[A.N.] I know it's been a while since I've posted anything. I am sorry for my absence. I know I have an unfinished story and I promise I am working on Pure As Snow as fast as I can. Anyway, this idea has been on my mind for a while thanks to Christina Perri's song "Distance." I think the song captures the relationship between Heero and Relena so well! Anyway! I hope you enjoy this! Please read and review!

~Serene

The first light of dawn crept through the window of her bedroom and into her eyes. She lazily opened one eye lid, blinked a few times and let out a soft yawn. Her eyes turned to the person on the bed next to her. The soft sounds of his gentle breaths calmed her. The events of the night before came back to her in a rush and she blushed. Aside from the fact that Heero was in her bed and she was in nothing but her night-dress, she couldn't think of any reason for her cheeks to be burning. Her eyes fell on the rise and fall of his chest and the blood-stained bandage that marred it.

She had been at a committee meeting to discuss the new resettlement facility for the war-orphans of the colonies when a bomb had gone off in the building. Men dressed all in black with ski masks on their faces and semi-automatic weapons charged in through the dust and debris with one target on their minds: her. She felt their rough hands claps onto her small arm even as she coughed on the dust in the air. She couldn't see anything but she knew that the possibility of injury in the room had been high.

"Come with us peacefully and no one else will get hurt." He captor growled. She saw little choice in the matter.

"Alright." She responded as best as she could. She felt them pulling her down the hall, her arm bruising under the crushing pressure of his grip. She heard a few shots fired as the henchmen barked out orders for complacency. She didn't know who these men were or what they wanted but if her cooperation would save lives than she would do as they said.

They made their way out the back of the building to a black van with painted windows and rust lining the doors and tire frames. The heavy door opened and three unconscious men fell out. The next thing she saw was Heero leaping out of the van taking out two of her captors instantly and rising to dispatch the rest. Heero had apparently caught onto their plan, entered through the other door of the van and taken out their getaway men.

"Run!" Heero instructed. Relena found herself so dumbfounded by his sudden appearance that she almost didn't understand his order. The rest of the events happened in a bit of a blur. Heero guided her using himself as a shield out of harm's way just as the Preventer back-up team charged in to make the arrest.

Heero had stayed by her side as a medical team looked her over thoroughly. Aside from a few scrapes and the predicted bruise on her arm, she was unharmed. Heero, however, had sustained a bullet wound through the shoulder that went clean through. Relena couldn't help the guilt that welled up within her. Again, people were hurt not only because of her, but for her and there was nothing she could do to help them. Heero gave his statement about the rescue following her own statement about her attempted abduction. Apparently the group was from a small organization comprised of disgruntled colonial inhabitants that felt their colony in particular was being ignored by the New Government. The irony in their viewpoint, she found, was that the money used to accumulate their weapons and forces were the very funds they could be using to try and do what they can as an organization until the proper negotiations can be made.

Her guards escorted her to her limo to be taken straight home until further measures had been taken to prevent further insurrections. Heero wordlessly slid into the seat next to her as the guard shut the door. His arm closest to the door was being held in a sling. Relena found it slightly humorous. She had once seen this man set his own dislocated knee after falling several stories. He would most likely remove the sling as soon as he felt he could get away with it.

"You're tired." He stated. She glanced over at him, his dark eyes swirling with the usual unreadable mix of emotions. She shook her head.

"I'm fine."

"You're safe. You should rest." The amount of unexpected concern in his voice made her study him closer.

"You're the one with the wounded shoulder." He must have picked up on her guilt because his next move surprised her.

"Relena…" He shifted towards her. "This wasn't your fault. The men who did this are now in custody. They will be brought to justice for their actions."

"That might be, but still, how many more times will people be hurt because someone wishes to get to me? I feel so powerless." She looked down at her hands that she folded and placed in her lap.

"There will always be people willing to challenge what you mean to the people of the world, but it is because of what you do, and of who you are that thousands of other people can sleep safely knowing that peace is finally here. There will always be a tendency for violence in mankind, but with people like you in the world, it makes people like me feel like maybe one day the violence will stop."

"Heero…" She paused, unsure what to say next. "Thank you. For everything." Heero nodded and gave a hum of acknowledgment. Suddenly, she felt the exhaustion of the day hit her and she decided to give in. she leaned over as she had so few times before and rested her head on his good shoulder, closing her eyes. His warmth, the smell of his cologne, and the gentle sound of his breathing relaxed her more than any sleep aid.

The next thing she knew they had arrived at her mansion. She walked to her room and, while he waited outside, changed into her night clothes. She had expected him to leave once she was settled; to sneak away into the night as he usually did without so much as a goodbye, but he didn't. He stayed. And as she pulled back the covers to settle in for the night, he was there, taking a seat in the plush armchair in the corner. It occurred to her that he planned on staying to guard her through the night. Sleeping in an armchair, if in fact he planned to sleep, would be hard on his shoulder.

"Heero." He looked at her, he cheeks began to heat. "You should really lie down and rest if your arm is to heal properly."

"I'll be fine."

"Heero, there is a spare bedroom next door and my guards will be more than willing to pull double duty."

"I'm not leaving you." Relena's eyes met his, cool aqua to his fiery deep blue. There was intensity, a protectiveness she'd never seen before burning into her from his stare. She blushed and looked away.

"Heero… please." He merely leaned further into the chair. "I'll make you a deal," she began, "this bed is more than big enough for two. I have several layers of blankets…" The look of shock on Heero's face made her giggle. "You can sleep under a different layer of blankets and on the other side of the bed. Everything will be proper and we both will get the rest we need."

She had to tread very carefully with this. Heero was socially skittish enough. Even after all they had been through the most they had shared was a brief kiss what felt like a lifetime ago. She had wondered at the time what it had meant before giving into the idea that she never would. Heero was a man of secrets and she was a woman of the people. As long as they stayed who they were their paths would always continue to cross. The way they felt about each other was irrelevant in the big scheme of things, however, it didn't stop that tiny pang of hope she fought so hard to keep down. She knew how she felt; how she'd always felt from the moment on the beach so long ago: five long years. She had decided long ago that it didn't matter if he returned her feelings or not. Just having him nearby, knowing that he would always be there when she needed him most, was enough for her.

Heero's movements drew her attention. He stood up, took off the sling and unbuttoned his shirt. He paused, looking at her.

"For my arm," he specified.

She realized the later action was the prevent tension and friction on his wound and nodded, but as the muscles of his chest came into view, her cheeks heated hotter than ever and she looked away. She felt him sit on the edge of the bed to take off his shoes. He paused and she turned to him. He was waiting on her, she realized. She swung her legs under the covers and laid on her side, her breath suddenly short and quick as her heart began to beat faster. They fell asleep that way, side by side and yet a safe distance apart.

No matter what they had been through, no matter how much they both cared, neither could admit it. As she lay there, watching him sleep, the sunlight began to play with the contours of his face. She smiled. Yes, there was a distance between them; one she knew was there for a reason. The distance hid a delicate secret shared only by the two of them. They would never speak it, not out loud to anyone, included each other, but it was there. One day, however, when the world was less chaotic, the distance would close and the secret would be revealed. Until then, she was comfortable with that distance and confident that their mutual secret was safe in the morning shadows.