COUNTING THE SECONDS [5]

[Scilja]

From The Desk Of Scilja
And another chappie on the go! Heehee. I?ll make this short and sweet, cuz I know you?re all so EAGER to read. I am truly having the time of my life writing this fic, and I hope you all do reading it as well! I have a lot more planned for our favorite couple. <evil grin> I know some of you may have already read this on FFN, but plz bear with me! I am working on the latest chapters to post. I'll post what chappies I haven't posted here on Blissful Ignorance from FFN, then I promise you a completely brand new one!
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DISCLAIMER: Six words, ladies and gentlemen ? I. Do. Not. Own. Gundam Wing. Somebody else does. The farthest I can go is only to wish upon that star of mine.

Counting the Seconds
By Scilja

Chapter 4

With a wheel-around baggage trailing behind her, Relena flinched from the change in the air pressure as she stepped into ZW?s private jet. The heels of her shoes delve into the thick carpeting while she and the stewardesses exchanged sincere smiles. Despite the warm friendly treatment, Relena hadn?t been much of a fan for traveling by plane; she preferred the more earth bound transportation where she could feel the natural wonders of the world around her. She indicated a sign of thanks as a flight attendant relieved her of the luggage and turned to the sound of Hilde?s excited character.

?Damn,? the brunette said looking over the jet?s interior, ?this defines style big time.? Relena joined her awe-inspired friend, taking a step back to admire the scenery. Indeed, the aircraft practically tagged itself as high-class.

?Welcome girls!? The two women turned to see a beaming Duo emerge from a curtain down the aisle, walking towards them in a leisurely fashion. ?Make yourself at home, that means use our wide range of cocktails and drink all you want, on the house!?

Relena placed her hands on her hips, ?Duo, I don?t drink myself stupid, I work myself stupid.?

?Hallelujah!? Hilde raised her arms dramatically, ?She admits it!? She clamped a hand on the blonde?s shoulder, ?There?s hope for you yet, hun, I?ll be right here when you need me.?

Relena slapped her head lightly in mockery, ?I don?t know whether I should be scared or thankful.?

A flight attendant dressed in a red dress suit announced in the aisle, ?Ladies and gentlemen, please be seated and fasten your seatbelts. We are preparing shortly for departure.?

With that said, Relena quizzically noticed Hilde hesitate for a moment before tugging shyly at her stripped blouse, ?Rel? It smooth with you if I sit with Duo during this flight??

At her guilt-ridden appearance, Relena immediately relaxed her friend, ?Do you even have to ask, Hil? Go ahead! This is your vacation as much as it is mine. By all means, we have lots of time left to spend together anyway.? Receiving a bright smile of gratitude in return, she then encouraged Hilde with waves of her hand to Duo?s direction. She watched the petite lady rush excitedly to the braided man, he grinned with satisfaction at her declaration and kissed her on the lips.

Having watched a touching scene, Relena seated herself a row behind the lovebirds, thinking they might need some privacy. The plush seat relieved her tense muscles and she felt herself start to unwind. She stretched languidly and unconsciously patted her up do. Her eyelids were about to shut, in need of much wanted rest, when she felt a presence near her.

Her eyes bugged out of their sockets upon seeing Heero occupy the seat next to her. ?Heh?!?

All he did was lean back into his seat like it was not so much to be mindful of. ?I search for the day when he can be any more filled with self-pride,? Relena thought. Crossing his arms, he said through closed eyes without even facing her, ?Excuse, Ms. Darlian, Duo is rather preoccupied, and I prefer to give him some respected privacy.?

She craned her neck to look at the seats upfront, and sure enough there was Duo flailing his arms in an expressive manner with a smiling Hilde listening intently to the his never-ending chitchat. At the same time, Relena scanned the area and realized that there were exactly six passenger seats on the jet, each row having two seats. She had no choice but to accept the situation given to her.

?That?s fine, Mr. Yuy, it is your aircraft after all, is it not?? she ended with a small smile to put into effect her comment. ?Oh well, it?s only three hours long,? even as the words scrolled through her mind, she knew she would be struggling with those three hours.

?Heero, just Heero,? it was then that he turned to look at her, and she was mesmerized by his gaze.

They broke away when the intercom above their heads set off with the captain?s voice, ?Good morning, ladies and gentlemen, we will be departing in a matter of a few minutes so please prepare for take off.? It was then replaced by a stewardess whom Relena wondered how she could have so much liveliness in her voice in the early morning, but then again, she had known Hilde for a long time. Fluffing the white pillow that had been placed in the seat previously, she made herself comfortable for the long flight ahead.

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?Can?t this plane go any faster?? Heero sighed impatiently to himself. The air travel seemed like an eternity to him. Running fingers through his hair, he rotated his neck to bring back some feeling into it.

When he had slanted to his right, he unintentionally cast his eyes on the woman next to him. She was asleep at the moment, and deep inside, he was thankful for he could have more time looking at her. Her face was angelic. It gave off the impression that anyone who would awaken her would have to be utterly cruel to disturb such serenity. Behind closed lids, he knew the azure pools that seemed to be as if one were looking into crystal waters; it was hard to break away from it. He lingered on the rosy lips, glossed with a shine which made it even more kissable. Heero groaned mutely. God, he still remembered what it was like to kiss them, and he was dying to get the feel of them against his once more. The feeling was near painful not being able to touch her. It took all of his will power not to reach out and stroke away the golden locks on her forehead.

He had seen how she had let Hilde be with Duo. He was relieved and pleased that she still had that sort of quality within her. ?Always putting others before her,? he thought ruefully. That one habit itself was what had attracted him to her in the first place.

As if sensing his gaze Relena stirred somewhat, causing Heero to jostle back into his seat, giving off an air of nonchalance. What surprised him next was when she emitted something akin to a moan and turned on her side, giving him a full view of her front, and not to mention that the unbuttoned top part of her blouse had become a little exposed from the position. He swallowed, ?Admit it Yuy, you?re in deep waters with this whole thing.? And he knew just how deep.

The plane hit an air pocket and dropped suddenly. To any seasoned flier, this was nothing to panic about, but Relena jolted fully awake from her slumber and whirled her head around. This was one of the things she detested most about flying, the turbulence made her perturbed and wary. ?Easy, girl. It?s nothing,? she told herself, giving a few breaths in attempt to calm her nerves. ?So stop shaking already!?

Heero peered down at the armrest next to his and watched slender fingers curve tightly around it, almost turning white from the hold. Before he had thought about it, he took her hand and held it gently between his, ?It?s all right. Nothing to worry about. This is common, there?s no need to panic.?

The strong, masculine hand gripped hers tightly that Relena stared at it before she lifted her surprised eyes to the man?s face. It was extremely close to hers now, but oddly so, it wasn?t uncomfortable.

?I?m sorry,? she heard herself say, ?It?s just that?Truly, I?? The hoarseness in her throat shocked her. She tore her gaze away from him, ashamed that he had seen her in a state like this. What happened to the composed, melodious tones that usually characterized her speaking voice? Why was she stuttering like an idiot, in which Heero must now think of her to be? And why had she not felt inclined to snatch her hand away from his yet?

Instead, she brought herself to look at his eyes, and was fascinated by the depth of infinite blue. She inhaled deeply before saying, ?I?m fine, thank you.? Slowly, she stirred her hand, in which Heero took the hint to remove his own.

At that moment, an invisible force decided to seize the moment and azure met Prussian-blue. Relena felt her heart thunder in her ears, her breath stilled and body became immobile. Neither was aware that the space between them was becoming smaller bit by bit, as faces inched towards each other at an intensely slow pace.

They were jerked apart by the static buzz of the captain?s voice on the speaker from their brief, but no doubt intense, contact. ?Holy shit.? Relena?s posture went rigid as she tried frantically to still her erratically racing pulse. Moments passed that her head swam with dizziness before it finally settled down. ?What almost happened there?! Wait, don?t tell me, I don?t want to remember.? Try as she might to erase what had just happened, the vision just kept pushing itself more into her mind. Desperately, she took her psyche to focus unto something else and forced her sight not to wander to her left.

Heero, on the other hand, was having a hard time keeping in check with his emotions. He sent a fixed glare to the intercom for interrupting the moment, but then became perplexed on why the whole thing mattered so much to him. Shutting his eyes to block out the voices that seemed to be speaking from several directions at him, Heero slid a hand down his face in silent irritation.

?Oy, Heero!? Heero peeked through his fingers to see Duo poked his head from the side of his seat and look down the aisle. ?Fate must have found a new playmate; I never get any peace around here.? ?How are you holding up with your lady friend? Everything going nicely? I hope I didn?t butt in anything.? He ended with a devious grin.

Duo didn?t see the blush that had crept up against Relena?s cheeks, but he did see Heero throw down his hand against the armrest in a slapdash fashion and send him a leer. ?Spit it out, Duo. What is it??

?Humph, grouchy even on vacation,? Duo muttered to himself before explaining, ?Well, buddy, since you so asked me nicely, I just contacted Mac and she?s expecting us at the hotel lobby when we get there.?

As a reply, the marketing producer received an assenting grunt before returning to finish his still ongoing conversation with Hilde. A sigh emitted from Heero, to any observer, it may be from the exhaustion of the flight, but it was due to the many unanswered questions that floated around his head. Upon seeing that the plane was close to the ground, Heero reverted himself back into control. He would deal with everything else later.

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After having collected their luggage, all four went in the company limo which was transporting them to the grand hotel. Throughout the whole ride, Heero and Relena dared not to make eye contact, even though they were once again seated side by side. Not to mention that his thigh being pressed against hers did not help the least bit. Instead, Relena filled up such an occasion to socialize with Hilde; it gave her something to keep her mind off of Heero as well as having to look in only one direction.

The chattering in the vehicle stilled when the passengers saw light break through the doors opened by the chauffeur. They took their cue to exit the limousine, and being the gentlemen they were, Heero and Duo showed courtesy by helping the ladies out.

?We?re here!? Duo?s merry voice had caught their attention, and when they turned to look at him, he directed his gaze forwards and they followed suit.

Both representatives of Dreask found themselves standing before ZW Enterprises? latest franchise, Z-Scape. They looked, well, more like gawked, in admiration and marveled at the superb architectural design of the hotel. The outside was beyond words to describe. The exterior of the building was suave in a traditional off-white that gave off soft shimmers when the sunlight hit it from a certain angle. A stylish crown made of gold festooned over the glass doors, which where decorated with transparent art of swirls with white jewels scattered on it. A classic red carpet stretched out a few meters from the opening for the intention of having exotic plants and statues deck the sides of the wide runner.

In the perspective of a company?s vice-president, Relena was tremendously impressed with how much effort was put into the detailed layout of the hotel. As a woman, she felt giddy with excitement like a child marveling at the first steps into a new amusement park. It was only when she felt the brush of air as Heero walked past her did she snap out of her trance and walk through the doors of Z-Scape.

Once again, her breath ceased as Relena went into the very first floor of the grand inn. If this was her reaction every time she stepped into a new room, she would die from respiratory exhaustion. The lobby was spacious and welcoming. It was made to ensure visitors would have a very pleasant memory to remember upon entering and leaving the hotel. Marbled floors shined and glittering crystal chandelier brought splendor to the scene. The ceiling was most spectacular, shaped in a dome on which various colorful exotic lamps hung bringing a cascading light to the area below. In the far midst, Relena could see a balcony from up above, looking down and across the room to where she caught a glimpse of a hidden, secret garden. ?Three words: Someone. Pinch. Me.?

To the far right, Relena spotted a small but cozy waiting area. However, this was no ordinary waiting area, for it looked more like a piece of a living room. Elegant, pearl colored couches made their place on the tasteful soft white hearth rug, enticing tired clients to take a seat. In the centre, an opal coffee table stood proudly on its cherry wood legs. Middle-sized pillars held up striking fresh flowers at the four corners of the sitting area. A counter that matched the marbled floors positioned a few feet away, where all entries, checking out, complaints, and information was taken. Behind the desk, stylish clocks displaying the various time zones around the world were fixed on a wall.

?Speechless,? whispered Hilde as she came up beside the blonde, ?that?s what I am right now, speechless.?

?You?ve just about summed it up for me,? Relena nodded in agreement. ?We?ve got a palace on our hands.?

They hadn?t noticed until now that a lady in a maroon dress suit was suddenly standing in the centre of the group, in a position where her voice was able to be heard well. Her name was threaded in gold across her jacket, and white gloves and shoes went with the apparel. On her head sat a hat identical to the color of her uniform. She cleared her throat and bowed before them politely, ?Good afternoon ladies and gentlemen and welcome to Z-Scape.? She straightened to full height and extended a hand towards two, gold-encrypted glass doors. ?My name is Mac. If you would all follow me this way, you will be directed to your suites. Your luggage will be brought up to you shortly by one of our attendants. Now, if you please.? The curls of her brown tresses bounced lightly as she strolled through the doors held open by two men dressed in the same maroon attire. They went through.

Relena could not stop looking in all directions, as if taking in the sight of the surroundings she was in. Before she knew it, she had stepped into the elevator. Atop of her hung a crystal chandelier and mirrors decorated with silver borders surrounded her reflection. The soft ding of the elevator let her take note of the number of floors the hotel had. She became somewhat confused as she saw that around most of the buttons were transparent rings but about six of them had dark red rings. Apparently, the floor they were going to just so happened to be lighted by a red-ringed button. ?Wow, color-coded buttons. That?s new.?

The elevator came to a smooth halt and brass doors opened to the anticipating representatives of Dreask. Both Relena and Hilde came face to face with another door, but this time with gold ingots as an outer shell of d?cor. Poking their heads through the elevator, they were even more taken back that this was the only door in the hallway. There were no other suites in sight.

Noticing the puzzled looks, Duo laughed amusingly, ?Guess I forgot to bring up that you?ll be treated luxuriously.? His smile broadened even more as they stepped out into the corridor, he took satisfaction in seeing their stunned expressions. ?You?ll be staying in one of the deluxe rooms at Z-scape. We must, after all, treat our special guests well by giving them the best there is to offer.?

?The deluxe suites are normally intended for special occasions, couples, honeymooners, or exceptional social gatherings,? Heero explained as he crossed his arms. ?It gives the party more privacy and includes added range of features compared to the standard rooms.? He then let out his palm to Mac, and in return, she placed in it a keycard which he gave to Relena. ?The key to your room,? he stated, the card in hand waiting for her to get a hold of it. For a brief moment, her hand met his fingers and Relena felt a jolt of electricity surge through her arm. She wondered if he felt it too, but when she looked at his expressionless faced, she simply brushed it off. ?I?m getting way over my head,? she thought.

Duo gave an offhanded gesture, ?You?re probably exhausted and close to dying from the long trip, so just kick back and relax for the rest of the day. Heck, go wild for all we care.?

Heero spoke again, ?If you encounter any problems at all, do not hesitate to reach me, Duo, or either of the staff. Our room will be up on the next floor. Feel free to contact us anytime.?

Heero then stepped back into the elevator pended by Mac and a grinning Duo went in after. The two women were able to catch a hurried, but merry ?Enjoy!? right before the elevator closed shut.

TBC?