Gundam Wing Fan Fiction ❯ Windows to the Soul ❯ Chapter 7 ( Chapter 7 )

A/N: Here's the delayed chapter seven. I butchered the lyrics slightly. Nothing very drastic.

Disclaimer: I don't own Gundam Wing or "Bed of Lies" by Matchbox 20.

Chapter Seven

Sally stared at the fuel gauge in utter shock and amazement. Her pretty blue eyes were wide with disbelief, and a light sheen of sweat was appearing on her forehead. Her hands were clutched into tight fists, shaking from the tension she was radiating.

"There is no fucking way," she whispered to herself, but the "empty" flashed before her maliciously all the same.

"I am going to murder the dumb ass that was supposed to approve this ship for departure!" she said, her voice growing steadily louder in agitation.

"Gods, woman, what's with all the yelling?" Wufei inquired, walking from a small kitchenette with a steaming mug of tea. He immediately regretted that, as she turned her defiant stare to him.

//When it's not enough just to be sorry

Don't you know I feel the darkness closing in.\\

"Who was the idiot who approved our ship for departure?" the blonde woman asked, walking over beside Wufei as he opened the mission folder. Two pairs of eyes, one sky blue and one onyx, scanned through to find the approver.

Ship approved: Yes.

Approval by: Heero Yuy.

"What?!" Sally cried with obvious disbelief, throwing up her hands in exasperation. She walked back over to the copilot seat and plopped down with exhaustion. Wufei followed behind her and leaned over the back of the seat.

"Sally…" he said softly.

"What?" she asked with a sigh, looking up so she could see his face leaning over her.

"What happened to all the fuel…" he trailed off, quickly putting two and two together. He pounded his hands on the back of the seat, causing Sally to jump quickly. She scowled at him, placing her forehead against the cool glass of the window beside her seat. She grabbed her stomach, trying to will it not to get upset again.

"I am going to kill Yuy!" the Chinese man exclaimed, walking over to the pilot seat and sitting down, immediately pressing the communications button.

"Headquarters?" he asked, and didn't wait for a reply before bellowing, "get Une on communications, now!"

"Is there a problem, Preventer Ice?" came the cool, disembodied voice of their commander. He heard Sally scoff from behind him, and resisted the urge to curse out the Preventer president for being a stupid and ignorant woman.

"Only the fact that we are out of fuel, and stranded in one of the most desolate regions of space," he said icily, but Une didn't chide his rudeness, and neither did Sally. Of course, the latter was as upset as he was, and the former thought the whole situation was a regular riot. Her laughter floated over the thousands of miles through radio frequency.

"It's not funny!" Sally cried with resentment, losing what was left of her cool composure.

"I'm sorry, Sally, Wufei," Une acknowledged, but the duo heard an edge to her voice. "But I simply cannot send another carrier out on this short of notice."

"What?!" the two Preventers yelled simultaneously, Wufei jumping out of his seat.

"It is Christmas Eve, for God's sake!" the brunette sounded tense and annoyed even through the static. "All of our agents are off-duty and enjoying the holidays. I'm sorry, but I simply cannot pull them away for such a miniscule assignment." Sally kneeled silently, pressing her forehead on the back of Wufei's chair, eyelids closing over her sky blue eyes. The Chinese man simply clenched his fists tightly, the tension causing his muscles to shake slightly.

"I can get a shuttle out the day after Christmas. This shuttle will bring you fuel, and then complete the mission both of you failed," she informed them. Preventer Water and Preventer Ice chose to ignore the statement about "failing the mission", and simply cut off the transmission. The two sat in a weighty silence; Wufei leaning heavily against the chair he was seated in, and Sally still clutching onto the back of the same chair.

//I tried to be more than me

And I gave until it all went away.\\

"Please tell me Une did not just say we would be stuck here in space for two days," the Chinese woman mumbled, clutching the chair tightly with her hands.

Wufei didn't reply; he merely took a sip of his tea, which was rapidly turning cold. His mood was oddly contemplative, and the thoughtfulness he was portraying was strangely intriguing to Sally. In fact, Sally mused, he had been different ever since he returned. Nothing extravagant that would be easily noticed by everyone…simply…small things he did seemingly unnoticeably. Like opening up to jokes. His sense of humor was most definitely uniquely Wufei; a little sarcasm, a little wit.

There were other things that anyone could easily overlook, but somehow, Sally's keen eyes captured these rare moments. He held the door open for people. Normal behavior: for most people. But for him, it was a big step up from his usual aloofness. For some reason, instead of feeling elated, Sally felt worried. Worried that letting go of his cold attitude would make Wufei vulnerable. For some reason that thought terrified her to no end.

Really she should be overjoyed that he had laid his demons to rest. His past no longer hung over him like a shadowy veil, keeping him hidden from the world. So why did it scare here so much? Was she afraid his newfound weakness would turn on him and catch him in his time of vulnerability? But…Wufei was stronger than that, Sally conceded. But that didn't explain why she was so frightened, when she normally had the gall to stand up to almost anything. Perhaps she was just being a weakling, as Wufei would so lovingly put it.

"Let's get something to eat," the young man suggested, breaking Sally out of her strange, yet thoughtful reverie.

"Something to eat," she echoed quietly. She heard a throaty chuckle from in front of her.

"Yes. If we are to stay here for two days we might as well raid the ship's food supply," he amended, walking purposefully toward the kitchen with Sally trailing him.

"You sounded a lot like Duo right there," she told him with a grin, and was surprised when he smiled back.

The Chinese man buried himself in the only cupboard present in the small kitchenette, searching for something edible. He tuned to Sally, holding an unmarked can of…well, something. His face held a look of distaste as well as distrust. She was obligated to laugh at him.

"C'mon, Wufei, where's your sense of adventure," she chided lightly, taking the can from him and trying to find the can opener.

"I think I left it in China," he admitted, holding out the can opener she had been trying so diligently to find.

"Thanks," she said, snatching the can opener away. Actually snatched was too strong of a word. She simply took the proffered tool as one should…whatever that means.

Sally used the can opener to un-lid the can to reveal its contents. Inside was some red, pasty substance. Turning her head to Wufei, she saw him staring at it suspiciously with an ebony eyebrow raised in apprehension. She sniffed it cautiously before breaking out in a grin.

"It's tomato soup!" she exclaimed happily, lifting the now-sliced lid from atop the can.

A yelped curse rang throughout the ship, followed by the clang of the lid. The sharp metallic sides had sliced into Sally's palm as she had tried to lift it off the can.

//And we've only surrendered

To the worst part of these winters that we've made\\

Wufei held Sally's wrist in his bronze hand lightly. His other hand held a cotton swab, and he was currently dabbing the slice on her head with antiseptic lightly. She bit her tongue to hold in the winces, but he could still feel her body tense every time the liquid contacted the tender flesh. He didn't say anything to bruise the woman's pride, though.

"I am never accepting a mission on Christmas Eve again," Sally said wearily, closing her eyes and resting her head on the wall. She winced as the cotton was applied once more.

"I'll make sure I'm busy next year," Wufei said, agreeing with her as he began wrapping the cut. He barely heard Sally's "uh huh" of agreement.

"It's getting late, why don't you skip supper and get some sleep, Sal," the Chinese man chided, and some of Sally's senses came back. Did he just call her Sal? That was a little out of character for Wufei. He truly was turning over a new leaf, with his newfound sense of humor and less high-strung attitude. Just having him back made her realize how much she missed him when he had left.

But was it weakness? Was he risking heartache and pain in order to make her happy? Sally thought it might be a bit far-fetched, but if he was…if he truly was…then she had to stop him.

He had to stay strong. He couldn't break.

Was it her fault?

As if he could sense her tenseness, Wufei tightened his hold on her wrist, and she drew her eyes to gaze into his own. If she had a mirror, she would have seen the terror and worry clouding her vision. She wrenched her hand away from his grasp, backing up to put distance between them.

"What's wrong?" he asked in confusion, reaching out to finish binding her hand, but she jerked away.

//I am all that I'll ever be.\\

"This is foolish," Sally thought, chiding her cool composure she had lost, and stood still, waiting for Wufei to bandage her hand again.

Wufei was having turmoil of his own. Why had she pulled away from him…and…why wouldn't she let him touch her?

//When you lay your hands over me.\\

He grasped her wrist, placing her unharmed hand on his chest. His heartbeat pulsed strongly underneath his Preventer shirt, and the heat radiating off his body seeped into Sally's skin. She wondered absently what he was trying to prove. His eyes were studying her carefully, yet his expression betrayed none of the emotions he must be hiding.

Something flickered beneath Wufei's eyes, and Sally gasped despite herself. Eyes were the windows to the soul, and for once she could see Wufei clearly, rather than the half-truths and small glimpses she had understood before.

There was pain hidden there, but there was also healing. He was no longer angry…and instead his eyes were filled with compassion and the blonde woman noted with some amusement that the emotion suited the opinionated man.

//And don't go weak for me, please\\

"Wufei," she said nervously, and almost warningly. And yet, all protests were put aside as his lips crushed against hers. It wasn't a soft kiss, yet it had all the passion and need and caring and everything that was Wufei. He enveloped his arms around her, drawing her into a warm embrace.

Sure she had her doubts, but how can something that feels so warm and so safe be wrong? His lips felt warm against hers, and she found herself unable to draw away, and actually let out a sigh of protest when he broke away. Wufei placed his chin on the top of her head, stray blonde hairs tickling his nose. This made Sally's head rest securely in the crook of his neck, breath coming in short gasps.

"I know it's weak," he whispered softly, moving his head down so his breath tickled her ear. "But I need you too much, Sally."

//I know that it's weak, but God help me, I need this\\

He wasn't vulnerable…Sally realized…and he was never scared. She had been the one who was apprehensive and childish. She had been the susceptible one, and he had not reproached her for it. And she felt safe. She glanced quickly at the clock…it really was late.

"Merry Christmas, Wufei," Sally told him softly, pulling away slightly so she could study his face. She grinned guiltily. "I didn't get you a present…"

"You've already given me the greatest gift…" he said with a small smile.

And this time, it was Sally who leaned forward and joined their lips.

The End

A/N: I hated it….I'm sorry this chapter sucked. If you want something better you could try "Autumn Bleeds Innocence." Again, I'm sorry this turned out bad…*sigh*