AUTHORESS NOTES: Er...sorry for the long update. I know, I left off at a bad ending, didn't I? *cringes as her twin relentlessly reminds her* Uh..yeah, why did I do that? You'll see later on ^^.

Chapter Twelve

Relena ran as fast as she could back to her own room. Tears blinded her sight, causing her to run into anything and everything that got in her way. She didn't bother to apologize to the people she ran into; all she wanted to do was go to her room and cry. Heero had left her again, but this time it wasn't like any of the other times he had done this. She had been searching for him for the past seven years without a trace, and then he suddenly showed up without warning all to just disappear again.

Just thinking about it made her tears fall out more.

A thin yet strong body stepped in her way, causing her to collapse into the person's arms.

"Relena-san?" a familiar feminine voice asked, surprised. "What's wrong?"

"I...Heero...he..." she stuttered out.

After they parted lips, Heero still held her close but did not dare to look into her eyes.

"Don't tempt me," he murmured.

Kaede kept Relena upright as she cried on her shoulder, a mixture of sympathy and anger welling up inside her chest. She felt sorry for Relena and was angry at her younger brother for avoiding the woman he cared for the most.

Heero no baka! she thought angrily, frowning. Why are you always avoiding her? Why make her suffer like this?!?

Kaede Yuy knew her brother's relationship with the woman named Relena Darlain quite well, for she was asked by Doctor J to keep an eye on her brother during the first war. Although he never admitted it, she knew that Heero was thinking of her the past seven years but forced himself to focus on rescuing and protecting their trapped family from the Red Hawks. This was important to both siblings, but Kaede also understood the trials of love and how it could be painful as being shot through the heart.

Oh, am I gonna throttle his neck once he gets back from the base, she thought angrily. She had a feeling that something was going to happen when he decided to leave without notice.

Yet first things first: to get a broken and sobbing Prime Minister out of the public eye.

"Ne, Relena-san, why don't we go someplace else and talk about it?" she suggested.

The younger woman nodded, trying to wipe away her tears. Kaede gently led Relena out of the crowded hallway, giving looks to the other Preventers around saying that she had it covered. She eventually led Relena to a secluded area of the base and set her down on a bench. Kaede looked at her straight in the eye, asking,

"Okay, what did that idiot little brother of mine say to you?"

<Red Hawks>

Heero sat quietly in the van that he had stolen from the Preventers' base with the cap of his disguise down to cover his eyes. He was back in the hear of the Red Hawks' headquarters posing as a delivery man. The last time Heero had come here was during the past few days before he had rescued Andy and Kitsune seven years ago. He had thought it would be the last time he would be in the Red Hawks' way, but he was wrong after the events during the past few days.

"Excuse me, sir," said a security guard.

Heero gave her a charming smile as he looked up, "Yes?"

The guard smiled back, handing him back a packet of papers. "Here's your papers back ,but can we take a look at your cargo? For security reasons."

"No problem," he replied, pushing a button that unlocked the back of the van.

"Arigatou," the guard replied and walked back with her partner to the back of the vehicle.

Heero kept his cheerful face until the guard had disappeared from his view. He had nothing to worry about what were in the boxes of his van. They were just plastic containers and blank paper. What bothered Heero was Relena's well-being.

Why does Reinhardt want Relena killed? That's just not his style..., he brooded. Or does he think that Project AES is ready to initiate?

His thoughts then flashed back to the kiss he gave Relena before he left. A small smile crept to his face. Don't worry. Whatever happens, I'll protect you.

"Okay, you're free to go," the guard said. "The drop off area is in sector C14."

"Arigatou," he replied and started the engine, strolling his way through. As soon as he reached the sector, he turned of the engine and got out. He opened the back and carried out a couple of boxes just so that the security knew he was doing his "job". However, once he was out of camera sight and reach, he snuck into the security room. The two men that sat inside were munching on a couple of donuts as they watched the screens.

"Hey, do you wanna go the the club tonight, Roj?" one asked.

"Aah...maybe," the man named Roj answered.

Heero tiptoed quietly behind them as they continued their idle talk.

"Oh, c'mon, you always back out when I ask," the other man said.

Heero quickly dispatched him with a cop at the neck. Roj quickly reacted, jumping out of his seat and taking out his gun.

"Who're you?" he demanded.

Without replying, Heero knocked out Roj before he could fire.

"Sumanu, but I have to check out some things first," he said to the men on the ground as he tied them up. After tying them and making sure that the twine was secure, Heero grabbed a chair and sat in front of the database computer.

"Let's see...what does Reinhardt have planned?" he asked himself.

<Preventers' Hospital>

Beep...beep...

"I'm surprised with all of his injuries that he's still alive," a voice said.

Who is that?

"How long do you think it's gonna take him to...wake up? Will he be okay?" another voiced asked in concern.

That voice...

Darkness surrounded him. Everywhere he looked, there was darkness. A glimpse of light was above him but he could barely grasp it. Yet he persistently tried to get it. They needed him. He had to wake up.

"I'm guessing around two weeks or more..." the voice answered.

I can't wait two weeks. Kitsune needs my help.

Then he tried harder to reach the light. It came closer and closer yet still was too far to grasp. Then suddenly, his body was overwhelmed with shock.

Beep...beep...beep...

Andy slowly opened his eyes to the conscious world, staring into a pair of violet eyes. Gally's eyes.

"...Andy?"