Rei awoke to Minako's horrified scream.
"Oh my Goddess Rei your hands!" Heero came running in, gun pulled out at Minako's scream, pushing aside Makoto and Ami who had wandered in to see what all the fuss was about. Everyone was floored at the state of Rei's hands. There was dried blood all over her dress and her hands, the puncture wounds crusted over with blood. Heero was spellbound as he stared in shock at what she had done. Minako fell to her knees beside Rei's chair taking her hands tentatively.
"What is this?" Makoto asked reaching for the roses, which Rei had tied into some sort of... Makoto didn't exactly know quite what to make of it. Rei grabbed her work shaking her head at Makoto who stepped backwards letting her be. Ami and Makoto each grabbed a hold of Rei's shoulders in an attempt to let Rei open her mind to talk to them if she so wished it.
"Rei you have to let us dress your hands, it could get infected," Minako said softly and Rei nodded.
Quatre and Duo were in the doorway watching with Wufei and Trowa standing behind them. Seeing that they were ready to clean Rei's hands he sent Wufei and Trowa to get some water and cleaning solution, much to Wufei's annoyance, he walked away muttering something about a fool onna. Everyone remained in silence, and in that loud silence Rei looked up to glance at Heero and his face showed that he couldn't comprehend why she had done such a thing, but he didn't look down on her, he was merely confused, but accepting of her strange behaviour. Once the cleaning liquids had arrived the girls set about tending to Rei's puncture wounds. Heero put away his gun and ran his fingers through his wet, messy hair. He had just gotten out of the shower when he heard Minako's scream. For a moment back there his heart had felt like it was being torn out of his chest, he had been sick with worry for Rei, and he didn't know why he felt so strongly towards her. Quatre, Wufei, Duo and Trowa all sat in the room watching the three girl's work around Rei, each wondering just what the hell was going on.
I need to get more roses- Rei finally said to then and Minako looked at the roses tied together in Rei's lap.
-To continue doing this?- Minako said nodding her head towards the tied roses and Rei bowed her head indicating she was right.
-Yes-
-No Rei, I can't allow it- Ami spoke up shaking her head and Makoto touched Rei's hand, agreeing with Ami.
-Look at the state of your hands for the love of the Goddess- Makoto pointed out and Rei looked down at her hands, feeling pity for herself. Her hands had been so lovely, but they would not be so from now on, for in doing this task, the senshi healing would not work, not without the Silver Crystal in the hands of its rightful owner.
-Please, convince them to let me go out and get more- Rei begged and Minako brushed back Rei's hair gently.
-Rei, tell us why, help us to understand-
-I cannot, please just help me- Rei begged again, her voice shivering with emotion and Ami breathed deeply.
-I will talk to Quatre, maybe he will let us go outside, I saw underneath my balcony in the garden below there was a garden of rose bushes, if he doesn't mind maybe you can take those- Ami gave in sighing deeplyand Rei beamed brightly hugging Ami. Minako and Makoto shared worried looks but said nothing. They had promised Rei they would help her, and they would keep that promise. After finishing cleaning her wounds the girls left back to their own rooms to finish getting dressed and Heero and Rei were left alone in her room.
"Rei…" Heero started to say something but when Rei turned her wide violet eyes on him he became silent once more.
-What?- Rei made the movement with her hands and Heero felt compelled to continue.
"Why are you doing this?" he asked and Rei's face became overshadowed in sadness.
Ever since she had woken up Heero had been there for her. She hated most of all not being able to tell him everything. He reminded her so much of Relena's father, the man who had stolen her heart. The way he was so silent, and just always there protecting her. Even the way he looked at her was the same.
Rei simply shook her head and Heero breathed deeply and nodded his head, agreeing not to speak of it anymore. Rei's eyes filled with tears of happiness, glad that Heero did not forsake her running to throw herself into his arms and Heero held onto her slim form, letting her rest her head on his shoulder. For once in his life, Heero felt truly a strange feeling in his soul. He felt happy.
Quatre was in his study reviewing some business papers when there was a timid knock at his door.
"Come in," he called expecting it to be his manservant but was pleasantly surprised when Ami wandered in and Quatre's eyes widened with joy, "Oh Ami, what a surprise"
"Quatre I hope I'm not interrupting you," Ami said softly and Quatre swept aside his papers, giving Ami his full attention.
"Of course not, it's a welcome distraction from work," Quatre said and Ami smiled blushing taking a seat in front of his desk.
"The girls and I were wondering if we might go outside, into the garden," Ami requested and Quatre clapped his hands together.
"Of course, it's a such a lovely day, we should make a picnic of it," he said decidedly and Ami was quite happy with the idea.
"That would be fantastic"
"Okay, well I'll have the servants get together a basket and meet you and the others in the garden in about half and hour," Quatre arranged it quite easily and Ami pursed her lips, knowing she had to bring this subject up, on Rei's behalf.
"There is one other thing," Ami said and Quatre raised an eyebrow.
"What's that?"
"The roses, Rei wants more to continue her work," Ami put forward and Quatre frowned not liking the idea.
"But her hands..."
"She wants to keep going and we promised her we would help," Ami said pleadingly, her wide blue eyes so sincere. Quatre couldn't bring himself to say nom not when she looked at him in such a soulful way.
"Well I cannot let you break a promise," he agreed and Ami smiled happy that she could help Rei and she leaned over to touch Quatre's hand.
"Thank you for understanding," she said squeezing his hand and Quatre smiled back at her. Ami blushed and kissed Quatre's cheek before leaving the room and Quatre reached up to touch his cheek in wonder, confused at this growing longing in his chest.
Fifteen minutes later Trowa, Duo, Heero and Wufei wandered into Quatre's study having already been told by the girls that they would be taking part in a picnic this afternoon, Wufei by protest. They were checking in with Quatre as they were meant to do with their latest updates. As usual Duo, Wufei and Quatre had no news, Mako, Ami and Minako had not regained any memory and had revealed nothing to them. Heero as usual could say nothing about Rei. Trowa was getting a little frustrated with Heero's refusal to speak but all were shocked when Quatre told them Ami's strange request.
"She must be nuts! She wants to keep going with this?" Duo asked amazed and Wufei shook his head in disbelief.
"Baka onna"
"You can't possibly be agreeing to facilitate her madness?" Trowa asked of Quatre who shrugged nodding his head.
"Ami promised," Quatre replied firmly but Trowa shook her head.
"Its crazy," he muttered loudly and Heero finally stirred.
"Be quiet all of you! Rei will do what she needs, none of us will interfere," Heero said strongly, his voice leaving no room for disagreement.
"What's with you Heero? Why do you always feel the need to protect that girl?" Duo asked giving a half smile, a suggestive smile. Duo's question confused Heero for a moment, as he had been asking himself the same question for the past few days.
"I…don't know," Heero said honestly and Quatre's eyes widened in curiosity. Could it be the perfect soldier had fallen for a woman?
"Do you like her?" Quatre asked slowly unsure of how Heero would react to such a question but Heero reply was swift, but shaky.
"No"
"Are you sure?" Duo persisted but Heero turned his fiery eyes on all of them leaving them a parting remark before he strode from the room.
"Leave her alone, all of you"
The other Gundam pilots gaped open-mouthed at his departing form before Duo's face transformed into a cheeky grin.
"Oh yes, Heero is in love!"
As Quatre was about to go down and join the picnic the phone in his office started ringing and he stopped to retrieve it.
"Report," the voice on the other end commanded and Quatre hurriedly did so, knowing Lady Une hated to be kept waiting. When he revealed Rei's strange behaviour Lady Une had some questions.
"You say she purposely mutates herself?" Lady Une asked again waiting for confirmation.
"She is trying to make something out of the roses, by tying them together," Quatre explained and Lady Une breathed deeply on the other end of the phone.
"Are you sure she's not insane?" Lady Une asked the question seriously.
"Quite sure, the other girls assure me Rei is fully aware of what she is doing," Quatre confirmed surely and Lady Une sighed.
"Let me know what she is making when you figure it out," Lady Une commanded and Quatre agreed.
"Yes Lady Une."
"What about the others? Any progress?"
"None, they still claim to remember nothing, they only remember their lives before Crystal Tokyo," Quatre seemed baffled by this but Lady Une seemed hopeful that they might still come round.
"Keep at it, take them to do things they used to do together, maybe it will jog their memory," Lady Une told him and Quatre had only one reply for her,
"Yes."
Quatre came upon a peaceful scene in the garden below. Heero was sitting on a stone bench watching Rei as she walked through the rose bushes, cutting the roses and putting them in her little basket. She finished just as Quatre sat down beside Ami on the blanket and ran over to sit by Heero giving him her basket to hold and he did so without protest. Makoto and Wufei were having in arm wrestle on the picnic blanket, being egged on by Minako and Duo who were cheering for their favourite contender. It was all so perfect, so normal.