Disclaimer: I don't own Gundam Wing or Magic Knight Rayearth. They belong to Bandai and CLAMP, respectively.
World 2 World
Chapter IX: The Rain
"Heero-kun!"
A girl with dark blonde hair ran across the park, a bouquet of lilies in her hand. A brown-haired boy, sitting atop a branch of the large tree in the middle of the park, opened his eyes and turned his Prussian orbs downward.
"Heero-kun!"
The little girl panted as she came to a stop at the base of the tree. Turning light blue eyes upward, she smiled at the young boy.
"Heero-kun, look what I got!" she announced as she held up her white flowers for him to see. "Some nannies in black and white dresses came today and gave them to me because they said I was as pretty and innocent as these flowers."
Heero jumped down from his perch, landing gracefully on the grass.
"You mean nuns?"
She scrunched up her face and stuck her tongue out.
"Whatever! That flower's still alive?" she asked as she looked down at the yellow daisy in his hand.
"It's not the same one—the original withered away long time ago. But the last time I visited, Mary got really angry because she thought I threw it away."
"So that's why she was so mad that day!"
"I don't want to face another one of her tantrums."
The girl frowned, crossing her arms and pouting, "It's not as if she's that annoying when she's mad. She just refuses to talk to anyone. It's not as if she could do anything anyways—she's stuck in a bed, so what harm could she do?"
Heero winced slightly at the thought. But then he smirked and teased, "Jealous?"
She glared at him, trying to look intimidating even though she was a head shorter than him.
"You wish."
However, she looked away, arms still crossed and eyes narrowed.
"You're so temperamental," he continued. Receiving silence as a response, he sighed and grabbed her hand.
"Hey!" she protested, shifting the weight of the lilies onto her other arm. "What do you think you're doing?"
"Today's the last day of the carnival," he said, pulling her along with him. "Let's go."
"But won't Dr. J be mad? You said you could only visit for a few minutes today because he wanted you to be back for some more training."
"So?"
"So? You can't do anything at a carnival in a few minutes! The lines for the rides are a few minutes long! Wait, the line to get tickets into the carnival is a few minutes long!"
Heero shrugged. "Dr. J can wait."
"But won't he find out about what you've been doing? About me?"
"I'll just tell him I was blending in with the crowd. After all, it's integral to any mission to not be noticed by the enemy."
She looked up at him, cheeks tinted slightly. Looking down at the bouquet in her arm, she tugged on his hand, pulling him to a stop.
"What is it?" Heero asked in concern, eyebrows furrowed.
"Um…" she muttered, looking down and shuffling her feet.
"The carnival isn't going to wait for you, you know."
"I know!" she snapped, glaring at the smirking boy. "I just wanted to…well, here!"
She shoved the bouquet of lilies into his arms.
"If you wanted me to carry these for you, you could have just asked."
"Stupid, I'm giving them to you!" she growled, still not looking up.
"Why? They fit you better—beautiful and innocent."
Blushing at his comment, the girl shook her head and explained, "Because I want you to have them. Because you always come to visit us during the little free time you have. And you always listen to me whine and complain. You do all this even though Dr. J might get really mad at you. Well, you know, Mary likes you and she's always so happy after you visit and…"
As she trailed off, Heero's expression softened as he reached out to softly tilt her head up to look into her eyes. Smiling gently, he pulled her into a hug, careful not to crush the lilies in his arm.
"I would do anything for you, Rebecca."
"Hey! What—oomph!"
Duo gasped as the wind was knocked out of him. He lay on the matted floor, clutching his stomach and gasping for breath.
"Damn it, Heero," Duo coughed as he rolled to his side, glaring up at his sparring partner. "What are you so angry about?"
"Serves you right for not staying in shape," Wufei said from the sidelines.
"Wufei, be nice," Sally reprimanded. Wufei grumbled incoherently in response.
Duo still managed to laugh as he sat up. "Whipped."
"Duo…"
Duo gulped as he turned to smile sheepishly at Hilde, chuckling nervously, "Just kidding, babe!"
"Yuy! Where are you going?" Wufei asked. "We're supposed to spar."
"Spar with Duo," Heero replied, leaving the room and heading outside.
"What! How insulting, for me to spar with him!"
"Wufei…"
"Sorry," the Chinese man mumbled, already fearing the braided man's comments.
Duo, surprisingly, did not take the opportunity to tease Wufei. Instead, he watched Heero's retreating form in thoughtful confusion.
"Heero's acting…weird."
"Duo, he's always acting weird," Hilde said, rolling her eyes.
"No, there's something bothering him."
"How can you tell?" his girlfriend asked, raising an eyebrow.
"What, you doubt the abilities of the great Shinigami?"
Despite Hilde and Wufei's disbelieving snorts, Duo crossed his legs and propped an elbow on one of his knees in serious thought.
"We should have come sooner and I could have witnessed all the events that led to a worried Heero," Duo griped. "Damn woman taking so long in the damn bathroom."
Hilde growled and slapped Duo, causing the man to fall onto the mat and nurse his red cheek.
"That teaches you for sounding like Wufei!"
"Hey! I resent that, woman!"
"Just what we all need—another Wufei," Sally sighed, shaking her head.
"Hey! I'm right here!"
"I don't think sleeping in the rain is a good idea, onichan," a blonde girl said as her clear blue eyes looked down at him, holding an umbrella above his head.
"Mary?" he asked, confused.
"You know my sister, onichan?" the girl asked, confused.
Heero nodded as he sat up, looking at the young girl in front of him. She resembled that little girl from a few days ago, only older—the same age as he, probably.
"Well, she's in the hospital now. The doctors found her in time during that explosion a few days ago. My parents—they didn't make it."
Guilt filling his heart at the saddened expression on her innocent face, Heero looked down to see the withering yellow flower.
"I'm sorry."
"Don't worry," she replied, forcing a smile on her face. "The doctors say she will be fine. Would you like to come visit her, onichan?"
"Sure."
The young girl smiled and offered a hand to help him up. He placed his hand in hers, noticing how soft her hand was compared to his own calloused palm.
"What's your name, onichan?"
Heero frowned slightly as he thought about that question.
"Heero. Heero Yuy."
"Heero Yuy? Are you related to that leader who died a long time ago?"
"No," he replied slowly. "I just like the name."
"Oh. Well, I'm Rebecca DuMaurier. My parents gave me my name, although I don't really like it."
"I think it's a very beautiful name. It suits you."
Heero felt his lips turn up in a small smile as a small blush crept up her face.
Heero lay on the grass, staring up at the artificial night sky. He watched as synthetic dark clouds gathered, threatening to burst in a downpour. He didn't want to think about what that man had said—he didn't want to believe that any of this could be true. He had tried to leave his past behind, all of it. But it seems that his past just wouldn't let him go.
"I've always wanted to go to the Earth," the blonde commented, plucking blades of grass.
"I've been there," the young boy lying next to her replied.
"Really? What's it like?"
"I don't know. I've only been there on missions."
"Oh. That's no fun. Have you at least seen the ocean?"
"Yeah."
"What's it like?"
"Big and blue."
The girl giggled, playfully flicking some grass onto his chest.
"It is," he defended.
"You're always so serious, Heero. I mean, was it pretty? Did the sand feel good beneath your feet? Did the wind smell fresh and salty?"
"You read too much fantasy, Rebecca."
"You're probably just afraid to show some skin. That's why you weren't at the beach for too long."
Heero frowned at her and sat up. Reaching to his waist, he pulled his shirt over his head.
"What are you doing!" Rebecca exclaimed, covering her blushing face.
"You issued a challenge."
"I—I did not! I was just kidding!"
"I see you peeking."
"I—I am not!" Rebecca squealed as she reached over and punched him in the arm.
Wincing, Heero shrunk back and pulled his shirt back on.
"I have my shirt back on now."
Rebecca looked at him from between her fingers. Scrunching up her nose, she punched him again.
"Hey. Stop hitting me."
"Serves you right."
"I shouldn't have taught you how to punch," Heero muttered, rubbing his sore arm. "It hurts."
Rebecca smiled proudly and said, "I learned from the best."
"Of course you did," Heero retorted as he drew an arm around her waist, pulling her down to lie with him on the grass. Rebecca smiled as she curled into his side, head resting on his chest.
"Heero?"
"Hm?"
"Do you promise to always be here for me?"
"Rebecca, I already told you I'd do anything for you."
"But do you promise?" she insisted, hugging him tighter. Feeling him sigh, she steeled herself for his negative answer.
"I promise to always protect you."
Rebecca's head snapped up in surprise, and she felt herself lost in the intensity of his dark blue eyes. Smiling, she nodded and placed her cheek against his chest, hearing the soft beating of his heart. She felt him tilt his head down to press a soft kiss at the crown of her head, and she sighed as she lightly dozed off to the feel of his arms wrapped safely around her.
The first few drops of rain fell, wetting his cheeks. Eyes closing, he recalled the last time it rained on the colonies—the day before he left for earth on his mission. The day he left a part of his heart behind.
Rebecca smiled as she saw Heero waiting for her at the bottom of the steps. Dashing away from the window, she quickly ran out the front door to greet him.
"Heero, how creepy for you to come calling in the middle of the night," she teased, grinning as she walked up to him. However, he had his head down and she couldn't see his face clearly. "Heero-kun?"
He finally lifted his head, and she unconsciously took a step back at the coldness in his eyes.
"H-Heero-kun? What's wrong? Are you okay?"
"I'm leaving."
Rebecca blinked, confused by his statement. Then she smiled and rolled her eyes at his seriousness of such a trivial issue.
"Why didn't you just leave a letter on my nightstand like you usually do? Well, when will you be back? Where are you going, anyways?"
Heero narrowed his eyes, but he couldn't bring himself to reply cruelly.
"I'm heading for earth. And I'm not coming back."
"What?" Rebecca asked, brows furrowing. "You always come back."
"The mission commences tonight."
"I believe in you," Rebecca continued unfazed. "I know you'll come back…to me."
Heero's cold look faltered at her faith, but he placed a mask of indifference onto his face. He didn't want her waiting for him when he might not even return. He knew that this was for the best.
"I will do anything to complete my mission, even at the cost of my own life."
"You said you'd do anything for me."
"Rebecca…"
Heero found that his mask had now fallen when she said that. He did say he'd do anything for her, but he also promised to always protect her. And in order to protect her, he had to complete his missions. To protect her, he'd sacrifice his life.
"Don't go! I don't want you to go!" Rebecca burst out, tears rolling down her cheeks even as the first few drops of rain washed them away. "Don't leave me…please."
"I'm sorry," Heero whispered, torn between just running off and gathering her into his arms. "I have to go."
"Why! Why must you go?"
"To protect you."
The rain fell harder, filling up the silence after his whispered statement. They stood still for a few minutes, neither willing to look at the other in the eye—afraid of the love and hurt they'd find.
"Please don't leave me," Rebecca whispered again. "My parents, then Mary, and now you…"
Heero winced as he recalled how her family had all passed away. And it was all his fault. He had been selfish. He had caused her so much pain.
"Maybe it's better that I leave," Heero finally replied, fists clenched at his sides. "It seems that I bring more pain than happiness to you."
Turning, he refused to look at her as he had the urge to embrace and comfort her. It pained him to see her like this, not able to truthfully her how much he loved her. But he didn't deserve her or her love.
"The Heavens, they cry for us, as if they had long since predicted our tragic fate. Perhaps we are not meant to find happiness in this world."
Heero's eyes widened in surprise at such a comment from her, but he knew what she meant—they met in the rain, and now they were leaving each other in the rain. Maybe she was right—they were not meant to find happiness. Maybe he wasn't meant to find happiness.
"Good-bye," he whispered before he walked away, never looking back.
"I don't think sleeping in the rain is a good idea," a feminine voice interrupted his thoughts.
Snapping his eyes open, Heero found himself staring into concerned but kind blue eyes.
"You'll catch a cold if you just lie there," she continued, shaking her head.
Heero noticed that she held an umbrella above his face, shielding him from the rain. Sighing quietly, he lifted himself up from the ground.
"Thank you, Umi."
Blinking in surprise, Umi was at a loss of how to reply. So she awkwardly held the umbrella up between them, racking her brain for an appropriate reply.
"You're welcome."
Umi nearly kicked herself. That was the most obvious reply when someone thanked you, yet it sounded strange. Releasing a deep breath, Umi shivered as she felt the coldness of the storm creep through her skin.
Although still deep in his thoughts, Heero noticed that the girl beside him shivered. Umi reminded him more and more of Rebecca everyday—the two were both stubborn and temperamental yet caring and determined.
Rebecca shivered as the two of them walked across the park, the rain pounding heavily on the small umbrella they huddled under. Suddenly, she felt something fall on her shoulders and looked up to see Heero glancing down at her in concern. He had draped his coat around her.
"Thank you," she murmured, smiling as she snuggled into the coat and inhaling his scent.
Heero merely smiled as he pulled her into his side, placing his head on top of hers.
Umi started as she felt something drop onto her shoulders. Then the umbrella was taken from her fingers and she glanced at the man beside her with a raised eyebrow. However, he remained silent.
Smiling slightly, she pulled the coat tighter around her shoulders.
"Thank you, Heero."
Author's Notes:
This was so sad I was very nearly crying when I wrote it! If you're confused, Heero meets Rebecca a few days after the explosion (in Endless Waltz). Some of you might still be confused with the whole Rebecca and Mary thing, but I don't really want to explain too much just in case I'll need its ambiguity later. As for Rebecca, I kind of based her off of Daphne DuMaurier's Rebecca, although now I'm not sure if the two characters have any similarities other than their name. Anyways, I suggest that you read the book anyways, because I really enjoyed it.
After I revised it, I added some scenes that were sort of foreshadowed in earlier chapters. I think I might have made their parting a little less dramatic although I like it better now. Love what Rebecca says, and the fact she never said good-bye to Heero. Hm…wonder if there's a reason for that? Anyways, this was short, although still longer than the last chapter. Almost decided to split Chapter VIII into two parts: last chapter and this one.
Once again, thanks to all my readers and especially the reviewers for taking the time to leave feedback! I always enjoying reading what you guys think of the story so far and how I can improve on my writing. Thank you all so much!
Mainey: Heero loves to do the unexpected.
Hyper Italian Girl: I am guessing that thing you wrote was in Italian and it's the exact same thing as what you wrote in English? I want to learn Italian. Fun!
Kaiya: Yes, procrastination is never the answer—yet, I never learn. Thanks for your encouragement in regards to the poorly written action scene. And we'll see if the girls get their powers in this world. But if the cat's allowed to have powers, then so are the girls. Okay, I'm not going to ruin the latter chapters. Haha.
Somnus: Used many of your ideas. Heero jealous at Taylor, Heero jealous at certain males from Umi's life, Heero liking Umi for her personality (or maybe because she reminds him of Rebecca, not so much fluff although I'm working on that, and some others are still in the process of working there way in there. Anyways, thanks so much! Keep the ideas rolling!
Moonstorm: I always knew Relena was evil too. Shame she doesn't show enough wickedness in this story. Yes, jealous Heero! Strange, huh? I love Fluffy (Harry Potter)!
Vhez: Thanks!
Mistress of Ice: Of course you get credit for the idea! It was your idea! Haha.
Lainie: I'm glad you like this fic so much! I hope the revised chapters are even better!
Setsuna Bu: Unfortunately, I tried to make Relena annoying but that didn't work. And I also agree that the canon pairings of Umi aren't the greatest. Although I was obsessed with ClefxUmi for a while. Thankfully that's over.
Mei-chan: You mean the coupling is kawaii? Because that's what I think. Hehe.
FieryAvatar: Your criticism is very much appreciated. Seriously. As you can see, I've revised all the stories and hopefully they are somewhat to your approval. If you think anything else needs tuning, please let me know. Thanks!
DrgnXero: I've actually toyed with the idea of Umi finding out about his past, and I think I will use it. But that'll come in later. You'll see. Hehe.
Fudge: I'm trying to update as soon as I can! Ah! So hard to write! Ah!
Medy: Neopets froze my account for no reason! They said I went onto a scam site, even though I haven't logged on in a year. gR.
Shattered Reflection: I huggle too! I love huggling! Huggles!
Teh Natural Siren: Too much sugar AND caffeine in soda. But I live on that stuff. Haha.
Shy-Lil-Dreamer: I'm so glad you've actually been following this story even all this time. WaH! I love you!
Shirli817: Trust me, you don't want to read the older chapters. These new ones are much better. I hope you enjoyed!
SOinLUV: I'm glad you think I'm doing just dandy! Although I would still love to hear some ideas! Hehe.
