Avi could almost not believe what she had just said. She had come to Mr. Winner's, no, Quatre's estate with the full intention of talking him out of the marriage. Upon reading the letter his mother had written him, changed things. She had no idea that her mother, and Quatre's were so close. And the circumstances by which she met her untimely end. She frowned thoughtfully to herself. He was so strong. If her mother had died she wouldn't be able to talk about it without crying. Maybe that's why his eyes looked so sad. She looked up at him, and saw his eyes looking not ahead, but at nothing, as if he was daydreaming. He caught her looking at him, and smiled sheepishly.

"I'm sorry. I'm just not sure how to begin. But how about this, I'll tell you a little of my childhood, then you, then me, then you, and etc."

"Alright,…Quatre"

He smiled and looked ahead again.

"After I was…born, I remember growing up with my sisters as my caregivers. I was always with them, and I moved with them, and was always a part of their weddings and such. I never remember actually seeing my Father until I was eight years old." He closed his eyes softly, remembering. "It was about a week after my birthday, and my Father had come to see to some business affairs, but stopped to see me. I remember how happy I was, and he took me riding, and to an amusement park, and we did all sorts of stuff together that week. He even took me out of school twice to do stuff. It was the most fun I've ever had in my life. After that, I saw him more often. Maybe he thought that he should have more of an influence in my life since he hadn't been there much when I was a small child. Life was good for about 4 years. I went to school, I made some friends. I think for the most part I led a pretty normal life, up until…" he paused and seemed unable to continue. He glanced back at Avi. "Well, that's about it for my young life, what about you?"

Avi decided not to push him. He would tell her when he was ready. She had plenty of secrets herself that she did not care to share with anybody yet. She gently fingered the scar on the back of her hand. Yes, it would be some time, before she ever, if she ever, told about that. She thought for a moment, and then began:

"Well, after I was born, I led the pampered life of royalty. For the most part, I was given everything I wanted. I had tutors up until I was 7, and then I started going to a regular middle school." Avi sighed. Those years weren't the best. "I didn't really make friends because I was several years behind everyone else, age wise. The friends I did have, was a girl who lived close to us, and I was very close to my cousins. When I was eight, I received a horse, but I was required to care for it, and exercise it, by myself. It was hard work, but I've never done something more rewarding. It was a beautiful mare that was dark brown, except for a black forelock." Avi grinned. That horse was beautiful. "I named her Majesty, and faithfully took care of her all the time. Then…the war with OZ began, and things…happened." Avi looked back up at him. "Your turn."

Quatre talked slowly, as if it pained him to recall the memories. "As you probably already know, I was one of the five Gundam Pilots. My Gundam was named Sandrock. I loved her. She was almost a part of me you could say. We worked as one, and we were powerful." He paused, "Joining the army, and later becoming a Pilot, was however, against my Father's wishes. I didn't have any connection with him for years after the War began, and he made no attempt to find me. It was during this time that I found out why my mother had died." He looked like he was going to go on, but stopped "The rest is…complicated."

Avi put her hand over his, and looked up at him

"You don't have to tell me everything, Quatre. I understand that there are some things no one cares to discuss. Even I, during the War with OZ, still have some…secrets that not even my family know."

Quatre looked at her curiously for a moment before smiling.

"Thank you. Why don't we discuss something a bit lighter, say, favorite colors?"

Avi laughed. "Mine is green. But not regular green. I only like dark green, or blue green."

"Ok, dark green-or-blue green. He grinned. My favorite color is brown or blue."

Avi wrinkled her nose "That's two colors, not one."

"You look like a rabbit when you do that."

"Do what?"

"Wrinkle your nose like that."

Avi looked at him, "What in the world are you talking about?"

"See! Your doing it right now. You wrinkle your nose up, and scrunch your eyebrows together. It makes you look like a bunny."

"Does not!"

"Yes it does." Quatre poked her in the nose, "Don't worry, it makes you look adorable."

Avi blushed red, and decided that he looked adorable too, or maybe even more than that.

Quatre was loving everything about her. the way she laughed, the way she grinned, and the way she frowned in thought. He loved the way she blushed, and the way she scrunched her nose when she was trying to figure something out. He had the intense urge to make her do it again. He looked at he out of the corner of his eye. She was absolutely fascinating, and he had only known her for barely and hour. He thought about what he had told her about his child hood. He winced slightly at the thought of telling her more about what happened in the war with OZ. About how his Father had really died. Would she think him a murderer? Quatre frowned. He would cross that bridge when he came to it, but he knew he would eventually tell her, he had too. He let his gaze drift to her hand where the scar was. He was surprised she did not tell him about that. The way it was formed and how pronounced it was, made it obvious that it had been a deep, deep, cut, and probably immensely painful too. She was most likely hiding things from him, a he was from her. she had even said so. But surely nothing could be as bad as the things he had done could they?

As they walked and talked, Quatre discovered how many pets she had had. Two cats, a horse, one bird, two dogs, a mouse, five fish, and at one point, even a snake. She liked cats the best, however, and hadn't had one in several years. Quatre decided he would get one for her as soon as possible. Wait, what was he doing? He had just met the girl and he wanted to buy her things. Maybe he was going to fast. He should slow things down. He nodded to himself. Yes, he needed to take things one at a time. He also found out more about her family. What kinds of food her brothers liked to eat, how many languages her mother knew, who her father was in the British government, and what roles he played. When she talked, she was animated, and her eyes lit up when she talked about things she liked, or was excited about. Her hands often moved with what she was saying, and she laughed often. Quatre watched her closely and picked up little odd habits that she seemed unaware of. When he spoke, she looked like she was paying utmost attention, and he was sure if asked, she could repeat every word of what he had just said. Also, when she wasn't talking or laughing, her eyes darted here and there in and odd way, as if she was looking for someone. She told him much about the years before and after the war with OZ, but whenever Quatre mentioned anything to do with it, she would steer the conversation in another direction. She appeared to be extremely uncomfortable with the subject as a whole, and all she would say about it was, 'It was a very hard time. Extremely sorrowful.' Quatre was determined to make her comfortable enough around him, so that she would tell him what had happened to her. he had a sneaking feeling that it had to do with the scar on the back of her hand. He would tell her what had happened to him during the war too; but only after they had known each other a little while longer. Quatre and Avi walked outside for a time in silence. Until they came to a large white rosebush that graced the backyard. Quatre caught Avi gazing at the beautiful blossoms on the bush, and reached up and picked the largest one for her. Her eyes lit up again. He loved it when they did, and she tucked the bloom behind her ear in her hair. They met back up with her brothers and parents in the back, and he led all of them back to the house for dinner. They were joined at the large table by fourteen of Quatre's twenty-nine sisters, who kept dinner lively and animated for the entire duration. Afterwards, he allowed his sisters to lead Avi and her mother away to have 'girl time' while he talked with her father and brothers. Quatre sized them up, and was not surprised to see them doing the same to him.

"If I have not already thanked you for being such a gracious host, I do so now, Quatre. The food is excellent, and the grounds here are well-kept and prosperous."

"I'm happy that you are pleased with them. My father always took especially good care of this estate, and I'm glad that it continues to hold up to people's high expectations."

One of Avi's brothers, named Donny, looked across the table and agreed quietly. "I've always considered that the way a man cares for his other duties, reflects how he acts in other…prospects of his life."

Quatre took and understood the not-so-subtle hint. The second brother Marcel also spoke.

"We were so impressed with the estate, that we are no sure that you care greatly for it and other things," he eyed Quatre, "We would hate to later find out that our assumptions have been incorrect."

Another not-so-subtle hint, with a measure of intimidation and threat. Quatre was glad that they cared for their sister, but they would have to try harder than that to scare him. He had been through so much, that he wasn't easily alarmed anymore. Her father spoke:

"Indeed. I hate to be disappointed." He leaned in slightly, "Hate. To be disappointed."

Quatre met his gaze without blinking.

"You have my word, gentlemen, that I never disappoint." He looked at all three of them in turn. "All areas of my life, are as well-cared for as my estate. I promise you that."

Although not many words had been spoken, volumes had been exchanged. The three men visibly looked satisfied and relieved, and Quatre was confident that he had just passed what ever test had been imposed on him. He mused to himself about how Avi was doing, with his sisters' little tests.

"Quatre is most certainly the most gallant young man I've ever met."

Avi leaned across the pillow she was gripping to meet the eyes of one if his sisters, named Tallis directly. Tallis also leaned nearer to Avi,

"I'm pleased you think so, Avarona, but do not think you have to say only good things about our dear brother, just because we are his sisters, we know he has his flaws like all men do."

Avi was being tested, and she knew it, and she did not like it. She met Tallis' gaze without wavering even slightly.

"Oh, but I have only just met your brother, and although we have several lengthy conversations thus far, I cannot see anything that one would consider to be a flaw."

Tallis paused for a second. Avi smirked to herself. She would not be bested in one of these little reverse psychology tests, or in a guilt-trip test, or any stupid test. She knew very well that his sisters were scoping her out to be sure that she was the real deal, and was not going to be insufficient for Quatre. Fine. She would pass any little test they had for her. During the war, she had more than learned how to take care of herself in any given situation, and she had become a master at wording and self-presentation. Another girl, named Belita, spoke this time.

"Tell me then, Avi, what do you see?"

"A strong man. Physically, emotionally, and mentally."

"From only several conversations?"

"He is extremely open about many things, and I'm glad he can trust me with his experiences."

"The bad ones included?"

"We all fall upon hard times, but that is one of the best times to determine a person's character, is it not?"

Another girl, Janelle, jumped in.

"So tell us, Avarona dear, what hard times have fallen upon you?"

"Faith, but the war was hard on everyone."

"True. And what was your plight amongst the myriad of others?"

Uh-oh. Avi's mind clicked furiously to come up with a suitable answer to exactly what she had done during the war. No one in the room, her mother included, knew the full story. Only two other people in the world knew it, and one of them, was dead. Her mother must have sensed her unwillingness to talk about it, because she came to the rescue immediately.

"Sadly, our family was separated for the entirety of the war, and we were not reunited till almost a year after Marie Maia's vicious campaign."

Several of their eyes narrowed slightly, but they did not pursue the question, and instead began to needle Avi from another direction. A woman named Ruth, who held a baby in her arms, and sat in and armchair with a regal, yet motherly sort of air asked calmly,

"Such a pity. A mother's love knows no bounds, however. And having children is one of the greater joys in life."

This comment, although seemingly spoken to her mother, was directed solely at her, and she knew it. She had an equally calm retort however.

"Alas, I know not that particular blessing, as I am still a virgin."

All of Quatre's sisters visibly looked relieved and glad at the same time, and Avi knew at once that she was finally gaining the upper hand, and that the test was nearing its end. Several of the girls began firing random statements, (which were in reality, questions) at her to find a weak spot they were certain wasn't there. She answered all of them confidently.

"Yet with most marriages come children."

"Yes, I hope to be so blessed."

"But all marriages require work, to be sure."

"I embrace work with vitality."

"You seem sure of yourself."

"It is better than being unsure."

"But it is never good to over-estimate."

"Nor under-estimate."

"Our dear Quatre is confident going into this marriage."

"As am I."

"Well, it is a pleasure to have you here."

"Oh, believe me, the pleasure is all mine."

At once, several of the girls stood and embraced her. Avi smiled, knowing that she had passed the test with flying colors, but know her brain was exhausted, as well as her mouth, and she needed to retire. She politely excused herself, and exited the room. Crossing the corridor, she passed a study, where she spotted Quatre's silhouetted form against the dusky sky. She softly entered, and watched him for a moment. He truly was handsome, and with the dark edges of night framing his sturdy body, he looked positively irresistible. She was so taken with him, that she forgot to check her breathing, and let out a small sigh. He turned around abruptly, and stood facing her with a question on his face.

"I didn't mean to intrude, I just…saw you in here, and wanted to say goodnight before I retire for the evening."

He relaxed, and it was then that Avi noticed he had clenched his fists, ready to fight when she had startled him. He deftly gestured to a couch off to the side, and Avi went to it and softly sat. He sat beside her, but not extremely closely, but close enough so that Avi could feel heat positively radiate off him. His voice was low and deep.

"I think I've passed your brothers' and father's test after dinner tonight."

"I equally found your sisters to be just as charming."

He pulled his hand through his hair, messing it up more than straightening it. It flopped in front of his eyes, giving him a mischievous and innocent look at the same time. He groaned low in his throat.

"I hope they didn't gang up on you."

"Not at all. I actually found the banter quite refreshing in comparison to the silent battling I usually experience at home."

"Well, you definitely better get used to it, as they won't likely leave you alone for the whole time you are going to be here."

"They care for you greatly."

"Maybe too much at times."

Avi grinned. "At least they remain on a purely verbal level. My brothers have often had frank discussions of opinions in a physical manner."

"What have they done?"

"Well, once, at school, one of them caught me fighting with a classmate for calling my friend a rude name, and without asking any questions, Marcel picked me up, and carried me kicking and screaming back home, where he literally tossed me into my room, and locked the door."

"Good grief!"

"Oh, I deserved it a great deal. He wasn't mean at all, in fact, and later when he let me out, told me that he had gone to the principal of the school, and that the other kid had gotten into trouble. But that was only after he had scolded me for using my fists instead of my mouth to sort out problems. Since then, I've become pretty adept at persuasion and manipulation by using my tongue, although I am by no means proud of it."

"We aren't all proud of the…talents we may posses."

Avi looked up at him, "That is true, even though it may well serve to save our lives."

He had caught the subtle hint, and she could tell by the look on his face. It was true that her mouth had saved her life on more than one occasion, and although she was happy for it, she was also sometimes very disappointed in herself by getting a job done at other people's expense. She rose, and smiled softly at Quatre.

"Good night."

She turned to leave, but he caught her hand, and softly brought it to his lips.

"Sweet dreams."

As she left the room, she knew that after that gentle kiss bestowed on her hand, her dreams would be altogether too sweet.