Disclaimer: I do not own Gundam Wing

The clear night sky allowed the full moon to shine down on the crashing waves below, pummeling the jaded rocks with their unwelcomed force. Under the stars and the beckoning of a far-off lighthouse, Relena could see her fate. The salty breeze kissed her, again, reminding her of the day she met the love of her life. At the ocean's side her life began. At the ocean's side it would end.

"I can't do this," she whispered to her companion, through frightened tears. She was shaking. It wasn't the cold. She felt cold, but she knew that, also, was just a symptom of her fear.

"Do you need help?" A voice answered her.

Relena took another shaky step forward, choking on her tears. She squeezed her eyes shut, feeling a strong hand at her back. As her body took flight, the fear paralyzed her, making her unable to scream for mercy.

:::

Heero sat straight up in bed, overcome by a sudden sense of dread. He was out of breath, violently yanked from a nightmare about falling.

"Relena?"

He was alone.

The phone rang, again.

Heero pulled himself from the middle of his bed, where he had been holding her naked body a few hours before, and leaned on the nightstand as he reached for the phone. He felt a paper folded under his hand, and flipped on the lamp as he answered the call.

"Heero?" Une's voice sounded panicked and strained.

"Yeah?" He groaned as his eyes focused on Relena's handwriting.

"We need you at the Preventers' Hospital right away. In the emergency ward. I'm waiting for you."

"Wha—?" Before he could finish, the line went dead.

He looked back at the note.

Thank you for accepting me. I love you. I always will.

Heero felt a familiar sinking feeling as he focused on the letters. There were spots where the ink ran.

Tears?

:::

"Have you ever considered that it is what it looks like, Zechs?" Une's voice was tired, as Heero neared the double doors of the Emergency Waiting Room. "She would have come to us if what she said was true."

"It's not, Lady," Relena's brother argued with his superior. "She wouldn't have written it this way, if it was."

"Zechs, everyone believes that when this happens. We want to. Be reasonable. You have to admit that it's at least possible—"

"No." His voice was sharp and angry. "My sister wouldn't have done this. She would not have—"

"Maybe she's just trying to comfort you. She wouldn't want you and Heero to—"

Lady Une was cut off by the change in the atmosphere as Heero entered. It was constricting. They both looked at him, their faces filled with fear, pain and compassion.

"Where is she?" He growled.

"You should sit down," Lady Une started.

"You should answer me."

"Relena's in surgery, now. Sally's doing everything she can." She watched him take a slow breath. "Heero. You should know. It's not good." Une reached out to touch him for comfort, but he flinched away, looking at her threateningly. "It's meant to look like a suicide," she continued.

"But it's not," Zechs cut in, offering Heero the goodbye note.

He took another breath, deeper than before. His hands were shaking as he accepted the paper, slowly collapsing against the wall as he read. His body was swallowed in waves of icy, numb grief.

Milliardo,

When you get this note, it will be too late to change my mind. I want you to know, beyond the shadow of a doubt, that this is not what it seems. No one—not you, not Heero—no one is at fault for this.

I am not depressed. I am not suicidal. But the media will have their story.

I wish I could stay. I wanted so badly to meet your children.

I wanted to have my own.

But Heero's in danger. I saw how tightly they hold his life, myself. Even at this moment, they have him under surveillance in his home. And I will not stand by and sacrifice him for myself. I will give them what they ask. Death, after all, is not so frightening. I accept my fate with grace.

I hope and pray you can all forgive me.

I love you.

Signed, your baby sister,

Relena

As Heero came to the close of the note, the words blurred through his burning tears. He hung his head. He felt sick. He couldn't breathe. He couldn't think. This just wasn't possible. Was she really going to die? For him? He wasn't worth that.

Heero let out a sharp breath, wiping his face with the sleeve of his jacket, as the doors swung open, again.

A Chinese man looked down at him in bewilderment. "Colonel Une," Agent Chang said, tentatively. "You sent for me?"

A soft, gentle hand pressed down the back of his neck to alert him to her presence. Heero was never a fan of physical contact, but the female touch was soothing on his hot skin. Her other hand carefully lifted the page from his trembling fingers. "It's okay," she whispered, apologetically.

Heero's superior lifted herself over him, again, offering the paper to the other pilot. "She said that Heero was under some kind of surveillance. I want you to look for clues. Anything. Tear his place apart if you have to."

She turned back to Heero as his colleague read the message. "Heero? I need your keys." He nodded the tiniest bit, fumbling as he lifted the heavy metal ring to her. Lady Une presented them to the other agent and saw him off.

Hours passed like molasses as Relena's brother and lover waited for news. Finally, a short while after noon, Dr. Sally Po emerged. Neither man was able to do more than look at her in desperation. The dark circles under her eyes gave away her exhaustion from the hours of hard labor. The folded her hands in front of her and looked down. "Now, we wait."

Heero looked down at her last goodbye to him, again. I love you. I always will.

:::

Relena's eyes fluttered at the sound of someone moving things around near where she had been sleeping. With a deep breath she accepted the rise back to consciousness.

"Heero," she whispered.

The noises stopped. The other person in the room froze at the sound of her voice.

Relena's eyes slowly and reluctantly opened at her pleading. She was looking at a ceiling. The room was filled with natural light. It must have been early afternoon at her estimation. After being asleep for such a long while, so lost in her own dreams, the real light was painful in her face.

"It's bright," she said, still unable to raise her voice over a whisper.

"I'll—I'll close the curtains, some, Madam," a voice exclaimed. Relena heard the sound of the girl who'd been standing near her rushing a ways off to the windows. The light dimmed.

"What's wrong with my—" Her throat failed her.

"Pardon, Madam?"

Relena used all of her might to shake her head in frustration. "My voice," she whispered. "I have no voice."

"I—" The maid seemed at a loss. "I'm sorry, Madam. I'll call your brother."

With that, the young woman was out the door, leaving it ajar as she called down the stairs. "Master Marquise! Master Marquise! She's awake, sir. She's AWAKE!"

Relena struggled, trying to move as she heard the ruckus down the hall. Milliardo's voice in the distance was panicked and excited. "Call the doctor," he yelled as he quickly approached her room.

"Relena?"

She tried to look at him, but she was unable to move. "I can't—I can't move."

"I know, baby," he said, coming into view. Relena was shocked when she saw him. His long blond hair had been cut short. His forehead was marred with unfamiliar worry and frown lines. His eyes were wrinkled and tired looking. He was still handsome, but Relena was horrified to see how much he had aged.

She shook her head, tears filling her eyes. "What hap—?"

Zechs gently brushed stray hair from her face, looking on her with kind eyes. "You've been sleeping."

She weak choked out a sob in panic. "Heero?"

"He's fine," Zechs beamed. "We found them, baby sister." Tears ran down his face, also, now. "I wish you had told me. I almost lost you." His voice cracked with emotion.

Relena sighed, relieved to know that her love was well. "Can I—see him?" Her voice was broken and breathy, as she struggled to talk.

Zechs nodded, giving her a sad smile. "He'll be here. He comes here, every day. He has, since the accident."

Relena smiled some at the thought. He came to see her, even when she couldn't respond. "How long has it—?"

Zechs shook his head, sighing. "Let's have the doctor talk to you, first, okay? Save your energy."

She nodded, again.

Zechs wiped her tears, gently, from her cheeks, and sat with her until the doctor arrived.

:::

"Miss Relena," he said, scanning her responses, carefully as he took notes. "Would you mind telling me your full name?"

"Relena Peacecraft Darlian," she answered in a fragile tone.

He nodded. "And do you know what year it was, last you recall?"

"After Colony 204."

He nodded silently, making another note on his legal pad.

"Wh—what's the year, now?"

He looked down at her, over his spectacles. "217."

Her heart felt like it had stopped.

Thirteen years.