(One year ago)
The funerals were closed to the general public.Only family and friends were permitted.Milliardo,Noin,Sally,Une,Catherine,Dorothy and the four remaining gundam pilots were allowed past the intense security,though numerous reporters,paparazzi and newspapers hovered around the cemetary hooking for a brief glimpse or maybe a way in,To the disgust of those present,they ignored the coffin and family of the pilot who died as well,even seeking to use the brief opening to try and force their way in.Since their bodies had not been recovered their coffins were filled with commemorative items.Relena's coffin carried her favourite white fomal outfit.Heero placed a single red rose into the coffin,ignoring Milliardo's angry look.
Despite some objections,Trowa's coffin carried his old clown costume,complete with his half-mask.Catherine kept a calm demeanor,omly her eyes showing her pain...very much like Heero's expression.
"I'll find them..."
They all turned at Heero's voice.
"I'll find them Relena,"he said again,his hands gripping the edge of the coffin."I said I would never kill again...but that is meaningless now..."
"Heero?"Quatre moved to Heero's side,face concerned,and rested a hand on his shoulder."Doing that will not bring her back.Would she want..."
"Maybe not,"he growled,shrugging off Quatre's hand."But it sure as hell would make me feel better."
"Heero."
They both turned and Heero tensed when he saw who it was.
"Milliardo?"he answered,fists clenched.
Wufei and Duo moved in closer,while the others moved back.The distrust and dislike between the Heero and Milliardo was legendary within the ranks of the Preventors resulting in numerous altercations and disciplinary actions.
"What do you want?"Heero demanded.
"The same thing you do."he replied.
"Say what?"Duo couldn't believe it.These two actually agreed on something.He would have made a remark...but decided that now wouldn't be the time.
"I will be returning to Sanq,"Milliardo stated."My country needs me now more than ever.But I will be devoting whatever time I can to locating the ones who did this."
"And..."he continued watching Heero's reaction.As far as he was concerned,this was between the two of them."If I find out anything I will let you know...provided you promise to do the same."
Standing among the small group,Noin would always remember watching the two arch-rivals shake hands for the first and last time.She also remembered Quatre's subdued expression as he stood next to Dorothy.She gave no thought to it at the time,but years later she would remember it with fury and anger.
******
(Present day)
She stood outside his office ,fist raised to knock on the hardwood door,then paused...lowering her fist,considering the dilemma.This was an assignment that,under normal circumstances,they would probably have drawn straws for.But with the remaining three other gundam pilots already busy at other hotspots in the world,and Zechs dealing with problems along Sanqs borders,that left only her and Sally...and she would never send her best friend to deal with this particular case.
Considering her history she was probably the best one to deal with this case.With Une's approval she'd had his videophone and intercom shut down as well as a passcard to his office should he prove difficult.So,squaring her shoulders,Noin agained raised her hand and rapped her knuckles on the door.
"Enter."
"Guess I won't need this..."She muttered to herself,glancing at the card before shoving it back into her pocket.
Pushing open the door Noin swallowed back her horror.The normally immaculate office was strewn with discarded papers and folders.The shards of a shattered cup rested on a coffee soaked binder while various discs littered the immediate area surrounding him.But this was not the cause of her fright.It was Preventor Shadow's appearance.
His reddened eyes looked over the dark bags at her.She idly noted the sever tic under his right eye and the coffee pot to his left.Despite the A/C his face was covered in sweat and had an unhealthy sheen to it.His hand trembled violently as her reached over to pick up his pen...only to drop it soon after.As he bent over to retrieve the fallen object she moved up to his desk.
"Heero,"she heasitated."Find anything?"
"Hn..."he grunted.
She would take that as a 'No.'
"Heero..."she started again."Une and the others..."
He raised a hand to silence her,then tapped the button on his intercom,"Hilde.I asked you for the European files twenty minutes ago!"
No response.
"Hilde!!!He shouted into the machine.
"Heero..."Noin hesitated."The machine is off."
He stared at her incredulously.
She kept her voice firm,"Effective immediately Agent Shadow is on enforced leave.He is not permitted on the compound for the period of four weeks..."
"What shit is this?"Heero growled,a manic expression crossing his face.
She continued,"...he will be placed under the supervision of Preventor Fire at the Preventor safehouse in the Hawaiian Islands and will..."
At this Heero shot to feet,then stumbled as he made his way to the door swearing under his breathe.In one smooth motion Noin picked up the coffee pot Bringing it down across the back of his head as her pulled open the door.Heero took one step,then crashed to the floor.
Noin ignored the stares of the other Preventors as she knelt next to Heero's prone form,touching his neck gently,feeling for a pulse.
Strong...
Ignoring the stares of the passing Preventors she touched the the communicator on her jacket's lapel.
"This is Fire.Shadow decided to take the hard way..."
"How is he?"Une voice asked.
Noin glanced down as a soft snore emanated from Heero's prone form,"He'll be fine....where's my backup?"
"Ray and Eagle should be there in a few minutes."
Noin grimaced as she remembered the eager looks on the two newest Preventors.Too new to be know to be afraid of the 1st Division Commander.She hoped Heero wouldn't recover before they were on the plane.The last thing those two needed was a vengeful Heero seeking retribution for wounded pride.She looked down at the young man.
"Why did you have to die Relena,the world needed you...we needed you...and,Heero needed you..."
*****
Sally met them at them at the Preventer airfield.Her eyes grew concerned as she took in Heero's prone form on the gurney they had procured.
"How is he?"Noin asked as Sally began a quick once-over.
"Apart from the gash on his head not to bad,"Sally answered a moments later."He's just fatigued.A few days of rest should deal with that."
Here she pulled out a vial of clear liquid,and two hypodermic needles.
"What're those for?"Noin asked,eyeing the needles nervously.
If the situation hadn't been so serious Sally would have laughed at Noin's discomfort.
"I need to draw some blood,"she replied,swabbing Heero's arm with an alcohol soaked piece of cotton."Just to be sure that I'm not missing anything.And the other one's a sedative.Just to be certain our patient doesn't wake up prematurely."
Noin turned away as Sally slid the needle into a vein and waited till she heard an,"All done,"from her friend.
Sally turned to face Noin as Heero was wheeled to the waiting jet."Noin,have heard anything from Zechs...you know...will he be coming to concert this year?"
Noin shook her head,"There's been trouble in Sanq.A group is claiming that the Sanq Kingdom is on land that belonged to their ancestors."
At this Sally raised an eyebrow,"Is there any validity to their claim?"
"I don't know...but there have been attacks on several malls and last week there was one just outside the palace."
"Attacks?"Sally asked."Gunmen?"
Noin grimaced,"Bombers...suicide attacks."
"But I thought that sort of thing died out in the late twentieth century!"Sally was aghast.
"Things are happening again..."Noin said."We're spread too thin.It's only a matter of time before something big happens."
"Hopefully it won't come too that,"Sally replied."Now you better hurry.you'll be at the safehouse in hopefully two hours."
The two friends embraced as Noin pulled her jacket closer and jogged to the jet.
*****
(One Hour Later)
Noin sat alone,typing at her laptop.It was a message for Zechs,since he would be probably sleeping around now and she was loathe to disturb him.She paused in her typing and pulled up an old photo.
It was of them during a brief visit back to Sanq.They'd hiked up to the Sanq Memorial waterfall.She'd hoped for a romantic visit,but he'd insisted on bringing Relena,and where Relena went...Heero followed.She smiled at a memory.It was one of the few times she ever saw Heero laugh.
Zechs had just pushed Relena,squealing,into the cold water...only to have Heero give him a boot to the rear as he stood there laughing,pushing him also into the water.She'd run up silently behind Heero to return the favour,only to have him shift to the side,then she joined the other two in the water.
On a whim,she rose and walked back down the aisle to Heero's slumbering form.Even in sleep he seemed tense,his body refusing to relax,his fists clenched.
Sighing,she returned to her seat,finished and sent off the letter.She decided Heero had the right idea,and brushed her finger across the picture on the screen.
"Sleep well,my prince,"she whispered.
Snapping shut the case,she leaned her head back against the cushions she'd 'borrowed' from the empty seats and settled down in the seat.It was a short time before sleep came to claim her.
____________________
Just a reminder,I am the Relena torture Master
.Let's just say I like to even out things in Heero's favour 
.
I have no idea why i find this amusing... 
You kick the boy back to his right mind 