Gundam Wing Fan Fiction ❯ Night of the New Moon ❯ The Patient Stranger ( Chapter 8 )

[ Y - Young Adult: Not suitable for readers under 16 ]

Disclaimer: Gundam Wing and all it's drop dead gorgeous bishounen don't belong to me. -.- Sigh.
Warnings: Shounen ai, AU, 1+2, a tiny little blood, angst, violence, & Death? ^.^;
Author's Note: I gotta thank Dorothy McCoubrey for help with my writers block. Arigatou, oneechan. ^.^ \\//

Night of the New Moon
Part 7 "The Patient Stranger"
by: Lotus-chan

Duo woke for the second time that morning to the feel of a warm body next to his. He
smiled, eye's still closed and snuggled in closer. This was the kind of thing he'd only
dreamt about. Not even when he was alive had he been able to feel this level of warmth
and comfort with someone he cared for. He wanted nothing more than to stay this way
forever. Just as he was beginning to fall back into that peaceful oblivion, Heero shifted and
brought him out of it.

He sighed inwardly thinking that Heero must be waking and looked up into his face. It
wasn't until then that he began to notice something felt different. Heero was still fast
asleep but his breathing wasn't that of a peaceful slumber. His skin was pale and his face
slightly flushed. It was only then that Duo realized how much warmer Heero's body felt to
him. With slight worry Duo raised himself on an elbow and brushed Heero's bangs aside
with his other hand. There was a thin sheet of sweat covering the flushed and warm skin
of Heero's face. The touch woke him.

Heero opened his eyes and gazed sleepily up at him, "Duo?" Duo made a slightly
disappointed face and laid back down to be at eye level with him, "You have a fever."
Heero frowned. That wasn't what he had been expecting to hear. 'Good morning'
would've been nice. Besides, he didn't have... Duo chuckled as if reading his thoughts.
"Yeah, you do." He leaned in and gave Heero a light kiss, "good morning." Heero gave a
small satisfied smile.

Duo however sat up abruptly and stretched, "I guess running out in the rain everyday
finally caught up with you, ne?" Heero gave him a look but threw the covers off
nevertheless. He *was* hot. He sat up just as Duo's arms fell around him and pulled him
close from behind. He laid his chin on Heero's shoulder and spoke dejectedly, "this really
changes things ya know." Heero frowned and turned around, "I'm *not* taking you back
just yet."

Duo met Heero's frown with one of his own, "Don't make me get preachy. You can't
afford to lose any more strength when you need it for... hey, are you listening?!" Heero
had ignored him and gotten out of bed. He turned at the bathroom door with the same
frown still on his face. "I almost never get sick but if I am, my body can handle it just as
well with you here or not." and with that he disappeared into the bathroom. Duo ran to
the bathroom door just as it closed and pouted, "have I ever said how unbelievably
stubborn you are??!"

-------

Duo struggled down the stairs in his oversized jeans, holding them up from the knees so
he wouldn't accidentally slip on them and fall three flights straight down. Heero glanced
back with a smirk on his face. When he'd seen Duo struggling to keep his pants from
slipping down as he searched for his belt, Heero had been ready to offer him a pair of his
own jeans but that first and then second fall had been so funny... he'd changed his mind.
Duo glared from behind, "What's so funny?!" Heero chuckled as he stepped into the lobby
of the first floor. Apparently, it hadn't occurred to Duo yet.

He heard voices to his right and noticed that the door to the dinning room was open. A
loud female voice responded to another and Heero winced inwardly. He was *not* in the
mood to deal with her right now, especially not with... He turned to see Duo reach the
first floor and drop the legs of his bagging jeans. Heero looked once more towards the
dinning room, shook his head and took Duo's hand, heading in the other direction towards
the kitchen.

"Oy, Heero. Where are we going?" he asked as he tried to keep up without slipping. "The
kitchen." Duo looked back towards the room the voices were coming from after seeing
Heero glance that way. It was almost as if he wanted to avoid it... but all thoughts of the
room left his mind when he passed a door a few feet short of the kitchen and stopped.
Heero turned around when he felt Duo stop and glanced at him questioningly, "Duo?"
Duo was glaring at the door beside him. There was something about it that had sent a chill
through him as he passed by...

He shook his head, "Nothing, I'm coming." He passed Heero, who gave him a curious
look and entered the kitchen. Heero went in behind him and was surprised to find Sofie
inside. She smiled at him over her pot of stu, "Good morning Heero-san, or should I say
good afternoon? It's lunch time and I haven't seen you all morning, sleeping in again?"
Heero nodded to her politely, "Ohayo, Sofie-san." Duo smiled, "Ohayo." Sofie looked at
Duo as if seeing him for the first time and gasped. Leaving her stu, she came around the
bar counter.

"Could you be the one Okada has been talking about all morning??" she stopped in front
him and smiled, seeming to rediate that warm motherly air about her without even trying,
"You do look just like the painting!" Duo grinned and offered a hand. She hadn't called
him a ghost yet, he liked her already. "Duo. Nice to meet ya." She took his hand without
hesitating and shook it, "I'm the Inn's cook, call me Sofie. It's very nice to finally meet
you."

Sofie glanced back to Heero who had taken an apple from a bowl on the counter. He
looked back as he bit into it. "Oh, of course! You boys must be starving. I'll fix you
something up right away." She said, heading back to her pot. "By the way, there's a young
lady in the dinning room who's been waiting to see you all morning. I think she must've
been up since sunrise." Heero swallowed hard, quickly glancing at Duo before shaking his
head. "I don't want to see her and I'm not very hungry." Sofie frowned curiously at him as
she finished filling a bowl on a tray beside the stove. "You're not hungry? You didn't have
supper last night, skipped breakfast this morning and you're not hungry at all?"

She came back around the counter, straight up to Heero and before he could stop her, put
a hand on his forehead. She frowned, "just as I thought." she said, finally noticing how
pale he was. "You're sick, you've *got* to eat something." Heero glared at her and held
up his apple. Duo chuckled, "I told you." Heero turned his glare on Duo as if to say he
wasn't helping. Duo grinned.

"That apple will not do anything for you. You need a nice hot meal, understand?" Sofie
continued. Heero looked at her incredulously. She was making him feel like some
disobedient child. No one had ever done that to him before. Sofie sighed, "don't argue
with me. I know Okada didn't tell me everything about you boys but I'm sure that even a
strong, mature young man like you should know what is good for his own health." and as
if that finalized the matter, she turned to Duo with a smile, "would you like something to
eat, dear?"

Duo shook his hand, "I can't eat." She raised an eyebrow, "why not?" Duo shrugged, "My
body isn't real. I probably could eat if I wanted to but I shouldn't put anything into it that
I'm not going to be 'taking with me', if ya know what I mean." Both Sofie and Heero
looked surprised, "oh, I hadn't realized..." She looked back towards the stove and
remembered her stu. She walked around and turned the stove off. Picking up the tray on
the counter, she walked towards the door, "I need to take this last one to a guest but I'll
be right back."

Duo frowned, "It wouldn't be to the room right next door would it?" She looked
surprised, "why yes. One of our guests requested his meals in his room. How did you
know?" Duo shook his head, "never mind." Heero looked at him suspiciously and to
Duo's surprise, took his hand and passed Sofie at the door. "Hey, wait just a moment!"
"I'll come back for something later." Heero said without turning around. Sofie looked at
the kitchen counter where Heero had left his half-eaten apple and pouted, resolving that if
he didn't come back soon, she'd go looking for him herself.

---------

Heero dragged Duo into the other hall looking for the library or some place they could
talk privately but as luck would have it, Relena came storming out of the dinning room in
that very instant. She gasped, surprised when she saw him but quickly recovered and
threw herself into his arms. "Heero! I've been waiting to see you all morning! Where on
earth have you been?!" Duo frowned when he saw this girl wrapping her arms around
Heero. Who the heck did she think she was to be so familiar with him??

Then he took a closer look, and his eyes widened. "Selena?!" He took a step back in his
surprise, stepping onto the legs of his jeans, slipped on his sandals and fell. Heero pushed
Relena off him and quickly went to help him up. Duo glanced at Heero then back to
Relena, "she, she's not... but she looks... there's no way she could be..." "no, she isn't."
Heero said as Duo got back on his feet. Duo looked at him, realizing he'd known about
her all along. "Why didn't you tell me?!" Relena stomped her foot, "Hey! What are you
two talking about?!" Heero glared at her but she shook her head, "No, never mind. It
doesn't matter."

And she glowered at Duo instead, "I've been waiting all morning just to talk to you!" Duo
blinked, "me?" How would she have known he was here? Had Okada told even her? "Yes
you! I saw you last night! You are the most perverted girl I've ever met, the way you
were draped all over my Heero!" Duo's eyebrow twitched. Had she just said... 'girl'?!
Wait a minute... "What do you mean 'your' Heero?!" he yelled back. All the while Heero
slumped against the wall and held his forehead in his hand. He couldn't believe this was
happening.

"Yes, *my* Heero. Heero and I were to be married as soon as the war was over and I
only now found him again. I want you to stay away from my boyfriend!" Duo's eyes were
impossibly wide, "N-nani?!" Out of anger, Relena pointed a finger to express her point
further, "You should be ashamed of yourself for throwing yourself at him like that! A girl
should always respect another womans property!" "I'm a man, damnit!" he shouted as his
vision began to swim behind the impossibility of tears in his horrified eyes. This couldn't
be happening. It couldn't be true.

Relena meanwhile seemed to have been taken aback by that statement, "You're a..." her
eyes widened, "Then what the hell were you doing to him last night?!" Shock and anger
fought for dominance on his face and very suddenly the temperature in the hallway
dropped drastically. "You..." Relena stopped when she saw her breath appear against the
cold air and gasped, "what in the world just happened?!" she yelled, frightened. "... stop ...
screaming..." It was a soft plea with barely any volume in it's own voice. Duo turned to
see Heero had slumped against the wall and slid to the floor, holding his head in his hands.

That's why he hadn't said anything..! Duo ran to him with Relena not far behind. He went
to help Heero up but Relena put her arms around his neck and glared at him, "Don't you
dare touch him!" she screamed. Heero winced and Duo's eyes flashed. He took her by the
wrist and roughly pulled her off him. Relena gasped and pulled her wrist away from him.
His hand had been like ice. But just as she thought it, the temperature in the hall returned
to normal and she looked back to see Duo pull Heero's arm around his neck. He slipped
another around his waist and stood up, half-carrying Heero to his feet.

Relena stood and confronted him as he began to walk away. "Where are you taking him?!"
Duo glared murderously and raised a hand that faded in and out exclusively for her
benefit. "Get lost." he said in a dark voice. In a frightened panic she screamed and ran
towards the lobby. Duo brought his hand back to Heero's arm and walked a bit further
into the hall, entering the first room he came across.

--------

As he closed the door behind him, Duo realized he was in the den. It was a large room
with the occasional half-filled bookshelves and paintings lining the walls. The room was
decorated in several different shades of green that gave it a kind of foresty look. In the
back of the room there was an additional fireplace, which someone had lit recently and a
large couch directly in front of it. Duo decided to head for the couch.

When he got there, he carefully set Heero down and sat down next to him. Heero blinked
and looked at Duo tiredly. "Are you alright?" Heero was surprised to find unshed tears in
his eyes. He nodded but his expression became grave and he raised a hand to Duo's cheek
to catch a small tear before it fell. Duo turned away from his touch to gaze into the fire
instead. Heero's heart sank.

"Heero, why didn't you tell me about her?" He said quietly. "What is she to you?" Heero's
gaze also turned to the fire, hearing the hurt and dread in Duo's voice. "I didn't want to
tell you because I wanted to avoid any misunderstandings and... I know who she
resembles. I didn't want to worry you, either." Duo was incredulous, "I should have
known someone like her was here! And... and all those things she said..." "... were all in
her head."

Duo stopped and looked a question at Heero. Heero leaned back against the couch but his
gaze remained on Duo, "I don't know why she thinks the way she does but I've never had
anything to do with her. We met only a few brief times during the war. The reason I came
here in the first place was to get away from it all, including people like her, but..." and at
this he sighed, "she has this uncanny ability to find me where ever I go."

Duo sat there for a moment digesting that. He laid back against the sofa much like Heero
was and remained awkwardly silent. Heero glanced at him, worried he would not trust it
was the truth. "I believe you." Duo said it without moving or changing his solemn
expression. "I believe I'd know it if you lied to me but after last night I have little doubt
you ever would." This time he turned to look Heero in the face, "I trust you, but you
should have told me about her." Heero's eyes returned to the fire, "gomen nasai..." Duo
leaned his head against Heero's shoulder, "it's ok. It's just that... when I got close to her, I
felt the same chill I felt in the other hallway and... it gave me the creeps."

Heero frowned, "that's the reason I started bringing you here to begin with. I wanted to
ask you what was making you suspicious of that room." Duo suddenly sat up and became
very serious. "I felt death from that room. Just like I felt death from that girl." Heero's
eyes widened slightly in surprise, "what did you say?" Duo looked him straight in the eyes,
"what I mean is I could feel a *future* death. Coming from both someone inside that
room and from that girl. Either their death or the death of someone around them but the
presence of one or more deaths is there."

Heero sat up suddenly, "whose? when?" Duo frowned, "I'm not psychic or anything
Heero, I'm just dead. Being dead just happens to make me sensitive to the impending
deaths of others, but that's all." Heero frowned again but dropped his shoes and sat Indian
style on the couch to contemplate what Duo had told him. "That girl... what was her
name?" "Relena." Duo winced inwardly, "Even their names are similar. It's almost as if
you and her being here isn't coincidence." Heero looked at him, "what do you mean?"
Duo frowned, "she's in love with you, ne?" Heero glared but Duo took that as a yes.
"Well, it's the same way Selena was in love with... Katsuhiro."

His eye's widened as if finally coming to the realization, "the whole damn thing is playing
out all over again!" Duo glared at him as if to dare Heero to contradict him, "You are
leaving the Inn as soon as possible, understand? You need to get as far away from Relena
and that room as you can. You're going to take me back to the cove right now and go
into town to find another place like you said you would and I mean now, damnit. I don't
want you to stay here another night!" Heero flinched and brought a hand to his head.
'Oops' Duo brought a hand up to his mouth and quietly mumbled 'gomen'.

Heero shook his head. He knew the cause for Duo's sudden worry. It seemed a lot like the
events that led up to his death were replaying all over again but there were a lot of things
that didn't add up. For one, Duo was already dead this time and Relena may be delusional
but she wasn't psychotic enough to try to kill anyone the way Selena had been. Not after
preaching her devotion to pacifism through out the entire war and Selena wouldn't be able
to rise again at the very least for another month as much as he knew. If anything, Heero
felt more like Duo was being paranoid but Duo caught on to the direction his thoughts
were taking and frowned.

Before he could say anything there was a knock on the door and Okada leaned in. "I
thought I might find you here." He looked at Duo reprovingly. "Did you just frighten that
young lady? You know I really don't mind so much that you have a little fun Duo but you
should've at least reassured her after. She's beginning to demand an exorcist." Duo smiled
when he saw Okada and, ignoring everything he'd just said, grabbed Heero's hand and
jumped over the back of the couch. "Kenji, help me drag Heero back to the cove! He's
sick and..." Before he got to finish, Heero took hold of Duo with both his hands and
pulled him backwards over the backrest of the sofa.

Duo yelped as his back landed on the seat of the couch and Heero put a hand over his
mouth to silence him. Duo struggled to get back up and Heero compensated by straddling
his hips, using his weight to keep him down. Duo blushed and Heero smirked down at
him, then turned around to address Okada... whose eyes had grown wide as he watched
Duo's flailing legs, struggling over the backrest, trying to gain the leverage to throw
Heero off. "Okada-san, could you leave us alone for a while?" Okada nodded dumbly and
muttered, "I'll see you two later..." as he closed the door.

Duo glared up at Heero when he finally took his hand away. "Heero..." "I don't want to
take you back just yet." Duo's expression softened slightly, "You're sick and you'll have
to do it eventually." Heero looked at him a moment and slid off him, "I don't care about
that." He sat next to him and sighed, "You're trying not to let it on but I know that finally
being out of the cove means a lot to you. You don't want to go back anymore than I want
to take you back."

Duo was silent a moment before his gaze shifted to the ceiling, "No, I don't wanna go
back... but you're more important to me than a few hours freedom." He smirked, "If it
were any other situation, I wouldn't mind being a little selfish." But as he looked back and
saw Heero rubbing his temples in attempt to calm his headache, Duo's smirk died. He
sighed inwardly, resolving to leave things alone for just a little while longer, and reached
up to take Heero's arm. Heero looked a question at him and Duo smiled, "lie down." To
show him just what he meant, he pulled him down until Heero's head lay comfortably on
his chest and his body was stretched out over the sofa.

Heero sighed softly and closed his eyes, taking comfort in the borrowed warmth of the
other boy's chest as one of Duo's hands softly stroked the locks of his hair. It wasn't long
before Heero was lolled to sleep by the steady rhythm of Duo's temporarily beating heart.
Duo looked at Heero somewhat worriedly. He'd had plenty of sleep during the night and
still dozed off so easily. Heero getting sick wasn't something he'd been expecting and
certainly didn't mean for anything good.

As much as he wanted to join Heero in peaceful oblivion his worries wouldn't let him
sleep. Heero was much too close to the feel of death in the building. Knowing that a death
was coming and not knowing exactly who would fall victim was torture all it's own. He
hoped against hope it wasn't Heero. He wouldn't allow for any kind of threat against him.
Not if it was within his power to protect him. Duo brought his other hand to his neck and
raised the small golden cross into his line of vision. The charm flashed innocently with a
small eerie light but it died away just as quickly. This had become their connection; their
bond ... and it would help him if he needed it.

----------

As Wufei came down the main staircase he was surprised to see an unknown man
rummaging through the front desk. Several papers and open notebooks were spread over
the top of the desk that Okada would usually keep so tidy. The man was a tall, dark eyed
figure with short black hair cropped close to his head. His plain dark clothes seemed to
define someone who didn't wish to draw attention to himself and the fact that Wufei had
not seen him in the Inn before now only confirmed the idea.

A frown fell over his face as he stepped onto the lobby. What he looked like mattered very
little. The fact that he was rummaging through the Inn's log and whatever else Okada kept
in that desk was what really outraged him. Okada would've never given permission for
something like this. "What the hell do you think you're doing?" The man's head snapped
up from the notebook he was looking through at the sound of Wufei's voice. The moment
he set eyes on Wufei, he straightened and a smile spread across his face. The effect was
ruined by his demeanor. Despite attempting to project outward calmness, Wufei could see
him tense. He was masking himself.

"Konban wa... Wufei-san is it?" Wufei blinked wide eyes. "How did you know that?" The
smile changed somehow and the mans eyes twinkled with some dark knowledge. It sent
chills down Wufei's spine. "The Inn Keeper and I have talked. Just now I was looking for
something he needed me to find. I hope you didn't get the wrong idea." Wufei glared
threateningly, "Okada-san would have mentioned you if you were a friend of his." The
man shrugged, "perhaps it slipped his mind."

Wufei's glare darkened and his hand itched for the sword at his side. As if sensing his
intentions, the man's eyes darted to the rather large weapon on the boy's belt and back so
quickly Wufei *almost* missed it. Planting a reassuring smile on his face the man began
closing the notebooks and slipping them back into the drawers, "I've also heard about
your temper, Wufei-san. I'll slip these back and take my leave, since I do believe you have
misunderstood my intentions."

He closed the last drawer and looked back up at him. "If I find... Okada-san, I will return
with him in the hopes of clearing up this misunderstanding. Good evening." With that he
excused himself and headed down the hallway to the lounge. Wufei glowered at his back
suspiciously as he left. He didn't like that man, not in the least and he found it very odd
that Okada hadn't mentioned there was another guest. He would have to find the Inn
keeper if he was to learn anymore about him and if his growing suspicions proved true, he
would need to find Heero immediately.

----------

Duo dragged a reluctant Heero out of the den. When Heero had woken up, Duo had
finally convinced him to take him back. An excellent help to his plea had been the fact that
even after waking, Heero felt just as tired as he had before going to bed last night. The
combined drain of not having eaten, his sudden illness and having to sustain Duo all at
once was finally taking its toll. Even Heero had difficulty denying it.

As the hallway opened up to the lounge, Heero walked on toward the double doors that
would lead to the patio, seemingly distracted by his own thoughts. As Duo came into the
lounge behind him, he shivered suddenly and looked at the bar. A tall man was sitting
behind the counter, serving himself a glass of beer. The man raised his gaze to him and
something flashed behind his eyes before a polite smile crept onto his face. Duo found
himself unable to return the curtesy. He frowned suspiciously as he crossed the room and
finally tore his gaze away at the door.

Outside, Heero closed the patio doors behind them but before he could continue Duo
reached out a hand and stopped him. Heero raised an eyebrow, "Duo?" Duo looked at him
seriously, "You will leave today, ne? As soon as you possibly can?" Heero looked at him a
moment, then sighed. "Hai ... I'll go into town today." Duo smiled his approval, taking
Heero's hand and began heading toward the slope.

As they walked, Duo took in his surroundings for the last time. The sun, the unfamiliar
brightness of day, the first blue, yet cloudy, sky he'd seen in ages and his smile became
wistful. Just then something occurred to him, and he chuckled. "Kenji's gonna be upset.
We never got to talk." Heero looked at him, remembering the conversation they'd had in
the basement the night before. He shrugged unconcerned, "This will not be the last time
you leave the cove." Duo looked at him with some surprise, "Heero?"

Heero frowned at him, "Did you think that after discovering we could do this, I would
settle for simply doing it once?" Duo could only stare openly. He didn't know whether to
be ecstatic that Heero would be willing to do this again; to give him freedom again or
wary of it. Finally he only smiled and stared off at the approaching slope. "Arigatou," he
paused briefly and within moments they were at the edge. Duo gazed down at the cove
below and felt a moments hesitation. He was not in the least bit eager to return to his
prison of so many centuries. But his thoughts returned to Heero, and what he had said
only moments ago and he shook his head.

"Heero, you haven't forgotten what I am, ne?" he looked back up to see Heero looking at
him oddly, "You haven't forgotten that I'm dead. That no matter how alive I look, even
now, the dead don't come back to life..." Heero frowned reprovingly, he didn't think he
could ever forget. The knowledge of it plagued him every free moment so that there were
times where he could think of nothing else. But he kept all this to himself and instead,
simply answered, "no." Duo nodded and stepped onto the slope. He could already feel the
pull of his grave, beckoning for him to return. The only thing that kept him solid where he
stood was Heero's hand, still firmly wrapped around his.

He looked back a final time and allowed a wide grin to split his face, unwilling to leave on
such a serious note. "Well, I guess I'll see you later!" But he blinked in surprise when a
hand rose to his cheek and Heero's still frowning face closed the distance between them.
Duo let go of his mask entirely and eagerly kissed him back. It seemed he could not even
disguise his emotions when Heero was around. But perhaps that wasn't such a bad thing.
Perhaps it was only an opportunity to let go and simply be himself. At the thought, Duo
completely relaxed into the kiss and wrapped his free arm around Heero's neck.

A strong chill sent a tremor through his body and Duo gasped. The jolt shocked him and
he instantly pushed away from Heero in a panic. That feeling... that feeling was ..! Heero
looked at him with wide eyes from the sudden reaction. "Duo?!" By pushing off him, Duo
had lost his balance on the edge of the slope. Most importantly, he'd lost contact with
Heero. The rest all happened as if in slow motion. Duo fell backwards into the cove,
raising a hand to Heero as gravity began to pull him down. Heero reached out to him but
it was too late. Duo's body faded away right before his eyes. The wind that passed only
serving to carry away an echo of the panic in Duo's voice as he called out Heero's name...

---------

Relena read through the diary like one would go through an extremely good book. She sat
on the bed in her room, turning page after page intently as she read about the torn soul of
the diary's owner. She learned of the womans hatred, first for a boy named Duo who she
believed had stolen her love from her. Then read as that hatred shifted toward the object
of her obsession, a boy named Katsuhiro, who she felt had betrayed her love after
confessing, none too gently, that he loved another.

As she continued to read, Relena was shocked by the revelations the woman made and
how the one she loved so profoundly, rejected her at every turn. Through the pages of the
diary, Relena saw the womans torment fuel her hatred of the one she had once loved. Her
emotions of betrayal and rejection becoming her taunting demons, as the date of a
marriage that would never be, came closer and closer. Relena could only sympathize and
as she read on, she found herself reading aloud.

"Night approaches and I am filled with anticipation.
Even as I write at this very moment it is difficult for
me to control my emotions and keep my hands still
enough to write legibly. I do not know why I confess
the depths of my tormented soul onto a simple sheet
of paper other than I have no one to speak to. It
matters little, though. I could tell no one of what I am
plotting. It is after sunset and through my window I
watch as Katsuhiro leaves unnoticed by all others to
meet with his forbidden lover for a final time. The sight
only fills me with anger. He plans to leave me, broken
hearted, rejected and alone.

I will not allow it. Katsuhiro has betrayed my love and
humiliated me but I will not let him get away with such
a hideous act. He will regret having rejected my undying
devotion to him and he will pay for what he has done to
me. They both will. Katsuhiro will repent with his life at
my hands and Duo will watch as *his* love is taken from
*him*. Then he will know my sorrow and regret ever
having stood in my way. I swear that I will take revenge
for my shattered heart, even if he somehow escapes me
and it takes my entire life. Nothing will stand in my way.
Not until I have my revenge. Not even death itself.

~ Selena"

When Relena finished the last line, her head snapped up as the window opened abruptly,
on its own, and a chilling wind swept through the room. She yelped and hugged herself in
fright against the eerily powerful icy breeze as it swept around her slowly a few times and
then darted out the window again. With wide eyes, she pulled aside the hair that had swept
into her face and stared at her window for a few moments before finally remembering how
to move and rushed to the other side of the room to shut the window closed. Shakily, she
fell into the chair beside her, muttering. "What in the world was that..." Absently, she
noticed the diary still in her other hand, her finger marking the last page she had been
reading from. Relena opened the book again and turned the page. It was blank.
----------

Heero walked into the empty lounge with an armful of clothes. They had remained on the
slope after Duo had abruptly vanished, reminding him of the words spoken in the kitchen
earlier that day. He couldn't take them with him. Heero also guessed that if he looked
upstairs, the clothes Duo had come with would also be gone... The same way his blood
had vanished from Heero's hands on the previous night.

His clothes, however, were not the issues occupying Heero's mind. Duo had gasped and
pushed him away... only to reach out for him as he fell as if there had been something he
needed to say. Heero first thought Duo's frightened face had been for the fall he was sure
to have after loosing his balance but now he wasn't so sure. Duo was already... already
dead, after all. And Heero had seen such an urgency in Duo's face... Faint voices brought
Heero out of his musings as he emerged from the hall and saw Wufei and Okada arguing
in the lobby.

"...should have known about him. I don't trust that man!" The Inn keeper looked up to see
Heero enter the lobby from the west wing and took that opportunity to change the subject.
Wufei had obviously been agitating him. "Good evening Heero." He paused, taking in the
bundle of clothes in his arms, "where is Duo? He left already?" Heero nodded, "I'll bring
him back tonight if possible. I know you wanted to talk with him." Okada regarded him
suspiciously, remembering the events within the Den and what Duo had been able to get
out before Heero silenced him. Heero must have noticed the direction his thoughts were
taking and continued in order to keep the Inn keeper from bringing it up, "Before he
returned he said he was unnerved by... a presence in the Inn. Enough to insist I leave." He
decided not to mention the presence of death until he could discuss it alone with Wufei.
He didn't know how the Inn keeper might take it. For all he knew, Okada might be so
used to the idea that he would brush it off completely.

Wufei raised an eyebrow, "The ghost finally talked some sense into you." Heero spared
him a frown before returning his attention to Okada, "can you call a taxi to take me into
town? I want to find a more permanent place to stay." Okada nodded, "of course..."
"There you are!" Sofie stalked into the room from the east wing with her purse in hand
and walked right up to Heero, ignoring all others in the room. "I have been looking
everywhere for you! You haven't stopped by the kitchen all day. How do you propose to
get better if you don't eat anything? I'm sure you haven't had steady rest either, not with
having to sustain Duo-san as well as yourself." She said tilting up his chin to get a better
look at his pale and slightly flushed face, "it's no wonder your ill." 'Damnit...' Heero
thought.

Wufei frowned, "You're ill, Yuy?" he crossed his arms and took a good long look at the
former Gundam Pilot for the first time, his gaze coming away disapprovingly. Heero
pulled away from her. "I'll be fine." He looked at Okada, hoping to turn the conversation.
"When can you call?" Sofie turned back to Okada, intending sway Heero's obvious
attempts to change the subject the moment she knew what he was up to. "What does he
mean?" "Heero wants to go into town to find a permanent place to stay." Okada replied
immediately, rather than incur Sofie's wrath. She looked back at Heero surprised, "I was
under the impression that your... 'occupations' demanded you not stay in one place too
long." Heero wasn't swayed by the reminder, "I've chosen to stay."

Sofie turned to him with a smile. "What a coincidence. I was just going into town myself
for my break. Why don't I take you with me? Besides, I could introduce you to my
brother. He owns a set of apartment buildings in town. It'll save time and trouble..." she
grinned mischievously, "... and that way we can stop someplace to eat and I can make sure
you get your proper nourishment even if I have to force it down your throat myself."
Heero raised an eyebrow at Sofie's grinning face but found the ghost of a smile slip from
his control at her playful threat.

"That sounds like a good idea." Okada admitted from behind her. Sofie straightened,
hands on her hips with a triumphant smile on her face. "It's settled then" And with that she
began walking to the door. Heero sighed to himself. There was simply no arguing with
that woman. As he began to follow her to the front doors, Wufei approached him and
took his arm. "Heero, there are some things we need to discuss when you return. I'll be
waiting for you upstairs." Heero frowned slightly but nodded. The sound of Wufei's voice
told him that whatever was on his mind was important but if he didn't feel strongly enough
about it to keep Heero here and speak to him immediately... then Heero supposed it could
wait.

----------

Hours later found Sofie driving up the solitary road back to the Inn. It was just as quiet a
ride back as it had been into town. She had quickly learned that Heero was not much of a
conversationalist unless he wanted to be. She understood and accepted it, however. She
knew that everyone had reasons for being the way they were and she got the distinct
impression that the two young guests at the Cliffside Inn had lived much more eventful
lives by age sixteen then most of the adults who lived around here. Both Heero and Wufei
were cool, calculating, mature individuals and she had no doubt the war had everything to
do with that. It burned her that such young boys had been forced to become adults so
quickly when instead, they should be enjoying their childhood, or rather, their adolescence.

'Ever the mother,' Sofie thought and shook her head at the immediate direction her
thoughts had taken. After all, none of that was the reason for the silence that over took the
car now. She spared Heero a brief glance before returning her attention to her driving. The
temperature had dropped drastically as of late and wearing nothing but his uniform green
tank, he'd had to borrow her spare coat the moment they'd reached town. He was
wrapped in it now, sleeping soundly in the front seat of her car. After visiting her brother,
Sofie had taken him out for dinner at a nice restaurant and the moment they had gotten
back into the car Heero had made himself comfortable and drifted off. 'He really should be
in bed...' she thought as she spared another short glance in his direction and noticed his
slight shivering. She was getting worried, the inside of the car was plenty warm after all...
Sofie shook her head, calling herself all kinds of idiot for taking him out and not insisting
he stay in bed.

'Well, what's done is done. I'll just make sure he go's straight to bed and not into the
cove tonight.' Sofie was aware of his frequent visits. She and Okada had discussed it and
the ghosts several times in private. Okada expressing his growing curiosity and Sofie her
concern. She frowned to herself, remembering Heero's stubbornness, 'he'll go to bed
tonight if I have to strap him in,' she resolved with determination. With plenty of
experience at her own children trying to sneak out at all late hours she had become an
expert at detecting silent attempts to sneak about.

Sofie was brought out of her thoughts in surprise when she saw random snow flakes
doting her windshield. After a few minutes they increased in number until the cloudy night
air was thick with them. 'So much snow... and so soon...' She turned on the windshield
wipers and focused on the frosted dirt road as the Inn came into view.

Sofie pulled into the parking lot, and shut the engine off. She turned to Heero and seeing
his flushed, slumbering face only made her worry even more. She reached out a hand and
shook him softly, "Heero-san. We've arri..." She gasped in mid-word as a gun was shoved
into her face. Heero blinked at her, breathing shakily and seemed surprised with himself.
"Ah, gomen..." He dropped his arm and replaced the weapon at the small of his back.
Sofie stared agape as he did so. All this time, she hadn't had any idea that Heero was
armed. "U-um, it's... alright. I was telling you that we're back." Heero nodded as if
nothing unusual had happened and looked out the window. He was a bit surprised to see it
was snowing and as if it reminded him of the cold, he pulled the borrowed coat around
himself tighter.

"Um," Sofie struggled to regain her composure, "lets go inside now, ok Heero?" Heero
nodded and opened the passenger side door. Sofie took a deep breath to calm herself
down a bit. After all, it's not everyday she had a gun shoved in her face. She sighed,
thinking it was probably nothing out of the ordinary to him and exited the car. Heero was
already half-way to the Inn, half-running against the chilling breeze. Sofie quickly caught
up with him at the front doors, opened them with her keys and entered after Heero to
quickly close the doors behind her.

The lobby was dark and empty. It seemed that everyone had retired for the night and
silence filled building, making their entry seem a lot louder than it was. After locking the
door Sofie turned to see Heero waiting to give her coat back to her. "Arigatou," he said as
he handed it to her. She took the coat and looked at him determinedly, "Heero, promise
me you'll go straight to bed. You won't go outside, ne?" Heero sighed. In truth, he had no
intention of going anywhere but to bed. On the drive into town Heero had finally admitted
to himself just how tired he really felt. He seriously did not feel up to the drain that visiting
Duo would be to him... and he didn't think Duo would appreciate it either. Sofie looked at
him suspiciously when he did not answer, "Heero..?" Heero looked back up at her and a
strange thought occurred to him. This must be what it's like to have a mother. He
suddenly found the thought quite humorous and despite himself, he smiled. "I promise not
to go into the cove tonight."

A satisfied smile blossomed over her face. "I'm glad," and she grinned, "because I have
ears like a cat and I'll hear if you try to sneak out. I'll be spending the night here so don't
you think you can get passed me." But her expression softened suddenly, "We should've
gotten some medicine for you while we were in town." She turned around as if debating
whether to make the drive back but when she spotted all that snow through the windows,
she thought twice about it and looked back at him. "I'll just go into town tomorrow
morning to find you something, dear." Heero nodded his thanks, "oyasumi nasai." He said
and began heading for the main staircase. Sofie gave his retreating back a very motherly
smile, "goodnight Heero. Sleep well."

-------

When Heero arrived on the third floor he noticed that there was light coming from under
the door across from his room and the door was ajar. He frowned. The last he
remembered, Wufei and himself were the only guests staying on the third floor. Removing
his gun from the small of his back, he crept up to the door silently and listened but not a
sound came from within. Then without warning the door opened and Wufei peered out
from behind it. He grinned, "I thought I heard the doors open downstairs." Heero
breathed his relief and replaced the weapon where it had been. As Wufei stepped aside to
allow him in, he mused that he was grateful it had only been him.

He was exhausted and the beginnings of a headache were stirring at the base of his skull.
He was looking forward to Wufei quickly saying whatever it was he needed to say and
going straight to bed. A reckless shootout was not welcome right now. The moment he
entered the room, however, he realized that this had to be the third floor sitting room. The
room itself was about the size of his and Wufei's put together. It contained three couches,
a circular table between them and a television that looked oddly out of place among the
much older furniture. The walls were adorned with paintings of people he now recognized
as the Maxwell family and there was a Grandfather clock against the far wall.

Wufei closed the door while Heero chose a seat on one of the couches near the opposite
wall. "I settled to tell you this only after you returned because I wanted to look into the
matter deeper." Heero raised an eyebrow as Wufei took a seat next to him and set the
sword he still carried beside him against the sofa. Interpreting the expression, he
continued. "There's another guest here, other than Relena. I assume you must know by
now?" Heero nodded, "Yes, but I have not seen him." "Well I have. The first time I saw
him, he was looking through Okada-san's things at the front desk. He claimed he was
looking for something on Okada's request but that was bull. I don't think he even knew
his name until I let it slip..." and at this he growled in frustration.

"I talked to Okada about it later and it turns out I was right. The guy was lying but when
we went to look for him, he had vanished. Then after you left I did some digging. All of
the information he gave Okada upon checking in was false. All of it. From his name to his
checking account. I haven't old Okada yet." Heero rubbed the base of his neck as he
assimilated all this information. Why did it not surprise him? Perhaps because he was too
tired at the moment for the seriousness of the matter to really sink in. For a few moments
he deliberating telling Wufei what Duo had told him... and then decided against it. No
matter what Heero thought about it, a hunch... much less a supernatural hunch was not
something Wufei would take entirely seriously. He didn't need any more convincing
anyway.

Heero sighed, "So this is our bounty hunter, then." It was more statement than question.
Wufei nodded, "That would be my guess. He's the first in a long line of them who are
bound to catch up with us sooner or later." he paused, "If we're going to stay and ride this
through we'll need to watch him carefully. I don't know how much he knows about us yet
and I don't want to be caught off guard." "It's a bit late for that." Both heads turned to
the door where, wearing his typical black and pointing a gun directly at them, was the man
they had recently realized as their bounty hunter. They didn't waste any time. The moment
their gazes turned on him, he fired and both Heero and Wufei dove over the backrest of
the couch.

Ignoring the increased pounding in his head Heero drew his gun once again and started
firing from one side of the couch. The bounty hunter took cover behind the couch
opposite theirs and began to respond with rapid force. Heero fired again and took refuge
behind the couch as shots hit the spot he'd been firing from only moments before. He
gritted his teeth against the shots of a semi-automatic weapon that reverberated loudly
within his skull. It sprayed above him and hit the face of the Grandfather clock, showering
him with shards of glass. He looked to his left where, surprisingly Wufei was returning
fire. Heero had never thought that Wufei might be carrying something other than his
sword with him.

He shook his head as if to re-awaken himself from a dream and tiny glass shards flew from
his hair. He was getting distracted by his surroundings. He risked the side of the couch
again and fired at his assailant. His shots were immediately responded to and Heero was
forced to pull himself back as bullets ripped apart the corner of the sofa. And that's when
he felt it. It was a strong, irrational desire to... to leave. It was like an unbearable... *pull*.
He felt as if *needed* to get out of the room, out of the building. Heero then realized that
something on his chest was burning. He looked down and pulled the golden cross from
beneath his tank. It was glowing softly. It was then that he realized, 'could it be... he's
calling me..?'

He needed to get away. The desire, he now realized, to run to the cove was overpowering.
He rounded the corner again and pulled the trigger... but nothing happened. With a soft
click, he realized he was out of bullets. A sharp cry pulled him back behind the sofa where
he saw Wufei leaning heavily against the backrest, holding his arm. Under his hand a large
pool of blood was blossoming over the white fabric of his shirt. "The bounty said dead or
alive, boys! I have no qualms about killing you right here but if you want to make things
easier on both of us you'll give it up!" The man yelled from the opposite side of the room.

Ignoring him Heero approached Wufei and noticed an empty clip on the floor. Wufei had
even thought to carry an extra. He cursed his own carelessness and looked back up at him.
"Are you alright." Wufei nodded breathing carefully. When he heard the rustle of fabric
from the other end of the room, Heero grabbed Wufei's weapon from his limp hand and
rose over the back the couch. The bounty hunter had risen to walk over to their side of the
room. Heero aimed and fired. The bounty hunter cried out a curse and dove for the back
of the couch as the bullet made contact with the wall, inches to the left of where his head
had been. Heero growled, and ducked as the man opened fire. His headache was making it
hard to concentrate. He shouldn't have missed!

Keeping low and turning back to Wufei, he handed him back his weapon. "I'm going to
make a break for it. He knows he injured you. If I can make it passed him, he'll chase after
me but I might still have time to get another clip from my room. I'm going to take this
outside and I'll need you to cover for me." Wufei immediately realized the danger in this
but he was in no position to argue. Trusting that Heero had a plan, Wufei nodded and
removed his bloody hand from his injured arm. The moment there was a break in the
stream of fire, Wufei rose over the couch and began to shoot toward the opposite couch.
Heero made a break for it. He dashed across the room, right in front of the startled eyes of
the bounty hunter who was so taken aback by the sheer stupidity of what Heero had just
done that he did not draw quick enough.

Heero ran across the hall into his room and slammed the door shut behind him. Quickly
locking it, he ran for the bottom dresser drawer where he had hidden his extra clip under a
pile of clothes the day after his arrival. He had just replaced it when there was a loud
pounding on his door and the knob jiggled fiercely as someone from behind tried to force
the door open. Without giving it a second thought, he ran for the sliding glass doors,
threw them open and stepped onto the balcony just as he heard rapid fire connecting with
the wood of his door and the door slam opened behind him. He didn't waste the time to
look behind him.

Heero jumped over the side of the balcony and once on the other side he watched as if in
slow motion as the man behind the glass of the sliding doors raised a gun at his head and
fired. The glass door exploded outward and shards sprayed him once again, cutting at the
bare skin of his face and arms. Heero gritted his teeth against the pain... But there was
pain; he could still feel the fierce pounding in his head, the stinging cuts of glass and the
blood that began to seep from a million tiny wounds. The bounty hunter had missed. As
quickly as he could, Heero raised his gun and fired at him. He could hear the man curse his
failure and duck behind Heero's bed as he returned fire.

Heero ducked down beneath the balcony and swung himself underneath and directly onto
the second floor balcony below his. The bounty hunter ran onto his balcony and began to
shoot him from above. Heero pressed himself flat against the sliding glass doors and tried
to force them open... with no luck. They were locked from the inside. Random shots were
continuously fired from above and all Heero could do at the moment was lay back as still
as he could. Screams echoed from below but Heero barely took notice of them. Soon the
man grew tired of firing without knowing if he'd hit and, not being as agile as Heero, ran
back into the room. Heero knew it was only a matter of time before the man either broke
into this room or got downstairs. He had to be quick.

He climbed over the side of the balcony, got down and swung himself onto the first floor
balcony. The moment his feet touched it, he ran back to the edge and jumped over the side
hitting the wet and snowy ground at a roll. That's when he heard the screams again and
looked up. Relena had been sitting outside on the porch, looking through the diary she had
been obsessing over when she had heard the gun shots and had driven herself into
hysterics. Heero's eyes widened, "Relena, get out of here!" The doors to the porch
opened and the bounty hunter came rushing out. Despite her hysterical screaming, the man
seemed to be completely ignoring her in favor of him. When Heero realized this, he turned
and made a mad dash towards the slope, the bounty hunter on his heels.

Running through the thickly falling snow, he grimaced as the chilled air beat against the
numerous cuts on his skin, making their sting worse. The white blanket of snow that
covered the ground, exploded at his feet every time his persuer missed a shot. Heero spun
around and fired a couple times as he ran. But the loud blasts of gunfire coupled with a
shrill distant screaming was making his head dizzy with pain and he couldn't concentrate
well enough to fire with any of his usual pin-point accuracy. Heero spun back around to
direct his focus on making it to the slope. The closer he got to it the more the feeling of
urgency to reach it increased. The call was overwhelming, it was as if his life depended on
his reaching it.

Then he saw him. Duo was waiting for him near the top of the slope, just short of the
edge, and wearing the same sense of urgency he knew was on his face. "Hurry!" Heero
ran faster still, centering his entire focus on the person before him. He could make it. He
knew he could make it. Pain exploded within his leg as a bullet connected with its target.
The sheer momentum he'd held when he hit the ground sent him rolling the last few feet to
the edge of the slope where Duo was waiting, leaving a thin trail of blood in his wake.
"Ohmygod!" Duo scrambled onto the top now that Heero was near enough and looked
him over with wide and horrified eyes.

There was a wound bleeding profusely from his temple where a bullet had grazed him
earlier. Heero's head been aching so much already he had barely noticed it. Every bit of
exposed flesh was covered with cuts in various sizes and a crimson stain on the frosty
white snow beneath the leg of Heero's torn jeans was growing steadily. The bounty hunter
walked up to him slowly and loomed over Heero with a satisfied smile. Duo glared death
at the man who had dared to harm his lover but the bounty hunter seemed completely
oblivious to Duo's presence. He looked directly at Heero and spoke as if he didn't know
Duo was even there, "so you thought you could get away from me, eh?" and the man
laughed.

Duo growled. That was it, that was enough. First the man tries to kill Heero and then he
mocks him?!? The bounty hunter kicked Heero in the ribs and he gasped against the
additional pain. In one swift movement, Duo stood and buried his hand in the bounty
hunter's chest. Using the mans own energy, he slowly... ever so slowly, began to solidify
himself into existence, while wrapping his hand around the mans heart. He stopped
laughing. Blinking, the man's gaze moved to the air in front of him where he could finally
see a person, a boy appearing from out of thin air. Solidifying right before his eyes. Duo
grinned when he felt the mans heart beat faster in his hand. The bounty hunter followed
Duo's arm into his chest and his eyes widened in silent disbelief.

As Duo's hand became more tangible within the mans chest, a maniacal grin spread across
his face and he squeezed. The cliffs rang with the sound of his scream as he fell to his
knees. The grin left him when a dark look covered his features and he solidified just a little
more... then pulled and felt something rip. The man coughed and blood spilled from the
sides of his mouth. Weakly, he raised his gun to Duo's face. With the click of a safety
being removed, a final shot echoed in the night air and the bounty hunters chin exploded in
a mass of blood and bone. Duo rejected what energy he'd taken from the man and his
hand slipped through the mans chest effortlessly as he fell back onto the snow covered
ground, dead. He looked back at Heero, who'd raised his own gun above him and aimed
at the bounty hunter from below, before he could fire.

Duo's dark look was immediately replaced with one of worry as he sat down beside him.
"Are you ok?" Heero actually smiled at the stupid question. Duo managed a weak one and
as if reading Heero's mind... "it wouldn't have hurt me, ya know." Heero nodded, "I
know. I just reacted." Duo's smile gained strength at the words. "Well, I should go now...
That girl is coming and if she see's me here she'll start screeching again." Heero looked to
his right to see Wufei and Okada, closely followed by Relena all running towards him. He
was glad to see that, besides his injured arm, Wufei seemed to look alright.

When he turned his head, Duo was moving back toward the edge of the slope. Heero
reached out a hand to grab onto him, to stop him, but his aching mind had not yet
registered the fact that Duo was keeping himself ghostly and reaching out to him would do
no good. But when Heero's hand passed through him, Duo seemed to feel it and turned
back to him. "Don't go." Duo's expression was unreadable. He crawled back over to
Heero and placed a hand over Heero's chest. Duo became tangible and solid again only
long enough to bend down and place a passionate kiss on Heero's lips. He removed his
hand and came away ghostly once more, "make sure to find some place safe as soon as
you can. If you scare me like that again, I might just kill you myself." but he was grinning
when he said it. He looked away quickly, crawled over to the edge of the slope and
disappeared behind it. Heero stared after him with a thoughtful look. There had been tears
in his eyes...

"Heero!" Heero looked back in time to see Wufei make it to him first and kneel down next
to him, "Shimatta, that guy really messed you up..." Okada arrived a few feet behind
Wufei but could not take his eyes away from the body. He stared at it as if it were going
to get right back up and attack him. Finally he tore his gaze away, "at least you got him
before he could kill you, Yuy-san... I just regret I wasn't more suspicious of the man."
Heero winced as Wufei brought him to a sitting position, "there was nothing you could
Okada-san. This isn't your area of expertise... It's all right." Okada raised an eyebrow,
"this coming from the one most injured." Heero gazed up at him, "more reason for you to
believe it."

"Okada-san, help me." Wufei said as he swung one of Heero's arms around his neck.
Okada went to help Heero up from his other side just as Relena came stumbling up to
them, "Ohmygod, ohmygod, ohmygod! Heero are you alright?!" she said as she came
towards him. "Keep away, woman!" Relena gasped at Wufei's angry growl. Just then,
Okada took firm hold of Heero around the waist and they lifted him off the ground. It was
still snowing heavily and random snow flakes settled themselves wherever they could cling
to. Hair, faces, blood-soaked wounds... Relena looked him over worriedly. He was wet
and slightly muddy, there was bloodspatter all over his clothes but some of it was not his.
She followed the trail of blood on the ground and finally noticed the corpse with near half
a head.

Relena let out an ear-piercing shriek and Heero groaned, growing slightly limp in Wufei
and Okada's arms. Okada's eyes widened and he shook Heero gently, "Yuy-san, do not
pass out!" Heero shook his head and blinked a few times with the effort to stay conscious.
If he had felt exhausted before it was nothing to how he felt now. When Wufei saw that he
wasn't going black out on them he turned toward Relena with a menacing look and
snapped, "get the hell away, woman! You are more hindrance than help! You have no
business out here in the first place!" and with that he began to move forward, prompting
both Okada and Heero to move with him. As Okada passed, he gave Relena a placating
look, "Why don't you go inside Darlian-san. We'll take care of Heero." and passed right
by her, heading back toward the Inn.

Relena stood there by herself with wide insulted eyes. She stomped her foot angrily even
though no one was there to see it, "no business out here?? Heero is *my* fiancée! How
can he say that?!" "Open your eyes, sweetheart. You are seriously deluded." Relena's eyes
widened and turned to the dead body, afraid the voice she had just heard had come from
the disfigured corpse. But the corpse's mouth along with half it's vocal cords were
damaged if not completely blown away. The voice laughed. "I'm over here." Relena
looked up and leaning lazily with her arms on the edge of the cliff, staring straight back at
her was a ghostly mirror image of herself. She gasped. "Ohmygod, it's another one!"
Selena laughed, watching Relena tremble slightly with fear. "W-what do you want?"
Selena grinned at her, resting her head against her hand and pointing with her other one,
"That wouldn't happen to be my diary you're holding, would it?"
----------

End of Part 7