Gundam Wing Fan Fiction ❯ Anything Would be Better Than Your Good-bye on a Bad Day ❯ The Wings of Courage You Have Given Me ( Chapter 2 )

Written By: Minako-hime and R.S. Xavior

Disclaimer: We renounce any ownership to Gundam Wing or any of it characters. They are owned by Bandai, Sunrise, and its respective creators. So please don't sue us because combined, all we have are ten cats and two very annoying computers. Plus we are not getting paid to write this.

Relena lay in the bed sound asleep, her pale skin illuminated by the moon peeking in her room. Meanwhile, Heero slowly stretched as he settled into bed. He was dressed only in his black boxer shorts as he pulled the covers over himself. He set the alarm clock to wake him just as dawn would open its windows to the world. And before he knew it, he had joined Relena and everyone else in the land of dreams.

A few hours passed, and Relena woke up in the middle of the night. She stared up at the ceiling of her room wondering why she had waked. She spotted the buzzer on the floor. In her attempt to reach it, she fell out of the bed and landed on the floor pretty hard. She lay thinking the words "Oh no" in her mind. Heero heard the sudden bumping somewhere and woke up. He was a light sleeper, thank goodness. He grabbed his gun, ready to shoot anyone who would try to break in. Relena began feeling dizzy, coupled with spasms in her head, and she screamed out from the pain. Heero heard the muffled scream coming from the room. He threw his gun to the floor and opened the door to Relena's room. Relena had managed to get back on her bed and sit upright. She was shaking while holding her head.

"Relena!" Heero said as he knelt in front of her with his face full of concern.

"Ahh!" was all she got out, not noticing him because of the throbbing pain in her head.

"Relena, are you okay?" he asked as he placed his hand on top of hers and shook her a little.

"Heero...? Ugh... I'm... not... okay..." she answered, as she became aware of him there from his touch and his voice.

"Another spell. Should I find some aspirin or stay here?" Heero asked as he tightened his grip on her hand.

"I... don't know... I can't... even... think... with... all this..." she said, wrapping her arms weakly around him.

Heero decided to stay, and his free hand started rubbing her temple, hoping to calm whatever she had. She held him close, partly because of the awful pain, and partly because of how much she loved him.

"I'm sorry I wish I could do more," Heero commented.

She felt a little of his pain and decided she should try to comfort him from his worry. She placed her stronger arm upon the middle of his back. She started sliding her arm up and down his back, slowly and weakly. He glanced around the room, trying to find something that could help her right now. His eyes finally came to rest upon a bottle he had not noticed before sitting on her nightstand. He noticed her trying to comfort him and smiled.

"No need to comfort me," Heero said calmly.

"Yes... I do... because... I want to... take care of you... I can't let you do... all the work…" she responded.

"Your head hurts, right?" he asked.

"Yeah…" she answered, looking up to him, a little startled. She clung to him, bracing herself and holding onto him like an anchor, but also keeping close because of her love.

"If you let me go for a second, I think I see something Sally left for you," Heero said, stroking her hair.

Relena reluctantly let go of him, but combed her fragile hand through a few strands of his wild, brown hair, loving it. Heero smiled as she combed her hand through his hair. He took her hand and placed a kiss on it before he retrieved the bottle and a glass of water and quickly returned to her side.

"I'm sorry you... have to take care of me like this..." she said, looking at him and feeling a bit guilty.

"It's nothing. I don't mind," Heero replied, opening the bottle and taking out a single pill. She looked at the pill, detesting it because of her dislike of medicine.

"It can only help," Heero said, holding the pill out in his open palm. She took it in her hand, her hand shaking a little bit, and she put it in her mouth, taking some water with it.

"That should help," Heero commented.

"Thank you, " Relena responded.

"Do you want me to stay until you fall back asleep?" Heero asked, smiling at her comment.

"You don't mind?" she questioned as she hand clutched his hand more tightly.

"I don't mind," Heero answered.

"Thank you," she replied, wrapping her arms around him and resting securely in his own.

"Besides, I know you would the same for me if I was in your condition," Heero added, wrapping one of his arms around her waist and the other lying upon her upper back.

"You're so good to me..." she whispered, kissing him softly and weakly, keeping close to him.

Heero closed his eyes and kissed her back. The pain in her head began to subside, and she continued the kiss. He wrapped his arms tighter around her, pulling her closer to himself. He made sure that he was not hurting her, though.

She stopped feeling dizzy, the spell having passed, and the pain was hardly there anymore.

"I love you... Heero-chan.." she said softly.

"Aishiteru, Relena-chan," he replied.

She suddenly went limp again, her eyes closed as she lay in his arms, cold again. Heero sighed, seeing deja vu coming into play. He lay her gently back onto the bed and pulled the covers over her. He noticed the teddy bear he gave her resting on her night stand. He placed it in her arms and turned to leave the room. He closed the door quietly, hoping she would sleep like for the rest of the night. She lay there peacefully, cold and pale again as she held the bear, a much too peaceful expression on her face. Heero slipped back into bed and fell asleep with a smile upon his face. She slept peacefully, not dreaming, the buzzer still resting on the floor.

The morning came all too quickly for Heero as his alarm clock rang. He sat up on his bed and gathered his clothes for the day to go change. Relena didn't wake up with the stimulating light, the peaceful expression still on her face. She needed her rest greatly. Heero managed to take a shower and get dressed. He wore his green tank top with his jeans. He made little noise, hoping not to wake Relena. Zechs knocked silently on Heero's door. Heero opened it, a tired expression on his face.

"Breakfast is almost ready," Zechs whispered.

"Hn," Heero replied.

Relena stirred, hearing the knock on Heero's door, and she blinked her eyes from the light coming in her room.

Zechs nodded at Heero's response. Heero adjusted his voice to a low whisper.

"I will stay up here in case she wakes. Do me a favor and bring our trays up here," Heero whispered.

"Okay," Zechs replied, walking down the stairs, but stopped as Noin came up.

"How is she, Heero?" Noin asked, standing nervously beside Zechs.

"Sleeping. She woke up last night, but I think she felt better after I helped her," Heero answered.

"What happened?" Noin asked as she narrowed her eyes, knowing she did more than just waking up.

"She had one of her dizzy spells, so I gave her some medicine, and she went back to sleep." Heero quickly answered.

"I'm glad she's okay... I was so worried about her last night," Noin replied.

"I think we all were," Zechs added. Relena stirred in her bed and saw the buzzer still on the floor, and she tried to get it.

"I think she is awake," Heero said, hearing movement coming from her room.

"Oww...." she said as she fell down from the bed, knocking over her bedside table on top of her. Heero, Zechs, and Noin ran inside the room at the loud crash. Their eyes widened at the sight. Heero rushed to her side and lifted the table off of her.

"Are you okay?" he asked.

"Yes... a little bruised... but I think I'm okay..." she replied, looking a little embarrassed.

"What did I tell you about trying to get out of bed without help?" Zechs asked.

"I... I wasn't trying to get out of bed. I was trying to get the buzzer," she said, pointing to it.

"I apologize then," Zechs replied.

"Now you can not fall out trying to get it," Heero said after he placed her gently in bed. He picked up the buzzer and lay it right beside her head.

"It fell out last night... before you came in here..." she responded.

"So that explains it. Why didn't you tell me before?" Heero asked as Noin sighed behind them.

"I... I couldn't tell you when I was in that much pain, Heero..." she answered.

"Heero, why didn't you tell us about that?" Noin asked as she tensed up.

"I didn't want to wake all of you up," Heero answered. Relena looked down at her hands, beginning to bruise with the impact, along with other various spots on her body.

"Please, be more careful next time," Heero said as he examined one of her hands.

"I will..." she said, slightly nervous as she looked up at him.

"Breakfast will be here soon. I will eat up here," Heero added.

"No... I can't deprive you of eating with everyone else... I'm sure you miss talking to Duo and all the other pilots..." she responded, squeezing his hand slightly.

"Do you know how bad Duo's manners are? I can talk to them when I feel like it," he quipped.

"Thanks..." she replied as her face reddened, and it looked awkward on her pale face.

"You had better go downstairs if you want to get something before Duo eats it all," Heero said, looking to Noin and Zechs.

"Good idea...." they both said as they left the room.

"I can't believe... you're doing all this..." Relena commented.

"You could say I am making up for lost time," Heero replied as he sat down on the edge of her bed.

She held his hand as tightly as she can, though very loosely because of her condition. She leaned in closer to him. Heero got the idea and leaned closer to her as well. Her body was noticeably thinner, and her bones stuck out, and he was quite able to feel it.

"Oh Relena…" he sighed as he felt how fragile she was.

"I hate being so frail like this..." she said as she sighed, knowing the reason behind his concern.

"All the more reason for you to eat everything on your plate," Heero retorted.

"I don't even know if I can..." she answered, smirking a bit at the comment.

"Well, try; I won't force to eat what you cannot," he replied. At that moment, Wufei walked in carrying two trays on either of his arms.

"I managed to get these past Maxwell," Wufei commented.

"I wish I could eat like that..." she said, giggling lightly at the comment.

"Thank you. Set them on the table for now," Heero nodded to Wufei as Relena looked down at her frail figure solemnly.

"Just don't let Maxwell catch you two cuddling like that. He would have a ball," Wufei said as he set the trays down.

"True." She now blushes, red as a beet.

"I will try to keep him at bay. I still owe him for scratching my katana," Wufei said, going to the door.

"Thank you," Relena said as Wufei nodded in response and left.

"This one is yours," Heero said, setting a tray on her lap.

"I'll try to eat it all," she said, looking at her tray and taking her fork in hand.

"If you can't eat it all, I will understand," Heero smiled, picking up his tray. He folded one of his legs under the other and lay his tray there.

"It's hard to eat... when my body's this messed up..." she said, taking a small bite and chewing slowly, swallowing with difficulty.

"You can only do so much, so don't try to push yourself... You know, this is the first home cooked meal I have had since my father died," Heero said as he started to eat.

"I'm sorry, Heero," she said as her eyes saddened a bit.

"You couldn't have helped it," Heero replied.

"When did your father die?" she asked and took another bite.

"It was on L3X18999... I was only eight years old at the time (1). He had a mission to destroy an Alliance base because at the time, we worked for the Organization of the Zodiac later called OZ... He said it was his last one. His boss stopped his mission and shot him in his heart. When I arrived, it was all too late, and he was on his dying breath," Heero explained as Relena leaned in more closely to comfort him. "But then a few months ago, I found out that he worked for Dekim. Dekim had ordered him to assassinate the pacifist Heero Yui. My father did so, but Dekim still killed him."

"That's so awful... Why... did he kill him when he obeyed orders?" she asked.

"Dekim wanted to make sure that no one could speak... He wanted to keep Operation Meteor a secret, and my father knew too many secrets," he answered, staring at his plate, suddenly losing his appetite. His eyes were deep in thought.

"I'll always... take care of you..." she said as she held his arm as tightly as she could.

"Thank you… Maybe now would be a good time to tell you my real name since you know some of my past," he replied.

"I don't mind," she answered as she looked up to him. She clung to him tightly, trying to comfort him.

"Odin Lowe, Jr., after my father," he said, smiling. "You are the only one that knows that besides myself."

"It's quite ironic... isn't it?" she replied.

"What is?" he asked.

"About you being the son of a man Dekim killed, then you basically worked under him..." she answered, blushing slightly.

"Oh, it is," he replied.

"I'll always love you..." Relena added.

"I'll always love you too, Relena. Just do me a favor. Don't go around in public calling me "Odin," okay?" Heero replied, smiling.

"You won't have to ... worry about that. I'm too used to calling you, Heero..." she responded, eating more of her food.

"Suits me just fine," Heero said, starting to eat again as well.

"What's wrong?" she asked, noticing how he ate a little slower than normal after losing his appetite.

"Nothing..." he answered.

"You're lying…" she said after she stopped eating and looked up to him.

"I was just thinking about father... I miss him..." he finally got out.

"I'm sorry," she said as her face saddened, and she leaned closer to him. "I was so scared... when I got sick... I thought I would lose you..."

"You can't lose me anymore," he answered, eyes downcast to the floor. "As father said do as my heart tells me... So I shall stay..."

"I just worry about you..." she said, squeezing his hand tightly.

"How?" Heero asked.

"You're always protecting me..." she sighed. "It's just... something is bound to happen..."

"You must understand I cannot help that. You are more important to this world than I am. But I understand the great pain you would be in if something did happen to me. So I promise to be more careful from now on," Heero answered.

"Will you still allow me to protect you...? Even if something bad happens...?" she asked.

"Yes, if that is what you want," he said, nodding.

"I'm glad..." she replied, smiling brightly.

"You may not be the one who can't finish this meal," Heero said, setting his fork down.

She sighed and picked up his fork. She took some of his pancakes in it and dipped it in the syrup. She put the fork up to his mouth and forced him to take the bite into his mouth. He slowly chewed it and then swallowed. He looked at her in bewilderment.

"What was that for?" he asked.

"Not if I can help it... You're healthy, so you have no excuse," she said, smiling a little devilishly. "I don't want you getting sick."

"You win. I'll eat," he replied, laughing a bit.

"Thank you," she responded, smiling sweetly. She began eating hers again, trying to finish it.

Heero picked up his fork and began eating again, and soon enough he had finished. "Happy?" he said, grinning at her.

"Yes," she said, smiling back, not done with her own. She placed her hand on his as she disguised how hard it was for her to finish.

"You can stop if you are full. I won't be mad," Heero commented.

"I can't hide anything from you..." she said, pushing the tray back. "But did I do well, though?"

"Yes, you ate more than I thought you would," he replied, taking the trays and placing them outside the door.

"I tried my best," she said, lying against the bed, exhausted.

"And that's all I ask," he replied and sat down on the edge of her bed. "Maybe you should rest now."

"I don't want you...to go..." she said, saddened a bit.

"Then, I will stay here," came his reply.

"I'm always such a bother," she said, looking at her bruised hands.

"No, you are not. Without you around, some people see no purpose in life," he quipped.

"Heero, you have plenty of purpose without me here..." she said, tightening her grip on Heero's hand.

"No, what I mean is you helped me find myself again, and without you around, I would still be lost," he retorted.

"Without you, I definitely would have had no purpose...I didn't like my life either..." she replied, smiling.

"And if you will allow it, I want to start all over again... I will live my life from now on, living by my father's words," he said, smiling.

"I'm so honored," she said, smiling again.

"No need to be," he replied.

"I'll always take care of you...if you will allow me to..." she stated.

"As you wish. And I will allow you to take care of me," he replied, managing another smile.

She leaned up and planted a soft kiss on his lips, then went limp again in his arms, falling back towards the bed again. Her eyes were already half closed.

"I'm so tired," she whispered.

"Then go to sleep," he replied.

She closed her eyes, her hands limply resting on the bed, her only movement the soft elevation of her lungs as she breathed. Heero lay her gently against the bed. Remembering her words, he grabbed a book from her shelf and began to read in a chair near her bed. He whispered, "Oyasuminasai, Relena-chan," in her direction as he sat down to read. She smiled in her slumber, happy that he was near her. Heero relaxed back into the chair, reading the book. He just hoped that she would be able to sleep for a while. At that moment, a small notebook fell from her nightstand since it was near the edge, opening up to a poem. Heero glanced at the fallen book and picked it up. He started to read its contents. It was entitled "Rescue Me" in beautiful cursive handwriting, a poem that was a bit shocking to read, coming from her.

"Rescue Me"

Rescue me...

Rescue me from the blade you pierced in my heart.

Pull it out, be gentle;

My heart's so fragile, you know.

Why did you hurl this blade,

Here in my heart,

Why?

To laugh at me?

No, that can't be it.

Rescue me from all this suffering,

Rescue me, I pray.

Why don't you hear me?

It's so obvious, you know,

The pain I feel for you.

How many times have I called your name?

How many times have you not turned around?

I keep crying it out, every precious syllable.

You're the first person I've felt this for,

Why do I feel this way?

Perhaps because I love you.

But for now,

Just rescue me (2).

Heero read the poem and imagined Relena as the girl being described, and he was the one holding the blade. He looked to her form and sighed.

"I am sorry if I caused you that much pain," he said to her sleeping form.

The light coming in from the window illuminated the poem. Relena stirred a bit, but didn't wake, turning in her sleep. "Mm…" was all that came from her mouth. Heero closed the book and set it back on her nightstand.

"But that won't happen again," he said, going back to the chair.

--Meanwhile, in a mansion outside of the Sanc Kingdom--

A woman sat upon her elegant chair. It was meant for royalty or someone of high rank. Two soldiers were standing by her side. Her long black hair wavered slightly as she looked to one of her spies. Her green eyes pierced through her gaze in the most disturbing way. Her fingers tapped against the armrest of the red-colored chair. She raised her eyebrows once the female spy finished her report.

"So we have found the son of the rat, Odin," the woman on the chair said, smiling. "That is good to hear. And since he is preoccupied, let's give him a little present, shall we?"

"Yes my lady, Dreia," the spy replied.

"Have them prepare to execute our plan," Dreia said, motioning her off. "All who know our secrets must be eliminated. And that includes him. He knows too much for my liking."

An evil smirk formed on her face. She rose from her chair. Her black cape wavered in the air as she walked towards the stairwell. The darkness shaded her dark blue dress pants and black flannel jacket. She took the gun strapped to her side out of its holster and marveled at its beauty. Her smirk changed into a devilish smile as she walked further into the shadows.

"And by this gun shall your wings fall," Dreia said, walking off.

-To Be Continued...

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Well, that is it for this chapter. We will have the next posted ASAP. We appreciate the reviews you have been sending us. We would enjoy reading more of them. And now that R.S. Xavior has typer's cramps I will tend to my poor hands and fingers. Minako-hime is suffering from sleep deprivation from staying up so late and editing the other chapter and must find sleep. Until next time...

- I got Heero's age by subtracting 15 (how old he was in the TV series) from A.C. 195 (the year the series takes place) to get A.C. 180 as his birth date. This incident of his father's death occurred in A.C. 188, so you do the math. And just for information, the pacifist Heero Yui was assassinated on April 07, A.C. 175. This date was one day and five years before Relena was born.

(2) - This is an actual poem written by my partner in writing this, Minako- hime. If you liked it, please tell her so by reviewing it. ^_^