Fight of a Lifetime Chapter One

Disclaimer: I do not own Gundam Wing. Any other characters are mine. Enjoy. Oh and the song? It is used in the animated movie Anastasia. The song is not mine.

Fight of a Lifetime
Part 1
Written by Rae

It was January 1st A.C. 200. There was a party going on at the Peacecraft Mansion. Releena had finally even managed to track down Heero Yuy. The kids were back in one of the rooms playing. Releena had it filled with toys especially for them. The grown ups were in the living room chatting. Finally Millardo's family showed up. Heero hadn't met the kids yet so Releena quickly introduced him to Zechs and Azalea. Then Zechs ran to the toy room and Azalea hid behind her Mom. So all the grown ups chatted while Azalea hid behind Noin's chair. Suddenly Heero felt a little tug at his leg. He looked down and there was little Azalea. She climbed up on to his lap and looked at him with her shy, blue eyes. Everyone stared in shock. Usually Azalea was so shy that she hid from everyone until it was time to leave! She was so shy she didn't make any friends at school! For a second even Heero looked surprised but he quickly resumed his emotionless mask.

"So you're my Uncle Heero?" Azalea asked in a very sweet but quiet voice.

"Yes, I guess you could say that." Heero answered.

"You're the one my Daddy doesn't like." She whispered.

"Yes."

Outside it had begun to storm. There was a flash of lightning and a crash of thunder. Azalea dove to hide in Heero's jacket. A few seconds later she emerged, shaking.

"Is it gone? Is it safe?" she asked, her eyes big with fear.

"You aren't scared of thunder and lightning are you?" Heero asked.

"No, I'm terrified them!" she told him.

Heero explained to the little five-year-old girl what thunder and lightning were.

"You mean they aren't monsters?" she asked in disbelief.

"No, they aren't monsters." Heero answered.

Heero took off his jacket. For once he wasn't wearing the green tank top. Instead he had on a green turtleneck.

"Do you like the color green?" Azalea questioned.

"Yes."

"Why doesn't Daddy like you Uncle Heero?"

Heero explained about the war with OZ and about him and Millardo being rivals. Instead of looking confused Azalea under stood perfectly.

"Oh, well, I like you Uncle Heero."

Millardo fell off his chair and the others clamped hands over their mouths so they wouldn't laugh. As if it wasn't bad enough that little Zechs worshipped Wufei! Now here was Millardo's daughter trying to be friends with his worst enemy! Not to mention this was the Perfect Soldier. He wasn't exactly friendly looking so why did Azalea choose him? Why did this small, shy, lonely girl choose Heero? Not even Quatre could figure it out. Releena sighed, seeing him with Azalea, being so nice to the poor little girl made her fall for him all over again. She had just finally convinced herself she was over the emotionless pilot. Well Releena was never good at lying. Lying to herself didn't work much better.

"Are you married like Uncle Duo? Do you have any little kids?" Azalea was now asking Heero.

"No, I don't even have a girlfriend." Heero told her.

"Why not?"

"...."

"I don't have any friends. Nobody at school likes me."

"Why?"

"Because I'm small and shy and smarter than them."

"Well if any of them do any thing bad to you tell them your Uncle Heero will punish them."

"Thank You, Uncle Heero!" Azalea gave Heero a big hug."

During the days they stayed at Releena's Azalea and Heero got even closer. When Azalea was told to draw a picture of her best friend in school she drew "Uncle Heero". When it was time for every one to go home Azalea cried because she was afraid her Daddy wouldn't let her see Heero anymore. Heero assured her that her Mommy would let her see him. Azalea and Heero each had a new friend. Millardo hated Heero even more than he had before.

~~~~~~~~

"Amos it is time to begin the plan."

"Yes, Sir."

~~~~~~

It was January 27th A.C. 200. Holly's baby had been born. It was a healthy little boy named Quatra (pronounced kwatra). Amy and Wufei were married and were packing for their honeymoon. Azalea was at her Aunt Lena's house anxiously waiting for Uncle Heero to come.

"Is it time yet? Is it time yet?" she asked.

"No, Heero's not suppose to be here for another 20 minutes." Releena laughed. Azalea was so lucky. She actually got Heero to open up for her. Releena smiled to herself. She had to go to a meeting and by asking Heero to come baby-sit Azalea she'd get to see him again.

Ding,dong

Heero was right on time. Releena let him in and Azalea was immediately there to greet him.

"Uncle Heero, Uncle Heero!"

"Hi Azalea."

Releena left for her meeting and Azalea and Heero sat down on the couch to decide what to do.

"Uncle Heero?"

"Yeah?"

"If you aren't married and you don't have a girlfriend do you have a crush on anybody?"

"Do you want to play tag?"

"Uncle Heero you're changing the subject!"

"Alright, yes I have a crush on someone."

"Who?"

"...."

"Come on Uncle Heero. I won't tell anyone I promise."

"Fine. I love Releena."

"You love Aunt Lena?!"

"Don't tell anyone, okay Azalea?"

"I won't I promise.... Uncle Heero?"

"Yeah?"

"Is that part of why Daddy hates you so much?"

"Yes it is."

"Uncle Heero? Can we play tag?"

"Okay."

Heero and Azalea played the rest of the night and when Releena came home the two were fast asleep on the couch. Releena smiled and took a camera from her purse. CLICK ! There, now she had a picture of Heero and Azalea. Releena went upstairs to her room and went to bed. She didn't want to wake them up. Especially when they looked so peaceful.

The next day Releena got up early to make breakfast. She checked the living room and Azalea and Heero were still sleeping on the couch. Releena turned on the radio and started making cinnamon rolls. Duo had once mentioned to her that cinnamon rolls were Heero's favorite breakfast food. Azalea woke up, went out to the kitchen, and saw that breakfast was ready. She went back out to the couch in the living room.

"Uncle Heero, wake up, breakfast time."

Heero groaned, sat up, and smelled the cinnamon rolls. He and Azalea went out to the kitchen and sat down at the table. Releena served the cinnamon rolls. After breakfast Millardo arrived to take Azalea home. Then it was just Heero and Releena alone in Releena's mansion.

"So Heero how have you been?"

"Fine."

"Did you and Azalea have fun last night?"

"Yes."

The silence was so heavy it seemed as though it was going to crush Releena and Heero.

"How was your meeting?"

"Boring, as usual."

"Romefeller still bothering you?"

"Yeah."

Once again the room was filed with a silence so thick you could cut it with a knife.

"So did you like the cinnamon rolls?"

"Yeah, they were the best I ever had."

The radio was now playing a slow song. It was a duet called "At the Beginning" and it was sung by Richard Marx and Donna Lewis.

"Do you want to dance?" Heero asked.

"Sure." Releena couldn't believe what she heard.

Releena and Heero moved closer together and began to dance.

We were strangers
Starting out on a journey
Never dreaming what we'd have to go through
Now here we are
And I'm suddenly standing
At the beginning with you

Heero thought about when Releena talked him into staying to dance with her way back during the war with OZ. He was getting ready to leave and she'd walked in. He had the gun pointed right at her but she wasn't afraid. She talked him into dancing at the school's party with her. Then he had to go fight those enemy warplanes. He'd tried to kill her but couldn't. Later that night he ended up saving her from some falling ruble. He'd flown away from her, frustrated with himself for failing to get rid of an obstacle (her).

No one told me I was going to find you
Unexpected what you did to my heart
When I lost hope you were there to remind me
This is the start

Releena remembered when she found Heero. She had been going to school at St. Gabriel's Institute. She was "Miss Popularity" but she wasn't satisfied with that. No, she wanted an adventure. Then she saw the meteor and later found Heero on the beach. He had tried to hide his face from her. In fact the first words he ever said to her were

"Did you see?"

That was when she was still Releena Darlain. Before her father was killed.

And life is a road and I wanna keep goin'
Love is river I wanna keep flowin'
Life is a road now and forever
Wonderful journey
I'll be there when world stops turning
I'll be there when the storm is through
In the end I wanna be standing
At the beginning with you

Without thinking Releena and Heero moved closer together.

We were strangers
On a crazy adventure
Never dreaming
How our dreams would come true
Now here we stand
Unafraid of the future
At the beginning with you

Releena recalled when Heero came and rescued her on Libra. Then when Peacemillion rammed into them he protected her from falling debris.

Heero remembered the time Releena left her birthday party and followed him to the air base. He had aimed his gun at her but Duo had shot him instead. Then Releena had ripped her party dress to mend his wounds. She even stood between Heero and Duo's gun to prevent him from being shot again. Duo wasn't the only one confused by her actions. Releena was constantly amazing him.

I knew there was somebody somewhere
Like me alone in the dark
Now I know the dream will live on
I've been waiting so long
Nothing's gonna tear us apart

Releena thought about the time she was kidnapped by Marimeia. Heero risked his life to save her. He nearly was killed too. Then after pretending to kill Marimeia he collapsed into her arms. At first Releena had been afraid he was dead but she realized he was only unconscious. Then Heero had vanished.

Yeeeaaahhh

Life is a road and I wanna keep goin
Love is a river I wanna keep goin on
Starting out on a journey

Releena and Heero had stopped dancing and were now looking into each other's eyes.

Life is a road and I wanna keep goin'
Love is river I wanna keep flowin'
In the end I wanna be standing
At the beginning with you

Hmmmm

Heero and Releena leaned towards each other. Releena felt her heart skip a beat. They were just about to kiss when Heero pulled away and turned his back to Releena.

"Heero?"

With out a word he grabbed his jacket and left. Once again leaving Releena heartbroken.

Author's Note: Well what did you think? I did more with Heero and Releena as I intended. I thought this song fit Heero and Releena perfectly so I had to add it into story. The evil villains will show up more in the chapters to come. Yes chapters, the story is far from over. What do you think of the friendship between Heero and Azalea? Well email me with comments at raerenee@gundambliss.zzn.com
Visit mine and my sister's web site at http://raerenee.tripod.com/gundamloveraeandrenee/