:. I hope you enjoy!The first thing he felt as he surfaced into consciousness was a warm steady breath lightly caressing his neck. The second thing his groggy mind registered was his fingers, woven into long, silky hair. He flexed all ten digits briefly, languidly enjoying the soothing texture as it slid through his grasp. The third thing he noticed was that there was another body, warm and tangled with his own, in the bed.
That thought jerked Heero awake like a slap to the face. The person grunted in protest as he shot up into a sitting position.
Heero didn't recall who he was sleeping with, but some not-so-remote part of his brain was vehemently insisting that he should. A horrifying possibility caused a spiral of dread to lance through his body. Squeezing his eyes shut, he murmured a desperate plea.
'*Please* don't let it be Charlie.'
With bated breath he slowly opened his eyes and looked down into the serene face of the now-sleeping-
"Relena!?" His eyes widened as he choked on her name. His mind raced wildly trying to remember exactly how he came to be in bed with her.
She groaned and pulled a pillow over her eyes.
"I swear to god, Heero, how many times do I have to tell you? We're not officially awake until the kids manage to drag us out of bed."
*Kids*!? To say Heero was disoriented would be a gross understatement. The situation was bizarre enough to faze even the most rough and tough veterans of the Eve Wars and the remembered sensations of Relena?s body against his own only added to his confusion and loss of control. With a sheer effort of will he concealed his chaotic emotions beneath his usual cold exterior. Either this was reality, and he had gone insane, or it was all a dream?
He tore out of the bed in an instant, stumbling in his haste; he stubbed his toe against the dresser, trying to right himself.
?Bodily pain is not felt in a dream.? His eyes narrowed as they skimmed across the unfamiliar d?cor of the room. It was cluttered, and carpeted and?definitely not his.
"Heero." Relena's muffled sleep-filled voice came out of the lump of comforter on the bed "Dear, is something wrong?"
Yes, something was wrong. He had somehow been transported to Relena?s bedroom and now she was going on about ?dears? and ?kids? like she was reciting one of her speeches.
Heero wanted answers. Slowly he turned his icy glare to the women still cuddled underneath the covers.
"How did I get here?" He growled dangerously, jumping onto the bed and ripping the comforter off Relena.
"Hey! I was still using that!" She complained, cracking one sea blue eye open long enough to glare at him. Heero returned it full force., his gaze only straying only once over the delicious curves of her body. Okay, fine, twice.
The distraction caused him to steel his determination further. He would not forgot the issue at hand.
"How. Did. You. Get. Me. Here.?" Heero repeated through clenched teeth, putting emphasis on each word.
"We've been married seven years and you're still asking me how you got here!?"
Relena, sat up and rubbed the sleep from her eyes. Mussed hair tumbled down her back, pale against the black of her ?er?less than conservative nightgown. Once again Heero?s eyes were drawn to the all too pleasing sight, despite his best attempts at complete focus.
"MARRIED!?" He practically shouted.
"Shhh!" Relena slammed her hand over Heero's mouth. "Do you want to wake the kids!?
'There was that kid thing again.' Heero frowned. He gave Relena his best death glare, keeping his eyes locked on her face and not on her nightgown. Well, *kinda* locked on her face. Maybe a little lower?a little lower?No! No! Face! FACE!?oh god dammit. Heero cursed his lack of willpower as he finally relented and let his eyes actively map Relena's silk wrapped body.
'A dream' he thought, his best attempt at rationalizing the events that had unfolded since his waking, 'I must be dreaming. It makes sense. Relena calls me, I start questioning the decision I made nine years ago and walah. Instant commitment dream."
Taking a deep breath, Heero slowly relaxed against Relena's hand. She must have felt the tension dissipate because her palm fell lazily from his mouth, tracing a haphazard line down his neck to his shoulders. She scooted closer to him, a wicked grin transforming her annoyed expression to one of seductive allure.
"Well, since we're up and they're not?" Her voice trailed off as she leaned forward slowly, her lips tracing the path her fingers just had, traveling higher and higher until she reached his earlobe. Considering it for a moment, she blew on it gently before capturing the sensitive flesh with her teeth, running her tongue gently along the edge.
His eyes closed of their own violation, soothing waves of touch and feel tugging the better part of his rational mind to sea. As he felt his body come alive at her tender ministrations his brain vaguely noted the thought, ?I haven?t had this dream in years??
?Mmm?make love to me.? Her sultry words spoken almost in a whisper next to his ear kicked his heart into a frantic beat that his breath was quick to follow in suit.
'Ok this doesn't *feel* like a dream?? Her hands roamed over his exposed torso while her mouth the most amazing things to his throat.
Heero managed to bite back an appreciative groan as the frozen wheels in his head slowly turned. ?Next plausible explanation- Relena has gone insane, somehow kidnapped me and is now attempting to act out her deluded fantasies while simultaneously trying her hand at seduction. It makes sense. She calls me. Questions the decision I made nine years ago and walah- she kidnaps me..!?'
Heero frowned in confusion and shook his head, while Relena?s hands quested lower, sliding slowly over the taut muscles of Heero?s stomach. Gathering the last of his willpower, he managed to push Relena away, rolling off the bed and deftly onto his feet. Spying a dresser he made his way towards it, desperate for some clothes.
"Where are you going?" She asked with a wide yawn, stretching her arms over her back.
'Best not to provoke her, Yuy?She could be dangerous.'
"Out?honey." Heero answered, practically choking on the endearment. He pulled open a drawer, the unexpected sight of his classic tank top and jeans ensemble meeting his startled and disbelieving eyes. ?She kidnapped my clothing too?!? Pushing the thought aside, Heero grabbed the articles of clothing, not even bothering to slam the dresser drawer shut.
"Ok then." Relena said, collapsing back into the bed and pulling the covers over herself. "Pick me up some tea while you're out, won't you?" Within the next two seconds she was back asleep.
Heero gave her an incredulous look before he began to dress. All while he was pulling on his jeans (a more difficult task then you might think) he wondered just how she had been able to pull this off.
He had to admit that he was somewhat impressed with the capability Relena had shown for such a difficult mission. The sheer genius of her tactics must have been incredible. Not even OZ soldiers could catch a Gundam pilot unawares. But the fact still remained that he was in a strange house, against his will when he had a business to run and a homeless man in his apartment. This didn't leave room to indulge Relena's fantasies.
'Not that I'd want to.' He added as an afterthought, tiptoeing out of what had to be Relena?s bedroom with a ridiculous amount caution. 'Relationships are not my thing.? Cold, blue eyes swept both ends of the hallway. ?Neither is being kidnapped.' Finally making a decision, he turned right, keeping close to the walls, intent on finding a way out.
Heero soon discovered that his sense of direction was not nearly as keen as previously thought. The large, sprawling Peacecraft mansion was worse than any maze or military base he had ever been in. He tensed as movement in another room registered on his radar. Instantly on guard, he crept soundlessly towards the noise. With one swift, fluid motion he threw aside the swinging door to reveal?*a kitchen*!
Heero visibly relaxed. A voice from behind the door however, put him on edge all over again.
"Good morning, Yuy. If you would be so kind as to get the door *out* of my face?"
"Zechs." Heero muttered as he let the door swing back into place. His former adversary stepped out from behind the paneled oak, rubbing his abused nose, perfectly composed and silent.
'Why isn't he surprised by my presence?' Heero wondered, eyeing the older man with curiousity.
Zechs sat down on a stool by a tabletop island, a cup of coffee and paper in hand.
"You're up late today." He commented, his focus directed on the newspaper in front of him.
Heero raised a mental eyebrow. He had half expected Zechs to start ranting about dishonoring his sister, the crime of breaking and entering, a few lines about the meaning of a true soldier, and a grand finale of tossing Heero out on his ass - not that Heero would have minded in this particular case. His desperation for some predictability was growing by the minute.
An icy awareness swept over Heero, chilling him to the bone.
"How do you know when I get up?" His glare was intensely directed towards the enemy.
Zechs shifted his gaze, but not his head from the newspaper, matching Heero?s icy look with one of his own. "I *live* with you. Even you would have to assume that I'd figure out you wake up at the ungodly hour that you do *one* of these days."
Heero frowned. First Relena now Zechs. 'It must be genetic' he concluded. But now was not the time to speculate. Heero needed an escape route and he needed one fast. ?When in Rome??
"Zechs?where are the keys to the car?"
An exasperated sigh was emitted by the blonde man."On the keyhook by the front foyer, where you always put them" Zechs took a sip of his coffee, brow furrowing at a particular sentence he had been reading.
"I see?" Heero said slowly, "And where exactly *is* the front foyer?"
The former Oz lieutenant made a noise that sounded suspiciously like choking. Setting down his coffee and paper with determined motions, he settled his heavy scowl on the ?kidnapped? pilot.
"I swear to god Heero, if I didn't know any better, I'd think you had never been in this house before!"
A strained silence stretched between them. It was blue on blue as they locked gazes, an intense battle of wills playing underneath their calm exteriors Whatever the enemy had planned, Heero was sure that it was good. Perhaps Zechs would call out the numerous troops he would have had to have at his disposal in order to kidnap a Gundam pilot (not to mention his clothes) and bring him to Earth unawares, all in one night. Or maybe the Lightening Baron would wish to finish their duel to the death, a thirst for blood one of the more adverse effects of the insanity that seemed to permeate the Peacecraft bloodline. Heero steeled himself, his expression as hard as granite. He wouldn?t underestimate his opponet.
Zechs scratched his previously squashed nose.
"The foyer?" Heero prompted, trying to feel out what it was that Zechs was planning.
Zechs let out a long-suffering sigh.
"Turn left and keep going."
The younger man gave a curt nod and pivoted on his heel.
"And Yuy -" Zechs called out, stopping the brown haired man in his tracks, "Whatever is with you today?pull it together."
Heero let the door slam shut behind him.
***
"I need to get to L1 on the first shuttle out."
The attendant at the desk eyed Heero warily. His wild hair was worse than usual, flying in every direction possible, combined with the unmistakable glint of desperate panic in his eyes. His basic person radiated danger, an electric premonition of condensed menace boldly proclaimed that, to cross the path of this man would bring all the horrors of the underworld raining down on you without mercy or remorse. And that was if you were lucky.
She pursed his lips slightly as she drank all this in. To say the least, she wasn't impressed.
"And do you have an account with us, Sir?" She was thrilled when her voice came out in a nasal, pinching whine, perfected over years of her dedicated service to the fine upstanding establishment of the European spaceports. Her right hand rolled up on her wrist as her heavily made-up eyes dropped to examine her manicure for any microscopic flaws.
Heero snorted. Did *he* have an account? Well if he of all people didn't, then he didn't know who would.
"Of course," he said through his teeth, his miniscule amount of patience wearing thin. Every muscle in his body was now taut to its breaking point, his fists clenching and unclenching unseen at his sides, eyes glaring well-honed daggers at the woman behind the desk.
She yawned in a blatant display of disinterest, covering her mouth with the hand she had previously been examining. She shot Heero a calculating look. This one was fiesty.
"And what might your name and account number be, Sir?" She asked, purposefully emphasizing the ?sir? in the sharp, tedious tones of her practiced voice. She did her best to hide a cruel smirk as she watched him physically squirm. With a low gratification job such as hers, observing excessively anal customers as they became disproportionately frustrated was the high point in her day.
Heero had the distinct impression that this woman was *enjoying* his impatience. Heaving a deep sigh, he rattled off his name and account number. The woman's fingers danced across the keyboard as she typed in the necessary information.
She had to hold back the bright smile as a grating beep and the red, screaming words: "Account not found. Does not exist", flashed across her screen. Quickly pasting a pitying look in feigned sympathy across her face she glanced back up at Heero, and pouted a little for good measure.
"I'm sorry sir, it seems that your account doesn't exist. Are you sure you gave me the correct access number?"
Heero scowled at the incompetent excuse for a human being standing behind the hardwood furniture, and tried holding his breath and counting to ten to control his boiling temper. He got to three before he slammed both hands down on the counter and effortlessly vaulted over the top. He shoved the attendant away from the computer in annoyance.
"Excuse me, sir." She began, her grating, affected voice and smug expression momentarily slipping in her shock.
"Quiet." Heero hissed, fingers flying over the keyboard, working the system as if it were putty in his capable hands. But his efforts were in vain- his account was gone. The machine mocked him, blood red letters spelling out something that disturbed him more than any of the other encounters he had had that morning- his account had never existed. 'It must be some sort of mistake?or some kind of trick.' He thought, a chilly finger of dread curling in the pit of his stomach. This day had been filled with a little too many odd occurrences.
Heero pushed the thought away forcefully and turned to the- now suspiciously- unfriendly harpy of a woman.
He immediately began his interrogation.
"Have you had a problem with hackers recently?"
Given time to regain her composure the woman faced him once more, back ramrod straight and expression icy cool.
"No sir. We haven't." she said, her frozen tone enough to send puffs of white condensation tumbling from Heero?s mouth as he spoke his next words.
"Impersonators?"
"None that I'm aware of, sir."
"Marketing pirates?"
"No sir."
"Computer viruses?"
Heero could almost hear the ice on the frozen planes of her face crack as one iced eyebrow shot upward. "Would you care to speak to the man who designed our computer system, Sir? Maybe he can answer your questions."
"I don?t have time to deal with this." Heero muttered. Turning his hard gaze back to the insufferable attendant, he instructed her that he wished to open a new account.
Within the hour he was reclining comfortably in a business class seat on a shuttle to L1. Stars raced passed the window as he mulled over the day's events. Deciding to sort them out once he was home, Heero let himself doze for the rest of the shuttle ride, one thought still clenched tightly in his mind, shining like a pearl of hope.
?Maybe it was all a dream??
******
<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: Lauren on 2002-08-30 16:40 ]</font>