Disclaimer: Nobodies reviewing!! But that's not going to keep me down... I'll wait till the stories done to sulk. Tell me what you like!!! PLEASE... PLEASE!!!! Read & Review
Gundam Wing Episode 23
Family Ties
9:55a.m.
The silence of the hanger echoes everything that hit the floor especially footsteps. Duo drops the cloth forgetting there wasn't any gravity. He puts it in the bucket after surveying his work. Not bad. Who would have thought you could get so dirty after a few flights in outer space.
"Nice work," he looks up to see Niko hovering overhead. He smiles at her and saying hello he opens the cockpit. Going inside, turns it on as well as smelling the sandwiches Niko had in her hand. After guessing what was in both sandwiches, he turns on the suit. The sticky, black tar like substance slowly slides down over him tightly sticking to every crevice of his body. "Your nose is getting sharper." She hands him the ham and turkey sandwich. Watching him eat, she sighs. "They still haven't found Quatre yet." He looks up. Sighing he sits thinking a moment.
"This might be a hunch, but it's possible he's with Sophia because Jeff's missing too."
"You could be right."
"That's what I'm hoping."
"If there was only a way to contact her..." Looking at the suit she continues, "To... make sure... wait a minute." Duo looks up from the different screens. "We can contact her using this suit."
"Better yet let's use this baby's homing device."
"Good idea. I'll follow you." Duo watches her leave going into her respective gundam. Turning on Shadowscythe's homing device, he leaves the hanger. As planed, Niko follows Duo. This leads them into dark space on a course to the beautiful mother earth.
Why is it that I always end up getting hurt? Sophia opens her eyes. She soon realizes she's in her room and in her pajamas. Who changed my-? Looking around she spots Quatre. She sits up after watching him a while. What is he up to? Moving to the edge of the bed, she could see Rashid on the video phone. She leaps off the bed only to be caught in midair.
"What are you-" she struggles, "Get away from there!!! NO CALLS TO THE OUTSIDE!!!!" Quatre looks up startled.
"Don't listen to her Quatre finish your conversation," Dr. J says then turns to Sophia, "Since when have you gotten so rude."
"I'm wondering the same thing myself," Master O says still holding her.
"He's not your prisoner, you know." She stares at Professor G annoyed finally getting out of O's grip.
"You don't understand! Do you know how many people can trace that call!? I don't need that!!" She was about to get up when a pain shot through her body. She lies down only to have it return again in her back.
"I told him," O says. She sighs annoyed. "And, I believe, you two need to talk."
"Huh?" she looks at Quatre confused.
"Why did you start making Gundams, Sophia? You know they're not needed since the fight war with Mariemaia." Sophia doesn't look at him directly. She knew he was right, but there was another reason why she had them there; she didn't want to release that information quite yet.
"I have my reasons for doing things." Her voice wasn't cold when she talked. It seemed sad in a way. "I don't need a lecture from you right now." He watches her closely a moment before she looked away. "How long have I been asleep?"
"Only a few hours," she turns over surprised at what he had told her. Something's not right. I trained myself to stay asleep until my wounds healed completely if I ever get seriously wounded. That doesn't make any sense. "Is there a problem?"
"Huh? ... Something just doesn't add up, that's all." And I still don't know why I'm being nice to that weakling for. I must just be tired. I didn't have a lot of rest the last time I was here. "Let's talk later ok. There are too many people in the room right now." She looks at the five scientists. Pulling the covers over her shoulders she closes her eyes. I'm just tired that's all... just tired.
"Why are you being so stubborn?"
Huh... who said that? Quatre? ...
"What are you afraid of?" he whispers softly.
I don't want what happened to them to happen to anyone else. There was the new group of six that joined. Li was one of them. There was only one that couldn't handle the training, Shawn. The rest, I guess Li plucked them off one by one. Brandi was found drowned in the pool. Somehow the safety cover over the pool was activated while she was swimming. Sadie was cooking when she got an electrical shock. Sun was crushed by his own gundam when his new system went hay wire and crushed him and wounded David. He however never woke up from his comma. What really hit home was when my father and Shimi's mother were set up.
Flash
"Sophia, I want you to stay here while we go up."
"Yes father. I'll wait for you to return." Sophia looks into his eyes and smiles.
"Come Maverick, it's time to go," says a brunette with the eyes of a confident thief. Maverick gives Sophia a kiss on the cheek before leaving. She watches her father go up with the woman and Li. Li turns to look at her, but there was something evil in his eyes that made her shiver. She didn't wait very long before she knew something was wrong.
"Why do I smell blood?" before she could move something fell from one of the windows of the building. It hit a driving car making it to swerve to a stop. Her heart beat quickened. Her feet having a mind of there own make it to where the group had gathered. She pushed through the crowd. Her heart stopped when her eyes rested on her father. "Daddy"
She fell to her knees beside him. Sophia took his hand while she cried. Two hands rest on her shoulders. Li was trying to comfort her. He pulled her hands from her father and hugged her. "I'm sorry Sophia. It's my fault. Your father, he protected me and..." Her crying drowned out the rest of his words.
Flash
Shimi's mother was found slaughtered ruthlessly like a dog. After that Shimi's father quit saying a little kid couldn't handle being leader for such an advanced group of people. He meant me. He was right. I couldn't handle it. I guess he blamed me for her death unlike Shimi; she's always had faith in me. Shimi's uncle was on our group for a while, but he had to go back because he had a family. They were all leaders of there own group of men. They were also entrusted in my care. I sent them off to different areas around the world and colonies. I think that's the only logical thing that I ever did.
Flash
The sound of shattering glass makes a young Sophia shake. She quickly picks up what she could and then tosses it in a nearby trash bin. She could feel the eyes of her father watching her annoyed.
"Sophia," she looks up, "What am I going to do with you." She scurries away; he laughs, "My little clumsy Fox."
"And you're just going to let her get away with breaking that." He turns to see his new wife.
"It's nothing too serious." He starts cleaning up the rest. "It was just a vase. She was more scared then anything besides it's just a phase." She gives him a hard stare a moment.
"Honestly, Maverick you spoil that girl."
"What ever you say, Mooshi."
Flash
He was always kind and understanding. If he wouldn't have died I probably would have turned out different, but life can be harsh... very harsh.
Flash
"I wish you were still here daddy. She hurts me when I make mistakes or when I'm happy." Sophia puts down the picture of her father and leaves the room. It's not like when you hit me daddy. When she hits... She stands on a stool and starts to do the dishes. She doesn't stop.
"Sophia I'm going to the market to get some groceries for the house ok."
"Ok," she watches her stepsister leave. At least she's nice to me.
"You're dripping water on the floor, Sophia." She quickly gets down. Placing the plate on the stool she gets the mop. After mopping it up, Mooshi comes in. She says bye to her other daughter as Sophia watches her leave.
"What are you staring at? Get back to work!! And wipe that smile off your face!!" Taking the plate off the stool she climbs back on. She slips on the water left by the plate. The plate shatters on the floor. "You clumsy idiot!" she screams. Taking a metal whip out of your pocket, Sophia freezes. The whip comes down digging into the raw flesh of her back. Over and over it comes down pain shoots through her entire body. Blood splatters everywhere. She knows better then to cry. It only made it longer. She finally stops. "Now get back to work you lazy animal!!!"
Flash
I can still feel the whip on my back... as it digs into my back. She stops only when she sees muscle. Suddenly pain shoots through her back. Fear clutches her. She looks up. She sees the whip high in the air ready to strike. She tries to move away, but it was no use fear kept her legs from moving. The whip comes down.
"AAHHH!!!" She struggles to get off her stomach, but something is holding her in place. Pain continues to shot through her back. This shouldn't be happening anymore... she died when the L5 Colony 0200 blew up. The pain continued, however. She tried not to, but her tears she tried to hold back started to soak her pillow. She can feel her blood drip down the sides of her back. Why... Why is this happening? Finally able to move, she sits up Trowa, Shimi, Wufei, and Sina were all staring at her. "How did you guys get here...? Shiimii!"
"It was Quatre who called us, not Shimi."
"What did you do to me?" she asks seeing the blood on her sheets and her sides. Quatre's going to pay for this. Friendly or not!
"You need to rest Sophia," she ignores Wufei's words and looks at Sina.
"I brought you and your family here to hide out safely," she says sternly, "not to do experiments on me while I'm asleep."
"Sophia, that's not why I'm-"
"Please, Sina, just leave."
"But you need stitches."
"The skin on your back around where Jeff hit you wasn't healing. In fact, it was all dead skin that had to be removed. That's why she's here." Wufei holds her by the shoulders. "Your uncle gave permission since he knows how stubborn you are. We're all worried about you."
"Well I don't need your sympathy." She says not looking at him. Staring at Trowa, she says, "I don't need or want your help. You can tell Quatre that for me." How many people have seen my back Wufei.
Calm down and let her do what she has to do. She lies back down on her stomach.
"Stitch up my back and then get out. Everyone else can leave." Trowa and Shimi reluctantly apply to Sophia's whishes. Sina starts stitching up her back. Something's not right here. I know because my back would be healed by now. It seems like hours before Sina finally finishes. Sitting up she says, "You can go back to your brother and two cousins on the second floor." Sina takes one last look before leaving. "You know I don't like strangers working on me especially not my back. You know that." Getting up from the bed, the pain continues to haunt her as she heads for the bathroom. She gives Wufei an annoyed look then takes out the bandages out of the drawer. Handing them to her she starts to bandage her own back. Without a word, he starts to help her. "I don't need your help, Wufei," she says angrily.
"Don't be stubborn." He ignores her and continues to help. Her eyes flicker a familiar color. To his surprise, she strikes out at him her eyes now the beep bright blue from before. He moves away form her more startled then hurt. Surprised by her own actions she turns away from him afraid to face him. She knew something was wrong with her, but she wanted to figure it out for herself.
"Wufei, I'm sorry. I didn't-"
"Fine, do it on your own then." He turns walking away. Sophia runs after him. She grabs his hand, but he pulls away and then says coldly, "I don't associate with vicious animals." She stands frozen as he slams the door behind him. She slowly goes back to the bathroom to finish bandaging her back by herself but she burst into tears before she could finish.
A king sized bed resides in a candle lit room. The sound of movement is heard under the thick sheets of the bed. A knock on the door stops their fun. The two lift their heads out of the covers. The man presses a button on the side of the bed.
"Come in," a man with a tray walks in. The tray holds two glasses, a small box, and a bottle of sampan.
"Everything as you ordered, Mr. Lowe."
"Thank you. You may go," after pouring the sampan, he leaves. Mr. Lowe takes both glasses off the tray and hands one to his partner. "It seems no matter where we go, we go well together."
"Everything's just perfect."
"I'd have to disagree on that."
"Oh, what do you mean?" She asks as he picks up the small box off the tray. "You're not still upset over the pilots's failure, are you?"
"No not that... but there is one thing that would make it perfect." Opening the box, he sits up in bed. He shows her the ring inside. "Will you marry me, Mooshi Lan?" Her face lights up as he places it on her finger.
"Of course I will... but I want this marriage to be kept secret. I know a few people who would have a problem with it."
"What ever it takes," He says. The two knock glasses.
"Is there a problem, Sophia?" Niko asks seeing her sad eyes.
"No, I'm fine..." a stern look from Niko brings out the truth. "Ok, then maybe just one, but I haven't figured out what's wrong with me." Niko looks surprised at her words, "that's the problem. I'm the problem."
"Why don't you talk to your brother about it?"
"I don't have a brother," Sophia says.
"...I know Wufei and you had a fight, but that's no reason to not acknowledge him as your brother."
"Huh? Wufei and I are not related," she looks at Niko a bit strangely, "I'm an only child."
"But that's not what the blood work says." She hands Sophia the blood work. "Sina was making sure no one had any serious illnesses."
"She took blood from everyone right?"
"Yes"
"Theeen did you know Heero's your brother."
"Huh... no way! Let me see that," she says stunned. Looking carefully she realizes that Sophia was right. "So, he had a kid after all," Niko whispers to herself.
"Ally, Ally ox and Free!!!" Shimi comes bursting in unannounced startling the both of them. "What do you want for breakfast?" Sophia walks past Shimi.
"Nothing that you'll make," Sophia then bolts from her partner because she knew Shimi was chasing her for her insult.
"You'd think those two were sisters." Niko climbs the stares of the basement into the kitchen. Closing the door behind her, she watches the two as they race around the table. Wufei, Duo, and Trowa were already sitting at the table. Wufei tries to eat in peace, but he had a hard time concentrating. Seeing Niko, Duo just shrugs as Trowa watches in silence.
"Will you two behave for once!!!?" Wufei stands angrily stopping the chase.
"Leave us alone, Wufei; we're not hurting anything," Shimi says annoying, but the damage was already done. Wufei and Sophia stare at each other hard.
"I..." she looks down and realizes she must have picked up the papers again when Shimi surprised her. The papers... I can't tell him, not after what I did to him. Shimi snatches the papers out of her hand.
"What's this?" she asks holding them out of Sophia's reach as Heero, Daga, and Quatre come walking in. "Wow!! Heero, I didn't know you and Niko were related." Everyone looks at Heero who looks shocked at the news. "And Trowa, how come you never mentioned Catherine as your sister?" Sophia snatches the papers before she could finish. HEY!!!
"That was my project, Shimi... I wanted it to be a surprise." She looks at Trowa. "He's been so nice to you Shimi. He's the only boyfriend I'll allow here. I trust him to a point."
"Really?"
"Yes... but don't get your hopes up. That doesn't mean anything." Shimi's eyes light up.
"I hope it's not too late to say good morning because I overslept," Quatre says embarrassed.
"It's only 9:20. You'll live." She voice is calm as she passes him. Something in his eyes sparked her interest. "Is there something you want to tell me?"
"Would you like to go on a picnic...? That is if it isn't too late."
"It is too late." The disappointment in his eyes made her feel bad. "Besides I'm cleaning the house today I can't go out," she watches Wufei put up his plate. He didn't even glace up at her as he left the kitchen. A feeling of disappointment and hurt waves over her. As thought a button has been pressed, she goes to the cupboard; taking out bowls, spoons, and milk, she places them on the table. Sophia then heads back to the basement.
"Sophia, aren't you going to stay for breakfast?"
"I'm not hungry," she says sadly to Niko and then disappears in the basement.
