XXXVIII. The Ballet (Second Act)
260. Febricity
'I want all of it.' Zechs told him and his tone was final.
'All of what?' Duo whispered in his ear and between the two of them Heero couldn't feel any more trapped.
'You want the evidence.' He surmised.
'Yes. For every single job you did ever since you started your career.'
'To clear your reputation.'
'To prove I wasn't imagining things. To prove the perfect killer did exist.'
'What's in it for me?'
'I keep you out of death row and provide you with a decent existence in prison… Away from my sister whom you've infected with your ideas.'
261. Diagnostician
'No!' Relena protested horrified. 'You can't do that!' she told her brother. Images of Heero locked away for eternity playing in her mind.
'Why not?' Milliardo raised his eyebrow at her, not at all amused.
She gaped at him like a fish, unsure of what she could say to stop him… Dorothy's words kept coming back to her, but she couldn't do it…
'With that tape I can validate the evidence I have gathered throughout the years. I can have him sentenced to death… Or worse. Would you rather I did that?'
'You can't…' she insisted.
'Why?'
'Because I'm pregnant!'
262. Confrere
Duo thought Heero was a bit of an ass… He had refused to tell him what was really going on, dismissed his rather brilliant ideas and promised to cut off his tongue. Fine. Heero was a complete ass, but they were still crime-buddies. That's why, when Duo realised the assassin might end up in prison, he didn't have to think twice.
He prepared to turn off the power, unlock the doors… Whatever might be necessary to help the man escape.
Then Relena stepped in. Clearly not ready for the confrontation…
'Because I'm pregnant!' she said, and Duo killed the lights.
263. Sander
In the sudden darkness, someone seized her arm. Relena knew it wasn't her brother and – for a moment – she was afraid. Afraid of Heero. His breath against her ear made every hair on her body stand on end.
'Is it true?' he questioned. She couldn't tell if he was angry, hurt or incredulous, but she realised he thought – for obvious reasons – that the baby was someone else's.
'Just, please, go with it?' Relena begged him quietly and had the impression she felt him nod in the darkness. She hoped that that might be enough to make Dorothy's plan run smoothly.
264. Serigraph
In the dark, surrounded by the frightened whispers of the crowd, Milliardo's thoughts ran wild.
His little sister had been defiled by a bloody murderer.
His first impulse was to kill Heero Yuy. The assassin was right there and the world would only be better for it. Except for – of course – Relena.
His little sister…
She would be single and pregnant and disgraced.
He could claim it had been rape, but Relena would never agree…What was he going to do?
That criminal and his little sister…
He couldn't yet grasp the concept that was now permanently imprinted in his brain.
265. Megrim
'Heero, you have to go!' Trowa hissed in his ear.
'Ya' havenna left yet?!' Duo was clearly horrified. 'I was about to turn the lights back on!'
'What did you do?' Catherine sounded pissed. 'And don't you dare try to tell me you had nothing to do with this blackout!'
'What's going on?' Relena asked him worriedly.
'Yes, Yuy.' Zechs agreed with his sister. 'What is going on?'
Heero held back a frustrated sigh. He should have escaped while there was time, but he had been too busy being jealous of Relena's fake baby's father…
This headache served him well.
266. Verrucose
A wave of cheerful applause followed the return of the lights.
Heero scowled. He could finally see how ugly the situation was. Everyone seemed angry with him for some reason…
Except for Relena.
If only he could pull out his gun and shoot the others…
Maybe not Trowa. He'd miss Trowa.
'So?' Zechs raised a haughty eyebrow, anxious to hear what he had to say.
'I'll marry her.' He stated simply, his face blank.
Relena turned to him wide-eyed and gaping. Heero shrugged. It was the logical conclusion.
'I knew there was going to be a proposal!' Duo celebrated triumphantly.