Gundam Wing Fan Fiction ❯ Anything Would be Better Than Your Good-bye on a Bad Day ❯ Reconciliation ( Chapter 6 )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

Chapter Six: Reconciliation
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 their 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. But we do claim rights to Dreia, our original character.
Warning: There are a lot of quick scene changes in this chapter so please bear with us. I advice you to read slowly if you get lost somewhere.

Heero walked through the halls as he sneaked behind things to avoid detection from the others. Odin watched, undetected except by Heero as he made his way nimbly. Heero stopped, seeing Zechs walk by. Zechs turned his head this way and that, looking for someone. Relena smiled, feeling Odin's spirit as it roamed behind Heero. Quatre woke up suddenly, feeling the sudden change in the Heart of Outer Space.

"I was sure I heard someone," Zechs commented to himself. Zechs entered Relena's room and looked to the bed.
"Relena, Heero... Heero!!!! Where is he?!" Zechs exclaimed.

"They are on to me no time to waste," Heero whispered, moving on.

"Yes, son, hurry..." Odin added.

Relena looked up at her brother, faking confusion. "What?"

"Where is Heero?" Zechs asked.

Relena looked at her brother, trying to find some sort of answer. "I don't know..."

"That is it. I am conducting a search..." Zechs added.

Heero ran as fast as he could, darting behind whatever he could find. He finally reached his bedroom and locked the door behind him. He sighed and looked at Odin. "They will look for me... I will stay low tonight and rest up and move out tomorrow..." Heero commented.

"I'm sorry...I don't have any idea...brother.." Relena answered Zechs.

"Duo! Wufei! Trowa! Quatre! Come to Relena's room, immediately!" Zechs called over the intercom system.

"That isn't a good idea..." Odin said, watching his son. "Zechs already has a key…"

"Yes, but I need to rest.. I hate to admit this, but in my state, I won't make it there... I will camp out in the woods, then..." Heero replied, nodding.

Duo got up out of bed, still wearing his bed clothes, his hair looking like hell. Wufei looked up from the breakfast table and sighed. Trowa stopped running through papers and followed Zechs's orders. Quatre stopped reading the Koran and moved to the hospital room, knowing already what happened.

"If you look for him, I know you...won't be able...to find him...You know too..." Relena said, sitting up in her bed, looking at her brother.

"In his state..." Zechs replied.

Heero walked to his dresser and got his Preventer outfit and a change of regular clothes. He changed into the Preventer uniform and started looking for something under his bed.

"Okay... Who left?" Sally asked, walking into the room.

"Don't...underestimate...him…" Relena commented to Zechs as she started coughing.

"It was Heero, right?" Quatre asked, looking to Zechs, sleepily.

"Yes..." Zechs answered.

Odin smiled at Heero, seeing what he was looking for. He knew how much his son would need to go out there, and he was glad he was the one who taught him. Heero came out from under the bed with a backpack filled with only heaven knows what. He looked at the chain necklace in his hand. He opened the locket hanging loosely from it, revealing a picture of his younger self and Odin together.

"Remember?" Heero questioned.

"I was always so proud of you..." Odin replied, nodding.

Heero smiled and placed the necklace and small locket around his neck. He looked out the window and noticed the two story drop. "Well there is only one way down," Heero commented.

Relena looked at Quatre, her eyes telling him what had happened in more detail than he already knew.

"Calm down, Zechs. He might have gone and used the bathroom," Wufei said, walking in.

"It's good to see you smile again," Odin said.

"It doesn't happen often..." Heero added.

"With her it does..." Odin said, smirking, an exact replica of his son's.

"That's different..." Heero replied with the same smirk.

Heero jumped from the window and regreted it, the fall sending pain through his stomach. He held his stomach, grimacing and standing. "Itai…" he hissed.

"You're too good at hurting yourself," Odin remarked, wincing at his son's painful expression.

"I am told I am not in the best of shape right now…" Heero said, running into the nearby forest.

Quatre watched her eyes, understanding thoroughly what was in their depths, then nodded.

"Why would Heero need to use the bathroom, Wufei?" Zechs asked, looking confusedly at him.

Realization dawned on Wufei, his eyes opening wide. Relena stayed completely silent, looking at the ground, thinking.

"Odin? What can I tell them?" she thought to herself.

"Damn it, getting me out of bed at this time in the morning. It too early..." Duo said, walking in still in his bedclothes and hair still messed up.

"Why don't you drink some coffee, Maxwell House?" Wufei said, pulling Duo's messed up braid.

"Duo, what happened to you?" Trowa asked, walking in.

Duo looked at himself in the mirror, then ran out of the room. "Oh my Shingami!!!!" he yelled.

"Baka..." Wufei muttered.

"Tell him what he desires to hear… Either that, or I create a diversion..." Odin said only to Relena.

Relena noticed the decoy note that Heero left her on the bed and smiled slightly after she read it, then tried to hide it from her brother.

"What is that?" Zechs asked.

Relena looked up at her brother and gave him the note. "It's Heero's goodbye..." She forced tears from her eyes, even though she already knew what it was.

Zechs started reading and a secret smile grew on his face. "I'm sorry..." he said, faking sorrow.

Odin was a few feet behind his son, hovering and watching over him.

"I am sorry to inform you that I have left. I do not see fit in this world of pacifism... Relena, I have said before peace is fragile... too fragile… And for me, it is weakness. I hate weaknesses, and if you are one, then so be it... I will finish my mission and no longer associate myself with you. So forget about me because no matter what, I hate you..." Zechs read the note.

Heero stopped and sat by a tree, no longer able to move on. He breathed deeply. "I have to rest... Damn this weakness of mine..."

Odin hovered in front of him, a little scolding. "Don't you think that was a little harsh, son?"

"What was harsh?" Heero questioned.

Odin rested his ghostly form beside Heero. "The letter. I'm not sure if they will believe you."

"Zechs only knows me as the cold-hearted killer... And Relena understands... And what Zechs says goes around there…" Heero replied.

"You beat me on that one..." Odin remarked snickering slightly.

"Let's go... I feel better now…" Heero said, standing and running off again.

"Don't push yourself too hard, though. She's waiting for you to come back," Odin said, following him.

Relena forced false tears to come to her eyes, finding it hard to fake when she knew what was going on. Quatre walked over to Relena and pretended to comfort her. "I'm sorry," he said.

"I guess there is no use in looking for him, then..." Zechs stated.

"Right. He has made his intentions quite clear," Trowa said, nodding.

Relena hugged Quatre, acting as if she was crying into his shoulder, heartbroken. Wufei looked on passively, knowing he couldn't fake comforting Relena.

Sally took the note from Zechs's hands. "Well, he could have been a bit more kind with his words..."

"Most likely went back to the colonies, so there is nothing we can really do," Wufei added.

Relena faked hysterics. "NO!!!!" Quatre looked at her with mock concern, comforting her.

Sally walked back to Wufei. "Yes...I suppose there is nothing we can do…"

Heero ran for what he thought had been hours. Finally, he started coughing uncontrollably and landed on the ground, clinching his stomach. Odin sat down next to him, putting his hand on his shoulder protectively.

"Are you okay?" Odin asked him, afraid for his son.

Heero placed his hand to his mouth, forcing the rising bile in his throat back down.

Odin sighed and changed the subject. "That's one amazing girl you have back there..."

"Met her... when I came… to earth..." Heero replied, sitting up.

"She's certainly playing the part well right now...trying to give you a safe way out," Odin commented.

"Tell me…why have you…only been in my...dreams up until…now..." Heero asked.

"You had your missions to guide you in the past. Now that it's peacetime, I'm here to help you follow your heart, according to the advice I gave you," Odin answered.

"Makes... sense... luckily, no one can see you…except myself…and her..." Heero added.

"Well...you need some rest..." Odin said, looking to his exhausted son.

"No, I have to set up camp…You can't do it…You are a spirit..." Heero retorted, starting setting out things from backpack.

"Sadly, that is true," Odin said, watching Heero.

"I am the only thing you can touch without passing through..." Heero commented.

"Is that troubling you, son?" Odin asked, piercing through his son with his eyes.

"No…not really..." Heero replied, finishing camp.

Heero leaned against a tree with a blanket on his legs. A small, black box fell out of his backpack. He quickly gathered it into his hand. Odin looked at the small box and walked to his son, looking at him quizzically. Heero tried to hide the box in his hand.

Odin kept staring at his son's tightly closed hand. "Is that an engagement ring?"

"No…" Heero replied, slightly blushing.

Odin smiled at Heero. "No need to be embarrassed. I'm proud of you. I have waited for this day to come."

"I am not so sure about it now..." Heero commented.

Odin motioned his son to sit down beside him. "Why is that? You love her, don't you?"

"I do…But I am afraid…she won't live that long..." Heero answered, not able to move to sit next to his father.

"Well, if she's fallen in love with you...then she is too stubborn to die," Odin replied.

"That and her brother... You know the Japanese tradition says I must have her family's permission to marry her..." Heero said sadly.

Odin put his arm around Heero's shoulders. "Son, you already know that everyone approves except for him."
"Yes…but he is her only family…" Heero replied.

"I'm sure Noin can get him to come around..." Odin said. Odin got his reply by the soft sound of Heero's breathing as he slept. Odin stared at him. "You need it..."

-Meanwhile with the Others-

"With Heero gone, I guess the Sanc Kingdom is in no immediate threat from Dreia..." Zechs commented.

"He's going to be in danger..." Relena thought to herself.

Noin looked at Relena, studying her expression. "This doesn't make sense..."

"If you are so worried, tell the ones you trust to go after him..." Odin suggested.

Relena looked at Odin and replied to him, causing everyone's eyes to go on her. "You're right... He is in danger..."

"Relena, who are you talking to?" Zechs asked.

"I suggest Quatre and Wufei..." Odin said. Relena did not hear her brother and continued to stare at the ghost.
"Anyone but Duo and Zechs... They seem to upset him the most.." Odin added.

"That's true...I don't...want him to get...hurt…!" Relena replied.

Quatre and Wufei stared at the fragile girl, knowing whom she was talking to.

"I can only do so much... They know I'm here... Too bad they can't see me right now," Odin said.

Noin took the note from Zechs's hands. "This isn't right...Heero wouldn't do this!"

"They will...have to rescue...him...He's too head...strong…" Relena commented.

Odin disappeared for a moment to turn into wind, allowing the note in Noin's grasp to slip from her hand. He reappeared after that. "True…But we can't…call it rescue…or he will be mad..."

Noin looked at Zechs. "None of this is right..."

"How did you drop it?" Zechs asked, looking to Noin.

"It was the wind. It's blowing of its own will tonight..." Noin said, looking outside.

"Little does she know," Odin remarked, laughing.

"He...hates for any...one to res...cue him..." Relena replied.

"You must tell them somehow…" Odin said. Relena started laughing at the small jest and then started coughing.

"She seems to be hallucinating..." Sally commented. Somehow Odin's laugh carried to the others' ears.

"Duo, what's so funny?" Zechs asked, looking to Duo who had just entered.

"No one was laughing...not one of us at least..." Noin answered.

"Damn, I forgot about that..." Odin said to himself.

"Oh man, this place is haunted!!!" Duo said, running around in circles. "King Peacecraft has come back from the dead to kill us all!!!"

"Relax...He's not going to hurt you!" Quatre said, stopping Duo.

"We're all gonna die!" Duo yelled.

"You're gonna die first because you're so annoying! You're going to drive him to hurt you!" Wufei remarked.

"They must not know about me or who I am..." Odin said to Wufei, Quatre, and Relena.

"How...do I tell them...? What do...I need to tell...them?" Relena questioned.

"Just an idiot... That's all I am..." Odin replied.

"You...can always...make up for what... you did..." Relena replied.

"Not in the after life, my dear... I can only be seen by you and Heero... And he is the only one I can touch without passing through," Odin said sadly (1).

"Zechs, do you want me to give her a sedative? I think she's hallucinating..." Sally asked.

"Otherwise I have no power," Odin finished.

"You've taught him well...You've...already...made up for it in my...eyes..." Relena replied.

"Not something of that caliber," Odin remarked.

"I guess so," Zechs answered Sally.

Odin turned into the wind and blew hard at Zechs and Sally, then reappeared.

"What the hell?!" Zechs questioned loudly.

"Wait, Zechs. She may be talking to that ghost..." Noin commented.

"I don't like people going around saying my sister is crazy!" Zechs retorted.

Odin smiled and passed through Zechs, causing a chill to run up Zechs's spine.

"Okay, maybe I do believe you!" Zechs said, shivering for a moment.

"See what I mean? I wasn't saying your sister was crazy! " Noin replied.

Odin walked through him again for the heck of it, smirking.

"If you would just think, Zechs, this doesn't even make sense. You saw the way he took care of her, how he reacted at the bad news," Noin remarked.

"She is smart," Odin commented.

"So, Zechs are you scared?" Wufei asked.

"No, of course not!" Zechs answered, walking towards Relena. "Relena! Listen to me!"

Duo hides behind a potted plant. "King Peacecraft is back, I tell you!"

"Noin has...always been...his bet...ter half.." Relena replied to Odin.

"They would make a good married couple," Odim remarked, laughing.

"Shut up, baka! It's not King Peacecraft! Do you think he'd be haunting his son?" Wufei said to Duo.

"Yes..." Duo answered.

"Fire a single bullet and change history," Odin said so that everyone heard him.

"AH!!!" Duo screamed.

Relena became aware of everyone when Duo screamed, then snickered. "I thought you didn't want to...make yourself known…"

"I wanted to have a little fun…and hear him scream... As long as they don't know my name..." Odin replied.

"That phrase sounds familiar..." Zechs commented. In the background, Wufei snickered proudly at Duo's scream.

"From where, Zechs?" Trowa asked.

"I am gonna die... please, I will stop making sacrifices to Shinigami if I live through this," Duo said, looking to the sky and holding up his cross around his neck. Relena burst out laughing at Duo's comical words.

"I know those words...something about an assassination, obviously," Zechs said, answering Trowa.

"He wakes... Of course, pushing himself again..." Odin said to Relena.

Relena screamed, "Heero!" feeling his pain again as she doubled over. "Ahh!"

Zechs held his sister close to him. "Relena...He's gone. You know that."

"I must leave you, Relena. He needs me now..." Odin said.

Relena pushed her brother away. "You don't get any of it!"

"Take care of him, please..." Relena said as Odin disappeared.

"I promise..." Odin's voice said.

"I am just trying to help, and what don't I get?" Zechs asked.

"You've closed your mind to so much…! You don't understand him...You don't!!!" Relena yelled.

"Who don't I understand?" Zechs questioned.

"You don't understand Heero at all...! Or me because I love him…!" Relena said, sobbing loudly.

"Zechs, maybe we should give her time to herself," Wufei suggested.

"He's right...This hasn't been easy for her," Quatre added.

"Well, it appears I'm no longer welcome here…" Zechs mumbled, turning to leave.

Noin, Trowa, Duo, Zechs, and Sally left the room. Wufei and Quatre remained, looking on Relena understandingly.

"What did he say?" Wufei asked.

"He says that...you two...should head out and try...to help him...In truth...it would be a rescue," Relena answered.

"We had not better tell him that," Quatre added.

"And the others?" Wufei questioned.

"He didn't say...anything about...the others....Or I can't remember..." she replied.

"Well, we will move out in the morning. I will go get ready…" Wufei replied.

"You said the right thing to Zechs, Relena. He needed that," Quatre commented.

"I hate...saying things...like that to him…" she replied.

"Come on, Quatre, we have to prepare before anyone else knows," Wufei said.

"Yes...Relena, try to stay in good spirits. We'll help him and get him back here safely," Quatre said, nodding to Wufei.

"I hope so... Thank you…" she said.

Wufei and Quatre left.

Relena looked at her much too thin form. "I am going to get well…"

Heero woke to awful stomach pains, but he tried to hide it. Odin appeared in front of him.
"
Are you alright? I'm sorry for leaving you," Odin asked.

"Fine…" Heero answered.

"No, you're not," Odin said, narrowing his eyes.

"Yes, I am," Heero said, glaring at Odin as he tried to stand.

Odin pushed Heero back down gently. "You still need rest. You're in pain."

"No, I am not," Heero retorted.

"You wouldn't lie to her...She's worried about you...very worried," Odin stated.

"What?" Heero questioned, bewildered.

"She can feel your pain right now," Odin replied.

"It's nothing," Heero said.

"You got your stubbornness from me...I'm sorry I passed that one along," Odin said, sighing.

"We need to go," Heero said, standing up.

"I wish you would listen...I know you don't want to die on this mission. You want to come back to her," Odin replied.

"I'm fine…" Heero said as he started packing.

Odin looked to the small, black box with the engagement ring inside. "You might want to take that."

Heero got the box and placed it in the backpack. The sudden movement of packing the backpack caused waves of pain to shoot across him and make him dizzy. He fell forward.

Odin caught his son in his arms, glad he could still protect him somewhat. "Be careful…" Heero said nothing, trying to focus his eyes once more but failing to do so.

Back at the mansion, Relena felt pain in her body, screaming, "Heero!!!" Zechs and Noin hurried into her room.
Heero's face grew pale knowing Relena felt the same thing. He fell limp in Odin's arms, but remained awake. "Re..len..a..ch..an.."

Odin held Heero strongly. "You have to make sure you get back to her."

Heero started trembling and moaned. "I will... fight for…her..."

"Heero!! Ahh!!" Relena screamed. "Heero...I love you…" she passed out from the pain.

Heero smiled slightly, feeling a metallic tasting substance in his mouth. "Ai..shi..teru..." Blood slowly drained from the corners of his mouth. "Re…lena.."

"Son, you have to follow your heart...Marry her…" Odin said, wiping some of the blood away.

"Yes… I must live..." Heero replied. He stared at the ground, still trying to focus his eyes. "I will live…for..her… I must…return…to her…"

"You will soon, but you must rest. You're exhausted. And you will not have to do it alone," Odin added.

"I must… complete... this…on my own…" Heero said weakly.

"I'm sorry, son...but I can't let you do that...You will die on your own," Odin replied.

"I must... I can… do it… on my… own... I have done… it before…" Heero retorted.

Odin held Heero more closely. "No, you haven't done it alone. You've always had either me or Relena with you...You've never truly been alone."

"In my… world... created by…other's expectations… Yes... I have always been… alone... " Heero replied as he went completely limp in Odin's grasp.

"I don't know how you can say that...You see how she's trying to take care of you, trying to protect you!" Odin retorted. He gently placed Heero down on the ground and put the blanket over him, placing the engagement ring in his hand (2).

Heero's head lolled to the side, and his eyes closed. "I will defeat them on my own… Mission Accepted…" Heero fainted afterwards.

"You'll have to protect her again...Something else is brewing..." Odin said, sighing.

--Meanwhile at the Barton Family Mansion--

A spy neared Dreia. Dreia looked at the spy with cold eyes. "And what information do you have for me? Other than our troops failed utterly!"

"Heero has left the mansion... We can no longer locate him on the Peacecraft grounds..." the spy said.

"I see. So the son of the rat has come after me. Well, he won't have that chance much longer," Dreia buzzed all of her elite assassins into her office. Many assassins started assembling within the large room.

"Assassins! You will have to make up for your predecessors' failure…" Dreia said, coldly. "Go back to the Peacecraft mansion! They will send at least one person out to recover the son of the rat. You must attack with the new Titan model! And truly attack them now. There will be absolutely no room for failure this time! We are sending out our best troops. I will go alongside you. I want to kill the son of the rat myself." She twirled the retrieved gun on her finger. "Five assassins will enter the facility to kill both of them with me. Apparently, two to do the official job will not be enough! Prepare to move out!"

The assassins nodded and went in different directions. The spy stayed behind.

"Why are you attacking the mansion again? He is gone," the spy asked.

"You know better than to question my orders. But since you must know, I am attacking the Vice Foreign Minister again. He will have no choice but to return to protect her. No matter what condition he is in, he will be loyal," Dreia answered.

--Meanwhile at the Peacecraft Mansion--

Relena lay on the bed, sleeping peacefully, occasionally crying out in her sleep, "Heero!"

"What could be wrong with her?" Zechs asked worriedly.

"I agree with Noin...Something's fishy about this...It seems like she's feeling his pain..." Sally replied.

"But I thought he left for the colonies..." Zechs added.

"It really doesn't sound like he would do that...He wouldn't just pick up and leave her behind!…" Noin replied.

"It almost seems like he's cutting his ties before he goes on a suicide mission..." Trowa commented.

"We've got bad news..." Duo said, running in.

"What is it?" Noin asked, looking up.

"Their troops are moving out!" Duo replied.

"They must be after Heero! They probably think he's still here!" Noin said gasping.

"Thing is they are bringing more mobile suits," Duo added.

"She's escalating the forces. She's disappointed with the failure," Trowa commented.

"I told Wufei and Quatre, and they went straight into the forest..." Duo added. "I don't know why, though."

Relena woke up suddenly, hearing what was going on. "Heero!"

"There must be something they know that we don't..." Noin commented.

"Relena, are you okay?" Zechs asked.

"They're...they're after Heero…!" she exclaimed.
"But there is nothing we can do about it..." Zechs replied.

"That's where...Quatre...and Wufei have...gone...!" Relena added.

"How do you know?" Zechs questioned suspiciously.

"I asked...them to...! Heero's going on a mission...to kill Dreia…!!" she answered.

"I guess it is up to them to save him..." Duo said.

"No...They'll attack here...to draw him back!...The spies must know he's gone!" Relena exclaimed.

"I think what she means is that they're attacking Relena to draw him back here because they know he will protect her," Noin commented.

"Whatever we do, we have to get going! They're attacking now!" Duo said, hearing mobile suits nearing. Everyone moved out.

"I hope...Wufei...and Quatre...can save you, Heero..." Relena said to herself.

Wufei and Quatre wandered through the forest with no sign of Heero.

"This isn't good...He may be already heading back to Sanc Kingdom!" Quatre exclaimed.

Heero had woken up and had packed his backpack. He wandered back to Sanc Kingdom slowly and tiredly. "I…must…protect…her…"

Odin followed behind him. "Odin, they're not after her. You already know whom they're after..."

Heero coughed more blood to the ground. "She… needs...me…"

Odin held his son upright, helping him walk. "You're right...She does...I'll do everything I can to help you..."

"There!" Wufei said, pointing to Heero.

Heero stood there with blood coming from the corners of his mouth, his eyes glazed in pain.

"Heero, you have to get back to the mansion!" Quatre said, running over to Heero, even though he felt the same degree of pain as he.

Heero staggered forward. "Yes, she..." He coughed up more blood. "needs…to…be...protected..."

"Heero!" Quatre exclaimed, holding his stomach in pain.

"Quatre! Heero!" Wufei said towards them. "What's wrong?"

"He's in pain...! Ahh…!" Quatre replied.

Heero fell forward, as his legs could no longer hold him up. Odin helped catch him, as well as with Wufei, talking to both Wufei and Quatre, "I thank you..." Heero moaned weakly as his body went limp.

"Ugh...Let's get him back to...the mansion..." Quatre said, standing up.

"Yes... Let's get him to Sally. Odin, come with us..." Wufei said, picking up Heero.

"I'll be wherever he is..." Odin said, nodding.

Wufei ran off to the palace with Heero in his arms. Quatre followed not too far behind. Relena lay in the bed in the palace unprotected. "Heero…I hope you're safe…"

Minutes later, the battle heated up with the mobile suits. Wufei and Quatre showed up in the medical wing with Heero. An assassin suddenly entered the room by Relena's window.

"Found you, Vice Foreign Minister!" the assassin said.

"Relena!" Heero cried, struggling against Wufei's grasp.

"Heero! Get him out of here!!!" Relena yelled.

Heero tried his best to go after her. "She needs me... Let me go!"

Wufei and Quatre couldn't hold him tightly enough, and Heero escaped.

"Heero, no!" Relena said, trying to get out of bed.

Heero ran towards the room with his gun armed. He aimed at the assassin. "Let her go!" he yelled. His stance was weak, yet he had on his death glare at full force.

Four more assassins entered the room by the window, then Dreia came in with a cocked gun.

"I presume both of you are ready to die!" Dreia said.

"If anyone dies here… today... it will...be you..." Heero said, firing his gun.

Dreia dodged the bullet and walked towards Heero, placing the end of the gun's barrel on Heero's chest. "It's time for both of you to die!" She turned to her assassins. "Kill her! Only my bullet shall kill him!"

"Leave her, please..." Heero said, trying to aim his gun.

Wufei started firing his gun, killing the assassins before they could fire.

Relena stood up and clung to Heero. "Stop it...Kill me if you want to kill someone…!Please...don't kill him…!"

"It's only you left, Dreia!" Quatre said.

Relena took Heero's gun. "If you're smart, you'll leave here and never bother us again..."

Heero collapsed to the floor. "We have…nothing… against…you..."

Dreia jumped out of the window into the night, a long fall, but she had an assassin waiting for her in a mobile suit.

"Should we end the battle now?" the assassin asked.

"Yes. We will have another chance to execute him!" Dreia replied.

"So, all the other assassins were killed?" the assassin asked.

"Yes. But we have not failed! We haven't failed," she answered. The troops began to retreat upon hearing the message.

"There will be another chance. Remember, he can't easily defend himself," the assassin added.

"Surprisingly, there were people defending him. I thought he would come alone..." she replied.

"Get him alone then..." the assassin said.

Dreia slapped the assassin. "How dare you speak that way to me?! I will find a way to get him alone...I thought this would get him alone with the Vice Foreign Minister."

-With Relena and the Others-

Relena collapsed on the ground, her grasp on Heero faltering. Heero turned paler as he coughed more blood into his hand. His other arm rested at his stomach. "Re…len…a"

Relena looked up at Heero, frustrated that she could not help him. "Heero…!"

"They found out you left..." Quatre said, taking Heero to his bed. Heero moaned weakly at the sudden movement.
Wufei picked up Relena and returned her to the hospital bed. Sally walked in, wondering what the commotion was.

"Oh my…" she gasped, staring at the dead bodies.

"We had a run in with the assassins. We were right when we thought they were really after Heero," Quatre explained.

"I knew something was fishy about all of this. I'm sorry we didn't listen to you earlier, Relena-sama," Sally replied.

Relena held Heero's hand tightly. "You're back."

Heero trembled as more blood poured very slowly from his mouth. "My…fault…"

"It's not...your fault...! We're both...alive..." Relena retorted.

"No… If…I hadn't ...gone…off...wouldn't have…happened.." Heero said coughing.

Relena held onto Heero protectively. "I'm…fine…Heero..."

Heero hissed in pain, drawing in his breath. "I...know…thank…you.."

"I didn't do anything..." Relena said, closing her eyes.

"Zechs will certainly be surprised. I still think he can't believe all this," Sally commented.

"Is he going to be alright?" Wufei asked.

"He's made his wounds even worse than before..." Sally replied after doing a full examination.

"And the blood?" Wufei questioned.

"The blood is from the worsened injuries. It's coming from his stomach...." Sally answered.

"What...can we...do…?" Relena asked.

"Only one thing I can do… I have to close up the wound," Sally said, placing an IV and monitors back on Heero and injecting a numbing medicine below his chest. Sally performed some mild surgery to close up his stomach. She closed the wound back up and stitched the skin closed. The blood stopped flowing and Quatre wiped the rest off of Heero's face. "And here's some medicine for the pain and to calm his stomach..." Sally said, injecting the mediation into his IV.

Relena tightened her grip on Heero's hand. "You're...going...to be...alright..."

"Now we need to keep him in bed," Quatre commented.

"Yes. The worst thing he can do is move around. He keeps wounding himself even more," Sally replied.

"I hate to do this, but the only way to do that is to keep him sedated," Wufei suggested.

"No…I think they need some time alone...She'll keep him down after this ordeal," Sally replied.

Heero gave out and fell asleep, exhausted.

Relena looked at him with saddened eyes. "Heero..." She caressed his precious hair in her hands, hoping it would never leave her again. He remained motionless.

"Let's leave them. They need to rest..." Sally said, turning to leave. Sally, Quatre, and Wufei left the room.

Relena held his weak form in her arms determined to protect him always. "Heero…" She fell asleep beside him.

-Sometime Later-

Zechs walked upstairs to check on his sister. Relena slept beside Heero, her vitals beginning to go up again.

"Something happened back there. Why would they suddenly stop attacking us...?" Noin asked as she followed Zechs.

"I don't know but I heard something going on up here..." he replied. Duo walked up, also wanting to check. Zechs rolled his eyes.

Relena grasped Heero's hand tightly, glad he was with her again. As she slept, her vitals went up. Noin, Zechs, and Duo walk in the room.

"What is he doing here?" Zechs asked.

"What in the world?! They've gone up!" Duo said, noticing Relena's monitors.

"Relena was right...He came back to save her," Noin added.

Zechs walked towards the bed. The color was coming back to Relena's face. She woke up suddenly. "Brother?"

"Relena, are you okay?" Zechs asked.

"Yes…I think so…" she said nodding.

"I see he came back..." Zechs said, looking to Heero.

Relena looked to the sleeping figure beside her. "Yes...That was...to keep you from...finding out..."

"Finding out about what?" Zechs questioned.

"He didn't want you to find out...that he left…to kill Dreia..." Relena answered.

"The little rascal... I swear he is going to kill himself one day... pulling these kinds of stunts..." Duo commented.

Zechs looked as his monitors. "And from the looks of it... he is not doing so well..."

A single tear fell down her face. "Heero, you can't die…"

"He's strong. He'll live..." Zechs said catching her tear.

"You...you really don't hate...him...?" Relena asked.

"If you love him, and he loves you... then I will change and not be so harsh on him..." Zechs replied.

"I thank you..." Relena said, hugging her brother tightly.

"I see you've made up," Noin said, smiling.

"One more loose end to tie up…when he wakes up…" Zechs said, looking to Heero.

"What will you do…?" Relena said, turning towards Heero.

"I have to make it up to him somehow... For kicking him and everything..." Zechs replied.

"He's forgiven you..." Relena said.

"I know but... I still feel like I owe him something," Zechs replied.

"Your acceptance would be enough, don't you think? But you can do what you want," Noin added.

Slowly, Heero stirred but his eyes remained half closed.
Relena held him close to her. "Heero.."

"Re…len…a," he replied.

"I'm sorry…! This is all my fault…!" Relena said.

"Not... your… fault...mine..." Heero retorted.

"How can...it be your fault? Dreia did this, Heero, not you," Relena replied.

"If…I had…not...injured…myself…you...wouldn't worry…and if…I didn't…go off…she would...not have…attacked..." Heero explained.

"You came back, though. You came back to save her," Noin commented.

"I…didn't…save...her…just got… in the… way..." Heero retorted.

Relena sobbed against his body. "No…! No, you didn't! You didn't get in the way...! I need you...here!"

Heero's head lolled to the side away from her. "Please… stop crying..." Zechs looked at the monitor and his heartbeat looked as if he were in great distress.

Relena stopped her crying immediately, not wanting him to be in pain. "I'm sorry…"

"Not…your… fault…" he replied.

"Well, it looks like Hee-kun does have a weakness, after all," Duo jested.

"That's not something that should be jested over, Duo," Noin retorted.

"Or... you may… regret it… later..." Heero said, smirking weakly.

"Promise me you'll stay...Please..." Relena said.

Heero grabbed her hand, weakly. "Promise…" Zechs smiled at the scene, holding Noin's hand.

"Kodak moment," Duo whispered.

"Hush, Duo," Zechs said, looking to Duo.

"Thank you so much..." Relena said, burying her head in his chest. Heero placed his arm around her and looked at her. Her eyes widened in surprise. "Heero-chan?" Heero just smiled sweetly in response. Duo tugged Zechs and Noin by their hands.

"Oh, yes...We had better leave you alone," Zechs said as the three of them left.

Heero sat up slightly and embraced Relena. She embraced him back. "Heero?"

"Huh?" he replied.

"Thank you," she closed her eyes and breathed in his scent. Heero smiled and pulled her chin up to him gently.

"I'm so glad you're alright...I thought...you wouldn't make it..." Relena remarked.

"Too stubborn to die... because... I live… for you...." Heero said and then kissed her. He broke it after a few seconds.
Relena held him even more tightly. "I live for you too...I don't know what I would have done...if you died back there...I love you.."

"I… won't… die... until… I have done… something..." Heero replied.

Relena kissed him on the lips invitingly. "Yes...but you won't die then either...I won't let you die."

"But… I hope… you will...enjoy that…something..." Heero said smiling.

"What are you talking about?" she asked.

"Nothing..." he said, embracing her again.

She smiled and let him embrace her. "I'll let you surprise me…" She opened her eyes and saw her monitors that have gone up tremendously. "What?"

"What's wrong?" Heero questioned.

"Look…" Relena said, pointing to her monitors.

"How… is… that...possible?" Heero asked.

"...I don't know...Maybe it's because you're back..." she replied, shaking her head.

"He agrees..." he said when the wind blew at her answer.

"Yes...He asked me to send Wufei and Quatre for you...You were in trouble..." she replied.

"I... am… glad… of that..." he said. His monitors started to show improvement.

"I'm so happy...that you're alright...I could feel your pain back there..." Relena said smiling.

"I…know..." Heero replied.

Relena opened her eyes widely in bewilderment. "How did you know?"

"I… heard… you cry out… my name..." Heero replied.

"I wanted to help you...but there was no way I could...I felt so helpless..." She held him tightly, as if she might never hold him again.

He stroked the back of her hair. "If you didn't… call... I don't think... Wufei… and Quatre… would have… ever…found me..."

"Is that...what caused you to head back…?" she asked.

"Yes…" he replied.

"What matters is that you're back..." she said and then gave him a playful kiss on his lips.

"You're right... I won't go again and leave you... I will stay to avenge my father in another way... " he replied.

"How will you do that?" she questioned.

"That doesn't matter now... What matters at the moment is you..." he answered.

"But you're not in good condition either...You've got to get well..." Relena added.

"I know... Today brought that point clear to me..." Heero replied.

"I'm glad you understand that..." she replied.

Sally entered the room. "The cancer's progressing more since Heero left here...I need to perform surgery now..."

Heero's eyes went wide with fear, realizing he was the cause of it all. Relena held him more tightly. "No, it's not your fault...That's just what happened..." she assured him.

"No… It's my fault... It's all my fault... If I hadn't have left..." he retorted.

"It's not your fault at all," Sally added.

"I am the cause," Heero thought to himself. He looked at them. "If you… do anything... to her... I hold you…responsible..."

"I'm going to get all of the cancerous masses out anywhere I can. But when you're dealing with it at this stage, you can't guarantee anything. I'm sorry," Sally replied. Heero nodded and sank back onto the sheets, watching them leave. Sally looked back as she wheeled her out. "I'll do the absolute best I can. We're dealing with the Vice Foreign Minister here!"

"I know…" Heero said as they left. "And now I'm lost..."

The window suddenly opened, despite the fact that it was locked, and the wind blew in. Odin appeared beside Heero. "Odin...she will be alright,"

"It's not that..." Heero replied.

Odin sat down on the bed beside him. "Then what is it?"

"Try to tell my... heart that it was not my fault..." Heero replied.

"She did worry about you...but that can't affect the cancer spreading," Odin answered.

"Because of my selfish ways... I didn't even... think how… she would… feel...when… I left..." Heero replied.

"She let you go out there, son.." Odin said, sighing.

"Yes… but... she does things... to please… me... " Heero said, looking downcast.

"She wouldn't have sent Wufei and Quatre after you if I hadn't asked her to. She has faith in you…" Odin replied.

"I know...You just wouldn't understand..." Heero said. The monitors showed Heero was in distress once more.
Odin put his hand on Heero's to try and calm him. "How would I not understand? You know I'm the idiot that fired the shot that changed history."

"Please... just let... me be…" Heero requested.

"I'll leave you alone...but I will stay with you here. I want to watch over you," Odin answered.

"Just…go," Heero said, turning his head away from Odin.

"I see...There is no resting place for the idiot...that fired a single shot...that changed the course of history..." Odin replied sadly.

"Stop… saying… that.." Heero replied. "You're..."

The window opened again, letting him out with a large gust of wind, and the lights flickered about the room as he left, not acknowledging his son.

"Mission Failure.." Heero said to himself, the monitor still unchanged.
----------To Be Continued...
This has to be the longest chapter yet. We thank all of you who have sent us reviews. Please send more if you can. We enjoy reading your comments.

(1) - I know, in the other chapter Wufei and Quatre saw him, but... Odin was seen by them only because Heero called him out completely from Nirvana, or the Shinto realm of the dead.
(2) - At this point, Odin is able to touch those two objects because they are touching Heero.