^A^I'm sorry ever faithful readers for the horrible long wait, and since you've been waiting so long, we'll cut to the chase. ENJOY!^A^

Standard Disclaimers apply: All the characters in this story belongs to Sun Rise and other companies (not including Mark who is MINE). I do not own Gundam Wing in any way, but this story does, so DON'T COPY. That's plagiarism and illegal. This story is plainly for the reader's enjoyment.

Notes
(           ) - means my thoughts or comments
*          * - means a subconsious level of thinking (more emotional)
words in italics - mean a conscious level of thinking (more logical)


Wings of a Dove

Chapter Fourteen: You are Human
By Pixie^A^
Rated: PG-13

            "Man, Quatre. How do you do it?" Duo began as the Gundams walked in the direction of the black building. "Such skill, such smoothness"

            "Enough Duo!" Quatre blushed.

            "How on earth did you make her say yes?!! Miss Frost Bite? I mean, MRS. Frost Bite. Did you drug her?!"

            "Baka. Don't even try to respond back to that moron," Wufei interrupted.

            "Who are you talking about Wuffie huh? Yourself?" Duo threw back.

            "MAXWELL don't start!"

            "You started it!!"

            "Did not!"

            "Did so!!"

            Quatre ducked in his gundam, embarrassed. Somehow his telecom had been on for everyone to hear. Naturally. Since when did his family have privacy? Or the Gundam Pilots from each other (except Heero)? It figures that I have no personal life Yet he still couldn't cover the happiness that warmed him. She had said yes. He could hardly believe it himself, but she had said yes.

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            "Oh my god"

            The four gundam pilots stared at the cells they had found in the building dumbfounded. They were filled with people yes, but

            "Um, is there a mistake here?" Duo asked.

            "No."

            "HEERO!! What's going on man?!"

            "These are the people taken from Peachville as well as the many disappearing civilians throughout the last few years. They have been mutated as part of a freak experiment of Shadow. Just unlock the cells and they should follow you. Relena has said they have accepted."

            "Accepted what?" Trowa furrowed his brows, slightly confused as he stared at the lion boy in front of him through the clear glass.

            "To follow you and the girls. Hurry. I'm going to destroy the building. You have five minutes." The connection once again was disconnected.

            "FIVE MINUTES?!!!"

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            Are they taking good care of you?

            Relena heard a group agreement. She smiled weakly to herself. I promise that I will take care of you for what Shadow did to you. It is my duty as Foreign Minister, wait. as Relena Dorlian I promise you this.

            Careful to turn her head away from Doctor O and Heero, she wrinkled her face and bit her tongue in pain. Relena hadn't noticed the pain before, just starting as a dull ache within in stomach and chest. Yet now the pain was growing ever so slightly, with a sense of drowsiness. Was that normal? Could she just fall asleep?

            *No. Don't sleep. Not yet* Relena breathed deeply trying to loosen up. Just a bit longer

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            "This was NOT what I had planned when Heero said 'changed,'" muttered Duo walking back to where the Obertians were located.

            "Injustice. I am NOT an animal carrier." Wufei indignant as the bird-girls had settled down on every perch available of Nakutu. "I'm going to talk to Heero about this!"

            "Guys, don't think about it like that!" Quatre protested, "Remember these were once civilians!! Imagine what they have gone through."

            "Yeah, but you got the friendly 'dogs' while I got the all the exotic animals with teeth like crocodiles," whined Duo as he glared back at the crocodile-boy that was laid right in front of his viewing range soaking up the heat from the sun. Ok, he knew that crocodiles were cold blooded and those cells were cold but he didn't have to be laying dead centre of the monitor.

            "They're not that bad and Quatre is right. For what they've gone through, you have nothing to complain about" Trowa defended Quatre quietly. Trowa smiled slightly at the lion-girl that was sleeping on his shoulder, purring happily. Poor things.

            "NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOo!!!"

            "Wufei?!! What's wrong man?!" Duo looked at him suddenly.

            "NAKUTU!!" It seemed that one of the birds had lost control over its bowel and left a pretty little mess for Wufei to clean up. Duo howled with laughter as Quatre and Trowa cracked a smile.

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            Are you sure? Relena felt the tears threaten again. Again she heard the same response from the pit of creatures that had chosen their dark future.

            "Relena?"

            "Yes. It's yes, Heero." Heero nodded as Wing Zero rose out of the pit and landed on the ground.

            "Doctor O. Get in the hand that is holding Relena."

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            "What's going on?" The confused doctor asked, stepping into the palm of Wing Zero but his mind was taken off that when he saw Relena. She was pale but awake. Her right elbow and wing were hanging at an odd angle. Definitely broken. Pity filled him as he quickly started an analysis on her. Taking into account that she had landed on her right side, he inspected her. Her ribs on the rib had punctured some organs causing internal bleeding. She was also covered with bruises and gashes. Gingerly he let his fingertips trace the skin right above Relena's stomach. Instead of the smooth bumps that outlined the ribcage, Doctor O found the ribs on her right side to have been crushed inwards. There would be never damage but perhaps they maybe have punctured important organs--

            "Heero we need to get her to a hospital! I need some"

            "Understood Doctor." Heero responded, "But I got a favour to complete first." Doctor O disoriented by the shift of gravity, fell to his knees beside the still Relena. Wing Zero had formed a protective cell for Relena and him with its hand as it took off into the air.

            Doctor O was even more puzzled when he felt Wing Zero stopped raising. Shakily, the Doctor's curiosity over took him, making him creep on his hands and knees to peak between the fingers. They were now hovering over 20 meters above the pit. "What's going on?"

            Suddenly there was a buzzing sound that was very close by. The noise grew louder and louder until it was at an unbearable level forcing him to cover his ears. Through his ears, Doctor O heard the vibration shake until there was the something buzzing.

            The Doctor looked down to find a thin yellow beam of light struck the centre of the pit.

            BOOM!!

            The sound of a massive explosive went off, accompanied by many other smaller blasts and a blinding light that forced him to hid his face behind one of Wing Zero's fingers as an upward gust pushed itself away from the blast. Finally the Doctor's memory kicked in. The Wing Zero was known as the most dangerous weapon in the world, with its one of a kind beam cannon destroying the famous shield at the Mariemaia base several years ago. Another buzzing then BANG proved that Wing Zero had shot its beam cannon not once but twice. When the sound finally disappeared, Doctor O unplugged his ears that were ringing painfully and once again stared through the fingers of Wing Zero. What he saw left him breathless.

            The black building to the north was gone as well as the pit with creatures was gone. All that remained were two large charcoal-coloured craters.

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            "They've returned!!"

            Catherine looked away from the gathered happy prisoners to see the gundams returning. Finally. Yet something made her pause. Strange. Where are the prisoner- Suddenly there was a loud outburst from Hilde over the telecom.

            "Where is the camera?!!" Hilde called out laughing.

            Catherine bit back a grin as she saw the gundams. They looked like trees as several animals seemingly taken perch on them yet this laughter died as they saw these 'animals' close up.

            "Oh my gosh" Hilde choking back her laughter. They were animals yet had distinct human characteristics.

            These 'people' were the captured prisoners from Peachville and other towns throughout the last few years. Catherine realised as a terrible ache formed in her heart. Slowly she clenched her hands together into a tight fist. Shadow would pay for this. This was inhuman! This was-

            "Here. If some of these people take a spot on Death Blade, they won't be so crowded. Relena already said that they won't run away from us." Trowa's calm collective voice pierced through her thoughts. Catherine sighed reaching out Death Blades' arm to allow the cat-people to crawl upon on.

            Calmly the creatures crawled up purring loudly. Catherine smiled releasing some of her anger. She loved cats.

            BOOM!!!

            "What the--?" Catherine asked turning her head.

            BOOM!!! There was a deathly silence from the obterians and gundams. All able to guess what had happened. Yet when a quiet voice whispered, "Favour completed," their suspicions were confirmed. BOOM!!! "Heero," Catherine murmur quietly. "Where are you? Where is Relena?"

            "I am returning now with Relena Peacecraft and Doctor O. Where is Milliardo?"

            "He hasn't arrive yet with the carrier"

            "Tell him to hurry. Relena is hurt."

            "WHAT?!!!" Everyone shouted.

            "WHAT DID YOU SAY HEERO YUY?!!!" A new voice interrupted. The gundams and obeterians looked up to see a large carrier. Milliardo had finally arrive with Noin.

            "Hn"

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            Hilde closed the door and sighed. They had all boarded the carrier and surprised Milliardo, Noin and the crew with their 'guests'. With a quick explanation, Noin prepared several large rooms filled with water and blankets which now severed as a place where their guests could rest for now.

            "What's the matter babe?"

            "Duo." She acknowledged.

            "You didn't answer my question."

            "I- I don't know Duo. I feel happy that it's all over but think about them." Indicating to the door, "Their lives have changed forever. I'm not even sure how we're going to help them." Hilde sighed, glancing at Duo with a helpless look.

            Duo bit his lip, throwing a quick glance at the door. "Yeah, I know baby, but I'll say the same thing to you as I do to Heero. We're not gods, as close as I might be, (Hilde frowned that the humour at such an important moment) it can't be expected that everything to come out perfect even if we do everything we could possibly do. There is no point just sitting around regretting things that weren't in your control,"

            Hilde sighed in defeat. She sometimes hated when he was right. Suddenly her eyes widen in surprised. Duo wrapped his arms around Hilde's petite frame and gently captured her lips. When he finally pulled away, there were two faint spots on his cheeks.

            "Love ya babe, such a quick learner. I said that to Heero a million times, and he still hasn't gotten it."

            Hilde's eyes filled with watery emotions but she hid that by elbowing him in the chest hard. "That's not very nice, coming from his best friend! Now I gotta wonder what you say behind my back!"

            Duo wore a wounded look, "Moi? Say something naughty behind your back? Never!"

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            "What happened to her?!!" Catherine cried in horror as Wing Zero finally landed on the carrier. Placing two people from its clutches onto the ground. One of them was: Relena with wings?!

            "Shadow" she said with venom. He did the same f*cking thing to her as he did to the other innocent civilians. Hastily she rushed to her friend, feeling for a pulse on her neck and then to check if she was breathing. Catherine signed in relief, "She's alive and conscious".

            Catherine finally got to look at Relena's wings now and found herself speechless. They were beautiful. "They look like the wings of an angel," she whispered. A fallen angel. She was also covered with bruises, and the angle, which her arm and wing were in, was enough to make anyone wince from the imaginable pain.

            "RELENA!!"

            Suddenly Catherine felt herself being pushed off to the side. Milliardo had left the piloting room and gasped. Catherine heart ached as Milliardo picked up his little sister and began to cradle her.

            "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry" he repeated gently to her.

            Catherine lowered her head and turned away feeling tears form in her eyes. She didn't want to cry though. She cried too often. A pair of hands rested on her shoulders making her turn. "Trowa"

            Mindfully he got her back on her feet and smiled sadly to her. "It's ok that big girls cry." With that Catherine buried her head into his shoulder, letting the tears come.

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            "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry" Milliardo cradled Relena in his arms. A dark shadow covered them and Milliardo looked up. "Heero" gripping Relena just a bit tighter. "You promised to keep her safe!"

            "But he did, brother." Relena protested pulling on her brother's arm gently, unable to see the agonizing look on Heero's face. "He did all he could do"

            "But it wasn't enough!" Milliardo immediately felt regretful for what he said seeing the sadness reflected in Heero's eyes as he looked down at Relena. "I'm sorry" he said forcing the words out. "I promised it to her too and didn't do much better"

            "Milliardo" She smiled weakly, her eyes unable to hide the pain she was feeling.

            "Do you have any paramedics on this ship?" Heero's voice interrupted. Milliardo nodded, find it hard to talk. Of course, she was in pain. Talk could be saved until later.

            Action was taken as the paramedics lifted Relena awkwardly onto a bed. Yet Relena's attention was not on them but Heero. She extended a hand for him, but he didn't move until she gave a small cry as the pain on her back increased.

            Heero held her hand oddly staring deep into Relena's eyes. Yes?

            "Promise to not leave me until I wake up if I do."

            "Don't say that. You'll be fine." Heero responded a bit too quickly and roughly.

            "Promise Heero," plead filled her eyes.

            Heero resisted the urge of emotions that wanted to boil over inside of him. "I promise Relena. I promise to stay until you awaken."

            With that she closed her eyes peacefully as the paramedics rolled her away. Heero closed his eyes. "Doctor O. Make sure you're there with Relena when they operate. They never operated on an angel."

            Doctor O's eyes flashed at the word 'angel', but he nodded his understanding. "I'll also take care of the other victims too. They are not hurt, besides-" Doctor O threw a quick look at the paramedics, "they probably don't know how to care for them."

            Heero nodded and turned away from the group. "Thank you Doctor. I trust you will do your job well." The room was quiet as Heero walked away with the quiet sound of his footsteps until there was nothing at all.

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            Dorothy fell to her knees after listening to all this. Unlike Catherine, she did not shed a single tear but a tremor rang throughout her body. Warm arms encircled her making her look up. Quatre.

            "Life is tooth, claw and blood, Quatre. It's all dark, hopeless and stupid, just as I always known. I suppose that I've been foolish to ever think that I was wrong. People are only selfish and stupid. Why won't they learn? Why can't they learn from mistakes that others made? Why does everyone have to do the same mistake over and over?"

            "I suppose it's because people are proud creatures, but Dorothy It's not all bad,"

            Dorothy leaned her head against Quatre's chest. "Prove it"

            "Are you sure?" Dorothy looked up to see a strange teasing look on Quatre's face.

            "What do you mean by that?"

            "This," Quatre lowered his head gently kissing Dorothy. "Now, say it again."

            Dorothy blushed as she tried to compose herself. "People are only self-" Pause. "Not fair"

            "Thought so, besides you're a person so you wouldn't want to go around insulting yourself, would you?"

            "Injustice I'm starting to sound like Wufei" Dorothy made a face.

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            Milliardo paced the hallway just outside a room where the paramedics held Relena and were busy at work. Earlier, they had thrown him out with the help of Doctor O saying that cursing and staring over their shoulder did nothing.

            "Milliardo, please stop it." Noin asked from a bench. She had her eyes closed and was massaging the one side of her forehead. Needless to say, the stress was getting to her.

            "I can't. What about the politicians? What about the reporters?"

            "Milliardo!!" Noin' eyes shot open. "That's what you're worried about?" Milliardo sighed. No. I'm worried about so many things. I worry about my sister and how much is depended upon her. It isn't right nor healthy. Things that have been on my mind for so long ago are coming back and my actions seem still incompetent. Having a leader keeps the people together, but it weakens society. The Society should be interdependent not depending on one person to keep the world together. For all people die, and the war's effort should, no, WILL last longer than Relena's lifetime. Trying to draw less attention to her by taking away her monarch position wasn't enough.

            Milliardo turned back to the room. D*mn right it wasn't enough. If the society wasn't all this dependent on her, we wouldn't be going through this trouble of pretending everything all fine and dandy. When this was all over, he knew that he had some work to do. I won't let another soul end up like me

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            Heero opened the door to the Suit Room and walked in. He walked pasted all the suits, stopping once to throw a glance at Wing Zero.

            He nodded to the machine once, acknowledging its presents before walking away to a remote corner where there was a window with a sill. Easily he opened the window and closed his eyes for a moment, feeling the wind swarm into the pressured room. Groaning slightly as he sat down on the sill, leaning against the wall. He was sore all over, but he wasn't going to the doctors for help. He had taken care of his injuries himself. Bruises had their ointment. Cuts were bandaged. Physical wounds would heal.

            Slowly he placed a foot on the sill for support, and curled his back. He took a hand and rubbed the base of his neck. *You are not God* Heero let his shoulders shag just a bit. I'm may not be God, but I'm not human *You are human* How can you be so sure? If I am human, what was I during the War? How could I have killed an entire battlefield of men and still feel nothing? *Humans are composted of three things. You have them, therefore can be defined as human. No matter how deep they are buried, no matter how you try to deny* Heero sighed.

            What are these three things? *Imperfection. Some would describe as being cursed with the inability to do everything perfect.* When why was I called the Perfect Soldier? Why was the word 'Perfect' even invented? *Because you humans are so caught up in trying to be so. Humans always try to achieve more and more not knowing the limits until someone invited the limit - perfection. There is not such a thing as perfection in the human world* So I am a fake? *Foolish human you don't want to understand, do you? You are not perfect, but you are no fake. You are genuine, real* Heero made no respond.

            *Next comes emotions* We went through this already. *Yet have you accepted it?* I will accept what I see. *So you haven't seen the emotion Relena shows towards you?* Leave her out of this. *When she part of everything? Is that reasonable?* I hate you.

            *Lastly comes acceptance for what humans are and what they wish to be, they must learn how to accept or never be happy.* Are you saying I'm unhappy? *Brilliant deduction Watson. What kind of person would sit in a darken room for days ALONE?*

            Heero didn't respond. Fact was he didn't know how, as he carefully tucked his head in, pulling his arms around himself. Heero looked down in surprised to find that his fingertips were trembling and were sweaty. He felt so cold. Slowly he curled himself into a tiny ball, as if he was trying to protect himself from something. Stop please. I don't want to hear anymore. *The world stops for no one, Heero Yuy.*

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            "Onna, I don't see how you can work so hard"

            Sally turned away from the controls of the ship and found Wufei with his back against the wall, his eyes closed, his arms crossed, and a tiny smirk on his face. It was a position he was famous for which said "I don't care about life, so bring it on," or "Baka, if you don't understand what you are doing 101%, then ask me, unless you're too thick for that too" or "I don't get onnas and I probably never will." Like always. She turned back around to the controls. Sally knew that she was annoying him but he was doing the same to her. Ever since that "incidence", he had ignored her. Well, it was pay back time. Besides what was he going to do in front of three other pilots?

            "Onna?" Sally winced but didn't respond. "Sally?"

            Sally's shoulder sagged with defeat. She couldn't ignore him when he acknowledged her. "You should talk"

            "What do you mean?"

            Sally spun around and whipped herself to her feet. "I mean when a certain someone who works all day trying to finish a paper that was due a week later, who follows up every single little thing, who demands everyone under him to dress a certain way, who thinks 'onnas' can't do anything but housework!"

            Sally covered her mouth realising what she said. She hadn't mean for all that to come out. Sharply she turned around pretending to be occupied with the controls. Yet she knew that Wufei hadn't left nor had the other pilots stop staring.

            "That's what you work so hard? Because I do?"

            "No Wufei. I do this because I want to for one. I want to help people, and the exact reason why I'm doing this is because I thought I could offer some help in getting Relena to the hospital."

            "But there's more isn't there." Sally turned slightly, trying to look at Wufei through the corner of her eye. He had stated that with assurance, as if it was fact.

            "I don't know what you mean"

            Wufei had enough of this little game. In three giant steps, he gripped the arms of the pilot seat and stared Sally in the eye. "Yes you do Sally. I'm talking about how you do all this work just to prove that onnas aren't for housework. First of all, I want to say that you're just tiring yourself out. Just look at you. You have bags under your eyes, you--"

            Sally lifted a hand to smack Wufei, but unfortunately he caught her hand. "Secondly, you don't need to prove anything, because I must admit that I'm not right."

            "What?!" Sally blinked her confusion at Wufei. Did he just say what she thought he did?

            "That's right Sally. I'm not always right about women. I'm not blind, I know when I'm wrong, especially when I see walking proof every day."

            Sally looked up at him. Proof? She looked up at Wufei to find the gentlest loving eyes. "Wufei--?" Yet she quieted as Wufei placed two fingers on her lips as realization dawned.

            "Silly Onna"

            Sally glared at him. "HEY!"

            "Would you like Silly Sally better?"

            "NO!"

            Wufei ignored her, grinning, "Let's get this thing going now,"

            "For Relena"

            "For everyone"

            "That's so sweet," muttered a female pilot, sighing dreamily. Sally laughed as Wufei bit his tongue, rolling his eyes.

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            "Check her now"

            "She's got a broken arm and wing"

            "I'm a parametric not a vet! I just don't know how to handle this!"

            "Her pressure is plummeting! Her body isn't getting enough blood!"

            "I don't see any large wounds though, just the bones and bruises "

            "Get an X-ray for this girl, now!"

            "You get her arm and set it out of place, don't worry about the wing. I will try to handle it."

            "Gods no she has interior damage. If we don't get to the hospital soon, she'll drown"

            "Hang on Relena, please hang on"