Disclaimer: I do not own Gundam Wing
Once the other men had skulked off and left Relena alone with her former lover, she joined him on the landing in the night. He evaded her gaze deliberately, showing his anxiety. Relena gently touched his arm to calm him, but he walked away from her, toward a shadowed wall. His features disappeared in the cloaking darkness.
"Do you hate me?" She asked in a fragile whisper, as tears pooled in her eyes.
"No." His entire body was tense, as though he stood at attention.
Silence ensued for several moments, until he continued.
"I don't hate you, but no one's ever—broken my heart before."
"You must know I don't love him?" The tears broke free onto her face, flowing down both cheeks in silent, steady streams.
Heero lifted his head slightly, fighting the urge to challenge her. "Then why?"
"He put me in a position where there was no option, and he's been avoiding discussing it, since. Heero I—" Her breath caught. In a long pause her soul broke out in civil war inside her. "I—" Her eyes began to search her surroundings frantically for an answer. An answer that only lay within herself.
"I was afraid!" She blurted out.
Heero stiffened still more, his silent mask facing away from her.
"I wanted to break it off, but he's been avoiding me. And I let him. I let him avoid me. I let him get away with this stupid trick of his!
"Because I was afraid, Heero." Her streams had changed into gushing rivers, as her face twisted with agony. "I was afraid you would never understand. You would never forgive me. You know what happened in Barcelona. And he doesn't. And I was afraid that if I told him, I'd lose both of you.
"And it was tempting, Heero. To accept him—a man who cannot love—on the paranoid, though plausible, assumption that you would not take me back. But when I saw you, I remembered; it's not worth it.
"I will never love him. And I would gladly give up a lifetime of security with him for five more minutes with you. Because you're the one I love. And I cannot change that.
"I don't want to change that."
Relena stood there, in the void that surrounded her, as her confession sank in. She was trembling from her head to her feet. Heero slowly adjusted his posture, like a statue coming to life, and he turned to face her. The shadows still obscured most of his features, but a glimmer of reflected light told her that he was crying. His dark blue eyes were boring into her, tears coming from them. His face held no answer. Nothingness. Possibly anger.
Heero nodded steadily, studying her. "Is this what it felt like when I left?" He asked.
Relena's eyes widened in surprise at the change in subject. "Heero, what happened when you left is of no consequence, now. I forgave you. I'll always forgive you. That's what love does."
His lip pulled up on one side, as he stepped toward her. He cupped her face in his hand, brushing away the tears. "Then don't be surprised that I forgive you."
Relena's breath rushed out in a sigh of relief as Heero pulled her in for a kiss.
:::
"Mr. Tullis." A familiar brunette appeared on the screen of the vid phone, emitting an air of disciplined professionalism.
"Hey, Lady Une. I just landed in Calcutta. I wanted to check in and make sure Relena's security is adapting smoothly to the changes you said you were making."
She raised a cynical eyebrow. "No problems here. I've placed management of her security in the hands of Mr. Yuy. He can be trusted. And he is the best."
"Ah, yes. Mr. Yuy," Broderick growled. "Are you sure you can trust him? There's something about the man that just—rubs me the wrong way."
Lady Une leaned in close to the monitor, commanding the conversation. "Heero Yuy is no less than the best in his field. He is a former Gundam pilot, and the best of them at that. His devotion to your fiancée and her work has never faltered. I know she is in good hands."
"A Gundam pilot, you say?" His features took on a mix of surprise and confusion.
"Yes. Heero Yuy was the pilot of 01. I understand you've never had the pleasure of knowing him, so you must take my word for it. He truly is the best of the best. 'The Perfect Soldier', we used to call him."
There was a long moment of pure silence as Broderick sorted through the information. "01?"
"Lady Une," he said, suddenly. "I'm going to have to call you back. There is an urgent matter that calls for my attention."
Before she could respond the screen went blank and he had punched in the number to Relena's private line.
There was no answer.
"Jerry," he called to the pilot. "Get back on the ship. We're heading home."
:::
Heero's eyes flew open when he sensed the disturbance. His naked limbs were tangled around her, as he hugged her body to him. Last night he was granted the most peaceful sleep he could ever remember, and tonight was well on its way, until he heard voices downstairs.
"Broderick," he said quietly.
The raven haired man rushed up the stairs, around the old house manager. "It's fine, Pagan," he said. "I'll just let myself in. I'm sure she won't mind."
Frustrated, the old man dropped his head. At least he had the peace of knowing nothing substantial could happen to her with Heero around.
Broderick flung the door open, unsure what to expect. Relena sat straight up in the bed, hugged her sheet to her naked chest. She looked around the room though a sleepy haze. Broderick noted that the far side of her bed was perfectly smooth, the pillow fluffed, just as it would have been when it was made that morning.
"Broderick?"
"You're sleeping naked?" He asked, eying the trembling woman suspiciously. "You never sleep naked when I'm here."
"Well," she said in a weak whisper. "You weren't here."
Ignoring the insult, he stepped closer to her, anger flashing in his eyes. "How come you didn't tell me who that man was? The one you met in Barcelona."
"What?" She met his gaze, understanding what kind of a conversation she was in for. This was the moment she'd been after for four months. "I told you. His name is Heero Yuy. He's an old friend of mine. He was working in Barcelona, and he has a son—"
"But you didn't mention who he is. You know. The man whose name you call out in your sleep? The one you fell in love with during the war. The one that we both know you still love."
She said nothing, but showed no retreat. Her eyes began to smolder as she glared right back at him.
"You know, I knew all along that you loved a Gundam pilot. I also knew that he'd left you. And that you would never let go. I accepted that you'd never let go when I chose to marry you. I made the assumption it wouldn't matter, because he'd never return. You'd never see him, again. But low and behold, here he is. After all these years."
Relena held still, her blanket hugged against her naked form. She knew that what he was saying was true. But her feelings for Heero wouldn't have to be his problem for long.
"I forbid you from seeing him," he spat.
Relena pulled back in surprise. "Excuse me?"
"I forbid you—"
"You don't forbid me from anything." Her anger surfaced in these words. "You do not own me. I am not a dog. I am not a child. You do not forbid me."
What Relena said hit a nerve Broderick had almost forgotten he had. Without another thought, just a feeling of pure rage, he let his hand fly. His knuckles formed an instant bruise down her cheek as he swept the back of his hand across her face with fury. Relena reacted, turning with the impact to lessen the blow. She brought quivering fingers up to her reddened face in surprise, and tears filled her eyes in response.
In the silence, there was the distinct clicking sound of a pistol hammer being pulled back to the ready. Cold metal kissed the back of Broderick's neck for warning. "Do that, again. I dare you," said a dark voice behind him.
As the realization set in, Broderick gave Relena another look, and glanced over at the bed. The far side of the bed was freshly made, covering up the indentations of the man who lay there. The woman in front of him had been left naked, unaware that he would intrude.
"You never sleep with me naked," he said accusatorily.
"That's because you make me feel filthy when you touch me. I can't help but clean myself after." The anger in her eyes twisted into hatred as she glared at him. She reached over to her nightstand, lifting the princess cut solitaire to its buyer. "I've made my choice. He loves me. And I don't need you." She shoved the stone into his hand, ignoring the look of disdain on his face. "I want you to leave. And I never want to see you, again."
Without another word or a moment to turn and look at the victor, Broderick Tullis rose to his feet and stormed out the door.
And she never did see him, again.