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 6

 

            Duo peeled back the heavy lids over his eyes and stared into darkness.  It was nighttime.  His room was all but pitch black – the only light a soft glow from the waiting room window.  He ached all over and couldn’t stop a low moan from escaping his lips.  

            He saw something move in the corner of his pain-filled eyes. There was a figure standing in the shadows of his room.

            “Who’s there?” he called out in a hoarse whisper.

            “You’re awake,” a familiar voice replied.

            “Hey man,” he smiled weakly and struggled to sit up.

            “What happened?” Heero asked gruffly.

            “Ambush,” he replied, his face contorting with every small movement.  “They were waiting for us.”

            “Sorry I wasn’t there.”

            “And what could you have done, except get yourself killed?” Duo scowled at his friend’s apology.

That was the way Heero was - had always been.  So unselfish, even when they were only sixteen, but he had always had it rough.

They were standing outside on the soaked lawn of the school, the bitter winter rain pelting down on the two friends.

            Heero shook his head.  “I can’t leave him alone, Duo.  He’ll die.”

            “He’s killing you.”

            “I should have been there,” Heero insisted quietly.

            The memory continued to play like home movie in his mind, reminding him of their last ‘talk’ and more specifically – the subject of their last meeting. “Did you…did you find her?  The department gave up…” He was still having some trouble finding his voice.

            “Yeah,” he turned towards the window to the waiting room where a hesitant blond girl was observing.  She waved when she saw them look at her.

            “She’s still gorgeous.  Barton’s a lucky guy, huh?” Duo remarked and leaned back into the pillow.

His thoughts shifted to the first time they had met - in high school.  She was beautiful then, too.

Duo spoke up, “Hello!  Haven’t seen you around before.”

Relena smiled. “I just transferred in,” she said, her eyes never leaving Heero’s.

            “Hn.  He was going to kill her for revenge.”  

            Duo looked at him in surprise.  There was just a trace of…something in Heero’s voice.  He couldn’t quite put his finger on it.  “Oh, so you finally got a date, huh?” he laughed feebly, then broke off in a coughing fit.

            “You need your rest.”

            “Does she know?”

            “Haven’t told her.  You’re not supposed to know,” he growled.

            “Then how’d you get her away from Barton?”

            Heero shrugged.  His face was unreadable in the poor light. “I’m not sure.  I’m on my way there, now.”

            “Oh,” Duo said, looking confused.

            “Do you think there’s a leak?”  Heero asked suddenly.

            “In the department?”

            “How else could Barton have known what you guys were up to?”

            “Hadn’t thought about it.” He winced again.  “Haven’t been awake that long…”

            “Hn….”

            “I can’t believe anyone….” His voice trailed off.

            “Doesn’t matter what you believe.  What other logical explanation is there?”

            “None.  I guess people just aren’t always what you want them to be, huh?” Duo said; his eyes filling with tears.

            “Get some rest,” Heero said firmly – it was a command.  He turned to go.

            “Heero,” Duo called out.  “Don’t go getting yourself killed over me.  You’ve got to protect her.  I mean there aren’t any other women that will put up with your shit!”

            Heero nodded and walked out the door.

            “Detective Duo Maxwell?” Relena read off the chart on the door.  “So, you’re a cop?”

            Heero snorted.  “No.”

            “Are you going to tell me what’s going on?”
            He threw her a warning look.  “Drop it, Relena.  You’ll only put yourself in more danger.”

            *          *          *          *          *          *          *          *          *          *         

            Their ‘home coming’ was strange, at best.  Trowa greeted them at the marble-tiled foyer as they entered the house.  Heero wasn’t surprised when Relena didn’t bend under Trowa’s angry look.  Instead, she raised her head and met his gaze in a gesture of defiance.  Incensed, Trowa’s first reaction was to strike her, but a steely glare from Heero stopped him from raising his hand.

            “You brought her,” Trowa said in a quiet voice that held just an undertone of the anger evident in his posture, but never displayed on his face.

            “Yes, I didn’t know if we had any unfinished business before I take her…home.”          

            At the word, Relena looked up in alarm, but Heero’s face was impassive.  She wanted to speak, but could tell it was not her place.

            The two men regarded each other a moment before Trowa finally broke the silence.

            “By all means, our business can wait.  Take her home, Heero. We’ll talk first thing in the morning.”

            Heero nodded and led Relena out the door.  

 

They rode in silence for a while.  Relena was relieved when they started out in the wrong direction to be going to the Governor’s mansion.  She could only assume they were going to Heero’s home.  The thought was at once exciting and unsettling.

            The Mercedes pulled into the drive of a small, traditional-looking red brick house. He unlocked the door and let her walk in ahead of him.  It was sparsely furnished, and very orderly.

            She smiled at him, “Home?” She whispered.

            Heero nodded, avoiding her gaze.

            She went on a quick tour, noting that there were three bedrooms – his, one used for a study, and the third had been turned into a weight room.  Her thoughts suddenly strayed to his strong arms, and then briefly to some of their younger days…. She blushed.

            He came up behind her.  “You can have my room; I’ll take the couch.”

            Relena reacted automatically and made a face.  “It didn’t look very comfy,” she said, thinking of the hard leather bench seat she had sat on briefly in the study.  She looked up at him and paled when she realized how that must have sounded.

            Heero studied her a moment, then shrugged.  “I’ll manage,” he said and walked back down the hall.

            Relena sighed and mocked banging her head on the wall as she scolded herself, “Stupid, stupid, stupid…”

 

            She could smell his familiar scent in the pillows and sheets.  It surrounded her body, distracting her from sleep.  She could only think of him.  “What are you hiding?”  She wondered.  Relena had given up searching for clues in his closet and dresser drawers.  She sighed and closed her eyes, but sleep still wouldn’t come.

            Too restless to lie there any longer, Relena got up and opened the door to the hall.  The light was on in the bedroom next to hers, the one used as an office.  She peered around the corner to see him asleep with his head cradled on his arms resting on top of the desk.  She walked over to him.

            He felt a hand on his shoulder, and awoke with a start.  Beautiful sapphire eyes smiled down at him.  “Relena…” he said, trying to clear the sleep from his exhausted brain.

            She helped him to his feet, and into the bed.  He was too tired to fight her on the issue.  She took off his shoes and shirt, and then blushed slightly as he pulled off his slacks.

            Still seemingly half-asleep, he lay back in the bed, clad only in his boxers and socks.  She pulled the comforter up over him, her complexion still a lively pink as stray thoughts about his physical attractiveness continued to plague her mind.

            After tucking him in - his eyes still closed, his face so peaceful in his slumber – she bent her head to kiss his forehead.  He didn’t stir.  Getting braver, she brushed a lock of hair out of his eyes and pressed her lips softly to his own.  

            “Goodnight,” she breathed softly, brushing his cheek with the back of her hand.  With a sigh, she started to pull her hand away, when his arm shot up and grabbed her wrist.

            Her eyes grew wide as his opened and stared at her with intensity that made her feel as if he was looking right through her.  One corner of his mouth twitched into a smirk as he pressed his lips to her palm.  The gesture sent a shiver down her spine.

            “Relena.” His gaze was searching.  She smiled and moved to sit on the edge of the bed.  He pushed the covers off his bare chest and sat up to face her.  His eyes took in the thin slip of a nightgown that left just enough to the imagination…. Letting go of her wrist, he leaned in and kissed her hesitantly, their mouths meeting in the merest brushing of lips.  

He pulled away, and stared at her.  “This isn’t the couch,” he said sternly.

            She blushed a deep crimson, and looked away. “I’m sorry, I didn’t think there was any harm…”

            “It’s too much for any man to handle, Relena.  You shouldn’t tempt me if you don’t mean it,” he growled.

            “Heero, I already told you I love you.  I have always loved you.”

            His scowl deepened.

            “You don’t believe me?”

            “No.  How can you love someone like me?”

            The words brought back the memory of his anguished eyes, confessing his sins, laying his heart bare on the floor, and waiting for her to condemn him, to grant him permission to die…

“I’m a killer!”

He had never expected her forgiveness.

            She reached over and placed a hand on his cheek.  “I have always loved you,” she repeated.

            His heart wrenched in his chest.  All these years, he had never forgotten, never loved anyone else but her.  And this was just too much.  He pulled her willing form into his arms, and kissed away the tears.  As their kisses became passionate, he abandoned all logical thought and finally acted on the emotions of his heart.

 

            He awoke the next morning and smiled at the way her body was tangled with his own.  She was so beautiful – fulfilling all the promises of her youth.  He felt desire awaken within him yet again, and tried to push the feeling away.  He worked to disentangle himself from her, but woke her in the process.  Her sapphire eyes seemed to smile up at him through her heavy-lidded gaze.  His heart started to beat faster with that look, and he leaned down to kiss her.

 

            A half hour later, with his desire satiated once again, he kissed her gently and rolled out of bed to take a quick shower.  He felt better than he had in years.