Author's note: I do not own Gundam Wing or its characters. Please don't sue me. This story takes place after Relena has reestablished the Sanc Kingdom in the anime.

Midnight Sharing

Relena stopped and blinked. She hadn't been able to sleep, so she had gotten up to get a cup of hot chocolate. She had come down the stairs to find Noin curled up in an armchair. She was wrapped up in a lavender afghan and held a mug.

"Can't sleep Relena?"

"Yeah. What are you doing up?"

Noin made a face, "Nightmares, and since it's raining, I can't go stargaze on the roof like I normally do. There's hot water in the kitchen if you want something."

"Thanks."

Relena fixed herself a cup of hot chocolate then settle in a chair opposite Noin. After several minutes of silence, she spoke, "Tell me about my brother."

"What?"

"I barely know anything about him, and the little I do know doesn't really match with a man you obviously love and respect."

Noin rested her head on her hand, "I probably know Zechs better than anyone alive, and while I have always regretted that he had to be so isolated from others, I have also enjoyed having him to myself. But you of all people should know the real Zechs. Where should I start?"

"How did you meet? I know you went to school together, but that's about all I know."

Noin smiled, "We met for the same reason I'm up tonight: nightmares. It was our very first year of school. I had waken from a nightmare and gone to the roof, but that night someone else was there. Zechs and I sat on the roof until dawn. The next quarter our schedules were rearranged, so we had all our classes together."

"So when did he tell you his secret, or did you figure it out yourself?"

"He told me. We were the only ones at school during the summer. My nightmares had gotten much worse. One night I finally told him about my past and why I had nightmares, which was my secret. When I was done, he took off his mask and told me his. That was when our friendship was really cemented. We were thirteen at the time. That was probably when I fell in love with him."

"But you didn't realize it then, did you?"

"No, I didn't figure it out until I was fifteen. It was our last year at our first school. One of the final requirements was for us to go on these survival trips in groups of six. I ended up in a ravine with a broken ankle and a concussion. Zechs sent the others on ahead and stayed with me all night until the rescue party came. I had such a hard time staying awake. Zechs did just about everything he could to keep be awake. I don't really remember much about that night, but I do remember that I felt safe, and content, and happy in his arms, and I never wanted to leave them."

"So did you tell him? Did you start dating or what?"

Noin shook her head, "No, I was too scared to lose his friendship."

"So what happened?"

"We went through Lake Victoria together. It was an interesting three years. We pretty much singlehandedly put an end to the worst of the hazing our first year. The second year we had some problems with a stalker and a young woman who was obsessed with being the best no matter what it took. The third year was fairly normal. The worst part of it was all the formals we had to go to."

"So who was your date for all these formals?"

Noin actually blushed, "Zechs. We had this mutual protection pact. He would keep the jerks away from me, and I protected him from all those women who wanted to seduce him."

"Were there many of those?"

"You have no idea."

Relena shifted slightly in her chair, "So when did you tell him that you loved him?"

"It happened shortly before I became an instructor. There was this battle. It was stupid all around. A lot of people could have, would have died. I disobeyed my orders. It saved a lot of lives but almost cost me mine. I was in a coma for a week. The first thing I saw when I woke up was Zechs asleep in a chair beside me. The first words out of my mouth were 'I love you'."

"What happened?"

"After I was released from the hospital, we had a perfect day together. We went to the beach and spent an entire day there. That's when he gave me the locket. He told me to keep it until he could come back and stay by my side forever."

Relena smiled, "Then what?"

"He was gone the next morning. I didn't see him again until the war started."

"You're kidding.

"Nope."

"So have you talked about what you're going to do when all this is over?"

"No. We've never spoken of that day since."

"I can't believe this."

"Zechs made the promise; that's enough for me."

"Why do you still call him Zechs? I barely ever hear you refer to him as Milliardo."

"Well for one thing, he's not too fond of his real name, and for another, it has always seemed to me that Milliardo is the part of him that is driven by vengeance alone and can't let go of the past. And frankly, I know that's not who he really is, and I won't let him become that."

"Noin, do you think he'll like me?"

Noin's smile was gentle, "Relena, he's loved you for as long as I've known him. That's not going to change. He may have some trouble with the fact that you're no longer just his baby sister anymore, but he does love you, and he's proud of you."

Relena smiled and a yawn slipped out. Noin put down her mug, "It's almost five. Why don't you go back to bed and try to get some sleep."

"What about you?"

"I won't be able to sleep, but that doesn't mean you shouldn't get some. Besides, I'd be getting up in a few hours anyway. I'm going to go for a swim then get an early start on work."

"All right.. I'll see you later then." Relena paused in the doorway, "And Noin, thank you."

The older woman grinned, "No problem princess."

Owari (the end)