Heero did not fall asleep. He sat wake and stared out the door, thinking about what he would do when he finally got out of this stupid room. Everyone else was asleep, and part of him envied them. He squinted as he saw the light shift, then heard footsteps. The door slid open soundlessly. Trowa stepped in and the door slid shut behind him. He glanced out into the halls to make sure it was lifeless, then he turned and walked to the back of the cell, right past Heero without noticing he was awake. He sat down next to Brekke's sleeping form. He watched her sleep for a few moments, a quiet smile on his face. Then he reached over and brushed some loose curls back that were hanging in her face. She awoke at the touch.
“Trowa.” she whispered in surprise, sitting up. His smile widened a little at the sight of her. He leaned over and she carefully grazed her lips against his, as if she was afraid touching him would make him vanish. He kissed the small girl’s jaw line softly and their lips met once more, and then a third time more passionately. Trowa leaned down to kiss her collar bone, and Brekke sighed. Then she pulled away from him and threw her arms around his neck. “Oh, Trowa, what are you doing here?” she asked.
“I had to come.” he said with a shrug. She sat next to him and he put his arm around her. She lolled her head on his shoulder.
“You realize that if they catch you down here like this, they’ll kill you.” she told him. He smiled again and hugged her closer.
“I know.” he said simply. She kissed his cheek. “When I get the chance, I’m going to kill the man that assaulted you.” he told her. “I wanted to kill him as soon as I heard, but…”
“I think breaking his hand was enough.” she said with a grin, then she sighed. “How long can you stay here?” she asked.
“An hour, maybe two.” he said. “That’s all I can be gone for. I’m sorry it isn’t more.”
“That’s ok. I’m just glad you’re here.” she told him. “But Trowa, I’m serious. Don’t get yourself killed over an hour or two with me. I’d never forgive myself.” she said. He ruffled her hair.
“Don’t worry about me.” he said. She nuzzled closer. “Where have you been all this time? I searched everywhere for you.” he said. She shrugged.
“I hid. I was everywhere, I was nowhere, I don’t know where I was. There were a million abandoned bases I stayed at, colonies I visited. I even lived in my Gundam for a while. I looked for you, but I was scared. I didn’t know where to begin.” she said plaintively.
“None of that matters now.” he assured her.
“Trowa, don’t let me fall asleep. I can sleep all day tomorrow. I don’t want to miss any time that I can be with you.” she said.
“I won’t let you fall asleep.” he promised. She leaned against his torso, one arm around him and the other hand flat on his chest, pillowing her head. He rested his chin on the top of her head and wrapped his arms around her waist. They sat like that in silence for nearly half an hour, just appreciating each other’s presence. Brekke nodded off, but true to his word, Trowa woke her after a moment. She sighed.
“I want this war to be over.” she said. “I don’t want anymore innocent people to die and I don’t want to spend all my free time wondering when I’ll die, or when you will. It’s a waste of effort.” Trowa shifted a little and toyed with one of her curls.
“Once we completely destroy Oz, it will end.” he told her.
“Will it? I don’t think so. There needs to be a line of communication established between the colonies and Earth. If they work together, they have no one to fight against. As long they try to remain free of one another, they will see each other as a threat, and there will never be peace.” she said softly. Trowa took a deep intake of breath and let it out slowly.
“Perhaps you’re right. But right now Oz is the organization that is perpetuating this war. We must destroy Oz before we do anything else.” he said.
“I agree with that.” she assured him. “Trowa, be careful of Quatre. Don’t let Oz hurt him. We need all the help we can get, and the Winner family is very prestigious with the colonies. He can win their trust.” she said. He nodded. She sat up and tousled his hair.
“So, when am I getting Guardian Angel back?” she asked. He smiled.
“The scientists are repairing the minor damages it’s suffered, and tuning everything up. They are rebuilding the Shenlong and the Deathscythe.” he said.
“And the HeavyArms?” she asked. He smiled.
“Hidden.” he said simply. “You seem to be fully recovered.” he observed.
“I heal quickly.” she said. She lifted up her shirt to show him the wound. It was nothing more than a new pink scar in her tan skin.
“You’re lucky.” he told her. "They don’t usually miss.”
“They don’t usually expect a girl my age to be capable of taking out half a fleet either.” she told him wryly. “They assumed I was just some crazy kid. It was a warning shot, to scare me. Incapacitate me quickly.” she explained, then gave him a devilish look. “It didn’t work.” He smiled again, then glanced at his watch and stood.
“I have to go soon.” he said, helping her up. She sighed.
“Already?” she asked. She took his hand and slowly strayed over to the door with him. He turned around and faced her, leaning down. She tilted her face up and he pressed his mouth against hers. His arms slid around her as her own tangled about his neck. He tongue slid gently into her mouth and she met it with her own, kissing him passionately. They stood twined together for a long moment before he slowly pushed her away. She clung to his hand as he walked out, then reluctantly withdrew it as the door slid shut between them. She stood up on tiptoe to watch him leave and he kissed her through the slat one more time before he left. Even after the echo of his footsteps faded, she stood leaning heavily on the door, eyes downcast. Heero was stunned. Trowa? Of all of them, silent, emotionless Trowa was the one who had a relationship? He couldn't believe it. He thought about speaking to her, but after seeing her face, discarded the idea. She sat, back against the door, and fell asleep there. Sighing, ee walked over to her, gathered her up gently in his arms, and carried her over to where Duo slept, sitting with his back against the wall. Heero set her down next to him and let her head loll over onto the young man’s shoulder. Judging that to be a fairly comfortable position, he went back to his spot and waited for morning to come.
When Trowa finally came, Heero had actually fallen asleep. Brekke gently shook him awake before one of the guards could take the liberty to do it themselves. He left in silence, and caught the long look that passed between Trowa and Brekke before the two young men turned to leave. Once again she stood at the doorway, her hand raised to the bar, and watched them vanish from her sight.
“Take care, Trowa.” she whispered.
The morning passed by slowly. Out of sheer boredom, Brekke pestered Duo until he let her comb out his hair and rebraid it for him. They sat and slept and took turns staring tiredly out the small opening in the door. After the shower incident, all guards were forbidden to pass by the cells unless absolutely necessary, and never to approach them directly unless so ordered. That left the hallway empty and dull. After a while Wufei flipped on the device Trowa had given them and studied his Gundam. Brekke came over and asked him questions about it and answered his questions about her own Gundam. She had just finished when the lights flickered out and the noise of the generators faded and clicked off. The three froze. After a moment, the lights flickered back on, but the generators remained non functional.
“W-what happened?” Duo asked. Wide eyed, Brekke shrugged and glanced to Wufei. He listened for a moment, then answered.
“They’ve cut off the oxygen to this level.” he said grimly. Brekke’s face turned pale, and Duo gasped. The sudden lack of air was almost tangible in the room. Fearfully they waited for something to happen, for something to switch on or flicker again, but nothing did. After a while, the air began to taste a bit stale. Brekke sat curled up in a corner, breathing long deep breaths and holding them for a count of ten before exhaling them slowly. Wufei calmly observed the blueprints of his Gundam and Duo sat in the middle of the room, stunned.
“I can’t believe this! Now I really wish they’d have taken me instead of Heero. How can you be so calm?! Unless something drastic happens, we’re gonna die!” he sputtered, working himself into a frenzy. Wufei remained impassive.
“I’m conserving my strength, in case that something drastic does happen.” he said, clicking to the next picture. “I want to be prepared.”
“Well, I don’t know about you, but I’m giving up, throwing in the towel. Man, this is so not cool.” he whined, flinging himself onto his back and rolling onto his side. “What a lame way to die.”
Eyes narrowed angrily, Brekke stood and marched over to Duo and without warning, gave him a swift kick in the side. He gasped as the air fled his lungs and coughed until he could breath again.
“What the hell was that for?” he demanded.
“You are a Gundam Pilot. Now act like one.” she growled. “Quit whining and throwing a fit, you’re wasting air. Calm down.” He glared bayfully at her and she scowled right back. She wasn’t intimidated by him at all. “Don’t fall asleep.” she warned them. “If you fall asleep, you’ll die. You have to stay awake and fight for air. I may die in here but at least I’ll die fighting.” she told them. Wufei smiled his approval to himself as she stalked over to where he sat and slumped down next to him, jaw clenched.
“I’ll die fighting.” he told her. A smile ghosted briefly across her lips as he said that. After a moment Duo stood and moved over to sit next to her. She glanced at him.
“I’m sorry.” she said.
“So am I.” he told her. “I’ll die fighting too.” The three sat in silence, waiting for death to come.
They were almost asleep from lack of oxygen when the lights flickered a bit brighter and an electrical hum came to life. A breeze blew in, cold and crisp. Brekke sat up straight an glanced at Wufei, he was staring around in wonder. She shook Duo a little and his eyes brightened when he took a deep breath. He grinned broadly.
“I don’t believe it.” he said. Then, to their utter shock, the door slid open. No one entered. Brekke bounded up and looked down both halls.
“Empty!” she exclaimed. She laughed in delight.
“Shall we escape?” Duo asked.
“Only after we pay them back, hm?” Wufei said devilishly.
Brekke was already out the door, running down the hall as the sounds of a battle echoed in the walls around her. She was not even sure if Duo and Wufei were still behind her. She was only intent on reaching her Gundam. She darted through the doorway, ready to fight. It was empty. She flung herself down the stairs and ran for Guardian. She was so thrilled to see her mobile suit again that she ran headlong into Heero. They staggered away from each other and focused their eyes.
“Get your Gundam and get out of here.” Heero told her. Brekke glanced around.
“Where’s Quatre?” she demanded.
“Fighting down the hall.” he said.
“Where’s Trowa?” she continued before he could keep moving. He looked at her and pressed his lips into a thin line. Then he stepped around her and tried to continue on his way. She blocked him stubbornly and clenched her fists.
“Where is Trowa?” she repeated. He moved to push her to the side but she caught his wrists and forced him to look her in the eyes.
“Brekke…” he growled warningly.
“Where is he, Heero?” she whispered desperately, her eyes narrowed. The knuckles clutching at his forearms were white and she was shaking involuntarily. But it wasn’t anger he saw in her glossy green eyes. It was fear. Stark terror.
She already knows what I’m going to tell her. he realized. She knew the instant I tried to avoid her. He hung his head a moment, then looked her straight in the eyes. He broke her hold and took her by the shoulders, though whether it was to keep her from running from him or to keep her from attacking him, he didn't know.
“Brekke, listen to me. Trowa isn’t coming back.” he said as gently as he could. Her entire body went limp, her face, arms, and spine slack.
“W-what…?” she whispered brokenly. “What do you mean, he’s not coming back?”
“He was attacked by Quatre. He was ejected, unconscious, into the middle of a battle. Brekke, he’s gone. I’m sorry.” Heero told her. Her legs gave out, and taken by surprise, Heero caught her clumsily. Suddenly she was leaning against him, sobbing into his shoulder.
“No…no…no…no…no…no…” she moaned quietly. Awkwardly Heero rocked her a bit, then forced her to stand on her own and he wiped her eyes. She pleaded silently with him, her glossy eyes begging for him to tell her he was mistaken, that it was all wrong somehow.
“Brekke, get to your Gundam and get out of here.” he repeated, and gave her a shove to get her moving. He watched her run to her mobile suit and start it up, then he turned around and continued on with his ever important mission.
