Katsuki Michiru: I don't own Zoids: Shinseiki Slash Zero.

My Valentine

Steven Toros looked at his zoid model collection and sighed. How long had it been? Why was his obsession so out of hand? Why did she have to leave? Questions swam in his mind. He didn't notice the soft knocking at his door. Startled and flustered when the door opened, he immediately asked who it was. The answer was a soft reply of,

"Leena, dad." Leena placed her arms around him. "I'm sorry…" He sighed and looked to her.

"It's not your fault, Leena. She wanted to you have a life. She told me that herself. It's not your fault." Leena sniffled.

"I really don't say this enough dad… I love you," she replied sadly.

"I love you too, Leena. Oh and tell Leon I said, 'hi', okay?" he responded, laying back down on his bed.

"Okay, see you at dinner, dad." Leena left. Steven went back to his dazed thinking. He looked back over at the glass case that held the first zoid model he ever received. He rolled over and fell asleep.

"Toros! Lily wants to talk to you!" called Oscar Hemeros, running over to Steven. "I think she wants you to be her valentine or something."

"Really? Wow, I thought she was with Laon… eh. Oh well," Steven replied as he walked down to where Lily Akita always sat. He looked at her, her eyes shimmered an awesome violet as the sun shined into them. She looked up from the book she was reading and saw him.

"Hi, Steven! Uhm. Here! This is for you, I know you thought they were stupid, but I think you'd like this one. It's really… well… cool looking. I really hope you like it…" Lily said, hope in her voice.

"Thanks," Steven replied as he tore the paper off of the package. He smiled. It was a Shield Liger model kit. "Wow! This is cool looking! Thanks, Lily!" he paused. "But I don't have anything for you…"

"Yes you do," she replied. "Steven, will you be my valentine?"

"Sure, of course I will!" Suddenly, the world stopped spinning. He kissed her.

"I love you, Steve…" she muttered.

"I love you too…"

The next thing they knew, they were married and had a son, Leon, and in a few hours, a daughter. Steven was in the waiting room. Lily told him to wait there, she didn't want to say something to him that she didn't mean. Suddenly, a nurse came out of the room. Steven stood, awaiting news about his wife and daughter.

"Dr. Toros? I-I'm so sorry…"

"What? What happened?"

"You and your wife must make a decision, its either your wife, or the baby… I'm… I'm so sorry…" She led him into the delivery room where his wife laid, sweaty and tired.

"Steven?" she asked. "I… I want her to live. I've lived… I've at least had a life to live… please take care of our Leena. Please… don't be mad at her. Don't be mad at me… I just… want her to live…"

Leon stood in the door way, completely terrified.

"Mommy?" he asked.

"Oh dear Leon… please… take care you your sister. She's so fragile."

"Why do you want me to take care of her?" he asked innocently. "You'll be there to… won't you?"

"I love you, Steve, Leon… Leena…" her eyes fluttered and closed for the last time.

"Mommy!"

"Oh god, Lily…" Steven looked to Leon, who was too shocked to even cry. Suddenly, realization hit his son like a ton of bricks.

"Mommy! Mommy wake up! Please!" Leon sobbed, taking his mother hand.

"Lily… I… love you too…" Leon kept pleading for her to wake up. The nurses had to tear Leon away from her. Leon clung to Steven and cried.

"Why did mommy have to die?" he sobbed. Steven didn't want to answer, and he didn't. He watched as they took his love away. Words swam around in his mind.

"Steven, will you be my valentine?"

'Yes… Lily, I will… of course I will.'

~

"Dad? Wake up, Jaime's got dinner on the table and Bit's complaining a lot… as usual," Leena said. As Steven finally woke up enough to think, he thought,

'No big surprise.' "Tell Bit to stop causing a riot, I'll be there," Steven replied, sitting up and stretching his arms. Leena left the room. Standing up, Steven caught a glimpse of the glass box he kept his model in. He walked over to it and looked inside. Inside, a note from Lily lay there next to his model.

Will you be my valentine? The note asked.

"Yes. Of course I will, Lily. Of course," he told the note. He walked from the room.

~owari~

Katsuki Michiru: That was my valentines gift to all of you. The actual point of this story is why Doc loved zoid models so much. I really hoped you liked it.