A/N: Well guys…I've been very productive in these three days! Here is the twentieth chapter. Only one more to go!!

Chapter Twenty

Sally was in trouble following Heero. She couldn't believe how fast he was running. Even though he was carrying Relena in his arms he still managed to run so fast she really had problems keeping the pace. The baby had been crying all the time, Sally understood why: he needed his first meal and urgently.

As if the whole thing was not enough, they started hearing the auto-destruction warning. For one second, Sally thought it was some kind of sick joke. Then, seeing Heero running even faster, realised that the threat was real and started running faster trying to protect the baby from the brusque movement that the sprint provoked.

The first one to move was Trowa. He knelt next to the doctor to inspect the wristwatch, looking at it with more attention, realised it was not a wristwatch, it was some kind of device that measured the heart beat. Now it marked zero and, written beneath the number, the following words:

AUTODESTRUCTION : ACTIVATED.

Trowa felt his heart sink. The bastard had planned everything till the end. He had even planned that, in the event of his death, the entire satellite would be destroyed. Turning around slowly, informed everyone about his discovery.

Wufei pulled out his radio to contact his wife, now, no matter how, they all had to get out of there.

"Sally, do you copy me?".

"Yes…Wufei, Heero and I are carrying Relena and her baby to the shipper…what the hell is going on?" replied Sally, Wufei noticed her panting and realised she was already running towards the carrier.

"We've killed Dr Pieter van der Veert and he had some kind of device that has activated the auto-destruction process. We've got to leave this satellite…ask Heero to prepare the shipper…we'll be joining you as soon as we can…over" said Wufei closing the communication not wanting Sally to ask any question, then, speaking to his companions, added "Guys, Heero and my wife are leaving as we speak, Milliardo you're an uncle now…the baby's just born…".

Milliardo felt, for one brief second, incredibly happy. Then, they were about to leave but, for everyone's consternation, Quatre realised that, if the satellite exploded, it would kill all the sleeping guards.

Unfortunately, the guards were just too many and, even if they tried to carry between all four of them, it was just not enough time left to complete the operation and take off safely.

Everyone stared at each other expecting that, like in the action movies they had watched so many times, someone would come up with a brilliant idea. Sadly that was not the case.

Finally, Milliardo, losing patience and knowing that Relena, even with Sally's help, probably needed urgently proper medical assistance in an adequate structure, said:

"I don't think we have any option left…we will have to leave them here…at the end of the day, they knew what they were facing when they decided to betray ESUN with their criminal activities…".

"But Milliardo…they may be innocent…" protested Quatre.

"That is only a conjecture, we can't be sure. What we do know for sure is that my sister IS innocent and we have to get her to a hospital…" insisted Milliardo starting to run towards the shipper not caring a thing about what the others thought.

"He's right…no matter how unjust this is, we have to leave or we will all get killed…" said Wufei following Milliardo. Duo followed them, for once, not saying anything but looking sombre nonetheless.

Quatre was shocked, he couldn't believe that they had all taken this decision without any kind of common consultation.

He would have not moved had not been for his best friend.

"Come on Quatre…they're right…we have to go…think of Dorothy…" Trowa said taking one of the Arabian man's arms.

Quatre looked up and found Trowa's green eyes.

"Guess you're right but…damn it…I wish we could get them out of here…" said Quatre. He was so upset he could have cried. The blond man started thinking of his wife…yes, he definitely needed to make it out of there alive. This was not time to play hero…

Against all his instincts he started walking and, picking up speed, found himself running after Trowa.

Sally managed to cover herself and the baby with the space suit so they could make it through the satellite's main gate to the shipper's entry safely. Heero, with a lot more difficulty, had covered Relena with another spacesuit. The haemorrhage had not stopped and she was still bleeding.

As soon as they arrived to the shipper, Heero, following Sally's instructions, took Relena to the huge spaceship's medical room. It was very basic but it had enough supplies to start working. Meanwhile Heero prepared the ship for take off.

Relena's pulse had disappeared so Sally started with the CPR. As soon the pulse was back, the American-Chinese doctor tried to stop the blood.

Heero, having finished the preparations, went to the medical room, there, he found Sally busy preparing a IV line to give Relena all the medicines she desperately needed.

"Can I do anything to help?" Heero asked feeling very useless and not knowing how to deal with the knot that tied his throat. Seeing Relena like that was killing him.

"Yes…there should be some powdered milk in that cupboard over there, if you know how to, you should prepare some milk for your son…he needs some food…" said Sally while connecting Relena to the machines that kept track of her vital signs.

Sally was almost finished and Heero was already feeding his son when Wufei and the guys entered the ship and Trowa, closing the gate, ran to the cabin to start the take off.

"Trowa, go as fast as this thing can go…if we don't get Relena to a hospital within the next hour…" started saying Sally, even though she had done all she had been able to, Relena was really far from being stable, then seeing Milliardo's and Heero's worried expression, added "Just go fast, alright?".

"We could have tried to deactivate the auto destruction device…" said Quatre not being able to cope with the gilt he was feeling.

"We had no time Quatre…you know that…" said Duo speaking for the first time in a long time.

"Quatre…we all feel awful about the whole thing but…saving Relena was a matter of national security…we all know she is irreplaceable for the peace keeping process…" said Wufei.

"This whole mission sucked anyway…" added Heero still feeding his son.

Speaking, Heero drew everyone's attention to the newborn baby. They realised that the baby had been the cause to all that mayhem, an innocent cause, of course.

Milliardo started walking to Heero and, swallowing his pride, said:

"Can I…I mean…could I…".

"Sure…you've got more experience than I do…" said Heero passing the little human being to Milliardo.

"Hello…welcome…I'm sorry you had to come to this world like this…" said Milliardo speaking with the tone he used exclusively to speak to his own son.

"I'm going to sit next to my wife…please take care of him for me…" said Heero walking towards the medical room.

"How are you going to name him?" asked Milliardo.

"I don't know yet. I'll wait for Relena to wake up…we'll choose it together…" replied Heero not even bothering turning around.

Trowa ordered everybody to sit down and prepare for the take off. The ship shook a bit and soon they were airborne. Quatre had given his permission to go at the maximum speed that the ship allowed even if it meant wrecking its engines.

Suddenly, the explosion they were all expecting. The whole satellite disintegrated itself causing a shockwave that made the whole shipper shudder.

Quatre felt his heart as heavy as a rock. They had not been able to save all those guards. He looked around himself and saw the others acting like if they didn't care. Then Duo, turning around on his seat, locked his violet eyes with the Arabian man's turquoise ones. What Quatre read on them spoke volumes. Duo felt just as sad as he did. And probably, the rest of the guys did too.

Meanwhile, Sally was still with Relena constantly checking her vital signs. Heero refused to leave his wife's side. The haemorrhage had not stopped completely but at least Relena was now getting a blood transfusion so Sally hoped that this would keep the young politician a bit more stable.

Quatre, pressing the button to open the communication's channel:

"This is the shipper W390QR calling X16700-L4 docking bay, we're in desperate need of a medical unit. I repeat, this is…".

"X16700-L4's docking bay speaking. Who are talking to?" a voice said through the speaker.

"This is Quatre Raberba Winner and we're carrying the Vice Foreign Minister Relena Peacecraft-Darlian with us. She needs the medical unit…" said Quatre trying to keep calm.

"What? You'll get your unit. We're sending it straight away. Please send us your ETA" replied the voice shocked to hear such important names in the same sentence.

"Thanks" replied Quatre sending their estimated time of arrival as instructed.

Less than half an hour later, and almost 45 minutes after they had taken off, a still unconscious Relena was transferred to an ambulance, Heero, Sally and the baby boarded the ambulance while Quatre was trying to arrange for a car to come an pick the rest up so they would get to the hospital as well.

When they arrived there, Heero was sitting there by himself. He explained to them that the doctors had taken Relena and the baby in and Sally had followed them. They were now operating Relena to stop the bleeding and they were doing further checks to the baby.

He spoke almost emotionlessly. Duo guessed that he was trying to protect himself but, for his surprise, the Japanese pilot moved towards him and, putting his head on the American pilot's shoulders, started crying silently.

Milliardo, Trowa, Quatre and Wufei stood there not knowing what to say nor do, this was the first time they had seen Heero cry. What they knew for sure was that, right now, Heero needed some space.

Duo was about to ask Heero to sit down when Sally, coming through a double door accompanied by one of the hospital's doctors, both looking as exhausted as if they had been running the marathon, said almost stuttering:

"Guys…the baby is fine and doing well…the problem is…well, we've done all we've been able to…but…".

"How is Relena, Sally?" said Heero lifting his head from Duo's shoulder showing his Prussian blue eyes full of tears.

Sally, with the saddest of voices, replied:

"She's in a coma…we don't know if she's going to wake up…I'm sorry Heero…".

END OF CHAPTER TWENTY