SWEET BLISS

CHAPTER SIX

"Here's the ACD investigation report Wufei's been working on," Heero said as he placed the stack of files gingerly at what little space available on the desk, almost toppling another pile of neatly stacked assignments. Trowa looked away from his computer screen just in time to acknowledge Heero's arrival. "He has most of it done so it shouldn't take too long for you to finish it. The research materials are all in there."

Trowa peered at it with vague distaste before dragging his gaze back to Heero's expectant ones. "You do realize now that your mission in outer space is accomplished, you and Noin are obligated to take half of Wufei's share of work BACK, right?"

"We did. This is what's left of Wufei's work."

Trowa studied the stacks of papers and files and other miscellaneous documents scattered on his desk long enough to send back a clear message to Heero. "Somehow I find that very hard to believe."

Heero raised an eyebrow. "I find it even harder to believe that you're actually complaining. You're going to give us former Gundam pilots a bad name if you can't handle a little paper work."

"I would agree with you but this ..." Trowa motioned the entire workload cluttering on his desk with his head. "… doesn't exactly qualify for 'little'. You wanna know what gives us Gundam pilots a bad name? The lack of capacity to endure Duo's special homemade beverages and pass out from it."

Heero suddenly grew defensive and he instinctively straightened himself. "Not enough trainings in the world can ever prepare the toughest soldier for that. At least I manage to hold up to two shots. You and Wufei took less than a small glass."

"We were smart enough to foretell a similar fate if we took more than one shot glass."

"Was that before or after you both threw up?"

Trowa shrugged. "At least we didn't end up in the emergency room. Who knew Quatre had a weak stomach?"

Heero nodded grimly. "And those things weren't even alcoholic. That reminds me, have you talked to Duo?"

"I didn't see him this morning. Why?"

"Well, would you mind speed up the process of breaking the news of your impending fatherhood?" Trowa lifted an eyebrow. "Lady Une's contemplating pairing you and Duo up for a mission next month. By telling him soon, it will help reduce the element of surprise from affecting the case." Heero paused, then much to Trowa's chagrin, he smirked. "Normally I would not so much as blink to some random office gossips but after what I heard in what I can only described as a lewd version of the actual event, I'm genuinely curious to know what exactly happened here last night."

Trowa's features hardened in annoyance. "I don't find it amusing at all to be ambushed in my own office and assaulted in front of the staffs. In fact, I find this an offence so serious I've lodged a complaint for the lack of security in the building and sent a draft proposal for the extension of video surveillance."

"Draft proposal?"

"As you can see, I didn't have that much time to complete the actual proposal," Trowa replied indignantly.

"Well, that explains the fat lip," Heero pointed out knowingly. "But you should start thinking about how to break the news to Duo. We can't afford anymore distraction, especially not after the last mission failure. From the rate it's going, it's highly likely he's going to hear about last night's event soon. You realize that, don't you?"

"Of course," Trowa replied absently. "But since he was sent for some urgent mission this morning and effectively grant me some time to stall the moment, I wouldn't worry so much about it yet."

"Do what you think is best, as long as it doesn't affect both of your performance. I should warn you, though, not to underestimate the power of communication."
Trowa looked doubtful. "That incident fortunately happened in front of a group of people who are perfectly capable of keeping personal information of other people's lives private. Even if word gets out, it's unlikely Duo would have heard about it."

Before Heero could answer, the door suddenly burst opened and Duo came striding in. His expression was impassive but there was a definite scowl edged in his features. His cobalt blue eyes locked with Trowa's immediately and he didn't even acknowledge Heero's presence once he stopped across Trowa's desk.

"Trowa, I heard about it."

Crap.

His voice was so low and menacing that it sent shivers down Trowa's spine. Which was saying a lot since no one had ever gave him such an effect before. Except that one time when his niece accidentally spilled some ice cream on his back. But still, he didn't realize Duo was capable of sending him such a threatening glance and that made him uneasy. To say the least.

Heero, although he managed to maintain a straight face, hesitantly spoke up, "Duo, I thought you were on a mission."

"I was," Duo said through gritted teeth, his gaze still fixed solely at Trowa. "But then I heard this buzzing office rumor about SOME PEOPLE and I simply have to demand an explanation." Regarding Trowa, he said coldly, "Would you care to explain yourself, Trowa?"
Trowa cringed inwardly at the sharp edge in Duo's tone and he was torn. He couldn't possible choose between one of his closest friends and the one woman he wanted to be with. But it was indeed reasonable for Duo to be this upset, his mind suddenly rationalized. After all, it was against every code of masculine behavior to date a friend's ex. At least, from what he was told …

Usually in situations like this, Heero would prefer to leave the relevant parties to settle the disputes in ways they see fit and preferred very much not to witness this confrontation, particularly the consequence that would follow up after that. However, since any potential death or grievous injuries would involve one, if not two, of his closest friends and a valuable member of the headquarter, he had to make sure there would be no bloodshed in this building. Trowa's absence would prove to be detrimental to the efficiency of the headquarter and it would be far too late to find a new best man that would fit in Duo's tuxedo. Therefore, like it or not, he had to stay and ensure that each of them would come out of the room alive.

"Duo, I understand why you're upset," Trowa began gently, holding his hands up in a truce as he slowly rose to his feet. "But I think you should seat down first before we …"

"How could you do this to me!" Duo yelled, startling Trowa and Heero at the severity of the situation. "I thought we're friends! You kept this from me for so long, you didn't think I find out, did you! You think I wouldn't find out the truth!"

For a minute there, Trowa thought Duo would leap forward and strangle him but when he studied his friend closely, he realized Duo was too upset to even formulate such a reasonable action. And this knowledge only served to heighten his guilt. Unfortunately, he knew what must be done. He had to tell him now, even if their friendship would be seriously jeopardized. Somewhere, a tiny part of him consoled him by reminding the many times when their friendship had been at risk before. Like the times when he punched Duo and had him locked up in a cold, dark prison cell and then there was the time he tried to deceive the enemies under the pretext of killing his friends. It had been eight years since then and even so, Trowa could not rule out the possibility that Duo might still hold a grudge about that. If he did, then now would certainly be a reasonable moment to act out on it.

"Duo, it's not my intention to keep …"

"Well, you are wrong!" Duo interrupted and Trowa winced. "Because I asked Nancy the truth and it turns out that she's gay, she's totally the opposite of straight, and that she's seeing some Lisa from the security department. Hah! What do you think of that!"

Trowa's countenance cracked at that point as horrified confusion replaced his dignified features.

"Say what?"

Duo plopped on the seat across from Trowa and raised his chin smugly. All of a sudden, Duo's presence didn't seem so menacing anymore and he sensed the air of congeniality slowly began to emerge from his friend. "You heard me," he exclaimed triumphantly, his lips curled into a smug smile. "You lied to me about dating Nancy and I found out the truth."

"Nancy?"

Trowa heard Heero echoed in astonishment and he could even feel the Perfect Soldier's stare burning the side of his temple and at the same time, bringing Trowa's romantic/tragic love life to a whole new level of hilarity. It took Trowa a frozen moment to comprehend what Duo was trying to say. Then, he remembered. In his desperation to get Duo to stop pestering him about his so-called 'unrequited love' with some girl yesterday, he had blurted out the first name that came into his mind and he didn't even know who Nancy was or if there was such person in the building (apparently there was) but it did effectively send Duo happily on his way and most importantly, out of his office.

"Oh, that …"

Trowa could only stare at Duo in dumbfounded. He couldn't decide whether he was relieved or plainly annoyed at Duo's exaggerated approach. He shot Heero an uncertain glance, to which Heero responded by giving him an irritated look. Clearly, Heero did not appreciate Duo's deception as well.

"Yes, that," Duo replied as he looked up at Trowa. "I was on my way out when I heard this rumor about some 'strange' noises coming from the photocopy room. So, naturally, I went down there to, you know, investigate, since it is in my department …"

"The room is located IN your floor," Heero suddenly corrected him in annoyance. "And as much as I hate the thought of that room to be the breeding of illegal office scandals, among other things, I am obligated to inform you, this sort of intervention has never been and never will be within your field of expertise." He turned swiftly to Trowa and added in vague disgust, "We have got to upgrade the security system around here." Between his bafflement and annoyance, Trowa managed to give Heero a nod.

"Hey, it's partly in the art of espionage," Duo retorted indignantly. "That, and a basic knowledge of picking." He then regarded Trowa. "Anyway, I found Nancy making out with some chick in that room and I though to myself, she was cheating on you and with a girl, no less. But when she begged me not to tell Lisa, that was my first clue that something was not right. So, there you have it." He slammed a palm on Trowa's desk, causing a pile of neatly stacked papers to scatter. "I know you lied. You're not going out with Nancy."

Trowa blinked. Then, his body sagged in partly in relief and he carefully slid back into his chair, his slow, deliberate movement still mirrored his cautiousness and uncertainty. Staring at Duo for awhile in deep contemplation, he finally leaned back in his seat and said hesitantly, "You …got me."

"I knew it," Duo said smugly with a nod. "I mean, even before this, I knew you couldn't score with a chick like Nancy."

Forgetting momentarily the gravity of the situation, Trowa got offended. "Neither could you."

Duo rolled his eyes. "Yeah, but that's because I thought she was straight."

Trowa raised an eyebrow. "Are you saying you would be more successful if she wasn't?"

A wayward smile lifted the corner of Duo's lips. The twinkle in his eyes seemed to have stemmed from a memory. "Well," he said modestly. "Not exactly successful in that term but I've been around a LOT… "

Heero and Trowa mentally gaped at him but the only indication of their horror was the slight widening of their eyes. Then, not wanting to breed anymore obscene images or even consider other possibilities of what Duo had meant, Trowa quickly blurted, "What about your mission?"

"Oh, Kent just needs his daily fix, if you can call that a mission," Duo said dismissively, then he added in annoyance, "Apparently the coffee machine broke down this morning and I was on my way for a coffee break so he asked …no, actually, he ORDERED me to get him one. I wouldn't have agreed if he didn't have that crazy look in his eyes. I mean, what's his problem anyway? It's only 'damage control'. It's not like he's in charge of the army. And he has many people working under him so he can get all the help he needs. It's barely a day since he took control and it already seems like he's gonna lose it any minute now."

"Not many people are accustomed to the intricate dealings of the aftermath of a mission failure," Trowa pointed out.

"Exactly. And I thought Lady Une would have enough sense to delegate the honor to you. I wouldn't be surprise if he had anything to do with the broken coffee machine and Wufei's dismantled door." Trowa's expression remained neutral but his heart did leap for a minute there. Duo shook his head as he added in sympathy, "The poor guy. And poor Wufei. I knew Wufei was losing grip on sanity. The signs are all there. I mean, who could blame him? The last mission was a tough one, indeed. Anyone would want to break their doors to shred with that kind of pressure."

Then, as though finally aware of the outstanding amount of paperwork gathered around Trowa's desk, piling so high that offered very little vision of Trowa's head, Duo blinked in astonishment. "Wow, Trowa, seriously? These whole stacks are your responsibility?" Duo interpreted Trowa's silence as a 'yes' and added, "No wonder you were keen enough to lie to me just to get me out of your way yesterday. I've never seen so many paperwork and references in a room before. Except, maybe in Quatre's office."

"Alright," Heero interrupted as he regained his usual detached expression when dealing with office matters. "If there's no further 'urgency', both of you should get back to work. Duo, I need that report on my desk after lunch and no more delays this time, understood?" Before he proceeded to leave, his eyes met Trowa in a knowing glance. Trowa caught his look and immediately understood his meaning. Obviously he would have to take care of this unfinished business some other time.

Duo rolled his eyes and added sarcastically as he raised to his feet, "Yes, Commander Yui, as you have so kindly reminded me today, yesterday and the day before in at least twenty of those memos. Thank you." Once Heero left the room, Duo paused at the doorway and turned to Trowa, "Hey, since we haven't hang out with the guys in weeks and I heard Quatre's back from some business trip, what say we go grab some lunch at that hideous Japanese restaurant you and Heero love so much?"

Trowa hesitated. "Mind if I take a rain check? I have an urgent appointment which I can't miss."

Duo shrugged his shoulders. "Alright, that's cool. How about dinner tonight then?"

Trowa was about to comply until he remembered he had another engagement that night. "Not tonight." When Duo gave him a puzzled look, he drew in a weary breath and explained, "I have plans and no, it's not a date," he quickly added as Duo opened his mouth. "It's just another appointment…"

"One that you can't miss either?" Duo inquired with a raised eyebrow.

"No, I can. I would prefer to, actually. It's just that …" Trowa's gaze slid briefly towards the brochure hidden beneath a large file next to him, one which read 'Alcoholic Anonymous'. Quatre's face flashed across his mind and he mentally sighed, recalling the promise he made to his friend. So valuable was Quatre's friendship to him that he treasured even the darkest moments in the war when they had to work together, so in love he was with Quatre's cousin that he was prepared to do almost anything to allay Quatre's doubts about his intentions. And unfortunately, so concern was Quatre for his friend's well being and so burdened with guilt for supplying the means for Trowa to indulge in his nonexistent drinking problem, he had insisted that Trowa got some help as soon as possible because according to Quatre, he would not want to be a poor role model for his child. Never mind the fact that he had been involved in many deadly battles and killed quite a number of people in the past, had previously posed as a threat for piloting one of the most dangerous mobile suits in the universe and was almost completely incapable of expressing himself when he had not been drinking (at least until he heard about his impending fatherhood). The fact that he was caught drunk, albeit involuntarily on one of the rarest occasions was apparently an extremely serious problem which required profession help.

Trowa finally shifted his gaze to meet Duo's puzzled eyes and he stifled another weary sigh at the thought of the next few hours being spent listening to some stranger consoling and counseling him about his nonexistent problem. "It's just that I promise someone I would make it to this appointment."

Minako was unusually silent in the car as they made their journey back home after the doctor's appointment. Unlike Trowa who seemed indifferent, though evidently relaxed that the baby was doing alright (at least that was what she thought, unaware that he was simply relieved that there was really their baby growing inside of her), Minako appeared more and more apprehensive after the appointment. Since last night, she had been trying to shut out the increasing doubts about her decision and forcing herself to accept the idea that being a single mother certainly had its drawbacks but it would not effectively ruin her life. However later day, she found more reasons to increase her worries. Aside from the fact that her photographer had made a passing comment about how she was gaining a little bit of weight, she also found it difficult to ignore the feeling that anyone who laid eyes on her would undoubtedly notice her sleaziness for getting drunkenly 'knocked up' at a 'wild' party and silently chastise her for not wearing any protection even in her drunken state. All these and combined with the sudden realization that she lacked sufficient maternal knowledge were enough to give her a nervous breakdown.

Which explained why she was heavily reluctant to make the trip for the doctor's appointment. She did not want to face another slap from reality that she was about to be a mother. It was one thing to accept responsibility for accidentally bringing a child into this world, yet it was an entirely different thing altogether to actually 'accept' the notion of raising another human being. Her mind was completely filled with apprehension and doubts that she could hardly feel anything when she first saw the sonogram of her child and the only reprieve she got from her mental onslaughts was the momentary confusion as she wondered why was there a peanut in her belly (which she struggled to remember if she had had any for lunch), only to discover that the 'peanut' was, in fact, her baby. Trowa had held her hand in encouragement throughout the appointment and he seemed genuinely pleased to be there as he stared in quiet awe at the screen. Minako, on the other hand, was ready to bolt out the door, unable to accept the final blow of her maternal deformity for failing to even recognize her own baby. That, and combined with her earlier sense of maternal failure had reduced her to a state of paralyzed fear in the first few minutes after she was informed the present state of the 'peanut' in her belly. She spent the next few minutes gasping for air and at the verge of hyperventilation. All of which she had managed to conceal beneath a fixed yet dangerously bordering insane smile that was supposed to be the result of an overexcited mother-to-be upon catching a glimpse of her baby. She thought it was pretty convincing since the doctor had politely smile at her and Trowa didn't say anything, possibly because he was too preoccupied with the image in the screen.

Minako's gaze slid to the man driving next to her and her heart softened involuntarily at the sight. She recalled back the times when she used to 'stalk' him. Back then, he had seemed like any other crushes she used to have, although her infatuation with him was much longer than the others and she had taken more effort to capture his attention. Most of the time, he seemed indifferent to her attention, sometimes even painfully oblivious to it but she knew it was not meant to hurt her. It was just his nature to be so detached of his surrounding. He was aware but he did not pay too much attention to her lavish compliments and exaggerated approaches to catch his eye.

However now, the situation seemed to be in reverse and although he may not harbor any strong feelings for her, he had came to her willingly and offered his services in her time of need. The poignancy of their present situation moved her and if she still kept any feelings for him as she had two years ago, the knowledge of his commitment, even if it were bound by obligations, would shatter her composure and sent her to unparallel heights of contentment. That was how much he had meant to her back then, how much she had longed for just a meager of his attention, for just a second of his glimpse. Every time his eyes slid past her or his expression remained noncommittal to her gesture, she felt a stab of sharp pain through her heart, as though she was rejected over and over again. The brief recollection of her previous infatuation with him triggered a sense of poignancy and unknowingly, a strange yet familiar sense of affection began to wash over her.

Looking at him now, she couldn't help but admire him. His features looked as if they were carved with cool granite, his jaw was hard with grim determination and his manner projected an aura of subtle harshness which complemented his features. His long brown bangs which covered one eye gave him a mysterious look, making him appeared colder than he really was but his most striking features was his eyes. A pair of emerald green with a hint of blue, eyes that was so captivating that they could pierce the soul. Before she could stop herself, her mind toyed with the idea of their baby having such beautiful eyes…

As soon as she thought of that, her heart was almost immediately filled with despair. She wouldn't mind in the least if their baby possessed some of his qualities and attributes. Trowa was extremely good-looking for a guy of his character and beneath his cold exterior, she had never doubted his kindness and his willingness to risk everything he had for his loved ones. That was never an issue. What began to trouble her was his commitment to his duties. Her friends had a point, his presence was constantly needed around the world, if not in outer space and those times when he was not on a mission would be spent in the headquarter, finishing up some reports about his previous missions. What remaining precious times he had when he was not in the headquarter would most probably be spent on sleeping and cleaning his apartment and occasionally for visiting his nephew and niece and catching up with the other pilots. Then, the whole cycle would start all over again and there was clearly no room left for her and their baby. She would have to raise the baby by herself. Without her parents, her friends…Without him. No doubt, her friends would always offered their help and Trowa had given his word that he would always be there for her but it still did not change the fact that she would still have to go through this on her own. She was the one who would be carrying the baby for nine months, she was the one who would have to face all the accusing stares and isolation from society, she was the one who would be gripped with excruciating pain in the labor room. She would have to do all these by herself. All of a sudden, she felt a sense of fear which she had never felt before began to tighten its grip on her throat.

Fearing that Trowa might notice something was amiss, she forced herself to calm down and drew in a deep breath. Stealing another forlorn glance at Trowa, she wondered miserably if he had any doubts about this. His confidence that everything would work out for them offered her some assurance at first but now she began to wonder if he really understood the seriousness of this responsibility. It was not like he had any experience in raising a child. Taking his niece and nephew for an ice-cream treat or babysitting them for an hour or two was not the same as raising a child.

That was the one thing the Gundam pilots lacked in their training. You would think that having mastered all the necessary survival and killing skills, they would at least have the decency to hone their capabilities in other areas, such as improving their communicating skills, sharpening their ability to hold up to twenty drinks or even better, raising a kid, which would surely and most definitely come in handy in the future (as currently demonstrated). However, since they (Trowa mainly) were not equipped with the adequate knowledge to raise a kid and given the fact that she herself was no mother material, she assumed it would not be entirely inappropriate for her to start panicking and genuinely worry for the baby's future upbringing. Nevertheless, she figured it would be so much better if both of them worked together in this issue. Between the two of them, he clearly had the most experience in dealing with children, having babysat his niece and nephew several times. She, on the other hand, was never that fond of children, given their tendency to start screaming at her attempts to humor them or whenever she held them in her arms and no matter how much she tried, she simply could not bond with them, as evidenced in her latest attempt which traumatized her cousin's children. She was still grateful that the kid was able to recite his alphabet well.

Oh, Trowa, she mentally pleaded, suddenly feeling the pressure constricting in her chest. I don't know if I can do this anymore…I don't think I'll be a good mother, the baby needs you...I need you…Please don't leave us…

"Alright," came the swift reply which prompted a surprise scream from Minako. Turning sharply at her in surprise and after scrutinizing her for a moment, Trowa added softly, "Alright, now would be a good time to talk…"

Minako nodded her head shakily and forced out a smile, her heart still pounding painfully in her chest. "Oh. Okay…A-about what?" It was then when Minako realized that he had pulled over in front of her apartment.

"You tell me."

The way he looked at her made her mentally squirmed and she resisted the impulse to look away since it would make it blatantly obvious she was hiding something that she did not want him to know. His face was calm, almost detached and indifferent to her dilemma but his eyes betrayed no emotion as they seemed to probe deeply into hers, searching for whatever it was she was hiding. His eyes were hauntingly beautiful but they also had a way of staring straight into the soul, penetrating the barrier that shielded one's inner conflicts and threatening to expose their deepest secrets. Fortunately, she didn't have that much to hide from him. Except her recent mixed feelings about their ordeal. Somehow she didn't want him to know about it just yet, not when he had assured her he would not discard his responsibility. It was extremely difficult to predict his reaction and any sign which indicated her distrust could result to his discontent and possibly him leaving her. That, she could not risk. At least not yet.

"I don't know what you're talking about," she answered automatically with a fake smile, feigning confusion.

"Well, you've been awfully quiet in the past two hours."

Minako forced out a nervous laugh while her mind desperately searched for an excuse. "I guess I am a little moody today…possibly because it's the time of the month, you see…" Trowa raised his eyebrows and there was a hint of amusement in his eyes but he didn't say anything. Minako waited for him to reply but when she realized the absurdity of such a statement in her position, she quickly exclaimed in exasperation, "I mean, I'm tired! Yea, that's it!" Checking herself to regain her composure, she continued with forced joviality and with as much dignity as she could muster, "That's right, I'm tired…Exhausted, actually. What, with looking for a new apartment, college assignments and modeling and all…It's not easy to balance all these things, you know…I mean, I'm sure you understand what that's like. Your schedule is more hectic than mine so I can't blame you if you're always not around-" At that point, he raised an eyebrow and upon noticing this, Minako blurted out in panic, "I mean, not to say that you're not here at all…"

"But not long enough to actually qualify being here."

Convinced that he was offended and possibly irritated at her suggestion, she hastily exclaimed, "No! No, that's not what I meant…" She was about to add something else, thought better of it and then, continued wearily, "I'm sorry, that's not what I meant. I just...haven't been myself this morning. It must be the hormones. I think I better go…"

As soon as she threw opened the door and was about to step out of the car, she felt a firm grasp on her forearm and her body stiffened in response, knowing full well of what was next to come. She looked back at him in uncertainty but he was clearly certain about what he had heard and what he was about to do. His features had softened into one of understanding and there was warmth in his eyes, silently pleading her to stay and talk to him. She hesitated, then almost magnetically, she allowed herself to be pulled down gently onto her seat but she couldn't face him, still fearful that she might have somehow incurred his displeasure.

Trowa was perfectly aware of her discomfort since the beginning and he was curious as to what had caused her change of behavior but instead of pouncing on her and demanded an immediate explanation, he had waited patiently for her to tell him. He did not want to force her to tell him but on the other hand, he did not like the idea of her keeping her problems from him. It saddened him a little to know that she did not trust him enough to confide in him and he desperately needed her to trust him if this relationship was going to work. He wished she would just tell him about it instead of him having to pry the answers from her but since it was apparent she refused to tell him anything, he had to ask her and make it clear to her that she could trust him.

"Minako, look at me," he said gently but firm enough to indicate how serious this matter was to him. When she finally looked at him, his tone softened into what he hoped was enough to encourage her to talk, "I'm not a mind reader but it doesn't take a psychic to know that something is bothering you. And I want to know what it is." When she still hesitated, he added meaningfully, "Please."

The stirring tenderness in his voice melted her heart and unable to keep her private worries to herself any longer, she finally relented and replied in helpless resignation, "I'm sorry, Trowa, I didn't mean to worry you like this. There's so many things in my mind and….I keep forgetting you were always so observant." She gave him a small smile. It was strange how he used to be completely oblivious of her presence whereas now he could sense whether she was being herself or not. "Then again, I was never good at keeping anything to myself."

"You know that's not entirely true. But I suppose it is difficult to keep your emotions under control when it comes to things that really matter."

Minako's smile widened a little in agreement before she sobered and grew solemn again. Her eyes darkened in pensive but she tried to maintain a lighthearted attitude as she explained, "I don't know why…I mean, yesterday, everything seem alright. I have a rough plan about everything, how to get through this pregnancy and how to raise the baby. I thought I could handle being a single mother. But now…" She paused to draw in a shaky breath. "Now, I don't know if I can even go through this."

Trowa's chest tightened in dread but he refused to be put off by what could possibly be a momentary phase of helplessness experienced by young mothers-to-be. Maintaining a glacial expression, he persisted quietly, "What makes you say that?"

Her eyes were shimmering with unshed tears as she shrugged, deliberately avoiding his gaze and for awhile, she did not speak and Trowa could almost feel her struggle to maintain her composure but the harder she tried to contain her emotions, the more apparent it reflected on her features. Finally, she lifted her gaze to meet his and allowed him to see the naked pain reflected in her eyes. "Because I'm scared," she whispered brokenly as a tear trickled down her cheek. She took a deep breath and continued, her voice trembling at the effort it took to speak, "I'm scared of going through this…I'm scared of doing this alone…"

"You're not doing this alone."
"But that's exactly what will happen," she insisted stubbornly. "Please don't get me wrong, I appreciate your support but…." Another tear made its way past her cheek and dropped onto her clenched fists. "But Usagi and the rest will only be here for a few days, I can't expect them to fly all the way back here for me when I need them. And while I'm relief that you're staying nearby and I'm glad that you want to be a part of this, it won't make much difference. You're hardly ever around even when you're not in outer space and when you're not on a mission, you'll spent days in the headquarter writing up about a mission or working on a new mission. Except for Quatre's party last month, I can't recall the last time I actually saw you. So you see, it means the same thing. I'll have to do this on my alone." She lowered her gaze in regret and hesitantly continued, "I don't want to do this on my own, Trowa. But I have no one else to turn to and that makes everything seem so much harder than it really is. On the other hand, I can't ask you to quit your job and stay with me the whole time. I have no such rights, even though I am carrying our baby and it wouldn't be fair to you." Her eyes suddenly lifted to meet his and pleaded him to understand, "But if you can't really be there throughout my pregnancy, then at least try to see our baby each month after she's born, until she can understand why her father have to leave her so much. If you can promise me that, then it'll make things a little easier…."

While it was unnecessarily dramatic(though it clearly suited her character), Trowa was profoundly moved by her devotion and concern for their child. He felt a surge of aching joy at the knowledge that her love for their child ran deeper than he imagined. Despite the risks attached to being an unwed teenage mother, she was still willing to go through this pregnancy and raised the child even when he would not be around as much as she wanted. She had placed the baby's need before her, indirectly taking over her role as a mother. The shattering tenderness of her words and combined with the knowledge that his presence was of great importance to her provided him the temptation to pull her into his arms and kiss her senseless.

Suppressing the urge to smile and concealing his excessive delight beneath his stony features, he replied gently in an attempt to console her, "I know that my job requires a lot of my time and I won't deny that at times, I will have to leave you and our baby for awhile to complete a mission. But you have to understand, that is how I earn my living. That is how I will earn for our living." Minako lowered her eyes in comprehension and gave him a curt nod. When she hesitantly looked up, she found Trowa gazing back at her and his eyes were warm with compassion and understanding. "But did you really think I will allow myself to be transferred as frequently as before now that we have a child to raise?"

The words almost shattered her composure. Her breath was caught in her throat and she was rendered speechless. Doubting the willingness of his commitment yet already too caught up with the sweet promise of his words, her voice was guarded but hopeful.

"Are you saying…you'll stay here? As much as you can?"

She looked at him with eyes that were so pleading and hopeful that he would have agreed to give up his job if she asked him to. "As long as you need me," he answered, unaware that he had lifted a huge burden off her shoulders.

"But are you sure this wouldn't be a problem?" she demanded, still doubtful. "I mean, I know how hectic your job can be…"
"It's hectic because I want it to be," he informed her patiently. "I can choose to work solely at the headquarter and will only be summoned to outer space if there is an emergency. I've already discussed this with Lady Une and she has no problem with this arrangement. As from next week onwards, I'll be working in the headquarter where you can easily reach me anytime you want." Upon seeing her face brightened in pleasure and her eyes sparkled in delight at the news, he couldn't help giving her a warm smile and added meaningfully, "I'm all yours."
Her heart instinctively fluttered at the poignant message but she knew better than to take his words to heart. Not that she wanted to, of course. She had long gotten over her crush and just because her heart melted every time when he gave her that smile, it did not mean she was reverting back to her sixteen-year-old self who used to grin foolishly whenever he acknowledged her existence with a nod. She was merely pleased to know that he would be nearby and available when she needed his help. While she forced herself to believe that, a tiny part of her took immense pleasure that he was hers alone.

She smiled back at him. Not in her usual bright and cheerful grin but a small yet unmistakably an appreciative smile that seemed to suppress excessive happiness and contentment. "Thank you," she replied simply, unable to express her gratitude in words alone yet hoping it was enough to let him know she appreciated his effort.

He smiled back at her in understanding.

After sending Minako home, he was well on his way to his counseling session for the drinking problem he never had. While he was driving, he allowed his mind to wonder back to the conversation he had with Minako and came to realize the importance of his presence to her. And he was becoming increasingly desperate to ease her burden as much as he could. Somehow the change in his working schedule did not seem sufficient to him but he did not want to jump into marriage and terrify her at this time. Almost instantly, the solution came to him and the idea did not seem unpleasant at all. In fact, he was adamant that the occasion took place and he would persuade her to accept it even if she was not prepared for his offer at all.

Somewhere in the distant, a loud ring penetrated the silence of the apartment and was abruptly answered by the machine, "Please leave a message after the beep. Thanks."

Beep.

A hesitant voice spoke at the end of the line, "Hi, Trowa…I hope I got the right number because you didn't mention your name and I couldn't really read Minako's handwriting.…Anyway, it's Usagi here. Sorry about last night for interrupting your meeting and giving you a fat lip. You understand how worried we are about Minako…No hard feelings, right? Oh, and Artemis said he's really sorry for punching you…"

Another voice could be distinctively heard in the background, "No, I didn't!"

"Quiet you!" Usagi retorted harshly. Then, she lowered her voice as if to whisper conspiratorially, "Don't mind him, he really is sorry. He's just a little jealous because Minako used to pay attention to him before you came around. Personally, if we didn't know he was in love with Luna, we would've thought he was in love with Min-"

The machine suddenly cut her off and several seconds later the phone rang again.

"Please leave a message after this beep. Thanks."

Beep.

"Hi, Trowa, it's me again. I better get straight to the point before the machine cut me off again. I just call to invite you to Minako's surprise birthday party at her apartment tomorrow night. I know it's not her birthday yet but we thought it would really surprise her if we celebrate it a few days before her birthday. Don't worry, it's going to be a small group of us there and we've invited the guys so that you won't feel so lonely…Anyway, let us know if you can make it 'cause there's just no point in having this party if you're not coming….I mean, it's not that there's no point in having this party at all…It's not that we plan any scheme to get both of you to…Ouch! Rei stop that! I mean, we didn't plan anything! I mean, we only plan this splendid party to celebrate her birthday and Minako would really, really appreciate it if you come…There no devious, diabolical plan to get you guys to hoo-I mean, see you at the party! Bye!"

NEXT CHAPTER : The real confrontation

"Is there something going on between you and Minako?" Duo demanded quietly. It was meant to be lighthearted but there was a distinct edge in Duo's tone that made Trowa uncomfortable and it could only mean that he knew. Even before Trowa had a chance to explain, he could sense that Duo knew about his relationship with Minako. And Duo didn't look too pleased with the information.

"I talked to Minako just now," Duo continued, his eyes met Trowa's in a piercing gaze. "And she told me something interesting about the two of you."