Disclaimer: Gundam Wing is © to Bandai, Sunrise, and Sotsu Agency. All original characters mentioned within this story--with the exception of Mea, Quatrina, and Kailai--belong to them. This fiction piece is made solely for my own entertainment purposes, as well as for the entertainment of others. I'm not making any money or profit out of this. All rights are reserved. Comments, questions, and constructive criticisms are welcome and can be directed to me at mishee926(at)gmail(dot)com.

Author's Note: I've been lately going through my stories posted on FFnet and "cleaning" them up, so to speak. This story was written either sophomore or junior year of high school (1999-2000), at the height of the Gundam Wing fandom after its debut on Cartoon Network. Unfortunately (or fortunately, as I sometimes think), it was never finished, and I doubt it ever will be. I have now reposted the original version here, more for sentimental reasons than for show. I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it.

Background: This fic takes place about 21 years after the OAV Endless Waltz. Quatre has married to the young doctor, Mea Somers, and the two have children together: twins named Quatrina and Kilai. However, Quatre later dies in the battlefield about seven years after his marriage to Mea. And now, seven years after his death, war again has started again between the Earth and colonies. At this point of time, Quatrina and Kilai are fourteen years old.

This fiction is rated PG for some violent language and mature themes. You have been warned. Please read at your own discretion.

A Continued Dream: Quatrina's Story
Written by: Mishee

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Chapter I
An Unlearned Lesson

AC 216. It was the last day of summer, yet the heat over Earth was stifling. All day, there seemed to hang a silence, a deathly silence, over the city. People milled about the streets slowly, as if in some clouded daze that they couldn't seem to get out of. An automobile or two would linger slowly around the streets before finally driving slowly away. Even the trees, that had once laden heavy with fruit, now hung emptily, their branches bare and hung low, as if the heat burdened them more than they could carry. Their leaves had already begun to show the slightest color change of brownish-red, a color that was only seen during the autumn.

It was only yesterday that the declaration had been made; the declaration of war. The people crowded around town squares, the windows of television shops, and even their own TVs, unable to comprehend, unable to see through their shock. And in a mansion just located outside the city limits, a woman shook her head sadly, her voice and spirit silent. Her two children stared at her with their blue-green eyes.

"They'll never learn," was all she murmured in a soft voice. Then, she left, still shaking her head.

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It was late evening when she slipped out, a mere shadow in the already growing darkness. She closed the front door softly behind her, then looked side to side self-consciously, clutching to her chest a single white crocus. Over the horizon, the sun was slowly setting, the last golden orange rays fading slowly against the dark void of night. Already, the light of the North Star blinked lazily at the distance.

The girl glanced briefly at the star, then quickly ran off into the distance, into the city. Her padded feet clicked noiselessly against the pavement as she quickly made her way toward a place that only she seemed to know. The street was nearly empty and the houses were quiet. No cars drove on the lonely streets. The girl then stopped running suddenly, her breath coming out in tiny gasps that she fought to control. After she had somewhat rested, she then took a much slower pace. After turning numerous corners and side streets, she finally stopped before a tall, Victorian black gate.

She hesitated, then looked up at the gate, her blue-green eyes narrowing slightly. Then, with a small grunt, she pushed the iron gate open and entered. She suddenly found herself surrounded by dozens and dozens of beautiful, marble slabs of stone. She paused again, her eyes uncertain. Taking a deep breath, she took a step forward, then another step. Soon, she found herself walking amidst the great stone slabs, immersing herself in the stories of long ago, of hidden meanings…and forgotten pasts.

She finally paused in front of one marble slab. Her eyes read over the message and, hesitatingly, she reached out to touch the stone. It felt cold. She blinked, licked her lips, then traced with her fingers the ornately carved lines and flowers that bordered the stone nicely. She smiled then, faintly to herself, and knelt in front of it.

"Father…" she half-whispered, half murmured to herself. She took the white crocus she had been grasping to her chest and looked down at it. She gently touched the white petals and stem before finally placing them in front of the stone. She smiled again, weakly this time.

"Papa…do you remember me?" She looked at the stone again, her eyes searching. "I'm your daughter, Quatrina. I…I've come to visit." She blushed then. It seemed lame, talking to a stone. But she had always enjoyed it, had always felt relaxed just talking to him. She looked down at her hands.

"It's been almost two years since I've been here last," she finally said in her soft voice. "But…I can still remember you." She paused again, searching for words that would not come to her.

"We loved you, papa…I loved you. We were all so proud of you, that day. That day when you…you…" She suddenly blinked, her eyes suddenly filling with tears. Surprised at her emotion, she stopped talking.

"I…" her eyes took on a distant look. "I…miss you, papa…Why did you leave us? Why did you leave so soon?" She wiped her eyes. "Mama misses you, too. We all do." She rested her hands on her knees and twirled the crocus between her fingers slowly, her eyes sad.

"So much has changed now, papa. We're at war again. Mama…Mama says that we'll never learn…" She let her voice drift and she stared at the sunset, unmoving. "She's right. Papa, sometimes I wonder why there must be wars, why wars must cause so much damage even if it is bringing some good. How can such a bad thing be good for us, papa? Why must we hurt again?" She paused for the third time. A chilling wind blew by her, making her shiver slightly. Her shoulder-length dark hair grew mussed from it, the wavy locks falling over her face and her shoulders. She pushed a strand away and tucked it behind her ear.

"We've all changed," she said again softly. "Even Kilai. He seems so…different now. He wants to fight, Papa…but he wants to fight only because he's angry. He's so angry these days, Papa. I wish I knew why. I wish I could help him. I…I…" she looked up at the sky, her eyes searching.

"I wish I could fight, Papa. I want to keep people from getting hurt anymore. I want to stop this war. There's no sense in it. Nobody ever wins in a war, we're all always losers." Her eyes grew bright with new tears. "I don't want anyone to hurt anymore, Papa. I don't want Mama to hurt. She's been hurt ever since you left us. She's always tried to hide it, but I can see it in her eyes. I…I just want to do something to stop it, to stop the pain and the suffering. To stop the sorrow. Oh, Papa…"

She buried her face in her hands and allowed the tears to fall silently in small rivers down her cheeks. She stayed in that position for what seemed like hours, just weeping beside the great cold stone. Then, suddenly, she felt a gentle hand on her shoulder.

"Don't cry, little one," the voice said softly. Quatrina gasped and whirled around. She looked up and saw—

"Uncle…Trowa?" she blinked up at him and he smiled gently at her, nodding.

"Yes, it's me…Why are you here alone when it's so dark?" He looked at her closely, his dark eyes searching. She looked back at him evenly, but didn't say a word. Trowa cocked his head at her and smiled again.

"Tears don't suit you, Quatrina," he murmured as he took a handkerchief and dried her face. "There." He backed away a few centimeters, surveying her sad face. "Now…where's that beautiful smile of yours?"

His remark hit home and Quatrina gave him the smile he wanted. Trowa smiled back. "Now, let's take you home. Your mother must be worried sick. You shouldn't be wandering around here, especially at a time like this."

"Mama doesn't know I'm here," she whispered. Trowa glanced at her shortly, but didn't stop his pace.

"Well…even then, it's dangerous for you."

Quatrina turned her face up to look at her uncle. After the death of her father, he had been the closest thing to a dad that she could have ever wished to have. She loved both him and his sister, Aunt Catherine. However, Catherine's death three years ago had taken its toll on him. After her death, he seemed to live in the shadows and never seemed to spend anymore time with her or Kilai. It was as if her death had distanced them. It was for this reason that Quatrina was so surprised to see him after months of seclusion.

"But I like talking to him," she whispered more to herself than him. Trowa stared at his niece and said nothing.

By the time they reached the mansion, the moon had already risen high above the treetops. Quatrina could feel the moonlight on her face.

Everyone's sleeping," Trowa said softly. Quatrina nodded, then showed him to her window, which was about two stories high from the ground.

"How will you get up there?" Trowa asked her. Quatrina pointed to the vine ladder that led all the way up to the open windowsill. She had told Kilai to always leave it open whenever she went out, and he had abided with her promise.

Quatrina was just about to begin the climb when she paused and turned to look again at her uncle. The two stared at each other for a few minutes, then Quatrina asked in a soft voice:

"Will you tell Mama?"

Trowa's eyes rested on her blue-green ones. He saw something in her eyes that made him turn away slightly. He shook his head.

"No."

The two stared at each other again. Then, Quatrina went over to him and wrapped her arms around his thin waist.

"Uncle Trowa…Thank you for bringing me home. I missed you."

Trowa looked down at her as she embraced him and smiled sadly, his brown eyes growing distant and moist with tears.

"I missed you, too," he whispered. He pulled away gently and tipped her chin up.

"Where's that smile?"

Quatrina obliged him again. He gave an approving nod.

"Stay that way, little one. Okay? Promise me."

She nodded.

"Give your mother and Kilai my regards."

She nodded again. He smiled weakly at her.

"Goodnight. Be careful climbing up. I'll see you again."

Quatrina nodded for the third time and started climbing. She paused halfway up and looked down. She saw her uncle still looking up at her from below. He gestured for her to continue and she resumed her climbing. Finally, after she reached the window, she looked down again, searching for his familiar figure. But he had gone, lost in the dark void of the night.

Additional Note: More chapters will be added as soon as I finish "cleaning" them up. Thank you for reading!