ch11 - When Did the World Disappear?
Disclaimer: I do not own Gundam Wing in any shape or form. Although I wish I did, I am simply 'exploiting' them for my own psychotic uses in a completely pointless fic. It dragged on too long, I'M SORRY!
A.N. - Oh for Pete's sake...alright, this is the last and FINAL chapter. I may or may not write a sequel, it all depends on how creative I am, and right now is not the best time. Anyhow, thanks to all who reviewed, I appreciated it very much! Don't flame, it just shows the world how big of an idiot you are...[in my pov anyways]
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Heero had been let out of the hospital. He moved back into the Peacecraft Mansion, and was comfortably living there, minus Duo for two, going on three weeks. Quatre, after feeling bad for yelling at him, was worried about Duo, but he contacted Quatre a couple of times. Apparently he was going to return to the hospital, but he decided best not to return. He just had a feeling that his presence was very much unwelcome at that time. Relena left for work that morning and Heero would join her later when her press conference started.
"Good morning Miss Relena," greeted an anonymous person. She smiled kindly and clutched her portfolio while making a brisk walk to her office. She acknowledged several other senators and ministers and finally reached her office. Looking at the clock, she groaned as she realized her conference would start in another ten minutes. Gathering her work, she placed them in a pile on her desk and smoothed out her suit before heading down to the grand auditorium. She smiled knowing Heero was back.
The conference started and Relena smiled at the flashing cameras and namely an unseen Heero who had been positioned in the middle balcony. He showed a rare smile that he hoped only she would see and wished it would lift the great weight off of her shoulders. Taking a breath, she commenced the conference.
"Good afternoon. I would first like to get started with the briefing of the terrorist threat from Tamehiko Akumi. Thanks to the help the Gundam pilots, Preventer Chief of Staff Lady Une, Preventers Fire and Wind; his operations have been ceased and terminated."
The crowds cheered and Relena smiled gently to the crowds, eyes momentarily shifting towards the balcony to catch Heero's eye. She knew that he wouldn't be visible from where she was standing, but he was always there, constantly watching and worrying. She looked out into the crowd of reporters and senators cheering and her eyes caught with a certain someone. Duo, why was he here? He ran a great risk showing up, especially since Heero was just one level from the ground floor.
'I have to talk to you,' he mouthed to her, earning a turn of her head and shift of her eyes. She didn't seem to want his presence.
"It has been a great honour knowing each pilot and Preventer so closely and they have joined us here today. Please everyone, a round of applause for their triumph!" she said proudly, clapping and smiling.
Spotlights moved to the close circle of seated pilots, Quatre with Trowa, Wufei with Sally, Une, Milliardo and Noin. They all smiled back to the applauding crowds and the clapping ceased as Relena began to speak once more.
"Now, to the next item on the agenda. I, Relena Darlian will no longer be Foreign Minister after this coming Spring. I have stepped down from my duties and will still work for the state, but as a senator. Many thanks to colleauges who have been supporting and aiding me since day one. And many thanks to the citizens of Sanq who still believed that I could make a difference. This conference is adjourned. Thank you all for your support. May our futures be bright and prosperous," she said before waving out into the crowd.
From the corner of her eye she saw a dark figure blur by the left side curtains. She surmised it must have been a harried worker trying to get some important papers to one of the senators. Waving one last time, she smiled as she stepped down from the podium, but the dark figure ran up behind her. He clapped a hand over her mouth and yelled to the audience.
"You, Miss Darlian have aided the Gundam pilots in killing the mastermind Tamehiko Akumi. For that, you pay with your life!" he yelled as he produced a gun.
Heero bolted from his place on the balcony. Seeing no exit from the overly crowded balcony, he pushed his way to the rail and flung himself over, landing easily on the ground level. Bounding to the podium, he too produced a gun, much more skilled with aim than the menacing figure.
Relena's heart beat wildly. Everything was blurred and she no longer felt scared.
'This is my punishment isn't it?' she asked silently.
Closing her eyes, she let her body go lax to show the masked figure that she wasn't about to fight back. Scanning the room slowly, she saw as everything moved slower. She saw Heero run up to the front, gun in hand and eyes wide with concern. He ran forward and shot the mysterious gunner. He didn't do quite such a good job at taking the man out.
The masked person fell, gun still clutched in their hand.
"You will pay Princess. You and all of your friends," the seemingly masculine figure said before pulling the trigger.
Relena's mouth opened to shout, but no sound came forth. It pierced her shoulder, close to her heart. Clutching her shoulder, she fell forwards, into Heero's arms.
His world fell beneath him.
"No!!! Relena! Can you hear me? Relena, it's me, it's Heero. Please say something," he said frantically, lightly slapping her cheek to check for consciousness.
She blinked slowly as if trying to savour the world around her.
"I'm fine. Just call the ambulance. It hurts Heero. What did we do to deserve this? We saved the entire world," she said softly, holding onto his shaking hand.
Head whipping around, he yelled.
"Sally, Wufei, someone, call an ambulance now!!"
Gaze resting on her once more, he stroked her honey blonde hair.
"We did nothing to deserve this. It should have been me, not you who to get shot. I'm sorry I failed you," he said softly, head dropping forward, still clutching to her limp body.
"No, this must be punishment for what I did in the past. It's okay, I'm still here aren't I?" she asked.
"That's not good enough. You shouldn't have been shot in the first place. I, I'm sorry I missed him," he said before sobbing.
She had never seen him openly weep in front of so many. It hurt to see how much pain he was in, thinking that her being shot was his fault. Taking his other hand in hers, she called him to look at her.
Blood was beginning to move out from under her. The carpeted floor soaked it up, spreading the deep red further into the standing people. Most had run out from the conference center, much too afraid. The only ones who remained were the Gundam pilots, Milliardo, Noin and Sally.
Duo's eyes widened. Heart beating wildly, he stared in disbelief. This couldn't be happening, not now, not ever. Running forwards, he tried to say something but the words wouldn't come. Instead, he let out a cry and just fell. He felt helpless, like a small child, but that was all he could do.
Vision blurring steadier as the minutes passed, Relena spoke softly.
"Don't be sorry. We'll be together, someday. Please, just don't think you were the cause of my death," she said.
"No! Don't ever say that! I am the one who let this happen. It should have been me! And you're not going to die, I won't let you," he said louder.
"You don't know that. I'm losing so much blood, my vision is so blurry koi. I love you, never forget that," she said, wincing when he applied more pressure onto her wound to help the stop the blood flow.
Heero sobbed. This couldn't have been happening. He could have prevented it, he should have taken the chance long before and shot down the person as soon as they had run onto stage. Why didn't he react?
Someone pulled Duo up. Hilde.
"Duo, you dumbass, go tell her something before it's too late," she said, eyes filled with tears.
"But what am I going to say? 'I love you, don't die'?"
"No, just tell her what's in your heart. Go, before it's too late," she reiterated.
Moving forwards, he spoke.
"Heero, can I speak with her?" he asked, voice soft.
Head snapping forwards, Heero turned slowly.
"Why? What can you possibly say?" Heero asked, voice harsh.
"Please, I just need to speak to her," Duo pleaded, eyes shining.
"Whatever you need to say to her, say it in front of me,"
"Fine, but you won't like it," Duo said, before moving closer.
She stared upwards. Duo.
"Hey Lena, I uh, you know I'm not good at this," he said sheepishly.
"Just say what you need to say Duo, I'll listen," she said softly, eyes blinking.
"I, uh, really care about you. Please, try and hang on," he said before turning to leave.
"You don't mean that Duo. I know what you were going to say, just do so," Relena said, voice still light.
"You know I can't, I'm sorry," he said before leaving.
What am I doing!?!?! his mind yelled. His eyes shut tightly before running. He couldn't bear to see her die before him. It just didn't seem right.
"Heero, it's so cold," she said, eyes closing. "I love you so much. Please forgive Duo. He's your best friend. I'll be waiting for you," Relena whispered before drifting off to an infinite sleep.
"No! Don't leave me!" Heero yelled. He slumped forwards, clutching her now dead body to his. Crying, he rocked her back and forth, uttering words.
They all had seen it. The destruction of a relationship, the rebuild and then her death. It all came and went. Hilde clapped a hand over her mouth, muffling her sobs. Quatre buried his head in Trowa's open arms and Sally wept into Wufei's shoulder.
Duo ran, and it hit him. Some sharp wind knocked him backwards. He knew it. The God of Death knew she was dead. Falling to his knees, he cried.
"I loved you Relena. I loved you so much that it hurt. I'm sorry I didn't say goodbye. I couldn't say it in front of Heero. He loved you even more than I did. I couldn't do that to him. I'm sorry..." he trailed, banging his fists on the empty sidewalk. Nobody was out on the streets. They were all afraid of being killed. They thought it was the end of the world. It wasn't; not for them.
Hours had passed and the ambulance came, grimly taking Relena's dead body. They were to have her funeral in two days. None of them spoke to each other, they just grieved in silence.
It flashed all over the news. "Foreign Minister Relena Darlian dead". Every time he heard it. Those news reporters knew nothing about her. They didn't care about her death. All they cared about was who got the news out fastest. Competition, they didn't give a damn about Relena.
Time came for her funeral and not a dry eye was to be seen.
"...ashes to ashes, and dust to dust..."
It was over now. Her body was buried and Heero watched as they lowered her coffin into the cold dirt. He was the last one to see her body, the last one to see her burial. But no tears came to his eyes. He couldn't break down in front of anymore people. She would have wanted him to be strong.
He sat as his desk now, laptop open in front of him, the screen glowing in the darkness of the room. He was typing, fast and accurately.
'To all who read this,
I don't see a reason for me to live. I can't live without her, she was the other half of my heart. What good is a person with half a heart? Nothing- so I will go, to join her. I can't be strong without her spirit. I'm not giving in, I have no choice. This will linger in the air for a long time, that I know. So since I can't bear to live like this, and since there is no need for me on Earth or in Space, I will go.
Suicide is not the loser's way out. It hurts so much, nobody could fathom how broken I am on the inside. Although you may not see it, you can tell. This must be killing you Quatre. I know you can feel my pain. It cuts through you like a knife, doesn't it? I pray that everyone is stronger from this. We've lost someone very important to us. She wasn't an asset to us like those senators and diplomats. We knew who Relena really was.
Duo, I'm not angry. I have forgiven you, just don't take the path I chose. Live, that's all I can say for you. Hilde, I know you've forgiven him too. Don't ever give up on him. You're the only one who knows him inside and out.
I'll be watching over all of you. Take care,
Heero'
Saving the file, he closed the program, knowing full well that he first place any of them would look for evidence would be on his computer. Closing his eyes, he opened the top drawer of the desk, drawing out a gleaming pistol. Lifting it to his head, he let one tear fall.
"I'm coming," he said as he pulled the trigger, bullet muffled by the silencer.
The End
A.N. - Okay...what didya think?!?! I know... so long. God, it took forever to complete. Thank goodness the madness is over. Yes, my story was like... the most contradictory fic you've ever read, and I know that cuz I'm the one that made all the stupid errors and what not. I tried to produce the best fic I could...I FAILED. Anyways, thanks again to all those who have religiously reviewed my fic since the first chapter. I love you all! Ah... weirdness. Anyways, let me know what you thought of the last installment. Yes, Relena's death dragged on, my fic... more fun that way! And yes, Heero's little suicide note seemed kinda... OOC for him. Hey...if he wrote a letter to Lena bout leaving her, isn't there a slight possibility for him to write a suicide one? Arigato.