Disclaimer: Gundam Wing and its characters belong to Sotsu, Sunrise, and Bandai. Of course, this fic belongs to me.

The Christmas Party
by Waltz195

Relena glanced over at Heero, feeling a bit shy as they slowly walked down one of the many paths in the park. He'd been quiet for most of the walk, sparing her a few hidden glances now and them. She blushed remembering the kiss they had shared earlier. He'd been very expressive then.

Heero slowed their steps a while later, pausing in front of a wooden bench. Brushing off the snow on its surface with his coat sleeve, he motioned for her to sit. Thanking him, she sat and waited as he settled beside her. Both of them were silent for a while, lost in their own thoughts.

"Relena," he murmured, turning towards her. "We don't know much about each other, do we?"

Relena hesitated before answering. "One could say that. Though, I'm guessing you know enough about me and my history to warrant an opinion."

"Yes...but you don't know anything about me do you?" He stood up, suddenly restless, and paced in front of her, his head lowered in thought.

"Not your history, no. Except for what Dr. J told me." Relena paused, not knowing what else to say.

Heero took a deep breath, watching it fog as he exhaled. He waited a moment before answering her. "I want to be honest with you, Relena. About everything. That means telling you about my past...and possibly..." He gazed at her with hooded eyes. "My future."

Relena waited, hopeful, yet worried, as she listened to his low, steady voice retell the events of his life.

In calm, even tones, he told her of his youth, not even knowing if he had had a family at all. Being alone as a child, wandering from place to place, finally being 'adopted' by an assassin. Recruited to be his apprentice.

Relena felt herself sympathizing for the lonely boy she pictured, but kept her thoughts to herself as he continued his story.

"There wasn't much emotional growth living like that," Heero continued. His voice held no outward emotion, as if he had observed rather than lived the words he spoke. "We depended on each other as partners to survive the missions we took on and could have been called comrades, but there was never really any emotion involved. At least, until the day he died." He paused a moment, choosing his words carefully, before continuing.

"Our last mission almost failed and he paid with his life. Earlier he'd told me that he'd planned to leave me on that colony, to offer me a better chance at a new life. He didn't think an assassin's life was right for me." Heero let out a bitter chuckle. "How wrong he was about that. On his dying breath, he gave me one final piece of advice, 'Act on your emotions'. That was all. How ironic those words seemed later on."

He stopped to look over at her, gauging her reaction. Relena gazed back at him, her eyes calm and imploring, her face showing nothing but understanding. He smile faintly and continued.

"I wandered around the colony after that, not really caring what happened to me, because I had nothing else to live for. Then, Doctor J found me, just as I was about to take my own life." Relena gasped sharply but remained silent. "It was all I could think to do at the time. When he offered me the position of piloting a Gundam, I guessed it was all that kept me sane back then. I had a purpose: to save the colonies. So, I trained hard the next few years; going on practice missions, honing my skills in mobile suits, until I was the best I could be. But, then came that year...the year my heart died..."

Relena feared what was coming next. She hated to see him so hurt, even if he didn't look like it, his face expressionless. She knew, just knew, that his heart was crying out on the inside.

"One day, I was on a colony with a mission to destroy a mobile suit base there," Heero told her. "I was staking it out and had planted some explosives beforehand. After that, for some reason, I wanted to run around in this field nearby. It felt so incredible, so free, to just lay there on the grass." He paused again, a sad smile on his face. "There was a little girl walking her dog. She gave me a flower before she left. I wondered why she had been so kind to me, when I didn't even know her. I kept the flower with me that night, during the mission."

Suddenly, Heero's voice turned bitter again, and Relena shivered, hearing the underlying anger in his tone.

"The mission was successful, of course. But, as I was turning to leave, a mobile suit tipped over and hit an apartment building. It exploded, destroying the building and damaging the area around it. I never anticipated that to happen." His voice broke at that point and he turned away from her, his head bent in shame. "I never meant to kill innocent people...or that little girl. I found her dog in the rubble of the building...her apartment building."

Relena reached her hand out to him, wanting so badly to comfort him, but stopped. She let him be, knowing that he needed to face his own demons. To face his guilt from the past.

"I carried that dog all night, back to headquarters. I remember crying. I felt so...sad." Heero paused, getting a hold of himself. "That upset the Operation Meteor backers. They didn't count on me having emotions. So, they decided to wipe them clean; the ones they said didn't matter, anyway."

"They said a tool of war didn't need emotions, that emotions were useless. For the longest time, I believed them." His back tightened up, the muscles tense with anger. "Doctor J couldn't help me once the re-training started. No one could. In the end, I became what they wanted the most, even better. Their ultimate heartless war tool: the Perfect Soldier."

'So, that's what happened to you...' Relena thought sadly, tears spilling from her eyes. 'Heero...'

"I carried out whatever mission they wanted. Never questioning. Doing whatever I could for the sake of the mission and the colonies alone. When Operation Meteor finally began, I was ready. There was something about Earth that had been calling me, and as soon as I entered the atmosphere, all I could think was 'I'm finally here'."

"But, then an Oz carrier came and I got into a battle. As my Gundam fell into the ocean, I thought it was all over. I had failed." His voiced softened at his point. "Then, I woke up...and saw an angel." Heero turned and looked at her, his eyes bright and full of emotion. "You."

Relena didn't, couldn't, say a single word, as she looked up at him, her eyes shining with unshed tears, several already trailing down her cheeks.

"My first inclination was to kill you, but you know I didn't have much luck with that." Heero produced a half-smile. "And later on, I didn't want to. Not just because you were so important to attaining peace, but because you...mattered to me, in a way no else ever has. But, I didn't love you...at least, not yet."

Heero crouched down in front of her and reached for her hands, his eyes gazing deeply into hers, searching her very soul.

"I realized I loved you the night you made your speech to the ESUN assembly, the day after we defeated Mariemaia. While I was watching you, I finally felt at peace. As long as I knew you were there, fighting for peace, for me, I could do anything. At that moment, I regained my heart, and I knew what love was. The love I felt for life. For you."

Relena couldn't hold back any longer. She cupped his face in her hands, thankful for the wealth of emotion she saw there. "Heero..."

"I love you, Relena," Heero whispered, fervently kissing the palm of her hand. "You have become my heart. I...I'm hoping, after all I've told you, that you could feel the same."

"I do, Heero. Oh, I do love you! Despite everything that's happened to you, you've overcome it all. You chose life. You are the only Heero I know." She smiled through her tears. "The only one I love."

He shared her smile, blinking back the tears that threatened to fall from his own eyes. Leaning forward, he caught her lips in a sweet and fulfilling kiss, their hearts finally able to share the love they've held inside for so long.

When they broke apart, they rested their foreheads together, taking a moment to calm their racing hearts and share the warmth of contact.

"Relena," he whispered, tilting his head back. "I'd like to give you something."

He stood and helped her up from the bench. Under her curious gaze, he drew a small, black velvet box from his pocket. Opening the lid slowly, he slipped a simple silver and gold band from the cushion inside. Looking over at her, his gaze softened as he slid it onto the fourth finger of her left hand. Relena remained silent, staring down at the ring with shock before gazing up at him, her eyes wide and hopeful.

"Heero..." Despite all her known skills of speech, she could not say any more.

"It's a promise ring," he replied, softly kissing her hand. "I know it's too soon to finalize anything, but I make a promise to you now. When the right time comes, I want us to be together, for all of our lives."

Relena leaned against him, her head resting on his shoulder. "I...I'm not sure what to say," she whispered, overcome by what he was asking.

Heero wrapped his arms around her, lightly caressing her hair. "Don't say anything just yet. We have time. Just let me stay here by your side, for a while longer. Then, maybe...forever."

She gazed up at him then, her face radiant with love and hope. "Yes, Heero. I'll stay with you...and love you. Always."

They smiled lovingly at one another and kissed again, silently communicating what they both already knew. Nothing more needed to be said.

The two young souls rejoiced in their newfound love, as the glittering white snow gently fell around them, on this beautiful, magical Christmas night.