Edge of the Chase [Ch1. PG13]

[RelenaFanel]

Title: Edge of the Chase
Chapter: 1
Author: Relena Fanel
Rating: pg13

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It was a sharp edge she walked, between the woman the universe saw her as and the woman she wanted to be. She was a contradiction, straddling a killing blade. She was a pacifist who looked down the barrel of both sides of a gun and knew which end she would rather be on. She was in love with a man who had killed his share of innocents, including his own soul. She advocated total pacifism, but when she saw Heero masterly controlling a weapon of any kind ? a gun aimed at her heart, a sword against a friend, or a buster rifle meant to kill her only brother ? she admittedly got a little wet. Relena stared moodily across the length of the dance floor, taking in the object of both her affections and inconsistencies. He was ten years older, a full decade of physical and emotional change for the both of them, and she was no closer to either forgetting about him or convincing him to take her.

Heero was sitting at the bar, swirling a glass of clear liquid between his long fingers. She was convinced he was staring back at her, his emotions concealed behind shaggy bangs and cold, distant eyes. He drank down his drink in one smooth gulp, exposing the strong lines of his neck as he tilted his head back. He subtly motioned to the bartender to refill his glass, eyes moving away from her in order to rove around the clean lines, white d?cor, and light hardwood floor of the ballroom. He picked up his newly-filled glass of what appeared to be vodka, or at least vodka and tonic. Relena knew, without even needing to check, that it was likely only tonic. Heero could blend into a room, becoming a harmless part of the atmosphere, and more often than not he used a simple prop like a glass of alcohol to assist him. It was unlikely that he was really getting drunk, as he never consumed alcohol. Even when he was off duty, he was constantly watchful and weary.

Relena?s eyes flicked away from him for a second, taking in the rest of the room and the people in it. Friends of hers, peers, and a few political enemies were mingling, swirling around the dance floor, or joining Heero in an attempt to make it all blur away. They were at one of the numerous charity events hosted monthly within her circle ? all glamorous parties, balls, luncheons, and other social affairs she was expected to attend. This time was different, however. They were there on a mission. It was another reason why Heero couldn?t be drinking real alcohol, and why the martini in her hand was a virgin.

She stood, noticing that both their host and wife were finally together in the room. Relena circled the space, moving away from the bar at first. She was slightly surprised to see Quatre positioned next to the main stairwell, at least three of his beautifully dressed sisters flanking his side, and immediately knew his presence wasn?t a mere coincidence. Heero was covering all his bases again. She gave him a slight nod, not knowing if she was supposed to ignore the fact he was there, or act normally. He smiled back at her. She continued walking, making a mental catalogue of everyone in attendance. Une expected her to cross reference the faces she saw tonight with recorded voices of members of a right wing political party planning a coup against the current government. The Preventor intel stated that there was a planned meeting between high officials tonight.

Relena still couldn?t figure out exactly what her part to play in all this was. Sure, she worked with some of these people on a regular basis, but what they were orchestrating was well known to be against her ideals. If she tried to infer herself into their circles, it would obviously be a setup. Sure, she had gotten Heero into the party, but she was very familiar with some of Heero?s less than legal skills, and he would have had an easier time gaining entry without an invitee at his side. Relena didn?t think she knew anything which could help. Even her assignment from Une was moot, as the Preventors had easy access to technology which could identify a voice print within seconds.

She was seriously at a loss. If she didn?t know any better, she would say Heero just wanted her around for what was shaping up to be one of his easier, and maybe slightly boring, missions. She knew, however, that Heero would much rather stab out his own eyes than put her in the most infinitesimal amount of danger. That was her exact process of thought to reach the conclusion that something else was up that she didn?t know about - either Une had outranked Heero, Heero was keeping the true mission to himself and not filling her in, or it was something she wouldn?t like. Maybe all of the above.

Relena nodded to the ambassador of some-place-or-other, giving her brief politian smile. She rounded the corner of the deep mahogany bar, walking up behind Heero. She knew by the seemingly relaxed set to his tensed shoulders that he was fully aware that she was behind him.

?Dance with me?? She asked, brushing a hand along the muscles of his upper back and feeling his strength beneath her fingertips. He didn?t flinch at her touch, or acknowledge her in any way. Her voice lilted with a teasing quality, as if she knew their one dance had been enough, but she was asking anyway.

?I dislike repeating myself,? he told her. She managed to move close enough between him and the occupant of the next stool to watch him swirl the clear liquid around in his glass. She was pressed close to him, her breasts against his shoulder, and hip to thigh, trying invade more of his personal space than that of the stranger beside him.

?It is only repetition in similar circumstances,? Relena pointed out, leaning against him so she could whisper into his ear. ?We didn?t start off in your bedroom this time.? When she straightened, there was a slight kiss of color on the shell of his ear from where her pinkish gloss had touched skin.

Heero turned his head, glaring. For an alarming second, Relena thought it was directed at her. It wasn?t. It was directed at the man behind her who was coming perilously close to deliberately brushing his arm against her bottom. The man whimpered in distress, even though Heero had barely moved compared to some of the threats he had issued over the years. One of the better ones was when he tasered an old man because he had grabbed her arm to look at the time. The barstool neighbor decided he wasn?t drunk enough to challenge the silent threat directed at him, and scrambled off the seat. Relena waited a second for politeness sake, and then sat on the recently vacated stool.

?You?re very good at that,? she told him, setting the martini she had been carrying around as her own prop down on the bar. Relena lowered her voice flirtatiously, ?you?re very good at a lot of things.?

?Hn,? Heero grunted. His eyes appeared to be looking at nothing, still not paying attention to her, but she knew that he could follow ever minute movement she made out of the corner of his eye, just like she knew he was likely waiting for a silent cue known only by him for the next step of the game.

?Why am I here?? Relena asked him, finally breaking down and vocalizing the question which had been bothering her all night.

?Is this one of those existentialism questions?? Heero asked, one of his lips quirking up at his idea of a joke.

?Heero!? Relena huffed, only mildly annoyed. ?I know I?m not here as backup.?

He paused, not answering her for a moment. ?Window dressing,? he said shortly.

?Window dressing?? Relena questioned, one of her eyebrows winging up beneath her light brown hair.

?Lobby art,? Heero clarified.

?I know what you meant,? she told him, somewhat crossly. ?So I?m here to look pretty??

?What else?? He asked.

The professional in her bristled at his comment, outraged that he would say such a thing. To her. Of course, the feminine, womanly part of her, which seemed to be taking a backseat in this instant, was secretly pleased by his roundabout compliment. ?If you only wanted that, you could have hired a professional or made Duo dress in drag again. Why am I here??

?Leave it alone,? he replied somewhat harshly. ?You?ll know soon enough.?

She wasn?t sure she liked the sound of that.

?For that,? she told him, trying to look as stern as she could, ?you owe me a dance.?

Instead of arguing with his, he put down his shot-glass and offered a hand. She grasped it, barely concealing pleased surprise. Heero led her out to the dance floor with a surprising amount of finesse stemming from his lack of hesitation and self-assurance. As he stood, straight and tall, posture perfect for a waltz, it was easy to confuse him for someone who had spent his entire life sequestered to the more elite circles like she had. With one hand still clasped in his, Relena gently placed her other hand on his shoulder, stepping into him.

?I always wondered where you learned to dance,? she remarked casually as they began to move around the floor. Her silver dress swayed gently around her calves and she could hear the swoosh of her hair in her ears.

Instead of answering her prompting question, he replied with one of his own: ?I always wondered where you learned to shoot.?

Relena laughed carefully, the chime even and not quite real. ?Information trade?? She would tell him if he truly wanted to know, as it was impossible for her to keep secrets from Heero.

He shrugged, as if it didn?t really matter. She supposed he wasn?t cursed with her sense of curiosity. She felt silent, letting him lead her around the outer perimeter of the dance floor. He never ventured into the middle, always making sure there was an escape-route ready if need be. She admired the way he managed it so effortlessly, that unless one knew him, they would never recognize the patterns. Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed their host make his way to a podium situated directly across from the main stairwell. From a life of experience, she knew this signified a pause in dancing and the commencement of anywhere from a minute to an hour of boring speeches.

?Five minutes, minimum,? Heero said just before swinging her into a twirl. As her body spun, her mind tried to grasp what he had just said to her. ?Keep their attention, Relena. No eyes can wander at crucial moments.?

?No,? she exclaimed, finally catching on. Her eyes narrowed dangerously at him, and she seriously considered purposely grinding her heel into his foot. ?I?m not prepared.?

?Five minutes,? he reminded her, letting go of her hand and blending back in with the other guests. Relena stood alone. She took a fortifying breath, straightening her shoulders so that her posture was rigid.

?Miss Peacecraft has offered to say a few words this evening,? the host explained from his position on the make-shift stage.

Her peers were clapping politely, some whispering amidst themselves. It was a rare occasion for her to speak at anything but political events, and rarer still for her to have anything to do with events hosted by opposing political fractions. She walked towards the podium, her strides confident but unhurried. So far, all attention was drawn to her, not only by those personally aware of her habits, but also by those who saw her as a beautiful face with a decent body. She reached the stage, standing behind the pulpit-like stand to begin her speech, only she really didn?t have anything to say. Sure, she could easily win a debate she had not preparation for through wit and charm, but pulling a speech out of thin air without a focal topic? Not as easy. She nodded to their host, one Mr. Ronald Wattmeter, and took control. He returned to the floor, and became one of the hundreds of faces staring at her expectantly.

?Did I ever tell you about the time I fell in love?? She asked, and the room was hers for the taking.

She could see Heero watching her from a few feet in front of the stairs, and she smiled because she had managed to divert even his eyes towards her. He nodded briefly, then hurried up the steps. She could see why this was necessary, as she had a perfect view of the grand staircase as well as several rooms in the upper hallway. Heero slipped into one of these, unnoticed by everyone but her.

?The night was calm and quiet, much like this one, and the scent of rain from earlier in the day was still hanging in the air like a rich perfume. The party was much like this one, in fact, and I had skipped out on the festivities to enjoy the air outside. I couldn?t get enough of how brightly the stars twinkled, or the strange haze surrounding the moon. From where I was sitting beside a fountain, I could barely hear the tinkling of laughter and glasses over the rush of water. Suddenly, this guy wades across the fountain and disrupts my thoughts by sitting beside me. He looked to be older than me, certainly more suave and sophisticated, and just the thought that he was sitting beside me made my heart patter quickly. I probably started to blush as well, so it was a good job the only illumination were some strategically placed patio lights. I smiled at him.

He smiled back and said ?look at the fishies I caught,? and then tried to put one in my hair.

I pushed him in the water, and went crying to my mom. I was about six, and he must have been eight.? Relena stopped her tale, squinting into the crowd with one hand above her eyes to ward off the overhead lights. ?Chad, I know I saw you earlier. Don?t think I?ve forgotten about that.?

Focus turned away from her and to a young man trying to look inconspicuous in the center of the room. Immediately, Relena realized her mistake. Half of the guests were now in the position to see Heero if he emerged from the room at this moment.

?Now,? Relena continued. ?I would like to thank Mr. Wattmeter and his wife for such a lovely party. I would also like to wish them a happy anniversary.? At the frown on her host?s face, Relena immediately realized her mistake. ?But if I did that, it would mean I?m at the wrong party.?

A few of the guests tittered, others looked confused. A few where whispering again, probably passing on gossip about scandal and speculating on how much she had to drink. Relena wondered how much time she had left. She had been speaking as slowly as she dared, hoping to pass time between sentences so she could say less in more time. Heero still wasn?t back, and she could feel a cold sweat drip down her back. She didn?t know how much longer she could be interesting.

?My shrink told me that I needed to get over my fear of saying something stupid or superfluous during a speech.? Relena held her arms out wide, hoping talk of her personal psychiatrist would keep people interested in her for a few more moments. There was nothing like good scandal to keep the members of this circle eyeing someone like a vulture. ?Of course, she also told me to get over my modesty I should walk around naked. Since you won?t see me doing that any time soon.? She could hear someone sigh loudly in the crowd. ?Yes, a disappointment, I?m sure. Since I wasn?t willing to listen to her about the nudity, I compromised with this little speech.?

Heero finally slipped out of the room. Relena suddenly yearned for a chance to do the actual information retrieval instead of just being a decoy. A sigh of relief went through her that she could finally wrap up, and get away from the piercing stare of all these people. ?So once again I would like to thank our host and hostess, especially for agreeing to give me the chance for a little self-therapy. As for the other suggestion my therapist made, well if you look really carefully you might be able to see a flash of ankle as I get off the stage.? She winked, and then left. Once she was out of the spotlight, she didn?t know what to do with herself. She wanted to go find Heero, but instinct told her that right after he finished a little break and enter job might not be the proper time to walk up to him. She also wanted leave. Now that she had finished making a fool of herself, she knew that the more brazen of the gossips were likely to come over and talk with her, trying to judge for themselves just how intoxicated she really was. Relena seriously wouldn?t be surprised if there was a nice article about her in some tabloid rag.

Who actually did approach her did come as a surprise.

?I had forgotten about that, you know.? A voice said behind her left shoulder. Relena twirled around, momentarily blinded by the glare of tiny Christmas-like lights stringing from the ceiling.

?Chad!? Relena exclaimed, putting a hand to her chest in shock. ?You snuck up on me there.?

?If I had realized you love me, I would have done this a long time ago.?

?What?? Relena asked nervously, half wondering what he was talking about and half incredulous at his words. She fidgeted with the skirt of her gown beneath her fingers, trying her best to keep her face neutral. ?You know that was just an anecdotal tale, right? It was just meant to be entertaining and amusing.?

?Miss Dorlian, please. I noticed the rapture on your face as you spoke.? Chad then snatched her hand and raised it to his lips in what was probably supposed to be a charming gesture. Relena clenched her other hand into a fist so tightly she could feel the crescents of her fingernails digging sharply into her palm. He grabbed her wrist, causing her to relax her hand and watch him wearily. ?You?re so enchanting.?

?Relena, dearest!? A willowy brunette exclaimed as she sidled up beside the two of them. ?Your speech was divine. A breath of fresh air from you for once. Seriously my dear, if only more of you politians worked on wooing a crowd through humour and sweet charm instead of promises the world might be a better place. And speaking of fresh air, lets take a walk on the promenade and enjoy some of the fresh oxygen imported in from the lunar factories.? The lady grabbed Relena?s arm, pulling her hand away from Chad?s. ?You must tell me where you got your gown. I absolutely need a nightgown made out of that material. It?s so divine.?

?Your dress is very becoming on you too, Helen,? Relena replied with a laugh. ?I didn?t think you had the bubbly socialite in you, but I guess I was wrong.?

The cheery-friendliness on Helen?s face washed away once they were out of sight from most of the crowd and she sighed as if dropping the fa?ade loosened the stays binding her from breathing. ?I?ve never been able to figure out how you us apart.? Helen slouched against the shimmering wall, crossing her arms over her chest modestly. ?I can barely tell sometimes,? she commented, referring to all the Winner sisters.

?The three sets of twins are the hardest,? Relena confided. ?But when you need to learn and permanently remember the names of about a hundred people in one meeting or risk insulting a political group you are trying to woo as an ally, you tend to pick up tricks.?

?Speaking of tricks,? Helen confided, glancing surreptitiously around the ballroom for eyes watching the two lovely ladies conferring behind a set of potted cherry trees in a hidden corner. Deciding that this was the safest they were going to be in a room full of eyes, Helen pulled a small disc out of her decollage. ?Tada.?

?What am I supposed to do with this?? Relena asked, wearily taking the disc. Body adhesive on the back stuck to the tips of her fingers and Relena peeled it off with a gentle ripping noise. ?I assume this has something to do with Heero.?

?He didn?t tell you?? Helen asked as Relena stuck the disc under her left breast. If Heero wanted it so badly, he could go get it himself.

?No,? Relena replied, equally as surprised and suspicious. It wasn?t like Heero to let a civilian go into a mission blind. She bet he had gone over the situation at least three times with Helen, drilling ever movement and potential threat into her head until she?d be hearing his voice berating her in her dreams for months. Heero was being careless, and it worried her.

?You were decoy,? Helen explained. ?He stole the disc and left a fake, deliberately setting off the silent alarm in the middle of your speech. He expects them to find the switch soon, and you?ll be the only one they don?t suspect.?

?Does he realize what this will do to my career if I?m caught,? Relena hissed.

?Do you realize what will happen to it if he didn?t steal the info on that disc?? Helen watched Relena?s eyes narrow as her hand unconsciously patted the hidden chip. ?You don?t know that either, do you.?

?Where is he? I?m going to kill him myself, pacifism be damned.?

?He left already,? Helen chuckled.

Relena closed her eyes, wishing he hadn?t pulled her into this the way he had. She would go through with the plan, whatever it was, but without more information she could honestly say that he was the only one she would do this for. A part of her wondered if he was aware of that, and was using it to his own advantage. She?d like to think that he would never go that far, but the truth was that he would do anything to protect her and the ideal peace she was representing, even if that meant using her as a pawn. It was just the type of convoluted reasoning she associated with Heero. ?At least,? Relena said slowly, trying to think of one positive thing to say so she could leave the meeting in the concealed alcove with more than the feeling of dread curling in her stomach, ?he was thoughtful enough to provide a way for me to carry it out.?

?Uhm? no. That was me.? Helen said sheepishly. ?I think he intended for you to put it in your bra or stick it in your purse.?

?What bra?? Relena questioned, mocking Heero?s knowledge of women in evening gowns. It made her feel a little better.

?Exactly,? Helen chuckled, slipping Relena?s arm through hers and walking back out into the room, her smile still affixed on her face. ?And then I said to my dearest brother ?but you know I don?t like curry?.?

Relena laughed politely. ?Give him my regards, won?t you? I really must go ask Harold how his wife is doing after the surgery.? Relena turned her back on Helen, hoping the fact she was seething at Heero was not obvious on her face. Not only would these vultures notice if a single muscle was frowning, but it would give her unpleasant wrinkles. She smiled a greeting to a fellow Politian, politely remarking on the lovely ring his new fianc? was toting on her finger like a stone albatross. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see and almost count the extra guards quickly filing into the ballroom. Despite the tuxedos they all wore to blend in, there was something about the way they held themselves, straight and alert, that spoke to the fact they were on the job. Relena was pleased with her ability to spot the difference, just as she was proud of the fact that Heero had stopped being so obvious a long time ago.

The angry energy flowing through her blood towards him quickly turned to an adrenaline buzz at the challenge. The part of her which lived for the thrill and would have made her a brilliant lawyer or intelligence agent if her life had turned different, that zing of self-assurance and intelligence which made her a relentless politician coursed through her blood and she almost smiled as the realization reached her. She could do this. She wanted and needed to succeed at getting the disc out the door, even with the extra guard and the probable detection equipment they were setting up.

Relena always exceeded under pressure.

And Heero, damn him, was probably counting on it.


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Well, I decided this was going to be my NaNoWriMo project, since I haven't done anything GW in a while. It is turning out... interesting. If you want to buddy me on the nanowrimo site, I'm RelenaFanel [of course[ and I'll friend you back if you leave a message with your name.

[ladysaffir]

Sounds interesting...I can't wait to see what Relena does to Heero when she gets her hands on him. Update soon please!

LS

[Morrighan]

He-he-he-he.... Oh, I'm willing to bet that Relena will make Heero retrieve the disc instead of handing it to him. XD

Can't wait to see more!!

P.S. Happy Birthday!!

[The Angry Angel]

Poor, poor Relena! She goes from Queen to Pawn. And here I thought on a chess board the pawn becomes the queen.

This is fun, and I'm so glad you popped back in to grace us with this nice little masterpiece...just the perfect amount of action and longing I so needed!! Yay!!

[RelenaDorlinYuy1]

I like to see Relena beat the day lights out of Heero that will be fun

[lilac310]

more!!!! this is really interesting!

[takisha16]

LOVED IT!!!
I loved the opening lines:

It was a sharp edge she walked, between the woman the universe saw her as and the woman she wanted to be. She was a contradiction, straddling a killing blade. She was a pacifist who looked down the barrel of both sides of a gun and knew which end she would rather be on. She was in love with a man who had killed his share of innocents, including his own soul. She advocated total pacifism, but when she saw Heero masterly controlling a weapon of any kind ? a gun aimed at her heart, a sword against a friend, or a buster rifle meant to kill her only brother ? she admittedly got a little wet.

You never really think that she seriously looked at both ends of a gun.
I loved her thoughts on Heero mastering a weapon.
jajaja...indeed
I loved the way Relena is being incorporated in the missions, even if
she just steps in as a pawn.
Heero is damn sexy as always!
I loved her speach!!! It must've been so embarassing for her!
But still, the Chad thing was Hilarious!!!
Quatre really does have that many sisters....creepy!
I loved the idea of Duo is drag....jajaja
The flirting seemed so effortless, I loved it!
This reminds me of the movie"Robin Hood men in tight" when Robin
Hood is wooing Lady Marian, and his supposed enemy, the evil king
replies to the sherrif.."He's a smooothie....definitely a smoothie!"
jajaja, that's a great movie!
Update soon!
I can't wait for the next chappy, everything was great

[HiFreak]

Well I bet the night is not going to be over for a long time. Can't wait to see what happens.

[amulak]

Ooooo! This is so good! ^^ I'm excited to see Relena confront Heero, hehehe. That would stink so bad if you were Relena, having to randomly give a speechy thing out of the blue.
I'm glad that you worked Heero and Relena dancing in there- it was cute
This is great though, I was really dissapointed when the chapter ended....
Update again soon!!