Chapter nine-
That was a short chapter- I know- sorry. But I had to stop for dramatic purposes- and because it would have been a very long chapter if I hadn't broken it up. Oh yeah and to force you to review! I enjoy all your comments and stuff- keep them coming- because we are almost at the end- or are we???
I don't own gundam wing- there are you legal types happy?

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The next day was hard for everyone; Relena however took things the worst.
They had told her the tragic news- there was nothing else to tell her.
That afternoon they held a quiet ceremony for Heero as they laid the remains of his body to rest. Dr J had insisted he be buried next to the woman who gave her life for the tiny child- his mother.
Most of the pilots accepted the fact that Heero Yuy was no longer with them, but for Duo and Relena, they just couldn't let it settle.

"Relena- where are those discs of Heero's?" Duo asked her as he help her gather up some things she wanted to take back to Earth with her.
Her tear stained faced showed that she was as good as dead inside.
"Why don't you let me finish this up and you go try to get some rest ok?" He said as he hugged her tight. She nodded weakly and left the room which use to belong to Heero.
Duo sat down at the table and put his head in his hands. He eyed the discs Heero had left behind.

The ride back from colony L1 was full of awkward silence. Usually Duo would be tormenting Wufei or pestering someone. But not today, he seemed content in his work. No one knew what he was doing with Heero's old computer or why he as searching for something- but no one interrupted him either.

The moment they returned to the Peacecraft mansion Duo took off to the room Heero had stayed in. Picking up the shuttle ticket, he smiled inwardly. 'That guy has to be alive.' He thought.

Relena couldn't take much more of the pain- she ran to her room and locked herself in there. Her aching heart and confused mind didn't want her to believe he was really gone.
'He can't be… we were so close…' She thought as sleep finally brought her peace.

Down stairs, the guys were trying to explain to the women who had stayed behind, what had happened.
"Oh the poor dear." Cathy said as she heard the news. "Relena must be heart broken."
"And you were sure it was him? I mean he's gotten out of worse." Hilde commented.
"Duo thought the same thing… but there was hardly any hope- he would have contacted up by now if her was coming back." Zechs said solemnly. Sure, he didn't really like Heero- ok so he hated him. Heero was his rival- his equal in many respects and Zechs didn't like the fact that his little sister was in love with the man. But as much as he didn't like Heero, he knew that on one could have loved Relena or protected her better… but now- he hated to see her in so much pain.
Zechs sighed as he turned on the vid screen to take a loot at the news- their 'incident' was sure to be covered.
Then something caught his eye. A breaking news flash came on the screen.
A large testing lab exploded on a small colony out by the Mars cluster. It was on the newly formed colony. The furthest one out that way.
Duo came down the stairs in time to catch the news flash.
"That son of a bitch!" He nearly screamed pointing to the screen.
The room was once again silent- all eyes were on the cursing man.
"What was that Duo?" Quatre asked.
"Cursing in front of women- dishonorable." Wufei grumbled.
"Oh stick your honor somewhere else." Duo said smiling. "I think I know who caused that explosion." He held up the shuttle ticket Heero was going to use.
"Who is Ryo Strife?" Trowa asked.
"I've never heard of him." Zechs commented.
"You many not have heard of him- but you all know him."
"Spill it." Hilde commanded. He then pulled out several items he printed off Heero's computer.
"Meet Ryo Strife." Duo said setting a photo id of a child on the table.
"But that looks… like… Heero?" Quarter stuttered.
"Exactly- it is Heero. Well, before he was Heero. Before the whole training I believe." Duo explained.
"So- he was planning to leave- what does that have to do with the explosion?" Trowa questioned.
"Well- I was getting to that- According to his files on his computer oz's last perfect solider base just happened to be on that colony. In fact it was in the lab that suddenly exploded."
"So you are saying that Heero destroyed that lab?" Hilde asked.
"Exactly, well Ryo did anyway. I think he wanted us to believe that Heero was really gone- that drama queen." Duo scoffed. "Making us worry."
"But why?" Quatre asked.
"So we wouldn't follow him- he had to do this alone. A true warrior will confront his past alone." Wufei said.
"So when's he coming back?" Zechs questioned.
"Ah- see I knew it- Admit it- you were worried about him." Duo smiled. He was enjoying teasing Zechs.
In the darkness, a figure crept slowly up to the large house. Even in his weakened state- he could still get past the security systems with out detection.
He climbed up to a second floor balcony. He crept as silently as possible with his injuries up to the door.
'Unlocked- geez someone could easily break in here.' He thought to himself as he opened the glass window doors that lead into a large bedroom.
"Relena." He whispered as he drew closer to the bed. But his weakened body gave out and he slumped to the floor.

The sun greeted Relena in the morning. It's rays once again danced on her face. She didn't want to get up- she didn't even feel like living anymore.
She told everyone to cancel everything- all of her meetings and dinners. She suddenly felt lie the struggle to maintain peace was not important anymore. She had slept for two whole days- but still she was tired. She rolled over in her bed and suddenly; found herself next to a warm body. She was silent. She didn't know who it could be. She opened her eyes and was met with a figure that was bandaged heavily. But her heart knew who it was. She quickly sat up and looked down on the slumbering face of the reason to live. She couldn't help herself as she began to wildly kiss him and touch him. She needed proof that he wasn't a dream. A small moan came from him as a smile crossed his lips.

The door opened and Duo entered to find Relena attacking the other occupant of the bed.
"Take it easy on old Ryo there." He chuckled as he set a tray of food down on the table.
"Why don't you let him sleep and you come and eat something?" He questioned.
"Ryo?" She asked as she looked down on the man in her bed.
"yeah- old lover boy there. That ticket we found well it so happens."
"To be his real name- I know." Relena cut him off. "Ryo." She giggled as she traced his strong jaw. "Duo when did you find him?"
"Actually he came to you." He told her. "We found him on the floor yesterday. You were sleeping, we tried to wake you- but in the end we just patched him up and threw him where he belonged."
'Where he belonged.' She smiled at those words.

Over breakfast Duo explained about the lab explosion and everything they had learnt from Heero's files. Duo then left them alone. Relena returned to Heero's side, well Ryo's side.
Heero Yuy- the perfect soldier, gundam pilot of Wing Zero and ex-murdered was dead. But in his place laid the free man Ryo Strife. The man she loved.
"I love you." She heard from the figure she snuggled up to. She smiled and looked up to meet his beautiful eyes looking down at her. A large smile light up his face.
She whispered her reply to him as she claimed his lips once again.
"Stay with me forever." She asked as he kissed her neck.
"Always, if you'll stay with me." He said as he stopped kissing her and looked into her eyes. "Will you marry me? I will only live to make you happy my love."
"You don't even have to ask me- I thought I would die with you gone. There is no other way I'd rather spend my life… than as Mrs. Relena Strife. It sounds heavenly."
"I thought you might like it." He smiled.

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A/N:
Keep on the look out for the epilogue! It's coming- It'll finish off this story nicely! See you later!