Gundam Wing: Beautiful Day
By GW_Knights_of_Fire
Chapter One: Four Years Later
Life was a cruel creature that laughed at true happiness. That's what he believed anyway. How long had it been now? Four years seemed like yesterday when you lost a loved one. Especially someone like Relena.
"Papa, can we go now," the small hand reached out for his own and he clenched it softly.
"Certainly. Off towards home."
"What were you thinking about, Papa?"
"Oh, nothing. What should we have for dinner tonight?"
"Whatever Mrs. Laning cooks!"
Heero Yuy laughed at his son's answer. It was true that their housekeeper planned their meals. It felt like a question any normal father would ask though. He wasn't a normal father either. It was nice to try and pretend anyway. Keno could never understand what Heero's life was like before he married his mother. He was just a child and the details were too deep. All he knew was that his father had been a pilot in the wars for peace.
The driver opened the door as they left the park's entrance and he slid inside after his son. This lifestyle wasn't him either, but Relena's fortune gave Keno a good life and a solid future. Heero rarely thought of his well being these days. It was his nature to need few comforts. Keno though provided the excuse to change within. He watched the scenery pass by with cold blue eyes, leaves turning spectacular colors with the fall.
"Papa, you're thinking of Mama, aren't you," Keno spoke softly and Heero knew he was caught once more.
"She would have loved today with the warm sunshine, don't you think?"
"I know she would."
He smiled and pulled Keno closer to his side. He knew the boy was just going on what he had told him. Relena died the year after she had given him this gift, from cancer. It had been swift and the illness claimed his love before anything could be done. He still reeled from the memories of her last days.
"So, you'll be starting school soon. Where would you like to go," Heero changed the subject for them both.
"Wherever I can make friends."
"I suppose you can do that anywhere. What I meant was do you want to go to a public or private school?"
"I don't know, I guess. Where did you go, Papa?"
"I didn't go to regular school until I met your mother."
"Where did she go then?"
"A private school."
"Can I go there? I bet I would make friends if others knew Mama and you."
"Sounds like a great idea, Keno. I'll look into it."
They rode home in silence the rest of the way. Keno napped with his head on Heero's leg while his father continued his revelry about his mother.
* * *
Naryn sat quietly in her seat, but her mind was actually racing. The black void of space offered no solitude for her bruised body nor her wounded pride. She had let them down, all of them. Her colony back on her homeplanet had hoped she would win a war that she couldn't.
"Don't blame yourself, Naryn. There was no way you alone could have stopped the Talkins," Commander Lucrezia Noin turned in her seat to face her.
"I should have tried harder though," she spoke softly.
"You would have killed yourself. What would have that accomplished?"
"Perhaps losing my life would have been better than knowing all of the people died!"
"Naryn, that's not true!"
"No? You are a soldier, Miss Noin. How many of your friends died in the Earth Wars, huh? The number pales in comparison to the populace of an entire planet!"
She seethed through her teeth as her bruised ribs protested. Noin knew she was hurting, but she refused painkillers anyway. They may have to sedate her for the rest of their journey. Her injuries needed the time to heal if she was to continue fighting. Naryn gave up her argument as Noin returned to piloting the freighter. If she had the energy, she would have gone to the cargo hold to be alone with her friend. Even though it was a machine, somehow it understood her better than any human ever did. She was chosen to be a pilot because she was an orphan since two and had skills as a salvage pilot. Instead of choosing one of the rebuilt designs, she had taken on the challenge of a new one. Zechs Marquis had encouraged her to give it a name and she decided on ShadowSong, after the tune her best friend would hum before bed. It seemed to compliment the black mobile suit as both warded off nightmares. Well, ShadowSong had tried too anyway.
"Naryn, you should rest. The shrapnel injuries could be serious," Noin advised.
"My conscience will never rest again," she replied, a bare whisper.
She barely had time to register the needle slipping under her skin before it was done. Noin had called the nurse while Naryn was musing. She wanted to fight, but her ribs felt like they were on fire when she twisted around. Before she knew it, she was sleeping and the nurse strapped her into the harness for the rest of the ride.