Gundam Wing Fan Fiction ❯ Counting the Seconds ❯ Chapter Sixteen ( Chapter 16 )

DISCLAIMER: Standard disclaimers apply.

Counting the Seconds

By Scilja

Chapter Sixteen

Merriment twinkled within aquamarine eyes, "Mama looks pretty!"

She glanced up in awe at the figure that sat before the vanity dresser. She sorely missed the distinct smell of fresh flowers from her mother's hair. The shining gold that spun to be her tresses. The fair ivory tint of her skin. The eyes that were bluer than the ocean reflected by the sky.

The woman laughed sweetly and swooped up her child to her lap. "Why, thank you, darling," her finger tapped the small nose playfully,"but I think it's you who has the spotlight tonight."

"How are my two angels?" Both turned to see a man enter the room, well-aged wrinkles smiling around grayish blue eyes.

She leapt from her mother's knee and ran towards him, "Daddy!" He rewarded the child's exuberance by hoisting the girl into a cheerful swing before settling her in his arms.

"And there's the star of the show! So, birthday girl, how does it feel to be the big four?"

A small nose scrunched up in distaste, "I feel old."

Both adults burst out laughing. "Is that so?" her father smiled, "Then don't you think being four is too old for cake?"

Tiny eyes widened and blonde locks swayed to and fro from the emphasis shaking of her head, "No, no! That's different!"

A young boy entered the room, "Four, that's really old, think about it. You can't act like a baby anymore."

The young girl twisted around in her father's hold to stick her tongue out, "Oh yeah? Well, you're almost as old as grandpa!"

Her parents laughed again.

"Huh?" Something in the air was amiss. Suddenly those strong arms were beginning to lose their grip. "Oof!" She landed on the cold floor, no longer in the hold of her father. Mama and Millie...where did they go?

Her heart raced at the loss of her family's presence. "Mama? Papa? Millie? Come out now, I'm done playing hide and go seek!" The lights went out, flooding the entire atmosphere in darkness. Her breath hitched in her throat in panic and she cried frantically, "Mama! Papa! I don't wanna play anymore!"

She swiveled her head around, but was met with nothing but pitch black. Every rustle of her dress, tap of her shoes, and swish of her arms echoed loudly into the eerie shadows. A frenzied cry shattered the air and her breath came in short, uneven rhythms, "Millie, don't scare me like that! Millie? Somebody?" she scurried blindly in the dark, "ANYBODY?!"

Her knees buckled out of sheer exhaustion and fear as tears coursed down her rosy cheeks. Shoulders trembled while small fists clenched the blue dress that pooled around her. "I…I don't like being alone. It's scary. I'm scared, Mama."

Then she felt something press against her cheek. She lifted her head at the sight of a person kneeling. A wave of relief came through her at the familiar face, "Mama."

The woman smiled gently, wiping away the tears sliding down her daughter's cheeks. Her arms gathered the small form close to her breast. She shushed her lightly when a small whimper arose and cradled her near, softly humming a soothing melody. "It's alright; it's going to be alright."

Her tiny hands curled in the back of her mother's dress, clinging on for dear life. She hiccupped a sob, "Mama…" She buried her face in the snug comfort of her mother's chest, "Oh, Mama, don't leave, please, I want to stay with you."

As if on cue, the warm body suddenly chilled to a bitter cold and she gasped at the unexpected change. Her mother was gone in an instant. "MAMA!" her voice pitched high, "Come back! NO!" On her knees, she desperately cried out, "I'll be good! I won't run in the flowers anymore! I won't!" she cried frantically, "A good girl! Always! Don't leave me, Mama," a heart wrenching wail, "please!"

"But you are already a good girl."

She whipped her head around at the sound, "Wha-?" her constricted throat made it sound like a squeak.

Her parents appeared before her once again. She stood up. No longer did she wear the blue dress once worn as a child, but the prestigious suit of a successful woman.

"See, darling, you're doing so well."

She guiltily cast a side glance; the words seemed to have a false ring when she looked back at the events that were currently happening in her life.

"I don't think so, Mama, I screwed up," she laughed bitterly, "I really pushed it this time."

"On the contrary, my dear, you have done what we've wanted you to accomplish, and that's living a life entirely different from the arranged path you were given," her father wrapped an arm around her mother in a tender fashion. "In fact, I'm glad you didn't follow the footsteps of the Peacecraft, you were quite independent and intelligent as a child. Your talents and potential needed to be developed for good use rather than following in the royal path. It was meant to be shared."

She was hit with a wave of shock and her entire being trembled lightly at the revealed news. 'Royal?!' "You mean I had a path chosen for me?"

They nodded.

She stared disbelievingly at her parents, "Royalty?" the word seemed like a distant whisper, "Aren't I then supposed to be in the Royal family as of now?"

"You should, but we just didn't have the heart to. You wouldn't have been happy." They smiled and their image began to fade.

'Oh, no, not again!' "Wait! Wait! Ma! Pa! I still have many questions!"

"We're proud of you, Relena, but it's not yet time for you to leave." Their bodies were becoming more transparent as they gradually began to vanish.

"Live well, honey, and I do believe there's a nice surprise waiting for you," the same azure eyes that she inherited reflected back in those smiling ones of her mother.

"Bye, princess," her father kissed the top of her head, a sense of nostalgia warmed over her, "be happy."

WOOMPH.

Relena was jolted back to reality when a thundering pressure fell upon her chest. Her lungs coughed at the abrupt rush of air as she blinked groggily to adjust to her surroundings.

She grimaced at the foreign plastic dome placed over mouth before realizing it was an oxygen mask. Her ears faintly picked up an array of exchanged voices in the background. A croaky groan escaped her lips, which were chapped and terribly dry at the lack of moisture.

Thoughts jumbled in a chaotic mess inside her mind.

What was going on?

She didn't understand.

She couldn't remember.

Everything was so hazy.

Smoke, yes, there was a lot of that, strangling in fact.

Fire? Most definitely.

And, oh, don't forget the pain.

A sharp prick caused her to flinch. It was then that she noticed someone was placing an IV in her arm. Her body felt so weak. So vulnerable and helpless, even it took a lot of energy to curl her fingers. The space she was in was cramped. Something constantly prodded against her body.

Despite her state of idleness, she was able to distinguish a loud noise in the background. Someone was yelling.

A figure clad in white scrambled into the small space. His breathing came in quick, ragged patterns. "Geez, there's a guy with a maniacal gleam in his eyes! He claims he knows her as a close friend and he's driving me nuts! Give him access!"

A grittier voice snapped, "No can do, you know only family members or relatives allowed. For all we know he could be a mental case."

Amidst of it all, a familiar voice formed in the background calling out her name.

Still somewhat dazed, it was difficult to tell if she really did hear someone. She squinted at the sudden brightness of light that hit her eyes. Her throat cried out for a cool liquid to quench its dryness. The sandiness of her tongue made it hard to speak.

"-eero?" came a managed croak.

All that responded were puzzled murmurs.

"What did she say?"

"A person's name? Who's Leeroy?"

"I don't know. It must be a sign of deliriousness."

"Don't worry, Ms. Darlian," she felt some of her blood being drawn out of her, "you're going to pull through. Just stay with us."

Stay?

She wanted to return to…to…

Where did she want to go? There was no answer for that anymore.

The injection they had given her was taking effect.

Fatigue betrayed her consciousness, causing her lids to close.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

"Get your hands off me," Heero growled menacingly at the men robed in white. At a glimpse of his fierce appearance, he looked to be on the verge of causing great, violent harm. The only thing holding him back was the firm grip of two locked arms around his own.

He didn't want to believe it was Relena in that helicopter. The same one that burst into flames and went spiraling down from the sky. But it was all too real. The scurrying of figures in white shouting amongst each other made the nightmare even more true.

An unexplainable rush came over him.

"Pity that I've fallen right where you wanted me.

God…he killed her spirit.

And to think that here I am, telling you of a predicament that could make a huge negative impact to your company.

She did it out of her own will…and he discarded that valuable fact like useless trash.

Not to mention, a problem which I could have simply deterred away and left you to deal with the pain later.

What an ass he was.

But stupid me, I had the heart to tell you about it because I actually cared!"

She cared. His heart should have filled with joy but it was quickly diminished with agonizing guilt. Heero felt his chest wrench tightly. No doubt about it, he was the biggest moron in the world.

He remembered the fierce glint in her eyes. The way she exuded an aura of steadfastness and strong willpower. She was furious and she had every right to be. Relena unselfishly handed valuable info over to him.

There were many other possibilities she could have done with the tidbit she was given about Treize. She could have decided to use it against him. She could have taken down ZW in all its glory. She could have let Treize pass successfully. She could have let it slip on by to watch the fall of Heero Yuy. She could have…

But she didn't.

In fact, she told him.

To help him.

To save him.

And he acted like a class A jerk.

When he went through the doors of TMG to see Relena in the room, he froze. A million thoughts swirled in his head, not knowing what to say first. Her gaze on him was unsettling. She was expecting something to be said, he knew, but he had great difficulty doing so. Before he even had a chance to open his mouth, Zechs sent her off.

The holder of the most well-known and prestigious firm was able to handle the worst scenarios. But when it came to just one woman, he was a complete failure.

Never did he expect their next encounter to be like this. The blue and red lights of the ambulance appeared to jeer at him.

Fear took its toll. What if Relena didn't…

At the thought of that, he felt a sense emptiness engulf his entire being. It just couldn't happen. He wouldn't let it happen.

His appearance became intimidating, causing the two men to nearly lose their control on him. "I must know of Ms. Darlian's wellbeing," he persisted.

"I told you before, Mr. Yuy, only family and relatives are allowed," the man grunted at a hard jerk made by ZW's CEO.

"Then let me go." Milliardo stepped up to the paramedic wearing a headset.

"Alright, sir, show me some I.D."

He looked perplexedly at the medical officer, "What?"

The man shifted the glasses across the bridge of his nose, "I'm sorry, sir, but that is required. We are very strict on the security of our patients. Therefore, proof of identification is necessary."

His lips pulled into a tight scowl, "That isn't possible. Relena's records do not state she is directly related to me. She is under the name of her adoptive family. In any case, she is a Peacecraft. I have the right to go through." He made to move towards the ambulance but his path was blocked off.

"As much as I believe that is true, I still cannot allow you to go, Mr. Peacecraft. As of now, only the Darlians are allowed to interact with her."

"Do not mock me. I tell you I am her brother."

Still unfazed, the man pressed on, "Sir, please do not take this to legal matters."

He glowered at the situation, but relented with a frustrated sigh. "I expect her to be given the best medical care and attention. I'll take care of the cost."

"Of course," he bowed, "good day, Mr. Peacecraft."

Seeing that Heero was no longer struggling against their will, the men released their grip. ZW's CEO, the highest position granted for the currently most prestigious firm in the world, had never felt more powerless.

He stood from afar. Fists held by his sides, quenching his scrambled emotions.

TBC…