Chimera of Life
Story Six: Wisdom's Harmony
Chapter Eleven
By Heartfire
~*~
The soft moan from the cot made Duo and Hilde open their eyes and sit straight to peer into the girl's face. It looked like she was coming through… Hilde yawned, still a bit sleepy, while Duo rubbed a hand upon the bridge of his nose then stretched. They had fallen asleep on the couch Sally had asked some people to bring in, and it wasn't exactly in a nice position, although having his wife next to him made it more bearable.
"It's about time… I was getting worried." Duo muttered as he walked to the blinds, east of the room, to put a shade over the bright sunbeams that might give one that had been through heavy sleep a headache when forced to face the light. The kid on the bed hadn't made a single noise since she fainted, and having heard her utter a moan was just wonderful.
"Oh please… You sleep worse than she does." Hilde chided with a harrumph.
"Heey!" Duo quickly turned to glare at his wife but he couldn't when he saw the twinkle in her eyes. He answered her merriment with one of his own as he gave her a wicked grin. "If I recall correctly…" He slowly walked to her, almost as though a predator hypnotizing a prey.
Hilde's smile widened as her pulse raced faster. She loves it when he looks at her as though ready to devour her.
"I couldn't even wake you up on our first night… that was, until I started…" He licked his lips wickedly and Hilde shivered, remembering exactly what he did.
She crossed her legs, putting pressure upon that aching center as she quickly glanced at the girl on the cot and hid her blush. "Hush! She might hear you!"
Duo chuckled as he closed the distance between the two of them, leaned down and started nuzzling her neck. He heard a quick giggle from Hilde, but when he lovingly bit her, suckled her, and made patterns on her neck, he felt her slacken, take in a deep breath and sighed in such a way that made his blood boil hot.
She leaned back against the couch's backrest and he followed, not breaking contact. He felt her head brush against his, cuddling him and he slowly trailed his lips up to her ears to nip at her lobe playfully and to whisper, "Good morning, my very own wife." God! He loves saying that!
"Hmmm…"
Duo felt her move, but he wasn't expecting her to slide her hand under his pants to cup his bottom! He gasped and straightened to look down on her face, and found her grinning up at him wickedly. She usually was so shy with these- I mean, she would kiss him passionately in public, but nothing else!
"Good morning, my very own husband."
Duo was about to say something to her when she did something with her fingers that sent a delicious shiver all over his body, and completely made his little Duo respond. "Man oh man, Hilde…" He was about to devour her lips, but a choked gasp from behind made them quickly let go of each other to stare at the bed. They saw the girl- thankfully looking away from them- slowly tilt her head to glance around until her eyes found them. There was confusion in them, and then slowly… realization seeped in them.
"Good morning, Onie." Hilde whispered as she stood up and walked to the girl with Duo right behind her.
"How ya doin'? Feeling better?" Duo asked as he leaned against her bed.
Onie squinted at them then smiled without humor. "I'm fine. Thank you, Duo and Hilde." She looked down at her hands as she remembered everything. For a second there, when she woke up, she thought that she was back home, and then she opened her eyes and she just didn't know where she was! When she eyed the couple, their friendly faces, she remembered that the doctor said everyone was alright. It eased her fear, but she still could feel that cold hand about her.
"Onie…?" Hilde's hand paused in mid air when the girl jerked her body away before she could touch her. She saw how Onie looked at her hand then up at her face with silent apology.
"I'm sorry… I'm just not used to…" Onie bit down on her lip, not knowing how to phrase it.
"Hey, it's fine. We're strangers to you, right? We understand." Duo chimed in, his voice friendly as ever. Hilde's nod and smile was also a nice addition.
Onie took in a deep breath and told herself to calm down, though her mind was on something else. "Where are the others?"
"Oh, Quatre and Yvan went to see Cathy today and Sally's- what?!" Duo whined when Hilde elbowed his stomach.
"She meant her friends, dummy." Hilde whispered with an exasperated look.
Duo wrinkled his nose as he gave a smile that wasn't even apologetic. "Er…" It didn't matter though, because at that moment, their patient chuckled softly and that strained air was gone.
Onie covered her lips with her right hand. It feels as though it's been so long since she'd laughed that her cheeks feels like unused rubber!
"By the way, Sally told us that if you want to see Jess and Trowa, you're more than welcome to." Hilde chirped with a happy smile.
With an enthusiastic nod, Onie quickly flipped her blanket away from her body and stood up. "Please! I'd like to see them very much."
Hilde nodded, thanking Sally for thinking ahead and giving Onie some nice pajamas while Duo grinned at her enthusiasm.
"Alrightie! I'll lead the way!" Duo hooked his arm around Onie's arm, and Hilde did the same thing, imitating the Scarecrow, the Lion, and Dorothy as they made their way down the yellow brick road to the wizard's palace- or in this case, the pristine white floor to-
"Oh yeah… who do you want to see first?" Duo asked, inclining his head to the kid in the middle.
"Oh…" Onie looked down at her feet. She really would like to see Trowa first, but… she's still a bit afraid of that empty look… "Jessie, please."
"I take it that you don't know who Heero is?" Hilde asked, trying to gather any information from her to ease Wufei's interrogation. She noticed Duo's knowing nod and knew that her husband understood what she was trying to do.
Onie innocently shook her head. "No, I don't. I've never seen him in my entire life… According to Jessie, he just found him on the day that…" Her lively tone wavered and disappeared while her head and shoulders drooped as she remembered… Her father…
Duo and Hilde looked at each other, finishing Onie's sentence- 'On the day that the building blew up.' Which brings around the question of… who she was? What was her importance? Why was she in that compound? How did she survive? They were both itching to ask that question, but they knew that they should wait. With another nod to each other, Duo cleared his throat.
"So… Jessie… Is he your boyfriend?"
Hilde rolled her eyes at the audacious question while Onie frowned up at the braided man.
"Boy friend?" She tilted her head, not understanding why he would ask such an obvious question. "Well, I suppose that since he is a man, and he is a friend, then… yes. He is." She placed her attention back on the hallway. "Are we there yet?"
Hilde glanced back at Duo who had a comical confused look upon his face as he silently, exaggeratedly, mouthed 'Oookay…' She grinned and answered with a silent, 'She got yah!'
Before Duo could comment, Hilde announced, "Hey! Here we are! Jessie's room!" Hilde was about to open the door when Onie placed a stopping hand on her.
"I was wondering if I could do this alone…"
Those chocolate pleading eyes, how could she say no? "Sure… We'll be right out here."
"Thank you."
Duo and Hilde didn't have to urge her to go inside and when the door was securely closed, Duo started his barrage.
"So, we know that she doesn't know Heero-"
"And," Hilde added, "She doesn't know a fig about relationships."
"Or maybe," Duo leaned against the wall as he blew a lock of hair away from his face, "She was just acting."
Hilde shrugged as she burrowed her way inside Duo's embrace. "She's one good actress, then, because she got me." She heard his soft sigh and felt his chest heave.
"Yeah… I hear that. She got me too." Duo sighed once again. "How old do you think she is? She looks like she could only be fourteen years old."
"Who knows?" Hilde asked as she brushed back her hair. "Until she tells us anything, I'm not about to jump to any conclusions."
"Ah well…" He squeezed Hilde into a tighter embrace then leaned his chin against her head. "Wonder how the others are doing. I'm itching to go tell Relena that her lover boy's just around the corner."
"Lover boy…?"
Duo and Hilde quickly let go of each other and turned around… only to find the owner of the confused voice looking at them with those puzzled blue green eyes.
"Er… Relena…" Duo inaudibly gulped, wishing he had shut up. Then again, how could he have known that Relena would pick this day out of all days to finally get up from her bed and take a walk?
"Hilde? Duo? What were you talking about…?" She couldn't have heard them correctly… She was trying so hard to stop her heart from beating its hopeful tempo after she accidentally overheard them… She was just going to sneak up on them, tease them, but right now… after hearing those words… Could it be? 'Oh please God… Please…'
…
"Go on…"
Yvan's soft voice held the confidence Quatre needed for this moment. It was almost ironic how easy it was to talk to chairmen, delegates, and presidents, when giving bad news, but not so to friends when you are about to give some… questionable news.
Questionable because… they still did not know who that other Trowa was… and they still do not know if there was something wrong with Trowa- just as Onie had mentioned.
Not to mention that a few days ago, Catherine just found out that Trowa and she were actually… related! That Trowa was her long, lost brother! Having learned that, she became more imbued to give Trowa a proper funeral, and that includes a few days of mourning of which, today was one of such…
So… how could he break the news that Trowa was actually alive to someone who's mourning his death? With a body, and DNA to prove that it was the same person?! Well… the DNA was a bit off… but only for a couple of percentages…
"We could do this later."
Yvan's soft voice penetrated through his thought clouded brain and he finally moved. Quatre gave her an apologetic smile then took a deep breath.
"No. We're here. We might as well do it." His hand turned into a fist… then knocked on the hotel room's door…
…
Sally looked up from her teacup as Dorothy regally walked into the elegant sitting room. It was really enchanting how her hostess could catch those tiny rays of faint sunlight to make her look anything but the hard headed woman she truly was. "Nice of you to join me, Dorothy."
Dorothy inclined her head in greeting, her face as emotionless as she could make it be. "Hello, Sally." She sat in front of the sandy blond haired woman and reached for her own cup of tea. It wasn't but mere minutes ago that her maid had told her that Dr. Poe was around for a visit, and she ordered her maid to serve Dr. Poe with tea and cakes. After all, Dr. Poe did look after her when she had fainted dead in Relena's room. It was only fair that she repaid her kindness. "Did you come here to inform me of what Commander Chang is about to do? The deadline is closing in on us quite rapidly."
Sally quickly shook her head, observing every flick of eyelids, every tilt of Dorothy's head to gauge what she was looking for. "No. I have no idea what Ping and Wufei are up to… especially since we had quite some interesting developments that happened last night."
Dorothy's lips thinned as she drank her tea without a care about what those developments were. 'The incompetent fool does not know what little time he has…'
"Actually, I came here for another matter." Sally leaned to the table in front of her and deposited her cup and saucer. She knew she had Dorothy's attention by the time she straightened on her seat, and the raised eyebrow that came from the person in front of her only hinted that she was correct.
"Am I going to have to guess on this matter, or are you going to tell me?"
Sally nearly smiled at Dorothy's haughty exterior. She knew full well how a person could use such personality to keep oneself from getting hurt. "Should I layer it with frills, or should I just-"
"Just plain black and white." Dorothy snapped impatiently, wanting to know what else Sally might have that could interest her.
"Well, good." Sally leaned back against the backrest. "You see, there's no other way to say it except in two words."
Dorothy tapped her index finger against the saucer with annoyance as she prompted the doctor yet another time. "And those words would be…?"
'Here it comes…' Sally took a deep breath then stared at Dorothy straight in the eyes. "You're pregnant."
…
They were silent… For the first time since she had met them, they were silent… Now of all times… "Is there something I must know? Something that concerns me?" She asked again, just to make them talk… just to know.
Duo felt Hilde's quick squeeze on his hand. There wasn't anything else to do. Might as well tell her and go against Sally's plan. Besides, he knew that whatever happens, Hilde will stand by him. "Uh… Rel… You know how Dorothy gave you some bad news a few days ago…?"
"Concerning Heero? Yes." Relena nodded, her eyes shuttered. Nobody but Dorothy and Sally knew of her little secret yet… Nobody.
"Uhm… we all thought that… well…" Duo ruffled his hair and beseeched Hilde to help him out with his eyes. It wasn't as if the news they were going to tell her was bad, it was good! It's just that… it was kinda hard… 'Man! If this is how hard it is to tell Relena, I wonder how Quatre's doing…'
"What he's trying to say, Relena, is that," Hilde smiled softly, her eyes showing her news before she could say it. "Heero's alive." She walked closer to Relena then reached out for her friend's hands. "He's here, Relena… He's here."
For a moment, all Relena could hear was the beating of her heart… That fast paced beat that felt as though she ran for such a long time, at such a long distance. The pain that shrouded her, even with the happy knowledge that she bore Heero's child, slowly fell away from her shoulders. She felt lighter and she let that hope that she bore fly.
"Relena…?" Duo whispered, scared when no expression whatsoever flittered on his friend's face. He was about to panic when a peaceful smile slowly appeared on her face… God! The relief he felt!
"I knew he was alive…" Relena whispered, her faith and trust proving its strength. "I just knew it…" She let go of Hilde's hands to hold her hands together, wishing to open her arms wide and laugh… until… "If he's here…" Relena's smile drooped. "Why hasn't he…?"
She didn't need to finish her sentence for Duo and Hilde to understand. Why hasn't he visited her? Well…
Duo gave a faltering smile. "He hasn't woken up yet…"
The weight of his words glued her feet to the ground and she looked at Hilde for confirmation only to have her other friend nod gravely.
"How badly hurt is he?" Her hands gripped each other now, asking for strength.
Duo pushed his hand through his hair again, not knowing what else he could do. He knew that she needed to hear the truth. "He was touch and go last night, but Sally stabilized him." His violet eyes caught hers, "He looks like hell, Rel."
"Where…?" Her voice was almost below a whisper, her face lowered to the ground with that cold hand clutching her heart once again. Touch and go? 'No…' Then she felt that unmistakable heat of anger and tilted her chin up in defiance. 'No! He's not going to leave me now! I will not let him make me go through this twice!' She breathed in deeply and raised her eyebrow in inquiry. "Where is he, Duo? Hilde?"
"He's right next door to you." Hilde answered, slightly embarrassed. If she were in Relena's place and she thought Duo was dead when in fact he was just next-door, well!
"Sally thought-"
"I know what Sally was thinking." Relena interrupted, her tone courteous but curt. "Excuse me. I'm going to visit someone."
Duo and Hilde could only watch as Relena walked, straight backed, down the hallway. They were a bit stunned at her bravado, and didn't know exactly how to put whatever they were feeling in words until Duo whistled.
"Whooeee… Heero's goin' to get it."
Hilde let her breath out slowly. "You can say that again." She was about to say more, but the noise of a doorknob turning made her stop. The couple turned just in time to see Onie walk out of the door, her eyes a little misty. With a sad smile, she looked at the two.
"Could we see Trist-" She quickly shook her head, "I mean, Trowa… please."
"Alright… Let's go." Hilde whispered, trying to make her voice as soothing as she could. It was obvious that the poor girl was crying only a minute ago… Makes them wonder what exactly her role was in this act?
…
The biscuit Catherine had been nibbling on fell down on the floor. Its crumbs flew to its side as she stared at Quatre with eyes almost as round as the saucers on the table. "I… I don't think I understand… What do you mean that Trowa isn't… that he's not Trowa…?" She tried to remember the exact words Quatre had used- the man in the hospital isn't Trowa. If that was so, how could it have Trowa's DNA, and hers be…?!
Quatre cleared his throat, aware that he wasn't able to properly give her the news. So many possibilities had passed through his mind before he came to this place, and the only person who could answer that was Catherine. "Tell me… Do you have any other brothers…?"
Catherine shook her head. She could remember her father's doting glance to her mother even though she was nothing more but a child then… She was sure she did not have any other! Her father did not dally with other women! "No! I can't have! I only have…" Her voice cracked as emotions rushed through her again. "Had one… Trowa… my little Triton…"
Quatre shook his head once again. It couldn't be possible that Cathy only remembers one when there were two! "Are you sure?"
"Quatre, why the heck are you asking those questions?" Keith nearly bellowed, for once irritated at Quatre since they met.
Quatre met their eyes squarely, feeling as though nothing made sense any more until Yvan's light touch reminded him of what he does know. He swallowed before he began. "Cathy, Keith… Trowa just came home yesterday…"
Cathy slowly shook her head, entirely too confused… Joy and dread, pain and anticipation, questions with no answers rushed through her, nearly making her lose her breath. 'How…? How could it be…?'
"He's alive, but unconscious." Quatre continued as he looked away. "We're also not sure if he's… fully well as of yet since he has yet to regain his consciousness."
Cathy's hand reached for Keith's- icy cold being engulfed in warmth. She almost could not find her voice, but she forced it out. "Take me to him. I want to see him."
Quatre nodded in understanding, though he already knew the outcome. Yesterday, when he visited Trowa's bedside… he knew. One look and he knew that this was his friend. That it truly was Trowa… and that was what Cathy wants to know.
…
Dorothy blinked her eyes for a couple of seconds, her gaze slowly slipping from Sally's clear ones to look upon her teacup. It was a surprise that her hands weren't shaking, but her breathing was caught and her throat felt dry.
'Pregnant…' Her mind echoed blankly as she slowly bent to the table to let her cup and saucer go before she spilled any upon her. 'I'm pregnant…'
Sally wasn't sure about Dorothy's reaction. The woman seemed just as cool and composed as ever.
Just as her fingers unclasped themselves from the porcelains, Dorothy's numb mind slowly registered emotions she could not name. Her hands went to encompass her belly in an all too familiar act of protection, then she proudly lifted her eyes towards Sally, challenging and regal as ever. "Do you want to make something of it?"
The right tip of Sally's lips lifted upwards ever so slightly. 'So… maybe she isn't as indifferent as I thought she would be.' She shook her head. "No. I'm only here to give you the news since the results from your fainting spell came back yesterday."
"Good." Dorothy answered, tilting her proud chin higher. Was this how Relena felt when she found out that she was pregnant? A sadness and hopefulness at the same time? She's pregnant… a token of Jess' love, and she would treasure all scant memories of him. She will raise her child and tell it, whether it may be a boy or a girl, about Jess. Tell them in stories that they may be proud of.
"By the way…" Sally interjected as she noticed how Dorothy's gaze had grown into a far away look. "Though you seem very much inclined to show disinterest to the developments I've hinted about, I think that you should be more interested-"
"Now why should I?" The glare was back in Dorothy's eyes. She was thinking of which estate she would raise her child, and the nerve of this woman to interrupt!
"Because…" Sally swirled the now cold tea in its cup. "She mentioned your name."
"She…?" Dorothy's right eyebrow shot up in both question and threat.
"I believe that her name is Onie." Sally put down her cup, slyly looking up at Dorothy's face and seeing recognition before the woman could hide it. "She came bearing gifts."
'Her name is Onie…? Her?' Dorothy frowned. There was only one person she knew with that name… She heard it the first time she saw Jess… Blake's son, and yet, here Sally was, addressing Onie as though a girl! Could it be…?
Her quick memory did not fail her as she recounted her past experiences with the child, and she remembered that it was her hasty judgment, along with irk for Jess during their first meeting, that she passed Onie as Blake's son… although, couldn't baggy clothing and a cap entirely hide a girl beneath…? Had she made a mistake…?! And if Onie was here…
Her stomach clenched and her hands fisted around a part of her clothing as she pierced Dr. Poe a searching glance, not daring to hope. 'What were her gifts…?'
Sally saw the question in her eyes and nodded, telling her that she will answer without prompt. "She brought Heero, barely alive, and Trowa with her… they're here."
Dorothy kept from breathing. Heero and Trowa were alive… That would be good news for Relena and how she envy her that her love returned… but she wasn't holding her breath for that… she was holding on to it because Sally still have something she hasn't mentioned… and dare she hope…? Onie and Jess were good friends… "She only brought Heero and Trowa…?"
Sally shook her head. She personally didn't mention her student since she didn't think Dorothy would care about it, but that curious quelling gaze of hers was hard to resist. "There was another she came in with."
"Who?" Dorothy demanded.
Sally blinked at the harshness and suddenness in Dorothy's voice. "Nobody you'd know."
Dorothy slapped her palms down on her antique table that was the only thing that separated her from choking the name out from Sally's lips. "Who is it?"
Sally's skin crawled from Dorothy's dangerously low whisper. She had thought that she was used to such tones, but… guess she was wrong. "His name is Jess-" Sally's voice faltered, not finishing her words when Dorothy's head fell to her chest… and her words eluded her when she heard a distinct chortled sob from the woman in front of her…
Before she could ask any of the questions that were raging in her mind, Dorothy had straightened from her hunched position and quickly ran out of the room… leaving Sally quite alone with no one to answer her questions anew.
…
Relena's heart started to pump faster as she neared her room. Duo had said that Heero was right next door to her, but- she looked at the two doors beside her own- which one? Her steps faltered as she tried to decide which course to take, then she finally shrugged then placed a hand on her abdomen.
"We wouldn't know until we tried, would we, dearest?" Relena whispered to her child- to their child. She walked to the room closest to her, opened it and saw a vacant room.
"Well… I guess that leaves only one more door to check for your daddy." She murmured to their child as she walked to the other choice. With strength she couldn't begin to explain, except that it stemmed from the need to see him again, she opened the door.
Her eyes were instantly drawn to the bed with that familiar tumble of brown hair and her hands went up to her lips as she closed her eyes. She drew in a shuddering breath. Only a few of days ago, she received the news that he was dead, but she hoped that he wasn't… and now, her prayers were answered.
He's here. Finally, back to her.
Oh, she knew exactly what he did. Mariemaia told her everything that happened in the hospital from the moment she lost consciousness. And though she somewhat wondered whether the child had fabricated her story a tad bit, especially since she couldn't imagine her Heero mad with anger or crying, she still felt that there was truth behind it because… she thought she saw tears before she drifted into darkness.
And if that was so… if it were so that he did go to exact revenge because of what happened to her, then… the chances for a them to exist were greater than she had ever expected.
And here she was, just standing by the door, not doing anything.
She dropped her hands to her sides, opened her eyes, and lovingly smiled at him as she slowly ambled to his side, careful of her still healing wound. The skin might look as though nothing had penetrated it because of the skin rejuvenations, but the inside still hurts a bit.
Relena stopped beside Heero, drinking in the sight of him like a drowned man to water. He didn't look like 'hell' at all… although she could smell that the morning nursing crew have already been in the room since she could detect the faint odor of shaving cream, and she could tell that Heero just had a nice shave.
"Well… Here we are again… In another hospital, with me visiting you. It's almost a full circle, Heero." She whispered as she reached out to touch him, just to make sure she wasn't imagining him. His hair felt a bit rough, but his skin… Oh, how she remembers his skin… "But this time, you won't leave until you give me answers…"
Her voice sounded strong, and she felt strong. Looking around, she saw a small chair against the wall, right next to the small table and she pulled it next to his bed to wait him out.
Nobody is going to be able to remove her away from him.
…
She was so anxious to see him that when she noticed both Duo and Hilde eyeing one door, she knew that behind that wood was the room where Trowa was resting. Mentally asking no one in particular for him to not be in the same shape as her dearest friend seemed to be, she walked through the door, forgetting to close it behind her as her eyes found the bed and the person who lay on it.
She forgot all about the couple as they hovered just outside the door, watching her while she silently walked up to Trowa's side and, after a moment's hesitation, reached out to touch his hand.
It was cold and she only thought of warming them when she brought it to her face, to lay her cheek within his palm and to give it a kiss. With her back to the couple by the door, she didn't see the look of shocked disbelief upon their faces as they stared at her.
Keeping his hand within one hand, she leaned over him and brushed the errant lock of hair away from his face. "Trowa…?" He was fast asleep, but there was no harm in asking, or checking…
He didn't stir at all and she sighed, whether in relief that she would be saved from that same blank look, or disappointment from another day of not being able to stare into his calm, beautiful, forest green eyes.
'At least…' Her eyes strayed to his lips- there were no respirators to block his lips… and slowly, she bent over his pale, chapped lips.
Her eyes were only for him that the movements by the door, a man with braided hair who seemed to be going through a curious kind of apoplexy, didn't even register. She gave him a kiss, not worthy of the last one they shared, but it was the best she could give at the moment, then she lay her head down upon his chest and tried to bring comfort to her mind at the sound of his wonderful heartbeat.
"Please wake up soon, Trowa… Please…? You and Jessie are the only ones who are left to me in this world… I don't know anybody else… I miss you so much it hurts. Please come back to me…"
She meant every whispered word as though she was fighting for her own life, and she squeezed his hand, just to accentuate that fact. "I've lost everything else… please don't let me lose you… Not you." A tear slowly trailed down her cheek from the corner of her eyes as she stared at his face. "I just need to see that you're all right again… Just look at me and show me that you know me… please."
Onie hadn't even realized that she had reached out her hand to touch his lips, to trace his face, his eyes, his nose… When she cupped the side of his face to let her thumb trace his lips once again, she blinked.
Was that a movement…?
Abruptly, she stood up when she felt a shuddering, deep breath, but her eyes never left his face. "Trowa…?"
She saw movement on his eyelids, his chapped lips parting, and then… his wonderful forest green eyes opening! And… Oh, the Lords! She thought she was going to faint from joy! He had looked at her! He was looking at her and she could tell that he was remembering…!
"Oh, Trowa…" She was about to hug him in joy, but she stopped halfway through when his eyes slanted and grew indifferently cold. Her fingers started to feel that familiar nervous feeling of iciness. There was something wrong here… Trowa had never looked at her in such a manner!
"Trowa…?" She leaned forward, about to touch him, but he moved, though it was barely a movement, she could tell that he had moved away from her! She raised his questioning eyes to his, and that frosty look coupled with burning anger was there… aimed directly at her!
His lips opened as though ready to talk, but no sounds came out. He closed them then she saw him swallow before he tried again… and the words she heard were words she thought she would never hear from him…
"Get… away… from me…"
A chill went through her entire body as she stared at him with incredulity. Her breath seemed to have left her as she tried to put a word to most of the thoughts that were tumbling within her. "What…?"
He saw her grow pale, though he wished he hadn't because he was aching himself as he whispered the painful words that could have only come from that wound she had inflicted upon him. How could she look so pained when it was he who had lost his only brother after only meeting him most recently? "I said…" His voice became clearer, his old strength coming back to him, and for the first time in years, he actually truly became vehement. "I said, get away from me."
Onie's hands fell down to her sides. Her eyes wide with undisguised horror and confusion as she took a step back from him while he weakly tried to sit up.
"But… why…?" She didn't do anything. She lost her father because she was with him! She lost the only place she knew because of him, and now she was the one on the wrong?!
His gaze grew a million times more bitter. "You of all people should know. You're nothing more but a traitor." His voice was low but deadly clear. "They trusted you and you killed them…"
Onie couldn't understand until… somehow, in the back of her mind, her logic and reasoning started to work once again and she started to realize that her hopes of Midii and Tristan being alive was for nothing… that he blamed her for what happened…! "But I didn't-"
Trowa snorted, surprised at the amount of anger he was showing. He never did this. "You're right. You didn't do anything but tell your father where they were so they can do your dirty work for you. Too bad it blew up before I got in it."
Her head started shaking left to right as her hand went up to cover her lips. 'Oh God… he blames me!' Was that how low he thought of her? Just because she was her father's daughter…? Did he truly think that she was capable of what he had said…?
"I don't ever want to see your face again…"
Her heart broke into a million pieces before she could turn and run away… She wanted to look in his eyes one last time to make sure, but his words and tone were full of meaning enough. Then, before she passed the couple by the door, before she could actually get outside of that door, she heard his last words-
"Go and run… that's the only thing you do best."
She pushed against the couple in front of her, ashamed, disappointed… hurt. Oh God, how she hurt! She was running so blindly down corridors which almost looked like her father's compound that when she turned a corner, she half expected to find the entrance to her garden, and not finding any but a plain white wall… she didn't know what else to do but to cry right there and then…
Everything she knew was gone… She doesn't even have the comfort of her garden anymore… then again, even if she was in there, Trowa's presence among her plants would still be there to make her crazy…
She reached out in front of her, her tears blurring her sight that she couldn't tell how far away she was from the wall until she touched it. She leaned her forehead against it and let her tears fall free. "I want to go home… Oh mama… I want to go home…" Wherever home was, she just wants to go there. Her knees trembled and she let herself slide down the wall, crumpling into a ball as she wept her silent cries and let the raging waterfall inside her out.
She didn't even notice that someone was behind her… but when she felt that touch on her hair, that soft arm around her in a womanly embrace she thought she would never again feel, she thought that maybe, her mother had finally heard her prayers and was there with her. But one watery look only showed Hilde… Hilde with an open face… a welcoming face and open arms and it was those open arms that were her undoing as she went into them like the little child that she was a long time ago, and cried her heart out for everything… letting Hilde's voice soothe her…
…
Dorothy nearly ripped her purse apart as she looked for that annoying Preventer's ID that Une gave her. When she finally found the dratty old thing, it took all her strength to appear composed as she handed it to the inner secretary. "Commander Change assured me that I could go to any room I wish. I'd like to know which room Preventer Jess Daniel Callum is in."
"Just a moment, ma'am." The secretary in a lighter shade of the original Preventer uniform typed something on her monitor, then turned back to smile at her. "He's on the Fifteenth floor, Room 45, ma'am."
Dorothy nodded and forced her feet to not run to the elevator. All sorts of questions fluttered through her as the elevator slowly brought her to her floor. Why hadn't he contacted her? How did he survive Heero's surprise attack? How could he just stay in one room and not tell her he's all right! Ohhhh! She could kill him. She honestly could!
She flipped her hair over her shoulder as the door opened. "Just you wait, Jess Daniel Callum… I am not one to play with!" Dorothy muttered as she stomped, rather gracefully, down the hallway, trying to find the damn-
"Forty-five…" Dorothy grumbled darkly as she wrapped her hand around the knob. He made her think that he was dead when well in fact he was alive?! "You are not going to forget this." She didn't even bother to announce herself as she opened the door, ready to shout… only for her anger and the scream to die in her lips…
"Oh, Jess…!" Her purse dropped as she took in the sight in front of her… Jessie with a small respirator that covers half his face and IV tubes running from his left arm to that bag of blood…
She slowly walked to his side, stared down at his pale, badly bruised face, and checked his bandaged arm… "What did you do to yourself, my darling…?" She whispered lovingly as her hand reached out to touch his hair, to brush it away from his brows so she could lean down and kiss him. She traced her lips down the frame of his face and when she reached his ear, she whispered, "I'm here now… I'll take care of you…"
She pulled back, wiped that lone tear that fell down her cheek, and mentally scolded herself. It wasn't a time to cry… It was time to vigilantly look after him.
…
Trowa stared after Onie's retreating figure, then his vision widened and he suddenly became aware of the couple by the door… 'Duo?! Hilde?!' He looked around him, hiding the shock at finding himself not in the compound but rather… In the Preventer's main building!
Duo couldn't stop as he gaped after Trowa, then Onie's running figure, back at Trowa, and back down that hallway where his ward disappeared to… He felt like a fish out of water, opening and closing his mouth for the past couple of minutes as he stared at Onie and Trowa, seeing what he couldn't believe he was seeing, and then this?!
Hilde was first to recover and she turned heated eyes toward the man on the bed. She may not know what had transpired between the two before today, but what he did… what he did to her was…
'What am I doing here…?' Trowa asked himself as he looked at the couple again, but he wasn't able to voice his question soon enough.
"Trowa, that was callous!" Hilde shouted then she turned away from him to go after Onie, the look on their wards' face speaking so much volume that it touched her.
Trowa's surprise at finding himself in the outside world left him and he once again felt the pain of betrayal from that innocent face. Hilde doesn't understand, she doesn't know what happened.
When Hilde left, that was when Duo was finally able to move. He knew he should try to keep his anger a bit bottled up some more. Onie had somehow managed to make him feel protective of her, probably because… well, she just had that natural innocence that cried out to be protected… and she does need a knight in shining armor now that her true knight just spurned her away… if Trowa truly was her true knight- and he'd still like to know how that came about! I mean, we're talking about Trowa here! Not that he wasn't good looking or something… it's just that… he's Trowa! But, he'll ask about that later, right now… he needs to gather some information.
"Now… what the hell was that about…?" All right… right now, that's as good as he could get. He was used to those frosty looks that Trowa just gave him to stop him from walking closer, thank God for Heero… "Well?"
But Duo saw more as he walked closer to his comrade. There were telltale signs of what Trowa was trying to hide- the whiteness at the corner of his lips, those curled fists to his sides as though just there to support his weight- although Duo knew he'd done that trick when he was trying not to follow after Hilde and telling himself that he didn't like her more than a friend many times in the past… Man… Funny how they were all alike, even though at first you think that you were as different as night and day.
Trowa looked away, but Duo saw a hint of pain and sadness in those green eyes before they became shuttered.
"Just don't fall for her innocent act…" Trowa laid back down on his bed and wished he could pull the covers over his head and just burrow in it. He felt sick enough to vomit because of what he did… no one should know how hard it was to do what he did… "She should be in jail… I wouldn't recommend her running around loose in this building if I were you."
'Well…' Duo sighed, 'Guess that's all I'm going to get out of him.' He rubbed his hands over his face, made a grimace, then tried another tactic. "We weren't sure if you were the real Trowa… Quatre was pret-ty sure that you're you though. I mean, we have another body in the lab downstairs that's almost got the same DNA as you do so-" Duo didn't get a chance to jump away when Trowa's hand snaked out to grab him on the arm and pull him to the bed.
Trowa's forest green eyes, intense with some unnamed emotion, pinned Duo more than the hand on his arm could. "How many bodies did you find?"
"About three… two of them came from a bombed station, the other from Wufei's attacks."
Trowa's hand slacked its hold on Duo as he finally truly accepted that his brother and Midii were dead. How could it be? He was the one who led a much sordid life while his brother was the one that… "It isn't fair… I should be the one who's dead…"
At those words, Duo's eyes slanted. "Fair…?" Duo jerked Trowa's shoulder to face him. "What do you know about fairness, Trowa?" He saw Trowa's lips thin into a straight line, but he couldn't stop himself. "You weren't here when Relena almost died… Quatre had been beyond himself trying to prove that you weren't dead. I've seen Cathy cry her eyes out on a body that we thought was you. Not to mention that Onie nearly killed herself trying to get you, her friend, and Heero some help and you thanked her by looking at her as though she's the worst thing that crawled on Earth?! Do you think that's fair, Trowa?!"
Duo glared down at his friend, his fingers clutching a good amount of the clothes Trowa was wearing. He supposed that it was the tension that he felt this whole time that was coming out… but man! Did it felt good to shout at Trowa.
"What do you mean that she almost got killed…?" Trowa looked at Duo with almost a hidden curiosity.
"Oh?! So now, you're asking about her when you were so quick to judge earlier?!" Duo gnarled out, letting Trowa go but not letting his eyes stray. They stared at each other for a couple of minutes, then Duo opened his lips, but before he could say anything-
"Oh my God… Trowa…"
The two men inside the room turned to the voice and Trowa felt something choke in him.
"Cathy…"
A watery smile appeared on Cathy's lips, then she closed the gap between her and Trowa and enveloped him in her embrace. "You came back to me… Oh thank God…"
Trowa couldn't stop himself as he clutched at Cathy's shoulder, inhaling her familiar scent and turning his head to her body to wipe at the sudden tears that escaped their ducts. He could feel her tears seeping against his hospital clothes, but he didn't mind… He needed those tears.
When they finally let go of each other and surreptitiously looked around him, he saw that Duo and Keith left them alone- the door closed. He must remember to thank them.
"Let me look at you…" Cathy whispered as she caged his face in her hands.
Trowa felt almost embarrassed as he looked back at her. He saw something in her eyes, something he couldn't decipher, but liked and feared at the same time. When Cathy brushed back a lock of his hair, he almost closed his eyes to savor the feeling of being cared for.
She didn't know where to start… didn't know what to say except… "How do you feel?"
Trowa half smiled. "Tired."
"I can imagine… with your adventures." Her hands fell down upon the sheets between them, closing over his hands. "Quatre told me that someone brought you here. I'd like to thank that person soon, for bringing you back."
He saw the way she bit down on her lips… couldn't help but feel the different way she was looking at him… "Cathy…? What is it?"
She blinked rapidly, concealing her indecision. Should she tell him? In the end, she opted not to. "Nothing." She almost pulled it through too, if it hadn't been for her infernal tears, trailing down from her eyes at that instant. She saw the stricken look upon his face and she tried to smile at him. "I'm just glad you're alive. I've been worried sick about you… especially when the letters stopped coming…"
He wasn't fooled. There was something else, something that was bothering her. "Tell me."
Their eyes met, trusting yet wary. Confused yet aware… Finally, Catherine cupped Trowa's cheek while her other hand brushed back his hair. It was a sign of love, friendship… and familial attention.
"You know that I love you, don't you, Trowa? That I love you as if you were my… my own little brother…?" Her eyes were dark with some unfamiliar emotion that Trowa was trying to understand. When he couldn't, he tried to focus on her words and nodded, unable to speak due to something that clogged his throat.
"And… do you love me, Trowa…? Just like you would love an older sister…?"
This time, there was a slight insecurity in her voice and Trowa couldn't stop himself as he reached out and placed his hand against her cheek. "You have always been my only family." His voice was low and hoarse but when Cathy smiled a watery joyful smile, he didn't mind that he sounded weak just then…
Suddenly, he was encompassed in a tender embrace, Cathy's face against his chest and he had to strain himself to hear her muffled voice-
"I thought you were dead… I thought…" Suddenly, Cathy gasped and quickly straightened away from Trowa, her eyes in turmoil. "Wait… I don't understand…" Something finally clicked in place. Quatre's questions- Trowa's hair and that body… "I used your hair… It was your hair. How could that body nearly have the same DNA structure as…" Her eyes pierced Trowa, "You…?"
Trowa frowned, wanting to ask her questions but refrained from doing so.
Her hand went up to the side of her head, pressing at her temple as she squinted in the distance. "I only have one brother… I only know Triton… and the doctor already told me that we are siblings… but…" she stared back at Trowa, "How can there be two of you…?"
Trowa blinked a couple of times. Did he hear her correctly…? They were- are- siblings…? How could that… He stopped his train of thoughts as he remembered some of his past that had just resurfaced, and what Tristan told him. They did live in a circus… Cathy's been a part of a circus her entire life. He got lost after a fire- and she lost her brother in a… "We're a family…?!" He didn't know whether his voice sounded incredulous, surprised, or happy- or maybe a combination of all three… Who wouldn't be in such a stupor when in less that a couple of weeks, he learned that the only person he considered family is truly family, and that he had a twin brother! He looked at Cathy, waiting for confirmation. When she nodded guardedly, watching his reaction, the only thing he could do was to slump back on his pillow and let the wholeness of it pass.
It was minutes after when the silence between them was broken.
"Are you… disappointed…?"
Trowa shook his head as he looked back at her. "Overwhelmed would be the best word."
Cathy chuckled. "I know the feeling." Then she hitched her hip over his bed and sat by his side. "I am still confused."
"I may have your answers…" Trowa whispered as he imagined his twin. Cathy's touch on his hand brought him back to the present and he looked at her encouraging smile.
"I'm all ears."
…
Hilde felt that last shudder pass through her and knew that Onie was finally finished. It was a good, long cry… and she deserved it. "Does it feel better…?"
Onie hiccupped as she slowly pulled away. "A little." She looked up at Hilde and tilted her head in gratitude. "Thank you."
Hilde nodded, though she knew that Onie didn't see. "Here. Lets get you back in your room." She stood up and held out her hand, when Onie trustingly placed her hand in hers, she pulled her up.
"I…" Onie started then looked away.
Hilde kept quiet.
"I… I don't want to go back to my room at the moment…"
Patiently, Hilde stood her ground. "Where do you want to go?"
"Jessie's room… please… I…" Onie blushed embarrassingly. "I don't know how to get there."
"That's alright." Hilde started walking slowly, pulling her along gently. "Look at it this way. You went to a perfectly good place to cry. I didn't see anyone at all."
Onie frowned. Was she teasing her? When she glanced up and saw Hilde's grin, something akin to how Jessie would, she couldn't help but smile back. "I guess I'm lucky."
Hilde's thoughts went back to the previous night. If she was able to escape an exploding building and drive into a building unscathed- she was more than lucky! She couldn't wait to hear her story.
They walked in silence until they reached Jessie's slightly opened door. Hilde frowned. She knew they closed it earlier… Well, they might have not. Shrugging her doubt away, she pushed it and had to blink a couple of times as her eyes fell on-
"Dorothy…!" Onie's gasp confirmed Hilde's thoughts.
Dorothy turned from Jessie's body to the door, her eyes gazing fleetingly upon Hilde, and more intensely on Onie. It was the same face as she had seen before… Yet now, the girl's hair was not hidden under a cap. She was- is- a girl. Now, the only question was whether the girl was an enemy or a friend… then again, Heero, Trowa, and Jessie wouldn't have trusted her with the Preventer's address if they didn't think her a friend. She was fairly certain- no, she was sure that Onie is a friend. More than that, she brought her Jess back to her.
Dorothy stood up and started to walk to the two women. Hilde had the sudden urge to block her way but instead, calculated another way to strike if Dorothy did something she would regret.
Onie wanted to step back, not able to understand that shuttered look upon Dorothy's face, but she kept her feet firmly on the ground, knowing that if this was the woman Jessie loved, then she shouldn't be someone feared.
Finally, Dorothy was in front of her, and then Hilde's eyes went wide when Dorothy- the last woman on earth she would have expected to see do such an act- leaned to Onie and encompassed her in a simple hug.
"Thank you." Dorothy's voice was low but clear.
Hilde couldn't quite believe what she saw and heard. She glanced at Onie and the poor girl was just as surprised as she. Her hands were still by her side that Hilde could only surmise that she was unused to embraces. And then Onie's shocked face softened, her lips curved in a half smile as though she understood something only she could understand and she looked more mature than Hilde right then and there.
Onie nodded, her fears gone. Jessie had said he wasn't sure if Dorothy loved him, well, here was the answer… and she was more than happy for her friend. "You're welcome."
Hilde glanced from Dorothy to the man on the bed- JD as Sally called him- and slowly understood some significance. The man on the bed was the answer why Dorothy hadn't wanted Heero to blow the base up… and there was more to it- she could tell.
Dorothy straightened from her and breathed in deeply, trying to contain those wayward emotions that seemed to have been running amok in her lately.
"Please…" Onie whispered as she glanced at Jessie. "Don't leave his side for long…"
Dorothy was about to answer when her gaze hardened and she pulled Onie to her side then walked in front of her to hide her.
Hilde turned and saw Wufei with his usual angry black cloud, walking towards them.
"I saw her, Catalonia!" Wufei roared. "She needs to answer some questions!"
"She'll answer them when she's ready!" Dorothy answered back, haughty as ever that Hilde almost wondered if that softer side that she saw earlier ever happened at all! She looked behind Wufei and saw Duo give her a helpless look while Ping only rolled her eyes.
Wufei stopped just outside the door and sneered. "You were the one who said you only bought us a couple of days."
"Not so you can terrorize a child." Dorothy answered back, her tongue just as sharp.
Hilde inclined her head forward to stop a smile and she saw Ping do the same thing. Dorothy was actually protecting Onie… this was a sight to see! She was sure that Duo was more than a bit confused.
"It's all right… I know what I must do." Onie's soft voice floated to everyone just as she stepped away from Dorothy.
Wufei grinned triumphantly and Dorothy leaned towards Onie.
"Understand this, you do not have to answer all his questions." She straightened and met Wufei's eyes. "Since it seems that she won't be given a chance to call for an attorney, I will stand as such for her."
A set of expletives rushed out of Wufei's mouth, then his bellow of- "You can't do that!"
"I just did! Now, are you going to waste time arguing about it, or are you going to lead us to a room where we can instigate this inquiry?"
With another grumble, Wufei turned and led the group out. Hilde swiftly caught up with her husband. "Duo, go to Trowa… he'll want to hear this."
With a nod, Duo left while Hilde trailed behind the group. Once, Onie had looked at her. She smiled in encouragement. Dorothy was with Onie and who better to answer back to an angry Wufei but the Ice Queen of the Catalonia family? Onie may not know this, but she has friends in high places.
…
Trowa and Cathy looked at each other and finally understood. Everything was clear now, and though they lost a family member, they still have each other. There was silence between them as they thought of Tristan when Duo interrupted.
"Trowa… I thought you might want to know…" Duo's violet eyes were serious, his lips in a straight line. "They're starting to interrogate Onie…"
Trowa didn't have to ask what he meant, but he knew that he would like to be there and hear her confessions. "Do you know the way?" Slowly, with Cathy's help, he stood.
Duo nodded. "Wufei, Ping, Dorothy, and Onie will be in a room, and the others would be behind a glass wall. Usual thing."
Trowa fought against the darkness that wanted to engulf him. He must have been unconscious far too long for his body to react like this. "Lead." He whispered between gritted teeth as he forced his body to follow his command. With Cathy's help, he slowly regained his lost locomotive skills and by the time they reached the room behind the glass wall, he knew he missed some of the questions.
"So, Preventer Callum caught sight of Preventer Yuy and saved him. Did he tell you that he knew who Yuy was?" Wufei asked, his words sniping.
Onie shook her head as she let go of the glass of water, now nearly finished, from her hands.
Trowa thought she was holding off quite well, considering the fact that anyone else who was facing Wufei would be close to tears by now.
"Dr. Matthews-" Onie hesitated then started again while her right hand went up to her forehead as though her head ached. "Preventer Callum was the head of the medical department within the compound. He interacted with all of the soldiers and therefore knew them by name and code number. Preventer Yuy was a new face."
Trowa's eyes narrowed. There was something wrong in this picture…
"All this time, where were you?"
Sadness spoke volumes in her eyes as she answered. "I was… gathering herbs to bring back to the cave when the compound exploded." Onie had to blink. Her eyesight was starting to get questionably dim. "I rushed as fast as I could and when I realized that I lingered longer than I should have, I ran back where I came from. That was when I saw Preventer Callum."
"You brought them back to the cave."
"Yes."
"Whose idea was it to steal the helicopter and set fire to it?"
"Preventer Callum. He said that we couldn't leave it where it was. That it would be for the best to destroy it."
"Then?" This time, Ping asked the question.
Onie looked at her. "Jessie was hurt but he was able to smuggle us into a small airplane. We flew, we stole a car, and he drove partway… but he lost consciousness and I had to drive." She looked at Wufei, her determination clear, though she had to fight to keep from blacking out. "I had to drive if I was to save him. I'm sorry I wrecked your building, but I didn't know how to stop, and… I just had to…"
She seemed deflated now, and Trowa was surprised when Dorothy placed a hand on Onie's shoulder.
"Do you know of another compound your father has within India?" Wufei asked, his voice a lot less condemning now.
Onie looked away as she battled with herself. Her father was dead… what is the use of hiding this compound? "Yes." Her voice sounded so hallow.
"Do you know where it is?" Wufei leaned forward ever so slightly.
"Yes, I do…"
"Will you help us stop your father?"
Onie jerked, her head snapping as she stared at Wufei with her mouth open. "But… he's dead…" her voice was nearly a whisper.
Wufei shook his head. "He is not. He is using another compound."
Onie looked at Dorothy, her question in her eyes. When Dorothy nodded, she couldn't quite believe it. "My father's alive?" There may be a chance, then…?
Seconds stretched, and she was suddenly aware of the ticking from Dorothy's wristwatch. It seemed to grow louder with each passing minute, until she finally made up her mind. "I will help, if we do it my way."
"No!" Wufei barked out loud, followed by reasons imbued with expletives. Trowa agreed with Wufei. He will never trust her with such a decision. Everything seemed to have gone wrong as Ping started answering back at Wufei and in the end… behind the glass wall, no one could stand the heated debate any longer that they left… all but for one man… Trowa stared at Onie's face… Her lips and cheeks were turning pale.
"Stop! Please stop! Stop it! Stop it! Stop it!" She screamed as she pressed her hands upon her ears. Her shoulders shuddered and even Trowa would have to lie if he said that her screams didn't touch him. He was thankful when Dorothy had pressed Onie against her chest in a protective embrace.
"I… I only want a couple of minutes with my father… just a couple of minutes to talk to him… to try to persuade him to stop… just a couple of minutes."
Her voice was muffled, but every word she uttered felt to have pierced through Trowa.
"I don't want any more blood shed… no more… please, no more…"
In the end, he couldn't bear to hear her cries that made him weak. He was about to leave when Dorothy's gasp made him turn around.
"Wufei! She's not breathing!" Dorothy cried out as she shook Onie's body.
Trowa's throat constricted and his feet walked towards the glass that separated them from him.
"She must be allergic to the truth serum…" Ping muttered as she laid Onie on the floor and started checking her pulse.
Trowa's hand curled into a fist. They must have been desperate enough to give her that damn serum without checking her out first! Trowa watched as Sally and her team ran into the room. Wufei must have called her some minutes ago, but he didn't notice, his eyes only for the woman who had turned deathly pale on the floor. "Come on… breathe… breathe damn you…"
He didn't notice how he touched that glass, how his face was pressed against the wall, and how his breath fogged the mirror as he waited… waited… and finally, Sally leaned back on her butt and smiled. Trowa noticed the almost indistinguishable rise and fall of Onie's chest, and he breathed a sigh of relief.
As much as he hated it, she still had a hold on him… With an effort, he pulled his gaze away from the scene, told himself not to go to her side, and walked out of that room instead.
It seemed that Cathy was still very much in tuned to his feelings since she had only looked at him, walked with him to his room, and left him alone. Duo came in a quarter of an hour later and left a cassette player on the table beside his bed.
His usual grin was set in a grim line as he eyed the man on the bed. "Listen to this." Then, like Cathy, he left Trowa in his room.
It took Trowa a good amount of time before he was finally able to touch the cassette player and press play… and what he heard as the story unfolded, made his heart constrict. No matter how hard he tried to convince himself that she was lying, he knew, deep inside him, that she wasn't… The truth serum in her drink alone…
He stopped the tape and rewound it.
"I had to choose between my father and Trowa… do you know how hard that was…?"
He pressed the fast forward button then let go.
"When the cabin exploded… I…"Trowa wanted to imagine that she was making some kind of display during that pause, but the gasps and sobs had so much emotion in them…
"I found Trowa on the grass and all I could think of was that I was happy he was alive…"
Trowa closed his eyes, as he listened to an order.
"Go forward a few days later, on the day the compound exploded."
He stopped the cassette and wondered how he could have thought her able to do the things he had accused her of… and he wondered how he could make her find it in her heart to forgive his cruel behavior…
If she could ever forgive him.