Disclaimer: I don't own Gundam Wing, its characters, or Coraline. I suppose it might seem like Lewis's 'The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe', which I don't own either.

Relena finds a mysterious key to a door that only opens in her dreams. When she finds true happiness on the other side, will she stay or will outside forces keep her from love? (Coraline-ish) AU

Corelena

Chapter One: Through the Painting

Relena sighed as she rested her chin in the palm of her hand. Her other hand was busy doodling on paper as her instructor droned on. The day was passing by slowly, and the lesson even more so. Idly, she brushed a stray stand of her hair back behind her eye. The girls in the back were tittering quietly back and forth once again. Her friend Catherine Bloom leaned in to see what she was doodling.

A ruler slammed on Relena's desk, startling both her and Catherine. A wild streak ruined the doodle as her hand jerked instinctively. She looked up with bored eyes at her instructor. "Miss Relena, your father has obviously sent you here to learn discipline and studies. Your lack of attention to the lesson is most disappointing, but not unfounded given your record."

Relena kept her face cool and impassive. She inherited the mask of a diplomat from her stepfather. "Sir, given as this lesson is completely inappropriate for someone such as myself, I would rather put my mind to other efforts than create a disturbance that would harm the learning of other students." Catherine smothered a chuckle and turned it into a cough as the teacher passed her a quick glance.

Turning back towards the young lady, the older woman raised an eyebrow delicately. "To what do you mean, Miss Relena?"

"I'm afraid I've learned this course years ago, hence my grades in this class. As such, I will now proceed to remove myself from this classroom so you can continue on your lesson without my apparent distraction." With a curt nod, she gathered her belongings, stood and strode past the shocked teacher. The door closed slowly behind her but didn't hide the eruption of voices behind the thin glass and wood door.

Relena rolled her eyes and slung her bag over her shoulder as she jogged through empty hallways to her car. No doubt her stepfather would hear of this, and her mother would carry that disappointed expression on her face.

…

Relena sighed on the phone as she leaned back onto her bed. "I know Catherine. It's not fair, now is it? Blame me for the teacher's inability to check my record and place me in a higher level."

Catherine giggled a little before pouting. "Hey, if they did that then you wouldn't get to see me!"

Relena giggled. "Of course, as if I don't have you in my other six classes." Relena looked around her room at the other unpacked boxes.

"So how are you liking the new home?"

Relena sighed. "It's big." She stared at the ceiling. "With father's new promotion, he decided to get a house that better fit his image. Not to mention mother loves old houses." She paused, "Honestly Catherine? This house doesn't have the creaks and moans of any other house this old, but something still feels strange about it."

"Like what?" Relena heard munching on the other line.

"Hmph. Late night snack?"

"You know it!"

The large grandfather clock in the main entranceway chimed. Relena counted the chimes before cursing. "I gotta go, Catherine. I won't be in school tomorrow because of my "inappropriate behavior"."

"Aye aye, Miss Relena!" Another crunch.

"Really, Miss Catherine. You should eat your food more lady-like!" Together, the two laughed before bidding each other goodbye. Relena pulled her blankets around her, cocooning herself in her large bed.

She looked at the framed picture of her real father, brother, and her mother. "Good night father, Milliardo." She flicked off her light, plunging the room into darkness and sending Relena off to her dreams.

…

Relena groaned as a noise invaded her dreams. She pulled herself from her slumber, feeling as if she was stuck in the limbo of reality. A beautiful butterfly was on the floor, tongue flicking against the wood. Relena frowned, and tilted her head in confusion when she saw the insect seemed to be luminous.

She looked around. Everything else seemed to be normal. "This must be one of those dreams." She groaned as she rolled over.

Feather-light touches on her nose made her open her eyes. The glowing butterfly was fluttering around above her. Sighing, she pulled herself from bed, which sent the butterfly off into the hall and down the stairs. Relena complied with the butterfly's wishes.

Relena walked into the library, watching her step around the numerous boxes and stacks of books. Looking up, her eyes widened when the oil painting that graced the wall across from the fireplace was different. Instead of a beautiful scenery, there was a door.

The butterfly landed on the door latch before taking to the sky once more and hovering around Relena. Her eyes were wide as her hands touched the cool metal latch. 'This feels so real.' She shook her head and then slapped herself really hard.

"Maybe it wasn't hard enough?" She mumbled to herself and then proceeded to stub her toe. "Well I suppose that solves the mystery. This isn't a dream." She looked up from her red toe to the door.

Grabbing the latch, she swung it open. The butterfly flitted past her into the sunshine on the other side. Relena's eyes grew even wider as she stepped through the doorway onto the other side. "Fascinating." She whispered, eyes roaming back and forth and she drank in her new surroundings.

So enraptured was she that Relena didn't realize a suddent drip in the ground before her. Her foot sank, propelling her forward as she lost her balance. With a soft cry, she face planted into the ground. Soft green grass ticked her face as a warm summer breeze swept over the clearing.

Chirping birds and the rustling of leaves met her ears. She closed her eyes, breathing in the fresh scents around her as the rays of the sun warmed her back.

A whiny brought her out of her lazed musings. She blinked her eyes open as she felt the tremble in the ground from the horse's hooves.

"Woah!" A gruff voice made her raise her body up from her resting position.

…

"Heero," Sylvia whispered, pulling the handsome youth aside. "She doesn't belong here. She's a stranger—and outcast that has a home somewhere else." Sylvia clutched his arm, pleadingly looking at him. "Take her back to where she belongs."

"There will be no need, Sylvia." Heero said, looking at where Relena was sitting out front. "She is already leaving."

Sylvia turned and gasped, looking as Relena vanished before her eyes as sleep took a hold of her senses. "My word! Was she real?"

"I don't know Sylvia." Heero responded, eyes still fixated on where Relena once was.

"Heero, promise me you won't see that girl again. Please." Sylvia implored once more, "There's something about her that doesn't sit well with my stomach."

"Sylvia, look, she doesn't even know who I am—"

"Maybe that's your jealousy talking, Lady Sylvia!" Duo said, announcing his presence in the room. "How are you doing, my prince?" Duo happily questioned, patting him on the back.

"Quite fine."

"I expect to hear all about this mysterious lady sometime after Wufei chews you out. You gave him quite the malady with that little slip of yours." Heero's face remained impassive, yet his Prussian blue eyes twinkled with a hint of mischievousness.

"I can always blame you, say that you've been influencing me with your constant presence."

Duo looked offended. "Now why would you think such cruel things. I'm only doing my job as best friend." Heero cocked an eyebrow at that statement. Duo chuckled at the familiar action. "I came to tell you that your mother, the Queen is looking for both you and Lady Sylvia. She wants to outfit the two of you for the ball tonight." He gave an informal salute as he turned to the door. "I'll see you there—I got to go pick up my lovely lady myself." With a devious cackle, he left the two intended to themselves.

"We'd best be going," Sylvia said with a soft smile up at Heero. She hesitantly grabbed his hand. Heero raised it and pressed a kiss onto it, making Sylvia smile with happiness. Together, they walked out the door. They did not speak of the odd occurrence regarding the woman named Corelena, or Relena as she had asked them to call her. In their minds however, the mysterious girl still weighed heavily on their minds.

TBC