Gundam Wing Fan Fiction ❯ Past Meets Present ❯ Chapter 27 ( Chapter 28 )

A/N: Depending on how you guys respond, there could only be a few chapters left of Past Meets Present. Now, don’t worry. I have two options that I’m open to either way. The first is finishing out the story soon, with maybe three-four more chapters, and then starting on a sequel. The second is to just write out the possible sequel’s events, but just jumping forward in time to when the sequel would start. Personally, I’m split, so that’s why I need you guys to help. Past Meets Present is my baby. I love it, but the possible sequel’s events, which are set almost a decade ahead, well, that would mean a serious time jump.

Besides, I have no idea what I would even call it. Past Meets Present was just the working title for this thing. I was going to change it, but it stuck. The explanation behind it is pretty obvious, at least to me. It’s Wufei’s past meeting his present. And now, I’m just rambling, so I’ll let you go on ahead and read the fic.

Oh, and I only own Xin Xin, nothing else.

The Chang girls headed back to the table where the men were waiting. Xin Xin was looking around the place, not wanting to really look at the guys. Meiran felt the same. She didn’t know what to say to them. She had decided in the bathroom, in just a matter of seconds, that when they arrived at their next destination, she would look for a home for her and Xin Xin. The two of them would stay behind and let the men go on with their lives.

It had been nice to live with them. She and her little girl who was not so little had enjoyed the nice times. Xin Xin had had someone to play with always. Meiran wasn’t stressed about her daughter going uncared for while she had to work to make ends meet. They’d been a family.

But the life was also very instable. It was not the kind of environment that she wanted her daughter living in. It was too dangerous. Since they’d lived with the guys, they’d been in danger almost constantly.

Pushing a strand of black hair out of her face, she sighed, wondering how she would break it to the five ex-pilots. How she would break it to Wufei. She knew, without a doubt, he would take it the hardest. He may have only known Xin Xin for a short while, but Meiran could see it in his eyes when the little girl was near him. Who knew that Chang Wufei could be such a softie when it came to one little girl?

When the two were settled in back at the booth, Meiran took a drink from her cup and wondered how she would break the news to them. These guys, especially Quatre and Duo, she had really grown close to. And she couldn’t imagine not having Wufei around. But she knew that she had to put her daughter’s safety first and these guys, the way they lived, it bred danger. Not intentionally of course, but it followed the quintet.

She stared into the almost empty cup. Making up her mind to tell them now, right here, she picked up her cup and finished drinking the liquid in one gulp.

“We’re staying behind,” she announced.

Duo, who was in mid-bite, stopped. Quatre froze his hand in mid-air as he had been reaching for a napkin. Xin Xin looked down at her plate, picking at the food. Deep down, Meiran knew that her daughter had known.

The Chinese woman could not read the pilot’s of Wing and Heavyarms. Those two, especially to the untrained like Meiran and the rest of the general population, would have extreme difficulty. Why, any normal person would say that her words had no effect on them whatsoever. Meiran hoped that they would miss the two of them, if just a little and in passing.

She did not turn to look at Wufei. She could not, for Meiran knew that if she did, her words would be invalid.

“What do you mean, staying behind?” Quatre recovered.

The Chinese woman looked her blonde friend in the eyes, replied, “Xin Xin and I are not going with you. We’ll find a place to stay here in town, and I will get a job, and we will settle down here.”

The group finished their meal and headed out to the vehicles. Meiran requested to be driven to a motel so that she and Xin Xin could have somewhere to stay until she found an apartment for the two of them.

“I’ll miss you guys, we both will,” Meiran said as they stood outside the two cars in front of the motel. All of the guys were out of the cars.

“Bye,” Xin Xin told Heero, giving him a hug. “Thank you for saving me,” she added softly. To everyone’s surprise, the man returned the hug. “Be good for your parents,” he quietly told her.

“Will do;” she nodded her head sharply. Xin Xin then headed to Quatre, who was the closest. He squatted down so that he was pretty level with her and embraced the girl.

“Good-bye Xin Xin. You are truly a wonderful girl,” the blonde Arabian man told her. Xin Xin mumbled something.

A few feet away, Meiran was saying her good-byes as well, starting with Trowa, who just happened to be nearest to her. After him was Quatre, who she, unlike with Trowa, hugged.

“You’re like another sister, Mei. I hope that everything works out for you and just remember, if you ever need any help,” he let his voice trail on. Meiran nodded, even though she wouldn’t rely on him unless she absolutely had to.

“Bye, Uncle Trowa,” Xin Xin said to the man. “And remember,” she told him as she hugged him, “speak up more.” Trowa gave the girl a rare smile as he promised to obey her command.

“Good-bye Heero” was all Meiran had to say to the ex-pilot. It was not like she was trying to be rude or anything; it was just that she did not know him as well as she knew the others.

“Hey kiddo, don’t be sad. Just think about it this way, you’ll finally get some peace. No more running around with long hours stuck in vehicles and other boring places,” Duo joked, as he picked up the small Chinese child named Xin Xin. He swung the girl around for a moment before settling her back down on the ground.

“And, now we can be pen pals,” he grinned. “I can write to you about all the boring adventures I get to have and you can tell me about your exciting ones.”

“Okay,” Xin Xin smiled. Meiran headed towards them. “Hey, don’t you forget to write to me, either,” Duo ordered. Meiran looked at him puzzled for a moment until Xin Xin explained. As soon as she was done explaining to her mother, the girl headed towards the last person she had to say good-bye to.

“You realize that by doing this, you’ve made the whole thing much easier on her,” Meiran told him. Duo nodded his braid bobbing.

“Yeah, I know,” he replied, hugging the woman whom had become a close friend in a short time.

Xin Xin just stared at Wufei. She stepped closer, not sure of how to say good-bye. After all, the one thing she had wanted all her life was right here. And now she had to leave, or rather, stay behind while he left.

Wufei closed the gap that was between father and daughter. He squatted down; much like Quatre had and stared her in the eyes. Dark brown met dark brown, as the two were silent.

Two strong arms closed around the small girl’s body as two thin arms tried to encircle the man’s. Neither father nor daughter said a word during the whole exchange, not wanting to give the other up.

Daughter wanted father, a person she had wanted all her life. Father did not want to leave daughter; someone he had doubted would ever exist. Father did not want to say good-bye to daughter who had taken a hold of him deeply in a very short amount of time. Daughter wanted father so that her family would be complete.

Meiran coughed, coming over to the two. Xin Xin kept her eyes closed as she hugged and was hugged. Wufei opened his and looked at his wife.

Not knowing what to say, Meiran just stood there and watched as father and daughter tried not to break, quietly feeling as she was shattering herself in a place that could not be seen by the naked eye.