Gundam Wing Fan Fiction ❯ Never Again! ❯ Chapter 9

Never Again! By Kuno-baby

Chapter 9

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. She ran over to them and snatched the box out of Heero's hand before he could even blink. Opening it up, Hilde gasped out loud.

Heero sweated at the look of elation on her face. He'd forgotten how close she was to Relena and how much she and Duo were always meddling with them.

"I can't believe it! Oh, it's beautiful!" Hilde squealed, gazing at the diamond ring lovingly.

Duo hid a grin at Hilde's thrilled look. Although they never mentioned the m word once in their relationship, he knew she wanted to get married. He would just bid his time until the moment was right.

"Well, congratulations Heero. When are you going to ask her?" Duo grinned.

"That's why I'm here. I need your opinion. After everything she's been through, should I even be asking her? Is this too soon?" Heero wondered.

Hilde moved to sit next to Duo, edging him over so she'd be next to Heero. "Heero, you both love one another. You've survived everything together. Give her the ring and tell her how you feel."

"Heero, she's the only woman in the world who'd put up with you. Marry her right away." Duo laughed. Hilde hit him hard in the back of his head, shutting him up.

Heero inwardly laughed at the way Hilde always set Duo straight. By the looks of it, wedding plans might be in the works for the couple as well. He thanked them and they saw him off. Yelling loud encouragements, they waved him good-bye.
************

When Relena woke up she was surprised to see Heero wasn't in bed with her. After checking all over the house, she was informed by Pagan that Heero had gone on an errand.

"Well, I guess it's just you and me, Octavio. Let's get some breakfast." Relena smiled, taking down to the furry bundle in her arms. Octavio yawned loudly, showing his tiny sharp teeth, causing Relena to chuckle.

Not caring much about her appearance, she walked into her kitchen in her white, silk nightgown and robe and cute fuzzy slippers. She opened a bottom cabinet and got out can of Octavio's food. He eagerly meowed for as the sound of the can opener was music to his ears.

"Slow down. You eat enough for five kittens, Octavio." Relena smiled at him. He dug into the food, chomping away in a tin food bowl slightly bigger than he was.

Relena poured herself a bowl of cereal and was just about to set down to eat, when she saw two guards and Pagan running past the kitchens entrance. Curious, she got up and took off after him. She found him and a few of her private guards standing around in the study watching the television. Sneaking up from behind, she listened.

"And on BDC news, we have been giving a shocking story to report. Rumor has it, an insider at Mariner's hospital staff has issued a report that Dr. Barbera and Intern Scott Silver, have been missing for weeks and are assumed dead. Both men worked in the psychiatric ward of the hospital and it was Mr. Silver who broke the story of the VFM being hospitalized there in the psych ward. The claim was later disputed by Milliardo Peacecraft, Ms. Darlian's brother. Police say the two men are missing, but have found no signs of foul play. Our anchorwoman, Gloria Reubella is here to report a possible link to their disappearance and the rumor of hospitalization." the anchor woman commented.

"My sources say when Ms. Darlian was hospitalized, the staff was ordered to keep it hush hush. They say she was acting hysterical and there are even rumors of murder." Gloria reported eagerly, barely hiding the excitement on her face. She smiled gleefully as she delivered her salacious news.

Shaking his head at this news, Pagan could only hope Heero would get back son. He took his eyes off the screen and startled to see Relena staring at the television behind them. Her eyes were glued to the set and he knew he had to get her away from there.

"Cut that television off." Pagan snapped at the two guards before stepping in front of the tv. They immediately jumped up seeing Relena there watching.

"Ms. Relena, I thought you were eating breakfast. Why don't I join-" Pagan said. He put his hand on her shoulder trying to lead her away.

"Don't." Relena said, shrugging off his touch. Her eyes filled with unshed tears. She quickly turned around and ran away, flying up the steps.

Becoming worried, Pagan ran after her, yelling for one of the guards to get in touch with Heero's cell phone.

***********

After the quick briefing on the phone, Heero was afraid what he would find when he got home. He wanted to just shot everyone who kept harassing her. *Why couldn't they leave them in peace?*

He ran up the steps like a man possessed, running past security to head straight for his bedroom. At the bedroom door stood Pagan and four security guards and-

"Oh God, Relena!" Heero shouted in disbelief. There she sat in the middle of the floor, stroking Octavio's fur. Her long, beautiful honey gold hair was gone. She had butchered it. It was scattered all over the floor in clumps. Some of the locks were shorter than others, but most of it didn't even reach the middle of her neck. But what scared him more was the blood on the front of her nightgown. He didn't see any obvious wounds, but he didn't know exactly what she had done to herself.

"Relena, it's Heero. May I sit down with you and Octavio?' Heero asked softly. He cautiously walked over to her, braced for anything.

"Of course, we were just waiting for you to come home." Relena smiled, picking the kitten to rub against her cheek.

Heero knew from looking into her eyes she was out of it. She was gone for the moment. He stomped down on the fear she was insane and he'd lost her for good. He sat close to her and quietly looked around the room. The room was in shambles. Curtains were ripped and barely hanging on there rungs. The bed was turned over and all of the covers had been flung around the room. Lamps, down to pictures and to the desk were either broken or on the floor.

"Relena, are you hurt?" Heero asked, gesturing to her nightgown.

"No. That man tried to stop me." She pointed to one of the men at the door. The guy grimaced. He had a bandaged wrapped around his left hand. Even from the floor Heero could see the blood seeping through.

"He grabbed me and I made him let go." Relena replied, calming stroking the kitten.

"Why don't I hold him for you? I haven't got to play with him all day." Heero suggested. He breathed a sigh of relief when she handed the kitten over with no problems. He pet Octavio for a few moments before reaching behind him to hand him to Pagan. The butler quickly grabbed the squirming animal and stepped back.

"Relena, look at me. No, really look at me. Why did you do this to yourself?" Heero said. He took her right hand into his and firmly held on.

She stayed quiet. The only indication was the slight trembling of her bottom lip. She mumbled so softly Heero had to make her repeat it so he could hear.

"I need to be punished. I'm being punished by God. That's why this has happened to me. I need to be punished." Relena said.

"No. You do not need to be punished. God, isn't punishing you-"

Relena stood up suddenly and walked away from him towards the window. She said nothing as she stood looking out. Soon it felt like everything happened in slow motion as Relena quickly unlocked the window and tried to fling herself out. Heart stopping, Heero's eyes widened in horror. He ran forward and just barely caught the end of her long rob. She hung heavily in his grip as he strained to lift her up. Pagan and the security men rushed to help Heero pull Relena through the window sill. Laying limp in his arms, Heero heaved violently for air as he gazed down at Relena. He'd almost lost her for good.

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

Once the Peacecrafts were notified, the group sat down with Dr. DePaula and Milliardo and Noin's personal physician, Dr. Field, to discuss what they could do.

"You can't be serious! Institionalize her? Lock her away like she's a problem to be got rid of. Damnit, no!" Milliardo snapped.

"I'm not saying lock her away for good. A mental health facility would be more equipped to handle her situation. She has become more unstable and she's no longer responding to medication. Therapy has helped, but these violent episodes are becoming more severe. She's a ticking time bomb. She injured a man today, when you know she could have easily done worse." Dr. DePaula sighed, rubbing her forehead.

"After examining her, physically she's fine, but mentally she's had a nervous breakdown." Dr. Field replied to the Peacecrafts.

Heero sat and listened as they argued over Relena's future. Now heavily sedated, Relena was tucked away in his room under guard. He became angrier every second they fought. Slipping his hands in his jacket pocket, he felt the ring box.

"She's been through hell, it's going to take time to work through all she's endured." Noin said. She wound her arms around her husbands side and held on tight.

"I agree with that, but she's a danger to herself now and everyone around her. I don't want to imply I think she's crazy because I don't, but she's unstable. She's scared and the memories of her abduction are still fresh in her mind. That is dangerous for people around her if something sets her off." Dr. DePaula said.

"What if we increase the protection here? Make sure only certain people get access to her?" Milliardo asked the psychiatrist.

"And then what? She could attack anyone of you just the same as the guard. Mr. Peacecraft, I-"

Noin stood up suddenly noticing Heero was no longer in the room. Call it woman's intuition, but something didn't feel right to her. "Where's Heero? I know he would not leave such an important conversation."

"He's probably in the room with Relena." Milliardo said to his wife. He grasped her hand and she sat back down.

Meanwhile, when Pagan went to check on Relena, he was shocked to see three unconscious guards lying on the floor. Racing over, he checked their pulses. He was relieved they seemed alright. Completely worried now, he flung open Heero's bedroom door and found it empty. Relena wasn't sleeping on the bed. Flicking on the light, he searched the room, opening the closet. It was empty. He ran out of the room shouting for everyone to come upstairs. Pagan went next door to Relena's wrecked room. It was abandoned, so he wasn't surprised when he opened her closet. Her suitcase and some clothing was missing and notably, the beloved teddy bear Heero had given her. All of Heero's belongings were gone and so was Ms. Relena.

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

Relena woke up four hours later. She'd been using Heero's lap as her own private pillow and she blushed when she opened her eyes. Seeing him gazing down at her, she couldn't draw her eyes away from his gorgeous prussian blue eyes.

"Heero, where are we?" Relena said, she turned her head and recognized the inner compartment of a shuttle. It was completely empty except for the two of them and Relena wondered where Heero had found the time to steal it.

"We're going to go somewhere safe were they can't bother you anymore." Heero said, stroking her new shorter hair. He'd trimmed it as best as he could to one length. Short or long, it didn't matter to him. She was still beautiful to him no matter what.

"Do you trust me to take care of you?" he asked.

Relena sat up and tentatively took his hand into hers. "Heero, I'm afraid I'll hurt you."

"Do you trust me?" he repeated the question.

"Yes. Always." Relena replied honestly.

He kissed her hand, before pulling her into his arms. He held her tight and gave a sigh when he felt her rubbing his back.

"I will never let anyone hurt you or take you away from me. I will always keep you safe, Relena." Heero said.

She nodding into his shoulder and began to cry. The memory of earlier still fresh in her troubled mind. She knew Heero was the only one who could ever possibly understand and not judge her. They stayed in each other's arms for a long time before pulling apart. Relena gave a small smile seeing Octavio sleeping on top of her teddy bear in a seat across from theirs. She didn't care where Heero took them as long as they were together.












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Next chapter is the last. Happy ending or not, Relena will get that closure she so desperately needs. Thanks for all the support. After I finish Never Again! I plan a sequel with two of my other favorites. Think I should? Let me know. Bye!