CHAPTER I- The Remaining Battle

She was standing in front of a college campus, looking slightly surprised by the sharp looking journalist that stood beside her. Her long hair was lose and her arms were full of books. On her shoulder was an ugly scar, partially exposed by her white shirt. She looked composed and relaxed. The reporter looked hungry.

"College life is suiting you then, Ms. Darlian?" The reporter asked cheerfully, a fake white smile plastered across her face.

Relena smiled gently, "Yes, I suppose. Compared to my previous work, school is far simpler!"

"Well, you have obviously been doing a great deal with your free time. On spring break, you toured the colonies and major Earth nations, doing a lecture series that thousands fought for tickets to. Now, as summer break nears, you have plans to visit beginning colonies again."

"Yes, Ms. Freidman, I still believe I can benefit the ESUN without having to be a political leader."

The reporter pounced on the opportunity to discuss the scandalous resignation, "Ms. Relena, many people are still confused as to why you did resign."

She sighed, "People began to associate me to peace. Why is it, Ms. Freidman, that we need battles to remind us how precious peace is? The simple answer is because we refuse to think for ourselves." She looked down, "I didnít want to be responsible for that."

"But-"

She looked up, "Get your head out of thinking how much this interview is going to add to your paycheck and consider what Iím saying!" she shook her head, "Iím still too worked up about it, Ms. Freidman, I donít suggest we continue talking about this subject."

Ms. Freidman seemed unfazed by Relenaís verbal upbraiding, "Just one more question, Ms. Darlian- what is your last message to the world?"

She looked to the camera, clear blue eyes focused and full of sorrow, "Donít forget. Tell your children about the wars we have endured. Write books. Paint. Do whatever you can to never let yourself to forget. Once we forget the atrocities of war, we wonít mind to repeat it. Please," she pleaded with the audience, "never forget the soldiers- whose personal battles still continue to this day."

The T.V. clicked off obediently, and Ariel Yuy folded her newspaper angrily, "Gone for two months, and you are still in the publicís eyes. Youíve gotten everything you wanted, why canít you just disappear?" she slammed her palms decisively on the tabletop and stood up.

Grinning like a cat, Ariel Yuy turned to face the kitchen mirror egotistically, smoothing the cloud of red hair that framed reptilian yellow eyes, "Hello, mirror. You have the honor of reflecting the face of the next president of Earth Sphere United Nation!"

She held out a hand in greeting, and then turned to her phone. She had decided to take up the offer of the United World Political Party to run for nomination. Eagerly, she called her campaign manager.

It was nighttime, and the tap on Relenaís window was not that of a branch. Her security detail was downstairs, with the nightshift posted at the entrance of her house.

She did not, however, have any fears of being kidnapped, for she knew that she had her own ëguardian angelí watching over her.

"Heero?" She could barely make him out on the ledge of the window, darker than the night.

Before she could consent to his entering, he had pushed the windows open and fallen to the floor.

"What is it?" She pulled on a robe to guard against the chill and crouched down beside him.

Desperately, he pulled her into a hug, and she endured it knowingly. This had happened several times before. He wouldnít speak, wouldnít even mention what nightmare or urge had possessed him, but he seemed to take comfort from her presence.

It was all she could do for him.

And in return, she received support from him as well, a give and take relationship. Love? Was it love? Yes, it was, but they were both too distraught to take it any further, too frightened of repercussions to allow their romance to be anything more than an exchange of adoring touches.

This time, though, was slightly different.

Sound shattered this unreal reality.

Heero spoke.

"IÖI saw him today," he murmured, "I saw Doctor J."

"Heero-"

"Iím so lost, Relena. Iím so lost."

The end of a war does not mean the end of the struggle in the life of as soldier. There was still a conflict, a battle that could never end.

What happens to the lost soldiers?