AN: Dedicated to syla! HAPPY SLIGHTLY EARLY BIRTHDAY!!!!!!!!!!

Waking Up In Vegas

Chapter Fourteen

As per his usual, Heero silently shadowed the Senator's daughter as she made her way from the crowded conference room. Her father, Senator Darlian, couldn't be in all the places he needed to, so Relena often filled in for him when she could. All of the political world respected the young woman... some liked her, some didn't- but everyone respected her.

At first, they'd seen a naive little girl trying to play politician... but eventually even the worst of her opposition had to admit that she had a shrewd, clever mind, a way with words, and an idealistic view of what the world 'should' be... that she could make anyone believe it 'could' be. Anti-war, she supported peace and treaties; she donated time and money to charities varying from the Children's Miracle Network, to the WWF. Everyone could agree on one thing in the political world.... Relena Rene' Darlian was on her way to becoming the youngest Senator ever... and when she did, she would be a force to be reckoned with.

"A lovely speech, Miss Darlian," a man said, holding out his hand to her. Relena nodded demurely to him, allowing him to take her hand. He lifted it to his lips, kissing her knuckles before dropping her hand. Heero could see her fight to refrain from wiping off her hand and gagging. The man had white hair, and was several decades older than her.. the wrinkles on his face enough to give testament to his age.

"Representative Quinze," she replied. "Thank you. You will give my regards to Governor Tsubarov, won't you? I'm afraid I haven't been able to speak with him in some time."

"Of course, Miss Darlian. Could I perhaps entice you to join us for dinner next week? At the governor's mansion. Duke Dermail and General Barton will both be there."

Relena's eyes suddenly turned cold. "I have already declined the invitation from Duke Dermail. I have made it clear my stance on the matter and will *not* be seen in the presence of Sayid Winner."

Heero was about to step in when Relena nodded her head. "Good day, Mister Quinze," she said, turning on her heel and leaving.

Heero quietly followed behind her as she made her way to where her car waited. Relena refused to accept a body-guard, despite her high-profile life. And it was a solution to everyone's problem sticking Heero with her. Relena was guarded with someone who would protect her with his life, and Heero would be where they could keep a close eye on him.

Relena sighed as she slid into the back seat, Heero following her.

"I hate those stupid people," she grumbled. "They don't have half a brain cell between the lot of them!"

Heero smirked at her assessment. It was actually, in his estimation, being generous. Despite their Ivy League degrees and professional backgrounds... some of the diplomats Relena had to deal with had less common sense than an amoeba.

Barton... Heero thought, his mind going over Relena's conversation with Quinze. Dekim Barton was a rather well known General. He resided in Wyoming... the same state Tsubarov governed and that Quinze represented in the House. Heero had never liked either three people, and found it laughable that such pro-military people were friends with Sayid Winner, an avid pacifist. But Barton... it could be just a coincidence.

What *were* the chances of Quatre's new husband being related to a Air Force officer half-way across the country?

Shaking free of that thought, Heero opened his mouth to console his friend, but stopped. Her eyes were fixated on the dark tinted window, and she was almost pressing her nose against it.

"Heero!" she hissed. "That's him!!!"

"Who?"

She reached back, grabbing his shoulder and pushing his face to the window. "See! In the black suit! It's the shadow man from the security video!!!"

Heero caught a bare glimpse of the man before his disappeared, following a familiar white haired old man.

Now... what would Quatre's 'stalker' be doing with Representative Quinze?

"How do you feel about legally-questionable computer hacking?" Heero questioned his friend. He doubted the answers to this conundrum could be found off of Google.

Relena nodded. "As long as I don't know *how* you got the information... I don't care. This is getting very annoying." Blue Topaz met Sapphire. "I have a very bad feeling about this, Heero."

Heero wrapped his arm around her shoulders, tucking her head under his chin. "We'll get to the bottom of this, 'Lena. I have a feeling this is bigger than just Quatre."

Relena cast a simple glance back as the car pulled away from the building, and she muttered softly under her breath.

"Curiouser and curiouser, as Alice said when falling down the rabbit hole."

Heero frowned. He had a feeling that Alice's adventures in Wonderland where no where near as dangerous as this unfolding web would be.

Duo couldn't hold back the sigh as he leaned back into his lovers arms. He toyed with the simple platinum band that he wore on a chain around his neck. His family had left... and with their departure, all of his anger and energy simply fled from his body. He slumped back into the strong chest behind him.

"'Fei... do you think they can make it work?"

"I don't know Duo," the Chinese man replied, wrapping his arms around the violet-eyed beauty in front of him and resting his chin on his partner's shoulder. They stood on the deck, watching as the early summer wind blew through the trees around their home.

"They're trying to build something from nothing. No plan, no ideas, no vision of what they're trying to build... no foundation. It will be very difficult. Almost impossible, from an architectural view," Duo said softly.

"We made it," Wufei pointed out.

"But we both knew going in what we wanted. We knew where we wanted to go, what we wanted to do. We had the design in mind, all we had to do was create it."

"But wouldn't you agree some of the best designs are the ones that aren't predictable? The one's that take shape as you go. So what if they don't know where they want to go yet? They can still just drive."

Duo smirked, tilting his head to look at his lover, his partner, his mate... his husband.

"Weren't you the one who was against it all in the first place?"

Wufei shrugged. "I saw how they were at lunch. The way they looked at each other when they thought no one was looking, like they were trying to figure out some great puzzle. I can't say I like it all very much, but is it my place to tell Trowa what he can and cannot do?"

Duo chuckled, leaning back once more. Wufei was right, as usual.

"I just don't want to see him hurt again," he said.

Wufei kissed his neck softly. "Me neither, love. But it's not our place to intervene. At least... not yet."

Duo nodded. He wouldn't intervene.... at least not yet, anyways.

"Very well," the man growled into the phone. "It is hard to believe my plan is going *this* wrong. We must step up the offensive. I will have Otto send you back-up. I have a bit of blackmail material on an old friend of his. She should be able to break them apart."

He smirked as looked at the picture attached to the front of the file. Pretty young girl, brown hair and brown eyes.

"If Otto succeeds, she should be there within two days."

He laughed at something the young woman on the other end said. "Of course you'll know her. Her name is Midii Une."

~*~*~*~

AN: Mwahahahaha!!! Happy Birthday, Syla!!! I hope you love the cliffhanger! LOL... I'll try to post another chapter before your actual b-day! Much love to all the people who have reviewed, and to the hundreds of fav's and alerts this story has gotten!!!!