Author's Note: Here's chapter two where I explored some of the events of that fateful day Joe discovered the Father, murdered and in the burning church. I wrote that it happened on his eighteenth birthday because on one website that talks about Ishinomori's original storyline, everything took place on Joe's birthday. Plus it adds to the angst that he'll be experiencing in future chapters. And yes, Zelda English is my native language but I never saw the original Cyborg 009 movie from '66 but saw it on a site for anime DVDs I've gone to. Thanks to those reading and my reviewers—Enjoy!

HEAVY HEART

The next day the sun was setting, painting the atmosphere in a pastel pallet of orange, pinks and golds, shining down on the young couple on the cliff overlooking the restless waves. Joe and his beloved, Francoise Arnoul, Cyborg 003 were seated on the edge, their legs dangling over the edge, their arms locked around each other. Francoise's head was resting on Joe's right shoulder as the two were engaged in intimate conversation as always, sharing the deepest reaches of their hearts with each other. Sometimes, they just sat in companionable silence, their nearness to each other enough as their hearts conversed without words.

Francoise gave a satisfied sigh as she remarked, "As often as I've witnessed these beautiful sunsets here, I am amazed that each one becomes a new experience. Don't you agree, Joe?"

He sat unresponsive, staring out at the spectacle with faraway eyes as he brooded about the trip to the burned out church yesterday. She turned and regarded him, slightly annoyed by his distracted manner as if he were ignoring her. She nudged him with her elbow to get his attention.

"Joe? Joe!"

He was finally shaken from his reverie. "Huh? Oh I'm sorry, Francoise, did you say something to me?"

She sighed again as she said, "I was just commenting on how beautiful the sunset was but you were a million miles away. As a matter of fact, you've been oblivious to me since we walked out here." She pouted prettily.

Joe tightened his hold around her and apologized, "I'm sorry, koishii. I didn't mean to ignore you, forgive me." He nuzzled her and planted a soft kiss on the nape of her neck, sending sparks through her being and eliciting a gentle mewl from her in approval.

Francoise smiled softly and murmured, "Done cherie, but you've been funny since you came back from your ride last night. Is everything all right?"

Joe gave her a wry grin. "I can't ever hide anything from you, can I?"

"No, so why do you try?" Her inquiry was soft yet had great impact as he again tightened his arms about her as if to seek comfort from his private demons.

"I went to the church again last night," he said dourly.

The French ex-dancer turned and regarded her love with a mixture of sadness and mild reproach in her aqua jewel orbs. "Why, Joe?"

He lowered his head, totally obscuring both cinnamon eyes from her as he replied, "I didn't intend to. But somehow, I found myself there and so I went inside and looked around." He frowned as he found the memories of last evening playing in his mind once again.

Francoise reached and brushed his unruly bangs back, uncovering his face. His melancholy made Joe seem like a lost little boy, a complete departure from his confident stature as leader of the 00 cyborg soldiers. She continued her loving ministrations as she waited patiently for him to go on.

But he remained silent, savoring the soft scent of roses that wafted to his nostrils as her butterfly touch both soothed his soul and stimulated his body simultaneously. He was almost shamed as he felt the heat of arousal and his heart pounded with emotion, driving the haunting memories of his anguished past away. He buried his face in her hair as he squeezed her to him.

"Oh Francoise," Joe said hoarsely. "I-I just can't seem to forget that sight. If I live to be a hundred, I swear I'll see it till my dying day."

"Why do you keep going there, torturing yourself?" she asked gently.

He shook his head as if even he had no answer as to why he was drawn to That Place. But every time Joe was out aimlessly driving, he ended up at the scorched ruins of the place he once called home. Like a magnet attracting a piece of scrap iron, it sucked at him and never failed to bring him there where the ghosts of the past waited to haunt him.

Her slender arms snaked about him as she comforted him with rhythmic strokes on his shoulders and back. "I'm here, Joe. Talk to me."

He pushed away to gaze into her calm tropic lagoon eyes and said, "It's almost a year, tenshi. A year since that day. . . ."

Flashback:

It was an ordinary day, unremarkable by most standards save for the fact it was Joe Shimamura's eighteenth birthday. Yet it still was still an ordinary day since birthdays at the church orphanage were rather bland affairs due to the constant lack of funds, commemorated only by the giving of a card by the Father, apologetic because he could not do more. Joe was busy at work raking leaves in the playground, assisting with the grounds keeping, earning his way now that he was at the age of being set free from the confines of the orphanage. The younger children were in school and so he earned his way by doing yardwork and heavier chores that the kids were too small to undertake. He was restless but resigned as it at least afforded him a roof over his head, a bed, and food to eat. But he knew that the time was coming to enter into the adult world and truly begin fending for himself and the thought filled him with ambivalence. The Father compensated him for his work around the orphanage but it was a small sum and from the priest's own pocket since the diocese could not afford to give him a cent. But what else could he do, he certainly was not trained for any high level career and extra schooling was a dream at the most.

The Father, however, had taken all that into consideration and did make an arrangement for Joe to attend a local junior college since his grades in high school had been consistently in the high B range, making him an excellent candidate for junior college. He had sat Joe down that morning and shared the news with him.

Joe was dumbstruck, his cinnamon eyes wide in disbelief as the news sunk in. He then leapt to his feet in jubilation as he grinned widely at his mentor, guardian, and friend. He took hold of the Father's hand and pumped it energetically.

"Thank you so, so much, Father! I-I can't believe it, I'm enrolled to go to JC? What an awesome birthday present!" he said incredulously, still unable to believe it.

The priest chucked as Joe's elation gave him a feeling of joy. "It's the least I could do for you, my boy. Happy birthday." He sat back and watched the young man as Joe contemplated his now brighter future.

Joe sighed and wiped the sweat from his forehead, the hazy early autumn sun unseasonably warm as the multicolored leaves were scattered with the warm breeze that tickled at him in his faded jeans and threadbare shirt. He had better clothes to wear but preferred to wear his well worn clothes to do yardwork. The Indian summer weather had brought out the urge to do autumn tasks, like burning leaves, and the woodsy scent wafted on the zephyr to his nose. But he frowned as the odor seemed to intensify and with rake in hand he turned to the direction from which it appeared to be coming. Joe gasped in alarm as he spotted a huge pall of smoke coming from the vicinity of the church, the steeple silhouetted in gray against the acrid black cloud rising into the air. He tossed the rake aside and took off for the church building in a dead sprint, hurdling the playground fence.

Joe came to the side door of the church, wrenched it open and was immediately beset with the smoke, erupting in a paroxysm of coughing as he made his way through the rectory and to the sanctuary.

"Father! Father, are you in there? Father!" The terrified youth called frantically as he pulled at the heavy oak door with all his might, his biceps and shoulder muscles cording with the strain. Finally the portal gave way and the heat of the flames hit him full in the face.

"F-Father!" Joe cried, his eyes tearing and burning by the thick fumes. He glanced about urgently as he coughed and squatted to search for the priest. Then he stopped, totally stunned by what he was seeing, as if in a nightmare come true.

There, lying in a pool of blood was the prone form of the Father, his cassock stained red. The flames leapt about him in evil celebration.

Joe stared unbelievingly at the specter, not hearing the distant call of sirens. He moved forward as if sleepwalking and knelt beside the dead body of the man who had been his hero. "Father," he said his eyes tearing. "Who could've done this to you?" He hoisted the limp form on his shoulders to attempt to bring him out.

Completely numb, Joe tried to drag the body from the blaze just as fire personnel and police officers broke into the chapel and converged on the grisly scene.

"Hey you, what do you think you're doing?" bellowed a police officer as he came and yanked the body away as a still stunned Joe stood there while the firemen began to work feverishly to control the blaze. He roughly hustled the mute and blood covered young man out to the patrol car where he proceeded to handcuff him as more fire fighters came to try to save the church and orphanage.

The next hour was surreal as Joe was arrested, booked, and fingerprinted for the twin charges of arson and murder. He was trying to desperately plead his innocence when the police sergeant ordered him to be transferred to the juvenile detention center, pending the selection of an attorney and trial. They treated him like any other alleged murderer and loaded him in a windowless blue van with bars over the rear door with two armed guards to accompany him. He was in a state of terror as he tried to comprehend a future that just this morning was so promising was now bleak as the van drove along taking him away from his last vestige of freedom just as the skies opened up and rain began to fall.

Half way there Joe was startled by a loud noise of another car screeching followed by a bang and the van shuddering as it came to an abrupt halt. The cab was crumpled as a careening truck lost control and hit it, the impact making the rear door pop open. Joe saw his chance and bolted out, running wildly for the side of the road. Thunder sounded in the distance and the heavy downpour curtained the van as both guards fired their rifles at him.

Joe ran as fast as he could, the adrenaline giving him speed but the accident required that the guards call for assistance and the sirens sounded in the distance as police cruisers joined the chase and the manhunt for him began. He ran blindly, not knowing where he was or for that matter, where he was going as he cut through the trees and came to the edge of a cliff that lead down to the pounding surf. He stopped, trapped as the sound of his pursuers got louder as they drew near and then burst from the copse of trees, surrounding him.

"Give up, Shimamura! You're surrounded!" The small army of police and their dogs advanced menacingly as Joe backed up to the very edge of the cliff and glanced down. Having no other choice, he turned and leapt, embracing death to the alternative of life imprisonment. He screamed as the ocean came up and swallowed him.

He thought he was dead when he opened his eyes to a bright light and found himself shackled to an operating table. Masked medical personnel encircled the table as a mask attached to a hose feeding ether was placed on his nose and mouth.

Then the real nightmare began.

End flashback.

Joe's eyes were closed, as he was lost in the memory until he heard a dulcet voice call to him. "Joe? Joe, are you okay?"

009 opened his eyes and saw the lovely visage of 003 gazing at him in concern, her hands on his shoulders gently shaking him. He shook his head to bring himself back in the present.

"Yeah, yeah, I'm okay. I was just remembering how it all happened and how I came to be here, not Joe Shimamura any more, but Cyborg 009." His soft tenor held a twinge of bitterness as he regarded her closely.

"Francoise, don't you ever think about how things were in your life before Black Ghost changed us into weapons?"

She gazed out with a small contemplative frown on her delicate features, her aqua eyes momentarily clouded as she replied, "Yes I do. I had planned to be a great dancer in the Ballet de Paris and fulfill a lifelong dream." Francoise's eyes bore the sadness of that dream being destroyed.

Joe saw the haunted pain in the eyes of the girl he adored and cursed himself and his maudlin mood, immediately remorseful. "I'm sorry, koibito. I didn't mean to bring you down" He wrapped his arms around her, holding her close.

Francoise shook her golden head and smiled tremulously. "No, I'm just being silly. What happened to you was so evil and you had such a hard life to begin with. My heart aches for you, Joe." She reached up to caress his face, as he grasped her hand and planted a kiss on her palm.

She continued as her lovely face brightened. "But really, so much has happened this year. We all became weapons, true but we also have become a family."

Joe nodded and grinned as he agreed. "Yeah, we have. And we've all been to the brink of death and back and finally managed to defeat Black Ghost."

Francoise nodded as she said quietly, "I'll never forget that day you went up in space to confront him and then I thought you had died. My heart broke into pieces thinking I would never see you again." She clutched her shoulders and shivered as the memory chilled her in spite of the warm late afternoon sun.

Joe gazed at the French beauty and pulled her into the warm circle of his arms. "But I survived, koishii. Before, I didn't care what happened to me because I really didn't have anybody I could call mine, nobody cared if I lived or died anyway. But now I'll always come back, knowing I have you to return to. I love you."

"I love you too," Francoise replied as they drew close for a slow, lingering kiss, their passions bursting free as Joe cupped her ivory visage in his hands and drank of her sweetness, his mouth gently ravaging as she matched him in ardor and responded with equal fervor.

They remained locked like that for an indeterminate period of time, savoring each other as only young lovers do. They then broke apart, sighing in satisfaction as both sat and watched the cawing seagulls that fluttered, silhouetted against the setting sun.

"Joe?" Francoise asked softly.

"Huh?"

"We all have had our experiences this past year, haven't we?" She turned and faced him, her eyes pinning him. "We all have survived and we still are together because we've stuck together, all ten of us. We work together and watch out for each other."

He nodded, "Uh-huh."

"And we're all a year older," the pretty cyborg went on. "Last month 001 turned one or in reality sixty-one." She giggled and then sobered as Joe's face darkened with a frown. "What's the matter, Joe?"

He grunted as he replied glumly, "Nothing." He removed his arms and folded his knees to his chest, wrapping them around them as he stared ahead.

Francoise sighed as she ascertained his morose mood. She pressed on, "Joe, there's something else, something you're not telling me. What is it?"

He sighed deeply and said, "It's a year next week marking the Father's murder."

"I know, you just told me," she responded, waiting.

Joe heaved another sigh as he said flatly, "It's also my birthday."

"Oh, Joe," Francoise said. "I had no idea."

"Yeah, I never told you or anyone for that matter. It's really no big deal." He shrugged diffidently as he continued staring at the rapidly receding sun.

"Of course it's a big deal, silly" Francoise chided gently. "Didn't you celebrate your birthday as a child?"

Joe's handsome face darkened further as he said, "No, we never had enough money at the orphanage to celebrate our birthdays. The diocese had little money to keep us clothed and fed, let alone celebrate our birthdays." He brightened slightly as he added, "But the Father did give us a card on our birthdays at least." He abruptly stood up in the dying daylight and stood with arms akimbo, his usual stance when he wanted to put up a front to hide the pain.

Francoise sat words at a loss and absorbed all he had revealed and her heart constricted in pain as a picture came to her mind's eye of a young Joe, forlorn and lonely as he sat alone in the orphanage on his birthday and tears for him stung her eyes. Then an epiphany came to her, a brilliant idea and she got to her feet and tapped him gently on the shoulder.

"C'mon cherie. It's almost dinnertime and 006 must be expecting us."

Joe turned and smiled sadly at her. "You're right, koishii. Let's head back." He took her hand and they strolled back toward the beach house.

Unknown to 009 and 003, they were being observed and 009's mind read, the data relayed to Dr. Monstore's computer as he watched the young couple. He clapped his hands together in malevolent glee.

Magnifico! Everything is going as planned. He entered more data as the vile stage was set. . .

NEXT----FEELINGS OF REJECTION