Author's Note: Gundam Wing is not mine.
"Matilda, come down here for a sec."
The then thirteen-year-old girl bounced down the stairs of her brothers house, coming into the kitchen to see three men, one of which was her brother.
"This is Lieutenant Vesque and his son, Marcus," Terry said.
"Miss Darwin-Royal, a pleasure to meet you." Vesque held out his hand and she cautiously shook it. "Marcus was around your age when he started with the RSO, and look at him now! Top of his class, and he even wiped out some of the graduating class." Marcus blushed furiously at the mention of his achievements.
"Aw, come on, Marc. Nothing to be ashamed about," Terry said. "Some people would have killed to get that far in training back when I did it." Marcus made a stifled noise and had suddenly found his trainers extremely interesting.
"So you will be joining us in the next year or so, Matilda?" the Lieutenant asked.
"Three months until I finish my school year back on ear-"
Shattering the glass, a bullet flew past her face and embedded itself into the wall. In an instant, Matilda and Marcus had dived under the kitchen table, while her brother and Levesque both pulled out guns and fell to the floor. "Get back to the RSO," Terry hissed as a hail of bullets shattered the remaining windows, none of them reaching their targets.
Her heart pounding against her ribs, she darted up the stairs, Marcus on her tail. "Where are you going!" he yelled over the roar of gunshot below them.
"Last room on the right," she yelled back, "Out the window!" She ran into the room that was Terry's study and clambered onto his desk, desperately trying to push open the pane window just above her reach.
"Move aside." With a hardcover book in his hand, Marcus smashed the jammed window, shards of glass flying everywhere. "Up you get! He expertly grabbed her by the waist and held her up so that she could climb out the window. The jagged glass sliced into her hands, but it was nothing compared to the adrenaline rushing through her system, which put her body on autopilot as she jumped out of the window and grabbed onto a thick branch of the oak tree outside the house. Turning her head, Matilda saw that Marcus was doing the same thing, and stumbled along the branch until she found her way to the bottom in her neighbours yard.
"Now what?" she breathed.
"Now, we run." They took off down the street, feet pounding on the footpath in a continuous beat. "Do you have a Metro Card or with you?"
"No! Why would I?!"
"I was afraid you'd say that." He jumped down the stairs to the subway, handing her a card in the process. "You go first, I'll follow. Just act like you're late, and take 223 to the city," he said as they slowed down to a jog.
Matilda hurriedly swiped the card and jogged towards the platforms. Seeing the numbers 223 flashing on the overhead screen, she made a run for the closing doors, just managing to slip through before they closed. Moving away from the doors, she caught a glimpse of Marcus at the other side of the carriage and made her way to him.
"Do you think Terry's okay?" she asked quietly, catching her breath.
"I dunno, Matilda. But I know Dad 'n Terry will come out alive."
"How do you know that?" she turned to face him, slowly starting to cool off from the adrenaline rush.
"What's the point of training for five years and not coming out alive?" he grinned, as she rested her head against his shoulder and closed her eyes.
x.x.x
"Matilda, coffee!"
Elliott's voice rang through the silent apartment. He shut the door behind him and set the coffee down on the kitchen counter. Artificial sunlight streamed through the half closed blinds, touching the particles of dust floating in the air.
"Ell, it's too early," Matilda muttered, coming out of her bedroom -dragging her feet- and plopping on the couch. He handed her one of the steaming Styrofoam cups, as she flicked on the news on television.
"Six isn't early." He gulped down the miracle liquid, "And plus, you've gotta work on that guys Gundam today."
She leaned back in the couch, running a hand through her messed up hair. "I have a bad feeling about him," she mumbled.
"Hmmmmm?" He cast her a sideways glance from the report on the screen. "I thought he was Jayde's friend." She muttered something under her breath and sank further back into the couch, finishing up the dregs of her coffee.
Silence Followed. Matilda's gaze was fixed on the television set and his was on her. He didn't find her attractive in what majority of the male population would call it, he has who she truly was; a strong, brave, seventeen-year-old, who had witnessed more death than the devil himself. Sure he though she had filled out with a growth spurt in the last few years, but he couldn't help but feel that if anyone wanted to claim her for their own, they'd have to see past the glamour that hid her so well.
"What's up?" she questioned when she found him staring into space.
"Erm… nothing, just thinking about that Wufei guy."
"What about him," she raised an eyebrow.
"He, I mean… Do you think he's connected to Yuy?" He hunched his shoulders and leaned forward, plunging back into his state of mind. "He knows that you're a Gundam pilot, and he's one too; so maybe he's linked with him."
"There's no proof," she said slowly, "All that stuff in the 195 War, no one thought to keep tabs."
"But yet, everyone knows who that Heero guy is." Elliott fiddled around with his pocket for a moment and pulled a tiny memory card, pair of expensive looking sunglasses, and a plain, gold ring threaded through a silver necklace chain. "On a different note though; look what I came up with last week."
"Ooh. More gadgety stuff." She rubbed her hands together and peered at the three objects.
"Modified X-D card. Plug it into any device and it will allow you to download whatever files are on it straight to your laptop, and it'll have no trace since its external," he said. "This one," he held up the sunglasses, "Is pretty awesome. Put them on and it will give you visual calculations of practically everything; distance, volume, velocity, and probability." She picked up the sunglasses and slipped them on. "God, I feel like Smithers from Alex Rider," he muttered.
"And the ring necklace thing?" she asked, holding it up.
"Is a present for you since I forgot to send you something on your birthday; happy birthday, Matilda." She let out a laugh before giving him a hug and putting it on.
"Elliott? Is there any reason you're giving me this stuff? Besides the necklace, that is."
"Well heck, if you don't want it, I'll have it back!" He placed the gadgets on the coffee table. "But no, no specific reason. Although, I remember you telling Marc you wanted a pair of Chanel sunglasses once…"
She smiled, "That was ages ago, back when I saw Leah try on a pair of them on Earth!"
"So you're not still touchy about the whole Marc thing, right?" he said, leaning back into the couch.
"Oh, so this is where it's leading," she laughed again. "Nah, I'm not. I'm over it. It's been almost two years since. I've gotta move on some time."
"That's the Mattie I know and love."