Darkness Without the Light
By: Amber
Relena strolled into her secretary's office feeling like a load had been lifted somehow just sharing the burden made it lighter less ominous. That was until she saw her secretary's face. Mrs. Carnes jumped up nervously smoothing her skirt down before she offered Relena her messages.
"Ms. Peacecraft the message on top is the most urgent it was left earlier I. Well she stumbled over the words in her anxiety. You left instructions to not be disturbed so I .." Mrs. Carnes sighed. "I'm sorry." Relena felt a knot grow in her stomach as she accepted the messages with shaking hands.
Relena looked up fear making her tone curt and her manner abrupt. "Make my apologies to the cabinet members and have someone to attend in my place. Take notes. I want their impressions on everything and I mean everything she said tossing the messages back on the desk. Get my car out front in two minutes and tell my guards if they have any desire to accompany me to be out front in one."
Relena turned striding into her office to grab her briefcase Mrs. Carnes trailed behind punching in notes on a powerpad. "I also need a copy of the actual minutes from the budget meeting sent to me. O and please phone my brother and tell him I'm at St. Vicinie's on the Mount relay the content of the message to him."
Mrs. Carnes nodded and headed for the vidphone. "There is also suppose to be a new guard assigned to me he's being sent over today." Relena shrugged into her jacket, "providing he has the correct credentials and verification explain the situation and leave him the option of familiarizing himself with my schedule or getting his butt over to the hospital she tossed over her shoulder."
An hour later, Relena found the room she was looking for, pushing the door open she peeked around the edge. Trowa was standing by the window looking out when the sound of the door drew him from his thoughts. Relena glanced at Quatre's sleeping form and quickly put her finger to her lips. Soundlessly she stepped into the room letting the door close. She joined Trowa at the window biting her lip she stepped into a hug.
She pulled back meeting his eyes. "What happened she murmured?" Trowa sighed. "He was poisoned, because of the poison used they believe it happened last night."
Relena tightened her hand on his arm. "How?" "Most likely in his drink, both of you shared a plate of food and you're fine." He shrugged, "it was a simple really Quatre doesn't drink alcohol."
Relena turned her gaze blindly toward the window. "I know what you're thinking stop." Her head turned to Quatre's pale figure. " Isn't it?"
"No, Quatre said hoarsely. It isn't."
Relena quickly made her way to the bed sitting her briefcase in the chair she perched gently on the edge of his bed. "O Quatre what can I say?" She lowered her head in shame. "Trowa is right this isn't your fault." She rubbed his hand lightly with her thumb back and forth. "Isn't it? But that isn't important now this isn't about me it's about getting you better." She looked at Trowa, "what does the doctor say?"
"Well they flushed his system but they want to keep him for observation a few days." Quatre smiled sweetly, "see I will be fine."
She smiled shakily. "O sure you are one tough cookie thank god."
His face grew serious. " Relena be careful someone out there is really sick." She looked at Trowa. "If a doctor can be found is it safe enough for Quatre to travel?" He eyed her speculatively. "Why?"
"I think perhaps for the time being it would be safer to go home or go visit your Magaunacs. Please until this person is found."
Quatre protested but Relena ignored him begging Trowa with her eyes. He nodded. "All right providing there is an agreeable doctor."
"You'll go along as well?" His mouth twitched. "Me as well I took time off before I left anyway."
Relena smiled wryly. "Leave that to me between what little privilege being the Foreign Minister has Quatre's name will insure."
"You did bring your guards didn't you?" Quatre whispered. But his eyes were already drooping as he struggled to keep them open long enough to hear her answer. She brushed back his bangs from his eyes and smiled tenderly. "I brought my guards."
"Don't worry Milliardo decided to assign me another guard, And I have to go to L2 so that will get me off earth for a bit but I will keep in touch. Don't struggle so sleep let your body heal." Watching his lids flutter and finally close she leaned forward brushing her lips across his forehead.
Relena gently pulled her hand free and stood picking up her brief case she moved over to Trowa. "I'll start the process then let you finalize it to your satisfaction. Just call me before you leave to say goodbye please. Who knows maybe I'll chuck it all and go with you. I was always secretly addicted to romance novels with Sheik's on Arabian horses sweeping down to claim the fair maiden."
"Were you really?" Trowa looked secretly amused. Relena smiled sheepishly. "OK I confess I wanted the horse more. With my fathers work though my parents felt it was unrealistic for me to take on such a responsibility. And they were right in hindsight. I was a typical horse crazy teenager at that point if I had one I would have never wanted to leave Earth." Trowa smiled.
She stood on her tiptoes and kissed his cheek. "I have to go I sort of left everyone hanging today." Trowa frowned. "Relena no more ditching your guards!"
She smiled ruefully. "I brought them along I promise." Her glance slid worriedly to Quatre before lifting to meet Trowa's. "Please be careful don't delay as soon as I make the arrangements get out of here. Squeezing his arm affectionately she headed for the door, opening it she looked back. "I did enjoy seeing you both again even if it was for just one night."
* * * *
Relena closed her eyes tiredly the end of a long miserable day. She wanted nothing more than to go home climb into the bathtub and relax. She sighed well there was one consolation she had found a doctor who for a week in the location of his choice and a significant bonus to compensate him for the expediency of the request had agreed to accompany Quatre and Trowa to their desired destination. Trowa had called earlier they would be leaving tomorrow morning for the desert she stood stretching trying to relieve tense muscles. She leaned forward pushing the intercom. " Mrs. Carnes please send for the car and tell security I'll be ready to leave in five."
Relena stood and shrugged into her jacket, grabbing her briefcase she leaned over and clicked off her desk lamp. She opened her door only to stop short. Stunned she stuttered. " Heero? "
He straightened up from where he had been leaning against the wall. "I'm your new guard." Relena looked around the office. "Where is Mrs. Carnes?"
He looked indifferently at the secretary's desk and shrugged. "I told her she could leave since you were ready to go."
"You Heero she shook her head you're the guard Milliardo arranged?" Heero smirked leaving her to draw her own conclusions. "I see," she sighed.
Relena drew a steadying and smiled ironically he could come to her freely when she was endangered but not when all was well. As hurt and as angry, yes angry as that thought made her feel her love far outweighed her weak will. The gut reaction that screamed yes I'll take him anyway I can get him. It was so tempting it really was because she loved him so dearly and she wanted him with her but people around her were getting hurt. Then there was the knowledge that once the danger was past he would drift from her life yet again and she wasn't sure she could keep surviving these separations.
She closed her eyes wearily she so longed for some indication she was more to Heero than a symbol. She opened her eyes watching him studying her. His eyebrow lifted questioningly at her odd reaction. She met his gaze looking for some semblance of what he felt and found only his unrelenting commitment staring back at her. It was as if the night of the ball never happened swallowing past the lump in her throat she bit the inside of her jaw focusing on the tangible pain. Relena smiled sadly another piece of her heart died she was at the point now where she was would welcome the state of nothingness that would occur when she no longer felt anything at all. "Then I guess we should go I don't want to keep you any longer than I must." She stepped past him opening the door and without looking back she slowly made her way down the hall.
By: Amber
Relena strolled into her secretary's office feeling like a load had been lifted somehow just sharing the burden made it lighter less ominous. That was until she saw her secretary's face. Mrs. Carnes jumped up nervously smoothing her skirt down before she offered Relena her messages.
"Ms. Peacecraft the message on top is the most urgent it was left earlier I. Well she stumbled over the words in her anxiety. You left instructions to not be disturbed so I .." Mrs. Carnes sighed. "I'm sorry." Relena felt a knot grow in her stomach as she accepted the messages with shaking hands.
Relena looked up fear making her tone curt and her manner abrupt. "Make my apologies to the cabinet members and have someone to attend in my place. Take notes. I want their impressions on everything and I mean everything she said tossing the messages back on the desk. Get my car out front in two minutes and tell my guards if they have any desire to accompany me to be out front in one."
Relena turned striding into her office to grab her briefcase Mrs. Carnes trailed behind punching in notes on a powerpad. "I also need a copy of the actual minutes from the budget meeting sent to me. O and please phone my brother and tell him I'm at St. Vicinie's on the Mount relay the content of the message to him."
Mrs. Carnes nodded and headed for the vidphone. "There is also suppose to be a new guard assigned to me he's being sent over today." Relena shrugged into her jacket, "providing he has the correct credentials and verification explain the situation and leave him the option of familiarizing himself with my schedule or getting his butt over to the hospital she tossed over her shoulder."
An hour later, Relena found the room she was looking for, pushing the door open she peeked around the edge. Trowa was standing by the window looking out when the sound of the door drew him from his thoughts. Relena glanced at Quatre's sleeping form and quickly put her finger to her lips. Soundlessly she stepped into the room letting the door close. She joined Trowa at the window biting her lip she stepped into a hug.
She pulled back meeting his eyes. "What happened she murmured?" Trowa sighed. "He was poisoned, because of the poison used they believe it happened last night."
Relena tightened her hand on his arm. "How?" "Most likely in his drink, both of you shared a plate of food and you're fine." He shrugged, "it was a simple really Quatre doesn't drink alcohol."
Relena turned her gaze blindly toward the window. "I know what you're thinking stop." Her head turned to Quatre's pale figure. " Isn't it?"
"No, Quatre said hoarsely. It isn't."
Relena quickly made her way to the bed sitting her briefcase in the chair she perched gently on the edge of his bed. "O Quatre what can I say?" She lowered her head in shame. "Trowa is right this isn't your fault." She rubbed his hand lightly with her thumb back and forth. "Isn't it? But that isn't important now this isn't about me it's about getting you better." She looked at Trowa, "what does the doctor say?"
"Well they flushed his system but they want to keep him for observation a few days." Quatre smiled sweetly, "see I will be fine."
She smiled shakily. "O sure you are one tough cookie thank god."
His face grew serious. " Relena be careful someone out there is really sick." She looked at Trowa. "If a doctor can be found is it safe enough for Quatre to travel?" He eyed her speculatively. "Why?"
"I think perhaps for the time being it would be safer to go home or go visit your Magaunacs. Please until this person is found."
Quatre protested but Relena ignored him begging Trowa with her eyes. He nodded. "All right providing there is an agreeable doctor."
"You'll go along as well?" His mouth twitched. "Me as well I took time off before I left anyway."
Relena smiled wryly. "Leave that to me between what little privilege being the Foreign Minister has Quatre's name will insure."
"You did bring your guards didn't you?" Quatre whispered. But his eyes were already drooping as he struggled to keep them open long enough to hear her answer. She brushed back his bangs from his eyes and smiled tenderly. "I brought my guards."
"Don't worry Milliardo decided to assign me another guard, And I have to go to L2 so that will get me off earth for a bit but I will keep in touch. Don't struggle so sleep let your body heal." Watching his lids flutter and finally close she leaned forward brushing her lips across his forehead.
Relena gently pulled her hand free and stood picking up her brief case she moved over to Trowa. "I'll start the process then let you finalize it to your satisfaction. Just call me before you leave to say goodbye please. Who knows maybe I'll chuck it all and go with you. I was always secretly addicted to romance novels with Sheik's on Arabian horses sweeping down to claim the fair maiden."
"Were you really?" Trowa looked secretly amused. Relena smiled sheepishly. "OK I confess I wanted the horse more. With my fathers work though my parents felt it was unrealistic for me to take on such a responsibility. And they were right in hindsight. I was a typical horse crazy teenager at that point if I had one I would have never wanted to leave Earth." Trowa smiled.
She stood on her tiptoes and kissed his cheek. "I have to go I sort of left everyone hanging today." Trowa frowned. "Relena no more ditching your guards!"
She smiled ruefully. "I brought them along I promise." Her glance slid worriedly to Quatre before lifting to meet Trowa's. "Please be careful don't delay as soon as I make the arrangements get out of here. Squeezing his arm affectionately she headed for the door, opening it she looked back. "I did enjoy seeing you both again even if it was for just one night."
* * * *
Relena closed her eyes tiredly the end of a long miserable day. She wanted nothing more than to go home climb into the bathtub and relax. She sighed well there was one consolation she had found a doctor who for a week in the location of his choice and a significant bonus to compensate him for the expediency of the request had agreed to accompany Quatre and Trowa to their desired destination. Trowa had called earlier they would be leaving tomorrow morning for the desert she stood stretching trying to relieve tense muscles. She leaned forward pushing the intercom. " Mrs. Carnes please send for the car and tell security I'll be ready to leave in five."
Relena stood and shrugged into her jacket, grabbing her briefcase she leaned over and clicked off her desk lamp. She opened her door only to stop short. Stunned she stuttered. " Heero? "
He straightened up from where he had been leaning against the wall. "I'm your new guard." Relena looked around the office. "Where is Mrs. Carnes?"
He looked indifferently at the secretary's desk and shrugged. "I told her she could leave since you were ready to go."
"You Heero she shook her head you're the guard Milliardo arranged?" Heero smirked leaving her to draw her own conclusions. "I see," she sighed.
Relena drew a steadying and smiled ironically he could come to her freely when she was endangered but not when all was well. As hurt and as angry, yes angry as that thought made her feel her love far outweighed her weak will. The gut reaction that screamed yes I'll take him anyway I can get him. It was so tempting it really was because she loved him so dearly and she wanted him with her but people around her were getting hurt. Then there was the knowledge that once the danger was past he would drift from her life yet again and she wasn't sure she could keep surviving these separations.
She closed her eyes wearily she so longed for some indication she was more to Heero than a symbol. She opened her eyes watching him studying her. His eyebrow lifted questioningly at her odd reaction. She met his gaze looking for some semblance of what he felt and found only his unrelenting commitment staring back at her. It was as if the night of the ball never happened swallowing past the lump in her throat she bit the inside of her jaw focusing on the tangible pain. Relena smiled sadly another piece of her heart died she was at the point now where she was would welcome the state of nothingness that would occur when she no longer felt anything at all. "Then I guess we should go I don't want to keep you any longer than I must." She stepped past him opening the door and without looking back she slowly made her way down the hall.