fanfic_name = Time of Our Lives

chapter = Chapter 13

author = lisav

Rating = AP15

Type = Adventure

fanfic = Remember: This fan fiction was written for entertainment purposes only. No infringement is intended. I do not own any of the characters-- real or imaginary!

Dreams and Reality

INTRO...

Lisa leaned against their back door, her eyes becoming accustomed to the darkness. Professionally her life couldn’t be better but personally her life was a mess...

She had finally hit the depths of despair-- she had drove Rick away!

------------------------------

Although there were no more hostile Zentraedi on Earth, the RDF knew there were hundreds if not thousands of other Zentraedi fleets who had not come with Dolza; not to mention the Robotech Masters!

Therefore VT pilots, crew men and RDF personnel remained active and on guard as they had always done in the past. However most of the problems the RDF encounter these days were minor disturbances; usually caused by disgruntled Zentraedi warriors who had became disillusioned by the Micronian life they had once eagerly embraced.

But nothing serious that would threaten the peace between the two races.

Nevertheless Exedore and Breetai had been adamant about building a new SDF-2 and Admiral Gloval strongly approved. Dr. Lang and she were given top level clearance to oversee the construction.

There were even rumors that the new ship would be hers after its completion. But Lisa knew better than to count her chickens before they hatched.

Only a week ago, a new city was formally recognized and established.

Monument City was forty miles from Macross and overnight has become the “hottest” place to live for it was the place where the stars lived-- Minmei and Kyle to be precise. The Lynns were officially an item now and there were even rumors of them being engaged.

The sooner the better!

As far as Lisa was concerned but she knew her restlessness tonight didn’t have anything to do with Minmei or Kyle.

Far above, stars more brilliant than any she had ever noticed before sparkled. Lisa knew she had to tell Rick about Karl...

But how?

She sensed his presence before she could even see him.

“Lisa…”

It was the softest of whispers. She tensed, resolved to remain cold and in control. She lifted her chin in a kind of rebellion. When she spoke it was calm and neutral.

“It was you. You were the one who caused that bright light and almost blinded everyone before the battle with Dolza’s fleet. But what I don’t understand was why? Why did you put me in a comma for five days?” Lisa asked.

Coming closer to her he smiled and stared at her. She considered herself well disciplined, took a certain pride in it, yet she could feel her heart racing.

“Stop staring at me! Just answer my questions, you said you would,” she muttered quickly and could see the cool satisfaction in his eyes.

Dammed him! He could still irritate me like no one else but Rick.

“No it wasn’t me. I don’t have that kind of power, Lisa.” There was an ache in his voice that she could not help but noticed and it tore at her heart. “But it was I who asked Sarin to do so. I asked her because I knew it was the only way. I couldn’t take any chances that you might be hurt,” he said as he reached over to touch her.

He’d missed her so much. He needed to touch her to reassure himself that she was real and alive. But Lisa made a sound of horror and step back from him which caused him to stop for he did not want to scare her away.

“I don’t know how to explain Sarin to you other then she’s a life force, an alien specie that can travel through time, space and different planes of existence. She’s an explorer,” Karl continued in a quiet voice.

“I met her two months after being on Mars. On a routine patrol around the mountain ranges northeast of the base, I fell and my space suit ripped. She saved my life, Lisa. She transported me to another place where I was able to wait until help came. We became friends. When the base was attacked by the Eastern Militia Government, I was hurt badly. If it hadn’t been for Sarin, I would have died with everyone else there. She transported me to another world, Lisa, where she could care for me until I recovered. Since then I’ve been trying to get back to you.”

“I don’t believe you, Karl. What you are telling me is impossible. Where is this Sarin? What are you hiding?” Lisa said her voice ranged with suspicion. “If what you said is true, why didn’t you come forward earlier? Why wait until after all this time?”

He could see the doubts and weariness in her eyes.

“I did it for you,” he said and she winced at his words for she could hear the truth in his voice. “It’s been so long, Lisa. I wanted to give you time to remember me, the past and how much we loved each other.”

“You... you gave me those nightmares?” She glared balefully at him and shivered from head to toe. “Why?”

“Lisa, they’re not nightmares. They’re memories-- yours and mine; of things that we’ve done together, shared or memories that you told me. And I didn’t give them to you, Sarin did because I asked her,” he answered.

“Do you hate me so much for making you remember us?” he asked her again after a long silence.

The question almost broke her heart. “I don’t hate you, Karl.” She sighed silently and closed her eyes. It was a mistake. He stepped closer, wrapped his arms about her and hugged her tightly to him. The rush of being held by him again took her completely by surprise, overwhelming her.

She twined her arms about his neck and allowed all the defenses she had erected about herself in the past few weeks to crumble away. She hadn't realized how much she had missed him until this very moment. Her feelings for him were still so strong after all this time that she wanted to cry and for a few moments everything felt as it had always been between them.

“You’d be happy with me. I’d do anything to make you happy. Come with me, Lisa.” He gazed earnestly at her.

“I can’t…”

“Hush. I know what you’re going to say and it’s not true. You’re not a prisoner here. You can leave if you wanted to,” he spoke gently and truthfully to her.

She shook her head.

“Just think about it.” He bent forward and kissed her on the temple. Lisa closed her eyes as warmth washed through her. It took a great act of will not to put her arms around him again. “I think your pouty lower lip is extremely sexy.” He bent his head to hers again and brushed her mouth gently.

Karl had always had a way of making her feel beautiful.

“Get your hands off her!” an angry voice full of murderous intent came from behind her.

She felt cold through to the very heart. In all the time they have spent together past and present, Lisa had never seen Rick so angry. An iron taste of fear rose in her throat. She could only shake her head. Guilt and shame washed over her.

“Rick, I...”

“How could you, Lisa? All this time, I thought you were hiding a terminal illness... all the while you were hiding an affair!” The long line of his jaw contracted momentarily as he looked starkly into her green eyes.

Then he turned his full attention to the man who a minute ago was kissing his girlfriend with such familiarity and tenderness. Who does he think he is to kiss Lisa like that? If he thinks I’m going to let her go...

“No! You’re dead!”

Karl Riber smiled stoically at Rick Hunter. “As you can see, I’m not. I have never been dead, just detained.”

Rick felt something inside him clench. Hard-- possessiveness, jealousy and waves of white-hot anger poured through him. He suddenly felt an overpowering urge to smash his fist into Riber’s face until Lisa’s voice reached him.

“Rick, I’m so sorry.” Lisa dug her teeth into her bottom lip to keep her voice steady. “I didn’t know how to tell you. Besides I didn’t believe it myself either...”

“How long?”

“What?” she replied in confusion.

“How long did you know he was alive, Lisa!” he demanded. His voice was harsh now and deep with hurt.

“That day when you found me in the backyard... that early morning when you came back from your shift and found me there...”

“Three weeks!” He cut her off in an icy rage that had been directed at her as much as it was at him. “You knew for three weeks and you couldn’t find the words to tell me.”

He took another long, cleansing breath. “I thought our hearts and minds were in the same place. What a fool I’ve been? No wonder you suddenly told me not to touch you.” Then he shook his head in self-mockery. “Why would you need me now when your fiancé is back?”

“It’s not what you’re thinking, Rick. I’ve never been unfaithful to you. You’re overreacting...” she denied quickly.

“Lisa, listen to me,” Karl said as he gripped her arms to force her to look at him. “In every reality, parallel universe and time line, he cheated on you if not physically, emotionally. Hunter never loved you, like the way you deserved to be loved; the way you loved him-- unconditional and complete. I came here because I love you.”

His hands tightened on her. “I do not want to see you unhappy, in pain and being humiliated by him over and over again, Lisa. This Universe, this moment in this time is my last hope because you have not married him yet or died. In all the others I was too late, always too late!”

Rick laughed sarcastically then. “You have finally lost it Riber! Parallel universe, different reality, etc...? You are nuts! I guess your little return from the dead wasn’t all that miraculous.”

“Rick, please let me explain,” Lisa said as she broke away from Karl’s hold and her eyes swept over him, pleading.

But Rick continued to speak as if he hadn’t heard her at all. “You’re a joke, Lisa. If this is your definition of love, I don’t want it. You and Minmei are cut from the same cloth-- cold, manipulative and spoiled! At least Minmei had the decency to be honest.”

He was regarding her now with that scornful half smile that she hated so much like she disgusted him.

“I think Riber that you came back to the living just in time to take her off my hand for I have had enough. We’re through! I’m out of here,” he said and turned to leave.

“Goddamn you Rick!” Lisa screamed after him, anguish and fury etched her delicate face. “Don’t you trust me? If you loved me, you would. I thought perhaps you did love me.”

Rick never turned back and she clapped her hand over her mouth. The ache in her throat was almost too painful to bear.

Anger swirled through Karl, mixed with heartache. Lisa looked so terribly vulnerable, hauntingly beautiful and pale as she stared at Rick’s retreating back. He could tell she wanted to run after Hunter but had remained rooted next to him because of pride.

“Lisa... Hunter’s not right for you.”

“How do you know that, Karl?” Lisa murmured not really paying attention to him.

“Male intuition.”

“So, there is such a thing?” She turned her head to look at him.

“Sure. Real men just don’t talk about it much, that’s all.” He said with a teasing smile and Lisa tried to laugh so she wouldn’t cry but failed miserably.

Karl looked at her again and felt the sting of unexpected tears. She had been through so much in her life and he just wanted to protect her.

You don’t deserve her, Hunter! This just re affirms my belief that she belongs with me.

------

After Rick had stormed off and she had convinced Karl to meet with Admiral Gloval and Dr. Lang with her tomorrow evening; she had come back into the house wanting nothing else but sleep for she was exhausted-- mentally as well as physically. However sleep was proving impossible.

Not surprising given the events of the evening, she thought. Rick… where was he? She hated to sleep alone now especially in their bed.

She turned her head on the pillow to look at the clock-- 0200 hours! She shoved aside the covers, got to her feet and went to the window. The darkness outside was absolute. Once again her eyes burned with unshed tears as she gazed unseeingly out into the night.¬

Why wouldn’t you listen to me, let me explain or hear what I had to say first before jumping to the wrong conclusion, Rick?

Lisa grounded her teeth together in silent frustration.

How dare you insult my integrity?!

Yet waves of humiliation continued to wash over her as she thought back to the way she had felt and reacted in Karl’s arms.

A loud noise woke her from her nightmare of fire, destruction, terror and death. She woke strangling, desperate to drag air into her burning lungs. She was confused and panic stricken as she desperately tried to make sense of the noise.

No... not a noise but a ring... a phone ring!

Rick!

Lisa reached blindly for the phone and sat up quickly, trying to open her eyes as she spoke, “Rick? Oh, Miriya... no, no you didn’t wake me. Of course I will come. I will be there as soon as I can.”

Hanging up the phone, Lisa slowly sank back into the bed again and took a deep breath. Rubbing her eyes, she could feel the wet tears on her face and the nightmare came rushing back to her. Take another deep breath, Lisa. You have air. It was only a dream. You weren't buried alive. There's no smoke, no fire. Don't panic..."

She drew her knees up, lay her forehead on them, hunching into herself. She rocked back and forth as she concentrated on the mechanism of breathing in and out. Then as if remembering something urgent, she shot up in bed again and literally ran into her bathroom.

Lisa looked at the woman in the mirror above the gleaming white sink. The woman looking back at her was ragged, torn, fragmented and pale. What is happening to me?

She slowly leaned over the sink and splashed cold water on her face and she wondered what she was going to do about Rick and Karl. The truth was she couldn’t even explain how she felt about Karl to Rick let alone to herself.

Why now Karl? Why after all this time? I love Rick but I love you too.

God help her for she loved both of them.

... One Hour Later...

“Okay, start from the beginning,” Lisa said as she sat across from Miriya studying her with worried looks.

“I look bad, don’t I?” The ex-Zentraedi ace pilot asked looking pale and depressed.

“No you don’t... okay... maybe just a little,” Lisa said honestly for no matter how horrible Miriya think she might looked Lisa knew she was still ten times better looking than anyone around.

“Miriya, stop fretting and tell me.”

“I think I’m dying, Lisa” Miriya’s lip trembled. Her voice was so low and soft Lisa had to really listen to hear her.

“I don’t understand, Miriya, what do you mean, you think you’re dying?”

Miriya flashed Lisa a searching glance and then in a tensed voice began telling Lisa about the weird feelings of wanting and actually throwing up almost every morning for two weeks now.

She further explained about the terrible urges she gets at odd moments of the day to cry for no reason and getting mad at Max over little things like him wearing the wrong color or him kissing her on the right cheek in the morning instead of the left one.

“Worse, Lisa, I’m gaining weight. I feel so big and fat in my flight suit and my breasts, they hurt. I can’t bare to have anything touch them!”

Lisa took a slow sip of tea and lowered the cup. “Miriya, you’re not dying. But I’m going to have to call Jean and have her come to give you a test first before we can be sure.”

“Miriya, when Max gets home, I want you to give him this,” Jean Grant said as she handed her a folded paper. “It’ll explain everything to him. I’m so mad at him for being so careless, you would think a genius like him would be smarter,” she sighed deeply.

“Remember, I want you in my office first thing tomorrow okay, so we can go over some tests. Just to be on the safe side, nothing major. Are you listening to me, Miriya?”

Miriya smiled gloriously at Jean and accepted the note. She nodded at everything Jean was saying to her without really hearing her at all for she was still in shock.

A baby! A baby! Maximilian and I are going to have a baby-- one of those little unpredictable and emotional humans that sleep, eats and cries all the time that everyone is always fawning over. Me? A mother! I never thought... I never imagined.

“Thank you, Jean.” Lisa said as she walked Claudia’s sister-in-law to the door. “You are a life saver! I didn’t think I would be able to explain everything to her.”

“Lisa, I can never be Claudia and I don’t want to be but I’m a good listener. Please count me as one of your friends too and know that I will never betray anything you tell me. Forgive my forwardness but I don’t have to be a doctor to know that something is bothering you. Please think about it,” she said as she hugged Lisa quickly then turned and left.

----------------------

“What do you think, Admiral?” Lisa asked after the door had been shut securely after Karl. “Do you think what he’s tell us is possible?”

“Anything is possible, Lisa. Especially after all we've experienced and seen in the last couple of years. As crazy as he sounded, I believe him. Although I think he’s hiding something. He was too eager and too vague in his explanation. ”

Lisa let out a silent sigh.

“I agree with the Admiral, Captain; why can’t we meet this Sarin, this alien force? Imagine the possibilities, Gloval if she would to share some of that power and knowledge...” Dr. Lang injected.

“Thank you, Lang. We’ll discuss this further,” Gloval said, letting him know that he was excused.

Lang looked from the Captain to the Admiral and shrugged his shoulders then left.

“Now Lisa, tell me what you really think?” Admiral Gloval said as he made himself comfortable in the chair and took out his pipe.

He knew her too long and too well. He could only guess at what turmoil and pain she was going through over Riber’s sudden appearance in her life after all this time.

He had heard the rumors about Riber when he chose her as his First Officer but had never asked her to clarify or deny any of the rumors. He made it a rule to never interfere in his junior officer’s lives unless it threatened their ability to do their duty which had never been an issue with Lisa.

Lisa was like a daughter to him. He cared for all his girls-- Claudia, Sammy, Vanessa and Kim but he had a special fondness for Lisa. She was everything an officer of the RDF should be-- smart, focused and committed but she was more for she truly cared about people in general.

She had never given him a reason professionally or personally to doubt her ability and integrity. He knew he could always count on her to back him up in any situation. Without her and the rest of his girls, he knew he wouldn't have been able to bring the SDF-1 back to Earth.

“I believe him, Admiral. He is who he said he is but my gut instinct tells me there’s more that he’s not telling us or me. I know now why I lost five days but I don’t understand the nightmares.”

She said as she walked over to the window and he could see the faraway look in her eyes.

“He insisted that Sarin didn’t give me the nightmares but Admiral in these nightmares, I’m there. It’s real. When I died in them it felt as if I really did die.” Lisa felt the knot start in her stomach.

“And they’re getting worse, Admiral. I don’t know what to do or how to stop them. I can't sleep. I can't eat and I can't think clearly these days without questioning my sanity. When I come out of these nightmares, I'm left totally lost, stranded and dead inside. I don’t know how long I can hold on before going over the deep end.”

“Lisa, what I’m about to tell you is only a theory but I think it might explain why you're having these nightmares.” Gloval said after a long silence following her admission.

He motioned for her to take a seat. She walked back to the seat opposite of him and sat down.

----------

“No, that’s impossible!” Lisa shoved herself up out of the chair. “It’s not that I don’t trust or believe you, Admiral, I do but...”

Gloval continued talking as if not hearing her outburst.

“Because there are an infinite number of possibilities, there are an infinite number of parallel universes, and therefore, an infinite number of you. For example, a parallel universe for you oversleeping this morning, wearing different clothes, or not entering the service at all ... the list goes on. For every interaction, there is a myriad of possibilities.”

“So in some of these parallel universes, I could actually be dead or am dead... These nightmares, they’re not dreams at all but experiences of my own death in these other worlds?” Lisa whispered to herself more than to the Admiral.

“I... I think I understand, Admiral,” Lisa said.

And she did yet a part of her didn’t want to for it meant that Karl might not be her Karl at all but a different Karl; from a different time, place and universe. Worse, it meant that Karl, her Karl had really died on Mars all those years ago.

"Admiral, if you are correct and I believe you are, Karl and this alien must leave here-- this world. They can't be here. It's not right, right?" Lisa asked looking at Gloval with her heart in her eyes, hoping she was wrong.

"If Riber is not of this world; being here he has changed a lot of events that could have and should have had happened already. I don’t know if or how these changes will affect the future of this world. Sometimes, Lisa, you can't play God and not pay the price.”

Looking at Lisa again, the Admiral continued talking, “everything happens for a reason, call it fate, destiny, garbage, whatever. But space and time has to balance and remain constant or the unknown happens and in this case, Riber is the unknown."

...Two Hours Later....

The debate went back and forth and she gnawed at her lower lip but after a few moments Lisa drew a deep breath and knocked on the Sterling's door. Max opened the door. He took one look at her and told her to wait as he disappeared back into the house.

"You're a fool," she muttered under her breath. "Face if, you have no one but yourself to blame for being in this mess." Impatiently she waited and paced back and forth outside of the Sterling's front porch. She swung around when she heard the door open again.

"Rick, I'm sor..."

"Lisa," Max said with a sad smile, "he refused to come and see you." The awful knot just beneath her breastbone tightened painfully but her chin came up a notch when she spoke.

"Thanks Max, for trying. Will you tell Rick that...no, never mind. Tell him nothing, Max. He knows where I am. I'm sorry to have bothered you and Miriya, I must go now."

Without another word, Lisa turned and walked with her head held high back to her car. Max watched as her car disappeared from view before turning to his skipper.

"Rick, when are you going to wise up?"

State = Continuará/To Be Continue

feedback = Sí/Yes