Overload Zero: Heero 3

[Krazy_kool_Snowborder_Chi]

Disclaimer: I do not own Gundam Wing. Blizzz!

Heero walked into the break room of the Preventer HQ. It was still early and not a soul but him was there. He smiled at the thought of Relena and Liam living with him for the time being. This would be his chance. Things were certainly going his way. As he whistled a tuneless ditty, he began to prepare the coffee for the day. Trowa chose that moment to walk in. he was stunned to see the former perfect solider whistling.
?What?s got you so happy?? Trowa asked.
?Hm?? he asked turning to face the former clown.
?I said what?s got you so happy?? he asked trying to keep a straight face.
?I don?t think life could get any better,? Heero replied and turned back to his coffee.
Trowa began to chuckle and leaned against the table waiting for the coffee to brew.
?Can I ask what happened,? Trowa asked politely.
?If you think I had sex, you?re wrong,? Heero stated with a smirk.
?Well you look as if you had a good fuck,? Trowa said rudely.
?Well I haven?t. You?re being quite talkative right now?? Heero replied with a grin.
?Can?t help it, I?m a man who is also satisfied with his life,? He said with a smirk.
Heero paused in brewing his morning coffee to turn and give the clown a patented death glare. Trowa began to laugh and walked towards the coffee machine.
?Let?s move on to a different topic, I hear Lena and Liam are living with you now,? Trowa said as Heero stepped back and took the first satisfying sip of his coffee.
?Mmhmm,? Heero said swallowing the dark brew down.
Trowa reached for the sugar and started to pour heaps of the white grain into his coffee.
?What?s that like?? Trowa began to stir his coffee.
Heero took another sip and then pondered his question.
?It?s like what you felt when you and Quatre brought home Riki for the first time. Even though she was a little hellion at the time, you still felt like a family,? he replied looking into his cup.
Trowa nodded and took the first sip of his coffee. He shuddered at the strength and then looked to the once cold emotionless person, ?you?ve got to stop making the coffee.?
Heero began to laugh and the other man joined in as they sat in the break room.

~*~

?Hey Lena! Earth to Lena,? Hilde cried as she tired to gain the attention of the far off Relena.
Relena noticed her exuberant friend and turned to look at her.
?I?m sorry Hilde, I just spaced out there,? she apologized and then buried her head back into her work.
?It?s ok; you?re allowed to be spacey once and awhile. So what I want to know is what kind of cake does Heero like?? Hilde smiled.
Relena almost did a double take at Hilde, ?Why??
?Well Liam, Ruth and the twins were talking about birthdays and Liam mentioned that Heero doesn?t have one,? she smiled at the former queen of the world.
Relena gave her friend a cynical look, ?Are you sure that he?s going to like that??
?Sure why not,? Hilde said defensively.
?I?ve known Heero Yuy for fifteen years and he?s never once, not even once, mentioned celebrating a birthday,? she declared.
?And what make you think he hasn?t changed?? Hilde asked putting a hand on her hip.
?I just do. Nobody can go from Perfect Solider to Perfect Human being in a matter of years,?
?You went from Dove of Peace to Preventer Bitch in the same amount of time,? Hilde said frustrated.
?I didn?t know that the Senior Officers were using the cadet?s nickname for me up here,? Relena said sarcastically.
Hilde sighed and then sat down on the leather couch against the far wall next to the door.
?I?m sorry Relena, but you used to be the most caring woman in the world,? Hilde said with a sigh.
?It?s ok Hilde, it doesn?t offend me,? Relena said putting up a hand.
Relena got up from her desk and sat down next to her friend. She placed and arm around her and gave her a tiny squeeze.
?So when is this party?? she asked.
Hilde face lit up and she began to ramble on about the details of the party.

~*~

?So you?re adopting another child?? Relena asked Quatre as she and he stood off in the corner of the backyard of her temporary address.
Quatre nodded and then pulled a picture out of his back pocket, ?His name is Gaul. He?s eight years old and he was left in the system by a psychotic uncle at the age of two.?
Relena looked at the brown skinned, green eyed eight year old. He was a beautiful child and Quatre was lucky to have him. She gave him back the picture.
?So he doesn?t mind having two fathers?? she asked raising one eyebrow.
Quatre shook his head, ?He liked the idea a lot better. The last foster home he was in, the mother treated him very poorly.?
Relena nodded her head and continued to stare at the grin on the eight year old.
?Social Services thought Trowa and I were nuts for wanting to take Gaul, but once we had him come stay with us for a few days, he adjusted well. He loves Riki and Riki absolutely adores him,? Quatre said with a small smile.
?Like how Heero adores Liam and Liam adores him,? Relena muttered.
Quatre nodded in agreement as he spotted the father and son pair playing a game of soccer with the rest of the fathers and children. Relena laughed as Duo ended up in a big tangle with Riki and Trowa. Relena sighed and continued to watch with sadness as the pile include Heero and Liam along with the Maxwell twins and the rest of the people who were playing.
?So how is apartment hunting going?? Quatre asked trying to change the subject again.
Relena sighed and then turned back to face Quatre, ?Not good. There is nothing in the city that is perfect. Either their too big or too small.?
?So this is still you temporary residence?? Quatre asked with a smile.
Relena nodded and then took a drink off the punch in her hand. Hilde and Sally chose that moment to come out of the kitchen carrying the cake and began to sing ?Happy Birthday?. The guest stopped their activities and Heero was pushed to the patio to blow out the candles. As Relena heard the last strains of the song fade she watched with cold eyes as Heero blew out the candles. She noticed the smile that played on his lips as everyone around him clapped and congratulated him. It hurt to see that he had found happiness and the thing that she thought would bring her happiness was making her hard as the years went by. It hurt that he was happy and she was not. She slipped away quietly into the house hoping no one would notice. Someone did.

~*~

Relena sighed as she picked up the garbage from the party. She had come out of hiding once the last guest was on the doorstep. Liam was asleep in a lawn chair and dreaming of dreams that children do. She sighed and caressed his brow.
?You look so much like your father,? she thought as she watched the five year old sleep.
As she continued to watch the sleeping figure she did not notice the person who stood behind her until the visitor placed a hand on her shoulder. She jumped and then turned to investigate who was behind her.
?Hey,? Heero said in a monotone voice. After all the years she had known Heero he had never lost the deep drone his voice held.
?Hi,? she said softly.
There was silence between the two. Liam began to mumble in his sleep and it caused both his parents to look at him. Relena began to move towards Liam.
?I should get him into bed,? she stated in a soft voice.
Heero stopped her by placing a hand on her shoulder. Relena did not turn around as she knew he would want her to.
?Why did you leave?? He asked in a low manner.
Relena lowered her head and then began to make her way to Liam. Heero?s grip on her did not fade. He turned her around in a flash to face him. Relena began to struggle but his grip on her arms was firm.
?Please answer me?? he asked as he strained to get it out.
Relena continued to struggle. Heero maintained his firm grip. After a few minutes Relena gave up and hung her head in defeat.
?It?s because I hate you,? she said in a low voice.
Heero?s face was left unfazed. He continued to stare at her.
?I hate you because you have everything I have ever wanted.?
?That?s a selfish thing to say,? he growled.
?Well if it?s selfish to want happiness then I am the most selfish person in the world. I still hate you,? she said trying to bite the tears back that threaten to fall.
There was silence between the two. Heero?s grip on her slackened and Relena saw it as her chance to escape. She gently picked up Liam?s body and began to carry him into the house and began the process of putting him to bed. Once she was done she returned to the guest room and tried to sleep. Her busy mind would not let her so she laid on her back wondering if she said was right.

~*~

?So what?s up with Yuy?? Wu Fei asked as he walked into the break room.
Sally and Duo were standing near the coffee machine trying to rid the coffee maker of Heero?s coffee.
?What makes you think that and why do you ask?? Hilde said lowering the paper somewhat startling the Chinese man.
?Well does this answer your question,? Duo remarked sarcastically as he scraped another layer of wet coffee grinds from the filter and chucked it into the garbage can Sally was holding.
Hilde rolled her eyes and then went back to the newspaper. Wu Fei crossed his arms and stared at Duo.
?That still doesn?t answer my question, Maxwell,?
Sally gave her husband a pleading look not to fight. Wu Fei kept stoic and then left the break room. He ended up running into a stunned Relena at the door and sent her folders scattering. She quickly cleaned them up and ran down the hall. Wu Fei cocked an eyebrow and wondered if she had heard the conversation in the break room.

~*~

?You?re what?? four officers sitting at a large grey table exclaimed in unison.
?I?m going to Mars to head up the Prevent division there. Lady Une thought I would be best for the job up there,? Relena said looking towards the wall avoiding her friend?s eyes.
It was the weekly meeting for the top ranking officers of the Preventers. Lady Une just looked at the others over the rim of her glasses and looked at the reactions. Her face was not set in the smirk it would be in the old days of OZ and the Rommefellar. She was sad that she was losing one of her best agents, but she had asked for a transfer.
?Why?? was all the brown haired man to her left asked darkly.
?I was needed there and since I lived on Mars, was one of the people who suggested that it be terraformed, and happen to know details about the politics of running an organization in a newly formed world, I was a perfect choice,? she stated in a cold tone.
?But what about you?re Brother in law?? Duo asked visible upset.
?He and my sister are coming back to earth,? she said making sure that the other senior officers (who did not know her secret) at the table believed she was a Noin and not a Peacecraft.
Hilde?s sniffles could be heard from her end of the meeting table next to Sally. Wu Fei snorted at the sobs that Hilde produced. Quatre tried to comfort the black haired pixy from crying too hard. Even the officers that were not true friends were visible agitated by her decision, though the man to her left was the only one who was not upset. In fact Heero sat at the table deep in thought. Relena sat back down and waited for Une to continue on with the meeting. Une stood up at the end of the table and put on her serious face. She began with usual dribble about assignments and then concluded the meeting with well wishes to Relena and for a safe journey as well.

~*~

Relena stood in the empty guest room. All that was left was the stuff that had been in there when she had come to live with Heero. She sighed as a knock at the door caused her to come out of the room. Slowly opening the door and man dressed in the standard Preventer uniform stood there, smiling and holding a clip board.
?Col. Une wanted to say that the personal effects you put in storage are on their way to Mars. I only need a signature.?
He passed Relena the clip board and she signed the papers. As the Preventer lackey left Heero pulled into the driveway. He popped out of the Jeep and made his way to the door. He passed by Relena with out so much as a word and went to the kitchen and pulled out a drink. Relena waited for Liam to come out of the Jeep, but on closer inspection she saw that he was not in there.
Relena stalked into the kitchen and stared Heero down, ?Where is Liam??
Heero turned his Prussian blue eyes towards he and then lowered the drink he held at his lips, ?He?s at Trowa and Quatre?s. Riki was having a sleepover and he wanted to go so he could some time with Riki, Mulan and Geo before he leaves.?
Relena shook her head, ?But I was going to take him out tonight. Just spend some mother/son time.?
Heero looked at her and then finished his drink. Relena sat back down on the stool at the breakfast island that separated the kitchen from the dinning room.
?I was going to take him to McDonalds and then to a movie,? she sighed dejectedly.
Heero moved into the living room and sat down on the couch. Relena sighed and then went to the fridge to pull out the leftover spaghetti from the night before and went about reheating it. She plopped down on the couch next to Heero and miserably began to eat the leftover spaghetti. Heero, though he looked as if he was watching the television, watched as Relena sat in a depressing silence and picked at the Italian food in the plastic container.
?That looks almost as bad as the freeze dried spaghetti they gave us for the Mecca mission,? Heero finally said breaking the silence.
Relena just nodded and continued to look into the plastic container. Heero let out a loud sigh and then stood up and ripped the plastic away from her hands.
?We should go out?? he suggested.
Relena looked up at him. She did not smile but nodded and accepted his offer. He gently took her hand and led her to the door.

~*~

Heero stood under the awing of the small bistro they had found themselves at for dinner. They were already done with dinner and were waiting for the rain to end its torrential torment of the city of New Port. Relena was quiet next to him as they waited for the flooding to simmer down to drizzle so they could run to the bus stop. The dinner had been pleasant but it still was strained and awkward for them to talk. They had mostly talked out a schedule on the custody of Liam and some history of past missions.
Relena rubbed her arms as she felt the cold the rain brought seep into her. Heero stood doing the same. She sighed as Heero continued to watch her in her thoughts. Heero felt the same and fell into thought as he continued to watch Relena from the corner of his eye.
?Do you ever regret?" Heero finally found himself blurting out trying to take the edge of the uncomfortable silence.
Relena turned to face him and gave him a weird look. Heero moved closer to her and placed his hands on her shoulders. Relena?s breath caught in her lungs at the simple action.
?Do I regret what?? she finally breathed out.
?Do you regret changing your life?? he asked.
Relena backed a way from his grip, ?Do you mean, giving up Politics for this??
Heero nodded. Relena moved into the rain not know she had done so. The question seemed to stream into her mind again and again. The cold rain had now soaked her to the bone and her back was still towards Heero. Then as if a flash of lighting had struck her, she turned around. Heero was directly in front of her just as soaked. His chocolate brown hair plastered to his forehead. Relena cast her eyes to the ground and opened her mouth to speak. As the first words came out to answer his question started to roll off her tongue, she felt Heero?s thumb lift up her chin so that their eyes meet. Then in a blaze of time Heero?s lips met hers in a kiss. The rain still falling as hard as it had. It was like nothing Relena had ever felt or ever tasted. She was in heaven. After a few breathless minutes Relena pushed away and looked up into the Prussian blue eyes that she had fallen in love with. He was panting heavily as was she.
?I?m sorry,? he replied straining to catch his breath.
Relena did not say anything as she stood there catching hers. They were both soaking wet and cold. Relena turned her back and began to walk toward home. But as she began to walk forward something forced her not to. She turned back to Heero and placed her arms around him and kissed him with the hunger that he had ignited her with the last one. The next thing she knew was Heero was leading her towards home in the poring rain and then falling into his bed.

~*~

As the crisp rays of the October sun began to stream through the window of the bed room, Heero tried to snuggle closer to the warmth next to him to find the bed cold. Shooting out of the bed quickly Heero scanned the room for any signs that she was just out of the bed to go to the washroom or get a snack. Instead a letter sat on the pillow still left with her head imprint. In black bold letters ?Yuy, Heero? stood out and mocked him. Afraid to open it, he crumpled it up and chucked it across the room. He lay back down on the bed on his back and contemplated the effect Relena had over him.
The sound of the vid phone broke him from his revive and Heero numbly rolled out of the bed and went to answer it. As the black screen came to life Heero was greeted to the sight of the jovial American. In his hands he held his one of his sons.
?Hey Heero, can?t talk long,? Duo said in a rushed voice.
?What do you wan??
?Lena would kill me if she found out I was talking to you, but she?s over here now and you better get your butt moving,? Duo said and then the screen flashed black.
Heero stood shocked that Duo had kept a conversation short. After it had worn off, he rushed to get changed and hopped into the Jeep to drive to the Maxwell?s.

~*~

?Lena you can?t keep doing this to him or to yourself,? Hilde said as she looked across the Formica table at her best friend.
Relena stayed silent and stared into the cup of tea in front of her.
?I wish you would just do something for all our sakes. Tell him, tell him how you truly feel,? Hilde pleaded with the blond haired girl.
Relena shook her head, ?That?s like asking a fish to love a bird. I just can?t. I already gave him my heart once. It was broken during a hard stage in my life. I just can?t let it happen again. It?s like one big what if that I don?t want to play.?
?Why what if?? Hilde asked with concern.
?I always think that once I tell him that I love him that he won?t return the sentiment. That in some way he will return to the Perfect Solider again,? She said as she tried to choke back the tears.
?What if he is a changed man,? Hilde retorted back.
Relena flicked away a wayward tear that escaped from her eye, ?You see my point now.?
Hilde leaned back into her chair and gasped as he friend?s point made sense. Relena lowered her head and played with the tea that had now gone cold. There was a knocking at the door and Duo went to answer it. Relena?s head rose in caution and then she went back to her tea when Duo yelled back that it was something about work. Hilde rose from her chair and went to get the tea kettle to fill her cup again.
?I know this is dragging up a lot of bad memories Lena, but what exactly attracted you to Heero?? Hilde asked and then sat back down at the table.
Relena sighed and began to fidget with the sleeve of her blouse, ?I think it was his eyes. Sure I could say his sleeping face might have attracted me,? She said with a sigh.
Hilde giggled at her friends comment about the sleeping face.
?But his eyes once they opened. They showed me so much emotion that was locked up. I wanted to be the woman who unlocked them and to share them with him,? Relena said in a downtrodden tone and the looked back at her cup of tea.
Hilde sighed at her romantic suggestions. Sometimes she envied that her friend had found true love in the most impractical way. She and Duo had lived together for a few years, moved to earth and then ended up getting together because of Relena. Hilde was brought out of her dreamy state by the sound of scuffling and hushed voices behind the door. Narrowing her eyes she stood up and moved towards the door. She placed her ear on the door and received a questioning look from Relena. Hilde mouthed to her that there was people behind the door. Relena cocked her head to one side in a questioning manner but returned to looking into her tea. After a few minutes a loud crash resounded in the kitchen which brought Relena?s attention to her friend.
Hilde stood to one side of the swinging door with her hand on her denim clad hip. On the floor lay Duo, Ruth, John, and Jonah and to Relena?s surprise Heero.
?Duo Maxwell, what in Heaven?s name are you doing having the kids and worst of all your best friend listing to me and my friend talking?? Hilde questioned her husband.
Duo picked himself off the floor sheepishly and dusted himself off. He then helped up Ruth and the twins and sent them out of the room. Heero stood as well looking at Relena the entire time.
?Well ya see, Heero here had some things I needed for work and we wanted to get a drink but you?? he stuttered on the explanation.
Hilde just nodded her head and then hit Duo playfully across the head and led him out of the kitchen leaving Heero and Relena alone in the Maxwell?s small breakfast area. The silence lay heavily between the two adults in the room.
?I have to go, Liam needs to start packing,? Relena said heading for the swinging door trying to get around the uncomfortable situation they were in.
Heero?s arm shot out and stopped her from continuing. Relena began to struggle to get away from him. Heero just pulled her close and held her as her struggling died down.
?Ask me?? he growled in her ear.
?Ask you what?? she mumbled as way ward tears escaped her eyes.
?If I regret anything,? he said a softer tone.
She pulled away and was greeted to a pair of emotion filled eyes. She looked down towards the floor and mumbled his request, ?Heero Yuy, do you regret anything??
He continued to stare at her and then brought her head to his eyes. She watched as the cold cobalt eyes welled up with tears. Relena gasped. In all the years she had never seen Heero cry. Sure she had seen him bleed, angry, smile, happy, tired and in the throws of passion but never had she seen him cry. She could feel the tears begin to well up in her and she tried to hold them back.
?Yes. I regret killing all those people in the name of revenge. I regret not being there for the birth of my son. I regret not taking him from your arm?s the night of his birth. Sometime I even regret that I had even met you on that damn beach. Yes Relena there are things that I do regret,? the tears were now cascading down his cheek.
Relena began to feel like the whole world was caving in on the two of them. Heero was baring his soul to her. Something he had been trying to do in the years since he had known her.
?Are there things that you regret?? he asked in a low voice turning his head.
?Not much. I regretted falling in love with you once. I regretted dropping out of Politics some of the times. But I am a happy person,? she said trying to avoid Heero?s gaze.
?I am to, but there are certain things that I wish I had done differently,? Heero turned to leave.
Relena continued to watch as Heero left the Maxwell?s kitchen. As soon as the front door slammed shut Hilde came running in. Relena was still shell shocked.

~*~

?Spacey Air 245 to Mars now boarding at gate 100,? a loud voice boomed over the intercom.
?That?s us,? Relena said with a sigh and placed her carry on luggage over she shoulder and took Liam?s hand.
It was almost like the last time she had waited in the space port to take a transit cargo flight towards Mars seventeen years ago. The port still held the same cold foreign atmosphere that it had. The white walls were still the same as well as the people bustling to and from shuttle to cab or to the arms of awaiting loved ones. The only thing missing for Relena was the treasured hat from Duo and the man who had waited with her. She looked down to glance at her five year old son. He was playing with a video game module that Duo had given him for his birthday last year. They walked towards the gate through the mass of people.
?Where?s dad?? he asked looking at the throng of people in the space port in New Port City.
?He?s not coming honey. He and Uncle Duo had some work to do today,? Relena said with a sigh and pulled their travel tickets from the carry on bag.
Liam looked down to the ground disappointed. Relena sighed and began to lead Liam towards the gate. As they waited in line there was commotion from the others around the gate.
?What?s going on?? Liam asked tugging on her skirt.
Relena looked around and then looked back at her son, ?I don?t know honey??
?Lena!? a voice exclaimed through the noisy crowd.
Relena and Liam turned around to see a man with messy brown hair and Prussian blue eyes standing at their side. Liam began to jump for joy. Relena just stood there stunned to see Heero standing next to them.
?I thought I join the Noin?s on their journey to Mars,? he said in a low voice.
?So you're coming to live with us on Mars?? Liam said.
Heero nodded, ?If you mother doesn?t mind??
Relena looked at Heero and then down at Liam.
?I?m not too much of a bother and I self cleaning,? Heero said with a small smile.
Relena was still shell shocked until the gruff voice of the man behind her told her rudely to move. She gathered Liam?s hand and began to move forward. Heero followed closely behind.
?So dad can live with us mom? Just like we lived with him here?? Liam asked.
?I don?t know Liam. I don?t think we have a room for him. The house only has two bedrooms,? she said trying to dance around the subject.
Liam looked up at his mother with big teary eyes, ?Oh come on mom it?s not like you and dad have not slept in the same bed before. I wouldn?t be here if you didn?t.?
Relena blushed at her six year old sons comment about sex but quickly changed to a stern attitude, ?Sleeping together and making a baby are two different things Liam.?
Liam pouted and Relena handed the tickets to the stewardess.
?I don?t think they are,? the deep rumble Relena was used to whispered in her ear.
Relena?s eyes opened wide in shock but she set her face into a mocking smile, ?We?ll see,? she said and then went to take her seat on the shuttle.


TBC....

Krazy: Next to come is the epilogue. Enjoy!