Relena glanced at her watch for what felt like the hundredth time that hour. Quarter to three. She had plenty of time to get there, but what was the harm in leaving a little early? She glanced warily out the office window to the streets below, noting the swarm of press. So she would cause a slight commotion upon exiting; it was nothing she wasn't used to.

She tore her eyes away from the window, back to the framed photo on her desk. A frame that had been constructed just for her with recycled cardboard and bits of macaroni, glitter, and plastic googly eyes stuck on with glue. It was already four years old and falling to pieces, but she didn't care. Her heart swelled to what felt like an impossible size within her chest cavity. That did it. She was leaving early.

Any motivation she had to finish up lingering paperwork or respond to unanswered voicemails and emails was laid to rest as she shut down her computer, pressed the "night" button on her phone and gathered up her things. She often worked from home in the evenings, anyway, and would just check in later. Right then, she had somewhere else to be.

It was still warm for November, but there was a nip in the air hinting that winter was on its way. Relena slipped on a lightweight gray wool coat with a full skirt and belt that complemented her chic suit dress and color-coordinating pumps. Cameras were about to chronicle her journey from the office lobby to her town car; she might as well be photo-ready.

Her bodyguard entered the office as he rapped on the door. He had never been in the habit of knocking, but he'd startled her so many times in the past by just bursting into rooms that he tried to at least give her a head's up now and then. Relena gave him an easy smile.

"You're ready to go." His tone hinted at surprise. "It's not even three yet."

Relena took a few steps toward him. "I thought we'd go a few minutes early."

"Ah." He gave her an understanding look. "Jailbreak?" His mouth twitched into a smirk, which made her laugh.

"It's not that early. I thought about pulling him out sooner, but he'd never forgive me." She rolled her eyes playfully. "That would be so uncool."

"Right." Heero took Relena's briefcase from her and adjusted the earpiece that linked him to the rest of her security detail. "So what's the plan?"

"For now?" She shifted her handbag over her shoulder and followed Heero out of the office, down the hallway and toward the elevator. "I just want to get him home first, give him his snack, and try to have a low-key evening. Then we can plan the rest of the weekend together."

"We?" Heero arched a single brow as they stepped into the elevator. "Together?"

"Yes." Relena angled her body toward him so that they stood mere inches apart. At this, Heero's eyebrow lifted a little higher. "As in you and I."

He frowned, folding his arms over his chest. "What do you want me to do?"

Relena sensed his discomfort but found it amusing. Men. "You can help. It'll be quick and painless. Promise."

"That's what you said last year, and that definitely wasn't true."

"What do you mean?" Relena frowned, nonplussed. She waved a hand dismissively. "I thought it went fine."

Heero's laugh rang out staccato in the small elevator. "It was chaos."

Relena grinned. "Ah, but it was controlled chaos."

"If you say so." The elevator pinged as the doors opened, and the two stepped forward together. "Just promise me one thing, Relena…"

She gave him a questioning glance as they walked briskly through the lobby, toward the hungry swarm surrounding the building.

Heero paused, his hand on the glass door.

"No live animals this year."

Relena laughed as they stepped outside together. She could comply with that request. Maybe.

The questions started flying at them as they attempted to cut a path to the town car.

"Relena! What are you doing with Dexter today?"

"It's just Dex," Relena answered softly to the young male reporter trailing her, his handheld recorder outstretched. "D-E-X."

"Dex. Got it. So. What are you guys doing today?"

"Nothing, really. Just spending some quality time together." She glanced warily at Heero up ahead. He seemed to sense her gaze and shot a glance over his shoulder. His furtive eyes told her to keep quiet, or share only the bare minimum.

"And where will his birthday festivities be held?"

Relena smiled, thinking of what Heero would say if a microphone were thrust at him instead. She winked and said cryptically, "That's classified."

"Will his father be there?"

The question stopped Relena in her tracks— just for a second. She instantly recovered and fell back into step with her bodyguard.

"No more questions," Heero interrupted curtly.

Wow, Relena thought. He never did that.

Heero forced multiple members of the press corps to step aside as he opened the car door for Relena and made sure she got inside securely. He gave the crowd one last glower – his version of a warning – before getting in beside her.

"Go," he instructed the driver flatly.

Questions rang in Relena's ears as they sped away— several more had been lobbed at her as she made her way through the throng.

"Relena, how does it feel to be the parent of an eight-year-old, when you're still so young?"

"Who is Dex's father?"

"Relena, will you ever reveal who the father is?"

"Where is this mystery man?"

She pinched the bridge of her nose to quell an oncoming headache.

"You knew that would happen," Heero observed.

"Yeah." She sighed, sending her bangs skyward. At twenty-eight she still had her schoolgirl looks. She heard it all the time: "You don't look old enough to have a son that age!" Worse was when people noted that she was unmarried, and asked her none too gently if Dex had been a mistake.

"You were so young, and all alone," some would coo. "Poor dear."

Over the years Relena had gotten sick of hearing that; she never wanted anyone to feel sorry for her when she felt incredibly blessed. But, then, if people couldn't see how happy she was, perhaps that was her fault for not showing it enough.

But, then, she did like keeping to herself. And to the public, her family was absolutely off-limits.

The car wound its way to Dex's private school just a few miles from Relena's office, the stately building secured behind a massive iron gate where the driver was required to enter a passcode. That task done, he drove up to the building's main entrance.

Children stood in clusters with their teachers, waiting for parents to retrieve them. Per Relena's instruction, however, Dex had to wait inside.

She emerged from the car after Heero, always allowing him to scan an area first before acting on her own. Picking Dex up from school – and dropping him off – was a weekday routine, and a team effort. Thankfully it was Friday, and the start of a three-day weekend, so there would be a mini-reprieve in the schedule. Relena couldn't wait.

Heero glanced around, his hand on his holster before nodding to Relena. Together they climbed the school steps leading up to the entrance. Upon seeing the pair, a teacher opened the door and allowed Dex to step outside. He grinned up at them, unabashedly happy for the freedom.

"Happy birthday." Relena ruffled his chocolate brown hair, her icy blue eyes warm with affection.

"Mom." Her son's bright blue eyes blinked up at her. "You said that already."

Relena tipped her head at him. "So I'm not allowed to say it again?"

Dex stepped past Relena and tugged on the bottom of Heero's blazer. The boy's eyes gleamed as he glimpsed the piece his bodyguard had concealed. Heero's lips twitched when he noticed Dex's appreciation.

"You're gonna take me shooting this weekend. Right, Heero?" the young boy looked up hopefully.

Relena's face went scarlet. "Absolutely not."

Heero winked at Dex conspiratorially, and the boy grinned.

"Hey!" Relena shot Heero a glare. "I saw that."

He gave her a look over Dex's head that she interpreted to mean relax. His steely eyes seemed to soften as he regarded her. Relena continued to flush and began twisting a long strand of blonde hair around her fingers, a girlish habit she had yet to break. How he managed to reduce her to a lovestruck teenager every time…

Heero broke eye contact as he led mother and son to their vehicle. Dex settled happily in the middle seat between Heero and Relena.

"Sit here," Relena said, switching with Dex. "The middle's not safe."

Dex pouted, a look he'd picked up from his mother. "I wanna sit by Heero, too."

"I'm right here, Dex," Heero intoned flatly, shutting the door.

"We're all going home, anyway," Relena pointed out.

"I know," Dex whined. "But, still…"

Relena looked to Heero again, who just shrugged.

"You spoil him," she said softly.

Heero reached up to tuck a strand of Relena's hair behind her ear. "Wonder where he gets that from."

Relena responded with a little smirk of her own. "I don't know what you mean…"

Dex was sitting at the kitchen island, his short legs dangling off the bar stool he sat on, happily munching an apple when Relena came over with the book.

"You know what time it is…" she called in a singsong voice.

Dex scowled. Heero chuckled from the other side of the counter, coring an apple of his own.

"Relena, you know he hates that thing."

"Yeah," Dex piped up. "Can't we just skip it this year?"

"Nope." Relena took a seat in between them. "Traditions are important, my little man. Especially this one."

Dex rolled his eyes as Relena flipped open to the first page of his baby book, a powder blue-colored monstrosity.

"Are you still gonna do this when I'm thirty?"

Heero's chest rumbled as he chuckled again.

"You bet," Relena said with a goofy grin. "Every single year, until I'm not around anymore." She lowered her voice to a whisper. "You can count on it."

Dex seemed to understand the shift in her tone, and nodded at his mother. He leaned over on his elbows so he could see the book better.

Relena giggled. "I can't believe I took a picture of my pregnancy test…"

Dex grimaced. "Me either. Gross."

"Moving on…" Relena turned the page. "Look, here's Heero painting your nursery…"

Dex glanced up at Heero. "How come you had to do it?"

"I wanted to, but he wouldn't let me." Relena gave Heero a playful pout.

"Paint fumes," Heero explained.

"We used non-toxic paint, though," Relena pointed out.

Heero shrugged. "Can't be too careful."

Relena's finger rested on another photo. "My closest friends threw me a baby shower. There's your grandma Mareen…"

"My only grandma," Dex muttered. "Not like I have a bunch of 'em."

"Dex." Heero warned. "Don't take that tone with your mother."

Relena waved a hand at Heero. "It's fine."

"No, it's not." Heero glowered. To Dex he added, "Say you're sorry."

"Sorry," Dex mumbled.

Relena shut the book gently, regarding her son with a sad smile. "Maybe you are getting a little too old for this."

"No, I'm not," he quickly protested.

"It's okay." Relena slid off the barstool. "I'm tired, anyway. Why don't you guys go play outside or something? I'm just going to rest a little while."

She walked off, clutching the baby book to her chest.

Dex squirmed under Heero's reproachful look.

"You hurt her feelings."

"I didn't mean to…"

"Better go apologize."

Dex lowered his eyes to his plate.

"Now."

The boy nodded resolutely, jumping off of his seat and running after his mother.

"Mom!" He caught up to Relena and wrapped his arms around her legs. "Don't go, Mom. Stay and hang out with us."

Relena smiled down at him, ruffling his hair. "I'm fine, honey. I really am tired. We'll do something together later."

"Okay." Dex let go of her legs and held his hands upward. "Can I borrow the book?"

Relena gripped it tighter. "You're not going to burn it, are you?"

Dex stroked his chin like an old-time movie villain. "Hm. I hadn't thought of that…"

His mother gasped playfully.

"Just kidding." He flashed an angelic smile. "Can I see it? Please?"

"If you want it…" Relena lowered the book toward him. Dex grabbed it and ran back over to Heero.

"Tell me why you picked that puke green color for my room."

"That was your mother's idea…"

Relena smiled as she listened to the young boy's voice mingle with Heero's deep one as the two bent their heads together, reviewing Dex's short life history. As time went on she felt more at ease with their situation. There seemed to be less need to worry than when Dex was first born.

But still, a small voice rang in the back of her head. The voice sounded a bit like Heero's. Can't be too careful…

A/N: Happy Monday! This is an idea I've been playing around with for a while, so I hope you enjoy it! And just to clarify, this story is unrelated to my other current fic, Red Moon Glow, even if it seems like it could be a sequel... I assure you, it is not! Anyway, I hope you enjoy your week, wherever you are!

- RFP