Disclaimer: I don't own Gundam Wing or Borrowed Hearts.

Chapter 11

Soon the night of Christmas Eve came, and all the children in the city were getting ready for bed and for Santa Claus to come. Wishes and dreams were going to be fulfilled that night, and for one boy, his wish was about to come true.

"Okay, Evan. You ready for bed?" Heero asked as Evan climbed up to the bed.

Evan nodded and grinned when Ebony jumped onto the bed and curled up at his feet. "Are we going to be a family soon?" he questioned Heero.

"As soon as your mom knows," Heero replied.

"When's that?"

Heero looked thoughtful. "Do you think Christmas morning is too early?"

Evan shook his head quickly. "Mommy's going to be surprised."

Heero smiled. "I hope so." He turned around when he heard footsteps and saw Relena poked her head in.

"Did you brush your teeth?" she asked, looking directly at Evan. He nodded again. "Okay, then it's time for bed. You do want Santa to come here, don't you?"

Evan let out a squeak of alarm and burrowed under his blanket. "Goodnight, Mommy." He yawned. "Goodnight, Daddy."

Relena was saddened at his words. She turned around and left.

"Goodnight, Evan," Heero said softly. He bent down and gave Evan a gentle kiss on the forehead. "We'll see what presents we'll get in the morning, won't we?" Evan smiled and closed his eyes. Heero turned off the lights and shut the door.

He walked back to his room and saw Relena sitting on the window side of the bed, brushing her hair. Heero didn't tell her that it wasn't necessary for her to sleep here anymore. It would have been counterproductive to his plan. Granted it was a simple and risky one at the beginning, but it wasn't now. He knew that she loved him, and now all he had to do was tell her how he felt and hoped things work out.

Relena felt him watching her, but she didn't turn around. She couldn't bear to look at him anymore. They had avoided each other as much as possible during the day. Actually, it was more like her avoiding him, but she had to. What could she say after last night? 'Yes, Heero. I want to stay, but I'm afraid you don't love me,' the back of her mind shouted all of a sudden. Relena pushed that thought away and continue to brush her hair. After a while, she heard him in the closet where he had placed a couch so he wouldn't have to sleep on the floor anymore. She climbed into bed as well and pulled the covers over her. Relena thought about to say something at that moment but decided not to. It would be best if they said as few things as possible to each other. Yes, that was the best thing to do.

***

Evan opened his eyes and looked out the window. It was morning. He threw back his blanket, startling Ebony and causing her screech loudly for being woken up so rudely. Evan was smiling as he ran into Heero's room.

"It's Christmas! It's Christmas! Wake up, Mommy!" Evan shouted, jumping up onto the bed and waking up Relena as well. Then he rushed into the closet and shook Heero awake. "It's Christmas!"

Heero sat up abruptly at the sudden noise and rubbed his eyes. He peered at Evan who was jumping up and down with joy. A smile formed on his face as Evan's enthusiasm was a bit contagious.

"Why don't we go down and see what presents Santa left?" Relena asked, appearing in the doorway. She tied the sash of her robe and held out her hand to Evan.

Evan looked anxiously at Heero who got up and put on his own robe. He grabbed his mom's hand, and they hurried down stairs. They met Quatre on the way down who had been woken up by Evan's shouting. Evan stopped short of entering the living room and stared at the all the colorfully wrapped gifts under the tree that stood next to the large living room window. He never saw so many presents before.

"Wow, look at all those presents," Quatre declared, walking into the living room. "You must have been a very good boy this year, Evan."

"Okay, what should we open first?" Heero asked, looking down at Evan. With a bright smile, Evan rushed over to the tree and looked around for something.

"This one!" he exclaimed. He pulled out a thin, squared box that was covered in blue and green wrapping paper and handed it to Relena. "This is for you, Mommy."

"For me? I wonder what it is," Relena replied. She sat down on the sofa and waited until Evan climbed up next to her. Heero stood behind them. She opened the cover and looked inside. She gasped in surprise. "Oh, Evan..." Relena took out a black picture frame that contained a hand drawn picture of three stick figures that were suppose to resemble people. In the background was a house and trees surrounding it. At the top of the picture were the words "My Family."

Evan leaned in closer and pointed at the figure in the middle. It was small and holding hands with the figures on either side of him. "That's me." Then he pointed at the other figures. "And that's you and Daddy. Do you like it, Mommy?" Evan looked up expectantly. "Mommy, what's wrong?"

Relena's eyes had started to water. She blinked back her tears and gave her son a watery smile. She wrapped her arms around Evan and squeezed hard. Next came a big kiss on his cheek. "I love it."

A face splitting grin appeared on his face. "Really?"

Relena nodded, unable to say anything else. What could she say? That he was wrong, and they weren't a family? She looked back down at the picture, running a finger over it. A family. If only...

Later with a fire blazing in the fireplace, Evan sat next to the tree with Quatre opening up the rest of his presents. Quatre received a pair of gold cuff links among other gifts. Evan was delighted to see so many presents that were just for him. Heero pulled Relena aside to the coffee table that was pushed against the sofa to make room for Evan's presents. A large, flat polished oak box laid on it.

"This is my gift for you," he said softly as they sat down.

Relena looked at the box, wondering what it was. She pushed aside the ribbon around it and opened the lid. She gasped again. It was an elaborate paint set fit for a professional artist with paint, brushes, and other things. It had to have been very expensive. Relena picked up a brush and turned it around carefully. "Oh, Heero. It's beautiful." Then she set the brush down. "But I can't. It's too much."

"No, it's not," Heero replied with a warm smile. He reached up and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. "It's for that dream of yours."

Relena couldn't help but smile back at him for remembering her dream to paint professionally. Before she knew it, she leaned over and kissed him gently on the lips. "Thank you," she murmured. She pulled back and saw the shock on Heero's face. Relena was pretty shocked herself. This was the first time for her to kiss him. "You don't know how happy you've made me."

"I would like to know if you'll let me," he said back. Relena started to turn away, but Heero caught her. "I would like nothing more than to make you happy," he added.

"I'm afraid," Relena finally admitted, her voice growing softer.

"You don't have to be," Heero stated. "I won't hurt you."

Relena wanted to believe him. She knew Heero was a good man. How can a man who looked at her with such warmth and care be anything but? Maybe she should tell him how she felt as she watched him lean toward her. Maybe things could work out.

Evan was looking at his mom and Heero with a big smile of his own. It was working. First his picture and now the paint set. They were winning his mom over. He glanced up at the mistletoe hanging over the doorway. Only one thing left.

"Mommy, can we have breakfast yet?" he blurted out abruptly.

Relena jumped at Evan's sudden outburst, and the haze surrounding her and Heero disappeared. What was she doing? Relena quickly backed away from Heero and looked over at her son. Evan was sitting there patiently for her answer.

"Of course, honey. What do you want?" she asked, hastily getting up. She stood in the doorway and waited for him to reply.

Heero smiled to himself as he assessed the situation. He was disappointed when she had pulled away, but then again Relena was standing right under the mistletoe now. He reminded himself to reward Evan later for this.

"Um..." Evan pretended to look like he was thinking until Heero got up and silently moved to Relena's side without her noticing. Then Evan looked up and kept his gaze there.

Relena followed his gaze and glanced up. Her eyes widened. There was a sprig of mistletoe hanging above. How did that get there? She looked back down when she felt Heero standing in front of her. If she didn't know better, she could have sworn she saw victory in his eyes.

"Look, Mommy. You're standing under the mistletoe. That means you have to kiss Daddy," exclaimed Evan, happily.

Even Quatre was smiling. "Yes, Relena. That is the tradition, isn't it?"

Relena felt her breathing speed up as Heero got closer with a small smile on his face. His hand moved up to her nape while his other hand slid around to her back. Unconsciously, Relena's arms wound themselves around his neck. Heero bent his head slowly while Relena tilted hers up. He brushed his mouth against hers before kissing her more fully. Relena's grip tightened as his lips moved languidly over hers. Before long, she was kissing him back. Heero poured all his love and need into the kiss, hoping to make her understand that they belong together. He and she along with Evan were meant to be a family.

Finally they pulled apart, but Heero didn't let her go. He rested his forehead against hers and waited until their breathing slowed down. Then he looked into her eyes. Relena could clearly see the emotions running rampant behind his own beautiful ones. Those eyes that held love, unmistakable love.

"I want to make another deal with you," Heero declared softly, knowing that she could plainly see how he felt. "One that you can't refuse."

A small smile formed on her face. "What kind of deal?" she asked as she felt his arms wrapped around her.

"One that lasts for the next fifty to sixty years," he answered, a smile of his own forming. "You don't have to do anything except..."

"What?" Relena whispered.

"All you have to do is..." Heero pulled her even closer to him. He looked down at her uneasy expression. "Love me like I love you."

Relena let out the breath of air that she didn't even know she was holding. The smile on her face grew as she took in his words. She could feel her heart bursting with happiness, and her hands trembled. He loved her!

"Relena, well, what do you say?" Heero questioned, feeling worried at her silence. What did her smile mean? And her trembling hands?

Relena took a deep breath, and even that trembled. Quietly and as slow as possible, she said, "Tell me you love me again." Heero's eyes widened. "Tell me you love me as much as I love you."

Heero gave her a long, hard, passionate kiss again, completely ignoring the fact that Quatre and Evan were watching them. When he pulled away, he said breathlessly, "I love you." Then he felt a tug on his robe. Heero looked down.

Evan was looking up at them. "What about me?"

Heero laughed out loud and bent down to pick Evan up. The boy wrapped his arms around his neck. "I love you, too, Evan."

"Are we going to be a family now?" Evan asked, cheerfully. He looked at his mom who reached up and placed a hand on his cheek.

Relena nodded, happily. Then she remembered that Quatre was there. With a dismayed gasp, she looked at the man.

"It's okay, Relena. He knows," Heero quickly said to allay her fears. Relena sighed gratefully. "There's no need to pretend anymore."

"Were you pretending?" Quatre questioned with a smile and stood up.

Heero looked carefully at Quatre and then shook his head. "I guess not." He turned back to Relena and Evan. He held them both close to him because he knew now that happiness and innocence were his to kept forever.

Quatre smiled again and walked out. Then Evan remembered something. He asked to be let down and caught up with Quatre.

"Mr. Winner! Wait," Evan said. Quatre stopped and turned around. "I just wanted to say Merry Christmas." Suddenly, Evan heard music float into the foyer. Soft, twinkling music. He looked up at Quatre, wide eyed.

"Merry Christmas to you, too, Evan," Quatre replied. Then leaning down with a mysterious gleam in his eyes, he added softly, "Remember. They're real if you want them to be." With that, he winked and walked away.

Evan just stood there, listening to the music. He turned to see if his mom and Heero heard it. It didn't seem they did. Again, he looked up to Quatre's room. Understanding dawned on him. Then with a big smile he ran back his mom and Heero.

Later that night, the three of them stood on the doorstep, saying goodbye to Quatre. Heero was holding Evan in one arm while another was wrapped around Relena's shoulders. Together they waved at him.

Before Quatre got into the limo, he glanced back. Standing before him under the soft glow of the moonlight were three people who came together to become a family. A cold man who thought he would always be a part of the darkness, a woman who did not believe she could love again, and a young boy who believed in angels. A family through and through. No matter what the circumstances.

THE END

AN: All right!!!! I'm done!! Finally! Oh, my goodness, I started this nearly two years. I'm so slow, but it's done. My first completed fanfic! Thank you to everyone who has continued to read this after all this time. It gives me hope that there are people who enjoy my writing. Hopefully, I'll have another fic coming soon. ^_^