Gundam Wing Fan Fiction ❯ Never Again! ❯ Chapter 8

Never Again! by Kuno-baby

Chapter 8

"What? An aunt? Why the hell are we hearing about this now?' Heero growled, severely pissed. He started pacing back and forth in Colonel Une's office. The anger radiating off him was palpable.

"She just recently found out her nephew died. The family was strained and the Maxwell's were considered black sheeps. She understandably made inquires about David's death, so I let her see the documents. She was satisfied with that. Heero, the last thing Relena needs is a family member getting suspicious and calling attention to the case." Une replied from the back of her desk.

"Yeah, you're right." Heero said, running a hand through his bangs.

"Her name is Sarah Pointe. Here is the information I got on her. I know you'll want to check her out yourself." Une said. She handed him a manila folder and got up from her chair.

"You can handle it any way you see fit." She said, as they walked to her door.

Heero said nothing, just opened the door and left as quietly as he had come.

"That is one scary character." Une smirked ruefully.

***********

It was raining again. It had been raining for four days straight and the weather had cast a melancholy wave over Relena. Without constant distractions, her mind would slip and she'd relive painful memories. Even with the therapy and medication, she wished she could just turn her mind off away from the past year.

She jerked in her chair when Octavio crawled up her pants leg, trying to climb into her lap. She gently removed the kittens claws and picked her up in her arms.

"I'm sorry Octavio. I haven't been paying attention to you." Relena murmured, rubbing her chin against soft white fur. The kittens soft purring made her smile.

"I'll try to do better." she said, staring out the window, watching the steady fall of rain.

************

When Heero arrived back home at Relena's, he had to drive past the thirty or forty reporters and news crews at the guarded gate. Resisting the sick urge to run them all down, he cursed when the camera's started on his car, taking his picture.

Getting pass security, he was greeted by a smiling Pagan at the front door. Nodding, he inquired about Relena and was told she was in the study. Opening the door, he grinned watching Relena play with her pet on the floor. Octavio was laying flat on his back, his belly being stroked while he batted at his masters hands. She looked beautiful even though she was clothed in a navy blouse and pants. He knew she picked her wardrobe to fit her moods.

"Heero. You're back soon. What did Une want?" Relena asked, looking up to grin at him.

Seeing the serious expression on his face, she stopped playing with Octavio and looked at him in concern.

He hated to tell her this new development. Just mentioning the bastards name made her mood plummet in seconds, but he couldn't keep this from her no matter how he wanted. He sat down next to her on the carpet and grasped her hands before breaking the news.

Relena was silent for the longest time, worrying Heero immensely. She picked the folder and started reading it while Heero looked on. After a couple of tense moments, she closed it and turned her sad eyes in Heero's direction.

"I need to meet her." Relena said.

"What? No, that's the last thing you need right now. I think Dr. DePaula would agree with me." Heero said, completely shocked.

"He's dead and I killed him. I need to know why he turned out like he did. I need to understand him. Heero, he was a monster to me, but even monsters have family that loved them. I need to make sense of it. I need to make sense of him." Relena said.

"I don't agree with this. Seeing her could be another setback you don't need. What are you going to do, confess?" Heero snapped.

"I'm going to see her with or without your say, Heero." Relena sighed. She really needed his support on this not his agreements.

"Relena, rethink this for-" he began.

Relena jumped up suddenly to stand over Heero. "Do you know how hard it is to look in a mirror sometimes and not fill revulsion for your actions? I do and I know you've felt it too. My God, Heero! If I were any other person, I'd be dressed in prison orange right now in a jail cell! I don't even know if I should feel guilty for murdering him and getting off scott free. I need to do this for piece of mind. Support me on this."

Heero stood up and took her in his arms and rubbed her shaking back. "I hate this. But you have my support."

Relena pulled back and gave a grateful smile. She had to have some sort of closure for her sanity.

************

Two days later the couple arrived at Sarah Pointe's residence. Unfortunately the rain had not let up. Rain and anxiety contributed to Relena's tenseness as they walked up to the front door. Holding the umbrella securely over them, Heero kept a close eye on Relena's behavior.

"If you get too upset I-" Heero said.

Relena gave a quick nod as she interrupted. "I know."

Ringing the door bell, she gave a quick intake of breathe. Steeling herself for anything, she tried to stay calm. Heero was by her side.

Just because the lady was related to David didn't mean she was insane like him and would hurt her.

A few minutes a woman answered the front door. She had dark brown hair and eyes and was similar in height to Relena. She was a young looking woman in her thirties, only thirty-two in fact from her records. Wearing a pale green dress, she resembled David to Relena's horror.

"Hello? What can I help you with?" she asked, cracking the door open slightly because of the chain on the door.

"We knew your nephew David." Heero spoke up for the silent Relena.

"Your friends of David? Please, come in." she said, reaching up to unlock her door.

After introductions were made, Sarah brought Heero and Relena into her kitchen to talk. Sitting at the kitchen table, Relena saw a pleasant, warm surrounding. The wallpaper was yellow with bright colored butterflies on in. Everything was so bright and clean. Maybe she had been expecting the aunt to live in squalor like David had.

"It broke my heart when I heard David was killed. It is so disheartening to hear only a handful of people came to his funeral. I wish I had been notified before they buried him, but that's life." Sarah sighed, taking a small sip of her tea.

Relena refused Sarah's offer of food and beverages saying she'd just eaten. It made her sad she was still so mistrustful, but Sarah's offer just reminded her of the drugged food she had to endure.

"We came here to meet David's family. He never talked much about them except to say it was strained." Heero lied easily.

"Yes, that is sadly true. My parents never liked David's father. Richard really was an no account bum. He was much older than my sister Ilene, that was David's mom, and my folks were furious she married him. They told her to divorce him or they'd disown her. And she chose him. That was the last straw. They cut all contact with her and acted like she was dead. I adored my big sister, so I'd secretly stayed in touch. But Ilene was too wild and couldn't put up with Richard's drinking and demands. She wasn't wife material, so she left him when David was six. That's the one thing I never forgave her for. Leaving a husband is one thing, but leaving your child. Unthinkable." Sarah replied.

"He told me when his father died he was put in foster care. Why didn't any family members take him in if you don't mind my asking?" Heero asked. He held Relena's hand underneath the table offering support.

"My damn parents refused to take any child of Richard's in. Since Ilene had in their minds betrayed them, they never saw David as family. Hell, when Ilene overdosed on cocaine and died, they never attended the funeral." Sarah said.

Seeing the look of horror on Relena's face, she reached across the table and patted her hand. "They are hard people. Old fashioned and unwilling to change. I don't even talk to them myself now. I only wish I'd been old enough to raise David myself. But a sixteen year old can't even vote, let alone raise a troubled child."

Finally getting enough courage to speak, Relena asked a question. "Was David abused as a child?"

Sarah blinked before her face saddened. "He use to tell me his father did unspeakable things to him, but he only told me when he was older. I lost touch when social services took him, but he found me again when he was eighteen. Foster care hadn't been good for him either. Life hadn't been good to him. Disappointment after another. He was a such a loner. To think he died all-"

Sarah broke off crying and Relena felt tears come to eyes in sympathy and regret.

"I-I'm so sorry. It's just so sad his life ended like that. Killed and no one to mourn him except me and a handful of his friends. It means a lot to me to know you two cared for him so." Sarah sobbed.

Panic began to set in and Relena squeezed Heero's hand hard in response. Heero knew it was time to go and stood up, taking Relena with him.

"We're sorry to bring up such a sensitive subject. I think we should be going." Heero said, holding his arm firmly around her waist.

"Oh, all right then. Thank you for coming. Please, you are more than welcome to come back any time." Sarah said warmly, rubbing moisture from her eyes."Oh, Jackie, can I just say you look just like that girl, Relena Peacecraft. Has anyone ever told you that?"

Relena cringed at the question and the fake name. Jackie and Michael Samuel. That's who they were to poor Sarah. She felt so guilty for lying to the woman. "Yes, I get that a lot."

Heero quickly maneuvered Relena to the door and they said good-bye to Sarah. She waved to them as they walked to their car.

"Heero please take me to the cemetery." Relena cried, tears flowing down her face as the rain roared wildly around them. The umbrella wasn't much protection and they were getting drenched.

"Are you sure you're up for it?" he asked.

"Yes. I made it through this far. I have to see him one last time." Relena said. The wind whipped her hair around her, creating a halo effect that contrasted with her grief stricken face.

"Then lets go." Heero replied, opening the passenger side door to let her in.

************

Heero stood a few feet back from Relena as she stood in front of David's grave. He heard her talking to him but didn't try to listen in. It was a private moment for her and he respected that.

Ignoring the rain, Relena stepped in front of his cross and gave a little prayer. "I came here today to say I'm sorry you had a terrible childhood. No one deserves that. And I'm sorry you had so many disappointments. But God forgive me, I'm not sorry you're dead. I only regret killing you. When you died, a part of me died with you. You killed me just like I did you. You took my trust in people way! You abused me! You raped me! You had no right! You took something from me that can never be replaced. You kept me locked up like a damn dog. No, I was treated worse than a dog. I didn't deserve that! I hate you so much, David! You were a sick, sad human being. I hope you're rotting in hell!" she shouted.

Heero watched her rage against the head stone and help anger over what that twisted man had done to her. He only wished he had taken his life instead on Relena. He would have gladly killed the bastard.

"I'll probably go to hell for what I've done, but I can't think about that now. I just wanted you to know you didn't break me completely. I'll get past this. I'll get better. I won't let you control any part of my life anymore. This is my final good-bye."

Crying, Relena turned away without a backwards glance and walked into Heero's waiting arms.

*************

A month later Duo and Hilde were awaken by a loud knocking on their front door. It was only seven in the morning, but that was still way too early for Duo and Hilde to arise for the day.
Hilde pushed Duo out of the bed with her feet so he could answer it. Falling down hard to the floor, Duo grumbled at his bed mate.

"That was cold, Hilde." he said, sitting up, rubbing his now tender backside.

"Shut up and answer the door." she mumbled, before rolling over on her side and falling back to sleep.

Since the knocker didn't seem to be going away, Duo angrily jumped up to answer the door.

"Look jerk, it's too - Heero?" he said in disbelief. There stood the surly ex-pilot looking colder and more tense than usual. Duo stepped aside to let his friend in.

"Is Relena all right?" Duo questioned, scratching his hair and fighting back a yawn.

"She's doing better. She's the reason I'm here." Heero replied.

"Well, sit down. Tell me what's wrong?" Duo said. He lead Heero into the living room, gesturing for him to sit down on the couch.

Once they sat down, Duo waited patiently for his friend to talk. And waited...and waited.

"Look, Heero. You've got up at an unusually cruel hour. Tell me what's wrong before I fall back to sleep?" Duo said, leaning against the back of the couch cushion.

"This is why I'm here?" Heero said, before reaching into a brown jacket and pulling out a small black box. He held it in front of Duo and waited.

"Is that an engagement ring?!" Duo fairly shouted as he pointed to the ring box. His long braid practically stood up in his shock.

The bedroom door flung open and Hilde staggered out. Looking wild and half awake, she pulled up the left strap of her yellow nightgown as she ran quickly out of the bedroom.

"Did you say engagement ring?!" Hilde smiled happily.

Okay, that's that chapter. Don't anyone count their chickens before they're hatched. Relena might say yes...or no. See what happens next. Bye!