Avi backed away from Quatre, and looked at the white rose bush in the lawn that had long since stopped flowering. She took a deep breath and began her tale.

"When the war started, my family and I were transported to a safer part of the country. Because I'm the daughter of a wealthy, influential family, I was given a day and night staff of body guards. I quickly became tired of being constantly protected, so one night, I convinced my maid to come with me into the city, to hang around without the constant reminder that I wasn't like other kids my age. It was that fateful night that we were kidnapped by OZ agents, and taken away to a colony in space. Zechs had planned my capture, and was planning to use me as a pawn to get to my father's cast resources. We were held in a maximum security building, but by chance, as someone came to deliver us our food, I managed to snatch his gun and knock him unconscious. I had my maid put on his clothes, and walk outside to lure the guards away, so that I could find a way for both of us to escape." Avi turned away "In reality, I knew that the guards would find out the truth quickly, and she would be killed, but I hoped that would buy me enough time to escape. I ran out of the compound, and just as I turned onto a street, I heard shots fired. I had willfully sent my maid to her death. It's a choice that haunts me to this day."

Avi closed her eyes. She did not want to see Quatre's reaction to all she was telling him. "I cut my hair, changed my clothes, got a fake I.D., and joined OZ's army. I quickly advanced among the ranks. I had only one goal in mind: to get revenge on Zechs. About a year into the war, I was made a secret agent, and against my will, sent to earth. I was upset at first, because I thought I would never be able to get to Zechs, but then I was presented with a most intriguing idea. I approached a general, and offered my knowledge of Zech's army and tactics. I was greeted with open arms. I began to lead a double life. I was a double agent. I lied straight to the face of hundreds of commanding officers, and manipulated the outcomes of several important decisions. But all of this was done with one purpose. To hurt OZ in any way, shape or form. I was not above suspicion, however. Kushrenada, especially suspected me of being dirty, but he was never able to get anything for sure. Even the armies that I was helping did not fully trust me. So for 2 years, I was very much alone in the world. Then, one night, I did some digging at an OZ laboratory, and found copies for the plans of the Mobile Dolls. I was trying to sneak them out, when I came upon Kushrenada. He had been tracking my movements for months, trying to get me when I slipped up. Usually I was very clean with a job, and never left behind any indication that I had been there. But that night I happened to get sloppy, and Kushrenada was waiting for me. I managed to escape, but I was on the run for about 3 days without anything. On the fourth day, he found me, and came at me with everything he had. At the top of a cliff off the coast of Greenland, he questioned me about my movements. When I refused to answer, he cut my hand with knife, to mark me, in case I survived, shot me through the shoulder, and pushed me off." Avi stopped, and gently pulled her sleeve a little lower to reveal an ugly, matted scar below her collarbone. She took a deep breath to steady herself, and continued. "The bullet lodged in my shoulder in such a way, that it stopped most of the blood flow by itself, and when I hit the water, I went feet first, so that I only broke one of my legs. I was extremely weak, and thought I was going to die, but I managed to catch hold of a rock near shore. I waited out low tide, and as high tide came in, I swam with the waves up onto the beach. I dragged my body out of reach from the water, and passed out."

Trowa stepped forward. "That was how I found her." Trowa looked at Avi solemnly. "I found a battered, broken girl on the shore, whom I brought the home. I was able to get the bullet out, and splint her leg, but I had no idea of she was going to survive. Her hair had grown since she cut it, but she was still unidentifiable as the daughter of the Count back in England. She had fevers for eight days, before they broke, and she began to get better. When she was able to speak, she gave her name as Tracy Buck. When asked about the wounds she had sustained, she claimed amnesia, and would say no more. Two days after she woke up, she disappeared. I saw no more of her, until Mariemeia's campaign."

Avi looked at Quatre, but he wasn't looking at her, and his expression was blank. She spoke again. "When I left Trowa, I traveled to moon colony L13, where I finished healing, and joined the police force. When the war ended, I went back to earth, hoping to reunite with my family. Unfortunately, Mariemeia also came to earth. When I heard her plan, I offered my services to her ranks, in the hopes that I could somehow thwart her insane plan. But instead of being able to remain in the shadows, I was made one of the guards for Relena Peacecraft. Unable to do any work this way, I resigned myself to trying to find someway to help her escape. The only thing I could think of was to leave the access codes for her room somewhere out in the open, so someone might find them. As it turns out, they were found by Heero Yuy." Avi twisted her fingers nervously, "The rest, I'm sure you know. Mariemeia was foiled, and everything returned to normal. I was able to find my family, and-"

"Did you feed them the same P.O.S. story you fed me?"

Avi could feel the bottom of her world fall out from under her.

"Quat, please…" she went to him and put her hand on his shoulder, but he shrugged it off and turned on her.

"I trusted you with my story! Do you have any idea how hard it was to tell you? How could you lie to me like that?"

Avi choked on a sob in her throat. "Please…"

"No."

Quatre turned away. Avi flung off her coat, and picking up her skirts ran away into the snow sobbing.