OMG IT IS THE END!!!!

WAHHH!!!!!

Ok -compose ones self- I am ok... I think... but yeah, I loved writing this story so much. It is by far my favorite, and hopefully the sequel will mean just as much. Thank you to everyone who has stuck with this fic... it means the world. Without you, readers and reviewers alike, it wouldn't have made it this far and been completed.

Thank you to everyone! I love you all!

DISCLAIMER: I OWN NOTHING.

Epilogue

It was Christmas time again at the Winner estate. The resident's were, needless to say, very happy and excited. Christmas presents were piled high around the Christmas tree Duo and Minako drug up, the entire thing being brightly lit up by decorations. It was indeed a joyous occasion

"Ami, hurry and bring the hot chocolate in here! I am freezing!" Minako chided, rubbing her arms while she sat in Trowa's lap. The two of them were engaged and would be wed in the early spring. To everyone's surprise they had already picked out a small house to move into afterward, Trowa's money alone being enough to finance it.

A few moments' later the blue haired girl walked in, carrying a tray full of coffee mugs. "Here you go. Sorry it took so long."

"Don't worry about it. Minako just likes to complain." Rei comforted, taking a coffee mug from Ami's hands and handing it to Heero, who sat beside her. She took another one for herself before falling back into Heero's embrace on the couch.

"I resent that!"

A few moments later Makoto walked into the room, still wearing her pajamas and had her hair pulled up. She walked silently to the recliner beside the tree and sat down, beckoning Ami to bring her some chocolate.

"Sleepy, Mako-chan?" Minako asked while taking a cup of hot chocolate from Ami, getting out of Trowa's lap to sit between him and Rei. The only response she got from the tired brunette was a stone-cold glare. "Yikes! I am sorry!"

The group drank in silence for a moment, but it was short lived. The door to the living area was thrust open, revealing a spastic Duo.

"OH MY GOD! DID I MISS ANYTHING?"

"No, Duo. We haven't opened any presents yet." Ami reassured him kindly, walking up to him to hand him his hot chocolate. "We were waiting for everyone else to get down here."

Ami and Duo still had an awkward relationship. Both of them liked each other, but Ami's shy nature and Duo's outgoing personality made it hard for them to both face up to their feelings. They had a relationship all right, just nothing official.

"Who else are we waiting for?"

"I think just Wufei, Hotaru, and Quatre." Ami yawned, rubbing her head with her free hand. "I am so tired. I don't need to work so late."

Even after the mission that happened a so long ago Ami still worked with the Preventor's, trying to expand her knowledge for medicine. She worked late at the lab downstairs a lot, well, at least when she wasn't with Duo.

"Unlike someone who doesn't work at all…" Rei looked to Minako, who then made an overdramatic face.

"I can't help it that I keep getting fired!"

"Whatever."

"Merry Christmas, everyone!" Hotaru and Quatre chorused together as they walked in together, throwing their arms up in excitement. It was decided that Hotaru would still live at the Winner Mansion with Quatre and the others, since she was now out of school. Quatre still managed his business, with money to spare.

"Merry Christmas Q-man and Hotaru!" Duo cheered, running up to throw his loving arms around Quatre. "Now all we need is Wufei."

"I'll go get the idiot." Makoto grumbled, setting down her coffee cup filled with cocoa. Since Relena had died, Makoto had taken a job as a chief in town, not wanting to mooch of Quatre for ever.

As they waited for the grouchy couple to arrive, Duo and Minako sorted out everyone's presents, putting them in little piles by their feet.

"Duo, Minako… how old are you?" Heero grumbled, watching his two immature friends look over their gifts.

"Uh, old enough to still do this!" Minako stuck her tongue out at him. "Just because you and Rei are no fun, doesn't mean that we can't be!"

"Hey! I'm fun!" Rei argued back, giving Minako a scowl.

"OH MY GOD! STOP COMPLAINING! IT IS CHRISTMAS! PLEASE DO NOT BE A JERK FOR TWO SECONDS!"

Everyone turned their heads to see Makoto and Wufei emerge from the doorway, Makoto's face red with anger.

"Oh my…" Ami mumbled, but was followed quickly by Duo throwing a present at Wufei.

"Wu-man… That is one of your presents!"

"DAMN YOU, DUO!"

"Alright, now that everyone is here, we can open presents!" Minako and Duo said together, intrupting Wufei's rampage. Soon after though everyone, including Wufei, followed their instructions.

"Eat the damn cookies!" Makoto shoved the half empty plate of cookies to Wufei, who just stared at them.

"No!" Wufei crossed his arms and looked away, making Makoto turn red.

"You are making me very angry today!"

Wufei crinkled his nose, and then fought back. "What?! You are the one who woke me up early!"

"Would you guys chill out for a second?" Heero asked as he walked by, putting a hand on the door to the back porch. "You two have been at each other's throats all day."

With that they watched the brunette exit.

"Wait…" Makoto wondered aloud. "Didn't-"

"Rei go out there?" Wufei finished. They both turned to each other and smiled evilly, running to the small window for a view.

Duo watched the jet fly across the screen, slamming his thumb down every so often to make bullets shoot from its arsenal. He had his tongue stuck halfway out of the corner of his mouth and was leaning forward, eyes stern on the screen.

"I take it that you like the game I got you, then?" Ami laughed as his jet got blown up by another jet, its broken remains falling from the sky.

"Duh!"

Ami stood from her spot on the couch and went to the window, opening the curtain to view the moon. She spun her new bracelet around her wrist as she walked; its sapphire's glowing in the moonlight.

As she soaked in the light, her eyes trailed to the porch, both of them growing in surprise as they took in the image.

"Duo, come here!"

As if waiting for her cue, Duo threw down the controller and ran to Ami's side, wrapping an arm around her waist. Ami began to blush madly, but, she hid it well.

"It's Rei and Heero!"

Minako brushed her hair, looking at herself in the mirror as she did so. It was relatively peaceful in the Winner mansion, aside from Makoto and Wufei's bickering. Trowa was already beginning to doze off, his pillow resting on top of his face.

"Did you have a good Christmas?" Minako asked, but was only replied with a muffled 'huh?' as Trowa's face was currently being suffocated. "Alright, then."

She draped her golden locks over her shoulders and went to their bedroom window, thought's of their marriage floating through her mind. Minako smiled to herself, even before she pulled back the curtain.

"Trowa, get over here quick!"

Quatre held Hotaru as they cleaned up the living room, their ears being filled with the screaming of Makoto and Wufei. For some reason, they had been arguing a lot today.

Which is kind of weird, considering it IS Christmas and all. But, some things never change.

As Hotaru took a full trash bag into the kitchen, she saw Makoto and Wufei peering out of the window, which appeared to look onto the back porch.

"What are you two doing?"

"SHHH!" They both said in unison, raising a finger to their lips in protest. Hotaru then decided to join them, but didn't exactly believe what she saw at first.

"Is this happening?" Hotaru asked, only to get two head nods in reply.

"What am I missing?" Quatre announced as he peeked through the door, only to be beckoned over by Hotaru.

Rei sat on the back porch, looking up at the moon. She had a blanket wrapped around her legs and a cup of cocoa in her hands. It was quiet, only the songs of the cricket's making a sound.

After a moment she heard the door open and close behind her, the squeak of the hinges signaling as much.

"Aren't you freezing?"

Rei couldn't help but giggle at this, considering this was exactly how one of their conversations went in the past. She was sitting outside in the cold, writing a song in her notebook, when Heero appeared and asked that very question.

Aren't you freezing?

"No, I'm fine." She smiled warmly and patted the chair next to her. The porch light shined on both of them, creating a romantic glow. "How about you?"

"Well, I am ok, considering I am in the freezing cold."

"Well," Rei quirked an eyebrow. "Why did you come out here then?"

Heero sat down in the chair, wrapping his arms around his chest and his hands clenched his biceps, which eventually turned into him rubbing them for warmth.

"Because, you are out here." Rei, whom wasn't expecting this, blushed a little, also not expecting Heero to grab her hand soon afterward. "I also have to give you your Christmas present."

There was a silence. The wind blew softly through their hair, giving each of them chill bumps. Rei dropped her blanket a little and just continued to stare at Heero, neither of their gazes falling.

"I know I don't exactly show my feelings that well… but I have tried hard to show you how I feel about you… I want you to know that I love you… and each time I say it, I mean it more than the last." He confessed, now holding both of her hands. "We have been through a lot, and when you were taken by Legion, I was at a complete loss."

Rei's eyes were beginning to water now, so much happiness overwhelming her. She had never been told things like this, and now, she knew what it felt like.

Complete ecstasy.

"So, I have one thing left to ask you…" She watched him as he got down on one knee, letting go of one of her hands. Rei put her hands to her lips, looking in complete shock. Out of his jacket he brought out a small box, opening it to reveal a diamond ring.

"Will you marry me, Rei Hino?"

Everyone in the house then got teary eyed, watching as Rei tackled him in a hug, with tears of joy pouring from her eyes.

The End.

Look for the sequel, Raindrops...

COMING SOON!

Till then and many thanks,

Xx Lady Xiao xX