Epilogue: Decision

Relena sighed and rubbed her eyes with the ball of her hands. She had taken a few days off from extensive traveling to catch up on the paperwork, which was now threatening to overwhelm her. Her eyes were burning from the strain of the hours of intensive reading and were now refusing to focus on the tiny print of the documents.

‘I don’t deserve this,’ she thought miserably. ‘Who would have thought that peace meant mounds of paperwork?’

A buzz interrupted her glumly thoughts. Taking a deep breath to compose herself, Relena pressed a button. “Yes?”

“I realize that you requested no interruptions,” one of the secretaries stated, “but you have a phone from Mr. Winner. I thought you would like to take it.”

“Yes,” Relena replied, her spirits already lifting, “I’ll take it. Thank you, Marie.”

“You’re welcome, Vice Minister,” the young woman said and the screen went blank.

A second later, the smiling face of Quatre Winner appeared. As usual, the Arabian was smiling, his blue eyes filled with warmth and compassion. Like most people, Relena still found it hard to believe that a quiet person like Quatre would have ever become a Gundam pilot. Yet, she knew firsthand of his dedication to any cause he believed in.

“Hello, Quatre,” she greeted, smiling for the first in hours. “It’s been a while.”

“Hi, Relena, it has,” he agreed with a nod. “Though that’s not entirely my fault.”

She laughed softly. “True, true. I hope that our schedule will agree sometime soon, though.”

“Well, I heard that you have taken a few days off from traveling.”

“And just how do you know that, Quatre?” Relena asked, a little surprised by the revelation.

“You forget that I was once a Gundam pilot,” he stated, his smile broad. “I have my ways. Anyway, how about dinner tonight? My treat.”

Relena’s eyes moved to the mounds of papers covering every spare inch of space on her massive desk. “I don’t know, Quatre. I’m kind of drowning in paperwork here.”

“Then you will definitely need the break,” he replied.

Relena lifted an eyebrow, surprised by Quatre’s insistence. Curious about what would be so important, she nodded. “Okay. What time shall we meet and where?”

“I’ll pick you up at your office around seven, if that’s all right?”

“Sure. See you then. Oh, Quatre?”

“Yes?”

“Thanks.”

His already broad smile grew still. “You’re welcome, Relena. See you tonight.”

* * * * *

Relena waited until they had taken their seats in a secluded corner of the restaurant before arching an eyebrow at the former Sandrock pilot. He took a sip from his water glass before noticing her expectant look. He calmly set the glass back down.

“What?”

Relena shook her head. “You call out of the blue and insist that I join you for dinner. And here we are, in a secluded corner of my favorite restaurant. Go ahead and give me the bad news.”

“Bad news? I wanted to take you out to dinner because it has been a while since we’ve been able to talk,” he replied quickly. “Besides, I did not insist.”

“For you, that was insistence,” she retorted. “Come on, Quatre. Just tell me. We’re too good of friends to play games with each other.”

Quatre sighed and glanced around for the waiter. Seeing no one in the immediate vicinity, he turned his attention back to Relena. “All right, though I was going to wait until after desert.”

“How thoughtful of you,” Relena commented absently.

“I wanted to be the one to tell you before it got to the media. Josh is engaged.”

Quatre carefully studied her face for her reaction, wishing that there had been another way to tell her. For several moments, she stared at him, her lips slightly parted in disbelief. Then, she shook her head.

“Who’s the lucky girl?” she asked, her tone distant and emotionless.

“Relena, I’m sorry,” Quatre said quickly, “but I couldn’t think of a better way to tell you.”

She nodded, her eyes vacant. “I appreciate it, Quatre. I’m sorry, but it’s just a surprise.”

He covered her hand with his, hating himself for causing her pain. “Relena, I . . .”

She looked up suddenly and smiled. The smile was a little weak and forced, but it was there. “So, tell me, who’s the lucky girl?”

“Her name is Allison. He met her on a street corner. Actually, she hit him with her car.”

“What?!”

“It’s a long story, Relena,” Quatre said.

“We have all night, Quatre,” she replied.

* * * * *

Relena threw her coat at a nearby chair but missed. However, the young woman didn’t even notice as she walked to her dressing table. She wanted desperately to throw herself on the bed and cry herself to sleep. Yet, she didn’t even have the energy left for tears.

With a soul-wrenching sigh, she sat down in front of the large mirror and took down her hair. ‘You told him not too wait long, Relena,’ she told herself. ‘He took you at your word. After all, it’s been a year.’

Suddenly she was aware that she wasn’t alone in the room. She rose from the chair and scanned the room, her eyes quickly falling on a figure leaning against the balcony doors. Familiar blue eyes bore into hers.

“Heero,” she whispered, laying a hand absently over her heart.

“Relena,” he said just as softly. He crossed the room until he was standing just a few inches away from her, his eyes never leaving her face.

“What are you doing here?” she asked, desperately trying to find something, some emotion in his eyes.

“He’s getting married,” he stated.

She nodded slowly. “I know. Quatre told me.”

“Not to you?” he asked, a hint of surprise flashing in his eyes.

“No, Heero,” she replied, shaking her head. “He’s not marrying me.”

She closed her eyes, willing herself not to cry in front of him, him of all people. She went completely still when he brushed the back of his hand against her cheek. “I’m sorry, Relena,” he said quietly, his hand still lingering on her face.

She opened her eyes, which immediately locked with his. “Don’t be, Heero. Things are better this way.”

“I’m still here.”

“What?” she gasped.

“I love you, Relena,” his voice still quiet, just above a whisper. Slowly he lowered his head and covered her lips with his. He pulled a fraction of an inch away. “Marry me.”

She studied his face, trying to decide if he was sincere. ‘This is Heero,’ she thought.

Then she thought about all the difficulties that they would face. She lowered her head in defeat. "Heero, I . . ."

Heero wrapped an arm around her waist, cutting off her protest. He pulled her roughly to him, using her chin to make Relena to face him. He kissed her again, driving all thoughts from her mind.

He pulled away slightly, his face hovering over hers. "Marry me," he whispered, his breath fanning her face.

She opened her eyes and began to drown in the dark blue depths of his eyes. Every emotion he felt was reflected in them. They also held the promise of his undying love for her.

“Yes,” she breathed, pulling him down for another kiss.


Epilogue Two Relena sighed and rubbed her eyes with the ball of her hands. She had taken a few days off from extensive traveling to catch up on the paperwork, which was now threatening to overwhelm her. Her eyes were burning from the strain of the hours of intensive reading and were now refusing to focus on the tiny print of the documents. ‘I don’t deserve this,’ she thought miserably. ‘Who would have thought that peace meant mounds of paperwork?’ A buzz interrupted her glumly thoughts. Taking a deep breath to compose herself, Relena pressed a button. “Yes?” “I realize that you requested no interruptions,” one of the secretaries stated, “but you have a phone from Mr. Winner. I thought you would like to take it.” “Yes,” Relena replied, her spirits already lifting, “I’ll take it. Thank you, Marie.” “You’re welcome, Vice Minister,” the young woman said and the screen went blank. A second later, the smiling face of Quatre Winner appeared. As usual, the Arabian was smiling, his blue eyes filled with warmth and compassion. Like most people, Relena still found it hard to believe that a quiet person like Quatre would have ever become a Gundam pilot. Yet, she knew firsthand of his dedication to any cause he believed in. “Hello, Quatre,” she greeted, smiling for the first in hours. “It’s been a while.” “Hi, Relena, it has,” he agreed with a nod. “Though that’s not entirely my fault.” She laughed softly. “True, true. I hope that our schedule will agree sometime soon, though.” “Well, I heard that you have taken a few days off from traveling.” “And just how do you know that, Quatre?” Relena asked, a little surprised by the revelation. “You forget that I was once a Gundam pilot,” he stated, his smile broad. “I have my ways. Anyway, how about dinner tonight? My treat.” Relena’s eyes moved to the mounds of papers covering every spare inch of space on her massive desk. “I don’t know, Quatre. I’m kind of drowning in paperwork here.” “Then you will definitely need the break,” he replied. Relena lifted an eyebrow, surprised by Quatre’s insistence. Curious about what would be so important, she nodded. “Okay. What time shall we meet and where?” “I’ll pick you up at your office around seven, if that’s all right?” “Sure. See you then. Oh, Quatre?” “Yes?” “Thanks.” His already broad smile grew still. “You’re welcome, Relena. See you tonight.” * * * * * Relena waited until they had taken their seats in a secluded corner of the restaurant before arching an eyebrow at the former Sandrock pilot. He took a sip from his water glass before noticing her expectant look. He calmly set the glass back down. “What?” Relena shook her head. “You call out of the blue and insist that I join you for dinner. And here we are, in a secluded corner of my favorite restaurant. Go ahead and give me the bad news.” “Bad news? I wanted to take you out to dinner because it has been a while since we’ve been able to talk,” he replied quickly. “Besides, I did not insist.” “For you, that was insistence,” she retorted. “Come on, Quatre. Just tell me. We’re too good of friends to play games with each other.” Quatre sighed and glanced around for the waiter. Seeing no one in the immediate vicinity, he turned his attention back to Relena. “All right, though I was going to wait until after desert.” “How thoughtful of you,” Relena commented absently. “I wanted to be the one to tell you before it got to the media. Josh is engaged.” Quatre carefully studied her face for her reaction, wishing that there had been another way to tell her. For several moments, she stared at him, her lips slightly parted in disbelief. Then, she shook her head. “Who’s the lucky girl?” she asked, her tone distant and emotionless. “Relena, I’m sorry,” Quatre said quickly, “but I couldn’t think of a better way to tell you.” She nodded, her eyes vacant. “I appreciate it, Quatre. I’m sorry, but it’s just a surprise.” He covered her hand with his, hating himself for causing her pain. “Relena, I . . .” She looked up suddenly and smiled. The smile was a little weak and forced, but it was there. “So, tell me, who’s the lucky girl?” “Her name is Allison. He met her on a street corner. Actually, she hit him with her car.” “What?!” “It’s a long story, Relena,” Quatre said. “We have all night, Quatre,” she replied. * * * * * Relena threw her coat at a nearby chair but missed. However, the young woman didn’t even notice as she walked to her dressing table. She wanted desperately to throw herself on the bed and cry herself to sleep. Yet, she didn’t even have the energy left for tears. With a soul-wrenching sigh, she sat down in front of the large mirror and took down her hair. ‘You told him not too wait long, Relena,’ she told herself. ‘He took you at your word. After all, it’s been a year.’ Suddenly she was aware that she wasn’t alone in the room. She rose from the chair and scanned the room, her eyes quickly falling on a figure leaning against the balcony doors. Familiar blue eyes bore into hers. “Heero,” she whispered, laying a hand absently over her heart. “Relena,” he said just as softly. He crossed the room until he was standing just a few inches away from her, his eyes never leaving her face. “What are you doing here?” she asked, desperately trying to find something, some emotion in his eyes. “He’s getting married,” he stated. She nodded slowly. “I know. Quatre told me.” “Not to you?” he asked, a hint of surprise flashing in his eyes. “No, Heero,” she replied, shaking her head. “He’s not marrying me.” She closed her eyes, willing herself not to cry in front of him, him of all people. She went completely still when he brushed the back of his hand against her cheek. “I’m sorry, Relena,” he said quietly, his hand still lingering on her face. She opened her eyes, which immediately locked with his. “Don’t be, Heero. Things are better this way.” “I’m still here.” “What?” she gasped. “I love you, Relena,” his voice still quiet, just above a whisper. Slowly he lowered his head and covered her lips with his. He pulled a fraction of an inch away. “Marry me.” She studied his face, trying to decide if he was sincere. ‘This is Heero,’ she thought. Then she thought about all the difficulties that they would face. She lowered her head in defeat. "Heero, I . . ." Heero wrapped an arm around her waist, cutting off her protest. He pulled her roughly to him, using her chin to make Relena to face him. He kissed her again, driving all thoughts from her mind. He pulled away slightly, his face hovering over hers. "Marry me," he whispered, his breath fanning her face. She opened her eyes and began to drown in the dark blue depths of his eyes. Every emotion he felt was reflected in them. They also held the promise of his undying love for her. “Yes,” she breathed, pulling him down for another kiss.


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