Sundown of a Dream by Tomorrow

AN: This is really different and I hope you like the way I set it up. Anyway, this is kind of depressing, but has a happy ending, so be patient. Thanks everyone!!!

Disclaimers: I don't own Gundam Wing!!!!!!

"It's so cold. I can't believe I went out to chase after... him. But if I don't help him... who will?" Relena pondered to herself as she trudged through the snow. Though the wind was caustic and chilled, the aura around her was accented with magnanimous exuberance. A blanket of dove's-feathered silk tucked the wilted roses and brush in for their tedious winter's rest and created it's own decoration of deathly beauty to the land. All of the animals were enjoying their well-earned slumber, as were the trees, which were in sincere anticipation for the golden rays of spring's healing touch to reawaken them once more in the cycle of life. But even so, Relena could still se all of the crystal tears nature had accumulated in the short time that passed between last winter and the one in session. The trees and bushes were ornamented with them on every branch and twig. Many call them icicles, but Relena knew better to refer to them as Mother Nature's tears, for she weeps for the many deaths of her wild offspring and the tragic love losses of her more domestic children.

Running. Running was all Relena could do for him right now, only praying to God that she get to him in time; Every turn, every tree looking exactly the same as the last. He'd gone away, for what reason it was not known to her, but she had overheard Trowa and Quatre discussing his disappearance-probably due to some kind of mission. It had been so many hours... just so many hours since he left, and she had finally come to realize that a person, even such as Heero, could not possibly survive such elements as these. As she wandered through the bleak terrain, a gentle snow began to grace the already lamb-hued earth, slowly covering the footfalls she had just imprinted. After what seemed to be a lifetime in itself, she came about a clearing in the brush that skewed the path into three separate directions.

*Well, I wonder which one I should start with? One path is as good as another... but only one can lead to Heero,* Relena thought to herself as her eyes tried to peer into the darkness beyond the routes. She was about to take the left trail, when a flash of movement caught her eye. Quickly, she turned to face her antagonist, but instead of meeting a burly, muscle-bound assassin, she was the one towering over a fondling deer. It looked up to her with a pleading grace, asking her to spare its life or help it somehow. With that look, Relena's eyes immediately softened, and she gently stroked the fawn's silken face, trying to relieve the tenseness of the frightened animal. As she did so, a contrasting highlight did she notice. Upon the baby's puppy-brown fur was a crimson lake flowing forth; the parchment tallow of the exposed leg bone made the bile rise within the young woman's throat, and she immediately tore her cloak, beginning to bandage the wound-looking to have come from an attack of some kind. The deer gently licked her cheek as it was being cared for and made the soft sounds of a cry of a child. Just as she finished with the treatment, Relena felt a harsh strike to her back. On instinct she turned, and instead of beholding the tender expression of a fellow fawn, she saw only the protective stare of an agitated mother. Relena quickly jumped to her feet and stumbled a good distance away from the family; the doe pacing around her offspring, laying her ears behind her head in a sign of aggression-ready to charge Relena for the invasion of her maternal bosom. Like lightening, the girl ran down the trails, pausing only once to catch a last glance of her newfound friend.

Hours passed as water flows along a forest brook in midsummer, and she found herself returning to that same place in the thicket where she nurtured the baby deer. The reader may ask now how she could know such a thing, but it was very simple for her to see. Upon her venture, she came upon a sight that made her fall to her knees in remorse. Under the embrace of an old pine tree lay a pool of rose-tinted waters. Even as the snow continued to deepen, this scarlet puddle would not be hidden, and next to this gory pond was the mangled body of her little friend. Relena had then run over to the baby and tried to wake it from its sleep, but by the fur's new coarseness and icy touch, she knew that the young fawn had fallen prey to the jaws of the dogs of the hunter. It was assumed by her that its mother did as well, but was dragged back to the dogs' master as a fallen victim to the chase. Many times Relena had to pass this sight, each time saying a prayer for the little creature. But after trudging along the three paths numerous times, Relena fell down to the snow in despair, in hope that she should die and be reunited with Heero once more in heaven. Her tears became as nature's icicles on her face, her cheeks flushed from exhaustion and cold; as she was about to succumb to the darkness, a cold, wet substance tickled her face. Of course, she immediately bounded to her feet, and found the source of this tingle to be a little black nose... the little black nose of a puppy. It was a small little thing, about the same size as the fawn, and was completely white; white enough that it could hide in the snow undetected. His eyes were a warming brown, and his tongue lay dangling from his mouth-he licking his snout to cease the saliva. Floppy ears drooped in front of his eyes, and his fur was soft as a pillow. It yipped wildly at her, trying to coax her into a playful mood, and began to tug on the seam of her cape, urging her to come with him.

"No little dog, I cannot play with you now... I have no desire," she relayed to the pup as she sat back down in the snow. The dog, not willing to take no for an answer, lay down beside her and began to warm her with its fur. "You know, perhaps it was through destiny that I was meant to find you. That's it! I'll call you Fate," Relena told the talk as she scratched behind his ears. "Fate, I do wish I could find Heero. I mean, I realize that he can't have survived, but something in me just won't let him go. Perhaps it would bring me peace if I could at least say good-bye to him," she murmured in the wind.

As she finished her sentence, the dog sprang about and began to bound through the trees. "Fate... puppy... come back! Where are you going?" Relena cried out to him, barely being able to see him as he darted through the brush.

It seemed as though he would never stop, when he halted and turned his head to her. Catching her breath, she knelt down to him saying, "why did you bring me here? I'm more lost than ever now! All hope of finding Heero is gone now, thank you." Fate than coaxed her head to the right, where she beheld an old, rundown shack. She instantly ran to it and sank down against the wall in relief. It wasn't a fancy dwelling, but it should keep the wind out nicely. As she was about to lie down to sleep, she thought she heard heavy breathing coming from the far corner of the room. Being there was no light, the corner was dark and sepulchral, causing her to hesitate before she assuaged her curiosity. Slowly she knelt down to the figure that had curled up in an effort to warm himself. But as she studied his profile, she noticed something: that same lean figure, that unruly hair, those harsh grunts. It had to be, "Heero," she gasped, and dragged him over to where the sunset cast its light through the rotting beams of the cottage. Water covered his body, more than likely melted snow, and he was shaking uncontrollably. Dark circles encompassed his eyes, and his lips were a deep purple. When Relena first went to touch him, she had to pull her hand away, for his skin was so cold it burned her.

"Oh Heero... what has happened to you?" she whispered into the silence while shedding her cloak so that it may be used to cover his body. She played with his locks lovingly and began to shiver ever more than he, for when she ran out of the house to find Heero, she had nothing on but her lace robe. Only did she stop long enough to grab her winter cape, but now, without it, the cold nipped at her body with hunger. After a while, becoming too tired to stay awake any longer, she fell asleep in the same little ball, the one like Heero had himself curled in earlier.

She awoke the next morning to the sound of footsteps along the hard wooden floor. It took all of her might to open her eyes, but when she did, she saw Heero pacing back and forth about the nook, trying to gather anything that could prove useful on their journey home. When he heard her stir, he got down on one of his knees and said to her gruffly, "Come on, we have to get home soon. They've probably already sent the Preventers out searching for you, thinking you were kidnapped."

"I... I can't get up Heero," Relena replied meekly. For a moment, she thought she saw a hint of concern in his eyes, but it was masked away quickly. Rising to his feet he said again, "Get up."

Relena struggled with all of her might to rise from the floor, but as she was almost to her feet, her body gave out and collapsed under her; eliciting from her a moan of pain. Heero clenched his fists and repeated once more with greater force, "Get up."

This time, she didn't even try; instead she just looked at him pleadingly, just as the fondling had looked at her. With this as her response, Heero growled at her once more, "Get up!"

Nudging herself up he screamed again, "Get up! Get up! GET UP!!!" She finally regained balance and he supported her up. They began to walk amidst the bushes again when Relena remembered Fate. "Wait Heero! Fate, a little dog I met, I can't find him! Please, help me look... call to him!"

Heero merely shook his head and replied, "No Relena, just forget him."

"But..."

"I said FORGET him."

Relena weakly bowed her head in defeat, and they resumed their trek; every so often Relena looking back to see if she could find any trace of her little Fate.

On and on they walked in utter silence until a shot rang through the air. They stiffened, and then a fear of panic spread upon them both as they heard the rasping barks of numerous tracking hounds. Without a moment's hesitation, Heero hoisted Relena into his arms and began to run deep into the thicket, hoping the dogs would loose their scent. As he rounded the bend, he was taken a start by a large black canine that jumped atop of him, causing Relena to come tumbling from his hold. The rest of the group keenly followed, but what struck Heero strangely was that they had no interest in him... they were all gathering around Relena, looking at her with ruthless pity. Their razor teeth ready to puncture and become coated with her blood, the muscles in their legs tensing to show their brute force, and their claws ready to rip the flesh away from her bones. Poor Relena could only gasp in horror as one of the beasts lunged for her. Heero was there instantly, hitting the dog in the jaw and throwing him away from Relena. At this show of aggression, the other hounds leapt for the young man and dragged him away from the young maiden. Normally, Heero would have been able to fight off such creature, but to think this out thoroughly, these dogs had been trained to take down a mighty deer, and their were also about twelve or so of them in the pack. Without any resistance now, one of the dogs pinned Relena to the ground and was about to sink its jaws around her neck, when a bolt of white whisked before her eyes. The brute stepped off of her, and was preparing himself to take care of the fluffy white obstacle that was in the way of his kill... Fate. The little pup gritted its teeth at the creature and readied itself for the greater canine's attack. The hound plummeted towards the puppy, with whose little size dodged him easily. The hero then began to scratch and nip at the fur of his antagonist, but was instantly thrown away by the dog's powerful paw. Poor Fate rolled along the snow and stood up weakly to continue the fight. But before he could see it coming, the wretched beast clamped onto Fate's stomach and just clenched down. The little dog yelped out unmercifully in shooting pain, and Relena cried out as she heard the poor puppy's pleas. Soon the commotion died down, and Fate lay still in the snow, and his murderer approaching her. Again it rested itself on her body and was to deliver her to he death when... he just stopped. The dog's eyes went wide and he began to sniff her face and her hair in a somewhat nervous manner. He then quickly jumped off from her and motioned for his comrades to come away with him, looking back at the two once before they disappeared over the tuft, letting out an ear-piercing howl.

Heero hastily thrust himself towards Relena, who will still lying in the snow in shock, when she remembered, "Fate!" she screamed as she hoisted herself from the ground. Near her little dog, she collapsed next to him and took his tiny form in her arms. "No... NO!!!!! Why did you save me? My little friend... you're bravery and heroism will always be remembered, and you shall be in my heart always," she sobbed, laying her head atop of his.

"Relena, we must go now. We're not that far from the edge of the woods, so if we hurry we can still get out of here within a couple of hours."

"Yes Heero, I understand. But first, I need to do something." Heero nodded and they walked back to the clearing in the trees where her other friend lay. This is where she lay her dog to rest, next to the baby deer to sleep and dream with endless harmony. If they were together, then they would never be alone.

"You know Relena, it's rather ironic," Heero said, causing a puzzled expression to settle upon Relena's face. "Think about it, they are complete enemies in life, but they lay together in death and it make no difference what they are. Their spirits do no rise and do battle, they just slumber together in thankfulness."

"Yes Heero, I believe you're right. I think it's that way with people sometimes too. Deep in our hearts, we may love another more than can be bared, but because of our prestige, we stay apart from them and hide our true feelings. But in our souls that love burns bright, and in death we can then find peace."

Heero then looked over to Relena and smiled, gently holding onto her hand, and as the wind blew, they were gone from sight.

A few minutes later, two familiar figures are seen walking through the forest.

"Oh Duo," Hilde sighed, "this has to be the last time we come here. We have to let go."

"Yeah Hilde I know, but it's just so difficult to do. Still, the aura in the woods today seems a lot brighter than it usually has been. Look! The sun is breaking through the clouds, and the animals seem to be stirring again." Yes, the forest had indeed grown brighter that day, and as they were leaving, Duo noticed the two "enemies" lying together in the snow.

"Look Hilde! Isn't that strange, a deer and a dog lying next to each other, almost as if their had been a closeness or love between them their entire lives."

"Yes, just like Heero and Relena before they died here so many years ago...

AN: How did you like it? I know it was a bit confusing, but I thought it went over pretty well. The reason why the wolves went after Relena, if you couldn't figure it out, was because she had the little deer's scent on her. Also, the whole thing about Relena hearing about Heero's mission from Quatre and Trowa, again if you didn't get it, was what happened the day she died those years ago. Heero and Relena, in a way, didn't know they were dead and didn't know so much time had passed. Their spirits were restless. Well, I hope that clears things up, and thanks for reading! Bye!!!!