Eternity In His Hand 8/?
Posted: Tue Apr 22, 2003 8:38 am
Berry: *walks in wearing black leather and shades* There is no spoon, Neo.
Melville: What the....?
Wicked: *sigh* She's been watching the Matrix again.
Melville: Holy potatoes, batman. Someone save us.
Berry: I can only show you the door, YOU have to walk through it.
Engrish: Oh man, someone snap her out of it. She has a story to get to.
tornin: *eyebrow twitches* Not to mention, all the questions she has to answer.
Berry: The answers are coming, Neo.
Wicked: *face vaults*
Melville: Oh geez...
Eternity In His Hand
Chapter Eight
Shafts of dark gold sunlight streamed through the tall glass windows, illuminating dancing dust motes and spreading blankets of color over the still form of Heero Yuy who was currently sound asleep in Relena?s bed. The bright rays brought out sparks of amber in his dark hair and warmed his bare skin through the light sheet placed over him by Relena?s small hand. He lay on his stomach, his back a mass of bandages and padding, not a muscle in his body moving due to the heavy dose of drugs currently running through his system. He was oblivious to the world and it was just as well. The long diagonal gash down his back had required forty-seven stitches, the wound haloed by a dark purple bruise that promised to be painful. The blood loss that had accompanied the sword slash was just as dangerous, weakening his body and requiring twenty-four hours of bed rest before he could even attempt light exercise. Heero had spent most of that time asleep, waking only for water that Relena managed to slip down his throat. The next time he opened his eyes it would be time to try and get him to take some warm broth but no one knew when that might be. Even Hilde, who had been so confidant about Heero?s recovery from the very beginning was beginning to crumble under the strain as Heero continued to sleep.
Relena shifted on her chair, ignoring the creak of the wood and her own discomfort, her eyes focused on the slumbering figure of her Champion. Her face reflected perfect serenity but now and then he caught her biting her lip with worry, her eyes shimmering more than was usual. She had been by Yuy?s side every moment, refusing to leave the room even when they bathed him. She had stayed out of the nurse?s way, a silent presence in the corner of the room as they worked on him, but it was clear she wasn?t about to take care of herself, prompting Duo to take that job upon himself. Regardless of whatever Heero thought, Duo honestly liked both him and the Rose Bride, and as along as Yuy was indisposed someone had to make sure the other duelists didn?t try anything with Relena. Not that what he was doing was noble, he didn?t think of it like that. No, he was just being a gentlemen, but he still wore a Rose Seal. Dueling was still his destiny but it could be put on hold. For now, at any rate.
?You should get some rest, princess,? he said quietly from his position near the window. He had already gotten a sharp jab from Hilde for talking too loudly. ?You won?t be any good to him exhausted.?
Relena didn?t look at him, her whole being focused on Heero. ?Thank you, Duo, but I need to be here when he wakes up. The doctor said he needs to eat something.?
Duo sighed. It was the answer he had expected from her but it still didn?t keep him from wishing the Bride?s obedience extended to all duelists, not just the Champion. Then he could have just ordered her to bed and been done with it. It was obvious that she was tired. Still dressed in her sea-green ball grown, her curled hair falling around her shoulders finally released from its clips, the Rose Bride sometimes weaved in her chair as if her sense of balance was off. Her usually clear eyes sported dark circles and she sat with her spine slumped as if she didn?t have the energy to hold herself upright. All of this was no surprise after what had happened on the Platform. He had heard the details from Trowa and was still angry that Wufei had tried something so dangerous. Engaged as she was to Yuy, the Rose Bride was bound to him heart and soul. By taking her to the Arena, Wufei had threatened to undo that bond in a way that was physically and spiritually dangerous to the Bride. Dueling was the proper way for the bond to passed from one duelist to the other and the rules made it clear that it was the only way for it to be done. Wufei?s actions had cheated those rules and put the Bride in mortal danger, her very essence unraveling as she was forced to step inside the Forest at the will of someone other than her Champion. In the end, Chang had almost destroyed the one thing that could have given him what he wanted. It was amazing really that Relena was even upright.
Suddenly, he wished for Hilde. Not only for the fact that Relena seemed to listen to the other girl better than she listened to him, but also because he simply missed her. The dance had been cut short for them because of Heero?s injury and she had spent most of the night making sure Dorothy was checked out by a nurse after Wufei?s attack on her. Duo had finally sent Hilde back to her dorm room to sleep an hour before sunrise and he was beginning to regret it. It would have been nice to have her support, her navy eyes brightening when she looked at him.
Shaking his head, he refrained from slapping himself. Now was not the time to get distracted.
?Duo??
Duo barely managed to keep from jumping at the quiet voice next to him, his heart thumping in his chest from surprise. He jerked around to find Quatre Winner standing next to him, watching him with mild concern. The other duelist must have entered without making a sound. After all, he hadn?t been that distracted, had he?
Quatre tilted his head. ?Are you alright, Duo? You seem sort of distracted.?
Duo ?humphed? and crossed his arms irritability. ?What are you doing here, Quatre? I thought you were with Dorothy.?
The blonde Student Council Vice-President nodded, his eyes drifting to the prone Champion. ?I just came from the hospital. She?s being released right now. I offered to walk her back to her dorm but she just told me to come and check on things here.? He suddenly frowned, his blue eyes going dark. ?She seemed particularly interested in how Relena was doing.?
Duo arched an eyebrow. ?Well, as you can see, she?s being completely stubborn.? He raised his voice slightly to make sure the Bride heard him. ?She won?t do what?s good for her and lay down before she collapses.?
Quatre shook his head as Relena continued to ignore them. ?It won?t work, Duo. He?s her Champion. It?s in her own best interest to look after him.?
?I think it?s more than that now,? he said but when Quatre looked at him questioningly he didn?t elaborate. He wasn?t quite sure what he was implying and was too tired to figure it out. ?In any case, she?s determined to make sure he eats when he wakes up which could be in the next few minutes or tomorrow for all we know.?
?Heero is strong. He?ll come around sooner rather than later.?
A brief moment silence fell in the room as the two men watched Heero?s chest rise and fall with his even breathing, each lost to their own thoughts. Then Duo realized something.
?Wait, what you said about Dorothy.? Quatre looked at him. ?What you said about her being very interested in how Relena?s doing. Do you suspect her of something?? He lowered his voice for Relena?s sake. ?I mean, it?s not exactly a secret that she hates the Rose Bride and that she only duels to disprove her power.?
Quatre?s face was serious when he spoke. ?I?m not sure, but you?re right about one thing. Dorothy has never cared about Relena before. It?s curious that she?s so interested now.?
?More than curious, my friend.?
?Heero??
Duo and Quatre both turned at the sound of Relena?s soft voice to find her leaning forward in her chair, fingers resting against her Champion?s cheek. Heero?s dark eyes were blinking open though nothing else moved, his gaze obviously fuzzy as he tried to figure out where he was. He had been disoriented every time he had awakened before, a side effect of the painkillers he was on, but this time it seemed the memories were returning a bit faster.
?Relena,? he said, his voice rusty and hoarse. The Rose Bride smiled, keeping a hand on Heero?s shoulder to keep him from rolling over. It would be dangerous for him to lay on his back for awhile yet.
?I?m here,? she answered, holding out a glass of water with a straw to him. ?Take a drink, Heero, it will help.? Holding the straw while he drank, Relena glanced at him and Quatre. ?If you wouldn?t mind??
Duo held up a hand. ?Don?t say another word, princess. We?ll just be on our way.? He gathered his coat from Heero?s desk and gave the fallen Champion a cheery salute. ?Good to have you back, Heero. Take it easy, man.?
Quatre bowed. ?Yes, take care of yourself, Heero. You too, Miss Relena.?
Relena inclined her head graciously, focusing on Heero again when the door closed behind the two duelists. Her Champion was watching her, his mind whirling behind that cobalt gaze.
?You?re thinking too hard,? she said gently, setting the water glass aside and slipping down from her chair to kneel by the bed in order to see him better. ?The doctor says you need to worry about yourself now.?
?You,? he paused to clear his throat, ?Are you alright??
She gave him a tender look. ?Yes, I?m alright.?
Having learned what he needed to know, he closed his eyes. Unsure of exactly what to do, she laid her hand on top of his, sitting with him as sleep claimed him once again. She hadn?t gotten him to eat anything but it was clear he was getting better. Her newest Champion was too strong to be kept down for long.
?Let it be over soon,? she breathed to the silence, ?and help him to be happy, no matter what the end may be.?
Quietly she sat by his bedside, watching him breathe until her knees started to ache. Smothering a yawn, she rose to take a seat back in her chair and found herself abruptly on the floor again, the room swimming crazily. Her fingernails dug into the wooden floor boards as she tried to ground herself, her body shuddering uncontrollably. Closing her eyes, she struggled to get a hold of herself. She shouldn?t have been having any side effects from being taken to the Platform without her Champion. That had been hours ago, she shouldn?t still be splintering. And everyone knew that the Rose Bride couldn?t get sick, she hadn?t had a cold since?
Groaning softly, she gripped the arm of her desk chair and pulled herself up into it. Surprisingly, the movement cleared her head a little and she blinked, her vision righting itself as she did so. Suddenly, it was as if nothing had happened. Her body stilled and she breathed in deeply, feeling only a normal tiredness from the long night. What had caused such a reaction? She was weary, yes, but the night on the Platform was over. What was happening to her?
Heero murmured softly in his sleep and she focused on him, a determined look on her face. It didn?t matter. Whatever it was, it had passed, and Heero needed her.
It was the Bride?s turn to protect her Champion.
* * * *
Trowa Barton sat on the window seat in his room watching the sun rise through the clear glass. He made no sound except to breathe, his visible emerald eye reflecting the reds and oranges the new day brought. When a light hand came to rest on his shoulder his only response was to speak softly, his gaze never moving.
?You should be in bed.?
A gentle laugh. ?You worry too much.?
?It was a big night. Don?t exert yourself, Catherine.?
His sister, so small in her large terry cloth robe, settled herself down on the window seat next to him, her silver eyes like bright coins in the morning sun. The hand on his shoulder seemed too frail, he could see her bones so much more clearly now. She was too thin.
?You?re worrying again.?
He sighed and covered her hand with one of his own. ?I can?t help it, Cathy. You?re too important to me. I don?t want to lose you.?
Her brave smile was almost heart breaking. ?Trowa, we?ve known for a long time what my destiny would be.? She looked off into the distance. ?It?s true that I?m scared but when the moment comes my only regret is that I will have to leave you.?
This time he looked at her and his expression was set. ?I won?t let that happen, Cathy. You know the purpose of the Rose Seal. With it, I will give you Eternity and death will become only a fleeting memory.?
She touched his cheek tenderly. ?Oh, Trowa.?
He turned back to the sunrise. ?I promise you, Cathy. Eternity will be yours.?
* * * *
?Are you sure this is okay, Heero?? Relena asked, dipping her toes into the silky waters of the school pool. Water light reflected ripples across the walls, emphasizing the silence as the Rose Bride slowly slipped into the depths, immersing herself up to the waist of her swimsuit. Trowa had done them a favor and closed the pool to other students on the grounds of ?maintenance?, allowing Heero and her to use it without other eyes watching. She still wasn?t sure it was a good idea but Heero seemed to have his mind bent on it.
?It?ll be good for me, Relena. I need to do some exercise anyway.? Sitting on the edge of the pool in swimming trunks and a white t-shirt, Heero looked very pale and tired, but his eyes were clear and bright and the strength of his fingers on her hand was the strength of her Champion.
Nodding in acceptance she helped him into the pool, letting him loop an arm around her neck for balance. Heero?s bandages had been taken off that afternoon, leaving a long, neat row of stitches exposed down his back. As the hours had lengthened, he had begun to feel restless, finally accepting an offer from Trowa for him to use the pool for some light exercise. The water would support him, allowing him freedom of movement without much strain of the torn muscles in his back. A perfect idea as far as Heero was concerned. Relena wasn?t quite so sure. She had come to feel worse as the day progressed, feeling terribly hot one moment and icy cold the next. Small things that were more annoying than serious, but she couldn?t help but be concerned. She needed to be at full health for Heero.
Silently they moved across the pool into deeper water where Heero could let the water hold him up as he slowly worked out the kinks in his body. The trickle of dripping water and the whirl of it around her limbs made Relena feel relaxed and calm as she held her hands close to Heero in case he needed help. After a moment, Heero spoke suddenly, his voice quiet but still echoing in the empty room.
?We never got to dance.?
Relena blinked, startled out of her fuzzy thoughts. ?What??
He turned to her, pausing as his dark eyes found her face. ?At the ball, everything happened so fast. We never got to dance.? He didn?t move as she considered his words, tilting her head to try and discern his will. A minute passed and then Relena slipped her fingers through his, lifting his other hand and settling it around her waist. She smiled at him gently as she curled her free hand around his neck and felt his hand steady on her waist in response. Slowly, taking care of Heero?s condition, they began to dance, their bare feet floating along the pool floor. Their music became the swirling of water, Relena?s gown the gold fan of her hair on the surface. Each one focused on the other, they turned as one, each movement deliberately graceful through the cool liquid surrounding them. If anyone had seen them, they would have thought they were watching the afterimage of a dream, the remembrance of a wish. Around them lingered something so elusive, it was impossible to witness it and feel nothing.
Slowly and with an awareness that her Champion was not completely well, Relena drew closer to Heero until she was able to lay her head against his chest, hearing the beating of his heart next to her. She closed her eyes, content, and smiled slightly when she felt Heero bow his head over her shoulder, his arm locking her against him.
Of all her Champions, only Heero?s embrace had never felt like a prison.
* * * *
Dorothy Catalonia stretched languidly, feeling the silk sheets slide across her body as she moved. A muscle twinged in her neck and she frowned momentarily, mentally cursing Wufei Chang. If he had told her his plan from the beginning they could have avoided all this unpleasantness but she had to admit, it certainly shed a new light on her own plans. If she were lucky, everyone would blame Chang for the upcoming drama, leaving The Cat blameless and licking her paws in a corner.
Dorothy smiled cruelly.
?Just wait, Heero Yuy. Everything is about to change. It?s time the Rose Bride learned there?s no such thing as miracles.?
TBC
Melville: What the....?
Wicked: *sigh* She's been watching the Matrix again.
Melville: Holy potatoes, batman. Someone save us.
Berry: I can only show you the door, YOU have to walk through it.
Engrish: Oh man, someone snap her out of it. She has a story to get to.
tornin: *eyebrow twitches* Not to mention, all the questions she has to answer.
Berry: The answers are coming, Neo.
Wicked: *face vaults*
Melville: Oh geez...
Eternity In His Hand
Chapter Eight
Shafts of dark gold sunlight streamed through the tall glass windows, illuminating dancing dust motes and spreading blankets of color over the still form of Heero Yuy who was currently sound asleep in Relena?s bed. The bright rays brought out sparks of amber in his dark hair and warmed his bare skin through the light sheet placed over him by Relena?s small hand. He lay on his stomach, his back a mass of bandages and padding, not a muscle in his body moving due to the heavy dose of drugs currently running through his system. He was oblivious to the world and it was just as well. The long diagonal gash down his back had required forty-seven stitches, the wound haloed by a dark purple bruise that promised to be painful. The blood loss that had accompanied the sword slash was just as dangerous, weakening his body and requiring twenty-four hours of bed rest before he could even attempt light exercise. Heero had spent most of that time asleep, waking only for water that Relena managed to slip down his throat. The next time he opened his eyes it would be time to try and get him to take some warm broth but no one knew when that might be. Even Hilde, who had been so confidant about Heero?s recovery from the very beginning was beginning to crumble under the strain as Heero continued to sleep.
Relena shifted on her chair, ignoring the creak of the wood and her own discomfort, her eyes focused on the slumbering figure of her Champion. Her face reflected perfect serenity but now and then he caught her biting her lip with worry, her eyes shimmering more than was usual. She had been by Yuy?s side every moment, refusing to leave the room even when they bathed him. She had stayed out of the nurse?s way, a silent presence in the corner of the room as they worked on him, but it was clear she wasn?t about to take care of herself, prompting Duo to take that job upon himself. Regardless of whatever Heero thought, Duo honestly liked both him and the Rose Bride, and as along as Yuy was indisposed someone had to make sure the other duelists didn?t try anything with Relena. Not that what he was doing was noble, he didn?t think of it like that. No, he was just being a gentlemen, but he still wore a Rose Seal. Dueling was still his destiny but it could be put on hold. For now, at any rate.
?You should get some rest, princess,? he said quietly from his position near the window. He had already gotten a sharp jab from Hilde for talking too loudly. ?You won?t be any good to him exhausted.?
Relena didn?t look at him, her whole being focused on Heero. ?Thank you, Duo, but I need to be here when he wakes up. The doctor said he needs to eat something.?
Duo sighed. It was the answer he had expected from her but it still didn?t keep him from wishing the Bride?s obedience extended to all duelists, not just the Champion. Then he could have just ordered her to bed and been done with it. It was obvious that she was tired. Still dressed in her sea-green ball grown, her curled hair falling around her shoulders finally released from its clips, the Rose Bride sometimes weaved in her chair as if her sense of balance was off. Her usually clear eyes sported dark circles and she sat with her spine slumped as if she didn?t have the energy to hold herself upright. All of this was no surprise after what had happened on the Platform. He had heard the details from Trowa and was still angry that Wufei had tried something so dangerous. Engaged as she was to Yuy, the Rose Bride was bound to him heart and soul. By taking her to the Arena, Wufei had threatened to undo that bond in a way that was physically and spiritually dangerous to the Bride. Dueling was the proper way for the bond to passed from one duelist to the other and the rules made it clear that it was the only way for it to be done. Wufei?s actions had cheated those rules and put the Bride in mortal danger, her very essence unraveling as she was forced to step inside the Forest at the will of someone other than her Champion. In the end, Chang had almost destroyed the one thing that could have given him what he wanted. It was amazing really that Relena was even upright.
Suddenly, he wished for Hilde. Not only for the fact that Relena seemed to listen to the other girl better than she listened to him, but also because he simply missed her. The dance had been cut short for them because of Heero?s injury and she had spent most of the night making sure Dorothy was checked out by a nurse after Wufei?s attack on her. Duo had finally sent Hilde back to her dorm room to sleep an hour before sunrise and he was beginning to regret it. It would have been nice to have her support, her navy eyes brightening when she looked at him.
Shaking his head, he refrained from slapping himself. Now was not the time to get distracted.
?Duo??
Duo barely managed to keep from jumping at the quiet voice next to him, his heart thumping in his chest from surprise. He jerked around to find Quatre Winner standing next to him, watching him with mild concern. The other duelist must have entered without making a sound. After all, he hadn?t been that distracted, had he?
Quatre tilted his head. ?Are you alright, Duo? You seem sort of distracted.?
Duo ?humphed? and crossed his arms irritability. ?What are you doing here, Quatre? I thought you were with Dorothy.?
The blonde Student Council Vice-President nodded, his eyes drifting to the prone Champion. ?I just came from the hospital. She?s being released right now. I offered to walk her back to her dorm but she just told me to come and check on things here.? He suddenly frowned, his blue eyes going dark. ?She seemed particularly interested in how Relena was doing.?
Duo arched an eyebrow. ?Well, as you can see, she?s being completely stubborn.? He raised his voice slightly to make sure the Bride heard him. ?She won?t do what?s good for her and lay down before she collapses.?
Quatre shook his head as Relena continued to ignore them. ?It won?t work, Duo. He?s her Champion. It?s in her own best interest to look after him.?
?I think it?s more than that now,? he said but when Quatre looked at him questioningly he didn?t elaborate. He wasn?t quite sure what he was implying and was too tired to figure it out. ?In any case, she?s determined to make sure he eats when he wakes up which could be in the next few minutes or tomorrow for all we know.?
?Heero is strong. He?ll come around sooner rather than later.?
A brief moment silence fell in the room as the two men watched Heero?s chest rise and fall with his even breathing, each lost to their own thoughts. Then Duo realized something.
?Wait, what you said about Dorothy.? Quatre looked at him. ?What you said about her being very interested in how Relena?s doing. Do you suspect her of something?? He lowered his voice for Relena?s sake. ?I mean, it?s not exactly a secret that she hates the Rose Bride and that she only duels to disprove her power.?
Quatre?s face was serious when he spoke. ?I?m not sure, but you?re right about one thing. Dorothy has never cared about Relena before. It?s curious that she?s so interested now.?
?More than curious, my friend.?
?Heero??
Duo and Quatre both turned at the sound of Relena?s soft voice to find her leaning forward in her chair, fingers resting against her Champion?s cheek. Heero?s dark eyes were blinking open though nothing else moved, his gaze obviously fuzzy as he tried to figure out where he was. He had been disoriented every time he had awakened before, a side effect of the painkillers he was on, but this time it seemed the memories were returning a bit faster.
?Relena,? he said, his voice rusty and hoarse. The Rose Bride smiled, keeping a hand on Heero?s shoulder to keep him from rolling over. It would be dangerous for him to lay on his back for awhile yet.
?I?m here,? she answered, holding out a glass of water with a straw to him. ?Take a drink, Heero, it will help.? Holding the straw while he drank, Relena glanced at him and Quatre. ?If you wouldn?t mind??
Duo held up a hand. ?Don?t say another word, princess. We?ll just be on our way.? He gathered his coat from Heero?s desk and gave the fallen Champion a cheery salute. ?Good to have you back, Heero. Take it easy, man.?
Quatre bowed. ?Yes, take care of yourself, Heero. You too, Miss Relena.?
Relena inclined her head graciously, focusing on Heero again when the door closed behind the two duelists. Her Champion was watching her, his mind whirling behind that cobalt gaze.
?You?re thinking too hard,? she said gently, setting the water glass aside and slipping down from her chair to kneel by the bed in order to see him better. ?The doctor says you need to worry about yourself now.?
?You,? he paused to clear his throat, ?Are you alright??
She gave him a tender look. ?Yes, I?m alright.?
Having learned what he needed to know, he closed his eyes. Unsure of exactly what to do, she laid her hand on top of his, sitting with him as sleep claimed him once again. She hadn?t gotten him to eat anything but it was clear he was getting better. Her newest Champion was too strong to be kept down for long.
?Let it be over soon,? she breathed to the silence, ?and help him to be happy, no matter what the end may be.?
Quietly she sat by his bedside, watching him breathe until her knees started to ache. Smothering a yawn, she rose to take a seat back in her chair and found herself abruptly on the floor again, the room swimming crazily. Her fingernails dug into the wooden floor boards as she tried to ground herself, her body shuddering uncontrollably. Closing her eyes, she struggled to get a hold of herself. She shouldn?t have been having any side effects from being taken to the Platform without her Champion. That had been hours ago, she shouldn?t still be splintering. And everyone knew that the Rose Bride couldn?t get sick, she hadn?t had a cold since?
Groaning softly, she gripped the arm of her desk chair and pulled herself up into it. Surprisingly, the movement cleared her head a little and she blinked, her vision righting itself as she did so. Suddenly, it was as if nothing had happened. Her body stilled and she breathed in deeply, feeling only a normal tiredness from the long night. What had caused such a reaction? She was weary, yes, but the night on the Platform was over. What was happening to her?
Heero murmured softly in his sleep and she focused on him, a determined look on her face. It didn?t matter. Whatever it was, it had passed, and Heero needed her.
It was the Bride?s turn to protect her Champion.
* * * *
Trowa Barton sat on the window seat in his room watching the sun rise through the clear glass. He made no sound except to breathe, his visible emerald eye reflecting the reds and oranges the new day brought. When a light hand came to rest on his shoulder his only response was to speak softly, his gaze never moving.
?You should be in bed.?
A gentle laugh. ?You worry too much.?
?It was a big night. Don?t exert yourself, Catherine.?
His sister, so small in her large terry cloth robe, settled herself down on the window seat next to him, her silver eyes like bright coins in the morning sun. The hand on his shoulder seemed too frail, he could see her bones so much more clearly now. She was too thin.
?You?re worrying again.?
He sighed and covered her hand with one of his own. ?I can?t help it, Cathy. You?re too important to me. I don?t want to lose you.?
Her brave smile was almost heart breaking. ?Trowa, we?ve known for a long time what my destiny would be.? She looked off into the distance. ?It?s true that I?m scared but when the moment comes my only regret is that I will have to leave you.?
This time he looked at her and his expression was set. ?I won?t let that happen, Cathy. You know the purpose of the Rose Seal. With it, I will give you Eternity and death will become only a fleeting memory.?
She touched his cheek tenderly. ?Oh, Trowa.?
He turned back to the sunrise. ?I promise you, Cathy. Eternity will be yours.?
* * * *
?Are you sure this is okay, Heero?? Relena asked, dipping her toes into the silky waters of the school pool. Water light reflected ripples across the walls, emphasizing the silence as the Rose Bride slowly slipped into the depths, immersing herself up to the waist of her swimsuit. Trowa had done them a favor and closed the pool to other students on the grounds of ?maintenance?, allowing Heero and her to use it without other eyes watching. She still wasn?t sure it was a good idea but Heero seemed to have his mind bent on it.
?It?ll be good for me, Relena. I need to do some exercise anyway.? Sitting on the edge of the pool in swimming trunks and a white t-shirt, Heero looked very pale and tired, but his eyes were clear and bright and the strength of his fingers on her hand was the strength of her Champion.
Nodding in acceptance she helped him into the pool, letting him loop an arm around her neck for balance. Heero?s bandages had been taken off that afternoon, leaving a long, neat row of stitches exposed down his back. As the hours had lengthened, he had begun to feel restless, finally accepting an offer from Trowa for him to use the pool for some light exercise. The water would support him, allowing him freedom of movement without much strain of the torn muscles in his back. A perfect idea as far as Heero was concerned. Relena wasn?t quite so sure. She had come to feel worse as the day progressed, feeling terribly hot one moment and icy cold the next. Small things that were more annoying than serious, but she couldn?t help but be concerned. She needed to be at full health for Heero.
Silently they moved across the pool into deeper water where Heero could let the water hold him up as he slowly worked out the kinks in his body. The trickle of dripping water and the whirl of it around her limbs made Relena feel relaxed and calm as she held her hands close to Heero in case he needed help. After a moment, Heero spoke suddenly, his voice quiet but still echoing in the empty room.
?We never got to dance.?
Relena blinked, startled out of her fuzzy thoughts. ?What??
He turned to her, pausing as his dark eyes found her face. ?At the ball, everything happened so fast. We never got to dance.? He didn?t move as she considered his words, tilting her head to try and discern his will. A minute passed and then Relena slipped her fingers through his, lifting his other hand and settling it around her waist. She smiled at him gently as she curled her free hand around his neck and felt his hand steady on her waist in response. Slowly, taking care of Heero?s condition, they began to dance, their bare feet floating along the pool floor. Their music became the swirling of water, Relena?s gown the gold fan of her hair on the surface. Each one focused on the other, they turned as one, each movement deliberately graceful through the cool liquid surrounding them. If anyone had seen them, they would have thought they were watching the afterimage of a dream, the remembrance of a wish. Around them lingered something so elusive, it was impossible to witness it and feel nothing.
Slowly and with an awareness that her Champion was not completely well, Relena drew closer to Heero until she was able to lay her head against his chest, hearing the beating of his heart next to her. She closed her eyes, content, and smiled slightly when she felt Heero bow his head over her shoulder, his arm locking her against him.
Of all her Champions, only Heero?s embrace had never felt like a prison.
* * * *
Dorothy Catalonia stretched languidly, feeling the silk sheets slide across her body as she moved. A muscle twinged in her neck and she frowned momentarily, mentally cursing Wufei Chang. If he had told her his plan from the beginning they could have avoided all this unpleasantness but she had to admit, it certainly shed a new light on her own plans. If she were lucky, everyone would blame Chang for the upcoming drama, leaving The Cat blameless and licking her paws in a corner.
Dorothy smiled cruelly.
?Just wait, Heero Yuy. Everything is about to change. It?s time the Rose Bride learned there?s no such thing as miracles.?
TBC
Hope you update again soon! I can't wait to see what happens next!
That pool scene! 
Who knew I was a romantic? 
Wow, I actually said that. I love how he's falling for Hilde. Yes, they are meant to be in my book. And that brings us to Quatre. *sigh* He's been fully forgiven for dueling Heero. At least in my book he has. Such a sweet kid. I'm gonna have to hurt him in a story sometime soon. Why does he make me do this to him?