Chapter Four

Heero's feet pounded the ground. Faster, faster. Harder, harder, harder still. The rain had washed away the mud but if only it could do the same for his heart. If only it could wash away all the pain and anguish and feelings. He was confused by them. He had never had any feelings before. They were always bottled up.

He could almost hear the sound of Duo calling him back again. The sweet voice drowned out everything else in his head except the steady drumming of the rain and his heart's erratic beating. Heero tried to run faster, harder, but was out of energy. He had used it all.

Still, he pressed on. Still, he ran. He ran, hoping to outrun his fears, his worries, his Duo. But no matter how fast he ran, he couldn't escape it. He couldn't quite run fast enough. When he thought he had outraced them, a new wave hit.

Heero slowed down in front of a park. This was the park him and Duo had stayed at before. They had had several picnics in this park, them and Trowa and Quatre. A squeak resinated through the air. Heero turned toward it, on the defensive. But it was just a swing, swaying in the wind, drenched and slippery from the rain. Heero cantered over to it. He sat on the swing and just let go. He just stayed there and let the memories rush him all at once. When him and Duo had sat togther on these swings and playfully challenged the other to swing higher than themselves. Even though it wasn't possible since they kept grabbing each others hands when they passed the other.

It was too much for Heero. The thoughts and feelings were, again, overwhelming him. He had never needed them before. He had never had them before. The only memories he had needed were of previous battles. Of how his enemy worked so he could finish them faster. His feelings were always irrelevant to the mission. They were never needed.

He got up from the swing. He started running again. But this time he ran the other way. Towards his problems, his fears, his worries, his Duo. He ran straight for them and embraced them. The only way to destroy a problem is to face it head on, he thought.