Edges of the Mind by jmi
Chapter 5
**Disclaimer** Gundam Wing characters are owned by Sotsu/Sunrise.
Duo turned his face from Relena and grimaced. He knew her ears would never have picked up the faint echo of the gunshot.
"Duo what's the matter?"
He turned to her distressed blue eyes and, for possibly the first time in his life, Duo lied. "Nothing's wrong. Don't worry Lena this will all be over soon."
"Will it Duo?"
She was so easy to read sometimes. He could easily see the pain and conflicting feelings playing over her face. She still loved Heero, despite three years of not being able to be near him, despite all of the night's events; and it was destroying her.
"I promise Lena."
She tried to smile, but it didn't remove the sadness in her eyes. Eyes that suddenly went wide when she heard a sound coming from behind the doors of the ballroom. She looked at Duo. 'Yes he hears it too,' she gazed at the elaborately decorated wood. 'Is it singing?' Duo glared and pushed her behind him as he positioned himself beside the door. He moved his gun to his left hand as he reached for the door's golden handle. Relena fingered the weapon in her own hands. 'Why did they give me this,' she frowned. 'I don't think I could bring myself to shoot anyone.... especially Heero.
Duo didn't seem to share any of her doubts as he let the door fall open. The voice continued to echo from the stage.
~Nureta sono kata wo~
~atatameruyou ni daita~
~Furueteru yubisaki wa~
~nani wo motomete samayuno~
Relena could feel Duo's body stiffen. "It's him isn't it?" she whispered.
"Do you know anyone else here that sings that badly in Japanese?"
Relena frowned unable to determine if Duo was trying to be funny or was mocking her. He checked his gun and swung into the room. Relena shuddered and fought back her tears as she heard the rounds being fired.
"Heero! Damn it! You're just making this harder than it has to be," she heard Duo yell. She moved in the door in time to see Duo discard his jammed gun and pull a knife from his boot. Heero was standing on the stage grinning like the devil himself. The only apparent injury he had was from a cut on his left arm. He noticed her in the doorway and gave her a wink before jumping off the stage. Duo charged his former friend and the two fell fighting into the pitch black half of the room. Relena could only stand frozen as the sounds of the struggle echoed back to her. Finally the sickening sounds of ripping fabric and an explosive rush of breath came to her; followed closely by the thud of a body hitting the ground. She felt her knees weakening as she watched the darkness. A bloody knife emerged and was cast at her feet. She started to scream but it was stifled instantly as she noticed the sparkling blue eyes watching her from the edge of the shadows.
"Releeennnaaaaaaaaa."
She fell back on the door frame and, remembering the gun in her hand, threw it up as a shield.
"My, my this IS a reversal of roles isn't it," Heero stalked towards her undeterred by the weapon. "Well if we're going to play this game I suppose I should ask for you to come and kill me," he stood right at the edge of the barrel. "But," with one swift move he shoved her gun out of the way and snaked an arm around her waist, "not until the dance is over." Humming a tune he twirled the terrified girl around the floor.