I know this will seem mushy but I confess I was in the mood for mush.I hope some of you can find something enjoyable about it.Yes I know yet another Heero and Relena story..
*******************************************************************************

Rose
By Amber


Some say love, it is a river that drowns the tender reed.
Some say love, it is a razor that leaves your soul to bleed.
Some say love, it is a hunger, an endless aching need.
I say love, it is a flower, and You its only seed.


She came running from the hospital sliding to a stop on the sidewalk she frantically glanced both ways. Pedestrians passed her by whispering about her familiarity and curiously staring at the young woman's obvious distress. The wind whipped her hair around her face temporarily blinding her but it wouldn't have mattered anyway he was gone. "Heero she whispered, you could of at least healed first." Those moments of blindness as the fireball's intensity devoured what was left of Libra and everything around it left her frozen with fear.

Inspite of his unshakeable belief, inspite of his plea for her to believe in him, there was still that split second where the child in her feared the worst. When she learned he was alive and heading to the hospital she had felt a relief so deep it made her knees buckle and her head swim. Relena shoulders slumped as she walked blindly down the street he made his choice all she had to do now was live with the impossible longing for those things he didn't consider possible for them.

Heero stepped from the ally across the street eyes narrowing in concern he watched her walk away. For a moment he toyed with the idea of following to make sure she made it home safely. But in the end he adjusted his coat, pulling it closer around his body as if seeking some small measure of comfort. He watched her until she was out of site then sliding his hands in his pockets he walked the opposite direction.
.
It's the heart, afraid of breaking, that never learns to dance.
It's the dream, afraid of waking, that never takes a chance.
It's the one who won't be taken, who cannot seem to give.
And the soul, afraid of dyin', that never learns to live

Those first months he avoided any mention of her while he ruthlessly and methodically set about removing those last traces of White Fang. Then one day he looked around and another year was gone. In a weeks time it would be her birthday, things had come full circle. He had regained the necessary control to crave some kind of closure so he saw her for what he thought was one last time. Seeing Relena should have ended it but it didn't. Somewhere there was still apart of him longing for things that couldn't be. Because he didn't trust what he couldn't understand he left. He ran because he felt but no matter how far he went her face haunted his dreams.

Shortly after that the situation spiraled out of control. The threats the bribes and finally when those didn't work another meaningless battle with Marimaia started. When it was all finished and the rest of the pilots went back to their loved ones he looked around and realized he no longer wanted to be alone. Maybe he didn't need to remain isolated from others. He wasn't the same and there was no use in lying to himself anymore. No matter how many times he mentally repeated it there still was a voice within laughing at his pitiful attempts at denial. But like a child you hope if you tell yourself something enough that eventually belief will make it so.

When the night has been too lonely, and the road has been too long,
And you think that love is only for the lucky and the strong,
Just remember in the winter far beneath the bitter snows,
Lies the seed, that with the sun's love, in the spring becomes
The Rose.

Heero glided through the grounds on silent feet eyes restlessly searching for the source of his current un-reset. He found her near the back of the mansion by the wall grubbing in the dirt.He moved forward,curiosity and some unnamed emotion endlessly drawing him on. He stood behind her suddenly reluctant to do anything to disrupt the contentment he felt having her near.Now that he was here the gnawing ache gradually receded and he felt at peace.

Relena stopped but she didn't turn around. After a moment she determinedly resumed her efforts. " Right now the sun isn't the best here and Roses need allot of sun." But when spring arrives I think it will do very well she offered in a conversational tone."

"Relena I needed..." He faltered struggling to give her the words he knew she needed so often from him and yet failed repeatedly to find.She stiffened a moment then stood slowly turning to assess his face.

"How long this time Heero?"

"Hmm?"

"How long are you staying this time she enunciated?" The lines of tension left his face as realization dawned, cautiously moving closer he brushed back strands of hair clinging to her cheek before his hand continued traveling long the side of her neck and cupping it. "As long as you let me, he said quietly."

Relena eyes slid closed, she tilted her head pressing against the warmth of his hand. Her eyes flicked open to meet his urgently trying to impart the importance of what she was saying as well as what she left unsaid. "The greenhouse told me this is a special bush it blooms red and white roses." Do you know the language of flowers Heero?"

Confused he frowned, " No I .." "It means unity she persisted. Nothing is ever easy but together we can face anything." Heero are you willing to stay long enough to try? "

He leaned his forehead against hers, "yes we will find our way together." Turning they watched the rose bush gently nodding in the breeze as if quietly giving them a seal of approval.



The Rose 1979
Artist: Bette Midler
Words & Lyrics by: Amanda McBroom