Trouble
Part One: Not Even Half a Day
By Liewe

Standard disclaimers apply...

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"Hey! Hold it! That's my bag!" She yelled, turning away from the Preventer, and running through the crowd of people intent on her would be purse snatcher.

Trowa stood for a moment, recovering from his shock before darting after her. His longer legs easily bringing him into step with her, even with the several second head start she had had on him. He tried to tug on her arm, to make her stop the headlong flight, but she just yanked it from his grasp before putting on more speed. He could see the purse snatcher ahead of her, glancing back in fear at his pursuers.

Reflexively he caught the bag as the snatcher threw it away from himself. Most probably hoping that by giving up his prize he'd be allowed to run off and hide in peace. Of course, the young woman Trowa had been sent to collect was not going to allow the man to escape. He watched her take a flying leap and tackle the much burlier man to the ground. Her petite blond form crashing into piled luggage as the man shook her off. But, she darted forward, fists flying. Relentless.

He watched in awe as she slowly beat the man into submission, only stepping forward when the mans pleas for her to stop got too loud and attracted a crowd. He groaned as he heard the clack of boot heels running rapidly in his general direction. Of course, Port Security. This was going to take an age, he thought, before turning the nearest security officer, holding up his badge.

"This man attempted to snatch my charge's purse." He said his voice even, his face blank as he heard the snickers from the already growing group of Security.

"Of course, that's why she took him down and not you?" One of the bolder ones asked, before being silenced by a glare from their superior.

Trowa ignored the comment. It wasn't worth a reply, even if he had one ready to give.

"The Police have already been called in, so you're going to have to go downtown, give a statement, fill out some paperwork and so on." Trowa nodded, he had expected as much. Hopefully they'd let him use a phone first, so he could explain to Lady Une why he was late bringing back her niece... On second thoughts, maybe he'd call Quatre and ask Quatre to tell Lady Une what was going on. Yes, that sounded better. Probably safer too.

"Miss Une," he called, hoisting the bag in the air when she started off in the direction it had been thrown. "This yours?" he asked, and she nodded in response. She looked so familiar... but there were probably several Midii Une's in the known universe. What were the chances that he'd meet up with the girl who'd changed his life, she was probably dead by now.

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He didn't remember her, but had she really expected him to? It had been so long ago, and she had betrayed him. Been forced to betray him really. Sold into slavery by her father to pay for more alcohol. How she hated him. Her brothers had been so sick, yet he'd never taken them to a doctor. Not once. He'd only bought more vodka with the blood money he'd gotten from the Alliance after each mission she completed.

She shook her head in disgust. Now really wasn't the time to take a trip down memory lane. Not at all.

"Sorry about that, but I really don't tolerate thieves, most people work hard to be able to afford their possessions and I don't like it when someone else just... Ugh, what I mean is I don't tolerate people who use other people to get what they want, which is what thieves basically do. Someone else earned the money, and they just take it." She flushed. Why was she so tongue-tied around this Preventer anyway? It wasn't like he was anything special to look at. Liar, she thought, he was devastatingly handsome, chiseled features, tall lean build, silky hair, emerald eyes. He was a wet dream come to life. She snorted. What was happening to her?

"I believe I understand what you're trying to say, Miss Une," he said and his voice caused her knees to quiver. If there were hotter men working for her aunt, she was doomed. Might as well sign the death certificate now, with the cause of death as heart failure.

"Thank you, Agent… I don't think I ever got your name," she said, and silently applauded herself. All those years as a spy had certainly paid off, if he had noticed her attraction she'd eat her purse. She grinned. This was certainly better than working on the farm.

"Barton."

"No first name Agent Barton? I gave you mine," she pouted. The pout she had used on many an officer to get information she wanted, and no one had ever proven immune. Except maybe this man. Her pout turned into a frown as he glared at her. What was happening she wondered.

"We have to go downtown now due to your antics, please follow me." He called over his shoulder, and she glared. Hot or not, he should be panting at her feet, she huffed. Her amethyst eyes darkening with rage. How dare he!

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"If you could sign here, here and here, and then again on the next page we'll start processing these and hopefully get you out of here before too long." The clerk said, with a lecherous smile, his eyes dropping to her chest. Trowa glared at the man until the clerk raised his eyes and swallowed nervously. He returned his gaze to the windows, smirking at Midii's obvious attempts to enthrall the male populace of the police station.

She was such a little fire starter, he thought, as he remembered the angered gazes of the female officers as Midii swept into the office and immediately had three men waiting on her. She definitely would cut a swath through Preventer Headquarters. Most definitely. He wondered how Wufei would react to her, and the obvious use of feminine wiles. Would the Chinese Preventer fall prey to her charms, or would she make an instant enemy in him if she tried? Who knew.

He hoped Une knew what she was getting into with her niece. And of course, that he wouldn't get assigned babysitting duty in the future. He really didn't want to have to guard Midii's virtue. Not at all.

"I hate paperwork," she sighed before sprawling herself in the chair next to his. Lithe limbs spread out before her, head thrown back, eyes closed. She really was a picture of beauty, but it wasn't unconscious. She knew she was beautiful, and she knew how to use that beauty. He found women like that repulsive. He hated manipulators.

"Then you should be more careful in future and you won't have to fill any out," he snapped back at her.

"Oh yes of course, I should have just let him mug me then?" she retorted angrily. Her cheeks pinking with the force of her anger.

"You should have told me and I would have dealt with it. I carry a badge, you do not," he responded, his body turned away from her, his shoulders stiff as he fought the urge to slap her.

"So I should have reacted like a typical female and waited for you to save me," she asked her words dripping with the force of her hate. Oh she hated him at that moment, even he could see that. It was written in the rigidity with which she held herself, the cold amethyst of her eyes, and the thin line of her mouth.

"No, but you shouldn't have rushed headfirst into something that was potentially dangerous. What if he had had a gun? Or was highly trained in the martial arts? You could have gotten yourself and innocent bystanders hurt with your stunt!" He watched the color drain from her face as he recited the cold hard facts and realization sunk in. He could see the tears begin to pool in her eyes before she visibly shook herself, and threw the horror away from herself.

She didn't say anything for the rest of the wait. Merely shifting in her seat, and fiddling with her long hair. She ignored the horde of admirers she had already acquired, smiling absently as they brought her cups of tea, pieces of cake and other such niceties that no one else in the waiting area were being given.

Her silence surprised him. Maybe he had read her wrong, maybe she wasn't as selfish as he had taken her to be. Or maybe she was...

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Four hours later they arrived at Preventer headquarters. Midii's long hair tied back from her face, bags beginning to show beneath her eyes. She smiled tiredly at the receptionist, before moving forward towards the elevators, her purse clutched in her hands. The rest of her luggage in Trowa's competent care.

Lady Une glanced at the screen with worry. Already her niece had landed herself in trouble, and she'd only been in Capital City for five hours. Not even half a day. But the young girl looked world weary, and cynical. Not carefree like she should have looked. Her brother hadn't explained everything to her, just said that there were things in the past best left unsaid, and that Midii hated him. But now she wondered just what her brother had done to make this young woman hate him so passionately that she'd been willing to get herself thrown in jail just to escape him.

From what she remembered, he wasn't a violent man. Nor verbally abusive. But he'd done something so terrible that his only daughter hated the very thought of sharing a roof with him.

"Mariemaia, please come here," she called softly as she turned away from the screen. Maybe the two would be good for each other. Hopefully.

"Yes, mama," the little girl said as she pulled herself into Lady Une's lap. Ten years old and still such a child because of Dekim and the mess he'd made of her mind.

"My niece, your cousin, is going to be staying with us for awhile. Uncle Trowa's bringing her now. Please, be nice to her, she hasn't had a very happy life either," Lady Une implored of the little girl. Chocolate eyes wide with her plea as she held Treize's legacy in her arms.

"Yes mama," was the soft response.

She could trust Mariemaia to be nice to Midii now. Mariemaia never agreed to anything if she wasn't planning to follow through with it.

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"Aunt," Midii called as she rushed forward to embrace the older woman, taking solace in the arms which wrapped around her small frame.

"Hello Midii welcome to Capital City," Lady Une said as she hugged the younger girl tightly before pulling away to look at Midii up close. "You're too thin," Une muttered under her breath, starting when she noticed that Midii had overheard her.

"A rebellion of mine against father... but I'm willing to rectify it," the younger girl said with an infectious grin.

"Good. Oh yes Barton, as punishment for not getting my niece here in a timely manner you will be showing her around Capital City for the next few weeks," Une said with a smirk as Trowa's eyes widened in shock. "You may go."

Both Une women and Mariemaia watched Trowa walk stiffly from the office before bursting into giggles. A bond forming in that instant of shared emotion.

"He really is an insufferable man," Midii said with a fond smile, before turning to her young cousin. "Hello, Mariemaia, my name is Renata Midii Une, you can call me Midii though if you want. Or Trouble. Most people call me Trouble... but I prefer Midii," she said with a sad smile as she kneeled down so she was on eye level with the young girl.

"I'll call you Midii if you call me Marie," Mariemaia said shyly, glancing at her feet.

"Deal."

Lady Une smiled as she watched the beginnings of a new friendship, and silently congratulated herself.

Maybe this hadn't been one of her brightest ideas, but it would work, she decided before moving to join the girls.

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