Just a little note before I get started with this chapter. You all know what happened during the war so I won't bother rewriting it all. I am, however, going to relive some key moments that we all know and love. The only difference is, they will include pieces of Alianna also. So bare with me, this chapter is going to have a lot of snippets of the series. I apologize if not everything is word for word. I'm doing this from memory after all

CHAPTER FIVE

: This is taken from Episode 11: The Whereabouts of Happiness :

Professor G. provided Alianna with a shuttle and she made her way down to Earth. It wasn't hard for her to get a job working under Treize and she learned the military ways quickly. She soon became one of the top soldiers. Months passed and she missed Duo. She heard about his exploits on T.V. and in newspapers but it wasn't the same. She had also come into contact with several of the other Gundam pilots but it was not for milk and cookies. There was typically death and destruction when they met.

One night, she sat in her room and watched the stars twinkle, missing space…missing Deathscythe…but most of all missing Duo.

"I'm pathetic…" She said to the stars. "Duo's out there right now, defending the colonies and trying to put OZ in their place, and what I'm I doing? Working for them. I'm working for the very people I hate!" She stood and glared at her surroundings.

She was living in the barracks at an OZ base near Arabia. She stomped over to her bed determined to sleep off her anger when a knock sounded on her door. She walked to it and opened it. Standing on the other side was Lady Une.

"Ma'am!" Ali saluted quickly.

Une returned the salute and smirked. "You have a mission."

Ali moved aside so Une could come in and shut the door.

"We've received word that there are some rebels hiding in a secret base in the middle of the desert. We're sending troops in to set bombs around the village there in an attempt to bring them out."

Ali nodded. "Yes, Ma'am."

Duo arrived in the secret base with Quatre Raberba Winner and the Maganac Corps by midday. Duo jumped out of his Gundam and joined Quatre and Rashid, the leader of the Maganac, on the landing.

"It's totally our fault!" Duo said when he heard them talking about the fault of their last mission.

Duo felt ridicules that he couldn't stop Lady Une. He was a Gundam pilot wasn't he? Why couldn't he stop her?

Rashid continued on, something about the Gundam's being the saviors of the world, but Duo wasn't listening much. He was trying to think of a way to stop Une.

"…if that's okay with you, Duo." Quatre was saying.

Duo snapped out of his day dream and quickly processed that Quatre was asking if they could fix up his Gundam. He smirked and placed his hands behind his head.

"It's alright by me. I appreciate all you're doing for us." He told Rashid.

The tall man nodded. "It's really no problem. It won't take long."

Duo and Quatre, after watching the celebrations on the surface for a while, retired to a private room where they could talk. They discussed their mission and how, when, why they received their Gundam's.

"So…it's just the same." Duo sighed.

"Yeah, word for word." Quatre leaned back on the bed he was sitting on.

"I just don't get it…" Duo shook his head.

Alianna followed the leaders of her platoon going deeper into the desert. The sand storm was just dwindling out and she was only just able to see the village as they approached. A small screen turned on in her window and her commander spoke to her.

"We'll be arriving shortly. I want you to help with the bombs." He said.

"Yes, Sir." Ali said and the picture flashed out. She watched the village grow closer as she sat in her mobile suit.

I wanted to avoid hurting innocents…what am I doing?

They arrived in the village and Ali joined her commander on the ground.

"Can I help you?" said an older man wearing a turban as he approached them. Ali didn't recognize him, but it wasn't difficult to tell that he was in charge.

"I was just hoping my troops can rest here and maybe have some food and water." Her commander was saying.

"We'll do what we can." The man replied.

Her commander nodded to her and Ali walked back to the large trucks that had traveled with them. Pulling out a crate and with the help of another soldier, Ali lugged the large bomb down a remote street in the village. They set it on the ground and her companion rushed off to find another.

I can't believe I'm doing this…Ali cursed herself. I should blow it up…just blow myself up with it. They can say it was a malfunction… She leaned up to wipe her brow. She wasn't used to the heat of the desert. She glanced up and thought she saw the flash of a braid in one of the upper windows. She gasped softly.

Duo?

Then she smirked. If Duo was here, that meant that none of the people would be hurt – he would see to that – and she could remain "loyal" to OZ. She realized now, why she was working for them. They could teach her what Professor G. couldn't: How to work with a team. She could bide her time and take what they gave her when the time came. She smiled, satisfied and glanced back up at the window. She wiped her brow, as she originally intended to do, and let it linger just slightly to indicate the smallest of waves before she walked away.

Duo smirked when he saw the wave. She always could be subtle, but why is she working for OZ? Doesn't she hate them?

"Do you know her?" Quatre asked quietly.

Duo nodded gravely. "Yes." He paused, not sure how much he should reveal. "…she was trained with me. I've known her since I was 12."

Quatre's eyes widened. "I'm sorry, Duo. It must be hard watching a friend join those you hate."

Duo sighed. "I'm not sure she has…" He turned to the blond pilot. "She saw me, just now. I know she did. If she was really one of them, she would have ratted on us."

Quatre thought for a moment. "So what do you think she's doing?"

Duo turned back to the empty street. "I'm not sure…"

: This is from Episode 17: Betrayed By Home, Far Away :

Duo and Quatre sat sitting in one of Quatre's many mansions watching the news as OZ declared its intentions of "peace" with the colonies.

"I can't believe it…" Duo said.

Quatre glared at the screen and stood up. "They're invading the colonies under the guise of peace!" He said outraged. He turned to Duo. "We have to stop them."

Duo and Quatre ran through the forest to the place they hid their Gundam's and entered the carrier.

"We have to fight for the colonies!" Duo said.

"Yes. We must return to space!" Quatre added.

Ali was awoken suddenly by a bright flashing red light and alarm bells going off. Groggily she shot out of bed and grabbed at her uniform jacket. She had gotten in the habit of sleeping in her uniform just in case of emergencies. She pulled her jacket on as she ran down the hall, trying, and failing to tidy her messy hair. She had only recently cut it short so the ends barley grazed her collar. Having it long was far too much hassle in a war. She burst into the command center of the base with her uniform completely on.

"What's going on here?" She demanded.

A rather frightened looking young man turned to her. "Oh, Lieutenant!" He saluted. "We're being attacked by two Gundam's!" He said and pointed to the screens.

Ali ran to them and sighed when she saw the figures. "Zero Two and Zero Four, eh?"

Duo…

She stood upright and turned to the man before her. "Have you deployed the troops?"

"Yes, Ma'am. They're going out to meet them now."

Ali nodded and turned to watch the battle.

How can I justify sending troops out to destroy the man with whom I agree the most? She thought. She sighed as she watched the pilots fight.

It seemed like hours had passed and Ali had tears in her eyes. Participating in the fighting was one thing, watching it seemed surreal. She sighed as she watched the Gundam's take more and more damage.

"Ma'am!" She turned when a young woman ran into the room. "Look, on TV!" She turned on a small screen in the room.

"Word has reached us that the Gundam's are attacking various OZ bases across the world," said the man on the screen. "We would like to announce that the actions of the Gundam's are not the feelings of Colony D. We are currently working along side OZ in a search for peace, and so if OZ conceder the Gundam's their enemy, then they are ours as well. We ask the other colonies to follow us in this step."

Ali felt her heart sink. The colonies were buying into the ploy of OZ. She worked with them, she knew better than to believe their lies of peace. She turned back to the Gundam's. She knew they had heard the announcement because they were fighting even harder than before. Ali nearly gasped aloud when she watched the Gundam Sandrock take a hit and land hard on the ground. Deathscythe was soon to follow.

"Look! We're winning!" One soldier cheered.

Ali glared at him. "Far from it. These Gundam's are desperate. They will not rest until OZ…until we are defeated." She watched the screens again. Sure enough, another Gundam showed up. Ali had never met the pilot before, but she had seen the Gundam before. "Send word through-out the base. I want every available man out there in a mobile suit."

"But…but we're-"

"If you say winning, then I'll order you to go out and join our comrades on the battle field and then you can tell me if we're winning after we're all dead." She glared.

He closed his mouth and hit the alarm. More suits began filtering out of the base and Ali watched the Gundam's take them out, one by one. Turning on the screens again, she could see Wing Zero and Heavyarms fighting elsewhere. She smiled. They were coming together. She turned back to the screens and spoke into the now empty room.

"I may not be able to do much for you, Duo…but I can do this much…" She sighed and opened the gates to let the reinforcements out. She watched them attack the Gundam's without affect. She watched as Deathscythe and Altron jumped down, no doubt to claim a shuttle for their own.

"Why aren't you leaving Sandrock?" She asked the screen. The Gundam was walking forward.

A stunned silence fell over her when she realized what was happening. She sighed and looked down at the controls. "I knew we weren't winning…" She said just as the explosion went off.

: This is from Episode 19: Assault on Barge :

Ali watched the screen as the transporter that supposedly held a Gundam approached the colony. She had just been given orders to send her men out and capture it. It was hard for her to swallow. After spending weeks in the hospital from her last encounter with a Gundam she wasn't sure she was ready to counter one again. She wasn't even sure which one of them was inside until Deathscythe emerged.

"Oh Duo…you don't know what you're up against…" She muttered as she watched him battle the newly created Mobile Dolls. It wasn't long before he was captured and she watched as they began towing him back her colony, Colony C102. She turned to the others in her control room.

"I'm going down to intercept the pilot. Inform the commander I will have interrogation room 195 ready for the questioning of the Gundam pilot."

"Yes, Capitan."

Ali left the room and walked down the hall. She was anxious to see Duo, but she couldn't show it. As far as anyone was concerned, they were enemies; and she was good at her job. She had just received her third promotion in three months and the thought made her laugh darkly.

If only they knew my plan…

She stood in the interrogation room and waited for them to bring in Duo. It felt like ages since she had seen him. She had grown so much – mentally if not physically. She felt so much older than she really was. Fourteen and already a Capitan in the OZ military.

What would Duo say? She laughed at the thought. He would probably tease her and call her an over achiever. She smiled, remembering their times together. But this visit was not for pleasantries. She was to be there to…restrain him.

The doors opened and in walked her commander followed by two guards that were holding Duo. His arms were tied around his back and he looked exhausted; he could barely hold his head up. He glanced up and they locked eyes. Ali was sure that had he been stronger, he would have killed her. She had done some horrible things in her duty to OZ. They sat him down roughly on the chair and she stood behind him as the interrogation began. Ali could barely keep her mind on the conversation; she kept sneaking glances at Duo. She wished she could comfort him; help him to rest, it was obvious he needed it, but she knew that was impossible. He was their prisoner…her prisoner…She sighed at the thought.

It was never supposed to be this way…

Duo glared at the man in front of him. He answered the questions, though sometimes he yelled them, and continued to glare. He didn't dare look back at Ali, even though part of him wanted to. He was starting to question whether she was still on his side or not. He had seen the things she had done, and whether she was under orders or not, that was no excuse. The commander glared at him after just stating something about not being able to win.

The typical bad guy stuff…Duo mused.

He glared.

"I'll see you all in HELL!" He shouted and suddenly felt a hand to his back and he lost consciousness.

Ali walked down the hall with a neutral expression on her face. She had just thrown her best friend in jail and now she was ordered to ready his execution. She wanted to shoot herself, not him. She heard shots up ahead and she pulled her gun. She snuck to the corner and quickly turned it. She found herself staring into the barrel of Heero Yuy's gun who, in turn, was staring at hers.

"You're here for Duo?" She asked.

Heero grunted his reply.

She lowered her gun and stepped aside. "He's down that way." She pointed behind her.

He surveyed her for a moment, unsure.

"Can I just ask you one thing?"

Heero stared at her.

"Hit me."

Heero, eyes showing his understanding, nodded. He took his empty hand and formed a fist.

"Thank you." She said just as the fist came into contact with her face. She fell to the floor and Heero ran passed her.

Good…now they won't think I let him…She said and collapsed on the floor.

Duo awoke a few minutes later in a cell.

"Nice…" he groaned and pushed himself up. "They could have been gentler." He moaned and sat against the wall.

Suddenly, he heard some voices, a shot, and the door opened. The guard was flung inside and there, standing silhouetted in the light, stood Heero Yuy.

"Hey, what do ya know?" Duo smirked. "Hey Heero."

Heero pulled his gun and raised it to him.

Duo chuckled. "You're just in time," he pushed himself to a standing position. "They were just about to execute me. If I'm gonna die, I'd rather it be you than anyone." He closed his eyes and held out his chest. "Go on, shoot me."

Heero stared and his finger began to squeeze the trigger.

"Hell, you're really going to shoot me aren't you?" Duo gasped.

Heero, always emotionless, shrugged. "If you want me to."

The two stared for a moment then Heero turned to look out the door. "You're left arm's still okay right?" He asked and tossed the gun to Duo before picking up a machine gun and helping the braided man to walk out.

"So how are we gonna get outta here?" Duo asked.

"I came here to kill you," Heero looked down at him. "I hadn't thought up an escape plan."

: This is from Episode 36: Sanc Kingdom's Collapse :

Alianna sat calmly in the jet that was taking her to the Sanc Kingdom; the jet she had stolen. She was tired of causing death with no real goal other than conquering. She couldn't do it anymore. If she was going to kill, it was going to be because it was better for the world if she did. She smirked through the window as the white towers of the Sanc Castle came into view.

"I should have done this months ago." She smiled and remembered what had happened only moments before.

"That's an order, Capitan! You must attack the Sanc Kingdom!"

"I refuse to attack a kingdom whose whole goal in life is peace!" She yelled back. She held her gun at her commander. "Consider this my resignation." She said and fired the gun.

She almost laughed. It seemed ironic that those she had served for so long were now her enemy. It felt good. The jet landed and she was escorted to the castle. Being asked to wait in the lounge, she thought about what she was doing. She knew it was right, that Miss Relena had ideal visions of peace, but did she want to be a passivist? She stood when she heard footsteps. The door opened and a tall woman with blue hair walked in. Ali smiled.

"Noin? It's good to see you again."

Lucrezia Noin smirked. "Ali…what are you doing here?"

Ali tossed an OZ badge across the floor. "I couldn't take it anymore."

Noin smiled as Ali continued. "I've come to pledge my services to Her Majesty."

The tall soldier nodded. "I understand. Come with me."

The two walked through the many halls of the palace before stopping in front of Relena's office. Noin pushed the doors open and walked in, saluting to Relena.

"Miss Relena, an ex-OZ soldier is here to see you."

"Ex-OZ…?" Relena muttered as Ali walked in.

"You're highness," She bowed and smiled. "My name is Alianna Westwood. I've come to beg your forgiveness for my wrong doings, and pledge my loyalty to you and the Sanc Kingdom."

Relena surveyed her for a moment and then smiled. "I accept your pledge. But please, why have you come here? Why now?"

"I have come for two reasons." Ali rose. "One, I am tired of causing pain with no light at the end of the tunnel. And two, I came to warn you that an attack on your kingdom is eminent."

Relena nodded. "Noin has already informed me of this."

Ali glanced at Noin with appreciation and smiled. "I'll do as you command, Miss Relena."

The princess nodded. "Thank you, Alianna."

The soldiers came fast, faster than Ali had ever remembered seeing soldiers come. She stood with Noin in the bay, both inside the cockpits of two white Taurus, waiting.

""We must protect Miss Relena at all costs." Noin said into the speaker.

"And protect her, we will." Ali glared at the on coming troops.

The barrage of bullets came like lightning. There seemed to be no safe place and everything was happening in a blur. Ali watched as mobile suits fell before her and even more fell around her. She tried to block out the death she was causing and think only of the peace it would bring. Sandrock arrived just in time, and she was grateful to see Quatre again.

"You came just in time!" She smiled into the communication screen.

Quatre's picture flashed in her screen. "I'm just glad I'm not too late!"

The battle lasted long and hard. Ali could see explosions coming from the forest and knew it must be Heero. That thought encouraged her some how. More and more mobile suits fell and most of them were fighting on the side of the Sanc kingdom. A ray of hope shone through the darkness when Relena's face appeared on a screen in the corner of Ali's mobile suit window. She listened intently, as did the others, when Relena declared that she was surrendering to the Romefeller foundation.

"What! She can't do that!" Ali screamed outraged.

"It's the only way she can truly bring about the passifist nation she believes in." Noin said sadly.

Ali sighed and bowed her head. "For this day forward, I vow to bring peace to Earth and the colonies, no matter what the cost." She muttered through clenched teeth.

:This is from Episode 43: Target: Earth:

Duo reclined in his chair and sighed. On board the Space Fortress Peacemillion, Duo flew with Noin, Quatre and Trowa. He smiled. It was nice having the gang together, even if it wasn't complete. He enjoyed hanging out with Quatre and Trowa, well, since he lost his memory it was important to have friends around.

"Man, this is the life." He said.

Noin smiled at him then glanced down at the screens.

"Miss Noin, we have a shuttle approaching us." One of the men said.

"An enemy?" She asked.

"Naw," Howard walked up behind her. "If it was an enemy we would have been attacked long ago."

Duo sat up and glanced at the screen as Noin opened a communications. When Sally's face appeared on screen Duo smirked and left to meet them in the M.S. bay. On the way down the hall, Duo met Quatre and Trowa and he quickly filled them in on their visitors. Quatre's face lit up.

"Oh good! We'll all be together again!" He smiled and practically dragged Trowa and Duo along with him. They walked into the bay just as Wufei and Heero were climbing out of Peacemillion.

"Wufei! Heero!" Quatre practically giggled as he floated down the launch to them.

"Mind if we stay here a while?" Wufei asked.

"Not at all!" Quatre smiled warmly. "I'm just glad we can all be together again." He said as Duo and Trowa joined them.

Alianna lagged slightly behind the others. She was greatful they had caught up with Peacemillion but now she was nervous. Sally walked into the room and looked around.

"Ali? Shouldn't you be out by now?" She asked.

Ali sighed and sat down. "I…yeah…"

Sally smiled softly and walked in to sit next to her. "What's wrong? Are you nervous about seeing Duo?"

Ali leaned back against her chair and closed her eyes. "…Yeah. I've done a lot of things against him since the war started, Sally. What if he hates me?"

Sally shrugged. "That's for the two of you to work out. But something tells me he won't. You've done a lot of good since you're time in OZ you know." The taller woman stood. "Come on." She offered a hand.

Ali smiled and took it. "Alright…if you say so." She followed Sally to the exit and watched her float out. She paused when she saw the five pilots talking on the ramp.

He looks the same…She smiled. She took a deep breath and let it out slowly before following Sally.

The pilots had just turned to head into the main rooms of the craft when she landed. They turned to face her. Heero shrugged and followed Wufei out of the bay. Quatre smiled widely and ran to his female friend.

"Ali! You're alive!" He exclaimed and embraced her.

The brunette smiled and hugged her friend. "Yes, I'm alright. I'm just lucky Sally found me before I sank to deep." She shuttered remembering the horrible crash her mobile suit had taken into the ocean. She herself had thought she was a goner.

Trowa nodded to her with a small smile, which she returned. Her eyes locked with Duo's and they shared a private moment for a while. Quatre noticed this and quickly pulled Trowa out of the room with himself, leaving the two alone.

Ali felt even more nervous than she had been before. Staring into those violet eyes brought something out in her, something she hadn't felt in a year; something she used to be.

"Hello Duo." She said and smiled pleasantly.

Duo nodded with his arms across his chest. "Ali…" Then he smiled. "It's good to see you."

Ali felt herself sigh with relief. She walked slowly to him and looked in his eyes. "I've missed you."

"Me too" He smiled and wrapped his arms tightly around her.

She gladly returned the embrace and finally let the tears that had been threatening to fall for so long, leak down her cheeks. Duo pulled back and smirked at her.

"Hey, what's with the long face?"

She shook her head and wiped her tears. "I'm not sure even I know." They laughed softly and walked back into the ship with his arm draped around her shoulders and her arm wrapped around his waist.

Peacemillion was comfortable, but Duo couldn't let himself get distracted. He was having a hard enough time with Ali around, he couldn't let the comforts of the ship add to his distraction; the war was still going on, after all. He smiled as he watched Ali working with Noin on the computers. She really was beautiful…everything he remembered and more. She was stronger now, visibly so, and her hair was short. He liked it, it suited her. Though he would miss running his fingers through it. He shook his head. He had to stop thinking about that stuff. It wasn't until he stopped shaking his head that he realized people were staring and someone was talking to him.

"Huh?" He jerked up and looked at the figure next to him.

"I asked if you wanted to come down to the cafeteria with me and get some coffee…" Ali said, a little cautiously.

Duo laughed at himself and stood up. "Sure."

The two walked down the halls to the cafeteria in silence until Ali abruptly stopped. She turned to Duo and grabbed his arm.

"Duo, I can't do this anymore."

Duo sighed. He didn't have to ask, he was dealing with the same thing. "We have to, Ali. There's a war going on."

Ali nodded and let go of his arms. "I know. I'm not asking you to forget, or even avoid, the war. I've been fighting it too, you know." She paused, considering her words. "Duo, I love you. I can't go another day fighting without making sure you still know that."

Duo smiled and reached over to cup her face in his hand. "I do know that. There were some times that I questioned what side you were on, but I never questioned your feelings for me." He leaned in to her. "I love you too." He whispered and kissed her softly.

She melted and nearly protested when he pulled away. She took in a deep breath and let it out again. "I'm glad we have that settled." She said softly.

He nodded and smirked. "Me too." He brushed her bangs out of her eyes. "By the way, I don't think I've told you yet…I like your hair."

: This is from Episode 49: The Final Victor :

Ali watched out the window from her mobile suit as Libra changed positions and began heading back into space. She laughed out loud. Earth would be safe. She gasped when she realized that a large chuck had detached and was now falling to Earth.

"That piece can destroy a lot of land!" She heard Quatre grunted through the speakers, the wound from fighting Dorothy acting up.

"We have to stop it!" Duo added. Ali watched the Gundam's fly into the piece to start dismantling it. She joined them and smashed as much as she could with her cannons.

"It isn't working! It's taking too long!" She called into the speaker.

"We have to keep trying!" Trowa said.

"We can't let it fall on Earth!" Wufei added.

The Gundam's and mobile suits fought long and hard, trying to destroy the waste before it could crash into the Earth. It wasn't until Zechs destroyed the main power source that it actually began to make a difference. Ali could feel the blast but still saw the large chuck falling.

"Heero has the beam cannon!" She heard Wufei's voice.

"Roger that, come on! We don't wanna get in Heero's way." Quatre smiled. The Gundams and Mobile Suits flew out into open space and watched it fall with Heero in front of it.

"Can Zero handle the heat of the atmosphere?" Ali asked.

"It better. He's our last hope." Duo said.

It was as though time stopped. Ali watched the Gundam and the large piece of metal flying into the earth. Both were heating up and turning red. Then a large flash. Heero's cannon went off and the blast lit up all of space with a brilliant blaze. They watched with baited breath and then, the chuck exploded into millions of pieces.

"YES!" Ali shouted and laughed along with the others.

"Heero did it!" Quatre cheered.

"He made it out!" Duo called and they watched as Wing Zero flew out of the explosion.

"He made it, naturally." Wufei smirked.

"The earth is safe!" Trowa smiled.

Ali sighed and gazed up into the sky. She smiled happily as she stood just outside of the airport in her soft blue suit, waiting for Relena to board her plane. She had taken up a job with her since the war ended as he personal assistant. A vibration in her pocket singled that her cell phone was ringing. She picked it up and smiled at the name across her screen. Duo Maxwell. She pushed talk and held it to her ear.

"Hello Duo."

A familiar chuckle sounded through the line. "Is Relena off yet?"

"Not yet," Ali smiled. "We're just getting ready to leave."

"Great. So, how long will you be in space?"

Ali smiled and leaned back against the wall. "I'm not sure. It depends on how everything goes really. Relena is presenting her idea about the Mars Terraforming project."

Duo nodded, even though she couldn't see it. "Well, there's a cup of coffee waitin' for ya as soon as you get back."

She smiled. "I'd like that." Off in the distance, Ali saw Relena walking towards her and she stood upright. "Sorry Duo, Relena's coming. I need to go."

"Right. Have fun…love you."

She smiled and blushed softly. "Love you too. Bye." She hung up her phone and placed it back in her pocket as Relena approached.

"Ready, Alianna?" Relena asked as she drew nearer.

Ali smiled and nodded. "Of course." She replied and followed Relena onto the plane.

Okay, so...what did you think? The next chapter will be from Endless Waltz and it may or may not be more detailed. Also, the next chapter will most likely be the last one unless I get suggestions that say otherwise. I'd really appreciate some input, if you don't mind. Anyway, I sure hope you enjoyed this chapter and I'll try to get the next one out within the next week (that is, if I survive my finals...-.-;; )