Sandrock Investments

He remembered the last line before she departed; I will see you soon. She had said it with such confidence knowing clearly well after all considerations he will go to the dinner.

The world slowed down as his inverted self to Quatre's zone. Realization dawn on him so fast that he nearly wanted to smack himself. He was getting played so hard. And he barely could do anything but follow through with what Dorothy wanted.

How did she ended up getting the better of you Quatre? You such a poor chaser.

There was no way that she could have infiltrated through his security. He knew it was top of its class. He designed it and even had his good tech buddy review it. Heero said it was impenetrable. He trusted his friend judgement.

Glancing back down at the paper, he scanned for hidden clues. This was obviously what Dorothy was playing at.

Made an exception for me. Private dinner. Waiting for you. He wanted to laugh. He had no clue how to feel or what to feel anymore. Dorothy never changed since high school. She always had the upper hand and he was always behind, unknowingly to what her next move was.

It was evident that Dorothy knew he would accept the invite. He had wishes to confound it but his conscious mind reminded him that she was inviting him to her home. So? Not like anything would happen. Possibly. Right. He knew going was like walking into dragon den.

But what did this matter? She already said that we can only be friends. And yet this letter hinted...

Muddle. Everything was muddle to the point of confusion. You are killing me Dorothy. He never had a good grip on what girls were thinking. Jokes on you boy, you have 29 sisters to boot.

Yet, totality, all he felt now was absolute uncertainty. Where he stood in Dorothy's life. His body was turning cold. He did not know what to do and knew it primarily stem from not knowing how on earth did Dorothy knew he was the actual owner of Sandrock Investments. There are thousands of people in Manhattan, how did she know?

He wanted the answer. Too bad the only way to obtain the information is to attend the dinner.

Private dinner. What was she planning? His mind race on various possibilities Dorothy could do to manipulate information.

All he was aware was that he was going to walk head first into a well-planned trap. And he was hopeless because he was in love.

He was baited to the point of no return.

Dorothy, you play dirty.

Mustering all the courage that he had, Quatre arrived at Romefeller Tower. Dress in beige pants, and white collar shirt with a sleeveless blue vest over top he, notify the attendant. She subsequently lead him towards the elevator, inserted a key and press the number to the highest floor, before stepping out of the elevator and he ascended up alone.

He sensed dread on his impeding counter with Dorothy soon. His nerves responded and were on high alert, wondering would Dorothy be right at the entrance. When the elevators ping to signal the arrival, he braced himself when the doors open, but was relieve as it reveal an empty and spacious foyer. He stepped out of the elevator and into the home of Dorothy Catalonia. He should applaud himself for getting approval to enter a fully interior design, lighted and well decorated modern home. She occupied the four highest level of Romefeller Tower's penthouse. All four floors seem to connect as he noticed the stairs near the middle area. All he knew was that he arrived to the dining floor with living room.

The floor layout was marvelous. He had to remind himself to walk in further. It was nicely lit and furnished. Everything was clean too. He passed by the open kitchen that had dim warming lights on. He saw a table set out in preparation for the dinner for two next to the windows at the back and walk all the way to the back where expanse windows reaching from the bottom to the top stretched all around. He stared out the expanse window.

What a view! The city of Manhattan looked magnificent from her vintage point. Sunset was already setting fast. He suspected the night view looked fantastic. You lucky girl. Well, you were born lucky. There was no need to ever go to the Top of Rock or the Empire State for a panoramic view.

He was so intently captivated by the view that he did not hear Dorothy quietly descending the stairs and her approach towards the table that was set out for the two of them.

She stopped short from the table and admire Quatre's back. Not many people were given the privilege to visit her exclusive home. Only a few close friends and family members were permitted. She did not allow a single employee to ever venture up here because work was left at work down the many floors below and home was home. She considered her home the safest place and her most private sanctuary.

"Beautiful isn't' it?"

Dorothy words broke through Quatre's tranquilized mind brought by the view and reverted to alertness. Quatre jumped at the sound of her voice. He was memorized and was embarrass for being caught admiring a view. He turned to her, remembering that he should feel inferior.

He stutter. "Yes, you have a beautiful view and home, Miss Dorothy."

Miss Dorothy? Dorothy's mind flash internally without any exterior reaction. So he is all formal in times of uncertainty. The inner devil of Dorothy's desire to be in control was slowly coming out. Her eyes look thoughtful and a slight curl appear in her smile. Quatre saw that and he flinched as he felt her aura of control and his position of vulnerability fully playing out and what he feared since he received the letter.

He became muted and just stood, rooted to the spot he was standing on and wishing it would swallow him up. He had already entered the lion's crib with his neck expose. He wonder how hard the bite would turn out to be. A small and quiet silence stretch out.

She looked up to his obvious display of unease, shifting uncomfortably on his toes, in perfect understanding. She smiled coyly and he winced even more, perhaps growing smaller.

He looked at her with appreciation and yet terrify of the very women he love. Her hands were folded together at the front and she had a comfortable top with nicely fitted jeans. Why wasn't she saying anything?

As if on cue, a waiter push a cart with their dinner and placed it next to the table and left.

Dorothy eyes alighted and she shifted the gaze to the food. "Dinner, shall we?" Dorothy voice over power everything else. The room, the bearings, and even him.

He nodded stiffly and sat down across from Dorothy.

The food was fine. It was fantastic in fact. But Quatre hardly took notice as he was to be served a four course meal.

The only thing that Dorothy said was, "Thank you for accepting my dinner invitation." And he mutely nodded again sensing dread on all sides.

After that, there was barely any table conversation. They ate in silence with Dorothy announcing what the food was and him nodding in replies.

Dorothy seem to bask in the silence while he felt completely trapped in luxurious surroundings of the furnished penthouse with nice chandeliers and elaborate modern designs all around. And with Dorothy there, steadily holding his gaze. He could not even jump out because that was suicidal.

The silence was deafening and Dorothy appear to enjoy in every way putting him through psychological torture.

Dorothy was finding Quatre was full of wonders. He may looked angry before at Central Park yesterday, but now he looked defeated. She smiled to herself while cutting her ham.

Quatre saw the smile and redden as he looked down as the meal and realized perhaps to be as red as the ham. They were on their third course of the meal. Quatre did not and could not endure finishing the dinner in absolute silence. Just what exactly was she playing at? Psyching him out? She already succeeded on that since yesterday afternoon. There was no mind games here because she held all the cards at the table.

He wasn't going to let her play it all out without a fight now would he?

He set down his knife and fork and stopped eating. The sunset was long over and dusk had replaced the wonderful image of cities lights but Quatre forgot how beautiful the view was to the tormentor in front of him. It took a moment before Dorothy realized that Quatre stopped eating his fine repast. So it's time?

She set down her glittering gold cutlery and took the napkin to dab her lips. Quatre foresaw an important conversation was to happen and he started channeling his own energy to counter balance whatever that Dorothy easily emitted that made him cringe.

He looked at her hard with hard eyes staring at her in silence. He did not know why he felt the need to be terrify of her, it's not like the information she knew was anything bad. Why was he reacting the way he did? He had to focus on getting the answer he had came for.

Dorothy smile in amusement at his hard look. It irritated him but he did not show it and then she laugh. "Quatre, there is no need to look at me like that."

"I think I do," he replied with his own edge. He had to stay focus and project his strong energy to.

She put down the napkin and gesture to the food, "How was the meal?"

Not breaking eye contact, Quatre didn't spare a look down to his meal. "I did not come here for the food."

"Then what?"

With a twinge of annoyance, he replied, "Answers."

Dorothy smile again. Quatre was getting agitated. "Answers? Clearly it was stated in the letter that this is your thank you dinner for your sincere contribution to the charity and let me thank you again-"

"Cut the platitude Dorothy," Quatre replied sternly.

Dorothy looked at him appraisingly. How easily he was able to change his mood was beyond her. Moments before he was weak and now he was strong. How interesting. He continued to look at her and she matched him in equal terms, how long has she waited for someone to stand up to her as strongly. He finally relented a bit and said, "You know why I came here so please spare us, or at least me, whatever devilish activates you plan to expound upon me."

At this, Dorothy laugh again and he give her a quizzed look and slightly blushed. "Quatre, I am not planning to do anything to you that may cause you physical harm if that what you are implying."

He relaxed for a moment till she pushed back her chair and got up. Quatre eyes immediately train on her face, watched her every movement as she walked towards his chair, sensing the lion going for the kill and he gulped as fear resurface his strong front as he sat glue to his seat.

As she made her way towards him, she directly addressed the topic that was on Quatre's utmost mind, amplifying his fear to terror. His mind was mentally freezing and clouded with the image of Dorothy over taking him.

"So you are wondering how on earth do I know about Sandrock Investments' owner? Particularly, you being the owner." She emphasize the word 'you'. She was now at the side of his seat, standing. Somehow he managed to shift slightly towards with his behind still glue to the chair and he looked slightly up at her.

Dorothy sense his fear of her. It shone in his eyes. "And are you?" She asked.

The reply came out as a whisper, "Yes."

Dorothy outwardly smile at his confession as if him coming was not already submitting.

"How?" he stutter. He looked down at himself in pure display of disappointment, his hands ball into a fist. "I was sure no one knew; I covered every track and lead." He seem to stray off in his world as his eyes flashed through, thinking of all the things he done and what did he miss.

Then he once again asked, "How? How long have you known?" He looked up at her expectedly again.

"Since our first coffee shop reunion."

Her response threw him in further dismay. He looked at her incredulously, disbelief in his eyes all around which then started towards blaming himself.

"Impossible." His eyes was looking through her. He looked to the side and straight ahead. "No way," he was convincing himself. "At that point, I was certain that no one had the slightest clue." He was thinking back to their reunion day when he approached her. He was assured he did nothing that conveyed he was Sandrock Investment's owner. Then his mind reached outwards and try to assign other attributing factors. He was drawing blankness.

This conversation was turning at odds for what Dorothy had imagined. She was enjoying her moment of terrorizing Quatre but now he totally turn a new leaf and was blaming himself for being caught before she even explained to him what he did wrong. She decided she wanted the power to tip back in her favour. Watching Quatre squirm was quite a delight.

Dorothy move closer towards him. Sensing her rather than seeing her because his mind was racing he parted his legs in time as Dorothy kneel her right knee onto the edge of the chair and put a hand for support on the chair's back while the other leg brush against the side of the table. She lean in looking down at Quatre and Quatre buckle at her closeness and looked up at her in fear.

She slowly said, "Yes, no one does have the slightest clue who you are. You did cover your tracks very well since you started Sandrock Investments. But," there was a delightful secret shining in her eyes, "you never did way back then."

"Way back?" He still look confuse and baffled.

She spoke in a voice that rush Quatre back to their youth days, "I figure you must have forgotten, back at the time when I rescued you from those bullies at St. Gabriel?"

"I remember your rescue," he nodded, not wanting to reopen his coward days. His gaze was locked with hers, transfixed.

Staring intently into his eyes she continued. "They threw your papers down all over the floor and I helped pick them back up for you." He was listening attentively. She move the hand gripping on to the chair to the nape of his neck, playing with the hair lightly there.

"You were studying finance at the time. I picked up the papers on the ground for you and I happen to remember one piece of paper with the name Sandrock Investments written on it." His incredulous look reappear again and his brows crease. She continued, "Clearly, you already planned to do this since we were in high school."

He did.

She did not stop there. "There was more things written on that paper." She halted and watched as his eyes reflected in memory of what exactly was written on that piece of paper. It seemed like she had the better memory so she prompted him to remember. "A life goal it was." Quatre blushed. One fisted hand came up to scratch his head in embarrassment that of all people, she saw that.

He remembered now, the memory was loud and clear in his head as to what was written on the paper. His life goal was to become a billionaire investor. A statement made primarily as a child saying they have a dream. He must have forgotten as he tended to close off his high schools day because he never felt particularly proud of it.

"Anyhow, it never occur to me that it was you till you showed up that day and everything fell into place. When the news first started reporting on Sandrock Investments, I remember telling myself I have read that name somewhere before but could not in any way pinpoint or remember exactly where till the day you showed up and everything suddenly made complete sense. I did follow the news because it spark my curiosity in memory of the name. When we started meeting each other, I was able to piece the gaps in the story and confirm fully that it was you in disguise. For example, I ask you how long you have been here and that match up to the length that Sandrock Investment started. Saying if, your billionaire statement that day at the private dinner was not a full out connection." She smiled with a twinkle in her eye. Quatre was dumbfounded. He had only one goal in mind since he saw her again and started to believe in fate.

Dorothy inch closer to him, and leaned down to whisper next to his ear, "I always knew that you would be successful even back then."

Ever since that incident, she had noticed the blond head around school more. Granted, she was aware of him even before the incident. The school was not that large, everyone knew one another. His second favourite spot besides the library was around the beach that was next to the school far down as the school was situated on a hill. She once saw him grinding the fine sandrocks, shifting through his fingers as he looked out towards the sea. She always wondered did the boy felt homesick and the sand was probably the closest thing resembling his home country in the middle east; the dessert.

She pulled back to face him upfront. They gaze at each other, inches apart and both mutually coming in terms with their feelings as they close the gap to kiss each other. Dorothy hand supported the back of Quatre's head and he lifted an arm to keep her balance as the kiss pushed Quatre back to his seat.

Quatre felt Dorothy's emotion through the kiss and hope exploded through the kiss. They broke apart for air once before coming in once again and the kiss deepen. Dorothy shifted and her knee hit him in the groin, jolting his senses. He use his arm to push her leg out and envelope her in his arms as she sat on his lap, both of his hands on his head.

Breaking the kiss, he withdrew and touch their foreheads together. In bare whisper he asked again what his heart long for, "Would you go out with me Dorothy?"

"Yes." Hearing that made him deliriously happy all of a sudden.

He withdrew and look into her eyes, seeking for confirmation. She nodded in return and he felt a smile forming at his lips. He held her tight.

Quatre pull back to look at her in the eyes. He admitted, "I actually liked you since you rescue me from the bullies but I always felt I was unmatched to you."

Dorothy chuckled wounding her arms around his neck. The power trip was over with the two of them. "So you wanted to become a billionaire, then ask me out?"

"No, well maybe that the second reason, but I did need to make money."

"And hiding your identity from the world was bound to make me notice you?"

He shrug. "Well you remember how I was like. I do know one day my identity would be leak."

"Exactly, haven't you realized I have been helping you all this time?"

"You mean you stringing me on?"

"You," Dorothy use a finger to point at him in the chest, "were playing with me. Toying at the possibility of me not knowing what you really do."

Quatre smile, "That totally backfire as you now demonstrated."

"Well, as I was saying before I was helping you, for example, this dinner which no one ever gets to have private dinners with me in my own home is because I knew you would not have attended even if I invited you to have dinner with the top-ten doners."

Quatre nodded in his appreciation. "Thank you then."

She shook her head, amusement in her eyes. "You must have let those news reports get to you. I never cared about whether my partner had just enough money as me." Dorothy knew all along what were the impression that men had about her.

"Then what?" He asked.

He looked straight into her eyes and Dorothy sense a connection like no other before replying earnestly, "I have been waiting for a man to ask me out," and she kissed him.

Two years later.

Relena was visiting her friend in Manhattan. She was often busy travelling about and was taking one of her breaks to see her.

Dorothy greeted Relena at the door of her home.

"Oh Dorothy it has been so long it feels; you look healthy."

"Is that a joke." She was pregnant at four months with a bump showing.

"Where is Quatre? I thought he worked from home." They sat down at a table that had light refreshments lay out.

"He was the last time you were here which was a while ago. I have convinced him that it is about time that he had an office. He should get out once in a while instead of waking up and being at home to work."

His identity of being the owner of Sandrock Investments was revealed a few short months into their relationship. They let the news gradually slip out and what an impact it had. Poor Quatre hated all the sudden attention he received and Dorothy smoothly sort them out for him while letting him adjust. "He bought a nearby tower and renamed it to Winner Tower and has transform one of the floors as his head office. He even has a staff of four people and wants it no larger than that, if you could believe that. But of course he is not happy to be away from home now that I am starting to be at home because of this," she pointed to her belly.

Quatre accused her of not wanting him to be with her that is why she told him to set up an office. She told him that he can just come home whenever he wants once he gets his staff going.

Relena chuckle. "How's the baby feeling."

"Alright, I'm not feeling as sick every morning as before." Dorothy drifted back to thoughts of her time with Quatre was quite a story and how their time together evolve.

"Still amazes me Dorothy."

Dorothy snap back to reality. "Oh say it."

"I have before. Just out of everyone, who would have thought you and the genius Winner." She give a little inclination of her head to genius.

There was nothing to retort but accept. "Yes, the news had a good intake on that." She remember reading one of the headlines: Dorothy Catalonia marries her high school sweetheart, as if they been dating since they were in high school. "Besides I told you about Winner back at St. Gabriel. And genius is just an added bonus."

Relena thought briefly then smile cunningly.

Dorothy regretted reminding her.

Happily smiling she said, "I believe you did. What did you say about him again? Oh, no, I believe you were secretly spying him."

Dorothy snuffled. "Was not."

"Was to."

"All I said was I noticed him hanging around the beach a lot."

Relena roll her eyes. "And the library. You were totally stalking him."

"The most I said about Winner was that he looked cute."

Relena give her a face that confirm told you so.

Dorothy, refusing to admit that Relena was getting the better of her, "That doesn't mean I stalk him."

"Ok, interested then. Remember that one time when you listen outside the door as he was practicing his violin?" Dorothy made a small blushed. "I just happened to walk by when he was playing so I stopped and listened to it a bit."

"Yes, you happened to be at the boys dormitory then to."

Dorothy roll her eyes. "I went there to see Milliardo." She was slightly seething.

"Give it up Dorothy," Relena said with her diplomatic finality voice, "you already married to him now." Dorothy was going to rebuke but realized her friend was right.

She probably had known all along but conscience never realized till they met up with each other many years later, that she harbour a secret love all along for the self-made billionaire, Quatre R. Winner.

Teaser epilogue.

The doorbell rang.

"I will help you get that. You shouldn't be moving around in your condition." Relena said and walk towards the door.

She opened the door, and her usual respectable greeting was cut short as she stared speechless at a guy with messy chocolate hair, dressed in jeans, a green tank top beneath a jacket looked up at her with intense blue eyes. The image of him imprinted on Relena's mind.

Noticing that she was not Mrs. Winner, he turned his head to the table where Dorothy sat.

"Quatre wanted me to bring you this." He held up a folder with some documents.

Dorothy pointed to Relena, "You may just pass it to her."

Relena felt his blue eyes train back on her as he handed the folder over and she accepted it, still staring into his orbs. He took one more second to look at her, give a curt nod and left.

Relena felt her heart was momentarily taken and shaken up. Shutting the door she walked back to the table. "Who was that?"

"He's one of Quatre's new hire. He says that he was a college friend and he is bringing into the company. He is head of his security and IT." She took the folder and was in the process of opening it up.

She looked up at Relena, smiling all the way because she did not miss the exchange between the two.

"His name is Heero Yuy."

End.

A/N Just had to throw in the 1xR at the end XD.

Side note: I know Quatre wasn't already struck rich in the beginning but who says he can't be a self-made billionaire in the end :) Hope you enjoy reading. R&R