So Close
by
Captain Anonymous

Townsend walked through the crowded ball room, back towards area near the windows.
No one seemed to pay attention to him as he passed by, he looked towards the dance floor as the young couples as they danced.
He could hear the sound of his shoes on the hardwood floor.
Townsend moved his hand along his coat sleeve, moving it back a few inches, revealing his white shirt, and wrist watch. 21:30.
It was getting late.
Townsend walked past several groups of people, all talking, chattering.
Some still seemed vaguely familiar, probably ghosts from time of Romafeller, who were still part of the world.
Townsend slowed a bit as he caught site of someone.

A young girl, probably only 15 or so, walked past him.
Almost young enough to be his daughter.
She looked up at him, and smiled politely as she past.
Townsend nodded slightly.

Maybe he was really here.
Maybe he really wasn’t just a gray phantom.

Townsend walked towards the windows.
He ran his fingers along the side of his head, slick back his hair.
There was a door leading outside.
Townsend touch the cold polished brass knob, and walked outside.

Townsend stood outside in the cold air, leaving the smell of wine and perfume.
For a moment he stood on the balcony, looking out at the snow covered grounds, all the way the to the house walls.
The light from the window shone through, leaving a soft yellow glow as a back drop.
In the snow covered gardens he could see a lone figure, staring up at the stars.
Townsend looked at her for a moment, his eyes focused in.
He walked to the opposite side of the balcony, to were the stone stairs led to the ground.
The steps were snow covered, his shoes sunk down in the soft white snow.
His feet felt cold.
Townsend got to the ground level, he looked at her again.
It looked like her.
Townsend took a deep breathe, as he stopped in his tracks.
He didn’t go any farther.

Mrs. Darlian looked out into the dark night sky, looking at the stars.
How peaceful they all seemed now, there had been so many times when she couldn’t even bare to look at them.
One of those colonies, up there amongst the stars.
It was hard to believe that something so horrible could happen in such a seemingly peaceful place.
Her gaze lowered.
Her daughter.........her daughter was there now.
Relena was in the colonies now. She knew that she wasn’t alone.
She hadn’t seen her in nearly six months.
Relena would sometimes call, she knew better then that the work of the vice foreign minister left little time for family.
She’d be coming back to Earth soon.

She turned, and looked back at the large mansion, her eyes fixing onto the lone figure.
He was tall, somewhat handsome.
There was something different about him.
He reminded her of someone. Someone had she met long ago, maybe in dream, maybe only in a distant memory.
He paced only the snow covered path, as if he was looking for something.
She walked back, slowly.
He looked towards her.
She walked over towards him.
The man stopped, and took a step towards her.
With a faint southern accent, he spoke, “Good Evening, Mrs. Darlian.”
“Good evening.”

She didn’t remember him.

He spoke again, “I’m sorry if I was bothering, I simply came out for a breathe of air.”
She spoke with her typical elegance and composure, “No, not all. I don’t believe that we have met.”
Townsend spoke softly, “C......”
He stopped for a moment, “Count Townsend.”
The name sound familiar to her. Maybe she heard his name during the war, or had met him at some point at party like this.
“Its a pleasure to meet you.”
Townsend said, “Likewise, Mrs. Darlain.”
They made eye contact for the first time.
Townsend rubbed his cold, numb hands together.
“Perhaps we should go inside.”
She nodded, “All right.”
They walked back, leaving their foot prints in the snow, as they headed back towards the mansion.

-----------------

Trowa slowly walked up the stairs, his footsteps creaking on the hardwood floor.
It was about 10.
His eyes were heavy, he was tired.
He had been up most of the night before with Marie.
She had not been feeling well, they had taken turns holding her, trying to soothe the crying angel.
It was only at 4AM that had gotten her down to sleep.

An hour before hand, Midii had already come up stairs, to say good night to her brothers, and to put Marie down to sleep.

Trowa got to the top of the stairs, as Midii’s brothers crossed the hallway to their room.
They looked at Trowa.
Lawrence said softly, “Medy’s in Marie’s room.”
There was no sound, Midii had gotten her to sleep.
Trowa nodded. “Okay, you two get to bed.”
“Good night Tro.”
“See ya tomorrow.”
Trowa said, “Good night.”
They went to their room. Trowa could hear them get into bed.

He walked down the hallway towards Marie’s room.
The door was open halfway.
Trowa slipped inside, careful not to make any sort of noise.
Trowa looked down into the crib, as the small angel lay asleep.
She looked so peaceful now.
He looked behind him.
Midii was in the rocking chair, she had fallen asleep.
He looked at her for a minute.
How peaceful she looked.

Trowa took a deep breathe.

His mind drifted, back to before the war. As they both stood together on that wind swept hill.
The smell of war in the air.
The cold night air around them.
The last time he would see her.
The painful sound of her voice, the way the tears fell down her cheeks.
It all seemed to haunt him.

A few years later, when he was serving in the same unit as Ralph, he thought about it.
Those times, those all too short times when they would get some time off.
They’d head into a local town, most of the time, they would all split up.
Trowa remembered always being alone.
No family, no real friends.
Just the endless battles.
There was nothing for him, no where to go, no to be with.
He remembered walking down the empty streets, all alone.
The lights from the houses, the passing cars, all seemed to torment him.
It seemed like everyone had someone, someone to be with, a place to go.
He was empty.

Not too long after, he had gone into space.
He found a job working on a mobile suit work crew.
He work on the magnetic coating.
The pay was decent, and he didn’t have to fight. It suited him fine.
That mobile suit.
A Gundam. The Gundam Heavyarms. The one that he would pilot to Earth.
He thought about Trowa for a moment.
He lowered his eyes thinking about him.
Trowa took his name when he took the Gundam.
The real Trowa. There something about him. He had a family, a home, a name. Everything that he never had.
Trowa remembered his feelings as he went down to Earth.
Maybe after the war...........

Tears had formed in eyes just thinking about it.

Trowa looked at her, at her face now.
Everything that happened before all this, all the horrible things, it just didn’t matter anymore.
She’d be the only one that he would love.
He would never leave her again.

They both had a family now.

Trowa leaned down and gently lifted Midii out of the chair, careful not to wake her.
He carried her in his arms, carrying her to their room.
He opened the door with his foot, and carried her in.
He gently laid her down on the bed.
She made a soft sound, as she stirred in her sleep.
Trowa lifted the blankets, and carefully placed them over her.
He walked back around the bed, and sitting down on the edge.
He lifted the comforter and top sheet with his hand, and crawled into bed.
Trowa laid his head down on the pillow, and closed his eyes.
It wouldn’t be long before he would be asleep.

---------------

The snow had turned to a freezing rain.
The blonde hair boy walked alone, the cold droplets falling all around him.
His gazed at the house, he had been there once before.
The blade was in his pocket.
The light was still on.
His eyes narrowed, as he turned the walk.
Either way now.
What ever it would take.