---Part 2---

Noin blinked, trying to hold back her tears. Her heart ached as she studied Relena’s unconscious form. The pale, almost lifeless figure in the white hospital bed barely resembled the young woman she had guarded.

‘If it’s this hard for me,’ she thought, ‘imagine Zechs is going through.’ Glancing him, Noin saw more pain and guilt in those familiar blue eyes than she had ever seen. In war, losses were expected, including very personal ones, but things like this weren’t supposed to happen in peace and not to innocents.

“It’s not your fault,” she said gently, placing a hand on his shoulder.

His eyes never left Relena. “Isn’t it?”

“There was no way for you to know that this was going to happen,” Noin said sternly. “It’s not your fault.”

Miliardo rose from his chair. “I’m supposed to protect her! She’s here now because I failed!”

“You can’t protect her from everything,” Noin retorted. “You’re human, and she deserves to enjoy life while she is still young.”

“Thanks to me, she won’t have that chance now,” Miliardo replied, his hands balled into fists.

“You don’t know that, Zechs,” she said softly.

He ran his hand through his hair out of frustration. “Look at her, Lucrezia. It will be a miracle if she pulls out of this.”

He made a strangled sound. “I’m so sorry, Relena.”

Wordlessly, Noin hugged him, and he clung to her like she was a lifeline. “Don’t give up on her, yet,” she whispered. “She’s a fighter. Give her a chance.”

Nodding, Miliardo reluctantly released her. “Thank you, Noin.”

Stepping back, she nodded. A knock on the door heralded the doctor’s arrival. After checking Relena’s vital signs, he consulted the chart, murmuring under his breath.

“Do you have any idea what’s wrong with her?” Miliardo demanded.

The doctor looked up and shook his head. “Everything points to some kind of infection. We are trying to isolate the source. When we know something, we’ll tell you.”

Sliding the chart back in its place, the doctor turned and exited. Miliardo moved to go after the man, but Noin place a restraining hand on his shoulder. He glared at her, his blue eyes flashing angrily.

“I know it’s not one of your virtues, but you have to be patient,” Noin commented dryly.

He looked at her like she had lost all sanity and then shook his head. “Leave it to you to make fun of me at a time like this.”

“What are friends for?”

Both froze at the sound of rustling sheets. “Miliardo?”

* * * * *

“When we know something, we’ll tell you.”

Relena tried to open her eyes, wanting to know where she was. The voice wasn’t like the any of Isom’s men. If she wasn’t at his compound, where was she and how was she rescued?

Her whole body throbbed in pain. The overwhelming heat didn’t help matters either. She worked to move, to open her mouth, to open her eyes. Yet, everything seemed so heavy.

“I know it’s not one of your virtues, but you have to be patient.”

Relena almost cried with relief. If Noin was there, she was safe. They had rescued her from Isom.

“Leave it to you to make fun of me at a time like this.”

With a great deal of effort, Relena opened her eyes and saw her brother and Noin. No two individuals were ever a more welcomed sight to the young politician. They found her. She was safe.

“What are friends for?”

Trying to sit up, Relena managed to croak her brother’s name. As the pair rushed to her bedside, she plopped back against the mattress. To her horror, the effort left her panting.

“What’s wrong with me?”

Miliardo blinked and then gently took her hand. “We don’t know just yet, Relena. The doctors think it’s an infection. You’ll be better soon.”

“Where’s Isom?”

Noin stood slightly behind Miliardo. “He’s gone.”

“How?”

“Suicide,” Miliardo answered.

With a sigh, Relena closed her eyes. “Isom, he injected me with something, as the guys were attacking. That’s what’s making me sick.”

“Are you sure?” Noin asked, exchanging a worried glance with Miliardo.

Relena managed a glare. “Do you have any other ideas?”

Noin smiled, grateful that Relena still had her spunk. “I’ll go talk to the doctor.”

The Peacecraft siblings both smiled gratefully at her. As she headed toward the door, she glanced back. Her heart twisted at the scene Miliardo and his sister made.

* * * * *

“Dr. Wiebe,” Noin called as she approached the nurses’ station.

The doctor looked up with a scowl. Scribbling on a prescription pad, he gave some instructions to the nurse. Then, with a sigh, he turned to her.

“Um, Miss,” he stammered, trying to remember her name.

“Lieutenant Noin,” she supplied. “Miss Peacecraft has regained consciousness. She said that she was injected with something just before her rescue. She believes that it is making her sick.”

“Yes, lieutenant, an injection of some kind could be the cause,” he replied, obviously not happy about having the conversation. “However, until we get some further test results back, I’m afraid that I can’t say anything definite about her condition.”

Noin crossed her arms. “Are you going to check on her, now that she has regained consciousness?”

“In a few moments,” Wiebe replied with a dismissive gesture. “I do have other patients.”

“The likelihood of a lasting peace rests on that girl’s survival,” Noin said, resisting the urge to bodily haul the man to Relena. “I suggest that you remember that.”

Ignoring the doctor’s muttering, Noin headed back down the hallway. She paused when she saw Duo Maxwell leaning casually against a wall, his black baseball cap pulled low over his face. As she approached, he glanced up. However, his customary grin was gone.

“Where’s Wufei?” Noin asked. “I need to find Sally.”

“He’s guarding Relena’s room,” Duo replied. “How is she?”

“She’s conscious,” Noin stated. “It’s a good sign, I think. However, I wouldn’t mind a second opinion.”

Glancing over at Dr. Wiebe, Duo nodded. “That’s a good idea.”

He watched Noin disappear down the hallway before he approached the doctor. Sensing Duo’s presence, the doctor glanced up from a chart with a glare. However, the expression in the young man’s eyes made the doctor nervous and the glare disappeared.

“I suggest that you tread carefully,” Duo said, his voice low. “Noin is a lot kinder than the rest of us. I suggest that you don’t pull a stunt like that again, especially around Miliardo and Heero.”

Satisfied that the doctor was properly warned, Duo pulled the cap down even further and headed back the hall.

“Who’s Heero?” Dr. Wiebe called.

With a smirk, Duo continued walking down the hall. “Oh, you’ll meet him,” he said quietly. “Just you wait.”


Part II Noin blinked, trying to hold back her tears. Her heart ached as she studied Relena’s unconscious form. The pale, almost lifeless figure in the white hospital bed barely resembled the young woman she had guarded. ‘If it’s this hard for me,’ she thought, ‘imagine Zechs is going through.’ Glancing him, Noin saw more pain and guilt in those familiar blue eyes than she had ever seen. In war, losses were expected, including very personal ones, but things like this weren’t supposed to happen in peace and not to innocents. “It’s not your fault,” she said gently, placing a hand on his shoulder. His eyes never left Relena. “Isn’t it?” “There was no way for you to know that this was going to happen,” Noin said sternly. “It’s not your fault.” Miliardo rose from his chair. “I’m supposed to protect her! She’s here now because I failed!” “You can’t protect her from everything,” Noin retorted. “You’re human, and she deserves to enjoy life while she is still young.” “Thanks to me, she won’t have that chance now,” Miliardo replied, his hands balled into fists. “You don’t know that, Zechs,” she said softly. He ran his hand through his hair out of frustration. “Look at her, Lucrezia. It will be a miracle if she pulls out of this.” He made a strangled sound. “I’m so sorry, Relena.” Wordlessly, Noin hugged him, and he clung to her like she was a lifeline. “Don’t give up on her, yet,” she whispered. “She’s a fighter. Give her a chance.” Nodding, Miliardo reluctantly released her. “Thank you, Noin.” Stepping back, she nodded. A knock on the door heralded the doctor’s arrival. After checking Relena’s vital signs, he consulted the chart, murmuring under his breath. “Do you have any idea what’s wrong with her?” Miliardo demanded. The doctor looked up and shook his head. “Everything points to some kind of infection. We are trying to isolate the source. When we know something, we’ll tell you.” Sliding the chart back in its place, the doctor turned and exited. Miliardo moved to go after the man, but Noin place a restraining hand on his shoulder. He glared at her, his blue eyes flashing angrily. “I know it’s not one of your virtues, but you have to be patient,” Noin commented dryly. He looked at her like she had lost all sanity and then shook his head. “Leave it to you to make fun of me at a time like this.” “What are friends for?” Both froze at the sound of rustling sheets. “Miliardo?” * * * * * “When we know something, we’ll tell you.” Relena tried to open her eyes, wanting to know where she was. The voice wasn’t like the any of Isom’s men. If she wasn’t at his compound, where was she and how was she rescued? Her whole body throbbed in pain. The overwhelming heat didn’t help matters either. She worked to move, to open her mouth, to open her eyes. Yet, everything seemed so heavy. “I know it’s not one of your virtues, but you have to be patient.” Relena almost cried with relief. If Noin was there, she was safe. They had rescued her from Isom. “Leave it to you to make fun of me at a time like this.” With a great deal of effort, Relena opened her eyes and saw her brother and Noin. No two individuals were ever a more welcomed sight to the young politician. They found her. She was safe. “What are friends for?” Trying to sit up, Relena managed to croak her brother’s name. As the pair rushed to her bedside, she plopped back against the mattress. To her horror, the effort left her panting. “What’s wrong with me?” Miliardo blinked and then gently took her hand. “We don’t know just yet, Relena. The doctors think it’s an infection. You’ll be better soon.” “Where’s Isom?” Noin stood slightly behind Miliardo. “He’s gone.” “How?” “Suicide,” Miliardo answered. With a sigh, Relena closed her eyes. “Isom, he injected me with something, as the guys were attacking. That’s what’s making me sick.” “Are you sure?” Noin asked, exchanging a worried glance with Miliardo. Relena managed a glare. “Do you have any other ideas?” Noin smiled, grateful that Relena still had her spunk. “I’ll go talk to the doctor.” The Peacecraft siblings both smiled gratefully at her. As she headed toward the door, she glanced back. Her heart twisted at the scene Miliardo and his sister made. * * * * * “Dr. Wiebe,” Noin called as she approached the nurses’ station. The doctor looked up with a scowl. Scribbling on a prescription pad, he gave some instructions to the nurse. Then, with a sigh, he turned to her. “Um, Miss,” he stammered, trying to remember her name. “Lieutenant Noin,” she supplied. “Miss Peacecraft has regained consciousness. She said that she was injected with something just before her rescue. She believes that it is making her sick.” “Yes, lieutenant, an injection of some kind could be the cause,” he replied, obviously not happy about having the conversation. “However, until we get some further test results back, I’m afraid that I can’t say anything definite about her condition.” Noin crossed her arms. “Are you going to check on her, now that she has regained consciousness?” “In a few moments,” Wiebe replied with a dismissive gesture. “I do have other patients.” “The likelihood of a lasting peace rests on that girl’s survival,” Noin said, resisting the urge to bodily haul the man to Relena. “I suggest that you remember that.” Ignoring the doctor’s muttering, Noin headed back down the hallway. She paused when she saw Duo Maxwell leaning casually against a wall, his black baseball cap pulled low over his face. As she approached, he glanced up. However, his customary grin was gone. “Where’s Wufei?” Noin asked. “I need to find Sally.” “He’s guarding Relena’s room,” Duo replied. “How is she?” “She’s conscious,” Noin stated. “It’s a good sign, I think. However, I wouldn’t mind a second opinion.” Glancing over at Dr. Wiebe, Duo nodded. “That’s a good idea.” He watched Noin disappear down the hallway before he approached the doctor. Sensing Duo’s presence, the doctor glanced up from a chart with a glare. However, the expression in the young man’s eyes made the doctor nervous and the glare disappeared. “I suggest that you tread carefully,” Duo said, his voice low. “Noin is a lot kinder than the rest of us. I suggest that you don’t pull a stunt like that again, especially around Miliardo and Heero.” Satisfied that the doctor was properly warned, Duo pulled the cap down even further and headed back the hall. “Who’s Heero?” Dr. Wiebe called. With a smirk, Duo continued walking down the hall. “Oh, you’ll meet him,” he said quietly. “Just you wait.”


Part III You Shouldn't Have to Say Goodbye