Disclaimer: I don't own Gundam Wing or anything for that matter. I make no $$$ off of my stories, I write them for pure enjoyment.

Chapter 2

It rained the day of her funeral. It seemed appropriate, for the world had lost its princess.

The old church was covered with moss; flowers bloomed in the window boxes. Inside, the stained glass windows rained color into the small chapel. The pews groaned under the weight of the numerous people that now filled them. Dressed in black, the people had come from the Earth, Colonies and other Planets. All to pay their respects for the fallen princess.

In one of the front pews sat five young men. Only a few knew their names, and their real reason for being in the front pew. Their faces were expressionless as they surveyed the scene around them. On the outside, they had appeared calm. But on the inside, each one was dealing with a mess of jumbled emotions and their own grief.

A closed white casket, adorned with golden trim, sat on the altar surrounded by pink roses. Candles provided the only light in the church. And it seemed all the light in the church was focused on the casket at the front of the chapel.

The silence dragged on until Zechs stepped up to the altar and turned to face everyone. His white-blond hair had been pulled back from his face and secured in a ponytail. Standing up there in his black suit, Zechs seemed to exude confidence; little did the congregation know that he was shaking on the inside.

"Relena Peacecraft was many things in her young life. Yes, she was a princess. But more importantly than that, she was a leader, a sister and a friend. At 15, she strove for peace while most teenagers are worried about fewer meaningful things. At 20, she had begun to help the ESUN finally achieve peace. She accomplished more in her lifetime then most of us in this room ever will. Relena knew the struggles she faced trying to bring peace into this world, but she never shied from her beliefs. She was beautiful on the inside as well as on the outside. The world has lost one of its brightest stars. I have lost a sister and a friend."

Tears slid down his cheeks as he finished the short speech he had prepared in his sister's memory. Noin stood up from her seat and walked to her husband, welcoming him into her arms. Slowly, the two of them walked to the casket, said their farewells, then turned and walked down the aisle and outside. The mass of mourners followed their example, saying their good-byes and then going outside to offer their condolences to Zechs and Noin.

After the mourner had left the small church, the ushers moved forward to carry out the casket to the family burial plot. The five Gundam Pilots carried the casket like it was the greatest treasure on Earth. Zechs, Noin, Catherine, Hilde, Sally Po and Lady Une joined the pilots at the burial site. Once the casket was in place, Zechs threw his handful of dirt into the grave. "Ashes to Ashes." He softly whispered. After that, everyone turned away and headed back to the church.

Everyone but Heero.

The rain had turned to mist and the sun was pushing through the clouds creating a rainbow in the sky. Lifting a single pink rose to his lips, he gently kissed it and tossed it into her grave.

"Relena, I will find out who did this to you and they will pay. I promise you. I will love you forever." With that said, Heero turned away and strode toward the others.

***************

"Heero . . ." Relena whispered weakly. It was becoming harder and harder to fight the drugs they kept pumping into her body. Saying his name gave her some strength, but she didn't know how much longer she could fight. The constant beeping of the machines around her was hypnotic. Closing her eyes, she listened to the rhythmic beeps until they lulled her to sleep.

From the other side of the glass, two people sat, sipping brandy and watching the progress of their work.

"She is still fighting the drug. Who would have known that she could be this stubborn?"

"I have known she would be difficult. I have been watching her, trying to find a way to destroy him and everything he holds dear, including her. So far my plan has worked out perfectly. Hopefully, we will be able to complete the second part. How much longer do you think it will take?"

"Well, her resistance is wearing down thanks to the drugs. Once she stops fighting, she will be easy to control and train. If she is a quick study, we could release her early to complete her mission."
"Will she be able to complete her mission, given her past history?"

Turning to the window, the two people watched as Relena Peacecraft sighed in her sleep.

"Hopefully in a couple of days, we can begin our training. She will retain pertinent information, such as names, and other things we deem necessary. So to answer your question: will she be able to carry out her mission? My answer is Without Hesitation."

A voice filled with amusement answered back, "Excellent."