"So where is it you're going?" asked Kira, as he helped load up Mwu's car with the suitcases.

"A buddy of mine at the academy said we could stay at his cabin in the mountains for a few days. It sounds perfect, as there's almost nothing else up there." replied the blonde pilot, checking his car had enough petrol in it.

"So it'll be just you and Murrue-san, then?"

"Yeah". Mwu grinned boyishly. "Just the two of us. You don't mind taking care of her for a few days, do you?"

Kira shook his head. "It'll be great to have Stellar stay with us. Lacus is already making plans for what we can do while she's here. What will you and Murrue-san do while you're there?"

Mwu just looked at Kira and raised his eyebrows. "It's our fifth wedding anniversary, and we'll be completely alone together. What do you think?" Kira didn't answer, just flushed and looked away.

"Mama, do you really have to go? Can't I come too?" Stellar was doing her best to be grown-up, but she hadn't been away from her parents for more than a few hours, and the thought of them being gone for three days gave her a big lump in her throat.

Murrue knelt down and wrapped her four-year-old daughter in her arms. "I'm sorry, honey. But we won't be gone long, and we'll call every day. And next time we go away, we'll take you with us, I promise."

"Really?"

"Cross my heart. But you have to be a good girl for Auntie Lacus and Uncle Kira, okay? Then, when Papa and I get back, maybe we can go out for ice cream?"

Stellar hugged her mother tightly, feeling a bit better. "Okay, Mama.."

Mwu turned from where he and Kira had finished loading the luggage. "Murrue, are you ready?"

The auburn-haired woman picked up her daughter in her arms and carried her over to where Mwu waited.

"Here, say goodbye to Papa.."

The little girl smiled, but then tears began to brim in her blue eyes at the thought that her parents were really going.

"Bye..Papa..." Then Stellar burst into tears and hugged Murrue as tightly as she could. "Please don't go! I..."

The rest of her sentence was lost in sobs.

Murrue felt like crying too. She and Mwu had wanted to take Stellar, but there was nowhere for her to sleep, and nothing for her to do while she was there. They knew she would be much happier staying with Kira and Lacus..but it still hurt.

Mwu lifted the girl out of her mother's arms. "Hey now, come on. We won't be gone very long. Where's my brave girl?

You don't cry when you fall over, so why are you crying now?"

Stellar sniffed, and scrubbed at her eyes. "Because...because.."

Lacus came forward and stroked the little girl's hair. "Don't you want to stay with me? I had all kinds of things planned that we could do together, and there are lots of friends for you to play with. You'll make everyone very sad if you cry..."

Stellar took a deep breath, and stopped crying. Turning to Lacus, she asked. "Really? I will?"

The pink-haired girl nodded. Stellar turned back to her parents. "You'll really call every day? And we can go for ice cream when you get home?"

Mwu grinned. "Promise."

The four-year-old looked thoughtful, and twisted her auburn hair around her fingers, looking so like her mother it made everyone smile. Finally, she nodded. "Okay then, I'll stay here..."

Murrue and Mwu kissed their daughter goodbye, and handed her to Lacus before climbing into the car.

Stellar waved as hard as she could, and didn't stop until the car was out of sight.

When they finally reached the mountain cabin, they both gasped. It was small, but in a beautiful location, with a stream nearby. The weather was perfect, not too hot, with a cool breeze to take the worst of the heat away.

"This is awesome" remarked Mwu, as he unlocked the door and led the way inside. The cabin was only four rooms large, just a kitchen, sitting room, bedroom and bathroom, all done in pine wood. Murrue closed her eyes and breathed in the smell of the wood, smiling. "This is going to be great.."

That evening, the couple sat together on the porch of the cabin, looking up at the stars.

"You can see so much more up here than in the city...they're so bright!"

Mwu wrapped his arms around his wife's waist as the breeze brought with it the scent of pine and wildflowers.

"Are you glad we came here, then?"

She laughed softly. "Oh, yes"

He kissed her on the cheek. "I have a surprise for you tomorrow, since it's our anniversary. But tonight, I have an idea about what we can do."

Murrue blushed, and turned to him. "Well, there isn't much to do here, is there? I bet I can guess what you have in mind.."

Her husband held out his hand to her. "Shall we go for a walk? The woods around here are supposed to be beautiful at night."

She blinked. That wasn't at all what she'd expected, but then again, Mwu always found ways to surprise her.

Taking his hand, Murrue smiled, her marigold eyes shining in the starlight. "That sounds wonderful..."

The next morning, Mwu awoke to find that his wife was nowhere to be seen. "Murrue?"

Wandering out of the bedroom, yawning, he saw that the front door was open, letting the morning air into the cabin.

Sticking his head out of the door, he called her again. "Murrue, where are you?"

"I'm down here..."

Walking a little way into the woods, he saw her sitting in a clearing. She was already dressed, and was picking flowers.

"More flowers? Don't we have enough at home?"

Looking up, she blushed a little "Well, we don't have ones like these..."

The sun shone through the trees, the shadow of the leaves forming dappled patterns on her auburn hair. She looked so beautiful that morning, that Mwu's heart jumped, and he smiled to himself at the thought that even after knowing her for seven years, and being married to her for five of those, she still could make him react this way.

He walked towards her and sat on the grass beside her, his hand taking hers.

"W-what is it?" she asked, flushing again at his intense gaze.

Lifting her hand to his lips, he kissed it. "Happy anniversary, my love.."

Later that day, he took her hand again while she was enjoying the sunlight, and pulled her to her feet.

"Mwu...what are you -?"

Laughing, he tugged her into the woods, and down a small hill "I have something to show you."

"Is it the surprise you talked about last night?"

"Nope, that's still to come. But this is almost as good."

Leading her down the hill, he turned a corner, and pointed. "Look what I found. I didn't even know it was here!"

Murrue gasped. A small lake nestled in a hollow at the bottom of a valley, glittering in the afternoon sunlight.

"Wanna go for a swim?"

She turned to her husband in confusion. "A swim? But we haven't brought anything to..." Her voice trailed off as she clocked the saucy grin on Mwu's face. "No way!" she squeaked, trying to pull away.

"Awww, come on. It'll be fun!"

She shook her head. "We can't! We don't know how deep that lake is, and we...we're not teenagers, Mwu. Besides.." She blushed again "What if someone sees us?"

He just laughed. "Don't be silly. We're completely alone here. Who could see us?"

Murrue looked away. "I still...don't..."

Mwu sighed, and put an arm around her. "All right. We don't have to if you don't want to. But can we at least paddle?"

She giggled in spite of herself. "Okay. We can do that..."

The silence of the mountain was broken for a little while that afternoon by splashing and laughing, as well as yells and shrieks.

"You okay?"

They were back at the cabin, and night was falling. Murrue was squeezing the water from the dress she had worn earlier, and was trying to be mad at her husband.

"Fine, considering you pushed me in."

Mwu looked sheepish. "I said that I was sorry..."

"Some paddling that turned out to be. We might as well have gone for that swim..."

He came up behind Murrue and put his arms around her as she stood at the sink, nuzzling at her neck. "Please don't be mad..."

She sighed. "I'm not mad, just...well..."

"Just what?"

"Never mind.." she said, stroking his face. "I should have known better that to think you'd have grown up by now.."

"I am too grown up!" he retorted, tickling Murrue's sides and making her squeal.

"Anyway, I still have something to show you" he said, pulling her outside.

Just behind the cabin, sheltered by the trees, was a small hot tub, just big enough for two.

"I didn't know this was here!"

Mwu grinned. "I know. That's why it was a surprise. You want to go in?"

Their glasses clinked together in a toast, a celebration of their marriage. Mwu had sneaked the bottle of champagne in his luggage without letting her know, and it made the evening even more perfect.

"Five years, huh?"

She nodded, nestling closer to him in the tiny tub as the hot water bubbled around them. "It feels like a dream sometimes.." she whispered.

"After what happened to him... then at Jachin Due...I...I never thought I could ever have something like this, that I would be like this..."

Mwu kissed her gently. "Well, now that you do, are you happy?"

"Of course I am. I have everything I ever wanted, everything I never thought I could have. How could I not be happy?"

Mwu lifted his glass to Murrue's again. "Here's to five more years?"

Murrue smiled, and returned the toast.

"Here's to forever.."

------------------------------------------------------------------------

( I have to stop daydreaming at work. I've written way too much fluff...

Thirty chapters, huh? (well, thirty-one now) Wow. Thanks for sticking with me, and reviewing this mess of fluff and fangirliness. Please read and review this one too, okay :laughs: )