The Middie Bird Must . . .

The Circus

Trowa got out of the truck with Middie. He stayed relaxed, as in most situations. "The hoodie. Take it off and leave it in the truck." Middie glanced toward him oddly, but she followed his order.

This would be intense. Middie Une got some rest yesterday, and then he brought her back to Earth. She slept on the journey only a little, her own mind and body still in a mixed-up state.

Maybe he should have let her take the pregnancy test, it would have helped her at least know if she were pregnant or not. It could have also saved him this hassle too, but RTL had pulled off impossible things before. He wanted the secure location of the Circus to test.

He also wanted Catherine to trust in the results. She knew nothing of Middie Une, so he left the testing kit to her. He trusted that Catherine grabbed a top brand bought from nowhere near them. She would be there to justify that Middie Une did not mess up the test. I don't suspect her in any way, but I cannot leave anything to chance. Neither can Catherine.

All three of them should be convinced beyond a shadow of a doubt.

Catherine started to head over, her arms folded, and almost marching. Middie Une wouldn't want an upheaval, but Trowa never could control Catherine. He also wouldn't let Middie hide in the hoodie. This wasn't a time for hiding anything.

"Is this her, Trowa?" Catherine asked him, but walking closer toward Middie Une. Trowa nodded.

Catherine stared at her. Flashes between anger and sympathy. "A spy in the war." Middie nodded to her. "Not a spy anymore?" Middie nodded again. "Did you go to the hospital?"

Middie didn't seem to know how to answer. Trowa would not interrupt.

"Is anything broken?" Catherine asked her. "It looks like. You're broken."

Trowa watched her gesture to Middie's hand. Of course she would notice that.

Middie tried to hide it behind her back. "Professionally set."

"So Trowa took you to a hospital before he brought you here?" Catherine looked at him. "Did the doctor say she was okay? It is okay? What's the situation?"

"She didn't go to a hospital with me, Cathy." Whoever took care of it was a professional, that was clear. She didn't tell him about it though, and he was not prying into her life yet.

"Who did that?" Catherine was starting to make up her mind now. While torn between war and fighting, she was also sensitive to violence against others and Middle was still healing from the kidnapping visually and physically. "Walk."

Middie didn't move.

"Who did that?" Catherine repeated.

Middie looked at herself briefly. Like she was debating what to say.

"Well. Open your hand then." Catherine angrily reached behind her and shoved a pregnancy test into hers. "Here. Keep keeping secrets then and you'll see where that gets you with me."

That seemed to trigger Middie to tell Catherine as she brought the test box closer. "The friend I was with, it was his parents some time ago."

"His dad?" Catherine asked more assertively.

"Mostly his mom."

"Before or after she knew your condition?" Catherine asked firmly.

"After, mostly," Middie Une admitted. "We negotiated things between."

That didn't stir Cathy in a good direction. "Then what did his dad do?"

Trowa could see an unbalanced feel when Catherine asked that. Middie could seem to tell Catherine about Gin's mother but not his father as easily.

"The finger. Who took care of it?" Catherine asked again, wanting an answer to that question still.

"Gin called their private family doctor," Middie answered.

Catherine glanced at Trowa. Not so much of hate. She seemed to be deciding about Middle Une. "It's late. If you want something to eat, there is still plenty. After she takes the test." She stole one more look at Middie. "The bathroom is this way."

Trowa followed each of them.

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Was Catherine a part of RTL? Middie couldn't tell, but Catherine definitely was passing judgment. No surprise. Please. Make this negative. I don't want to be here, I want to go back home. Catherine led the way to the bathroom and made certain Middie went in.

It wasn't the best bathroom, but not the worst. The Circus took care of it. Probably traveled with it. I can't dwell on a bathroom forever, this is going to happen whether I like it or not. Middie knew she didn't have long, but took two seconds to let her mind wrap around everything that was happening.

She was in an area she wasn't welcome in, she knew that. How long would she be there? What did Trowa plan on doing with her? These questions became all too real as she looked at her test. She brought the test back out along with the box to show. "Two lines."

Catherine grabbed the box and the base of the test and scrutinized it. She trembled slightly, then threw it in a nearby trash can.

Catherine was quiet for once. Middie didn't know how to react.

Within the silence, Trowa spoke again. "That's not surprising." he admitted, "but confirming. This way, Middie Une."

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Trowa led her into another tent. He wasn't surprised when everyone hanging around still were a little standoffish. The Circus was its own family. He hadn't even brought any of his allies into that area. It was critical though. Being on the move in the Circus was a much better option to keep Middie Une hidden. "The food is over there."

As Middie moved, he moved. Meanwhile, everyone watched her. The Circus knew who he'd been, but they'd never give away his location to someone asking for it. For the same reason, they were cautiously watching the woman hanging around their food.

Middie must have felt it too, but she still went after some food and ignored everyone.

Trowa had two things on his side. For one, anyone could tell that she hadn't been treated decently. Although she carried herself and tried not to call attention, she had a slight limp, her face and cheeks still had signs of not being treated well, and of course she was trying to plate things with her good hand that didn't have the finger splint. For those that wouldn't care about physical injury, Trowa stayed near her, showing he was in control of his guest. Yet?

 It still wasn't enough.

"Sorry about her injuries. She shouldn't be in here," one of the performers said to Trowa.

Trowa didn't want to get into all the facts. The troupe would keep the secret, but it was a lot to shoulder. He wasn't going to go into the past, a skim of the top would suffice, but that meant they would want to know more about her. Especially her current injuries, and she didn't want to express it. "It's late," Trowa settled on. "Middie Une is a unique case for the Circus that we will discuss tomorrow, but she is in no condition for a lot of questions right now." There.

"Is she joining?" someone else asked. "What happened to her?"

"You heard Trowa!"

Ah. The voice they would all listen to approached. "Cathy."

"Middie Une is a unique case no one has had a chance to discuss much yet, but she needs some food and a good nights' rest before anyone gets any answers." Catherine tried to satisfy them with that.

Instead, someone had started to bring the ringmaster in. "What's going on?" he demanded. "Who is that, Trowa?"

Damn. The ringmaster was now involved. The circus is a great place to hide, I chose it correctly when I first came here for cover. However, the reasons it's a great place to hide, are the same reasons it won't be easy to get her in either.

"Watch your finger right there."

Trowa looked back at Cathy. She was trying to guide Middie around. Her fears of Middie were starting to lessen quicker than he thought.