Kismet or Chaos, Final Chapter

[Aeris_Eithne]

Chapter VI

For the One You Love

Once, a boy met a girl who was the princess of her own little kingdom. The boy transferred to the girl?s exclusive boarding school, where he was instantly labeled the outcast?the poor war orphan, nothing but a disease to the pristine students around him. But the girl felt compassion for him and wanted to be his friend. By the time she reached out to him, however, it was too late. The boy was gone. Disheartened, the girl vowed to never miss an opportunity to reach out to someone in need.

A few years later, she had her chance. Another dark-haired, mysterious boy, this one hell-bent on being the outcast, transferred to her school. The students feared him and looked upon him in disdain, but the girl sensed his inner strength and wanted to learn from him. This time, she wouldn?t make the same mistake. She introduced herself in vain after he left her in confusion. She invited him to her birthday party, only to have him tear up her invitation. Intrigued, she tried once more to reach out to him, level with him, but he pointed a gun at her face.

?Relena.? He?d spoken her name sweetly, with raw emotion in his eyes. Then, the way storm clouds appear out of nowhere on a clear blue sky, he changed. He whipped out his gun. ?You?re in over your head. Say goodbye, Relena.?

Her eyes widened in shock, not only from seeing his drawn weapon, but from a revelation? a remembrance that struck her, hard. I?ve seen him before, years ago, she realized. I? know him. He?s that same boy.

Maybe I?ve been here before

I know this room, I?ve walked this floor

I used to live alone before I knew you?

The girl and boy, the princess and the soldier, lent each other strength as they struggled, each in their own way, to bring peace to their war-torn era. After the war?s final battle, the boy?s broken-down body collapsed, and she ran to catch him before he could fall.

?Heero!? She cried. She reached the fallen angel before he could touch the battered earth. ?It?s over,? she whispered, holding him tight. He responded sleepily by snuggling closer against her, more serene than she had ever seen him. She stroked his hair and sighed. ?It?s finally over??

I?ve seen your flag on the marble arch

Love is not a victory march

It?s a cold and it?s a broken hallelujah?

And now, here they were again, this time their places reversed. Heero found himself screaming her name, running to catch his own angel as she fell from heaven. He caught her in his arms, clutched her to his chest and felt a sob wrenching from his soul.

?Relena!?

Heero?s gun had gone off at the same time as the other, and the terrorist?s body fell beside Relena. The floor became covered in a pool of blood.

Maybe there?s a God above

And all I ever learned from love

Was how to shoot at someone who outdrew you?

He looked at her beautiful face and was astounded to see that there was no blood on her. She was an angel, even in death. Then he noticed a form hovering above them. Wesley. His arm was outstretched, holding a smoking gun. Wesley had shot the terrorist from behind. Heero looked down at the bleeding body beside him. Then how?? He saw the entry path of his bullet and realized that he and Wesley had hit the man in almost the same spot. It meant Heero had become a killer again; but if those were the only two guns that had gone off, it also meant Relena was alive.

?It?s all right, Heero,? came Wesley?s voice from above him. ?She?s only passed out.?

Heero couldn?t hear him. He was in his own world, his eyes swimming with emotion as he gazed into Relena?s face. Had he really come so close to losing her? He knew better than most people that there was but a short space between life and death. She had nearly slipped to the other side before he could save her. Relief washed over him; he would weep for joy, except that he never cried. But before he could stop it, a tear forced itself out of his eye and streamed down his face. What? is this? It was the strangest sensation he had ever experienced, and yet he didn?t want it to stop.

?Relena,? he whispered, stroking her face with one hand while the other kept her close. ?Relena??

Her dark eyelashes fluttered open, revealing those beautiful blue eyes he thought he?d never look into again. ?Heero? Heero? Are you all right??

His breath caught in his throat. He could only nod in response.

?Heero?? Relena?s voice was bring him back. Bringing him home. ?Are you crying??

It?s not a cry you can hear at night

It?s not somebody who?s seen the light

It?s a cold and it?s a broken hallelujah?

She brought her hand to his face and smoothed his tears away as if they had never been. This gesture brought him back to reality; he straightened himself up, slightly self-conscious, and cleared his throat.

?Relena,? he began. ?I?ve failed you. I had to kill the terrorist before he could shoot you. And if it weren?t for Wesley, you?d be?? He couldn?t bring himself to finish and cast his eyes to the floor.

?It?s not your fault, Heero,? her soft voice answered. ?It?s mine for getting angry with you. I should?ve heeded your warning. And this man,? she said, gesturing to the fallen rebel, ?chose to die long before you pulled the trigger.?

?I suppose that?s true,? Heero said with a shrug. It didn?t help ease his burden, however; he knew the death of this man would weigh heavily on his soul. He?d broken his vow to never kill again, but there?s nothing he wouldn?t have done to save her. He could feel the emotion rising inside of him again. Heero tried to suppress it for the time being to get back to business. ?We should get him out of here, and get you to a hospital, just in case.?

Relena shook her head. ?Heero, I?m fine. It?s not me you should be worried about.?

?You?re not fine, or you wouldn?t have fainted,? he intoned flatly. ?I told you before to take better care of yourself.? He gave her the sternest glare he could muster.

?But I??

?No buts. What were you just saying about ignoring my advice?? His cold, steely gaze warmed, and a teasing smile tugged at his lips.

?All right,? Relena sighed dramatically, causing her bangs to fly up. ?I?ll go. But know that there?s nothing wrong with me; I only fainted from shock.?

?We?ll see about that. I have a feeling you?re more exhausted than you?re willing to admit. And now that the conference is over, I plan to stick around and make sure you finally get some rest.?

Relena raised an eyebrow at him, a challenge in her eyes. ?Is that so, Heero??

He stared back at her, unblinking. ?Count on it.?

They stared at one another for a long beat. Relena was about to ask Heero if she?d heard him say what she thought he had earlier, when Blair raced over to them and interrupted her thoughts.

?Relena, I?m so sorry. Please forgive me for my part in this.? Blair made a low bow.

Relena blinked, surprised. ?What do you mean??

?It?s my fault the terrorists got in here. They threatened my father, and I was too much of a coward?and too stupid?to stand up to them.? His shoulders sagged. ?None of this would?ve happened if it weren?t for me. I?m really sorry.?

Relena placed a reassuring hand on Blair?s shoulder. ?It?s all right. You were only trying to protect your family. There are worse things you could?ve done.?

?Yeah,? Blair said as he looked up at her. ?Like pretend I?m in love with you so you?d be distracted while the terrorists made their move.?

Relena?s eyebrows shot up. ?What??

?I?m so sorry,? Blair rushed. ?I never should?ve led you on like that. I??

?Wait a minute,? Relena cut in. ?You mean you never had feelings for me in the first place??

Blair gulped and nodded.

?So then, dinner, the ring, all that nonsense? It was all pretend??

?Yes.? He hung his head. ?Again, I?m really, really sorry...?

To his surprise, Relena laughed. ?What a relief! I was worried that things would be so awkward between us from now on. I?m glad we can get past this.?

Blair looked shocked. ?You mean? you?re not going to hold this against me??

?No,? Relena replied serenely. ?Why would I??

Blair scratched his head, baffled. ?I thought you?d hate me once you knew the truth?? He let out a breath he hadn?t realized he?d been holding. ?This is a relief.?

?There?s more good news where that came from,? Wesley spoke up. ?Our man here is still alive.? He bent to gather the terrorist into his strong arms. ?He?s barely breathing, but if we get him to a hospital soon, he?ll probably make it. It looks like my bullet punctured his lung, so he?ll need surgery.? Wesley looked at Heero. ?I?m surprised; your shot hardly did any damage. Your emotions must?ve made you miss your mark.?

Heero shook his head. ?After the war, I trained myself to miss every time. I vowed to never kill again. And I won?t break a vow I make?? He looked directly at Relena. ?Not to anyone.?

She found herself blushing, wondering just what he meant by that statement. There was so much she wanted to talk to him about. Before she got a chance, they were swept up in the commotion of the people around them. Paramedics arrived and took the injured terrorist away on a stretcher. They also tended to the man who had been shot in the leg earlier. They tried to persuade Relena to go to the hospital, but she shrugged them off. Before she could make a getaway, she felt Heero come up behind her. He slipped an arm around her waist.

?Come on,? he murmured in her ear. ?Let?s get out of here.?

She let him lead her out of the conference room and into the elevator. Feeling dazed, she leaned against him as they rode to the twelfth floor. His arms around her made her feel secure, but a question was still plaguing her mind.

There was a time when you let me know

What?s really going on below

But now you never show it to me, do you?

?Heero,? she said, at last. ?I have to know.?

?Huh?? His eyebrows lifted.

?Earlier? did you...? She struggled to voice what was on her heart, but the words finally tumbled out. ?Did you say you love me??

Heero stared at her, unwavering. ?Yeah.?

Relena could have fallen backwards. ?So? it wasn?t a dream,? she whispered.

?No.? He reached out his hand to brush her hair back. ?I wouldn?t lie to you.? His eyes narrowed. ?I?m not Blair.?

?And I would never want you to be. Heero,? she spoke softly as she moved closer to him. ?To me, you?re the only one.?

Her words touched the deepest part of him, and he could hide his feelings no longer. Everything he?d kept buried rose to the surface as he looked at her. There was so much he wanted to say to her, but all that escaped his lips was, simply, ?Relena??

He titled her chin up to his and covered her mouth in a slow, tender kiss. She responded by wrapping her arms around his neck, deepening their embrace. He, in turn, tightened his grasp around her waist with one hand while the other stroked her long, silken hair.

Remember when I moved in you

The holy dark was moving, too

And every breath we drew was hallelujah?

At last, he?d allowed himself to get closer to her than he?d ever dared. Breathing her in was dizzying, and he felt as if he could absorb her very essence. He would have continued to lose himself in her, but the ding of the elevator when they reached their destination forced them to come up for air.

A little stunned, they separated and began the walk down the hall to her suite. Unwilling to sever their new connection, Heero laced his fingers through hers as they walked side by side. She smiled up at him adoringly, then fumbled with her key when they reached her door. After it opened, she shyly led him inside.

?All right,? Heero said as they headed in the direction of her bedroom. ?This is the part where I make you get some rest. So get to it.? His voice sounded curt, but Relena could tell by the look in his eyes that he was teasing.

?Okay,? she complied. ?Then are you going to stay with me and make sure I listen to you this time?? She waited in the doorframe, giving him an open invitation. He shook his head.

?I should really speak with Myles. Now that the conference is over, I need to see what he has in mind for me next.? He saw how the disappointment washed over her face, and how quickly she tried to mask it. Touched by her care, he gathered her into his arms. ?But,? he continued, ?I also need to stay with you, at least until Wesley gets here. I could never leave you alone.?

Her eyes brightened, and she moved aside to let him step into the room before shutting the door behind them. Almost as soon as he entered, he pulled her down onto the bed.

?I meant what I said earlier,? he murmured. ?So I?m going to watch you sleep.?

Relena smoothed her skirt and regarded him coyly. ?If you insist, Heero.? She surprised him by snuggling up against him. He felt longing surge through him, and pulled her to him for another kiss.

After a moment, Relena broke away breathlessly. ?I can?t believe all of this is happening.? Her blue eyes shone with excitement.

Heero continued to hold her close, and ended up playing with her hair. ?I?m only sorry that it took so long. I?m not exactly good at expressing my deeper feelings, you know.?

?I know.? She giggled. ?I?ll have to tell Duo he was right.?

Heero?s eyes widened. ?Duo??

?He and Trowa had a bet going; Duo bet that you?d tell me you loved me before the year was out, while Trowa said it wouldn?t happen before you were thirty.? She giggled again.

?Hn.? Heero gave her a half-smile. ?Then I?ll say it again. I love you.?

Relena?s heart felt so full, it could burst. ?I love you, too.?

After exchanging a few more whispers and kisses, an exhausted Relena fell asleep in Heero?s arms. True to his word, he waited until Wesley returned, then slipped out of the room quietly.

Heero wanted nothing more than to stay with his new love, but he still had to take care of some unfinished business. He found Myles sitting on the couch in his suite, looking pensive. The diplomat stood as soon as Heero entered the room and cleared his throat.

?Heero,? he began. ?I want to thank you for all you did back there, and apologize for the trouble my son put you through. If I had only known sooner what those terrorists had said to him?? Myles tightened his fist as his side.

?It?s all right,? Heero interjected. ?You couldn?t control what happened with Blair.? He glanced around the room. ?Where is he now??

?With the police for questioning,? Myles answered, an anxious expression creasing his forehead. ?He isn?t in trouble for his part, but they do want to glean as much information from him as possible.?

Heero nodded. ?Understood.?

Myles sighed and sat back down. ?At least we know the threat is over for now. My family and I can return home quietly.? He looked up at Heero. ?I?ve already paid you in full, so you?re free to go after tonight.?

Heero?s eyebrows lifted. ?Are you sure? I?d be glad to accompany you if you need further assistance. I only request that you allow Relena to travel with us; I?ve promised to keep an eye on her from now on.?

A smile crossed Myles?s lips. ?There?s no need for that; if your duty is with Miss Peacecraft now, so be it. I?m sure she needs you more than we do.?

?Hn.? Heero didn?t know what to say to Myles?s generous offer, so he leaned against the wall and shoved his hands into his jacket pockets.

?I?ve hired plenty of bodyguards,? Myles continued. ?So you can actually leave now, if necessary. I know Relena has been through quite a shock and could probably use your support.? He paused, studying Heero closely. ?Did you mean it when you said you loved her earlier??

Heero merely nodded. He had finally faced up to his feelings, but he wasn?t ready to discuss them with anyone but the object of his affection.

Myles chuckled. ?I see?I suppose this a personal subject, eh? I?ll leave it alone... I only wish you happiness, no matter where life leads you.?

Heero made a slight bow toward him. ?Thank you.? Part of him was going to miss working for such a kind and gentle diplomat. ?I hope our paths cross in the future. If you ever need my services again, you know where to find me.?

Myles beamed at him. ?Thank you for doing such an exceptional job. Now I?ve been able to see first hand why they call you the Perfect Soldier.? He stood to take Heero?s hand. Heero didn?t often shake hands, but he grasped Myles?s firmly.

?I?ll go get my things, then,? he said, heading to his room. He packed in a few short minutes, bid Myles goodbye, and went to exit the suite. Just then, someone came flying out one of the adjoining bedrooms?Cecilia.

?Heero!? She cried, running toward him. ?You?re not really leaving, are you??

He nodded. ?Relena needs me now.? He surprised himself by saying that out loud, but instantly liked the sound of it.

Cecilia pouted. ?You?re going to work for her next? Why can?t you look after me for longer??

Heero looked over at Myles, who only smiled at him. This one?s up to you, his eyes seemed to say.

?She?s been through a lot lately, and I?ve promised to take care of her,? Heero answered.

Cecilia?s eyes widened. ?You?re in love with her, aren?t you??

Now it was Heero?s turn to smile. His lips twitched, and he surprised the two Donovans by chuckling softly. ?Nothing gets passed you, does it??

At this, Cecilia giggled. ?Well, I hope you?ll be very happy. Tell Relena goodbye for me??

?Sure thing.? He raised his hand in a slight wave and turned the door handle, but Cecilia flung herself at him before he could leave. She twisted her arms around his neck and squeezed him tightly.

?I?ll miss you, Heero!? She sniffed. ?You?re the best bodyguard I?ve ever had! You?re so much fun, and you taught me so much.?

Heero could hardly believe his ears. She thought he was fun? ?I?m sure you can have fun with another bodyguard,? he told her. ?Maybe you should give Fernando a chance.?

Cecilia sniffled again. ?You?re right. He is pretty funny?? She let go of Heero?s neck and watched as he opened the door and stepped into the hallway. ?I guess this is it, then. Goodbye, Heero!?

Cecilia, though annoying, actually turned out to be a sweet girl. Still, Heero was glad to be free of his clingy charge; there was only one girl he?d tolerate clinging to him. And he couldn?t wait to get back to her. ?Goodbye, Cecilia.? He waved to both her and Myles, then hurried to Relena?s suite. Wesley greeted him as he entered.

?I assume you?re taking over from here?? The slightly taller bodyguard nodded at Heero, who nodded back.

?I need to keep a closer eye on her from now on,? Heero replied. ?Not that your bodyguard abilities aren?t adequate; you helped save her life. I appreciate that.?

Wesley shrugged and smiled. ?Just doing my job.? He motioned to a suitcase next to him. ?Since I figured you?d be coming here, I went ahead and packed.?

?I see,? Heero intoned. ?If you don?t mind my asking, what will you do now? I hope I?m not disrupting your schedule by taking over your job.?

The bodyguard shook his head. ?Oh, no. Don?t even worry about it. Actually, I?m heading to New York, which was what I originally planned to do after the conference.? He straightened his shoulders. ?You should know that I?m, uh, applying for a position with the Preventers.?

Heero raised an eyebrow. ?Really,? he said in his monotone. ?Hn. In that case, I should warn you about the captain of the force.?

Wesley looked nervous. ?Oh?? He asked, trying to keep his cool. ?Why?s that??

?The guy?s a real jerk?a pain to work with. And a complete perfectionist. But once you get past his tough exterior?? Heero offered a small smile. ?He?s not a bad guy.?

?Hmm,? Wesley mused. ?I?ll keep that in mind.? He went to pick up his luggage and headed for the door. ?Well, I?m off to catch my flight. Thanks for everything, Heero. Take care.?

?You, too,? Heero replied. He and Wesley quickly shook hands before the bodyguard exited. Heero actually found himself getting used to all of this human contact. On that note, he decided to check on Relena as she slept. He found her curled up in her large bed, still clad in her daytime clothes. He tried not to wake her as he crept forward, but discovered that she was a light sleeper. She yawned and stretched as he neared the bed.

?Heero,? she whispered into the darkness. ?Is that you??

?Yeah,? he answered softly. ?Did you sleep??

?A little.? She sat up. ?I?ll sleep better once I change and get ready for bed.?

?Hn,? he murmured with a nod. ?Good idea.?

She walked to him and slipped her arms around his middle, resting her head on his broad chest. ?Are you? with me now?? Her voice lifted hopefully.

Heero pulled her into a tight embrace. ?I?m with you.?

She sighed happily. ?Then what?s next??

?Well,? he answered, ?first on the agenda is sleep. We can start fresh tomorrow. Wesley?s left, and I?ve completed my job with Myles Donovan.?

Relena?s nose wrinkled. ?I thought you had to stay with him for longer. Did he already pay you??

?He paid me in advance,? Heero answered. ?He?s quite generous.?

Relena settled against him. ?That?s good to know. I?m sure he?s one of the better politicians you could work for.?

?He is,? Heero agreed. ?But I prefer to keep company with the best.? He rested his hand against her cheek, and she blushed against his touch. ?That?s why I think I should stay with you for a while.?

?Oh? And what do you have in mind??

He rested his head on top of hers. ?You haven?t had much of a chance to see Tokyo yet. Why don?t we spend a few days exploring the area?? He sounded so genuine, it took her by surprise.

?Really?? She gazed up at him. ?You really want to??

?Of course.?

She giggled. ?Wow? I can hardly believe it. We can finally spend some time together like a normal couple. I never thought that was possible.?

?Neither did I,? Heero murmured, pressing a light kiss against her forehead. ?But things have to change at some point.?

Relena?s eyes glimmered in contentment. ?Yes? yes, they do.?

?Then,? Heero continued citing their itinerary, ?after we?ve spent a satisfactory amount of time here, I can accompany you back to Sanc? if you want.?

?Of course I do,? Relena piped up. ?My birthday is coming up soon, so we can spend it together.?

?Oh? Are you inviting me to your party, as usual? Is there an invitation I get to tear up?? His eyes glinted mirthfully at her in the dark, and Relena laughed.

?No? No invitation, no party. I just want to spend a quiet evening at home with some friends.? She broke their embrace briefly to look into his face. ?Do you think we could do that? Oh, and then there?s Duo and Hilde?s wedding... we could go to that together, too.? She laughed lightly. ?Am I asking for too much already??

?No,? he answered, pressing his forehead to hers.

?Then, you?re okay doing all of this with me??

?For you,? he whispered as he leaned closer, ?anything.? He brushed his lips against hers, and she smiled brightly.

?You?re wonderful, Heero,? she breathed. ?I?m looking forward to all this time I finally get to spend with you.?

?Yeah,? he spoke gently. ?It?s about time.?

After a while, the new couple separated for the night. Relena slept in her bed alone while Heero camped outside her door, sleeping on the sitting room couch. Neither of them would have minded falling asleep beside each other, but they were shy about the newness of their relationship. For now, they were both content to spend the night in relatively close proximity, each dreaming of the other.

But Heero, being the protective bodyguard he was, checked on Relena once more before allowing himself to sleep for the rest of the night. His eyes drank in the familiar sight of his angel sleeping peacefully, her blonde hair flowing around her as her chest rose and fell beneath the blankets. He looked at her for a long time, lost in her beauty, wondering how he could be lucky enough to call her his own. Finally, his eyes grew heavy, begging him to rest. He slipped out of Relena?s room, but not before stealing one last kiss as she slept. This time, he knew she wouldn?t mind.

The End

[takisha16]

AWWWW...it's over
This was a great ending!!!
I loved how the terrorist was shot twice, I never thought of the other shot as
coming from Relena's bodyguard!
I'm glad Heero finally came to his senses!

[Morrighan]

Awwwww....!!!!! That is SUCH a cute ending!!! *is so happy right now*

It was fun reading this from beginning to end! I loved the plot twists!

[The Angry Angel]

Oh, that wasn't bad!! *frazzled hair* You had me thinking there was going to be a mountain of chapters, and all this death!!! hee hee hee!

What a fluffy, squeaky clean ending! And it works. I'm so glad it's all here; it was very enjoyable!

Hats Off!

[Aeris_Eithne]

I was going for fluff, but squeaky clean? I blushed while writing the "bedroom" makey-outie scenes! Then again, I'm a bit of a prude... Well, I'm glad you thought I summed everything up nicely in the final chapter. My ADD doesn't allow me to write super-long stories. Like Edgar Allen Poe, I can't stand circumlocution... And like Shakespeare, I believe brevity is the soul of wit... but I digress. I've got another 1xR fic that has six chapters, and I'll probably add at least two more before it's over, but it's driving me CRAZY. Short stories are so much better for impatient types like myself.

I'm so happy you liked my ending! Yay! :razz:

[samta22]

Short stories are so much better for impatient types like myself.

... and for anxious readers as myself. Really cool piece and what an end... I have to tell you it took me by surprise the flash back and that I made a hole waiting for the next chapter.

Please keep writing and about the prude part... don't mind sometime is better let things to the imagination and keep the hopes high!

[HiFreak]

Love the fluff! Although I agree with The Angry Angel it was squeaky clean or maybe I'm just too ummm... you know.

Anyway great ending I love how you gave us the little summary in the begining really drew me in.

[Aeris_Eithne]

Thanks for all of the reviews. I feel so loved right now. ^_^ I wanted to let you all know that my next 1xR story is well, um, slightly less prudish. Slightly. Hehe...

Did anyone think it was strange that the story suddenly became a song fic in the last chapter? I just couldn't help but add the lyrics to Rufus Wainwright's "Hallelujah," since they fit so well. Did that bother anyone? Just curious, for future reference... Thanks!

[Aristale Wolf]

AAAAAWWWWWW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! that was ssssooooo cute.....not what i was expecting, but thats ok...because it was so good.....

[HiFreak]

Actually I did think it was kind of strange the whole songfic thing but since it worked so well ther is no reason to complain. :razz: