Gundam Wing Fan Fiction ❯ Verses From Your Song ❯ Arias ( Chapter 14 )

Chapter 14: Arias

Gundam Wing is not mine just borrowing.

** from "Adagio" by Lara Fabian

*** from "I'm Thru with love" as performed by Diana Krall

**** from "A blossom Fell" as performed by Diana Krall

***** There are millions of Ave Maria's out there... I was thinking of the one written by Yoko Kanno on the album O.S.T Cowboy Bebop Blue and one on an album called Aria 2.

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For weeks the newly wed couple had put up with it, weeks of endless arias and the occasional Patsy Cline song played at full volume in the opposite wing of the house. Still, the music echoed through the corridors, and out in the courtyard or the garden the music could still be heard. At first neither really minded, but things were definitely coming to a head.

"I can't take it anymore," she huffed and buried her head in the couch cushions. "Tell me you've secured us a house away from your sister and whatever angst she's going through," Lucrezia Noin sat up and rolled her eyes as another song began to play far off in the background, "Or at least go and find out what's wrong with her."

"Noin," Zechs paused and then he released a soft 'Hn' as he caught the fiery glance of his wife, "I wouldn't know what to say to her," he replied softly, "Our new house is nearly complete...and technically this is her home we are residing in. She can do as she pleases."

The violet-eyed pilot crossed her arms over her chest and shook her head, "That's great, our house is nearly done...but aren't you the least bit worried? I mean three weeks of the saddest arias on the planet... I just feel like we've been ignoring this too much."

"I see your point. But she's..." He trailed off slowly knowing there was no excuse for his feigning ignorance, "I don't know how to comfort her in this kind of state."

"What kind of state?"

"Heart ache," he replied coolly. "The last time I lived with her she did this same thing...although just for a day. I'm just assuming it's the same kind of thing, although...obviously much deeper than before. Do you think-"

"I'll talk to her," she cut in softly, "I'll talk with her."

**I don't know where to find you
I don't know how to reach you
I hear your voice in the wind
I feel you under my skin
Within my heart and my soul
I wait for you adagio**

The music grew inevitably louder as she got closer to Relena's room. Noin recognized the song and it seemed odd that the girl would choose to play it amidst the operatic tracks that had thus far been heard resounding through out the large manor house. It was low and jazzy; not something the pilot would have expected the girl to ever listen to, it was actually more the style of music that...

She laughed at herself for even approaching the thought. She rapped on the door and after waiting for a minute or two entered the darkness of the girl's room. All the shades were drawn; the only light came from the small buttons of the stereo. The first thing she did was lower the volume, and then she pulled the shades up just enough to let in a small beam of light from the outside world, brightly intruding. Relena had her head safely buried in the pillows on her bed, her long hair tangled across her back, cloths mussed and a few days old. The girl stirred just enough to let Noin know she was alive. The pilot took a seat at the foot of the bed.

"Wanna talk about it," she asked softly.

"Not with you."

Noin felt a spark of annoyance at the response but cooled her tone before she asked, "Want me to get your brother?"

"No."

"Don't you think you've buried yourself away enough?"

"No...Leave me alone Noin. If the music is too loud just turn it off and let me alone," the girl replied. She had choked out most of what she said under controlled sobs.

Noin shut her eyes in a mix of pity and anger. She'd seen Relena in a similar state just once before and even then it was light compared to the feel she got just by entering the room. In the past she was not able to get the girl to tell her exactly what was wrong, but she managed to get the fallen princess out of the bed at least. She doubted she still held that kind of power. Relena sniffed, and looking closely Noin saw a new set of tears dripping down the child's cheek.

"Do you need anything Relena, anything at all?"

"What I need I don't get to have? But I got what I want... so let me enjoy the consequences of it," the girl whispered.

"What on earth are you talking about," confusion and concern all wrapped neatly in the pilot's voice.

It was enough to make the fallen princess sit up and face the intruder. She was by no means enjoying her misery, but she wanted to stay where she was just a bit longer. She'd never felt so utterly broken in her life. Never knew that defeat could be so painful. She'd always been saved from it before, but no one even tried to save her from this. No one knew about it. And while she could revel in the victory of finally knowing what it was to be at the very bottom of things, her heart would not let her linger in that feeling for long.

"It doesn't matter," the girl whispered, "I did it to myself... What was I thinking playing with someone like her?"

"Like who," Noin asked thinking a million things she did not want to be thinking.

Relena chuckled lowly at the response. "I wonder," she began softly, "I wonder if I told you, would you be terribly jealous... or just angry...or maybe both? Whatever...I'm sure either way you'd try and blame her. It's not her fault though... she had no defense against me."

"Oh...oh, no."

"I wish I could read minds sometimes. If I could maybe I'd understand better why I felt the way I did." She shut her eyes, tears running down her face again. The thought that it was just lust...It had to be lust.... How could one try and claim love in such a situation but honestly lust or love nothing... no one had ever made her so sick with want. "If I confirm your fear will you promise not to blame her? She was ever so weak when I got to her... just a body moving through the world... nothing left of her heart but ash."

Noin stood up her fists loosely curled into balls. "I'd never blame her Relena. I know how she gets when she's lonely. Why on earth would you-"

"Because it was so easy. She was right there, all alone in some terrible little jazz club... Too miserable to even drown her sorrows in alcohol. I mean Sally would swear up and down that everything was fine... she could act like she was ready for the game but she wasn't." She took in her sister-in- law's state of shock and found a will to smirk, but lost it as she whispered, "I wasn't ready for the game either."

***I'm through with love
I'll never love again
Said audieu to love
Don't ever call again
For I must have you or no one
That's why I'm through with love***

When Lucrezia Noin had a mission to complete she carried it out in the most suitable manner available. She weighed her options and took only the risks that were absolutely necessary. Her military tactics were useless in day to day life though. The way she handled things with Sally was evidence enough of that. So she tried not to think of what she was doing as a mission, it was just going to a club. It was just seeking out answers for reasons she questioned at every turn.

The dim lights of the club brought back some interesting memories for her and she tried not to dwell on them. Far from the lazy sounds of the quartet she found Sally Po nursing a glass of orange juice. She shook her head.

"Are you going to put some vodka in that," Noin asked as she sauntered over to the table. "I'm sure the bartender doesn't appreciate it."

Sally chuckled and offered the violet-eyed woman a seat. Took a sip from her glass and sighed.

"So what brings you to my side of town," wheat blonde Preventor asked politely, her light blue eyes clearly avoiding violet.

"Relena."

"Oh," it sounded like disappointment. She gulped down the rest of the orange juice and smiled wryly, "Why is that?"

"Because I think you broke her," was the soft reply, "and I know you didn't mean to but..."

Sally interrupted with a laugh, "She must be driving you insane over there. Kind of like when you had to baby sit her while she ruled the Sanq Kingdom."

"Not the point."

"Then what is? You want me get together with her again... I'm not that kind of person Noin. I stopped seeing her because I knew...I knew she wouldn't be able to survive much longer in that kind of relationship, all lust, all take with little give," the Preventor replied and then flagged the waitress for another glass of orange juice.

"You never could stomach alcohol when you were upset."

"Nope. Never could and never will," she breezed, "She'll crawl out from the downfall eventually, Noin, and when she does at least she'll have learned what it is not to be rescued." She brushed a few lingering strands of hair from her face and tried to convince herself of her own answer.

****I thought you loved me
You said you loved me
We planned together
To dream forever
The dream has ended
For true love died
The day a blossom fell
And touch two lips that lied****

"You remember the day we met," Noin asked lightly trying to fill the silence and awkwardness that was taking over.

"Silly question don't you think," was the curt reply.

Lazy and sad tones spilled out from the stage, there were a few people here and there finding the courage to cling to a partner on the dance floor. No one really danced during songs like that, most just sort of swayed, as they were caught in an embrace that sometimes meant everything but often was nothing. It was just someone to hold onto so not to drown in the sorrow. In the past Sally would have found a reason to drag Noin to dance. To cling to her like everything depended on it, but as many liked to point out her heart was not as it once was. She would never say she was jaded, just crushed... a little burnt. She had helped to fuel the fire that consumed her. The waitress came and went with her drink and took an order from Noin, vodka tonic.

Finally growing impatient with the quiet, or perhaps with the intruding sound of cutting lyrics Noin spoke, "I should have never twisted my ankle."

There was a small huff followed by a, "You shouldn't have been wrestling with a six foot four trainee who weighed over two hundred pounds. If you didn't feel the need to prove yourself to your students you wouldn't have had an accident."

"Maybe," she laughed. "Remember when I had to save your ass when you were arrested for having that Gundam?"

"And we acted like we had never met before in our lives," Sally replied. "Why did we do that? It was silly don't you think? But we kept that act up for a long while, pretending it was the war not a sprained ankle that brought us together."

"The war sounded more romantic," Noin confessed.

"Jesus you really could care less if I broke that girl's heart could you," she sighed and tried not to laugh with the realization, "I find it increasingly amusing that no one cares if she gets hurt from this."

"What are you talking about?"

"Nothing...just... I kept getting warned about her. 'She'll hurt you' they all had said. No was worried that maybe I'd hurt her," Sally whispered. "What does that say?"

"Not sure."

Silence again, thicker, and cold surrounded them, but there was something of comfort that lingered in the space between them. There were old fires that had been destroyed, want that had been replaced by reality. The Preventor finally met the pilot's gaze to exchange a brief smile.

"Are you happy Noin?"

"Yes."

"Happier than when you were with me?"

"Don't make me answer that Sal... I'm happy, content...and everything will be perfect once our house is built," she whispered.

"No more arias."

"How-"

Sally smiled slyly and with a wink replied, "Made the mistake of asking what her favorite type of music was. The kid's hooked on Puccini." She bit down on a piece of ice and then continued, "One day it won't matter that my heart is in ashes Noin. One day everything will be fixed and right...and we can be friends."

"We can't be friends now?"

"Not really...still hurts too much. I guess we have to fix that, huh?"

"I'm sure we can work something out Sal. I'm sure we can...at least pretend for a while to see how it works out," Noin replied softly and got up to leave. "Bye Sal."

She took in a deep breath, exhaling with the hope of feeling relief. There was none. "Good bye Noin."

***** Ave Maria
Ave Maria*****

In a passing glance she made eye contact with the waitress. The young woman trotted over with a warm smile and sat down across from her. Smiled and waited for Sally to start talking, and the Preventor started at the beginning and managed a finish without tears.

"I get off at two," the waitress stated coolly.

She was about to add something further but then Sally touched her hand, an unbelievably soft touch for hands that had worked in the military.

"I'll wait then," was the reply, "I'll wait."

Continued…