Chapter 7 – Stay With Me

By: WolfCry17

EDIT-- Thank you so much Anime Guerra for pointing out that mistake. The scene was actually changed drastically and I missed a few words there. Looking at it, it was a pretty obvious mistake! My bad! Well, now it is fixed! /EDIT

AN: Well, here we go! I am really excited! I kept my promise and beat the two week deadline I set for myself! That was a true shocker, but this chapter came out so easily, I couldn't stop. I hope you will all enjoy it! I do have to give a little warning, though, this chapter moves along quite quickly and only reveals bits of pieces of information that Relena was never aware of before, so I apologize if anything seems confusing. It was written to be that way. But, don't worry, that is what a story is for, to keep the reader oblivious to the ending, until that ending is reached. Wow! --takes breath-- That was too philosophical for me!! On to the story, but first, I would like to thank all of my reviewers! It makes me so delighted that there are still a few readers out there to enjoy my fic.

To my most recent reviewers:

MyUnchainedMelody: Thank you so much! I am so glad you still enjoyed it! I hope you are pleased with this chappy as well!

cherryheart: Thank you! I hope you continue to read!

Krissy Anne: I absolutely agree, and I am afraid to say, that I live for cliffhangers! It makes writing the story all the more exciting!

AnimeGuera: I hope you will not be too disappointed that it wasn't a year wait for this next chappy! I am so glad to have an old reviewer back!! And thank you so much! Sometimes writing this story can be really difficult because it can get so gloomy and depressing. It gets hard to maintain my interpretation of the characters throughout. I hope you enjoy this update!

killjoy: Well, I can't guarantee what will become of our dear Relena, but I hope you will continue reading to find out! Thank you so much!

theevilashleyness: Wish Granted!

Chapter 7 – Stay With Me

By: WolfCry17

"Heero... Yuy?"

It had to be a dream, right? A dream from a life long forgotten. Was it really the same Heero Yuy who had left her behind in the rain all those years ago? He was here, alive, or was it a deceitful trick her mind was playing her now? No... before, her hallucinations of him would disappear just as quickly as they came, but this time, prussian blue continued to stare deep into her.

"Relena..."

Her body stilled, the sound of his voice penetrating her, numbing her mind. She moved toward him slowly, cautiously, as if he would disappear right before her if she approached too closely. But, he didn't. His stare bore into her behind his still tousled, chocolate locks. He looked different and the same all at once. He was still lean, but in the body of a young man, no longer the young boy she once knew. He was taller too. She smiled inwardly. It was strange. She had to look up at him now, no longer eye level with him despite her own growth.

She reached out to touch him, to confirm that this was real. An electric shock shot through the entirety of her body when her hand touched his face. That was real! "Then, you're really... alive." She wasn't sure if her voice betrayed that she was more shocked that he was really here or that she still couldn't quite believe it even with all the evidence before her now.

His hand shot up to catch hers. Grasping her wrist, he pulled her hand away from his face, but didn't let go. "Yeah."

Her breath caught as the softened look she hadn't seen for years graced his features for a mere second.

It disappeared, crushed from his eyes, when he felt the wedding band that circled her ring finger beneath his fingers. He dropped her hand the same instant and looked away, "I mean it Relena. I will not let you give up."

Now, she knew this wasn't a dream. The wretched gold band that served as a reminder of her enslavement never existed in her dreams. Once again, the harshness of reality crashed before her like a mirror shattering into a million pieces to reveal the truth behind. She turned from him. "It's not your job to save me anymore."

"It was never a job Relena."

She kept her back to him. How dare he! How dare he return to her after all this time, after years of believing he was dead, after it was too late and make demands like he never left at all. "No Heero! That was the real dream after all, that it was never just a job."

Her words were like poison to him. That wasn't true and she damn well knew it, but she was hiding herself from him, her true self, something she had never done to him before. He rounded her, grabbing her shoulders to keep her from turning away from him once more. "Relena, you–"

She winced, the pain from her bruised shoulder screaming at her as Heero unknowingly pushed against the tender skin. Tears surfaced once more, taking with it the last of her make up, causing Heero to freeze mid-sentence and loosen her. Her eyes widened and her body stilled as Heero brought his hand to her chin gently, tilting her face to the side to reveal the nasty bruise on her left cheek. Flames seemed to engulf the empty blue in Heero's eyes as realization hit him, "He hit you."

"It's nothing Heero. It was just an accident."

Lies. She was lying... to him. Heero pulled her right arm between them before pushing her long sleeves up to reveal the marks that colored up and down her arm. "This...is...not...an...accident...Relena!"

Relena looked away, trying to find something fascinating about the floorboards. What was she supposed to say? What could she say? Hiding the truth from Heero was futile, and now that Heero had put two and two together, there would be no stopping him. But she would not let him risk his life for her anymore. She would not let him pay for her mistake.

"Relena, you must get out. You can't possibly tell me you love him so much that you will blindly stay with him, ignorant of your own safety!"

Relena pushed herself away from him, fury rising within her. "Do not misunderstand me. I never claimed to have loved him, and I am not as stupid as you seem to think. I know what he is, and I know that if I try to leave him, innocent people will become involved! I refuse to be that selfish! I will not let other people suffer in my place! This was my mistake Heero, my choice, just as much as it was your choice to leave all those years ago!"

Heero and Relena just starred at each other, anger resonating from prussian blue and sea green, each daring the other to speak.

"Relena!"

Heero and Relena stilled, their eyes darting to the door that led outside the study where the new voice originated from. Relena's eyes widened. 'No!' "Daniel," she shrieked, "He's here." Relena shrank away from the door as if the very movement would conceal her further into the room.

Heero growled beneath his breath, bringing Relena near him once more to thrust a piece of paper into her hand as he leaned into her ear. "Don't misunderstand me, Relena. I never claimed it was my choice. Don't make me repeat it again, I will not let you give up." With that, he disappeared from her side and from plain sight as the doors erupted open.

Daniel revealed himself with a perturbed Duo and Noin and a pissed off Zeches following closely behind. "Relena, it is time to go home now," Daniel's voice was controlled with a tinge of worry added to complete the facade Daniel always wore with his wife in public.

Relena wrapped her hand tightly around the piece of paper Heero had handed her, stuffing it into her pocket to conceal it.

"As I told you before Daniel. We have asked Relena to stay with us a couple days. You can not deny her time with her family," Zeches fought with every word , trying desperately not to reveal his true intentions to get Relena as far away from Daniel as he could through his tone.

Daniel just as smoothly responded, "I understand that, but there are desperate matters that we need to discuss, and they simply can not wait."

"You can discuss them here," Zeches retaliated.

Relena caught the fury in Daniel's eyes, and Relena could only guess as to why. Afterall, Daniel was always most uptight when he had little control on Relena's movements "No Millardo. We really should get home. Brother, I promise I will come by for a longer visit next time when there is nothing urgent going on at home." Relena relented to Daniel, cringing inside from his look of triumph. She hated allowing him the pleasure of thinking that he had absolute control over her, but this wasn't about her pride. Daniel was politely warning her to come with him or else. Closing her eyes, she followed him out, leaving Zeches, Noin, and Duo with nothing to do but watch.

Heero watched from an upstairs window of another room as Daniel led Relena to his awaiting vehicle, forcing her none too gently into the passenger's seat. Heero's hands clenched tightly at his sides. He fought the urge to just shoot the guy where he stood, but the infuriating man kept Relena so close to his side, he couldn't risk Daniel using Relena as a shield in an attempt to save his life or hurt her with his last dying breath. Before he knew it, his fist had connected with the wall, penetrating it's surface.

Slowly pulling his hand out of the hole he had just created, he leaned his head against the wall in front of him. Damn her! Damn her for being so stubborn, so strong, so selfless in the bottommost hell of her life! Damn him for being so weak all those years ago. If he had never been so foolish and acted on his emotions, she wouldn't be where she was now.

"We can't just let her go back there!"

Heero stilled, his frustration level rising to an unmanageable degree. "Duo, she made her choice. She refused your help, she refused Zeches and... and, she refused... me."

"Heero–"

"Duo! Just... stop."

For once, Duo quieted, dropping the topic completely. He just watched Heero fight internally with himself and noticed the hole Heero had previously created. Now was not the time to grill his friend over his actions. Heero was doing enough of that himself for the both of them.

Relena's eyes widened to an alarming degree as Daniel pulled out her last and most prized possession, the little teddy bear with the worn red ribbon and little woolen nose, from behind his back. "So, you thought you could hide this from me, you little whore."

Daniel had been silent the entire drive home, much to Relena's relief. She had mistakenly made the assumption that he hadn't found some new reason to yell at her, to hit her. Her heart pounded in her chest when he threw her into their living room just a few moments ago.

"Daniel, that bear means nothing to me! It is just an old stuffed animal," She bit back, trying desperately to convince him that the bear held no value to her in an attempt to save it. She had lost so much, and now that she had just discovered that Heero was still alive, but had lost any time to even dwell on how that was even possible, she just couldn't lose the bear. It had come to represent an impossible hope, a hope that had almost become a real chance for salvation for the first time that afternoon. What that chance was, Relena really couldn't say, but just being in Heero's presence, knowing that he was still alive, had renewed something within her.

"Don't lie to me wench. I know very well that Heero Yuy gave this bear to you. Even after all this time, you refuse to forget about him. Do you think keeping this bear would somehow bring him back to you." Daniel's hand gripped the bear's neck, causing Relena to flinch unwillingly.

"Daniel, please," Relena's tears flowed freely now, her body refusing to react the way she wanted to. "It means nothing."

"You married me Relena! It is time you forget about Heero Yuy, once and for all!"

"Daniel, please, you said it yourself, Heero's dead. How can you be jealous of a dead man, much less of a bear that he may or may not have given me!" Relena was begging him, fearful of the fate Daniel had in mind for the tiny bear that lay in his hand now.

A sneer etched itself wickedly across Daniel's grey violet eyes, "Don't kid yourself, my dear. Not once have I ever been jealous of Heero Yuy. Even the great Heero Yuy couldn't escape the fate of which I ordained for him!"

At first, confusion filled Relena's mind, completely oblivious as to what Daniel could possibly mean, but then, her eyes widened. "Daniel, what do you mean by that!"

"Oh, your dear brother never told you about the mission Heero was assigned just before he left you. I believe it was considered highly dangerous, the chance of survival almost nil. Well, your brother can't take all the credit now can he. I wouldn't allow him the pleasure. I was the one who brought the mission to the attention of your brother, and that we would need only the best to succeed in completing the mission. My father, Representative Guierro, was truly generous to have supplied me with the information. Not that your brother would've sent Heero willingly. It took my father and I a great deal of pain to convince Zeches that Heero would ultimately lead to your downfall." Daniel caressed the bear's fur with his thumb as he idly played with the red ribbon.

"So you convinced my brother to get rid of him, to convince him that he was not worthy of me and send him away somewhere he was sure not to survive." Relena suppressed the urge to smile despite the situation. Daniel had failed, and he didn't know it yet.

"That's right. Aren't you the smart little witch," the smile that refused to be smudged off his face lit his true wickedness. "It was the perfect plan to get to you when you were most vulnerable. Though it was never spoken, many knew that the ever precious Vice Foreign Minister would never so much as look at another man so long as her personal bodyguard stayed by her side. So, the only way to get you to divert your attention, even for a little while, was to get your dear bodyguard to break your heart. It worked!"

Relena's blood boiled. How could he! The pride of his success sickened Relena. The heartless bastard had planned this from the very beginning, nearly sending Heero to his untimely death, just to get to her. How could she have been so blind to it all, so unaware of his always being there when Heero hurt her as something more than mere coincidence? "Why me?"

At this, Daniel laughed at the obvious absurdity of the question, at least to him anyway. Of course, she would be so ignorant of the answer to that question. It was that very modesty of hers that had won her the hearts of the people, and with that, all the power she could ever wish for, though it was wasted on her. She would never use it to its full potential. She would consider it as taking advantage, something she never dream doing to anyone. "Power, my dear."

Relena furrowed her eyes, understanding reaching her, much to her demise. How sick she was of hearing that answer.

"And, your beauty of course. You, my dear, are the epiphany of trophy wives."

"I was nothing more than a game to you then. You are sourly wrong if you think for one moment that I will let you use me and my position for your own twisted gain." The adrenaline that rushed Relena's system, sending a fury of rage through her, sent her to charge Daniel with all that she had, causing the two to fall sprawling toward the floor. Daniel quickly gained the upper hand, throwing her body toward the coffee table. The impact to her waist made her body recoil around her.

"Don't you ever try that again. Nothing can save you now, my dear. You will serve me as a proper wife should, which means total submissiveness to your husband, no matter what that may entail. It is time that you left the world you once knew behind, and that includes your memory of Heero Yuy." Daniel gave the bear a menacing look before stomping towards the fireplace that was lit ablaze with flames.

"Daniel! NOOO!"

The bear was sent flying into the air as Relena watched helplessly from her coiled position by the coffee table. Relena shot forward as the bear caught fire, swiveling away as the fire bit at it.

Daniel grabbed a bottle of whiskey and downed a couple gulps confident and triumphant once more. He was going to finally succeed in breaking her and binding her to his will. Until that was accomplished, marrying her would have been a worthless endeavor.

Relena fought desperately with the flames, trying desperately to save the bear from total destruction. Suddenly, she was pulled away by an unwanted force. Turning on it with teary eyes, she found Daniel gripping her already frail form, the alcohol already affecting his bloodstream. "Oh yes, that bear meant nothing to you. You would risk hurting yourself just to get to it."

Sea green eyes widened as Daniel loomed over her, but a floating lamp that was dangling right above Daniel's head caught her attention. The lamp came crashing down on Daniel's head, knocking him unconscious, a second later. His body slumped, falling on Relena, the weight sending her crashing upon the floor with Daniel's limp body on top of her.

Bewildered and shocked, Relena found Paign, the red-headed maid who had locked Relena up in her room just a few days ago, offering a hand to help Relena out from under the weight of Daniel's body. "Paign, what have you done? He will be even angrier once he wakes up."

Without waiting for the maid to reply, Relena dashed back towards the fire. She had to get to the bear before it was too late.

"Mistress, you must leave it."

"How dare you! Let me go!"

"No, mistress, it's gone now. You will ruin your hands."

Relena stopped thrashing to get away from the maid as the flames took the last of the bear. "Leave me Paign. Just leave."

Relena crumpled to the floor once she knew she was once more alone in the living room despite the unconscious Daniel just a few feet away. Tears streamed down her face so much, she wondered momentarily if her face would ever dry. It was then, she remembered the piece of paper Heero had given her. She hadn't even looked at it. She pulled it from her pocket and unfolded it. Her brows knitted together in confusion. All that was written on it was a single address. 'Heero.'

"Relena, you should go."

"Paign! I told you to leave me alone."

"Relena, I will take care of Daniel when he awakes. I will clean this mess up and tell him, I found the two of you collapsed on the floor unconscious. Now go!"

"Paign, I can't. He will kill you, if he finds out that you helped me. I will not let him hurt you Paign, especially because of me."

Paign gave a loose smile. She knew her mistress all too well. Convincing her to give into hope once more to save her life was always difficult, but it was time. It was time that all the people she sacrificed her life to protect, to defend, started to fight back for her in return.

Paign lifted the numb Relena from her crumbled position on the floor, "My lady, I am not as oblivious to the goings on in this house as I lead on. But, I am tired of seeing the injustice that he lays upon you every night. If he becomes any more powerful by stripping you of everything that you are, he will be unstoppable." Paign pushed the shocked, befuddled Relena out of the front door.

"Paign, don't be a fool. I do not lie when I say that he will kill you."

Paign smiled once more, refusing Relena reentry into the house, "My lady, I am not afraid to die so long as I am doing the right thing. I will never be able to live with myself if I could of helped you and refused to do so just to save my being. Now go!"

The door slammed in her face before Relena could protest further. She just starred at the door for what seemed like eternity, trying to register all that had happened in the past few hours. A thousand questions rose within her, and she was just too overwhelmed to sort any of this out. Relena looked back down to the single address etched on the piece of paper, a new hope flaming within her. Did she dare to hope, could she dare to hope.

'Follow your emotions, Relena.'

Relena threw herself into a full out sprint, leaving the house behind her once more.

Thunder rocketed through the air, threatening the sky, as lightening stretched across the sky in a spider-wick pattern. Heavy rains poured down from the sky, flooding the ground below, as Heero watched a small waterfall cascade down the windows. Just watching the water drown the window seemed to numb Heero's mind from thought. Feeling helpless, waiting for something to happen, was the worst feeling in the world and yet, it seemed like that was all he had been doing for the past several years. The only difference between now and just a few days ago was now, that feeling was intensified.

Seeing her today, being so close to her, had been more detrimental than he could ever have fathomed. She was still beautiful, even more so now, despite the marks that now tarnished her ivory skin. Heero seethed, his fists shaking from being clenched so tightly. He had failed her, in the worst way. 'Relena.'

Thunder crashed in the distance once more, but after it, a different sound echoed in Heero's ears, causing his eyes to dart from the window toward the door. Shooting from his seat next to the window, he turned on a light to lighten the darkened apartment. Had he heard correctly, or was it just a hoax of his imagination? He stared at the door, trying to ascertain whether he was losing his mind or not.

The sound came once more, alerting Heero. It was real that time. His body reacted on its own accord. He reached the door the next second and opened it.

"Relena."

"H-hee-ro."

Heero's eyes widened as his hand shot forward to grasp Relena and bring her shivering body forward towards him, out from under the freezing rain. She was shivering desperately to hypothermic proportions. Something must have happened. She was downright determined to keep everyone around her safe by not involving anyone, but now, she was here, and it looked as if she had trekked the whole way on foot. Heero shook his thoughts away quickly. He had to get her warm and quickly.

Kicking the door closed with his foot, he backed away from the door taking Relena with him. "Relena?"

"Hee-ro, I-I'm cold." Relena shivered violently within his arms, clinging to him for dear life, "I can't fe-eel my arms."

Backing away from the door and taking Relena with him, Heero mentally cursed. Heero searched for as many blankets as he could find, all awhile keeping Relena as close to his body heat as possible. Cursing once more in his mind, he looked at the blankets for a second. They weren't going to be enough. Heero rubbed her arms rapidly to generate enough heat to bring warmth back to them. Racking his mind for a better solution, Heero did the best thing he could do for someone so far along into hypothermia. He stripped Relena of her soaking clothes down to just her underwear. Ignoring the bruises that were concealed through all the clothing, he stripped himself down to just his boxers. He would have to look them over later once he got her warm. He pulled Relena's freezing, wet body to his warm one, rubbing her arms and her back as quickly as he could. She was too numb to feel her skin tense as he rubbed across her bruises. He brought her with him to lie down beneath all the blankets he could gather up. Her body was like ice next to his, but he suppressed the shivering pain down. He had to get her warm.

"Relena? Stay with me Relena." Her body shivered next to him. She shifted closer to him, trying to encase her body in his heat. But, she was starting to fade. "Relena, come on. You have to stay awake. You stay with me!"

"Hee-ro. He bu-urned it. It's go-one."

"Shhh. Relena, not now. You need to focus your energy on getting warm." Heero moved down her body and rubbed her legs as best as he could reach while keeping her core as close to his body as possible. As long as her core remained warm, her extremities would take care of themselves. "Relena, slide your legs between mine."

She didn't need to be told twice. He wrapped his body around hers, rubbing what he could to generate more heat. "Relena, I mean it! You stay right here with me!"

She was panting, fighting to stay awake next to him, but she found the darkness so alluring, the pain seeming to dull as she approached it.

"Relena!" Heero watched her eyes close, her breathing shallow, her body shake uncontrollably.

"RELENA!"

AN: Oh my! I guess that was a little cruel on my part, --taps pen against chin--, should I really stop here or give you a little more? Hmmmm? --taps pen further on chin before drifting off to sleep-- Nice, soft pillow... I think it's time for beddie bye. Goodnight. Don't forget to review!