The Lantern Holder

Chapter 12

By Aryn

Nari jogged past the door of the indoor track for the fourth time. But she wasn't counting. She was too caught up in her own thoughts to count how many laps she had run. She knew that Quatre's motives behind his decision were purely out of kindness. That didn't have her upset. But something did. Something that she couldn't quite place her finger. Quatre probably thought she was upset with him since she left the med bay without saying anything. She'd have to go relieve him of those worries after she figured out what had her so upset. Her mind felt numb and wouldn't process any information.

"Hey."

Nari jumped slightly at the hand that tapped her shoulder. She turned around to see Arys jogging next to her.

"Hey." Nari greeted. She had never really talked to the dark haired girl like she had with Trowa and Quatre, but she had liked the only other girl in the group.

"How are you?"

"Fine. And you?"

"Fine." Arys answered. "But I don't know about Quatre."

Nari's pace slowed slightly. "What do you mean?"

"There's something that's been bothering him lately. I can't tell what it is. I was wondering if you knew."

"Yes, I know." Nari's thoughts about Quatre's motives were bolstered. He hadn't told anyone else about her disease.

"Is he going to be alright?"

Nari looked over at the dark haired girl and saw concern in her steel gray eyes. She was close to Quatre as well. Nari gave her smile.

"Yes. He's going to be fine."

"You can tell me to mind my own business, but do you know what's been troubling him?"

"Yes, I do." Nari took a deep breath and tried to recall everything that Sally had told her a few hours before. "It seems that Javin injected this body with a disease while it was still in stasus. The disease wouldn't show until the blood started to circulate throughout the body. Quatre was told about it and he didn't want to burden me with the news. Sally accidentally slipped the information to me, and now-"

"Quatre feels bad that he kept it from you." Arys finished. "That's a normal Quatre thing to do. What disease is it?"

"Tuckers."

As Nari said the name of the disease, the thing that had eluded her finally revealed itself. Mortality. She was going to die. That was a fear she never had when in her gundanium body. She stopped and stared blankly ahead. Arys jogged for two more steps before stopping herself.

"Tuckers?" Arys asked.

Nari looked at the floor, trying to grab onto something rational but everything seemed to slip from her grasp. Tears welled up in her eyes when she finally looked up at Arys.

"I'm going to die."

"How long?"

"Sally said anywhere from three to ten years." The words finally sunk in. Death was real, horribly, ghastly and painfully real. Nari wrapped her arms around herself as her knees buckled. She fell to floor sobbing.

Arys didn't know what to do. She was never emtional herself, and neither was Heero. She never had to deal with outbursts or tears. Hesitantly she knelt down next to the weeping girl and looked around the track, for someone, anyone. But they were the only two in there. Arys returned her gaze to the red head, who had her face buried in her hands. She could hear the girl was trying to stifle her sobs, but her emotions were too great. And she was dying. Arys' heart broke for the girl. After everything she had been through to get to where she was, she had been defeated in the end. Gingerly, Arys put a hand on Nari's shoulder and patted it. It seemed like such little comfort, but she didn't know what else to do. How would she react if she had been told that she had three years to live? How would Heero respond? Thinking about Heero directed Arys' attention to Quatre. No wonder he had been acting the way he had. Arys looked down at Nari and was surprised to see she had her arm around the red head's shoulders and her sobs seemed to lessen. Despite the uncomfortableness of the situation, Arys hugged Nari and just waited out the tears. She couldn't cry, and most times she was grateful for that fact. Now, she wished she could help Nari in her sorrow. But she could make up with words what she couldn't with tears.

"We're all here for Quatre," she whispered, "and you."

_________________________

Nari walked along the beach, enjoying the feel of the water over her ankles. She had actually sat and talked with Arys once she got control of herself. Arys had assured her that she had friends that would be with her through this. And she had also reminded her of Quatre, and how much he loved her. She had to assure him that she held nothing against him for his secret. In fact, it only made her love him more. Nari had come to grips with the fact that yes, she had Tuckers, but she wasn't dying. Right now, she was living, and she was going to enjoy every precious moment she could. She stopped and looked at the rock that she and Quatre had sat on many nights and watched the sunlight fade away into darkness. Many words had been passed over the ocean breeze that always accompanied nightfall. Many wounds had been healed with the passing of afternoon light into dusk. She now saw Quatre sitting there, by himself, gazing out at the ocean and looking lonely. Smiling to herself, Nari walked up to the rock and leaned her chin on her crossed arms as she looked up at the forlorn Quatre. She couldn't imagine what he had put himself through in the past few weeks. But now it was time to end all that.

"Has my place been taken yet?"

Quatre looked down startled at her voice. He responded with a shaky smile of his own. "Hey."

Nari held out her hand for him to help her up. Without pause, he firmly took ahold of her hand and gazed down into her bright green eyes. She knew exactly what he was looking for, and knew he wouldn't find it. Instead of anger and hurt he would only see forgiveness and love. Just as she thought, a small smile spread across his face as relief flooded through his eyes. She jumped as he pulled her up on the rock and into his arms.

"Nari, I'm sor-"

She silenced him with a finger on his lips. "Don't be sorry for anything." She removed her finger and gently kissed him, letting him know that everything was the way it should be. She felt his arms tightened around her as he pulled away and she settled into his welcome embrace.

"What do you plan to do?" he asked her.

"I plan to live." She looked up at him and brushed some of his bangs back. "We're going to be alright."

He leaned down and kissed her on the forehead before pulling her close again. "Yes, we are."

____________________________

"Alright, who took wrench that was lying here?" Heero asked disgustedly, his gaze resting on Duo.

"What are you looking at me for?" Duo protested. "You're the one that always steals parts from other people's Gundams to fix your own."

"You still haven't let that go?"

"Hey, I was trying to be a nice guy-"

"Where's the wrench?"

"Here." Trowa said walking up to the two pilots. "I had to borrow this."

Duo gave Heero a "I told you so" look, which Heero completely ignored as he took the tool and went back to work on his Gundam. All five Gundams stood silent and stoic in the hanger bay of the Peacecraft Palace. They had recieved word that a swarm of mobile dolls and two Aries were on their way to the Cinq Kingdom. They had to fight yet another battle. Duo leaned against the foot of the Deathscythe and looked up at the Sandrock.

"Where's Quatre?" the braided pilot asked.

"Probably with Nari." Heero's voice echoed out from the inards of the Zero.

"Shouldn't he be here prepping the Rock?"

"Yes, he should." Wufei remarked.

"He has plenty of time to prep before the battle." Trowa defended.

Wufei just gave the taller boy an irrated look before going back to the Nataku. But not before throwing a comment over his shoulder. "Women are a distraction."

"Yeah, we know." Duo replied. "I think it would do you good to be distracted."

"Baka."

"So," Duo addressed Trowa, "are Quatre and Nari a thing now?"

"Why?"

"Whoa, don't get testy with me, I was just curious."

"Define 'thing', Duo."

"Are they, you know..."

"In love?" Arys spoke up as she walked up the two pilots. She made her way over the Archangel as she answered. "Yes, they are."

"Well, when's my turn to find a knock out girl in stasus?" Duo asked.

"Right after Wufei finds one." Trowa answered.

"Aw man. I'm going to be single for the rest of my life."

"I heard that!" Wufei shouted across the hanger.

Duo went to reply when the large cargo bay doors opened. A Taurus suit hovered into the hanger and took an empty spot next to the Sandrock.

"I thought Noin was in the control tower with Zechs." Heero said.

"That's not Noin." Trowa answered.

The cockpit door opened and Nari jumped down to the knee joint before hitting the floor in a crouch. She stood up and took notice of the five curious stares that were sent her way.

"What?" she asked innocently.

"You know how to fly one of those?" Wufei asked.

"Now I do."

"Are you going to battle with it?" Heero asked.

"Yes I am." the red head answered confidently.

Wufei just dissapeared into his Gundam, Heero went over the Archangel to talk to Arys and Duo climbed into the Deathscythe to run a final check. Nari walked over to Trowa who was the only one standing there.

"They don't think I can do it." she said.

"No, they don't."

Nari nodded her head. Trowa's answer had been honest.

"But I think you can."

Nari turned to look at him, but Trowa had already grabbed a tool and busied himself with the wires in the knee joint of the Heavyarms.

Quatre came running into the hanger and went straight for Nari.

"Noin says you did an excellant job piloting and wants you in the battle." He couldn't hide a smirk of pride over her piloting abilities.

"That's where I'll be then." Nari replied. To her surprise, he leaned down and kissed her, pulling her into his arms. When he let go, he heard Duo's whistle from the cockpit of the Deathscythe. Nari caught a look of worry in Quatre's eyes and understood.

"They're here."