Before you start reading: I would really like to thank Nikkler, Priscel and Akane Li for sticking with me till the end. You guys have submitted most of the reviews I got and now I want to dedicate this last chapter to you guys. And in thanks, if any of you guys would like me to write a fic about something in particular, let me know so I can get to work right away on it. I hope you like this ending.

XXX XXX XXX

In Sickness and in Health

Lady Une arrived with the minister and the rest of the pilots. Heero was surprised to see that the minister was the old man he'd met some time ago while on his way to see the scientists about the recently discovered diary. The old man smiled at them and signaled he was ready to start whenever they pleased.

At first, Quatre, Trowa and Wufei were confused. All they knew was that Lady Une had asked them not to move because she would need their assistance later on. They felt slightly panicked and waited anxiously for her return. When they saw her arrive with an old man, confusion increased.

The old man signaled for Heero and Duo to approach him. Lady Une remained in the background with the rest of the pilots, and they secretly had the feeling she could start crying at any second.

"My dear friends" began the old man, "we are gathered here rather hastily due to the circumstances, to witness the joyful union of two people who have decided to proclaim their love for each other in an eternal oath of belonging"

Duo could barely believe this was happening to him. He held Heero's hands in his with a wide smile spread across his face. Lady Une had almost immediately arrived with his three closest friends to serve as witnesses and a nice looking man who said he'd be willing to marry them. He would feel guilty about forgetting everything else, but his happiness was simply overwhelming. At the moment, he felt like nothing else could go wrong, and hope shone it's brightest. Duo was almost sure everything would turn all right in the end. Besides, he was certain Heero wouldn't be pleased if he was worried at the moment.

"Now Heero, please repeat after me…"

Heero listened intently at what the old man said and memorized every single word. "I, Heero Yuy, take thee, Duo Maxwell, to be my lawfully wedded husband…"

Heero's words meant music to Duo's ears. Solemnity replaced happiness and for a moment Duo was pulled back to real life. Ever so passionate, he tended to get carried away in the spur of the moment, but now that he thought of it, he wondered what would happen next, right after the improvised ceremony was over.

Ever since they had met each other, Duo had had the feeling Heero would become something more than a known stranger in his life. As fate would have it, right after the last battle they'd not just become a couple, they were meant for each other, just like all those ancient and legendary tales of romance and overwhelming love.

Destiny had brought them together, and destiny in the end had kept them together. It would always be like that, and Duo made a secret promise to keep it that way, no matter what happened afterwards.

Now, Duo's turn came to speak out loud his eternal vows to Heero. Just as Heero, Duo took him to be his husband.

"…both in sickness and in health, until death do part us(1)" concluded Duo, for the first time comprehending the true meaning behind those words. Nothing seemed real at the moment; everything was distant. How long would it take before the last statement he had just spoken would become true?

"You may now kiss"

Heero and Duo joined in a kiss before their friends and it was over: they were married.

XXX XXX XXX

They had decided to leave the newlyweds alone. Lady Une rushed from her momentarily break back to the labs to speak to Dr. Sen. She seemed somewhat in a hurry to get out and Wufei suspected she hadn't wanted anyone to see her cry. Trowa and Quatre disappeared off to some unknown place and the old man stood before the vending machine seriously looking at its contents mystifying Wufei, who knew there really wasn't much to choose from.

As of late, Wufei's feet seemed to carrying him ever so often to strange and unusual places. This time, though, Wufei was also to blame, for he really had in mind the place he wanted to be at.

There was no one available he could talk to and let all his emotions flow free for a change. At least not his friends, whom all seemed so busy with their lives lately. Wufei wondered how was Heero going to fare, but as soldiers they all once were, Wufei was more than certain that the stoic, Zero pilot had accepted his fate and would never once turn back to mourn over the what ifs or the would haves.

"Rather narrow selection, isn't it?" spoke the old man out loud. Wufei wasn't really sure he was being talked to. "Although, it would seem that my choice has been just made easier this way… still, there are some who despite the circumstances won't accept the facts and always manage to find a way to get away with theirs"

Wufei had no idea of what the old man was talking about. In the end, he parted from the vending machine and approached Wufei while he pulled a cigarette packet out of his coat's pocket. Taking one with his hand he offered Wufei a smoke, which he declined.

"I guess you're right, it's best to stay clean. But to an old man like me, who's done and seen all this body could, I say a nice smoke can't do no harm… eh… you wouldn't happen to have a lighter on you boy?"

"No, I'm sorry"

"Shoulda guessed…" the man patted his pockets and finally found matches. He puffed a couple of smoke clouds before referring to Wufei again. "Something trouble your mind boy?"

"Doesn't everyone feel troubled nowadays?"

"Too true. But then again, it would seem that light still shines even at the darkest places… your friends are living proof of it". The old man sighed, "whatever it is, nothing should be strong enough to defeat your spirit boy. I hear tell that your friend is infected and has few hours left of life. Nevertheless, he has taken what I think is the right course of action and has decided to make the most out of the last. We should all follow his example and believe once more that it's never too late, dontcha think?"

Wufei eyed the man who was pleasantly puffing out more grey clouds. If the man was right, then maybe it really wasn't too late…

"Where are you goin'?"

"I have to introduce myself to someone. Good bye old man!" Wufei waved goodbye and hurried over to the frozen chambers, where the few cryogenically frozen people awaited. The girl he'd seen some time ago was certainly still there.

"Hi…" began Wufei, checking if there was anyone around to witness how ridiculous he felt at first. The absence of unfrozen people gave him more confidence. "My name is Wufei and I just met an old man who told me it's never too late. I suppose he's right, because I'm here talking to you. I don't know you and you don't know me, but there's a good chance that we might like each other once you wake up.

"You know, my best friends are paired up in couples and they seem to really love each other… actually they do, since two of them just got married, and I'm sure the other too will do the same soon. I suppose I felt envious at first, believing I had no one who cared that deeply for me, no one who I could share my heart with.

"I have been taught that envy isn't good. So, I discovered it's not envy I should feel; instead, I should be out, walking with my eyes wide open, in case someone out there would be willing to help me…to lend me a hand…And then I thought that maybe, there was someone out there who needed helping as well. I don't know why it occurred to me that you might, but in any case, I wanted to ask you if, when you wake up, you'd like to be my friend… would you save me?"

XXX XXX XXX

"Do you think Duo will be all right?"

"No, I don't think Duo will ever be all right again"

"…"

Trowa opened the door for Quatre into the large corridor that led to the dormitories. The little blond pilot looked back one last time with sadness. Heero had once before asked Quatre to go with him and do some shopping. He knew it was about Duo's ring, but that had been a long time ago. The disease thing had happened and they had been cut short of time. The ring search had to be postponed.

Quatre sighed and stepped into the corridor, Trowa closely behind. "It's so sad, though"

"Yes…"

They kept walking without any real destination for some minutes. They just held hands and walked, looking at the other people waking up and coming out of their rooms to begin work. Rumors about some good news issuing out of the labs were quickly spreading and the pilots could see people bustling about with higher spirits now.

Quatre yawned loudly. They'd had a lousy night's sleep and they really needed to get some rest, so their destination became the nearest room available, that being Trowa's. They shut the drapes to be immersed in complete darkness and settled on the bed. Problem was, as soon as they were nice and cozy, neither could get to sleep.

"I wish there was something we could do for them" spoke Quatre, sensing Trowa awake as well.

"Don't we all?"

"I know…I always thought we'd all be together, you know? I mean, I know we're all soldiers and we could die in any minute, but after all we've been through I just didn't think it would end like that"

Trowa turned to face Quatre. "We were all aware of the dangers this life posed."

"I know, it's just… I hoped that we had luck by our side. We didn't die during any of those past occasions where we could have, like at the battle with Mariemeia for example, so I thought that maybe, just maybe, we were meant to go on…"

Trowa leaned over to kiss Quatre gently. He couldn't very well see him in the dark, but he had his face and expressions so perfectly memorized, that he was certain Quatre was really unhappy and needed to be comforted right away. He caressed his little lover's cheek and kissed him once more.

"I love our friends as well," whispered Trowa, "and I wish we could all be together always too. But for all the good it does, I give you my word that, even when the rest have gone, I'll always remain, I'll always be here, just for you."

Quatre smiled. Trowa couldn't see it, but he knew.

"Thank you Trowa" he hugged his boyfriend and rested his head on his chest. "I love you koi"

"I love you too"

And with these final words, they drifted off to sleep.

XXX XXX XXX

Duo was in Heero's arms. They were dancing slowly to the song in their heads. Some slow dance they'd heard somewhere, time ago when there was nothing to worry about. Heero had never been good at dancing, while Duo moved freely. It had been him who taught Heero how to dance. They remained like that for a long while.

"Duo, I'm sorry I asked you until now" said Heero.

Duo broke the dance and looked into his husband's eyes. He wasn't going to lie about it, he sorely regretted that all the good things had to happen when it might be the end, but he firmly believed that it was better to have loved and lost, than to have never loved at all.

"Don't worry about it" Duo answered. "Heh, it might sound silly, but somehow, I still have that funny feeling that everything will turn out ok in the end"

Heero grabbed Duo firmly by the shoulders and looked at him more seriously than he had ever done so in his life. "Duo, I know you don't want to talk about it, but I must. You have to face it, things will never be the same again…"

"BUT I DON'T WANT TO!" Duo broke free from Heero's grasp, "Heero, I'm sure there's got to be another way. You already took that diary to them scientists, I'm sure they can help you now… Cryogenic freezing! You could try that Heero!"

"Duo, I'm way past that"

"Maybe not! Maybe with the new information they can make it work for you…"

"DUO!" Heero grabbed Duo once more and shook him lightly. He knew something like this was coming and was prepared to face it. "Duo, get real. Please, I already told you, I'm not afraid to die"

"But I don't want you to" Duo said, his voice breaking and tears filling his eyes.

"I know… I know because I would feel the same. But please, Duo, don't make it harder than it already is. I think it's a fair price to pay"

"What are you talking about?"

"I delivered what might as well be human's salvation in a silver platter to those scientists. I think it's fair to give my life in exchange for that, you know, in exchange of being the one to save millions."

Duo was cut short of words and tears. Heero was smiling bitterly when he said this.

"I've always thought that my life was a fair price to pay if with it I could save lives, even if it was just one. I don't like to see people suffer and I made my decision a long time ago, to commit myself to it" Heero's voice was firm. There was a time ago when he was innocent, when he thought he had nothing to do with other people. And then, he became a soldier. He could never forgive himself for the time when he discovered he'd made a fatal mistake; when he saw that mobile suit falling over that little girl's house…

"We've taken many lives Duo, lives of people who might've had families and friends, just like us. Families and friends who loved, and who wanted to see their loved ones back at home safely… that's why I think I should give something back"

Heero led Duo towards the bed and they sat. He held his hand firmly between his and leaned on Duo's shoulder. "Please. You have to accept I don't have much time left, and all I want now is to spend my time happily next to my new husband. I don't want to waste this time away fighting"

"I'm sorry Heero"

"It's ok"

Heero pushed them both back onto the bed so they were staring at the ceiling. "So, what does my dear husband want to do now?" asked Duo.

"I'm sorry, but I'm not in the mood for sex…"

"I know."

"Heh" Heero laughed softly. "I just want you to hold me Duo. Hold me like you've never held me before"

Heero moved to lay his head atop Duo's chest and Duo held him tightly.

It felt like forever to Duo. He kept thinking about all those things Heero had just told him. He hated to admit Heero was right. He hated to admit he had felt so at times. He just hoped that they could be together for a longer time and then pay for their sins together as well. He had never pictured life without Heero before and was rather reluctant to believe that the Disease could take him away.

"Duo, I love you oh so much" whispered Heero, his voice finally breaking. For the first time after all this had happened, he let a few tears escape. Maybe he was feeling just a little bit afraid, but he wouldn't let Duo know.

"I love you too Heero"

Duo tightened his grip on Heero and they just stood there like that, lying on the bed, positioning themselves so they could stare at each other in the face. They held hands and smiled at each other. There was nothing else they'd rather do at the moment. Just that, look at each other and occasionally talking about unimportant things.

Time went by.

"Duo, I have just one last favor to ask you" whispered Heero from his place at Duo's chest. He stood up and walked over to the only furniture in the room part from the bed. Atop a little bedside table stood a black box Duo hadn't noticed.

"I also asked Lady Une to bring this to me. She was rather reluctant, but in the end I convinced her." He took the box over to Duo and set it on his husband's lap.

"What is it?"

In response, Heero opened the box. Duo's eyes widened in surprise.

"You have got to be kidding me"

"Please Duo. It nearly over and I don't want it to be like all the others we've seen. I don't want you to see me scream and cry like that"

"Heero, I can't…" Duo was about to start crying again.

"Duo, please" Heero kneeled right in front of Duo and fixed upon him a serious look. "This is the last thing I'm asking for. Please grant me at least this last wish"

"Heero…"

"I feel it close now… anytime… please say you will"

"I…" Duo's eyes were filled up with tears and he felt a knot in his throat that wouldn't let him say a word. He swallowed hard and finally nodded. Heero smiled and reached over to kiss Duo. One last passionate kiss before he felt total breakdown.

XXX XXX XXX

"So what you're saying is that this proved to be salvation?"

"It's a good way to put it Lady Une. It certainly seems like so. We've had the diary for little over 12 hours, but there's a lot in there that fills many holes in our research. We are confident we can begin fabricating a vaccine soon."

"Soon?"

Lady Une and Dr. Sen were on their way to Heero's room. They looked terrible, as none had slept in probably a day or two. They meant to tell Heero the good news.

"Yes…I'm sorry it couldn't be sooner…"

"I know. Well, late is better than never"

"Lady Une!"

They met Wufei along the way.

"Wufei, good news." Lady Une told him what Sen had just been telling her.

"About time" behind came Quatre and Trowa and had overheard Lady Une. "But Heero…"

"I'm sorry" Dr. Sen lowered his face, "I'm afraid there's nothing we might be able to do for him…"

They kept walking towards the room. When they reached the corridor at which end were Heero and Duo…

BANG

The shot froze everyone in their spot. Lady Une was the only one to truly understand what had happened.

BANG

The second shot took her completely by surprise and she was the first to rush over and wrench the door open. A general gasp escaped their lips.

Atop Heero's lifeless figure, lay Duo. They both had a bullet hole on their foreheads and a small pool of blood was slowly forming beneath them.

OWARI

XXX XXX XXX

(1) I'm not so sure how this goes, but you guys get the idea, right?

A/N: Well, here's the product of another one of my infamous sugar-high sprees! FINALLY DONE! I remember dancing Can-can while writing this whenever I waited for the inspiration muse to descend.

Well, about this last chapter, I have to say I put some extra effort to make it longer than the rest and worthwhile. I hope I succeeded in the last thing. At first I got a bit carried away with the wedding stuff, and only afterwards did I remember the situation they were in. I tried to amend things without changing much of what I had already written, since I really liked it. Also, I hope I didn't make Wufei too OOC. I do realize he's not one to fall for the mushy romantic stuff, but I think he deserves a little love, he, he. In the end, I suppose I did soften him a bit, but no one can always be tough all the time, right?

I wasn't sure what to do about Trowa and Quatre, so I'm sorry if their part seems short and unimportant. The ending is what really had me nervous. I was hesitant to write such things, but in the end, I suppose it's a better ending.

So… did you like it? Please review when you're done reading, it's the last chapter and reviewing never killed anyone. PLEASE!

And lastly, I thank you all. THANK YOU! See you at some other story. Sayonara!