Gundam Wing Fan Fiction ❯ Curtain Call ❯ The Meeting ( Chapter 1 )

Two

About half a year later, Alexander Joshua Winner was born. Quatre nearly had a heart attack when Sage went into labor, pacing the hospital hallways restlessly.

"Sir? Maybe you should.. sit down…" A nurse tapped him firmly on the shoulder.

"No thank you-I'm fine." He walked down to the lobby and telephoned home, then hung up. I'll just call Rashid. It'll be allright, just call Rashid. He'll come-wait. No! I can't do this, oh goodness…

His name called made him jump, so absorbed in his thoughts was he.

"Mr. Winner?" Quatre whirled.

"Is she allright? How's the baby? How's the doctor?" He bombarded the poor nurse with so many questions she shrunk back a bit.

"Um-well, you may see your wife now." He scooted past her, collecting himself and walking into Sage's room. She looked downright tired.

"Hey love… How are you feeling?" Sage smiled softly.

"Tired. And weird. But I'll get over it." She hugged him with one arm, shushing him. "Shhhh.. He's asleep." Sage handed Quatre his son slowly, watching his face. It slowly lit up, and she sighed happily.

Everything was working out so beautifully.

"This is stupid." Victoria Amalia Winner crossed her arms and planted herself on her bed.

"Don't be silly, you look fine." Her mother smiled encouragingly. Victoria snorted and glared at Sage.

"I look like a Barbie doll."

"Better a Barbie than a Voodoo doll. Now come on-your brother's already waiting. You'll make both of you late."

"I'm…not…wearing…this…" Vicky tugged at her knee socks and short plaid miniskirt.

"You…are…" Sage pulled her daughter to her feet, dusted her off, and handed her her schoolbag with a kiss on the cheek, steering her out the door. "Now off with you!" Vicky rolled her eyes and followed her brother out the door.

"This is so stupid. I look dumb." Vicky kept her arms crossed and glared at the sidewalk. "I bet I'm the only girl in tenth grade who wears this crap."

Alex grinned. "Nah. If you weren't my sister, I would say you looked hot. Mom knows what she's doing, Vick. Don't take it out on her. You look fine-loosen up, relax."

Vicky just snorted and ploughed on ahead, catching the bus and flopping into an empty back seat.

"Hey Vicky! What's up?" A blonde, thin, overly done girl perched on the seat next to her. Vicky tried to hide her disgust.

"Oh nothing…Just watching the game, having a Bud." She loved to make sarcastic comments. The girl giggled a little too loudly, flashing a perfect smile at Vicky.

"Oh, you're so funny. Hey-I'm having a major back-to-school party at my house-my parents are away for the weekend. Wanna come? Everyone will be there…" She gave her a haughty look, daring her to say no.

"Will the cheerleader squad be there?"

"Of course."

"And the football team?"

"Yeah."

"No." Vicky stood and transplanted herself to a new seat. She couldn't stand superficial people. They all knew her parents were filthy rich-and they wanted to be her best friends because of it. Vicky was, in fact, the most popular girl in school, but she went out of her way to avoid cheerleaders and the other girls. They bothered her.

She dug through her backpack and pulled out a thick novel, settling into her seat comfortably. She looked around lazily, seeing her brother. He was sitting in a seat with another boy-with dark brown hair. Funny-she had never seen him before. Must be that new guy Alex was talking about. Vicky shrugged nonchalantly and buried her nose in The Odyssey.

"We're home!" Alex burst into the front door of the mansion, grinning. Quatre poked his head out from the office.

"Oh, hey kids! How was school?" His calm father smiled at him, tousling his son's hair.

"Great. Hey dad, I brought a friend home-can he stay for dinner?"

"Well, I guess……."

"Great!" With that, the teenager burst back out the door and onto the front walk. Vicky walked in a moment later, from the garden side door.

"Hey daddy!" She ran to him, he caught her in his arms and swung her around, setting her back down.

"How's my baby girl today?"

"Great! I passed that biology test…"

"Wonderful!" Quatre beamed proudly.

"Where's mom, and Alex?"

"Your mother's in the library-we were researching some things. And Alex went off to get a friend…." He gave her a little push. "Don't you have homework, sweet?" Vicky made a face.

"Ick. Allright." She shouldered her backpack and went upstairs, but didn't stop in her room. She went to the rec room instead, grinning.

Video games never hurt anyone…!

She flopped into a beanbag chair and switched on the big screen TV, turning on the Playstation 2. She slipped into an easy sort of delusional comfort, concentrating. She didn't see the person behind her until he spoke.

"If you push that thing over there you'll get to a secret pathway to Ri City." Vicky started quickly, then whirled about and glared.

Her crystalline blue eyes met a pair of amethyst ones.

"Eek!" She nearly jumped a foot in the air, glaring at Alex, who was laughing his head off. The other boy looked slightly embarrassed.

"Er, sorry." Vicky glared at him, smoothing her skirt.

"Whatever. Alex, who is this?!" Her brother grinned.

"This is my friend, Damon. Damon, meet Vicky, my vicious sister." Damon grinned and held out a hand for a handshake. Vicky looked at his hand, then at Alex, then at Damon again, eyebrow cocked.

"Why does he have a braid?" Alex's eyes widened and he made the universal *NO* motion to Vicky behind Damon's back. Damon narrowed his eyes.

"Why is your chest so big?" He said smugly at her, eyes dancing.

Slap.

She snorted, crossing her arms over her chest firmly.

"Pervert." Alex was laughing again, and Damon had a sizable handprint on his right cheek. "It's not funny, Alex!!! ALEX!!!!!!" Her brother had collapsed on the couch and was wheezing from lack of air from laughing so hard. Damon gently touched his own cheek, eyes pained.

"It certainly *isn't*!" He sighed harshly. "Geez, why'd you hit me so hard, damnit?!" Victoria made a face at him and turned her back to them, nose in the air. Sage looked in.

"Everything allright in here, guys?" Victoria smiled angelically at her mother.

"Yes-the boys and I were just having a pleasant little chat…"

"'Pleasant' my ass…" mumbled Damon, but grinned as Mrs. Winner cocked an eyebrow at him.

"Well, allright then. Just making sure-it sounded like you were fighting a minute ago." Alex struggled to keep a straight face. Sage glanced around the room one last time and left, shutting the door behind her.

"Bakas." Muttered Victoria at the boys, walking out to the balcony.

Alex and Damon burst out laughing at precisely the same moments.