Gundam Wing Fan Fiction ❯ Masquerade ❯ Chapter Eighteen ( Chapter 18 )

Chapter Eighteen

Sage boldly stepped into the kitchen. Five expressions changed from sad despair to immense relief as she grinned and waved.

"Hey guys!" She pulled up a chair and sat down next to Duo.

No one said anything, just looked at her strangely.

"…What?" Her eyebrows lifted, giving her a look of surprised innocence.

"Where were you?"

"Were you caught?"

"Why were you gone that early in the morning?" The questions flew like a torrent at her. She ducked and dodged them all with one word:

"Mission. Um-top secret." Everyone but Heero seemed to believe her. He just gave her a skeptical look and went back to work at his computer. Quatre jumped up and hugged her tight, right in front of everybody. She rested her head on his shoulder, eyes closed, sighing deeply. He stepped back.

"We missed you-we thought something had happened." Duo bounced up behind her.

"Nahh-I wasn't worried. You can take care of yourself!" He winked, and as an afterthought added "You allright?"

Sage laughed. "Yea-I'm allright." She untangled herself from the mob and walked to her room, grinning to herself. Everything went as planned, they didn't know. She couldn't tell them after they had pounced on her like that, they would have flipped. Sage paused at the door of the lab hesitantly, and then went in.

"Ah! Sage." The Dr. turned to her from his work.

Sage smiled. " Hello Dr."

"How was the `mission?'" So he knew. Sage sighed.

"It went relatively smoothly."

"Any information gathered?" Sage visibly balked here. Of course she had gathered information. But if she gave it out it would be like betrayal, and Sage couldn't bring herself to do that, even to the enemy. She slowly shook her head.

"N-no sir." Dr. J raised a brow at her.

"Are you sure?" It was more of a statement than a question, and his stare pierced through her. Sage felt incredibly uncomfortable.

"Yes. Positive."

"Allright then-I believe you." Sage relaxed. Dusty twined himself around her legs. She grinned and picked him up.

"I better go feed this kitty…" The Dr. nodded and turned back to his work, and Sage left. She closed the door behind her and set Dusty on her shoulder. He mewed loudly and leaped down, trotting to the kitchen.

Sage followed at a slow walk. She opened a cabinet and a cupboard, getting Dusty's bowl and food. He sat down and beat his tail patiently on the ground, licking his lips. Sage grinned at the kitten.

"You act like you haven't been feed in a year!" She set his food down in front of him and scratched behind his ears. Standing and looking around a moment, she saw someone walk by in the garden and decided to go out there.

She saw who it was and began to run.

"Hey Quatre! Wait up!" He stopped and turned around, waiting for her with a grin. She loped up to him and he caught her in his arms, twirling her around before setting her down again. She wrapped her arms around his neck and lay her head don his shoulder, sighing happily. He looked into her eyes and rubbed noses with her affectionately, and she laughed. He smiled again. He loved making her laugh.

"What's up?" It was beginning to rain. Quatre took his coat off and draped it around Sage's shoulders.

"Just thought I'd bounce up and say hi…" She poked at him. "What about you? You'll get drenched."

"I'll be fine." His eyes softened at the sincere worry in her eyes.

"But you'll get so cold…."

"Then I'll just get you to kiss me!" Sage laughed again and ran in circles around him, the rain falling freely. Quatre watched her, in awe. She was like an angel, untouched, so pure and innocent…

Sage poked him again.

"Back to Earth Quatre.." She took off at a quick run towards the tree grove. Quatre took off after her, laughing.

"Wait up!" Sage flicked a glance back at him and laughed, picking up more speed. Her hair clip fell out and her hair flew behind in long, graceful torrents as she ran. Quatre bent down to pick the clip up mid-stride, not losing any footing. He dug his heels into the path and lengthened his stride, and in no time he was running beside her.

Sage laughed again and ran faster, making a face at him before disappearing behind a bend in the path. Of course he could catch her! But what fun was that? Quatre raced around the bend.

Sage was standing stock still in a small grove of trees, bathed in light. His breath caught, then he moved up beside her.

"Sage?"

"Hush Kat…" she tugged on his sleeve like a little girl and pointed upwards. He looked up.

It was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen. Hundreds upon hundreds of butterflies, disturbed by their speech, had lit off into the sky in a mess of millions of colorful wings. Quatre stole a look at Sage. Her face was rapturous, eyes intent and reflecting the beauty above them. She turned to him, eyes shining.

"Oh Kat-isn't it gorgeous?" She hadn't let go of his sleeve yet.

"…Yeah…" he whispered, never taking his eyes off of her. She smiled and leaned her head on his shoulder, looking up again. The pair stood together, holding hands, till the butterflies left and all that was left was the inky sky with a sprinkling of stars.