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Out of Control, Part 21

"I talked to her."

"To who?"

"To Veronica. I thought you would like to know about her, Vaughn," Randy said as she leaned closer to the vidphone in her parents' study. She pointed a finger at him and shook it. "You should be there with her."

"Don't you think I know that? I know I that I should be, but right now, she doesn't want me near her, and neither does Heero! " Vaughn snapped back as he slunk down in his chair as he looked back at her through the screen.

"You're being a baka! Do you know what she's even feeling? Do you? I would think that you would since you're the empathic one here!" she retorted as she gave him a glare.

"I haven't been reading her!"

"You fucking idiot! If you were, you would realize how much she needs you! She cares about you so much and I know you love her, so get your ass in gear and get over there and see her!"

"I'm not pushing. She's not well enough yet," he lashed back as he raked a hand through his hair. "For once, I'm doing what my father says, and staying away from her."

Randy gritted her teeth as she looked back into the glittering amethyst eyes on the screen. He was more stubborn than her, if that was possible. He would rather suffer than just do it. She pushed her face closer to the screen. "She's paler than normal, Winner. Her smile does not always reach her eyes and even I can see the pain in them! For once in your life, go out on the limb and risk everything! What do you have to lose besides your life to Heero? If you love her, you would be willing to die for her," she snarled.

Vaughn's narrowed his eyes at her, but his heart twisted at the thought of Veronica still being in pain and needing him. He had chosen not to read her emotions out of the way he felt about her. Randy was right and he knew it. He was being a fucking idiot and a baka. "I do love her."

"Then go tell her because I don't want to see her as unhappy as she's been. Stop being a gentleman and be a man! If you want her, love her, go and get her. Veronica returns your feelings, but she thinks you don't want her by the way you've been acting. She's taking this as a sign that you don't care and I will be damned if this gets screwed up even more than it already is! I want to see her happy! I want to see you happy! And I would prefer if you two were together to find it."

He hated the way she was looking at him right now with that resolute expression on her face. Those cobalt eyes of hers were boring into his. She used them as a weapon. They could cut him down to size with a glance. She was being the bitch, a role that suited her from time to time. "It's easier said than done!" he shot back.

Randy felt like pounding her head on the edge of the desk. "It is easy, Vaughn! Just go to her and say, "Veronica, I love you." How hard can that be?"

"Plenty hard when you have Heero Yuy in your path!"

She threw her hands up in the air before slamming them back down. "What do I have to do to you? Reach through the damn screen and throttle you? You want her; you have to go through him! There are no two ways about it. You have to deal with him since you did hurt her."

"So did you."

"No shit. But I faced him and apologized. Plus, I got to talk to her. We straightened out as much as we could between us. Now, it's your turn."

"You make this sound like it's a walk in the park! It's not! Don't you think I want to be over there with her? Damn right, I do, but I can't. You know how hard it's been not to read her, to know how she's feeling?" Vaughn shouted at her, bracing his palms on the desk and rising out of his seat. "It's been a nightmare because every time I think about her, all I can feel is the pain! Pain, which kept me up for more than half the night, strong enough to make me wish I were dead! I took enough painkillers to drop a fucking horse and I still barely slept at all! When I woke up, I felt like I had been ripped in half several times over!"

Randy's eyes had gone wide as she had shot back against the chair. She was surprised by the vehemence of his outburst. His face was flushed; his hair a wild mess, and his eyes had a maddened glint to them. Vaughn looked like he had just gone insane. Pursing her lips, she let her chin drop forwards onto her chest. She wasn't about to give up on him yet. In her mind, Vaughn and Veronica were perfect for each other. She was messy as he was too neat; she had common sense, where he had none; he barely had temper, while hers was explosive. And they both liked to break rules. They were their families' black sheep. She wasn't the typical Yuy, like he wasn't the characteristic Winner. Letting out a sigh, she looked back up at him again. "Shouting at me, won't help you, Winner."

The soft-spoken rebuke, made his hands relax on the edge of the desk, his knuckles going back to their original color. He slumped down his chair, squeezing his eyes shut. " I don't mean to go crazy on you, but I just don't know what to do, Randy. I love her, but I don't want to hurt her again. I'm more afraid of causing her anymore-undue stress. That's why I haven't pushed on seeing her. I love her enough to stay away and give her the time she needs. When the time is right, I'll go to her, and not a moment before," he returned, his tone calmer and more controlled once again.

She shook her head. "I think you're making a mistake, but do what you think is best. But I did tell her that she should talk to you. So, expect her to come to you because she's ready and you would know that she is, if you read her. Ver is willing to fight her father on this because I know he'll still have his objections, not like I blame him. She knows what she's ready for…and she's ready for you. Veronica has always needed someone like you to care about her, who won't use her to his own ends. She's a manipulator, but it's been done to her too. What she needs, Vaughn, is that affection you've always shown me. You have to put that same amount of energy of your emotions that you felt for me, to her. I have Donavon to love me…and she needs you to love her…like you need her to love you. And you have such a good heart and you deserve her. Never think that you're not worthy of her because of what you've done in the past. You are," she said softly as she touched screen with her fingertips. She gave him an understanding smile before continuing. "Everything you ever did for me, you will take it and use it for her. You and I taught each other a lot and that is our past. This is your time with her. You've always wanted her since we were kids; you've fantasized about her. Now it's time to make your fantasy a reality."

Vaughn could tell that her words were heartfelt. Randy gave him good advice some times and she was right about one thing, he needed to make his fantasy a reality. She needed the love that he knew he could give her, deep down inside. There had always been that need to protect her, and now it was his chance. An opportunity at the woman of his dreams only came by once in a lifetime. And when they spoke, he would tell her exactly how he felt. The time for them to be together was finally right. He reached up and touched the screen with his fingers, so that they matched hers. "Thank you, sweetheart," he said as a slight smile crossed his lips.

A/N: A short part, I know. It shouldn't be much longer now, so stay tuned for more coming soon! XOXO!!