Before you read this chapter, please go back one and read the prologue!

Chapter One
Reunion

Brussels, Belgium
Preventer HQ
April, A.C. 204

"So, tell me."

Trowa's breath caught in his throat. He'd recognize that voice anywhere. His eyes grew wide as he watched her slowly turn her head to look at him from over her shoulder.

"Is Trowa Barton your real name? Or just the name you go by?" Midnight-blue eyes shone with amusement while the corners of her lips turned up.

Trowa slowly exhaled, relaxing his body as he took in the sight of her. A smile formed on his lips.

"Is Serena Lowell your real name?"

"Touché," Serena said as she turned fully to face him. The sparkle still gleamed in her eyes as she smiled back at him.

It had been five long months since she had seen him. The look in his emerald eyes when they had said their goodbyes still haunted her. Serena could see it clear as day if she closed her own. The apprehension but also understanding in his eyes. That all changed when she decided to send Kibou into the Ischyrós along with herself. Fear had taken over his eyes, and all she felt was the pain of what she was doing to him.

She had cut him more deeply than any knife could.

Trowa stood a few feet away from her, the startled expression on his face slowly fading. His eyes softened as relief pooled in them. The corners of his lips turned up ever so slightly as his eyes roamed over her. Serena wasn't sure how his response would be, but she was pleasantly surprised.

Without warning, Trowa was standing in front of her. His eyes darted down to her collarbone before lifting one of his hands to touch her cheek. Trowa's fingers lightly grazed the chain of her necklace, the same one he had given her six months ago. His hand was warm and calloused. A feeling of familiarity washed over Serena as she allowed the sensation of his hand to seep into her. It had been such a long time since he had touched her, too long since she had felt any spark of life within herself. Serena leaned into Trowa's touch, letting the corner of her lips turn up.

"You cut your hair," he breathed. Like it was the most natural thing to say. Serena laughed lightly as her eyes slid closed. Out of everything he could have said at that moment, Trowa chose to go with the one thing that had changed about her appearance.

"Does it bother you?" Serena asked.

"No."

Serena felt him shift before her eyes flew open to see Trowa dip his head, capturing her lips in a chaste kiss. His lips were just as she remembered. Not as soft as hers, but they held warmth and passion of their own. Lips she had missed kissing, but also the subtle way they'd trail over her skin.

It felt like time had stood still, even if it was only for a few short minutes. The two indulged in each other for the first time in months. It was a blissful pleasure and calming tranquility Serena had only felt with Trowa. He had always made her feel new and exciting things. For the first time in her life, Serena felt like she was breathing for the very first time.

She was finally free.

When their lips parted, Serena wrapped her arms around his neck. Holding Trowa close, but enough for her to look up into his emerald eyes. A smile graced her lips as Trowa pressed his forehead to hers.

"Where were you?" He asked softly. His eyes searched hers as if he couldn't truly rely on what they were seeing in front of him. Or maybe he was searching for something else. Something Serena wasn't sure Trowa needed to see.

Closing her eyes, Serena tried to hide from his prying eyes. She knew the last five months were hard on everyone, especially for him and Heero. She was struggling with guilt for what had happened and what had transpired afterward.

"I needed some time," Serena said as she opened her eyes. Trowa pulled away, his eyes still searching, questioning her.

"Why didn't you contact us? We looked everywhere for you." A frown formed on his handsome face as his eyes swam with heartache. Serena shook her head as she brought one of her palms to rest on his cheek.

That look could tear her apart. Serena knew she needed to diffuse the pain she felt starting to swell in her chest. But she also knew that Trowa deserved the truth.

"I was hurt pretty bad after I destroyed the Ischyrós. I managed to escape. But I couldn't return, at least not right away."

Serena hoped, if anything, that Trowa didn't notice the slight twinge of sadness in her voice. She cursed herself mentally. Maybe she wasn't ready for this after all?

"You should've called me, Serena. I would've come and got you, wherever you were."

Her face fell into a sad smile. Trowa's words held a heavy sadness of their own. Only he wasn't holding back on showing her how much he cared.

"It was better that you didn't know where I was. I needed to disappear for a while," Serena spoke as calmly as she could. She knew Trowa was hurting and had been hurting because of what she had done. Trowa reached his hand back up, gently placing it on the back of her head to bring their foreheads back together.

"I could've helped you. I promised you that you'd never be alone again," Trowa said with conviction. The same confidence when he had first made that promise to her. Serena closed her eyes, fighting back the hot liquid forming behind her lashes.

"I know…" When she opened her eyes, a stray tear fell down her cheek. "You have to trust in me that what I did was for the best. Even if I hurt everyone, hurt you."

Trowa pulled away, bringing the hand he had placed on the back of her head to rest on her cheek, thumbing away the tear.

"I trust you," he said softly before bringing his lips down to kiss her again.

Serena pulled away after a moment. Shaking her head, Serena knew it was time for her to leave, and the longer they stood there in his office, the harder it would be for her to hold herself together. Bringing her eyes up to his, Serena smiled softly at Trowa. Even with unshed tears in her eyes.

"Is everything okay?" Trowa asked. Concern not only in his voice but on his face as well.

"Everything's fine. I'm just happy to be back," Serena smiled at him as she dropped her arms back to her sides. "I wish I could stay longer, but I need to leave."

Trowa stood straight. His eyes went wild with a perplexed look. Serena chuckled as she watched his face change from concern to pure confusion. It reminded her of the time she had waited for him in his bathroom after he had showered. The same shower he had offered to share with her that morning.

"No, I'm not leaving like that, Barton." Serena's lips tugged up into a smirk.

"Then where are you going?" Trowa's brow lifted as he crossed his arms over his chest.

"I have to go meet Sally," she said while smoothing out imaginary lines on her dress. "I guess I need to have a physical done before I can start working."

"Start working?" Trowa echoed with a confused look once again. But it was short-lived. "You mean… you're working as a Preventer?"

"Une offered me a job," Serena said with a shrug of her shoulders. "Kind of hard to say no when you already planned on staying in the area." Serena's eyes gleamed with amusement as she tilted her head up, giving him a quick kiss before making her way toward the door.

"When will I see you again?" Trowa asked just as she reached for the handle of the door. Turning slightly on her heel, she looked over her shoulder at him.

"Later today."

"How about lunch?" Trowa asked quickly.

"Sorry, but I have to crash a lunch date."

"Does Heero know about this?" Trowa lifted a brow at her.

"He's the one who planned it," Serena winked at him before turning back to open the door. She gave him one last look over her shoulder as she closed the door behind her. Serena could hear Trowa laughing through the door. She couldn't help but let the smile on her lips form at the sound. His laughter warmed her the same way only his kisses and touches could.

Maybe things won't be so bad. Serena thought to herself as she made her way down the hallway. Perhaps now I can have the life I've always wanted.

Heero stood with his head down, arms crossed over his chest as he waited outside Sally's office for Serena. They were to head straight to the restaurant after her physical, where Relena would be waiting for them. Heero hadn't spoken to Serena since he left her in Trowa's office earlier that morning. Serena appeared to be more on edge than in the previous two weeks. It made him feel uneasy, and Heero thought about pulling the plug on her seeing Trowa altogether. But Serena kept assuring him that she could handle it. In the end, he surrendered, not wanting to argue with her.

When Heero left Serena in Trowa's office before going to meet Trowa in the lobby, Serena had taken a few deep breaths in an attempt to calm her nerves. At first, Heero had a hard time understanding why she was so scared to see Trowa again. When he had first seen her, almost five months after not knowing if Serena was alive or not, the first words out of her mouth were about Trowa.

Serena questioned him about Trowa's injuries and if he was alright. Heero explained to Serena that Trowa had survived the gunshot wound, and all that was left behind was a scar. Relief had washed over her face, even though it didn't last. Fear crept back into her eyes when she posed her next question.

"He's… he's doing okay without me, right?"

It was the only question Heero prepared for until the words left her mouth. Heero had decided long before he had gone to see Serena that he wouldn't lie to her. Heero had promised himself that he would always tell her the truth because she needed to be able to trust him. To know that he wouldn't sugarcoat things just for her sake. The only problem Heero saw in his plan was when he saw the tears threatening to fall from her eyes. Serena was scared to know the truth. To learn just what kind of hell they had been through while she had been gone.

It was a reminder of how fragile she could be. With everything Serena had ever gone through in her life, she still had scars that could reopen. Wounds that would never completely heal. Serena was strong, possibly even more than he was, but it didn't mean she didn't feel things. Serena's concern over Trowa proved to him that she did care deeply for Trowa. Heero didn't understand at the time, but when he had left Serena, he couldn't figure out why she had been so nervous. It wasn't until the door was closed that he understood. She was scared of how Trowa was going to respond to seeing her.

"Are you ready?" Heero's head shot up. Turning slightly to the side, he found Serena standing with a hand on her hip. "Did you hear me?" She asked with a tilt of her head. Something Heero noticed she did often now. He wondered if it was something she used to do before or if it was something he hadn't till now.

"Yeah," Heero said as he cleared his throat.

"Then let's go," Serena said with a smile. Her heels clicked against the tile floor as she walked past him. Heero fell into step behind her. When he had picked her up that morning, Heero found it odd that she had dressed so formally. He was expecting her to be in a shirt, a pair of jeans, and sneakers. Something she'd typically wear.

"I don't need an escort," Serena said from over her shoulder, breaking through his thoughts again.

"Hm," Heero nodded his head. "Old habit."

"You'll have to learn to break it now, won't you?"

Heero met her eyes as they came to stand in front of the elevator. There was a glint of amusement in Serena's eyes, but Heero could still see the darkness hiding behind them. He knew she wouldn't talk, not here at least. Heero made a mental note to question her once they were alone. The last thing he wanted was an argument, which could very well happen, or for Serena to run off, away from whatever was bothering her.

Once they exited HQ, heading towards his Preventer-issued SUV, Heero kept his thoughts to himself as they climbed into the vehicle. Serena hadn't spoken another word once they entered the elevator. He'd be lying to himself if he wasn't a little worried about her, but Heero wouldn't voice those concerns just yet. He watched Serena from the corner of his eye as she mechanically put on her seatbelt. Her thoughts were elsewhere as she sat with her hands in her lap.

Without saying a single word, Heero secured his seatbelt before turning over the engine. Putting the SUV into drive, he headed towards the exit of the parking garage, entering onto the main road. It would take approximately twenty minutes for them to reach the restaurant, just enough time for him to figure out what was truly bothering her.

After several minutes of silence, Heero decided that Serena had enough time to organize her thoughts.

"Are you going to tell me how everything went?"

"Why do you want to know so badly?" Serena countered back. Heero glanced at her from the corner of his eye. She was looking out the passenger side window.

"Curiosity."

"Oh please, that's bullshit. You're not curious you just want to analyze me."

"You were nervous this morning, more so than you have been the last two weeks," Heero pointed out matter-of-factly. He could feel her eyes on him, which made him continue. "Was it as bad as you thought it would be?"

"No."

Pulling up to a red light, Heero turned his head to face her. A frown on her face as she looked back at him.

"Then what's wrong?"

"Everything feels… different," Serena said slowly. Her eyes tightened ever so slightly, signaling to him that she needed some time to form her words. "I remember most of my life, but other things are still this blank space in my mind. What am I supposed to do if someone asks something and I can't answer them?"

Heero frowned as he turned his head back around. The light had changed to green, and traffic was starting to move again.

"We'll explain that you'll need time and some things you may never remember."

As harsh as the words were, it was the truth. It reminded Heero of his vow to be truthful with her, even if it was something he wasn't always comfortable doing so. Although there was a part of him that secretly hoped Serena would never remember certain aspects of her past.

"I just don't feel like myself," Serena said with a sigh.

"It takes time, Serena," Heero reassured her.

"That's what you keep telling me. But part of me feels like something's missing. The memories," Heero caught as Serena waved her hand, dismissing the notion from out of the corner of his eye. "I could live without them. I've retained my training and skills. That's enough."

"Hm."

That was another fear he had. Serena was functioning as a regular person or as normal as she was going to be regarding everything. The microchip may be gone for good, but it left a lot of unknowns, especially with her memory loss. Heero was hopeful that Serena would overcome any obstacles that may restrict her down the line. Sally knew all this before she even saw Serena. While a physical was standard procedure, Heero also asked Sally to evaluate Serena's mental health. They needed to keep a close eye on how she was adjusting to everything. He made another mental note to call Sally about it later on that day when he had the chance to speak privately with Sally.

"How did your physical go?" Heero asked after a few moments.

"Good," Serena said. Heero caught sight of her moving. She raised her right arm while tightening her hand into a fist. "I'm only at seventy percent strength for my right arm based on the information from the tests Sally ran six months ago."

"You shouldn't have any problems getting your strength back to a hundred percent."

"That's what Sally said," Serena frowned as she lowered her arm. "My left arm is around sixty, sixty-five percent. Give or take."

"I'm sure your left hook will be just as damaging as it was before," Heero smirked when he heard Serena snort.

"Could always see if that's true."

"Relena would be thrilled to find out we had another sparring match," Heero said dryly, earning him another chuckle from Serena.

All too soon, the lighthearted moment was gone. Serena stopped laughing and talking altogether.

Heero didn't want to tiptoe around her. To make her feel uncomfortable being around him. What Serena needed was for everyone to treat her the same as before. Heero knew Serena had impacted all of them, and they all had formed some sort of bond with her. The friendships Serena had made needed to remain the same for her to recover. As for himself, Heero had a new role in her life, and she had one in his.

Heero's thoughts stopped straying as he saw the restaurant. Locating a parking spot only half a block from the entrance, Heero eased the SUV along the curb before reversing to parallel park. Satisfied that they fit snugly against the curb, Heero shut off the engine. Glancing at Serena, a frown formed on his face as he took her in nervousness. Her hands twisted in her lap as she stared out the front windshield.

"If at any point you feel uncomfortable with a conversation, just let me know," Heero said softly. Hoping it would ease her nerves. "I'll try to redirect Relena."

"It's okay," Serena said. "I'm sure she'll figure something is off about me." Heero could only frown at her words. "It's fine. I'm fine," Serena amended. "I just need to get past seeing everyone again and having to explain everything. Then I won't have anything to worry about it."

"Hm." Heero let the subject go. True, it was just a matter of having to repeat the same story several times, but Heero knew that wasn't something Serena was too keen on doing. With that in mind, he set up an email that would be sent to a select few, informing them of Serena's return. Serena was going to give him hell for it, but at least she didn't have to tell every one of them what had happened.

But Serena would have to explain everything to Trowa, which could've been another cause of her distress earlier that morning.

Heero felt that it was the right thing for Serena to be the one to tell Trowa. He wanted her to be open and honest with Trowa about what had transpired. In return, Heero promised to tell Relena everything. Although he wished Trowa and Serena had never started a relationship in the first place, Heero was trying to be respectful of Serena's feelings. She needed someone she trusted enough to confide in, and Trowa seemed to be that for her.

Or that's what Heero kept telling himself.

"Ready?" Heero asked once Serena had finally stopped fidgeting in her seat.

"Yeah," Serena said before she raised her eyes to his. "Relena isn't going to scream, is she?" Heero could only raise a brow at her. There was always the possibility Relena could overreact to seeing her.

"Maybe."

"We're going to be a spectacle," Serena grumbled as she reached for the door handle.

"Already are," Heero mumbled as he opened his door. Serena shot him a questioning look. But he didn't offer her any explanation as he slipped out of the vehicle. Serena huffed as she followed suit.

Heero took a deep breath before moving around the SUV. At some point, Serena was going to ask him what the comment had been about, but then again, she was about to find out for herself firsthand. As he exhaled, Heero knew he was sealing his fate. Their lunch date was going to be interesting, regardless of how discreet they tried to be.

A/N

Happy First Chapter!

This time we're starting slightly different. Nothing too crazy is going on, and I think everyone needs a little happiness right now, at least for the most part. We learn a little about what's happened, although it's not much to go off of. Serena doesn't seem to remember certain things and Heero is concerned for a few reasons. We know Serena was worried about seeing Trowa, even though Serena seems to be grateful that she's back. Hopefully, things go well for them, this time at least.

Over the next several chapters, we'll learn what happened during those five months Serena was gone and how Heero was the one who found out first that she was still alive. But first, I do believe Serena needs to crash a lunch date between Heero and Relena. I hope Heero planned for anything that might happen considering his comment at the end of this chapter.

I hope you'll continue to read this story as there is still so much to come.

-MM