Disclaimer: None of the characters from Gundam Wing are mine. I know you’re surprised. This is for the 2005 TBxMU Cupid’s Contest.

“Yes…Always”

Trowa sighed. Everywhere he looked today he saw couples. Of course, it was St. Valentine’s Day; most of them probably hooked up for the day. He kept walking down the street, not bothering to look at anyone in particular. He stopped a few times to look at the display windows of a few stores. There were many that held red, skimpy lingerie on display for all to see, apparently also available in pink and white as well. The ones without underwear hanging inside their store displayed heart-shaped boxes filled with chocolate of all sorts. He continued down the street. Surely there was something he could do with himself on a day like today. He glanced in a few more shops. On an impulse he was sure Catherine planted, he walked into a card shop.

Inside, he ambled through the sections, looking at cards. He picked up one card. It was white with a red lacey heart on the front. Inside, red hearts and glitter danced around the page as a romantic poem declared love forever. He made a face and put it back. Another card was pink with cherubs holding bows and arrows flying around the front. Cupid, he mused. There was a pink-tinted transparent page in the card to give the inside a rosy appearance. Another sappy poem filled the inside of this card as well. Grabbing another card with a simple heart on the outside, Trowa discovered yet again a sentimental poem inside. One more card had a frilly outside and a love-sick poem inside. Was there nothing to give to a sister? Or one he could at least give to a friend?

“Having a hard time, dear?” asked an older woman, a salesclerk with the store. He nodded his head. “Well, you shouldn’t have waited until today to pick out a card, silly,” she chastised with a laugh. “Come with me. I’ll find you the perfect gift and card. For whom exactly are you getting this?”

“My sister…or maybe a friend,” he answered, looking at the bears to which she had just brought him. They were cute, but expensive. In fact, the cards were too when he thought about it. He had enough money to buy them, of course, but he was not going to spend that much money on all of it. Who would willingly spend this much money on something so little?

“Your sister?” she asked, “Well, we don’t carry many gifts for sisters…unless you were going to give her a bear and flowers. However, many of our gifts could be for just friends. Let me show some.” She went over to grab a few cards from a small section compared to the other Valentine’s Day cards. However, as she neared the section, the manager of the store called her over to him for a call. She excused herself and assured him she would be right back. He nodded and continued exploring on his own.

He walked into the section designated for children. It was even smaller than the friends’ section. He looked through the cards. Someone opened one box, so the store was selling the individual cards discounted. They had simple phrases on them, ranging from “I love you” to “You’re great,” which was what he was seeking. He grabbed one and headed to the counter. It was nice enough and plain enough to give to Catherine. After some questioning and odd looks from the register, he purchased the one card and headed out the store, carrying the card in his pocket.

Once on the street, he recognized a figure from his past. His insides fought on what he should do. Should he go up to her? No, she probably did not even remember him. Should he ignore her? No, it has been this long, too long just to ignore her, especially through what they had been. If he went up to her, what would he say? He ran a few conversations through his head. None of them worked. Wow, she looked beautiful. She had looked pretty when they met for the first time, but they had both been children then. Now they had both grown into mature adults. Looking like that, she probably already married someone. However, how would he know if he just stood there on the sidewalk staring at her as she waited for the crosswalks to clear of traffic and head to the other side? In the end, he walked up to her and handed her the card. At first she jumped at seeing a stranger, but she quickly recognized him.

She looked at the card then smiled at him and said, “Yes…Always.”

Midii sighed and fidgeted nervously. It was two years to the day on when they got together and started dating. This was a big day, and she was nervous. She smoothed out her dress. It had been specially made for this occasion. With flowers patterned into the beaded lace over the dress, it was classier than what she would normally wear, but today was a special day of course. The dress was cut lower with the sweetheart neckline than she usually wore and strapless on top of that; however, Trowa insisted it would “add to her beauty.” She fingered the sash around her waist making sure it was secure in its position. When she got nervous like this, she became very anal retentive.

She checked her hair to make sure not a strand was out of place beneath the lace mantilla. She re-centered her necklace and made sure her earrings were just right. Compulsively, she ran a finger across the outline of her lips to wipe off any stray bits of lipstick. Her gauntlets were on straight. Yes, everything was set.

She joined her friends; these were her closest. They headed into the room as the music started. Following them, Midii smiled in her entrance. The room was decorated just right, just as she had asked. Good, she wanted everything perfect. Her family and friends were here for their big two year anniversary event. They turned and smiled as she entered. She spotted Trowa among them and headed toward them. She nodded to as many people as she could, but it seemed she did not know half of them. They must be from Trowa’s list.

Catherine stood there stunningly. There were men Trowa identified as his fellow Gundam pilots. They all brought dates of their own from wife to girlfriend. Midii only knew two of them: Duo Maxwell and Quatre Raberba Winner. They were close to Trowa, and the three regularly spent time together when she was near them. The other two she knew the names, Heero Yuy and Chang Wufei, but she could not put name to face. There were also many Preventers and his coworkers from the circus in attendance that she did not know.

By now, she made it to Trowa. He smiled and took her hand. They stared into each other’s eyes, barely noticing the man talking to them. For a few minutes, they just stared at each other, smiling and taking each other in with their eyes. Eventually, Trowa told her of the love he had and how it was boundless. He spoke of their first meeting, when he had been simply No-Name. He said even though he did not respond when she told him “I love you,” he felt the same way back then. Now it was a different love, an adult kind. It made her feel very special, and she responded with her own devotion of love. She spoke of that first Valentine’s Day with him and how he made her feel it was Valentine’s Day every day of the year for the past two years. She told him how her life had finally gotten back on track after being a spy, but she had not known how unfulfilled it was until she was back with him. The man next to them asked a question; Trowa responded affirmatively.

The man turned to her and asked a similar question, “Do you Midii Une take this man Trowa Barton to be your lawfully wedded husband?”

She looked at him and smiled, “Yes…Always.”

“Come on Midii,” urged Trowa, “You can do it. Push.” He bit back the urge to yelp as she tightened her grip on his hand. He was certain she would snap a bone or two in there any moment.

“I am pushing! As hard as I can!” she screamed.

“Okay, you can rest for a second, Midii. You won’t have another contraction for thirty seconds,” the doctor replied. He relaxed back in his little chair. Trowa also relaxed as Midii’s grip on his hand loosened.

Midii gasped, “This is not what I had in mind for Valentine’s Day”—she broke off into a half-groan, half-growl as another contraction hit her. “I thought you told the kid to wait half a minute!”

The doctor chuckled, “Babies tend not to listen. Push!”

“Then what makes them any different than adults?” she groaned, “I am pushing!”

“Well, it’ll have to be a harder push then.”

Midii swore loudly and harshly then said, “You’re lucky my gun is out of reach and I’m in too much pain to search for it or to strangle you.”

The doctor laughed again. “Yes, I’m sure…anyway, the difference between babies and adults? Babies are cuter. And trust me, in a few moments, you’ll find this far better than any plans you has.”

“I don’t know,” she gritted her teeth as she continued pushing; “We had a romantic, candlelit and starlit dinner planned that Trowa made himself. Then we were going to”—she screamed—“stroll in the park, and OH!” Trowa glanced at the doctor who nodded for him to keep her talking as he worked on getting the baby out.

“You forgot about our, uh, dancing in the…streets,” he conjured up quickly. She looked at him with an angelic face and that “ooh” women do when they see babies or romantic scenes.

“You were going to surprise me even though I told you not to?” she would have sighed had she not been trying to push a child out of herself, “How did you know that’s what I wanted?”

“She really wanted that?” he thought, “Good thing she went into labor….”

“I just know you so well,” he said aloud, ending in a yelp as she dug her nails into his hand. This time he could hear and feel a bone or two break.

“Congratulations!” called the doctor above the cry of the newborn, “You’re the proud new parents of a healthy baby girl.” Midii started to cry, and Trowa pried his hand from her grip. He watched the nurses prepare the baby giving his wife a play-by-play of the action. He was even allowed to cut the umbilical cord. Soon enough, a nurse handed the babe to the new mother.

“Oh, she’s so beautiful,” Midii whispered gazing at the crying baby. She laughed and cried somehow at the same time. “Betty doesn’t work for her, dear.”

He nodded.

“What can we name her?” she asked, looking up with hopeful eyes. Trowa took his firstborn in his arms as the nurses waited to take the child.

He gazed at the tiny bundle of flesh and smiled as a sweet song came to his mind, “Welcome to the world, Aria.”

“Pretty name,” commented a nurse as she took the child back to the baby room.

“Aria?” questioned Midii smiling, “Where did you come up with that?”

“Just what came to mind when I looked at her,” he explained. “How do you feel?”

“Like hell, but I’ll be fine,” she answered moving to get more comfortable. “Are you ready for our new life together?”

He looked down the hall where the nurse was taking Aria then gazed back at his wife, sweaty from a long labor, “Yes…Always.”

“Daddy! Daddy, he pulled my hair!” wailed the six-year-old girl, Aria Une. Since Trowa’s name was “borrowed,” they decided on giving the children Midii’s surname.

“Jaedan, don’t pull your sister’s hair,” Trowa chastised the almost three year old as he tried to disentangle the twins Evelyn and Kara, four years old, from a fight turned into a wrestling match. Midii walked the baby around the room. Having five kids was not the plan, but it turned out that way, and Midii took care of that problem with Trowa.

“Oh, why won’t she go to sleep?” bemoaned Midii as she bounced baby Meg walking around the kitchen table. The twins started crying to add to Meg’s high pitched wailing. Midii grit her teeth and tried singing a lullaby once more. It had no effect.

Trowa put the twin girls on the enclosed porch. He turned and saw Aria jumping on the couch. He instructed her to stop as he picked up Jaedan, who started crying for no apparent reason. She ignored the instruction, giggling as she bounced on the cushions. He warned her once more swaying her brother. Aria continued as before, finding the scene comedic. He warned her harshly, raising his voice. As she persisted ignoring him, he lost his temper. Yelling, he sent her to her room until further notice.

Midii gave him a sharp look but said nothing as she went on attempting to soothe the crying infant. The phone rang loudly causing Meg to wail loudly. Evelyn and Kara looked in the house through the screen, wondering what caused the commotion. Jaedan had stopped crying momentarily, but the yelling caused him to fear his father briefly and he started wailing once more. Sighing, Trowa patted his son’s back, reassuring him that all was well with the world and that his father was okay.

“Guess what,” announced Aria as she appeared at the end of the hall, “I’m not living here no more. I’m going to live with Mr. Wufei and his kids. He’s coming to get me right now.” She stuck her tongue out at her family in hopes of stirring her father into pity and begging her to stay.

On cue, a knock came at the front door. Trowa went to answer it; Wufei was standing there with his family in the car. “Come to take my daughter away?” he asked with a straight face.

“Well, we were coming over anyway, and when I called your house, Aria informed me that I was to take her away,” he answered entering the house. “We had those plans to take out our families together since I was in town.”

“I remember that,” Trowa assured, “However, we’re having some minor problems with our children. Perhaps you should just go out without us.”

“Aria! Your sisters are not for experiments!” called Midii’s voice from another room.

“My children can get the same way, but are you sure? The others managed to get there as well. They’re all expecting you,” Wufei informed, “Even Heero got here.” Trowa knew he was guilting him about the subject. On the other hand, he had not seen the guys all at once in a long time. Their busy schedules usually kept at least one away from their gatherings.

He sighed, “Well…we’ve managed to get the kids into the car under worse conditions. Give us a few minutes and we’ll be there.” Wufei nodded and decided to check on his family in the car.

“We have to do what?” asked Midii incredulously. Getting the children calmed down enough to put them in the car would be near impossible at the moment. “How do you expect to do this?”

“We’ll find a way,” he guaranteed, “Heero, Duo, Quatre, and Wufei will all be there, Mid. Come on, we don’t get together that often. Can you do this for me?”

She sighed. He was using that pitiful act again. It was true he gave up a lot for them, and he never asked for anything in return. The boys rarely had time together. She knew she should do this, but she just was not up to it. In spite of this, she heard herself saying, “Yes…Always.”

“Mm…this is romantic,” commented Midii. She sat across from Trowa, the small covered table dividing them. A petite vase of roses was on display in the center; Trowa quickly moved it off to the side.

“Well, this is all Quatre’s doing. I could never get reservations to a place like this that quickly, especially on St. Valentine’s Day,” he explained. He had had reservations at a different restaurant, but their babysitter cancelled. Trowa had to cancel the reservation to save his money. When they had found a babysitter at the last moment, it had seemed too late to go out anywhere nice, but Quatre had helped when they needed him as he always did.

“Maybe I should give him the reward then,” she smirked at her husband.

Trowa shook his head, “You’d probably get pregnant again as easily as it is for you to get pregnant. Quatre’s still having kids.” He returned her smirk with one of his own.

“Well, that’s true. He won’t be happy until he has a shuttle-load of kids,” she commented, “Guess I’ll just have to give you the reward.”

He grinned, “Guess so.” The waiter came, and Trowa ordered for the both of them. He did not worry too much about price as the dinner was Quatre’s anniversary gift. Midii gave the waiter a smile as he delivered their soup and salad and left.

“Quatre is good, I’ll give him that,” Midii sipped her water. “No wonder he’s been able to get four wives.”

“Just the same, I’m happy with just you,” Trowa assured her taking her hand in his.

“I thought you hated accepting things from Quatre,” Midii mused.

“This is an anniversary gift, and with everything we’ve done over the years for each other, the least he can do is buy us a nice dinner for our anniversary.”

“Well that throws out dinner for your gift,” she sipped more water and then attacked her salad, pouring dressing over it.

“That’s okay. I have a great gift,” he assured her, putting crackers in his soup, “You probably know more about everyone life, so go ahead and give the report.” He started on his soup.

“You sound like I’m one of your underlings,” she rolled her eyes,” Don’t you talk to your friends?” He nodded. “So don’t you talk about things?”

“We’re men,” he stated simply as if that explained it all.

“Uh-huh…” she rolled her eyes again, “Well, let’s see. Joey and Victoria are getting a divorce.”—“Why?”—“Because Joey’s been seeing another woman behind Victoria’s back. She found out from his credit card bills.”

“That’s a shame,” Trowa commented, “They’ve been married for about as long as Duo has.”

“Duo’s having surgery, you know,” she said. He gave her a puzzled look. “Hilde told me it’s for his heart.” She went into graphic detail about the gruesome operation.

“Thanks for that,” Trowa said putting down the spoon in his soup for good.

“You have room for dinner now,” Midii offered.

“Jaedan was hoping I’d bring him home leftovers,” he smirked. “The twins want us to tell the waiter it’s our anniversary in hopes of bringing home cake.”

“We already have cake…from Aria’s birthday,” she reminded chewing the last bit of her salad. “Those kids get more than enough sugar.”

“All mothers say that,” he teased.

“All mothers mean it, too,” she told him. “Here comes our meal. Good, I’m starving.”

“You just ate an entire salad,” he pointed out, “You never ate this much when we were dating…or when we first married.”

“I’m older. Aren’t you glad I can eat what I want without worrying how you see me?” she asked innocently. “I will never be nearly as skinny as I was before.”

“That’s okay,” he assured, moving out of the way for the waiter.

She smiled, “You still think I’m beautiful?”

“Yes…Always.”

Trowa settled into his favorite chair. Years of use molded it to the contours of his body. Of course, those lines changed over the years. He was active and fit, but gravity had taken its toll on his body. He had many friends, even male ones, use surgery to keep their trim youthful figures. To Trowa, in Duo’s words, “that was gay.” He still not quite understand how Americans incorporated homosexuality as a slang term for idiocy, for the unfashionable, or for anything else they wanted, but he figured there was no use thinking about it logically. Americans tended to say and to do things without logic, so Duo’s terminology for things fit in well with his countrymen.

“I’m heading back to the dorms now, Dad,” Kara kissed his cheek. “I’ll tell Evelyn you say hi if I hear from her before you do.”

“You probably will,” he smiled. “You two were always so close.”

“Twins are like that,” she smiled and headed for her car. Jaedan walked into the living to let his father decide if he wore too much cologne.

“When is your date?” he inquired.

“In about an hour,” his son responded.

“Then you have time to wash all that off,” the father chuckled.

Jaedan’s face fell, “I’m wearing too much?”

“Just a little,” he assured. “You’ll be fine, son. Just put a few little dabs on the neck next time. Even if you don’t smell it, she will.” Jaedan nodded, a worried expression across his face, and headed to the shower at a jog. Apparently he really liked this girl.

“Daddy, Shadow is here. We’re going out,” called Meg as she raced for the door.

“Hold it!” ordered Trowa. Groaning, she turned and walked to him.

“Yes?”

“First, what’s his real name?”

She sighed, “Devin.” He gave her an expectant look. “Whitaker, his name is Devin Whitaker. You really take the fun out of this.”

Inside, he smirked. Outside, he continued, “And we’ve been through this before. What does Devin have to do?”

She sighed louder and added her rolling eyes, “He has to come and meet you.”

“That’s right. Now,” he said, “sit down on the couch, and let’s wait for Devin to come to the door.” She reluctantly sat down, pouting at the floor with her arms crossed. The doorbell rang, and she jumped up getting to the door before her father could recall her. He smiled amusedly as she ushered her boyfriend into the house, assuring him her father meant no harm. Of course, Trowa did want this boy to believe he meant harm.

“Mr. Barton, hello again,” he said weakly. He almost took a seat but remembered in time to wait until a seat was offered to him. Meg took her seat back on the couch, pleading with her eyes to her father to make it quick and painless.

“Hello, Devin,” he greeted, “I understand you want to take my youngest daughter out on your first date together for St. Valentine’s Day, is this correct?”

“Yes, sir,” the boy nodded.

“And I am sure your plans all include places where there are no dark spaces and where there are a lot of people around, a lot of people who would not want to witness much physical contact?” he inquired. “Because if there were a place in your plans that had dark areas for you to slip off to, people who will be getting physical along with you, or any place in general that allows my daughter to take off her jacket or any other article of clothing, I would seriously frown upon it, and if I were you, I would reconsider my plans for the evening.” Trowa ignored his daughter’s groans of complaint.

The boy swallowed visibly. “Yes, sir, I don’t have anything like that planned for tonight. I assure you. I know you were in the military, and….”

“The military?” started Trowa, “Devin, I was a Preventer for twenty-five years on and off before I quit for good. Before that, I did some time in OZ, but that was undercover work.”

“Undercover work?” asked Devin, fearing the explanation.

“Yes, you see I was a Gundam pilot in my younger days,” Trowa got a satisfying reaction as the youth paled considerably.

“Oh no…that makes what I have to say much worse,” he stammered. “Meg? Can I talk to you alone? I’m going to want to run in a minute.” Trowa frowned as his daughter left with this unworthy boy. A moment later, the door slammed shut and a car sped off. Meg rejoined her father in tears.

“What happened?” he asked as he stood to take her in his arms.

“He broke up with me!” she sobbed, “He said he met this other girl, a-and….” His first reaction was to hunt the boy down and make him pay…maybe even force him to date Meg until she tired of him. However, his daughter needed him now. Midii was visiting Aria and would not return until tomorrow. He could never take a crying woman, so he held her tightly.

“He wasn’t worth it, darling,” he assured, “You deserve better if he had to run away from your mother.” She attempted to sob a reply. “Don’t worry. Your mother will be back tomorrow to help. Until then, I’m here for you.”

“Thank you, Daddy,” she wept and looked up at him, “Will you really be here for me all night?”

He smiled without thinking replied, “Yes…Always.”

The house was eerily quiet with all the children out of the house. Laughter still echoed the walls but only as a faded memory. Meg had gone off to college the autumn before, but this was the first year they had to mail all of their Valentine’s gifts to their children. At least for Christmas half their children came home. It was the goal, the hope, of every parent to have their children well off, independent, on their own. Midii was happy they had succeeded in this, but she missed holding them dearly. Their early childhoods had been hectic, and though people told her to cherish the years, she had scoffed at the idea she would miss them. Now she knew better. They were little terrors, but they were hers, and she longed to hold them in her arms, to rock them. She could see them running through the halls, could hear herself yelling for them to stop. She could see their first steps all over again; she could see first dates, first dances, and Trowa’s interrogating the hapless boys who happened to care for a former Gundam pilot’s daughter. She even reflected fondly upon seeing Jaedan come home, scared to death, reporting he impregnated a girl. Trowa had been too hard on the boy.

That was why Trowa insisted they go out for their anniversary. They usually did in the past few years, but he took her to new places this time in an effort to shake away the memories. She looked in the mirror. Yes, everything was in place. Her hair was set in a low bun. Her blonde streaks were now white or grey, a sign of her age. She wore make up, but her wrinkles still showed through it. Most women, like her cousins, were ashamed of these and tried to hide it. They wanted to look as youthful as their wedding days. Midii was different. She wore the signs of age proudly. She was much wiser than that simple girl on her wedding day. She thought she had seen it all that; she thought she was prepared for the worst. She chuckled at that particular memory. She may have seen a lot through her unconventional childhood, but she was still naïve on the “real world.” Yes, everything was ready.

Before meeting up with Trowa, she checked on Duo. He lived with them ever since his wife died. His children were too busy with their lives for their father, and he felt more comfortable with his old comrades. Duo had grown closest to Trowa and Quatre in these last few years. Heero vanished completely, most thought him dead, and Wufei…well no one talked of him anymore ever since “the incident.” Quatre was still busy with the company and more with politics in his older age; he traveled extensively, and Duo felt more at home in the atmosphere and Midii and Trowa’s house. She smiled; he was asleep. Good, he needed it. Today was not one of his better days.

She walked to the door, grabbing her purse. She silently joined her husband with a smile. “He’s sleeping…like an angel. You ready?”

“Of course, I am,” he smiled. He held the door open for her as she climbed in the car. He got on the driver’s side and pulled out of their driveway. “He kept having flashbacks of the war today. It took me awhile to convince him that he wasn’t on the battlefield and that I wasn’t working with OZ.”

“He called out for Hilde and Solo in his sleep last night,” she told him, “I still don’t understand how his children can just abandon him after he doted on them their entire lives.” She shook her head.

“Nor can I,” he agreed, “but let’s talk about other things for now. It’s our anniversary and St. Valentine’s Day.” She smiled, taking in his image. His brown hair faded into a lighter shade, and his goatee was mostly grey now. His face too had lines of wisdom deeply embedded in it.

“You’re the most handsome man alive,” she declared.

He laughed, “Thanks, but I think someone already has that title.”

“It’s true, and I’m glad only I know of it. Otherwise, I would have to fight off those wenches that follow good looking men,” she teased. “If everyone knew how handsome and sexy and cute you are, would you still choose me to marry?”

Her heart swelled with love and pride as he answered, “Yes…Always.”

“I’m sorry, Mrs. Barton,” the doctor apologized, “but your husband passed away in his sleep last night.”

Midii walked into her house. It now seemed very large and empty…scary. Her children’s leaving was hard; this was worse. She did not know how much worse it could be. Her heart was gone; it died with him. She saw him everywhere, especially the pictures. She covered the ones with him, but she saw him so much in her children. She covered those as well. The pictures of his friends, she thought, would not remind her of him, but they did. There was something in her eyes. She remembered her father years ago after she had asked if he missed Mother; he said it got better with time. She was not sure that was possible.

The phone rang. She stared at it for a moment before picking it up. It was Heero’s son, Colson. He called hearing about Duo’s passing and that Trowa was in the hospital.

“Thank you,” she attempted to hold back the sobs. “Yes, it was a dark time when Duo left us.”

“Well, my father wanted to verify it, but he can’t stay awake long enough, and he’s having a hard time using a phone,” Colson explained.

“It must be hard,” she was losing the fight against tears.

“Um, Mrs. Barton?” he asked, “Is something else wrong? Is your husband okay?”

“He’s fine now. He-he passed away last night in his sleep. His heart just gave out,” she sobbed. Her children should really be the first to know, but she could not keep it inside while she was talking to another person.

“I’m sorry to hear that,” he said sincerely, “Is there anything I can do?”

“Please…just tell the other families,” she requested.

“You mean the former pilots and their children?” he inquired.

“Yes, them…please,” she clarified.

He agreed and hung up.

She looked in the mirror. Her hair was completely grey now. Her face held many lines. She always felt younger around Trowa. Now she felt her age. Her bones and joints ached. Her muscles protested their further wear. Her heart ached, but she was not sure that was from old age. She read once how in olden days, people believed one could die from a broken heart. She believed that now.

A light was blinking on her phone. She had messages.

“Hey, Mom, it’s Evelyn. Just called to see how you were doing. You’re not answering your digital phone, so you must be in the hospital. Don’t worry. Dad’ll get better soon. I’ll try calling you later, and I’ll be by the house tomorrow.”

“Mom? This is Meg. The doctor called. He couldn’t get a hold of you last night, so he called me. Kara and I are coming. We’ll be there in a couple days. We’re real worried.”

“Jaedan here, Ma. I’m on my way. It’s…one o’clock now. I’ll be there in thirty minutes. I called the hospital, and they told me. Ma, I’m so sorry. Lorelei’s with a sitter, so don’t worry about that. Everything’s going to be all right. I’ll take care you; I promise. Just wait for me.”

She smiled. Her boy was good to her, yes. She sat on the bed and rummaged through her bed stand. She wanted a picture, one from her wedding day she kept from everyone for years. Duo had convinced his friends to take some unsavory pictures. She had always hated them, but she felt they would bring comfort somehow now. However, searching for the pictures, she found something else.

Instead, she found that Valentine he had given her all those years ago, when they had met up again on the street. She read it again heading out to the living room and lay on the couch, not knowing she would never rise from it. She closed her eyes for the final time, clutching the card to her chest. The words "Will you be my Valentine?" were not visible. As she felt what she thought was sleep overcome her, she whispered her final words, “Yes…Always.”

The End