I do not own Gundam Wing.  This fan fiction has no commercial value and I am not making any kind of profit or income off of this.  

 

Chapter 17

 

            “Zeches,” Relena greeted her older brother curtly as she stepped into the small interrogation room at police headquarters the next morning.  He was wearing a prison uniform, his neatly kept blond hair looking slightly dirty and uncharacteristically slicked back from his face.  The dirt on his suit and grease in his hair reminded her of the stains he wore on his hands and soul.

            “Relena,” he responded with a guarded expression.  She turned to her attorney and the guards at the door, dismissing them from the room.  She then focused her full attention to her fallen brother.

            “How dare you!” She started as soon as the others had left.  He looked surprised at her angry expression, fire illuminating her eyes despite the lack of light in the cold dank room that chilled them both.  “You and father think you can just manipulate my life like I’m some damned marionette on a string!  Now you’re going to tell me why.” 

By the determined way her jaw was clenched, he knew that she meant business, and for some unknown reason, he’d always been a little nervous when his sister became angry.  He never really understood why - he’d served three tours of active service in the most elite fighting force on earth, and faced down death more times than he could count.  But here he sat, Zeches Marquise, afraid of a twenty-six year old woman that was so gentle and forgiving towards everyone she’d ever met.  And perhaps that was the key to his fear - he was afraid he’d lose her love, and her forgiveness.  That never again would she look at him with the love and admiration she had always held for him since she was a child.  He shook his head and tried to focus on her question.

“Why?” His usual deep baritone sounded slightly raspy as he formed the word.

“Yes, why, Zeches?  Why did you and father send Heero away?  Why did you use me in your schemes - setting me up with Trowa to send your messages?”

“Is that all?” He asked, trying to keep the anger out of his voice.

“No, I want to know why you did this - why you, of all people, would turn your back on the people you swore to protect for some lousy money!  And then, while you’re at it, tell me what happened to my brother.  Where did he go? Because the man sitting here before me is no one I know,” Relena’s voice quavered with emotion as she said the last sentence.  She could see the hurt flash across his face for a moment before he gained control.  Unable to withstand her gaze, he got up and walked to the other side of the room.

“Relena, I have no excuses for my behavior, and don’t expect you to understand my motivations.  I did what I had to, and that’s all you need to know,” Zeches began unwisely.  He had turned his back to her and shut out the world with his inner reflections on his past.  It turned out to be a mistake. 

She grabbed his shoulders, and whirled him around, catching him off guard.  “That’s not good enough!” She yelled, shaking him.  He easily broke away from her weaker form, but her actions unnerved him.

“Fine!  You want to know why we sent Yuy away?  We got rid of him so that he wouldn’t drag you down, Relena.  We wanted better for you than a worthless, no-good street punk….” The rest of his sentence was cut off by the impact of her hand against his cheek.

“You had no right, Zeches.  And you could have at least told me.  Would you have let me go my entire life and then to my grave letting me think he never cared for me?”

“Yes.  I would have,” he said firmly, but still unable to meet those angry blue eyes.

Relena pursed her lips together to contain her fury.  “Fine. Next question -  Trowa Barton,” she pressed him. 

            *                      *                      *                      *                      *                      *

            “I don’t even want to know what you two have been up to,” Treize railed at his two subordinate agents later that same morning.  “I got a phone call at 6:30 am from the Darlian girl’s attorney.  Six thirty.  What the fuck those people were doing up at that ungodly hour of the day, I have no idea.  I don’t want to know.  But they demanded to see Zeches immediately.  She’s been here for an hour, now….”

            Duo grinned sheepishly at his boss, “No coffee this morning, Treize?”

            “No, some idiot janitor broke the damn pot, and I won’t drink that vending machine crap!  I’ve got a headache - and you two….”

            “What are they talking about in there?” Heero asked in his usual monotone.

            “How the hell should I know?  It was part of the agreement that we would allow a private meeting between brother and sister,” Treize sneered.

            Heero glanced at Duo, who nodded slightly then slung an arm casually over Treize’s shoulder.  “What do you say I take you over to Starbucks and treat you to the biggest mochaccino on the planet?  Plenty of caffeine!”  He said with a smile.

            Treize glared at the arm on his shoulder, then at Duo.  “You’re mocking me.”

            Duo looked innocent, “No!  I’m not.  I think you’ve been working too hard, and deserve a good cup of joe.”

            Treize’s suspicious glare went undaunted.  “I don’t trust your motives, Maxwell, but frankly, I don’t care.  I need some damn caffeine, so let’s go.  Your car or mine?”

            Duo grinned.  “I’ll drive.”

            “Yuy, I trust you can handle things here,” Treize tossed over his shoulder as the two left the building.

            As soon as the others were out of sight, Heero burst into the observation room to watch the meeting in progress.  He was surprised by what he heard.

            *                      *                      *                      *                      *                      *

            “Barton,” Zeches sneered.  “He’s a dead man when I get out of here.”

            “It’s your own damn fault, Zeches.  You can’t blame Trowa for your own mess,” Relena said angrily.

            Zeches eyes widened.  “What?  You’re going to blame me, but not him?  His thugs are the ones on the streets out there, Relena…”
            “His thugs that you and Quinze pay.  That you, despite your position, allowed to operate - selling drugs to children to fatten your own pockets!  Trowa’s as much a pawn in this game as I am.”

            “You believe those lies?  Maybe you believe that Yuy’s clean, too - that he didn’t work for the organization. That he doesn’t have blood on his hands…”

            “Is that why you tried to kill him?  Because you wanted to be the good guy?” She mocked him.

            Zeches’s face reddened with anger as he glared at the young woman he had so fondly watched grow up.  “I don’t answer to you,” he snarled, crossing his arms and looking away.

            They sat in heated silence for a moment, each trying to get their own tempers under control.  Relena mastered hers first, the anger subsiding somewhat despite his harsh tone and demeanor. “Zeches, …how did you get mixed up in this?  What happened to my brother that I was always so proud of?  What happened to you?”  Her voice took on an almost pleading tone.

            Zeches met her eyes, taking in the pain he saw reflecting in her still-innocent cerulean orbs.  Memories of her as a child sitting in his lap flashed quickly through his mind.  His gruff demeanor finally cracked. “I don’t know Relena.  I have no excuses.  I’ve had time to think since going to prison - that’s really all I can do, now, is think. And I still don’t have any answers.” Zeches’s deep voice reverberated in the small room.

            Relena’s stern gaze softened at her brother’s words.  “Why did you do it?  How could you use me like that, Zeches?”

“I’m sorry, Relena, I shouldn’t have.  I never wanted to get you involved with Barton.”  Zeches said with real regret.  “I wanted to keep you out of it, but I didn’t have a choice.”

“You had a choice, Zeches, and you made it.  You cared more for yourself than you did for me or even what was right.”

He flinched at her words, but remained silent for a moment.  “I know what they’re asking you to do. And I understand.”

            Relena frowned, “Zeches, I can’t.  I won’t testify against you.”  She knew she could never turn in her blood relation.  She could still see the brother who took care of her, listened to her, and loved her all these years in his eyes - once he had finally let his guard down.  She wouldn’t turn on him no matter how badly he hurt her. 

 

            Watching through the two-way mirror, Heero’s eyes widened.  “She forgives him?  What?  No, Relena, hate him!” He felt like banging on the glass, but thought better of it.

 

            Zeches stared at his sister, not believing what he just heard.  “But Relena…”

            Relena smiled slightly and crossed the short distance separating the two. She wrapped her arms around him in a tender embrace.  “No matter what, you’re my brother, Zeches.  Just take care of yourself, please?”

            His arms came up and rested lightly on her back, then squeezed tighter as he hugged his sister for what would probably be the last time.  Her gesture not to testify against him was symbolic at best, as her words were unnecessary to convict him.  He would do his best to make sure it stayed that way.  It was the least he could do.  He held her tighter for a moment before releasing her.  “You take care, too,” he whispered, his voice choked with emotion.

            As Relena started to leave, he asked her where she was going.  “I’m going to talk to Trowa,” she replied softly.

            Zeches’s face darkened with a seething hatred.  “Stay away from him, Relena.” A sad smile played on Relena’s features.  “Zeches, Treize doctored those pictures that everyone’s so fond of.  Ask him.  I never slept with Trowa; he didn’t double-cross you on that.”

            Zeches raised an eyebrow at his younger sister’s statement.  “What about Yuy?”

 

            Heero’s ears perked up at the mention of his name, and he looked over to where Relena was standing at the door.  Her posture was one of defeat as she gazed at the floor, blond hair floating around her face, casting a golden glow about her underneath the dim florescent lighting in the room.  She met her brother’s gaze in a look of grief and started to say something that was lost to Heero’s ears as Treize burst into the observation room with more veracious fury than he had for the shattered coffeepot.

           

            “I love him, Zeches,” she said softly and then exited the room.

           

            “This was supposed to be a private conversation, Yuy, I could have you suspended for this!”

            Heero looked his commander straight in the eye, angry with the man for drowning out Relena’s words.  “Do what you have to, but get out of my way – I need to talk to her.”

            He tried to walk passed Treize, but his superior reached out and grabbed his arm.  “Yuy, you had the most promise of anyone who ever came through the Academy.  Now look at you, you’ve let your emotions for this girl get the best of you.  Get it together, Yuy, this is an order, not a request.”

            Heero glared at him.  “Don’t worry, I will,” he sneered and left the room.

           

            Heero caught up with her in the hallway.  “Relena,” he called out.

            She stopped and turned around to face him.  “Agent Yuy,” she addressed him formally.

            His heart sank at her greeting.  He stopped and stared at this woman that had always been so caring and concerned for his sake, but was now only cold and distant.  And it was his own fault she was shutting him out.  “Relena….”

            She looked up at him; he appeared so hurt by her formality – the formality she needed to keep her heart at bay.  There was something that she still needed to do, that she was doing for him – the only thing she could do for the man she loved.  Save his job.  She had to make sure that Trowa would take the deal and testify to send her brother and Quinze up for life.  But she couldn’t do what was necessary if he was going to look at her that way – the same way he looked at her ten years ago, pain and heartache clearly etched on his street-hardened features.

            He stared at her a moment, trying to read what was behind her mask, but couldn’t.  “What did you decide?” He finally breathed.

            She couldn’t look at him and stay hardened to her resolve.  In a huff designed to disguise her inner conflict, she turned away and left him standing in the hallway.

            *                      *                      *                      *                      *                      *

            “Trowa,” she greeted him as she sat down at the table facing him.

            His face was expressionless as usual, thoughtfully considering her movements and motivations.  “Relena, thank you for coming to see me,” he returned her greeting pleasantly.

            “Trowa, I never knew you felt this way.  You know I care for you,” she said softly, avoiding his intense emerald-hard gaze. 

            He watched her the same as he observed everyone else in his personal and professional life - quietly noting each delicate facial expression and telling gesture.  He had become a master at reading people; even those that hid behind a mask like Heero, often gave telltale signs of their innermost thoughts and feelings.  It was no trick; he was no magician, just a trained observer of his fellow man.  And he could tell that she was uneasy, his letter to her not unwelcome, but the feelings avowed not fully reciprocated.  She had no mask to her emotions, and so the tiny creases at the sides of her eyes expressed the concern she had for hurting him; the softness of her voice designed to show her pity, her remorse; the quiet pleading in her sapphire orbs requesting he make this easy on her, and her posture one of resolve.  Her next words were somewhat surprising, yet not wholly unexpected.

            “Yes, Trowa, I’ll marry you.”

            That enigmatic smile crossed his face for a brief moment.  “No, Relena, I will not marry a woman in love with another man.  I think you’d agree that despite who and what I am, I deserve better than that.  And so do you,” he replied solemnly.

            “But Trowa,” she pleaded softly, pushing aside the slight stinging sensation that his refusal had brought upon her heart.

            “Relena, it’s obvious why you’re here.  And knowing Yuy like I do, he’s probably climbing the walls right now trying to get in here and tear me limb from limb.”

            Relena shook her head.  “He doesn’t care, Trowa.”

            This did surprise the young man.  He narrowed jade green eyes as he scrutinized her face, looking for signs of what she was truly feeling.  She believed her last statement, which meant his friend was a fool.  Maybe he should take her with him after all and teach Heero a lesson.  “Relena, he does care for you - as much as you do for him.”

            “Trowa, I care for you, too.  I’d make you happy and we could start a new life together.  You love me, so take the deal and let’s leave this place and all it’s heartache.”

            The smile he had this time was genuine.  She was such a beautiful creature with a heart purer than his had ever been.  Her eyes could melt his icy heart and cause him to feel something in her presence that he had never known.  He never wanted to let her down, never wanted to see disappointment in her eyes.  He could not refuse anything that she deigned to ask of him, despite monetary or mortal cost alike.  “Relena,” he said softly. 

            *                      *                      *                      *                      *                      *

            Heero stood outside the door to the little room where Trowa and Relena were having their discussion.  Another agent was blocking his entrance to the observation room, infuriating the young man who so desperately needed to know what was happening between the concealed pair.  Consequences be damned, he was about to pull a gun and demand access to the guarded room when the door opened and Trowa’s head peered out.  He saw Yuy and smirked. “Tell Krushrenada I’ll testify,” he said quietly and shut the door.  Heero lunged at him, but the guards caught their fellow agent, pushing him back against the wall opposite the door.  One of the men radioed to Treize. 

            “Requesting assistance with handling Agent Yuy,” he said into his mouthpiece.

            Heero couldn’t hear the reply. 

            “Yes sir, over,” he said into the mouthpiece again.  Then turned back to Agent Yuy, “He said to tell you to get your ass over to interrogation room one right now, and turn in your badge.  You’re taking a vacation.”

They let him go, and Heero stood up from the wall they had pushed him against ignoring the pain that had ignited in his shoulder.  “Fine,” Heero said flatly, straightening the collar on his dress shirt, and shooting the guards a nasty glare.  An all-too-familiar ache descended on his heart as he marched down the hallway to meet with Treize; he had a score to settle.