Ch 7

Heero's unexpected lover traced lazy patterns on his skin with gentle fingertips. Her story she'd told him still seemed a bit farfetched, but he knew every word to be true. The memories of the former king were vivid in his mind as though he, himself, lived it in his lifetime. It was a strange feeling to know of another life; another time when he had another family with different parents and with a wife and children. And for the woman who was that very wife to be by his side, making love with him here and now in this life was so surreal. But here they were. He wondered about all that she'd seen. All that she'd been through. Countless wars, plagues, famines, economic disasters… Part of him wondered how many lovers she'd lost to the ravages of time but it felt more like the other him-Aiden-who wished to know.

"How long has it been?" His sudden question broke the comfortable silence. She buried her head even deeper into the crook of his neck and remained quiet for a moment as if trying to find his meaning.

"Since my husband." Somehow, he could believe that. She seemed the faithful type, but still…

"Over 900 years?" She nodded.

"After losing all that I had, I never wanted to chance reliving it again. So I never allowed myself to… to fall in love again." He could feel the pain in her words. She'd been alone for almost a millennium. He pushed her back to look into her eyes and caressed her cheek again.

"You don't have to do that anymore." He said. "To be alone." She looked down, avoiding his gaze.

"It hardly matters."

"What do you mean?" This time she deliberately hid her eyes from him. Her meaning dawned on him and pain gripped his heart like a vice. "You still want to die? Even after-"

"Yes." His head spun. He couldn't believe what he was hearing.

"Why?"

"Why do you think?" She was sitting up straight as a board now. "Nine hundred years of loss and pain. Nine hundred years of loneliness and struggle. I wouldn't wish this on anyone. All I want is to be free of it." He felt her pain with every word. Part of him wanted to see her free of it, but that would mean losing her. Unless…

"Then marry me."

"What?"

"Start a new life with me. As my wife. You can have all of that happiness you once had all over again with me."

"Heero-"

"I can't lose you, Relena." She looked away from him and a cold silence settled in.

"You would have me continue to suffer?" He shook his head, took one of her hands in his and used the other to raise her chin.

"I want you to live. To heal and move on."

"You don't understand."

"I think I do." He caressed her cheek with his thumb. "You feel like starting over would be betraying them; like you're replacing them, but you're not! You're living for them. In memory of them. They'd want you to be happy."

"I don't know if that's possible."

"Did you consider how your parents will feel when their daughter never comes home because you decided to kill yourself?"

"That's just it! I'm not their daughter. Not anymore. She was young and hopeful and enthusiastic about life." Her eyes really looked into his and he could once more see the pain. "I am old and jaded and far too bitter. They wouldn't recognize me anymore than I do." She looked away. "I have to end it." Heero felt his chest tighten painfully. He had to convince her. He had to make her see that life was worth living! Then, the thought came to him. If her present day self going into the past triggered all of this, then maybe…

"What if there was another way?" Her head turned quickly to look at him.

"What?"

"What if you never went back into the past?" Her eyes widened. "What if I stopped you? Prevented you from going?" She seemed to be thinking over his words, eyes glossy as she bit her lower lip in thought.

"That would mean… none of it ever happened… my children… our marriage… gone." Her eyes darkened as she looked down at her hands.

"Yes, but it would also end your pain and save your life." Again, she became very still and quiet. He understood why. It was a lot to take in. A lot to consider.

"This is a difficult choice… to forget them." He nodded.

"But you won't be forgetting them. They will have never existed. You will be that young, enthusiastic girl again."

"And what of Aiden? And of you?" She looked back up at him. "Without Aiden's love for me, would you even care? There could be nothing in this for you." He thought about that for a moment. He felt Aiden within his consciousness considering her words. And Aiden smiled. Heero felt his consciousness pushed aside.

"My soul is bound to yours." Aiden spoke through him. "We were always meant to find each other. This man is me."

"Aiden?" His hand came up to tenderly caress her face.

"Let him save you and we will be together." She closed her eyes and cupped his hand with hers. He leaned forward and touched his forehead to hers.

"I love you." There were tears in her voice.

"I love you too." Somehow Heero knew those words were not something his past life often said. He never really said them either. He felt Aiden slip back into his mind and gained full control of himself again.

"So," he began as he pulled back to look at her. "What do you want me to do?"

"I…" she looked down at her hands. "I don't… know." Her eyes flicked back up to his. "Can I have until tomorrow to decide?"

"Of course."

"Thank you." She laid back down after that with her back to him. Unsure if what to do at first, he debated keeping his distance to give her a chance to think, but she was alone for so many years… He pulled her to him, wrapping his arms around her. He rested his head against her shoulder. She didn't pull away; didn't resist his touch and he soon found himself lulled to sleep by the gentle cadence of her breathing.

Morning came and he found himself alone in her bed. He sighed and rubbed his eyes before tossing the covers off. The cold air hit him hard and he quickly found his discarded clothes and put the back on. He wondered where she might have gone, but more than that, what she had decided. Making his way down the stairs to the kitchen he found her there at the table in a long, plush, pink robe and slippers. She looked almost adorable as she cradled her hot cup of what he guessed was tea with both hands. Her loyal dog stood when he entered the room but it neither charged, nor barked. It merely regarded him as one would a normal occupant of the house. Deciding to get the inevitable over with, he broke the silence.

"Good morning." She looked up at him but her lips lacked that smile he'd grown so fond of. She nodded to him.

"There's plenty of hot water in the kettle for a cup of tea." Her voice wasn't cold, but it lacked any real feeling and a feeling of dread settled into the pit of his stomach like a brick.

He made his way over to the mugs, grabbed a teabag, and poured the hot water into his cup. There was a very, heavy, uncomfortable silence that made him uneasy. He wanted to ask her if her mind had changed; hoped she had decided to accept his alternative.

"I know what you're thinking." She broke the silence without looking at him. "You want to know if I've changed my mind." He nodded. "I know how badly you wish to stop me, but I couldn't ask you to go there just for me."

"I'll already be there."

"You will?" Her eyes widened.

"My boss has ordered the Renaissance fair at Blarney Castle to be my next story." He paused and locked eyes with her, covering her hand with his. "Relena, let me save you. Please?" Her eyes flicked down to their hands and then back up to him.

"I…" she stopped and seemed to consider it for a moment before her eyes closed tight and a tear slid down her cheek. "I have so many memories. Many are sad, most bittersweet, but I remember birthing my children. I remember holding them in my arms and loving them with everything I am." She looked down again. "For you to stop me means that they never existed. That my babies are erased from history. My life with Aiden-all that we had, would be lost forever."

"Not lost." Heero took her hand again, urging her to look at him. "You can have that again. Here. With me in the proper timeline!"

"But we won't remember!" She pulled her hand free. "There is no guarantee that when you save me we will have the connection needed for us to be together! Everything will be lost!"

"Relena," Heero leaned forward. He had to get her to understand. "When I first saw you, I felt drawn to you. I know Aiden did too, and if you felt for him on first sight what he felt for you, then," he reached out and caressed her cheek. "The chance for us is good." She closed her eyes and leaned into his touch. After a small eternity, she looked into his eyes and smiled.

"Ok." He felt the knot in his stomach loosen and relief flowed through his entire being. Without a second thought, he leapt up, put his hand behind her head and pulled her into a deep kiss.

The howling of the strong wind as it whipped through the old castle walls was barely audible under the sounds of the festival. Heero had his camera, pen, paper, and recorder as was necessary for his job. His boss wanted him there for the story, but he couldn't let himself get distracted from his main goal. He tried snapping pictures of various events but Relena hadn't been certain what time her fall occurred. As such, he tried to be near the stairway which led to the legendary Blarney Stone. He couldn't fail her. He couldn't let her fall or he would lose her forever. Their last conversation before her departure left a feeling of dread in his stomach.

"I guess this is it." She stood next to his car as he loaded the final bag.

"Yeah." He turned to her. She looked breathtaking in her green sweater, long hair blowing in the wind. "Are you sure you-?"

"I've made up my mind, Heero." Her stormy aqua eyes met his. "Nothing has changed."

"Relena," he reached out and took her hand in his. "I will stop you from falling." He promised.

"But what if-" he didn't let her finish. He pulled her to him and kissed her as though it would be their last, because it very we could be. When the kiss broke, she rested her head in the crook of his neck and he stroked her hair as he held her.

"I will save you." Little else was said before he got into the car and drove off down the lane; watching her disappear into the mists in his rear view mirror.

Heero knew what he had to do. Even if afterward they went their separate ways, saving her from the pain, or from killing herself, was worth it. Whether or not they ended up together, he loved her. Aiden loved her. And at the very least, that part of him would love her until the day he died.

Honey golden hair in the afternoon sun caught his eye. Relena looked raiment with the flowers braided into her hair at her temples and her simple, medieval dress, but there was something so different about her. This Relena was happier. There was a lightness in the way Relena Darlian walked that Relena Lowe no longer possessed. The shadow of pain and loneliness was missing and he found her all the more alluring. He felt a warmth inside. This must have been how she looked to Aiden all those centuries ago. And he intended to make sure that that light that seemed to emanate from her never faded.

Relena looked up and her eyes met his. He felt his breath catch in his chest as his heart skipped. She smiled at him, a smile he returned before her friend grabbed her arm and dragged her off. Heero followed her with his eyes. He couldn't allow her to get lost in the crowd; didn't want to risk missing his chance. But there was a vendor. There was a knight on a horse and a juggling jester. And then she was gone. Heero's heart leapt into his throat. He couldn't see her! He had to get the stone. Had to stop her or he would lose her forever!

Heero took off at a run, sprinting toward the stairs as he weaved in and out of the other members of the crowd. He had to make it. He had to get there!

'Please!'

As he made it to the top, she was there, on her back, sliding out to kiss the stone! His heart stopped, his world slowed down as a startled scream tore from her! Heero moved before he knew it slid to his knees, reaching out and down in a desperate attempt to grab her and pull her back up. He caught hold of her hand and lower arm.

"I've got you!" He pulled, using every last ounce of adrenalin-infused strength. For her part, Relena grasped onto him and helped as much as she could until he successfully pulled her to safety. They lay there, breathing heavily in silence for a time. He let relief flow over him because she was safe… but why was he so relieved? There was something… important… about saving… he didn't even know her name so then why had it mattered so much to save her. Of course he wouldn't have wanted her to die but… he'd been so worried… hadn't he?

"You...you saved me.. Thank you." She gasped and sat up. He followed suit.

"Don't mention it." She smiled and offered her hand.

"My name is Relena Darlian. What's yours?" Heero took her hand and felt a jolt of… something. Run up through his hand to his arm and then to his chest. She seemed to have felt it too as her eyes met his.

"Heero Yuy."

"It's a pleasure, Heero Yuy." Her face took on a slight shade of pink. "Would you like to join me for lunch. You saved my life. The least I could do is buy you lunch." Heero felt a small smile form and, realizing he still held her hand, held it tighter.

"I'll buy." The genuine smile on her lips filled him with a peace he didn't understand, but for some reason, he knew they would have plenty of time for him to figure it out.