Destiny of the Heart


Chapter Nine

Relena moaned as she opened her eyes. She was inside the cave. She sat up and grabbed her head as pain shot threw it from the throbbing head ache she now had. She pulled her right hand back when she felt something wet and stick and saw that it had blood on it. Looking down she saw a rock that she must have hit her head on.. Relena looked around the cave and her eyes rested on the mouth of the cave to see that it had been filled in with snow. She stood slowly and looked around again.

"Heero."

She began to panic as she looked around and didn't see or hear him. Then the flash back of what happened at the mouth of the cave came back and her eyes rested on the packed snow in front of her.

"HEERO!"

She ran over to the snow and started to dig. She had no idea how long she had been knocked out, but she knew that he couldn't survive for to long if he was buried. After a few minutes of digging she started to get frustrated when it didn't look like she was getting very far. Tears started to build in her eyes as she started to have thoughts of him buried alive and slowly suffocating to death.

Relena slammed her fists into the snow and screamed out in frustration. She knew he was close, but she just couldn't dig fast enough to get to him. Her fingers were starting to get numb from the cold and stung every time she buried them into the snow. Finally the tears overflowed she knew that she couldn't dig anymore.

*****

"Was anyone near the mountain?" Zechs asked as he stood by Noin.

"No Duo and Wufei were clear, but Wufei had mentioned something about if Duo hadn't asked to check over an area one more time they would have been there."

"Good......where did Sally say that she saw that smoke coming from?"

"She said near the base of the mountain but not what side."

"Find out."

Noin nodded and contacted Sally. She could see out of the corner of her eye that Zechs was impatiently pacing the room.

Zechs watched as Noin talked to Sally. He stopped pacing when her herd Noin gasp. She glanced over at him and thanked Sally.

"The east side as well."

Zechs stood where he was and seemed to faze out.

"Zechs we don't know if it was them." She looked at one of the local rescue members. "We need to get teams out there."

"We have a team surveying the mountain. They claim that another avalanche is possible. There is no way that we can send anyone out there with that type of threat."

Noin jumped out out of her seat. "But they could be out there and need out help!"

"Noin." Zechs finally spoke up. "He's right, we can't risk anyone else's life. We just have to hope that they're alright."

*****

Relena collapsed on the pile of snow and let herself cry. She had never really felt so helpless until now. She laid her head down, closed her eyes and thought about how he wouldn't give up if things were reversed. Relena opened her eyes and sniffled.

"I can't give up. I won't loose you. Not now."

She sat back up and was about to dig when she thought she saw a small area of snow move. She quickly wiped the tears from her eyes and looked a the same spot to see the snow move again and finally his fingers were exposed. Relena cried out in joy and quickly grasped his fingers in her own.

"Hold on Heero. I'll get you out, just don't leave me."

She felt his fingers squeeze her hand. Then she quickly let go and started to dig. After awhile she stripped off her coat and continued. After what seemed like forever she was able to get his head and face uncovered.

"Heero." She placed a hand on his head and leaned down next to him. "Heero." She barley managed to keep her voice from breaking.

He slowly turned is head and opened his eyes to look at her, offering her a small smile. His eyes rested on her face and the trail of blood that crept down the right side.

"You're hurt."

Relena reached up and touched her head, having forgotten about it. "I'm fine."

Heero continued to look her over for a few moments before he spoke again. "Relena is the entry way completely covered?"

"Yes."

"You need to put out the fire."

"What! Why?"

"It's using up our oxygen. There is no telling how deep the snow is outside. We need to dig our way out and it may take awhile. We need all the air we can get."

"Ok but lets get you out first." Relena started to dig until she found his shoulders

"If you can get my right arm uncovered then I should be able to get myself out on my own."

After uncovering his arm a short time later Heero worked at pulling himself out. "Relena, gather the blankets and your coat, keep them nearby. Then I want you to start taking some of this snow and put that fire out."

Relena quickly gathered the blanket and her coat and put them where she would be able to feel for them later. She then started to grab handfuls of snow and started to throw it at the fire. She glanced over to she that Heero had managed to get out and was starting to walk toward her. She stopped what she was doing and ran to him throwing her arms around and and started to cry all over again. Heero lowered them to the ground and sat holding her in his arms.

After her sobs quieted down he finally spoke. "Are you ok." He could feel Relena nod her head. "We should get that fire put out."

Relena pulled back and placed her hands on his cheeks and gazed into his eyes before kissing him on the lips. Heero reached up and placed his hands on her neck and kissed her back. When they broke for air Heero pulled her back against his chest and whispered into her ear. "I told you that I would get us out alive and I intend to keep that promise."

After holding each other for a few more minutes the both stood back up and preceded to put out the fire, then got to work on digging their way out.

*****

The next morning they were held off from going out to search. Zechs was currently talking to Noin, while watching the local weather station. Sally and Wufei were playing cards waiting for the call that they could get out there. Duo was sitting in a chair in the far corner of the room with his arms crossed glaring a Zechs when ever they made eye contact.

"This is bull shit and you know it." Duo finally spoke after the past hour that he has been silent.

"I agree with you Maxwell, but those people are only doing their jobs by keeping us out of harms way as well." Zechs said as he sat his cup of coffee down.

"But what about Heero and Relena? What about their safety? They have been out in those conditions for almost a month now."

Wufei laid down his cards and looked over at Duo. "You know damn well that your bickering isn't going to get us out there any faster so stop you complaining, you're giving me bad luck."

Duo sprung up out of his chair. "Do you have any idea what it is like to starve to death Wufei? Do you! I know what they're going through."

"Duo." Noin stepped in. "Our arguing isn't going to help them any."

"And neither is our sitting around here!" Duo snapped at her and left the room slamming the door behind him.

Noin stood up to go after him only to have Zechs hand rest on her shoulder. "Let him go Noin. He needs time to calm down. I understand his frustration. I feel the same way."

Duo walked back to his hotel room and laid down on his bed and stared at the ceiling. He let his thoughts wander, and about an hour later he finally came up with a idea of what he was going to do. And he would get started first thing in the morning. Too much daylight has been lost today for him to risk his plan. He quickly got up and headed back out to pick up the supplies that he would need for the next day.



Ch 1/ Ch 2/ Ch 3/ Ch 4/ Ch 5/ Ch 6/ Ch 7/ Ch 8/ Ch 9/ Ch 10/ Ch 11/ Ch 12/ Epilogue