I own nothing except for my original characters.

A/N So, just to clarify, Heero is super human, therefore he would heal super fast. Honestly, it's Heero...he has always carried on as if nothing happened even when injured. #ThatsOurHeero Haha! Also, keep in mind that Relena is a pacifist at heart, she is always feeling sensitive to others feelings. Even during Heero's absence her heart was always crying out to him, so knowing that he is alive is bringing up a lot of guilt. Yes, it was over two years, but this is 1xR, their love is extraordinary and she slept with his friend...so there's a lot of guilt happening here. They have some things to work through. #FEELS

Chapter 10

For the second time today, Trowa found himself on the floor unwillingly admiring the ceiling. Heero and Relena had already left. There had been a small part of him that had found himself thinking Relena might send a parting glance his way. The fact that she didn't, if he were being honest with himself...it didn't completely surprise him. His emotions were raging, but pulsing within the maelstrom of his mind, he couldn't stop the resounding realization that what they had wasn't real.

Regardless, if he had been looking for a clear answer directly from Relena…message received.

"Get up." The gruff voice of Wufei echoed throughout the room, ricocheting back at him like a direct hit to his throbbing head.

"Wufei, stop! I need to check his eye; it's swelling. Oh, and it looks like he's going to need a few stitches," Sally said with all the authority her degree and medical acumen afforded her.

"He's had worse. Honestly, he deserved much more." Wufei voiced with clear disapproval as he walked to where Sally had ordered Trowa to sit on the edge of the bed.

"Another man's wife. Disgraceful." Wufei always had a way of saying even derogatory comments with an air of further judgement. He was a man of rigid discipline and unwavering principle. In his mind, there was no other way to live and he held that same standard to everyone...whether they could live up to it or not.

Trowa didn't say a word, he just glared back at the black haired pilot. Plenty of comebacks swimming through his mind, but honestly, he didn't have the energy to fight with Wufei. Although, when it came to Wufei, he really didn't verbally fight as much as he preached. The last thing he wanted or needed right now was a lecture. So, this time, he just refrained and let him say his peace.

All of a sudden, a flash blinded his field of vision as he heard Duo laughing.

"What the hell, Duo?!" Trowa nearly snarled.

"Hey, I'm just taking photographic evidence. Ya know, so when I tell Hildi that you punched me, and I tell her she should see the other guy, she can see for herself the ass whooping you got. She always likes to see Heero's handiwork," Duo practically cackled. "Man, I swear if we hadn't come in when we did, Heero would have killed you!" Duo snapped another picture as he laughed like a kid.

Trowa's urge to punch the braided man was resurfacing yet again.

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The walk to the car was as silent as it was distant. With every step they took, the space between them seemed to fill with all of the things they weren't saying to one another. As they slowly made their way to the underground garage, she found herself immensely grateful to the darkened cover of that concrete shield for hiding her tear streaked face. It was all she could do to make it to the safety of the vehicle. As soon as she seated herself, her body had given out, she was exhausted. All her thoughts to talk to Heero would have to wait. She couldn't even expend the energy to keep her eyes open.

Watching her sleep and just being near her was something he had dreamed about. Her scent was still intoxicating, the same as always…so uniquely her. Her scent had often found him in bleak moments. He was certain it kept him sane in less than ideal times.

His primal urges for her had not diminished either. Since he had awoke, all he had wanted to do was show her just how much he had missed her. Even after learning all that transpired while he was away, he still wanted her…in some ways, he wanted her even more. His instinctual need to reclaim his wife as his was indescribable. But…Trowa. It had him questioning everything.

He watched as her chest lightly rose and fell with her even breaths. The moonlight bathing her in its' frosty glow, accentuating her beautiful face and form. He imagined her pregnant with his child…the child he had just found out he had sired. Thinking about her doing it alone, without him, quite frankly…hurt like hell.

It was bad enough to know Trowa had taken advantage of his wife, but the unmitigated rage that coursed through him when he believed that Relena had a baby with Trowa…the only other time he had experienced such rage was with the Zero system. It was unsettling.

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Tearing his attention away from the slumbering blond, he noticed the gate of the estate coming into view. He recalled when these gates appeared to him as a measure to keep him out. He almost chuckled. Back then, he had believed nothing could honestly keep him from her. When they had married, this grand palace had become their not so humble abode. Now, it just felt as if he were coming home. The very thought of the word sent embers through his heart in a warming sensation. The gates that had once seemed so entirely unforgiving, were now completely welcoming.

As the car pulled into the circle drive, he could see Pagan exiting the front door to meet them.

Part of him wanted to pick up his bride and carry her into the house, yet the other part of him struggled with the idea. Honestly, he wasn't entirely sure how he felt about that, and furthermore he wasn't sure how she would feel about it either. So, he opted for a light shaking to rouse her.

"Relena, we're here."

She stirred from her sleep and was clearly startled, yet just as quickly, she was relieved to see Heero still there. She had to keep reminding herself that she was no longer dreaming. As soon as elation filled her heart, the realization that they hadn't talked or sorted through any of the major issues still hanging over their heads brought her crashing back down to earth. He was alive, back with her and home. He would finally meet their son. The thoughts now flooding her mind must have been evident, as his eyes now reflected her emotions.

She didn't trust her voice, so she only nodded.

As they exited the vehicle, Pagan walked swiftly toward them.

"Welcome home, Miss Relena. And may I just say, Master Yuy, I am so pleased to have you back home."

Relena could have laughed, she didn't recall ever witnessing Pagan so excited. If she didn't know any better, she could swear he wanted to hug Heero. Or perhaps, her overly tired mind was playing tricks on her.

Yet, even in her exhausted state, she noticed that Heero appeared almost as happy to see Pagan as well. It truly warmed her heart.

As they made their way into the foyer, Pagan spoke with enthusiasm.

"Miss, I hope it is agreeable that I relieved Bridgett? I assure you, Jonah is sound asleep. Bridgett has an early doctor's appointment tomorrow morning before she arrives here. She was happy to stay, but I felt it best to let her go."

As always, the mere mention of her son seemed to put her in a happy trance. She let out a giggle in both exhaustion and joy at the thought of her baby boy.

"Pagan, that is quite alright. I am just sad to have missed mine and Jonah's nightly routine. I will go check on him now. Thank you so much, for everything, Pagan." She aimed a very pointed look at the white haired man upon the utterance of the word "everything".

It didn't escape Heero's attention as his feet automatically propelled him forward to follow his blond up the stairs.

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Even in her exhaustion, mom mode took over. In an effort not to wake her son, she somehow found the strength to move stealthily into his room. Her breath never ceased to catch at the sight of him. The moon appeared to be caressing his little form so lovingly. His little body slack in slumber, his tiny hands twitched with dreams she could only imagine. The smile on her lips met the silent tears of joy currently trailing from her eyes. "My precious baby boy, my little man…I am sorry we didn't get to share our evening routine, but…" her whisper found itself caught on the emotion now threatening to choke her. "Y…Your father has come home." She could scarcely form the words, giving just enough voice to consider them audible. Her silent sobs threatened to take hold of her body and she knew it was time to leave. She didn't dare risk waking him.

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He found his usual quick steps to be slowing as he fell behind her, watching as she hastily made her way up the grand staircase. If he hadn't been so enthralled by the fact that she was on her way to see their child...his son, he would have been completely captivated by her firm round ass moving with every step, so tantalizingly in front of him. However, the shocking matter of his being a father and having a child took precedence. It was something he never really gave much thought to and he certainly never dreamed he would return to an unknown child.

He saw her disappear into a door, and he knew that was where their son slept. The mere thought made his heart beat faster. He had been fully prepared to follow her into the room, but something stopped him at the door. As if walking past that threshold made the information real and irrefutable. He shook his head; it was all rather ridiculous. Walking through a door had no bearing on the matter. It was real whether he walked into that room or not. That very realization hit him once more…he was, in fact, a father.

As he stood there contemplating the effort it would take to move his feet forward, he heard her whispered thoughts. A normal man could never hear such low speech, but he was the antithesis of normal. His ears, along with every other part of his body, had always seemed to snap to attention at the mere sound of her voice, no matter the level or tone. When she sobbed through saying 'your father has come home,' it was like a wrecking ball hitting him in the stomach. Hearing her tumultuous sob as she spoke the words into existence, it momentarily overtook his senses.

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"Master Yuy, are you quite alright?"

The sound of Pagan's concerned voice brought him out of his emotional trance, alerting him to the fact that he had been clutching the door frame with such force that his knuckles were now white and the wood was starting to give way under his strength.

As he turned to address the elderly man, Relena was backing out of the door of which he had still not removed himself.

She yelped at the surprise of feeling his chiseled body up against her again. His hand catching her from falling from her shock.

Feeling the soft supple form of his wife under his hands again was something he had dreamed about for the last two years. She was still the Goddess he remembered, only now, all that lay between them was tainted with confusion and doubt.

"It's alright, Relena. It's me," he whispered.

Her eyes shot to him and the mix of emotions swirling in her ocean orbs seized his heart. They both appeared unable to pry their gaze away from one another. Yet, the clearing of Pagan's throat effectively broke the spell, a fact that was both sad as well as a relief.

"Miss, I have reopened you and Master Yuy's room. The maids cleaned and aired out the space, as well as fitted the bed with new sheets. All of your things have been moved from the spare bedroom." He bowed before walking away, leaving them alone.

Heero couldn't be certain, but he thought he heard a tone of caution in Pagan's voice. Although, there was another thought more pressing at the moment. The knowledge that Relena had not used their room with Trowa, did provide him some comfort.

Lost in his thoughts, Relena had slipped from his loose hold. Regardless of how lost in thought he might have been, it did not escape his attention of how quickly she seemed to move away from him. As if his touch burned her…or perhaps he was just imagining her reaction.

He watched her walk, sluggishly as if her body might drop at any moment. Every fiber of his being wanted to scoop her up and carry her the rest of the way, just like he did when they were first married. But, now, things were so completely different, so uncertain. He hated it. It was as if every step down that hall built the tension that wasn't being addressed between them. Before, he would have called her out, and she would have fought him tooth and nail. They would have gone round and round and ended up naked and sweaty reveling in the afterglow of angry makeup sex. Thinking of her naked, writhing beneath him, screaming his name…he shook his head, that wouldn't help anything right now. Being several steps behind her, he noticed that she paused at the door.

Her feet carried her to that familiar door, a place she hadn't visited in so long, her entire body halting at the wooden portal, her breath hitched, her heart rate increasing. She had not visited this room in what felt like eons. Before Une had made her decision on Heero, it had been a comfort to her to sleep in their room. But, once Heero had been declared deceased, seeing his vacate side of the bed was like a knife to her heart every time her eyes landed on the sheets that no longer held his warmth. She could no longer look at the empty side of his bed, knowing he would never return to it, and never return to her. So, she had started sleeping in their son's room. It was only when her and Trowa had started…their…well she really wasn't sure what to call it. Just thinking about it now made her sick. The love of her life, her husband, the father of her child was standing so close to her she could once again fell his heat, his warmth. And was that his breath upon her neck? Or was she imagining things again? Her hand was shaking as she reached for the door handle. As it swung inward, it was as if every memory, every moment, every sensual remembrance came rushing back like a mental battering ram. For just a moment, she couldn't breathe as the recollections flooded her mind and heart.

He noticed every reaction, every hitch in her breath, and the shake in her hands as she reached to open the door. He found himself wanting nothing more than to go to her, comfort her and take it all away as he had done so many times before. But things were no longer so simple. It was all so damn complicated now.

Knowing he was there, right behind her, she found herself wishing he would reach out to her and comfort her the way he did so long ago. Yet, on the other hand, there was a part of her that didn't want that at all. The all-consuming guilt that was violently blooming within the smallest part of her soul was undeniable…a horrible thought taunting her now...what if he truly didn't want her anymore? The fear now taking her over made the decision for both of them…she nearly ran to the seclusion of the bathroom, closing and locking the door.

He watched her, entranced by her beauty, all the while being hit over and over by the waves of distress rolling off of her, slamming into him with the intent to drown him. He didn't just notice her distress; he felt her distress. It had always been that way between them. They were inexplicably connected…and that clearly hadn't changed in the time they had been apart.

The water from the shower intertwined with her tears, and she hoped the sound of the falling drops might disguise her sobs. She prayed that perhaps the water could wash away at least some of the emotional filth that she now felt had cloaked her soul. She was curled up on the floor of the shower, hugging her knees in a pathetic attempt to keep herself from falling apart. This day had started so well. She had felt it was a new beginning, yet it had ended in a miracle wrapped in heart wrenching complication. But she supposed it actually was a new beginning, only with an old familiar book that didn't have all the pages filled in yet…or more specifically…pages that had yet to be revealed.

He stood there, transfixed by the wooden barrier between him and the love of his life, the mother of his child, the woman that had visited his dreams and aided him in keeping his sanity over the last 2 years. Now, she was hiding from him. It did no good, though, when you knew a person's soul. At this moment, he cursed his exceptional hearing. He could clearly make out the sobs she was attempting to keep from his ears. It was the same as before; hearing her in pain and knowing she was in pain never ceased to make his heart ache. He could never stand to witness her hurting. He'd self-detonate all over again if it meant he could take it all away from her.

Making his way through the room they had shared, what felt like an eternity ago, it was as if nothing had changed. And yet, everything had changed. As he made his way to their bed, the bed they had shared, the images of their physical love washed over him like an exotic baptism. He sat there reveling in the memories that no one could take away from him, the memories that no doubt had aided in keeping him alive and fighting to get back to her. A soft knock on the door reluctantly pulled him from his reverie.

Heero made his way to the source of the intrusion to his memories, and found Pagan standing on the other side of the door.

"Master Yuy, please forgive me. It slipped my mind earlier, but here you are. I kept it for you as requested."

Pagan handed Heero a small velvet box, bowed, turned and walked away without another word.

Where that small velvet box should have felt light, in that moment, that innocent looking box felt like an anvil in his hand. He stood in the doorway as he slowly opened the lid, the light catching the gunmetal inside. It was his wedding band; he always took it off for safety reasons before a mission. His memory thinking back of the first week long mission he had accepted when they had first married. He gave his wedding ring to Relena, or tried to give it to her, and it thoroughly pissed her off. It resulted in a fight and her kicking them out of their bedroom. Not exactly the send-off a soldier wants when going on a mission. After that, he had decided that Pagan was the best choice to hold onto his ring. Not only could he trust the man, but it prevented Relena from becoming angry with him and incurring other undesirable side effects as a result. After 2 plus years, Pagan had faithfully held onto the metal circlet of love from his wife. It was both wonderful and terrifying. Part of him wanted to immediately put the ring back on and never take it off, but the other part of him wasn't sure...what if she no longer wished to be married to him? That thought alone pained his heart unlike any other in his life.

He didn't know how or when he had made it to the dresser, but there he stood, looking at his own reflection in the mirror. In this moment he didn't know if he even recognized himself. He opened up the top right hand drawer, finding his clothes still there, as if he had never left. Hearing the water from the shower turn off, he quickly placed the velvet box under a stack of his clothes and hastily shut the drawer.

As he was about to start walking back towards the bed, he heard the bathroom door open and when he looked toward it, his heart stopped.

Her legs and arms were bare, her hair damp and hanging straight down covering her shoulders, and her body was covered in nothing more than a towel. The light mingled with the steam as it danced around her as if she were an ethereal creature not of this world.

"I…I forgot to grab my nightgown." As she disappeared into the closet, he had to fight the urge to follow her and relieve her of the towel or the need for any clothes.

Did he nod? Did he respond to her statement whatsoever? He was pretty sure that he just stood there mesmerized by her intoxicating presence.

Relena didn't miss the look of unmistakable desire on Heero's face as she emerged from her shower. It provided her with hope that he might not be completely disgusted by her or her actions after-all. That look was the same look that never ceased to bring heat to her cheeks, not to mention other areas. This time was quite nearly the same, yet her guilt was poisoning what should have been a blissful reunion. They should be celebrating his return, reintroducing themselves to each other's bodies and rechristening their bed. The thought of their bed sent a shiver through her entire being.

Would he still want to share a bed with her? The memories of their last night together came rushing back without warning, the images had her trembling with need…until memories of her and Trowa started to infiltrate her memories of her and Heero. That sick feeling came over her once more as her legs gave out. She once again found herself hugging her knees as the tears threatened to fall yet again. Only this time she was having to push the images of her and Trowa away. She didn't want them defiling the sacred memories of her and her husband. The fact that she was responsible for creating the memories in the first place, that alone made this so much more difficult in her mind. Now that he was back, she honestly couldn't remember why she had invited Trowa into her bed? Why she had even entertained the idea in the first place? And why the hell she had try to make a relationship with him? The very idea that such memories even existed due to her actions, the fact that those recollections now threatened to taint the memories of her and Heero, the fact that she hurt Heero...was devastating.

He had been watching the closet door as if it were fascinating. She had been in there longer than he would have thought necessary. He was being pulled to go to her, but his uncertainty in this entire situation was stopping him. That alone was starting to drive him crazy. This wasn't them. This wasn't how they worked. This wasn't how it was ever supposed to be. So much had happened between them, and she didn't even know the whole story.

She felt his presence before she heard him. She was still hugging her knees, not even caring that her towel wasn't covering everything. Then a thought occurred to her - why should she honestly care? He was her husband, the father of their child, the love of her life. He was her fucking soulmate for Christ's sake! He had taken her more times than she could count. He had come to know her body just as well as he knew her soul. Suddenly, an ugly thought crept into her mind as she remembered that her body had changed since childbirth. That, combined with her guilt, had her previously rising confidence shrinking back into the abyss from which it had emerged and burned brightly for only a few fleeting moments.

He noticed her shrinking behavior and it both broke his heart as well as angered him. Was he not still her husband? Did she not love him anymore? He longed for the days when she would walk around him freely, in not a stitch of clothing. How she insatiably craved him, as he did her, as if they were each other's oxygen. All the glorious innumerable times he would wake to find her riding his morning arousal. She was no shrinking violet. This wasn't her and this wasn't him…this corruption didn't belong within their union.

"Relena."

Just him speaking her name was like a baptism by fire. It said so much, more than could ever possibly be translated, deciphered or explained. It filled her soul with love and now, unfortunately…lament.

"H…Heero…I'm at a loss...I don't know what to say and I don't know...what to do about it?"

"Relena, I need to tell you what happened...everything."

That honestly wasn't what she expected to hear from him, but she had to agree. She absolutely needed to hear why their lives had been torn apart and turned inside out. She deserved to know why he went on that mission, despite her fierce mere thought had her guilt taking a backseat, as an old anger quickly resurfaced. That anger now had her standing before him, her usual armor of strength firmly in place.

"Yes, Heero, I agree. You absolutely need to tell me just why the hell you left me?!"

Whew! That was an emotional one! But this emotional roller coaster doesn't stop here.

The next chapter is the big reveal! What could have possibly keep the perfect soldier away for two years.

Thank you, thank you, thank you to my AMAZING betas Ninjette Twitch, Beej88 and Wings Landing…y'all are my besties and betas and sanity in the rough seas of FF.

Everyone should check out their fanfic stories, they are AWESOME!

Also, Ninjette Twitch, Beej88 and myself have a group page with group projects and the name is Elite SquadB. There is a really cool Sailor Moon Wonderland story on the page with many more awesome stories in the works for the page as well.

So, check it all out! Hehe! #FanFicIsLife

Thank you to all of the lovely readers and reviewers and favorites and follows! I hope you enjoy this wild ride! Thank you again for the support!