Disclaimer: Here it is....the plain and simple, God's honest truth. I don't own Gundam Wing. I never did, I never will, and I can live with that! Just please don't sue me or prevent me from writing about this little dream world of mine. Because as long as I can write about it, I'M HAPPY!!!

Author's Note: I hope all this torment and torture isn't getting too tired for you all, because this story is far from over. Thank you all for sticking with it. Your reviews have been so wonderful and an overwhelming inspiration for me. Thanks!

I hope you all enjoy this, because I wasn't going to post this until I felt it was perfect. It was the single most difficult episode to write, so please let me know what you think! In addition, I apologize in advance for any potential Heero OOCiness! Enjoy.

The transmission she had been waiting for had come....

Cairn Selleste examined the face on the view screen intently, before offering her response. His eyes held a glint of arrogance, as the words crept from his lips behind his evil, taunting smile. A smile that removed her own.

"You're absolutely sure it's him?" She questioned, cautiously, still trying to read Colton Reid's expression for any indication of a lie.

He smirked again, noticing the way her face seemed to light up at the very mention of the boy's name.

"Straight from the mouths of the former Gundam pilots themselves. Heero Yuy is alive. He survived, Selleste...."

"And he's conscious?" Selleste asked, a bit worriedly, though masquerading it well.

"Don't worry." Colton replied, instantly. "Your little experiment seems to have worked well enough, because as it stands, it appears he doesn't remember anything. Although, I'm not thoroughly convinced it'll stay that way for long."

"The memory inhibitors will start to lose their effect sometime within the next 20-24 hours, see that you find him before then." She seethed. "Our entire operation is in jeopardy so long as that boy is alive."

"Understood." He replied, casually, before terminating the link.

Cairn Selleste settled back in her chair, silently reeling in thought.

....Colony ST-1893. It seems that even I underestimated your strength, 01. A mistake I will not make again....

As much as the very thought of it sickened her, Sally knew that drastic measures were becoming more necessary with each minute that passed.

Her latest cursory examination had been more than enough to confirm those fears.

The telltale rattle residing in both lungs had become more pronounced throughout the course of the past several hours, the early stages of pneumonia beginning to set in. His output had noticeably decreased as his temperature threatened to breach what was considered, by most standards, the danger zone. She knew it was only a matter of time before his kidneys inevitably shut down from the burden of pumping so many fluids through his already compromised system.

The signs were unmistakable....

The toxin had progressed to the next phase of attack, passing through the blood, to target the vital tissues and organs that virtually sustained life. Once it started, physiological shutdown would be damn near impossible to stop, and as much as she wished she didn't know that, she did with all the certainty in her heart.

"Relena, I know how difficult this must be for you, right now." Noin soothed, softly, as she and Sally tried their best to convince the young girl of the few options left to them. "But, we're crossing that threshold now, and the longer we wait, the less his chances are going to be."

Relena couldn't believe this was happening. Couldn't believe that fate could be so cruel.

"I don't believe you. He's getting better....And his memory....I don't believe you!" She argued, despite the fact that she knew it was only a mental defense to what her heart had already accepted.

She knew that they could see through her, see the doubt through her tears, but she didn't care. She couldn't bear the thought of what repercussions would follow, based on the decision they were asking her to make.

"Relena, his mind is recovering, but his body isn't withstanding the strain....not anymore. We've been fighting this as best as we can, but if we don't do this now, we lose." Sally replied, honestly. "Hemodialysis could work."

"He's not strong enough for that kind of procedure. You said it yourself." She stated, matter-of-factly, eyeing both Sally and Noin with all the stubbornness that her diplomatic position had earned her.

"There is that possibility...." Sally whispered, afraid to expose the fear in her voice should she speak any louder.

"No!" Relena screamed, unwilling to listen to the words any longer. "You're willing to risk his life and you haven't even given him a chance, yet!"

She felt every ounce of strength pouring out of her, filling each tear that sprung from her eyes.

"He's come this far, and I won't give up on him!" She screamed.

She had never felt more helpless, or more lost in her life.

Faced with the uncertainty that by doing something, she would be responsible for allowing a procedure that could weaken him to the point of death. And that by not doing something, his body could eventually give out anyway.

....What kind of choice is that!.... She asked fate, bitterly. ....Either way, I can't win....

She let out a half-hysterical sob as the cruel irony the situation hit her full force and she quickly ran from the room, in the overwhelming desire to distance herself from the truth.

"Relena, wait!" Noin cried, stopping short at Sally Po's touch.

"Just let her go. Give her some time to think. Who really knows what she's going through right now?"

Relena had cried all the way back to Heero's room, struggling to ignore the words they had spoken, while convincing herself that he couldn't possibly be dying.

The room was eerily silent, save for the rhythmic humming and beeping of machines. She looked out the window, taking in the dull, gray haze that had filled the sky. The first signs of what promised to be one hell of a storm were starting to roll in, and she could see the streaks of heavy rainfall marking the horizon.

She reluctantly turned her attention to the figure sleeping all too soundly in the bed at the center of the room. He looked peaceful, she thought to herself, studying his lax features for any awareness to her presence, not really surprised when she didn't find one. If only he knew the desperate plight that she and the others were facing in trying to save his life. She shook her head.

"You've always been the strong one." She whispered, kneeling down on the floor beside his bed. "Tell me how to help you, Heero. Tell me what I should do."

She released a heavy sigh, delicately lacing her fingers around his own, before laying her head against the edge of the mattress.

....Please, Heero, I don't think I can do this on my own.... She cried to herself in the comforting silence.

The faint flicker of movement against her hand stopped her tears instantly, and she lifted her head to see that his fevered cobalt blue eyes were settled on her own.

A mix of confusion and boyish wonder crossed his face, as if pondering the reason for her presence.

"You stayed?...." He whispered, unable to muster the strength to speak any louder.

"It's where I belong." She replied, solemnly. "Where I want to be."

"Then why do you cry? No one person is worth so many tears." He stated, weakly, tracing the thin trail that stained the length of her cheek. "Especially not someone like me."

She could see the toll his illness was taking on him, as he struggled to draw in enough breath to keep speaking, and quickly placed a shaky finger to his lips in an effort to silence him, while easing the pain in her heart at the same time.

"You need to rest now....You mustn't waste your strength worrying about me." She whispered, caressing his flushed cheek until he surrendered to the beckoning darkness once again. "Sleep now. It will be all right soon. Everything will be okay."

....How can you even imagine living the rest of your life without him?.... She asked herself as she brushed the unruly bangs from his eyes, smiling softly as they fell stubbornly back into place.

"I don't even want to try...." She whispered, before rising to her feet. Stepping over to the door, she looked back at the young man who had captured her heart so long ago. In that instant, she knew what she had to do.

She owed him that much.

"They've agreed to go ahead with the procedure, Zechs." Noin stated, proudly, relief and hope washing over her tired features. "Sally is fairly convinced that this will work. The technology is sound, but it won't be easy in his current state....hopefully his body is strong enough to handle it."

"And Relena...."

"She's doing okay." Noin reassured him, knowing how much he still struggled with his own feelings, particularly where his sister was concerned. Concern was not something a soldier expressed easily.

"Have there been any new leads?" She asked him, after a moment, noticing how uncomfortable the previous discussion was becoming.

"Not as of yet. ESUN officials have been making statements to the press in Relena's absence, but their leads are vague at best. Right now, it seems the scientists who have created this have decided to lay low for awhile. Probably to avoid any unnecessary attention...."

"But you think it's just the calm before the storm, don't you, Zechs?" Noin asked him, not thoroughly convinced of his reply.

"I just don't think they would have started something that they weren't prepared to finish." He stated, icily. "What should I tell the pilots?"

"Tell them that with any luck, we'll be home soon....All of us."

There had been nearly an hour of preparation before the actual procedure began.

Due to possible contamination and the threat of infection, Relena had not been allowed inside the hematology lab, but she rarely strayed more than a few feet from the large observation window overlooking the room.

It was determined, even before they got started, that the toxin coursing in his veins was too unpredictable and Heero's system far too compromised to attempt even a mild anesthetic, but it was kept on standby as a precautionary measure.

She couldn't shake the uneasiness she felt just watching him.

He looked so pale, and she had to force herself to accept that it truly was him, as the technicians hooked him up to a sea of machines designed to sustain his life. She couldn't remember a time when she had ever seen him appear so small and frail as he did now.

She could see his lips moving soundlessly through the clear plastic oxygen mask gently bound to his face, and couldn't suppress the thought that he was silently bargaining with death for just a bit more time.

And found herself silently voicing the same small prayer.

She could feel the color drain from her cheeks as the doctor checked Heero's vitals, logging in his current temperature at 104.3.

....That's much too high....She noted, with a sadness that brought her physical pain.

"You're too strong to give up now, Heero...." She whispered, tracing her fingers across the smooth sheet of glass that divided them. "Hold on just a little longer."

"As soon as dialysis is complete, I want this kid on the heaviest dose of antibiotics and antipyretics that his system can handle." The doctor said, his words flooding the small room she was in, through its makeshift intercom system. "We've got to bring that temp under control, and clear up the infection in his lungs as soon as possible."

Relena could see the steady, although labored, rise and fall of Heero's chest, and her own began to ache sympathetically.

She could feel her fear and frustration build in witness to the way the oxygen mask misted over with each shallow breath. Felt her blood run cold as his own was slowly drained away, being pushed through innumerable tubes and filters where it could be washed, before being returned to his body.

In that single moment, she would have given anything to change places with him.

Anything.

With a sigh of resignation, she sank into the hard, plastic covered chair, and waited.

"Relena....Relena, wake up...."

She could hear the voice calling to her, gently shaking her shoulder, but she was just so tired.

"Come on, you have to wake up, Relena."

The voice was becoming clearer, more persistent, harder to ignore.

"I'm awake....I'm up...." She mumbled in response, though she didn't even realize it was her own voice saying the words.

Her eyes drifted open to find both Noin and Sally Po staring at her, intently.

"I fell asleep." She stated, bolting up to see that the table in the hematology lab was vacant, the doctors and orderlies gone. "What happened? Where is Heero? Is it over?"

"Just relax. Take it easy." Noin soothed, softly, pushing Relena back against the chair. "Heero is back in his room. They finished about forty-five minutes ago."

"Is he all right? I mean did it work? Will he be okay, now?"

The questions were coming a mile a minute, and her heart was twisting into knots inside her chest, as she searched for the answers in their faces.

"The procedure went fine, he's stable, but weak...." Sally reassured her, despite the hint of apprehension in her voice.

"But, there's something else. Something's wrong." Relena replied.

"There's no real way of knowing for certain whether or not we got it all. His temperature is still up, which is a fairly strong indication that he's not in the clear, yet. The doctors aren't confident that the antibiotics are helping, and if his lungs continue to fill with fluid, it may be necessary to place him on a respirator to keep him breathing."

"Is he awake? I want to see him." Relena stated, determinedly forcing her way up and out of the chair. She couldn't shut off the feeling that was nagging at the back of her mind. The one that was telling her that it had all been for nothing. "I need to see him."

"He's been in and out, and to be honest, I'm not sure he would know you were even there." Sally replied with a heavy heart. "But I think you should go. If his fever doesn't break by morning, than we've really done all we can do."

Relena didn't look back as she left the observation room. She didn't look up at the faces of the people she passed, or the water-colored paintings that covered the walls, attempting to distract the quiet shadows of death that resided there. She didn't allow herself to cry until she opened the door to his room, where the stillness of death lingered, waiting patiently to take the soul of the young man that she had come to love and admire away from her forever.

Her eyes narrowed as she stood there watching him, witnessing the way he clung to each breath as though it were his last, and longing to be the reason that could convince him to stay.

Longing for a way to help him cheat death just one last time....

She felt the hopelessness overwhelm her as twin tears painted her cheeks and she fought back the sobs, until they threatened to tear her apart at the seams.

She wanted to scream, or lash out, or hit something. It took a moment to find the words to describe that emotion, and sighed as she realized that it was defeat.

She had given up.

Her eyes never left the still form on the bed, as she silently crossed the room, admiring the way the moonlight danced across his perfect features as he slept.

He was curled up on his right side beneath the thin, cotton sheets, his right arm extended just beyond the guardrail. Snaking her hand closer, she grazed the surface of his forearm, careful to avoid disturbing the assortment of tubes and wires, IVs, and thick medical tape that seemed to be holding him together.

Sally's words replayed in her mind on an endless loop, crushing her soul with thoughts of his death.

"I'd give you my strength if it would save you, Heero." She whispered softly, placing a gentle kiss to his forehead as a renewed trail of tears slid down her face. "And give up my life if it could spare yours....but it can't."

....I can't.... She thought to herself, taking a step back as the truth hit her full force.

So many emotions filled her heart in that single moment.

Acceptance.

Regret.

Loss.

Walking to the other side of the bed, she wiped the tears from her eyes and sat down, letting her shoes clatter to floor as she slipped under the covers to lay beside him. Wrapping her arms around him, she let the warmth of his body envelop her, as the last of her emotions crept to the surface.

Loneliness.

....Neither of us have to be alone anymore.... She thought to herself, pulling him close, as the weariness once again began to drag her under. ....Maybe death will be kind and take us both....

She let her eyes slip shut, and waited for the inevitable.

Woah, was that a huge sapfest or what! Wow! Well, believe it or not, that is it for this chapter! Hope you all enjoyed it, because it was a tough one! And try to think happy thoughts while I work on the next one. He'll get better....sort of....**Shut up little evil demon in my mind!**... HE WILL!!....maybe.... **STOP THAT!**... So, until next time....if there is one....**growls** -Luvspook