Disclaimers: Gundam Wing belongs to Sunrise. Any songs or quotes belong to their respective authors listed with them.

Author’s Notes: Hello everyone, just wanted to say sorry about the format of the songs always being weird. When I save it to .htm it won’t stay the same format, and I don’t know how to fix it, so sorry again if it’s confusing to read. Anyway, enjoy the last chapter, there’s an epilogue after this.

//_-

The next morning, Averil and Trowa decided to have breakfast separately, for they wanted to spend the rest of the day—their last day—together. So Averil ate with the girls, and Trowa had breakfast with Quatre and Duo.

"So Jazmin, how are things with you and Quatre?" Averil asked, delicately licking some jam off of her fingers.

The brunette smiled with satisfaction and put down her coffee cup. "A lot better. He’s finally given up trying to only be my employer and has taken me on a number of very romantic dates."

"That’s great! How did that happen?"

"It’s a long story that will have to be told some other time. You’ll keep in touch, won’t you?"

"Of course! I wouldn’t miss out on any of the juicy details."

"So what are the juicy details between you and Trowa?" Hilde asked eagerly. Jazmin and Catherine leaned in with equal anticipation.

Averil groaned and blushed, knowing they’d ask this. "I don’t know. I guess we just realized . . . that . . ."

"You love each other?" Catherine suggested.

Averil’s face fell. "Well, he hasn’t said that or anything, but—"

Jazmin looked incredulous. "You mean he’s leaving tomorrow morning and you guys haven’t even admitted that?!"

"How do you even know if he feels that way?" asked Averil a little indignantly.

Hilde shook her head. "Love’s not just a feeling. We know because he shows it! His actions give him away."

Averil frowned. "Well, I can’t just make him say it. If he wants me to know, then he’ll tell me. I’m not going to force it out of him."

"Well are you going to tell him?" asked Catherine.

"I guess I’ll just have to wait and see. There’s no telling if I’ll be able to get the words out between now and when he leaves," answered Averil honestly.

The others didn’t say anything, feeling it best to let the subject drop, despite their differing opinions. Then Hilde asked, "You’ll come to my wedding, won’t you?"

Averil smiled in relief. "I wouldn’t miss it. Thanks for inviting me."

"No problem! Duo and I want as many people there as possible. ‘The more the merrier’ is what we say."

Averil raised her brows. "I’m sure you have a lot of friends, too. I wonder if I’ll even find a seat."

"Oh, don’t worry. I’ll get all of you seats with a great view of me in my beautiful dress, and you’ll all be jealous," said Hilde enthusiastically. The others laughed, knowing that they probably would wish they were the ones getting married.

"So when are you and Duo heading back to L2?" asked Jazmin.

"We’re leaving tonight. Our shuttle leaves around 6:30pm, about an hour and a half earlier than Catherine and Trowa’s," Hilde answered.

Averil looked disappointed, "That means I won’t get to see you off at the subway." She wrinkled her nose, "I have a meeting with Mr. Barker about the recording at seven, so I’ll only get to see Trowa and Catherine off."

"That’s okay," Hilde said, giggling, "Duo and I will pounce on you before you go to your meeting and make sure we get a thorough seeing off."

"’A seeing off?’ With a ‘pouncing?’ I’ll be looking forward to it," she said with a wry smile.

//_-

Duo and Hilde stepped onto the subway, waving happily at Quatre, Jazmin, Trowa, and Catherine until they were out of sight. Then Hilde said, "Can you believe that Trowa and Averil haven’t even told each other how they feel yet?"

Duo smirked. "Remember how long it took us?" he asked, putting an arm around her waist, "Don’t worry, they’ll eventually tell each other in their own time."

"In their own idiotic time," muttered Hilde, "Trowa should know better than to leave a girl stranded like that wondering exactly how he feels."

"And how would Trowa know? He’s never even dated before!" exclaimed Duo, defending his friend.

Hilde elbowed him playfully in the ribs and pouted, "I know I’m being unfair. It’s just that guys are so dense sometimes."

"I knew it! You were just trying to find another way to rub in how dense I was!" Duo was so loud that all of the other passengers stared and snickered.

She laughed, unperturbed by the attention, "No I wasn’t. I was just venting. Us girls worry about each other’s love lives, you know?"

"Funny, some guys like to get their kicks out of making things hard on the other guys instead of helping them," said Duo, scratching his head.

Hilde rolled her eyes. Boys . . .

//_-

"I’m gonna go up and wait for Averil," Trowa told Catherine.

She glanced at her watch. "She probably won’t be here for another hour."

"I know. I just want to be alone for awhile, too."

"I understand."

Conveniently, Quatre’s estate was only a ten minute walk from the nearest subway, so Trowa sat on a bench beneath a streetlight, waiting for Averil to come walking down the road. Meanwhile, he would use the time to think. He didn’t know why he didn’t insist on staying by her side throughout her whole ordeal. He felt like he was making an excuse out of going back to the circus. Maybe he just wanted to test their relationship, see if it was strong enough to make it through a separation. He also felt intuitively that Averil needed to know that she could find the strength and courage in herself to do the right thing on her own. He sensed that she wanted to be an individual, no longer restrained by the character of Lacy or anyone’s desires for her but her own, and he respected that. So what was it that felt so wrong?

Trowa came up with no answer to his dilemma. Instead, he found himself absorbed in thoughts of how much he and Averil had changed since meeting one another, and of the good times they had shared. He looked forward to a future with her in it, never lonely again. He closed his eyes; he was really going to miss her. Her smile, those haunting eyes, her sweet nature, her infectious laugh, her voice, her kiss, and especially her hair, he thought, smiling.

Eventually, he saw her figure walking down the road, and he stood to watch her. Curiously, he couldn’t help but smile when he saw her—she was so graceful and beautiful. When she was near, his smile faded, and he said, "I’ve been waiting . . . to say goodbye."

"That sounds sad when you say it like that," she said, standing hesitantly in front of him.

"It is," was all he said. She looked up at him under dark lashes, a watery smile on her face. "Don’t cry," he commanded huskily.

"I can’t help it," she choked, breaking into tears, and then his arms were around her, holding her against his chest like so many times before. "I’m gonna get your shirt all wet," she cried.

"It’s nothing new," he replied, eliciting something between a sob and a laugh from the redhead.

"I’ll miss you so much," she declared, her arms tightening around him. He merely kissed her hair in reply, then wiped the tears from her cheeks, but she knew that he meant the same thing. And his eyes, so deep and green, she had never seen them this intense before. He kissed her then, a kiss more passionate than all the rest, one that spoke more volumes, uttered more words than he could ever say to express the way he felt about her. His hands were in her hair, on her waist, down her arms, they never stopped moving, never felt enough of her softness.

Could it be true that Trowa really did love her? Such a wondrous thought almost seemed as if it was within her grasp when he touched her like this and looked at her like that. How could she let him go, Averil thought, clinging to his arms, trying to get closer, warmer, anything to sate this need for him long enough to allow her to part with him. But it seemed that nothing would satisfy her hunger, and finally she reluctantly pushed him away, crying, "How do you expect me to watch you go when you do that?"

I was only telling you how I felt, he thought, almost subconsciously, but he only said, "You didn’t seem to be protesting much."

She shook her head, realizing how desperate she must have seemed. "Do you want to go wait downstairs?"

"No, I’d rather we say our good-byes up here," he replied, thinking he’d prefer to get his parting look at her here under the trees rather than down in the dirty subway system.

"Alright," she said, going over to sit on the bench. He followed and sat beside her. She leaned her head on his shoulder, and he put his arm around her. His fingers would first comb gently through her hair, and then he would play with one of her hands, kissing each fingertip with aching slowness. This went on for awhile, both silent, content to hold one another, but not to let each other go, not yet, not when there was so much to be said . . . but how did one say it? Averil nearly started to several times, but she realized that what kept her from saying it was her infernal weakness, that side of her self that would always taunt her, would probably never be gone for good. She was still afraid of so many things, and she hated it, but she didn’t know how to get around it. It would be difficult to understand for someone who had not been through the things she had, who had not seen what she had seen. Her father torn from her mother while her mother was still so young; her mother’s feelings tossed around carelessly by a new, cruel husband; and Averil herself, rejected and abused by the men who saw her only as Lacy. Trowa had been right; she still bore wounds from her past that hadn’t fully healed. It would just take time, something they didn’t have much of at the present moment.

With much unwillingness, Trowa rose and pulled Averil up with him. "I have to go down now," he said, and she nodded, staring down at the ground. He lifted her chin so that he could look her in the eyes, one last look at those brilliant, gray-violet eyes before he left. "Hey, it won’t be that long."

"You’re right," she said, giving him a dazzling smile, something he needed badly right then. "Goodbye, Trowa."

"Goodbye, Averil," he said solemnly, giving her one last tender kiss. Then she turned and walked away, preferring not to be the one to see the other go—and Trowa was left to watch her fade away into the night, but both were left with the feeling that something had been a little anticlimactic.

//_-

I Love You
By Sarah McLachlan

I have a smile

Stretched from ear to ear

To see you walking down the road

We meet at the lights
I stare for a while
The world around us disappears

It’s just you and me

On my island of hope
A breath between us could be miles

Let me surround you

My sea to your shore
Let me be the calm you seek

Oh but every time I’m close to you
There's too much I can't say

And you just walk away

And I forgot

To tell you I love you

And the night's too long

And cold here without you
I grieve in my condition

For I cannot find the words to say

I need you so

Oh but every time I’m close to you

There's too much I can't say

And you just walk away

And I forgot

To tell you I love you
And the night's too long

And cold here without you

I grieve in my condition

For I cannot find the words to say

I need you so

//_-

Trowa and Catherine came out of the subway, then waited to cross the street, where the shuttle station stood. Trowa’s thoughts were elsewhere. They were crossing the street now, he barely noticed. All he thought about was his sweet Averil. She had trusted him, trusted him to protect her, treat her right; she’d trusted him to tell her the truth. He stopped in his tracks, heedless of the rushing crowds of people shoving their way around him.

"Trowa!" called Catherine.

He hadn’t told her the whole truth. They had agreed to be more open with each other, and he hadn’t even told her what she should hear the most. He’d said he cared, but that was only part of it—only a fraction of it! How could he have let her walk away without her knowing that he loved her, that it tore his heart out to part from her for one second? How could he have done that to her?!

"Trowa!!" Catherine repeated, grabbing his shoulder.

"I’m sorry, Catherine, you’re going to have to leave without me," he said, only halfway out of his trance.

"Why?" she asked, although she had her ideas.

"I forgot something, something I needed to say . . ." he answered, before running back to the street crossing. She smiled knowingly, picked up her bags, and headed towards the shuttles. No one would believe her story when she got back.

Trowa shifted from foot to foot, glaring at the traffic signal, demanding it to change. What was taking so long?! Cars sped past one after the other, stopping him from getting across. He couldn’t leave Averil in pain for another minute! Finally, the signal yielded beneath his destructive glare, the cars stopped, and Trowa rushed across the street.

//_-

Averil closed the door to her room, and slid down to the floor, covering her face with her hands. How was she going to make it through this night? Tears streamed down her cheeks and her back heaved with sobs. This stupid fear! I have to get over it! So what if he doesn’t say it back. That’s not what I loved him for in the first place. I loved him because of who he was, not because of what he could give me. Her tears and sobs subsided as a thought dawned on her. What was it that she had said to Kraten? She’d said, ". . . even if he doesn’t love me back, I’ll still love him. It’s not a give and take kind of deal. You give even if you don’t get back."

She stood up, eyes wide with realization. If she truly loved him, then she would prove it by telling him and continuing to love him whatever his response may be. In this way, she could also triumph over her fear. And she had to see him to do it! A telephone call would be the coward’s way out. She grappled with the door, flew down the stairs, and ran all the way to the subway station. Then she had to wait . . .

//_-

Next stop and he’d be there, come on! He hardly knew what to do with himself; he was so rarely impatient. He looked over at his hand gripping the metal pole—his knuckles were white. He actually had to pry his fingers off. He hadn’t used that death-grip since the wars. He looked up as the cars screeched to a halt. Finally! As he shoved his way towards the open doors, he caught a glimpse of red hair. It couldn’t be. She was waiting for him! No, she was about to get on, but then she spotted him and stepped back, incredulous. He ran to her, his heart surging with love for her . . . his sweet Averil.

As the cars screamed off down the tunnel, the winds in their wake blew that beloved hair up and around her face. "Trowa?" she asked, unbelieving.

The last few steps between them he closed slowly, his eyes never leaving hers. "I forgot to tell you something."

Haltingly, she said, "I did, too."

He leaned down, cupping her cheek with his hand. "I love you," he said simply, smiling.

She nearly gasped, and her eyes were wide as she answered, so easily, "I love you, too." Then his mouth covered hers in a sweet and tender kiss, sealing their much-awaited vows.

//_-

Throwing myself to the white wind which blows wild

I start to run out to you from the subway doors

My love is rushing . . . my heart is tangled

I impatiently glared at the unchanging signal

Phone calls are painful because I can't see you

Tell me the pain in your heart

Which spilled into the gap between words, don't leave me alone

TRUST ME NOW I always want to be with you

So hurry to hold tight these freezing shoulders

TRUST ME MORE I want to find what I can do

For the two of us so don't close those eyes

The sun and the blue wind which blew through

That summer day I innocently burned them onto my skin

On nights when sorrow lies deep and thick

I'll give you a melody that rings of those days

The distance between the two of us hurts, the more you are kind to me

Despite the times I hesitated

Unable to choose between love and dreams

TRUST ME NOW I want to continue walking with you

Because I actually love you enough to make me cry

TRUST ME MORE I want you to firmly go on gazing

Only at the bond which links the two of us

We'll re-warm at least our love and exchange kisses again and again

Without saying goodbye . . . even tomorrow

The two of us will still be like this

TRUST ME NOW I always want to be with you

So hurry to hold tight these freezing shoulders

TRUST ME MORE I want to find what I can do

For the two of us so don't close those eyes

TRUST ME NOW I want to continue walking with you

Because I actually love you enough to make me cry

TRUST ME MORE I want you to firmly go on gazing

Only at the bond which links the two of us

//_-

They were out on their balcony again. Averil had laughingly informed Quatre that it was officially theirs, so many hours of joy had been spent there together that its memories had made it theirs by right. Quatre delightedly agreed that that was only fair.

"So does your promise still stand?" asked Averil, a constant smile on her face.

"I don’t know which one you’re talking about, but whichever one it is, yes it still stands," Trowa answered confidently.

"Okay, then stay," she said bluntly.

"Stay?" he asked, grinning, "For how long?"

"I’d like to say forever, but let’s compromise. Stay with me for just one more week, then I command you to go back."

"You command me?" he asked jokingly, a brow raised.

"Yes, I think I do need to do the rest of this on my own."

"I understand."

"I just- I was afraid to tell you that I needed you for just one more week," she admitted.

Trowa kindly replied, "I told you, all you had to do was say the word."

//_-

There is no disguise which can for long conceal love where it exists or simulate it where it does not.

-Francois, Duc de La Rochefoucauld

Love, and a cough, cannot be hid.

-George Herbert

Author’s Notes: Just go read the epilogue right now!

To Be Continued