AN: Chapter 16, wow I never thought it would get this far, but it has and I am having a blast writing this fic! I really hope that you all enjoy it. Please keep sending me your comments and suggestions. I need to know that you guys are all interested! It's important to me. All right standard disclaimer: I do not own Gundam Wing or any of the characters.

Relena gasped. Her room was located directly next to Heero's. She ran inside and locked her balcony door. Fearfully she leaned against the wall and tried to listen for any sounds. After hearing none, she relaxed thinking that the body was only a figment of her imagination. But, only seconds later, a small crash was heard, like something was breaking, and Relena could make out the sound of voices. She fled into the hallway, desperate to help Heero, despite the danger and threat it may cause to her own life.

She stopped at his door and listened. There was definitely and intruder. Quatre, Trowa, and Milliardo were all probably fast asleep. There was no time to get help if Heero was in serious trouble. They would all come soon enough. Quickly Relena ran to her room and grabbed a small gun hand-held gun that Milliardo had insisted she always carry with her. She never thought she would use it but this was important.

Racing back to Heero's door, Relena cautiously opened it…

Heero and his opponent were equally matched with each other in hand to hand combat. The dark man had superb strength and was much older than he, thus gaining more experience. Yet, Heero had his youth and was probably just as experienced as the man after all his training and fighting in the war.

Heero received a sharp blow to his head and fell to the ground. He rolled over just in time to avoid being pelted in the stomach. He quickly scanned the room for his gun. It was lying next to his laptop on the table. He had to reach it somehow. His assailant once again tried to kick him. Heero dodged it and flew a right upper cut right into the man's jaw. The dark man fell down trying to regain his senses. Taking the opportunity, Heero rolled on the ground to the table and grabbed his gun. He turned to face the man. But to his surprise the man was gone.

Heero looked around, his senses flying and his soldier mode on full alarm. Suddenly he felt a sharp blow to his back. The gun was knocked out of his hand. Heero turned to face his foe, the sword once more in his hand. Heero simply stared at him unemotionally.

"It seems the Perfect Soldier was just a myth," said the man as he raised the blade.

"Drop it!" cried a voice.

Both men turned to face the voice. Relena stood in the doorway, a small gun upraised in her delicate hand, aiming at the intruder. She was breathing heavily, and Heero could tell that she was doing her best to maintain her composure.

The dark man dropped his weapon to the ground; Heero moved to Relena's side and took the gun from her hands.

"Get out Relena. Go get your brother and the others."

Relena nodded her head and turned to walk out the door, but she didn't have far to go as the other three men rushed into the room. Zechs pushed Relena behind him defensively and stared at the intruder,

"Yuy, what the hell is going on?"

"This man broke into my room, he was looking for Relena," stated Heero, the gun still aimed at the man's heart.

At those words, Relena shrunk back even further behind her brother. Heero could have died because of her. Even though his job was to be her bodyguard, the thought of his life ending at her expense was more than she could bear.

"Barton, escort Relena back to her room and remain with her. Check the balcony and all the windows. Post two Preventers outside the door," said Zechs.

Trowa nodded and took Relena's arm, gently. Fearfully, Relena left the room, but not before she caught one more glance at Heero and the assassin. Even though she could not see his face, something about the dark man seemed strangely familiar. Puzzled, she let Trowa lead her away.

Zechs stared at the man furiously,

"What business is it of yours to harm the Vice Foreign Minister?"

"My business is my own," said the man.

"Do you wish to die tonight?" asked Zechs.

Heero tightened his grip on the trigger at those words. He would have no problems killing this man. But if they could get any information out of him first, it would prove useful.

"Death, inevitably, will come to us all Milliardo Peacecraft. I shall accept it if it comes to me."

Zechs was shocked to hear his real name. No one called him that but Relena and on occasion, Noin. Not many people knew of his true upbringing, not very many people knew that he still existed in the world, he prefer it stay that way.

"Kill him, Yuy!"

"Surprised?" cried the man. "I know who you all are! I know what you are doing with the Gundams! And I know that that pathetic girl will not live to see the beginning of this war. She will die one way or another, I will see to it! And that little thing that you all call peace will be completely lost!"

The man attacked Zechs and tackled him to the ground. Quatre managed to pull him off when he drilled a punch into the man's stomach. The man recovered quickly however, knocked over both Zechs and Quatre. He made his way for the window, but stumbled when a shot was fired. The man grabbed his right arm and looked at Heero Yuy. The Perfect Soldier stared at him with his Prussian eyes, an intense storm brewing inside of them.

"Leave," said Heero.

"Until you and I meet again, Yuy," said the man.

"I will kill you," stated Heero coldly.

The man laughed slightly before slipping away.

Quatre and Zechs were on their feet in a second. Quatre held his side where he had been kicked several times. Zechs was panting heavily. Anger was brewing in his blue eyes,

"You missed him Heero! And to make matters worse you let him get away!"

"Heero did not let him get away," said Trowa as he reentered the room. "The man left on his own free will."

"Why aren't you with Relena?" asked Zechs angrily.

"She is safe."

Quatre spoke up,

"Heero did not miss him either. As long as I have known him, Heero has never missed a shot unintentionally."

"You're trying to tell me that you want this man alive?" screamed Zechs.

Heero remained silent. His eyes still fixed on the window. Zechs stomped out of the room saying he was going to report the incident to Commander Une and the others immediately.

"Heero, why did you let the man go?" asked Quatre quietly.

Heero spoke; his words were deep and dark,

"He knows more information about us that I could have hoped. But by letting him go, I believe he may help us more than if I killed him. I will meet him again one day, and when I do, that will be the day that all of this come to an end."

The soldier stared down at the small handgun that he held. She had helped him again for a reason he did not know. Emotions ran through his heart, the confusion and turmoil building up inside of him.

Trowa cleared his throat and spoke quietly,

"Miss Relena might appreciate if you were to return her gun back to her personally."

"Hn," said Heero as he slowly walked out of the room.

"Trowa, I fear for them both," said Quatre solemnly. "They are both crazy enough to get themselves killed."

Trowa only nodded as he watched his fellow pilot leave the room. He too feared, and he feared that the next few days would be some of the most tedious in their lives.

Relena sat on her bed, nervous and terrified of what had just taken place. She fought with herself to keep the tears inside. She took five deeps breaths and counted to ten. A little better. A knock at the door made her jump. Relena stood, and quickly checked herself in the mirror; she would not let anyone know her fear.

"Come in," she said as she sat back down on the bed.

Heero walked into the room silently, the small gun in his hand. Relena looked at him almost fearfully, afraid that he might scold her for putting herself in danger. Instead, Heero held out the gun to her,

"This belongs to you," he said curtly.

Relena looked at him confused. She then eyed her gun. She hated the very sight of it.

"Keep it Heero. I don't want to even look at it any more."

He nodded and placed the gun on the nightstand for the moment. He had to talk to her. He had to thank her for what she had just done.

"Relena," he said slowly.

She turned to face him and almost blushed. He was clad in his nightclothes, just as her, it was about two in the morning. His bare chest was well-defined with muscles that rippled in the moonlight. His eyes were solemn and unemotional as usual. She found herself lost in their deep, blue depths for a moment.

"Yes Heero?"

"Thank you… for what you did."

"You're… you're… you're welcome," Relena stuttered, shocked at his words.

He studied her closely. Her eyes were full of confusion; peering into his own. Something inside of him told him to stay for while. That she needed someone. She looked so tired and lifeless. Nothing like the young girl he used to know during the Eve wars. She had matured greatly, gaining wisdom, sincerity, skill, and yes even he would admit it, beauty. But not just the physical beauty that saw most men found attractive in her. Heero saw the true beauty that Relena possessed inside of her. The care, compassion, and strength that she lived with and shared with others day in and day out. She shared it with him. He wondered at that moment if anyone else saw that in Relena.

"Heero?"

He snapped from his thoughts. She was staring at him oddly, probably trying to guess what he was thinking, which was always a difficulty when it came to him. No one knew what went on in the mind of Heero Yuy.

"Hn."

"Nothing, never mind."

"If you have something you wish to share…"

"It's just that… "she stumbled over her words. " Do you ever get sick of the fighting and the bitterness and the hatred? Do you ever just want to give up sometimes?"

Heero stared at her blankly. Relena looked away discouraged,

"Heero, I'm sorry. I am just so sick of all this. I don't feel like I have the strength to go on anymore. Why, just before I came into your room, I tried to… never mind. I just don't know if I can do this. I am terrified of what will happen should we fail and terrified of what could happen should we succeed. Heero, most people our age would be in college right now. Do you ever wonder what it would be like if we were just like the rest of them?"

"Relena, if we were like the rest of them, then there would be no peace at all. For some reason, this was chosen for us. We were the ones asked to fulfill this task. It doesn't matter how or why, what matters is that we can and are capable of doing it. You come from a strong bloodline Relena. Look to your ancestors for the strength you need."

"I am a disgrace to the name!" she cried. "Why do you think I have quit using it? I am no where near as strong as they are. I am not capable of bringing about pacifism as my father and mother once did. It does not exist in this world."

Heero took a seat next to her on the bed. He grabbed her shoulders and looked into her eyes,

"Do not diminish yourself. If you do, then you are not as strong as I thought you were. You are strong Relena. The strongest person I know, and if anyone can do this you can."

"The name Peacecraft is nothing more than a symbol…"

"Yes, a symbol of hope and leadership. People will flock to the name because they are in need of a savior. When you choose to use it however, is of your own free will."

Relena shook her head sadly and forced herself to look away from him. It was too much for her. She felt, however, a hand touch her face and force her to look back.

Heero could not bear to see her like this any longer. She needed someone to tell her it would all be all right. She needed to know that she was not alone.

"Relena, no matter what happens; I will be here protecting you. I will help you get through this, even if it means my life." 

"Heero, I can't ask you to do that…"

"This task is of my own free will," he said curtly. "Relena," his tone softening, "your… friendship means a great deal to me. If something were to happen to you, I would… I would,"

"Heero?"

Heero gently took her hand into his own. He peered deeper into her sapphire eyes, which were wide and confused. He felt his own barriers begin to crumble. She was transfixed. He leaned closer to her face; he was lost for words...

AN: That's it for chapter 16! I know you all hate me for cutting you short like that but guess what? I'm the author and I can do what I want :P LOL! I hope you liked it. I hope you don't think that anyone was OOC. Please tell me in an email if so. I am trying to build up everyone's relationships as naturally as possible. Email: WildRose1404earthlink.net