Eternal Love    

DISCLAIMERS: All Gundam characters belong to Sunrise/Shotsu Agency. This fanfic is for leisure purposes only. I do not own any of the characters, only a whole damn lot of merchandise. So you'll all be wasting your time trying to sue me.

Relena sighed and peered out the window. The sky was clear, not a cloud in sight. 'I'm supposed to be happy but I feel like a walking gloom trip.' It had been a busy week for her and she was looking forward to her vacation, which had been suggested by her older brother, Milliard Peacecraft. She recalled their conversation last night.

It had been a quiet dinner with Noin, her sister-in-law, her big brother and their two children. As usual, the kids were giving their daily report of what they had done in school. The eldest named Lee Noel (whom she fondly called 'Zechs junior') was already becoming more like his father. He had his father's ice blue eyes and his mother's dark hair and was a good athlete and at the same time, had an analytical mind, which put him on top of his class. "Dad, I scored five field goals today and I got an A in Science." "That's great, son. What about our little Lillias?" Relena looked at the adorable six-year-old beside her and tousled her platinum-blond hair. Lillias Marie was starting kindergarten and she was becoming a pretty popular student. "I had a blatht drawin' you n' mommy. Teacher gave me a thtar," she lisped.

Lee Noel beamed at his little sister from across the table. "Hey, that's great, Lily! That means you've learned quickly." 'For an eight-year-old, he gets along pretty well with his sister. He's kind and understanding like Milliard,' Relena mused as Noin smiled at her husband. "Lee Noel, thankth for teachin' me t' draw." Lily smiled her sweet smile for her brother that showed a dimple in her right cheek. Lee grinned back, grains of rice sticking to his cheeks, obscuring his own dimples.

Milliard turned his attention to his sister. "Relena, I think you should go on a vacation. You look tired and overworked." "I couldn't agree with you more." Noin looked at Relena, brow creased with worry. "Aunt Relena, Dad's right. You take your job too seriously. That's why I suggested that Dad books you a flight or maybe have you check in at a hotel." Lee stared at his aunt. "And you've got eyebags galore," he continued. Zechs let out a weird noise that sounded like a chuckle and a snort and winced slightly when Noin kicked his shins from under the table. He looked up and received a death glare from his wife.

Lily looked at Relena, her big eyes growing inquisitive. "Auntie Relena, don't ya have a BOYFRIEND?" she asked, innocently. Relena blushed five shades of red. She gaped at her niece disbelievingly. 'For a kid, she sure is perceptive.' She mumbled some excuse and told her brother that she might consider his suggestion.

As she made her way out of the room, she heard Lily's sweet voice ask, "Daddy, why doethn't Auntie Relena have a boyfriend?" "Yeah, she's pretty enough to have bazillions of them," Lee chimed in, making Relena blush even more. She didn't have time for a boyfriend. She never loved any of her suitors the way she loved him. HIM .The one man she cared for. The one who had risked his life for her many times. The one who had saved her from Mariemaia, years before. He had disappeared after that and not even his fellow pilots could pinpoint his whereabouts. To ease her pain, she buried all of his memories in the depths of her heart where no one could dig them up and focused her energies on trying to bring peace to the colonies.

"Heero..." That name brought back memories that saddened her. Relena stared out at the Sanc Kingdom, smiling bitterly. She got up and prepared to go out and visit a few friends. For her outfit, she chose a sleeveless light blue sundress and she tied her sandy brown hair in a French braid. She put on a light tinge of makeup and made her way to the car she had gotten for her eighteenth birthday. She drove to the city and stopped in front of a cute bungalow situated beside a machine shop. The sign overhead said:

MAXWELL and SCHBEKER CAR REPAIRS. WE ALSO DO PLUMBING AND CARWASH OTHER AVAILABLE SERVICES: COMPUTER REPAIRING, MOBILE SUIT TUNE-UPS INQUIRE INSIDE OR CALL: 1-800-95-maxwell or 1-500-18-schbeker TOLL FREE!

Relena sweatdropped and giggled. 'That Duo hasn't changed a bit,' she thought as she rang the doorbell. A raven-haired girl wearing overalls stepped out. Her pretty face broke into a smile when she saw who it was. "Relena! You look gorgeous!" She glanced at the German girl who ushered her into their house. Hilde and Duo had been living together since a year after the Mariemaia crisis had passed and it had been Duo's idea to set up the shop. They had saved enough money to buy the house and they were planning to marry in spring.

A young man entered the house, wiping his sweaty brow and twirling a wrench in another hand. Seeing her, his face broke into a huge, ear-to-ear grin (which was pretty common in his case) and tossed his long braid over his shoulders. "Oi, ojousan! You seem to be full of surprises. What brings you to our humble abode?" Relena suppressed the urge to laugh at Duo's poker face. "I thought that I would visit you guys first before the others, since your place is the nearest." Hilde rushed to prepare refreshments for them.

"Relena-sama, do you want to tell us something very important?" Hilde asked, as she placed their snacks on the table. She sat down beside Relena and draped a slender arm across her shoulders. Relena smiled at her friends. "I've decided that I need a vacation. I wanted to speak to you guys in person to ask you about an ideal vacation spot." Duo leaned forward. "You could take a vacation in Paris but you'd get majorly grossed out by what they serve there. Can you believe they actually serve guts, snails and frogs? If I were you, I'd stick to a burger and a movie." Hilde threw a pillow at her fiancée, who grinned mischievously.

They talked for a while before Relena got up to leave. "Thanks for everything, Duo/Hilde. I have to go now to visit the others. Good luck with the shop." She waved to the happy twosome and drove off to her next destination.

Relena stopped in front of a huge trailer and she heard a child's playful squeal coming from inside. She got out and knocked softly on the door. A young woman with wavy auburn hair answered her knock. In her arms, she cradled a little girl with dark green eyes. "Relena-sama! This is a pleasant surprise!" Cathrine Barton exclaimed. "Come on in. We're really sorry if little Carol messed up a bit." Relena smiled. "It's nothing, Cathrine. How is she? She seems to be getting prettier each day." "And more energetic. This little bundle is Trowa's other pride and joy aside from Leon," Cathrine added.

A boy with sky blue eyes looked up and grinned a gap-toothed grin at her. He was working on a mobile suit model and Trowa was beaming at his son proudly as his little hands worked swiftly in finishing his project. "Relena-sama, do you want anything to drink? I could fix you something," Trowa suggested. She shook her head gently. "I just came from Duo's and Hilde's house and I'm pretty much stuffed with what they served me." They sat down to chat and Relena told them about her plan to go on a vacation.

Trowa's eyes gleamed. " I heard that Hawaii is great this year. Or, you could go to Trinidad and Tobago for a while." "Maybe you'd like it in Cancun, Mexico or Spain. The food is great and they are such great places for night life." Cathrine glanced at her friend. Relena shot them both a grateful glance. "Thanks for everything. I have to go now. Quatre and Dorothy are next on my list. With all these places you've suggested, I won't run out of options."

Quatre was in the music room, playing a sonata for his sweetheart when a butler announced the princess' arrival. Dorothy Catalonia curtsied before the princess. "Your Majesty, we are honored to have you visit us." Relena broke into a lopsided grin. "You're making fun of me, Dorothy. What's with all the 'Your Majesty' bit? Do you need me to hire a terrorist to bomb someone?" Quatre laughed. "You forget, Ms. Relena, that I used to be a terrorist." He motioned for a servant to bring them refreshments.

"So, you've finally decided to play hooky. That's good. You're always so damned serious about your job. Well, I do declare! This is a different Relena Peacecraft." Dorothy teased. "I wish you'd fuck off, Dorothy. The strangest thing is that I can say a lot of bullshit when you're around. My mouth has a mind of its own when you insult me. I actually forget my manners." Relena grinned. "I assume that you have a natural hatred for me, Ms. Prissy. You and everyone else has gotten used to Duo and his big ass mouth." Dorothy smirked. Quatre shook his head, laughing. "Women. Who can understand them?"
Relena left Quatre's mansion and headed for her car thirty minutes after they had finished talking. As she made her way to her car, she paused to watch the sun sink into the horizon. The sky was filled with a mixture of hues. Brilliant splashes of orange, pink and a bloody red filled the heavens. She breathed deeply, inhaling the fresh sea breeze. 'I'm thankful for them. They're all good friends and they're all concerned for my welfare,' she thought to herself as she drove past a familiar place. Her breath caught in her throat as she noticed that she had stopped near the...

"... the spot where I first saw him," she whispered softly. Sighing sadly, she drove back home, not even noticing that someone had been keeping an eye on her from a fair distance away.

~*~*~

Heero watched Relena drive away, his heart breaking at the sight of her mournful expression. It had been eight years since he had left her. He remembered risking his life to save her from Mariemaia. After that, he had returned to L1and had an agreement with Doctor J. Doctor J promised to restore his humanity if he would not let Relena see him. " This will be a long process, Heero. If you want your humanity back, you will have to endure everything I will be putting you through. The other pilots must not know where you are, including the lady of your heart."

And he had agreed...

Often, he would lie in bed alone, wondering if his friends would protect her, wondering if she was thinking of him. He would go over to his window and gaze down at the blue-green Earth over and over again. There would be times when he wished that he had never left her. He wanted to be by her side, protecting her and loving her. Duo knew that he had the hots for her. Trowa could see that he made her his only mission. Quatre could see in his eyes that he worshipped the ground she walked on. And Wufei...well, Wufei would always be Wufei.

He had seen the pain in her eyes, wondered at her innocence, and admired her courage. He was in love with her from the very start. Finally, after a long time, Doctor J let him go. "You are now deprogrammed, Akira Yuy."(AN: I don't really know what Heero's real name is. Gomen... gomen...^_^) He had made that long journey from L1 to see her and it didn't take long to find her. He had seen her drive to that familiar spot on the beach where he had passed out after ditching his mobile suit.

Heero turned away after seeing her drive off, his chest constricting. 'Funny,' he thought 'I never experienced this kind of pain. I never knew that human emotions like this hurt a lot more than self-destructing my Gundam before even getting out of the way.' (AN: If u guys remember, Heero self-destructed Wing in his fight with Zechs and Tallgeese I and almost killed himself.) He noticed how much she had matured in his years of absence and for a brief moment, wondered how her lips would feel on his own. A single tear slid down his cheek and he made no attempt to brush it off. 'Damn myself for being so stupid! Damn myself for hurting her. Duo would be calling me a dickhead right now and I guess I am...'

He closed his eyes and sent a silent prayer to the breeze. ' I don't believe in miracles but if there is a God, please help me. I must win her back.' He straightened up and strode to the nearest payphone. It was time to call some old friends...

~*~*~

"Heero, I think it's time you let her know that you're back." It was one hot day and Heero was in the garden of the Winner mansion, reunited with his old friends. "Yes, Quatre, but what will she say? I don't know if I can face her and explain why I'm such an asshole." A hint of anxiety showed in his ocean-blue eyes. Duo's jaw dropped. " Nani? I don't think I heard correctly. Mr. Suicide Boy doesn't know what to say? Man, you must have it in her for her bad. Actually, you can tell her in five words or less. You always do that."

Wufei snorted. " Ha! Unlike you, Duo, Heero always thinks of what to say and is not as tactless as you are." Duo glared at him and gave him the finger while mouthing the word 'S.O.B!' Trowa sipped a bit of his soda and stared at his friend, green eyes twinkling. "I think I know of a way to let her know and take her by surprise."

Heero leaned over slightly, making the bench creak. "Hai, I'm listening." "Well, we were informed by Miss Sally Po that Milliard will be giving her a formal send-off party since she's going on a vacation. It will be held two days from now. Quatre and I will be in charge of the music. There will be ballroom dancing and I'm pretty sure that her suitors are going to surround her and ask her to dance. You have to get to her first."

Quatre looked at Heero again, blue eyes skeptical. "Heero, do you know anything about ballroom dancing? Like boogie, tango, cha-cha, foxtrot, swing?" The Japanese pilot looked rather defensive and nodded yes. Duo mumbled to himself between chuckles. "Bet he's got two left feet or too many feet." Wufei's hand came down hard on his head. "OUCH!" That lightened up things and the five young men sat and planned for the said event.

~*~*~

"You know, niisan, it wasn't necessary for you guys to hold something as festive as this." It was evening and Relena was talking to her brother, a little embarrassed of the efforts he made to make her happy. The elder Peacecraft waved his hand. "Oh, don't be ridiculous! I wanted to do this. And don't worry, this is my money paying, not the citizen's taxes." Relena blushed again. "Oh, God! I owe you so much already." Lucrezia smiled gently. "Honey, you don't owe us anything. We planned this so you could at least loosen up. Why don't you go change? The party will start in half an hour."

"Quatre, do you see her yet?" "Not yet, Heero, but Trowa and the others will tell you when." Quatre was communicating with Heero through transistor while helping Trowa and the others adjust their instruments. Lady Une appeared very nervous beside the blond boy, flexing her fingers. "I'm not sure if I can do this. I haven't played the piano in a long time and I'm a bit rusty." Sally patted her shoulder reassuringly. "You'll do fine. Consider yourself lucky that you aren't stuck with the Spanish guitar. I'll bet Duo's having the worst time practicing."

Meanwhile...

"Dorothy, I'm not sure this is a good idea. I don't feel like celebrating. The attention you guys are giving me is kind of unsettling." "Come off it, Ms. Relena. You should be used to it by now. I am here to make you shine your best tonight," Dorothy replied, as she styled Relena's hair in a simple yet elegant fashion. All the while, the blonde girl smiled secretly. 'After this, you will finally be forevermore happy, Princess Relena.' Relena sighed and closed her eyes. "Alright, alright. I'll loosen up tonight Dorothy."
~*~*~
"I'm not sure if I can do this," Heero grunted uneasily. " Baka! Hold still, will ya! We aren't getting anywhere with your tie!" Duo ranted as he and Trowa tried to adjust the cummerbund, but to no avail. Wufei snatched the tangle of ribbons in one swift movement and wove the bands, his fingers a blur. "Your tie is ready, Heero." He handed the Wing pilot his tie. Duo's eyes bugged out and he gaped at the Chinese youth. "You actually know how to do that? WHOA!" Wufei sniffed smugly. "The reason that you don't know how is that you only wear clip-on's."

Milliard Peacecraft emerged from out of nowhere and raised his glass. "Ladies and gentlemen, you all know the reason why we're here. To give my little sister, Relena, a send-off party she will never forget. And now, please welcome the person to whom this party was dedicated to." A chorus of hoots, whistles, cheers and claps. Heero waited in anticipation for his love to appear. He was not disappointed. Neither were the other people in the room. A wave of gasps rose and fell as the princess appeared before their eyes.

Heero's breath caught in his throat at the sight of Relena as soon as she entered the hall. Her hair was styled exquisitely, tied in a ponytail and falling behind her head in one soft curl. She was dressed in a stunning strapless gown of gold that clung to her curves seductively. A simple diamond necklace adorned her swanlike neck and she had minimal makeup on that brought out the clear blue of her eyes and the regal aspect of her face. Everyone stared at her in awe and the orchestra actually stopped to regard her magnificence.

The Duke of France, who was beside Heero, could only murmur about how resplendent she looked. "The high Grecian nose, the graceful neck, the honey-colored hair that flowed smoothly, like the waves of the ocean, her blue-green eyes that were the color of the Pacific, pale, smooth skin that reminded him of a mythological Muse..."

'She's a goddess,' Heero thought as his eyes regarded her. 'I left behind an innocent schoolgirl and now, I come back to find a woman in her place. Her eyes are the same. Like the Pacific, peaceful and calm and on other occasions, stormy and flashing. She has a strong spirit, proud and unyielding.' He tried to clear his head of his thoughts that were now in a whirl and listened to Relena's silvery voice drift through the dance hall.

"Ladies and gentlemen, I thank you for coming. Although this party wasn't my idea..." she paused slightly to hear the crowd snicker quietly. She smiled and continued. "I hope you will all enjoy yourselves. And now, let the party begin. Cheers to you all!" With that, she headed off the platform and sat down at a table near the orchestra. As she quietly sipped the champagne handed to her, a matre'd approached her and handed a red rose. "Miss Relena, someone wants to see you. He's waiting by the balcony." Relena sighed and rose to her feet. 'Mou! I swear if this is a distraction, I'll *$@%^!' she swore vehemently.

Quatre watched her leave and turned to his friends who were part of the orchestra. "Alright guys, don't mess up. When Heero enters with Relena by his side, you know what to play." Everyone nodded while Duo smirked sarcastically. "Why the hell does it have to be 'Por Una Cabeza'? That tango music is kinda hard." Hilde shook her head. "For everyone's sake, we hope you didn't forget any of your music lessons, Duo Maxwell."(AN: So sue me, I'm fond of ballroom dancing. 'Por Una Cabeza' is from the movies "TRUE LIES" & "SCENT OF A WOMAN")

~*~*~

Relena sighed and looked around her. "That's funny, there's no one here except for me. I'm gonna head back to the table." "Not yet, Relena. I can't ever let you go again." Her eyes widened in shock and she turned around to face the speaker. Inside, she was about to faint out of sheer astonishment but she steadied herself and peered into the face that had haunted her thoughts for so long. Dark blue eyes met blue-green as Heero calmed himself and stared into her eyes. 'God, I could drown in them forever. Such hypnotic eyes...'

"What do you want?" A chill ran down his spine as he listened to her icy voice. He glanced at her and he saw no pity in her eyes, no affection. Only an indifference that made him feel a cold emptiness in his gut. "Relena... I-I'm so sorry"- "Sorry? Sorry isn't enough, Heero! I was a damn fool to follow you around! To have actually loved you! You think you're doing me a favor by coming back and begging for forgiveness? You heartless asshole!" Each word came out of her mouth with such force that Heero could only eye the ground in disgrace. He knew that everything she said was true. She was right.

"Relena, I'm so very sorry. I never meant to hurt you in any way. I never thought that..." "Damare! I have wanted to do this for a long time!" She took one step forward and slapped him across his face as hard as she could. He rubbed his stinging cheek and looked at her. "I deserved that. I know I did. Everything you have said. Relena, I came back to say that I love you. I've realized that I need you and I can't live without you." She glared at him coldly. "You left me, Heero. I've forgotten about you. Get lost, I don't want to make a scene!"

"NO!" He grabbed her shoulders in desperation, knowing that he would lose the only thing that held meaning to him if he didn't do something drastic. Pulling her close, he slipped his arms around her slender waist and kissed her. As soon as their lips met, Heero's mind blanked out and the only thing that mattered to him was the feeling of Relena's sweet lips on his own. His world seemed to balance on that kiss and her scent surrounded him, blocking his senses. He felt inexplicable warmth and he wished that the moment would never end.

Relena's eyes widened for a moment. 'Doushite? Stop torturing me. Leave me alone...' 'No, Relena. I could never leave you because I love you too much. Let me do this. This is right.' She closed her eyes, listening to his voice in her head. Their bodies seemed to become one as Heero's hands tightened around her waist and lightly stroked her back, kissing the very soul out of her. 'Yes, this is right. I know that now.' "I love you, Heero Yuy."

Heero pulled back from her slowly, smiling at her. "Aishiteru, Relena. My lady, my love..." His fingers tenderly traced her cheek, lingering over her lips. Relena brought up her hand and brushed that one unmanageable lock that fell over his brow. "Mou! Heero, I always thought you'd put gel on that head of hair you got." She giggled when Heero cocked his head sideways. "What the hell, you were always cute that way. Leave it like that."

Heero stepped back and bowed. "May I have this dance, my lady?" She took his outstretched hand. "With pleasure, my prince." Taking his arm, they headed to the dance floor.

~*~*~

Quatre scanned the room for his friend and his face lit up as soon as he saw Heero leading Relena. He turned to the others who took their positions and nodded for his signal. "Now, guys!" His fingers started to play the first few notes and cast a glance at the couple.

Heero heard the opening notes of the music and smiled down at Relena. "You tango?" She looked at him defensively and raised one eyebrow. "You assume I didn't?" Heero guided her to the center of the ballroom and started to dance with her. At first, they were both tensed, mindful of the steps, but slowly eased up. They both started to feel the music, that they were the music. They were so caught up in the realization that they were united again and never would be apart again, and little did they know that the other dancing partners had stopped, regarding them with interest and awe.

Heero's gaze was one so intense that Relena felt the blood rush to her cheeks and she smiled shyly, the naïve maiden slowly coming back to her. "Why are you smiling?" She blinked and found her face reflected in ocean-blue pools that showed thousands of emotions which confused her. There was pain, melancholy, longing, and...love. She was taken aback by the sudden change in Heero and she wondered briefly what he had been doing all this time that she had waited.

Thunderous clapping broke her out of her reverie and she flushed five shades of red, suddenly realizing that the sexy tango music had stopped and they were dancing without any music. Heero twirled her outward and bowed to the audience, a smile playing on his lips. Relena curtseyed as if nothing happened, but deep inside, feeling slightly mortified at what she had been displaying. "Let's go somewhere private. I've got a shitload of explaining to do." She nodded slowly and followed him to the garden.

~*~*~

Quatre wiped his brow and sighed. "Whew! Thank goodness that's over with. They were gone for quite a long time, I thought our plan was ruined." Duo breathed out, exaggerating his sigh. "Whew-me-too! I almost thought that I wouldn't be able to get through that piece! Thank you, Father Maxwell and Sister Helen! Hallelujah!"

"Well, they both deserve happiness in their lives. They've been apart for so long and they need to know what real love is," Lady Une clasped her hands, her heart going out to the once tragic couple. "I'm just happy that they've finally admitted how they feel about each other. In the meantime, I think we should get back to playing." Wufei sat down, his fingers poised to play on the grand piano. The others groaned. "WUFEI! GET A LIFE!" "What did I say?" "Jeez! What a clueless dick!" "Wufei, baka!"

Heero led Relena to a secluded spot in the garden and sat down beneath a laurel tree. He sighed and glanced at her. The moon was full and it illuminated her symmetrical features. A light breeze blew, making her long hair seem alive. He drew her close, feeling the warmth emanating from her body. She looked at him and grinned. "That was my first real kiss, Heero. I've been out on dates but none of them knew how to kiss me. It was always the same. A peck on the cheek or maybe a slight brush on the lips..." she was interrupted by his voice. "How UN-romantic of them," he noted, deadpan.

She laughed, sending shivers down his back. Her laughter was, to him, musical like the voices of a thousand dryads. His mother had once told him stories of these mysterious creatures that played in the forests and rarely let people see them. "Heero, I have to ask you something." "Hmmm?" "Have you come back to fulfill your promise?" He looked at her. "What promise?" "What you always told me. 'Omae wa korosu'."

His jaw twitched and memories of his past as a soldier came back to him in a rush. "I'm sorry if I said that before." She shook her head. "I understand completely. You were only doing your job and I jeopardized your mission. What's past is past." 'She was always so understanding...' "Relena, you were my mission. I had to protect you because you embodied peace and because..." "Nani?" "...because I felt something for you that I couldn't explain back then. I left you after defeating Mariemaia and I returned to L1, requesting Dr. J to deprogram me. He told me not to tell the others and he didn't want me to tell you, even when you made visits to L1. Gomen nasai, koishii."

She stood abruptly, hugging herself. "Ano...Heero..." Her eyes misted up and she fought the urge to cry. Her voice was barely above a whisper and his answer was simple, pure, and honest. "Relena, I did that because I loved you. I loved you then and I love you still." He stood up behind her, encircling his arms around her and inhaling the light fragrance of roses in her hair. She cleared her throat, trying to ease the pain in her chest as she heaved a sob.

"Heero...when y-you left... I was hurt...confused why you didn't want to stay. I-I became so angry with you that I decided to forget you and I convinced myself that you didn't care for me and that I was stupid to have thought myself to be in love with my would-be-killer." He slowly turned her around to face him and with the same gentle motion, he caught her tears as he had done years ago. "Relena, if we hadn't met, I would have never found another woman like you. I remembered dreaming about meeting someone who would be capable of understanding me and teaching me how to care. I've been a soldier too long, koishii."

Heero smiled at her, unaware that his cheeks were wet with his own tears. Relena touched his cheek, feeling his strong jawline twitch slightly beneath her fingers. "You know Heero, I thought I had totally exorcised myself into thinking that I didn't love you and when I saw you tonight, I thought that I was falling for you all over again. But I was wrong about that." His heart missed a few beats and he thought she would cry again.

She wiped her eyes hastily and continued, "I've never stopped caring for you. My heart has always belonged to you." He guided her chin with his thumb and forefinger and bent his head down to kiss her again. The kiss ended when he pulled away and knelt down on one knee. "Relena, I can't live alone forever. I want a future with you. I know I have nothing to offer you, not even a ring but..." She cut him short, placing a finger on his lips. " Heero no baka! Yamete. I don't need that. I still have that teddy bear you gave me."

"Will you marry me, koishii?" " 'Love, I will love thee ever. Love, I will leave thee never.' Yes, Heero, I will marry you."

And she sealed it with a kiss, oblivious of a man with platinum blond hair and a woman with short, dark hair smile from above a window above them.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~END OF PART ONE~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Yah! Yah! Part two, people! Read on!

Heero sighed and ran a hand through his hair. Relena came in, two cups in her hands. "Coffee, Heero?"

"Mmm. Arigatou." He pulled her down beside him on the couch and wrapped his arms around her. Relena had dropped by his apartment and they had a very leisurely breakfast.

"You make good coffee, koishii."

"Aa, so you think that it’s the only thing I’m good at?"

Heero twirled a silken strand of honey-colored hair. "Iie…you’re good at…" he kissed her lips, threading his fingers through her hair.

"Mmhmm? What am I good at?"

He kissed her again. "Let me think, koishii."

Relena kissed him back and laughed. "You’re not doing much thinking, Heero-kun."

He grinned at her mocking tone. "Aa, sou da ne. Demo, I’m in heaven right now."

"Aha! That explains everything."

"Maa, maa…give me a chance."

"Well?"

"Aa…you are definitely good at kissing, koishii."

She poked his ribs playfully. "Mou! That’s all you ever think about."

He held up his hands. "Can I help it if you’re too good at that?"

Heero ducked the pillow that she had thrown and laughed along with his lover. It felt so good to laugh again. He had thought he would never be able to smile, but finding Relena once more had proved him wrong. His friends were right. Life was beautiful and not even war could alter anything.

His past as a Gundam pilot seemed almost non-existent but there was always the ever-present guilt in his conscience. He had killed too many people. "Heero, it’s never too late for change. There is a song that says so. ‘Life is a constant change like the clouds that move across the sky.’ You will find peace in her, Heero Yuy." Wufei had spoke to him the day after his engagement to Relena had been announced in a not-too complaisant manner courtesy of Duo Maxwell.

He had called for a celebration, pounded on the table in a drunken haze and hiccuped all the way through his speech, trying to congratulate his buddy. "Y’see, Heero…*hic*… if she hadn’t…*hic*… been so into you, I would’ve…*hic*…had her for dessert. Y’all agree that…*hic*…Mr. Shuishide Bhoy…*hic*…is one lucky dog! Heh…*hic hic*… let’s sing for them!"

"Heero, I haven’t been able to go on that vacation I planned. Should I wait until the honeymoon?" Relena’s inquisitive voice broke him out of his trance and he nodded thoughtfully.

"Hai. I think that best wait until after the wedding. That way, koishii, I can guard you and still have fun."

She brushed back a stubborn lock that fell over his brow and kissed the tip of his nose. "You are still every bit as alert as before. Lighten up! You’re not my bodyguard anymore, you’re my fiancée."

Heero frowned slightly. "You can never tell, love. I don’t want to lose you anymore. I almost lost you once." He hugged her fiercely, trying to hide his fear, but his eyes betrayed him. Relena could see the anxiety in his eyes. He was giving in to his emotions now, his true soul revealed with no pretense. Yes, the perfect soldier was afraid. Relena kissed him, a reassurance that nothing would ever happen again. "Heero, let’s finish what we started, ne?" And so, they went back to discussing their wedding plans.

**************************************************************************************

"Oh, for heaven’s sake! Relena, stop fidgeting!"

"Dorothy, I’m not fidgeting! I’m breathing!"

"Rather rapidly, I might say."

"Yeah. Are you, perchance, nervous my friend?"

"Of course she is, Hilde. Every bride is unstable on her wedding day. I was like that when I married Milliard and so was Cathrine."

It was the big day. There were mixed emotions among the people. Excitement, restlessness, extreme happiness mingled with yawns and Duo’s continuous ranting. The gentlemen were in another room, trying to encourage a very distraught Heero into fixing himself up.

"I cannot do this! I am absolutely petrified! What if I forget the ring? What if I forget to put on a belt and my pants slip?! What if I discover that I don’t have it in me? I’ll ruin my chances at making Relena happy!"

Heero frantically paced the room, Quatre at his heels and trying to adjust his friend’s tuxedo.

Trowa shook his head, amusement and sympathy threaded in his voice. "Wedding bell jitters. That’s what they call it. I went through it during mine."

Duo smirked. "If I remember correctly, you almost jumped off a building and you were shouting, ‘Let this last performance of mine be my best! Aishiteru, Cathrine!’ Man, that was hell!" He slapped his thigh, laughing like a hyena.

Wufei nodded, the beginnings of a wry smile working up his face. " I actually had to call the priest to calm you down. Imagine, the injustice of it all…"

Trowa blushed beet red and his hands balled into fists. "Will you shut up already!? That private joke was not for publication, if you know what I’m implying."

Duo stopped laughing. "Yeah, let’s get back to the task at hand." And they all pounced on Heero, trying to get him to stand on his already trembling legs.

Duo shook Heero’s shoulders. "Oi! Heero! Look at me. You should consider yourself the luckiest guy on the planet~"

Quatre nodded his head vigorously, the gel in his hair threatening to wear off. "The luckiest in the universe, even." A Maganac scrambled up to him, comb in hand. "Master Quatre, please don’t shake your head too much. Rasid had trouble styling it." (A.N: Quatre is that pampered! I wish I had a band of slaves. *sigh* =_=…)

Duo hastily continued. "Look! You are marrying an enchantress, you’re gonna be living a really swell life and you’ll be happy. We’re behind you all the way. All you’ll be worrying about in the future is trying to impress her brother, the Abominable Snowman. Now get your ass out there, ahou!"

Trowa spoke up. "We can’t afford to let the singers wait. They’ve got loads of other appointments."

The Japanese youth swallowed, apprehensive for a split-second. "Demo…"

"Heero, you the man! Get your big ass out there! You won’t regret it once you see your bride. You will never forget how she looks today. Not for the rest of your life." A complacent smile surfaced and Heero patted the American on the shoulder.

"Domo arigatou, Duo. Thank you. I’m fine, just a little nervous."

"Aa, Heero no baka! You’re doing the right thing."

**************************************************************************************

"A- ano… oniisan?"

"Relena, I want you to be happy. Heero seems to be the right man for the job. Get over your nervousness." The princess looked down at the bouquet of roses and lilacs that she clutched. Everyone agreed that she looked radiant and majestic in her gown. It was immaculately white. A strapless gown with a full skirt that flowed as she moved. Perfect for ballroom dancing. The opera-length gloves, the tiara, the veil, the simple solitaire diamond necklace and earrings, and the open-toed white shoes. Yes, she looked every bit the faultless bride.

"Relena…"

"Doushite… Noin?"

The Italian woman had tears in her eyes and she embraced Relena. "Let me embrace Relena Peacecraft one last time. Tomorrow, she will no longer be here to hug me or my children."

Relena beamed. "Iie. Demo, Relena Peacecraft-Yuy will be there for you all. That is my promise."

Milliard held out his arm to Relena. "Imouto, it’s time." Relena looked back at her friends, silently thanking them for all they had done for her. She smiled, filled with new hope and she turned her head to her oniisan.

There was a tearful expression in his eyes but he was weeping out of extreme happiness for Relena. ‘He will make her happy. I know it. I can see it, feel it. Heero knows what to do.’ He guided her down the aisle, watching the faces of the crowd assembled to witness the second biggest wedding of the century. Milliard listened to the opening bars of the most beautiful song he had ever heard. And there was his soon-to-be brother-in-law, every bit as nervous and as happy as his sister, dressed in a white tux, the usual errant strands falling over his brow.

"Psst. Hey, Aunt Relena."

Relena and Zechs’ heads snapped up in attention. "Over here." In one corner sat Lee Noel and Lillias Marie, smiling amiably.

"N-nani?"

"Aunt Relena, make sure you can kiss him properly." A hot blush stained her cheeks and Zechs chuckled. Lily elbowed her older brother and they both grinned. Hilde had to cover Duo’s mouth to keep him from whooping out in gut-wrenching laughter. He had heard what the kids had said and he was more than just amused at the hilarity in their words.

"Duo, I’m warning you!" Hilde rasped through gritted teeth. Duo’s shoulder’s shook even harder. "Aw, Hilde that was priceless. Next thing we know, those kids will be telling poor Heero to be careful on the wedding night. How’re they gonna enjoy the sex? Christ! Heero won’t even be able to consummate it without having to~"

"Duo! SHUT UP!"

"WHAT?"

"Not here!"

Everyone smiled at the couple’s antics.

The choir started singing:

"Maybe it’s intuition. Some things you just don’t question. Like in your eyes, I see the future in an instant. And there it goes, I think I found my bestfriend. I know that it might sound more than a little crazy but I believe…"

"I knew I loved you before I met you, I think I dreamed you into life. I think I loved you before I met you, I have been waiting all my life…"

Trowa gave a jerk of surprise. "Heero…" he whispered, "you know how to sing?" An enigmatic smile was all he got.

"Hai, I love that song. Trowa, do me a favor and stay for the reception. Relena and I have a surprise for you and everyone else."

The green-eyed youth smiled. ‘Heero was never like this. It’s glad to see the change in him.’

"There’s just no rhyme or reason. Only a sense of completion. Like in your eyes, I see the missing pieces I’m searching for. I think I found my way home. I know that it might sound more than a little crazy but I believe, I knew I loved you before I met you, I think I dreamed you into life. I knew I loved you before I met you, I have been waiting all my life…"

Relena approached the altar and looked up to find a tear streaming down her brother’s cheek. "Goodbye, imouto… Be happy always and think of us. We will always be there for you." Almost on the verge of crying, she hugged her brother and kissed his cheek.

"You were more like a father to me than an older brother. Arigatou, oniisan. Remember that I love you, Lucrezia, and your kids very dearly. Thank you for your sacrifice. I will remember you for it."

"A thousand angels dance around you…I am complete now that I found you… I knew I loved you before I met you. I think I dreamed you into life. I knew I loved you before I met you. I have been waiting all my life…"

Zechs looked at Heero, silently placing her hand in his. Both men regarded each other in reticence; ice blue eyes met ocean blue.

His eyes: "Take care of my imouto. I trust you know what to do."

Heero’s: "You can bet on it, Lightning Baron. I promise to treasure her always."

With a slight smile on his face, Heero led Relena to the altar and the ceremony began.

In one corner, Noin and Lady Une wiped their eyes. Sally sniffed into her handkerchief as Wufei rolled his eyes.

"Women…sheesh. How typical of them to be so sentimental."

"Wufei! Shut up and don’t mind us."

The paparazzi gathered there began to take pictures of the twosome at the altar as Father Donaldson began the opening rites.

He was an elderly man, looking very fatherly in his pontifical garments and he cleared his throat. "We are gathered here today to witness the union of two very special people. Before we proceed, anyone who objects to their joining, let yourselves be heard."

Duo waved his hand at his old friend. "Forget that, Father. Just proceed because no one’s gonna object even after they’re married. I saw to it that~"

"Uh… ahem. Okay Duo, you’re right. No one objects." A wave of snickers rose and fell through congregation and Heero made a mental note to gag the American pilot afterwards.

Father Donaldson’s clear voice echoed through the cathedral. "Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today to witness the union of these two souls as they celebrate the consecration of their union. And now, let the ribbon be tied around their wrists as a symbol of their commitment to one another. The couple shall fit the rings as I recite the pledges that they prepared before the ceremony…"

Trowa and Cathrine came forward to tie the ribbon meant for the two. Before they took their seats, Trowa whispered, "Love her always, Heero. She is yours to honor and protect."

Cathrine smiled at Relena. "He is yours, Relena-sama. Remember that nothing can separate you." The Barton couple sat down and waited for Lee Noel and Lillias Marie to hand over the rings.

The two siblings walked over to the altar and silently gave the rings to Heero and Relena.

Zechs swallowed the lump forming in his throat and blinked back the tears building up in his eyes.

"Hon, are you alright?"

Noin looked up at him with concern and he smiled. "I just can’t believe it, angel. Has she really grown? I don’t seem to remember my imouto like that."

"Well, you have done a good job taking care of her, hon. Let her go."

"Hai, I should accept that she’s no longer a young girl but a responsible woman."

Heero reached for Relena’s hand as Father Donaldson recited the vows he had composed. "Through every dark space, let me walk with you into the light. Through every pain you experience, let me be your support. Through all the tears you cry, let me be there to hold you. Through the laughter, let me be there to make you smile even more. Through every danger, let me be there to protect you. Through the rest of your life, let me be there to love you and honor you." He slipped the ring on her finger and caressed her delicate hand as she prepared to place in his ring.

As she gripped his hand, the priest uttered the promise she had made, days before the wedding. "The life we will share, may it be without end. May your smile brighten up our tearful days and sleepless nights. May this chance to love last for all eternity. Never will I leave you and forever, forever will I love you. Be not fearful of the days to come, when we seem to be at our lowest, for I will be your strength and I will esteem all of what you are. I love you for who and what you are, not for the things that you do."

As soon as the vows were finished, Father Donaldson looked with fondness at the couple. "The ribbon may now be removed. And now, by the power invested in me, I now pronounce you man and wife. Heero, you may kiss the bride." Heero smirked and mumbled something incoherent. "What was that, Heero?"

"I said ‘I’ve been waiting for this part.’ "

Relena giggled and hesitated. Heero pulled her close and whispered, "C’mon, koishii. Don’t jilt me at the altar."

"Okay, but it had better be a good k~" The rest of her sentence was cut off as his mouth closed on hers and both were lost in the heat of the kiss. The first one to start the "Hooray’s" was Duo and the one with the loudest applause, surprisingly, was Zechs, the Lightning Baron. As the happy newlyweds marched down the aisle with everyone throwing rice, flowers, and popping champagne, Zechs sighed and looked to Father Donaldson. "Bless them, Father. They both deserve it."

**************************************************************************************

"Oi, Heero! Where’s the surprise that you and Relena planned? I’m getting a little bored," Duo railed, pouring a little too much wine in his glass. Hilde reached out and conked him on the head with her clutch bag.

"Duo! Enough!"

"Aw, c’moooonnnn! We gotta get this party warmed up!"

"Damn you! You’re gonna reek when we get home! Try drinking one more time and I’ll shove that bottle way up your hairy ass!"

Everybody at the reception began to stare at the odd pair and Hilde blushed from the roots of her hair to the tip of her toes. ‘Shit! I’m really gonna sign this fucker up for Alcoholics Anonymous,’ she silently swore.

Wufei grabbed the wine bottle from the semi-tipsy youth and replaced his glass with a cup of the blackest, strongest coffee he had mixed. "I believe Miss Hilde has a point. Booze and cars are not a good combination."

"Booze and cars aren’t a good combination," Duo mimicked, sticking his tongue out, "Ha! Big deal, Mr. Dick!"

He received a death glare from Wufei. "Duo, a sober person armed with a gun is an even more deadly combination. I’m warning you."

"Oh, yeah? I think booze and guns are even worse, Justice Boy! Lemme alone, SOB!"

Sally sighed and patted Wufei’s hand. "Some things never change, Fei. I suggest you get some fresh air."

"Ryoukai, woman. After the reception."

Zechs stood up and motioned for silence. When all was quiet, he looked to where the newlyweds were seated. "Heero and Relena, this has been one hell of a memorable day for everyone. As you are about to start off an a life of your own, together, my only advice is this: "Dance as though no one is watching, Love as though you’ve never been hurt, Sing as though no one is listening, Live as though heaven is on earth." May you always be happy.

All applauded his speech and Relena stood up. She strode over to the microphones and took one. "Ladies and gentlemen, first of all, thank you for coming. Oniisan, I was really touched by your speech and I promise to follow your advice. Speaking of your advice about singing, my husband and I decided to prepare something for all of you. I hope you like it. Music please."

"I would give up everything before I separate myself from you

After so much suffering, I finally found unvarnished truth

I was all by myself for the longest time, so cold inside

And the hurt from the heartache would not subside

I felt like dying, until you saved my life…."

Duo, Quatre, Trowa and Wufei backed her up with Hilde, Dorothy, and Sally with very astonished looks on their faces.

"Thank God I found you, I was lost without you

My every wish and every dream somehow became reality

When you brought the sunlight, completed my whole life

I’m overwhelmed with gratitude

Cause baby, I’m so thankful I found you…"

Heero came over to his bride and grasped her hand, unaware of the Maganacs’ boisterous catcalls and the stunned looks on his friends’ faces as they nearly face-faulted in the background. He draped an arm around her waist and began.

"I would give you everything

There’s nothing in this world I wouldn’t do

To ensure your happiness, I’ll cherish every part of you

Cause without you beside me, I can’t survive

Don’t wanna try

If you’re keeping me warm each and every night, I’ll be all right

Cause I need you in my life…"

Zechs stood up again and grabbed a microphone. His baritone voice joined in with the 16-year-olds’ lighter tenor voices and he gestured to the audience. "If you people know this song, stand up and join us."

With that, everyone around stood up, voices blending with the others, the Maganacs’, the loudest of all.

"Thank God I found you, I was lost without you

My every wish and every dream somehow became reality

When you brought the sunlight, completed my whole life

I’m overwhelmed with gratitude

Cause baby, I’m so thankful I found you…"

All the people seemed to float on Cloud Nine and even the few media men gathered there were aphonic, trying to describe the emotions they felt with the couple.

"See I was so desolate before you came to me

Looking back, I guess it shows that we were destined

To shine after the rain, to appreciate the gift of what we have

And I’d go through it all over again to be able to feel this way…"

Some of the witnesses had tears in their eyes. They seemed to understand what the latter two had encountered. Need, longing, and finding each other after so many years of separation. It was simply wonderful.

"Thank God I found you, I was lost without you

My every wish and every dream somehow became reality

When you brought the sunlight, completed my whole life

I’m overwhelmed with gratitude

Cause baby, I’m so thankful I found you…"

Relena rested her head on Heero’s shoulder as the music slowly died down. "I’m overwhelmed with gratitude. My baby, I’m so thankful I found you." Heero pulled her close and kissed her, the microphones falling from their hands and rolling away on the carpeted floor. Loud applause erupted from everywhere and Duo whooped.

"Ahou! That was your surprise? How…uh…um…"

"At a loss, Duo? I think it’s quite romantic. And Heero has a much better voice than you," Hilde teased. The American had never been so quiet in the span of time that people had known him. He looked like a landed fish, if put in simple English.

"Thanks to the couple for their beautiful song. And now, the part you’ve all been waiting for: the tossing of the bouquet and garter. All single people step right up, left foot first!" the emcee drawled. A frantic scraping of chairs followed and all unwedded couples stood up.

Relena gave one final warning before tossing the bouquet in the air. "No pushing, no shoving, no fighting. Here goes!" The bouquet went flying and when Relena turned around, she grew a big sweatdrop upon seeing her friends engage in an out-of-their-minds brawl. After what seemed like forever, a jubilant Sally emerged, holding the flowers in one hand and flashing the victory sign with another.

"HEY! No fair! She’s bigger than the rest of us!" wailed Dorothy. Sally grinned.

"Well, I’m so sorry, honey. All’s fair in love, war, and bouquet tossing." Everyone laughed good-naturedly at their banter and the girls shuffled back to their seats.

The emcee coughed and continued, "Alrighty, then. Now, it’s the groom’s turn. All bachelors, please line up!"

Heero strode over to Relena and lifted up her skirt to reveal her slender legs and a frilly garter. Grinning devilishly, he caught the band between his teeth and pulled it down her leg. Relena blushed pink as Duo called out, "Wahoo! Nice move, Yuy!" Heero straightened up and headed to where the still-single pilots were getting ready. He smirked watching the display of emotions on his pals’ faces. Wufei growled at Duo and the loudmouthed American bared his teeth and stuck out his tongue in mockery. Quatre glared at the both of them and readied himself.

"One thing, guys. Fight fair. No bombs, grenades, or guns, okay? Oh, and NO TANTO BLADES," Heero said as he twirled the garter around his index finger.

Quatre glared in a very un-Quatre way. "Just get it the hell over with and toss the damned thing, Yuy!"

"Whatever you say, pretty boy!" With that, he flung the garter in the air and watched bemusedly as his friends struggled to get it.

"Yeah! I win!" Wufei yelled, pumping a fist in the air.

"NOT FAIR, Fei! You slugged me!" Duo ranted, rubbing his throbbing jaw.

"As if! You wouldn’t think I’d give you the chance to slip this on ‘Ms. Marauder’ now, would you guys?" Wufei taunted.

Heero grabbed the microphone and laughed. "Alright, fun’s over, Fei! This is the most difficult part. You gotta slip that on ‘Ms. Marauder’ and do what we tell you. Sal’s right here, and she’s waiting. Go to it."

Wufei mouthed a few words that looked like "Omae wa korosu" but the Wing Zero pilot ignored him.

Sally smiled sweetly at the Chinese boy, as a faint blush appeared on his neck. Wufei felt hot as he hiked up Sally’s skirt to expose her legs. "This is obscene!" he muttered, as he slowly slipped the garter up to her knee. This proved to be unsatisfying for all and they started chanting, "Higher! Higher!" Wufei’s neck grew hot as he slipped it past her knee. Still, the crowd chanted, "Higher! HIGHER!"

He finally slipped it up to half of her thigh and his ears burned. He thought it was over, but it was far from that, because everyone started clinking their glasses with forks and knives and hollered, "KISS THE GIRL! KISS THE GIRL!" Wufei’s blush seemed to rival the color of an overripe tomato as he put his arms around Sally.

"You owe me big time, woman," he grunted. Sally giggled softly and whispered back, "Ryoukai, Chang Wufei."

And they kissed, along with all the other couples in the room. It had been one hell of a day for everyone, and they were all very tired and happy.

After hours of hearing "Congratulations!" and "Best wishes!," the husband and wife decided to have a little privacy. (A.N: No lemon here, I can promise you that! I’m not yet eighteen… =_^ )

**************************************************************************************

Relena brushed back her long hair and frowned. Heero was taking long in the bathroom and she itched with curiosity to find out why. The soft closing of the door brought her back to reality and she turned to see Heero coming out of the bathroom wearing a navy blue bathrobe, a little of his strong chest exposed. If her guess was correct, he wasn’t wearing anything else underneath. She licked her lips, uncertain of what would happen next, knowing that they would be crossing the point of no turning back.

As soon as he emerged from the bathroom, Heero felt his blood surge through his veins at the sight of Relena. Dressed in a lacey nightgown, the silhouette of her slender body visible in the dim lamplight, her cheeks flushed slightly and her aquamarine eyes flashing, she was a vision to behold. "Kirei…," his voice a caress as he stepped towards her. "You have no idea what you’re doing to me, koishii." He kissed her sweet lips, giving in to the temptation that she unwittingly offered.

"Heero?"

"Mmmm."

"Are you ready for me?"

He grinned, stroking her shoulders. "Well, turn off the lights and we’ll find out." "Ryoukai," she smiled.

**************************************************************************************

Relena slowly opened her eyes and looked up to find her husband gazing at her. She snuggled closer to him and ran a hand across his strong chest. "Aishiteru," she murmured, voice still heavy with sleep.

"Me, too. More than my life…You look so beautiful, even now." He brought up his hand and stared at the gold band on his ring finger. "Now, I am yours," he sighed. "And I am yours, forever…"

*********************************END OF PART TWO***********************************

Phew! The last part! I tell you guys, I was laughing when I wrote this. It’s kinda funny. If you wanna email me, my addy is mainime@hotmail.com. Any flames? Comments? Death threats? Well, now you know where to find me. Oh, by the way, I didn’t bother putting any of that disclaimer crap anymore! It’s just a waste of time and typing space. >_< I hate lawyers!

Relena made her way through the street; cheeks flushed from walking in the wintry chill. She paused at the corner and stroked her abdomen. ‘Soon, there will be a new addition to our family.’ A small smile worked up her face. Briefly, she wondered how Heero would take the news. ‘No doubt shocked and proud that someone’s gonna start calling him "otouchan" and you’ll both be changing dirty diapers,’ a voice mocked.

‘No, he would be ecstatic. Someone’s gonna start calling me "okaachan". And that will make me so happy,’ she thought to herself as she drove back to the mansion. She and Heero had been married for almost a year, but it was as if they were married only yesterday. They never grew tired of each other because they could discover new things about the other and all in all, it was a great experience.

**************************************************************************************

"Koishii, where have you been?" Heero dropped the newspaper he was reading and got up to meet his wife. Crossing the room in three long strides, he enclosed his wife in a hug.

Relena smiled and shook her head. "Hon, I was only gone for half an hour."

Her voice was muffled against the fabric of his shirt and he laughed. "You know what a worrywart I am, darling."

"Ano…Hon?" Heero stopped laughing just as he heard the troubled note in Relena’s voice. He nudged her chin up with his knuckles.

"Nani?" The laughter in his dark blue eyes vanished and was replaced with a deadly calm. Relena looked at her husband and took a deep breath.

"Heero, I have news for you. You’re going to be a father. Omedetou gozaimasu, koishii."

It seemed that nothing would be more deafening than the silence that filled the room. But it was suddenly broken by Heero’s ear-splitting yell. "YESSSS! Oh, I love you, I love you, I love you!" He picked up his shocked wife in his arms and spun her around the room in a crazy waltz. "YEAH! CALL OUT FOR SUSHI! BRING OUT THE SAKE," he roared at the top of his voice.

Relena giggled. "Na! Heero, I’m getting dizzy!"

Zechs and Noin came running down the long flight of stairs, wondering what the racket was about and they smiled as soon as they chanced on Heero. "What’s all the shouting about, Heero? You could wake up the dead from here to the colonies," Noin smirked.

Heero set his spouse on the carpeted floor and grinned what seemed to be the biggest grin in history. "Zechs, Noin, I’m gonna be a DAD!"

Lee Noel and Lillias Marie appeared from the top of the banister. " Heero ojisan! We heard that," Lee yelled. Lily looked at her brother. "Oniichan, are we gonna have a new playmate?"

"To be exact, Lily, an itoko!" Lee gleefully slid down the railing, followed by Lily and they joined those downstairs. Zechs patted his jubilant brother-in-law before picking up his daughter. " Heero ojichan, doeth thith mean we’ll be one big happy family?" (A.N: Lily still hasn’t grown out of her lisp, but she will…)

Heero smiled and kissed Relena’s cheek. "Hai, little mei. That we will always be."

MONTHS LATER…

"Heeerooooo!" Relena’s scream penetrated through the hospital walls. Heero stood up, frantic and out of breath. All his friends were there and they jumped up, alert as ever.

Wufei sniffed. "I dread knowing the fact that I will be undergoing all of this with Sally." Sally Po heard her husband and slapped his shoulder. THONK!

"Ow! What was that for?"

"At least you’re not the one giving birth! Be thankful that you’re practically a man."

Duo grimaced. "Heero, I think she needs you in there."

"Hell’s Breath! She’s in pain and I can’t seem to do anything for her," the Japanese cursed. Quatre laid a hand on his friend’s shoulder. "You can go inside there and try to distract her, so she won’t think of the ~" Before Quatre could finish his sentence, Heero had dashed into the delivery room. Without another word, his colleagues sat down. Except for Duo, who pressed his ear to the closed door.

"Heeerooooo!"

"I’m here, koishii. Just take my hand." Relena looked into Heero’s eyes for a moment and then sat up, making him jerk away.

"MORPHINE! I want MORPHINE! Let me have some," she screamed again.

"But, honey. You know what morphine does ~"

He was interrupted by Relena’s terse reply. "Oh, bullshit! Shut up! I hate you! YOU did THIS to me!"

He winced at her words and the nurse laughed. "Don’t worry, sir. She’s not thinking clearly. It’s part of the birthing process."

"Alright, Relena. On the count of three, push as hard as you can."

Relena glared daggers at Heero. "How can you be so calm about all of this?! If it weren’t for you, I would never have looked like THIS! People lie to me and come up to me saying, ‘Your skin looks positively glowing, Relena-sama.’ Even you said that!"

Heero nodded patiently. "I know, koishii. I know."

"OH YEAH?! You don’t know a shit! How would you like to lug this around for nine months to put a glow on your skin?!"

Outside, Duo was doubling over in laughter and he gasped between giggles. "I…believe…this is…what they call…PARENTHOOD! Hahaha! Heeheehee! Hoohoohoo!"

The others couldn’t help but snicker along with the lively American. All tried to imagine what Heero was going through, in there with his wife. Quatre coughed and tried to put on his best serious face, only to fail miserably.

"I think we should try to specify the baby’s gender." The blond Arabian ran a hand through his hair and chuckled again. Silently, he thanked the scientists for selecting the animated Duo to be one of the pilots. He always succeeded in breaking the tensions they often felt, like now. They were still as agitated as the time when Cathrine had given birth to Leon and Carol.

Meanwhile, Heero was still inside the delivery room, trying to soothe his wife. He almost cried out along with Relena when she grabbed his hand and squeezed. HARD. "AAAAAHHHHH!" Heero heard a distant cracking and he knew that he would probably have a few broken fingers after his ordeal. He wiped away the beads of sweat gathering on his wife’s forehead and tried his best to smile reassuringly.

"Heero, don’t leave me," Relena whimpered.

"I won’t, koishii. Look, I see the head coming out so you have to push. One…two…three…PUSH!" "HEEERRROOO! AAAAGGGHHH!" A sobbing baby emerged and one of the other nurses caught it. Heero thought it was over but when he looked back at Relena, he almost fainted to see that her belly was still swelling. She smiled weakly.

"Heero, I think there’s another one coming..."

"Aa, no wonder you were looking like a whale for the last few months," he replied, teasingly. "Heero no baka…"

A few moments later, Heero came out. Everyone nearly fell from their seats as soon the Japanese emerged. He looked nothing like the man who ran into the delivery room minutes ago. He looked drawn, haggard and strands of his hair were sticking out in different directions. "Good news, people. I have, not one, but two babies. Fraternal twins."

Duo recovered from his bout of laughter and slapped his pal on the back. "You stud, you! A little carried away, weren’t ya?"

Everyone groaned at his cryptic remark. They knew what he meant.

"DUO!"

**************************************************************************************

"Fraternal twins?!" Zechs screeched on the videophone. Heero had contacted him after Relena had given birth. Noin smiled and then cast a puzzled glance at Heero’s bandaged hand. " Well, congratulations, Heero. Welcome to the club. You are now a parent. Hey, what happened to your hand?"

Heero grimaced, memories of his poor hand coming back to him. "Oh, this’ll be fine in a few weeks. Let me tell you, never underestimate a woman’s hidden strength, Zechs. Your imouto gave my hand a hard time."

Zechs raised an eyebrow and then laughed. "Well, good luck with the babies. What have you got to say?" Heero smiled and replied. "Ninmu kanryo."

**************************************************************************************

EPILOGUE:

"Okaachan! Otouchan!" Two pairs of hands began to shake Heero and Relena on the shoulders. Gently at first and then growing stronger along with the volume of little voices. "OKAACHAN! OTOUCHAN!" Heero and Relena were practically pushed off the bed by their children. "Okaachan! Otouchan! Wake up, already!"

Heero opened one eye. "Alright, you little ~" He failed to finish when he found himself gazing at a pair of angelic faces. Three-year-old AJ was an exact replica of him, except that he had his mother’s aquamarine eyes and a band of freckles scattered across his nose. Elena, his fraternal twin, looked like a smaller version of Relena, but she had his ocean blue eyes and hints of dark brown showed up on her head of sandy-blond hair.

"Honey, I don’t think you’ll ever learn how to scold them without melting at their sweet faces on sight," Relena sighed, propping her head up with one hand and cuddling AJ with her other arm.

AJ looked up at his mother. "Okaachan, Elena and I wanted to ask you and otouchan a favor." Heero and Relena braced themselves.

Elena nodded and looked up at Heero, imploringly. "Please, otouchan? Please?"

Heero kissed his daughter’s forehead. "What is it, koneko?"

The twins stood up and said in unison, " WE WANT ANOTHER PAIR OF BABY TWINS!"

Relena looked at her husband and Heero groaned, shaking his head. Sighing, they hustled their children out of the room, sweat-dropping.

As soon as the door closed, Heero picked up his wife and carried her to the bed. "I believe, it’s time to do some Math again, koishii."

"Mmhmm. And I’ll help you, darling," she laughed. Heero remained quiet for awhile. "Honey, why are you quiet and why the heck are you closing your eyes?"

He grinned. "I was counting my blessings, koishii."

In another room, AJ and Elena smiled and gave each other a high five. "SCORE!"

**************************************THE END***************************************

Author’s notes:

1) If you people are wondering about the Japanese terms in the story, I thought of leaving it that way to make it sound more authentic.

2) NO! NO! NO! Cathrine is not Trowa’s sister! I make myself clear. In one episode, Trowa develops a mild amnesia and Cathrine poses as his sister for awhile. That was the episode when Quatre was under the influence of the Zero System.

3) I am fond of ballroom dancing. I thought that Heero and Relena dancing to "POR UNA CABEZA" would be good because the music fits them both. Sorta’ like a James Bond/Carlos Santana kind of thing.

4) If you’re wondering how old Heero and Relena are in this fic, they’re in their twenties. Approximately twenty-five, I think.

5) Thanks to the following people:

-Cyril, my dear brother. For always encouraging me to finish this thing. (Kung hindi ka lang makulit, hindi ko ‘to natapos! TY! TY! TY!)

- Maebelle, Veroge, Gabbey, Arisa, Camille, Lauren, Eileen, Nezza and my other good friends. Thanks for putting up with me.

- Claire Kennedy and Co. Thanks for the inspiration and thanks for dedicating a webpage to the fans of non-yaoi and non-yuri.

6) AJ Lowe was the name given to Heero by his mentor, Aiden Lowe. It suits Heero’s son a lot better, and Elena is extracted from Relena.

7) There will be another fanfic I’ll be making and it’ll include the whole cast and their offspring. I haven’t been able to finish it, but with your persuasion, I just might be able to (Maybe what I need is some encouragement from the cast, themselves).

INDEX OF TERMS:

1) Hai-Yes

2) Iie- No

3) Otouchan- daddy

4) Okaachan- mommy

5) Oniisan- big brother

6) Ojisan/ ojichan- uncle

7) Mei- niece

8) Itoko- cousin

9) Imouto- little sister

10) Koishii- darling, beloved

11) Omedetou gozaimasu- Congratulations

12) Nani-what

13) Doushite-why

14) Koneko-kitten

15) Ano- similar to "Um…uh"

16) Mou- expression of annoyance

17) Ojousan- Little Missy

18) ~sama- an honorific term. For those higher in ranking.

19) ~chan- term of endearment

20) Arigatou- thank you

21) Aa-Oh

22) Sou da ne- That’s right

23) Demo- but/however

24) Damare- Shut up

25) Yamete- Stop it

26) Oi/ Na- Hey

27) Baka/Ahou- stupid, idiot (Be careful when you use these terms. They mean more than what they say.)

28) Aishiteru- I love you

29) ~kun- another term of endearment (The honorific and endearing terms always come after the person’s name. E.g.: Tanaka-sama, Ichiko-chan, etc)

30) Kirei- pretty, beautiful

31)…ne? -Isn’t it? / Right? / Alright?

32) Gomen nasai- please forgive me, I’m sorry

33) Omae wa korosu-Heero’s trademark quote (roughly translated, it means: " I will kill you.")

34) Ryoukai-Roger that (another quote from GW)

35) Ninmu kanryo- Mission accomplished/Mission acknowledged

36) Maa, maa- "Now, now…"

37) Sushi- a kind of delicacy in Japan

38) Sake- Japanese wine. It is very strong and is used in ceremonies

39) Domo arigatou- Thank you very much