* All disclaimers apply.

Chapter 1: The News

Relena sat quietly in her room. She was watching the movement on the television but could not hear what they were saying. She heard the phone ring again from downstairs, that was at least the eleventh time it had rung. It hurt her ears every time she heard it. Moving off her bed, she walked slowly to her dresser and observed each picture, carefully picking up each frame.

Suddenly she felt as if she was going to collapse and leaned on the dresser for support. The memories were too much, just looking at all the pictures of her husband, daughter and herself being happy was just too much to bear. Already she could feel the tears starting to fall down her cheeks.

Relena looked at herself in the mirror and outlined all of her small wrinkles. The youth she had didn't exist anymore. Her hair honey blonde hair was not shining anymore, her blue eyes were faded from crying and the lack of sleep. But for a thirty six year old she could pull of for younger, as her husband always told her. She smiled.

Relena turned back to the television and they repeated the top story on the news.

'Jonathan Melack, husband to Vice Foreign Minister Dorlain and founder of Melack Corp. was murdered while overseas on a business trip.'

They went over the details, the gruesome struggle, the way the body was found, riddled with bullets. It was too awful for Relena to listen to. In a fit of anger, Relena threw a vase at the television, shattering the vase and TV. She began to weep uncontrollably now, tossing her head back and forth, refusing to accept the news.

"Mom!" Relena's daughter, her only treasure left in the world, came to her side and allowed her to weep on her shoulder.

"I'm sorry---I" Relena's voice kept struggling to finish.

Mariko held her mother as if she was a child; rocking her in her arms, telling her everything was going to be okay. Relena began to feel better and finally got a handle on herself. "I'm sorry about losing my temper like that," she said as she wiped away her tears. "Don't worry about me, how are you doing honey?"

Mariko smiled forcefully. She didn't want to appear fragile in front of her mother. She needed to be strong for her. "I'm fine. Don't worry about me. It's you who needs a shoulder to cry on right now." Mariko helped Relena to her bed.

Relena looked at her daughter. Her long dark brown hair was braided back and falling over her shoulder, her light blue eyes reflecting the moon coming from the window. Relena began to idly play with one of Mariko's stray hairs. "You know, your eighteenth birthday is tomorrow," she said trying to change the subject.

Mariko smiled halfheartedly. "Yes, I know. Don't worry, I won't ask for a car or anything like that." They both laughed. It was empty but it was all they could do for the moment.

"Thank you, I needed that. I still think that we should have a huge party. We can still call all your friends and-"

Mariko cut her off before she could finish the sentence. "Mom, you don't have to try so hard. I'm just going to invite Regeane, Alex and Leena for a little dinner."

"That sounds nice. Jonathan wanted..." Relena couldn't finish the sentence. She started crying again. Mariko grabbed her and let her finish crying on her shoulder, but Relena pulled herself away determined that she was not going to be a burden to her daughter. "Jonathan wanted to be there for your eighteenth. It's supposed to be the biggest moment in your life. When everything changes, for the better that is." Relena looked away from Mariko.

Mariko sighed. She didn't want this for her mom. Everything that happened in her life. Relena's father dying when she was fifteen; finding out she was this long-lost princess from a dead kingdom; meeting her own father under tense conditions and falling in love with him. She personally never got to know her father, Heero Yuy.

Mariko always believed, no matter what her mother or anyone else tried to tell her, that he left on his own decision. He suddenly disappeared before they could get married. Relena was twenty-one years old, Mariko was two.

For twelve years Relena was alone. Of course she had the occasional boyfriend and maybe a fiancée or two but she always broke it off. Mariko knew why she always broke it off, because she was waiting for 'him' to return. It was like that until she met Jonathan. For some reason he was different for her, she was actually happy. His raven black hair, dark set eyes and optimistic personality were different and Relena fell hard. He had his own career and wasn't looking for fame and fortune from marrying the ex-princess. He was president of the company, Melack Corps. They worked on typical business things, raiding companies and such. Relena was already busy with her work and being a full-time mother and he was busy with his own thing that they complemented each other perfectly.

And now he was gone. The one person they both let into their lives was gone.

Mariko patted Relena's hand. They smiled at each other. "We'll get through this, don't worry. Try to get some rest." Mariko kissed her mother's forehead. "Goodnight."

Mariko got up and started cleaning up the mess with the vase and television. Relena told her to leave it and get some rest of her own. Mariko left and closed the bedroom door.

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Mariko wandered to the television in the living room. She figured it was time that she watched the news. As she thought, they were talking about Jonathan. They showed old clips of his public appearances; reviewing his early childhood, everything to his death. They also started showing clips of him and Relena together, at their wedding. Mariko remembered that to be such a happy time in Relena's life. It was the first time she had seen her really happy since Heero disappeared.

It also helped that Mariko liked him too. She was fifteen when she met her future father-in-law. The first day they met he bought her a horse. Also they had many things in common. Music was one thing that linked them together as she liked to listen to all types as he did and learning about new ones. She remembered taking him to a rock concert and he almost has as much fun as she did. Also he never made her do anything she didn't want, since she was a very private and quiet person he never tried to push his way into her life and she liked that.

Drifting from memory to memory she started thinking like her old self; the suspicious and paranoid detective. "Why would someone want to kill you dad?" she said to herself. She wandered around the room, thinking to herself. She was tempted to break into his office and get all the information for herself.

Instead she just turned off the television and went to her room. The Vid phone rang, she figured she better pick it up. "I swear, it it's another reporter…Hello?"

"Hi honey, it's me."

"Hello Aunt Noin." Mariko always enjoyed talking to her Uncle Milliardo and her Aunt Noin. She rarely got to see them since they lived in the colonies but they always kept close.

"Hello auntie, how is everything up on the colony, and with Solun, is he still engaged?"

They had a son, Solun. He was almost the complete opposite of his parents. He believed truly in pacifism and decided to take the role of the Peacecraft legacy. Zechs was proud that he decided to take on that role, but also a little disappointed in a way. Mariko could tell that deep down, Zechs wanted Solun to be a great pilot.

Solun looks were a mixture of both of his parents; the dark black hair and the ice blue eyes. Solun was twenty years old and as tall as his father. He was dating steadily with his childhood sweetheart and they had recently gotten engaged. Mariko remembered the engagement party, she had made a sly comment about the engagement. She betted that they would last a year, her mother heard the comment and was grounded her for a week.

Noin laughed, she could always tell when Mariko tried to change the subject. "Everything is fine up here. Is your mom awake?"

"No, she was pretty tired out from today's events."

"I would think so. I just wish that I could be there for you two, but things are really tied up here. Zechs should be there by morning so don't sick the dogs on him or anything like that. Or maybe you should?"

They both laughed. "I would if you asked me to. Thank you for calling, I've been tempted to pick up the phone, but couldn't pull up enough strength."

"That's perfectly fine. I'll let you get some rest, you look really tired. Goodnight honey, and give your mother my love."

"I will, good night."

Mariko hung up the phone and finished cleaning up the house. She turned off the television and started towards her room. Suddenly she heard her mother screaming.

Mariko didn't stop and think. She ran to her mom's room. The door was barricaded on the other side. Mariko pushed on the door but it wouldn't budge. With all her strength she picked up her left leg and kicked the door in. Relena was being held by the throat by a man dressed in black.

Just then Mariko realized she didn't have a weapon of her own. "Put my mother down!" she screamed.

The cloaked man turned towards Mariko, like he didn't even realize she was there before. He looked at Relena who was unconscious. He dropped her on the ground.

Mariko wanted to run to her mother and see if she was all right, but she couldn't put her guard down for one minute.

The cloaked figure stepped closer to Mariko now. "Your Yuy's brat. I can tell by your eyes, so threatening and deadly."

That just upset Mariko even more. "Don't call me a brat, you bastard. What the hell do you want?"

He looked over at Relena who was still lying on the ground unconscious. "I need some information from Miss Peacecraft Dorlain Melack over there. Why don't you be a good little girl and leave us alone."

"Like hell I will." Mariko was trying to put some distance between her and the shadow. She was feeling for a weapon, any weapon. He knew what she was trying to do.

"Don't even bother trying to put up a fight. Just bend to the will of 'Chaos.'

"Chaos?' That sounds original." Mariko said sarcastically. She finally gave up looking for a weapon, and took her battle stance.

"Your going to fight me fist-to-fist now? That sounds amusing."

Mariko smirked. "Well, it's worth a try." Mariko looked at Relena who was finally waking up. Relena groaned in pain, the cloaked figure turned his head to see. Mariko took the chance for attack.

Mariko knocked the cloaked figure into the wall. Relena ran to the other side of the room. "Get help!" Mariko yelled. Relena didn't waste any time, she ran out the door. The figure tried to run after Relena. Mariko knocked him against the wall again. She charged towards him, but he wasn't going to let her get off easy again. He charged towards her this time, throwing her to the ground. On the way down, she hit her head on the bed post.

"Don't underestimate me, girl. I'm very dangerous."

Mariko was dazed. She felt the blood coming from her mouth. She tried to get up, but the pain was too much. "Don't take me very lightly either," Mariko threatened lightly.

All that did was make him laugh. "You have no idea what real pain is yet, but you will find out very soon." He bent down to her and grabbed her hair, she could smell is rotten breathe. His face was covered with a mask, but his eyes she could see. The first thing she noticed was their color. They were a mixture of blue and green, just like the ocean. They were so clear that her image was reflected right back at her. But they didn't have the same calming effect the ocean had, these eyes struck terror inside of you that you didn't even know existed.

"You remind me so much of your father, it's sickening."

"If your talking about my father, Jonathan Melack, you better take that back..."

"I wasn't... Heero Yuy was a great hero, and you don't seem to care about him very much."

Mariko was really getting upset. "He's not my father, not now or ever!"

He yanked harder on her hair. "Well, you don't seem to be any use, so let's put you out of your misery." He pulled out a dagger and held it to her throat. " 'Chaos' will be taking over soon, you don't want to be around when they do. So I'll release you from your misery." He pressed harder to her throat, blood was trickling out.