By ... Divine Selenity

2001, February 13

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Author’s Notes:

You guys are sooooooooo sugoi(cool). Thanks for everybody who wrote me regarding Fleeting Dreams: A Second Chance. Waiiiiiiii!!!!!! So, as a gift, I wrote this short story [CRAZY MODE: START (WOW!!! This is my first time actually writing a short story. All my other stories are usually really long, separated by chapters. Ahhh !!! The world must be coming to an end) CRAZY MODE: FINISH] Anyway, this is in the spirit of Valentine’s Day. Yes, I know it’s a little (understatement) late for Valentine’s Day, but some stuff (like the evil we call school) got in the way.

This is actually a side story to one of my other Gundam Wing series. What is it? You’ll just have to wait and see. It isn’t an alternate universe and consequently, neither is this one. This story can stand by itself, you don’t need to know about my other fanfiction series (you can obviously guess that I won’t be giving away any titles away). However, you do need to know that Heero Yuy, as you will later see, has already gone through his changes in his personality so he will come off to you as out of character here. Furthermore, everything here is mainly through Relena’s perspective. I’m not saying this is a first-person narrative since this is actually in third-person form. What I’m making clear is that we are only aware of Relena’s thoughts and feelings, not Heero’s okay? It’s important to the story. [Readers ask, "Why Divine Selenity?" . . . Divine Selenity just answers, "You have to read the story to find out." . . . Readers reply, "Aww . . . grouch!!!"]

Anyway, this is pure and solely Relena Peacecraft and Heero Yuy mush. Sorry to say none of the other couples are here (ducks as flying shoes and other stuff are sent flying my way). =*( Please don’t be mad.

Well, please write back with your CONSTRUCTIVE, I say again CONSTRUCTIVE, criticism. Please, please don’t waste my time and yours, for that matter, by e-mailing me flames about how you do not like this pairing. You have been warned beforehand.

Thank you and I hope you enjoy this story. Our regular program (Fleeting Dreams: A Second Chance) will return to its regular timeslot (every Sunday that is) this coming week.

Disclaimer: Gundam Wing © Bandai, Sunrise, Sotsu Agency . . . =*( . . . However, this story is mine though . . . =) . . . So, if I see anybody taking this without permission . . . dun, dun, dun . . . <grrrrrrrr . . . Divine Selenity with the famous Heero Yuy death glare> . . . Anyway, enjoy !!!!!!

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• Emily Dickinson

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It was the same as it was a few moments ago. The calendar still marked today as February 13, which means, as far as she knows, not unless the world has gotten crazy, that tomorrow is February 14 . . .

Valentine's Day.

'Ugh,' Relena grimaced, leaning her smooth forehead against her arm currently propped up against the wall. Her azure eyes were staring in dismay at the calendar before her.

Valentine’s Day.

Turning over, Relena leaned against the wall, her face staring up at the cream-colored, spotless ceiling. Her distressed face suddenly filled with loathing and disgust. ‘Valentine’s Day,’ she thought revoltingly. Crossing her arms, she took on a more abhorred front. ‘Valentine’s Day,’ she repeated once more. ‘Stupid.’ That having said she pushed herself upright and started pacing around her office.

Sunlight filtered through every pore of her office. Her simply designed yet elegant mahogany desk was standing on the far side of the room, far away from the window . . . a location insisted on by Wufei. Though highly unlikely, he hadn’t wanted to take the chance of an assassin having a clear shot of her head. Relena had stubbornly argued of course, but Wufei being equally as stubborn, or possibly more, had prevailed, especially since he had the others’ (referring to the Gundam pilots) support. Needless to say, Relena was very, very, angry after Wufei, through it all smirking, acquired his victory.

One corner was decorated with the strap-like leaves of the Clivia Miniata (a plant) together with the colorful blossoms of the Abutilon right next to it. Its presence made the whole office welcoming rather than stifling, wherein ambassadors and government officials could feel at ease negotiating and conferring.

Various paintings adorned the walls of the spacious room. All depicted a calm and soothing scenery, relaxing to any viewer’s eyes. Breathtaking landscapes and majestic seascapes, with the sun’s streaming beams, exploded in the brilliance of a multitude of hues. Simply put, it was a breathtaking spectacle.

And the same could be said about the young woman who was pacing this breathtaking spectacle for the umpteenth time. Yes, Relena Darlian was the earthly representation of a fairy-tale princess. Her long, shimmering, strawberry-blond hair was loosely hanging about her shoulders, like a golden cloud. Graceful yet firm was her lithe young body, exuding elegance with the confidence and strength to match it. Diamond earrings graced her ears, enhancing the azure blue depths of her eyes. A matching simple yet elegant diamond necklace was on her neck, emphasizing its smoothness and slope. A simple golden band adorned her right hand’s ring finger. The finishing touch was a golden watch that was hidden by the slim-fitting bright coral suit, softened by the ivory chiffon blouse she wore. Though it was a very modest outfit, it did put emphasis on her womanly curves.

For several more times, she tirelessly paced around her office, being careful not to trip over anything while still keeping up with her deep thought. Finally, she stopped right in front of her desk and indignantly sat into her chair. ‘Puh-lease,’ she retorted with an unladylike snort, compliments of Duo’s teachings. ‘Valentine’s Day is nothing more than an overrated occasion wherein one is required to show their feelings of sentimentality toward the opposite sex by giving gifts that’s supposed to show how great one’s love is. Quite disgusting, if you ask me.’ Relena nodded her head in agreement. ‘Really pathetic,’ she said as she straightened her back more, preparing her mind to review some of the documents her desk was overflowing with . . .

. . .only to pitifully slouch forward on her desk, her hands covering her face, as she sighed hopelessly. ‘But I want to be pathetic,’ she whined.

Leaning back on her seat, she propped her feet up on her desk, and placed her arms behind her head, something else Duo had happily passed on to her. "Pathetic, that’s what you are Darlian," she voiced out loud, looking at her cream-colored ceiling once more.

Valentine’s . . . one of the most special celebrated days in the year. A day for sweethearts, lovers, couples, and spouses. She sighed once more as she slowly closed her eyes, ‘And a day when single people like me feel totally pathetic and incredibly lonely.’

Three years ago, she had taken full reigns of her kingdom’s reconstruction from the damaging wars, together with Quatre, Trowa, Duo, Catherine, and occasionally Wufei and Sally. Ever since then Relena had resolved that it was important to keep her kingdom’s morale high, and very much away from the depressing thoughts of the tragic past. Therefore, she had organized elaborate balls and dances celebrating Christmas and the coming of the New Year. All of her people were welcome to come, relax, mingle – not only with people of their class but those of the aristocrats as well – and enjoy themselves. They deserved it after all they’ve been subjected to. And she was right, it did help boost up her kingdom’s morale, not only that, but they were more united as a nation too.

Enter Quatre, joyful and loving Quatre, who had thought that Valentine’s Day should be celebrated too with all the pomp and ceremony that they treated Christmas and Valentines. After all, it was a joyful day for love and peace of the heart. Relena had agreed, thinking that those events should be fun.

She was dreadfully wrong – in her case that is. She had come to all of the Valentine’s Gala they've hosted, without an escort, thinking that she could equally be entertained without one. She was terribly mistaken yet again. Throughout the whole night, she was miserably alone, being entertained by the burly, stuffy officials and aristocrats who thought that kicking back and having some R and R still warranted talks and debates about current politics. Of course, it had crossed her mind to cross out their names from next year’s list of invited foreign guests, but that was too cruel for her to do.

Therefore, from then on, the Valentine’s Gala had been her dreaded social function, but as a princess she must make a show. After all, it was her people who were attending and her palace they were hosting it in.

Relena tipped back on her seat a little more. Precarious her situation might be, since she was about to fall off, yet she was feeling daring, a feeling Trowa, not Duo, had imparted to her, especially since he many times tried sharing his acrobatic skills with her. Now, those lessons were what Relena would actually call bold and daring.

Rocking herself back and forth, Relena simultaneously hummed a lovely melody beneath her breath. ‘I really don’t want to go to that Gala,’ she miserably reflected. ‘Hmm,’ she pondered as an afterthought, ‘I know I definitely should be getting back to looking over those documents on my desk.’ Yes, she should. ‘But,’ she yawned, ‘It can wait later.’ Her rocking motion had made her slumberous and drowsy. Gently, she was falling asleep, the keyword being was. However, a nagging, tingling sensation in the back of her mind insistently demanding to be noticed ruined that.

Annoyed at her restless state, Relena slowly opened her dazed and sleep-glazed eyes, and just as suddenly those same eyes widen in shock as her mouth had involuntarily let out a blood-curling scream all by itself. Then of course, as should have been expected, she lost her balance and fell . . . wretchedly dropping on the floor . . . that is after taking everything else on her once immaculate desk down with her in her hurried scramble to right herself up.

‘Oh, you are pathetic Darlian,’ she said after getting the wind knocked out of her. Heaving her breath, regaining her bearings for a few moments, she immediately clambered to her feet, straightening her chair and her clothes as she did so.

Loosening her ivory chiffon blouse nervously, she looked all around her and assessed the damage that has been done. Mentally groaning at the sight that beheld her – papers strewn around the room and once organized files that no longer were – she resisted the urge to let out another earth-shattering scream . . . and to try to pull her hair out of its ends. ‘Wouldn’t do me any good if I was trying to find a last-minute escort for that Gala tomorrow,’ she thought wryly. Instead, she settled for looking straight across her desk, drawing her height up as she did so, and stared – no more like glared, deadly at the cause of all that chaos . . . the figure standing across her . . . Heero Yuy.

What she saw made her replace her former glare with a scowl ten times deadlier and far more lethal. ‘Why,’ Relena infuriatingly thought, ‘the fool is smirking at me!’ Something he definitely was doing. Even worse, his striking cobalt blue eyes were amused . . . clearly amused at her accident.

‘And he isn’t even trying to hide it,’ Relena further thought. As her pulse raced with frustration and irritation, Heero just stood there calmly undisturbed by her attempts to intimidate him, which made her more incensed, if possible.

"Don’t. Do. That. Again," were the four words she bitingly spit out.

Heero’s reply? He saluted and smiled boyishly . . . which proved to be Relena’s undoing.

‘Oy,’ she dismally thought as she smacked her forehead, her anger immediately deflating. ‘This guy is dangerous as a soldier, but he’s lethal as a man.’ As an afterthought, ‘Especially when he smiles like that.’ Relena glanced at Heero’s still smiling figure and took in his attire.

Dressed in dark corduroys that only emphasized his long agile legs, and a dark brown turtleneck covered by a suede jacket, he was a princely dream come true. ‘Oh my God,’ Relena thought trying to tamper down her admiring blush. She averted her gaze from the prying intuitive eyes of his, ‘No matter how long I’ve been around him, I will never get use to that powerful masculine aura of his. It’s just too irresistible.’

Glancing at her slim wrist, she checked her gold watch for the time. ‘Only 12:30.’ She looked up. ‘He’s sure here early.’ Noting that, she was about to speak . . . that is until he beat her to it.

"I’m the boss. I’m allowed to take my lunch break early Relena," he answered, his arms coming to cross across his chest. Then continuing, "If they need anything, they know where to contact me."

She only smiled at this. "Duo’s habits are rubbing off on you," she gently teased.

"Don’t tell the braided BAKA that." He replied in return, a smug smile in his face. Suddenly changing subjects, he asked, "So are you ready to go?"

"But it’s only 12:30," she protested, then she flicked her hands to the mess around her office that she had forgotten. "And look at this, this would take me forever to organize once more."

Heero’s eyebrows furrowed though his demeanor and his face remained passive, as he spoke in a chiding tone. "That’s what secretaries are for." He motioned to her doorway. "You have tons of helpers out there who aren’t doing their jobs because you become so engrossed in all of the matters set on your desk." He walked towards her and took her elbow in his hand as he dragged her to the door. She barely had time to keep up with him. "Let’s go out to lunch now, I’m starving." He smiled once more, "And remember it’s your turn to pay." That being said, he, in chivalry, opened the doorway and motioned for her to go through. "Let’s go, my stomach is not willing to wait all day," he exasperatingly remarked as, with his other hand, he gracefully flicked away a stray of his untamed hair.

Relena just looked at him as he went through those usual gestures. ‘Oy,’ she thought despairingly, ‘such innocent gestures, and he has no idea how sensual he makes the actions seem.’

She shook her head, ‘Time to get your head out of the gutters and your daydreams, Darlian. I am fully content with him as my best friend.’ Smiling gratefully up at him, she passed through the open doorway . . . and abruptly stopped as she faced him again, looking up at him because of his enormous height. He looked in confusion and curiosity at her, quirking his eyebrows up in question. ‘Adorable,’ Relena nearly sighed out, until she smacked herself mentally and forcefully dimmed her face. She glared at him, and slowly poked him in the chest repeatedly, to emphasize each word she uttered. "Don’t ever creep up on me like that again Yuy." With another glare, she walked out, then over her shoulder looked at his amused face and winked at him.

Heero smiled and immediately caught up with her as she walked to the building’s elevators. Pretending to be totally engrossed with everything else but the person beside him, he quietly, yet audibly enough for Relena to hear, remarked, "If someone had actually been doing work instead of lounging around and falling asleep in their office, then someone might have heard me knock and come in." Heero didn’t even try to evade and duck, as Relena playfully punched him on his shoulder, as they entered the elevator doors, their laughter floating down with them.

* * * * *

From the doors of the impressive grand government building, Relena and Heero emerged. For a moment Relena had to shield her eyes from the sun’s intensity, but only for a moment. After a while, she laid her hand back to her side as she turned her face to the sun and let the glory of its warmth bathe upon her yielding form. A movement beside her brought her back down to reality and both she and Heero begun walking on the building’s enormous driveway, spanning a boulevard itself. As they passed the check gates, they both nodded in acknowledgement to the stationed officers, whom in turn bowed respectfully as their princess passed before them.

Relena, blushing at the attention, waved them off as she smiled at them and continued walking out to the streets of their capital. She stopped right outside the gate to survey the scenery before her. This was the proud capital of the Sank kingdom, the center of its lands, surrounded by the kingdom’s territories equally from every direction. The capital itself only spanned ten miles in a circular radius from the center point, the Peacecraft’s ancestral palace – the home of the Peacecraft’s lineage.

Relena smiled as she took in the trudging people about her. No one stopped what they were doing just to openly gape at her. They’d nod and smile in greeting and probably exchange a few lines of pleasantries then move on their merry ways. ‘This is my people,’ Relena thought. ‘They know me as their princess and ruler yet they treat me with respect, allowing to have my own space.’ Relena loved these moments. Other celebrities and politicians were constantly hounded by the paparazzi and journalists who always wanted another interview and so on. However, the people of the Sank Kingdom didn’t condone that kind of behavior. They respected the privacy of each individual and that’s a characteristic that Relena loved in her people. Smiling proudly, Relena continued walking, always intensely aware of the man striding beside her.

Once more Relena was drawn to her memories. Her country had risen from the ashes of its past and they were now standing proudly among the world’s leading countries – as they did in their former glory days. They have been rejuvenated, united once more – one heart and one mind. She wished Heero could’ve been here when she, Quatre, Trowa, and Duo had struggled to bring about what they now had. Economic depression along with famine, under-population, and low morale were the vices they had had to deal with. But it was all over now, thankfully. Still, what matters was that Heero eventually came and helped in his own way later on.

"Hmm," she murmured gratefully as, from her sides, she slightly opened her arms to welcome its loving rays. Relena closed her eyes as she relished this feeling of freedom about her. She could walk freely among her people, not always needing a protector fluttering about her. ‘That doesn’t stop everyone from accompanying me with some other lame excuse or so,’ she fondly thought. Relena smiled and opened her eyes once more, as she started walking ahead of Heero, along the brick pavement of her kingdom’s capital.

"Hi, good afternoon," she greeted, naturally smiling back, as a group of men and women – all around their early twenties to mid-twenties – waved at her in recognition. Of course, though they acknowledge her first, paying no heed to her companion, Relena noticed that the women couldn’t help but turn their attention to Heero. ‘Of course,’ Relena thought. ‘He’s just too irresistible for the opposite sex, speaking from experience of course,’ Relena thought amusingly. Then she noticed the men starting to take notice of the striking figure right next to her. ‘And it’s only natural that the men start admiring his powerful presence.’ Relena shook her head as she continued walking, taking a hold of Heero’s jacket sleeve and dragging him behind her before he became a public spectacle.

‘By the way those women were drooling you’d think that they were about to eat him up.’ Relena backtracked, ‘Actually, they already were.’ She looked at Heero who just calmly followed behind her. ‘Trying to unlock the mystery in him.’ Relena released her hold on Heero’s jacket sleeve, as she smoothed her hair, which the gentle wind had mussed, as she thought irritatingly, ‘Well, good luck to them. I’ve tried for what was it now? Five years? But, I’m still no closer to getting under his skin.’ Her gaze softened as she thought of him as he was now. ‘At least he allowed me in, more than he’d allowed everyone else. I’m his friend . . . his best friend. What else can I ask for?’ Relena questioned herself. Just as immediately she answered her self-posed question, ‘I want him, all of him.’ Her vision blurred with the tears lurking on her eyes, ready to fall out. ‘And I want him to want me . . . all of me. All or nothing.’ Rapidly, she blinked back the onslaught of tears she knew she wouldn’t be able to prevent whenever her thoughts turned to this direction. ‘But that will take millions of years . . . possibly never,’ she pessimistically retorted. ‘He’s so independent like that.’

Relena was quickly pulled away from her thoughts as Heero grabbed her suddenly and pulled her roughly against him. She just looked at him in surprise, and growing anger. ‘What’s with the man-handling?’ she angrily thought.

"Heero, what was that for?" she bitingly questioned him.

Heero just looked at her knowingly, "You’ve been daydreaming again haven’t you?"

So thrown away was she from his question, that she just indignantly replied, "What?"

His only response was to pointedly look at something behind her, hence she promptly followed his gaze behind her to find . . . a lamp post directly on the path she was taking. And even though she was an expert on donning masks, derived from her political encounters, the only face she could muster showing was a sheepish one, grinning terribly embarrassed about her mishap. Pointedly she schooled her expression and with flamingly rosy red cheeks, she turned around and immediately started walking ahead of Heero, intent on hastily arriving at their destination. She barely missed Heero’s quirking lips and outright laughing cobalt eyes . . . barely. As she spotted his expression, she quickened her steps and bowed her head, using her golden tresses to cover her fiery crimson cheeks.

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Relena’s dainty feet slowed to a stop in front of an elegant site . . . the Moonlight Café. The building was modest and small on the outside. ‘But, looks can be deceiving,’ Relena thought as, together with Heero, she made her way up the porch steps, stepped inside its French doors . . . and entered into a magnificent establishment so totally different from its outside appearance.

Freedom and relaxation. That was what the whole room conveyed. Instead of walls surrounding the place, open glass doors took its place. Roman pillars were the borders of each door, serving as the building’s foundation while at the same time giving off a calm feeling with its ivory leaves coiled all around it. White, lacy curtains decorated every entrance, fluttering as the gentle breeze blew through it, the sun’s rays filtering through.

The tables were all made out of oak wood, not metal nor plastic. Different sections were divided by a different set of steps. Lighting was not provided by fluorescent ceiling lights, but by soft lit Japanese lanterns, increasing the atmosphere of intimacy around the room.

Relena looked around for the maitre d’, the waiters, or anyone who could help them. ‘Hmm . . . where is the service? Hmm, where could –‘

"Relena-chan!" Relena beamed as she located the person she had been searching for. Turning around, she spotted a petite Japanese lady, making her way towards them from a secluded section of the café.

"Ryouichi-san," Relena, smiling, bowed to the lady in front of her in greeting. Ryouichi, in turn, bowed back, both to Relena and Heero. As she stood up Relena glanced at Ryouichi-san, the proud owner of The Moonlight Café. The lady stood no more than 5’ 0" yet she emitted power and wisdom about her. She had that aura of confidence that she had gained through years of experience. Relena greatly admired her for it. Ryouichi-san’s hair, which was quite long, was wrapped up in a bun, a few gray wisps escaping the tuck. Her slight frame, though not fragile since she was a practitioner of the martial arts, was covered in a traditional Japanese kimono, made of the deepest midnight blue silk. The kimono had cherry blossom flowers stitched on it. It was nicely hand-crafted. ‘A pure work of art indeed,’ Relena thought. ‘As a matter of fact, everything Ryouichi-san touched seemed to ooze with sophistication and art,’ Relena thought with admiration. Eyes mischievously twinkling, she teased the aging woman, "Tsk, tsk. Service is severely poor today. My, my, is the great Ryouichi losing her touch?"

The other woman just laughed as she replied, "Sorry about that. All my people are all around getting ready for the lunch hour rush." Then, she raised an elegant silver brow, "Your earlier than usual? I wasn’t expecting both of you until later on." Relena could hear the huskiness in her voice, pleasant yet authoritative.

Gesturing at Heero, Relena replied, "Blame him. He has nothing better to do." Smiling wryly, "Plus, I’m also afraid that he’s picking up Duo’s carefree habits." Throwing her hands up theatrically, "What is the world coming to?"

Ryouichi just shook her head in laughter as she started leading them farther inside the room towards another exit before them. Relena smiled in anticipation. She loved this place, its serenity and beauty. As they passed through the exit, they found themselves in their favorite part of the café: its outdoor partition. The trio stepped into the courtyard as they familiarly walked towards their table, situated near the porch railings. Once there, Relena had eagerly jumped into her seat, not bothering to wait for Heero who had confirmed their order to the leaving matriarch.

Lovingly, Relena looked at the magnificent view the outside courtyard had to offer. The whole outdoor partition’s roof had little slivers of glass parts to it that allowed sunlight to filter in. A beautiful summer garden decorated the courtyard and made it more pleasant. A multitude of colored blooming roses were welcoming the soft sunshine. ‘They are so perfumed,’ she thought as she inhaled the sweet scent of the blooms all around her.

"I swear, I’m never going to get tired of this place." She sighed as she looked at the man sitting across her. ‘Wow,’ she thought as she gazed at him, staring at all the roses about him, looking very reflective indeed. Stunning was the only word she could come up with. ‘No,’ she corrected herself. ‘More than that . . . magnificent, wonderful, handsome, exquisite . . .’ she sighed again and looked at him freely under her lashes as she pretended to look fascinatingly at the rose bouquet in front of them, ‘Drop-dead gorgeous,’ she finished.

‘Yes, that’s exactly what he was,’ as her thoughts drifted to past memories and images of him. Things have changed throughout the past five years. He was just the same age he was, a few months older even. They had met five years earlier during the war between earth and its colonies. Then, he had a lanky, though very firmly trained body. Now, he had filled out more, radiating his virility through every pore. When they had met, she had been immediately attracted to him, sensing an allure about him. Though they weren’t as close then as they are now, Relena wouldn’t change anything about it all. ‘Call it a growing experience,’ she thought. He had left immediately after the Mariemeia coup and had only returned last year. ‘Three years apart,’ she looked at him again and in appreciating thought, ‘he’s apparently used all those years well.’

Just looking at him, one could tell that he is trained in some art or another of martial arts. The stance of a fighter – it was all there written on his face. It’s already been established that he has a great physique – still lean and trim, with long legs, wide shoulders. No one even had to question his height because he towered over many – except maybe Trowa, that is. His face, though it had greatly matured, only aged a little. Where once he had a handsome face, he now had a devastatingly gorgeous countenance. ‘And it attracts a whole rack of trouble along the way too,’ Relena laughingly reflected, remembering the drooling women earlier. ‘But,’ at this Relena’s disposition became dismal as she sighed, ‘He has a thin – almost microscopic – scar along one temple. From the war.’ It served as a painful remembrance of his past. Relena vanished her somber thoughts from her head as she continued her analysis of Heero. His hair, though he always tried to tame it with gel, was still wild styled. ‘Not to say that it isn’t attractive like that,’ she immediately defended. ‘In fact,’ at this she smiled, ‘It makes him look like a rakish rogue. Definitely has temptation written all over him.’ She smirked at this. His eyes were still that warm – though some people say otherwise – Prussian blue eyes, with long think lashes, that she loved staring at so much.

Something else had changed now, for the better. He no longer was the lost little boy who had come to her just a year ago. Now, he was a man who held a clear distinction of what he was in society – he actually was the head of Sank Kingdom’s whole security and military force. His personal growth – so closely followed by Relena – had made him more endearing to her that she had found herself not only admiring him all over again, but falling hopelessly in love with him. ‘Love,’ Relena thought wistfully, tears starting to overcome her again. ‘Love, deep-searing love from a woman, is something Heero is not yet ready for.’ Averting her eyes from his frame, she discreetly wiped her eyes, ‘And I don’t think I can wait any longer for him to prepare himself to love someone. I can’t put myself on hold for him, waiting for him to realize whether or not he has feelings of love for me.’ Then, wiping some more tears, ‘I won’t be able to take it if he decides he is ready for love – but to some other woman not me.’ Feelings of despair reigned in her gloomy heart as she felt hope dwindle more and more within her soul.

Something alerted Relena and brought her back to reality. A waitress they knew well came bearing their order. Relena was grateful for this reprieve, being able to compose her feelings once more. However, at the same time she mentally groaned, ‘Oh no here it comes.’

Giggles followed that thought. "Heero," began a giggling Martina, Marty as she was fondly nicknamed. "Well, here’s your Frapuccino just as you like it." Then barely glancing at Relena, she shoved her drink near her. "Mocha Latte," she stated to Relena indifferently.

Leaning near Heero, after laying their food down, she started making small talk. "So, Heero, how have you been doing?" Flipping her flaming red hair, she giggled some more. "Still working as the head of the Sank Kingdom’s security force?"

Relena just rolled her eyes, leaning to her side as she leaned her cheek on her hand as she tilted her head to the side. ‘When is she going to get the hint?’ Tucking a golden tendril behind her, she absently counted, ‘Five . . . four . . . three . . . two . . . one.’

"Thanks Marty, but if you don’t mind?" Heero began as he gestured to Relena and himself, and their neglected food.

Targeting daggers at Relena, who calmly shrugged it away, Marty turned to Heero, giggled and smiled disgustingly bright, "Oh of course, sorry about that." Putting a hand on Heero’s jacket sleeve, she purred, "I’ll talk to you later?"

Heero, of course, just gave an indifferent shrug, which Marty took as a ‘yes’ as she winked at him, and huskily spoke, "Enjoy your meal," then she proceeded to strut back inside the restaurant swaying her hips back and forth.

Once again, Relena rolled her eyes as she looked at Heero while she picked up her fork and started devouring her meal. "I don’t ever want to go out in public with you, Trowa, Quatre, nor Duo." Then on second thought, "Well, not Duo. He’s too much fun." Heero looked a little hurt at this. "You’re all too handsome for your own good . . . girl magnets, that’s what you are," she nodded to herself.

Heero quirked his eyebrows up in disbelief and slightly smiled, "And how about you?" At Relena’s questioning glance, he just laughed, "Sometimes, you are so oblivious to everything around you. Don’t you ever see the way the men look at you? Admiringly I might add?" Then, "I doubt they’re after you because you’re their princess."

Relena laughingly shrugged his comment as she remarked, "Oh yeah. If there are so many men out there interested in me, then why can’t I get a single escort for the Gala tomorrow."

Heero just smiled mysteriously as he replied, "That I can answer." Relena’s eyebrow lifted in curiosity. Smiling once more, he responded, "Duo, Trowa, and even Wufei threw all eligible men out before they even set foot in the palace grounds." Heero laughed joyously, "You should see all those disappointed long faces. It looked like they were attending a funeral. A blow to their ego too when they realized that three of your best friends didn’t deem them worthy enough to let them go out with you." Heero laughingly continued . . . until he looked at Relena’s face that is. She looked mad . . . steamed . . . and very, very furious.

Heero just continued to look at her as he gulped and had the decency to look a little bit intimidated. ‘Ha . . . what do you know? He does get scared.’ Relena commented as she looked at Heero visibly nervous. ‘This would actually be funny if I wasn’t so damned mad.’

"So tell me more. Why exactly have they been doing this?" pointedly raising her eyebrow even more.

Heero just straightened his shoulders as he turned his attention back to his food. "I’ve said too much already, I don’t think I should be saying anything else. You should ask them," he suggested.

"On the contrary I think you should tell me everything. After all they’ve been ruining my Valentine’s Day for the past . . . three years was it?" To punctuate her point, she glared at him and crossed her arms. ‘God, I’ve been hanging out with Heero too much. I’m picking up his habits.’

"So talk." It was an order.

Heero just ignored her, and bluntly replied, "I don’t really think we should talk about this." Heero sighed as he recognized her stubborn stance. "It’s just because . . . ." he trailed off.

"Because?"

Heero looked visibly nervous as he tugged at his turtleneck’s collar. He sighed defeated. "Because . . . every Valentine’s, they seem terribly convinced that someone you are really, really fond of will make a last-minute appearance with declarations and avowals of love for you. Which is why they try to make sure that you’re available for that guy." As soon as that was said he looked back at his food.

‘This is new. Somebody I’m fond of huh?’ Relena contemplatively. Then realization dawned as she looked at Heero’s awkward appearance. ‘No, they didn’t.’ Agitatedly, she corrected herself, ‘Yes, they did.’ Relena still wanted to hear straight from Heero’s lips. "Somebody?" she prompted.

Looking straight into the pools of her azure blue eyes, he softly answered, "Me."

"Oh." Relena also turned all her attention and focus at the food laid out before her. She had lost her appetite.

Lunch was tension filled throughout the rest of the affair.

* * * * *

Lunch was finished off earlier than usual and Relena couldn’t help but feel guilty for causing this tension, this rift between them. Hurriedly paying for their bill, Relena took the first step in breaking their tension.

Glancing at her wristwatch she spoke up, "It’s 1:15 now. I guess I should be going now." With an obviously strained smile directed at Heero, Relena stood up and walked away.

‘Idiot,’ Relena cursed at herself. ‘We were having so much fun until you pushed that topic on.’ She sighed. ‘Great. Great. Trowa, and Duo, even Quatre, will have hell to pay tonight,’ she angrily shook her head. Shaking her head, ‘I should have never told them my feelings for Heero anyway. It’s useless, he just doesn’t feel the same about me, which is why he felt embarrassed talking about it earlier.’ Waving a farewell to Ryouichi-san, she stepped out of the café and started walking back to her office. ‘Heero will never ever look at me more than a best friend . . . too damned independent, that’s what he is. He’ll never let me in more than he already has.’

Momentarily glancing up, she happened to walk by a rather small dress shop, which was currently displaying a mannequin wearing the, as in THE, most beautiful dress she had even seen in her entire life. That was saying a lot since she did own many gowns and formal dresses since, as a Princess, she was required to attend many social occasions, and in style, nonetheless.

Walking backwards, she stopped in front of the display and stared . . . correction, openly gaped at the dress. It looked as if it was a combination of Medieval and Arabian style of dresses. Though form-fitting from the shoulders to the knees, it flared out after, forming a train behind its wearer. The collar of the dress swooped low, enough to show a lot, but not too much to call it neither inappropriate nor indecent. The sleeves were long, covering up to half her wrist. From the top of her shoulders up to her wrist, the crimson red fabric of the sleeves were cut in half, so that whenever she made one slight movement the slit would open showing tantalizing glimpses of her creamy white skin. On its waistline, a sash was attached coming up to the front where in its center an oval imperial-cut padparadschah (basically red but darker than a ruby or a garnet stone) gemstone decorated it, then the sash continued to trail down to her ankles. The dress was colored red, crimson red . . . just perfect for . . .

‘Valentine’s,’ wistfully sighed Relena. Still, she continued to eye the magnificent creation with longing. It was a lovely dress indeed, a style fit for a princess . . . no for a goddess. Relena shook her head, ‘Which you are definitely not, Darlian. Even though you are a princess, it doesn’t mean you should dabble your money without caution. So you better get your butt back to work instead of eyeing that thing.’ Relena sighed again as she took one more longing look at the dress displayed at the window.

"Beautiful," a voice whispered right next to her.

Relena couldn’t help it, she yelped . . . really loud. ‘What is it with people and constantly slipping right next to me like shadows.’ Turning to her side, she immediately smiled in apology. "I am so sorry, it’s just that – Heero!" she exclaimed, shocked at his appearance by her side.

Looking at her, he slightly smiled and turned his attention back to the dress displayed in front of him. "It’s beautiful. It’ll suit you perfectly if you plan on wearing that for tomorrow," he stated matter-of-factly.

Relena joined him in looking at the dress. ‘We must look stupid, just staring at this dress,’ Relena laughingly thought as she looked at the sales assistant staring at them from behind the window. ‘But the dress is eye-catching.’ Then aware that Heero had addressed her, she spoke, "I’m not wearing that," as she turned around and started walking back to work.

"Why not?" Heero asked as he turned to her, finding her walking away as she answered, "I can’t wear it."

Heero quirked his eyebrows up in question as he looked at her disappearing form. He glanced up at the dress for one more long moment, then gazing at it some more, he quickly turned around to catch up with Relena.

* * * * *

"I can’t."

"Yes, you can."

"No, really. I can’t."

"YES you CAN and you WILL," Heero exasperatedly argued as he dragged a struggling Relena away from the path to her office. "Just one day." Looking at her over his shoulder, he commented, "You can keep that up all you want, but remember you’ll soon get tired. I, on the other hand, was trained to withstand many things remember? This is just a trifle thing compared to what I’ve undergone."

Relena sighed, frustrated, as she gave up her struggles and started walking right next to Heero, who was still clutching her hand. She tiredly glared at his head as he lazily grinned at her. Raising her hands up in frustration, "So what is so important that you are dragging me from work? Again, for the second time this week if I may add?"

"You need to relax, that’s why. You’re turning too much into me." Heero continued without glancing at her, "It’s scary. You need to loosen up more as Duo would say. The world will always wait for you when you decide to return to it." Turning to her, he continued, "Besides, we haven’t taken any strolls together for a long while. I actually miss those."

Stealing another look at the man beside her, Relena smiled. She loved it whenever he was being open to her. He always had a refreshing outlook to give about life. ‘Hard to believe he’s just twenty,’ she murmured. Clutching his hand, she continued to walk alongside him, leaning closer to him. One of the other things she loved was walking with Heero. Throughout the whole stroll she could remain as quiet as a mouse, and yet, that silence wouldn’t form an awkward atmosphere. It was a comfortable silence wherein she could just dwell in her thoughts, contemplating. She happily sighed, moments like these with Heero were soothing and calming after long daunting day at work.

Her thoughts turned back to the man beside her. They have ignored what was basically revealed this past afternoon: She was still pining for him. And he, he was just ignoring the whole scene, pretending that it never happened. He was trying to go back to status quo, something she really hated. ‘But what else could I expect from him?’ Relena sadly questioned herself. ‘After all, he hates changes. He doesn’t like everything being muddled by emotions. It confuses him.’

Relena once again looked up at the skies in contemplation. ‘Yeah, it’s great having him as a best friend.’ Her bright eyes dimmed, ‘But, will we always just be best friends?’ Her heart ached at the thought. ‘But, I don’t want just a best friend . . . I want the greatest romance ever . . . with Heero Yuy.’ Longingly, she sighed as she slowly blinked away the tears that had somehow sprung up once more. ‘I seem to be a water-leak today, and all because of Heero Yuy.’ Smiling melancholy, ‘Heero Yuy . . . the things you do to me. Why are you such an enigma?’

Heero seemed to have sensed the change in her mood as he tightened his grip upon her hand. "What’s wrong?" he asked.

‘Everything,’ she whispered in her mind as she kept her attention to her feet instead she answered, "Nothing, nothing at all."

"Liar," he gently corrected her.

Relena just remained quiet, preferring not to answer his probing.

"The Valentine’s Gala?" he prompted, his grave, sensual eyes intently looking at her secretive ones.

"What about it?" Relena knew what he was asking, she just didn’t want to answer him, directly that is. "If you’re asking about how preparations are going, I really am not that sure since I turned everything over to Quatre and Dorothy’s capable hands. The last time I talked to Quatre, he seemed to have everything set for tomorrow’s gala."

"You know that I wasn’t talking about that." Relena scowled, she was picking up his habit more often now. Heero was too astute for his own good, a trait that he shared with Trowa – and which they both enjoyed using on her.

"Well," Relena hesitated, "I guess I’m just . . . I don’t know," she hesitated. "I guess I really just don’t want to go. Not in the spirit and stuff." Relena smiled brilliantly – too brilliantly – at him.

"Then don’t," Heero suggested.

"I can’t," she mutinously answered.

"And why not?" Heero had an indulgent look on his face.

"It’s a duty," she simply answered, and wanted to leave it at that.

"No it isn’t." Relena hated the fact that Heero was too opinionated. ‘Just like me,’ she sarcastically thought.

"Yes, it is. Call it a moral duty, shall we?" Relena pursed her lips once more, trying to find a better way to explain it to him. "The people are going to attend the Gala to enjoy themselves. They’re still recovering from the wars, though it has been over and done with for at least five years now. I’ve been toiling along with them to better my country, they need to see me merry-making with them, to put themselves at ease." She paused in her explanation, and resumed once more. "In a way it is an unspoken duty." Relena smiled as she added, "Plus, I have to be there when pompous aristocrats try to belittle my people. I have to defend them."

Heero only smiled slightly, "Great. Now that that’s done with, do you want to tell me what’s really bothering you?"

Relena was startled. ‘Sometimes, he knows me too well that it bothers me.’ Now she faced a problem. ‘I tried to fob him off with one of my minor concerns, but I can’t exactly tell him that the whole reason I happen to be in such a depressed mood is because of him – that he doesn’t love me while I can’t help but be desperately and madly in love with him. It’ll put a further strain our relationship.’ Pursing her lips, she spoke, "I guess it’s the whole Valentine’s atmosphere that’s getting to me. All the love in the air; It can make a single person like me very miserable you know? Makes me kind of nostalgic about something I never had . . ." Clearing her throat, she tried to take the spotlight from her confession, "So how about you?"

Heero lifted his eyebrows in question.

"Are you going to make an appearance at the Gala?"

Heero looked at her as if she had grown two heads. "You do remember who you’re talking to right?"

"Oh, right!" Relena smacked herself. "You’re not even considering it then?"

His answer was a shrug as he stared back at the road in front of them as he asked another question – one that totally surprised Relena because of the nature of the question. "So why do you hold such a grudge against Valentine’s Day?"

Relena decided to answer straightly, "Everything is over exaggerated now. Valentine’s is being blown way out of proportion. Don’t get me wrong. I am all for the idea of giving bouquets of flowers and candies by the dozen." At this she breathed in. "However, some people are just so wrapped up in the material things they’ll receive that they now forget the real meaning of Valentine’s Day. Feelings are forgotten in exchange for worldly possessions." Her look became very reflective.

For a moment silence reigned as Heero silently mulled over what Relena just said. After that moment, he asked, "So what is your idea of a perfect Valentine’s celebration?"

‘Will wonders never cease?’ Relena sarcastically asked herself as she wondered where Heero was going with all the question he was asking her. Nonetheless, she indulged him by answering his honestly. "To me," Relena begun, "A perfect Valentine’s Celebration would be symbolized in the presentation of a single, blooming, red rose." Heero quirks his eyebrows at this.

"A red rose huh?" Heero seemed to ask himself wonderingly.

Relena turned to him, a ghost of a smile on her face, "Yeah stupid I know, but for me, that single rose symbolizes one’s purest and truest feelings, untarnished by the worldliness of everything surrounding it."

Silently, Heero reflected upon Relena’s answer. After a few moments, he began once more. "Lena-chan," he fondly called her. "You’re a romantic underneath that politician façade you carry around." Heero seemed to clutch her closer to him as he said that.

A few moments later, Relena looked up at his nonchalant face, and playfully pushing him aside, muttered, "So how is it that I end up answering everything you ask of me when I clearly don’t want to. I’m the politician here." Then she, playfully, glared up at him, refusing to look at him.

At this, Heero replied with his trademark satisfied smug. "And, as you said, I am the perfect soldier." He grasped her hand once more, tucking it inside the warm confines of his own.

Silence reigned thereafter as they walked on, the silhouette of the majestic Peacecraft Palace on the horizon, the sunset covering it upon a halo of glistening brilliance.

* * * * *

Opening up one eye, Relena groaned as she tried to bury herself deeper beneath her coverlets. ‘Too much sunshine,’ she moaned when the sun’s intensity hit her slumberous eyes. ‘Way too much sunshine for early in the morning,’ she groggily thought.

After a few minutes of just contentedly relaxing against the comforts of her blankets, she lifted her arms above her head, and stretched luxuriously against the satin silks of her large canopy bed. ‘This is bliss,’ she thought satisfied. She yawned thoroughly satisfied with her night’s sleep. Looking towards her right, she spotted her nightstand and grabbed her clock. ‘What time is it?’ she asked wonderingly as she looked at the clock intently. Rapidly she blinked at it unbelievingly. ‘No way,’ she thought in dismay as she hurriedly scrambled out of her bed, being tangled between the sheets in the process . . . and clumsily falling flat on the floor – for the second day in a row.

‘I must have some bad karma going for me. Unbelievable,’ she shook her head begrudgingly. ‘First waking up really late, and now falling flat on my face first thing in the morning – oops I mean in the afternoon.’ Grimacing wryly, ‘Plus, it’s Valentine’s Day.’

After cautiously untangling herself and standing up, Relena walked straight into her en suite bathroom, and took a shower. Within ten minutes of cleansing herself, she emerged from her invigorating in her pink kimono bathrobe. As she strode to her bed, she was simultaneously drying her hair with a towel and looking around her room in awareness. Slowly taking in her surroundings With its cream shaded walls, exceptionally crafted furniture, and silk linen bed and curtains, it was made for a Princess indeed., her mind started wondering about the Gala that night and what she was going to be wearing. ‘Hmm . . . maybe that silver dress that I wore for Noin and Milliardo’s wedding reception. It was a private soirée, so no one, save a few, would recognize it. Plus, I can add that silver shawl I have as the coup de grace.’

Her attention was soon captured by something else altogether, as she stopped from perching on her bed. ‘Wonder what that is?’ she speculated as she eyed a parcel on top of her bed. What surprised her the most was the fact that there was a bouquet of flowers right next the parcel. Picking it up, she looked at it, and glanced around the room. "It seems harmless enough," she spoke to no one in particular, and proceeded to unravel the box, beginning with untying the red bow wrapped around it in a simple yet elegant fashion.

Once opened she discovered wrapping tissue covering the contents. Lifting it up in caution, she was mentally preparing herself for a big bang contrived by her would-be assassin. Still, she continued to open up the package, and after peeling off the last wrapping tissue – which was colored red by the way – she gasped. "Oh my –" she breathed out in awe, and immediately reached out to touch the contents of the package. "It was the dress I was eyeing from the store yesterday," she lovingly murmured as tears, unbidden, sprang up in her sky-blue eyes. Holding it up to her face, her eyes followed every contours of the flowing dress, and held it against her bosom. "It’s even more beautiful especially from this close." Then regaining her composure, "Who could have bought such a thing for me?" Then without even dwelling too much on its giver, she mouthed, caressing the word, "Heero."

Remembering the bouquet of roses, she turned her attention back to it and reached for it. Spying the small, cream-colored card, she gripped it and opened its folds, reading – more like studying – every written line on it. It simply read:

The dress, for you to wear to tonight’s Gala . . . .

And that was it. The note was unsigned – her name wasn’t even written on it – however, she immediately knew who it was from. Also, it was short and to the point, definitely reeked of Heero’s style. Plus, he was the only one who knew about the dress.

Smiling, she felt her heart beating – more like thundering – against her chest as she thought about Heero. ‘I guess he really does care,’ she gladly reflected. And even though she had felt such hopelessness yesterday, now she felt hope swelling from within her. ‘There’s hope for him yet,’ she insanely grinned at that thought.

Holding the roses close to her, Relena inhaled the perfumed scent of the dazzling flowers. ‘Sometimes, Heero is just so sweet that you can love him to death,’ she murmured as she fell back on her bed, the garment with her, and the roses held against her. ‘He must’ve returned to the dress shop after we went home.’ Relena blissfully sighed, ‘What a man.’ Reaching above her head, her free hand wandered around the expanse of the bed searching for something.

"Got it," she triumphantly proclaimed. Her hand made contact with a furry object and when she looked, a smile graced her face. It was her ‘Hee-chan,’ a worn-out, furry, little stuffed bear named after its giver, Heero Yuy. She held her treasure – the first one she received from Heero –against her chest. Looking back at her clock, she gave a yelp. ‘Oh my God, it’s already 3:00. Guests will start arriving within two hours. Got to move it Darlian,’ she said as she sauntered back into her bathroom.

Immediately she ran back outside, and grabbed her dress with care. Then without looking back, she skipped into the bathroom and proceeded to lock it after herself.

* * * * *

As Relena stood from her perch on the entrance to the west wing, a wing reserved just for the illustrious residents of the palace, she took a minute to assess the tidings below. ‘Well, this definitely is grand,’ Relena thought as she glanced all around the ballroom. It was simply breathtaking. ‘Quatre and Dorothy have outdone themselves, yet again,’ Relena thought as she gazed below her.

The immense castle ballroom was built to house thousands of people. It was, after all, the ballroom of a royal family, therefore it deserved to be eye-catching and grand. It stood to at least more than fifty feet high. An enormous crystalline chandelier was hanging in the center of the rose-bordered ceiling. With its sparkling radiance, the chandelier cast shadows all about the figures below. Roses seemed to be the theme of the night – besides the more obvious, valentine’s and love. Curtains were simply magnificent with their layered design. The bottom layer was simply a red silk cloth while the upper layer was a dark transparent fabric that had roses woven all throughout, seemingly dancing about. Combined together it was a magical curtain with roses gracefully interwoven upon sparkling red and black material. It was an exquisite design. However, that wasn’t all. Rose petals were scattered all around the ballroom. It looked as if the floor was a sea of roses.

"Simply magnificent," Relena breathed out in awe. Looking at the crowded ballroom filled with citizens, aristocrats, and politicians mingling together, chatting about, Relena decided, "I guess it’s time for me to make an appearance."

Gracefully, she drew up on her full length, and, chin up, started treading the carpeted floors of the upper resident area. As she arrived on the top of a long flight of stairs that let down to the ballroom, she steadied herself and took a deep breath. ‘It’s time to knock some socks off, Darlian.’

Carefully, she strode down the steps, the cool glaze of the gold tinted railing cool to her touch. Instantly she was aware of the halted conversations and the hush that fell among the occupants of the room. Every nerve on her skin jumped at the familiar sensation of being watched by thousands of eyes.

All eyes gazing at her for a moment thought that they were so lucky to have been graced with the presence of Aphrodite herself, whose beauty was legendary. That was the extent of Relena’s entrance. For all thought her to be a goddess, an ethereal being. The dress, looking remarkably great on the display case, was even more marvelous worn by Relena. Though preserving her aura of innocence, it also touched on the fact that Relena was a desirable woman. Looking as if she’d been poured into the dress, modesty was kept though her feminine curves were greatly emphasized. Golden earrings, a simple straight line whose length ran perpendicular to the curve of her chin, adorned her ears. A gold ring, placed on its center an oval-shaped diamond, was worn on her right hand’s ring finger. Her slender neck, without any accessories, was even more pronounced. In addition her hairstyle only accentuated the natural beauty of her make-up free heart-shaped face. Though usually let down, tonight, Relena’s long, strawberry-blond hair was wrapped up in a French coil. Her bangs, also pulled back save for a few that were in curls, highlighted her clear face. A golden crown, the symbol of her princess status, was the finishing touch.

Continuing down the step, she looked amidst the throng of people, searching for the familiar Prussian blue eyes along with its owner, a certain dark-haired youth. Yet, disappointedly, she found no trace of him. What she found though, as her foot landed on the rose-covered floor, were many eligible, good-looking men immediately flocking to her side. And for the next three hours, Relena was bombarded, left and right, with questions such as, "Princess, would you please grant me thy honor of sharing this dance with me?"

* * * * *

"Finally, I never thought I’d get away from there," Relena murmured tiredly as she escaped through the steps, situated next to the low balcony overlooking Relena’s rose gardens. For the past three hours, she had danced nonstop with, possibly, every man in the room. Even when she had sought refuge in dances with Trowa, Quatre, or Duo, someone would tap them on the shoulder and ask a dance with her. Now, catching sight of several young men heading in her direction, she hurriedly sought sanctuary away from the dance floor. Her exit was covered by Duo, for which her broken toes were eternally grateful for.

The guests had long since spilled out onto the terrace and lingered, laughing and talking.

As she continued on, she immediately buried herself deeper within the gardens. She found refuge with her roses, many of which she had planted with her own hands. Many a times, whenever she wasn’t with her friends, the office, or, God forbid, Heero, she would be found hiding out among her gardens. There she would proceed to tend to her roses and giving them the loving care that they deserved. She’d decided to wander further alone in a shadowy garden so as not to attract any unwanted attention.

As Relena inhaled the fragrant aroma of the roses, soft strains of music, coming from the ballroom, drifted all around her. The orchestra was playing something she recognized from her classic collections, a seductive ballad called, Always A Secret. As Relena hummed along with the ballad, she was once more taken to a journey to the past. It was one of her favorites, seeming to convey her thoughts interwoven within each and every note – all her thoughts about Heero. Relena smiled wistfully, ‘I have always associated this song with Heero.’

Memories were resurfacing in her mind, demanding not to be ignored. It seemed appropriate that this song would remind her of Heero. Always a secret – that’s how her feeling for him were. For this past year, they’ve forged a bond so close that she wouldn’t dare do anything to break it. She loved being with him in any way possible at all. ‘So that’s why it always has to stay a secret,’ Relena thought wistfully looking up at the bed of honeyed stars in the blanketed night.

One thing bothered her the most though. ‘I thought he was going to come, for sure I thought he really was.’ Then a little angry at herself, ‘Stupid. After yesterday, I don’t he’ll be coming. He’s probably scared stiff that I’m going to start acting all psychopathic and obsessive just because I have feeling for him.’ . . . . ‘The roses and the dress were probably just an act of sympathy.’ . . . . ‘You are pathetic Relena Darlian . . . really, really pathetic.’

Now that she thought about it, ‘Heero had always played a central part in my life.’ She had turned to him when she needed a guiding light, a symbol of strength. It mortified her now, looking back, at how she had behaved before. Her excuses to see him had been embarrassingly transparent. Shaking her head, ‘I’ve been looking for a steady rock in my crumbling world and I chose him since he seemed to be a pillar of strength.’ Relena’s cheeks flamed as she recalled the times she’d followed him around like a little puppy. The way she’d studied every word he said, and kept it to heart. The way she’d worshipped her from afar, until her admiration had burned fiercely within her, impossible to contain or control. ‘My need for him was probably analyzed as a behavior of a stalker. How embarrassing.’ It hurt to remember those times and as she often had in the past, she blocked the memories from her mind rather than relieve the humiliation she’d suffered because of him.

Stepped off on the manicured lawn that was currently damp, and it felt good against her bare toes. It felt good, clean, lifting her spirits. Throwing caution to the wind, she leaned down and slipped off her high-heeled sandals. Enjoying the damp lawn, she shuffled happily to the oak. She ran her fingers along the rough bark of a low branch as she ducked under the sheltering limbs. Reaching the trunk, she hoisted herself into a waist-high fork, allowing her bare feet to swing free in the cool night breeze.

Wearily she rubbed the back of her neck where a knot had taken up permanent residence. ‘A hot shower and twelve hours of sleep would do me wonders.’

As a whole, the garden exuded a feeling of untamed romanticism, well-suited to its medieval settings. Roaming farther from the palace and deeper amid the beauty of nature, Relena found herself suddenly less agitated, and she took a deep, relaxing breath.

She smiled, reliving the innocence of childhood. Her silk gown glimmered in the moonlight, making her feel like a princess in fairy-tales. "Now would be the time for the handsome and dashing prince to take me in his arms and tell me how devastatingly beautiful I am," she mused aloud.

"You look devastatingly beautiful tonight," whispered a his smooth, deep voice from behind her. And for the second day in a row, Relena screamed.

* * * * *

Relena’s heart was thundering in her chest, as she turned around to face the speaker. Her eyes widened in surprise, and even though her whole being rejoiced, her first thought was, ‘I am going to kill him.’ As she stared up at the man before her, her hand on the spot right above her heart, she venomously spitted out, "Yuy, Never. I repeat. Never. Ever. Do. That. Again."

And like before, his answer was to salute her as he grinned at her boyishly . . . without remorse. And like before, this proved to be Relena’s undoing. ‘Oy,’ she thought as she eyed his face, ‘He perfects it every time I see him.’ Scrutinizing him, she appreciatively murmured, ‘This gets better and better by the minute.’

Relena had always loved men in tuxedos, ever since she was old enough to attend the various social functions they, the Darlians, were invited to. Most of the men she saw were wearing tuxedos. Since then she had associated distinguished, good-looking men and tuxedos in the same category. ‘And Heero looks very distinguished and very good-looking indeed.’

Relena’s heart almost leapt from her chest as she hesitantly allowed her gaze to trail over Heero, so tall, with such impressive shoulders. Though he was wearing a tuxedo, like everyone else, Heero – being Heero – found another way to differentiate himself from the crowd. Instead of wearing a black tuxedo – as everyone else did – and look ‘boldly attractive’ in it, he decided to wear a white tuxedo, choosing the ‘devastatingly gorgeous’ look.

She was positively speechless as his profound eyes stared intently at hers. Her attention was so riveted on the aloof elegance of the man before that she simply stopped noticing anything else around her. ‘He looks so painfully handsome and powerful, so princely and so unobtainable,’ that Relena could only stare sadly. Her heart was pounding madly against her ribcage as his haunting scent worked its magic around her. She found herself hard-pressed to keep from touching him.

Her whole frame trembling, a small melancholy smile on her lips, Relena whispered, "Heero, what are you doing here?" She winced as she heard the forlorn note in her voice.

Donning his usual impassive mask, he answered, "Turns out that Valentine’s Day is actually a pretty controversial occasion." He continued gazing down at her, so close that she could feel his breath fanning her face. "The name Saint Valentine is given to two legendary Christian martyrs whose feasts were formally observed on February 14. One was believed to be a Roman priest who was martyred on the year 269 during the persecution of Claudius the Goth. The second was probably a bishop of Terni martyred in Rome. These two legends were probably based on real people. Some people believe, it was based only on one person. Nothing at all associated with love and courtship."

Relena just stood frozen in his gaze, powerless in slowing the beating of her pulsing heart, and unable to believe that he was actually there with her. With a tremor in her voice, she asked, "You didn’t come all the way here to give me a history lesson on Valentine’s Day did you?"

"No, as a matter of fact, I didn’t," he answered matter-of-factly. Delicately placing her hands within his own, he tugged at her and ordered, "Follow me." Immediately, he led her deeper into the shadowy garden, leading towards a maze – on the courtyard of the Peacecraft Palace – she was familiar with. A mysterious smile was plastered in his face and this served to puzzle Relena even more.

‘What are you really doing here? Where are you taking me?’ Relena silently asked as she eyed his splendid back.

"Close your eyes," Heero softly commanded.

Though Relena was dying with curiosity, she complied. She felt Heero lead her deeper into the maze. She should be afraid since she didn’t know where they were going at all, or what was happening around her. She should be – but she wasn’t. ‘I trust you with my life, Heero,’ she silently avowed.

It took her a minute to realize that they had already stopped walking, so lost was she in her thoughts.

"Open you eyes," Heero’s voice gently whispered on her ear. She did and –

"Oh my God," as she breathed out. Relena’s gaze wandered all around the place. "Beautiful," she whispered as tears feel unchecked from her watery eyes.

The center of the maze contained it own fountain. Normally, it was just any other ordinary fountain to Relena, but that night it was anything but ordinary. The fountain sculpture depicted a beautiful figurine in robes of the Greek goddesses. Her hair was flowing all about her as the sea waves lifted her up to the skies, her right hand reaching up to touch the sea of stars as her face looked up to the skies in longing. Among the water swirling below the fountain were candles shaped like roses, its petals opened as if in bloom. Rose petals were also scattered on the water. Not only that, but rose petals were scattered among the grounds, like in the ballroom, except this seemed more magical to Relena.

The next thing she knew she was staring and drowning upon familiar Prussian blue eyes, and loving every minute of it. Heero held her face between his hands, his fingers gently wiping the tears from her eyes. She wasn’t aware of time nor anything around her as she stared into those luminous eyes. But a question had to be asked. "Heero, what?" she gestured to the magnificent spectacle all around her. "What is all of this for?"

A thoroughly dashing grin blossomed on his lips as he replied, "Let’s just say the Valentine’s Bug got me."

Her eyebrow’s creased in a frown, her lovely features in thought. "I still don’t understand."

"Lena-chan, for a politician, there are times when you sure are dense." At her incensed look, he held up his hands in a motion for peace. He sighed as he admitted, "These last few days you’ve been incredibly depressed because of this whole Valentine’s affair. I thought that maybe I should change that. The depressed look definitely doesn’t suit you." He tilted her chin up as his twinkling Prussian blue eyes gazed at her maudlin eyes. He smirked, "Plus, you get way too moody. Nobody else can get any work done because of you." Relena playfully swatted at him, though he didn’t dodge it. "So what do you say?"

Seeing Relena look up at him in more confusion, he further explained, "Will you be my Valentine – for friendship’s sake?" With flourish, he held up something in his hand and carefully tucked it in between her dainty hands, as if he was transferring a precious treasure, afraid of accidentally damaging it.

Relena looked at the object in her hands and she gasped in delight and awe. For in her hands, she held . . .

"One perfect, blooming, red rose," she whispered. And as what usually happened as of late, her eyes filled with tears, a sentimental smile slowly lifted upon the corners of her lips. ‘I can’t believe it,’ Relena thought. ‘He went ahead and did all this for me.’ Tears came spilling forth from her eyes unbidden. ‘He is a romantic at heart. I don’t care if he did this for friendship. What matters is he did it. I’ll settle for that. It’s a step. Rome wasn’t built in a day after all.’

Hearing the drifting tunes of a ballad, Heero gallantly turned to her and held out his dance, bowing slightly as he tilted his head playfully towards he, "Care to dance, fair princess?"

Her head spinning with great joy, her face lighting with her golden smile, Relena bowed in turn and laid her hand on Heero’s proffered hand, and answered, "It would be my pleasure, kind sir."

And as Heero drew Relena gently closer to him as they swayed to the distant melody drifting from the ballroom, Relena felt the stirrings of what she hadn’t felt for a long time . . . the blossoming of hope.

* * * * *

Ahhh!!!!! I don’t think it was quite that good. I wasn’t sure if what I wanted to convey actually got across. Did it? Did it? I know, I know, It was an absolutely horrible story. =*(

Anyway, so . . . am I forgiven yet for not publishing Chapter 3 of FLEETING DREAMS: A SECOND CHANCE?

Of course the readers say, "Get down on your knees and beg . . . then we MIGHT consider forgiving you."

Therefore, Divine Selenity goes down on her knees with her BEST sad puppy face and tears streaming from her face saying, "Pretty please . . . ."

Well, to appease you I will work doubly hard on getting it out this next Sunday. Again, thanks for everyone’s support. Those who have personally written me and complimented me about my story, THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!! I appreciate it a lot. Remember, don’t hesitate to write back because I EXTREMELY LOVE E-MAIL. Peace everyone . . . . J Ja!!!!