a/n: Hola! The next few chapters are likely going to come out pretty quickly, there's a lot more action brewing so I'm just writing it as it comes to me. I hope you enjoy what's to come as much as I'm loving writing it!
-picimadar

Broken
Chapter 21

"You honestly expect us to believe that you have no idea of his whereabouts?" Une said, shaking her head. "Who do you think you are?"

"No one of consequence," Dorothy murmured, smiling at the older woman.

"I can tell you right now if you don't cooperate, there are going to be very real consequences for what you have done," the Commander practically growled.

"I'm finding this all pretty rich coming from one such as yourself," Dorothy said. "After all, wasn't it you who killed a certain Vice Foreign Minister not so long ago?"

"I'm not dignifying that comparison with an answer," Une said. "I'm nothing like you."

"Aren't you?"

"No, Miss Catalonia, I'm not," Une said, standing inside the interrogation room. "I killed Darlian because I was acting on an order, pursuing what I thought then was the solution to a war that had been stretching on for over a decade. You tried to have Relena killed by someone else's hands because you were jealous. You're pathetic, and if you compare my mistakes and my guilt to yours again, it'll be from prison."

Dorothy glared at the Commander's back as she left, shutting the door behind her.

"She's terrifyingly good at that," Trowa said, and Une gave him a questioning glance. "Getting under one's skin. It might be better if Wufei or myself handle this from now on, Commander. Catalonia knows the least about us."

Une made a face of disgust, but begrudgingly nodded her head. "I'm finished here… Let's just hope that Wufei comes up with something out of those files. Her lackeys were beyond useless; I don't know who ran their agent interviews."

Trowa snorted. "That bad?"

The brunette rubbed her temples with her hands. "They didn't even know who Relena was, and they work for us" she said, her disbelief apparent in her voice. "They were paid and told to do their worst, and they did. It's pathetic, but it all checks out."

"I'm sorry I couldn't help you with that," Trowa said, "I just-"

"You did the right thing. I excused all of you, in the end; it was too big a risk to have you in the same room as them. I should barely allow you in with Dorothy."

"We might as well go check on Wufei," Trowa said, "I'm not comfortable being in there with her alone."

"Fair enough."

The two walked through the halls of the Preventer headquarters quietly before Trowa cleared his throat and spoke. "Commander, I know you're probably addressing this, but there's still the fact that at least some of our agents besides those two were involved in essentially assassinating Leah Darlian."

"I'm aware, Agent Barton," Une said dismissively. "I'm doing everything I can right now, but there's only so much-"

"It's our job to keep these people safe, Commander," Trowa said assertively. "If Preventer isn't capable of that, then I think there has to be another solution."

"What, you think we should just disband?"

"I think a serious overhaul is in order," Trowa said. "There needs to be more internal consistency or you run the risk of doing more harm than good. Preventer was supposed to be used to stop high-risk situations, not work as bodyguards for men like Harford."

Une paused, staring at Trowa. "You're right," she said finally, "and one day I hope we'll get back there. Right now, we're in a high-risk situation, and we need to get out of it."

"Understood," Trowa said, nodding his head and knocking on Wufei's door. When they heard him call they stepped inside. Papers were stacked on nearly every surface in the typically neat man's office, four separate computers set up on his desk. "It goes that deep?"

"I've never seen encryption like this," Wufei said. "It makes OZ communications look like a joke."

"I'm only mildly offended," Une said, stepping around a pile of papers. "Have you found anything?"

"Plenty," Wufei said, "but nothing about where Harford could be, unless I've missed it." He sighed, taking off his glases and rubbing his eyes with the heels of his hands. "Is there any way we can get Heero in here? He could get through all this in half the time it'll take me."

Une pursed her lips, but Trowa nodded. "We'll work it out. He won't want to leave Relena, but there hasn't been any threat or problem of any kind in the last four days. There's no reason one of us can't trade off for a while."

"Would you consider that, Barton?" Wufei asked. "She's not in a terrific place, according to Heero."

"I'm sure that's true, but I can handle it," Trowa said. "You're all only ever a phone call away."

Wufei nodded. "I'm finished here, for now. If I have to look at any more code I'm going to start speaking in it."

"Did you work all night?" Une asked, following them out.

Wufei shrugged. "What time is it now?"

"Time for you to get home and get some sleep, Agent," Une commanded. "You're of no use to anyone overtired."

Wufei nodded. "I'll be back tomorrow," he said. "I'll call Heero tonight and work something out."

"Sure thing," Trowa said. "Is there anything you wanted me to do in the meantime, Commander?"

"Go home and rest," she said, "I'm going to sit down with Zechs later and try to make a game-plan for Relena's return to work. Hopefully we can get through a few weeks without her or anyone else dying."

Trowa frowned and walked away from her, gathering a few items from his own office before leaving the compound. Dialing his phone hands-free, Heero picked up after a few rings.

"It's Trowa. Une wants us to change over, for you to come in to Preventer. You good if-"

"Just bring what you need for a few days, I've got a spare key for you."

"You're okay with this?" Trowa asked carefully.

"If they need me there, I should go," Heero replied. "Relena will be alright without me, she just needs someone to be here."

"Gotcha. I'll be there in a few hours."

"Sure thing."

The line disconnected and Trowa continued to drive, reaching his own apartment, packing a small bag and grabbing a quick meal. He called Catharine on his way out, checking in with the circus, her newest boyfriend and the status of the colony. Though they had never proven they were related, the two shared a strong bond, and he hated going for long without speaking to her.

"Tell Relena…. Geez,.. I mean, what do you say? Congrats on the baby, sorry about your mother? Maybe word it a little better than that, hmm?" Catharine said.

"I'll do my best. Talk to you later." Trowa disconnected, sighing and climbing into his car. It had been four days since Leah Darlian had been announced brain-dead; the news had yet to reach the media, as Relena also had yet to return to the hospital. Trowa ruminated on the situation during his ride over; having experienced no true loss of a loved one that he could recall, he struggled to think of what to say to Relena.

Heero answered the door when he reached the apartment. "You didn't have to rush over," he said, leaving the door open and walking back into the apartment.

"It's no problem. The sooner you get there, the sooner we can find Harford."

"No kidding," Heero said.

"Where's Relena?" Trowa asked, putting his bag down and stepping inside, looking around.

"In her office. She's been in there just about all day…"

"So make sure she sleeps and eats, same as usual," Trowa said, and Heero started at him. "Sorry, I guess you haven't been around during times like this before. When Relena's under a lot of stress, she sort of-"

"Forgets everything," Heero said. "I can see that." He pulled on his own jacket before turning back and knocking on the office door. Relena came out, dark circles under her eyes.

"You're going to work with Une?" she asked, stretching, and Heero nodded. "Well, be careful," she said, stepping forward into his arms. "And don't do anything rash."

"I won't," Heero said. "You promise the same, and I'll go."

Relena rolled her eyes and stood on her toes to peck him on the lips. "I'm trapped here, remember? What's the worst that can happen?" Heero's face tightened, but he simply nodded to both Relena and Trowa and left the apartment. "Why is everyone so stressed out?" Relena asked. "You're going to find him, aren't you?"

"Trowa walked into the living room, sitting on one of the sofas. "We're doing everything we can, Relena," he tried to assure her, "but the problem with the very wealthy is that they're very good at disappearing."

Relena looked pensive for a moment before meeting his eyes again. "Can I ask you something?" Trowa shrugged his consent. "I need you to be honest with me. Do you think that… Do you think that Heero can ever really be happy with me?"

Trowa looked back at her. "Absolutely," he said. "Heero Yuy doesn't lie. He also doesn't put up with things he doesn't have to."

"That's what I'm afraid of," Relena said quietly. "That he's just bearing with all this because he feels like he's responsible for this baby."

"Well, he is at least fifty percent responsible anyways," Trowa said, and Relena rolled her eyes and looked away. "Relena, Heero once gave me a great piece of advice, and I know for a fact he takes it. He told me to live by my emotions."

"That's almost hilarious," Relena said. "He's practically one of the most emotionless people I've ever met."

"Is he, really?" Trowa asked, leaning back and propping one leg over the other. "He was in circumstances, sure, but think about it."

"He killed people, he was trained to be that way," Relena said.

"He could have killed you a thousand ways by now, but he never has. Even when you were trapped with the Bartons, he should have killed you all, and he couldn't. The only reason you didn't die that day buried in the rubble is because he purposefully missed, Relena."

The young woman paled. "I thought it was just because of the bunker…"

"Nope," Trowa confirmed. "Relena, your life is hellish on a good day; right now, I know it must feel like everything is falling apart." He leaned forward and put a hand on her knee. "He's still here, Relena. He's dealing with these struggles alongside you because he wants to, not because he has to." Trowa smiled slightly. "He loves you, even if he doesn't told you that."

"He did tell me," Relena said fondly, "a few nights ago."

"Really?" Trowa asked, leaning back again. He pulled out his cell phone and speed dialed a number. "Hey, Maxwell? You owe me two grand." He hung up again, Duo's loud cursing cut off.

"You had a bet on this?" Relena asked, amused.

"Sure thing. Once we found out he was back in town, we made several." He opened his mouth to speak but seemed to reconsider. "In all honesty, I usually bet in his favor when it comes to you, but it's mostly because I hope Heero will just come to his senses and get a real life."

Relena laughed at the frankness of the statement. "So getting a woman pregnant that he barely sees just before she nearly dies is the best way of going about that?"

Trowa shrugged. "Heero rarely does things the best way," he said, "he just does things his own way, same as the rest of us."

Relena nodded, looking away, drawing her feet up underneath her as she sat. "I should go back to the hospital," Relena said eventually. "I wanted to wait until I could go without Heero."

"Why?" Trowa asked, curious.

"This is something I need to do on my own," Relena said. Her eyes welled with tears again, but she blinked them back furiously. "I need one last time alone with her, to say goodbye."

"Relena, we are all here for you," Trowa said, and Relena nodded,

"I know. I just can't-" she choked slightly, covering her mouth with her hand, "I can't ask anyone else to go through this for me. It's because of my own mistakes that this is happening, I can't allow anyone else to go through this because of me."

Trowa's brow furrowed. "You're afraid that someone else is going to die because of Harford and Dorothy's vendetta against you?"

"They took my own mother," Relena said, looking out the window. She stood and walked up to it, looking at the ground below. "I saw her once a week, and then the last few weeks… with me being in the hospital, they poisoned her to death." Relena stared down at the ground below, watching several cars pull up, a few men stepping out. "Trowa, I think-"

"I can hear them," Trowa said, tapping his ear. "We have the pager on the ground floor wired. If someone lets them in, we'll know."

"Trowa, they didn't want me dead," Relena continued. "Dorothy herself turned Harford over for taking it too far, but I don't think he wants me dead either. He wants me to suffer," she whispered. "He wants me broken, and he can only do that by hurting those around me.

"Relena, get in the back room and lock the door," Trowa said, standing.

"Trowa, I-"

"Relena, take the phone and go, now," he said. "If anything happens, get out and take the fire escape and call Preventer right away. It's first on speed dial. Go."

Relena followed his instructions, walking into her office and locking the door, pushing a heavy chair in front of it. She felt her stomach churn with anxiety, and she hesitated before calling Heero's number.

"Hello?" he asked, and she almost cried when he picked up.

"Heero, they're coming for me," Relena said. "They just pu-"

The line disconnected, and she panicked, walking to the back of the room and unlocking the window. The men's footsteps came down the hall, Relena making out at least three voices as they passed by their door. She heard them kick down the door of the apartment next to theirs, jumping with fear, relieved that they had chosen the wrong one.

A baby began crying next door, a woman pleading with them to leave, glass breaking and loud thumps revealing the movement of furniture. They left the apartment, moving back into the hallway, their voices loud, angry. Relena could feel her palms sweating as she made her way to the desk and reached into the middle drawer, revealing a small black handgun. Taking it in one hand, the phone in the other, she waited.

The men burst in their own door, Trowa yelling at them. Dressed in civilian clothing, he looked much less threatening than in his typical Preventer Kevlar, and the men shouted at him.

"Tell us where she is!" one yelled, knocking over something made of glass.

"Who the hell are you talking about?" Trowa asked, backing into the corridor. "There's no woman that lives here!"

"Bull fucking shit," another man said, pushing past him. "We know she's here, now give the bitch up before this gets ugly."

"I don't know-" Trowa said, and there was a scuffle, blows being thrown, several of the man shouting. Relena could hear the safeties being cocked on guns outside.

"Come on, Heero," she whispered, but she knew that he would be too late. She braced herself as the men overwhelmed Trowa, struggled with the lock on the office door and finally kicked it in.