Chapter 31: My Sentiments Exactly

Forever was a good word for it. The gang's wide-eyed ogling of the kissing couple at the second floor open window was enough to take almost all of their beaten and battle-worn bodies' attention away--in sheer astonishment.

Angelic, golden boy Quatre Winner and evil devil-woman Dorothy Catalonia?! This couldn't be happening!

Though Trowa Barton's knowing eyes smile at the couple's rather passionate kiss and embrace as he descends the stairs, Duo Maxwell and Wufei Chang were NOT smiling. In fact, the shock on their equally astonished faces directed up where Quatre was laying it on thick on one black-corseted and lacy thigh-high stockinged Miss Catalonia, had all the indications that they both considered the romantic scene blossoming before their eyes really---

"Disgusting." Wufei lets the word spit out with utter contempt and distaste. The look on his face was as if he had just witnessed the most disgusting scene in all of his woman-despising life. He couldn't believe that he just had to sit still and watch Winner's gross display of weaklingness.

But Sally Po was ensuring that.

Somewhere along the line, Trowa was the only one still left with his marbles in place after the harrowing events, coupled with Quatre and Dorothy's love-love session.

He strode down the steps (passing where Relena and Heero's eyes were interlocked with almost as much enthusiasm as Quatre and Dorothy's lips). Trowa checks on the hostages' well-being.

Broken-nosed Lady Une already had them under control and organized, but there was a grateful, relieved smile on her face, confident in her finest soldiers' abilities to save the world single-handedly. She gave a sweet, caressing hand pat to Trowa's handsome face.

Sally Po had appeared out of nowhere, earlier, in this chaos (obviously not really dead) and had gone on to tend to Trowa's no doubt fallen comrades.

Though Duo Maxwell's >ahem< posterior was not in tip top shape with the thrown knife slice pretty wide across the luckily fleshy part of his rear end, his mouth was not restricted one bit.

"Geez! Am I the only one who thinks this is some super long "Big Red" commercial?! Whoo whee! Quatre little buddy, didn't know you had it in ya!"

The grossed out smirk running straight across Duo's face was almost as big and red as the bloody cut on his bottom.

"It's disgusting." Wufei repeats, now even more snidely, right in Sally's face, as if a challenge.

"You could say that again!" Duo answers. He crinkles his equally grossed out at Quatre KISSING Dorothy "evil-eyed" Catalonia like that! EWW!

Looking up from where this would-be peanut gallery in the large hall and stairwell were still snidely commenting and snickering at the smooching couple at the top of the steps, Sally can't help but smile at how precious and sweet a first kiss, such as this, could be to a loving and meaningful relationship now blooming in this most unlikely of couples....

Sweet, ahem....Quatre Winner, I didn't know you had it in you either!!!

"Disgusti----AHHHHHH! WOMAN!!!!!"

Wufei lets the bellow ring out through the hall, as Sally, field doctor and professional as she was, proves her own "point" on Wufei, as, without any prior warning, she yanks out the steel blade throwing knife that was still embedded in his shoulder. It was harmless enough now and Sally smirks to herself. She revelled in Chang Wufei's scream of pain just a little too much for a medical practitioner.

But poor, always kind Quatre being ridiculed by these callous male oafs?! I'll get even on your behalf---with both of this "dynamic duo"......

Duo Maxwell was chuckling at Wufei and Quatre both now, but he was about to get his payment too.

"Here you go, Mr. Maxwell. We must clean that wound of yours before it gets infected----"

Dr. Sally maliciously purses her smirking lips as she pops open her medic bag and pours the entire bottle of iodine and peroxide on the open wounded behind that Duo was gingerly holding up to her, and pointing at.

The resulting reaction bubbling up on his cut was nothing compared to the speech bubbling out of Duo Maxwell's stinging mouth.

"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!! Ouch! OUCH! Ouch! OUCH!!!"

Now Duo's loudest scream was enough to wake up every blissful dreamer from their happy dazement. Luckily, Trowa and Lady were there to assure the freed hostages that those unholy sounds were nothing to worry about, as they escort the bustling, anxious crowd out the side exit.

Dorothy was first to recover as her misty, indigo eyes open to Quatre Raberba Winner's crystal clear aqua ones. He were so close to her face, she could still taste his sweet kiss in her mouth.

The classic, blissful look on his every feature was beginning to smile at her as their lips part after quite a few minutes. It made Dorothy's own breathless cheeks turn shades of colors, until they finally end up a deep, embarrassed red.

"Hello, Dorothy..." Quatre only manages to say this simple greeting, though his soul wanted to TELL her so much more---BE so much more to her, DO so much more....

Quatre's boyish heart leaps and soars knowing that it was finally happening between them. His most desired dream was finally coming true.....

Dorothy.....

"....My hands...."

Dorothy's gaze take Quatre's down to where he was still clutching her hands, rather tightly, too. Their kiss had lasted so long butt neither one of them seemed to notice the white, blood drained fingers interlaced all the while of their kiss.

But now it was all over.

"Oh!" Quatre immediately releases her white hands. She quickly draws them to herself.

"I'm sorry, Dorothy, if I...hurt you." The blonde boy looks at her with those eyes......

.....His beautiful, clear eyes....

"Ooh, well....."

Dorothy Catalonia searches for the voice box in her constricted throat. She didn't want to keep him waiting for an answer to his apology---and yet.....

Why shouldn't I keep you waiting, Quatre Raberba Winner? Just because you have a cute face! And you are a fairly good kisser....

The vivid recollection of his lips to hers clouded all of Dorothy's already cloudy emotions for him. She didn't quite know what to do with the thumping in her chest. It was so loud and disconcerting and with every beat she looked up at him with the way he disturbed her soul.

What should I do? What should I do?

All her past encounters with Quatre Raberba Winner come flooding back. Every scene, every moment, leading up to each and every second of their momentous kiss.

Why not?

Dorothy feels the hair stand up on the back of her neck and she feels every nerve ending in her body tingle with the sensation of what she was about to embark upon. Her life was about to take a bend in the road.

Because of him....

Whether it be right or wrong, she'd have time to decide that later.

Maybe when my heart stops this maddening pounding....

All in the flashing, still moment, entrapped in his gaze, Dorothy Catalonia ponders all this. It hadn't all sunk in yet, but perhaps with some time....

Maybe I'll give him a try....

Dorothy thinks with all the enthusiasm of someone test driving a sports car they're none too certain of the color on.

Lucky boy....

"I'm not all that fragile, if you haven't noticed yet, Quatre Raberba Winner." Dorothy states, quite saucily. She dangles out this bait and turns on her high heel. She waltzes down the mansion's wide staircase as if nothing had just happened between her and that certain Winner heir....

Nothing in the world at all....

"Yeah, I've noticed...."

Quatre replies vaguely to the unasked question in the tension filled air. He was was gazing at her smiling, deliriously in love, as he watches his Dorothy confidently stride down the stairs as if she owned the world on the stage as she, in her black stockinged legs and corset, were performing upon before his now forever adoring eyes.

Forever, Dorothy....Someday.....

Quatre heaves in a big sigh. He felt the golden world Dorothy Catalonia so-owned was the most wondrous place in the universe---and he was now more determined than ever to be a part of it--a big part, too, if he had his way.

"Forever...."

Quietly whispering right there and then, he watches the reknowned Senator Catalonia march right in and take charge of the semi-chaotic exiting crowd wanting to go home. Quatre R. Winner vows to himself right then that he knew Dorothy Catalonia was just the same as he was; that the the two of them shared the same soul--and she was the other half of his.

He was absolutely sure that he would move heaven and hell to spend forever with her.....

....I promise, someday....Dorothy......