Chapter 6

Sumeragi sighed as she drank an ice cold beer sitting poolside. She loved days like these, but they also made her sad because she was nostalgic for the days where she, Feldt and Christina were sunbathing together. She took a couple gulps of her cold drink and adjusted her sunglasses. The tactical forecaster smirked as she glanced over at Marie who had her head leaned on Allelujah's shoulder as they sat together under an umbrella. Marie was quite fair skinned and Allelujah had been worried about her getting sunburnt. He had one arm around the girl next to him who was in a white bikini and his other arm held a book he had picked up at a nearby store.

"I didn't know you were a big reader," Sumeragi said to him.

Allelujah glanced up, laying the book on his bare chest and brushed his bangs out of his face, "I'm not, but it's a nice change to take my mind off fighting."

They were interrupted by a shrill ringing and Marie sat up quickly with a frown. Allelujah looked at the girl next to him and then to Sumeragi as the tactical forecaster answered a small cell phone in the bag next to her. She nodded a few times and shock spread over her face as her eyes made contact with Allelujah. She held the phone out to him and looked puzzled.

"It's for you."

Allelujah took the phone with a confused expression and raised it to his ear, his eyebrows shooting up when he heard the voice on the other end of the line.

"I need to talk to you."

"Lockon?"

"I found her."

…..

Feldt glanced shyly at the man driving the car she was in and she felt butterflies in her stomach. They had spent the day cuddled on the couch together drinking tea and in deep conversation. She couldn't remember the last time she felt so content and at ease. Feldt knew she was hopelessly in love with the man next to her. She was excited and scared to death at the same time. He told her he wanted to take her to dinner and have a nice evening together. Feldt had agreed with a blush, but worry filled her stomach as she wondered when he would leave her. She knew this would eventually end and was terrified. She was also worried he would try to talk her into returning to Celestial Being and she had no intention of that.

"Feldt?"

There was a moment of silence as the car continued down the road and Feldt blinked in confusion as she realized he was talking to her.

"Yes?!" she said a little loudly and blushed in embarrassment.

Lyle let out a chuckle, "Relax Feldt, this isn't a first date. I want you to be comfortable with me. It's not like we haven't done more together," he winked.

Feldt's cheeks went a darker shade of red, "Lyle!"

"That's better, you looked like you were a thousand miles away. I want you here," he told her as the car rolled into town.

The radio was muffled and Feldt stared out the window at the passerby pedestrians laughing and enjoying their evening. They eventually came to a stop and got out of the car with Lyle leading the way.

"I'm taking you to a little mom and pop place, a hole in the wall," he said as they walked down a cobblestone alley.

Feldt followed the man in front of her and watched as he walked without a care in the world. She smiled and took a few quick steps to catch up to him and reached out with new confidence to grab his gloved hand.

…..

"Do you miss her?"

There was a long pause and Setsuna shrugged as he sat outside in the desert sunlight on Marina's balcony. A dry breeze blew through her long hair and she tilted her head with a concerned expression on her face.

"I knew it probably wouldn't work."

"Why is that?"

"Because my objective with my Gundam is the most important. I can't let someone get in the way of that," Setsuna replied dryly.

"I see."

"I hope she and I could be friends if we met again, but I doubt I'll ever see her," Setsuna said nonchalantly and added, "I wish her happiness, wherever she finds it."

Marina was surprised to hear such words coming from Setsuna. She smiled sympathetically at him and looked down at the city in front of her with its dirt streets and poor citizens. She frowned and wished she had the same resolve as Setsuna. She wanted more than anything to provide for the people of her nation so they could live peaceful and happy lives that were meaningful.

"I'll ask you again Setsuna, will you stay here and help me reform this country? You could get away from the fighting," Marina said in a pleading voice.

Setsuna sighed, "We've been over this and you know my answer."

"Unfortunately I do…" Marina trailed off with a sad expression.

…

Their dinner had been delicious and they shared light conversation. Most of it consisted of Lyle asking Feldt about her job and her day to day life since she started living as a regular citizen. Feldt talked about her occasional ventures to Dublin where she would participate at the local college and teach computer software classes. Lyle had marveled at how happy the girl seemed to be and how well she had adapted to life outside Celestial Being. They left the restaurant and Lyle led her to a small pub where they found a table in the back corner. Their table was wooden and the small bar had a quaint feel. Televisions were broadcasting the most recent sporting event and Irishmen sat at the bar laughing and enjoying their night as they drank their beers. Feldt sat alone and watched Lyle stand at the bar exchanging words with the bartender. The pair laughed and he pushed two drinks toward the Gundam meister with a smile. Feldt stared at Lyle with admiration at how confident and cool he always seemed to be. He turned toward her holding the two drinks and made his way back over where he sat down.

"Thanks," she said gratefully and sipped the fruity drink he had gotten her.

She watched him take a swig of the beer he had gotten himself and sarcastically said, "No whiskey?"

Lyle paused and looked at her with a small frown, "Not tonight."

"Ah…" she replied and stared at her hands around her glass.

"What's on your mind?" he asked her, leaning closer as conversations from other patrons went on around them.

"When are you going back?" she finally asked, wanting to bring it up all night and finally finding the courage.

"Going back?"

Feldt narrowed her eyes, "To space."

Lyle ran his hand through his shaggy chocolate hair and sighed, "I knew you'd bring it up eventually."

"I know you're going to leave sooner or later."

The pair was silent and didn't speak much more as they finished their drinks. Once they were both done they left the pub and made their way back to the car where they drove back to Feldt's house in silence. When they arrived Feldt didn't say a word and went in the front door. Lyle stood outside the car and watched the door close. He took a deep breath and looked up at the starry night sky. They were out in the country and the stars were shining brightly; it was a beautiful sight, but it also reminded Lyle that he would eventually have to go back to space. He could understand why Feldt was upset and tentative with him. Her parents left her, a best friend had died and left her, his brother had left her, Setsuna was hot and cold with her and she finally left all of them before another person could leave her. He also understood why she didn't want anyone finding her because she wanted to start over and not experience any more loss. At that moment he felt slightly guilty for forcing himself back into her life when it clearly was going to hurt her. He knew he would have to go back to space and continue to fight. Would she hate him if he did that and resent him? Probably.

Lyle reached into his pocket and pulled out a cigarette, lighting it and blowing the smoke into the clear night sky. There was a light chill to the air and he leaned on the side of the car, smoking and watching the stars. A thought crossed his mind and he quickly shook it away. What if he didn't go back? What if he stayed and lived in this little house with Feldt? What if they got married and had kids together? What if they could live on the coast and grow old together living out their days as normal people?

"God damn it," he muttered, taking a deep drag and blowing smoke with a hint of irritation.

He was lost because he didn't want to leave Feldt. He also didn't want to give up the important objective that Celestial Being had set out to perform. His brother had lost his life trying to get rid of war. If Lyle quit, he would be selfish, deeming himself more important than the troubles of the world. The Irishman's eyebrows shot up, now he was sounding like Setsuna.

"Unbelievable," Lyle sputtered and threw his cigarette on the ground where he crushed it under the heel of his boot.

He decided to live in the moment and in this moment he was in Ireland and was with Feldt. He wanted to enjoy the time he had currently and would figure the rest out later. He pushed himself off the car and walked to the front door of the cozy little house. He opened the unlocked door and smiled to himself, locking it quietly behind him. The Irishman stepped into the living room where Feldt sat in her cushioned chair with the reading lamp on, eyeing him suspiciously.

"What's that look for?"

"I thought maybe you were going to leave with how long you took to come in," she told him.

"Right now I'm here and tonight I'm not going anywhere," he told her earnestly and walked toward her slowly.

Feldt sighed as he wrapped his arms around her and rested his chin on top of her head. He was so warm and she had missed being like this with him for months. Her nose wrinkled as she took a deep breath and she pulled back to glare at him.

"You were out there smoking weren't you?"

Lyle shrugged, "You got me."

"I thought I got you to quit."

"You did, then you left me for another man. I had to have something to enjoy," he laughed.

Feldt rolled her eyes and leaned back into him, wrapping her arms around his strong torso. She never wanted to let go and squeezed him tightly.

…

Setsuna woke up suddenly from a vivid dream and inhaled quickly. He rolled over in the soft bed he was in and his nose twitched at the light scent of jasmine. His eyebrows rose and he noted a head of black hair next to him. It wasn't all a dream. He swallowed awkwardly and shifted in the expensive bed sheets that were incredibly comfortable. He was naked and the girl next to him was too. She was wrapped around him with her body pressed flush against him.

"Marina."

The princess royal didn't stir and Setsuna let out a defeated sigh. This definitely wasn't a dream, he was awake and in bed with someone who he had a complicated relationship with. He never had romantic feelings toward her, but he found himself always turning to her because they had an understanding of each other. Things recently had been confusing after Feldt. He still found himself wanting to go to Marina to talk to her because she was the only person he felt like understood him. He glanced down at the sleeping girl snuggled up next to him. They had crossed a line they could never go back over and Setsuna didn't know how he felt about that. He was slightly worried this would ruin what they had, but part of him wondered if this comfort he shared with Marina was what he lacked in his relationship with Feldt.

"Setsuna."

Marina blinked up sleepily at him with deep blue eyes. He stared back at her with charcoal eyes and they didn't speak. They laid together in comfortable silence and Marina kissed his chest lightly with a smile.

"I'm happy you're here Setsuna," she said to him quietly.

Setsuna was silent for a moment and then replied just above a whisper, "I am too, Marina."

….

Feldt could hear the waves crashing against the shoreline from her open window in the bedroom. It was night time and pitch black in her room. She laid her head back on the pillow behind her as she stared up into blue eyes. They gazed intently down at her and the man they belonged to flashed her a cocky smirk as he grabbed her hips. They were both naked in bed and covered in a fine sheen of sweat. A cool breeze blew in the open window and the bed rocked beneath them with small creaks. Feldt huffed in small breaths as she tried to keep the rhythm the man above her was setting. He didn't take his eyes off her which was a startling difference from what she had been doing the past several months. At that moment she felt like she was the only person in the world that mattered and her heart fluttered.

"God I've missed you," Lyle groaned as he gripped the girl under him tightly and moved his hips with hers.

Feldt reached up towards him and ran her hand down his stomach until it reached the part where their bodies were joined together. Her fingers hit an area of wetness that was more than sweat. She let out a small moan and threw her head back into the pillow; closing her eyes in pleasure. Lyle continued to move inside of her and she could feel his thrusts starting to become more desperate and she knew he was close. She could feel her own peak building and urged herself toward it. He let go of her hips and his hands fell on either side of her head as his body hovered above her. She looked up at him as his face contorted into multiple expressions before he let out a final groan. Feldt was immediately disappointed in herself for not coming before him. She didn't have long to feel that way before he leaned down and licked one of her breasts with a mischievous expression as he continued to move his hips. He rolled them against her in a different motion and her hips bucked of their own accord.

"Oh!" she said in surprise as pleasure welled inside her and she felt close to her own climax.

"Don't act so shocked," he said in a raspy voice with a sideways smirk, "I need you to enjoy this as much as I have."

He continued rolling his hips and leaned down on top of her, alternating between sucking her nipple and flicking them with his tongue. She could feel their fluids mixed down below and felt incredibly wet. Heat curled in her lower belly and she went over the edge, wrapping her legs around his waist desperately as she pulsated around him. They stayed that way for several moments after she was finished and he held himself up with hands on both sides of her head. His chocolate hair stuck to his neck with sweat and he looked at the girl beneath him with a soft expression. Feldt's heart leapt in her chest as she looked up into his blue eyes. This was what she had been missing and it suddenly felt right. He pulled out of her and she grimaced at the feeling of sticky fluid that followed. He dropped down next to her on the bed and propped his head up leaning on his elbow.

"You're perfect."

Feldt's eyebrows shot up, "What?"

Lyle laughed, "I won't say it again."

The girl blushed shyly and she wrinkled her nose at how sticky she felt. Lyle noticed her expression and stood up with a nod toward the bathroom.

"Let's shower," he said with a suggestive wink.

Feldt got up and nodded with acceptance. She followed him into the bathroom and he started the hot water. They got into the stall together and both sighed when the steaming shower hit their skin. Feldt was shocked when Lyle didn't try to take advantage of her and instead spent extra time washing her hair and slowly scrubbing her back. He leaned in and kissed her neck while he worked and she leaned back into him as he scrubbed her scalp deeply. She could have fallen asleep with how good it felt and by the time they were finished she could barely stay standing. They made their way back to bed together and neither bothered to put on night clothes. They wanted to be as close as possible and wrapped up in each other; reveling in the feeling of their skin pressed together. Feldt sighed and felt more content than she had in months. Everything was right at that moment and she refused to look ahead at the future. Right now she would be satisfied with the moments they had together which was the most important thing.