Author's Notes: After receiving a review from Lady Iapetus Rovering Wanderer, I've decided to edit this chapter and play around with one of the scenes. I think it works better now. Thank you so much Lady Iapetus for your input.
For clarification, the only chapter I wrote in strictly past tense was the prologue. Half of chapter 1 was in the past; not much dialog there, mainly storytelling.
However, Chapter 2 and 3 are similar in style and has mostly dialog (present tense). The first 2 chapters were mainly used as a set-up for character motivations and to see what's to come. I do not plan to use much past tense unless I am using it for a flashback sequence.
Thank you to aikiweezie and dwparsnip for the reviews of chapter 2.
Please do send your reviews and suggestions. I really need help in keeping the story moving forward. I also do not have anyone to edit my story besides myself. So, I cannot know if something is out of the ordinary or out of place without you gentle viewers.
I hope to get Lisa finally out of the hospital for my next installment. I have half a full story outline now. There are a few chapters I am really excited to get fleshed out.
Again, thanks for reading. I hope this chapter stays true to the characters.
Previously on It Was Always You…
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…"
Meanwhile at Monument City Memorial Hospital…
She regarded Lisa first before continuing, "I'm sure you know of my husband Vince, Claudia's brother? He will be glad to know that you're okay now." Jean now giving Lisa a soft, but sad smile before walking away stating, "I know you've got a lot on your mind now, but please do get some rest Lisa".
Suddenly, everything registered in Lisa's mind. She had seen the doctor in a photo that Claudia had shown her not a year earlier. It was a photo of Claudia's younger brother and his new wife.
With her eyebrows furrowing, Lisa fought to keep awake. Her heart suddenly aching, she painfully whispered, "Vince". Try as she might, she couldn't help it any longer and let sleep befall her as a lone tear escaped from her eye.
And now, Chapter 3…Hidden Strengths and Weaknesses…
Why me?!
Every time Rick hit it, he wanted to scream. He just couldn't seem to get past them without running into another one.
Thoughts of flooring it ran across his mind. However, the chance of him getting thrown in the brig and delaying his chance of hearing her sweet voice again kept his foot on the brake and off the gas pedal of his red convertible Mustang.
Damn red lights.
He was dying to hear her say his name again. Now if he could just get to the hospital without hitting all of these red lights.
After what seemed to be a lifetime to him, but was in fact only five minutes, Rick arrives at the hospital. He immediately runs into Jean, whom he had already met during his earlier visitations with Lisa.
Jean notes Rick's frantic appearance, "hey there, Rick, slow down a little or you'll give yourself an aneurism. If you would have just let me finish what I was trying to tell you over the phone and not rushed over here like a wild man, you would have heard me say that Lisa's okay, but that she needed more rest. So I put her back to sleep."
"More rest?!" A now exasperated Rick exclaims. On the verge of throwing a mini tantrum, Rick kicks the spotless hospital floor and sighs in disgust.
Jean looks at Rick disbelievingly, "Rick? What are you, twelve?! Stop acting like a big baby. It's not like a few more hours is going to kill you".
"It may". Rick shortly rebuts, but is now defeated.
Jean gently grabs his arm and leads him to the waiting room. "Rick. I know you are anxious to see her, but I had to change her medications and it made her fall back to sleep. Besides. She still needs more rest."
A tall, muscular man now enters the waiting room, where Jean has pulled Rick into a chair. The large man is holding a tray with three large cups of coffee. The man proudly states, "I've brought mochas. Extra hot. Extra whip." He sees Rick, who is still moping and forces one of the coffees on him. "Here. Looks like you really could use one".
Rick looks up. He notices the large coffee looks rather small in the man's grip and smirks. Rick nods his head to the man and offers, "thanks, Vince".
Vince nods in return, "don't mention it, Rick."
Jean, now seated next to Rick, leans into and wraps her arm around him, in a reassuring manner. "I am sorry that I jumped the gun a bit."
Rick immediately replies, "No. Don't be sorry. You have no need to apologize." After a brief pause, he continues, "I am grateful you called me. There is no other place I'd rather be. I know she needs more rest. It's just that it has been so long since I last heard her voice."
At that, Jean, gives him a little squeeze. "It'll be okay honey. It won't be long before our sleeping beauty reawakens. And then our gallant prince can take her away to live happily ever af-"
With eyebrows raised, Vince chimes in, "Come on now, sweetheart. Stop pulling Rick's chain." Vince then directs a big, toothy grin to his wife. He is clearly inspired by her.
Rick gives both of them a knowing look. Then after a moment, he finally laughs. "It's okay Vince. I know. I really needed that," thinking it's been a while since he last laughed.
Rick looks at Jean and Vince once over. At the moment, the young couple is sharing a playful conversation. Apparently, Vince is continuing to pseudo reprimand his wife for her innuendos and antics. Jean is pleading innocent; her bright eyes wide while dutifully batting her eyelashes.
What a dynamic pair they make. Jean, who is petite and a spitfire, while Vince in comparison is tall and almost serious. Almost, because he usually is completely serious, especially while at work. However, in the presence of his wife, his innate good nature appears and his humor peaks through his tough guy exterior.
Rick then shakes his head and with one last smirk, thinks to himself, where would I be without you guys?
Hours later…
Lisa wakes with a start to find Rick gently caressing her hand. She shyly glances towards their linked hands. Confused, she asks, "Rick, what are you doing here?"
Surprised by her question, Rick can't answer. He can only stare at her with a now equally confused look on his face.
Non-plussed by his lack of an answer, Lisa places her head back against the firm hospital pillow. Not sure why she feels the need to, she slowly begins to tell Rick about having these terrible dreams.
After telling him what her dreams involved, the death of her friends, the SDF-1 and 2 being destroyed, she breathes out, "it just felt so real."
Now understanding, Rick carefully proceeds to tell her that she hadn't been dreaming. However, he doesn't get to finish as Vince walks in.
At seeing Vince, Lisa immediately realizes that it all wasn't just a bad dream. She violently shakes her head and disbelievingly yells, "No! I-it just can't be!" Claudia, Henry, her friends; all were lost. She begins to cry uncontrollably.
Vince makes his way over to her to calm her down, but Lisa is almost hysterical. He calls out for help.
Rick, feeling awkward, but wanting to comfort Lisa, doesn't know what to do. Although he appears to be strong on the outside, on the inside he is breaking. He is unable to see Lisa in the state she is in. So, instead of trying to help soothe her, Rick rushes his way out of the room, almost knocking Jean over in the process.
At first, Jean is stunned. But after regaining her bearings, she quickly moves to give Lisa a sedative. Soon, Lisa eases back down from the grip Vince had placed on her and settles into a sleep-induced state.
After a few quiet moments, a clearly agitated Jean asks Vince, "What the hell did you guys do to her?"
Vince retorts, "What did I do to her? I didn't do anything, I swear." After seeing the look Jean flashes him, he retreats his defensive stance. He then blankly continues, "I don't know. One moment, Rick was talking to her and then the next, she looks at me and then…and then this!"
Figures! Jean says under her breath. "Both of you guys need a lesson in bedside manners. Before you do or say anything else to my patient, please be advised that she just went through a horrible ordeal and anything you do or say can be deleterious to her recovery. That being said, you need to leave now."
"But, I didn't do anything!" A flabbergasted Vince repeats.
"Out!" Jean orders.
"But Jean?"
"OUT!"
Clueless as to what exactly he had done wrong, Vince leaves Lisa's room.
Jean waits for the door to close completely before slyly stating, "He is just too easy".
Jean now regards Lisa. She brushes a few of Lisa's bangs away from her face, now dampened by sweat. "Come on now, honey. Let's not worry them too much. I know that trooper we all know and love is in there somewhere."
Now in the waiting room, both Vince and Rick are dejected. Vince is looking straight up at the ceiling while blowing long breathes up onto his face. Rick, on the other hand, has his elbows resting on his knees, hands covering his face.
Minutes pass before Vince questions Rick. "And just where did you run off to?"
Not once does Rick move from his position, hands still plastered over his face. Vince doesn't think Rick will answer.
Another moment passes before a guilty Rick replies, "I have never seen Lisa like that, ever. I just couldn't stand to be there."
"I see." Vince starts.
"What the hell is wrong with me?" Rick finishes.
Vince feels truly sorry for the guy. He can only imagine the thoughts that are running through Rick's mind. However, he knows that Rick won't be of any help to Lisa if Rick continues his current line of thinking. Knowing this, Vince offers, "Nothing is wrong with you Rick. It's hard for anyone to see somebody they care deeply for in pain."
Now Rick looks up, but not to look at Vince, but to just stare out at nothing in particular.
Undeterred by Rick's apparent lack of interest, Vince continues, "Still. Lisa needs you now more than ever."
And again, Rick is non-committal.
Vince trudges on in the one-sided conversation. "Although it may hurt you to see Lisa like that, you still need to be strong, if not for you, at least for her. Think about how she must be feeling."
Not a reply from Rick.
Another minute passes.
Vince doesn't care at this point. His thoughts now begin to drift to his own heartache. "I lost my one and only sister to that madman. The pain that I am feeling…it is a pain that I would not be able to carry, if it were not for my wife."
Rick finally looks up to see Vince, who is lost in thought. Rick interrupts him. "I'm sorry Vince. Claudia was a great person and a great friend."
Vince replies sadly, "I know." Vince now looks at Rick straight in the eyes. "I lost only one loved one that day. I cannot even begin to imagine how Lisa is feeling."
Now alone with Lisa in her hospital room, Rick caresses her face with his thumbs. She hadn't woken up since being sedated out of her hysterical fit.
A now determined Rick whispers to her, "Lisa, I don't know if you can hear me. I'm sorry for what happened earlier…for being weak. That wasn't me, or at least the me that I want to be. I hope it will never be me again."
Lisa doesn't stir from her sleep. So he continues, "But. I'm here now. Please let me be your strength."
He carefully regards the soft features displayed on the face before him. She looks calm and at peace. No sign of the troubles that are undoubtedly invading her mind and heart.
Now in Lisa's hospital room…
Slowly, Lisa wakes to find Rick in that uncomfortable brown chair, resting against the bed with his face buried in his arms. Lisa reaches over to tenderly stroke his hair.
Well Claudia…I've told him, she sadly thinks to herself.
With a heavy heart, she begins to recall the dream she had just awoken from:
A voice that she knows only too well calls out, "Lisa? Lisa baby, what are you still doing here?"
From her usual position, Lisa slowly turns to look behind her, only to find Claudia standing at the entrance of the SDF-1's bridge. A pensive Lisa replies, "Just thinking." Looking around to her now clear monitors, lights no longer blinking, she calmly states, "Somehow this place helps me focus".
"Let me guess. Thinking about a certain unruly haired ace pilot? Goes by the name Hunter?"
"Oddly enough, not this time…at least not really. I wish I could say that I don't always think about him, but I can't. Because I do." Lisa admits without looking at her closest friend. Now full of emotion, she adds, "No. I was thinking about how much I will miss this place".
Claudia, now standing next to Lisa, looks at her softly. "So, you did it."
"I did. But, I think you already know." With a pause, Lisa continues, "My own command."
"You deserve it. There is nobody better." Then, Claudia quips, "And, it gives you what you quietly hoped for. An excuse for you to get away."
Knowing this was coming, "we've already been through this," starts Lisa.
Claudia quickly interrupts, looking at Lisa directly, "yes I know. But it's still an easy out for you."
Lisa looks away, unable to look at Claudia. Lisa can't help but feel ashamed by her own cowardice. Weakly, Lisa answers, "Claudia, I thought you had finally underst-"
Claudia places her hand on Lisa's shoulder and turns Lisa towards her so that she could meet her eye to eye. "I do understand, but you can't leave things they way they are, Lisa. You need to tell him. You need to tell him everything."
"I know I do, Claudia. And I will. I just need to gather myself before I go and make myself into the biggest fool that ever lived."
A weighted pause ensues.
"That's the spirit", adds Claudia sarcastically.
Lisa gives Claudia a wounded look to which only Claudia chuckles at. Lisa goes to hug Claudia.
While the close friends share a heartfelt hug, Claudia says to Lisa, "I'm going to miss you. Who will I play aggravating matchmaker for with you being gone?"
Lisa smiles. "I'm going to miss you too. You have no idea how many times you have saved me." With tears forming in her eyes, she adds, "there is no other person I would want standing to the left of me. Sister in arms through and through."
"Wouldn't have wanted it any other way." Finally, Claudia moves away from the hug to nudge Lisa in the direction of the door. "I believe you have some unfinished business to attend to? So, will you get outta here?"
As Lisa purposefully makes her way out, she takes one last glance over her shoulder to the proudly standing Claudia, wondering if she will ever see the bridge or her friends again.
With the memory still playing vividly in her mind, recalled effortlessly in her dream, she now remembered all that had occurred.
Still, seeing Rick takes some of her pain away. Not allowing much to cross her mind, she continues to stroke his hair.
Some time later…
He doesn't know how much time had passed, but Rick wakes to find Lisa watching him.
"Hi", she offers.
He gives her a smile before telling her to say it again.
Confused, Lisa asks, "What? Y…you want me to say hello again?"
With his smile getting wider, he answers, "I don't care what you say, just say anything again."
Lisa shoots Rick a worried look before addressing him, "Are you okay?"
"Yeah. Couldn't be better".
Lisa not completely convinced, regards him carefully. However, Rick looks as if he could fly, literally.
He takes her hand, before saying, "really, I'm fine. You just don't know how long I've waited to hear your voice."
The worry in her face begins to subside. She now returns his smile.
Rick asks, "How long have you been awake?"
"A while. Jean even came to check up on me." She states before she moves her hand to touch his arm, "you must be tired."
"Not any more," he quietly answers, relief playing across his face.
After an uncomfortable silence, she asks Rick about how his recovery missions are going.
Rick knows what she is really asking. She doesn't want to directly ask if he found them. He regretfully nods his head negative.
Lisa doesn't cry. Instead, she looks glassed over. She directs her attention to the view out the window, only to notice the flat skyline. No longer is she able to see the once proud SDF-1 in the background.
Rick takes her hand. No words are exchanged as she gives his hand a desperate squeeze.
End Author's notes:
Okay, so I couldn't figure out what kind of car Rick drove around in Macross. There is one scene in Private Time in which Rick drives towards a hanger after blowing by a military checkpoint. I sat there asking myself, no way would that be his car, he is a pilot after all. Maybe a rental?! It was some sort of boxy four door, not at all sexy.
I figured for this day and age, that car would be a Toyota Scion. I almost put that car in here, but again, not a sexy enough car. Unless they were settled down, could you imagine those types of hotshot flyboys driving that type of car? Me neither. Therefore, flashy red convertible Mustang it is.