Trapped Within Two Worlds
By Symee-Sama
Dr. Adam Curtis watched, his eyes impassive as Relena tossed and turned in her sleep. She had finally managed to do it, to jump the gap between worlds by herself. When they had brought her in here thirteen years ago, he had jumped at the chance to have her as his patient. Her mind had been phenomenally weakened by her abusive parents, and that made her the perfect subject to test his theory.
Given the proper circumstances, and materials, the human mind could be changed into something very different from the original. Enhanced in ways no one ever thought possible. Not only had he been able to change her physical features and insert thought barriers in that damaged mind of hers, he'd also managed to expand her extra sensory perception. It was a trait that all humans had, but few were able to access it, and even those who could were pitifully weak, but Relena... Relena was strong enough not only to read minds, and affect the actions of those around her, but to jump the gap between worlds, and project her mind to a world completely different from theirs.
It was unheard of, and it was going to make him a fortune. He could market the physical benefits, change your child or yourself into something to be desired, something beautiful, for a small fee of course. Adam smiled as he thought of the possibilities. In this world with its shallow values, he would make a killing, and then, when enough influential people had deigned to try his operation, he would activate one of the hormones that he inserted into their body.
He would be able to control everyone who used his product, just like he was able to control this pitiful child. There was no fear of her ever running away because all he would have to do is call her back, and she would come, obedient as a whipped dog. Just like tonight, he'd given her the order to try to reach the After Colony world.
Her powers were so strong now that all he had to do was think what he wanted and it was done. She had made the jump between worlds with minimal emotional damage, and he would let her stay in that world until he needed her. Then he would call her back.
He would let her think that she was home to stay, and then he would call her back, shatter all her hope, and by doing so, further bind her mind to his. She would always be his, and there would be a time, when the tests were done, when she had progressed far enough, that he would take over the world with that remarkable mind of hers.
Laughing softly, Adam watched as a young man with light brown hair that brushed his shoulders and violet eyes walked into Relena's room, as he'd done every day since she had made the jump. The young man pulled a chair to her bedside, and grabbed one of her hands, holding it tight in his, and then began to talk, of mindless, inane things. A girl named Hilde, his best friend, and how they were worried about him and his friendship with her.
He talked of how much he missed talking to her, and how much he wished that she would come back to him. Pull through this, he begged, and behind the fake mirror, Adam laughed at his foolishness. She would come back, but when she came back, she wouldn't be his Relena any more, she would be a tool, a mindless tool for Adam's use, and Adam's use alone.
. . . . .
Duo was in a rare foul mood as he walked into the apartment he shared with Heero. Relena was comatose, and she had been ever since Heero had gone in there and just torn her to shreds. He'd hurt her, both physically and mentally, and now she had gone back into a coma, just like she'd been for thirteen years before Duo met her.
A thought came to him that stole his breath away. What if she didn't wake up for another thirteen years? What if he never saw her again? Shit, what if she died? He stalked over to his roommate who was sleeping off a hangover, and shook him roughly. "What did you do to her?"
Heero reacted swiftly, catching Duo's hands and wrenching them away before he'd even had a chance to blink. "What the hell are you talking about Duo?" He asked groggily, pushing him away and rubbing the sleep out of his eyes. "What did I do to who?"
"Relena!" Duo snapped, glaring at his best friend. "You said things to her that hurt her, you actually bruised her, and now she's gone!" He slumped onto the edge of Heero's bed. "You didn't even give her a chance, man. You were against her from the start, and now... now she's gone. I can't reach her."
"Small loss," Heero shrugged, and turned away from Duo, ignoring the curious burning sensation in his stomach. "You're better off without her, anyway. Concentrate on Hilde, she's nice." He didn't flinch when Duo's fist snapped his head to one side. He knew it had been coming.
"What the hell is wrong with you?" Duo yelled at him. "This is a human life we're talking about! It doesn't matter if you like her or not, no one deserves this! You've been like this ever since Sylvia..." His voice died as Heero wrapped his hands around his throat.
"Not another word about Sylvia," Heero's voice was dead calm, and that scared Duo more than fury or rage would. "I'm going to let you go now, and if I hear another word about her, or about your nutty little friend, I'll kill you."
He got to his knees, backed off a respectable distance, and watched as Duo stood up, stumbling back to the bed. Duo watched him warily as he massaged his sore throat. "You should be in St. Mildred's," he rasped, wondering how he was going to explain a bruised neck to people. "You're crazy, man."
Heero looked at his friend expressionlessly, before grabbing him by the scruff of his shirt, and throwing him out of the room. "Fuck you," he said without force as he shut the door behind him, leaning against it, and sliding to the floor. "Fuck all of you." He stared at the ceiling, watching the shadows dance across it.
He didn't need to deal with the problems Duo was having with his nutcase friend. Not now. Not when he had so much to do. Work, school, and that damn project that he still couldn't find a subject for. Not to mention... their anniversary was today, and he knew that Sylvia would be mad if he was late.
He glanced at his watch. He still had a good two hours before he had to be there. He would have a shower soon, and actually take time getting ready. It was important to him that he look his best for her... but right now, right now he would watch the sun and the leaves make patterns across his ceiling, and figure out how to make it up to Duo.
. . . . .
Relena smiled contently as she lay in Heero's arms. It was nice to be back, more than nice actually. After her illness, it seemed like everything had fallen into place. All her friends were happy, the world was at peace, and Heero had finally opened up to her, and to her surprise, told her that he loved her as much as she loved him.
"What are you thinking about?" He asked her, brushing a kiss across her forehead, and pulling her tighter against him. "You're frowning."
She smiled at him, and looked at the ceiling, watching the sun and leaves make patterns across it. "I was just thinking of the other world I told you about. The one that I dreamed about when I was sick... I wish I could've done something for the people there." She paused thoughtfully. "It's such a sad world to live in. The crime is ridiculous, modern medicine and science are light years behind us, and so many people die. There's so much pain... I wish I could help them.
"I've done so much in this world, maybe there was something I could've done there too." She laughed softly at the thought. "I'm being ridiculous. I was a mental patient there. No one listens to people whose sanity has been called into question."
Heero didn't answer, troubled by the fact that she was taking this so seriously. She was acting like she had actually been in another world. Part of him insisted that she was insane, another that it was only anxiety speaking, and yet another, told him that she was telling the truth, and that maybe she had crossed the gap between worlds.
He didn't know what scared him the most. That she might be insane, or that she might be able to travel far beyond his reach. "Tell me about this other world," he insisted gently, "the entire thing, not just an overview. What were the people like there?"
"You wouldn't believe me if I told you," Relena muttered, and suddenly found herself being pulled into a long, breathtaking kiss.
"Try me," Heero whispered against her lips, and she leaned back with a sigh.
"A lot of the people that are there are completely new to me, but they're all very friendly. They're all very kind to me in the hospital, but there are a few people there who I know intimately in this world." She caught Heero's confused look, and laughed. "I mean, that there's another Duo, another Heero, and I haven't met anyone else that I'd know in that world, but I know there's another Hilde, and Sylvia, and I'm sure that there's doubles of all the other Gundam pilots too."
The light in her eyes faded as she thought about the Heero in the other world. "You're not very happy in the other world," she admitted, her hands moving to rub the bruises that didn't exist on her body in this world. "The woman you loved left you behind, and you're still mourning the loss of her."
"But you're there."
"You don't like me in the other world. Duo's the same, very accepting, and wonderful to be around, but I'm told you just see me as some crackpot." She smiled humourlessly. "No, you're not very fond of me at all, but I suppose it doesn't matter, because it was just a dream, right?"
"Right," Heero nodded and when she tensed up, he looked down at her in concern. "Relena?" He shook her, but she didn't move, and her eyes fluttered closed. He placed two fingers around her neck, feeling desperately for a pulse, and when he found it, it was weak, and fading. "Relena!" He yelled, and pressed the emergency button on her watch. "Don't leave me! Don't leave me again!"
Relena could hear him, and wished that she could reach out to him, ease his hurt. But he was far beyond her reach, wherever this place was, she had little power here, and could not manipulate her way back to her world.
She scanned the area quietly. She didn't like it here. It wasn't a natural sleep, nor a natural dream. She had been called here, but by who? She walked forward, shouting for whoever had brought her here to show themselves.
No one answered, and Relena was starting to get angry when a light flashed in front of her, and Heero fell in front of her. "Relena?" He looked around bewilderedly. "Where is this and what the hell am I doing here?"
She shrugged helplessly. "I don't know. I didn't bring you here." She watched him with no measure of curiousity. "Which one are you?" She asked carefully, and when he looked at her blankly... "Which Heero are you?"
"There's only one of me," Heero snapped, and stalked over to a window that had materialized out of nowhere. "We need to get out of here." He said, and looked back at her. "Do you know how to do that?" She shook her head, and he growled in frustration. "Well, then how the hell do we get out?"
"I only know a few things about it, and I don't know how far you'd want to trust those things." She smiled weakly. "Considering they were told to me in a dream... I know that I can jump the gap across worlds, any world actually, but I can only do it when I'm going through a period of heightened emotional stress. When I made the jump to the AC world when I was twelve I was severely depressed, when I made the jump to your world twelve years later, I was angry, and when I came back, I was sad."
Heero felt a small pang of self disgust at her last comment. He had done that to her. He was the one who'd hurt her, and made her unhappy. He pushed it to the back of his mind, as she moved towards him. "And I think I could bring people, even objects through the gap. So I should be able to bring you home."
"And where will you go?" Heero demanded.
"I'm not sure," Relena lied, averting her eyes. "We need to find a way to make me emotional." She focused, and Heero started in surprise as three new people appeared in the room, their shouts echoing off the walls. "This will do," she whispered, and her eyes glazed over as she watched.
"Damn it, Doreen!" the man shouted, grabbing the little girl by the scruff of her neck. "I told you she was up to no good! She was trying to go outside again!" The girl let out a whimper, and he threw her away in disgust. "She's your daughter!"
"She's your daughter too!" Doreen shouted back, and grabbed the girl as she tried to crawl away. "Don't you dare run away from this, you little ingrate! This is your fault!" She smiled, and Heero's blood ran cold at the sight of it. "I think it's time for you to go to your room."
Relena let out a whimper, and sank to her knees as the scene shifted, and the room collapsed until it was only the size of a closet. Heero knelt beside her, trying to be gentle as he reached out to touch her, but she flinched away, sobbing silently. "Relena," He moved close to her again, this time giving her no chance to escape. "Stop this. There's got to be another way."
She looked up at him, tears running down her face. "But it worked." She whispered, and Heero fell back from her as her eyes changed to a pure white, and then everything went black as the world exploded around them.
Relena woke up slowly, and shook her head slowly to clear it. Where was she now? Which world had she made it back to? She shook Heero awake, and smiled at his sleep-clouded gaze. "What year is it?" She asked him, her smile fading when he glared at her.
"2011," he grunted, and watched with something close to pity as her face fell, and tears welled in her eyes. "Welcome back." He said, and got up, pulling on his coat. "I've got to go now. I've got a meeting with someone. I'll send Duo for you tomorrow."
"Why are you here?" She asked him quietly. "You hate coming here. You definitely weren't fond of me. The last time I saw you, you were threatening to not let me see Duo again, and now... now I wake up to find you asleep in my room, and you're telling me that you'll not only let Duo come to see me, but you'll send him? What's going on Heero?"
"He really cares about you," Heero admitted. "He was upset when you left, and I... I was doing this for him, but I've really got to go now." He said, almost apologetically, and reached for the door handle. "I'll send Duo for you tomorrow."
"You said that," Relena moved quickly, putting her hand over his, and stopping him in his tracks. "But I need you to do a favour for me. I need you to take me with you." He stared at her in horror, and she sighed, offering the only thing she could to him. "If you get me out of here, I'll take you to my world and let you see Sylvia."
"What makes you think that I can't just see her here?" He asked, and she smiled at him sadly. "You know she's dead, don't you?"
Relena nodded. "I can't explain it. There are things that I just know about people. It happened in both worlds. I could tell that despite your rudeness, your harshness, that you're a good person, and as soon as you started talking about Sylvia, I knew she was dead in this world." She held out her hands before her. "That's all I can offer that you'd be interested in. Please take me out of here."
"It's that bad?" Heero asked her, still undecided. "You don't seem treated badly here." Relena shook her head, and backed away from him, sinking onto the hospital bed. "Then why do you want to leave?"
Relena simply shook her head again, and watched him with her haunted blue eyes. Heero shrugged off his coat, and handed it to her. "Come on," he said, knowing he would probably regret this later. "You don't care if we have to stop somewhere before we get back to my apartment do you?"
Relena shook her head again, smiling now, and his heart tightened painfully, she looked like Sylvia. The innocent beauty, and the sad, haunted blue eyes. He scolded himself as he took her hand and led her out of the hospital. He couldn't get involved with a nutcase like her. Even if she did remind him of Sylvia, he would be with her for all the wrong reasons.
Her hand squeezed his as they walked into the street, and she looked at the bustle of the city, disoriented and confused. "I don't know what to do." She admitted, and he smiled at her, a smile that broke her heart and healed it at the same time.
"Just stick with me, and you'll be fine," Heero promised as he hailed a cab, and they made their way to the cemetery. He looked over at her, his mind brimming with questions he wanted to ask, and took one look at the dark circles under her eyes, and the weary look on her face, and decided that questions could wait. "Go to sleep," he ordered her, "I'll wake you up when we get there."
Relena opened her mouth to protest, and then stopped, and leaned against the window. "Are you sure?" She asked quietly, and when he nodded, she smiled, nearly stopping his heart. "Thank you." She said, and was asleep before they'd reached the end of the block.
Heero watched her silently, confusion, disgust and unmistakable lust warring within him. She was so much like Sylvia, but at the same time, she was different. There was something about her that Sylvia didn't have, other than the psychic abilities, there was something different about her.
Maybe it was the fact that even though she was in a mental hospital, she was much more in control than Sylvia ever was. Sylvia had been pure energy, always ready for something different, always ready to have fun, but Relena... she was much more reserved, much more self-conscious.
She's got nothing on Sylvia! Heero thought angrily, disgusted with himself. He didn't like thinking about her this way. He hadn't thought about another woman this way since Sylvia had entered his life and he'd be damned if he started now, especially with a nutcase. Why did I bring her with me? She probably can't do what she promised, and even if she could, why would she? She told me that story of hers, she's attracted to me in that other world. In love with me there, so why would it be any different here?
"I keep my promises," Relena said simply, turning back to face him, and if she wasn't so angry with him, she would've laughed at the look on his face. "I can read minds sometimes." She reminded him, and crossed her arms over her breasts. "I don't appreciate you comparing me to your dead girlfriend. Especially when you don't really know me at all."
"Well, I don't appreciate you reading my mind!" Heero snapped back, not caring when her eyes clouded with hurt and indignation. "Do you always do this to people? Invade their minds and their thoughts?"
"Only when their thoughts are screaming to be heard." Relena replied tartly. "And I didn't need to read your mind to know that you resent me. You never gave me a chance, not even when we first met. You'd already decided what I was like based on your own biases."
"If I never gave you a chance, then why am I helping you now?" Heero snapped, wondering to himself where all her self-control had gone. There were so many emotions coming from her now that it was hard to tell them apart. There was anger of course, hurt, and regret, and embarrassment. What the hell was her problem? He was the one who was being imposed on! Risking his ass to get them out of that damn place, and now she was throwing it all back in his face!
"The only reason you helped me was because I promised you a chance to see Sylvia again." She said stiffly, furious that he was turning himself into the victim. "And I'll keep my promise, but there's something that we're going to have to get out of the way." She reached out and pressed her fingers against the sides of his head. "We're going to settle this. No more questions, no more accusations." No more anything, she thought, knowing he wouldn't react well to what she was going to do.
She was going to create a temporary bond between them. She wanted to know what it was that made him so bitter, and she wanted him to know exactly what she was going through. She'd put up with his bullshit long enough and she was going to settle this. Even if it was the wrong way. Even if he'd hate her for it afterwards. Even if it was an invasion of his mind.
She closed her eyes, and opened her mind, letting his memories, his thoughts, seep into her head, and forcing hers through to his mind. She had never done anything like this before, not even jumping the gap between worlds took this much of her strength. There was no resistance when she made the jump, but here, there was nothing but resistance.
He'd built up a wall around his mind, and she was tearing it down, brick by brick. Her eyes snapped open when she finally broke it down, and she took a twisted pleasure in seeing the shock in his eyes. I did it, Relena thought triumphantly, as white lights exploded behind her eyes. I did it. She thought again, and let the darkness take her.
. . . . .
Damn her! Adam thought furiously as he paced around his office. Where the hell did she go? He managed to calm himself enough to look out the window, watching all the foolish people go through their pointless lives.
He had been so sure that his plan would work! She had been in the AC world, had been content to stay there. So what happened? Someone had called her out of that world, had forced her into the void between worlds and then jumped the gap to this one.
He'd been able to feel that. Even though his control of his extra sensory perception was nowhere as strong as Relena's, he'd been able to feel it. That meant there was someone nearly as strong as Relena. Someone who'd had none of the modifications that she'd had, but was still immensely powerful...
This provided new complications and opportunities for Adam. This new person, whoever they were could prove to be a serious threat to his plans, but if he could harness the power of this person, get them to work for him, maybe even compel them like he compelled Relena... there would be no stopping him. He wouldn't even need to market the product. He could just take over the world.
But he couldn't find her. He couldn't sense Relena, and even though he'd exhausted his mind searching for her, calling her. She couldn't be found, and she wasn't answering his summons. So either she had been able to break away from him, which was unthinkable, or she'd been injured in some way and was unconscious.
He needed her back. Not only to use her power, but to find out who had forced her from the AC world. He needed to know. He needed to know everything about this person, and how he could recruit them to his cause.
The blood drained from Adam's face as he attempted to call her again, and he collapsed against his desk, a triumphant smile crossing his face even though he'd been severely weakened by his efforts. He'd reached her this time. She'd finally fallen into a natural sleep, and she would be coming to him as soon as she woke up.
Adam laughed, even as he sunk to the floor. Victory was his. The world was his!
. . . . .
What a day. Duo thought miserably. Nearly strangled to death by my best friend, another friend is comatose, and a girl that I'm starting to like told me that I'm not her type. Could it get any worse? He opened the door to his apartment, slamming it behind him, and stalking to his room, when Heero called him.
"Duo," his voice was shaky, and he was white, as if all the blood had been drained from him. "I need your help." He gestured for his roommate to follow, and staggered into his room, pointing at the bed. "I need you to get her out of here."
"Relena?" Duo gasped, "what is she doing here?" Heero gave him no explanation, simply gestured impatiently for Duo to hurry up. "Is she okay? She looks worse than you do." Duo sat on the edge of Heero's bed, taking Relena's hand in his. "We probably shouldn't move her."
Heero growled low in his throat, and sat on a chair across from his bed. "She did this to herself, I don't care if she's hurting." Duo shot his a confused look, and Heero sighed, explaining everything that had happened since their fight earlier today. "She invaded my mind, and took all my memories for herself."
"That doesn't sound like the Relena I know," Duo frowned. "Something's wrong, Heero... we need to help her."
"No," Heero crossed his arms, and glared at the woman who was unconscious on his bed. "You need to help her. I didn't want anything to do with her before, and I don't want anything to do with her now. Especially since she pulled this crap. She's not my responsibility."
"Fine," Duo said, too tired to argue with him. "Take my bed. I'll sleep here tonight."
"Making moves on someone who's unconscious is a small step away from being a necrophiliac." Heero smirked, and dodged the pillow that Duo chucked at him. "There are extra blankets in my closet, and you can use the pillows. Sleep on the floor." He advised. "Sleeping with people who are crazy can't be good for your health."
"You still think she's crazy?" Duo asked softly, and Heero stared at the unconscious woman on his bed for a long time before answering.
"I don't know." He said as he made his way to the door. "I really don't know."
Author's Note: Okay, this chapter is both an explanation and a continuation of the story. There were a lot of things explained... But I hope you're still confused about a LOT of stuff. If you are... good! That's what I want. grins Thanks to everyone who reviewed. It is so motivating to hear that people actually like what you write. Anyway, I hope you liked this chapter, and as usual, anything worth commenting/criticizing, send a review.
And if it's not too much trouble could you also tell me what you're still confused about or what you do understand? It makes it a lot easier for me to figure out what needs to be explained more. Thanks so much for everyone who reviewed last time, and just to make things clear... this story is not even close to the end yet. Believe me, I'm just getting started. evil grin
And thank you to Dan Inverse for giving me the idea of Heero in the G-world! eviller grin I've got some ideas about how I can work that in. And lastly, thanks to Ben, Michelle, Anna, and Dragon Agility for the beta reading!
Symee
