Sorry for the late update, random work schedules are starting. Thanks for reading!

Chapter Seven

The loud scream pierced through his light nap, as it drifted from one of the patient rooms. Somehow he must have fallen asleep on the bench and he wondered if his dream was real or not. He didn't have time to worry about it, as he quickly ran over to where they had wheeled Relena to.

At the door, he was barred from entering by a young nurse, but his eyes caught at least one doctor in there. A tray was setup beside the gurney with plastic tubing, scissors, a scalpel, and other random metallic equipment. His eyes wandered to where she laid on her back with blue cloths draping over the front half of her chest.

Her eyes were closed as he watched on. "I'm with her," he pleaded with the nurse. "Let me stay with her."

"You cannot be in here. We're doing a procedure," her voice was unyielding, as she stood in the doorway.

"Please, she needs someone."

"Heero!"

The nurse finally relented through his pleas and he quickly rushed over to her side. "I'm right here," he whispered.

"Heero," her breathing was erratic as she felt more pressure coming from her side. "Make it stop," her eyes were brimming with tears. "It hurts," she gasped for air.

"Almost finished…hang in there," a voice trailed off to the side. "There's going to be more pressure."

"What does she have?" Heero looked over towards the doctor in charge, as he watched him pushing a tube in.

"She has a collapsed lung and we're placing a chest tube."

Relena already knew the diagnosis and she gritted her teeth against the pain she was feeling. At least, it wasn't a heart attack.

"There… we're finished," the doctor stepped away from her side. "If this doesn't work, we might be heading towards surgery, but we'll wait for now."

She nodded in agreement as the head of her bed was raised. Her gown was adjusted by the nurse, while Heero kept his sight on Relena's face. She truly was worn out after the ordeal.

"Thanks for staying with me," her voice barely above a whisper.

"You're welcome."

She had a perplex look on her face and wondered if it was the right time to ask, but seeing they were alone, it was the perfect time, "This might sound strange, but I just had a dream about you."

"You did?"

"It's silly." She adjusted herself on the gurney, but the slight movements aggravated the plastic tube. "Never mind," she winced at the slight tug coming from her side. He took his hand into hers and placed it on his chest. He watched her reaction for the second time that night and it was priceless. Her eyes widened as she felt the faint fluttering of beats beneath her fingertips.

"I can't believe this is happening." She shook her head back and forth, "I began to think you were a figment of my imagination after you left."

"Here we go again."

…

Heero continued his vigil by her side, even after they moved her to a private room up on the upper floors. He didn't want her to be alone and as far as he was concerned, he wasn't going anywhere for the time being. If there were assignments, he would ignore them.

Footfalls were sporadic in the hallways, but eventually another familiar face popped into her room.

"I came as fast I could, but my flight was delayed." Her boyfriend strolled over to her bedside and placed some roses on her nightstand.

"Those look lovely," she whispered. "Thank you," as she gave a light peck on his cheek.

Heero felt uncomfortable in front of the two and he stuffed his hands in his pockets, wondering if he should bolt now.

"This is Heero. He's a really good friend of mine since we were kids. He helped me when I collapsed in the park apparently." It was a partial white lie but it was enough to get by at the moment.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, and thank you for staying with her." The doctor in him was starting to appear on the surface, "Did they know how it happened?"

"No, they think it's spontaneous. Some bubble must've burst."

"At least you're getting better," he stroke the side of her cheek.

She winced in pain as she tried to move in her bed. The two reacted at the same time, wondering what they could do. "I'm fine. It just hurts to move." She tried pulling herself up as she felt the plastic tube tug slightly on her side, "You two can leave, I'll be fine."

Dave pulled up a chair beside her, "I'm not going anywhere."

"You just took a flight from Kansas City and you look like crap."

"And so do you." He brushed away a few stray hairs from her pale face. He noticed her eyes were bloodshot.

Heero managed to disappear into the background. He watched the young couple as they drifted off to sleep. He never really liked being in the hospital. The smells of bleach and alcohol nauseated him at times. And being a kindred spirit to the young, he could hear random whispers drift within his range. He could feel their feelings and he couldn't do anything about it.

Over the intercom, random pages were sent out for personnel as he walked through the sterile hallways. He walked over to the corner at the end of some hallway. The early sunrise glowed in the distance as the night retreated from the ever growing purple and pink hues.

The city was slowly waking from its slumber and he let out another sigh, taking in the quiet morning. His eyes focused on the brimming sun over the horizon and he could feel her sleep peacefully. Of all the people, he was still connected to her.

He took his wrist and felt for his pulse. In steady succession, he felt the beats underneath his own fingertip. What was really going on? That truly was another question to be answered but it would have to wait for the time being.

Somehow Relena managed to come back into his life. A spark from his past that was now coming at full force towards him. Call it fate or divine intervention, there was something pulling him back towards her and something told him not to let her go again.

"I thought I would find you here," a familiar voice came from behind.

"The same goes for yourself," he continued to look out through the glass window. The streets were casted in the afterglow of yesterday's storm.

"You know the others are here as well, and they've been talking about you."

"Really?" Heero turned towards his friend that he had met fifty years ago while in San Francisco in a local café.

"No one else has heard anything of the sort." The blond stared out the windows, "It's a first as I can recall. We're still searching for any leads, but right now it's a dead end trail."

"Thanks Quatre."

"Whatever is happening to you, I wish you the best."