Serena finally woke up after a fitful night of little sleep. Wanting to check on Rini she searched the house for the baby. She could not find her daughter anywhere. She checked the nursery, the play pen in the living room, the family room, and finally the kitchen where she found Ami instead.

"Where's my daughter?" she asked, trying not to panic.

"Well good morning to you too," she smiled, "Don't worry, she's in good hands," she pointed to the window.

Serena saw that Rini was in her swing being pushed by Wufei and entertained by Duo, who was distracting her with a doll. The site made her smile and she relaxed.

She made herself a cup of coffee and sat at the table with Ami. "You look nice this morning."

"I have a lunch date," Ami blushed.

"Really? That's great! With who?"

"Don't laugh. It's with Quatre. He's such a nice man."

Serena smiled, "That he is. I'm glad for you," she yawned.

"Didn't sleep well? You're not still worrying about Darrien are you?"

"No, that's not it. I woke up late last night and just couldn't get back to sleep." There was nothing more frustrating then going to bed unsatisfied.

"Oh, by the way, thanks for taking care of Rini and myself last night. I really appreciate it."

A puzzled look crossed Ami's face. "I took care of Rini last night and that was no problem. I feed her and put her to bed, but I last saw you in the car Sere."

"Then if you didn't undress me, who did Ami?"

"Trowa might have," she said, turning red at the thought, "He disappeared for a while. I thought he was outside talking with you."

She shook her head, "No. I never saw Trowa last night. You haven't seen Heero around this morning have you?"

"Heero? No. You could ask the guys. I never see him hanging around."

Serena got up and stuck her head out the door, "Morning! You guys seen Heero?"

"Yeah, he took off early this morning," Duo answered, "Why what's up?"

"Nothing, just need to talk to him. Be careful with my angel! Thanks!"

"No prob!"

Where the hell did he go? They seriously needed to talk. She needed to justify that what happened last night didn't normally happen. She was not one to ever let herself go crazy, let alone with a man that she knew almost nothing of. He had seen her naked for crying out loud! Not a good way to get to know someone. Hi I'm going to butt heads with you every chance I can but when we're alone I'll maul you. That was not a good way to make friends either.

"Oh hey Serena? Quatre mentioned something about a party at the end of the week this morning. He said we should find something nice to wear. Apparently Miss. Peacecraft is in town," Ami said.

"Well that should be fun. I'll just dig through the closet. See if there's anything in there."

"Just let me know. I was given an allowance just for dress shopping," Ami giggled, "And it's more then I need."

Later in the day she poked her head in almost every closet she could find. If Quatre's family was "loaded" then his sisters must have had nice dresses. She was hoping to find one she could barrow for the party. But so far, all she found were coats. She had figured she'd be lucky enough that maybe a few dresses or nicer clothes would have been left behind. No such luck. Not that she didn't have anything to wear, just most of her dresses she wore on dates with Darrien and if she wanted to have fun she didn't need to be reminded of him.

She sighed out loud. She was going to have to go shopping.

"Let me go too! Let me go too! Come on! Please?" Duo begged hopping from foot to foot.

"Jeez Duo, you're worse then a toddler," she said buckling Rini into her car seat, "We are going dress shopping. I'm not thrilled at the idea. I can only imagine how it would make you feel."

"I'm bored! I don't care where it is. I just want to go. I can watch Rini while you two try on dresses," he offered.

"It would help Sere," Ami said.

"Alright, climb in," she sighed giving up.

The ride to the mall was filled with Rini's laughter as Duo played with her.

"So Duo," Serena turned in the passanger seat to talk to him, "How formal is this party going to be?"

"What party?" he looked up from Rini in surprise.

"The one at the end of the week?"

"That's not a party. Not when it's for Vice Foreign Minister Peacecraft."

"Well then what is it?"

His violet eyes looked at her like she'd grown a second head.

"Duo...I don't rub elbows with popular people."

"It's a ball Sere."

"A BALL?!"

"It's not that big a deal. You dress nice, stand around talking to people, dance a little, eat something, and go home. Just don't drink the punch. It's usually spiked," he winked.

Ami found a parking spot and got out to set up the stroller. Serena took Rini from the car seat and locked her in the very pink set of wheels. Duo immediately took control of pushing it as they made their way into the busy mall.

She couldn't find anything in the first three stores they went too. Everything she tried on either didn't fit, or looked bad on her. She was on the verge of giving up hope and killing Duo for taking a picture of her in that big white poof of a so called dress. She just wanted to forget the whole thing and had no problems telling them so.

"Really guys, I'll just stay at home with the baby. Not like I'm missing something fun, right?"

"Oh come on Serena! Just one more store? I promise. If we don't find you a dress we can try again tomorrow," Ami pleaded.

She gave a loud groan and hung her head in defeat. This so wasn't worth it. "It's easy for you to say. You found a dress," she mumbled.

Ami's dress was a deep blue, spagetti strap, empire waist that hung off her curves nicely. Duo had given Ami a cat call when she walked out to show them, something she had yet to manage. He'd only either laughed or shook his head at her selection of dresses.

The women grabbed a few dresses when they found the section in the department store. Duo took a seat outside the fitting rooms, as he had with the last three. She tried a pink dress and modeled it for them. No go. The back dipped too far. She tried a blue one that ended up choking her with its high collar. No way. She didn't even bother to step out of the fitting room with that one. At least the last one fit.

She stepped out of the room she was changing in and Duo's jaw dropped to the floor. Ami nodded telling her that she'd finally found the right gown. It was ivory and strapless. The silk hugged her chest and hips nicely and fell freely from her hips on. There were slits running on both sides from mid-thigh down, making it easier for her to move, and a string of pearls lined the top.

"Yeah?" she questioned.

"Yeah," the both agreed.

"It doesn't make my butt look big?" she asked, looking over her shoulder.

"Not at all," Ami answered

"Makes it look perfect," Duo practically drooled.

"Ok, I'm sold. Now can we get something to eat?" she laughed.

"Food? Where?" Duo leapt from the seat, wheeling Rini right out of the store, "I'll meet you at the food court!"

Was Heero even coming home tonight, she thought as she sat on the couch and tuned out the movie they were all watching. Was he avoiding her? Quatre had said he worked in New York, so where was he all day? No one said he'd gone back. At this point she was more agitated than anything. Was Heero a player? Did he do this to any girl who stayed here? She thought that was more of a Duo thing, but Duo never took it to that level of intensity. Well two could play this game. She could ignore him too.

"Anyone want something while I'm up?" she asked, suddenly standing and moving to the doorway.

There were several requests for pop. She headed to the kitchen to grab them and noticed that Wufei had followed her out. She gave him a questioning look.

"I just wanted to see if you needed help," he said, taking a few cans in his own hands, "And I wanted to know if I could escort you to the ball?"

She blinked in surprise. She hadn't even thought of going as one of their dates. Ah what could it hurt? "Sure," she smiled at him.

He grinned and gave her a quick kiss on the lips, "Great."

They headed back in and sat next to each other on the couch. When the movie was over Quatre and Trowa both excused themselves, saying they had early mornings. Ami also got up and headed to bed, though her cheeks were tinted pink. Serena, Wufei, and Duo all shared knowing looks.

"Guess that means I should go to bed too. Rini gets up early and apparently I don't get to sleep in," she laughed and stood, stretching.

"Hey Sere?" Duo got her attention.

"Yeah?"

"Do ya want to go to the ball with me? It'll be fun!"

"I'm sorry Duo, but Wufei already asked me to go."

Wufei gave Duo a smug look.

"You'd choose stick in the mud Wu-man over me? I'm hurt!" He faked being mortally wounded.

"Well he asked first."

"Don't call me Wu-man!" was heard at the same time.

Serena sighed, shook her head, and walked away from the fight she knew was coming. As she climbed the stairs she could still hear Wufei's cries of "Injustice!"

The hair on the back of her neck stood up. Someone was watching her. She cleared the landing and found Heero leaning against her daughters door. She was uncertain if she should scold him for being up there because of the events the night before. She just stood and stared at him instead, waiting.

"She was crying," he finally said after some time, stepping away from the door.

Serena's feet moved before her brain had fully acknowledged what he had said. She quietly opened the door and found her daughter fast asleep. Closing the door she asked, "How?"

"I'm not that inhumaine," he stated.

"Thank you." They were quiet a moment before she stated, "You undressed me."

He nodded.

"Did you touch me?"

"Not without consent."

"Is that why you attacked me? I didn't concede that."

Rini started to fuss in her sleep. Heero took Serena's shoulder in his hand and guided her to her room, where their conversation would not fully wake the baby. She turned to him, her glaring eyes demanding answers.

"I did not attack you."

"I beg to differ," she said huffily.

"Did you not enjoy it?" he asked.

"That's not the point," she was getting tired of his monotone answers. Did he never speak with emotion? "I fought you!"

He rose an eyebrow, "If that was what you call fighting."

"I could call rape," she said, getting angry.

"Did you say 'no'?"

Her shoulders slumped and the fire of a temper she was fanning died. "No."

"If you had said no it would not have happened," he stated.

"I know." After a while she added, "Why?"

"Why not?" he shrugged.

Wrong answer. "Out, now! I don't want to see you ever again! How dare you think I'm here for you enjoyment purposes!"

He caught every object she threw at him as he got closer to her. As he progressed toward her, she moved further back until finally she had her back against a wall.

"Don't touch me."

He placed his hands on the wall, on either side of her, succeeding in trapping her there.

"Do I look like someone who enjoys being bullied?"

"No," he answered, "Someone who needs to be. Say it now," he challenged.

Her eyes grew wide. "I...I..." she couldn't think with him this close. What was he wanting? Was he going to hurt her? "Don't hurt me," she barely whispered.

The corner of his mouth lifted in a smirk, "I have no intention of doing so."

Heat. His eyes burned with the heat. It made her heart race and her stomach tie in knots. It made her palms sweat and her breath hitch.

"I can't do this," she said, trying to breathe normally.

"Do what?" His voice had gotten lower, huskier.

"This...this thing between us."

"The attraction?"

She nodded her head in yes but said, "No. It's worse then that. Heero, I'm attracted to Wufei, but I don't feel like this with him."

"He doesn't make you feel the need? The desire to touch?" he said as he leaned in to nuzzle her neck.

"Yeah," she sighed, giving into the need to put her hands on his chest. He knew exactly how she felt.

"Does he make your skin tingle?" he said, barely lifting his head so his warm breath heated her skin, making her shiver.

"No," she sighed, closing her eyes, "But Heero, we never even talk to each other."

"We've talked enough tonight," he huskily growled, placing his hands on her hips.

"You don't even know anything about me. This is not normal behavior for me," she was trying to give herself excuses to stop.

"I know I want you," he said pulling back so he could look at her, "I do not act on impulse. This is not normal for me either." His voice returned to monotone and his hands dropped to his sides.

She took the moment to collect herself and step away from him. "I want more then just passion. If we keep on going the way we are then we'll just end up having sex and that's not what I'm about. I prefer to make love with someone I care about rather then just have sex with a stranger. Do you understand?"

He nodded and ran a hand through his hair. He was going to have to do something or he was going to lose the only woman who made is blood boil to his friend.

I have to admit, I have no plan for this fic. What you see is what I work on as soon as I've finished the last chapter. I don't know how much longer I can write like this. lol I used to have notebooks filled with story ideas, have a few chapters pre-writen, etc. but now it's straight from my head to the computer. I appreciate the reviews!! I was also fairly surprised to see that my other fic is still being read! (I had 5 or 6 under the pen name Angel Kisses, but the one I finished was like gold to me lol ) So let me know what ya'll think. I was going to add the ball in this chap. but decided to hold it off. .

Happy Reading! FayRay