Say it Again

"Come on!" We can't stay. The Gecko– I mean– everyone's gonna be there!" Holland and Talho are already at the house. And the kids! Maurice, Maeter, and Linck: it'll be great Eureka!"

After the initial shock of her return, Renton lost his mind with excitement. His first instinct was to run all the way back home, and he began to leave when he remembered that he forgot to bring Eureka! 'Haha, of course she had to be there!' He began to help Eureka up, but let go of her hand in his excitement to bring out the motorcycle. 'Finally, we can ride it together–'

"Oh! Eureka, I'm sorry."

Eureka covered her mouth in a quiet giggle, and with one eye looking up at Renton she said, "It's ok. I want to see everyone, too. Especially, the kids."

Renton thought he saw Eureka frown. If it weren't for his own excitement he would have been absolutely sure, but he was so ecstatic that he was sure he had imagined it. 'After all, what could she be sad about. We're together again with everyone else...'

"RENTON!"

"Huh, what! I'm here. haha, sorry– I'm just, you know. Well?"

Eureka was grabbing her knees and looking determinately at the floor. "Well, I was just wondering. . .could we, uhm. . .stay. . ."

"Eureka?"

Eureka looked up at Renton, looking like she had summoned all her courage into the redness of her face. "Uhm. . .could we stay out here for a while."

"Eureka. . .ah, sure! Sure, but. . .why?" As soon as Renton had asked the question, he knew he should have kept his mouth shut. 'Eureka wants to be alone before seeing everyone! It's been forever, you idiot. She's probably nervous; and she want to be alone– WITH YOU!'

Both of their faces went red. "It's just that, we haven't seen each other; and. . .well. . ."

"IT'S OK!" 'Too loud, idiot'. "I mean, I think I get it..." 'Too quiet'. "Anyways, let me show you what I've been doing. Yeah," Renton held out his hand for Eureka, and she took it to help herself up.

Renton began to tell her everything that had happened in the last two years. In short, Renton had repaired every trapar-base machine he could get his hands on, including the Gekko; every member of the Gecko were living interesting lives while successfully staying under the army's radar; the kids were going to school, generally enjoying a life free of the danger and nomadism of the Gecko; and finally, Axel had retired, serving only as an administrator of Garage Thurston – Renton was the Lead mechanic.

"That's great, Renton!"

"Haha, well it only happened last month. I think it was mostly out of pity. I bet gramps thought I needed something to distract me."

Eureka was confused, but a feeling told her that the answer wouldn't be pleasant. "From what?"

Renton's grin faultered for a second, but he raised his hand to the back of his head, and tried his hardest to say in a light-hearted tone, "From thinking about you, Eureka. Everyone else had given up hope. The kids said that they believed, but I don't think they understood. I mean, Maurice definitely thought you were coming back, but I think it was mostly because he trusts me. We've become REALLY CLOSE, you know? I mean, at first he yelled at me for not bringing you back. He tried to beat me half to death! But I think he could sense how I felt, and he knew what I had done. I looked him right in the eyes and promised him you were coming back. . .and–Eureka?"

Eureka's eyes were already filled with tears by the time Renton noticed something was wrong. "No, it's ok, Renton. I'm just. . .happy that everyone was alright without me."

Eureka continued to cry, as she tried to stifle her sobs. Renton didn't know what to do. He couldn't hold her, and in the two hours since she had returned they hadn't even touched since he had helped her off the grass. Renton was afraid to touch her. As stupid as it sounds, he had always regretted holding her on the day she disappeared. He felt that something in his touch had caused her to dissolve, and now that he was sure this wasn't a dream, he was afraid that holding her would somehow cause her to go away again.

"Hey. . .hey! Let's go see everyone. C'mon, we'll all be crying then! Let's go." Renton began to reach out his hand – he wouldn't risk gripping her hand and pulling her – but Eureka didn't look up. Slowly, softly, Renton tried to grab Eureka by the wrist.

"NO!" Eureka pulled away, got up, and ran toward the hill, away from the windmill and the motorcycle.

"EUREKA! Stop! Eureka, come back! What's going on? Talk to me, dammit!" Renton could have easily overtaken Eureka, but he didn't know how to stop her without tackling her first. Before he could make up his mind, Eureka tripped and fell hard onto the floor.

"EUREKA!: Renton slid by her side. He cradled her head in his hands, and put one arm around her back for support.

Eureka half-heartedly tried to shake Renton off, trying to hold back her tears. "It's *sniff* fine. . .I'm just, fine."

"It doesn't look like your hurt. But WHY were you running in the 1st place!"

"I told you, I DON'T WANT TO GO BACK!"

"WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT! Everyone will be there! I'm not the only one who missed you! The Gecko! Holland! Talho! The KIDS!"

"I Know That! I KNOW THAT! I KNOW YOU WAITED, RENTON! And the Kids! the kids. . .what if . . .WHAT IF THEY HATE ME! I Left, Renton. I LEFT, & WHAT IF THEY ALL HATE ME FOR IT!"

". . .Don't. . .Don't decide that on your own! Eureka, no will hate you! They'll be too happy to see you! I told them, Eureka. I explained that you had to go, it wasn't your choice. It wasn't YOUR CHOICE!"

Renton screamed his last words in defiance of the trace in his voice – a little hint of a question that hid behind his anger.

Eureka might have realized it, because she answered. "I didn't want to go. . .And I thought about coming back every day. But, it was all so confusing. I didn't even know I was gone that long. And– And" Eureka couldn't help but begin a new round of sobbing, "When you– said it–'d been 2 YEARS–I couldn't. . . I couldn't imagine– Oh Renton! I'm SO SORRY!"

Eureka held onto herself as tight as she could. She tried to regain self control, while Renton was stunned. He wanted to help her, hold her, do something. . .but the knowledge that Eureka wasn't in control of whether she stayed or went frightened him more than he could say.

Of course, Renton knew in the back of his head that Eureka's disappearance was caused by the Coralian's choice to live on by becoming separate beings; and that Eureka had no more chance of suddenly disappearing than he did.

"It'll be ok, Eureka. It might be hard at first, but no one hates you– no one will hate you for what happened. I promise."

"How–how do you know! HOW CAN YOU SAY THAT, RENTON! You hate me, I know it! I KNOW YOU HATE ME!"

"I DON'T! I COULD NEVER!"

"YOU DO! You do hate me! That's why– that's why–"

"Eureka, I don't!"

"THEN WHY WON'T YOU HOLD ME! –why won't you comfort me like before. . .why won't you hold me. . .Renton. . ."

". . .I'm. . .the worst."

Eureka looked up, barely seeing Renton coming closer through her tears.

"Renton. . ." Before she knew it, Renton had both his hands folded gently around her waist. They were both kneeling on the grass, Eureka placed neatly between Renton's arms and chest. Like magic, her fears began to fade away. She allowed herself to stay in the moment, there with her head resting on Renton's shoulder.

"I haven't said it in so long. . ."

"Huhm?"

"I love you– Eureka, I love you more than anything. If– if you want to go. If you don't want to see anyone– and just go and ride till we can't get any farther away, then that's ok. I'll go wherever, if it's with you."

"Oh, Renton. I don't want to go. I want to see everyone, so badly. I want to hold everyone like this. I want to show the kids how sorry I am for being away– I won't leave them again. I don't want to leave YOU again. Renton I love you with all–with everything!"

"Haha, it's ok–It's OK. Don't cry anymore. I really can't stand it when you cry. So please. . ."

"I won't," Eureka said, wiping the tears from her eyes; something that was difficult with Renton refusing to let her out from between his arms. She smiled, as a playful thought came to her lips. "Under one condition."

With a half-worried chuckle, Renton took the bait, "What?"

"Say it again."

"Hphm. Always: I love you, Eureka. I love you."

Note: I'm trying to keep to weekly updates. Feel free to scold me mercilessly if I don't.