CHAPTER VII- The Unavoidable Confrontation

Relena closed her eyes at her daughter's outburst, "She's so impulsive, you know," she whispered, "just like we were."

Sidra was sobbing in the bathroom, and Heero wanted to go to her, but Relena held an arm up, well aware of the young girl's outbursts. Talking to her at that stage would do no good, it was like attempted to wind up a toy before it had completely wound itself down. It was best for them to wait until the sounds of furious crying ebbed before she would listen to anything they had to say.

Both of the parents stood painfully listening to their loved one's weeping, trying to curb the instincts that told them to kick that door down, to cradle the little girl in their arms and tell her that everything would be alright...

Heero looked away from Relena suddenly, watching her stand beside him secretly, "She's lonely. I never wanted her to be lonely..."

Relena sighed and rubbed her temples, "God, Heero, why did this have to happen now? Why did this have to happen again?"

He could hear the choking up sound in her voice, her desperation not to cry, "I was the one who left," he said, voice achromatic, "You were supposed to move on. Any suffering on either part was supposed to eventually end."

She peeked over at him carefully, "And did it?"

"What?"

"Did your suffering ever end?"

He sighed, "No."

She was very quiet.

Heero felt the urge to move on, "I...still am not quite sure about my human emotions. Sometimes, I am not sure which ones are real or not. I could not take the risk with you, Relena."

She avoided his eyes, "You're very stupid sometimes."

"I happen to be very good at figuring things out."

"Sure, Heero, in everything except your own life." She replied, gentle pain lacing through her voice.

At his lack of reply, she added softly, "Sidra really needed a father. She's sad and lost, but so used to it, she doesn't even know it."

They then both stopped, because they realized that the bathroom door had been opened.

She looked very composed for a six year old, much like her mother before a speech, or her father right before he went into battle.

She had pushed her hair out of her face, and her cheeks were smeared with tears, but her eyes remain cold, calculating, and accusatory. The only light shedding on this scene was the yellow glow from the bathroom and the whitish luminescence from the artificial moonlight outside. The small girls shadow from the bathroom stretched long and dark and tall to the feet of her shocked parents.

"I have something to say." she stated regally.

Relena put a hand on Heero's arm. At first he thought hopefully it was for support, but then he realized that it was to make sure he didn't run away.

His heart plummeted.

"We're listening, Sidra," Relena said carefully.

She looked at them in an almost confused fashion, as if she had just deciphered out her thoughts herself, "I don't really think I can forgive either of you for a very long time." She sighed, "But seeing as you are my parents, and I am your daughter, I'm going to have to deal with that, because there's nowhere else for me to go, and we're a family, so we'll have to work through it.

"I'm not saying that you two have to be together, either. I think that as long as I know you and get to see both of you, I'll be happy." She then put on her best I-love-you all-very-much smile, "And do you think we can get dinner? All that crying wore me out!"

Relena looked up at Heero, who seemed to take it up as a mission, "I'll go get some takeout."

She hesitated for a moment and then nodded, the fear still obvious in her eyes.

When he left, the diplomat heaved a sigh of relief. Sidra took her hand and guided her to the broken couch. She smiled and then sat as her daughter climbed up into her lap. Like her father, Sidra liked to be cuddled a lot.

Suddenly, the little girl's head shot up, and she grinned, "Mommy, I forgot to show you something!"

With all signs of sadness and maturity gone, Sidra jumped up and ran to Heero's desk, pulling out an overstuffed box with wicked enthusiasm.

"I found this when he was busy taking stomach medicine from my breakfast," she announced triumphantly, "Isn't it pretty?"

Relena switched on a light and approached her daughter, gasping as she saw the amount of photos he had saved.

"Sid," she said incredulously, "this will be our little secret, okay?"

The girl nodded enthusiastically.

When Heero returned with the food, he was surprised to find Relena's smile to him a little more ready, and both of them immersed in silent mirth.

Eventually, that time ended, and Relena and Sidra left for Earth again. Sidra was not surprised in the slightest when her father moved back to Earth as well for 'better business opportunities,' or when he started calling up a week later to ask her mother out.

Sometimes even angels lose their way.

But they can occasionally be redeemed.

That was the first lesson Sidra's father taught her.

(A/N: Should I leave it with that? Do you guys want an epilogue?)