Dark world

Chapter 12

By: Lady Saffir

DISCLAIMER: I do not own any characters associated with Gundam Wing.

Look! Here comes a helpful character!

"Falling in love with someone isn't always going to be easy... Anger... tears... laughter… It's when you want to be together despite it all. That's when you truly love another. I'm sure of it." Unknown

Three hours later I was heading back down the stairs, worried about the change in Heero's behavior. I had woken with the intention of cuddling against Heero for a bit and perhaps talking about our situation, only to find myself alone in the large bed. A quick search hadn't turned up the wayward vampire king, and my mental questioning had only been answered with a terse, /I'm fine/. What had happened now, I wondered.

I walked into the kitchen, following my nose, expecting to find Duo manning the stove again, but I pulled up short as I realized it was the woman Heero had called Catherine. She turned around, catching sight of me, and smiled, walking forward with her arm extended.

"Hello! I'm so glad to finally meet you!" She exclaimed, gripping my hand tightly in her own before pulling me into a quick hug. "Trowa's told me so much about you. Oh - I'm sorry! I haven't properly introduced myself. My name is Catherine Bloom, but everyone calls me Cathy. I'm Trowa's Companion," she smiled, turning back to stir something on the stove. "Relena - may I call you Relena? - do you like stir-fry? It's one of Duo's favorites, but I forgot to ask if you liked it as well."

The chatterbox at the stove continued to talk, and I felt like my head was spinning. Well, at least there was another woman in the house.

"Oh, I'm so glad there's finally another woman in the house. All that testosterone can make you feel like you're drowning," Cathy lamented, moving a large wok off the stove and onto a trivet.

I mentally groaned. What was it with these people and reading other people's minds? "You know, it's really rude to read someone else's mind without their permission," I stated, watching in consternation as Cathy's mouth fell open.

"Read your mind? Relena, I can't read your mind."

It was my turn to stare.

"Then how did you know I was thinking that exact thing?" I questioned.

Cathy narrowed her eyes, tilting her head sideways to regard me.

"Relena," she began slowly, "why haven't you started reading your book?"

I wasn't even able to begin to ask what book she was talking about, when Cathy grabbed my arm and started pulling me down the hall. In short order I found myself in Cathy's room, sitting on the bed while she rooted around in a box full of books.

"Cathy, what - " I was interrupted by the woman before me standing up, flourishing a small, nondescript book.

"Here it is - 'A Companion's Guide'. It's the third edition, so it's about two hundred years out of date, but it's the most recent one," Cathy explained, handing the book to me. "I can't believe Heero didn't give you a copy to read. For that matter," she frowned, "any of them should have remembered to give you a copy."

"We've been a little pre-occupied," I replied dryly.

I opened the book to find myself confronted with archaic spelling. Cathy correctly guessed the reason for my frown, flopping down on the bed next to me and tapping the page with a fingernail.

"I keep telling Heero he needs to update the book for today, but getting vampires to consider two hundred years as 'outdated' takes a lot of work," she winked, standing up and stretching. "But I'm sure if you said something to him, that book would be updated in a week. Well, let's get back downstairs and have some dinner!"

I found myself being once more pulled along, feeling my temper beginning to rise.

Heero walked into the kitchen and a book being flung in his face. He unfortunately caught the tome an inch from his nose, so I didn't have the satisfaction of watching it smack into his face.

"A book, Heero? A book about being a Companion? Did it not occur to you that this might be something I'd like to know about?!" I pushed back from the table, intent on giving him a piece of my mind. Heero didn't answer but moved with startling speed, going down on one knee before me, his head bowed. All conversation stopped, six pairs of eyes focusing on the two of us.

"Heero?" I asked tentatively. All of my anger vanished, worry replacing it. "Heero, what is it? What's wrong?"

"I have no right to ask it, but I beg your forgiveness," Heero's low voice floated up to me.

Startled at the words, I looked around, hoping for some help. The three humans in the room looked as confused as I felt. Wufei, Trowa and Sally were grim faced and silent. Resigned to no help from that corner, I looked down again at the man kneeling before me.

"Forgiveness? Why?"

Heero's head whipped up, his dark eyes widening. "Why? I attacked you last night, Relena."

"You were half dead, Heero. Would you have attacked me if you hadn't been so injured?" I asked gently.

"It doesn't matter," Heero shook his head violently, both hands clenched into tight fists. "I almost killed you, Relena." He bowed his head once more. "I understand if you want nothing else to do with me. I will release you as my Companion and make sure you are safe from harm."

I studied the dark head before me, trying to find some way to help Heero understand my feelings. How did I get him to see? We had only been together a short time, but I knew that there was no future for me without him. I knew what my eventual decision would be, I just wanted to give us more time to grow used to each other.

"You want my forgiveness?" The silence in the room was so absolute my voice, even soft, echoed.

A short nod was my only answer.

"No."

Heero's head whipped up, his face bleak. "Rele-"

The rest of the room was lost to the two of us as we stared at each other. Cathy's gasp and Wufei's muttered curse were distant sounds that held no bearing on the outcome of this talk.

I shook my head, reaching out to smooth Heero's bangs from his eyes. "Forgiveness can only be given if I am sorry for what occurred. I knew what would happen when I came into the room, Heero. It was the only way I could help, Heero, and I came willingly."

Heero shook his head, not wanting to accept my words. "Relena-"

"Enough," I ordered, catching his face in my hands, holding his gaze with my own. "I would do it again. I probably will do it again," I amended, smiling gently. "I accept that. Stop beating yourself up for what's in your nature."

Heero only bowed his head, placing it in my lap. I ran my fingers through his hair, switching to our mental communication. /I'm fine with what happened, Heero. Look through my head if that's what it will take to convince you of that. I'll do anything for you/ I paused for a moment, hoping the next thought wouldn't be too sudden. /I love you/

Heero looked up at that. His eyes were full of some dark emotion, and he captured my hands, placing kisses on the back of each hand.

"I would do anything for you. I will let the world burn before harm comes to you," he vowed. The absolute finality in his voice gave strength to his words.

Alarm tripped through me, making me fall to my knees before Heero as I grabbed his hands and tried to impart the seriousness of my words.

"No! No, Heero. Promise me, promise if something happens to me…" I trailed off, words failing me. He had to live. That would be my one consolation if I were to die.

/There is no you or I, anymore. There is only us/ Heero stated.

/Yes/ I agreed, relieved he felt as I did. I leaned in to Heero, taking comfort from the strength of his arms as they came about me. Our kiss was well on its way to making me forget we weren't alone when we were abruptly brought back to our surroundings with Duo's pointed, "Get a room, you two."

We both looked over to where everyone sat staring at us with varying looks on their faces. I knew my own face was turning a nice shade of red, and I risked a quick glance at Heero. His face was impassive, like we were discussing the weather.

"And before you two go all Romeo and Juliet on us, I'd like to remind you both, in the interest of self-preservation, that it's actually the three of us," Duo continued. "I'd really rather not die any time soon."

"Hn," was Heero's only answer. He helped me stand and picked up the book he had dropped earlier.

"Back to that book," I started.

He looked down at the book in question, then shrugged and pitched it into the trash.

"Hey!" I heard Cathy in exclaim in the background, getting up to retrieve her book. My eyes were for Heero though, as he stood there with a smirk on his face.

"That one is outdated," he explained, pulling a thumb drive from his pocket. "I thought you might like the more recent version."

"Ha!" Cathy popped up by my elbow. "Told you so, Relena." Her smirk and my blush had Heero arching an eyebrow.

"What did Catherine tell you, Relena?"

"Nothing," I replied hastily, taking the thumb drive from Heero. With a shrug she turned back to the table and began clearing the remains of our meal, looking up briefly to smile when Trowa moved to help her. I watched the tall man lean over Cathy's shoulder, saying something into her ear that had her blushing.

"Relena."

I couldn't help the shiver that went down my spine at the sound of Heero's voice. The way he said my name...a second shiver went down my spine. I raised my eyes to meet his gaze, and I fought to keep my voice steady.

"Yes, Heero?"

"What would you like to do tonight?" He reached out to brush a strand of hair from my shoulder.

Unbidden, the memories of our kiss and where it had been headed rose to the fore, making me blush once more and hope desperately that I wasn't unintentionally broadcasting these thoughts.

Heero's eyes darkened and he stepped closer to me, one finger trailing down my cheek. I sighed, leaning in to the light caress.

/I would love to do nothing more than keep you in my bed/ he whispered, even his mental voice making me tremble. /But it has occurred to me that I've kept you closed up in this house for several days. So I'm asking - where would you like to go tonight?/

I took a deliberate step back, taking a breath before answering.

"I'm not sure what else I'd like to do, but I do need to stop by my apartment," I answered. "I know I'll be staying here until everything is resolved, so I need to get more clothes, as well as my textbooks. And my fish," I added, beginning to ramble as Heero stalked me across the room. For every step I retreated, he was there, inches away, his eyes never leaving mine.

/And what, exactly, needs resolved?/ Heero questioned. My back abruptly hit a wall, eliciting a squeak from my throat. Heero leaned in, one hand pressed against the wall inches from my right ear. His nearness and intensity was causing my brain to scramble.

"Why, whoever's out to kill you," I replied.

/And is that ALL that needs resolved?/ Heero brought his right hand up, cupping my chin in his palm and angling my face towards his, his lips hard against mine. When we broke from the kiss I couldn't help the small sigh that escaped. I opened my eyes to meet his amused gaze.

"No, that isn't the only thing that needs resolved, but if you're dead the question of me becoming your Companion is a moot point, isn't it?" I reasoned, slipping to my left and turning to face Heero. He acknowledged my point with a curt nod, then abruptly turned and headed for the doorway.

"Heero?"

"Let me know when you're ready to leave," his voice floated back as he walked out the door.

/And I like your outfit/ his mental voice had me blushing as I realized I was still in his clothes.

The ride to my apartment was uneventful, Heero driving the roads as if he'd done this numerous times before. I decided not to ask how he knew where I lived. I had chosen to live further away from the downtown campus, wanting the peace and quiet of a residential neighborhood. As a result, when we pulled up to my apartment complex at eight o'clock, it was fairly quiet. Leading the way up two flights of stairs, I was surprised when Heero suddenly my grabbed my shoulder. I turned to ask what was the matter, but he was already past me, gun pulled (where had that come from?) and held at the ready. He silently crept up the remaining three stairs to my doorway, and crouching, quickly reached out and gave the door a quick shove. It opened silently, and that was my clue that something was seriously wrong.

I held myself tense for long seconds, watching Heero and waiting to act on his cue. He stood with a silent exhalation, the gun held loosely at his side. He disappeared into my apartment, the living room light flicking on after several seconds.

"Heero?"

"Come in here, Relena," Heero ordered, and I took the remaining stairs with a sense of dread growing ever stronger in my stomach. I crossed the threshold and couldn't stop the gasp that escaped.

Everything was ruined. The couch had been gutted, the stuffing strewn about the room. The coffee table and end tables were smashed, useless splinters of wood. Everything, every material possession I had was destroyed. It was methodical, and it had been carried out in every room. In the kitchen I found my Beta fish lying on the wood chopping block, filleted as if he were about to be cooked.

/Relena/

Heero's voice pulled me into my bedroom, and it wasn't until I was at his side and looking down at what he held that my mind was able to piece everything together. Photographs of my parents had been shredded, some ripped in half and others completely destroyed, becoming confetti to litter the floor.

"No," I whispered, reaching out to take one of the pieces from Heero, staring down at my mother's smiling face. My parents had been dead for five years, killed in a car wreck. These photos had been my only real reminder of the family I had lost. Wetness began to hit my hand, spattering on the photo, and I realized I was crying.

Heero gathered me into a tight embrace, one hand reaching up to stroke my hair. He didn't speak, but the feeling of comforting and love was strong in my mind. The flood gates opened, the strength of my response surprising even me.

I cried for my lost parents, the wound still fresh and tender after all these years. I cried for my fish, whose only crime had been being owned by me. Mostly though I cried for all the things that had happened in the past week, the stress and enormity of just what I was caught up in hitting me, making me suck in air as if I had been holding my breath under water for several minutes.

I cried for an untold time, sobbing helplessly while Heero simply held me. Finally, exhausted, I tilted my head back, giving him a watery smile. "Thanks," I whispered.

Heero nodded, brushing stray tears off of my face. Stepping back, he pulled his cell phone from his pocket and spent a moment searching for a number. Satisfied, he pushed the button to dial. I could hear someone pick up, but was unable to tell if the person was male or female.

"Treize, it's Heero. I need you and a team to come to this address." He rattled off my address, spending a minute to answer questions in short 'yes' or 'no's'. He hung up, turning back to me. "The police are on their way. We're to wait outside for them."

I nodded in agreement, picking my purse up from the floor as we headed back down the stairs. We sat in Heero's car in silence, before a thought occurred to me and had me reaching for my cell phone.

I could feel Heero's questioning gaze on me as I waited for the phone to be answered.

"Quatre's also my lawyer, Heero. He'll need to know about this, so he can get the paperwork started."

Quatre answered, the relief of seeing my number on the caller ID evident in his voice. "Relena. I'm so glad - "

"Quatre," I cut him off mid-sentence. "Quatre," I began again, my breath hitching. Unbidden, the thought of the destroyed photos came to mind, and I started to cry again.

Heero gently took the phone from my hand, speaking to Quatre in a quiet tone while I tried to calm myself. It took several moments but I was finally able to control my breathing, the tears once more slowing to a stop. Heero handed the phone back to me silently, and I nodded in thanks. A police cruiser and an unmarked car pulled into the parking, causing me to sit up straight and take a deep breath.

Heero and I exited his car, Heero immediately heading for a tall middle-aged man with sandy brown hair and bushy eyebrows.

"Treize," Heero nodded, reaching forward to shake the other man's hand briefly.

"Heero. And you are?" The man identified as Treize turned towards me, his eyes seeming to take in everything.

"Relena. Relena Peacecraft," I introduced myself.

"I'm sorry to meet you like this, Miss Peacecraft. I'm Treize Kushrenada, the Chief of Police."

I turned to stare at Heero in astonishment. "The Chief of Police. You called the Chief of Police for a break-in," I said slowly.

"Treize knows what I am," Heero stated. "He'll make sure no bothersome questions are asked."

I threw my hands up in the air. "Was I the last person to know about you?" I asked in disgust. It felt like I was surrounded by people who thought I was the crazy one for being surprised by a secret world. "That's it, I want a list of every single person in this town who either knows or is connected to...to all of this," I demanded, pointing at Heero.

Heero stepped forward, catching my hands within his own. "Done," he promised, kissing the back of each hand. "You'll have that list tomorrow."

Treize coughed, stepping towards the open stairwell door. "Miss Peacecraft, Heero, if you'd be so kind, we'll get this started," he motioned us to precede him up the stairs.

It was emotionally grueling, to watch the police go over my apartment with a fine tooth comb, their searches yielding new and unwelcome surprises every minute. All of my clothes had been shredded, my textbooks ripped apart. My file folder containing some of the more routine paperwork one always needs had been gleefully run through my shredder, and it looked as if someone had taken a sledgehammer to my laptop.

After an hour of watching my apartment be turned upside down and answering questions, Heero led me back to his car, opening the door so I could slide in, mentally exhausted. Heero slid behind the wheel, starting the car before turning to look at me.

"Do we need to stop somewhere and pick anything up?"

I shook my head, turning my head to stare out the window. I felt numb, the shock that someone could so utterly wreck my life like this a slap in the face.

Heero guided the car throughout the streets, barely paying attention to what he was doing. He was more pre-occupied with the woman seated next to him. Her silence hid the growing anger he could feel, as he sat, a silent shadow, in her mind.

He reached out for Trowa, waiting until he was sure he had the other man's attention before relaying his orders.

/I want everyone to make themselves scarce. We'll be home in fifteen minutes/

/What has happened?/

Heero gave his friend a concise report of what they had found at Relena's apartment.

/Hugh/

Heero nodded in agreement.

/I want to know where he is, who he's with at all times. I'm getting tired of dealing with his little surprises/ Heero hissed, hands clenching the steering wheel tightly. /Relena is still in shock over what we found, but when she's over that stage, the anger is going to hit hard and fast. That's why I want everyone to keep a low profile./

/You'll protect the rest of us and make yourself the only target she has, is that it?/

/Yes/

/You should really tell her that you love her/ Trowa recommended, then he was gone.

Heero sighed. Trowa always gave excellent advice, but at the moment he had more pressing matters to worry about. The gates blocking the drive loomed up in the darkness, and Heero sighed once more, mentally squaring his shoulders and preparing for the fight he was sure to come.