Family

Prologue

Author's note: I have been rewriting this story for so many times. I often get stuck at certain chapters and I will rewrite it all over again. Sometimes I changed the entire plot but somehow… I just couldn't make it perfect. Maybe I was too much of a perfectionist, to want this story to be really good. I finally decided that maybe I should really just stick to this version until the end, and see how things turn out.

This is Family, version 28th, a combination of ideas from all the 28 versions as well. I hope that you will enjoy reading this story.

Note: I did make up Heero's family background. This story is also set after Gundam Wing Endless Waltz.

Edit: I have always wanted to change the prologue as I felt that it didn't fit with the story at all. Hence I have written a totally new prologue, hence please read it!

Please read and review, but NO FLAMERS! Thank you very much.

After the war and the incident on Christmas of After Colony (AC) 196, everyone knew that peace wasn't that easy to maintain. And hence they have learnt to cherish the times that they have better. The Colonies came together and formed a board of ministers, making up of officials from all over the Colonies. Out of them, an election took place to elect someone to be the President of the Colonies, a man who was going to take charge of all the colonies, as well as help to maintain the peace between Earth and the Colonies.

Carlton Wingate emerged victorious; however Carlton changed a lot of policies and things. Somehow there were those who objected to these changes and there were those who were still trying very hard to make a war happen again. That's where the elite force that works behind the scene comes in, the Preventers. Lady Une, Head of the Preventer Force works closely with Carlton Wingate, to help to ensure peace and take out potential threats that were trying to disrupt this peace.

However Lady Une knows that she doesn't have enough manpower. Hence she sent Preventer Chang on a mission, to find the remaining four Gundam pilots and ask them to join the Preventer force. Trowa, Heero and Duo agreed to join the force, while Quatre rejected the offer as he wanted to pursue his own dreams.

After Colony 197, following Carlton's plans, more Colonies were in the process of building and reconstruction works was still going on. Carlton wanted to increase the number of Colonies to 10. While the Preventers are getting more busy with each passing day, trying to maintain peace as well as ensure that the Colonies is a safe place to live in.

Likewise, a DNA test proved that Heero was the long lost son of Carlton Wingate, Jacob Wingate. Heero is now a member of the Wingate family. He wasn't used to having a family, but they weren't giving up on him. This year, Heero also started his own company called SilverWings. It started out as a small company, but with some guidance from Carlton, the company began to prosper, evolve as well as gain recognition throughout the entire Colonies. This year, Heero also met a very famous singer from Japan, by the name of Fate de Camden. The two of them became good friends.

After Colony 198, SilverWings was now a very popular brand. The company ventures into all kinds of industries and does very well in all of them. It became an international, famous, well known and prestigious brand. Even though Heero was earning a lot but, he still spends most of his time on missions. Heero also takes time out to be with his family. While Fate rose to fame and became a very well known and popular singer throughout Earth. Fate had the chance of working closely with Heero as well as his friends and soon, she became their friend as well.

After Colony 199, The Ten Colonies have finished their construction works and many people from Earth are moving to the Colonies. Life is peaceful and well, people are also slowly accepting Carlton's ways.

This year, Heero and Relena became an official couple. Little does he know that Fate had already fallen in love with him.

Heero's company is doing very well and it has become a brand name that everyone knows about, in the Colonies as well as on Earth. And soon everyone is crazy about the company's products. While Fate's fame continues to spread throughout the Colonies as Fate breaks into the singing industry in the Colonies. With Fate's successful debut into the Colonies, Fate has decided to move into Colony L1 to continue on working on her music for the Colonies.

After Colony 199, 14th February, Valentine's Day

Earth, Japan, Sakura City,

Night Time

Heero Yuy, no, Heero Wingate was walking across a grass field. There were a lot of people here tonight, but everyone had the same goal, to watch the meteor shower that happened once every 500 hundred years. It can be viewed from the Colonies as well, but people believed that the image they saw were generated or rather created by the weather system. Hence everyone was flying back down to Earth, especially to places where the meteors would fly past, to witness this event by themselves.

It was a coincidence that the meteor shower happened to fall on the same day as Valentine's Day. It could also explain why there were many couples sitting on the grass cuddling and making out while waiting for the meteor shower. There were also photographers who were here to take photos of the meteor shower and people who have telescope with big and long lens.

Heero continued walking through the grass field as his eyes scanned the area, searching for his friend. He actually had no intention of coming here to watch the meteor shower, but his best friends were bugging him to get a few photographs of the meteor shower for them simply because they were too busy enjoying Valentine's Day to be here. He didn't blame them as he was the only one who didn't have a date tonight. Well he did have something planned for tonight, but it was cancelled as the other person was too busy. Nevertheless they have already celebrated Valentine's Day in secret and in advance.

As he was walking, his eyes fell on a small hill and started to make his way there. He knew that his friend was there. As he got near to the foot of the hill, he stood there and stared up at the tree that was at the top of the hill. He paused for a moment before convincing himself to continue moving. He had brought some news with him today and it was one of the reasons why he came here too. He continued to make his way up the small hill.

Indeed his instinct was correct; his friend was standing at the top of the small hill. Her back was facing him and she seemed to be staring up at the night sky. Heero clenched his hand into fists at his sides as he continued to approach her. She seems to hear him because she turned and smiled at him instead. Heero didn't respond to her smile, instead he continued climbing the hill until he stopped right infront of her. He looked around where they were and realised that they were alone. Fate had laid a blanket over the grass allowing them to sit on it.

"Where are your bodyguards?" Heero asked.

His friend, Fate de Camden smiled back at him in reply. Fate is a popular superstar yet she doesn't seem to realise the dangers of being a popular celebrity. She doesn't bring any bodyguards along and Heero stared at her in disapproval especially when she's wasn't even wearing a disguise.

"Fate..."

"I have Meteor." She told him.

"We have been through this before." Heero muttered.

She smiled at him in return instead. Heero sighed and studied her instead. Fate has long golden blonde hair which was a rather unique natural colour that makes her stand out in a crowd. She has a very fair complexion and has a curvy hourglass figure. She also has a pair of sapphire blue eyes. Heero did find her beautiful, but surprisingly he was never interested in her romantically despite of her good looks.

As for Heero, he has changed physically ever since AC 196. He was no longer the thin boy then. He was now a lot taller and more muscular. His shoulders are also broader and he's taking the form of a man. Heero didn't care what he looked like on the outside, but he must be appealing to the females as they always wink at him and give him the flirtatious look.

As he looked at Fate, he still felt that they were a rather odd pair. It was amazing that they could even become friends.

"Heero!"

Heero turned and watched as Meteor flew towards him. Meteor is Fate's security robot. It was created and given to Fate by her father, Belmont de Camden. Meteor acts as a 24hour bodyguard and protects Fate at all times. It runs non-stop and doesn't take breaks like a normal human bodyguard does. It is a new sort of complex technology that even Heero couldn't figure out. It is a three dimensional ten sided star. It is made out a material similar to diamond, hence making Meteor transparent and shiny. It is also small in size; it is only the size of two palms joined together.

Heero caught Meteor and handled it to Fate so that it would not fly around in circles around him. Fate smiled and let Meteor down instead. After that they went to the blanket that Fate had laid on the grass. Heero assisted Fate in setting up a video camcorder and a digital single-lens reflex camera (DSLR) that has long lens. After that they continued to stare up at the night sky as they wait for the meteor shower.

"How's everyone?" Fate asked him.

"They are fine." Heero replied.

"How's Jace?" Fate asked.

Jace is Heero's younger brother and they are identical triplets, they have the same physical appearance but their personalities are exact opposites of each other. Their third brother is Jake but it is believed that he is still missing or had already decreased. Jace is a cheerful and caring person, unlike Heero. It was also one of the ways people could tell the two of them apart despite of their identical looks.

"He's chasing after his own dream, now that he's no longer the heir." Heero told her.

Fate smiled instead but then she looked down.

"Heero... There's something that I want to tell you." She told him softly.

"I have something to tell you too." Heero told her.

She looked surprised to hear him say that.

"Look!"

They were interrupted by the sound of people gasping and shouting. They looked up at the sky and saw a lot of short white lights flying across the skies.

"Wow, it's here!" Fate exclaimed, pressing the record button on the camcorder.

Heero noticed that a lot of people were pointing to the skies as the meteors flew past. Fate and him sat down again and watched the meteors fly past the night sky.

"It's so beautiful." Fate exclaimed smiling at him.

Heero didn't respond, he merely continued watching the meteors.

"I still like to call them shooting stars." Fate told him.

He turned and their eyes met each other's. It was beautiful, to be there to experience the meteor shower first hand. Then Fate closed her eyes and closed her hands together, she seemed to be making a wish or praying. Then she opened her eyes and smiled at him.

"They always say that if you make a wish upon a shooting star, your wish will always come true. Do you have something to wish for?" Fate asked.

Heero looked down at his hands and didn't say anything. He had nothing to wished for and plus he didn't believe in things like that. However watching these meteors flying across the night sky reminded him of his past, the time when the war was still raging on, the times when he was still a Gundam Pilot.

"How about wishing for your family?" Fate suggested.

Heero just kept quiet and didn't respond.

"It's really romantic, isn't it? It would be even more romantic to watch it with someone you love." Fate commented.

Heero said nothing as he was deep in his own thoughts.

"Heero, I..."

Heero heard the sound of a familiar ringtone and reached for his mobile phone. He picked up the call and noticed that Fate was still watching the meteor shower.

"Hello?" He asked.

"Hey Heero, are you with Fate?" It was Duo.

"Yeah." He muttered looking back at Fate.

"Did she help me record the footage?" Duo asked.

"Yes."

He saw flashes of white light and noticed that Fate was taking photos.

"That's great, isn't it romantic with just the two of you?" Duo asked, but he said it in a tone that sounded like he was teasing him.

"Anything else?" Heero asked.

"No, enjoy yourselves. See you back in Colony L1!" Duo told him before he hung up.

Heero kept his phone and went over to Fate who was now standing up to take photos. She turned suddenly and snapped a photo of him. Heero's eyes weren't that used to the sudden flash of bright light in the dark that his eyes hurt.

"Sorry, but I know that you wouldn't let me take a photo of you even if I asked." Fate told him.

Heero just continued to stare at her.

"Is it work?" She asked.

Fate knows that he's a Preventer and that he used to be a Gundam pilot. Heero said nothing, but turned his attention back to the meteors in the night sky.

"Hey Heero."

Heero turned to look at her and their eyes met each other's.

"Will you take a photo with me?" Fate asked him softly.

Heero was about to turn her down when she dragged him to stand infront of the tripod for her camera. She placed her camera down on the tripod and checked the image to make sure that she could get a perfect shot. She adjusted her camera lens. They were standing with their backs to the meteor shower; hence they will be able to capture the meteors that were flying past in the background. After that she set the self timer.

"Incoming!" She exclaimed before running over towards him.

Heero was shocked when she hugged him instead.

"Smile for the camera!" She told him.

Fate turned to smile brightly at the camera while Heero recovered from his shock and turned to look at the camera as well. A small red light flashed three times before a blinding flash of white light blinded them for a while. After that Fate went over to check on the photo. She brought the camera over so that he could see it as well. Heero have to admit that it was a nice shot of them but they looked like they were lovers. The meteors behind them made a beautiful background for the photo.

"I will send one to you." Fate told him with a smile on her face.

Their eyes met and both of them turned to look up at the meteors that were flying across the night sky. Heero didn't believe in wishes, but somehow he wanted to try.

I wish that peace will forever be here to stay and that people will come to forgive what I have done... He thought to himself as he looked up at the night sky.

He felt something and looked down to see that Fate was holding his hand. Their eyes met and he felt her grip around his hand tighten.

"Heero... I..."

She looked like she was having difficulty trying to say what she wanted to say. She looked down instead, but somehow she wasn't able to say anything. Heero looked up at the night sky instead.

"I asked Relena to be my girlfriend." Heero told her softly.

He wasn't looking at her; hence he didn't see the shock on Fate's face. The shock on her face soon turned into sadness and Heero felt her release her hold on his hand. Heero turned to look at her, only to find that Fate had turned her back towards him. For a moment no one said a single word. Fate was taking the time to try to compose herself. She told herself that she has to be strong, that she has to be happy for Heero, even though she felt as if her heart had just shattered into a million pieces.

"What did she say?" Fate asked, even though she already knew the answer.

"She said yes." Heero replied as he stared up at the night sky.

Fate turned to look at him instead.

"I'm glad that you finally told her how you felt about her." Fate told him.

Heero didn't say a single word, there was something odd about her, but he couldn't quite put it into words.

"It's thanks to you." Heero told her.

"Me?" Fate asked looking surprised at him.

"You were the one who told me that if I like her, I should tell her." Heero told her.

"I see. I'm glad that the two of you are finally together." She told him softly.

Heero said nothing as he continued to stare ahead, but he didn't notice the way Fate was looking at him sadly. The two of them were silent as they continued to watch the meteor shower.

"About earlier, what were you trying to tell me?" Heero asked.

Fate was surprised that he still remembered. Heero turned to look at her instead.

"It's nothing really. It's not something of importance..." Fate told him softly.

Heero nodded and looked ahead.

"At least not anymore..." Fate whispered so softly that Heero didn't even hear her.

The two of them stood next to each other as they continued watching the shooting stars that were flying across the night sky. Fate suddenly realised that even though they were standing so near to each other, the distance between them were too far apart. A tear fell from her eyes but she wiped it away and pretended that nothing was wrong. But she had already lost interest in the meteor shower.

After the meteor shower was over, everyone was packing up their camera and equipment before they left the grass field. Fate stopped the recording on her camcorder and started to pack her cameras. Heero helped her out and then the two of them slowly started making their way down the small hill.

"Are you going back to Colony L1?" Fate asked.

Heero nodded and checked his watch. Fate then bid him goodbye, knowing that he has a plane to catch. She told him that she would make copies of the video footage and send it to his friends. Heero nodded and bid her goodbye before walking away. Fate walked home slowly with her equipment. She stopped when she reached a rubbish bin that was on the pathway. She slowly reached into her handbag and took out a letter.

It was the love letter that she had written to Heero. She knew that it was cliché to still write love letters. She wanted to confess to Heero today, especially since it was also Valentine's Day today. But she realised that she couldn't do it. And now, she knew that she probably could never do it. Heero has someone that he likes and he has a girlfriend now. With a heavy heart, she crushed the love letter that was in her hands and threw it into the rubbish bin. Maybe it's best that he doesn't know how she felt about him. With that Fate walked away, knowing that she would probably have a sleepless night tonight.

To be continued...

Author's Note: This chapter shows that Heero and Fate are good friends, but Fate likes Heero even though he doesn't know it. This is clearer compared to the old prologue. Well then, please continue to support this story as things will get more complicated! Thank you!