Chapter Two: The Deportations
Act One: Good-bye and Good-bye
By: Alexandria the Great {Hope y'all enjoy! Knux did a great job, didn't he? J }
The image of the perfect soldier flashed in Heero's mind during the taxi drive from the airport—how did they get that mark on Lance's hand, any way? That should have been the least of his worries; Relena was going to be none too happy about Heero leaving for any kind of anything. He was engaged so deep in thought, he didn't even realize he'd walked into his house and was holding Relena.
"How was it? What happened?"
Heero didn't know what to say. She looked so happy, a happiness that was glittering in her sea-blue irises and glowing in the back of her eyes. He sighed.
"Libra….Libra's back. It's a base. Somebody's planning a war. I have to go to war. You won't see me, I mean it, I mean the war…"
"What do you mean 'Libra's back'?" Relena interrupted his crazy babble.
"I'm sorry, Lena. There's a new threat. Somebody—we don't know who—has rebuilt Libra and they could be planning something."
"Why you?"
That was actually a very good question. Why Heero? He risked his neck once, he'd be more than obliged to do it again, and die in the struggle. After all, what was he born for?
"I'm the perfect soldier. I have to join other perfect soldiers and be ready for battle."
"Is that what that guy said?" Relena let go of him.
"Yeah, but—"
"You don't even know that there's going to be war. You could be going through all this for nothing."
"That not the Relena I know," he said with a smile, "you don't really fell that way."
Relena hinted at tears. "I just don't want to lose you."
"You're not going to lose me. It's……..me." Heero took her in his arms. Relena sighed.
"When are you leaving?"
"I have to be somewhere in three days."
"Three days?! Why so early?"
Heero shrugged. "Just the way that guy told us things would go." Heero smiled. "Now I know how Zechs must have felt when we met with Epyon and Wing Zero. Almost at the mercy of a teen."
"He's a kid?" Relena demanded, getting a little angry.
"So was I when I piloted." And that is the only reason Relena shut up. She smiled.
"I guess I have to be an adult about this and give you a fond farewell."
"Yeah, I guess. I'm going to the gym all day tomorrow and rest the next day."
"And you're sure you have to leave in three days?"
"That's what Lance said."
Relena felt no obligation to believe Lance, but she hid it. "What exactly are you going to do when you leave me?"
Heero thought she said that like he was geared specifically toward leaving her, but answered,
"I told you: I'm joining other perfect soldiers to form a perfect army. We'll lead the siege on Libra, should a war start."
"And then?"
"And then what?"
"After you lead, you'll be home?"
"Not necessarily. I'm going to stay and fight to the end."
"There shouldn't be any need for perfect soldiers." Relena muttered, turning away, "Just promise me you won't use the self-detonator, Heero."
Heero smiled a small smile. "I promise."
Relena smiled and they kissed.
Three days later, Duo arrived in his SUV with the rest of the guys and honked for Heero. The noise woke Relena, who saw 7:45 on the clock. She snapped to alertness.
"Heero!" he stepped in the room, fully dressed in his Preventers uniform. He kissed her goodbye, ignoring her morning-breath.
"I love you." He whispered.
"I love you, too, my Heero." She whispered back. He kissed her hands and he kissed her forehead and walked out of the room. She just watched solemnly as he left his love. She heard the faintness of the front door slamming and even more faintly, a car door. The car drove off. Relena dashed to the window, hoping to catch a glimpse of Heero, met only by a cloud of smoke in front of the fountain. She waved goodbye to her Heero, rubbing the tips of her fingers against the glass. She sighed and got dressed for work.
"Twenty-seven bottles of beer on the wall! Twenty-seven bottles of beer! Take one down, pass it around—Fei!" Duo sang jubilantly
"Twenty-six bottles of beer on the wall." Wufei muttered flatly, concentrating on the road. Quatre and Trowa sat in the first row of back seats and Heero stretched out on the farthest back seat. He thought about Relena and he thought about Libra. What could posses somebody to rebuild that? Hopefully what they were looking at was a war memorial. But it's up and running, Lance told them, up and running. Now ask yourself, what does an operating battleship mean to your average earthling? Heero looked out the window. Houses flew by. He tried to content himself with the thought of Relena, but they were too soon at Hangar 39.