Hello everyone!
First of all, Happy New Year!
And yes, I know that it has been more than a month since my last update...but it has been faster than my usual updates at least, lol! Anyway, about 6 weeks seems like a realistic time frame for chapters and I have been getting g back into writing a lot more recently so keep an eye out for updates!
This chapter is a little short as I cut out a section during editing which I think fits better in the next chapter, instead of in here as originally planned.
Oh and I'm terribly sorry about the horizontal lines everywhere...the editing program has been behaving strangely and all the text kept on appearing in bunches with no paragraphs...so sorry about the formatting and hope it makes this chapter easy enough to read!
Hope you enjoy it – thank you for reading and reviewing! Individual thanks at the end!
Relena was still slumped against the door gathering her wits from Trowa's visit when Heero's key turned in the lock. She jumped up, a flush rising to her cheeks, and turned to greet him. Josh was still watching his cartoon and had noticed nothing out of the ordinary. It could have been five minutes or fifty since Trowa left but she was too flustered to notice.
"Heero…"
He stepped inside and closed the door before turning to regard her closely. His eyes never left her face as he unbuttoned his coat and hung it up, but he didn't speak. Relena felt her blush deepening.
"I'm sorry I'm late"
She nodded, still not knowing quite what to say.
"Duo asked me to pass these on to you…he's written on them when he needs them back"
Heero knelt and rifled through his briefcase, pulled out a sheaf of papers and handed them to her. As she reached for them, he caught her hand and examined it.
"How did you cut your finger?"
"It's nothing serious…I just broke a glass while washing up"
It wasn't that she intended to keep Trowa's visit a secret but the lie came out so easily. Somehow she felt uncomfortable telling Heero the whole truth. But not mentioning it made her feel dishonest too…
"Relena…"
Heero tightened his grip on Relena's wrist and pulled her a little closer. He was uneasy though he couldn't pinpoint exactly why; it was as if whatever tenuous connection he and Relena had started to form had been severed with the arrival of the Winner's. As if they were more like strangers now than at the strange beginning of their relationship. Heero couldn't put his feelings into words but he was desperate not to lose that connection. He didn't want to think of the reasons for or consequences of his feelings…but he wanted Relena to know that they were genuine and not designed to impress their guests.
Words failed him and Relena was still silent, looking sightlessly at her feet. Heero pulled her into a hug and let out a deep sigh, relaxing properly when her arms wound around him too.
They stood that way for a few minutes though it felt like longer. Relena was the first to pull away, fearing that she would lose her hard-earned composure and cry. It was no use…Heero noticed and felt a sudden pang of guilt. He had been behaving like a child, throwing tantrums and arguing with his friends while Relena was suffering too. For better or for worse they were in this together and the least they could do was support each other.
"What's the matter?"
Relena looked up and met his gaze squarely for the first time that day.
"Heero, I have to talk to you"
Upstairs Dorothy was just putting her earrings back on when she heard the front door open and guessed Heero was back. Quatre was still in the shower so she took her time applying her make-up. Deal aside; this visit had been a good idea for both of them. Quatre tended to try to do too much rather than delegating to others in his company and, as a result, his work often came home with him and intruded on their home life. Dorothy had accepted when she married him that he was man to whom dedication to his job came as standard and she wouldn't try to change that. However, she could imagine how happy they would be if they could finally have the child they had been wanting for so long. She rubbed her palm across her stomach in an absent-minded, almost nervous manner, praying for a miracle.
Quatre pushed his hair away from his face and turned the shower pressure up even higher, allowing the water to pound his skin. It felt like so long since he had been able to relax with Dorothy the way they were at the moment. Guilt struck him and he wondered if throwing himself into more work had been his way of dealing with Dorothy's miscarriage and subsequent illness. Being busy left him less time to dwell on what had happened…but he was still hopeful for good news.
Oddly he found his mind turning to the conversation Dorothy had overheard between Relena and Trowa earlier that day, and her suspicions about Heero and Relena's relationship. He knew it was wrong to pry but his curiosity had been aroused.
What was it about the circumstances of Josh's birth that Relena didn't want people to know? Had he been born before Relena and Heero got married? But it was only the most conservative families who would still see that as a disgrace. And why would Trowa disapprove of Relena's decisions with regards to Josh? Why would money be mentioned? Could it be…Quatre stopped to consider the options and one jumped out at him. Could it be that Heero and Relena were having problems and were maybe even considering a divorce? A wave of sympathy washed over him. He could see that that would be something Heero and Relena would want to conceal from any but their closest friends. And he could also appreciate how his and Dorothy's visit could have made things even more awkward, especially if they believed that his personal impression of their family would make or break the deal.
Quatre stopped himself before his speculations went too far…he had to remember that they were nothing but speculations at the end of the day. For that reason he would say nothing to Dorothy about his theories and see what she came up with independently. It seemed unfair, in a way, to analyze Heero and Relena's behaviour. Quatre had taken a liking to both of them… but he couldn't deny that he was curious.
Heero followed Relena into the kitchen and sat down at the table with a glass of juice, but she seemed restless, pacing the floor and wiping down counter-tops that were already clean. Heero sipped his drink calmly, waiting for her to begin.
"Heero…I'm just not sure about his whole thing. I know it's difficult for us but how much worse is it going to be for Josh?"
Relena paused and threw a cautious glance out of the kitchen door; it wouldn't do to be overheard again. Heero remained silent and she was despairing of a reply when he finally spoke, "I've been thinking about it too. I spoke to Duo and Trowa about it…but none of us can think of any other option right now"
Relena started at the mention of Trowa's name but Heero didn't seem to notice. His words filled her with a quiet desperation – he was right; they had no other options. Her head hurt from thinking and worrying…she was going round in circles.
She shook her head, "Let's go and get ready to eat. I have to get out of this house!"
Dorothy jumped at a knock on the door and then smiled at her silliness. She opened it to reveal Relena.
"Dorothy, Heero and I just wanted to let you two know that we're thinking of heading to the restaurant in about forty-five minutes if that's okay with you? It's not a formal restaurant, just a little noodle bar where we like to eat so you don't need to dress up."
Dorothy nodded, "That sounds great…Quatre should be just about ready in a few minutes so we'll just come on downstairs"
Relena smiled back at her, "I was planning to cook but we thought it would be a shame if you came here and didn't get to eat at this noodle place – they're the best!"
She turned to go back to the master bedroom, "See you soon!"
Dorothy restrained the urge to call Relena back and ask her about Trowa'a visit, but Relena's cheerfulness seemed like a thin mask straining over her true feelings. Even though Quatre had warned her not to pry she couldn't help wondering exactly what was going on behind the 'happy family' façade.
Relena stepped into the bedroom without knocking and interrupted Heero getting changed. She looked down, "Sorry"
Contrary to her expectations Heero smiled, "We're meant to be married…Dorothy and Quatre might wonder why you knock before going into your own bedroom!"
Relena smiled back and felt some of the tension lift. Heero seemed to be feeling more hopeful too. They spoke almost simultaneously, "Just a few more days…"
Relena giggled, "If you put it like that, we're almost halfway!"
A shadow passed across Heero's face but he smiled back at her. He would hold onto the hopeful feelings rather than worrying about what would happen after the Winner's left. They had more than enough to worry about between now and then.
Relena put on some make-up and a pair of earrings, then left Heero to shower while she went to Josh's room. Despite her tidying earlier that day it looked like a bomb had hit it – a bomb in the shape of Josh. He seemed to have played with each item for about five minutes before getting bored and moving on to the next. Relena stepped carefully over the discarded toys and knelt down beside Josh.
"Boo!"
He giggled and turned round.
"What you doing, baby?
He had the beginnings of a railway track set out in front of him. It was one of his favourite toys. He'd been fascinated by trains since an early age and Relena had spent far too much on a set of wooden tracks, trains and buildings that slotted together to form a village. Without further ado she settled down to play.
Heero paused at the doorway to Josh's room and his voice died in his throat. There was such a strong connection between Relena and her son and he ached to be part of it. He felt like the day that Relena walked into his office for a job interview, events had been set in motion that changed the predictable path of his life. He had imagined his life continuing much as it had been up until the present. But now things were much more confused…and he couldn't bring himself to complain.
It was later that night, after a fun meal at the noodle bar that Heero and Relena kissed for the second time.
Everyone had returned home and sat down to chat in the living room, though Josh didn't manage to stay awake for long. The two couples were finally relaxing round each other and the relief of tension on both sides was palpable. Relena was in high spirits and Heero couldn't keep his eyes off her. He had long since admitted that she was pretty, but when she smiled…
He heard her bid goodnight to Quatre and Dorothy as he carefully laid Josh in his bed. The boy argued about staying up so stubbornly but never quite managed to stay awake. Heero was still sitting on the edge of Josh's bed, lost in thought, when Relena came in. As she stood up after kissing Josh goodnight, Heero stood too.
"I'm sorry"
She stopped, looking confused, "Sorry about what?"
"This", his gesture enveloped everything. He closed the distance between them but didn't touch her. When she looked up at him, he placed both hands on her shoulders and brushed his lips across her forehead. His right hand moved to her cheek and tilted her chin up. Relena knew that she could have stopped it if she had so desired…but the scary thing was that she wanted Heero to kiss her. It was a short, chaste kiss but Relena stayed in the circle of Heero's arms and rested her head on his chest. Surviving three days had been hard, but it made it easier just to know that she wasn't in it alone.
She let out a deep sigh and nuzzled closer to Heero…it had been so long since she had felt protected in anyone's arms. As if hearing her thoughts, Heero's arms tightened around her.
"Relena…" She looked up, trying to read his expression, "I…."
He trailed off and looked away. Relena felt his hands tense on her back, pulling her body fully against his, then his lips descended on hers once again.
It was a different kiss from before, forceful rather than gentle and Relena reacted before her mind had fully caught up with the situation. Her arms wound around the back of his neck and she kissed him back. When they broke apart they were both breathing a little heavier than usual and Relena looked down, suddenly embarrassed. At least Josh hadn't woken up! She turned to go to her son but Heero caught her hand. He spoke so quietly she had to strain to hear him.
"Maybe it's not a good idea…but I've wanted to do that all night"
Relena paused, her eyes widening with shock, "Heero…"
He closed the distance between them and kissed her gently once more, "I'm sorry"
With that he turned and left the room and Relena sunk down onto the edge of the bed once more, staring blankly at the wall in disbelief.
Hope you enjoyed that everyone, especially as so many people have been asking me for some more development in Heero and Relena's relationship...the tentative beginnings of any relationship can be an extrememly stressful time and I feel that Heero and Relena are definitely under more stress than the average couple so their relationship will develop a little more cautiously...hope you guys aren't too impatient with me!
Ooh, I'm sooooooooo looking forward to the next few chapters...
Hopefully see you soon! Please review!
Individual thanks to reviewers below:
Zakai – Thank you for the Happy Birthday! Glad you remember this fic and are willing to stick with it until the end as I know a lot of people have moved on from the GW world...think I will always love it, even if it's now considered an 'old' series! Hope you continue reading and thanks for your support!
YUIAyuNamieUtada – Sorry to keep you waiting for so long for the last chapter and I will be updating more regularly this year! Hope you enjoyed the Heero and Relena moments in this chapter and continue to read!
Hououza – Thank you for the birthday wishes! Also, glad you enjoyed the last chapter and hope you liked this once too...things are going to start mving a bit faster from here on in! Hope you enjoy the rest of the story!!
Kat-Tastrophe – Don't think I can write fast enough to keep up with your appetite but I will do my best! More chapters on their way soon – hope you like them!!
heaven's girl – hehehe – Trowa will have an important role in the next while so look out for that...and hopefully the updates will be fairly regular, lol! Hope you keep reading!
IchikoKitsuneKoumori – You're right...things can only get more complicated...
hieiashke – Hope your sister and you both enjoyed this chapter too -I hoping to update on a fairly regular basis over the next few months so hopefully all will go to plan! As for Trowa...well, he will have an important part to play but I can't tell you yet:p Hope you keep reading!
Lolopptt – was this fast enough? Definitely better than my previous updating record anyway, lol. Hope you continue to enjoy this fic!
LoVe23 – Hope you keep reading...I was originally going to stop updating this fic after chapter 1 but so many people wanted to read more that I've continued updating and I will until the story has reached its conclusion! Thanks!
Scoth Rocco Meoi – Thank you for your support and don't worry about bothering me...I haven't had too many death threats yet, lol! Here's chapter 14 as requested with 15 soon to come! Enjoy!
Bloodfire87 – Glad you like it and I'm looking forward to getting the next few chapters up soon...I'm terrible as I read tonnes of fics but only recently started reviewing – I've enjoyed your stories so far!
Seed-of-Flame – Strange that you were thinking of this fic just before I updated...maybe you're psychic? Lol, anyway, thanks as always for your review and I hope you enjoyed this chapter too! More soon to come!!
lady555 – thank you for the happy birthday and the review! Hope you keep reading!
Death's Flower Garden – Thank you for the review and Happy belated birthday to you too! I promise that I won't leave this story until it's finished, even if it takes me another few years (hopefully not that long...) Please keep reading!
Mischka – thanks for reviewing and hope that the Heero – Relena interaction in this chapter helped fulfil your request! Hope you have enough time to read fanfics!!
Navy police83 – Thank you! Always nice to get some support – hope you keep reading!
Cfqgy – really complimented that so many people still remember this story after I failed to update for so long! Thank you! And hope you continue to read!!
Star Fantasy Writer – Thank you for reading and so happy that you like it so far! You are luckier than most of the people reading as there hasn't been too great a gap between the last two updates...unlike my usual, lol. Hope you keep reading!
As always, thank you so much to everyone who reads and/or reviews my story!! I'm now off to do some of the revision that I've been putting off...
See you all next month!!!