Disclaimer: I don't own Gundam Wing

Disclaimer: I don't own Gundam Wing

_Here it is the last chapter….

Mission of Mercy

Chapter 9 'Have a safe trip'

"Ms. Lena, can we go and say goodbye to the Preventers?" Deacon asked raising his little eyebrows in a hopeful expression. "They saved you and me and I want to say goodbye." There was a chorus of agreement and Relena knew that the lesson wouldn't be able to go on.

Smiling she replied. "Go ahead guys. I think Ms. Hillary is out there right now, just don't be too long." Relena sighed as they all jumped to their feet and ran out of the schoolhouse, work was forgotten and they were free for a little while.

Relena watched them go with almost a cold dread. She knew her time here was limited. She had caused them too much trouble and the likelihood that it would happen again was great. She didn't want to leave, but mostly she didn't want to cause the people anymore harm. She glanced at her bandaged arm and rubbed it ruefully. It still throbbed and she wouldn't be able to have full use of if for a while. Heero had suggested she go back, just to see a doctor who could heal it almost instantly, but she'd refused. It had been almost a week since it had happened and still the pain and fear were present.

"I thought you would have come to say goodbye." A voice reached her from across the schoolroom and looked up sharply to see Heero silhouetted in the doorway by the afternoon sun. He stepped in and became clear. His wild brown hair was combed and lost tamed, but still his hair refused to behave in some places. He was dressed fully in his Preventers garb and his gun was securely holstered to his hip.

Relena stood quickly and almost fell her leg was still not as it was. She reached for her cane and took a limping step foreword. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Heero make a motion toward her, but she held up her hand to ward off his attempts to help. The process was slow but she soon made it all the way to where he stood and looked up at his face smiling a little.

"You know if you don't go back with me you'll have that limp for the rest of your life." He cautioned her slowly and watched as she eased her weight onto one of the tables in the classroom and closed her eyes. "I think it's the best thing for your health if you go with me." He paused a moment and shoved his hands in his pockets.

Relena looked up and gave him a small contented smile. "I don't think so." She paused a moment before she continued. "I still have a lot I need to come to terms with and I'll to leave here soon so I want as much time here as I can possibly have." She rubbed her fingers over the table of the desk she was sitting on and smiled absently. "I going to miss this the most."

"The table?" Heero asked his voice hold an unusual teasing note.

Relena reached out and swatted him playfully. "No, teaching, the kids." She could feel the tears building in the corners of her eyes, but she pushed them back. She would cry later when she was alone. Relena quickly changed the subject. "Duo will be back in less than two weeks. I think he'll do wonders here." She smiled to herself and almost laughed. "And Hilde, I can't believe she's marrying that baka."

"I think Hilde's the only one who can get along with him." Heero said in mock seriousness. "He needs her." Heero tailed off and swallowed. He wanted to tell her that he needed her that he wanted to stay here with her for the rest of his life. That no matter where she went he wanted to go with her. He didn't though he pushed it down and said instead. "You'll be here for their wedding, right." He waited for her to nod then continued. "I guess I'll see you then." He shifted uneasily under her steady gaze and motioned as if he was going to leave. Something in her eyes stopped him though. "Bye Relena." He whispered hoarsely. "I…" He couldn't find the words.

"Bye Heero." Relena said her voice heavy with denied emotion. "Have a safe trip." She saw the corners of his mouth lift in a brief smile and then he turned to leave. His tall handsome form disappearing around the corner. Relena couldn't breathe for a moment. She felt as if her lungs had closed and an ache began in her stomach and soon radiated throughout her entire body. She felt as if she were losing a piece of herself. It hurt, worse than the wounds she still had. She wasn't able to stop the tears any longer and they streamed unceasingly down her worn cheeks. "I love you." She whispered under breath.

Heero felt the constricting in his chest as he left the room, and Relena. He knew that he would be seeing her in only a few weeks, but something told him that this was it and it would never be the same again. He felt that she was drifting from him permanently. So strong was the feeling that he turned briefly to look back at her door, as if he expected her to come out and tell him to wait, but she never did and he turned painfully again and walked toward his plane. The plane that would take him home. The word home stuck in his mind and he knew that somehow it wasn't right, that wasn't home. No more than L1 was his home anymore. Something had moved and he had shifted so violently that he was almost lost. The plane came into view and he scowled as Duo lifted Hilde off the ground in a tight hug and a bunch of children jumped up at his feet. Quatre was laughing and scratching his head. One of the kids jumped into Quatre's arms and he hugged the child and laughed. They were so at ease, so happy. Heero paused a few feet away and called out to them.

"We'd better get going." He yelled and took his hands out of his pocket to point to the plane. "We've got a schedule to keep." The others looked at him, Duo was grinning like an idiot and Quatre was smiling sadly at him. Quatre knew more than most, and sometimes Heero cursed his insitefulness. It sometimes caused him to reveal more than he wanted to. He deliberately ignored the group of well wishers and headed for the plane each step toward it taking more and more will power. In his unconscious grief he didn't hear Duo coming up behind him until he felt the weight of his friends arm on his shoulder.

"These people don't want me to leave." Duo said grinning. "But it might be because I handed them my Twinkies." Duo laughed and added. "I know what your thinking the Great God of Death giving up his beloved Twinkies… but yes I did I made the ultimate sacrifice." Duo glanced at Heero and his face immediately fell. "Hey, you look like you just lost your best friend, but since I'm here I know that's not it." He didn't even frown at his comment. "What's wrong Heero…" Duo took his arm of Heero's shoulder and looked at him expectantly.

"I'm fine Duo, we just need to go." Heero told him coldly and Duo stopped to watch him board the plane.

"Did you tell her Heero. Did you finally tell her." He called almost afraid of the answer. "Heero…" The pilot didn't answer and Duo turned to look at Quatre who had come to stand beside him. "He didn't tell her." Duo said to Quatre his voice laced with worry. "What's wrong with him."

"He's afraid." Quatre said simply. "He's just afraid."

Relena leaned on her desk and sobbed her shoulder was killing her in the position she was in, but she didn't care. She was over come with grief. She had let him go. She couldn't stand the thought and somehow she knew that this had been her last chance. That next time he came they both would be different and even if they still loved each other they would never be able to say it. They would never even be friends. She knew it more than she knew that the earth was round. This had been her last chance. Relena choked as another wave of tears made their way down her cheeks. She faintly heard the hum of the plane engines and her sobs intensified.

Heero looked out the plane window as the refuge began to streak rapidly across the landscape as the plane picked up speed. He remembered her so clearly. He saw her golden hair her deep sea green eyes. He remembered the way she had felt in his arms, after she'd been kidnapped. She had cried into his chest until she could cry no more. Her warm tears had soaked his shirt, but he hadn't cared. He just wanted to pull all the pain out of her and set her free. His thoughts flashed to their last meeting. He had wanted to tell her; the words had been on the tip of his tongue, but he hadn't said them. He had been a coward.

"Heero it's not too late." A voice whispered at him and Heero turned to see Quatre in the seat beside him. "You can still go back its not too late. You need to tell her, Heero. You've both suffered long enough."

Heero shook his head. They were almost to the end of the runway. This was really his last chance.

Relena heard the plane as it left the ground and roared overhead. He was really gone and this time he would never come back. Relena sat up and wiped her eyes. This would be the last time she cried for him. He was truly gone and their game was over. She would be leaving this place soon. She would let everything she had been go. Her friends, her love, the people here, this was it this was the end. Relena got to her feet leaning heavily on her cane for support she stumbled for her desk. She only had a few precious moments before her students returned. Only a few moments to compose herself before…

"I love you."

The voice was deep and choked with emotion Relena had never heard, but she knew the voice. Could she be, was she dreaming? Slowly and painfully she turned her heart twisting with each agonizing moment until she stood staring at him, her love, her life.

"I love you." He repeated. He looked at her almost as if he were afraid she would attack him. Her had his hands in front of him pulling at his finger nervously and his eyes were brimming, with tears. He had left himself open before her. She had the choice to leave him there his heart exposed to die or to leave herself equally open. "I couldn't leave Relena, not when you didn't know." He watched her searching for the look that would tell him he'd done the right thing. He watched her face twist into one that bordered on agony, but was somehow happy.

"I thought you'd left me." She stumbled foreword the cane falling from her hands and immediately felt herself fall into Heero's warm embrace. "I love you." She told him pulling him closer and resting her head on his shoulder. Her finger wrapped in the fabric of his shirt and she squeezed him as if at any moment he would disappear. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you. I love you Heero, I don't think I can live without you." Relena sobbed on his shoulder and felt him pull her tighter and she may have been mistaken but she could have sworn the his tears joined her hers. They held each other for a long time. They didn't want to be apart.

When they finally did pull apart Relena smiled at him warmly. "We'll never leave each other." She said knowing he felt the same way. She put her hands on his face and felt his come up to cover hers.

"Forever." He promised and pulled her hand down to rest on his shoulder his eyes never leaving hers. His focus was trained on her face that was smiling at him through tears of joy and perhaps some of sadness. Slowly he drew her closer his arms snaking around her waist. Their lips met in a warm kiss. It was slow in starting, but quickly built into one laced with love, desire and finally the feeling of being complete. They had finally found each other and they would never let go. Heero moved his hands to run down her arm and Relena's fingers reached up to join with his. Their hands intertwined as they kissed each other's fears away. The struggle was over. They were both complete and would never have to be alone again.

*Smiles happily* I love happy endings!

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