Missing by a Mile - Chapter 26.5

Post by **blackrose** » Sun Apr 17, 2005 12:25 am

Missing by a Mileby the Black RoseAN: This is the other half of chapter 26 (I told you it was long). I am calling it chapter 26.5 because I already have chapters 27, 28, 29, and 30 labeled, and I'd have to go back and fix them all. Blah. Where Chapter 27 starts, I really couldn't incorporate any of it into this chapter without it seeming weird, so I'm cutting it here, and we'll move on to Chapter 27 by May 7. Chapter 28 will be posted May 21, Chapter 29, I'm going to schedule for June 11. If I'm still on track by then, I'll plan to post Chapter 30 on June 25. But, we'll have to see. I start a new job (yay for telecommuting) on April 25, and Akon is the weekend of June 4; I'm having company starting June 20, and I'm in the process of selling my house. So! I'm doing my best?. hugs Thanks for your patience, and thanks so much for reading! Love, RoseChapter 26.5Relena could practically feel the weight of Trowa's stare on her skin. Silence had sat between her and her close friend on the ride there, had followed them to her office, and hadn't yet left. She had to resist the urge to squirm in her chair as she shuffled through the papers on her desk and purposely avoided his eyes.'Why do I feel so awkward?'She made one pile and then another; she pulled a manila folder out of her desk drawer and shoved the piles into folders. Trowa remained silent.Relena began to shove the manila folders into hanging file folders. "You're not happy for me?""Of course I am." His voice sounded quiet and even. "Why wouldn't I be?""I?I don't know." She continued to file. "I just feel like for some reason, you're unhappy.""The woman I'm in love with is marrying another man. Of course I'm unhappy.""Trowa?" She sat back in her chair, and made the mistake of glancing up. When she met his gaze, those eyes told her everything she didn't want to know."I'm teasing." The corners of his mouth lifted up into something like a smile. "You've always been in love with him. I knew that when?" He glanced away. "It doesn't matter. You're happy."'What is he saying? He's not joking, even though?' She heard her voice leave her body: "Yes.""That's not convincing. Is something wrong?""I-I'm just nervous." Relena glanced down at a small stack of manila folders resting on her lap. 'I thought I'd filed all these.' She shook her head and sighed. "He wanted to get married today?. That's awfully soon, isn't it?""If you two had just met, I'd say yes." His voice grew closer. She knew he was moving towards her desk even without looking up. "But you've known each other for several years. As long as you're fine with the date, then it's the right time.""I?.""You're hesitant about something." He placed both hands on the surface of her desk.Relena stopped filing folders away and looked up. Trowa was leaning down over the top of her desk, his brow creased into a deep frown."It's just that this whole thing happened so quickly."?Why are you always smiling?? He glared down at her with sharp blue eyes that looked like they had been carved from stone."Is that all that's not sitting well with you?"Relena looked down at Trowa's hands; he had long, slender fingers, and long, slender scars... 'They never healed?.'"I see." He withdrew his hands and crossed his arms over his chest. "What do you want me to do?"She blinked and focused back on the present. "Has he spoken with you?""About?""The wedding, how many times he's proposed." She glanced down at her lap. There were more folders sitting in her lap. 'Where are they coming from?'"He did ask my advice on how to ask you on a date.""And?did he seem?" She shoved hanging folders aside, and struggled to get enough space to stuff the rest of the folders into the drawer. "?concerned?""About?"Relena dumped the remaining files into the drawer and banged it shut. "I don't know what I'm asking. I just want to know that he loves me." She dropped her elbows onto her desk and buried her face in her hands."Have you asked him that?""I? I asked him to say it to me.""Saying it and meaning it aren't always the same." 
She took her hands away from her face and laced them together under her chin. "That's true?""If you don't believe he's sincere, why did you accept?""I didn't say that I don't believe?" She sat back and let her hands fall flat onto the top of her desk. "I just feel a bit?rushed, I guess." Relena stretched her fingers and drummed them on the polished wood."Well, you have four days." Trowa grabbed her chin and forced her to look up at him. "Feel un-rushed.""Huh?""This is what you want, Relena." He stared her directly in the eye. "Even if you have doubts about the speed you two are progressing your relationship, there's no point in denying that it's what you want." Trowa let go of her chin and moved away. "So, accept it feels a little wild, a little faster than you're comfortable with, and just go with it."Knock knock.Julie, Relena's secretary, stuck her head in Relena's office. "Your appointment is here."The minister sighed and glanced over at Trowa; he was back to his 'favorite' position near the window - his eyes half closed, his arms crossed, and leaning back against the wall. She looked back at her secretary and noticed Julie seemed to be staring at Trowa, as well. Relena blinked."Send him in.""Huh?" Julie tore her eyes away from Trowa's figure and glanced back at her boss."My appointment. Please send him in."<hr size=1 width=100% noshade>The marriage license request outing and return trip were fairly uneventful. Unless someone wanted to count Heero almost being caught by the Senate Majority Leader in the act of trying to remove his fianc?e's panties as eventful. At this rate, Heero didn't think anything would surprise him.He stood, and he used the arm behind her back to pull her up to a standing position with him - just in time for the door to swing open. By the time Thom Dashmeyer stepped around the panel, Heero was a safe distance away - though Relena still looked a little dazed?and rumpled."Miss Darlian, it is an honor," the bald senator said and extended a hand towards Relena. She smoothed both hands over her skirt, and shook hands. Heero saw her fingers drift up to check the button on her blouse that he'd had to quickly re-fasten in the short seconds he had between the time his ears had picked up the footsteps on the other side of the door and when the wood panel had swung into the office."Of course, Mr. Dashmeyer. If-if you don't mind, my um?bodyguard was just leaving."The Senate Majority Leader glanced over at Heero; Relena's fianc? glared back. 'You interrupted us. If it was up to me, I'd kill you.'Mr. Dashmeyer swallowed and quickly looked away. "Yes, um, I'm at your disposal, Miss Darlian." He placed one hand down on the arm of the guest chair and lowered himself into the seat.Relena began to sit in her own executive-style leather chair."After all, it was your office that called and moved this meeting up to today.""It was?" Her hand slipped off the arm of the chair and she started to lose her balance. Before Heero could react, her other hand caught the edge of the desk and she glided neatly into her seat.'Impressive.'"Ah, I mean, yes, the matter seemed of particular importance." Relena reached up and tucked a stray hair behind her ear and smiled a little too broadly at her guest.Heero continued in hover-mode nearby. Trowa wasn't in the office, and neither was Duo - the one on duty next. 'Where are they?'"Yes."'This one looks more impressed to be here than threatening, but?'"If?you don't mind refreshing my memory, Senator, it's been a bit of a long day - can you tell me?""Why we're meeting?""I'm terribly sorry.""No, it's perfectly all right." The older man held a handkerchief up to his forehead - like he was wiping away sweat. "I had asked my secretary to call and cancel this meeting about three weeks ago; I suppose that didn't happen because your office called last week to move it up on the schedule. My secretary took the appointment?""So you're saying you don't know why we're having it, either."Heero rolled his eyes. 'Perfect.'"I am as confused as you are."'And about to be just as dead as whoever's been changing her schedule.'"I'm so sorry for dragging you all the way over here, Senator." Relena managed to curve her mouth into a smile even as her eyes darted over to meet her fianc?'s. He stared back, and let his lip curl into a snarl. One corner of her mouth dipped down and she really did look apologetic. Heero sighed and stared up at the ceiling. His fingers - the ones that had, moments before, been inching strategically up the inner part of Relena's thigh - clenched into fists in his jacket pockets."Not at all. As I said, it's my honor. And since I'm here and we have nothing particular to discuss, there is something I'd like to ask you."Heero glanced back over at the pair. He caught the Senator's eye; the older man shifted in his seat. 'Get rid of him, Relena.'"Of-of course." His fianc?e glanced up and sent Heero a wide-eyed look. "Would you care for some coffee or tea first?"It was all he could do not to pick the man up and throw him out the window. 'Dammit!'"Coffee. Would be perfect, thank you."Heero crossed his arms and moved to his 'usual' spot. He leaned back against the window - in Relena's line of vision, but behind the Senator's chair."Heero, on your way out, can you have Julie bring in some coffee?" She addressed him, but did not look in his direction.'I wasn't on my way out.'"And can you also locate Duo for me? He appears to have gone missing."'I'm not sure where he is at this moment, but I can tell you where he's going to be in about a half hour.'"He's not very talkative is he?" The Senator chuckled."And?are?you," she finally looked up and met his gaze. Relena grimaced. "I mean, who's on the duty roster for this evening, do you know?""Wufei will be meeting you and the day shift here when your appointments are over.""I see." She glanced down at the top of her desk. He couldn't read any more of her expression."Trowa has the early morning shift for the rest of the week.""So?you're done for the week?""I have some things I need to take care of before an important engagement at ten o'clock Saturday morning.""I see. Well, then, have a great week." Her voice sounded cheerful, but she still refused to look at him. Her fianc? took the hint and headed for the door to let himself out - and begin the hunt for Duo."And I'll expect you to be in bright and early Monday morning."He paused in the doorway. "Hm." Heero smirked. His brain could twist that into any number of different meanings - all of them involving Relena being naked."I expect so, too."<hr size=1 width=100% noshade>A small squad of Preventer soldiers knocked on the door at approximately two o'clock in the afternoon. Trowa notified Zechs, and took the paperwork from Agent Rogers - even though he already knew what the pages contained. It was seconds before the Lieutenant's footsteps hit the tile and began to stomp towards the entryway of the house.When he arrived, Trowa passed the warrant to his commanding officer. Zechs snatched it from his hand."We're working on an addendum that would allow us access to any recordings of conversations in your office." The female agent remained at attention as she addressed the Lieutenant. Trowa leaned back against one side of the opening from the formal room to the entryway."This is ridiculous." Zechs's voice boomed.Rogers winced."Are you refusing to comply with the order?" Trowa lifted an eyebrow and stared at the Lieutenant. He hoped it was enough that Relena's brother would understand the warning."No. But I am a Preventer, not a criminal." He threw the papers at Trowa. They fluttered into a heap as they hit his chest."No one thinks you're a criminal." He collected the pages and handed them back to Rogers."Hn. Just what is it you're looking for?" Zechs turned his attention back to the female Preventer. Trowa thought he saw her sink about two inches into the ground."There's been a breach of security," Trowa answered for her. "Someone's gotten in on one of the lines and hacked into areas of the internal network - we don't know what they're looking for, or what they're after, but we're trying to tie it to an allegation recently brought against this administration.""What sort of allegation?" Zechs glanced only briefly in Trowa's direction before turning his scowl back to Rogers."That Relena took a bribe. Or someone in her administration did."At the word 'bribe', Relena's brother turned a vivid shade of purple. "That is worse than ridiculous. It's PREPOSTEROUS!"Trowa closed his eyes and counted to ten. He struggled to keep his voice even. "We know it is. But the accuser has some?information that he couldn't have gotten anywhere else than from someone inside.""Unless they were the hacker.""Right."The red drained from Zechs's face and he seemed to return to his usual color. "So, you're looking for proof that this conversation offering the bribe took place, and at the same time, trying to track down the extent of the security breach." He crossed his arms.Rogers shifted her weight from one foot to the other. "We want to bring charges against him before he can leak the story to the press," she said.Trowa shook his head. 'Relena wouldn't have flinched.'A little smile appeared on Zechs's lips. "Une is being thorough and proactive as usual.""Yes." 'He finally gets it.' Trowa motioned at Rogers to continue with her orders. He stepped away from his position next to the wall. "You can understand why we need those recordings."Zechs's eyes narrowed. "To prove I'm not the one who took the bribe.""That's correct.""Fine. Take whatever you want. I have nothing to hide."'We'll see if that's true.'"We appreciate your cooperation, Lieutenant," Rogers said. The six-person team moved passed Zechs and Trowa into the house, and paired off to tackle the search."You're keeping an eye on them, right, Barton?""I am, but my loyalty might not be what you'd prefer.""I doubt it." Zechs turned and started back towards his office. "It's not like you to let them uncover anything damaging to Relena. Or her career."'Hm. You don't trust me, but you do rely on what you believe my feelings are for your sister - the very same feelings you don't trust any other time. Interesting.'"True." Trowa turned to follow the Lieutenant. "But I know Relena well enough that there isn't anything damaging to her career to uncover."Zechs paused. "But you're not so sure about me.""I won't lie. Having been on opposite sides long enough during the war and after, you've never been my favorite person."The Lieutenant turned around and met Trowa's eyes."Though you do seem to have a different outlook on things since marrying Noin and taking over administration of your sister's security."Zechs raised his chin and glared down his nose. "Hn."The front door slammed open; Trowa's shoulders tensed and he and Relena's brother spun in that direction.Thankfully, or not-so-thankfully, a cross-looking Wufei stomped into the foyer. "Where is he? Where is that coward?"Trowa felt his shoulders relax; he nodded at the other Preventer. "Wufei.""Barton," the former Altron pilot barked. "Where's Heero?""I take it you got my request." Zechs seemed to smile when he spoke."Your request." Wufei snarled. "I thought it was that pathetic waste, Yuy who can't take care of his woman?""It was actually my idea; Heero delivered the message to Zechs and then he made the request. Heero's been working too hard, and with the threats and the allegation, we need him fresh for the trip to L4 next week."The dark-haired Preventer sneered. "I hope it's worth it. I had requested time off?""I'll have Noin explain it to Sally." Zechs's smile widened.Wufei stopped. He crossed his arms, huffed and looked away. "Fine. Now, what's my shift assignment, and where's that ingrate, Yuy?"<hr size=1 width=100% noshade>Heero parked the economical hybrid vehicle that served to get him to and from work every day in his apartment's detached garage and turned off the engine. He sagged forward and leaned his head against the steering wheel. 'Three days. I have to make it three days.'The Preventer sat up and stared into the dimly lit garage. "What am I going to do for?" Heero checked his watch. "?ninety hours and eight minutes?"He slumped forward again and the vague thought that he could just sleep in his car for three days flit through his brain before he dismissed it as completely irrational. 'I have to eat. I'll need a shower and a change of clothes before we get married, so I may as well suck it up and go?home.'Heero opened the car door and pulled himself out of the driver's seat. He moved to the end of the garage and hit the switch to shut it. It was a bit of a hike from the line of garages to his apartment; he had to walk across the parking lot and then down the long corridor on the east side of the pool and recreation area in the center of the complex. One of his neighbor's motorcycle leaned up against the wall; a citation stuck to the windshield warned the offender to park the vehicle in the parking lot.The Preventer pulled his keys out of his jacket pocket as he finally reached his apartment door - to let himself inside.His apartment was just the way he left it. The way he always left it: clean. Or, as Duo preferred to call it - barren.The foyer area was small, and led directly to a narrow, carpeted hallway. Just around the corner, to the right, the living room remained void of furniture. The galley-style kitchen had nothing but the essentials. He didn't bother purchasing a table or any chairs, instead, a single barstool resided just on the outside of the elevated part of the kitchen counter - next to the cast-iron sink."It really is empty?""Empty wasn't always this bad, Relena. Before you?"Heero rubbed a hand over his face and turned to go the other way down the hall - towards his bedroom. His legs felt heavy and he knew that his body really needed sleep. The lock clicked on his door; he trudged inside.Sadly, no half-naked Relena was lying on his twin bed waiting for him. 'No naked one, either.' Heero slumped down onto the edge of his mattress and buried his face in both hands."If you're sure?I guess just think of it as a vacation," Zechs said. Heero snorted, dropped both hands, and untied his shoes. "I've never taken a vacation." He flipped off his shoes and flopped backward onto the bed."I could use the rest. These last few weeks?I feel like I've been fighting battle after battle, only without my Gundam."He sighed and the breath turned into a yawn. "Vacation. Hn. How bad can it be?It was the dead of night and the ceiling was not doing anything of interest, and still he couldn't sleep. Heero had slept, when he got home that afternoon, and now, he was rested and his eyes wide awake."Ohhhh, yeahhhhh. Oh, do that again, baby! OH!"Did he mention that his neighbors weren't helping matters?His far wall thumped again - it had to be their headboard; just because they were getting some?excitement in their night lives, didn't mean that Heero wanted to hear about it. What was wrong with these people?"Oh! Oh! Oh! Oooooh, yeah, do it to me again! Oh, I like that? Ah!"The Preventer rolled over onto his side and pulled the pillow over his head. Eighty-one hours and fifty-six minutes to go on his 'vacation' and this?His neighbors' headboard beat against his wall again. Heero glanced at the gun on his nightstand and wondered how accurate he could be from this distance with a wall 'blinding' him as well as distorting the sound - correction, SOUNDS - those two were making.The wall thumped again and again, it became a steady rhythm - punctuated by cries of "Oh!", "Oh yeah!", "Faster!", and "I love it when you f?"Heero shot upright, skipping a sitting position and going straight to standing on the floor. He shot a disgusted glare at the wall, then unlocked his door to stomp down the hall to the living room.Eighty-one hours and fifty-two minutes to go. Wufei would be on duty this evening. Relena was probably asleep after her long day crammed with appointments. Duo was probably at home with Hilde - possibly giving his neighbors a run for their money. Erase that thought. Trowa was probably hosting some member of the female species in his bedroom. Or maybe he was the one 'entertaining' the girl next door. And Zechs, of course, was with his wife.Heero dragged into the kitchen and opened the refrigerator door. 'The milk is still good. I could have cereal?.' He pulled the half-gallon of milk out of the icebox and set about making cereal.A loud moan escaped from the other room. The Preventer hung his head, then beat it into the cabinet door.'Eighty-one hours and forty-seven minutes to go?'It just wasn't fair.<hr size=1 width=100% noshade>Trowa paced the length of his bedroom floor, his phone next to his ear. He half-listened, half-tuned-out the Colonel's voice - concentrating, instead, on putting one foot in front of the other on top of the matted, grey carpet."What dates of these recordings do you, in your expert opinion, believe are critical to the current investigation?"Trowa stopped. He tilted his head. "I didn't say the recordings were critical to the current investigation.""If they're not critical, then why am I chasing my tail trying to get these subpoenas, agent Barton?"He held the phone away from his ear. The woman was beyond touchy. 'She really needs a good? Hm, not appropriate at this time.' "My apologies, Colonel, there's some static on this end of the line. Of course the recordings are critical to the current investigation.""Good." Her voice lowered. She could sound seductive when she wasn't yelling. "Now, tell me the dates we need."'I can think of a few dates, but they're probably not what you had in mind.' Trowa smirked. "I thought we had agreed that we'd use the same dates as the other surveillance?""We had. However, Judge Stillwell isn't willing to give us that kind of leeway in this area. He wants us to be more specific." She breathed heavily into her receiver. "He denied our first application, and I have to go back to him with fewer dates. AND he said he wanted to see times."Trowa could hear the tension in her voice. He could just imagine the way it bunched the muscles in her long, lean neck?"He also said he was going to place a cap on exactly how many hours we could subpoena. We're beginning to look like we're trolling the river looking for bodies, he said."Trowa blinked. 'Dammit. When did this start?'"It's just that this whole thing happened so quickly.""I don't know the answer off-hand," he replied to Colonel Une's rather lengthy question."You have forty-eight hours. I have to deposit the revised application on the judge's desk by eight am Friday morning if we're going to get the data we need by the deadline."Trowa sighed. "Yes, Colonel.""And Barton.""Yes, Colonel.""Whatever else you have up your sleeve, I expect a full report when you deliver the information I requested."His blood ran cold in his veins, and he didn't have to look in a mirror to tell beads of sweat had broken out all over his forehead."Personally. In my office."Trowa swallowed against the lump that had formed in his throat. "Yes, Colonel.""At five am on Friday morning." The line went dead.'Shit.' His heart plummeted into his stomach."Consider this your only warning: I will kill anyone who tries to get in my way."Trowa sunk down onto the edge of his bed and buried his face in his hands."I don't know what I'm asking. I just want to know that he loves me."'Now, what am I supposed to do?'

Emdyn · Post by **Emdyn** » Sun Apr 17, 2005 7:00 am

this was awesome!

very good! the story is so funny and well written!! XD i can't wait for the next!

perfectpeach · Post by **perfectpeach** » Sun Apr 17, 2005 3:07 pm

hahahaha! trowa's in trouble! hahahahaha! *wipes tear* that was classic!

Melina · Post by **Melina** » Sun Apr 17, 2005 3:34 pm

naughty naughty neighbors ....wonder how long Heero can last with 'that' going on around him

Can't wait to read the rest of the chapter Rose!

Morrighan · Post by **Morrighan** » Sun Apr 17, 2005 9:13 pm

Poor, poor Heero.

Somehow I think he can't last that long.

Can't wait to see more, Jenn!

Wingnut · Post by **Wingnut** » Sun Apr 17, 2005 10:21 pm

Just what is Trowa trying to do anyway? This really makes no sence at all.

melrose_stormhaven · Post by **melrose_stormhaven** » Tue Apr 19, 2005 3:54 am

Poor Trowa. Poor Heero. Oh what tangled webs they weave....XD

Beer-monster · Post by **Beer-monster** » Wed Apr 20, 2005 10:45 am

Amusing, highly amusing but not enough of a portion for customer satisfaction.

Write, womAN, write as if possessed by the king of plot bunnies!!!

Wingnut · Post by **Wingnut** » Wed Apr 20, 2005 4:51 pm

Put a sock in it Beer. She's doing a heck of a lot better now than before. Comeing out with a new chapter every two weeks is very nice and something to look foward to. Espically compared with the irratic rate and long inbetween waits of before.
Give the woman some slack will ya?

Post by **blackrose** » Mon Apr 25, 2005 2:59 pm

Emdyn wrote:this was awesome!

very good! the story is so funny and well written!! XD i can't wait for the next!

*hugs* Thanks so much! I'm very glad you're enjoying it.

perfectpeach wrote:hahahaha! trowa's in trouble! hahahahaha! *wipes tear* that was classic!

Oh yes, Trowa's always getting himself into trouble in this fic. Almost as much as Heero...

Melina wrote:naughty naughty neighbors ....wonder how long Heero can last with 'that' going on around him

Heero: -___-;;; If she was here, I wouldn't last another minute.
*DING DONG*
Heero: O_O

Thanks so much for reading, guys.

*BIG HUGS*

Love,
Rose

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Missing by a Mile - Chapter 26.5

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Missing by a Mile - Chapter 26.5