wtrw2

When the Roses Weep
Two

Relena had packed hastily, thrown in her necessities and didn't dare forget to take the teddy bear she'd received previously along with her. All the while Heero had waited outside, leaning against the hidden nook of the steps leading to the main entryway. He'd been there when a prestigious black limousine arrived and a man, whose face he didn't catch, who looked as if he owned the mansion stormed in. Heero craned his neck to watch him sling the doors open and yell out a boisterous hello to someone. Probably Miliardo. The watch he'd set clicked on towards ten forty, and the rose bushes next to him began to release their scent.
Heero watched them, swaying slightly from the weight of the full blooms. They're everywhere...
A jolt startled him from his thoughts on the roses. The door slammed shut and the man moved into another room. Heero's cold eyes stayed locked on the windows above him, almost as if he could see the goings on taking place inside. Silence fitted over him and the roses, and the grounds, something ominous and plaguing was going to take place.

said the man who'd arrived shortly after Miliardo phoned him. Where is Relena?
The maid on duty, Abalone, made a slight movement to curtsey, then rushed out of the study to fetch her mistress. She reached Relena's room and caught her full on, treading oriental rug, hauling a travel bag. Without a word, Abalone was met with sad eyes.
Abby, please, I know he's here, Relena said pleadingly, take this to the back, put it beneath the pink French roses and don't tell anyone. Please.
Abalone looked a bit worried, but nodded. Yes, miss.
The maid took the bag and headed down the stairs, taking great caution to be inconspicuous as she'd supposed Relena wished her to be. Relena herself flattened out the front of her slacks and straightened her posture. When she had achieved a somewhat decent appearance, she went down to the study, where she met her guest.
he said sternly, grabbing her arms as she came close enough, your brother told me about some guest you had last night. He told me that he found to two together. In your room.
She tried to remain as strong as she'd become over time, but he wore down on her like steel wool, sending her wits and endurance to splinters whenever his glossy brown eyes were on her. Lawrence, it--
It was what? What was it, tell me. He shook her gently, not meaning to be gentle at all. Tell me what my fiancee was doing with some strange man last night!
Then, almost inaudibly, I'm not your fiancee.

Lawrence, please let go of me.
He jerked her closer to him, until she was pressed firmly against the hard wall of his chest. Relena, what in the hell do you think you're doing? Are you intentionally trying to anger me?
She turned her head away from him, which incited his anger further.
You will look at me when I'm speaking to you, he shoved her away in disgust. For Christ's sake, Relena. I am your fiancee. You are to be faithful to me. You belong to me for all I care.
Relena gulped hard, fighting back tears in front of him. Her fists quaked with internal and untapped rage. Mr. Rose, you may be my fiancee, but I do not belong to you. My pledge to you is not out of love, but out of...of...forced arrangements.
Never. She could never stammer out what she had to say with him in earshot. He incapacitated her public speaking abilities and greatly altered her personality since being engaged. Her shoulders slouched, her eyes downcast. Not something the true and real Relena would do. Suddenly in a wild fit of anger, he thrust out his arm and slapped her hard against the cheek. She reeled back from the pressure, the sheer force exploding across her face and resounding back into her spine, her head flung back. Her hand slowly lifted to the tender, puckered and now red flesh that he'd struck.
How dare you!
Almost crumpling under his anger and fierce character, Relena dropped her face, not letting him witness her crying. And she remembered that Heero would take her away. That he was there to help her stand on her own as he had before. To aid her, lend her his strength. Lawrence had stolen her innocence and broken her spirit, but he hadn't taken Heero from her. Relena laughed slightly, ashamed of herself and how she'd allowed herself to be bitch slapped around by him like some street whore.
How dare you, she wept out loud now, hot tears slipping over the slap mark he'd left on her left cheek. How dare you, Mr. Rose! I will no longer stand here and let you lash out on me! Damn you and damn the contract!
He looked surprised at her, taking a faulty step back. Then, he moved closer to her, Relena with her back straight as a rail and her head up high to meet his face head on. Her eyebrows furrowed deep. Lawrence Rose put his hand on her delicate, almost wiry shoulder and walked around her, as if sizing her up all over again. This time around, she didn't cower, she didn't back down. Heero was there to protect her. He made her remember how strong she was. That no man, not even war, could bring her down. But he had. Perhaps while she was weak after her own battle with her beliefs. Maybe because she couldn't stand to be alone. And he'd taken advantage of her. Now knocked back into reality with his return, Relena smirked a bit and let Rose try to push her back down.
You need to remember who's who here, dear Relena, his hands roved over her shoulders, finding their way to her right arm, gripping hard.
Mr. Rose, you need to lea-- she'd been cut off by a horrendous CRACK that rippled through her until she realized that he'd brutally dislocated her shoulder with the eloquent flick of his wrist. Her knees buckled, sending her down to the floor in a heap. Her right shoulder, popped out of place, allowed her arm to dangle lifelessly to the floor.
Too afraid to move or try to retaliate, she stayed there, rid of words and her will to be strong. Lawrence laughed and kneeled down to her, pushing her bangs back so he could see her face. Her tears still falling, dripping to the floor. He sighed lightly.
he said, taking her slack arm and pulling it back, her head throwing back as he yanked it hard and snapped the bone of her arm back to its socket, get yourself cleaned up. You look like shit. Get a shower and put on a dress for God's sake, and wear some of that perfume I got you. I want to you back down here by twelve, you hear me? You, me, and your brother are going to have a nice long talk about your living arrangements.

As soon as she'd been released, she ran like hell for the door, slamming into Abalone, who'd already hidden her bag peacefully. Relena hurtled against the door, jamming it open in a wild rush, and dashing outside into the morning sunlight. She stumbled down the steps, tripping on the gravel as she desperately searched for Heero who wasn't in sight. Her ankle ached from being twisted in the gravel, but she ran nonetheless, past his hiding spot and retrieved her bag.
Heero ran after her, smacking into her when she came back en route to find him. Making contact with his chest, she cried out, only to be quieted by his hands on her back, his familiar scent. Nearby, a row of Hybrid Tea Roses watched inanimately as Heero stroked her hair, not knowing that the arm that was tightly bound around his waist had been dislocated. She'd dropped the bag and fallen hard against him.
What happened? Are you okay?
Heero! We have to go! We have to go now! He's here, her voice was frantic, wheezing and trembling with fear. He's here, Heero, he's here!
Who? The man that, that, did this to you, it all sank in.
Relena shook her head, No, no! We have to go, take me away, Heero. Please, you promised.

To be continued...