04-Jun-2000
I didn't think I would do it but I did. I wrote up a sequel to 'Coffee With Quatre'. Think of this as another vignette that explores the relationship between Quatre & Noin. It's pretty Angst-ridden. I'm not so sure I'm happy about this story overall either. I had to go back and look at tapes. The story in my head had to alter itself to adhere to the facts. So I'm giving you all fair warning. I'm pretty sure I'm not going to write another one on these two characters like this.
Warnings: None
Pairings: None really
Category: Angst
Spoilers? Well does discuss some of the last episode (episode 49)
Archive it? If you want to.
Key: '-denotes thoughts'
Heero Yuy had blown up the last portion of Libra that threatened to destroy the Earth. All the world let out a collective sigh of relief. But once the pilots got back to earth the concern turned to Quatre Raberba Winner.
Although he told everyone that he was alright after his encounter with Dorothy Catalonia, everyone discovered otherwise. So the champagne toast planned by Duo was put on hold as Quatre was rushed to the hospital.
After three hours of exploratory surgery, the doctor walked over to the large group of people awaiting a prognosis.
"Your friend is lucky. The stab wound nicked a few vital organs, but not too badly. Had the blade gone an inch or two in either direction, he would not have made it," the doctor said plaintively.
"Thank for all you've done," sighed Sally Po. "When can we see him?"
"We are taking him in ICU right now. After he's settled we'll allow him a visitor at a time."
"Thank you, Doctor," said Duo Maxwell, trying not to look at Trowa. They all were trying not to look at Trowa. They knew that the silent boy was going through a torrent of emotions, that no one could see outwardly. They also knew that one wrong word might bring those emotions to the surface and no one was sure they really wanted to risk it.
A nurse walked over to the group which consisted of Howard, Heero, Duo, Trowa, Wufei, Sally, Lady Une, and the Maganacs, headed by Rashid. "We have Mr. Winner in his room. We ask that you limit your visits to five minutes. We don't want to tire him out. Who wishes to go first?"
All eyes turned to Trowa. He sat for a minute before saying, "I think she should go first."
Everyone looked puzzled. 'She?' Then they turned to where his visible emerald eye was staring. There stood Lucrezia Noin.
"NOIN? What the hell are you doing here?" shouted Duo, before Heero subdued him by grabbing his arm.
"Look, I know, I-" she started.
"Don't tell it to us. Tell it to him. Go," was all Trowa said. Noin nodded then followed the nurse to Quatre's room.
<flashback>
"Miss Noin?"
"Sorry, but I-"
"Go ahead, Miss Noin."
<end flashback>
Quatre remembered his heart seizing the moment he realized she was going to leave to be with Zechs. He hoped she hadn't noticed him slump with the weight of that knowledge. It wasn't like it was totally unexpected. He and Lucrezia Noin had talked about that possible scenario many times late at night, over coffee. But it still hurt anyway.
'Could that be the reason why I couldn't defeat Dorothy? Was I really THAT distracted?' He knew that ultimately Dorothy wanted to die at his hands, but he couldn't ... no, wouldn't do it. So she did what she had to do. She tried to kill him. And by the looks of this hospital room, she almost succeeded.
The rest was all so confusing. He remembered trying to destroy Libra from the inside. The Maganacs fighting alongside him refusing to budge, until Wufei told us that he had given Heero the laser blaster. He knew that Zechs and Heero had been fighting before that. He wasn't sure where Lucrezia was during that time. Or what happened to her afterward.
"Quatre, are you awake?" said a soft voice.
Quatre thought he was still dreaming, or still feeling the effects of the anesthesia. "Miss Noi- Lucrezia?"
Lucrezia wanted to cry. Lying in his hospital bed with tubes and wires everywhere he looked more like a small, broken child, than a valiant fighter for freedom and justice in the colonies and earth. "Yes, Quatre, it's me. Can you open your eyes for me?" 'If I'm going to have to face condemnation for my actions, it'd better be face to face.'
Quatre slowly opened his eyes. It took a moment to focus before he saw the pretty woman that was his friend. She looked like she was going to cry. He tried to grab her hand, but found that his arm was restrained.
She grabbed his hand, when she realized what he was trying to do. "They restrained you to make sure you wouldn't pull out any of the IVs. But I think you're smart enough not to do it," she said as she began to unbuckle the restraints. She was thankful for the activity so she wouldn't have to look into his eyes.
"Lucrezia, what happened?" he implored.
"Happened? Do you mean to you? I'm still sketchy on those details but I think you were stabbed."
"No. I know what happened to me. I mean what happened to you? Where's Zechs?" he asked gently.
"Zechs is presumed dead," Noin said in a low, sad voice. "In the end, he tried to redeem himself by destroying the propulsion system of Libra. I watched from the sidelines like the fool that I am. I knew what his plan was. I knew he wanted to sacrifice himself to the world. I stood by and let him do it," She said, with tears in her eyes.
"Lucrezia, why are you here?" Quatre asked.
"You are my friend, Quatre. Probably at this moment, my only friend. When I heard you were hurt, I had to come to see you. I also wanted to thank you for allowing me to follow my heart."
"That wasn't something for me to *allow*," he said with a slight smile.
"I must confess, I wasn't sure if you would want to see me at all. To the others I am a traitor, even with the end of this war. I suspect I will be hauled away the minute I leave this room."
"I'm glad that you came. I was worried about you," said Quatre.
Noin began to laugh and cry. "You were worried about me? Quatre you are something else. I come here expecting you to hate me and--"
"You get understanding instead. Lucrezia, I'm sorry about Zechs," he said.
"Can I let you in on a little secret? I don't think Zechs is dead."
"How do you know?" asked Quatre.
"Because I'm still here. It's stupid to say, but I can't help but think if Zechs was really dead, I would die also. I wouldn't survive the anguish of knowing he's really gone. The only anguish I'm feeling right now it that you have to be lying in this bed instead of celebrating peace among the colonies and earth," she said earnestly.
"Seeing you is celebration enough for me," he said shyly, smiling. Noin smiled back.
"Quatre, I should probably go. The nurse doesn't want me to tire you out," she said as she found herself leaning over to kiss the blond boy on the forehead. "I'll see you soon, if I'm not in the brig that is."
"I won't let anything happen to you Lucrezia. I promise," he said weakly and he watched her leave the room. "Oh, Miss Noin?" he said louder as she was almost in the hallway.
"Yes?"
"Be well," he said with a smile.
"I'll try. Take care," she said, returning his smile before heading out in the hallway to face the music with the others. She felt she could face whatever the others would bestow upon her. She knew she would be strong because the one person that mattered more than any other had forgiven her.
Owari
There you have it. Feel free to tear it apart for sucking.
(:./babaca/redemption)
