AN: Okay, very short, like I said last chapter... but I just didn't have the heart to put another scene with it, because it didn't feel right. I promise you will hate me for the first part of this chapter. Poor, poor Trowa. So... on with chapter nineteen!

Waking Up In Vegas

Chapter Nineteen

"Midii..."

Trowa's first thoughts were surprise, shock, a little fear maybe. But his second was complete anger. Months upon months of no news... and here she was on his doorstep? Who the hell did she think she was?

"What the hell are you doing here?"

Her smile was fast, and almost too bright. "Why, to see you, of course. Silly boy."

"You do remember what Delana told you the last time you dropped by to 'see me'." It was a statement, not a question. There was no way she could forget a message like Cathy and Delana's- a message left by fist meeting face.

The smile dropped just a notch in wattage, but still remained unusually bright. "I'll brave their wrath, if only to see you again, Trowa. I missed you. Life just isn't the same without you."

Her face fell, looked saddened. "I really miss you," she continued. "I know I was horrid before, but I've changed, Trowa. I really have. Chicago's given me a new lease on life. But I really miss it here. I was thinking of coming back... coming home. Maybe, maybe give us a second chance?"

Trowa was blindsided, shocked speechless. All he could do was stand and stare. that was the last thing he'd expected to hear fall from her lips, especially after the way they parted with the screaming and accusations.

A part of him hated her. She was too fast, too bold, too... different; and she'd taken his will to paint... his will to create... away with her when she left.

But a part of him remembered her softer side; late night talks, the times when she would let down her guard and show a gentler side. Those quiet times when he'd sit there, and she'd stay quiet and still long enough for him to sketch her, to paint her. He still had a box full of old drawings of her, and even a canvas or two hidden away in the attic with other reminders of her. It was a small part of him, but a part none-the-less. It was a part of him that *wanted* to say 'yes'....

Quatre beat him to the answer, though. Quatre's arm reached around Trowa's waist.

"You're too *late*," the blond hissed, annoyance and jealousy quite apparent on his face, in his blue eyes. "Trowa's not available." The unspoken 'MINE!' was loud and clear, though.

The woman blinked, brown eyes genuinely confused for a moment.

"But... you're a guy." Suddenly, her eyes glinted, her voice took on a clipped, controlled quality. "Trowa, don't tell me Duo's corrupted your line of thinking. *I* can give you the children you always talked about having. *He* can't."

Quatre blinked up at Trowa, expression softening a bit, a shadow of doubt crossing his face. "We can figure that out later," the blond said softly, as if begging, pleading.

"Trowa," she whined. "But... but you're not even *gay*! You have to realize it could never work between you two."

"Midii..." Trowa said, growing more and more confused. It was all too much on an already taxed mind; Trowa couldn't rationalize the feelings, emotions tumbling around within him.

She had quiet valid points. Just as Quatre had pointed out yesterday at lunch that Trowa had interfered with his plans... Quatre was interfering with what *Trowa* wanted in life. He always went with the flow of things... but could he be willing to give up having a family to have a man he had known less than a week? Could he love another man? More importantly, could he love Quatre? Who didn't know how long he would stay here? Who had a job, a sister, a life, somewhere else?

"Midii..." Trowa whispered again, his eyes at first not seeing the sudden panic flash in Quatre's aqua eyes. At first not seeing the worry, confusion written on that face, until he looked down... and then Quatre's evident emotions came washing over him in one huge tidal wave. The panic, confusion... love.

Trowa couldn't look away. Quatre's eyes closed, a small frown passing over the face, as if bracing for the worst... for the dismissal that was sure to come.... only it didn't.

Silence loomed between them.

What the hell was he thinking? After all he and Quatre had talked about... he was questioning Quatre's will to stay? He could have a family with Quatre; Meilan wasn't the only little child in the world that needed a loving home. He may have only know Quatre a few days... but the bond, the link between them was undeniably strong. He knew he wasn't gay... but he knew he was falling in love with Quatre. He didn't know if he could feel this way about any other man.... but for Quatre... for Quatre, yes. He would take on any bigotry or hate the world wanted to throw at him.

And it was just that simple. It simply clicked into place, the sudden realization. There was no more worrying, no more 'thinking'... he knew for certain, for sure, without a doubt.

He loved Quatre.

Undeniably, unequivocally, irretrievably.

And he didn't love Midii.

And that's all that really mattered at the moment.

When Quatre's eyes finally opened his eyes again, when Trowa's gaze finally met Quatre's again... the green depths were filled with a newly firmed resolve, a newly minted love. Blue eyes widened in response to the emerald ocean of emotions that swam in Trowa's eyes.

Trowa smiled. "I love you, Quatre," he said simply, and bent down to claim Quatre's lips once again that day. On the porch, in the morning sunlight- in the soft early summer breeze perfuming the air with jasmine and rose... and with a confused, wide-eyed Midii looking on... they kissed.

And... well... that's all that really mattered at the moment.