Memories of a Cherished Past
By Quatre's_Aisai
Dana Maxwell sat outside her cozy little cottage home in the mountains of Japan, looking up at the clear morning sky. She sighed, resting her hand on the tree next to her and bowing her head. It had been two whole months now since her best friend Barrenzye Winner had died when self detonating his Gundam. Not only had he just died, he had died for her. He destroyed himself just so she would be safe. They had been together since childhood, since he was two years old and she was born…
~~~
Kat cradled the tiny bundle of joy in her arms, gently rocking it back and forth. She had just come home from the hospital with her new child, a tiny baby girl, which she had named Dana J. Maxwell. The little girl gurgled, kicking her legs. Kat smiled and sat down in a chair, tucking a blanket around the child's body. Just then, Duo walked in and kissed Kat on the head. He looked down at the girl and smiled.
"How's my wittle girl, huh?" he said as Kat handed the baby to him. He held her above his head and the baby laughed, kicking its tiny legs happily. He brought it back down and held it in his arms. He and Kat walked into the kitchen, where Quatre and his family were waiting.
"Here she is!" Duo said, walking over to Quatre and the others. Sarafu, who was at the time seven months pregnant with Iria, squealed in delight and commented on how cute she was. Quatre smiled as he looked at the child.
"Congratulations, you two," Quatre said. A small boy tugged at Quatre's hand, looking up. Quatre bent down and looked into the boy's face.
"What is it?" he asked. The boy put his arms around Quatre's neck and whispered something in his ear. Quatre smiled and lifted the tiny two-year-old up. The boy sucked on his thumb and turned to Duo and Dana. He arched his neck, trying to get a better look at the child in Duo's arms. Duo leaned in closer so the boy could get a better look at the child.
"Say hello to Dana, Barrenzye," Quatre said. The boy pulled his thumb out of his mouth and blinked.
"Hewwo, Dana," he said as the baby turned and looked at him with her violet blue eyes. She started to make noises and reached for the boy. Duo smiled and looked at Barrenzye.
"I think she wants you to hold her, Zye," he said, walking over to the couch. He set the baby down so it was sitting up, and the boy slid out of Quatre's arms and ran over to the couch.
"Weawly?" he asked, sucking on his thumb again. Duo nodded, helping Barrenzye up onto the couch next to Dana. Barrenzye looked at her, then put his arms around her. Dana looked up at him and gurgled, taking his hand and chewing on it with her gums. Barrenzye smiled, then giggled.
"I wike yoo, Dana…"
~~~
She closed her eyes and giggled. She had remembered when she had gotten very mad at something he had done, and he tried to make her feel better. It was a memory she'd cherish forever. It was when he was eight and she was six. She remembered it as if it were yesterday…
The handsome young boy turned back to the little girl and held his hand out to her.
~~~
"Shall we go, milady?" he asked, a crooked grin on his face. She looked at his hand, confused, but she took it. He helped her up and led her down the street and to a park. There, he used his strength to lift her onto his back. He ran around the park, a giggling Dana cheering on his back, waving her arms in the air. When they got tired, he let her down, and she tackled him into the soft green grass. He lay there on his back, and she placed her head on his chest. He looked at her, confusion in his eyes.
"Dana, what are you doing?" he asked, raising an eyebrow. She looked up at him, not changing her position and smiled.
"I'm listening to your heart, Barrenzye…" she said, closing her eyes and sighing. "It's so soothing…" Barrenzye smiled and put his head back down, staring up at the sky.
"Ok, Dana…" he said, also sighing and closed his eyes.
~~~
Those days she would treasure in her heart forever, but it wasn't until she was 12 that her whole life turned upside down…
~~~
Barrenzye ran off, dragging his little sister Iria behind him. Sarafu ran out, tears in her eyes.
"Barrenzye! Where are you going?!" she screamed, placing a hand on the side of the door. Barrenzye turned back, but never stopped running.
"I'm gonna make you and dad proud of me, mom! I'll be back!" he said, running over to his mother's Gundam Angelwhisper and his father's Gundam Sandrock. He led Iria over to Sandrock and told her to take a hold of the rope. She obeyed, and she was hauled up to Sandrock's cockpit. He watched her get in, then jumped into Angelwhisper. Sarafu never reached them on time. They blasted off into space, leaving the others behind. Quatre, Duo, Kat, and Dana ran out to Sarafu, who was on her hands and knees, crying. Quatre helped her up and embraced her in a warm comforting hug as Sarafu cried, her tears staining his shirt. Duo and Kat looked up, shocked looks on their faces. Kat turned to Duo.
"I have to go after them!" Kat said, but as she said this, her Gundam Angelstrike started up and blasted off for space. She and the others turned and watched it go, becoming even more shocked.
"What the heck!?" Duo screamed, turning to Kat, who screamed.
"Where's Dana?!"
~~~
That's right; she had taken her mother's Gundam Angelstrike to go after Barrenzye and Iria. They spent almost three whole years in space together, training for the war to come. Over the years, Barrenzye had changed so much before her eyes. He had grown into a strong young man; his dark brown hair hanging loosely in his face, his sapphire blue eyes glistening in the sunlight, but he never had a smile on his face. Not only did he change on the outside, but he changed on the inside as well. He was no longer the kind young boy she had known so well; he was now a cold-blooded killer. He ignored her, he never listened to her when she told him things, he always focused on his mission…but no matter what he was like or how he acted, he'd always be her angel.
Barrenzye shot down another MD, blasting it to pieces. He turned to Angelstrike, which was badly damaged. He floated over to it and opened a com link with Dana.
"You all right?" he asked, glaring as usual. She groaned and looked up at the screen, blood covered her face.
"Yeah…I'm fine…" she said, grabbing her arm, which had a big gash in the side.
"You're wounded…" he said in his usual uncaring tone. She smiled weakly, letting out a small laugh.
"Wow…you actually care enough to notice?" she chuckled, wincing. Iria then opened a com link with her.
"Well, everything's fi…DANA! Y-you're hurt!" she gasped, a shocked expression on her face. Dana turned to her.
"I'll be fine, Iria…we're in the middle of a war here…better fight, we'll worry about wounds later…" Barrenzye narrowed his eyes, not changing his expression.
"Iria's right…you should sit this one out."
"No, Barrenzye! This could be the fight that ends all fights…I wanna be here…by your side…fighting alongside you…I wanna win with you guys…" she said, tears building up in her eyes. Just then, new MD troops began firing at her almost completely demolished Gundam. Dana screamed, gripping the joysticks. Barrenzye turned to the MD and fired again with his large Beam Cannon, destroying them instantly. Dana groaned, sitting up and looking at her sparking screen. She saw that more MD were headed toward her and Barrenzye. Barrenzye's Gundam flew in front of hers.
"Dana, I want you to get outta here. You'll never make it outta this battle alive in your condition," he stated, a serious expression on his face. Dana looked at the screen.
"Barrenzye…no, I'm not leaving…I don't want to leave you…"
"Dana, you could get killed."
"Then I'll get killed…just as long as I die helping you protect the people you love…"
"Dana…why aren't you listening to me?"
"Because for the past three years, all I've done is listen to your orders! Did you ever listen when I tried to stop you from doing something stupid, like almost getting yourself killed?! No! You just went right along and did what you wanted! You never listened, Zye! You never listened…" she replied angrily, tears now streaming down her blood-crusted face. Barrenzye's eyes softened, and he blinked.
"But…why are you doing this!?" Dana looked up.
"Because…I love you, Barrenzye…" Barrenzye's eyes went wide, and his mouth opened a little. She sat up straight and smiled.
"All my life, I've loved you, Zye…you've been my angel since the first day I saw you…the first day I was touched by you…you were so kind to me. Even though you've changed so much over the years, I know that it's still the same Barrenzye deep inside…the one I loved…and still do…" Barrenzye was speechless. He closed his mouth and blinked.
"Dana…I…" More MD arrived and began firing. Dana screamed in pain and horror as she was hit once again.
"DANA!" Barrenzye screamed, throwing his Gundam in front of hers, blocking the incoming blasts with the Gundam's huge golden angelic wings. Dana looked at Angelwhisper, blinking back her tears.
"Dana…I want you out of here, now! There's too many of them for even me to fight…and I don't want you getting yourself killed…"
"Are you saying we won't get out of this battle alive?" she asked. Barrenzye bowed his head sadly, closing his eyes. Dana sniffled, bowing her head as well.
"Dana…how's your armor holding out?" he asked. Dana pressed a button and turned to a screen.
"Only 55% left…I'm not gonna last that much longer…"
"Yes you will…that's strong enough…you always were strong, Dana…" Barrenzye said, pressing a button. Dana looked at him on the com, confused.
"Barrenzye? What are you planning to do?" Something on the side panel opened and Barrenzye rested his hand on the red button.
"I'm planning to get you outta here, Dana…" he replied, bowing his head. Dana gasped when she noticed what he was doing.
"Barrenzye! Don't!" she screamed.
"Dana…it's the only way we'll live through this war…good bye…" he said as he pressed down on the button. The Gundam glowed and then exploded before her eyes, pushing Angelstrike back towards Earth. The MD units were destroyed by the blast, but Dana's Gundam held out through it.
~~~
Dana wiped away her tears and leaned her back against the tree.
"Barrenzye…you killed yourself so you could protect all the innocent people…you did it to protect me…" she said, sobbing. She closed her eyes and slid her back down the tree, sitting on the ground. She curled her legs up against her body and cried onto her knees.
"Why? Why, Zye? Why? Why did you have to leave me? Why…" she said between sobs. She felt a hand fall down on her shoulder and gasped. She looked over at the hand, a strong yet gentle hand. She looked up the arm to the shoulder, to the neck, then at the face, and gasped. She was looking into to soft sapphire eyes, partly covered by dark brown bangs. She couldn't believe it. Could it really be him? He smiled.
"Dana…I did it…because…" he leaned closer to her and whispered in her ear. "I love you…" Dana was shocked. It WAS him, and he had just said to her the three words she had longed to hear from him for her whole life. She began to silently sob again, shaking. He put his arms around her fragile form, embracing her in a gentle hug.
"BARRENZYE!!!" she screamed happily. She threw her arms around his neck and broke down crying on his chest. He stroked her head, trying to calm her down. When she finally did stop crying, she looked up at his beautiful face with a weak smile, her cheeks covered in her tears.
"I thought I'd lost you…" she said in a whiney voice. He smiled crookedly, wiping away her tears with his thumb. He leaned in closer, so their noses were almost touching.
"I'd never leave you…I promise, I never will…" Then he pulled her head closer to his and finally got what they both wanted for all these years. He kissed her deeply, running his hand down the side of her face. She closed her eyes, leaning back and pulling him ontop of her. As they were lying on the ground, she slid her arms around his body and pulled him closer to herself. He kissed her more passionately, sliding his arms around her tiny form. Neither of them could believe that their dreams had finally come true. When they broke the kiss, Barrenzye looked down at her and smiled.
"Ai shiteru, Dana…" Dana smiled, then sighed.
"Ai shiteru, Zye-chan…"
AUTHOR'S NOTE: Ok, this is another fanfic that I wrote for my friend Kat Maxwell. I don't own any of the original GW characters or their Gundams. I do own Barrenzye, Sarafu, Angelwhisper, etc…and Dana belongs to my friend Kat Maxwell. I hope you liked it, there were some people out there asking for a prequel to my songfic, Missing You, so here it is! ^-^v