Author: Anika
Diclaimers: When I own Gundam Wing, pink monkeys will fly around and give the senate aproval for an official nap time country wide.
~*~*~
It was three years after the Eve wars. Three years for them to get on with their lives. But somehow, he couldn't move on. After all this time, he still couldn;t come to terms with ehat was inside him. He had been analyzed by Duo many times...much to his annoyance. Duo said that he was antisocial. Duo said that he was homicidal. But then, again, he thought, Duo is an idiot.
He stayed hiden in the shadows of society, watching. And waiting. For what, he didn't know, but he knew he was waiting for...something to happen.
~*~*
I see a shadow every day and night. I walk a hundred streets of neon lights,
~*~*
Relena sighed as she slumped into the awaiting limo. Another day of peace talks, meetings, summits, and politics. Even though she was busy, the Young Foreign Minister knew she hated her work. She couldn't think of anything else she could do, though. Except maybe go to school, be a normal teenager. Relena slouched further down in her seat, her perfect posture leaving her.
She never had the chance to be a regular child. Sure, she had parties and a 'clique', but that wasn't the same. She had never even been out on a date, she mused to herself. Relena's brow wrinkled and she tried to hold back the tears that were threatening to fall.
"No tears for me," she thought harshly to herself. "I shouldn't feel sorry for myself. I have a wonderful...life."
After that last thought, she realized that this wasn't a life, this was enforced labor. And she couldn't escape. She was their 'bird in a guilded cage.'
~*~*
Only when I'm crying. Can you hear me crying.
~*~*
The night fell, bringing a star-studded darkness along with it. Relena threw a lightly packed bag over her shoulder and took one last look around her room. She brushed her tears away, tears that she had been crying for herself. She always felt guilty shedding them, for she knew that there were those who would love to lead her life. But this life is not for me, she thought. I'm going to go and find who I am, once and for all.
She made sure the letter to her brother was on her nightstand, and climbed out the open window.
~*~*
So many times you always wanted more, Chasing illusions that you're longing for.
~*~*~
Under the same night sky, a figure stood in the distance, watching the fleeing Vide Foriegn Minister. It's blue eyes followed her to where the property ended and into the woods.
She's leaving, it thought as it started after her. Why? Is she not happy here with us? Isn't she happy here with me?
The figure caught up to the girl and caught her wrist. She whirled around, causing her hair to flow around her.
Her eyes grew wide as she recognized who stood before her.
"Heero..." she whispered. Their gaze met, causing a violent storm between the sea green and prussian blue. Then, she pulled away from him, and dissapeared into the night.
Heero felt at a loss. Always when he had made his presance known, she had welcomed it. And now she ran from him. Not once in her life had she run from him. He brought his hand up to his face, for his eyes had a strange stining sensation. When he pulled it away, however, he saw that it was slightly damp.
~*~*~
Wish I wasn't crying. Can you hear me crying.
~*~
Three Days Later
Relena had found work. granted, it didn't pay well, but hell, it was better than prostitution, she thought grimly as she wiped down yet another table in a German bar.
Surely, there has to be more to my life than this, she mused, straightening the beer glasses on the enamled tables. I could be anything I wanted to be. What do I want to be?
She thought long and hard about this last question. In truth, there was only one thing she wanted to be. She wanted to perform. Not just perfrom, sing. She had the opportunity in the choir at her school to have solos, and she had loved every minute of it. That was the happiest time that she ever had at St. Gabreil's.
She smiled as she thought of one incident in particular. She had stayed after school one day to practice for the speech team, and stopped by the choir room. Finding it empty, she slid behind the piano and played a simple, but flowing tune. Closing her eyes, she started to sing the melody, a hounting, sad song. When she had finished, she opened her eyes, and saw Heero standing before her, a strange expression crossing his features. He seemed so far away, like he hhad, jist for the first time, realized something.
~*~*
There's an ocean between us. You know where to find me. You reach out and touch me. I feel you in my own heart.
~*~*~
Heero walked down the dirty streets of New York, blending in and becoming the faceless figure that he knew so well. It had been three days. Three days since he's seen her, heard her laugh. He had never been away from her for this long ever since he had met her. Sure, he usually heard about her on the news, but the press was keeping her disapearance quiet. He had heard or seen nothing of the young woman he so vigilantly protected.
The ex-pilot sighed and turned down a darkend alley, his hands shoved deeply in his pockets. He had never felt so alone. Without her ever presant confidence, Heero felt his strength leaving him very slowly. He then realized that she was the strong one, that he clung to her for the balance he so desperatly needed.
Dejected, he flung himself onto the grungy alley and hid his face in his hands. He refused to let himself cry, to shed the tears that were longing to fall.
"Besides," he thought cinically to himself, "She's only an ocean away."
~*~*
More than a lifetime. Still goes on forever. But it helps to remember You're only an ocean away.
~*~*
Heero spent his time in America to think upon his life. He looked back and analyzed every detail, every untraveled path. He came to the realization that the happiest he had been capable of being, he was around the Vice Foriegn Minister. He tried to tell himself that it was becuase he was being a good soldier, prorecting the innocent. But then, he knew he was just fooling himself. Relena was the only reason he hadn't killed himself already. She gave him something to beleive in, something to fight for. And with her not being by his side, Heero found his resolve dwindling.
~*~*~
Was there a moment when I felt no pain. I want to feel it in my life again.
~*~*
Relena sat on the stage of the same German bar, a torn upright piano, stained from age and bar fights ar her side. Every night it was the same for the last week. She would close her eyes, and let the music take her away. to a happier place where she could be no one but herself. But still, she felt incomplete. AS if only half of her were there, existing in her body.
She knew the reason why, as well. She had run away from him. The only thing in her life that she had never run from, and she had to go and mess it up. And she missed him. Missed his precanse, that is. She never saw him, only on the rare occasions that he wanted to see her, would he reveal himself.
Relena, finished with work for the night, left the bar and walked the half block to her shabby apartment. Exhasted, she lay down on the small bed and curled up with her pillow, and cried. SHe had never allowed herself tears before, but she now left herself the indulgance.
"Oh Heero," she whispered, "Let this be over. I just want to see you."
~*~*
Let it be over now. Oh Oh over now. 'Cause I remember all the days and nights We used to walk the streets of neon lights Oh I want you here with me. Oh be here with me.
~*~*
AS Relena lay sleeping in her bed, a figure opened the door to her apartment and slowly approached the slumbering girl. Its hand shook nervously as it reached out to caress her smooth cheek, and it drew back upon impact, as it burnt.
Relena awoke, and her eyes focused on the figure.
"Heero?"
He averted his eyes from the girl.
"I'm sorry, Relena. I had to see you."
She sat up quickly, covering her scantily clad body with the thin white sheet that was draped over her.
"How did you get in here?" She asked, amazed. "How did you find me? How..."
She trailed off, unable to continue, lest her voice fail her. She had to admit, it was good to see her 'Guardian Angel', as Noin had called him on more than one occasion. His usuallu ice-blue eyes were a tumult of emotion however, which scared her more that anything.
"Does it really matter, Relena?" he asked as he sat on the edge of her small bed tenitavly. "Besides," he said with a small smirk, "the skills that allowed me to find you are the very ones that have saved your life on more than one occassion."
Relena smiled small and let her head fall slightly forward to cover the expression, it being hidden by a curtain of hair.
"Heero," she began in a small voice, "Why are you here? I ran away from Sanc for a reason. I need to know just exactly who I am before I commit to the whole politics thing. I needed to get out on my own, see the world. And," she continued, "I can't do that if I have a constant reminder from my past there, haunting me."
He fell silent, listening to her narrative. When silence had reigned the room for a few passing moments, he spoke up.
"You asked me why I'm here," he stated, speaking slowly choosing each word carefully as if it would be his last. "That's the only question you asked that I'm not entirly sure of the answer. All I know is that being near you makes me strong. And what good to the world is a weak soldier?"
~*~*
There's an ocean between us. You know where to find me. You reach out and touch me. I feel you in my own heart.
~*~*
Relena looked at the boy before her. She had known him for five years, always hiding, always mysterious. And know here he was, practicaly bearing his soul to her. It was what she had dreamed of when she was younger. If she had been three years younger, she would have jumped at thes chance to seduce him. But she wasn't, and neither was he. They were on the verge of adulthood, both confused and terrified that the choices they were making and had made would lead to their ultimate destruction.
"I don't know," the blonde answered his question. "I'm afraid I don't know much anymore. I used to think that I held all the answers in the palm of my hand, but know..." she sighed, "I just don't know anymore."
Her eyes grew wide as she realized for the first time that she had no idea what her future held in store for her. She lifted her head slowly to make eye contact with the wraith in front of her.
"Oh Heero, I'm so scared."
He leaned over to her and akwardly put his arm around her shoulders as she started sobbing uncontrolably.
"It'll be alright," he mummered gently.
"But how do you know?" she cried soflty.
"I don't know," he answered, "I just know that we'll be together. And I'll protect you from everything you're scared of."
~*~*
More than a lifetime Still goes on forever. But it helps to remember
~*~*
Owarii