Reconciliation

On the flight to Japan, Kurz remembered what a surprise it had been when Melissa turned to face him.

"Wow," he had thought. "She really has been sitting at a desk too long. Not only has she got a bigger butt, she actually has a bit of a belly sticking out. Her belly is sticking out. HER BELLY IS STICKING OU..."

It took a few slaps on his cheeks and some smelling salts to bring him around.

"Funny," he thought as he came awake. "Were they laughing the whole time I was out?"

He realized he was stretched out on the floor and groggily stood up. Melissa was sitting in a chair next to where he had fallen. She looked at him with concern and asked if he was alright. She motioned for him to sit down next to her. When he sat down, she reached over and took one of his hands in hers. Kurz realized they were alone in the briefing room with the secret conference light on so no one would enter.

They had sat like that for what seemed eternity then she turned to face him. He saw that she had been crying. He could count on one hand and have all fingers left over for the number of times he has ever seen her cry.

Clearing her throat, Melissa started to speak in soft voice. "I'm having trouble saying what needs to be said. I had gone over it time and time again, but now that it's time, I seemed to have forgotten what I need to say. I'm not very good at expressing myself and that has been why I always had trouble in relationships. I'm too quick to make judgments and hold grudges when I don't need to. When I saw the problems with the team, I didn't see it as a problem between us. When the Lieutenant said one of us needed to go for the good of the team, I didn't consider talking with you to clear up any problems. When I was at the training base, at first I didn't call, e-mail or write because I still was holding a grudge and later because I didn't know what I wanted to say. When I realized I was pregnant, I was afraid you would think I was holding it against you. I, I..."

She started to cry and hiccup because she was becoming too emotional. Kurz gently placed a finger to her lips, wrapped his arms around her and held her until she gained control again.

Kurz spoke softly by her ear. "Do you know when I realized I was in love with you?"

She shook her head.

"When you punched me through the door at training camp." Kurz said. "Later in the barracks, when Sousuke held a rifle between us to break up our argument, I was thinking what beautiful eyes you had and what fire there was in them." He sighed and went on. "I have troubles in relationships too. First, for all my "womanizing", all of them will talk about how short term they were. I wasn't wanting them, I was wanting you, but thought you were too far out of reach. So, I became your problem child, that way I could be near you in the only way I thought I could. The Lieutenant thought we had started watching each others back a few months back. You had always watched over everybody equally, I always made sure you were protected first, ever since I joined the team. Sure, I took care of the team and targets but you were always my first priority."

She snorted and said. "Put me on a pedestal, did you?"

Kurz chuckled and replied. "Yeah, Sousuke told me what you said about pedestals. Arms length and looking up skirts. Why, I'll have you know the only time I looked up your skirt was in Sicily."

She put an elbow into his side and laughed. "Yes, and got a foot in the face for looking."

"Well," Kurz said ."It was worth it."

He mock sighed at the memory and received another elbow to the ribs.

He sighed again, this time with regret. "Wish we could have spent some together in that room in Sicily. We could always have shoved the traitor under the bed."

She sighed too and said."At the time, I was thinking the same thing."

Kurz asked her. "Why were we so afraid to talk to each other about our feelings."

She said. "Sousuke told me how frightened he was when he asked Kaname to be his girlfriend. He said the thought of her saying no would be worse than dying. That it took him more courage to walk to her than any battle he had ever been in."

Kurz thought to himself. "I know how Sousuke felt now."

He let go of her and stood up in front of her.

"Sergeant Major Mao," He said. "I regret to inform you that I have failed to equip myself properly for the task at hand."

She looked at him with a worried look.

He knelt in front of her and took one of her hands in his. "Melissa Mao, will you marry me?"

She gazed at him for a moment and, with tears starting from her eyes, nodded yes.

After the kiss ended, she looked at him from the corner of her eye and said. "What equipment were you talking about?"

"Well," He said. "It is customary to give the woman a ring at a proposal and I didn't think I'd need to bring one today."

She growled at him. "Well, you better trot on down to the jewelry store with me so we can take care of that little problem. I need to speak to the Captain about her performing the ceremony."

Kurz said weakly. "Ce-Ce-Ceremony?"

She looked at him then down at her belly. She looked at him again and said. "Wedding. I only need one bastard to love in my life and you're it."

Kurz smiled and thought. "She does love me. Everything is back to normal."

END