Flightlessness
By EvilBunny
For author's notes click on the author bio link thing. They'll be updated more often than the story, just to let you know I'm alive.
Disclaimer: Gundam Wing's not mine. But thanks for asking
HomeComing
Chapter 7
He smelt of wet and grass and old trees; the scent of her garden still lingered on his skin and Releena hid herself in the smell just as she'd burrowed under the shade and undergrowth. Underneath the garden she could even smell him, a scent just as comforting, even more so, one that spoke of strength and safety. They'd always found her in the garden, but they couldn't find her here, with him.
She let her mind drift; they were moving, she could feel her wings drag along the floor, but the haziness of her mind suppressed the shudder that their weight still provoked. Last time he'd held her there had been wind, when he'd taken her up into the sky, escaped. But she hadn't flown, couldn't fly, and now it seemed she couldn't even walk.
She heard a door close and they stopped. Still, she refused to open her eyes, snuggling deeper to this moment where nothing hurt, wrapping herself in the peace. She didn't want to wake up from this, didn't want to know what reality taught. But from that slight movement, when she tried to wrap the peace around her, she found herself being gently lowered to the floor.
Releena opened her eyes as her feet hit cold tile, her cocoon broken. Heero still stood before her though, and her gaze had caught him in the process of stepping away. He froze when she looked at him; almost as if he were afraid any sudden moves might scare her, and gently completed his step only when he saw she wasn't going to fall.
He kept his eyes on hers the whole time, wary, and filled with what Releena could only hope was concern. But where had he come from? Why did she suddenly have yet another blank in her memory? And why was she only wearing a towel?
Releena's cheeks flushed crimson, and she took a startled step backwards, hand clutching the white fabric closer in a sudden movement which sent her wings rippling through the room; smooth chaos. They brushed up against the walls and Releena realized just how small the room was. Where was she?
Everything seemed filled with her feathers, her curse. The overhead light hid nothing, and the water still glistening made them sparkle like fresh snow, obscenely pure. Releena's eyes continued their frantic dance around the room, although always with him at the center. Like a leash, she could circle, but not escape.
Plain walls, small bed, desk computer. HIS computer. Small room, his room. He stood calmly in the center of the room, as if he could wait all day, messy bangs still in his eyes, quiet. But even still she could feel the strength from him. Why was she naked with nothing but a towel in his room?
One explanation danced across her mind, deepening her blush and creating a nervous flutter in her stomach, but she knew she'd remember that. Even the mere thought of it seemed branded in her memory. No, something was wrong. He was watching her too carefully, as if she'd turn and bolt.
Slowly her mind started to reattach memories. She'd been in the bath. That explained the towel, but not… With a jerk Releena identified the taste of blood in her mouth. Her eyes flew to Heero, what had she done? Had she hurt him? No, he seemed fine, but that still didn't explain how she'd gotten here.
Right, she'd been in the bath. In the bath and then…white lab coats, the doctors and finally a syringe. Her muscles locked and suddenly she didn't know if she wanted to back into a corner or fling herself back in Heero's comforting arms, and let the feel of him wash everything else away.
Torn between the two impulses, one sweet and familiar, the other still surprising in its newness and intensity, she stayed still, listening to the harsh rasp of her breathing. He still hadn't moved, and finally she managed to ask in a harsh whisper
"The doctors." Not really a question, more a statement, an attempt at denial and even saying the word made her fear they'd suddenly appear behind him to reclaim her.
"Gone." His voice seemed almost gentle, but his clenched fists betrayed an underlying anger. "Leave it to me." He seemed so sure. Releena let some of the panic slip away. He'd found her, saved her again.
But Heero was moving, brushing her feathers lightly away from the doorknob, although he hadn't turned his back to her. He couldn't go. Not so soon. He couldn't leave her alone.
"Where are you going?" Releena couldn't hide the urgency in her voice, not the hope. Couldn't he just take her with him?
He answered as he turned away "To fix the problem." Then as an afterthought "There are clothes in the closet behind you. Take what you need. " he opened the door, spilling the harsh light out into the nearly dark hallway. Night had already fallen outside. He stepped through, but stopped, half in, half out "Do not leave this room until I come back" he stared back at her, finishing with an intensity that seemed at odds with his earlier calm. He looked at her as if he could instill obedience just from the weight of his eyes, and then he left.
The door closed, leaving Releena in the box. Fix the problem. The problem with the doctors. A shudder ran through her. She wasn't even sure what the doctors had done. Suddenly a newly unpleasant thought occurred to her. She didn't know what she'd done either. She still had the bright, coppery taste of blood in her mouth, and for the first time she wished it was her own.
But there were no new cuts in her mouth, and Heero had been unharmed. She'd fought back, and a bit of pride curled out from the midst of her worry. But she might have blown any chance of protection she'd had.
They would surely see her as feral now, some creature to lock up in a cage. They'd say they were taking care of her, acting as protectors, and she'd never get out. Heero would never talk to her again!
The last thought came out almost as a wail, but she clamped down on it. He'd come for her. Whatever happened, she had to believe he always would.
Afterall, they couldn't blame her for defending herself, and she'd do it again if they sent any more white coats after her. She wouldn't just let them have her.
She'd probably have to explain though. Try to articulate why she'd gone after the two doctors. But damned if she would in nothing but a towel!
Releena knew her dress was far behind her in the bathroom, which she was equally sure she couldn't find again on her own. She didn't know where she was even. The dress was beyond saving anyway, she knew that. Nor was she going to leave the one place Heero had told her to wait.
After all, there were too many people to be wandering around an unknown place. Wasn't she conspicuous enough without walking around mostly unclad?
True, they must have already seen her when she'd come here, but he changed everything. She'd just have to wait. She'd even fight to stay if she had to, and from the size of the door, they'd have a hard enough time getting her out with her co-operation. She couldn't imagine how Heero had gotten her through in the first place.
He'd said there were clothes in the closet behind her. Alone, Releena noticed that though far from cold, the air was no where near the steamy haven she'd created in the bathroom, and a that a chill was already ruffling along her skin. And if she did have to face someone tonight, she couldn't do it clutching a towel the whole time. She wasn't even sure how she'd managed to keep a hold on it in the first place.
Plus, finding clothes would give her something to do, aside from staring at the white blankness of the tiny room. The tiny walls, so small and white and sterile. With a determined shake, Releena turned towards the closet. She had to wait for him, but she didn't know how long he'd take, and she didn't want her waiting mind to find its own ways to occupy itself. She knew the nightmares it'd find.
