A/N: Happy Mother's Day, ladies. Heaven knows the only reason my tott is still kicking is because I have my stories to read. ;-) Thank you guys for that. And to return the favor: Obligatory holiday SAP…
Disclaimer: I do not own Gundam Wing
"Mom," the 33 month old girl whined, pulling at Relena's skirt suit. "Mommy?"
The sound, alone, was enough to make her want to scream, but the yanking on her clothes was really about to push her over the edge. "No, Bianca," Relena scolded. "Mommy has to work. You have to let go."
Heero rounded the corner, his own coffee in hand.
"Heero," Relena pleaded. "Can you please take your daughter? She won't stop nagging me."
He nodded, kneeling next to the girl, and gently but firmly prying her grip off of the wrinkling material of Relena's pencil skirt. "Come on, baby. Mama's got things to do. She has an important dinner meeting tonight."
"No," Bianca cried, tears finally falling as she fought her father to get close to her mom. "Mommy!"
"Come here, Bianca," Heero persisted. "We'll go watch cartoons."
The girl began to squeal in protest, refusing to give ground.
"Go have a daddy-daughter date," Relena insisted. "I'll be back tonight. I promise."
The girl dropped heavily onto the ground, landing on her buttocks with a thud. Her face turned beet red as she began to wail. Relena stood over her, arms crossed, refusing to look down during the girl's tantrum. Fits weren't usually Bianca's thing, which made this moment that much more stressful for the working mother, and this one was a tempest to be reckoned with.
Relena shifted to step away, but Bianca noted the movement and reached out. In a last stand, the young daughter got a grip around Relena's ankle, her rough edged nails catching the soft silk of Relena's stockings. As soon as Relena pulled her leg free from the small grip, she felt the familiar ripple of nakedness make its way up her leg as the tights tore.
The Foreign Minister froze, a thousand emotions splashing to the surface; not the least of which was fury. She looked down at the strip of bare porcelain skin peeking through the run in her nylons, with a sense of horror.
"NO!" The mother cried in a shrill voice, causing her husband to pull the girl slightly closer to his protectively hunched frame. "How—could you?" She looked at the child, who'd stopped crying after realizing that she'd truly angered her mother.
She tried to bite her tongue, but the overwhelming feelings of sabotage and betrayal were bursting within. "DAMMIT, BIANCA! You just HAD to, didn't you? I can't do ANYTHING without your approval—CAN I? Everything—EVERYTHING—has to be about YOU!"
The girl's lips trembled in silence for a moment before she broke down into genuine, broken hearted tears. Heero tightened his arm, again, pulling the girl into a hug as he let her mother blow off the steam.
"I have a friggen PLANET to run, Bianca. A PLANET!"
One heavy sigh and Relena began to think, again, the heat slowly dying in her pounding, ringing ears. As soon as the tirade was over, the only thing left for her was guilt. She heaved her breath, exhausted and still burning in her gut with frustration and insecurities, but when she looked on her daughter, sobbing in fear and hurt, she felt sick. Tears came to Relena's eyes as the shame washed over her. "Oh, Bianca," she said softly. "I'm sorry." She knelt down, bringing her soft voice closer to her daughter. "I'm sorry. Mommy didn't mean to lose her temper. You—you didn't deserve that. I'm sorry."
As soon as Relena reached out and touched the toddler's puffy, red cheeks, the girl broke free from her father's grip, tumbling against her mother's chest. "Mommy," she sniffled. "My bewly hurss."
Relena tightened her hug on the girl standing and looking her over.
Oops.
Suddenly, the girl hunched, showering her mother in a mixture of cloudy and clear liquids that had been the contents of the toddler's stomach.
Relena's fought a gag, looking down over her ruined suit and then turned her exasperated expression on Heero who was just beginning to stand, completely dry, beside her. Even he could not hide the amused expression on his face.
"I'm covered in vomit," she said dryly, trying not to choke on the smell of the stomach acid.
Suddenly, her sense of compassion and concern for her daughter overcame the rational thought and she pulled Bianca close. Finally, as she lay her cheek on her crying daughter's forehead, she noticed the unnatural level of heat emanating from her skin. Another wave of guilt hit her as she closed her eyes, taking the moment to comfort the girl.
"Heero," she said. "We're going upstairs to clean up. Can you please call Ambassador Fitzgerald and tell him I won't make it. I have a family emergency. And then can you bring some Tylenol for her? She's has a fever. We'll be in Bianca's bathroom."
Heero nodded and Relena disappeared up the stairs, holding the sobbing bundle close.
:::
Relena didn't say two words outside of the obligatory "thank you" for the rest of the evening. Her behavior was eating at her, and it was all she could do to avoid tears. She could feel Heero's eyes on her as she nestled into the bed, holding the child in a close embrace. (A sick tummy was more than enough reason for her baby girl to get to sleep in Mommy and Daddy's bed tonight.)
Within minutes, Bianca was sound asleep and Heero was climbing in behind his wife. He didn't have to prod her. She was ready to confess.
"How could I be so stupid?" She asked, tears rolling out of her eyes. "She's never so cranky. I should have known she was sick."
Short on words, her husband tightened his hug around her.
"She had a fever," she hissed in frustration.
Heero nuzzled his nose in her hair, placing a gentle kiss on her head. "It was just a mistake, Relena. Everyone makes mistakes."
"But I yelled at her—and all she'd wanted was for me to tell her it would be alright." Relena felt her jaw trembling as she cried, but she couldn't calm herself. She allowed herself to sink into silent sobs for several minutes, sniffling and choking against the near-comatose child cuddled in her grasp.
Heero planned his words as the woman he loved began to quiet and calm herself. "I've heard they say that I'm perfect," he started. "Emotionally detached from the battlefield, and thus able to complete any mission."
Relena swallowed, feeling him moved still closer to her.
"And yet," he said. "Here you are."
The comment warranted a small laugh, quickly followed by another guilty frown.
"A person can never completely separate their careers and their personal lives. Eventually there's going to be a distraction at work that causes a mistake at home, and vice versa. Even mothers who are home all the time will make mistakes, be it from the distraction of household chores or juggling being a wife."
Relena grew still.
"You are a mother, Relena, not a computer. Not only are accidents likely, but they are forgivable."
She sighed.
Heero lifted himself over her, pulling her chin so she would face him in the darkness. "I could never ask for a better mother for my children than you are, Relena Yuy. I would be glad to share the joys and mistakes of raising even more children with you, because you are right for me and you are right for our children."
"Fever and all?" She pouted.
"Fever and all," he grinned.
Relena sighed, seemingly lost in thought. "Are you sure?" She pressed.
"Yes."
She shook her head, looking at him with pleading eyes. "Are you really sure?"
He laid his forehead against hers, allowing her another reassuring smile. "I am positive."
Relena nodded. "Okay," she whispered. "I hope so. I just—don't want to fail. Now, there's another baby, and I—"
"Another baby?"
Relena gave him a coy, guilty look. "I'm pregnant," she confessed.
There was a long moment of silence as Heero digested the information. Finally, he leaned in and captured her in an intense kiss.
"You're not mad?" She asked, when he finally let her breathe.
He shook his head, his eyes beaming with pride. "Mad? That's the best news I've heard in weeks," he whispered, wrapping himself around her, again, and nibbling at her earlobe.
"Heero," she scolded playfully. "Your daughter's in the bed!"
He snuggled next to her, quietly for several minutes before speaking again. "Relena?"
"What?"
"You have to stay home, tomorrow."
"I know," she groaned.
"I'm glad," he said.
Relena turned to him inquisitively.
"Bianca and I finally get to spend Mother's Day with the best mother in the world."
Relena rolled her eyes, shifting her shoulder at him in mock rejection.
"Relena?"
"What?"
"Thank you—for everything."
She smiled, finally sinking into a gentle sleep.