"Are we really on the moon, Mommy?" The little girl twirled around in a circle, little auburn pigtails bobbing as she did so. She looked up at her parents, large blue eyes full of wonder and delight. "It's so pretty here!" Her mother smiled, the expression warm and loving, and knelt down to place a hand on the child's head. "It certainly is. And do you know why we brought you to the moon for your birthday?"
The little girl shook her head. "Why?" The woman bent and lifted her daughter into her arms. "Because this is where you were born.." Murrue had to suppress a laugh as the girls eyes widened, and she looked around herself with renewed interest. She remembered all too well the events that had taken place on this day five years ago...the day Rin had been born. That day had been confusing, frightening and wonderful all at once, and one she would always remember. Her daughter had been a firebrand since the day she was born, always getting into mischief, but was so utterly adorable, she only had to smile, her wide blue eyes full of innocence...and no-one could ever stay angry at her. Right now, that smile and those eyes were focused right on her. "I come from the moon?" she asked, looking straight up at the huge overhead windows of Copernicus. "Was Amber born here too?" She looked to the side of her mother, where her father stood gently smiling. In his arms was a toddler...her little sister, who had been born when Rin was two. Mwu shook his head, kissing the toddler's ruffled strawberry-blonde curls. "No, Amber was born back home. Don't you remember?"
Rin considered this for a moment. "Not really," she admitted, wiggling her legs until Murrue set her back down. "But how come you and Mommy were here on the moon, Daddy?" Mwu smiled, shifting little Amber to the other arm, and taking his wife's hand with the other. "You remember me telling you that me and your mommy were soldiers? Well, our ship was here for a whole year, and your mommy and I even got married on the ship." Rin nodded and smiled, taking her mother's hand. "So what can we do now?"
Murrue pointed down the street, to where a large, fluidly sculpted building stood. "We're going there," The little girl frowned a little, confused. "What is it?" As they neared the building, the brightly coloured paintings and murals on the outside caught Amber's eye, and she squealed in delight, bouncing up and down in her father's arms. "Fishies!!" Mwu chuckled, trying to keep his hold on the excited toddler. "Yep, fishies," he replied, smiling at the happiness in his youngest child's marigold eyes. Rin herself was staring in awe as the little family walked inside the large aquarium, the blue-painted walls covered with pictures and descriptions of the fish and other marine animals the place had to show. Ever since she had been old enough to walk and talk, she had been fascinated with the sea and the creatures living within it, and had constantly been begging her parents to take her to the city aquarium back home in Orb, but there had never been the time.
But today was her birthday, after all...
For several hours, the four of them wandered around the building, gazing at the large tanks full of all kinds of aquatic life. Patterned angelfish swam to and fro, eyeing the schools of tetras and other fish, and the little five-year-old watched them with amazement, hands pressed to the glass. "They're so pretty, Mommy..." she breathed. Murrue and Mwu smiled, hands still clasped together. Travelling here had cost a great deal, as had booking a hotel suite. But it was all worth it to see the happiness on their little girl's face, as well as the memories this city brought back. Of their dates, the few days they had spent here a little while after their wedding, of Rin's birth...so much of their life was tied to this place. Wrapping an arm around her husband's waist, Murrue snuggled close. Amber was fast asleep, her head on her father's shoulder, one tiny hand curled tightly around his shirt. "I guess all this was too exciting for her, huh?" Mwu asked, and she nodded, eyes closed.
After the aquarium trip, the small family walked to a cafe close by, telling Rin that they were going to buy drinks and ice creams. But instead, as the glass door swung open, the little girl's face lit up, and she ran forward to embrace the people waiting there. "Auntie Lacus! Uncle Kira! Auntie Erica!!" The three people smiled happily, Erica bending down to welcome her young goddaughter into an embrace. "Hello, Rin, sweetheart. Are you enjoying your birthday?" The five-year-old nodded brightly, hugging Erica. "Uh-huh! Mommy and Daddy took me to the aquarium!!" Murrue and Mwu themselves sat down at the table, the blonde man gently rousing the sleeping Amber. The three-year-old rubbed her eyes, peering around at everyone, and beamed in delight when she saw her beloved Auntie Lacus, scrambling from her father's lap across to the pink-haired girl. Rin sat in the middle of the little group as the guest of honour, between her mother and Erica, swinging her legs happily at the presents she recieved, as well as the birthday cake in the shape of a turtle, five candles glowing brightly.
Later that evening, back at the hotel suite, Murrue tenderly pulled the blankets up around her two sleeping daughters. Rin's face still wore a sunny smile, wavy dark hair streaming over the pillow, and Amber slept beside her older sister, little arms wrapped around the teddy bear she had been given. "Sweet dreams..." whispered the woman gently, kissing both children goodnight. Leaving the small room, she closed the door, stepping out into the main room of the suite. Mwu was standing there gazing out of the window, and she went to join him, slipping her hand into his. "You think we were right to come back here?" she asked softly, and he nodded, squeezing her hand. "It brought everything back," he said. "Of that year we spent here, and how much that year changed our lives. It also reminded me of what an ass I was..." His scarred face wore a rueful smile at the memory, and she cuffed him gently. "None of that," she scolded. "You more than made up for it." She sighed, wrapping her arms around his middle. "Things were tough sometimes, like that time I had to go to PLANT, and how hard Rin's birth was. But our wedding was wonderful, and we even got the chance to renew our vows a year later, when all our friends were able to be there. And...we had Amber." She poked his nose. "And you got to choose her name.." Mwu grinned. "Well, she has eyes the exact same colour as her mom's, and I never thought I'd see anyone else with eyes as beautiful as yours. I had to name her after that, didn't I?" Murrue blushed, hiding her face in his shirt, and he laughed, leaning down to kiss the top of her head. "You're still so shy, even after all this time..."
"No, I'm not," she replied, tugging his shirt down so she could kiss him firmly. Her hands moved up to tangle in his long hair, and he smiled into the kiss, holding her to him. "Oh?" he said when they broke, face inches from hers, "Someone's bold today.." Bending down, he lifted his wife into his arms, nuzzling into her neck. "Ya know, this is practically the place where we got married..." She smiled saucily at that, giggling as his lips tickled her skin. "And? Does that mean you have something special planned?" she asked.
He didn't answer, just carried her across to the other bedroom, kicking the door shut behind them.
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( And there ye have it, ladies. I'd say gentlemen, but I don't think any have read this lol. Instead, I would like to say thanks to my three favourite reviewers/fellow MXM obsessives: irishdragon (aka Sis), Sky, and BirchFire. Love you guys! )