Chapter 15: Searching for hope
Coolness pressed against Rei's body. (Is this...heaven? Where is Wufei?) A sharp sting burning into her body brought Rei to consciousness. "Where is he?" She whispered. No sooner did the words pass her lips did she feel something press into her hand.
"I'm here..."
Rei sighed a smile. (At least we're together, at least in death...)
Minako's P.O.V.
Minako knew the others were tired and weary of the battle, of fighting the endless waves of youmas, one after another. (But we have to keep searching, they're still alive, I can feel it!) She didn't need to say anything though. Minako knew the others would search, because they could feel it too. (The faded energy, that tiny piece...) She sighed and slumped down on a bench. (What chance do we have of finding them? Wufei's family is out searching the city, Duo and his friends are practically tearing the streets apart, even the other senshi had blasted open the firewall around the city and are now searching as well. But how can we find them, they could have been blasted into orbit for all we know...) The image of the glossy, black sphere contracting, then almost imploding on itself, sending off the shimmering wave of pure energy. Minako closed her eyes.
"Hey." A voice said quietly behind her. Minako turned around, only to tilt back her head up to the tall form of Setsuna. Setsuna smiled and moved around the bench, brushing back her long, dark hair as she sat down. "Any luck yet?" She asked quietly.
Minako shook her head slowly. "None. But, Sets, I know I can sense her! She's here somewhere-"
"We can all feel her, Minako. We just have to keep up hope." She closed her eyes as Minako nodded dejectedly and leaned over, her blond hair falling over her face. Setsuna stood up and shook Minako's shoulder. "Come. I was told there's a lake up ahead. The others are already meeting there to figure out our options."
Minako nodded and stood up, following a little behind Setsuna as she led the way through the trees. She heard a small din of low voices talking together. Looking up, she saw all of her old friends gathered together next to a large, gleaming lake. Minako looked around. (Amara, still so tall, Michiru, looks like she's gotten thinner, Hotaru, growing up so fast, even Usagi.) Minako smiled softly. (Looking more like a queen every day.) It was true; Usagi's hair was losing its youthful brightness, and her eyes seemed to hold more dignity. (But she's probably still just as klutzy...) Minako couldn't stop herself from giggling slightly, despite the obvious gravity filling the area.
They all looked up for a moment, smiled gravely and silenced. Setsuna stood aside as Minako joined the Inners. All eyes turned to Usagi. Looking around, she raised her voice to address them all. "I take it from the glum faces that no one has found anything. But I can, as I'm sure all of you can, sense that Rei is indeed alive. And we must find her."
Minako nodded with the others and her eyes slipped off Usagi and drifted to the lake beside them. (Never leave anyone behind...) He eyes caught a sharp glint on the far side of the lake. She focused on a dark dot, almost a speck, contrasting against the rocks that lined the water on that side of the lake. (Maybe...) She raised her hand slowly, calling the attention to herself. "Has anyone checked this lake?"
Ami's thoughtful voice seemed to whisper behind Minako. "Yes, well, they should have by now anyway. His family's been going through the woods since this morning."
Minako lowered her hand, eyes never leaving the dark spot on the opposite shore. The others shifted around her, noticing it as well.
"Is it possible..." Amara wondered quietly.
Suddenly, the whole group took off to the left, the shortest way around the lake.
They made it to the rocks and even before they got there, each had seen what they had hoped was true, Rei and Wufei, lying side by side, bruised and burned, but there.
Amara, of course as the first to reach them, skidding to a stop over the rock they rested so silently under.
Minako halted behind Amara, still breathing hard leaned over the edge and peered at the couple, lying as though they merely slept. (Wait a sec...) "They're breathing!" She yelled and the whole forest seemed to break out in thrilled laughter.
Almost a week later, Hotaru ran out into the courtyard shouting and jumping, quite unusual for her personality, so of course, the others came rushing. "I think she's waking up! Rei's waking up!!"
The crowd, including the Scouts, the boys and both families, were gathered around the beds where both Rei and Wufei stirred. Minako stepped up and took Rei's hand gently. "Please..."
Rei lifted her leaden head slowly. Her hands felt some softness around her, but no comforting warmth. "Where is he..."
"He's here, open your eyes, Rei." A voice said softly in her ear.
Rei complied slowly and saw the whitewashed walls of the hospital room. Tilting her head around, she saw his form lying in the bed next to hers. She smiled. His chest rose and fell slowly. "I guess...I guess we don't have to be together only in death."
Wufei's eyes slowly lifted and turned her way. "Yes, Rei. We beat them, didn't we?" He asked shortly, smiling faintly.
"Yeah. We were strong."
"Together."
Rei nodded. Grandfather Hino cleared his throat loudly. "Well, I hate to break this up, but if you happen to recall, you two have a little something to see to..."
Rei smiled and turned her head back to Wufei. "Finally."
Hey, hope you like this little chapter... Little short I know, but it's all I have right now. The wedding and reception are the next chapter and I still have a little fine tuning to do, and that should be out pretty soon. Well, review me!!! The more reviews I get, the faster I update you know... Oh, and thanx to you all, I finally hit my 100 mark!!!
Coolness pressed against Rei's body. (Is this...heaven? Where is Wufei?) A sharp sting burning into her body brought Rei to consciousness. "Where is he?" She whispered. No sooner did the words pass her lips did she feel something press into her hand.
"I'm here..."
Rei sighed a smile. (At least we're together, at least in death...)
Minako's P.O.V.
Minako knew the others were tired and weary of the battle, of fighting the endless waves of youmas, one after another. (But we have to keep searching, they're still alive, I can feel it!) She didn't need to say anything though. Minako knew the others would search, because they could feel it too. (The faded energy, that tiny piece...) She sighed and slumped down on a bench. (What chance do we have of finding them? Wufei's family is out searching the city, Duo and his friends are practically tearing the streets apart, even the other senshi had blasted open the firewall around the city and are now searching as well. But how can we find them, they could have been blasted into orbit for all we know...) The image of the glossy, black sphere contracting, then almost imploding on itself, sending off the shimmering wave of pure energy. Minako closed her eyes.
"Hey." A voice said quietly behind her. Minako turned around, only to tilt back her head up to the tall form of Setsuna. Setsuna smiled and moved around the bench, brushing back her long, dark hair as she sat down. "Any luck yet?" She asked quietly.
Minako shook her head slowly. "None. But, Sets, I know I can sense her! She's here somewhere-"
"We can all feel her, Minako. We just have to keep up hope." She closed her eyes as Minako nodded dejectedly and leaned over, her blond hair falling over her face. Setsuna stood up and shook Minako's shoulder. "Come. I was told there's a lake up ahead. The others are already meeting there to figure out our options."
Minako nodded and stood up, following a little behind Setsuna as she led the way through the trees. She heard a small din of low voices talking together. Looking up, she saw all of her old friends gathered together next to a large, gleaming lake. Minako looked around. (Amara, still so tall, Michiru, looks like she's gotten thinner, Hotaru, growing up so fast, even Usagi.) Minako smiled softly. (Looking more like a queen every day.) It was true; Usagi's hair was losing its youthful brightness, and her eyes seemed to hold more dignity. (But she's probably still just as klutzy...) Minako couldn't stop herself from giggling slightly, despite the obvious gravity filling the area.
They all looked up for a moment, smiled gravely and silenced. Setsuna stood aside as Minako joined the Inners. All eyes turned to Usagi. Looking around, she raised her voice to address them all. "I take it from the glum faces that no one has found anything. But I can, as I'm sure all of you can, sense that Rei is indeed alive. And we must find her."
Minako nodded with the others and her eyes slipped off Usagi and drifted to the lake beside them. (Never leave anyone behind...) He eyes caught a sharp glint on the far side of the lake. She focused on a dark dot, almost a speck, contrasting against the rocks that lined the water on that side of the lake. (Maybe...) She raised her hand slowly, calling the attention to herself. "Has anyone checked this lake?"
Ami's thoughtful voice seemed to whisper behind Minako. "Yes, well, they should have by now anyway. His family's been going through the woods since this morning."
Minako lowered her hand, eyes never leaving the dark spot on the opposite shore. The others shifted around her, noticing it as well.
"Is it possible..." Amara wondered quietly.
Suddenly, the whole group took off to the left, the shortest way around the lake.
They made it to the rocks and even before they got there, each had seen what they had hoped was true, Rei and Wufei, lying side by side, bruised and burned, but there.
Amara, of course as the first to reach them, skidding to a stop over the rock they rested so silently under.
Minako halted behind Amara, still breathing hard leaned over the edge and peered at the couple, lying as though they merely slept. (Wait a sec...) "They're breathing!" She yelled and the whole forest seemed to break out in thrilled laughter.
Almost a week later, Hotaru ran out into the courtyard shouting and jumping, quite unusual for her personality, so of course, the others came rushing. "I think she's waking up! Rei's waking up!!"
The crowd, including the Scouts, the boys and both families, were gathered around the beds where both Rei and Wufei stirred. Minako stepped up and took Rei's hand gently. "Please..."
Rei lifted her leaden head slowly. Her hands felt some softness around her, but no comforting warmth. "Where is he..."
"He's here, open your eyes, Rei." A voice said softly in her ear.
Rei complied slowly and saw the whitewashed walls of the hospital room. Tilting her head around, she saw his form lying in the bed next to hers. She smiled. His chest rose and fell slowly. "I guess...I guess we don't have to be together only in death."
Wufei's eyes slowly lifted and turned her way. "Yes, Rei. We beat them, didn't we?" He asked shortly, smiling faintly.
"Yeah. We were strong."
"Together."
Rei nodded. Grandfather Hino cleared his throat loudly. "Well, I hate to break this up, but if you happen to recall, you two have a little something to see to..."
Rei smiled and turned her head back to Wufei. "Finally."
Hey, hope you like this little chapter... Little short I know, but it's all I have right now. The wedding and reception are the next chapter and I still have a little fine tuning to do, and that should be out pretty soon. Well, review me!!! The more reviews I get, the faster I update you know... Oh, and thanx to you all, I finally hit my 100 mark!!!