Aria blinked as she realized she was in a newly awaked state. 'Why am I awake?' floated through her puzzled mind, as she turned to look at the digital clock on the night table; 2:39 AM. She groaned as she brushed her loose hair back, slowly turning over onto her back. Her heart sank, as she suddenly realized she was alone in the bed.

In slight panic, she swiftly crawled out; dressed in her jeans and tank top, yet barefoot.

"Heero?" she called lightly as she walked through the small hallway in the dark, heading for the living room.

Her eyes darted to the side to glance at the bathroom door, which was dark; and as she looked back up, a gasp escaped Aria's lips, as a shadow she hadn't seen towered over her.

"Heero!" her hand lashed out, grasping his wrist, her eyes never leaving him. As her fingers made contact with his cold skin, something wet and sticky registered in her senses, and her heart sank. Her fingers turned his arm over gingerly, and she saw just what she'd expected – long bloody gashes. Eyes having now adjusted to the darkness, turned up to look at him in sorrow. Dark in the night, his face was that of the cold soldier, but his eyes were crestfallen.

"Baby, what's wrong?" Her left arm found its' way to his elbow, as if frightened that he would leave; but he remained unmoving.

"Ari, the bird died." His voice was so much colder than it had been in the longest time, stinging as a winter frost would; yet Aria didn't waver. She had never been intimidated by his gruff appearance, or cold words, and now the only thing she saw in him, was grief.

Her clean hand left his elbow, and rested on his frigid cheek.

"Heero… I'm sorry.." She felt his pain, he was nearly radiating it; and it was killing her as she knew it was killing him.

He stared at her blankly. "You knew."

"Baby, I…"

"You lied to me, Ari." Her hand dropped.

His eyes suddenly turned angry. "I don't need to be treated like a child, Aria. I know reality. I can handle reality."

"I know, Heero.."

"And you're lying again." He looked away. "I know that because you're here now."

She blinked. "I'm here because I care about you.."

He pulled his bloody arm away, leaning against the wall. "Yeah, that's what you keep saying."

A sudden chill of fear entered Aria's body upon hearing his words. …What was he saying?

"Heero, I love you, you know I do.. I've never lied to you about that, I wouldn't.."

His vision dulled as he watched her speak, barely hearing the words. He leaned his head against the coolness of the wall, attempting to relieve the sudden rush of a headache. He felt her hand grasp his, and looked at her. Dark eyes pleaded with him.

"Please.. just let me bandage those cuts."

He sighed tiredly.

"Okay, Ari-" His foggy brain then remembered. "-kun."

A sad sort of smile flickered over the brunette's face, and she pulled him gently toward the kitchen. He complied, following her until they've reached the small space behind the living room. As she went to retrieve the medical supplies from a cabinet, he walked to the refrigerator and pulled it open to grasp a frosty bottle of beer. The alcohol in hand, he sat down at the table.

Aria's features saddened at seeing him do this, but she said nothing. She flipped the light switch to turn on the small lamp above the table instead of the main lights, then sitting down, set about gently cleaning the blood away from the wounds.

Lifting the bottle to his lips, he drank its' contents in large gulps, barely aware of Aria's hands on his arm as she carefully cleaned out the cuts.

It didn't take her long, and soon she had his lower arm wrapped up in thin white cloth bandages, protecting it from bleeding, as well as infection. She put away the supplies silently into the box, then stood and put the box back in the cabinet. When she turned, his beer was already empty, yet he continued to sit unmoving, eyes staring ahead absently. She bit her lip, heart aching at seeing him like this; he was the last person she had ever imagined seeing in this position.

With a sigh, she walked back, resting her palm on his shoulder gently.

"Come on Heero, let's go back to bed." Her voice was quiet, nearly hesitant.

He looked up at her for a moment, before setting the empty bottle onto the tabletop and walking out of the kitchen. Aria's sad eyes watched him go, then she turned off the light, following him.