Disclaimer: Gundam Wing has never been, and will never be mine. C&C . . . please? From Forever to Forever Part Seven: Forward June 30, A.C. 205—Sally Po—6:16 p.m. "And after that last mission, Lady Une insisted that Sally was offered this position—she's now second in command," WuFei boasts. It's nice to know that he's so happy for me. "That's wonderful," Quatre says with a wide smile. It's rare to find an honest businessman. Then again, maybe he's more severe with people he hasn't known since he was a kid. "I was flattered—I was certain WuFei would be offered the job before me." I don't especially like being the center of attention. It was WuFei's idea to host a dinner party. It's strangely out of character for either of us to be so social—for any other event he would've suggested a romantic evening alone. So I'm sure he's ecstatic, even if he still keeps his severe act. "So, are you two not getting married because you want to stay with the Preventors?" Silvia asks meekly. The others seem to think marriage is a sensitive topic with us. It’d be funny, except that this was the first year WuFei could even utter the word without cringing. "Pretty much," WuFei admits. "I think the rules should be changed a bit, though. It's ridiculous to allow us to live together but say we can't get married. Maybe they should only have it so Preventors can't marry outside the organization." He smiles at me, raising his eyebrows. I’m flattered. "I agree!" Duo states rather loudly, slamming his arm down on the table. "I could still be a Preventor if it weren't for their stupid regulations!" His wife catches the glass he knocks over before it hits the floor. Hilde sighs, tossing the cup in her hands. She's probably heard this argument dozens of times. "No, Duo—a Preventor can't be burdened with thoughts of a family. It keeps them from doing whatever is necessary to complete a mission. You can't honestly say you wouldn't hold back in a battle if you have the twins on your mind, right?" He looks away, defeated. "I guess." "I don't think the Preventors should be held to different standards than any other armed force, though," Relena says after a moment's reflection. "If our Specials Force allows married officers, like my brother, why shouldn't the Preventors?" Heero stands, a commanding expression on his face. "Your brother doesn't take on missions knowing he has a twenty percent chance of survival. He doesn't have the same training standards that Preventors have, and his job isn't nearly as secretive. As Preventors we are forced to keep secrets from civilians and even each other. It isn't right to force a married couple to keep secrets from each other. And with the high mortality rate of the Preventor units, we have to keep the soldiers from leaving behind widows and fatherless children." "Or motherless children," Trowa adds. Heero nods, respectfully, toward Hilde. She had been a Preventor for three years before her pregnancy. "Because of their rules," Heero continues, "I finally realized that I was ready to get married. I was willing to leave the organization in order to be with Relena." They share a small smile as he stands behind her chair, wrapping his arms around her. It’s cute that they’re still newlyweds after a year. "Well said," I agree, getting up to bring out the main course. As much as I love WuFei, I can’t imagine ever leaving the Preventors. Working only in the hospitals and laboratories did little for me—I like to be out there helping people at all levels. Maybe someday we’ll want to leave the organization, but now we’re happy as we are. June 30th—Relena Darlian—8:57 p.m. I lean against Heero, squeezing his hand in my own as he tells yet another battle story. This time he’s talking about the Zero System and his experience with the Epyon. Hilde and Sally are the only ones who are really listening. The other former gundam pilots have glassy expressions. It’s probably a defense mechanism. I hear the system was fairly warped. "Uncle Heero, do you have to tell this story again?" five-year-old Tresa Maxwell asks from her perch on Sally’s lap. "You told us this one last Christmas!" "Yeah—when you told us about the time Uncle Quatre went crazy and tried to kill you!" Judas shouts, clinging to Hilde’s knee. They are rambunctious twins—exactly what you’d expect from Hilde and Duo. "Come on, kids," Trowa says, standing up. Maja Winner holds on to his hand as he leads the three children from the room. "Let’s learn how to juggle." Heero pouts momentarily. His story is forgotten and we’re all gushing over Trowa’s parental abilities. Leave it to Trowa to upstage the perfect soldier. I pat my husband’s knee supportively. "He spends a lot of time with Catherine’s boys. That’s why he’s so great with kids," Quatre informs us. "And Maja—he’s always visiting her, too." Silvia looks out toward the dining room, where her four-year-old is attempting to juggle with two oranges. "He should settle down and start a family," I say, squeezing Heero’s hand again. Although we’ve decided to wait a while to have any children, I’ve become impatient, watching my friends with their kids. "Are there any nice women on your team that you can hook him up with?" WuFei asks Sally. She snorts. "I don’t work with nice women. Besides, a man like Trowa must have someone in mind already—maybe someone in his team." "Nyah—there aren’t many nice female Preventors," Heero says, oblivious to the glares he receives from Sally and Hilde. He turns toward Silvia and Quatre. "You two spend more time with him than we do—are there any girls he wants to meet?" Silvia averts her eyes. "I don’t think he’s interested in that sort of thing." Wait—does she mean—? Duo begins to chuckle. "So it is true! Trowa’s gay, isn’t he?" Quatre blushes slightly as he nods. Apparently he doesn’t feel very comfortable acknowledging his friend’s sexual orientation. For a moment my romantic notions take over, and I wonder if Quatre and Trowa’s friendship had ever been taken to a deeper level, but my sensibility returns. Certainly nothing like that could’ve happened. Quatre’s orientation had never been in question—and he’s always been completely devoted to Silvia. I’m just jumping to fanciful conclusions. "Well, even if he is gay—he can always find a life-partner and raise a family," Sally states hopefully. "There have been massive advancements in chromosome studies and genetic engineering. And artificial wombs have been in use since before we were born." Quatre scowls uncharacteristically. "Maybe he doesn’t think a test-tube freak is natural." We stare at him in shock. It’s not like him to be so insincere and narrow-minded. And now he’s criticizing Sally’s medical work. I notice that none of us look more appalled than Silvia. She looks at him as if he’s someone completely different than the man she’s been with for seven years. Just then Trowa returns with a Maxwell twin clinging to each leg and Maja Winner riding piggyback. "So Trowa," I begin, hoping to lower the rising tension in the room. "Are you ever going to settle down? You can’t be a Preventor forever." "Yeah, I guess someday I will," he answers with a playful smile, as Maja nuzzles up to him from behind. "I’m just waiting for this little one to grow up!" "That’s the way to do it Trowa," WuFei chides. "Go for the young and beautiful heiress!" Quatre groans and drops his head in his hands in mock-horror. Duo clamps a comforting hand on Quatre’s shoulder. "Sorry man, but you’re losin’ her already." Trowa gently sets Maja on the floor and she runs to her father’s lap, giving him a much-needed hug. With a tiny smirk and a thumb stuck in her mouth, she leans over Quatre’s shoulder to smile at Trowa. June 30th—Silvia Noventa-Winner—11:51 p.m The hotel suite is silent, except for the occasional muffled word coming from Maja's room. She's been talking in her sleep for several months now—one of many traits she's inherited from Quatre. I listen to his breathing, wondering if he's still awake. It sounds like he is. "Why did you insult Sally like that?" I ask, recalling his rude comment about "test-tube freaks" for the fiftieth time this evening. "What do you mean?" He's laying on his stomach and his pillow muffles his voice. "Didn't you know that she was with the team that made the chromosome breakthroughs before the war that allow gay couples to have children?" He sits up, turning toward me. His expression is unusually cold. "No, I didn't," he answers in a voice more suited to Heero Yuy than to my sweet, gentle husband. It’s clear that his actions would’ve been the same even if he had known. I won't get any more answers if I ask all the questions running through my head. Instead, I roll over and convince myself to let it go. I hate seeing Quatre like this. I'd rather go to bed with questions than go to bed with him angry with me. He wraps his arm around my waist, pulling me closer to him. "I’m sorry," he murmurs into my hair. "I was a test-tube baby," he whispers softly. "I just can't accept it." "Why?" I can feel his shrug. "It's not natural. My father produced twenty-nine children before me. When he realized that he needed a male heir, he created me. Not because he wanted another child, but because he needed a boy. I was a convenience." He pauses for a moment. "Rashid and the other Maganacs told me to take pride in my birth, but I've never been able to. They were created out of love—probably by parents who couldn't have children. I wasn't. I was just there because my colony didn't allow female inheritance." After a moment of silence I speak again. He doesn’t really believe that, does he? "Quatre, what's your earliest memory?" "My father giving me my first violin," he answers without hesitation. "He taught me how to hold it, and how to draw the bow across the strings." "Do you remember it as an act of love?" I feel his head nodding against my shoulder. "So, the truth is, even if you were created in a laboratory for a specific purpose—your father loved you." "Yes," he whispers finally. "I suppose you’re right." I pause for a moment, letting him think about it. "If you had known that I would have so much trouble with Maja, wouldn’t you have opted for an artificial womb—to ensure our safety?" "In a heartbeat," he answers, bringing his hand up to my cheek to caress it gently. "And we would’ve loved her just the same. You’re right—I’m sorry I was being so unreasonable." I smile, snuggling closer to him. I understand what he meant—even if I didn’t agree with him. But I like having my sweet and caring husband with me again.
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