Arms Wide Open

It was the perfect summer day for a picnic in the park. Heero Yuy helped Relena take food out of the picnic basket and set it on the blanket they’d laid out beneath a big maple tree. He glanced at her, his wife of two years. She looked slightly pensive, as if something was worrying her and she was trying not to show it. "Relena, is something wrong?"

She continued removing things from the basket, not looking at him. "Of course not, Heero, why would you think that?"

He reached out and gently grabbed her hand. Now she did look at him, and the truth was easy to see in her eyes. Something was bothering her. "What’s wrong, Relena?"

"There’s nothing wrong exactly..." she trailed off, biting her lip. He waited patiently, not speaking. "Heero, I’m pregnant," she said in a rush.

Well I just heard the news today
Seems my life is gonna change

Heero stared at her in shock. "You’re what? You’re sure?"

She nodded. "The doctor confirmed it yesterday. He thinks I’m about two months along."

He closed his eyes as numerous emotions threatened to overwhelm him. Oh God, I never expected this, he thought. What do I do? What do I say?

"Heero?" Relena asked.

Suddenly, sheer joy welled up in his chest. I’m going to be a father! He opened his eyes and got to his feet, scooping her up in his arms and spinning around, laughing and crying at the same time. He let her down and ran out into the sunlight, arms thrown wide. He knew he looked like an idiot, but he didn’t care. This was the most fantastic thing that had ever happened to him!

I close my eyes, begin to pray
Then tears of joy stream down my face

With arms wide open
Under the sunlight
Welcome to this place
I’ll show you everything
With arms wide open
With arms wide open

Seven months later, Heero steeled himself for another one of Relena’s death grips on his right hand. He was surprised she hadn’t broken any bones yet. She was so strong when she needed to be! "You’re doing fine," the obstetrician encouraged her after the contraction.

"Fine, he says," she panted, looking up at Heero. He smiled slightly and brushed her hair away from her sweaty forehead. He let his eyes convey the love and fierce pride he had in her that he couldn’t express in words.

"I think this is it, one more push and you’ll have done it," the o.b. said.

"Heero," Relena whispered, and he leaned down to catch her next words. "Omae o korosu."

He chuckled and then almost gasped as her hand tightened on his again. She leaned forward, brow furrowed, her whole being centered on birthing their child. For a moment it seemed like time stopped and then started again as Relena collapsed back against the bed, breathing hard. The lusty wail of a baby filled the room.

Well I don’t know if I’m ready
To be the man I have to be
I’ll take a breath, I’ll take her by my side
We stand in awe, we’ve created life

"You have a fine son," a nurse said, handing the blanket-wrapped baby to Relena. Heero stared at the small face peeking out of the bundle. He’s so tiny, he thought dazedly. Am I going to be able to do this? Can I take care of something so delicate?

Relena looked up at him, the glowing smile on her face making her more beautiful than she’d ever been before. "Look what we made," she said softly.

Heero hesitantly reached out and trailed a finger along the baby’s face. "He’s so... perfect. How did we get this lucky?"

"I love you, Heero," Relena whispered.

"I love you, too," he said, surprised at the sudden ease with which the words slipped out. "Both of you."

With arms wide open
Under the sunlight
Welcome to this place
I’ll show you everything
With arms wide open
Now everything has changed
I’ll show you love
I’ll show you everything
With arms wide open
Wide open

This was the last thing Heero ever expected himself to be doing. He grinned wryly to himself. Life sure had changed. Little Christopher, named after Relena’s foster father, had no sense of decency and insisted upon waking up and screaming at 2 a.m. every night. He was almost asleep now, the result of an hour and a half of Heero walking back and forth across the living room, jiggling the infant. He looked down at his son and sighed. This was one of the few ways he felt he could show Relena and Chris how much he loved them. It was years after the war but sometimes he still found it so hard to express his emotions. The training that had made him the "perfect soldier" had almost taken everything human out of him, but somehow Relena had found that scrap that remained and had clung to it, patiently restoring his humanity to him. But still... He looked at his now-sleeping son and vowed that he would never know the pain and fear war caused. Heero would give his life to prevent that. "And I’ll try harder to show my love to you, I promise," he whispered.

If I had just one wish
Only one demand
I hope he’s not like me
I hope he understands
That he can take this life
And hold it by the hand
And he can greet the world
With arms wide open

Relena watched Heero follow Christopher as the two-year-old toddled across the grass in the park. The past years had changed him, although not in ways anyone unfamiliar with the gundam pilot would notice. His smile was a little wider, his hugs and "I love you"s a little freer, and once or twice she’d caught him watching Christopher with a positively mushy look on his face.

Christopher suddenly crouched down and grabbed at something on the ground, lifting it up for Heero to see. Heero squatted next to him and took it from him, sticking it behind his ear. Christopher’s giggles carried across the park to where Relena was seated under the tree. Relena giggled herself as she saw Heero glance around briefly to make sure no one was watching before picking Christopher up by the waist and running back to her, their son holding his arms out like an airplane. He wouldn’t sacrifice that much dignity to be seen acting silly in public yet.

Heero sat on the blanket next to Relena, setting Christopher down and picking his gift out from behind his ear and handing it to her. It was a dandelion flower. Relena smiled and kissed Christopher and then Heero on the cheek. "So much has changed..."

Heero gave her one of his faint smiles. "And yet so much has stayed the same."

"Like what?"

"Like this," he replied, and kissed her. She snuggled against him, resting her head on his shoulder.

Christopher sat on his lap and wrapped his arms as far around Heero’s waist as he could. "Daddy," he said, and giggled again.

Heero smiled as he gazed out across the park. Daddy.

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