A/N: What the hell is wrong with me? I don't know! Sincerely sorry, though I know that won't help. I got lazy. Then I got no inspiration. Then I got lazy again (hey, it was vacation!). Then I broke my arm (after this chapter was written, my good friend is typing everything I say for the Author's Note). Only few select people know how I broke my arm. Let me just tell you it has to do with a boy, a car, and me in the passenger seat. Yep, my stupid "almost-boyfriend" didn't believe me when I said their was a car coming. Luckily, we're ok. The car hit the side of the car, not the front. His big worry when I got my cast "My baby (his car!!!) Is ruined!" I was like "What?"! So anyway, he's off my potential boyfriend list. Wow, since I've practical told a story about something completely different then this fanfiction, I think it's time for me to just shut up. On with the fic! OH! I almost forgot! ~whateveriswritten~ means Heero's thoughts. ~....~ = thoughts!K, now On with the fic!
Chapter 10 (Heero's Interlude) :
" Ring around the rosy, a pocket full of posies...."
" MOTHER!!"
" Ashes....ashes..."
" MOTHER!! Look at me! Can you hear me! Please get up!! Mother....!"
" We all fall down..."
~Reality is where we all gain skills of life. Skills of survival. Skills of ruthlessness. Skills of violence...~
" Relena?!" The girl did not open her eyes. She did not open her ears to Quatre's soothing tone.
" ......" She was silent.
~It is in dreams that we can bask in a glow of simplicity. Where everything has a happy ending. Me? I just want an ending....whether it be reality's...~
" Relena?!!"
" ......." Slowly, the girl opened one eye, then the other. Two shining blue orbs, staring at nothingness. The blond boy put a hand over her forehead, feeling the heat rise steadily into his palm. He then proceeded to glance at the window, up to the black cloud filled sky.
" Still raining....are you alright? I found you by the lake, asleep....in the middle of the storm..."
" ........"
" Look, I know you are going through a lot of things....and I know it is hard for you....but can you at least not be sick as well?" Though it was a light-hearted attempt to get the girl to smile, Quatre couldn't help but notice her lack of expression. Relena closed her eyes again.
~Or dream's. The brutal truth is, I have no such end. I live on and on...in reality, and in dream.~
"Mother...."
" She can't be all alone like this! She can hurt herself-"
" I know, I know, but what's best for Miss Relena right now is to be away from us. She won't even look at me when I am in the room."
"......Quatre."
" No. All we can do for her is to stay in the mansion until her health is back."
~It's not her health. It's her soul. Her mind. She is deteriorating without her brother's touch. ~
Shadow of a young man stayed in the velvet ebony of the corner east wall in the ballroom. This place, which was once filled with the screams of elitists' terror on the girl's birthday, was now deserted and quiet. Quiet except for the low voices of two blondes, and the shadow, it's black coat shifting now and then. The previous two mentioned did not know there was one more in the room. But the shadow knew of their presence, and knew best to keep his distance. Not wanting to chance his luck with being undetected. He was not welcome here.
~An end.....~
" But Quatre-"
The blond boy paused, then slowly turned his head.
Dorothy's eyes were looking at him, wide and brimming with worry. Relena was her friend, Quatre kept forgetting. How in the heavens and worlds should he handle the situation? Delicately he supposed. He was not used to women, including their wide range of emotions and thoughts. Their gentleness and naturally instinct to care. Or was it just Dorothy who was like this? Miss Relena was certainly a caring girl, but he always had a suspicion that there was something buried underneath her smiles and laughter. Something that if unearthed, it could do more harm than good. Dorothy wasn't like that, he told himself. She was pure....at least, he thought so at the moment.
~An end would be favorable right now. Anything to keep me from doing something like that ever again.....her face.....she was crying....It's not my fault. But her eyes....~
Quatre turned, his body, to face the blonde. Dorothy blinked. With a sigh, and a mental yell, the boy began to walk to the East Wall of the grand ballroom. Dorothy followed behind his steps.
~How can she possibly know how it is, how it FEELS? She doesn't! She doesn't know what it is to be a vampire...~
~It was specifically against orders.~
Closer and closer, the two blondes walked in a slow pace, the East wall becoming closer with each step.
~So?~
~Lucretzia did me a favor....I should follow her orders. She has taken me in, she has watched out for me.....then why didn't I do what she said? Is Duo right?~
The shadow let out an icy breath. Even indoors, he couldn't escape a chill. His skin was cold to the touch, sending a shiver down anyone's spine if they were to touch it. Quatre and Dorothy on the other hand, were flushed, heat warming their bodies in this storm. How he wished for that.
Their pace quickened the slightest, and the small botanical painting on the East wall was now fully visible to them.
~A favor? Either way it was a curse.~
Closer and Closer. Quatre glanced behind him, Dorothy gave a small smile back.
~You have a chance now.~
~.....closer.....~
~No I don't.~
~....closer.....~
~What?~
Tapping of shoes and heels, from Dorothy, echoed throughout the large room steadily.
~Closer~
~Closer~
The shadow looked up, snapped out of his thoughts, and found himself face to face with the blond man known as Quatre. The shadow took in a quick breath, and stood still. Fortunately, Quatre didn't even take notice of him, and simply sat at the piano inches from his feet. Heero stayed frozen. So close to him....their so close....
" You haven't played in years."
" Maybe it will calm ourselves in this storm..."
'At least, you'll be calm Miss Dorothy.'
~........breathe.....he didn't see you.....~
" What will you play?"
" I've heard this melody once in a music box. It intrigued me enough to teach myself how to play the song."
~Breathe....~
He then gently placed his fingertips upon the cream and ebony keys. Slowly, but effectively, he began to play the melody. Softly at first. Then louder and louder. The tune itself was rather beautiful, but haunting just the same.
" Rather melancholy."
" ......." He paused his hands, hovering them above the next notes. Dorothy noticed the immediate change in his vibes. He seemed out of body.
" What is it Quatre? Is it something I said?"
" No. It's just....It's just that I feel like someone has said that to me before. But, you're the only one that has heard me play this song."
" Deja Vu?"
Without answering, the blond boy just continued to play, but striking the keys in a more forced manner. He was thinking.
As was Heero. The tune was so excruciatingly familiar. He knew exactly where it was from....Lucretzia. She sang it at the opera. The opera......he hadn't thought about the time or place for years. Or at least, he chose not to think about it.
~ .....Lucretzia.....the person who brought me into a world of shadows...~
" Lovely, isn't she?"
~.......~
" Heero."
~........~
" Heero?"
~What?~
"What?"
There before him-
~Breathe~
-was Lucretzia. Singing. Right in front of him. He could see the individual stitch marks in her ball gown. He could count her eyelashes. He could see every breath she took.
" Heero? You back to reality now, boy?"
And to the side of him...an old friend. A doctor. A rather eccentric man who preferred to be called by a letter in the alphabet.
" I'm.....I'm fine.....Dr.J."
" You look like you've just seen a ghost."
~I might be seeing a ghost right now.~
The place. The opera....93 years ago......
" Lucretzia is such a beauty. It's so sad that such a lovely girl could be the subject of preposterous rumors."
~They aren't rumors. They're truth.~ " Not very talkative, are you boy? That's your problem. Always sitting back and thinking, never talking. Never expressing emotion. You should be more like this woman, Lucretzia. She's putting all feeling into her song, and makes the melody understandable."
Lucretzia. She was singing so lively, yet Heero knew she was already dead and twisted in her mind. If you look very closely, her eyes are catlike, already she was looking for prey. It was unfortunate that 93 years ago, at this time, Heero attended the opera. Very unfortunate that he was in the front row. Very unfortunate that he had been entranced by the singing of this seemingly normal opera performer.
Heero closed his eyes, opened them, then repeated. Was this a dream? He was reliving a time in which he would like to forget about. His actions, his conversation with Dr. J. It was the same as when it was really happening 93 years ago. The only thing that was different was his thoughts. His mind was intact.
A whisper to his right made him turn. Dr.J arched an eyebrow and nudged him like a parent scolding a child.
" It's over Heero. Clap, it's the polite thing to do."
" Oh....of...of course."
They proceeded to stand up and clap, along with the whole audience. Lucretzia looked delighted. Her eyes scanning over the crowd, smiling in a coy way. Heero looked at her. She was beautiful. Lucretzia, feeling someone's gaze upon her, quickly snapped her eyes to the man in the front row with blue eyes. Heero's breath quickened, as did his heart. But his mind knew better.
~No. Don't look at her. Don't loo-~
" Here, boy, don't just stand there. Give her these."
It was useless. Whatever this was, reality or mere dream, he couldn't control his actions. It was playing all over again. He knew exactly how the day will end. And there was nothing he could do about it. Just watch.
Heero took the tokens of a great performance, a dozen blood red roses, involuntarily. Then, after glancing to the Dr.J, who gave a nod, he presented them to the opera performer. At first she smiled, a strange knowing smile, before proceeding to receive the roses. She then smelled every one of them and gave a light laugh. Heero stood still.
" They're handsome. Like you."
Dr. J glanced at the boy, then looked back to Lucretzia.
" He's not rather talkative. Perhaps he's stunned by your song, Lady Lucretzia."
" Perhaps....What is your name?"
~No.~
" Heero."
Lady Lucretzia grinned, as her eyes lighted up. She then held out her hand, offering it to the boy.
" Well, Heero, would you like to walk me to my dressing room?"
Dr. J shifted the slightest.
" Well?" She repeated.
Heero glanced at the old man next to him,
~No.~
then slowly took the hand offered to him. Lucretzia tightened her grip, and pulled the messy brown-haired boy up onto the stage. She smiled again, then led him by the hand to backstage. Heero looked back to the audience. Dr. J looked, for once, questioning.
" Back here is where my room is."
From that second, that very second, everything became a blur. Scenes passing by at blinding speeds. But yet, Heero was still intact. He was paused. Just watching. All of these scenes, these happenings, was his past. Everything relating to his growing relationship with the slightly off balance Lucretzia. From the first time she kissed him, to the last performance of her opera. It was then that the flash forwarding stopped. Stopped in time for the last day of Heero's innocence.
" Heero?"
~No.~
He was back in the dream, everything playing out in normal speeds. He was staring into the two deepest depths, so deep he could see her lack of soul, of Lucretzia's eyes. They were so dark, and so lacking of sanity. He should have known. If only he had known.
" Heero?"
" Yes?" His answer was automatic. Everything he did was automatic.
" Do you know that it has been exactly 13 months since we have first met?"
" I wasn't aware."
She smiled. She was always smiling. Like she knew a secret, a terrible one.
Lucretzia, with vacant eyes, turned to Heero, and lowered her voice to a husky whisper.
" Do you love me, Heero?" She playfully entwined her fingers in his hair.
~No.~
" Yes."
She leaned forward, closing the space between them.
" Would you do anything for me?"
~No.~
" .....Yes...."
Heero could now feel her lips upon his ear.
" Would you......die for me?"
~NO!~
"........" He was frozen. Everything was paused. Then, someone pressed the play button, for the scene unfolded right before Heero's dark prussian eyes. She licked her lips. She forcefully placed her hands onto his. She bent her pale neck, to his own. And bared her two abnormally sharp teeth.
~NO!~
" Welcome to darkness, Heero."
~NO!~
~NO!!~
*BANG*
Heero punched his fist into the wall, totally unaware that his reliving experience was over. The botanical painting fell, smashing to dangerous fragments on the marble dance floor. The haunting melody on the piano stopped abruptly.
" What was that, Quatre!?!"
" I don't know....wait here Dorothy." A scrape of a piano bench across the floor. Then the sound of clicks as Quatre stood up. Another quick breath.
~He knows~
Click....click....click....pause. Heero edged as far as he could into his dark corner, and waited for what was to come. He could see that Quatre knew somewhat of his presence. At least, Quatre could sense an unwelcome presence. Something of sinful nature was near. He could feel it.
Quatre stopped in front of the heavy velvet fabric that hung from the walls, curtains. The very fabric that Heero had backed himself into and behind. The disheveled pale vampire stopped his breathing. He could feel it. Quatre's hand moving along, fingering the material. Then, rather abruptly, he grasped the edge of it, ready to pull it back to reveal what was hidden behind.
The blond boy took a shaky breath. In fact, Dorothy noticed, his whole body was quivering. Don't be afraid, he told himself. Then, his hand pulled the fabric.
" Quatre."
~.....Her....~
The fabric was let go quickly, as Relena's voice wafted through the ballroom. She was standing, looking like hell had taken her, on top of the extravagant staircase. Lightning crashed. Heero was forgotten, for the new arrival of a 4th person into the ballroom took away all attention. My, she looked terrible. Like a drowned angel. Hair was matted to her face in sweat. Cheeks burning. Eyes void. She looked so distant. The ingenue called again. Dorothy's eyes widened.
" Quatre. Someone is at the door..."
As if on cue, the chiming of bells bombarded the room. Someone was here. Quatre left the curtain hanging half open, forgetting for the moment about his suspicions, and instead attending to Relena. Dorothy's heels echoed loudly as she walked briskly to answer the door.
" I'll tend to the door, Quatre!" She called as she exited the ballroom.
Quatre wasn't paying attention, but instead was climbing the stairs to where the Darlain girl stood. She just stood still. Still and fixated. At least, her eyes were fixated. They gazed past Quatre's form, past the curtain. She was staring directly at Heero.
~ She sees me. She knows I'm here...~
" Relena?"
Still staring.
" Relena?" Quatre asked again. He had reached the top of the stairs.
When he received no answer, and no recognition from her of his existence, he placed a gentle hand on her shoulder. Immediately, Relena's head and gaze snapped to Quatre, like a reflex. Then, she pulled her shoulder away....
" Quatre?" Dorothy yelled. "Quatre? Someone is here to see you!"
He didn't move. Relena didn't as well. She stood still, looking burned by his touch. Her eyes were tired.....lacked happiness.
~Her eyes.....her tears....don't look at her.~
"Quatre?"
He turned and, slowly and unsurely, descended each marble step with a heavy step. Relena watched him depart, then shifted her gaze back to the half-open rich velvet curtain. Only for a minute did she stare, before descending the stairs as well.
She glided across the floor, like a ghost, and paused once coming upon the fabric that hung from the wall. And with her eyes closed, she grasped and pulled the curtain back slowly. She opened her eyes....
Nothing. He was gone....Just a shadow in a corner...
Quatre reached the door quickly, and was just as quickly met with a figure, a stranger. Dorothy nervously glanced to the blond, unsure of what to make of the new visitor.
Brown hair matted to its face, shining with wetness of the past storm. The cross the figure clutched glimmered duly, obviously old and tattered from the past. Knives of eclectic sizes and shapes hung from its waist, alongside a single leather book. The leather book's cover was burnt and rough, a name was inscribed into it deeply, scarring it. Trowa.
A/N: Yay! Next chapter's already done too! It'll come out when I can find another person to write the A/N's. ( I {the friend} can only type this story's A/N cuz I have to leave in less then 10 minutes. Hope Harle heals soon! Typing sux!) Thanx a lot!
~Harlequin