Part Fifteen
Stay
Surprised I'm back with more so soon?
Actually, I surprised myself with how quickly I wrote this chapter (minus a few setbacks). So, I can't really say the writing is up to par... ;
Anyway, I've always wondered about how Sally became a doctor at such a young age. She must be mega smart, right? Well, I put in my own explanation...
As always, lemme know what you think. Ja ne!
All the usual disclaimers apply.
Sally blinked her eyes open, confused by the sudden stillness. "Where are we?" she asked, dragging her head up to look around at the tall buildings outside the car window.
"Your place," Heero said, rubbing at his left shoulder.
"Already? Why'd you let me sleep like that?" she asked, stretching her arms.
Heero shrugged. "You looked so peaceful…"
Sally couldn't help but smile. "Don't give me that. I could've kept you company..."
"It's alright, Sally. I needed some time to think, anyway."
Sally sat up, rubbing her eyes. "Hey, why'd you stop here, anyway? You want me to drive you home?"
"I thought you'd be too tired. Besides, there's no sense in you driving all the way out there just to do it again in the morning."
Of course, he wouldn't let her forget – he'd already made her promise to have breakfast with him.
"Nonsense, Heero." She sighed. The silence of the car was ringing in her ears. "I just need a cup of coffee first." She opened the door, looking back when Heero did not immediately follow. "Come upstairs with me," she insisted, her tone tolerating no argument as she left the car.
They rode up the elevator in silence, Heero leaning against the railing in his usual spot, Sally leaning comfortably against him. They were loath to move when the doors chimed open on the eighth floor.
They moved quietly down the hall, Sally growing wary as she neared her door. She could just imagine Wufei popping out at her, scolding her for being out so late as though she were a child. She paused. Come to think of it, that's exactly how Wufei had always treated her – like a child. Not so much in a condescending way, but like… She struggled to think of the words.
"Something wrong?"
Heero's voice beside her startled her out of her thoughts. "No, I was just… remembering something… Something I hadn't noticed before." She said no more as she fished out her keys, and Heero, sensing she would speak when she felt comfortable doing so, asked nothing further.
Sally heaved a sigh as she stepped across her living room, tossing aside her keys and purse haphazardly. She rubbed her forehead, trying to remember what it was she wanted to do as Heero came to stand behind her. "Coffee," she whispered, turning a 180 to head for the kitchen.
"Let me do it," Heero said, catching her by the waist. "You look like you could use a comfortable chair right about now."
"Alright, Heero," she agreed, smiling, liking the feel of his arms around her. "The coffee should be in the first cabinet on the right."
He held her a moment longer before letting her go, tossing his denim jacket on a chair as he headed for the kitchen.
Sally sighed, her eyes following him until he was out of sight. She settled herself onto the sofa, waiting comfortably as she listened to the sounds of coffee brewing.
It wasn't much longer before Heero returned, two steaming mugs in hand. He gave one to Sally – "Extra cream, just the way you like it," then took a seat at the other end of the sofa.
Sally smiled as the brew warmed her face, blowing at the steam before taking a sip. She was still somewhat in shock over the events of the day. In fact, this whole week had been a whirlwind for her – and Heero was the eye of the storm.
"Sure you're not half asleep? You seem kinda dreamy."
"What? No, I was just thinking about something."
"Again?" Heero raised an eyebrow.
"No, not again—" Sally huffed. "Well, if you must know, I was thinking about you this time."
"This time?"
Sally eyed him warily. "You know, it wouldn't trouble me at all if you could walk home…"
"Sorry," Heero put his hands up in defense. "Forget I said anything."
Sally laughed, the sound bringing a smile to Heero's lips as well. A moment passed as they sipped their coffee, and it was only a moment later that Heero asked,
"Are there any brownies left?"
Relena clung tightly to Wufei's waist as they sped down the highway, her eyes closed, her cheek resting comfortably against his back as his scent teased her nostrils. She could not erase the smile from her lips, and was grateful that no one else could see her. This man, Wufei… Why couldn't I see it before?
Her thoughts were churning behind her delicate features. She'd had no idea that Wufei contained such passion, had such a fire behind his every action. Sally and Lady Une had told her plenty about his sudden eruptions, but… Even volcanoes can be beautiful…
She couldn't believe she had misjudged him in so many ways. Afterall, she prided herself on her abilities in reading the thoughts and emotions that drove others around her. Yet when it came to Wufei, the surprises had been constant.
And then, there was the matter of knowing herself.
She didn't believe she was deceiving herself anymore. Her feelings for Wufei were real. But now what? She didn't have time for a relationship… did she? Perhaps, she thought, if she cut out all those voluntary late nights she had been putting herself through. But it had been necessary, hadn't it? Afterall, the work had to get done, and there were deadlines…
She scolded herself. Had she learned nothing from her ordeals during the wars? She had been running away then, and she was running away now. There could be no more excuses. If she were to find true strength, then she would have to set her fears aside and take a chance. And, squeezing Wufei just a little more tightly, she knew the chance was definitely worth taking.
Of course, she couldn't help but wonder, would it actually work?
Sally frowned as she settled the plate of brownies between the two of them, looking at Heero with unbridled concern. "That's not the first time you've rubbed that shoulder," she pointed out, her tone indicating that she wanted to know why.
Heero straightened, reaching for the brownies even though his left shoulder still throbbed. "It's from sitting at my computer for too long. My left shoulder gets tense."
"Well you could have said something. I am a doctor, you know."
She left the couch, barely listening to Heero as he explained, "I didn't want you to think I was just using you for your medical skills."
Sally ran her fingers lightly over his shirt, tracing the outline of his shoulder blade. He relaxed to her touch, letting her ply him this way and that. "Is the pain here? Or here?" she asked, moving her fingers a little.
Heero nodded, making a muffled noise that sounded like "Yeah," unable to speak clearly around his mouthful of chocolate.
"Okay." She steadied herself against the arm of the couch, then began to work away at Heero's shoulders.
"Mmm!"
"What? What's wrong?" Sally stopped immediately, thinking he must be in more pain that she'd thought.
Heero shook his head, paused, then swallowed hard. "Don't stop! That feels incredible."
"Oh." Sally blushed at the compliment, setting her fingers to work once again. It soon became a frustrating ordeal, however – back massages just weren't meant to be given through fabric. "Uh, Heero…"
"Yeah?"
"Would you mind…" Sally didn't know how to say this without making it sound like an indecent proposal. She huffed, disgusted with her own indecisiveness. "Just come with me."
Sally yanked him up by the arm, heedless to any extra pain it might be causing him. Heero wordlessly followed, surprise flitting across his features.
"There," Sally pointed, once they had gotten to her bedroom. "Take off your shirt and lie down. I think I have some oils somewhere..." She whirled out of the room before he could say anything – before he could see the deep blush upon her cheeks.
When she returned, Heero was stripped to the waist, face down on her bed, resting his head comfortably upon his folded arms. "How's this?"
Sally smiled. "Perfect." She wasted no time in getting to work, warming the oil with her hands before liberally applying it to his skin.
For some time she worked in silence, content to focus on loosening the knots in his muscles with his intermittent sighs and moans of pleasure as background. It wasn't until she was nearly done that Heero broke the silence with a question.
"Sally."
"Hm?"
"Why did you become a doctor?"
She stopped as she thought a moment. It had been a long time since she'd had to think about that. "Well, I guess the short answer would be to help my family," she explained, setting her hands into motion again. "My father had a heart condition, and with the war going on, it was difficult and expensive getting him the help he needed. So I thought, I'll just become a doctor myself, and then everything will be better." Sally chuckled to herself. "I was only 8, I didn't know any better. Is that okay?" she asked, lightly patting his shoulder.
"Wonderful, thank you," he sighed, propping himself up on his elbow. Pulling her down to sit next to him, he curled himself around her. "Tell me more," he stated, comfortable with her leaning back on him. "You were only 8 – how did you do it?" He reached up, absently running the tip of her braid through his fingers.
"Well, like I said, I didn't know any better. I worked hard, became top of my class. I took extra courses to finish school early. All the while, Dad's health was failing, spurring me on. I graduated high school at 15. I heard the military had the best programs, so I signed up, finished my four year degree in three years."
"Your father must have been proud."
Sally smiled. "He was. But… he died when I was 17."
Heero stopped his fidgeting. "I'm sorry."
Sally shrugged. "Don't worry about it, Heero. We did everything we could. He just… I mean, I don't have any regrets about it." She was a bit surprised by the sting of tears in her eyes. It was true – she didn't have any regrets over her father's death. He – everyone – had fought their hardest to keep him healthy. Yet Heero's simple statement…
I'm sorry...
…had been so deep and heartfelt, it was like an old friend comforting her over fresh wounds. At her silence, Heero began stroking her back, a warm hand moving over her spine in wordless sympathy.
"Heero?"
"Hm?"
Sally paused, hiding the nervous smile that trembled at her lips. "Are you sure this is what you want? I mean, us…?" She felt like a naïve schoolgirl, confronting her first love. Why couldn't she just say the words?
Heero sat up, wrapping his arms around her shoulders. "You are what I want, Sally. And this," he said, giving her a squeeze, "I have been waiting for my entire life."
She had nothing to say in the face of such a statement. No, only poets could dare to capture a glimpse of the emotions that were swelling within her at that moment as Heero stared at her with those perfect eyes. She felt tingly all over, as though if not for his arm wrapped around her, she might float away on a cloud all her own.
"Are you having doubts?" he asked, crashing her back to earth.
"What? No, I –" She shook her head, struggling for the words. "I can't help feeling like I'm in a fairy tale, or some magical dream. It's just too fantastic to be real."
Heero made a soft sound that Sally recognized as laughter. "You're not alone in that feeling," he smirked, shifting a hand to caress the nape of her neck. "If we are dreaming," he whispered, his voice a soft breath against her cheek, "then keep dreaming of me, and I'll keep dreaming of you. And if we're lucky, we'll never wake up." He drew her closer, nuzzling her jaw line, seemingly content to just take in the scent of her.
"Well, when you put it that way," she sighed, shuddering as his breath tickled her, "how can a girl refuse?"
The calm that had washed over Wufei since their journey to Brown County was now fading as rapidly as the buildings around him grew. The fact that Relena's face was pressed so close to his back and her arms so tight about his waist only added to his anxiety. The return trip brought memories of his journey earlier that day, as well as the resolution he had reached while traveling this road: that Relena should remain a friend, and nothing more.
Nothing more.
Yet how could he remain true to such a declaration when all he could think about was how beautiful she had looked standing at the edge of the cliff, draped in the light of the setting sun? His features soured at his own weakness. "I just will," he told himself. "It won't matter in a few days anyway…"
The tiny fingers of dread that had begun to claw his thoughts at the city limits had transformed into a near crushing despair by the time he reached Relena's building. It was as though his logic had split in two – one side berating him for not being able to keep a simple, professional relationship with a new-found friend and some-time co-worker; the other side begging him to admit that he was (perhaps) feeling something more than a (not so) simple friendship, and he should take (awkward) steps to find out if she (doubtfully) shared any of these feelings for him.
A heavy sigh escaped him as he parked at the curb, sliding off his helmet as though it bore the weight of his troubled thoughts. He hardly noticed Relena dismount to stretch, only to stand patiently next to him, awaiting his help with her helmet one last time.
"Sorry to be such a bother," she stated, though in truth, there was little apology behind it.
"Forget it. You just need a better one." Wufei hardly looked at her as he unbuckled the strap, letting his fingers fall away as soon as the task was done. He felt terribly awkward all of a sudden. Just what had he been thinking when he'd invited her on this trip? His gaze floated to the traffic whizzing by, caught up in the battle between his split logic.
Relena regarded him in his silence, appreciating the way the delicate breeze slid over his form, tugging at a few loose strands of hair near his temple.
"I had fun tonight, Wufei. I'm glad you talked me into this."
Wufei merely nodded, his eyes dropping to the painted wings of the bike's decoration. If not for his preoccupation, he might have noticed a certain gleam in her eyes – a gleam that spoke of things much deeper than friendship. Yet as his thoughts were focused inward, the gleam went unnoticed, and the fragile thread of emotion soon faded from those sapphire depths, replaced by feelings of disappointment and concern. He seemed troubled somehow. And rather… aloof. It was almost as bad as when she had first visited his apartment four days ago.
"You are coming up for ice cream, aren't you?" she ventured. "I mean, someone has to eat all that cherry stuff."
Wufei smiled at the favorable memories that particular food now brought him. "It's getting late, isn't it? I don't want to keep you."
Relena's worry grew. He still wasn't looking at her. Something was definitely up. Determined to find out what it was, she hooked his elbow, pulling at his arm. "It's not that late, Wufei. C'mon. I'm not taking no for an answer."
Finally, Wufei looked at her, his dark eyes searing her. It was a long moment before he answered with a sigh. "Alright, woman, you don't have to beg. What is it with you and ice cream, anyway?"
Relena smiled, relief washing over her. "I don't know. It helps me relax, I guess." She waited as he dismounted, struggling to keep her excitement in check as they stepped into her building.
Sally didn't know how long they would've talked if it not for Heero's watch beeping at ten. She was amazed at how they could go on about nothing and not get bored. Thus was the beauty of really getting to know someone in a new relationship. She smiled at the thought.
"I better get going," Heero said, rising from the bed.
Sally merely nodded, her smile fading. Her eyes followed his movements as he donned his shirt, then sat to put on his shoes. His movements were slow, as though he were trying to draw every second out of such mundane tasks.
It wasn't until she had followed him into the living room, watching as he took up his jacket that she realized how badly she wanted him to stay. She told herself she was being foolish – she would see him again in the morning, what difference did it make? She wasn't a teenager. She was an adult who knew when to let go.
I don't want to let go…
"Heero?"
He paused, his jacket halfway on as he looked at her.
Sally took a breath, unsure of what she was about to say. Yet beneath the gaze of those dark blue eyes, she found her lips moving before her brain could say otherwise.
"Stay."
Heero eyed her, momentarily frozen. He didn't believe she had said what he hoped she had said.
"Stay with me tonight," Sally repeated, sensing his hesitation.
"Are you sure?" he asked, remembering her statement about "favors." "I thought you said—"
"Nevermind what I said. And yes, I'm sure." She closed the gap between them, emphasizing her point by removing his jacket, tossing it on the couch. She could tell he was nervous. The great Heero Yuy, demon of the battlefield, was trembling at the thought of spending a night with a girl. "I'm not expecting anything. I just want some company. Will you stay?"
Taking her delicate hands in his, Heero considered. "Do I still get breakfast in the morning?"
Sally gave him a playful shove. "Is that all you ever think about? Your stomach?"
Heero smiled, drawing her close once more. "No. Not anymore." His kiss was less hesitant than the first, but no less thrilling.
He's definitely getting used to this, Sally mused. And he is definitely a quick learner. "Come on," she coaxed, pulling him back toward the bedroom. "I should have something you can wear. And you can share the bed with me – as long as you promise not to try anything."
Heero's gaze was firm. "I promise if you promise."
Behind her back, she crossed her fingers. "Deal."