Gundam Wing Fan Fiction ❯ Surrender Your Heart ❯ Chapter 1

Surrender Your Heart

By RosieBird

Disclaimer: I don't own anything Gundam Wing, so please don't sue me. College kids can barely afford meals, let alone court dates. I love the series so much that I had to write the story. It should be known that I haven't been watching the series long, but thanks to all of you out there, I've got a rough idea how it goes. I usually write Fushigi Yugi fanfics, so this is my first GW fic. I don't usually write stories this sad (I'm a very happy person), but it's rained all week, so it affected my mood. Please feel free to email me with any comments/suggestions about my story. I'd love to hear from you. (I'm a musician and a writer; believe me when I say I can handle the critics)

A.C. 205

"This is Alia Shellings with breaking news! Foreign Minister, Relena Peacecraft, has become critically ill. Reliable sources, which have asked to remain anonymous, say that her condition is unstable and likely to become terminal. At the present, no official word of her condition has been released from the doctors at Après Paul Hospital. Minister. Peacecraft, also former Queen of the World, has been experiencing multiple health difficulties in the last five years. The twenty-five year old politician, who legacy with the Sank Kingdom, has long upheld the ideals of peace and..."

The rest of the report was not heard as a small dagger sailed through the air and plunged into the television screen, shattering it and sending sparks of electricity flying.

"WuFei!" Quatre Winner yelped in surprise, "Have you lost your mind?"

WuFei Chang stared venomously at the smoking screen.

"No," he bit off, "But perhaps I would not seem so if word of Her Excellency's condition had not been publicly announced. I swear that if I find out who it was, I'll make Heero proud!"

"Hey, keep it down, would ya'," a sleepy voice cut in, "There are some of us who need sleep."

Quatre and WuFei glanced over to Duo Maxwell, who was lounging comfortably on the hospital couch, hat pulled down over his eyes. The sitting room was completely empty, except for the three of them, but WuFei's anger was so thick in the air that Quatre felt claustrophobia run rampant through his system.

"How can you be so calm, Maxwell!" WuFei hissed, "Lady Relena, our friend is upstairs dying and all you want to do is sleep!"

Duo slowly rose to his feet and lifted his hat. Quatre felt an involuntary chill run up his spine as Duo's eyes rose to meet them. The dark circles hung below his normally cheerful eyes and the irritated exhaustion that clouded them was focused directly at WuFei.

"If you'd been up 72-hours straight, surviving on hospital coffee and candy bars, you'd want to a little sleep too."

"Sleep is for the weak!"

"Then, I'll be weak! I don't care anymore!"

"Enough!" Quatre said sharply, "Fighting with each other is doing no one any good. What can it possibly accomplish except create distance between us. We should try and get some sleep. Maybe things will be better in the morning."

Duo sat back down and cradled his head in his hands. But WuFei still stared contemptuously at him.

"You say you've been up for 3 days. Maybe you were the one who leaked word to the media."

Duo jumped to his feet and there was no mistaking the dark anger in his eyes, or his voice when he spoke.

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?"

"A weak man like you probably would crack under the pressure of questions and a promise of 24 hours of undisturbed sleep."

"I would never, ever, betray Relena like that, you son of a..." Duo took a deep, slow breath, forcing himself to speak calmly, "Look, hospitals are a virtual cookie jar when the media wants a story. And they've actually been slacking. Relena's 3-month stay here would have been out from day one if they were up to par."

WuFei's burning eyes flickered and his lips curled into a slight snarl.

"Why would I betray a woman who's done so much good for Earth and for the colonies?" Duo continued, "And why would I betray a woman whom my best friend, our best friend, loved so much he was willing to die for her and her cause?"

"Of course you wouldn't, Duo," another voice interrupted.

All eyes turned to see Lucrezia Noin standing in the doorway, with Hilde Schebeker, Trowa's sister, Catherine, and Dorothy Catolina.

"The media was here a few weeks ago, filming a segment on hospital protocol. That was the week Relena was undergoing some x-rays, and other tests," Noin continued, "Some foolish volunteer at the hospital let slip the information. She's been dismissed from her duties and has a fine to worry about now for breaking hospital policy on confidentiality."

WuFei's form lost its rigid posture. He turned back to Duo and bowed slightly. He then walked over to the television, removed the dagger from the now silent box, and remained there. The four women entered the room and took a seat. For a long while, the room was silent, except for the occasional interruption of a nurse's voice echoing over the PA system.

"How could this have happened?" Dorothy spoke up from her seat beside Quatre, "I've never met anyone as strong as Miss Relena. How could she have become so weak and sick so quickly?"

"It's almost as if when Heero died," Hilde said softly, struggling to keep some strength in her voice, "Part of her died as well."

"Relena wasn't as superficial as that," Noin said soberly, "I think she was so broken by losing Heero that she wanted to make sure it never happened to anyone else. For five years, she's poured her heart and soul into keeping peace. Now, it's caught up with her."

"Noin," Catherine said, "How's.... how is Zech's coping with this whole thing?"

"About as expected," she answered, "He's in there now with Trowa. He hasn't left her side unless it's been absolutely unavoidable."

"At least the news that the Gundams are here has kept nosey onlookers to a minimum," Hilde said.

"Yeah," Duo sighed, "Too bad that's all were useful for."

"If Heero were watching us now," WuFei spoke suddenly, "I wonder what he would think of how much his death has accomplished."

"Wouldn't you like to know?"

No one could answer. No one knew how.

The darkening sky outside told Trowa that it had to be past nine at night. The street was nearly empty. Only a few couples walked hand in hand across the lawn. The peaceful atmosphere was an insult to the joyless one within the private room in which he had spent the last few days. He hadn't known why. He barely knew the still figure that lay in the bed. But he'd been silently, privately charged with taking care of her. The same contract had been agreed upon all the pilots five years ago. Out of respect for Heero and their desire for peace, he had remained by her side.

"She's slipping away, Trowa," a deeper, softer voice broke Trowa out of his reverie.

He turned to face the slumped, huddled form of Zechs Merquise, also known as Milliardo Peacecraft, Relena's brother, seated at the bedside. His long platinum blonde hair looked almost gray in the dim lighting. His eyes were red-rimmed from lack of sleep and unshed tears.

"I'm losing my little sister," he whispered.

Trowa was silent. He didn't know what to say. He had looked upon the young woman as a second sister. She was as much his family as Catherine and his fellow pilots.

"Why," he asked, not really needing an answer, "Why couldn't she just forget about him? He didn't care about her. She was just a mission to him. How could she let herself fall in love with such a cold soul?"

"That's not true! I did...do...love her!"

"He did love her, Zechs," Trowa said, "It just wasn't possible for him to show it the way he wanted. I know that if he were still here, with Relena's successful achievement of peace, he would find someway to show her."

Zech's looked up at his companion's face.

"But that does her no good now. If she dies now..." Zechs's trailed off. He was afraid to speak further.

"What? What if she dies now?"

Trowa and Zechs looked toward the door to see their friends coming in.

"I decided that it would be better if we were all in here together," Noin said, coming to her husband's side.

"By the way, Zechs," Duo said with a cheerfulness that tasted bitter from disuse, "You owe the hospital $195 for a broken television."

WuFei glared at Duo, but turned a sheepish grin toward Zechs.

"No, I will repay it. Justice demands so."

Zechs sighed. It was certainly not the time for such joking, but doing so seemed to ease the tension in his body.

"Relax, WuFei," Zechs said, quiet laughter in his eyes, "It's nothing to worry about."

Everyone smiled for the first time in a long time, as they grew closer than anyone would have thought possible.

"That's good. Don't hide in the past. Joy and love are your most powerful weapons. You will need them now. Relena? Can you hear me?"

The voice was soft. It surrounded her like a gentle blanket. She opened her eyes and saw nothing. She was surrounded by an empty, colorless void. It reminded her of flying through the clouds. She was aware of herself lying in the hospital bed at Après Paul, but here, she seemed whole and more alive than she ever had.

"Relena?" the voice came again, "Can you hear me?"

"Who's there?" she heard herself answer. Her voice cracked as if from countless hours of silence.

The cloudiness shifted and presented her with the outline of an approaching figure. She tried to stand, but her body wouldn't respond. She could only sit there as the figure continued its slow approach. She began to see the outline of a person, a man.

He was tall, lean, and athletically built. As he came closer, she felt her heart in her throat and tears pooling in her eyes.

"Heero?" she asked in disbelief, "Oh Heero, can it be you?"

Heero came closer, his wild brown hair standing out in all directions; his normally cold Prussian blue eyes were filled with joy, peace and love. He smiled at her. A real smile. Like the one she had faintly seen on his face the day he'd given her the teddy bear on the plane.

"Hello Relena," Heero said as he reached her, bending down to help her to her feet.

"Heero," Relena began to cry, "Oh, God, Heero, I've missed you so much. You've no idea."

"Yes, Relena, I do. I've watched over you, missing you too."

They stood together, simply holding each other, basking in the love they felt within them and around them.

"Aishiteru, Relena," Heero choked out, "You do know that, don't you?"

Relena looked up into his eyes. She knew so little Japanese, but she did recognize what he had said.

"Heero, I do. And I love you."

Heero took her hands in his and kissed her sweetly. It was amazing how much passion could be conveyed in such a simple gesture. Relena closed her eyes and returned his passion as sweetly.

"Heero," Relena whispered as he pulled away, "I thought you were dead.

Heero laughed. It was the sweetest and most gentle sound she'd ever heard escape from his lips.

"I am. But I came back to fulfill my promise to you."

Relena stared, confused.

"Omae wa korosu."

Relena stared back in shock and fear, but the exquisite joy in his eyes told her that it would be all right. She laughed softly and he joined her.

"Then, it's my time now. I'm supposed to go with you to heaven?" she asked.

"Yes, to be with me forever."

The cloudy scene blurred and shifted until she could she the hospital room where her body lay undisturbed. She could see all her friends around her. She could see her brother, holding her hand, stroking her hair, with tears burning down his face. Everyone was also in tears, even WuFei and the unemotional Trowa.

"Will they be all right?" Relena asked. She could feel herself fading away.

"Yes," Heero answered, "They're all strong. And what's more, they'll all become even more determined to keep peace."

Relena walked slowly toward her brother. She longed to wipe his tears away.

"Heero, if I spoke to him, would he hear me?" she asked.

"Not in his ears, but in his heart."

"Dear brother," Relena said, putting her arms around him, "Be strong. Always be strong and brave. Remember me."

Zechs' eyes closed and he smiled slightly.

"All of you," Relena whispered, "Don't forget me."

"They won't forget you. You will always be with them," a new voice said.

Relena turned and saw her father, her mother, the king and queen of the Sank Kingdom, and her stepfather, Dorlian. They stood with Heero, smiling. She returned their smiles with one of her own.

"Come on, Relena," Heero said, "It's time to go." He held out his hand toward her.

Relena took it and he pulled her close in a warm embrace. She was barely aware that behind her the heart monitor had gone flat and that Noin had broken into a choking sob. She was wrapped in joy as tears poured out of her friend's eyes.

"Let's go home, my love," Heero whispered and kissed her again.

It had been a beautiful funeral. Zechs had wanted as little publicity as possible so he had asked for the Mobile Suits to be there. WuFei had objected to the request.

"A funeral should not be so conspicuous."

"Do this," Zechs had said firmly, "And I will forget the $195 for the television."

So, the four remaining Gundams were posted in each direction, keeping onlookers from coming in uninvited. A few news crews were allowed to broadcast the funeral, but only those that Duo and Quatre themselves had screened.

"Why do you want to help me with this, Duo?" Quatre had asked.

"Because I'm going to show WuFei what it really means to throw a dagger at the media?" he had joked, for the first time in over a year.

The funeral went off without a hitch. The public had been assured a few weeks later that Milliardo Peacecraft and the Gundam pilots would continue to uphold the peaceful ideals Relena Peacecraft had worked so hard for.

"We owe so much to this woman," Trowa had commented in an interview, "It would unfair to her legacy to turn our backs on it."

Now, they all stood before Relena's grave, saying their final goodbyes and then leaving, one by one. At last, only the four Gundam pilots remained.

"Goodbye, Miss Relena," Quatre said, "Be happy, wherever you are."

Trowa, ever silent, laid a simple red rose on the freshly dug earth, kissed his fingers and placed them on the headstone.

"I really did like her, you know," WuFei said, "I hope she knew that."

"I'm sure she did," Duo said comfortingly, "She had a way of seeing past outside exteriors. I mean, look at Heero."

"Yeah," WuFei said, looking up, "Look at Heero."

Quatre, Trowa, and Duo began to leave, but WuFei's voice called them back.

"Look at Heero," he whispered again.

"Right, buddy," Duo said, confused, "You already said that."

"NO!" WuFei said, shock in his voice, "I mean, look at Heero!"

WuFei pointed at the trees at the edge of the cemetery. All eyes turned to see Heero, almost a shadow, standing beside them, with Relena, equally misty in form, in his arms.

"Heero," Duo whispered, "And Relena." The others were to shocked to speak.

Heero and Relena stood there a moment. Relena smiled and spoke. No words reached the pilots ears, but they all heard the words in their hearts.

"I love you. Be strong and be at peace."

Heero voice reached their hearts also. The words were so unlike him that it brought tears to their eyes.

"You are all my friends. Don't forget us. Take care."

They faded from sight, leaving the pilots staring.

"Hey WuFei," Duo said, "Guess that should answer your question."

"What question?"

"The one about if Heero knew how much his death has accomplished."

WuFei turned and smiled. Then they all turned, leaving war behind and embracing the bright future, a future filled with peace.

The End

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