Heero's Peace - Part 1

Disclaimer: No, I don't own the rights to these characters or Gundam Wing. They belong to Bandai and Sotsu in reality. I painfully
acknowledge that. If I did, though, there would be a slew of series or movies. But at least we can do a few stories! This is my first
fanfic and I really want to know what you all think of it.

AC 198 - The Sank Kingdom

He stepped backwards to mask himself better in the shadows of the great auditorium. He stood in the back where there was little chance of someone noticing him. He couldn't let her see him, he had made certain that she would not. After all, he had spent the better part of a year lurking and hiding in the dark. Far enough away, but never too far, he had watched her and guarded her. But she never saw him and he had taken great pains to ensure that. If Heero Yuy was one thing, it was thorough. So he stood there, still a soldier without a mission, watching the girl on the stage looming in the distance at the end of the huge room. She seemed a million miles away.

Relena squinted out into the audience of diplomats, secretaries and officers. She could make out only outlines of people in their seats; the lights were so bright and blinding in the stage. As the crowd settled she sipped the glass of cool water from the table beside her to try to relieve her dry mouth and dizziness. Shouldn't she be used to this all by now? She glanced down at her notes and forced herself to calm down and clear her mind. Her courage came flooding back to her and she found her voice rising from the strength of her convictions to promote the ever fragile peace. 'So very fragile,' she thought as she began to read the words on the cards before her. After her first few sentences she didn't even need to look at them. "The reason why I have asked you to join me here, ladies and gentlemen, is for the sake of all of us. Our loved ones, our homes and for the generations to come. I ask you not to derail the peace that was so hard to attain. The lives that were sacrificed and the pain suffered by millions built a foundation that we must not take for granted. It has come to the attention of several representatives that a number of colonies and supply satellites have become involved in heated disagreements, even going so far as to threaten to halt communications between colonies and earth. We must not allow history to repeat itself. The colonies not communicating is a leap back in time. I ask you all not to throw away this peace."

There was murmuring and shifting in the seats of the audience, but after a moment, Relena continued, "That is why I have asked you all here to earth. Tomorrow at noon a forum will be held for all colony representatives and labor leaders to voice their grievances and we shall all work together to form a solution so that no further damage occurs. I thank you for your attention, and I will see you all tomorrow. Good night and thank you." Sounds of light applause and muffled conversation accompanied Relena's ascent from the stage. Heero. stepped out of the shadows and craned his neck to get one last look at her. Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed a man lurking in the shadows just like he was, but across the hall. 'Strange,' he thought, and noted that the tall man wore a long coat and seemed to be regarding him as well. He couldn't make out the man's features so he decided to go and get a closer look. Seconds later, Heero had placed a light blue baseball cap over his unruly brown hair, and with a sigh he shrugged his shoulders, put his hands in his pockets and started to cross the room. As he whirled around to head for the opposite wall, he nearly bowled over a very surprised Quatre Winner.

Meanwhile, Relena was cornered by reporters and a number of politicians all trying to get her attention before she'd managed to take two steps away from the stage. They shoved at each other, fighting to fire their questions at her. "Vice-Foreign Minister Darlian, what's your plan to resolve this dispute between the colonies and satellites? "

"Miss Relena, do you think this will lead to fighting in outer space?"

"Miss Relena!"

"Vice-Foreign Minister!"

"Miss Darlian!"

They all shouted, trying to drown each other out.

"Please. I'll have comments tomorrow. I have said all that I have to say for tonight." They parted to let her pass. As tired as she was, Relena didn't feel like going up to her room. She looked towards the refreshment tables, noting various leaders and high-ranking officials. She returned a few polite nods and waved, and smiled a fake smile or two while looking around for a friendly face. She waded through the sea of voices, shuffling feet, clinking glasses and rustling gowns. Maybe half searching for him, like she did in any crowd. But then something in the distance caught her attention. There was no mistaking the platinum blond hair of Quatre Winner. Upon seeing him she felt the sharp twinge of guilt, thinking of how she had missed his wedding four months ago. Having just finished making all the arrangements to get to his colony, she was called away when the first dispute broke out between two
colonies and a supply satellite - in the opposite direction. His new wife seemed like a lovely person ; she was a girl he had met at school while he was here with Heero three years ago. She was a duchess from a country not far from the Sank Kingdom. Relena recalled seeing her, but never had gotten a chance to really befriend her. She walked a little faster, having spotted Quatre - and who was he talking with? She picked up her pace even more, but when she
was almost there, she saw one of her aids headed straight for her, paper in hand. "The agenda for tomorrow's forum, Miss Relena. Will you please take a moment to review it?" Letting out a long breath, Relena took the sheet of paper and began to read.

"Heero! I thought that was you Heero!" Quatre beamed at him. "It's good to see you!"

Giving a quick glance to the side, he noticed the man was gone. Heero hastened a reply. "Quatre," he said nodding, giving no hint of emotion in his voice or expression. "It's good to see you, too," he continued in the same tone. With that he began to walk past Quatre to leave.

"Don't go yet, Heero!" Quatre said, a little more loudly than Heero would have liked. This time Heero glanced over his shoulder, his expressionless face began to betray his agitation.

Thinking for a moment, Heero said in a quiet voice, "I heard you got married. Sorry I missed the wedding."

"I didn't know where to find you to send an invitation, still I hoped you'd come just the same."

"That your wife?" asked Heero gruffly, nodding in the direction of a petite young woman with long black hair who was laughing with a group of older, very well dressed women.

"Yes, that's Luna," smiled Quatre, unable to conceal his feelings of adoration when he looked at his wife.

Heero stole yet another nervous glance behind him; Quatre, getting curious, made a deliberate move to look around Heero. He saw Relena almost instantly.

"Have you talked to her at all, Heero?" he asked quietly. To Quatre, Heero's lack of reply meant that he hadn't. "She waits for you, Heero." said Quatre reverently. "I know you think you're not worthy of her, but I know she doesn't feel that way. If anything she needs your strength. Let her know you're near." Heero seemed to consider this, but for just a moment. Suddenly he gave a quick start and spoke in a low whisper.

"She can't see me. I'll find you later. By the grove of trees at the east wall." He moved deftly past Quatre and out of sight. Before

Quatre could bat an eyelash, Relena was standing almost where Heero had just been. She looked very worn out, but still very pretty in her royal blue gown. Joy shone through her eyes as she greeted him warmly. Finally, a reason for a genuine smile. "Quatre!" He gave a slight bow and glowing smile to her. "I'm so glad you're here! And I'm so sorry about missing the wedding, I so had wanted to be there. My thoughts were with the two of you."

"I know, Relena. Luna's here, too by the way. We wanted to come and lend a hand to the colony negotiations. Fortunately I haven't had any problems yet. We can't let peace slip away over a few petty arguments between officials and labor bosses. We've seen it happen before."

Relena nodded in agreement, "Thank you, Quatre, so much." At that moment, Quatre silently pleaded, 'Please don't ask me if he was here. The truth would be painful and I don't have it in me to deceive to Relena." No sooner had it crossed his mind, then she, as if reading his thoughts and choosing to defy them, asked the question.

"Who were you just talking to, by the way?" Quatre took a deep breath and frantically searched for excuses, or the courage to tell the truth, but his wife saved him. Luna Winner came to stand beside her husband, slipping her arm through his.

"Darling!" A very relieved Quatre greeted his wife. In return, she gave him the smile that she reserved only for him.

"How lovely to see you, Miss Relena!" Luna said.

"Likewise, Mrs. Winner, smiled Relena. Her heart leapt at the happiness she saw in the two of them. "Thank you both again for coming to earth."

"We were more than happy to come, "Quatre's wife replied. My dear husband's colony is wonderful and outer space is breath-taking, but I long for the earth. My country is not far from the Sank Kingdom, if you remember."

Relena was just about to reply that she did remember, but another aid came rushing up to the three of them. "Excuse me, Miss Darlian," the aid panted. "I'm afraid that one of the representatives from colony L1 and a supply satellite boss have started arguing. I think your presence is required to help them calm down and wait until tomorrow to voice their opinions." Hurriedly, Relena made her apologies to the Winners and followed her aid quickly across the vast hall. 'L1 - Heero's colony,' she thought. 'I wonder if he's there right now - and if he ever thinks of me.'

Heero stepped out into the cold night and headed east. He stayed in the shadow of the buildings great pillars. That had been too close and that man in the shadows made him uneasy. He would have to go back in and risk her seeing him. He still couldn't face her. Was he really so unworthy or just a coward? He, who fought countless battles and offered up his life more times than he could count? He, who had faced death and even welcomed it? 'I have put myself in front of legions of mobile suits, lasers and guns - all classes of killing machines. Yet I cannot speak to her.' He was too tainted by the blood on his hands and constantly haunted by the hundreds of souls he had dispatched to the great beyond. He was a broken killing machine. "She waits for you, Heero." Quatre's
words haunted him as much as the ghosts in his mind. He found a bench in the grove of trees and sat down, lowering his head. "Why? Why does she wait for me?" He hadn't realized he's said the words aloud. But it was Quatre's voice that replied.
"She loves you. As you love her. You know it, Heero." He was alone, his wife had gone to their room when he said that he needed to speak to an old friend. He thought about his friend's words. 'Can I love?' he wondered. Often times he didn't even feel human. Duo had pointed that out for him countless times.

"There's a soul in you somewhere, Heero. And a good soul. You have to find it." Heero continued to regard Quatre in silence.

Finally, he spoke. "I have to find it. Find where I came from. Quatre..." He turned his face towards his friend.

"I'll help you, Heero. What do you know about your past?"

Heero didn't have the chance to answer, if even he wanted to. A loud noise shook the building, followed by frightened screams and people running. A member of Quatre's guard bolted in their direction. The man, looking very much like a frightened animal, caught his breath and managed to gasp out a few words. "Master Quatre!" His tone was alarming. "Please come quickly... a bomb... it's... it's the Vice-Foreign Minister!" The look on the guard's face turned grave.

"What happened?" Quatre demanded.
"She's been injured - by the blast, sir.

Heero felt the blood drain from his face, but somehow he forced himself into a run alongside Quatre. A whole year watching her, he leaves for a moment and disaster strikes. Who would want to hurt Relena? A thousand questions flowed through his mind as he and his friend raced towards the chaos. He and Quatre made their way through the fleeing crowds back into the auditorium. The hall was thick with dust and smoke as they approached the area where dining tables had been set up. What remained were splinters of wood and shards of cloth. There they found a battered Duo Maxwell cradling the unconscious and bleeding Relena. He wore a long coat that was now torn, burnt and stained with blood. He looked sorrowfully up at Heero and Quatre as they stopped a few feet away from him. "I didn't make it in time," he choked.

End1 part one - to be continued.