Title: Learn from the past and live for the future

Pairings: 1×2

Chapter 14 - EPILOGUE

10 year later

Fifteen-year-old Solo Maxwell-Yuy sat in a large brighten room. His eyes were on his sleeping mother, Relena Peacecraft.

Today was a good day for visiting. She didn't scream like she had often done when seeing him, or talk nonsense about his dad coming to save her, bring her home, get her away from those horrible people. No, right now she was sleeping deeply, and when she slept, she was like the young girl he had heard Uncle Duo and dad talk about. She looked like an innocent, free-spirited child without a worry in the world.

The bad days were when she actually remembered who he really was. What she had really done, and why she was in such a state right now. At those times she was scared of him, avoided his eyes, or ignored him like he wasn't even in the room.

Those days, he would sit as far away from her bed as possible, and would bring a book or two with him. Being with her just for a while was all he was there for.

Her mind, body, and spirit never recovered from the blow Uncle Duo gave her. Because of her brain damage, she didn't have all of her body functionality. Her legs didn't work anymore, her back didn't hold her up. So she would just lay in her bed. Even her speech patterns were damaged.

She had to talk slowly and still had problems with pronunciation. You had to have patience with her while she tried to tell you something. But too often those caring for her didn't have time for that or were just avoiding her. Their job was to make her feel okay and then go help someone else. However, her hands, her neck, and her eyes still managed to remain functional.

Solo's first time seeing her in that state was the hardest day for him. At the time, he remembered to be angry with his dad and all the Uncles who did this to her. Thankfully, they gave him the time and distance he needed to make peace in his mind.

To make her days more bearable, he asked his father to hire someone to read to her or keep her company. So they hired an old woman named Mary, who was very good with her hands. She could crochet, knit, and sew. It was that which brought her mom some happiness and allowed her to ignore Solo during his visits.

Once when he came to visit her, Mary told him how his mom asked to paint. Because Mary didn't have that skill, she asked if they could get someone to teach her. So that was the next thing he asked his father and Duo.

Now, his mother was a very good painter. Solo even took one or two paintings for himself and had them on the wall in his room. Of course, his mother didn't acknowledge him in any way. It was like he was never in the room with her. She would ignore him and would never talk to him. At the beginning he had hoped in time she would change her attitude toward him, but that never happened. After 10 years of coming to visit her two times per month, he decided today would be his last.

He was sure that during his visits, he was reminding her of what she did and what she lost. His visits hindered her ability to be happy and to forget her past. So it was time to let her go, to give her the peace she needed.

When he was sure she was still deeply in sleep, he stood up, went to her, gave her a kiss on her cheeks, and said "Goodbye, mother." Then he walked to the door and left. Behind him, Relena Peacecraft never stirred.

Outside the room, Uncle Joe sat with 10-year-old Alex. By Alex's feet sat Dodo, a helping dog, whose job was to make sure Alex was okay at all times. Alex got him a few years ago when he started to go to school.

While all three were waiting for Solo to come out, Bubbles sat by a closed-door and listened to the sounds inside. At some point, Bubbles stood up like he was waiting for something to happen. That told Joe that Solo would come out really soon. Just as he thought that, the door opened and Solo emerged from his mother's room.

Uncle Joe looked relieved to see him, while Alex jumped from the seat and moved slowly toward the sound Solo made.

"Sorry to make you guys wait for me for so long," responded Solo while caressing Bubbles's head and absently watching Alex.

Alex was a sunshine to Solo's soul. He was a positive and happy boy who saw the good in everyone.

Sometimes Solo worried about him. That was also the reason Dodo was Alex's shadow in the school. But to his astonishment, the blindness didn't slow Alex down one bit. While Alex was blind, his hearing was very powerful. He could maneuver very well, it was like he could sense the world before and all around him.

"Yay," responded Alex happily "Now, we can go to the Carnival! Uncle Joe promised us."

After Uncle Tom's sister, Aunt Ann Lin came to live with them, Solo's family grew. With it, he didn't get just two new Uncles, he also got a brother and a mother he never thought he would have. She had a special place in his heart, because even if the pilots told Ann Lin about his abilities, she didn't change her attitude towards him. For her, he was just a boy who needed a mother figure and that was something she could provide.

When Alex reached him, Solo automatically went down on one knee and waited for Alex to get on his back. Riding piggyback was Alex's favorite way of moving while he was with Solo.

"I'm done. We can go now." Solo confirmed the end of today's session with his mother.

"Is your mommy okay?" asked Alex.

"Yes, she's good. It was a good day to visit her." Commented Solo, absently.

"Why?" came another question from Alex.

"She was sleeping. She didn't know I was there. So, she couldn't be afraid of me." Replied Solo.

"I wouldn't like it if my mommy was scared of me." Responded Alex again.

"That's why it's good she was sleeping."

"You have to be positive, Solo. One day her attitude towards you will change. You'll see." Added Joe.

Till now, Uncle Joe just listened to the boys talking. He didn't know the whole story, but he knew the main pointers. What he did know was that Solo's mother was Relena Peacecraft. She and Heero got married and got divorced after 5 years. He also knew that she was scared of her own son.

"It doesn't matter anymore, Uncle Joe." Continued Solo, strongly.

"Why?" asked Alex.

"I feel like my visits don't help her. Whenever I visit her, she's scared, mistrustful, and her head starts to hurt. I know it will be better for her if she forgets about me."

"Before you make a final decision, you better talk to your dad." Added Joe.

"I will," Solo replied.

"You still have my mommy. I will always share her with you," added Alex.

"You are the best brother in the world," responded Solo.

"And now, let's go visit the Carnival! They should have some fun games," said Joe.

"Uncle Duo told me to find a game with fishes." Commented Solo, thoughtfully.

"Yes, let's get fishes, fishes, fishes!" The happy cries on his back once again reminded Solo how good it was to have sunshine like Alex around.

"How come you haven't gone to the Carnival with the boys?" asked Ann Lin from the back room,

While Solo, Alex, and Joe went to the Carnival, Luke helped Ann Lin in her store. The store "Good Food" was a place where they sold fresh bread, cakes, and pastries. It was opened two years ago.

Ann Lin took so long to open her own store because she couldn't find the right location or the right property. When she thought she would never find the right building, Evan informed her about the abandoned store next door to his animal clinic. Not wanting to get her hopes up, she still went to look at it, and it was a good thing she did.

At first sight the store looked abandoned and not too attractive. Even so, she called in, met the owners, talked to them about her wishes and wants, and listened to their past and life in that store. When she asked them why they wanted to sell it, they explained they wanted to move closer to their kids. When the pleasantries were over, they gave her the keys and agreed on meeting her after she looked it over.

From the building's layout, she gathered that it could be used for any kind of store. That was one good point from the start. What bothered her was the age of the building. The whole structure looked old, and she wasn't an expert at figuring out if she would need a lot of money to make it look presentable. At the same time, the store layout with the kitchen at the back, pulled her into wanting to buy it anyway.

The whole front room and backroom were large with a lot of space to move around and prepare food. The front room was also bright, so she could use the space for tables and chairs. Customers would have the option of taking food to go or eating in the store. Positive pointers were also the nearby buildings. The store would have the customers from the school, the kindergarten, the animal clinic, and other stores nearby.

So, she asked the guys on the farm if they could help her with decisions. And they did. First, they gave her their opinions and information about the store, the owners, and the whole street layout. Then Quatre and Duo even made her a summary of how much money she would need for everything. After the summary her head hurt, she was scared of failing, so she automatically wanted to look for some cheaper building. But in the end she got an investment offer from all the Gundam pilots, which she couldn't shake off.

Now when all was as it should be, the customers never stopped coming. It was a popular spot for teenagers who had ended the school day and were waiting for their families to pick them up. While they waited, they did their homework or even just chatted, so she offered them cold drinks, hot drinks like coffee, tea, or hot chocolate from the vending machines while they ate fresh bread, cakes, or pastries.

It was good she got Luke to help her out. He was her regular help from the start. It was actually a surprise to her when he offered himself to help out in the store. While she was taking his offer, she waited for the time he would have enough of it and would quiet. But that never came. Duo then told her that Luke wasn't interested in doing any kind of onward studying than what he had already. He wanted to just stay at home. He was also scared that if he wouldn't be useful, Duo and the others would have sent him packing. It was Luke who wanted to work in her store. So now, he was a permanent employee and a manager if she was in the backroom baking. They also had students who helped out when one of them couldn't make it.

"I did, about a week ago." Answered Luke.

Ann Lin was a happy woman these days. She had everything she has ever wanted: a family, security, a happy life, and good friends who stood by her side when she needed it.

"Did you like it?" answered Ann Lin again.

"Not really," responded Luke, thinking, "I was more on the lookout if someone tried to steal something from me and not enjoy the games. But Alex and Solo will love it."

"If nothing else, Alex will want to try everything, and make Solo laugh."

"True," added Luke, conversationally.

Luke stayed with Duo and other pilots permanently and called the ranch his home. He was now a strong, self-confident young man who took family very seriously. He had no intention to leave and go somewhere else. Even if he would win a lottery or someone would give him enough money to buy himself a house, he wouldn't want to leave. Duo and the other pilots who took him in were now his permanent family. The family he never thought he would have, but still did. That was something he would never take for granted and would fight with everything he had to keep.

"When did Evan say he would come around for the snacks?" asked Ann Lin from the back room.

"Don't know if he will. He said evening, but that could be like not at all. He scheduled the day for operations because Solo is not around."

"I still can't believe he is using Solo's gift for animals or that Solo chose to be his intern. Despite that, it's good for the animals if he's around. If nothing else there is no guessing what's wrong with them."

"True, also Solo loves animals, and he is happy when he can help them."

"I know. If humans wouldn't be so scared to use those who are special, then having gifts wouldn't be a taboo."

Nobody was surprised when Solo asked the pilots if he could be a veterinarian like doc. Evan is. He wanted to use his own ability to help the animals in need. The animals wouldn't look at his ability as something he shouldn't have had. Also, they couldn't and wouldn't judge him.

That request also warranted a welcoming response from the doc who was aware of Solo and what he could do. So while he was doing High School with online courses, he helped out daily at the clinic with the animals. For now, he was at the front desk where he had direct contact with the animals. That way, he could tell the doc what the animals felt.

"For now, it's peaceful out here, so if you want I can go and bring them something." Offered Luke.

"Yes, that's a good idea, and remind me to talk to Evan about those times when he cannot get to us."

"Okay, what should I take?" asked Luke.

"First, take what he usually buys for his employees. Then come back here, I will give you some fresh cookies. They are all warm and fresh out of the oven."

Luke did as he was told. When he entered the back room he could smell fresh cookies and other goods just baked. "What a wonderful smell we have in here. We should open the back door, and let the customers sense it. Maybe they would buy more."

The thought was more of a joke than anything else, but Ann Lin just looked at him and said "You know what? You're right. Next time, when we have baked goods out of the oven we will open the doors. Then we can see how customers react to the smells."

"It was a joke Ann Lin," responded Luke seriously while pooling some warm cookies into the bags.

"Maybe, but you never know what could help us with purchases." As she said it, she winked at him.

On the ranch, Heero Yuy sat in the office doing what he was best at, he was hacking into computers of potential customers. Those clients who were already their regulars paid the big money to get a secure system and daily check-ups, while those who weren't had daily break-ins. With intentions to analyze the problem, Heero looked into their system and to note down the flaws.

When the analysis was done and the report was written, Wufei came into the picture. His job was to travel to the new client, face them with the problems and present them to their security company. Once the offer was made they had a few days to decide if they wanted to get proper security or regular break-ins.

It was really unusual for clients not to accept their offer. Someone could say Heero was forcing them to accept without their knowledge, but somehow Heero had to get some fun out of idiots, the other side of him, the perfect soldier, demanded it.

Right now, his eyes looked out of the windows towards the horse paddock where Tom and Duo were teaching young horses. From what he could tell, they were more joking around than teaching anyone. But that was okay, too.

The farm had a spur of young colts so there was always the option to joke around and have fun while teaching them. What he liked the most was the laughter coming out of Duo. It was free and warm and his body posture relaxed.

There was a time when Lady Une called nonstop, had threatened them with laws while hoping that they would help the Preventers. Those interactions continued when something happened that Preventers couldn't deal with. The call would come and demands would be made. The problem was when she didn't get what she wanted. Then she tried to find problems and attack them with threats.

But of course, she didn't get far with such tactics, not with Duo and Quatre around. Those two were like hell hounds that could cook up a lot of bad things and turned it upside down. If Lady Une came calling with even one problem, she would have four or five more in the next moment. When she figured out what was happening the threats instantly vanished. That tactic came and went and eventually, Lady Une learned to let them in peace.

Afterward, Heero followed what the Preventers were doing to get to the truth of the Relena Peacecraft tragedy. To the public, only cosmetic information of the tragedy was released. But because of Duo's and Quatre's mischief, the public had the opportunity to know her more personally through all her errors through the years of her prominent political figure. So in the end, the tragedy wasn't as shocking and negative as some would expect. So Relena Peacecraft vanished from the public eye.

What the pilots didn't forget was the scientists. Even if those doctors worked on their own, the pilots had to take a closer look at the main offices, their projects, and the people working there. All their projects were taken under the loop and were sorted by "sanctioned" and "unsanctioned." When all the information was gathered, it was sent to the Preventers anonymously. With that decision, they showed faith in the Preventers to do what was right. And to Heero's relief, the Preventers did, they raided the scientists' headquarters and eventually closed down their organization.

Heero was engrossed in his thought so deeply that when the door of the office abruptly opened, he automatically looked for the weapon he didn't have.

"Woah, hold it there cowboy."

"What you want," responded Heero coldly as if they weren't a couple for 10 years now.

"I just got the call from Joe. He informed me that the visit ended and that they are going to the carnival now. He also told me about Solo deciding to stop visiting Relena."

"That should have stopped a long time ago," replied Heero, thoughtfully. "But I cannot make that decision for him."

"Agreed, she was never worthy of his loyalty, not in my eyes anyway. But now, come out with me. You promised you would play with Wing and Deathscythe."

Before answering, Heero had to think very hard to remember the moment when he supposedly said he would, "pray tell, when did, I promise you that?"

The other's big smile was all the answer he needed, so Heero did the only thing he could, he stood up, moved towards Duo and gave him a slow, lingering kiss. When the kiss ended and Duo stole one more kiss, Heero let himself be moved out of the house where Shiny was waiting for Duo.

Duo's favorite horse was getting old. From his body posture, you could see the many years' toll causing his movements to become slower than they used to be. But still, his eyes were as active as Heero remembered. He was still waking them up every day and even taught his own two sons Wing & Deathscythe the same tricks.

"We shouldn't give the horses the Gundam names. It's not fair to them."

"Of course, we should just look at those two."

And Heero did, one horse or colt was all white, so he got the name Wing and the other all black and so she got the name Deathscythe. The problem with those two was their personality. While Wing radiated energy and curiosity for every small thing, running around like crazy, Deathscythe moved like her every bone hurt and rather looked around. If you wanted to move her, she could also be like a mule, nobody could make her do anything she did not want to. Heero even asked Solo if Deathscythe had a reason for why she was as she was or if something really hurt the young colt. At that question, Solo just smiled and replied with a shake of his head.

Heero saw Shiny and Deathscythe standing still many a time, looking around and not moving while Wing ran around them like a maniac.

"I am telling you, those names should be vice versa."

"And I told you many times those two are twins, so it's normal to see them being different from each other."

"Where is the yellow monstrosity anyway?"

"Shiny we need the ball, where is it?"

The fun of asking Shiny for the ball was that whenever it was mentioned, Shiny just looked around until he eventually found it, Deathscythe doing the same, and Wing running toward it. After waiting for 5 minutes Wing eventually came trotting back towards them with the big yellow ball moving before him.

"Why haven't we ever made a video of the ball game? You could sell it for a lot of money," asked Heero.

"Because we are playing with them just for fun and not for making a profit out of it."

"But it could make some people happy while watching it," continued Hero, just for the fun of talking nonsense.

"Or it could make some people greedy and want to make money off it and use their own animals wrongly."

"Way to spoil my fun," Heero responded with a jest.

"Oh, shut it, let's show to these little guys what it means to play ball."

From afar Tom, who was taking care of his own chores just looked fondly at Duo and Heero. He wasn't surprised to see Duo getting Heero out of the house. If only just for nothing but to have some game time with horses. Those two were phenomenal together as Joe and he were.

Life, as it was now, was more than perfect. Why? Because he had all he ever wanted: a peaceful environment where he could be who he was, a life-long partner that nobody judged him for, and a safe home. He finally had heaven on earth.

Life was good, and nobody on that farm would allow anybody to change that, he was positive of it.

END

Thank you my BETA reader - Loking for beta reader, you done great work.