Bittersweet Symphonies

Heero rolled over still half asleep. He reached out expecting to feel his arm around Nikita. He embraced nothing, but the empty pillow next to his. Heero's eyes snapped open, and darted over Nikita's side of the bed. The sheets and covers were tucked neatly into the mattress. Strange, she made the bed with him still in it. Stranger still, she woke up before him. Realization's heavy fist struck him in the face: Nikita didn't come to bed last night.

Heero jumped out of his bed, and ran into the hallway. Not watching where he was going, he collided into Quatre and knocked him off balance. He bounced off Heero's solid frame and fell to the ground. He was a little dazed and confused.

"Sorry," He muttered, as he helped Quatre to his feet. Quatre dusted off his khaki slacks, and smiled, shrugging it off.

"Not a problem" He replied gently, "But what, exactly, is your problem?"

"Nikita," He replied. Quatre arched a blonde eyebrow, as he folded his arms across his chest. He was curious now.

"Fight?" He questioned tentatively, taking in Heero's demeanor.

Heero mutely shook his head no.

"Well, what's the problem then?" He inquired, searching Heero with his sea-green eyes. He could pick up bits and pieces of emotions from him. Though Heero had relaxed a bit since they had met, Quatre still felt a blockade preventing anyone from detecting his emotions.

"Nikita never came to bed last night," He responded.

"Maybe she pulled an all-nighter in the bay last night? I mean, she has been working on some project for a while now," Quatre suggested, trying to keep Heero from getting too worried. Heero shrugged. After deeming the suggestion valid, the two of them walked to the Hanger.

"Nobody's here, I'd feel them." Quatre informed Heero. Heero folded his arms, and his eyes narrowed.

"Then where the hell is she?" He demanded.

"I don't know. The jeep is outside, and her truck is still parked on the side of the house."

Heero was becoming frustrated, Quatre could tell.

"The back garden," He offered. Heero's eyes perked up at the suggestion, and he headed out of the Hanger. Heero opened the rarely used back door, and stepped outside. He squinted in the early September sun, and looked around the backyard.

There, sitting pretzel-style by a small pond, was Nikita. Her long chocolate brown was free of the confines of her braids, and was whipped about by the morning's gentle breeze. Her chin was resting on her palms as she gazed out into the sky. Heero just stood there stunned for a moment. No matter how many times he'd seen her, he was always caught off guard by her unique beauty. The way her lustrous dark brown hair rippled in the wind always charmed him. He loved her smooth creamy complexion and the way deep brown eyes and naturally pink lips contrasted it. He loved everything about her: Her well sculpted legs, and long deft fingers. She tasted even better than she looked. Like peaches and cream.

Heero sat down besides her, causing her to jump slightly.

"Hey there, blue eyes," She greeted, yawning.

"Where were you, Kitten?" Heero asked, gently leaning his head on her shoulder. Nikita let her head rest on the top of his, and Heero slipped an arm around her shoulders.

"I was out here," She answered.

"All night? Why?"

"Well at about eleven, I had taken a break from my work, and came out here. It was so lovely out here that I just sang and gazed at the stars all night." Nikita said

"Weren't you lonely?" Aw, he's such a sweetie.

She lifted her head, and stared into his eyes for a moment.

"A little bit," She whispered, closing the small space in between their lips. Heero reacted immediately. Parting his lips, he let her tongue explore his mouth. She moaned into his mouth, reveling in the softness of his lips.

"Will the two of you, please, get a room? I'm dyin' over here!" A voice exclaimed from behind. Reluctantly, the lovers pulled apart.

"Duo, what do you want?" Nikita asked, annoyed at the interruption.

"Quatre said to tell you guys that breakfast is ready, because he didn't have the stomach to walk in on the two of you gettin' freaky," Duo replied, grinning.

"We weren't getting freaky! We were just-"

"Sucking face," Duo interjected.

"I ought to beat your ass!" Nikita replied.

"Well, that will have to wait, 'cause I'm hungry." Duo said, running into the house. She laughed, and walked in behind him. After washing their hands, they settled around the kitchen table.

"What's for eats?" Nikita inquired, pushing her hair off her face.

"Pancakes and sausage," Trowa replied, as he set a plate of food in front of her.

"Looks great," She said.

"I thought Quatre was the only one with kitchen skills around here," Duo commented, inspecting his on plate of food.

"Well, we all have our secrets now, don't we?" He replied mysteriously as he sat down at the table. His emerald-like eyes were staring directly at Nikita. She tried to stifle any physical indication of being surprised. 'What does he know?' She mused to herself.

"I guess," Duo replied, shoving a forkful of pancakes into his mouth. It was a silent meal, as always. Only the sounds of forks scraping plates and teeth chewing food could be heard. The shrill ringing of the telephone shattered the thick silence. Wufei, being closest to the phone, grabbed it.

"Hello?"

"Who is this?"

"Okay..."

"Who's it for?" Trowa questioned. Wufei paused, as if he wasn't sure of the correct answer.

"For Nikita.

"Who is it?" Nikita asked. Wufei shrugged, "They wouldn't say." The brunette girl walked around the table, and took the phone from Wufei.

"Hello?"

She paused, "Excuse me?"

"Yeah, he died a few months ago."

"Legally."

"What's that have to do with anything?" She asked.

Nikita began to pace. Whoever was speaking on the other end of the phone was upsetting her. Heero took an instant dislike to whoever was causing his lover distress.

"Who the hell are you?" She demanded.

"Yes, I was born in AC180, but what does that have to do-" Nikita's statement was cut short, as the speaker interrupted her. She ran her hand through her hair, still pacing.

"What? What?! NO!"

" I don't give a flying fuck if I'm a minor!" She exploded with surprising rage and indignation. Nikita gripped the phone so tightly that her knuckles turned white. She was pacing fast enough to make someone dizzy just by looking at her. Her eyes began to gleam with tears of anger and hopelessness. She furrowed her brow into a heated glare. But one could tell by the sound of desperation in her steadily rising voice, that she was fighting a losing battle. She raked her free hand through her hair once more.

"I'm not going back there! You will have to kill me first. No, I'm not overreacting. And no, I will NOT calm down. No, I will not! Sedate me!"

"Why? Why?! Why wont I go back? Why do you think I ran away in the first place?!"

" You don't know what that man likes to do with his spare time, do you?"

Her tone was dark and low. It had dropped to barely above a whisper. It didn't sound remotely like the sweet voice she normally spoke in... And frankly, the metamorphose from sweet to sinister sounding sent an involuntary shiver down each and every one of their spines.

"What do you mean Julia is still in there? You told me you would get her out of there, because Elliot couldn't take her while she was in the hospital."

"Sorry? Well, let's hope Julia is more forgiving than I am, Mr. Perkins."

Nikita slammed down the phone. She ignored the shocked and curious stares of her housemates, and turned to walk away. Heero stood up. She stopped walking, but didn't turn around.

"If anyone needs me, I'll be in my room," She announced, "packing."

She turned around, and walked off to her room.

Heero stood stunned for a moment, allowing the statement to register. Packing? What the hell is going on?

"Nikita!"

"What do you think upset her so much that she had to leave?" Quatre asked the remaining people at the table.

"The phone call," Duo replied simply. Quatre rolled his eyes.

"Yeah, but what did they tell her that was so upsetting?" The blonde boy inquired.

"She's being forced to go home. It sounds like home wasn't a very warm place." Trowa whispered.

"Nikita?" Heero called softly, as he pushed open their bedroom door. The sight of Nikita sadly packing a duffel bag greeted him.

"Yeah, Heero?" She answered, not looking up.

"What's wrong? Why are you packing?" He asked.

"I just have to do some things. I need to take care of some problems," She replied, letting the article of clothing in her hands drop in to the bag. Heero stepped forward and hugged her from behind.

"Are you coming back?" He asked gently. Nikita sighed, and put her hands on his, their fingers intertwined.

"Yeah, but I don't know when."

"Can I come with you?"

"No, you have a place here. You belong, here, with your friends." She whispered.

"No, I belong with you," He argued.

"I'm sorry, Mon petit shui; this is something I need to do alone." Nikita leaned back into Heero, who tightened the embrace slightly.

"But..." He trailed off. He couldn't think of anything to say. He knew that if she thought she was doing the right thing, then nothing could change her mind.

"Where will you be staying?" He question.

"I will contact some old friends," She lied. She knew she might be living out of her truck, but he did not want him to know that. He would worry, thus worsening the current interrogation.

"When are you leaving?"

"First thing tomorrow morning," She replied.

"But before you go, can you answer some more questions?"

"Anything."

"Where are you going?" He asked carefully. Nikita sighed heavily, still lacing her fingers with Heero's. 'Why this? Why now?' She questioned silently. Things were so perfect.

"I'm going home," She stated simply. Heero hummed in acknowledgement, deciding that he was going to have to be very specific. He kissed her cheek again.

"Why don't you want to go back?" He questioned further. She wriggled out of his gentle embrace, and took a step away from him. Studying the texture of the carpet, she replied, "I don't want to talk about it."

"Why?"

Nikita tucked a lock of hair behind her ear, and sighed. She looked at him, into his wide blue eyes. He really cared; she knew that, she could see it in his eyes. She pulled him towards her, gently kissing his tender lips. Heero pulled away after a moment, wearing a tiny, wistful smile.

"I want to know, you're leaving. If you don't come back, at least I'd know why," He lowered his voice in determination, "…and I want to destroy everything that hurts you…"

Nikita wanted to say that he could trust her, that she was coming back. However, she knew better than to depend on tomorrow. She sighed heavily, preparing to respond.

"Well, I don't know where to start. There is a so much that led up to it."

"Try the beginning; it's always a good place to start."