Akina's Notes:  Hey all, I decided to update this now.  It's been a while, but I'm still planning on writing this.  Thank you to all my reviewers!  I appreciate it a lot.  Yes, this is an A.U. fic.  That's all I'm gonna say right now for the sake of the plot so, sorry.  Ask questions if you want, but a lot of them are probably going to be answered in the story, so you'll have to wait.  Well, here we go!  Please review!

Disclaimer: I own nothing but the plot.

Chapter 1: Lost

Rei walked aimlessly down the street.  She felt lost on the inside and out.  No home to go home to, no warm bed to sleep in.  Only memories that burned her mind just as hot as the fire that burned her home down. The screaming, the crying, and most of all a boy her age trying to save a little girl, only to loose his life along with the young girl.  He had saved her.  Sent he out of the building to save the girl, and only because he did, had she lived.  Rei was being eaten from the inside with guilt.  It should have been her that had died, not the boy. 

            It had been about an hour since the hospital had released her.  She had been fine when they had taken her in; she had only inhaled a little smoke.  So now instead of having an uncomfortable hospitable bed to attempt to sleep in, she had the street.  She couldn't afford to spend the night in a motel, she had spent her money on food, bills, and rent.  Her next paycheck wouldn't come for a week, and if she wanted to eat, she couldn't spend money even for a bed.  It wasn't that she was extremely poor, just that she didn't have a lot and on her last shopping trip, she had splurged a bit and bought that expensive pair of jeans that she loved so much.  How was she supposed to know that a fire would steal all her possessions?

            There was a shelter for people who had lived in her building, but Rei didn't want to sleep on a cot when a homeless child might need it so much more.  She had been told that space was limited. 

            Walking down the almost deserted street, a small sign caught Rei's eye.  It was small and unadorned, but something pulled her toward it.  Willed her to read it.  The sign read Hikawa Jinja and had a small arrow pointing up a low hill with a winding dirt path.  Deciding to follow the path, Rei began short walk up the hill. Standing on top of it, she could see a small courtyard surrounded by low wooden buildings.  Cherry trees lined the path and surrounded the buildings.  It was beautiful and peaceful.  Just looking at the scene before her mad Rei relax a bit and feel a little better. 

            Continuing down the path, Rei took in all that her senses could.  The wind caressed her face and lightly toyed with her hair.  With it's calming touch came the soft scent of flowers and grass.  Her eyes told her that the wonderful smells came from the many neatly trimmed flowering shrubs and the lush green grass that covered the ground like a soft carpet rippling in the wind. 

            Normally, religion wasn't something that Rei believed in.  She liked to think that the only thing that controlled her life was the choices she made.  Still, in times like these, religions might help her just a bit.  As she arrived in the courtyard, Rei looked for a priest or some other member of the staff around here.  Not seeing anyone, so she just stood in, trying to take in all the sights that she could

            "Hello, may I help you with anything?"  The voice made Rei start.  She turned to see that the voice belonged to a short man with the strangest grin on his face.  "Maybe you'd like to buy a fortune or something?" he continued cheerfully.  The look on his face made Rei raise an eyebrow she was about to reply when she heard a voice from behind her. 

            "Grandpa, are you scaring away the customers again?"  Rei froze upon hearing the voice.  She would recognize it anywhere.  Turning Rei confirmed her suspicions by seeing a boy her age with deep-blue eyes and hair the color of dark chocolate.  She recognized him through the scratches and bruises that covered his face and whatever body parts showed through his uniform.  The boy must have recognized her too since his eyes widened with surprise once he saw her face though only for a split second. 

            "Well, what can I help you with?" The old man's voice brought Rei's attention back to him. 

            Now that Rei had seen the boy, her mind had lost concentration.  Slowly, she formed an idea to find out more about him.  "How do I become a worker her?"  The old man's eyes enlarge greatly.  She guessed that he hadn't been expecting her request. 

            "Well, if you really want to be a priestess, you…………………" 

            Rei swept the path free of leaves that would hide it from view if she didn't do this often.  It was just one of the many tasks that she had to do while working as a priestess at the shrine.  While working there, she hadn't learned much about the boy that had saved her life and the little girls.  She had learned that his name was Heero, and that he was her age.  Another thing that she had learned was that he rarely talked, and the only person he was even relatively friendly with was "grandpa." 

            The old man that ran the temple had asked Rei to call him "grandpa" for some reason that was unknown to her.  She guessed it had something to do with him not having children.  Everyone else that worked at the temple called him that so, Rei went along with it.

            Conversation was sparse at the temple.  There was a lot to accomplish during the day so the few people that worked at the temple had little time to stop and talk.  Rei didn't really mind since not having to speak to many people allowed her to think and sort out the thoughts that seemed to run rampant through her head.  The only person that Rei ever had any inclination to talk to was Heero.  He seemed to avoid her tough, so Rei hardly ever talk to him, and when she did, he either ignored her or gave an undistinguished grunt.

            Lost in her thoughts, Rei didn't hear grandpa approach.  "Tell me something, Rei.  What is it that makes you always attempt to talk to Heero?"

            Startled, Rei turned and looked at the short old man.  "Don't do that to me!  You scared me half to death!" she yelled.  Then angrily turned back to her work. 

            Grandpa chuckled and muttered some joke only he could hear.  This only agitated Rei even more.  She began taking deep breaths to try to calm herself down.  Still smiling, the old man spoke again.  "You didn't answer my question."  He said in a calm fashion, but Rei heard an underlying tone that suggested that she answer his question.

            "Because he helped and a little girl once, and I want to know why he was there at that exact moment.  I want to try to become his friend even, maybe." 

            "I'm going to warn you of one thing.  Heero hides his secrets deep, and guards them well.  Many have tried to dig them up and none of them ever succeeds. He has a dark past that I can only guess bits and pieces of.  Whatever you find out, remember it's because he lets you, don't go running your mouth off about whatever it is.  People such as Heero aren't trusting.  If you some how manage to gain his trust during your time here, don't break it."  With that said, the old man turned and left.  Rei watched his retreating form, mystified. 

            Turning back to her work, Rei felt her temper rising again.  How dare he give her advise without knowing her intentions!  He knew nothing about her and the way he even suggested at her telling anyone's secrets was just going to far!  With a start, she realized that the old man had been right.  He had read like lines in a book.  She had planned on telling everyone about his heroic efforts, but thinking about it, Rei realized that he probably didn't want to be known or else he would have brought the child to her mother or told someone else.  No one even seemed to know that he had been at the burning, except her.  Her anger had now subsided, instead of thinking of things that had happened to her, she began to think about a certain boy with hair the color of dark chocolate and eyes a deeper blue than even the ocean.  

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