Disclaimer: I don't own Gundam Wing or any show for that matter or its characters, but I do own Precious Barton and Hope Tischner! This is the sequel to "Gundam Fairytales" so if you don't understand some of what's going on in this story, go back and read the first one! Enjoy. . .
The Never Ending Tale
"Duo, Trowa, breakfast is ready!" Rachel called out to her boyfriend from the kitchen. She wiped her hands on her apron and turned as an eager man entered the room, beaming with a cheerful grin.
"Finally, I'm starved!" Duo exclaimed, striding over to Rachel and taking the plate of food she held out to him. He gave her a kiss on the cheek and said, "Thanks." Walking out to the dining table together to eat, Rachel said, "I need to go over to the Sanc Capitol today after you get home and discuss some 'private affairs' with Heero, so you'll be on your own for dinner."
"Awe, TV dinner again? You've been going over to the Capitol for the past week! There's nothing going on that I should be concerned about, is there?" Duo raised his eyebrows as his girlfriend gave him a glare.
"No. . .I'm not much for having an affair, thank you very much. Speaking of breaking marriage vows, when are we going to say ours?"
"Um. . .when I get around to asking you. . ." Duo said, grinning with a mouthful of eggs. Rachel rolled her eyes and said, "Well, you should get around to it soon, I might say yes if someone else comes along and asks me. Where's Trowa, his food's getting cold and eggs are not a reheatable food. . ."
"I'm coming, I had to wake up Precious." Trowa said, walking down the hall with a sleepy 6-year-old following at his heels.
"Daaaaad, can I stay home today?" Precious whined, sitting at the table as her father walked into the kitchen to get their food.
"No, there'll be no one home and you're not old enough to be alone all day. Here, eat your breakfast." Trowa said as he came back out and sat a plate in front of his daughter. She sighed and began to eat obediently.
"You're so lucky your daughter listens to you, I can't get this one to do anything I say!" Duo said with an eye roll, motioning to Rachel.
"Well, that's usually because I can think of a better way to spend our time. I better get ready, my student should be here soon." Rachel said, standing as she took her plate out to the kitchen.
"You've barely eaten anything! I find working on an empty stomach very difficult." Duo commented as he continued to stuff his face.
"Well that's because you work for the Sweepers; collecting junk all day is a tiresome job…" Rachel said with a slight mocking in her tone.
"Hey, Hilde will have my hide if I slack off! You've never seen torture till you work for a 5 foot tall woman with an attitude!" Duo exclaimed.
"Oh whatever, I've met Hilde, she's not all you say she is. . .now hurry up and get going or you'll be late and your 'scary' boss will kill you." Rachel said with a sly grin as she came back out. Duo inhaled the last of his breakfast before Rachel took away his plate and said cheerfully, "Thanks again for the breakfast, babe! See ya later!" He dashed off toward the door, grabbing his saddlebag before racing out the door. Trowa finished his meal and got up, carrying his plate out into the kitchen.
"Oh, excuse me!" Rachel said, bumping into Trowa in the doorway.
"It's my fault. . .sorry." Trowa said, looking down at her calmly. She blinked and inched past him, walking toward the stairs to the second floor of their condo.
Trowa's been acting strange lately. . .ever since Duo and I asked him to live with us, he hasn't been the same. Not only that. . .is he getting cuter or something? He was wearing cologne today too. . .he only wears that for business meetings. . .or on dates. What is up with him? Maybe I should ask him about his girlfriend, make sure they're still together. Rachel thought to herself as she ascended the stairs to prepare for her class. As she arranged her art supplies, she turned and bumped into Trowa again.
"Oh, Trowa! Hey, I was just wondering, how are you and Chelsea doing? You've been going out for a week or so. . ." Rachel said cheerfully, trying to break the awkward moment as she continued her work.
"We broke up. . .she just wasn't my type." Trowa said dully, reclining against the wall and crossing his arms.
"Wasn't your type? She was perky!"
"Too perky."
"Friendly?"
"Too friendly."
"Social?"
"She flirted with other guys."
"Oh. . .well, what was wrong with the girl before her? I thought she was perfect for you."
"She was too needy. . .she talked a lot too. . .kept asking me questions."
"What, like how you were feeling?" Rachel mocked. Trowa narrowed his eyes and said, "She just wasn't my type."
"Every other girl you've dated wasn't your type! Is there one that is or haven't you decided what your type is yet?" Rachel rolled her eyes as she set up her easel.
"I have. . .I know what I want." Trowa said quietly. Rachel turned back and blinked, noticing he was staring at her.
"Uh. . .what might that be?" she asked uneasily.
"Daaaadd. . .I have to go to school!" Precious hollered up the stairs.
"Alright, I'm coming." Trowa called back, not taking his eyes off of Rachel as he got up to walk away. He turned and strode down the hallway slowly as his daughter bounded up the stairs and ran to him. She followed him as he walked into her room to help her pack for school.
Geez, what's his problem! Rachel thought to herself, taking a deep breath as she calmed her pounding heart. She heard a ring at the door and jumped, slowly sighing as she trotted down the hall to answer the door. She grabbed the doorknob and opened the door to a smiling face.
"Hope, welcome! Right on time as usual. Come on in, I'm almost ready for our lesson." Rachel said with a smile back, opening the door more and waving her hand to usher her student in.
"Thank you for having me so early, my father is leaving on a business trip this afternoon and I wanted to see him off." Hope said quietly, taking off her jacket as she walked in. Just as Rachel closed the door, Precious bounced down the stairs and smiled at the visitor.
"Halo!" Precious chirped in her light German accent.
"Hello. . ." Hope smiled sweetly.
"Get your shoes on, Precious." Trowa said as he walked down after his daughter. Looking up at the two young women, he paused behind Precious as she sat down on the stairs to put her shoes on.
"Hope, this is one of the residents of the condo, his name is Trowa Barton. Trowa, this is my very talented student, Hope Tischner." Rachel introduced everyone.
"Hello." Trowa said mildly, barely looking at Hope.
"Hello. . ." Hope said shyly. She glanced down at Precious and saw her frustration with her shoes. She knelt and said, "You're tying it wrong, honey. . .like this." She took the shoelaces and quickly demonstrated the bunny ears method.
"Ooh. . .I knew it was something like that!" Precious said with a grin. Hope giggled and stood, glanced at Trowa who had been watching her.
"And is this another of the residents?" Hope asked Rachel, trying not to make much eye contact with the girl's father.
"Yes, this is Precious, Trowa's daughter." Rachel said, looking up at Trowa and tilting her head to motion for him to get out of the way. He leaned over and picked up his daughter, who immediately giggled and squirmed around to make things harder.
"Oh, so you're married?" Hope said curiously.
"No. . .she's adopted." Rachel whispered. Hope nodded and watched the family talk amongst themselves before Trowa caught the little girl in a jacket and managed to get her in it.
"We're going now, we'll see you tonight." Trowa said, opening the door and scooting his daughter out into the hallway.
"I won't be home, you'll have to fend for yourself, sorry. Bye!" Rachel said, waving and starting up the stairs. Hope followed shyly and glanced over her shoulder at the closing door.
"Rachel. . ." Hope said quietly in a questioning tone.
"Yes?" Rachel said over her shoulder.
"Was. . .Trowa ever married?"
"No, we're still trying to get him to stay with a girlfriend for longer than a week." Rachel said with a sigh.
"He sure is quiet. . ." Hope commented, her cheeks rosy as she smiled.
"Yeah, and picky. . .why the sudden curiosity?" Rachel asked, hopeful that she liked him. Hope looked up at her and blushed, saying in a fluster, "Oh, I was just wondering, I haven't met him before. I've met your boyfriend, I didn't think you lived with anyone else."
"Yeah, he moved in about a month ago, his last apartment's rent went up so we took him in." Rachel winked. Hope smiled and said as she sat down behind the easel, "That's nice of you. . .is he an old friend?"
"Yes, from when I was first living in the area about 3 years ago. Shall we begin today's lesson?" Rachel said, trying to get off the subject of Trowa.
"Oh, of course. . ." Hope said, trying to hide her obvious blush.
"Trowa, you're late. . .again. Where've you been?" Catherine called out from her dressing room as her clown dashed by out of costume. He doubled back and leaned against the doorway, saying, "Sorry, I woke up late and had to drive Precious to school, then I got stuck in traffic. . ."
"Well, hurry up and get ready, we go on in 5 minutes!" Catherine said, waving him off as she put her earrings on. He ran to his dressing room and pulled on the doorknob.
Locked? But how. . .He didn't waste time fooling with it. He dashed outside and ducked under the edge of the tent, only to roll into a pair of slender, fair legs. He blinked and found himself staring up the woman's miniskirt.
"Uh. . ." He blinked again and the woman looked down at him, gasping as she jumped away. He watched her as she turned away, seeming to hide her face as she ran to the door and yanked it open, leaping out and disappearing out of sight.
What. . .was she doing in here? Trowa thought to himself, standing up slowly as he brushed the dirt from his clothes. He looked toward his trunk and found his costume missing.
"Oh great. . ." He grumbled, running toward the door as he remembered seeing something in the woman's arms. He almost collided with Catherine as he ran out to search for her and she said, "Trowa, what are you doing!"
"Did you see a woman run by? She's stole my costume." Trowa explained, pushing past her to find the woman.
"Trowa, wait! You have an extra costume in my room, I got it back from the cleaners today." Catherine called out. Trowa paused, looking back and then out of the tent where he assumed the thief had fled. He sighed and turned around, following Catherine into her room to retrieve the spare costume.
"Hello, miss Rachel. . .Heero requested you meet him in the upstairs bedroom as he is still in a meeting. . ." Pagan met Rachel at the front door of the Sanc Embassy, escorting her in and taking her coat. She smiled and said, "Thank you, Pagan. Is Mrs. Yuy home?"
"I'm afraid she's away on business, treaty discussion with Russia." Pagan replied, walking slowly over to the coat rack and hanging the coat gingerly on one of the hooks.
"Still? I would have figured they'd give in by now! They're being more trouble than it seems they're worth. . .though, I suppose being as powerful as they are, it's important to make peace. . .in case they decide they've had enough of all the quiet and start a war."
"Indeed. . .this way, miss." Pagan politely said, showing her to the master bedroom often used by the heads of the household, when they're not on trips or busy working on papers in their offices. He opened the heavy oak doors and stepped aside as Rachel strolled in, looking around the brightly-lit room. The tall glass windows let in the evening sun, the light showing against the soft cream colored walls. It seemed to bring more life to the ivy stencil accenting the many corners of the room and giving it a delicate, royal feel that brought a sigh out of Rachel.
This room always gets to me. . .it's like something out of a fairytale. . .Rachel thought, smiling as she sat down on the queen size bed, slowly sinking into the supple mattress. She lazily drummed her fingers on the bed, looking up and around at the lace canopy over the bed, gently swaying in the breeze blowing in through the ajar windows. With a deep breath, she sighed and closed her eyes, imagining living in a place like this.
"Been waiting long?" Rachel's eyes snapped open and she looked over at the door. Heero stood leaning against the doorframe, his arms crossed over the black suede suit he was wearing.
"Not too long, I think. . .you ready?" Rachel grinned and stood, folding her hands behind her back and staring at him expectantly. He sighed and stepped in, closing the doors behind him. He removed his jacket and draped it over a nearby chair, slowly unbuttoning his sleeves as he said, "On the bed or would you like to try it elsewhere this time?"
"That's fine, it shouldn't take me too long and then we can move on to more. . .interesting places. . .maybe the chair?" She slyly cocked her eyebrows and he arched one of his.
"That's. . .so dull though. . ." Heero said, walking over to the bed and crawling onto it, watching her closely. She rolled her eyes and said, "Stop that, it looks wrong. . ."
"Oh right, and the way you want me to pose isn't?" Heero rolled his eyes in return and flopped back on the bed, sprawling out lazily.
"It's just a drawing, Heero. . .you know, the sexier the better. . .remember, it's for your anniversary. . .might get some action out of it. . ." She winked. He frowned and sighed in exasperation, saying, "How do you want me?" She giggled and pounced onto the bed, crawling over to him. He looked at her warily as she sat next to him, fighting the obvious urge to laugh at his discomforted expression.
"Okay, now you were laying mostly on your back. . .and you had your arm over your head, like this. . ." She started moving him around like he was a doll and he finally said, "Do you mind? I think I can position myself. . ."
"I'm sure you can. . .but I'm the artist, I have to draw you! Your hair's too neat, here. . ." She wiggled her fingers through his hair, shaking it around as he complained. Finally, she was satisfied with the degree of disheveledness and sat back, admiring her ability to mess things up just right. She laughed and bounced off the bed, gathering her drawing pad and pencils before standing at the foot of the bed. She closed her eyes and began to levitate, floating up about 5 feet before crossing her legs and beginning to draw.
"Do you really think Relena's gonna like this?" Heero asked quietly, feeling a chilly breeze roll over his bare chest, the button down shirt he wore hanging open and laying at his sides across the covers.
"Yes, now don't move. . .you can only talk. . ." She said, sounding slightly commanding.
"Yes, Ma'am. . ." He said mockingly. As he lay in silence, the sounds of pencils etching across paper filled his mind, causing his mind to begin to wander to different things. He looked toward Rachel and watched her as she floated and drew at the same time. He began to recall the day she had disappeared and how Duo had almost gone suicidal until the poem, sending him into another frenzy of feelings forcing him to search for her.
I still don't know why she couldn't come back on her own, she had her powers when she came back. . .Heero pondered, blinking as he noticed she was staring at him more than needed to sketch a section of his body.
"What is it?" Rachel asked, cocking her head curiously, "You've got this look of deep thought on your face."
"I was thinking back to the time you 'died' and returned to your dimension. . .why didn't you just come back on your own if you still have your powers?" Heero asked.
"Oh. . .well, in my world I don't have powers, I'm just an ordinary girl. It's only when I sleep that my dreams bring my powers to life, and that's how I got here in the first place. Here I have anything I could ever want. . .it's like my dreams are real, I can make anything happen that I wish to come true."
"If you can have anything you want, why do you live in a condominium and pay rent?" With a blush, Rachel said, "Because I see my powers as a gift, not to be used to make my life better than everyone else's. Besides, I like the way I live. . .builds character and makes you really appreciate the little things you have."
"So you're happy with Duo not proposing to you?" Rachel paused, blinking and staring at Heero. Looking away, she said, "I can't force people to do things, if I do they don't respond well to it."
"Doesn't he love you? He's living with you but he won't commit to marriage. . .it's like he's keeping himself free in case things don't work out, holding onto that freedom. . .why would he do that if he was happy with being by you forever?"
"Heero, I really don't think it's your business-" Rachel began to grow angry and Heero said, "Than stop ignoring it and make it yours. . .Relena would agree with me if she was here."
"But she's not, and you're married, so what makes you so different than me? At least I know Duo's always there for me!" Rachel shot to him bitterly before blinking in surprise, looking down in embarrassment.
"I knew things would be this way the moment I proposed to her, I chose to live as a President's husband. . .that was my choice. I'm happy. . .are you?" She frowned and stared at him, saying, "Maybe. . .I should come back tomorrow and finish the drawing then. . ."
"Don't let your personal feelings get in the way of your work, Rachel. . ." Heero said.
"Then don't bring them up." Rachel said, almost in a growl, "Now don't talk, I'm drawing your face. . ."
If both of you avoid the subject, nothing's ever going to happen. . .you've been living with him for 2 years now. . .someone's gotta give. Heero thought to himself as he kept perfectly still.
