Disclaimer: Gundam Wing does not belong to me. Are you happy now?

Relena Was Dead: Chapter Two
by Wicked Child

6 Years Later

Heero watched the house, fearful of what lay beyond the massive oak double doors. The limousine finished traveling its way up the winding drive and stopped right in front of those dreaded doors. Heero hadn't been back in so long. Not since the funeral, or rather a week after the funeral when Zechs had not so politely asked him to stop visiting the residence. He had never before felt such fear, save for the time he heard the news. Heero sighed and stepped out of the vehicle. He was back. Relena's home.

He rang the doorbell and was soon met by a tired looking Zechs. Not tired from lack of sleep or being overworked. Zechs had the look of a man who was tired of living life.

"Yuy." He moved to the side and let the younger man in.

"Why am I here Zechs? I know it's not to rehash old war stories."

"Don't worry Yuy. I don't want you here."

"Then why?" Heero asked somewhat confused.

"It's him." Zechs motioned toward the staircase. "The old man wants to talk to you before he dies."

Heero's confusion increased. What old man?

"He's in the first bedroom on the right. He's a bit out of it so don't be surprised if he doesn't make any sense." Zechs moved into an adjoining room and poured himself a glass of scotch.

Heero nodded and began walking up the staircase. How many times had he walked up these same steps to collect and escort Relena to some diplomatic function? How many times had he carried her back up these stairs, exhausted from work, the functions, or on the rarer occasion when she was drunk?

"Oh and Yuy!" Zechs called to him as he reached the second floor landing. "Don't even dare go in there."

"I have no desire to." Heero then turned and made his way to the first bedroom on the right.

There, in the middle of the room lay a man who resembled a skeleton.

"Pagan."

A young nurse walked over to Heero. "May I help you sir?"

"I was told that I was expected. Heero Yuy."

Recognition dawned on the girl. "Oh! Yes Mr. Pagan has asked for you many times in the past several weeks. Of course that's when he's more lucid. He's told me so much about you."

Heero looked back at the man on the bed. He had long since stopped checking up on any and all of Relena's close friends and loved ones. "What's wrong with him?"

"Oh you don't know?" The girl became somewhat subdued. "Cancer. He's already gone through several treatments but unfortunately none have helped. Mr. Peacecraft hired the best doctors and paid for the most expensive treatments but nothing has helped."

"How much longer?"

The nurse put her head down. "Any day now I suppose."

Heero nodded. A chair had been set next to the bed and Heero took his place beside the dying man. As he listened to Pagan's breathing, Heero realized something the nurse did not. Pagan isn't going to die any day now. He'll be lucky if he lasts through the night.

Heero stayed there for several hours not moving. Zechs would come in occasionally to check up on him and make certain that the former pilot had not wandered into Relena's old quarters. Heero didn't let Zechs' paranoia get to him.

Finally the dying man awoke. At first Heero didn't notice until Pagan's raspy whisper called his name.

"Heero is that you?"

"Yes Pagan, it's me."

Pagan smiled. "You look good my boy. Not like me or Milliardo. How has life in your thirties been treating you?"

"I can't complain."

"Neither did I."

The two talked for awhile, discussing days passed, how Heero was the number one Preventer with Wufei a close second. Both Duo and Quatre were in an elite group themselves among the Preventer staff, working specifically sensitive cases. This pleased the old man greatly and he passed into a deep slumber after leaving Heero still confused as to why he had been summoned. But he too fell asleep to Pagan's heart monitor beeping.

~~~

What seemed like minutes but was in fact several hours later, Heero woke to a bone thin hand slapping his wrist. In his half-sleep-half-awake state, it reminded him of the nuns at St. Gabriel's School.

Involuntarily he called out, "Relena."

"She lives!"

The strange comment made Heero shake the cobwebs of sleep from his mind and regain his bearings. He was still in Pagan's room and it was now eleven at night. Pagan kept trying to get his attention.

"She lives Heero!"

"What're you talking about?"

"Relena lives! She never died. I tell you she lives!"

Pagan must not be having a lucid moment, Heero thought concerned.

"Relena died six years ago Pagan. Remember? I was a pallbearer."

"No! A lie! She lives I tell you. You must find her. Bring her home. Heal her brother, heal herself. Heal you."

"Relena died in a car accident. I saw her body. She was dead." Heero couldn't believe Pagan was this far gone.

"NO!" Pagan's voice was forceful, his grip strong. "Relena lives! She is alive and well. If you do not believe me, seek out the clown!"

Heero stared at Pagan. The light in the old man's eyes began to fade and his grip loosened until it gave way and fell from Heero's wrist. A moment later the heart monitor flat lined. Pagan was dead. The nurse had informed him at some point that Pagan had a DNR order.

His last comments echoed in Heero's head.

"Relena lives! She is alive and well. If you do not believe me, seek out the clown!"