A/N: Hi guys! *Ducks behind couch once again as people throw stuff* Sorry, and I have no excuse for my lateness, so I hope you accept my apology. Okay, well.....I don't think I wrote well on this chapter, but I hope you like it anyway! Website is almost up, and I am working on at least one chapter for every story I have started. I hope to get that done by Sunday. In other news, I am working on a productions website. I want to be a director, so this is my way of practice. It will be called Harlequin Productions, and I will be making music videos with anime. My first video is a tribute to Heero with the song " Crawling" by the awesome band, Linkin Park! I love them!! Ahem....anyway, be sure to look out for that! Well....I guess that's it! On with the fic!!
Intrigued By Innocence
Chapter 8
One....two....three droplets of clear, cold water splashed on the girl's cheeks. Four....five....six....more and more, one by one, tiny crystals of water sprinkled on her skin, catching light which illuminated her body.
Relena was slowly walking to her now empty home, in the dark. In the dark and all alone...only her coat to hug close to her body. It was starting to rain again. No thunder, no lightning, just rain. Rain...and more rain, pounding and pounding. She had to get home fast if she didn't want to get soaked. But she didn't. She didn't run, she didn't try to shield herself, just walked. Walked slowly while hugging her coat close to herself.
An alley...Relena went through the dark passage, not looking in back of her, not looking in front, just walking and staring at the ground as it passed by.
" AHH!!! MOMMIE!! TALK MOMMIE! TALK!"
Relena grasped her head, screams, screams from her mind...
" No! Not again....not again!"
Memories, too many memories....
~flashback~
" AHH!! MOMMY!! TALK MOMMY! TALK!"
The lifeless body of a woman was propped up against the wall, her eyes void, dull and grey. A young ingenue's tears soaked the woman's dress, as she clutched a knife in her hand. A thick, red liquid covered the blade....tinting it a rosy scarlet.
" I didn't mean to, I didn't mean to.....I'm sorry, I'm so sorry.....Please come back...."
~end flashback~
Relena shook her head in agony, she couldn't think of that, not now. Looking up, she found a young girl, a similar resemblance to a girl she knew when she was younger, herself. The girl was crying, hands covering her face. A bang and a rustle echoed through the alley, making the two girls jump. Both turned their head down the alley, staring as a woman, about 30, was pushed up to the wall by a man. Both shrouded in darkness, but screams could be heard from the woman.
" NO! Leave me alone! Leave Marcy alone! Please, no!! AHH!!!"
" Stop!"
The man froze. Turning his head, he could make out Relena's outline in the darkness. He let go of the woman, and let her leave.
Relena's eyes widened as her breath quickened. Who is he? Why did he stop? Her eyes questionably looked at the man, taking in everything. The man took one more look at the girl, and started walking again.
Is it him? Is it....
" Milliardo!?"
Her voice was unbalanced and carried through the dark alley shakily. She wiped the tears from her cheeks, a new hope shining in them, as she called his name again.
The man stopped. He stopped and the wind whispered around him, making his coat rustle. He turned his head slowly, making Relena gasp and clutch her heart. It was him! The porcelain face, the platinum hair, the eyes......the eyes.....
The eyes were different. They were colder, icier. But did it matter? He was here, he's not dead! Relena thanked the gods that he was in reach, and that this was not a terribly blissful dream.
No one said anything. The empty darkness was again silent. An then.....and then he turned back to the direction he was facing, and walked. Frozen in place, shocked with what was happening, Relena could only watch as his back slowly started to fade away into the darkness. Then her mind comprehended what was happening, and her body snapped into motion. She ran. She ran while her tears coursed more trails down her cheeks, and her dress whipped around her, making her go slower. A rip echoed as the dress was torn, as she speeded up, trying to find him, to catch up with him.
Sobs and gasps escaped from her mouth, not believing what was happening. Running into the ebony air, turning corners, searching desperately for what she thought she had lost forever. Searching for the only thing left living for in her life. Searching for her only family, searching for the only one that ever cared about her. She had found him, and now she had lost him! No, she cannot lose him, not now.
And as she began to get tired, her vision becoming blurred, she turned a corner and found a man staring back at her. Delusional, things are twisting, she can barely make out anything. Milliardo? Did she catch up with him? She wanted to say yes, but all she saw was prussain blue before slipping into sweet darkness.
Heero stared with widened eyes as Relena slowly fell to the cold, wet ground in front of him. His breathing went ragged as his heart raced, once again his mind would not put him at peace.
' Leave her.'
' Let her stay here unconscious.'
' She ruined everything, she changed you.'
' She deserves this. Don't help her.'
' Think of Lucretzia...'
Heero pushed the voices aside, ignoring them, and bent down to inspect the girl. She was breathing. She was alright. Gathering her in his arms, the vampire stood up carefully. Where would he go? He didn't know. He certainly can't take her to Lucretzia's...
' What are you doing!'
' Leave her!'
Duo. He will take her to Duo.
* * * * * * *
" Quatre?"
Quatre did not look up, just kept his tearing eyes closed tightly.
Dorothy spoke again, her melodic voice dripping with worry.
" Quatre? Are you alright?"
The day after the party, and he was still here. Still on his knees, and the rain was now pouring again. Soaking him.
She had gotten out of the rampage that night, and had gone looking for Quatre after word, but could not find him. And today, while taking a walk, she saw him here. She had no idea why, why he was here, why he wasn't answering. And she was worried. Something is wrong, very wrong...
" I am fine, Miss. Dorothy."
He spoke. Dorothy let out a relieved sigh as she kneeled next to him.
" What's wrong?"
' I'm a coward....'
" Nothing. Absolutely nothing."
"......."
Quatre opened his blue eyes, focusing on the sky above. Coward. He has gone through so much with fear....Will he ever not be afraid?
* * * * * * * *
" Milliardo!!"
Relena awoke in a cold sweat, hand clutching her heart. She breathed out, then breathed in, thinking about what had happened. She had seen him, she had seen her brother. And then...and then....What happened?
Her eyes scanned the new room, the unrecognizable room. It was dark, curtains blocking out the sun, old tattered furniture, a fireplace. Looking underneath herself, she found that she was laying on a beautifully carved wooden bed. How did she get here?
Getting up, Relena realized that she was still dazed as she stumbled across the room to the curtains. Curtains. Was it daylight? Was it night? The thick, heavy curtains concealed the answer. By pulling this beautiful fabric, she will reveal where she is.
Taking a hold of a curtain, she began to pull, but was stopped as a hand grabbed her own, forcing her to release her hold on the curtain. Fear enveloped her as she turned around, facing the new visitor.
Heero glared down at the girl, the girl that was afraid, the girl that fell into his arms. Glared and pulled the curtain that concealed the sun back to it's place.
" Don't touch."
Relena blinked and her eyes widened as realization dawned upon her.
" Where am I? Where is my brother?!"
Heero turned away from the questioning girl, and stared at the fire. Milliardo? Did she see him? Is he alive?
" You are in Duo's room."
His answer was short, and Relena felt an aura of intimidation emulating from him. His eyes would not look at her.
" Look at me! Look at me and tell me why I am here, why I am falling apart, why my brother is roaming through darkness and why he has turned into what you are!"
She was tired, delusional, and frustrated. Mad. Angry. Sad. All of what has happened has pushed onto her, and she can't take it. She can't.
Heero's eyes widened as he turned to look at her once again. She was hurting. He could not provide answers to her questions.
" I'm sorry....I can't answer those questions."
Relena brought her hand to her eyes, wiping away the tears. She tried to walk back to the bed, she needed to sit down, her eyes were becoming blurry again, her mind and thoughts were becoming blurry again. But her stumbling caused her to almost fall, and instantly Heero was there to catch her.
Her hands were on his chest, her face next to his, her eyes staring into prussian blue. And she felt something, something in her mind that stopped the tears, that stopped her thoughts. And all that was left was her staring at him.
Heero's eyes softened as the girl melted into his arms. But the moment was gone as Relena's thoughts came flooding back and she was snapped back to reality. And the remembrance of what her brother is now disturbed her, and how Heero is apart of her pain and apart of everything that has happened to her. She snapped back to reality and pushed herself away from him.
" Heero?"
"....Yes?"
" ....Make me into what he is...."
Her voice turned into a whisper as her vision was turning more twisted. She could barely make out the beautiful features of the boy. The boy who closed his eyes and took several deep, ragged breaths.
This is what she wanted? She loved her brother so much that she would give away the day? Good. This is what he had to do all along....right? He had to do this for Lucretzia.....he had to, but...but something was tugging him back. Emotions? Feelings? He didn't know.
" Please. Please..."
Heero opened his eyes to find Relena pulling down the straps to the dress, showing her neck. His heart skipped and jumped as thoughts rapidly coursed through his mind.
' Go ahead...if it is what she wants, then do it.'
The sinister part of himself was smirking, eyes shining wildly, thinking to bite her. To make this girl's dream turn into a nightmare. To let her make this mistake. But the other part of him, the isolated, sad boy, shook his head. No, he can't do it...
" No."
Relena's eyes widened as she couldn't believe what she was hearing. No? No?! She had begged and pleaded again, got on her knees, and still received the same answer. Her mind was going wild, and her sanity was being backed further away. No....
" Why?"
Was the last thing she said as her mind, her eyes, her thoughts once again slipped away and she fell into darkness again.
" I don't know why...."
He whispered to the girl who had fallen to the ground, as he once again gathered Relena's body into his hold and started on his way to Darlain Manor, questions and screams from the voices filling his head.
* * * * * *
" You didn't do it."
Heero glanced at Duo as he came through the door. He had taken Relena to her home and placed her in her bed. He had walked back to Duo's room and found Hilde and Duo staring at him questionably.
" Have you ever wondered why...something that is forbidden, looked down upon, dangerous is more tempting and enticing than something familiar?"
" I don't feel like talking Duo."
Heero stared at the mirror across from him, speaking more to himself than to Duo. Just staring at the empty space where he was suppose to be in the mirror, staring at what could have been his reflection but showed nothingness. Duo continued talking, talking with an intention to get some kind of reaction from his friend, any reaction...
" It is because the dangerous draws us in, curiosity overtakes us, but when you finally have the forbidden...you break it."
" What does this have to do with anything?"
Again, Heero seemed to have been somewhere else, talking to himself, staring at his lack of reflection.
" I am saying, Innocence is fragile....don't break her."
That name....that damned nickname Duo had given Relena was starting to intimidate him. It was so....so....perfect, for her. It said everything she was and everything he had lost. It brought back memories, and Duo knew it.
" You know nothing of Relena..."
Still staring at the mirror...
" ....Look, I used Relena to help you, but that doesn't mean that she should be tossed away. She is the first one that broke through the barriers around you, Heero. Keep her safe."
" I don't watch over her. She is not imprisoned by me. She is of ..... no importance to me."
" It is obvious you have an interest, a growing intrigue for her. When she breathes out, you want to breathe her in. Face it Heero...you're intrigued by Innocence." Heero turned away from the mirror and narrowed his eyes at the other vampire. Duo merely smirked in his mind.
" No I'm not."
Though Heero's eyes told differently, Duo decided to continue on this topic.
" Then answer me a question Heero. Have you bitten her? Have you brought her to Lucretzia yet? Have you followed orders and make her into one of us? No! And you know what?! If you don't do it, I will! She looks mighty tasty, all of that blood pumping through Innocence's delicate bo-"
Duo was cut short as Heero ran and pushed his friend to the wall, smashing the mirror to shards of beautiful but dangerous glass, and holding him a foot above solid ground with his hand around his neck.
" Do not test me Duo..." Heero seethed through his teeth. Letting a growl escape his lips. His fangs were bared, his hand clutching Duo's neck tightly. Hilde screamed as Heero pushed Duo more into the wall, making more shards drop to the floor.
" DUO! Heero, please put him down!"
Duo eyes sparkled mischievously, despite his friend holding him a foot above ground, clutching his neck. He smirked because he had found out what Heero's weakness was, what made him different. It was her. She made him different...
" Don't worry Hilde, Heero won't do anything. Not with Innocence on his mind..."
Heero released his grip on the vampire's throat, making Duo fall to the ground. A wide smirk played on the braided vampire's lips.
" Her name is Relena."
That was Heero's last words before he took his coat from one of the chairs, and made his way out through the door, leaving Duo on the ground smiling.
Hilde rushed over to her watcher with worry on her face. She picked up her Duo and set him back on two feet, as she asked him if he was okay.
" Never been better..." was his reply.
* * * * * * * *
" Good bye Mr. Quatre, and thank you for walking me home."
Dorothy smiled and waved as Quatre nodded his head.
" And thank you for offering to stop by Relena's, I really do think something is wrong, ever since the incident."
" Don't worry Miss. Dorothy, I will check on her."
" Thank you!"
Quatre turned and began to make his way to Darlain Manor, not knowing what he was going to find when he got there.
* * * * * * *
Darlain Manor. He was back.
Heero slipped into the large estate and, with determination to prove Duo wrong, found his way to Relena's room. It was dark, and the shadows cloaked him as he entered.
Relena was awake. She was awake and waiting, as if she somehow predicted his visit. Slipping her straps off once again, she slowly walked to where Heero was standing and beckoned him to come to her. He obeyed.
He grasped her arms, forcing them to their sides, and unbearably slowly, he lowered his face centimeters from the milky, smooth skin. Relena shut her eyes tightly, anticipating what was to come, and was breathing rapid, short breaths.
The vampire bared his fangs and with a low growl, he moved his teeth to the tantalizing flesh.
" Thank you....Heero....."
And he stopped. He froze. What was he doing? He released his grip on the girl, and stepped away. He turned around, and started to walk away. What was he thinking?
The absence of the boy's hold made Relena open her eyes. Her vision focused on the boy's retreating form and anger filled her. She thought he would do it, she thought she would be with her brother again. This was unfair. This was wrong.
" No..."
She whispered before running out her bedroom door and after him. She caught up and grabbed the fabric of his cloak and forced him to stop. He did not turn around, and he did not say anything.
" ...no...no, no, NO!! You cannot do this to me!!"
Relena yelled and her voice was strong and demanding, yet fragile and hurt.
" You took him away, your kind did. Please, he is all I have. Let me be with him. Let me be what he is!!"
Heero couldn't do this. He couldn't understand. He couldn't let her make this mistake, and he didn't know why.
" NO!"
Relena took a step back from the outburst, tears spilling on her cheeks.
" I will NOT turn Innocence into a monster!!"
He turned around, his eyes flashing dangerously and his body quivering slightly.
" You have to understand, Relena! Once you become....once you become what he and I are, there is no going back! You lose a part of you, break down into nothing but something that lurks in the shadows, you feed on innocent people, children! NO! I will NOT do it!"
" So help me god, you will make me into what he is! You don't understand, you'll never understand! I am all alone, my family is gone, I am losing my mind. I am going insane, and who do I have to thank for that? YOU! Please, this is the least you can do for me....please....."
" NO! I'm....I'm sorry...."
Relena closed her eyes tightly and grasped onto Heero's arm. He looked down on her and took a deep breath. Fragile....
She clutched his arm, but he forced her to let go. She sunk to the floor, overwhelmed of what was going on, with what has happened. Overwhelmed with tears and fear. Overwhelmed with the feeling of loss. And Heero left her their, in her tears, for he did not know what has happened to himself and he needed time to think, to question.
* * * * * * * *
" Relena!"
Quatre gasped as he entered the Manor, and found the girl on the floor, crying uncontrollably.
" What happened?"
Relena did not look up, but kept her azure eyes on the marble floor.
" I can't go on, this is too much..."
Quatre's eyes widened at her serious tone. Something has disturbed her.
" Relena...of course you can go on."
" No I can't!"
Quatre's calming voice wasn't working, and he had to get some sense into the girl, and find out answers to his questions later.
" You must live your life, till the bitter-sweet end. For giving up means losing yourself, losing yourself, losing your-"
" -But in the end, it doesn't even matter!"
" Relena...."
" You see what's happening to me Quatre, you see what I am doing to myself. You see how my mind and sanity is twisting, turning, changing. I'm pulling myself apart, piece by piece! I am destroying myself, and I can't help it! I need help....I need my brother...."
She was on the floor, whimpering, shaking violently. Clutching the fabric of what was left of her dress, soaking it with salty tears. Quatre slowly crept toward the sobbing girl, hidden rays of fear tinting his blue eyes.
As he placed his hand on her shoulder, she jumped and turned to him, eyes widened and hand begging him to stay back.
" No! Leave me alone! You don't understand, you'll never understand...!"
Her eyes flashed dangerously and her hair was matted to her face from the sweat pouring out of her. Her body was quivering and Quatre knew to stay away. He knew, for it was as if the situation was she was on the edge of a cliff, ready to jump. She was glass now, fragile and delicate. He knew she could easily break, if he interfered any more, so he sunk down to the cold, marble floor, and watched her cry. Just watched....
* * * * * * * *
A/N: Probably confused....Well, that's ok, because I think I did a bad job on this chapter. But review anyway!!!! To not make you confused anymore, The next 2 chapters are interludes, an in depth look into Relena and Heero's past and their minds. You'll see what exactly happened to Relena's mother, and how Heero got sucked into Lucretzia's world. And the chapter after the interludes is going to have Lucretzia, Quatre, Dorothy, Milliardo, and.......CATHERINE!!! She is introduced, but I won't tell you her role yet though! Hehe! ^_~
~Harlequin