Disclaimer: I wish I owned the characters and the opera, but I don't. And I'm poor. You won't get anything from me.
Pairings: If you're reading this chapter, you SHOULD know by know.
Surprises: If you've read anything written by me, you should know I throw tons at you.
Genres: Do I really need to remind you?
Warnings: It's inspired by opera. Most of the famous operas in the world are tragedies. Get the hint?
AN: To my beta Daniel, and the reviewers. Thanks for the love. The brackets indicate opera libretto.
Gundam Wing: Love Among the Ruins
Act 16: The New Life
By Sailor Celaeno
"Yes… you never mentioned how the Vice Foreign Minister's coma was your fault," the
doctor nodded.
Hilde sighed. "Yes, we do need to talk about that before I have to go." Hilde stretched her
arms and shifted her position in the chair. "Relena was forced to deal with work because there
was still so much to do. Mars wasn't improving and Relena was under great pressure to fix the
situation."
Relena plopped down on her bed. She had been questioned by hundreds of reporters and
had several conferences to attend that day. She could barely remember what color her clothes
were or what she ate for dinner just an hour ago. "God… this is just going to kill me…" she
murmured to herself. She coughed hard and gasped before getting off her bed. What was making
things worse was she was coming down with the flu. She walked into the bathroom and opened
the medicine cabinet. Her eyes were droopy and she felt just plain awful.
After a couple minutes of staring she finally found the flu medicine. She swallowed the
medicine and finally got into bed. She felt happy being under her comfy blankets. She wrapped
herself tightly under the covers. She felt really cold from the flu. She shuddered as she tried to get
herself warmer.
Peygan opened and peered inside when no one replied to his knock. He had a feeling that
Miss Relena wasn't well since she appeared more tired than normal. She quietly walked to her
bedside and touched her forehead. The heat of her skin told him everything he needed to know.
He would call the doctor if she didn't feel better in the morning.
the one I liked the best
Sally gently touched Relena's forehead. She wasn't happy. "Did she take any medication?"
"I believe so. She asked me last night if all the flu and cold medication were in her
medicine cabinet. I told her that I replaced the expired medication just yesterday. I had hoped the
medication would have worked and she would be better this morning. Unfortunately, when I came
in, I felt her forehead was still rather warm. That's why I thought to call you," answered Peygan.
Sally nodded. "I'm glad you did. She might need stronger medication, especially since
she's already taking sleeping pills. It wouldn't be good if they counteract each other."
"Doctor Po… I was wondering… how long must she continued taking those pills."
Sally sighed. "I made the prescription a month's worth, assuming she used one every
night. And she needs to come to me for a refill. I intended for the pills to be a last resort. It seems
to be the only thing that is able to help her. That is considering… the things she's had to endure in
the last year."
Peygan nodded silently.
"I know that you will do all that you can to help her," Sally spoke again.
"Of course, doctor. I… have always done what I could for the Peacecraft and Darlian
families. I have respect for Miss Relena. She's… almost a daughter to me," he replied.
"She's in the best possible hands," Sally said. She left Relena's home.
Peygan closed the door and immediately dialed a number on the vidphone.
A voice replied, "MOPS headquarters, may I help you?"
"I wish to speak to either Commander Merquise or Sub-Commander Noin. I am Peygan.
They will know me," he answered.
"One moment please."
"Relena was ill. But of course we didn't know too much about it at the time. But we did
learn a great deal of other things in regards to her," began Hilde.
Heero approached Relena's office when he saw a strange woman there. She had long,
black hair and looked at files on Relena's desk. "Who are you?" he asked loudly.
The woman was startled and looked at Heero. There was a bemused expression on her face.
"Good day, Preventer Yuy," she replied. "I'm your replacement."
"I see," was all he said.
"I'm Dylan Schneider, lieutenant commander of the Preventers. But of course... you know
my name already," was her reply.
Heero did know that name. Schneider was formerly of OZ and she was a highly decorated
officer during the war. "I see that Une assigned the best for Vice Foreign Minister Darlian."
"I don't see the necessity of being so formal about your ex-girlfriend," was her deadpan
reply.
Heero gave her a wary look.
"I'm lieutenant commander. You aren't the only one who has ways of getting information.
I suppose you'd rather I not talk about your relationship with her. I'll say this as a concerned
person. Please don't try to talk to her anymore. This isn't the time for suspicious exes to come in
and screw things up for her. What she needs is the space to do what she has to do. She doesn't
need your shadow over her," was the woman's answer.
into a grimace
"Are you going stop me, Lieutenant Commander?"
"I don't need to. You'll come to realize that you're wasting time on someone that doesn't
want you around," was her retort.
"I see." He had a sharp glare that he couldn't hide. Schneider outranked him, but he didn't
give a damn. Anyone standing in his way would be crushed.
your love is broken
Heero didn't deny that somehow he was a fool. "Relena…" he said to the sleeping figure.
He finally entered her room and sat by her bed. "I was the one who found you asleep in your
room. I didn't know if I could make you understand me then. Now that I'm here, I see I was the
one who didn't understand."
Relena was still sound asleep. The machines beeped and hummed as they monitored her.
They were what kept her in the world. It was the only thing that looked in the same place as
Heero.
"Is this what you meant when you wanted your freedom? Was it me that you wanted to
escape from?" Heero asked her.
The machines hummed and she said nothing.
"You freed me from a dark, lonely place. There was a real reason to live when you came
into my life. Why couldn't I do the same for you?"
You think to avoid it; it holds you
"I wish that you can hear me. I only hope you can because I hope that you can forgive me,
Relena. I hope that you can truly forgive me. Not for the sake of appearances, but forgiveness
that only you could give." He found that her still figure was as dear to him as that night in Paris.
He suddenly found himself leaning down and kissing her.
Goodbye
He could hear the sound of Zechs's voice. He was speaking to a doctor. Heero stood up
and went to the door.
Zechs noticed the former Gundam pilot and thanked the doctor before walking to Heero.
"Hello, Yuy."
Heero knew that something in Zechs blamed him for Relena's condition. He didn't blame
Zechs if that was how he felt. "I came by to say hello to her."
"I see," was the older man's response. He didn't appear angry or bitter. He was rather
calm which he knew how to be. His sister was important to him. It hadn't been easy trying to
recreate a better relationship between Zechs and Relena. Now that they were developing one,
Zechs wanted to hang on to his sister. "Where's Schbeicker?"
"She has an appointment this afternoon. She'll be coming by later."
"You know… I don't think that you and Hilde should be here."
"So says the big brother," was Heero's reply.
"That's right, Yuy. I'm her brother. She can't speak for herself, so I have to. Let's make it
clear that you and Hilde shouldn't be here. It's in bad taste asking for her forgiveness while she's
like this. It's not like she'd be able to forgive you as she is," was Zechs's cold response.
"I didn't want to hurt her. I loved her, and I…"
"I suppose you're going to say you still love her. Save it. I'm not interested in your
precious declarations of guilt and love. You're being a selfish bastard and I'd think that Relena
should be free of it," Zechs replied with angry undertones.
Heero was silently watching the elder man.
"Your interference in her life is trapping her here. She'd be happier if you'd only free her,"
Zechs continued in a calmer manner.
"Free her?"
"She's reminded of what you did to her every time you beg for her forgiveness or talk
about your love for her. If there's any bit of that love that is unselfish… just leave her alone," was
Zechs' reply.
Heero wasn't sure what to say at that point.
Back to my lonely little room
Relena eventually woke up and was surprised to see Zechs there at her beside. "Hello,
Relena."
"Brother… what are you doing here?" she asked. She was still very groggy from her flu.
"I didn't expect you to be here."
"I didn't think I'd have to come see you like this. But I suppose I should see you at some
point, as your brother." He reached over and hugged her. "I should apologize for not being more
help to you, Relena. I sincerely wished to be more supportive for you. But it seems that my
intentions don't come to fruition… yet again."
Relena leaned her forehead against the side of his neck. "It's all right, Milliardo. I'm happy
to see anyway I can."
"I'll do whatever you want. You've been pretty selfless with what you've done. Now
you're sick because of…"
Relena shook her head. "No…"
"No?" he pulled away from her and stared at her with curiosity.
"I don't hold anything against them. I understand that I can't tell them what to do. I
certainly don't want to either. If I can forgive Heero, please don't be angry at him," she said.
"I won't be," Zechs replied.
Peygan entered the room. "I apologize Miss Relena, but it's time to take your medicine."
"Thank you, Peygan." She turned back to her brother. "How long can you stay?"
"I have to leave tomorrow. I have a lot of meetings that to attend. I wish there was more I
could do for you," was his reply.
"You're doing fine," was her reassurance.
Zechs hoped it was true.
"Maybe I am selfish. I wanted to save her from something dark within her. Maybe it was
my fault that the darkness overcame her. I can't deny that perhaps, Relena had the dark feelings
long before I had betrayed her," Heero spoke after the silence.
"You may be right, Yuy. But it doesn't change the fact that you hurt her. You certainly
didn't help the situation. Whatever was lurking in her heart was agitated by you," was Zechs's
reply.
Heero closed his eyes in thought. "No, I won't deny that. That's why I want to help her.
Even if she forgives me, it doesn't relieve the burden of her heart. I'll stand by her as long as I
can."
He who, so modest and attentive during my illness, waited
"Is that how you truly feel, Yuy?" Zechs asked.
"Yes." Heero turned and walked away from Zechs. He decided to take a short walk. Hilde
would come in about an hour so it would be good to clear his thoughts. Who knows how she
would be after her therapy session.
Zechs watched Heero turned into another hallway. He spoke softly to himself, "So Relena,
do you think he can help you?" He turned to the observation window for Relena's room. There
was only the constant beeping of the machines.
To be continued…
AN: On to the credits!
1) "Der Vogelfänger bin ich ja" from "The Magic Flute" by Wolfgang A. Mozart
2) "Vesti La Giubba" from "I Pagliacci" by Ruggero Leoncavallo
3) "Habanera" from "Carmen" by Georges Bizet
4) "Addio! Che! Vai?" from "La Boheme" by Giacomo Puccini
5) "Ah, fors'e lui" from "La Traviata" by Giuseppe Verdi