It's been more than a month! cries I'm so very sorry... Well, if you know the torture I went through... but, enough with my excuses! Read and review!
Knock! Knock!
"Master Treize… It's me, Une."
Treize looked to the door and smiled, "Come in."
They stared at each other for a long time before Treize finally spoke. "I suppose you're here because of Mariemaia."
Lady Une did not look surprised at all that Master Treize knew. She stayed glued to her place and nodded to him. Treize continued, "I'll be sending her to be a representative for…"
"I don't need to know that." interrupted Une, a cold tone in her voice. Treize seemed extremely shocked. Une was a bit scared but was also feeling brave. She knew that she couldn't stop now when she has already started. "Master Treize, I don't really care where you are going to send her. What I want to know is why." Silence followed. It really made her uncomfortable, being alone with Treize in a tensed silence. A heavy sigh woke her.
"My dear lady…" He then stood up. He walked towards Une. Once again her heart raced and so did her thoughts. This is the second time in a day… What is he going to do this time? She closed her eyes. She was afraid… But she had no idea what she was afraid of… She then felt warm arms around her, holding her tight and secure. She opened her eyes, just to make sure that it was real. She felt Treize stroking her hair and his breath on her ear. Treize whispered to her, "Lady, I know what trouble Mariemaia has caused. This will be her punishment. Please, let her go. I know she feels unwanted by me, but please explain to her that the time will come for the two of us to be together. The time is not now. Because this time… is to be spent with you…"
Une broke away from his arms. Her eyes darted to the floor. What IS he saying? To be spent with me? Is he serious? But… isn't that such a shallow reason? I can't deny the fact that I wanted him to say that… BUT actually hearing him say it… It's a different story… What am I going to do? Think about something… Say something!
"Ma—"She was about to speak when she heard someone laugh. She became indignant at the thought that Treize was laughing AT her. She opened her mouth to give him some scolding but Treize cut her off.
"I'm terribly sorry. It's just that you look great blushing like that. Ahahaha… Lady Une, you should be more like that! In that way, you would never be called Ice Queen again!"
"If you're joking, that's bad… But if you're being sarcastic… that's just plain cruel! (1)" Fire was in Lady Une's eyes when she said this. Treize stopped at the look of Une, scared that he might have angered her too much. After a few seconds though, Une started to laugh. "You—you look funny!" Une fell down to the sofa, clutching her stomach and panting. "Ok, you win. I'll let Mariemaia go… on one condition, enough of your nonsense."
"What nonsense?" Treize asked with a puzzled look pasted on his face.
"That 'spending time with you' and 'I need you' kind of nonsense!"
Treize went and sat beside her. He looked pretty grim. "Those weren't nonsense, my lady…" He turned to face Une. "Have you known me to speak false words? It is against my very principle. What I told you is real." He slowly reached for her cheek, caressing it; he felt his face getting closer to Une's, closer and closer…
Knock! Knock!
The knock on the door startled the two of them. They instantly became conscious of what was occurring between them. Lady Une immediately straightened herself up. "What is it?" her voice, full of annoyance.
"Lady Une, there's a call for you."
"Alright. I'll be outside." She took a last look on Treize, who just like her had an annoyed face, then left.
ooooooooooooooooooo
"Hello?" Suddenly, a female voice came out.
"Lady Une! How are you? It's been a while! Actually it's been two years! How's Relena? What about the Gundam pilots? What about…"
Une got over her surprise and said, "Excuse me. May I know who you are first?"
"Oh Une… Why don't you open the LCD…"
Une did as she was told and was surprised to see Noin… holding a baby! "N-noin! That baby…. Is it yours?"
"Of course it is! Mine and Milliardo's. Anyway, answer my questions…"
"First things first, Noin. Where in the world are you? And what have you been doing?"
"Well, I just came from L2. I'm actually on my way back. Milliardo wants Relena to see the baby. For you're second question, we were trying to bring Relena's project to life."
"And… have you done it? And to answer your, I'm fine, Relena's great, and the Gundam pilots are the same as usual. Oh, and by the way, when will you be back? There will be a reunion for us war veterans." Une was extremely hopeful that they would be here in time. It would certainly be wonderful if Zechs and Noin will be able to attend.
"A reunion, huh? Hmm… I think we'll be back by tomorrow afternoon if everything goes well." Excitement was obvious in her voice. "Isn't that right, Millie?"
"Pardon me? The baby's name is Millie?" She was holding back her smile. I can't believe Noin actually thought of a good name…
"Well, yeah… I wanted something more unique but Milliardo said we shouldn't go overboard…"
"That's true. Anyway, I still have things to do. I'll talk to you tomorrow. Come to Master Treize's mansion as soon as you get to earth."
Noin instantly become worrisome. "Une, you're still living there? Sigh You shouldn't stay there… it will make you remember him…"
"Noin, I'm fine! Just get here tomorrow, ok?"
"Alright. Bye." She said softly as she hung up.
ooooooooooooooooooooo
The dinner gathering was ready. Everything was perfect. Lady Une was satisfied.
"Hmm… you're pretty good at this, Claude." Claude turned to see a stunning Lady Une behind him. She was clad in a velvety red night dress with thin straps. Her hair was let down as always but something was different. She had no make-up yet she looked sparkling.
"Whistle I never thought Lady Une could ever look this uhm… what's the word? Oh yeah! Angelic!" Duo Maxwell was standing beside the door post hand in hand with Hilde. "If the others would see this, they would be shocked!"
Lady Une simply smiled sardonically and walked to him. "Why, Duo, aren't we handsome tonight? You're in a tuxedo!"
Duo blushed at the remark. "Hey, it was just because Hilde told me to do so!" Everyone around laughed at him, including himself until…
"You look happy around here." A timid male voice said. They all looked around to see Quatre together with Dorothy.
"So, pal, it is true that you're dating Dorothy…" teased Duo. Quatre being used to Duo just kept quiet; but Dorothy, on the other hand, did not.
"And so what if we're dating? What do you care anyway!" she retorted back. The two then started bickering while Hilde and Quatre sat down to drink a nice cup of tea with Lady Une.
Mariemaia came out.Duo wasn't surprised sincehe knew that the two have gotten close, but he was shocked with the following conversation. "Lady Une, I'm going now. See you soon." The younger lady said with tears in her eyes. Une then replied, "I'm sorry that I couldn't do anything. The time will come for you and Treize to be together. I'll miss you." She kissed Mariemaia on the forehead and got one of the servants to help her get in the car while Duo stood stuck to his spot.
After a while, Wu Fei and Trowa arrived. Wu Fei brought Sally along with him. Une stood up to welcome her guests but it seems there was no need for that. Duo ran up to Trowa and started joking around. Sally rushed to Une just to get away from Duo; Wu Fei joined Quatre and Hilde.
"So, I guess we're waiting for the two most stubborn of the group." Lady Une said, gaping at the door.
"Two?" A few asked. Lady Une did not answer but quietly resumed her tea. The people started talking. Of course, they knew that one of them was Heero, but who was the other?
"Come on, Heero! We are very late!" A woman's exasperated voice said out of the blue. It seemed like it came from somewhere outside.
"Stop it, Relena. We're already late. What's the point in hurrying? It's your fault that we are late, anyway." Heero replied in his usual monotone.
"Okay, okay! I get it! Don't rub it in!" When Relena turned to the door, everybody was looking at them and chuckling.
"The lovebirds have finally arrived! Let's pahtey!" shouted Duo then the party officially began.
(1) Ehehehhe... for those who watched Endless Waltz for nth times, you would know this line well! (Although it may be different, depending on the version...) This is Duo's line when they were escaping from the Barton's base.
Well, whaddya think? Good? Bad? Great? Sucks? Whatever you think, just review, OK? .