Gundam Wing Fan Fiction ❯ Masquerade ❯ Chapter Seven ( Chapter 7 )

Chapter Seven

Sage couldn't walk the last bit. As much as she wanted to, even she could see that her ankle was hanging by a thread. To her violent protests, Quatre lifted her up in his arms and carried her back to the base. Duo waved at them, and frowned slightly when he saw what they were doing. Quatre set Sage down, and she gingerly put a hand on both of their shoulders to steady herself. Duo's frown lessened a bit as Quatre let out a breath.

"Hard mission?" Duo winked at Quatre.

"Don't even start with that!" Quatre laughed weakly. "I'm a bit worried about Sage. She twisted her ankle and refused to let me help her walk, so now I think it's pretty much blown out." Duo took a look at Sage who was glaring at Quatre and told her to sit on the railing. She did, and he examined her ankle.

"Nothing too serious. Bed rest, and a wrap. Looks awful though. Like you were running around on it…" He looked up to make sure this wasn't true. He looked at Sage, a slight smirk on his lips. "You don't mean…." He shook his head as Sage looked the other way. "Good God-I don't believe it! You let her run on that?" He turned to Quatre, who scratched the back of his head with one hand.

"Have you ever tried to get her to do something against her will? I'll probably be wearing these bruises for a while."

Duo sweatdropped. "Did you atleast complete the mission?" Sage showed him the leaflets, but snatched them out of his grasp before he could get a closer look. "Good…" he lifted Sage up, who crossed her arms and pouted.

"Put….me….down… NOW" Duo set her on her feet, and she put a hand on his and Quatre's shoulders.

"Easy now…" Quatre's hand steadied her. Sage winced slightly, then when they set her down on her bed she sighed softly.

"Thanks." She smiled softly. Duo plucked a half withered rose from her hair bun.

"Care to explain?" He raised an eyebrow at her.

"A pretty rose I found… I just thought it too beautiful to leave behind." Sage plucked it out of his grasp and put it in her vase. Duo grinned and left. Quatre followed suit, after a shy `Goodnight' to Sage. Sage sighed and flopped back onto her bed. Her dress was beyond hope-Relena would butcher her. Hair a mess, awfully twisted ankle. What would a princess think of that? Sage laughed softly to herself. Soon she was asleep.

The dream began simply enough. She was sitting at the kitchen table, reading the newspaper. She stood, and sighed. Deciding to walk back to her room, she started off. Then she felt herself falling, falling.. Looking about, she saw herself in a deep hole. Sage stood and brushed herself off, turning about to an exit she knew was there. Her dream-self muffled a scream. Heero was blocking it. And she found herself looking down the barrel of a gun. Heero smiled softly to himself and cocked the safety lock, then fired. She felt the pain shoot through her, and she fell and clutched her heart, lifting her shaking hand away, she saw it was covered in scarlet blood. Her vision blurred, and her dream-self died to the sound of Heero's cruel laughter.

Sage woke up screaming. Quatre was shaking her, his eyes very worried and afraid.

"Sage? Sage! Wake up! You're having a bad dream…" He stopped shaking her.

Sage sobbed and went limp in his arms. She felt safe, and sobbed into his chest, letting all her hurt and past emotions go.

Quatre held her, whispering softly and stroking her hair. "Shhh… Don't worry.. It wasn't real. Just a dream.."

Sage hugged him tighter. "It was so…real… Heero.. he was there…and he.." She couldn't continue, as she was shivering so hard.

Quatre looked at her. "Heero? What did he do in your dream?"

Sage looked up at him through a mess of tears and shuddered. Quatre understood. He pulled her back to him again, whispering softly and stroking her hair once more.