Seventy-Nine

Moving It Along

      Nikki finished her explanation and we all exchanged glances. It all seemed to work. Her timing was on mark and who went where made sense.
      She looked up from the lap-top when we were silent...we were sitting in Quatre’s office and she’d been checking for breaches as she talked. She looked us all over and shook her head, “Well?”
      “I’ll see when he really wants to meet.” Quatre said, coming back into animation, “And we’ll set it for that day.”
      “You talked to Relena?”
      He nodded, “Yeah. I explained what was going on and she agreed.”
      Nikki nodded, then turned to us, “Criticism here, guys, I need to know what to fix.”
      I shrugged, “I have no problems with it.”
      She watched me a moment, then looked around.
      Everyone seemed to agree also, she started to look frustrated.
      “See?” Quatre said in an almost smug tone.
      Nikki gave him a look, “It’s not the same. This is a rough draft plan...”
      “Exactly. That’s what it’s always like...even if there is a flaw...”
      I wondered what they were talking about, but stayed silent.
      “This plan can’t be ready...don’t you want to argue?” that was to Wufei.
      Wufei was surprised by the sudden attack and glanced at Trowa, “No, we work good together and we know the rest can hold their own...”
      Nikki looked to Zechs.
      He shrugged.
      “See?” Quatre repeated.
      She looked at him, “No, it’s not the same...”
      Quatre furrowed his brow, “It is too.” he insisted, “It’s exactly...”
      “No, they usually argue so I expected...”
      “Them not to call you Mr. Winner?” he changed his tone from argumentative to pointed.
      That was evidently an allusion to a previous discussion...
      She frowned, “Okay...I guess it’s sort of the same...”
      “Not to call you boss...”
      “Not to dwell.” Nikki told him pointedly.
      He laughed, “Oh, all right...I’ll move on. It’s a good plan and I don’t see a problem with it. We can edit after I talk to Price...”
      She sighed, then nodded, giving us all a sullen look.
      “What?” Duo demanded defensively.
      We didn’t know what the problem was...
      She sighed and rolled her eyes, “Nevermind...are you sure none of you have problems?”
      “Do you want us to make one up?” I asked, grinning.
      “Oh, hush.”
      I smiled, shrugging, “What? What are we supposed to say? We don’t have a problem...it’s a good plan. Why should we bitch?”
      “Don’t make sense...” she muttered, looking back down to the screen.
      I exchanged an exasperated look with everyone else.
      When I got to Quatre, he grinned like he’d won an argument and sat back in his chair, becoming suddenly interested in the ceiling and reclining back, lifting his feet onto the desk.
      Nikki leaned over and shoved them off without looking from the screen.
      Quatre started laughing.


      I paced back and forth across the room as Relena watched.
      Sam and Kris were watching out the window, both looking a bit stressed...I didn’t think any of us really thought much about Relena even being here...
      I was hoping that Kyle’s over enthusiasm to have a visit today wasn’t a ruse...
      “Nikki, sit down.”
      I looked up to Sally who had one foot going as we listened to the various communications from all six of’em.
      “You’re making me worry.”
      I sighed, “Sorry.”
      I sat down in a window sill and opened my lap top, “Check.” I muttered, hitting the button of the walkie after a silence.
      “Here.”
      It was almost unison form all six.
      “Nikki...”
      It was Heero.
      “Yeah?”
      “Don’t worry. If something happens, you’ll be the first to know...”
      “Switching to open...” Wufei muttered.
      “Wait.” I ordered, following the connections.
      “Everyone.” Wufei added, “We can’t have her freaking out on us.”
      I continued checking the line as there were murmured agreements...I refused to let myself get annoyed.
      “Well?” Wufei asked after a moment.
      “I’m checking the lines...”
      “Nikki, I’m surrounded by Neo soldiers...I’m lucky none of’em have checked this room. Hurry up so I can keep focused.”
      I sighed, finishing, “Fine.”
      “Switching to open.”
      There were a few murmured agreements and the sound of the lines opening.
      I could hear more now...clicking of a keyboard...a mouse...breathing...muttered discussions...it was reassuring.
      I continued scanning the lines as I listened.
      It didn’t take long before they were done...pulling out...
      It was Heero, of course, who ended up fighting...
      I was so scared for him...but I couldn’t say anything...it would distract him...but his shoulder...
      After a while, he was thoroughly pissed, “Yeah...” there were some grunts, “Nikol just lost a base...”
      “Back up?”
      That was from Zechs who was closest...him and Quatre.
      “Uh...they’ll be dead before you get here...” there was the sound of him jumping, “Fuckin’ shoulder...” that was quiet. No one was supposed to hear it.
      “So yes?”
      “Yes. Get here quick...starting Zero...”
      I could hear beeps and clicking.
      “Do they know where you are?”
      “I don’t know...they will soon, though...suits!”
      After that it was a blur of sounds...Heero’s fighting...the others questions...the sounds of the suits...the sounds of battle...
      I wanted to cry, but didn’t let myself. I had to monitor this...had to keep the lines clear...had to get them home...
      “Is he all right?” Relena demanded of me after a while, “What are they doing? What’s going on?”
      She didn’t have a walkie...I had no idea who even told her shit was happening. She was now standing within a foot of me, her eyes scared.
      I only looked long enough to register this before focusing again. I had no time to explain right now...someone was trying to tap the line...
      Catching on, Sam came over and lead her away as I muttered my instructions...
      I’d known it was too good to last...civilian life...
      “You sound like I remember...” Zechs muttered after a while. I couldn’t tell if that was a good tone or a bad one.
      I pretended I hadn’t heard that, and so did everyone else.
      “Behind you!” Heero sounded...different...like he had when we’d met.
      Swallowing my tears again, I knocked the tapper off the path, “I love you...” having him revert to a soldier...that was what I’d meant so long ago when I told him being killed wasn’t the only way to die...
      “I love you too...”
      That reassured me, too...he was just fighting...
      “Do you need more?” Duo demanded.
      Heero chuckled a bit, “No, but it’ll serve to scare the shit out of them...”
      “What’s going on!” Relena yelled.
      “Get her out of here.” Sally told Lucratzia, “Having her yelling won’t serve any purpose...”
      “What...” Relena demanded as Lucratzia pushed her to the door, “I demand...”
      “Not today, Relena. I pull my authority as officer.” Sally replied, coming to check what I was doing.
      Relena gasped as they reached the door.
      “Do you want us to leave?” Sally asked, turning to face her.
      “Give her a com.” Zechs said before Lucratzia could push her out.
      “What?” Sally was surprised.
      “I pull rank.” Zechs muttered, “Zia...”
      As time had passed, I’d noticed that in private he called her that...
      Noin passed over her head-set.
      “Yes?” Relena asked, looking about to panic as the sounds of fighting came to her.
      “You can’t demand things of them when they’re in the middle of...”
      “I know...but...”
      “Sweet-heart...” he said soothingly, “It’s only dolls. We’ll be fine...we’re almost done now. Calm down...let Zia have her set back and find something to occupy you while you wait...”
      “But I’m scared...”
      “Relena...”
      That was Heero.
      I couldn’t fight the jealousy that hit me. I forced myself to silence, focusing on the line again.
      “...We’ll be all right. Just go rest...”
      He used that tone...
      I glanced at Relena as she caved.
      “Omaesan...”
      Relena froze.
      “Time?”
      He knew me too well. “We still have two hours...”
      Until Kyle made his appearance.
      Relena glared at me and handed Lucratzia the head-set.
      “Update.” Sam demanded after a while.
      There were numbers muttered.
      “Location.” that was Kris.
      Duo had almost reached it, but Wufei and Trowa were just reaching their suits.
      “Where?” Wufei demanded, “Where do we go?”
      “Do you need back-up?” Sam demanded of Heero.
      “No. Get back to them...keep the suit...I don’t know what’s all going on...”
      “Right...” Wufei and Trowa were almost unison.
      It didn’t take too long before Nitaku and Heavyarms appeared, landing on opposite sides of the estate.
      I felt like laughing when they finally finished...but I settled for letting the tears come out in relief as they informed us they were on their way to the base.
      I was heading for the front door before I thought about it.
      Before I could reach my car, however, a very large metal foot stopped me.
      “Go back inside.” it was Trowa, his cameras focused on me as Wufei kept an eye out.
      “But...” I just wanted to hold Heero...
      The doors opened again and Sam followed by Kris and Kitty came out.
      “We could follow...” everyone else appeared.
      “No. Too conspicuous. If she’s going she’s getting a ride.” Wufei was stern.
      “We can’t take all of you.” Trowa protested as the others joined me...and Relena.
      “You guys...get inside...” Wufei was about to get pissed, “What happens if someone sees you...”
      “They’ll see you first, Wufei-dear.” Sam pointed out.
      Wufei chuckled and the doors to his cockpit opened, “I’ll take Nikki...I know better than too...”
      “Take her and we all go.” Kris informed him.
      “What?”
      “We’re not waiting behind.”
      “Where will you ride? There’s not enough room...”
      “Carpool.”
      “What if we’re attacked?”
      “Then you’ll kick ass and be pissy with us because you’re right.”
      “That’s not too helpful, Kris-sweet...”
      She grinned, “It’s the truth.”
      “I hope you know the back roads.” that was to Sally.
      Sally looked like she wanted to protest, but what could she say? We were going...
      “Uh...she doesn’t need to know them.” Heero informed us, unsteady at first, but then getting firmer.
      “What, you want us to go through town?” I demanded in return, knowing...
      “No. Get your asses back inside. We’ll head directly there from here.”
      “Heero...”
      “Don’t ‘Heero...’” he mocked my tone, “...me. What the hell are you thinking? Have you forgotten that a bullet missed your head by milliseconds?”
      I wanted to argue, but suddenly we were being hustled back inside.
      “But...”
      “I love you.”
      I started pouting, “I love you too.”


      I couldn’t help but laugh...she was so cute... “What?”
      She frowned a bit, still pouting.
      I smiled as I watched her...she looked so cute...I crushed her to me, “I love you...”
      She buried her head into my neck, but didn’t reply.
      “Did I ever tell you how cute you are when you’re mad at me and pouting?”
      She snorted and pushed me away.
      I was surprised as I looked down at her...she had tears in her eyes...
      “Nikki...” she allowed me to pull her close again.
      “I was scared...” she whispered in reprimand.
      I kissed her lightly, pulling back to meet her eyes, “I was fine...”
      “But your shoulder...” her eyes were too pure.
      I shook my head, “I was fine...” I watched her a second, remembering how together she had sounded, “I’m proud of you...you didn’t even give us a hint...”
      She smiled a bit, “I couldn’t very well panic...” she sighed.
      I smiled, “I’m glad you held it together...I would have been forced to do something interesting if you’d let me know...just to prove...”
      “Don’t you dare ever do that.” she held my eyes as she said it, “Ever.”
      I smiled, “We’ll see.”
      She gave me a look.
      I watched her calmly, then she seemed to think of something...leaning up to kiss me fully, she grabbed my shoulders to brace herself...
      I hissed at the pain and pulled back, “Nikki!”
      She released the pressure and kissed me again, “We’ll see.”
      I would have laughed at that...but she was being a bit too interesting for me to take the time.

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Kyeian