Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters that I use in this little story, they all belong to some very brilliant people, who consequently, make a lot more money than I will ever see in my lifetime. So please don’t try to sue me, trust me, it wouldn’t be worth your while.

Author’s note: I wrote this little story for Kristine, who specially requested that for her Christmas present, I let Heero and Relena be together in one of my other stories, Legacies of Victory and Defeat. Sadly, I could not give her that happy ending, so I whipped this little puppy together for her in the hopes that she can smile for the New Year. (And to say, thanks Kristine, for all your great e-mails!) Enjoy!

Resolutions to Keep by Luvspook

So many months had passed.

Relena Dorlian tried to convince herself that she had simply been too busy.

She had done her best to keep in touch, but between meetings and luncheons, and…

She sighed to herself.

…I wonder how everyone is doing?… She thought as she stared out at the drizzling snow. …I wonder how Heero is?…

She could feel her heart leap at the mere thought of him.

She could still remember, with such vivid clarity, the last time they had seen each other. She had been on one of many visits to colonies, continuing to spread her message of peace and unity. She could remember that she had been thinking of him, as she boarded the shuttle that would carry her home.

It had happened to be her birthday, just one short year after they had first met. And as she accidentally bumped into one of the technicians on the way to her seat, the thought of him blinded her from seeing what was right in front of her.

But upon reaching her seat, the small stuffed teddy bear and plain white envelope with her name scrawled across it, made her realize.

The technician…his voice…

She quickly ran to the window, scanning the crowd of people below, but it didn’t take long for her to spot him.

He turned as she called his name, and stood watching as in one swift rip, she tore the letter in two.

"Next time…hand it to me in person…" She had said, and thought she saw the smallest hint of a smile appear on his handsome face.

That was months ago…

Though it felt like years to her.

Peace was an ongoing struggle. Every day marked another conflict that could potentially ignite the flames of war, once again. Every day that settling those conflicts arose, aged her. Now she was growing tired, and missed the simplicity of her studies. Of listening to her friends shamelessly chatter about boys and the latest fashions. Of just being young, and not carrying the weight of the world on her shoulders.

She sighed to herself again, drawing up the stack of letters that had arrived earlier, flipping through new documents and proposals, until she came upon the small shiny envelope, with her name etched across the surface.

"…What’s this?…" She whispered, aloud, haphazardly dropping the rest of the letters on her desk.

She ripped it open like a child would on Christmas morning, and her eyes lit up as she saw the words, "You’re Invited!" adorning the surface.

…You are cordially invited to attend an exclusive New Year’s Eve celebration at the Winner Family Estate. I hope you will be able to make it!…

"A party!" She exclaimed, reading the invitation, eagerly.

Suddenly, it occurred to her.

…Today’s date…December 29^th… She thought to herself. Christmas Day had come and gone, and she hadn’t even noticed. She had been so busy with the delegation, that she had lost track of the date.

"I’ve spent so much time worrying about maintaining the peace, that I’ve forgotten how to live." She chided, to herself. "Well, not anymore."

With a determined and steady stride, she left her office, stopping to notify her secretary that she would be taking the rest of the day off.

* * * * *

They had been decorating for days. The entire hall was colored with streamers and tinsel, garland strings adorning each balcony throughout the room. Quatre had decided to leave the enormous 40-foot tree from Christmas up, still decorated with extravagant lights and ornaments, and sparsely covered in candy canes and bows.

"’Tis the season…" He said, smiling to himself.

Some of the members of the Maganac Corp. had come to help set up for the party, and set upon each task like some kind of special mission. Quatre laughed heartily as he watched them argue over where to string the lights or how to hang the decorations, yelling, "Master Quatre!", every time they reached a stalemate.

On the balcony above, Rasheed and the others were busy filling the enormous net that Quatre had insisted on setting up, with every possible size, shape, and color of balloon.

"This is going to be some party, Master Quatre!" Abdul yelled from one of the ladders, as Quatre watched below, smiling satisfactorily.

* * * * *

"A party!?" Hilde asked, not sure if she had really heard Duo Maxwell correctly.

"That’s what I said, Hilde. Quatre’s throwing some big New Years bash and we’re all invited!" Duo replied, casually.

"Oh, Duo, can we go?" Hilde squealed, excitedly. "It sounds like so much fun."

"Sure…" Duo answered, bracing himself as Hilde flung her arms around him, knocking him off-balance. "Woah, Hilde!…"

A second later, a resounding CRASH! echoed through the salvage yard…

* * * * *

"You want me to do what?!" Wufei Chang yelled, his arms crossed in front of him, and his face displaying its usual proud scowl.

"Oh, come on, now." Sally Po argued. "It would be good to see them all again, and besides, when is the last you did something really fun!"

"Having all of us in one place, celebrating, is just the opportunity a person would need to start up another war." Wufei stated, icily.

Sally just smiled, staring at his chiseled features, intently.

"You know something," She teased, after a moment. "I think you’re afraid to have fun, Wufei!"

Shooting her a death glare that would put Heero to shame, Wufei replied, "I am not afraid of anything."

"Good!" Sally exclaimed, breaking out into a smile. "Then, we’re going?"

* * * * *

"Hey, Trowa!" Catherine shouted, pulling back the tarp to one of the many tents that served as the performers prop room. "Are you in here, Trowa?"

"Yeah, Catherine, what is it?"

"Trowa, why did you cancel our next performance? The New Year’s Eve Spectacular is always a big hit. We could easily bring in double the size of our usual crowd…" Catherine asked, searching his face for a reason.

"I won’t be able to perform in the show, because something else came up." Trowa answered, quietly, picking up his clown mask.

"Has something happened?…" Catherine inquired, sharply, unable to mask the sorrow that had crept into her voice. "Are you leaving again?"

"No, Cathy, I just thought we’d do something a little different this year."

"A little…different…" She stammered, more than a bit confused. "What do you mean, Trowa? TROWA!"

* * * * *

Relena made it home in record time, excitement and energy fueling each step along her path.

She quickly ascended the stairwell, bursting through her bedroom doors in a mad dash for her closet.

Flipping to the back of her clothes rack, she pulled several dresses out, looking at them before throwing them on the floor in disgust.

"No…no…not that one, either…" She muttered, as she pulled each one from the rack, finally coming upon the royal blue gown she had worn to her birthday party, the previous year.

She looked down at it in fond reminiscence, twirling out of her closet, as she held it up against her body, as though she were dancing with it.

She stopped abruptly as she spotted the long flat box sitting on top of her bed.

Bewildered, she froze, glancing at the package wrapped in shimmery teal paper, with an intricate iridescent silver bow perched on the top.

Her heart was beating furiously inside her chest, as she sat down beside it, on the bed, embracing it with shaking hands.

No card was attached, and she slowly removed the bow and ribbon, then drew in a deep breath before pulling the top off the box.

Inside, was a beautiful, floor-length evening gown. Deep wine in color, it sparkled with a tight pattern of glistening rhinestones and intricate beadwork that swept across the fabric like a sea of stars.

She pulled the dress completely out of the box, holding it up against her body. Sleeveless and backless, the dress was beyond elegant. She blushed as she looked at her reflection in the floor-length mirror in front of her, wondering where on Earth such a gift could have come from.

* * * * *

The guests had just started arriving as Quatre came downstairs.

Dorothy had been the first to arrive, dressed in a flared black and silver gown that rustled as she rushed over to greet the host. Quatre smiled, blushing slightly, as Dorothy gave him a small peck on the cheek, slipping a sizable bottle of non-alcoholic champagne into his hand.

Two steps behind, Trowa and Catherine slipped in, and Quatre immediately rushed up to greet them.

"I’m glad you could both make it." He exclaimed, taking their coats.

"Wow! Quatre, your house is so beautiful!" Catherine said, her eyes wide with amazement."

"Thank you!" He answered, quickly, as another familiar face shuffled through the door.

"Hey, Quatre! Man, how much did you spend puttin’ this together!?" Duo shouted.

"Duo! Hilde! How are you?" Quatre replied, his smile stretching ear to ear at the sight of his friends and former comrades. "It’s so good to see everyone again!"

Catherine and Hilde quickly started to huddle, comments tossed between the two on their choice of attire. Catherine, in a sky blue, layered chiffon baby doll dress and Hilde in a tight-fitted, violet cocktail dress, that nearly matched the color of Duo’s eyes.

The three boys exchanged glances as the girls disappeared into the dance hall, still giggling and carrying on like a bunch of school girls.

"So are we the first ones here?" Duo asked, handing Quatre his coat.

"Basically." Quatre answered, hanging their coats in the foyer closet.

"Is that Dorothy Catalonia out there? Trowa interrupted.

"Yeah…" Quatre replied, softly, trying to conceal the sudden blush that was returning to his cheeks.

"Oh, I see…" Trowa smiled, as Duo tried to figure out what his two comrades were smiling about.

"See what?…Hello! Did I miss something here?…"

"No, Duo, you didn’t miss anything." Trowa answered, guiding a very lost Duo Maxwell out into the hall where the girls were.

The next knock at the door came from Wufei and Sally, who were still bickering as Quatre pulled open the large oak door, to let them in.

"It’s fine, Sally! Just stop fussing over it, woman!"

"I’m only trying to help, Wufei." Sally offered, still fidgeting with Wufei’s tie, which he had obviously attempted to tie himself.

"Sally! Wufei! You both look great!" Quatre declared, ushering them inside. "I can take your jacket if you like."

"That would be great, Quatre. Thanks!" Sally replied, removing her coat. "Wow! This is a nice place. You really went out of your way for everyone."

"Well I had a lot of help. Just make yourself at home…there’s food and drinks inside, so just help yourself."

Quatre could barely make out the words as Duo made some comment about Wufei’s tie, but he did hear the screams as Wufei answered the comment, by proceeding to pound the daylights out of Duo.

"It was just a joke! I was kidding! Come on, Wufei!"

He was just about to go see what was going on as the doorbell caught his attention.

"Miss Relena…" Quatre said, upon seeing her in the doorway.

Her hair was pulled into a loose bun at the top of her head, big loops and curls of soft blonde hair framing her face. The dress was a perfect fit, and Quatre found himself speechless as she removed her coat.

"You look beautiful. I’m so glad that you could make it."

"Quatre, I wouldn’t have missed it for the world." She replied, with a slight curtsy. "Thank you for your kind invitation."

"Everyone else is inside, just make yourself at home." Quatre said, gesturing her toward the dance hall, and slightly surprised as she stopped just short of the doorway.

"…Is Heero inside?…" She asked, after a minute.

"Not yet…" Quatre answered, always trying his best to be the optimist. "But, maybe something else came up, or maybe he’s just running late. I know he’ll make it if he can."

"It’s all right, Quatre. You don’t have to make any excuses. I’m sure that there must have been something more pressing for him to attend to this evening." She stated, as though reciting one of her rehearsed speeches. "Let’s just try to have a good time."

"Of course." Quatre smiled, softly, trying to pretend that he hadn’t just witnessed her heart breaking.

* * * * *

The party had been as successful as anyone could have imagined, housing stories of the past, with news of the present. There had been singing, dancing, and even music, played by Trowa and Quatre. Not to mention the occasional food fight, wrestling match, and mix of full contact sparring matches between Wufei and Duo, who, once the party turned full swing, had gotten a little out of hand.

Before anyone knew it, Dorothy had announced that it was only a few minutes before midnight.

Relena could feel her heart sink. Almost the entire night had passed her by, and still no Heero. Somewhere deep inside her, she could feel that ounce of hope, the one she had refused to abandon, telling her that he could still make it.

Quatre raised a glass and toasted to the New Year, and everyone followed suit, finding their date as the countdown to midnight drew closer.

Relena saw the others, their expressions of love and friendship displayed so openly, and suddenly felt so alone. In an entire room full of friends and family, she had no reason to be sad, but somehow, couldn’t bring herself to feel anything but.

Moving out onto the terrace, she embraced the wintry cold, fending off a slight shiver as she let her tears flow.

She chided herself for letting her foolish, fairy-tale mind get the best of her. All her childhood dreams of white knights and prince charmings came back to laugh at her, now, mocking her.

She took in a deep breath, wrapping her arms tightly around herself to keep out the chill, when she felt a whisper of cloth touch her back.

She turned, suddenly, shocked to see the tall, slender silhouette of Heero Yuy, standing in the shadows. She touched her arms again, this time feeling the warmth of his black suit jacket covering them.

"Heero?…" She questioned, despite the fact that she knew, without a doubt, that it was him.

He looked slightly taller than the last time she had seen him, and if at all possible, even more handsome. Standing in the shadows, he had on a white shirt, the top three buttons undone, and black dress pants. His tie was draped around his neck, untied; his hair still as unruly as ever.

The only thing she was able to make out clearly were his piercing cobalt eyes, which were fixed on her own.

"I see you got my gift." He whispered, softly, as she just stared at him in disbelief.

"You’re gift?…" She whispered, softly, with evident confusion. "You…"

The voices from inside temporarily interrupted, drawing her attention away from what she was about to say, as the countdown began.

10…9…8…

"I can’t change who I am, Relena. No more than you can…" Heero whispered, abandoning the shadows until he was not more than a breath away.

7…6...5..

"Heero, I don’t want you to change. I don’t want someone else. I just want you to stay with me. I want to know…" She replied, stopping as the tears began to slip from her eyes once again.

4..3..

Heero lifted both hands to the sides of her face, cupping it gently as he brushed the tears from her cheeks.

"I’ll always be here, Relena. I asked you once, to believe in me…"

"I remember…" She replied, looking into his eyes.

"So believe me now, and know that I will always be here to protect you, Relena."

2…1…

"Happy New Year, Relena…" Heero whispered, drawing her into his strong embrace, where she surrendered to the moment…and smiled.

"Happy New Year…"

Well, hope you all liked it (especially you, Kristine!). Love stories and fluff aren’t my strong suit, and I can’t honestly see Heero and Relena ever kissing, but I know that there are those of you who just like those happy endings, so I gave it my best shot. Happy New Year everyone!!!