Chapter One

Relena paced up and down the halls of the hospital impatiently. Racing through her mind were thoughts of her husband's death. She was unable to get the picture of her husband's shooting out of her mind and the dark and lonely corridor where she and Heero had ran to escape the palace invasion. Relena bit down on her lip as the realization that peace Heero and the others had worked hard to obtain was no more. Walking by where everyone sat, she began to cry. Noin stood up and attempted to consol her.

"Relena," Noin said, "You must not allow yourself to believe he is dead or dying. I know he's feeling fine and
he is trying to escape the hospital room. He's done that before, remember?"

Relena hid a laugh. Feelings of worry for began to diminish somewhat but thoughts of the massacres from the last
war appeared in her mind. She glanced up a hall to the left and spotted several guards protecting the elevators doors. She frowned with the guards spotting her.

"I miss the days where I could be free to be myself and not be followed by the damn guards all the time." Relena thought to herself. "I know it's for my safety but with the people I keep in my company but they still feel threatened by the public?"

"Queen Relena." Noin called from down the hall. Relena walked briskly back past all the rooms of the halls. She arrived back to the sitting area where Noin stood with a phone to her ear talking. "Relena," she said again, "It's Une, she needs to speak with you now." Noin handed her the phone.

"Relena, you're quite aware on the attack at the palace. However, I wanted to inform you before you leaped to conclusions that the majority of the colonies have expressed worry and concern or are expected to release a statement saying so." Midii said, "However, there have been reports of minor skirmishes within several of these colonies."

Relena gulped. Her greatest fears were coming true and people were one again fighting.

"Midii, I understand the situation. Call Sally and have her deploy troops in civilian clothing. They must get
the information on Heero's attack."

"I understand." Une responded.

"..But please proceed with caution." Relena warned. "We don't want to spark a war that might repeat history." Relena blinked as she said this. A picture of her dying father entered her head. She had forgiven Midii for her for shooting her father. She respected the fact that times were different then.

"Relena...I've got to go, Seize is here." Une said as pounding could be heard in the back round. "Bye…" she said
hanging up the phone.

"Seize must be careful… if something were to happen to Heero or I?" Relena thought to herself.

"Your highness..?" said a voice from behind her. She turned around to discover a young male doctor. "Heero is
alive and doing fine." Relena smiled.

"Thank you, doctor…" Relena responded.

"Your highness, if it hadn't been for you he'd be dead." He responded. Relena paused for a moment.

"Am I really a life saver? Did I save Heero?" she thought to herself. "No, Heero's the one who saved me."

"Heero should be fine to go home in a few days."

"Could I see him?" she asked the doctor. He nodded and showed Relena to his room with everyone following close behind. Walking by a window looking out the front of the hospital, Duo mumbled "Look at all the reporters." Hordes of reporters lined the sidewalk and street in front of the hospital. "All trying to get every scrap of information…"

"Come on, Duo…." said Relena already a ways down the hall. Walking what seemed like an eternity to Relena, the
doctor finally opened a door. Heero lied quietly in bed.

"He was lucky it was just a scratch of his heart." Said the doctor

"HEERO!" Relena cried, as she ran over to kiss him, "I was so worried!"

"I'm glad you were… but knowing you, you were busy doing other things trying to hold Earth Sphere and colonies together." Heero responded sarcastically. Many more bodies entered the room. "Hey everyone," Heero said, "I'm going to be fine. I am planning on going home later toady!"

"TODAY!" Relena said slightly confused.

"Yes, I feel fine and in these circumstances I feel safer in the palace than here in a hospital."

"Heero! You're staying here whether or not you like it." Relena said forcefully. Relena walk over to Heero and
glanced at everyone to leave. Proceeding one after the other, Relena slowly closed the door.

"Heero, I'm worried." Relena said with concern in her voice. "First the palace and now Midii is reported minor
skirmishes in the colonies."

"Similar to the way the last wars started." Heero mumbled.

"At least then there were Gundams were in existence." Relena responded. Heero blinked staring at Relena perplexed by her response to his comment. He knew that Relena cared about the colonies and was happy that Heero and the others hadwon but still felt they represented death and suffering.

"You know why they were invented originally… Operation Meteor? And we don't want anything to happen like that again." Relena sighed looking out the window. There was so much on her mind.

"Heero, I've got to get going." Relena kissed Heero and opened the door into the hallway. Everyone was waiting patiently for her and she told them, Heero would be fine. Relena started down the hall followed behind by her friends. As they proceeded down the hall, a tall dark figure emerged from behind the corner. He appeared to have long hair. Noin stopped in her tracks and ran ahead shouting "Zechs." She reached him and hugged him.

"Zechs, I've missed you!" she said.

"So have I," he said in response as the others held back laughter. "Relena! How's Heero?" The group caught up to
the two.

"He'll be fine… he's been behaving thinking he'll get out sooner." She responded.

"That's wonderful to hear! Finally some good news toady…" Zechs said.

"What else has happened?" Relena asked.

"You haven't heard yet?" Zechs asked with concern in his voice.

"The leader of colony W4K6667 has been shot."

"You mean… Marimeia's is now controlling the colony?" Zechs nodded in response. Relena bit her lip. Everyone had helped raise her. Midii officially adopted her as her daughter using the name Marimeia Kushrenada Une.

"Does anyone besides me hear voices?" Trowa asked to all of them.

"Noin, can you please call some of the security up here. The reporters have gotten in the building." Relena told her. Noin pulled a walkie-talkie off her belt and talked into it.

"Security is on their way," she told Relena.

"I think were too late." Zechs said pointing to the hordes of people now visible in their sight. Noin pulled out a gun form her belt and pointed it at the ceiling.

"STOP!" she screamed at the top of lungs, "Listen to me! I'm not afraid to shoot." The crowd stopped dead in front of her and starts throwing questions at Relena standing three feet behind Noin.

"You majesty how's his highness? What are these skirmishes in the colonies about? Are they related? Have you spoken with Marimeia Une about her control of colony W4K6667? Are you worried she might repeat the past?" were thrown at Relena.

"Stop and listen… I not am going to comment on anything at this point. I am willing to tell you that Heero willbe all right. That is all, I'm willing to comment on at this point." Relena turned around when the other five security members arrived. Noin whispered something into their ears and they pulled out their guns and pointed them at the crowd. Noin walked up to Relena and began to whisper.

"Relena.. We're going to fly back Palace B. I don't know how long the guards can hold of the crowds with blanks." Relena nodded in reply. They briskly walked around the corner and ran down the hall. They ran up the steps to the roof.

"Does anyone other than me hear that sound?" Duo asked with concern in his voice, "It sounds like mobile suits."

"That's impossible," Noin said panic stricken, "All the mobile suits have been destroyed." Someone was walking
up the steps at a brisk pace as if to warn the group about the coming danger.

"It's Heero.." Relena said with extreme worry in her tone.

"RELENA GET TO THE ROOF NOW!" screamed Heero from the lower portion of the stairway. Relena a bit perplex, about Heero's escape ran as fast as she could up the stairs. Relena arrived at the top and opened the door on to the roof. Relena stared in horror as in the distance she saw black dots coming towards Brussels.

"Mobile Suits…?" Relena said, "but I thought…"