Trouble
Part 15
By Liewe

Standard disclaimers apply…

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There were several different methods she could utilize to gain her 
revenge on the hardheaded men of the Preventers... the ex-gundam pilot 
variety of hardheaded male. But, she didn't want to anger her Aunt too 
severely. She did value her neck, and the uproar had yet to die down from 
her last series of hijinks. The sound of soft masculine laughter 
disrupted her thoughts, causing her to glance to her left and her companions.

Quatre Raberba Winner was not what she had expected. He was funny and 
kind, and there was no judgment in his eyes. He didn't look at her as if 
she was only in her position because of family connections. And there 
was no condemnation either for past actions. There was so many questions 
that she wanted to ask him, but she didn't want to burden Mariemaia 
with anymore hard truths.

"I have 29 sisters."

"Pardon?"

"You were wondering why I seem different from the others. I have 29 
sisters, and they're all older than I am. It's hard to be a hothead and 
insensitive when you're surrounded by that much estrogen."

"Ah."

"And I didn't read your mind, just your expression."

"Did anyone ever tell you that you're creepily insightful?"

His laughter was boisterous, that was the only way she could think to 
describe it as it belled out from his body full of life and mirth. She 
was glad that she hadn't offended him but... he was still odd.

"Quatre's fun." Mariemaia piped up, before returning to nuzzling her 
new pet.

"Well thank you, I'm glad you think so. Most people think I'm a stuffed 
shirt."

"I would doubt that." Midii said before glancing at her comunit's 
silent buzz for attention, smiling apologetically at her companion before 
answering the summons.

"Aunt?"

"Is Mariemaia with you?"

"Yes, Mariemaia and Snuffles are with me?"

"Where are you?"

"In a vehicle."

"Midii."

"In Mr. Winner's vehicle, on a supply run."

"Do I want to ask what those supply's would be for?"

"Probably not."

Lady Une sighed, brushing her hand across her face, "where in the city 
would you be, so that I can retrieve Mariemaia from your care? She has 
a Doctor's appointment and I'm not sure what that man will do if I 
cancel another appointment on him without warning."

Midii glanced to Quatre, handing the com unit over at his smiling nod, 
before moving to tickle her young cousin. "A Doctor's appointment huh?"

Mariemaia's silence was answer enough, the slight hitch to her 
shoulders enough to make Midii pull the younger girl into her lap. She hugged 
her gently, deciding not to mention the small lie of omission that had 
been perpetrated. "Oh well, another day then?" She asked softly, smiling 
as Mariemaia perked up, eagerly nodding her assent.

The soft pressure of a hand on her arm dragged her attention back to 
Quatre and the comunit he silently offered her. She felt the car slow, 
before coming to a full stop and the sounds of the driving moving around 
to her side of the vehicle. As the door opened she gave Mariemaia one 
last hug before the younger girl exited the car, stepping straight into 
her foster mother's arms. Midii grinned and returned the wave that Lady 
Une sent her way before turning back to the interior of the vehicle. 

She was glad to have the opportunity to talk to Quatre alone, but part 
of her was frightened by it as well. He was too insightful by half; she 
didn't want all her secrets spilled out for the world to see.

"Do you still need to make that supply run," he asked softly, smiling 
gently at her. His expression offering nothing other than friendship.

"Yes."

"Well the offer still stands."

"Thank you."

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Duo looked up from Midii’s computer, a scowl on his face as he tried to 
remember exactly where he’d seen those lines of code before. He was 
sure that he’d toyed with their like before, but where? They weren’t 
Wufei’s, he knew that, but they belonged to someone. The more he thought 
about it, the more the lines seemed to be drawn in the sand. Midii on one 
side with himself, Lady Une, Mariemaia and it seemed Quatre. And then 
Wufei on the other with Heero, Trowa and who else?

Granted Midii probably wouldn’t consider him to be on her side, but he 
was. He wished he could go back in time and erase that moment in time 
when he’d been a total insensitive Neanderthal but he couldn’t. They 
hadn’t yet perfected time travel and even if they had, he was sure Une 
wouldn’t allow him within a hundred yards of the apparatus. 

He frowned. He knew fixing her computer couldn’t make up for his faux 
pas but it was a step in the right direction. Maybe a ride on his 
motorcycle, with a heart to heart at the end of it in some idyllic location 
would help as well. Of course he’d have to get her to listen to the 
invite first, and then agree to go but he was trying.

Still, why did she had to of been a spy? Why not something mundane, 
like Rosie the riveter, helping to build war paraphernalia to feed her 
family? And then if she had to spy, why did it have to be for money? 
Though, was he sure that she had spied for money, she hadn’t really answered 
his question with a yes or no, just a declaration that she didn’t have 
to answer him. He wished he could read her file; maybe gain some 
insight into her problems.

“Why are you in Midii’s office, on her computer?”

“Fixing it.” He muttered, without looking up, belatedly realizing the 
owner of the voice and mentally calculating that he had no hope of 
escape.

“I take it you know her former occupation?”

“Yes Ma’am.” He responded, trying to fight the urge to cower away from 
his boss. Her glare reminding him of the former Colonel he used to face 
off against, and her unending hatred of anything to do with the Gundam 
pilots.

“I take it you don’t approve?” 

He pondered the question, turning it over in his mind as she pushed 
back from the computer, thinking over possible responses. He could lie and 
dance around the truth, but he wanted to know the why and the how. “How 
could she spy for money?”

“Did she tell you spied for money?”

“Not entirely.”

Lady Une sighed, trying to decide just how much of her niece’s past to 
reveal. She could understand Duo’s abhorrence of the idea. He had 
fought for a cause, not a paycheck. She had fought for a cause as well.

“It was never her choice to be a spy.” Lady Une finally replied, “And 
there was more to it than the money.”

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- To be continued in part 16

an: I swear, I will endeavor not to let another lengthy stretch of time 
go between updates…