Standard warning Gundam belongs to Gundam and any scene or plot similarity to another person's story, movie or anime is purely coincidental. I have taken a few liberties with this one concerning the main characters personalities. If you disagree about character representation here then accept my apologies and chalk it up to the assumption that the characters have grown and changed as all beings with the passages of time.
Darkness Without the Light
By: Amber
Duo had been escorting her back to Quatre and Trowa when she got way layed. Duo looked at her quizzically waiting for her decision, when she finally nodded imperceptibly. He bowed giving her wink before withdrawing. She smiled politely at the 97th Duke of Corpis as he led her out on the dance floor. Relena sighed trying to fight down the feeling of screaming as the Duke or Orville as he asked her to call him waxed poetic about the lineage of his hounds and how complicated the breeding process was.
For the millionth time she wondered when the number was going to end so she could make a polite get away. Fortunately paying close attention wasn't necessary with Corpis all one needed was to nod occasionally or make some sort of sound and he was off and running. Relena smiled slightly at least Duo's babbling was entertaining.More and more these setting were stretching her meager patience to the limit tuning back in she nodded sympathetically before drifting off into her thoughts again.
At first she just noticed him because of the uniform it reminded her of Cinq's before it was destroyed by Romafeller. It was just a thought in passing as she glanced up at the Duke's bulbous nose and vaguely smiled before letting her gaze drift over the room once more. Her gaze went back to the man though as he gracefully wound his way through the waltzing couples there was something about the way he moved that triggered a memory. Relena frowned slightly as she watched him draw near her eyes slowly making their way to his face when he stopped in front of them. She held her breath thoughts whirling as she studied his face intently waiting for his eyes to turn and meet hers and when she did the force of his gaze left her breathless in anticipation. In the end she didn't remember the Duke leaving or Heero asking her to dance. His eyes met hers and held trance like she moved into his arms as she always longed to.
~ ~ ~ ~
Relena watched the early morning mist hovering lightly over the courtyard below. Absently blowing on her tea as she reflected on last night's unexpected events. She had danced the rest of the night with Heero without a word being spoken between them. On her part at least it was fear. Fear that if she did the spell would be broken and she'd wake up finding it had all been a dream. Relena smiled ruefully he probably felt relief for once that she wasn't trying to climb inside his head. Still she sighed dreamily it was wonderful while it lasted.
She giggled at just how little it took from Heero to make her a fifteen year old on hormonal overload once more. Her good mood dimmed somewhat at the memory of the missing note it kept niggling at her from the back of her mind. Relena sipped her tea unwillingly her eyes went to the latest gift her skin prickled just looking at the box it came in. She couldn't avoid this any longer she had almost convinced herself that last nights note was her simply over reacting. But no longer this had just taken a creepy turn. She leaned forward initiating the vidphone she listened to the beeps before her brother's image finally appeared.
Relena smiled. "I missed you this morning everything ok?" His mouth quirked at the corners, his ice blue eyes temporarily twinkling. "That should be my line. I thought you had a budget meeting this morning?"
He studied her intently waiting for her to come to the point. She inhaled softly gathering her thoughts. "Do you have some time for me? I need to talk to you."
He nodded of course. "When?" She glanced at her watch. "How about right now?"
"Fine I'll be.."
"No that's all right the walk will do me good I'm on my way." She moved to disconnect "Relena?" She paused. "You will bring your guards along won't you?"
She was silent a moment her eyes drifting to something off camera. When she spoke he had to lean forward to hear her. " Don't worry I wont forget my guards," she said quietly before the line was disconnected.
Zechs looked at the rooms other occupant "Well?"
Heero looked up from the floor. "Something else has happened I can hear it in her voice. Add the fact she's willing to bring her guards along confirms it".
"Are you sure you want to go with this strategy Zechs probed."
"We can't let him control this anymore I need him to make a mistake. He's already escalated and Quatre of all things was the trigger. There is something else Duo called this morning someone tried to run him over last night as he left the ball."
Zechs frowned, "do we know for certain Relena is the connection? I saw Winner leave the ball last night he looked fine has anyone contacted him to see if he's all right? I mean this is Maxwell after all I can count at least five others off the top of my head myself and you included wanting to run him over at one time or another."
Heero lips twitched amused inspite of the seriousness of the situation. "True but we wouldn't need a vehicle to do it. I used a secure method to contact Quatre so far he hasn't responded." Heero's expression shifted turning hard. "I'm betting on him knowing about me. If he is going after anyone that Relena shows attention to then we'll know soon enough he'll come after me next."
"Is there anyone that doesn't know about you and Relena's weird relationship Zechs asked wryly? I don't like this if Relena gets the slightest inclination of what your doing it will make her Antarctica stunt look like a picnic."
Heero frowned but continued on as if Zechs hadn't spoken. "She won't but we can't let him feel like he's in control, he would wait us out and then grab her when we're least expecting it."
Zechs nodded, "how much do you want her to know?" Heero looked out the window, "for now I'm her guard."
"And afterwards?" Heero met his stare blankly. "I return to my original duties."
At his look Heero sighed impatiently. "She's your sister and you are the boss if you don't want me to go through with it say so."
"I want my sister safe if this is the way that it has to be to accomplish that then so be it. It seems to be my destiny to dare those closest to me to hate me because of my actions."
Heero mouth softened into what might have been a smile. "She won't hate you I don't think she's capable of hating anyone."
Zechs nodded. "Maybe." Zechs stared pensively at the photograph of Relena, Lucrezia and himself. "This time we may be pushing her too far he murmured." Zechs pinned Heero with a probing look. "We could both loose her."
Heero shrugged; "maybe in the long run it's better this way at least for her."
"Is it, Zechs asked? Or is it easier for you? I am her brother I tried to destroy a world for the sake of peace. Am I not an equal danger to her? And what about the other Gundam pilots? She maintains relationships with them by your reasoning are they not as well a danger?"
Zechs laughed sardonically. "I'm not perfect by your standards I stayed away as long as I could. But I found living with ghosts wasn't enough to keep me alive anymore. I needed their love, like I needed air to breathe."
"I'll go into the side office while you tell her about the change in guard." Heero moved to the door and opened it,the skin across his knuckles stretched tightly from the strength of his grip. He offered Zechs a tight smile. "Perfect? I have tried for years to kill my feelings for Relena." He turned back forward, "I doubt even death would release me now." Then he closed the door with a quiet click.
**Thank you all for your kind comments and suggestions**
Darkness Without the Light
By: Amber
Duo had been escorting her back to Quatre and Trowa when she got way layed. Duo looked at her quizzically waiting for her decision, when she finally nodded imperceptibly. He bowed giving her wink before withdrawing. She smiled politely at the 97th Duke of Corpis as he led her out on the dance floor. Relena sighed trying to fight down the feeling of screaming as the Duke or Orville as he asked her to call him waxed poetic about the lineage of his hounds and how complicated the breeding process was.
For the millionth time she wondered when the number was going to end so she could make a polite get away. Fortunately paying close attention wasn't necessary with Corpis all one needed was to nod occasionally or make some sort of sound and he was off and running. Relena smiled slightly at least Duo's babbling was entertaining.More and more these setting were stretching her meager patience to the limit tuning back in she nodded sympathetically before drifting off into her thoughts again.
At first she just noticed him because of the uniform it reminded her of Cinq's before it was destroyed by Romafeller. It was just a thought in passing as she glanced up at the Duke's bulbous nose and vaguely smiled before letting her gaze drift over the room once more. Her gaze went back to the man though as he gracefully wound his way through the waltzing couples there was something about the way he moved that triggered a memory. Relena frowned slightly as she watched him draw near her eyes slowly making their way to his face when he stopped in front of them. She held her breath thoughts whirling as she studied his face intently waiting for his eyes to turn and meet hers and when she did the force of his gaze left her breathless in anticipation. In the end she didn't remember the Duke leaving or Heero asking her to dance. His eyes met hers and held trance like she moved into his arms as she always longed to.
~ ~ ~ ~
Relena watched the early morning mist hovering lightly over the courtyard below. Absently blowing on her tea as she reflected on last night's unexpected events. She had danced the rest of the night with Heero without a word being spoken between them. On her part at least it was fear. Fear that if she did the spell would be broken and she'd wake up finding it had all been a dream. Relena smiled ruefully he probably felt relief for once that she wasn't trying to climb inside his head. Still she sighed dreamily it was wonderful while it lasted.
She giggled at just how little it took from Heero to make her a fifteen year old on hormonal overload once more. Her good mood dimmed somewhat at the memory of the missing note it kept niggling at her from the back of her mind. Relena sipped her tea unwillingly her eyes went to the latest gift her skin prickled just looking at the box it came in. She couldn't avoid this any longer she had almost convinced herself that last nights note was her simply over reacting. But no longer this had just taken a creepy turn. She leaned forward initiating the vidphone she listened to the beeps before her brother's image finally appeared.
Relena smiled. "I missed you this morning everything ok?" His mouth quirked at the corners, his ice blue eyes temporarily twinkling. "That should be my line. I thought you had a budget meeting this morning?"
He studied her intently waiting for her to come to the point. She inhaled softly gathering her thoughts. "Do you have some time for me? I need to talk to you."
He nodded of course. "When?" She glanced at her watch. "How about right now?"
"Fine I'll be.."
"No that's all right the walk will do me good I'm on my way." She moved to disconnect "Relena?" She paused. "You will bring your guards along won't you?"
She was silent a moment her eyes drifting to something off camera. When she spoke he had to lean forward to hear her. " Don't worry I wont forget my guards," she said quietly before the line was disconnected.
Zechs looked at the rooms other occupant "Well?"
Heero looked up from the floor. "Something else has happened I can hear it in her voice. Add the fact she's willing to bring her guards along confirms it".
"Are you sure you want to go with this strategy Zechs probed."
"We can't let him control this anymore I need him to make a mistake. He's already escalated and Quatre of all things was the trigger. There is something else Duo called this morning someone tried to run him over last night as he left the ball."
Zechs frowned, "do we know for certain Relena is the connection? I saw Winner leave the ball last night he looked fine has anyone contacted him to see if he's all right? I mean this is Maxwell after all I can count at least five others off the top of my head myself and you included wanting to run him over at one time or another."
Heero lips twitched amused inspite of the seriousness of the situation. "True but we wouldn't need a vehicle to do it. I used a secure method to contact Quatre so far he hasn't responded." Heero's expression shifted turning hard. "I'm betting on him knowing about me. If he is going after anyone that Relena shows attention to then we'll know soon enough he'll come after me next."
"Is there anyone that doesn't know about you and Relena's weird relationship Zechs asked wryly? I don't like this if Relena gets the slightest inclination of what your doing it will make her Antarctica stunt look like a picnic."
Heero frowned but continued on as if Zechs hadn't spoken. "She won't but we can't let him feel like he's in control, he would wait us out and then grab her when we're least expecting it."
Zechs nodded, "how much do you want her to know?" Heero looked out the window, "for now I'm her guard."
"And afterwards?" Heero met his stare blankly. "I return to my original duties."
At his look Heero sighed impatiently. "She's your sister and you are the boss if you don't want me to go through with it say so."
"I want my sister safe if this is the way that it has to be to accomplish that then so be it. It seems to be my destiny to dare those closest to me to hate me because of my actions."
Heero mouth softened into what might have been a smile. "She won't hate you I don't think she's capable of hating anyone."
Zechs nodded. "Maybe." Zechs stared pensively at the photograph of Relena, Lucrezia and himself. "This time we may be pushing her too far he murmured." Zechs pinned Heero with a probing look. "We could both loose her."
Heero shrugged; "maybe in the long run it's better this way at least for her."
"Is it, Zechs asked? Or is it easier for you? I am her brother I tried to destroy a world for the sake of peace. Am I not an equal danger to her? And what about the other Gundam pilots? She maintains relationships with them by your reasoning are they not as well a danger?"
Zechs laughed sardonically. "I'm not perfect by your standards I stayed away as long as I could. But I found living with ghosts wasn't enough to keep me alive anymore. I needed their love, like I needed air to breathe."
"I'll go into the side office while you tell her about the change in guard." Heero moved to the door and opened it,the skin across his knuckles stretched tightly from the strength of his grip. He offered Zechs a tight smile. "Perfect? I have tried for years to kill my feelings for Relena." He turned back forward, "I doubt even death would release me now." Then he closed the door with a quiet click.
**Thank you all for your kind comments and suggestions**