And, finally, the conclusion...
"They're not here! She lied! Why that little..."
"Will you calm down? Maybe they were here, but left already."
"Oh." Suddenly, Catherine paled. "Imari..." she whispered, "here comes that guard! What do we do?" She looked around frantically, but there was no escape. She was contemplating climbing down the ivy trellis when a voice behind her startled her into whirling around.
"Well! What have we here? I don't think I recall having seen you around the embassy this past week." The owner of the voice was a young man, followed closely by another man, about the same age. Though neither one was bad-looking, it was painfully obvious that they were lacking in social graces, and were desperate for female attention to the point of being ridiculous. The other man cleared his throat and gave Imari a significant look. She started to back away, and nearly ran into the guard.
"Aha! Got you! Sirs, are these young women bothering you?"
The first man chuckled. "Bothering us? Of course not! Why would our dates be bothering us?" Catherine sensed a hook, but took it anyway, grabbing the young man's arm and trying to look convincing. Imari followed suit, though with a lot less enthusiasm.
The guard did not look convinced. "Dates?" he said suspiciously. "Then why didn't they arrive with you?"
The man looked positively peeved. "We told them it was all right if they came a bit late," he said haughtily. "I didn't realize it would be such a problem, or we would have waited for them and all shown up late."
The guard backed away. "I'm terribly sorry, sir. I believe that there's been a misunderstanding." He backed away a little further, then bowed slightly to Catherine and Imari. "Begging your pardon, ladies," he said hastily, trying to make his escape. "I did not mean to be disrespectful. It appears you were telling the truth, after all." His eyes belied what he really believed, but he wasn't about to challenge the authority of the dignitaries further. He darted out of the balcony area and headed back for his guard-house.
Catherine heaved a sigh of relief. "Whew, that was close! Thanks a lot!" She tried to pull away from the young man whose arm she clung to, but he held her fast. "Hey!" she cried, "What gives?"
The young man gave her a look. "Where are you going in such a hurry? We've barely gotten a chance to get to know each other," he said, eyeing her. Catherine's eyes darted over to her friend, and saw that Imari was in a similar predicament. "I...I...I think there's been a misunderstanding," she said.
"Oh, by no means," said the young man. "Me and my friend here, we did you a favor getting that guard off of your back. Now, it's your turn. Sound fair?"
Catherine acquiesced grudgingly, but before she allowed herself to be led back into the ballroom, she glared at Imari over her shoulder. This is all your fault, she fumed silently. I should have never gone along with your stupid plan!
"I don't think we have to worry about your sister anymore tonight," said Dorothy, watching the small group leave the balcony. "Those two particular gentlemen can be very...persistent when it comes to holding the attentions of young women, once given the opportunity. Catherine and her friend should be occupied all evening."
Trowa immediately felt a wave of guilt and brotherly protectiveness wash over him. "Maybe I should go help them?" If anything happens to Cathy, he thought, I'll never forgive myself...
Dorothy looked at him in surprise, then caught the expression on his face. "Oh, don't worry about them," she said lightly. "Those two are clingy, but they're harmless. I've had to deal with them before myself. Your sister and her friend will just be stuck dancing and socializing with them."
Trowa relaxed slightly, but had a hard time tearing his gaze away from the balcony. And then it struck him--was this why Cathy always wanted to know so much about his dates with Dorothy? Maybe I misunderstood...
"Trowa! Snap out of it!" said Dorothy, tapping one cheek gently with a gloved hand. "No time for daydreams. What are you thinking about?"
Trowa looked at her and smiled slightly. "Nothing in particular," he said quietly. He took her arm, and prepared to lead her back to her hotel.
Trowa stood on the spaceport deck, ensconced in a space suit, helmet under his arm. Behind him, the last of the storage crates, full of circus equipment, were being loaded on the transport. The circus performers were slowly drifting into the bay, boarding the transport, and securing themselves for the flight.
He wasn't concerned. He knew that Catherine would manage to find a secluded cabin aboard the transport and secure it for him and herself. He had a lot to discuss with her, after they took off.
But his mind was not on the flight ahead of him. He straightened the sleeve over his left wrist, baring his watch. Almost 0700 hours. Dorothy's transport was supposed to leave at 0730 hours, and they had decided to meet before Trowa's flight left. He didn't have much time.
"Trowa! Are you coming or not?" Catherine swam past him, clutching her travel bag and gesturing impatiently.
"In a minute, Cathy," he called to her. She pursed her lips in frustration, but said nothing. "Our cabin number is C-14," she called. "I'll see you on board!"
Trowa waved in response.
He was just about to turn and board the transport when Dorothy's voice drifted into the spaceport bay, stopping him. She drifted into the bay, her blonde hair fanning out behind her. "I'm sorry I'm late," she said breathlessly, "but this space suit took longer for me to get into than I thought it would," she said, smiling sheepishly. She took a deep breath, and her smile faded. "Oh Trowa..." she said, tears forming in her eyes.
Trowa responded by wrapping his arms around her. "Do we really have to say good-bye?" she said, her voice muffled.
"For now," he said quietly. "But I don't plan on making it permanent."
"Nor do I," Dorothy said, trying to stifle her sniffles, and dabbing at her nose with her handkerchief. "I'll meet up with you as soon as I can, I promise!"
"Don't put your life on hold because of me," he said. "I want you to promise me that. If we are meant to be together, our paths will cross again."
Dorothy's face scrunched up ungracefully, as she tried to keep herself from crying. "Trowa..." she said softly, and leaned forward. He caressed her cheek gently, the glove of his space suit tangling in her hair. He bent forward, and brushed his lips against hers. She returned the caress, leaning into him more forcefully than she expected to. For a moment, neither bothered to break the embrace.
"Trowa! Transport's leaving, with or without you! And for heaven's sake, take time to breathe!" Catherine stuck her head out of the transport and scowled.
The couple separated reluctantly, with Trowa chuckling indulgently at his sister's impatience. Then, he pulled a box from behind his back. "This is for you," he said, pressing the box into Dorothy's hands. "But you must make me a promise. Don't open it until you're on your own transport, and on your way home." He looked into Dorothy's eyes. "Do you promise?"
Dorothy turned the box over in her hands, and looked up and Trowa, nodding. He pushed off from where they stood, drifting toward his transport. "Remember, don't open it until you're on your way home," he called, and boarded the transport.
The hatch sealed shut, and Dorothy was escorted by a rather fussy spaceport captain, who seemed rather peeved that things were not running on schedule. She stood and watched the shuttle depart, until all she could see was a tiny speck in space, almost indiscernible from the other stars in space.
"Well, it's about time. I thought for a moment you were going to stay there!" said Catherine as Trowa entered their cabin and closed the door. He set his traveling bag down, and sat down across from his sister. "Did you have a good time last night?" she asked.
"Did you?" He had a half-smirk on his face.
Catherine glowered at him. "Don't ask."
"I don't have to," he said, and pulled a pillow out of their traveling trunk. Catherine closed the lid for him and sat on the trunk, regarding her brother.
"How did she take it?" she said softly.
"As well as could be expected."
"Do you think you'll ever see her again?"
"I plan on it."
Catherine shrugged. She stood up and opened the trunk, looking for a pillow for herself. "Trowa!" she called urgently.
Trowa had already leaned his seat back, intent on napping. "What?"
Catherine rummaged through the trunk. "Where's your mask?"
Trowa didn't say anything for a moment. "It's in good hands," he said quietly.
Relena settled into her seat next to Dorothy. Her companion was already seated and ready to go when Relena had arrived at the transport, her attentions focused on a small, plainly-wrapped box in her lap.
"How are you, Dorothy?" she asked quietly, trying to break the ice.
Dorothy looked up, startled. Her eyes were red from crying. "Oh," said Relena sympathetically, rummaging in her carry-on for her handkerchief, "I take it things didn't go so well?"
Dorothy gratefully accepted Relena's handkerchief, and dabbed at her eyes. "No, Miss Relena, it's not that," she said, her voice thick with emotion. "It's just that...well, I guess I never thought a good-bye could be this difficult."
"They never are," she said softly. "Are you going to see him again?"
"Yes," she said firmly, "I am." A soft tone beeped through the transport's cabin, and a pleasant voice announced that they would be departing. Relena looked across the aisle to where Heero had seated himself, and smiled. He contented himself with a moody grumble in her general direction and focused his attention on his seat belt. She smiled. For Heero, this meant that all was well. She turned her attention back to Dorothy. "What's in the box?" she asked.
Dorothy looked down at the box suddenly, as if seeing it for the first time. "Oh!" she exclaimed. "Trowa gave it to me. He made me promise not to open it until our transport was on its way." She tugged half heartedly at the wrappings, then lifted the lid. She gently pushed aside the tissue inside, and her breath caught in her throat. "Oh...."
It was Trowa's half-mask. It smiled up at her through its own tears, and darkened slightly as Dorothy's tears started anew, dropping onto the mask. She pulled it out of the box with shaking hands. A folded piece of paper tumbled out from behind the mask.
She set the mask back in the box gently, and picked up the paper, unfolding it carefully. There were only a few words written on the paper:
"Dorothy,
Take care of this for me until we meet again. And remember, mon coeur est toujours a vous--my heart is always yours."
She sighed happily, and placed the note back in the box, replacing the lid carefully. She looked at Relena, who had been waiting quietly for her to say something, and smiled.
"Miss Relena," she sighed, "I understand now!"
Relena smiled warmly. "Few good-byes are ever permanent, Dorothy."
Dorothy smiled happily. "I know that now," she said softly. "After all, I'll have to return his mask to him someday."