"Lady Mercury. Are you Ok?" Mercury sighed, a dreamy stare still in her eyes. She looked at him and she recovered complete consciousness.

Suri let go of her hand, as she sat on the bench. "What's going on?" she asked, blinking her eyes and looking around her.

"You fainted inside, Lady Mercury."

"I did? Oh, yes; I remember now. I'm sorry if I scared you."

"Don't worry. Now that you are fine, I feel better."

Mercury stretched, and stood up. Suri followed her with his eyes. She walked to the edge of the balcony, where she leaned forward, and rested her elbows on it. She started looking to the stars, to the Moon Gardens they had below them, to Earth, to space. He didn't know what to do.

They continued in silence, until a sigh escaped from her lips. "It's beautiful, isn't it?"

"What?"

"Everything. Life. In nights like this one, I wish I had him by my side."

Suri thought, about to jump in happiness. Is she thinking about me? He kept quiet, wanting to hear more. But, she said nothing, just looked at the stars, and he noticed (with a mental leap of joy), that her gaze seemed locked to Earth, the blue planet which hovered above them. Then, he understood--but if he wanted her to talk, he would have to make her. He stood up, and walked to her side. There, he leaned near her, in the same position she was.

"You know something Lady Mercury? You called me Zoisite before you fainted. Is he the him you've been talking about?" He saw as Mercury's eyes saddened a little, but he knew he had crossed her emotional defenses.

"Yes," came the reply, another whisper, as her eyes became watery. He couldn't hold himself. Her arms ached to embrace her, to comfort her, to kiss the tears away from her beautiful eyes, to make her happy again. But then, she talked, silent tears leaving her eyes, wetting her cheeks, just as three weeks ago, he had seen her on that fateful beach.

"We were lovers. I loved him with all my soul; I still do. But I was afraid," she paused, to try and wipe the tears off her cheeks. It didn't work, they just kept coming. "I was afraid for him. You see, I've had a doomed destiny since I was born. First, my father died, defending my planet from an alien invasion. Then, my mother passed away too, defending me and our people until her vital energy disappeared completely. She had reinforced the planetary shields, to keep us safe, from another aliens. We seem to have a predisposition for being attacked don't you think?" She stopped again, trying this time to stable her voice. She had never told this to anyone, and here she was, telling her deepest secrets to someone she met just some minutes ago.

She smiled, a faint grin, which trembled as more memories came. "Then, my dear sister, Lina, took the throne. She was an excellent queen, but then again, I loved her too much. She was betrayed by her own lover, and died in front of me. I couldn't cry, I didn't have any tears left."

"So, when I met him, my Zoi, I was so afraid, yet so overwhelmed by his love that I couldn't deny my feelings. I had managed to stay away from men, because I knew that if I ever loved someone too deeply, he would soon leave me."

"But, when I saw him, it was like a blind-fold was taken away from my eyes. He helped me overcome my shyness, he was my support. He occupied the empty space my family had left in my heart. I loved him so much, it was like being in hell when I was apart from him. He was everything to me, and for that, I couldn't let him die. I tried to forget my past, but it was always there, hunting me like a beast. Whenever I slept, nightmares would came, and remember me he would die. Every time I closed my eyes, I saw my mother, my father, my sister, their deaths playing in my mind. I was able to hide it from him, and from everyone, until that day at the beach."

She silenced again, looking at him this time. Her eyes were crying, and so was her heart. She was opening to him like a book, letting him read every single part of her.

"You see? I love him too much to let him suffer. But I couldn't bring myself to tell him this, I knew I couldn't handle it. But that day, I fell asleep, and I dreamed again. This time, it was so real. It was as if I was really there. I could see him, surrounded by fire, screaming in pain. I saw him calling me, but I couldn't move. The fire was evil; I could feel it. Around me were hundreds of eyes, red, evil eyes, which were laughing, and looking at me, all at the same time. I saw him starting to burn, but I could do nothing. I tried to get to him, but again I couldn't move. I screamed for someone to help him, to stop this torture, but only an evil laughter answered. And then, he cried, his last cry in agony, and his green eyes looked at me with love. How could he still love me, if this was all my fault? I could clearly hear as the laughing went louder, and then ended abruptly. Zoi's body crushed on the ground, and I could finally move. But it was too late. She had died, in front of me, as all my family had!"

Mercury's tears were desperate now. Sobs racked through her body, and Suri knew what he had to do. He took her shoulder, and carried her to him. She didn't resist, and let him take her. He hugged her, and the girl cried in his arms. Suri finally understood everything. That day, she was crying for me! And I left her, like an idiot! Why didn't I listen to her? I can be so stupid sometimes!

He was relieved. Everything was a mistake. He hadn't let her finish, and that was what had caused all this trouble. How could I ever doubt of her love? She is so innocent, so pure. She can't think evil, what was I thinking? Again, he was interrupted by the muffled voice, which came from against his chest. Mercury was speaking again.

"He woke me up, and I discovered I had been crying in my sleep. He convinced me to tell him, but I couldn't find the right words. I was a fool! I made him believe I didn't love him, and he left. It's all my fault!"

Suri frowned, and took her face in his hands. She lifted it, and made her look at him. "No! It wasn't your fault! Don't you ever think that again! Do you hear me?" Mercury's tears made her face shine in the night, giving her the appearance of a suffering angel.

And that's what she is for me, she is my angel, and I made her suffer!

"But...(sob)... it is. (gasp). Don't you see it? All this is because of me! I never deserved him, and this is my punishment" Suri took her by the shoulders now, and he smiled, as tears started coming out of his eyes too. He tried to grin, but he couldn't. Then, he started singing, in a whisper, so low, only she could hear:

Then, he quieted, and silence spread through them. He talked again, as he saw Mercury was too surprised to speak: "Mercury--Ami, listen to me. You had nothing to do with this. You aren't being punished by anyone. You aren't doomed to be alone, and it wasn't your fault your family died. And forget about dumping me because of a damn worry. I love you too much to let you leave me. On the beach, I promised you I would never let you go, remember? Well, this time, I'm going to make that promise true."

"I have you back now, and I will never ever let go. I don't care if our relationship is doomed, because I would be happy to die tomorrow, if it is in your arms. Believe, I've suffered, too. I thought you didn't love me any longer, but now I know all this was a mistake. A mistake we'll never make again. So, do you hear me? Never ever think that your future is already written. You make your own future. If you want something, you'll always achieve it, if you try hard enough."

He had to stop, his emotions were too strong. Only then did he notice he had been speaking in the first person. He looked at Mercury, and saw her gasping in surprise, a look of disbelief in her eyes.

"Zo... Zoi? Is that you?"