| Between Battles Disclaimer: I don�t own any of Gundam wing so don�t think it wise to try and sue me you will lose more than you will ever gain. The day was hot and musty. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary. That was just fine with Renee. In fact she kinda liked it that way because there weren�t really a lot of people out and about and it gave her plenty of room to move with out being bumped into every three seconds. Though there were enough people that she wouldn�t look out of place. Things had been real quite over the last few weeks. Which wasn�t to surprising considering the fact that a everyone now felt safe knowing that the notorious Gundam Pilots were now on a run for there money to save there lives. The death warrants had a strong impact on the people and they seemed to be ok with this. Renee however was not. She was not thrilled by the idea that just walking down the street could get her killed. Though there was a sense of security in the fact that not everyone knew that there was indeed a girl pilot. All believed it was just a rumor. Out of nowhere came the desire to satisfy a forced habit. So she made a b line to the local caf�. She walked with her head tilled down so that her face was hidden from the public. She had been extremely careful in that before she left the hotel to make sure that all of her distinctive features were masked. Her hair which went to her waist was tucked up along with her volumous bangs all swept back in the black hat that covered her head. She was sure to wear long pants and her work boots along with a dark green T-shirt that was cover with a sleeveless fleece black vest which was a normal outfit for her but there was one distinct difference, this time she walked around with a bent head and very poor posture which gave off the look of low self esteem. She took the closest empty seat to the door just in case. After a minute a waitress came over and asked Renee what she would like. Without looking up she replied that a simple cup of tea would do. The waitress nodded and headed off to the kitchen. This is terrible Renee thought why have the colonies so suddenly turned? What could possibly make them trust Oz? Renee quietly slammed her fists on the table. This just doesn�t make sense! Why? For the love of God why? Renee was so caught up in her thoughts that she didn�t even notice the waitress setting down her cup, but she knew it was there just the same. She lifted the cup to her lips and sipped the sweet substance. The warmth felt good going down her chest. She sat and continued to ponder the never-ending question of Why? She again became in-golfed in her thoughts. As she started to take a drink of her tea she noticed a shadow looming over her. She ignored it hopping that it would leave but it didn�t instead it spoke. �Is this seat taken?� Asked a soft voice. Renee waved her hand over the seat indicating that it was indeed open. The figure sat, but Renee didn�t bother to look up instead she drank some more tea. She then decided that it was going to a long and rough day, so she added more sugar to the cup of tea. The figure across from her gave out a small chuckle, as she was about to drink. �I see that old habits die hard.� Renee stopped half way to her mouth and looked up. Up to a soft face seemingly unstricken by pain, to a pair of deep blue eyes, then finally to the blonde disarray of hair that partially cover the face of the person that sat just across the way. She then slowly set down the cup of tea. �Ah, that�s better. I knew that I would find you here.� Quatre said his face bright with excitement. Renee stared dumbfounded. �H- how did you find me?� Renee stammered uncharacteristically. �It wasn�t hard, to a point I know how you think.� Renee returned to looking at the table and began to drink again. �Come with me.� His voice was calm and reassuring. Renee was too tired and in no mood to argue, so she finish her tea and left the money on the table and left. He led her quite a few blocks of the city before they finally arrived in at a small resort. That was very typical of Quatre. They entered to a large lobby. Renee followed as Quatre walked up to the front desk and asked for the room key, last name Winner. The man handed him a key and they then proceeded to the elevator. They rode to the fifth floor and then down a long hall to a room that with the turn of the key opened up to them. Quatre opened the door gesturing for Renee to enter first, so she did. The room was large as expected. Plants of all kind climbed the snow-white walls, and famous paintings framed with oak. The room was beautiful but Renee was just too depressed to enjoy it. Quatre offered her something to drink. Renee, as kindly as possible, refused with a shake of her head. Quarter nodded and returned to the kitchen to accommodate himself. Renee saw the couch and decided that she needed to sit. He returned with his own cup of tea. He took the seat next to Renee and for the longest time they just sat staring blankly into the flame of the fire now burned in the fireplace. Quatre tried to read the expression on Renee�s face but her hat precluded that. A low moan escaped from Quatre. Renee still didn�t look up. There was yet another silent spell. Quatre placed his cup on the table. Then in a slow motion removed Renee�s hat. She allowed for her long brown hair to fall about her face and her back. Her bangs fell to her brows. She still remained transfixed on the continuous flame of the fire. Why would they turn against us? Renee still pondered that same question. What did we do to them? Is fighting for them the wrong thing? Her thoughts were interrupted by unexpected warmth; she took a second to identify it. It was coming from the hand that rested on her left knee. She looked at it and saw that Quatre�s hand was on top of her own. She turned her head so that she was looking strait at him. �Are you ok?� His voice was calm and smooth. Renee nodded and looked away again. �Just depresses and confused I guess. I don�t know what to make of everything. Things have taken quite a turn..� There was a pause then �for the worst.� �Maybe you should go and rest for a while, you don�t look so good.� After it was said did Quatre realize just what slipped out. He could only hope that she didn�t take offence to it. �Why? I haven�t slept in two maybe three days.� She glanced back at him to see his reaction. He looked a little surprised but something in his look told her that he might be having the same problem as she was. He just smiled and pointed behind her to an open door that reveled a bedroom. Renee neither said nor did anything. Quatre placed a hand on her back urging her toward the room. She complied with his wishes and stood up and walked to the bedroom. She entered turning on the lights to see a large room with off white almost beige walls. To this room there was not much, a few pictures on the walls and a plant next to the window. She walked over and sat on the bed. She had only enough energy to take off her shoes. When she got that far she simply lied down and put her head to the pillow. And for at least and hour she sat there staring into the living room where Quatre still sat, what he was doing she didn�t know. Finally she managed to fall asleep, for the first time in days. Out in the living room Quatre continued to drink his tea. Along with that he had also begun to berry himself in the thoughts of why the colonies have taken such a violent turn against them. Why would they turn against the very people that swore to protect them? Were we doing the right thing? Yes we were but then why haven�t they stayed with us? Quatre found that the question could be pondered for hours on end. Is that what was bothering her? Quatre now thought that he knew why Renee would be so depressed. So this for so long could do that to anyone. I wonder if she fell asleep yet? Quatre rose and walked into the kitchen and rinsed out his now empty cup of tea. Then he walked to the bedroom. The only sign of a person were the shoes that now lay on the floor, but nothing else. He then looked toward the bed. There he saw a curled up figure on the right side of the bed. He walked closer and indeed she was still in her clothes. And above all on the top of the covers. He walked over and was about to put the covers over her but then stopped. He decided that it would be best if he just left her alone. So he walked over to the other side and he got in under the covers. And there they sleep for the night. *************** At dawn the first rays of the sun dimly shown through the window. Quatre arouse still tired, but found that he could sleep no longer. He looked at the clock at his bedside. 6:45 it read in bold red numbers. He turned to see that Renee was no longer sleeping on top of the covers, but was now under them. Her back was to him, but he could tell by her breathing that she was still asleep. He carefully got out of the bed and walked through the living room where they sat just the night before, and on to the kitchen were he began a fresh pot of tea. A few hours later and two or three cups of tea, Quatre again went in the bedroom to see if Renee had awakened yet. She hadn�t so he began to leave. �What time is it Quatre?� Mumbled the ball of sheets and blankets. Quatre peered at the watch strapped to his wrist. �Quarter to ten, why?� �Alright I will be up in a few minutes.� She mumbled again. �You don�t have to you know. I never asked�� �Yes I do I heave work to do.� Quatre decided it best not to argue �Alright� he replied as he walked out of the doorway towards the kitchen. Renee lay in the bed staring at the ceiling for a while before she realized that this was getting her nowhere. She managed to lift herself to her feet. She walked around until she found the bathroom. She grabbed two towels from the linen closet and went into the bathroom. When she got inside she started up the water and turned on the showerhead. The water steamed as it came from the metal faucet mounted on the wall. She had a flashback to when her mother used to tell her to turn on the fan because she wasn�t born and or raised in a barn. Renee let out a very small and weak giggle. In a small way she really wished that she could be a kid again, but that would mean giving up all her friends in the here and now and those where the only people who really understood her. And besides when the people who you are fighting for don�t turn against you the battlefield can be a very exciting place to be. Finally the water was hot enough for Renee to enjoy it. Quatre sat at the kitchen table staring at the floor. What could she possible have to do that would make her neglect resting herself? Just then he heard the shower go on. Well, at least she up now. He sighed. Once she was set to do something there was close to no stopping her. Later the sound of the shower stopped just as suddenly as it had started ten minutes earlier. Renee walked out of the bathroom in her clothes and a towel rapped around her in like a turban. She looked a lot better than she did last night. �Better now?� Quatre asked as Renee walked through the kitchen. �Yes, I guess you could say that.� Renee said as she rubbed out what water was left in her hair. �So just what do you have to do that is so important that you couldn�t sleep some more?� �I don�t think that you want to know. I don�t think that you will like it.� �You are going to the gym aren�t you?� Quatre looked concerned as he always did when a friend was in trouble, but there was something about this look of concern the Renee just couldn�t escape. I was different somehow. Quatre knew about her tendency to work too hard when she trained by herself. �You�re going to work yourself way too hard. I know that you have done it too. Duo told me.� Renee remembered the time that she had gotten so frustrated that she went down to her punching bag and just let lose. She was down there for over two hours before Duo came down and stopped her, when she stopped she realized just how much energy she had used and had a hard time moving. Quatre wasn�t there she he didn�t know till later and after she was able to move again. Damn! He knows what I am gonna do! Well there went my afternoon. Now what? I guess I will just have to talk him into letting me go. �Quatre, you can trust me. I�ll be fine.� Renee tried her best to look and sound as reassuring as possible, but something in Quatre�s blue eyes told her that he wasn�t buying it, that he could see right thought her. He bowed his head and let out a small growl. �Alright, I guess, but you have to take it easy.� He gave her the sweet look of worry that he had seemed to master and always got him his way cause you felt guilty if you upset him then. Oh damn it�s those sad puppy eyes again! Every time! �Ok will.� Renee walked out the door closing it gently behind her. She stood in the hall for a moment wondering which way to go. She hadn�t been paying any attention when they came because she was so tired, she thought then decided to go right. It seemed like the logical thing to so since there was a solid wall on her left. She made her way out of the building and thought the town until she found the gym. When she got in she made sure that she was able to se the punching bag and numerous other machines. Then she took off her hat and her vest and got on her way. Quatre sat at the table with a piece of paper and a pencil lying in front of him. He sat and pondered what his next move should be. There was a knock at the door. Quatre was so wrapped up in his thoughts that he didn�t hear it. The knock became more urgent. �Mr. Winner are you in there?� Came a small yet urgent voice from the other side of the oak door. Quatre snapped out of his trance. �Yeah. It�s open.� Quatre didn�t move from the table or look up, but let the person enter on there own will. The person entered and walked over to where Quatre sat still staring at the paper that sat in front of him. �What? No hi or how�s it going?� The shadow over him sounded extremely demanding. And very familiar for that matter. Quatre twisted his neck to see just who was behind him. �DUO!?! What are you doing here? How are you?� Duo grinned that American grin that only he had. �Well now, that�s more like it. So how have you been is the better question. I can handle this. Are you ok?� Duo pulled out a chair and turned it backwards so that the back of the was facing Quatre, and sat down, crossing his arms on in front of him and lying his head in the crease of his arms. �Yeah I�m fine. Just a little frustrated I guess.� �Yeah, well who isn�t right now. And what can you do about it but just sit back and be forced to deal with it.� Quatre hung his head and muttered something about going somewhere before he trailed off. �What was that?� Quatre looked up, �I said or you can go to the gym and over work yourself." Just before that comment was made Renee quietly slipped in the door because she head another male voice other than Quatre�s. So she stood at the door waiting. Duo just laughed. �That sounds like something that Renee would do. By the way do you know where she is?� Before Quatre could answer Renee took the liberty. �I am right here why do you ask?� Renee sounded as sweetly as she could. Duo jumped out of his seat and landed to find that he was staring right into her eyes. Renee tilted her head in anticipation of an answer. �Wow! What do you know we were just talking about you. Well go figure that right? Ha. Ha. Ha?� Renee then turned to Quatre and smiled. �See I told you that I would be fine. Is that all you have done for the two hours that I was gone? Oh well. I�m gonna take a shower to get all of this sweat off. See you in a few.� Renee left the room and the sound of the shower was soon heard from the bathroom down the hall. Duo looked at Quatre and gave him a slight sneer. �Why didn�t you tell me she was there?� Duo asked of his Arabic friend. �If I knew I would have told you.� Quatre said looking him strait in the eyes. Duo started to laugh. �She really is unpredictable isn�t she?� Duo started to snicker. Quatre responded with a smile and a nod. Then the two just laughed. And it was a good laugh. A laugh that they were in need of. ***************** Renee sat helplessly from her Gundam and watched as the demise of her friends unfolded in front of her. One by one she watched as each one of them was killed off. The first being Wufie, he was caught and killed on the spot. Then came Duo. And she was there for that. Duo was in the middle of a space battle and she was with him. They were fighting and out of no where she was ambushed and then came the beeping of her screen that told her there were more mobile suits approaching. She punched the keyboard to see where they were coming from and were they were headed. They were headed to her right. Renee looked at the screen to her right to see who was over there. As she did two more mobile suits clung to her. She saw that Duo was to her right. She left Duo to handle himself. She had had enough with the two Aries that clung to her Gundam. �Try this!� She yelled at them as she pulled back the bar to her right. The thrusters on her engines on the back flared up and fried the mobile suit on her. �Teach you to ever try that again!� Renee then looked to her right to see how Duo was doing. Her had four or five Aries on him, but she was sure that he could handle it on his own. Then her screen beeped again. She looked in the direction the arrow on the screen pointed and saw that the large ship that had just appeared behind them was preparing to fire a large weapon on them. �Duo!!! Behind you, do you see it?� Renee yelled from the speaker of her Gundam. Suddenly the mobile suits that were attacking the Deathsythe moved as a bright light came shooting out of the ship. �DDDDUUUUOOOOO!!! LOOK OUT!� Renee shouted as loud as she could. She saw the large machine known as the Deathsythe turn to see just as it was about to hit. The last thing that Renee heard was a horrified scream from Duo and then a large explosion. Then silence. When the smoke cleared there was nothing there but empty space and a lot of dust, but no Duo. Thank God that her fellow pilot Trowa was also there with her or she wouldn�t have made it back to Earth. The next day Trowa was going to get into his Heavyarms when he got in he went to start it up and it exploded. That was the end of that. Another one down. This had become just unbearable. What was she going to do? The only one that was left now where Heero and Quatre. Now what? Later that day Quatre suggested that they do up north somewhere. Someplace where no one knew them, and no one would care. They agreed and went somewhere in Greenland, but to no avail. The next day when they arrived an unexpected and very unwelcome guest greeted them. As soon as they got off the plane they where greeted by none other than Lady Une herself. Heero immediately grabbed his gun, but Lady Une had made sure that she beat him to that. She shot. A direct hit. Strait through the gut. Heero grabbed his stomach dropping his gun. He fell to the snow covered ground. �HEERO!� They both yelled for their fallen comrade. There was no answer. Just the laughing of the buned witch. �HEERO!?� Renee screened again at the top of her lungs. She ran and dropped to her knees sliding through the now blood red snow next to the motionless body. The circle of red snow grew as she tried to shake life into the body, but to no avail. Renee quickly put two fingers on the cold neck of the Japanese pilot. Quatre looked at her with tears in his eyes. Renee looked back also teary eyed, and very slowly shook her head. For a moment they just sat there as the thought that The Perfect Solider, the indestructible Heero Yuy had been killed. Renee was consumed in rage. She suddenly lunged for the gun that Heero had dropped. She grabbed at it to find that it had been moved out of her reach. Lady Une laughed even more. �And here I was thinking that he was indestructible. How disappointing. Pity. Well just who wants to be next?� She pointed the gun at Renee who was lying, on her side held up by her hands, on the ground where she it from lunging at the gun. �You look like you want to end it all right now. Shall I do the honors?� She cocked the gun and was prepared to shoot at any time. There the loud noise of the gun going off and then a yell of anguish and pain. Then Renee realized that that it didn�t come from her that she was perfectly fine. Then she realized whom it did come from. She looked up and saw Quatre fall to one knee, holding his shoulder. His shirt and vest had become stained red. �Quatre!? What are you doing!? Are you alright?! Why did you have to go and do that?!� Renee admonished in a half yelling half-screaming voice that sound very unnatural. �I�m�. I�m�� ok.� He stammered between deep breaths. He then rose to both feet to stand before her. �Oh I see. You want more do you? Well fine you can have it!� She shot the gun again. Another hit. This time it wasn�t a shoulder injury. This went right though the chest. Quatre too like Heero fell to the ground. By this time Renee had had enough. �NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!� Renee let it all out in a rage of crying and screaming. She ran over to Quatre side and lifted the young blonde�s head in her hands. �Quatre? Can you hear me Quatre?� Renee begged and pleaded with the young pilot. �Open your eyes Quatre. PLEASE OPEN THEM!� She sobbed out her cry till all that she could do was sob. |