Love and Betrayal

Chapter Four:

No matter how violently he tried to convince himself, Midii Une had once again disappeared leaving no trace of her even existence, minus the newly awakened memories drifting in Trowa's tired mind. Just a few hours before she had been there, lying peacefully in front of him as he fell in love with her all over again. The memories stung, like a thousand hot knives tearing at his flesh, worse then if Cathy had let one of her fatal knives slip during an act. Trying to save face, he followed the other pilots as they scanned the colonies streets.

But he couldn't concentrate. His mind seemed scattered, like leaves in the autumn breeze. Things had been going so well, he thought tiredly to himself. Why was it that she suddenly mattered so much to him?

But deep down in his heart he already knew the answer to his question. He had never forgotten. There had never been a day where her face hadn't lingered across his mind. Had he done the right thing? He had always second-guessed his judgment of that day; the day he had left Midii Une alone on the battlefield. Was it his fault? She had been so scared with a gun barrel shoved in her face. And she had already suffered so much…

His comrades' hushed voices slowly brought him out of his musings. Only snippets of their conversation filtered their way to him, even with his acute sense of hearing. Phrases such as "Rediculous", "Why bother?", and "A waste of time and resources", made their way to his ears. He solemnly wished that he could agree with his comrades, but something inside of him urged him onward. He needed to find Midii, for one reason or another. He didn't care exactly how they went about it, but she needed to be found. Now. He stared at them intently from behind his mask of hair. A faint crackle of Heero's radio link back to headquarters caused a temporary lull in their conversation.

"Yuy, have you any sign of the Une girl?" Wu Fei's voice rang, low and demanding. He made no attempt to hide his dissatisfaction. Midii Une had caused quite an uproar at Preventer headquarters; he had the right to be annoyed. Everyone had some right in the matter concerning her mysterious disappearance. It wasn't everyday that someone being held at Preventer merely escaped out of the window.

"None yet," Heero replied, still glancing about the bustle of the colony. He didn't think he could find anyone in this throng, let alone someone who obviously didn't want to be found. "We'll report back as soon as we do."

Trowa heard something suspiciously like "damn onna…" make it's was through the receiver before Heero shoved it quickly back into the folds of his Preventers jacket.

Trowa half-heartedly agreed with Wu Fei's irritated tone. He didn't understand why Midii would want or have to cause so much confusion.

Doubts slowly crept back into his mind. What was she doing in that mobile suit, he wondered. Why, after all these years had she finally appeared in his life again? His mind streamed with questions to which he had no answers for. Looking up at the colonies artificial sun, he squinted, his mind still asking the unknown-- "Where are you Midii?"

Quatre stopped, taking a deep breath and slowly running his fingers though his platinum bangs. They were getting nowhere fast. He wanted to find this girl as much as the rest of them, but still…

"Look," he said finally, placing his hands on his hips. "We're getting ourselves absolutely nowhere. I suggest we split up. We can cover twice the distance in half the amount of time. Besides," he spoke coolly, trying to figure the correct way to string his words. "I don't think she or anyone else would be pleased to find a drove of Preventers headed in their direction. She's much less likely to startle, let alone run if we're in smaller groups."

Trowa sighed; finally the voice of reason among them all. He had desperately wanted to search for Midii alone, feeling he could cover more ground, but had laid quiet as he became lost in his own thoughts. "Midii…" he repeated to himself, half expecting to see her appear before him at the mere mention of her name.

"Very well," Heero agreed, handing the radio over to Quatre. "Inform Wu Fei on our actions. If anything happens or you find the girl, call me on my cell." he said, patting the almost undistinguishable lump in his pocket. "Trowa and I will cover the Northern and Eastern districts. Quatre, you and Duo cover the Southern and Western."

"Rodger!" Duo said, saluting mockingly as he left. Heero turned toward Trowa, his face saying nothing but eyes burning. He didn't even have to speak before Trowa answered his unasked question.

"I don't know why Heero," he said, zipping the jacket up around his shoulders as the wind whipped around his torso. The weather stations on the colony had only recently switched colony XJ289311 to the winter season, but it felt to Trowa as if he had suddenly been placed into a frozen tundra. He seemed so cold inside, like a hole had reopened inside of him, leaving him insecure and alone, a feeling he hadn't kept concealed inside of him since he had seen Midii last. For some reason, she seemed to have some bizarre effect on him that on one else had managed to accomplish. Not even his beloved sister Cathy. He could feel an ember trying desperately to burn inside of him and melt the icy caverns away, but with each new gust the wind brought, it was promptly extinguished. He shuddered, a chill running down his spine. "I can't even answer my own questions right now."

Heero stalked silently behind him, noticing his every move, from the tension of his muscles to the shiver that darted along his back. It was so unlike him, he thought watchfully to himself. Trowa had made himself known for keeping his head about him in a crisis; a deadly weapon that would strike without a second thought. But now, with each hesitant step the Silencer seemed to retreat behind his tearless mask and into his own world, way from the dilemma at hand. During the war, Heero would have easily entrusted him with his life. But now, now he wasn't too sure.

A small raven-haired girl brushed her way past the crowded streets of the colony. "Damn this weather," she thought coldly to herself, tucking her scarf gently around her ears.

She stopped a moment, shifting the weight in her arms. In one hand she carried a small musical case, her tarnished flute lying gently inside. While in the other, an old and tattered music book, along with another book entitled 'In the Blink of an Eye--A Tacticians Guide to the Strategies of Survival.' A pair of worn binoculars hung at her neck, swaying as she attempted to dodge the oncoming traffic.

A businessman, obviously in a dire rush, nearly collided with the petite four foot seven inch girl.

"Bastard!" she called after him as he disappeared into the crowd. "Can't you see that I'm walking here?!" So fully consumed with rage, she didn't see where she was going. Though her concentration had stopped momentarily, her feet had continued walking, plowing her straight into two men in Preventer uniforms.

The contents of her arms sprawled all over the sidewalk. "Hey you…" she began rudely before turning around and meeting the hollow green and hardened cobalt eyes in front of her. She pressed her lips together, causing a thin straight line to form across her young face. Innocence gleamed in her eyes as she stood and feverishly tried to collect her belongings.

"Sorry sirs," she mumbled, picking up her music book and the few pages that had fallen out of its cover. "I wasn't looking where I was going…"

Heero bent down, carefully helping the girl collect her belongings. He picked up her book, the binding faded, showing constant use. Eyeing the title and then the binoculars around her neck he said, half disdainfully, half seriously "Interesting choice of reading, Miss…"

"Alexia," she snapped indignantly, snatching the book from his grasp. She stared at him intently, her own jade eyes blazing. Standing, she brushed the front of her trench coat and a lock of hair away from her flushed face. Her crass voice snapping him into reality, Trowa gazed at the girl.

"But don't you think that you're a bit young to be reading such a book?" Heero asked, his eyes never wavering from hers. The young girl swelled like an infuriated cock. She hated being called young. Young meant defenseless, defenseless meant weak, and weak meant destruction. It was a deadly cycle she had learned all too well.

"I am not too young," she retorted heatedly, trying to gain control of her trembling vocals. Who was this man, she though angrily, who decided things for her? "Besides, I'll be turning eleven in a couple of weeks. I'll practically be a grown woman by that time." Trowa could barely suppress a grin that slid over his distraught face.

But suddenly scraps of his past flashed across his mind. Two ten-year-old children racing across a desolate battleground… A girl with long flowing blonde hair clutching her game necklace tightly… A nameless boy, already tarnished and corrupted with the horrors of war… Two shots, ringing endlessly through a hollow night, whispering the names of a couple that would never be… The trouble ten-year-olds could cause. Almost instantly his face returned to its expressionless composure.

A rather audible 'humph' was heard as she brushed past them, her nose upturned in the air. She only made it a few steps before shouting "MY FLUTE!"

Trowa scanned around the sidewalk for the small black case. Out of the corner of his eye, he spotted one of the clasps glinting in the sunlight. He bent over and picked it up, handing it gently to the near-hysterics child.

Her eyes widened as she saw the small case held out to her. She grabbed it and hugged it tightly to her chest, before throwing her arms around the rescuers waist. "Oh thank you!" she cried, her mood flipped drastically.

Unsure of what to do, he patted the clinging child on the head and said, "Don't worry about it." Alexia pulled away. His voice seemed so distant, she thought sadly to herself. Distant, as if his body were here and mind floating off somewhere else. And so sad… She hugged her flute gaily to her chest once more.

Somewhere in the distance, cathedral bells struck five. Horror crossed the girls face as the ringing died in her ears. Suddenly, she flew past the Preventer, waving behind her. "Thank you again Mister!" she shouted as she rushed down the street.

And as Trowa gazed absently goodbye, he missed another girl being shoved forcefully into an alleyway, an aura of guilt hanging about her head of disheveled blonde locks.

Midii Une stared at her captor defiantly. Damn Humaki and his games, she thought as they headed down an alleyway. She struggled slightly in his grip, only to have her arm twisted even more painfully up her back.

"Move again," he cautioned, his breath hot upon her neck. "And your arm will snap." He tightened his grip, unaware of the large bruise, which had already appeared so long ago. He had looked forward to having her in this position for so long, he was going to savor every waking moment of it, despite the unhappy fact that he couldn't kill her. Not just yet anyway.

He tightened his hold on both her and his gun as he spotted the two Preventers nearby. They couldn't see his face, he reminded himself jadedly. He had to time everything perfectly, or everything would be in vain. He leaned forward, caressing her face's outline with the barrel of his gun. It was such a shame, he suddenly thought. All that beauty wasted. If only…if only she hadn't been so damn stubborn and irksome, then maybe. He softly nuzzled his face in her nest of hair and was assaulted with the scent of Freesia. She always smelled of flowers he thought wistfully to himself, breathing deep. Whether it was the white blossoming South African plant, lavender, lilac, rose or some other exotic scent, it always seemed to add to both her mystery and appearing innocence.

As they reached the back corner of the alleyway, he thrust her to the ground. Her side erupted with pain as she staggered to stand. He crouched beside her and whispered into her ear "You had better play this game right," he warned. "There are no second chances. You either live or die. You decide." She looked up at him, her gaze full of spite and intense hatred. She breathed heavily then suddenly spit into his face.

"I know my job," she barked. "Just make sure you know yours." Humaki grabbed her arm above her elbow, dragging her up.

When she stood standing in front of him, he pulled his hand back and said "Now it's your turn bitch," before he brought his open palm forward to collide with her face's tender flesh.

Heero sneered as the young girl dashed toward the belfry only a few blocks away. He hated children and was glad that Relena thought she was too busy trying to uphold peace to even consider the matter. Deep down Heero knew why he hated them; it was partly because he was deprived a proper childhood himself, yet the true reason was more personal. He was still lost and had never quite yet found his way home. "Come on Trowa," he said finally, turning away in disgust. "We won't find Midii by wasting our time with little brats like that one."

Trowa nodded in compliance, turning to follow. They began walking down the street, but were stopped suddenly by a loud slapping noise, followed by a muffled thud. Instantly, the two pilot's heads snapped in the direction of the sickening sound. Heero's hand flew to the hidden holster at his side, gently grabbing his pistol.

Trowa took a deep breath, clearing his mind for the moment of all thoughts of Midii. This was more important right now, he thought. Midii would just have to wait. Official Preventer duty came first and he wasn't about to forsake that obligation.

As the two pilots edged their way into the alley, they could hear angry voices arise from the shadows. There were two, though they could obviously tell that only one of them was in control. It teetered between a harsh whisper and a suppressed shout.

"You two-timing bitch!" they heard someone bellow. "How dare you?! I took you up off the street and this is how you repay me?!"

"But Maverick please!" a female voice responded through strangled sobs.

Trowa nearly choked as the voice reached his ears. It was chock full of innocence, pleading the man to reconsider. "Wait…Maverick wait!" It was just like last time, he thought abruptly to himself. Is this what she would have sounded like to him, he wondered, if his senses hadn't been stifled by rage? Wait…Nanashi wait! He could hear her voice as clear as day, as if she were begging him to stay instead of this mysterious Maverick. A more sickening 'snap' of bones rose over her pleading cries and the sound of labored panting echoed in the darkness. Trowa gently tugged at his comrade's jacket.

"Get up wench."

Heero looked at him suspiciously, reading the message encoded in his hardened glare. He nodded in acknowledgement, cocking his gun silently. They subconsciously counted to three before springing into the darkness ahead.

Two figures stood, veiled in the brick wall's massive shadow. Or one rather; the other lay crouched, cradling her seemingly broken arm.

"You're under arrest," Heero snarled, the barrel of his gun pointed directly at the man's head. The man turned, his face still cloaked with darkness. Quickly he grabbed the whimpering girl from the street, pulled her in front of him, drawing his own gun.

Tears of sincere pain streaked her ghostly white skin as the he wrenched her broken arm behind her back once more. She had never been able ebb the flow of her tears. She had gained the name 'Weeping Wench' for it too, because she could cry, keeping the expression on her face blank, even as she betrayed those who were at one point her comrades. She had grown so accustomed to the small drops as they ran down her skin, that they were now more out of habit then sorrow.

But now it was different. He had gone too far. Humaki's own hatred for her had driven him to the point where he would jeopardize the mission just to see her cringe in true anguish. Pain ricocheted through her body as she began to tremble. For a moment the barrier around her crumbled. She didn't want this anymore. She didn't want this at all… Through her blurred vision she could see Nanashi, terrified at the sight before him.

"Y-You…" she croaked, through her tears. She was met with another agonizing jolt of pain as Humaki twisted her arm, silencing her.

"Let her go." Heero demanded, never blinking. Though he couldn't see the whole face, he saw the captor's teeth as his lips spread in a malicious grin.

"You want her?" he taunted, moving slightly to the left of the alley. He sensed the rigidity in the pilot's hand. "Then come and get her." With that, he shoved Midii toward the pilot, spinning her around to face him as he did. With one fluid movement, he pulled the trigger and disappeared though a doorway in the wall.

Midii fingered the bullet hole in her chest. He had really gone through with it hadn't he? Everything seemed so vague to her as her white blouse became drenched in a crimson hue. She could see someone rushing toward her. Was it Nanashi? She wondered dreamily, remembering fondly the small, silent boy who always used to come to her rescue. And as she fell into his arms, Midii Une did the only thing she could think of. She fainted.

Atop the cathedral's roof, a young girl sat quietly, gazing across the streets below her. She let her binoculars hang freely around her neck as a sly smirk crept along her youthful features. A sudden gust of wind blew strands of raven hair from its hold in her scarf.

"Well Midii," she crooned as her fingers slid admiringly over the flute in her lap. "It's been such a very long time. But as I see, you haven't lost your touch." She picked up her binoculars once more, spying the two Preventers hastily addressing her numerous wounds. She chuckled softly. She had only been with them for less then five minutes, and already she had them eating out of the palm of her hand. "No, not at all."

She whistled tunelessly as one of the men stroked her hair affectionately. Setting down the binoculars yet again, she muttered to herself "I should very much enjoy meeting you again Miss Une." before climbing down the steps of the belfry to her home below.

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A/N: Sorry people, no battle scene this time. I didn't want to rush this chapter. I had so much fun writing it. And due to comments I have received, yes, I understand that if Trowa and Midii are about 18, 19 years old, then it would be after the Eve Wars and their gundams would have been destroyed. I'm writing this as if they hadn't destroyed their gundams. It will be crucial later on in the story, especially on Heero and Midii's part. Oops…shouldn't have told you that. ^-^' Don't forget to review!

Next Time on L.A.B: Midii is taken back to Gundam HQ, but not without heavy suspicions. Interrogations ensue….and what about the mysterious little Alexia?