Somewhere Out There: Chapter 3
Posted: Thu Sep 11, 2003 8:51 pm
Well, what do you know... here it is. Chapter 3! I want to apologize for the long wait; I sure as hell hope it was worth it. I would like to warn you before you start reading this, that this part is VERY dark. Angst has now reached new heights with me... It is very important for me to tell you that the scene in the prologue IS a part of this story, and you will see that as the story progresses, you will know where the hell does the prologue fit in.... Enjoy!!
Somewhere Out There
By Andrea Sinisterra
Angst/Tragedy
Rated R
Part 3
***
For some reason, he didn't feel like crawling through the darkness that surrounded him. He took in all the sounds, flashes of light, and general hysteria through closed eyelids, while his brain protested at the cold biting his skin.
Heero felt tears just behind his eyelids, and then something closing off his throat. Throwing an arm over his face, he couldn't help but feel useless... impotent. He didn't need a moment to readjust himself, to level the situation; he knew where he was, what had happened, who was missing... he knew who was waiting for him just a few doors down.
With the picture of his wife, with torn clothes and bruised skin, running through his head in vivid images while a rampaging anger flared in his eyes, Heero Yuy made his way down the white sterile hallways, looking through windows, inspecting the occupants, searching for the one person he most needed to see...
And he did find her, just a couple of doors down from his. It was a sight he didn't wish on his worst enemy. He stood several moments on the threshold, leaning heavily against the doorframe, and although he commanded his body to move, it refused, as if forever rooted on the spot, away from the pale, fragile woman lying on the bed...
Anger flared within his veins, making him clench his fists tightly, his knuckles turning white, and his short nails digging into his palms. Moisture tickled his eyes, and he had to blink several times to keep them at bay. There was really no more room for misery or pity. He could dimly feel his legs moving; simple movements of limbs, one before the other... simple movements that were so hard... movements he didn't want to make, as if moving would make things all that much more real.
When in fact, he was scared of seeing her.
A couple of steps, and he was by her side. Another simple movement, and he could easily touch her hand. But he kept himself from doing so; the firm resolution making his tired limbs tremble.
<I>Does she know? Does she remember? Is she aware of the situation? Is she aware that our daughter...?</I> Heero shook his head from useless interrogations. He was becoming desperate; the contradiction of wanting to talk to her and the fear of confronting her was eating him inside out.
Would she hate him? Would she cry? He was so clueless of what her reaction might be. And none of his predictions could have been farther from the truth... for the moment when Relena Peacecraft-Yuy opened her eyes, the world seemed to spin on its axis, and roll out of existence. Her eyes, usually blue and bright, were brilliant with tears and a blue so pale it was almost white... And Heero Yuy could only stare as his body slid down the wall to crouch at the far corner of the room.
It was a silent battle of wills. Relena struggled against the binds, finally settling down when she managed to sit up. Her body was pale, and never in his entire live had Heero seen somebody look so fragile... and miserable. Her hair was tangled, and it seemed darker than usual; her skin so pale it looked like marble, and it would have been flawless if it weren't for the bruises and several shallow cuts that littered her arms, legs, and face.
"Heero."
His mind urged him to stand up and walk to her, but something inside his body refused to follow his brain's demands. Guilt ate at his insides; something he hadn't felt in almost thirteen years. God, so much has happened since that Christmas of 196 AC. He had thought that would be the end of everything. He had surrendered completely to her, and finally to his feelings. Admitted everything, and at the same time, learnt everything she had, and everything she was. Everything about her.
His mind wandered; it was a similar room to this, now that he thought about it, where Victoria had been delivered... where she had been brought to the living world; when she was brought to his arms for the very first time. He remembered that day as if it were yesterday. Bringing Relena to the hospital, and the rest was a blur of happenings. Relena screaming, grabbing his hand with impressive strength; her struggle so painfully visible in her face and labored breath. The hours seemed to collapse together in a jumble of screams, pushes, and encouraging words. Until finally, an infant's cry broke into the room. He remembered how his hands had trembled when he had to cut the baby's final joining with her mother. The lightweight of his newborn baby girl will be forever imprinted on his mind.
"Heero." There was a new urgency in her voice, a desperate tone that made her voice waver and then break. "Heero." And this time, he could painfully hear the tears that choked her word into syllables... his name had never seemed more foreign than this moment.
And he stood, then. His steps heavy, like weighted down with lead.
"Untie me." Her voice was hoarse. "Untie me, please."
She saw him stand, his eyes downcast. A thousand questions ran through her mind, none of which she could voice out loud. But seeing as how he couldn't look her in the eye, she couldn't help the sudden fear that gripped her heart.
His hands trembled lightly when he reached to touch her, although he still didn't lift his head. She wanted to reach out and touch his face, lift it to see his eyes. He was stalling. She knew it.
When he finally raised his eyes, Relena had to stop herself from gasping. Despite the hair the hid them, his eyes were an unusual blue so dark it was almost black... but what scared her were the emotions concealed in them: the fear, the confusion, and pain was almost unbearable for her to watch... a sudden flash crossed her mind, and she started fighting against the binds with a ferocity beyond her control.
She kicked and screamed, trashing back against the bed, her voice cracking with her tears. She closed her eyelids tightly, trying to keep the images of her daughter away; she screamed harder, to prevent the remembrance of her daughter's screams from reaching her ears.
***
"There are signs everywhere." One man was saying, "they ran some analysis on her fluids searching for indicatives of penetration or semen, and found none. HIV, negative. Any blood alteration, negative."
"So you're saying they came for Victoria?"
"I can't affirm anything... but all points that those men came looking for something, and apparently, they found it."
"But," Milliardo Peacecraft stopped, catching his breath, "you think they might ask for ransom?"
Duo sighed, "I really don't know. I'm sorry."
Milliardo's eyes narrowed, "Try telling that to them."
Duo's eyes also narrowed. He crossed arms over his chest. "How is she?"
"She woke two hours ago. She--" Milliardo swallowed, "They had to sedate her. She... lost it back there. They don't want to remove the binds on her arms and legs."
"You think she might run away?"
Milliardo sighed again. "Probably." A confused look came over his face. "I'm just worried about Heero; he's been out longer than Relena. I don't know what to do with him."
"What to do with him!? He's not some tool you can toss away!"
"I didn't mean it like that. It's just that I don't know if I'll be able to tell him about Relena... and Victoria."
"Yeah, I know what you mean. Someone has to, though." Duo clapped his hand on the other man's shoulder, and then turned away.
***
The moment she woke up again, she knew he was in the room. His presence was soothing, lulling her into calm. Her mind was closed off to anything beyond him. She wanted to see him desperately for a reason she couldn't remember, and that at the moment she couldn't care less. She had felt her desperation grow when he didn't approach her, instead moving farther away from her.
The silence was killing her. She tried moving without him noticing, but her body protested, aches and minor pains prickling her skin here and there. Her cheek hurt, too, and she could just feel it swollen. But her mind didn't linger on her findings, never questioning the origin of her bruises. She was totally focused on the man sitting at the corner of the room.
The noises around her melted into the air. She knew nothing, heard nothing, and responded to nothing, she only wanted him by her side. Questions danced in her mind, but none were voiced; was he hurt? Why didn't he want to see her? Did he hate her? All her questions blurred away when he stood, and she struggled to sit up.
She didn't remember why she was tied up. She didn't really care. She just wanted to hold him, to soothe away that fear she didn't understand. A fear she unconsciously didn't want to understand.
But the moment she saw his eyes, the emotions flowing in the dark depths, something unlocked within her. She fought the images; the sudden flash hurting her eyes, even though they were closed. She screamed in fright, her eyes going to her legs in fear when she felt something grasp her... but nothing was there. She could feel pressures on her skin, jerks, and grasps that weren't really there. Behind her closed lids, she could see the tear stained face of her daughter, while she herself screamed harder to try and drown the screams and pleas that haunted her.
The grasps were firmer now, trying to hold her down, and she could dimly hear a voice behind her tired yelling. She fought harder still, trying to resist that arms that were hurting her, jerking her head sideways against the face that buried itself on her neck. She struck her hands out in any direction she could, trying to keep the persisting pressure from smothering her.
In her mind, Relena saw the men in black; the lean tall one fighting the struggling of her daughter, while the other, short and robust, held her down, trying to press the cold sharp scented cloth to her nose. His hands were rough as he tried to hold her still; a sharp slap to her cheek had her temporarily disoriented... although it didn't keep her from feeling the sting from her daughter's nails on her legs when she was finally taken away.
"Relena!"
The hold was no longer confining, but comforting, and she realized that the voice was smooth and loving, although frantic. Her wrists and ankles throbbed from her pulling, and her eyes stung from her tears. She opened her eyes; the whiteness of the room blinded her for a second, before she realized that she was being held tightly in a warm embrace.
Relena wanted to hug him back, but the binds restrained her from doing so, and she began to feel desperate again. She was sobbing now, broken whispers of names and apologies tumbling from her lips in a jumble of tears.
***
Milliardo Peacecraft never was a sentimental person. In the past, when he found out about Relena, he knew he had to protect her, he knew she was his responsibility... but he never showed her any affection. Of course there were smiles, and chats, and mocks around the house, but never a hug, or a kiss, or even words of appreciation were exchanged between them.
It all got worse, he guessed, when she started dating Heero Yuy. A killer. A person who couldn't possibly love like a normal person. A robot. He knew it, because he was one, too.
It had taken him a lot of time to get used to the idea of his little sister dating a killer like Heero Yuy; it took him a hell lot of a time getting used to the notion of becoming family with Heero Yuy. The stares, and the hatred from narrowed eyes that were exchanged between them didn't go unnoticed by Relena. Milliardo knew she suffered. Suffered because the people she loved did not accept her husband.
It had been a long, strained journey to get Pagan and Milliardo to accept Heero as part of the family... and part of that journey had been Victoria. Victoria Yuy Peacecraft. His niece.
And now his niece was missing, his sister's sanity hung from a tender hook, and his brother in law has been unconscious for hours... and he couldn't feel a thing. He felt confused, lost, and for perhaps the first time in his life, he didn't know what to do.
Milliardo saw as Duo disappeared around the corner, the relief that his sister only carried a few minor bruises on her body left him almost calm... but the preoccupation that Heero was still unconscious had him making his way to his room.
As soon as he reached his room, he knew what he would find: an empty bed. But he didn't need to think too hard of his whereabouts. Milliardo simply made his way to the only other room Heero Yuy could have directed to. And what he saw through the window made him stop dead in his tracks. A cold grip seized him, making his skin run cold, and the hairs in it stand still.
No, he wasn't a sentimental person, but he did have a clue of what was the name of the sharp pain in his chest.
***
Just when Heero thought he couldn't take it anymore, her struggles ceased. It seemed as if her body had turned boneless, as if she had melted... Her breathing was harsh against his ear, and her chest heaved with her quieting sobbing.
Hesitantly, he lifted his head to look at her face, and he felt his heart stop for a moment, and then restart with its furious beating. He ran his thumbs over her eyebrows a second before he kissed them. He sighed as she tried to curl herself, an impossible task due to her bound wrists and ankles. Deftly, he untied the belts, wincing when she snatched her hands away to keep him from seeing the marks on her wrists. He walked to the end of the bed, and untied the second set, then standing still as he watched her movements...
"I'm sorry." Relena whispered, her voice hoarse, "I didn't mean to..."
Heero remained silent, unsure of what to do in her obvious confusion and questionable state of mind. "It's alright."
With great effort, she managed to sit up, her fingers running unconsciously over her bruised wrists, "I..." A sob broke her voice, but he felt his heart swell with pride when she took a deep breath and continued, "I didn't remember-I-I didn't want to remember." Relena ran her fingers through her hair, "she-she was taken away... there were two men-they were dressed in black- I couldn't see their faces!"
Heero gathered her in his arms as she cried, "they took her away-she fought-I can hear her crying, Heero!" There was a desperate, almost hysteric tone to her voice. Her words were frantic, and fast spoken, slurring them from clear comprehension. "She tried to reach me!"
For the first time, Heero noticed the angry red scratches on her legs, "I tried to hold her hand," she placed her hand on her swollen cheek, "but he just-it hurt so much... I think I fainted-I don't remember much after that. He tried to-a white cloth-the smell! Oh, the smell!!"
Heero tried to calm her, unconsciously rocking her body back and forth.
"I-I-she's gone!" Relena's cries grew in intensity, although she tried to muffle them against his shirt. "Do you remember the day she was born?" Relena smiled through her tears. "Who has her, Heero?! What did we do wrong? I should have protected her!"
She drew back a little, the look in her eyes made his blood run cold, "YOU should have been there! I hate you! I hate you! It's your fault!"
She started struggling, again. She pounded her fists on his chest, and although they left no pain, the pain was from within. "You should have been there! You should have protected her, me-US!" She sobbed harder as she pushed against his chest with all her might. "Help me!" She screamed out loud.
Heero felt helpless. She wasn't herself, and even though he was no genius on the subject, he knew she was fighting against herself... but it didn't lessen its impact at all.
"Leave me! I hate you-you-you murderer! You killed her! It's your fault!" Her struggles were ceasing, and her voice was almost gone.
Helplessness gave way to anger, and before he knew it, he had clamped a hand on her mouth, a ferocious look on his face. "Shut up!" He thundered, instantly feeling horrible when she jumped in fright. "Shut up." Though, this time, his voice was soft in defeat.
Her wide eyes filled again with tears before she seemed to collapse, her body melting against his, boneless. He gathered her into his lap, running his fingers through her hair. He gave a start of surprise when he felt her thin arms sliding around his neck.
Her scent filled him when she buried her head in his neck, landing a soft kiss on his throat. "I didn't mean-"
"I know."
"Heero,"; she started, "you are not a murderer... I just-I have no excuse... I-I'm sorry." Her arms tightened around him. "I want her back."
Heero took strength from the firmness in her statement. "We will get her back. I promise you, Relena."
Relena sighed, nodding her head with emphasis. "I know. We will. We can't lose her, Heero." She was falling asleep, exhaustion finally taking its toll on her. "I love you." She whispered before dozing off.
Heero sighed, arranging their bodies on the bed. He pulled her to him, his eyelids fighting a loosing battle. He pressed a kiss on her head. With plans and names running through his head, Heero Yuy finally fell in a disturbing sleep.
TBC...
AN: So, okay, what do you think?! PLEASE review, I love to read your comments...
Somewhere Out There
By Andrea Sinisterra
Angst/Tragedy
Rated R
Part 3
***
For some reason, he didn't feel like crawling through the darkness that surrounded him. He took in all the sounds, flashes of light, and general hysteria through closed eyelids, while his brain protested at the cold biting his skin.
Heero felt tears just behind his eyelids, and then something closing off his throat. Throwing an arm over his face, he couldn't help but feel useless... impotent. He didn't need a moment to readjust himself, to level the situation; he knew where he was, what had happened, who was missing... he knew who was waiting for him just a few doors down.
With the picture of his wife, with torn clothes and bruised skin, running through his head in vivid images while a rampaging anger flared in his eyes, Heero Yuy made his way down the white sterile hallways, looking through windows, inspecting the occupants, searching for the one person he most needed to see...
And he did find her, just a couple of doors down from his. It was a sight he didn't wish on his worst enemy. He stood several moments on the threshold, leaning heavily against the doorframe, and although he commanded his body to move, it refused, as if forever rooted on the spot, away from the pale, fragile woman lying on the bed...
Anger flared within his veins, making him clench his fists tightly, his knuckles turning white, and his short nails digging into his palms. Moisture tickled his eyes, and he had to blink several times to keep them at bay. There was really no more room for misery or pity. He could dimly feel his legs moving; simple movements of limbs, one before the other... simple movements that were so hard... movements he didn't want to make, as if moving would make things all that much more real.
When in fact, he was scared of seeing her.
A couple of steps, and he was by her side. Another simple movement, and he could easily touch her hand. But he kept himself from doing so; the firm resolution making his tired limbs tremble.
<I>Does she know? Does she remember? Is she aware of the situation? Is she aware that our daughter...?</I> Heero shook his head from useless interrogations. He was becoming desperate; the contradiction of wanting to talk to her and the fear of confronting her was eating him inside out.
Would she hate him? Would she cry? He was so clueless of what her reaction might be. And none of his predictions could have been farther from the truth... for the moment when Relena Peacecraft-Yuy opened her eyes, the world seemed to spin on its axis, and roll out of existence. Her eyes, usually blue and bright, were brilliant with tears and a blue so pale it was almost white... And Heero Yuy could only stare as his body slid down the wall to crouch at the far corner of the room.
It was a silent battle of wills. Relena struggled against the binds, finally settling down when she managed to sit up. Her body was pale, and never in his entire live had Heero seen somebody look so fragile... and miserable. Her hair was tangled, and it seemed darker than usual; her skin so pale it looked like marble, and it would have been flawless if it weren't for the bruises and several shallow cuts that littered her arms, legs, and face.
"Heero."
His mind urged him to stand up and walk to her, but something inside his body refused to follow his brain's demands. Guilt ate at his insides; something he hadn't felt in almost thirteen years. God, so much has happened since that Christmas of 196 AC. He had thought that would be the end of everything. He had surrendered completely to her, and finally to his feelings. Admitted everything, and at the same time, learnt everything she had, and everything she was. Everything about her.
His mind wandered; it was a similar room to this, now that he thought about it, where Victoria had been delivered... where she had been brought to the living world; when she was brought to his arms for the very first time. He remembered that day as if it were yesterday. Bringing Relena to the hospital, and the rest was a blur of happenings. Relena screaming, grabbing his hand with impressive strength; her struggle so painfully visible in her face and labored breath. The hours seemed to collapse together in a jumble of screams, pushes, and encouraging words. Until finally, an infant's cry broke into the room. He remembered how his hands had trembled when he had to cut the baby's final joining with her mother. The lightweight of his newborn baby girl will be forever imprinted on his mind.
"Heero." There was a new urgency in her voice, a desperate tone that made her voice waver and then break. "Heero." And this time, he could painfully hear the tears that choked her word into syllables... his name had never seemed more foreign than this moment.
And he stood, then. His steps heavy, like weighted down with lead.
"Untie me." Her voice was hoarse. "Untie me, please."
She saw him stand, his eyes downcast. A thousand questions ran through her mind, none of which she could voice out loud. But seeing as how he couldn't look her in the eye, she couldn't help the sudden fear that gripped her heart.
His hands trembled lightly when he reached to touch her, although he still didn't lift his head. She wanted to reach out and touch his face, lift it to see his eyes. He was stalling. She knew it.
When he finally raised his eyes, Relena had to stop herself from gasping. Despite the hair the hid them, his eyes were an unusual blue so dark it was almost black... but what scared her were the emotions concealed in them: the fear, the confusion, and pain was almost unbearable for her to watch... a sudden flash crossed her mind, and she started fighting against the binds with a ferocity beyond her control.
She kicked and screamed, trashing back against the bed, her voice cracking with her tears. She closed her eyelids tightly, trying to keep the images of her daughter away; she screamed harder, to prevent the remembrance of her daughter's screams from reaching her ears.
***
"There are signs everywhere." One man was saying, "they ran some analysis on her fluids searching for indicatives of penetration or semen, and found none. HIV, negative. Any blood alteration, negative."
"So you're saying they came for Victoria?"
"I can't affirm anything... but all points that those men came looking for something, and apparently, they found it."
"But," Milliardo Peacecraft stopped, catching his breath, "you think they might ask for ransom?"
Duo sighed, "I really don't know. I'm sorry."
Milliardo's eyes narrowed, "Try telling that to them."
Duo's eyes also narrowed. He crossed arms over his chest. "How is she?"
"She woke two hours ago. She--" Milliardo swallowed, "They had to sedate her. She... lost it back there. They don't want to remove the binds on her arms and legs."
"You think she might run away?"
Milliardo sighed again. "Probably." A confused look came over his face. "I'm just worried about Heero; he's been out longer than Relena. I don't know what to do with him."
"What to do with him!? He's not some tool you can toss away!"
"I didn't mean it like that. It's just that I don't know if I'll be able to tell him about Relena... and Victoria."
"Yeah, I know what you mean. Someone has to, though." Duo clapped his hand on the other man's shoulder, and then turned away.
***
The moment she woke up again, she knew he was in the room. His presence was soothing, lulling her into calm. Her mind was closed off to anything beyond him. She wanted to see him desperately for a reason she couldn't remember, and that at the moment she couldn't care less. She had felt her desperation grow when he didn't approach her, instead moving farther away from her.
The silence was killing her. She tried moving without him noticing, but her body protested, aches and minor pains prickling her skin here and there. Her cheek hurt, too, and she could just feel it swollen. But her mind didn't linger on her findings, never questioning the origin of her bruises. She was totally focused on the man sitting at the corner of the room.
The noises around her melted into the air. She knew nothing, heard nothing, and responded to nothing, she only wanted him by her side. Questions danced in her mind, but none were voiced; was he hurt? Why didn't he want to see her? Did he hate her? All her questions blurred away when he stood, and she struggled to sit up.
She didn't remember why she was tied up. She didn't really care. She just wanted to hold him, to soothe away that fear she didn't understand. A fear she unconsciously didn't want to understand.
But the moment she saw his eyes, the emotions flowing in the dark depths, something unlocked within her. She fought the images; the sudden flash hurting her eyes, even though they were closed. She screamed in fright, her eyes going to her legs in fear when she felt something grasp her... but nothing was there. She could feel pressures on her skin, jerks, and grasps that weren't really there. Behind her closed lids, she could see the tear stained face of her daughter, while she herself screamed harder to try and drown the screams and pleas that haunted her.
The grasps were firmer now, trying to hold her down, and she could dimly hear a voice behind her tired yelling. She fought harder still, trying to resist that arms that were hurting her, jerking her head sideways against the face that buried itself on her neck. She struck her hands out in any direction she could, trying to keep the persisting pressure from smothering her.
In her mind, Relena saw the men in black; the lean tall one fighting the struggling of her daughter, while the other, short and robust, held her down, trying to press the cold sharp scented cloth to her nose. His hands were rough as he tried to hold her still; a sharp slap to her cheek had her temporarily disoriented... although it didn't keep her from feeling the sting from her daughter's nails on her legs when she was finally taken away.
"Relena!"
The hold was no longer confining, but comforting, and she realized that the voice was smooth and loving, although frantic. Her wrists and ankles throbbed from her pulling, and her eyes stung from her tears. She opened her eyes; the whiteness of the room blinded her for a second, before she realized that she was being held tightly in a warm embrace.
Relena wanted to hug him back, but the binds restrained her from doing so, and she began to feel desperate again. She was sobbing now, broken whispers of names and apologies tumbling from her lips in a jumble of tears.
***
Milliardo Peacecraft never was a sentimental person. In the past, when he found out about Relena, he knew he had to protect her, he knew she was his responsibility... but he never showed her any affection. Of course there were smiles, and chats, and mocks around the house, but never a hug, or a kiss, or even words of appreciation were exchanged between them.
It all got worse, he guessed, when she started dating Heero Yuy. A killer. A person who couldn't possibly love like a normal person. A robot. He knew it, because he was one, too.
It had taken him a lot of time to get used to the idea of his little sister dating a killer like Heero Yuy; it took him a hell lot of a time getting used to the notion of becoming family with Heero Yuy. The stares, and the hatred from narrowed eyes that were exchanged between them didn't go unnoticed by Relena. Milliardo knew she suffered. Suffered because the people she loved did not accept her husband.
It had been a long, strained journey to get Pagan and Milliardo to accept Heero as part of the family... and part of that journey had been Victoria. Victoria Yuy Peacecraft. His niece.
And now his niece was missing, his sister's sanity hung from a tender hook, and his brother in law has been unconscious for hours... and he couldn't feel a thing. He felt confused, lost, and for perhaps the first time in his life, he didn't know what to do.
Milliardo saw as Duo disappeared around the corner, the relief that his sister only carried a few minor bruises on her body left him almost calm... but the preoccupation that Heero was still unconscious had him making his way to his room.
As soon as he reached his room, he knew what he would find: an empty bed. But he didn't need to think too hard of his whereabouts. Milliardo simply made his way to the only other room Heero Yuy could have directed to. And what he saw through the window made him stop dead in his tracks. A cold grip seized him, making his skin run cold, and the hairs in it stand still.
No, he wasn't a sentimental person, but he did have a clue of what was the name of the sharp pain in his chest.
***
Just when Heero thought he couldn't take it anymore, her struggles ceased. It seemed as if her body had turned boneless, as if she had melted... Her breathing was harsh against his ear, and her chest heaved with her quieting sobbing.
Hesitantly, he lifted his head to look at her face, and he felt his heart stop for a moment, and then restart with its furious beating. He ran his thumbs over her eyebrows a second before he kissed them. He sighed as she tried to curl herself, an impossible task due to her bound wrists and ankles. Deftly, he untied the belts, wincing when she snatched her hands away to keep him from seeing the marks on her wrists. He walked to the end of the bed, and untied the second set, then standing still as he watched her movements...
"I'm sorry." Relena whispered, her voice hoarse, "I didn't mean to..."
Heero remained silent, unsure of what to do in her obvious confusion and questionable state of mind. "It's alright."
With great effort, she managed to sit up, her fingers running unconsciously over her bruised wrists, "I..." A sob broke her voice, but he felt his heart swell with pride when she took a deep breath and continued, "I didn't remember-I-I didn't want to remember." Relena ran her fingers through her hair, "she-she was taken away... there were two men-they were dressed in black- I couldn't see their faces!"
Heero gathered her in his arms as she cried, "they took her away-she fought-I can hear her crying, Heero!" There was a desperate, almost hysteric tone to her voice. Her words were frantic, and fast spoken, slurring them from clear comprehension. "She tried to reach me!"
For the first time, Heero noticed the angry red scratches on her legs, "I tried to hold her hand," she placed her hand on her swollen cheek, "but he just-it hurt so much... I think I fainted-I don't remember much after that. He tried to-a white cloth-the smell! Oh, the smell!!"
Heero tried to calm her, unconsciously rocking her body back and forth.
"I-I-she's gone!" Relena's cries grew in intensity, although she tried to muffle them against his shirt. "Do you remember the day she was born?" Relena smiled through her tears. "Who has her, Heero?! What did we do wrong? I should have protected her!"
She drew back a little, the look in her eyes made his blood run cold, "YOU should have been there! I hate you! I hate you! It's your fault!"
She started struggling, again. She pounded her fists on his chest, and although they left no pain, the pain was from within. "You should have been there! You should have protected her, me-US!" She sobbed harder as she pushed against his chest with all her might. "Help me!" She screamed out loud.
Heero felt helpless. She wasn't herself, and even though he was no genius on the subject, he knew she was fighting against herself... but it didn't lessen its impact at all.
"Leave me! I hate you-you-you murderer! You killed her! It's your fault!" Her struggles were ceasing, and her voice was almost gone.
Helplessness gave way to anger, and before he knew it, he had clamped a hand on her mouth, a ferocious look on his face. "Shut up!" He thundered, instantly feeling horrible when she jumped in fright. "Shut up." Though, this time, his voice was soft in defeat.
Her wide eyes filled again with tears before she seemed to collapse, her body melting against his, boneless. He gathered her into his lap, running his fingers through her hair. He gave a start of surprise when he felt her thin arms sliding around his neck.
Her scent filled him when she buried her head in his neck, landing a soft kiss on his throat. "I didn't mean-"
"I know."
"Heero,"; she started, "you are not a murderer... I just-I have no excuse... I-I'm sorry." Her arms tightened around him. "I want her back."
Heero took strength from the firmness in her statement. "We will get her back. I promise you, Relena."
Relena sighed, nodding her head with emphasis. "I know. We will. We can't lose her, Heero." She was falling asleep, exhaustion finally taking its toll on her. "I love you." She whispered before dozing off.
Heero sighed, arranging their bodies on the bed. He pulled her to him, his eyelids fighting a loosing battle. He pressed a kiss on her head. With plans and names running through his head, Heero Yuy finally fell in a disturbing sleep.
TBC...
AN: So, okay, what do you think?! PLEASE review, I love to read your comments...
Elyn Yuy
and then 