Written By: Rage of BlackMist
Chapter Four: Understandings
Disclaimer: Gundam Wing does not belong to me, but is the property of the Sotsu Agency, Sunrise and Fuji TV.
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Hard rocks hit sheets of cool water sending off rippled effects, glistening brightly in a pond big enough to be a lake. Three more rocks followed the first two as a pair of tiny eyes opened wider, taking in the rippling effect of the water once the rocks hit its surface. Round chubby hands clapped together with excitement when two more rocks followed those discarded before, and a squeal of delightment escaped the panting lips of the little girl that sat watching. Her hair was twisted into two adorable pigtails tided with pink ribbon at the ends. A cute spring dress became the center of her attire, which made her looks seem more on the shy side- which she was far from being.
Hilde decided, shortly after the moment the tiny child ran into her legs, that she would hold on tight and wouldn't let go even if angels told her to. She was one hellcat of a child, a spitfire at her prime, and Hilde loved every bit of her. Who wouldn't? She was, after all, two summers old, cuter than a button, and the niece of Quatre R. Winner. Every woman who came in a ten yard radius of the little darling loved her, especially when the most desirable man of the male species was around.
Hilde chuckled at that one. Who would have thought that little shy and polite Quatre R. Winner would become the target of every single and marriageable young lady. Before, he was a tiny little no muscle boy with more heart than hate and more patches of knowledge than craze. He smiled mostly all the time, and if one were to find him frowning, heaven and earth, hell must be catching up with them.
But now, things were different. Quatre filled out, not only in both mind and spirit but all so in body and soul. His height caught up with him, all 5'11" and a half of it, while his chest filled out in just the right places to make ladies drool and men stare at him in a jealous manner. His hair leveled a bit, lightening and darkening to form an even hair style, one that no man could match. To put it in plain and simple terms, Qautre R. Winner was one half of the most gorgeous piece of male specimen, and every woman knew it.
That fact alone gave no satisfaction to Hilde as she sat on the patio of Winszer's Palace Cafe sipping tea with "The Millionaire", Quatre R. Winner to her right, and "The Bachelor" Brett Madison at her left. Madison was the other half of the most gorgeous piece of male specimen. Gads, but luck wasn't on her side today, Hilde thought to herself looking from Quatre to Madison, then back at the ladies who looked at her with hate and rivalry. 'Envy', she told herself. 'Those drowling waitresses are in a state of envy.'
"This is not my fault." Hilde uttered beneath her breath loud enough for the two men to hear while rolling her eyes in the process. Quatre who picked up her thoughts chuckled in response, Madison grinning all the same.
"Are we too much for you to handle?" Quatre hinted towards Hilde who smiled in redemption, attempting to forget about the dozens of porcelain dolls that surrounded them.
"Please, I sip tea with gorgeous men all the time. I'm quite used to the stare and gasps of all those out there who oppose me..." Hilde trailed off, Madison's laughter filling the air.
"You don't say?" He dared to question. Gazing at her through the corner of his right eye, Madison kept the other on the bouncy waitress walking their way. Earlier, when the trio was seated, the waitress greeted the men with sincere politeness, and Hilde like she was a piece of chopped meat. It was then that Madison decided he didn't care more for the over welcoming waitress and her ghastly charms. "Warning, jealous jet headed our way at twelve o'clock my time." He whispered slyly just before the jet landed. Hilde let out a giggle of remorse towards their newest victim before she sat up straight and squared her shoulders.
The waitress gave Hilde another look of jealousy and handed Quatre a silver washed phone before she smeared a smirk on her face and walked away swaying her hips. Before she was out of ear shot, though, Madison let out another warning meant to be heard.
"That smirk doesn't fit you doll, perhaps you should conceal it with more of that color you paint on your face." Madison bit at her all right, and she deserved every last moment of pain for it.
"There, you've been avenged." He nodded towards Hilde who presented to him one of her finest smiles.
"Why, thank you Mr. Madison, and here I thought your looks were the best of you. I'm so glad to be wrong." Hilde replied back in a mocking manner. Avenged, ha! She could handle that little waitress if she wanted to, but no point in causing a scene just over covetousness, right?
"Ouch, I believe your words stung me more than mine stung her." He shot back, placing his hand where his heart would lay if were exposed while nodding head towards the retreating waitress.
"Undoubtedly they have." Hilde teased. He winked at her after that one.
"Are that likes of you done with throwing words at each other, or do I have to sit between the two of you?" Quatre spoke out, drawing their attention back to him; he smiled back at them in the wake. He placed the overly defined phone on the table and sighed. "Good, now that I've got your attention can we please get back to the matter at hand?" Sensing Quatre's sudden eagerness to get the hell out of here, they both nodded a final time and resumed their thought's back to the matter.
Hilde decided to take the initiative and asked Quatre some questions while he supplied answers to which Madison took notes of.
"Do you think a company such as HighTech will be able to endure such conditions? I watched InnerSpace fall to its feet in a mere three weeks. I do not want that unfortante fate passing to HighTech, let alone my Division 9." Hilde stated not really to anyone in particular, sensing Jake and Quatre's pretty niece through the corner of her eye.
"Please don't worry about your son and Katta, nanny is with them." Quatre supplied all knowingly. "As for InnerSpace, they were doomed to failure before AJ Squared merged with them." Quatre supplied, who saw it necessary to speak up for Madison who obviously wasn't going to. Madison defending his company was one thing, but trying to cover up something that just wasn't meant to be covered was another.
"InnerSpace had a profit rate of .39%, not even .50%, a point at which they were supposed to gain with my aid but never did. Despite the fact that AJ Squared, and myself for that matter, merged with InnerSpace, Gregory Spacer didn't want my help. I had my people draw plans up and present them to old Gregory, but he thought them new age. So, regardless of the merge and contract he signed, no help from me was added." Madison softly spoke, remembering the harsh words that old Gregory had said to him just before he declared the company bankrupt.
Madison shot a glance at Hilde who crossed his face with question. "I can still hear the exact words that old Gregory said to me just before he went bankrupt. 'I don't give a damn about your new aged corporation; to hell with you all. I merged merely because I wanted your name slandered and down-casted. I knew my company was failing, and even though AJ Squared could have helped, I forbid it.'" He quoted then added, "Old bastard knew what was coming and still he declined." Quatre shook his head in disgust and then settled his glaze on Hilde who was taken aback by the old man's words.
She cringed at the very thought of old Gregory. "What a horrible old man." She stated out loud, not paying any attention to Madison or Quatre. Duo warned her about InnerSpace and old Gregory Spacer. He made mention that AJ Squared may have merged with InnerSpace but the company failing wasn't Madison's fault. Madison and his corporation tried to help in every possible way, but the old man was too stubborn and had more pride than Wufei Chang himself. "My, was he a stubborn old goat." She loathed again, mimicking Quatre with the shake of her head.
Silence filled the few minutes, giving her enough time to decide if merging Division 9 of HighTech Inc. with AJ Squared was for the better or worse. Of course, nothing final was to be drawn right now at this very moment, today was simply an acquaintance meeting, to get some walls torn down and an understanding built. The real approval wouldn't be until months from now, when certain drafts would be passed amongst the two companies Congress and laid down to be cleared.
"I like you Madison, in fact, you've got more honestly then even my own partner has, who I've yet to speak with about you. Therefore, I think HighTech- Division 9 will keep AJ Squared in mind. I'm not guaranteeing a merge right now, lots of details will have to be branded out, but for now I see no harm in keeping AJ Squared around." Hilde smiled after the ending statement.
Quatre laughed after the last words were spoken. She sure knew how to give the final blow when all was tense.
"We'll see about that Miss Schbeckier, we'll see." Madison said pushing back his chair and standing up. Hilde looked at him in pure utter shock and Quatre smiled.
A frown played on her lips. "What makes you think the ball is in your court?" She asked pushing back her chair and standing up, reaching her full height, which wasn't much compared to his.
A slow sly smirk matched her frown, "Nothing much, I'm just merely saying that when a woman associate says, "keep you in mind" it usually implies the ending of any business discussion." He started to dismiss her but she wouldn't let him.
"Before you leave know this: I may be a woman but I assure you I'm not like most others. Believe me on that one." Satisfaction wiped the frown off her face. She dismissed him. It was a given fact not a statement.
"Oh I knew that long before we met, I was just testing you." He shot back while walking off. But before she was truly finished with him she had to get once last thing said and done. She looked at Quatre first to get the go-ahead then returned her attention back to Madison's retreating back.
"And another thing, Madison."
He turned his head slightly and looked her straight in the eyes. "That smirk doesn't fit you gorgeous, perhaps you should conceal it with more of that arrogance you paint on your face." She was done, a nod confirmed it and Madison laughed. Quatre sat with his arms folded across his chest while he smiled up at Hilde who jumped with satisfaction.
"Serves him right." Quatre said as he stood from his chair, pushed it in, then walked around the table to Hilde, who laughed one final time. "Well, Miss Schbeckier, I hate to do this to you but I'm afraid Katta and myself have to be going. Airia is expecting Katta home for her nap around two o'clock and it's one thirty now. If I'm late, that sister of mine will have me for dinner." He emphasized then embraced her in a warm friendly hug. "That son of yours and you too, take care until the next time I see you." Quatre called off. Hilde smiled in understanding at his lie. Once he found Katta and Jake, he picked both them up in his strong arms, motioned for nanny to follow, then walked back to where Hilde stood.
"Thank you, Quatre." Hilde replied as he handed Jake to her. "For both things, thanks again." As much as those words made no sense to outsiders, Quatre knew the true meanings behind them.
"What are friends for..." Quatre beamed as he flung Katta around to his back and held her piggyback style.
"And as for Jake, your secret is safe with me." Quatre hesitated but then asked, "I hate to intrude, but am I the only on who knows...?" His sentence trailed off, Hilde nodding, confirming his suspicion. He smiled one final time before turning to leave. Hilde thanked Katta's nanny for watching her son then gazed down at Jake.
"Well, I can see that you had no problem finding every possible way to get dirty. Come on, nap time for you too." Hilde cooed to her son, while walking to her car. After a few minutes, Hilde got Jake settled in his car-seat and sat behind the wheel.
Just as she was about to back out of the tight parking spot, her cell phone rang, startling her senseless. "Hello, Hilde here."
"Hey, where are you?" Came a soft worried voice on the other end. "You were supposed to be here an hour ago."
Hilde cringed for the second time today. "Relena?" She breathed into the phone. "Oh my, I totally forgot. I had this meeting with Madison and Quatre and.... I'm so sorry." Her heart heaved and she backed out of the parking lot, foot pressed hard on the pedal, accelerating towards the exit.
"I'm on my way there right now. Please don't be mad at me.." She trailed off.
"Hilde, I'm not mad, just worried. I thought you were in an accident or something. But never-the-less you were having lunch with the most eligible men available. I'm so very proud of..."
"Shut up, Relena. As much as I love you, please shut up." Hilde snickered as she sped down the highway heading towards the shuttleport. "Look, I'll be there in an half an hour. Can you wait that long?"
"Of course." Came Relena's two word reply. That's all she could manage to say, snickering got the best of her. As Relena looked around her, she smiled at the thought of Hilde getting out and meeting new people. Despite the fact that these "people" or "person" were merely connections of friends and businesses, still the thought made her smile. 'Perhaps, this is what Hilde really needs.'
'To meet some new people. Who knows, she could even fall in love....'
As those very words were spoken in Relena's mind, another thought was playing through Hilde's. 'Madison's nice, yet bold. So very much like Duo...' She smiled down at Jake who sat behind her. The light turned green and she high tailed it down- straight shot into the darkness. 'Duo... I wonder how things are going?!..'
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Dark surround all, not a noise was heard. Three gasps suddenly echoed throughout the silence, a baby cried out with fright. Then two bright lights switched on, blinding the audience for only a few moments. Followed by the roar of a two hundred and eighty pound lion, three rings lit on fire, illuminating the center stage. Through the red flames of the fire, bright colors hinted and teased the audience, outlining a beautiful young woman who dawned an attire that made any any man's heart sizzle.
Red hair to match the hot flames. Catherine Bloom was a goddess, or so every man thought. And despite her alluring appeal to men, not one blood thirsty male had ever dare attempted to approach her. Sure, she liked it that way. All those types of guys are bad news, but every once in a while a girl would like to be flattered by a guy. Which was a dream in itself, something doomed to never happen. Not as long as her over protective younger brother was around, no such luck like that would fly her way.
Trowa Barton was no one to mess with. Every young man and woman knew it too. He's the type of guy who'd give you only one look, either the 'You're-Not-Important' or the 'Get-the-Hell-Out-Of-Here' looks. Both glances are extremely dangerous. And as if his looks alone weren't frightening enough... Don't confuse yourself, for Trowa was not an ugly man. No, far from it. With his six foot one inch frame, broad shoulders, full chest, dark mysterious features, any young woman to pass him gave a slow hiss of need.
What drew fourth the frightening airs was his hold on people. A hold not clear, yet still there. Catherine had an idea why he held it so tight against almost everyone, especially women, but she didn't understand why he was so set on it. She simply figured that the war got the best of him, killing the little social life he had, and when it finally ended, returned Trowa a man with many secrets and many grudges. Poor guy, Catherine thought as she peered at him through her lowered lashes.
All around her, people were cheering, clapping anticipating the moment all action would surface and explode. Trowa, who caught her quick smile, smiled back in return and flipped up the main button to the power system of the tent. Light flooded the surrounding area, killing the dark glow that settled down upon the stage. Quickly the fire ceased to exsist, all three rings falling deadly to the stage base. With a nod to confirm, Catherine let six knives slice through the slient air, burying itself just a centimeter from the body tied to the board. The crowd went wild, parents clapped, teenagers whistled and children yelled with joy. Today's performance was an ending of what seemed to be a life time job. It was Catherine's last performance. After tonight, the life of a young lady would finally start for her, she couldn't stop smiling at the thought.
Her panting lips broke the smile into a sizzling laugh, all young men taking in the sight before them. 'Free, finally free,' she whispered to herself, closing her eyes not trying to look back on her previous life.
Trowa watched as his older sister drifted, inhaling fresh air in the wake. She gave a final bow to her audience, blew a couple of kisses, and gracefully took her leave, walking off the stage one final time.
"Trowa, there you are." She called out breathlessly, sqeazing past many of the workers who applauded her performance. Catherine acknowledged his annoyed stare which was directed towards all others, flashing him a gorgeous smile then winking. A smile caught her lips, then disappeared once a laugh took over her being. "You gonna stand there or you gonna congratulate me on my final performance?" she teased as Trowa pulled his sister in for a hug. "That's better."
"You look tried." Trowa stated calmly, trying not to let his sentimental side get to him. "Perhaps you should..."
"Oh no, don't even try it. You made a deal with me, remember?" Catherine caught her brother's arm just before he stepped from her reach and gently turned him around. "We had a deal Trowa, and I expect you to honor it." A smug smile crossed her worried face, he smiled in remembrance.
"I remember, just..." Trowa managed.
"Just?.." Catherine helped him a little.
"Promise me you'll be all right?" Trowa said softly, casting his glance towards the ground.
Catherine saw the worry in his voice and hugged him once more. "Little brother, you can trust me. Believe me, I'll be fine. Iria said that her house is well guarded, so you don't have to worry. And besides, I'll be surround by medical students day in and day out. I can't get any safer than that." She nodded, nugded him in the chest and winked at him again. "Ya gonna let me go, or do I have to fight you for that shuttle ticket?"
Trowa eyed her, hesitating to give in. He finally did after she stuck out her hand, palm up, and waited for him to give over. "No fights here." Trowa dug into his pocket and pulled out a single shuttle ticket to colony x-009 where Iria, Quatre's older sister, currently stayed. "Have fun." He managed to say.
Catherine looked behind him, smiled then swiftly stole the ticket from his grasp. Something caught her eye, Trowa noticed. Though, before he got the chance to check things out she cut in. "You know I will..." She teased him one final time before she opened the door to a cab that had just pulled up. She planned on changing at the shuttleport before her flight took off, giving her enough time to check in and grab a bite to eat. "I'll call you when I get there. Love ya." She kissed him on the cheek and got into the cab. The door closed shut and its engine started up. Soon the veichle hummed with renewed energy and Catherine was out of sight.
"How touching." a familiar voice called out from behind him. "I'm tearing and I didn't even know the sexy dame very well."
"Don't you have any tack at all?"
"Well, of course." Duo smiled, eyes wide and alive.
"......." Was Trowa's response.
"Come on Trowa, lighten up buddy. I came all this way just to get you, pal. I don't think that the others.." Duo started but stopped when Trowa's large right fist connected with Duo's left cheek, knocking him off balance.
"You talk too much." Trowa simply supplied cracking his knuckles after Duo's unfortunate blow.
"Let's get out of here." Duo agreed, rubbing his swollen jaw, following his ol' buddy towards the black truck a few feet away. Both men secured themselves in the truck and checked to see if anyone was in their path. All was clear. The truck's engine roared to life and soon the two found themselves leaving the circus grounds, speeding down the highway towards Trowa's current housing.
"I'm guessing you've heard?" Duo asked.
"Quatre phoned a couple of hours ago. He said the idea just came to him after a lunchen with Miss. Schbeckier." Duo eyed Trowa from the corner of his eye, wanting Trowa to indulge more on the topic. After Trowa refused to supply any more information, Duo gave up and surrendered. "Ya coming?" He slyly asked, while looking out the window at some kids playing football. They looked to be a few years younger than himself but seemed to be more alive then when he was that age. Which was for the better, he supposed. When Duo was that age, instead of playing tackle football he was playing tackle 0Z. Such a different activity than the one the kids now play.
As Duo waited for Trowa's reply, his thoughts drifted off. Off to the many times spent with Hilde. Hilde who cared for him, Hilde who laughed at his jokes, Hilde who was just plain normal to be around. Hilde, whom he missed greatly.
"Might as well." Trowa announced, interrupting Duo's heart twisting notions. Why his heart was twisted was beyond Duo's understanding, he was just stunned at the fact that such a notion, an inkling at its prime, would disturb him so much. The thought chilled him to his bones. The former Gundam Pilot mentally shook himself, regaining enough spirit to lighten the mood. "Well, damn. Now this is going to be exciting. All five of us back together again." Duo laughed slightly, then turned his attention back to Trowa who was, as usual, not showing any emotion. Duo figured Trowa had his thoughts on more important things. Like Catherine, his surrogate older sister. "She'll be safe, I can guarantee you that much."
"I know, it's not that. Something just didn't seem right when she left." Trowa stated softly, taking his glance from the road to focus it on Duo who sat in silence, trying to read Trowa's expression but failing. He was never any good at mind or expression reading, but he tried anyway.
"Sorry pal, I don't know what to tell ya. Things have changed. After all, she is older now. Perhaps, maybe there's a guy?" Duo countered hesitantly in a joking manner. Trowa didn't buy it.
"Perhaps..." Trowa pondered. All conversation died there.
They didn't talk for the rest of the drive. Duo sensing Trowa's unease, decided it best that he not say anything further. He hoped that his friend would come to understand that things change, even if you'd rather they didn't. Maybe the five of them could talk things out. He knows he sure needed the four of them to listen to his problems. Maybe he'd start believing in what he told Trowa. That things do change, regardless of whether you want them to... And as far as Duo was concerned, he sure as hell did not want things to change. He liked them just the way they were. With Hilde close at hand and not a hundred miles away....
When Duo and Trowa finally arrived at Trowa's current residence, things didn't look so well. The scene displayed before them shot waves of anger and confusion in them. The air held much tension.
The door was bashed in, tables flipped over, save for one. All the windows were broken, giving proof that who ever did this wanted in. But why?
As they made their way towards the two bedrooms, a message carved into the wall caught their attention. Written in blood red, the message read: IT WILL NEVER BE OVER!.
Duo exchanged glances with Trowa, each trying to make sense out of the message. A number of possibilities entered their minds but the only logical reason they could come up with was the obvious. Someone, some people, know of the former pilots, and that sure as hell was unsettling.
Trowa's expression changed from one of realization to one of anger. Whoever dared threaten his new life will have hell to pay. No one crossed Trowa, no one! Duo eased his way over to where Trowa stood, putting his hand on his comrade's shoulder.
"We have to get out of here." Duo whispered. He lowered his voice, both in condolence and as a precaution. For all they knew, they could be in the center of a trap, men surrounding them, guns pointed their way. "Let's move."
Trowa nodded as he followed the shorter man out the door and back into his truck. Duo figured that Trowa was in a bitter mood, so he jumped in the driver's seat and turned the ignition on. Closing his door and pulling his seat belt across his chest, Trowa surveyed their surroundings.
Enclosed by trees to the left and more to the right, he knew that this place he once called home was now unsafe. More anger swelled in his chest. After all he had gone through, war, and trying to over come loneliness, what would it take to be free to live a normal life?
Perhaps one more final battle?
Once they cleared his private road, Duo made a turn for the right, but Trowa grabbed the wheel and turned it to the left instead. "Take route 228, then merge into 308. This should take us to Block A." Duo shot a glance towards Trowa.
"They still have section's called Blocks?" Duo asked, refocusing his attention back to the road.
"Yeah." Was all Trowa replied back with, Duo not minding.
"You'd think that after obtaining peace and starting over again, modifications would occur.." Duo commented not to Trowa but more to himself. He knew that Trowa had no urge to 'chat,' hell Duo couldn't blame him, if anyone dared to unravel the new life he tried so hard to rebuild... He didn't want to even think about it. Too much thinking might distract him, and he sure didn't want that to happen. Then they'd be screwed.
They neared Block A and came to a halt. The evening air was cool yet fresh, neither bringing assurance nor comfort to either of them. What a way to start a vacation, racing time to get the hell away from here and doing it in a fast desperate pase. They weren't scared, just annoyed and angry. And if even a little of their anger had to be connected with fear, the fear was for those they cared for, not themselves. Never themselves.
"We can't stay here, on L3. In fact, I don't know where a safe place would be to hide, but for now Quatre's is the only place I can think of. Despite the fact that we were headed that way nevertheless, might as well continue on with the plans." Duo took the turn for the shuttleport, and resumed his attention back to the matter at hand. "I have a feeling we all are victims, though as a precaution we should stick together until the others are notified."
"Wufei and Heero, are they..."
"Yeah, and luckily Relena is going to her mother's. That's what she told Heero anyway." Duo supplied shaking his head. "How she convinced him that she'd be safe is what got me thinking." He grinned than shook his. "Never mind. I have an idea."
Trowa raised an eyebrow and spared a smile.
"Hey there, is that I smile I see?" Duo joked, while pulling to an empty parking space and turning the truck off.
"No comment. Let's go." Trowa said, getting out of the car and slamming the door shut. "No, I won't be needing the truck. We can just leave it here."
"You sure?" Duo asked, looking it over and inspecting the tires. "This is pretty nice to just leave it here for the birds."
"Not mine." Trowa stated, walking away.
"Ah, I won't even ask." Duo said, catching up with Trowa who contemplated which shuttle they should take. He figured 51 would take the less amount of time and would be the safest.
"Meet you in shuttle 51 at quarter past." Trowa called out as he walked off towards the loading bay and slipped passed the guards.
"Sure it's easy for him to do that..." Duo trailed off as his walked in the normal way, as a passenger. "Ah well.. Can't expect much from him anyway..."
Duo and Trowa both made it onto the shuttle their own separate ways, Trowa as a repair attendant and Duo as a citizen. The ride there was fine, not a single sign of any type of trouble appeared.
It was just another normal flight to a destination. Later that evening, when they reached L4, Quatre sent his limo to pick up his two friends and with in the hour, they arrived at the Winner Mansion. Heero and Wufei had not arrived yet and Quatre was currently busy in his office concluding a phone meeting with a representative from L1.
Deciding that it would be best just to check into their rooms, and relax a little, Duo and Trowa went their separate ways. Heero and Wufei finally showed up an hour later. The five ex-pilots didn't meet up until dinner that night. Despite the fact that Duo had expected dinner to be relaxing, what occurred was just the opposite.
He expected a nice quiet meal in the company of old comrades but got a loud confusing one instead.
He thought that they'd be some what safe at Quatre's but they weren't. No, unfortunately, the enemy knew that they had fled to Quatre's. And what awaited them at dinner was a battle by itself. At dinner they met their old friend Ralph, at least they thought he was their friend...
Author's Note: The mysterious Ralph is not an OC! Ralph, along with Chris whom has not been reintroduced into the story yet, are key characters in Blind Target. I'm extremely sorry to those who have not read them/it yet. In the next chapters ::hint hint:: more about Ralph, Chris, as well as this new 'threat' will be explained. Again, I apologize!
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...About 50 miles south from the Winner Mansion...
Beautiful music filled the air along with the laughter of two young women. Their voices were intone with each other, both snickering eagerly while they watched two tiny plump hands grab at anything in their path. Drooling a couple of times, and crying out, Jake stole the attention of both his mother and the pretty blonde lady next to him. He was being the prefect little angel, squalling when he saw something exciting in front of him. Basically causing havoc where trouble was needed.
Relena shook her head at Hilde one final time before she got up from the floor and walked over to the window. A smile appeard on her lips as she replayed the image of Jake garbbing a hold of her long blonde hair and pulling it towards his mouth. "I'm telling you Hilde, that son of yours is absolutely to die for. And the fascinating thing about him is that he looks so much like you!"
Leaves fell from the tree outside the nursery window. A nest consisting of a mother bird and her two babies lay quietly on a branch and a squirrel climbed up the long trunk. The weather seemed perfect, if you were to take a glance at it, but what you saw wasn't what you got. Despite the warm looking sun that hung in the sky, the air remained cold. Or so Relena thought once she stepped out into the cool evening breeze and felt the coldness of it.
At first, things seemed so very unclear, being in a different part of the colony and not where she usually stayed if she ever had to visit L4. Now, in the evening, after getting settled in, she felt more at home and at ease. Relena noticed right off the bat, that Hilde glowed every time she held Jake in her arms, the perfect mother, she thought to herself. Gads, was Relena confused at first when she emerged from her seat and locked eyes with the adorable plump baby boy resting in Hilde's arms. And boy was she ever so glad to congratulate Hilde on her son, even if she was more confused than snow flakes in the summer.
She gave Hilde a look that said, 'I had no idea you had a- son?'. Hilde laughed and motioned her to follow. It wasn't until they were settled in Hilde's room, with Jake taking a nap in his crib, that Hilde told Relena everything. Hilde told her story from the beginning, and it was so long that neither young woman got any sleep until the next morning.
Now, later in the morning, Hilde and Relena enjoyed the presence of Jake, who gave quite the show.
"You know," Hilde started as she returned her attention to Relena, "you're right. You wouldn't believe how many women have come up to me and told me that Jake looks a lot like me. It makes me feel good when strangers say that."
"You should," Relena supplied, "and I'm glad it does. They aren't lying, and no matter what anyone else says, Jake is truly your son. No one can take that away form you, NO one." A smile lifted Hilde's saddened frown after looking down at Jake.
"Thanks Relena, I knew you'd understand." Hilde said as she got up and hugged her good friend. "And by the way, how on Earth did you get Heero to agree to let you come here? And alone?"
Relena laughed in a wicked manner and folded her hands out. "Well," she shrugged then winked, "it was really rather simple. I told him the truth, I didn't lie to him," she said slyly.
"And he let you come?" Hilde asked incredously.
"Well, of course. He had to, after all I went to my Mother's first and you know how much she hates.."
"Heero?" Hilde questioned, somewhat surprised.
"No, no.. Not even. She hate's that I have to have constant enclosure. She'd prefer that I have my space, bless her heart." Relena sighed, than folded her arms across her chest and smiled. "So I left a week ago for my mother's house, stayed there for a couple of days and now here I am. Technically, I didn't lie, I just answered his question."
"Let me guess, Heero said 'You're going to your mother's,' and he probably said it in that commanding tone of voice of his, didn't he?" Relena laughed as she sank to the floor. Hilde joined her, and soon Jake did too, squalling at their laughter.
"Man, you sure do know how to pin Heero, don't you?" Relena stated, eyeing Hilde who wiped her eyes from the tears that had already started to appear. "Let me guess," Relena mimicked, "you can probably do the same for Duo..."
Hilde froze and Relena sensed her change in mood. Something was off, she could feel it, but what?
"Hilde, about Duo.." Relena hesitated then continued. "I do not want to pry but what happened?"
Silence engulfed the air and for minutes Relena stared at her friend who sat there motionless, a single tear escaping her eye. Around them, time seemed to freeze as well, and Relena waited, not saying anything further, until Hilde finally spoke up.
"Duo and I... Well, he.. and I..." Hilde started but she shook her head. "Duo is slipping, Relena, and I just needed to breathe my own air."
Relena nodded and eased herself up off the floor. "God, but you two are a confusing pair. From what Duo told me..."
"You spoke with him?" Hilde asked, bringing her eyes level with Relena's.
"Yeah... So did Heero."
"About what?" Hilde asked again, catching Relena's eyes as she tried to dodge Hilde's.
"About things... You know the usual.." Relena said quietly, walking towards the door. "I'd better check in with Heero, be right back..."
"Wait," Hilde called out before Relena got the chance to walk out of the room. "Did he say anything about me, I mean, about, ah..."
Relena sighed and turned around, facing Hilde and said, "Hilde," she bit her lip, "Duo isn't doing very well."
After Relena said those words, she fled down the hall and disappeared into her room. Hilde, who sat in dead silence, choked back a cry.
"He isn't doing very well..." Hilde repeated to herself quietly. "...and I'm falling apart. This is not how it's supposed to go...."
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TBC
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