Love’s Choice 5

Katana Force

Relena had just finished her shower and settled into bed. From the the events that happened tonight, it looked like everyone had worked out their problems. She was happy for them. They all belonged to together, but she couldn’t help but feel left out. She missed Heero. Missed him more than she would like to admit.

"Enough of this self-pity stuff, Relena. You need to get some sleep." Relena rolled over and buried her head in the soft pillow. Five minutes later, there was a knock on the door.

‘Not again!’ Relena thought with dismay. "Come in."

The door opened to reveal Heero standing at her door with a pillow and blanket. "I am not going to explain. All I will say is that I am comendearing the extra matress under under your bed."

Relena almost laughed. Heero sounded REALLY annoyed. "Neighbors to noisy?"

Heero dropped his pillow and blanket on the foot of her bed while he retrieved the mattress. "Yep, it’s the Olympic bouncing contest."

Relena laughed outright. "That bad, huh?"

Heero peaked up and gave a small smile. "Yeah, thump, bounce, squeak, thump-"

"Okay! I get the idea!"

"Good." Heero plopped down on the matteress and sighed. "Night, Relena."

"Good night, Heero." A thought hit Relena just then. "Um, Heero, what about my brother?"

Heero sat up. "From the sounds that are traveling down the hall, I said they were alittle occupied. Don’t worry about it. I’ll be out of here before anyone wakes up." Relena nodded and laid back down, an evil grin spreading across her face. "Hey, Heero?" She saw his shadowed form sit up and look at her. "Did you know that my brother and Noin, and Duo and Hilde all swtiched rooms?"

"You mean that was- and I was- You just ruined my whole night."

"Sorry." Smiling Relena settled into the soft pillows and preceeded to fall asleep. She couldn’t help but wonder, though, why Heero was in her room when there was the living room and den couches. Fear started to settle itself in, clawing at Relena’s already tortured soul. Her drems were filled with the accident of so long ago, but this time, Heero was there, hating her.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The next morning found Relena up before anyone. She wasn’t surprised. It was 5 o’clock in the morning, and the dreams hadn’t helped much. Pouring a cup of coffee from the fresh pot, Relena walked out onto the front deck. She shivered as a cool breeze ran down her spine, but the morning sun quickly warmed her.

‘I wish life could be like this everyday. No papers to worry about. No dipoloamts calling every ten minutes. Peace, real peace. Peace to relax and enjoy life. To go out and have fun every Friday night with some friends. To know that when you come home, there someone special waiting for you. Will I ever have that? Never and you know it, Peacecraft.’ Relena heard noise in the kitchen, so she went back inside to inspect it. She found Duo and Hilde sitting on some stools drinking coffee.

"Good morning, Relena."

"Morning, Jousan."

"Hey, guys. I didn’t expect either of you to be up this early."

Duo gave her a cheeky grin. "Today is an exciting day. I wanted to get a good start on it."

Hilde’s eyes sparkled. "Yeah, we were planning on taking everyone horse-back riding. How does that sound to you?"

"Sounds great. I’m sure everyone would love to go."

"Sounds good to us too." Relena turned to see Sally and Wufei walk in.

"Good morning to you both."

"Good morning, yep, it sure is." Sally smiled at Wufei.

"For once, onna, you’re actually right."

Hilde and Duo laughed as Relena just shook her head and sighed. Coffee was served to the new arrivals who now included Dorothy, Quatre, Trowa, Midii, Noin, and Milliardo. The plans were talked about and set into stone. They would get dressed, go have breakfast at one of the local inns, and go riding after. The place they were going served lunch on the trail, so they planned on being out there all afternoon.

Everyone was starting to leave when Duo noticed Heero’s absence. "Any one seen Heero around? I went to go wake him up before I came down here with Hilde, but he wasn’t in his room."

Hilde was the only one who noticed a slight blush crawl over Relena’s face, but she waited until Milliardo was gone before queationing the blushing princess. "Relena, where’s Heero?"

Duo, Hilde, Sally, and Noin waited for her answer. "Well, he’s in my room." Eyes went wide. "It’s not what you think. Noin and Milliardo were making to much noise so he used the mattress under my bed. I woke up this morning, but he was still sleeping, so I let him be. I wonder if he’s not feeling well?"

Sally took charge. "Relena, why don’t you and go check on him. The rest of you can go get ready." A few minutes later, Relena opened her bedroom door to find Heero still alseep and very flushed. Sally came in behind Relena while both kneeled down by the mattress.

"Heero, Heero, wake up, Heero." Relena didn’t get any response.

Sally put her palm on his forhead. "He’s burning up. Relena, I am going to get my med bag out of my room. I’ll be right back." Relena nodded as Sally got up and walked out.

Putting her hand in Heero’s forehead, Relena gasped. "Oh, Heero, you are burning up."

Heero’s eyelids fluttered open to reveal foggy eyes. "Relena?"

Taking his warm hand, Relena leaned forward. "Heero, are you okay?" Before Heero could answer, he passed out. "Heero!"

Sally came bursting into the room followed closely by Duo. "Relena, what happened."

"He woke up, but passed out before he could say anything."

"Hm, okay, I am going to take his temperature and check his breathing. Why don’t you wait outside." Sally examined the downed pilot throughly. A few minutes later, Sally let out a giggle before giving Relena and the now present Duo her vedict. "Well, he has a temperature of 103 degrees, but his pulse and breathing are normal. Uh, I don’t know how to tell you this, but he has the chicken pox."

Duo laughed. "Has the chicken pox?!?"

Sally hid a smile, "Yeah, he’s got them all over his body."

Relena put up a hand to cover her smile. Hilde, Trowa, and Quatre came out of thier rooms.

"What’s so funny?"

Relena put a hand up to Duo’s mouth. "Heero is sick. We need you to help us move him to his room."

Quatre gave Relena a questioning look. "To his room?"

"I’ll explaine later, but we need to hurry."

Thirty minutes later, Heero was sleeping comfortably on his bed while Sally gave Relena instructions about Heero’s medcine. "Are you sure you want to stay here with him?"

Relena smiled as she pushed Sally out the door. "Yes, I’m sure. I’m the only one who doesn’t have a date for this outing so it doesn’t matter if I go or not. You on the other hand have Wufei to think about, so get your butt moving."

Sally turned. "Gee, who died and made you boss?"

"I am the Foreign Minister, I am the Queen of the Sanq Kingdom, and I leagally have command over you, so get going!"

"Thanks, Relena. For everything."

"You’re welcome, Sally."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Everyone has just climbed into the suburban when Milliardo spoke up. "Where’s Relena and Heero?"

Before Sally could stop Duo, he blurted out the answer. "Heero has the chicken pox so Relena decided to watch over him." The ‘burban rolled down the road in complete silence. "Uh, guys? Say something!"

Everyone was either laughing, snickering (Wufei and Milliardo), or smiling (Trowa).

"Guys, if you don’t stop laughing, you’ll find yourselves missing something when I tell Heero you were laughing about his predicament."

Duo looked at Sally in horror as they became quiet once again. "You wouldn’t."

Wufei looked over at Duo. "She would."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Heero awakened and felt the insatiable urge to scratch all over. Wondering what was wrong, he opened his eyes, sat up, and examined his body. He found multiple little red dots all over, and they itched like crazy. He started to sratch, but a warm hand stopped him He looked up to see Relena standing next to him.

"You can’t scratch, or you’ll just make it worse."

Heero obeyed by taking his hand away from his leg and holding Relena’s. "What’s wrong with me?"

Relena, still a little shocked that he would hold her hand, smiled. "You have the chicken pox."

A confused look fell over Heero’s features until it turned into a scwoll. "The chicken pox? That’s a childhood disease."

Relena tried to pull away, but Heero wouldn’t let go. "Yeah, apparently your perfect solider training never left you room for a childhood disease. So, you got it now." Relena was feeling a bit flustered when Heero still wouldn’t let go of her hand. "Heero, let me go."

"No."

"But-"

"I itch to much. I need something to distract me."

"Sally gave me a medicine to take the itching away. Do you want it?"

"Yeah."

Relena gave Heero an admonishing look. "I’m going to need my arm back if you want me to go get it." Heero released her hand and settled back.

Relena returned qucikly with a pink bottle and cotton balls. "It’s a cream that you have to apply directly onto the skin." Handing him the medicine and cotton, Relena backed away and sat at Heero’s desk chair.

A few miniutes later, Heero’s arms and legs where literally pink (AN: Why is it pink anyway?), and Relena tried not to laugh. "You know, I do hate that color, but it is so you."

"Shut up."

"No."

Relena’s face turned red and she quickly spun around. Heero watched this in amusement as he pulled off his shirt to get at the red spots on his chest and abdoman, but he was having a serious problem getting at his back. He hated to admit it, but he needed help.

"Relena, turn around." Slowly, she obeyed to find Heero sitting on top of the covers. The upper half of his body was pink as well, but it did nothing to disquise the muscles and scars. "I need your help. I can’t reach behind me." Relena didn’t move. "Relena, please help me."

The pleading tone that she had never heard Heero use before prompted her to help. She got up from the chair and sat behind him on the bed.

Her pulse was racing as he handed her the bottle and cotton. Gently, she applied the pink cream to the red spots on his back. She also studied the scars that adorned his back. She had never noticed them before. Then again, her mind was....not entirely focused; and besides, it had been dark.

"So, you never noticed them before, huh?"

Relena was startled and almost dropped the bottle on the bed, but Heero caught it. She blushed as Heero set the stuff on the nightstand. "I-I’m sorry, Heero."

Heero realized a mintue before Relena did that she was about to try to escape. He stopped her by turning around and pinning her to the spot. "Don’t be." An onslught of emotions rushed through Heero. They were unfamilar but comforting at the same time.

Relena couldn’t move if she wanted to. She was backed against the headboard with Heero pinning her there. She didn’t know what to do. The take-charge, go-get-’em person was gone. In her place was a very scared woman.

"Heero, what are you doing?"

Heero could barely breath. Here she was, so close. His emotions and his hands becoming harder to control. Everyday he was reminded of how much she had grown up. She was the only thing that he desired.

"Relena, don’t run away from me. Away from us."

Relena’s eyes grew in shock. " ‘Us’! When ever was there an us?"

Heero’s breathing grew ragged. "Don’t deny it. You know there has always been an us."

Relena sighed in defeat and turned her head away from Heero’s burning gaze. "Ever since that one night, you’ve always acted like your human around me; and only me. Will you stop?"

"Never." Heero’s dead serious tone caused Relena to look back at him. "You are the only one that I can act human around. You are the only one I fully trust with my emotions."

The air seemed to become thick and heavy. "Is it me, or is it hot in here?"

A faint smile seemed to play on Heero’s lips. "You’re the one who’s hot."

Relena’s jaw dropped, but she realized her actions to late. Heero’s eyes were instantly drawn down. Closing her mouth, Relena blushed.

Heero saw this and could’t resist any longer. He leaned towards her slowly, giving her all the time in the world. Relena was impatient and closed the rest of the distance herself. Heero smiled at this but was quickly lost in the kiss.

The second their lips touched, changes began to happen. Not only physical, the changes were emotional as well. Walls were breaking down. The emotions and love that had been pent up for so long came to the fore in a rush.

Heero couldn’t take it any more. The emotions and feelings were driving him insane. He had to let them out. He released Relena’s hands and rested his on her slim waist. His fingers qucikly found their way under the hem of her shirt. Relena gasped as he began to stoke the bare skin of her tummy and sides.

Heero, seeing the advantage his actions gave him, plunged in. The silkiness of it all drove him insane. He felt Relena’s hands come to rest behind his head. He could smell her faint scent, could feel her emotions in her responses. She was having the same trouble he was.

The phone rang. Heero cursed whoever was calling. He wasn’t about to let Relena get away from him.

Relena couldn’t help herself. She closed the distance between them. It was a simple kiss, but she could tell Heero wanted more. It was just like that one night. He wanted it all and wanted it now. She didn’t know if she could handle it again.

Her skin began to tingle as Heero’s hands played with her skin. She gasped in surprise. His hands traced lines all over, leaving her in emotional distress. She buried her fingers in his hair. The physical and emotional changes were driving her insane as well.

The phone rang. She didn’t want to get it, but Sally said she was going to call. They were sure to question her if she didn’t answer. Decision made, Relena started to pull away.

"I have to answer that."

"No."

"Yes."

Heero leaned down and kissed her again. "No."

Relena laughed and pulled away. "If I don’t, they’re going to find out."

"Who cares!"

Relena got up and ran to the other side of the room. She glanced in the mirror on her way and stopped.

"What’s wrong?"

Relena turned and looked at Heero. Heero looked for the source of the problem. When he found it, he couldn’t help but laugh. "Can’t keep it a secret forever, Relena. Better they find out now."

Relena smiled and looked again in the mirror. Her face was flushed and her lips were a little swollen. Not to mention the fact that her eyes were glowing. "Maybe they won’t notice."

"Fat chance."

Relena sat down in front of the vid phone.

Sally’s smiling image popped up on the screen. "Hey! How’s the pat- Nevermind, I already know." Relena blushed even more.

Hilde’s voice was heard in the background. "Know what, Sally?" Sally stepped back to let Hilde talk to Relena. "Hey, how’s Heero- oh, I see. Excellent anyalsis, Dr. ‘Woman’."

Relena’s forehead came to rest on her palm. "Leave me alone."

Hilde smiled. "Don’t worrry, I won’t say anything."

Midii pushed Hilde out of the way. "Hey, we really miss you! Are you getting bore-" Midii noticed as well. "Hm, so that’s how the wind blows."

Noin pushed Midii out of the way. "What’s that about Millia- ah. So I guess we shouldn’t worry about you being bored, huh?"

Dorothy pushed Noin out of the way. "Relena, what are they talking abo-" Dorothy’s eyes went wide. "Gee, was this your plan all along?"

Relena laughed. "No, Dorothy. Put Sally back on."

"I’m right here. Now, I take it the patient is doing well?"

Relena rolled her eyes. "Yes, Heero seems to be fine. His fever broke about an hour ago. The only real problem is that he itches, but the cream you gave him seems to be helping."

"I see, well, continue with the cream and lots of fluids. Because of his genetic make-up, he should be out of this in a few hours."

"Right, when will you guys get back?"

"If the guys can get their heads out of the horses’ butts, we should be back in an hour or so."

"Dare I ask?"

"No. Listen, you get back to...er...I’ll see you later."

"Bye, Sally." With the connection broken, Relena turned and looked at Heero. "Dare I even think about walking back over there?"

"Not if they are going to be home in a hour. Why don’t you get me a glass of water?"

"Sure."

Disclaimer: I do not own, nor do I claim, Gundam Wing or anything pertaining to it.