Chapter 3

Lita's and Trowa's Date

Lita looked at Trowa as he ushered her in a tent and commented on the performing elephants, "A circus?"

Trowa smirked at her as he took a hold of her hand and motioned for her to sit down as he replied, "Something different." His emerald eyes glanced back to the main ring and noticed Cathrine was searching for him as their act was next. "I'll be back."

Lita confused looked up at him as she asked, "What . . . where are you going?"

Trowa smirked again as he replied, "You'll see." He left Lita and chuckled slightly as he could hear her mumble phrases about dates and Nephalania.

Lita realized Trowa wasn't coming back as she sat on the second row and began to rub her arms as she remembered the battle with Nephalania and whispered, "I hate circuses." She jumped as a brunette-woman with her hair done in several ponytails began to swing, silently shuddered as she looked around and saw people were laughing and clapping at the acrobatic swinger. Lita sighed as she continued to look around the crowded tent in hope to find Trowa. "I swear I can never date a normal guy . . ." she frowned as she thought about her life and looked at the tigers in the next ring, "then again, what guy wants to date someone like me . . ."

"She's cute." Cathrine said with a smile as she peeked behind a curtain to look at Trowa's date. She looked at him and laughed, "But she doesn't look like she's enjoying the show."

Trowa chuckled as he saw Lita pouting as she looked at the lions and replied, "Then, I guess we'll have to change that, won't we?"

"You didn't tell her you were performing?"

"I didn't think I had too."

Cathrine groaned as she threw her hands in the air and muttered, "You men are all the same."

"She's from Colony L1 where we performed last month."

"So you assumed she was there? Trowa, look at the girl . . ." Cathrine yelled as she pulled back the curtain to look at Lita who kept eyeing the acrobat with nervousness, "she's petrified of this place!"

Trowa scowled as he looked at Lita and then put his mask on as he began to walk out as he mumbled, "We're up."

"Ladies and Gentelmen, I am pleased to announce our next and final act – the knife throwing act performed by Cathrine Bloom and Trowa Barton!"

Lita sat up as she heard Trowa's name being called by the Ring Master and raised an eyebrow as she saw Trowa wearing a green turtle neck and black pants with half of a clown mask covering the left side of his face. "A clown?" She asked herself as she looked at Trowa and chuckled, "Who knew."

Trowa kept his gaze on Lita as Cathrine threw her knives at him and wanted to chuckle as he saw Lita's gaze transfixed on him. He looked back to Cathrine who threw her last knife and stole another glance at Lita who was wide-eyed as the knife barely missed his right ear. I got your attention now. He thought as he waited for Cathrine to take the knives so they could perform the tight-walk performance.

Lita mesmerized by Trowa's performing capabilities forgot about Nephalania and her circus as she continued to watch Trowa and Cathrine's performance. She held her breath as she saw Cathrine let go of the swinging bar and landed in Trowa's arm as he caught her while balancing on the thin wire. "Wow. . ." was all she could say as the crowd stood and gave them a standing ovation.

Cathrine and Trowa continued to bow towards the audience as Cathrine looked at Lita and replied, "I think she's enjoying it now."

Trowa gave her a nod as he picked up a yellow rose from the ground and began to walk towards Lita. He offered her the rose and smirked as he saw Lita's cheeks turn a rosy color as he then offered her his hand, "Would you like to see backstage?"

Lita looked at the rose then over to him as she gave him a smile and replied, "I would love to."

"You're Trowa's date." Cathrine said with a devious smile as she looked at Lita and over to Trowa who easily towered over Lita by a foot and shook her hand, "Did you like the show?"

"It was awesome," Lita said with enthusiasm as she looked at Trowa and replied, "I thought she would have stabbed you with that last knife."

Trowa took off his mask and smirked as he looked over at Cathrine and then to Lita, "She does that to captivate the audience."

"She did an amazing job."

Cathrine shook her head as she introduced herself, "I'm Cathrine by the way."

Lita chuckled as she looked at Trowa and then to Catrhine, "It's nice to meet you. I'm Lita Kino."

Cathrine looked at them as she asked Trowa, "I thought you two were on a date?"

Trowa blushed slightly as he replied, "We are." He gave Cathrine a small hug as he took Lita's hand and replied, "I'll see you tomorrow for our last performance."

"You two have fun. Lita," Cathrine said as she saw Lita looking at her with her undivided attention, "come by anytime."

Lita smiled and left with Trowa. "You didn't tell me you were in the circus."

Trowa looked down at her as they continued to walk down the sidewalk as he replied, "You didn't ask." He then asked, "You didn't seem like you were enjoying the show."

Lita scowled as she thought back to Trowa leaving her, "Would you? I mean you left me and I thought you stood me up."

"I wouldn't do such a thing." Trowa said as he noticed they arrived at a hamburger joint and opened the door for her as he asked, "Why did you look so scared?"

Lita embarrassed he saw her and embarrassed she allowed her guard down as she defended herself, "I was not scared." She said as she sat down and looked at Trowa with electricity sparkling in her eyes as Trowa chuckled.

Trowa gave her a smirk as he replied, "Of course not . . . you were petrified."

"Look," Lita said as she balled up her fists and glared at him, "I wasn't petrified. The last time I was at a circus, things didn't go to well."

Trowa raised an eyebrow as he asked jokingly, "What, a lion began to attack the audience?"

Lita shook her head as she looked out the window and replied, "Something like that," she said referring to the Dead Moon circus group. She shuttered at the thought of Nephalania and her puppets as she looked back to Trowa with a forced smile as the waiter arrived. "I'll have a cheeseburger and a strawberry milkshake, please."

Trowa looked at the waiter and replied, "I'll have the same." Trowa waited for the waiter to leave as he looked at Lita and asked, "Was the circus that bad?"

Lita sighed as she looked into his emerald eyes and replied, "Tonight's show, no . . . but if you asked me that question a year ago, I would have said yes."

"What happened?"

Lita looked back to the window and then back to him as she answered, "I'd rather not talk about it, right now."

Trowa gave her a nod as he tried to think of all the reasons for Lita not liking the circus. He remembered her saying something about Nephalania asked, "Whose Nephalania?"

Lita's looked at him wide-eyed as she asked, "How do you know about Nephalania?"

Trowa answered her as he saw how flurstered she look from the questions he was asking, "I heard you mumble the name when I left to perform the last act."

Lita looked at him with a raised eyebrow as she asked, "You heard that?" She looked at him closer as she asked, "How?"

Trowa shrugged his shoulders as he answered, "I have good hearing. So?"

"So?"

"Who is she or he?"

Lita sighed as she looked at him and asked, "You will never let this go, will you?"

"Probably not."

"Nephalania is a she, and she was the reason why I don't like circuses."

"What did she do?"

Lita raised another eyebrow as she observed him, "For being so quiet, you sure do ask a lot of questions."

Trowa chuckled as he noted to himself how she kept changing the subject at hand. The waiter brought their food and Trowa smirked as he watched Lita took a bite of her cheeseburger. He did the same as he tired to figure out who she was and what her role is with Serena and the new Gundams.

Duo's and Mina's Date

Mina looked at Duo with a grin as she saw a racetrack to her right and turned her attention to Duo as she asked, "A racetrack?"

Duo grinned as he parked his Hummer and looked at Mina as he replied, "Well, are you ready?"

"For what?"

Duo grinned even wider as he got out of the Hummer, walked around to Mina's side, and opened the door. "You'll see."

Mina looked at the track eyes wide as she saw how wide the track was and commented, "Amara would kill me if she knew about this track."

Duo chuckled as he took her hand and asked, "Amara, is she another one of your friends?"

Mina gave him a nod as she saw two racecars were parked and looked at Duo as she raised a blonde eyebrow, "You really don't seem like the racecar driver."

Duo chuckled as he shrugged his shoulders as he commented, "And you don't seem like the type of girl who likes to be around a racetrack."

Mina pouted as she asked, "What type of girl am I?"

Duo rubbed the back of his head as he looked at her and shrugged her shoulders, "A girly-girl."

"Oh." Mina said with amusement in her eyes as she leaned against him, "A girly-girl, just because I care how I look when I'm in public?"

Duo shook his head as he defended himself, "That's not what I meant."

"What did you mean?" Mina asked as they walked to the cars and took her helmet to look at Duo, "Huh?"

"You're afraid of braking a nail."

Mina glared at him as she put the helmet on and walked to the black racecar. She got into the car and began to strap herself in as Duo walked over to her and asked, "You're not mad are you?"

Mina opened her visor as she looked at him and replied, "Of course I'm not mad . . . I'm just hurt to think you consider me as a girly-girl whose afraid to drive a racecar."

"Wait a minute . . . I didn't say that. I was just shocked to see you getting excited about this racetrack." He then added, "Most girls don't."

Mina glared at him as she replied with anger, "I'm not like most girls, Duo . . . in fact, my friends are not like most girls!"

Duo sighed as he walked to the bright yellow racecar and thanked the guy who handed him his helmet and got into his car. He looked in his side mirrors as he began to talk to himself, "Way to go, Braided-baka . . . ruin the first date with her . . ." he slammed his fists against the steering wheel as he continued to look back at Mina's racecar, as he thought back to his last relationship with Hilde, "Damn you, Hilde!" He yelled in frustration as he remembered a time he brought Hilde to this very racetrack and remembered how she wanted to leave once they arrived.

Mina continued to glare at Duo's car as she mumbled to herself, "I'll show you, Duo Maxwell . . . I'm more than just a girly-girl."

Trowa and Lita left the restaurant and walked in silence as Lita silently observed Trowa in the streetlights. Who are you, Trowa Barton? What secrets do you have, and are you and your friends tied into this war? She thought as she commented, "You're quiet."

Trowa looked down at her as he commented, "I thought I talked too much."

Lita shook her head as she stepped closer to him and replied, "I like it when you talk." She looked up at the full moon and asked out loud, "You and your friends carry a heavy burden, why?"

Trowa looked at her and motioned for her to walk towards a secluded area as he replied, "So do you and your friends. You're sure protective of Serena." He silently watched her look away and asked, "You worry about her, don't you?"

Lita looked at him as she sat on the bench and stared at the fountain as she replied, "I always worry about her."

"Why?"

Lita looked at him and sighed as she replied, "I wish I can tell you, Trowa . . ."

Trowa gave her nod in understanding as he looked back to the fountain and placed his arm around her shoulders as he commented, "In due time."

Lita looked up at him and frowned as she thought back to her past relationships and pushed herself away. She didn't see the hurt that passed through Trowa's eyes as she looked down to the ground and then back to him, "Trowa . . . I . . ." she began to rub the back of her head as she looked back to the ground with anger swimming in her eyes as she began to sort out the things she wanted to say. Growling in frustration, she looked up at him and spoke with uneasiness in her voice as she felt herself becoming lost while looking into his stunning emerald eyes, "I like you . . . but . . ." she clenched her hands as she stood from the bench and took out her wand as she looked at him and asked, "What am I to you?"

Trowa looked at her with concern and hurt as Lita pushed him away and wondered what she meant to him as he's only known her for a week and enjoyed having her in most of his classes. Never being in a relationship before, and being a Gundam Pilot kept him from pursuing any relationship. He noticed a green and gold pen-like wand in Lita's left hand, and rose an eyebrow as he wondered where she got it as she didn't reach in her purse for the object and looked back at her. "I'm not sure." He replied and saw her painfully look away as he stood up and turned Lita around to face him, and spoke with sincerity, "I would like to get to know you more."

Lita looked away as she knew she was falling fast for him and replied, "I . . ." her hand gripped her wand tighter as she looked into his eyes and asked, "Why?"

Trowa smirked at her as he continued to look into her captivating emerald eyes and answered, "You captivate me." Trowa then asked, "What about me?"

"I want to get to know you too, the real you," she said as she looked into his eyes and saw a look that described how she felt as she placed a shaky hand on his cheek and smiled softly, "no secrets, but the real you, Trowa Barton."

Trowa's smirk quickly disappeared as he looked down at her and stepped away as he answered her, "I can't . . . or, I'll have to kill you, Lita."

Lita looked at him with understanding as she willed her wand back into her sub-space pocket as she replied, "I understand." She smiled softly at him as she turned to look back at the fountain and asked, "What else is there to do here?" Momentarily forgetting about Trowa and his secrets . . . after all, she had secrets that could jeopardize him.

Trowa wanting to sigh in relief as Lita quickly changed the subject and knew it would be a matter of time before she asked again. He gently took a hold of Lita's hand and began to walk away from the park to continue their date.

Duo slammed on the brakes as he saw Mina cut him off from the track and parked her car as the race was over. He loosened his grip from the steering wheel as he looked at her car in amazement. Whistling he commented to himself, "She's definitely my type of girl." He turned off the engine and quickly got out from his racecar to greet Mina.

Mina took off her helmet and shook out her ponytail as she turned her attention to Duo and asked, "Am I a typical girl, Duo?"

Duo flabbergasted, shook his head as he could smell the rubber on the tires and looked at her with admiration. "That was amazing."

Mina grinned as she set the helmet in the car and walked over to him to look in his eyes and turned to look at the track. She was thankful for Amara taking the time to teach her how to drive a racecar and thanked all the time she played video games at the Crown Arcade. "I'm glad you think so."

Duo looked at her and brought her closer to him and tipped her chin up as he looked into her sky-blue eyes as he felt complete holding her. "I'm sorry about earlier, Mina."

"Me too," she replied as she laughed hearing his stomach rumble, "so where are we going to eat?"

Duo grinned as he wrapped an arm around her petite waist and began to walk with her off the track as he asked, "The best pizza place in town."

Mina shook her head and rested against his arm as they quietly walked back to his Hummer. She looked up at the sky and silently thought, I wish I can be open with him . . . this feels so right.

Rei sat with boredom as she watched a black and white soap opera. She looked at the round clock on the wall above the TV and sighed. "This is ridiculous!" She screamed, as she turned off the TV, got off the couch, and left her apartment room. She walked across the hall and knocked on the door as she muttered to herself,"Please be home."

Amy opened the door and looked at Rei and smiled softly as she asked, "You're bored too?"

"Mina isn't back from her date and I don't even dare knock on Serena's door. I hoped you would be here."

"Lita left with Trowa and I've been here reading nonstop."

Rei shook her head as she walked into Amy's apartment and asked, "Have you had dinner?"

"No."

"Grab your purse."

Amy left the living room and came back with a light blue purse and looked at Rei as she asked, "There's a diner down the street from us."

"Let's go."

Quatre and Wufei both were sitting in Rockies as they were looking over their missions and glanced up as they heard the door open. Wufei shook his head as he mumbled about them being weak onnas and looked at Quatre as he asked, "Barton went out with the brown-headed weak onna?"

"Yeah."

"He's becoming weak."

"Duo?" Quatre asked as he watched Wufei shook his head and laughed, "Just thought I would ask."

"Is it me, or are they everywhere we go?" Rei asked as she noticed Wufei and Quatre sitting at a table near the back and shook her head as she looked at Amy.

Amy shrugged her shoulders as she asked, "Have you seen Serena since school?"

"No."

A waiter greeted them and set down their menus on a table next to Wufei and Quatre and left. Quatre stood from the table and smiled at Rei and Amy as he asked, "Would you two like to join us?"

Rei shook her head as Amy blushed and answered shyly, "That would be great."

Rei glared at Amy as Wufei glared at Quatre and sat down. Rei sat next to Quatre as Amy sat down next to Wufei. Quatre ignored Wufei's death glare as he looked at Amy and asked, "How was the rest of your day?"

Amy set her menu down and looked at Quatre as she answered, "It was okay."

Rei looked at Wufei and asked, "I'm telling you, your ponytail is too tight."

Wufei looked at her and glared even more as he yelled out, "Injustice, Onna!"

Rei glared at him as she quickly corrected him, "My name is not ONNA, it's Rei, Morron!"

"I don't care what your name is."

Amy looked at Quatre and gave him a slight nod as she stood from the table as Wufei and Rei's tempers began to clash. Quatre walked around the table and joined Amy as he gently placed his hand on her lower back as he escorted her out of the diner, and shook his head as Wufei and Rei were oblivious to them leaving. "Who knew Wufei could meet himself a match," Quatre joked as he glanced back to the diner to see Rei standing up and throwing her arms in the air about something Wufei said.

Amy shook her head in embarrassment as she looked at Quatre and asked, "Is there anywhere else we can go . . . by the look of things, they'll be in there for awhile."

Quatre laughed as he replied, "Actually there is. My treat."

Amy blushed as she gave him a small and quiet reply, "I would like that."

Trowa and Lita both stepped from the elevator as Trowa walked Lita to her door. "Thanks for the evening, Lita."

Lita smiled up at him as she leaned forward and gave him a small kiss on the lips, "Thank-you," she said as she turned around and unlocked her door, and looked back to Trowa and whispered, "Good night."

Trowa gave her a small smile as he watched her closed the door and saw Duo and Lita step off from the elevator and shook his head as he saw their arms wrapped around each other as Duo walked Mina to her door and gave her a kiss. Duo smiled at Mina as Mina unlocked her door and said, "I'll see you tomorrow, Babe?"

Mina smiled as she gave him a wink. "Of course. Breakfast?"

Duo grinned even more as he gave her a more passionate kiss and a hug as he replied, "Pick youup at 10. Goodnight, Beautiful."

Mina was blushing from the kiss and gave him a nod as she stepped into her dorm and closed the door. She locked the door and leaned against as she felt her lips burning from Duo's lips and sighed, "I'm in heaven."

Rei stepped out from her room as she heard the door open and shut as she saw Mina leaning against the door, "I'm taking it the night went well," she said with amusement.

Mina looked at her and sighed once more as she walked past Rei and commented, "It's been the best date ever." She stopped and looked at her roommate and friend as she yawned, "I'm going to bed, I'll see you tomorrow sometime."

Rei baffled, silently watched her love-struck friend walk into their bedroom and shook her head. "At least you didn't argue with a male chauvinistic pig!" She said bitterly as she turned off the lights and went to bed.