How Ever Did We Fall In Love? - Trista and Maverick - By SMA/CMA :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: Rated: PG-13 (maybe) Summary: Trista was deemed the new time guardian after her birth. Many years were spent in isolation because everyone was afraid what would come out of her mouth, even her own parents. Millennia later, Trista is still alone. But events will soon show she wasn't as lonely as everyone thought. AN: Welcome to Trista's story in the HDWFIL series. As always, this is an original piece by me. I recommend that you read Amy's story first, otherwise, you may get lost. Well, enjoy! :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: Chapter Three ::::::::::::: ************ Three weeks later - March 20 ************ "Trista, you need to quit working so hard," Hotaru said, coming up behind her. "I'll quit working when the world has come to an end," Trista snapped at Hotaru, going back to her sewing. "You quit working long enough to go on dates with Maverick," Hotaru said, tapping a pattern to her cheek. She saw that Trista only blushed a little and kept right on working. Clearing her throat, she said, "You quit long enough to fight with Tuxedo Saturn and kiss him." Trista snapped up and leveled Hotaru with a gaze. She slowly said, "Leave Maverick out of this." "Fine. Let's talk about Tuxedo Saturn then. He doesn't sit right with me, Tris." When Trista started to open her mouth, Hotaru held up a hand and said, "Let me finish. His powers are, oh, I don't know, what I would expect. I realize he's been more of a team player than Robert was in the beginning, but he seems concentrated on you." Giving Trista a hug, she added, "I don't want you to get hurt, Tris." Hugging Hotaru back, she said, "I know sweetheart, but let me worry about this." Trista heard the bell over the door ring, and she poked her head out of the doorway to see who it was. A smile lit up her face as Amy walked in carrying two car seats. Rushing out, Trista cleared a table off so Amy could set the carriers on them. Amy set them down and asked, "Do you mind if I pass out? I've been carrying them around for nearly an hour now." Reaching in and clasping a tiny baby hand, Trista asked, "Where's Robert?" Amy smiled at Trista. She wouldn't have thought that Trista could be mother material, but everything seemed to have been flipped on its head lately. "He's at home, locked in that closet he calls a study, writing. So I was stuck with Abigail--that's whose hand you're holding--and Hermione." Amy lifted Hermione out of the carrier. She and Abby were so tiny... "I'm not going to complain, though. I love them." Lifting the other baby out of the carrier, Trista started lightly bouncing Abigail. She could feel tears gather in her eyes at the memory of her lost child. That first battle with Beryl had gravely injured her. Somehow, she had managed to crawl into the Time Gate and slowly nurse herself to health. But she had lost her baby, the one reminder of...who? "Amy, do you remember who we were married to?" Amy slightly laughed and shook her head, "No, that's more Robert's forte. He won't even tell me how I met him." The bells on the door rung again and Trista swung Abby around to see who it was. A big smile lit Trista's face as Maverick walked into the shop. Staying where she was, Trista watched him as he weaved his way through several tables. When he finally reached her, he lightly kissed her and smiled back. "It looks like Amy decided to visit after all." Catching Trista's puzzled glance, he added, "I saw her down the street a little way, carrying two carriers." Trista could feel a grin breaking out again, but she held it back. She had never been this giddy since she was younger and didn't know of her responsibilities. She looked up at Maverick and asked, "What brings you here, by the way?" Playing with Abby's hand, Maverick started, "Well, remember that dinner and dance thing I told you about?" Pulling the baby away, and causing her to laugh, Trista answered, "Yes." "I've been told that if I don't bring a date, I'll be auctioned off to raise money." Trista made soothing sounds and said, "Oh, you poor baby. Getting to spend the night with a woman who bought your affections." Maverick asked while he ran his hand through his violet hair, "Do purposely make it difficult for me to ask you on a date?" Trista plastered the biggest smile on her face and said, "Why, of course." Taking the baby from Trista and giving her to Hotaru, Maverick pulled Trista close and asked, "Will you go with me tonight? I know this is kind of sudden, but I would like to have you with me." Maverick put out his lower lip and asked, "Please, Tris?" Trista laughed at him and answered, "Okay, but I need to close the shop early so I can get ready." Amy watched the scene and moved toward Hotaru. "Is she always like this around him?" Hotaru nodded. "If I didn't have a nagging feeling about all of this, I would be completely happy for her." :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: Later that evening, Trista was adding the finishing touches to her outfit. She wore a form-fitting lavender dress with scarlet roses embroidered on it. Her hair was completely pulled up, with two decorative chopsticks sticking out of the bun. A few tendrils of hair that were purposely left free framed her face. She had made a hairpiece of red roses and babies breath to surround the bun. Hotaru had helped put it all together, mumbling under her breath about how this was a bad idea. Trista had arched an eyebrow, but decided to say nothing. After all, she could always throw Hotaru's taste of men in her face. Straightening her dress for the fifth time, Trista watched anxiously out of the windows. She felt like she was having prom all over again, except this time, her date wouldn't show up plastered and laugh at her. Hearing the bell, Trista breezed past Hotaru. She stopped midway to hug the laughing girl and then opened it. Tapping her foot to show how impatient she was, she asked, "Why are you late?" Maverick pulled a bouquet of dark red roses from behind his back and answered, "I almost forgot flowers." Gasping, Trista took the bouquet from him. Inhaling the heady perfume, she said, "Come in and talk to Hotaru while I put these in water." Smiling as he watched Trista go into the kitchen, he called out, "Hello, Hotaru." The slight girl turned around and gave a small smile. At least he wasn't like Orion. "Maverick, can I ask you a question?" Pushing up his sleeves slightly, Maverick said, "Sure. Ask me anything." "What do plan on doing with Trista?" Hotaru let out a frustrated sound and continued, "Trista has been looking after me for a long time and she's replaced my mother in most of my memories. Please tell me that you will not brush her aside if you get a chance." Maverick asked incredulously, "Do I seem like a person to do that?" Hotaru shook her head, "No, but Orion hurt her in ways she's not ready to admit to yet. Underneath her calm demeanor is a very fragile person, and she would die inside before she ever showed it to anyone." "I'll keep that in mind," Maverick said as Trista rejoined them. "Ready to go?" Maverick proffered his arm and said, "Let's go." Turning to Hotaru, he added, "Don't wait up. I'll bring her home in one piece." Hotaru watched the door close with a soft click. She turned away and said, "If only I could be sure of that." :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: "Thank you for inviting me. I never knew teachers could be so...fun." Trista smirked at Maverick, laughing when he made a face at her. Maverick swung her in a slow arc, catching her, and dipping her low. He couldn't thank his lucky stars enough since the day he had met her. He pulled her back up and held her close. He kissed a sensitive spot behind her neck and whispered, "I would show you how much fun I could be, but we would have an audience." Trista shivered in delight at the prospect, but she said, "I don't like audiences. Good thing you don't either, or I would have to worry about my innocence." Maverick looked into her amply displayed cleavage. If she was innocent, he would have to find a dark corner and make her very un-innocent. A wicked gleam entered his eye as he held her closer to him. He searched for her lips and said, "I hope for your sake that you aren't innocent." Trista laughed wickedly at him. Meeting his lips for a brief kiss and pulling back, she said, "You better hope for your sake that you're innocent. I'd have to eat you alive otherwise." He pulled her off the dance floor and framed her face with hands. Pulling her close, he told her, "Take a deep breath." He kissed her on the lips and slowly coaxed her to open her lips. When he gained access to her mouth, he gave a light moan before plundering her mouth. Trista wrapped her arms around his neck and tried to pull him closer, her breasts squishing against his chest. She pulled away and said, "Please tell me you live by yourself." He led her back to their table so they could grab their coats and said, "I do, and I live close by. It'll take us three minutes, tops, to get there." A bloodcurdling scream pierced the air and stopped them dead in their tracks. Trista looked to the source of the sound and felt the bottom drop right out of her night. Lord Ruin was looking straight at them and not looking very happy. Trista rolled her eyes and sighed. This was the third time this week Ruin had showed up and ruined a date. Ruin let his gaze scan the room. He wasn't leaving here without Trista. He had waited long enough and his master was getting restless. His eyes narrowed to slits when he saw that she was with the teacher. The teacher was proving to be a nuisance; Ruin hadn't been able to get to her since he had entered the picture. The crowd parted as he advanced toward Trista. He lifted his left hand and pointed it to the right side of the room swinging it toward Trista. A crash from the side signaled that his youma was on the way. Smiling with a feral gleam in his eye, he continued onward. "Maverick," Trista grabbed the lapel of his jacket, "I want you to run." He began making a noise, but Trista interrupted him, "No, run. Just run; I don't want you hurt." She let go of his jacket and pushed him away from her. Running the other way, into a darkened corner, Trista pulled her Time Staff from her space pocket and screamed, "Pluto Garnet Power!" She was Pluto before hitting the corner, but Ruin was waiting for her. "I've been waiting for you, Princess." She planted her staff into the ground. Growling at him, she said, "You'll just have to wait a little longer." Pulling the Garnet Orb off the top of her staff, she said, "Pluto Dying End!" Where her staff was planted, four chains snaked out and reached for the greater threat, the youma that was getting ready to attack her. The chains wrapped around the creature's limbs and held tight. It gave a horrified scream as toxins were pumped into the skin where the chains were touching. "Silence Rose!" Tuxedo Saturn's rose pierced the creature's mouth and caused it to shatter. Putting an arm around Pluto's waist, he said, "Sorry I'm late." Trista attached the orb back on top of the staff. She cleared her throat and said, "If you had been any later, I might have been killed." She pulled her staff from the ground and aimed it at Ruin. "I have a bone to pick with you." "Really?" Ruin rubbed his chin and smiled. He was quite pleased with the fact that she was mad at him. It would make her easy to capture. "What ever for? I haven't insulted you lately. You should be flattered that I'm paying so much attention to you." Pluto tapped her foot. "You ruined my date. I should kill you for that." "What you should really kill me for is killing Thomas." Thomas? Why did that name sound familiar? ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: "Morgana? I just heard the news from Amaya. Is it true?" A green-haired woman lifted her gaze to her husband's overjoyed face. She smiled softly and said, "Yes, it is true." She squealed as he lifted her from the bench she was sitting on. She attempted to chastise him, but he was too excited to listen. "If it's a girl, we'll name her after my mother. I know your mother is probably waiting for another Morgana, but we need to change the tradition." The woman laughed and laughed... ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: "It was you?" Trista was startled out of her reverie by a growling Saturn. His face was slowly turning red from anger. All of a sudden, a cane materialized out of nowhere and Saturn twisted the handle. A sharp sword point came out and Saturn lurched at Ruin. Ruin jumped out of the way, but he couldn't completely dodge the blow. As Saturn stumbled and readied for another strike, a thin red line bloomed on the side of Ruin's cheek. Touching his cheek, he looked Trista straight in the eyes, and said, "I'll be back for you, Princess." Then he winked out of existence. "Sailor Pluto?" Trista shook her head, tears threatening to overflow her eyelids. Looking up she saw Maverick standing in front of her. Wiping at her eyes, she asked, "What can I do for you?" "Can you help me find my date? She came running this way when it all started." Trista smiled and said, "I'll go look for her." She flapped her wings and rose from the floor. She exited through a balcony entrance and leaned up against a wall. As soon as she was sure the coast was clear, she willed her transformation to disappear. She cursed Ruin and the youma for ruining her evening and went back inside. She smiled when she caught sight of Maverick. Fighting back tears, she thought, 'At least I know why it's hard to fall in love with you.' ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: Send Q's or C's to: silver_moonangel@yahoo.com