Last Exit to Eden - Epilogue by Divine Serenity

[blackrose]

Last Exit to Eden
by Divine Serenity

<b>Epilogue:</b> Two months later?.

It was a beautiful day, the sun warm and shimmering in the sky above; its rays of light dancing along the edge of the new shiny marble headstone. A large group of mourners dressed in black from head to toe stood silently around the fresh grave, listening to psalms read by a minister. The mahogany coffin covered in flowers sparkled in the morning sun. One might even have called it a perfect day for people to be gathered outside, if it weren?t for the sad occasion around which this group was assembled.

To the right of the coffin, Vice Minister Relena Dorlain and Quatre Winner stood together in silence. Not too far behind them Duo stood, his arm around Hilde?s waist, with Trowa, Wufei, Sally, Noin, and Dorothy to his right. Relena dabbed at her eyes with the corner of a handkerchief Duo had offered to her earlier. She couldn?t believe everything that had happened in the last few months. It all still felt so surreal, more of a dream than of reality. She felt Quatre?s arm encircle her waist and give her a gentle squeeze. She shot him a grateful look, her eyes red from tears.

Half an hour later, the funeral had ended and only a few lingering mourners hung around still not wanting to let go, not done paying their respects. However, just beyond the parameter of the cemetery, news truck after news truck waited hungrily for the mourners to exit. It had been the same way during the funeral precession which had turned into a paparazzi motorcade, but at least they had respected the Mallory family?s wishes and stayed out of the cemetery.

?I just wanted to thank you for your beautiful words,? Mrs. Cynthia Mallory sniffled, taking Relena?s hands in hers. ?Chris always spoke so highly of you. He loved you very much. In many ways I believe you were the sister he never had.?

Relena smiled back. ?I?m just so sorry it had to turn out this way.?

The older woman nodded, her blond hair dancing softly across her shoulders. ?Chris could be so impulsive about decisions and passionate about causes, even if they weren?t always just and noble. He always went his own path, and this time he?s picked one that we can?t follow on, at least not for awhile.? Reaching out, Mrs. Mallory embraced Relena and for a moment the two women drew strength for one another. ?Well I have to go, the press was polite enough to stay away from the ceremony but they?ll want a statement soon.?

Relena nodded, and with one last smile watched the older woman return to her husband?s side and head off towards their car. Glancing back at Chris?s grave Relena felt tears choking her again. ?Good bye, Chris,? she finally whispered, then turning headed off towards a different part of the cemetery, to a smaller forgotten grave.

Tears still ran down Relena?s face as she kneeled beside the small tombstone and began to pull up the longer pieces of grass and weeds that had sprouted up along its base. She had saved one long stemmed white rose from Christian?s funeral, and gently she placed it on the top of the stone.

?It feels weird standing here, looking down at that name,? a deep voice called to her from above.

?I know what you mean,? Relena sighed, wiping her eyes. Slowly she climbed to her feet and accepted the hand offered to her. Millardo Peacecraft looked down at her with a smile. ?I sometimes forget that I?m dead.?

Relena?s lips parted into a half smile. ?Zechs Marquise is dead and has been for 6 years now. He?s nothing but a legend, a ghost that children tell stories about.? She looked up at her brother?s eyes and her smile widened. ?I?m glad I still have that ghost around.?

Millardo pulled her to him and hugged her tightly. ?There?s someone here who would like to see you.?

Relena glanced at him questioningly. He just smiled back nodding towards a figure that stood leaning against a large willow tree several yards behind them. Slowly the pair of brother and sister began to make their way towards the tree, but once they were only a few feet away Relena felt her breath catch in her throat and without hesitation raced forward. She threw her arms around Heero?s neck, burying her face in the flaps of the long black trench coat he wore. He grunted slightly as her arms squeezed against his bandages but he smiled none the less.

?I?m sorry,? she whispered realizing she had hurt him. He just smiled back, his own arms pulling her close to him.

?It?s ok, it?s good to see you too,? he replied quietly.

?When did they release you?? she refused to let him go, relishing the warmth of his arms and the sound of his heart beat beneath the white t-shirt he wore.

?This morning. Zechs and Noin picked me and brought me here so I could see the service.?

Behind Relena, Millardo took Noin by the hand and led her down the hill. ?Those two need some time to talk.? Noin just nodded.

It had been a month since they had seen each other. The night of the attack, both Heero and Christian had been airlifted to the nearest hospital and while Christian remained in a coma, caused by Duo?s gun in defense of Heero?s life, Heero had been operated on for hours. No one had been allowed to see either of them for nearly a week, their injuries so severe, and it had nearly driven Relena mad with concern. Quatre had offered to break the news to Christian?s family, telling them the whole story.

Christian?s parents, who had known nothing about the Zeno Foundation, had stopped all funds to the foundations immediately and assisted the gundam pilots and the police in arresting and prosecuting the majority of its members. As devastated as they were over their son, the Mallory?s understood the delicacy of the situation and harbored no ill feelings towards Duo or any of the gundam pilots. They had even taken it upon themselves to notify the press that Chris had been severely injured during a hunting trip with friends. The numerous press conferences held by Mr. and Mrs. Mallory during Chris?s hospitalization seemed to satisfy the reporters? curiosity and few even mentioned the possibility of foul play. Those that did found their stories appearing on back pages and eventually even the most tenacious gave up, and accepted the Mallory?s story.

Meanwhile days had turned into weeks and still Christian and Heero remained locked away. Finally nearly a month after he had been admitted, Heero was moved to the ICU and could receive a few visitors. Relena had wanted to see him badly but had bestowed the honor to Duo and Hilde, both of whom were still blaming themselves for everything. A week later, Duo and Hilde had been married in the hospital?s chapel and Heero, with IV in tow, had attended in a wheel chair. Relena had seen him briefly then but he was still too weak to stay long, and more had passed between them through their eyes then through words.

After the wedding, Relena had returned to the political world, ensuring that those responsible for the Zeno Foundation were put away. A month later Christian?s family had contacted her to tell her that they had decided to remove their son from life support. According to the doctors he was officially brain-dead, and the family felt it was best to give Christian and themselves closure and peace. It had been so painful, and Relena felt as if her heart would never stop hurting. She had been there holding Christian?s hand when they had shut the machine off, and she watched his chest moving up and down until finally it stopped and Chris was gone. It was one of the hardest things she had ever had to witness, but in the days that had followed she had drawn so much strength and courage from Chris?s family, especially his mother, that as much as she missed him her heart was warmed by the notion that he was finally at peace.
And now, on the day she finally let Christian go, Heero had returned to her. She closed her eyes and breathed him in, her little arms holding him tight. He smiled down at the top of her head, one arm holding her, the other gently stroking her hair.

?Don?t ever scare me like that again,? she whispered a voice thick with emotion.

?I?ll try not to,? he smiled.

Finally she let him go and stepped back, looking him over. For someone who had nearly died he looked good, but then again it wasn?t the first time he had looked death in the face. ?I swear, Heero Yuy, you aren?t human sometimes!?

He couldn?t help but chuckle at her words.

?So now what are you planning on doing?? she nibbled her lower lip.

?Sally said there is a job for me as a Preventor but I think there is something more important for me to do, something I always seem to get drawn to anyway.?

?What?s that?? Relena cocked her head to the side ever so slightly.

?Well as of today I?m the personal bodyguard and head of security for the Earth?s Vice Minister.?

?But that?s?? Relena?s voice trailed off and with a huge smile she threw her arms around Heero again.

?It always seems I?m saving your butt anyway, so I figured why not get paid doing it,? he teased and felt her elbow him gently in the side. ?Hey, watch the wounds!?

?So you?re not going to say goodbye to me this time?? she moved back slightly in his arms so she could look him in the eyes.

?Not this time.? He stared at her with such intensity again, and Relena felt her heart begin to pound wildly in her chest. Oddly enough she could feel Heero?s heart doing the same. ?Relena, I wanted to tell you before that?? But before he could finish she pressed her index finger over his lips.

?I know,? she smiled. ?I?ve somehow known for a long time.?

He stared at her, a smile creeping over his lips. One of his hands came up gently cradling the side of her face. Slowly he leaned down and kissed her softly on the lips. ?I love you, Relena.?

She smiled as she kissed him back. ?I love you too, Heero.?

He released her, pulling her close to him, inside the flaps of his coat, while he leaned back against the tree. ?Just remember who said it first,? he teased, and felt her laugh quietly against his chest. They stood in silence together, the princess and the soldier, gazing out over the waving green grass. Finally, their own personal wars had ended; in each other they had found their way to Eden.

[Morrighan]

This is the perfect ending. I love how Divine portrays the "villian" as a misguided person, rather than this down-rotten evil person; it's very realistic that way. She also did a very good job of describing the extent of the damage of their injuries. Again, it was very believeable that it would take that long for them to heal. A person, even Heero, wouldn't even be close to getting out of the hospital in a month with the injuries that they had sustained.

Must be the coffee that I had, because I really think that I'm starting to babble.... ^^;;; But honestly, this was very well done.

[Aristale Wolf]

i agree highly with Morrighan it was very very very well written.....i loved the ending 2...he had a sense of humor i love it when people let him have a sense of humor.....i luved the whole story had me on the edge of my seat the whole time...and the pool scene when Heero is first attacked...MARVOLOUS!!!!! expecially when they were underwater... the breath of life was stupindous!!!

okay that should all of my babblings.....bye bye

[WindCloud]

Good Story!!! Write MORE..and tell divine serenity to finish her OTHER FIC!!!!! hehehe

[Raspberry]

I forgot to read this part, but I said I've read this earlier I really adore this story, and I'm happy that Rose posted it here

[Wingnut]

Wonderfull Divine. I loved it. All around it was solid. Heero seemed a little OOC at the end, but after a month on the brink followed by another month in the ICU will change even Heero.

expecially when they were underwater... the breath of life was stupindous!!!

Definately.

[bookworm]

Simply DIVINE. It portrays another aspect of the "villain" within a realistic situation. Can't wait to read more, DS!

[lilac310]

Awesome...That was a perfect ending for a perfect story!!!!....I agree with what everyone else is saying, the way you portrayed this whole thing is absolutely realistic and I wouldn't ask for anything more ..It's just outstanding!..keep it up!

[Jenevieve]

This is the perfect ending. I love how Divine portrays the "villian" as a misguided person, rather than this down-rotten evil person; it's very realistic that way. She also did a very good job of describing the extent of the damage of their injuries. Again, it was very believeable that it would take that long for them to heal. A person, even Heero, wouldn't even be close to getting out of the hospital in a month with the injuries that they had sustained.

Must be the coffee that I had, because I really think that I'm starting to babble.... ^^;;; But honestly, this was very well done.

Wow!! Thanks you so much That means sooo much!!! :razz: I'm so glad you liked it - thanks again!

-Divine Serenity/Jenevieve

[Jenevieve]

i agree highly with Morrighan it was very very very well written.....i loved the ending 2...he had a sense of humor i love it when people let him have a sense of humor.....i luved the whole story had me on the edge of my seat the whole time...and the pool scene when Heero is first attacked...MARVOLOUS!!!!! expecially when they were underwater... the breath of life was stupindous!!!

okay that should all of my babblings.....bye bye

Thank you thank you I'm so honored you guys liked it so much!!!
-Divine Serenity/Jenevieve