PROLOGUE- Pigeons

A/N: I do not own ‘Gundam Wing’ and make no profits from the online posting of this fic. Please R&R.

Heero was not a very trusting person. He supposed it came with the job. He could not be happy unless he made sure she was safe at night, could not enjoy peace unless he made sure she was maintaining it. It was not love; it was simply obligation. Love was more physical, more hormonal, the combination of chemicals racing through the bloodstream that made you clumsy and silly and ridiculously over-protective.

A pigeon fluttered down onto the ledge beside him, where he sat parallel to a window holding a sleeping figure. She had flung a hand over her forehead —she always did that during a nightmare, he had noticed- and a light scowl spread across her face. She was tossing like a ship in a hurricane, but not saying anything out loud. She was not much of a talker while asleep. The pigeon beside him pecked his hand, drawing blood. He batted at it and it flew away. Heero pulled his cuff over his knuckles and felt like snarling.

Heero knew that the girl he watched knew he was there as well, but he tried not to think about that too hard, using the fact his subject had always been a little strange as an excuse. He knew that if someone was tracking him, he would probably kill them, but that was just his opinion. No, Heero’s mind did not dwell on such things, for his thoughts were not so adjusted. Instead he thought about how to protect her at her next conference, and of an easy and effective way to kill pigeons.

CHAPTER I-The Connection

"Ms. Yuy!" They called, pushing past each other to look upon the beautiful lady before them. She had dark hair and yellowish eyes that glowed like a lioness on the prowl. Her feral smile widened as the lights flashed at her, promoting her instincts to make her turn and run, but practice had helped her keep that terror at bay.

"Ms. Yuy, how does it feel to be here on the anniversary of your grandfather’s death?"

"Are you not apprehensive of the implications meeting Earth’s representative will have?"

She paused and turned to the reporter that had suggested this statement, "The only implications of this meeting is that perhaps a peaceful coexistence between the Earth and her colonies can exist. After all, we all come from the same place, do we not?" She turned as the media ate up her story, her expression sweet and earnest, "Is this not what my grandfather fought for since the very beginning? It’s time to discard old traditions and past hatred before they destroy us all!" That, and a brilliant smile, was all that was needed to ensure her role as first story at every evening news program spacewide.

She moved up the wide steps to the grounds to the Earth Capitol Building, where she would fight one more time. The granddaughter of Heero Yuy was prepared for a battle of tongues.

Light bulbs flashed and distorted the world, making it bright and unreal. A young diplomat by the name of Relena Darlian stood nervously on a dais, eyes centered only upon one person: Ariel Yuy. As suggested by her staff, Relena had pulled her hair into a loose bun, a style intending to look casual and imposing at the same time. Her well-cut gray suit and black turtleneck performed a similar demonstration of cool confidence; as her advisors had said, Ariel Yuy was a cunning huntress, a pacifist bent on coming out on top.

She had previously been much like a show horse, paraded around on the anniversary of her grandfather’s death like a dove of peace because the colonists believed the sole survivor of the massacre of the Yuys was something very lucky. But Ariel had outgrown her role as the act-on-the-side. The Eve Wars and Barton Scandal had suddenly given her room to grow as a politician until she was the forefront in the colonies. But Ariel was no ignorant child. She had long ago learned that the most important thing in life was one’s self.

And the eighteen-year old girl that watched this woman approach knew that that was what made Ariel Yuy so dangerous.

"Vice Foreign Minister Darlian, it’s pleasure to meet you," The leader of the colonies said, her growly voice caught somewhere between a snarl and a purr.

"No, Senator Yuy of Colony L1, the honor is all mine, "Relena countered lightly, a soft, open smile still playing across the edges of her mouth. But both women knew that the battle had already begun.

They both seated themselves on the plush pink chairs provided and began their discussion over the stylish click of cameras. Ariel Yuy decided to draw first blood, "Foreign Minister Darlian, I have reviewed the act you have been pushing in the Unified Senate. If I might say, it’s quite a bold piece of litigation."

Relena smiled easily, "Well, they often say the young are bold and impudent, and I’m afraid I’m no different. Why can’t we make changes now? All of the minor disputes that have been holding back this act are not significant enough to hold back this bill."

Darlian: one, Yuy: zero. Recent polls had been expressing an increasing amount of frustration among the public for a solid legislation regulating the peace that had been maintained. But Ariel did not lose, "Some of your actions seem almost hotheaded. People don’t feel secure without a few big guns to ensure protection."

"But the people are receiving protection, namely the ever-expanding Preventers. This organization of devoted men and women have been acting as a spacewide police force. They are slowly replacing local preventive agencies by simply making them respond to a central organization. The Preventers have become a strong and formidable opponent to all hostile threats."

"But what of the General Decan and Mariemeia incident two years ago? Many people are still concerned that such an occurrence could happen again."

"The Preventers were newly established, and still a little shaky at the foundation. We have increased our numbers by four-hundred percent."

"And what of the local peace-maintaining agencies?" Relena drew a breath to explain their incorporation into the Preventers’ ranks but Ariel went on, golden eyes gleaming, "Your Act is very daring, Vice Foreign Minister, and I worry about the safety of my colonies. For instance, the formal declaration of these grounds in Geneva for the new capitol building is restricting the governmental power to Earth. Many of the colonists are showing concern over this rash action. They fear that Earth will soon take advantage of this obvious mark in their favor."

"Perhaps you overlooked the section that outlines the Preventers’ headquarters to be permanently assigned to Colony L1, Senator Ariel." Relena countered, the fierce fight hidden under the cordial tones of friendly banter.

Ariel ignored this blunt rebuttal, "Minister, I mean no offense, but this entire Act is outlining the official organization of the United Government. The authors of this bill are you and few others. Is it perhaps implying you intend to set yourself up for nomination as president of the reorganized Unified Nations?"

Journalists scurried for their palm pads to highlight that comment. That sentence had the opportunity of being featured as the ‘startling discovery’ of the discussion.

"I would do no such thing. If I were to be so nominated I would most likely refuse. I am trying to recede into the shadows, Senator Yuy, to allow more experienced people to carry that responsibility. Besides, the Act does say that only those above the age of thirty are eligible for the presidency."

"This seems almost like a new Constitution!" Ariel proclaimed, smiling sheepishly to the cameras, "Was that your intention?"

"No, indeed it was not, but I believe this are necessary and positive changes to lead us towards a brighter future. The Senate still has to debate and ratify this Act. Perhaps it will not even pass. I cannot see the future Senator, and I thank you for your time."

Yuy stood, challenge blazing in smiling eyes, "You are indeed a talented politician, Minister."

"Not nearly as good as you." Relena parried, leaving the discussion victorious, with cameras clicking furiously like the jaws of predators in her wake.

Ariel seethed. She looked into the sea of reporters and smiled genially. They all stayed to ask questions spare one, a man in black pushed his way out of the crowd to follow the Vice Foreign Minister. Hopefully it’s an assassin, she thought to herself; and was startled when the figure turned to give her a blue-eyed glare before heading off. She grimaced slightly, what a strange, cold face.

He sighed distractedly and took up his roost opposite her bedroom window. He never looked when she was changing —he had at least a little respect for her privacy- but other than that, he was at constant attention. Nothing she ever did went past his notice. And every birthday, she would find a present somewhere, a little reminder that he was there.

He did that merely to ease her mind and remind her of their promise. He didn’t do it to see an unguarded expression on her face, and he certainly did not do it so she would look up to the moon and thank him. Oh no, for nothing of the sort. Heero Yuy only acted on his emotions, and Love was certainly not one of the feelings he carried in his heart!

However, he couldn’t help but scowl about that Senator his subject had been dealing with. There was something about those yellow eyes that stirred all of the warning bells in his mind. She spelled danger, that woman. And no one was allowed to kill Relena except him!

CHAPTER II-The Lioness Hunts

"There it is, Senator Yuy, your lucky break." An attendant announced, throwing a file onto a large desk. Photograms slid from the packet and onto a smooth metal tabletop. Ariel Yuy’s sharp eyes looked up.

"My ‘lucky break?’"

"His name is Heero Yuy." The meaningless character, a person who (if this were a movie) would only be mentioned in very small print as ‘Attendant Number One,’ grinned at her confusion and opened the file for her, "He’s a former Gundam pilot. We have eyewitnesses and I have even attained a letter from a relative of a murdered victim, forgiving him. Apparently Mr. Yuy was the terrorist who killed many peace-loving diplomats of the Earth Sphere Alliance several years ago by destroying a shuttle. Here are photos from the surveillance cameras at the spaceport and a list of the deceased."

Ariel Yuy looked over the information and then narrowed her eyes, "So?"

"Even though all Gundam pilots have been pardoned from their war crimes, I have also discovered that Vice Foreign Minister Darlian and this pilot shared an interesting relationship. Mentioning this information," The attendant pointed to the surveillance photos, "paired with a hint of their connection," He pointed to a cameo photo of a young Relena and a brown-haired boy together, "could set the foundations of an attack upon Relena’s character."

"She’s clever."

"Now she’s clever, but she wasn’t so politically minded then. There’s a lot of dirt on her if we bring it to the public’s eyes."

Ariel grinned. "Very well, let’s get started." Her hand darted out as the attendant reached for the file, "I’ll keep this for review."

She looked up nervously when her assistant left and then fingered through the files until she came across the photo of Relena and the pilot together. "Heero Yuy…interesting codename for a terrorist…" She brought the picture closer to her face. Ah, just as she thought, she’d have even more information against Relena Darlian by the time she was through!

Her room. The warm dark walls rose around her, and the window let inthe fading moonlight. She would have to get up soon. But a name, as stealthy as the darkness, crept into her mouth, "Heero."

The dream had been about him. Most nightmares of her usually were, after all. But this one had been different. It had indeed been one year since they had last spoken, but she knew that he continued to lurk in the shadows of her life, at the borderline between dreams and reality.

But that was okay.

He wasn’t ready to be comfortable around her, wasn’t ready to feel human. And that was completely fine with Relena. She understood him better than he understood himself, and realized that he needed to find himself before he could find a relationship with her. Besides, she had her work and her job. However, there was still a part of her who longed for human affection, a rebellious little piece of her soul that wanted to be held, if only for a moment, and told that everything was going to be okay… She pushed out of bed and began the water for her shower. She shouldn’t try and think about that. Her bare feet padded back to the door of her room, where an elderly man stood with a hand poised to knock.

"Good morning, Pegan."

"Ah, Miss. Relena. It seems I’ve been predicted."

"As always."

"But your clothes-" He looked down to her nightgown, "Why didn’t you wear your dressing gown? Surely if someone else had come to your door-"

"But who else would come to my door besides you, Pegan?"

"Ah yes. By the way, you received another transmission from your brother. The permanent residential blocks have been installed at Mars Base Eoticles."

"Good, I can present that at the Senate meeting this morning. Please prepare my usual breakfast, Pegan. I’ll be down shortly."

"Of course, Miss Relena."

Relena sighed and headed towards the steamy bathroom.

Wakefulness. Heero reached for his binoculars. Status of subject: alive. Threats: none. Life had been getting dull recently, but this was his job. He sighed and arched his back, enjoying the sound of his vertebrae popping. He quickly started up his computer and brought himself online. With hacking skills that had come in very handy over the past several years, he downloaded a small amount of money from Relena’s account into his own, just enough to keep him going while he made sure no one hurt her. He was more devoted than the bodyguards she had had before the accident, and did at least deserve to eat.

It had happened about a year before (was it really such a short time ago?) when the Vice Foreign Minister had been returning home from a universal trade meeting. He had been wandering at the time, trying to find himself; mostly through the colonies, but always keeping an eye out for her. He had been on L4 when he saw the news broadcast: Relena Darlian had been shot by a lone assassin on a stranded beach. She had been careless, escaping her guards to take walks, never going where she said she was planning to go…but then, she had always been a flighty person, always chasing after him, always throwing her life to the hands of Fate as she recklessly worked for her world.

Stupid.

He had, of course, admitted to himself that he had feelings for her, thesame sort of devotion for her that she had for peace. He always did try to follow his emotions. But he also realized the differences between the two of them. Love was for equals, and he could not be her equal. She was only a symbol of peace to him, only a statue on a pedestal instead of the living, breathing person he had known so well.

Then, as he watched that broadcast, he realized that she needed to be brought to her senses before she ended up dead as well. He couldn’t let that happen for the sake of Earth and her colonies, of course. He wouldn’t save her for his own peace of mind, despite the fact that sometimes, especially late at night, he was overcome with the desire to be with her and feel her soft breath on his cheek one more time.

So, two weeks after she was released from the hospital he caught her and told her of his new mission to protect her completely until peace was attained. He didn’t think she really took him seriously until that moment she smiled her last smile for him, after he told her that he planned to kill her.

He just prayed the quest for peace would never be over, so he would never have to fulfill his end of the bargain.

"Vice Foreign Minister Relena Darlian is a symbol to everyone. Her very presence calms the mind and body. However, the act she is proposing is simply too difficult to be passed because of a pretty face." Ariel Yuy drew a deep breath and confronted the large auditorium with her usual fiery enthusiasm. The Senate House was filled to the brim. Not one Senator had decided to risk being absent on the date of this rare event. Yuy knew that they had all come to see her decide how the colonies would react to the Act, for she knew that whatever she said, they would follow. "This legislation is indeed a step in the right direction, but the colonies did not get enough of a say in how it was created. Six Earth senators and four colonial senators decided the course of the Earth Sphere under the highly influential guidance of an eighteen-year old girl. While overall, a good bill, this paper needs to be written by all of the Senators, not just ten."

Relena rose her placard for a rebuttal. The Vice-President granted her request. Yuy scowled. "With all due respect, Senator Yuy, I believe you are mistaken. These ten senators are the top leaders in this room. Besides, we did not just form a committee to write this document, we called upon everyone to help us out. However, the fact they chose not to participate is their fault and their fault alone." There were mutters throughout the auditorium. Relena looked to a shaded corner of the viewer’s loft and drew in a breath for confidence. "We have all fought for peace, and the battle we fought has been over for two years," Relena began, her voice piercing the hearts of most who listened, "But the war for peace is not over. This war will never be over. I am merely making a proposition that will help along the process.

"It is up to you to decide what to do with this document, but pleaseremember that I did not write it alone. What is truly wrong with it, who wrote it, or the content? If the content is poor or unsatisfactory, then discard it! Vote no! But," Relena cocked her head slightly, "if your only problem is the authors, then that is a very poor excuse. Please try and remember what is best for the people, not what is best for yourselves!"

They say the applause given that speech shook the entire building. Ariel Yuy fumed, her fight lost, but as Relena had said before about peace, the war was in no way finished. She was gathering a great deal of supporters. They may clap now, but that did not mean they had said ‘yes’ to her bill yet!

So, carefully and gently, Ariel shifted her weight. The slight movement was enough to draw the people’s attention back to her. She took this opportunity to strike, "It’s not the authors of this legislation we are worried about, it’s to whom power will be distributed. I don’t have any problems with you becoming president, Vice Foreign Minister, I will, in fact, support you but-" She paused as havoc broke free in the Senate House. The Vice-President pounded his gavel for order and then signaled to Ariel to continue, "-But I find you still lack experience as a politician. For instance, the company you kept during the war was interesting to say the least. You claim your closest companions were people such as Dorothy Catalonia and the Gundam pilots.

"I don’t particularly want to divulge your private life, Minister, but it does indeed state from past errors that you and your friends have made many mistakes. I love this bill. I think it can finally bring about peace. However, when it is passed, where will Relena Darlian-Peacecraft end up? The public still views her as Queen of the Earth. Surely that, if anything, could easily gain her the presidency. And, my fellow senators, it is up to us to decide how much power to put into those young hands. Thank you for your time."

Relena closed her eyes and smiled wryly. Ariel Yuy grinned. At last, a hit!

Heero Yuy sneered. He was pissed. Scratch that, he was furious! How dare that woman use him and the other Gundam pilots to fuel her own attacks! He sighed. He knew it was going to kill him, but he had to make a few calls to his ‘over enthusiastic’ friends.

He grimaced slightly as he remembered the last time they all met It was two months after the Barton Scandal, when all of the pilots had used their Gundams one last time to stop General Decan from taking over the United Earth Sphere. They had tried to keep the casualties down to almost nothing, but still, they had been careless once in a while, and were tried for the deaths of twenty people.

Relena had risked her career to testify about the situation and finally convinced the anti-Gundam politicians to let the subject drop. After all, the Gundams were still highly in the people’s favor and were going to be destroyed. But, as in the case of all ended all wars, the soldiers had been forgotten, and Gundams became just a faded memory.

But it wasn’t as if they hadn’t tried. Occasionally, he would find an email from one of them, boasting that they had found him, or telling him to come visit. He changed names and addresses after that very quickly and soon they would lose track of him. He didn’t want to tie anyone back. He didn’t want anything, really. Except to keep his promise. Heero sighed and rubbed his temples. He could have sworn Relena had seen him that day. When she paused and looked up to the dark part of the visitor’s gallery, it seemed as if she was piercing the layers of darkness and seeking him out. It frightened and warmed him at the same time.

No, he wouldn’t call the Gundam pilots yet to testify. Relena still might be able to pull out of the situation on her own.

He hoped.

‘"Dammit!" Relena shouted in the comfort of her room, tearing at her stiff, formal clothes in furious desperation, "Dammit, dammit, dammit!"

She pulled on something comfortable from her wardrobe and flicked on the ten o’clock news. She held her breath as the news anchor smiled into the camera. Her words would determine the opinion of the people over the fight between Ariel Yuy and herself.

"Our top story today comes from the Senate House in Geneva, where Senator Ariel Yuy began what can only be described as an attack on the Vice Foreign Minister Relena Darlian’s character. This campaign began due to a very controversial act currently being discussed by the Senate right now. Download a copy of it at senatelegis.org/govact or press the red button on the bottom of your vidscreen." The anchorwoman turned to another camera angle and gave the public her grim-and-decisive expression, "Yuy’s attack began with the common approach on Darlian’s age. Still only eighteen years old, this girl is indeed holding one of the most important positions available.

"Yet our former queen was not always the person she is today." A grainy photo of Relena and a dark-haired boy appeared on the screen, "Not only was she close to the famous Dorothy Catalonia, but she also associated with the controversial Gundam Pilots." (a button to download more information on the pilots replaced the act-downloading one) "While the Gundam pilots are considered heroic now, some of the crimes they committed still lurk in our memories. For instance, the destruction of a shuttle of diplomats discussing peace in A.C. 195 by the pilot of Gundam 01. This pilot was said to have been very close to Ms. Darlian. Yuy’s attacks are implying that Relena is attempting-"

Relena turned off the broadcast and pressed her palms to her eyes and sighed. An old butler entered with her food but the young woman snubbed it and then turned to him, "Pegan, please make sure security is doubled around the house."

"Miss Relena?" He said by way of question.

"I’m being stalked by wolves, Pegan. Please pray they don’t catch me."

Heero, seated in his usual perch, felt anger burn in his breast, but for a very different reason.

Ariel Yuy grinned ferally as she sat in her office, staring out at her wide gardens, "Come to try and kill me, Heero Yuy. I’ve made your princess very sad, and with you on my side, we can make her feel even worse."

CHAPTER III- The Secret

Relena had forgotten. Relena had forgotten to say thank you! She was so frustrated, she had even forgotten him! Heero knew how terrible she must have been feeling, and it was eating him up. He wanted to kill someone! But wait! He had promised, just before approaching the edge of blackness, not to kill anyone anymore. Promised her. He didn’t keep his promises- except when they were to her. But still, that didn’t mean he couldn’t hurt someone really, really badly.

And he knew just who deserved it. The logical part of his mind explained how terrible it would look for Relena if he hurt her rival, but he was far past reasoning. No, he always acted on his emotions, and his emotions were telling him to beat Ariel Yuy to a pulp! With the smooth-limbed grace of a cat, Heero swung out of his lookout point and hit the ground running. He knew the hotel in which the woman had been staying, knew the suite she slept in.

And as his body ran forward, his mind ran back.

Heero ducked into a service entrance and knocked out a bellhop that startled him. He stole the man’s clothes and shoved him into a closet. He was confident fit into the role of bellhop perfectly. He was not suspected.

Heero broke into her room easily and listened for signs of movement. There were none. Ariel Yuy was incautious, just like Her. He stepped into the light of her study boldly, knowing her back was turned to the door.

"Welcome to my rooms, Heero Yuy."

He caught his breath. How did she know?!

She turned to him, smile dark and haunting, "Who could forget the footsteps their little brother?"

"What’s wrong, Relena?" Pegan asked as he picked up his ward’s untouched tray. She was bent at her desk doing paperwork, where she had been since after the news program. It was very late, but, as usual, she would only go to bed when all her work was finished. Her butler couldn’t help but worry. She would soon work herself to death, that girl.

"Oh, nothing’s wrong, Pegan," Relena replied absently. The young woman shivered and looked up, "I don’t know. I just feel suddenly cold, as ifsomeone has just clutched my heart."

"Omae o korosou." The former Gundam pilot growled, repeating the phrase an assassin named Odin Lowe had taught him in his boyhood, raising a gun up to point at the deadly politician that sat calmly before him.

"Is that what you tell her? Is that the sweet nothing you whisper into her ear when you make love?"

"What are you talking about?" Heero snapped, eyes glinting dangerously in the darkened room.

"Omae o korosou. ‘I will kill you.’ I asked you if that’s what you say to Relena when you make love."

"I’ve never-"

She grinned, "Oh really?" Three pictures of the Vice Foreign Minister and himself being intimate were spread on the desk.

"Those are-"

"Faked? Yes, but I’d say they are quite uncannily realistic, don’t you?" Her voice mocked and challenged him, "Won’t the press just love these photos? When Relena is revealed to be your pawn, how long do you think her career will last? Will she be kicked out of office? I’d have to admit that that is very likely, but something else is even more likely. People don’t like being deceived. Sometimes they even kill over it."

"Why?"

"Why do people kill over deception or why am I doing this?"

"Why are you doing this?!" He was really getting angry. He was forgetting what his mentor had told him. He was showing his one fear to his intended victim.

Ariel Yuy stroked her long hair, "Why, it should be obvious. As I said before, one cannot forget the footsteps of a brother." She saw the fury spark in his eyes, "You don’t believe me? Here’s the file, check for yourself. When you were captured in A.C. 195, your mitochondrial DNA had been sequenced. Mine is identical. We share the same mother."

He paused for a moment. The muscle below his eye twitched as he tried to regain his composure. His enhanced eyes could see the file resting on Ariel’s desk just as well as she. He drew a shuddering breath, but his monotone remained intact, "So?"

"I wanted to meet you. Replacing Relena Darlian in her seat of influence in the new government is merely an additional bonus."

"What?"

"Oh I want Relena’s Governmental Reconstruction Act to pass. I just want to be the one to get the benefits, not her." She stood up, "Our grandfather was Heero Yuy, the famed peace leader of the colonies. My father was a businessman that believed in Grandfather’s ideals. Your father was the kitchen boy that had been enamoured with our mother, and had raped her one day when walking her home from a political banquet. You were the result, but you were still loved. I hated that.

"An assassin shot our grandfather and bombed our home. We were the only two survivors." She flung forward a picture of a little girl and boy sitting playing in front of a fireplace. He knew immediately that it was younger versions of both of them. He was only several years of age. She looked about ten.

"Another fake."

"Think a bit, brother, don’t you remember anything?"

His mother’s arms, her death! The grizzly face of a sympathetic assassin! "Who killed our family?"

"A man named Odin Lowe. He took you, and left me in the rubble to die."

It flashed back to him. He could not remember his childhood, or his mother’s face, but he recalled the explosion. His mind fetched up an image of a young girl with unruly hair and acid yellow eyes, "A-Ariel?"

"Ah, so apparently you do remember something."

"Did our mother die in the explosion as well?" There was something broken, something dead in the boy’s tone. Ariel relished it.

"No, you bastard. She died giving birth to you."

CHAPTER IV- A Civilized Discussion

He was dead.

The old man that had been Relena’s sole companion for years was dead! They had come suddenly as she was working, stabbing Pegan when he answered the door and then looking meaningfully to Relena. She had held her ground, head high, refusing to resort to violence to defend herself. She would not let the corpse of her dear companion to unnerve her. Words were, after all, far more effective than the most deadly weapon. Didn’t her healing of Heero Yuy prove that? She frowned slightly as her attackers approached, black cloth leaving only their eyes revealed. It was very ironic that she always thought of that former Gundam pilot whenever she had death on her mind.

Her death wouldn’t be so bad a thing. The sympathy gained from the assassination would force the senators to pass the Governmental Reconstruction Act or else put themselves on the list of suspects to have caused her death. It was, in fact, almost a guarantee of success. She closed her eyes, expecting that she was breathing for the last time. Good-bye, Heero-

Heero pulled the safety catch on the gun.

He ran.

-But Relena did not die. The men pointing their guns at her merely stood there…laughing.

The burliest of them all shoved his bloody knife into his pocket, signaling to the others to put away their weapons, "Don’t worry, love, we’re not after you this time." He looked down at the corpse of the old man on the carpet, "Next time that will be you." He stepped forward and slapped her across the face, "And that’s for living." He grinned again, "I will relish the day I am told to stop your breath!"

She did not collapse until they left, did not let any sound escape her cold lips until she was certain they were completely gone, "Oh, Pegan…"

Heero rounded the last corner to the drive where the Vice Foreign Minister lived, desperate feet pounding the pavement, furious heart beating in his chest. If they had harmed her, he would… he would even kill again.

Just a few more steps, just a few more moments of agonized anticipation. The front door was wide, exposing Relena’s home to the cold outside. He did not think, only ran in. In the darkness he tripped over a body and fell onto the carpet. Was it…was it…hers? He scrambled up and felt unimaginable relief. It was Pegan, her butler. There was still hope…he turned at the sound of her voice, a relieved sigh escaping him involuntarily.

"Heero?"

"When do we get to kill her, Miss Yuy?"

"When I say you can." Ariel Yuy was brushing through her hair carefully, the warm yellow lights in her room softening her features into that of beauty.

"Why are we waiting?"

"Right now it would not be profitable to kill her. Besides, we now have a threat to pull against my half-brother." She giggled lightly, the sound wafting through the room like perfume. She arched her head back, eyes half closed, "It’s such a hilarious coincidence, don’t you think? I’ve been tearing through the files of every colony and here he is, protecting my latest target, using the same name of his grandfather, no less."

"What do you want with him, anyway, ma’am?"

"I want control, that’s all." She sighed, "There’s no way to get at Relena with out destroying him. Today’s meeting has proven that. Despite what I told him, all I want is her. But him not knowing our true motives is exactly how we can capture him"

Her acid yellow eyes suddenly seemed very, very dangerous.

The heavyset man in black shuddered.

Relena shuddered in the gloom of the room, and Heero felt his stomach flip. She took a deep breath and rubbed the tears on her cheeks. For someone who had witnessed murder, she seemed very composed. But then, he supposed she had seen worse, "I always thought you were still following me, Heero, but I guess a little part of me still didn’t believe it. Do you know who did this?"

There was no tremor in her voice, no sign of the fragile pain that was shaking her body, "I have a lead." His voice was rough, but, as always, she felt no fear. He saw that there was a ruddy mark on her cheek. Had she been hit? Why was he concerned about it?

"Why did you keep on protecting me?"

"Because-" He choked on his words. Words were never really his department.

"Because I’m spoiled? Because I’m petty? Because I obviously can’t take care of myself?" the distraught diplomat finished hastily. Anger flashed in her eyes, but her face was terribly pale. It seemed as if all of the bones beneath her skin had become more pronounced, "Yes, that must be it. I’m the ‘pampered princess’ after all. I haven’t forgot our promise, you know. If you kill me now, I wouldn’t care. Sheltered or not, I knew pain. A different sort than yours maybe, but I endured it all the same." She looked down at Pegan’s corpse and felt her body betray her and allow tears to course down her cheeks once more, "But Pegan was always there to help me. I know he was manipulating me, like everyone else, to replace my father…my fathers, but I didn’t really care. Pegan is…Pegan was…the only one who was there for me."

"Relena-"

"What are you waiting for? Me to beg you for mercy?" She her fury had forced out all reason. The shrewd politician was a husk of her former self, and she felt like a trapped animal being hounded at all sides, "What do you want?!"

"I want to-" He paused. Protect you, his mind said, but the words got jumbled on their way out of his mouth, "-wait until peace has been attained before I kill you as promised." He drew a deep breath, "If you are killed after harmony is established between every nation, people will grip harder for that peace so no sacrifices such as yours will be necessary anymore. Now, it would be pointless."

She had a sort of smile on her face, as if she was trying to hold back sobs. He wanted to hold her, comfort her, to do anything to stop that furious desperation not to cry from marking her face. He would kill them. He would kill Ariel!

"Heero!" She ran forward, tripping over the carpet and grabbing his arms, "I know that look! What are you planning?" She tried to shake him, "You’re not going anywhere until we talk this out!"

"Talking is your job, Relena, killing is mine." He said coldly, using the one bullet that could never miss its mark.

His words wounded her more than he could imagine. He released her gently and walked to the door, but she ran out in front of him, "Oh no you don’t. I won’t let you walk out like you did on Libra to fight Treize and my brother. I trust you, I believe in you, but I also know that I have a part in this battle as well!"

Heero glared at her. She did not flinch, but he hoped it would have had at least some affect on her, "It will not be advantageous to your career to be seen with me right now."

She slapped him. Hard. It didn’t hurt him of course, but it got his attention since she rarely used violence, "Since when have I cared about my career?! Since when have you cared about my career? We’re talking about someone killing a dear friend and threatening me, not starting another stupid, pointless war!"

She made no move to struggle, but her eyes were cold with anger at the disgrace, "They said I was next."

"Where were your guards? I know your whole detail, and they are not incompetent." He was furious. She had never seen Heero truly furious before. His rage was not outward, there were no flushed cheeks or a raised voice, just a sort of deadness that chilled her to her very bones.

"The intruders left and then you came several minutes later, I haven’t checked yet. Will you release me now? You’re hurting me."

He let go and avoided her eyes. Instead, he looked the room up and down, imprinting every detail to his memory. He had to leave her soon. He didn’t like how exposed he felt when speaking to her. He didn’t want to do anything besides slaughter whoever her assailants were. "I want detailed descriptions."

"I don’t know what to do." She finished, voice broken. "Somebody really wanted to scare me. I beg you, Heero, do you know who did it?"

He grimaced, attention returning to her pale face and disheveled hair, to that pleading expression, "A demon of my past. Call the police and the Maxwells. You need some soothing. You aren’t in the condition to reason right now."

Relena’s face was stiff. She had made this call expecting to be able to confide in her close friend, but it was not working. "Hilde…I’m sorry for troubling you. There was a break in, but its all been taken care of now. I thought I should tell you, in case you or Duo pick up any rumors at L2." She gave her friend a strong smile, further fracturing the closeness between them and replacing it with a cold mask, "Thanks for your worry. Say hi to Duo for me."

"Relena, wait-"

The young woman briskly severed the connection. She thought of Pegan and flinched, but was surprised that she felt no pain. The policeman that barged into her house found her like that, head slightly lowered over the vidphone, and it was the most lonely image he had ever seen. He didn’t want to tell that broken lady that her entire squad had been found slaughtered in the guardhouse just past her house, for then her face would be even more marked with the sadness that haunted her features.

Several blocks beyond, a section of an abandoned fence was found beaten to pieces. No suspects were reported.

CHAPTER V- Requiem’s Beginning

"Well, look who found you again!" An overly cheerful person shouted joyously. His face was smudged with axle grease, and his mouth was too close to the receiver, causing his words to spit over the millions of miles between himself and his latest victim.

"What do you want, Duo?" Heero’s voice was a dead monotone, his eyes on the monitor beside the vidphone, scanning through the masses of raw information before him.

"Want? Me? Nothing, just a friendly conversation."

Heero’s eyes locked with his friends, and Duo swallowed nervously.

"I heard about the attack at Relena’s place. Pretty harsh, huh?" He let an infectious smile spread across his face, "But you wouldn’t know anything about that, would you?"

"You know my location very well."

"Protecting your girlfriend again, huh?"

"No, I am fulfilling a promise. Go away, Duo, I’m very busy."

"C’mon buddy-"

Heero casually leaned forward and switched off the connection. A few moments later, an angry face flickered back on the screen.

"Hey!"

"I’m busy."

"You’re antisocial, you know? I just wanted to tell you Hilde an’ me were planning a vacation anyway so-"

"What?"

"I’ll see you in two days, bro!" Duo shouted exuberantly, voice so loud against the receiver that it fuzzed quite a bit.

Heero reached for the off switch but Duo beat him to it. The former Gundam pilot sighed and got back to work.

"I am sick an tired of your bullshit, young lady!" Miss Une shouted in his office, the lazy midmorning sun drifting through the wide windows that rested behind her. Relena decided that the view outside was far better than Une’s on a full-blown hissy fit, "The people want a statement! You can’t just say ‘no!’ It’s been a full day, and you know that the media never rests. You’re showing weaknesses, Relena. You created the Preventer program, and if you fall, we may just fall as well. I can’t let that happen, Relena! Are you even listening to me?"

After all, there was no one else.

Relena pressed her forehead against the cold wall of the hospital, the night light filtering anguish tearing her apart. There was no one to comfort her anymore. Nobody to care if she lived or died.

Except Heero.

But she could take it. Relena Darlian had to be brave for the world. She didn’t have time to cry. She jerked up suddenly as soft strains of a tinkering music began wafting down the hall, sung by the voice of a child.

We didn’t do anything, Ms. Yuy."

"Of course you didn’t. You couldn’t wipe your butt without a twenty page instruction manual." Ariel snapped, yellow eyes gleaming, "Position your men at those criminal’s hideaways you know so well. Don’t rest until you find out who caused this!" The politician wrung her hands together, "Now all of that work will be useless. Once again, Relena has won back the heart of the people with sympathy. I will expose her!"

"Yes, ma’am." The man replied, squaring his shoulders.

"Well then, get to it!" She snapped, her burning eyes commanding her minion to the door.

An old woman tossed crumbs to the pigeons that collected around her feet, ancient eyes wandering over the harbor beyond. She looked around the bustle around her and grinned sweetly, "Oh, to be young again…"

CHAPTER VI- Desperation

"Miss Darlian, stop daydreaming!" Came a hiss. The former Queen of the World looked up almost lazily, her eyes somewhat unfocused. "Miss Darlian, I know you’re stressed, but the world needs you right now. No matter how insignificant your position in politics will ever be, you are a symbol to your people, the one force that brought the colonies and Earth back together again. They need you right now!"

Relena looked up to her secretary, heart broken, but face impassive, "I will make no statement until I am certain of what to do myself. Every move in politics has to be decisive, something you will not regret in the future. I don’t know which step to take right now."

The face of the secretary softened. It didn’t matted how old the young woman before her was, it didn’t matter how helpless she seemed; Relena Peacecraft-Darlian made everyone who listened to her feel like a child in their mother’s arms. Perhaps that’s why Relena had so few friends, "Miss Darlian, I think I should give this to you. It’s a letter from Lady Une. She wants to hold a meeting with you and her finest Preventers to decide how her people can better protect you. I didn’t think you’d want-"

Relena looked up and took the palm-sized panel into her long hands, "Ah, as usual, Une is trying to smooth things over. I guess I’ll have to go."

"Very good, Miss Darlian."

"Call me Relena, please." The youth replied, and slowly rose from her chair.

The secretary bit her lip in joy. It would do her boss good to visit with her friends once more.

Heero scowled and ground his teeth as he wandered the streets aimlessly.

But what would he do once he had killed her?

He had already decided suicide would be the best way out. He could not back out of his threat, but he also knew he could not live to see the world managing peace without her there…

"Top quality! The best merchandise in the city!" A voice cried, and Heero looked up nervously. He was in a bad neighborhood, a dangerous neighborhood, and that there was a drug lord selling his goods right there in the middle of the street.

And then he once again felt The Drive.

It was the need to buy, the need to consume, the need to feel the airy light-headedness that was accompanied by imbibing the powdery substance. In Heero’s early childhood, it had been his only peace.

They had started in small dosages, given to Heero whenever he was especially obedient or effective. With the flavor of It coursing through his veins, there had been no need for fear, no need for guilt. Then, he was allowed to consume regularly, making addiction set in permanently.

But it hadn’t stopped there.

They decreased his amounts, only let him have It when he did especially well, binding him to them by The Drive.

"Hey, bro." The pale man asked wryly, shaking the small packets of powder, "Yah want da merchandise? Yah gotta pay. Show me yer money."

The dealer was shaking the packets just like the nurse did right before she poured it onto his food. Heero trembled, his reason leaving quickly. It was his only peace-

NO! Wait! Relena had replaced the drugs. Relena was peace everlasting. The drugs…the drugs could only make peace temporary. Relena, Relena would make it last forever…

Heero regained control of his rebellious body, "No, I’m not buying."

"Then get out of here!" The man shouted, and Heero stumbled away.

So maybe it wouldn’t hurt to see her. Just for a little while. Just to reassure himself of the peace he needed so desperately. Like a drug, he would only allow himself small amounts…just enough to keep him sane.

The room was pretty small, stripped down to bare necessities. The chairs were just barely comfortable enough to be endurable, and the screen behind them was flawless white. A woman stood in front of that screen, cold eyes scanning the room. Her name was Lady Une. Beautiful dark hair was swept off of her shoulders, and a lovely figure was outline by the whiteness of the screen behind her. Some would even venture to say she was beautiful, except for the harsh expression that marred her countenance.

The first arrival was a boy named Duo Maxwell, box of donuts in one hand and girlfriend in the other. Lady Une was most displeased, and pretended to ignore him. She would also have ignored Wufei Chang and his wife, Sally Po, but they were arguing far too loudly to be disregarded. The quiet ones, a blond boy named Quatre and a lion-tamer named Trowa had settled into a corner, not really paying attention to anything.

Lady Une tapped her foot. Her most important guest was already twenty minutes late.

The door opened, but it was not the much-anticipated Relena Darlian, as everyone had expected, but a lean, cruel figure, known as Heero Yuy.

Everyone was silent instantly.

"Heero?! Who dragged you out of your shell?" Duo shouted enthusiastically, spraying bits of donut all over the tabletop.

"Lady Une knows me far too well," was his only reply as he settled himself into a corner.

Everyone turned to stare at Lady Une, even Sally and Wufei.

She shrugged, smiling slightly, "With no windows, security cameras, or guards to impersonate, he had no option but to show himself."

Trowa leaned back slightly, "So you mean that there is no record whatsoever that this meeting existed?"

"Spare your invitations, no. I called you here to discuss the security issues surrounding Miss Relena Darlian-Peacecraft. As you may have noticed, it is quite dangerous for her to be in the public right now. And-"

"-You are here to take whatever precautions necessary to ensure my safety." A voice finished for Lady Une, and Relena appeared in the doorframe, leaning slightly against one side.

Heero perked up. She obviously did not look well. Her shining hair was tied harshly away from her face, and her posture was slightly different than normal. Yet she was smiling, exuding warmth for everyone who needed it. Heero scowled. She was always like that, willing enough to forgo her own happiness to restore others. The old Relena from before, from the time of the wars, would have been crying. Perhaps, in a way, Relena had become just as emotionless as he was before.

"Relena," Hilde half stood up, but Duo had placed a hand on her shoulder solemnly. Relena smiled at her friend and settled herself in the chair beside Lady Une’s vacant one. Heero looked up at her from the set on the other side of the empty one, eyes cold. Relena put a hand on her cheek and pushed around the papers in front of her. She seemed distant…withdrawn-

Utterly helpless.

Lady Une snapped her hand on with a short stick, pacing upon the space in front of the wide table, eyes narrowed, "Well, folks. I think we all know what’s going on here."

"Yeah, Heero’s girlfriend is being stalked by a weird psycho dude, " Duo supplied, "I think we all figured that one out real fast."

Heero targeted Duo with a glare. Relena paid no attention, lost in her own little world.

"I don’t need any reminders, okay?!" Relena suddenly shouted, leaping up furiously and slamming her hands on the table. She was shaking with anger, eyes hot and glittering with unshed tears, "What the heck is this anyway? I have no involvement in enforcing measures! Why am I here?"

Lady Une kept her cool, eyes narrowed, "Because of your refusal to make a public statement and your patchy report to the police. None of us here," her expansive gesture included the whole room, "know exactly what happened. You could give us valuable information, help us to take a step in the right direction-"

Relena paled, her body tense, "Ask Heero if you have any questions, I told him everything I know. Now, I have more important things to do."

She pushed aside her chair and strode proudly to the door.

"Relena," Une called. She paused at the doorway, "Relena, what will you do?"

"Well, talking seems to be the only thing I’m good at," she said bitterly, looking pointedly at Heero, "so I guess I’d better go do some public speaking."

The door slammed after her.

Duo shivered melodramatically, looking from Heero to the door and back again, "Woah! Looks like they’re at a low point in their relationship!"

Heero ignored his friend and pretended not to pay attention to anything.

Duo sighed, "Look, Heero, of all of us here, you’re the one closest to Relena," At Heero’s dangerous glare Duo raised his arms in surrender, "I’m not saying romantically —even if you two make a cute couple- I’m just saying you know her better. It’s your obligation to comfort her! She’s had a rough time. You know what it’s like to have someone threaten your life for no real reason, her brother did that to you daily. The rest of us don’t have a lot of experience in that department. Most everyone after our heads had a legitimate cause, right, Hildie?" Duo turned to his girlfriend with a sweet look on his face but she merely socked him in the arm.

Heero jumped up from the table, grabbed his jacket, and stalked out.

Duo put a head on his hand and sighed romantically.

Hilde punched him again.

She was on the roof. She had run from him for a while, blindly follow the stairs upward, animal instinct overtaking reasoning. And he had caught up to her.

Obviously.

"Leave me alone, Heero," Relena hissed, facing the cityscape that stretched out below her. The city reached all horizon lines, replacing nature with geometric perfection.

"No. You’re not in your right mind."

"I need time to sort it all out in my head, that’s all. I need time-" She was backing away from him instinctively, unaware that she was approaching the edge "-to figure out what I’m going to do next-"

He darted forward and pulled her away from her death, holding her tightly in a rough embrace.

And then he lost it.

She was so beautiful. Her perfect face was marred by a slight frown of confusion, her soft eyes melting any resolve left in his body. Her lips-he couldn’t help himself. He kissed her.

And then he drowned.

Drowned in her scent, her taste, her touch. Nerves exploded throughout his body in the sheer release a kiss can provide. A release he was unaware of, for he had never kissed anyone before, never like that.

And to his shock she was kissing him back vigorously. She wrapped her arms around him, then let her hands travel up into his hair, where she ran long fingers through his locks, pressing her body against his desperately. It was…phenomenal.

And then she pushed him away, in fear and nervousness, drawing deep breaths, "Heero, I-"

"Relena, I need-" He extended his hands. He needed her so badly. Now that he had her, he could not live without her. In that one brief moment, they had leaped the boundary between semi-friends into romantic interests. It was too incredible for either of them to believe.

He stepped towards her again, carefully, as if trying to tame a wild animal. Slowly, he drew her back into his arms and rested her head against his chest.

She spoke, voice muffled in his shirt, but clear enough to understand, "Heero, I could just be using you. I might be trying to escape grief in your arms." She pulled up her head to look into his eyes, "I might not love you."

He tightened his arms around her possessively, "I don’t care. I don’t care."

CHAPTER VII- Two to One

"What are they called again, Mr. Basu?" Ariel was staring at her attendant with her acid yellow eyes, head tilted archly in a regal pose, "This group you have unearthed?"

"The are called ‘Kheft.’ It’s a drug ring that is so top secret, not one member knows the identity of another." Mr. Basu replied, his words dripping in an Indian accent, "And it seems like they have found Ms. Darlian a threat. They do not like politicians getting out of hand."

"I see. Do we have an agreement with them?"

"Yes, a minor one. They are worried about the Reconstruction Act, which calls upon democratic methods of voting for a new Senate, meaning that they could lose a lot of their puppets. Their plan is to take out Relena, then force the politicians they own to vote ‘no’ on the Reconstruction Act."

"How did you learn all of this, Mr. Basu?" Ariel asked, posture displaying attentive interest, fingers drumming on the desk..

"Because…because I am a member, ma’am." The man bowed several times, "I thought it wise to tell you, in case you wanted to sever all of political ties to me-"

Ariel smiled. She was used to such devotion, "No, that won’t be necessary, Mr. Basu. I trust you, but I’ll need you to get some inside information. Perhaps we can arrange to join forces."

"Heero, what are we going to do now?" Relena asked softly squinting up at him under the heat of the sun above them, "I mean-"

"I’m going back to the meeting. We’ll draw up a new guard detail for you." Heero replied, looked down at her coldly, all traces of passion gone from his eyes, "You are going home, and Duo and Trowa will be guarding you. Got it?"

"Heero, I still have some voice behind what happens to me!"

He pressed his forehead against hers. She forgot that she was mad at him, "I know, Relena. Just let me take care of you for now. I get the feeling that no one’s ever done that for you before." He smirked slightly at her jerk in surprise, "At least until you get back on your feet. Besides, you’re in danger at all sides."

She remembered why she was mad at him all of the sudden, "Heero, please tell me who did all of this. I know you know something-"

He hugged her once more, "Now is not the time-"

She pushed out of his arms suddenly, "It is if I say so! Heero if you really do care about me, you’d understand how important this is to me! I’m not a doll that will break at any moment! I’m person just like you!" She grabbed one of his hands and pressed it against her throat, "I have a pulse as well!" She lowered her voice, "And as you recall, we still have a promise between us that you must fulfill when the time is right."

Heero looked down desperately at Relena, but she would not give in. She looked at him coolly and levelly, "Our love —if that’s what you’d call it- has a time limit. But until then, I deserve as much respect as the next person." She pressed a hand against his cheek as he stood shocked, "Please…"

He pulled out of her grasp and avoided her inquisitive eyes, "Her name is Ariel…Ariel Yuy-"

A soft sigh escaped from Relena’s lips, as if she had been relieved of a heavy burden, "She wouldn’t do this. It isn’t logical. If she didn’t want the Reconstruction Act to pass, the last thing she would want is my to get sympathy. I don’t see any reason-"

Heero chose this moment to intervene, "She has a more personal reason," at her inquiring glance and continued, "We’re related."

"What? You and I are related?" she laughed nervously, "This isn’t some sick soap opera joke, is it?"

"No, Ariel and I are…siblings." His voice seemed coarser than usual, its deep monotone thickly coating any fear, "Half-siblings."

Relena seemed to go limp, her shoulders drooped and her head rolled down to stare at the concrete, "So…she wants to get back at you by hurting me?"

"I think so."

"Still, Heero, how do you know you really are related to her?"

He reached into the back pocket of his jeans, eyeing her nervously, "I thought I had a few memories, so I did some hacking to find proof."

"And…?"

He tossed her the packet, "Photos, letters, and articles confirm Heero Yuy had a grandson, and-" he fished out two more papers from his front pocket. Relena unfolded a birth certificate, with the name 'Heero Yuy' printed neatly on the top, "-these are the baby’s handprints. Those on the other paper are mine."

"Identical," Relena breathed.

"I think she was telling the truth —to some extent."

"But why would she-"

"Our mother died giving birth to me, the son of the man who had raped her. Also, when the Yuy family household was bombed, Odin Lowe took me and left her to die. She must have hated me."

"Odin Lowe? The famous assassin?"

"Yes. What’s so important about that?"

"Why, it was the political move that brought Ariel Yuy’s career forward. She authored a bill to promote the arrest of assassins eight years ago. She used that resolution to push the search for Odin Lowe. When he was killed, she came out as a heroine-" understanding dawned in Relena’s eyes, "and avenged the fact that he didn’t save her."

Heero pulled out an article from his wad of papers that confirmed Relena’s words. He seemed very calm, "Therefore, it justifies why she would be willing to risk her career hurting you."

"No, it doesn’t," Relena replied stoically, "There are better ways to wound a politician than through flesh and blood. A reputation is more essential than any organ in the body."

And then, Heero understood.

Ariel Yuy was leaning back in her chair, feet propped up on her desk, enjoying the spring breeze from her window. She was in the study where she had met her brother, eyes centered on the exact piece of carpet where he had been standing. Oh, what a glorious day that had been!

"Ms. Yuy…" Ariel looked up quickly, eyes centering irritably on the small dark man before her.

"Mr. Basu."

"Ms. Yuy, I would like to present to you the South American contact for Kheft, Mr. Black." Mr. Basu simpered, stepping aside to reveal a large man, whose glittering belt made proof to the fact that his visual appearance was holographic.

"Why, Mr. Black, I’m pleased to meet you." Was Ariel’s reply. She made no move to make herself look more official. This inaction made her seem equally or more important than the druglord, an important action if she wanted to appear dominating.

"And you, Ms. Yuy. We’ve all heard so very many wonderful things about you."

"You flatter me." Ariel brought her feet down from the desk, point made, and straightened the papers on her desk, "Mr. Black, I believe we have so business to discuss."

"We do?"

"Why yes," Ariel waited until he was seated. Mr. Basu remained standing, "I have heard that you have a vested interest in Ms. Relena Darlain."

"I did not know that that rumor was public knowledge."

"Are you validating it then, Mr. Black?" Ariel rebutted.

There was an uncomfortable pause, "No, Ms. Yuy, I am doing no such thing."

"What a shame," she stated carefully, "for I had an interest in her as well. I was hoping perhaps, that we could help each other."

Mr. Black did not reply, only walked out. Mr. Basu followed, and some minutes later, returned, beaming.

"Mr. Black has been impressed by you, Ms. Yuy." Her aide replied, bowing joyously, "You have been invited to the Kheft’s annual meeting, a masquerade."

"Oh, and what of Ms. Darlain?"

"Apparently she is invited as well."

CHAPTER VIII- Confetti

The door slammed. Everyone waiting in the conference room jumped.

Heero Yuy entered the room, somewhat more mean looking than normal.

"Ah, Heero’s here!" Duo said boisterously. His package of donuts had been devoured, and now he was working on sunflower seeds, "Hey, but where’s your girl?"

Heero glared at his ‘friend.’ "I don’t know."

Lady Une looked at him with a travesty of a shocked expression, "You let her go unprotected?!"

He narrowed his searing blue eyes, "She waiting outside for Trowa and Duo to escort her home."

Lady Une sighed and shook her head, "Heero, how many years have you known Relena?"

"A couple."

"And over that nebulous amount of time, have you ever seen her hang around for anyone, especially in the protection department?"

Heero drew a breath to reply, but the door opened, "I’m here, Une, don’t worry. I still have a while left to live. But if you all don’t mind, I would like to get home." It was Relena, her expression hidden in the shadows of the hallway.

Heero looked over at Duo. The teen stood up and brushed the remaining donut crumbs off of his chest, "Well, we had better get you home then, Jousan."

Trowa stood up as well, but he remained silent. Heero looked at both of them and then at Relena before settling down in a seat for the meeting.

They were dancing. They looked like very strange mimes, faces colored white, with painted smiles open their faces. Trowa, Duo, and Relena ignored them. In the vast city called Acropolis, home of the ESUN Capitol building, many such performers sported the streets, displaying their talents for pennies from the many citizens.

But these men were not normal performers.

They wound their way easily between the passers-by, laughing and giggling as they juggled and danced. They formed a circle around the three travelers, laughing gleefully.

"Would you like to see a trick, pretty lady?" One of them asked.

Trowa rolled his eyes. Duo and Relena were enchanted.

"We are well versed in the art of magic, is that not right, my brothers?" The other two nodded solemnly. Trowa knew this act all too well. Being an undercover agent to the Preventers, he spent the majority of his days as a circus performer. Clowns lost their antiquated beauty when you saw them 24/7.

"We, my good friends, can make things appear-" a dove fluttered out of his previously empty palm- "And even, in some lucky cases, make princesses disappear."

White confetti was everywhere, softly fluttering to the Earth like snowflakes. When the air was clear, Relena and the mimes were nowhere to be seen, while her two protectors lay passed out on the pavement, their mission a failure.

"So, The Smith partnership and Crawley are our last additions to the guard detail?" Lady Une confirmed, rubbing her aching forehead with a long-fingered hand.

Heero nodded stiffly, "Confirmed."

"You can have Abdul from my guard, he’s very trustworthy." Quatre brought up.

Une brought her other hand to her head. The meeting was going to go on even longer…

Suddenly Heero jerked, as if he had been touch by a cold hand. His wide blue eyes met with Une’s, and they both knew something terrible had happened.

The vidphone beeped urgently. Une answered.

"Colonel Une? We have a situation here." The picture was grainy, but the entire conference room recognized Duo’s irregular features.

"What do you have to report, Duo," Lady Une asked carefully.

Heero stood up nervously.

"It’s Relena. We think she’s been kidnapped," came the cautious reply.

Heero slammed his fist on the table, "Dammit, Duo, I trusted you." He tensed angrily, face contorting slightly, "I swear, Duo. If she doesn’t survive this, I’ll take your life for payment."

And he was completely serious.

Ariel Yuy placed an interested hand on her cheek, eyes sparkling with glee. She did not notice Mr. Basu’s approach.

"What are you looking at, Ms. Yuy?"

"Ah, reports released from an experimental lab on L1, where my brother had been held." She replied cheerfully, "I’ve found some information that makes me a very happy person!"

There was a rumbling sound. Relena rolled over in the darkness. She was moving…somewhere. She was lying on metal plates, and the floor was tilting. A plane, she mused silently, resting her forehead on the cool floor, or a shuttle taking off…

I never thought I’d want this, but please God, please make it so he doesn’t really love me…don’t take love away from him again…

Loved?

Was it perhaps only dependence?

Was she using Heero as a support, manipulating him just as everyone else had in his life?

She didn’t know. She had never loved someone before. She didn’t know that her concern was proof enough.

She could do nothing. Nothing at all.

She was all alone.

"Sally Po." It was growled as if the woman with that name was a vile monster that needed to be destroyed. Sally PO was seated in front of the main door to the hangar, leaning casually against the wall, a cool grin playing across her lips.

To Heero Yuy, she was blocking his path. In other words, she was going to become road kill really soon.

"Hello, Heero."

"What do you want, Sally?" He had a gun cocked in one hand, his eyes cold and filled with hate.

"To ask you to calm down. Where exactly are you going?"

"To find Relena. She has to have been on one of the planes that left around the time of her capture."

"Have you thought your plan out yet?"

He eyed her wrathfully, hands shaking, "No." he finally spat.

"Heero, how do you know she’s on a plane?"

His words were choked, "I just know….She’s on the flight to India. I know-" He pressed one hand to his head and lowered the gun.

Sally took the opportunity to step forward and embrace him gingerly in a maternal fashion. She would occasionally do this for Wufei as well, her friend and partner. Sometimes, people just needed to feel cared for. He wrapped one arm around Sally and buried his face into her shoulder, "Shh, Shh…"

"You don’t understand, Sally," he growled, voice muffled, "I promised to protect her, promised I would be the only one to kill her…"

Sally tried not to listen too carefully to his words (she had already thought up several meanings to the last sentence). Heero was not a man who wanted false hope, "Heero, you know she could already be dead…"

He pushed himself out of her arms and drew a deep breath, "No, she’s not." A cold mask had settled upon his face.

"How do you know that?"

"Because I haven’t killed her yet."

Ten minutes later, Sally, Wufei, Trowa, and Heero had boarded a shuttle to pursue Heero’s ‘hunch.’

Relena’s eyes darted around nervously. She could not her an air circulator, and already the air within the compartment was hot and stuffy with her own toxic breath. How much longer would she be trapped in the gloomy darkness?

Relena’s ears began popping, and she shook her head distractedly. They were landing! The sooner she was on ground, the sooner she could devise a plan for escape.

"Good morning and thank you for tuning into Early Bird News. Today’s top story is a collection of recently released photos of Vice Minister Relena Darlain-Peacecraft involved in an intimate affair with the renowned Gundam pilot of unit 01. Relena’s sudden disappearance yesterday seems to confirm that these photos hold some truth. Reactions to this scandal have proved violent. Already, riots have begun in several major colonies and all over Earth’s major cities."

The screen fuzzed and Ariel Yuy shut it off. Things were looking up.

CHAPTER IX- Introductions and Bitter Betrayal

"Good morning, child."

Relena woke slowly, roused by a soft, brittle voice that permeated the darkness of her mind. What had happened? Oh yes, a gas had been released…she had tried to press her face to the floor, tried to escape breathing in the fumes…but she couldn’t help it…At least they hadn’t tried to kill her.

Someone was nudging her shoulder with a boot. She opened her eyes groggily, and was confronted with a hazy, out-of-focus view of a small cramped room. It was damp and dark. She was not cold, though. She was hot. The humidity was overpowering.

"Good morning." The boot said. She rolled her head up to see an ancient, womanly face, "Ah, you’re awake. Me name’s Pigeon. I’ll be takin’ care of yeh."

"Oh…" Relena murmured, holding back the urge to throw up, "What am I doing here?"

"Well, hopefully you’ll be changing your mind on some matters."

"You want to rebuild the mobile suits, don’t you?" Relena hissed, "Well, they all really were self-destructed-"

Pigeon put down the tray suddenly, "What the hell are yeh blathering about, girl? We don’ give a damn about mobile suits! Get yourself up off of that mucky floor and get some food in yeh!" she demanded, "Of all the…"

Relena peered around Pigeon’s legs. An elderly woman was all that stood between her and an open door! Relena darted up suddenly-

A strong grip surrounded her wrist suddenly, "Yeh know, lassie, I’m usually not supposed to be taking care of prisoners." Pigeon’s senile attitude disappeared. Relena was confronted with the face of a killer, an elderly lady that would mind snapping her wrist bones for toothpicks, "I migh’ ‘forget’ to be careful with you. Don’t try anything stupid, my little girlie, because I don’t mind beating the lesson into you."

Relena looked back at her with the same courage with which she had faced Heero Yuy’s death threats, the same courage with which she had achieved everything in her life. Pigeon wincedever so slightly.

"Ah, lassie, what’s a pretty girl like you doin’ in this hellhole?"

"I don’t know."

"Heero, I don’t know how to break it to you, but your instincts were…right." Sally said amazedly, eyes scanning the printout in complete shock.

Heero had spent the entire flight hacking into travel records and flight plans with the frenzied determination of a mad man. He smirked slightly, a strange glint in his normally cold eyes. Before each person was a printout labeled ‘Plan.’ The code around the document had been intense, but no match for Heero Yuy.

Trowa pressed a few buttons on the flight counsel, "Good thing we’re in stealth mode. I’ll come down at the local airport, the Preventers already sent clearance ahead of us."

Wufei nearly had a cardiac arrest in shock, "What the hell? Are you all insane? Are we trying to get noticed?!"

"It’s okay, Wufei," Sally replied with false sweetness, "The Preventers cleared us under the guise of a travel agency."

Wufei glared at her discontentedly.

Heero didn’t really pay any attention to any of this. His mind was focused on something —no, someone- else.

Pigeon left Relena after she had eaten the gruel. She quietly explained to Relena that the door was not locked, but that it would be unadvisable to move beyond it.

Those words, of course, were meant to put a more powerful lock on the door than mere human hands could lift.

But Relena was well-versed in the art of psychology, being someone who needed to condition people on a daily basis. She was sure Pigeon’s threat was merely something of that sort.

Well, pretty certain, at least.

She moved towards the door, hand pressing carefully against the heavy handle.

The door swung open.

She couldn’t tell what he looked like. He was barefoot, with old-fashioned Indian clothing. Upon his face was a white mask.

"Hello, Relena Darlain."

She was so shocked, she even let a small trace of fear flicker across her face.

"I go by Kaliya, lady." He took one of her hands in his own. She was afraid to take it back for his voice, while warm and flowing like honey, had a burr of power and strength, and she knew this man would not mind killing her, "The elegant hands of princess, but they have seen labor. How is this so?"

"I’m a swimmer. I’ve also done volunteer work all over the world." Relena said meekly. She needed them to underestimate her!

"Ah yes, I remember reading about a month you spent here in India, building homes for the poor."

"That was last year, when the Senate adjourned its summer session." Relena murmured. Did her face look intimidated? "Are we in India then, Mr. Kaliya?"

"Yes, Southern India." He released her hand and stepped out into the corridor, "Come take a stroll with me, Relena."

She eyed him carefully. If she followed, she could get a better lay of the land, perhaps find out where the nearest city was…

"Of course, Mr. Kaliya."

She placed a hand in the crook of his arm carefully. His voice contained a smile, "I’m so glad you’re a rational person, Relena. I will deeply regret your death."

"Death?" the politician croaked hoarsely.

"Oh, not yet, dear. I need you alive for the time being, especially if I want to start another war."

"But, Pigeon said you didn’t want mobile suits!" she gasped.

He patted her hand with his one dark paw, "Of course I don’t. However, war makes my business very profitable. I have nothing against peace, Relena, but peaceful consumers don’t draw in enough of a profit."

"What’s your business?"

They moved from the corridor into a lovely stone portico, where they were rewarded the view of field upon field of budding plants. The sickly sweet smell that pervaded Relena’s nostrils made Mr. Kaliya’s reply unnecessary.

"Pleasure-"

"-to see you here!" Sally said enthusiastically, pumping the hand of Duo Maxwell in an over-exuberant handshake. To the many Indian crowding the streets, this action seemed very appropriate for a tourist, "I’m so glad you guys made it from home!

Hilde put a head on Duo’s shoulder and adjusted her sunglasses, "What do you mean?! It’s baking over here!"

Once their target was confirmed,

Sally shrugged cheerfully, shrugging at her fully dressed companions that had arrived earlier with her, "I already had to buy a pair of shorts before I could move properly," she lowered her voice a fraction, "I think heat-resistance is part of Gundam training."

Heero looked at her exhaustedly, "It is." He pulled out a map, "Now, a couple of men I interviewed over there claim the private jet landed somewhere in the jungle to the west," he stated coldly, "and then others say it was to the west." He pointed to the thick jungle to that direction, "Basically, no one wants to disclose the location." He looked over at their crest fallen faces smugly, "But each one of them looked briefly southeast when I asked them." He smirked, "So that’s the direction we go."

Duo’s jaw dropped, "And you did all of that in the two hours it took to fly Hilde and me here?"

Sally cut in for Heero, "Heero’s a fast worker, Duo." She quickly changed the subject, "Hey, isn’t it strange that Une wanted all of the Gundam pilots to track down Ms. Darlain? Wouldn’t she want a couple of her best Preventers to stay behind?

Hilde rolled up her sleeves in the heat, "You know, you’re right. Une did only want Duo to go…"

Wufei made a disapproving sound in his throat, "You women are so suspicious. Lady Une is a proud and loyal woman. She may have made mistakes in the past, but all she wants now is universal peace."

Trowa shrugged his shoulders slightly, "I don’t know, Wufei. Some people see things strangely."

"I’ve done all you want. Couldn’t you please give Mariemeia back?" She begged. She had never begged before. Lady Une was indeed a proud woman.

The screen to which she talked was black, with a small blinking red light in the corner the only sign of a transmission in progress. The voice, obviously synthesized, was quick to reply, "Yes you have done all we want- for now. Love makes even the strongest of people weak, Une. Just look what happened to you. Don’t worry, Mariemeia lives, but one wrong move from you could change that."

The little red light went out. Une bowed her head in defeat.

CHAPTER X- A New Plan, a New Problem

A/N: Thank you for reviewing me so kindly! I feel giddy! Okay...on with the show...lights! camera! ahhhhhhhh-ction!

The podium was heated from the lights set up around the dais. Sylvia Noventa only smiled at the sea of hungry reporters.

"Ms. Noventa!"

"Isn’t it true you are here at the express disapproval of your government?"

"Ms. Noventa!"

"Please update us on the status of-"

"What has happened to the Gundam pilots? Why can’t we get statements from-"

Eventually, the questions died down, seeing as the woman to whom they were directing the questions wasn’t saying anything at all. There was something different about Sylvia Noventa today. Usually, she was light-headed and nervous, blushing at the sight of cameras and journalists. Her innocence, however, was one of the keys to her political success. Her slight resemblance to Relena Darlian and similar peace-based motives had easily gained her a seat on the Senate. Her country, a political strong, but very small European nation, had pushed her into the Senate in the hopes of drawing attention to themselves.

But as mentioned before, Sylvia Noventa was different today. There was a glimmer of determination in her eyes that no one had ever seen before. There was something wild and intriguing about her that made the air seem to crackle. It was this potential that strengthened her likeness to the vice foreign minister, and gained respect from the crowd.

And it was at that moment when Sylvia chose to speak, "As many of you fine people have already learned, the Republic of Alkenia has forbidden my appearance to you tonight. Everything I say is the complete and honest truth. Unfortunately, what is right and what is best for your political career are two very separate things. As you all know, I am up for reelection this year, and that I am currently leading in Alkenia by fifty-three percent. By tomorrow, those percentages will be greatly different.

"Of course, this makes it seem as if I am making a confession about my personal history. That is partly true. I am mainly going to speak of the events involving Relena Darlian and the Gundam pilots."

A flurry of voices interrupted the girl, and she rose a hand for silence. Her quiet dignity permeated the room and peacewas regained.

"Please hold all of your questions until the end, " she continued on in a gentle yet firm tone, "My father was killed by a Gundam pilot, pilot 01, in fact. My father was on a quest for peace, and at first I was angry at this pilot, this stupid soldier, who had murdered our last chance at peace.

"But then, about a month after the accident, the pilot came to my house and asked for my forgiveness. He handed me a gun and offered me the chance to avenge my father’s death. I, of course, refused. Free copies of a security tape that recorded this discussion are being passed out right now.

"Relena confirmed, when she carried the cases of the Gundam pilots to court after the Barton incident, that this act had been an accident. For some reason, many of you reporters have been lead to disregard this as a falsehood, or ignore it completely. Others may recall Gundam 04’s rampage in space. The pilot destroyed two colonies, both of which were partially evacuated. His actions were later cleared, when it was proven he was in a state of mental instability at that time. You now replay the footage and forget the fact that the event you demand atonement for has already been resolved.

"My association with Heero Yuy will probably lose me my reelection. I do not, however, find that encountering and befriending a person who fought for peace is a bad thing. Therefore, I will no longer take the advice of my government and keep this information from you.

"I said that I wanted to say two things." She lowered her head. "This last thing will probably really kill me. I wanted to inform the public of a society that has been running things from behind. Relena stood up to them, and that has made her a target. What you have not been informed, for fear of hysteria from the public, is that Ms. Darlian has been kidnapped, and there is solid proof behind that fact.

"Unfortunately, I cannot confirm or deny the rumors of relationship between Heero Yuy and Relena Darlian, but I must remind you that photographs are no longer solid proof in our day and age.

"I fear too much for my safety to delve more deeply into this association behind the scenes. I can inform you in advance that very soon an ‘accident’ or deathly illness will soon be arranged for me. These are probably my last few days of freedom. But I suppose that it was worth it, if the people are informed."

No one stopped Sylvia Noventa from walking away from the podium with a gentle pride that stirred the hearts of many. This, however, was soon forgotten, and a stream of journalists rose and followed in her wake.

Mr. Kaliya was walking between the rows of his fragrant crop, not even waiting as Relena trailed him, trying to keep up with his long, elegant stride. She was reminded of a noble tiger, fierce and cunning. The striped face of the mask he wore only reinforced this image.

Relena made no reply. Her eyes were on the terrain and the region she was in. She knew a little about the local wildlife, but not enough to survive. She assumed that there was a town nearby, and that all she had to do was find it. Behind her rose an ancient building, its foundation so old and well settled, it seemed as if the building was part of the Earth, a mountain tamed into the gentle geometric shapes.

"Well, Relena, as you now know, you are currently our prisoner, " Mr. Kaliya said to the wind, his white mask bright in the sunlight. Relena felt almost as if she was intruded on his private thoughts, "An ugly word, I know, but truthful. I’m afraid that to cause the chaos necessary, we will need to kill you."

Relena smiled wryly, "I will be viewed as a martyr. You will only strengthen peace."

Mr. Kaliya grinned, "Not if they don’t know who did it." He looked up to the clear blue sky, "And there will be plenty of organizations to point fingers at each other."

Ariel Yuy flipped off her TV in disgust, "Can you believe that Noventa character? She’s really trying to get the people to accept Relena’s supposed martyrdom. ‘She stood up to this organization.’ Bull shit!" She began to walk across the floor, vibrant and filled with thoughts.

Mr. Basu watched her with fearful fascination, "Does this ruin the plan?"

"No, it only improves it," Ariel concluded, "But it means I’ll have to talk to our new friends again."

"You spoke with the representatives of Kheft, then, Ms. Yuy?" Mr. Basu asked humbly, watching the tigress of a woman pace like a caged animal.

"Yes." She spat, "And it seems my plans have changed. Your friends are very clever, Mr. Basu."

"What is it, Ms. Yuy?"

"They will dissolve the Reconstruction Act by fracturing the unity of the ESUN." She shook her head, "A ‘new threat’ will coerce the people into believing they want another war. Clever. Very clever." Her smile turned hard and angry, "In the end, I will find the conspirators, reunite the Senate, and come out with presidency and an eternal debt to the Kheft organization."

"And Relena Darlian?"

"She’ll be dead."

HAPTER XI- Staged Panic

"Let’s head in, Relena, I need you to do something for me." Mr. Kaliya said carefully.

Relena turned to face the masked man with marked caution, "What ‘something?’"

"You’ll see."

"I think we were ripped off." Sally stated coldly in the midst of the steamy jungle.

"They’re just machetes, woman," Wufei hissed back, examining the gleaming silver blade that was already stained green from the plants he had hacked aside.

Hilde nodded slightly, "What do you think about it, Duo?"

Heero turned back and glared at them, "We are making slow progress. Keep up the pace."

Duo put a sweaty arm around his girlfriend, which she promptly shoved off. He scowled at Heero with marked anger, "Look, Heero, I don’t know about you, but I retired from this business a long time ago. I was on the inactive roster and now I’m stuck away from home, up to my ears in gnats and edgy Gundam pilots! If Jousan wasn’t a close personal friend I would have high-tailed from this a long time ago!"

Heero glared at him coldly.

"I mean, Heero, they probably just want to ransom her."

Heero looked away, "Not if her kidnapper is the one I suspect."

The conversation died in the humidity, and they pressed on with renewed energy.

"Sit still, please." The doctor said unnecessarily, well aware of the duct tape that bound the girl to her chair. He leaned over her and felt her stomach professionally, marking her side with a blue pen. Then he did the same to her shoulder and her leg.

"This is your job then, deciding the best way to kill victims?" Relena asked coldly, looking down at him with cold, accusing eyes.

"It’s one of my duties," he replied.

"And money is money, no matter where it comes from?" she asked harshly.

He glanced up at her, "My children need food, Ms. Darlain. I’ll do what they say if it means that they can go to sleep at nights with full bellies." He snorted at her appearance, narrowing his eyes at her European features, "But then, you have no idea what that is like, do you? You’re rich. I’ll bet you’ve never gone a day without a meal, never watched a loved one fall because morals stood in the way." He stood up, cleaning his glasses on a shirt corner, "I had morals and beliefs, Miss Relena, but those quickly lost their importance when my firstborn son died of malnutrition during the last drought. Quite frankly, I’ve learned not to care."

She smiled slightly at him, in that loving and believing way that only she could manage, "Then I suppose I can understand and forgive you."

It was her honest and complete absolution that shocked him. Relena remained silent and dignified, well aware of her current situation, expecting her impending death and embracing it. She would not show fear!

"Is everything in place, doctor?" Mr. Kaliya asked carefully from the door way to the black room.

"Of course, Mr. Kaliya, however, there is the matter of stimulating fear into her. If she looks as regal as she does now, there won’t be as much incentive." The doctor replied heartlessly.

"Ah, yes," The masked man replied, "That is being dealt with. Bring her in!"

Several servants forced forward a young redheaded girl. She fell, hands manacled, to the floor and tried desperately to pick herself back up.

Relena recognized her immediately.

"Mariemeia!" she hissed, "She’s just a girl! What do you monsters want with her?"

Mr. Kaliya stepped forward menacingly, pushing his masked face close to hers, "We want her, Ms. Darlian, because you are a very strange type of person. I already know that you would probably try and endure torture, keeping up a good face for your people. You don’t care about yourself." A smile could be heard in his voice, "However, when it comes to the pain of others, well, it’s just unbearable to you."

A video camera was brought in, and Mr. Kaliya and the doctor melted out of the small black room. The men holding Mariemeia began to beat her in earnest, and a gunman entered the room cautiously.

Relena couldn’t hold back her tears, knowing that a child was suffering for her sake. Horror and fear gleamed in her brilliant eyes, causing the anticipated and necessary effect. The gunman rose his rifle and took careful aim.

"Stop it! Stop it now!" she screamed in fury, "No! Oh God, oh please God…"

Bam.

Bam.

Bam.

Three shots. Her body jerked horribly under the sudden impact, and blood flew across the room, splattering the lens of the recorder.

The force had knocked Relena to the floor. That was all that was needed. A bruised and beaten Mariemeia was returned to her cell.

"Well, doctor?" Mr. Kaliya asked as he turned from the monitor in a neighboring room, "Was it done correctly?"

"If your gunman stayed to his mark, Relena will not die."

He grinned. "Good. We might need her for later. Now I must go call an associate. Take your money and return home."

He left, but for some reason, he felt like a traitor.

They had come across a small, depleted town in the middle of nowhere. Heero had wanted to press on, the others had explained to him that they were too tired to go on, forcing him to agree to rest so they could find Relena with clear, alert minds.

There was only one motel in the town, and it stank of animal excretions and buzzed with large black flies. Duo suggested camping in the woods, but the mention of possible predators had made the decision to stay unanimous.

Heero dropped his small bag onto the half rotten mattress he had been assigned to, and fell onto the blankets. He could feel her in his arms, taste her on his lips, hear her as if she was whispering directly into his ear. She was so very, very close, yet so very, very far away. It was typical. Perhaps he was cursed. How did he move so suddenly from caring for her safety to falling in love with her? It felt as if he was in love with her all of the time, but simply could not accept it.

He supposed he did not see her as a human being, but as a goddess that no one could touch. It was when she lost Pegan, when he was exposed to her vulnerability, that he realized that she was just as human as he. If she had faults as well, maybe then she could forgive some of his own less desirable traits…

The door flung open.

"Yo, Heero, you look as if you could use a couple of drink to loosen up," came the jovial shout. Heero winced. Duo stood in the doorway, looking at his prone friend, "Man, you really are hung up on this chick, aren’t you?"

"Just go away, Duo."

"And let you think all night? It’s time to eat, drink, and be merry!"

What Heero would later discover was that when Duo said that, he meant the ‘drink’ part more than the other two.

"Two beers please," Duo said in English to the bartender. It was only after he got two orders of peanuts and a punch in the face that he had decided using his translating calculator.

Several minutes later, Duo and Heero sat hunched over the dirty bar, the TV in the corner blaring loudly. The bartender quickly switched it to the English channel for the benefit of the only two patrons.

Duo spat out his beer in terror, "Man! This stuff tastes like pee! Where’s your American brands, dude?" he shouted.

"Duo-" Heero began.

"I paid good money-"

"Duo, he can’t understand you when you speak in English."

He gave Heero a blank look.

"Oh. Shit!" he fumbled for his calculator desperately.

A sudden noise from the television forced Heero to look up. They had said her name.

"I repeat: This footage has just been released publicly. Specialists have confirmed with visual and auditory tests that the image you are seeing is indeed Relena Darlain-Peacecraft. She was shot three times, and the wounds seem fatal. We can only assume that Ms. Darlain is dead. No terrorist group has yet claimed responsibility for this action and relations between Earth and the colonies have become more strained than ever-" The film was grainy, but they saw the gun fire three times, watched her slump like a broken doll, blood splattered everywhere.

The bartender swore in his native language and muttered a silent prayer before running in the streets to tell others. Even in the small, isolated town, Relena had had an influence on the people there.

Duo looked over to Heero. The bottle of beer had been smashed across the table, and his eyes were colder than he had ever seen them before.

"Heero-" He got up and tried to leave, but Duo had grabbed him by the arm, "Heero! What are you going to do?!"

He turned to his friend, and Duo knew that everything inside of Heero that had been human had just died with Relena. He looked insane. "I’m going to kill, Duo. Stand in my way, and I’ll simply kill you too."

He let go.

"Welcome to India, Ms. Yuy." The masked man said warmly, guiding her into an anteroom with the politeness of any good host.

"Thank you, Mr. Kaliya. How fares your business?" Ariel sat down on a chair with delicate grace.

"Well, Ms. Yuy. Quite well, thanks to my recent investment." He grinned, "I’m glad you could make it for the Masquerade."

She smiled, "I wouldn’t miss it for the world." She helped herself to a goblet of wine from the table and looked out the window and into the humid night, "What is it you want, Mr. Kaliya?"

He grinned at her straight-forwardness, "I want you distract your brother, my dear. My surveillance cameras have picked them up in the forest. They are currently in one of the farming villages. I need to make sure they stay away for a couple of days."

She had a wickedly clever expression on her face, "I can do so easily. Just let me use a some of your resources."

"What is mine is yours, good lady."

She rose quickly, "Good. Thank you."

A plan was already forming in her cunning mind.

CHAPTER XII- Temptation

A/N: My spectacular beta-reader, Laura, brought up a good point. As a perfect soldier, Heero should have known that Relena’s wounds weren’t fatal. However, I’m defending myself with two things 1) Heero was too blinded by anger to pay much attention and 2) the footage was really grainy. Thanks to her, I’m going to try and bring that to attention in this chapter.

Warnings for this chapter: Severe PMS (Sally kicks some butt) and drug-related issues, as well as mature themes. Many of you may get confused by Heero’s hallucination. One of the long term effects of stimulant abuse is hallucinations, so therefore, he gets one.

Thank you! On with the show…

~ML

He was stumbling blindly. Stupidly. If Odin Lowe had seen him, he would have had him removed from the job. He was too emotional. He knew it. But then, in some ways, his emotions were helping him, telling him instinctively where they had killed Relena. He did not, of course, know why they had done so, or even who was in charge. Of course, he suspected Ariel had something to do with the plot, and if her only motive was to hurt him, she wouldn’t hesitate in killing Relena.

Which had been done. Horribly.

He had known it was Relena on that tape through those eyes, her vibrant, brilliant eyes, that glowed with fear and pain and hatred, the only color in the grayish room, spare the blood.

She was dead.

He didn’t know how close he was to the fields that were right in front of the building where Relena had been captured, at least, not until he stumbled onto the sickly sweet-smelling fields.

And then, all he felt was desire. The desire to forget. The desire to pretend that Relena was still alive. The desire to become faster and stronger, as the stimulants had made him. He could hurt them. He could hurt them all for what they did.

He hadn’t been the one to kill her. She would have preferred, he believed, to have died by the hands of a friend instead of an enemy.

The fields warped slightly, shaping into a hallucination, a long-term side effect of using stimulants. He tried to ignore it, well used to the distortions of things around him. These little moments of irregularity reminded him of the insanity from before, reminded him that it simply was not worth it.

"Do you miss it, brother?"

Heero spun around, the blood pounding through his veins in fury. Behind him stood Ariel Yuy, vivid and proud, as always.

But was she a dream or reality?

"Ariel."

"Your given name was Heero. Oh, the irony, right? Actually, Heero Tenshi-Yuy. But then, Tenshi can’t really be your surname, can it, seeing as your father was not Satsumo Tenshi? I wonder what it would be then…what was that kitchen boy’s name?"

"What do you want?" He asked. He knew what he wanted. He wanted to rip her throat out. She was just an illusion…

"You don’t like it, do you? Not having anything to make you feel any better?" she said smoothly, lovingly, "With a stimulant you could be more powerful. You could feel so much better." She pulled out a small plastic bag from the pocket of her long wool coat -her protection from the cold of the Indian night- and smiled, "You could have one last taste." She sighed, "After all, Relena’s not here to help you, is she? She’s dead. Everything in your world has died. But this," she put the bag in his hand, "this can help you avenge her- and make you feel human…at least for a little while."

"GO AWAY!" he shouted at his fantasy, shoving her away from him and running away through the rows of plants.

It took him several moments to realize that he had touched his hallucination.

And that the small packet was still in his hand.

He looked back, but she had had the common sense to leave when he was still unaware. However, Ariel was right. Relena was dead. He felt dead too, as if he had lost all of his compassion with final breaths. But he could live for a few seconds…he could court the abyss for a few more moments to avenge the death of the only person who had meant anything at all to him.

She was the only one who had never asked anything of him, only gave with love and tried not to make him do anything. Everything he had done for her had been self-imposed, all of his actions in concern for her had been something he had wanted to do.

He could…just one last time…

But no! There were reasons that strongly pointed against it. First of all, he wanted this to be his victory, not some drug-induced bloodbath. He wanted to look back at his work and know he did it uninfluenced. Secondly, Relena wouldn’t have wanted it. He could almost see her crestfallen face at the idea. That was the last thing. He didn’t think she was dead. She couldn’t be, for he hadn’t killed her. He knew he was thinking illogically, but he couldn’t really help himself.

However, the Drive was something more instinctive than thought out. It wasn’t something you just ‘did.’ He could feel the battle rage in his mind, animal thoughts versus humanity.

He stood there, unmoving, while his mind burned with guilt and want and terrible, terrible sorrow.

"I think I’ve held him off for a short while." Ariel murmured into her cell phone. She did not tell her associate that she had not caused any physical harm. Perhaps a part of her could not stand him still. Perhaps a part of her still wanted him to suffer instead of shooting him in cold blood, "Now, are you sure you want to kill the other Gundam pilots?" She had no qualms about destroying her brother’s little friends.

Mr. Kaliya’s voice was different. He was very wary of leaving any traces of his identity for others to find, "Yes, Ms. Yuy. The pilots are clever and skilled soldiers. They have the potential to quell a disturbance in a matter of days. I need to keep up these profits."

"But you’re keeping Relena alive?"

"I plan on releasing more tapes if they should try and resolve it peacefully. For that, I’ll need her."

"The bomb in the hotel has been set by some hired men. They don’t know what it’s for or even care. We can blame it on some Hindu and Muslim terrorist factions."

"Excellent.

"As always. But you must understand," Ariel replied coldly, "I did not come here to be a strong right hand. I did not come here to do your dirty work." Ariel looked up through the crops of plants, "I came here because of your offer of power. I want the presidency."

Mr. Kaliya understood all too well, "And with me at your side, Ms. Yuy, your success is guaranteed."

"Very good," Ariel grinned ferally into the night, "because I do my homework Mr. Kaliya. If I were to fall, or not get what I want, I don’t mind dragging you down with me."

When the connection was terminated both of them were well aware that they were playing with fire. They knew each other’s secrets so well, that one falling meant the failure of the other as well.

Mr. Basu entered Mr. Kaliya’s quarters, bearing a basket of fruits, "A gift, Mr. Kaliya, for giving me the money for my wife’s operation."

There were no words of cordiality in reciprocation, for Mr. Kaliya knew had a powerful grace that made everyone aware he was above all rules of politeness. He was the kind of person who looked at life without any rose-colored glasses, the kind of man who knew for a fact that he would live a short time and then die. He was logical and proud, which made him the best kind of businessman.

Mr. Kaliya was facing the window in his favorite chair, fingers steeped, "Mr. Basu, you’ve worked with Ariel Yuy for a long time, what do you think of her?"

"I see." He rubbed a hand across his forehead in exhaustion, "And what of our hostage?"

"She’ll live."

She was cold. She hurt. Her shoulder and her leg had been grazed by two bullets. Relena lifted her hand in the gloom, and felt for her stomach. They didn’t even hit her there, but in the side near the ribs, a wound that caused a great deal of blood, but very little damage.

She had been part of a scam. They had used her to promote conflict. Even if she was not conscious of what she had been doing, she could have caused a war.

Oh God…what have I done? What have I done?

"What have you done to me?"

"Hush, hush, I’ve done nothing. They, on the other hand, have released your ‘death video’ all over the ESUN. The senators refuse to go to Geneva anymore, and Acropolis has completely succumbed to uproar. Riots have already started all over the Earth and the colonies." She placed Relena’s food before her. The politician realized then that she had been placed back in her cell, and a thin mat was all that separated her from the damp floor.

But the cold was not the cause of the chill that traveled up her spine, "How many dead?"

"Who knows."

"Why?"

"Why are they fighting?" Pigeon corrected absently. She put down the bowl of soup and looked Relena straight in the eye, "You have no idea what you are, do you? To almost everyone, you are the symbol of the peace that has been attained. Who did the Gundam pilots fight for? Who dared to speak up against Romafeller? Who came suddenly to the scene, spouting out ideals and toting a long pedigree of pacifist politician family members? You did, my dear. Despite whatever you say or do in the future, your image has come to symbolize all things good." She looked very self-satisfied, "People have become so used to connecting you to peace, that they can no longer tell the difference. If Relena is dead, then so is peace!"

Relena suddenly realized what she had to do, but she kept her face very controlled, with a firm image of fearful sadness fixed on her face.

Pigeon got up, satisfied with what she had done, "Sweet dreams."

Relena looked up carefully, "You too."

She no longer had to worry about her safety. She would attempt escape. It didn’t matter anymore if she had a plan or not, with luck, she would reach the town, if not, she would make sure they killed her in the forest so she could no longer be used as a puppet. She was in pain, yes, and still bleeding quite a lot, but that really didn’t matter. The only thing that was important was her world.

She listened as the door clicked behind her guard- still unlocked. They thought that a threat would keep Relena Darlain locked up.

They were wrong.

"Service! Don’t you people have service around here?! INJUSTICE!"

Sally Po massaged her temples, "Wufei, please stop banging on the desk bell. The people in the motel are trying to rest-"

"There are no other people here except ourselves, woman! These lame-brained camels of receptionists have no other place to go!" Wufei barked, leaning over the reception desk and banging even more on the bell, "The others in our group can snore through a tsunami. All they’ll do is wake up two hours later and say, ‘Oh my, I’m up to my ears in ocean water when I’m two miles inland! How odd!’" Wufei had turned his voice high and squeaky, flipping an imaginary braid over his shoulder like Sally did when she was upset. "So therefore, I will ring this bell until I get service, even if it hurts your ‘girlish fancies.’"

One of Sally’s eyes twitched dangerously, "Wufei, are you mocking me?"

"Why, no!" he said sarcastically.

"Good," she replied, stepping closer to him, eyes hooded seductively. She placed a hand on his abdomen, and he swallowed audibly, "because," she began to trace her fingers around his navel, "the last man who mocked me," she used her other hand to reach behind him, "was unable to walk for a month."

She drew away and then punched him in the stomach. When she pulled away again, she had the bell in her hand and Wufei was gasping for air.

"Have I made my point?"

"Ungh…"

A door slammed behind them, and the receptionist walked out, looking somewhat self-satisfied, "How may I help you?"

His English was really bad, but understandable. Sally smiled, using Wufei’s temporary silence to gain control of the conversation. "I’m sorry, Mr. Komar, but we asked for a double room, not a double bed and a radio."

He looked at her and then at her partner, who was beet red from his efforts to breathe. His numerous chins jiggled curiously. Despite the decay of his motel, he was very tidy, and smelled of cheap cologne, "Why, not your type?"

Sally grinned viciously, "No way."

"He scratched out something in his book and gave them a new pair of keys. He returned to looking at his books. Sally just stood there.

"What is it?" The manager finally asked in annoyance.

"Aren’t you going to show us to our rooms? I won’t be cheated again."

Wufei glanced over at Sally. She was wearing one of her determined expressions that meant she was not going anywhere until she got what she wanted. The Chinese boy knew far better than to cross her in this kind of mood.

The man looked…nervous, "I’m sorry, ma’am, but I have business I have to attend to outside of this establishment."

Sally’s eyes widened. She was in ‘dangerous to oppose’ mode. Wufei prayed the man had the common sense to fulfill her wishes, "Can’t you make the time for a paying customer?"

He glanced around tensely, "Look, there’s nothing personal, but I really, really have to get out of here."

Sally’s eyes blazed with anger. Suddenly the man found himself pressed against the wall, with her hands at his throat, "Look, pal, I’m having a really bad case of PMS. I can’t really be held responsible for my actions," her grip tightened, "Now, you are going to tell what the big rush is or I will string you up by your skinny little neck and beat the answer out of you!"

He whimpered in fear and terror, "Please, let me out, there’s a bomb…it’s going to explode in several minutes…you’ve got to let me out of here!"

Wufei dropped his keys and Sally almost loosened her grip, "What did you say?"

CHAPTER XIII- The Monster Within

"How do you like the party?" Ariel looked down at Mr. Basu archly, but her face was not her own. Like the many other guests at the party, she was wearing a holographic mask that shifted often. Ariel’s warped from the head of a lion to the face of a swan every few minutes or so. Every person at the Masquerade could not afford for their identity to be known by anyone else, for fear of the position in politics and the world.

Ariel stood in a room full of traitors, and felt completely at home.

Her lion mask stretched into a canine grin, "Oh, I love it." She looked around carefully, "But why so many guards?"

Mr. Basu shrugged, "Because no one here would mind dragging down the identity of another to further themselves."

"I see."

Relena had first thrown out a pebble out from under the door. When there was no reaction, she had opened the door a crack, and peered out into the corridor for any guards, but she could not see a trace of them.

The adrenaline surged through her veins, but she kept her quivering muscles still and her movements cool and steady.

Keep your eyes peeled, Relena, this could be a trap.

There was an echo in the hall, and Relena froze like a rabbit in a clearing. The echo grew louder, the tones made sense, and she soon recognized the sound of heavy boots on stone.

Panic coursed through her, and she struggled for rational thought.

They would hear the door open and shut. She looked over at the window. It was broad and paneless, for the ancient building had been forged from the Earth long before technology like glass had been invented.

There was a ledge, about two feet wide, that she could crawl out onto. She hurried up and moved quickly out of view. Pressed sharply against the wall in the cold night, she paid close attention to the strains of conversation that wafted lightly on the night air.

"I still don’t understand why they didn’t lock the door.’ One of the patrollers said to his companion, their conversation soft, for they were still a whiles away.

"Psychological something-or-other. Besides, we have Mariemeia. She won’t go anywhere without her."

"I think we’re underestimating her."

"No, we’re not. Mr. Kaliya’s being logical. She needs to be broken. We can’t keep beating up Mariemeia every time we need her to feel bad."

"Why’d they kidnap her anyway?"

"Darlian knows her somehow. She might leave someone else behind, but certainly not her." This phrase was the loudest, for they were passing directly beside her window. Relena held her breath.

She was two floors up. Not bad. Not bad at all.

Wasn’t this slightly too easy?

Then Relena felt a clenching of her heart. Shouldn’t she save Mariemeia? And suddenly, she got it. She was low security, but they probably had Mariemeia locked up so bad, there was no way that she could get her out.

And then, they would predict Relena’s compassionate nature and capture her when she was trying to break Mariemeia out. It was a flawless plan because there was no way she would leave without the young girl.

But…Relena was beginning to realize her responsibility in the whole matter. If she were to get recaptured, the ESUN would fracture even more. She would have to sacrifice one life for the rest of her people. That was the decision that a leader had to make. That was a choice that her captors hadn’t predicted.

Relena looked down again. She was dizzy from the lack of blood, and wanted to collapse instead of move. But she knew her duty. With slow, careful movements, she began scaling down the wide stone wall, praying her shoulder would hold out.

She was a swimmer to keep in shape, and she used those muscles to endure the pain that was blooming in three locations, and radiating out in hot waves throughout the rest of her body.

She had to endure.

It seemed like hours, but it took only about six minutes. By the time Relena had reached solid ground, she was shaking with exhaustion and fear. She brushed the dust off of her dirty and blood stained clothes. She was beside the open-aired portico that she and Mr. Kaliya had walked upon earlier.

She crouched beside the stone walkway, listening as several well-dressed women walked by. They were wearing long embroidered dresses that tapered to the waist and then poofed out in a glorification of the hourglass figure.

But it was their faces that captivated the escapee. The way they took one shape and then melted into another with timed efficiency.

"Do you think I should go in as a peacock or as a cat?" The rabbit woman asked her companions.

The lion woman paused suddenly in a swish of skirts, "Do you hear that noise? A sort of scuffling?"

Relena kept very still. They had heard her!"

The fairy queen woman sniffed regally, "Probably just some local child who wanted to look at nobility."

Relena grinned to herself. A guise! Making as much noise as possible, she scurried away, crouched over like an errant child.

The fairy queen arched a holographic eyebrow, "See what I mean? A common ruffian. I think I’ve had enough air, ladies. Let’s head back in."

The lion woman paused in the doorway after the other two had entered, her eyes on the fields. Then she saw it, a glint of the moonlight, reflecting off a head of flaxen hair.

No local had light-colored hair.

She scowled to herself. She needed to tell Mr. Kaliya that their prized captive had slipped away.

And the lion mask slowly converted into that of a swan.

Relena ran quickly through the fields on broad leafy plants, beating her way towards…she didn’t know where. Instinct was guiding her, her primitive mind telling her where to go.

She ran over to on of the rows near the edge of the estate, ignoring the pain coursing through her veins. If she had been a moment sooner, the bullet that penetrated the vegetation would have pierced her heart.

She was facing a shadowy figure, a boy with head bowed and gun in hand. She knew in an instant who it was. The impact of her feet on the dirt had uncovered an empty little packet.

"Heero." Her breath was coming out in rasps, her body trembling with exhaustion.

He rose his gun, eyes wide. There was something foreign, something strange in his eyes.

"Omae o korosou."

For Heero Yuy, primal instincts had overridden logic.

CHAPTER XIV- The Confession.

Relena looked at the gun in his hand. He always had large hands, but they were also gentle. Gentle when he brushed away a stray tear from her cheek, gentle when he touched her face reverently as he kissed her for the first time. (A/N: In BLIND TARGET, the manga. Find a copy of it somewhere and read it. It’s there.)

She remembered that kiss very well. She had been leaving him, right before the incident with Mariemeia, and he had grabbed her hand. She had thought: He has such a gentle touch. And then, with careful veneration he had leaned over and brushed his lips against hers, so cautious, as if he were handling something too precious for him to hold.

Then, without another word, he had left.

She was reminded of him on the roof of the conference building, holding her close as she tried to make some sense out of her loss. Their kiss then…it had been so electric, like fire coursing through veins, threatening to kill her.

She looked upon him and she remembered that, citing to herself his considerate nature, for the Heero Yuy she looked upon now was none of those things.

"You’re dead. Are you trying to taunt me?" he growled, his voice rough and…pained?

It took her a moment to remember that she was being regarded as dead, "No, Heero, it was a set-up. I’m alive." She held out a hand to him, "Touch me. Touch me and see that I’m real."

"No." he snarled, and the safety catch on his gun clicked, "I must kill you."

"Why?"

"Because…the others…these other people want to kill you," He said, stumbling on his words. Relena walked towards him slowly, and was shocked to see his eyes were glazed and that he was shaking slightly, as if he had far too much energy than he needed, and was fit to explode, "and I will be the only one to kill you. So, I had better do it now, even if you are a ghost."

"Heero…"

"I can’t touch you, Relena, because then you’ll disappear," He finished lamely, "and you can’t disappear until I’ve killed you."

"I swear I won’t go anywhere." What was wrong with him?

He went on as if he didn’t hear her, with cold gray glints of anger flickering in his eyes, "And I’ll kill them as well- the ones who hurt you. I swear."

The field was awash in moonlight. The lunar brilliance wove its way through everything, casting a cold nocturnal glow upon both of them, and making the field look like it was made of silver.

"I know you wouldn’t have wanted it, Relena, but I couldn’t help myself." He said suddenly, making no sense. He brought a hand to his forehead distractedly and then brought it down again, as if he didn’t quite know what to do with himself," I just wanted to feel complete one more time."

She was only several inches away from him, but he still had the gun cocked and ready to fire. She looked up at his face, and then, with slow, graceful movements, reached up and took the gun away from him. She couldn’t explain what she was doing, she was merely acting on impulse. She laced her fingers through his and relished in the touch. He was watching her carefully, as if he cared more about her reactions, rather than his own.

"You’ve touched me, and I’m still here." She whispered lovingly, "I won’t ever leave you unless you want me to. What’s wrong?"

He embraced her fiercely, drawing support from her as she had drawn from him time and time again. He was shaking violently now, but he wasn’t crying. She thought it was rather ironic that they were both clinging to each other even if they were both trembling.

"Sally hugged me like this," he murmured into her hair, "when we realized you were gone."

She felt a delicious sensation course through her, the same feeling one feels every time they realize somebody cares for them.

She looked up at him carefully. He was still wracked with shudders, "Heero? What wrong?"

She looked at him fearfully, "What’s wrong, Heero?"

He was silent, glaring at her with pure anger.

"What’s wrong?" she repeated.

"You don’t want to know."

She tried to touch him, but he turned away.

"I didn’t believe in you, Relena. You believed in me, but I couldn’t believe in you."

"Heero, you thought I was dead! Don’t beat yourself up over that!"

"No, I did something so horrible-"

And that was when Relena realized fully and completely that she loved him. It was like an epiphany of understanding had went off like fireworks in her head.

She would had done anything, whether it be dragging herself through broken glass or facing the horrors she had recently encountered all over again, anything at all to prevent him from feeling the guilt that was tearing him apart.

Heero looked up, senses heightened even more than normal, "Don’t move, Relena." He commanded, and drew his gun.

He moved in a full circle, firing in an almost random fashion.

Six shots. Six fell dead.

"Heero-"

"There are four more." He said, in his lifeless monotone, and he threw aside the gun.

The guards pounced upon them, but in a flurry of fists and feet, they were no more.

"My God, Heero, what happened to you?"

"Is everyone out okay?" Quatre asked concernedly, eyeing the group with his usual empathic consideration. They were standing amongst the rubble of the motel, looking out over the smoldering debris with confusion and relief.

Trowa picked shrapnel out of a cut on his arm with disgust, "We all made it, Quatre, and that’s all that counts. But who would have wanted us dead?"

Sally chose this moment to intervene, "Well, Wufei and I were talking to the receptionist-"

"Why? What about?" Hilde interrupted.

Sally grinned, "Getting a double room."

"But aren’t you and Wufei married?"

She laughed, "We are, but Mr. High and Mighty here doesn’t like any ‘distractions’ from his missions!"

Wufei kept a stiff face as the others laughed at him, glad for a release from the tension, "Sally, you’re embarrassing me…"

"Anyway," Sally continued, "After a little persuasion, he admitted that an organization called ‘Kheft’ was running things and wanted us dead."

Duo leaned against a bar, loosening his priest’s collar as he thought, "Funny how Une wanted all of us out on this mission, even the relief personnel, like Quatre and me, and Trowa, even though he only does reconnaissance nowadays."

Sally and Hilde looked ready to spit fire, "That’s what we had been trying to tell you before!" The scary thing about that was that they said it completely in unison.

Wufei shook his head, "That doesn’t make sense. Une is an honorable woman. She would never change sides."

"Unless they had a hold over her." Trowa finished quietly, "Anyway, we had better not mention our survival to Preventer headquarters anytime soon."

Heero dropped to his knees, breathing heavily, "Relena…I couldn’t…"

She ignored her own pain, she ignored her own fear at what had happened. She knelt down beside him, "Heero…whatever you say or do, you can never turn me away, because I…because I love you."

Chapter XV- A Transformation

It was…not entirely a new sensation. She could feel the confusion spreading like a stain soaked in the cloth of her mind, the aphrodisiac impression of losing all grip of reality, of melting and blending into something wonderfully new and untouched by the pain and inhibitions of one’s past.

It was (ironically) unforgettable.

And it was happening to Lady Une.

She could feel cool, steady composure replacing panic. Lady Une walked over to her desk and pulled open the top right drawer. The cool feel of the lenses, the familiar weight on the bridge of her nose. She was losing her weak, inefficient personality, and replacing it with something far more useful.

She had a mission.

Treize Kushrenada, Lady Une’s long lost love and commander, had driven her to change her personality, and now, paradoxically, his daughter was forcing her to do the same.

Oh, her life was full of irony. Ha ha ha.

She pressed a button on her counsel and looked at her attendant with the severity she had been well known for, "Mr. Phelps, I want you to call up a jet. I have business elsewhere."

"Where to, Colonel?"

She looked down to the report on her desk, to the photographs of her beaten adopted daughter. She had traced the grime on the paper to a portion of the south east.

"Southern India."

She smiled to herself, every ounce of kindness erased. She was going to need some serious weaponry.

"I can’t believe we’re back in the forest!"

"Shut up, Duo." Hilde said absently, flicking a rather disgusting bug off of her forearm.

They were back in the forest in the depths of night. After the motel incident, no one really wanted to bother staying around.

"It cold and it’s slimy and it smells of dead stuff."

Sally laughed, "You’ve never spent much time on Earth, have you, Duo?"

"No, of course not!" he growled, "If I had liked the place, do you think I would be hanging around in the colonies?! You guys may have a great look at the stars, but your environmental control sucks."

"It’s not supposed to have environmental control, Duo." Trowa supplied softly.

"Yeah, ‘good ole natural Earth!’" he said sarcastically, "All of the immigrants long for it…they always forget all of the nasty disadvantages."

"Shut up, Duo," someone said wearily.

"I mean…what is that smell?!"

"SHUT UP, DUO!" several people chorused in unison.

"Yeesh, fine, I didn’t know you all were so touchy."

There were several moments of complete silence, spare the chorusing of the active nocturnal animal life.

"I mean to cut of some guy who was only-"

"SHUT UP, DUO!!!"

"Relena…"

"What is it, Heero?"

His eyes were peering into hers, hard, cold, but filled with deep guilt and sadness. She had never seen him so lost, so desperate, "I’m a drug addict, Relena."

If she was expecting anything, she wasn’t expecting that. The statement, placed forward with the usual Heero Yuy bluntness, had caught her off guard as usual.

And she remembered…that day, soaked in the rain, when they had made The Bargain.

He liked to do that to her, liked to shock reactions out of her. She held Heero tighter as he spoke again, "Ariel offered me escape. I was so…angry for not being the one to kill you, that I took them. I took the pills." He looked up at her. Heero Yuy was hallucinating. Behind Relena stood the little girl, smiling serenely among the sweet plants, Her white sundress rippling in the slight breeze. He looked beyond Relena, to his own illusion, "Please…forgive me…"

She smiled, and lifted up a weed in her hand, "Here, take this flower."

He reached out blindly, but his fingers passed through her phantom arm, and he found himself grasping air.

Her voice was disembodied, faint, and pure, "I will relieve you of your pain."

Heero looked up at Relena, then to the field around him, absorbed in his drug-induced hallucination, I…thank you."

There was silence.

Heero Yuy passed out.

Relena bent over him, too uncertain to understand the emotions coursing through her heart.

The group came upon them several minutes later. And Sally rushed forward, to aid the two wounded people on the plot of land, tutting angrily at both of their states.

"Relena, you’ve already soaked through your bandages! What were you doing?!" she growled, doctor-mode switched on fully.

"Escaping!" she snapped back, "What about Heero?"

Sally leaned over him for a while, checking his pulse and opening his eyelids curiously.

"I don’t want to say this…but I think he has drugs in his system." She looked confused, "but why would that be?"

Relena bit her lip, "I’ll explain it all later, but right now we need to get out of here."

Another group of soldiers could be heard a whiles off, in search of the group that had conveniently ‘disappeared.’

Sally nodded her head sharply, "That would be advisable."

She turned her head pointedly towards a certain braided pilot.

"No!" he said quickly, "There’s no way I’m carrying Heero! He’s way too heavy! So you guys can just forget about it before you ask!"

CHAPTER XVI- Boom.

"You all owe me for this!" Duo complained as he stumbled along, the very unconscious Heero slung across his back, "Especially you. I’m never gonna let you live this one up."

Relena walked beside him silently, while the others walked ahead, unburdened as the others, Duo by Heero’s weight and Relena by her own sadness.

She stared at Heero’s impassive face under the moonlight that poked through the dense rainforest, the darkness of night still enfolding them in its blackness.

Oh Heero, why didn’t you say something?

Ariel smiled at his compassion, "I’ll leave now then."

"Colonel, is this the right thing to do?" the lieutenant asked nervously, looking back at the steely woman that sat behind him. Her brown hair had been braided back, and she was wearing glasses, a strange expression flitting across her face.

"Follow your orders, soldier, that’s all you’re required to do," she demanded, "A soldier must never second-guess his commanding officer."

"Colonel, still, don’t you think this a touch drastic-"

She was indifferent to his words, eyes cold and dead.

"Just do as I say, or must I discharge you for treasonous behavior?"

"Yes, ma’am."

If Heero Yuy had been there, he would have recognized the cold transformation as extreme emotional distress, for he was much the same.

But he wasn’t, and there was no one to stop Une from falling down the fiery path madness.

There were soldiers still searching, of course. They were beating back the plants desperately, well aware that they would be punished it the escapee wasn’t found.

They heard the jet, but they were too late. Everyone was too late.

"This is Colonel Une of the ESUN Special Enforcement Department of Preventers. You are under arrest for charges regarding the kidnapping Vice Foreign Relena Darlian, citizen Mariemeia Kushrenada, and suspicious of trafficking of illegal substances." He face was fury. It was unconquerable.

Mr. Kaliya was experienced with dealing with police, "Please let us to confirm that." He asked calmly over the comlink, "Please land and allow us to discuss this."

Her eyes were hard and inimical, "I’m adding the charge of resisting arrest."

"Colonel, let’s discuss this like reasonable people-"

She smiled, and it was more frightening than before, "I’m sorry, but I’m not very reasonable right now. All I can seem to think about is Mariemeia. She’s still there, isn’t she?"

"Une, if this is about Mariemeia, I’m certain we can negotiate something."

"ESUN does not negotiate with terrorists!"

"We’re not terrorists, Colonel, merely businessmen."

"Bullshit."

"We’ll kill Mariemeia!" Mr. Kaliya threatened. He was losing his cool. He knew it. She knew it. Perhaps irrationality, like a virus was borne upon the wind, infected the most sane of people. He looked back to his guards, "Bring her in here!"

It was done in moments, and Une was allowed to look upon the daughter she had considered her own. She was carried, for she could not walk with the aid of a wheelchair.

"Mariemeia-"

Mr. Kaliya ripped off his mask, revealing smooth middle-eastern features. He looked…normal, "Turn around, Une, and go home, or your child dies."

Mariemeia smiled slightly through her stiff and bruised face, a good-bye smile, "Une, don’t let me hinder you. You must bring them down!"

She moved her hand to the gun at the holster of the man carrying her and did not even hesitate to put it to her head.

"I’ve always loved you like a mother, Une."

The gunshot was sudden and loud, exploding through the silence and piercing every heart with despair, the kidnappers for the loss of their hostage, and Une for the loss of her daughter of heart.

"Lieutenant," Une commanded coolly, "Give me ramming speed."

Mr. Kaliya smiled," This building extends deep underground, Colonel, you won’t harm us with a mere jet explosion."

She smiled, "But it won’t be merely a jet explosion, my friend."

^The shuttle did not descend to land in the fields, but careened forward, gathering speed in the air. The soldier piloting bit his lip.

She closed her eyes, she knew that Treize Kushrenada would be waiting for her on the other side with open arms, and Mariemeia would be by his side, grinning with childish enthusiasm.

The world went red, then black.

And the sky exploded with a thousand sparks of pain, joy, and hate.

Ariel Yuy watched the blast from the safety of her plane, grinning to herself. She had just ridden herself of any proof that she had associated with a criminal association.

All she had to deal with now was a rival and a little brother.

"Is everyone alright?" Relena asked into the depths of the forest, her ears still popping from the change in air pressure from the detonation. Burning shrapnel was falling upon them, and the light from fire was lighting the darkness.

Duo grimaced and shoved the oblivious Heero off his back, "We had better get out of this country, it’s far too combustible for its own good!"

A/N: Nooooo, I’m not done yet. Sorry to Padme for not killing off Relena…We still have many things to resolve before I can conclude this story. Thank you all for your wonderful support! Sorry for any Une followers for killing her and Mariemeia off, it was important to the plot…L

~ML

CHAPTER XVII-Fulfillment of the Promise

A/N: Sorry, Padme, I just had to mention your comment because it made me laugh so hard!

Heero woke up on the plane trip back, his head on Relena’s knee. He groaned and tried to sit up. It wasn’t that he exactly minded being in Relena’s lap, it was just that the time was inconvenient.

"I feel like shit."

That’s the toxins in your bloodstream. You need to flush the drugs out of your system." She looked at him so seriously, her eyes so accepting, "What are you going to do, Heero?"

"I know I can get through this," he growled, "I still have you to protect, don’t I?"

She shook her head angrily, "Don’t give it up for me, Heero, give it up for yourself. That’s where you screwed up before. You have determination and a strong will, now you just have to apply it to yourself. That’s the only way you’ll stay clean." She reached up and pressed a hand to his cheek, "You have to realize that you are very worth living for."

They didn’t speak for the rest of the trip.

The podium was a dark blue, with the ESUN logo hanging silver in the background.

When Relena Darlian walked up to the lectern, there was a small lull in conversation. She was wearing a gray suit, her hair loose and free. Her arm was in a sling and her body was thin from the tiredness that had eaten away at her body. But her eyes were hard and stern.

Relena Darlian had not died or been tamed. Relena Darlian had moved on. The public was breathless with joy: Their goddess was going to reassure them of her safety.

"How dare you?" She spat spitefully, shocking everyone, right down to the innocent citizens sitting in their homes watching the live broadcast. Her eyes burned with fiery determination, "How dare you all fight like petty children, killing our peace over one person?!" She took a deep breath, her harsh tone was that of an angry mother, surprising her children into obedience, "I have a lot to say, so you all must wait until I’m through before I answer questions.

"To begin, I’d like to clear up a few errors made by the media. First, the photos spread recently were all feigned. I have provided evidence to the contrary that has been distributed to the major media companies. Secondly, if I were to have an affair with a Gundam pilot, what would it matter? As you all must recall, the Gundam pilots fought completely for peace, even risked insanity by using the controversial ZERO system and forced themselves through rigorous, inhumane training that not one of you, not even I could endure. Yet, the moment it proves convenient, you turn your backs to them, because you do not want to remember what battles are like!

She shuffled the papers on the podium quietly, "By the way, Sylvia Noventa’s body was found washed up on a beach near her estate last week. It is believed that the organization named Kheft, was responsible for her death." She looked down, holding back tears, "No one involved in the conspiracy survived the explosion of their base in Southern India, so prosecution charges will be withheld. This explosion resulted in the deaths of two very good friends of mine, who will both be remembered at a memorial service tomorrow in this building. Colonel Une and Mariemeia Kushrenada sacrificed themselves in an plane accident with the aforementioned base. May their deaths be a warning to us that every person makes sacrifices for peace.

"But what hurts me most, my people, is how you all fought over one person like she was peace itself." She said, the accusation returning to her tone, "It is much easier to associate an ideal with a figurehead to avoid thinking for yourself. I am no one. I am a simple human being who wants the same thing that you do. If you cannot realize what you want without me to tell you, then we do not deserve peace." She looked up at them, eyes tear-dashed with desperate passion, "Peace is something we have to grasp with our hands, not look to someone to do for ourselves. Until then, we will not be following a dream for peace, but a dream of not thinking for ourselves.

"You cannot imagine what I feel right now, looking at all of you and realizing that you have no clue what I’m saying. To most of you, your lives are easier. To most of you, I am a symbol of everything you fought for, and without me, your peace would disappear as well." Her gaze traveled across the room, "Well that’s wrong because I say it’s wrong! Remember in Luxembourg, during the incident with Decan Barton? Hordes of you took to the streets, preaching what you believed was right, not what I believed in! Do not be sheep, and do not be wolves!" she took a deep breath, "Be who you want to be and believe what you want to believe, but decide what to believe for yourself! Don’t follow peace because I want it! Don’t follow war because it’s profitable! Follow what you know in your hearts to be right, and therein lies happiness.

She looked at them, "You still don’t understand, do you? That’s why I have to take this last step. I am as of today handing in my resignation. The Reconstruction Act is still on the table at the Senate House in Geneva, Switzerland, and I hope you consider it as a guideline as to what you want. I won’t be here to tell you what you want, but someone else will, someone else will try and lead you in the right direction. Don’t be lead, my people, but lead the leaders. Protest, write letters, run for office yourselves!

She sighed, "The choice, my friends, is yours." She dipped her head, "Are there any questions?"

"Ms. Darlian, what do you plan on doing now?"

She smiled, "Go to college and get myself a decent education."

"Are you not afraid of violent repercussions to your resignation?"

"Not if everyone listened to my speech."

"Are you involved with a Gundam pilot?"

"No."

"But you know them on a personal basis?"

"Of course, any freedom fighter should know her compatriots."

A security guard came up onto the platform and informed the press that the time for questions had been exhausted.

Relena sighed behind the stage yanking on the tight collar of her blouse as she walked towards her car.

An attendant followed her hurriedly, arms full of papers.

"Ms. Relena, why did you do that?" she asked, eyes filled with love and questioning.

Relena let out a weary breath, "Kami, I had to do it. One day, I think you’ll see."

The attendant looked confused, "People gave up their lives for you! People cared so much, they fought! It’s their way of saying how much they need you."

Relena shook her head gently, "Kami, they weren’t doing it to show that they needed me. They believed that they couldn’t have peace without someone leading them. They forgot that peace lies in what every person does with their lives, not in the words of some politician."

Kami looked hurt, "But if you loved them so much, why did you lie to them? Why didn’t you tell them that we could never know how many people were involved I Kheft, or how many remain in office?"

Relena looked up from the parking lot and out to the stars, "They needed reassurance, Kami, they need to believe their world is safe. For all we know, Kheft will die and fade away like a bad dream. Things like this happen, and the line gets blurred between right and wrong. When everyone searches for a profit, the world suffers."

"Relena, we’ll…we’ll all miss you…"

She smiled, "That’s what life is like, Kami."

And that was that.

The Act had indeed passed. The moment of horrified imbalance in the world had been corrected. Perhaps their chances of peace would be higher this time.

However, Earth’s hour of need had ended, and the crisis was, for the moment, resolved. What was left unresolved, unfortunately, was a certain agreement between two people.

Relena was standing on the field where they’d made their promise, her long golden hair teased by the carefree wind. It was autumn, and winter was fast approaching. She could feel it in the cold that nipped at her arms and by the numbness of her fingers.

And suddenly, Chaos appeared in the midst of the serenity, Death approached Life. Heero Yuy was at the edge of the clearing, eyes only on the slip of a girl before him. He had not forgotten, the gun at his side was merely the tool to fulfill his oath.

"Peace has, for the most part, been attained, Heero," she murmured calmly facing the opposite direction, "It’s funny. You represent the colonies, and I represent the Earth. We are two different extremes of our time, totally unalike in every way. But-" She turned to him, piercing his eyes with her own, "-we both longed for peace. I think we are only allotted a certain amount of time to this Earth, Heero. Perhaps we have lived it so vivaciously because we knew that our time would be short. I understand why you need to do this. I accept this. Please remember that I made the promise too. It’s time it was fulfilled."

Heero rose the gun, pressing a finger on the safety catch. He never was one for words, "I will take away your pain."

She closed her eyes, feeling the oddly fitting phase dance in her mouth, "I thank you."

The gun fell to the ground.

He embraced her.

"There will never be true peace, will there?" He said gruffly in her ear, tightening his hold on her unresponsive body, "There will always be someone, something, to stand in our way: my sister, the remains of the Kheft, et cetera. So therefore, the bargain really can’t be completed, can it?"

She smiled. She understood. She always had, "I suppose not."

It was like a dream to both of them, but far more vivid, far more personal. Heero knew, for once, exactly what to say, "Would you mind if I stayed like this forever?"

It was a mere whisper, but she had heard it. She rose her arms and wrapped them around him, making them even closer, "I wouldn’t mind at all."

And the gun lay forgotten on the fertile Earth.

En Memoriam- A Dedication

Many people have asked me: "Where did you get such a weird idea?"

The sad truth is I received this story from reality. As you read these words, a civil war rages in the small African nation of Sierra Leone. RUF rebels enter towns, kill all of the adults, and then recruit the children into their armies. These children are hooked on speed and other drugs, turning them into virtual killing machines. Brainwashed, traumatized, and hopelessly addicted, they are wandering the countryside as of right now, killing, pillaging, and turning into the things they hate.

The first thing I thought of when I heard of this was a bunch of Heero Yuys wandering around killing with the same intensity.

To fund for this campaign, the rebels trade diamonds with neighboring countries for weapons and drugs.

Why isn’t this on the news? Why aren’t the news stations tuned to it 24 hours a day? The sad, simple truth is that many nations do not care.

Perhaps you watch ‘Gundam Wing’ for the killing. Perhaps you like the battles. Think about the children. Think about what war makes people do. That is the message ‘Gundam Wing’ is trying to convey, and right now, I’m trying to do the same.

The sequel to ‘Masquerade’ will delve deeply into Heero’s training and brainwashing, using the sad story of Sierra Leone as an example.

This is my message.

Think.