Disclaimer: I don't own it.  Nope, no way, no how.  I DO own Kal, Trin, and Iz, and their Gundams.

Heart of the Storm

Chapter Nine

Trinity opened her eyes and looked up at her brother who had not left her side for an hour.  He stared at her in return.

“Heero,” she said, hoarsely.

“Trin,” he replied.

“I’m sorry.”

“For what?”

“For everything I should have done as your sister.”  Her eyes changed from the emotionless orbs they usually were.  They were filled with sadness, regret.

“Don’t be.”

“Why?”

“There were forces working against both of us.”

“You mean one force.”

“Dekim Barton?”

She nodded.

“Is there a reason we were being kept apart?”

“I’m sure there is.  And I don’t think it had anything to do with our training.”  She began to sit up.

Heero’s hand stopped her.  “No, you don’t.”

She glared at him for a moment before she understood as pain rang through her body.  She laid back down.

“Your body is in bad shape.  You’ve done your part in this battle.”

She stared at the ceiling for a moment.  “Barton’s sent his suits.  They’ll be here in 2 hours.  You, Kal, and Iz will have to take care of his ground troops while the others are in space.”

He nodded.

“Wait.  Scratch that.  Tell Une to gather the others here.  I’ve got a better plan.”

He nodded again and slid off the bed.  He walked to the door and stopped just as he reached it.  “One question, Trin.”  He looked at her.  “Is Zechs the father of your children?”

She looked back at him.  “Of Michael, yes.”

“And Nika?”

She remained silent for a moment before replying.  “Sarris Barton.”

“Does he know?”

“No.”

He nodded, then opened the door and left.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“Oh, God, Quatre…”

Quatre stood, nearly paralyzed with shock.  There was a bullet hole in the wall, barely an inch and a half from his right ear.  If Izreina hadn’t seen Kalli turn and pulled him aside, the bullet would have hit him in the head.

Kalli immediately ran over to him and wrapped her arms around his neck.  “I’m so sorry, Quatre,” she started as tears formed.  She buried her face into his shoulder.

“It’s okay, Kal,” he said, after getting over his shock.  He held Kalli.

“No, it’s not.  I could have killed you.”  She continued to sob.

“But you didn’t.  That’s what’s important.”

Izreina stepped away from the siblings and went over and picked up Kalli’s gun off of the floor.

I’ve never seen her cry before, she thought.

It’s what she needed, Trinity replied.

You’re back?

Yes.  I need the three of you in my room.  Now.

Okay, we’ll be right there.

Izreina walked over to the two Winners and laid a hand on Kalli’s shoulder.

“I’m sorry to break this up, but Trin’s awake.  She wants us in her room.  All of us.”

Kalli lifted her head and looked at Izreina.  She nodded.  She and Quatre followed Izreina out the door.  Izreina held on to Kalli’s gun.  Quatre’s arm was wrapped around his sister’s shoulders in an attempt to calm her.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Milliardo walked into Une’s office just as she and Heero were exiting.

“Come on, Zechs,” she said.  “Tempest is awake and she wants to see us.”

He nodded and looked to Heero.  He could see a slight anger in the younger man’s eyes.  He turned and followed Une and Heero.

“I didn’t know she was your sister, Yuy.  Not at the time.”

“Yeah, but you’ve known for a long while, now,” was Heero’s reply.

“I was sworn to secrecy.”

“Hn…”

Une looked back to the two as they reached the door to Trinity’s room.  “That’s enough.”  She opened the door and they walked in.  Everyone else was already there.

Trowa and Wufei were leaning on one wall.  Trowa was watching Kalli, who was still crying on Quatre’s shoulder.  Wufei was muttering something about weak women.  Izreina was sitting on one side of the bed, talking to Trinity.  Duo was trying to help Quatre cheer up Kalli.  In fact, he was only making it worse.

Une stared at Kalli for a moment.  It was unusual to see that woman cry.  She looked to Izreina.  “Should I ask?”

“She shot at Quatre a few moments ago.  If I hadn’t seen her and pulled him aside, she would have hit him, and killed him,” Izreina replied.

“Close the door, Une,” said Trinity.

Une nodded and closed the door after she, Heero, and Milliardo were in.

“Barton’s sending two forces.  One that’s already on the ground and on their way, and one that’s still in space,” she said, sitting up in the bed with Izreina’s help.  “Heero, Izreina, Trowa, and Duo, you are going to stay on the ground.  With luck, you’ll be able to intercept them before they reach the city.  Zechs, Kalli, Wufei, and Quatre, you are going into space to intercept them before they reach the atmosphere.  I don’t know exactly how many suits are being sent, but we’ve got four Gundams against each force.”

“Wait a minute,” said Duo.  “Lemmie see if I added my Gundams right.  There’s Heero and Wing Zero.  Izreina and Thundershock.  Trowa and Heavyarms.  Wufei and Altron.  Me and Deathscythe.  Quatre and Sandrock.  Kalli and Illumination.  That’s seven.”

“We’ve had Epyon constructed for Zechs,” said Izreina.  “If he’s going to fight with us, especially me and Kalli, he’s going to need a suit that can keep up with us.”

Heero wasn’t too happy about that one, but he didn’t really show it.  Kalli, Izreina, and Trinity knew it, however.

“And Heero,” said Trinity.  “Don’t you think that just because Zechs has Epyon that you two are going to go out and kill each other when this is over.  Understood?”

“Hn…,” he replied and nodded, reluctantly.

“Zechs, that goes for you, too.”

“Fine,” he said.

“Why would they do that?” asked Quatre.

Kalli, who had calmed down, by now, but her face was still pinkish, whispered to him,  “I’ll tell you later.”

Quatre nodded. “Okay.”

“Questions?” asked Une.

“Why is it her that decides what we do?” asked Wufei, bluntly.

“Because I said so,” said Une in return.

“Fine.”  Wufei folded his arms.

“How long do we have, Trin?” asked Kalli.

“If you leave now, you should be able to intercept them in about an hour, at a location a good distance from us.”

Kalli nodded.

“Everyone to your suits.  You leave immediately,” said Une as she opened the door.

Everyone filed out of the room.

Ten minutes later, Epyon, Illumination, Sandrock, and Altron were on their way into space.  Wing Zero, Thundershock, Deathscythe, and Heavyarms made their way out of the city through underground tunnels that had been dug especially for the Storm in getting in and out without being noticed.