Family
Chapter 38: Summer Part 2
Author's note: Previously on Family, Rachel Wingate had invited the De Camden Family to join them for a summer vacation in the City of Ashford. Fate went with Federick to Ashford one day earlier than Heero and Jace. She dreamt of the last time she was in the City of Ashford, which was four years ago where she had a bicycle accident in the woods. Heero arrived in Ashford and they spent time on the beach. Heero enjoyed his time on the beach while Fate had her own forms of entertainment. Meanwhile we find out more about the physical scars that Heero has on his body. They had a barbecue at night before they strolled down the beach at night.
This chapter will not be broken down into shorter chapters but will be a long chapter instead.
Thank you for reading this story and I hope that you continue to support it. Please read and review, NO FLAMERS! Pairing: HeeroXOC
After Colony 203, 12th July
Colony L1, City of Ashford, Winchester Mansion
Early Morning, 6am
Heero Wingate hadn't slept at all, just like the many usual nights he had been through. He had stayed up all night, looking through mission files and doing the necessary paperwork. He had also monitored the many missions his men were being sent on. He was on 24 hours standby and he will have to have an exit plan in place should his men meet any form of trouble on their mission. So far things have gone by smoothly.
It was 6am when he decided to go for his morning exercise. He changed into his running attire and warmed up before heading to the beach behind the mansion. The sky was still dark as the sun hasn't rise up yet. The beach was relatively dark as there wasn't a lot of lamp posts around to light the place up. The air is cooling, most likely due to the sea breeze. Heero started jogging down the beach first before increasing his speed gradually and soon enough he was running down the long beach. There wasn't many people around at this timing hence he didn't need to worry about having to evade people during his run.
He reached the end of the beach after some time, made a turn and started running back towards the other end. As he was running back, he turned to look up at the sky and saw that the sun is slowly rising. Heero continued on his run and soon he was running laps up and down the beach. He did look up at the sky occasionally but did not stop to watch the sunrise. Nevertheless, it is a beautiful image to see the sun rise up over the sea waters. After an hour of vigorous running, he returned to the mansion. He didn't see any of his family members or anyone from the De Camden family around the mansion. Maybe they all decided to sleep in. He took a bath and changed into a new set of clothing before going down to the dining room for breakfast.
He was relatively early and the only person in the dining room was his parents. Carlton was reading the newspaper while Rachel was drinking tea. She greeted him with a smile while Heero greeted them with a curt nod of his head. He sat down and ate breakfast as he checked his tablet at the same time. Federick was the next person to enter the dining hall. He greeted everyone briefly and ate his breakfast. Meanwhile Belmont was the next person to enter the dining hall and he immediately glared at Heero for a short moment. Heero knew that he couldn't escape confrontation with Belmont and decided to approach him after Belmont had his breakfast. After Heero had finished his breakfast, he left the dining room and waited some distance away from the dining room's doors, hoping to get a private word with Belmont. Belmont came out of the dining room twenty minutes later.
"Mr. Camden." Heero said.
Belmont turned and scowled at the sight of Heero.
"I can see that you are displeased with me." Heero commented.
"Naturally, any parent would be." Belmont remarked.
Just then Heero sensed that someone else was approaching.
"Shall we go somewhere else where we can have this conversation in private?" Heero asked.
Belmont gave a curt nod and both men left in search of a room that could give them the privacy that they needed. They continued walking until they entered an unoccupied private sitting room. Heero closed the door behind him and turned around to face Belmont knowing that the scolding was coming. Belmont immediately regarded him with icy cold eyes but Heero's face was as emotionless as ever.
"I am this close to calling you out and running you through with a rapier. Count yourself lucky that you are Carlton's eldest son, or I would have killed you with my bare hands." Belmont said in a very low voice.
Heero wasn't afraid of Belmont, he understood that Belmont was trying to protect his daughter. He could see the anger in Belmont's eyes.
"You may be her boyfriend, but you should know better than to take her on an overseas trip before you even marry her. It will cause rumors, rumors that will taint her name as well as the De Camden name!" Belmont shouted.
So, it was an issue of propriety.
"Your brother Joshua may be a playboy but you don't see him bringing any women with him overseas." Belmont pointed out.
"He finds new ones overseas." Heero pointed out.
"That is not the point, the point is that you should know better than to bring her overseas. Fate called us and she defended you claiming that she went with you on her own accord, leaving you with no choice but to bring her to France with you." Belmont said.
"She did not lie, I never intended to bring her to France with me. But other than throwing her out of the plane into outer space, I had no choice but to bring her with me." Heero said.
Belmont narrowed his eyes at Heero.
"She evaded our question about why you were going to France in the first place and why she had to go with you. Would you care to explain yourself?" Belmont asked in a low voice.
Heero wondered if he could trust Belmont with the truth, would he be against him dating Fate if Belmont knew his true identity as an ex-Gundam pilot? Heero knew that he could pull the sympathy card, but it could easily turn against him as well.
"I'm afraid it's classified information, I am not obligated to answer your question." Heero said.
"Classified my ass, Heero Wingate I will beat it out of you if I have to!" Belmont remarked.
"You can try but I would rather you didn't, for I do not wish to hurt you." Heero said.
The anger in Belmont's eyes burned brightly and Heero knew that Belmont wouldn't hesitate to hit him. But the outcome would be the same, there was no way Heero would lose the fight even if he wasn't fighting at a hundred percent.
"Nevertheless I am glad Fate went to France with me. She helped me out at a difficult time and I couldn't be more grateful. We didn't elope because we both knew that we still have our families to answer to." Heero explained.
Belmont stared at him in silence and Heero knew that he could win this staring match easily but he wasn't in the mood to do so.
"Blame me if you must but do not blame Fate for her actions. She merely did it out of love and concern for me. I apologize for the trouble that I have caused for your family and rest assured that I will go through the proper channel to ask for her hand when the time is right." Heero said.
He meant his words and hoped that Belmont could feel his sincerity. They continued to stare at each other in silence. Heero's relationship with Belmont wasn't well but they get by, especially since they are technically business partners now. Belmont did not seem to be as overprotective as Federick is when it comes to Fate, but as a father he genuinely cares about the welfare of his daughter. Belmont sighed instead and broke eye contact with Heero.
"Sometimes I feel that Fate loves you far too much. She would do anything for you and this trip to France has proved so. Which makes me wonder if you are worthy of her love and if you too will do anything for the woman you claim to love." Belmont said.
That is something none of us will want to find out. Heero thought to himself.
For Heero knew that he would even go as far as killing someone just to protect Fate from harm. But it was a line he didn't want to cross yet. Heero may be new to love but he knows that he still has a lot to learn. He has let Fate down constantly but he's trying to change for the better as well.
"I would do anything to make her happy, that includes protecting her from harm." Heero answered.
They stared at each other in silence.
"How is the research going?" Heero asked softly, changing topic instead.
"It's going well. With the data that you have given me, I have managed to perfect the equations and theory. We have moved to the production stage and are still figuring out how to compress it into a pill or liquid form for easy application." Belmont said.
"You can always contact the bio medical research facilities that SilverWings owns if you need more help on that." Heero said.
"I have all the staff I need. But it's still useless unless we come up with something that can be used. The theory on its own is not enough to give us the complete answer." Belmont said.
"What about the machine that I talked about?" Heero asked.
"We can look into that as well, but I will need all information and blueprints of the machine." Belmont said.
Heero nods his head in acknowledgement.
"I will have the necessary files that you need by next week." Heero said.
Belmont nod his head and sighed instead.
"This research could still take years to perfect." Belmont said.
"I know, that's why I am asking you to work on it now. How has the reception to the theory been?" Heero asked.
"I have not revealed the full thing to everyone, only a few scientists that I trust." Belmont said.
"Could there be a leak?" Heero asked, referring to the chance that someone else may exploit the theory as well.
"Like I said, it simply exists as a theory with only one case of a real life working example. Other than that it's all on paper, unless someone can come up with a better way to use the theory." Belmont said.
Heero considered the situation at hand for a short moment.
"You will still need to increase your security levels; many scientists have worked on cellular regeneration for years but so far none has come up with a one hundred percent fail-proof way. People may kill to get their hands on such theory." Heero said.
"I will be more careful." Belmont said.
Heero nodded and they discussed their joint project a little further before they left to go back to their activities.
A few hours later, 10am
Heero was in the mansion's library, reading up on a few books. He likes the library here; it was large and spacious yet quiet. It also gave him the privacy he needed since no one comes here at all. Plus the shelves were filled with many different kinds of books. He remembered spending most of his time in the library the last time he was here in the City of Ashford four years ago. At that point of time, he was busy trying to come up with a few new products for his company SilverWings to sell. He had used up all that time on work instead of play, though he was never one to relax and enjoy life. He is a workaholic and he liked being busy.
He was currently seated on an armchair, next to the window. He had kept an eye on what was happening outside in the mansion grounds as he continued reading as well. He had noticed how Fate had disappeared behind the mansion almost an hour ago. Heero checked his watch again before he closed the book he was holding. After he placed it back in its original location, he started to make his way towards the back of the mansion. He knew that the ladies have left to go on a shopping and sight-seeing trip around the City of Ashford. He had no idea where the males have gone to, but they left the mansion fifteen minutes ago.
He opened the back door and walked to the gardens instead, knowing that Fate couldn't have left the mansion. He walked around the large gardens for a while before he located Fate. Fate is wearing a sleeveless white lace dress and he wasn't surprised to see her sitting underneath the largest tree in the gardens. She was sitting with her back leaning against the tree's trunk as she continued reading. She hadn't tied her long hair and Heero was tempted to tug a loose strand of her hair back behind her ear. She seemed to be so engrossed in reading that she hadn't heard or seen him approach her. He came to a stop right in front of her and when she still failed to notice him, he cleared his throat loudly to get her attention. Fate looked up at him in surprise before she smiled at him.
"Morning Heero." She said.
Heero chose to sit down on the grass beside her. He leaned his back against the tree trunk and stared up at the tree's green leaves. For a short moment he was silent as well as he took in the surroundings around him. He could smell Fate's familiar scent, the scent of green grass and blooming flowers. He could feel the heat from the sun rays yet the place he was sitting at right now was cooling due to the large tree providing them with shade from the sun. He then focused on her to realize that she was watching him silently.
"What are you reading?" Heero asked.
"Just a romance novel." She whispered.
Heero watched as she booked marked the book, closed and sets it aside. Both of them stared at the scenery before them. They could see most of the gardens, the back of the mansion and the blue sky from their view. Fate took in a deep breath and exhaled slowly, then she smiled at him.
"It feels really peaceful here doesn't it?" She asked.
"Quiet as well." Heero said.
"That too, we hardly have that back in VLA." She admits.
"Due to our busy work schedule." Heero pointed out.
Fate merely gave a small smile before she stared ahead again.
"I wanted to sit down in the gardens, enjoy the outdoors without fear of being spotted or photographed and simply enjoy doing what I like." Fate whispered.
Heero knew that she couldn't do that ever since he made a public announcement that she is his girlfriend. It had complicated their lives as the media and the paparazzi wanted as many details as possible. Still he was glad that the commotion was finally dying down.
"What are you doing later?" Heero asked.
"I didn't have anything planned. I simply wanted to use the little time I have to kick back and really relax." Fate whispered.
They were silent for a short moment.
"I'm sorry Fate, I know that it must have been tough having to face the entire media alone." Heero told her.
And for always disappearing when you need me. He thought to himself, but he wasn't able to tell her that.
Fate gave him a sad smile and sighed.
"I never thought that the announcement would cause such a large commotion that got out of hand. I never knew that there will be days when I couldn't even breathe properly trying to move from one location to the next. That being so popular had such negative sides to it as well." Fate whispered.
"We had our fair share of dealing with mobs of crazy fans." Heero pointed out.
"But it's different, this time everyone wanted answers and there were so many cameras and video recorders pointing at my face everywhere I go. They all wanted information about us out of me." Fate whispered.
Heero was silent for a short moment.
"How did you manage to stay out of the media's radar for so long?" Fate asked softly.
"I used to be a Preventer, it's easy to get around unnoticed when you have been trained to do it most of your life." Heero said.
Fate smiled instead.
"Maybe you should give me a few lessons." She said.
Heero frowned at her immediately.
"Why?" She asked.
"You won't be able to survive my ruthless training." Heero said.
Fate smiled and leaned in towards him instead.
"Surely I get special treatment as your girlfriend." She said, winking at him.
"I don't show favouritism to anyone." Heero admits.
"Not even for me?" She asked as she stared at him sweetly.
"No." Heero answered.
Fate sighed instead.
"Well then, there is always the special treatment I can give to you after that." Fate said.
He raised an eyebrow at her, knowing that her special treatment wasn't anything good.
"Like no kissing, no hugging, no anything for a few weeks." Fate explained.
"That's a punishment in our personal life." Heero pointed out.
"I'm not one to separate work and personal life, especially when it comes to you." Fate said before she smiled at him.
"I will keep that in mind if I do end up training you." Heero said.
Fate continued smiling at him before she reached for her book again. Heero stared up at the blue sky while Fate continued reading.
"Do you still dislike the sky that we see in the Colonies?" Fate asked him.
Heero nodded his head, he hated the artificial sky in all Colonies for they weren't real. They were merely visualization created by the weather control department in the Colonies. He was always reminded of how fake the sky that they were seeing was, which was why he disliked it. For he knew what he was seeing wasn't real. It was why he loves to look up at the sky when he was on Earth, for he knew that the sky before him was real, not an image created by the weather control department. Though Heero have to admit that the artificial sky in front of him can be beautiful in its own way.
"What about you?" Heero asked her.
"I think that it doesn't really matter to me whether the sky before me is real or not. What matters to me is that I am still surrounded by the people I love." She said with a smile on her face.
"Was that why you were willing to move from Japan to VLA?" Heero asked.
"Partly, for it brought me closer to you." Fate said.
Heero was silent for a short moment.
"Why didn't you move to Earth if the sky bothered you that much?" Fate asked.
"I was born in the Colonies hence the Colonies will always be the place I want to be in. Plus there is far too much land compared to Earth and the Colonies soon became something that I want to protect as well." Heero answered.
Fate wanted to ask him if the Colonies will ever be a place he could call home. But she chose not to ask him that, knowing that Heero was one who took his responsibilities and duties seriously. He was probably still doing his best to protect the peace between the Colonies and Earth, and busy trying to make amends for what he had done in the past. A breeze blew by, messing up Fate's hair slightly but she watched Heero carefully as he continued to stare up at the sky above him.
"Fate, what if one day I have to go somewhere really far away?" Heero asked her suddenly.
Fate's eyes widened in shock, was he trying to tell her that he's going away again?
"What would you do then?" Heero asked her.
He turned back to look at her and their eyes met for a short moment before Fate sighed.
"There's no question about what I will do. I will find you and I will follow you, no matter where you are going." Fate told him as she stared into his eyes.
"Even if you have to leave your career, your possessions and the people that you love behind? Would you give up everything you have now to follow after me?" Heero asked instead.
Fate knew that he wasn't joking as he looked serious when he was asking her that. His question was a little surprising and Fate thought about it carefully. She didn't want to give him a false answer, but she knew that she will definitely hesitate if she was forced to make such a decision. She closed her eyes, took in a deep breath and exhaled slowly as she thought through his question. Then she looked at Heero again, ready to give him the answer to his question.
"Yes." She said.
Heero saw the determination in her eyes as she answered him. While Fate saw the rare flicker of emotion that flashed across his eyes when she said yes. But it was gone and replaced with his usual emotionless and cool eyes as he turned to look ahead.
"Why did you suddenly ask me that?" Fate asked.
"Because I would have done the same for you." Heero answered.
Fate's eyes widened in shock before she looked down slightly and blushed.
"Heero…" She whispered.
Heero then surprised Fate by turning so that his back was facing her. Then he lied down instead, resting his head on her lap while he stretched his legs out fully.
"Heero… what are you doing?" She asked as she looked down at him.
"Let's stay like this for a while." Heero said softly.
Fate blushed, knowing that he was so close to her and he was using her lap as a pillow. It was so like him to not ask for permission before he does this. Heero stared up at the large tree from his position on Fate's lap. Fate peered down at him instead.
"What are you looking at?" She asked softly.
Heero didn't answer and merely closed his eyes instead.
"You are not planning to fall asleep like this are you?" She asked instead.
"Why not? It's not like it's the first time." Heero pointed out.
The blush on Fate's face deepened. There were times when Heero would fall asleep as he rests his head on her lap like what he was doing now. But during those times it was her who suggested it since he looked so tired. Fate looked down at Heero as he continued staring up. She examined his face closely, taking in his features. Naturally, she reached out and brushed his fringe gently, but it fell back to its original position yet again. Heero's Prussian blue eyes regarded her, and Fate was stunned by how intense they were, as if she could get lost staring into them for hours. Heero reached out and brought her hand to his lips. She blushed at his intimate gesture and she noticed how Heero was giving her a small smile.
"Why are you smiling?" She asked instead.
Heero didn't answer and closed his eyes instead as if he was trying to fall asleep.
"Are you tired?" She asked.
Heero was silent for a short moment before he answered.
"I was busy with work last night. Then again I haven't been sleeping since the trip to France." He said softly.
Fate regarded him with worried eyes, this has been going on for far longer than he was willing to tell her. Something was causing his lack of sleep, but she had no idea what it was. Yet Heero was still very tight lipped about it.
"Do you want to talk about it?" She asked softly as she looked down at him.
He didn't answer and Fate knew that it was a no. She freed her hand from his hold before she stroke his cheek. He looked at her briefly before he closed his eyes again.
"Why don't you take a short nap? I will be here with you." Fate whispered.
Heero didn't respond and Fate continued to stroke his cheek gently, hoping that it will help him to fall asleep faster. Eventually he seemed to have fallen asleep. Fate smiled down at him, so this was what he looks like when he's asleep. Fate reached for her book and continued reading, trying not to move too much in case she wakes him up. But it sure was a peaceful and quiet day. It was such a huge contrast compared to the crazy, hectic days that she had when she was trying to avoid the paparazzi and the press back in VLA. She knew that she had to take good use of this opportunity and make good use of such rare, slow and peaceful days.
An hour later, 11am
Heero woke up and realized that he had fallen asleep. He had simply planned to spend more time with Fate, but he was simply too tired. He looked up and saw that Fate had fallen asleep as well, but she seemed uncomfortable in the sitting position she was in. Heero had enjoyed his short nap for Fate's touch had given him warmth and he felt very comfortable with her. He stood up and carried Fate in his arms instead as he made his way towards the mansion. He instructed Meteor to carry the book she was reading. As Meteor bounced after them Heero walked through the garden with her in his arms. She was relatively light hence he didn't have any issue carrying her. A servant opened the back doors for them to go through. He turned towards the staircase, intending to bring her back to her room. Rachel was coming down the stairs and she looked shocked to see them.
"Is Fate alright?" Rachel asked, looking concerned.
"She's alright, she's just asleep. I am bringing her to her room." Heero said as he walked up the stairs.
Rachel nodded and watched them leave before she continued on her way. Heero entered Fate's room and placed her down on the bed. He then tucked her in so that she was able to sleep comfortably. But she woke up before he could leave.
"Heero?" She asked.
"I'm here." He said.
She looked around her and was surprised to find herself back in her room during the summer vacation.
"I carried you up, thought that you would want to sleep in a more comfortable place." Heero said.
Fate shook her head.
"I merely dozed off. What about you? Did you manage to get some rest?" She asked.
Heero nodded and with that Fate sat up on her bed. She looked at the clock on the wall.
"It's almost lunch time." She said.
"Yes." He said.
Their eyes met and she smiled up at him. Heero stayed with her for a while longer before they went down to the dining room for lunch.
A few hours later, 2pm
Fate and Heero dined with whoever was still in the mansion for lunch. It was a rather extravagant affair even though not everyone was around. The food was great and while Heero didn't talk much, Fate enjoyed lunch very much. She managed to use the time to catch up with some of Heero's siblings. Fate knew that Heero was bored with the long lunch as there were many courses. But after that, Heero suggested that they go into the City of Ashford. Fate agreed to go with him and freshened up before coming down again. Heero surprised her by changing into a white summer suit as well. She admits that she was concerned that they might get spotted and photographed should they enter the city. But Heero said that they will be careful. Fate could only hope that this would not add more fire to the commotion that was dying down.
Heero was driving them, hence Fate sat in his sports car and they made their way around City of Ashford. Fate looked out of the car windows, trying her best to take in as much as possible. Heero asked if she wanted to go shopping but she declined since she already went shopping two days ago. They drove around for a while before Heero parked his car. After getting out from his sports car, Fate followed Heero as they started walking down the streets together. Fate had chosen not to wear her sunglasses, but she was hoping that people won't pester her even if they recognize her. Ashford is a popular summer vacation location, hence there were many celebrities and stars around. Even so there was no telling how the public will react to her presence here.
Heero seemed to sense that Fate was nervous, he reached out and held her hand instead. Fate gave him a weak smile as they continued walking down the streets hand in hand. Fate has to admit that they are a striking couple and since they were both wearing white, it made them look as if they were wearing couple wear. They attracted some attention from passersby and Fate got even more nervous as she doesn't want to be spotted. But Heero was acting cool about it as if he doesn't care if people were looking at them. They continued walking and Fate was slightly relieved when they made a turn and started walking through a crowded street. With the camouflage of a large human crowd, Fate managed to relax a little. She looked at the window displays of the shops they were walking by and soon realized that she have never been to this street before. Heero was as silent as ever but whenever Fate stopped to look at a few shops, she noticed that Heero was observing their surroundings very discretely. To an onlooker he looked like a bored boyfriend waiting for his girlfriend, but he was using the time to scan their surroundings as if looking for any kind of threat.
They continued on their way and Fate would stop Heero so that she could go into a few shops and browse through. Heero followed her into the shops without question and sometimes she would smile and point things out to him. He didn't give much of a reply, just the usual nods, shaking of head and a slight smile at times. They continued on their way and Fate relied on Heero to be her tour guide as she had no idea where Heero was bringing her. Occasionally someone will look at them, stare at them for a moment before stopping in their tracks. Every time that happened, Heero would urge her to walk faster and they blended into the crowd before anyone could even scream her name on the top of their lungs. It was indeed tough having to do that so often that it was ruining her walk through the streets. Fate sighed out loud and Heero turned to look at her.
"I'm sorry, I should have worn my large sunglasses." Fate told him.
"I would not have chosen to go on foot, but the café that we are heading to is not accessible by car." Heero explained.
"Oh, why is that?" Fate asked.
"You will see why later." Heero said.
They continued walking before Heero made a turn to the right. Fate was surprised when Heero held her hand and continued leading her through the tiny alley. They made a few turns here and there, climbed up flights of stairs as well before they continued on their way.
"We have been walking for a relatively long time." Fate observed.
"A few more turns to go." Heero said.
And so Fate continued walking, trusting that Heero knows his way to this café he was talking about. Finally after another flight of stairs, Fate saw a line of shops in front of them. There were very few people walking through this path and Fate wondered if the business of the shops are affected by the lack of human traffic. They walked past a bookstore before Heero opened the door to a shop and went in. Fate went in behind him and realized that they have reached their destination. The café was decorated to look like a Victorian era tea salon, like the ones she had visited when she was in England or in France. Fate smiled as she continued to look around the café. There wasn't a lot of customers already in the café, but a waiter came over to serve them. Heero didn't even speak, he merely flashed his VIP SilverWings card.
"This way, sir and madam." The waiter said.
With that they followed the waiter further into the café. Fate was in awe as she took in her surroundings. It really did make her feel as if she was in Paris again. The waiter opened a door for them, and it revealed a private tearoom. Fate knew that it would give them the privacy that they needed, and no one will be paying attention to them as no one can see them. Heero helped her into her seat while he took the seat facing the door. The waiter than provided them with the café's menu. Heero ordered for a pot of black coffee while Fate ordered tea and a few cakes for dessert. After the waiter left them alone, Fate finally breathed a sigh of relief.
"This café belongs to SilverWings as well?" She asked.
"Yes, I bought it a few years back when it was going to close down." Heero explained.
"With the lack of human traffic, it must have been hard for the business to survive." Fate said.
"True, but we marketed it differently after my acquisition. Now it's a very popular location among celebrities and stars. They come here if they want privacy and do not wish to be seen by others." Heero explained.
"Which explains the private tea rooms." Fate said.
Heero nodded. The waiter came in with their orders and left them alone after serving them their orders. Fate looked out of the windows at the quiet street below. It definitely feels peaceful here. Fate poured her own tea while Heero drank his coffee the way it was without adding anything. She took a bite out of the first slice of cake and gave Heero a sweet smile.
"Naturally, there was a change in the chefs of the café, increasing the taste and quality of food." Heero explained.
"This is really delicious. Sometimes I am amazed by your business sense." Fate said.
Heero gave her a small smile and both of them looked out of the window in silence.
"Where are we going after this?" Fate asked.
"Where do you want to go?" Heero asked instead.
Fate wondered as well as she wasn't sure where they should go.
"How about a stroll through a garden before we return back to the mansion?" Fate asked.
Heero stared out of the window for a while longer.
"It's going to rain soon." He said, as if telling her that a stroll in the gardens was a bad idea.
"Really? The sky still looks clear to me." Fate said.
"When you are an agent for long enough, you learn to recognize weather signs and make preparations for the different weather conditions." Heero explained.
Fate knew that Heero had undergone a lot of training to be the super secret agent and soldier he is today. Fate smiled and they continued their light conversation, hoping to catch up with each other's daily life since the last time they saw each other. Halfway through there was a knock on the door and Fate saw one of Heero's hand moved immediately behind him as if he was reaching for his gun. She was certain that it had already became one of Heero's reflex action, just like how he never goes anywhere without carrying a weapon. The door opened and an old man entered the private tearoom.
"Mr. Heero Wingate, it is good to see you again." The man greeted.
Fate looked at Heero instead only to see Heero standing up to greet the old man.
"You didn't inform me in advance that you are here. Oh look, you have someone with you." The man said.
Heero then introduced Fate to this man, who turned out to be the owner of this café. The man then instructed a waiter to bring their best pastry selections for Fate and Heero. Fate declined his offer politely as she wouldn't be able to finish them, plus Heero dislikes sweet food hence she will be forced to eat everything herself. However the owner insisted after all he wanted to entertain them since Heero rarely comes to Ashford. Heero declined his offer as well, but he was firmer with his tone. Plus he stared at the owner in silence to emphasize his point. Thankfully, the owner cancelled the request and asked if he could join them for a chat instead.
Heero looked at Fate for an answer. She merely smiled and nodded, giving her agreement. With that another chair was set up and the three of them ended up having a chat over tea and cakes. The owner talked about the café's history and how Heero had managed to turn the café around with his new direction for the café. The owner laughed and admitted that at the start he thought that Heero was crazy and had no idea how to run a café at all. But when the profits started increasing, it was then he knew Heero had proved him wrong. Fate smiled and was glad to hear some of SilverWings' success stories. They continued chatting for a while, with Fate and the owner talking more among themselves while Heero simply sat there and listened. Heero rarely talked, which was how he usually carries himself in front of people who weren't close to him. Eventually it was time to leave, the owner asked if Fate would be willing to take a photo and sign it for him. Fate agreed to do so and when the owner suggested to take a photo of both of them together, Heero declined to be in the photo at all.
The waiter came in again to clear the empty plates from the table. With that the owner took out a modernized large Polaroid camera. These cameras are often used only when someone wants to print the photos that they take instantly. It wasn't a new concept and with modern technology, printing larger sized photos instantly are possible. Fate smiled at the camera before the photo was taken. While they waited for the photo to become clear, Fate looked out of the window at the quiet street. She smiled as she saw the photo of herself smiling at the camera. It looked as if she was promoting the café, nevertheless she autographed it and thanked the owner.
Then the owner showed Fate where his wall of fame was while Heero proceeded to the cashier. Fate was surprised that the owner had taken a photo of all the celebrities and stars that came to his café. As she stared at the collage of Polaroid photos on the wall, she noticed that she knew some of the celebrities in the photos. There were also some she didn't know of. She smiled when the owner placed her photo on his wall of fame. With that she thanked the owner yet again and complimented the café for its ambience and food. Heero was waiting for her when she walked towards the main door. The owner escorted them out of the door and welcomes them to come back yet again. Fate smiled and waved goodbye at the owner while Heero merely nodded at him. With that she followed Heero as they continued to make their way back towards where he parked his car. Fate looked up at the sky and saw that the sky was overcast, as if it would rain soon.
She picked up her pace but still it wasn't easy to walk fast in such high heels. Eventually the rain started falling from the sky. It didn't start with a simple drizzle and Fate knew that it would be a heavy down pour soon. Heero immediately reached for her hand and he dragged her to go faster knowing that they couldn't run unless she takes off her shoes. As the rain became heavier Fate gasped in surprise as the cold rain drenched her, soaking her to her skin. Heero was soaked by the heavy rain as well. Fate eventually came to a stop causing Heero to turn back towards her.
"Fate?" Heero asked.
"Let's not hurry to get out of the rain." She whispered.
"But Fate…"
She silenced him by placing a finger against his lips. She closed her eyes and listened to the sound of the raindrops hitting the floor. She could feel the rain falling down on her skin as well. She stepped back from him and stared up at the dark sky. Fate smiled instead because surprisingly it felt good to be caught in the heavy rain. For she can enjoy nature at its best. She was tempted to dance in the rain knowing that no one was around them at all. But still it was best to simply enjoy being caught in the heavy rain. She pushed her wet hair behind her ears and smiled at Heero instead. Heero watched her silently but he didn't leave, he simply stood there with her in the heavy rain. Fate closed her eyes and she could smell the dampness in the air as well.
She opened her eyes and smiled up at Heero when he stepped closer towards her. The heavy rain around them was loud, drowning out all other sounds, making it hard for them to converse as well. She was about to speak when Heero cupped her cheek and leaned in to kiss her on her lips. Fate was initially surprised by his actions, but then she closed her eyes and kissed him back. It was a simple and gentle kiss, but his lips were the only warmth that she felt in this cold and heavy rain. She could feel the constant raindrops falling down on her from the skies above. It was a relatively pleasant feeling despite being soaked to the skin.
She slowly opened her eyes to look at him after he pulled away from her. Though the heavy rain reduced her vision greatly, she was still able to see his face clearly as they were standing so close to each other. She noticed how Heero was looking at her and saw a glimpse of something in his eyes before it was gone again. It was a flicker of an emotion and it made her feel happy and warm inside just seeing a glimpse of it inside him. She smiled up at him as she gently stroke his cheek with her hand. Heero gave her a small smile but he didn't say anything else. Somehow it didn't matter to her that she was soaked to the skin, cold and wet. All that mattered was that she's here with Heero, the man she loves. Heero moved in for another kiss and Fate merely obliged him as they kissed yet again in the heavy rain.
Sometime later, 5.30pm,
Winchester Mansion
The rain didn't get any lighter and Heero brought Fate to seek shelter. As both of them were already soaked to the skin, he knew that eventually Fate will catch a cold. They were still too far away from his sport car hence he couldn't risk letting Fate walk through the rain to go to his car. He then decided to buy an umbrella. He went into a nearby store and bought thick towels and a large umbrella. After they briefly dried themselves off, Heero took off his suit jacket and lets Fate wear it instead. They shared the umbrella as Heero led Fate back to where his car was parked. Eventually they found Heero's sports car and Heero drove them back to Winchester Mansion.
Naturally, the staff were surprised to see them in that drenched state. But Rachel gave out orders automatically to deal with the situation. Fate and Heero were forced to take a hot bath, change into a new set of clothes and be warmed up before they could join everyone else for dinner. Fate didn't have much chance to argue but she thanked Rachel and the staff for their help.
Fate was smiling as she soaked herself in the warm waters, in the large bathtub. She could still remember the gentle and warm kisses she had shared with Heero under the heavy rain. Her lips still tingled even though Heero wasn't with her anymore. After she was dressed, she was escorted to a private sitting room and forced to sit in front of the gas chimney. The fire has already started, Fate sat down on the sofa in front of the fire. She was served hot tea and she thanked the staff for their service before she took a sip of the tea. The tea and fire did help to warm her up, she could only hope that she didn't manage to catch a cold tonight. She sat there in silence for a short moment before she stood up and crossed over to where the windows were.
She gently pulled back the curtains to look at the view outside of the windows. The rain had slowly gotten lighter. She stared up at the overcast sky before she looked at the city that stretched out beyond the mansion's grounds. She thought about a lot of things, about this summer vacation, how stressful the past few months have been since the news that she's Heero's girlfriend came out and about Heero. She lost track of time and was surprised when there was a knock on the door.
"Come in." She whispered.
She turned only to see Heero coming into the room. He was dressed in a formal navy blue suit. She noticed how Heero's eyes did a quick sweep of the room, noticing the tea set on the coffee table and where Fate was standing. Fate smiled up at him as he approached her, coming to a stop beside her. He looked out of the window as well before he turned to look at her.
"Shouldn't you be by the fire, warming up?" Heero asked.
Fate merely smiled but she didn't reply.
"I don't want you to get sick from the rain." Heero said.
With that Heero led Fate back to the sofa where they could feel the warmth of the fire. They didn't have much time alone as soon a servant came to inform them that dinner was ready.
They had dinner with everyone in the dining hall. The food was exquisite and delicious. Fate had a lot of fun chatting with everyone else. It was a rather loud and long dinner though still formal at the same time. After dinner was over, many left to do their own activities. While Fate retreated to the library so she could continue the books that she had brought with her. Heero had left the dining room almost immediately after dinner was over hence she wasn't sure what he was up to.
But about two hours later, Heero texted her. He mentioned that he had something important to see to and apologized for not being able to spend more time with her. He also mentioned that he will be back late, but he has a surprise for her in the early morning. Fate wondered what he was referring to but texted him back. She asked him to be careful and that she will see him tomorrow morning. Fate continued reading until it was almost midnight before she washed up and changed into a night gown before going to sleep.
The next day, 13th July,
Early Morning, 5am
Fate was sleeping really soundly. She was really enjoying this vacation as she could sleep well without having to worry about her own safety. Nor did she need to worry about the paparazzi situation back in VLA. As she continued sleeping, she suddenly felt someone shaking her. She ignored it and turned to her side, maybe it was Meteor trying to get her attention.
"Fate, wake up."
That voice sounded familiar, maybe she was still dreaming. However the shaking continued. Fate tried her best to ignore it and soon the shaking stopped. She was glad that she was able to continue to sleep in peace. She will deal with Meteor later. But then she felt something icy cold against her cheek before it trailed down her neck. The icy cold feeling shocked her, causing her to wake up with a gasp. She sat up on her bed immediately, trying to calm down and figure out what was going on. She saw that the lamp on the bed side table was switched on. Soon it dawned on her that she wasn't alone. She was about to scream when a hand immediately covered over her mouth. She was too shocked and scared to do anything else. Who was it?
"Relax Fate, I'm not going to hurt you."
"Heero?" She whispered in surprise, recognizing his voice.
"I'm going to release you, don't scream." Heero said.
Heero's hand moved away from her mouth and she immediately turned to look at him. He was dressed in a light grey suit but why was he here?
"What are you doing here? You scared me." Fate said.
Heero was silent and Fate noticed that he was holding onto an ice cube in one hand.
"I had to wake you up." Heero explained.
Fate continued taking in deep breaths to try to calm herself down. For one second, she had thought that it was the barrel of a cold gun that was being pressed against her.
"Fate, I'm sorry that I scared you. But I woke you up so that you can get ready to leave with me." Heero said.
"Leave? Where are we going?" She asked.
"Remember the surprise that I mentioned? You will know when you get there." Heero said.
Fate looked at the clock on the wall to see that it was only 5.05am.
"You should get started soon, if not we will miss it." Heero said.
Fate was in a daze, there was just too much going on and she was still confused as to where Heero wanted her to go.
"We leave at 6am." He said.
Fate was about to say that she was still in shock and would rather sleep in than get up so early in the morning.
"If at 6am, I don't see you. I will personally carry you to my car no matter what you are wearing. So don't fall back into sleep." Heero said, with a warning in his tone.
Fate nodded in acknowledgement.
"I will see you later then, Fate." Heero said softly before he left her room.
Fate got out of bed and immediately went to wash up. She took a short shower and got dressed. Then she put on light make up, brushed her hair and pick her shoes before checking the clock again. She went down the stairs to see Heero standing by the doors. He gave her a small smile and they left the mansion quietly.
"You clean up fast." Heero said.
"Well, you practically forced me to rush through it." Fate reminded him, while he merely gave her a small smile in reply.
Heero opened the passenger seat's car door for her. She got into the car and waited for Heero to get behind the steering wheel.
"Still you surprised me; don't wake me up like that! I thought that someone was trying to kidnap me!" Fate exclaimed.
"My apologies, I will try a gentler approach the next time." Heero said.
Fate laughed as Heero said that with a very straight and emotionless face.
"I sure hope that you remember that. Where are we going?" Fate asked as Heero started the car engine.
"You will see." Heero said as he drove the car out of the parking lot and towards the mansion gate.
Fate tried her best not to fall asleep, but she was still sleepy from the lack of sleep. Heero said that he will wake her when they get there, and so Fate dozed off. Heero was glad that she was asleep so that he could drive slightly faster. He wouldn't want to miss the correct timing. There weren't a lot of cars on the road as it was still very early. It was a relatively long drive as the place that they were going was rather far away from Winchester Mansion. He kept his eyes on the road and occasionally checked on Fate to ensure that she was still asleep. He wouldn't want her to get car sick in the middle of the ride, especially since they couldn't afford to be late.
He continued driving and had to slow down slightly as they were climbing up the mountain. If he drives too fast up it, it will create sharp turns which will wake Fate up. Luckily, long winding roads have been built, allowing driver to drive up the mountain and come back down safely, instead of the steep roads that it used to have a long time ago. Finally he reached the top of the mountain. He parked his car in an empty carpark lot and turned off the car engine before he turned to look at Fate. Heero was slightly relieved that she was still asleep. He then proceeded to wake her up. She woke up faster than before and looked at him sleepily.
"We are here." Heero said.
Fate looked out of the car's window and frowned. As the sun hadn't risen yet, they were in a relatively dark place. Apart from the lamp posts giving light, it was hard to make out where they were.
"Where are we?" She asked him.
"Do you remember the last time we were at Ashford? You got into a bicycle accident; this is the top of the same mountain that you went to." Heero explained.
"It doesn't look like it." Fate whispered.
"Cause it's dark now. Come with me." Heero said.
Fate had no idea what Heero was up to, but she got out of the car as well. Heero locked his car by pressing on the car remote which was a key chain that he carried with him. He then held Fate's hand and started to lead her somewhere. Fate tightened her hold around his hand, afraid that he would disappear into the darkness and she wouldn't be able to find him again. They walked for some time before Heero stopped in front of a bench that was facing towards the edge of the mountain. There was a lamp post next to it, allowing her to see the bench. Heero sat down on the bench and Fate followed suit. They stared into the dark sky before them in silence.
"Okay, why did you bring me here?" Fate asked, since she couldn't see anything beyond the pitch black darkness before them.
She knows that if they go over the edge of the mountain top, it would be a steep and hard fall on the way down. Heero checked his watch.
"You will know why we are here in ten minutes time." Heero said.
"Right, so what should we do in ten minutes?" Fate asked.
Heero shook his head and pointed up towards the sky. Fate looked up at where he was pointing at and frowned when she saw nothing but darkness.
"It's like a time lapse that happens over the span of ten minutes." Heero explained.
Fate merely shifted closer to Heero and then she rested her head on his shoulder instead.
"Are you that tired?" Heero asked.
"A little, but I thought I might as well get comfortable over these ten minutes." Fate whispered.
With that both of them stared up at the sky above them in silence, waiting for time to pass by. Fate still felt sleepy but knew that she couldn't fall asleep. Not unless she misses the surprise Heero wanted to show her. Eventually there were streaks of light in the sky above. Fate sat up straight and turned to look at Heero in surprise. Heero merely nodded his head in acknowledgement as if telling her that this was indeed the surprise that he had for her. More light slowly lighted up the sky, chasing the darkness away. It was a relatively slow movement, but it was amazing to watch how the light was bringing colour to the sky and it allows them to see the clouds that was already there. Soon the darkness of the night was gone. Fate watched the sun as it slowly rises up into the sky. It was as if the light was coming beyond the horizon, which happened to be the sea from the angle that they were at. It was beautiful to see the shiny ball of bright light slowly moving up into the sky. It was a little glaring to the eye, but Fate stood up and walked towards the fence that was built to keep people from falling over the mountain edge. She gasped in surprise as she noticed that the sun was also slowly lighting up the City of Ashford. It was an amazing sight to see and she couldn't be happier or more excited. She smiled as Heero came to stand beside her. They continued watching the sun rise in silence, watching it light up the entire City of Ashford.
"It's so... beautiful and breathtaking." Fate told him.
Heero didn't say a single word as he continued to watch the sunrise. After the sun had fully risen, Fate continued to stare up at the blue sky above them.
"Thank you for waking me up so early to see this. The sunrise made the disruption to my sleep worth it." Fate said with a smile on her face.
"The sunrise here is more beautiful especially since it rises above the horizon which is the sea." Heero said.
Fate nodded and then kissed him on his cheek.
"Good Morning." She greeted.
Heero smiled and held onto her hand. They stood there and looked at the sky above them for a few short moments before Heero led her back towards his car.
"Where are we going?" Fate asked.
"Breakfast." Heero said.
"Oh that sounds lovely. But before that there is a place I want to go to." Fate said.
Heero wondered where Fate wanted to go to.
After a few short minutes' drive, Fate asked Heero to stop the car. Heero did as she had instructed, stopping his car near the road railings. Those railings were in place to protect cars and people from falling down the mountain while on the drive down. Heero watched as Fate got out of his sports car and started walking towards the railings. He immediately got out of the car and followed behind her, worried that she might be doing something dangerous. Fate knew that Heero was watching her closely, but this was a place she wanted to go to for a very long time now.
Fate came to a stop at the railings, she touched the railing with her hand as if trying to find out if it was real. Then she stood there for a long moment, staring down at the green woods below the mountain. She continued to stare ahead in silence before slowly reaching her arm out as if trying to touch or catch something. But naturally there was nothing there but only empty air.
"Fate."
Heero's voice broke her trail of thoughts and she looked at him before turning back to stare ahead. Heero approached her and came to stand beside her. They remained silent for a short while, both staring ahead at almost nothing. Wind blew by and Fate used her right hand to press the side of her hair down, so that the winds would not mess up her hair.
"Why did you want to come here?" Heero asked.
Fate sighed as she continued to stare ahead.
"This is the exact place where I had my bike accident four years ago." Fate whispered.
Heero's face was as emotionless as ever and Fate wasn't certain if her words had surprised him.
"I… have wanted to come back here for a very long time now. Yet somehow there was no opportunity to return to Ashford until now." Fate whispered.
"Why do you want to come back here, Fate?" Heero asked her softly.
Their eyes met and Fate looked down at the woods below the mountain. She still didn't remember much of the fall that night, but it was a close brush with death. She wouldn't have been alive and standing here if she had died that night.
"To remember the night where I could have lost my life." Fate said.
Something sparked in his Prussian blue eyes, but he remained silent.
"There's no denying it, I wouldn't be alive today if it hadn't been for Meteor's shield." Fate whispered.
"Fate…"
Fate shook her head, as if asking Heero to allow her to speak first and so Heero remained silent.
"There were times I thought about the bike accident, how scared I was to be lost and trapped in a place where no one was going to find me. That there was chance I could have died cold and alone in the woods. That I…" She trailed off, looking down sadly instead.
Her last words were hard for her to say out loud. For it made her feel vulnerable and she had never told anyone about how she had felt about the bike accident.
"You don't have to say anything that you aren't comfortable sharing about." Heero said.
"No, I want you to know." Fate whispered.
Heero was silent and Fate tried to calm herself down before she speaks again.
"I was scared that I wasn't going to see my family and friends again, but most important of all, I was scared that I would die just like that. That I would die… without ever telling you how I felt about you. That you will never know…" She whispered.
Tears fell from her eyes, but she wiped them away.
"I knew that it would be one of those regrets I will have." Fate said softly.
Her hold around the railing tightened as if she wanted something to hold onto. No one said a single word for a few moments.
"Standing here again after four years, even I can't believe how I have survived the bike accident. And how the most impossible thing to me has already become possible, for you are now with me." Fate said.
She gave him a sad smile, before she took in a deep breath and exhaled slowly.
"It just seemed so surreal sometimes when we look back at the memories and events that have happened back then." Fate whispered.
Heero watched her in silence, before he hugged her from behind. Fate was caught off guard by his action, but she slowly placed her hands over his.
"Can you feel me Fate? I am truly here and I'm not going anywhere." Heero said, as if it was a promise to her.
Fate knew that Heero was trying to prove to her that he's real and their relationship is real as well. She appreciated the thought and knew that she needed to cherish the time they have together instead of constantly letting their bad past affect her. Heero tightened his hold around her and they remained like this for a while before Fate looked back at him.
"Are you feeling better now?" Heero asked her.
She nods her head before she smiled back at him.
"I'm glad you didn't die that night, Fate." Heero said as he whispered into her ear.
After all Fate has become someone very important in Heero's life.
"Me too." Fate said, agreeing with what Heero said.
Their shared a private look among themselves as they stared into each other's eyes. Then Heero kissed her on her temple before he released her and he led her back to his car. Fate stopped to take a final look at the railings before she returned to his sports car with him.
"Breakfast?" Heero asked her, as if trying to change the mood around them.
Fate nods her head in agreement.
An hour later,
They returned to Winchester Mansion to pack their luggage bags as they will be returning back to VLA by car. Everyone have made their own arrangements as to who was riding in whose car and how everyone else will be taking the family limo. Also the rest of Fate's family will be returning to Tokyo, Japan from the airport in the City of Ashford.
Fate stared at the beach in front of her from the balcony. She cannot believe that she had already been here for four days and now she is returning back to VLA. It seemed like a short weekend getaway, but it was nice to have a change in environment once in a while. She was also glad that she had managed to spend more time with Heero without the fear of the paparazzi and media following them around. She took her luggage bag down with her and Heero naturally took it from her. She waited for him to return as he went to load their luggage bags in his sports car.
She thanked Rachel for hosting her family and for inviting her to join them. Then she bids goodbye to her family members, promising to call more often to update them how she's doing. After that everyone bid their goodbyes and left their separate ways. Fate is taking Heero's car and asked him to drive really slowly. It didn't take long before Heero drove his sports car out of the mansion's main gates. Fate continued to stare at the city as the car drove towards the highways.
"Did you enjoy your time at Ashford?" Heero asked.
"I did." Fate said with a smile on her face.
"It is going to be a long car ride." Heero informed her.
"I know, but at least we can spend more time together." Fate reminded him.
Fate knows that Heero must be feeling slightly frustrated as he could not speed on the roads of the highway back to VLA. It would defeat the purpose of owning a sports car, but Fate would get car sick hence Heero is forced to drive slowly.
"Or maybe you can drive faster when I have fallen asleep." Fate said.
"And you will still get car sick when you wake up." Heero told her.
Fate remained silent for a while as the car is now running on the highway. She was a little nervous that Heero would drive really fast, but he didn't. She knew that he was bored driving at such slow speeds.
"Thank you Heero, for accommodating me." Fate told him.
Heero merely nodded his head in acknowledgement.
"Did you enjoy your time here at Ashford?" Fate asked him instead.
"Yes, but it would have been better if it were longer. But my schedule wouldn't allow it." Heero said.
"I guess you can always clear your leave?" Fate asked.
"But you can't." Heero pointed out.
Eventually they started talking during the car ride, so that at least Heero would not feel so bored during the long drive. As usual it was Fate doing more of the talking while Heero was listening, concentrating on driving and only giving short answers when necessary. Fate enjoyed spending more time to talk to him. She can only hope that they will be able to see each other more often once they have returned to VLA. Guess she will have to be prepared to return to her life back in VLA again. If only the paparazzi will give up by now, but one can always stay hopeful.
To be continued…
Author's Note: The second part of the summer vacation while keeping it light and fluffy. Heero and Fate get to spend more time together and enjoy the vacation as well. Thank you for reading.