Moonlit Past
Chapter 1
AN: I want to thank my good friends Lady and Hilde for helping me out on this sequel. Hilde deserves the credit for all the wedding plans and details and Lady helped out with Catrina's appearance, disappearance, and part of the parrot idea. Please send me comments at catrina_winner@sailormoon.com!!!
1 Six Months Later
People all over the nation were turning their televisions to the international news report. An overly happy reporter came on, his fake smile lighting up millions of screens around the world.
"On our top story tonight, one of the colonies hero's, Gundam pilot of 02, will be wed at the restored Maxwell Church on colony L2. Duo Maxwell and Hilde Schbeiker are two of the few people that helped end the war single-handedly. Duo Maxwell was adopted and raised in the original Maxwell Church by Father Maxwell and Sister Helen. Sadly, the Church, and his home, was destroyed by the Alliance in AC 187. Today, we see…" The camera panned out to a view of the beautiful church. The reporter's voice continued on, speaking about the background of the Maxwell Church and its history. However, at the Maxwell Church, no one was paying any heed.
"Quatre! If you make my tie any tighter, you'll kill me!" Duo hollered. "Ouch!"
"Sorry, Duo, but you want to look good for Hilde, don't you?" Quatre asked sweetly.
"What?!? Of course I do! What kind of a question is that?" Duo grumbled.
"Weakling!" Wufei muttered from a corner.
"HEY! I don't see you getting married here!" Duo gasped as Quatre again pulled the tie too tight. "Quatre…can't breathe….Thanks…" Duo said as Quatre loosened his grip. "So anyway…Wufei, when ya going to ask Sally? You know you want to…"
"QUEIT MAXWELL!! I WILL NOT HAVE YOU MESSING AROUND IN MY PERSONAL LIFE!!" Wufei yelled rather loudly.
"So…it's personal is it?" Duo asked, wiggling his eyebrows up and down. Wufei did a serious blush and turned to face the wall. Duo would have burst out laughing, if Quatre wasn't trying to fix Duo's tie again.
*********
"Where's the bouquet?"
"Hem adjustment! Hem adjustment!"
"Hey, those shoes don't match!"
"Where are the rose petals? We need the rose petals!"
Hilde rolled her eyes. These ladies were nuts. She glanced over at Sally Po who looked down and met her gaze.
"Remind me not to hire these ladies for my wedding," she said to Hilde.
"Oh? Planning on a wedding soon, then?" Hilde grinned.
"You bet. Wufei's close to cracking. You can see it in the twitch of his eyes."
Hilde giggled, "Well, good luck."
"Don't worry about that," Sally smiled mischievously. "Sometimes, hon, it takes more then 'good luck' to get Wufei to do something." Hilde couldn't stop laughing. Catherine scurried by quickly. She waved as she ran past them. Hilde raised a hand in acknowledgment when several indistinct blurs of color tore past her.
"Flower girls!!"
"Rose petals cannot just walk away!! Where are they?"
"Camera's! Over here!"
"Media, media, media, media, media…"
"Where's the bride?"
At this last remark, Hilde gulped and slid into the shadows. They probably wanted to stick her full of pins again. Sally stepped towards them, hiding Hilde behind her and pointed down the hall.
"The bride went down there just a few minutes ago."
"Thank you!" the coordinator said breathlessly. She and her minions ran off down the winding hallway.
"Baka's…" Sally mumbled. Hilde nodded in agreement.
"Thanks. I find that those ladies are remarkably like the ancient dinosaur, the Raptor."
"I agree. Anyway, it wasn't any problem," Sally returned, waving her hands in the air. Lady Une marched up to them. Her hair was hanging down about her shoulders and her bridesmaid's dress swirled about her knees.
"Hello, Lady. How are you?" Hilde said.
"We…I mean…I'm fine…" she replied slowly. "Do you know where Master Treize is?"
"Of course. He should be down the hall with the other men, helping Duo get ready," Sally informed her.
"Thank you very much. He forgot his rose and I would see him without it. You understand, don't you?" she asked, smiling. Sally and Hilde blinked and nodded, though they had no idea what Une was talking about.
"Oh, and by the way, have you seen my glasses anywhere?" Sally and Hilde sweatdropped.
"Er…nope, sorry…"
"Oh, well. Master Treize probably has them anyway…" Lady Une turned and walked down the hall, her high heels clicking smartly on the tiled floor. At that exact moment someone began to yell about business from the room Duo was in.
"That sounded a lot Wufei," Hilde observed. "I wonder what Duo has done now?"
"Well, if I'm not mistaken, he's probably teasing him over the wedding," Sally replied.
"Yes, you're most likely right. Maybe one of us should go check on them."
"I'll go," Sally volunteered. "Will you be all right?"
"Sure, I'll be fine."
"Good. And remember, if any of those ladies come after you with a pin or scissors…run for you're life." Smiling, Sally made her way to the door that Lady Une just entered.
Hilde grinned and leaned back against a doorway to watch the Church being displayed on every channel. Funny, watching your own wedding on television, she thought to herself. Then, she turned to find her shoes and begin the happiest moments of her life.
*********
Soft strains of music began to play. Everyone's eyes were glued to where the bride was to emerge. Duo fidgeted nervously. Mariemaia came out and began to toss flowers. Then, the bridesmaids marched happily up the aisle. Each one was wearing a knee-high, light blue dress, and a blue flower beret in her hair. The men all wore the traditional black suits and looked exceedingly uncomfortable in them. Heero watched Duo from beneath his bangs as he escorted Sally up the aisle. He was not happy, because for the past hour, hairdressers had been trying to comb his hair back, with no luck. Heero, in the end, had told each stylist individually that he would kill them, and left.
Hilde finally emerged from the back with Treize at her arm and started up the aisle. Duo's mouth fell open. Hilde looks hot, he thought happily. Her dress clung to her perfectly, complementing her well-formed curves. A petite bow hung from its back and a thin white veil hid her blushing face from Duo. In her hands, she clutched a bouquet of roses. They finally reached the altar and Duo. Duo reached out his hands for Hilde's.
The priest began. As Hilde and Duo said their vows, they both glowed with a positive happiness and contentment that could be matched by no one else in the room. They gazed into each other's eyes, each filled with a joy neither could explain.
"You may now kiss the bride," the priest's voice broke their thoughts. Duo flung back the veil and pulled Hilde towards him. Rose petals drifted from the ceiling to land all around them. The forty Maguanacs cheered. Quatre's present twenty-nine sisters began to cry. Lady Une sniffled and looked over at Treize who was…stuffing rose petals into his pockets.
"Treize?! What are you doing?" she whispered to him. Treize winced when he realized that he had been caught and shrugged cutely.
"Um…free bath scent?" he replied. Lady had to struggle to not burst out laughing. Senna and Zechs were staring at Duo and Hilde, who were still kissing.
"Don't they have to come up for air?" Noin asked. Zechs just kept staring.
"Disgusting…" he finally muttered.
*********
The reception was beautiful. People danced under the swirling lights of The Plaza's roof. Hilde was basking in the complements and Duo was eyeing the cake and gifts. Soon the time came for dinner. Duo gladly ate everything within reach and then some, while Hilde just watched him. The time came to cut the cake and Duo began to grin evilly at Hilde.
"Here you go, sir," one of the waiters said as they handed Duo a small slice of chocolate cake. Duo's grin widened and he swiftly squished the cake into Hilde's face.
"DUO!!!" she squealed.
"Hil…Hilde y…you should h…ha…have s…seen the l…l…..loo, on your face…w…when…MRMPH!!" Duo's laughter was smothered by a rather large piece of cake being smashed into his face. "HEY!" Hilde just laughed as her little chocolate-covered Shinigami sputtered.
"Stupid onna," Wufei muttered from his seated position. "I cannot believe that they are married and going to have l…little…ch…children…" Wufei's eyes dilated and he began to drink glasses of wine in rapid succession. Sally grabbed the wine away from him when he finished the second bottle in less then thirty seconds and reached for a third.
"WOMEN! YOU WILL GIVE THAT BACK TO ME!" he hollered. Sally leaned over and began to whisper in his ear. Wufei's eyes grew rather large and unfocused as she continued to talk. Sally smiled and leaned back. Her job was done.
*********
The party continued until Hilde decided that it was time to throw the bouquet and garter into the crowds. Duo took extreme pleasure in the garter- getting business, while Hilde just blushed the entire time. Duo then stood at the front of the room and waited while all the single men gathered behind him. Heero was the only one who didn't move from his seat.
Grinning, the God of Death took careful aim and let the lacy garter fly. It was right on target. It smacked the unprepared Heero directly in the forehead and looped one of his bangs before falling into his lap. Heero shot Duo the famous Death Glare and proceeded to stuff the garter into his pocket. Duo's smile widened. He didn't kill me and he kept it! If only Catrina were here to catch the bouquet. Then we could have some real fun…
Every girl (single or not) took one look at Heero with the garter and decided that they would be the one to catch the bouquet. They clawed at each other, trying to get the best place to stand. Hilde swallowed. She would have to throw the bouquet far behind her unless she wanted those girls to attack her. A small hint of movement up in a balcony caught her attention. No way…
Smiling happily, Hilde tossed the bouquet the high into air. It soared over the heads of the drooling girls as they lunged and scrambled to reach it. Not one of them could have reached it. Higher and higher it flew, until it reached the doorway on the second floor. A slender hand clothed with a white glove slipped from the shadows and gracefully caught the rose bouquet in midair. Gasps sounded from around the room as the bouquet was drawn back into the dark, where the mysterious shadow turned and entered the room that was behind her. Hilde's smile turned into a bit of a frown. Why didn't she come down?
Heero, who had been waiting for his fate to be determined and trying to decide whether to run or simply self-destruct when it was, watched the hand catch the bouquet and the shadow disappear. Who could have caught that? he wondered. Very few that I know could do that…and they're all down here with me. He continued to stare where the figure had once stood.
"Heero, you idiot! Go after her!" Duo yelled at him from somewhere across the room. Heero blinked. Duo obviously knew who the shadow was.
"HEERO, YOU BAKA!! GO AFTER HER!!" Duo hollered. Heero over at Duo for a long time.
"Who?" he asked. Duo facefaulted.
"CATRINA!!!" Heero looked as close to shocked as Heero can get.
"Why?"
"AHHHHHHHHH!!!!" Duo screamed.
"Fine." Heero turned and began to make his way up the stairs. He swung open the door to the room Catrina had disappeared in to. No one was in the room, but the window was wide open. He climbed through and down the side of the hotel, ending in a large garden. There was no sign of Catrina anywhere.
Heero walked onward. The path curved around a large lilac bush and as he rounded it, he saw a breathtaking sight. Willow trees hung about an ordinate fountain. Rose bushes ringed the fountain and a single bench. And on that bench, Catrina sat. Her hair was down and blowing about her shoulders. It glistened in the soft moonlight. She wore a long, sleeveless dress that matched her emerald green eyes. White gloves covered her long, slender arms and stopped just above the elbow. She was smiling at him.
"Hello, Heero. How have you been?" she looked him up and down.
Heero just gave her a cold stare. "Where were you?"
"Why? Did you miss me?" she asked sweetly.
Heero blinked in surprise. Where did she get these ideas? he wondered. She just continued to smile at him.
C'mon Heero, aren't you going to talk to me?" Catrina asked. "Come and sit by me," she patted the bench next to her. Heero moved over and placed himself on the bench. He looked over at her. She looked beautiful in her dress with the moonlight haunting her features and her smooth hair.
"Where were you?" he asked again.
"I had to work. You know how that goes. Just another mission," she waved a hand in the air, dismissing the subject.
"I just don't want you to get hurt again," Heero said.
"You don't have to worry about that. I…quit the Preventors with a better future in mind," she leaned over on his shoulder as she spoke. Without even realizing it, he slid an arm around her bare shoulders.
"Are you cold?" he asked her.
"No…" she mumbled. They sat together for a long while until Catrina sat up again and began to gaze at the stars. Her eyes shone darkly as the moonlight reflected off them, making them depthless pools of darkness. Heero watched her for a long time before deciding to speak again.
"Catrina…"
"Yes, Heero?" Heero knew that Hilde had probably told her everything that she knew about his past, but he still knew nothing about Catrina or the life she had led before he had met her.
"What was your past like?" he asked her.
"My past?" Heero nodded. "Well…My mother was Elizabeth Winner. She worked as an Emergency Response Doctor in a rebel camp. We lived together on the Earth in this camp. I was her only daughter. The rebel camp had been plotting to go against the United Earth Sphere Alliance for quite awhile. I grew up with soldiers and weapons all around me. My mother was a sweet woman and made sure that I never wanted anything. We were very close. Then one day, right after I had turned six, the UESA discovered the camp and sent mobile suits to stop us. They killed several of our group. I had been outside the camp at the time. I saw the mobile suits come and go, watched my home be destroyed. When I was able to reenter the camp, no one was there. Most were dead. It took me a long time to find my mother. She was injured beyond help and was dying. She told me…before she died, that I was a very special girl and would always be loved, no matter where I went. Then she gave me her bracelet. I haven't taken it off since she put it in my hand," Catrina halted for a moment and held up her arm. The bracelet that dangled from it was interlocking chain link made from pure sliver. A single charm dangled from it. It was in the shape of a tear, with an emerald inset in the shape of the tear. "After she handed this to me…she…" Catrina stopped speaking again. Heero touched her face lightly. She looked over at him.
"I left the base then and went to live among the street children in the Florence City. Most of my days were spent looking for food. At night, I would hide out in the library until it had closed, and then I would eat whatever food I had. That was how I got an education. I had to teach myself everything with the books that they had there. Luckily, I enjoyed reading and found it was a good way to pass the long nights. I had no home until I turned eight. That was when I was finally caught reading late at night by a guard. The guard took pity on me and brought me home. He fed me and allowed me to stay the next few weeks at his home. He got me a job with his company as a nighttime guard at the library. My employers were never told how young I was. That way I got to continue my studies and get paid for doing it. I began to save up my money that I earned from the job so I could take a DNA test and see if I had any living relatives anywhere. The city I had been living in was targeted for destruction by the UESA because they thought there was another rebel group forming within it when I was about nine or ten. I had to move again. The town I ended up in wasn't a very busy town. I found a job at their local library, in hopes of finishing my education. I really liked the new town that I was in…I think it was called Black Raven. It was the prefect town for me to live, because no one knew about it at the time. The colonies and the UESA just left us alone because there was no threat to either side in the war. Some people there started a runaway shelter for people that had had their families destroyed. Like me. Runaways from all over came to Black Raven and our sleepy little town was beginning to be noticed by the UESA. They decided to mobilize their troops there before they went into space. I left the town, knowing that all civilians would be forced to leave soon, anyway. I was thirteen at the time. After that, I moved from town to town, never staying in the same place for very long. When the war ended, I was sixteen. Then I went to the Preventor Headquarters, in hopes of getting a job there," Heero looked at her.
"Why the Preventors?" he asked.
"Well, for one thing I didn't have a lot of money for the DNA test that I wanted to take as soon as I could. Working in libraries, waiting on tables, stuff like that really doesn't bring in a lot of money. I had heard that the Preventors paid their members well. I was excepted at the age of sixteen and was just finishing my training when Endless Waltz began. Two years later, I had enough money to have the test done. Can you imagine my surprise when I discovered, after years of living below the poverty line and barely being able to afford my next meal, I was part of the richest and most influential family in the known universe. Thanks to the people at the institute and Quatre, we were able to figure out the final pieces of my past," Catrina halted for a moment. She sighed.
"I was named after Quatrine, Quatre's mother. She was Master Winner's favorite wife. (AN: Arabic men can take up to four wives at a time.) My mother, Elizabeth was his second wife. Quatrine was the first in command of the children and the house. She was very kind, beautiful, and righteous. My mother and Quatrine became best friends, and for three years stayed that way. My mother left for Earth a while later to aid the people there with her medical expertise. Nine months later she had me. She didn't want to communicate with her husband because she was afraid to give away the rebel's location. She was going to tell the Winner family until she heard about Quatrine's death in childbirth, when she had Quatre, several months before I had been born. My mother decided that she couldn't tell them about me, since Quatrine had so recently died and I was named after her. It might bring out a lot of unhappiness. So they were never informed about me. Once the base was destroyed, the Winner family was told of my mother's death, but not about me. Not one person knew that I was Elizabeth's child, except for the soldiers that died. Moreover, I had no idea who I was because I was never told about my past and was only six, so I couldn't remember anything either. I didn't know anything for thirteen years. Finally, I had a family, not to mention a rich one, and thirty older siblings. When Quatre discovered that I was his little sister, he was overjoyed not to be the youngest of his family anymore. We became good friends. Then he invited me to the party to meet his friends. So, I came and met everyone, and you," she finished.
"So that's my history. Hilde told me what she knew of yours. I hope you don't mind." Heero shook his head. He knew that it was easier this way. He looked down at her.
"Heero? How long have we been out here?" she asked suddenly.
"An hour and a half," he responded.
"Don't you think that we should be getting back to the party? Don't you think that they'll start missing us soon?" Heero leaned closer to her. Catrina's breath caught in her throat.
"I'm happy that you came back," he whispered.
"Heero…" The kiss was so perfectly sweet that Catrina felt as if she was in heaven. Heero leaned back and stared into her eyes. They were glowing softly in the dark.
"Heero…you…you…" Heero smirked slightly at her confusion before he kissed her again. It was at this moment that Duo, sent out by his wife to find them, stumbled upon their loving moment. Amazed, he stared at his two friends kissing under the moon, before silently slipping back into the shadows and heading back inside, bursting with the news.
1.1 After the Reception
"Wow. That was a beautiful wedding," Catrina said. She looked over at her brother.
"Did you watch the entire thing?" Quatre asked.
"Well, yeah." Catrina shrugged. "I loved the rose petals."
"Why didn't you come down? We would have been happy to see you. Why did you have such a dramatic entrance?"
"Actually, I didn't plan that. I think Hilde saw me on the balcony and decided to aid in my reappearance. Sure did make everything more interesting, though."
"Duo told me that he saw you and Heero in the garden."
"Did he really? I don't remember seeing him."
"He said that you were a bit distracted."
"Oh?"
"From Duo's exact words you two were sitting outside making out."
Catrina choked. "What?! We weren't…we didn't…I…Heero…"
Quatre laughed. "I thought so… Anyway, it doesn't matter, as long as you're happy."
"Yeah…I'm happy around here. I was wondering if I could live with you in awhile."
"I'd love if you stayed with us."
"That's good to hear."
"Do you know when you'll have to leave again?"
"Actually, I'm not leaving anymore," she answered. "I quit."
"You…quit…the Preventors?" Quatre gaped.
"Yep."
"But…why? I thought you loved working with them!"
"I did…found something a bit more interesting to pursue, something more worthwhile." she gave a lazy stretch and yawned. "Well, I should leave now." Catrina pushed herself off the wall and began to walk away.
"Wait!" Quatre called. "Why don't you stay?"
"I'd love to, but I've got a couple of loose ends to tie up before I am officially out of the Preventors. Don't worry, though, I'll be back in a few weeks to take you up on your extension of hospitality."
"Okay...I guess I'll see you soon, then…" Quatre said slowly.
"Don't worry," Catrina said. She walked over to him and gave him a small hug before turning and walking out into the darkness.
*********
A Year Later-Spring
Quatre sighed and looked out the window. Duo and Hilde had arrived earlier that very day, Wufei and Sally had been auguring ever since they had had walked in the door a week earlier, Trowa was his usual stoic self, and Heero hadn't been seen much since Catrina had disappeared. It had taken a lot of tracking down and persuasion to get him out to the mansion in the first place. Quatre sighed again. If Catrina didn't return sometime soon, Heero would probably disappear himself.
"Why so sad, Quatre?" a voice asked from behind him. He swung around to see Catrina leaning in the doorway, wearing short blue shorts, a white sweater, and her black combat boots, with her hair in the usual ponytail.
"Catrina!" Quatre exclaimed and ran over to her to embrace her in a hearty hug. Quatre smiled.
"How've ya been?"
"What took you so long? I hardly think that a year qualifies as a couple of weeks."
"Yeah, I know, know…those loose ends I had to tie up took longer then I thought they would. I'm really sorry. So is everybody really here?" Catrina asked.
"Yeah," Quatre answered.
"Ah…so where are they?"
"Well, Trowa is upstairs sleeping, Duo and Hilde are out shopping, Wufei and Sally went downtown to kick box after a particularly bad argument involving lampshades and paper clips, and Heero went into the forest down by the ocean early this morning on Kudo and no one's seen him since."
"Kudo? When did you get Kudo? I thought that Ash was the last horse you were going to buy. Quatre, you can't save every poor animal you come across."
"I know. However, Heero really liked Kudo and he seems to be the only horse that is suitable for him. All the others were to slow. Oh, and by the way, Ash is here. I hoped that you would show up and I had him brought to the stables," Quatre explained.
"Really. Well, since Ash is here, I think I'll go on a little ride. See you later." Cat spun around and was down the stairs before Quatre could say anything.
"Oh boy," he mumbled to himself. The door slammed downstairs and Quatre could Sally and Wufei downstairs. Well, there goes the quiet…he thought to himself.
"Stupid onna! It's an injustice to be beaten you…" Wufei yelled.
"Hey! It isn't my fault that you are so horrible at kick boxing!" Sally retorted. A choking noise floated up the steps.
"B…bad at…kick boxing? FOOLISH ONNA!!! CHANG WUFEI OF THE DRAGON CLAN IS NEVER BAD AT ANYTHING!!!" he yelled. Quatre winced.
"QUIET!!!!" Sally screamed back. Quatre whimpered. They were too loud for their own good. "If you don't stop in ten seconds, I will not give you the gift I bought for you."
"YOU OF ALL PEOPLE SHOULD KNOW THAT CHANG WUFEI IS NOT TO BE….gift?" Wufei asked. Sally laughed.
"Yes, Wufei, I bought you a gift. It's upstairs right now. If you hang on a minute, I'll go and get it. You stay here. I'll be right back…" Quatre could hear Sally's footsteps on the stairs. This he had to see. Quatre ran downstairs and encountered an impatient Wufei.
"Where is that stupid onna, anyway? It is not as if I have a lot of time! We have things to do!" he grumbled.
"Hello, Wufei. Is something the matter?" Quatre asked.
"Yes! That ignorant onna left me down here when she went to get a 'gift.' It is an injustice to be forced to wait for that…that…ONNA!!" Wufei sputtered.
"Eh…Wufei? She said that she would be right back. Why don't you sit down in the living room?" Quatre suggested.
"What?!? Sit? Why should I sit?" Wufei stormed.
"Well, you could wait for Sally there. It would be more comfortable then standing here and waiting," Quatre finished.
"Fine…" Wufei mumbled. Quatre followed him into the living room and sat down on his leather recliner.
"Wait…you're staying here too?" Wufei demanded.
"Of course! I want to see what Sally is giving to you. Is that all right with you?" Quatre looked over at Wufei.
"Hmph. It makes no difference to me. Weaklings…" Wufei trailed off, talking under his breath to himself. Sally entered the room at that moment carrying a rather large and bulky object covered in a sheet.
"Well, Wufei, here it is. Sorry it took me so long…" she trailed off as she saw Quatre. "Hello, Quatre. And how are you today?" She put the gift on the table before her and motioned Wufei to uncover it. Wufei walked over and pulled the sheet away from a large, wire cage.
"It's…it's a…" Wufei stared.
"Bird, Wufei. Bird. It's called a parrot. And it talks too, see?" Sally leaned in towards the brightly-colored bird. "Hello…" she said to it. The bird's head swung out of its wing to reveal bright green and red feathers.
"Hello," it said. Wufei looked at it warily.
"It will learn anything you want it to say, as long as you say it often enough around him," Sally explained.
"Interesting gift, onna," he said.
"Well, Wufei, what are you going to call it?" Sally asked.
"Call it?" Sally sighed.
"Yes, Wufei. It does need a name, you know."
"What about Buttercup?" Quatre put in.
"BUTTERCUP?!? What kind of a weakling name is that?!?" Wufei burst out.
"Well, I liked it," Quatre began to sniffle.
"I like it too. And you can't seem to come up with anything better, Wufei," Sally said.
"What?! I have already picked a name for it. And, it is not a weak name like you two would call it. It is a name that is only worthy of certain objects that belong to me!" he finished.
"Really? So what is it?" Quatre grinned.
"Nataku."
"WHAT?!? WUFEI!!!!" Sally screamed. Quatre's mouth fell open.
"Wufei…you aren't actually going to name it…Nataku are you?" Quatre asked.
"Of course I am! Weak fools. Shut your mouth, onna. I am now going to take Nataku upstairs and work," with that said, Wufei picked up the cage and headed up the stairs. "I will see you at dinner," he said over his shoulder.
*********
Catrina mounted Ash and rode out into the forest. She rode along for about an hour without seeing any signs of Heero's passing. How could he ride that huge horse through here and not break even one branch? she wondered to herself.
The shadows began to lengthen around the estate as she continued to look for Heero. It must be seven o'clock at least. I wonder where he could have gone…Catrina sighed. Maybe he had already left. Oh, well, I'm sure that he'll show up tonight. She spun Ash around and gave him his head. Ash bolted off towards the mansion. Catrina leaned over his back and enjoyed the rush of wind over her. They arrived back at the mansion just before the sun set.
After giving Ash to one of Quatre's stable hands, Catrina entered a large garden near the side of the house. She climbed into one of the large oak trees and leaned back against its rough bark, watching the last trailers of the sun fade into the night.
*********
Later
"Catrina? Are you out here?" Quatre called into the darkness. "Dinner's ready!" He glanced about. The garden was pitch black. But then, Catrina liked the dark. Heero still hadn't come back and Quatre was beginning to worry that he had left. Wouldn't that be an odd twist of fate, he thought. He moved deeper into the black, continuing to call for his sister.
"Catrina? Where are you? Catrina?" A soft thump came from behind him.
"What Quatre?" Catrina's voice asked.
"Catrina?" Quatre asked while turning. She was bathed in the moonlight and you could see her obvious displeasure at being disturbed in the very way that she held herself.
"What is it? I'm busy," she said.
"Dinner is ready," Quatre said.
"I'm not hungry." Catrina leapt up and disappeared into the trees above.
"What? Hey! Catrina! Come back down here!" Quatre called up to the sky. His only answer was a soft rustling of leaves and needles.
"Quatre?" He turned around and saw Trowa standing in the doorway.
"Over here, Trowa!" he called. Trowa walked over.
"Did you find her?" he asked.
"Yes. Sort of. She said she wasn't hungry and left," Quatre explained.
"Has Heero come back yet?"
"No. Do you think that he's left?"
"Maybe. We'll see soon." Trowa turned back and made his way to the door. Quatre followed him slowly, looking back in hopes that his sister would change her mind and come inside the house for dinner after all. But he had no such luck.
*********
Morning (One A.M.)
Duo crept from the bedroom that he and Hilde shared into the room across the hall. Wufei's room.
Wufei had showed them all the parrot earlier after dinner. Catrina never showed. Sally refused to come down to watch. Maybe it had something to do with the fact that Wufei had named the parrot Nataku. Duo had liked the parrot immediately. Too bad that all Wufei had planned for it was a lifetime of justice rants. He opened the door to the room and whistled softly.
"Here birdy…" 'Nataku' flew over to Duo and they left the room. Duo headed down the hall to a vacated room.
"Injustice! On the grave of the great Nataku I will have revenge! Weak onna. Awk! Weak. Awk. Weak."
"Shut up you! Wufei sure doesn't waste any time. I wonder how many rants he's taught you already," Duo mumbled aloud.
"KISAMA MAXWELL!!" the bird cried. Duo jumped.
"Shut up!!! Geez, Wufei taught you to hate me too? I'm touched. Now, then, we need to repay Wufei for this gracious favor," Duo said and swung open the door to the empty room.
*********
Quatre yawned and walked into the dining room. The cook was finishing breakfast in the other room and the others should be down soon. He had heard Catrina come in sometime late last night, but hadn't heard Heero return.
Upstairs the others were stirring. Well, most of the others.
"Duo…wake up!" Hilde yelled at her husband. Duo snored on. "Fine," she mumbled. Walking into the bathroom, she got a glass of ice water. "This oughta wake him up." Hilde moved over to the bed. "Last chance, Duo. Wake up."
Hilde shrugged. "Oh, well. I tried," she said before pouring the cold water over Duo's head. Duo let out a loud shriek.
"HILDE!! What was that for?" he asked a laughing Hilde. "That was cold."
"Yes, but if I hadn't done that, you would have missed breakfast and I know that you would never want to miss breakfast. Even if you did have to have a bit of a cold shower," Hilde smiled. "I'm right though, aren't I? Now, if you don't hurry and get dressed, there'll be no food left for us downstairs."
"Food? What time is it anyway?" Duo asked. "Have the others already gone downstairs?" I hope Wufei hasn't asked his parrot anything today, Duo thought. I want to see him when he discovers that I taught his parrot some new words…
As Duo and Hilde left their room, they saw Catrina exiting her room.
"Hey Catrina! How're you this morning?" Duo called over to her. Catrina barely looked up. "Well?" She sighed.
"Fine, Duo," she sighed again. "Just fine."
"I think that she misses Heero," Duo whispered to Hilde.
"Obviously. If only there was something we could do to cheer her up," Hilde mused.
"I've got something…" Duo said, "Hey Catrina! You seem down in the dumps, but I have a favor to ask of you," Duo called to the retreating Catrina.
"What?"
"Would you come with me and Hilde to Wufei's room? I have to talk to him."
"Why not? I have nothing else to do," she mumbled before following him to his door. Duo began to knock on the door.
"Wufei? Um…breakfast is ready! Can we come in?" he yelled through the wood.
"Quiet, Maxwell," Wufei's angry voice called from the other side.
"Why Wu-man? Sally in there?" Duo teased.
"NO! Nataku won't talk today…." Wufei said. Duo snickered.
"Let me come in and see it. I'm sure that I know what is wrong with it!" Duo smiled.
"Fine. I say this against my better judgment, though." Wufei opened the door. Duo marched inside. Catrina stayed behind Hilde, looking at Heero's door. So much that she didn't even notice the parrot. When she did turn around she still couldn't see it because Duo's body now blocked it.
"Time to shine," Duo whispered to the bird. "Well, Wufei, all you have to do is say 'hello' and everything will be fine again," he pronounced.
"Hello," Wufei said to the bird.
"Hey Wufei, wanna shake the cage?" the bird squawked back. Wufei blanched. Catrina stared. Duo crumpled onto the floor in laughter. Hilde watched Duo thoughtfully, wondering how to save his life after Wufei got over the initial shock.
"No….NO!!!" Catrina yelled, leaping backward. Heero decided to reappear at that exact moment in Wufei's doorway, causing Catrina to tumble into him and knock them both to the floor, Catrina on top of Heero. Catrina, who appeared to be terrified of the brightly colored bird, hung on to Heero for dear life. Heero, for his part, seemed hardly surprised.
"Wufei, put the bird away. Catrina is scared of parrots," Heero said in a dull voice. He picked the terrified Catrina up. "She had a bad experience with one when she was younger." He looked down at her. She had cuddled up into his chest, hiding her face from the brightly-colored bird. Wufei hadn't moved, still staring at Nataku. Duo was laughing head off and Hilde was staring at Heero and Catrina.
2
3 Downstairs – Dinner
"Where's the food?" Quatre asked.
"Here it is. Sorry for the delay, Master Quarter," a young maid placed the platter on the table and served each person. Trowa eyed his plate, then began to eat without looking up again. Duo and Hilde burst into giggles.
"We'll have salad," they said in between fits of laughter. Heero, who was sitting next to a still distraught Catrina, watched Duo and Hilde then looked at the meant. Duo and Hilde then the meat. Duo and Hilde then the meat. Duo. Hilde. Meat. Duo. Hilde. Meat. And then he looked up.
"I'll also have a salad," he said. Catrina poked at the meat with her fork for a moment.
"What is this?" she asked Heero.
"You don't want to know. Here." He pushed his salad closer to her.
"Thanks," Catrina said, and began to eat.
"Hey this is really good! What is it?" Quatre asked the maid.
"Oh…it is a rare and mysterious bird that can only be found in…" she trailed off as Quatre began turning green.
"WUFEI, YOU DIDN'T!!!" Sally yelled. Wufei looked slowly down at his salad. Heero and Catrina looked at each other, shrugged, and continued to eat Heero's salad together.
"That poor birdy…he never did anything to us," Quatre sniffled.
"It's all right, Quatre," Trowa said, patting his friend on the shoulder.
"Yeah, Quatre. He went to a better place. By now, there must be a separate heaven for Nataku's. And the bird will go there and eat seeds with Shenlong and fly around the world with Altron and…" Duo continued on. Quatre burst into tears.
"It'll be okay," Trowa said. Then he held up his plate. "Seconds?"
Chapter 1
AN: I want to thank my good friends Lady and Hilde for helping me out on this sequel. Hilde deserves the credit for all the wedding plans and details and Lady helped out with Catrina's appearance, disappearance, and part of the parrot idea. Please send me comments at catrina_winner@sailormoon.com!!!
1 Six Months Later
People all over the nation were turning their televisions to the international news report. An overly happy reporter came on, his fake smile lighting up millions of screens around the world.
"On our top story tonight, one of the colonies hero's, Gundam pilot of 02, will be wed at the restored Maxwell Church on colony L2. Duo Maxwell and Hilde Schbeiker are two of the few people that helped end the war single-handedly. Duo Maxwell was adopted and raised in the original Maxwell Church by Father Maxwell and Sister Helen. Sadly, the Church, and his home, was destroyed by the Alliance in AC 187. Today, we see…" The camera panned out to a view of the beautiful church. The reporter's voice continued on, speaking about the background of the Maxwell Church and its history. However, at the Maxwell Church, no one was paying any heed.
"Quatre! If you make my tie any tighter, you'll kill me!" Duo hollered. "Ouch!"
"Sorry, Duo, but you want to look good for Hilde, don't you?" Quatre asked sweetly.
"What?!? Of course I do! What kind of a question is that?" Duo grumbled.
"Weakling!" Wufei muttered from a corner.
"HEY! I don't see you getting married here!" Duo gasped as Quatre again pulled the tie too tight. "Quatre…can't breathe….Thanks…" Duo said as Quatre loosened his grip. "So anyway…Wufei, when ya going to ask Sally? You know you want to…"
"QUEIT MAXWELL!! I WILL NOT HAVE YOU MESSING AROUND IN MY PERSONAL LIFE!!" Wufei yelled rather loudly.
"So…it's personal is it?" Duo asked, wiggling his eyebrows up and down. Wufei did a serious blush and turned to face the wall. Duo would have burst out laughing, if Quatre wasn't trying to fix Duo's tie again.
*********
"Where's the bouquet?"
"Hem adjustment! Hem adjustment!"
"Hey, those shoes don't match!"
"Where are the rose petals? We need the rose petals!"
Hilde rolled her eyes. These ladies were nuts. She glanced over at Sally Po who looked down and met her gaze.
"Remind me not to hire these ladies for my wedding," she said to Hilde.
"Oh? Planning on a wedding soon, then?" Hilde grinned.
"You bet. Wufei's close to cracking. You can see it in the twitch of his eyes."
Hilde giggled, "Well, good luck."
"Don't worry about that," Sally smiled mischievously. "Sometimes, hon, it takes more then 'good luck' to get Wufei to do something." Hilde couldn't stop laughing. Catherine scurried by quickly. She waved as she ran past them. Hilde raised a hand in acknowledgment when several indistinct blurs of color tore past her.
"Flower girls!!"
"Rose petals cannot just walk away!! Where are they?"
"Camera's! Over here!"
"Media, media, media, media, media…"
"Where's the bride?"
At this last remark, Hilde gulped and slid into the shadows. They probably wanted to stick her full of pins again. Sally stepped towards them, hiding Hilde behind her and pointed down the hall.
"The bride went down there just a few minutes ago."
"Thank you!" the coordinator said breathlessly. She and her minions ran off down the winding hallway.
"Baka's…" Sally mumbled. Hilde nodded in agreement.
"Thanks. I find that those ladies are remarkably like the ancient dinosaur, the Raptor."
"I agree. Anyway, it wasn't any problem," Sally returned, waving her hands in the air. Lady Une marched up to them. Her hair was hanging down about her shoulders and her bridesmaid's dress swirled about her knees.
"Hello, Lady. How are you?" Hilde said.
"We…I mean…I'm fine…" she replied slowly. "Do you know where Master Treize is?"
"Of course. He should be down the hall with the other men, helping Duo get ready," Sally informed her.
"Thank you very much. He forgot his rose and I would see him without it. You understand, don't you?" she asked, smiling. Sally and Hilde blinked and nodded, though they had no idea what Une was talking about.
"Oh, and by the way, have you seen my glasses anywhere?" Sally and Hilde sweatdropped.
"Er…nope, sorry…"
"Oh, well. Master Treize probably has them anyway…" Lady Une turned and walked down the hall, her high heels clicking smartly on the tiled floor. At that exact moment someone began to yell about business from the room Duo was in.
"That sounded a lot Wufei," Hilde observed. "I wonder what Duo has done now?"
"Well, if I'm not mistaken, he's probably teasing him over the wedding," Sally replied.
"Yes, you're most likely right. Maybe one of us should go check on them."
"I'll go," Sally volunteered. "Will you be all right?"
"Sure, I'll be fine."
"Good. And remember, if any of those ladies come after you with a pin or scissors…run for you're life." Smiling, Sally made her way to the door that Lady Une just entered.
Hilde grinned and leaned back against a doorway to watch the Church being displayed on every channel. Funny, watching your own wedding on television, she thought to herself. Then, she turned to find her shoes and begin the happiest moments of her life.
*********
Soft strains of music began to play. Everyone's eyes were glued to where the bride was to emerge. Duo fidgeted nervously. Mariemaia came out and began to toss flowers. Then, the bridesmaids marched happily up the aisle. Each one was wearing a knee-high, light blue dress, and a blue flower beret in her hair. The men all wore the traditional black suits and looked exceedingly uncomfortable in them. Heero watched Duo from beneath his bangs as he escorted Sally up the aisle. He was not happy, because for the past hour, hairdressers had been trying to comb his hair back, with no luck. Heero, in the end, had told each stylist individually that he would kill them, and left.
Hilde finally emerged from the back with Treize at her arm and started up the aisle. Duo's mouth fell open. Hilde looks hot, he thought happily. Her dress clung to her perfectly, complementing her well-formed curves. A petite bow hung from its back and a thin white veil hid her blushing face from Duo. In her hands, she clutched a bouquet of roses. They finally reached the altar and Duo. Duo reached out his hands for Hilde's.
The priest began. As Hilde and Duo said their vows, they both glowed with a positive happiness and contentment that could be matched by no one else in the room. They gazed into each other's eyes, each filled with a joy neither could explain.
"You may now kiss the bride," the priest's voice broke their thoughts. Duo flung back the veil and pulled Hilde towards him. Rose petals drifted from the ceiling to land all around them. The forty Maguanacs cheered. Quatre's present twenty-nine sisters began to cry. Lady Une sniffled and looked over at Treize who was…stuffing rose petals into his pockets.
"Treize?! What are you doing?" she whispered to him. Treize winced when he realized that he had been caught and shrugged cutely.
"Um…free bath scent?" he replied. Lady had to struggle to not burst out laughing. Senna and Zechs were staring at Duo and Hilde, who were still kissing.
"Don't they have to come up for air?" Noin asked. Zechs just kept staring.
"Disgusting…" he finally muttered.
*********
The reception was beautiful. People danced under the swirling lights of The Plaza's roof. Hilde was basking in the complements and Duo was eyeing the cake and gifts. Soon the time came for dinner. Duo gladly ate everything within reach and then some, while Hilde just watched him. The time came to cut the cake and Duo began to grin evilly at Hilde.
"Here you go, sir," one of the waiters said as they handed Duo a small slice of chocolate cake. Duo's grin widened and he swiftly squished the cake into Hilde's face.
"DUO!!!" she squealed.
"Hil…Hilde y…you should h…ha…have s…seen the l…l…..loo, on your face…w…when…MRMPH!!" Duo's laughter was smothered by a rather large piece of cake being smashed into his face. "HEY!" Hilde just laughed as her little chocolate-covered Shinigami sputtered.
"Stupid onna," Wufei muttered from his seated position. "I cannot believe that they are married and going to have l…little…ch…children…" Wufei's eyes dilated and he began to drink glasses of wine in rapid succession. Sally grabbed the wine away from him when he finished the second bottle in less then thirty seconds and reached for a third.
"WOMEN! YOU WILL GIVE THAT BACK TO ME!" he hollered. Sally leaned over and began to whisper in his ear. Wufei's eyes grew rather large and unfocused as she continued to talk. Sally smiled and leaned back. Her job was done.
*********
The party continued until Hilde decided that it was time to throw the bouquet and garter into the crowds. Duo took extreme pleasure in the garter- getting business, while Hilde just blushed the entire time. Duo then stood at the front of the room and waited while all the single men gathered behind him. Heero was the only one who didn't move from his seat.
Grinning, the God of Death took careful aim and let the lacy garter fly. It was right on target. It smacked the unprepared Heero directly in the forehead and looped one of his bangs before falling into his lap. Heero shot Duo the famous Death Glare and proceeded to stuff the garter into his pocket. Duo's smile widened. He didn't kill me and he kept it! If only Catrina were here to catch the bouquet. Then we could have some real fun…
Every girl (single or not) took one look at Heero with the garter and decided that they would be the one to catch the bouquet. They clawed at each other, trying to get the best place to stand. Hilde swallowed. She would have to throw the bouquet far behind her unless she wanted those girls to attack her. A small hint of movement up in a balcony caught her attention. No way…
Smiling happily, Hilde tossed the bouquet the high into air. It soared over the heads of the drooling girls as they lunged and scrambled to reach it. Not one of them could have reached it. Higher and higher it flew, until it reached the doorway on the second floor. A slender hand clothed with a white glove slipped from the shadows and gracefully caught the rose bouquet in midair. Gasps sounded from around the room as the bouquet was drawn back into the dark, where the mysterious shadow turned and entered the room that was behind her. Hilde's smile turned into a bit of a frown. Why didn't she come down?
Heero, who had been waiting for his fate to be determined and trying to decide whether to run or simply self-destruct when it was, watched the hand catch the bouquet and the shadow disappear. Who could have caught that? he wondered. Very few that I know could do that…and they're all down here with me. He continued to stare where the figure had once stood.
"Heero, you idiot! Go after her!" Duo yelled at him from somewhere across the room. Heero blinked. Duo obviously knew who the shadow was.
"HEERO, YOU BAKA!! GO AFTER HER!!" Duo hollered. Heero over at Duo for a long time.
"Who?" he asked. Duo facefaulted.
"CATRINA!!!" Heero looked as close to shocked as Heero can get.
"Why?"
"AHHHHHHHHH!!!!" Duo screamed.
"Fine." Heero turned and began to make his way up the stairs. He swung open the door to the room Catrina had disappeared in to. No one was in the room, but the window was wide open. He climbed through and down the side of the hotel, ending in a large garden. There was no sign of Catrina anywhere.
Heero walked onward. The path curved around a large lilac bush and as he rounded it, he saw a breathtaking sight. Willow trees hung about an ordinate fountain. Rose bushes ringed the fountain and a single bench. And on that bench, Catrina sat. Her hair was down and blowing about her shoulders. It glistened in the soft moonlight. She wore a long, sleeveless dress that matched her emerald green eyes. White gloves covered her long, slender arms and stopped just above the elbow. She was smiling at him.
"Hello, Heero. How have you been?" she looked him up and down.
Heero just gave her a cold stare. "Where were you?"
"Why? Did you miss me?" she asked sweetly.
Heero blinked in surprise. Where did she get these ideas? he wondered. She just continued to smile at him.
C'mon Heero, aren't you going to talk to me?" Catrina asked. "Come and sit by me," she patted the bench next to her. Heero moved over and placed himself on the bench. He looked over at her. She looked beautiful in her dress with the moonlight haunting her features and her smooth hair.
"Where were you?" he asked again.
"I had to work. You know how that goes. Just another mission," she waved a hand in the air, dismissing the subject.
"I just don't want you to get hurt again," Heero said.
"You don't have to worry about that. I…quit the Preventors with a better future in mind," she leaned over on his shoulder as she spoke. Without even realizing it, he slid an arm around her bare shoulders.
"Are you cold?" he asked her.
"No…" she mumbled. They sat together for a long while until Catrina sat up again and began to gaze at the stars. Her eyes shone darkly as the moonlight reflected off them, making them depthless pools of darkness. Heero watched her for a long time before deciding to speak again.
"Catrina…"
"Yes, Heero?" Heero knew that Hilde had probably told her everything that she knew about his past, but he still knew nothing about Catrina or the life she had led before he had met her.
"What was your past like?" he asked her.
"My past?" Heero nodded. "Well…My mother was Elizabeth Winner. She worked as an Emergency Response Doctor in a rebel camp. We lived together on the Earth in this camp. I was her only daughter. The rebel camp had been plotting to go against the United Earth Sphere Alliance for quite awhile. I grew up with soldiers and weapons all around me. My mother was a sweet woman and made sure that I never wanted anything. We were very close. Then one day, right after I had turned six, the UESA discovered the camp and sent mobile suits to stop us. They killed several of our group. I had been outside the camp at the time. I saw the mobile suits come and go, watched my home be destroyed. When I was able to reenter the camp, no one was there. Most were dead. It took me a long time to find my mother. She was injured beyond help and was dying. She told me…before she died, that I was a very special girl and would always be loved, no matter where I went. Then she gave me her bracelet. I haven't taken it off since she put it in my hand," Catrina halted for a moment and held up her arm. The bracelet that dangled from it was interlocking chain link made from pure sliver. A single charm dangled from it. It was in the shape of a tear, with an emerald inset in the shape of the tear. "After she handed this to me…she…" Catrina stopped speaking again. Heero touched her face lightly. She looked over at him.
"I left the base then and went to live among the street children in the Florence City. Most of my days were spent looking for food. At night, I would hide out in the library until it had closed, and then I would eat whatever food I had. That was how I got an education. I had to teach myself everything with the books that they had there. Luckily, I enjoyed reading and found it was a good way to pass the long nights. I had no home until I turned eight. That was when I was finally caught reading late at night by a guard. The guard took pity on me and brought me home. He fed me and allowed me to stay the next few weeks at his home. He got me a job with his company as a nighttime guard at the library. My employers were never told how young I was. That way I got to continue my studies and get paid for doing it. I began to save up my money that I earned from the job so I could take a DNA test and see if I had any living relatives anywhere. The city I had been living in was targeted for destruction by the UESA because they thought there was another rebel group forming within it when I was about nine or ten. I had to move again. The town I ended up in wasn't a very busy town. I found a job at their local library, in hopes of finishing my education. I really liked the new town that I was in…I think it was called Black Raven. It was the prefect town for me to live, because no one knew about it at the time. The colonies and the UESA just left us alone because there was no threat to either side in the war. Some people there started a runaway shelter for people that had had their families destroyed. Like me. Runaways from all over came to Black Raven and our sleepy little town was beginning to be noticed by the UESA. They decided to mobilize their troops there before they went into space. I left the town, knowing that all civilians would be forced to leave soon, anyway. I was thirteen at the time. After that, I moved from town to town, never staying in the same place for very long. When the war ended, I was sixteen. Then I went to the Preventor Headquarters, in hopes of getting a job there," Heero looked at her.
"Why the Preventors?" he asked.
"Well, for one thing I didn't have a lot of money for the DNA test that I wanted to take as soon as I could. Working in libraries, waiting on tables, stuff like that really doesn't bring in a lot of money. I had heard that the Preventors paid their members well. I was excepted at the age of sixteen and was just finishing my training when Endless Waltz began. Two years later, I had enough money to have the test done. Can you imagine my surprise when I discovered, after years of living below the poverty line and barely being able to afford my next meal, I was part of the richest and most influential family in the known universe. Thanks to the people at the institute and Quatre, we were able to figure out the final pieces of my past," Catrina halted for a moment. She sighed.
"I was named after Quatrine, Quatre's mother. She was Master Winner's favorite wife. (AN: Arabic men can take up to four wives at a time.) My mother, Elizabeth was his second wife. Quatrine was the first in command of the children and the house. She was very kind, beautiful, and righteous. My mother and Quatrine became best friends, and for three years stayed that way. My mother left for Earth a while later to aid the people there with her medical expertise. Nine months later she had me. She didn't want to communicate with her husband because she was afraid to give away the rebel's location. She was going to tell the Winner family until she heard about Quatrine's death in childbirth, when she had Quatre, several months before I had been born. My mother decided that she couldn't tell them about me, since Quatrine had so recently died and I was named after her. It might bring out a lot of unhappiness. So they were never informed about me. Once the base was destroyed, the Winner family was told of my mother's death, but not about me. Not one person knew that I was Elizabeth's child, except for the soldiers that died. Moreover, I had no idea who I was because I was never told about my past and was only six, so I couldn't remember anything either. I didn't know anything for thirteen years. Finally, I had a family, not to mention a rich one, and thirty older siblings. When Quatre discovered that I was his little sister, he was overjoyed not to be the youngest of his family anymore. We became good friends. Then he invited me to the party to meet his friends. So, I came and met everyone, and you," she finished.
"So that's my history. Hilde told me what she knew of yours. I hope you don't mind." Heero shook his head. He knew that it was easier this way. He looked down at her.
"Heero? How long have we been out here?" she asked suddenly.
"An hour and a half," he responded.
"Don't you think that we should be getting back to the party? Don't you think that they'll start missing us soon?" Heero leaned closer to her. Catrina's breath caught in her throat.
"I'm happy that you came back," he whispered.
"Heero…" The kiss was so perfectly sweet that Catrina felt as if she was in heaven. Heero leaned back and stared into her eyes. They were glowing softly in the dark.
"Heero…you…you…" Heero smirked slightly at her confusion before he kissed her again. It was at this moment that Duo, sent out by his wife to find them, stumbled upon their loving moment. Amazed, he stared at his two friends kissing under the moon, before silently slipping back into the shadows and heading back inside, bursting with the news.
1.1 After the Reception
"Wow. That was a beautiful wedding," Catrina said. She looked over at her brother.
"Did you watch the entire thing?" Quatre asked.
"Well, yeah." Catrina shrugged. "I loved the rose petals."
"Why didn't you come down? We would have been happy to see you. Why did you have such a dramatic entrance?"
"Actually, I didn't plan that. I think Hilde saw me on the balcony and decided to aid in my reappearance. Sure did make everything more interesting, though."
"Duo told me that he saw you and Heero in the garden."
"Did he really? I don't remember seeing him."
"He said that you were a bit distracted."
"Oh?"
"From Duo's exact words you two were sitting outside making out."
Catrina choked. "What?! We weren't…we didn't…I…Heero…"
Quatre laughed. "I thought so… Anyway, it doesn't matter, as long as you're happy."
"Yeah…I'm happy around here. I was wondering if I could live with you in awhile."
"I'd love if you stayed with us."
"That's good to hear."
"Do you know when you'll have to leave again?"
"Actually, I'm not leaving anymore," she answered. "I quit."
"You…quit…the Preventors?" Quatre gaped.
"Yep."
"But…why? I thought you loved working with them!"
"I did…found something a bit more interesting to pursue, something more worthwhile." she gave a lazy stretch and yawned. "Well, I should leave now." Catrina pushed herself off the wall and began to walk away.
"Wait!" Quatre called. "Why don't you stay?"
"I'd love to, but I've got a couple of loose ends to tie up before I am officially out of the Preventors. Don't worry, though, I'll be back in a few weeks to take you up on your extension of hospitality."
"Okay...I guess I'll see you soon, then…" Quatre said slowly.
"Don't worry," Catrina said. She walked over to him and gave him a small hug before turning and walking out into the darkness.
*********
A Year Later-Spring
Quatre sighed and looked out the window. Duo and Hilde had arrived earlier that very day, Wufei and Sally had been auguring ever since they had had walked in the door a week earlier, Trowa was his usual stoic self, and Heero hadn't been seen much since Catrina had disappeared. It had taken a lot of tracking down and persuasion to get him out to the mansion in the first place. Quatre sighed again. If Catrina didn't return sometime soon, Heero would probably disappear himself.
"Why so sad, Quatre?" a voice asked from behind him. He swung around to see Catrina leaning in the doorway, wearing short blue shorts, a white sweater, and her black combat boots, with her hair in the usual ponytail.
"Catrina!" Quatre exclaimed and ran over to her to embrace her in a hearty hug. Quatre smiled.
"How've ya been?"
"What took you so long? I hardly think that a year qualifies as a couple of weeks."
"Yeah, I know, know…those loose ends I had to tie up took longer then I thought they would. I'm really sorry. So is everybody really here?" Catrina asked.
"Yeah," Quatre answered.
"Ah…so where are they?"
"Well, Trowa is upstairs sleeping, Duo and Hilde are out shopping, Wufei and Sally went downtown to kick box after a particularly bad argument involving lampshades and paper clips, and Heero went into the forest down by the ocean early this morning on Kudo and no one's seen him since."
"Kudo? When did you get Kudo? I thought that Ash was the last horse you were going to buy. Quatre, you can't save every poor animal you come across."
"I know. However, Heero really liked Kudo and he seems to be the only horse that is suitable for him. All the others were to slow. Oh, and by the way, Ash is here. I hoped that you would show up and I had him brought to the stables," Quatre explained.
"Really. Well, since Ash is here, I think I'll go on a little ride. See you later." Cat spun around and was down the stairs before Quatre could say anything.
"Oh boy," he mumbled to himself. The door slammed downstairs and Quatre could Sally and Wufei downstairs. Well, there goes the quiet…he thought to himself.
"Stupid onna! It's an injustice to be beaten you…" Wufei yelled.
"Hey! It isn't my fault that you are so horrible at kick boxing!" Sally retorted. A choking noise floated up the steps.
"B…bad at…kick boxing? FOOLISH ONNA!!! CHANG WUFEI OF THE DRAGON CLAN IS NEVER BAD AT ANYTHING!!!" he yelled. Quatre winced.
"QUIET!!!!" Sally screamed back. Quatre whimpered. They were too loud for their own good. "If you don't stop in ten seconds, I will not give you the gift I bought for you."
"YOU OF ALL PEOPLE SHOULD KNOW THAT CHANG WUFEI IS NOT TO BE….gift?" Wufei asked. Sally laughed.
"Yes, Wufei, I bought you a gift. It's upstairs right now. If you hang on a minute, I'll go and get it. You stay here. I'll be right back…" Quatre could hear Sally's footsteps on the stairs. This he had to see. Quatre ran downstairs and encountered an impatient Wufei.
"Where is that stupid onna, anyway? It is not as if I have a lot of time! We have things to do!" he grumbled.
"Hello, Wufei. Is something the matter?" Quatre asked.
"Yes! That ignorant onna left me down here when she went to get a 'gift.' It is an injustice to be forced to wait for that…that…ONNA!!" Wufei sputtered.
"Eh…Wufei? She said that she would be right back. Why don't you sit down in the living room?" Quatre suggested.
"What?!? Sit? Why should I sit?" Wufei stormed.
"Well, you could wait for Sally there. It would be more comfortable then standing here and waiting," Quatre finished.
"Fine…" Wufei mumbled. Quatre followed him into the living room and sat down on his leather recliner.
"Wait…you're staying here too?" Wufei demanded.
"Of course! I want to see what Sally is giving to you. Is that all right with you?" Quatre looked over at Wufei.
"Hmph. It makes no difference to me. Weaklings…" Wufei trailed off, talking under his breath to himself. Sally entered the room at that moment carrying a rather large and bulky object covered in a sheet.
"Well, Wufei, here it is. Sorry it took me so long…" she trailed off as she saw Quatre. "Hello, Quatre. And how are you today?" She put the gift on the table before her and motioned Wufei to uncover it. Wufei walked over and pulled the sheet away from a large, wire cage.
"It's…it's a…" Wufei stared.
"Bird, Wufei. Bird. It's called a parrot. And it talks too, see?" Sally leaned in towards the brightly-colored bird. "Hello…" she said to it. The bird's head swung out of its wing to reveal bright green and red feathers.
"Hello," it said. Wufei looked at it warily.
"It will learn anything you want it to say, as long as you say it often enough around him," Sally explained.
"Interesting gift, onna," he said.
"Well, Wufei, what are you going to call it?" Sally asked.
"Call it?" Sally sighed.
"Yes, Wufei. It does need a name, you know."
"What about Buttercup?" Quatre put in.
"BUTTERCUP?!? What kind of a weakling name is that?!?" Wufei burst out.
"Well, I liked it," Quatre began to sniffle.
"I like it too. And you can't seem to come up with anything better, Wufei," Sally said.
"What?! I have already picked a name for it. And, it is not a weak name like you two would call it. It is a name that is only worthy of certain objects that belong to me!" he finished.
"Really? So what is it?" Quatre grinned.
"Nataku."
"WHAT?!? WUFEI!!!!" Sally screamed. Quatre's mouth fell open.
"Wufei…you aren't actually going to name it…Nataku are you?" Quatre asked.
"Of course I am! Weak fools. Shut your mouth, onna. I am now going to take Nataku upstairs and work," with that said, Wufei picked up the cage and headed up the stairs. "I will see you at dinner," he said over his shoulder.
*********
Catrina mounted Ash and rode out into the forest. She rode along for about an hour without seeing any signs of Heero's passing. How could he ride that huge horse through here and not break even one branch? she wondered to herself.
The shadows began to lengthen around the estate as she continued to look for Heero. It must be seven o'clock at least. I wonder where he could have gone…Catrina sighed. Maybe he had already left. Oh, well, I'm sure that he'll show up tonight. She spun Ash around and gave him his head. Ash bolted off towards the mansion. Catrina leaned over his back and enjoyed the rush of wind over her. They arrived back at the mansion just before the sun set.
After giving Ash to one of Quatre's stable hands, Catrina entered a large garden near the side of the house. She climbed into one of the large oak trees and leaned back against its rough bark, watching the last trailers of the sun fade into the night.
*********
Later
"Catrina? Are you out here?" Quatre called into the darkness. "Dinner's ready!" He glanced about. The garden was pitch black. But then, Catrina liked the dark. Heero still hadn't come back and Quatre was beginning to worry that he had left. Wouldn't that be an odd twist of fate, he thought. He moved deeper into the black, continuing to call for his sister.
"Catrina? Where are you? Catrina?" A soft thump came from behind him.
"What Quatre?" Catrina's voice asked.
"Catrina?" Quatre asked while turning. She was bathed in the moonlight and you could see her obvious displeasure at being disturbed in the very way that she held herself.
"What is it? I'm busy," she said.
"Dinner is ready," Quatre said.
"I'm not hungry." Catrina leapt up and disappeared into the trees above.
"What? Hey! Catrina! Come back down here!" Quatre called up to the sky. His only answer was a soft rustling of leaves and needles.
"Quatre?" He turned around and saw Trowa standing in the doorway.
"Over here, Trowa!" he called. Trowa walked over.
"Did you find her?" he asked.
"Yes. Sort of. She said she wasn't hungry and left," Quatre explained.
"Has Heero come back yet?"
"No. Do you think that he's left?"
"Maybe. We'll see soon." Trowa turned back and made his way to the door. Quatre followed him slowly, looking back in hopes that his sister would change her mind and come inside the house for dinner after all. But he had no such luck.
*********
Morning (One A.M.)
Duo crept from the bedroom that he and Hilde shared into the room across the hall. Wufei's room.
Wufei had showed them all the parrot earlier after dinner. Catrina never showed. Sally refused to come down to watch. Maybe it had something to do with the fact that Wufei had named the parrot Nataku. Duo had liked the parrot immediately. Too bad that all Wufei had planned for it was a lifetime of justice rants. He opened the door to the room and whistled softly.
"Here birdy…" 'Nataku' flew over to Duo and they left the room. Duo headed down the hall to a vacated room.
"Injustice! On the grave of the great Nataku I will have revenge! Weak onna. Awk! Weak. Awk. Weak."
"Shut up you! Wufei sure doesn't waste any time. I wonder how many rants he's taught you already," Duo mumbled aloud.
"KISAMA MAXWELL!!" the bird cried. Duo jumped.
"Shut up!!! Geez, Wufei taught you to hate me too? I'm touched. Now, then, we need to repay Wufei for this gracious favor," Duo said and swung open the door to the empty room.
*********
Quatre yawned and walked into the dining room. The cook was finishing breakfast in the other room and the others should be down soon. He had heard Catrina come in sometime late last night, but hadn't heard Heero return.
Upstairs the others were stirring. Well, most of the others.
"Duo…wake up!" Hilde yelled at her husband. Duo snored on. "Fine," she mumbled. Walking into the bathroom, she got a glass of ice water. "This oughta wake him up." Hilde moved over to the bed. "Last chance, Duo. Wake up."
Hilde shrugged. "Oh, well. I tried," she said before pouring the cold water over Duo's head. Duo let out a loud shriek.
"HILDE!! What was that for?" he asked a laughing Hilde. "That was cold."
"Yes, but if I hadn't done that, you would have missed breakfast and I know that you would never want to miss breakfast. Even if you did have to have a bit of a cold shower," Hilde smiled. "I'm right though, aren't I? Now, if you don't hurry and get dressed, there'll be no food left for us downstairs."
"Food? What time is it anyway?" Duo asked. "Have the others already gone downstairs?" I hope Wufei hasn't asked his parrot anything today, Duo thought. I want to see him when he discovers that I taught his parrot some new words…
As Duo and Hilde left their room, they saw Catrina exiting her room.
"Hey Catrina! How're you this morning?" Duo called over to her. Catrina barely looked up. "Well?" She sighed.
"Fine, Duo," she sighed again. "Just fine."
"I think that she misses Heero," Duo whispered to Hilde.
"Obviously. If only there was something we could do to cheer her up," Hilde mused.
"I've got something…" Duo said, "Hey Catrina! You seem down in the dumps, but I have a favor to ask of you," Duo called to the retreating Catrina.
"What?"
"Would you come with me and Hilde to Wufei's room? I have to talk to him."
"Why not? I have nothing else to do," she mumbled before following him to his door. Duo began to knock on the door.
"Wufei? Um…breakfast is ready! Can we come in?" he yelled through the wood.
"Quiet, Maxwell," Wufei's angry voice called from the other side.
"Why Wu-man? Sally in there?" Duo teased.
"NO! Nataku won't talk today…." Wufei said. Duo snickered.
"Let me come in and see it. I'm sure that I know what is wrong with it!" Duo smiled.
"Fine. I say this against my better judgment, though." Wufei opened the door. Duo marched inside. Catrina stayed behind Hilde, looking at Heero's door. So much that she didn't even notice the parrot. When she did turn around she still couldn't see it because Duo's body now blocked it.
"Time to shine," Duo whispered to the bird. "Well, Wufei, all you have to do is say 'hello' and everything will be fine again," he pronounced.
"Hello," Wufei said to the bird.
"Hey Wufei, wanna shake the cage?" the bird squawked back. Wufei blanched. Catrina stared. Duo crumpled onto the floor in laughter. Hilde watched Duo thoughtfully, wondering how to save his life after Wufei got over the initial shock.
"No….NO!!!" Catrina yelled, leaping backward. Heero decided to reappear at that exact moment in Wufei's doorway, causing Catrina to tumble into him and knock them both to the floor, Catrina on top of Heero. Catrina, who appeared to be terrified of the brightly colored bird, hung on to Heero for dear life. Heero, for his part, seemed hardly surprised.
"Wufei, put the bird away. Catrina is scared of parrots," Heero said in a dull voice. He picked the terrified Catrina up. "She had a bad experience with one when she was younger." He looked down at her. She had cuddled up into his chest, hiding her face from the brightly-colored bird. Wufei hadn't moved, still staring at Nataku. Duo was laughing head off and Hilde was staring at Heero and Catrina.
2
3 Downstairs – Dinner
"Where's the food?" Quatre asked.
"Here it is. Sorry for the delay, Master Quarter," a young maid placed the platter on the table and served each person. Trowa eyed his plate, then began to eat without looking up again. Duo and Hilde burst into giggles.
"We'll have salad," they said in between fits of laughter. Heero, who was sitting next to a still distraught Catrina, watched Duo and Hilde then looked at the meant. Duo and Hilde then the meat. Duo and Hilde then the meat. Duo. Hilde. Meat. Duo. Hilde. Meat. And then he looked up.
"I'll also have a salad," he said. Catrina poked at the meat with her fork for a moment.
"What is this?" she asked Heero.
"You don't want to know. Here." He pushed his salad closer to her.
"Thanks," Catrina said, and began to eat.
"Hey this is really good! What is it?" Quatre asked the maid.
"Oh…it is a rare and mysterious bird that can only be found in…" she trailed off as Quatre began turning green.
"WUFEI, YOU DIDN'T!!!" Sally yelled. Wufei looked slowly down at his salad. Heero and Catrina looked at each other, shrugged, and continued to eat Heero's salad together.
"That poor birdy…he never did anything to us," Quatre sniffled.
"It's all right, Quatre," Trowa said, patting his friend on the shoulder.
"Yeah, Quatre. He went to a better place. By now, there must be a separate heaven for Nataku's. And the bird will go there and eat seeds with Shenlong and fly around the world with Altron and…" Duo continued on. Quatre burst into tears.
"It'll be okay," Trowa said. Then he held up his plate. "Seconds?"