Well, this is a trip down Memory Lane… To Keep a Promise was the first fic I ever wrote.  It takes place after the Gundam Wing series and assumes Endless Waltz never happened (because I hadn't seen it yet.)  Enjoy, and remember to R&R!

     Prime Minister Relena Darlian Peacecraft sighed, pressing her fingers gently against the bridge of her nose. Only three of her seven meetings finished with, and already a horrible migraine was brewing. She rolled her shoulders in an attempt to ease some of the tension that coursed through her body. Wonderful. Peace talks are going smoothly, disarmament of both the earth and colonies' forces is well under way. Everything is holding together -except me. I haven't had any free time in weeks. Not that she hadn't tried, but. . .

The events of last week flew through her mind yet again. . . A single afternoon with no meetings, no delegations. Spending an hour reading at the Children's' Hospital. Those poor children. So many had lost family due to the recent wars -well, that was the sort of thing she was trying to prevent. Another two hours shopping: not for business suits, not for formal attire, simply for pretty, comfortable clothing -the kind she rarely got to wear anymore. Walking towards her car (she'd driven herself, instead of depending on poor old Pagan). Pulling the handle, only to be lifted and thrown backwards as the coupe went up in a ball of flames.

How I managed to survive that one, I'll never know. That carefree afternoon disappeared amongst security discussions, anti-terrorist planning, the list goes on. And the strain is starting to get to me. She couldn't figure out why anyone would be targeting her; she was simply the figurehead of this new peace. And I never asked to become the focus of two near-separate worlds, it just happened. Lucrezia Noin, Sally Po, and Lady Une were all very supportive, as were Duo and Quatre. Duo.... A smile found its way to the corners of Relena's lips at the thought of the American pilot. He stopped by every now and then to say hello, and his pranks kept people in stitches for days. By all reports, he and Hilde had settled down quite happily; everyone expected an engagement announcement to follow soon. As for Quatre, she had come to know the beautiful, blond Arab quite well over the past years. He was working with the same people as she, towards the same goals on behalf of his nation. Still. . . Something's missing. Oh, be honest with yourself. Someone is missing. Specifically, one Heero Yuy. I haven't seen him since my birthday four years ago. The teddy bear he'd given her resided permanently on her bed, and the note, taped back together, lay in her diary. I miss him. At first, he was simply an enigma -a mystery that brought some excitement into my meaningless life. But he's become something more. . .

The elevator opened, interrupting her reverie. Oh well, onto the next batch of prickly diplomats.
But the first face that entered Relena's view was not one of the dignified older men or women that Relena so dreaded. "Quatre! Why didn't you tell me you were attending the terraformation summit meetings?!"

Quatre's fair skin blushed becomingly. "My family owns some of the companies involved, and it gave me a good excuse to travel back to Earth." Noin was right. She's looking peaked. She can't hide those shadows under her eyes even with makeup, and I know she's lost weight since I last saw her. "I hope you will accept an invitation to dinner while I'm here."

"Have you seen Duo? Or Trowa and Wufei?" She couldn't, wouldn't, say his name. Oh, Heero.
"We're meeting up later this evening. I think Noin, Sally, and Une are coming. Duo's bringing Hilde. I, um, saw Trowa last night. . ." He trailed off and blushed yet again at the mention of his lover as Relena giggled. "But. . ." his clear blue eyes clouded, "we haven't been able to find Heero. Have you-"
Whatever he planned to say was cut short as a huge blast threw them back against the wall, Quatre automatically shielding Relena with his own body. The building shook on its foundation, and people started screaming. "What happened?!"

"Prime Minister! Master Winter! Oh, thank God you're all right!" A uniformed officer recognized the two as the dust settled. "Someone set a bomb off in the meeting hall! I. . .I think you were the only two delegates not in the room. It probably saved your lives!"

* * *

Two days later, Relena, sat in her suite, listening wearily to the reports of Noin and Sally Po. Quatre, Duo, Wufei and Trowa sat to one side, all attention trained on the two women. Poor Quatre sported bruised ribs and a cut on his arm from flying debris. Relena herself had a cut on her cheek that, luckily, had needed no stitching. "Why would anyone want to stop that particular group and meeting? At this point, terraformation really isn't essential to anything."

Noin and Sally glanced at each other. "I don't think that was the objective of the attack, Miss Relena. I think this bomb was set with one particular person in mind."

"What are you . . . me?" Relena stared in confusion at Sally and Noin, but it was Quatre who answered in his soft voice.

"The bomb was the same type that was placed in your car -why didn't you notify us about that, anyway?" He shrugged past her flustered reply. "As for why, you are the heart and soul of this peace, deny it as much as you please. With you gone there's a good chance everything would fall apart, at least for a while. And," his face grew troubled, "we never did round up all of the White Fang troops. We've had rumors about terrorist activity with their MO for some time now."

"Why now?" If only Heero. . . Damn! Why did her thoughts always return to him?

"Well, we've beefed up security, got undercover agents looking for the terrorists, and sent out those messages yesterday, trying to find Heero. Is there anything else?"

"No." Just let me sleep. I'm so tired. "No, that's fine. Now, if you don't mind, there is some business I need to attend to." Yeah, sleep. She turned to the four pilots as Noin and Sally bowed and left. "I've had suites prepared for the four of you, if you wish to stay here for the duration of this mess. Goodnight." I'll have to rearrange my schedule to move the meetings that I've missed over the past two days, and there's the security reports to go over, and condolences to make to the families of the deceased, and more meetings, and lists. . . But her bed looked so inviting. I'll take care of it tomorrow morning.

* * *

Outside, lights shone over the grounds. Cameras were everywhere, as well as guards with dogs. But the search lights couldn't reach every shadow, and not even dogs could catch every scent. If someone knew what he was looking for, and looked into one particular cranny, he just might make out a dark, silent figure. But it wasn't likely. He had been traveling since yesterday, using every method available to make all possible speed. This is crazy. She doesn't need me; she has all of her staff, and the other guys. . . But she was looking for him. Had sent a private message tagged onto the official one yesterday, which had simply requested that he turn up. "Heero, I need you. I know you don't like to hear that, but it's the White Fang again. Maybe my brother. Please, Heero." The sound of her delicate, musical voice still sent shivers up and down his spine, but he ruthlessly ignored the sensation.

With frightening ease, the shadowy figure managed to avoid the guards and climb up to the suite where he knew she stayed. After a quick glance around the room, he broke the lock -that sort of weak defense would have to be remedied, and soon. She's far too blind when it comes to her own danger. Too busy worrying about others. Does she still think about me? Stifling that thought, he slipped through the French doors. A sleepy murmur drew him over to the small figure in the bed.

She had changed in the years since he'd last seen her; there was a new maturity to the sculpted structure of her face. In sleep, that face lost its tension and worry, becoming soft and innocent. Almost of its own accord, one hand reached out to brush a tangled lock of fine brown hair back from her cheek. It encountered. . . tears? As if that were a signal, her pale brow furrowed, moved from side to side as if denying some terrible truth. As he drew back, she rolled over, revealing a deep cut high on her cheek. "Heero. . no . . .don't leave me." The words, slurred in her sleep, struck directly at his heart.

"Relena."

Relena found herself pulled out of the old nightmare by a voice. It was so familiar, but how? She sat up. There was someone else in the room, but it was a well-known, and strangely unthreatening someone. Her eyes instinctively sought out the dark figure in the corner. "Heero? How?"

"You said you needed me." Damn. That's not what he'd intended to say.

"Oh, Heero!" She wanted to run to him, but stopped, aware suddenly of how little her sheer negligee hid. Instead, she slipped into a robe and gathered her wits and dignity around her. "I didn't expect you so soon." I didn't expect you at all.

I came when I heard you were in danger. I . . .I can't let you be hurt. "What's going on?"


"Come into the drawing room and I'll explain." For some reason, it seemed necessary to get away from the queen-sized bed. She quickly told him about the rumors of White Fang supporters, the resistance efforts, and the recent explosion, but she didn't include the car bomb or Quatre's ridiculous conjecture. "We need to know who and where the sympathizers are, and what we can expect from them."

Heero's eyes narrowed, boring into her. "What about you?"

"What do you mean?"

He sighed in frustration. "One and a half weeks ago, someone blew up your car. It was sheer luck you weren't in it. The second bomb was similar. These terrorists are obviously after you." He ran over her protest. "Right now, you are the key to" my heart "peace, and I can't let you come to any harm. I promised your brother that I'd take care of you, and I always keep my promises."

"You didn't keep your promise to me." Relena murmured wistfully. Heero's eyes widened, but he said nothing. "Remember? I'd left for discussions with the Romafeller Foundation, and you promised that you wouldn't leave." All of a sudden, her feelings exploded outwards. "Why do you avoid me, Heero? I feel something for you, and . . .and I know you must feel something for me. You've been there too many times, saved me too often, even after you swore to kill me. That was another promise that you broke. So. . . why?"


Heero couldn't speak. Images coursed through his head: Relena smiling, leaning over him in concern, defying her brother's war, just standing there, as she was now. So beautiful. No. "I have no feelings." The familiar words seemed a mockery to him now. "I am a soldier."

He had no warning before her hand rose up to contact with his cheek. The tired, calm Relena was gone, replaced by a heart-sore, angry young woman, her sea-green eyes sparking with fury. "You once told Trowa that it was necessary to live by your emotions. Where are those emotions now? You say you are a soldier. Well, the perfect soldier fights his greatest battles because he believes in a cause. You can't believe in anything unless you feel for it." Her hand clenched, and those crystalline eyes filled with tears. "Maybe you're not the champion I thought you were."

"Relena-"

"Goodnight, Heero. There's a room down the hall that you can use. I'll . . ." God, she just couldn't take it anymore. "Goodnight." She managed to close the door behind her before her continence crumbled and tears began to run down her cheeks. Through her sobs, she heard his words-

"I said I'd keep you safe, Relena. I'll keep my word. Mission accepted."

Strange, how a heart already broken could crack even further. I don't need your protection, Heero. I need you.
* * *