by Hex
Note: Take this as more of an excerpt from a larger story than a stand-alone fic.
Relena put her hand on the arm Quatre offered and gave him a grateful smile. Quatre gave her a weak smile back and nodded. They left the café, and after a small scuffle involving the paparazzi, they slipped into their waiting limousine.
The paparazzi had crawled out room their rat holes to set off bright flashes in their eyes. There were only a few of them compared to the numbers that would usually dog their steps, but Relena was sure that by morning there would be pictures of her and Quatre decorating every newspaper in town. He was the city's richest bachelor and she was the Mayor's daughter.
Relena sighed and stared out the car's window watching the city buildings fly by. Usually Quatre handled the press very well. In fact, he was usually better at fending them off than she was. Today had been different; he had threatened to end the shutterbugs' careers if they didn't keep their distance. Relena had wanted to reassure Quatre, to talk it through, but Quatre had chosen a rather public venue for lunch and that was not conducive for the conversation they needed to have.
Relena sat patiently and waited until the car was a decent distance from the restaurant. Quatre was glaring out of the car window; he did not look like he was ready to discuss anything. Anger and unhappiness were both clearly visible on his face and in his posture.
"It wasn't your fault, Quatre. We learned a long time ago that we can't save everyone," Relena said, softly.
"Can't we? Isn't that what we were trying to do, save the World? Isn't that what we've chosen as our purpose in life? Isn't that what I failed at so miserably last night?" Quatre snapped, bitterly.
"We said we would try. That was what we said we would do. We made no promise of success," Relena replied. She kept her voice even and soft.
"We're supposed to succeed. That was the whole damned point," Quatre growled. Quatre was grinding his teeth. Years of friendship had taught Relena that meant he was just a breath away from completely losing his temper. Relena knew she couldn't back down.
"There was no way for you to save her, Quatre," Relena said.
"You weren't there, Relena," Quatre replied. "You have no idea-"
"I know you were pinned under a support beam. I know you didn't have the energy to move your hands let alone save that girl. I know-"
"She was a cop." There was a nearly hysterical edge to Quatre's voice. "A police officer. A good guy. I managed to save the life of that drug dealer so he could go through our revolving door prisons but I couldn't save the life of that woman. I couldn't stop her head from hitting the ground and splitting open like a melon that rolled off a table. I know I couldn't do what needed to be done."
"No matter what you believe right now, Quatre, there was nothing you could have done. You're not Superman. You're a rich man with a big heart, in an expensive suit," Relena said.
"I'd rather be a good man."
"You are. You'll come to understand that eventually." With that Relena reached out and took Quatre's hand. She squeezed and Quatre squeezed back.
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