Those Aqua Eyes Never Changed.

Left alone, am alone

Chapter Two

Relena

Drills blaring, hammers banging, and tools clanging together deafened all sound. If you needed to speak then you better have a strong voice. Through the past three years, I have certainly changed in many ways.

Slamming the hood of the Mercedes that has been in the shop for weeks, whipping the sweat from my forehead with the back of my already grease stained glove, I sigh and hunch over. I never knew how unreasonable people can really be about such simple matters. The owner of the Mercedes, Mrs. Benedict, has brought the car in week after week declaring a problem with it. Every time we pop the hood up, there is nothing wrong but she refuses to take it back until we find what's wrong. So eventually, we went along with her charade and cut some wires. We busted some pipes and gave her something to complain about. She shut up after that.

Pulling off my gloves and sticking them in the back pocket of my overalls. I make my way to the office to tell them I'm finished with the car that didn't need fixing.

Passing employee after employee, I smile, nod, make comments and meaningless jokes about something said last week. I laugh at their funny faces and they see me as somebody that is just normal. They see me as a real person when I'm not. I'm Relena.

Strolling into the wide office, covered in files and papers, I knock on the frame of the open door. Mr. Hino is always busy. Sometimes he is asleep or thinking of Earth, just like me.

Leaning away from his computer, he glances at me from the corner of his eye as he takes a sip of his already cold coffee. Clearing his throat like routine, he puts up a great big fake smile, like me.

"Lena, how can I help you?"

"Oh, it's nothing; I just wanted to tell you I finished the perfectly fine car. She can come and get it now."

"That one, huh? I swear she has to be crazy. There was nothing wrong with it. I even looked at it myself."

"Haha, yea, I know." Stopping to look out the window, down into the shop "well, I even cleaned the inside of it, new steering wheel, clean seats and floors, its spotless."

"Thank you, that was a big help, you didn't need to do that but thank you."

"Its fine, I just needed to buy time anyways."

"Yea, true – true. Well thank you Lena."

Turning around, stuffing my hands into my pockets, I head back downstairs. My life has really changed since 3 years ago. I know new people. I have a new life. Although it's the life I have always truly wanted, to be normal, it still doesn't feel right. There is a hole in my heart, where my past was. Some say you shouldn't throw away your past but you still need to move forward. I didn't throw away my past and I did move forward yet there is still a hole there.

Walking to the lobby, I grab my card. I always work overtime; I worked 2 hours later today. It gives me something to do. Clocking out, I go and get changed out of the greasy sludge overalls that are too big for me anyways. Slipping into too-big-for-me jeans with a belt and "I'm looking at STUPID" t-shirt, I grab my jacket and head out. It is quite chilly here on L3. It is pretty far back in space, far enough from Earth.

Getting into my Chevy truck, I head "home".

I never turn on the radio and drive in complete silence. I daydream of the past. I guess I haven't completely moved forward. That caused me to smash into a tree last winter. I was speeding the slightest bit and was thinking of my last day with "them". I kept hearing me say Good-Bye in my head. Each time I heard it, I just slammed on the gas harder and faster. I began to cry and swerved off the road smack into a big oak tree.

There wasn't any real damage to me. My last truck was totaled. I came out with a broken arm and some cuts. I got lucky. I try my best to not think about the past. It just doesn't work well.

Stopping in my driveway of my small house, I lean against the steering wheel. I live alone, I left alone, and I am alone. I have no girl friends just guys at the shop. They all have a little bit of the boys back home in them. I guess that's why I need them so much here.

Sighing the longest sigh, I turn the truck off and slide out. Some say they are surprised I can stand. I got skinnier. When I get worried or upset I tend to eat less which is all the time. I got about 5 inches taller too. That just makes me look slightly skinnier. My look has changed quite a bit. My hair is a reddish brown now, long. My skin is quite tan for my labor outside and I have a fit body. Lifting and hauling parts and tools around are like weights after a while. I can hold my own. The only real thing that hasn't changed is my eyes, my aqua blue.

Stomping my boots on the matt at the front door, I start to unlock the door. The phone begins to ring.

Fumbling the key, I struggle with the lock.

"I'm coming, I'm coming!" I yell even though they can't hear me.

By the time I get inside and to the phone, the message-machine goes off. Slowing to a stop to listen, my mind wanders on the possibilities of anyone I know-know calling me.

On the message machine was Mr. Hino with a message.

"Hey Lena, I guess you haven't made it home yet. Well, I forgot to tell you earlier, it totally slipped my mind but we have a request from this protection group. They deny they need help but their boss called saying that they clearly do. They asked for some help so ___" Beeeeep, The machine cut him off.

He just called right back. I didn't bother to answer. I was going to get the message anyways.

"Sorry, I talk too much, haha. Well, they want someone to come down and work on this new mobile suit. There are some issues with its system and some parts aren't moving right. They need someone to come down and I need the boys to stay here. It is nearly Christmas you know and they can't leave their families. You are the only one available in my book so you are going to take the job. Plus, you're the best. Pack your bags because you're going to EARTH!"

I freeze, drop my keys. Looking at the phone, a blinking red light flickers again and again. Another call. Sliding to the floor, jaw dropped, the message automatically plays.

"Hello Miss. Lena Donald, I am calling on behalf of the request for your mechanical services. My name is Lady Une of the Preventors. Please call me back for the information on the transportation and place. Again, I am Lady Une and can be reached at 801-677-8997, 801-677-8997, Thank you very much."

Just when I thought matters couldn't get worse, my heart stops. A tear rolled down my cheek, then another, and another until I broke out in bawling. Slamming my fist into the floor, I scream over and over.

"Why, Why, WHY!!!"

Folding over on my side, I just hold my breath. I just try to die. I couldn't do it.

Relaxing a bit, I reach for the phone. Dialing a number, I emotionlessly waited as it rung. My cracking voice broke, and tears streamed down my cheeks.

Taking in a breath, the phone picked up.

A man answered. A very, very stupid man trying to be a woman answered. I could hear the giggling in the background.

"Miss, Une speaking"(muffled laughter)

Pain rocketed through my chest.

"Yes, Sir, this is Lena Donald calling back."

"Sir? I'm not a sir, I am a woman. I have boobies."

I tried so hard to not burst into tears. Duo Maxwell, how dare you answer the phone! I have waited so long to hear somebody's voice. I wanted so badly to talk to them as a normal person. Now that I'm a normal person, they don't even know it's me. I'm not Lena Donald! I'm Relena Dorlian!

"I'm sorry sir but I'm afraid I really need to speak with Lady Une."

(Disappointment)"Fine, I guess you can talk to her. How did you now I was a man?"

"Man? I thought you were a kid." I couldn't resist. I couldn't be me and say 'because I knew it was you, Duo.'

"I'm a MAN! I have had SEX! I am a MAN, MAN I tell you!"

I couldn't stop it, I burst into sobs. Pressing the phone to my chest, I hid my face in the floor. My tears stopped when I heard a voice in the background on the other end. It was his voice.

"Duo you dumbass, give me the phone. Lady Une already left. You can't take anything seriously!"

What? He was going to talk to me? Oh no, he can't!

There was a lot of struggling on the other line with huffs and groans and manly cries. Pressing my ear to the phone, I began to notice something. He was laughing; he was the giggling in the background. My heart stopped, it couldn't be Heero. It just couldn't be.

"Hello, this is Heero Yuy the head mechanic on the new Gundam Model."

It was him but that can't be!

"Uh-yes, this is Re-uh-Lena Donald, is Lady Une there?"

"Relena Donald?"

He said my name. He said my name. He is going to know it's me!

"No, Lena Donald"

"Oh, okay, Lady Une has already left so I can tell you the information. Although, we really don't need your services"

That was a blade to the gutter. He doesn't want me. He doesn't want me.

"I-I understand. Then" Please, please I want to see you. Want to see me too. "Then-I shouldn't come. I'll cancel the assignment if you don't need me. Good-bye then Hee-Mr. Yuy."

NOoooooooooo! Why, why, why did I say that? I'm an idiot! Heero!

"No, I'm afraid you can't do that. You need to get a ride and meet me at PortB. Do you know where that is?"

He is picking me up? I can't stay here. I have to go?

"Oh, well, yes I know PortB." But- "Where will I be staying? How long will I be staying?"

"You will be living in my residents for 2 months on the assignment so just pack up like your moving here. There is no telling how long this is going to take. So, you will be staying with me if that's fine."

Me, in Heero's house…for 2 whole months, I want to cry.

"T-That's fine. When do I need to meet you at PortB?"

"Tomorrow 5:15am"

"…seriously?"

"Got a problem?"

5:15am? What the hell is wrong with him! I was right! He hasn't changed at all!

"No, no problem."

"You should probably pack now and leave as soon as possible, like today."

Today…? Why today?

"Okay. I'll see you then."

"I know it's early but once we get you settled in, you can go back to sleep. You won't start working till the next day."

"Okay. I'm looking forward to it."

I really, really am.

"Oh-Lena!"

He called me by that name. He is so different yet so much the same after all.

"Yes?"

"Did you say Relena before?"

Yes, yes I said Relena. Heero look at the clues. Relena=Lena, Dorlian=Donald!

"Um-yes, that's my real name but people just call me by Lena."

Oh man, I blew it now. He is going to find out, take me back, and I'm going to break down right now.

"Really…well, Lena, I'll be there 5:15am on the dot."

"b-"

He hung up.

Plus, I just noticed, my tears are gone and I don't know when they stopped. All I know, I got to pack.