Triton wandered the vast aquatic halls that he could traverse even in complete darkness. Pilot six had been surprised at the familiarity the workers greeted her companion with. When she asked how often he truly came, he�d only smirked. The silencer�s mind was far from the assortment of fish and other sea-life that thrived in the tanks around him, though his gaze never strayed from them. Amber chatted with him over numerous subjects but only one caught Trowa�s complete attention. �So, I was thinking that I�d call Daniel tonight and maybe go see him tomorrow. You�ve met him, haven�t you?� A wave of fury threatened to overtake him with the knowledge that Helios had taken them that far back, �Yes, I�ve met him. I don�t trust him. In fact, I think it would be a good idea for you to stop seeing him.�
Amber chuckled faintly, �Come on Trowa, I�ve known him forever. He�s not going to do something to me now after going out for three years�I do wonder when he�s going to get serious though.� Her smile faded, though she still seemed slightly amused, �I don�t see why it should irk you so much that I have a boyfriend.� Trowa stood in front of her, blocking her path, �No, you don�t know him the way I do. You shouldn�t see him. We�ve been over this, you�ve even decided so yourself!� He grabbed her shoulders and kissed her, promptly receiving a hard slap to the face. �Trowa, snap out of it! What�s wrong with you?!� Pilot three kept his face turned away, �Never mind. Even if I did tell you again, it wouldn�t matter.� Even as she asked what he meant, Triton turned to walk away, �Trowa?� She took several steps in chase and he took off in a dead sprint.
Amber spent nearly two hours in a wandering search through the aquatic maze. She�d seen no sign of Trowa since he�d run off, but had checked the parking lot for his truck just in case. At long last, pilot six fumbled onto one of the remaining rooms she hadn�t explored. The tanks in this room went from floor to ceiling and massive variations and species of sharks floated through them. The silencer was leaning on the smooth Plexiglas of a tank that contained an easily eleven foot great white. The creature was circling close to the glass, but swam away when Amber entered. Trowa lowered his eyes from their distant point of focus; �I can�t leave you to him. You may think that he�s kind and only needs a little warning when you�re uncomfortable, but it won�t stay that way. Don�t you think he�s getting impatient of always being told no? He keeps himself occupied with women that are more willing, but if he can�t win you, he will take you.� The shock of his words wore off slowly, �What other women? I can�t believe that. It�s not true.� Triton shook his head, �Do you want me to prove it to you? He�s never told you where he lives because he doesn�t want surprise visits when he�s doing something that you wouldn�t approve of. I know where he lives and I would bet you that he�s with someone else. It�s just the way he is! He�s just kept a cover over your eyes.� Amber placed her hands heavily on her hips, �Prove it Barton, take me.�
A rumbling black truck pulled into a quiet apartment complex, barred by gate and number pad. Leaning out his rolled down window, pilot three punched in a series of seven digits and waited for the gate to open. The trip had been relatively silent, Amber spending most of it staring at the speeding landscape. Triton halted the vehicle at one of the four story buildings and killed the engine, �Here we are.� A gut feeling told him that this wasn�t going to go well. Amber glanced at him, �I know this sounds horrible, but I really hope you�re lying to me.� �I only told you what I thought you needed to know.� She opened her door and he followed suit. They ascended one flight of stairs and passed six doors before Trowa stopped, �It�s this one.� Amber rang the bell boldly and waited; she had to ring it a second and third time before hearing a response from inside, �Yeah, yeah, �old on!� An extremely ruffled and annoyed demon opened the door in an untidy bathrobe, �You�re interruptin� something kinda�� �Eather?!� The furrow in Amber�s forehead deepened, �Hey Daniel, I hope I�m not being inconvenient coming over like this.�
He visibly faltered as he ran a hand through his mussed hair, �Um�now isn�t really a good time�� A female voice emitted from one of the back rooms, �Daniel, who is it? Come back to bed.� Rage burned across Amber�s features, �Who is that?� A woman wrapped in bed sheets emerged from some further reaches of the apartment, �What�s taking you?� A kind of gleam entered the demon�s eye as he turned to speak with her, �It�s nothing love, just my sister.� The huntress�s hand went instantly to her gun�s hiding place, �Your sister, huh? I think if I was you sister, you�d be less interested in my �assets�!� She pulled her gun to aim, changing Daniel�s poised and cool to panic, �Now �old on �Eather! That won�t be necessary!� The grin that crossed her face sent a shiver down even Trowa�s spine, �Don�t worry �brother dear�, it won�t be fatal.� Her shot skimmed across his inner thigh, inches from danger. Makima all but fainted as the girl screamed and fled back into the bedroom. Amber trembled slightly with an attempt to keep back threatening tears, she wouldn�t cry here, not in front of him, �If I ever see you again, I�ll hit that mark.�
She turned on her heel and stormed down the hall, but Trowa stayed behind. The demon had sputtered several curses before noticing him, �Thanks a lot, Poseidon, you�ve fucked my chances �er!� Triton folded his arms across his chest, �You remember what I said? What I�d do to you if you ever hurt her?� Makima scoffed as he pressed a corner of the robe to his wound, �I think your sweetheart took care of revenge �erself.� �So?� The blonde British man looked up at him fearfully, �You�re joking? She�s just a girl Trowa, please, cut me some slack.� Poseidon�s punch landed with a sickening crunch in the middle of the demon�s perfect nose. The force behind it sent him flying into his couch, which tipped over backwards, �I warned you.�
Triton returned to the truck to pull Amber into his arms as she cried. He said nothing, not knowing what he could say. The slender young woman buried her face in his chest, staying there. When she did slow her tears, she turned her still watering eyes to Trowa�s face, �I didn�t want to believe you, but I�m sorry I didn�t.� The silencer kissed the top of her head, then her cheek, and then her mouth. She showed no opposition to him, wrapping her arms around him.
At home, Trowa watched curiously as Amber packed her backpack with clothes, �What are you doing?� She sighed as she shoved a toothbrush in a front pocket, �Taking a vacation. I just need to get away for a while. I�m going to Germany.� Thinking that she�d just been there, he opened his mouth to say so before recalling that it was something Heero had erased. Instead, he nodded, �Ok, when are you coming back?� She shrugged and zipped up her overstuffed bag, �Not sure. I shouldn�t be gone too long.� Pausing, Amber placed a gentle hand on the side of his face, �But when I get back, I�d like to expand that kiss.� He saw her to the door and watched her take off on her motorcycle. He knew the hotel she had booked, the flight she was going on in an hour, and that he�d reserved a seat on the plane before hers.
An overly chipper voice came on the intercom, �Ladies and Gentlemen, we are arriving at our destination and request that you put your tray table in the upright and locked position and be sure that your seatbelt is fastened.� The stewardess went on to repeat herself in German as the huntress put away her well-worn book and tightened her safety belt. The landing took a matter of minutes, though the taxi into the port took a little longer. The over-packed crowds were just starting to fray her nerves when she escaped into the main airport. She didn�t look up at families greeting home their loved ones or the hurrying business people that pushed their way through.
A slightly gruff voice spoke to her in her native tongue, �Are you Amber?� Pilot six glanced at the limousine driver with slight annoyance, �No.� He shook his capped head, �No, but you match my photograph miss. You must be her.� Gripped in his hand was a little white sign that read her name, something she never expected to see in her life. He blinked light blue eyes at her, a slight edge of confusion to his voice, �But you are Amber?� �My name is Amber, but I wasn�t expecting a limo.� The driver nodded, �Yes, I was told to expect that. Right this way please.� She followed him cautiously; her hand resting on the rubber lined holster that got her gun through detectors. He led her to the baggage pickup and snatched her backpack off the line without being told that it was hers. This act made her nervous, putting her on her toes. He carried her bag out to a stretch limo and tossed it in the trunk before opening the side door for her, �Please help yourself to any of the drinks.� She slid onto the seat but didn�t open the mini-fridge; poison was the neatest way to kill someone after all.
Amber estimated that they traveled for half and hour before the driver pulled into an extremely high-class hotel that she�d only ever seen while driving past it. The black clad young man came back and opened her door, her bag already in his hand, �This way please.� She took in details of him as they walked; he was well built, but didn�t appear to be armed, she determined that she could take him if she was careful and he was the only one. He hummed faintly in the elevator on their way to the twelfth floor and slid a card key into one of the uniform doors once there. A second bag sat on the floor that the driver set hers down by.
As the door clicked shut, Amber pressed the muzzle of her gun into his back, �Alright, what�s this all about. Who are you and why did you bring me here?� He lifted his hands into plain vision in the air, �You really did need a vacation, you sure are jumpy.� She cocked an eyebrow and watched as he reached for his hat, �What are you doing?� �Taking my hat off?� Familiar brown locks fell from beneath it in their usual pattern of disarray. Amber nearly slapped him, �Trowa! God damn it! I could have shot you!� Pilot three laughed and took out the contacts he�d been using; �You are so paranoid! That was great!� Frustration caused her to punch him lightly, but no more, �You suck! Why are you here?� He flopped onto the edge of the king-sized bed and grinned, �I couldn�t let you vacation alone, especially if you�re not going to actually vacation. I figured you needed a real break and arranged this when I figured you�d be heading this way.� Amber fell onto the bed beside him with a sigh, �Maybe you�re right�this a big room, is it a suit?� To her surprise, he hopped back to his feet and grabbed her hands; �You don�t even know the half of it!� He pulled her across the room to the windows.
Curtains were thrown open to reveal a two-story piece of glass that exposed a breathtaking scene of trees and mist. Amber turned and peered up the just noticed spiral staircase to the second floor, �This place is huge! What�s up there?� Only a sly grin responded as he led her up them. Upstairs was a large hot tub that steamed in the cool room. The floor around it was mosaic tile depicting the hotel�s insignia. Vents overhead kept the room from becoming too hot and a fridge beside it held several bottles of Champaign. �I didn�t bring a swimsuit,� was her immediate response but he quickly rebutted it. �I got you one.� She cocked her eyebrow, �And knowing you, it�s extremely skimpy.� Picking up a bundled swimsuit, he tossed it at her, �It�s not that bad.� Amber unrolled it, �Not skimpy?! This is a couple of scraps of fabric tied together with strings!� Laughter burst from his hidden depths as he opened a lower cabinet and withdrew a one piece; �Maybe this one is a little better.� The huntress took them both with a smirk and disappeared into the bathroom. By the time she came back out, Trowa was already dressed in swim trunks and held the stems of two Champaign glasses. An unopened bottle sat beside the steps to the Jacuzzi.
The silencer looked up at her as she emerged and nearly dropped the crystal, �I only got that one as a joke, you didn�t have to actually wear it.� The swimsuit seemed like even less fabric on than off, a faint tint colored Amber�s cheeks, �Well, I can�t be modest all the time. Besides, there�s no one else here.� She came and wrapped her slender arms about his shoulders. The fallen slid the hair band off her ponytail, releasing it from its oppressive hold, �Your hair looks so much better down.� He opened and poured the drinks and the renewed couple was soon lost in a variety of bubbles.
Blank; that was the first thing Trowa noticed as he woke up, his mind was blank of memory from the previous night. Usually, large amounts of alcohol only fuzzed his mind, not leaving it completely black. The warmth at his side moved slightly, startling him. He moved the blanket only enough to see Amber�s face and pulled it back into place, �Oh boy�� She groaned and shifted so her head rested on his chest, then sat up rapidly, �What?!� The comforter slid off her bare body, which she quickly pulled over her again, �God, what did we do?� Trowa pushed himself upright and felt that his swim trunks were still in place, �Well, I�m not exactly sure, but I don�t think we got very far�Well, other than your swimsuit.� Her voice took on a slightly sarcastic tone, �Oh no, my swimsuit�s not far at all!� Chuckling, he lightly touched his lips to her cheek, �If it bothers you so, go get dressed�Just out of curiosity, would you like to go around town and do stuff or would you rather just stay here?� She shrugged and went for her bag, leaving the decision up to him.
They ended up just remaining in the hotel. Triton moved two overstuffed chairs in front of the window and that�s where they spent a majority of the afternoon. At the mention of returning to the hot tub, Amber scoffed but shortly agreed. Darkness edged across the land outside as hours passed easily indoors. It had settled in a blanket across the landscape as Trowa popped open a new bottle of Champaign, �Replay?� She gave him a funny look but smiled, �Sure.�
The blank in his memory returned the following morning, yet again covering the events of the previous night. Something was different though, his heart was beating at an odd pace. He dismissed is easily enough and rolled his face into the pillow beneath his head, �Why does the bubbly wipe my mind?� He chuckled slightly and turned his head to look at the bedside clock. His eyes strayed instead to a pair of painfully familiar swim trunks laying on the floor, �Uh oh.� Cautiously, he slid his hand beneath the covers and found someone he figured would be a little angry when she got up. He cringed at the thought as he carefully slid out of bed and located a pair of boxers and jeans. His second glance at the clock said that it was nearly lunchtime, so he sat down with the phone and room service directory.
The delivery knock and quiet discussion between bellhop and room inhabitant caused Amber to stir in her cocoon of blankets. She was beginning to gain a relevance of her surroundings when Triton set a tray of food on the bedside, �Hungry?� The brunette rubbed her eyes of sleep and pulled one of the feather pillows beneath her head, �Very, what did you get?� The regular array of breakfast foods adorned the tray, which is what he described. Amber reached for a piece of bacon and narrowed her eyes as she spotted something she hadn�t wanted to see, �Why is my bathing suit on the floor again?� His response was a shrug that turned into a wince, �Well, I don�t know, but mine was too.� Her eyes went rapidly from narrow to wide as the thought sunk in, �You don�t think we�?� �Well it would depend on the sheets, wouldn�t it? As I assume that you�re�� Amber sighed, �You assumed right.� Lifting the comforter, the huntress gasped and let it drop back into place, �Oh God have mercy on my soul.�
Curiosity and surprise fought across Trowa�s face at the same instant, �Why would you need mercy? If it did happen, you don�t need mercy from him. All celestial beings are run by a different set of rules�� He caught his tongue as he realized that she wouldn�t understand in her current state of mind, �Well, what I meant was�you can always ask forgiveness but is it really all that bad?� The glare he received shut his mouth entirely, �Trowa, what you may not know about me is that I was raised in a Catholic convent. My mother was a nun! Rules enforced there are enforced strictly and that�s what I�m used to.� His expression softened slightly as he spoke, �But you aren�t there anymore, and besides, killing upsets these laws as well and you still commit it. I don�t want you to take that remark offensively, I just don�t want you to look down on something we�ve shared. Something we can�t change.�
Amber got out of bed with a frustrated cry but Triton grabbed her by the waist before she got very far. He pulled her against him so her back was pressed to his bare chest, �Don�t act like that.� Twisting her face to his, she pouted, �I�ve committed such a horrid sin and I can�t even remember it! That�s not fair!� He kissed her sharply and scooped her into a princess hold, �I think I can remedy that.�
Every fiber of their bodies sang with a pleasure that neither had experienced before. The connection of souls had already occurred once and the inferno that burned only shimmered the brighter with the reunion of that merge. Two hearts accelerated and beat in unison, cherishing the moments when they were one. Doubts were banished, other emotions taking their place. For those minutes, or hours, nothing else mattered than the breath and caress of the other half.
