While You Were Sleeping – GW Style!
First set of italics are Relena's narration. Enjoy!!
XOXOXOXOXO
Chapter One
XOXOXOXOXO
When I was young, I had two people in my life that made it really special.
My dad and my older brother were the only men in my life for years and years. I wanted to learn everything from them growing up. My father would take us on lots of trips, but my favorite ones were to the church in southern Illinois where he and my mom got married. It wasn't anything big and huge, we never did have a lot of money I guess, but it held sentimental values. Anyway, he would tell my brother and me all about meeting mom, the wedding day and the day each of us were born. My dad loved going on trips like that. And so did I.
After mom died when we were young, my brother was the most protective person in the world. He tried to do it all and take care of me and Dad. I admired him. He loved us a lot and I loved him too; almost as much as Dad. He went to work, helped with bills and repaired various broken things around our old house. He even helped me through two years of college. When he got married they moved in with dad because he was older by then and needed more assistance. I moved to the city, but always spent Christmas and all of the other holidays there with them. In fact, when I first moved away I came back and spent all my free time there. Eventually it got down to mainly holidays and special gatherings.
It was all too good to be true. I guess I shouldn't have been surprised when it all came crashing down. Three years ago, almost exactly, there was a fire. My father had always insisted on buying live Christmas trees. He said it wasn't really Christmas without one because of the smell and look of it. My brother and I loved the lights, so he always put a bunch on. Every year it was the same. On Christmas Eve those almost three years ago I was staying there at the house. We had a lovely evening and everyone was so happy. We played games, sat by the fire and drank eggnog. It was very picturesque and traditional. The next thing I knew I was waking up to the voice of a fire fighter. I looked up from the back of the ambulance and saw my burning house. The fire alarms failed to go off and wake us up. I barely survived. My brother, sister-in-law and father all died that night in the fire. I just knew it was that damned Christmas tree with all of its lights, but the fire department later determined wiring problems in the attic. I never thought I'd be able to get close to another man. The fear of loss was so great.
Then, about a year ago, I saw him for the first time: my Prince Charming. And he didn't exactly give me anything special… it was more like a train token. But it was still special because I'd get to see his smiling face every morning. I just knew we were going to live happily ever after… but first I probably needed to talk to him. I will! I will introduce myself one day and it'll be perfect. Just like him. And he will help me to get over the heartache of my past.
XOXOXOXOXOXO
The large tree slowly made its way up the side of the building, scraping against the downstairs windows. Anchored to a thin piece of rope, she pulled the tree up, grunting all the way. She sighed and brushed her bangs away from her eyes. Turning slightly she faced her cat who watched in amusement from the cozy couch.
"I still can't believe I paid all that money and they refused to deliver it to me," She grunted, pulling at the rope again, "Why didn't I buy that fake one when they were on sale last year?! I wouldn't have to do this again. I guess dad's legacy goes on this way."
Her cat meowed, unsympathetically. There was at least a foot of rope behind her, curled up on the floor, but she didn't see it as she tugged at the piece of rope in her hands harder and continued backing up to gain leverage. Her foot landed on a section of the coiled rope and she went, both feet in the air, falling to the ground. The rope slipped from her fingertips as her rear hit the hardwood floor of the apartment. She grimaced when she heard the tree fall to the ground and crash through a downstairs window. Only seconds later, from her landlord's newly busted window, she heard her name being yelled.
"Relena!!"
Begrudgingly, she went downstairs to meet him at his already open door. He ushered her to his table near the busted window and they sat down to paper work he had been working on. He looked at her in a scolding manner. She grinned nervously and started to fidget.
"Nature of claim: Christmas tree through window. How am I gonna put this on my insurance? They're still pissed about the fire from when Duo grilled in the stairwell!"
"I missed that one…" She retorted, standing up to survey the damage she had caused only moments before.
"Oh, there was great steak." He smiled, his eyes looking up at her over the rims of his glasses. He was a kind older man with bangs and long, graying brown hair he always kept pulled back into a neat pony tail behind his head, and his reading glasses which he insisted on wearing all the time.
"Look, I'll pay for this." She pointed toward her tree. He sighed.
"It's OK Relena. I got some family in the glass business." He laughed up at her from his paperwork.
"Oh! I almost forgot!" She reached into the large arm of her sweater and pulled out a small, neatly wrapped gift she had grabbed before leaving her apartment.
"Merry Christmas, Mr. Maxwell." She placed it in front of him.
"Aww, Relena. You didn't have to do that." He stood up, taking the little present up with him, eyeing it with a warm smile.
"Well, I wanted to." She was heading for the door. He looked back down at the gift and felt guilty.
"I'm dreading my shopping this year. Maybe you and Duo would go and do it for me, huh?" He joked but was soon interrupted by his son.
"Hey dad, can I give that bottle of Chianti to that cutie up in 5J?" Duo asked loudly, coming into the room. He was sporting his usual long braid, white t-shirt, and blue jeans.
"Can't you see we've got company?" His father scolded, "Say hello." He nodded toward Relena.
"Hey, 'Lena! You know, you can have that Chianti if you'd like it." He said, with his typical wide grin. She tried not to laugh at him.
"It's alright, Duo."
"It's over there." His father pointed to the bottle of cheap wine in the cabinet. Duo sauntered over to the cabinet where the bottle was. His father, still holding the small, but nicely wrapped, present, came over to Relena and stood next to her in the doorway.
"Relena, you're a nice girl," He stopped and looked over at his son, "Duo is still single." He finished his sentence as Duo bent over to get in the cabinet to search for the wine.
"Yeah, that's a shocker." She said sarcastically. His father didn't catch the little bit of sarcasm, though. He still stared lovingly at his son.
"You know, it's important to be friends first," Mr. Maxwell caught himself saying, "I'm sorry Relena I didn't mean to suggest anything." He said, blushing slightly.
"It's alright. Duo is my friend, Mr. Maxwell. But that's it, so don't go naming the grandchildren, ok?" She smiled. He just laughed and nodded.
"Say 'bye' to Relena, Duo!"
"Bye, 'Lena! I'll come by later or something!"
"Ok, Duo. Bye."
XOXOXO
The next day, she stood on the corner next to the hot dog vendor's stand about 4 blocks from the station where she worked. Completely buried in multiple layers of clothing and an old, men's jacket to keep warm, it was difficult to see much of her face. It was only a few days before Christmas, and freezing in the Windy City. There was a blizzard expected to be coming in sometime before the end of the week. She had her nose buried in a travel packet for some Caribbean island when the vendor asked her,
"What'll ya have on it?" The hot dog was waiting in his hand for her order.
"Oh… the usual I guess." She told him, putting away the packet decorated with sunsets and palm trees.
He popped his shoulder and sighed.
"What's that?"
Her lips formed a frown.
"Mustard… a coke." She told him like she told him every day of the week, rolling her eyes.
Suddenly, her boss came running down the street calling her name enthusiastically.
"Relena!"
"Hi, Sal." She smiled.
Sally laughed and reached into her thick coat's pocket.
"I'm glad I found you here!" She said, not looking at her, but still searching through her pockets.
"I was hoping you'd find me in Hawaii." She told the other woman happily, gathering up her hot dog and coke.
"Hawaii? Yeah right. If you went you know you'd have to take me too," She chuckled, "Listen I am recommending you for employee of the month!" She told her joyfully. Then she turned to the vendor quickly and pointed at him.
"The usual." The vendor nodded his head, winked and got right on it. Relena couldn't help but look at the vendor as if he was crazy, but Sally soon took back her attention.
"Really? I didn't know there even was an employee of the month." She smiled at her boss.
"Oh yeah," She turned her attention to the paper she finally fished out of her pocket and began to read the print, "'Supervisor Sally Po nominates Relena Peacecraft for Employee of the Month. Relena is never tardy, always works holidays even if she has worked the previous holiday. Just because she worked Thanksgiving, Relena is willing to work Christmas too…'" At this point her blue eyes lifted above the sheet of paper and looked at Relena in a questioning way.
"Sally. I'm not working Christmas." She told her bluntly and turned to walk away with her hot dog and coke in hand. The tall dark blonde woman followed her.
"You'll get a nice plaque with the mayor's stamp on it!" She begged.
"I didn't vote."
"You'll get to ride on a float for St. Patrick's Day!"
"I hate parades."
"Did I mention extra holiday pay?"
"I hate you."
Sally finally caught up to her and cut in front of her.
"Relena… Look, Jess can't switch 'cause she's got big family thing with her husband. And I promised Wufei I'd be home this year." She plead her case.
"This stinks Sally." She munched on the hot dog.
"I know it's not fair and I can't make you do it, but Relena you're the only one…"
"Without a family." She finished for her. Sally looked at her apologetically and Relena's eyes shifted to the pavement below. She fought off the urge to cry.
XOXOX
Over the next few days, Relena got her Christmas tree set up next to the window and decorated, though that took more effort than she thought it would. She also spent some quality time with her cat, Merlin. Before she knew it, it was Christmas Eve.
She sat in her booth, alone, trying to think of how to keep from being bored. She examined her nails, pushed away her bangs and tried to find interesting things to look at. Her hat was, she decided, very itchy and she would try to buy a new one soon…
What she did try avoid was looking at all of the families that passed by the booth that day. Off to big family get-togethers or something like that. It was around Christmas that she missed her family the most… The fire had destroyed everything and everyone she loved. And today was the anniversary of that fire and their deaths. When she got off work, Relena already had plans to visit the cemetery. That was where she went for her family get-togethers these days.
She was so caught up in her thoughts of her father, brother and sister-in-law, she didn't even notice as her Prince Charming walked up to her booth to give his token.
"Hi." He said to her as the little bell rang, letting her know he had paid. She looked up, not expecting to see him standing there, and her mouth dropped open.
"Merry Christmas." He smiled at her. He was so incredibly handsome. His emerald green eyes and cinnamon brown hair… Well actually she could only see one of his eyes because he wore his hair longer in the front than in the back and it hid his other eye. But she was sure it was there… and she was also sure that it was just as beautiful as the one she could see.
"I… I…" She blubbered like an idiot as he walked away to where the train would be coming shortly. He was gone. She slapped her hands against her head repeatedly. She stopped and shook her head and watched him walk to the platform.
"Nice coat… Merry Christmas to you too… You're beautiful… Will you marry me?... I love you!" She quietly listed off to his back as he continued to walk. Slowly her head sunk and she began to bang it on the desk. Thankfully, she picked it back up right in time to notice the two young men approach her Prince Charming. They teased with him, grabbing at his scarf and designer coat; finally they pushed him onto the tracks below.
"Oh shit!" She cursed, softly. She threw open the door of the booth and ran to the tracks. The two men ran away, but their victim lay unconscious on the tracks. She knelt down and started to yell at him frantically.
"Sir?! Sir?! Sir can you get up? God sir, this is not good." She got down onto the tracks.
"Oh God… Mister, uh, can you? Are you breathing?" She lowered her face to his chest and mouth to see if he was exhaling or not.
"God, you smell good." She caught herself saying. She shook it off and continued trying to wake him.
"Please wake up! Please!" Relena moved the stray hairs away from his face, but he remained unconscious.
"Can you wake up? Can you hear me?!" She started to yell, but realized in horror that the train was fast approaching them.
"Oh God! Wake up! Somebody help please!" She yelled, but no one was around to hear her calling.
"Mister! Mister there's a train coming and it's fast so you have to get up!" She pointed, trying to explain to the man who couldn't hear her. The train was almost to them.
"Oh God!" She said once more. Thinking fast, she lay down on top of him and rolled them both out of the oncoming train's way under the platform. Once they were safely under the platform, his eyes fluttered open. She could, for once, see both his eyes and she had been right. They were both beautiful.
"Hi." She said sweetly to him. He stared up at her, studying her face but then once again lost consciousness. As the train finally stopped, she sighed in relief and let her head rest on his shoulder momentarily before getting up.
Sighing once more, she swept the hair from her face and got up to get help. Relena pulled herself up on the platform and left the rich looking unconscious man where he lay. She ran to the booth to dial 9-1-1 and the paramedics soon came.
"Can I please ride with?" She begged the man lifting her prince into the ambulance.
"Are you family?"
"Well… no, but-"
"Sorry miss. If you're not family you can't ride. If you have a car you can follow us to the hospital. We're taking him to Saint Edward's downtown." He informed her. She stood, dumbstruck for a moment watching them drive away then sprinted to the street and hailed a cab. She, like many people in the big city, did not even own a car.
"Where to ma'am?" The foreign man driving the cab asked.
"Uh, Saint Edward's hospital!" She blurted out. What was she doing?!
Before she knew it she was telling the cabbie to hurry up and he was screeching to halt in front of the hospital right behind the ambulance. She rushed to the Emergency Room but was blocked by a nurse.
"Ma'am, who are you here to see?" The nurse asked her, waiting to write down Relena's information. Relena stalled until she saw the mystery man being wheeled into the Emergency Room on his stretcher.
"Him! I'm here to see about him!" She pointed enthusiastically at the injured man.
"Are you family?" The raven haired nurse asked.
"Listen, 'Hilde,'" she read off of the nurse's name tag, "I'm not exactly family, but I saved his life!"
"If you're not family you can't go in there. Sorry, that's hospital policy."
The nurse started to walk away and Relena felt the tears coming to her eyes.
"I was going to marry him…," she sighed, walking away. Hilde stopped and turned around quickly. She had made a terrible mistake!
"Miss! I'm so sorry, right this way!"
Relena was so happy she could see him that she didn't even wonder what changed the young nurse's mind so suddenly. Hilde showed the way to where they had stabilized the man. He lay peacefully in a hospital bed, his head bandaged carefully around the forehead and IV tubes leading from plastic bags into his arm. She peeked at his chart being held by the nurse and caught a glimpse of his name.
"Trowa…" she whispered in quiet relief of finally figuring out his name.
"Do you need some time alone, ma'am?"
"No… you're fine here. And you can call me Relena."
The nurse smiled and nodded before the doctor came in and shooed her out. He was a very tall, handsome man that looked like someone her brother would have probably been very good friends with. The thought of her brother suddenly brought an old, familiar sick feeling to her stomach and she could almost feel herself pale. He smiled at her sympathetically and picked up Trowa's chart to look over what had happened.
"My name is Dr. Kushrenada." He said, extending his hand. She took it and introduced herself.
"Well it seems he has suffered some severe head trauma, Ms. Peacecraft. We're going to have to run several tests to see the extent of his injuries, but I'm guessing that if it weren't for you getting help so quickly he could have died. Of course, if it weren't for you, the train would have killed him anyway. Would you like to contact his family, or would you rather I do it?"
She was lost in a mental fog. Severe head trauma? That wasn't good at all. He might never wake up. He could be a vegetable for the rest of his life. How would they ever fall in love if he never woke up again?
"Ms. Peacecraft?"
"Yeah." She breathed, still not completely there.
"Alright then. Seems like he has a half-brother and a sister I need to call. We'll be moving him out for just a few minutes as we conduct these tests. You can wait here. He'll be back soon." The doctor informed her as he exited the room.
"You're so brave! To save the man you love, that is!" Hilde said, coming back into the room when the coast was clear and Trowa had been wheeled out.
"What?" Relena said, coming too from her thoughtful state.
"Your fiancée, Mr. Barton! It's so great that you were the one to save him. It's very romantic." She fawned.
"My fiancée? Him?" She said. Oh no… they couldn't really think… Crap. Hilde must have over heard what she had said. That's why she rushed her back here.
"Yeah, him! Oh my gosh, I'm sorry, I must have caught you at a bad time. I hope he does better soon and there'll be a happy ending."
"Me too." Relena said quietly, slumping down into a chair near where his bed had been. How did she get herself into such a giant mess? Now the doctor was probably calling his half-brother telling the romantic story of how Trowa's bride-to-be saved him from certain death. She thought she was going to throw-up.
XOXOXO
When it was finally quiet and she had stopped pacing, Relena took a seat next to Trowa's bed. They had brought him back after nearly an hour of testing. She was at last free to caress his hand and face with her fingertips. He looked bad now. The bruises on his face were beginning to appear. Coupled along with the machines he was attached to and the bandages around his head she knew she couldn't just leave him there. His family might not even show up at all. Then he would be all alone. She knew how it was to be in the hospital alone.
"Hi. You don't know me, but everyone thinks we're getting married and it's sort of my fault. I'm really sorry. My name is Relena Peacecraft, by the way. Don't worry… I won't leave you."
He probably couldn't hear her, but just in case he could, she kept talking to him. About things she hadn't talked about in a long time. It was a little therapeutic to speak to someone and know they wouldn't, or couldn't in this case, judge her. She told him everything. Nearly her whole life story had been spilled by the time she fell asleep.
Much later that evening, she was snapped back to reality by the buzzing of her cell phone in her pocket. She glanced down at the caller ID to find that it was Sally.
"Oh my God…" she let out. How could she have been so stupid? After the accident she had left work when she was the only one there!
"Hello?" She meekly answered.
"Relena! What the hell is wrong?! You left the station with no one there! Thank God it's Christmas Eve. Everyone thought we had closed early. Why did you run off like that?"
"I'm sorry Sal… there was an emergency."
"What kind of emergency?"
"A man was thrown on the tracks this afternoon, Sal! I had to save him. And when the ambulance got there, I don't know what came over me, I just had to make sure he was alright so I took a cab and followed the ambulance. His family is on their way I suppose, but I couldn't leave him. I'm sorry. I understand if you want to fire me." She explained.
There was silence on the other end.
"It's ok, Relena. That was good of you to take care of that guy. Don't worry; after Christmas you'll still have your job. Take the next few days to yourself; I know this is a… difficult time for you."
"Thank you, Sally. Tell Wufei I said Merry Christmas, ok?"
"I will. Merry Christmas, Relena."
The line went dead and she flipped her phone closed again. She looked over at the man in bed.
"Don't get me wrong, spending Christmas Eve with you is what I wanted and all, but not like this," she almost cried. She thought about her warm, cozy apartment with her little tree and cat, who must be very hungry by now, but still she didn't leave. She was determined he not be alone in the hospital that night. Her eyelids began to get heavy a little after midnight and she slowly let herself sink down to where her head was resting on her arms next to Trowa's. It was uncomfortable, yes, and she would most certainly wake up aching the next morning but she didn't seem to care as long as some sleep would come again. Any rest she could get at this point would be appreciated.
XOXOXO
Sometime in the middle of the night, she heard loud chatter out in the hallway. The more she tried to ignore it, the louder it got. Finally, she figured out that it was getting louder because it was getting closer. She blinked her eyes several times, rubbed the sleep from them, scratched her head and prepared to give whoever was making such a racket a good one. She went to the door to spot three people and a nurse quickly approaching. The nurse, Hilde, was trying to hush them and tell them someone was already with whoever they were going to see, and as Relena stepped into the doorway she got a finger pointed at her as Hilde said, "Her!"
Relena's heart skipped a beat. What had she done? Had they found out that she wasn't really Trowa Barton's fiancée? She wanted to run away, but her feet were firmly planted on the floor.
"Who's that?" The woman in the group asked.
"That's his fiancée!" Hilde told them.
"Fiancee?! Trowa's not engaged… is he?" The blonde haired man next to the woman said, thoughtfully.
"I guess it's possible, I mean, Trowa is so distant from us these days." The red headed woman mused.
The group consisted of the tall, red haired green eyed woman who had asked who Relena was, a well dressed blonde man with light blue eyes and another tall man with chocolate brown hair and midnight blue eyes. He had yet to speak. It seemed he was just taking in his surroundings and when his eyes landed on hers she felt a shiver go down his spine. With the way he looked at her, surely he could see into her soul and knew right off the bat that she was a fake.
"She's not only his fiancée, she saved his life!" Hilde beamed. Relena shot her a desperate look to stop. This hole was getting deeper and deeper…
"You did…?" The quiet brunette finally said. There was a hint of suspicion on his voice. Relena was now sure that he knew her terrible secret. She just stared until she realized that was a question.
"Yes. I did save him. He fell on the tracks and there was a train coming, so I got him off the tracks."
"That was very courageous of you." The blonde man smiled.
"What's your name?" The red headed woman asked.
"Relena Peacecraft."
"Well, Relena Peacecraft, welcome to our family." She said, coming over and hugging Relena tighter than she could remember being hugged in a long time. The set of arms made her sincerely wish they were becoming a family instead of it being just a big lie.
"I'm sorry! Where are my manners? My name is Catherine Barton. I'm Trowa's sister. This is Quatre Winner, a close family friend of ours and Trowa's best friend," she said, pointing to the well dressed and equally well groomed blonde, "and this shaggy looking fellow is our half-brother, Heero Yuy."
He simply nodded in reply, still eyeing her suspiciously. He was not doing anything good for her nerves. The intensity of his eyes was almost too much.
"We'll be moving your brother first thing in the morning once all of his test results have been looked over by Dr. Kushrenada," Hilde explained before leaving.
They all went to the sitting area to make small talk and further introductions.
"How long have you known Trowa?" Quatre asked.
"For about eight months now." Relena figured out loud.
"How did you two meet?" Catherine poked. It was obvious this type of talk took away from the grimmer situation on hand.
"We met at the train station, where I work."
"You don't seem like his type." Heero stated bluntly.
"Heero! How rude!" Quatre scolded.
"Well it's true. How many stick thin blondes do you see him with?"
"Seriously, Heero… knock it off," Catherine warned, with a smile still on her face.
"What's your type then, Heero?" Quatre prodded.
"Brunettes. Big fat ones," he said slyly.
"Oh Heero," Catherine laughed, rolling her eyes, "everyone knows you're the one that loves blondes so much. Anyway, Relena, what made you fall for our Trowa?"
"I think it was his smile. He has the best smile," she remarked in a shy voice, turning her eyes downward. Catherine and Quatre were beaming at her. Heero was looking quite smug before he spoke up.
"They're caps," he retorted. She sent him a confused look right before the other two burst into laughter.
"Heero!"
"It's true."
"Maybe so but Relena doesn't need to know that!"
Relena covered her mouth trying not to laugh, but it surely beat out the alternative. And on this very early Christmas morning, laughing with a family, even if it wasn't her own, felt like she had discovered a long lost paradise. She couldn't tell them at that moment that she was a fake.
"Who is his favorite sports team?" Heero asked, still very suspicious.
"The Bears," she guessed.
"Lucky guess," he told her, eyeing her in a way that made her feel like running from the room.
"What are you doing, Heero? Relena doesn't have to answer your questions like that!"
"But how do we know for sure she's really his fiancée?"
"Why would someone lie about that?! Especially when it involves a man who's laying unconscious in a hospital room," Quatre said, scolding Heero. All of a sudden, an almost suffocating knot formed in her stomach.
"I'm sorry, but it's getting late and since you're here I should get going," she said after glancing at her wristwatch.
"Relena, I wouldn't do this normally, but since you're my brother's fiancée and you saved his life… well we didn't really get to have a proper Christmas eve so I'm going to do it right tomorrow night. You have to come. You're family now."
"I couldn't. I mean, that's your family time together and I couldn't impose."
"Nonsense! I won't take no for an answer! Now," she stooped over and began scribbling something with her pen onto a small piece of paper she had fished out of her handbag, "this is our address. Please come. Try to be there by seven tomorrow night, ok?"
Relena sighed. She knew she should tell her and end this charade as quickly as possible.
"Listen, Catherine,"
"Don't protest so much," Heero said from his place against the wall.
"Heero's right. You need to come, Relena. Trowa would want you to."
She could feel her teeth grinding in uncertainty.
"Ok," she finally sighed in defeat.
"Oh I'm so glad." Catherine said, hugging Relena again as tight as she could. Then, before she could leave, Catherine handed her the piece of paper with the address on it.
"I'll see you all tomorrow night then."
She went to leave and on her way out she caught a glimpse of her 'fiancée' through the window of his room. She took in a deep breath and began to leave.
"Relena! Ms. Relena, wait!"
She turned around to see Hilde jogging towards her with a small cardboard box.
"These are you fiancée's things."
"Ugh, stop saying that!"
"Excuse me?"
"He's not my fiancée!" Relena blurted in frustration.
"What?! Then why did you say you were going to marry him?"
"I was talking to myself!"
"Well next time you're talking to yourself remind yourself that you're single, ok?"
"What am I going to do?" Relena sighed, suddenly coming to terms with the situation she was in.
"Why don't you just tell them?"
"I couldn't! She hugged me so tight… I just couldn't. But I will! This won't continue."
"Well here, they think you're his fiancée and until you come clean that's all I know too. Goodnight, Relena."
She passed over the cardboard box and headed back towards the nurse's station. Relena walked to the elevator and started to poke through the box of items. It was soon into her excavation that she noticed the familiar sized can in a brown paper sack near the top of the box.
"Oh no…"
It was exactly what she thought it was. A can of cat food. If he had a cat it had to be starving by now. She would have to make a trip over to his place and make sure it had food. Rummaging through the box some more she found his wallet and a set of keys; the tools necessary to getting to where he lived. She snuck a peek at the driver's license for an address right as the elevator dinged, signaling its arrival. She moved slowly to go in.
"Relena wait up!" She heard. Hitting the hold button, she allowed Heero to come into the elevator with her. Her eyebrows furrowed. Was he going to spy on her?
"Let me give you a ride home. It's the least I can do for acting so suspicious of you back there. Quatre's right. You have nothing to gain from this situation if you were faking it."
"It's ok. I'm going to take a cab to Trowa's place anyway… gotta feed the cat," she said, letting her head fall into a resting position against the back wall of the elevator.
"Trowa doesn't have a cat."
She merely raised the cat food for him to see.
"Well then I'll take you to Trowa's place."
"No really, Heero, thank you so much but it's ok. You need to be with your family. It's Christmas day and your brother is in the hospital."
"They'll survive without me for a little while. Unless he's recently moved, Trowa doesn't live that far from here. It won't take me long to take you by there and then drop you off where ever you live."
She knew he would just keep persisting, so finally, she gave in.
"Alright. This won't take long I promise."
They walked outside and she pulled her coat close to her. It was so cold.
"Do you need another coat? You can use mine if you need it. Does that one even fit you?"
She laughed a little.
"No. I'll be fine. And it doesn't fit me because it was my brother's coat."
"That was nice of him to give that to you."
"Uh… yeah. Where's your car?"
"Over there," he pointed to an old truck in the visitor's lot across the street.
They trod slowly over the ice covered ground. She slipped a little and quickly found Heero's arm reaching out to stabilize her.
"Thank you," she told him, embarrassed.
"No problem. It's just a bad time of year for that."
They got in the truck and pulled out of the hospital parking lot.
"So you've known Trowa for eight whole months and got engaged and none of us ever heard about it. I guess that's just a testament to how far he's drifted away from the family. We only read of what he's up to these days. It's sad really."
"Yes I would say so. You read about him?" She was suddenly intrigued.
"Yeah… 'The great Trowa Barton lands another million dollar merger deal' this and 'Trowa Barton is revolutionizing the business world' that."
"You all must be very proud," she said, not realizing until just then what Trowa did for a living in the first place.
"Proud, yes. Left out, yes."
"I guess you should just feel happy that at least somewhere in the world you have your brother. Even if you don't talk too much."
"I guess you're right."
After a few minutes of circling the building, they finally found a spot in front and parallel parked.
"Not bad huh?"
"I've seen better," she mocked.
As they approached the front of the building the doorman stepped up to them.
"Evening, folks. What can we do for you?"
"Oh, we're here to check on Trowa Barton's apartment. I'm his brother and this is his fiancée."
Relena took in a deep breath; she would definitely be exposed now. The doorman would know that Trowa wasn't engaged and that she had never been there before in her life.
"Of course! I apologize for the confusion. I'm new here."
She exhaled quickly in relief then scurried inside, avoiding further eye contact with the doorman.
"I've heard about her. She's something else," the doorman told Heero.
"Seems like it," Heero smiled.
They went upstairs and she fiddled nervously with the key. She had no idea of the lay out of this apartment and just knew she would be busted at any moment once they got inside. The lock clicked and she pushed the door open. They both stood in wonder at the apartment. It was so white and… unlived in.
"I see he really makes himself at home here," Heero mocked, looking around. The furniture was black and modern while the rest of the apartment was very white.
"I don't really like it, but he doesn't listen to me."
At least the not liking it part was the truth.
Relena disappeared into another room looking for the kitchen. She found it and opened the can of cat food and started calling the cat. She started to really hope that he indeed did have a cat.
"Heeeere kitty kitty," she called, "time for dinner. Finally."
"Are you sure he has a cat? That's so unlike Trowa…," Heero said, still looking around.
In the next moment, a large black cat with round, piercing green eyes pushed its way through the swinging door behind them. Relena turned around and scooped it up into her arms. She looked quickly at the tag hanging on its collar for a name. Midnight… how original for a black cat.
"Good kitty. Good Midnight. Here you go sweetie," she cooed, setting it down on the counter at the open can of food.
Heero stood in wonder. So Trowa really did have a cat. How odd. Last time he spoke to his brother, Trowa was telling him how much he hated animals.
"It's late… maybe you should just stay here for the night," Heero offered.
"I can't. I don't have anything here," she told him.
"Really? I would have thought since you two were engaged…"
"That I stay here as much as I please? No. I wouldn't do that."
"I'm sorry, Relena. I just assumed."
"It's alright. I'm ready now. It has gotten late."
They awkwardly exited the crisp clean apartment and Midnight with his knowing green eyes, locking up before they took the elevator back down to the lobby. After they left, the phone began to ring. The answering machine picked up and a female voice came out of the speaker.
"Trowa! I've been trying to get a hold of you all day. I wanted to say Merry Christmas and… I've thought about it a lot lately and I think getting married is a wonderful idea. Also, how is my cat? Call me back!"
XOXOXOXO
Outside, Heero found that his truck had been boxed in.
"Looks like you're stuck. And there's no time limit anymore," she said, pointing to the overnight parking sign.
"I'm sorry… I was going to take you home."
"Don't worry about it. I'll just walk. Thanks anyway. Goodnight."
She started down the sidewalk and he was soon next to her.
"At least let me walk you home."
"I'll be fine. It's not that far from here."
"I insist. You certainly don't make being nice to you easy."
They walked along not saying very much to each other. She wasn't exactly comfortable being walked home by her fake fiancee's brother.
"So what do you see in him?" Heero asked, breaking their silence.
"Trowa?"
"No, the other guy you're engaged to. Of course Trowa," he chuckled.
"He seems like a nice person, he's handsome and obviously a very wealthy man. What's not to like?"
"So you want him for his body and money?"
"No!" She laughed.
"I just don't see it… But I'm not going to question you anymore. Catherine and Quatre don't like it when I do that. Plus, maybe my brother is a better person than I give him credit for. He's always dated… different women. Business women mainly."
"Tastes can change."
"I suppose."
"This is it," she said, stopping in front of her building.
"Ok well take care… I'm going back to sleep in my truck. We'll see you tomorrow," he said, waving as he left her alone in front of her home. She barely managed a meek, "Ok… see you then," before going inside.
"Relena! Who was that guy? You got a new boyfriend or something?" Duo asked, having watched from the window.
"Are you spying on me, Duo?"
"No! I just happen to see you out there. And you're never with anyone, especially this late at night."
"He's not my boyfriend. Goodnight, Duo. Merry Christmas."
"Yeah OK, Relena. Merry Christmas to you too."
She was about half way up the stairs before she heard Duo's voice again.
"Hey, Lena!"
She turned around to see what he wanted.
"You mind if I come up and sit with ya for a little while? Pop's been sound asleep for hours and I'm bored."
"Alright… come on up."
They sat on the couch eating junk food and watching, 'It's a Wonderful Life,' with Relena's cat until the early hours of the morning. She didn't want to talk about the events of that day with Duo. And the company was better than any Christmas present she could have received. The pair fell asleep around five and slept right through Christmas morning.
XOXOXOX
Author's Notes:
If you've never seen this movie, you won't realize that I pulled a lot from it for that first chapter. It will follow the movie plot line pretty closely, but with some variations along the way. I hope you enjoy it. It's a little side project from my current serious piece, 'The Price of Love'! I started this around Christmastime and thought it was still close enough to post. This will not be a very long fic, only a few chapters (probably five or so) but hopefully you will like it.