Chapter 1

Relena smiled and packed her favorite shirt into her bag. As far as everyone, but Hilde, knew Relena and her were going to Hawaii for the weekend. In reality, both of them were going to join the small Relief group that was trying to put peoples lives together after the war. Relena knew that being Relena Peacecraft she would never be able to help the people like she really wanted to. Hilde felt her life had no meaning, she needed something else to fill the void the war had left in her heart. She felt guilty and wanted more than anything to help. Both had entered under false identities about a month ago and just now received their call. They were going to Africa, as teachers. Relena and her both knew enough about elementary history, math, English, and science to cover the classes. Besides teaching school they would be teaching the people a few new ways of living. Relena sighed and tried to push her nerves down. When she thought about leaving her home, and her friends a sick queasy feeling would seize her stomach and make her want to stay, but when she thought about not going she thought of all the children and people she would be letting down. This was the best way to help and she knew it. Relena hefted her bag onto her shoulder and headed for her door. Hilde was supposed to meet her in about an hour. She had packed as lightly as she thought necessary and had a stash of money in case things should call for it, but she doubted that. She just hoped no one would notice her sudden decline in luggage. Last time she had gone on vacation she’d dragged seven bags for four days. She winced, I really am material. Relena sighed again and turned to look at her room one last time before she left. Relena eyes immediately flew to the teddy bear on the foot of her bed. ‘Heero.’ She thought automatically. ‘I’ll miss you.’ She moaned and repressed the urge to grab the bear. It would only link her to a life left behind and she knew it. Relena turned and flipped the lights out. It was the last time that she’d see her room. Relena smiled and bounded down the stairs thinking of the wonderful journey she and her best friend were about to embark on. When she reached the end of her staircase she looked up to see Hilde smiling at her.

"What’s up girl?" She asked her voice quivering with excitement, or maybe it was doubt.

Relena decided not to press her and smiled. "Not much just ready for the adventure of a lifetime!" She called and stood beside her friend completely at a loss for words. "So you ready?"

She watched carefully as Hilde bit her bottom lip and nodded. "As ready as I’ll ever be." She smiled warily and pushed her bag back on her shoulder.

Relena frowned. She wasn’t convincing. Relena leaned in so she was whispering in her ear. "Do you want to go Hilde?" She asked trying to keep disappointment out of her voice.

"Relena, you don’t know how ready I am to leave." She told her almost laughing with her urgency. "I thought it would be so hard to leave Duo behind, but he’s got a girlfriend. I saw him with her yesterday night. I know we never went out, but it still hurts." Hilde sighed. "I really turning into a softy." Hilde smiled weakly and pulled her shoulder strap again.

"I know how you feel." Relena told her. "I like Heero, but I know he doesn’t like me back." Relena paused. "It still hurts though."

"Tell me about it." Hilde mused. "I think things will be better there though. You know I bet there are tones of guys down there." She closed her eyes and Relena smiled. "Imagine with me. Thoughtful, loving, caring, helpful guy with gorgeous tans." Hilde laughed. "This trip seems too good to be true already."

Relena laughed. "So how did you pack so light?"

Hilde mumbled. "I hate leaving all my stuff behind, but I know I won’t need it there." She smiled. "You should be proud I only brought one thing I couldn’t live without." She looked a little guilty.

"What?" Relena asked raising her eyebrows.

"A battery powered hair dryer." Hilde pulled it out of her bag and sighed. "I just couldn’t see me fixing my hair without it. You should see my hair air dry, it’s not pretty."

Relena giggled and linked her arm with Hilde. "We’d better go before we miss our flight to Hawaii." She told Hilde smiling. Hilde grinned back and picked up her backpack.

"I’m ready."

Milliardo and Noin drove them to the airport. Relena thought it was funny ridding in the back of a minivan especially with her ‘big, bad’ brother driving. He and Noin were expecting their first child and he had given up his convertible, almost painfully, in exchange for this blue minivan. Relena smiled. He had definitely changed for the better.

"I don’t know how Duo’s going to live without you Hilde." Noin said her voice rising with amusement.

Relena turned and watched a shadow pass over Hilde’s face.

"I mean, from what I’ve gathered you just about run his whole business. You created the organization system as well as the propaganda." Noin laughed. "I’m going to have so much fun with him while your gone." She mused. "I going to ask him for all kinds of things and their prices and when he spends about an hour looking for it I’ll tell him never mind." She laughed and turned to look at her husband whose face was plastered to the windshield.

"Where did you get your drives license!" He mumbled and hunched over his steering wheel. "He just cut me off. I can’t believe him." Noin groaned and rolled her eyes.

"He always drives like that." She winked and groaned. Relena and Hilde both held back their laughter.

The rest of drive went mostly in silence. Relena and Hilde both were caught in their own thoughts. They wondered what their new life would be like, what experiences they would have.

Relena buckled her seatbelt as the flight attendant began her speech on the exits of the plane. She was just glad to finally be on the plane. Her brother and Noin had almost insisted on staying until their flight took off, for safety. If they had stayed then Relena and Hilde both would have missed their real flight and ended up in Hawaii instead of Africa, or worse they would have to tell the two their plan and listen to a lecture about how stupid and foolish their actions were. She had finally convinced Noin to leave and Milliardo went reluctantly. They had just five minutes to run across the airport to the flight to South Africa. They had made it with no time to spare the plane was about to take off when they screamed at the stewardess it wait. Beside her Hilde had her eyes closed and was probably on the verge of sleep. Relena thought she should do the same.

Hilde jolted out of her slumber as the captain’s voice boomed over the intercom. "Ladies and Gentlemen please prepare to land."

Hilde nudged Relena with her elbow. "Wake up. We’re almost there." She told her.

"Heero, wait a minute I’m sleeping." She mumbled and rolled over.

Hilde covered her mouth and grinned. She could have some fun with this. "But I want to marry you Relena." She said throwing her voice so it sounded deeper.

"Mmmm… we’re already married." She told her smiling.

Hilde laughed out loud. "Relena wake up before I die." She broke into more laughter as Relena opened her eyes and looked at Hilde like she was crazy.

"What’s so funny?" She asked.

"Nothing." Hilde managed. "Nothing at all."

The plane landed and both of them entered into their new life. "Alight ‘Lena’." Hilde said stressing her name. "It’s time for us to begin a new way of life."

"Yeah, tell me about it ‘Hillary’." Relena said smiling.

"I really hate that name." Hilde complained from behind her. "I wish I’d come up with a better ‘H’ name."

"Like what?" Relena asked. "Helen, Harry." She smiled. "How bout I call you ‘Hill’. Does that bother you as much?"

Hilde gave her a lopsided grin. "That’s better, people used to call me that before I joined Oz." She pulled her back up off the tarmac and pulled her ticket out of her pocket. There was a map stapled to it. "So this is were we go." Hilde said.

"Yep." Relena answered. "Now lets find a car."

"Alright, a new car." Images of convertibles and porches flashed through her mind. "How about…

"When you said car, I didn’t know you meant: Piece of junk that is held together by mud, no luck alone." Hilde groaned and leaned out the side of the car and steady her herself with her hand as they hit another bump.

"Listen Hill this is the best for where we’re going, you heard the sales man." Relena eased off the gas a little as she saw another pothole coming her way. "A jeep is an all terran vehicle." She quoted the sales man. "It will last you as long as you’re alive and gets great mileage." She smiled and leaned over to look at Hilde. "I think I did a good job of picking it out."

"Yeah, and one day…Lena watch out Giraffe!" Hilde’s face went pale and she gripped the door until her knuckles went white.

"What is that some kind of lame Africa jo…" Relena turned to see a giraffe or more like a herd of them running in front of her jeep. Relena slammed on breaks and screamed as they came inches from hitting it.

"Well," Hilde said. "I must say that never happened in the Cinq Kingdom." Relena glared at her.

The rest of the ride went without mishap and ‘Lena’ and ‘Hill’ arrived at their mission.

They both stepped out of the jeep and put a pair of sunglasses over their sensitive eyes. The place was so tiny. There were houses, or more like small shacks surrounding a large tent. There were children of all shapes sizes and colors running and laughing as they played in the streets. Their feet were bare and Relena wondered if they even had shoes as she scanned their ragged clothing.

"I’m glad we came." Hilde said aloud as she watched the scene unfold in front of her. They both made their way to the large tent in the center unable to speak as they gathered in the situation these people lived in. Both of them desperately wanted to know the history of this small-secluded town. They noticed the way the children looked at them as they ventured closer to the tent. Their eyes were wide with wonder and excitement.

Somebody stepped out of the tent and Relena smiled at him. Her smile quickly faded though as she caught sight of the large weapon tucked under his arm and aimed at them.

"What’s your business here." He asked his voice rather menacing.

"We’re here to help." Hilde tried. "We were sent here by the Relief group." She swallowed. "We don’t want to harm anybody."

The man’s face immediately relaxed. "It’s good to have you here." He said smiling. It was kind of odd how the smile transformed his entire face. He no longer looked so sharp and scary and his muscles didn’t seem to bulge off his body quite so much. He lowered his gun and laughed at the two women in front of him. "You’ll have to have better nerves than that to survive here." He said laughing and both of them smiled feeling a little more relaxed.

"We’re stronger than you think." Relena told him extending her hand to the large man whom was smiling happily at them. "Lena Doran." She told him lying easily.

"I’m Hillary Jeffs, but call me Hill please." She told him wincing. "I really hate that name." She shook his hand. "So I’m curious how this place got started." Hilde ventured. "I mean there are so many different people here."

"Its wonderful." Relena said. "I think I’ll like it here." The man smiled.

"Maybe you guys will fit in better than I thought." He told them pulling the curtain back so they could enter. "You better meet the woman who made all of this possible. Her name’s Tutian (Two-T-ann)

He turned and Hilde and Relena followed into the depths of the tent. The inside was larger than either of them had thought it would be, there were many different sections separated by a thick canvas. Finally when it seemed they had walked for miles he stopped outside a canvas flap. "Go see her she’s expecting you." He laughed and pushed his gun onto his broad shoulders.

"Can we come in?" Relena asked rather loudly and hoped the woman would answer.

"Come in." Her voice sounded warn and raspy.

Hilde shrugged and pulled back the curtain. The room was well light by oil lamp and possibly a few gaslights. The woman was sitting with her legs cross on her floor. Her eyes were closed and she hummed loudly. "I see that each of you has a good soul, and is eager to help those less fortunate than yourselves." She told them never opening her eyes. "The one on the right is Lena Doran, and the left you are Hillary Jeffs." She stopped humming and opened her eyes. Both girls were staring at her as if she had three heads. She suppressed her laughter and stayed in character.

"How did you know that?" The blond one asked her, her mouth hanging open.

"Are you, can you read minds?" The other asked and she couldn’t control herself she started laughing.

"No, I can read period." She grinned all of that information was on your applications and I had a fifty percent chance of guessing who was on each side."

Hilde looked at the woman and grinned. She would give Duo a run for his money. She thought and turned her attention back to her. "Your name is Tutain isn’t it?" She asked, not so sure the other man had told her the truth.

"Sure is." She told her smiling widely. "I’ve been here a good eight years." She told them grabbing her long brown hair. "As you can see this place as given me all my gray hairs."

Relena smiled as she viewed the few scattered gray hairs that covered the woman’s head. "So how did this place come about?" Relena asked.

"Well." Tutain began. "During the war a lot of people were left without homes, from stray battles, children without parents teenagers with no direction. I watched as most of these small bands of homeless children turned into delinquents because it was the only way to survive. I saw fathers and mothers struggling to feed their families and I couldn’t take it. I organized this place, and believe me it wasn’t easy. It was a fight the whole way for any funding." She sighed and it seemed she aged thirty years before there eyes even though she was no more than five or six years older than they were. "This is my dream." She told them finally. "We have to fight to keep it, people are attacking us day after day. Probably why Bulzer there scared you so bad. He really gets into his job, ex-soldier turned peacemaker. Anyway we gather children and families from every where anyone who needs refuge, any child that desires a chance. Sometimes we take in a few unwanted babies." She ran her fingers through her hair and moved to her desk pushed into the corner of her small room. "You two are just what we need right now. Some of these kids desperately want to learn. They’re so bright and at times they surprise me. The schoolhouse is still under construction. You guys can help finish most of that up firstly. Okay, other business you will be teaching a variety of age levels from 5 to 14 in the same classroom. You have forty students and when we get more volunteers the older children will have their chance. They may join your classes from time to time, but remember it’s the little ones that are your responsibility." She looked at them to make sure they understood and only continued when they nodded. "Don’t worry about them though I’ve got six high school teachers coming in a month. Next are textbooks. What we have is very limited. Unless you can convince some rich organization to donate money you’ll be teaching from outdated text books just substitute as you see fit. Lastly and most importantly is language. I read both of your reports to find that you are both fluent in a variety of languages. "Hillary in German, French, Korean, and Lena in Japanese, Chinese, and Arabic." She sighed. "That’s pretty impressive ladies."

"What can we say." Relena laughed. "We have friends from all over the world." She laughed and nudged Hilde who grinned back at her.

"Well, you need to teach the children English, and if they desire to be taught something else you can start on that, but most of their language training will be in high school." She smiled you. "Don’t know how much we need you guys here. I just wish there were more people willing to help." Her face regained its weary expression and aged. "Find Bulzer, he’ll show you to Misty and she’ll get you guys settled into your rooms and then you can get to work." She smiled at them and laughed. "Before long you two will have forgotten what civilization is like."

It didn’t take long for Relena and Hilde to get settled in because they had packed so lightly. When they met Misty they knew both of them would like her. She shared the same passion to help as both of them did and an even stronger conviction to the preserve. There were no TV’s and only one radio they used to call in supplies and occasionally listen to the news. It was a treat for the people here and batteries were high up on the supply list and unfortunately the hardest to get hold of. Both of them were busy working on the school as darkness descended around them and all the workers and people were too busy meeting ‘Lena and Hill’ to listen to the news that night.

Chapter Two--Crash

"A horrible plane crash occurred just a few hours ago. The 457 flight to Hawaii crashed into the ocean for unknown reasons only an hour into the flight. They were to check into the Dallas Airport to change planes, but for some reason no one ever received a distress signal and they went searching for the plane only to find it had crashed in the ocean hours before. The wreckage was sticking out of the water, somehow staying afloat. It’s unclear if there are any survivors, and still the airline is contacting families with the horrible news."

The TV was only background noise as Noin clutched the phone her knuckled white and tears streaming down her cheeks. "But, but you don’t know for sure yet?" She asked desperately. "Okay," She nodded her head and choked. "I understand, we’ll be right down." Noin put the phone back on the receiver and tried to calm her raging heart.

‘Relena and Hilde were most likely dead.’ She couldn’t take it. She had let them get on the plane she had let them leave, only to die. She gulped and remembered Milliardo. He was asleep in the other room trying his best to calm himself. He had been worrying about Relena all night. ‘How am I going to tell him.’ She pleaded. ‘How can I tell him that his only sister is, is probably dead.’ Noin closed her eyes and tried to push the tears back, but her emotions had been out of control since she found out she was pregnant and she couldn’t seem to control them at all now. She straitened her posture and tried to pull her chin up. It seemed like the bedroom was miles away as she forced herself toward it. ‘God help me.’ She pleaded as her hand hovered above the knob. She didn’t want to tell him. She swallowed one more time and opened the door. Immediately Milliardo sat up and looked at her.

"What’s wrong?" He asked immediate concern on his face. He moved to her side and pulled her into a hug. "What’s wrong?"

"Oh, Milliardo." She sobbed. "They called…the plane…" This wasn’t how she wanted to tell him. She cleared her throat and tried again. "The airline called honey, and, and Relena and Hilde’s plane went down in the Pacific Ocean only an hour into the flight." She fell onto his chest not wanting to see the expression on his face. "I’m so sorry." She moaned. "I’m so sorry." She felt his grip on her tighten and then she heard his sobs join hers. They stood like that for a long time trying to find comfort in the others embrace. Finally he pulled away from her his eyes red and swollen.

"We have to call Duo, they won’t call him, and Hilde doesn’t have any other family." Noin nodded and looked at him pleadingly. "I’ll call him." He said taking the silent plea.

Before long all three of them were gathered in the airport. Duo was trying his best to be optimistic. "They’re still not sure on the survivors." He said for about the thousandth time. It was like that phrase someone how made the hurt less and the wait more bearable. All around them were people waiting just like they were. Waiting to know the future of their loved ones. "Dammit, they take too long." Duo complained and fidgeted in his chair. "The least they could do is serve us some food." He tried his best to smile; to give Noin and Milliardo on of his no-worries expressions but it wouldn’t come and his face fell once again on the verge of tears. ‘Why did I never tell her?’ He asked himself and closed his eyes. ‘Why did I wait, maybe if I’d told her she wouldn’t be gone right now, and jousan, she can’t be gone she’s peace. Without her…’ His mind stopped at an announcer’s voice came over the AP system.

"Attention, I’m so incredibly sorry for this wait, but we have news and would like to speak to you all personally." The voice stopped abruptly and Duo looked toward the people who were starting to follow a worker to the back of the airport. His feet were frozen to the carpeted floor. He didn’t think he could take it if she was dead. Just when he thought he would drown in despair and doubt a comforting arm was around his shoulders.

"Come on Duo. If we don’t go we’ll never know what happened." Noin told him and pulled him close.

Suddenly he didn’t feel twenty-two years old. He felt like he was eight years old and behind the door he would find the mutilated bodies of Father Maxwell and Sister Helen. He kept walking though. He kept walking toward, what he knew would be an awful fate. He leaned into Noin’s embrace and for once depended on someone else. He needed her there. He needed someone to help him. When all of them were assembled in the small white room a solemn man stepped out in front of them.

"I’m sorry." He started and was unable to make eye contact with the people. "There were no survivors. I’m sorry. We will find out what happened though." He promised them. "I promise you that much." He didn’t know what else to say as the room was filled with sobs of pain and even some threats made by angered families.

Duo didn’t hear anything but the grim verdict. ‘No survivors.’ He was alone. Again he was alone. Duo turned to his side everyone was embracing someone else, and there he stood by himself no one to hug him in sorrow. Noin and Milliardo embraced each other and all he could do was wrap his arm around himself and try and push the tears back as the fell one after the other down his face. ‘No survivors.’ His mind echoed. ‘No survivors.’

Heero turned off the TV when the reporter announced with mock sympathy that there were no survivors from flight 547 to Hawaii. ‘No survivors.’ His voice repeated again and again as he was plunged into darkness with the light of the television no longer there to illuminate his world. ‘I should have told her.’ He moaned as the darkness surrounded him and robbed him of all hope. He didn’t notice the tears as the fell from his eyes until it was too late. He was too broken to care that he was crying and too weak to stop them. He finally had succumbed to his emotions. He always knew he would some day, but never like this in this situation. Silently he curled his body onto his couch and put his hands on his head as the tears fell with no sign of stopping. He was lost and this time saw no way to reach the light again. His hope his angel was gone.

Heero was only awakened by a knock on his door. He didn’t know how long he had lain on the couch. Constant phone calls had awakened him at first, but soon not even they could encourage him to open his eyes. The knock brought him back though. He wasn’t going to get it he was going to let whoever it was knock as much as they wanted until they left. He didn’t expect whoever it was to come into his house. He heard the door open and immediately sat up trying to attain some sense of who he had been. It was impossible though. He was lost, and he could never go back.

"Hey, Heero I know your home."

Heero knew the voice, it was Duo. Duo who had been his friend when no one else wanted to. The only person who knew he liked Relena, besides Quatre, which he guessed, had been doing the calling. "Go away." He mumbled and was surprised how scratchy and hopeless his voice sounded even to himself.

"No can do buddy." He called and entered the room. It was dim even though it was early afternoon.

Heero had pulled the shades that night and didn’t bother to open them and welcome another day. He didn’t want to do anything for a while.

"I know you know what happened. That was two days ago man, and the funeral is today."

Heero felt his weight sink down in the couch beside him. "I tried to call you, everyone did." He paused for a second and Heero was tempted to look at him, but wouldn’t let himself do it. "You have to get up."

Heero turned his head farther away from his friend. He didn’t want to face him didn’t want him to know that he’d been crying since he’d heard that he wanted to die without Relena. He didn’t want to face the fact that he’d let her slip away from him. He didn’t want anything to do with reality. "Go away." He told him and frowned at the sound of his voice. ‘Broken, full of emotion.’

"You can’t hide Heero. You need to face this head on." Duo told him and put his hand on Heero’s shoulder. "We’re all here for you."

Heero pulled himself from Duo’s grasp. "I don’t need anyone." He mumbled.

"Oh, really." Duo ventured. "Then why are you sitting here in the dark feeling like your life is over. That is if you don’t need anyone. Don’t tell me you’re sick. I know what’s wrong with you because the same thing is wrong with me. I realized what a mistake I made. I waited too long to tell her, just like you did. You feel guilty, just like I do."

Heero turned to look at his friend and realized he didn’t look much different. The once happy-go-lucky pilot’s eyes were clouded with misery and more than anything guilt. Not only that but they were red. Tears, so the God of Death does cry. Heero felt a certain kinship with him more than he had ever let on. "I don’t know if I can live." He mumbled as he looked at Duo hoping to find some since of guidance.

"I wonder the same thing." He confided and looked at the ground. "The funeral is in two hours. Are you coming?"

Heero nodded. "I’ll come." He watched as Duo rose from the couch.

"Duo?" He asked. "Do you think she knew?" He held his breath as he waited for an answer.

Duo looked at him with solemn eyes. "Do you think Hilde knew."

Heero couldn’t answer him, but he did know that if Duo left he wouldn’t get up again. "You want to stay until it’s time to go." He asked. Duo didn’t answer, but sat back down beside him.

"You think people ever get through the pain." He asked Duo.

This time Duo had an answer. He had been through loss before. "You will, we will. I know that much. One day we’ll look back and won’t be able to believe how bad we were." He told him. "I know what it is to experience loss and only time will make the hurt less."

Heero didn’t have anything else to say, but let Duo take over the conversation. He talked about everything but Relena and Hilde. The talking, for once, actually soothed him and he found he was able to focus on other things. With a friend the pain wasn’t as great.

Chapter Three--Shopping

Hilde pulled her hair into a ponytail after she exited the community shower and tried to remember what the agenda was for today. ‘Oh yeah, it’s Saturday. No school.’ She actually was a little disappointed. She loved teaching the children every one of them were so bright. She knew that somehow they would get out of this town and live the life they deserved. Relena and her both suffered as each child did. Their struggle to grasp the language was theirs as well as the child’s.

The high school had been completed only a month ago. It had been a hard struggle to get it built. No one seemed to understand what they were working for. They didn’t want to give them money, supplies or teachers. That’s where Relena fit in perfectly. Her skills as a negotiator made her the ideal person for the job and sooner or later the people would give in and the community would get what they wanted. In face Hilde bet that Relena was in the office right now fighting over something. She pulled on her tank top and khaki shorts before she went to find her friend and tell her the shower was free. She didn’t have to look long because Relena’s enraged voice could be heard echoing throughout the tent.

"What do you mean you can’t afford to give us new text books. These things are outdated by at least eight years." She screamed into the phone. "Some of them more." Her voice was quiet for a moment as she listened to the man on the other line. "So you can afford to get books for children going to rich school, but the schools who need your support and the funds are beyond your help. It that what I’m hearing." She stopped for a moment a grin spread across her face. "Well that’s more like it Mr. Gram. I knew that you would see it my way." She paused again. "Yes, we need science, math, English and history for k through high school." She nodded. "Well thank you for you corporation. I’ll get back to you on the number of students. Yes, I’ll have the number by Monday. No thank you." Relena smiled and set the radio receiver on the desk and leaned back propping her feet on the wood. She turned and grinned at Hilde. "We’ve got a very generous book company who is willing to send us knew text books." She smiled slyly. "I only took slight negotiation."

Hilde laughed and put her hand on Relena’s shoulder. "You’ve been fighting with those guys since we got here. They’re just go sick of your mouth." Relena’s laughter joined hers.

"Maybe." Relena mused, "but that just proves how good I am or that being a pest has it’s rewards." She giggled and noted Hilde’s wet hair. "What happened to your hair dryer?" She asked raising an eyebrow.

"Well, the radio is used so often and the batteries are so hard to come by I figured I could live with wet hair." Hilde smiled. "It’s not like someone I know was dropping me hints or anything either."

Relena shrugged. "Your good deeds are all your own." Relena pulled her feet off the desk and onto the ground. "Does this mean the shower is free?" She asked.

"Yep, but you’d better hurry." Hilde smiled at her. "You know you won’t get a hot one is Bulzer gets in first." She smirked. "For a guy he can be such a girl."

Relena leaped to her feet. "I’m going to head straight for the shower. Will you bring me a towel?"

"Sure." Hilde told her and watched as the woman took off through the tent trying to beat Bulzer to the shower. She must have made it too, because she heard a stream of curses from Bulzer as he entered the bathroom.

Hilde laughed and went to get Relena’s towel. The place was short on everything and each volunteer had three towels. They had to wash them with their other laundry and lay them out to dry. Wash day came once a week on Sunday. Everyone would bring their laundry to the wash hole and wash their clothes, or the families. The children would hang everything on the clotheslines for them to dry. Things were so simple here Hilde couldn’t imagine ever leaving. A doctor came every week just in case and would drive in if called. Hilde entered Relena’s room and saw her towels thrown haphazardly across her cot. She grabbed one and headed back to the bathroom. By now Relena was probably done.

"I was wondering were in the hell you were!" Relena called in mock anger. "Now give me my towel."

Hilde thought about running with it, but Relena had gotten her back last time by stealing not only her towel, but her clothes as well. "Here." She said and passed it over the stall.

"That felt good." Relena told her and emerged a few moments later wearing a spaghetti strap shirt and a pair of cut off blue jeans. She squeezed the excess water out of her know short golden locks and pulled it into a bun much like Hilde’s was. "You ready to start the day?" She asked. Hilde nodded and followed her outside. She couldn’t believe how much they’d changed.

Relena smiled as the children waved at them as they passed through the streets. One of them, an American orphan ran to her and looked at her with pleading eyes. "Can I go to town with you today?" He asked his eyes widening. "I’ve never seen it before."

The child’s innocent eyes played on her heart. "Sure little guy, but only this time." She told him and picked up the six-year-old.

"Hey Miss Hillary." He called from over Relena’s shoulder.

"Hey there, Deacon." She smiled. "You coming with us today?" He nodded and smiled widely at her.

"I’ve never been there before." His violet eyes sparkled with anticipation.

He reminded Hilde so much of Duo, it almost hurt to look at his innocent face. Hilde wondered if Relena ever thought of the life she’d left behind. Hilde, herself, didn’t think of it too often, but sometimes at night she missed her friends and more than anyone, Duo. Hilde shut the thoughts from her mind and focused on the day’s shopping trip. They had a tight budget to follow and too much that need to be bought.

Relena strapped Deacon into the back of their beat up jeep and jumped into the passenger seat. "Your turn to drive, Hill." She called and grinned as if it was a privilege.

Hilde hated driving on the bumpy road. "Oh thank you." She told her and smiled mockingly. I don’t know what to say." Hilde turned the key and started the hold jeep that she had begun to like more than when they first got it. Sure it was ugly, but had never caused them problems. She turned and backed out of the village and headed for town.

It took about thirty minutes to get there and Relena spent most of the time trying to entertain Deacon. It didn’t take much though. He was just fascinated by the animals that would appear every once in a while and Relena would happily tell him what it was. Hilde joined in as well and most of the ride went pretty smoothly.

Relena loved her knew life, she loved the people and the fact that every day she was doing something for someone else. Never would she win an award for her work or be looked at as an idol. She and Hilde had become closer friends over the years and she couldn’t think of ever being separated from her best friend. Still she thought of home. Especially at night when she was alone, she thought of her brother and her sister in law, her niece. Sometimes though Relena would find herself thinking about him, Heero. She wondered about him and wished that she had talked to him before she left, not to tell him where she was going, but to… Her thoughts trailed off and she sank into her seat and tried to focus on what was at hand, shopping, and not just any kind of shopping. Shopping that involved lots of bargaining and negotiation. The kind that made Relena feel alive every time someone argued. She wasn’t the only one who enjoyed it. So did Hilde. Every once in a while she would argue, and when she got mad Relena didn’t even want to bother with her. She smiled. 'What would I do if I didn’t have these merchants to bug?' She thought, 'or Hilde either.' Soon the jeep pulled into town and Hilde pulled out her list.

"Okay, first stop Helen’s." She looked at the list for a moment. "We’re out of soap, shampoo, deodorant, and great this won’t be easy to get."

"What?" Relena asked as she unstrapped Deacon. Relena could feel the urge to fight already.

"I can’t believe this." Hilde mumbled. "She asked us to find some perfumed body wash. Can you believe this she wants forty bottles of it." Hilde shook her head. "She must have gone off the deep end."

Relena nodded. "I knew she would crack one day." She adjusted Deacon on her hip and looked at Hilde. "Well let’s try to get it without losing funds or dealing off the black market."

"Well she left us eighty extra dollars to do it with." Hilde told her and smiled. "Maybe she knows something we don’t"

Relena shrugged and scanned the streets as usual they were full. People lined the streets some trying to buy, but most trying to sale. You had to be careful whom you dealt with in the market. Most of the street merchants stole their items from stores and jacked up the price. They never bought off the street. Relena held Deacon closer as he pointed at each and every new thing and demanded to know what it was. She always answered him. They pushed their way through the market until they reached a store near the end of the strip. Painted clumsily on the outside was ‘Helen’s soaps and such.’ Relena put Deacon on the floor as they entered, but held his hand. "Don’t talk okay Deacon. Not right now and stick close by me and Miss Hillary, okay."

The little boy nodded. "I will." He told her and held his fingers up. "Scouts honor."

Relena laughed and followed Hilde to the back of the store where Helen was. The workers just waved them back.

"Hello ladies." Helen’s raspy voice invited them in to her office. "I looks like it’s shopping day once again." She smiled.

Relena forced herself to smile back the woman was purely in the business for money, not because she needed to feed her family, but because she wanted to money. She was greedy and the worst type of person to try and deal with.

"Always a pleasure." Hilde said and shook the woman’s wrinkled hand.

"Same here." Relena told her and took the gnarled hand in her own.

"Well, what will it be this week?" She asked and smiled.

Hilde looked at the list and read off the standard order of soap, shampoo, and deodorant." Hilde kept her temper under control as the woman tried to con them out of their money. "Helen, don’t play." Hilde told her, her voice incredibly calm. "We bought the supplies for less than that last week and I know for a fact that prices haven’t risen." It took at little bit of coaxing but Helen eventually caved.

Relena smiled happily. "Thank you Helen." She smiled and got up to leave. If Helen had something new she would tell them before they left in hope they would buy it. Hilde smiled at her as she paid the money and went to get their boxes.

"Wait," She called after them. "I have something new, that your preserve might be interested in." Her voice rose slyly.

"What’s that?" Relena asked trying to keep the urgency out of her voice.

"Well I’ve just come in contact with a very interesting and rare product." She paused hoping to build suspense, but no one seemed to care that much. She frowned and continued. "Body wash." She laughed. "Only your refuge would care for such a frivolous product." She smiled.

Hilde didn’t smile or show any interest. "I don’t think we’re interested Helen." Hilde told her and we turned to leave.

"Wait." Helen called. "I haven’t even told you my price."

Hilde turned back around, but Relena played her part kept herself facing the door. She made sure she could hear what they were saying as she left. "Come on Hilde." Relena said and disappeared out the door. As soon as Relena was far enough out she scooped Deacon into her arms and whispered in his ear. "Listen to Miss Hillary tell that woman, how to do it." She told the child and smiled as she put her fingers to her lips.

"I’ll give you twenty bottles for one hundred dollars." She said. "That is a bargain price."

Hilde sighed. "I have more important things to buy and little money to spare." She looked at Helen harshly. "Unless you have something else, I’m done here."

"How about eighty dollars." She ventured.

‘Testing your waters huh Helen. We know you better than that.’ Relena followed the conversation and grinned when Hilde countered again.

"No not interested Helen." She told her and began to walk out again.

"Fine you wore me down." She said her voice rising with anticipation. "I can give you a good deal." She paused as if lowering her price would kill her. "I’ll give you fifty bottles for seventy-five dollars."

‘Don’t act too excited.’ Relena coached her mentally.

"I don’t know Helen that’s still a lot of money."

‘Good, Helen will think she’s wearing you down.’ Relena grinned they were going to get it. She held her breath and hoped that Helen was in a very good mood.

"My LAST offer." She spat at Hilde. "I’ll give you sixty bottles for seventy dollars."

Hilde didn’t answer immediately. "You know Helen I might be able to use that. I guess you’ve got a deal." Hilde smiled at her and Helena felt as if she’d won a major battle. Hilde handed over the money and went to get their purchases.

Relena made her way to the front of the store and pretended to be looking at some stuff. She knew Hilde would come out in a moment with a grin on her face. She was right and Relena smiled at Deacon. "I told you she could do it." She whispered to him. "And I think that you are good luck." Relena grinned and went to help Hilde with their purchases. They checked each box and took one of Helen’s carts so they could carry it with them. No one else was as exhausting as Helen was and soon the shopping was done and they had some extra money to buy the children each a piece of candy for school on Monday.

"That went perfect." Relena said clapping her hands and loading their purchases in the cart hooked to the back of the jeep and tied everything down. Relena slid into the driver’s seat when the sound of a radio caught her attention.

"Today marks the anniversary of the death of Relena Peacecraft and her friend Hilde Sheickberg as well as the doomed passengers of flight 547 to Hawaii."

Relena stopped dead and looked at Hilde. "Did you hear that." She almost screamed at her. The pale expression on Hilde’s face confirmed it. They sat unmoving to listen.

"A memorial is to be held today at noon. We hope that the Peacecrafts will remain in all of our prayers on this tragic day." The broadcast faded out and Relena turned the keys of the jeep. ‘No wonder no one ever looked for us.’ Her mind screamed. ‘Everyone thinks your dead.’ Relena couldn’t think of a thing to say until they had unloaded all of the groceries and told Tutain about the great deals they had gotten. After giving her the extra money both retired to Relena’s room.

Chapter Four--So, We Meet Again

Hilde spoke first. "I don’t know if this is a blessing or a curse." She closed her eyes and looked at the wall. "I mean at least this way no one will come looking for us, but also they think we’re dead. Did you ever write your brother."

"I did." Relena said. "I don’t know if they just never got it or they assumed that I mailed it after my flight and planned on carrying out the plan when I landed. Remember I never told them where I was going." Relena pointed out.

Hilde swallowed. "Should we contact them."

"No." Relena said quickly. "I think it would be worse for them to find out that we’ve been alive for the past year." She swallowed. "I think they should continue to think we’re dead."

Beside her Hilde nodded. "I know your right, it’s just that…" She trailed off and Relena didn’t feel brave enough to say anything about it.

The sound of a gunshot jarred both Relena and Hilde out of their daze. They looked at each other and raced out of the tent. Each of them owned a gun for safety. Relena pulled hers off her desk and waited while Hilde got hers. There was another shot and they both ran faster. The first thing Relena saw when she exited the tent was Bulzer lying on the ground a pool of blood surrounding his shoulder. ‘No.’ Relena’s mind screamed. ‘We don’t want war here.’

She turned to see Hilde’s attention focused else were. There were men raiding their newly bought supplies. "Dammit." She hissed from between her teeth and glanced at Hilde. "Well I always thought I should see what a good shot I am."

Hilde nodded at her grimly. "I knew that sooner or later our great ‘wealth’ would attract other people." She smiled venomously. "Let’s do it girl, wound don’t kill, okay."

Relena nodded. "I will I will. You go around back and I’ll try to get their attention."

"Why?" Hilde asked.

"Because my friend, I may have the biggest mouth, but you have always been the best shot." Relena smiled at her. "Be careful."

Hilde grinned at her and sneaked to the back of the tent. Relena turned to her present task, distraction. She kneeled behind a few crates a few hundred yards from the men. Sweat poured from her brow and into her eyes as she tried to calm her nerves. If she didn’t act fast it would be too late. Relena leaned over the crates and took aim. She hit the first guy in the shoulder just to let him know that she had aim. The man’s screams punctured the air and she peeked around to see the men looking for the assailant.

‘Good they didn’t see me. That gives me one more lucky shot.’ Relena leaned on the stacked crates again and aimed at on of the guys on top of the storage building. She aimed for his thigh and pulled the trigger. She stayed out just long enough to see the man crumple and fall from the roof. ‘Target two hit.’ She smiled. ‘Okay know to stop their get away.’ Relena leaned to the side and made sure she was aiming at the van and pulled the trigger. Bullets hit the van and the side of the building providing just enough distraction to keep them from moving any more supplies into their van. When her clip ran out she pulled back immediately hoping her cover wasn’t blown and that Hilde was almost in position. Relena pushed another clip into the gun and did the same as she had done before this time another gun joined hers and she knew Hilde had it covered.

"Things are clear Lena." Hilde called. "Come help me get these guys tied up and the supplies back in the storage house." Relena wiped her head and headed for the storage building her gun still pointed in front of her.

"Well Hill I must say I’m a better shot than I thought" She mused as she rounded the corner and came face to face with five very pissed off men. "I’m not going to ask where you came from because I know you won’t answer. I just want all of you who can to stand up." Relena watched grimly as they all complied. "Now help your less fortunate friends inside." She ordered and watched as they followed.

"I took their weapons." Hilde told her "and that van won’t be running, not ever again." She smirked. "Bulzer made sure of that." With her words a stumbling Bulzer appeared from the side of the van. "

"Well now that that’s done." He said smiling and making sure to flex his muscles.

"I thought you were hit." Relena told him in relief. "Just grazed my shoulder. Pretended I was out until you guys provided the perfect distraction." He smiled. "I knew you guys would come in handy one day."

It didn’t take long for the police to take them to jail and Hilde, Relena, Bulzer, and Misty were left to consider what to do next.

"We need more security." Misty said simply. "We need military to help, you know like Bulzer." She smiled at him.

"Where are we going to find people willing to help free of charge." Bulzer asked.

Relena looked at Hilde and they grimaced. "We might know some people." Hilde forced herself to say and Relena nodded her encouragement. "We knew them before, we came here, during the war."

"Are you sure they’ll work without pay?" Misty asked.

"Yeah, we’re more than positive." Relena told them. "We may only have them for a month of so though."

"That’s better than nothing." Bulzer pointed out. "When can you get them?"

"As soon as Tutain approves." Hilde said smiling grimly.

With that said the meeting adjourned until they discussed the situation with Tutian. Relena and Hilde headed for Relena’s tent their feet and heart feeling incredibly heavy. What had they just done? Sealed their fates? They didn’t want to be found, but they had to do what was best for the mission. That was all that mattered.

"Tell me this is the only way." Relena asked Hilde and hung her head as she sunk onto her cot and closed her eyes.

"It’s the only way." Hilde informed her. "We don’t have to tell them who we are at first. We’ll make a request to Milliardo Peacecraft on behalf of a refuge in need of protection. There’s no way he can turn us down." Hilde smiled. "He won’t even know it’s you and me and he probably won’t even send one of them." Hilde said more to encourage herself than Relena.

"For my sake I hope they don’t." Relena said "But for the people I hope they do."

Hilde nodded her agreement. "Same here girl, same here."

Milliardo glanced at the e-mail and tried to ignore the way it reminded him of something Relena would fight to protect. ‘We don’t have the men.’ He lied to himself and took a sip of his drink. ‘You do though.’ The voice of Relena followed this argument and he couldn’t do anything, but promise the refuge that he would send the best. He knew whom that meant, the Gundam pilots. He groaned and picked up his phone to dial the Preventer base were all of them now worked. "Get me Yuy." He growled into the phone. It wasn’t long before Heero picked up the phone his monotone voice coming over the line.

"I’ve got a job for you guys." Milliardo sighed and added. "It’s more like a favor. There’s a refuge in South Africa." He paused for a moment to collect his thoughts before he continued. "They’re constantly plagued by robbers and guys from the black market. Just last week they were attacked and almost lost a month's worth of supplies. They need help. Most of the people down there are volunteers with little or no military experience. They have Five high school teachers, two elementary teachers, someone working funds, one guy in charge of security and someone else who brings in the refugees or finds the orphans homes. They could really use some help."

"We’ll go." Heero assured him and listened to the details involving the mission. When Milliardo had said all he was going to Heero went in search of Duo and Quatre, they would be the ones to go with him. Three Gundam pilots would certainly be enough. They had to catch a plane tonight in order to make it there in the morning. Some how he knew that Duo was in the cafeteria. His instincts were right and he found Duo eyeing the snack machine. The former pilot had come to term, mostly, with Hilde’s death and sometimes dragged Heero out on double dates. Heero didn’t like the social interaction much and guessed Duo didn’t either because they never called the girls back.

"Duo, we’ve got a mission." Heero said flatly. The phrase pulled Duo’s attention away from the machine for a moment.

"Where at ‘Soldier Boy?’ He asked and turned back to the vending machine and pushed the buttons for the snack he wanted.

"South Africa."

"Cool." Duo answered back and pulled his cheetos out of the machine. "Who else is coming?" He asked as a few crumbs fell from his lip.

"Quatre." Heero answered coolly. "We’re defending a refuge."

"Well a mission’s a mission." He spouted. "When do me leave?"

"In two hours." Heero said and smiled inwardly at the pilot’s expression.

"Two hours, that hardly gives me time to pack!" He complained. "What if they don’t have hair dryer’s there. What about my hair."

Heero shrugged and went to pack his own bags. He hadn’t gotten over Relena, but he’d put her behind him and lived each day the best he could. At least, as Duo said, he was living. He was thankful for that much. Yes, believe it or not he was happy to be alive. He believed that one day he would find Relena, when he died and they would be together forever, but for now he would live and do what he could to help.

* * * * * * On the plane and hour later* * *

Duo shoved a Twinkie into his mouth. "Do you think they have Twinkies down there Q-man." Duo asked cream spilling out the side of his mouth, which he quickly licked up with his tongue.

"I really don’t know Duo." Quatre told him smiling. "They probably don’t." The answer was followed by a groan.

"I love Twinkies and I only brought twelve boxes with me." He moaned.

"Where did you put all of those?" Quatre asked.

"Easy." Duo explained. "They told us we could only have two bags. I stuffed everything I need in my biggest bag and filled the other with food." He smiled. "There’s no way I’ll starve." He lowered his voice. "Last time I went on a mission with Heero we ran out of food."

"That’s because you ate four rations for each meal." Heero pointed out and looked over at the pilot.

"Oh well anyway. I’m kinda looking forward to doing this. It’s like being back with the church." Duo said his eyes glazing over a bit. "The father here told me a lot that work like this would heal my soul. I didn’t believe him, but just the thought of going is making me feel good."

"Even if they don’t have Twinkies." Quatre asked grinning.

Duo smiled. "Yeah, I can live on twelve boxes. Everyone has to suffer sometime or another." He shrugged his shoulders. "Hilde used to want to do this." He lapsed into silence for a moment. "Its like I’m fulfilling her wishes because she’d dead." Duo smiled. "I bet Hilde’s watching me right now with a huge grin on her face." Duo didn’t say anything else, but seemed to fall asleep.

Heero continued to look at his computer screen. He didn’t know if Relena ever wanted to do anything like this. He hadn’t talked to her and that made him feel bad for not knowing anything about who she had really been. Heero sighed and shut his eyes; he really needed to get some sleep anyway.

It seemed to Heero that he had just shut his eyes when a loud crackling voice came over the AP system. Heero opened his eyes and blinked for a moment as he registered the voice.

"We will be landing in about three minutes."

Heero rubbed his eyes and looked out the window. He was over a completely different continent. He watched as the plane headed for the landing area. Because, they were in on special mission and their plane was so small they were landing right in the village. He watched as the squares of land turned into dotted houses and the people began to look like people instead of ants. He was here, and for some reason he felt like this was where he belonged.

"I knew this would happen. Shit." Relena cursed as she looked at the list of their military assistants. "Preventers Duo Maxwell, Heero Yuy and Quatre Rabba Winner. Fuck." Relena threw the list at Hilde in disgust.

"Did you really expect anyone else?" She asked closing her eyes and under more control than Relena was.

"No." She mumbled. "I didn’t. I just hope that they get settled before we drop the bomb on them." Relena sat down on her bunk. "You think they’ve got girlfriends." Relena asked tentatively.

Hilde laughed at her. "If Heero Yuy has a girlfriend I will personally lick the mud off our jeep." She said and began laughing hysterically.

"Why is that so funny?" Relena challenged.

"Because." Hilde managed. "If Heero can’t see that you ever liked him, and I mean you followed him like a stalker, no normal girl could ever bag him."

Relena smiled and began laughing too. "Your right." Relena laughed. "I did stalk him." She giggled until her sides hurt. As her giggles subsided she looked at her watch it was time to leave for school. Relena stood and straightened her jeans and navy blue tank top. "How do I look Hill?" She asked. "Do you like my new stylish outfit."

Hilde smiled and looked down at her faded blue jeans and white tank top. "They aren’t even close to this knockout outfit." She mused. Hilde threw her arm over Relena’s shoulder and together they headed out of the tent. "Whatever happens were in this together."

"All the way." Relena told her and together they sprinted toward the schoolhouse.

As they entered the classroom they knew immediately that they weren’t going to get anything done. The children knew that the new guys were coming and the excitement of new comers was just too much for them.

"Alright guys, we’ll have a short day today, and as soon as they arrive you can run out to meet them." The class cheered as Hilde finished her speech. "But first we have work." Hilde pulled out the history book. "Okay first today is chapter 13 everyone flip there." There was a collective groan throughout the schoolhouse but every one complied. They hadn’t read more than four pages when the roar of airplane engines sounded over head. All the children looked up eagerly, their eyes shining with excitement.

"First." Relena said. "Copy down your homework." They all frowned and pulled out their notepads. "Alright I want you to ask all three of these men where there from and learn at least three things about them that you can share in class tomorrow." The class cheered and Hilde let them go as soon as she heard the plane touch down.

"How long do you think we have?" Hilde asked.

"I don’t know." Relena said and looked at the empty desks. "No matter what I’m not leaving here." She told Hilde defiantly.

"Me either." Hilde told her. "No matter what."

Relena turned to her friend. "I just hope they don’t take it too badly."

They both stepped out of the schoolhouse as the children were ambushing the three pilots. Relena covered her mouth and tried not to laugh as one of them jumped into Heero’s arms. Another was pulling on Duo’s braid trying to get his attention. Beside Relena Hilde nudged her.

"I bet Duo is afraid his hair is going to fall out." She mused and headed for the tent. "I’m guessing we have two hours before they get away from those kids." Hilde said "and we have two hours until they find out and peace is broken." She smiled slowly and pulled Relena behind her. They settled into their rooms hoping that they would be able to delay their meeting for one more day.

* * * * * * * * *

Hilde closed her eyes and hoped that she’d be able to face him again that she could be as strong as Relena was. Besides Duo never loved her like she did him and he’d probably wouldn’t give her a second glance. Hilde swallowed. She knew better. Duo cared for his friends in all forms. She groaned and rolled over in her bunk she didn’t feel like dinner and if Relena didn’t come and get her she wasn’t going to go.

* * * * * *

Relena felt tears beginning to form in the corner of her eyes. She wanted to cry so badly, but she refused to let them slip out he was part of her old life and she didn’t need to cry about her past. No matter how much it hurt her to have him in the same place she was in. She frowned and wondered if they would tell Tutian of their true identities. If they did, if they lost their cover they would be more of a threat to the people than a help. ‘The lost Peacecraft Princess found.’ Relena let her eyes close as she cursed her position.

* * * * * * *

"Hey you guys get up." Misty called from the corridor, her hands on her hips. "I can’t believe you’re missing them. You especially Hill. I mean I don’t remember one day going by when you didn’t complain that there were no good looking young guys here." She laughed. "Besides Tutian wants them to meet you guys. She told them all about you both." Misty waited as Relena and Hilde both emerged from their tent. "That’s better she told them. Now get out there and make me proud." She mocked.

"Shut up." Relena told her twisting her face into an uncharacteristic scowl.

"Ditto." Hilde mumbled and followed Relena to their doom.

"Geez you guys are sure grumpy. Did you drink some dirty water or something." Misty mumbled and fell into step behind her two friends.

They rounded the corner enough ahead of Misty to see the guys sitting at the tables in the tent. There were children all around them and some of the families had even come to meet the new military help. Their expressions were odd. Relena thought. Not exactly smiling but not frowning either. Hilde moaned beside her and Relena knew that Misty was coming up behind them. "Pretend you’ve never met them before." Relena said quickly. "Maybe they’ll catch our drift and keep our cover." Relena whispered to her.

"Sounds like a plan." Hilde said and shook her head. "Into the lions den we go." She laughed in spite of herself which made Relena giggle along with her.

"Sounds like two people I know." Bulzer commented from in the room. "I never knew you two to be shy." He laughed. "In fact I thought you’d be the first two out here."

Relena gulped and tried to stay in character as she shouted back. "I know someone whose not going to be getting a warm shower for at least a month." As she spoke she rounded the corner careful to keep her face neutral. Relena smiled at them through her guilt and hoped they would catch on and realize that neither her nor Hilde wanted to be recognized.

"Hello." She said evenly. "I’m Lena and this is my friend Hillary." She stuck her hand out and waited for one of them to shake it. ‘Please shake my hand.’ She pleaded with them silently. Hilde stuck out hers as well. ‘Please play along.’

Chapter Five--Heart to Heart

Heero stood stock-still his eyes glued to the girl who’d introduced herself as ‘Lena’. It was Relena. Her hair may have been shorter and her skin darkened by the sun, but it was her. The woman to her side was Hilde. As she extended her hand toward him he was unable to move. Thankfully, Quatre wasn’t in a stupor like he was.

"Nice to meet you both." Quatre said shaking their hands and winking. "I’m Quatre Rabba Winner."

Heero quickly followed suit as did Duo, but he couldn’t seem to keep his eyes off of Relena. She wouldn’t look at him though. Her eyes remained anywhere, but on the three of them. He glanced to the side and saw Duo’s eyes shining with, what happiness? He still hadn’t mastered emotions, but he was pretty sure that was what he saw.

"Well," Hilde said, "we have school tomorrow so we need to turn in." She grabbed hold of Relena’s arm and pulled her to her feet.

"Yeah, um nice to meet you guys." Relena said her voice forcefully cheerful.

Heero watched as they both disappeared into the night gloom. His emotions were going crazy and he didn’t know what he was feeling. Part of him wanted to run to her and hug her, but another was angry with her for leaving, while yet another just wanted to ignore her completely.

"I don’t know where those two came from." Tutain told the three pilots and drew Heero’s attention once again. "But this place wouldn’t be in as good of shape as it is now if it wasn’t for their dedication."

"They teach school?" Duo asked raising an eyebrow.

"Yeah," Bulzer answered, "and they do most of the shopping here in town." He laughed and nudged Misty. "Just let me warn you don’t get in a fight with Lena. She’d convince a bull that he was a milk cow." He laughed at his own joke and Misty punched them.

"Yeah, they’re a God send." Misty said sarcastically. "You know if like practical jokes. Just three days ago while I was showering my clothes mysteriously disappeared." She grinned lopsidedly. "They deny it but I know it was them."

Duo grinned. "That sounds just like ow!" Duo groaned as Heero’s elbow found it’s way into Duo’s side. "Just like me." He finished and sent Heero a glare. "I was going to say ‘me’." Duo groaned and clutched his side.

Quatre laughed weakly and excused himself. "Well, I think I’d better turn in too." He said and stretched. He motioned for the others to follow.

"All right." Bulzer said, "but tomorrow we start night watch." They all nodded in agreement and went to their rooms.

Duo was the first to speak when the others were out of earshot. "I can’t believe it’s her. She’s alive. She’s been alive all this time." He spoke more to himself than anyone else. "Why didn’t they tell us?" He asked this time expecting someone else to answer.

"I’ve got to talk to her." Heero said his voice low and giving no indication of his emotions.

"Me too." Duo piped up. "I just don’t know what I’m going to tell her." Again talking to himself.

Heero didn’t offer any guidance, but took off back the way he’d come, Duo close behind him. It didn’t take long to reach the rooms each of them stood outside the curtain doors unsure of how to enter.

Heero pulled the curtain back and swallowed. ‘What am I going to say.’ He looked into the room and began to think she wasn’t there. Then he sensed someone moving in the shadows. He narrowed his eyes and waited for whomever it was to make their move.

"Stop right there."

Heero knew the voice; it was Relena’s it wafted from the darkness of the room and to his ears drowning him in her presence.

"I don’t know who you are, but my friends always announce themselves."

He heard her shift and he turned to the corner nearest the back wall. He narrowed his eyes again, but couldn’t make out anything, but he heard the dull click of a gun being cocked. Things certainly had changed. "It’s me." He said hoping his voice was familiar enough to stop her.

"Dammit Heero, you scared me." She voiced from her corner. She quickly struck a match and lit a lamp. She was soon bathed in its false glow. "What are you doing here, in my room I mean."

He looked at the gun between her delicate fingers and back at her face that was covered partially by shadow. "Since when do pacifists carry guns?" He countered.

"Since they are no longer pacifists." She answered dully and put the gun on her dresser. "I don’t’ know why you came to talk to me, but I’m not going back." She told him defiantly. "And neither is Hilde." She pushed her hair behind her ears and moved her lamp to the center hook hanging form her ceiling. Immediately the room became brighter.

"Why did you leave Relena?" He watched her as she pulled on the end of her ponytail. He watched her with fascination. Some how she had become more beautiful then the last time he’d seen her.

"Don’t call me that. That’s not who I am any more." She told him angrily. "It’s Lena."

He nodded. "Why did you leave ‘Lena’?" He said her name mockingly and looked at her with just as much as pissed expression.

"Because I was no longer needed, alright. Just do your job and you’ll be out of here in no time." Her sea blue eyes glared at him bitterly. "I found my purpose."

"Why are you avoiding the question?" He asked.

Relena stared at him. "Because you’ve never made an attempt to make my business yours and I don’t think you have the right now." She turned away from him and looked at the wall. Her shadow cast an eerie glow on the wall that danced with the fire in the lamp. "Will you just go." She mumbled. "I don’t need you here just go."

Heero stiffened he’d been foolish to think Relena would ever like him. Angry more at himself than her he spat at her hurtfully. "You gave a lot a people false hope and made them rest their dreams on a coward." He saw her shoulders stiffen but she didn’t turn to face him again.

"Just get out Heero. Make life easy, do your job and pretend you never met me here."

Heero ignored the urge to tell her he hadn’t meant it, but he knew it was too late. He had already let the words escape. Instead he stormed out into the hall and back to his room. ‘Never should have believed.’

"I do need you." Relena whispered as Heero’s footsteps faded. "I do need you with me." She slowly curled up on her cot and tried to sleep with only her tears to comfort her.

Duo watched Heero disappear into the gloom of Relena’s room and tried to build his courage. He didn’t know if he could face Hilde after he’d believed she was dead for so long. ‘What if she rejects me?’ He wondered silently. ‘What if she doesn’t’. Another voice asked. It was the same voice that drove him to pull each and every crazy stunt he had during the war.

Duo swallowed and entered. The lights were still on and Hilde was lying languidly on her cot an arm flung over her green eyes. Her dark black hair had bleached to a golden brown form the African sun and her skin taken on a golden tan with only a few red places around her cheeks and nose, but it was her. "Hilde…" he started, but she stopped him.

"It’s Hill, or Hillary." She corrected her arm not leaving her face.

"Hill I-I-…" Duo couldn’t stand it. It had hurt so much when he’d thought she was gone. Not even realizing what he was doing he collapsed on her chest his eyes tearing. "I’m so glad you’re alive. I never thought I’d see you again." Duo moaned into her neck as he wrapped his arms around her thin waist and pulled her up. "Why didn’t you tell me you were alive?" He asked her and pushed her far enough out of reach to look at her. Hilde put her hands on his chest and shoved him back.

"We didn’t know anyone thought we were dead." She told him truthfully. "We don’t have a TV down here and we barely listen to the radio." Hilde turned away form his pleading violet eyes. "We only found out two months ago, by accident that ‘we’ were dead."

"Then why did you leave?" He asked desperate for an answer.

"Because I wanted to help people, Duo. I wanted to make up for the mistakes I’d made with OZ." She looked at him for a moment but couldn’t hold his gaze. She couldn’t tell him that she’d left because of him as well. That just seeing him everyday, at work, wasn’t enough, and it had been killing her that he didn’t love her.

"Will you come back?" He asked and Hilde missed the hopeful desperation hidden behind the request.

"No, I belong here. I couldn’t leave Lena or these people. They truly need me."

Duo wanted to tell her that he needed her too, but stopped himself. "I’ll help you as long as I’m here." Duo told her. "Will you at least write me?"

"Of course you baka." Hilde told him playfully. "You were my best friend, after all."

"Not anymore?" He asked giving her a playful pout.

"Nope position has been filled." She told him grinning.

Duo laughed and got to his feet. ‘You don’t need to tell her now. It can wait.’ He told himself and told Hilde bye. As he was leaving he passed by Relena’s room and listened to see if Heero was still in there. All he heard were muffled sobs. ‘Idiot, can’t get past his pride.’ Duo seethed and went to his own room. Heero definitely wouldn’t’ be in the mood to talk.

Chapter Six--Paybacks a Bitch

Relena woke the next morning with her face stiff from crying. ‘Shower.’ She thought automatically and gathered her shampoo, bottle of body wash, her towel and her clothes and headed for the bathroom. She was surprised to find it empty. Usually someone was always there early in the morning. She shrugged and placed her things in the shower area and stepped into the stall. She adjusted the water and let a moan escape her throat as a cascade of warm water loosened her tense muscles. She didn’t take long though, warm water was limited. In ten minutes she was done and reached her arm around the curtain to reach her towel. She grabbed it and pulled it into the shower stall so she could dry off. When that was finished she wrapped it around her body and stepped out to retrieve her clothes. Relena looked to where she’d laid them and moaned.

"No! Misty!" She yelled. "I know it was you. Bring back my clothes or you’ll regret the day you came into this world!" Relena leaned out of the bathroom and saw Misty grinning from across the tent.

"I thought you needed some humor this morning." She mused. "You’ll never guess where I stashed your clothes." She giggled happily. "But I’ll give you a hint. Some very handsome Preventers might know where they are."

"Arge. Misty you will pay for this." Relena yelled, but had to laugh when Misty stuck her tongue out and crossed her eyes at her. Relena promptly gave her the finger and pulled her towel tightly around her body and headed for the guys’ bunks. "You’re going to die Misty." Relena threatened as she avoided rocks and other sharp objects that were sticking up out of the tent floor.

As she neared the first room loud snoring reached her ears and she knew immediately it was Duo’s room. ‘Please be in here.’ She prayed. ‘Duo at least has a sense of humor.’ She pulled back his curtain and scanned the room. ‘Nope not there.’ She had to cover her mouth to keep from laughing though. Duo was sprawled on his cot with one arm and one leg hanging off. He was wearing a pair of Scooby Doo boxers. The next room was Quatre’s to her dismay it wasn’t there either. ‘All right that means, Heero. Okay, no big deal, I’ll just sneak in and sneak out. I’m perfectly capable of walking quietly.’ Relena assured herself and peeked into the room. She moaned. Her clothes were lying in a pile next to his bed.

Relena made sure her towel was secure and tip toed into his room all was good until she hit her shin on something next to his bed. The noise wasn’t much but she was in pain. Relena covered her mouth to keep out the scream that wanted badly to escape. As she was hoping silently on one foot and clutching her shin her towel began to slip. She didn’t realize it until it was all the way off. Relena stopped hopping and grabbed her towel. She blushed ferociously as she glance at Heero to make sure he was still sleeping. ‘How would I ever explain to him what I was doing butt naked in his room’ She giggled at the thought and felt her face grow bright red.

Ignoring the dulling pain in her leg she turned her attention back to her present task, retrieving her clothes, and smiled as she gathered all of them without a sound. As she was rising she glanced at his face and stopped. ‘He looks so innocent when he sleeps.’ She thought as she looked at his wild brown bangs. ‘Never could keep those straight.’ She mused and resisted the urge to brush them out of his eyes. She had to admit that the year had only made him more handsome. She smiled. ‘If only thing were different. If both of us were less stubborn.’ Relena shook her head and proceeded to leave with one last glance his way. She turned to leave, but one word brought her whole world crashing down.

"Relena?" It was a question and it had come form the one and only Heero Yuy.

"Okay, " Relena told him, "this looks really bad." She followed his gaze to her mid-thigh towel and blushed. She didn’t notice him turn his head and do the same. "My former friend, Misty, decided today was the perfect day to get even with me." She explained. "She took my clothes and hid them in here while I was in the shower."

"Why didn’t you get dressed and then find them?" He asked. She didn’t notice him struggling to keep his eyes on her face and not um else where.

Relena blushed. ‘I should have though of that.’ "What and let her know that she’d won. Never." Relena scoffed her embarrassment in full bloom. "I’ll just get my things and leave." She turned quickly and banged her shin again on the same obstruction she had the first time. "Ow!" She screeched between clenched teeth and grabbed her leg. This time it was bleeding and had begun to make a crimson river down her leg. "Stupid piece of junk." She cursed it and didn’t notice Heero had gotten up and was now pulling her, unnoticed to sit on the end of his cot. Relena didn’t notice until he had her pushed down on the end of his bed. He left her side to get something and Relena pulled his comforter up to cover her legs all the way to her knees. "Well, I have to keep some of my dignity." She said aloud and waited for her ‘savior’ to return.

"If you’d been paying attention you wouldn’t have hit your leg." Heero pointed out as he kneeled to look at it.

"Well, if you kept your room neat people wouldn’t be hurting themselves on your JUNK!" She said the last word loudly and with a prominent hiss as he wiped it clean with some sort of disinfectant. "That hurt." She complained. She didn’t see the smile that was creeping its way across his face. She watched him lean forward and gently blow on her leg.

"Does that feel any better?" He asked and locked eyes with her’s unable to move.

Relena found herself drowning in his Prussian blue eyes. "Yeah." She managed at a whisper as they continued to stare at each other. She gulped. "Thanks." She could barely hear her own vice as Heero moved his head closer to her face and hers down toward him.

"Hey, Heero, you ready for, or, or, or…" Duo’s voice broke the moment completely and Relena and Heero both jerked away from each other. "What’s going on?" He asked as he viewed Relena a towel wrapped around her and her clothes in a pile on the floor. Heero was in his boxers and a T-shirt. Duo smiled. "Sorry to interrupt you two…"

Relena jumped to her feet immediately and tried to hide the embarrassment that stained her cheeks. "My friend decided to play a trick on me." She informed him and bent to grab her clothes and disappeared out the door.

Duo watched her until her form disappeared around the corner. "So someone works fast." He commented. "Wink, wink nudge, nudge…"

Heero rolled his eyes. Its not what you think Duo, just go eat your breakfast." Heero fell back on his bed trying to calm his raging heart. "Go bother Quatre."

"And tell him all about your little interlude with Relena…I’d love to." Duo rubbed his hands together.

"Wait! I’m up." Heero called after him. "I know how you exaggerate."

Duo ignored Heero’s calls and turned his attention to Quatre. "Good morning buddy!" He called happily. "Your official wake up call is here."

"I didn’t order one." Quatre protested and threw his pillow at Duo.

"Not nice Q-man. If you’re not careful people will begin to mistake you for Wufie." Duo told him cheerily and moved closer so he could shake him. "NOW GET UP!"

Quatre groaned and pulled his blanket over his head. "Go away and come back when you’re less annoying." He kicked Duo with his foot. "Now leave. I’m tired."

"Fine miss breakfast. Don’t say I didn’t warn you." Duo turned to see Heero walking toward him. "Well buddy it’s just you and me."

Heero grunted and continued to breakfast. Duo smiled and followed his disgruntled friend to the mess hall.

* * * * * * * *

Relena glared at Hilde who was covering her mouth to keep from laughing too hard. She had been laughing since Relena hold told her what happened that morning. She thought that it would have gotten old but as soon as Heero and Duo walked into the mess hall she had started up again.

"Hill will you cut it out!" Relena hissed at her and jabbed her elbow into Hilde’s side. "I tell you the most embarrassing moment of my life and you laugh at me." Relena poked at her food absently. "What a friend you are."

"Please Lena," Hilde began between chuckles and bites of egg. "It’s funny. I can’t believe you don’t see the humor. I mean what are the odds that Misty would put your clothes in He..he…" Hilde started again and had to cover her mouth.

Relena groaned. "Shut up." She poked at her food and tried to ignore the butterflies that jumped in her stomach. She had felt it and she couldn’t deny that. It had been there, just like before. The warm sensation had coursed through her body and a tingling had begun on every portion of her body. The feelings had disturbed her. She and Heero would never work out, they were different people and they were both too stubborn to give in. Groaning again she tried to focus on her food and ignore Hilde all at the same time. She couldn’t let his presence get to her.

"Can we sit here?"

The voice caught Relena off guard making her jump. Beside her Hilde began laughing again and almost spewed her orange juice on the ground. Relena glared at her friend. ‘Sometimes Hilde.’ Relena looked up reluctantly to see Heero and Duo standing in front of her. She tried to give them a casual smile. ‘Don’t blush.’ Her mind begged. Remember what he said to you last night. Feed off the anger.’ "Sure." She mouthed and watched as they both sat in front of her.

Hilde had gotten herself under control, for the moment any way, and smiled at them both. "Hey guys. So were is Quatre?"

"Wouldn’t get up." Duo said and shoved a piece of soggy bacon into his mouth. "Can you believe he’s not a morning person."

Hilde shrugged. "I figured he had a fault some where. I mean he’s happy all the time, its just fate that he’s not a morning person." Just as the words left her mouth Quatre stepped into the mess hall his hair in a scrambled mess and his face long and drawn. Hilde giggled. "He looks worse than you do after you wake up, Duo." Hilde told him giggling.

"Hey!" Duo said and looked up from his plate. "That’s not nice."

"Yeah, but it’s true." Relena mused.

"How would you know?" Duo asked and raised an eyebrow.

"Hill showed me a picture last year. Real cute Gundam boxers Duo." Relena laughed at Duo’s shocked face. "Hey, don’t be mad at me Hill showed me."

Duo turned to Hilde who was trying to control her laughter once again. "Sorry?" She started but lost control completely and fell onto the table giggling.

"Shinigami does not take things like this lightly!" Duo roared and shoved his last biscuit into his mouth and swallowed. "You will pay for your betrayal." With that he jumped onto the table and made a grab for Hilde. She easily dodged and ran out of the mess all with a stream of children following. "Get back here Hill!" Duo called after her.

Relena watched as the children jumped on Duo pulling him to the ground. "Don’t mess with Miss Hillary!" They warned him in deadly unison. Relena smiled and turned back to the table. She sat face to face with Heero. Immediately her mood darkened. She had no idea what to say. Relena looked at her plate absently and hoped by some small miracle she would get out of this.

"How’s your knee?"

Relena looked up a sheepishly. "It’s fine." She mumbled. "Nothing that won’t heal." She told him glancing at his face for only a moment. ‘Don’t get caught in his eyes again.’ She warned herself. ‘Focus, focus.’

"Relena about what happened in my room…" He began after a moment. "I…."

"Hey, it was nothing alright. I swear I’ll never go in you room again. Scout’s Honor!" Relena smiled at him cheesily and sank back into her chair. ‘You are such a dork.’

"No that’s not what I mean…I’m talking about…"

Relena interrupted him again. "Oh my gosh its fifteen till seven I’ve got to get to school. Me and Hill have a class to teach." Relena jumped up bringing her tray with her. "Maybe we’ll talk later." She told him and waved. "See ya."

Just as Relena was leaving Quatre sat down beside Heero. "So things not going so well." He asked. Right as usual.

"Worse than that." Heero told him as he watched Relena’s departing form.

* * * * * * * *

Relena fidgeted in her chair as she waited for their students to arrive. She was nervous and even the slightest mention of the morning made her turn a deep shade of red.

"Calm down Lena." Hilde told her. "You are too worked up over this." She sank into the chair beside Relena and draped her arm around her friend’s shoulder. "Duo and me are fine. You just need to work it out with him and, well it’ll work."

"What makes you think that one year away from me will bring him running. I mean I was with him for over five and that didn’t work. Besides, I don’t want anything to do with him. I just hope things get nice here real fast." Relena moaned and slammed her head down on her desk in frustration. "You won’t believe what an idiot I was after you and Duo ran off."

"What’d you say?" Hilde asked her eyes sparkling with the urge for gossip.

"Well he started to talk about what happened this morning and I got panicked." Relena lifter her head of her desk and looked Hilde in the eyes. "I know, I said I didn’t care and I don’t but it just made me uncomfortable. I told him I’d never go in his room again…."

"That’s not bad. You made it sound like you said something stupid."

"I did I told him scouts honor and held up my fingers like this." Relena imitated her movements from earlier and groaned. "And I did that laugh."

"You mean the one with the snort at the end?" Hilde asked.

Relena nodded. "Twice."

"You’re right that is bad." Hilde told her.

Relena hit her upside the head. "You’re supposed to tell me that wasn’t as bad as I think. You are supposed to make me feel better not worse." Relena moaned and fell back onto the desk. "I think if I kill myself now I won’t have to talk to him anymore."

"You aren’t that lucky girl." Hilde reminded her. Just as Hilde finished her sentence the kids began to arrive.

"Hey everybody take your seats and tell us everything you learned about our visitors." Hilde told them and smiled as little Deacon took his seat on the front row. Relena looked up only to smile at them and laid her head back down.

The children had questioned the three extensively and learned quite a lot. The day’s lesson mostly revolved around the things they had been told and explanations about things they didn’t understand. Relena joined in right at the end with a speech on the politics of were they came from and a brief bio on the man who had sent these men to the mission, Milliardo Peacecraft.

When they day was finally over with Relena found herself feeling better. "You know Hilde these kids always make me feel better." She wrapped her arms around her chest and sighed. "I think I’m all right now."

"Good. Because we’re having dinner with them in three hours." Hilde told her and smiled at the startled expression her friend gave her. "What, Duo asked I excepted for both of us."

"Whatever." Relena said. "Not even that can dampen my mood." Relena spied the long sleeved shirt tied around Hilde’s waist and made a grab for it. "I think your clothes need a bath." She teased and took off for the lake in the middle of town.

"No Lena!" Hilde begged as she called after her. "It’s clean and I’m going to wear it tonight."

"What I can’t hear you. Did you say ‘go ahead and wash it? I think you did." Relena grinned and ran faster when she saw Hilde gaining. She reached the lake seconds before Hilde did. And casually tossed the shirt into the water. "Oops." She said innocently

"You will so pay for that Lena." Hilde told her as she watched her shirt bob up and down on top of the water.

"I was just doing you a favor." Relena mused.

"Oh, I feel I should return the favor." Hilde told her and gave her a hard shove into the water.

Relena screamed as she fell in face first. Hilde was ginning at her in triumph and had already tip toed out to get her shirt trying to keep her jean from getting in the water. ‘Big mistake.’ Relena thought and shoved Hilde into the water and began laughing. "Well, I feel my work here is done. Don’t you?" She could here Hilde laughing behind her as she jumped on Relena and dragged her under.

Heero watched the display with some disgust. What were they doing? Duo on the other hand immediately saw it as an opportunity to have some fun. He went tearing out after them and soon had joined them in the water splashing and playing. Heero didn’t run toward them, but walked a half smile creasing his face.

"What are you guys doing?" He asked when he reached the water’s edge, and gazed at three thoroughly soaked human beings. He had to keep his eyes away from Relena. Her shirt was clinging to her body and showed off every curve. "Dinner is in an hour you’d better get dried off." To his surprise Relena turned toward him .

"Alright, just let me wash my hands first." Heero watched as she bent over and stuck her hands deep into the water. "Hold on I’m coming." He didn’t even notice the smile that threatened to break out on her face with each step toward him. She came until she was just inches from his face. "Heero," She began and all he could do was stare at her face refusing to let his eyes wander anywhere else. "You need to lighten up." With those words she brought her hands to his cheeks and smeared some of the dark mud across them. Giggling madly she turned to run away, but Heero’s arm shot out to catch her departing form.

"You’re not getting away that easy." He told her allowing a small smirk to cross his face. "Allow me to get you back." Quickly and efficiently Heero lifted Relena into his arms and walked into the lake.

Relena struggled to pull herself free, but he was holding her too tight. ‘What was I thinking. I shouldn’t have done that.’ Relena mentally cursed herself and redoubled her efforts. "I’m sorry." She told him and was surprised when he stopped.

"Me too." He said his face straight.

"For what?" Relena asked slightly confused.

"For this." He said simply and smeared mud all in her hair. Afterwards he dropped her into the water.

"Alright Yuy, just because I’m in trying to make peace here it doesn’t mean I don’t know how to fight." Relena smiled innocently and flung a ball of mud at Heero. It splattered all over him and Relena fell back into the water giggling.

Hilde sighed as she watched the two of play in the water. They hadn’t even noticed hers and Duo’s departure. They were flinging mud at each other right now. Their faces were incredibly serious. Hilde laughed and grabbed Duo. "Come on lets eat."

"I’m always hungry." Duo told her cheerfully.

Only minutes later Hilde looked up from her plate to see a steaming Relena. "Stay out there you son-of a…" She trailed off and Hilde could only stare wide eyed at her. What had happened in the last few minutes? She was covered from head to toe with mud and Heero, looking similar, came in only moments later. His face pulled back in anger and his eyebrows furrowed across his forehead. He wore his death glare and unmercifully shot it at everyone in sight. He mumbled as well, but she couldn’t make out his words.

Chapter Seven--Changes

Relena could help but blush as she grabbed her shower stuff and remembered what had sent her into such a rage. The fight had been innocent enough and Relena was actually starting to enjoy herself, but then they had both fallen. He landed on top her and for a moment she was lost in his eyes. Whispering she asked him to get off, but instead he drove his face into hers. He kissed her hungrily and for a while all Relena could do was lie there and let him. Then anger and fear had set in. She didn’t need this, was he just trying to make her go back. She had pushed him off, breaking the kiss and immediately causing Heero to scowl in confusion.

"Don’t ever do that again!" She yelled at him knowing that yelling was unnecessary but the kiss had excited her and it was the only tone that would come out in her nervousness. He didn’t answer and all she could do was think of something else to say. "I still remember what you said to me last night. Just because of this morning doesn’t mean you’re forgiven." Relena told him all the while watching his head lower and his brow furrow.

"What do you want me to do Relena. You leave; you die for a year, and expect me to act like nothing happened. I missed you Relena. I…"

Relena had cut him off for some reason. He was saying the words she had always wanted to hear but now she wanted nothing more than to shut him up. "You don’t miss people Heero. You live in your world and I live in mine." Relena crossed her arms over her chest. "You don’t feel." Relena turned so she wouldn’t see his face. She knew what she had said was a lie, but she wanted to stop his train of thought. With that she stormed off trying to feed off the fact that he’d tried to take advantage of her, but only hearing the way she’d hurt him over and over.

Relena grabbed her towel and ran past the mess hall to the shower. She could feel tears building in her eyes as she stumbled blindly to the bathroom. She wasn’t even paying attention when she reached the bathroom and collided with something hard. She let out a yelp and fell to the ground her stuff flying from her hands. "Damn it." She cursed again and pulled her knees to her chest in frustration. She didn’t even realize it was someone she had run into until she felt a comforting hand on her head. Slowly she looked up. It was him, Heero. He was looking at her his face creased in concern. Relena ignored his hand and wiped her dripping eyes. "Sorry." She mumbled through her teeth. "I didn’t mean what I said." Relena picked up her towel to her right and reached for her shampoo, which Heero handed to her and helped her to her feet.

"Are you all right?" He asked his voice dropping a little and he swallowed. "I didn’t see you."

Relena wiped her reddened eyes again and grabbed hold of his arm and pulled him into the shower house. He was still covered in drying mud and probably had been about to get in when she ran into him. Relena would have laughed if the situation hadn’t been so serious. His hair was plastered to the side of his head and parts of it stuck in the air, intertwined with gravel. He looked at her expectantly. Relena swallowed her pride and faced him squarely.

"I didn’t mean what I said Heero. I was, I am just confused, to say the least, and I shouldn’t have taken it out on you." Relena swallowed and turned away from his gaze.

"I feel the same way."

Relena swallowed hard. "You want to start over?" Relena searched his face for an indication of his feelings but there wasn’t any.

"Okay." He told her softly. "You can go first." He gestured toward the shower and smiled a little awkwardly.

"Thank you Heero. This is a good thing because you can keep certain friends of mine from stealing my clothes." She laughed trying to lighten the serious mood.

Heero watched her disappear into the gloom of the shower and disappear behind the curtain. He watched as she turned on the water and a thick fog of steam enveloped him. He could hear her humming to herself and all he could think about was what it would be like to take a shower with her.

******2 months later******

Relena went to her room to find Hilde sitting at her desk. "What are you doing in here Hill." Relena asked her and pulled the towel out of her hair and began rubbing it dry.

"I think I’m going to ask him to stay here, with me." Hilde told her bluntly. "I want to be with him Relena and if he’ll stay and if he’ll have me I want him here." She paused for a moment and Relena felt it was her turn to interject.

"Hill it’s only be two months…" She trailed off when Hilde turned around her face deadly serious.

"I think if he asks me to go with him first…I’ll leave Lena. I love this place and I love the work I do here, but I don’t think I can be without him, not after having him so close. They only have another month unless things get bad and I don’t want him to go. I have to ask him first."

"What if he says no?" Relena asked her face stricken. "We promised we’d never leave." She reminded her. "You told me you would never leave."

"I know." Hilde choked. "I just, I never thought I would love him so much. Wouldn’t you go if Heero loved you like you always wanted him to?"

"No." Relena said without hesitation. "Nothing is more important than what I do here. This place needs you Hill."

"And I need him." Hilde stopped. "I have to do it." Her eyes were filling with tears as she looked at Relena. "I’m sorry if I have to go." Hilde got to her feet and began walking out.

Relena just watched her. What was she supposed to say. ‘Have a good life?’ She just let her leave. What was she going to do without her best friend the only person she had shared a secret with the only one who knew her secret, and every once and a while would whisper her real name when she was down. But Relena knew she would leave no matter what she said to her. She would go back to the Cinq Kingdom with Duo and she would be alone. No, not alone but the old Relena would die and her identity would be lost. For some reason the thought scared her. She didn’t want to loose that part of herself. Heero’s words from the first night came back to her. ‘It is important Relena it who you are.’ Had he been right? Relena grabbed some of her dirty clothes and gathered them in her arms. It was Sunday and most everybody was washing their clothes.

In a daze Relena headed for the lake and took a seat beside on of the villagers whom was teaching her son how to wash his clothes. He had a bar of white soap clutched in his small hand and was trying to imitate his mother’s movements. Relena knew his name, it was Jacob and the woman was Marie. How could she think of leaving all these people and not knowing their names any more she couldn’t.

Relena kneeled in front of the lake and gave some of the villagers a weak smile and turned to her laundry. ‘Who will help me fight for supplies, who?’ Relena couldn’t help the tears that welled in the corners of her eyes. She remembered the promise they had both made. ‘No matter what we’re no leaving.’ She could still hear Hilde’s voice. It was like a betrayal; somehow she felt the world closing around her for a moment she couldn’t breath. Relena jumped to her feet forgetting about her clothes and ran from the lake ran from the problems that had arisen and the betrayal her best friend had bestowed upon her. There was something deeper rooted in her fears about Hilde something she hadn’t even come to realize. She didn’t even notice little Deacon running after until his small panicked voice reached her ears.

"Wait, Ms. Lena, wait." He was panting heavily and she could hear the heavy pounding of his bare feet on the ground. "Wait!" He called again and Relena wiped her eyes trying to hide her tears.

"What is it Deacon?" She asked not turning around yet. "What’s wrong?"

"You’re upset Ms. Lena. I saw you crying. What’s wrong?" The question was so innocent and sincere.

"Nothing," She told him and sniffed a little. "If you’ll give me a hug I thing I’ll be alright, and maybe a walk with you will make me feel better." Relena turned around and gathered the small boy into her arms.

"It’s alright Ms. Lena." He soothed her and patted her back.

Relena gave and boy a quick squeeze and smiled. "Thank you Deacon. You made me feel much better." Relena set him down again and forced a weak, but happy smile. "So how about that walk." She winked at him and Deacon scrambled ahead his fingers wrapped around hers.

"Lets go!" He called and dragged her toward the woods.

* * * * * ** * * **

Hilde looked at the flap of Duo’s tent and tried to force herself to go in. She wanted to tell him so badly. She wanted to stay here though, and that was the only thing that stopped her from entering. ‘What if he does ask me to go with him, will I do like I said I would? Will I leave all of this.’ Hilde swallowed and thought of Relena. She had promised they had promised together that they would stay no matter what, and here she was breaking the promise they had made. She was dumping her best friend for Duo. She wondered silently if it was right. Hilde twisted her fingers with her other hand and sighed.

"Whoever said this stuff was easy…" She mumbled half to herself and half to Duo, who was just behind the curtain. Hilde looked at it a bit longer and ignoring her fears pulled back the flap. "Duo?" She asked and peered into the darkened room only to see that it was empty. She had known he wasn’t in there. Hilde cursed mentally. ‘You knew he was on duty.’ Hilde pushed her way out of his tent and went to find Relena. "This was stupid." She mumbled. "I have to tell Duo how I feel, but I can’t leave. I own too much to Relena and I promised." Hilde went to the lake to find Relena.

Hilde exited the large tent and made her way to the water’s edge where the entire village had gathered to help wash clothes. Hilde sighed and crossed her arms over her chest. ‘This is what I’d miss most.’ Hilde scanned the array of people, but couldn’t see anyone even remotely resembling Relena. She caught sight of Bulzer talking to Duo and headed off after them, maybe they had seen Relena.

"Hey guys." Hilde called and pushed her bangs out of her eyes. ‘Geez it’s hot.’ "Have either any of you seen Relena?" She asked and pushed her hair up off her neck with her free hand.

Duo looked at Hilde and smiled. He was beginning feel differently about her lately. He had loved Hilde when he’d first come here, but now it was more than love. He was almost incomplete without her. Duo grinned and shook his head. "Sorry babe, we’re too busy defending you defenseless woman to worry about ya." He grinned at his stupid statement and dodged the blow Hilde was sending him. "Weak girly hits, Wufie would be proud." Duo taunted and grinned dangerously.

"Cut it out Duo." Hilde cut him off curtly. "I don’t have time to mess around right now." She informed him a small smile threatening to return to her face. "Besides I really need to talk to Lena." Hilde looked over her shoulder and into the distance. "If either one of you see her, tell her I’m looking for her." Hilde winked at Duo as a slight afterthought and added. "I’ll see you at dinner tonight Duo, I think we need to talk." She smiled and went to intensify her search for Relena.

Duo watched her leave with a building anticipation. He couldn’t wait for dinner and the "talk". They had been doing a lot of that lately.

"How did you manage to snatch her up so quickly, Maxwell?" Bulzer asked truly mystified. "I saw a lot of guys leave in disappointment, but you seemed to have her from the first day." Bulzer shook his head. "What’s your secret."

"No secret." Duo told him. "It’s just my charming sense of humor and wonderful personality." That sent Bulzer into a fit of laughter the Duo hadn’t expected. "Hey," He said slightly offended. "I was serious." Duo watched as Bulzer doubled over and almost fell the ground consumed with laughter. "Well glad I made you day better." He mumbled under his breath and tried to ignore the others howls.

Hilde grinned as he heard the tail end of Duo’s conversation. She was going to have to tease him about that later. She neared the storage house were Heero was presently guarding along with Quatre. Both of them were facing the outside their faces stoic. ‘Man they’re serious.’ she thought and decided voice her arrival instead of her original plan to sneak. "What’s up?" She asked and waved as Quatre turned toward her and waved back. He had a gun tucked neatly in the waistband of his pants and his blond hair had bleached to an almost white in the merciless sun. Heero turned slightly and nodded toward her. His skin had darkened over the past few weeks giving him a deeply tanned color and the sun had brought out the natural highlights of his hair.

"What do you want Hill?" Quatre asked good naturally and smiled. "The sun is unforgiving, but it reminds me of home." He told her honestly and waited for her to respond.

"I was looking for Lena." She paused and glanced at Heero. Even though Relena wouldn’t admit there was something going on between them. It was unspoken and was threatening to burst. Hilde could feel the tension between the two every time they were together. It made her uncomfortable being around them at the same time.

"I haven’t seen her." Quatre told Hilde and frowned. "I though she would be out washing the clothes now." He turned and looked at Heero. "Have you seen Lena." Heero merely grunted in response and Quatre waved his hand. "I honestly don’t know whose worse. Heero never says a word while on duty and Duo can’t seem to shut up. I can’t wait to get back to Dorothy."

Hilde lifted her eyebrows in mild surprise. "I didn’t know you had taken a liking to the psycho bit…" Hilde stopped and trailed off and smiled in a lame attempt to recover. "I mean the fantastic beautiful Dorothy."

"She knew that you called her that." Quatre told her bluntly. "And yes I like her."

Hilde looked at him and nodded. "Winner if you like her I know there is something that I missed. I think Relena saw whatever it is that you see in her." Hilde smiled and let her face drop for a second. "If either one of you see her tell her I’m looking for her." She gave them one final wave, which Quatre returned, but Heero refused to.

******************

Relena was feeling better. She wasn’t mad or upset anymore or at least it was only a dull roar now. Relena squeezed Deacon’s hand and smiled at him. He smiled back and pulled away from her for a moment and ran ahead. "Don’t go to far Deacon we have to head back soon." She paused and watched him run. He was so carefree. He didn’t yet realize the pressures life could place on someone. He didn’t realize yet what troubles he would face. He was simply free. "Lets go back Deacon!" She called into the darkening jungle. She heard his footsteps racing to meet her. "Lets go." Deacon grabbed her hand again.

"Thanks for taking me on a walk, Ms. Lena. Do you feel better?" He asked his green eyes sparkling with worry.

"Yes Deacon I do." She told him and laughed. "I’ll race you back." She immediately let go of his hand and charged ahead on the path. She let him pull ahead and soon stopped in mock exhaustion and beckoned him to stop. "Wait, you’re too fast. I loose." Relena sank to her knees and twisted her face into one of agony.

"Come on Ms. Lena, we’ll be late for dinner." Deacon reached for her and pulled her to a sitting position.

Relena smiled. "All right…." Her words were cut short as a familiar sound reached her ears. ‘Gunshot.’ Immediately Relena grabbed Deacon and wrapped herself around him to shield his body from the bullets that were too close for comfort. Relena lifted her head ignoring the muffled cries of Deacon and heard another shot and saw the bullet imbed it self in the trunk of a nearby tear. Relena cursed and wished she’d brought her gun. Worriedly she looked down at a shaking Deacon. "It’s okay Deacon, but you’ve got to be quiet okay. I’ll get us out of this." Relena smiled down at him when he nodded. "Now hold onto me and don’t let’s go."

Relena heard one more bullet whiz by followed by the trampling of jungle brush as someone ran to get them before she sprung to her feet and raced into the Jungle.

Chapter Eight--Capture

Relena heard one more bullet whiz by followed by the trampling of jungle brush as someone ran to get them before she sprung to her feet and raced into the Jungle. She was off the path and only shear luck would lead her back home without getting lost. Another bullet flew by her shoulder and imbedded in a tree just ten feet to her right. She hugged Deacon tighter and ran faster. Branches and leaves tore at her skin leaving gashes and deep cuts along her arms and legs. She ignored them though knowing that if she were caught Deacon would be hurt. Just when her lungs were beginning to fail her and her legs to weaken she felt something hit her calf and she went down in a tumbling jumble of legs and arms. As she rolled something struck her shoulder and Relena muffled the scream that was about to erupt from her mouth. Slowly she gathered Deacon and pulled him into the foliage nearby.

In a panic Relena looked at her leg. She’d been shot in the calf the bullet was lodged in her bone and she couldn’t move it any longer. Her shoulder had been hit as well rendering her right arm useless. Deacon was unhurt expect for some minor cuts and bruises. She couldn’t protect him any more. Relena turned to him and gathered his weeping form into her arms.

"Yo-ou-rrr bleeding." He choked as she hugged him.

Relena forced a smile and kissed his forehead in an attempt to silence him. "I’m all right Deacon, but I can’t run any more and I need your help. Can you help me?" She watched as Deacon nodded and then jerked as he hiccuped.

"Some people are after me Deacon and I need you to go back home with out me." She paused when she saw his stricken face. "I need you to tell them what happened Deacon. I need…" Relena stopped and gritted her teeth as a stinging pain rose from her shoulder. "I need you to tell Heero, Duo, and Quatre that they have me." Her face as ashen as she swallowed her tears and tried to sound confident. "I know you can find your way out of here." She paused. "It won’t be long before they find me so you have to go. Go off a little ways until you can no longer see where I’m hidden, but you can hear voices. Wait until those voices leave and follow the trampled foliage back to the path and run home." Relena paused and looked at him seriously. "Don’t come back out for any reason. If you hear me scream, don’t worry I’m fine." Relena released him and pushed him toward the deeper parts of the Jungle. "Now go and don’t forget. I’m depending on you Deacon." Relena watched Deacon until he disappeared and sighed in relief. He was going to be safe.

Slowly she turned back to her own wounds. She knew she was in bad shape. Her entire calf was going numb with pain that laced through her every few seconds and her shoulder was bleeding heavily. She could fell it gushing out and down her back every few moments. She was light headed, and knew by the trampling and cussing she heard that it wouldn’t be long until they found her. Hoping to hurry them along Relena let out a loud moan and then another. They weren’t all fake though and it wasn’t long before someone reached into the foliage and hauled her out. The quick motion sent her mind reeling and her vision blurred.

"Bring her back with us. We can bargain with her." The voice was rough and held a deep ascent that she couldn’t place.

One of the men she was thrown to grabbed her shoulder and immediately her cry of pain split the air and she surrendered to the darkness.

* * ** ** * * * ** * *

Deacon curled into a ball and closed his eyes against the tears that stained his cheeks. ‘Stay until you hear nothing, nothing. Don’t come out if you here me scream.’ Deacon recited the orders over and over again and tried to calm his raging heart and push his fear away. Something had happened to Ms. Lena and somehow he had to bring help. He could still hear the cussing trampling of foliage as his teacher’s captures left. He waited until he heard nothing and the thick darkness of night had begun to fall before he rose from his hiding place. His muscles ached and his face was stiff with dried tears but he ignored it all and ran through the woods hoping that he would be able to find the path before it got dark. The grass pulled and scratched him on the way, but the pain only made him go faster. Finally he burst from the woods and onto the path. Quickly he turned down the path and raced for home. He didn’t stop the whole way.

Duo was the first to see the small form emerging from the woods and told both Heero and Quatre to follow him. They ran toward the small figure. As soon as they were close enough they heard his little voice.

"They…they…Ms. Lena…hurt." He struggled to get it out, but tears disrupted the boy’s words and he was completely exhausted.

Duo reached him first and let the child fall into his arms. His eyes shutting immediately. They took him into the tent to see Misty. Hopefully she could revive him.

Even in unconsciousness Deacon spoke of what happened. He told them Relena had been bleeding, that something had shot her. He told of people pulling her out of her hiding place he told about the scream. He recited her orders to him, to stay where he was until she was gone, and mostly he said he had to find Heero, Duo, and Quatre.

The three G-boys Bulzer, Misty, Tutian, and a few of the other personal and teachers were gathered in a room trying to decide what to do.

"I believe you guys should call for some sort of back up." One of the teachers suggested and eyed the three guys warily.

"We are the backup and the foreword and all we need." Duo told him seriously. "We are trained for stuff like this, the only thing we have to worry about is Lena." He paused and looked at Heero. They had agreed that it was necessary that they know who she was. If the people who took her found out then the Cinq Kingdom would become involved and maybe start a small war right in the middle of the refuge. Duo didn’t know how to say it though. "There is a lot you don’t know about Ms. Dortan." Duo began. "And I think that despite her wishes you should find out the truth about her and Ms. Jeffs." Duo looked at Hilde who was slumped in the corner trying to avoid everyone’s eyes. "First of all those are not their real names. Ms. Dortan is none other than the deceased Relena Peacecraft/Dorlain." He paused only for a moment then pushed on ahead. "Ms. Jeffs is Hilde Schienberg." Duo stopped. "Now that you see who they are you understand how the former Queen of the world would be dangerous in the wrong hands." Duo stopped and was met with an uproar of voices. Most were shocked some where angry.

One man in the back jumped up and pointed accusingly at Hilde. "You shouldn’t have come here!" He shouted. "Because of you this whole place might have to be destroyed and all these people could die!" He was met by some agreeing voices and Hilde jumped to her feet her face red with anger.

"We came here to help, we didn’t come here to put anyone’s life in danger…we…" Hilde trailed off in defeat she couldn’t think of anything else to say in her defense.

Tutian spoke and stood up. "Stop torching Ms. Jeffs." She told them bluntly. "I knew who each of them where before I let them into the refuge." She stopped and smiled at Hilde. "Do you really think that both of your fame didn’t reach my old ears and eyes. I knew it from the moment I saw you two and I let you stay so none of this is either of your faults. Its mine." No one argued with her, but fell into silence. "Now let’s start planning so we can get them back here, were they belong."

* ** ** * ** * ** * * *

Relena was beginning to come around her head hurt and she was so weak. Her wounds had been bandaged, but the bullets were still lodged in the wounds. They weren’t bleeding anymore, or for the moment, and that was what counted. Relena blinked dizzily and tried to pull her self to a sitting position. She was so weak the effort was almost too much.

"Stay down you lowly bitch. We don’t need you yet."

Relena heard the words and turned to see whom they had come from just as the butt of his gun came down and hit her in the temple. Relena’s world immediately swam into darkness again.

* * * * * * * **

Heero was fighting a losing battle. He didn’t want to loose Relena, he had lost her one time and almost not come back from it and he knew a second time would send him over the edge. He couldn’t let it happen. Angrily he pulled the strap on his holster tighter and slipped his gun into the slot. She wasn’t going to die on him. She wasn’t. Heero turned to see Duo and Hilde talking quietly to each other. He could see the tears in Hilde’s eyes and the dark contemplation in Duo’s. She was asking him something important. He didn’t know what it was, but the interaction made him jealous. Heero continued to watch as Duo scratched his head and nodded. Immediately Hilde jumped into his arms and gave him a kiss. They remained like that for a while and Heero returned to his work.

After a while Duo came and sat beside him. "Do you think its bad that a girl asks you to marry them?" He asked and grinned a little lopsidedly. "Because Hilde asked me and I told her yes." He laughed a little, maybe in shock and became serious. "I don’t have to wear the wedding dress now, do I?"

Heero shook his head. "I doubt that Duo." He loaded another gun and set it on the ground by his foot. "What are you going to do?"

Duo stared at him as if the answer surprised him even more than it would Heero. "I’m going to stay here, with her, with these people. I’m giving up cable TV and Twinkies for Hilde."

"Then it must be love." Quatre said and walked over to stand behind him. He was dressed all in black and his blond locks brushed back out of his eyes. "I heard and I must say I’m impressed. The craziest and most immature is the first to get married, and everyone said it would be me." Quatre laughed and placed a comforting hand on Heero’s shoulder. "Don’t worry we’ll get her back."

Heero ignored the hand mostly, but he couldn’t seem to shrug it off. Quatre knew what he was thinking, he always did. "What time is it?" He asked instead.

"Thirty minuets to midnight. Almost time to leave." Duo told him.

All three of them had done extensive surveillance that day and found the spot they believed Relena was held at. It wouldn’t be too difficult in infiltrate. Time passed quickly and soon the Gundam pilots were moving swiftly through the jungle. They moved with silence and were almost one with the jungle, seeming to know what would make noise and what wouldn’t. The camp soon came into view and the three split off into separate positions in order to chase them out.

Heero sent Duo and Quatre away from his position and silently gave them directions using his hands. The others immediately left him and he crouched low waiting for the time when the others would be in position. They had one minute. He counted it off mentally and waited. ‘One one thousand, two one thousand, three one thousand….’ As he counted there was movement from the building. Heero continued counting and watched as a bright light filtered over the camp from the opened door. One of the men stumbled out pulling something with them. Whoever it was they were barely conscious. The figure stumbled when the capture released them and fell to its knees.

"Get up you bitch." The words were quietly whispered but he could hear. When the figure wouldn’t move the guard swatted her in the back with his gun. "Get up or feel some more of this." The yelp that sounded from the figure chilled Heero to his soul.

It was his Princess, his angel, sitting helpless in front of the guard. He had no idea how injured she was. ‘Twenty one thousand, twenty one one thousand….’ ‘You have to wait he told himself as the attacker picked up her arm and hauled her to her feet.

"If you want anything to drink you’ll pick up your pace." The attacker snarled and shoved her foreword slightly. This time she remained on her feet and began to walk toward there water supply not far away.

Heero watched her critically. She was dragging her leg a little and clutching one of her arms as if it were broken. In the dark he couldn’t really make out any other injuries, but he knew that the shoulder and leg was were she’d been shot. ‘Thirty four one thousand…’ He watched Relena bend down and cup the water from a near by bucket in her hands and bring it to her lips. She drank thirstily and then moved to splash some water on her face. ‘Forty three one thousand…’

"That’s enough." The guard reached for her arm, which she yanked out of his reach and she spoke for the first time.

"Keep you hands off me." She snarled at him and spit near his feet. "I don’t any help from you."

"Wrong thing to say honey." The attacker raised his gun again his eyes narrowing in contempt. Before he could even bring it down he felt something-cold press into the back of his neck. A harsh voice whispered in his ears.

"Make one move and I’ll blow your head from your shoulders."

The man froze he hadn’t even heard anyone coming up behind him. He started to crane his neck to look around but heard the safety click off the gun.

"Think of that as your warning." The voice said and grabbed hold of his shoulder and pushed him to the ground. The gun flew from the assailant’s hands and landed next to Relena who gratefully picked it up. "Now in about twenty seconds your going to be attacked and I have to decide if you’re going to be a threat or not."

The man shook his head quickly. "I won’t I promise. I’ll off into the woods and you won’t see me again." He was sweating under the pressure and his eyes darted around helplessly. Heero was about to let him go. He wouldn’t cause them anymore trouble when he heard the cocking of another gun and glanced only briefly to see Relena with the gun poised on her capture. Heero could do nothing but stare as the beaten girl steadied her aim on the back of his head.

"He knows who I am." She told him hastily as if explaining her actions. "If I let him go he’ll tell and then the refuge will be in danger. There will be another war." Her voice broke with emotion, but the gun never wavered.

"Relena don’t do it. You sound…." Heero’s words trailed off.

"Like you?" She asked almost laughing. "Yes at one time you wanted to kill me because I knew who you were, and now I understand why. You probably should have killed me. I could have caused the death of thousands, or perhaps I did. I won’t let him end so many lives." She moved closer and pressed her gun to the back of his head. "I’m sorry." She whispered.

"Relena don’t." Heero almost yelled at her. "This isn’t the way to solve any of this. We can tie him up, or knock him out, we won’t let him get away." He took a step toward her and she stiffened.

"They’ll still know. I’ll still have to leave, I can’t run any more." Relena shook her head and almost dropped her gun.

"I think it’s time you stopped running from who you are Relena." Heero told her taking another step closer. "You are Relena Peacecraft, but you’re also Lena Dortan. It took me a long time to find myself." He whispered to her. "I tried to heal, I have mostly, but you, you never gave yourself a chance. It was one mission after another your missions of mercy. You cared for everyone else, but yourself. It’s finally caught up with you." He was standing beside her and he reached out the pulled the gun from her limp hands. "You have to face your past, and your mistakes, you have to accept what you are, and what you’ve become."

"I don’t like who I was." She whispered as she continued to stare at the ground. "Because of me thousands died." She watched the man shift under her and get to his feet. His face was pale and ashen and Relena was ashamed that she had caused that pain. "I’m sorry." She told him. Before anymore could be said two Preventers came running out of the jungle. The assault only took a few minutes. They were captured and Relena was released. They all knew who she was, and there was no way to keep them silent. Because of the abrupt kidnapping the Preventers were forced to go back to the Cinq Kingdom and fill out some work. Duo would be coming back in less than two weeks, but Heero, and Relena...

Chapter Nine--Have a Safe Trip

"Ms. Lena, can we go and say goodbye to the Preventers?" Deacon asked raising his little eyebrows in a hopeful expression. "They saved you and me and I want to say goodbye." There was a chorus of agreement and Relena knew that the lesson wouldn’t be able to go on.

Smiling she replied. "Go ahead guys. I think Ms. Hillary is out there right now, just don’t be too long." Relena sighed as they all jumped to their feet and ran out of the schoolhouse, work was forgotten and they were free for a little while.

Relena watched them go with almost a cold dread. She knew her time here was limited. She had caused them too much trouble and the likelihood that it would happen again was great. She didn’t want to leave, but mostly she didn’t want to cause the people anymore harm. She glanced at her bandaged arm and rubbed it ruefully. It still throbbed and she wouldn’t be able to have full use of if for a while. Heero had suggested she go back, just to see a doctor who could heal it almost instantly, but she’d refused. It had been almost a week since it had happened and still the pain and fear were present.

"I thought you would have come to say goodbye." A voice reached her from across the schoolroom and looked up sharply to see Heero silhouetted in the doorway by the afternoon sun. He stepped in and became clear. His wild brown hair was combed and lost tamed, but still his hair refused to behave in some places. He was dressed fully in his Preventers garb and his gun was securely holstered to his hip.

Relena stood quickly and almost fell her leg was still not as it was. She reached for her cane and took a limping step foreword. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Heero make a motion toward her, but she held up her hand to ward off his attempts to help. The process was slow but she soon made it all the way to where he stood and looked up at his face smiling a little.

"You know if you don’t go back with me you’ll have that limp for the rest of your life." He cautioned her slowly and watched as she eased her weight onto one of the tables in the classroom and closed her eyes. "I think it’s the best thing for your health if you go with me." He paused a moment and shoved his hands in his pockets.

Relena looked up and gave him a small contented smile. "I don’t think so." She paused a moment before she continued. "I still have a lot I need to come to terms with and I’ll to leave here soon so I want as much time here as I can possibly have." She rubbed her fingers over the table of the desk she was sitting on and smiled absently. "I going to miss this the most."

"The table?" Heero asked his voice hold an unusual teasing note.

Relena reached out and swatted him playfully. "No, teaching, the kids." She could feel the tears building in the corners of her eyes, but she pushed them back. She would cry later when she was alone. Relena quickly changed the subject. "Duo will be back in less than two weeks. I think he’ll do wonders here." She smiled to herself and almost laughed. "And Hilde, I can’t believe she’s marrying that baka."

"I think Hilde’s the only one who can get along with him." Heero said in mock seriousness. "He needs her." Heero tailed off and swallowed. He wanted to tell her that he needed her that he wanted to stay here with her for the rest of his life. That no matter where she went he wanted to go with her. He didn’t though he pushed it down and said instead. "You’ll be here for their wedding, right." He waited for her to nod then continued. "I guess I’ll see you then." He shifted uneasily under her steady gaze and motioned as if he was going to leave. Something in her eyes stopped him though. "Bye Relena." He whispered hoarsely. "I…" He couldn’t find the words.

"Bye Heero." Relena said her voice heavy with denied emotion. "Have a safe trip." She saw the corners of his mouth lift in a brief smile and then he turned to leave. His tall handsome form disappearing around the corner. Relena couldn’t breathe for a moment. She felt as if her lungs had closed and an ache began in her stomach and soon radiated throughout her entire body. She felt as if she were losing a piece of herself. It hurt, worse than the wounds she still had. She wasn’t able to stop the tears any longer and they streamed unceasingly down her worn cheeks. "I love you." She whispered under breath.

Heero felt the constricting in his chest as he left the room, and Relena. He knew that he would be seeing her in only a few weeks, but something told him that this was it and it would never be the same again. He felt that she was drifting from him permanently. So strong was the feeling that he turned briefly to look back at her door, as if he expected her to come out and tell him to wait, but she never did and he turned painfully again and walked toward his plane. The plane that would take him home. The word home stuck in his mind and he knew that somehow it wasn’t right, that wasn’t home. No more than L1 was his home anymore. Something had moved and he had shifted so violently that he was almost lost. The plane came into view and he scowled as Duo lifted Hilde off the ground in a tight hug and a bunch of children jumped up at his feet. Quatre was laughing and scratching his head. One of the kids jumped into Quatre’s arms and he hugged the child and laughed. They were so at ease, so happy. Heero paused a few feet away and called out to them.

"We’d better get going." He yelled and took his hands out of his pocket to point to the plane. "We’ve got a schedule to keep." The others looked at him, Duo was grinning like an idiot and Quatre was smiling sadly at him. Quatre knew more than most, and sometimes Heero cursed his insitefulness. It sometimes caused him to reveal more than he wanted to. He deliberately ignored the group of well wishers and headed for the plane each step toward it taking more and more will power. In his unconscious grief he didn’t hear Duo coming up behind him until he felt the weight of his friends arm on his shoulder.

"These people don’t want me to leave." Duo said grinning. "But it might be because I handed them my Twinkies." Duo laughed and added. "I know what your thinking the Great God of Death giving up his beloved Twinkies… but yes I did I made the ultimate sacrifice." Duo glanced at Heero and his face immediately fell. "Hey, you look like you just lost your best friend, but since I’m here I know that’s not it." He didn’t even frown at his comment. "What’s wrong Heero…" Duo took his arm of Heero’s shoulder and looked at him expectantly.

"I’m fine Duo, we just need to go." Heero told him coldly and Duo stopped to watch him board the plane.

"Did you tell her Heero. Did you finally tell her." He called almost afraid of the answer. "Heero…" The pilot didn’t answer and Duo turned to look at Quatre who had come to stand beside him. "He didn’t tell her." Duo said to Quatre his voice laced with worry. "What’s wrong with him."

"He’s afraid." Quatre said simply. "He’s just afraid."

Relena leaned on her desk and sobbed her shoulder was killing her in the position she was in, but she didn’t care. She was over come with grief. She had let him go. She couldn’t stand the thought and somehow she knew that this had been her last chance. That next time he came they both would be different and even if they still loved each other they would never be able to say it. They would never even be friends. She knew it more than she knew that the earth was round. This had been her last chance. Relena choked as another wave of tears made their way down her cheeks. She faintly heard the hum of the plane engines and her sobs intensified.

Heero looked out the plane window as the refuge began to streak rapidly across the landscape as the plane picked up speed. He remembered her so clearly. He saw her golden hair her deep sea green eyes. He remembered the way she had felt in his arms, after she’d been kidnapped. She had cried into his chest until she could cry no more. Her warm tears had soaked his shirt, but he hadn’t cared. He just wanted to pull all the pain out of her and set her free. His thoughts flashed to their last meeting. He had wanted to tell her; the words had been on the tip of his tongue, but he hadn’t said them. He had been a coward.

"Heero it’s not too late." A voice whispered at him and Heero turned to see Quatre in the seat beside him. "You can still go back its not too late. You need to tell her, Heero. You’ve both suffered long enough."

Heero shook his head. They were almost to the end of the runway. This was really his last chance.

Relena heard the plane as it left the ground and roared overhead. He was really gone and this time he would never come back. Relena sat up and wiped her eyes. This would be the last time she cried for him. He was truly gone and their game was over. She would be leaving this place soon. She would let everything she had been go. Her friends, her love, the people here, this was it this was the end. Relena got to her feet leaning heavily on her cane for support she stumbled for her desk. She only had a few precious moments before her students returned. Only a few moments to compose herself before…

"I love you."

The voice was deep and choked with emotion Relena had never heard, but she knew the voice. Could she be, was she dreaming? Slowly and painfully she turned her heart twisting with each agonizing moment until she stood staring at him, her love, her life.

"I love you." He repeated. He looked at her almost as if he were afraid she would attack him. Her had his hands in front of him pulling at his finger nervously and his eyes were brimming, with tears. He had left himself open before her. She had the choice to leave him there his heart exposed to die or to leave herself equally open. "I couldn’t leave Relena, not when you didn’t know." He watched her searching for the look that would tell him he’d done the right thing. He watched her face twist into one that bordered on agony, but was somehow happy.

"I thought you’d left me." She stumbled foreword the cane falling from her hands and immediately felt herself fall into Heero’s warm embrace. "I love you." She told him pulling him closer and resting her head on his shoulder. Her finger wrapped in the fabric of his shirt and she squeezed him as if at any moment he would disappear. "I’m sorry I didn’t tell you. I love you Heero, I don’t think I can live without you." Relena sobbed on his shoulder and felt him pull her tighter and she may have been mistaken but she could have sworn the his tears joined her hers. They held each other for a long time. They didn’t want to be apart.

When they finally did pull apart Relena smiled at him warmly. "We’ll never leave each other." She said knowing he felt the same way. She put her hands on his face and felt his come up to cover hers.

"Forever." He promised and pulled her hand down to rest on his shoulder his eyes never leaving hers. His focus was trained on her face that was smiling at him through tears of joy and perhaps some of sadness. Slowly he drew her closer his arms snaking around her waist. Their lips met in a warm kiss. It was slow in starting, but quickly built into one laced with love, desire and finally the feeling of being complete. They had finally found each other and they would never let go. Heero moved his hands to run down her arm and Relena’s fingers reached up to join with his. Their hands intertwined as they kissed each other’s fears away. The struggle was over. They were both complete and would never have to be alone again.

~fin~

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Peanutbutter