An Orphan's Life

Disclaimer: It's been almost a year… I still don't own Gundam Wing and anything related to it… Blah, Blah, blah…

A/N: As previously stated it has been a VERY long time since I last updated. My fault, for being such a girl and not wanting to end this story. I had to keep reminding myself that there's going to be a sequel and quit procrastinating. So, now that my computer is uncrashed, I now can finish this story. So, many apologies for keeping all you nice people waiting… And now, the final chapter….

Christmas Eve.

A night that was supposed to be joyous, full of excitement and anticipation for the following day. A day that was supposed to be happy.

Instead, Elysia sat in silence, alone in a cold, dark hospital room, except, of course, for her young cousin lying in a coma across from her.

At this moment, her father was at her uncle's mansion along with the four ex-pilots and their families. This was the night designated for the meeting that everybody knew and wanted so desperately to have.

She would've been there as well, if it weren't for Lisette. She didn't feel right to leave her alone, especially tonight of all nights. As lonely as it was not having another person to talk back, to hear another's voice, she didn't want to leave her cousin's side.

She felt that what happened to Lisette was somehow her fault.

Sure, the car accident, one of the deadliest in the Sank Kingdom's history, wasn't her doing. However, she knew Lisette had been speeding to get to her as quickly as she could. Jennifer and Caterina had said Lisette come out of her room looking upset and had gotten more distressed when she'd heard Elysia and Theo had left to see her father.

There was something Lisette knew and wanted to tell her… Something important. But what?

She sighed, knowing the answer wouldn't come so easily… or soon.

A shuffling noise brought her attention to the doorway.

Theo gave a smile and walked in, two foam cups in his hands. "Your father said you were here… I thought you might want some company." He moved towards her and handed her one of the cups, then sat next to her. "And some hot chocolate."

Elysia smiled slightly at him as she lifted the lid to the cup, taking a cautious sip of the hot liquid. "Thank you... But I thought you wanted to be there when…" She trailed off when he gave her a look.

"Right now, you're more important to me. I don't know why your father allowed you to be here alone without some form of protection." He took a sip of his hot chocolate, then sighed. "I also didn't like the idea of you spending Christmas Eve alone. Nobody should be alone tonight."

Elysia sighed as well and motioned at Lisette. "That's why I'm here."

Theo grew silent, unsure of what to say to that. Lisette's current state had everybody at a loss for words. He couldn't think of a time since the accident where Jacob said more than three words.

The Peacecraft family was on edge. Almost everybody was. This wasn't an easy time for them and he knew it wasn't going to get better any time soon. From the looks of Lisette, she'd be trapped in this limbo forever.

He reached around Elysia and pulled her close to him, her head resting on his shoulder, the only comfort he could give her right now. He kissed the top of her head, then looked back in front, where their gazes both rested on Lisette.

Theo squeezed Elysia's hand, his eyes locked on the young girl in front of him. "We're here together."

Heero took a deep breath and let it out slowly. The cold December air bit into him as he leaned against the balcony, looking up into the sky at the countless stars shining brightly. He didn't want a jacket. That is, go inside and get one. He needed some time alone to clear his head.

The meeting didn't go too well. Not as well as everybody had hoped. There was still so much that needed to be explained, discovered. And nobody knew how to get that information.

Why didn't Relena say anything when she could? Why did she keep everything to herself?

Heero took another deep breath, trying to control himself.

There was so little he could do to change what had happened, to bring back the dead and get the answers that he needed.

The night had been long. What had transpired was a discussion between everybody to draw up a timeline of the past nineteen years. Everybody had something to say, their own years of perspective to add. It didn't help that the key figure that triggered all this wasn't present. Though it wasn't her fault, since nobody was sure what tonight's meeting would be like.

But now Heero had more of an idea of what had progressed since that one night with Relena. It was all slowly making sense.

He didn't look up when he heard the sliding glass door open and Trowa's slow steady steps come towards him. Trowa let out a sigh as he stopped by Heero and leaned on the balcony. The two stood in a companionable silence, staring up at the sky.

After a while, Trowa finally broke the silence. "Twelve years... Twelve long years, since Kate was taken away from me... I raised the boys and Rene on my own as best I could... I focused more on my children and less on work and... all other things that became... trivial after her death... I was protective of them... because I couldn't protect her that night... And at the end of each day... when I'm going to sleep after a day's work... I'm content. Even though I had lost Kate, I still had my children... And though the pain's still there each night, I have them to fill in that void." He paused and looked to Heero. "I can't imagine how you're feeling right now, losing Relena, and then never knowing about Elysia until fifteen years later. And then learning how hard her life had been."

Heero nodded slightly. "She could've had so much more and better if I had had her... If I had only known..." He looked down sadly.

"If only we had all known." Trowa looked back inside to see the others carrying on with the holiday as best they could.

Jennifer was playing with Rene happily as Gabriel talked to Duo's daughter, Mira, and Wufei's youngest daughter, Crystal. Jade sat nearby, laughing at Shane getting beaten by both his parents, and Sally and Wufei.

The announcement during dinner of Jade's just discovered pregnancy set both set of parents in a state of hysteria and Wufei exiting quickly in search of his katana to "undo this injustice", Duo not far behind.

Zechs and Noin were having a discussion with Quatre and Dorothy about a new business venture.

Looking at the group, it had seemed like a typical Christmas Eve.

Caterina and Jacob shattered the image by sitting far away from everybody as possible, both in a solemn silence. It'd been hard for both of them them most. Jacob worried about his sister and had the added on stress of a cousin and an almost uncle from an aunt who had long been dead. Caterina was just plain worried about him.

Trowa looked away and back at the sky. It was going to take a lot of healing from this. So much that still needed to be done. This wasn't going to be solved for months, possibly years.

But now the pilots were a group again. A much larger family than before.

At least they all had each other now. Which would help the mystery solving so much more.

Trowa glanced down at his watch and saw the time was after midnight... He looked to Heero and gave a slight smile. "Merry Christmas, Heero."

Heero smiled back and nodded. "Merry Christmas, Trowa."

The two fell into another silence and looked up at the sky, both saying the same thing to their lost loves and remembering a time when they'd been the most happiest.

Relena sighed, as she ran a comb through her hair. Tonight was the night, she was sure of it. The men had been too nice for too long. Something was definitely going to happen.

What they didn't know, though, was that she had a plan of her own. In fact, most of it was already underway. The jewelry box had been hidden in Elysia's jacket, the tapes in Zechs' top secret base. Any proof of her illegitimate child was safely hidden away for the future, in case something happened where Elysia wouldn't have her mother and would need to prove her lineage. She hoped in her heart that it wouldn't come to that.

She glanced at her reflection, checking to see if the tiny microphones she'd taken from Heero that one night, that one beautiful night, showed from the places she'd hidden them. She was going to bring those bastards down once and for all.

All the talks of killing world leaders, destroying corporations, and the likes, in her name would end once and for all. She wouldn't take their crap any longer. She wasn't going to hide in fear.

Her daughter was going to live, whether they liked it or not. She'd already lost so many others in her family before.

But Elysia was strong. She'd make it through life. She'd already fought death, when the doctors had tried to poison her as a baby.

She was Heero's daughter, after all.

Relena double checked her outfit one more time, making sure nothing was visible. While she was sure her plan was foolproof, she didn't want to take any chances. Blowing everything due to a something small would not only be stupid, but the end of her life.

She made a face when they started knocking on her door, telling her she'd better hurry up. Like she'd hurry for them.

She grabbed her jacket and walked out as slow as possible. That'll show those jerks who's boss.

As she descended down the stairs, she suddenly felt small arms wrap around her legs. She looked down to see her little girl.

"Don't go, mommy!"

Relena smiled down, wondering if Elysia sensed the danger too. "I'm sorry baby, but I have to go." She leaned down to her daughter's level and looked her in the eye. "You'll be okay, I promise."

Elysia looked at her skeptically, then hugged Relena as tightly as she could. "I want to go!"

Relena fought back a feeling of regret and picked up Elysia. "Baby, you know I would let you go, but..."

She stopped when she heard their footsteps behind her.

"We are leaving now, Ms. Darlian. Put the child down. You know-"

"And?" Relena interrupted angrily. " I can't say goodnight to my own daughter?"

One of them glared at her. "Hurry along! You have engagements to attend to and-"

Relena grew more angry at the way he spoke to her. " I'll decide when I leave, not you. Wait in the car for me."

The two men made faces, then turned to walk away. But not before Relena heard one of them mutter," I'll wait, only because I know you'll be dead at the end of the night."'

She held back the sudden feeling of fear that rose up in her chest and brought her attention back to her pride and joy.

Elysia seemed to sense the hostility and hugged her mother again. "Don't leave! I want you to stay!"

Relena smiled and kissed Elysia's cheek, fighting back the feeling that this would be the last time she'd be in her arms like this. She sighed and gently set Elysia down. "Baby, you have Pagan to watch you. He always watches you. You have nothing to worry about."

Elysia wrinkled her nose, making a face that made her look so much like her father. "But Pagan's boring and old!"

Relena laughed a little and hugged her daughter. "Be that as it may, you have no other choice." She kissed Elysia on the forehead. "But I'd rather it be Pagan here with you, than some other old man. Now, then," she set her down, a bit reluctantly," I must be going. Be a good girl." Relena kneeled down and kissed her again. "Remember, Elysia... Mommy loves you.. And always will.... I'll see you later. Okay?"

Relena held back a smile as Elysia made a face, pouting. "No."

"Well, that's too bad." Relena picked Elysia up and gave her one last hug. "I love you. Goodnight, my angel."

She set down her daughter and looked to Pagan who had just come down the stairs. She hoped nothing would happen to either of them when she left. "Goodnight, Pagan."

"Goodnight, Ms. Relena."

She walked to the front door and opened it slowly, knowing that her next moves would set the path of what would happen the rest of the night. She paused and took one last look at her daughter, and then walked off into the cold night to the car, where the men waited for her. Hopefully, her plan would go well.

The End

A/N: Yeah, I know... Shouldn't have ended like that. But I've been going in circles here and we all have a general idea of what happens next. Not only that, but there IS the sequel.. So, I don't want to rush it too much. Anywho, sorry for the LONG delay. A nice early Christmas gift to all you nice reviewers and faithful readers of this crappy fic... :P Well, that's it for now. As always, R&R and I'll see you in the sequel ( which WILL be up soon... I PROMISE. ) Bye for now!