Lovebirds
By Rin Amaru
Disclaimer: I wish…. I owned it… then I would be making so much money… However, I do not.
A/N: Final chapter. Not sure yet if I'll make an epilogue yet.
It is three years to the day that Relena died. Emi has grown up into a lovely little 5 year old girl. Duo and Hilde have just welcomed a new addition to their family and have thrown a party at their home on L2 to celebrate; and to make sure I don't do anything stupid.
Last year, on the same day, I tried to slit my wrists. However, the bleeding-to-death process takes way too long. Just long enough for Duo to find me when he dropped Emi off from spending the day at DJ's. Duo stopped the bleeding and brought me to the hospital. I was saved; unfortunately. I don't know how much longer I can go on without Relena.
Quatre handed me my third can of beer. I looked up at him, gave a small smile, and opened the can. That's pretty much how I've been communicating for the past three years. The only people I actually talk to are Duo, Emi, and, occasionally, the other ex-Gundam pilots.
It's a lonely life.
"Heero… You can't keep living like this! We just can't stand how you're wasting away right before our eyes. We're your best friends and we care about you!" Quatre blurted out of the goodness of his heart. He was always so pure and innocent. A slender hand rested on his shoulder.
I looked up. The hand belonged to his wife, Dorothy. Considering the fact that she once shot him, she and Quatre have come a long way with their relationship. Quatre was still the head of the Winner Corporation, frequently going to conferences all around the Earth Sphere. Dorothy was Quatre's right hand woman. She controlled the company during Quatre's absences and gladly did all the political dirty work.
They had a son a few months after Emi was born, Daniel. He inherited his parents' blonde hair and blue eyes. His hair was the length Quatre's always was, but Danny's was much straighter. Quatre passed on his good, strong heart while Dorothy taught her son pride and the virtue of being powerful.
"Hn… I'm never alone. I always have Emi," I finally answered. Emi had become my life now. I set up surveillance in her kindergarten classroom to watch her. I escorted her everywhere she needed to go. I played with her, I talked to her, I protected her, I taught her how to defend herself… Everything a good father should do, I did. I even reserved my true smiles for her. She was my and Relena's baby; and I made sure she would never forget it.
"Is she alright without her mother?" I heard Trowa's calm voice say. Looking up, I saw him with Catherine on his arm. DNA tests proved they were not actually related. Thank god, or else their marriage would have been incest. Their son, Matthew, was born the same week Danny was. Just as their fathers were best friends, Matty and Danny were inseparable.
Trowa and Catherine were still traveling with the circus. The troupe was now mostly staying on L1, which was a good thing. Now Matty can have a stable environment to grow up in. Matty inherited Trowa's strange brown hair and Catherine's violet eyes.
I nodded. "Yes, she's fine. I often show her videos of her mother preaching her ideals. I hope she will defend Relena's teachings."
"If she has any sense of justice, she will certainly defend the world her mother created for her," Wufei stated in his usual way. Sally stood behind him, starting a conversation with Catherine.
They had gotten married a year later then Relena and I did. Everyone was amazed that Wufei even proposed. It's rumored that when he did, Sally thought it was a joke and laughed at him. To prove it, he kissed her full on the lips and confessed his love. She certainly believed him then.
Sally had given birth to fraternal twins shortly after DJ was born. A boy and, yes, a girl, they were named Lian and Meilan. Not at all surprising, both of their middle names were Nataku. I still can't believe Sally agreed to that…
Both children inherited their father's jet black hair and high moral standards. However, Sally passed on her ice blue eyes and desire to help others. Lian and Meilan were the perfect combination of the two.
I nodded to Wufei just as Duo and Hilde walked over, newborn baby in her mother's arms. Their second child, Mallory, was born only 5 days prior to today. Her blue-black hair could already be seen faintly on the top of her tiny head. Hilde chose the name: it means army counselor. Kind of a strange choice in a world without war.
DJ, Duo Junior, looks almost exactly like his father, but with Hilde's dark blue eyes and without a braid. Personality wise, they're quite different. They both like to joke around and have fun, but overall, DJ is a lot more badass than his father. And by badass, I mean he's occasionally sarcastic, cruel, and arrogant. I knew it was a bad idea for Wufei to move in down the street…
"Ain't it funny how we all got busy around the same time?" Duo laughed, gesturing towards the children on the play set behind him.
Little Danny was sitting on the top of the slide, talking to Matty who was hanging upside down from the nearby monkey bars. DJ was pushing a laughing Emi on the swings and Lian and Meilan were on a swinging see-saw thing. All of them were destined to become the best of friends, just as their parents have become.
Emi saw me watching her and she waved happily, chocolate pigtails blowing behind her. I flashed her a smile and gazed lovingly at her. It's a shame I'll have to leave them all…
Yes, I said that. But I didn't know why…
Hilde stared at me in pleasant surprise before saying, "Would anyone like to sit inside? I heard the colony will rain later today."
"Yeah, let's go!" Duo added excitedly, "Hilde made cookies!"
Upon hearing the word cookies, everyone stood and walked into Duo and Hilde's large family room and found a chair. I decided to sit outside and watch the kids a bit longer.
I noted that Emi's laughter sounded just like Relena's. Her skin was the same tone, her bone structure… Everything but her hair and eye color was the same. Why did everything remind me of her? Why?
All it ever did was cause me more pain.
If I could, I would have done everything in my power to save her. Why didn't I know? Why wasn't I smart enough or observant enough to pick up on her symptoms? I was her friggin' husband! Of all people, I should have known that my wife was dying.
I looked down at the hand holding the can of beer and saw the scar from the last suicide attempt. It would have been better if I died… Every day is like a living hell. Her face is everywhere and every time I see it, it feels like my heart is being ripped from my body. I don't know how much longer I can take it.
I downed the rest of the can and grabbed another. Does everything I touch have to die? The family I never knew, the Doctors, the soldiers I slaughtered… the one and only love of my life, the one girl I confessed my love to, the one girl I lived for, had to die.
Is my daughter next? If Emi died, what would I have left? With me and my luck, the only way she'd live a full life is if I died.
Yeah, that's how it had to be…
I know I promised Relena I'd take care of her… But, I already did. I taught her everything she needs to know to survive. I've made sure she went to live with Duo and Hilde in the event of my death. I played with her and grew closer to her everyday she would remember what her real father was like. I often showed home videos of her mother she would never forget her. I lived each day with her as if it were the last.
My promise has been fulfilled. Wherever Emi goes in life, she will be prepared because of what I taught her. She doesn't need me anymore. My sad, almost lifeless body will only hold her back from her true potential.
If I was going to do this, I had to do it then.
Barely realizing what I was doing, I stood up and walked inside. Ignoring the greetings from my friends who were watching a football game, I went up the stairs and into the guest room Emi and I were staying in.
Gently closing the door behind me, I sat down on the bed.
Maybe I shouldn't go through this. Maybe there's another way…
I heard a noise and, turning to look at the TV Emi left on, saw Relena's face on the news. They were having a special on her life for the anniversary of her death. My eyes filled with all-too-familiar tears.
Yes, this is how it has to be.
Reaching into the bag I had packed my clothes in, I pulled out my silenced pistol. With shaking hands, I took off the safety and held it to my temple. I took a deep breath…
"It's okay, DJ! I'll be right back, I just want to get my swimsuit on!" I heard Emi's voice say from outside the door. I stopped breathing. Closing my eyes, I faced the inevitable.
I heard a gasp and knew Emi understood what I was about to do. She was five years old, and she already understood death.
"Daddy… don't…" she stuttered, unsure of what to say. She stood in the doorway, hands reaching out towards me.
Sighing, I replied, "Emi, I love you so much. Don't ever forget that. But I love your mother, too. So much it hurts. Death will put an end to my pain…"
"No… Daddy, no…" Emi whispered, stepping towards me.
"I'm so sorry, Emi…" I said under my breath just as I pulled the trigger. A clearly female, blood curdling, scream filled the room.
The last thing I tasted was blood filling my mouth.
The last thing I smelled was Emi's lavender shampoo.
The last things I felt were her small hands and warm tears caressing my face.
The last thing I heard was Emi choking out the words, "I love you too, Daddy…"
The artificial sky opened up to man-made rain. A fake world cried for the Perfect Soldier who left his only daughter to rejoin his beloved Angel of Peace.
A/N: Sequel? No? If there will be one, it will be Emi's story. Can't tell you my ideas though! R&R!