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Shattered Serenity I do not own Gundam Wing. They all belong to Sunrise and Sotsu Agencies. However, Tamara and Calen, etc.. are mine. This is a long piece cobbled together from little ideas that flew into my head. Please enjoy it. Chapter One Lucrezia Noin woke before sunrise, shivering in her bed. She got up and pulled on her robe and made her way over to the sliding glass doors that went out to her patio off the back of her apartment. It was early still, about six fifteen, and the traffic had not started yet. For a while, she just looked around her neighborhood, thinking how much she would miss the cozy little apartment in the Sanc Kingdom. The cold December air was frigid and had filled her apartment when she had left the door open last night. Oh well. She had other things on her mind last night. She made her way to the kitchen and started some coffee. Stacks of paperwork and boxes full of miscellaneous objects were scattered about her kitchen. There was still so much left for her to do, and so little time to do it in. She took a seat in front of one stack of paperwork. Grabbing a pen, she dug into the work. Part of it was personal finance records, but part of it was the annual Preventer budget that she always took care of. She had always liked numbers and figures, they had seemed so certain, whereas people were so unpredictable, not simple or trustworthy. The math frustrated her sometimes and she thought about giving it all to Zechs to figure out. Just like the old days, she thought, remembering their academy days. We used to study together, and I would get so frustrated when I didn't understand something. "Have a little patience, Lu. We'll get this thing yet," he used to tell me. Where have the years gone? The coffee pot spurted and sputtered, it's noise filling the silence. Noin began to hum a tune as she labored over the papers. She only had two days to get everything finished up and be ready to move out. After that, she would be off to the new Mars colony to work on the Terraforming project. And what was more, Zechs would be going with her. And everything is real, she told herself with a smile, Not just a dream. "Coffee?" came a sleepy voice from behind her. She turned around to see Zechs, dressed neatly, but with his long platinum blonde hair in disarray. "Sure. There should be some in the pot," she answered, getting up from her chair and facing Zechs. The former prince and pilot stumbled over to the pot of brewing coffee and poured two cups of the steaming liquid. He handed Noin hers wordlessly, and began to sip his, an exhausted look on his face. She took one look at Zech's face, and started to laugh. "You never were a morning person, Zechs." He shot a reproving glance at her. "It's your fault. You didn't let me sleep until late at night. And plus, you kept rolling over onto MY side of the bed." "I thought we established that the left side was my side. I always sleep on the left side," she argued, still smiling. "No. I always sleep on the end away from the door, and that is the left side. And besides, you kick, too," he argued, still sleepy and slightly annoyed. He plopped down in a chair at the table. "This isn't going to work out, is it? We can't even go twelve hours without teasing each other." "That's only because we've known each other so long. And I've known you long enough to remember that you have always hated getting up in the morning. I recall you trying to shoot a few songbirds with your pistol once because you thought they were too cheerful." Noin giggled at that memory. "It was too early for anything to be cheerful. Those stupid birds," he mumbled incoherently. The coffee was beginning to take effect on his brain, and he was gradually waking up. Zechs valued sleep, even though it was a rare luxury for an officer and pilot. He was thoroughly exhausted after the Mariemaia affair, and didn't know if he would be able to go directly to Mars and begin a new project. Lucrezia Noin looked out at the horizon beyond the city. The first traces of color were beginning to creep into the sky. Morning was arriving. "Let's go watch the sun rise," she said, leaving her papers behind and grabbing Zechs hand. He obediently followed her out to the patio, coffee still in hand. She sat on the small bench and gazed out to the horizon. "Don't you just love all the colors?" she asked, trying to start a conversation. "I suppose." "I suppose? What kind of an answer is that? Can't you be romantic for once?" "It's too early to be romantic. Will you settle for sarcastic and cynical?" came the reply. Noin only gave him a sideways glance and leaned against him as they watched the sun rise over the horizon. He looked down at her as the sun creeped closer to them. Only two more days before they would leave for Mars. I wonder if there will be sunsets on Mars? he wondered. I suppose I should enjoy these while they last. He scooted in close to her and put an arm around her. As the sun came over the horizon, it shown down on the two Preventers, making Noin's diamond ring sparkle brilliantly in the morning light. |
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