Next Contestant

"Here comes the next contestant."

"What?"

Heero was rarely confused. He was rarely caught off guard. And he presently stared at Releena like she was speaking in an utterly foreign language.

"It's simple really, Heero. Princess Marina's(1a) bodyguard fell sick. And since the ruler of the newly reformed Azadistan(1b) must attend this meeting with me, and Quatre, She needs protection. So... it's going to be you," Releena said as simply as she could.

"..."

"Good. Now that it's all settled... I'm meeting Quatre for lunch. You're dismissed."

"...."

Heero stared after Releena as she walked out of the office, a decided hop in her step. He sighed. Nothing he could do about it now. And plus... it was just for a few days, right?

And surely this Princess Marina couldn't be more annoying than Releena, right?

"So... Heero, right? How long have you been in Miss Darlian's guard?"

"..."

"So... not very talkative are we?"

"..."

Heero remained silent. The dark haired girl was about twenty-five, but she had a most talkative personality.

The princess was curently strolling through Releena's private gardens... and Heero, as her guard, was duty-bound to accompany her. He personally thought she didn't have quite the diplomatic hand that Releena did, even if she craved peace just as much.

"Hmm. Look at those. White roses. Rose for love, white for purity. Lovely, aren't they?"

"Love isn't pure." He replied absently, looking at the rambling bush coered in snow white flowers.

She blinked at him, her round blue eyes going wide.

"He speaks!" She said in a shocked tone as her eyes laughed. Heero ducked his head.

"Ah. Not pure? How can something like love not be pure? To quote, Love is patient, love is kind. Love does not..."

"Love is corrupt," Heero interupted. "It's sole purpose is to make life miserable..." He thought of Duo for just a fleeting moment. "Love doesn't comply with the rules of nature or physics. It's unpredicteable and dangerous. Love is a liability."

Marina laughed, and slipped her arm through Heero's. He blinked for a moment, but they he permitted the contact as the paused, looking at the rosebush.

"Ah, but that's the beauty of it, Heero. It dosen't fit in. It's completely a law unto itself. It is unpredictable, it can be dangerous. And it can be a liability. But it's so much more. It can help you focus. It can bring your priorities in line. It can make life miserable... but it can add so much pleasure to it as well. Isn't there anyone you love, Heero? Isn't there someone whom you couldn't bear to lose? Someone who gives meaning to life?"

Again his thoughts turned to Duo, but this time, he permitted the thoughts to stay.

"Hai," he said softly.

She looked at him from under her lashes, studying him.

"Hmm. So... who is she? Does she know? What's she like?"

The questions were fired off so quick that Heero didn't have time to register that the princess had said 'she'.

"An old friend. No. And.... lovely. Nay... beautiful." Violet eyes and chesnut hair loomed in his mind. "Vibrant, full of life. Maybe a little haunted.... but we all have our own demons." Memories of those violet eyes darkened, that alter-ego Shinigami. "Dedicated, loyal." The way Duo's stood by Quatre every single step of the way, through the lies and all. "Not fearless, but courageous anyway."

Marina laughed. "She must be very lucky to have you love her."

"Bu... I don't lo..." Heero paused. Was that this feeling? Could that be this emotion he couldn't place? Was that the reason he'd changed his mission to save Duo from that prison? Was that why he hadn't killed the other pilot the first chance he'd had? Was that why he couldn't stand to be away from him?

Marina smiled, turned to face Heero, pulling his hands into hers, clasping them tight. She was a romantic at heart, despite the hardships of her life.

"Oh, I think you do. You might not know it yet, but you do. I can hear it in your voice. Love is a wonderous thing, Heero. Don't let it slip through your fingers. Go and tell her how you feel."

"Maybe...." he muttered. "Maybe."

Marina laughed and smiled, leaned up to brush her lips across Heero's cheek.

No one saw the violet eyes of the boy paused just on the other side of the rosebush. No one saw them darken with pain, confusion, and jelousy. No one saw him.... but he'd seen and heard enough.

AN: Yay! I finally updated. Been shopping for my dress... and dresses for my bridesmaids (my sister Ruth and my BFF's Heather and Delana)

Many, many, many thanks and lots and lots of huggles to turntofacethisway for the excellent reveiw. It was like a truckload of carrots for my plot bunnies. But now, it seems those bunnies have rabies.

Oh, and the notes for 1a and 1b. For those of you familiar with Gundam 00, this isn't the same girl, obviously. Kinda like her great, great, great (you get the idiea) grandaughter. Same with the country. I'm betting that after so long being absorbed into other nations, it'll have a bit of a rocky start going on its own again. And Marina- the original one- reminds me so much of Releena. Uh... I'll shut up now before I start on how much Allelujah reminds me of Trowa...............