Gundam Wing Fan Fiction ❯ Verses From Your Song ❯ That you know All the Cost ( Chapter 8 )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

Chapter 8: That you know All the Cost

Poetry is mine

I'm just borrowing the characters from Gundam Wing.

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"I'm home," the red head announced cheerfully as the door shut swiftly behind her.

There was no reply, just a steady low silence that wafted through the air. She shrugged as she walked towards the living room, bubbling with excitement at her newfound hobby and feeling the greatest of needs to share. The weight from her camera bag was hard to get used to and she shifted the strap's position as she went along.

Mariemea had always liked taking pictures, and had enough photo albums to fill an entire bookshelf, but she was in the middle of her senior year of high school and had (through the miracle of elective studies) discovered the joys of true photography. She had saved up enough money to buy a fairly decent camera and having successfully played with the device all day she wanted (and at the very same time needed) to talk someone's ear off about her day. Her friend's were already getting quite tired of hearing about lighting, the names of different lenses, and the glories of using black and white film. But she always tended to get highly involved in any hobby she picked up, and unlike most people... When she found a new hobby she didn't ignore her other interests. A sudden memory of trying to convince her guardian to let her take archery emerged, making her smile and reminding her that she should probably practice a few hours longer than she had been. After all there was a tournament coming up and she wasn't about to walk away from the event with anything less than first place.

A small gasp left the teenager's lips at the adorable sight that met her upon entering the living room. Maybe it was the large amount of shopping bags scattered around the couch or the perfect way the light streamed into the room but Mariemea had to pull out her camera. Everything in the room was just begging to be immortalized in celluloid, especially the two women who were sleeping peacefully on the couch, curled up together, with the sweetest of expressions on their faces. The vivacious red head had no choice; she snapped a few pictures and then ran off to the guest bathroom that she had 'temporarily' converted into a darkroom.

"I think I may have to kill your daughter," the blonde on the couch stated softly, eyes still shut.

The other, slightly older woman, who was resting on the blonde's shoulder released a slow breath followed by a groggy, "Couldn't have been my daughter...My daughter doesn't have a death wish."

Then both began to chuckle and settled back to sleep.

Quiet
So quiet everything seems
And in between there is hushed laughter
And in between there is soft conversation
Quiet
It's all too quiet
And will it last
Can it last
All this quiet
This soft hush
Hush

Une considered it one of the best gifts she could ever receive. So with ease and grace it sat on the corner of her desk, something she could turn to, to make her day bright. The black and white photo was a stunning display of talent, but then she never expected anything less. Her hazelnut colored eyes washed over the picture with warmth taking her far from the worries of the day.

She wanted to be inside that picture, wanted the safe hold of the blonde from the picture around her. She craved it like air. And the feeling always made her step beside herself. She had felt that way once before. She had known the pull of it, yet some how the feeling was slightly changed. It was not so desperate, not so obsessive. The feel was light and eager. Still, she questioned it, knew it was meant, but feared it all the same...That feeling was something made up of the past. And the past proved that her love for another could quite literally split her in half. Une made it no secret that she did not want to ever tread down that kind of path again, and her new love, that powerful goddess who could have whatever she wanted, graciously made every effort to calm her fears, and that was why they worked. They kept each other from falling into the old habits that had hurt them so in the past. Old things that could have been regretted but neither woman lived in that place. They each accepted their sins for what they were, looking ahead, but ever mindful of what was.

She was pulled from her thoughts by the buzz of the intercom.

"Your twelve o'clock is here," the secretary rang in.

"Very well," she paused and then asked, "Nichol refresh my memory...Who is my twelve o'clock?"

After a bit of static he replied, "Ms. Darlain."

Everything has a price
Everything costs something
And I wonder
What will this cost me
What will this take
That you know the cost
Makes all the difference
On whether or not to spend

When the official pleasantries were settled and Une's secretary had left the room, things were left to the cold.

"Why are you here?" Une's voice was a vacant sheet of ice.

Relena was not surprised by the reception, so she reached into her bag, pulled out a large file and tossed it on the desk. "I'm here to return that," she stated.

There was a soft sort of 'Hmph' that left the older woman's throat. But it was the steely gaze of the Preventor's brown eyes that left the ex-princess feeling wary. She knew she would have been better off just sending the file through classified channels, but still fighting her wish for destruction she brought it herself. Her light blue eyes were oddly aware of the space that Une kept between them, and it whispered of hurt, but there seemed to be something else behind it. She could feel it. She shrugged and began to rise from her seat. She was stopped.

"Why did you really come," the lady's voice was less arctic, but still chilled. She sighed, and felt her eyes wandering over to the comfort of the picture on her desk.

"I-"

"Still looking for someone to hurt you," she interrupted. "Still wishing for something so dark?"

"Maybe", Relena let the answer fly, hating her inability to hide.

"I'm not the one to give it to you and you know that full well."

The newly retired diplomat stood from her chair, and doing so caught a glimpse of the photo on the older woman's desk. She nearly collapsed from the shock of it, and tried to keep her heart from bursting in her chest. She wondered why such a simple little thing would bother her so much. Pulling herself together, she swallowed the unwanted hurt the picture had elicited.

"No you aren't," she said, feeling like a little girl caught doing something wrong, and she was. She continued explaining, "But you know me, old habits are hard to break."

Relena began her escape and it would have been successful save the unexpected guest that was elegantly traipsing down the hallway. The princess kept herself from fainting away by leaning in the doorway. The blonde that was approaching lost her smile, lost even the barest of smirks.

No...
I'm...
Not...
Lost
No...
I'm... Not...
Hurt...
You've no power here
I swear you don't
I know you don't
And you've no reason here
No you don't
I know you don't
No...
I'm...
Not...
Afraid
Not of you
Or your world
Or your heart
The things you start
And no...
Don't even try
Don't even explain
You hold no dominion here
No you don't
I swear you don't
I know you don't
I'm not hurt
Not hurt
Not by you
Never by you
What do I do....
What do we do?

There wasn't a word spoken. The goddess brushed past the fallen princess without a care, grabbing a hold of the girl's hand and dragging her into the office. She shut the door and ushered her over to a chair. Une shut her eyes and shook her head in a vain attempt to prepare her self for whatever was coming. Dorothy's deep blue eyes shot into Relena like daggers.

"And so," she began, her voice just short of a villainous hiss, "you fled your pedal stool and freed yourself from that sticky veil of political torture, and now you're here looking for...What?"

"I just came to-"

"I don't want the excuses", the goddess erupted. "I've heard them all before, and I don't believe them."

The princess found the strength to defend herself, "Look, why are you acting this way? I was just leaving. And even if I were looking for something, how could I have known that-"

"That is so not the point, don't you dare you bring it up!"

It was at that point Une felt the need to move from her spot, so she stood and inched towards the angered goddess. The last thing she need was a brawl in her office, not to mention a brawl between her ex and her current girlfriend. But the two girls continued, as she if she were not even there.

"What is the point then?" Relena demanded, "If you aren't jealous why the demand to know, who cares?!?"

And with that statement still fresh and bursting through the air Dorothy slapped the girl as hard as she could across the face, retreating wearily to the extremely stunned, but understanding arms of the older woman behind her.

Do you know what you've done to me?
Do you see what you've made of me?
I can't stop caring just because
And I...
I can't stop worrying just because
Stop putting your defeat on my head
Stop blaming my compassion for bringing you down
Don't you know what you've done to me?
Don't you care?
See all the damage you've done
And I can't even hate you
No...
I can't even dare

If the three women were not the strong and prideful individuals they had evolved into, all three would have been in tears. But no one in the room could seem to manage it. Une held the wounded goddess as close as she could and when she was able let her eyes drift over the still surprised ex-diplomat. Wounded hearts were never easy to heal.

"Oh love don't you know you can't save her," the older woman whispered to Dorothy. "Don't you know that? We are not meant for her end or salvation." She paused, aching to find a way to resolve things. "And you?" She directed her voice over to the princess. "Never say, 'Who cares?' ever again...Not around us. Especially not us..."

It was then that the scolded princess tried to escape the office, but she was pulled back this time by the icy grip of the Preventor.

"You don't get to run from this," she stated firmly. "Sit down."

The girl did as she was told, her bright blue eyes washing gray under the chill of the goddess's fierce gaze.

"We three have one serious problem," Une began. "Three hearts wounded by the past, and two in love, and one seeking what she always seeks...And it has to stop, or at least..." She looked at the little girl who so desperately sought the dark. "I'm not sure what to do. I'm not sure this can be fixed so one of you please help me out here."

The girl forgot every passive bone in her body, as she spoke, "The only help you are going to get is my never bothering either of you again and I can do that because..." It was going to hurt. "I..." It was going to sting. "Never..." It was going to be harsh. "Loved..." Even if they loved each other there was no escaping the burn.... "Either of you."

The fallen princess collected herself and exited the room, leaving the others to their silence.

Oh I'm not hurt by such words
I just thought about what I heard
And I know better
I know better
And it may hurt but I let you go
It may sting but I know
Yes I know...

The goddess sighed, "Lying comes so easily to her now, perhaps I shouldn't have been so kind in the past."

"Are you still in love with her?"

"No. Why ask?"

"Because I needed to," she paused knowing how awful that sounded, "because I...I have known this feeling I have in my chest only once before Dorothy. And even then, in the past, it was quiet, timid and not nearly as over powering as it is at this very minute."

The young woman slid from her seat, taking a graceful step and wrapped her pale arms around the older woman's neck. She glanced at the photo on the desk, a long absent smile washing over her face.

"You keep that here?"

Une was a little offended by the question but answered softly, "It's a reminder of where I really want to be." And she didn't know where it came from a bit ashamed it even appeared as she felt the tears slide down her cheek.

"Oh no...Love don't cry," the goddess pleaded. "No, don't think the worst when we've just begun. I love you so...and if I have to prove it..." She paused as it hit her, "But I don't have to prove it...do I?"

She shook her head. "Never. The minute you have to I'll know it's over."

That you know all the cost
And you are prepared
To meet me here
And listen
The cost is simple
Precious and few
It is but a feeling
That comes when I hold you
And there are those who won't
Could never undertake the dare
To give all you have
And know that nothing will be lost

Continued…