Description: Heero disappears, and Relena's had enough of not knowing.....  Showing off her less feminine side, she goes off in search of him, unknowingly endangering herself, and her companions. Romance. Drama.

---------------------------------------

Disclaimer: I most certainly don't own GW, or anything remotely related to it (though I sincerely congratulate the people who did – that's the work of geniuses). So don't sue me, please. My bank account comes to a grand total of $2.11.

Chapter 7

"Sir, we've got a foreign X-103 on radar coming in for a landing on the back stretch."

Zechs looked up from his stack of paperwork at the young soldier at the door. He stood up immediately. "Do we have word from the pilot?"

The soldier nodded once. "It's the Foreign Minister, sir."

Zechs grimaced and said, "Did she name the passengers?"

"Affirmative, sir. Duo Maxwell, Quatre Winner, Trowa Barton, Chang Wufei, and – "

"Heero Yuy, I know. All right. Dismissed, then."

With a smart salute, the soldier dashed off.

Zechs hurried off in the opposite direction to find his wife.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Relena made a soft landing on a back stretch of field on the southern grounds of the Peacecraft estate, a move that surprised all the pilots. They had flown in quiet all the rest of the way from the Colony into Earth, and none of them talked to Heero.

Not that he was available to talk to, though. He lay in his bunk and stared at the ceiling, not speaking to anyone. When Relena landed, he got up and left the room with the other pilots.

Zechs and Lucrezia came dashing across the grass and swept Relena up in two huge bear hugs, nearly knocking the wind out of her. With a broad grin, Zechs shook hands with every pilot except Heero, who had walked briskly toward the mansion the instant he got off the ship.

As everyone made their way back toward the mansion, Lucrezia caught Zechs's puzzled eye and nodded once, then leaned down to say softly to Relena, "Is everything okay?"

Relena sighed, knowing full well what Lucrezia meant. "I'm afraid not. He says he's going to return to the Colonies as soon as he gets supplies."

Her older brother clenched his teeth and said firmly, "Not if I can help it."

Zechs found Heero in his appointed guest bedroom, talking rapidly in French on the phone. Zechs raised his eyebrows in surprise; Heero Yuy speaking French? Yet there he was, talking as fluent as if he was native-born.

Out of sheer politeness, Zechs waited until Heero was done with his phone call to speak. As Heero hung up the phone, Zechs said immediately, "Why in the world were you talking French?"

Heero glanced up at him and said, "I've got an…acquaintance that lives in France, doesn't speak English. He's going to get me the supplies I need – he works for the government and owns one of the leading factories for the X fleet."

Zechs whistled, impressed. "That's no acquaintance, man."

Heero was silent.

After a moment, Zechs said, "Why are you leaving her?"

Heero glanced up sharply from the desk where he was looking through a small stack of paperwork. "Who?"

"You know what I mean, Yuy."

Heero sighed. "I have to. Let's just leave it at that."

"No, we can't," said Zechs firmly. "Yuy, I've seen the way she looks at you, and the way you look at her. There is no way possible on earth that you're not breaking both your heart and hers by leaving."

Heero stared out the window and said quietly, "My heart was broken a long time ago. It hasn't healed yet, and it probably never will."

Zechs was quiet for a long, long time, thinking about all the mysteries Heero held inside. That can't be healthy, he decided. There is no way holding all that inside can be healthy. And yet, he's one of the strongest men – physically - I've seen in a long time. "Look, Heero," he said, walking over to join Heero at the window. "I don't know what happened in your past, and I'm not asking you to tell me. I never talk about my old days myself. All I'm asking you is to realize that you love her – "

"I already have."

Zechs continued, not surprised, "And to do whatever it is that will make her happy."

"Happy is not the same thing as safe."

"What do you mean?"

"Merquise – "

"Call me by my first name, Heero."

Heero continued as if he hadn't heard him, "What would make Relena the happiest woman in the world is for me to stick around. But would it make her safe? Merquise, I've got powerful enemies trying to catch me, with soldiers and guns at every corner. They think I'd join their side and use my…skills to help them."

"And would you?"

"Of course not! You know that as much as I do. So if I were to stick around, Relena would be put in even more danger than she was before."

"Heero, could I ever convince you that she'd be safer? You're the best soldier in the world, man, and you don't believe that she'd be safe?"

"What do you believe in, Zechs – keeping her happy, or keeping her alive?"

Zechs was quiet for a while, then said, "If only you wouldn't ignore what your heart is trying to tell you, Heero, you'd realize that very easily you could do both."

He walked to the door and opened it, but said quickly, "There's a ball tomorrow, and you're going whether you like it or not. I won't let you out of this house until you attend. There's people you'd like to meet, and Relena has asked me personally to ask you if you'd be her date."

Heero turned abruptly, but Zechs had already walked into the hall and shut the door.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Relena jolted as her older brother threw open the door and strode into her room, knocking aside her desk chair in his rush. She whirled around and noticed with a jolt of surprise that his eyes were radiating anger and exasperation.

"Wha – Zechs, what's the matter?" she asked.

Her brother watched her for a few seconds, studying every line, every expression written on her face. In the past few years, he had become an expert at reading his sister's emotions…though whenever she came near Heero Yuy, she seemed to adopt his blank expressions. Now, however, she was overly concerned and worried, though Zechs could sense pain in her crystal blue eyes.

"You know he's leaving, don't you?" he asked bluntly.

Relena stiffened and turned back to the window. "Of course I do."

"And what do you think?" Zechs paused, then said, "No. Don't answer that. Instead – what do you feel?"

Relena froze, her eyes watching as it suddenly began drizzling softly outside. Softly, she said, "What do you think I feel, Zechs?"

Zechs ran a hand through his hair, fighting to keep his temper down, and retorted, "Don't play that game with me, Relena. I know you too well – I think I know exactly what you would say if only you would be honest. I just want to hear it from your mouth."

Relena was silent, and he knew that he would not get an answer from her.

He said quietly, "There's a ball scheduled tomorrow, in celebrating your return from your – ahem – adventure. You will attend, as are all the Gundam pilots." Zechs strode to the door and opened it. Right before leaving the room, though, he said quickly, "And Heero has asked me to ask you to be his date."

Relena whirled around, but her brother was gone.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Miss Eliza Robinson, dressed today in a long, sweeping, tight dress of bloodred, entered her boss's room without even the slightest knock, clutching her usual file of folders to her chest. She swept across the room and came to stand behind the chair.

The room was dim as Mr. Shaefer watched his most trusted associate on the vidcam. Eliza flinched; she did not like these two men, not one little bit…yet her job paid well and, as an added bonus, she was able to get back at her.

Mr. Daniel Jones, on the vidcam, eyed the woman behind his boss's chair warily.

"Sir, I do not think this woman is – "

"Mr. Jones, Miss Robinson is fine. She does not know everything; just the essentials."

Eliza bristled, yet she knew the comment to be true.

"And what is she managing for us, sir?"

Mr. Shaefer gave him a small, wicked smile. "She knows every single detail Miss Peacecraft and all the Gundam pilots."

Jones raised an eyebrow. "And how is she able to get information that has been classified top secret in every department?"

"Why, because she used to know Relena Peacecraft personally."

Jones's mouth dropped. "Ma'am, I apologize – "

Mr. Shaefer waved a hand. "Don't bother. Is our – ahem – agent in place?"

"At the Peacecraft mansion, sir, ready and waiting to strike."

"Good. We will not lose her again. And Jones – "

"Yes, sir?"

"I want Heero Yuy brought here, alive. He's the one that helped her escape, and in doing so escaped as well. Be careful around him; he's the best of the pilots, and he knows his business."

Jones nodded once. "So do I, sir, so do I."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Heero stood out on his balcony, letting the rain drench him thoroughly. He had changed from his tattered clothes into jeans and a t-shirt, though now those were soaked. He didn't mind.

Recently, he had discovered that he loved the rain. He loved everything about it; the thunder, the lightning, the pouring water falling from the sky. He hadn't spent much time on the Colonies, because they very rarely had showers; and, even then, they were monitored closely and usually ended after just a few minutes.

Yet, he hadn't been able to spend his life on Earth. Everywhere, wherever he turned, there were TVs, vidcams, radio stations – all with Relena's face and voice, not to mention supposed "locations" of the former Gundam pilots (which were always wrong). He couldn't stand it, living with all those memories. Though the Colonies were just about the same, there he could live in a kind of recluse.

And he had, for seven years. A few old acquaintances found him – Dr. J one of them, of course. Heero couldn't help but smile at the thought of the strange old doctor.

Although it had been Dr. J that had trained Heero to be so unfeeling, Heero had always admired him. He had never wanted to do that, and he knew that Heero knew it. The old doctor had been impressed with Heero's determination, and had helped the young boy pass all the tests with flying colors.

Heero had confided in him when he had met Relena and the other Gundam pilots, the doctor being like the father Heero had never had. Dr. J knew all of Heero's feelings; he knew that yes, Heero did have feelings; he just almost never showed them. The doctor had been the first one to know when Heero realized that he loved Relena, loved her with all his heart.

Relena. Heero let in a deep breath. If this was love, it was strange. She was a distraction while being a wonderful companion; she was an enemy, and a friend. She twisted his heart and mind until he could not think straight. She was beautiful; he had known that from the first moment he had set eyes on her, eight long, long years ago.

A knock sounded on his door, and Heero started. He turned and walked back into his room. Grabbing a towel and drying himself best he could, he opened the door.

Duo barged right into the room with a "Hiya, buddy!" and bounced onto the bed. Heero rolled his eyes and closed the door.

"What do you want, Duo?"

Duo eyed him. "Not too friendly tonight, are you? Then again, you're never friendly."

Heero glared at him, but Duo was well used to it. "Anyway," the irrepressible pilot continued, "I just figured I'd drop by and – sheesh, Heero, what have you been doing, taking a shower in your clothes?"

Heero replied curtly, "Rain."

Duo raised an eyebrow. "Not very talkative. Rain, ah yes, I see." He shivered. "I hate rain. And I hate thunderstorms. I don't understand why anyone in the world would want to stand out in the middle of a thunderstorm. Me, I like to stay inside and – "

"Duo, I don't really care."

Duo grinned. "I know."

Heero crossed the room and shut the balcony doors, but not before letting the wind and rain caress his face once more. Duo, watching him closely, saw the action and gave a small smile.

"Heero, you've changed, buddy."

Heero turned at Duo's unnaturally quiet tone of voice. "What makes you say that?"

Duo shrugged. "I can just tell. You're different. You know," he said, a grin forming on his face. "We've got a lot of catching up to do."

Heero glanced at him. "What do you mean?"

Duo snorted. "Seven years and not a word from the Perfect Soldier, and – "

"Don't call me that."

Duo stopped. "What?"

"You heard me."

Duo raised an eyebrow. "Boy, did I ever."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

The violet-eyed pilot watched his friend closely. "Sheesh, Heero, you've changed more than I thought. You don't want to be the Perfect Soldier anymore?"

Heero stared out the window at the pouring rain. Lightning flashed, and for a moment his face was illuminated with a bright white light, making the lines on his face grow darker and he seemed to grow old in one short moment. "I'm not even a soldier anymore, Duo. Besides…I've hidden my emotions ever since I began training. Duo…I haven't cried in eighteen years."

Duo was silent for once in his life, thinking hard. What in the world would somebody say at a moment like this? What would help, what would make Heero feel better? Duo nearly smiled at the mere thought of making the great Heero Yuy, the perfect, unfeeling soldier, feel better.

"Heero," he said hesitantly. "The others and I weren't subject to training as you were. We weren't good enough at the time…you were. I don't know why; maybe it was because you were so solemn even at the beginning, after they told you that your whole family was dead and that you were an orphan forever. Me, I still had that church, and the priest; 'Fei had his people, Quatre had his family, and Trowa always had his sister and the circus. You – well, Heero, its no wonder they gave you Wing. You had nothing else.

"But you know what? Maybe its just me, I don't know, but now I see something different inside you. Do you remember the first day of training, when they put us all together in that little room and I whacked 'Fei on the head with a chair?"

Heero said quietly, "Of course I do."

Duo took that as a good sign, and continued, "Well, on that first day, Heero, you walked in with a smile. I don't really know why, but you were smiling the whole time they talked to us that first meeting, but then, when we met for dinner the first night, you weren't smiling anymore. And you haven't smiled since."

"You don't seem to have that problem."

Duo nearly grinned. "Yeah, well, my training wasn't nearly as bad as yours was. I didn't need that hard of training to control Deathscythe. You did, with Wing…and then Wing Zero. I don't think I could have managed it. Heero, you smiled that day until they showed you what your training would have to be. Why won't you smile again? You have feelings, whether you like it or not. There's no way to get around it. But you've gone so long without showing them…I believe there's some hope for you, buddy."

Heero continued to stare out the window, his face completely blank. For a long, long time, the room was silent except for the sharp raps of rain on the windows and roof. Then, Heero let in a long, deep breath, and said softly, "What do I do, then, Duo?"

Duo smiled. "You can start by smiling."

Heero raised an eyebrow, watching Duo's reflection in the glass. "You want to know the reason I didn't smile?"

His comrade nodded.

"It's because I didn't have a reason to."

Duo's mouth twisted at one corner into a wry grin. "Even with me around?"

Heero winced. "Especially with you around."

"Liar. Try, Heero. Look around you – there's always something. And if not, hang out with me tomorrow at the ball near the champagne stand; I'll crack you up."

Heero said coolly, "I can't."

"Why is that?"

"Relena's asked me to be her date."

Duo's eyes widened, and he smirked maliciously. "Really. That's very…interesting."

"Don't get any ideas."

Duo assumed a look of what he hoped was complete innocence. "Me? Never!"

Heero snorted. "Whatever."

"She asked you, or you asked her?"

"Neither. She asked Zechs to ask me."

Duo's mouth suddenly dropped open, and he said, "Are you sure?"

"Hn."

Duo took that for a yes. Suddenly, he burst out laughing.

Heero turned around, startled. After Duo finished laughing, he said, "Heero, you stupid, stupid man."

Heero raised an eyebrow. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"She didn't ask anybody! Zechs just made it up to make you go to the ball. It's obvious. And I bet he told Relena that you asked him to ask her."

Heero's eyes widened. "Why would he do that?"

Duo's grin spread wider. "He's playin' matchmaker."

His 'buddy' shook his head. "It's something you'd see, Duo. You're married."

Duo's eyes widened in surprise. "Jeez, Heero, that's not something you would say."

And then, so suddenly that Duo's mouth dropped open again, Heero's mouth split into a grin. "Yeah, well, I've changed, remember?"

Duo was stunned for a minute, then said cheerily, "See, it ain't that hard, isn't it? Now, we've just got to let Relena see that handsome smile…"

"Not on your life."

Duo grinned. "All right, we'll talk about that later. For now…we've got a lot of catching up to do!"

 

________________________________________________________________________