Disclaimer: I don't own Gundam or the characters; the only characters that are my own are the bad guys and the assorted walk-ins. Please don't sue me, I'd have to sell my Anime collection to pay and that would be a fate worse than death. And yes, I realize that my title is incredibly cliché, so just leave me alone. (Special note: Thoughts and writing are italicized, and telepathically sent thoughts are surrounded by //.)

A/N: Ok, this was the first fic I ever wrote in my entire life. That means it's slightly crap, but that's ok. I will be editing it as I repost here since it is currently posted in its original form on the first fanfic site I ever went to. www.blissfulignorance.com under the penname, Cat. If you guys like this I'll go ahead and keep posting and go ahead and start working on this one and my other stories again.

Blood Bonds Part 1

He returned on very rare occasions. He never stayed long and never said more than a few words to her if that much. Tonight was her eighteenth birthday celebration though and he had actually stayed for more than few minutes. She had been watching him all evening. Despite the fact that he had kept his distance, had never even looked at her the entire time, just listened to Duo, occasionally drifting by one of the other pilots and listening to what they had to say. Relena knew that her brother had frequently fought with the younger pilot; she also knew that he actually approved of him and was as glad with his presence, or as glad as he was ever going to be with someone who had walked away from his little sister. She watched as he walked outside onto the balcony that led to the gardens. Excusing herself from the group of politicians and dignitaries surrounding her she casually glided toward the balcony smiling without stopping for anyone who tried to engage her in conversation.
Escaping into the cool night air, she took a deep breath as her eyes adjusted to the dim light. He's not on the balcony anymore, he must have escaped into the gardens, she thought as she continued to leisurely stroll toward the stair case, her heart pounding at the thought of actually getting to speak with him and maybe asking him for the answers she desperately sought. She drifted down across the green carpet of the gardens, keeping her eyes open for the elusive figure that dominated her thoughts. Finally she found him standing next to a small fountain flanked by a couple of rose bushes.
"Heero?" she asked softly as she approached. He whirled to face her, and she thought she saw a peculiar statement on his face before it resumed its usual unreadable expression.
"Relena," he spoke levelly, "what are you doing out here alone? It could be dangerous to be out here without your body guards."
"You're out here," she pointed out softly, "it never even occurred to me that I might need someone else to protect me. What are you doing here Heero?"
"Duo invited me, I couldn't talk my way out of it," he said shortly.
Ouch."Oh, I had thought… never mind. How have you been?" she asked him, shifting toward him so she could see his face in the soft moonlight.
"Fine. You?" he asked reluctantly returning the courtesy, although his voice told her that he didn't really care.
"I'm fine," she would say it, would insist on it until it was true. She managed to drum up a grin and ask teasingly, "So what'd you get me for my birthday Heero?
"Get you?" he responded blankly. "You want something for your birthday?"
"Well it's customary to bring a gift to a birthday party, but don't worry about it," she responded dryly, "I would never expect you to do anything in the traditional way."
"Good. That means I don't have to be traditional and ask the lady's permission," was the perplexing reply. She didn't even get a chance to ask what he meant before she felt her lips captured by his. She was so shocked that for a moment she didn't respond, but then she melted effortlessly into the embrace. When she finally opened her eyes she discovered her head cradled against his chest and Heero's lips nestled against her neck. He trailed a line of kisses along her neckline and jaw, and she gasped when he gave her throat a slight nip.
The small gasp made Heero jerk back, looking at her with wide haunted eyes before he pushed her away. She fell to the ground, grass smearing her simple white gown as she stared up at the back of the leaving figure. Why? She wanted to shout at the man who was walking away from her…yet again. She couldn't quite get her voice to work properly.

She walked back into the banquet hall, ignoring the stares that she received as she walked toward the ladies' room. Everyone was wondering what had put the glazed look in her eyes and the grass stains on her dress. She saw her brother move toward her and her sister-in-law place a restrictive hand against his arm. She was obviously restraining him and doing so beautifully with her false smile plastered firmly in place. Relena was relieved that her brother seemed willing to allow Noin to intercept Relena alone, although he speared a searching glance at his little sister before turning to counter the concerned notables moving toward her. The ex-Gundam pilots followed suit, shielding the princess as she escaped to the restroom to regain her composure and dignity.
"Do I have a sign posted to my chest saying 'Please trample my heart a little more. Thank you, Management' or something?!" she demanded as Noin's reflection loomed in the mirror behind her own. "I mean… why? Oh, Noin why did he do this to me?" The distraught young woman broke down sobbing in the older woman's arms.
"It's all right Relena. It's okay, tell me what happened out there," Noin ordered softly still cradling the weeping woman-child against her as she made soothing noises and gently rubbed her back.
"It's Heero. You know how he disappeared after the Mariemeia Incident right? And then he almost never showed up and rarely ever talked with me when he did. And then he was here tonight, and I was so happy that he made it to the party, even though he didn't look happy to be here… I mean he never looks happy about anything. Then I followed him out to the gardens to say hi since we haven't really talked since the end of the war… He was there and we chatted for a while. And then he kissed me!" At this point in her narrative she broke down again. Her new sister was baffled about why she was crying since Relena had liked Heero since they had first met.
"Um, Relena, isn't that a good thing," she cautiously asked as she carefully pulled the young woman back to look at her upset and bewildered face.
"Well, yes, that part was wonderful really and it was the first time Heero's ever even shown me any emotion, and it was better than I had ever even imagined. But then he finished the kiss and I don't know why but then he looked at me like he was appalled by what had happened, Luc. And then he shoved me away from him and I was so surprised I fell, but he had already turned away so he didn't see that. What did I do wrong?!" she wailed miserably.
"Nothing darling, you didn't do anything wrong. It's obvious that whatever upset him didn't have anything to do with what you had done. He's not used to showing emotion so kissing you probably threw him off guard as much if not more than you. It's all right, although he shouldn't have pushed you away." Noin frowned, thinking this unlike the man who had spent the past few years as an independent agent of the Preventers, coming in without question whenever there was a job requiring extra security for Relena. In fact they had tried to get him to become a full time bodyguard for her but he had only seemed briefly tempted before reluctantly turning down the offer.
"Come on, Relena. You know it wasn't anything you did, and I'm sure Heero didn't really mean to hurt you. And if you stay in here too much longer, people are going to start drifting and asking you what's the matter and then there's going to be all sorts of speculation. That is, more than there's already going to be," Noin brushed away the younger woman's tears and Relena looked at the mirror and assumed a serene statement that effectively hid all of the turmoil she had displayed only seconds before. Of everything that night, the effective mask Relena so easily assumed and the effortlessness with which she stemmed her tears was the most troubling thing Noin had seen and heard from the young symbol of peace.
The two women exited the bathroom and went out to mingle with the crowd, Relena easily telling about how embarrassing it was to admit she had slipped while walking on the damp lawn. None of the Gundam Pilots bought it for a second but they all went along with it, Duo gently teasing her about it, Quatre asking if she was all right, and Trowa and Wufei heading off any suitor wanting her to dance. Zechs looked questioningly at his wife, but she just shook her head and closely watched the princess laugh off her encounter with the evil garden floor as she graciously accepted the kind words of her political peers. No one else noticed the strain Relena seemed to be dealing with as she finished out the party.
As the last of the guests left the guys cornered her, demanding to know what had happened to her. When she just stared at them numbly, Zechs started asking Duo and Trowa about garden security since that had been their department for the party. They all stared at her; alarmed as she downed the tea Quatre had poured for her in one gulp and started laughing at them. Then she carefully got up, moving as if she might shatter into a million peaces as she gave a slight curtsy and excused herself for bed. All of the guys watched her leave and then turned questioning frowns on Noin. She just shook her head saying, "She'll be fine, she just needs a little time."
"It was Heero wasn't it?" Zechs growled at her.
"In a manner of speaking," Noin conceded.
"What do you mean 'In a manner of speaking'? Either it was or it wasn't!" Zechs shouted at her across the coffee table as he lunged to his feet.
"Kindly refrain from yelling at me Mr. Peacecraft. You're liable to have one of your spells," she said as she took a sip of tea.
"Spells? I don't have spells!" Zechs continued to shout at her.
"There's a first time for everything now isn't there?" she responded tartly, giving her unruly husband a dark look. Neither of them had noticed the statement on Duo's face when Zechs had accused Heero of causing Relena's upset, nor had they noticed him quietly leave the room.

The God of Death slipped from the palace, seating himself comfortably behind the wheel of his sports car as he revved the engine and headed straight toward some apartments not far from the Sanc Kingdom. He was going to find out what happened in the garden, but he couldn't make himself upset Relena any more than she already was. However he had no qualms about badgering Heero, so he careened around the corner, ignoring the stoplight in his hurry to reach Heero's apartment.
As Duo approached the top floor of the apartment complex that Heero owned, he heard an agonized scream. Heero?! Duo continued to run up the stairs taking the steps two at a time. He rushed into his friend's apartment, finding Heero in a crumpled heap by the wide glass window. He looked around, trying to decide if anything looked out of place, or if there was anyone there who could've taken out the Perfect Soldier. His brow furrowed as he approached the prone figure.
No one was there, and there were no marks indicating a fresh injury on his body. He reached out a hand toward Heero and found himself on his back, unable to breathe because of the hand clutching his throat, cutting off the air in his windpipe. He looked up into unseeing blue eyes full of hatred and an merciless rage. He tried to choke out Heero's name, tried to speak to him, but his world went black as he ran out of air...

The moonlight sparkled on the frost-lined sidewalk that a shadowy figure stood gazing down upon from a room on the top story floor. It was coming. More and more frequently, it came and every time he struggled to hold it off for just a little while longer. He didn't want to be like him. He refused to be. He grabbed his head as the torturing urge lanced through his skull, nearly driving him to his knees. No! I won't be like you! His scream never reached his lips but echoed through his mind and crashed through his soul and was sent through the night to a listening mind, as the white landscape below became the color of freshly spilt blood. NOOOOOOOO!!!!
/Ah but you must/ said a familiar voice within Heero's head. / How can you find peace within yourself unless you accept what you are?/  The hated voice mocked gently as he was consumed with a fresh wave of pain. /Accept it boy, you'll realize how important it is soon enough./
/Never! I'll never be like you. I'll never just accept it… AAAAAHHH!!!! / The unnatural cry could only come from the deepest agony of mind and body, and, while very few heard the sent thought and accompanying scream, many people felt an irresistible grief that echoed in their hearts and caused nightmares washed with pain and full of horrors.
He felt a cautious hand brush against his shoulder and he didn't even think, just allowed his body to react. He finally realized who it was he had pinned but Duo was already unconscious by that time. Is that how to shut him up? He wondered vaguely as, sorrow filled him for what he had inadvertently done to one of his only friends. Then he rolled over, his eyes sweeping over the darkened ceiling as he lost consciousness himself.
He was curled up on the floor of his apartment when sunlight began its battle with the shadows for dominance over his face. He woke up slowly struggling through the layers of sleep, as his body made the discomfort of its not quite natural position known. He groaned as he lifted himself, an indulgence he would never have allowed himself if he remembered that someone else was around. In fact his focus was so turned inward he didn't even notice Duo watching him cautiously from a leather upholstered chair where he sat occasionally rubbing his own neck.
It's getting worse, every time it's harder to resist, and I'm gaining increasing abilities that I'm not certain I can control. He was never quite sure if that was a result of his use of the Zero system or because of what he was. His hands tightly gripped the windowsill as he steadied himself against the penetrating brightness. What day is it? He was having a hard time focusing his thoughts. As he leaned his forehead against the cool glass he tried to decide what to do. He sighed, as he thought I wish I could speak with her, she would know what to do. He straightened abruptly at the thought. Why shouldn't I? She's as much mine as his, if not more.
He rushed to the bedroom to have a quick shower before changing into a pair of black slacks that accentuated narrow hips and a charcoal sweater that emphasized his broad shoulders. He stared at the eyes reflected in the mirror, the hated eyes that belonged to him. He snarled softly as he yanked the sweater the rest of the way on and turned quickly from the offending sight of his own Prussian blue eyes. He grabbed his jacket and was about to rush from the apartment when a voice called out, "Hey Heero, buddy, where you going?" He started to turn around and found himself being slammed against the door; he looked into Duo's angry cobalt eyes.
"Duo what are you doing here?" he bit out impatiently.
"What am I doing here? Oh that's rich! Let me see, I just thought I'd drop by to ask what you did to upset Relena and decided to stick around to find out why you attacked me when I was just acting like I thought a concerned friend was supposed to act when he sees his friend lying on the ground passed out. Last night was a busy night for you wasn't it Heero? I mean you managed to ruin yet another of Relena's birthday parties, do something to get yourself knocked out, and take me down in the process." He pulled Heero slightly away from the door and slammed him into it again. "Now do you want to tell me what last night was all about or am I going to have to beat it out of you?!" Duo raged at the icy statement on Heero's face.
"Last night was a mistake. All of it. Let's just leave it at that," Heero stated in his usual monotone.
" 'It was a mistake.' That's all you're going to say?" Duo demanded incredulously as Heero pushed past him, brushing off his restraining hands.
"What more do you want?" Heero asked him in the same tone as he had spoken before.
"An apology is too much to hope for, I guess I'd settle for an explanation," Duo stated acidly as he watched Heero pick up his wallet and put it in his back pants pocket and secure it to his belt loop with a chain. Heero paused to look at him thoughtfully.
"Vidphone's over there. Call Headquarters and tell them you'll be out for a while, a day or so," Heero didn't wait for Duo's agreement or dissent, he went into the other room and grabbed a bowl and some cereal so he could eat while he was waiting for his companion.
"Wha…wait, where are we going? Hey! Don't walk away from me! Ooh. That guy is going to be the death of me yet, " he muttered to himself as he dialed in the number of the Preventers HQ. He reached Lady Une's secretary and asked to speak with his boss as he glowered at the room Heero had retreated to. "Lady, I'm calling to get permission to get a couple of days off. I think it could be important, and I'm hoping I'll be able to officially recruit Heero as a member of Relena's personal bodyguards in the process."
"Duo where are you, what do you mean?" Lady Une asked, thrown off at the unexpected announcement of the former Deathscythe pilot.
"I'm at Heero's at the moment but I get the feeling that we won't be here long. He wants to show me something, and that's unusual enough that I think it's worth wasting a couple of my vacation days for."
"Heero wants to show you something? And you want a couple of days off for it?" Une said, more of a statement than a question.
"Actually Heero demanded that I call in and get a couple of days off. Will that be a problem?" Duo asked his boss digested this new bit of news.
            "No, we can spare you for a few days. In fact if you manage to recruit Heero we'll not only not count this as vacation time but also give you extra days when vacations actually roll around. Report back when you're sure you'll be returning."
"Thanks ma'am," Duo said smiling charmingly, "Over and out."

Heero was rinsing out the bowl when Duo walked into the room. The temperature dropped by several degrees as Duo stared at him, angry, curious. Heero dried the bowl as if he couldn't feel his friend's accusing glare. After putting the bowl away and hanging up the towel he finally turned around, regarding the agitated man who stood there slightly fidgeting in his typical priest like garb.
"Ready?" Heero asked mildly.
"It's arranged. We can stop by my place and get some clothes for me along the way. We taking your car or mine?" he asked the stone-faced Heero as he straightened from leaning against the fridge.
"We'll take yours. You might want to leave sooner than I would care to," the Perfect Soldier stated with a slight smirk.
"Where are we going? If we're taking my car I'm going to have to know where I'm driving to," Duo pointed out when Heero started walking toward the door once again.
"The mountains. I'll give you directions along the way." And with that he walked out leaving the fuming Preventer wanting to tug on his braid in frustration. He hurried to catch up with Heero and soon the two had stopped at Duo and Hilde's place to get a spare set of clothes and let her know what was going on. Then they were on their way to where Heero was directing Duo.

Heero felt the wind rush past him as Duo maneuvered between the early morning traffic of the city's work force beginning its day. He sped along with the wind whipping the brown spikes of his hair into his eyes as he made sharp turns around corners, following the 'Turn here's and 'right at the fork' as Heero followed her trail with senses that few people ever even realized they had let alone learned how to use. They had to stop to get gas three times before they were even in the same town as her. Duo's sports car climbed the winding trail up the side of the mountain…

Ok, this is the first bit I've managed to edit and post. So why don't you drop me a line and let me know if I should waste my time rewriting this fic and posting it here. I'd like to know whether I should waste my time, so please R&R.