okDisclaimer- I do NOT own Zoids, Bit, Leena, Brad, Namoi, etc etc etc...
YAH!!! I live! Thanks for all those awesome reviews guys! I appreciate everyone's helpful comments! Thanks again!
Dedication- To Davan, for always cheering me up with her awesome stories and her incredible personality! Way to go Davan! Whoo hoo! ROCK ON! This also goes for Fox and Tiger and Lasafara for putting my stories on their site! Thanks so much you guys! You have no idea how much I apprecaite your help and yes, I love your stories so keep writing!!!
Torn Reality
"Leena? Leena are you ok?"
Bit rapped on the door again, his knuckles knocking against the metal frame. He paused for as second, waited for a reply and then called out again.
"Leena? Is something wrong? Why won't you talk to me?"
It was silent. No voice replied. It was almost if she wasn't there. But she was in her room. He was sure of it. She just wasn't talking.
He scratched the back of his head. Was it something he said? Did his cookie bandit days finally drive her over the edge? Did something happen the other day? Still, even it was one of those things, Leena was never one to hold a grudge. Not for long anyway. Something was definitely wrong. The only time Leena would ever give him the silent treatment was well.. Never. It wasn't in her character. Violent outbursts were much more like it. Biting his lip, his mind scanned over the past few days. She was however acting strange lately. She withdrew herself from the others and looked increasingly pale. Now that he thought of it, Doc was in a similar condition. Maybe they were both sick. He decided the try one more time. Raising his hand, he knocked again and raised his voice in case she didn't hear him.
"Come on, get up Leena. It's almost noon and Jamie isn't going to wait for us."
Shoulders drooping in defeat, he sighed heavily; completely unsure with everything. He left without a second glance and headed towards the aroma of waffles, maple syrup and a stream of profanities from Jamie. Bit entered the kitchen and took a seat by Brad who was as always, drinking a disgustingly dark mug of coffee and reading the newspaper. Muttering under his breath, their young mechanic tossed a charred remainder of toast into the trash and soaked the smoking pan into a sink full of water. No one acknowledged Bit as he switched his gaze back and forth between the mercenary and the cursing cook.
"Hello? Anyone alive today?" Bit questioned in a slightly annoyed tone. When his effort went unnoticed, Bit waved his hand in front of the expressionless Brad.
"Earth to Brad! Come in Brad! Are you listening to me? What is going on?"
The stoic fighter took a sip from his cup and continued to read.
Plopping back on his seat, Bit rolled his eyes and searched for something to disrupt all this quiet. He had to know what was going on. Brad was always like this but Leena and Jamie were another matter. And he had no idea where Doc had gone. Probably off spending away their savings for some shiny absurd looking weapon thingy.
Bit leaned his head back and propped his arms on his chair. This silence was driving him insane. And him having no clue at all aggravated him even more. Every other day was a zoo and an insanity clinic shoved into one. This was certainly not normal behavior in the Toros base. A moment later his eyes gleamed with mischief. The curves of his lips forming a boyish grin about to do something for the sake of attention. Springing up from the table, he rummaged through the drawers. Grinning widely, Bit grabbed an eggbeater from the kitchen counter and stood across from Brad. Stooping over so his face was level with the other, he held the metal makeshift weapon behind his back.
"Oh Brad! Since you're about alive as a rock today and you haven't made a single comment, do you mind if I tried out this heavy duty eggbeater?"
Brad just turned to another page, ignoring the younger teammate.
Bit smirked and swung down towards Brad's head, hoping to break the wall of solitude by making his nonchalant friend actually act human. Before his arm even reached his target, Brad's hand shot out; grasping the weapon and flinging it to the side. His other hand gripped onto Bit's arm like a steel clamp and flung him on top of the table. As Bit lay stunned, Brad calmly picked up his paper, flipped to the previous page and continued where he left off. Jamie gave one glance in the general direction and continued his task. Bit lay panting for breath and groaned for his sore wrist.
Doc walked in without taking any notice to Bit and seated himself on a chair by the counter. His eyes were bleak, his wrinkles seemed to stand out and his hair, which was normally well kept, was messy. Jamie poured him a cup of steaming coffee but when he placed it in front of him, Doc barely stirred. Wrinkled clothes, and a gloomy attitude, Leena's father buried his face in his hands. He was not well. Anyone could see that.
Bit, sensing the familiar mood in everyone struggled up from the table and plopped down beside Brad who was still drinking his coffee with placid repetition. He waited for a minute, hoping something would present itself. Nothing changed. It was the same atmosphere. There was a reason behind this entire deathly boring disposition. Clenching his teeth, Bit slapped his hand against his forehead; completely baffled with the way everyone was acting. Groaning loudly, he blurted out the first thing that came to his mind.
"What is wrong with you all today? What's up with the anti-social cold shoulder attitude? Did someone die or something?"
He regretted ever saying something like that. As soon as the words left his lips, realization smacked him in the face and there was no way to undo what was done. Everyone turned to stare at him, not out of anger or annoyance but just blank, fixed looks. He shrunk back and laughed nervously. He lifted his hands in surrender.
"Hehe.. sorry..wrong thing to say.I didn't mean to say that..."
Doc offered a feeble smile, and shook his head.
"It's not your fault. You didn't know Bit. "
Pushing aside the untouched cup, Doc stood up and left the room. His steps seemed forced and with the way of his movement, he suddenly looked much older than before. Almost as if life had been over drained from their leader and he was left with only enough to stay alive. As soon as he was gone, Bit turned to Brad for answers. He was much more worried now. This was a more serious matter than he thought.
"Brad, tell me what is going on?" He pleaded, adding an edge of worry to his tone.
Brad Hunter dropped his paper and took a long gulp from his mug. After setting it back down again and without turning to face Bit, he answered simply.
"This is the day she died."
Bit frowned at the statement. Brad didn't bother elaborating on the subject. He just went along with his life. Guessing that Brad had nothing else to add, he leaned back and turned toward Jamie. He went over to the counter and stood directly in front of him.
"Huh? Who died?"
"He means Doc's wife." Jamie said while he was avoiding eye contact with anyone. He busied himself with drying plates and storing leftovers into the fridge
"You mean Leena's mother?"
"Yes." Jamie nodded solemnly, never taking his eyes off of the saucer he was wiping.
"She died this same day?" Bit repeated in disbelief. Things were finally beginning to make sense now. He now understood why the others were so distant. He understood what was wrong with Leena.
Jamie nodded again. Slower than the first.
"That's why Leena and Doc act so strange during the month. You haven't been on the team long enough to know Bit."
Bit stopped asking questions and sat dejectedly back down. Leena and her father. Two of the most outrageous people he has ever met become broken spirits all of a sudden. He knew Leena's mother had died years ago but he hadn't the faintest clue that this was the very day it occurred. Bit stayed speechless for a while. There was nothing he could do but wait for Leena to recover. He wasn't about to cause any more pain than she already had to deal with.
"So, what should we do?" Bit asked helplessly even though he already knew the answer.
Brad shook his newspaper to straighten out the creases and made only the slightest movement toward Bit.
"We wait. And stay out of their way."
Leena sprawled out on her bed. Her stare fixed onto nothing particular. Arms and legs stretched out like a fallen angel; her soulless eyes passed over her surroundings. Blinking to moisten her drying eyes, memories flooded back in a blur. Her mother. She had died this same day. Years ago. She left her husband and two children. Leena, as much as she was devastated, could not bring herself to remember any solid memory of her mother. There were always dreams. Always images. Nothing more than pieces of her childhood. She did have memories. She did have a mother that had loved her and Leena knew it. But it wasn't the same. It would never be the same. Dropping the side of her head to the side, her eyes fell upon the clock. It was pass noon already. She had skipped breakfast, not having any appetite at all. She had ignored Bit's knocking. He wouldn't understand. No one would understand. And she wasn't in any mood to explain. So she just waited. In a few hours she would be visiting her mother. Just a few hours. And she could talk to her again. Make up for lost time. To even be near her mother would be enough.
"Mom.I'll be there soon. Wait for me. Please." Leena whispered to herself before a tear streaked down her face to be soaked into the mattress.
And out of pity, sleep overtook her still body to cover her in serenity.
"Leena? Are you sure you're okay?"
Doc waited patiently by the gates of his wife's resting-place. Leon stood on the other side, stiff and quiet. A small hill near her old home. The grass a fresh, pure green. Well-kept flowers shifted in the breeze. And one lone small, but tough cherry tree looming over the pale stone. Delicate cherry blossoms drifted to the ground forming a blanket of pink. It was almost that her mother's spirit remained to keep the earth itself alive. A reincarnation of herself into this resting ground. But she wasn't alive. It wasn't a dream. She was gone. And there was nothing they could do about it.
Leena, biting back a sob and holding back tears, nodded, an agonizing motion of acceptance. Her knuckles turned white while she clutched onto the batch of tulips in her hands.
"Yeah dad. Let's go meet mom."
Taking a small step toward the entrance, Leena's breath fell into a steady rhythm of nervousness. And fear. Trembling with the pain in her heart and shaking at the growing image of the tree, Leena followed in her father's footsteps to greet her mother with Leon closing in behind. Brad, Bit and Jamie stood at the base of the hill, their eyes following the trio as they made their way up. None of them dared to interrupt this moment.
Stones passed under her feet. Trampled grass sprung back up. Crisp air filled her lungs. The smell of flowers almost soothing. How could it possibly be nice on a day like this? It was irony. Such beautiful weather for such a horrible day. She half expected it to rain. It would have been more fitting. It would have matched her mood. But life was a cruel master. Especially to her. And nothing ever turned out the way she wanted. As long as she would live. She would always be scarred. An irreparable wound. A haunting curse.
They stopped a few feet away from the patch of flowers that stood before the ashen stone. Neither of them said a single word. They were almost comfortable in the silence. Almost. Standing side by side, the remainder of the Toros family looked to their past. To a person they all missed dearly.
She had stood here. This very same spot. This same day. She was only a little girl then. Too ignorant and young to understand the true purpose of why she was here. Staring with innocent curious eyes at her mother's pale face. Her short crimson hair hung loose in the wind, plastering against her tiny dress. Her right hand holding onto one small wild flower she had picked from the grass. Others downcast their eyes while a man in robes spoke out of a book, her own wandered. Peeking into the face of her father whose breaths came out in shallow gasps. His arm unsuccessful in drying his face which he kept wiping with his sleeve. Her brother gripped onto her hand fiercely, which she returned with the same strength, wondering if he was playing some sort of game. Everyone was silent. Everything was silent. And she still didn't get it. All these people, huddled together around her mother, staring at the ground. Hands clasped in front of each other. All wearing black clothing. The same dark suits. No one spoke. A few cried. A handful tried in vain to comfort them. But the rest were noiseless. Complete zombies. She had no idea why they were. She was confused when people brushed her cheek with sad smiles. Patted her head with gentle touches. Gave her weak hugs for no reason. Complimenting her on what a strong little girl she was. Telling her what a brave little child she was. Smiling admirably with a painful expression on their face.
Pity. She knew that look better than anything else. Pity was something you felt for killing an innocent insect. Pity was staring at a ragged man on the street. Pity was a feeling you gave to a lost dog. And these people gave her the exact same look. The exact same smile. They felt sorry for her. And she was infuriated. Pissed at the thought they gave her this sympathy for no reason. Outraged because they looked at her as something inferior and as though she needed their help. But she did nothing. By the time it was over, she was still holding onto Leon with her numb fingers who stood perfectly side by side with their father. The place was empty. Just trails of stepped grass and heaps of flowers was the reminder. The three of them stayed there. For minutes. Which turned into hours. And Leena still didn't cry. Because she didn't know what to cry for.
Only until the days passed would she finally grasp the concept. She expected to see her mother tuck her in for bed as usual. To see her fry eggs for breakfast. Tinkering with some metal object. Humming a meaningless tune to herself. To kiss her forehead and say that she loved her. She expected it to be the same. But it wasn't. And would never be. Only until her father sat her down on his lap and explained it to her word for word did she understand. Only then would the full force of it slam into her young mind. Leena Toros would nod dumbly and retreat to her own room.
And cry. Until her eyes were puffy and red. Her skin cold and damp. And when her voice would fail her, did she understand why she received those pitying stares and looked on at the motionless face of her mother whose body was buried beneath the cold hard earth.
As she grew older, she had come to hate seeing pity in the eyes of others. And the memory of her mother would always be with her. Leena would grow up strong willed and unstoppable. Never being pushed around. Never letting someone look at her with the same glance. But inside, she would always be the same girl at the funeral. Leena would always remain as that confused; wondering girl who realized her mother was truly gone.
Then Leena found herself sobbing. Her body shook. Her arms trembled. And her sobs turned into cries. Before Leon or her father could react, she dropped the flowers to the ground. Their petals burst on contact, scattering themselves across the grave. Without any hesitation, Leena then ran. Taking off at full speed. Flinging herself away in desperation, Leena ran pass two startled faces at the gate. Their cries were lost. She only heard her own. And the pounding of her heart as her hopeless efforts for escape faded into the dark.
She found herself in a warm bed. Roughly pushing off the covers, Leena yawned and rubbed her eyes. It was morning. The windows were open with cream colored curtains swaying in the air. Cars honking at each other down below meant she was in the city. Someone must have found her after she had collapsed. She didn't remember much. Just the memory of her running away. Exhausting her own body mentally and physically. It was probably Bit who had found her. Swinging her feet to the side of the bed, she turned to face Bit Cloud who walked in balancing a rather large silver tray of muffins, donuts and orange juice on one hand while struggling to open the door with the other. When he emerged triumphantly into the room with a cocky grin stuck on his face, Leena snorted and fell back on the soft bed.
"Well good morning to you too Leena." Bit greeted sarcastically. Picking up a bite sized donut; he flung it into the air and caught it with his mouth. Leaving the tray on a table, Bit leaped onto the bed beside Leena, his powdered sugar covered lips hovering over Leena's face.
"Care for a donut oh great and powerful untouchable ice maiden?"
He popped a donut out of the palm of his hand, which Leena snatched quickly and threw it out the window with a backward throw.
"No."
Bit raised an eyebrow and shook his head.
"Just cause you're PMSing doesn't mean you have to waste a harmless donut Leena."
"Don't make me knock your teeth out Cloud! And I TOLD you not to use that!"
"What? That it's your time of the month or you just don't like donuts?"
"I do not care about the donut Bit! And for YOUR information, my period is already over so SHUT UP!"
Bit waved a finger in a scolding manner; his feet bobbing up and down.
"Tsk tsk Leena! You better control your temper or people will think it's your period!"
"I."
Leena bolted back up and shot Bit a menacing death glare.
"AM NOT.."
Bit rolled off the bed in an attempt to save his life and made a mad dash toward the bathroom.
"PMSing!!!!!!!"
Leena grabbed a stool, broke off one of its legs and flung it at Bit as he scurried off to safety. Just as the door closed, the wooden leg burst through the middle; splintering the door and missing Bit's head by an inch. Waiting a few moments for Leena to calm down, Bit cautiously crept out of the bathroom, peeping his head out to make sure the red head was subdued. She was sitting on the floor, leaning against the bed and crying.
Dropping any arrogant comments, Bit without any second thoughts, leaned down beside Leena and hugged her tightly. His arms holding onto her shoulder for support. She didn't resist him. She just instinctively leaned over to his body, grateful for his comforting touch. Within minutes, her sobs died down and they were both content with the uneasy silence.
"Sorry about the PMS joke."
"I'm sorry for trying to kill you."
Bit chuckled and kissed Leena's cheek. Almost reluctantly, Leena gave in into his charms and smiled but it faded into seriousness as she tried to explain.
"It's just..my mother...I.I mean.we...dad and Leon and I, we get..touchy whenever that day.."
Bit hushed her up with a finger to her lips. He nodded, completely understanding her position. He pulled her closer, loving the feel of her warm body next to his.
"Shhh..no need to explain. I already spoke to Doc and Leon. I know what happened."
Leena half way looked up to him, her violet eyes meeting his for a mere second.
"So you know.."
Bit nodded again. Smiling a little.
"Yes Leena. I know everything."
Leena grunted and jabbed him in the ribs playfully. Unfortunately he wasn't ready for it and crouched over in pain.
"Ow.."
"Oh quit fussing you big baby! You call yourself a warrior?!? HAH!"
Leena and Bit walked down the street together. Holding hands and simply enjoying each other's company. Leaning her head on his shoulder, they entered a park unknowingly that a certain someone hid in the trees. He snapped pictures of them, complimenting himself for his sheer cleverness and intuition. Half way through the park, and seeing themselves alone, Leena turned around to face Bit. Smiling sincerely at him, she hugged him without warning. Startled at first, Bit quickly returned the embrace, holding onto the fiery girl tightly. She rested her head on chest and whispered.
"Thank you. For everything."
And she clung onto him closer. Bit grinned and replied with ease.
"Anything for you Leena. Anything at all."
They broke apart for a minute. Bit lowered his lips, and Leena leaned her face upwards when the moment was ruined by several branches snapping under the weight of Doc who tumbled in front of the couple, carrying a camera over his neck and a sheepish grin on his face. Leena turned around and squinted her eyes.
"Dad? And just what do you think YOU'RE doing?!?"
And Leena was thrown back to where she was; her dream ripped away from reality.
And she collapsed onto the bed. Fighting back tears that threaten to overtake her.
AHHHH!!! I FINALLY was able to update! I know I know I have been WAY too lazy but school is soooo freaking EVIL EVIL EVIL!!!!!!!! AHHHH!! *burns all his homework with a flame-thrower* Anyway! *clears throat* Read and review and tell me what you think! I know there isn't any Brad/Leena action yet but next chapter will definitely focus on those two. Many apologizes to keep you all waiting! Thanks a billion for your reviews and as always PLEASE NO FLAMES!!! Thank you everyone so much! I will update when I get the chance. Seeya later!
YAH!!! I live! Thanks for all those awesome reviews guys! I appreciate everyone's helpful comments! Thanks again!
Dedication- To Davan, for always cheering me up with her awesome stories and her incredible personality! Way to go Davan! Whoo hoo! ROCK ON! This also goes for Fox and Tiger and Lasafara for putting my stories on their site! Thanks so much you guys! You have no idea how much I apprecaite your help and yes, I love your stories so keep writing!!!
Torn Reality
"Leena? Leena are you ok?"
Bit rapped on the door again, his knuckles knocking against the metal frame. He paused for as second, waited for a reply and then called out again.
"Leena? Is something wrong? Why won't you talk to me?"
It was silent. No voice replied. It was almost if she wasn't there. But she was in her room. He was sure of it. She just wasn't talking.
He scratched the back of his head. Was it something he said? Did his cookie bandit days finally drive her over the edge? Did something happen the other day? Still, even it was one of those things, Leena was never one to hold a grudge. Not for long anyway. Something was definitely wrong. The only time Leena would ever give him the silent treatment was well.. Never. It wasn't in her character. Violent outbursts were much more like it. Biting his lip, his mind scanned over the past few days. She was however acting strange lately. She withdrew herself from the others and looked increasingly pale. Now that he thought of it, Doc was in a similar condition. Maybe they were both sick. He decided the try one more time. Raising his hand, he knocked again and raised his voice in case she didn't hear him.
"Come on, get up Leena. It's almost noon and Jamie isn't going to wait for us."
Shoulders drooping in defeat, he sighed heavily; completely unsure with everything. He left without a second glance and headed towards the aroma of waffles, maple syrup and a stream of profanities from Jamie. Bit entered the kitchen and took a seat by Brad who was as always, drinking a disgustingly dark mug of coffee and reading the newspaper. Muttering under his breath, their young mechanic tossed a charred remainder of toast into the trash and soaked the smoking pan into a sink full of water. No one acknowledged Bit as he switched his gaze back and forth between the mercenary and the cursing cook.
"Hello? Anyone alive today?" Bit questioned in a slightly annoyed tone. When his effort went unnoticed, Bit waved his hand in front of the expressionless Brad.
"Earth to Brad! Come in Brad! Are you listening to me? What is going on?"
The stoic fighter took a sip from his cup and continued to read.
Plopping back on his seat, Bit rolled his eyes and searched for something to disrupt all this quiet. He had to know what was going on. Brad was always like this but Leena and Jamie were another matter. And he had no idea where Doc had gone. Probably off spending away their savings for some shiny absurd looking weapon thingy.
Bit leaned his head back and propped his arms on his chair. This silence was driving him insane. And him having no clue at all aggravated him even more. Every other day was a zoo and an insanity clinic shoved into one. This was certainly not normal behavior in the Toros base. A moment later his eyes gleamed with mischief. The curves of his lips forming a boyish grin about to do something for the sake of attention. Springing up from the table, he rummaged through the drawers. Grinning widely, Bit grabbed an eggbeater from the kitchen counter and stood across from Brad. Stooping over so his face was level with the other, he held the metal makeshift weapon behind his back.
"Oh Brad! Since you're about alive as a rock today and you haven't made a single comment, do you mind if I tried out this heavy duty eggbeater?"
Brad just turned to another page, ignoring the younger teammate.
Bit smirked and swung down towards Brad's head, hoping to break the wall of solitude by making his nonchalant friend actually act human. Before his arm even reached his target, Brad's hand shot out; grasping the weapon and flinging it to the side. His other hand gripped onto Bit's arm like a steel clamp and flung him on top of the table. As Bit lay stunned, Brad calmly picked up his paper, flipped to the previous page and continued where he left off. Jamie gave one glance in the general direction and continued his task. Bit lay panting for breath and groaned for his sore wrist.
Doc walked in without taking any notice to Bit and seated himself on a chair by the counter. His eyes were bleak, his wrinkles seemed to stand out and his hair, which was normally well kept, was messy. Jamie poured him a cup of steaming coffee but when he placed it in front of him, Doc barely stirred. Wrinkled clothes, and a gloomy attitude, Leena's father buried his face in his hands. He was not well. Anyone could see that.
Bit, sensing the familiar mood in everyone struggled up from the table and plopped down beside Brad who was still drinking his coffee with placid repetition. He waited for a minute, hoping something would present itself. Nothing changed. It was the same atmosphere. There was a reason behind this entire deathly boring disposition. Clenching his teeth, Bit slapped his hand against his forehead; completely baffled with the way everyone was acting. Groaning loudly, he blurted out the first thing that came to his mind.
"What is wrong with you all today? What's up with the anti-social cold shoulder attitude? Did someone die or something?"
He regretted ever saying something like that. As soon as the words left his lips, realization smacked him in the face and there was no way to undo what was done. Everyone turned to stare at him, not out of anger or annoyance but just blank, fixed looks. He shrunk back and laughed nervously. He lifted his hands in surrender.
"Hehe.. sorry..wrong thing to say.I didn't mean to say that..."
Doc offered a feeble smile, and shook his head.
"It's not your fault. You didn't know Bit. "
Pushing aside the untouched cup, Doc stood up and left the room. His steps seemed forced and with the way of his movement, he suddenly looked much older than before. Almost as if life had been over drained from their leader and he was left with only enough to stay alive. As soon as he was gone, Bit turned to Brad for answers. He was much more worried now. This was a more serious matter than he thought.
"Brad, tell me what is going on?" He pleaded, adding an edge of worry to his tone.
Brad Hunter dropped his paper and took a long gulp from his mug. After setting it back down again and without turning to face Bit, he answered simply.
"This is the day she died."
Bit frowned at the statement. Brad didn't bother elaborating on the subject. He just went along with his life. Guessing that Brad had nothing else to add, he leaned back and turned toward Jamie. He went over to the counter and stood directly in front of him.
"Huh? Who died?"
"He means Doc's wife." Jamie said while he was avoiding eye contact with anyone. He busied himself with drying plates and storing leftovers into the fridge
"You mean Leena's mother?"
"Yes." Jamie nodded solemnly, never taking his eyes off of the saucer he was wiping.
"She died this same day?" Bit repeated in disbelief. Things were finally beginning to make sense now. He now understood why the others were so distant. He understood what was wrong with Leena.
Jamie nodded again. Slower than the first.
"That's why Leena and Doc act so strange during the month. You haven't been on the team long enough to know Bit."
Bit stopped asking questions and sat dejectedly back down. Leena and her father. Two of the most outrageous people he has ever met become broken spirits all of a sudden. He knew Leena's mother had died years ago but he hadn't the faintest clue that this was the very day it occurred. Bit stayed speechless for a while. There was nothing he could do but wait for Leena to recover. He wasn't about to cause any more pain than she already had to deal with.
"So, what should we do?" Bit asked helplessly even though he already knew the answer.
Brad shook his newspaper to straighten out the creases and made only the slightest movement toward Bit.
"We wait. And stay out of their way."
Leena sprawled out on her bed. Her stare fixed onto nothing particular. Arms and legs stretched out like a fallen angel; her soulless eyes passed over her surroundings. Blinking to moisten her drying eyes, memories flooded back in a blur. Her mother. She had died this same day. Years ago. She left her husband and two children. Leena, as much as she was devastated, could not bring herself to remember any solid memory of her mother. There were always dreams. Always images. Nothing more than pieces of her childhood. She did have memories. She did have a mother that had loved her and Leena knew it. But it wasn't the same. It would never be the same. Dropping the side of her head to the side, her eyes fell upon the clock. It was pass noon already. She had skipped breakfast, not having any appetite at all. She had ignored Bit's knocking. He wouldn't understand. No one would understand. And she wasn't in any mood to explain. So she just waited. In a few hours she would be visiting her mother. Just a few hours. And she could talk to her again. Make up for lost time. To even be near her mother would be enough.
"Mom.I'll be there soon. Wait for me. Please." Leena whispered to herself before a tear streaked down her face to be soaked into the mattress.
And out of pity, sleep overtook her still body to cover her in serenity.
"Leena? Are you sure you're okay?"
Doc waited patiently by the gates of his wife's resting-place. Leon stood on the other side, stiff and quiet. A small hill near her old home. The grass a fresh, pure green. Well-kept flowers shifted in the breeze. And one lone small, but tough cherry tree looming over the pale stone. Delicate cherry blossoms drifted to the ground forming a blanket of pink. It was almost that her mother's spirit remained to keep the earth itself alive. A reincarnation of herself into this resting ground. But she wasn't alive. It wasn't a dream. She was gone. And there was nothing they could do about it.
Leena, biting back a sob and holding back tears, nodded, an agonizing motion of acceptance. Her knuckles turned white while she clutched onto the batch of tulips in her hands.
"Yeah dad. Let's go meet mom."
Taking a small step toward the entrance, Leena's breath fell into a steady rhythm of nervousness. And fear. Trembling with the pain in her heart and shaking at the growing image of the tree, Leena followed in her father's footsteps to greet her mother with Leon closing in behind. Brad, Bit and Jamie stood at the base of the hill, their eyes following the trio as they made their way up. None of them dared to interrupt this moment.
Stones passed under her feet. Trampled grass sprung back up. Crisp air filled her lungs. The smell of flowers almost soothing. How could it possibly be nice on a day like this? It was irony. Such beautiful weather for such a horrible day. She half expected it to rain. It would have been more fitting. It would have matched her mood. But life was a cruel master. Especially to her. And nothing ever turned out the way she wanted. As long as she would live. She would always be scarred. An irreparable wound. A haunting curse.
They stopped a few feet away from the patch of flowers that stood before the ashen stone. Neither of them said a single word. They were almost comfortable in the silence. Almost. Standing side by side, the remainder of the Toros family looked to their past. To a person they all missed dearly.
She had stood here. This very same spot. This same day. She was only a little girl then. Too ignorant and young to understand the true purpose of why she was here. Staring with innocent curious eyes at her mother's pale face. Her short crimson hair hung loose in the wind, plastering against her tiny dress. Her right hand holding onto one small wild flower she had picked from the grass. Others downcast their eyes while a man in robes spoke out of a book, her own wandered. Peeking into the face of her father whose breaths came out in shallow gasps. His arm unsuccessful in drying his face which he kept wiping with his sleeve. Her brother gripped onto her hand fiercely, which she returned with the same strength, wondering if he was playing some sort of game. Everyone was silent. Everything was silent. And she still didn't get it. All these people, huddled together around her mother, staring at the ground. Hands clasped in front of each other. All wearing black clothing. The same dark suits. No one spoke. A few cried. A handful tried in vain to comfort them. But the rest were noiseless. Complete zombies. She had no idea why they were. She was confused when people brushed her cheek with sad smiles. Patted her head with gentle touches. Gave her weak hugs for no reason. Complimenting her on what a strong little girl she was. Telling her what a brave little child she was. Smiling admirably with a painful expression on their face.
Pity. She knew that look better than anything else. Pity was something you felt for killing an innocent insect. Pity was staring at a ragged man on the street. Pity was a feeling you gave to a lost dog. And these people gave her the exact same look. The exact same smile. They felt sorry for her. And she was infuriated. Pissed at the thought they gave her this sympathy for no reason. Outraged because they looked at her as something inferior and as though she needed their help. But she did nothing. By the time it was over, she was still holding onto Leon with her numb fingers who stood perfectly side by side with their father. The place was empty. Just trails of stepped grass and heaps of flowers was the reminder. The three of them stayed there. For minutes. Which turned into hours. And Leena still didn't cry. Because she didn't know what to cry for.
Only until the days passed would she finally grasp the concept. She expected to see her mother tuck her in for bed as usual. To see her fry eggs for breakfast. Tinkering with some metal object. Humming a meaningless tune to herself. To kiss her forehead and say that she loved her. She expected it to be the same. But it wasn't. And would never be. Only until her father sat her down on his lap and explained it to her word for word did she understand. Only then would the full force of it slam into her young mind. Leena Toros would nod dumbly and retreat to her own room.
And cry. Until her eyes were puffy and red. Her skin cold and damp. And when her voice would fail her, did she understand why she received those pitying stares and looked on at the motionless face of her mother whose body was buried beneath the cold hard earth.
As she grew older, she had come to hate seeing pity in the eyes of others. And the memory of her mother would always be with her. Leena would grow up strong willed and unstoppable. Never being pushed around. Never letting someone look at her with the same glance. But inside, she would always be the same girl at the funeral. Leena would always remain as that confused; wondering girl who realized her mother was truly gone.
Then Leena found herself sobbing. Her body shook. Her arms trembled. And her sobs turned into cries. Before Leon or her father could react, she dropped the flowers to the ground. Their petals burst on contact, scattering themselves across the grave. Without any hesitation, Leena then ran. Taking off at full speed. Flinging herself away in desperation, Leena ran pass two startled faces at the gate. Their cries were lost. She only heard her own. And the pounding of her heart as her hopeless efforts for escape faded into the dark.
She found herself in a warm bed. Roughly pushing off the covers, Leena yawned and rubbed her eyes. It was morning. The windows were open with cream colored curtains swaying in the air. Cars honking at each other down below meant she was in the city. Someone must have found her after she had collapsed. She didn't remember much. Just the memory of her running away. Exhausting her own body mentally and physically. It was probably Bit who had found her. Swinging her feet to the side of the bed, she turned to face Bit Cloud who walked in balancing a rather large silver tray of muffins, donuts and orange juice on one hand while struggling to open the door with the other. When he emerged triumphantly into the room with a cocky grin stuck on his face, Leena snorted and fell back on the soft bed.
"Well good morning to you too Leena." Bit greeted sarcastically. Picking up a bite sized donut; he flung it into the air and caught it with his mouth. Leaving the tray on a table, Bit leaped onto the bed beside Leena, his powdered sugar covered lips hovering over Leena's face.
"Care for a donut oh great and powerful untouchable ice maiden?"
He popped a donut out of the palm of his hand, which Leena snatched quickly and threw it out the window with a backward throw.
"No."
Bit raised an eyebrow and shook his head.
"Just cause you're PMSing doesn't mean you have to waste a harmless donut Leena."
"Don't make me knock your teeth out Cloud! And I TOLD you not to use that!"
"What? That it's your time of the month or you just don't like donuts?"
"I do not care about the donut Bit! And for YOUR information, my period is already over so SHUT UP!"
Bit waved a finger in a scolding manner; his feet bobbing up and down.
"Tsk tsk Leena! You better control your temper or people will think it's your period!"
"I."
Leena bolted back up and shot Bit a menacing death glare.
"AM NOT.."
Bit rolled off the bed in an attempt to save his life and made a mad dash toward the bathroom.
"PMSing!!!!!!!"
Leena grabbed a stool, broke off one of its legs and flung it at Bit as he scurried off to safety. Just as the door closed, the wooden leg burst through the middle; splintering the door and missing Bit's head by an inch. Waiting a few moments for Leena to calm down, Bit cautiously crept out of the bathroom, peeping his head out to make sure the red head was subdued. She was sitting on the floor, leaning against the bed and crying.
Dropping any arrogant comments, Bit without any second thoughts, leaned down beside Leena and hugged her tightly. His arms holding onto her shoulder for support. She didn't resist him. She just instinctively leaned over to his body, grateful for his comforting touch. Within minutes, her sobs died down and they were both content with the uneasy silence.
"Sorry about the PMS joke."
"I'm sorry for trying to kill you."
Bit chuckled and kissed Leena's cheek. Almost reluctantly, Leena gave in into his charms and smiled but it faded into seriousness as she tried to explain.
"It's just..my mother...I.I mean.we...dad and Leon and I, we get..touchy whenever that day.."
Bit hushed her up with a finger to her lips. He nodded, completely understanding her position. He pulled her closer, loving the feel of her warm body next to his.
"Shhh..no need to explain. I already spoke to Doc and Leon. I know what happened."
Leena half way looked up to him, her violet eyes meeting his for a mere second.
"So you know.."
Bit nodded again. Smiling a little.
"Yes Leena. I know everything."
Leena grunted and jabbed him in the ribs playfully. Unfortunately he wasn't ready for it and crouched over in pain.
"Ow.."
"Oh quit fussing you big baby! You call yourself a warrior?!? HAH!"
Leena and Bit walked down the street together. Holding hands and simply enjoying each other's company. Leaning her head on his shoulder, they entered a park unknowingly that a certain someone hid in the trees. He snapped pictures of them, complimenting himself for his sheer cleverness and intuition. Half way through the park, and seeing themselves alone, Leena turned around to face Bit. Smiling sincerely at him, she hugged him without warning. Startled at first, Bit quickly returned the embrace, holding onto the fiery girl tightly. She rested her head on chest and whispered.
"Thank you. For everything."
And she clung onto him closer. Bit grinned and replied with ease.
"Anything for you Leena. Anything at all."
They broke apart for a minute. Bit lowered his lips, and Leena leaned her face upwards when the moment was ruined by several branches snapping under the weight of Doc who tumbled in front of the couple, carrying a camera over his neck and a sheepish grin on his face. Leena turned around and squinted her eyes.
"Dad? And just what do you think YOU'RE doing?!?"
And Leena was thrown back to where she was; her dream ripped away from reality.
And she collapsed onto the bed. Fighting back tears that threaten to overtake her.
AHHHH!!! I FINALLY was able to update! I know I know I have been WAY too lazy but school is soooo freaking EVIL EVIL EVIL!!!!!!!! AHHHH!! *burns all his homework with a flame-thrower* Anyway! *clears throat* Read and review and tell me what you think! I know there isn't any Brad/Leena action yet but next chapter will definitely focus on those two. Many apologizes to keep you all waiting! Thanks a billion for your reviews and as always PLEASE NO FLAMES!!! Thank you everyone so much! I will update when I get the chance. Seeya later!