Eternally Yours
Disclaimer: Nope, this girl still doesn't own Gundam Wing, but just you wait, i will one day... or maybe not.
AN - Sorry guys! This chapter is really quite long, and was such a PAIN to edit, no joke. I don't know how long i spent trying to correct it, i just hope i haven't left much out.
Yay! Cookies for everyone... (yes virtual cookies hehe... if you've got a problem with that... deal with it, haha, (joking!))
armygundamgirl - Thanks so much for your help, and here you go... more... thanks for the review (p.s i got your email, and emailed you back, but you probably won't get it for a while, since you're so busy with work. Well, catch up when ya can!)
Charliechaz - Yup, cookie for you! Here ya go (holds out a cookie). You got your way, longer chapters it is. You didn't haveany competition anyway, no one else told me how they like it :(! Ahh well.. makes me love ya even more hehe. Too bad you couldn't bring your computer camping with you, but all is well, you are forgiven, my friend hehe. Thanx for the review!
burgandy3721 - Virtual cookie for Jess! Yea! haha, i dunno were i got red claw from, just a random thing that popped frommy useless mind hehe.Oh dear, looks like i'm gonna have to hack into your computer and delete the mobs contact info. (laughs evilly) hehe, thanks for the review! glad to make you happy.
KraZeeLilMee - Thanks for the review, hope you're in your talkative mood when you review this chapter(which you WILL do, RIGHT?) lol cause i love long reviews, even if they are just useless rambling... hello, that's what i'm all bout.
And on with the story...
Chapter five: Memories from a painful past
The only light in the dreary room emerged from a single candle, burning itself down gradually, as its hot wax dripped onto the wooden table below it.
Lafeia stood sleepily, looking around her, her head was hammering with the after effect of the chloroform and her heart was pounding heavily in her chest.
Where am I? She thought, clutching her head in her hands and closing her eyes again briefly, a cell? She asked as her headache suddenly worsened. She wavered on the spot and felt her head spinning as the room shook violently, giving her double vision.
She sat down on the bed that was beside her. It had a firm mattress that was practically rock solid, with extremely thin sheets thrown across it. She knew instantly that her stay here wasn't going to be a comfortable one. I've got to get out of here. She looked around for any means of escape and upon finding that there wasn't any, she collapsed onto the stiff bed. She had known that there wasn't going to be any exits, but it was worth a try, after all she didn't know who she was dealing with, well apart from Adam…
Her head started spinning again at the thought of him. Adam what are you up to? She sighed heavily and glared up at the ceiling, it was dark grey with dark spots scattered across it, she guessed from the damp. As she was staring at the ceiling, trying not to let her mind drift too far into her thoughts, she heard the door open and someone walk into the room. She continued staring at the ceiling, not caring to check to see who had walked in, but starting to think of plans and methods of ways that she could escape this miserable cell. Now, if only she knew where she was…
"Ahem." A strong masculine voice disturbed her from her thoughts and she turned to face her 'visitor'. She glared at the man, whose face was hidden by the shadows, the tiny candle's light barely stretched across the table, never mind to the other side of the room, her eyes flickered quickly to the door behind him. The door that was currently closed, but was obviously not locked.
"Don't even think about it." The man warned her. His voice was cold and icy and as it reached her it sent shivers down her back.
"Think about what?" She shot back in a venomous tone matching the iciness in the man's voice.
"Escaping, and don't act smart with me Lafeia. I know all about your distraction techniques. I also happen to know that you're a terrible liar." The man stepped forward slightly, letting the dim light from the candle engulf his face.
Lafeia gasped and moved further back onto the bed involuntarily. "Adam…" she started. The man grunted in response and leaned in closer to her face.
"I'm glad you're awake. I was getting bored waiting for the drug to wear off." He told her. Lafeia just glared at him coldly as she watched her old friend glare back at her, his eyes as icy and pitiless as the tone of his voice. Her heart raced as he moved slowly onto the bed and leaned closer until he was merely inches from her face. She held her breath carefully, not trusting her voice.
"How is… my Lafeia?" He whispered it softly and quietly, the coldness had nearly completely faded from his strong voice and she felt his breath skim across her cheek as he spoke. She gasped and looked back at him in shock.
"Your Lafeia? No Adam." She told him quietly. "No, no, no, no, no, no…"
"Sshhh." His hand covered her mouth to silence her.
"Adam!" She pulled back from him angrily. "I'm no longer yours! You should know that by now!"
He stared at her, a malevolent grin plastered across his face. Obviously, he was enjoying seeing her worked up.
She glared at him, hatred starting to fill the gap in her heart that had been left empty by him.
He looked at her again and his grin had faded, his face was now completely serious and his eyes held a strange sadness about them. "Right here, right now, you are not, but in time, you will be mine once again." He stood up again and looked down at her small diminutive form lying on the bed. He sighed deeply, inhaling the stale, vault-like air of the cell.
"You're wrong Adam." This time there was no coldness in her voice, it was soft and weak, from her lack of energy.
"When did you become so weak? He asked her. "When hanging around the preventer's base with those half-wit boyfriends of yours?"
"Adam. Please just stop this." She coughed, a rush of tiredness spread through her body. "And stop calling me yours. You know that agreement died along with my parents along time ago." Tears swelled up in her eyes and Adam looked down at her regretful of what he was doing.
He studied her carefully. She was so fragile and breakable, yet at the same time, he knew she was strong. How is that possible? He watched her as she sat upright on the bed, coughing and spluttering. It was then that he noticed the dark crimson splotches of blood upon the damp sheets. His eyes grew wide with shock and worry. God, look at her. She's really ill. She needs to be tended to properly She stood weakly in front of him and he grabbed her arm to steady her. She tried to glare at him, but her lack of energy stopped her and she ended up throwing him a strange, confused glance. She hates me. There you've done it Adam, the only girl who has ever really mattered to you, and you've gone and turned her against you.
But you were just following orders… a voice in his head told him.
"Lafeia…" Adam said worriedly as she coughed a large amount of blood onto his shirt.
"Don't…" Lafeia told him, she tensed up, the immense pain inside her body was growing. "Say anything." Adam sighed and laid her back down on her bed.
"Lafeia." She looked up at him as he reached the door. "Don't think about escaping. You'll get hurt even more than you already are."
His eyes flickered in her direction as he said that. 'Was that anxiety in his eyes? No, he hates you. But what for? I never did anything to him.' Lafeia thought.
As if reading her mind, Adam glared at her before saying. "You left Lafeia. I begged you not to, but you did. You left me. Hell, you left everybody! Your friends, the people who cared for you most and everybody that mattered in your life. I was confused for days." He stared at her with sad eyes, "You were my best friend, the only person that could keep me together and I didn't know what to do when you left. So I joined this," He threw his arms up, signalling to the base that they were now in.
"I joined this force, to take my mind off of you, and look where it lead me. Straight to you. Talk about irony." He was about to leave the room when he called one more thing out to her. "Get some rest. You'll need it to recover; I'll bring some clean clothes for you tomorrow." And with that he left the room, locking it behind him and walking down the long corridors.
What am I going to do now? I can't leave her in there in her condition… Michael, he'll do something. He's bound to. He quickened his pace and headed off towards Cromer's (the leader of the 'red claw') room.
"Don't leave yet…" She called quietly after him as she listened to his footsteps echoing through the corridor, until they disappeared. To be replaced by an eerie silence leaving her feeling of weak and lonely. She was alone with her thoughts, now was the time to bring out the memories of her past, as painful as it may be.
"Lafeia, darling, time to get ready for the party." Her mother called to her from the door to her bedroom. A young girl with straight jet-black hair appeared in front of the woman; she was around eight years old and had an innocent smile plastered across her pretty face.
"Party, mommy? What party?" The young girl asked.
"Why darling today you get to find out who your suitor is." Her mother looked down at her proudly, "Oh darling I'm so excited."
"But mommy, what's a suitor?" A confused look spread across the young girl's face.
"It's the man you're going to be married to when you're older."
"I've already got a man to be married to." Her mother frowned at her.
"Okay. Look Darling, just get ready for mommy, will you?"
"Okay mommy, but wait." Her mother sighed but listened to the young girl, "Can Adam come to the party? Please oh please oh please, mommy. Adam has to come with me."
"Huh? Why is that Lafeia?" Her daughter grinned up at her, and a young boy appeared beside her at the doorframe looking at her innocently, he had a dazed look in his eye as he watched the young girl beside him.
"Because mommy. Adam is my prince." Her daughter grabbed the young boy's hand, tugging him forward slightly; Adam blushed and looked down to the ground but his gaze soon followed upwards to find the young girl again, and he looked at her with admiration and something else in his eyes… Hold on … that was love...? "Once Adam is King and I am Queen we shall be married and live happily together forever and ever, in love.." Lafeia smiled up at her mother, Adam's hand still clutched tightly in hers. "Just like it says in my book, mommy." The young girl held up a fairytale book for her mother to see. Her mother smiled down at her. "Okay then. Your Prince may attend the party, but on one condition…" The young girl's teal eyes brightened as she silently pleaded with her mother to continue, "That you get ready for the party right now."
"Thank you mommy!" The girl beamed up at her mother before turning to return to her room with her 'beloved prince'.
Lafeia stared up at her ceiling, remembering how Adam and she had spent so much time in her room, they always played with all of her toys and left everything laying all over the place for the maids to pick up, oh how they loved torturing the maids. Actually it was more her idea than Adam's, it always was her idea, she was the one in control, Adam just tended to play along with her plans, even the one where she had the idea of the two of them getting married. That was their plan, to become 'King and Queen' of the colony and torture all the maids, all over. Well, it was their plan until disaster struck the lands. 'Oh mother, father… I miss you both so much…'
"Lafeia! Come here quickly!" A younger Lafeia, of around eleven years, ran out of a room, her long glossy black hair swishing elegantly behind her back, her bangs hanging in front of her face, styled neatly the way she liked them and contrasting with the paleness of her porcelain face. Her dress flowed gently around her slim legs and her eyes glittered dangerously with curiosity. She was followed closely by a taller boy, with messy blonde hair, the boy was around the same age as the girl, he was wearing jeans and a casual polo shirt, and his handsome face displayed a look identical to the young Lafeia's. Curiosity.
"It's my mother Lafeia; she's calling you from the sitting room." He grinned childishly, his eyes still displaying a look of love and affection as he watched the girl grin back at him.
"What are you up to Adam?" She asked, cocking her head slightly to one side.
"I'll race you there." His grin widened.
"Fair enough, but you know I'll win and-"
"Hah! No way will you beat me." He told her cutting through her words. Lafeia stopped talking and glared at her best friend.
"Oh, yes I will beat you." She responded, her face becoming a little red at the cockiness of her friend.
"Okay then." Adam stopped grinning and looked at her seriously, "We'll make a bet. If I win… you have to kiss me." Lafeia's jaw dropped and she looked at him, shocked.
"And If I win?" she wanted to know.
"Well I'll do anything for you," he watched her face brighten considerably, "anything reasonable Lafeia." She rolled her eyes at him.
"You're no fun!" She laughed, causing Adam to laugh too, as he had always found that her laugh was infectious. "Okay on the count of three then…" She looked over to Adam who was getting ready to sprint down the long corridors of his house. "Three!" She yelled as she started sprinting as fast as she could, down the corridor.
"Hey!" Adam called from his spot, but he started tearing up the corridor behind her, he knew he was fast enough to catch up to her, and he would have been easy on her but she cheated, so now he'd just have to win. "You cheater!" he called after her; he could hear her laughing growing louder as he neared her. She glanced around briefly.
"What the-?" She shouted, as she saw that he was only a few paces behind her, and not nearly as out of breath as she was. This time it was his turn to laugh. "How'd you do that? Have you secret passages here that I don't know about?" She asked him suspiciously, still rapidly losing her breath.
"Nope!" He called from behind her, blowing gently on the back of her neck to show her how close he was. She yelped and started to speed up and push herself to go faster, burning up a lot of her energy. Adam smiled and slowed down as he watched her hit the sitting room doors.
"Hah! See told you I'd win." She stuck her tongue out to him childishly. Adam shrugged, still smiling at her. 'I let you' he thought.
"Okay, what do I owe you?" He asked her. She thought for a second then smiled up at him, moving closer. He frowned deeply at her approaching form.
"What?" he asked agitatedly.
"You owe me this." She leant forward, planting a kiss on his lips and pulling him towards her, Adam who was shocked by her sudden action, froze momentarily but then pulled her closer to him roughly, bringing her body against his and taking her in his arms, kissing her deeply.
"Adam!" Adam's mother unexpectedly appeared at the doorway to the sitting room, a look of utter shock on her face. The two jumped apart, looking uneasy and embarrassed. "While you two have been playing around out here," she glared at Adam who lowered his head, "We have received some very dreadful and terribly sad news." She cast Lafeia a look of sympathy.
"What's wrong Mrs Foster?" Lafeia asked, suddenly worried.
"It's your parents Lafeia." She sighed, and grief washed over her face, making her look older than she should have. "You better come in and sit down, dear." She ushered the two of them inside and once the two of them were settled onto a couch she sat beside her husband, diagonal from the children. "My darling Lafeia, I'm so sorry, but your parents…" Lafeia leant forward, sitting on the edge of her chair and ready to hang onto every word that came out of Mrs Roster's mouth.
"Your parents…" Suddenly she burst into tears and was pulled into an embrace be her husband. He looked apologetically at Lafeia who was now looking extremely pale and fearful.
"Your parents, Lafeia," Mr Roster continued for his wife, "have been tragically killed in an ambush to get rid of any political members who oppose the war. Your parents, being national emblems of the peace, were attacked in this misfortunate assault. I'm so sorry dear." Lafeia froze, not being able to move or speak, she felt Adam's hand come to rest on her back.
"Are you sure?" She asked her voice was shaking as she spoke. Mr Roster nodded his head.
Tears spilt out of her eyes as she tried to come to terms with the situation. She stood slowly, glancing around the room, she nodded to Adam and his parents, and then unable to think of anything else to say she fled from the room. Adam got up to go after her but his father grabbed his arm.
"Leave her be, she needs some time to adjust to this." He told him.
"Poor girl." His mother sobbed. Adam looked longingly at the door, but sat back down on the couch, deciding to take his father's advice.
Lafeia ran out of the grounds of the Roster house and round the gate that led to the entrance to her grounds. She ran into her house, calling for her parents, hoping they would be there, that this was some sort of sick joke, or nightmare. She ran to their room and to all the other rooms in the house, which took a long time, as it was a very large house. Eventually she collapsed onto her bed, tears, rolling off her cheeks and dampening her pillow.
She was still studying the ceiling, although she wasn't really studying it, or seeing it, she was too deeply involved in her memories as she remembered how Adam's family had taken the into their home after that event. Nevertheless, very soon they were after her too, the people and colonists who were rebelling against the peace and her family, they were after her too.
"Uh, Lafeia, where are you going? Why have you your bag packed? What are you planning on doing? Will you answer me Lafeia? Lafeia!" Adam shouted out her name and she paused her packing. 'So many questions' she thought.
"What is it Adam?" she turned to face him. He was looking worried and maybe a little anxious.
"You're leaving, aren't you?" It wasn't really a question. He looked at her with sad eyes, begging her to stay. "Why?" he wanted to know.
"Because, it's not fair on your family," She broke eye contact with him; she couldn't stand feeling the guilt that tore through her heart when she looked into his deep jade green eyes. "I'm too much of a hassle; I'm too much of a threat to your family. I'm putting everyone in danger, including you."
"My family don't care! They are more than happy to have you here; you're no hassle to them or to anyone! Don't be stupid Lafeia you can't leave." His voice was steadily rising with his anger, as was the colour on his face.
"Adam!" This time she looked him in the eye, "Houses are being searched around this area, they're searching for me, and they aren't going to stop until they find me." Her eyes glinted, Adam knew this sign, it meant that she was up to something, and he had a feeling he really wouldn't like this 'something' of hers. "Already, five houses have been burnt down because they haven't been able to find me; they know I'm around here Adam. It's only a matter of time before they come for me. I'm just glad nobody's been hurt yet. There's another reason I have to leave."
"What are you planning on doing?" Adam asked furiously.
"Well I just need to be seen somewhere, not here, but somewhere far away, so they can follow me and leave this colony alone."
"Leave this colony alone? You mean you're leaving the colony?"
"Yeah, it's my only choice. I have to do this Adam, and don't even try to stop me."
"You're crazy! You can't leave, you'll be killed!"
"I won't be killed, I'm not stupid Adam!"
"Yeah but you're eleven! You're only eleven years old, god dammit Lafeia!" He swung his fist onto the dresser, startling her, but she carried on with her packing. "I'm coming with you." He told her.
"Oh yeah I'm 'only eleven', well news flash Adam, you're only twelve, that's a year older than me, that's not going to do much difference. Anyway, you're not leaving with me Adam; I'm not going to let you. You have to stay with your family."
"They're practically you're family too! And I'm not letting you leave either. I'm not going to lose you." Lafeia finished packing her case and hauled it to the door. "You're not leaving without saying goodbye, and my parents won't let you go anyway. Hold on I'm going to get them." He dashed out the door, running as fast as he could towards his parent's room.
"You're right Adam," Lafeia said to the empty room, "I can't leave without saying goodbye," she glanced around the room that the Roster's had allocated her. A single tear fell out of her eye and hit the wooden flooring below, she watched it fall before sighing and walking to the door. "Goodbye Adam."
Adam rushed back up to the room, his parents following him, but by the time he got to her room it was too late, she was gone and was nowhere to be seen.
"Lafeia!" he called to her wherever she was.
Lafeia wondered what would have happened if she hadn't left Adam. She guessed that they now would have been married, if the colonists hadn't gotten to them anyway. I made the right choice. She assured herself. If I hadn't, I would never have met Heero. His name tugged at her heartstrings, causing warm tears to form in her eyesShe crawled underneath the thin covers of the bed to try to trap some warmth into her body and fell asleep.
-8-
Adam arrived at the headquarters and walked over to the receptionist, she blushed when she noticed him walking towards her. Adam had known that the girl had, had a thing for him for quite a while, but he found it easiest to pretend that he was oblivious to her emotions.
"Good… um… evening Mr Roster, um… Michael is just in his office, um… go on in." The girl stuttered.
"Thank you Sarah." Adam replied, avoiding her gaze and heading straight for Michael's office.
-8-
"Why Adam, I didn't think I'd see you tonight. How's the girl?" Michael Cromer asked as Adam entered his office. The same fire was glowing as was the last time Adam had visited, when he had been assigned this mission by his boss. Their formalities died when their hour of work ended, no longer did they need to call each other by surnames or address each other formally and Adam no longer had to refer to his long term friend as 'sir'.
"She's not too good Michael. She's coughing up blood. Can't you speed this whole process along a bit so that we can get her some proper medical care," Michael noticed that as his friend talked to him he was clenching his fists tightly until his knuckles were white.
"She's in a really bad condition. If we don't get her treated soon she may… die." His whole body flinched as he thought of losing her; no, he wasn't going to allow that to happen, no matter what conclusion it led to, even if it meant betraying his boss and friend, Michael Cromer.
"What is she to you Adam?" Michael asked, jumping to the question that was on his mind, he had no time for subtleties.
"Uh, what?" Adam asked.
"Well, I'm not stupid Adam; I've known you for along time, why would you care about this girl so much if she didn't mean anything to you?"
"She's an old friend; I've known her since, well since she was born actually. She's just a reminder of my past"
"And you agreed to kidnap her?" Adam bowed his head in answer to the question.
"That was a bit harsh Adam. You could have told me you had connections, I never would have put you on the job under those circumstances."
"No one else would be as good as me at fulfilling your requirements Michael. No one else could do it as well as me and no one else could do it without leaving them with something to trace us down. You know that I expertise in a lot more things than any of the other soldiers here."
"Too true Adam, too true." Michael sighed and stared at his friend, "Take a seat." He motioned to one of the chairs across from him and watched Adam sit down.
"Right, now would you care to explain just what happened down in the cell with your girl."
'Your girl?' Adam sighed, glancing over at Michael. He saw that his friend was sitting patiently waiting for him to start talking. Taking a deep breath, he gathered all the thoughts and memories he knew that he would need and started to retell his conversation with Lafeia.
Michael watched his friend recall what he had happened when he had visited the girl. As he studied Adam's face, he noticed it was inscribed with painful emotions, one so obvious that one would have to be blind to not see it. The burning pain of heartache.
Hold on! He loves her? He thought, reading the clear emotion flash across his face, it was instantly gone and replaced by anger, but he knew what he had seen. He wondered silently, if now was the right time to confront his friend was.
"Roster?" Michael barked, startling Adam from his thoughts.
"Huh?" Adam glared up at him confused as to why they had suddenly jumped back to being formal with each other.
"I am resigning you from this mission. You are no longer guarding the hostage Lafeia Gartner. Am I clear?"
"Yes sir." Adam stated, still confused. "But why Michael?"
"Because you love her and I can't have your feelings getting in the way of this mission, it's too important."
"I don't…"
"Again Adam I am not stupid. I can tell when my friend is in love." Michael interrupted.
"Please Michael, put me back on the case. I'm your best man for the job and you know it, you said it earlier." I need to keep an eye on her.
"No, it's putting you through too much emotional turmoil. And don't tell me that it isn't true because I can see clearly, that it is." Adam glared at him; his eyes were cold and somehow unreadable.
"Michael, don't be irrational, you need me to help pull this mission through, and otherwise, who else will do it?" Michael grinned back at him.
"I will find someone my friend," he told Adam. He was extremely worried for his friend; he knew that he hadn't slept since they had brought the girl back and that he had been living off caffeine until she woke. "I will find someone." He echoed.
Sighing, he looked up at Adam, and suddenly remembering what Adam had said earlier he added "And I will find the girl better accommodation once she agrees contribute to my plans."
"These plans…" Adam started, intending to question his friend on plans that were unknown to everyone.
"You should go and get some rest Adam; I know you haven't slept since we got back. Now go!" He said with a harsher tone, interrupting through his friend before he could start asking questions.
Just as Adam was walking out of the door, heeding his orders, he called, "What cell is she in?" Adam froze at the door, his body becoming rigid.
"Forty-five," He turned to glare at his friend, "You better get her out of there." He headed out of the room and towards his sleeping headquarters.
"Why would you care, after all she is just another painful 'reminder of your past'?" Michael said, talking to the empty room.
"Carson!" He barked to the guard standing at his door.
"Yes sir?" The man replied.
"I wish to visit cell forty five. Please make sure that the guards have unlocked all the doors before I get there."
"Yes sir." The man left the room quickly, to warn the guards of his upcoming presence and to unlock all the gates leading to the cells.
Michael turned back to the COM screen in front of him and dialled a number from the top of his head. After a while, a young man appeared on the screen, his dark red hair hung attractively across his face, almost covering his fiercely blue eyes, which shimmered with an almost silver glow. His face would appear almost threatening had it not shown a friendly, amused grin.
"Alex Trooper, it's been a while."
"Sure has boss, sorry I've err… been tied up with a few things." The young man replied.
"Are you still busy, because I have a favour to ask of you?"
"No, I'm free now. What can I do for you? I hope this isn't another one of those external missions, 'cause you know last time I…"
"No, Alex, no external mission." Michael said firmly. The young man's face lightened up, the anxiety fading from, his eyes.
"Okay then, what is it?
"I want you to keep an eye on our friend Adam Roster. He's been acting rather strange lately, and I'm slightly concerned for his well being. I want you to stay with him at all times; don't let him out of your sight. Oh and make sure he eats and sleeps, he seems to have forgotten that both of these are necessary requirements for a healthy life." The older man's face looked slightly puzzled, and his face wrinkled in confusion, making him look twenty years older.
"My man Adam? Sure thing boss. I'll be over there in ten. Don't worry bout finding him. I'll hunt him down." He grinned foolishly before disappearing off the monitor.
Right, now to deal with the girl. Turning off the monitor of the vidphone, he rose from his seat and walked out of his office. His guard held the door for him and followed his master towards the dungeons and down to cell number forty-five.
A short while later Michael was standing in the doorway of the cell, frowning down upon the helpless form of a young girl, her silken hair lay across the bed, a few strands falling over her cherubic facial features. She stirred as the door behind him slammed violently with a loud bang. She stared up at him with unfocused eyes.
"Hello Lafeia."
His voice, dangerously low, sent a shiver through Lafeia's body. She could hear the darkness held within it ride through his calmed tone with a sharp bite.
She glared up at him, concealing her fear with a stern look.
"Miss Gartner, thank you for gracing us with your presence." Was he mocking her? "I would like to have a few words with you." Before she could open her mouth to protest, he began to speak again.
"I am well aware, that you are the soldier who crept into our base at Langford and stole information from us, and most importantly my plans for the future. However, do not fret. The plans are being put into action as we speak at this moment, we just need a few more things and everything will be set." He grinned at her maliciously. Again, Lafeia opened her mouth to protest, 'what plans? I have no idea what he is talking about.' But he silenced her by continuing his speech.
"You didn't think I would let an intruder like you escape for long, did you?" He raised an eyebrow at her in mock disbelief. Lafeia scowled at him.
"Well there is a way that you can make it up to me; I need you to participate in my plans. If you do know my plan, which I am well aware that you do, since you did read my documents, then you will understand my intentions for keeping you here, and what relevant role you shall play in this plot of mine…"
What is he on about? … I have no idea who he is, what he wants, or what the hell he's talking about. I haven't seen any of these plans he speaks so fondly of.
All of a sudden, her head began to spin; a sickening dizziness overtook her body as she steadied herself by putting both her hands firmly upon the mattress in front of her. She only barely noticed that the strange man had begun to frown upon her, looking down at her, slightly concerned. Suddenly she felt extremely light-headed, as if she were floating upon darkness, her body, breaking the laws of gravitation and floating like a feather in a gentle breeze. She was starting to enjoy this strange sensation when she felt herself being drawn downwards by a persistently strong force. It was pulling her down, unwillingly, she wanted to scream out in pain as the force twisted her body agonizingly, and then as quickly as it had all happened it surrendered, the pain was gone, the strong force was gone and everything was peaceful once again.
Lafeia found herself in a small room, a dim light radiating from behind her, a small technological computer facing her, and her hands furiously typing away at the keyboard.
She scanned the wording on the monitor in front of her…
… Declares independence from colonies and earth… Gundam… rebuilt… pilots recaptured…
She gasped as she read it. What monster of a human being was thinking of carrying out this plan? It was suicide to the peace, the peace that they had all gained and deserved… no! She wasn't about to let that happen. She heard the sound of many feet coming towards the small room she was in, yelling at each other, an alarm was ringing somewhere in the background.
Dammit she'd been found out; she dived quickly out the doors sprinting towards the exit…
Lafeia sat upright on her bed as Michael stared at her with a curious yet confused expression. She stared at him and upon remembering his plans; she felt her stomach twist sickly with disgust.
"Leave the Gundams out of this!" she yelled at him, anger furiously rising through her body and suddenly boosting her confidence.
"So you do remember?" He asked after a few minutes of staring at her blankly, her sudden behaviour was confusing him. His face broke into a faint smile as he watched her looking at him in with a strong sense of revulsion. "I'm sorry, but unless you comply with my plans then I'm afraid that I will need them to fill in for your part." He hated having to lie to her, but this was for the colony, independence was strongly needed. He sighed and looked deeply into her eyes, maybe if he looked deep enough he could trance her into some sort of hypnotism.
Lafeia glared daggers at him, he was blackmailing her into abiding by his plans, and if she didn't, she had no doubt that he would resort to using the Gundams as his plan B." She sighed and reluctantly nodded her head.
"Fine. I will comply with your plans, so long as the Gundams and their pilots are left unharmed." She felt a heavy loss of hope fall over her shoulders, as if she was taking the weight of the universe into her hands, which she was kind of doing, in a way she was protecting the universe's only form of protection, the universe's heroes. Her parents and Heero would strongly disagree with what she was doing now. They always had seen her as being so weak and defenceless. Well she could take care of herself; she would show them that she could make something of herself. Oh Heero, forgive me… please…
Michael's smile widened at her reply. Of course, he would need the Gundam's too, but technically, what he was using them for wasn't breaking the compromise he had with the girl, he wasn't going to harm them, well not really. Unless they refused to co-operate, then he would have to resort to violence.
"Great. Well firstly let's get you into some sort of better accommodation, after all you are our guest, and our only hope of putting these plans into action." He took her arm and led her out of the room, her body tensed at his touch and he could feel that she wanted to pull away from his grip.
For a moment, guilt flooded through his body, and he wanted to set her free and give her the life that she should be having as a teenage girl. Not the life that he had planned for her, the cruel harsh life that awaited her in the near future, but he pushed these thoughts away and tightened his grip on her arm, leading her to the room that he had prepared for her.
They arrived at the room a few minutes later. The room was underground, giving her no windows to escape from, and only one light source dangling from a shaded bulb above their heads. In the centre of the room sat a king-size four-poster bed, the mattress was covered with a red satin quilt which was richly decorated with beautiful hand woven stitches and four luxurious downy pillows.
Lafeia could tell already, that this was a much more comfortable room than the last. Draped across the four posts was a crimson material that looked similar to the curtains. Two mahogany bedside tables stood at each end of the large bed each one holding ivory candles placed in large silver candle stands.
To one side of the room stood a large mahogany dresser, whose design was made to match the bed, it was massive, she had never seen one so large, and she had grown up like royalty. The carpet was a deep red, which seemed to remind Lafeia strangely of a stained blood; the walls were coated with a creamy paint and bordered with a dark mahogany. The room was a large one, and suddenly Lafeia was reminded of her room, which her parents had given to her in their mansion. It was a sad thought and she was suddenly feeling like a trapped rat in a cage, she had no means of escape and she was realising that her stay here was going to be much longer than she had initially thought.
She pulled out of the man's grasp and walked over to the bed throwing her body onto it and glaring up at the high ceiling solemnly. All of her hopes and dreams were fading away from her, too far for her too reach yet still in her mind taunting, teasing and haunting her.
Her hopes of having a normal life with the one she truly cared about more than anyone all rushed away from her, becoming a far off dream that could only be watched and not achieved. She realised that she would never get married (never mind getting married to Heero), she would never have children and watch them grow and she would never have grandchildren. She would never have a normal life.
Lafeia completely forgot about the man standing at her door watching her as she faded into isolation from the world, into loneliness, sadness and desperation, which were pushing her slowly towards her downfall.
He watched her as she lay on the four-poster bed, her beautiful teal eyes glazed with depression as she revelled in her thoughts. Her eyes were so miserable that it was heartbreaking to watch them.
Regret and guilt washed over him once again, he was suffocating the girl and he knew it, she didn't deserve this, no petty offence such as trespassing and violating private grounds should result in the persecution and punishment that this young girl was receiving. After all it wasn't her fault that she was linked to all of the gundams in one way or another. He briefly wondered if she even knew that she was living with them. Had they even told her? He strangely doubted that they had.
He couldn't bear these feelings, he didn't want to feel any form of sympathy or compassion for the girl, it would only cause a flaw and a weakness in his strength, the strength that he, as a leader of many, needed to possess. He left her quickly locking the door behind him, she would gain some form of freedom through time, but right now it was too risky to let such a strong girl wander the corridors of his base.
-8-
"Stop following me!" Adam barked out at his stalker without turning around. "I know it's you Alex. I thought that you wouldn't be back for a while."
"Nah I changed my mind, decided to come back and see how my old buddy was doing." His follower replied.
"Hmph! I'm not stupid Alex, I know that Michael has assigned you to baby-sit me or whatever, well guess what, I don't need your help and I don't need his help either!" He spat out turning around to face his opponent.
Alex stared at him, his friend's words stung him, they had been the truth, but they had still stung him coming with such a harsh tone from his friend. The hurt must have registered on his face as Adam glared at him confusedly.
"No. I just wanted to check up on a friend, is that such a crime Adam?" He asked him. Adam seemed to back down at this; he lowered his defences, his face and steely grey eyes softened.
"Leave me alone Alex, I mean it." Adam grated softly. He turned on his heel walking swiftly towards his room, which was situated at the opposite side of the base. Alex ignoring his friend's words followed him without hesitation.
Upon reaching his room, Adam punched in his six-digit code, and stormed into his room, throwing himself on his couch, not taking care to close the door behind him. He knew that some way or another Alex would find his own way in, he was pretty sure the jerk had his key copied for himself, so that he could let himself in whenever. Adam sighed and placed his head in his hands, waiting for his friend to start interrogating him. He had already decided that he wasn't going to answer.
Alex followed him in, glancing around the apartment. It hadn't changed since the last time he had been here. It was a plain room with no decorations, no personal belongings anywhere, blinds unopened, beer bottles still lying across the floor, not that Adam was an alcoholic. No, he could cope with all the heavy drinking.
The room was so cold and empty, it reflected Adam's personality, really, the guy didn't care about anything anymore. All of a sudden, since that girl stole into the base and they had found out who she was, the young man had been slowly drained of his normally full life.
Alex sighed; it was hard to be around a guy who was so damned depressed all the time and not feel some of that depression wear off onto you. He turned his attention to his friend who was now walking towards the kitchen. Adam emerged a few seconds later with a crate of beer in his hand. He took his seat again whilst taking long swigs out of the bottle in his hand and letting his head fall back against the settee. His eyes were struggling to stay open, signalling to Alex that his friend was very tired.
"How long has it been since you had a decent night's sleep?" Alex asked him, noticing his friend's movements, his friend decided to ignore him, taking another swig from the beer.
"Adam!" he barked after a while getting frustrated at his non-cooperating friend. Adam slowly lifted his head to meet his gaze and Alex noticed that his friend had already finished the crate, he gasped in surprise.
"What the…" when did he finish that? Alex had known his friend to be a frequent drinker, but the man knew when to stop, he knew not to get drunk, it would do nothing for his job, he wondered whether his friend knew that alcohol was actually a depressant, once the stimulating effects wore off.
Staring at his friend who was still glaring at him through slightly unfocused eyes Alex watched him suddenly rise from his seat and make his way back into the kitchen, another crate. Alex thought as his friend came back, settling into his spot. Alex knew that he wouldn't get the answers to his questions easily; when it came to personal questions Adam wasn't exactly open with his thoughts and feelings. To get his answers he would have to be manipulative.
He went over to the couch and placed himself beside Adam, watching his friend consume the alcohol at an amazingly fast rate. Should I ask him what's going on inside that damned mind of his? Alex pondered
Why the hell isn't this working fast enough? The effects of the alcohol were very slowly taking a hold of his body, numbing his mind from the intense pain burning inside it and cooling the wounds of his heart… Why the hell had he agreed to even participate in this bloody plan! Was it revenge, fuck no! It couldn't be revenge, it was love, he knew it, he had to see her again, even if it meant against her will.
Yes, love was the reason he had taken part, he wanted to hate her, hell he did, but he couldn't. When he had been in the halls of the Peacecraft mansion, he had turned that love into a furious hate… Why? He didn't even know. God, why was he so pathetic? He couldn't even keep his own emotions under control. When it came to Lafeia, he was a whole damn book of emotions.
He grabbed another bottle from the crate at his feet, pulling off the top with his bare hands. He only vaguely took notice of the man who was sitting next to him, studying him intensely watching him down his drinks in a few gulps and slowly reach for the next whilst his mind tortured him with remembrances of the past, remembrances of her, her on the whole… she was torturing him unintentionally. Hell, he loved her so much that it was tearing him up inside.
"Adam!" she punched him lightly, not that she could hurt him of course, she was so weak, unlike himself. He was extremely strong because his dad had him out training for five hours a day, but being the Gartner's daughter, Lafeia was forbidden to do such harsh training and exercising. She was an idol, she was meant to be beautiful and show off a great sense of elegance and sophistication. Whilst he was training, she was inside learning from books, learning from her tutor and learning the appropriate etiquette for a young lady of such a high standards.
Adam laughed at her, and her face turned a dark shade of pink, the blush rising through her cheeks and making her glow even more radiantly than usual.
She regained her poise, and turned her head away from him, her legs dangling gracefully over the edge of the branch and her feet skimming against the rush of the flowing river.
Feeling annoyed at her unwillingness to play, Adam kicked his foot playfully out of the water splashing water up onto her new silk dress. Lafeia screamed, and jerked backwards causing her body to topple backwards, but Adam grabbed her quickly before she could fall.
He stared deeply into her eyes, finding himself suddenly drawn to them, unable to tear his own eyes away. A small grin danced across her beautiful lips, at last, he thoughtshe smiled, she hadn't smiled in days. Ever since she found out the tragic news about her parents, she had refrained herself from smiling, it was almost her way of mourning. But it had been months now and Adam was trying to bring her out of her grieving. He leant down slowly, taking her lips with his and kissing her hard. The world around them seemed to halt, time seemed to slow, and their surroundings disappeared until it was just him and her, alone together.
Her hand gradually moved towards his head, tugging his body closer to hers, they had both completely forgotten that they where balancing on an unsteady large branch which was suspended above the river below them.
They had found this place when they were only kids, and had spent most of their time there ever since.
Pushing his body on top of hers and deepening their kiss Adam lost his balance and slipped off the branch with Lafeia who was attached to him, following after. They landed with a large splash in the river.
"Ahhhhh!" Lafeia screamed, jumping to her feet, her soaking silken powder blue dress pulling heavily at her body and hanging sloppily from her small form. Adam watched her, a large foolish grin plastered on his face, she threw him an annoyed glance that sent him into hysterics. "You find that funny Adam Roster? Do you?" She folded her arms huffily and kicked water up onto him, and noticed that her new crème pumps were missing from her feet, she groaned and folded her arms hastily, trying to trap what little warmth she had left. The cold wind blowing over her wet body made her shiver violently. Upon noticing this, Adam stopped laughing and pulled himself to his feet. He grabbed his jacket, which he had earlier swung over another branch of the tree and threw it over her shoulders, protecting her from the cold's wrath.
He glanced up at the sky, which was now turning a deep shade of indigo, it was getting late and they should be heading back now, he knew that his mother would be getting worried if she had noticed their absence in the house.
"We should be heading back now." He told her, pulling her into his embrace and out of the river. As they were walking home, she began to warm up under the strong warm grasp of his arms.
"Look at my dress! It's completely ruined!" She exclaimed to him, and hearing him laugh quietly she added, "well I'm glad you're happy!"
"I am," He stated, his voice now turning serious. "I always am, as long as I'm with you." Lafeia stopped in her tracks and turned to look up at him, noting the seriousness on his face she tried to find something to say but her words choked in her throat. He smiled down at her gently, "You know I love you, right?" he told her so quietly that the wind in the air could have carried it away, but she heard him as she nodded her head and set it firmly against his strong chest, sighing happily as she did so.
They continued to walk back to their house, or rather his house, but since she had been staying there for the past few months, she had been told to refer to it as her house too. Adam laid his chin on her head as they walked, feeling in the first time in a few days that a great weight had just been lifted off of his shoulders upon telling her the truth.
"You never told me…" He said to no one in particular, "you never told me that you loved me. You never returned the favour, ever…" his words were slurred from the alcohol. Alex leant in front of his face suddenly, making him jump in surprise.
"What didn't I tell you?" he asked. Adam shook his head slowly before leaning it back against the rest and closing his eyes, to shut everything out.
'Soul meets soul on lover's lips' -- Percy Bysshe Shelly (Yes i know quite pointless and irrelevant to this chapt, but hey, i couldn't find anything else)
Hey guys... PLEASE tell me what you think... and review.
I think i've rambled on enough for one day hehe, so i'll love ya and leave ya with an excerpt of chapter 6!
"Alright man! I'm going to see if I can dig up some information off of any of these people, you stay here, and don't drink too much." The Japanese didn't seem to be paying any attention to him although Duo knew that he had heard what he had said. He walked off slowly towards the bar, sitting himself down beside some strangers.
"Hi honey!" A young woman turned around towards him as he sat down, Duo studied her for a few minutes, she had long blonde hair curled neatly around her shoulders and she wore a dark red dress that clung to her body. She placed a hand upon his arm as he looked at her and she smiled at him as he looked down to where she had placed her hand.
"Where you checking me out?" The girl asked shamelessly. Duo turned his gaze back onto her face.
"Uh no," he replied, his eyebrows furrowed slightly as the girl pressed her legs up against his and smiled at him flirtatiously. "Look, I just wanted to know if you knew anybody who goes by the name of Adam Roster."
"Why yes I do sweetie." Alright Duo thought, the first person he asks, and bingo, they are on the trail. "Why do you wanna know?"
That's all i can give, considering the fact that i haven't even finished writing it yet lol.
Love ya'll
Allura