Choosing Fate
Chapter 4
By Lady Saffir

DISLAIMER: If you know'em, I don't own'em...I only own the story line though.

Takes place immediately following chapter 3

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I'm always amazed at the sheer amount of energy Mariemaia can produce. I'd like to know her secret though; the girl can eat a pint of ice cream and still manage to bounce around and lose weight.

"News? Please tell me Une cancelled our poetry test. Please," I begged, earning another large smile from Marie.

"Nope. It's still on. But it does have something to do with Ms. Une."

Did I also mention Marie has this knack for talking without actually saying anything important? She doesn't play twenty questions. She plays fifty questions, and even then you'll have to puzzle through the relevancy of her statement compared to the original topic.

"Dad's going out on a date tonight with Une."

Well, that certainly wasn't the news I was expecting. Mr. Treize and Ms. Une - dating?

"Um, Marie...isn't that just a little...weird...for you?" I questioned, already knowing the answer from the way my friend was bouncing about the room.

"Weird?" She wrinkled her nose at me. "Why would it be weird? I think it's great!"

With that, Mariemaia headed for the door, ready to pounce on her next unsuspecting victim.

I could only shake my head and turn back to my studying.

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Christmas came and went, but I didn't get to spend it with my friends. Instead my family and I drove to Indiana to see my grandparents. Milliardo was meeting us there, along with Lucy, then going to visit her grandparents in Pennsylvania. That is a whole lot of traveling, if you asked me.

I always love to visit my grandparents on their farm. If we were lucky enough to get snow, the white stuff blanketed the surroundings, and when the full moon shone down it was truly a sight to behold.

Lucy and I were sharing a room, and I was looking forward to getting to know my future sister-in-law better.

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The real chance to talk didn't present itself until Christmas Eve, when everyone retired to his or her bedrooms. I was dreamily staring out the window at the moon. I've always had this fascination with the moon, ever since my grandmother told me this little...I don't know. I wouldn't call it a nursery rhyme, and it's not exactly a prayer, but I like it.

"I see the moon and the moon sees me. God bless the moon and god bless me."

I whirled around, somehow managing to stay on the little window seat. Lucy was standing in the doorway, a tiny smile playing on her lips.

"I didn't mean to startle you. I just couldn't help it."

I smiled, then turned to give a final nod to the moon.

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We settled in for the night, and for about half an hour I lie there, trying to fall asleep. There's just something about Christmas Eve though that gets me so excited. I know that Santa doesn't really exist, but the unknown presents, just waiting for me to tear them open...I'll be the first to admit I'm still a child at heart.

Anyway, I sighed and moved to get out of bed, trying not to wake Lucy up.

"Relena?"

I cringed, turning to the shadowy outline a few feet from me.

"Sorry to wake you. I can't sleep, so I thought I'd go grab a bite to eat."

Noin nodded, sweeping the covers back to place her feet on the bare floor. Grabbing her robe, she headed for the door, then stopped suddenly.

"Do you mind if I join you? I could use a snack myself," she explained, and I couldn't help but smile. Finally, someone in this house that shared my joy of midnight snacking.

We seated ourselves at the small kitchen table, a gallon of milk sitting next to the plate piled high with samples of the Christmas goodies my grandmother had made.

A few minutes of quiet munching ensued, and then Lucy started a conversation I still cherish to this day.

"Did I ever tell you about the nickname I gave your brother?"

I had to perk up at the mention of Milliardo and nicknames. If they came from Lucy, they had to be good.

"Oh, do tell..."

Half an hour later Lucy was finishing up the story, and by that time we were both laughing so hard we were crying.

"So I said, 'all right, but you're a Liar!'"

We collapsed onto the table wheezing with laughter, and I shot milk out of my nose. Lucy laughed even harder and I had to join in.

A few moments passed and we were able to finally regain our breath without starting again.

"So you got the nickname 'Crazy' because it's in your name, and Milliardo has 'Liar' in his?"

Lucy smiled while she wiped at her eyes, then finished her glass of milk in one long swallow.

"Yup. And now, I think it's time to go to bed. It's almost two, and I really need my beauty sleep."

I had to snort at that. Lucy rarely wears make-up; how in the world can she say she needs beauty sleep?

I said as much to her and she thanked me, then turned my question around on me.

"Come on. You don't wear any either, and I'd say you have tons of boys surrounding you."

"Oh, I've got the boys alright, but to them I'm the little sister or the best friend. In fact, Quatre just broke up with me because he wants our relationship to be like mine and Heero's," I replied, slightly disgusted at the words.

Lucy gave a sympathetic 'jerk!', then politely asked, "Do you want me to beat him up? Or Milliardo - now that would put the fear of god into anyone," she teased, effectively lightening the mood.

I smiled, laughed, and blushed at her next words.

"Don't worry. In a few years, the guys will be singing a different tune. You, young lady, are going to be very pretty one day."

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The end of January brought a very big surprise. Wufei had finally gotten up the nerve to ask Dorothy out. She agreed, told him it was about time, and kissed him on the cheek. From that point on, the two were inseparable.

Wufei, in his new capacity of boyfriend, had taken it upon himself to drop little hints to Duo about me, then calmly inform me that I was being immature for not outright stating my feelings. I should just take the plunge, he said. I reminded him who had talked to Dorothy for him, and the jerk had the nerve to say he was just returning the favor.

Boys. Grrr...

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February fourteenth came and went, and I decided that Valentine's day was the worst holiday man could have come up with. Stupid commercialism.

An interesting twist to life popped up and smacked me in the face. Heero, who had previously never really shown an interest in girls, gave Catherine a balloon and rose for her birthday.

He might as well have sung praise for her over the intercom system, the action was that big. Duo and I had teamed up, teasing Heero mercilessly. After all, what are best friends for, if not to cause major embarrassment?

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Then came the day I had been dreaming about.

Catherine's mom had decreed that while she could date Heero, all of their dates had to include other people, and one of those other people had to be a girl. A girl that Mrs. Bloom knew.

Duo showed up at my doorway Friday evening, quieter than usual. Following me downstairs into the rec room, he came right out with it.

"Relena...Wufei said you liked me. Is that true?"

Watch closely folks, because you're going to see the first person to ever melt through the floor all the way to Wufei's native China.

I was halfway there when Duo spoke again.

"Cuz, well, if it's true, then that's really awesome. I like you too."

I instantly reformed my body, along with the vocal chords that had stopped working.

"You...like me?"

Duo blushed and looked sideways, chewing on his bottom lip.

"Yeah. That doesn't weird you out, does it?"

His question made me smile.

"Not at all."

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I was in heaven. The school year was finally over, and Duo and I were getting along fabulously. We didn't even fight over stupid stuff like other couples seemed to be doing.

I had just gotten off the phone with Duo when Mariemaia called.

"Marie, you have to swear not to tell anyone...but I think Duo's the one," I spilled, practically dancing about my room. I thought you had to spend years searching for that perfect someone, and I had found in almost in my backyard.

"I can do better than that," Marie replied. The excitement in her voice was almost tangible, and I couldn't wait to hear about Marie's newest crush.

"So? Who is he? Do I know him?"

I could hear Mariemaia shaking her head.

"It's not me silly. It's dad. He and Julie are getting married!"

Julie is Ms. Une's first name. I personally thought her first name left much to be desired. Who in their right mind would name their child 'Julie Une'? It was asking for the kid to be picked on.

The news though was wonderful, and I listened to Marie throw some of the details around. It looked like the wedding would take place in early June of next year, and Marie got to be the flower girl.

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Another wedding was in the works. Milliardo and Lucy had spent the past nine months planning every detail, down to how the ribbons would be placed about the flowers. That was entirely too much detail for me, but hey, it wasn't my wedding, so my opinion didn't matter.

We were in the home stretch though, and I was sure mother was going to pass out from all the activity that was going on. About a hundred and fifty people were invited, and I swear that ninety percent of them were picky about where they sat at the reception. So-and-so didn't like so-and-so, and this person had once punched another person when they were in fifth grade, and would the couple mind terribly if a few friends tagged along?

I was curled up on the hammock one afternoon, trying to ignore the buzz that was issuing from my house. Both the caterer and the person making the cake had stopped by for a few opinions, and the florist had also decided to swing by. I had to escape before one more person asked me if I thought this was 'exciting'.

Duo showed up half an hour after that, basketball in hand. The boy loved the sport, and I usually found myself, against all protests, in his driveway, trying to block him from shooting. Which is impossible, since Duo kind of towers over me.

Duo must have sensed my mood, since he wisely chose to drop the ball. After several unsuccessful attempts, we somehow managed to fit the two of us on the hammock. I just knew my mother (or worse yet, my father) would peek out the window, and have a fit. Ever since Duo and I had gotten together, they had grown paranoid about the two of us being alone. I'm sure that us lying down together somehow fell in to that 'bad' area.

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"Wait a minute. You never did say anything about your parents. What were they like?"

"My parents? Well, I look very much like my mother, although some say I resemble father more. I definitely get my attitude and sense of humor from dad.

"Mom is small like I am, and she always kept her hair pulled back. For the most part we got along quite well, but when we fought, everyone knew it.

"Dad worked for the government, and while I was growing up he was based out of D.C. I never did quite understand what it was he did, but I know there were times when the stress level was pretty high.

"I get my eyes from my father, as well as the laugh lines around my eyes whenever I smile. The yard was his favorite place to work in, and every Saturday found him outside, puttering around in the dirt.

"Is that enough background info for you?"

"Yes. I just needed an idea of who your parents were. After all, you hardly mention them."

"And for good reason. My parents had minimal influence over my love life."

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Duo has always been easy for me to talk to. Our ideas about many issues are close enough for us to agree upon them, and our sense of humor has always been a little warped. Practical jokes we love, and water games are even better.

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The muggy July weather and heavy sky had finally released the much-needed rain. Thunderstorms every other day during this season were not uncommon, and the mud puddles (or swimming pools, in some cases) were very large.

We were celebrating the Fourth of July at my house, with a large backyard, 'grill some hot-dogs and hamburger' type of thing. The rain had started once more, driving the adults inside. We 'children' however, had decided to enjoy the cool showers.

And to have a mud fight, but that was only an added bonus.

Anyway, if you walk through the woods behind my house, you come upon a small stream and an area devoid of grass and trees. We had trooped there with the intention of playing in the creek, but we found a better play toy.

The area that was normally hard dirt had turned in to a large mud pit, complete with standing water several inches deep.

Heero, Duo, and Trowa immediately waded in, taunting the hesitant Quatre and Wufei from where they stood. Quatre finally shrugged, pulling his shoes and socks off before joining the shouting boys.

The mud was soon flying, and not all of it was hitting the intended target. Splatters of mud could be found on all of our clothing, and I was half tempted to say the heck with it and have fun as well.

Duo decided for me though, when, with a wink and a large grin, he threw a mud ball straight at me. The 'splat' of impact had me shrieking.

"You are sooo dead when I catch you!" I threatened, taking a step forward. The mud squished between my toes with a vaguely icky feeling. Nothing tops that feeling better than being thrown on the ground and having your face being rubbed in it though.

It was a free for all after that, with Catherine coming to my rescue. Wufei joined us as well, leaving Dorothy to stand next to Mariemaia on the grass.

Catherine and I were back to back, fending off Quatre and Wufei when Heero and Duo appeared out of no where. Duo swept me off my feet, then Heero grabbed hold of my ankles, turning me upside down.

"DUO!"

My shrieks intensified as my head was repeatedly dunked into a deeper part of the mud, my hair becoming coated in the slimy substance. After several minutes I was allowed to regain my feet, but the damage was done.

Ignoring Heero, I tracked Duo, advancing carefully over the uneven footing.

"Come on, Rel, you know you can't catch me. Just give up and we'll call it even, wadda ya say?"

I shook my head. There was no way he was going to sweet talk his way out of this one.

"Rel?"

I think the glint in my eye gave it away, because Duo was suddenly back peddling.

"Rel..."

WitHout warning I launched myself straight at Duo's chest. Both my weight and my momentum carried us to the ground, and it was with relish that I held my handful of mud high in to the air.

Only to bring it straight down, into Duo's open mouth.

He had been forming a protest, which was lost as he tried to spit out the wet dirt. I was dumped to the side as Duo ran for the creek, intending to wash his mouth out.

Five minutes later and he was back, eyes narrowed.

"Something wrong?" I asked sweetly, wringing some mud from my hair. With my triumph the fight died away, and now we were trying to clean up as best we could.

"I'll get you, my pretty," he intoned, then plopped down next to me. An impulse formed, and I followed it, leaning over to kiss him softly on the lips.

"You already have me," I replied, amazed at the fact that I, Relena Peacecraft, had just kissed Duo Maxwell. Will wonders ever cease?

A dirty Wufei promptly hugged Dorothy, having stayed far from any chance of being hit. Her scream must have been heard for miles around, but in the end she smiled and smeared some mud through his hair. He returned the gesture, bopping her nose to leave behind a spot.

"Brown noser."

With a smile and a laugh Wufei dodged Dorothy's swing, heading for the creek to wash off. The other guys followed suit, as did Catherine and I. My parents were going to have fits.

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