Author's Notes: The usual disclaimers apply here.  The GW characters, in particular Zechs, don't belong to me.  The Malloy family are totally my own creation.  I haven't seen Endless Waltz yet, so, if my stories contradict it, I apologize.  On with the story!

Among the Rubble
by Swan

    It began, as if sometimes will, perfectly innocently.  Talia and Shawn
Malloy were scavengers, flying through space in their own piece of junk,
trying to scavenge enough spare parts from dead ships to keep their own
vessel in working order.  And while neither Talia nor Shawn believed in war,
neither could deny that with the massive destruction of the most recent war
had been beneficial to them.

    And the destruction of the Libra could keep them in spare parts for
several years.  To be quite crude about it, it was the equivalent of hitting
the lottery.  Sure, not all parts would be salvageable, but that wasn't the
point.  They would finally be able to stop being scavengers.  The couple
debated long and hard about whether or not they would go to the site of the
rubble field, just outside the Earth's atmosphere.

    But a scant day after the climactic final battle, the husband and wife
journeyed to the rubble field.  One never knew what might be found floating
around in space.  During the years she had known Shawn Malloy and his twelve
year old daughter Ciara, Talia had found the most amazing things.  But this
run would prove the most extraordinary of all.

    As Talia cut the engines, Shawn murmurered, "Now this can't be right.  I
was watching the final battle between the two Gundams, as well as the
explosion of that last block.  Nothing should have even remained intact." 
Talia satisfied herself that the engines were no longer running, then went to
her husband's side.  Ciara was asleep, would probably sleep for another few
hours.  It was just them for right now.

    "What do you have?" she inquired, putting her hand on his shoulder, then
glanced at the display which held his rapt attention.  She scanned the
information which was scrolling across, and her eyes widened.  She looked at
him and said, "That's impossible."

    "I know. . .I know.  But according to this, there's a life form inside
that thing.  Tal, we have to get whoever it is.  The battle was yesterday,
and the life support is probably dwindling," Shawn said, turning to look at
her.  The young woman rolled her eyes.  She was thirty,  but there were times
when Shawn still thought she was the teenaged girl he and his first wife
Elene had rescued thirteen years earlier.  However, she didn't comment on it.
 It wasn't worth her energy.

    "I agree. . .but we have to be careful.  That thing isn't even a full
Gundam, and it's big.  What about the Mech Suits we rebuilt?  It has enough
oxygen for one person to make the trip, and whoever remains can reel both
back in," Talia observed.  She and Shawn had found spare parts from destroyed
Mobile Dolls during this last war, and built their own Mech Suits, for the
more. . .delicate parts of their job.  Like hooking up the torso of a Gundam
and bringing it inside the ship, although this would be a first for the
husband and wife.

    "All right, I'll go," Shawn said.  Talia started to protest, and Shawn
reminded her, "You're better with the controls than I am.  If you stay here,
we all have a better chance for survival.  I'll hook the cables to what's
left of that, and you can reel it in.  Besides, Ciara may be my daughter, but
she seems more secure with you right now."

    Talia fell silent, conceding this point.  But her silence lasted only a
moment, as she added, "Be careful, Shawn.  Ciara still needs you.  She's
already lost one parent. . .it would destroy her if she lost you as well." 
Talia had lost both parents.  She knew what she was talking about.  Shawn
just smiled fondly and kissed her forehead.   She could have been his sister,
rather than his wife.  But Talia was used to it.

    "I know," he replied, "but right now, that kid, whoever he is, needs
help.  I'll raise you on the com system if I need help."  Talia had a pretty
good idea who was in that suit. . .she had followed the various factions
during the course of the war, had seen the shifting allegiances, if only in
the changes in design.  And she knew the players. 

    Shawn smiled at her one more time, then strode to the cargo hold, where
the Mech Suits were kept.  Talia stared after him for a moment, then turned
her attention back to her work.  The display told her that the Gundam pilot
was still alive, though just barely.  The vital signs were steadily getting
weaker.  It occurred to her that she should make sure the med-kit was out. 
There was no telling how severe his injuries were.

    "Mom?  Why's Daddy going to the hold?" Ciara asked, entering the cockpit.
 The girl gaped when she saw the torso of the Gundam.  She looked at Talia,
then at the Gundam, then back at Talia.  She said, "Mom, that's a Gundam. 
The Gundam in the battle yesterday, I was watching it on the monitor, the one
which didn't come out when the Libra exploded!"  Talia went to her
step-daughter and put both arms around her.

    "I know, honey, I know.  Listen, I didn't think you would be up for
another few hours, but since you are. . .why don't you help me by finding the
med-kit?  We don't know how badly he was injured when the Libra blew up," she
suggested, kissing the girl's soft hair.  It was neither brown nor blonde,
but a mixture between.  Just like her parents. . .or rather, she had a
mixture of her father's eyes and her mother's fair hair, though Ciara's hair
was somewhat darker than Elene's.  Children. . .did that.

    "Okay. . .and when Daddy gets the Gundam aboard, I can make up one of the
cabins for him.  Mom, it's him, isn't it?  Zechs Merquis?" Ciara asked, her
blue-gray eyes lighting up.  The young leader of the White Fang was an
endless source of fascination for the twelve year old, especially since he
wasn't so much older than she was.

    "I don't know, baby.  I just don't know.  Listen, while you're getting
the med-kit, I have to get ready to operate the controls.  Remember, the
Gundam pilots don't wear helmuts inside the Gundams.  So we'll tow the Gundam
inside," Talia said.  Her step-daughter nodded and bounded from the room,
leaving the young woman with the sense that their lives had just gotten a lot
more complicated.

    However, her life had been complicated ever since the destruction of the
Sank kingdom.  Why should things be any different now?  She shook her head
and turned her attention back to the monitor.  The pilot, whoever he was, was
in trouble.  And as she had been taught when she was a child, when someone
helped you, you passed it on.  Talia grimaced, remembering her childhood. 
Her teen years.  Petyr.  She shook her head.  No, she wouldn't think about
that right now.  Concentrate on this pilot.


.                         .                         .


    As salvage missions went, it had been among the easier ones Shawn had
attempted.  After he suited up and left the ship, his wife kept a gentle hand
on the controls of the cable which kept him attached to the ship.  Shawn
drifted toward the Gundam.  The arms and legs had been blown off, leaving
only the giant torso of the Gundam floating in space.

    Shawn had come prepared.  If necessary, he could weld handles into the
damaged hull of the giant torso, handles for the cable.  But it proved
un-necessary, as there were natural hand-grips, probably for the pilots. 
Shawn easily looped the cables through the grips, latching them onto the
metal.  Once Talia began operating the controls, both Shawn and the Gundam
would be towed back into the salvage ship. 

    He peered into the ship. . .as he had feared, the pilot had been knocked
unconscious before he had a chance to put on his helmut.  He looked to be
about eighteen or nineteen, twenty at most.  Shawn, who was thirty-five, was
shaken to realize this boy could be his son or nephew.  Just a child, and
fighting a war for God only knew what reason.  Why was there ever war?  The
Ireland of his ancestors, of his own childhood, had been torn apart by war
and conflict, and for what? 

    Shawn keyed the mike in his suit, telling his wife, "Cables are fastened,
and I'm holding onto the grips.  Get us back on board.  Once we get the kid
out, and into his own cabin, we'll strip this thing for parts, and blow the
rest of it up.  I have a feeling leaving that thing out here would be a
mistake.  Too many crazies running around.  Never mind that the war is over,
there are still too many crazies."

    "Agreed.  Ciara is getting out the med-kit out for the pilot.  How is he
doing?" Talia asked as Shawn and the Gundam were pulled back to the ship. 
The pilot remained limp in the cockpit, and it occurred to Shawn that the boy
might be dead.  His blood ran cold, but he shook off his fear.  No, the boy
was alive.  He had to be.  They hadn't just expended all this energy, just to
rescue a dead man.

    "Unconscious. . .I hope.  He hasn't stirred," Shawn answered.  They were
nearing the salvage vessel now, and he added, "Almost there.  I'll get the
Gundam in first, and close the door behind me."  Shawn reached for the hold
of the ship, maneuvering the Gundam torso inside, then pulled himself in.  He
hit the button which closed the door, as promised.

    Now came the delayed claustrophobic fit, as Shawn began to feel the walls
closing in on him.  He took several deep breaths, trying to calm himself in
the delayed panic attack.  His heart was racing, it was hard to breathe, but
Shawn forced himself to calm down.  The kid, whoever he was, still needed
their help.  And Talia would need help getting him to one of their cabins,
even though Ciara was awake.

    He began deactivating the heavy Mech Suit.  A half second later, Talia
was in the hold with him with the med-kit in her hand, and said, "I put the
ship on auto-pilot."  Shawn nodded and got out of his Mech Suit, while his
wife crawled onto the torso of the Gundam and shimmied open the door.  Once
it was open, Talia lowered herself into the cockpit.

    Once he was free of that damn suit of his own, Shawn crawled up onto the
torso, and held his arms out.  Talia was unbuckling the boy from his
restraints, and for the first time, Shawn saw the blood trickling from the
corner of the boy's lip.  Shawn's insides turned to ice.  The kid had
internal injuries.  This didn't look good.  He didn't know why it was so
important to him that this boy lived. . .but it was important.  It was damned
important.

    Talia gently lifted the pilot from the seat and Shawn reached down for
the unconscious boy.  He got his hands under the youngster's arms and lifted
him from the cockpit, with Talia guiding his legs.  Once Shawn had the boy
out on the torso, Talia pulled herself out of the cockpit, and she said
breathlessly, "I'll lower him to the ground from here."

    Shawn nodded and slid to the ground, barely aware that his daughter had
entered the hold and was now watching them curiously.  Talia sat down beside
the unconscious pilot, then drew him into her arms, his head resting against
her shoulder.  She dug in her heels and propelled them both down the Gundam. 
Shawn caught the injured boy, lowering him to the ground, and Talia landed on
her feet easily.  Like a damn cat she was, but there was only affection in
the observation. 

    "Here's the med-kit, Mom," Ciara offered as Talia began to pull the
protective suit away from their guest.  Shawn lowered his head gently to the
ground, and Talia held her hand out for the med-kit.  Ciara handed it to her,
then sank to her knees beside the pilot.  She looked up, her eyes shining. 
There was more than a touch of hero worship in her face.

    It occurred to him, not for the first time, that his little girl was
growing up.  She would be thirteen in six months. . .and dammit, she was
starting to notice boys.  Worse yet, she had developed a monumental crush on
the leader of the White Fang, a boy not even out of his teens yet.  He was
handsome and mysterious. . .definitely someone to appeal to a young girl like
Ciara.

    But that wasn't the responsibility of the young man.  Zechs Merquis,
Miliardo Peacecraft, whatever name he used. . .he needed their help.  Shawn
could only hope that his daughter had enough wisdom to understand that.  Then
again, Talia had helped him to raise Ciara, even before their marriage.  He
should have more faith in them both.

------------------------

Talia had no idea what kind of injuries the Gundam pilot had suffered when
his Gundam was so badly damaged, although the blood trickling from his mouth
told her that there were some internal injuries.  Her heart turned over,
seeing for the first time just how young he was.  Oh, she had known how many
years he had lived as soon as she saw his face.  She knew quite a lot about
Miliardo Peacecraft.  But until now, it hadn't struck her how young he was.

    Nineteen or twenty, she thought as she gently caressed the long blond
hair back from his forehead, the same age as Petyr.  My little brother.  The
comparison was not a reassuring one, as the pilot's eyes were still closed,
and his breathing labored.  Talia closed her eyes, remembering her brother. 
Killed in the same war which had resulted in the death of King Peacecraft of
the Sank kingdom.

    And the father of the boy now lying on the floor of Talia's vessel.  She
said softly, "Miliardo Peacecraft. . .Zechs Merquis."  As she had suspected. 
Ciara's pale eyes were shining with excitement.  She had been right as well. 
Shawn was silent, quite possibly knowing what she was thinking, and Talia
said, "Well, I should get this off him, so I at least know if I can save
him."  She began easing the space suit from his body.  She took her time,
knowing that it might mean his death if she rushed him out of the suit, if
she moved too quickly in any way.

    Once that was done, she passed her diagnostic over him, murmuring,
"Broken ribs, bruised muscles.  Can't tell if he's bleeding internally yet,
so we need to be careful when we move him."  She was talking more to herself
than to the rest of her family.  Talia waved the diagnostic around his head,
grimacing, and muttered, "Looks like he took a severe blow to his head. 
Probably knocked the back of his head against the chair when the Gundam took
the big blast."   

    For the first time, she noticed that his lips were turning blue.  
Frowning, the young woman moved the diagnostic back over his chest, and
nodded grimly.  She had been afraid of that and told Shawn, "One of his
broken lungs punctured his lung, I think.  His lung hasn't collapsed yet, but
we have to hurry.  Hand me the oxygen mask.  Ciara, honey, I need you to get
all of our med equipment set up in the cabin you made up for him."  Ciara
nodded and jumped to her feet, then ran from the cargo hold which had
suddenly turned into a combination of emergency room and salvage parts. 
Talia was vaguely aware that the parts they could get from the Gundam would
keep them in parts for several years. 

    Talia turned her attention back to the unconscious pilot.  God, but he
was so young!  With everything which had happened in the last year, it was
hard to believe that Zechs Merquis. . .Miliardo Peacecraft. . .was only
nineteen years old.  His sister Relena was only fifteen, the ruler of the
Sank kingdom.  It all made Talia feel very old, until she remembered what she
had been doing when she was sixteen years old.

    That had been the year before Ciara was born, the first year she had
spent with Elene and Shawn.  A year of nightmares, of waking up screaming.  A
year of finding herself curled up in Elene's arms as the blonde woman stroked
her hair and murmured that she was safe now.  Most of the time, Talia had
been able to believe her.  At least, until she fell asleep and visited the
nightmares of her past.

    A nightmare which had created this young man, this boy, as well.  The
teenaged Talia had ceased to exist on the same day Zechs Merquise replaced
Miliardo Peacecraft, small prince of the Sank Kingdom.  They had taken
different paths, to erase the nightmares, but somehow, they had ended up in
the same place.  Talia decided she would think about that later.  She had to
concentrate on the now.  But it wasn't that easy.

    As she gently placed the oxygen mask over the boy's face, she gently
stroked the blond hair back from his eyes.  If she were to close her own
eyes, she could almost pretend that her little brother was still alive. 
Almost.  But her brother had been dead for many years.  Nothing could bring
him back.  She had to remember that, and help this boy.  He had a sister as
well, and she would need him.  Talia was no psychic, couldn't see the future.
 But she didn't need to, in order to know that.

    Once she was satisfied that further moving their unexpected guest
wouldn't cause more damage to his already battered body, Talia said softly,
"We need to get him to the cabin.  I'll stay with him."  Shawn started to
protest, and Talia smiled at him, saying softly, "You're the better pilot,
and I'm the better medic.  We can switch roles another time."

    Shawn closed his mouth with a snap and replied, "You're absolutely right.
 I'm sorry.  I'll take his feet, you take his shoulders."  Talia bobbed her
head, smiling, and gently slid her hands under the boy's shoulders.  His head
fell lightly against her arm as they picked him up.  Ciara met them at the
door, leading them to the cabin she had arranged. 

    Once more, Talia was reminded of her lost brother.  The way his head had
lolled limply against her forearm as he died.  He had died in her arms, his
small lifeless body cradled against her own thin, impossibly fragile body. 
Talia forced the memories back.  She would have to face them later, but for
now. . .for now, she would see to this child.


.                         .                         .


    Despite the steps taken by the husband and wife, as well as young Ciara,
it was almost a week before they were somewhat positive Zechs Merquis would
live.  He was weaker than they originally feared.  His injuries were only
part of the equation.  The morning after his rescue, he developed a high
fever.  That week was spent in a vigil at his side for Talia, while Shawn
piloted their craft.  She ate and slept, since Ciara would spell her at their
patient's side.  But she only left the boy's side to eat and sleep, and
attend to other bodily functions.

    Shawn admitted that the boy seemed more willing to fight for his life
while Talia was there, for reasons neither of them understood.  Any more than
they understood his seeming desire to die.  He just lay on the bed, usually
unconscious.  When he was conscious, it was only for a few moments, and he
was delirious. 

    Usually, he was crying.  Crying, begging, for his sister to forgive him.
. .but someone had to atone for the weakness, the sins, of humanity.  For the
incessant wars to end, a sacrifice had to be made.  And if it took such a
terrible cost, so be it.  If people despised his name from the end of time,
if it ended war. . .it was necessary.

    "But you're just a boy," Talia whispered after one such confession, "just
a child.  How can you, one mere boy, atone for so many?"  She shook her head,
gently stroked his hair back from his forehead, and that quieted him.  He
spoke of others. . .but most of his conversations, most of his words, were
for his beloved little sister.

    As the days passed and Zechs hovered between life and death, Talia found
herself facing her brother's death once more.  She had been sixteen years old
when her brother had been killed.  They had been on a family vacation to the
Sank kingdom, upon an invitation from her father's old friend, the king
himself. 

    King Peacecraft had welcomed them warmly, introducing them to his wife,
the queen Katerina, and their two children.  The little prince Miliardo had
bowed politely, then returned to his fencing lesson.  The king and her father
began talking, Mother had put Petyr to bed. . .he was sharing a room with the
prince, at the royal little boy's insistence.  That left Talia alone with the
queen, and her baby daughter Relena.

    It seemed so strange, these years later, that it was Talia's family who
had rescued the prince, now called Zechs.  Almost as if someone, or rather
Someone, wanted to give her a second chance.  Petyr had been the same age as
the prince.  Her brother had died in her arms when she was sixteen, in part
because Petyr and Talia had been instructed to protect the prince in any way
they could.  In any way they could find.  They had found that way.  Would she
have the opportunity to save this young man, when she had been unable to save
her brother?  And perhaps, in doing so, earn the forgiveness of her parents?

    These questions were put aside, for she needed to concentrate on healing
her patient, who daily struggled with his own battles and demons.  A week
after they found his Gundam floating in a field of rubble, Zechs Merquis
awoke.  If Talia had believed their lives would get interesting before, the
weeks which followed his awakening proved her point.


------------------------

He. . .hurt.  Which was strange, because he had always believed that death
would end all pain.  But he hurt now.  Oh, by the gods, he hurt.  If there
was a part of his body which didn't hurt, he didn't know about it.  Then he
heard a soft, young girl's voice.  Relena?  The girl said, "Mom, he's waking
up.  No, I think he's really waking up!" 

    At that, Zechs Merquise did force his eyes open.  He was wrong.  He
wasn't dead.  And despite the whispering in the back of his mind, the girl at
his side wasn't his little sister Relena.  The girl, who seemed a little
younger than Relena, did beam at him, saying, "It's an honor to have you
aboard, Colonel Merquise!"   The child. . .perhaps twelve or thirteen years
of age, snapped a salute which would have put half of Oz to shame, as well as
the majority of White Fang.

    Zechs started to answer, but blinding pain shot through his torso,
robbing him of the ability to speak.  Colonel Merquise.  He hadn't heard that
in a long time.  Not long enough, however.  A soft hand touched his forehead,
caressed his hair, and a voice said, "Easy. . .don't try to talk.  We weren't
sure if you would make it."  Zechs closed his eyes against the pain, forcing
himself to relax. . .and slowly, the pain eased.

    Once he was reasonably certain he could talk in a low voice without
blinding pain, Zechs whispered, "Where am I?  Who are you? What happened?" 
Now the pain began taking over again.  But with the pain, with consciousness,
came questions.  He could only vaguely remember the battle with Heero Yuy. 
And he remembered he had meant to die.  So. . .how was it possible he was
alive?

    "You're aboard our salvage ship.  It doesn't have a name, it doesn't
really need one.  My name is Talia Malloy, and this is Ciara.  We found you
about a week ago, after your Gundam battle," that same soft voice answered. 
Zechs forced himself to open his eyes, and the woman said, "Ciara, turn down
the lights, so they don't hurt our guest's eyes."

    "Okay, Mom.  Should I tell Daddy that he's awake?" the girl asked.  Her
mother assented, then the girl, Ciara, ran from the room.  With the lights
not as bright, Zechs focused on the woman sitting beside him.  She looked
vaguely familiar, though he couldn't place her.  His head hurt, his body
hurt, his soul hurt, too much for him to concentrate on where he had seen her
before.  The young woman looked to be about twenty-five or thirty, with curly
dark hair and dark hazel eyes.

    She smiled at him and said softly, "We weren't sure you'd pull through. 
You're as strong-willed as the rest of your family."  Zechs blinked. . .she
knew of his family?  His. . .father?  Talia. . .that was her name, wasn't it?
 Talia?  He thought that was what she had said.  She knew his family?  But
she said gently, "You look like your father.  I'm sure he's very proud of
you.  Your mother, too."

    "I've disappointed them both.  My father believed in pacifism, and I
became a warrior," Zechs answered, then moaned in pain.  He should have died,
he had wanted to die. He had told Heero Yuy that they would met again,
because he believed they would on the other side.  With Treize.  But not now,
for Heero was needed to protect Relena.  Talia's fingers brushed through his
hair, and the pain began to ease once more.

    "I seriously doubt that.  You did what was necessary to survive, what was
necessary to protect your little sister.  And you succeeded.  For that alone,
they're proud of you.  No more talking.  You were hurt very badly.  Just rest
for now, and we can talk later.  I promise to answer what questions I can. 
Sleep," she said.

    Zechs again tried to protest, but Talia repeated, stroking his forehead,
"Sleep, my little love.  Just sleep."  Against his will, Zechs found his eyes
closing and the darkness came in and claimed him. 
In his dreams, he was six years old, before his world fell apart, before his
family was destroyed. . .while he was still worthy of love.


.                         .                         .


    "So how is he?" Shawn asked as he joined his wife and daughter in the
galley.  Ciara had raced to the cockpit, out of breath and gasping that he
was awake, Colonel Zechs was awake.  Shawn had followed her to the med-cabin,
where the young man was once more losing consciousness.  But he had seen the
relief in his wife's dark hazel eyes, and that was all he needed to know for
that moment.

    "Well, like I said after I did a more thorough examination, he's damn
lucky to be alive.  Broken ribs, internal bleeding, a punctured lung.  From
what I could gather from the information we downloaded from his Gundam before
we stripped it and blew it up, he was knocked unconscious in the blast.  The
explosion blasted him through the ship before the block hit the atmosphere,
and Heero Yuy blasted it with that cannon of his," Talia answered, wiping her
hands on her slacks.

    She paused, then continued, "I also downloaded the voice files, talking
to the other pilots and to the White Fang.  One of the arms had already been
taken off during his battle with Heero Yuy.  According to what I've heard,
some of these Gundam Suits have their own consciousness, their own. .
.intelligence."

    "So, what you're saying, Mom, is that it protected him?  How?" Ciara
asked.  Shawn looked at his wife questioningly, and Ciara went on, "I mean,
when the explosion took place, shouldn't the cockpit have been destroyed? 
Shouldn't it have been totally destroyed, since he was the one who started
the process?"

    "You'd think so, yes.  But that's where the suit comes in.  If the suit
does have a consciousness of its own, it's entirely likely that the suit
tried to protect him.  Think about it.  The positioning of your body, or
another, at the time of impact decides how badly the impacted body will be
injured.  The suit may have turned sideways after the initial blast, the one
that knocked him unconscious.  That way, only the remaining limbs were
blasted away, leaving the torso intact," Talia answered.

    "And what of the life-support system?  Would the suit be able to keep his
life support system going, even with the hits it must have taken as it was
blow through the ship?" Shawn asked.  Talia shrugged. . .none of them really
knw that much about Gundam Suits.  Shawn was silent for a few moments, then
asked his wife, "So what now?"

    "I don't know," she admitted with a sigh, leaning back against the
cabinets, "I really don't know.  I have an uneasy feeling that we'll need to
keep a watch on him.  While I was talking to him, I had the impression that
he felt he didn't deserve to live.  Nothing specific that he said,
particularly.  Just the sadness in his voice when he said that he had
disappointed his parents.  Nothing concrete, no reason. . .just a feeling.
But, unless we want our efforts to go to waste, we have to convince him that
it's worth it. . .that life is worth it."

    "How do we do that, Mom?  And why would he want to die?" Ciara asked in
puzzlement.  Shawn smiled faintly at his daughter, understanding her
confusion.  She had grown up in space, she had grown up free, surrounded by
people who loved her.  Even after the death of her mother, ten years earlier,
she had been surrounded by love.  Advantages which had been denied to
Miliardo Peacecraft. . .Zechs Merquise.  He and Talia had been talking a
great deal during the last week.  About the tragedy which had brought her to
him and Elene.

    "Because, honey, in order to survive, he had to do some terrible things. 
And he can't forgive himself for that.  Remember how he would cry in his
sleep, about wanting his sister to forgive him?  That's what I'm talking
about.  But we have to convince him to forgive himself.  We have to convince
him that life is worth it. . .that he's worth it," Talia answered.

    "Which brings us back to the original question.  How?" Shawn asked. 
Talia sighed again.  Shawn got the picture.  She was as clueless as they
were.  But Shawn found he was just as determined to keep that young man alive
as his wife was.  His motivations were different than hers, but their ends
were the same.

    "Ciara, before you were born, I was a lot like that young man.  I didn't
believe I deserved to live.  But your father and mother taught me that the
only way a person can atone for what they've done, or failed to do, is by
living.  And they loved me.  It sounds terribly corny. . .but it's true.  We
convince him to keep living, by loving him," Talia answered.

    Shawn considered his wife's words.  Love.  Could something so simple so
necessary to save the life of a young man?  Why not?  As Talia had said, it
had been love which saved her when he and Elene had found her all those years
ago.  True, Zechs Merquise was older, and had even more on his soul than that
lost little girl had.  But it was a place to start.

To Be Continued in the Next Story