Author's note: I don't own Gundam Wing, its characters, or the song I Wanna Be There. Please do not sue me.

I Wanna Be There

Won't you let me catch your fall

Won't you let me lend a hand

She locked the door and collapsed on the couch. To Noin, the only thing the end of work meant was going home to an empty apartment. There was no one waiting for her and no one to wait for. She was alone.

Those lonely eyes have seen it all

But love's to blind to understand

Noin hated this. More than anything she wanted to be with her friends. The one thing she wanted the most was the one thing she couldn't have. If they even wanted to see her again.

Cause you don't know what you have

Til your everything is gone

They had no clue what had happened to her. She had just packed up her stuff, put her resignation in Lady Une's box, and disappeared. Noin had told no one her plans.

You need someone to show you how to live again

Sally and Wufei's constant fights, Duo's numerous pranks, Marimeia running around the office, Relena hiding from the press, Noin missed all of that. She missed her friends. She missed her life.

I wanna be there when you're feeling high

I wanna be there when you wanna die

And Zechs, Noin missed him most of all. They had been best friends and constant companions since they were thirteen. The two of them had gone through everything together. Even when they were separated during the war, Noin had known she would see him again.

I'm gonna light your fire

Gonna feel your flame

The fed off each other. It had amazed their instructors how, when paired together, she and Zechs could accomplish nearly anything. By helping each other they had survived. No one would have ever guessed that the star student would have failed trig without his best friend tutoring him everyday after class or that she had almost given up all her dreams just to please a family that didn't care.

I wanna be there when you go insane

To many people, they must have been insane. Always studying, sharing obscure jokes from old movies, never going home for the holidays, little things that separated them from their classmates. They were the wildest kids at school, not that anyone ever realized it. No one had ever been able to link all their pranks to the two of them.

I wanna be there when you're feelin' down

And I'll be there when your head is spinnin' round

Zechs had always been there for her. And she had always been there for him. Until now. She had left him, and she wouldn't be coming back. She had no one. And it was probably for the best.

Gonna be your lover

Gonna be your friend

She had no one, and it was a good thing. Noin kept telling herself that, but her thoughts kept going back to them. Her friends who had become her family. And she had given them up.

I wanna be there till the end

Noin would just have to face reality. She was alone, and she would have to deal with it. By being with them, Noin would put her friends in danger. It was safer for all if she just stayed away.

You wouldn't know that I was there

Cause I have been there all the time

How were they doing at headquarters? Who had replaced her as Zechs' partner? Was everyone okay? Noin couldn't help wondering; she had been there from the beginning, so it was hard not to be part of the action.

And if I had my way I'd hold you in my arms

And leave this madness all behind

She wished she was a little girl, and mama could make all the monsters go away. Noin had been one of the more visible Preventers. That's how she had gotten into this mess. There had been several cases all linked to the same organization that Noin had gotten lots of publicity for. That organization had decided that Noin was a threat and put a hit out on her. They were willing to do almost anything to see her dead.

Cause you got so much to give

But you throw it all away

Noin had given up her life's work. She had fought so hard to achieve peace, and protecting that peace was very important to her. It took conscious effort not to get involved.

What was the use anymore? She couldn't keep pretending everything was fine. She had nothing left except her life.

And all you got to show for who you are is pain

The memory of how this all happened was still fresh in her mind. Noin had come into the office after a long mission. After logging on to her computer, Noin had found the message.

A hit had been place on her by a crime organization. They wanted her dead and would do anything to get her that way. Including harming those she cared about.

And I've got so much to give

If you'd only let me in

And them Autumn had showed up. She had seen the message about the hit. The woman had causally mentioned that if it was her, she would make sure her loved ones were safe. And Noin had run.

She hadn't told the others. Noin knew they would get involved. They would want to protect her, and they would get hurt.

I'm gonna take the time to show you I'm a friend

You'll believe in love again

That had almost been a month ago. Noin had set herself up on this colony under a new name. She often thought about ending it all anymore. Everything she had to live for was gone. All she had left were memories. And even they were bittersweet.

I wanna be there in the pouring rain

I wanna be there when you call my name

She walked down memory lane a lot when she was alone. At least at work she could keep her mind busy. Now she was alone in her apartment, it was pouring out, and there was nothing to do.

I'm gonna light your fire

Gonna feel your flame

Noin would let herself drift back to happier days. Her days at Lake Victoria with Zechs, all the hijinks at Preventer Headquarters, and just hanging out with the gang were her favorite things to remember. Sometimes it actually made Noin feel better, but often it just made her slip deeper into depression.

I wanna be there when you go insane

She was going insane alone here with her memories. It was beginning to be all she thought about anymore. She was making herself miserable. And she didn't care anymore. She just wanted the pain to go away. But it never did.

I wanna be there when I'm outta town

And when your whole damn world is crashing down

The logical part of her mind realized that she was piling misery upon misery. She was spiraling down further with every day. At this rate she would be suicidal within weeks.

I'm gonna be your lover

Gonna be your friend

And she didn't care anymore. If she killed herself, fine. And if they killed her, fine. Noin wanted this to end, and her death seemed the easiest way to do that anymore. She wanted to give up.

I wanna be there til the very end

The rain was lulling her to sleep. Noin let go of coherent thought and let sleep claim her. Her dreams were the place she was happiest anymore. It was always a wrench to wake up.

Cause you don't know what you have

Til your everything is gone

Noin's eyes shot open. What a nightmare! She had been with Zechs then something had suddenly ripped her away from him.

She frowned slightly. She hadn't remembered having a blanket draped over her when she fell asleep. And the radio was on. It had been off earlier. Someone was singing along with it too!

You need someone to show you how to live again

She knew that voice. This had to be a dream. It couldn't be real. Yes, this was just a nice dream which she would wake from. She closed her eyes again.

Gentle fingers brushed her bangs out of her face. Her eyes opened to meet sky blue eyes.

"Zechs?"

And I got so much to give

If you'd only let me in

"Welcome back sleepyhead."

Noin sat up slightly. She reached out a trembling hand to touch Zechs' face. It was warm and solid; he was real. This was real.

Tears began to trickle, then cascade, down her face. Zechs gathered her up in his arms and let her cry.

I'm gonna take the time to show you I'm a friend

You'll believe in again

Several minutes later, the tears had stopped, and Noin rested her head against Zechs' chest.

"How did you find me?" Why did you even come looking for me?"

"It took a lot of time, but knowing what to look for I just had to figure out what pseudonym you were using Honor Harrington."

Noin winced at the name she'd been using. She should have known Zechs would remember her favorite character from the David Weber books she'd read at the academy.

"And as for why I was looking for you, I was worried about you, love. And then Sally found out about the hit that was placed on you. I couldn't let you face that alone."

I wanna be there when your baby cries

I wanna be there when they tell you lies

"Why didn't you let me know what happened?" he asked.

"I didn't want you to get hurt. And the Autumn said..."

"I should have guessed. You were already upset and worried and then she told you something that sent you into panic mode. Figures she's behind this."

Noin gave him a quizzical look.

I'm gonna light your fire

Gonna feel your flame

"Autumn replaced you as my partner. And she's been very full of herself since then. Currently she keeps trying to drag me into bed with her."

Zechs had a rather annoyed expression on his face. Noin knew he hated it when women tried to drag him into bed. He'd had to deal with it quite a bit when he was the Lightning Count.

I wanna be there when you go insane

Noin snuggled closer to Zechs then realized what she was doing. Zechs had to leave; she was putting him in danger again. She gently pushed away from him.

"Zechs, you have to leave."

I wanna be there when your nights are long

And when you feel like you don't belong

"Noin, I am not leaving you."

"Zechs, you have to go; I, I would die if I lost you. Especially if it was my fault. Please just go."

She looked away from him. She didn't want him to see the tears that were filling her eyes. It had been hard to give him up the first time, but now it was even harder.

Gonna be your lover

Gonna be your friend

Zechs gently tilted her chin up so she had to look him in the eye. His sky blue eyes were intense.

"You were always there for me," he said. "No matter what you stayed by my side Noin. And I'll be damned if I'll leave you now. You're just slowly killing yourself here on your own. I love you, and I'm never going to leave you."

Cupping her face in his hands, he gently kissed her. Noin was tired of fighting with herself. She gave up and leaned into the kiss.

Gonna be there til the end

Zechs slid his arms around her. The kiss ended, but Noin stayed where she was feeling perfectly content.

"Besides," Noin heard his grin, "what assassin could stand up to the entire g wing team?"

Noin laughed; he was right. The assassins were outclassed since she had the gundam pilots, Zechs, Hildie, Sally, Cathy, and Lady Une on her side.

I'm gonna be there in the morning

I'm gonna be there in the night

Zechs pulled her to her feet.

"Come on, I'll help you pack."

"Pack?"

"Unless you want to stay here?"

Noin looked around the apartment. There was nothing here for her really. She smiled at Zechs.

"Let's get to work."

Gonna be your lover

Gonna be your friend

That night Noin lay snuggled in Zechs' arms. She was content. She realized that she had made a mistake in running. This was where she belonged here with Zechs. It didn't matter what happened; they were together. Love would get them through this and anything else that would or could happen.

Gonna be there til the end

Owari (the end)