Can a second chance change it all?
Chapter 3
Time to remember
Author: Jo
Disclaimer: I don’t own any of the characters of Robotech or Robotech; I’m just doing this for fun. Well, maybe the personality of Riber is mine (he is my ideal man)
To: Sphersian, as always thanks to Carla and especially to K71 for been my beta now, oh and for all the members of the forum.

Lisa arrived home with three bags of food and after a big effort trying to digit her secret code and opened her house door, she finally got in and Karl was sitting on the couch reading.
“Hi, I’m home,” said Lisa looking between the bags.
“Hi” said Karl and stood up immediately “here, let me help”
“Don’t worry, I’m perfectly well balance” said Lisa and walked fast to the kitchen
“What did you buy?” asked Karl and stood at the kitchen door
“Italian food, I thought I’d buy Chinese, but the best place in town is always full with pilots and I wasn’t in the mood to deal with them.”
“Besides I wouldn’t like the idea of seen you surrounded by pilots” said Karl seriously, almost jealous, making Lisa look at the ceiling as if she was asking for god’s sake.
“I bought ravioli and fettuccini, I didn’t know what to choose, which one do you want?” asked Lisa after pulling out all that was in the bags.
“Whatever you want.”
“Mmm, I think I prefer the fettuccine, the cream sauce is wonderful” said Lisa and started to unpack the fettuccini plates, then she quickly fixed the table and put the plates in the microwave “Can I ask you a favor?” asked Lisa.
“Sure, anything that you want” said Karl walking next to her.
“Can you watch the fettuccini while I’m changing my clothes?”
“Of course” said Karl and later he added “but that will have a price”
“A price?” asked Lisa with a smile and her eyes bright.
“Yes, a price” said Karl and came closer to Lisa and looked at her with sexy eyes.
“And what would be that price?” asked Lisa, following Karl’s game.
“How about a kiss?” said Karl and trapped Lisa between him and the kitchen table.
“I think that is reasonable” said Lisa and looked at Karl in the eyes and started to come closer to him. Only a few inches separated them and Karl closed his eyes, to feel with more intensity Lisa’s aroma, to appreciate better the sweet taste of Lisa’s lips.
Lisa came closer to Karl, to the point that their lips touched and then she turned her head fast and gave him a kiss on his cheek and got away from Karl, escaping on the side of his hurt arm.
“Hey! That’s cheating” said Karl when he opened his eyes.
“I don’t cheat,” said Lisa with her hand behind her back, looking at Karl from the kitchen door.
“Yes you did, the price was a kiss”
“And what did I do?” asked Lisa and put on her most innocent face “Now it’s not my fault that you didn’t specify where you wanted the kiss” added Lisa, making Karl make a disappointed face and a moment later his face start to brighten
“You are going to pay for this Lizie, you will see,” said Karl when Lisa abandoned the kitchen.
They had lunch, again in the kitchen and when they finished they started to wash the dishes, then they went to sit in the living room with two gigantic plates of ice cream
They both sat on the couch and turned on the music equipment. She put in several Cds; old Cds that she knew Karl liked and of course were her favorites.
“I forgot to tell you how handsome you look with that t-shirt” said Lisa laughing at Karl, who was wearing a pair of gray pants and a t-shirt that said “Skull 01” on the front and had the skull symbol of the squadron. On the back it had the phrase “I’m too sexy for my shirt” and a cartoon of Roy winking.
“Very funny but it was almost the only thing that fits me from what your friend left, I mean, How tall is this guy?” asked Karl. Even though he was tall he wasn’t as tall as Roy.
“7’1” inches” said Lisa laughing.
“But I have to admit that you look gorgeous” said Karl looking at Lisa in the eyes. In fact Karl hadn’t taken his eyes from Lisa since she got into the kitchen after changing her clothes. She was wearing beige pants and a soft green color sweater that let her shoulder be seen.
“Karl” said Lisa trying to avoid looking at him.
“I’m serious” said Karl and touched softly Lisa’s face.
“Thanks” said Lisa and looked at him in the eyes. They started to come closer and share a kiss, but this kiss was a little bit more passionate than the one before, this time they not only touch lips.
“This was the kind of kiss that I was talking about in the kitchen,” said Karl resting his head against Lisa’s.
“You should have told me that,” said Lisa with a lost voice.
“I’ll have that on my mind for the next time” said Karl and separated a little bit from Lisa to look at her. Then he noticed the music “Wasn’t this the first song that we danced?” asked Karl.
“Yes it is, you have no idea of how hard it was for me to find it,” said Lisa and later she felt ashamed and bent down her head.
“Lizie” said Karl with tenderness and brought her close to him and held her “Do you remember that night?”
“Of course I do” said Lisa and held Karl and rested her head on his chest.
“Me too, like it happened yesterday,” said Karl thoughtfully and they started to remember.

*************************Flash back******************************
Lisa had gone out to the balcony that was at the end of the gigantic room where the party in honor of her father’s promotion was taking place. She felt suffocated and uncomfortable between all those elegant, important and above all things boring people. The only thing that they do was talk about politics, money or criticized each other. Lisa had refused to go to the ceremony, in fact she wasn’t happy at all with her father’s new promotion, for her that only meant one thing and that was that now she would see her father less than before. Her father had turned more and more distant because of his work to the point that he seamed to be a visitor in the house, but her mother had convinced her to go to the ceremony.
So there she was with a boring face that she couldn’t hide, smiling falsely to all of her father’s friends when they said hi to her or told her how gorgeous she looked in her dress.
When it was a dress that she hated and she was wearing now only to upset her father, to make him notice how upset she was with all this. In fact she had been behaving like that, trying to make her father angry for awhile. Especially since he had taken home his new aid, a young officer, that still was in the officer’s academy. His last name was Riber, he had attracted Lisa’s attention immediately, especially the way he looked, with those bright eyes that every time he looked at her caused her butterflies in her stomach, a thing that she denied to accept. But even when she felt attracted to him, she didn’t like him at all, the guy spent more time with her father than she and she was jealous, so she was trying to catch her father’s attention by making him angry, because apparently that was the only thing that worked.
She was resting against the banister of the balcony, when she noticed that a few meters away from her somebody had come out to the balcony from the other door. Lisa looked at the person for an instant, it was a military person, she noticed that immediately by the uniform, but when she looked at him with more attention she recognized the person, it was Riber.
Lisa came closer to him furious and when she was close enough so he could listen to her, she said,
“If you came here to spy on me by orders of my father, then go back from where you came and tell him that I’m going home, that I‘m sick of this”
“Pardon me?” answered Riber turning to look at her with surprise.
“I know that you came here to spy on me” answered Lisa crossing her arms and trying to look pissed off.
“You are wrong Miss Hayes, I came here for fresh air”
“Yeah right, I know that you came here to find out what I was doing”
“Then you are wrong, I came her for air, what you do is non of my business”
“Who do you think you are to talk to me like that?” answered Lisa angrily, trying to hide the way the pain that the officers words had caused and how naïve she had been by thinking that maybe he would put his eyes on her. After all she was only the spoiled daughter of his CO.
“Well you were the one who started to insult me” he said and immediately noticed something weird in the way that she was looking at him.
“But that doesn’t give you the right to talk to me like that”
“And being the admirals daughter doesn’t gave you the right to behave like you are doing”
“How I behave is non of your business”
“Yes it is” answered Karl looking at her in the eyes in a way that makes Lisa feel a little dizzy and flush a little
“And why do you care?” asked Lisa daring him, she was sure that he only was worried for her behavior because of her father’s image.
“Because you are behaving like a spoiled child that only wants to call her father’s attention,” said Riber still looking her in the eyes
The words of Riber, hit her straight into her heart and hurt Lisa. She stayed there looking at him confused, feeling how her eyes start to fill with tears. Then she turned and started to walk away. She didn’t want him to look at her like that, as if he noticed that his words had affected her.
“Wait” said Riber and took her by the wrist.
“Let me go” said Lisa trying to escape from Riber’s grip, but she couldn’t, he held her tight and made her turn to see him.
“I haven’t finished yet,” said Riber trying to sound hard.
“Oh No? And you want to keep insulting me more?” said Lisa trying to hide the tears that fill her eyes.
“I don’t… I know that you are so much more than a spoiled child, that you are more than this rebellious and odious girl that you appear to be” said Riber, making Lisa freeze, she was breathless and looking at him in the eyes.
“How do you now that?” asked Lisa after a few moments.
“Because I’ve seen you… I’ve seen you when you haven’t seen me and I could see that you are a much more valuable person and more fragile than what you show” said Riber and now he was the one avoiding Lisa’s gaze. “I’ve seen in it in your eyes” said Karl and looked at her deep in the eyes and he flushed a little.
“In my eyes?” said Lisa and looked at Karl in the eyes and slowly everything that was around them start to fade.
“Yes, in your beautiful green eyes, they say a lot more than what you can imagine,” said Karl and he started to fall into the charm that Lisa’s eyes played over him. Without notice they found themselves kissing, tenderly under the stars light and the soft air of the night.
The separated from each other and remained looking at each other, still lost in the eyes of the other, when suddenly they heard a voice.
“Lisa, Riber, here you are, I was looking for you” said Lisa’s father coming closer to them.
“Yes Sir, here we are” said Karl still looking at Lisa.
“Lisa why don’t you come in, they are offering the first waltz in my honor and it would be nice if you were there”
“Yes Dad” said Lisa and slowly turned away her eyes from Karl and looked at her father.
“In fact I’m going to dance with your mother and maybe it would be a good idea that you dance with Riber” said Lisa’s father.
“What?” asked Lisa in a scream, pretending that she was upset.
“Please Lisa, only for this time, would you?” said Lisa’s father afraid that she would make a scene.
“But Dad” protested Lisa.
“Lisa” said her father with an authoritarian voice.
“All right, but it would be the first and the last time. Is that clear?” said Lisa with no enthusiasm looking at Karl from the corner of her eyes.
“Fine, fine” said Lisa’s father and started to walk back to the room.
“Shall we?” asked Karl offering his arm to Lisa. He couldn’t avoid a smile; he knew perfectly well what Lisa was doing.
“Fine” said Lisa and took Karl’s arm with no interest.
“I promise I won’t step on your foot, if that’s why you are worried,” said Karl bending a little to talk into Lisa’s ear and smiling.
“Is not that,” said Lisa stubborn, looking at him haughtily.
“OK” said Karl smiling and they entered the room.
“It’s just that I haven’t danced a waltz before,” said Lisa ashamed and almost in a whisper.
“Then you’ll have to trust in your father’s presumptuous and displeasing new aide to guide you,” said Karl smiling and with a glow in his eyes, making Lisa flush. She had named him like that in front of her mother, but she never imagined that he had heard her. Karl noticed immediately Lisa’s reaction and came closer to her.
“Trust me, ok?” said Karl and put tenderly his hand over Lisa’s hand that was resting on his arm, Lisa was breathless immediately and the butterflies in her stomach were even stronger.
“I..” said Lisa almost stutter.
“You only have to listen to the music and let me guide you” said Karl smiling and realizing Lisa’s arm, so he could take the dance position “They said that the trick is to look at your partner’s eyes”
“But if I look at you in the eyes, then I can’t look at your feet and I’m going to step on you and make us look ridiculous” said Lisa worried. Probably if she wasn’t as nervous as she was she would have noticed that Karl’s hands were shaking just like hers.
“I’ll never let you look ridiculous” said Karl serious, trying to calm her. “Do you trust me?” asked Karl and came closer to Lisa carefully. She only nodded her head and took his hand with strength and they started to dance. They looked at each other’s eyes, always straight in the other’s eyes, and suddenly all the people that were in the room started to disappear and there was just the two of them dancing, nobody or nothing else, looking into the other’s eyes.
******************************************************************

I was so scared dancing, I felt that my heart was leaving my rib cage” said Lisa.
“And I, I have never danced in front of so many people”
“But for some reason, I knew that everything would be alright if I trusted in you”
“And I knew that if I looked at you in the eyes everything would be fine”
“You think that my father saw us kissing?” asked Lisa and sat straight up to look at Karl.
“I don’t know, I remember that in that moment I wasn’t worried, but later in the night I couldn’t sleep, it scared me to death the idea that your father would send me away to keep me from being close to you” said Karl kissing Lisa’s hair.
“I couldn’t stop thinking about how it was possible that you had noticed all those things only looking at me”
“Well I spent several hours looking at you while you played the piano, hiding behind the door that connected the room with your father’s office”
“Do you remember how ashamed we where the next Monday?” asked Lisa in good mood.
“Sure, we were like a half an hour sitting on the couch unable to talk”
“Or look at each other, I remembered that I was red as a tomato when you said hi to me”
“And my hands wouldn’t stop sweating, I remember that I never felt so much like an idiot because the only thing that I could talk about was the weather”
“Yes! And we ended up talking about the fauna conservation plans in Australia” said Lisa laughing.
“True, about the poor Kangaroos and Koalas” said Karl laughing too.
“But finally we could talk” said Lisa timidly.
“We could sit in the living room in front of the piano and talk for hours”
“And about so many different things” said Lisa with a smile.
“There was nothing I liked better than sitting there, in front of the piano and listening to you play, I could be sitting there for hours, only looking at you”
“And I loved to be there with you” said Lisa with a smile.
“Those were the most happy moments in my life” said Karl and kissed Lisa.
“And from mine, everything else stopped to exist and there were just you and me in front of the piano” said Lisa and held Karl again.
“Do you remembered your famous piano concert?” asked Karl.
“Of course I do, I still feel guilty” said Lisa and started to flush.

******************** Flash back **************************
“But Karl, you can’t not go” said Lisa standing in front of Karl, in the middle of the gardens of her house, with sadness.
“But I can’t go, I have to be at the base”
“But Karl it’s my first concert, you can’t do this to me”
“Lizie, there is nothing else I want more than be there with you, but I can’t”
“You helped me in all this, you gave the courage to give the concert, you can’t fail” said Lisa as she felt that a knot was forming in her throat.
“You alone have the courage to do that concert and a lot more things” said Karl and caressed Lisa’s face.
“But I want you there, I want you to be with me” said Lisa and looked at Karl in the eyes with sadness.
“But I can’t, I have orders to stay on the base Lizie and you know how things in the army are” said Karl and with every word that he said he felt how his heart broke because he was failing her.
“Yes I know” said Lisa and made a sob “but I still want you there with me”
“Lizie” said Karl with tenderness and held her “you know that if it depended on me I’d be at the concert at all costs, but I can’t” said Karl with sadness.
“I know” said Lisa and held Karl “I know that you would do everything that you could”
“But even though I’ll not be there in body I’ll be there, I’ll be on the base thinking about how amazed everybody will be when they listen to you play the piano”
“And I’ll be playing for you” said Lisa looking at Karl in the eyes “only for you”
“You see, it’s not that bad,” said Karl smiling and taking Lisa’s face in his hands.
“No, but I still prefer that you be by my side” said Lisa.
“I love you,” said Karl.
“And I love you too,” said Lisa and they kissed.

The day of the concert Lisa was ready to climb up on the stage, with her dress and hair ready, but she was very nervous. It was the first time that she played in public and she felt a knot in her stomach and her hands were shaking as she was waiting for her name to be called.
“Lizie” said a tired voice, making Lisa turn immediately and she found Karl there, dress in uniform and standing there trying to recover his breath, exhausted.
“Karl” said Lisa and ran to his side, when she was near to him, they hid behind a curtain “You came” said Lisa and smiled, holding Karl with strength.
“Of course I came, I couldn’t not be here,” said Karl holding Lisa.
“But how did you do it? How did they let you out?” asked Lisa still holding him and looking at him in he eyes.
“They didn’t, I escaped” said Karl shrinking his shoulders a little ashamed.
“But Karl if they catch you…” said Lisa worried but Karl interrupted her.
“They won’t” said Karl putting a soft finger over Lisa’s mouth to shut her up. “But I only can stay for a few moments, only to watch you play, after that I have to run to the base so they don’t catch me”
“Karl no, you better leave, I don’t want you to be reprimanded because of me, at least you came and that’s more than enough to make me happy, really I don’t want anything bad to happen to you” said Lisa worried.
“Nothing bad is going to happen, now you get up on that stage and bring it on,” said Karl with a smile.
“Are you sure?” ask Lisa still worried.
“Of course I am, I won’t leave until I hear your piano solo,” said Karl taking one of Lisa’s hands and looking at her in the eyes only like he could do it, calming her immediately.
“And it will be only for you” said Lisa and suddenly she heard a voice calling her name.
“Go, they are calling you,” said Karl with a sweet smile.
“I think so,” said Lisa and Karl came closer to her and gave her a kiss on her forehead. She started to walk to the stage when suddenly Jeffrey appeared, he was the man in charge of her father’s security and officer of the Military Police.
“Miss Hayes It’s your turn to…” Jeffrey was saying when he saw Karl. “Riber, What are you doing here?”
“I came, because…”
“Because my father called him” said Lisa seriously.
“But weren’t you ordered to stay on the base?”
“But the Admiral asked me to come here specially to help his daughter” said Karl and when Lisa wasn’t looking at him he winked to Jeffrey.
“Certainly, I had forgotten” said Jeffrey and then turned to Lisa “They are waiting for you Miss Hayes”
“I’m coming” said Lisa and smiled and started to walk again to the stage. She disappeared behind the curtain, but not before turning to watch Karl, who smiled at her and winked, making her smile too. Finally she listened to her presentation on the microphone.
“The admiral didn’t call you, did he?” said Jeffrey when Lisa couldn’t hear them.
“No” said Karl ashamed.
“You know that it is my duty to report that you escaped from the base”
“I know and thank you for not doing it in front of the Admiral’s daughter”
“You have nothing to thank me for” said Jeffrey and then grabbed his radio and informed to military police that he was with Riber.
************************************************************
“I spent two days in jail and had only bread and water for escaping from the base” said Karl smiling.
“I’m so sorry, but I swear that Jeffrey had believed my lie, if I had known that they had taken you into custody I would have made my father act in your favor”
“But if you had known that your piano solo wouldn’t have been as wonderful as it was”
“But you couldn’t listen to it”
“I only heard half before Military Police arrived and that was enough”
“I’m still surprised the fact that you escaped from the base only for me”
“I’m capable of that and a lot of more things for you, you know that” said Karl shrinking his shoulders
“Karl” said Lisa with tenderness and caressed his face “and me for you”
“There are so many things that I should have done for you”
“What do you mean?” asked Lisa looking at him straight into his eyes, she could see clearly the sadness and the remorse in Karl’s eyes, she knew that there would pass a long time until he could forgive himself for leaving to go to Mars.
“There are so many moments in which I should have been there by your side and I wasn’t. Moments where my selfishness was bigger than my love for you” said Karl completely ashamed and with his voice breaking.
“That’s a lie Karl you always were there when I needed you, you were there at the most important moments of my life” said Lisa and she felt how a knot was forming in her throat too.
“Lisa, I left, I left you alone, you know that I wasn’t there when you needed me the most” said Karl avoiding looking at her.
“Don’t say that” said Lisa and took Karl’s face in her hands forcing him to look at her “You where there when I needed you the most” said Lisa with firm voice but Karl was avoiding looking at her in the eyes.
“Karl look at me” said Lisa and this time he did look at her in the eyes and they both had their eyes full of tears “Or you don’t remember what happen with my mother?”

********************** Flash back*****************************
Karl ran to the entrance of the military hospital, the rain was falling copiously and he had been running for about 30 minutes around the military hospital trying to find the annex entrance to intensive care unit. He only was wearing his uniform jacket so he was starting to get wet from head to toe, but that didn’t matter, he needed to find the entrance at all costs. Suddenly there she was, there was his Lizie, in front of a window with her eyes lost in the rain, more pale than usual and with an aura of sadness around her.
Karl was 50 meters away from the window and he started to look around trying desperately to find the entrance to the place where she was and then it happened, Lisa’s gaze fixed on him, and her eyes brightened. Lisa came closer to the window, to make sure that what she was seeing was real and not some hallucination and to make sure that Karl really was standing there in the rain. She separated quickly from the window and started to run towards the exit, to her father’s surprise.
Karl finally had found something that seamed to be the entrance and had started to walk to there. He needed to see Lisa and he no longer cared if Lisa’s father found out that they were dating, he knew perfectly well that she needed him right now more than ever and he wouldn’t let her down.
“Karl” he hears a soft voice that was calling him and he turned immediately to find Lisa there, standing in the rain with no more clothes on than her skirt and a blouse, her hair more dark than usual because of the rain that had her completely wet.
“Lizie” said Karl with difficulty when he saw Lisa like this, he felt the pain that she was feeling and that hurt him.
“Karl, it’s so..” said Lisa and started to run in his direction and him to her, and when they met they held each other tight. “It’s so good that you are here, you don’t know how much I have wished that you would come, you don’t know how much I need you” said Lisa almost choking with the words and holding him with more strength.
“I know honey, forgive me for not been here before” said Karl and then he kissed Lisa’s forehead “Forgive me for not being here before”
“It’s not your fault, I know that you are still punished for escaping from the base” said Lisa and looked at him in the eyes “Besides you are here now”
“And I won’t leave, I won’t leave you alone” said Karl and held Lisa tight in his arms.
“I need you so much, I.. I feel so safe when I’m with you” said Lisa with a soft voice that was starting to break.
“And I’ll always be here, always” said Karl holding Lisa with strength trying to absorb her pain. trying with that hug to protect her. They stayed like that in the rain, until Karl noticed that she had started to shiver.
“Lizie, you are shivering” said Karl and rubbed a little Lisa’s arms to give her warmth.
“I don’t care” said Lisa with her eyes full of tears “I’m so scared Karl, my mom is…” Lisa tried to continue but the knot on he throat wouldn’t let her.
“It’s okay honey, I’m here” said Karl and held her again and Lisa broke to tears in his arms.
“Lisa” said Lisa’s father a few meters away from them, covered with his coat and with Lisa’s coat in his hands
“Dad” said Lisa cleaning her tears and separating from Karl
“Admiral” said Karl a little scared.
“Put your coat on, you are all wet” said Lisa’s father seriously. Lisa came closer to him and grabbed the coat and put it on.
“ Admiral I came as soon as I knew what happened to Mrs. Hayes…” Karl was saying but Lisa’s father interrupted him.
“I know Riber, thanks” said Lisa’s father now a littler softer than before. Then Karl could see better and noticed how worried and emaciated he was.
“You know that you can count on me for anything Sir” said Karl honestly, from his heart.
“Thank you” said Lisa’s father and bent down his head and then he added “In fact why don’t you take Lisa to the house.”
“But dad I don’t want to leave” protested Lisa.
“Sweetie you are completely wet, it’s better that you go home and change your clothes and get some sleep, you can come back on the morning” said Lisa’s father walking to her.
“But I don’t want to, I don’t want to leave mom alone” protested Lisa again with her eyes full of tears
“Lisa if you stay you are going to catch a cold, you can come back tomorrow early and watch your mother then” said Lisa’s father and put one hand on her shoulder.
“But dad…” said Lisa but her father interrupted her.
“Please Lisa” said Lisa’s father with a voice that she had never heard from him before. It was like her father was giving up and that broke her heart.
“Alright” said Lisa softly, trying to avoid looking at her father.
“Fine, I told the driver that came for you” said Lisa’s father and separated a few steps from her. Lisa immediately turned to see Karl who was looking at her but without knowing what to do.
The vehicle arrived a few moments later and Lisa’s father said goodbye to her with a hug and Lisa got into the car, as Karl held the door for her.
“Riber” said Lisa’s father and moved away from the car.
“Yes sir” said Karl when he was by his side.
“I…, you see, Lisa’s mother is very sick and Lisa is very affected by all this. I know that your presence is very important for her, and I don’t want ..”
“Sir if you are thinking that I’ll take some kind of advantage of all this, you are wrong, I’m in love with Lisa” said Karl and only a few seconds later he realized what he had said and couldn’t avoid to feel a little bit scared.
“I was going to say that I don’t want you leave her alone. I was going to ask you to support her now, because I don’t know if I’m going to be able to” said Lisa’s father looking at the ground.
“Well, you don’t need to ask me that Sir, I have no intention of leaving her alone” said Karl taking value from some hidden place that he didn’t know he had.
“Thanks” said Lisa’s father and put one hand over Karl’s right shoulder and then gave him a little hit “I know that you never let my daughter down, just like I also know that you’re in love with her just like she is with you”
“Sir?” asked Karl surprised.
“I have eyes, don’t I?” said Lisa’s father and started to walk away “I trust in you Riber, don’t leave her alone tonight” he added.
“I won’t” said Karl and after a few moments he got into the car where Lisa was waiting for him and he sat by her side. Once there he took her hand and the vehicle started to move.
They arrived at Lisa’s house and Karl went to the kitchen while she went to her room, after a few moments he knocked on her door.
“Come in” said the soft voice of Lisa and Karl opened the door. He found Lisa sitting on the couch near the window, with a picture of her mother in her hands. Lisa was wearing her pajamas and a robe and her hair was still wet
“I brought you some tea, it will be good for you” said Karl leaving the tray on a small table near to the door.
“Thanks” said Lisa and took the mug that Karl offered to her as he sat next to her on the ground.
“Are you cold?” he asked with tenderness. She only denied with her head and after a few moments she grabbed Karl’s hand with strength.
Karl stood up and left his mug on the ground; he took Lisa’s mug from her hands and sat by her side and held her.
“Mom is very sick Karl, Dad hasn’t wanted to tell me, but I hear him talking with the doctors, maybe…”
“Shhh” said Karl and held her tight “Everything will be ok, Lizie, the best doctors are treating your mother, you don’t have to be worried” said Karl and kissed her on the forehead.
“I’m scared Karl” said Lisa and the tears started to fall from her cheeks.
“I know honey, I know” said Karl and he felt how his eyes were full of tears too.
“If Mom dies I..” Lisa was saying but she broke into tears and Karl held her even tighter.
“Don’t say that, your Mom will be home earlier than what you can imagine” said Karl and kissed Lisa on her forehead with tenderness, but she started to get away from him.
“I don’t want you to see me like this” said Lisa wiping her tears.
“Don’t be silly Lizie, there’s nothing wrong in crying” said Karl holding her with strength.
“But you are going to think that I’m still a spoiled child” said Lisa between sobs.
“I’ll never think that” said Karl and held her and kissed her on the forehead again, this time she held him again and started to cry in his arms.
Lisa cried a long time, until she finally calmed down, but she stayed holding Karl until she fell asleep. When he realized that Lisa had fallen asleep, he took her in his arms and put her on the bed and covered her well and with care so he wouldn’t wake her. Finally he sat on the couch in front of the bed and stayed there watching her, until he fell asleep too.
Suddenly in the middle of the night the phone rang. It woke him up with a jump and he ran to answer it, to avoid that it might wake Lisa up.
“Admiral Hayes house” said Karl half-asleep.
“Yes, I am” said Karl a little bit worried.
“What?” said Karl and his face change completely.
“Yes sir, don’t worry Sir, I tell her Sir” said Karl and then hung up the phone. He was pale and felt that some cold sweat was running from his forehead, finally he fell over the couch and waited there until Lisa woke up.
The rays of sunshine entered the room through the curtains and arrived straight onto Lisa’s face, making her wake up slowly. First she turned and covered her face with the sheets, but finally she rubbed her eyes several times and emerged from the sheets to find Karl sitting on the couch looking at the ground.
“Hi” said Lisa a little ashamed and trying to fix her hair.
“Hi” said Karl with a lost voice, a voice that Lisa noticed immediately and her heart started to beat a little bit faster. Karl stood up and sat next to her on the bed.
“How did you sleep?” asked Karl and tenderly he put some hair of Lisa’s behind her ear.
“What happen Karl?” asked Lisa with fear.
“Lisa, I… I want you to know that I love you” said Karl taking Lisa’s face in his hands and looking at her in the eyes
“Karl you are scaring me, What’s going on?” asked Lisa when she noticed something strange in Karl’s eyes- sadness, fear.
“Lisa last night, at dawn” said Karl with difficulty.
“What happen last night at dawn?” asked Lisa and her hands started to shake. A cold feeling invaded her and a cold shiver ran through all of her body.
“Lizie, last night..” said Karl and swallowed some saliva and looked at Lisa in the eyes with his eyes full of tears “Last night your mom” said Karl and immediately he noticed the fear in her eyes and how the tears started to fill her eyes. “Your mom… your mom died last night Lizie” said Karl as the tears started to run through his face and Lisa looked at him with her eyes wide open, without the ability to react.
“My mom?” was all that Lisa could say before jumping over Karl crying, they both stayed there crying.
***********************************************************

Lisa was holding Karl and the tears ran down her cheeks as he held her with strength and sank his nose in her hair, with his eyes full of tears.
“You were there when I needed you the most Karl, never say again that you weren’t there” said Lisa looking at Karl in the eyes with tears still falling from her eyes.
“I told you then and I’m telling you now, I love you” said Karl and wiped Lisa’s tears “and I don’t think that will ever change”
“I love you too Karl and that will never change” said Lisa and came closer to him. Karl ordered her hair to look at her in the eyes, and they came even closer, to find themselves sharing a kiss soft and tender that reaffirmed the love that they felt. It was a kiss full of love that lasted until they both needed to breathe again and stayed there resting their lips on to the other.
“You know something” said Karl after kissing Lisa’s forehead with his lips still on her forehead.
“What?” asked Lisa resting her head on Karl’s shoulder
“I could stay like this forever, I couldn’t think of any other thing that I would want” said Karl and Lisa only smiled and flushed a little.
“I love how you look when you flush” said Karl with a smile.
“Really?” asked Lisa looking at him.
“Oh yeah, your cheeks turn red just here,” he said and touched with his finger tips the upper part of Lisa’s cheek, “and your nose shrinks a little bit here” he said and touched Lisa’s nose with his “and you bend you chin to your neck” said Karl and raised Lisa’s chin, that was neat to her neck, because Lisa was completely red. When he took Lisa’s chin with his hand Karl made her look at him in the eyes.
“You are making me flush” said Lisa smiling.
“Didn’t I tell you that I love to see you flush?” said Karl and then kissed her again.
“Don’t you think sometimes that you are dreaming?” asked Lisa looking at Karl and she felt like she was floating.
“Dreaming? Sometimes I think I died on Mars and now I’m in heaven”
“Don’t say that” said Lisa making a grin and separating a little from him.
“Being here with you after all these years on Mars only dreaming I would find you again, this is heaven for me” said Karl and suddenly he stood up in a rush
“What are you doing?” said Lisa sitting at the edge of the couch as Karl was checking the CDs that were near the CD player.
“I’m looking for a song” said Karl as he continued his search.
“Tell me what song are you looking for and I’ll find it” said Lisa and stood up.
“Oh no, it’s a surprise” said Karl and continued his search until he stood up in a jump “here it is” he said with a box in his hand and with a winning expression on his face. He put the CD in the CD player and a few moments later they started to hear the music

Oh - thinkin' about all our younger years
There was only you and me
We were young and wild and free

Karl started to walk towards Lisa and when he was close enough he made a reverence and offered her his hand so they could dance, making Lisa smile and take his hand carefully.

Now nothin' can take you away from me
We've been down that road before
But that's over now
You keep me comin' back for more

Lisa crossed her hands behind Karl’s neck and Karl took Lisa by her waist with the arm that he could move, they looked into each other’s eyes and then Lisa let her head rest on his shoulder and Karl sank his nose into her hair.

Baby you're all that I want
When you're lyin' here in my arms
I'm findin' it hard to believe
We're in heaven

Karl started to sing the song softly into Lisa’s ear, making her smile and give him a tender kiss in his chin.

And love is all that I need
And I found it there in your heart
It isn't too hard to see
We're in heaven

Lisa raised her face from Karl’s shoulder and looked at him in the eyes, then she started to sing the song too, always looking at him in the eyes and they both had a glow in their eyes, they both seamed to shimmer.

Oh - once in your life you find someone
Who will turn your world around
Bring you up when you're feelin' down

Now they both were singing the song, as they were dancing in Lisa’s living room, always looking at each other and smiling. There were the two of them nobody else or anything around them, nothing else mattered, there were only the two of them.

Ya - nothin' could change what you mean to me
Oh there's lots that I could say
But just hold me now
Cause our love will light the way

Baby you're all that I want
When you're lyin' here in my arms
I'm findin' it hard to believe
We're in heaven

And love is all that I need
And I found it there in your heart
It isn't too hard to see
We're in heaven

Karl took his hands away from Lisa’s waist and took her face carefully in his hands, as she stopped singing and bit her lower lip, she felt that her heart was beating crazily and that she was completely nervous.

I've bin waitin' for so long
For somethin' to arrive
For love to come along

Lisa removed her hands from Karl’s neck and put them softly on his face. They started to come closer slowly, to the point that were sharing a kiss full of love, mixed with a little bit of passion as they remained dancing and Lisa running her fingers through Karl’s hair and he holding her tight.

Now our dreams are comin' true
Through the good times and the bad
Ya - I'll be standin' there by you

Baby you're all that I want
When you're lyin' here in my arms
I'm findin' it hard to believe
We're in heaven

And love is all that I need
And I found it there in your heart
It isn't too hard to see
We're in heaven

They broke the kiss when they needed air, then Karl came closer to her and touched her nose with his and then gave her a soft kiss on the corner of her mouth.
“There’s no place in the world that I’d rather be than here with you now” said Lisa and held him tight. They looked into each other’s eyes and kissed again.
They fell on the couch and held one another. Karl covered Lisa with a blanket that was on the couch and they continued to listen to music until Karl started to sing again in Lisa’s ear the song that was playing.
Karl had sent her the lyrics of the song in the first letter that he had sent her from Mars and it had become immediately one of the many songs that they shared.

Tengo que irme ya, abrázame.
Nada más llegar te llamaré.
Déjame marchar, no llores más.
Túmbate otra vez, te dormirás.

Karl took some of Lisa’s hair and he put it behind her ear as he kissed her on the corner of her forehead and rested his chin on Lisa’s head as she sank her head on his chest.
Te he dejado atrás y pienso en ti
Oigo “adiós amor” caer sobre mí.
Quiero irme de allí, no puedo escapar.
Necesito volverte a abrazar.
Lisa Inevitably held Karl closer and he did the same.
Ven, cálmate no llores más,
si cierras los ojos verás que sigo junto a ti,
que no me iré sin besar
una de esas lágrimas que van desde tu cara al mar,
la vida viene y va y se va...
Salgo del portal, quiero morir.
Tú en la habitación, llorando por mí.
Tú me has hecho tan feliz que siempre estaré
a tu lado, cuidando de ti.
Karl whispered the lyrics of the song with so much honesty that Lisa was sure that he would always be by her side, just like she would be at his.
Ven, cálmate no llores más,
si cierras los ojos verás que sigo junto a ti,
que no me iré sin besar
una de esas lágrimas que van desde tu cara al mar,
la vida viene y va y se va...

As Karl sang the last word of the song, Lisa remembered the last time that she had seen him on Earth and held him tight.

************************************ Flash back *********************************
Lisa had escaped from school, today was the day that Karl’s ship was to take off and take him to Mars and she needed to see him one last time, before they were reunited on Mars.
So she had escaped from the backyard of her school and took the bus that left her near home. There she entered the property and took one of her father’s cars and went to the base were the take off would take place. As she drove to the base she checked the security pass that Jeffrey had gotten for her so she could enter the base. She had begged and cried to Jeffrey so he would get her the passes without her father’s knowledge and just the day before Jeffrey had given her the passes telling her that she had to be careful because if her father found out he would kill him.
She had entered the base with no problem and now was looking for the observation room or the connection passage where the crew would pass, but she hadn’t any luck, she had arrived late. The crew was already on the ship and the engines had already made ignition, she couldn’t see him one last time.
Karl came closer to the ship’s window, he had the hope of seeing Lisa one more time before he left, to see her one more time, but it hadn’t happen, probably Lisa’s father hadn’t let her come. Probably he was still mad at him because he was leaving for Mars. Lisa was the only thing that he would miss on Earth when he was on Mars. The only thing- if only he could take her with him. Karl continued looking through the window and something caught his attention, a spot standing near to the take off runway. A spot dressed in blue, with a Scottish skirt and a jacket. Then a smile filled his face, it was her, she had come to say goodbye to him, Lisa was standing near to the take off runway in her school uniform. And the eyes of Karl started to fill with tears when he remembered the sadness in Lisa’s eyes when he had told her that he would leave. Even when she had made all the efforts, that night she had broken down in tears and he hated himself for that, for making her suffer. But it was the best for both, they both would reunite on Mars and they would be happy, in peace, away form all the death and war.
Lisa looked at the ship, but she couldn’t distinguish a thing, she only sees little squares that were the ship’s windows, but she couldn’t see anything else. How she wanted to see his face one more time before he left, to kiss him one more time. But it was too late, he would leave to Mars leaving her alone, but she knew it was for the best, she knew that Karl wouldn’t survived living on Earth with so much death, war and devastation. But she would reunite with him, they would reunite on Mars and they would be happy there, only the two of them, nobody else.
The engines started to increased the power and the ground started to shake a little, the ship was ready to take off and then from a window somebody was waving to Lisa, from one of the low level windows, near the engines. It was Karl who was there, Lisa had seen him again before he left and she couldn’t hold the tears that start to fall across her face. She felt that one part of her was leaving with Karl on that ship, that part of her heart was leaving to Mars.
Karl looked at her with attention, her uniform skirt was moving because of the wind caused by the engines and her hair along with her tears was floating on the air. He felt his own eyes full of tears, his heart stayed on Earth with her, and only when she arrived on Mars he would be completely happy.
The ship started to move, to rise from the ground and Karl came even closer to the window, to keep seeing Lisa. But suddenly all that he could see were the stars around him, he was in space and now he only had to wait a couple of years until she would be by his side.
Lisa saw the ship take off and stood there in the middle of the runway, paralyzed, Karl had left and now she would only live to see him again.
***********************************************************************************************
“Finally we are together, it took us almost eight years, but we are finally together” said Lisa looking at Karl.
“Eight years is too much time” said Karl with a broken voice kissing Lisa’s forehead.
“I know but now we have a lifetime ahead, don’t we?”
“Yes we do” said Karl and held her tight.
“What time do you think it is?” asked Lisa cuddled on the couch.
“Late, I don’t know and don’t care.”
“Me neither,” said Lisa with a sleepy voice and cuddled even more next to Karl to fall sleep a few moments later. Karl stood there holding her until he finally decided to get up from the couch. He accommodated Lisa as best as he could and covered her well.
He looked at her for a few moments and bent down in front of her, giving her a kiss in her forehead “I love you” he said. As he ordered some of Lisa’s hair that was covering her face, he caressed softly the lines of her face and left to the bedroom, where he fell asleep between memories.

To be continued………..

Author’s note:
The name of the songs is
“Heaven” Bryan Adams
“Adiós” la oreja de van Gogh
The details that appear on the flash backs are in part true information that I recollect of Riber from Robotech and from Macross, because there isn’t too much information about him on Robotech, so I have to mix the information from Robotech with the info from Macross and invent a little too. So obviously there are thing that do not match with Robotech timeline, but I do the best that I could.
About the timeline, here is my own timeline about Lisa’s life, for me Lisa has about 15 when she and Riber kiss for the first time, 16 by the time that her mother die, 17 when Riber left to Mars, she enter to the officer academy when she was 18 and just turn 19 when she was informed that everybody on Sara base has died, she graduated at 20 years old and the 23 when she was assigned to the sdf-1.
Ok that’s all I hope you like it and I’ll be waiting for your reviews on my mail Jo_Anderson19ATyahoo.com and in the forum