Love's Labours Lost Chapter 11 by Stella and the Black Rose

[blackrose]

Love?s Labours Lost

By Stella and the Black Rose



AN: Weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee! Another chapter! We?re getting there, we?re getting there. *hugs* to everyone still with us. Thank you so much for reading! Love, Rose and Stella



Chapter 11



Meryl listened to her voice bounce off the expensively tiled bathroom floor and walls, inwardly wincing at her choice of location to reveal the GLLC partner?s secret. The acoustics amplified every word. And her companions? expressions seemed to grow more livid with every echo.

?They did what?? Dorothy?s voice sounded like it might shatter the mirror.

The reporter?s eyes widened at the other two women, and she put her hand up, hoping to quiet them. ?Shhhh! I wasn?t supposed to tell anyone. I found out in Seattle. The day they signed it was the day I interviewed Heero for my Kings of Gundanium article.

Dorothy crossed her arms and scoffed. ?I think Vash is pulling your leg, Meryl. What normal bunch of twenty-something guys would sign themselves into celibacy for three years??

?It?s the truth, I swear,? Meryl said. ?I saw the pact. The actual paper with their signatures on it.?

?You?re kidding!? Hitomi pulled a fistful of tissues from her purse to dab at her tears and runny eye make-up. ?You mean the reason they?ve been acting like morons is because they?ll lose their stock in the company if they date? Why didn?t they just tell us?

?They?re afraid it?ll be a public relations nightmare and tank the value of GLLC.?

Dorothy made a face, lowering her voice as another woman entered the room. ?Then why not just dissolve it? Heero has to have them all figured out by now.?

?Vash says he?s clueless.? Meryl arched an eyebrow. ?That he?s too hung up on Relena to notice that Van and Quatre are in the same boat.?

?Well, Relena?s already chalked him up as the world?s biggest jerk.? Hitomi sniffed. ?And I have to say, we agreed.?

?Vash told me the only reason that Heero was dragging out the contract negotiations for so long was because it was the only way he could see Relena without raising suspicion.?

?He?s still a jerk if he gave her up for his stupid pride,? Dorothy said. ?If you?re right, Meryl, and they?re miserable over this because they do care about us, then it?s just pride holding them back. None of them is willing to be the first to cave in their little ?whose is bigger? contest.?

Hitomi rifled through her handbag and found an eyeliner. She stared into the mirror, trying to fix her make-up. ?Does it all have to relate back to the male anatomy, Dorothy??

The blond shrugged. ?It?s not me, it?s Freud. And yeah. It all has to do with their male anatomy one way or the other.?

Hitomi turned around. ?But Van never laid a hand on me.?

?Only because he?s afraid of losing his money and fancy cars,? Dorothy said. ?Think about it, Hitomi. He?s choosing a car over you.?

The woman in red growled and tossed her eyeliner back in her bag. ?Ugh, that jerk! Now I?m mad all over again! I?m going to do what I should have done in the first place ? slap him silly and tell him to go to hell!? Hitomi charged for the exit, but Dorothy raised a hand, halting her infuriated friend.

?As entertaining as that may be, I have a better idea.? The attorney turned to the reporter.

?Vash says they?re miserable not being with us tonight, correct??

Meryl nodded. ?That is the information from my source.?

?Perfect!? Dorothy?s lips turned up into cat-like smile and she led the two women out of the ladies room and into the hall. ?Then we?ll just twist the knife a little more. I?m sure there are plenty of other men who would love to be used for our purposes.? At the end of the hallway, the girls caught sight of Ran Fujimaya and his group of associates moving towards the ballroom.

?But Dorothy!? Hitomi protested. ?It?s wrong to do that to some poor, unsuspecting? Oh my god, all the Weiss boys are hot. When did hackers start looking like that??

Dorothy grinned as her friend gaped at the group of computer experts. ?Think of it not as using them, but rather as a treat to ourselves for not killing the GLLC boys. And hey! If those guys are going to be stupid about their pride, then we need to move on with our lives.?

Meryl looked on as Hitomi locked her gaze on one of the Weiss group?s taller, fair-haired members. ?Ooooh? Definitely??

?And what about you, Meryl?? The attorney turned and focused her steely glare on Meryl.

The reporter looked away. ?What about me??

?And Vash. Is he willing to give up the pact for you??

Meryl laughed. ?Me? And Vash? I don?t know what you?re talking ab-?

?Oh please?? Dorothy rolled her eyes. ?Play innocent if it makes you feel better. But you can?t fool me, Meryl.? Dorothy smiled, tossed her hair, and adjusted the front of her dress to reveal more cleavage.

?Come on, ladies, we have some men to bring to their knees.?



**********************************************************

Relena watched her friends file behind Hitomi into the bathroom. Apparently, all the men from GLLC were jerks. She just hoped Hitomi wasn?t as stuck on Van as she was on?. I?m not in love with him.

The door opened behind her and she turned around to greet the recent arrivals. Three men wearing pristine white tuxedos entered the room. The first was tall and refined, with dark brown hair and glasses, followed by a man with a long, spiked, orange mane and sunglasses perched on top of his head. The third was more than slightly creepy with a short, white haircut and a patch over his left eye. Relena recognized them immediately and had to forcibly paste a smile on her face as their names were announced. The trio made a virtual beeline in her direction.

?Masters Crawford, Schuldig, and Farfello. Owners of Schwartz Limited.?

?Hello, Miss Relena.? Crawford took her hand and bent to kiss it.

Schuldig sidled up to her and leaned close to whisper in her ear. ?You?re as beautiful as ever.?

Blood warmed her cheeks even as she felt uncomfortable with Schuldig breathing down her neck. She kept her plastic smile in place. ?Thank you. I?m so? glad you could come.?

?The pleasure is ours.? Crawford leered down at her, his chestnut hair hanging slightly in his face. She grit her teeth when Schuldig leaned in and ran a finger down the length of her right arm.

?I could make you look even more beautiful.?

Relena swallowed a nervous laugh. ?You?re both too kind. But you know I can?t. My position in the company?Well, I don?t think the stockholders would understand.?

Crawford adjusted the glasses on the end of his nose. ?It?s a pity. But if you ever change your mind and want to shed that ?good girl image???

?I promise you?ll be the first ones I call.?

Crawford smiled again and nodded. ?Good evening, Miss Relena.? He and Farfello stepped around her and descended the rest of the stairs to join the party. The orange-haired ?photographer? remained behind.

?Would you care to dance??

Relena took a deep breath and shrank against the railing to let him pass. ?I would, but, I?m waiting for my date.?

?I?m jealous. But he?s not very smart to leave you alone.?

She pressed her lips into a thin smile. ?He?ll-?

?Leave her alone, Schuldig.? A voice rang out behind her. Violet eyes narrowed beneath the bright orange, but he drew back. Schuldig smirked at Relena one last time before heading for the stairs.

?My apologies, Miss Relena.? The blond VP turned around to greet the fourth member of Schwartz and his quite giddy date. Relena?s face finally broke into a genuine grin.

?Nagi. Tot. I?m so glad you could make it.?

The blue haired girl giggled as she clutched Nagi?s arm.

Nagi nodded. ?Likewise. I brought the donation, since my partners apparently forgot the check at the office.? He handed her an envelope.

She took it and shook his hand in a warm gesture, surprised when she had to blink back tears. Oh geez, I can?t get this emotional every time we get a donation. Relena cleared her throat. ?Thank you.?

A small smile formed on the young man?s lips. ?It?s the least we could do. We?re very pleased with our new servers, and you had to put up with those three.?

?They?re not that bad.?

?I work with them. I know. You?re a saint.?

?So, how is your new project working out??

Nagi?s expression soured. ?I?m photoshoping pictures of women and animals for a new website in our ?limited? porn collection: Beastialsex.com.?

Relena grimaced. ?I?m sorry.?

?Yes. I have just these words of advice, Relena: never let them photograph you.?

**********************************************



?Why are we even here?? Van groaned to his companions. His eyes followed Allen Schezar as he leaned way too close to Hitomi than what should be considered good for the arrogant, blond, womanizing ass?s health. He could feel his fists clench at his sides, and he scowled at the too-cozy image they made.

Heero growled. ?I think that?s only the fiftieth time you?ve asked that question.?

?When the hell is someone going to answer it then?? Van felt his temperature rise along with his anger. Across the room, Hitomi laughed and brought her hand up to rest on Allen?s arm.

?We?re here because it?s our job to be here,? Quatre said in a low voice.

The main door opened, and four more tuxedo-clad men entered the room. They stopped at the top of the set of richly carpeted stairs leading down to the ballroom as people turned to acknowledge their arrival. The first was a young, dark haired man that Van instantly recognized as the former J League goalkeeper, Ken Hidaka. Right behind him was a younger man he didn't recognize, followed by known playboy Yohji Kadou - still wearing his 'signature' dark sunglasses even indoors at night. Completing the group was a tall, fiery haired man with a trench coat length black jacket.

Though Van couldn?t identify them all by name, he knew them by the white crosses each displayed in various ways on their attire. ?Weiss. Those bastards. Look at them ? posing like they?re some kind of boy-band. What the hell are they doing here? ?

?You're kidding, right?? Vash said in a hushed voice. ?They filed to incorporate two months ago. Ran Fujimaya, the guy with the red hair, is now the CEO of Weiss Kreuz, Inc. I thought everyone knew that.?

?Shut up Vash, you found that out from your reporter girlfriend.?

?She?s not my girlfriend.?

?Hackers turned entrepreneurs?? Quatre blinked as his brow furrowed into perplexed lines.

?What are they doing?? Van snorted. ?Security??

?That seems like a conflict of interest.?

Heero turned to look at Van. ?Why not? They know software bugs and holes better than anyone."

Ran Fujiyama moved down the steps, heading straight towards Relena. The man nodded politely, addressing her with a bit of a smile, then passed her one of the two champagne glasses he held in his hands. Heero?s sharp breath could be heard across the table when Ran?s free palm caught her delicate wrist and raised it to his lips.

?Tell me PCC has more sense than....? Van's voice trailed off as Yohji leaned over and whispered something in Hitomi's ear. She blushed.

?That asshole!? Red swam in bright spots before his eyes.

Quatre patted his friend on the back. ?Calm down, Van. Mr. Kadou is just talking to Hitomi. You can't get all bent out of shape every time a man talks to her.?

Van whirled around. ?First Schezar, now Kadou. What is it with Hitomi and womanizing jerks??

*****************************************

Relena blushed as Ran kissed the back of her hand, a slight smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. Every nerve in her body seemed to respond, chilling her skin and sending tiny shivers down her spine. It?s still not like when Heero touched you, her traitorous mind internally observed.

No, he?s nothing at all like Heero. It?s one of his best qualities.

?As much as I hate to say it, Ran, you were right.? She took a sip of the sweet flavored champagne he had brought her.

?It would have been nothing short of a miracle if you?d gotten Yuy to agree to those changes.? His dark blue eyes sparkled with warmth and she couldn?t help but think how attractive he was ? especially in that tux.

?Tuxedos are like the tootsie roll part of a tootsie roll pop.?

?I know I?m going to regret asking, Dorothy, but?.?

?Delicious. Chocolate flavored. And I don?t have the patience to just lick my way to the center.?

She coughed, feeling heat rise to her cheeks. ?Oh, they?ll make the changes. In the next release.?

?Typical.?

?Yeah. So, if you have some time, I?ve gone over the original contract and made a couple of revisions??

He narrowed his gaze slightly in her direction. ?We?re not discussing business tonight.?

?I?you?re right. I?m sorry.?

?Would you care to dance, Relena??

She smiled again. ?I?d?like that.?

**************************************

If Heero could have figured out how to kill the man from across the room with just a look, he would have done it before Ran had taken the first step onto the dance floor. Relena?s velvet dress with the plunging v-shaped backline left ample, inviting, flesh visible - and touchable. And the other man certainly seemed to notice and enjoy the unhappy circumstance. With every bare-skin caress, Heero could feel the alcoholic thirst mounting. He desperately wanted a drink to douse the angry fire that had ignited in his chest.

His fists clenched and unclenched; he didn?t want that man touching her. He tried to tear his eyes away from the irrationally irritating sight, but it was like a car wreck on the side of the road ? no matter how hard he tried to look away, his gaze was drawn back to the gruesome wreckage.

Finally, just when he thought he might consider trading his company and life?s work for a bottle of bourbon, the song ended and the couple broke from one another. Relena smiled at Ran and then turned away, heading towards the hors d?oeuvre tables situated just behind the stewing GLLC president.

As she approached, she looked up and met his eyes for a moment before turning her attention to the servers. ?Could you make up a small plate? And I?d like a glass of champagne. Thank you.?

He was standing only a few feet away from her, yet she hadn?t said a single word. If she hadn?t looked right at him, he?d have thought she didn?t even know he was there. He found himself drifting closer, unable to break the magnetic force that seemed to draw him in?.

The waiter handed her the requested plate and champagne glass. Relena spun around and came face to face with the object of her ire.

?Relena.?

?Mr. Yuy.? Several emotions flitted across her face before she was able to school it into the appropriately diplomatic hostess expression. She smiled the perfect, dazzling smile he knew was the only insincere thing about her. ?Thank you so much for attending this evening.?

?Hn.?

?Gracious as ever, I see.? The smile and her face dimmed. He preferred the more candid expression.

?At least I?m not dishonest about my emotions.?

Relena?s jaw remained set. ?I?m sure you?re not. You have to have them first.?

He raised an eyebrow and was about to reply when Ran appeared beside her. His hand came up to rest on the small of her back, effectively interrupting the glaring contest.

?Ran,? she said, twisting in his loose embrace to address her date. Heero scowled at the fact the man was all too comfortable touching her in ways he quite possibly would never be allowed. He found himself wishing for the bottle of bourbon again; but this time he wanted it to be empty so he could use it to bash in Ran?s head.

The Weiss CEO nodded at her, his blue eyes staring intently at her face as if trying to memorize every detail. She smiled that radiant smile again that should have warned Heero there was a knife about to be plunged into his back.

?Ran, have you met the king of Gundanium, Heero Yuy??

The red-head?s mouth quirked up in a crooked line as his eyes flicked over to meet the gaze of the man in question. ?Heero, this is my date, the CEO of Weiss Kreuz, Inc., Ran Fujimaya.?

**************************************

The two men glowered at one another for a long moment before Heero finally spun on his heel and walked away. Neither one had said a syllable or made a move to greet the other. Relena frowned at Heero?s back as Ran shrugged and tried to lead her over to one of the casino tables. But the blond VP would not be moved.

?Of all the arrogant jerks I?ve met?? She stomped off in the direction he had gone.

She caught up with him a few yards away, reaching out to grab his wrist. ?You could at least try to be civil.?

He whirled around. He had that antagonizingly blank expression on his face that reeked of arrogance and superiority. The one that made Relena want to slap him silly.

?He?s a thief. A white collar criminal. I hope your company enjoys the association.?

?He?s not a thief. If you had read any of the papers, you?d know that due to Weiss?s efforts, the FBI found some crucial evidence involving a money laundering scheme and some pretty shady characters.?

?They?re still hackers.?

?Yeah, and your pride just can?t get over the fact that they made you look bad. It doesn?t matter what his motives were or are; it doesn?t matter how you make anyone else feel. It?s always about one thing to you ? business.?

He turned to walk away.

?Maybe one day you should try caring about someone else. Maybe one day you should try thinking with that part of the human soul often referred to as ?the heart?. You just might feel good about yourself.?

He paused in his step before looking back. Dark blue eyes narrowed into a hateful glare. ?What?s it to you??

?Nothing.? Relena lowered her gaze. ?Just consider it some free tax advice. You?ll get a bigger deduction at the end of the year.?

********************************

He couldn?t imagine this night turning out any worse than it had. Not only had he not been able to smooth things over with Relena, he seemed to have only made her angrier with him, if that was possible. Add to that the fact that he?d had to watch his sworn enemy of the industry spend the entire evening in her company, touching her the way he wanted to, dancing with her?.

The thought made his whole body crave that bitter fluid he had sworn off weeks ago, for the first time since the launch. Which was another entirely irritating and not too enlightening revelation: she had gained such a hold over him that she could make his will power crumble in a few hours.

Does she really think I?m that heartless?

?There he is.? A cheerful voice called out from somewhere behind him.

And just when I thought things couldn?t get any worse.

?Vash. What do you-?

?Hey, boss. We?ve been looking all over for you.?

?Hn.? He tried to ignore the blonde tester and his constant, completely annoying exuberance. Van joined them, wearing a darker scowl than usual.

?Heero.?

?Van.?

?We?ve got good news! Did you see that booth when we first walked in? The one with the sign ?Most likely???

Heero took a deep breath and counted to ten. ?Vash??

?It?s really fun. You nominate someone for a title of what you think they?re most likely to do. You remember, like for the year book in high school.?

?I?m not in the mood??

?Well, you were nominated a few hours ago, and they just announced the results of the election.?

Heero rolled his eyes toward the ceiling and stuffed his hands in his pockets. ?I?m ecstatic.?

?You haven?t even heard what you were elected most likely to do.?

?I don?t care.?

?Vash, just leave it??

?No, Van, I think he?d be proud. Heero, you?ve officially been elected Most Likely to Negotiate an Arranged Marriage with the Family Owners of the Romafeller Corporation in your Bid to Take Over the World and Replace Thinking, Feeling Human Beings with Artificially Intelligent Robot Clones.?

Heero glared daggers at his spiky-haired friend.

A mischevious grin spread over the tester?s features. ?The funny part is, I didn?t even have to nominate you. Miss Peacecraft did.?

That answers that question.

?Of course we supported you all the way.? A small smirk curled up the right corner of Van?s mouth.

The blond nodded. ?It?s just like high school.?

Van shook his head. ?Nah, back then, people were afraid of clones. Heero was just voted Most Likely to Take Over the World and Enslave the Ignorant Masses still using Alliance-ware.?

The company president snarled.

Vash backed away. ?Um, gotta go!? He headed back in the direction of the buffet tables. ?I swear he gets scarier every day.?

?Oh, don?t feel bad, Heero.? Van smiled and clapped his friend on the back. ?Vash was voted most likely to wear his underwear on the outside of his clothes.?

The software mogul?s dangerous expression trailed after the departing members of their group. ?He should have been voted most likely to die tonight.?

**********************

Vash heard the familiar voice, and looked up, catching a glimpse of her petite figure and dark hair. He set his plate down and hurried up the stairs, taking them two by two. He?d been waiting for this all night.

Vash found her looking beautiful in a long, white satin dress on the top level of the ballroom, watching the festivities and probably taking mental notes. His fingers itched to reach out and stroke the soft fabric. And the tempting thought instantly surfaced of how much he wanted to touch all the silken flesh underneath.

?Miss Meryl? Please. I really need to speak to you.?

The reporter looked up and met his gaze. ?I need to talk to you, too.?

He led the way out onto the balcony. The lights of the city twinkled and sparkled below them in the clear, wintry night. He saw her shiver as the frosty wind assaulted her exposed shoulders and took off his jacket. In a chivalrous gesture, he draped it over her back.

?Thank you.? A smile appeared on her lips.

?You?re welcome.? He stepped nearer, mesmerized by the way the light glinted in her eyes. An arm slid around her waist and pulled her close.

?Miss Meryl??

?Vash, there?s something I ought to-?

He touched a finger to her lips, and closed his eyes, leaning in to finally-

The heavy curtain snapped open, and a familiar figure stomped into view. He turned and froze. ?Vash, what the hell is this??

The lanky blond recoiled. ?Oh, uh, hi, Van! You?ll never believe who I just bumped into. Our favorite reporter-girl.?

Meryl shoved Vash another step back. ?I have a name, and you didn?t just bump into me. Vash er?Vash just Vash! I?ve had enough of this, and enough of you treating me like you don?t know me whenever your friends are around!?

She stormed passed the two men and back into the warmth of the ballroom. The door slammed shut behind her.

?Meryl! Meryl, wait! I?. Oooh.?

Van crossed his arms and raised an eyebrow. ?You?ve been cheating. I?m telling Heero.?

Vash shrugged. ?Go ahead, but then I?ll tell him that you?ve been cheating on the deal with Hitomi.?

?I have not!?

?Van, you?re a lot of things, but a good liar isn?t one of them. Quatre either. The way you two have been staring at those ladies of yours all night speaks volumes. I?d say you?re both completely smitten.?

Van crossed his arms and looked away. ?And what are you with that reporter-girl, Vash??

?I can say it. I?m in love.? Vash blushed. ?I think she?s the one.?

?Oh geez. You?re doomed. You might as well hand over your shares of the company, now.?

?You know, that might not be such a bad thing, the more I think about it. But I?d hate to give Heero a way out too easily.?

?What do you mean??

?He still has something to learn from this situation.? Vash drew closer to the door and peered through the glass. He had a clear view of the mulish software mogul, still standing like an outcast in the far corner of the room - his gaze glued to Relena?s more cheerful form.

Van came up beside Vash. ?Are you saying he?s been cheating, too??

?Uh-huh. Just follow his eyes.?

?What? I don?t??

Vash pointed to Relena as she smiled and shook another guest?s hand; her fiery-haired date right beside her. ?Look at where his attention?s focused. It?s the same place it?s been focused since their first dinner meeting.? He looked at Van. ?Believe me, we?re not the only ones in inner turmoil over this pact.?

Van watched Heero scowl and drain the contents of his soda glass in one gulp. ?I never thought I?d see the day when Heero fell in love.?

?Kinda funny, dontcha think?? Vash chuckled. ?As soon as he swears off of women for three years, he meets the one he wants to spend the rest of his life with.?

Van shot him a strange look. ?You think he wants to marry her??

?Van, if there?s one thing I?ve always known about Heero, it?s that he?s not the type to have superficial relationships. He?s never really dated, and he?s never going to. The one woman that captures his attention will always be the one. She?s the one.? He pointed again at PCC?s VP.

Van followed Vash?s finger. ?Huh. Interesting. Think we can get him to call off the bet??

?No. He?s too stubborn, you know that.? Vash turned and leaned back against the wall while Van kept his focus on the ballroom.

?You think she?ll wait three years for his obstinate ass??

The blond sighed. ?I think she?s capable. If he asked and it was for a good reason. But I doubt she?ll consider this just cause or anything. You?re trying to have your cake and eat it, too.?

Van let out a languid breath and moved away from the door. ?Heero was right at the time, we needed change. We needed something else in our lives. It?s just??

?It?s just that you realize what you were missing isn?t what he thought it was.? Vash opened the glass door and signaled a nearby waiter. Van followed him inside.

The server brought a tray of drinks. Vash took two, and handed one to his friend. ?Care for a drink??

Van hesitated, but his hand inched towards the glass. ?Are you the devil or an angel??

Vash smiled down at the shorter man. ?Neither. I?m your friend. And I?m standing here next to you, seeing the same, pained expression on your face you had weeks ago in Seattle. This isn?t what it?s about. Work and studying, wealth and possessions, even intellectual competition isn?t what makes you want to be a better man, Van. Is it??

Van accepted the glass from his friend?s hand. ?No.?

?You want to be a better man for her. Don?t you??

Van stared at the crystalline cup resting in his palm. ?Yes.?

?Will you be able to leave her and go back to Seattle with just your sports cars and overflowing bank account waiting for you there? Will it be worth it, then??

His friend didn?t reply; he twisted the glass in his hand as his eyes followed Hitomi?s movements across the room. Ken Hidaka came up and asked her to dance, and she accepted with a beautiful smile. A dark look overtook Van?s features; his jaw set into a hard line. He didn?t say a word as the hacker turned recent corporate officer led the object of Van?s affections out onto the dance floor, then enveloped her in a loose embrace.

For a moment, Vash thought his friend might admit defeat ? staring as he did at the way the girl chatted brightly in the arms of her dance partner. His whole body seemed to sag in its flesh encasing, like he had just aged a hundred years in a single moment. The glass trembled slightly, knocking the ice up against its side.

Vash was sure Van was just about to hand back the drink, when she glanced up and met his eyes from over Ken?s shoulder on the dance floor. She smiled, and the black look evaporated from Van?s features.

?What a woman, indeed, that can turn my friend?s sour look into a smile.?

Before he could finish marveling at Van?s transformation, the GLLC marketing exec had downed the drink in a single gulp and handed the empty glass back to Vash. A wide grin erupted on the face of the blond man and he clapped his friend heartily on the shoulder. ?Shall we have another??

Van shook his head and squared his shoulders. ?No, I want her.? He took a step forward, something like determination glinting in his eyes.

Vash grabbed his arm. ?Uh?well, we can talk about it over another drink, right? How you?re going to get her back??

Van shrugged him off. ?I don?t think so.? He continued towards the dance floor, one object in his sights, and the scent of danger in the air.



*************************************************

AN: Just FYI, Stella and I have had some good news! Finally! I?d share it with everyone, but we?re not sure HOW GOOD of news it is. We?re trying our best to get the revisions done to the rough draft we have of the rest of this story, but we have a deadline for getting back to some important people by Jan. 24, so please forgive us if we are a bit slow and scarce for the next two weeks. *hugs to all* Love, Rose

[melodrama]

“No, Van, I think he’d be proud. Heero, you’ve officially been elected Most Likely to Negotiate an Arranged Marriage with the Family Owners of the Romafeller Corporation in your Bid to Take Over the World and Replace Thinking, Feeling Human Beings with Artificially Intelligent Robot Clones.”

You know... I doubt Heero could get himself in anymore trouble if he tried. (Actually... scratch that, we are talking about Heero after all.)

Another hilarious installment guys!! Kudos!! And just what I needed right now. *blows nose and attempts to remove the mass of cotton wool that appears to have taken up residence in head*

Thanks!

Love Mel

[VioletFairychild]

?But Dorothy!? Hitomi protested. ?It?s wrong to do that to some poor, unsuspecting? Oh my god, all the Weiss boys are hot. When did hackers start looking like that??





Yes, when did hackers start looking like that? And where can I place my order?

Still lovin' it...and good luck with the Important People! ^^

Vi

[angelic1090]

Oh thank GOD that SOMEONE is going to do something!! Especially Van!! *sigh* I have to agree with hitomi, the guys from Weiss are HOT, *blushes* I can't believe I just said that. Good for Hitomi staying away from icky (EVIL :evil:) Allen, even if she is technically dancing with another guy. I applaud her for making Van jealous, and with the help of Vash, forcing him to win her back. Although slapping would have been quite funny too...

I could see Heero doing that. Although I like Van's high school quote better... just change alliance-ware to GLLC-ware, and we'd have a perfect match. *grins innocently*

Post again soon? Please?

[WhiteWindRRose]

HAH! Dorothy... Queen of Torture is the truth, NO MERCY!
I just can't help but smirk good ol' 'Aunt Dottie'

I love the way you portray Relena here. Spunky, witty, but the same head- over-heals-over-anitisocial-grouches woman with resposability weighing on her shoulders like Atlas holding the sky.

::bounces in seat:: can't wait 'till chapter 12
'bout time Van came to his senses but I'm dying to see how he confronts Heero... why would you choose pride over love?? it's absurd, ferrealz. guess some people have to learn it the hard way. ::tisk tisk::

I salute u both (Stella and Rose) keep 'em comming. I'm dying of hunger already

[izzy]

I'm in love with this story. I love Shakespeare. I just love the twist you put to it. I can't wait to see who will break the pact first. Please keep um coming.

" Vash was voted most likely to wear is underwear outside his clothes."

hysterical! when i read that i was laughing so hard. my family thought i was crazy (what else is new). im about to graduate and really hope we have nothing like that. though my car might win the "thank god it runs" prize. its a good car.

[kmf]

LOL, another wonderful chapter Love that the girls (well some of them) now know what is going on and are going to give the guys a run for their money. And Dorothy was correct - how dare they choose 'a car' over love :evil:

Good new, eh? Well, I hope that it is really good news

kmf *who loves this so much she doesnt want it to end *

[amateur_storyteller]

This is such a kick-ass story! I can't wait for the next chapter!!!!


Begging Warning.
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PLEASE post more soon! And post more of Missing By A Mile, soon! Please! I love that story, and I going insane waiting for the next chapter.

[amateur_storyteller]

This is such a kick-ass story! I can't wait for the next chapter!!!!


Begging Warning.
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-
-
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PLEASE post more soon! And post more of Missing By A Mile, soon! Please! I love that story, and I going insane waiting for the next chapter.

[aku_ryo]

I've been waiitng for one of those boys to crack, although I didn't think it would be Van. Love love love this fic!! I dunno is Vash will have the same kind of luck confronting Heero, in fact I can virtually guarantee he won't...
I can't wait to read it.....
aku aku