Chapter 10
"My goodness, you've grown!" cried Dorothy as she had returned to the Dead Soul tribe on a visit Cathy was only a few weeks away from her due date, and as looking it too. Relena was grinning crazily at her friend. Dorothy had been located coming a mile away and Relena and Cathy had run out to meet her. Of course, Dorothy was absolutely shocked when she saw Cathy's protruding stomach.
"I can't believe it! When is it due?" Cathy pat the fabric covering her belly and smiled down at Joshua who was sucking on a finger as he stared up at Dorothy.
"We think it's going to be here within a few weeks."
"That's wonderful!"
"So, what brings you here? We haven't seen you since you left. How are Duo and Hilde?" asked Relena in a rush.
"They're doing great. Duo recently just finished his hut. Hilde is living with him…"
"They're married? That's great!"
"No they're not."
"But… Oh, oh never mind."
"Just friends, that's what they're saying." Cathy smiled a little and asked if Dorothy would like to go inside her hut. After agreeing, they made their way inside, to sit together, reminiscing over old times. Laughter filled the hut.
"I still can't believe Wufei got his head stuck in that bucket so many years ago," giggled Relena.
"He still insists that's his only mistake as embarrassing as that!" cried Dorothy with laughter. All three dissolved into laughter. Josh gave them confused looks and decided to follow suit. Trowa then walked in with Heero behind him to a hut full of laughing women. Trowa debated on leaving, but Cathy had already seen him and she raised her eyebrow as she noticed he was about to sneak back out.
"Trowa, why don't you come and say hello to Dorothy?" It was more of an order than anything. Seeing he had no way of avoiding it, he stepped forward and nodded his head in Dorothy's direction. Trowa saw that Heero was also trying to retreat but he wasn't going down alone.
"Heero!" Trowa could have sworn he saw Heero wince. He smirked as Heero turned to send a death glare in Trowa's direction. "Dorothy's back!" Heero's jaw clenched.
"It's good to see you again Dorothy," he said with a flat unwelcoming tone. Heero would have to remember to seriously beat Trowa down next time they played any card games. Relena saw what was happening and waved a hand over her face as if she was hot, but she was actually hiding a smile.
"Heero, I was hoping Dorothy would be able to stay with us for dinner." Heero shrugged in indifference.
"That is fine with me." Relena gave him a devastating smile and Heero remembered why he loved her so much. Deciding there wasn't anything else to do, he made his way over to his wife and rested his arm comfortably over her shoulders. Dorothy looked at the happy couples and felt a tug at her heart. She was almost 22 and had not once in her life found a love interest. It made her feel very old. Relena managed to tear her adorning eyes from her husband long enough to ask Dorothy why she came in the first place. The dreaded moment had finally arrived. She took a moment to take a deep breath and collect herself before she answered.
"Relena, Cathy… do you remember anything of that tribe we discovered before the disease broke out?" Both nodded. "It turns out, Zechs wants to merge our tribes by way of matrimony." Cathy had been taking a drink of water from a small wooden cup and she was so surprised by Dorothy's statement that she choked on the liquid. Trowa pat his wife's back to help her dislodge the unwanted liquid. Finally, Cathy blurted out an expletive. Joshua's jaw fell open, as Trowa was quite surprised as well.
"You mean to say he's going to have some unfortunate tribesman marry someone from that blood thirsty tribe!" she cried in outrage. She was still bitter and enraged at the injustice of the attack that tribe had caused, not to mention her parents' deaths. Dorothy was staring at her clasped hands. Relena watched with concern as Dorothy accidentally let a tear fall.
"Yes, Cathy. Zechs has decided I will be one of the brides." Relena's jaw had fallen to the floor at this point. I took Heero a few tries to shake her out of her stooper.
"He wouldn't do such a thing!"
"In one months time I will marry a Demon tribesman." Dorothy threw herself forward on hands and knees sobbing uncontrollably. The whole time she was trying to speak but only managed to extract only a few garbled words. Relena reached forward to embrace her friend and comfort her. After Dorothy had calmed she looked up into Relena's eyes.
"You can't let him do this, Relena, PLEASE! I'll kill myself first. The men of the Demon tribe are said to be cruel and heartless. You have to come back with me and convince him!" Relena seemed lost of words for a moment. Heero's voice came forth with a steely edge.
"Relena is not going to go back to Banshee Tribe on such a matter. It is Zechs' tribe to lead in the best he knows how…" Dorothy's eyes flared.
"KNOWS BEST! What do you know of what he knows best?! He is beginning the same path our last leader took!" Just then, the door of the hut was filled by a figure.
"Did I interrupt something?" asked Quatre with embarrassment. "I'll leave if…" Dorothy cut him off.
"No, it's nothing. I was just preparing to leave." Dorothy stood slowly, her face giving no sign of her frantic pleading only moments earlier other than the trails of tears running down her cheeks. Cathy shot up after her friend.
"No Dorothy wait!" Cathy winced but no one noticed. She grabbed her friend's hand. "Stay, we'll figure something out…"
"No, I've caused you enough trouble." She gently removed her friend's hand and turned, moving to walk out the door. Cathy persisted. She leaned heavily on the doorframe.
"Please Dorothy…" Cathy gasped as a pain shot up her back. Trowa was immediately by her side. Cathy was now doubled over, holding her stomach. Dorothy swung around and rushed over to Cathy with wide eyes. Relena and Heero followed.
"Oh God, she's going into labor!" cried Relena. Cathy ignored the cried statement and looked up into Dorothy's eyes.
"Please stay… Dorothy…"
"I will! I promise! Quickly! Get her inside!" Trowa swept her up into his arms and carried her inside.
The birth took another two hours, as Cathy's cries of frustration and pain could be heard within a small radius of the village. Trowa remained entirely calm throughout the entire ordeal, all but the occasional winces when the pain seemed to overwhelm Cathy. Dorothy almost felt faint as she stared at the birth of the Barton's first baby, weighing in at a strapping 5 lbs. Relena gave Cathy the confidence and support, basically being the laboring woman's cheerleader.
It was decided soon after that the little boy would be called Thomas in honor of Cathy's father. Dorothy smiled at the happiness spread across Cathy's face. They were all a perfect picture. Trowa held Joshua up for a better look at his nephew, which Cathy held lovingly. A look of male pride and pure joy was written all over Trowa's features. Relena stood proudly in the background. Feeling suddenly out of place, Dorothy turned to walk out the door without being seen. She took a deep breath and stared up at the stars that were beginning to appear. The sound of someone losing their lunch in some bushes nearby drew her attention. Her eyes settled on a hunched back and realized it was Quatre. She quickly made her way over to him and placed a comforting hand on his back. He seemed to calm and spit the rest of the waste from his mouth. He turned away quickly to try to look decent. When he turned back to Dorothy he smiled weakly and apologized for that scene. Dorothy had to surpress a smile.
"Is it over?" he asked hopefully. Now Dorothy did smile and the mirth could be heard clearly.
"Yes, his name is Thomas and looks every bit like Trowa." Quatre smiled in happiness for his friends.
"You know, you're going to have to learn to get used to those scenes. What would your wife do if you were passed out on the floor?" He blushed a deep red as Dorothy laughed good-naturedly.
"I will not put any woman through that I would believe. If it should mean me not being wed, then so be it." Dorothy was about to say something smart with a large smile, but she suddenly realized that Quatre was serious. Her face sobered.
"Why do you not wish to marry? Surely not for that simple reason." Quatre looked slightly embarrassed. A scarlet stain began to make its way up his neck and over his cheeks. It was rather endearing. He looked away and gave a slight cough, as if to clear his throat. Then his eyes slowly looked back at hers.
"I think something is wrong with me," he said uneasily. Dorothy's look of apprehension was replaced with concern. Her eyebrows knit together with a momentary worry. "I've always had a problem with women when intimacy is involved. I can't bring myself to think down that road. It's like nothing will catch my eye. I mean, they are attractive and enticing, but I can never seem to concentrate solely on them. Ever since I can remember…" he trailed off, suddenly remembering that there was a formal barrier between the both of them. He stopped and stepped back slightly. Dorothy had been listening intently, but when he had halted with his explanation she realized she was treading on thin ice with him. This was something he had not discussed with many people. She gave him a curious look. Not wanting to push him very far, she turned and stared up at the stars, sitting down lightly on the dry ground. A small cloud of dust rose up from around her, only emphasizing on the arid weather they had been receiving. She turned and looked over her shoulder and with a mere look, invited Quatre to take a place next to her. He hesitated, not sure if she was bothered by his abrupt ending. Slowly, he sat down next to her, looking up as well at the dark sky, littered with stars. The Milky Way was shining brighter that night.
"I grew up alone you know," whispered Dorothy. Quatre, not knowing how to respond, glanced uneasily at her and then jerked his head back up towards the sky. Dorothy's had not wavered at all from the shining river of stars. "My parents were killed by the virus when I was very young. I was to live with some friends of my parents, but they had not wanted me. It was an order given by the leader of our tribe at the time." After that, I was very solitary, that is until I met Relena and the others. It was like they were the family I was looking for. Mr. and Mrs. Peacecraft were so kind to me, treated me like one of their own." Dorothy had a small wry smile on her face. Quatre gazed at her out of the corner of his eye curiously. It was then Dorothy suddenly turned to look at him. "I was the first of us to not have loving parents. I was different, I still am different. Wufei lives in isolation as well as I, but he still has his parents, although, his mother has become infected with the accursed virus. You see, we were friends of the orphans, we were bad luck, you might say." She laughed with some sorrow behind her voice. "After Relena was gone, Mr. Peacecraft became very sick and I was suddenly not allowed inside the Peacecraft residence. Zech only concentrated on his father until his death; afterward, he became obsessed with becoming the next tribe leader, determined not to let the same thing happen over of which happened years earlier with Relena, Duo, and Cathy. It tore us all apart. I have no energy left now to become close to anyone again. I will never find peace, even with someone I marry. I know the pain of loss and I refuse to open myself up to that kind of ache again." By the end, Dorothy's eyes were boring into Quatre's, not giving him anything but the truth.
Quatre felt suddenly that the world was being sucked into their own universe. Everything was revolving around those deep blue orbs. Unexpectedly, he felt the deep urge to jump into a huge freezing lake. It seemed silly because he had never seen a lake before, but he had heard about how numerous they were before the heat came and wiped everything out. He felt a slight tingle run up his spine, holding down the shiver, he shifted into a more comfortable position, facing her now. He felt the blush returning and cursed it.
"I'm attracted to men and women," he said hoarsely. Dorothy's eyes never swayed from his. A tense moment passed, a moment that he felt that he could not breath. The feathery touch on his fingers made him look at his hand, startled. She had placed her fingers gently against his own. His eyes flew back up to hers, once again, feeling the urge to seek out that blasted lake. Gulping, he fisted the hand that she touched into a tight ball, her fingers remained on his. He looked down, obviously feeling very pained by what he was to say. "I was… upset when I found out about Trowa and Cathy," he whispered. It was hard for him to say something that had never been brought into the open like a raw wound, but he felt he could trust her. "I didn't realize it until after they had announced their marriage arrangement. I found I could barely stand to watch them leave for their hut at night. It still pains me to see them so happy together, now with a child. After they were wed, my father increased the pressure of marriage, but after Trowa had married Cathy, I felt all need for a partner leave me." A long pause followed. He half expected her to laugh at him, at his pitiful display of feelings, even mocking his manhood. He tensed waiting. Cool fingers reached out and soothingly brought his chin up. His eyes were moist as he stared into understanding in those blue depths. He didn't even realize he had begun to hold his breath. Smiling slightly, she tried to reassure him.
"We are similar, you and I, aren't we?" she whispered, allowing her forehead to rest against his, lowering her face towards the ground, her lids hiding her eyes from view. Quatre gulped, that damned tingle was not going away. Without any warning, she leaned forward and wrapped her arms around him. Allowing herself to hold him in a tight embrace. He stared with wide eyes into nothing over her shoulder. She allowed her eyes to slide shut for just a moment of comforting. Their cheeks rubbed lightly together, the feeling of soft flesh against each other only made the moment stranger. Finally, Dorothy brought herself to pulling away, keeping her hands lightly pressed against his shoulders. She smiled gently.
"You saved me those many years ago, do you remember?" Quatre gulped and shook his head. It was really all a blur at the moment, everything was a blur. Her smile was a little sad now. No, don't be sad, please. "You were my savior that day," she whispered, looking away. Quatre didn't know how to react. Since there was no response, Dorothy sighed heavily and got up, smacking the dust away from her legs and rear, trying to keep herself busy. Remaining seated on the ground, Quatre stared up at her.
"Why did you come here?" he asked, blurting out anything to keep this moment from ending. She scoffed bitterly, shaking her head, as if mocking herself. The moment passed as she took a deep breath and let it out slowly.
"I came looking for a way out only to find that there never was a way out to begin with." Quatre seemed puzzled.
"What way are you looking for?" Dorothy found there was little else she could do, so she began to fidget with the shirt she wore. The anxiety began to show through her carefully set exterior.
"I am to marry someone from another tribe in less than two weeks," she finally said. Her voice was filled with frustration and anger. "I was hoping that Relena would be able to come and talk some sense into her brother, but that will not happen as long as Heero stands in the way. I can't do this!" she cried, the final remnants of her self-control evaporating. Falling to her knees, she wept bitterly into her hands, cursing herself for crying in front of him like this. Quatre lost all sense of unease and quickly moved forward to kneel next to her. Gently, he wrapped an arm over her hunched shoulders, rubbing them softly, trying to give her some comfort.
"He'll kill me," she kept weeping. "He's so cruel. He'll kill me." The muttering continued. A huge yawning space seemed to open in her. It was filled with her anguish and fear that she had pent up inside of her for the last three years. The thick curtain that had surrounded her all her life seemed much thicker and darker than before. No hope was left for her. Strangely enough, even through her tears, she vaguely noticed the small chirping of a cricket and realized she had not heard such a sound in many years. Most had died or been wiped out, now only smaller, more unpleasant insects remained. Just as odd, she then became aware of Quatre's own mutterings.
"I won't let him. He won't hurt you." His voice was granite, yet filled with a tender promise. It stayed her tears if only for a moment. Looking up into his eyes, there was such intensity there that she felt her heart straining against the sudden tightness in her chest.
"What?" The intensity did not fade or waver. It was as if he had come to a conclusion that he already knew existed. With his other hand, he reached forward and gripped her hand in his tightly, making a two-handed fist, sandwiched between two warm bodies. His eyes never left hers.
"I won't let anything happen to you. I will take you into my own home, if not as a wife, but at least as a friend." Leaning forward, he continued. "I would make you more comfortable than some monster from that other clan. You don't wish to grow close to someone, yet you don't want to be abused. Marry me. I will not abuse you, or use you. Nothing more than friends if you like, and my father will leave me alone and Zechs will be able to do nothing." Dorothy gasped by the shock of the idea, which seemed to immediately break the spell, the sudden shadow of passion and power was washed away all at once. He was not sure where this idea had come from, but it felt perfectly logical at the time. Now the doubt was beginning to set in as well as the horror of what would happen if she refused him.
"But, why?" she whispered, confused by his motives. He had not known her but for a little while. It was strange, unheard of, blasphemous; it was the perfect way out of her situation. His face was all bathed in red now from the deep blush conquering across his skin. Coughing, he looked away and stuttered something, realizing how terribly vulnerable he had allowed himself to become. He couldn't answer her. Dorothy wasn't really even looking for an answer, just any sign that he would do what he had said just moments ago. She didn't wish to give him a chance to back out. It was greedy, but she was desperate.
"I'll do it," she said breathlessly. Quatre's head shot up immediately, almost as if he was appalled by the answer. Dorothy bit her lip hard.
"What?"
"I'll marry you. You're right; it is better than what is set before me. It would not, could not be any worse than what is awaiting me back at Banshee." Quatre suddenly felt as if a huge foot was pressing harder and harder down on his chest. It was becoming more difficult to breath. His face was almost pained. He feared he would soon fall to the ground cringing. Does this woman know what she had gotten herself into? Was it so wise of her to be so quick to make this arrangement? He was looking for some answer, anything, some kind of answer that would either turn her down or make her apart of his life forever. She was just sitting there waiting… say something… anything at all blockhead, just say it! That huge foot suddenly released his chest and the answer flew from him like a torrent of water let loose from a dam.
"Yes!" Dorothy's eyes were wide. He gave such a vigorous answer. "We'll do it, this very night if you wish. Whenever you find suitable." Dorothy sighed, feeling a weight being lifted off of her back and feeling another one replacing it. Was this wise?
"My goodness, you've grown!" cried Dorothy as she had returned to the Dead Soul tribe on a visit Cathy was only a few weeks away from her due date, and as looking it too. Relena was grinning crazily at her friend. Dorothy had been located coming a mile away and Relena and Cathy had run out to meet her. Of course, Dorothy was absolutely shocked when she saw Cathy's protruding stomach.
"I can't believe it! When is it due?" Cathy pat the fabric covering her belly and smiled down at Joshua who was sucking on a finger as he stared up at Dorothy.
"We think it's going to be here within a few weeks."
"That's wonderful!"
"So, what brings you here? We haven't seen you since you left. How are Duo and Hilde?" asked Relena in a rush.
"They're doing great. Duo recently just finished his hut. Hilde is living with him…"
"They're married? That's great!"
"No they're not."
"But… Oh, oh never mind."
"Just friends, that's what they're saying." Cathy smiled a little and asked if Dorothy would like to go inside her hut. After agreeing, they made their way inside, to sit together, reminiscing over old times. Laughter filled the hut.
"I still can't believe Wufei got his head stuck in that bucket so many years ago," giggled Relena.
"He still insists that's his only mistake as embarrassing as that!" cried Dorothy with laughter. All three dissolved into laughter. Josh gave them confused looks and decided to follow suit. Trowa then walked in with Heero behind him to a hut full of laughing women. Trowa debated on leaving, but Cathy had already seen him and she raised her eyebrow as she noticed he was about to sneak back out.
"Trowa, why don't you come and say hello to Dorothy?" It was more of an order than anything. Seeing he had no way of avoiding it, he stepped forward and nodded his head in Dorothy's direction. Trowa saw that Heero was also trying to retreat but he wasn't going down alone.
"Heero!" Trowa could have sworn he saw Heero wince. He smirked as Heero turned to send a death glare in Trowa's direction. "Dorothy's back!" Heero's jaw clenched.
"It's good to see you again Dorothy," he said with a flat unwelcoming tone. Heero would have to remember to seriously beat Trowa down next time they played any card games. Relena saw what was happening and waved a hand over her face as if she was hot, but she was actually hiding a smile.
"Heero, I was hoping Dorothy would be able to stay with us for dinner." Heero shrugged in indifference.
"That is fine with me." Relena gave him a devastating smile and Heero remembered why he loved her so much. Deciding there wasn't anything else to do, he made his way over to his wife and rested his arm comfortably over her shoulders. Dorothy looked at the happy couples and felt a tug at her heart. She was almost 22 and had not once in her life found a love interest. It made her feel very old. Relena managed to tear her adorning eyes from her husband long enough to ask Dorothy why she came in the first place. The dreaded moment had finally arrived. She took a moment to take a deep breath and collect herself before she answered.
"Relena, Cathy… do you remember anything of that tribe we discovered before the disease broke out?" Both nodded. "It turns out, Zechs wants to merge our tribes by way of matrimony." Cathy had been taking a drink of water from a small wooden cup and she was so surprised by Dorothy's statement that she choked on the liquid. Trowa pat his wife's back to help her dislodge the unwanted liquid. Finally, Cathy blurted out an expletive. Joshua's jaw fell open, as Trowa was quite surprised as well.
"You mean to say he's going to have some unfortunate tribesman marry someone from that blood thirsty tribe!" she cried in outrage. She was still bitter and enraged at the injustice of the attack that tribe had caused, not to mention her parents' deaths. Dorothy was staring at her clasped hands. Relena watched with concern as Dorothy accidentally let a tear fall.
"Yes, Cathy. Zechs has decided I will be one of the brides." Relena's jaw had fallen to the floor at this point. I took Heero a few tries to shake her out of her stooper.
"He wouldn't do such a thing!"
"In one months time I will marry a Demon tribesman." Dorothy threw herself forward on hands and knees sobbing uncontrollably. The whole time she was trying to speak but only managed to extract only a few garbled words. Relena reached forward to embrace her friend and comfort her. After Dorothy had calmed she looked up into Relena's eyes.
"You can't let him do this, Relena, PLEASE! I'll kill myself first. The men of the Demon tribe are said to be cruel and heartless. You have to come back with me and convince him!" Relena seemed lost of words for a moment. Heero's voice came forth with a steely edge.
"Relena is not going to go back to Banshee Tribe on such a matter. It is Zechs' tribe to lead in the best he knows how…" Dorothy's eyes flared.
"KNOWS BEST! What do you know of what he knows best?! He is beginning the same path our last leader took!" Just then, the door of the hut was filled by a figure.
"Did I interrupt something?" asked Quatre with embarrassment. "I'll leave if…" Dorothy cut him off.
"No, it's nothing. I was just preparing to leave." Dorothy stood slowly, her face giving no sign of her frantic pleading only moments earlier other than the trails of tears running down her cheeks. Cathy shot up after her friend.
"No Dorothy wait!" Cathy winced but no one noticed. She grabbed her friend's hand. "Stay, we'll figure something out…"
"No, I've caused you enough trouble." She gently removed her friend's hand and turned, moving to walk out the door. Cathy persisted. She leaned heavily on the doorframe.
"Please Dorothy…" Cathy gasped as a pain shot up her back. Trowa was immediately by her side. Cathy was now doubled over, holding her stomach. Dorothy swung around and rushed over to Cathy with wide eyes. Relena and Heero followed.
"Oh God, she's going into labor!" cried Relena. Cathy ignored the cried statement and looked up into Dorothy's eyes.
"Please stay… Dorothy…"
"I will! I promise! Quickly! Get her inside!" Trowa swept her up into his arms and carried her inside.
The birth took another two hours, as Cathy's cries of frustration and pain could be heard within a small radius of the village. Trowa remained entirely calm throughout the entire ordeal, all but the occasional winces when the pain seemed to overwhelm Cathy. Dorothy almost felt faint as she stared at the birth of the Barton's first baby, weighing in at a strapping 5 lbs. Relena gave Cathy the confidence and support, basically being the laboring woman's cheerleader.
It was decided soon after that the little boy would be called Thomas in honor of Cathy's father. Dorothy smiled at the happiness spread across Cathy's face. They were all a perfect picture. Trowa held Joshua up for a better look at his nephew, which Cathy held lovingly. A look of male pride and pure joy was written all over Trowa's features. Relena stood proudly in the background. Feeling suddenly out of place, Dorothy turned to walk out the door without being seen. She took a deep breath and stared up at the stars that were beginning to appear. The sound of someone losing their lunch in some bushes nearby drew her attention. Her eyes settled on a hunched back and realized it was Quatre. She quickly made her way over to him and placed a comforting hand on his back. He seemed to calm and spit the rest of the waste from his mouth. He turned away quickly to try to look decent. When he turned back to Dorothy he smiled weakly and apologized for that scene. Dorothy had to surpress a smile.
"Is it over?" he asked hopefully. Now Dorothy did smile and the mirth could be heard clearly.
"Yes, his name is Thomas and looks every bit like Trowa." Quatre smiled in happiness for his friends.
"You know, you're going to have to learn to get used to those scenes. What would your wife do if you were passed out on the floor?" He blushed a deep red as Dorothy laughed good-naturedly.
"I will not put any woman through that I would believe. If it should mean me not being wed, then so be it." Dorothy was about to say something smart with a large smile, but she suddenly realized that Quatre was serious. Her face sobered.
"Why do you not wish to marry? Surely not for that simple reason." Quatre looked slightly embarrassed. A scarlet stain began to make its way up his neck and over his cheeks. It was rather endearing. He looked away and gave a slight cough, as if to clear his throat. Then his eyes slowly looked back at hers.
"I think something is wrong with me," he said uneasily. Dorothy's look of apprehension was replaced with concern. Her eyebrows knit together with a momentary worry. "I've always had a problem with women when intimacy is involved. I can't bring myself to think down that road. It's like nothing will catch my eye. I mean, they are attractive and enticing, but I can never seem to concentrate solely on them. Ever since I can remember…" he trailed off, suddenly remembering that there was a formal barrier between the both of them. He stopped and stepped back slightly. Dorothy had been listening intently, but when he had halted with his explanation she realized she was treading on thin ice with him. This was something he had not discussed with many people. She gave him a curious look. Not wanting to push him very far, she turned and stared up at the stars, sitting down lightly on the dry ground. A small cloud of dust rose up from around her, only emphasizing on the arid weather they had been receiving. She turned and looked over her shoulder and with a mere look, invited Quatre to take a place next to her. He hesitated, not sure if she was bothered by his abrupt ending. Slowly, he sat down next to her, looking up as well at the dark sky, littered with stars. The Milky Way was shining brighter that night.
"I grew up alone you know," whispered Dorothy. Quatre, not knowing how to respond, glanced uneasily at her and then jerked his head back up towards the sky. Dorothy's had not wavered at all from the shining river of stars. "My parents were killed by the virus when I was very young. I was to live with some friends of my parents, but they had not wanted me. It was an order given by the leader of our tribe at the time." After that, I was very solitary, that is until I met Relena and the others. It was like they were the family I was looking for. Mr. and Mrs. Peacecraft were so kind to me, treated me like one of their own." Dorothy had a small wry smile on her face. Quatre gazed at her out of the corner of his eye curiously. It was then Dorothy suddenly turned to look at him. "I was the first of us to not have loving parents. I was different, I still am different. Wufei lives in isolation as well as I, but he still has his parents, although, his mother has become infected with the accursed virus. You see, we were friends of the orphans, we were bad luck, you might say." She laughed with some sorrow behind her voice. "After Relena was gone, Mr. Peacecraft became very sick and I was suddenly not allowed inside the Peacecraft residence. Zech only concentrated on his father until his death; afterward, he became obsessed with becoming the next tribe leader, determined not to let the same thing happen over of which happened years earlier with Relena, Duo, and Cathy. It tore us all apart. I have no energy left now to become close to anyone again. I will never find peace, even with someone I marry. I know the pain of loss and I refuse to open myself up to that kind of ache again." By the end, Dorothy's eyes were boring into Quatre's, not giving him anything but the truth.
Quatre felt suddenly that the world was being sucked into their own universe. Everything was revolving around those deep blue orbs. Unexpectedly, he felt the deep urge to jump into a huge freezing lake. It seemed silly because he had never seen a lake before, but he had heard about how numerous they were before the heat came and wiped everything out. He felt a slight tingle run up his spine, holding down the shiver, he shifted into a more comfortable position, facing her now. He felt the blush returning and cursed it.
"I'm attracted to men and women," he said hoarsely. Dorothy's eyes never swayed from his. A tense moment passed, a moment that he felt that he could not breath. The feathery touch on his fingers made him look at his hand, startled. She had placed her fingers gently against his own. His eyes flew back up to hers, once again, feeling the urge to seek out that blasted lake. Gulping, he fisted the hand that she touched into a tight ball, her fingers remained on his. He looked down, obviously feeling very pained by what he was to say. "I was… upset when I found out about Trowa and Cathy," he whispered. It was hard for him to say something that had never been brought into the open like a raw wound, but he felt he could trust her. "I didn't realize it until after they had announced their marriage arrangement. I found I could barely stand to watch them leave for their hut at night. It still pains me to see them so happy together, now with a child. After they were wed, my father increased the pressure of marriage, but after Trowa had married Cathy, I felt all need for a partner leave me." A long pause followed. He half expected her to laugh at him, at his pitiful display of feelings, even mocking his manhood. He tensed waiting. Cool fingers reached out and soothingly brought his chin up. His eyes were moist as he stared into understanding in those blue depths. He didn't even realize he had begun to hold his breath. Smiling slightly, she tried to reassure him.
"We are similar, you and I, aren't we?" she whispered, allowing her forehead to rest against his, lowering her face towards the ground, her lids hiding her eyes from view. Quatre gulped, that damned tingle was not going away. Without any warning, she leaned forward and wrapped her arms around him. Allowing herself to hold him in a tight embrace. He stared with wide eyes into nothing over her shoulder. She allowed her eyes to slide shut for just a moment of comforting. Their cheeks rubbed lightly together, the feeling of soft flesh against each other only made the moment stranger. Finally, Dorothy brought herself to pulling away, keeping her hands lightly pressed against his shoulders. She smiled gently.
"You saved me those many years ago, do you remember?" Quatre gulped and shook his head. It was really all a blur at the moment, everything was a blur. Her smile was a little sad now. No, don't be sad, please. "You were my savior that day," she whispered, looking away. Quatre didn't know how to react. Since there was no response, Dorothy sighed heavily and got up, smacking the dust away from her legs and rear, trying to keep herself busy. Remaining seated on the ground, Quatre stared up at her.
"Why did you come here?" he asked, blurting out anything to keep this moment from ending. She scoffed bitterly, shaking her head, as if mocking herself. The moment passed as she took a deep breath and let it out slowly.
"I came looking for a way out only to find that there never was a way out to begin with." Quatre seemed puzzled.
"What way are you looking for?" Dorothy found there was little else she could do, so she began to fidget with the shirt she wore. The anxiety began to show through her carefully set exterior.
"I am to marry someone from another tribe in less than two weeks," she finally said. Her voice was filled with frustration and anger. "I was hoping that Relena would be able to come and talk some sense into her brother, but that will not happen as long as Heero stands in the way. I can't do this!" she cried, the final remnants of her self-control evaporating. Falling to her knees, she wept bitterly into her hands, cursing herself for crying in front of him like this. Quatre lost all sense of unease and quickly moved forward to kneel next to her. Gently, he wrapped an arm over her hunched shoulders, rubbing them softly, trying to give her some comfort.
"He'll kill me," she kept weeping. "He's so cruel. He'll kill me." The muttering continued. A huge yawning space seemed to open in her. It was filled with her anguish and fear that she had pent up inside of her for the last three years. The thick curtain that had surrounded her all her life seemed much thicker and darker than before. No hope was left for her. Strangely enough, even through her tears, she vaguely noticed the small chirping of a cricket and realized she had not heard such a sound in many years. Most had died or been wiped out, now only smaller, more unpleasant insects remained. Just as odd, she then became aware of Quatre's own mutterings.
"I won't let him. He won't hurt you." His voice was granite, yet filled with a tender promise. It stayed her tears if only for a moment. Looking up into his eyes, there was such intensity there that she felt her heart straining against the sudden tightness in her chest.
"What?" The intensity did not fade or waver. It was as if he had come to a conclusion that he already knew existed. With his other hand, he reached forward and gripped her hand in his tightly, making a two-handed fist, sandwiched between two warm bodies. His eyes never left hers.
"I won't let anything happen to you. I will take you into my own home, if not as a wife, but at least as a friend." Leaning forward, he continued. "I would make you more comfortable than some monster from that other clan. You don't wish to grow close to someone, yet you don't want to be abused. Marry me. I will not abuse you, or use you. Nothing more than friends if you like, and my father will leave me alone and Zechs will be able to do nothing." Dorothy gasped by the shock of the idea, which seemed to immediately break the spell, the sudden shadow of passion and power was washed away all at once. He was not sure where this idea had come from, but it felt perfectly logical at the time. Now the doubt was beginning to set in as well as the horror of what would happen if she refused him.
"But, why?" she whispered, confused by his motives. He had not known her but for a little while. It was strange, unheard of, blasphemous; it was the perfect way out of her situation. His face was all bathed in red now from the deep blush conquering across his skin. Coughing, he looked away and stuttered something, realizing how terribly vulnerable he had allowed himself to become. He couldn't answer her. Dorothy wasn't really even looking for an answer, just any sign that he would do what he had said just moments ago. She didn't wish to give him a chance to back out. It was greedy, but she was desperate.
"I'll do it," she said breathlessly. Quatre's head shot up immediately, almost as if he was appalled by the answer. Dorothy bit her lip hard.
"What?"
"I'll marry you. You're right; it is better than what is set before me. It would not, could not be any worse than what is awaiting me back at Banshee." Quatre suddenly felt as if a huge foot was pressing harder and harder down on his chest. It was becoming more difficult to breath. His face was almost pained. He feared he would soon fall to the ground cringing. Does this woman know what she had gotten herself into? Was it so wise of her to be so quick to make this arrangement? He was looking for some answer, anything, some kind of answer that would either turn her down or make her apart of his life forever. She was just sitting there waiting… say something… anything at all blockhead, just say it! That huge foot suddenly released his chest and the answer flew from him like a torrent of water let loose from a dam.
"Yes!" Dorothy's eyes were wide. He gave such a vigorous answer. "We'll do it, this very night if you wish. Whenever you find suitable." Dorothy sighed, feeling a weight being lifted off of her back and feeling another one replacing it. Was this wise?