Disclaimer: I do not own Gundam Wing.
Deceptions Epilogue: The Beginning
By Symee-Sama
Heero gave a rare smile as he walked out of the prison that
had been his home for ten years. Only ten years, but the world had changed. He
was twenty-eight now, and there was no longer any need for him as a soldier. He
needed to do this. To leave the life of violence and
bloodshed behind him. Duo had been the one to suggest it, and Relena had agreed with it wholeheartedly.
Those two… He resisted the
urge to smile. Without them he wouldn’t have made it through the ten years. He
would have gone insane before half his sentence was finished, but they had
helped him. They had visited him every single week, and told him about what was
happening in the outside world. Relena had told him
about the current stability in the world, and Duo had spent most of his visits
bragging and telling stories about his two daughters.
Heero would’ve liked to be as blessed as Duo was one day., but he couldn’t do that here. He couldn’t do it in a
place where people looked at him as if he were going to go on a rampage at any
second. He needed to find a new home, a new life, where he wouldn’t be judged
for the deeds of his past.
They had done that for him.
Duo and Relena had found a small house in
Relena…
He thought with regret. He wouldn’t see her after this. That was part of the
agreement. They would separate and move on with their lives. She would find
someone better that him that she could spend her life with, and he… he would
never forget her.
He had said goodbye to Duo
last night, not even attempting the bone-crushing embrace that the braided man
pulled him into. “Take good care of Hilde and the
kids.” He had said to his best friend. “Good luck in life.”
“You too, buddy.” Duo had
returned. “We’re gonna miss you.” Heero
had watched him go without saying anything else, but later, what Duo had said
returned to him. We’re gonna miss you. And he realised
that he was going to miss them too. All of them.
Relena. His chest tightened at the thought. What would it be
like to live without her? To be able to see her when she made speeches to the
people, but to never hear her laugh again? He would miss her more than
anything, and that nearly overshadowed the prospect of being allowed to start
over.
She met him in the parking
lot, and the ache in his heart intensified as he stared at her, memorizing her
features. “Relena.” He said
in way of greeting.
“Hello Heero,”
she said in her composed manner. “I just wanted to say goodbye. I will miss
you.” He opened his mouth to tell her how he felt, but then closed it again. If
he told her how he still felt about her, it would ruin everything that he was
leaving. If he told her how he felt, it would hurt her. “Pagan will take you to
the airport.” Relena said in a business-like tone,
and he walked past her opening the car door. “Be careful, Heero.”
Her words hit him like a
tidal wave, transporting him back twelve years to when he had saved her from Whitefang and they had said goodbye in the hangar. “You
don’t have to worry about me.” He said gruffly, mimicking his past words. It
seemed fitting that they would say goodbye like this. They would forget about
their love and each other in the same manner that they realised
it, so many years ago.
“You’re a strong person.” Relena said softly, fully understanding the symbolism of
their conversation. “But don’t ask me not to worry for you.” She smiled sadly. “Because I want to.”
“Relena.” Heero said in the same tone that she had. “Goodbye…” He
turned away from her, and got into the car. Not looking back as it pulled out
of the parking lot, and headed towards the airport. Headed
towards his new life.
Relena watched his car until it became a tiny speck on the
horizon before she was able to speak. Her heart was breaking, but she would
make it through this. A tear slid down her cheek, but she quickly wiped it
away. He wouldn’t have wanted her to cry over him.
She wanted to cry though. She
had never gotten a chance to tell him. To tell him that she had forgiven him,
and that she loved him still. Even after ten years, she still loved him. Another
thought came to her, doubling her sorrow. She had never said goodbye…
Relena steeled herself and got into her own car, pulling out
of the parking lot and driving the opposite way that Heero
had. She had dived back into her routine at her office, not getting a moment to
herself until she left for home. She sat out on her balcony, and watched the
night sky, thinking about Heero, and the life that he
had left behind.
I hope that you are happy with your new life. She prayed that
her thoughts would reach him somehow, so she could let him know how she felt
about him. I love you, Heero Yuy, and I always will.
She paused for a moment to gather her composure. It was silly that she still
had trouble saying it, even in her head. I
love you Heero Yuy. She
thought again, and smiled as a shooting star blazed across the sky. Goodbye.
* * * * *
Heero sat at the airport, looking out the window at the
starry night sky. He would miss her so much. A shooting star crossed the black
expanse, and he smiled, pressing his hand against the glass before he turned
away from the window, and boarded his flight. Somehow he knew that everything
was going to be alright.