Chapter Four: Just another turn in the track
Duo drove into a parking space at the local dance studio. Demeter's second passion next to racing had always been tap dancing. She still took lessons and she still taught. Duo walked casually into the lobby and looked through a window into a dance studio. Demeter was standing there in a tight tanktop and pants teaching ten-year-olds a Christmas dance.
"Okay, let's try that again. Maxi-four, step, and step, and shuffle buffalo, shuffle buffalo! Good! Good! Let's try that with the music---from the top."
A corny version of Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer started to blast through the speakers and the kids watched and mimicked Demeter's every move. Demeter yelled the steps as she tapped right along with the kids watching all of them in the mirror. So caught up in her teaching she was that she never noticed Duo smiling lovingly at her.
Demeter clapped her hands when they finished the combination---and for the first time the dance. "That was amazing!" She replied. "Wow, do you guys think you can remember that until Thursday?"
All the kids agreed loudly.
"Alright then, I'll see you then. You guys have a good Saturday!"
All the kids filed out and one of the ballet teachers stomped in. Duo recognized the girl as Hilde. She had flirted with him nonstop sense she had transferred last year.
"Hey, Yuy!" replied.
"What can I do for you?" Demeter asked cheerfully, ignoring Hilde's bitching.
"Boss wants you, in the office. Something about the upcoming ballet."
"I'll be right there." Demeter replied taking off her tap shoes and putting her CD's back in their case. "I'll see you later Hilde."
"Hey, you still going out with Duo?" She snarled.
"Yeah, I am. Why?"
"Oh I'm just wondering why he's dating a good-as-dead girl. That's all."
"Oh, okay." She replied.
"I don't think you heard me---"
"Oh, I heard you." Demeter replied. "I'm as good-as-dead. But then again, once I am dead what do I care what Duo does?"
Hilde was just infuriated by Demeter's passiveness. "Get lost." She spat turning to the CD player and putting in some music.
Demeter opened the door and nearly crashed into Duo.
"Hey, I heard what you said in there."
Demeter shrugged.
Duo grabbed Demeter's shoulders. "You didn't mean, did you?" Duo asked.
Demeter's eyes flared angrily. "No." She snapped. Demeter forced herself out of Duo's hold and walked into the office.
Duo sat down, annoyed. He knew that both he and Demeter were almost to their breaking points. They were rarely getting along and they argued constantly.
Demeter walked out with a clipboard full of papers. She sighed. "I'm ready to go home."
"Well, that's where we're headed." Duo replied taking her unbalanced dance bag off of her shoulder. He threw it into the backseat and then threw himself in the car.
"Duo, what's wrong?"
"What's wrong? Since when the hell did you become so passive? Huh? Do you not care if you die? Do you not believe that I will never love another?" Duo's eyes grew wet at the last statement but he drove with his focus unwavering. They sped through the outskirts of town taking the shorter way home.
Demeter rolled her eyes. "Duo, if I said that I cared about life and that I cared about you do you think Hilde would have dismissed me? I would just be feeding fuel to her fire. She'd never lay off."
Duo slammed his hand down on the steering wheel. "I'm not talking about just today. You've been like this for a month. You're passive. It's like you don't care if you'll die or not. You're never around anymore---it's like you want to separate from me." Duo snapped back, turning into their giant neighborhood. "I love you, Demeter, I want to marry you. I want us to have kids and grow old together but you make it so hard to even dream."
Demeter put her hand over her eyes as tears started to spill. "You're right."
"What?" Duo replied, his voice suddenly softening. He didn't expect that from her.
"You're right. I am passive and uncaring. That's because this operation is 40-60, with failure being 60, I don't want to go into surgery expecting to live and wake up with you by my side. I don't want to set myself up to let myself down. I guess being passive is how I'm protecting myself." Demeter's voice broke and she tilted her head back against the seat, crying softly. "That's how I run. That's how I'm surviving this."
Duo's hand slid over to her knee where it rested. "Demeter, sweetie, please, there are other ways to get through this. If you had told me that sooner we could have changed everything. Hell, we can change everything now." Duo explained pulling into his garage.
The garage door shut but no one moved. Demeter took a shaky breath. "I don't know how else to get through this."
Duo unbuckled his seatbelt, leaned across the seat, and kissed Demeter's mouth. His hand cupped her wet face. They hadn't kissed for a week. Their contact was getting lesser and lesser. Duo's kiss was demanding, forceful, and desperate. Demeter didn't respond, instead she started to pull back slightly.
Duo ended the kiss as he felt Demeter pull away. He got out of the car. "Damn it." He cursed.
Demeter jumped out of the car. "Duo!" She nearly yelled. He turned and Demeter was right there. She firmly led his face down to hers and she kissed him passionately. Her tongue was the one to battle for dominance and control. Duo held tightly onto her as they stood in his darkened garage, with the sounds of the cooling engine.
Demeter finally pulled back. "That's what you're doing wrong. You're assuming."
Duo sighed. "Thank you for acting that out." He replied sarcastically.
Demeter kissed him once again. Duo had no objections to the attention.
"I think we're both a little...nervous." Demeter whispered into his neck.
"Well if we can get through this, children will be a breeze." Duo laughed. "But you're right. Tomorrow, we're gonna go to the beach and spend the entire day there. No phone calls, no doctors, just you and me. We're gonna get through this babe. I promise."
"And we'll both work on our quirks." Demeter added.
"Yes, we will." Duo agreed.
Demeter suddenly cursed softly. "This Thursday is Thanksgiving, isn't it?"
"Yeah, why?"
"I'll have to cancel dance practice and call the sub in for the next three months. But I'll do that later. I have something I need to do right now."
"What's that?" Duo replied.
"Come here, I'll show you." Demeter replied dragging Duo into the house. "Two things really." She corrected herself. "Second of all, decorations need to go up for that dinner at my home." she explained pointing to the box labeled Thanksgiving.
"What's first?" Duo asked.
Demeter turned around putting her hands on his shoulders. "I need to prove to you just how *un*-passive your girlfriend can really be." She laughed. Her lips met his in a heated, searing kiss. And kisses like those only led up the stairs and into the bedroom.
~*~
Heero walked in the door and shut it behind him. Thursday, already. And it was Thanksgiving. The smell of pumpkin pie and turkey smelled wonderful as he took of his jacket and walked into the kitchen. Duo and Demeter were already there. Hera, of course, was latched onto Demeter's waist but Heero also took notice of how much Hera also hung onto Relena. Duo's arms were constantly around Demeter. And Relena---well, his beautiful Relena was as happy as ever in the middle of it all.
Heero walked in the room. "Hey." He replied casually. Demeter gave him a hug, followed by Duo. Hera threw herself into her older brother's arms.
"So are you ready to sit down for a few moments?" Duo laughed. Heero had been running around like a madman all week due to the charity and Demeter's upcoming operation the following week.
"Oh man, am I ever." Heero sighed.
"Take a seat, Heero, we've got everything covered." Demeter replied. Everyone went back to work but Relena handed off the spatula to Hera and walked over to Heero's white armchair where he was straightening out some papers.
Slowly she began to work out the knots in his shoulders. "You know sitting down requires you relax for at least a moment." She whispered in his ear.
Heero smiled and set down the papers. "What are you guys? My doctors?"
Relena kissed his cheek. "I have something I think you should see..."
Heero stood up and took Relena's outstretched hand. They walked up the stairs and into Heero's study. Relena picked up an envelope and handed it to her boyfriend. "It was sent to the wrong address. It's for you."
Heero looked at the envelope. It was from Greece. He ripped the letter open...
My Dearest Heero,
Ever since your mother died and your father just took you three I have never been able to find where you were. Well, your charity finally got around to our little country. I saw your handsome, grown face on the television and our whole family cried. So strong you three are---just like your mother was...
Heero's eyes began to water with emotion and he fell onto the couch as he continued to read.
...But so sad are we to hear about Demeter's condition. You do know that your mother died of a weak heart, didn't you? All it took was one drunken blow from your father to her heart and she was gone. Yes, that is the truth of what happened to your mother...
Heero's tears had welled beyond breaking point and two tears slipped down his pale face followed by two more and two more. Still he read.
...But anyways, we shall talk move of that in the future, I want to wish you and Demeter the best of luck. Our hearts are with her and you. Your life has been unfairly cruel but I see two wonderful adults in you and Demeter. We are all praying for our little Demeter. Oh, how she loved to race. So fast she could run and bike and skate. Your mother was up to her ears in both you and Demeter's desire for speed and thrill. But your mother loved every moment. Keep racing, young god. Keep racing. You know that your mother is watching you.
All of my love,
Aunt Athena
Heero's trembling hand released the letter and the paper floated to the ground. Relena was immediately at Heero's side; her arms about him, holding him tightly.
Heero cried into her neck---something he hadn't done since they had moved from Greece without their mother. He cried for all those years of suffering, and for Demeter, and for Hera, and for growing up so fast, and for being on the verge of losing his twin. Relena's arms were so comforting and loving that Heero almost felt as though she might have been an angel at that moment. It took him at least five minutes he recovered his control and his breathing before he pulled away from Relena.
"That was my aunt. She wanted to wish Demeter luck...we haven't talked to her since our father took us from Greece."
Relena's soft hand reached out hesitantly to Heero's face and dried his tears lovingly. "Painful bliss." She whispered. Heero's eyes closed as Relena finished drying his tears.
"Thank you Relena. Even though you are my girlfriend you never had to do this."
Relena smiled sweetly at him and kissed his lips quickly. "I don't have to do anything. But I love you, and I want to help you. I want to be able to take some of that pain away---and give a little more bliss."
"You do." Heero replied tucking a stand of hair behind her ears. "I wouldn't be able to live through this without you. Demeter has Duo and vise versa. I love my sister but I just can't bear to live with her before this transplant. If it weren't for your support---for answering all my calls in the middle of the night, for all those visits, and all that time spent with me, and all the love you gave me. I don't know how I would have survived."
"Dido." Relena replied. She glanced at the clock. "We should probably head downstairs now. I didn't mean for this to take so long." Relena stood up, and straightened out her jeans and white turtleneck while walking to the door.
Heero stood up hastily and caught Relena just before she could head out the door.
"Did I say thank you?" Heero asked quickly. But before Relena could reply Heero had pulled her into his embrace and was already kissing her passionately. For another moment the couple stood at the door, kissing, silently promising that they'd get through the following month.
~*~
"Hera, would you say the prayer?" Relena asked softly at the table. Quatre, Trowa, Millardo, Noin, Relena, Helen and George ---Relena and Millardo's parents, Duo, Demeter, Heero, Wufei, and finally Hera herself sat at the dining table.
Hera bowed her head as did the others around her.
"Oh...almighty father...I---I know this is supposed to be a day of Thanksgiving and happiness but in our homes I look at this dinner as a gathering to rally us together for Demeter's upcoming..." Hera started to cry softly.
"Oh heavenly father," Demeter continued, never faltering. "We look upon this time with the thanks that we have been given a chance to be together to gain and share strength and hope. We thank you for your love and for you giving us the chance to be here today---"
"This next month will be an ordeal." Duo cut in. "In more ways then one for each of us. We pray for your guidance and support to get us through this. Give us the strength to see this through together. Give us the wisdom to pull us through. Give us the love to remain as close as we are."
Heero finished off the prayer. "Almighty father, who gives and takes life as he sees it fit. Who answers and denies prayers as must fit the way of life. Who knows and sees all. On this day of Thanksgiving we thank you for the gift of courage. For this is just one giant race and this is just one turn, one obstacle in the entire course. We thank you for giving us the courage to face this turn with wisdom, experience, and speed. Amen."
"Amen." Came the reply from everyone at the table.
Millardo began to carve the turkey and hand the plates down one-by-one...
~*~
"Demeter..." Duo whispered, as the couple walked home in the cold Thanksgiving night.
"Yes?" She asked.
"Are you really tired?" Duo asked, slowing to a stop.
"No, not really. Why?" She asked. She hadn't heard any seduction in his voice, so his motive eluded her.
"Okay then." Duo replied, breaking out into an almost foolish grin. His hand slipped from her waist to her hand. He began to run in the opposite direction of their house, towards the beach.
"Duo!" Demeter gasped as they nearly reached the beach. She couldn't breathe easily and she started to slow.
Duo stopped, picked her up, and continued to run with her. "Care for a swim?" He laughed as they ran.
"Swim!? Oh my god, NO!" Demeter screamed, but laughter pealed after the protest.
"Oh come on sweetie!" Duo replied slowing to a walk as they reached the waves.
"Duo! No! Please, Duo, no!" She screamed between laughs. She struggled in his arms.
Duo walked out into the ocean until his shins were covered in water.
"One!" Duo chanted, pretending to get ready to throw her.
"No!" Demeter laughed holding tight onto Duo's shoulders.
"Two!"
"Duo, please!" Demeter shrieked.
"Three!"
Demeter let yelp as she felt his arms begin to leave her. She started to fall down but in the same instant Duo caught her.
Demeter sat there, frozen in his arms. "Very funny Mr. Maxwell." She laughed into his neck.
"I'll never let you fall Demeter." Duo whispered, growing serious.
Demeter slipped out of his arms. The water covered her legs almost up to her knees. She looked up at him. They just stared at each other.
"This is too familiar." Demeter whispered after a while.
~*~ Flashback ~*~
"Race you!"
A fourteen-year-old Demeter sighed and put her hands on her hips. "Duo, I'm really not up for that right now."
"Come on, sweetie. It's just the beach."
"It's only ten at night, and it's only October!" Demeter parried.
"You're just scared I'll beat you." Duo taunted.
"Oh you're on, honey." Demeter challenged already starting off at a run.
Duo chased after her and latched onto her hand and they ran, hand-in-hand, onto the beach.
Demeter tried to stop at the waves but Duo continued to pull her in.
"Duo no!" Demeter screeched, pulling back on his hands.
Duo turned and took her other hand and drug her, almost bodily, into knee length seawater.
Demeter tripped and fell into Duo's arms. The full moon shone onto the two young, young lovers. Demeter slightly pulled back, but remained in Duo's arms. They had been 'dating' for a year but never had they been so close. They had kissed, but only timidly. They had teased but not sexually.
Duo looked down at his girlfriend, his large cobalt eyes shining from the light of the moon.
"I love you, Demeter." He whispered. It wasn't the, 'love ya, babe' thing that every fourteen-year-old couple exchanged there was pure and raw love behind the words.
Demeter trembled, not from the cold, but from the shock of the words.
"I love you too, Duo. You know I do." Demeter replied with just as much love.
Duo's head slowly bent down to hers. Demeter raised her lips to his. Their lips touched each other. And instead of immediately pulling away like they usually did, their lips stayed where they did. Duo's lips timidly began to move against hers. Both of their mouths began to open, following after each other. Duo's tongue slipped into her mouth and Demeter followed suit. Duo's arms tightened around Demeter and held her closer as they kissed passionately under the full moon.
That night had forever changed their lives.
~*~ End of Flashback ~*~
Duo smiled lovingly down at Demeter. "That it does." He replied softly.
Duo let go of Demeter and reached into his pocket. He pulled out a small velvet box.
"Duo?" Demeter asked, fear almost tingeing her voice.
Duo laughed softly. "No, it's not that sort of thing. I can't really get down on one knee right now, but..."
Duo opened the box and inside it was a beautiful silver ring with tiny blue sapphire heart on it. "Consider it a promise ring."
Demeter looked down at her left hand were another promise ring already sat.
Duo took the hand she inspected and slipped the second ring on. "You see, they match."
Demeter looked up at him with an eyebrow raised. "You planned this?"
"Not this *this* but, the double ring thing was a suggestion a long time ago. Look at this ring as a, 'I'll propose to you soon' thing."
"I'll propose to you soon thing, gottcha." Demeter said in a low voice filled with laughter.
Duo kissed Demeter deeply and left her gasping for breath. "I'm promise you, Demeter, soon, so soon after your surgery, we'll be engaged."
Demeter smiled up at him. "You're sure you want to get married so soon?"
"Married? I said engaged. I was thinking you'd let me get used to my engaged life before we actually tied the knot. I was thinking after we both got out of college."
"You're crazy." Demeter laughed, purely happy.
"Only for you, babe, only for you." Duo assured. He bent his head and kissed her deeply once again, under the full moon.
~*~
Duo rolled over and looked at his girlfriend sleeping soundly next to him. She lay there, curled in his arms, her breathing calm and relaxed. Duo glanced past her at the two filled suitcases almost screaming Maine. Duo was petrified, he hated flying. He hated this situation. He pulled Demeter closer to his body. Demeter sighed softly before snuggling closer to his body. Duo kissed Demeter's forehead absently before he closed his eyes.
Tomorrow would definitely be a change in pace. Or as Heero referred to it: just another turn on the track.
Duo drove into a parking space at the local dance studio. Demeter's second passion next to racing had always been tap dancing. She still took lessons and she still taught. Duo walked casually into the lobby and looked through a window into a dance studio. Demeter was standing there in a tight tanktop and pants teaching ten-year-olds a Christmas dance.
"Okay, let's try that again. Maxi-four, step, and step, and shuffle buffalo, shuffle buffalo! Good! Good! Let's try that with the music---from the top."
A corny version of Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer started to blast through the speakers and the kids watched and mimicked Demeter's every move. Demeter yelled the steps as she tapped right along with the kids watching all of them in the mirror. So caught up in her teaching she was that she never noticed Duo smiling lovingly at her.
Demeter clapped her hands when they finished the combination---and for the first time the dance. "That was amazing!" She replied. "Wow, do you guys think you can remember that until Thursday?"
All the kids agreed loudly.
"Alright then, I'll see you then. You guys have a good Saturday!"
All the kids filed out and one of the ballet teachers stomped in. Duo recognized the girl as Hilde. She had flirted with him nonstop sense she had transferred last year.
"Hey, Yuy!" replied.
"What can I do for you?" Demeter asked cheerfully, ignoring Hilde's bitching.
"Boss wants you, in the office. Something about the upcoming ballet."
"I'll be right there." Demeter replied taking off her tap shoes and putting her CD's back in their case. "I'll see you later Hilde."
"Hey, you still going out with Duo?" She snarled.
"Yeah, I am. Why?"
"Oh I'm just wondering why he's dating a good-as-dead girl. That's all."
"Oh, okay." She replied.
"I don't think you heard me---"
"Oh, I heard you." Demeter replied. "I'm as good-as-dead. But then again, once I am dead what do I care what Duo does?"
Hilde was just infuriated by Demeter's passiveness. "Get lost." She spat turning to the CD player and putting in some music.
Demeter opened the door and nearly crashed into Duo.
"Hey, I heard what you said in there."
Demeter shrugged.
Duo grabbed Demeter's shoulders. "You didn't mean, did you?" Duo asked.
Demeter's eyes flared angrily. "No." She snapped. Demeter forced herself out of Duo's hold and walked into the office.
Duo sat down, annoyed. He knew that both he and Demeter were almost to their breaking points. They were rarely getting along and they argued constantly.
Demeter walked out with a clipboard full of papers. She sighed. "I'm ready to go home."
"Well, that's where we're headed." Duo replied taking her unbalanced dance bag off of her shoulder. He threw it into the backseat and then threw himself in the car.
"Duo, what's wrong?"
"What's wrong? Since when the hell did you become so passive? Huh? Do you not care if you die? Do you not believe that I will never love another?" Duo's eyes grew wet at the last statement but he drove with his focus unwavering. They sped through the outskirts of town taking the shorter way home.
Demeter rolled her eyes. "Duo, if I said that I cared about life and that I cared about you do you think Hilde would have dismissed me? I would just be feeding fuel to her fire. She'd never lay off."
Duo slammed his hand down on the steering wheel. "I'm not talking about just today. You've been like this for a month. You're passive. It's like you don't care if you'll die or not. You're never around anymore---it's like you want to separate from me." Duo snapped back, turning into their giant neighborhood. "I love you, Demeter, I want to marry you. I want us to have kids and grow old together but you make it so hard to even dream."
Demeter put her hand over her eyes as tears started to spill. "You're right."
"What?" Duo replied, his voice suddenly softening. He didn't expect that from her.
"You're right. I am passive and uncaring. That's because this operation is 40-60, with failure being 60, I don't want to go into surgery expecting to live and wake up with you by my side. I don't want to set myself up to let myself down. I guess being passive is how I'm protecting myself." Demeter's voice broke and she tilted her head back against the seat, crying softly. "That's how I run. That's how I'm surviving this."
Duo's hand slid over to her knee where it rested. "Demeter, sweetie, please, there are other ways to get through this. If you had told me that sooner we could have changed everything. Hell, we can change everything now." Duo explained pulling into his garage.
The garage door shut but no one moved. Demeter took a shaky breath. "I don't know how else to get through this."
Duo unbuckled his seatbelt, leaned across the seat, and kissed Demeter's mouth. His hand cupped her wet face. They hadn't kissed for a week. Their contact was getting lesser and lesser. Duo's kiss was demanding, forceful, and desperate. Demeter didn't respond, instead she started to pull back slightly.
Duo ended the kiss as he felt Demeter pull away. He got out of the car. "Damn it." He cursed.
Demeter jumped out of the car. "Duo!" She nearly yelled. He turned and Demeter was right there. She firmly led his face down to hers and she kissed him passionately. Her tongue was the one to battle for dominance and control. Duo held tightly onto her as they stood in his darkened garage, with the sounds of the cooling engine.
Demeter finally pulled back. "That's what you're doing wrong. You're assuming."
Duo sighed. "Thank you for acting that out." He replied sarcastically.
Demeter kissed him once again. Duo had no objections to the attention.
"I think we're both a little...nervous." Demeter whispered into his neck.
"Well if we can get through this, children will be a breeze." Duo laughed. "But you're right. Tomorrow, we're gonna go to the beach and spend the entire day there. No phone calls, no doctors, just you and me. We're gonna get through this babe. I promise."
"And we'll both work on our quirks." Demeter added.
"Yes, we will." Duo agreed.
Demeter suddenly cursed softly. "This Thursday is Thanksgiving, isn't it?"
"Yeah, why?"
"I'll have to cancel dance practice and call the sub in for the next three months. But I'll do that later. I have something I need to do right now."
"What's that?" Duo replied.
"Come here, I'll show you." Demeter replied dragging Duo into the house. "Two things really." She corrected herself. "Second of all, decorations need to go up for that dinner at my home." she explained pointing to the box labeled Thanksgiving.
"What's first?" Duo asked.
Demeter turned around putting her hands on his shoulders. "I need to prove to you just how *un*-passive your girlfriend can really be." She laughed. Her lips met his in a heated, searing kiss. And kisses like those only led up the stairs and into the bedroom.
~*~
Heero walked in the door and shut it behind him. Thursday, already. And it was Thanksgiving. The smell of pumpkin pie and turkey smelled wonderful as he took of his jacket and walked into the kitchen. Duo and Demeter were already there. Hera, of course, was latched onto Demeter's waist but Heero also took notice of how much Hera also hung onto Relena. Duo's arms were constantly around Demeter. And Relena---well, his beautiful Relena was as happy as ever in the middle of it all.
Heero walked in the room. "Hey." He replied casually. Demeter gave him a hug, followed by Duo. Hera threw herself into her older brother's arms.
"So are you ready to sit down for a few moments?" Duo laughed. Heero had been running around like a madman all week due to the charity and Demeter's upcoming operation the following week.
"Oh man, am I ever." Heero sighed.
"Take a seat, Heero, we've got everything covered." Demeter replied. Everyone went back to work but Relena handed off the spatula to Hera and walked over to Heero's white armchair where he was straightening out some papers.
Slowly she began to work out the knots in his shoulders. "You know sitting down requires you relax for at least a moment." She whispered in his ear.
Heero smiled and set down the papers. "What are you guys? My doctors?"
Relena kissed his cheek. "I have something I think you should see..."
Heero stood up and took Relena's outstretched hand. They walked up the stairs and into Heero's study. Relena picked up an envelope and handed it to her boyfriend. "It was sent to the wrong address. It's for you."
Heero looked at the envelope. It was from Greece. He ripped the letter open...
My Dearest Heero,
Ever since your mother died and your father just took you three I have never been able to find where you were. Well, your charity finally got around to our little country. I saw your handsome, grown face on the television and our whole family cried. So strong you three are---just like your mother was...
Heero's eyes began to water with emotion and he fell onto the couch as he continued to read.
...But so sad are we to hear about Demeter's condition. You do know that your mother died of a weak heart, didn't you? All it took was one drunken blow from your father to her heart and she was gone. Yes, that is the truth of what happened to your mother...
Heero's tears had welled beyond breaking point and two tears slipped down his pale face followed by two more and two more. Still he read.
...But anyways, we shall talk move of that in the future, I want to wish you and Demeter the best of luck. Our hearts are with her and you. Your life has been unfairly cruel but I see two wonderful adults in you and Demeter. We are all praying for our little Demeter. Oh, how she loved to race. So fast she could run and bike and skate. Your mother was up to her ears in both you and Demeter's desire for speed and thrill. But your mother loved every moment. Keep racing, young god. Keep racing. You know that your mother is watching you.
All of my love,
Aunt Athena
Heero's trembling hand released the letter and the paper floated to the ground. Relena was immediately at Heero's side; her arms about him, holding him tightly.
Heero cried into her neck---something he hadn't done since they had moved from Greece without their mother. He cried for all those years of suffering, and for Demeter, and for Hera, and for growing up so fast, and for being on the verge of losing his twin. Relena's arms were so comforting and loving that Heero almost felt as though she might have been an angel at that moment. It took him at least five minutes he recovered his control and his breathing before he pulled away from Relena.
"That was my aunt. She wanted to wish Demeter luck...we haven't talked to her since our father took us from Greece."
Relena's soft hand reached out hesitantly to Heero's face and dried his tears lovingly. "Painful bliss." She whispered. Heero's eyes closed as Relena finished drying his tears.
"Thank you Relena. Even though you are my girlfriend you never had to do this."
Relena smiled sweetly at him and kissed his lips quickly. "I don't have to do anything. But I love you, and I want to help you. I want to be able to take some of that pain away---and give a little more bliss."
"You do." Heero replied tucking a stand of hair behind her ears. "I wouldn't be able to live through this without you. Demeter has Duo and vise versa. I love my sister but I just can't bear to live with her before this transplant. If it weren't for your support---for answering all my calls in the middle of the night, for all those visits, and all that time spent with me, and all the love you gave me. I don't know how I would have survived."
"Dido." Relena replied. She glanced at the clock. "We should probably head downstairs now. I didn't mean for this to take so long." Relena stood up, and straightened out her jeans and white turtleneck while walking to the door.
Heero stood up hastily and caught Relena just before she could head out the door.
"Did I say thank you?" Heero asked quickly. But before Relena could reply Heero had pulled her into his embrace and was already kissing her passionately. For another moment the couple stood at the door, kissing, silently promising that they'd get through the following month.
~*~
"Hera, would you say the prayer?" Relena asked softly at the table. Quatre, Trowa, Millardo, Noin, Relena, Helen and George ---Relena and Millardo's parents, Duo, Demeter, Heero, Wufei, and finally Hera herself sat at the dining table.
Hera bowed her head as did the others around her.
"Oh...almighty father...I---I know this is supposed to be a day of Thanksgiving and happiness but in our homes I look at this dinner as a gathering to rally us together for Demeter's upcoming..." Hera started to cry softly.
"Oh heavenly father," Demeter continued, never faltering. "We look upon this time with the thanks that we have been given a chance to be together to gain and share strength and hope. We thank you for your love and for you giving us the chance to be here today---"
"This next month will be an ordeal." Duo cut in. "In more ways then one for each of us. We pray for your guidance and support to get us through this. Give us the strength to see this through together. Give us the wisdom to pull us through. Give us the love to remain as close as we are."
Heero finished off the prayer. "Almighty father, who gives and takes life as he sees it fit. Who answers and denies prayers as must fit the way of life. Who knows and sees all. On this day of Thanksgiving we thank you for the gift of courage. For this is just one giant race and this is just one turn, one obstacle in the entire course. We thank you for giving us the courage to face this turn with wisdom, experience, and speed. Amen."
"Amen." Came the reply from everyone at the table.
Millardo began to carve the turkey and hand the plates down one-by-one...
~*~
"Demeter..." Duo whispered, as the couple walked home in the cold Thanksgiving night.
"Yes?" She asked.
"Are you really tired?" Duo asked, slowing to a stop.
"No, not really. Why?" She asked. She hadn't heard any seduction in his voice, so his motive eluded her.
"Okay then." Duo replied, breaking out into an almost foolish grin. His hand slipped from her waist to her hand. He began to run in the opposite direction of their house, towards the beach.
"Duo!" Demeter gasped as they nearly reached the beach. She couldn't breathe easily and she started to slow.
Duo stopped, picked her up, and continued to run with her. "Care for a swim?" He laughed as they ran.
"Swim!? Oh my god, NO!" Demeter screamed, but laughter pealed after the protest.
"Oh come on sweetie!" Duo replied slowing to a walk as they reached the waves.
"Duo! No! Please, Duo, no!" She screamed between laughs. She struggled in his arms.
Duo walked out into the ocean until his shins were covered in water.
"One!" Duo chanted, pretending to get ready to throw her.
"No!" Demeter laughed holding tight onto Duo's shoulders.
"Two!"
"Duo, please!" Demeter shrieked.
"Three!"
Demeter let yelp as she felt his arms begin to leave her. She started to fall down but in the same instant Duo caught her.
Demeter sat there, frozen in his arms. "Very funny Mr. Maxwell." She laughed into his neck.
"I'll never let you fall Demeter." Duo whispered, growing serious.
Demeter slipped out of his arms. The water covered her legs almost up to her knees. She looked up at him. They just stared at each other.
"This is too familiar." Demeter whispered after a while.
~*~ Flashback ~*~
"Race you!"
A fourteen-year-old Demeter sighed and put her hands on her hips. "Duo, I'm really not up for that right now."
"Come on, sweetie. It's just the beach."
"It's only ten at night, and it's only October!" Demeter parried.
"You're just scared I'll beat you." Duo taunted.
"Oh you're on, honey." Demeter challenged already starting off at a run.
Duo chased after her and latched onto her hand and they ran, hand-in-hand, onto the beach.
Demeter tried to stop at the waves but Duo continued to pull her in.
"Duo no!" Demeter screeched, pulling back on his hands.
Duo turned and took her other hand and drug her, almost bodily, into knee length seawater.
Demeter tripped and fell into Duo's arms. The full moon shone onto the two young, young lovers. Demeter slightly pulled back, but remained in Duo's arms. They had been 'dating' for a year but never had they been so close. They had kissed, but only timidly. They had teased but not sexually.
Duo looked down at his girlfriend, his large cobalt eyes shining from the light of the moon.
"I love you, Demeter." He whispered. It wasn't the, 'love ya, babe' thing that every fourteen-year-old couple exchanged there was pure and raw love behind the words.
Demeter trembled, not from the cold, but from the shock of the words.
"I love you too, Duo. You know I do." Demeter replied with just as much love.
Duo's head slowly bent down to hers. Demeter raised her lips to his. Their lips touched each other. And instead of immediately pulling away like they usually did, their lips stayed where they did. Duo's lips timidly began to move against hers. Both of their mouths began to open, following after each other. Duo's tongue slipped into her mouth and Demeter followed suit. Duo's arms tightened around Demeter and held her closer as they kissed passionately under the full moon.
That night had forever changed their lives.
~*~ End of Flashback ~*~
Duo smiled lovingly down at Demeter. "That it does." He replied softly.
Duo let go of Demeter and reached into his pocket. He pulled out a small velvet box.
"Duo?" Demeter asked, fear almost tingeing her voice.
Duo laughed softly. "No, it's not that sort of thing. I can't really get down on one knee right now, but..."
Duo opened the box and inside it was a beautiful silver ring with tiny blue sapphire heart on it. "Consider it a promise ring."
Demeter looked down at her left hand were another promise ring already sat.
Duo took the hand she inspected and slipped the second ring on. "You see, they match."
Demeter looked up at him with an eyebrow raised. "You planned this?"
"Not this *this* but, the double ring thing was a suggestion a long time ago. Look at this ring as a, 'I'll propose to you soon' thing."
"I'll propose to you soon thing, gottcha." Demeter said in a low voice filled with laughter.
Duo kissed Demeter deeply and left her gasping for breath. "I'm promise you, Demeter, soon, so soon after your surgery, we'll be engaged."
Demeter smiled up at him. "You're sure you want to get married so soon?"
"Married? I said engaged. I was thinking you'd let me get used to my engaged life before we actually tied the knot. I was thinking after we both got out of college."
"You're crazy." Demeter laughed, purely happy.
"Only for you, babe, only for you." Duo assured. He bent his head and kissed her deeply once again, under the full moon.
~*~
Duo rolled over and looked at his girlfriend sleeping soundly next to him. She lay there, curled in his arms, her breathing calm and relaxed. Duo glanced past her at the two filled suitcases almost screaming Maine. Duo was petrified, he hated flying. He hated this situation. He pulled Demeter closer to his body. Demeter sighed softly before snuggling closer to his body. Duo kissed Demeter's forehead absently before he closed his eyes.
Tomorrow would definitely be a change in pace. Or as Heero referred to it: just another turn on the track.