AN: Chapter 25! This promises to be one of the most exciting parts in the whole story! Please enjoy and give me some good feedback.

Disclaimer: I do not own Gundam Wing or any of its characters.

Enemy base…

"So Milliardo Peacecraft is back from the dead," growled Pentane. "I will not be threatened any longer!" He marched towards the room where Relena was.

Shocked Relena tried to scramble away from the enraged man. She fell out of the chair and tried to maintain her distance from him. But he was older and stronger, and there was no place for her to hide in the little room. Pentane grabbed her roughly and shook her, all the time yelling curses at her,

"So you think you can send your brother to finish your job? Well it won't work Ms. Darlian! The Peacecraft family is dead! Its whole mission was a failure! Your brother will abandon the name as he once did and as you already have! Prepare yourself! You will be announcing your resignation in a few minutes to the whole universe!"

He released the shaken young woman and she crumpled to the floor. Angrily he marched out of the room and ordered for his people to get ready to set up the whole broadcast.

Relena grabbed hold of the chair and pulled herself up. So this was it? She would give in to their demands and announce her resignation? Several tears made their way down her face and she struggled to breathe. Perhaps she had failed after all. She had given up the name of Peacecraft and chosen Relena Darlian. Yet, Milliardo had done something she would only wish of in her wildest dreams. He had come back to life. He chose his true name and announced it to the world. Could she not also do the same? To do so would mean her death for sure. But now, it was either her death, or the death of millions of other people. The Peacecrafts must survive. It was a symbol of hope and peace. Heero had once taught her that. Heero had also taught her just how strong she could be.

Relena straightened herself to her utmost height. She sat straight back in the chair and looked directly ahead. She refused to give them the pleasure of breaking her. Not until her death at least.

The camera in front of her zoomed in on her face. A red light went on, and Relena was visible to millions of people.

Gundam Fleet….

The mobile suits were advancing quickly. There mission was quite clear. Quatre responded first to the shock and awe of the massive army.

"Approach them at full speed then disperse immediately! Let them chase us as far away from the base as possible! Gundam 01 shall penetrate the defenses and land inside of the base. Our job is to make sure he gets in at any cost, even if we do not make it out alive!"

 Wufei closed his eyes and meditated momentarily. He asked for the strength and wisdom to win this fight. Duo growled slightly and pumped himself up for the battle. If it was to be his last he would give them a fight he would never forget. Trowa was silent and watched as the army approached. In his mind, war was a strange and unknown beauty. Quatre adjusted his flight suit and helmet. He silently prayed for a miracle. And Heero, his eyes began to grow sad and he faced the many truths which he had not yet seen. But at Quatre's call to charge, he snapped aside all thoughts and flew into the battle…

Cinq Kingdom…

Milliardo and Noin raced through a crowd of reporters to their waiting limo. They had chosen to return to the Cinq Kingdom, the home of the Peacecrafts.

The press conference had been a success thus far. Literally diving into the car, they finally relaxed slightly for the first time in hours. Milliardo sank back into his seat and breathed heavily. Noin touched his shoulder.

"I think things are beginning to work out," she said soothingly.

Milliardo sighed and rubbed his forehead. He was beyond hope right now. His worry for Relena was increasing. Besides Noin, she was all that he had left of what a real family was. To add to his worry, the Preventers fleet, led by the Gundams, was probably in battle right about now. The people of both Earth and colonies had no idea how serious the situation had become. They had no clue that their lives could be destroyed at any moment.

"We need Relena," said Milliardo quietly.

"I know we do," said Noin, "but we shall have to find the strength to do this with out her. Should she not make it out alive, we shall have to fill in her place. The people need you right now more than ever."

Milliardo smiled slightly, "I suppose I understand now how Relena felt; all this pressure coming at her and no one to help her. I should have done this a long time ago. No one should have to go through all this alone. And I let them take her and torture her till she couldn't handle it anymore. Politics are so much more than what we think: They are greed, corruption, and power. Relena knew this the entire time and fought to keep things under control. But she just couldn't do it all on her own and I was a fool to think she could."

Noin looked at him sadly. His blue eyes were filled with such sorrow and despair that her heart went out to him. For him to take all the blame was wrong.

"We have all been fools," she said quietly under her breath.

They sat in silence for a while as the limo made its way back to the Peacecraft Mansion. When they arrived, they went straight into an office where they contacted Commander Une.

As the Head of Preventers face appeared on the video screen, Noin and Milliardo sensed worry.

"What is it, Commander?" asked Noin.

"Turn on your television immediately!" she replied.

Milliardo rushed to do so. As they screen appeared he gasped at what he saw. It was a live broadcast of Relena.

Meanwhile at the battle…

Quatre had fulfilled his promise as he and the others drove away the enemy from the base. Heero took the opportunity to move in. He fought through the fray and approached the base. The only thing left standing in his way was a small band of enemy suits, about ten or so, left to protect the hanger, should anyone, such as himself, dare to enter it.

The suits opened fire on him. Heero activated his planetary defensors and moved in. They would not stop him, not today. He opened fired on them and made sure he finished his work quickly. A voice came over the intercom.

"Identify yourself immediately!" cried the voice.

Heero smirked and turned off the communicator. He looked in front of him and saw that the hanger door was beginning to close slowly. Rushing forward, Wing Zero outstretched its arms and ripped apart the doors making its way inside.

Meanwhile…

Relena stared at the camera for a moment, her face unemotional and unreadable. Then she began to give the speech of her life. It would indeed be short, but it would be one to remember.

"Ladies and gentlemen of both the earth and colonies," she began. Her voice faltered. "There is no need for introductions, for you know who I am."

People of all ages had stopped from their daily activities to watch any available television screen. She was on every channel. The young woman who had been the voice of the people, the former Queen of the World was speaking to them all.

"I have been asked to address you all today as Relena Darlian, Vice Foreign Minister of the ESUN…"

Lady Une and the other Preventers watched intently on the large screen in the docking bay. Their faces were grave. Milliardo and Noin held tightly to each others hands. They knew she was speaking against her will, speaking because the enemy wanted her to.

Pentane sat inside of his office and watched with satisfaction as the young woman issued her address.

"However, I must inform you that this shall be the last speech that Relena Darlian shall ever make," Relena paused for a moment and tried desperately to regain her strength and will power.

People looked at one another puzzled at her words. Noin squeezed Milliardo's hand as a tear rolled down her cheek.

Relena struggled to maintain her composure. She had never shown such emotion to the world. Emotion was seen as a weakness. But she let her political mask fall for the first time in her life and opened up her heart to the entire universe.

"For a long time all I had strove for in my life was the hope that the people of Earth and of the colonies would reach and ultimate goal: Peace. Yet, I have realized that peace is something that will never come when the hearts of men struggle for power." Again she paused. "But… people always change, and in my mind, there is still hope for this goal…"

Wing Zero landed in the hanger. Heero kept his defensors on as several soldiers began to open fire on his Gundam. He grabbed what he needed and prepared to move. Quickly he punched in several commands into the control panel. Having done that, he double-checked on Relena's exact location and left the cockpit.

The soldiers outside continued to open fire. Suddenly the hatch to the giant mobile suits opened. The soldiers held their fire, and aimed directly at the hatch. The officer in charge cried out,

"Come out with your hands above your head!"

When nothing happened, he cried out once again. Suddenly the Gundam moved as it lifted up its arms and opened fire upon the group of men. They cried out and fell to the ground motionless. Heero slipped out of the hatch and made his way to his first destination.

Relena continued,

"But as Relena Darlian, I can no longer fight for it. I can no longer be the Vice Foreign Minister of the ESUN."

People began to grow worried in the streets and in their homes on both the Earth and colonies. Murmurs began to grow throughout the crowds.

Pentane smiled wickedly in his office and the broadcast. He knew he could break her.

"I can however, be who I really am," Relena said sadly. "A young woman, whose family was murdered for a cause that they all believed in; and although I may not believe fully in that cause, I do believe in peace and in hope." She closed her eyes for a moment as a single tear rolled down her cheek. And in that moment she broke the hearts of many people.

Pentane growled at her words, "What the hell is she doing?" he growled as he rushed out of his office.

Relena fought again to control herself. She continued, her voice faltering,

"And for that cause I will sacrifice my life. For you, the people of Earth and colonies! I ask you now to set aside your differences. You have all been tricked into hating one another from a man who wants nothing but power! He would have me resign and give up the fight for peace between the Earth and colonies but I will not!" Her voice grew stronger and more urgent with every word.

"Do not become slaves to this man! He wishes to destroy the colonies and control the Earth. He was behind the attacks on Earth, the mastermind, behind the building of new mobile suits as well as a new Gundam that killed many! He would destroy all that we have always been fighting for! The hope that unity would spread to us all and that we will fight together not against one another! I ask you now, in my final speech to you all to fight together against this man! For together we may form a new republic, and a new era in the relations between the universe."

A commotion outside the tiny room caused Relena to look out of the window. Pentane was storming through the control center coming towards the room. She had to hurry, she was out of time. She continued, her voice urgent and alert, rushing through her last words to the people whom she cared for,

"Please stand together, in a final battle to renew the hope for peace and fellowship! This is my final wish, and these may be my final words to you all: My name is Relena Peacecraft, remember me!"

Pentane screamed,

"Turn off the broadcast immediately!"

The workers in the room had been so moved by Relena's word they hardly paid any heed to their own duties. Now at their leader's angry cry they fumbled through the controls and managed to shut off the camera.

Pentane made his way towards the room and shoved the guard aside,

"Idiot!" he yelled. "Why didn't any one try to stop her?"

Tearing open the door, Pentane stormed into the room. Relena cried out and fell to the ground as Pentane threw aside the chair. She scrambled to get away from him but he grabbed her and pulled her to her feet. Grabbing her roughly, Pentane practically dragged the helpless girl out of the tiny broadcast room and into the control room, in front of his men. He stood Relena on her feet and held her up.

"Take a good look around Ms. Darlian, because this shall be the last view you shall ever see! And you, all of you," he screamed at his men, " take one last look at the Vice Foreign Minister, Relena Darlian, because it too shall be the last you will ever see her alive, the last time her moving speeches shall bore you to tears!"

Relena struggled beneath his arms, trying to find a way out,

"My name is Peacecraft!" she cried desperately.

Pentane hit her and she fell to the floor. Her head was singing from the blow and she was vaguely aware of hi picking her up once more.

"So you will martyr yourself for the name Peacecraft? You have that much faith?" screamed Pentane.

He drew a gun and held it to Relena's head. Cocking back the trigger, he looked at her fearful blue eyes and screamed at her,

"How is your faith now, Relena? How is your faith?"

Relena closed her eyes. The shot rang out and the room fell silent. Yet, strangely Relena felt no pain. But she did feel that the arms that once roughly held her were gone. Opening her eyes, she looked to see Pentane's body in a pool of blood on the floor in front of her.

Relena and Pentane's followers looked behind them. A young man with dark brown hair and lethal Prussian eyes stared back at them, holding up a gun,

"I'd say her faith is pretty good," replied Heero Yuy coldly.

"Heero," Relena said silently to herself.

"Shoot him!" cried the commanding officer!

At this Heero began firing at his foe with a deadly accuracy. Relena in the meantime had taken cover. She watched helplessly as the enemy fired round after round at her rescuer. But Heero did not seem to be phased although he was outnumbered five to one. Each time he fired, his shot always seemed to hit its target. His opponents fell one by one, and Heero slowly made his way over to Relena. Finally, he took out the last man in the room.

Heero looked about the bloody mess in the room. He walked over to Pentane's fallen form and rolled his body over so that he could see the man's face. It was a man he recognized from the ESUN, whom Heero had seen on television quite often before his staged death. Heero had even heard Relena speak of the man several times in conversation. But now the former ESUN member looked up blankly at his killer with a bullet hole in his head. Heero kicked the man's body and turned to find what he had come so far for.

He saw her, huddled in a corner beneath a desk that she had taken cover under. He ran over to her and gently grabbed her hand and pulled her to her feet. Relena tried her best to stand steadily, but her head was still singing from the blow she had received only moments earlier. Heero held her steady and looked into her eyes. Relena stared back as she held onto his arms and as tears started to form in her blue eyes.

"You came for me," she said quietly.

Heero touched her face softly. The fact that she was alive was more than enough for him at the moment.

"I made a promise Relena, a promise that I will forever intend to keep. I will protect you. I will die for you," he replied solemnly.

Relena nearly melted under his gentle touch and soothing words. She nodded her head slowly as a single tear made its way down her cheek. Heero wiped it away with his hand and stepped back from her.

"Come on, we need to get out of here," he said as he grabbed her had and pulled her out of the room.

AN: How did you like it? Let me know ASAP! Next chapter is coming up, its very exciting the best yet, I promise!

Email: WildRose1404earthlink.net