To Live a Lie

By: WingGirl
Rating: PG-13
NC - 17 Epilogue
Disclaimer: As always, the standard disclaimer applies
 

Chapter 1
 

    The early spring air bit at her skin as she stretched to prepare for her morning run. The sun's rays just gave off enough warmth to melt the frost that covered the grass, causing the young woman to rub her arms in an attempt to keep the goose bumps away. Once in a while, she would glance over her shoulder, hoping to catch sight of her missing running partner, only to return her gaze to the taunting watch whose every tick signaled that he wasn't going to show.

    Blowing a strand of hair out of her eyes, Relena Darlian paused from her warm-up. She had to be at work in two hours, and if she didn't start her workout soon she wouldn't make it to work in time for her first appointment. She had tightened her schedule for the day so she would have the evening off - an evening that she was looking forward to.

    She sighed and gave up on her running partner, starting out at a steady pace. Relena ignored the two body guards that trailed not far behind. She traveled about two miles when she heard someone call out her name. She recognized the voice and stopped her gait. Taking a few deep breaths, she smiled at the young man approaching her. He was devilishly sexy, with brown hair and blue eyes that resembled the sky on a clear day. His skin had just the perfect kiss of brown. The gossipers in her office referred to him as a "European hunk".

    "Lane." She eyed her two guards as one came to stand beside her; the other paused in between her and Lane. "It's ok, Robert. He's an intern that works in my building."

    "I know that ma'am, but I'm under orders."

    "Of course." Relena sighed then chuckled at Lane as he reached his hand out to shake hands with her guard.

    "Hello, I don't believe that we have met. My name is Lane Parker. I work with Relena. I hope that we get a chance to get to know each other better." His eyes drifted toward Relena with his last words. She felt blood rise to her cheeks.

    His eyes looked her over and her blush deepened. It was a bit embarrassing. She never wore skintight clothes to work, or anything that showed even the slightest bit of leg or cleavage. Relena crossed her arms over her chest; she couldn't help but feel naked in his eyes, even though she was wearing a loose pair of sweatpants and a tank top.

    "I um…" Lane cleared his throat. "I like your hair."

    "What?"

    His eyes widened and his complexion paled. "What I mean is, I like your hair up. Y-you can truly see how beautiful you are."

    Relena smiled and turned away. She couldn't endure the way he looked at her. Just how long had he been watching her, hoping for something?

    She knew that Lane was a good, hard-working career man with high goals of becoming a legal representative for ESUN. She just might have fallen for a man like him if there wasn't someone else whom she loved with her whole heart. Someone she had a quiet dinner date with later that evening. She sighed.

*  "Heero, can I speak to you for a moment?"

He had stopped in her office door, coffee cup in hand, waiting for her to speak.

"I've been thinking a lot lately, and well, I'd like to know if....."

"We could have dinner tomorrow night." Heero finished for her.

Relena stared at him in shock. How did he know what she had planned to ask? Yes, Heero knew a lot of things she wished he didn't, but she had plotted this without letting on to anyone.

"You want to know where things stand between us, and you wish to discuss things privately in hopes that we can be open with each other." He smirked - probably at the look on her face. "What time do you want me there?"

"Seven."

"I'll be there."

He had left her office so quickly that he missed the smile that had formed on her lips.  *
 

    The sound of a vehicle approaching down the path disrupted the group. Robert gently took hold of Relena's arm and pulled her toward him.

    "What in the hell?" Lane growled. "Who's crazy enough to drive down the park path?"

    Relena smiled when a familiar black SUV came into view. Robert let go when he knew there was no threat toward his client, giving Relena the chance to approach the vehicle slowly. The SUV came to sudden halt just before them, kicking up a small cloud of dust from the ground.

    Lane's jaw dropped when a young man about the Foreign Minister's age climbed out of the vehicle. Relena's smile quickly vanish as disappointment overtook her when she recognized the visitor.           

    Wufei joined the small gathering. He nodded at Relena. "Yuy sent me. He wanted me to inform you that he was held up at Headquarters, but would still make it this evening."

    "He sent you out here to tell me what he could have said over the phone." Relena smiled. The Preventer glared at her.

    "You don't have a phone on you." Chang Wufei scowled in Lane's direction. "Who's he?"

    "Oh," Relena turned to look back at the man standing behind her. "This is Lane Parker."

    "You’re Parker."

    Relena's eyes widened at the scrutiny the former gundam pilot gave the other man.  Apparently a certain head bodyguard of hers had been up to no good. 'Heero.' Relena sighed and shook her head. How was it possible that he could read others' emotions like he had some sort of emotive radar, but he couldn't manage to come to terms with his own?

    She was just about to comment when the Earth jolted beneath her.  A strange, mechanical thunder roared in the distance. The ground trembled jarring small rocks from the dirt and sent them bouncing along the trail. Wufei grabbed Relena and pulled her against him. The whole world around them shook birds from their trees and rattled windshields in a nearby parking lot. Car alarms screamed their warnings in the distance, until the air fell quiet and still a few seconds later.

    "Wh-what was that, an earthquake?" Lane's voice sounded odd in the otherwise silent space. The area was far too quiet.  It sent chills up and down her spine.

    "That was no earthquake." Wufei gently let Relena go and reached for his cell phone.

    Relena waited for him to make his call, knowing he was contacting Preventer Headquarters. She knew what had happened; she had heard the familiar sound too many times.

    Wufei cursed quietly as he snapped his phone closed having failed to reach the office. In the distance, the first sounds of an emergency vehicle could be heard. He turned to look toward the city where he knew headquarters was located and blanched.

    "What the?"

    Relena followed his line of vision; her eyes widened when they met the city skyline in the distance. Heavy smoke filled the air. Her heart quickened its pace, and a wave of nausea overtook her as she realized exactly which building had suffered the blow.

    "Oh my God.... Heero." She stumbled in the direction of Preventer headquarters.

    Wufei seized Relena by her shoulders, and pushed her toward her bodyguards. "Take the Vice Foreign Minister home, now!"

    "No!" Relena struggled against his grip. "You have to let me go!" Wufei held tight until Robert took hold of her and pulled her in the direction of her car. The Preventer wasted no time; he ran back to his vehicle, ignoring her pleas as he went.

    "Take me with you! I have to go! Let go of me... Wufei!"  She couldn't go home, not without knowing what exactly was going on; not without knowing if Heero was hurt or in danger. "Robert, please." She glanced up at her most trusted guard; her vision was blurred with tears.

    "I'm sorry, Miss Relena. Agent Yuy made it clear that if an emergency were to arise we were to take you home and lock down."

    "You don't understand! People could be hurt."

    "That's what the emergency crews are for ma'am, let them do their job and please let me do mine."

    As Wufei's vehicle sped away, Relena bowed her head and let her shoulders slump. 'He's alive.  He doesn't want me to be hurt.' 

    She tossed a hasty apology to Lane and she was rushed back to her awaiting limo. Despite the fact that part of her…felt sure that he was okay, her heart ached with worry. When they turned onto the freeway, a gasp escaped her lips. In the distance, amidst the soot and smoke, she could just make out the vacant location where Preventer Headquarters had once stood. Tears sprang to her eyes; Relena knew the horror that just occurred had taken many lives, possibly even the lives of her friends. Perhaps even the life of the man--.

    'He's okay.  He has to be.  I... can't lose him. Not when I never told him…Not when he doesn't know...'

    She closed her eyes and began to pray.

    'Please...'