The midday sun shone brightly over head. The weather was perfect, not a cloud in the sky, and just barely a slight breeze. The quilt lay below them, keeping the food off of the sand. The soft sound of the waves were soothing, but not so much as her eyes. Shuyin let out a deep breath, staring deeply into the eyes that had captured him so many times before. It was his idea, the picnic. He constantly strove to show is affection, being that he was merely a man, and she was the world famous songstress. She noticed his gaze out of the corner of his eye, and turned towards him, smiling. Without a word, he leaned over the remains of the food, and pressed his lips against hers. As usual, she kissed him back. It wasn't long before they lay on the blanket, the food forgotten and smashed beneath them. Their lips locked, there eye's shut, they embraced each other. They stayed like that all day, breaking only once the sun went down. They went their separate ways for the night, he going back to his small hut, she to her palace.

It was later that night that Shuyin had the nightmare. It wasn't the first time he had seen it, and yet still he found no new information in it. It was short. He saw him running into Lenne's arms, her into his. As they collided in embrace, the gunmen rushed into the room. Shuyin stared angrily at them, knowing their intent was to murder him, murder Lenne. He awoke suddenly, sitting up in bed. Soaked with sweat, he looked around the room. Once again, he was alone in his hut. The steady breeze blowing in through the flap that made up his door. He wiped the sweat from his face, sitting there a little longer. The dream kept coming to him, so often that now he was certain of two things. First off, the event were really going to happen, and secondly, they would happen soon. That night, Shuyin had made his decision.

First thing in the morning, Shuyin dressed quickly. He left his hut, seeking out Lenne. He found her on the beach, singing to a small crowd. For a world famous singer, she was still as humble as the day he had met her. As soon as he finished, he pulled her to the side.

"Good morning, Shuyin." She said happily, hugging him. He embraced her back, but happiness was almost absent from him today. Looking at him, Lenne immediately realized something was wrong. "what is it?" She asked him.

"Lenne, I love you deeply." Shuyin said. "And I want you to know, that I'm going to protect you."

"Protect me? Shuyin, what's wrong?" She asked, her voice filled with a nervous tone.

Looking away, Shuyin pulled away. Her hand holding his, they slowly slid apart of Shuyin drew back. Turning, he began to walk away.

"Shuyin! Talk to me!" Lenne pleaded.

Shuyin looked back over his shoulder, a tear shining in his eyes. He then looked forward again, and raced off into the distance.

After that, he headed straight for the entrance to the underground facility. He had snuck inside many times as a child, and new what was inside. The ultimate weapon, the weapon he would use to save Lenne. Moving quickly, stealthily through the halls, he made his way to the chamber. The chamber in which the massive weapon was held. He new he had to be close.

Finally, he reached it. Outside of it, there were two lone guards. "fools" Shuyin thought to himself. Moving silently through the shadows, he crept up behind the one closer to him. He shot his hand up, grabbing the guard by the mouth. As the guard began to struggle, Shuyin thrust the his dagger inbetween the guard's ribs, piercing the lung. The guard's eyes bulged, and over time, the struggling began to decrease, until finally, it ceased completely. After laying the guard down gently, Shuyin grabbed his rifle, and moved over to the other guard. The guard turned his head just as Shuying apporached. The guard raised his rifle, but Shuying clubbed him over the head with the other guard's rifle. The guard fell, unconcious. Shuyin crouched over him, and clubbed him in the face. One, two, three times. The guard's face was covered in blood, his chest ceased to rise in breath. Shuyin moved to the door, and looked inside. Seeing the coast was clear, he dropped the rifle and entered the chamber housing his goal.

He ran up to the weapon, stopping just in front of it. Looking up, he stared in awe at the massive weapon before him. There was no way they could possibly take Lenne away from him so long as he had this in his posession.

"You know, you're all I can count on to save Lenne." He said, before stepping forward. He climbed the weapon, just as he had seen the soldiers do when he was a child. Once on top, in the control center of it, began the process of activating it. It was a sensitive system, and the commands had to activated correctly, and quickly. It took great speed to do so, and so Shuyin was glad he had been taught by Lenne to play the piano, the process was very similar.

He had been at it several minute, and was finally finishing up when he heard her voice.

"Shuyin!"

He spun around, shocked to find Lenne down on the cat walk leading out to the weapon. Standing up, he looked down at her. Suddenly, the doors flew open behind her, and a group of soldiers ran into the room. Desperate to protect her, he jumped down from the weapon, and ran to her. Grabbing her, they embraced. He looked up, watching as the soldiers prepared to shoot them. Shuyin glared, seeing now that this was it, they were supposed to die then and there. He stared into her eyes, seeing them filled with sadness. All the sudden, he was over come by rage.

"No!" He cried out, shoving Lenne. She stumbled back, tripping off the cat walk. The fall would hurt her, but she'd live. Shuyin ran for the stairs, making it halfway up before he heard the order.

"fire!" one of the soldiers ordered. The gun blasts echoed in the chamber. Immediately, Shuyin felt his body tear apart as the bullets ripped through him. He fell forward to the ground, all the strength absent from him.

"good work me." he heard a soldier say, as they all lowered their weapons, letting their guard down.

"Now Shuyin! Do it now!" He screamed in his head. "you have to get up, you have to save Lenne!"

Gathering all his remaining strength, he climbed to his feet. The commander of the soldiers saw him.

"Reload!" He ordered, as he watched Shuyin race up the stairs. He reached the top just as the soldiers finished reloading, and aimed at him. He dove forward, his hand smashing down the button. The weapon below him whirred, and the soldiers cried out. Then the weapon roared, as a beam shot out, decimating all the men.

When silence had returned, Shuyin lay in a pool of his own blood, the pool growing steadily bigger. He saw Lenne, as she reached the top of the weapon, he arm bleeding, probably broken. Still, that didn't matter to him.

"I did it." He said weakly, as she crouched over him.

"Yes." She said. "you did." She pulled him close, embracing him. He was dead before she released him.