This is it! Finally I have the last chapter written! I am very excited to hear what everyone thinks of it.
Magatama
Chapter Twenty: The Other Side of the Glass
Trees and bushes and ivy covered walls passed swiftly outside Relena's window. She fidgeted, wishing only that the uncomfortable shuttle-train ride would end sooner. Lady Une sat in the aisle seat next to her, dozing in her worry. Two sets of body guards watched over her from in front and behind. She was safe.
The call had come in not more than an hour before Wufei had been rescued, yet he was bringing Heero to the hospital. Her heart fluttered and a hint of pink shone across her cheeks as she recited a silent prayer. Heero...
She couldn't shake the infatuation, nor did she want to. Her fascination with this strange young man had inspired her and driven her. Relena Darilan would not be the person she was without Heero Yuy--or so she liked to think.
An apprehensive smile flickered over her lips. The scenery outside Relena's window slurred into one continuous green blur.
The hospital was overly protected. Preventors had invaded it, working with local law enforcers to keep all those with secure. Who else was sheltered, she wondered.
Wandering through the halls of the hospital, closely followed by a discreet guard, she took in the smell of fresh flowers. A bouquet of white flowers which she could not name sat upon the white counter to her right.
There was quiet nowhere. It was painful.
Through the trance, a hand grasped her arm. She didn't jump or startle, but let her eyes trace the arm from its hand's strong grip to the broad shoulder with tangled silver blonde hair falling over it. The face was handsomely familiar, but it offered no comfort in this place of chaos. It was stern and cold and taut with worry.
Zechs pulled her to a sparse waiting room. Her eyes never left his. They seemed filled with scorn.
"Relena," he said, unsure of whether he should embrace his sister.
"Milliardo," she said curtly. They didn't know one another. Why should she welcome him when he only came when he felt he should?
"You are well?"
She nodded. "How is Noin?"
"Doing well, considering."
"Is she hurt?"
He looked down and bit his lip--an action which she had never before seen him perform. It was one which he had rarely let be seen. She made him apprehensive? Or was it the situation?
"She is with child..." he said, looking to her, seeking approval in his sister's face.
Relena was broken. For so long she had harbored cold indifference toward her brother, thinking that he truly only thought her an asst to a position. And because she and Noin were acquainted.
A genuine smile broke over her sealed lips. "That is wonderful news!"
Zechs smiled rigidly, feeling very vulnerable and stangely out of place. "She is very early on. Though, atmospheric reentry is not recommended at any point during pregnancy."
Relena took her brother's hand. "I'm glad you two are back..."
"It would be nice to see you more often. You are my sister--after all."
"After all...You do know where you can reach me. I have..."
"Heero?"
Relena blushed. "Yes."
Zechs's lips pressed into a thin grim line, as they had been before.
"Will you ever approve of him?" She said aloud, then covered her mouth, not meaning to speak in such whimsy.
"Does it matter whether I approve?"
"I only want you to understand him."
"I do."
Zechs felt very much like a stranger to his sister once again. She had grown so. The amount of which amazed him. She was so very poised for one so young. Then again, he was only a mere four years older than she.
Feeling the awkwardness return, Relena reached out to embrace the man before her. "I would like it very much if you would be my brother."
"As would I," he answered, resting a strong hand on her shoulder before grinning down to her.
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The light of the small room was strangely dim. An aching swept over Quatre as he awoke enough to open his eyes and contemplate how long he had slept. He recalled his dream, and Relena's story. He sat up, rubbing his eyes with his palms. The groggy haze in his head would take an hour and some strong breakfasting tea to clear.
The lamp to his left was dimmed to its lowest setting. In an attempt to shock his vision into labor, he quickly turned the light to its peak. Instantly his lids shut over his eyes one more. A minute of rubbing and watering was required before he could see fully well. He turned the lamp down again.
After a slow attempt at walking around the room he paged a nurse, whom a few minutes later, brought him some horrid tea. Quatre pulled a visitor's chair to his window and looked down upon the street three stories below him. Cars and bicyclist and people either hurried or poked along their way, going to whichever place it suited them to be. Each of them was massed into a whole large mass, yet each one of them seemed to only pay attention to the one's self an no one else's. So many and so few. So large and so small. So simple and so complex.
It was then, with a sip of tea that Quatre went inside himself and saw a working system much similar to that of the world at work on the other side of the glass window. There he saw his veins and his muscles and his tendons and his bones and his blood. Closer was each look, like a powerful scope, zeroing in upon an object, magnifying it each a hundred times. First, he began to see grains, and then individual cells, and the he saw organelles, and the smaller parts of even the organelles. The existence of which still could not be proven. He saw them communicate and move and live as though they were separate beings, living with a house. And he felt finite and infinite all at the same time. He knew that his existence amounted to something as miniscule as one of these small creatures in jut one of his billions of organelles. Yet, just as he knew this, he knew his actions mattered, just as his health depended on the balance of these small creatures.
The he was back. He shook his. Finally, his dreams and his sleep made sense to him.
He cleaned himself and dressed and checked himself out of the hospital, being much to restless to sleep any longer.
As he gathered his things, he came across a letter addressed to him in a slow, deliberate, sloppy handwriting. The hand was anything but steady, although it was legible.
Quatre sat as he read the address of farewell. The note was short and polite. Trowa never would ve one for anything long winded. His note simply stated that he would be resigning his obscure position at the colony docks. The job was one which he had procured via Quatre. He worked from Quatre's new home colony or much of the year. He said that he would be joining the Preventors at the request of Colonel Une. His last sentence had been, "This is where I belong."
He sighed, closing his eyes and folding the note, knowing that the pilot was right.
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Every step Meiran didn't take was as painful to her as if she had been vigorously pacing the emergency room corridor. She held herself back, allowing herself only to fiddly with one of the buttons on the clean shirt she'd brought Wufei.
Waiting was a cruel game. Hilde sat beside Meiran, leafing non-chalantly through a magazine. She looked as if she were not bothered by their setting or their game. She was a soldier herself--and reportedly a pretty good one, until she gave it up. Poor girl. She'd had it tough. Meiran couldn't help but wonder if this meek looking woman-child was even half as apprehensive as she was.
Meiran's eyes jumped every time the large doors to the south opened and someone hurried inside. She calmed herself and once again looked to Hilde.
Hilde set aside the magazine, barely able keep her hands from shaking. She was happy for Meiran. Wufei had been missing for two weeks, and though that can be a short time in comparison to many whom have been captured, it would seem an eternity to the individuals. Hilde felt jumbled. She wasn't afraid as she had been during MarieMaia's War, and the beginning of the last battle. She knew her strength of old had returned to her, but her nerves still chewed her fingernails when no one was looking.
Duo truly was not what concerned her. She loved him dearly, and still had doubts as to his well-being. IN her heart though, she felt only peace when picturing his face. Another apprehension nagged upon her teeth, which gnawed her short fingernails. Placing the nagging proved a challenge. She knew only that today was an important day, and that the end of this would come--be it for better or for worse.
Faintly Hilder heard a voice over the intercom paging so and so to the emergency room. The call did not register until a few seconds later when a couple of people in scrubs hurried around the corner.
Both girls alerted themselves to the chaos, and resisted the urge to stand.
Moments later the doors opened again and around the corner came a long stretcher and a hoard of people. If one looked closely, one might spy crimson soaking through white pillows.
Following the crowd came one of the orderlies, supporting a young man's shoulder. Wufei looked alright, apart from his filthy appearance. Though he was in need of rest. Meiran's eyes connected with Wufei's. Sespair and hope brimmed at the same moment, and Meiran lowered he gaze to keep the tears from falling. This did not go unnoticed by Hilde.
Wufei told to orderly to guide him to a chair next to Meiran. Since there was no chair in the area open, Hilde stood and allowed the lost man to sit next to his wife. She smiled at the both of them, leaving just in time to here Wufei ask for a glass of water, and tell the orderly not to worry about him. He was only tired and a bit dehydrated.
Duo was no with them as she hoped he would be, nor had she heard anything. Heero was in serious condition, and she feared that Duo would not take the news well. She wondered through a separate set of doors than the hospital staff used and meandered down the sidewalk.
The sun was just beginning to set, and there was a slight breeze. She walked west, into the sunset for nearly a mile before traveling two blocks south and walking another slow mile back.
The fresh air was good for her. It was so crisp here. All her life she had been told that the air of Earth was terribly polluted and that a large percent of her populated died from lung cancer because of it.
There was simply a different quality to the air of earth than there was in her colony. She loved her colony, but part of her would always long for the crisp air of Earth.
Feeling less tense, Hilde re-entered the emergency room to find Wufei and Meiran missing. None she saw she recognized.
In stealth Hilde padded in front of one of the tall white desks and into one of the hospital's main corridors. Though she had no idea where she went, Hilde progressed without drawing much attention to herself. Even Duo had to look twice as she passed him. He had been speaking loudly with an old gentleman nurse about Heero's condition in a small nook just off the main corridor. Fire was in his eyes as he stopped speaking in mid-word to follow Hilde.
"Hilde!" Duo called when he was close at her back.
Slowly she turned with a smile, even though Duo's call had souned cold to her ears. His arms wrapped around her and squeezed her into himself. He kissed her forehead.
"Where have you been, Babe?"
"I went for a walk. I was tired of waiting."
His face broke into a smile, and he kissed her full on the lips.
"How's Heero?" she said.
"Come with me," Duo said, taking hold of Hilde's wrist.
"What about Heero?" she said.
"He's banged up pretty bad, but he's survived worse. Trust me, Babe. It might take him a while, but he'll be perfectly fine--eventually."
"Where are we going?" she said as he pulled her back along the corridor.
"I don't know," his words shrugged, while his body said that he knew his destination exactly.
Hilde rolled her eyes, but secretly she smiled.
Duo's commandeered Jeep was parked only two blocks from the hospital. He drove southwest.
There was silence between the couple until they were a good distance outside the city. As they drove around the rim of the lake and into Switzerland once more, the wind blew Hilde's loose hair across her face to the right. She restrained the strands with her left hand, and noted the change in state.
"Do you still not know where we are going?"
"I have an idea..."
"You gonna let me in on the secret?"
"Well, I'm not quite sure where it is, but I saw this set of bungalows along the seaside. It was a resort of some sort."
"Oh," Hilde said, allowing him to keep his reasoning to himself for the time. Instead she pictured how beautiful the moon would look setting into the purple mountain sunrise, glittering off the lake.
After about an hour of scaling many winding roads around the Boden Sea, Duo located his lonely bungalows and pulled in front of what he guessed was the lodge. They were closed.
"Well, Babe, looks like we get a free night ."
"We didn't need to spend the extra money anyway," Hilde laughed, and hung her arm out where the window should have been.
Duo pulled up a small house only a few yards from the waterfront. Ash and Evergreen trees surrounded it, nestling it in their comfortable bows.
"This look good?" Duo asked.
Hilde nodded and jumped from the jeep, landing lightly on her feet. "Got your pick?"
Duo's hand was already searching through his thick, bound hard. "Always just behind the right ear, Babe." He pulled her into his arms and kissed her for a few moments before attacking the dead bold with his trusty hair pin.
A few seconds later the door was open and the couple regally entered their temporary safe house.
Though the exterior was old and rustic, the interior was very expensive. The walls were painted a dark blue with white molding along the ceiling and floor. The furniture all was dark with a deep cherry stain over the hand-carved wood. The cushions were all the soft creamy white of the molding. The north wall was only one humongous, filled bookshelf with a built in desk. The bed, dresser and bathroom door were to the south. The kitchen was along the east wall. A great window with a luscious view of the lake lay just above the sink area. The western wall displayed a lavish fireplace with white molding and a red granite setting. Opposite the fireplace was a large sofa and two chairs, all with over-stuffed creamy cushions.
"Not bad for being deserted..." Duo said.
"It looks like a luzury guest house of some sort....Do you suppose Quatre would put us up in a place like this if we took him up on is offer?"
Duo's smile dropped. "Babe, he'd give us half the world if we'd let him. But, we'll talk about that later."
She frowned momentarily, but Duo surprised her expression back into a smile by playfully punching her shoulder. She took a defensive stance and then two circle each other.
She swung next, her punch blocked by his forearm. Immediately she kicked. That too was foiled, however, he left cross was not anticipated. She connected with Duo's left shoulder, pushing him back a step.
"Now you're gonna pay little girl!" he exclaimed and relentlessly attacked her with punch after punch. She unsuccessfully attempted blocking him with every move she knew. She regretted losing her arm cast so soon. It might have come in handy for such a match. He was moving twice as fast as she.
Finally, in one last desperate move she jumped at his neck, clinging to him with arms and legs. Since the impact was unexpected, Duo was thrown off balance and back onto the bed. They lay there a moment, tangled and laughing.
"Someday," Hilde said, "one of us could seriously hurt the other."
"Yeah,' Duo said. "That day isn't today." He rolled over top of her and kissed her deeply.
Many hours later Hilde awoke along in the large bed. It was dark, though she didn't not know the time. She wrapped her naked self in a down blanket and went searching for Duo. She found him sitting on the front stair of the house, facing the lake. She sat beside him, leaning into his warmth.
"Whatcha doin?" She asked after a few minutes.
It was then he acknowledged her presence. He pulled her around next to him, wrapping his sheet around them both.
"What do you really feel about accepting financial aid from Quatre?" he said.
Hilde thought for a moment. "We are having money trouble--yes. I don't think running to Quatre is the answer, even thought it would be easy. We can work through it on our own. I'd much rather do it that way."
He eyed her. "You're not just saying that because my swollen pride won't allow me to accept the offer."
"Its the way I really feel. Though, an invitation for a visit isn't charity, Duo. Remember that."
"Yeah, I know. I feel bad enough as it is though. We're stealing Wufei's bed from him--and he'd slept on that damn couch for well over a couple of weeks. THen he spent two weeks in a fucking cave. We just cam in and took over without giving anything back--and I never even really--"
"Speak for yourself." Hilde cut in. "I've taken care of Meiran the whole time. I've had to keep her from working and over-doing herself. She'd a busy one. My services to her along earned us that bed, Besides, Meiran was perfectly fine with the idea."
"It wasn't her bed," Duo pointed out. "It was Wufei's"
"She's his wife," Hilde countered softly.
"They aren't exactly your average married couple."
Hilde paused her retort and let it die. "They've never slept together..."
Duo chuckled. "Somehow that makes sense. That guy is the most prideful bastard I've ever met. ...Doesn't even have sex with his own girl.."
"Duo!"
"What?!"
The argument ended and they sat as the moon began to fade from the sky and the morning clouds blanketed the stars.
"Weird, how a couple who's been married longer than we've known each other has barely kissed, and here we are--going on two years together, naked in the country," Hilde thought aloud.
"Hilde."
"Yeah?"
"How long do you think you'll be with me?"
"Until I dir, or you drive me crazy," she said.
"How are you sure?"
"My instincts, my comfort, the feelings we share...all that corny stuff. Why do you ask?"
"Just wondering."
"You don't want to leave me do you?"
"Hell no. I wouldn't think of it. You are my life."
"So what are you wondering?"
Duo's eyes remained upon the technicolor sky as he pondered his answer. Finally he said, "You don't need a marriage license to tell you that we're in love do you?"
"Duo Maxwell, I can honestly say that I've rarely thought about it. I'd much rather just love you all my life and not have to worry about the details. I'd just rather have you and know that you want me."
A smile spread across his lips as he allowed his eyes to connect with hers. "Now I know you were made for me, because I don't think marriage would suit us at all."
"Yeah," Hilde said, standing up. "That's way to conventional for us. Now come inside, we've a little while longer before we should go back."
"Yes ma'am," Duo saluted, and followed the flowing blanket back to the mussed bed.
---------------
Sally sat back with her charts as Wufei slipped on the crisp white shirt Meiran had brought him. He could hear the scrap of Sally's pen against the data screen as he forced the buttons through their respective holes.
He felt much better now that he'd been able to shower and get some water to drink. A good night's sleep and he would be almost fully rejuvenated.
"Other than some dehydration, you seem perfectly fine," Sally said.
Wufei said nothing as he rolled up his left sleeve.
"I do, however, recommend you take the next few days off work."
"I will not be returning to work at the Preventors," he said, rolling up his right sleeve.
"Have you told the Colonel?"
"As soon as I am allowed to see her we will discuss it."
Silence ensued as Sally switched off her data screen and Wufei adjusted his shoe strings, his jaw was set as if he planned on saying nothing more. Sally, however, was hardly satisfied.
"Wufei, why are you leaving?"
"I no longer feel the need to protect the world through warring. A beckon is coming from another direction. I must return to the colonies and answer it.
A small smile came over Sally's lips. "I knew I could never keep you grounded for long. You love space too much."
Wufei nodded, opening the door to leave.
"One more question." Sally said, halting him. "Does this have anything to do with Her?"
"My wife has everything to do with it."
The door closed behind him with a soft click. Sally exited the small room a few moments later.
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The wooden door opened slowly so as not to disturb the resting patient. Two pale, slender hands closed the door as softly as they had opened it. Her feet barely made any sound as she crossed the floor to stand next to the bed.
"I am not supposed to be here, Heero," Relena said. "I snuck in anyway--to bring you thins."
She held out a golden brown teddy bear with a blue bowtie around its neck. When Heero's hand remained idle she set the toy beside his right shoulder.
"You are strong, Heero. You are the strongest, and even though my eyes tear at the sight of you now, I know that you are fighting still. I know you will survive. You always do."
He hand grasped his and she stood, holding his firmly in her own. Though words had stopped issuing from her mouth, her brain continued with its own private musing.
I understand you now. I know what you want. Please, go to space and stay there. You are Master Space, Heero. And I am Lady Earth. Neither of us may exist without the other. Though we must co-exist, we canny occupy the same space for long. It is selfish to want such a thing. I realize that now. Go where you belong.
She smiled to herself as she bent to kiss him on the forehead. When her lips parted from his skin she felt his grip on her hand tighten drastically. With a gasp she lowered her gaze so that his face would be visible.
His eyes locked with hers immediately, and her smiled. "Mission accepted," he whispered.
The tears welling up in Relena's eyes spilled as Heero sat up to examine his wounds.
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Meiran sat in the waiting room when Wufei returned from his talk with Lady Une in a private room. She stood as he came near. He took her hand and encouraged her to sit once more.
She said nothing in an attempt to show that she wanted to try being his wife. All she really wanted was to scold him for not yet acknowledging her. Still, she bit her lip and awaited his words.
"How do you like Germany?" he asked.
Meiran said nothing. Now she bit her lip because she was not sure how he wanted her to answer the question. She always had been a terrible wife.
"Woman, stop biting your lip and tell me what you really think," he demanded, his voice losing all softness.
"Frankly, I hate it. Nothing good has really happened since I arrived. It has rained the entire time. There is no way I am staying here once I am healed."
Wufei smirked, finally seeing the Meiran of his past. "I have quit the Preventors. I was planning on moving back to a colony in L5."
"That sounds like the ideal place fro you, and--"
"And you," he finished.
Meiran closed her open mouth at her realization of the blatant invitation. Her eyes brightened and a smile spread over her face. Wufei grinned at her reaction. Suddenly her found himself kissing her, and then kissing her a few moments more was appropriate in public.
He pulled away, stood up, and took her hand in one motion.
"Come home with me, " he said, leading her to the nearest exit. "Come home with me and finally be my wife."
"I never thought I'd actually want to hear those words," Meiran said, accepting him as well.
Each young warrior left that day hand in hand with his precious jewel.
So, does it need an epilog? I would like everyone's opinion of whether this story deserves or needs an epilog. Please review and tell me what you think.