It Was Always You

Chapter 1

Rick Hunter's quarters, Monument City:

Rick had just returned from a long recovery mission to find the bodies of the brave men and women among the ruin of the ill-fated fortresses. He had volunteered for the effort, but after almost one week, most of the bodies found had been of soldiers trapped within the steel walls of the Prometheus1. The recovery team did not expect to discover the bodies of soldiers who were closest to ground zero, which was the bridge of the SDF-1. However, Rick could and would not give up.

Rick most especially wanted to find those most dear to his long time commander, confidant, and newfound love, Lisa Hayes. He knew that her loss had been great. The bridge crew, Sammy, Kim, Vanessa, Claudia, and Admiral Gloval, was the closest thing she had to a family. He was hoping against all hope to find their bodies so that they could be paid their due respect. He also knew that in doing so, he could provide Lisa with a bit of closure.

Rick had yet to utter a single word to Lisa since their rendezvous at the newly named Lake Gloval. Not that he had a choice; he would give anything to hear her beautiful voice again. However, since that time by the lake, she had fallen dreadfully ill and been under the care of the Monument City hospital staff.

six days ago…

He really should have known better.

Lisa had been taken in by the brunt of not one, but two attacks. The initial missile attack of New Macross City that Lisa was caught in had weakened her, but the events leading up to and during the collision of the SDF-1 and Khyron the Destroyer's ship dealt the final blow to her already fragile physical state. The shock of seeing her survive the collision made Rick blind to the fact that she needed immediate medical attention.

It didn't help that Lisa seemed perfectly fine. However, after they exchanged their vows of going to the stars together, Rick noticed that her grip around his waist had faded dramatically. When he went to look into her eyes, he saw that she was no longer awake.

He had called out to her, gently at first, but then after receiving no response his concern grew. He started to feel as though he was unable to breathe.

Trying to calm himself down and slow his now quick breath, he went to check for Lisa's pulse and found that it was weak. To add to his worry, he noticed that Lisa's skin, usually radiant and smooth, was clammy to the touch. Immediately, Rick gathered Lisa into his arms and carried her to Skull One. Rick took off in his Veritech, trying not to panic with Lisa passed out in his arms. His destination: Monument City Memorial.

Once at the hospital, both he and an unconscious Lisa checked in. Though Rick was cleared within hours after receiving treatment for radiation poisoning, Lisa was undergoing more exhaustive tests. Although she was receiving all of the attention possible, she had not responded positively.

Still, however dire Lisa's circumstance looked at the moment, the doctors were certain of her full recovery. They had insisted that it would just take rest and time considering the extent of radiation exposure she had been subjected to.

Rick spent every moment next to Lisa's bedside for the first day. The doctors had asked him to return home since he too needed some rest, but he insisted on staying. So, the hospital staff provided him with pillows, a blanket, and even went as far as to bring him food and water every two hours to help settle him in.

He imagined he must have looked pitiable because the look his wingman, Max Sterling, gave him on the first full day's visit was nothing short of pitiable. Max, concerned for his closest friend, pleaded with Rick to return home, at least for a little while. With that, Rick knew that he would have to start being productive, at least for Lisa's sake.

So, after two days of waiting around, he went home to take a much-needed shower, shave, and pack some light things he would need while keeping vigil at Lisa's side. Finally, he took a short nap, not caring to change out of the flight suit he just changed into.

When he awoke, he left to volunteer for what was then called the search efforts at ground zero. He thought that it was his responsibility to help find others' loved ones, so he headed off to offer his help. However, Rick was stopped just short of New Macross' city limits by the Military Police. Even though Rick was a captain of the Robotech Forces, the MPs were given strict orders by the newly formed United Earth Council to not allow anyone into New Macross without the appropriate protective gear and without permission.

It was at this time that Rick learned that personnel who lived in New Macross had to be relocated to temporary quarters set up at Fokker Field, just on the outskirts of Monument City. Knowing that Lisa would be displaced for an uncertain amount of time, Rick made the decision to have Lisa move in with him. Considering what was sure to be a long road to recovery for her, he thought it best that she was given his full support and attention 24 hours a day.

He knew Lisa to be fiercely independent and therefore did not know how she would interpret his sudden take-charge attitude. Would she consider his gesture as his being arrogant? He hoped not. That she would want to even stay with him was another issue. Rick decided to save that thought for another day.

So, Rick requested and was later given access to Captain Hayes' personal quarters in New Macross. In his protective suit and armed with a radiation detector, he was able to gather some of Lisa's personal items that had not been exposed to radiation and would easily be transported in his fighter. However, Rick saw that Lisa owned an elegantly carved, vintage vanity. He didn't know why, but he couldn't leave her quarters without securing the vanity in his possession. So, he asked that the vanity be sent to the facilities in Monument City to be carefully tested for radiation before being sent to his quarters.

Present day:

Rick found himself staring at the vintage vanity that was now sitting at the corner of his bedroom. For some reason, it comforted him to see it there. It reminded him of Lisa. The vanity had an air of regality to it; strong and beautiful, yet delicate. On top of the vanity, Rick placed some of the items he gathered from her quarters: a hairbrush, a porcelain vase, jewelry, a frame with a picture of Lisa and her father, Admiral Hayes. Seeing it all there started to make him tear up.

God how I miss her…

He had stayed with her for nearly every available moment. He would go straight to Monument Memorial after his eight hour shift with the search efforts had ended for the day. Once at the hospital, he would stay at her bedside throughout the night until it was time for him to repeat another day's routine at dawn.

Seeing her look so pale and vulnerable hurt Rick to the core. Last night, it looked as if she had lost even more weight, if that was even possible. It made him wonder if the IV drip she was getting was even working.

It had been too long since he last heard her soothing voice. He didn't know how much longer he could hold out before breaking. Without knowing it until now, it had been Lisa who had kept him sane for all of those years. Her gentle words and steadiness had never failed to ease his troubled mind, especially after the times he had to make those dreaded calls and visits to the loved ones of a recently deceased soldier.

Somehow being with Lisa always seemed to lessen the guilt he felt about losing men under his command. Under those circumstances, she just knew what to say and how to say it. She even knew when it was best to not say anything at all. Maybe it was because he knew she understood how it felt to lose men you had sworn to protect.

How could he have missed it? Missed all of the signs that she had given him? The shy smiles; the awkwardness in the way she would ask personal questions; the photographs she gave him; the hurt look in her eyes and how she stayed away when Minmei returned.

I was so blind.

Had Minmei shed such a brilliant light as to blind him to all others? True, Minmei had a sort of emanating beauty. But, he wasn't so sure that Minmei was at fault entirely. The lead culprit in having such short vision was him.

When he had first met Lisa, he was just a kid really. He was a stunt pilot with no other purpose but to fly for himself. Boastful, arrogant, and headstrong, he was definitely years out of her league, not to mention years out of her age range. Therefore, it would have taken years for him to catch up with her in maturity.

Whereas Rick had not yet been introduced to the bitter truths of the world, Lisa was well versed in it. She came from a long line of military officers; no doubt she was aware of the destruction war brings. She had also lost her fiancé during the early stages of the Robotech war. Rick thought these had made her a cold and hardened military officer, born and bred that way. It would take some growing up on his part to see past the defensive walls she placed between herself and everybody else. Only a privileged few really knew her.

So because of his being green and his misperceptions, Rick couldn't see the real Lisa. It took years of him seeing death, of him feeling immense guilt, and of him knowing great responsibility, did he begin to see what burdens Lisa was carrying.

And so, he began to respect her as an ally and as a commanding officer. Soon, their dynamic changed into one of appreciation. He even sought her advice on many a topic. What once seemed impossible was no longer so. He now cared for her health and safety. And just like that, a steady friendship developed.

But there were other feelings he held that he was not quite sure of; feelings completely foreign to him. It was not that he hadn't felt them before, such as feelings of absolute trust and utter astonishment to a boiling anger and complete helplessness. What was new for him was that he hadn't felt all of those emotions all at one time…until he met her.

It was overwhelming. It was so powerful a feeling; it consumed him, throwing his life into a state of confusion. All that he thought he knew and was were no longer true.

He thought it a shame that it took almost losing her for him to realize the depth of his feelings. And the realization was that he couldn't live without her.

Maybe all they'd been through was just a trial for them. The Rick of old would have been terrified of the difficult tasks to come. But now, he was a man with a purpose; to love a great woman, to love Lisa…the love that found him.

To be sure, their love had to be strong to get them past what would undoubtedly be tougher days ahead.

Please Lisa. Please come back to me.

With those lingering thoughts, the phone in his living room rang. Rick walked over to the phone and answered, voice almost cracking as he began, "hello, Captain Hunter speaking."

"Hello Captain, this is Monument Memorial Hospital calling. You may want to head over here as quickly as possible…"

AN:

1. If I remember correctly, the Prometheus was one of two ships that made the SDF-1's cannon arms.