Jaid: Here's chapter fifteen. I guess you guys were all wondering if I was still alive.
(Naga & Jaid enter)
Jaid: Ahh, you two, don't you guys have something to say?
Jad: (with a big smile) Thank you J.B., for liking our dialogues.
Jaid: Naga?
Naga: *mumbles under his breath*
Jad: He said thank you.
***********************************************************************
Chapter Fifteen
Several days had passed, and once again, Relena was sending the children home. She smiled and gave them their farewell greetings as they passed her. Relena was especially sure to say something comforting to Mariemeia; the little girl was looking rather down. Relena could not imagine what the red-head was going through, losing her mother, having her father leave so suddenly, and then have her guardian attacked and stabbed.
After all the students left, Relena re-entered the school house and sat back at her desk. Although she was a teacher, she still loved to learn herself and was always studying. Relena often did this at the school house, since home could be quite disruptive at times. She took her French book and tried to concentrate on the language, but she was so tired. A few minutes later, against her will, Relena's head drooped and her eyes closed in sleep.
* * *
Sally sat next to her comatose patient. Une hadn't woken since she had been found on her parlor floor, unconscious and bleeding from her upper body and head. Sally had just finished re-bandaging Une's head and now was prepared to spend the night, hoping for some reaction.
"Hello? Anybody here?" Dorothy Catalonia appeared in the doorway. "Oh, Dr. Po."
"Hello, Ms. Dorothy." Sally said, greeting the blond woman with a smile. Dorothy walked over to the bed.
"How is she?"
"All right as far as I can tell." Sally answered. "But I won't know for sure until she wakes up."
Dorothy nodded. "I see." she said softly, then looked the doctor. "Do you want me to sit up with you?"
"Oh, it's not necessary-" Sally began.
"I'd rather." Dorothy interrupted. "I couldn't sleep tonight anyway; I have too much on my mind." She sat on the chest that was at the end of the bed. "I'll just sit here."
Sally nodded in reply.
* * *
Relena woke with a jerk. Her sleep fogged brain tried to register what had awoken her when she began to cough. Smoke!
The shock of the thought had Relena fully awake and to her horror, she realized the front of the schoolhouse was bathed in flame and very soon she would be cornered. Standing up, she looked desperately for something to douse the flames. Nothing. Relena reached out a hand for the water bucket, but knew it wouldn't do much against the fire. Crouching, to get out of the smoke, Relena bit her tongue and then dumped the bucket of water on herself. It soaked her top half, but her heave navy blue skirt would have to come off. Shakily, Relena began to wonder if she had the strength to pound on one of the back windows, and also wondered if she could break the wooden frame to get out. Crawling on all fours, she made it to the wall and stood up, then began swinging the bucket with all her might, trying to break the window.
It didn't even crack. Relena thought hopelessly as she began to choke on the smoke. Oh, God, I'm going to die.
* * *
"FIRE!" The alarum spread quickly through the town and soon the townspeople were doing all they could to douse it. There was much they could do for the school house now, but the dry prairie grass and the other house around were prime candidates for the fire.
Heero Yuy had been hoping to remain conspicuous in the town, but after the fire broke out, he knew that might have to be abandoned. Right now, only one thing was on his mind: Relena.
Heero ran back to the back of the school house, jumped up, grabbed the eaves of the roof and kicked the window in, wooden frame and all, in one smooth motion. Dropping to a crouch to avoid the smoke, he spotted Relena's figure against the wall at the other window. He grabbed her, pushed her out the window and then followed. And not a moment too soon. As soon as he was out, the burning roof caved in.
Heero looked at Relena anxiously, hoping that she was alive. "Relena?" he asked. Her eyelids fluttered and opened. Ocean colored irises met his and a soft sweet smile spread across Relena's face.
"Heero." she whispered. Heero smiled. Relena's eyes closed again and the smile faded. He picked her up in his arms and began to carry her away.
* * *
The dawn came and the sun's first light spread across the grimy, grim, but determined places of the town. Besides the schoolhouse, four other buildings were gone and two had been damaged badly. A child and it's mother had died; the father seemed to move in a daze, almost unaware that he had lost his home, his wife, and his child all in one night.
Zechs and Quatre were sick with worry. Neither had seen anything of Relena, and Zechs seemed sure they would find her smoking remains in the schoolhouse. Quatre kept busy with calming people down and trying to make order, Duo and Lucrezia helping. Sally was worn out, but kept on doggedly, never turning away a person who had an injury.
Smoke was in the air and the wind had blown the ash up, making a foggy dust cloud. Quatre sighed and looked over to where Dorothy was. She was speaking to a young Spanish couple who had lost their home, but had made it out alive. She looked over and smiled, as if to say "What a night, huh?" Quatre gave a wry smile in return and was about to walk away, when somebody tugged on his arm.
"Someone wants to see you." Hilde told him. She pointed to an alleyway. "Over there."
Quatre nodded and went to where Hilde had pointed. A man stood there, in his arms, a young woman.
"Relena." Quatre gasped. The man handed her unconscious figure over.
"Heero?" Quatre asked.
"Yes." Heero answered after a long pause. Quatre smiled softly.
"Thank you for saving her."
"Hn."
There was another pause.
"What are you doing here?" Quatre finally queried.
"Looking after Relena." Heero answered. Quatre's smile became a little bigger.
"I should've guessed." He started to walk away, then turned. "I'll take care of her, Heero."
"Hn." Was Heero's reply. The stoic young man turned and walked away in the opposite direction.
"Quatre?" Relena opened her eyes. "Oh, I'm glad to see you."
"I'm glad to see you too." Quatre said. Relena put her arms around his neck and pulled herself up a little so that Quatre wouldn't have carry so much body weight. She leaned her head against his shoulder. In a few minutes, she was asleep again. Quatre, still carrying her, went to find Zechs.
* * *
What the…? Trieze stopped and looked at the destruction. He had just gotten in and was heading for home. He looked around and shook his head, wondering whether it was just an accident or whether Traycsant had been behind this.
"Daddy!" An energetic bundle flew into his arms. Mariemeia, in a white nightgown and wearing a blue shawl that was much too big for her hugged his neck tightly. "I missed you!"
"I missed you too." Trieze told her. "Where's An- uh, Ms. Une?"
"At home. She was stabbed." Mariemeia said. "But I shot the men that did it."
"She's what? And you…" Trieze looked at her in confusion.
"And I punched Tommy Wells in the eye, but I'm not going to do that again and somebody set fire to the schoolhouse and the Sheriff's worried 'cause nobody knows where his sister is, and Mr. Chang got beat up and I heard Mr. Chang talking to the Deputy 'cause something was stolen from him and –"
"That's enough." Trieze interrupted. His head was spinning.
"Mr. Khushranada!" Sally walked up. Her brown dress was a more of a grayish color and her neat braids, usually pinned around her head, were down. She had the pale, pinched look someone has who is too stressed and her blue eyes had deep circles underneath them. "Quite a homecoming?" she asked lightly.
"Yes." Trieze answered. He put Mariemeia down on the ground. "Is there anything I can do to help?"
"Not really." Sally told him. "Mostly we're just picking up the pieces. I'm sure there will be plenty of work in the days ahead."
"Yes." Trieze said thoughtfully. "How's An- uh Ms. Une." Your doing it again. a voice said in his mind.
"I'm not sure." Sally answered. "How about you come with me and check?" Trieze nodded.
* * *
"You did well." Armond Traycsant said, his face to the window. He was standing, back straight, with his hands behind his back. "Better than I could have hoped. This will keep them in confusion for some days."
The girl sitting at the desk looked like she was going to be sick. "I could've killed someone." she cried. "I might have killed someone. A child maybe. Oh, I didn't know the fire would get so out of hand."
Armond turned and looked at her critically. "You'll have to dismiss it." he said.
"Dismiss it? How." she demanded. Standing, she cried, "I don't want to do this. I don't!"
"All right." Armond said soothingly, seeing that she was becoming hysterical. "You don't have to this anymore. We'll find something else for you."
"I don't want to work for you." she said. "This is wrong. I want out."
"I'm afraid that's not possible, Ms. Bloom." Armond told her. "Or do I need to remind you of the consequences if you, uh, shall we say, quit?"
Catherine narrowed her blue-gray eyes. "I hate you." she hissed.
"I am really very sorry, my dear." Armond said easily. "Now, if you will excuse me…?"
Catherine stood and walked to the door. Sending him one last venomous look, she left, slamming the door behind her.
* * *
Lucrezia and Quatre were in the Marquise kitchen. Quatre sat at the table, his head resting on his arms. Lucrezia stood near the stove, making what was going to be breakfast. She wondered briefly it the young man was asleep. Zechs was upstairs, sitting with Relena. She had never seen him so relieved than when Quatre had shown up with Relena in his arms.
"Hey" she said softly. Quatre looked up, blinking.
"Hungry?" Lucrezia asked. Quatre shook his head, then stood up.
"I'll be back in a few hours." he told her, then left.
* * *
Heero was packing his few belongings calmly. Inwardly though, he was seething. He had looked at the ruins of the fire, found matches and a few rags dipped in oil a few yards away. Someone had deliberately set that fire. Someone had nearly killed Relena. Heero checked his ammunition supply. Not much, but he could make do.
"Heero?" Midii came in, still dressed as a boy. "Heero, what are you doing?"
"Leaving." he said curtly. "For good."
"Why?" she asked. Trowa came in behind her. After reporting to the boss, they had taken a "detour" to try and find Catherine, but when that had failed, they had come back to the shack Heero and Midii occasionally shared.
"Someone tried to kill Relena Marquise." Heero said, latching the last saddlebag.
"I see." Midii said softly. She and Heero had been friends for a while and although they were never very close, Heero had eventually told her about the young woman who had stolen his heart.
"What are you going to do?" Midii asked.
Heero threw the saddlebag over his shoulder. "Protect her." he said. "I should've been doing that all along."
* * *
Trieze frowned. He was still trying to make some sense of what had happened while he was gone. Dorothy had promised to visit this afternoon and talk to him. The door opened and his clerk, Evan Banks, stuck his head in.
"Someone's here to see you, sir." Evan said in a hushed voice.
"Send them in." Trieze directed. She's rather early. He thought.
But it was not Dorothy who had come to see him. It was Chang WuFei or WuFei Chang, however you liked it. Trieze hoped that there wasn't too much surprise written on his face, as he stood and invited WuFei to sit.
After greeting were exchanged, there was an awkward pause. Finally, WuFei blew out a breath and looked at Trieze straight in the eye. "I have something," he said slowly, "That I need to tell you."
* * *
Une's eyes slowly opened. Sluggishly, she realized that she was in her house, in her bedroom. She squinted. Without her glasses, things were a bit blurry. Une tried to sit up, but a fiery pain in her abdomen sent her back down, gasping in pain. Closing her eyes, Une tried to remember what had happened. She remember answering the door, the two men who had come in, then knife one of them had pulled, the questions…Une's eyes flew open. Mariemeia! Where is she?
* * *
I won't do this! I won't! Catherine told herself, pacing in her room. But you have too. Another voice said. You have too or he'll kill Trowa. He promised that. Catherine sank to a chair and buried her face in her hands.
"God, what can I do? I might have killed somebody, I don't want to do it again. But how can I let my brother be killed?" she sobbed. "Oh, what am I going to do?"
* * *
"What is it that you need to tell me?" Trieze asked.
"Well," WuFei said. "I know who you really are…My Lord." he added quietly. Trieze stiffened slightly.
"And," WuFei went on. "I know who you are looking for. I should've told you a long time ago."
"And why didn't you?" Trieze asked. WuFei sighed, then looked out of the window..
"That," He answered. "Is a long story." WuFei put his gaze back on Trieze. "But I will tell all I know. All I ask is that my wife and I can have some form of protection."
Trieze leaned forward. "It's that serious?"
"Yes." WuFei answered. "It's serious."
* * *
Mariemeia kicked a rock absentmindedly and looked around. She knew she shouldn't be at the old mine, but Tommy had asked her to meet him here. Mariemeia sighed and sat on a rock, looking at her brown boots. She sat up straight as she heard footsteps behind her. Smiling, she stood and whirled around.
"Tom-" she stopped. "Who are you?" she demanded, backing away from the man that had suddenly appeared. Her back hit something solid. Mariemeia turned and there was another man. This one grabbed her and held her, despite her kicking and screaming.
"LET ME GO!" she cried. "Who are you?"
"Just be quiet." one of the men said. "You're coming with us."
* * *
Relena stirred and opened her eyes. Zechs stood and leaned over her.
"Hey." she said softly.
"Hi." he answered. "You okay?"
"Tired." she said.
"You inhaled a lot smoke." Zechs said. "Sally said to let you rest for a while."
"The school house is gone, isn't it?" Relena asked in a slightly mournful tone.
"Yes." Zechs answered. "It's gone."
"I see." Relana said. "I'm sorry it is, but I'm glad I didn't go with it."
"How did you get out? Quatre never said." Zechs asked.
Relena smiled and closed her eyes. "An angel." she whispered. "An angel with blue eyes."
*******************************************************************
Jaid: Wasn't that sweet? *sighs*
Naga: Nah. The fire was the best part.
Jaid: *mutters* Sith.
*********************************************************************
A/N: Thanks, Winnie, for pointing out some important stuff! Next chapter, we all will find out what WuFei's part in all of this was! I promise!