Disclaimer: I do not own Gundam Wing. The show belongs to its creators, not me. I only write for entertainment purposes, and I will not make any money from writing this fic. So don’t sue.
Peace had finally settled among the colonies and earth. The Gundam pilots had separated and each had gone their own way. Sally and Relena would still keep in touch with Duo and Quatre. However, on special occasions, everyone would spend time together.
After awhile the guys went to live at the estate with Sally and Relena. Heero soon joined them as well, which surprised everyone. Zechs and Noin took care of Relena’s affairs and former job. Zechs finally settled down and married Noin, together they did Relena’s former job as Vice Foreign Minister, which gave her more freedom than she was used to.
One day at Sally’s request they all met in the foyer. Reluctantly she confirmed that they were all definitely being hunted, and consequently, the unexpected situation made Hilde the first victim. She had been shot. Her funeral was later on that week.
The funeral was small and depressing. Everyone was present, but sadness filled their hearts. Relena wore a black dress, while Sally wore a black skirt with a blouse. Catherine wore a complete black outfit. The boys all wore black suits, out of respect, though Duo had shades. After the ceremony, they all went to the estate, except Catherine who had to leave. She went back home to her husband.
Unfortunately for Duo, Hilde left a void in his heart. He not only lost his friend but the woman he loved.
As the years went by several attacks had been made. It remained constant for three years. Now, it has only gotten worse with the most recent attacks. Bombs were set in Sally and Relena’s rooms, Quatre was poisoned, Trowa was almost hit by a car, and Duo was involved in a shootout. Fortunately, Heero and Wufei had been left alone for the time being.
They had no idea what or who was doing this. Zechs and Noin could not offer any information, nor had they been attacked. The attacks were mainly centered on Relena and the gang.
~~~
Duo tried once more returning to his happy-go-lucky ways. However, at the moment he was pacing around the room like a caged animal. Everyone was seated in the living room, in a circle kind of way. Quatre was sitting on the sofa and Trowa was standing against the wall. Wufei and Sally were sharing a loveseat while Heero was in an armchair. Relena was in a chair trying to calmly read. She looked up as Duo passed by once more.
“Duo, please sit down.”
“I can’t! I mean come on, Trowa’s almost hit by a car, I’m in a shootout, Quatre’s poisoned and just recovering, and there were bombs in the girl’s rooms. The only ones left are Heero and Wufei!”
Frustrated he dropped down next to Quatre. Heero and Wufei tensed up at Duo’s outburst. Relena quickly forgot about the book she was reading and became more intent on what was just said. “Duo, what do u mean by bombs?” She asked, patiently waiting for his answer.
Heero inwardly groaned. He had been acting a little more open with his feelings so he knew that she had noticed his discomfort.
Wufei looked ready to kill Duo, while Quatre and Trowa sweat-dropped, and Duo actually stumbled over his reply.
“Well…uh you see…we, they…um…found bombs in your rooms and…uh… we…”
“Why were we not told?” Sally interrupted.
Duo shifted uncomfortably and for once decided it was best to remain silent.
*whack*
“Oi, onna! What’d you hit me for?” Yelled Wufei as Sally punched him in the arm as hard as she could.
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
Not able to think of an answer, or not wanting to give one, Wufei centered his anger towards Duo. “Maxwell,” he growled. “You just can’t keep your mouth shut, can you?” He then started to get up when…
*thwack*
A small dagger hit the corner of the coffee table in front of him. Barely missing. Relena calmly took back her weapon and somehow managed to drastically conceal her anger. “Leave him alone and sit down, or next time I won’t permit myself to miss.” She said coolly.
Wufei dropped down in his seat. He was temporarily stunned. He knew Relena had been training and taking defense classes, but he had not thought she would become that good. He stared as she replaced her knife into its sheath.
“Heero, perhaps you can tell us the reason we were not told of this situation.” She asked without looking at him.
‘Kisama!’ He cursed in his head.
“Well?” She waited.
‘Should I tell her the truth? No.’ He debated with himself.
“I’m waiting.”
Finally, he calmly and emotionlessly replied, “It’s our job to protect you.”
Sharply she looked up, fire burned within her eyes. She saw red. “Protect me?” She said with a slight edge in her voice. “Why, because I’m your mission?”
‘Oh damn! Dangerous ground!’
“Is that it?” She screeched and glared harder at him.
Heero met her glare, “Yes.” He replied.
“Wrong answer,” Trowa mumbled.
With an angry growl, she left the room and marched upstairs.
Quatre sighed, he was glad Dorothy was vacationing with his son and daughter and, therefore, out of danger. He made Dorothy promise to take the kids and go to his sisters where it was safe and far away from all the recent events.
Lifting himself off the couch, balancing so that he would not stumble, Quatre followed Relena to her room. Leaving a tense stillness behind. Everyone was upset from one thing or another, but unfortunately Duo chose the wrong person to mess with.
“Nice move, Romeo.”
“Grrr.” Growled Heero.
“Seriously, why don’t you just tell her that you love her? We all know it. She’s no longer a kid. How long are you going to keep it up?”
“Doesn’t concern you.”
“Like hell it doesn’t! Your hurting her, can’t you tell?” He exclaimed. “What are you afraid of?”
Heero blankly looked at the braided boy. He noticed the hurt look she gave him along with a chilling look that would scare anyone, anyone that is except him. A part of him wanted to go find her and comfort her, but the other part of him decided it was best to stay where he was and let Quatre handle her. He remained quiet.
Sally worryingly watched them, especially Duo. He seemed pissed and his hand curled causing his knuckles to pop as he formed a fist. “So,” he glanced up challenging Heero. “The perfect soldier is scared of a girl. Is that it? Or is it that you’re scared of your feelings.”
Heero was seething. He met up Duo’s challenge, daring him to say something else. Both were on edge and ready to fight.
* * * *
“HEEEYYAAA!!!”
“Quatre watched Relena release her frustration on the helpless punching bag. He quietly stood in the doorway waiting for her to calm down.
She mercilessly punched the center.
‘Stupid Heero!’ She thought as she gave it a high kick. A picture formed in her mind. Heero’s words echoed in her mind. She punched and kicked with new energy, tears forming at the corners of her eyes.
Quatre felt a pang in his heart to see his friend suffering so much. He knew that she and Heero loved each other, yet Heero never told her anything. He was too confused about his feelings to do so.
Quatre broke out of his thoughts when he saw Relena slow down her attacks. She rested her hand against the bag. “Why do I keep tormenting myself? Why?” She murmured the question to herself.
“It’s because you love him.”
“Hmm…Oh, Quatre, hi. Come in.” She reached for her towel and motioned for him to take a seat.
“Thank you.” He replied, settling in an armchair. “Relena, are you all right?” he asked her softly.
“Of course. Why do you ask?”
“Well…you almost tore the bag…”
She blushed. “You were there the whole time.”
“Yes.”
“It’s just that I’m frustrated. I can handle situations, good or bad.”
“I know.”
“Then, why weren’t we told? Why wasn’t I told?”
“What Heero said was true. We wanted to protect you.”
“Yeah, because I was a mission,” she grumbled.
Quatre frowned, “No, we did it for a friend.”
Relena gave a small unconvincing smile. “I suppose.”
He needed to do something to help her know that it was true. “Miss Relena, would you like to take a walk?”
She looked at his out-stretched hand and agreed. “Quatre, may we head for the garden?”
“Of course.” She looped her arm through his. Then, together they headed for the gardens.
* * * *
“Damn it Heero!” Duo grabbed him by the collar. The brown haired, blue-eyed boy wrenched himself away forcing a punch at Duo. He staggered from the impact. Growling he fought back. Their rumble quickly turned into a deadly game.
Sally finally had enough. “Stop, both of you! Stop!”
Wufei pulled her quickly out of the way as Duo high kicked his opponent causing Heero to land where she had been standing. “Wufei, do something!”
“Woman! They are not going to listen!” He yelled over the commotion of objects being broken and turned over.
“But they’re gonna kill each other!”
Duo grabbed Heero forcing his head to hit the wooden floor numerous times. Heero flipped him over slamming Duo against the wall. Sally stepped forward as if to separate them by hand. Wufei stopped her, refusing to let her go anywhere near them. She looks at him pleadingly. He only shook his head. Heero yanked Duo up by his braid, then pulled his arm back and…
“Cut it out now!!!”
Frozen they glanced at Trowa. They all started in shock that he had yelled let alone said anything. Trowa, having succeeded in stalling their wartime, resumed his position leaning against the wall. Sally sighed with relief. Heero released Duo with a final shove. Even though they are no longer fighting, they continued to glare into each other’s soul.
* * * *
“Thank you for bringing me here, Quatre.”
“My pleasure, Relena.”
The two walked among the roses, tulips, and some for-get-me-not. Hedges and two metal gates closed in the garden around them. A sweet fragrance in the night air, and the moon acted as their guide. They rested on a bench since he grew tired.
She worriedly asked, “Why did you bring me, when you’re still recovering?”
Quatre gave a small timid smile. “To keep you company and to let you know that I am here.”
Tears formed in her eyes as she hugged him. “Thank you.”
He wrapped his arm around her and stroked her hair. “You’re welcome.”
-Snap-
He tensed up. Listening intently he began to curse their luck. He knew he did not have his gun. He remembered putting it down on her nightstand when he entered her room. He looked around. The wind rustled the bushes and trees.
Movement caught his eye. In the center of a tree, a shadow moved. Quatre’s eyes grew wide as he saw a shiny object centered at Relena’s back, a silencer. He needed to think. If he alerted anyone, they would be to late. He could not tell Relena, not in the state she was in, and he could not move fast enough. If the figure fired, he could move her and possibly himself out of harms way, or the bullet would strike him. He was prepared to die, but knowing Relena, she would not leave him behind to seek safety or the house. No. She would stay. All he could do was wait patiently. Time seemed to have slowed.
-Click-
‘Damn!’
* * * *
Wufei moved away from Sally as she lectured the two bakas. He didn’t need to be there. He neared Trowa, passing a window, when a shot was heard. A faint cry followed by a feminine scream drifted to their ears. Wufei rushed to the window, gazing briefly before running to the door shouting, “It’s Quatre and that stupid woman!”
Heero ran after Wufei. The others followed. They burst through the front door and looked around. Heero growled, “Where are they?”
Wufei cursed, he knew they were in a garden, but he did not know which one. They could be the rose garden or the garden with the variety of flowers. Duo broke into Wufei’s thoughts. “When she’s upset she goes to the gardens!” He took off in the direction of the garden with the variety of flowers. Heero charged past him, mentally praying she would not do anything stupid.
* * * *
“Quatre!” she screamed, rushing to his side. Blood flowed from the wound on his side. ‘Damn!’ He had shoved Relena away from him, purposely throwing her on the ground, and then tried to dodge the bullet himself at the same time. The bullet missed her, but it caught him in the side. He landed roughly with a cry as her scream rang in his ears.
“Relena, get out of here!” He said through gritted teeth.
“No!” Stubbornly she placed her hand over the wound to stop the bleeding. Quatre’s blue shirt had already absorbed a lot of what he lost. Blood seeped and poured between her fingers. She positioned Quatre in her lap to get a better grip, fully aware of the laughter ringing in the darkness around them. Her dress became soaked and her hair caught some of it as well.
“Relena, leave kudasai.”
“No, Quatre.”
She gazed into his eyes, hoping he would understand. Painfully he returned her look and gave a slight nod of agreement. He could not force her.
She heard footsteps behind her. She waited for the shot. None came. She wondered why. Had the person left? Had it only set out to injure the young Gundam pilot? Was it gone now that its mission was complete? No. She could hear its shifting movements.
Military boots appeared in front of her. She tightened her hold on Quatre not only to assure him she was not going anywhere, but for strength as well. Calmly as possible she looked up. Her eyes trailed up a military uniform to the black pupils of the man that would be responsible for her and her friend’s death. He gave a sneer.
“Well, well, well, isn’t this touching?”
“Bastard.” Quatre looked fiercely at him.
“Tsk, tsk, tsk. How rude.”
“What do you want?” asked Relena.
“Well it’s simple really, your majesty.” She bristled, so he smiled and continued, “We want to spill you blood.”
“You’re insane!” She cried.
“Yeah, who’s we?” Quatre asked.
The man raised his gun. “Enough talk. It’s time for you to die. Of course it’s ladies first.” He cocked his gun. “Good-bye Miss Peacecraft.” He pulled back the trigger as the other Gundam pilots and Sally appeared.
“Nooo!” yelled Duo as the gun fired, forcing Relena back from the impact. As she hit the ground so did her attacker.
“Relena!”
“Heero…” she winced.
Sally went to Quatre and helped him, while Heero held Relena. The others checked her assassin. He was dead.
“Heero how is she?”
Heero studied her. Her hair had a few traces of blood, so did most of her dress. Her face was pale, but her eyes glittered like always. He could not tell where she had been shot.
He had seen his worst nightmare. He fired and hit the soldier that stood before her in the forehead. He did not get a chance to see where she had been hit.
“Relena where were you hit?”
“In the…shoulder.” She gasped out.
Inwardly he smiled. She was ok.
“Baka! Why didn’t you run?”
She gave a painful chuckle and hissed from the pain. Heero did not wait for an answer. He heard Trowa yell.
“There’s someone there!”
They looked in time to see someone run.
“Kisama! Come on! Lets go!” Duo took off after the person. He ran through shrubs and dodged branches and rocks. He could see the figure. It had the same military uniform as the one they killed; only this guy was shorter and had a cap that matched the outfit.
‘Damn he’s a fast runner.’
Duo nearly crashed into a tree as Heero shoved him out of his way. Trowa soon passed Duo also. Wufei would have passed him too, if he had not grabbed his arm and told him of a plan he thought might work. Wufei nodded and headed towards the right as Duo went left.
Pretty soon the guy came into view. He did not look the least bit winded. Duo panted as he silently ran in the shadows beside his prey. He hoped Wufei was ready. One wrong move and everything could go wrong.
“Now!” He shouted jumping out of the shadows, throwing a punch. He missed, but Wufei appeared just as the guy moved out of the way. Wufei forced his knee to connect to the guy’s midsection, forcing the air our. The guy passed out, and Wufei proudly waited for Heero and Trowa to catch up. When they did, Duo had already checked the guy.
“Here is his I.D.”
Heero pulled out his gun, and aimed it at the guy.
“Heero, wait! We may need him!”
"Hn…" Heero said, obviously not pleased, but he did not shoot either.
Sighing Duo reported that he guy’s name was Danny.
Wufei took the I.D. to see if there was anything else. There wasn’t. “Looks like we are going to need him.”
Trowa nodded and picked up Danny. “He’s light.”
Duo shrugged, “Probably doesn’t eat much.”
Heero followed them to the house with his gun still posed. Suddenly he stopped. “Where’s Relena?”
“That stupid woman’s with Quatre in Recovery.
“Yeah, Sally took them. Don’t ask me how.”
He nodded and they continued. He would find the answers he wanted. No matter what, he would get it.
* * * *
Sally propped Relena up in bed. “You should be fine. You didn’t lose that much.”
“Thank you. How’s Quatre?”
“He should be okay. Once I get a blood transfusion.”
“I can help.” She started to get up. Sally pushed her back down gently. “No, Trowa and Wufei can help.”
“But, what about that guy?”
“Heero and Duo should be able to handle him.” Smiling she fixed the room a bit to make Relena more comfortable. “Don’t you think?”
Relena smiled. She could still feel Heero’s warmth. She remembered the concern in his eyes before he let Sally take her. “Yeah.” She whispered. She now knew he cared, now if only he would show it. Sally left as Relena fell asleep; she wanted to check on Quatre.
* * * *
She had given him some of her blood but he may need more. She heard the boys downstairs. ‘I guess now would be a good time to ask for that transfusion.’ She made her way to the living room.
Trowa set Danny down on the sofa. They took position so that if he woke up he could not run.
Sally walked in. “Trowa, Wufei, I need a blood transfusion for Quatre.”
They nodded and followed her. Heero and Duo were left alone with the prisoner.
“Ugh.” Danny sat up carefully. When his eyes focused he saw that he wasn’t alone. A boy of nineteen with violet eyes, a black outfit, and a really long braid was to his left. A boy also of nineteen, short moss brown hair, blue eyes that wore a black T-shirt with blue jeans was to his right with a gun aimed at him. ‘Wonderful,’ he thought, ‘what else could go wrong?'
-Click-
‘Damn!’
“Who are you?” Asked the blue-eyed teen.
Danny debated whether or not to answer. Then it came to him. This guy was Heero Yuy and from what he knew and heard, he would fire. The other was Duo Maxwell. Gundam pilots caught him! ‘Damn, I thought I would get caught by guards! Not Gundam pilots!’ He mentally cursed.
Heero repeated his question. Danny agreed to cooperate. “My name is Danny Torres, Heero.”
Heero’s eyes widened. Danny could almost cry; he had changed so much. He was starting to feel and react. Yet he hoped Heero would not recognize him.
“How do you know his name?” Duo asked.
Danny changed his attention towards the other teen. “Who doesn’t know the Gundam pilots, Duo?” Duo’s mouth dropped open. He hadn’t expected that nor had he expected the admiring glance Danny gave them.
“Where are you from? Whom do you work for?”
“I’m from colony L1, and I work for Death Strike.”
“L1…” Heero murmured thoughtfully.
