Rei pursed her lips to consider his offer. Everything in her body told her to say yes but the fact that this was the man her daughter also loved cut Rei deep. What kind of a mother was she, to take away her daughter's love? If things had been different, if Rei hadn't been encased in crystal she would have been able to watch Relena and Heero courting and Relena and Heero would have married and Rei would have proudly stood by as Relena's mother.
But Rei was still young, only twenty-four, it was impossible to comprehend that Relena was her daughter when they were near the same age. Rei herself loved Heero much more than she could possibly have expressed. She loved the way he was silent, and the way he watched her with those intense blue eyes, they way he half smiled when he saw her silently laugh at herself, the way he was always there for her, the way he respected what she was doing even if he didn't know what it was, the way he trusted her when she hadn't said a word to him this whole time.
Rei tilted her head up to look at Heero's impassive face, the blue eyes boring into her own violet eyes, and her heart made the decision for her. Rei raised her left hand with the engagement ring finger prominently displayed and nodded at Heero who half smiled as he took her hand and helped her to her feet. Rei stumbled forward into him and felt strong arms embrace her and hold her tightly. Looking up Rei thought she saw something in Heero's eyes as he bent his head down, his lips searching for hers…
"Rei, Heero, the preacher is ready….woah excuse me," Duo walked onto the scene and stopped dead in his tracks slightly uncomfortable and embarrassed at interrupting such a moment. He had never seen Heero in such a compromising position. His arms were locked about Rei's waist and her body was pressed up against his, they were staring into each other's eyes, with their lips almost touching.
Heero pulled away clasping Rei's hand, and without a word he led the way passed Duo to where a preacher stood waiting for them in front of an altar that was a ruin of something that had once been beautiful. Duo stood by proudly as best man as the simple ceremony was performed. The preacher was quite shaky and Rei hazarded a guess that Duo had brought the poor old man here at gunpoint, after all it was late at night, close to dawn, it wouldn't have been easy to find a willing preacher for a ceremony such as this.
The runaway fiancee of the Princess of Earth and a non-speaking girl from a world that time forgot, thought of as simple because she mutilated herself willingly. Duo happily handed over the rings that Heero had obviously planned beforehand, a simple gold band for himself, and a gold and white gold entwined band for Rei. The preacher shakily asked Heero the questions of matrimony and Heero replied with a strong and firm, I do. Next it was Rei's turn and after there was an awkward moment because Rei couldn't verbally express what she desired Rei nodded pressing her hand first to her heart and then to Heero's. Considering this was enough the preacher quickly pronounced them husband and wife.
"You may kiss the bride," the preacher invited them wiping his brow, glad that the ceremony was over and done with. Heero slowly turned his head to look at Rei's upturned face, her pink lips waiting for his to claim hers. This would be their first kiss. Rei closed her eyes as Heero bent his head and as their lips touched both felt a wave of emotion rush through each other, that same feeling of fire they received whenever they touched. It was their first kiss and lasted longer than either expected, the two were so intent of discovering each other all at once through that brief kiss. Duo was especially embarrassed and had to cough politely twice to get them to break it up.
Saying their goodbyes was the hardest. Rei had to say goodbye to a husband who had only been hers only a few minutes. Heero walked to his car but before he could get in the car Rei was hugging him tightly.
-Come back safe, please promise to come back safe- Rei pleaded in her head and with her hands and as always Heero knew exactly what she was saying.
"I promise I will be back for you," Heero swore and satisfied because Heero was a man of honour she allowed him to get in the car and after looking back at her once he drove the car away leaving Rei with Duo.
"You know Rei I would be more than happy to fulfil Hero's matrimonial duties…" Duo started as a joke but got no further as Rei elbowed him in the stomach twice, the first for being so vulgar and the second because he was newly married to her best friend, it was just wrong of him to say something like that when he should have been devoted to Minako. Duo stumbled away coughing.
"I was joking Rei, jeez learn to ease up," Duo said in way of apology and Rei smiled at him shaking her head.
Wordlessly Duo helped Rei into the car and they drove back in silence, with the radio playing a soft song.