Warning! I have NOT reread this nor edit it. I'm leaving for china late Tuesday night and I wanted to get everything sent in to be posted. So PLEASE, be understanding if you see a mistake or more (Trust me, there are probably a bunch). It would help out a lot if any of you spot something and could email me so I can fix it when I get back. Thank you sooo much!

--I don't own Gundam Wing. I wish I did, yada yada yada, you get the picture--

Playing House

chapter five by shevey

"Eight bottles of beer on the wall, eight bottles of beer! Take one down, pass it around, seven bottles of beer on the wall! Seven bottles of beer on the-"

"Are you finish yet?" Heero asked annoyed. I stopped mid tone and turned towards him in the cramp vechial.

"Don't you know this song?"

"Duo was quite fond of it." I smirked. Mentel note. Reminder to thank Duo. "You start at hundred bottes of beer on the wall and you go down to zero. It supposely passes time, gives you headahe, and threatens the driver to kill his companion!"

I faced forward again and slouched in my seat. "Heero, do we need to see a counsler? I don't feel like your cherishing me as your wife, girfriend, whatever I am to you. Let's just step back and take a look on our relationship."

"Our relationshp is one to zero."

"Oh,  your  mother  would be proud."

"Ha-ha."

I watched the tall trees pass by as we drove into oblivion. We both looked terrible. Driving a wonderful thirty-eight hours (switching spots every five hours) with no civilization in sight. Wonderful. I bet he's taking me to a lab where Dr. J will mold me into the perfect girl for his desires.

I cocked my head to the side. Not bad.

"Relena, promise you will be on your best behavior when we get there."

"Sure dad."

"Tha- stop that! I am Heero, the one you love. Remember?" All at once I felt a chill  run up my spine. He said it so matter-of-factly that I couldn't tell if he was talking about real life or this 'game.' I sobered up and felt my insides tilt.

"Relena," he sighed, "I didn't mean what your thinking."

"And what am I thinking Heero?" Even to myself my voice sounded dreadful all too soon.

"I can't read your mind. I just," he huffed out in fustration. "Be honest. Do you have any feelings towards me?"

Oh, so now he wants honesty. No pretending. No fake answers. Hah, I'll be damned.

"That's not fair Heero. You've already asked me. It's time I ask you. What do you think of me? Am I just an annoying girl who is dumb enough to pretend to be your faithful girlfriend because deep down I still love you? Your using me and I don't believe it's to see your parents. Read my lips Yuy, I. Am. Not. Blonde." I folded my arms and looked out the window again. Damn him. Damn him for making me weak, damn him for making me want to cry, damn him for making me admit I love him outloud.

Whoa, outloud? I banged my head on the window. Oh so now the ski lift in hell has started up. Free of charge. Keep your hands and feet inside at all times and remember to enjoy the view. Damn it.

"Oh no. I so did not say that."

He didn't respond, but I saw something flash through his eyes and felt my heart in my throat. That look. That was Heero, Heero from the olden' days.

The dangerous, cold, anti-social Heero.

My Heero. I felt a chill run up my spine and  a fear danced in my gut. Heero pulled over and stepped out of the car, slamming the door.

"Oh crap." He opened my door and pulled me out.  "What in the hell are you doing He-"

Before I could try out a move that I learned in self-defense class, his lips were introducing themselves to mine in a heated greeting. The kiss was rough and hard, so much passion and need coming from him that I was overwelmed. I gripped the car behind me to balence myself and to push back into his power. His hands pressed my lower back so I was molded into his form and a shudder racked through us both.

His lips pulled back to regain his breath and I could see the white misty frost from the cold air with each heaving breath.

His nose was red and his lips thinned. We didn't say anything. Or at least he didn't.

"What....was that?" He looked down and then back at me. He romoved his hands from me and stepped back. Immediatly my body cried out for him and the stolen warmth.

"It's your turn to drive." -Oh. I give it a 10 for most romantic words after the first kiss.
Don't you?

I felt something tilt and I knew I was going to cry. Come on Relena, this isn't the time to lose it. He'll explain later, I'm sure. I glanced up at him and he smiled.

I shattered. All hope was lost. He was putting on the act again.

Getting into the car and buckling the seat belt I smiled bitterly. At least I know he is still there. The same Heero is deep down him, and I saw a flash of him. I ran my tongue over the tips of my teeth.

I grinned evily. And a taste.

"Relena?"

"Mm-hmm?"

"Don't even think of starting at seven bottles of beer again."

"Are you sure about that?"

"Positive."

"Aye Aye Capton." I flipped on the heater to high and hit the gas pedel. "Ninety-nine bottles of beer on the wall, ninety-nine bottles of beer! Take one down pass it around, ninety-eight bottles of beer on the wall. Ninety-eight bottles of beer on the wall, nine-eight bottles of beer! Ta-"

"You are treading on dangerous grounds Relena." He warned me with a low voice. I smiled at him and pushed the gas pedel a little bit farther...

"I'm a risky gal. Now if you mind, take one down, pass it around, ninety-seven bottles of beer on the wall!"

Oh boy -It was going to be a long ride.

 I felt Heero next to me relax and shift so his hands brushed against my leg.

 I grinned like a mad school girl.

But a nice long ride.


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"He what?"  Duo yelled.

I smirked. He and Hilde were one and the same. I leaned against the translucent wall of the phone booth and grinned like a mad idiot. "Yup. He kissed me. With lips and all."

"Honey, don't do this. Don't..." I felt the concern through Duo's voice and waved it off.

"Don't worry Duo. I'm a big girl. Nothing is going on between me and Heero. Besides, my body didn't even react to it." -Oh God. I've now converted to lying to a priest? What other bad habits has Heero rubbed off me.

"What's he like? Hilde told me you said he was human now. Does that mean he's moved up to jeans?"

I smiled shly. "Tight jeans." -He laughed.

"Can I tell you something Relena. You better not tell Hilde or I will skin your hide contrary to my beliefs."

I nodded at the vid-phone. "Sure, anything."

"When we were teenagers, I was just intriged with him as you were. His mysterious eyes, his dark features, and I wanted him to talk and be open so badly, I almost..." he looked off somewhere and I knew he was hesistating. "I almost fell in love with him. Almost. But I fell in love with the image of him in my head, you know? Not the real cold person he was."

I ran a hand through my hair and shivered from the cold. Somehow we ended up in the mountains by the time I had woken up for my shift.

I wasn't surprised by Duo's confession. I had thought he had an eye for the boy but never mentioned it. I was pleased that he could be real with me.

 "Duo I thought it was the same for me. I was in love with image of him in my mind. But now...here he is. The humanly-humored boy we all so wanted and I miss him. Still. I miss who I knew. I feel like he's being fake with me. Something isn't right."

"Be on-guard babe." Duo said in his joking-like tone. I nodded. I spotted Heero walking out of the gas station with a couple of chocolate bars and cokes. He read my mind.

"I better go. Heero just walked out to the truck again. Instead of shooting me he's going to kill me with junk food."

Duo glared. "Lucky. Hilde's got me on a tofu diet."

"Poor baby. I'll call you when I get there."

"I love you babe. Miss you too."

"Miss and love you too. Tell Hilde I can't wait to talk to her."

He nodded and the screen went black.

"Who were you talking to?" Heero asked as I got in the truck.

"Duo." I said carefree. I felt Heero tense besides me and the familar quietness take over his features for a mere moment before he looked up and smiled.

"Would you like a chocolate bar?"

"Wadda got?"

"Heero tossed the small paper brown bag at me before starting the truck and headed down the road with snow top evergreens on each side and tall mountains before us. I searched the paper bag and found a Hershys with almonds. Oh
this man knew me and knew me well.

After a long moment of silence between us with only the engine and my soft chewing between us Heero's voice guided me out of my glass-like thoughts.

"How is he?" The quietness and sincere tone of his voice brought me down hard. He was being real. Concern and curosity etched into his brow, I stopped chewing for a moment and watched him well.

"He's good. Real good." Oh me, oh my. I lied. I put on the best politic smile that I could muster up in this cramp vehcil and with a mouth full of chocolate.

Something like hurt and relief rinsed over Heero as he smiled meekly.

I glanced at my empty hand and noticed the white lines forming from squeezing too tight. I wanted to tell Heero everything. The pain, the loss, the tears and all the heartbroken people that were strung along for the ride all because of his missing appearance. But instead I kept it simple and not fully the truth.

 "He misses you Heero. Misses you a lot."

Heero shifted. "How much is a lot?"

I shrugged and took another bite. "Duo cried for you." I laughed ironically. "Heero, you've missed out on some slumber parties, just Duo and I, staying up all night talking about the great and mighty Heero Yuy."

Heero laughed and this time, the fake ring to the tone, the pretendness, it all just faded away for a mere moment, and Heero Yuy was laughing for his first time.

I smiled and offered the last bite to him. "No thanks. I don't eat chocolate."

I was astound. I was awed. I was insulted. "What? No chocolate? What is wrong with you Yuy!"

He shrugged. "It makes you fat." I glared at him for a moment longer. Oh so this was his plan. Make Relena fat and plump. And then what?

"Eat me?" I mumbled to myself. He side-glanced at me with a strange look. What? I didn't say that outloud did I?

"Duo has rubbed off you."

"Well, he does that to all of us Heero. All of us."

He nodded dimly and we rode in silence.


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We made one last stop before we would end up in the top of the mountains, sure enough to reach up and touch heaven. Heero said if we made anymore stops we wouldn't ever get there.

That sounded more appealing to me.

It was a little mini-mart. Or Mini-Mar. The T was hanging off with the light out. I smiled. It had the mountainish-cabin touch to it. Perfectly square and only one gas pump that said 'Out of Order' in dark blue letters.

Oh wonderful.

I hopped out of the truck- thankful for the fresh air and smell of snow. A chill kissed my cheeks and I snuggled closer to my scarf around my neck. Heero got out shortly after me and grabbed my hand, leading me into the mystery building.

The smell of roasted-flavor coffee mixed with salted prentzels was the first thing that clicked in my mine and assulted my nostrols. Quite pleasenly so. It wasn't until then I relized how hungry I was. However, I wasn't about to let the perfect soilder know I was hungry.

In the background cheap christmas music waltzed out  the speakers and into the tiny ailes filled with powerd donuts and king size candy bars. I smirked. It was what? October? Heero let go of my hand and made his way somewhere towards the newspapers, leaving me to stand on my own.

Sighing, I walked around and found a big stand of postcards when I caught a glimps of a certian circus actor. Spinning around I came face to face with a slightly taller Trowa Barton.

"Trowa?" I choked. He eyed me slowly and nodded.

"Relena." Oh of all the things to say and he picks my name. I felt Heero tense but I couldn't see him since Trowa blocked the view.

"Of all places, why are you here?" I asked with a frown. All suspicions of something not being right just confirmed when Trowa took a step closer and lowered his voice.

"I need to tell you something. Something very important Relena."

"Trowa Barton." Heero said. I suppose you could call it a greeting. "It's been a long time. Care to talk to me outside for a moment?"

Trowa was about to say no thanks but Heero grabbed his elbow. "I inisit."

Before I could blink they were out the door. Slowly I stepped up to the window and rubbed a bit of the frost away.  Heero stood with his eyebrows knitted together and Trowa, for once, looked like he was losing control with Heero.

Heero nodded once dimly and ran a hand through his hair. I tapped the post card to my chin and felt my mind click into a world of wonder. What in the world was going on? I felt my breath quicken as tons of ideas popped into my head.

Perhaps Heero really wanted to kill me. Maybe there was someone else to kill me? What could it be!?

I moaned silently and watched Trowa pace back and forth. Heero was leaning on one leg, something like guilt and something I couldn't quite read was painted on his face. In a blink, Heero's eyes locked with mine. I didn't move, only looked back.

"Miss? Would you like to buy that post card?" A older man asked, with big sevendies glasses and a wool coat. I glanced down at his feet. Big mountain boots. Oh boy. Mountain men. Always wanted to meet one.

"Post card?" He nodded his head to my hand. "Oh. How much is it?"

"Fifty cents." He paused, "But for the ex queen of the world? Call it a gift." He smiled, revealing a few yellow teeth. I smiled back and the old christmas music in the background switch to jingle bells.

"Thanks." And with that I walked out to the cold. Trowa suddenly stopped his step and looked up at me.

"Relena," Heero's voice was slow and thoughtful, "Trowa will be coming with us part of the way. There's a cabin lodge where Quatre and Wufie are staying. Just down the road from my mothers. So, let's get going before dark settles." The tension in Trowa's shoulders when Heero said 'mother' didn't go unoticed by me. Nor the ironic smile on Trowa's lips. I sighed.

Nothing made sense anymore. Frankly I was just tired. I hopped into the truck and slid in the middle. A cute gundam on each side? Not bad. Extra warmth. "What did you need to tell me Trowa?"

"Nothing Relena. It was nothing." It took me a moment to relize he was getting in the driver side. I raised an eyebrow but felt my heart flip when Heero got in next to me. Oh for once I was thankful for the cramp seating.

"Heero.." I whispered low enough so Trowa couldn't hear. "Nothing is making sense to me anymore."

He searched my face for something- what I wasn't sure- and brushed a strand of blonde behind my ear. "Just trust me, okay?"

I sighed. I trusted him with my everything. He took my hand and held it his lap. I was too tired from the confusion to really notice, but the gesture brought me a chill of warmth. I leaned against him and closed my eyes.

I was going to finally trust him fully now. To think of it, I was surrending myself to him. He was leading me into the unknown, and I was letting him. But that's what you do when your in love, isn't it?

I exhaled.

"I trust you Heero." I mumbled before falling into a light slumber, the jingle bells song ringing in the background of my dreams and the touch of Heero's hand keeping me in reality.
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Author's Notes::

I'll be working on this and  A new day in china, so expect a couple chapters of each in a week or two! (If I have access to a computer...) Please review. Someone told me that it works to say you won't post the next chapter until you get five reviews. I would try that, but I don't want to be rude....so please! Just go email me. Say hi, whatever, I really don't mind. Thanks and have a good-day 'mate!

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