Promises

The cemetery
Was silent but for the cries
Of one broken heart.

As she walked through the gardens, Relena noticed how quiet it was, especially in comparison to the usual bustle of the city. Pulling her dark wool coat tighter around her, she glanced up at the threatening gray sky, promising rain at a moment's notice. It was most likely responsible for the absence of people, but she was grateful nonetheless.

She walked quickly but quietly through the garden, keeping to the well-traveled paths and rows. Despite her best effort, her mind played the events of the past years: the wars, the battles, the deaths, and the destruction. Even now, numerous factions and terrorist groups were threatening the fragile peace that so many had sacrificed for to obtain.

She paused and looked up at the angry gray sky. 'Did you know that it would be so difficult to keep peace once we achieved it, Father?' Relena wondered. 'Did you truly believe that would have achieved it at all? Or did you work with the hope that your ideals would materialize?'

Relena turned when she heard someone approach her from behind. She smiled weakly when she saw that it was Trowa. The stoic pilot nodded in greeting.

"I really wanted to be alone," she said, looking down that the rose she held in her hand.

He shook his head. "I'm sorry, but you shouldn't be alone out in the open."

Still looking at the perfect blood-red rose she held, she nodded. "I guess so."

"I will give you your privacy."

Again, she nodded. "Thank you."

The two continued through the paths of the memorial garden, both knowing the way to their destination very well. Various images played through their minds. They were so deep in thought that they didn't notice when it began to rain light, filling the air with a light, cool mist.

As they came to the path leading to her destination, Trowa touched her shoulder and indicated that he would be waiting not far away. With another slight smile, she nodded and started down the path alone. Almost too quickly, she arrived.

Closing her eyes, she knelt on the moist ground in front of the plain stone monument. She reverently placed the rose at the base and pressed her hand against the cool stone, fighting back sobs. "Why did you have to leave me?"

Her shoes slipped on the damp grass, pitching her forward, and she grabbed the monument. As she pressed her forehead against the monument, her tears slid down her cheeks to mix with the falling rain. She cried for several minutes, her sobs dying in the open air.

With a sigh, she stood up and wiped her tears. Taking a series of deep breaths, she glanced down the monument, reading and rereading the lines she had committed to memory. Closing her eyes again, she laid a hand reverently on the top of the monument.

"You once told me that I was the key to peace," she said quietly, her voice even. "Did you ever realize that you were my key to peace? Without you, my heart isn't in my work anymore. You made feel alive."

A bittersweet smile appeared briefly on her face. "Even when you threatened to kill me."

Opening her eyes, she slowly removed her hand and stepped back from the moment. "But that was one promise you did keep. When you died, you effectively killed my heart, Heero."

Brushing her fingertips over the top of the monument, she paused. "Goodbye, my perfect soldier. I have promises of my own to keep."

Battling tears, she headed back down the path and let Trowa escort her out of the garden and back to the conference.


Promises The cemetery Was silent but for the cries Of one broken heart. As she walked through the gardens, Relena noticed how quiet it was, especially in comparison to the usual bustle of the city. Pulling her dark wool coat tighter around her, she glanced up at the threatening gray sky, promising rain at a moment's notice. It was most likely responsible for the absence of people, but she was grateful nonetheless. She walked quickly but quietly through the garden, keeping to the well-traveled paths and rows. Despite her best effort, her mind played the events of the past years: the wars, the battles, the deaths, and the destruction. Even now, numerous factions and terrorist groups were threatening the fragile peace that so many had sacrificed for to obtain. She paused and looked up at the angry gray sky. 'Did you know that it would be so difficult to keep peace once we achieved it, Father?' Relena wondered. 'Did you truly believe that would have achieved it at all? Or did you work with the hope that your ideals would materialize?' Relena turned when she heard someone approach her from behind. She smiled weakly when she saw that it was Trowa. The stoic pilot nodded in greeting. "I really wanted to be alone," she said, looking down that the rose she held in her hand. He shook his head. "I'm sorry, but you shouldn't be alone out in the open." Still looking at the perfect blood-red rose she held, she nodded. "I guess so." "I will give you your privacy." Again, she nodded. "Thank you." The two continued through the paths of the memorial garden, both knowing the way to their destination very well. Various images played through their minds. They were so deep in thought that they didn't notice when it began to rain light, filling the air with a light, cool mist. As they came to the path leading to her destination, Trowa touched her shoulder and indicated that he would be waiting not far away. With another slight smile, she nodded and started down the path alone. Almost too quickly, she arrived. Closing her eyes, she knelt on the moist ground in front of the plain stone monument. She reverently placed the rose at the base and pressed her hand against the cool stone, fighting back sobs. "Why did you have to leave me?" Her shoes slipped on the damp grass, pitching her forward, and she grabbed the monument. As she pressed her forehead against the monument, her tears slid down her cheeks to mix with the falling rain. She cried for several minutes, her sobs dying in the open air. With a sigh, she stood up and wiped her tears. Taking a series of deep breaths, she glanced down the monument, reading and rereading the lines she had committed to memory. Closing her eyes again, she laid a hand reverently on the top of the monument. "You once told me that I was the key to peace," she said quietly, her voice even. "Did you ever realize that you were my key to peace? Without you, my heart isn't in my work anymore. You made feel alive." A bittersweet smile appeared briefly on her face. "Even when you threatened to kill me." Opening her eyes, she slowly removed her hand and stepped back from the moment. "But that was one promise you did keep. When you died, you effectively killed my heart, Heero." Brushing her fingertips over the top of the monument, she paused. "Goodbye, my perfect soldier. I have promises of my own to keep." Battling tears, she headed back down the path and let Trowa escort her out of the garden and back to the conference.


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