fanfic_name = Time of Our Lives

chapter = Chapter 7

author = lisav

Rating = AP15

Type = Adventure

fanfic = Hopes and Dreams

INTRO...

It goes against everything in her to ask for favors but Miriya knew she would do it if it means achieving her goal.

"Miriya, what's wrong? Out with it." Azonia demanded.

"I have come to request your permission to micronized and enter the dimensional fortress...as a spy."

Shocked, Azonia could only mutter one word. “Why?”

Miriya's deep green eyes flashed with pain and humiliation. "I have been defeated in battle by a Micronian!”

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

That last love scene had been too much for him. He had to get out, leave and maybe pretend that he had never been here or seen any of it.

Slowly pushing and shoving, he made his way out of the theatre, to the lobby and then outside. He took a quick breath, trying to get some clean air into his lungs.

He had never seen so many people gathered in one place before. Even the Miss Macross pageant wasn’t this crowded!

He knew that the love scenes in the movie weren’t real but it still hurt nevertheless. He can’t remember kissing Minmei, really kissing her except that one time when they had their mock wedding underneath the belly of the SDF-1 two years ago.

She didn’t even know that he almost died too. He’d tried to call her many times from the hospital but was always told that she was unavailable.

He finally gave up and left it to her to call him for she usual does once in a while to let him know what’s new in her life. But she hasn’t called once since Kyle came on board.

Idiot! How long before you accept that she doesn’t love you; never has and never will? Roy was right, Minmei and I are two very different people and living in two different world. We could never be together. Roy...

It’s been a month since his near brushed with death and a month without Roy, his big brother watching over him and looking out for him. Roy’s condition has not changed since Lisa had first come to tell him of the news at the hospital. He was still in a comma and Rick feared he would never wake up. How Rick missed him.

Roy Fokker and he were not related by blood or marriage but by love of flying and a friendship that either of them could explain. Roy was the big brother/father figure he never had and he was the annoying little brother Roy had always wanted.

Roy never knew his family, he was an orphan and had been on his own for two years before Jack “Pop” Hunter took him in when he caught Roy trying to steal one of the planes used in the circus. Pop kind of taught Roy the basics of flying but the skills and fancy moves he was known for were all his for Roy was a natural.

Rick loved his father but Pop had never had much time for him; for he was too busy trying to keep his flying circus out of bankruptcy. His mother, Ellen Hunter had left Pop and his flying circus long before Rick could even walk so he never knew her.

Growing up Rick had heard the rumors that she had left Pop for another man but he had always been afraid to ask Pop for the truth. Sometimes it’s better to let sleeping dogs lay.

Pop might have never had time for him but Roy always managed to find time; even when he had joined the service they had kept in contact. Therefore when he had recovered from his injuries and was assigned Roy’s squadron and his plane-- Skull One, he had refused adamantly for no one could ever replace Roy not even him.

But Lisa had reminded him that his plane was somewhere down at the bottom of the Pacific Ocean while Skull One didn’t have a pilot. He knew the SDF-1 needed every available pilots and planes if they were going to survive thus he reluctantly moved into Roy’s seat-- temporary.

Roy! Yea! I’ll go and visit him. It’s been two days since I last saw him. Claudia’s probably there, she’s always there when not on duty no matter the time or day.

He knew Claudia had taken to reading to Roy, having his favorite songs played and just spending time with him by holding his hand and talking to him about what they would do when he wakes up.

His big brother was a very lucky man indeed to have found Claudia. In the couple of weeks that he had gotten to know her he liked her very much and he now understood why Roy was so crazy about her. She was one heck of a woman-- sexy, beautiful, funny, intelligent and loyal; her love for Roy was eternal.

Is there another out there like her for me? Someone who would love me whole heartedly and never give up on me-- on love and life no matter what the obstacles are?

When someone had grabbed her behind, it was the last straw. She had pulled favors to get tonight off. Then fight traffic all the way from the base here only to discover that the ticket she’d reserved had been giving out because she was 30 minutes late in claiming it.

Talk about rip off!

Enraged, Lisa spun around ready to send the pervert flying when she realized who it was. “Rick? Rick Hunter! What are you doing?” she said in shocked and bend down to help him up. She caught his eye contact and joy surged through her.

"Lisa!" he said, surprisingly. "I am sorry. Somebody tripped me and well, you know the rest,” as he took her hand and got up.

“What are you doing here, Commander? I didn’t know you like kung-fu movies?”

“Oh, is that what this movie was? I thought it was a love story.” Lisa gave him a sarcastic looked. “I guess I’ll never know now since my ticket was given out before I even got here.”

“Believe me, you didn’t miss anything,” he said soberly.

"Why didn't you stay to see the ending?" she asked and wished she hadn’t when she saw pain clouding his eyes.

“I don’t want to talk about it. I’m going to visit Roy,” and he began walking across the street. Lisa stared at his back and decided to go with him.

“Rick, wait I’ll come...” She didn’t get to finish for the blare of warning sirens silenced her. She looked around and people were already running for shelter.

Sammy's voice was on the PA:

---‘Attention! Attention! Preparing for modular transformation. Please move to the nearest shelter immediately. Avoid the marked danger zones. I repeat, move to the nearest shelter immediately!’---

"A modular transformation?" Rick asked in disbelief as he ran back to where Lisa was.

"Something's wrong, Rick. This was supposed to be a drill. That's why Sammy's on com. This was supposed to be a practice exercise for her."

"A sneak attack?" Rick asked and looked troubled.

Lisa shook her head. "No, if it was we would have more advance warning than this. I’m sure it’s just a mistake but it could be an attack."

"Well, we better get to a shelter like Sammy suggest, mistake or not." Rick took her hand but she shook him off.

“No! We have to get back...”

The street begun to vibrate and shake, they exchanged worried glances and Rick quickly grabbed her hand and dragged her after him.

“Do you know where you’re going?!” Lisa yelled but he kept going, dodging people here and there and pulling her after him.

She finally managed to get him to stop when they felt themselves being elevated; Rick realized they were standing on one of the blocked marked red.

Great!

They were carried high above the city streets and looking down she could see people racing for cover. Traffic stopped and people were running into the shelters. The scene in front of the Fortress Theater bordered on pandemonium as people rushed out and shoved each other out of the way not caring who got hurt while sirens continued to blare and shriek.

Then they came to a slowing down, Rick told her to jump to a landing not five feet from them and she did. He followed and not a minute after they had jumped, the block they were previously on moved rapidly up again.

Looking down again, Lisa realized that they were far above Macross now even beyond EVE's blue sky illusion for she could see massive cooling ducts, recycling conduits, transformational generators, and miles of thick cabling just a feet or two above them.

Hmmm... how come I’ve never been up here before?

As First Officer, it was her duty to know and see every essential area of the ship but somehow she had missed this area.

“This way,” Rick said and walked ahead into a dark corridor

“Rick, I don’t know about this...” she said skeptically.

"Just follow me. You’ll see; I'll get us out of here,” he yelled from the corridor and reluctantly she follow after him.

Twenty minutes later and too many turns to keep track off they ended up in a box-like dead end. "We must have taken a wrong turn back there somewhere these corridors are like a maze."

Lisa dropped her shoulder bag and turned to Rick, exasperated. "Hunter! You and your big idea! Now we’re stranded! Why did I listen to you in the first place and jump?"

"Look, how was I to know that getting off that block would leave us stranded here?” he said weakly in his defense. “That block could have taken us to the top of the ship and smashed us in for all you know.”

“Okay so we’re stuck.” Then he slumped down sullenly against the wall, knees up, hands behind his head and listened to the distant rumblings outside.

He hoped Skull and Vermillion squadrons were doing okay against the enemy. He hated to be stuck here while he knew he could have been out there helping them out. As squadron leader of both teams, it was his duty and responsibility to be with his men.

Roy had often told him that being in command was the worse job anyone can have but he had never understood until he had Max and Ben... and now Roy’s men as well under his care.

I’ll just close my eyes and take a nap and pretend I’m not here at all.

But Lisa kept on pacing in front of him and after awhile he found himself staring at her instead. He found himself smiling.

She’s magnificent when she’s all fired up.

“What are you smiling about, Hunter? I don’t see anything amusing or remotely happy about our situation!” Lisa stopped pacing, put her hands on her hip and eyes flashing at him.

Silence.

“Well, are you going to answer me?” she narrowed her eyes giving him a cold stare.

“Did you know, Lisa that you’re amazing when you’re angry?” he said. “Your skin gets paler and your eyes blazed like green crystal fire. They’re so bright and hot that I can see my reflection being burned alive in them.”

“Rick Hunter! Of all the stupid... what? What did you just say?” Lisa asked as his words sank in and her cheeks grew pink.

Did he just say I’m amazing?

Slowly she walked over to him and dropped down next to him, her anger disappeared like it was never there.

Tell her now, Hunter!

“There’s nothing we could do now except wait out the battle, Lisa.” Taking a deep breath Rick asked. “Do you think that a person could love two very different persons at the same time?”

“Yes. I think it’s possible,” she answered quietly, “but he can’t be in love with both of them at the same time. What’s going on Rick?”

“Nothing, it was just a hypothetical question,” then quickly he changed the subject. “You know what this reminds me off? That time when you, me and Ben...”

“He was a good pilot, Rick.” Lisa answered without letting him finished for she knew he blamed himself for not being with Ben with he had died.

“Roy told me that it gets easier as you become more experienced. But it’s been two years and I still hear their screams, sometimes I even see their faces. They hunt me, Lisa. Every time I go out there, I wonder if I’ll make it back.”

How she longed to brush his hair back from his face, caress his cheek, cradle him against her breasts and tell him she loved him. But she did none of these things, knowing instinctively that it was too soon.

After what seemed like a long time he finally said, “I’m glad that you’re here with me, Lisa.”

She discovered that her mouth had gone dry and she could scarcely swallow but hope bloomed within her. “Me too, Rick.”

Lisa felt him put his right arm around her shoulder and pulled her closer to him. She didn’t protest but moved in closer too and laid her head on his shoulder.

She felt as though she were soaring on the wings of the wind, for she was breathless with exhilaration. She closed her eyes and let herself enjoy the moment.

Lisa knew she was in love with him. She didn’t know when it had happened but his recent brushed with death had brought it out to light and now she can’t deny it anymore. He had made her feel things she thought were dead. He made her want to live, dream and love again.

Why couldn’t it be another? Someone who was not already taken? It’s hopeless... how could I ever complete with Miss Macross?

Her perfume was light and fresh-- like spring rain, meadows of wild flowers and soft cool breezes: ‘spring-time’. He found himself liking it a lot and wondered if she had always worn it for he had never noticed it before.

“Lisa, I like you a lot and I was wondering if you’ll give me a chance to get to know you better,” Rick said as he turned to look at her head on his shoulder and instead met her clear crystal green eyes.

Its clarity and shine called out to him, pulling him in and begging him to love her. The intensity and feelings he saw in her eyes stunned him and dazzled him. He felt as if he never lived before this moment. He found himself wanting to be lost in her eyes, wanting to feel its fire and power.

He wanted to kiss her, really kiss her without pretense or excuses and he did. Gently at first but when she wrapped her arms around his neck and melted against him he deepened the kiss and explored her mouth thoroughly. She in turn, did the same.

“Lisa...,” he moaned hoarsely against her mouth and he knew they had to stop but not before he kissed the trembling corners of her lips and teased them gently with his tongue, tracing the outline of her lips as though he were memorizing every curve, every detail, of their sweet vulnerable shape.

It was the longest and most erotic kiss he had ever been involved in and he wanted it to last forever. He could feel and taste the promise of a love that would last for always on her lips.

When they finally broke a part, Rick’s breath was coming out fast, hard and ragged. She wasn’t doing any better herself for she had wanted the kiss to go on and on. They did not speak, for neither knew what to say.

“Wow!” was the only word either of them muttered and at the same time which sent them both into laughter. Rick had his head back against the wall and laughed while Lisa had leaned forward.

The both of them were holding their stomach and still laughing when Sammy’s voice came on the PA:

---‘All enemy attacking pods have been destroyed! The ship will now return back to its original state. Thank you for your cooperation.’---

Standing up Rick reached out his hand to help Lisa, “shall we join the rest of the crew, my lady?” She blushed and nodded as she grabbed his hand and got up.

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

“Max, I need to go over tomorrow’s routine patrol with you,” Rick said as Max opened the door and let him into his tiny quarters. Now that Rick has temporary command of Roy’s squadron, Max had been subbing as squadron leader for Rick in Vermillion.

He noticed that Max was all dressed up and struggling with a necktie. “What’s going on? You going to a funeral or something?” he asked.

Max smiled, “Nope! I’m in love, boss! I’ve finally found her. The girl of my dream, the girl I’ve been waiting for all my life. She’s here, on board all this time and I didn’t even know it!”

“Max, aren’t you moving a bit fast? Who is this girl and what do you know about her?” Rick said and gave Max a stern look.

“I know everything there is to know about her. She’s beautiful, sexy and one heck of a video pilot. Her name is Miriya! She has the most awesome hair color I’ve ever seen and her eyes... they drive me crazy with love,” Max exclaimed excitedly and Rick had never seen him this hyper before.

“Okay, come here,” Rick laughed, caught up in Max’s enthusiasm. “Let me help you fix that tie. If you’re that happy already just to be on a date with her, she must be something.”

“Thanks, skipper. I owe you one,” Max said as they stepped outside his quarters.

Rick shook his head as he watched Max leave. Whoever this girl was, he can’t wait to meet her for he had never seen Max so happy and full of excitement. It was nice to see somebody lucky in love once for a change.

Lisa...

He’d been thinking about her a lot lately, remembering little things about her and things she’d done for him that he had never thanked her for.

He’d been dreaming about her too-- every night since their shared kiss and he always woke up from those dreams missing her. He wondered what she’s doing now.

It has been a week since their kiss and what a kiss it was! Thinking about it now still leaves him hot and breathless. Never in a million years did he think she could kiss like that.

Granted she was a couple of years older than he but he’s kissed a few older women before too and none of them had kissed the way she did-- burning him alive!

They had talked as well as fought a couple of times on the com since the kiss. But those times didn’t count for the both of them were on duty and what happened there stayed there.

He had purposely stayed away from her when off duty because he did not want to rush her or him into a situation they were unprepared for. But seeing Max so happy and excited, he didn’t care anymore. He missed her and he wanted to see her again.

Walking into his quarter, he picked up his phone to call her.

-----------

“I don’t know what to do Claudia,” Lisa said broken heartedly and began to pace.

“He said he wants to get to know me better but it’s been a week and he hasn’t even called or asked me out. Worse just yesterday we fought over some stupid regs, again!”

Looking at her friend, Claudia could tell that she was stressed and frustrated. She knew Lisa had come here strait from her shift for she was still in uniform and her once tightly curls were loose and wavy.

She must have pulled a sixteen hour shift for those were the only ones that could beat her curls.

Some of the girls used to joke that you could always tell how long Lisa has been working by looking at how loose her curls were.

“So was it a kiss, kiss or a KISS, KISS-– you know, the ones that leaves you breathless, light head, wanting more and you see stars?” Claudia asked and her eyes twinkled.

“Don’t tease me, Claudia!” Lisa cried but a smile spread across her face and her eyes turned dark and deep. “Okay! If you must know... it was all that and more.”

“It was love, Claudia. It was real, it was magic. It was everything I though I’d lost yet it was much much more for I had never felt more alive. I melted, Claudia! Rick Hunter kissed me and I melted like hot wax.”

Claudia went over to her friend and hugged her tightly. She had tears in her eyes when she spoke again.

“I’m so happy for you Lisa. Thank you for giving me back hope. You don’t know how much I needed to believe in love and life again and you have just showed it to me.”

Wiping the tears that were flowing freely down her face she continued,

“Lisa, you already know what you should do. Stop listening to your head, girl! Listen to your heart for once. Tell him you love him, take him into your arms and never let him go. Don’t wait for the perfect moment, Lisa for time will not wait for you.”

When Lisa had left, Claudia turned back to the man she loved and smiled lovingly at him. As she walked back to his side, her steps seemed lighter and her smile-- full of hope! Bending down, she kissed him gently on the lip.

I’m here, my love. I’ll be waiting when you wake up. I love you, Roy. Hurry home to me for I want to be your wife, have your babies and grow old with you now and forever!

...Forty-Five Minutes Later...

She told herself to breath, to remain calm and to smile. But she could not tell her heart to slow down for it had a mind of its own as soon as she had saw who it was that was waiting for her outside her quarters.

“Rick?”

She startled him and he forgot his pick up line. Dammed!

“Lisa! I’ve been waiting for you because I wanted to see you.” Rick said quickly and out of breath as he took her appearances in.

Was I blind to have thought she was dull?

“Shall we go inside my quarter?” Lisa asked as she opened her door and waited for him.

“No! I mean, would you like to take a walk in the park?”

She gave him a puzzled look. “Rick, it’s after midnight.”

“Oh, I didn’t realize it was that late already. Ummm... you must be tired, Lisa. I know you probably had a long shift so maybe we’ll do it another time?”

“Don’t be silly. Come on in,” and she walked passed him into her quarter.

He felt like an idiot. He had everything planned-– a stroll under the moonlight, a kiss by the fountain and then he’ll walk her back to her quarter and ask for a date.

“Rick?”

He quickly snapped out of his thoughts and stepped into Lisa’s quarter. The door shut behind him and he saw Lisa walking into another room. Looking around, he realized that her place was a lot bigger than Roy’s or any officers’ he’d known.

I guess ranks do have its privileges after all.

He also noticed that everything she had in the living area was orderly and neat. There were little pots of plants carefully placed here and there throughout the room, a bookcase that was full of books and little knickknacks.

Her living area had a cozy home-feel but classy and sleek. She even had a loveseat and chair of 100% Italian dark burgundy leather with hardwood legs and bottom base that follows up under the arms and around the back in a high gloss black finish.

He sat down and instantly fell in love with her loveseat for it was soft and comfy. Then he leaned forward and picked up a picture frame from her coffee table.

It held a color photo of a tall, handsome young man and Lisa-- a younger Lisa. She was in school uniform and smiling while holding onto the man’s arm. Examining the photo closer he could see the fire, determination and intelligence shining in Lisa’s green eyes.

So this was Riber...

“Would you like a cup of tea, Rick?”

“Yes. If it isn’t any trouble, Lisa” he answered and carefully put the picture back on the coffee table.

“Karl and I took that picture two weeks before he left for Mars. I ditched school and he took a sick call so we could go to the fair. We had so much fun and we almost got caught for I was late in getting back to school to meet my driver.”

“You see, the Admiral didn’t know about us. Karl and I had to keep our love a secret because he did not approve of Karl.”

“You! You ditched school? I don’t believe you. You’re pulling my leg, right?” Rick said in disbelieved.

Lisa laughed. “I know, I couldn’t believe it myself either but I was young then and stupid.”

She came to where he was and picked up one of the two remote controls on the coffee table, she pressed a button and soft jazz/blues music came on.

He grabbed her hand before she could leave. “You were never stupid, Lisa. Don’t sell yourself short, you were just young and in love. All of us, at one time or another had done dumb things in the name of love before.”

Minmei...

“Thank you, Rick for understanding,” she said, “and I’m sorry about Minmei, I’ve heard the rumors too about Kyle and her being an item now.”

“I’ve stopped wearing my heart upon my sleeve for her Lisa,” he confessed yet not managing to convince him or her fully.

But she smiled brightly at him nevertheless. “So anything special in your tea, like honey, lemon or sugar?”

He told her no and watched as she walked into her kitchen. There was a graceful sway to her walk that he had never noticed before either and he found himself liking it very much. She was such a contradiction: elegant, cool and commanding yet vulnerable, shy and so endearing.

She had changed into a navy sweat pant and a white t-shirt. She had even tied her lustrous hair back into a ponytail. He could see her delicate heart-shaped face clearly now and he wondered why he had never seen her beauty before.

He could smell his ‘spring-time’ perfume on her again when she had walked passed him. He found himself wanting her closer so he can smell it more.

Stop it! How can you even think about that when you haven’t even asked her out on a first date yet?

“Thank you, Lisa for the tea.” Rick said as he stood outside her door, stalling for time.

“You’re welcome, Rick. I’ve enjoyed our talk. I have missed you since... ” and she couldn’t finished it. She broke eye contact and her face turned red.

“Lisa, I was wondering... would you like to have dinner with me tomorrow night?”

State = Continuará/To Be Continue

feedback = Sí/Yes