Sorry for the long delay, the past two months have been crazy, but here's the newest chapter! I would like to say a personal thanks to Sakura123, vixencat, GP-HY-PSLRV, Wing, and sweetangel4 for their reviews. Disclaimer: I don't own Gundam Wing or any of its characters.


Memories


Time seemed to pass slowly in the Peacecraft household with everyone trying their best in helping Relena gain her memory back. Sally had warned against them in telling her the actual truth to what happened on that fateful night. She didn't want the girl to go into a relapse in her recovery, but she knew that the incident couldn't be avoided entirely. A couple of days ago, she checked up on her young patient and heard her make a quick reference to a body of water with someone stalking her. All she could do was listen to her and make a mental note that there was some progress. For now, some of the closet neighbors dropped in from time to time in reacquainting with her, which gave Relena a headache sometimes especially if they gossiped about themselves for the whole hour that they stayed.

For some odd feeling within her...she knew that today was going to be different. She just felt a tingling feeling run through her veins. The atmosphere around the house was more lively rather than of questions and doubt. Trudy was even in a livelier mood along with Pagan. The two walked into her room and saw her drawing her hands over silver picture frames. She was staring into a pair of eyes that looked like hers. "Who's this?" She continued to stare at the picture of a young boy with long hair.

Pagan cleared his throat, "He's your brother, Milliardo."

"Where is he now? I haven't seen him in this house yet."

"How should I put this," he didn't want to create any mystery about her brother, and yet he felt it was part of his duty to inform her, seeing that he wanted her to trust him again, "...your mother drove him away four years ago."

"That doesn't sound like my mother at all. Why would she do that?"

"He wanted to marry another woman that was of lower status and your mother quickly disapproved. He eventually decided to leave and marry her anyway."

"I see..." She placed the photograph back on the small table by the window and looked outside. Everything for the past two weeks melded in an endless blur in her memory, a tear slowly trickled down her cheek.

"Relena are you all right, dear?" Trudy showed a look a concern on her face.

"I'm fine...I'm just frustrated that I can't remember anything. I know everyone has been trying their hardest to make me comfortable and giving me help here and there...I just wish I can remember!" She cried out loud and fell to the floor. "I'm tired of being helpless...I want my life back." She looked down to her bruised arms from some event unknown to her and began to sob uncontrollably.

Trudy ran over to the girl's side and hugged her, trying to control her sobs down. "I know...I know. You're making a great effort and I know you can get through this." She brushed a few strands of her honey blonde her away from her tear stricken face. "Shhhhh...now...everything will come together somehow." She continued to hug the young girl. "You should go out for a walk maybe later at dusk. Your mother recommended it before she left for some errands today."

"Why would she say something like that?" She looked up to the woman's eyes.

"She's trying her best in helping you recover."

"There are still a lot of things I don't understand."

"Indeed, but time will slowly reveal the past to you and what you need to know." She wiped a stray tear from her face with her apron.

"She's right, Relena. We both have faith in you and Godspeed in your recovery." Pagan kneeled beside the two and took her hand in his.

"Thank you, the both of you." She hugged them dearly and before long, she was up again, clearing her face and her light cotton summer dress.

"Well we better get back to our chores before your mother has a fit," Trudy smiled to Relena.

"If you need anything, you know where to find us," Pagan shuffled past her and escorted Trudy down the stairs. When the two were out of earshot from Relena, he asked her something, "Do you think it'll work?"

"It has to, I can't stand her being miserable like this. I can't believe William escaped from the wagon and that sheriff didn't even noticed that he was gone." Her hands angrily twisted her apron, "If I hand my own weapon, I would hunt him down personally and make him pay for what he has done. It's not fair that she has to suffer like this..."

"I believe everyone has that feeling right now." The two reached the base of the staircase and heard a light tap on the front door. "I wonder who could that be? No one is expecting any visitors at this hour, not that I'm aware of." He pulled out his pocket watch and noticed it was only two in the afternoon. He quickly walked to the door and opened it slightly, being careful in case it was some robber, "Oh my..."

"Hello Pagan, it's been a long time." A familiar pair of blue eyes held some comfort and hope.


Relena continued to search through her belongings. One of them caught her eye, it was leather bounded book, Wuthering Heights, she couldn't remember if she had finished it or not, but the name, Heathcliff sounded familiar once she dove into the first two chapters. She was halfway into the plot when she heard a slight rapture against her open window.

"Hey Princess, are you in there?" A male voiced called out from below. He held another pebble in his hand, but then another hand blocked him.

"Would stop that, I think she's by the window now. You don't want to hit her and cause another problem." She made sure that Duo dropped the pebble to the ground, "Hi Relena, it's me."

"Hi there...Hilde."

"That's right...see you're slowly getting it back together. You remember Duo, right?"

She nodded in response, "What brings the two of you here?"

"We just wanted to check on you," shouted out Duo. "Last time we saw you, it looked like your parents tried too hard in making you remember."

"That's true...would the two of you like to come in?"

He held Hilde closer, "Oh no, we were just on our way into town for some dinner."

It dawned on her from their last meeting that Duo and Hilde were a couple now, "I see...we'll if you want to stop by later that's fine...I don't think I have anything planned for now."

The two were also in on the plan of getting Relena's memory back, "I'm sure we'll be out for a while."

"All right Hilde, but the two of you are always welcomed."

"Oh before I forget, my mom baked some more chocolate chip cookies." She took out the small bag from her dress pockets.

"Let me come down then, I'll just be right there."

"It's fine...I'll just toss them to you." She was about to throw the bag to Relena.

"You sure about that, Hilde?"

"Last time I saw you throw something...it wasn't a pretty sight." He looked over towards his shoulders at something in the distance.

"Just watch and see...mister know it all." She prepared her pitch and before long, the bag of cookies took flight and landed in Relena's hands. "See...I told you I could do it."

She shouted out from her window as she saw the two leave, "Thank your mother for me, will you?"

"I will," she called out to her friend. She then turned her attention toward Duo, "What was that all about...back there? Were you insinuating that just because I'm a girl, I can't pitch right?" As a spontaneous reaction, she quickly kicked up some dirt on his pants. "That's for doubting me!" She quickly ran away from him because she knew that he would chase after her.

"Why you little devil!" He chased after her and eventually scooped her up in his strong arms. The two laughed their way down the field and went on their merry way to the town. "Do you think that was a good diversion?"

"I think it was," she smiled into his violet eyes, "It all comes down to this one night."


Pagan led Milliardo into the drawing room, where Trudy had already poured out glasses of lemonade. "This is Trudy...she has been helping Relena get through this for the past two weeks."

"Pleased to meet you and thank you for helping her."

"The pleasure is all mine," she smiled. "Would you be staying for dinner?"

The thought had never dawned on Milliardo, he didn't want to disrupt the atmosphere that was already surrounding him. "I'm not too sure if I'll be staying that long...my mother and I are on unfriendly terms still."

"I see...well I'll just set an extra plate out tonight just in case. If you'll excuse me then," she pushed the door aside and headed towards the kitchen.

"So where's Relena now?" He sipped from a glass of cool lemonade.

"I believe she's upstairs resting or rummaging about. Your mother dropped off a couple of items in her room...ranging from old-worn photographs of the Peacecraft lineage along with childhood toys. She's doing fine for now, but tonight your mother planned a meeting for her."

"Don't tell me she's up to her antics again," his jaws dropped slightly, but he regained his composure.

"Well not entirely...she's arranged a meeting for Relena to see Heero and it should happen in another hour or so. Everyone has been in on it."

"Really?"

"That's right," he smiled and there seemed to be a spark in his eyes.

Right then, the doors opened and Relena stood in the doorway with a confused look, "Um, I'm sorry I should have knocked." Her face slightly bushed in embarrassment, "I thought you were alone, Pagan." She didn't look towards Pagan's company.

"Here have glass of lemonade." Milliardo stood by her side and held a short glass in his hands.

"Thank you." She took the glass graciously and blinked a couple of times. Earlier in the day, she looked into those familiar eyes in a photograph. "Milliardo?"

"Right," he smiled with tears forming at the rims of his eyes. "You don't know how much that means to me to hear your voice." He hugged her nearly making her drop the glass.

Something in her mind began to connect the dots, "How's Lu doing along with the baby?"

"How did you know that I had a baby?" He quickly looked towards Pagan to see if he had given her the answer beforehand and saw Pagan shake his head left to right.

"I don't know...I guess it came to me," she smiled weakly. "I'm starting to remember things slightly, but the last two weeks have been a whirlwind."

"I understand...well Lu and the baby are doing fine. In fact, they're both here now. We're staying in..."

Relena then interjected, "In the old Cooper house not too far from here."

Again Milliardo nodded a yes response, "It seems like your memory is coming back slowly, but surely."

"I hope it does." She twisted a piece of fabric in her hands...a sign that she was still uncertain of who she was.

"You'll get through this." He hugged her once more and reassured her that everything was going to be fine.

Pagan looked at the brother and sister with tears in his eyes, "I hate to break this up, but maybe you should get some fresh air now, Miss Relena. Dinner will be served in a little while..."

"I think I'll stay with Milliardo and to do some catching up."

"Listen to what Pagan said...I think the fresh air will do you some good. I'll be here when you return."

"Are you sure?"

"I'm sure, now scram." He shooed her out of the room and into the early evening light.


Relena stood out by the front porch, undecided about which way she should head. Everything around her was unfamiliar to her, the scents and the sounds were just a mystery. She bit her lower lip and decided to head towards a small grove of trees that looked like a promising start to her. She heard her footsteps grind the dirt and grass beneath them, which amused her thoughts for a while. The scent of the pine trees soon drifted her way and there was something else...a smell of water. Her heart began to race and she quickly grabbed onto a tree stump to support her weight. "Maybe this wasn't a good idea," she whispered to herself. Right then, a shockwave of pain emitted from her abdomen. She breathed in heavily in hopes of relieving it and just stared at the site in front of her. She closed her eyes briefly and flashes of some night came to her mind...a man about her age was close to her. She shook her head in disbelief and came out of her vision...so she thought.

"Are you all right, miss?"

"Huh," she was caught off guard. "You...stay back...don't you dare come near me."

"All right, I get the hint." He raised one of his arms in the air and shifted his stance slightly, accommodating the cane that he was holding. He noticed that she was still comforting her head. "Let's go down to the lake, shall we? I heard the view was better right by the water."

"I think I'm going to stay back here." She leaned against on the tree trunk and faced the newcomer. "Who are you?"

"Heero Yuy...your next-door neighbor. I'm currently residing with a Duo Maxwell that you may know off, Relena."

A surprised look came from her face, "How did you know my name?"

"Duo mentioned to it me once." He looked away from her and stared up towards the night sky.

All of a sudden, Relena heard a clank sound coming from Heero and saw him briskly walking up to her. He immediately grabbed her arm and pulled her towards the direction of the lake. "What are you doing?" She tried to pry away from him, "Are you insane!?! Let go of me at this very instant."

Heero knew to keep his distance from her, "Just trust me...can you do that for just a few minutes?"

"I'm not going to trust anyone...especially you." She felt his hold tighten on her wrist.

The two continued down a well-worn path and remained silent for the rest of their short journey. Before long, they were out in a clear opening and the scent of water overcame their senses. "We're here now." He let her go and limped over to a fallen log by the lakefront. Their little stroll took a toll on his body, but he ignored it. He watched her stare in awe as if it was her first time of being up close to a body of water. For once, he didn't hear her complain for at least one minute.

"The view it's so breathtaking," she sat by him. "I didn't think it would like this at all."

"I told you to trust me." He stared out into the open water.

She gazed up towards the night sky to see its wonders. "I've never seen so many stars like this before. It seems like the Heavens are canvases themselves." She looked for any patterns that she could trace with her eyes, "Where are you Pegasus?" she whispered under her breath.

"What did you say?"

"Nothing really," she looked down to the ground and traced the pattern on the dirt. "I'm just looking for Pegasus."

The constellation brought him back to one of their late summer night's meetings on the mythical horse. "What about him?"

"Oh nothing...the name just came to me though." She closed her eyes and breathed in the summer air. "You seem interested in him for some odd reason."

"Me?" He felt like he was going to blow his cover soon, he couldn't keep this game up with her. He desperately looked for a diversion, and his wish came true. "I think it's time to head back now...it's probably close to your supper time anyhow."

Her face blushed lightly, "I guess so." She covered her stomach with her hands in hopes of diminishing the grumbles.

"Let's go then." He offered his hand and the two went back up on the path. With the time that passed, Relena had a constant nagging feeling in her mind that she had met him before, but where was the question. "We're here now."

"Thank you for the escort." She curtsied to him and saw something at the corner of her eyes...it was his cane. "I think you might need this," she bent down and handed him the wooden stick.

He nodded the kind gesture, but his eyes concealed sadness in them. He felt like he failed his part in making Relena gain her memories back. "I have to leave now, Duo might be back from his dinner with Hilde. Take care now."

"Do you want to stay for dinner? I'm sure Trudy made some extra helpings."

"No thanks." He started to walk off in the direction of Duo's home.

"Will I see you again?"

"Maybe."

With a small reassurance from him, she slipped into the safety of her home for the night. She peeked out a small window with laced curtains, "I do hope we can meet again."

Milliardo had crept up on her, "So how was your evening walk?"

"How long have you been eavesdropping on me?"

"I would say just long enough to get a gist that everything went well..."

She blushed slightly, "A lady never kisses and tells..."

"What?!" Right then, he knew he fell into her trap of one her small jokes "I see you're up to your old antics again." He looked over to the dining room and noticed that their evening meal was almost ready, "We might as well head over to the dining room now...it looks like Trudy is just adding the final touches now."

The two entered the room and were about to sit when their parents walked in from the opposite side of the room from the kitchen. Milliardo just froze...he didn't know what to expect from his mother after his hiatus from the family. In hopes of breaking the icy silence, he spoke, "Hello, Mother."

"And what do you think you're supposed to be here for?" Her agitated voice felt like knives. "I told you once before I didn't want to see you here in this house, since you married that [woman]."

He ignored the comment from his mother and got on the defensive side, "I heard Relena was in an accident and I had to come...to make sure everything was all right."

"Katrina, calm yourself down. You don't want to make a scene in front of everyone." The patriarch himself decided to calm this firestorm of words.

Being the woman that she was, she lashed out, "Of course, not everything is all right," her voice stung like venom, "Your sister lost her memory all because of that Bennett boy! And for the past two weeks, we've been through thick and thin and this is what happens!" She threw a glass full of water onto the floor, her frustration finally spilled over.

The last remarks sent Relena hurling through her mind, "What was that?" Her voice was shaky and all of a sudden, pieces of the puzzle to her mysterious accident were unraveling before her eyes.

Katrina looked over to her daughter, "Oh no," she brought herself back from her argument and realized what she had done, "I'm sorry it had to come out this way. It shouldn't have come out like this."

"When were you going to tell me everything?" She clenched the edge of the dining seat.

"Dr. Po warned me not to reveal anything to soon. She was afraid that if I told you, you might have a relapse. But I swear, I was going to tell you one day," her voice pleaded for some sort of understanding.

"The day should have been sooner," she bolted out of the room...the reality of her accident just collided with everything she had learned from the past two weeks. She wasn't hungry anymore...just the fact that someone had caused her this [problem] was enough to make her stomach churn. She didn't know whether to trust her mother...pieces of the argument just minutes ago gave her glimpses of her mother's true nature along with her broken memories that surfaced from time to time. She went up to her room and dropped herself on the bed. Tears pooled around her eyes and for once she had one answer to why there were bruises on her body along with the bandage from her gunshot wound. "It was all because of [him]," she whispered to herself.

She started to add up the pieces slowly with Heero...the cane and his limp might be a sign of something. During their evening meeting, she couldn't help but look into his eyes at one point. The familiar dark hue was something she had seen in her recurrent dreams for the past weeks. She thought to herself, "Could he be the one...who saved me from Bennett?" And for the night, she set her mind on seeing Heero to finally get some of her real questions answered.


TBC

How was that for chapter 13? Please review and thank you. :-)