*--*

I couldn't believe it. I don't think I'd ever been in a mission this dangerous before. Jaime, either. "Wait, it can't be just us seven . . . can it?"

Heero shook his head. "Besides ourselves, we have only a few hundred elite mobile suit pilots at our disposal. Five hundred at the most. We didn't *plan* on another uprising. We weren't' *supposed* to have an army in the time of peace. That's all we can get."

I turned to WuFei. "Then . . . ."

He nodded. "Those few mobile suits I fought a week back were probably part of this Mariemaia Faction."

I rolled my eyes and almost snorted. If there's anything WuFei had, it was pride. 'Few'. The ground had been littered with destroyed mobile suits by the time I had gotten there.

Heero nodded, also. "Yes, that's what I and the doctors believe, too. Kristen," his saying my name sent chills through me, "you and WuFei will be sent off as a team, as well as Jaime and Trowa, since you already know each other."

I could've grinned when Heero said that. I wouldn't mind spending more time with WuFei. Who wouldn't? It's not like he's not good looking. Jaime looked pretty happy, too. Maybe she liked Trowa as much as I liked WuFei. Of course, that would never happen. Between WuFei and me, I mean. He's way too serious for that.

*--*

Two hours later, we were finished with the debriefing on the mission, and it was now almost ten in the evening, and Kristen and I were in our room we had to share. Time for bed. As soon as I realized this, I yawned, causing her to give me a queer look.

"Look," I said, hiding yet another yawn with my fist, "it's late, and we have to get up early tomorrow. Let's hit the sack, okay?"

She hesitated, but nodded slowly. "Alright . . . . Let me turn off the light."

As soon as the light blinked out, I hastily undressed as quietly as I could. I blushed when I could hear rustling as Kristen undressed, and wondered absently if it would be worse with the lights on.

"Sleep well, and wake, WuFei Chang," Kristen's voice came from the surrounding darkness.

" . . . Goodnight . . . Kristen."

*--*

I was with WuFei the next morning. It was bright and sunny. We were both sitting under a shady tree, and WuFei's head was resting in my lap, the rest of him splayed out on the warm grass.

"Kristen? I want to tell you something."

"Hmm?" I said, distracted. His hair was so soft.

"Kristen," WuFei said again, his voice sounding farther away.

"Uh-oh," I said. "No, this isn't fair." Yep. I was dreaming.

"Kristen, it's time to wake up."

I groaned and opened my eyes to WuFei's obsidian ones. "Aw, come on. I was having a good dream. Just a couple more minutes? Please?"

He shook his head. "No, you can't. everyone else is awake already. Though, it seems that you are not the only one who has problems getting upin the morning. However, it's already four o'clock."

*That* got me out of bed. "What?! I'm not even going to have time to shower! How come you didn't wake me up earlier?" I rolled out of bed and fell onto the floor with a loud thump.

"Because you wouldn't wake up."

I stopped struggling with my sheet. "Oh. Is Jaime up yet?"

He grinned. Kind of. "She had a hard time."

I laughed. "Right. Let me go get dressed."

*--*