Chapter 8: Heal

"What did happen to you?" Relena asked Aiden as they sat in her office, the politician perched on the edge of her desk, bending over the figure in the wheelchair as she doctored his bloody lip. His family had left after the tour, and he was glad his mother had not seen the blood – she had fainted when he was shot, and would have gotten hysterical at this scratch.

Well, more than a scratch, Aiden relented, wincing as Relena dabbed at the cut with alcohol. "Ow," he murmured, and Relena smiled down at him.

"You got shot and you're complaining that this hurts?" her expression was playful and Aiden smirked back at her, responding to the tone.

"I was unconscious for most of that treatment. Besides, you're rough." Her eyes clouded over and the porcelain lids dropped.

"I'm sorry I got you shot," she whispered, the entire mood changing. "I didn't – I just – I didn't want anyone to get hurt," her voice broke and she put a hand to her mouth, a muffled sob escaping, shaking her form as she tried to choke it back. Aiden's face softened and he pulled her down off the desk, settling her onto his lap in the chair and holding her there as he might a child, rocking her slightly as she buried her face into his shoulder and cried. "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry," he heard her gasp out, and he hugged her closer to him.

"It's okay," he murmured, stroking her silken hair. Aiden wasn't as good at comforting as his mother was, but he had picked up a few tips here and there and spoke in a soft, kind voice, murmuring nonsense meant to make her feel better. "You know, when Kia skins her knee or something," he said after a pause and some meandering thought, "she always gets somebody to kiss it and it feels better."

It was only mollifying nonsense, something he remembered that he had the vague feeling would make her feel better, but Relena sniffled and drew back from his shoulder, looking him in the face. After a moment, she leaned forward and brushed her lips lightly against side of his mouth – a butterfly kiss on the cut. She drew back and he looked at her in slight surprise, though the feelings the touch invoked in him almost overwhelmed the surprise. After a moment of looking into each other's eyes and realizing fully the position they were in, Relena asked in a soft, husky voice, "Where else does it hurt?"

He stared at her for a moment, her face suspended over his, slender white hand cupping his cheek, her weight a welcome feeling on his lap . . . Aiden shook his head, looking away from her, and she moved back, taking her hand down. "I should go," he said quietly, and after a moment she slipped silently from his legs and moved to shift through some papers, not looking at him.

Good, he thought, she understands. As he wheeled toward the door, not looking back, his heart throbbed once and he added, I hope.

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Aiden was back on his feet before the week was out, and busy training with Trowa in the gym. Quatre sat by the side with Relena and watched – or tried to. Aiden's mother had coerced them into helping Aiden babysit the kids for the day while the parents relaxed in the pool. They had been transferred to the secured mansion earlier that day, which happened to be where Relena was staying until the whole terrorist mess could be resolved. Aiden felt bad for putting his family through all of this and was more at ease when he could keep an eye on them all.

Aiden dodged and swept his leg at Trowa, who did a full leap into the air and over Aiden's head. Instead of marveling at this feat, Aiden swept around and caught him as he came down, slamming the acrobat into the mats. Trowa twisted and almost wriggled loose, but Aiden was ready and shifted his weight accordingly, effectively pinning Trowa face-down to the mat.

Trowa sighed, giving up his struggles. "Yeild," he murmured, and felt blessed air rush into his lungs as Aiden let him sit up. "Better than yesterday," he complemented after a moment, then stood and walked over to his water. Aiden watched him walk away absently and transferred his gaze to the four chattering by the side-lines. They hadn't even noticed the sparring match was over.

Aiden smirked as Kia sidled a little closer to Quatre, whose charming smile was beginning to look strained. Aiden didn't blame him, Kia could test the patience of an angel sometimes. Relena, in turn, was trying to follow Yamashi's prattle as he showed her his car magazines, but only succeeded in being increasingly lost. Finally, he gave up and pulled out the big guns.

Teddy Bears Illustrated. Aiden laughed silently as Relena's eyes widened in happiness and she perused the magazines with enthusiasm. Their chatter and laughter filled the room, echoing, and Aiden glanced over to see Kia thoroughly whopping Quatre in a Pretty Pink Gundam battle.

Pushing himself up, Aiden walked over to the battle and watched with evident enjoyment. Kia was presently of the mind where nothing could harm her Gundam but she could inflict severe damage on anyone else's. This meant that though Quatre tried his best, all his valiant efforts to take down Gundam Fuschia were thwarted with violent comebacks and the outright ignoring of any damage he managed to "inflict."

Aiden laughed at Quatre's dismayed bemusement when this happened for the third time, then caught Relena's eye as she glanced over from her magazine and smiled at her. There was a warm fuzzy feeling in Aiden's stomach that he had enjoyed immensely for the past few years with his family that now mixed with an aching pang in his chest as she smiled back, sweetly.

"Relena!" a voice came from behind Aiden at the door to the gym and Relena's gaze transferred to the blonde man standing there.

"Ryo," she smiled, and Aiden looked down, the fuzzy feeling evaporating, replaced with hot indignation. It seemed almost sacrilegious for Ryo to have come at that precise moment, when Aiden was feeling so good.

"Come on," Aiden said softly, standing and picking up Kia's toys, "you should get cleaned up for dinner." He gave his pouting sister her Pink-Gundam-filled backpack and took her hand, leading her over and telling Yamashi in an undertone that they were going, as Relena was over talking to Ryo. Unfortunately, Yamashi made his protests as loud as he could.

"I don't wanna go!" he yelled, straining against his brother's strong hand on his arm. Luckily for Aiden, though Yamashi looked like him he held nothing of Aiden's old strength as a soldier. Kia took this as a cue for her rebellion, and she promptly and shrilly shrieked her displeasure.

Annoyed that they were creating a spectacle, and embarrassed that they were doing it in front of his friends – and rival – Aiden closed his eyes briefly before bending and sweeping both off their feet, Kia in one arm and Yamashi over the other shoulder.

"We have to go," he muttered to Relena as he passed, his burdens ungraciously hitting him in the face and almost kicking Relena as they headed out.

Stunned, Relena only had time to call a worried goodbye before they were down the hall and out of her sight.