?"
"Yeah, Yan's here to."
"Ok, well, there's some Pizza in the fridge if you want."
"Ooooo, pizza! Hmmm, pizza or pop-corn?"
Paige knew that Heero would have rolled his eyes at that point, but none- the-less, kept his comments to himself,
"Hmmm . . . Maxwell . . ." He muttered as if it were an insult,
"Good night Heero."
"Good night."
Footsteps thudded upstairs as Heero walked back to his room, closing the door behind him,
"Hey Yan! Pizza or Pop-corn?"
"Y'know what, why don't you just go and sit down, I'll sort Dinner out, alright?"
"Alright!"
Paige happily bounced off into the living room, curling up on the sofa as Yan reached for the phone.
- - - To be continued . . .
Well, what did you think!? It took me a hella long time, and it's hella longer than the other ones, for 1 chappie that is, but? Please RnR! Remember, Thai LUVZ ya all!