War is a conflict that has been the constant companion of humanity since the beginning of its existence. For every attempt to suppress this facet, it returns to claim many more for how long it has been held back. Conflict however is never a simple summary. Underneath every act of brutality is an act of deception and underneath every deception is a mask of the true intentions of justifying the slaughter of others. What those who bear witness to such deception and how they will accept it will inevitably escalate violently. Such is the scenario proposed in After Colony 225.

Episode 71: Worlds Brought Together

For all of the chaos that ensued from the recent devastation of Quebec City, there were many who had begun to doubt if the current calm was anything that should be valued as an offer to breath. With the defeat of Edward Blare and of two squadrons of Sol Theros, there was a debate among many about what the best approach would be for the coming days ahead. There was still no sign of victory from the Gundams and the Coalition was already having its issues with news of the death of General Timothy Willms.

The outcome of this recent battle as well as the few survivors who had been taken prisoner were both things that Malcolm had to come to terms with solving himself. He looked out the window of his office when Hiram commented, "It is fully possible that we were due for this sort of outcome. As much as we might have believed Edward had better intentions, we could not have trusted a man who held a gun to our heads for so long."

Relena reminded him, "The remainder of the Coalition space fleets have committed every resource they have to making sure that they can save us from whatever Franz Kecker might intend. We had every reason to believe that a conflict such as this one would have unified everyone to ensure our survival."

Being reminded of the stakes that were being offered, Malcolm let out a heavy sigh before he turned to his fellow representatives and told them, "It is regrettable that so much death had to come of taking him with us out here. I'm afraid that there is little that we would have been able to accomplish if we had left him in Brussels anyway. He would have merely been another obstacle towards the end of this conflict if he truly wanted to rule the Earth."

One of the representatives near Malcolm's desk set a sheet of paper down when he reminded him, "Even if we consider it that way, we still have soldiers of the Coalition across the planet who are more than willing to make us face judgement for what we have gone through. Assuming that they are not destroyed by the Sol Theros."

Relena stepped to the front of Malcolm's desk when she countered the warning, "That still does not excuse us from the responsibility of what we face. Some of us have to survive and we cannot assume that our ends are inevitable. Doing so does nothing but invite the possibility of seeing our united Earth be lost."

Malcolm smiled when he heard the conviction in Relena when he offered, "It is truly fortunate to see you still alive Madame Yuy. I don't know how it is we would have been reminded of what we must continue to be without you."

Giving a quick nod to accept the praise, Relena tried to move the conversation along when she told Malcolm, "It is only the first thing I can do to attempt to be of value to the human race."

Hiram added to Malcolm's praise when he reminded her, "Madame Yuy, I feel that you give yourself far too little merit. There are many who still look to you as the Founding Lady of the Earth Sphere and your strength as a leader in times such as these is greater than that of many. There are already those among us in particular who are struggling to hide their cowardice of this challenge."

The representative with the military report added, "It is why we have leaders such as you to provide us the guidance we need in this time."

There was at least one true statement that Relena had to take from everything that she was reminded. She was indeed the same individual that inspired such a mixed reception in recent years. She had gone from being a respected figure, to a simple one, to a dismissed one, to where she was now. Even though she couldn't tell what sort of figure she was now, she still had an entire history to bear on her shoulders that would follow her to her dying days.

Where many saw a humble honor in achieving something so much in one lifetime, Relena could only reflect on her evaluation when she said under her breath, "A leader such as me…" She raised her head back up when she tried to diplomatically accept her compliments, "Every praise that I am offered is only a reminder of what I must do to improve upon myself as a leader. It is only unfortunate that I have taken as long as I have to even begin to seize on such an opportunity as this."

Before there was any argument about her value, a man made his way into Malcolm's office and reported, "Mr. President. The general has prepared a report on the reconstruction efforts for the military as soon as you are prepared for it."

Malcolm nodded when he offered, "Very good. Please prepare the report as soon as we are finished here."

Relena dismissed the opportunity to continue the talks when she told Malcolm, "I believe there is little else that can be achieved. Our current repairs will not be able to offer anything if we are to be subject to another Sol Thero invasion."

Even though Malcolm could easily hear the sense of resentment Relena was bearing upon herself, he saw the sense of the argument when he determined, "Unfortunately the common populace is going to have a difficult time accepting this idea. These coming days will be a trying one and it will demand they are able to give every bit of support they have for our remaining soldiers."

Hiram asked, "So we do not have any further matters in regards to the reconstruction?"

Malcolm confirmed, "Regrettably it may be so. There are going to be few who look forward to sacrificing everything they have, but in times where only necessities are acceptable, we may not have a great deal else to account for."

Relena accepted the dismissal when she told Malcolm, "I appreciate your understanding Mr. President. If possible, we should be able to convince the people that there will at least be some security for them as this conflict continues."

Relena turned around to exit the doors she entered the office while Hiram followed behind her and several representatives gathered waiting for her. One of the representatives asked, "Has the matter already been decided by the President?"

Hiram shook his head when he answered, "I'm afraid that right now we don't even have the opportunity to continue with the reconstruction efforts."

Astonished by the reveal, Zlata made her way to the front as she followed Relena next to Hiram when she tired to reason, "Relena. You don't truly doubt yourself in a moment as critical as this one do you? We know the people are going to demand leadership and you are among the most important who can assist in that transition."

Relena dismissed the concerns when she told her, "We will be able to offer guidance for the people when they need it. What they need right now are fighting men and women who know how to ensure the Sol Theros do not offer them any further destruction."

Another one of the representatives tried to remind her, "You cannot possibly be allowing fear to cloud your ability to lead now of all times. Such a display could easily allow someone worse than General Blare to place our capital in greater danger."

Hiram tried to emphasize how different Relena's current attitude was when he told her, "You have achieved more than many of us have ever imagined possible and yet you speak as though you have been defeated by someone who offers the answers to all of the issues we face right now."

Relena turned around to face the other representatives when she shook her head and explained, "I simply have to remember what it is that I am. Everything that I was long ago has come back to remind me of what sort of aspirations I had and what I have done to so many."

Zlata placed a hand on Relena's shoulder when she tried to counsel her, "The weight of your actions from long ago are still relevant to your current judgement. I never would have imagined you allowed yourself to feel regrets of this sort."

Relena turned away when she told Zlata, "I cannot allow myself to be excused for what happened. I have done everything to try and make up for my actions. I cannot accept any form of mercy upon me until we do not have to see masses die because of our actions."

A silence hung over the air when the representatives heard Relena's answer before she turned around and made her way down the stairs that waited for her. As she continued to the ground level, one of the representatives asked, "I don't understand it. Has the recent battle been enough to make her question what she is capable of?"

Zlata gave a heavy breath before answering, "She is reminded of her past and feels the responsibility of it. That is what weighs on her mind. Even at her age it is a difficult matter to come to terms with for anyone."

One of the representatives added, "I will admit. With much of her experience I always wondered why it was that she did not attempt to become president of the Earth Sphere when she had a chance. If it is so difficult for her to handle, that does add a fair bit of context."

Zlata nodded when she considered what Relena was facing and reasoned, "I believe it might be because she had such experiences as a leader that she is reluctant to be one again. For every display of strength she offers, she only seems to offer it as one where she does not have to face the consequences of her actions up close. No matter how close it eventually comes to her."


Stepping out of the Parliamentary Building, Relena felt her guilt reinforced as she looked through Quebec City and saw the devastation up close. Seeing the smoke and the debris from the recent battle was something that made her consider what she felt she had inflicted on the human race. All of it a reminder of what her most vocal critics declared would one day become a reality.

All of it brought her back to a series of questions when she was faced with such a challenging demand. Would she allow herself to be defeated? Would she prove that her hopes for a peaceful Earth were all for nothing? What was the good of all that she had hoped to offer to the human race?

Relena shook her head when she considered these questions and told herself, "Even if others can find themselves at peace with their cause… I can never have that luxury to myself if I only continue to wonder about what could have been."

Before she had the chance to make her way towards the destruction, she felt a hand on her shoulder when he heard someone tell her, "I thought your meetings were supposed to go through the rest of the day."

Relena turned around and found herself relieved when she saw who it was. She welcomed, "Heero. I didn't expect you would be out here."

Heero asked, "Is there still something you haven't told me?"

Recognizing how there was no escape from her husbands inquiry, Relena tried to dismiss what concern he had when she answered, "Oh… Just things I need to think about is all."

Heero continued to follow Relena as she began to make a walk down the road he came form and told her, "You're a leader who has to present a firm idea for everyone of what we're fighting for. There's little room for you to doubt yourself."

Try as she might, Relena remembered just how dedicated her husband was to her when she even offered a single doubt. She walked ahead as she crossed her arms and began to slowly walk with Heero behind her. Just as soon as the walk began, she couldn't help but feel happy to have the moment of tranquility she was being offered.

Even as she took the time to enjoy being around her husband, Relena remembered that she had to face the current question. She looked to her right towards the far-off buildings when she told him, "I have to admit… I have been struggling with myself for what has been happening since the day this war began. Seeing destruction of this scale has truly made me wonder about what I have done to the human race since entering politics."

Much to Relena's relief, Heero immediately recognized what she was trying to come to terms with when he told her, "Your past is only that. The past. Not only have we changed, but many others have come to the world stage as well."

Hearing the consolation reminded Relena of the vocal concerns her fellow representatives had when she tired to remind him, "That doesn't change the fact what I did. I hoped to create a world where total pacifism could be possible. Where wars could be eliminated and no one would have to go through what we went through. Being forced to see the terror firsthand has only given me a reminder of how disillusioned I once was."

Heero shook his head when he reminded her, "You and I were both children. We were given the weight of the world on our shoulders and many of us did what we could to bear it. You're stronger now and you can do much more than what you believed possible before. You only need to allow yourself to be and you can't do it if you continue to doubt yourself."

Relena looked to Heero when she gave a solemn nod and looked back in front when she told him, "The past has given me a great deal to think about. There was once a time where I could have stood firm by everything I believed in. All I can think of now is how everything we all did was make things worse for our future generations."

Heero brought his injured arm around Relena from behind when he told her, "It's because of what we both achieved together that they are alive to have this era to fight for. They would never have this sort of freedom if we let those who wanted to control the Earth have their way."

The reminder was one that gave Relena a small level of assurance when she was reminded of the alternatives from decades ago that wanted the same responsibility on her shoulders right now. Amid the many possibilities of what could happen to the Earth, she was reminded of a far worse outcome. What might have happened if she had chosen to do nothing. The possibly grim alternatives that might have taken hold of Earth if she had never found the strength that she had within her.

"The only way to live a good life is to live by your emotions. Even now I have to be reminded of how true that is." Relena said as she reflected on the wisdom that Heero had for everyone who came to doubt themselves. After enduring another point in her life where she questioned her worth, Relena had begun to realize just how easy it was to forgive herself.

Heero confirmed her reflection when he told her, "You'll be able to live without questioning yourself and you'll be able to command respect of others when it matters most."

Relena agreed with the reasoning behind his when she told him, "My fellow members of parliament say they are fortunate to have me around them. I honestly don't know how I would have been able to even have a little of that praise if it were not for you supporting me."

The two stopped walking as they turned to look over the Chaudière River when Heero told her, "I think it's unfortunate that you have to be reminded how much you've come to mean to me. I thought for sure that you would take everything I said on our wedding day to heart."

When Heero reminded her of one of the most important days of her life, Relena remembered many of the things that brought her to the side of the man she most admired. The very decision where she decided she would not be single for the rest of her life and instead be the support of another. A decision that assigned her to many responsibilities she would have to hold important as she continued to age through the years.

The reminder of this meeting was one that made her reflect, "You're right… I should have."

There was a great accomplishment that had been achieved by the human race in After Colony 201. More than two hundred years since the first colony was established, there was a peace won by the Gundams and the colonies no longer had to fight for their independence. As the recent Eve Wars ended, it seemed a new era where conflict had at last been brought to an end was ahead of the human race.

For many of the fighting men and women who struggled to find a life after everything was done, there was a challenge ahead of them. A life where conflict was unnecessary meant little to many who were prepared to go down fighting, but the void left by the absence of any leaders who advocated for it left them without a cause to fight for. While left to continue to search for their own reasons to live, there was one soldier in particular who had his mind set on one in front of him.

Just as soon as Heero Yuy became an adult, he was sitting across from the woman he wanted to marry. Six years ago he was unable to see himself even dream of such a life ahead of him, but now it was something he knew he wanted more than anything. His pursuit however was met with a very sincere question. "Do you really believe you can be with me for the rest of our lives?"

The question Relena offered him was something that seemed trivial for many who had already come so far into the process of wedding one another, but Heero knew why she would ask such a question now. Not even six years of being with her was enough to confirm how serious he was about living a life that many doubted he would ever be able to accept. Doubts such as these ones were the basis of what many doubted his desire to be with Relena could pave way for a serious relationship.

Even in the face of such doubts Heero dismissed what concerns she had for him when he told her, "Relena. I've been struggling to find out what another day without you would be like."

As simple of a phrase this was at face value, there was something that Relena could tell behind Heero's reason. "Not in the sense that you need me. Rather that it's something you want."

Heero confirmed her reasoning, "If I'm going to do anything for anyone for the rest of my life, I want it to be for the one who truly came to change everything about how I viewed the world. About what anyone can actually be."

Relena shifted uneasily when she remembered the many events of what led her to this moment. It was true that before becoming an adult, Heero Yuy had lived a life that few could ever handle. She looked down to her lap when she reflected, "Even though so many never had the opportunity to live the life they wanted. And you feel that it is a life you can have when you are at my side."

Offering another sense of confirmation, Heero told her, "That is something you did. You helped me see how others can be the best in one another. And through these last six years, it just seemed that I continued to be given the opportunity to be at your side so much."

The words that Heero offered were as sweet as his inexperienced social life could manage to be. All the years ago where Relena wanted nothing more than to be at his side seemed to be coming back to her to reward her. Even when she considered how she wanted it on some level, she couldn't deny another truth behind it either. "I suppose that I still have my doubts."

Heero offered a rare moment of concern when he asked, "About how it can work?"

Relena shook her head when she reflected on the life of a politician she now lived and how she planned to continue it as a career when she explained, "I'm sure that if you are honest, anything can work between us Heero. Rather what everyone would say about us."

Still holding back the disappointment he had, Heero offered a small sigh when he admitted, "If it's validation you're looking for, you might be right about questioning how this will work."

"Heero!" Before Relena voiced her offense to the comment further, she remembered who it was she was talking to. She was talking to someone who did not hesitate in revealing everything he felt about everything. Someone who believed against the idea of holding back anything from anyone. Was this truly something that she was meant to hold against him?

Relena looked down when she told herself, "Even if the approval of others meant nothing to me, I don't know how I would be able to live a life where I ask if I am doing the right thing. Whether it's choosing to live by your side or not."

Heero confronted the concern she had when he told her, "That is why I always try to live by the words I was once given. To live a good life, live by your emotions."

Slightly encouraged by the words he offered her, Relena looked back up when she tried to question his belief, "Even if it ever gives way to a potential disaster that many of us might come to regret ever allowing?"

Heero was unshaken by the challenge to his belief when he told her, "It's worse for someone to ignore themselves and then come to regret that they never did something a lifetime ahead."

The answer was one that made Relena question herself. Not if she was being honest with what she wanted for herself, but if that desire she had was something that was truly meaningful. The only sure answer she had was in Heero's sincerity with how he truly hoped to have her as his wife.

Realzing how much she was going against her own emotions when Heero reminded her of his way of thinking, Relena determined, "So that is how you feel. You honestly feel that your life would be better with me in it."

Without even realizing he had made his way over to her, Heero held both of Relena's hands into his when he knelt in front of her and offered, "If mine won't be, then I would at least like to make yours better."

There were few times that Heero Yuy ever allowed himself to be vulnerable. This was something Relena had come to learn through all of the years she had been with him. Deception was not something that he even had a firm grasp of how to use on others, he was as genuine with her as he was ever going to be. If there was ever a time where she felt that she was being offered everything she ever truly wanted out of life, it was in this moment right now.

Unable to keep herself from denying any other desire she had on her mind, Relena finally gave Heero the words that he had been hoping to hear. "Heero… I don't know how many times I ever thought about wishing for a life with you before. But with you in it, I honestly don't think I'd rather have anyone else."

That one time back in After Colony 201, before the cracks in the foundation of the Earth Sphere United Nations had begun to show, was something Heero offered every single detail down to when everything happened. If the happiest endings were only determined by where someone chose to stop, this was one of the few times in history where Relena wished her life could have come to a complete stop. Life, she learned years later, did not stop for anyone and the rest of her life was ahead of her when she finally said yes to him.

Relena continued to look over the flowing river beneath her when she told Heero, "You've been with me for more than half my life and I should have been the one to remember what I told you down to the very last detail. There are some who believed that I should have wed myself to someone who was more like me. But I just couldn't allow myself to live that sort of lie."

Heero leaned over the nearest rail when he asked, "Because you feel like those sort of men would never be up to your standards?"

There was once a time where Relena felt she would have been caught off guard by seeing Heero give what seemed to be a breach of his character. Having been around him so long however, all she could think now was how grateful she was in having even just a little levity when she was around him. How human he had truly become. She looked to him when she answered, "Honestly, it's very difficult to find a man like you Heero. I don't know how I could disservice you by living a life without you."

Heero looked up to Relena when he told her, "I know for certain it wouldn't have been impossible for you."

Relena shook her head when she reminded him of her status, "You say that but you say that as though I'm as invincible as you are. Like I'm the one who challenged entire armies. I never did become a fighter. I only push for new policies to be made possible. You're the one who has to actually make our pursuit of a united Earth possible."

Heero brought himself back up when he reminded Relena, "We both agreed that we were strong enough to stand on our own and make ourselves strong by being with one another."

Relena continued to look over the river beneath her when she explained, "That is something I wanted to continue living by. Unfortunately I feel like I really have to struggle to make myself be as strong as you say I am. Sometimes I even wonder just how it is you would have ever seen me as worthy of you in the first place."

Realizing her need for another reminder, Heero reminisced to even further back to the days when they first met one another. The very conflict that ended up bringing them together. "All those years ago at Saint Gabriel's, I used to think you worth nothing. Just another target I would have to do away with. That you would never mean anything to me or anyone."

Relena brought a hand to her mouth as she kept herself from losing her breath from a gasp at the reminder. Just hearing the name of her old school was enough to make her remember days that would have challenged the diligence of anyone. "That night… If there was anywhere where what happened between us could have started, it must have been that moment."

Just earlier, Relena had gathered several of her fellow students safety as Saint Gabriel's was attacked. There were few how could understand why it was that OZ wished to see the destruction of such a place, but the one thing that was clear was the one thing that stood in between the school and its destruction. The Wing Gundam.

Just as the scant few reports on the Gundams from before were able to confirm before, the mighty Gundam stood tall against the number of mobile suits that tried to destroy it, only each one to meet their end. Even more frightening to the soldiers of OZ, the fact that it chose to fight them with only beam saber and its pile driver shield. Not only out of clear intention to protect the students, but to demonstrate the great difference between them and the seemingly invincible machine.

Once the destruction ended, it seemed that there was nothing that could stand to oppose it. Few however knew the real target for its pilot. The one who he believed needed to die in order for his mission to continue to be successful.

As Relena looked up to the Wing Gundam standing against the night sky, there was a sudden burst that few were able to see coming. A rifle blast came from behind as it first made contact with the back of the Gundam but then with the second strayed towards the school itself. There was only minor damage done to the top of a tower when the beam hit, but the resulting explosion was enough to shake Relena's fortitude as she shielded her ears against the mighty sounds and gusts of wind above her.

The situation was perfect for another casualty to occur, but instead of pursuing its missed target, the Wing Gundam did something that no one onlooker anticipated. Not even the pilot himself at the time. It reached out its left hand with its pile driver shield and landed right above Relena's area where she fell while the rubble fell to the ground.

Realizing just how foolish his own action was, Heero Yuy found himself caught off guard when he tried to rationalize what he had just done. "What in the heck am I thinking? I'd be better off if she died wouldn't I?"

As the Gundam remained sprawled on the ground, there was one individual who only saw an opportunity in the moment. The lone Aries unit the Wing Gundam neglected to take down took up a position and began another volley of rifle fire towards its target. Shots hit the Wing Gundam as it continued to protect Relena as she remained on the ground and asked, "Heero, is that you?"

Heero found himself just as confused as Relena was when he continued to try and protect her from meeting her end. Even as the gradual number of shots continued to wear away at his armor, Heero felt himself distracted for what sort of weakness was taking hold of him. "What's wrong? I can't do it…" Just as soon as the Aries was prepared for an attack to destroy its target, the Wing turned around and thrust forward with its pile driver shield. "What's wrong with me?!"

This question remained unanswered as the Wing Gundam remained unopposed. Its dominance was solidified as the Aries unit exploded before falling to the ground, solidifying the failure of the mission OZ had been assigned. Relena was still alive and a Gundam unit was still standing to challenge its aspirations for Earth.

Though its pilot stood triumphant on the field, he was reminded of his inaction when he heard Relena call out, "Heero! That's you isn't it? Answer me! Heero! Tell me why you rescued me!"

As Heero prepared his Wing Gundam to move out, Heero struggled with the question that was still lingering upon him. He recognized this when he thought to himself, I don't know… Why did I save her? She knows too much.

As if he needed further confirmation, he could hear Relena call out to him again, "You didn't kill me! You said you were gonna! Answer me Heero!"

In that moment, there was little more that Heero believed he needed. He knew that his mission could not go any further unless he saw to her demise and she was essentially asking him to commit to his warning to her. He moved the Wing Gundam back to face Saint Gabriel's and marched towards the area where he once stood protecting her.

Just as Relena believed that she was about to meet the end that she believed was at hand, she did something that Heero could not have imagined was possible. She remained standing as the pile driver shield through past her and into the rubble behind her. The breeze only caught behind her as though it was simply the wind.

As soon as the wind died down she simply said, "Heero…"

"How come I can't kill her?" Not wishing to face the issue any further, the Wing Gundam flew up and transformed into its bird mode as it prepared to fly away.

Relena called out, "Heero!" Before she had a chance to take the attention of Heero, the Wing Gundam flew away as it left another wind blowing towards her. This time without any intention to see to her death. Even with the threat of her life looming over her from earlier, all Relena could bring herself to say in that moment was, "Please Heero… don't run away from me…"

Heero gazed out towards the lake when he remembered the events of that night while Relena answered his question of what she said to him when she was on the ground. "Try as I might, I did everything possible to run away from you. I just couldn't understand it at the time. I just couldn't comprehend why someone would stand defiant in the face of death the way you did."

Relena smiled when she suggested, "Of course you must have been able to come to understand what caused you to decide what made you chose to spare me."

Heero turned to her when he brought her to meet his gaze and answered, "There was just something… beautiful about you in that moment. Something that I thought I would never see in anything else. You were one of a kind I thought could never be replaced."

Relena looked up to him when she recognized the importance of that night to him. "It was in that moment you really began to feel… human."

"From you I saw someone who could have taken her life entirely for granted with all that you had for you. You may consider yourself as someone who only seeks to pursue possible venues of peace, but you always had the heart of a soldier in you. A heart that most I've ever met could never come close to mustering."

"You were one of the first people who I could ever look to as someone who would look me in the eye as someone to be heard. Someone who saw me for who I was and wished to honor that."

Heero smiled as he brought Relena into a kiss. There were moments that he wanted to himself with her, but then there were moments he realized he needed to offer her the support she needed to be the woman she was. For him, a moment such as this one was something he knew both he and she were pleased to have.

Heero parted away from the kiss when he asked her, "That's what brought us together isn't it? I guess after what we went through we both felt the urge to be just a little selfish and hope that we could have what we wanted."

The parting from Heero gave Relena illuminated her face when she reflected, "Something that most people never have the fortune to ever take hold of. If there is anyone that I can be special to, it is certainly going to be for you Heero."

Heero placed his hands on Relena's shoulders when he told her, "You're special to more people than ever I think. Even if it's for just one person, that one person is someone who the human race is better off having with them."

Relena felt herself paused as she kept herself from breaking down in tears to remember one of her children. The one child who had gone to prove himself in the military and was now on the frontlines of so many conflicts and a mighty one about to come. "My boy… Our son is more than the man I thought he could ever become."

"It was thanks to you that he was able to become the best soldier he could become. Just like you did for me. Years ago and now."

"There was a time I thought you were becoming what you were long ago. In all honesty you never did stop. You only decided that there was a time and place for when it should have been done. Mercurio was going to be taken in at some point, but you were able to remind me that parents are meant to see their children become better versions of themselves."

Heero parted from embracing Relena when he smiled and gave his own side of the experience, "That's one thing that I think I learned about being a father. There's a sort of pride in seeing our children go through the sort of experiences that we did. That's how we absolutely know that we are there for them and are given the chance to rectify everything that we did wrong."

Relena took Heero's hand when she agreed, "We were once children who made childish mistakes and had childish aspirations. At the heart of it all, it's exactly what he is isn't he?"

"A good man who has his own desires to fulfill. He is a child like we were. But now he's able to live the aspirations we had for ourselves. For how much the world has changed and brought about so much desturciton, there are things to be found that deserved to be called wonderful."

As soon as Relena heard this summary of her son, her face brightened to a radiance that Heero had been hoping to see return. The sight was enough to make him smile in return. A silence formed between the two of them as they reflected on the truth that could be found in their acceptance of their son's role.

Breaking the silence, Heero encouraged Relena, "In spite of what you call yourself, I still think you're the best version of that girl you were thirty years ago."

Relena nodded as she blinked and accepted, "Everyone up there is a son or daughter who deserves to return home and be celebrated for their selfless example of heroism. This planet should be what they want to return to."

Heero stroked her face when he offered, "With you I'm sure it will be."

Relena let go of Heero's hand when she parted from him and lifted her head up to tell him, "Even if you'll always be that soldier who threatened to take my life one day, I'll always make sure that you have the opportunity to be at peace with yourself like you deserved for so long."

Realizing how much he had encouraged his wife, Heero was too late to stop her from making a rush away from his location and back to the building she had just come from. He took out an envelope when he tried to call her over, "Uh, Relena…"

Relena turned around to wave at Heero briefly before she continued her way to the Parliamentary Building and told him, "Once the day is done."


Waiting as long as he did, Heero found that he was about to be disappointed with his initial hopes of meeting with her. Another day was about to fall over Quebec City without conflict and where the people of Quebec City could rest easy knowing that they were receiving some form of protection. Where he did not have to struggle all he could to defend innocents from being destroyed by the looming threat of Sol Theros.

It was having this knowledge that Heero was able to look up to the Parliamentary Building and remember how important his wife was not just to him, but to the Earth as well. Come what may, all the chaos in the world could not tear away Relena from her dedication to making the planet one where people did not have to suffer and it was the one thing he knew she would dedicate long hours to seeing achieved. Even understanding this, Heero was not the man who settled to accept things not going his way like he remembered being.

He looked up at the Parliamentary Building with a sigh of disappointment when he told himself, "The one night where I think about doing something nice for her."

"I would have imagined that you already knew that she would be a very busy woman." Heero turned around to recognize someone familiar, Till Lindemann on a stroll with himself. He couldn't tell what would have brought him to this area but Till had a clear desire to meet with someone.

Heero made his way up to Till when he confirmed his observation, "I've known for a long time. I've seen her remain as a politician all the way through the hardest of times, I know that she's going to continue with her duty."

Till made his way in front of Heero when he stopped walking and told him, "I suppose it would at least even out the lack of experience you've had. Despite your namesake and all. Something you kept for yourself out of convention I imagine."

Heero turned to look to the Parliamentary Building when he briefly thought about what it was that made him continue to retain the identity he had for all these years. It was well known by the human race that he was not the Heero Yuy who advocated for the freedom of the colonies, but retained the name long after his fighting days were done. His reasons for choosing to be called by that name however were for a reason that only he and his wife were truly able to appreciate. "I kept it because it was how Relena knew me. I don't know if I will ever know who I was. But I can always value to who I am now."

Till turned the opposite direction as he looked away from the building Heero observed when he commented, "I do regret that I could not have chosen to live as you believed was best. Such regrets are something I cannot ever undo however. And my children have already lived the way I instructed them to for so long."

Till heard Heero make his way over to him when he was told, "The only way that you should ever regret raising your children is if you went against how you believe they should have been."

Recognizing his need to confront the issue of his fatherhood, Till turned around and told Heero, "There was a time where I would have been completely against the idea of raising my children to be prepared for warfare. If only because Griselda would have told me that there was no longer a time necessary for such preparations."

There was a sense of disappointment in Till's voice when Heero heard his reflection of what he had done in taking charge of his life. Even as he himself saw the doubt in Till, he remembered how hypocritical it would be to call him a fool for having ever hoped for peace to prevail. "There was a time where we all believed it was necessary. Unfortunately you had someone very special taken away from you. All you wanted was a chance to see that no one would have to go through the same anguish that you did. It's something that every parent should want for their children I believe."

Till offered very little sign that he was assured when he heard this consolation when he told Heero, "You certainly appreciate what it truly means to be a father Major Yuy. If I had reminded myself of that value… I must confess that there are things that might have turned out differently."

Heero made his way up to Till when he reminded him, "Your sons might not have been able to provide the service they wanted to offer. It was thanks to your construction of the Nornir Gundams that you were able to help defend ourselves from the Sol Theros. It's not fair that you had to outlive two of them. But it was thanks to you that they were able to be some of the finest soldiers the Earth Sphere has ever had."

Till turned as he made his way down the sidewalk that he came from as he heard Heero walked next to him. Till looked down when he explained, "If I am to resemble anything of a father, it should at lest be that the children who live now are offered the chance to have a life when this has ended. I myself only have so little to live for, as does life have so little to offer me."

Hearing the growing defeat in Till's voice, Heero could tell there was something wrong with how the man was taking his recent loss. Not even being able to outlive the likes of Edward Blare was enough to bring him a sense of satisfaction. It was the indication that Till was indeed a decent man who did not hope to live a life of subjugating others, but it was one that made Heero wonder how Till intended to continue with his life now that he came to such conclusions.

Heero made his way up to Till when he tried to remind him, "You have children who are going to look to you. You need to be there for them."

Till turned around when he explained, "I know I should. But you must surely be able to tell what sort of man I have been. Even if you did not follow politics very closely."

As much as he wanted to correct Till with his dismissal but was immediately able to tell what sort of thoughts were going through his mind when he tried to reason with his current life. There was something about the actions that he had taken that made him question if Till was doing everything that he believed he could have done. It was for a reason such as this one that he began to doubt his value as a father and what sort of human being he could still be remembered as.

There was only one thing that Heero could tell was prevalent on Till's mind when he considered what he began to show remorse for. It was as soon as he heard this defeat in his voice that Heero knew that Till struggled even now with his purpose. He brought it to focus when he simply pointed out, "You feel that you can't face your children again."

Till stopped in place when he reflected again on what he had done to himself but tried to rationalize his defeat when he explained, "My children are old enough to stand on their own. It is something that every parent has to be prepared for. The day that they chose to make their own place in the world and we are left only as a memory to them. I feel that my being around them will only keep them from truly realizing their potential now."

"We can only be memories if we chose to make ourselves nothing more than that. Everything we are is determined by what we chose to do. That is something I imagine you have understood for a while."

"Words that I have lived by. Unfortunately I only have so many years where I can mean anything to anyone. There comes a time where we are defined by our actions and I have crossed that threshold long ago."

"Your children would never be ashamed of what they chose to fight for. The cause of the Earth Sphere might have been something they fought for, but it was for men such as you who made their cause something they could be proud of."

Till gave a sigh when he thought about how important the subject of children had been through the entirety of the conflict. His own and those of others were the ones who would inherit the world, but there remained a key part that served as their motivation. Even with every stress and hardship that came, there was an underlying reason that made many of them see conflict as something worth continuing.

Turning around with a softened face, Till told Heero, "It truly is a shame how I would have approached you before. It was not even long ago that I believed you and your son were the more honorable ones only because you were the ones who would be willing to continue the fight. The day I met your son, I didn't even notice it, but I saw the strength of your wife in Mercurio when he tried to reason with me. I have a difficult time imagining someone you ought to value more."

With the conflict ever present in Till's evaluation of himself, Heero knew there was little he could do to convince him away from any sort of great change he felt would be necessary. Even if this coming change Till alluded to was something that would challenge anyone who spoke to him in this moment. For Heero, he offered only one condition, "It may be something you have an issue accepting. But whatever decision you make is one I'll accept as long as you are sure of yourself."

Till nodded when he accepted Heero's respect and told him, "I have heard your life philosophy before. I think it is one that I can certainly come to respect. As of right now it is something that I will have to live by myself."

Prepared for what Till wanted out of him, Heero offered one question, "And what do you feel is the best thing for you to do now?"

Till made his way up to Heero when he requested, "Please. Offer me one favor. As one father to another… As a fellow soldier to another…"


Another day was about to pass into the final few moments of the night in Quebec City. The city was thankful for the peace if was able to have for the time being, but it was not a day that went by without anything eventful. As people continued to endure a war, there was an effort to make sense out of everything that continued to occur and moment of peace such as these were what made them remember what they wanted to preserve.

For Heero Yuy, there was a pair of issues he needed to provide an answer for. One coming from the woman he loved and another from the father that he saw he could have been. What he was able to say after today however, was that he was able to meet both people face to face and saw the respect both of them deserved.

In the moment he was in now, Heero had hoped to have a chance of some leisure with his wife after being asked to answer so many demands. In his attempts to offer an invitation however, he realized just how much Relena needed his support to be the leader that she had become and had to remain. He knew there would be waiting for a long time, but he was reminded of how demanding the life of a politician would continue to be in times of war.

The night hours had begun to take their toll on Heero when he looked towards a nearby hand clock to see that midnight was about to come. Deciding there was nothing that he could do to acquire Relena's attention, he pocketed the small box he had prepared as he began to walk away.

"Heero…" Before Heero had the chance to make his way home, he turned around to recognize a familiar voice from earlier today. Relena stood out as she lingered behind the leaving number of politicians and watched him from the steps.

The two walked up to one another when Heero asked, "Relena. You finally finished?"

Relena nodded as she took a deep breath to hold back a yawn and answered, "Even after offering the priority to General Neustadt, we were able to pass quite a few funding bills. We went a little further than we anticipated."

Relena walked alongside Heero as the two made their way towards the street that led to the Chaudière River when he commented, "I should have known. I should really try to make sure that I talk to you about a nice night out together before you go to work."

Realizing the small disappointment in his voice, Relena tried to offer a consolation for his hopes when she told him, "We can be together again any other night."

The two stopped in place as Heero looked to her and reminded, "But an anniversary only comes once every year you know."

Hearing this point made Relena bring her hands to her mouth with a gasp. Thankful to see there was nothing dangerous about his raising the important night, Relena tried to apologize, "Oh God… Heero, I am so sorry I forgot."

Heero raised a hand when he assured her, "I understand. You're busy and you have a great deal to accomplish. It's something that everyone expects from you. Dragging you away from your job would have only held back progress for others."

Relena shook her head when she began to show signs of disappointment herself as she told him, "This is the first year where I forgot about it. Even with as much as I have forced myself to work, I usually had to be the one to remind you."

Heero shook his head when he dismissed the concern, "This certainly wasn't like every other year. Fortunately it wasn't a complete loss."

Relena knew better than to offer any condemnation of her husband's dedication to seeing her when she simply told him, "As long as you didn't wait outside this building the whole day I'm glad to hear that you haven't allowed the day to pass by for nothing."

Heero stopped in place as he looked towards the river that he spoke near several times before as he explained, "There was something that I needed to help someone with. He just needed assistance in finding a way to move forward with life after times as chaotic as these."

The reminder of how difficult everyone was taking the damages of war was something that made Relena agree, "That is something that we could all use right about now."

"I can at least offer you half of what I had in mind." Heero reached inside his pocket when he handed her a small long box. Relena opened it and was entranced to find the to find a tanzanite necklace inside.

"I always want to make sure that I live up to the expectations that you have for me in this life I've had. Something like this is the least that I can do."

Still entranced by the shine of the piece of jewelry in her hands, Relena tried to remind him of how much he meant to her when she told him, "Being reminded that you are still at my side every year is something that I treasure. Simply having you has always been enough for me."

Heero dug into his pockets again when he smiled and contemplated, "This is the sort of confession that would be better in the right setting. I'm sorry I couldn't make this as special as I wanted it to be for you."

She refocused her attention to Heero however when she saw him take out an envelope and look down at it. She asked, "You had something else in mind?"

Heero confirmed as he brought his attention back to her, "I managed to acquire reservations for us tonight somewhere. Unfortunately, we're long past those hours now."

Unlike most times where Heero was uncertain about how he should react to times of challenge, he offered a small smirk when he remembered a memory that was very important to both of them. He was prepared to give Relena a reminder of such a memorable act when he lifted the envelope up in front of him with both hands at their ends. Before he had a chance to do anything else, he found himself stopped as Relena brought a hand to his left one.

Heero was unsure what Relena wanted at first as she shook her head before bringing her thumb and finger to the center of the top of the envelope and simply offered a smile to Heero's uncertainty. It was a short few seconds before Heero finally realized what she wanted. They were together. If they were going to continue to value one another, doing everything together was still the most important thing they could continue to uphold.

This realization brought a smile to Heero's face as he came to recognize just how the two of them could make their anniversary together a special one after all. It was after a short while that Heero brought his own thumb and finger to the center of the envelope next to Relenas. The two smiled at one another as they appreciated the fond memories they had with one another before in a swift motion, tore their halves of the envelope apart.