Disclaimer: Gundam Wing is not mine.

Author's note: I guess this is my attempt at writing what happens to Heero and Relena right after Endless Waltz. The subject is rather trite, but I think my version is rather realistic. Anyway, I haven't written anything in a while and this is to show that I'm still alive. Enjoy.

A New Day

Slowly he began to gain consciousness though his eyelids remained heavy. He felt warmth under the soft comforter and wondered if he were still dreaming. He never dreamed; he only had nightmares, but this time was different. He couldn't tell for how long he had been sleeping, or perhaps he had finally fell into the deep slumber for eternity. Was he dead? No. Death wouldn't have felt so wonderful. Death was not an option; it was only an escape for the weak. He was anything but weak.

Click, click. He concentrated his senses in his unconscious state and heard faint clicks on what it seemed to be a keyboard. There was another presence nearby. Had he been captured? No. The war was over. Somehow that presence seemed familiar, then he heard a sigh. He struggled to open his eyes but was blinded temporarily by the sunlight reflected off the window. The typing stopped, and a shadow crept near and blocked the sunshine. A shadow that seemed so peaceful. He saw its face, or more like her face. He seemed to always see her face when he woke from a deep slumber. He remembered that last time he had mistaken Catherine for her, and this time it would have to be the same.

" You are finally awake." A gentle feminine voice broke the silence around him. It was her; he wasn't mistaken after all. Her hair was pulled up in a ponytail, and she was not dressed in her usual formal suit but wore a gray jacket with a pair of jeans.

" Relena?" He questioned his eyes. " What are you doing here? Where am I?"

" Not very welcoming of me, I see. " She chuckled a bit. " You are in the hospital wing of Preventer's headquarter, Heero. I'm here because no one else is."

" Preventer's headquarter?" He didn't really care why she was here. Knowing Relena, she always has her reasons that he could never understand.

" Unless you want to be placed in a civilian medical facility and risk exposure to the public, you are welcome to do so. But I don't think it would be such a good idea to have the whole world know that you are a Gundam pilot." She spoke rather dryly, but the smile on her face revealed the truth that she was only joking.

" Thanks." He surprised the both of them with his words of gratitude.

" You are quite welcome." She resumed her task at hand in front of a laptop computer. It was quite a role reversal.

She sensed his questioning glance and said, " I'm writing a speech for tomorrow. There will be a review in the council on Mariemaia's coup d'etat."

" How long have I been here?" He tried to sit up but not without her help.

" Two days." She sat back down.

" You?"

" I've been here a couple of times to check on you. Don't worry, I didn't stay long each time." There was that sarcasm again. He didn't know when she had developed that kind of sense of humor.

" Why?"

" Simple, I have a few things to say to you before you go off again." She has certainly changed. She sat by his bed but kept her distance from him.

His silence told her to proceed.

" I spoke to Wufei yesterday, and he told me about your battle with him during the coup d'etat. Heero, I'm surprised to find out that you took on the losing side. Out of all the Gundam pilots, I expected you the least to lose on purpose just to stop a war." Her voice was full of sincerity.

" I've completed my missions, so there is no need to prolong the fighting." He answered her silent question. " You, on the other hand, agitated people to fight."

She laughed at the irony. " When I gave up the name Peacecraft, I gave up everything that went with it. I gave up the principle, the title, the country, the mansion, even the car. I learned to be realistic rather than idealistic. Ideals are necessary during war, but afterwards we need to get in touch with reality. I still oppose to violence of course, and I still prefer peaceful talks before anything else, but I've learned to retaliate in the right time."

" The right time? When is the right time, Relena?" He stared at her intensely.

" I can't give you a definite answer, Heero. And I believe that neither can you." She sighed.

He knew that she was right. He couldn't provide her with an answer, not the right one anyway.

" Heero, your Gundam was destroyed in the battle." She changed the subject. " The Preventers have taken care the parts for you."

" It's not necessary anymore. They can keep them if they want. I have no use of a Gundam."

" Any plans for the future?" Her question startled him. " Trowa went back to the circus, Wufei is working for the Preventers, Quatre is working with his sisters to rebuild his family, and Hilde just called to say that Duo has arrived at L2. How about you?"

They all went home. He thought with a bit of envy. They all have a home to go back to, a family, or friends to go back to. Even Wufei has settle down on Earth.

" Don't tell me that you'll go where your mind takes you." Relena's voice broke his reverie. " I don't think that plan will last very long. Get a job Heero, and settle down like the rest of us."

" I'll think about it."

" Here, this is my cellphone number and my address. I don't live in any fancy mansion anymore. It's just a tiny apartment I rented after I sent Pagan home to his family. If you want, I can help you to find a place to live. All you have to do is to give me a call." She looked at her watch and stood up with her laptop closed in her hands. " I have to go back to work now and maybe finish my speech."

In a daring move, she leaned close to his face and kissed him on the cheek. He was too confused to move or say a word.

" That was a thank you, Heero. Nothing else intended. I just want to be your friend despite our differences." She smiled at his perplexed look. Her hand reached into her pocket and took out her car key. " Bye, Heero. Hopefully I'll see you again soon." She waved at him and walked away toward the door.

" You drive?" That was all he could say in his dumbfounded state.

" Yeah, " She laughed. " I would have to since I gave up the limo and sent Pagan home, and I prefer traveling by a vehicle than plain walking." She turned the doorknob and opened the door.

" Black?"

She turned around and looked at him in surprise. " The color of the car? Yeah, but how did you know?"

" I had a hunch." He began to see just how normal life can be and smiled to himself. "Relena?"

" Yeah?" She was about to step out of the room.

" I'll be around."

" You better." she shut the door lightly. " I'll hold you to that promise, Heero."