You Remind Me
Chapter 9: Something to Believe
Akina's Notes: I really need to start updating more often. Sorry this took so incredibly long. Thank you for anyone who has loyally read every chapter and has been patient with me taking so long! This chapter is pretty short, but I came to a great stopping point, expect the next chapter in a few days! Please read and review.
Rei stared sadly out the window of her room. She just felt so bone weary and helpless. It had been a week since she had begun to go with Heero out to the courtyard and every time the same thing happened. Between him and the training she was going through to learn how to use her powers, every day she went to bed sore and beaten down. She wasn't about to let her weariness get the best of her. Rei Hino never gave up; she just kept fighting, no matter the circumstances.
On the bright side, her control over her powers was growing day by day. Rei could now keep a steady flame going right above her hand. It was physically draining to do so, but she could do it. Her psychic powers were developing too. She had learned that doing a fire reading was the easiest way for her to learn things. She figured it was because her other powers revolved around fire. She could also find things out about people by coming into contact with them some times. That had happened a few times, and it always came as a shock. Today was her day off of lesson, so she had decided to spend her free time with Heero.
Getting up from the window she looked in the mirror hanging on the wall. Her eyes were all purple underneath. She hadn't gotten a lot of sleep last night; her dreams had been invaded with nightmares. Fire and flames were consuming everything. Terror could be seen in everyone's eyes, everyone except Heero's. He seemed to be almost welcoming the destruction. Suddenly some invisible force knocked him down and he didn't get back up. "Nooooooooo!" She had woken up at that point with tears streaming down her face. Each time she had fallen asleep, that dream had assailed her. Shuddering, she hurried on her way to see Heero.
Walking into his room, she saw him safe in his bed and felt a little better. 'It was just a dream, chill out Rei!' Smiling with relief she walked to his bedside. They had long stopped using restraints to keep him on the bed, but he still rarely got up. "Hello, Heero." He didn't even glance at her. "How are you?" No response came from the young man. Tears welled up in Rei's eyes, how could he be so cold? "Why do you never answer me?" she asked sadly.
"Why do you do this to me?" Heero asked in response. He turned to face her, his eyes sad and angry at the same time.
"What do you mean? I haven't done anything but try to be your friend!"
"That! Stop pretending that you care. How could anyone so beautiful and full of life care? Stop teasing me, I'm not a toy." Heero's voice was edged with ice as he spoke
Rei's voice was filled with chocked back sobs when she managed to whisper, "Is that what you think? That I'm just trying to trap you? What did that fucking bastard do to you? I'd kill him if I thought it would help you! God dammit Heero! I want to help you! How many fucking times do I have to say that to convince you?!"
Heero stared at her a few moments seeming to fight his emotions. Sitting up he asked, "Why should I believe you? Anything anyone's ever told me has been a lie. What makes you different?"
"Heero, I swear to you, I am not lying. You saved my life. I know that you can't hate everyone or else you wouldn't have done that." She grabbed him roughly by the shoulders and looked deeply into his eyes. "What happened to you to make you think that I wouldn't care?" He tried to look away, but she grabbed his face and forced him to look into her eyes. "Why won't you tell me?"
The honesty and caring that Heero saw in those violet eyes was all he needed. He had been on the verge of breaking down for a while now, and when he looked into her eyes, he knew at that moment she was being sincere. He felt tears building up in his eyes and didn't care. It was like a dam had broken. His tears began to fall and he cried for what he had to go through for the first time in 10 years. Everything begun tumbling out about how Dr. J had beaten him and controlled his life sense he had been three years old. How at the age of 7 he had realized that whenever he showed any emotion that his beatings were so much worse. That had been when he had stopped crying, stopped laughing, stopped truly living.
Rei gathered Heero into a hug and let him cry. In fact, she felt herself crying with him. "It's okay. I'll never let him hurt you again. I'll never let anyone hurt you ever again, not as long as I live." When she said this, Heero believed her and it felt so wonderful to have something to believe in again.
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A.N.: Again, sorry it was so short, but I felt that it was a good stopping point and you can't fight those feelings. More to come soon, I promise! Hope you enjoyed and make sure to tell me what you think!
