Mission Accepted: One Contemplates
Relative disclaimers apply.

It was over.

But Heero was still restless.

A starry night was his only source of light on the streets that he was walking on, in an area that was rumored to be haunted.

Since this area had been bombed during the Earth-Colonies War, the rumors and stories about visions with no substance, voices with no faces and sounds with no objects were understandable.

But Heero wasn't afraid. And the echoing dull sounds of his sneakered feet on the concrete was helping him focus his thoughts.

What now?

Booth's was finished. It had been de-corporated, stripped of its licenses, its deeds and mortgages given to the bank and its executive board disbanded. Some of them were in jail. Some of them were simply missing.

Michael Booth was finished as well. In his case he had simply vanished as though he had never existed - which he hadn't, he'd been a hired voice with no face.

Quatre and Relena had each resumed their missions of peace.

Oh yes, and Briggs Hawton was in exile on an unlisted colony, if such a thing existed. More likely, he was hiding on either Earth or in Space and was wisely afraid to show his face in public.

He wasn't finished. He would conduct his business and trouble with a new identity. And his real name remained elusive.

So it wasn't over. This was just a lull.

Again...what now?

Heero knew that he and the others would be needed again some day. There was no shortage of people who would cheat the "system" to have things their way. And there would never really be peace between Earth and Space. Not everyone wanted it.

But if Quatre and Relena could convince enough people of the goodness of peace, those who didn't want it could be kept underfoot.

With certain help, of course.

But what was he going to do until then? Earth and Space were his to wander. He could come and go as he pleased.

Is that what I really want to do?

Artificial light caught his eye. A streetlight, just one of many in Memorial Park, which occupied an entire municipal block a few streets away from Heero.

Had the park been his destination this night? He'd really had no conscious destination.

He dared to smile briefly. He'd forgotten about this park. Fans of the Peacecrafts and of his more famous namesake had constructed this park with a combination of "normal" materials and some of the ruins of Relena's ill-fated kingdom (the ruins were rumored to have brought certain ghosts along). Why they had chosen this particular neighborhood, only they knew.

Who besides the brave would come to this park?

Perhaps that was the point.

Heero didn't much care about that at the moment. He needed a place to think clearly in.

There were no amusement rides or other means of entertainment in the park. Just flowers, grass, trees, benches, streetlamps, memorials to and a statue each of the fallen leaders, and a high iron fence to keep everything inside.

So why was the main entrance gate unlocked? To display the refuse that dotted the park here and there?

At least the greens, flowers and trees were neatly manicured.

Someone cared about this park. The ghosts, perhaps?

Heero allowed a smile at his joke and looked for a place to sit.

There.

The bench facing the King Peacecraft statue, which was surrounded by a particularly decorative arrangement of flowers, seemed appropriate for some reason. Perhaps it was because the bench, of course, was clean.

Pigeons surrounded the bench as he sat down. Some sat next to him. And three cats and two dogs sat a few feet away.

Heero showed them all his empty hands.

They didn't fuss. Perhaps sensing a kindred spirit, they remained where they were and watched him.

He didn't mind the company.

"Tell me what to do."

The lost souls of previous neighborhood residents and of the Peacecraft Kingdom wandering about couldn't help him. Unless they brought answers from wherever they were.

A few of the birds flew away. Was that the answer?

He looked at the statue, made from six vertical feet of marble.

You tell me.

There was an iron plate bolted to the statue's base. It said: THIS IS HERE IN REMEMBERANCE OF THE EXALTED KING PEACECRAFT, WHO MADE GREAT STRIDES IN PEACE WITH HEERO YUY.

So where were the memorials and statues for the rest of the people that had died taking a stand for peace? With their graves?

Relena.

Heh. She couldn't be far from his thoughts here.

Did she know about this park? If so, had she contributed towards it? Or did she stay away because of the rumors? Did it all make her angry?

No....she was probably tickled by it, and in awe of the love, determination and labor that had gone into its creation. It was another reason to push for peace - unity. People could cross their barriers and come together for a common purpose.

HEION was proof of that as well. Historic proof. Even after Relena died, it would still stand and...

And here I am just sitting here.

But he was fine here. He belonged in the shadows, on the outskirts, out of the way.

I told her that I love her.

He scowled.

But I have yet to tell myself that.

If he did everything would change. He would change. He would be more concerned about her welfare than he would ever be about anything else.

But hadn't he been that way? Wasn't that why he had popped in and out of her life, making sure her path was clear and safe before disappearing into the shadows again?

And words were supposed to comfort her? Words were supposed to keep her from feeling alone and lonely? Words were supposed to be a guarantee, like the teddy bear was of his promise to protect her?

I don't belong in her world. Words are all I can give her. If I get any closer people will know about it. And then I won't be able to stay hidden.

Hmph. Words were selfish. But he simply couldn't live under society's magnifying glass. Sooner or later, someone would put two and two together and his past...

My past...

His eyes narrowed.

Didn't I tell Duo that I was trying to put that life behind me? That I need to move forward? But he was right. We're always going to be soldiers. I'm never going to be free to live a "normal" life, much as I want to. Whenever I hear a strange noise or see something that doesn't look right, I'm going to be on the defensive. That's what I was trained to do and that's what I am. A soldier. A warrior.
But I told her that I love her. I could shoot myself for doing that. She won't let go now. She'll be looking out for me every night. She's expecting me to be just out of immediate sight when she's in public. I was stupid to tell her. I got caught up in the moment. In her touch. In her smile. In her eyes.

Was the statue glaring at him?

I have to stay away.

But he wanted to see that smile again, not just now, but in the morning as well, and he wanted to make sure that she didn't smile that way at anyone else.

That smile was his.

She was his.

He had to admit it. He loved her.

And here he was, just sitting here.

I don't belong there.

The statue looked angry now.

What about her? it seemed to demand. What about her feelings? You said it yourself. Words aren't enough. Don't you care about what all this is doing to her? And aren't her warm arms better than a park bench and an empty night?

He looked at his companions.

"What do you think?"

I could be with her, or I could be watching her. I could be the perpuetual bad smell in Thomas' nose, or I could play it safe out here, free to come and go as I please.

Hmph. Safe....was boring. He liked challenges, needed them, craved them, and damned if Relena and her uptight butler weren't high on that list.

And in truth, she wouldn't restrain him. She understood him. He didn't know much about females, but he knew that Relena was different from the so-called "norm."

Or else he wouldn't -

Say it, damnit.

- love her.

But she's royalty. All those freaking frills. All that crap that goes with her status. The noses in the air. The tea parties. The socialite parties. The official functions and ceremonies. The drawn-out dedications of buildings and statues and ships. And balls and dances. Did I forget to mention those boring events?

All at which he would make sure that she was safe and untouched by any male's hands besides his.

"Damn it."

He'd lost this battle.

I'll be protecting her anyway, so I might as well, he reasoned without much conviction.

He ignored that lack of conviction and the suddenly smiling-again stature as he stood up, preferring to pay attention to his scattering companions.

But he was blushing.

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