Disclaimer: I'm merely a fan. I own nothing.
Dedicated to Killraven.

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Locked.

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Dorothy.. just hang on.

I'm sorry I hit your head with my shoulder...

Please understand, I know you can't see what's coming...

My sides giving way first.. so it's ok.

I'll keep you safe...

I should have strapped you in better...

But it's ok, I've got you...

Just hang on, the driver side is pulling... We'll be airborne in a moment.

Today is no day to call us "Lucky", but this isn't as bad as it could be.. in an Ares there wouldn't have been nearly the room to escape a collapsing cockpit.

What I wouldn't give for thrusters now though..

The lift.. no gravity... we're airborne.

Hold on Dorothy.. I know you're asleep but.. but hold on.

So close.. I was looking at it just a moment ago..

And then I didn't compensate enough..

Or overcompen..

What did I do?.. It's.,

The turn, this turn is all wrong.. how could we be spinning this way? We'll take out an oncoming car in the other lane at this rate...

Ok Dorothy, I'm going to roll towards you..

As long as you don't move, I'll be able to block the windshield..

That soun-.. It's already coming...

How is this happening so fast?..

GOD!

That.. I felt it.. left.. lower back?

That.. God it's cutting into me..

Why isn't... why is it still.. moving?

Dorothy, it just.. it just broke my rib, I..

IT'S!..

Anoth.. Another..

My lung, it's in my lung..

Dorothy, I don't know if I can..

SS!..

St.. Stop them.. three now.. they..

Dorothy.. I can't.. hold you..

I can't feel my arms.. I think I'm holding you but..

I can't stop them, they'll g..

ET!...

Get you.. th .. through .. m...me.

Still.. More.. My..

They'll find you, Dorothy Catalonia..

When you wake up from all this..

Tell them I tried..

I can't feel my body.. and it's.. it's so dark..

I know I'm holding you, I couldn't have let go..

But those things have me now, it must be.. alive, it's tearing my back and..

Teeth, the.. no it's.. I don't know..

The left rotor-blade must have been hit.. I can feel us spinning..

You saw the rocket didn't you?

These men, I have to get them out..

I'm the Instructor.. and this is the war we trained them for..

What are you doing here, Catalonia?

You aren't a soldier..

You're not going to die..

But I'll die a soldier's death..

Don't you see, Ms. Political?

I'm dying while you're just sitting and giving orders...

And..

And that's what he wants...

Because he is a soldier.. and..

My men, they're dying, I can..

I'm holding on tightly, isn't that enough?

The fire can't be the fuel.. I wouldn't see it.. it's methenol..

I don't understand...

Why won't my eyes open..

There are so many things I have to watch,,,

That I can't bare to see...

So tell Zechs I tried...

And he'll tell you why I failed..

Because he always seemed to love me..

But he never opened those last hidden doors..

And I'm holding you, Dorothy, remember?

I can feel them in your pocket... yes.

You were the one holding the keys...


~{@}~


With as easy a word as a breath, He proved my worth.

Was I really asking for the responsibility?

If only he knew my history.

That I, in another life bound to this one only by skin and paper, was a King, and martyr to a war.

Is that not responsibility enough?

But he wasn't concerned with my rank.

Insubordination...

But, wasn't he following a truer order than mine?

To care at all costs for the victims he treats?

I'm a victim..

I loved them both for and..

And proved it meant nothing.

Dorothy, I drove you to this, and only in my selfish dreams could I paint it as simple a cause or death as the countless victims that died before me in battle.

Lucrezia, I... You see the lie I am now.

Forsaken of my blood, I covered my face.

But it was the mask I thought of, not my given skin.

You saw through the mask, and know the skin is dead.

"Officer Mer-"

"YES?"

"The.. doctor wants to ta-"

"Take me there."


~{@}~


"And her condition?"

Looking over his notes to assert his words before cementing them in the worried husband's mind, "Her body will recover fully, given time and care, but.. She is.. slow in responding to any stimuli"

"She's ... in a coma."

"Yes, a form of coma."

" ... The technology to raise a million men to war and cut them down in hours, and we stand helpless with the most ancient of sleeping deaths... May I see her now?"

"You don't want t-"

"MAY I See her now?"

" ... very well. Nurse, Please take Officer Merquise to ICU."


~{@}~


The keys.

I know I had them somewhere..

I hope that voice.. that.. car door whatever.

How slow can this lift be... Thank you, Sir, for holding the door.

At least someone sees and emergency...

Hang on Dorothy, I've got you..

Just when you thought you could throw yourself away...

I can't let you die, silly girl.

Because you have the key.

The key to the door...

I hear it openning...

Zechs...

Thank God your here Zechs... It's Dorothy, she tried to kill herself...

Zechs?

What's wrong, Zechs?

ZECHS?

This is no time to be visiting bed patients. Can't you see an emergency?

Can't you see me and Dorothy?

Don't you see?

Did you ever see me?


~{@}~


"May I see... him today?"

"He's currently visiting his wife in ICU, Miss."

"Of course... And what is... her condi... tion curren... tly?"

"Blessedly she's recovering well. Her body will heal fully within a few months."

"You lie."

"Ms. Catalonia, I Would Never!"

"Lie? ... Yes you w... would... Because I... can see it... in your eyes... and what... ever you're hold... ing back is... far more imp... ortant than... what you say."

"Ms. Catalonia, you're under the influence of highly disorienting medications. I'm sorry I'm unable to ease your concerns, but I assure you that's are the medicines tal-"

"HA! ... Insipid... ness I ... assure you, Nurse... Influence?... I've taken... on ZERO... and you think... drugs can hin.. der my mind?... No, I see cl... learly, Nurse... So clearly... I was dead, re... member, Nurse?... And that... was when I... was still stand... ing at his side."

"I'm sorry, Ms. Catalonia. But all I can tell you is that Mrs. Merqui-"

"I KNOW HER NAME!"

"Calm down, Miss. Please? You're blood pressure is ris-"

"THEN ANSWER ME! IS SHE AS CURSEDLY AWAKE AS I AM?"

"Why No, Miss. She's still unconscious... the... the reconstruction of that much damage is highly traumatic and... Miss? ...Miss this is hardly a funny matter."

"CORRECT!... So I'll ask you this once, NEVER presume you... know traumat... ic again. I don... 't care how many... years you work here... That woman has... Flown in the... Face of Hell... and Some of u... us... never... left it."

"The.. the war is over, Ms. Catalonia."

"Precious fool,.. keep telling your... self that every... morning as you... wake. Because ...the Theater... of Peace is just... beginning... and we will all... wish our enemies wore... mobile suits by it's end."


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