Author: Jo
Title: Dreams Don’t Always Come True
Disclaimer: of course I don’t own any of the original characters of robotech but I do own some characters that will appear in the future.
Authors note: this fic came to my mind very late at night, so I hope it sound coherent to you, the idea also came to me because I have spent too much time writing a happy fic (Can a second chance change it all?) so I need the angst, what can I say, I love angst.
To: Especially to K71, thank you so much for be my beta for this one too, really thank you, thank you, thank you. Also for Carla and all the people from the forum
Replies: sure, I’ll be waiting for them!!! Jo_anderson19ATyahoo.com

Dreams Don’t Always Come True
Chapter Two
“Separated Routes”

Rick was with Minmei having breakfast. He was drinking some coffee and pretending to listen to what she was saying when in reality he had just turned off the side of his brain that listened to her. It was pointless, all that she ever talked about was herself, and right now he had more important things on his mind.
“Rick” said the annoyed voice of Minmei. “Rick!!” she almost yelled.
“Yeah,” said Rick confused.
“You weren’t listening to me,” she said putting one of her arms on her waist.
“Sorry Minmei, I got distracted,” said Rick a little ashamed.
“Rick” she said with a soft voice, taking Rick’s hands, “I was thinking.”
“Really?” thought Rick and then looked at her like he was paying attention to her “About what Minmei?”
“About us. How our relationship was before I became a celebrity,” said Minmei without looking at him “Those where good times don’t you think?”
“Yes they were,” said Rick honestly.
“All the dreams that I had then became true except the one that I had for us, Rick,” she said and held his hand tight. Rick only looked at her intrigued.
“I dreamt that we would always be together, that we would be happy, that we would start a family,” said Minmei and then she looked at him, with her eyes open wide, trying to look innocent. But the word family for Rick was like someone had given him a punch in the stomach, so he sat up straight.
“And I think it’s time to make that dream true Rick. Why don’t we get married?” Minmei asked without truly meaning it. She had seen the possibility of losing Rick when she had read Lisa’s letter. Recently Rick had been behaving strangely, so this was the best way to attach him to her. Even though she wasn’t sure that she wanted to marry him, she would not lose him to another woman. No one leaves Minmei.
“Get married?” said Rick terrified and he knew she had noticed, so he added “Are you sure, I mean really?” said Rick with a most soft voice.
“Yes, I can leave my career and you can leave the army and we’ll have the happy family that we always wanted,” said Minmei with her naïve voice as she took both of Rick’s hands.
“But Minmei, your career is your life” said Rick with surprise.
“Yes, but I’m tired of that” said Minmei annoyed.
“Get married?” said Rick more to himself as he released himself from Minmei’s hands and started to walk to the window. He didn’t want to get married to Minmei. These days that they had been together had made him realize that they would never be happy together. There was only one person with who he dreamt of getting married and that person wasn’t Minmei.
“Minmei” said Rick and looked at her “I have no doubt that you will be a great wife, and that you can make any man happy, but I don’t think that we are ready to get married..” Rick was saying, trying to sound nice.
“But why? Is there someone else?” asked Minmei almost angry.
“No, Minmei there’s no one else, it’s just that I don’t think I could leave the army.” That was a lie. He couldn’t leave Lisa for Minmei.
“But Rick” said Minmei faking a sob.
“Minmei,” said Rick and he held her, “are you truly ready to leave your career for me?” asked Rick looking her in the eyes. He knew what her answer would be.
“I.. I…I don’t know, but if you are ready to leave the army for me, I will” she said
“I… there are a lot of lives that depend on me” said Rick uncomfortably “I.. need time to think Minmei,” said Rick finally.
“Are you serious?” said Minmei upset.
“Yes, Minmei, this is just too fast, I haven’t seen you for like a year and now you want to get married?” said Rick and made a pause. “I just need time to think, please Minmei forgive me, but… please,” said Rick.
“Do you still love me?” asked Minmei and held him.
“Yes,” lied Rick without looking her in the eyes. He didn’t even know why he had said that, maybe because he didn’t want her to think that he had used her last night.
“Because I love you too” said Minmei and rested her head on his chest.
“I have to go,” said Rick releasing her.
“Where?”
“To the base, they paged me,” lied Rick again.
“But it’s a holiday”
“That’s how the army is Min,” said Rick.
“Then go, but come back soon,” she said and lifted her head to give him a kiss.
“I will” said Rick and moved his face and only kissed her on the forehead “Bye” he said and put his jacket on and left the house.

He didn’t have to go to the base; he had to go to see Lisa. He needed to talk with her, to tell her that he was sorry for how he had treated her. To tell her that he didn’t love Minmei anymore. He wasn’t ready yet to tell her that he loved her, he wanted to wait to tell her when the time was perfect. Not now that Minmei was living in his house, not now when they had just fought. For Lisa everything must be perfect.
He arrived at Lisa’s place, but everything was closed and her car wasn’t there. He knocked a few times and called her on her house phone and her cell phone but no one answered him. He was curious and checked in his pockets for his keys to Lisa’s house, but then he remembered that she had asked him for her keys when he had stood her up when they were supposed to go out on a picnic.
Rick felt angry with himself. He just couldn’t be such an idiot. He sat outside Lisa’s house for a while to wait for her, but she never showed up. He went to Claudia’s house hoping she would have some news about Lisa, but no one was there either. Then he remembered a conversation that he had heard between Lisa and Claudia one day when he was waiting for her. Claudia had planned to spend the first day of the New Year with her brother and she had invited Lisa to go with her. Probably that was where Lisa was now; she must be with Claudia and her brother’s family.
Finally he left Claudia’s house, with a heavy heart. He wanted to talk with Lisa, but she wasn’t there, so he would have to wait until tomorrow, and that seamed to be so much time to him.
He didn’t want to come back to his house, not with Minmei there. He didn’t want to hear her talk about marriage, so he went to the airfield and decided to go out on his plane.
He flew almost all day, until the night arrived. Then he went to visit Max and Miriya and to play a little with baby Dana. He left their house when baby Dana fell asleep, which wasn’t very early. Then he walked around the park and the city, passing again by Lisa’s house. There still wasn’t a light on and he was worried, but he said to himself that Claudia’s brother lived in another town and probably Lisa hadn’t arrived home yet.

After midnight he decided to go back to his house. He stood in front the door for a long time, until he finally entered. All the lights were turned off except for the light of his bedroom where Minmei was sleeping. He let out a sigh of relief and quietly took a blanket and a pillow and went to the living room. He would sleep on the couch. He didn’t feel capable of sleeping with Minmei, not after he had thought of Lisa all afternoon. He just couldn’t play with Minmei feelings; he didn’t love her anymore.

He woke up early in the morning, he had never felt so exited yet so terrified to go to work, not since the first time that he went on a combat mission on the SDF-1. He was dying to see Lisa, to tell her that all this time he had been blind, that Minmei wasn’t the love of his life, that he didn’t love her anymore, if he had ever truly loved her once. But along with the idea of seeing her was the fear that she may not want to listen to him. Or maybe because of his stupidity, she wouldn’t believe him or worse she may have gotten tired of him and his indecision and given up on him. Then he would lose her for good.
No, he didn’t want to think about that. He had all his hopes on the fact that she hadn’t given up on him, and that for one time in his life he would do things right.
But then there was the issue of Minmei. He wanted her out of his house, but she was also his friend and she was having a bad time. It was because she caused it, but a bad time in the end. And also without forgetting the issue that she had proposed to him. He smiled to himself while he put his uniform jacket on. Weeks ago he would have given his right arm for her to propose to him, and now all that he wanted was for her to leave him alone. “The ironies of life” he said to himself. He walked through the door, leaving a note to Minmei, telling her that he had to work, and that he wouldn’t come back home until late.
He walked out of his house and took a deep breath. The sun was shining outside, and it wasn’t a cold day. Maybe he could fix things with Lisa; maybe she would forgive him for being such a fool. Maybe today would be the best day of the rest of his life.

Rick arrived at the base and felt that something weird was happening. Everyone seemed to look at him strangely, but he didn’t know why. There was also this heaviness in the air as if something really bad had happen. But he had read the reports and there hadn’t been any big incident the day before. He was curious about what was happening, but his shift was about to start so he climbed up into his VT and put his helmet on. When the little screen turned on in his VT he was expecting to see Lisa, but a lost Sammie appeared instead of Lisa. She gave him the take off order with out paying too much attention to him, as if she was mad at him for something.
He finally took off. Probably Lisa was still angry with him and she had changed shifts like she had done lately every time that they had a big fight.
When his flight was over, he landed his VT and asked Sammie about Lisa. She looked at him with tears in her eyes and told him before cutting communication that Lisa had left.
“Left?” asked Rick to himself, “left to where?” he thought. Maybe Admiral Gloval had sent her to some special mission and that was the reason she wasn’t at her home yesterday. But where? And why hadn’t they sent him with her?
After writing his flight report, Rick went to the bridge area. He wanted to talk with Claudia or with The Trio and ask them about Lisa’s location. Somehow he had a bad feeling about it.
He arrived on the Bridge and there was only Vanessa and Kim.
“Hi ladies” he said cheerfully.
“Captain” said Kim coldly without even looking at him.
“Good afternoon” answered Vanessa as cold as Kim.
“Have you seen Lisa? Sammie told me that she had left,” said Rick carefully. The girls weren’t in a good mood and the last thing that he wanted to do was to piss off The Trio.
“Really? Because I hadn’t noticed,” said Kim sarcastically.
“Do you know where she went? I need to talk with her,” said Rick a little upset now. He had come here in a good mood and hadn’t done a thing to be treated like he had been.
“And why do you need to talk with her now? Don’t you have your gorgeous Miss Macross at home?” said Kim.
“Look I don’t know what your problem is, or what I have done, but all I’m asking you is to tell me where Lisa went.”
“She left,” said Vanessa between angry and sad.
“Yes I know, but where?”
“She left Macross” said Kim.
“To where? Admiral Gloval sent her on a mission, on vacation, where?” asked Rick, starting to get desperate.
“She’s gone,” said Vanessa biting her lower lip.
“I know that she’s gone but to where, where did she go?” asked Rick impatiently.
“She just left and we don’t know where,” said Kim angrily this time.
“You must know but you just don’t want to tell me,” said Rick between desperate and angry.
“She just left. What else do you want us to tell you,” said Kim upset, too.
“To tell me where she is!”
“We don’t know. Is that clear to you? We don’t have a clue where she is. Are you happy now?” Vanessa almost yelled while tears filled her eyes.
“Someone must know where she is, she couldn’t have just left,” said Rick as he started to feel a knot in his throat. Suddenly the bridge doors opened and Claudia appeared behind it, with the same sad face that the Trio had.
“Claudia, Claudia” said Rick running to her, “you must know where she is.”
“Rick,” said Claudia, caught off guard.
“Where is Lisa, Claudia? You must tell me,” said Rick grabbing Claudia by her arms.
“Rick calm down would you,” said Claudia surprised by Rick’s reaction. It was as if had just found out that Lisa had left.
“No, not until someone tells me what’s going on. What is all this about Lisa leaving,” said Rick, still holding Claudia by her arms.
“We can talk, but not here. The walls seem to have ears here,” said Claudia seriously and started to walk towards the exit. Rick followed her closely, waiting for her to stop. He was so nervous, so confused and so scared because of what was going on. He felt his heart was beating faster and now more than ever he needed to see Lisa.
Claudia stopped in front of one of the observation decks and opened the door. They went out to the balcony and Claudia rested her weight against the banister while she looked at the snowy Macross City.
Rick stood next to her and also looked at the city. Now he was having the same feeling that he had the night of New Years Eve. This cold, this emptiness, something was definitely wrong.
“Now we can talk,” said Claudia finally with a calm voice.
“Claudia I need an explanation, what is all this crap about Lisa leaving? Where did she go? Where is she?” asked Rick looking at Claudia.
“She left Rick.”
“Yeah, that’s all everybody keeps telling me, but where?” said Rick angrily. He was tired of everyone giving him the same answer.
“We don’t know. She left, Rick. Lisa left Macross City.”
“What?” said Rick and he felt that time had just froze. His head couldn’t process the information; he just couldn’t believe what he had heard.
“Yes Rick, but you already knew that.”
“Left to where? When? For how long?” asked Rick quickly because he could hardly breath.
Claudia looked at him curiously; it was as if he had never read Lisa’s letter, as if today he just found out that she left Macross because of him.
“We don’t know, all that we know is that she left.”
“But how? Why? I mean I don’t understand it,” said Rick and he felt that the knot that he had in his throat wouldn’t let him breath. He had to lie over the banister because he was getting dizzy.
“She explained everything in the letter,” said Claudia and made a pause. She noticed how affected Rick was and she found it somehow unbelievable. She could see that he was breaking. “She left on New Years Eve, without saying goodbye. She quit the army and left, no one knows to where or if she will ever come back,” continued Claudia.
“No, no” whispered Rick with pain in his voice. He grabbed Claudia by her arms again, “tell me that you are lying, that this is some kind of sick joke on me because of how mean I have been with Lisa! Please tell me anything but don’t tell me that she is gone” said Rick looking at Claudia with tears in his eyes, holding her with strength.
“Rick… I.. I’m sorry but that’s the truth…”
Rick only looked at her for some moments, like he was unable to move. Suddenly he released her and started to run.
“Rick, Rick wait!” said Claudia and she started to run after him, but he was to fast and she lost him in the middle of the people walking in the hall.

Rick ran, ran as fast as he could, not mattering to him if he crushed someone or not, all that he could think of was Lisa. That she couldn’t have left. Not without saying goodbye; not this way, not now.
He ran until he was outside her house. He searched Lisa’s house from the outside but everything was closed and while he walked around her house trying to find a way to let himself in, he was calling her on her cell phone, but no one answered and it went straight to the voice mail. He was desperate; he needed to find some kind of explanation. Then when he was at the back door, the kitchen door, he remembered Lisa’s emergency keys were under a flowerpot by her front door so he again ran to the front door and to his fortune he found the emergency keys there.
He entered Lisa’s house and everything was intact, nothing had been moved, but everything seemed so empty, so cold, so…. lonely. Lisa’s place wasn’t the warm, comfortable and lovely place that it had always been. The place where he felt safer than in any place. Now it was dark, it was… it was… she wasn’t there and everything seemed to mean so much less.
He walked to her bedroom and found everything in its place. He only had entered Lisa’s bedroom once, when she had a terrible cold and he had went to her house to give her some reports and some chicken soup he had made by himself. He saw some papers lying on the floor and some empty photo frames, but she wasn’t there, her perfume had disappeared from the atmosphere and now there was just the smell of emptiness in her house.
He fell onto Lisa’s bed and remained there for a while, without thinking, without moving. He still couldn’t understand what had happen, he couldn’t, he wouldn’t, he denied to understand it. Because that meant that he had lost her.
She had left, but to where? Why? Did the fact that Minmei was living in his house have something to do with it? Why, why hadn’t he seen it coming, why hadn’t he noticed how much he had hurt her?
And suddenly Claudia’s words came to his mind, “She explained everything in the letter.”
A letter. Lisa had left him a letter and he needed to find it. He stood up and ran to his house. He arrived at his place and immediately opened the mailbox but nothing was there. He checked his front yard, almost every inch, until he finally entered the house. Minmei was watching TV in the living room and she immediately noticed that he had entered. She stood up, now she was upset with him, he hadn’t shown up yesterday all day and today he had left early without even saying goodbye.
“Finally I see you,” she said angrily, but he didn’t even listen to her. He was checking the table that was at the entrance of the house where normally some mail was, but there was nothing. He checked the newspaper, on the floor, then he went to the kitchen and looked between some bills that were there, but there was no sign of Lisa’s letter.
“Rick I’m talking to you, Rick!” said Minmei following him, but again he didn’t even notice her, so she grabbed him by the arm “Rick!” she yelled, making him look at her.
“What?” said Rick upset.
“You are not paying attention to me, I’m talking to you!” she protested, looking at him with a frown.
“I’m busy Minmei, I’m looking for something.”
“What is it?” she asked upset. She couldn’t believe that something was more important than her.
“A letter, have you seen a letter? It must have arrived yesterday or the day before,” asked Rick with desperation, while he walked to the living room to search for the letter.
“No” said Minmei coldly. She now remembered the letter but she wouldn’t let him find out about it.
“Are you sure? You always pick up the mail,” said Rick as he searched for the letter.
“I haven’t seen a letter, besides yesterday was the first day of the new year, the mail didn’t run, you silly,” she said as she came closer to him and took Rick’s face to make him look at her.
“Minmei, this is an important letter,” said Rick, avoiding her.
“I’m sure it can wait” she said and gave him a kiss near his mouth and started to caress him behind his neck.
“Minmei, stop please,” said Rick trying to stop her.
“I have missed you,” she said softly in his ear while she kissed him on the line of his jaw.
“Minmei, that’s enough, I don’t have time for this, I need to find that letter,” said Rick stepping away from her, leaving her alone in the middle of the room.
“What’s the matter with you Rick?” said Minmei angrily, “I can’t believe that you are doing this to me. Do you have any idea of how many men would die to be in your shoes right now? Or do you think that I am like this Lisa Hayes?” said Minmei and she regretted what she had said at the same moment that she had said it.
“Excuse me?” said Rick slowly but in such a threatening way that it made her step back.
“I mean, I.. I’m not one of your soldier friends. I’m Minmei, I thought that I was special to you”
“What do you know about Lisa?” asked Rick suspiciously as he walked next to her
“Nothing. She is your friend. Isn’t she the one who used to clean your apartment?” she said with disdain.
“She is Captain Lisa Hayes, the brightest woman on the army, she is the most capable flight operator ever, she has designed combat strategies that are remarkable, she is.. she is…” Rick felt a knot in his throat. What if she was gone and he never saw her again “you wouldn’t understand..” said Rick sadly.
“What? Why I wouldn’t understand?” asked Minmei angrily.
“Forget it Minmei. Look, I just need to find this letter, so can we please talk later?”
“No, I will not wait” said Minmei and stood in front of Rick.
“But you will wait,” said Rick and walked away from her.
“I said no, you will not leave me here talking to myself Rick, come back!”
“You are not the center of the world you know? There are more important things than you,” said Rick pissed off.
Minmei was boiling from anger, she just couldn’t believe that he had said that. She tightened her jaw.
“And is this famous letter more important than me?” she asked still with her jaw tight.
“Yes,” answered Rick and put his back to her to start checking under the couch cushions.
“Fine, then stay here trying to find her stupid letter,” said Minmei and started to walk to the exit door.
“What did you say?” asked Rick as he stood up straight dropping one of the cushions.
“That you can stay here trying to find her stupid letter, I am not going to let you humiliate me,” said Minmei but as she finished the sentence she realized her deadly mistake.
“How do you know that she left me a letter?” asked Rick while he started to walk towards her with fire in his eyes.
“I… I… I guessed it was from her,” said Minmei stepping back.
“I don’t believe you Minmei,” said Rick looking her in the eyes, trying to control himself.
“Then that is your problem,” she said trying to sound fearless, but the fear was palpable in her voice.
“Where is the letter?” asked Rick grabbing her by her shoulders.
“I don’t know, I haven’t seen that letter.”
“I know that you have seen the letter, now tell me where it is,” asked Rick with his jaw tightened, trying to control his anger.
“I don’t know, now let me go, you are hurting me!”
“Not until you tell me where the letter is.”
“I haven’t seen that letter, now let me go,” she said trying to release herself from him.
“Don’t play with me Minmei. Now tell me, where the hell is it?” asked Rick, but Minmei didn’t answer, she was still trying to release herself from him, but he squeezed her shoulders with more strength “Where is the letter?”
“Let me go, let me go!” yelled Minmei. She was scared. She had never seen Rick like this before.
“I will not release you until you tell me where you put the letter. Where is it?” asked Rick shaking her.
“I burned it, ok? Are you happy now? I burned the stupid letter!” said Minmei when she finally escaped from Rick’s grasp.
Rick was paralyzed, he had heard what Minmei had said, but he just couldn’t believe it. All that Lisa had left for him had disappeared. He was beyond anger; he wanted to kill her.
“You did what?” asked Rick looking at her with a killer look.
“I burned it,” said Minmei softly while she hid herself behind the couch.
“You cannot have done that, you cannot,” said Rick and he tightened his jaw and hit the table that was near him with his fist “have done that” he continued.
“I did it, it’s done and you will never know what was on it!” said Minmei and Rick started to walk towards her. She stepped back until she couldn’t anymore because she was crushed against the fireplace.
“You… You…” said Rick barely, he was so angry that he couldn’t even speak “How could you? What gives you the right?” said Rick grabbing her by her elbows with more strength than before. He was completely mad. “Who the hell do you think you are? You..” Rick had to bite his tongue to not say what he was about to say and then he released her. “You get out of here, I don’t want to see you anymore, you better get out of here right now before I lose my self control and..” said Rick and put his back to her.
“But Rick” she said with her most naïve and innocent voice.
Rick started to walk in her direction and passed her by, he stopped at the exit door and said with his jaw tightened, “You better not be here when I come back or I will kick you out on the street,” he said and slammed the door behind him.

He ran to Lisa’s house, remembering the paper pieces that were on Lisa’s bedroom floor. Maybe he could find part of his letter, the only thing that she had left for him.
He entered Lisa’s house and went straight to her bedroom. Once he was there he bent down on his knees and picked up the pieces of paper that were on the floor.
He opened one and on it was written in Lisa’s handwriting..
“Dear Rick
I’m writing you this letter because….”

That was all that was there, the paper had been wrinkled and thrown to the floor.
Rick opened several papers but all they said was Rick, hi Rick, Captain Hunter or to Rick, but nothing else, and that broke him. He had nothing, nothing to explain to him why she had left, why she wasn’t there anymore. He remained on the floor with the pieces of paper in his hands; feeling that he was smaller and smaller as the time went by, feeling so empty.
Suddenly he heard a noise and got up immediately hoping Lisa had come back.
He ran through the living room, but all his hopes disappeared when instead of Lisa he only saw the Trio and Claudia.
“I can’t believe that we are doing this,” said Sammie with a broken voice.
“It’s better that we do this than regular RDF soldiers don’t you think?” said Kim.
“Yes I know, but it’s like she has died and we are cleaning her apartment,” said Sammie.
“But we will store her stuff until she comes back,” said Vanessa.
“Rick?” said Claudia when she saw him standing at the living room entrance with some papers in his hands and with the saddest look on his face.
“It ‘s you,” said Rick with a lost voice.
“Yes. What are you doing here?” asked Claudia.
“I came to see if I could find something to lead me to her.”
“Why do you care about her now?” asked Kim.
“Kim!” said Vanessa who had noticed Rick’s look.
“What are you doing here?” asked Rick.
“We came to pick up her things. Her apartment must be empty by the end of the week,” said Claudia.
“What?!” said Rick in disbelief.
“She asked us to pick up her things and that’s what we are doing,” said Sammie.
“But I can’t believe it, I can’t believe that you’re giving up on her like that. We have to find her.”
“She doesn’t want to be found, we are only doing what she asked us,” said Vanessa.
“This isn’t right, we can’t let her leave like this,” said Rick.
“She left you a letter, isn’t that enough for you to understand that she wanted to be alone, that you had hurt her enough?” asked Sammie.
“I never got the chance to read that letter, and that’s why I want to find her.”
“What do you mean that you never got the chance to read her letter?” asked Kim intrigued.
“Minmei burned the letter before I got the chance to read it, that’s why I need to find Lisa!” said Rick in desperation.
“She did what?” said Vanessa horrified.
“That bitch. I’ll kill her!!” said Kim with anger.
“Not if I get to her first,” said Sammie.
“That’s why I need to find her, because she left for all the wrong reasons,” said Rick.
“I don’t think that is the right thing to do, Lisa needs some time alone to think” said Claudia.
“Claudia is right, I mean two days ago you were fighting with her and telling whoever wanted to listen that you were happy with Minmei. I just don’t understand why this sudden interest in Lisa,” said Sammie.
“Because.. because she is important to me,” said Rick.
“That’s not enough reason, you have hurt her too much. If you really care for her, you should have seen how much she loves you,” said Vanessa.
“That’s more reason I need to find her, I need to explain to her all she means to me, that I have been a fool.”

“You have been the biggest fool ever. If she left Macross and all her life because of you, that’s even more reason for you to leave her alone and not chase after her,” said Kim.
“I agree with you. Lisa will come back when she is ready to come back, I don’t think that you will do any good going after her, you will only hurt her even more,” said Vanessa.
“Look Rick, I know that you may feel guilty because of all this but I don’t think that going after Lisa is the wise thing to do. She really needs time alone to heal her wounds,” said Claudia finally.
“Damn it!” said Rick hitting a mirror that was near him with his fist. His hand immediately started to bleed. “You aren’t listening to me. I love her! That’s why I need to find her. I have been a fool all this time and I won’t let her give up everything that she loves because of me. I won’t let her,” said Rick with a mixture between anger and sadness. The girls only looked at him, in shock by his reaction.
“Rick,” said Claudia softly, walking in his direction. When she was close enough she touched him on the shoulder. “Rick come here,” said Claudia and slowly she led Rick into Lisa’s bedroom and to the bathroom.
She opened one of the cabinets and took out of some gauze and some iodine to treat Rick’s wound.
“Leave it,” said Rick still a little pissed off.
“You are bleeding,” said Claudia seriously.
“I’ll be fine,” said Rick trying to walk away.
“Don’t be such a baby and play the role of tough guy, now sit here,” said Claudia with her angry voice making Rick step back and sit down.
Claudia finished treating his hand and said,
“Look Rick, I know that you feel guilty because of what happen, and in a way you should,” said Claudia softly. “And also the fact that you didn’t have the chance to read the letter that she left you has affected you. But acting like this will not help,” she made a pause and started to bandage his hand. “Lisa does need some time alone, and like I said before, you have to give her that space, you will not do any good running after her.”
“But Claudia, Lisa left because..”
“Because she thought that you didn’t love her, but are you really sure that you love her now?” asked Claudia looking at him hard in the eyes.
“Yes,” answered Rick with no hesitation.
“You said that you loved Minmei less than two days ago, and now you are telling me that you love Lisa. I would like to believe you, but you are still a kid Rick, you’re still only 21 and I think that everyone is asking too much of you.”
“You are wrong Claudia, I’m not a kid anymore and I do love Lisa,” said Rick, hurt and angry.
“Rick you still don’t understand how much Lisa has suffered since she fell in love with you, she has loved you for almost three years now, and she has hid her pain all this time, don’t you see it?”
“That’s why I need to find her.”
“That’s why you need to give her some time,” said Claudia, searching for something in her jacket pocket.
“Claudia I can’t accept the fact that she has left, I have to find her.”
“Here,” said Claudia, giving him an envelope. “This is the letter that Lisa left for me, maybe you can find some answers here,” said Claudia as she started to leave the bathroom. “Don’t you think for a single moment that I don’t want Lisa to come back or that I would have done anything to stop her from leaving. But that was her decision and after reading her letter like a hundred times I understand and respect her decision”, said Claudia before leaving the bathroom.
Rick softly opened the envelope, as if he was scared, and started to read what was in the letter.
By the time he had finished reading the letter his eyes were full of tears and he was biting his lower lip to stop the sobs.
Claudia was right; Lisa had left because of him, because all the hurt that he had caused her, all the pain. He had played with her feelings all these years, and he had been so blind, so self-centered to not notice that every time that he talked about Minmei in front of her, he was hurting her. He remembered last New Year’s Eve, now seeing clearly how much he had hurt her that time. He not only had hurt her that time, but he had broken her heart and he hated himself for that.
He remained seated in the bathroom, with the letter in his hands, trying to think, but he couldn’t think. He only could feel her pain, and he couldn’t take it, he needed to find her, to correct things, to tell her that she had to forgive him, and if she weren’t able to look at him anymore then he would be the one who would leave, not her. She just couldn’t leave everything she had for him, not for him.
He stood up and started to run towards the exit of Lisa’s house.
“Rick where are you going?” asked Claudia.
“I have to find her Claudia, now more than ever. She can not believe all these things,” he said showing her the letter “I have to stop her.”
“But Rick wait, you cannot.”
“Thanks Claudia,” said Rick and returned the letter to Claudia. “I know that you don’t agree with me, but I have to find her. She is so mistaken; I can’t let her believe all that. I’m sorry,” said Rick and left the house running, leaving the girls frozen in the living room.
Rick ran again, but this time he went to Max’s house, and when he was there he knocked on the door with strength. The more time that went by, the less chance he had to find her. He knocked again and this time a scared Max opened the door.
“Yes?” said Max opening his door.
“Max, I need to ask you a favor, I need to borrow your car,” said Rick as fast as he could.
“Sure, but why?” asked Max surprised, he had never seen his friend so desperate.
“It’s Lisa. I need to find her. Please Max I need your car,” begged Rick.
“Ok, but wait here, I’ll go for the keys,” said Max. He entered his house and when he came out again Rick was already by the car walking from one side to the other. Now he was a little worried, he had heard the news that Lisa had left, but by the way Rick was behaving it had to be something really serious.
“Thanks Max,” said Rick and before Max could hand him the keys he took the keys out of Max hands and started to walk to the driver’s seat.
“Wait”, said Max running toward the car.
“What?” asked Rick, holding the door.
“I’ll go with you,” said Max and opened the passenger door.
“But Max,” Rick began to protest.
“You will need some back up don’t you think?” said Max and entered the car.
Rick entered the car, too leaving Max’s house at full speed.

Rick had driven for a day now. He had remembered that Lisa once told him that she had grown up near New York before moving to Australia, and that she had always wanted to go back there.
So he had made that his destination point and he had driven all night trying to find any trail of Lisa, but he had no luck, no luck at all.
He was tired, he hadn’t slept in more than 24 hours, but he would not rest, he couldn’t allow himself that privilege, not while Lisa was somewhere alone, thinking that he had played with her, that she had been nothing more than a shoulder to cry on for him.
“Rick. Boss,” said Max at his side.
“What?” answered Rick with no good mood.
“You should rest you know, I can drive.”
“I’m fine.”
“Rick, you haven’t slept in I guess 30 hours. We have been in this car for like 20 hours and we have only stopped to refuel. Man, you need to rest.”
“I’m fine, Max.”
“I can drive if that is your concern.”
“I told you Max, I’m fine,” said Rick a little pissed off. He was trying to focus on the road, but every minute that passed his eyes became more and more heavy.
“At least you could eat something.”
“No thanks,” said Rick and stretched his arms a little.
“I bought some coffee at the last gas station.”
“I’m fine Max, I’m trying to focus on the road,” said Rick anger.
Max remained in silence and looked through his window. Rick was in a dog’s mood and he was more and more sure that the fact that Lisa had left had something to do with him, but he would not ask, not until Rick was ready to tell him what was going on. But suddenly the car moved weirdly and Max turned his eyes to Rick, who had fallen asleep. Max jumped to grab the wheel, making Rick wake up. Rick also grabbed the wheel. They had lost control of the car and it was spinning in the direction of the contention barrier. They were driving across a highway full of curves that went next to a cliff.
Both men were desperately trying to gain control over the car again, and Rick had pressed strongly on the break of the car. After a couple more spins the car stopped, crushing against the contention barrier that had prevented them from falling off the cliff.
“Jesus Rick! Man we could have died,” said Max between scared and angry.
“I’m sorry, I only closed my eyes for a second,” said Rick ashamed.
“Yeah and we could have died in that second. Rick, I have a daughter you know,” said Max as he got out of the car.
“I’m sorry,” said Rick as he got out of the car, too. “I’m really sorry,” added Rick after a few moments when Max finally stopped his nervous walk.
“I know,” said Max when he was calmer.
“I’ve lost control. It’s this entire thing with Lisa. I.. I’m sorry Max,” said Rick as he lay over the car.
“What happen with Lisa?” asked Max resting his weight on the car.
“She left,” said Rick sadly.
“That was what I heard this morning. But where? Did Admiral Gloval send her on a special mission?”
“No, she left. She quit the army and left, she just couldn’t take it anymore.”
“Lisa?” said Max surprised, “Are you serious? Are we talking about the same Lisa? Lisa Hayes? Captain Lisa Hayes?”
“Yes,” said Rick and started to walk, “she left because of me Max, because of how much I have hurt her.”
“Rick I don’t think it’s because of that, maybe she truly needed to get away.”
“No Max. Lisa was in love with me and I was so blind not to see it all these years,” said Rick, starting to feel how a knot was closing his throat.
“Well Rick there was no way that you could have known that,” said Max trying to avoid Rick’s eyes.
“But you knew didn’t you?” asked Rick.
“Yes,” said Max almost in a whisper.
“I hurt her so much, so many times, that she just left, she couldn’t take it anymore.”
“Rick the fact that you were living with Minmei probably had an affect on her, maybe she just needs some time away to clear her mind,” said Max and put a hand over Rick’s shoulder.
“She left Max, and maybe for good, she even quit the army.”
“She will come back Rick,” said Max, trying to sound cheerful.
“She won’t Max, not after all the pain that I have caused her.”
“Rick, you have always been honest with her, she always knew that you were in love with Minmei,” said Max with a soft voice.
“No Max, I haven’t been honest, and I have hurt her more than anyone,” said Rick, looking away.
“But what could you have done?” asked Max curiously.
Rick paused. He wasn’t sure if he should tell Max what had happen, but on the other side he needed to tell this to someone. “We slept together Max, last year,” said Rick almost in a whisper, feeling that he was getting smaller and smaller.
“You what?” asked Max in disbelief.
“After the New Year’s Eve party, last year. We went to my place and one thing led to the other and we…. We did it,” said Rick, still avoiding Max gaze.
“But weren’t you waiting for Minmei? I mean you and Lisa? I could never imagine that,” said Max still confused.
“That’s not all,” said Rick and he remained in silence.
“There is more?” asked Max almost scared to find out what else his friend had to tell him.
“The next morning, I was terrified. I felt so confused, like I made the biggest mistake ever,” said Rick and made a pause to pull together all the courage that he had. “I told her that it had been a mistake, that I was so disappointed with Minmei, that I regretted the thing that had happen between us,” said Rick and when he ended the sentence his voice was broken.
Max remained in silence and looked at him without blinking for like 10 minutes. “Are you really sure that was what you said to her?” asked Max in disbelief.
“I was so stupid, I regretted what I said the minute I said it, but it was to late. I know that I never should have said that to her, I’m such an idiot,” said Rick finally with his fist tight.
“I… I don’t know what to say Rick, she.. you….”
“I broke her heart,” said Rick lost and Max only nodded.
“I think that you need to give her some time Rick. I can only imagine how much she had to go through when she saw Minmei at your house. I truly don’t think it’s a good idea that you are going after her.”
“That’s even more reason Max. That’s why I have to find her, Max, I love her!” said Rick in desperation.
“What about Minmei?”
“Screw her, I never loved her, not the way I love Lisa.”
“I honestly don’t think that Lisa wants to see you right now, but she will come back Rick.”
“What if she doesn’t come back?” interrupted Rick.
“Lisa will come back,” said Max.
“I can’t run that risk Max, without Lisa… I…” Rick fight hard to hold his tears and sobs.
“We will find her,” said Max and walked next to Rick but Rick stepped away and started to walk in direction of the contention barrier.
“I’m such an idiot, such a fool, I have been so stupid, I hurt her over and over,” said Rick. He began kicking the barrier with anger, the same anger that he felt to himself. “I was so blind that I couldn’t see how much I was hurting her. She shouldn’t be running away, not her, not for me” Rick was saying but now there wasn’t anger in his voice, only sadness.
“Rick,” said Max softly and he touched him on the shoulder.
“She believes that her destiny is to be alone, that she doesn’t deserve love,” said Rick with his eyes full of tears. “I caused that, and if she is gone for good then I will just die, I couldn’t take it. Nothing has meaning for me without her, not the RDF, not being a soldier, nothing. She is everything to me and she had to leave for me to realize it,” said Rick. By now he was crying and Max stepped closer to him and they hugged.
“I love her Max, I have loved her all this time, but I have been such a coward,” said Rick between sobs.
“I know Rick, I know,” said Max trying to comfort his friend.
After some time and when Rick finally calmed down, they got back in the car and re-started their trip. They went to New York and to all the places that Lisa had ever told Rick that she loved, but there was no sign of her, nothing, she had never been there.
Finally they came back to Macross. Max convinced Rick after much trying that he should wait for Lisa, that she would come back, but Rick couldn’t stay there waiting for her to appear, he just couldn’t, it was driving him crazy. He needed to find her; nothing else mattered to him, nothing but her. He felt so lonely, so empty without her. Everything reminded him of her, and everything was so painful for him. Lisa….

Six years later…

Everything was so sad, so dark this morning. She got out of the car and made sure that her black outfit didn’t have any wrinkles on it. She moved some hair from her collar, away from her eyes and took a deep breath. She took a few steps and as she got closer she felt her heart shrink and the knot in her throat became bigger and bigger. She squeezed the white flower that she had in her hands and finally stopped in the last row of chairs.
It was Admiral Gloval’s funeral. She only had found out the night before and she had come as fast as she could. It was the first time that she had put a foot in Macross since that New Year’s Eve six years ago.
But there was nothing that would stop her from being here today. She had to be there, Admiral Gloval had been a father to her, and she needed to say goodbye to him, she had to be there. So she stayed there in the last row, with a white flower in her hand, waiting for all the speeches about admiral Gloval to finish, remembering all the good times that she had shared with him and trying to hold the tears. But she had to give up the moment that Claudia spoke. When Claudia got on the podium and started to talk about Henry Gloval, the man that she admired and loved and not about some brilliant admiral, like everyone has did, she just couldn’t help it anymore and the tears started to run down her cheeks, but she didn’t care.

When the ceremony was over, she started to walk to the coffin. She needed to say goodbye to him, be with him one last time. So she found her way to the coffin, and when she was there the tears started to run down her face again. She stood next to his coffin and put the white rose on it. She remembered once he had told her that white roses were the favorite flowers of his wife, and of course his. She was there on her knees, remembering the first time that she had seen him. She must have been only 14 years old and she was about to enter the military academy. He had smiled at her and told her that he would be honored to work with her. It had been her honor to work with him, to meet him and to love him.
“I’ll never forget you, Sir,” said Lisa in a whisper as she softly kissed the coffin and then got up.
She only had gone a few steps and had began cleaning her tears, when she saw her. Her best friend. At the same moment, both women looked at each other.
“Is it you?” asked the surprised voice of Claudia, “Is it really you?”
“How could I not come?” said Lisa with a broken voice and Claudia ran to her and held her.
“Lisa, I thought that you would never come back,” said Claudia with tears in her eyes.
“ I had to come, I had to say goodbye to Admiral Gloval,” said Lisa as her tears started to fall again.
“He always remembered you, he remembered you even in his last moments,” said Claudia as she wiped her own tears.
“I wish I had known before, I wish I could have been there with him.”
“But you are here now, and wherever he is, he is happy because you are here.”
“How did it happen? When?” asked Lisa.
“It was a secret, the Admiral had cancer, Lisa.”
“I should have come back sooner, I was so selfish,” said Lisa with regret.
“No honey, there was nothing that you could do,” said Claudia honestly.
“But I should have been with him,” said Lisa.
“Claudia,” said a male voice but the man froze in the same instant that Claudia and Lisa turned in his direction. The man was wearing a black suit and had beard and a little longer than usual unruly hair. He was completely petrified when he saw Lisa; his beautiful blue eyes were looking at her in disbelief.
“Lisa?” asked Rick fearfully, as if he was seeing a ghost. He had looked for her all these years, across the entire planet. He had moved the skies, the sea and the earth to find her, and there she was, more beautiful than ever, with a perfect black outfit, and a chignon that made her look like she was royalty. But somehow she was different. Despite the tears in her eyes, she look peaceful, happy, and the way that she was standing there next to Claudia was like she had nothing to fear, like she was completely secure of herself. Her eyes, her beautiful green eyes sparkled more than ever, and she looked so distinguished.
“Rick?” asked Lisa, a little surprise to see him there, with no uniform, with this happy, yet scared look. His hair was longer than ever and with a beard; he just looked different, lost. Like he had been through a difficult time in these last years.

“I can’t believe that I finally found you,” said Rick with such a happiness that all that he could do was run in her direction. He held her like he had wanted to hold her since the same day that she had gone. He held her in his arms with strength and tenderness at the same time. He had dreamed of this moment so many times.
Lisa was so surprised that she wasn’t able to move, she just stood there like steel. She had never imagined that of all people Rick would be so happy to see her.
“I’m happy to see you, too,” said Lisa finally when Rick released her.
“I searched for you everywhere. God, I can’t believe that you are here,” said Rick unable to hide his smile. He felt that he was alive again. She was here, with him.
“I had to be here, he was like a father to me,” said Lisa, raising her left hand to clean away the tears that had run down her cheeks. In that same moment Rick felt his heart break again, it was as if the pieces of his heart had joined together one more time only to be torn apart, broken again and the only thing that he could say was,
“What is that?” he asked looking at Lisa’s hand.
“This..” said Lisa looking at her hand “Well I’ve gotten..” Lisa was saying when a male voice at her back interrupted her.
“Liz, I am really sorry, but Alex was crying,” said a man with a British accent.
“Alex,” said Lisa with a little worry in her voice as she turned in the man’s direction.
“You know that you are the only one that can calm him,” said the man softly while he was trying to calm a small baby boy of about 6 months old.
“I know,” said Lisa tenderly and took the baby in her arms with the most sweet and tender look that Rick had ever seen on her. She just had to hold the baby and he stopped crying. She lulled the baby for a few moments until the baby started to fall asleep and then she turned in Rick’s direction.
To be continued…….

Author’s note: well I hope that you have enjoy what I wrote, I know that is a little bit longer, but I have to put all this in one chapter so the next one won’t be too longer.
I truly hope that the writers of Alias never read this, because I was highly inspired by season 2 finale of Alias to write the last scene, so if you notice any similarities, well it’s because there is.
Ok that will be all; I’ll be waiting for your comments through mail or in the DYRL fanfics forum.