~*~

The glass behind her shattered to a million pieces and before she could stand up, someone tackled her from behind. Indescribable pain erupted through her as her head was knocked against the stage floor while her breath was snuffed from her body… Then, along with the soft ringing sounds that came out of nowhere, she heard a familiar voice shout a string of commands…

The hands deep in his pockets shook. He saw Relena’s head hit the stage floor… Saw her wince because of that sloppy tackle….

"You were late…." The words escaped from tightly clenched jaw. He was furious and anybody who could see him right now would be able to tell even without glancing at the burning look of death in his eyes. "Wufei… You were late." The words left his mouth once again while the crowd around him pushed and shoved to get to where the shooting happened.

One more second and Relena… could have died in front of his eyes-

"Hey Heero! Wazzup with everyone?! What happened? People around here look stressed out."

The voice reached his side but he didn’t acknowledge the owner as his eyes glared at the fuzzed screen. One of Wufei’s orders was to cut the press connection and unconsciously, he couldn’t help but think that if anything had happened today… to her… Relena… he would never get the answers he’s been looking for…

"Yo, Heero? Yah okay, man?"

A double scoop vanilla ice cream with dripping chocolate syrup atop a waffle cone bobbed up and down his vision.

"I’ve got ice cream." The singsong voice announced while he turned the ice cream’s bobbing motion to a swaying one.

"You eat it. I’m going somewhere." Heero turned away, a million things in mind.

"But-"

"He was late."

Those dangerously said words reached Duo’s ears and sent a shiver up his spine. "Whatcha talking ‘bout?" Duo shouted at Heero as he walked into the crowd. In a few more moments, he disappeared, and, as always, no answer came from his tight-lipped friend. Duo rolled his eyes in frustration, walked to the stand with the television, and sat on one of the stools while he held on to the two ice creams. "Now what’s gotten into him?"

"Duo!"

Duo quickly turned in his chair to face the direction of the voice, and then a loving smile parted his lips as his vision was encompassed by loveliness.

"Hey sweetheart." He opened his arms as the woman stopped in front of him and then promptly embraced him like there’s no tomorrow. He nuzzled her neck then kissed her cheek.

"Where’s Heero?" She sat on his lap and leaned her body against his frame while he placed his chin at the crook of her shoulder.

"Off to murder someone, I think."

Hilde chuckled. "Not you, I hope. I don’t want to spend that honeymoon by myself."

Duo grinned. "Nah. I don’t think so. He had plenty of time to punch and shoot me while I was showing him the ice cream."

She glanced at the ice creams. "They’re melting." She followed a drop that slowly made its way to Duo’s finger.

"You know that one of them is for you." Duo brought the vanilla ice cream near her mouth while he brought the chocolate one to his lips.

Hilde smiled mischievously. "Why thanks." She leaned forward.

Duo felt her velvety tongue lick his hand slowly and then reach the cone. He gulped. God but he loves her!

"Aw heck with the ice cream." He dropped the two cones on the table, turned the woman on his lap around and feasted on her lips instead. Thankfully, everyone on the street was clustered outside Kwairy Hall where Relena had been giving her farewell speech.

Hilde placed her hands on his chest, intent on pushing him away, but she clutched his shirtfront instead and brought him closer. "We have to stop. Remember, honeymoon."

Duo’s teeth grazed her lower lip. "Count of three… One" He kissed her full on the lips then moved a millimeter away. "Two." Their lips met. His tongue played with hers and when they parted to take a breath. Against his will, he said the last number. "Three."

Their foreheads touched and their breaths mingled.

"Are you okay?" Hilde asked in a whisper while her hands slid around his neck.

"Not exactly…. But I’ll live." Duo smiled as he kissed her chastely on the cheek. "Few more weeks then we could leave."

A happy laugh escaped Hilde’s lips. "Yes… I can’t wait."

His embraced tightened. "Neither can I."

"So, are you planning to tell anyone about the plan?"

Duo shrugged. "Nah… Maybe… but I don’t think so. I’ll invite all of them to our other wedding though."

A content sigh escaped her lips as she snuggled in deeper. "Why not…? I do love to hear you say yes."

Duo laughed. "You forget, I’ll hear you say that word again, too." They stayed in each other’s arms while chaos ruled the people around them- the radios, newspapers, press and… someone’s mind.

"This is funny… we’re going on our honeymoon before our wedding." He placed a kiss on her midnight blue hair as she whispered in his ear.

"Hey! We’ve got an overdue honeymoon. Then…" He grinned mischievously as he nuzzled her neck. "We could do it again."

"I wouldn’t mind at all…" Hilde quickly stood up and pulled Duo along. They have to start moving around if they don’t want to do it in daylight. "Let’s go check out those brochures."

"Okidoki." With a hand around one another, they started walking. They passed the crowd of people who demanded for information but the couple was separated in their own beautiful world…

‘He’s going to be here…. I could feel it…’ A stream of expletives left his lips before he faced his subordinates. "Well?! What are you all doing just standing around here?! Go and get more information on the attempt!"

The three gave their leave and left just as the adjoining room’s door opened.

"Wufei, calm down… I’m fine. No one was hurt… Please calm down." She had been waiting until the others left so she could at least talk Wufei’s anger down and not let anyone else get hurt.

Wufei pushed himself away from the table then stood up, his back to the woman who had just walked into the doorway. "You don’t understand anything." The assassin didn’t leave a single mark of existence! That was what bothered him!

"I do not? Wufei, we’ve been together for nearly nine years. How could I not understand you? You like green, you love spicy foods, you are responsible, caring and sweet- once people get past what you initially say, that is..."

He knew that she was just trying to make him feel better, but he was too worried for her sake, and angry with himself to care. "You don’t understand!" He turned around to face her and instantly grimaced at the bruise that was starting to appear on her ivory cheek. "It was my duty to protect you! My duty! It was my honor on the line! If you…" His voice faltered at the unacceptable thought. "If something happened to you today, I would have been disgraced!" There was more… but he couldn’t… he doesn’t want to think of it. He was not used to thinking about it. Better to say what he had thought was priority.

Relena met his gaze steadily. "Wufei, you have done your best to protect me. You have stopped numerous assassination attempts on my life before they even happened. If I was destined to die… I will die." She walked to him then placed a hand on his shoulder. "Wufei… death is my only freedom." Her fingertips grew cold with trepidation at what she had just said, but she had come to that reason a long time ago.

Wufei frowned at her but she only smiled unhappily then walked back to the adjoining room and closed the door behind her.

She treaded to the only window in the room while her words echoed in her mind. If she had wanted freedom… why did she ended up doing what the note had asked and, thereby, escaped the only way to obtain what she had been longing for?

From the other side of the door, Wufei turned away, confused… What had she meant? He knew that lately, she had been unhappy… but now that she’s free… Isn’t this what she had been wanting? Couldn’t this new freedom extricate her from her unhappiness?

Before he could find an answer, a knock came from his main office door and he scowled as he opened-

Knuckles rammed against cheekbones. Wufei’s ears roared with a ringing sound. He stepped back with eyes closed as he let the wave of pain pass by and hold back a curse. His left eye would be black and blue tomorrow. Damn! He didn’t even see that one coming! There was only one person who’s got the nerve to do that. "I knew you’d come. Was that for the assassination attempt?"

"No. That was for the sloppy tackle."

Wufei opened his eyes and one of them squinted in pain, while the other glared into the open hole of a SAR model 3.

"This is for the assassination attempt."

Wufei unflinchingly met the gun’s opening. "Careful. She’s just in the other room." He calmly jerked his head to the other door.

Heero followed, gun still in place… She’s just in the other side. The real image… Not a photograph on a newspaper, not in the screen, but the real one… and there’s always that something different… when in person. He had avoided her for so long… Now, there she was, only a few steps away…

"What did you mean, you knew I’d come." He levered the gun away then clicked on the safety. He felt better after the punch and after pointing his gun at Wufei… more in control, but right now… She dictated his actions again- Damn! Why does she always affect him like this?!

Wufei turned to face the other room. "You think I never see you when I raid attempters?"

Heero didn’t answer. He couldn’t make up his mind whether he was happy that she does not know that he was there, or not… "I know that you don’t."

Wufei shrugged. "You didn’t say that you weren’t there, either."

"You’re putting words in my mouth."

"I’m just saying what you’re not voicing out."

"Wufei, you’ve grown soft."

Wufei’s eyebrows shot up then gave an incredulous snort. "I haven’t, but you have… and you don’t even know it."

"An observation from someone who was blind with today’s assassination attempt…" Heero gave Wufei an irritatingly superior smirk. "I will definitely keep that in mind."

Wufei let that one go, though his hands tightly gripped each other behind him. He turned to stare at Relena’s door instead. "One thing about that assassin… he’s got stealth and could hide himself very well. He left no marks, Heero." Memories of the attempt assailed him and all other thoughts left his mind as he focused on that event. An assassination attempt on her last day of office… Someone out there had been planning for this day. They want her dead.

Heero shook his head. "Wufei, keep your options open. It could have been a woman."

An incredulous ‘Hah!’ left him but before he speak his mind, his office door opened wide-

"How is your training coming along?" She needn’t ask. Her daughter’s supervisor’s reports had cried out their praises.

"Wonderfully well, mother." She opened the door for the stately figure and followed right behind.

"Mariemaia, walk beside me."

She obeyed the soft order instantly. "Yes, mother." They walked on a few steps more until she was able to calm her frayed nerves… "Thank you…"

Une stopped then turned, her soft brown hair swayed as she faced the teen. "For what? I haven’t done anything." Her gentle brown eyes questioned the teen.

Mariemaia smiled, her green eyes lighting up. Oh, she loves her mother so much- even if she was just an adopted one. "For giving me the chance to prove myself and… trusting me."

Une reached out to touch Mariemaia’s shoulder length red hair as love for the child shone in her eyes. When Mariemaia had asked her if she could call her mother… the joy she had felt! She doesn’t look anything like Treize, except for the shape of her eyes, but she has her father’s fondness for people and nature. For courage and strength. For life… She knew exactly what the child meant. Mariemaia hadn’t forgiven herself for her actions when she was a child. "There is nothing to make me believe otherwise."

For a few moments, mother and daughter stared at each other, smiled then resumed their walk.

"Whom will we pair with Ms. Relena after we take Wufei away from his duties?"

"His second. There is no one else."

Mariemaia sighed. "If only Heero stayed a bit longer." She smiled as she pictured a happy couple. Her deep respect for Heero and Relena earned them a place in her heart. There’s nothing more in the world she would like than for them to be together. And with the recent attempt on Ms. Relena’s life… she should work faster. "It’s not as if he’s got anything to do, anyway."

Une just smiled at her impatient voice. "You don’t know that. Anyway, be careful, little matchmaker. The last time your father plotted something like that, the people he wanted to be together ended up with the other partners."

Mariemaia grinned cheerfully. "He’s a man. Girls are better with this game."

"Planning and tactics… I should have known." Her voice held amusement rather than the severe note most of the people around her were used to.

They reached Wufei’s office and Mariemaia instantly walked in front of Une to open the door. She looked inside to grin at Wufei but her eyes fell on the man she thought they would never see again, at least, for a while! She couldn’t stop the gasp of surprise that left her mouth. "Mother…!"

Une stepped forward and saw who caught Marie’s attention. Perfect. She didn’t waste any time. "Wufei, you are officially relieved from your duties to protect Ms. Relena Peacecraft. Go to wing 27 and receive your new orders."

Wufei’s jaws slackened and whatever retort about women assassins left him while Heero frowned at the new twist.

"Heero Yuy, I was planning to ask Wufei’s second to head the investigation and Ms. Dorlian’s protection. But since I see a more qualified person in front of me, the position is open to you. This arrangement will only last until Wufei finishes his assignment."

Heero was definitely knocked on his blind side, but he didn’t lose his footing as he kept his stoic face and unflinchingly stared on Une. "Wufei, assess your second."

Wufei grunted. He wants to question Une’s sudden change but… "Mr. Jhos is competent but… slow."

Mariemaia stole a glance at Heero. Her mother was actually helping her!

Slow… The job requires skilled, competent, fast workers. There was nothing else he could do but to say- "I’ll take it." The words seemed ripped from his throat. What did he do!? He had reason enough to realize all possibilities against volunteering and yet he still said yes?! A niggling thought that he might still be able to back out snapped from the back of his mind, but he never backed out of a mission before… and he’s not about to start doing so, but this is going to be one agonizing mission. He knew he just sealed his doom. Damn his old habits.

Mariemaia clapped her hands happily. "Wonderful! I know that you will protect Ms. Relena from all harm, Heero. I just know it."

Heero glanced at Marie, nearly a woman. It was a bit hard to keep in mind that she’s Treize’s daughter- especially since she’s so cheerful.

"Shall we tell Ms. Relena, mother?"

Une nodded. "Come with us, Heero."

Wufei, nearest to the door, opened it and led the group inside. Relena heard them come in but she didn’t move from her spot by the window, still staring at the endless blue sky…

"Hello, Ms. Relena."

"Good afternoon, Mariemaia." Her voice sounded tired - and she was… Not to mention that she could feel a distinctive glare on her back… She had felt that before… oh yes… ‘What is he doing here?’

"Relena," Une started her news.

"Yes, Ms. Une?" One of the rules for polite conversations: respond to show that you are listening even if you are not facing the speaker.

"Wufei Chang has a new assignment. I have assigned Heero Yuy to fill his shoes."

Heero saw her shoulders stiffen. ‘So… she’s not fond of the idea…’

‘No! Not him!’ Relena closed her eyes. He still hasn’t spoken. Fine… Let him think that she doesn’t know he’s around. "Have you notified the person? Has he approved? He may not wish to protect someone he had wanted-" Relena shook her head as she corrected herself. "No… vowed to kill so long ago."

Heero almost – almost - opened his mouth to explain but… explain what? The question he asked himself turned him mute and he tried to remain calm though he was churning with numerous questionable feelings… That’s why he stayed away from her… He could never understand himself when he’s around her. One minute you want to kill her, the next, touch her and kiss her to kingdom come. So, why the hell had he accepted this assignment? One answer: to finally settle his confusion.

Une’s eyebrow rose to prompt Heero to speak but Heero didn’t acknowledge her. Well, she knew this game well enough. "Heero Yuy was notified, and he acknowledged." She turned away and with a quick look, gave Wufei the message to follow her. "I have a meeting. Excuse us."

She opened the door this time, the first one to walk out, Wufei, and then Mariemaia after she gave a wave to Heero and closed the door. They were finally alone… after all the years that had passed… they were alone again.

"So… when were you going to start talking, Heero?" Relena asked, still facing the window, forcing herself not to turn around with much enthusiasm. He will not know that she’s excited… No. That will never do.

Heero’s eyes widened, ever so slightly. How did she know that he was there? What should he say? Tongue-tied again. Before, he never really had anything to say to her, and then it was all about war. Yet, war was a familiar subject to him, one he could easily talk about. Now, though… there was no familiar ground to stand on…

Relena finally turned around and her eyes fell on him. "It has been a long time." She took in his casual jeans, white shirt, and blue jeans jacket while he took in her immaculate white, long sleeved dress in classic style. Then her eyes traveled to his face and hungrily memorized him, engraving his features in her heart.

"Yes, it has." He couldn’t understand why he suddenly couldn’t breathe when her clear blue green eyes met his own… He had forgotten how beautiful her eyes were… Heero scowled… ‘Beautiful?!’ That word had never been in his vocabulary before!

She couldn’t deny it… Her pulse was faster, her stomach was fluttering, and she still found him extremely handsome. But… he shall never know these things. She made a fool of herself before, and she will not do that again. When she saw him frown, her courage rose.

Relena walked to him, stopped just a step away, then looked straight into his Prussian blue eyes. She will take in everything like a modern woman. She opened her lips to tell him off and to finally close that one chapter in her life that had left a hole in her heart.

Every single thought he just had flew out of his mind as her scent invaded his senses. He couldn’t think… couldn’t grasp his thoughts… He knew this would happen. He had accepted that she could truly affect him… Why wasn’t he able to prepare?

"Heero Yuy, you are such an ass."

She could have called him something worse and he wouldn’t have cared. He seemed mesmerized by her moving pink lips…

His unfazed look irritated her some more and years of pent up frustration, years of trying to understand him, years of one-sided love finally came out in anger. "Life really gave you a hard blow, huh? Too bad, Yuy. All of us get that. I hate what you’re doing to yourself and to everyone else! You think we don’t care?! Well! We do! You’re the one who couldn’t care less!"

Heero blinked a couple of times to make sure that this was Relena in front of him, with flailing arms and a scowl of unadulterated anger.

"You know what? I’ve always thought that you were strong, but maybe I was wrong." She should stop… Every situation has its different point of views, and reasons. But right now, what she’s raving about were her own. Heero has his own side, but she couldn’t stop herself! Besides, she had wanted to tell him these things for such a long time. "You’ve closed yourself up. I bet that even if somebody tried to teach you, you wouldn’t even try!"

Now, the words he hadn’t wanted to say escaped his lips… The words he’d been hiding from the day he soberly realized that one thing as he walked under a starless sky. He wants to learn something… something his instincts told him only she could teach. Like a whisper in the wind, the words came out… "Then try me, Relena… Teach me…"