[A.N.] Hello! So this chapter is kinda short but i'll make up for it with the epilogue. Yes, this is the next to last chapter of the story and i would like to thank you all for following me on this rollercoaster ride that i have called story! This was my first attempt at an A.U. fic and like all good stories i hate to see it end! I hope you enjoy this as much as i did! As always, please feel free to R&R!

~Serene

'No! This is impossible! No! You cannot possibly beat me! NO!'

The crimson gem in the amulet cracked with that last desperate scream. Relena felt the tension release and with a huge gasp of air, her senses returned. The darkness that had possessed the castle was gone.

Zechs looked up as the man in front of him raised his sword for an attempted fatal blow. Suddenly, the man stopped, staggered backward, and blinked a few times.

"Wh-what? Where am I? The last thing I remember was plowing my field back on the farm."

Zechs scanned the area around him. All of the men who had previously taken up arms against him were now dropping their weapons with looks of extreme confusion on their faces.

"Zechs, look: the men…"

"This is good." He said sheathing his own sword as a cry of victory rang across the courtyard.

"Your majesty!" Came a voice from behind them.

"Quatre!" Noin smiled. The young blond man had made it through the battle unscathed. She only hoped the rest of his friends had done the same.

"Quatre, do you think this means…"

"Yes, Une is gone. The evil force has completely left the kingdom."

"My sister…"

"I wouldn't worry about her, not with Heero and the others up there. I'm sure she's just fine." Quatre smiled and placed a reassuring hand on Zechs's shoulder.

"He's right, Zechs. Right now, you need to ten to the troops as their king. They are all looking at you now."

Zechs looked at the men around him; some who had recognized him were already kneeling. Others were begging for forgiveness at his feet, mumbling their words. Zechs remembered some of what he'd done under Une's control. He remembered the look in Relena's eyes as he'd held her delicate throat in a choke-hold. He shook his head and knelt down, grabbing one of the men by the shoulders.

"No, my friend, I am the one that is sorry." He helped the man stand up. "All of you, please, don't grovel or beg for forgiveness. I am the one who must beg for yours. I was supposed to be your king, and instead, I betrayed you all. But I swear, from this day forward, if you will let me, I will help you all rebuild this kingdom back to the glorious land it once was under my father."

"Hail, Milliardo!" One man cried out.

"Hail, King Milliardo! Long live the King!" Noin grabbed his hand and gave it a warm squeeze. There was a little more commotion as them men continued to get reoriented. Quatre took over the position of making sure everyone was taken care of and that the make-shift battlefield was properly cleaned up. Noin escorted him to the doors. She knew he wanted to find his sister; she always seemed to know things like that.

"You see? You were being too hard on yourself." He looked at her: his Noin. His supporter, heart, soul, and savior. He would have died long ago if she hadn't been by his side. All those years she supported him and never asked for anything in return. And he, knowing what they both wanted, had denied it for far too long. He didn't want to make her wait any longer.

"Noin. Marry me." She stopped mid-stride, her eyes widened in shock.

"Rather sudden, isn't it?"

"No, I'd say it's late, about two or three years late."

"Zechs."

"After everything I put you through I wouldn't blame you if you said no, but—" She placed a finger to his lips.

"Don't make me repeat myself, again." She smiled and leaned in, standing on her toes to press her lips to his. Finally, it all made sense. Finally, after years of darkness, he'd found the light and this time he'd never let it go.

Duo and Trowa braced for one last attack, swords raised and ready when suddenly, and a crumbling noise broke the tension. The dark light in the holes where the monster's eyes should be dimmed, flickered, and then extinguished as the megalithic monster crumbled before them. Duo stood and watched in amazement. A smile slowly crept to his impish face as he gave a whoop for their victory.

"Alright! He did it! I knew buddy boy had it in him!"

"Indeed. However, now is not the time to celebrate. We must tend to our injured friends."

"Okay, okay, sheesh, party-pooper." He ran a hand through his bangs and tossed his braid behind his back. "Those two will probably want some time alone anyway." He grinned and patted Trowa on the shoulder eliciting a groan of discomfort from the taller man as the two made their way to their friends.

Relena fell to her knees, the broken amulet still clutched in her hand. She glanced down half in disbelief.

"Princess…" She heard the voice from behind her, familiar and warm. She turned to see Treize, standing there, cradling Une in his arms. "Thank you for setting us free."

"Lord Treize…?" Relena had so many questions but none would from on her lips .

"Do not worry about us. The evil is gone." She watched as Une woke up and smiled into Treize's eyes. Her hand gently went to caress his face passing so much more in that one gesture than any words could.

"Forgive me, princess." Une whispered. Her brown eyes filled with a deep remorse.

"There is nothing to forgive. Go in peace, both of you."

"Thank you." With the purest of smiles on both of their faces, they walked hand and hand together into eternity.

"Relena suddenly felt as though all the energy had left her as if she'd taken a fist to the gut. She found her knees begin to buckle and her hands tremble. It was done, but at what cost?

"Heero…" Her eyes flew to his motionless form and seconds later she found herself by his side, cradling him in her arms. "Heero… please…" She couldn't feel him breathing. She leaned down and desperately pressed her ear to his chest but there was no sign of his heartbeat.

"No… No, I won't let you go like this, Heero. Not yet, not when there's so much I want to say. I haven't yelled at you for coming after me and taking stupid chances! And you haven't lectured me for running off and handing myself over! Do you hear me?" At this point, she felt the first tear slide down her cheek as she fought back sobs. "I haven't told you… I should have but I was so scared…"

She ran her hands through his hair and cradled his face in her hands. She studied his contours as she had so many times before, willing his eyes to open to be able to see those blue-black orbs at least once more.

"Heero Yuy, you open your eyes right now! Do you hear me? You can't leave me! Not yet… not when I haven't told you…" She leaned forward again, touching her forehead to his, closing her eyes as two last tears slid down her face.

"I…" Once she said it, there would be no taking it back, but if she never told him, even if he couldn't hear it, she would never forgive herself.

"Heero… I love you." She whispered and pressed her lips ever so softly to his, briefly. When she pulled back she laid him back down and rested her head on his chest.

"You're… getting my… tunic wet." His soft voice groaned from beneath her.

"Heero…?"

"What…where's…?" She could tell he was exhausted, still weak from his battle with the sorceress. He was barely conscious, but he was alive and that was all that mattered.

"She's gone."

"Are… are you hurt?" His concern for her well being made her laugh and cry at the same time, but she blinked back the tears. She may have cried on him, but she didn't want to cry in front of him.

"No, no, I'm fine… thanks to you." She saw his lips curve into the tiniest of smiles before his eyes fluttered shut and he lowered his head to rest on her chest.

"Finally, it's over." She whispered, cradling him closer. She felt him snuggle into her, a small gesture, but one that brought a blush to her cheeks.

"Well, we came to check on you, but maybe we should leave you two alone. Ow!" Duo's voice came from the entry way. She turned to see him and mostly all of her traveling companions standing there (those that could stand) watching them as duo rubbed the back of his head where Dorothy had obviously struck him. The blush on her cheeks deepened and with her reaction a riotous laugh arose from her friends.

"Duo… shut up." Heero mumbled, which only made them laugh harder and somehow in those few minutes, with the light-hearted laughter of her friends, she knew everything was going to be alright.