Prologue

Heero's eyes glanced over the room as the last of the delegates and other guests finally left. Everything was in order and the speech had gone according to plan. With a satisfied smile to himself, he turned to leave but was stopped when a voice spoke up behind him. 

"Heero, you're not leaving already are you?"

Without turning around to face the person, Heero answered. "My job is done here for the evening."

"Oh, what a shame. I know of a very important, beautiful woman who was hoping to talk to you this evening." Duo Maxwell smirked when Heero turned to face him.

"I thought that she went home already."

"When she found out that you were here I couldn't get her to leave." Duo felt slightly on edge when Heero's eyes narrowed in anger.

"And just how did she happen to find that out?" He hissed, but already knew the answer to that question; he wanted Duo to understand the mistake he had made.

"I may have happened to let it slip out, but that's not the point. Why don't you just go and say Hi, I know that you want to." Duo smiled trying to get Heero to lighten up a little and to take his advice.

The former Zero pilot looked around the room expecting to find Relena not far away, but there was no sign of her. "Where is she?"

"She's out in the gardens, near the fountain."

Heero forcefully took a hold of Duo's jacket causing the other man's eyes to widen slightly.  "How could you leave her out there alone?" His voice was full of venom. He tossed Duo out of the way and quickly headed outside. A slight wave of worry hit him as he ran to where Duo said Relena was waiting. If anything happened to her he would hold Duo personally responsible. He was supposed to be at Relena's side at all times tonight because of the threat that she had received earlier that week.

After rounding a row of bushes Heero came to a stop when he saw Relena sitting on the edge of the fountain. She was quietly watching the clouds in the sky. Taking a deep breath in relief that she was safe, Heero slowly approached her.

Hearing his approach she looked at him and smiled before looking back up at the clouds. As soon as he was standing in front of her she finally spoke up.

"It looks like it could rain at any minute."

Heero watched her with slight fascination. She seemed to be happy that the sky would soon erupt in a downpour, possibly drenching her in the process. "All the more reason you should be inside, preferably at home."

Relena chuckled as she locked eyes with him then motioned for him to sit beside her. Heero sat down, taking notice that she was fumbling with the buttons on her suit, she was nervous. He started to wonder what was going through her mind, why was it that every time he was around she seemed to fidget. Heero glanced back toward the building to see Duo wasn't far away, but keeping a distance so they could talk in private.

"I know," She sighed. "I just wanted to thank you for helping out today. It's not your responsibility to look out for my safety, yet you always do." She stopped messing with her buttons and looked at him once again. She loved to be in Heero's company, and was gland that he decided to sit next to her for a while, even if this was as close as he would ever get to her.

"I made you a promise, and I will continue to keep it."

"Why?" Her eyes were mixed with an array of emotions. "You made that promise during the war. Why do you still uphold it?"

He knew instantly what she was hoping for him to say, but it was something that he couldn't do, not yet. He looked away from her before answering. "I don't know."

They both sat in silence. She seemed to accept his answer but he could tell that her feelings were hurt. Her face was blank, her eyes closed, probably holding back tears that wanted to stain her face.

She knew that she shouldn't have expected the answer she was looking for from him. It angered her as to why she set herself up for heartache every time she was around him. "Well then, I guess I should be heading home." Relena stood up and turned to face him. "Thank you for sparing me a few minutes of your time by talking to me; I know that you're busy."

He could feel his chest tighten slightly, why did he always have to upset her every time he spoke to her? Why couldn't he have a friendly conversation with the woman that he lo... the sound of a gunshot just over his shoulder instantly distracted him from his thoughts. He instinctively pulled out his gun and moved to shield Relena.

Duo rushed by Heero with his gun drawn, heading into the tree line on the other side of the fountain. The exchange of gunfire in the distance caused Heero to growl in anger, he should have gave chase and left Relena in Duo's protection.

"Heero?" Relena's voice was quiet with a trace of fight in it.  Her hand rested lightly on his back.

Heero looked back at her; he knew instantly that something was wrong; there was pain evident in her eyes. He turned around and dropped his gun to catch her as she collapsed. The smell of blood caused him to react; she had been shot and passed out from the pain. Heero quickly lowered her to the ground gently. He unbuttoned her suit jacket to search for the wound. Her shirt was already soaked in blood. Heero quickly ripped Relena's shirt open and cringed at the sight before him, he couldn't tell where she was bleeding from. He looked around for something to wipe the blood with and grabbed her neatly folded handkerchief from her suit pocket, and wiped it across her stomach. That is when he saw where the blood was pooling from.

The sound of footsteps caused Heero to reach for his gun, preparing himself to protect her. His gun wavered when Duo appeared. The looked on the American's face as he stared at the young woman lying on the ground caused Heero to quickly return his attention to her.

"Duo, get an ambulance." The braided man quickly took off toward the building.

Heero rolled Relena on her side to take a look at her back, his fingers traveled over her skin looking for an exit wound. A small whimper came from her lips as he laid her back down, the bullet hadn't passed through. He carefully cleaned the blood off of her stomach again and pressed his hands where the bullet wound was. He had to stop the bleeding; it was already starting to pool around her. His chest started to constrict when a wave of fear overtook him, fear for her life.

"Hold on Relena. It's not your time yet." His voice trembled lightly. He couldn't break down now; she needed him to be strong for her.

He knew that she was bleeding internally; he could only hope that help got to them in time. There was no telling what the bullet might have ruptured on its path. Heero closed his eyes. He could feel the tears that wanted to work their way out. He failed her. He promised to protect her. How could he have let his guard slack off? She would die because of his stupidity; she would die before he even got the chance to let her know.

"I'm sorry Relena, I failed you." He choked out. A soft hand landed gently on his face, he eyes snapped open to see Relena looking at him.

"Heero…"

"No, Relena don't talk. Save your energy."

She coughed and took a deep breath as she gathered up the last of her strength and managed to smile. "I… I have to tell you. I… love you, Heero."

His eyes traveled her face, locking eyes with her he tried to say it, he tried to tell her what he has kept bottled up in him for years. But somehow he couldn't find the words. It was like his mind had gone blank, and he had forgotten how to think or speak.

She closed her eyes and pulled her hand away from his face to lay it back on the ground. The smile that was on her face was still present.

"Relena, please don't give up. There are many people that need you, and I…I need you." There was no response from her. That is when he took notice that she was no longer breathing. He struggled to breathe himself, his throat felt as though it was tightening up as he checked her pulse and found none. He quickly took a hold of her shoulders and he gently shook her. "Relena don't do this. Don't leave me. I need to tell you. Relena!"

He pulled away from her and moved back, staring at her. She can't be gone.

A few minutes later he heard footsteps behind him, he didn't bother to face whoever it was. Duo and an emergency team appeared beside them. As the paramedics crouched beside Relena's body it knocked Heero out of the denial he was in. "You're too late! Get away from her!" Heero snapped at them.

Heero lunged at the man that was closest to him and grabbed his shirt tightly in his hands.. "Didn't you hear what I said? You're too fucking late!"  Heero could see the fear in the Paramedics eyes from the intensity of his voice.

Duo grabbed Heero from behind and pulled him off of the man. "Heero, you have got to let them try."

Heero struggled with his former comrade and pushed Duo away from him. "There's nothing they can do. She was bleeding too much. She's gone, Duo. I failed her! I failed the people that love her! And I failed myself!" Heero lunged at the medical team. He didn't want them to touch her, he knew that there was nothing that they could do.

Duo once again grabbed Heero from behind and pulled him away from the medical team as they tried their best to save her. After a few short minutes, but what seemed like hours, the men started to pull back from working on her. Heero and Duo watched one of the men shake his head in sorrow. Duo let go of Heero and took a step away from him. His eyes watered as he watched his best friend walk toward where Relena laid.

Heero stared at her, taking in her beauty one last time. He so badly wanted to reach down, to take her in his arms, and to breathe the life back into her just to let her know that he in fact did care about her. She was what kept him going each morning, and all he thought about at night. He didn't know why he continued to run from her every time she reached out to him. He was aware that she was what he wanted, and she had wanted him, but now she was gone. He would never get to look into her aqua eyes again, or to embrace her. He would never get to steal another kiss from her, or to know what the warmth of her flesh against his own would have felt like.  If he wouldn't have been a fool and denied his feelings for her then maybe, just maybe, this would have never of happened.

Heero collapsed on his knees beside Relena just as it started to rain. He gently pulled her into his arms and held her tightly against him as he spilled his apologies to her. One of the medical team members was about to protest but Duo placed a hand on his shoulder and shook his head.

"Give them a few minutes."

The paramedic nodded and started to gather up the equipment they used and left to return it to the ambulance.

Duo looked away to give Heero a few moments of privacy. Once the Paramedics returned with a gurney, Duo approached Heero and kneeled beside him. Placing a hand on Heero's shoulder, he gave it a squeeze. "Heero, you gotta let go now. They have to take her."

A few minutes passed before Heero stood and carried her over to the medical team. Both young men watched as Relena's body was wheeled off. Heero felt Duo pat him on the shoulder then walk away, knowing that Heero would want to be alone. Once he knew that everyone was gone, Heero looked up at the sky, just like Relena had done not long ago, and closed his eyes to let the rain soak him. He made a vow to her, and to himself, that he would find the person who did this and make him pay.