Disclaimer:  GW doesn,t belong to me, however Melody Yuy and Heero Maxwell do.  No $$ earned, so no lawsuits please.

Pairings:  HY x RP, DM x HS, WC x SP

Rating:  G, AU

Author,s Note:  This is the second part of this fic.  The first was Little Heero,s Big Day.  This series takes place after The Grave, another fic I wrote.  Please keep your mind out of the gutter while reading this.

Nightmares from Heaven

By Selena Barton

"Melody, he won,t want you tagging along with him and his friends.

"But Daddy! Melody whined.

"It,s okay Uncle Heero.  Melody will be safe with us.  I don,t mind her coming with us, I said.

I,m 14 now.  In one more year, I can join Preventers.  Uncle Heero and Uncle Wufei say I,ll be ready by then.

"Heero, are you sure a seven-year-old girl won,t get in the way? Uncle Heero insists.

"Melody is never in the way.

"Please Daddy!! her eyes were pleading.  I hate when she uses the puppy dog eyes.  Even Uncle Heero has trouble resisting.

"Well, you will be with Heero, so listen to him and do as he says.

"Thank you Daddy!! Melody exclaims and gives him a hug.

"Yeah, thanks Uncle Heero.  I,ll bring her back safe.  Mission accepted.

Okay, old habits die-hard and the mission accepted thing isn,t dead yet.

Now, Melody is a beautiful little girl.  She has hair like Aunt Relena and Uncle Heero,s eyes.  Now the major advantage to Melody is her emotions.  She is so free with them when it comes to me.  Now, when others are around, we both tend to act like Uncle Heero to a degree.  (I more so than her.)

We returned early that afternoon, much sooner than we had planned.  We decided it would be nice to walk through the woods and visit Uncle Wufei.

"Heero, why did you help me get Daddy to let me go with you?

I wasn,t about to tell her I,ve been on the same mission since I was six:  to protect her.

"Mel, you and I are inseparable. Where I go, you go, when possible.

"It,s always been like that.  Why?

"Truth?

"Yes, Heero.  You,ve never lied to me before.

Well, here it goes.  I made it almost eight years before having to explain this.

"I decided when I was six that I would have a mission.  One that I made and would complete successfully.  That mission was to protect you.

"Really?!

Well, she took that well.

We had just gotten a quarter of the way out of the woods when we saw Uncle Wufei,s house.  Aunt Sally was outside.

"Hi Aunt Sally, I call out.

"Hi Heero.  Hi Melody.

"Hello Aunt Sally.

"I didn,t think you were training today Heero.

"I,m not Aunt Sally.  Melody and I decided to take a walk.  We were with some of my friends earlier, but we finished early.

"Oh, Aunt Sally softly replies.

"I think it was my fault, Melody sadly adds.

"Well, Mel, it that,s true, it,s their loss.  I don,t care what they think.  You,re still my Princess.  And a knight never leaves his Princess, I tell her.  Let the fairy tales give her a boost now.

Well, we had lunch with Aunt Sally and Uncle Wufei.  Good thing I learned to eat Chinese food with chopsticks!  (Dad still can,t do it.)  Anyway, after that we went back to Melody,s house.

Aunt Relena was on the vidphone with some diplomat.  Uncle Heero was out back working on what looked like a new training program for me.  I followed Melody up to her room.

"Heero? she says softly sitting on the bed.

"Hm?

"Tomorrow,s my birthday and I think everyone forgot, she almost whispers sadly.

"No one,s forgot.  As we get older, it just doesn,t mean as much.

"Oh, she sighs and lies back across the bed.

"Melody?

"What Heero?

"If you aren,t too busy tomorrow, would you let me take you to a movie?  An extra treat for my Princess, birthday.

"YEAH!

I knew she wouldn,t argue.  After I take her to a movie, we always get ice cream.  And lately, the conversations after are getting better.  For someone who,s just about to turn eight, she,s very mature.

I left Melody to play and headed home for supper.  Of course, the family supper was normal.  Each of us talked about our day, and Dad complained about something going wrong at work, then makes jokes about it.

I went upstairs and did homework I,d put off earlier.  I didn,t think two college classes added into my high school schedule in place of useless classes would be so much extra work!  Guess that,s what I get for being gifted,.

~  *  ~

I can see Melody on the balcony.  I hide here in the shadows.  Uncle Heero was right; hiding in shadows is harder than it sounds.

There,s a rustle in the bushes at an angle from the balcony.  A man stands and fires one shot into Melody,s room.  My gun,s missing!  The attacker, no assassin, runs away.

Quickly, I scale the wall to Melody,s balcony.  I see her lifeless body lying in a pool of her own blood.

"MELODY!!!

I find myself sitting straight up in bed, drenched in sweat.  My heart is racing.  I tell myself it was only a dream, but I know something is wrong.

I jump out of bed and race down the hall into my parents, room.

"Dad, we have to get to Uncle Heero,s now!

"Why?  What are you talking about? Dad sleepily replies.

"Melody!  Melody,s in danger.

"It was a dream, Heero, he replies.

"It,s more than that.  Look, at least call Uncle Heero!  Please!

"Not at this hour.  He,d kill me for calling at 3AM.

"Fine.  I,m going!

"Back to bed! he orders.

"Mission Denied, I reply coldly.

I must protect Melody!!

Now granted, she,s at home with Uncle Heero.  And Uncle Heero did set up the security system, but if I can get in, so can an assassin.  I know it was a dream I had, but that doesn,t change the feeling I have.

I ran back to my room and got dressed.  Showing up at Uncle Heero,s in black silk boxers just seemed a bad idea.  I grabbed my black jeans, black long-sleeve shirt, black hat, and black coat.  Glad I decided to sleep with my hair braided.  How does Dad deal with going to a mission with his hair down?  Duh, emergency!

I start to leave my room, but realize I almost forgot the key element missing in that dream.  I go back to my dresser and grab my handgun.

I run all the way to Uncle Heero,s.  The back wall faces our home.  The rain is pouring and the lightning keeps flashing.  Darkness to day in a flash and back to darkness. 

I finally arrive at Uncle Heero,s.  (I really need to get a motorcycle!)  I scale the wall as I,ve done many times before when Melody has called me.  I grab hold of a limb near the fence and move to the side of the tree facing Melody,s balcony.

It begins.

I see him rising out of the bushes.  I draw my gun.  Uncle Heero,s right.  Hiding in the shadows is hard.  The dream was bad enough on the ground, let alone up here in reality in a tree.  I brace myself against the tree and fire.

Melody screams and drops to the floor.

As the body falls, guards run out from everywhere.  I watch through the balcony doors as Uncle Heero races in to Melody.  He steps to the balcony gun in hand.

"Uncle Heero! I yell out to him.

"Maxwell?

"Yes Uncle Heero.  I must speak with you.

"Get in here, Uncle Heero growls at me.  I,m sure it,s because he,s worried about Melody, but I am past his system.

I drop from the tree and the guards turn their aim on me.

"Identify yourself, one guard calls out.

"Heero Maxwell.  I am to enter under Heero Yuy,s orders.

The guards lower their aim and I enter the back door.

I make it half way up to Melody,s room before Uncle Heero meets me.  His eyes are cold and filled with anger.  I know that look.  I saw it when I was six.  I remember the cold feeling it gave me, and still gives me.

"What happened?

"Uncle Heero, I,m not sure you,d believe me.

Melody comes flying down the hall and hugs me.

"Heero, I,m scared.  Please stay with me.

"May I stay Uncle Heero?

"Your room is always ready.  Of course.

"Melody wait in my room.

Uncle Heero gives me a death glare.  The Yuy death glare is something to be feared, but I don,t fear it.  I know that it is forged this time in love.

"They found her room.  She,ll be safer in my room.

"What happened?

"More like, what was I doing in the garden watching Melody,s balcony.

"Hm.

"I had a dream where Melody was shot.  Dad thinks I went back to bed.  I tried to get him to at least call and tell you Melody was in danger.  He insisted it was only a dream.  I couldn,t convince myself it was a dream, so I can here.  If for nothing more than to see it was a dream.

"Thank you Maxwell.

"No.  It,s my mission.

"No one is holding you to that promise Heero.

"I am Uncle Heero.  I am.  I made a promise and a pilot,s promise is his bond.

"You aren,t a pilot yet.

"I should call my dad and tell him where I am.

"I,ll call him.  You promised Melody you,d be with her soon.

"Thank you Uncle Heero, I say and walk slowly to my room. 

My and Melody,s balconies are side by side.  I remember I used to slip over into her room when I was ten.  She,d have a nightmare and I,d slip over and hold her in my arms until she drifted off to sleep again.  It,s no wonder she wants me around when she,s scared.  I,ve been there almost every time since she can remember.  I guess, kind of like a big brother.

Melody is sitting in the middle of the full size bed that sets in the middle of my room.  I look at her sitting there with her knees to her chest and her head buried against her knees with her arms around her knees.  Her hair falls around like a curtain.

I walk over to the bed and sit down beside her.  I put my arm around her shoulders.

"Melody?  You alright?

"Heero! she cries and wraps her arms around my neck.  I hold her tightly in my arms and rest my head on top of hers.  As she starts to calm down, I lay her back on the bed.  Gently, I brush her hair from her face. 

"Sleep now.  Your knight is here to protect you, I whisper softly like I have for years.

"Heero?

"Hm?

"Your hair is still braided.  Why are you sleeping with it braided?

She,s got me.  I never leave it braided at night.  It is so rare that I do anyway.  A flaw tonight that was in my favor.  I,m at a loss for answers.  Then I recall what she said a few weeks ago. 

"Playing with hair calms you, right?

"Yeah, Heero.

I hand her the end of my braid.

"Why don,t you take it down for me?

"Alright, she chirps and begins unbraiding my hair. 

Finally she finishes and asks for a brush.  I lean over and pull my brush out of the drawer of my nightstand.  Melody knows not to get in my drawer because I keep a spare gun there.  Now most households this is a bad thing.  But here, it,s normal.

Melody brushes out all the tangles and starts to yawn.  I turn and pull her into a hug.  I take the hairbrush and lay her back down.

"Sleep now, Princess.  Your knight is here.

I lay down beside her and she rests her head against my chest.  I don,t mind.  I,ve spent many nights with her curled up against me in my arms.  I brush a stray lock of hair from her pale face.  We both drift off to sleep together.

~  *  ~

I find myself now at Melody,s birthday party.  Now, I know I,m in a dream, but it seems to resemble the one earlier that brought me to Melody tonight.  I know that this may have a horrific ending, but I have to know what happens.

I watch a strange man walk in.  I approach him.

"Who are you?

"I,m the delivery man.  I brought a cake for the daughter of the Vice Foreign Minister.  Who are you?

I had never seen him before and I knew Uncle Heero wouldn,t have a stranger in here after last night,s attempt on Melody,s life.

"You aren,t the normal delivery man. I reply dismissing his question.

He begins heading for the door.  Uncle Heero and I exchange looks and I take after him closely followed by my uncle.

I catch him in the alley between the delivery door and his van.  I slam him up to the wall holding his shirt by the collar.

"What are you doing here?  Poison the cake?  Explosives in the kitchen?

"Just a little boom for the day, he says drawing a knife from his side.

My knife was gone.  Why do I have to forget weapons in these dreams?  It,s becoming aggravating.

He cuts my shoulder and I slam his head off the wall knocking him cold.  Uncle Heero is behind me now. 

"The cake Uncle Heero.  It has to be, I say running back to the door past him.

"Poison?

Now, poison hadn,t been used for a couple centuries, but it wasn,t a bad thought.  I guessed that too.

"Bomb.

Uncle Heero points me to the kitchen and heads for the dining hall for the cake.  Now, not being sure where the bomb was I would have preferred going for the cake and letting him search the kitchen.  However, Uncle Heero is the professional so I obey him instantly.

I finish searching the kitchen and start to head for the dining hall.  I hear a large explosion.

I pressed against the door to the dining hall.  It wouldn,t open.  I began slamming my shoulder into the door trying to force the door open.

"AUNT RELENA!  UNCLE HEERO!  UNCLE TROWA! UNCLE QUATRE! AUNT SALLY! AUNT CATHERINE!  MOM!  DAD!  MELODY!!

I jolted awake, Melody,s head still resting on my chest.  I tried to slip away unnoticed, but Melody started to wake.

"Sleep Melody; I,ll be near by.

I walked down the hall to find Uncle Heero sitting in the den.  I quietly walked into the doorway.

"Uncle Heero?

"Hm?

Now, no one ever risks disturbing Uncle Heero, but Melody is important to us and I,ll risk anything for her.

"The cake tomorrow.  I think there will be a bomb in it.

"Maxwell, what makes you think that?

"Another dream.

"Dream.

"Oh, and Uncle Heero.

"What Maxwell?

"Can you see to it that Melody is too busy tomorrow to go to a movie with me?  I promised if she wasn,t too busy that I,d take her to a movie, but in light of tonight,s events, I don,t want to risk it.

"Sure, Heero.

"Thanks Uncle Heero.

I walked back to my room where Melody slept.  I had never felt so much like calling Uncle Quatre in the middle of the night.  The last time I did was two years ago.  That was important decisions about school.  This was curiosity about empathic abilities. 

I made a slight change in direction.  I entered my room to get the laptop I left in the top drawer.  (And boy scouts think they,re prepared for things!)  I went down to the main room.  After hooking up the system, I made the call to Uncle Quatre.

Uncle Quatre and I talked for about an hour and a half before hanging up.  I felt a little better, but still didn,t have the answers I wanted, no needed.  I don,t know that I ever will have all the answers I want.

I disconnected everything and went back to my room.  Silently, I put away the laptop and crawled back into bed.  I wrapped an arm around Melody.  Feeling her body next to mine made me feel better.  Now that sounds weird, I,m sure.  But at least while she,s against me I can feel her breathing and I know she,s safe.

The next morning, I woke to find Uncle Heero sitting in the chair across from my bed.  The chair was in a corner and the bookcase set it off from the rest of the room.  I realized Uncle Heero was asleep.  I gently picked up Melody and placed her in Uncle Heero,s lap.  I knew at this point Uncle Heero knew what was going on, but I let them stay there and headed for the kitchen.  (Time to act like a Maxwell and eat!)

Breakfast was wonderful.  I ate before anyone else got downstairs.  I had just finished when Aunt Relena entered the kitchen.  

"Morning Heero.

"Morning Aunt Relena.

"Thank you for what you did last night.

"Aunt Relena, I made you a promise and I intend to keep it.  Little Bodyguard or Heero Maxwell, any name, I made that promise to protect you and Melody.  I will.

"Heero, you were six.  I don,t expect you to be held to that.

"I do.  I meant every word of it then and I mean every word of it now.  I will protect you and Melody even if it means my life.

"Maxwell.

"Uncle Heero.

"Training will be after Melody,s party.

"Yes, Sir.  Mission Accepted.

They had breakfast with Melody while I went back upstairs.  The maid came in to find me making my own bed.

"Young Master Maxwell, you need not make the bed here.

"I have made my bed every morning since I was big enough to.  It should not be your responsibility to make the bed that I messed up.  It is mine.  I don,t mind.

"Mister Maxwell.

"No arguing.  It,s my pleasure to take away an extra chore.

I finished cleaning up my room.  I went into my personal bath.  I took my shower.  Nice hot showers feel so good.  Then I towel dried my hair, combed it, and braided it.  Aunt Relena came upstairs and knocked on my door.  I looked down at the towel around my waist. 

"Hold on.  I called out and grabbed a pair of clean jeans that I had left there before. 

"Alright, enter.

"Heero?

"In here Aunt Relena.

"Oh, sorry, she replied and started to duck back out the door.

"No, it,s okay.  I was just finishing braiding my hair.  It,s no intrusion.

"Alright.  Heero, please understand that Melody is very young.

"Aunt Relena?

"She,s very impressionable.

"I know.  I try to set a good example.  I try to act like a big brother sometimes.  Did I do something wrong?  Did I set a bad example in some way?

"No.  Just you are going to join Preventers soon.  Now, you promised not to leave Melody and I, and we both know that in Preventers that it will be necessary for you to go on missions.

"Aunt Relena, Melody is very understanding.  I,m sure when it comes time, I can find some way to explain it to her gently.

"I just don,t want her

"Following me like you followed Uncle Heero?

"Yes, she says softly and turns away from me.

"Don,t turn away Aunt Relena.  I was afraid she,d end up with a crush on me.

"You know?

"Suspected.  I hoped I was wrong.  Melody still thinks we are cousins so let,s keep it that way for now.  Let her get a little older before she finds out.

"You mean?

"Wait until she,s older and hope the crush goes away.  If not, right now she won,t try acting on the feelings because I,m family.  It wouldn,t be right.  So, what do you think?

"Sounds like the only plan we have.

"Well, I,m only 14.  Don,t expect plans on the level of Uncle Heero just yet.

We both laugh softly.

When everyone meets for the party, I watch the cake be delivered.  I know that man.  He,s the deliveryman from the dream.  I reach back and check my knife.  Good, right where it belongs.

It begins again.

Out in the alley, he starts to draw his knife.  I reach back and grab my knife.  I slash his wrist as he raises his hand to cut me.  My shoulder is cut, but he won,t get away with it this time.  His wrist is bleeding profusely.  He won,t make it back to his van.

Uncle Heero and I race back inside, I to the kitchen and he to the dining hall.  I hear the explosion.

"NO!!!!

I run to the door, but like in the dream, it won,t open.  I race around front.  When I reach the room containing the other entrance to the dining hall, I find my aunts and Uncle Quatre standing there in horror.  Aunt Sally and mom are holding Aunt Relena back.  I look at Uncle Quatre.

"Are they still in there? I say almost afraid of the answer.

"Yes, he barely manages to whisper.

I press on the door and it opens partially.

"I,m going in.

"HEERO NO! my mother and Aunt Relena both call out at the same time.

"I,m going.  They might have survived.

"I,m going with you, Uncle Quatre answers and we go through the door.

Upon entering, I almost freeze.  I can,t go into shock at this view.  I see Melody,s hand next to Uncle Heero,s.  They are covered in rubble.  I hurry to see if they are even alive.  I hold my breath as I reach down and check for Melody,s pulse.

She,s alive, but barely.

"Uncle Quatre, help me.  It,s Melody and Uncle Heero.

I hear Aunt Relena scream when she hears their names.  I almost shutter.  I promised to protect her.  I let them down. 

Uncle Quatre and I finally dig out Uncle Heero and Melody.  Uncle Heero is barely conscious.  Melody is out cold.

"Take care of her, Uncle Heero breathes to me as I reach down to them.

"Only until you,re well, I say.

"No, take her and go.  Save yourself.

I look up and see that the structure of the room was weakened by the blast.  It,s dangerous for any of us to be in there.  I hand Melody to Uncle Quatre.

"GO! I growl at him.  I know he doesn,t want to leave me in there.

He takes Melody out to Aunt Sally who immediately begins taking care of her.  I begin uncovering Uncle Heero,s legs as he goes unconscious.  I drag him from the rubble and lift him onto my shoulders.  My arm burns from the cut.  I have yet to bandage it and the dirt rubbing into it feels like fire.

I walk out with Uncle Heero into the other room.  Mom and Aunt Catherine help get him to the ground.  I begin to re-enter the dining hall.

"Heero, be careful.

"I will Mom.  Don,t worry about me.  Take care of Uncle Heero.

Uncle Quatre and I go back in again and begin looking for the remaining three:  Uncle Trowa, Uncle Wufei, and Dad.

I head for what used to be windows.  Glass was everywhere.  I finally saw black fabric and a strip of white fabric.  Now this was too much white for Dad,s collar, so I wonder where it came from.  I leave Uncle Quatre looking for the others.  I begin checking the surrounding area for anyone else.  Clear.

I start digging out what I think to be just my father.  But upon further digging, I find also Uncle Wufei.  Apparently when the explosion occurred, Dad was either in front of Uncle Wufei or he tried to knock Uncle Wufei to the ground.  I finally uncovered them and called to Uncle Quatre.

"I,ve found all but Trowa.

Uncle Quatre carefully hurries over to me.

"I,ve got Dad.

We carry them out on our shoulders and leave their unconscious bodies with the others.  I have never seen Aunt Sally so busy in my life.  She is trying to care for all of them and trying not to let emotions enter into it.  How could Uncle Wufei say women are weak?  Aunt Sally is far from weak.  Maybe that,s why he loves her so.

I start to go back in and Aunt Sally grabs my good arm.

"Where,d that cut come from?

"Aunt Sally not now.  I have to find Uncle Trowa.

She lets go.  Uncle Quatre and I race back in one more time.  I haven,t a clue where to look.  I have two locations that I know are clear, but that huge room.

"Heero!

"Is it Uncle Trowa?

"Yes.  Come on give me a hand.

I race over to Uncle Quatre and help uncover Uncle Trowa.  Uncle Quatre starts to pick him up.

"No, Uncle Quatre, put him on my shoulders.

"Your arm

"Please, I,m younger.  Let me take him.

He agrees and helps me get Uncle Trowa on my shoulders.  He,s so tall.  I don,t think Uncle Quatre could have balanced him through some of this rubble.  Uncle Quatre hurries and tries to free the door a little more.  When I get to the door, it,s half open.

"Heero! Mom calls as I exit the dining hall for the last time. 

I set Uncle Trowa down near my other uncles and my father.  I look at Uncle Quatre.  It must be hard to think he,s the only one that made it out unharmed other than my aunts and mother.  

I look at my father and Uncle Wufei.  Then I look at Uncle Trowa.  I let my eyes rest on Uncle Heero for a little while.  Take care of her., I hear again.  He looks so normal now.  Not super-human.  That seems to be part of the idea I got.  They all held that super-human side to me.  To think of all of the pain they went through in the war.  How could this stop them?

Finally, my eyes rest on Melody, her frail body lying limp on the floor.  This is the site that hurts the most.  I can,t help but feel I let her down.  Mission failed?

No, I can,t accept that.  I start helping Aunt Sally clean some of the wounds on my family.  I start with Uncle Wufei.  Mom was already taking care of Dad, and Aunt Catherine was taking care of Uncle Trowa.  Aunt Sally was trying to take care of Melody and Uncle Heero.  Uncle Quatre was holding Aunt Relena. 

I figured it best that I care for Uncle Wufei.  Aunt Sally was so busy.  I had to help her, and I figured that was the best help she could get right now.  If she was willing to put aside going to her husband,s side, then I could go to him for her.

~  *  ~

Finally in the infirmary in Preventers Headquarters, everyone was conscious.  Uncle Heero looked to the bed beside his where I sit beside Melody.  My arm bandaged and aching seems so no existent while I see them there.  I don,t feel the pain while my arm is around Melody.  Her small aching body seems so strong to me now.  I always thought of her as fragile.

Aunt Relena kissed Uncle Heero on the cheek.  I saw her whisper in his ear.  He looked at her and then back at me.  I don,t know why until he speaks.

"Maxwell?

"What?

"Yes, Heero Yuy.  Young Heero Maxwell.

"Me?  What?  My eyes widen and confusion must be completely visible in them.  The rest of my aunts and my mother seem to know what,s going on, but I,m lost.

I notice Aunt Sally whispering in Uncle Wufei,s ear too.  His eyes widen and then the emotion is gone again.

"Maxwell?

"Please somebody tell me what,s going on.  I,m truly lost at the moment, I say.

My aunts and mother laugh.  Then I watch my mother whisper in my father,s ear.  His violet eyes widen and shine with pride.

"My son?!  Honest!?

"Someone please.

Melody leans up painfully and kisses me on the cheek. 

"Thank you Knight Maxwell.

"Mel?

"I know you saved Daddy.

I didn,t do anything that didn,t have to be done.

"But it was

"Maxwell! Uncle Wufei bellows at me.

I look at him puzzled.

"Don,t you dare say nothing, Dad says.

"Family does for family, I say.  How did he know that,s what I was really going to say?  Duh!  That,s my usual answer for anything that I,ve done.

I look at my watch and frown.

"What,s wrong kid? Uncle Trowa asks.

"I have to head to class.  I have to give a speech today.  I,m going to get a horrible grade because I,m not dressed right.

Uncle Quatre walks out of the room and enters again before I can get to the door.

"Here, he says handing me the clothes that I had left out for the day.

"Uncle Quatre, you,re a life saver.  Bye everyone, I say taking the clothes and dash off to get changed and go to class.

--------

"Preventers look out.  Another Maxwell is on it,s way to joining, Duo says.

"You guys did a good job with his training, Sally says checking Wufei,s bandages.  "Now, I just have to get my hands on him for a while.

"Why woman?

"Teach him to doctor his own wounds.  He seems to have that same ability to get injured that the two trainers do.

The ladies laugh softly.  Duo smiles feeling that he definitely got left out of that attack.

"My son, a hero.

"Our son! Hilde corrects.

My knight!, Melody sighs to herself.