The Edge of Oblivion

Chapter Two: No More Girl Talk

by Relena's Glam Squad

January 1, A.C. 208

The glowing face of Colonel Une's desk phone told her that the time was already 3:46 in the morning on January 1, A.C. 208. Her office was mostly dark, save for one lamp that had been turned on at some point during the evening. Chicken scratch notes littered her desk; witnesses to an event were always eager to make sure their part of the story was heard.

Une stood on her side of her desk, her palms flat on the smooth wood, her body leaning forward slightly. She was trying to stay awake. On the other side of the desk stood Special Agent Heero Yuy, dressed in his Preventer uniform, one hand casually resting on his hip while the other hung at his side.

"The mission took no time," Heero was explaining. "Evidence that we had gathered proved to be false, and the uprising was much smaller than we had anticipated."

"So you came back here without any communication?" Une asked, but Heero only shrugged. Une's eyes narrowed. "Did you know about this assassin?" Heero blinked at her, his face remaining stoney.

"I may have heard some chatter about it," he admitted, though no guilt passed over his face.

"And you informed no one, because…?"

"If everyone knew, the shooter wouldn't have shown up. And we'd have zero leads to the leader of this little fire," Heero said, using the Preventer code word for uprisings. "Instead, the shooter was apprehended." Une saw a strange look cross his face quickly, then disappear. Her lip twitched as she tried to keep herself from smiling.

"Did you anticipate Relena acting as she did?" Une asked. Heero's chin tilted up slightly.

"I have heard about her advanced personal protection skills from Maxwell," Heero muttered, knowing he'd been caught. Une raised her eyebrow. "Though I did not expect that she would actually shoot him."

"Interesting." Une stood up straight and rolled her shoulders back, trying to loosen the tension that had been building there since the gun fired in the theatre.

"We should take precautions for the important members of the ESUN government," Heero said. Une wanted to laugh at his obvious intentions, but knew that would be inappropriate. Relena's safety, of course, was not a laughing matter.

"What do you have in mind?"

"Personal details for the important members, most likely to be targeted by this group. Naturally the higher ranking Preventer agents should be assigned to the highest government officials, such as the President and Vice President…"

"And the Foreign Minister?" Une added.

"Foreign Minister Darlian should have a personal detail as well, yes," Heero said. Une was slightly enjoying the struggle she could see in Heero's eyes.

"Well, I agree, Agent Yuy. Perhaps you could give me some recommendations for the protection of these government officials, after, of course, you submit your paperwork for the mission you have just arrived from. We must follow procedure, after all," Une said. Heero nodded curtly.

"Understood."

The phone in his pocket was ringing. Heero reached in and drew it out, holding the mobile device in his hand, staring down in disbelief.

Who could be calling him? No one had this number.

Heero had discarded his last phone after leaving Asia, replacing it with one of his vast collection of vintage phones that he reprogrammed with a new SIM card. The beat-up old flip phone wasn't by any means flashy, but served its purpose. The older phones were harder to trace, and switching out the hardware and software each time each time he moved locations was key to his anonymity.

Heero Yuy liked things this way.

Which is why this unknown caller flashing on his screen was troubling. Heero had hoped he'd left most of his troubles behind in Asia. He'd stayed there long enough, refusing to leave until he was guaranteed that if he returned to her side, they wouldn't harm her. It had taken him years to extract that promise. Something sinister was afoot, and he couldn't stop the cogs at work, much as he tried. All he could do now was his utmost to shield her from what was coming.

But all of that hinged upon his keeping his identity, and his whereabouts, a secret. Coming back to the Preventers, taking on a high-profile case wasn't the best way to do it, but his hands were tied.

Heero let the call drop, deciding that he would take advantage of being in Preventer HQ by running an analysis through their database. Yes, even unknown calls could be traced.

Halfway down the hall from Une's office, Heero pivoted on his heel.

"Une." He rapped on the former colonel's door. It creaked open after a beat, and Une opened it wider.

"Yes, Heero."

"Can I use your computer?"

January 3, A.C. 208

Relena did her best to stay out of the way while the incident was investigated. Naturally, she gave her official statement to Wufei the next morning, as he was in charge of the investigation. Afterwards, Relena melted into the shadows, staying in her office and her home, and avoiding the public eye. She already knew what they were saying about her; the pacifist princess guns down assassin at the ESUN New Years Eve ball. The headline was spun both ways, both as praise and as criticism. Even Colonel Une had advised Relena to stay indoors.

She wasn't feeling up to company, so it was lucky that Timothy was called back to England by his mother, while Relena remained in Brussels for work. Une wanted her closer to the Preventer HQ in the event something else happened. Sandy had tried to engage Relena in conversation, but the young vice foreign minister soon quit and wrote it off as shock from the event at the New Years Eve Ball.

As she sat at her desk in her office, her mind continued to replay that moment... The assassin falling forward, and seeing Heero standing at the other end of the hallway, poised to shoot, as she had seen him so many times. Relena tried to think back to the last time she saw Heero, and estimated it to be sometime after her eighteenth birthday, in A.C. 198.

Ten years.

Ten years since she'd last seen his face. And it took four years for her to stop wondering when he would return, or when she would see him again, or what he was doing. And another year after that to stop herself from thinking about him. But she knew she had moved on now. She was happy with Timothy, and she was finally planning her wedding, with the help of her wedding planners, of course. Her job was going well. Nothing could be more perfect.

"So why did he have to show up out of nowhere?" Relena asked herself aloud.

Sandy, who had been reading some documents a few feet away, looked up at her superior.

"What was that, Miss Relena?" the young woman asked. Relena shook her head.

"Nothing."

Sandy watched Relena for a moment longer, but when Relena refused to make eye contact, Sandy went back to her documents. Relena stared down at her desk, the printed words on the documents in front of her blurring into a black and white mess. There was no way she was going to be able to concentrate on work. There were still too many unanswered questions, and the worst had to be the issue of Heero Yuy. Relena considered calling Une or Wufei to get an update on the investigation, but before she could lift her hand to do so, her vid phone chirped at her, indicating an incoming call from Colonel Une. Relena quickly answered it and waited a moment while the connection was established, and Une's face came into focus on the screen.

"Good afternoon, Miss Relena," Une said, a slight smile on her face.

"Colonel. Can I help you with something?" Relena asked. Sandy had looked up from her documents, interested.

"I was hoping you and Miss Waters be available for a meeting with me and a few Preventer agents this afternoon," Une said. Relena, as she watched Une's face, could not stop the impression that Une was terribly amused about something.

"Oh, of course. We are not busy now," Relena said, her hand gripping the edge of her desk tightly. Something in the pit of her stomach told her that Heero would be at this meeting. Perhaps that was why Une looked so amused.

"Wonderful. We will be over shortly," Une said, smiled, and cut the connection. Relena sat back down into her chair and leaned back. She laced her fingers together and squeezed, trying to get a hold of herself.

"What is it, Miss Relena?" Sandy asked, crossing the room and taking a seat in one of the leather chairs on the opposite side of Relena's desk.

"We are meeting with Une," Relena said, glancing up, molding her face into a passive expression. "I imagine it has something to do with our security." Sandy grimaced.

"Bodyguards?"

"Likely."

"Well, so much for girl-talk," Sandy sighed, flopping back into the chair and crossing her arms over her chest. Relena chuckled and shook her head.

"Whoever they are," Relena said with a wink, "I'm sure they won't mind us having our girl-talk."

Relena stepped into the conference room down the hall from her office, Sandy close behind. Her fear was confirmed; Heero Yuy stood against the wall, arms crossed, head lowered. Une had already taken a seat at the table and spread several packets of paper out in front of her. And sitting at the table beside her was…

"Duo!" Relena cried, hurrying into the room. The former Deathscythe pilot was sitting in one of the plush chairs, his feet kicked up on the table. He wore jeans and a t-shirt, his Preventer jacket slung haphazardly over the back of the chair. And of course, his braid was longer than the last time Relena had seen him. The memory from about two months ago came back her, when they'd bet to see who could grow their hair the longest and fastest, and she immediately regretted her recent trim. Looks like she would owe him dinner. Duo jumped from his chair.

"Princess!" Duo crossed the room to her and swept her up into a hug, spinning her around once before setting her back on her feet. Relena laughed and gave him another squeeze around the neck before stepping back. In her peripheral vision, she noticed that Heero had looked up, and was watching them, a scowl on his face.

"It is so good to see you, Duo!" Relena said, turning her full attention to Duo. She saw now, close up, that Duo had scruff on his chin and cheeks. He was such a contrast to Heero, who was clean shaven, and dressed in his full Preventer uniform. Some things never changed, Relena supposed.

"You look lovely as ever," he said with a cheeky grin. Relena blushed and turned her head, but she was grinning as well. Une rose up from the table, feeling she had given them enough time.

"Thank you for joining us, Miss Relena, Miss Sandy," Une said, nodding to each of them in turn.

Relena and Sandy sat down beside Duo, while Heero stepped away from the wall and took a seat on the other side of the table. Relena couldn't help it; she glanced up at Heero, and found his dark blue eyes staring at her. Relena's heart jolted, and she looked away quickly towards Une. Her throat tightened, her hands shaking. Desperately, she hoped Une would not ask any direct questions.

"I am sure you guessed as to what this meeting is about," Une began. "After the incident at the New Years Eve ball, and the subsequent investigation, it has been determined that once again, bodyguards are necessary for certain members of the ESUN government. Being that you have a long history with politics and the previous wars, and your current status as fiancee to the Prince of England..."

At that, Relena's hands clenched together in her lap, and she kept her eyes locked on Une. Even so, she could feel Heero's gaze, the familiar feeling returning as if it had never left.

"It has been determined that you should have guards with you," Une finished.

Relena nodded, trying to keep her composure together, but under Heero's steady gaze, she felt the edges of her psyche fray and begin to unravel. For the first time in a long time, she felt like she was going to cry. She thought she could handle this confrontation. After all, she was happy with her life. Why should his sudden reappearance bring back those teenaged, hormonally-charged feelings?

Une continued as if Relena were not having a vicious internal war with herself. "Based on the recommendations of internal Preventer agents, I have assigned Agent Heero Yuy and Agent Duo Maxwell to your person detail. Their schedule will be arranged when you may have one or both of them with you at all times, except in the case of the evenings. During those times, your home will be under video surveillance, again."

Relena forced another nod.

"Miss Sandy, your home will be outfitted with surveillance equipment as well," Une added. "I have not yet assigned someone to be your detail when you are traveling without Miss Relena."

Relena sensed Sandy shift in her seat, knowing the young woman was uncomfortable with this idea. She'd get used to it.

"Of course, Colonel," Sandy said.

Une smiled, sliding one packet of paper to each of the people at the table, then tossed out a handful of pens. "Please take a moment to read and sign this contract. If you have any questions, please ask."

The room fell silent while the four of them read the contract. Relena used her speed skimming skill to read through the contract quickly, then signed her name on the last page, above where Une had already signed. Sandy was done not too long after her, and slowly, Duo and Heero finished and signed their names.

Une was busy on her tablet, which caused an awkward silence to descend on the room. Relena did not want to look up from her hands, and Sandy was twisting her chair back and forth.

"So how is this prince guy?" Duo asked, turning towards Relena, who squeezed her eyes shut for a moment. She wanted a break in the awkwardness, but not about this.

"He is fine," Relena said, lifting her gaze to Duo and smiling.

"That's just crazy that you're marrying him, I mean, you'll probably be the Queen of England one day," Duo mused. Relena chuckled, but before she could speak again, Heero chimed in.

"She was already Queen of the Earth. What's England compared to that?" he said, his voice gruff and sounding annoyed. All eyes went to Heero, but he did not meet anyone's gaze. He continued to scowl down at the papers in front of him.

"I suppose that's true," Duo said, stretching his arms above his head. He turned towards Relena and rolled his eyes in the direction of Heero. Relena shrugged. "Anyway, you better invite me to the wedding. I promise I'll behave."

"Duo, don't make promises you can't keep," Une said, but with a smile. She rose from the chair and began to collect the contracts.

"Aw come on Colonel," Duo mumbled. "Quit ratting me out!" Une laughed and stacked the contracts together and tapped them into perfect alignment.

"Your detail begins tomorrow," Une said to Relena and Sandy as she packed up her belongings. "So enjoy your last night of privacy." Relena held back a laugh at Une's sarcastic tone, but the intent went over Sandy's head.

"Is someone going to watch me sleep?!" she nearly shrieked. Relena rose and took Sandy by the arm to lead her from the room.

"Of course not," Relena soothed. The others began to follow her from the room until one voice called her back.

"Relena."

Nothing had changed about the way he spoke her name. It still sounded gruff and desperate. Relena turned slowly, releasing Sandy and met his eyes. Faster than she thought possible, Une and Duo disappeared from the room and shut the door. Relena took a deep, slow breath and released it, calming herself as if she were preparing to go up against an opponent.

"Heero," she said to him, dipping her head in acknowledgement. "It has been a while."

He took a step closer to her and lifted his chin up slightly. It wasn't necessary, however, as he'd grown a great deal taller than herself in the last several years. It was a gesture that Relena saw often in men who wanted to somehow place dominance over her.

"Don't talk to me like that, Relena," he said. "We've known each other too long." Relena arched her eyebrow.

"I suppose thirteen years is a long time, Heero," she said, clasping her hands behind her back and side stepping him, forcing him to turn around to keep her in his gaze. "Although I'm not sure that ten of those count."

His eye twitched. A soft spot.

"You wouldn't understand what I was going through," Heero said. Relena tilted her head to the side.

"Of anyone, aside from the other pilots, I would be the one who would understand you," Relena replied. "And I did try…"

"This is not why I called you back," Heero said, catching on to her game and moving around her, forcing her to turn. "I wanted to see how you were doing." He paused, staring her down, and Relena felt her resolve weaken. "I can see that you are perfectly fine, though." He lowered his eyes, and he looked… sad.

That did it. Relena's hand lifted to her chest and she balled it into a fist, her personal tell that she was uncomfortable or scared. She'd learned to control it, but around Heero, she'd forgotten all she learned, and she was back to the age of sixteen, watching him walk away from her after he'd pulled her in for their first, rough kiss.

Heero took another step forward and placed his hand over the one that was balled at her chest. He looked down at her, his face softening.

"I don't want it to be awkward for you, or me, being on your security detail," he said, his voice near a whisper. "I know that I have been a terrible friend to you, but at least give me time to tell you what I've been doing, and what I've learned about myself. Let me make it up to you, Relena."

He was so close that Relena could smell his aftershave. Her heart hammered in her chest, and his hand tightened against her fist, and she noticed the calluses pressing against her softer skin. Her eyes refused to break from his.

"Of course," she finally said.

A small smile tugged at the corners of Heero's mouth, and he released her hand. Relena took an unsteady step back and turned back towards the door. She laid her hand on the doorknob and turned it. She had managed to make it through her initial confrontation with him without completely coming undone.

Feeling her confidence swell back up inside of her, she took a chance. Before stepping into the hall, Relena threw a look over her shoulder.

"See you tomorrow."

Heero stayed behind and watched Relena saunter out of the room to catch up with the others. He felt all twisted up in knots, seeing her again. But he was doing what was necessary to keep her safe. At least that's what he told himself.

As he gathered up his few belongings and left the room, Heero thought of her side of things, how her feelings toward him may have changed over the course of ten years. He'd expected her to be furious with him, but she seemed as understanding as ever. That compassion of hers; it was an admirable strength, to be sure. Heero wondered why she didn't just call him scum, kick him to the ground and spit on him, but he appreciated the chance to prove himself to her once more. Even if the circumstances were far from ideal.

He'd wanted to stay silent when he saw her, struggling against an urge to tell her everything. He'd have to be careful; there was still a lot that she couldn't know.

She couldn't know that every minute he stayed in her presence, stepping out from the shadows to protect her publicly, he wasn't just fighting for her life.

He was fighting for his.

A/N: Thank you to all the readers and reviewers!

-Relena's Glam Squad