Title: The Children of War and Peace Chapter 10
Written By: Quality Paiges (aka Sailor Air)
Rating: PG-13
Genre: Romanca/Mystry/Drama
AN: Hey are you all sick of my authors notes? Oh well I put 'em up anyway even though I bet half of you don't read them. I've decided this is not the last chapter! But this is a good chapter I promise at least I think it is and one of my editors says it's the best yet so I'm hopeful that you'll like it. Any confusions you've had with the motivations behind the characters will hopefully be cleared up the next chapter and I'm gonna add an epilogue depending on the response I get from you guys. A special thanx goes out this chapter to one of my editors Jen 'cause she got this chapter back to me in less than a day so you guys could all have it faster! I didn't leave ya hanging for real long now did I? As always C&C are appreciated. Have a nice day and standard disclaimers apply!
The group filed in methodically to the dress shop. Each one following Hilde's lead. The little bell on the door jingled each time one of them caught it and pushed it forward again. A women standing a little distance off twisted her head towards the door when she heard the bell and dutifully trotted towards our group.
The women wore a blue blazer and skirt, underneath the blazer was a carefully white pressed cotton dress shirt. On her blazer there was a name tag that said "How may I help you? I'm Carol".
Striding towards the group she introduced herself as she got closer. "Hi, I'm Carol. How are you today?" Not allowing them to answer she went on. "You must be the bride." She said pulling Hilde's hands into hers. "We'll be able to fix you up really nice." Looking through the crowd she pulled Duo out of it. "And you're the groom. Now let's see.... You, miss long honey hair!"
Relena pointed a finger to herself mouthing "Me?"
"Yes you. You're the maid of honor." She started arranging everyone in lines like putting them into position for some sort of odd sport. Carefully positioning Duo and Hilde at the front of the group. Relena a little ways off from Hilde's side. "Now for the rest of you." She said tapping her fingers together.
"I wanted to get a dress not a wedding coordinator." Hilde whispered to Duo.
Carol turned back around and stared and Hilde and Duo. "You two, you don't wanted to be chatter boxes when the minister is proceeding do you?" Duo and Hilde shook their heads. "Good. Then hush." If we are ever to find the right ensembles for you we simply must know how you'll look at the alter!"
Duo and Hilde nodded looking a little scared at this obviously obsessed and now scary saleswomen.
"Spandex boy! Here now!" She said point to a spot equally distant from Duo as Relena was from Hilde.
Heero arched an eyebrow and remained where he was. Carol squinted her eyes as if to say 'You dare challenge me.'
"Not a talker are you Mr. Spandex? Well you're the best man aren't you? So scoot your behind over to this spot now or I'll scoot it for you."
Heero didn't move.
"Oh come on Heero please do it. Come on then we can just get a dress and go." Duo pleaded.
"Groom, you would not have just any dress for your bride would you? All wedding dress must always be absolutely perfect for the bride." She said with a glint in her eye. "Absolutely perfect." She said more resolutely. "So therefore I am forced to remove your best man here, and bring him to you're side." She walked dutifully towards Heero and said. "Okay soldier boy, time for you to move." Even at the soldier comment Heero didn't go anywhere. "Alright, alright I see you're not gonna be moved by me." Carol seemed to relent.
"It's a good thing that women gave up." Duo whispered to Hilde. "I didn't want a repeat of all those Relena incidents." Duo said referring to all the times Heero had pulled a gun out of nowhere and threatened to kill Relena.
"You Groom sush up!" Carol said this at the same time she slapped Heero's butt!
The whole group was in an absolute fit of giggles. Duo was rolling on the floor. Hilde was pounding her feet narrowly avoiding a poor Duo on the ground. Relena laughed whole heartedly into her hands barely covering her laughter as she leaned on Catherine for support who wasn't much help since she was laughing so hard she was crying. Noin and Sally were the worst of them, laughing so hard the babies in their arms were crying from all the shaking [AN: Noin had Pacafia, she just likes holding her and Justice is with them still, Damn children's services as our Wufei would say]. Quatre and Millardo laughed good naturedly even Wufei and Trowa cracked one of their rare smiles for the occassion.
A low growl was heard from Heero as he walked towards the spot Carol had pointed to earlier.
"I'm used to dealing with all sorts of people Heero, it's best if you just cooperate. If I slap your tush again your girlfriend might get mad."
"Girlfriend?" The entire group but Heero exclaimed!
"Why yes. Little Miss Maid-of-Honor over there. Aren't you this guy's girlfriend?"
"No. Not at all." Relena said quietly putting her head down.
"Hmph! I've never been wrong about these sort of things before. Well if I'm wrong about it then I know you should be....."
Heero cut her off before she could say anymore. "Relena has a child." Heero gestured towards Noin who was still holding Pacafia. "She has someone else." A little more remorsefully.
"Oh I see." Carol said slightly more embarressed. "Well let's get on with it. Sister of the bride you're next in line. I would like to keep this a little closer by height but it can't be avoided."
"Ummmmm Carol... right?" Hilde began, Carol nodded so she went on. "Listen I don't have a sister.... not... here."
"You don't?" Carol asked with a puzzled look.
"No." Hilde said becoming more confused by Carol puzzlement.
"Well then who is she?" Carol asked pointing at Noin.
"That's Noin, a friend." Hilde responded now exasperated throwing her hands down at her side with a fed up look on her face.
"Excuse me Carol we're not related." Noin broke in.
Carol was now becoming exasperated. "Then why in the world do you to look so much alike, I even feel a sisterly vibe between you two."
"Listen I don't know anything about vibes or what not but we're not sisters. It's a coincidence that we have similar features. It's not like we look that much alike." Noin said throughly upset.
"Exactly. Just because we look alike doesn't mean there is any relation. Really! The only sister I ever head abandoned me long ago."
Noin looked stricken at this and she walked back towards Millardo. Hilde was becoming agitated with tears coming up in the corners of her eyes. Duo went to embrace her gliding his hand across her back calming down the now shaking Hilde. "Shhhhh.... shhhhhhh now Hilde it's okay. We can just go okay. Let's go someplace else where the sales people aren't so crazy."
Carol was apparently infuriated. "Listen I'm never wrong about these things. To be wrong twice in one day. That's just not right."
Relena intervened. Walking away from her designated "spot" given to her by Carol she grabbed that women (how Wufei-ish) by her arm and dragged her to the corner of the room.
"Listen lady, My friends and I came here willing to buy A LOT which gives you a nice big commission. But if you gonna screw it up we leave. Got it?"
Carol only nodded and said. "Dresses that way." she pointed in a direction opposite of herself.
"Thank you." Relena said and marched off towards the rest of the group."Come on Hilde let's get you a dress." Relena said throwing her arms around Hilde and walking her towards the aisles of dresses.
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Carol sighed sensing her lost commission and turned around as she heard footsteps approach her. "Hello I'm Carol. May I ask your name? Can I help you?" She said automatically as she would to anyone.
"Oh well no. Not really anyway. But you can be silent that might help." Lei replied circling Carol.
"Excuse me?" Carol asked genuinely confused.
Lei brought her arms up and around Carol having the them carefully placed on her shoulders as she carefully squeezed a pressure point. Carol fell to the ground with a thud. "That's okay you don't need to understand." She said gathering up Carol's body. "Oh and by the way my name is Lei."
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Relena was in the dressing room beside Hilde's. If there was one good thing about this place it was the dressing rooms each one was like it's own individual room. One completely blocked up by the next the only way to get to the next one was to exit the door and then enter the next. She was sure they were almost soundproof (okay this is total BS this never happens but just go with it). It was a nice change from the usual dressing room where the door normally barely covered your naked body. She carefully stepped into the blue tube dress Hilde had picked out for her. There was a large bow in the back and that was making it difficult to zip up. A knock came from the door. "Who is it?" Relena called out.
"It's a sales clerk Miss. Carol is indisposed at the moment and she asked me to check on you. Is there anything I can help you with?"
Relena half chuckled with amusement as she wondered if she had bothered Carol out of her profession, it was for the best that she was unavailable now. "Actually yes I'm having a bit of trouble pulling up this zipper could you help me?"
"Of course, could you unlock the door please?"
"Yes one moment." Relena pushed the door's lock button instantly releasing the lock as she turned around facing the mirror holding the top her dress. The sales clerk immediately entered and shut the door. Then carefully proceeding to pull up Relena's zipper. Relena paused to judge herself in the mirror, undecided she asked the girl. "I'm not sure what do you think?"
"Well Miss Relena you have put on a bit of weight since the pregnancy, haven't you now?"
Relena's eyes widened. "What? How did you know?"
"Oh you'd be surprised what I know Miss Relena." Lei responded picking her face up so that it showed in the mirror. She then wrapped one arm around Relena's waist and arms which hung limply at her sides the other arm was brought up in a salute like manor but in her arms she held a gun and held it closely to Relena's temple.
"But... why?" Relena said.
"Ohhhh so many people pull this on you Miss Relena and you always ask them the same question. Now if you'd only learn there is always the same answer no matter how they reply. You contain power, we want that power so if we can destroy you it's up for grabs. But we won't kill your literally only politically but my organization never said I couldn't play with you first."
"Kill me if you must just spare my child."
"Relena please I'm not that petty. I'm not going to kill you. What use of you are to anyone dead? Besides the whole reason for your destruction is your child. If it hadn't been for your secrecy on who the father was this wonderful opportunity would have never come into our hands. You kept it such a secret didn't you? You even kept it from him. But it will all come out. We know who he is, he's here with you. But I think I'll have fun with him too."
Relena sobbed into her hands. "No I've worked so hard so he wouldn't be hurt. I worked so hard to keep it from him so he didn't have to take any responsibility to worry about me to care."
"But what use are your pleas now Miss Relena, now it's going to come out. But it's so much fun to toy with everyone for awhile I think I'll lead them on first then burst your little bubble."
"No." Relena cried again. "Why? How can this hurt anyone? It will only hurt me!"
"Oh Relena, that's a self-centered thing to say isn't it? You've hurt so many people already. You're brother, Noin, all your friend and especially Heero. Haven't you? Won't the truth just kill them all. They'll be so disappointed in you. Besides the fact that it will destroy you politically, birth out of wedlock is bad enough but really if you hadn't been so secretive the public might not have cared. Now they do care. Tabloids galore. Pictures on the Times of you in tears. Now if that can't destroy you what can?"
"How could you possibly know? No one knows! No one except me!"
Lei smiled as she inclined her head towards Relena's ear. "But I do know......" She said as she whispered his name in her ear.
Relena eyes widened sobbed once again. A knock came from the door. "Relena! It's me, Hilde. Are you alright in there? You coming out soon, I want to see how you look!"
Lei cocked the gun. "Tell her you'll be out in a minute." She whispered. Relena didn't say anything. "Now!"
"Be out in a second Hilde." Relena called.
"Good girl." Lei said. "Come on now Miss Relena time to go face the music."
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Heero was waiting outside with the others for Relena to come out of her dressing room. The door clicked open and Relena stumbled out wearing that skimpy blue tube dress Hilde had picked out for her. Her eyes were crying and her face red. All the blood rushing to it from one to many sobs. The group gasped as they saw the source of Relena's tears. A women slightly shorter than Relena with shoulder length black hair and dark eyes had an arm wrapped almost pocessively around Relena's waist and arms while the other arm was used to hold a gun up to Relena's head.
"Get away from my sister." Millardo barked at the girl impatiently.
"Millardo we don't know what she'll do to Relena, stay calm for your sister's sake!" Noin cried.
"Oh don't worry Miss Noin." Lei replied lightly. "I'm not going to hurt Relena. At least not her body anyway."
"What are you talking about women?" Wufei questioned. This would definitely disturb his onna and not only that she would probably insist on hanging around Relena for a few days after this incident he wanted it to be as brief as possible so it wouldn't cause any worry.
Lei snorted. "Only you would be so sexist at a time like this Wufei Chang."
"What do you want?" Heero growled squeezing on to little Pacafia. She had been given to him by Noin when she went to change.
Lei pursed her lips as if thinking. "Well my very own pony would be nice but a girl can't have everything you know." She laughed at her own joke.
"What do you want from Miss Relena if not her death?" Sally asked angrily. Justice who had been handed back to Sally after she changed in the dressing room and Pacafia began to cry.
"Oh ho ho sometimes I wonder if everyone really does want Miss Relena to die. I mean everyone asks me if that's my plan when that's not it at all. I'm after Miss Relena's political downfall."
Millardo snorted. "And you plan to do this by pointing a gun at her head? You'll achieve nothing that way?"
"Oh Millardo," Lei sighed. "I bet you've spent many a night pondering on who the father of Relena's child might be. But I know. I know so very many things about Miss Relena that could cause her total destruction."
"How? How could you possibly know?" Millardo asked.
Lei pouted her lips. "A girl has to have some secrets right?"
"Then what do you plan on saying?" Quatre cried.
'Oh that's right this will be Quatre's downfall as well.' Millardo mused. 'Personal life and political.'
"Well you'll all find out soon enough anyway." Lei chortled. "The father is none other than the infamous Shingami! Duo Maxwell himself!"
Everyone turned and stared at Duo. Duo in turn shook his head around as if looking furiously for someone. "Huh?" He said. "ME?" Pointing to himself. "There's not another Shingami in the room?"
Hilde's face went red with anger fists balled up at her sides. "Duo how could you, just before you proposed too! The only time you were ever with Relena alone was nine and a half months ago! The night I left you alone with her purposely in hopes that you would become better friends! How could you? I guess I could never trust you?"
"Hilde?" Duo inquired. "Hilde you believe her over me? Your trust in me is that weak? I was never ever with Relena!!! Geeeezzzzz how could I be? No offense Relena but Hilde I love you I want to be with you that's why I proposed! Relena tell her!"
"No, no, no... no." Relena repeated the same weak word again and again a broken record that won't shut off.
"I didn't want it to have to resort to this but that women is a fraud, I know for a fact Duo is not the father of Relena's child" Millardo exclaimed.
"Millardo are you sure you want to do this?" Noin asked.
"I have no choice now Noin."
"I never thought I'd say it but thank God for Millardo Peacecraft!" Duo exclaimed. "I was starting to get nervous!"
Lei yawned. "Oh that's all well and good Millardo. I'll let you make the big announcement about who the father is but you said child, don't you mean children?"
"What are you saying?" Heero asked.
"No, no, no." Was chanted by Relena over and over in the background.
"Oh little Justice does look cute in Miss Sally's arms. Oh yes I have been keeping good tabs on him since I last saw him in a crib next to Pacafia. If it hadn't been for that damn bitch you might have known earlier but oh well... I'll get on with it. Justice is Miss Relena's baby as well."
"That's impossible!" Sally cried. "We found this baby on Wufei's doorstep."
"I know. That did create a tad of a problem for me but it was soon enough solved. You see to find the father of Relena's child and cause her more torment it was our plan to deliver Miss Relena's twins ourselves and then after taking her child from her and announcing her father to the world she'd be at an all time mental breakdown." She looked down on the shaking Relena, who was now nothing but a lump on the floor humped over in a fetal position. "But she disappoints me, it didn't take much to do her in just threaten to revel her secret is all. But go ahead Millardo you tell them why Duo isn't the father of Relena's children. I did like playing with your emotions so much but go ahead or would you rather I said it?"
"Since she will say it if I do not I think it is best that I announce that the true father of my sister's children is Quatre Winner."
Quatre jumped out of his skin. "Millardo? Ummmm have you been on the zero system lately? I thought those were destroyed?"
"This gets better by the second." Lei laughed. "Not even I had thought of saying that!"
Relena's tears rolled more profusely out of her eyes now repeating that same no over and over again.
Quatre began to back into a corner. "No Millardo I would never...." His voice stopped. "Trowa you don't think it's true do you? It's not! I'm not the father! It's not possible!"
"Then why are you the only appointment in her date book nine month prior to the birth of her baby? Why does only your blood type O match up to Pacafia's?"
"Millardo that's impossible, I don't have the O blood type." Quatre stated.
"Quatre you hurt me." Trowa said.
"But it isn't true!" Quatre cried.
Heero's ears perked up at the mention of O blood type. That was his blood type. Not Quatre's.
Relena was picking herself off the floor. Dragging her way towards Heero. She looked into Heero's eyes and said. "Heero, *sob* I'm so so sorry. You didn't know you couldn't but I have to tell you before the truth is lost in all this insanity. You're the father Heero. You're the only possible father. I could never ever give myself to someone else Heero. You're the only one." With that she collapsed into Heero's arms leaving a stunned audience.
"Well I never thought she had the guts." Lei said.
"It's true?" Duo asked.
"Oh my God! I'm too late!" A stunned Dorothy with a gun in her hands screamed as she walked into the door and screamed out as she saw Relena crumpled in Heero's arms. "No, no you can't get away with this! I won't let you! Not after Miss Relena worked so hard for peace, you won't destroy it." Dorothy shot her gun and this time it didn't hit anywhere but the heart. Lei crumpled and let out her last words to Dorothy the same ones the Doctor had given Dorothy before. "Bitch....."
So what did you think! I'd really like to know! I worked really hard to get this chapter to you ASAP! My poor ecconomics project. Well I guess I know which class I'm gonna fail. EVERYTHING shall be revealed in the next chapter so stay tuned and be sure to leave a review I try so hard and if you don't like it tell me why and if you do tell me my good points it is so greatly appreciated you have no idea!