Sorry, this is a little longer than the others, but it gets where you want it to be. (no, i still don't own)

He smiled, not a laughing smile, or a playing one, he just smiled and for that moment, all of Murrue's troubles seemed to melt away with it. She took a deep breath, slowing down her heart. Her face bore a new, glittering determination.

"I—"

"No."

"What?" Murrue cocked her head. Mu was making no sense, why did he just tell her 'no'? Everybody behind him was wondering the same thing, it was so still, and it was amazing, believing how rowdy it was before. She opened her mouth to question his grin again, but he covered it with his fingers.

"Things like this take time. Don't go rushing into it. You've got all the time in the world, spend at least a little of it while you can." Mu left her dumbstruck, still holding the ring as he picked up his jacket. "We're out of coffee, and I forgot to tell you. I'll get it now," he spoke, almost randomly to the air as he stepped out the door. Leaving the people behind, gaping and speechless.

Kira's eyes narrowed before he came dashing out the door as well.

"Mu!" The man paused in his drive. Kira was shouting but using every restraint not to hit him. "How could you do that? To her?" Mu kept his back turned.

"You wouldn't understand, Kid."

"Mu! You can't—"

"Kira!" He spun around all ready to get his point across, yet he faltered. The anger slowly shifted out of his face. Mu's blue eyes shimmered slightly under the boy's taken-aback but hot gaze. ". . . happy birthday." Kira watched him slowly walk away, light blue jacket causally tossed over one shoulder. He was laughing. Kira's fist slowly clenched as Mu walked out of sight.

"Kira?"

"Huh?" He turned to see Cagalli, reaching out for him, amber eyes strained. "Oh, how is she?" Kira asked quietly; his sister turned away showing Athrun and Lacus making their way outside, everyone else in the door.

"We don't know. She ran into the bedroom and locked the door. We can't get close."

"You're surprised?"

"Well," her brow furrowed, knumb-ing though her words, "it looks like it was her bedroom . . ." Athrun pushed passed Cagalli, his anger almost offsetting her discomfort.

"How could that man do this?" He shouted; Kira could only weakly smile.

"You don't get it . . . ? He wants her decision based on love and not in the heat of the moment."

"What, so, he humiliates her in front of a room full of friends, leaves her to herself and walks off laughing! Kira?" Kira looked back the way Mu had left, his voice quiet and still.

"He wasn't laughing." Athrun stepped back, swallowing his words; Cagalli gasping slightly. Lacus's often bright blue eyes turned troubled as she cradled Haro in her hands.

"Oh, yes, how very sad . . ."

Murrue had somehow made her way out of the room, numbly making her way around the darkening kitchen. She couldn't remember what she'd been doing for all that time, but it left her feeling weak and helpless. The entire house was empty and the sun was down, but she didn't bother turning on any lights. Mu wasn't home yet and everybody had left, but they had taken the time to clean up, saving her a hassle.

She walked along until her foot painfully caught a small step. She came crashing down, hard on the polished wood floor.

'. . . Watch your step, Silly . . .' He'd told her so many times and Mu's laughing face echoed in her head. Her suddenly frail hands clasped tighter around their own trace of a memory. One held the necklace she'd salvaged from the dresser, the coffin and rose, her painful past, and the other gripped the smooth velvet ring box, a promising future. But which to choose?

The future of course, her mind told her, like it was obvious. Her hand clung tighter to the necklace. But back then had a beautiful guarantee as well, and then it was all ripped away. Such is the fate of a soldier for Mu still was one, as was she.

And she cried.

She cried bitter tears as she pushed herself far enough from the floor to lean against the wall. She almost could see Mu sitting quietly on the couch across the room, not moving at her sobs.

'. . . A girl cries in front of you and you do nothing? What type of man are you?'

'What, you want me to cradle her in my arms, hold her close and tell her that everything's going to be alright when I have no clue if it is? What kind of 'comfort' can cheap lies like that bring?'

'Wha—?'

'Besides, I'm not so good in sticky situations . . .'

The tears stung her face, running over both the boxes in her hands. Somehow he was with her when she was alone, helping her when there was no way.

'. . . Didn't you know? I'm the guy who can make the impossible, possible . . .'

There, curled on the floor of the hallway, Murrue somehow cried herself to sleep.

Sunlight dashed over her eyes as they slowly opened, welcoming the new day. Except, the day they met wasn't in the kitchen, she was in the bedroom. She slowly breathed in the unique scent of the room as she curled into the covers. Soon the smell of something good, she didn't know quite what, wafted into the room and curiosity overcame her drowsiness as Murrue pushed her way into the kitchen. Mu was standing over the counter immersed in both his coffee and his paper. He looked up as the door closed behind her. His face held surprise, then loving relief, and he smiled.

"Good Morning. Coffee?" He held out a mug towards her, and she daintily grabbed onto it. She looked down at the food set on the table as she sat down.

"You cooked?"

"Huh?" Mu looked up. "Oh, hell no. Just some food from that friend of yours. It's actually kinda good," he laughed. "But, know what I realized? You swatted me away from those appetizing snacks yesterday and told me to wait for the party . . . and I never got one." This time he broke out in laughter. Murrue stood up again, leaving her untouched coffee behind on the table. She could not believe how casual he was.

He had proposed yesterday and was waiting for an answer; how could he act like nothing's changed between them? Everything's changed.

"Oh, so I owe you her cooking now?" Murrue made her way over to him, trying to match his relaxed feel by cracking some semblance of a joke.

"Yes," Mu turned to her, "That and another thing . . ."

He pulled her closer and kissed her. It was a deep, hungry kiss, one filled withwanted passion, yet, somehow, it was soft and gentle, giving her a path to move away. The fact that she wouldn't, or couldn't, had kept her there, draining in his arms. The more they kissed, the more he found himself, pushing her closer and the more she found she was letting him.

Mu slowly broke off, almost surprised she didn't, but when their lips came apart, Murrue leaned into him with a sigh. For once, he was startled and unsure of what to do as all he could do was stand there, patting down her hair with his hand.

"Murrue, I—"

"I'm sorry . . ."

"What? Why are you—" This time, he was interrupted by a small gasp that escaped her lips. Because she had been too confused about what he was doing, she never took notice of what he was wearing. She had just become aware of that, not only was he fully dressed, but fully dressed in an Orb uniform. The only thing he wasn't wearing was the jacket.

Suddenly, all she could see before her was a soldier.

"W-what?"

"Oh, yeah," Mu replied, laugh trying to creep into his voice but he forced it down as his hand ran through his hair. "They called me in for some tactical guidance, but they don't allow civilians through the gate. I have to wear this to be inside . . ." He looked down into her dawning eyes, hand resting on her arm tightening slightly. "But if you want me here, there's always another day . . . another person . . ."

"No, go. If they asked you, it must be important." He smiled and leaned to give her a fleeting kiss. When he spoke again, his voice was low and his eyes were dancing.

"What if I don't want to go?"

"I'll make you," she whispered back as she kissed him. Murrue glanced at the clock beside them. "What time do you have to be there?" His face screwed up as he looked at it.

"Ten minutes ago, why?" he muttered kissing her again, hands holding her closer. She playfully pushed him away.

"Don't make me stop you!"

"What if I want you to?"

"Get out, Mu," Murrue laughed, pushing him towards the staircase. He gave her one more kiss on the stairs before he started reluctantly walking away.

"See you later, Murrue." Somehow, the way his voice picked up, it sounded more like a question than a closing. She watched his hand close tighter around his soldier's cap.

"Yes, see you tonight, Mu." Her heart skipped a beat when his face lit up.

"Till then." He walked out, cap on head, day somehow seeming even brighter.

Murrue smiled and gave him a wave he didn't get a chance to see because the door had closed, and she liked it that way.

One glance down at her clothes, though, sent her spiraling. She was still in the dress from yesterday. Mu had moved her into the bed the night before and respected her feelings, like he always did somehow.

She was angry, he'd bug her always just enough.

She was upset, he'd kiss her, but always left an escape route.

Always.

Murrue made her way into the bedroom they shared to change. Her eyes darted to the dresser and among the photographs and memories sat the tiny black box. The ring was there, but her necklace? Her eyes scanned the room, landing on the bedside table across the way. He'd put it there.

Just like always.

She moved over to the coffin pendant and cradled it slowly in her fingers. Murrue's amber eyes stared at the box on the dresser.

Murrue went off on a short shopping trip for the day: a new dress and nightgown for her and a new shirt for him. He'd been complaining. She got home no less than a minute after Mu did, but he was already changed out of his uniform. He ran up to her, tentatively waiting until she smiled and gave him a kiss on the cheek.

"I've got some clothes for you," she announced, holding up the bag.

"Did you now . . ." He sent her another roguish grin which she replied with a playful push.

They sat talking over dinner, about anything it seems and the time flew by for both of them, lost in each other.

Murrue knew that the proposal still hung thickly for both of them, lumps in their throats that no amount of water could wash away. She could see n his deep blue eyes that he wanted to ask her about it desperately, that his life was hanging on a thread with no answer to it, but he didn't ask. He knew she needed time. And that care . . .

Mu yawned and stretched in his chair.

"I don't know about you, but I am beat!" He yawned again. "I'm going off to bed, you coming?"

"I-I'll be in soon," Murrue waved him away.

"Okay," Mu stifled another one, "See you in the Morning. Good Night."

"Good Night . . ." Murrue stayed put in the dark kitchen, going over a lot of things in her mind that she didn't know if she could handle, but when the heaviness of sleep began to overtake her as well, she emptied her glass of water and sneaked into the bedroom.

Mu was curled up in the bed, sleeping silently, but off to one side, leaving space for Murrue on the mattress.

She smiled, remembering what it was like when she just moved in. Mu'd taken to sleeping on the couch, but Murrue forced him to let her sleep there and him take his bed back. They'd decided to buy her a bed too and fit it somewhere, except the bed never came because after a while, they didn't need it.

Murrue glanced at Mu again; when he was asleep he looked so innocent and so cute. She slowly and quietly changed into the white bed-robe she bought earlier that day. Mu really had been tired, she didn't want to wake him up.

Her eyes passed over the untouched box on the dresser and then onto her necklace on the table. She swiped them both off the wood, clenched them in her hand and shoved both the necklace and ring into the closest drawer, slamming it shut.

Mu stirred; Murrue fell in on herself. She tip-toed over to the bed, grazed his face with a kiss and snuggled herself in next to him. She quickly fell asleep.

Morning came again and Murrue woke up in the bed, alone. She sat up in her fear.

Mu! It quickly melted away when she started hearing him moving around outside the door. She breathed a slow sigh of relief.

Mu was moving his way around the kitchen, fervently cleaning yesterday's dinner away. Both of them had forgotten. He was also brewing himself some coffee, some for Murrue as well, when she woke up that is . . .

As if listening to his thoughts, Murrue chose that moment to step lightly out of the bedroom, draped in a flattering white nightgown. She walked slowly towards him, cheeks slightly rosy, hair, amazingly tousled.

Mu cocked his head until his eyes met with what she held out to him in her hand.

The tiny black box.

"Ask me again?"

"Huh?" Murrue, picked up one of his thick, numb hands and placed it in his palm.

"I—I have an answer . . . Can you ask me again?" Mu was stunned, shaking.

An answer . . . a real answer. He looked towards Murrue, her flat face not telling him anything, making his heart beat even more.

"Okay," Mu fumbled, bringing the ring box higher as he started to kneel down lower onto the cool wooden floor. "Murrue . . ."

He went to open the small package.

"Will you," he swallowed down his dawning fear.

"Marry m—huh!" His eyes opened in shock and surprise when he saw what was inside the open box.

Nothing.

It was empty.