Author: Sami-pi

Rating: G (but with mention of past violence)

Pairing: 1+2+1? 1x2x1? It's ambiguous to me... ^O^;;;

Warnings: Supernatural, deathfic (sort of), melodrama. Looking quite similar to the warning of the previous drabble... and yet not... as Heero and Duo are both dead... but not gone...

Notes: Written from Relena's POV. Not particularly "halloweeny"...? ^^;;; dear me. inspired by... well, originally this one was supposed to be funny to make up for the tragedy in the last one. However, it seems that, despite being just a drabble, it still managed to develop a mind of its own and go somewhere sort of unanticipated. ^O^;;; I hope everyone likes it? ^O^;;; (even though no one is around to read it this week? darn that y-con! ^_~)

Waiting

Relena made her way slowly across the second floor landing, carefully placing her ornate wood cane firmly on the ground before taking each step. A familiar chill ran down her spine as she passed the stairs leading down to the main foyer.

"I'm ninety-five, not an infant. I am not going to fall down the stairs," she said to the empty air that she knew was not technically quite so empty.

She sighed as she felt the reproach emanating from her always present spirit guardian.

"I know, I know. It's only because you care." She rolled her eyes. "Shove it."

Eighty years ago she would never have even thought the words 'shove it'. Twenty years ago, she would never have said it. Now, though, as things were drawing to a close, she felt that maybe she had earned the right to speak her mind and damn anyone who disagreed with her.

Another chilled touch, localized against her cheek, made her smile.

"Come on. Let's go to the library. Maybe I'll let you read over my shoulder."

The smile lingered on her lips as she walked. Though silent she felt the presence of the other beside her. And even though he was cold, he made her feel warm with his care and attention.

He stayed with her until she was settled in her favourite armchair and then the chill faded as he left to go find her favourite book.

The old, leather-bound edition came floating through the air toward her from its place on the shelf and settled gently on her lap.

"Thank you, Heero," she said.

A light touch on her shoulder let her know that he wanted her to start reading.

It was the same these days, the routine, the touches, the book, the story, the... everything. Relena wasn't tired so much as she was worried.

Everyone was gone now, passed away in the line of duty, protecting her peace, protecting her. She wondered if she was worth it.

"Duo's been waiting a long time for you, Heero," she said, breaking their routine for the first time in who knew how long.

As devoted as Heero was to Relena, so was Duo to Heero.

To save Relena, Heero had thrown himself in the path of a bullet meant for her. To save Heero, Duo had done the same. It was the same bullet.

In the blink of an eye, Relena had lost two of her best friends.

When she woke up the next day, however, she discovered that they weren't exactly "gone".

For sixty years, Heero's spirit had stayed by her side, a constant companion and sentinel. And Duo had stayed with Heero. They could only talk to her through her dreams but she could feel their emotions during the daylight hours. Even in death they strove to protect her and keep her safe.

At first it had been fun, especially after the two had learned to move things.

But then Trowa died in a firefight on L2.

And Heero stopped playing games.

When Wufei was murdered outside a courtroom after testifying against an arms dealer, Heero became very serious indeed and Relena dreamt every night of self-defense classes and security briefings.

Quatre was the last, killed at an economic protest rally gone wrong.

As Heero's spirit grew stronger, always there in her dreams, always a cool presence at her side, she noticed that Duo was beginning to fade. He was there, and continually giving off reassuring feelings whenever she directed her thoughts to him, but...

She started seeing less of him in her dreams.

He never played practical jokes around the house anymore.

And some days now, she couldn't feel him at all.

"Heero... Where's Duo?"

The air around her got colder but not because Duo had joined them at her favourite chair.

"He wouldn't have gone on without you."

She tried to sound reassuring.

The chill disappeared for a moment.

Relena felt alone for the first time in a very long time.

She found that it wasn't so bad.

"Have I been holding him here, Duo?" she asked the empty library, unsure, for the first time, if Duo was actually there. "Are you angry with me?"

There was no reply and no change in the temperature that would indicate Duo's presence in the room.

"Duo?"

She was anxious now. It had never occurred to her that Duo would not wait for Heero in death as he had in life.

Suddenly, the book in her lap flipped opened to the last page.

The story had been composed by her brother. It was a fairytale written for his daughter, Relena's niece. It told of a beautiful princess who was lost, then found, put into danger, then rescued, and finally placed in an ivory white castle in the clouds for all the world to admire. Relena remembered how little Lucy had one day told her father that she felt sorry for the princess. Relena also remembered how Milliardo had replied that the princess was not alone in the tower but had her five great knights with her to keep her company.

The last page of the book showed a picture of the princess with her knights, laughing and smiling.

Two of the knights closest to her were leaning companionably against each other.

"Duo..."

His presence was no longer cold and she knew somehow that he was just too weak now.

"I release you both," she whispered.

There was no reply.

The sudden cool breeze indicated to Relena that Heero had returned.

"He's fading, Heero!" she cried out, tears welling in her clouded blue eyes. "Stop, Duo, please! Wait for Heero!"

She could feel sorrow and regret, heartbreak and heartache, filling the room like a physical thing.

The room was freezing now. Heero was frantic.

"I release you both."

She said it firmly this time.

And then...

She could no longer feel Heero hovering over her.

She could no longer feel Duo laughing beside her.

She thought that she had never felt quite so alone and yet been so happy about it.

That night, when Relena closed her eyes, she dreamt that she was a princess, a beautiful princess in an ivory white tower with five handsome knights around her. They all laughed and drank funny coloured drinks and ate darling little cakes just like that last picture in her favourite book. And just like that last picture, the two knights seated closest to her were touching and smiling in a particularly tender way.

OWARI

 

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