-Chapter 2-

"The greatest difficulties lie where we are not looking for them."
- Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

Sam was right; it was the belt.

Maybe.

Or…maybe just an oil problem…

Or was it the transmission?

Hell, he couldn't think. The mental checklist that was usually in perfect working order was scrambled with her close to him, so very near. Finally, after rummaging around doing nothing for nearly three minutes, he stared down at the familiar face of the car's inner workings and said quietly, "Elizabeth?"

She didn't move. "Yes."

"Why the alias?"

"Privacy."

He dared to lift his eyes to hers. She was standing with her arms protectively crossed, brilliant golden hair swept back in a messy ponytail, dressed in slim dark jeans and a light blue sweater that brought out the sweet sapphire in her eyes. She looked thinner than he remembered, somehow…frailer?…but no, that wasn't right. She stood as tall as she always had. It was her, right here in what he had come to know as his garage, his town.

"Do they believe you?" he murmured.

Her eyes flashed towards the doorway. "Apparently. I figured the farther away I went from civilization, the lesser-known my face would be."

Heero had to agree with her there; Willow Lake, with its naïve charms and simple way of life, had little interest in politics and who was leading the world for the minute. Though they all would certainly recognize her name and title, Heero doubted that any of them knew exactly what Relena looked like. "What are you doing here?"

The question was blunt, and her eyes widened just slightly at his forwardness. But then he saw her expression change. They had had a relationship in the past, after all, and a fairly close one at that - there are few people closer to you than your bodyguard. She could tell him…some of it.

"Escape," Relena replied. "I needed a break."

Her eyes didn't meet his when she told him this, but he knew it was at least partly the truth. Taking a breath to stabilize his emotions, he closed the hood and crossed the room to pick up the mop.

"What's wrong with it?" she asked quietly.

"Not sure. Whatever it is, it's not obvious; I'll have to do a complete run-through later." He mopped up the remnants of her coffee, put the mop back, and then leaned against the wall. His arms were folded as he silently looked at her with those eyes.

Watching him, Relena felt a twinge of the old hurt. This calm, appraising gaze was trademark Heero, and, just like in the past, she could only handle the pressure of that gaze for so long.

She lowered her eyes and murmured "I'll have to stay, won't I." It wasn't a question.

"Unless you plan on walking back to the city."

"Is it trashed?"

"No, just…it'll be in here for a while. The winter's always busy, so it'll take more time to fix." He paused, looking at the ground. "You can't get a ride into - "

"No."

He looked up. She had spat the word out quickly; too quickly. She didn't want to go back to the city, for a very certain reason – one that she was refusing to share.

"Do they know you're gone?"

"By now, I'm sure they do."

There it was: no permission. A self-declared vacation…something Heero had never imagined Relena would do. Well…at least not in the time he had been her bodyguard…maybe things were different now.

"Where were you - " Heero began, but he was interrupted by Sam's entrance.

"Okay, our schedule is pretty backed up today," he said, handing her a clipboard. "From our first check, this is what went wrong. Your car isn't really made for the rough roads up here, and it just took one too many hits. Heero will have it working as soon as possible, but is there somewhere you need to be?"

Relena replied, "No," and graced him with a smile. And even though it wasn't directed at him, Heero felt an all-too- familiar tugging at his heart.

Sam paused, looking at Heero, whose gaze was fixed on Relena. "Do you…have you…?"

"We've met," Heero said shortly.

"That's perfect!" Sam beamed. He clapped Heero on the shoulder and said to Relena, "Well, Miss Sanderson, Heero can help you find the hotel I was telling you about earlier, and I'm sure he doesn't mind getting you dinner either. Sun should be going down pretty soon, now, and we wouldn't want you lost out there on the streets."

Yeah, Heero thought dryly, the streets of Willow Lake, where the most dangerous thing out there is the odd yellow fire hydrant.

As Relena talked to Moore in the office and signed the necessary papers, Sam helped Heero bring her car into the main garage.

"Jeez, Heero," Sam whistled through his teeth. "Can't believe you never mentioned this one. She looks like the kind of gal Hank would - "

"Hank will not be informed that she was here," Heero snapped, getting out of the Carrera as fast as he could. Just driving her car was enough to make him feel drunk; it smelled, looked, felt like her.

Sam was grinning. "Okay, understood. She's all yours, bud."

"She's not - I didn't mean - we're not - " Heero stopped. The grin had spread, and it was useless to attempt to continue. "It's nothing like that."

Sam ignored his protests. "Just get her something to eat, set her up at the hotel, then make sure she finds someway to entertain herself for the next couple of days while you work your butt off getting this car fixed."

"Right now?"

"Right now."

"But I'm not off shift until - "

"Nice try," Sam shook his head of graying hair as he chuckled and closed the door of the garage. "Coming in three hours earlier and working through the day without a lunch break easily justifies getting off thirty minutes before closing time."

"I don't know where - "

"If you even so much as try to tell me you don't know where to take her, I'll slap you silly. She's a nice young lady stuck by herself up in a strange town, and obviously you two were friends…or whatever…"

The Death Glare was put into immediate use. Sam was unfazed.

"…so it's the nice thing to do. Diner, then hotel. We've only got one in town. Hour at the most."

He was stuck, and he knew it. There was no way to explain just why he was so reluctant to be so near Relena without spilling their life story. And so, with thudding heart, Heero walked reluctantly around to the main office.

She was speaking amiably with Moore, who was obviously quite taken with her. They were discussing the weather, how pitiful it was that the snow had yet to fall this winter. And for the first time in his life, Heero felt a sickening feeling stirring in his stomach and knew immediately what it was: jealousy. He was jealous, of Moore, for talking to woman he hadn't seen in four years.

Hmm. Slight problem.

"You ready to go?" he cut in.

She fell silent and nodded.

Moore watched this exchange with a careful eye. "Thanks for coming in early, Yuy, and making up for Hank's work."

Heero said nothing, his face expressionless.

"I'll see you later, Miss Sanderson. Send us your hotel number so we can call you when your car is fixed."

She smiled and gave a quick reply, and then they were out in the chilly winter air, alone.

Heero wasted no time; he pulled the keys from his pocket and headed straight for the parking lot. Relena, reluctantly, followed.

For heaven's sake. Even his truck was the very essence of him.

For the first time, this wasn't a sleek black limousine, where she wasn't in a shimmering satin gown and he wasn't in a dashing, debonair tuxedo that he absolutely loathed. She wouldn't look forward to after the entire gala, when she could relax in the same limousine in the way home and just enjoy being close to him, being able to talk out the social and political intricacies of the night, having someone just listen to her, no matter how little he responded.

No, this was his truck. And it spoke of nothing but him. It was just as organized as his Preventers office had once been, with enough macho-engine-horsepower jargon scribbled all over the equipment that it was obvious he had put a lot of time - not to mention money - into the vehicle. But what capped it all off for her was the clean, foresty smell permeating the air inside the cab; a smell she identified immediately as Heero.

He opened the door for her, something that he did completely out of old, old habit, and then he started it up and pulled out of the parking lot.

"You hungry?"

Almost by instinct she opened her mouth to say no; it was always the answer she gave to that particular question, because she never had time for a dinner date, and besides, if he knew about it, he'd be…

No! She shook her head fiercely, forcing all thoughts of him from her mind. Don't think about it…that's the reason you left, remember, just don't think about it…

"No?" Heero asked, misinterpreting her actions.

"I'm starving." And it felt good to say it.

"Well…there's a McDonald's around the corner - " he glanced at her; the expression on her face said enough " - or there's always the diner."

"Diner," she said, without hesitation.

Relena stared out the window at the passing town, her mind reeling at how surreal this was; she was driving with the man that had disappeared four years ago, a man whose face she knew better than her own. It made her wonder what would happen after today; after they had eaten, after she was safe in her hotel room, after she got in her car and driven back down to the city, back to…

And when she remembered what was waiting for her back in the city, Relena decided to halt that train of thought entirely and just concentrate on now.

The diner was the very picture of a small restaurant in a sleepy little mountain town – a bar where white-aproned waitresses served nothing stronger than black coffee and kids regularly came in to perch atop of barstools and enjoy their strawberry milkshakes. Heero led her inside and straight to a table for two in the back.

They ordered, and ate in silence, neither one knowing what to say to the other. Relena wanted to bring up the reason for his disappearance, but since she knew he was wondering the reason as to her running away, she decided to just keep quiet.

Afterwards, Heero drove down the street to the only hotel in Willow Lake. Without speaking, they walked into the main room, and from there, Relena took charge.

"Good evening," she greeted the woman behind the desk. She was a bleached blond with thick curls and a tight-fitting uniform, smacking a gigantic wad of bright pink bubblegum and eyeing Heero up and down like he was a piece of candy.

"Evenin'," the lady returned, blowing a thick bubble.

"I'd like a room for the next few days, please," Relena continued, trying to ignore the way the woman's hazel eyes were roaming over Heero's body. Heero hadn't even noticed; he was looking around the lobby, probably searching for easy entrances/exits for assassins. Old habits die hard.

"I'm not sure exactly how long I'll be staying - "

"We're filled up."

Relena stopped mid-sentence, startled. "I'm sorry, what?"

"We're full up, honey," the woman said, accentuating each word with a pop of her bubblegum. "No room."

Heero turned for the first time. "What do you mean, no room?"

The receptionist mistook his low, serious tones for 'sultry and seductive.' "Why, that means there ain't any beds open, Mr. Yuy," she explained to him, ignoring Relena and leaning in at just the right angle to show off some cleavage. "'Cept maybe just one, that is," she cooed, the innuendo clear.

Heero didn't move, just intensified the glare. Relena cut in dryly, "Sorry, that's not really what I'm looking for. You're sure there aren't any rooms open?"

Since Heero had pulled away, the blond cast a disgusted look in Relena's direction and snapped, "I said no. Now go walk the streets if you're so desperate, you little slut."

Relena reeled back, startled. "Excuse me!" she cried. "That was completely - "

But Heero took two steps forward, gripped the woman around the arm, and leaned in until he was just inches from her face. "If you," he growled, "ever say anything like that to her again, Brittany, I will make sure your boss knows every detail of what takes place here with his paying customers."

The woman's face went pale under the layers of makeup. "Just get out of here," she snapped, and stalked through a door labeled "Employees Only."

Heero didn't give her the honor of a response. He turned and walked outside, taking Relena by the wrist.

Immediately, Relena did something strange: as soon as his hand gripped her wrist, she flinched and yanked it away.

Heero, startled, paused in his stride only momentarily, then decided not to say anything about it. "Sorry," he muttered, "about her. Brittany's a long-time…"

"Fan?" Relena murmured. Her gaze was downcast, and though he didn't notice, her hands were shaking.

"Hn."

She took a long breath, and then murmured, "Well, you said that was the only hotel in town…"

"Shit," Heero groaned. "I…forgot. I should have convinced her to give you a room - "

"It's okay," Relena interrupted, looking up and down the street. "I can just…well…"

He turned to look at her as she struggled for a way to finish her offer. After she racked her brains for a near thirty seconds, Heero ventured in his usual monotone, "You can stay with me."

Relena's reaction was instantaneous: "No."

Though he would never admit it, Heero was a little put out at being declined so quickly. "Well," he barked, "I'm sure as hell not letting you stay in that dump now, so exactly where else are you thinking about going?"

She was furiously trying to come up with any option besides his proposition. "I…I'll…sleep in my car."

"That's absurd," Heero instantly returned. "It's freezing, it's uncomfortable, and besides, the shop is closed and that means we can't get your keys."

"You have the keys to the garage," she retorted.

"Relena," he growled sternly, "you're not sleeping in your car. Look, I'm not saying you spend the week with me, I'm just saying you can stay at my cabin tonight and then we'll drive down here tomorrow and get you a room."

He couldn't believe what he was saying. But where else was he going to put her? He would never leave her in the hotel as long as that witch was behind the reception desk, and he couldn't just drop her on the side of the street…and as much as the thought of having Relena's sleeping body somewhere in his house filled him with so many conflicting emotions he thought he would burst – she was still the Foreign Minister, and he would always, whether officially or not, be her protector.

And she knew it.

"Okay. Just – just tonight."

And though he knew it was the right course of action, Heero involuntarily grit his teeth. This would not be easy.

The drive up to the cabin was conducted in complete and terribly uncomfortable silence. Relena could do nothing but clutch her bag and plead to heaven that this would not turn out to be a nightmare. She was nervous. Which was strange, because four years ago Heero was the only person that was with her nearly twenty-four hours a day. They had slept in rooms right next to each other before; he had stood outside her door while she slept…surely this was no different.

Yet it was, and she knew it.

His cabin was gorgeous. As Heero silently steered into a clearing hidden by the tall pine trees, her jaw dropped. "Oh…wow," she breathed, staring up at the two-story mountain mansion sprawled in front of her. There was grass outside, an extensive lawn of verdant green that led right up to the wraparound porch. Following Heero, Relena climbed the steps and gaped at the exquisite carpentry work. "You…did all this?"

Heero glanced up as he unlocked the door. The sun had already set, and the soft porch light was on, bringing out the lighter nuances in the wood…and in her hair. "I added the porch, an extension to the kitchen, and tore down a few walls in the loft above the second floor…but the rest was just cleaning up."

It was cold, and unconsciously she had moved a little closer to him for warmth; far enough away for her, apparently, to not think anything of it, but close enough for him to smell her perfume and therefore intoxicate him far worse than any drink ever could. Unable to stand it, Heero shoved open the door and went inside.

He moved to the closet near the front door, shrugging out of his coat and setting his keys and toolbox into place. Relena took two steps in, closed the door, turned and froze.

"Oh my gosh," she whispered, and, fearing that something was wrong, Heero whirled around.

She was staring at the first floor of his cabin, which was entirely open and consisted of the living room, dining room, kitchen, and study. It was a single spacious rectangle, with the kitchen off in a little alcove to her right. Heero looked around, saw nothing out of place, and looked back at her for explanation.

"Oh, Heero," she murmured, taking a few hesitant steps forward. "This is gorgeous. I just can't…"

The rest of her words were tuned out; he was still reeling from the part where she had said his name. The magic of his name on her lips was something that banished all comprehensive thought from his mind and left him standing in a confusing blur of emotions.

"…any help?"

He realized vaguely that she was asking him a question, and turned. "What?"

"Did you do this all yourself?" she repeated, her eyes wide with wonder.

"Yeah," he said shortly, moving into the kitchen. She stayed in the living room area, taking in the sight; the leather couches, the entertainment center, the paintings on the walls, the little knickknacks on tables and in corners that just reminded her of him.

"I'm surprised," she murmured, running her fingers lightly over a dark mahogany desk.

Conversation wasn't exactly what he wanted to get himself into at the minute, but he found himself a little offended by her comment. "Why?"

"Well…" Relena murmured, still staring in wonder at the exquisitely, if simply, decorated cabin. "I'm not really sure…" But she was; she knew exactly why Heero's home had taken her by surprise. She had been expecting something empty, devoid of anything except the barest essentials, and for a while had even entertained images of chrome-and-silver bedrooms, with everything computerized…like something out of a Bradbury tale. But this…true, it was a little too masculine for her taste, too dark and leathery, but…despite just a few details, it was exactly how she would decorate a cabin.

Heero was still waiting for an answer, his stormy eyes boring into her back.

"I just expected something different," she murmured.

Enough was enough. Just the image of her standing in his front room shook something deep inside. "The guest room is upstairs," he said shortly, heading for the staircase.

Silently, she followed, noting every detail of the cabin; the paintings on the wall, the woodsy smell that reminded her so much of Heero, the soft gentle whisper of the wind outside. He led her up the stairs and to the left, into a tidy little room with a bed, dresser, desk, and door to its own bathroom. It blew her mind that Heero Yuy, of all people, would have a room prepared in the case of a friend barging in one evening…

He must have read her mind. "Duo knows I'm up here," he muttered in explanation. "Visited once or twice, but not since Hilde had the baby."

One night, Relena told herself, taking a breath as she put her bags on the bed and slipped out of her jacket. One night, and then I can stay in the hotel until the car is fixed…and then head back…

Relena turned to thank Heero, but he had left her room. She heard a door close somewhere on the opposite side of the cabin and knew that he had retired to his own room for the night.

Sighing, Relena closed her own door, thought about locking it, then decided against it. Heero probably wouldn't even come out of his room…and besides, if someone broke in, she didn't doubt that he would disarm them in five seconds flat.

Recalling the days long ago when the only security he was paranoid about was her own, Relena couldn't suppress a small smile. Then, remembering how drastically things had changed, the smile fell, and she slowly undressed and climbed into bed.

It was surprisingly soft and warm; it was freezing outside, and snuggling down inside the covers was the only thing she needed to do to be just the right temperature. Staring out the window at the silhouette of the nearby pine trees, Relena's last thought before she felt asleep was how surprised she was to find that she loved it up here in the mountains…and how she feared what would happen when she returned.

She was there.

Not even a hundred yards away. Just down the hall. So close that if he stood outside her door, he could hear her breathe.

Heero lay awake in bed for nearly an hour, his mind still trying to grasp that impossible concept. The hours that were usually occupied by memories of her were now replaced with an incredible uneasiness. What was he supposed to do? He had left her, for heaven's sake. True, only after he had ensured that her security would be top-notch, after personally "taking care" of each and every possible terrorist in the country, and after nearly beating Duo to a pulp in making him promise to keep a special eye on her.

But it didn't change the fact that he had left; left his career, his duty, his personal obligations, his friends…and her.

Was she angry with him? Had she even cared that one day he simply wasn't around anymore? Or had she just kept on living, hired another bodyguard, gone to meetings the next day with the same bright smile?

What was he thinking; of course she had. It wasn't as if he had any effect on her. She had simply been the one to protect, and he had been the protector. There was no relationship there. That was exactly why there shouldn't be a problem with sleeping in the same house.

So…why couldn't he fall asleep?

Another two and a half hours passed. The clock chimed one thirty; an owl called outside his window, and though he was exhausted, Heero simply could not get to sleep.

The alarm clock was set for five a.m. sharp. And he had to get to work, so he had to get sleep…

There was only one option. Moving noiselessly, he crept out of the room and gingerly crossed the hallway to her bedroom door.

Once there, all he did was crack the door open. There was no need to see her, no need to touch her; all he had to do was reassure himself that this was not a dream, that this woman was in his house, protected by walls he had rebuilt with his own hands.

So the Perfect Soldier sat down in the hall outside her bedroom, leaned his head against the doorframe, and closed his eyes.

And as the soft, peaceful sound of her regular breathing reached his ears, Heero felt his pulse slow, his racing thoughts ease, and within moments he was fast asleep.