Heero, for one, was up and awake already. Leaving me to wake up in the cold, big, empty, bed. Not much of a ‘romantic’ wake up. Shoot.

Second of all, the first person who greeted my day was Wufie.

In.

The.

Flesh.

"What....are you doing?" I asked in one breath. Wufie, who was leaning on the bathroom door framed, shrugged.

"Making sure you don’t get into trouble."

"Trouble." I repeated. He nodded once and went back to staring into space while I brushed my teeth. Every spit or so, I’d glance over at him only to see his intense stare.

--At the wall.

Oh, like it was going to pull a ‘Yuy Move’ on me? Please, give. Me. A. Break.

"Does Heero know your here?" I asked in annoyance.

"Yes." -Could you please elaborate Mr. One Word Man With Stick Up The Butt?

Out of frustration I threw my toothbrush in the sink. "Listen here Wufie. I’m being practical. And being practical doesn’t allow confusion in the presence, and you," here I pointed at him with my nifty index finger, "you, my dear friend, are a huge confusion in my presence if I ever saw one!"

Wufie blinked once at me before anything I said went into one ear. "Does that mean you want me to leave?" And out the next ear. I moaned. Men. With a capital M.

"Yes, Wufie. Wait, no. I have a better idea." I placed my hands together, palm to palm and smiled wrly with an extra cheery voice. "How about this. Tell me why your here! How’s that?"

"Oh, Mr. Chang, how nice to see you again!"

Okay, short, plump lady, other wise known as Heero’s mother, was suspect number one. I chewed my toothbrush out of habit as the two embraced. Funny, wasn’t Wufie being his usual sharp self a second ago and now he’s all smiles and hugs. It’s like....

Heero. Changed in a instant. New personality. New everything. I narrowed my eyes at Heero’s mother. And she is the one who had this effect on these pilots. All but Duo that is.

I looked out the window at the glaring sun that shined over the snow. Yup, it’s drugged, we’re drugged, and Chang Wufie is smiling. I laughed ironically. This was simply too much. Crest toothpaste in bubble gum flavor...too funny.

"You look wonderful." Wufie said, brushing a strand of the old lady’s hair behind her ear.

"Oh, you devil you." I rolled my eyes. ‘Oh please, what a bad boy you are.’ I mocked silently. Why did I feel a rush of negativity flow through me? Perhaps I was turning into the older version of Heero.

"Quatre?" I croaked. He was awake and grounded, and defiantly not drugged, Quatre smiled gracefully, understandingly, I knew he was my savior. He was here to take me out of the confusion and to show me the light on a white horse.

"Look at you!" He kissed Heero’s mother on the cheek. "Beautiful is a word that comes to mind."

Some savior. I chanced my prayers on him and what does he do? Kiss the old lady. How come -she- gets all the attention. And why in the world are they here and not in the stupid hotel that probably doesn’t even have white slippers for their customers?

All three of them talked at a speed that I couldn’t register. Instead I stood there looking profound in gray draw string pants and white t-shirt, toothbrush hanging out of my mouth and all. Drool? Sure, why not.

"Where’s Jr?" Heero’s mother asked out of the blue. Quatre and Wufie suddenly got somewhat quiet. "He was my sons bestfriend, how come he didn’t make it?"

Quatre scratched the back of his head nervously. "Jr. was killed in the war, ma’am."

She took in a shaky breath. "Oh my. Oh dear. How tragic." The rest of the sentence I blocked out with the sound of the faucet.

"Why is this lovely reunion in the bathroom?" She asked all of sudden. Finally, something I can relate too.

"Yes, why?" I shot a glare a Wufie who shrugged it off.

"I," he said to Heero’s mother, "Was waiting for Relena here to get done brushing."

Oh really? Not, ‘making sure you don’t get into trouble?’ Oh, I want to shave his legs right then and there, and make him pray for mercy.

"Oh, well now, I’m sure Relena’s done, aren’t you my dear?" I grunted at her and rinsed my toothbrush off. Done? Sure, why not. Crazed? Oh yeah, throw that in too. Drained? That registers. Ready to just crawl back into bed and sleep the confusion away? All for it.

I shuffled out of the bathroom, glares and all, and walked back down the hall to the room I was staying in with Heero. Trowa, who was leaning against the door frame didn’t smile, didn’t speak, only opened the door, squeezed my hand and shut it behind me.

If I was confused before, then I’m lost now.

"Yuy, you have questions to answer, and you better answer good." I said to my pillow that was innocently crushed between me and the bed.

It didn’t respond. So instead I picked it up and threw it at the door. "Traitor!"

I whimpered. Somehow, I let that drugged sun get to me too, and now I was completely dazed and out of mind.

I smiled hazily at Heero’s pillow. "Yuy, the things you do to me, oh the things you do..."

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Sleep was exactly what I needed. A nice long nap. Took away the lines under my eyes, took away the stress, calmed the nerves and set my feet back on the ground. Sober, that’s what I was now. Completely, one hundred percent, sobered. And now only am I sober, all negativity went down the drain with a wash. After a shower, hair do, make up and casual clothes I was once again confident of why I was here.

To pretend to be Heero’s girlfriend because his mother was articulate and wanted her son to marry a good breed.

I smiled into my sharp reflection. "And a good breed am I."

I looked good. With a tight bun, light, pink lip gloss, with comfortable jeans and black v-neck shirt did wonders for me. It was the perfect combo for a confident, professional yet casual, sharp yet easy going look.

There was a knock on the door bringing me out of my self-praise. "Just a moment." I grabbed my necklace from my bag and swung open the door.

"Heero." It was a natural reflects to say his name out of surprise. He looked me over with a glint of something I wasn’t sure of. Lust? No. Appreciation maybe.

"You look..."

"Composed?" I offer. He paused and nodded agreeably.

"Composed." I could tell he was being careful with his choice of words. That implied self-conscious, insecurity, and descretion.

In other words, I had the upper hand. I smirked. Hah, I was going to so blow this whole thing over. How could I have ever lost it? Sure, I admit that this morning everything had gone to my head. But now I was stable. I knew my stuff. I knew my task. And I so knew how to be a girlfriend. I watched Hilde and Duo all the time.

Yes, I do have a life, folks.

"Dinner will be ready in about ten minutes." Despite myself I frowned.

"Dinner? I slept that long?"

Heero raised an eyebrow. "All day today, all day yesterday and the day before that ...yeah, I’d say you slept a long time. Did you take anything?" I thought I felt dizzy but no, that was just the rush of day light.

"Three days. I slept three days. Three days?" I held up three fingers to emphasize my point.

"Three."

Oh my. No wonder I felt so energized. Huh. "I guess you could say I’m hungry." I handed him my necklace and with a pleading look I tilted my neck to get the point across without words. He mumbled something and laced it around my neck, his fingers gently brushing just below the ear. I shivered involuntarily and I felt him pause. He took a step closer to see the clip. Inside I was melting with his old spice scent and warm breath that just so convieanitly ran down my spine.

Once I heard the clip click I pulled back in a awkward manner. He blinked once. I tried to brush everything off and stay level.

Tried.

I nodded thanks and passed by him to head to the kitchen. Perhaps I could help set the table or do something with this newfound energy. I stopped though when Heero said my name.

"Yes?"

"Relena...are you, feeling all right?"

I kept my back faced towards him and slanted my eyes. "Elaborate."

"Well, in your sleep last night you mumbled and clinged on to me like death." I mentally kicked myself for that. "And...Quatre said you looked pale that morning. Oh, by the way, they decided to stay here. You know, money situation and all The hotel was too much money."

Twenty dollars a night in a room that is basically held up by boards of wood and painted. Right.

"Yet they seem to know her quite well." Heero couldn’t find his mother. The pilots all know her. What the hell is going on.

"Uh huh..." I felt a wave of anger fly through me. I wasn’t sure from what. Humility, embarrassed. Lonely.

Lonely? Where did that come from. "Yeah, I’m fine." -Lie. I rubbed my hand across my arms to generate heat and reminded myself what I had revealed when looking into the mirror. I had a job here, and I was damn to let anyone take my focus away.

Sure as hell I was confused out of my wits. But I knew my task and I would perform it with all the acting skills politics had taught me.

I straighten my back, adjusted my shirt and smiled that graceful smile any beauty queen would kill for at the right moment down that runway. "I’m fabulous Tsuo, honey." I kept my eyes focused straight ahead and felt Heero tense behind me. "Just fabulous." - And walked off towards the kitchen where the fresh smell of baked bread yielded.

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"She’s awake." Quatre announced from the stool at the bar counter. I smiled gracefully, and sat in-between him and Wufie keeping my poise.

"Coffee?" Heero’s mother asked.

"Yes please." Oh coffee. I am saved. Wufie side glanced at me long enough to get my attention. "Yes, Mr. Chang?" Wufie tapped his tea cup once and gave me a skeptical frown. "I’m disappointed in you Relena. What were you on?"

"On?" I choked.

He carried on with a mere nod. I felt Quatre besides me sigh as if this wasn’t the first time he had heard this. "Drugs to be procise."

I reached for the sweet n low and chose my words carefully. "I guess all the excitement on the trip had me more tired than I expected."

Wufie shook his head. "You were not tired. You were completely one hundred percent out of it. Women need to keep their head in place, stay composed. And you, my dear, were not composed."

I gritted my teeth but kept my smile firmly in place. "Well, Wufie," -no need to be formal anymore I suppose, "Confusion, my friend, can make someone a little crazy. It draws the line from sanity to dreamland."

Heero’s mother handed me a mug of coffee with an amused look. Like a -you-go-get-em look.

"And to say a confusion in your presence to be exact?" Wufie smiled. Like he won something.

I stirred my coffee and this time didn’t force the glare down. "Exactly."

What I didn’t realize at the moment was that Wufie was saving my butt. What would Heero’s mother think? Me, confused? About what? What reason would I have to be confused about. I was simply visiting my boyfriends mother, correct?

Yet, it went deeper than that and she would be curious and take more notice on the behavior between me and her son, therefore, giving us a better chance of being caught.

However, due to Wufie’s chit-chat, she now thought I was just confused at his presence. And after the long trip, seeing him here sent my body into a confusion sweep and just had to sleep it off.

And that’s what he had meant in the bathroom. It all fell into place. It all made sense. I felt my confidence rise to a new level. Graceful and grounded as ever I set my spoon down with a new look.

When Heero’s mother left the room I smirked and raised the cup to my lips. "Keeping me out of trouble, eh Wufie?"

He gave me a rare smile. "Keep up your act."

Quatre sighed with relief and reached for the wine cabinet.

Perhaps this was the hardest mission any of us had faced.

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

Sighing with relief I made my way to the backdoor with little guidance from Heero’s mother. I felt much more supported now. Even though I didn’t see the details, I had the general picture and I had support. The trio. Wufie, Quatre, and dear silent Trowa.

Plus, I realize stepping into the back yard, with Quatre’s nifty cell phone, I had Hilde and Duo in just a phone number away.

"Maxwell’s."

"Maxwell’s? As in plural?" I asked. Duo made a gruffed sound and I just knew he was hiding something. "Spill it Duo."

"I kinda, uh, asked Hilde to um...marry me." I counted to ten backwards, took five deep breaths and gripped the wooden porch.

"You, Hilde, marry, ask, me, here, not..." I finished in a regretted sigh, "...there."

"Aw, babe, no worry. I caught it on tape, just for ya." I smiled despite my disappointment. He did that for me? I laid down on my back and watched the blue sky above falter with scatted clouds. Absently I wondered if it would snow again.

"Was it romantic?"

Duo laughed heartily, his male voice soothing. "Your asking the wrong person. That’s something your suppose to talk about with the girl."

"Oh. Right. So what do men do?" I snapped with resolution. "I know." I dropped my voice slightly to imitate a man. "Did you get some?" Duo was laughing even harder now. "What I say?"

"I’m sure your killing Heero with your laughter."

I frowned slightly. "Yeah, killing. That’s what I would call it." I talked shortly on the events since we had arrived at the mini-mart. Duo didn’t say much except for an occasional ‘uh-huh- or ‘oh’ just to let me know he was there and listening. It felt good to explain it to someone else who knew no more than I told him.

"Hang in there, sweets. I know Heero wouldn’t have taken you unless it was really called for." Duo was saying, "You know, Heero wouldn’t have taken you unless he could stand your company."

"When you say it like that it doesn’t give me the chill of excitement." I responded dully.

"Hey, brighten up. If anything, count yourself lucky that you get to spend time with our old pal." I felt a flip in my stomach and felt the hurt in Duo’s voice.

‘Count yourself lucky that you get to spend time with our old pal.’

‘Our old pal.’....’You get to’

Me. Heero asked me to come.

"Oh Duo..." I sighed softly but he chuckled slightly.

"You go on now, call us later. Hilde is dying to talk to you. You know, about what a romantic guy I am and how she’s so lucky."

I snorted. "Right. I love you."

"I love you. Chao babe." After the dial tone came I gazed over the snow. So white, so cold, so perfect, untouched and lonely. I smirked and rose from the wooden porch. The snow was just like me. "Nah..."

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

Walking back into the house the smell of bread was stronger and the heat disturbing. I couldn’t remember what hall way I came from, so did the next best thing. Any-mini-miny-po. Left. I went left.

Pictures of family, pets, children’s finger paintings danced all over the white hall way. That was something that was always missing in my home. The memories.

Turning into the next door way I came across a small room with a fire place, chair, more pictures, and one lonely Heero. The classic room.

"Heero?" I asked slowly, stepping into the room. His eyes were pained, and in his hand he held a picture of a little boy. "Is that you?" He didn’t look up, or respond. I tapped the picture in his hand with a tainted breath.

"No, a friend. One I lost." What was I suppose to say now? Oh?

"Oh." -Yup, ten points for originality and comfort. Sucking in my pride, I took a step closer.

"Do you remember him well?" Oh yeah, Relena. This is just great. He’s obviously hurt about this little boy and your intruding into his private thoughts. Call me Duo and take me to church ya’ll.

"Yes." At least he was being his usual one word answer self. That made me feel slightly better. Keyword? Slightly.

I sat next to him by the empty fireplace that produced no more heat than our simple minds. He didn’t seem to mind at all. I took another look at the picture that he had in his lap. The boy was dark skinned, slanted brown eyes, your average Japanese boy. They all looked alike to me when they were that age. He was sitting on a rock, holding something in his palm that I couldn’t make out with a huge smile.

Yet, something in his smile was foretelling. As if in his world, at that time, behind the smile, behind the scenery that the camera took a hold of, something daring, sinful, dreadful was awaking.

Then it made sense. The boy looked about six years old and that’s when..."The war started." I mumbled softly. Heero looked up at me. "Oh, nothing, I was just saying the car started." I wanted to smack myself there and then.

"You were talking to Duo I assume." I narrowed my eyes. He nodded towards Quatre’s cell phone. "I could hear you from here."

Oh. .....Ooh. "You could?" I choked out. I laced my fingers together in my lap trying to keep still. He still didn’t make eye contact with me and this time his looks darken. I wanted to jump up and go, ‘Ah hah. That’s the Yuy I remember.’ Instead I briefly looked around at my escape ways just in case.

"You think I’m hiding something."

Time to be honest and redeem yourself. "No." Okay, so perhaps I was never good at confession. What do you want from me? I’m a politic. Don’t expect much honesty my dears.

"Oh? But that’s not what you told Duo."

"Look, I’m just confused. I’m trusting you though, and if you dare as much to risk my life in any way you will wish that peace came in a bottle." Heero glanced up finally and took me into regard.

"You know, I’ve never seen this side of you before." He said it with pride I noticed.

I slouched slightly. "I know. I’m sorry. It’s just, Duo asked Hilde to marry him and I wasn’t there."

Ah, so the truth be told. "Duo asked her to marry him?" He seemed surprised, and he was once again hiding in that ‘sweet, human-like mask’.

"Yes." I sighed romantically. "I bet it was really romantic."

Heero’s lips twitched. "What is it with women and romance. Are they linked?" I thought about it for a moment and nodded.

"Probably. It’s born into us. As grease and sleazy women are born into you men."

Heero mocked a pain expression. "That wasn’t very nice."

I chuckled and realized I was enjoying talking to Heero. I looked up at him once more, but saw him a different light. What if, just what if, Heero wasn’t the man I was always searching for. What would I do with him then? Discard him into the garbage?

No, I don’t think I would. I like him. Like him for company, like him as a friend. I assume when he takes me home after this whole mystery is over he’ll leave again. I don’t want that. If he stays for me, or if he stays just to be buddies, I want him to stay.

"When are we leaving Heero?"

"In two days. Can you make it? We should improve our acting skills. I’m sure she thinks this a money-based-relationship." I cracked a smile. Even if he was faking, he still made no sense.

"Can I make it?" I repeated in disbelief. "You, my dear perfect solider, are talking to the queen of fake girlfriends."

"Uh-oh..."