A Normal Life
By: Jade Starlight

Chapter Eighteen: The Sacrifices Made


A.N: All right, first I want to apologize for making everyone wait so long for this. I
am very, very sorry, but there was an unexpected death in the family last week, and
I got a *gasp* job, so, needless to say, I've had no time to work on this. Also, thanks
a lot to everyone who has reviewed! They are Qiana, Silver Wing, Shazzia, and
Anon! I really, truly appreciate it! Your reviews are what keep me going! And
please, continue to let me know what you think, I'd really like that a lot. Anyway,
I'm sorry again for how long this is taking and how short the chapters have been. I
think this one will be better.

And Shazzia, read my summary and let me know if it's any better, PLEASE!!! If it
isn't, would you maybe wanna help me a little and write one for me to put up? I'd
love the help! I'm not very good at those things. And thanks for the suggestion!

Now, on with the chapter...



"What is this you're carrying?" the officer asked the pilot of the plane.
"Just supplies, sir, mostly food, some clothes too."
"Have you had this opened for a while?"
"The door? No, sir, we just opened it not even two minutes ago."
"And you've been back here the entire time?"
"Yes, sir, I have." The pilot stared at the officer as if he were crazy. The officer
simply looked inside again, nodded his head to the pilot, and walked away. The pilot
turned and shut the door, readying the plane for take off.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Relena let out a sigh, taking off her cap as soon as the door was shut and locked.
Her honey colored hair fell down, lying across her back in a messy manor. Heero smiled
and gave her a reassuring squeeze on her arm as she leaned her head on his shoulder.
"Now all we have to do is wait," Relena said. Heero nodded and leaned against a
crate. He closed his eyes and relaxed.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Millardo sat up in bed, sweat poring down his face. His eyes darted around the
room, and for a moment he forgot where he was. When he realized that he was staying at
the base, he tried to calm himself from the nightmare he had again. His breath slowed,
and he ceased his shaky hands. He flung his covers off and got up, heading to the door.
"Millardo?" he heard Noin say groggily. He paused before he shut the door and
told her to sleep. When he was sure she was, he proceeded to the dining area, where he
could think things through.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Quatre couldn't sleep very much at all. The dreams he was having seemed so real
that he didn't know what to do.
"Definitely no more sleeping," he whispered to himself. He got up and headed
for the kitchen to make some tea.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Millardo sat at the table and drank his coffee. He laid his head in his hands and
huffed as he thought about his dream.
"Hello," he heard someone say. He looked at the door to discover one of kindest
people he knew staring right at him.
"Why aren't you sleeping Quatre?"
"I can't sleep either. I keep having horrible dreams and the only way to make
things better is to stay awake. What about you?" He grabbed a pot out and filled it with
water, setting it on the stove to boil.
"You too, huh? And I thought I was the only one."
"What do you mean?" Quatre put the tea bags in the water and stirred it.
"I keep having the same nightmare over and over again. I can't make it go away."
Millardo rubbed his temple and sighed. "It's always the same."
"Why don't you tell me your dream, and maybe I can help you figure out what it
means?" He poured the tea into a cup and sat across from the Lightening Count. He took
a sip and waited for him to start.
"Well," he started, "it starts with me and Relena hugging each other. She cries
and tells me she loves me, and then she starts to back away. Then you and the others
appear, and she cries even harder. She says something about it being her fault and she's
sorry, and she loves us all, but she has to leave now. By then she's running away from
us, and I try to go after her, but I can't. Then I see her stop. Heero is in her way, and he
won't move. Tears are streaming down her face in a river now, and she hugs him and
then kisses him passionately. Then, before he can do anything, she darts past him, out of
sight. I hear a gun shot, a scream, and then I usually wake up." A tear slid down his
cheek when he finished.
"That's exactly what happens, you're sure?" Millardo looked at Quatre and
sighed.
"Yes, I'm sure. Why?"
"Because I had that same dream."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Heero and Relena woke up as soon as they heard him.
"Stay still and low Relena, and he won't see us," Heero said. They slowly laid
onto their stomachs, hiding behind the stacks of crates.
"Hey Lonny, what did you want again?" a voice yelled.
"Some apples if ya don't mind!"
"Yeah yeah, I'll get them!" They heard the footsteps get closer and closer.
Relena closed her eyes and sucked in a breath. He was right in front of the crates they
were hiding behind.
"I'll get your damn-hey!" he knelt down right near Relena.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Heero saw how close he was, and he began to form a plan. If he discovered
Relena, he'd attack from behind and take care of him, then move on to the pilot. He
watched as the guy bent down and grabbed a twenty-dollar bill off of the floor. Then he
turned around, grabbed the apples, and left. Heero looked to Relena, who was still
holding her breath.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Relena felt a hand on hers and opened her eyes to see Persian blue staring back at
her. The two sat up and smiled.
"That was a close one," Relena said. Heero nodded as they scooted closer again.
"We can relax, but no more sleeping. Keep your guard up," Heero told her. They
leaned back and closed their eyes, and that's when they heard the click.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Noin walked into the kitchen around four in the mourning, yawning. She was too
worried to get more sleep, so she figured she'd get a head start on the day. When she saw
Millardo and Quatre talking, she was surprised.
"How long have you been up?"
"About three hours now. Neither of us could sleep." Noin yawned and grabbed a
cup, poring herself some coffee. She sat next to her husband and took a drink.
"I know your reason, Millardo, but why can't you Quatre?"
"For the same reason, actually. Right down to every detail." Noin almost spit out
her coffee as she stared at them in shock and horror.
"You both have been getting the same exact dream?" They nodded their heads
and frowned.
"We've been talking about what it means all night now, and we haven't really
come up with much." Millardo stared at his hands.
"Whatever it means though, it's bad. We think Relena may be killed already, or
will be dead soon," Quatre explained. Noin felt fresh tears come to her eyes as she stared
at no particular place.
"Come on now, you aren't giving up on her already, are you?" The three of them
looked to the doorway and found Jade standing there, a smile on her face.
"No, we aren't exactly."
"That's not what it sounds like." The Spanish girl sat next to Quatre, sill smiling.
"Remember who she's with, please. And don't forget that she's a trained soldier."
"Do you really think Heero could save her?" Millardo asked. Jade looked at him
and shook her head disappointingly.
"Of course he can. He loves her, and there's nothing he wouldn't do to help her
and keep her alive, even if it meant his death."
"She's right, Millardo. As much as you don't like that, it's all true. I've known it
since the first time I met him, even before I saw them together at the Sank Kingdom
Institute for the first time. Every since he's met her, Heero has loved Relena with all of
his heart," Quatre chimed in. Millardo looked angry, but he sighed and nodded.
"I know. If anyone can bring her back, it's him. And she is different now, and I
know she can take care of herself."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Get up now!" the young man ordered. Relena and Heero put their hands up and
cautiously made their way to their feet. A gun was staring them in the face.
"Hey Dan, what is it?" the pilot, Lonny, yelled.
"We've got a couple of stowaways, Lon. Radio the boss and let him know we
have what he was looking for. Then turn around and head back."
"Roger that Dan." The officer who held the gun ushered the two teens over
towards the door. Relena and Heero glared as he told them to sit. Then Dan sat on a
crate a couple of feet away, the gun still pointed at the couple.
"Now, I don't know what the boss wants with you two, but I'm sure he's got good
reason. And I know that you're a Gundam pilot, so there's got to be something you did
to him." The young man pointed to Heero, who gave him an icy glare. However, the
man was too busy looking at Relena to notice.
"You're a hell of a looker, young lady. Aren't you the Vice Foreign Minister?"
"Was," she corrected. The way he was looking at her sent chills up her spine.
She moved unconsciously back a little, and then an idea came to her.
"You're a pretty little thing. How come you're with this low life?" Again he
pointed to Heero, who was building with anger. Relena touched his hand gently and then
stood up.
"Me, with him? Where on earth and in space did you ever conjure up such an
idea? Why would I be with a boy, when I can be with a man." She lowered her voice
seductively and started moving towards the young fool, who was practically drooling.
She placed a hand on his still raised gun and gently lowered it, smiling playfully. Dan
smirked and wrapped an arm around her waist, pulling her next to him. He leaned her
back across the crate and turned to her face, completely forgetting Heero. He was about
to kiss her when something hit his head. The last thing he saw was Relena's smile.
"Let's go." Heero grabbed her wrist and pulled her roughly to the back. She
wrenched free and scolded him.
"Why are you being so touchy, Heero? I had to do that, or we would've never
gotten free!" Heero grabbed a parachute pack and shoved it in her hands. She threw it to
the floor and crossed her arms.
"Stop acting childish Relena, and put the damn thing on!"
"Not until you stop your childish behavior!" They stood there for what seemed
like forever, glaring and not moving. Finally Heero broke the silence.
"Look, I'm sorry, okay? I just didn't like the look in his eyes, and all that he said.
Happy?"
"Yes," she smiled triumphantly and put the parachute on. Heero huffed angrily
and turned to grab another one, but there weren't any more. He turned to her and
frowned.
"Well, get yours silly. We have to leave before that guy wakes up!" When he
didn't move, she began to panic.
"There isn't one for me. You have the only one." He turned and pounded his fist
against the side of the plane. "Damn it!"
"Here," Relena threw hers at him and smiled. "It's my fault we got into this, so
you take it. I can hold on to you when we jump."
"No, you're going to wear it and-"
"Heero, don't! Just put the stupid thing on and let's go! We don't have much
time!" Reluctantly, Heero did as she said and headed for the back. Relena wrapped her
arms around his neck and nodded when he looked at her. He pushed the button and the
plane began to open. He grabbed onto her waist prepared to jump.
"Stop right there, or I'll kill you both now." The two turned to see Dan standing
there, gun ready. He nodded to Relena. "Get over here now, Miss Queen, or your
boyfriend gets it."
"Sorry Heero," she whispered. He looked into her eyes, and saw tears. He
wouldn't let go of her.
"Let her go, pilot, or she will die in your arms." When Heero still didn't let go,
Relena turned to him and smiled.
"I will always love you, and I will never leave your side." She kissed him
passionately and then shoved him out of the plane, watching him descend to the ground.
The look in his eyes was anger and pure, unmistakable love as he plummeted away.
"That was very brave, Miss Relena, and also very stupid." Dan hit her on the
head with the handle of the gun, and the last thing she saw was Heero pull the string.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Relena, no!!! he thought as he saw her shrinking form. He pulled the string and
felt the wind capture the parachute.
"I'll make it back so her sacrifice wasn't in vain, and then I'll kill them all for
what they've done!" he promised aloud. He watched the ground come up under his feet
as he landed in a wheat field. Without hesitation he ran for the nearest town in hopes of
contacting his friends.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Duo rubbed his eyes as he slowly made his way to the ringing vid phone on his
desk. He pushed a button and Heero's face appeared. Duo's violet eyes grew large as he
stared.
"Duo, tell everyone to prepare for battle, and have someone come and pick me
up."
"Boy Heero, you sure don't waste time, do ya? Where are you?"
"Just outside of the west border of Sank." Duo wrote it down and smiled.
"Is that all?"
"Yes. Hurry up and move Duo, we can't waste time!" The pilot of 01's face
disappeared, ending the link. Duo threw on a robe and ran into the kitchen, waving
around his paper. Wufei looked at him and shook his head.
"What is it Maxwell? Are you going to wave it around all day, or tell us?"
"Heero just called. He wants someone to pick him up, and the rest of us need to
prepare for battle."
"I'll get him. Where is he?" Trowa asked. Duo gave him the paper and Trowa
ran to the hanger.
"Is my sister with him?" Millardo asked. Duo shrugged in reply.
"He didn't say so, but I'm assuming yes. I mean, it's not like he'd leave without
her." Millardo simply nodded. Everyone else stopped what they were doing and became
lost in thought. It was Duo who brought them back.
"Hey, why are we standing around here? We have to go, go, go!!!" he clapped
his hands together with those last words, ushering everyone to move.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Relena woke up just in time to see the base again as the plane landed. She noticed
that her hands were cuffed together in the front. When the plane landed, Dan opened the
back and came in. He grabbed her up and roughly pushed her out and into the base.
Then, two guards whom she had never seen before joined them as they began to walk
across the hanger and up some stairs.
"Where am I being taken, back to the cells?" Relena asked. She surveyed all of
the surroundings, remembering everything for another escape.
"No, my dear Princess. You get to meet the man who created the ICS." They
climbed up another flight and then headed down a long corridor. Relena looked in the
rooms as she passed and saw weapons of all types. In other rooms there were soldiers
training on machines, no doubt learning to pilot mobile suits. Then she saw soldiers
boxing and fighting one another on mats.
"Ah, here we go." The small group stopped, and Dan knocked on the door.
Someone opened it and they piled in, Dan forcing Relena to sit in a chair in front of a
desk. There was a huge black leather chair in front of her that was facing the wall.
"Hello Relena," a voice said, "it's nice to see you again." The chair spun around,
revealing an aging man with short red hair containing hints of gray. Relena's eyes grew
wide and her face paled as she recognized him.
"Mr. Kinsley?" she whispered in disbelief. He smiled wickedly at her, enjoying
her terrified face.
"Yes my dear, misguided girl, it's me. I'm glad you remembered my name. But
then again, how could you forget someone whom you tried to kill?" He folded his black-
gloved hands and rested them on his desk.
"I'm so sorry. I didn't want to," she said. He glared at her, letting his smile
dissipate.
"Oh yes you did, Relena, you did. You can't play miss innocent with me. I can
see right through your peace loving mask!" He stood and waved a hand, indicating to
everyone else to leave. When the soldiers were gone, he stood right in front of her.
"I mean it! I was young and manipulated! I had no choice! I was a tool, a-a
weapon!" Tears began to fall as images flashed through her head of her childhood. They
were all coming back.
"Shut up! You can cry all you want, Relena, but I know your true nature! Your
pitiful little tears won't convince me either!" He slapped her across the face, leaving a
red print. She turned her head and looked down, her honey blonde tresses falling around
her face, hiding it. Darrel Kinsley smiled with satisfaction when she didn't make another
sound.
"Now, what was I going to do? Ah yes, I need to set a trap for your little
comrades and my son. And you're the bait," he turned to her and smiled. She just
looked at him, and his smile turned into a frown. She wasn't covered with fear as before,
and as he peered into her eyes he couldn't read any emotion she might of had. Instead,
her eyes were a dull blue color and empty. Her lips were formed in a line, and she was
simply staring at him.
"Try all you like, Mr. Kinsley, but my friends, including your son, aren't that
stupid. They're expecting this and they won't fall for it," she replied in a monotone
voice. Even that didn't show any emotion.
"We'll see about that, Miss Dorlain, and if that proves true, I'll just go onto faze
two."
"And what is faze two?"
"Your death, my darling Princess, your death." Again he smiled and then he
opened his office door. Four soldiers came in, dressed in their black suits, and ushered
Relena out the door, taking to her "room."