Disclaimer: I don't own Gundam Wing....
Dedication: All to those who are being very, Very patient with me right now, thank you so much!!
~**~Chapter 6~**~
~*~I'd rather die at the gun of Heero Yuy...~*~
Relena sighed heavily as she was escorted up the set of stairs towards the double front doors where her grandfather; Marquise Weridge was standing. He watched her with kind dark blue eyes and felt his heart ache. If he couldn't be able to keep her safe for the next few days then it would all be over for peace and for them.
Heero had stayed with her most of the night, sitting by her bedside, watching her as she slept, holding her hand gently in his everynow and then whenever she had cried out in her sleep. But, when she had awoken the very next morning.... he was gone. Not a trace of him left, except for the lingering sensation of soft, tender lips on her right sleep flushed cheek.
Milliardo glanced over at his little sister and noticed that she hadn't said an entire thing at all that day or the day before that. He frowned lightly and cleared his throat, " So, Relena... what are you going to do now? "
Relena closed her eyes for a brief second before opening them again to look over into her brother's wondering face, " I don't know... join the army? ", she joked lightly.
Milliardo quirked an eyebrow, " Relena, please... this is very serious... "
Relena sighed, " I'm sorry, it's just that I don't think it's right for you to have me staying with grandfather. Why am I here? There has to be a reason besides for the one you gave me in the hospital... "
Milliardo knew what the other answer was, he just wasn't going to tell her in case she did something stupid and decided to agree to the United Earth's Sphere Alliance's wishes on having them all executed. But why would she? Would she honestly be that stupid to do something like that?
" You're here because we all want the Queen of the world to be safe and not in harm's way... "
Marquise overheard Milliardo and he nodded, " He's right, dear. You should listen to him once an while... it'll help lots.. "
Relena looked at Marquise and smiled gently as she walked over to him and wrapped her arms around him in a big hug, " Hello Grandfather! How are you doing? ", she asked as she pulled away and looked at him.
Marquise looked his only granddaughter over once and a smile of approval slid onto his face, " Just like your mother.... ", he whispered in awe.
Relena blushed lightly and giggled, " Thank you... but, could you tell me why I'm here? "
Marquise looked at Milliardo as Milliardo ran his left hand sideways across his neck, gesturing for him not to say a word, " Well, uh... you're here to be safe. We don't want you to do anything rash... ", he lied lightly.
Relena frowned deeply and then glanced over her shoulder at her brother, " Will you stop that, brother? You don't think I can see you making that damned gesture with you hand? "
Milliardo's eyebrows went up in mock surprise, " W-what? I'm not doing anything... I was just.. waving to grandfather because it's my time to head back to the hospital to see Noin... ", he lied over his shoulder as he began to make his way down the steps.
Relena sighed, exasperated, " What? No hug? Nothing for your poor little sister? ", she said with a pout.
Milliardo cringed and then turned back around to gather Relena into his arms and hug her hard, " You be good, and don't you go and play the disappearing act on grandfather again... ", he reminded her gently as he planted a soft kiss to her forehead.
Relena plastered a fake, innocent smile to her lips and nodded, " Oh, I won't do that again... "
Milliardo nodded, " Uh huh... ", he replied, slightly sarcastic as he turned around again and left Relena standing on the step with their grandfather.
Relena watched Milliardo climb into the limo and then take off down the cul-de-sac. Marquise walked up behind Relena and placed a hand on her shoulder, " Come inside, Relena. We must talk... unless you don't want to and you want to rest... "
Relena turned around and looked up at him. She nodded her head slightly and tucked a few loose strands of hair back behind her ear, " I think I'll go and rest for a while... just until suppertime. I'm still a little exhausted from the ride here and from what happened a few days ago... "
Marquise nodded, " Of course... "
Relena smiled sincerely as she gently brushed past her grandfather to made her way up the stairs towards her room. Once she was in the room, she locked the door and stuck a chair under the doorknob before she made her way to the balcony on the other side of the room.
Relena walked out into the fresh air and looked outside as she walked over the railing of the balcony. She looked over the edge and frowned as she tried to calculate how far the drop was to the ground, ' About... ten feet... ', she thought in slight dismay.
Relena backed up from the railing to go back into the room and sit on the edge of the bed. She hugged her arms to her stomach and doubled over slightly. Looking at the ground between the crack in her legs, she frowned deeply, " Why didn't I kill him? Why didn't he kill ME? That look.... the look in his eyes when he had his gun pointed at me two days ago. What was it? Determination? L-love? ", she shook her head. " No! He couldn't love me.... he doesn't have it in his cold heart to love another then himself... "
Relena sighed heavily and raked a hand through her hair, " This just isn't fair, and it just isn't right! I shouldn't have to be locked up in here... at my grandfather's. And why am I here in the first place? They never told me about why I was here... this isn't making any sense to me... ", she shouted to the quiet room and to the chirping birds outside.
" Miss Relena? Are you alright in there? Would you like it if I came in? ", a soft, yet firm voice called from the other side of the closed door.
Relena looked over at the door and shook her head, " Uh... n-no! I'm alright.... you don't have to worry about me. I'm just thinking outloud, that's all... ", she assured whoever was out there, on the other side of the door.
Silence.
Relena sighed in relief as she stood up from the bed and walked over to the closet. She pulled it open and to her surprise, she found it stocked with sheets and blankets for the upcoming winter season, which was approaching them quickly. In a few weeks to be precise.
A slightly evil grin caused the right corner of her lips to curl up as she reached into the closet and pulled out the sheets and blankets. Dragging them to the bed, Relena began to tie the ends together in tight knots that were impossible to get undone...
***
" Mr. Peacecraft? There are a few young gentlemen here who wish for an audience with you.... ", a soft voice called from the doorway of Noin's hospital room.
Milliardo looked up and gave the blonde nurse a brief nod of his head before standing up, stretching lazily and then quietly slipping from the room to find Quartre Raberba Winner and two other young men standing in the hallway or either sitting in the orange plastic chairs.
Quartre looked at Milliardo with worried eyes as he approached them quickly, " Milliardo... where's Relena? ", his first question slipped past his lips as a firm, quick demand.
Milliardo cocked an eyebrow, " So... abrupt? Why's that, Quartre? "
Quartre shook his head, " You're all in grave danger! Please.... "
Milliardo held up a gentle hand, " Whoa! Hold on for just one minute... I already know, Quartre... "
Quartre blinked, " Y-you do? "
" MM-hmm... "
" Then why are you still here and not out trying to escape before they capture you.... "
Trowa and Wufei both watched from the orange chairs that they both occupied. Milliardo looked at their expressionless faces and then looked at Quartre, " Relena's with her grandfather. She's safe and sound, Quartre... you don't need to worry.. "
Quartre shook his head and balled his hands into tight fists that hung limply at his sides, " It still isn't right for you to be here. Same with her... you should all be gone already, trying to find a place to hide out... "
Milliardo crossed his arms over his chest and stared down at the younger man, " And where would we go, Quartre? We have no place to go... no place to hide. "
" So... you're just going to give yourselves into them? ", Trowa spoke up from behind Quartre.
Milliardo looked into the deep, green eyes that told more then the man himself could. He shrugged, " I guess... I am... I'm not going to be turning Relena in. I'm turning myself into them. Relena has too much to live for already in her life... she shouldn't have to die like this... "
Wufei snorted, " Women are weak.... including Relena.... "
Milliardo narrowed his eyes and took a threatening step towards the young Japanese man, " You'd better watch what you say about my family, Chang! ", he growled under his breath.
Trowa stood up from his chair and placed himself between the two men, " Fighting about this now isn't going to solve anything. And besides... we aren't talking about Relena being weak, Wufei. We're talking about the Peacecraft's being executed for no reason... ", he remined him quickly over his shoulder.
Quartre nodded his head and then plowed a hand through his short pale blonde hair, " This just still isn't right! How'd you figure out that they were going to go along with this? Who told you? "
" My grandfather... "
" The one who Relena's staying with now? "
Milliardo nodded, " Yes... he told me over the phone while Relena was being hospitalized. After I heard it, the first thing he said was that he wanted Relena to be there with him, where he would be able to protect her if anything or anybody were to hurt her... "
Quartre nodded again and scratched his jaw lightly, " Alright... can I see her at least? To see how she's doing? ", he asked lightly.
Milliardo smiled gently, " Always the other brother for her, huh? "
Quartre shrugged lightly as he looked up at Milliardo, " Well, I have known you guys most of my life... so.... "
Milliardo nodded, " Yes... you can see her. How about you go over there tonight... she seemed rather lonely as she watched me leave he alone with grandfather. But... just don't mention the real reason why she's there... ", he warned.
Quartre nodded, " Of course... I know... "
Trowa ran his tongue over his lips and then went to sit back to sit down in the orange plastic chair beside Wufei, " How will we keep them safe? ", he asked Quartre lightly.
Milliardo, Quartre and Wufei all looked at Trowa. Milliardo shook his head, " You're not going to have to worry about keeping me safe. Just worry about making sure that the Queen of the world is safe and isn't dead by the end of the day... "
***
Heero blinked lightly as his fingers skimmed over the keyboard with grace and skill. He clicked the Enter button to enter a five digit code for the file that he was trying to hack into. A file that was top secret. Duo watched from the bed in the far corner of the dorm room.
" Hey, Heero! What the hell are you doing? It's like... five in the morning and you're up at your computer playing games? Yeesh, I guess I'll just never learn to really understand you, huh? ", Duo complained as he sat up and pushed the covers aside to reveal himself clad in nothing but a pair of black boxers that clung to his muscular legs.
Heero snorted, " Hn... I'm busy trying to hack into something, I don't think I'd call this a game, Duo... ", he replied calmly in his usual monotone voice.
Duo slowly got off the bed and walked over to the computer, scratching his head as he walked, trousling his loose long stands of dark chocolate that caressed his bare back as he walked, " Hack, huh? Into what and why? "
Heero squinted his eyes slightly as he tried to concentrate on his mission, but he was having trouble. Everytime he got too busy or buried in his mission, her smiling face would show up in his mind and her soft, whispery-like voice would caress his mind until it hurt to try and understand what she was telling him.
Duo went and sat down in the chair beside the computer desk. He propped an elbow on his bare knee and leaned forward as he leaned his chin on palm, " Hello?! Earth to Tyler O'Donnell!! You still in there? ", he asked as he waved a hand in front of Heero's face.
Heero quickly reached up and swatted the hand aside, " Stop it, Duo! I mean it... ", he snarled as his prussian blue eyes took on a hint of evil in them.
Duo frowned deeply and stood up, " Geez... remind me to tell Relena that you're not very good company to be around in the mornings whenever she has to wake up in bed with you by her side... ", he joked as he quickly made his way towards the bathroom to hop into the shower.
Heero sighed heavily as he heard the assuring sound of the water pelting the wall and the glass doors, " Ha! Relena won't ever be waking up by my side in the mornings... I can swear that to you, Duo... ", he promised softly as he tried once again to concentrate on his work.
The light tinkling of silver bells slid into his mind and he let out a loud, frustrated cry as he quickly turned off the laptop and pushed the chair back hard as he got up, sending it crashing to the ground. Heero walked over it and grabbed his jean jacket. He slung it over his shoulder and quietly left the room, keys in hand as he made his way down to the student parking lot to go for a drive in Duo's black sport's car....
***
Relena fumbled with the knots. She silently prayed that they would hold her weight, and if they didn't, then she would end up breaking a leg or two. Relena sighed loudly as she stood out on the balcony, bathed with bright light that was provided from the full moon that hung in the diamond sparkled sky.
" One more knot and... AHH!! Gotcha you now! ", she practically shouted outloud as she tugged on each sheet and blanket that was tied tightly together as a family.
Relena beamed at her handy work and then dropped the sheets and blankets to the ground as she went back into the bedroom to make sure the very end was wrapped tightly around the oak bedpost of her bed that she wouldn't be able to sleep in tonight. She tugged on the end and watched as it held on tightly.
" Good... ", she whispered as she walked back out onto the balcony, carrying the sheets and blankets piled in her arms.
Relena walked over to the end of the balcony and chucked the man-made rope over the edge. She looked over at the railing at the ground which really looked to fifty feet down. Relena swallowed her fears and doubts and bent over to grasp the rope with two hands.
She then quickly scrambled over the side of the railing, making sure that she got a good foothold before slowly lowering herself to the ground. As she was climbing downwards, she closed her eyes and began to pray silently to a God that probably had better things to do then listen to her prayers.
' God, please don't you let me fall. Don't let this rope give out on me and allow me to fall to my death or even break a bone.... please... I'd rather die at the gun of Heero Yuy then fall to my death from my very own balcony... '
Relena was about ten feet from her balcony when she finally opened her eyes and looked around at where she was. As soon as she looked down - which was a big mistake - her heart sank to her stomach as she looked at what appeared to be a long way to the ground, perhaps another thirty feet or so.
She first noticed the rest of the feet that were somehow added when she had begun to pray to her God, but that's when she noticed that her man-made rope was out of rope. Relena groaned loudly and rested her forehead against the cool brick of the wall.
" How could I have been so stupid? ", she cursed herself slightly.
There was a little tugging at the very top of the rope, way at the top where the balcony was and Relena's head snapped up to look for anyone who was there. She found no one. Only darkness that was beginning to close in on her as she looked back down at the ground.
Relena pushed down her fears as she continued to climb a few more feet down. As she continued to climb, there was another slight tug and then a jerk as the rope slightly gave way, leaving Relena's feet dangling as she grasped the rope with two hands after sliding down it, just ending at the very end of it all.
" No! ", she cried out.
Another jerk sent Relena and the rope a few more inches downwards. Very slowly it all went by for her. Her loud breathing was like loud planes that roared past right in her ears, her heartbeat was loud and quickly paced in her throat, and her feet, which scraped along the wall, trying to grab a foothold were like the sounds of a veru loud stampede that roared to life underneath her.
" Oh, God please! I beg of you!! ", she shouted now as another jerk caused the rope to tremble under her hands and then give way.
Relena fell back, through the air she flew, the end of the rope still clutched tightly in her hand as she fell through the air that rushed past her body, giving her no assurance that it would support her weight and float her back up to her balcony. A loud, wild scream tore past her lips as she fell to her death to the awaiting hard, pavement below....
***
" How do you think she's doing? ", Noin asked lightly as Milliardo came into the room holding two steaming hot chocolates in his hands.
Milliardo winced lightly as he quickly handed her the cup, " I think she's doing just fine. I mean... she's with grandfather, so... she'll be alright. ", he assured her gently as he cautiously sipped his hot chocolate.
Noin nodded her head slowly, suddenly staring off at the window in a daze. Milliardo lookd at her over the top of his mug and frowned as he licked the whipped cream from his upper lip. He reached out and gently laid a hand on her arm and watched as she jumped slightly and looked at him, tears sparkling in her eyes.
" Honey... what's the matter? What has you crying like that? "
Noin sniffled lightly and shook her head as she reached up to wipe away the lone tears that fell down her cheeks, " N-nothing.. I was just... thinking... "
Milliardo knitted his brows together and moved over closer to sit beside her on the bed. He wrapped an arm around her shoulders and held her close, " Don't worry.... she's going to be alright, Noin. She's a big girl, but sometimes... she just needs someone to watch over her... ", he whispered into her hair as he kissed her temple tenderly.
Noin rested her head against his chest and listened to the strong heartbeat, " I hope you're right.... I hope you're right... ", she whispered back. " I'm starting to get a really bad feeling about her... "
***
Heero reached out and flicked on the radio. Hard rock blared to life and Heero grimaced as he reached out and switched it to some news station. He sighed heavily and gently leaned an arm on the door that had it's window down. The cool breeze of the night ruffled his hair to the side or pushed it back everynow and then.
He pressed down on the accelerator and sped up a bit, trying to relieve himself of all the tension and stress that had caused, not only his muscles to bunch and knot up, but his mind. First he voewed to kill Relena, now he was protecting her. How could he have become so... soft?!
Heero shook his head in disbelief and easily guided the car around a curve, " I can't believe myself... so many times, yet I never went a head with it... why?! ", he grounded out through clenched teeth as he slammed a hand on the steerling wheel.
" I'm never going to understand, am I? ", he asked no one in particular.
Heero lifted his hand up to his face and opened it up so he could gaze at the symbol on his palm in the middle of his hand. He frowned lightly suddenly wondering what it was and where it came from. Relena's face came into his mind again and he shook his head to clear it.
He slammed both of his hands this time onto the steerling wheel and let out a stream of curses as he parked the car in an abandoned parking lot and sat there in silence with the top of the sport's car down, the wind caressing his anger flushed skin as a lover would do.
Heero leaned his head back against the leather seat and closed his eyes. Before his mind a story unravlled itself....
' Blood? Where could it be coming from? What's going on here? ', Heero thought as he watched the wide trail of blood continue to lead him on a wild goose chase.
Blood stained the snow covered grounds and everynow and then, Heero would come across the empty bullet shell of a shotgun. He shook his head and continued to follow the trail of blood. Something blue and violet clashed with the white snow and Heero's eyes were taken away from the blood to find a little blue-violet flower laying amongst the blood.
He picked it up and gently fingered it. Bringing it to his nose, he sniffed in the heavenly scent of flowers that he once loved.
' Relena... ', a voice whispered in the back of his mind.
Heero's eyes snapped open and the flower fell from his hand to land in the blood again and get completely soaked this time, " R-relena? She's the one who has the flowery scent in her hair and on her body... w-where is she though? ", he whispered as his eyes were back on the blood trail.
' Gonnnnnne...... ', the voice whispered.
Heero shook his head, " No! I won't believe it. She's not dead... she just can't be dead... ", he replied, his voice seeping with worry and fear.
' Gonnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnne..... ', the voice whispered again, only louder and firmer.
" NO! ", Heero shouted as he began to run along the trail of blood.
He suddenly stopped dead in his tracks as he spotted a body laying in the snow. The skin that was once probably a creamy colour was now as white as the snow itself. The long sandy blonde hair was fanned out around and over the body stained with blood. Her blood?
Heero swallowed thickly and slowly walked over to the body. He knelt down in the snow and reached out to flip the body over so he could see who it really was. As he flipped it over, the long hair fell over the face and Heero frowned lightly as he tried to push down the bile that had risen in his throat as the head was cradled in his lap.
He reached over and gently brushed the hair away from the face to reveal who it was. It was her alright. Heero closed his eyes and groaned loudly as he leaned over and placed his forehead to the girl's that laid on his lap. He encircled his arms around her and lifted her up higher so he could hug her to his body.
A warm, stinging in the back of his eyelids caused him to sniffled lightly and then wince as a lone tear slid down his cheek to land on the girl's chapped and blood crusted bottom lip, " Why?! Y-you... left me? Why? I promised to protect you and here you are... dead... in my arms.... and all because of what? I see no visible wounds.... ", Heero murmured as he opened his tear filled eyes and gazed down at the girl's peaceful looking face.
Her dark navy blue dress was torn everywhere, almost as if she had gotten into a fight or something before dying. Heero eached out and twirled a strand of her hair that would never feel the wind, or have the rain pelt it, around his callused finger before bringing it to his lips and kissing the soft silk.
" Oh, Relena.... ", he whispered as he hugged her to him hard, not ever wanting to let her go. But now was the time to elt her go, for she was already gone.
Heero laid one more gentle kiss on her forehead before laying her back down on the snow. He stood up and then began to walk back the way he came. All was lost to him now. She was dead and once she was dead... so was he. She was his heart, his world, basically everything to him, and there she was, laying on the ground, dead!!
" So... you think you've won? Now with Relena Peacecraft dead... everything will go as accordingly! ", a deep voice shouted to another man who was wearing a dark blue tux. His violet eyes narrowed slightly as he raked a hand through his light auburn hair.
" Everything will NOT go as accordingly, Benton! She's dead... but what about the rest of them? ", he questioned.
Benton cocked an eyebrow, " Well... I guess we'll just have to go and kill them off, now won't we? "
The man standing in front of the desk hesitated before nodded briefly. Heero blinked a couple of times before any of this could register.
' They wanted her... d-dead? Benton? Who is he? ', Heero wondered as he tried to walk into the room to reach over and strangle the man known as Benton.
" This isn't going to go as we had planned, Benton. Now that's she dead... everyone will want to know what happened to her. What are we going to say to them? "
Benton frowned lightly as he narrowed his Prussian blue eyes, " We'll think of something... don't we always? ", he replied with a smirk.
Heero outstretched hand towards Benton, but a loud yet soft voice in his head stopped him, ' Don't.... it's not worth it, Heero... '
Heero whirled around and began to scan the area behind him for anybody, but it was completely pitch black. He frowned deeply and turned back around to face Benton but he was gone. Heero blinked and then shook his head, " No! You bastard, you killed Relena! I'm going to make you pay for what you did..... ", he promised as he shouted it out to them so they could hear.
' Just let it all go... '
' Let it all go... '
' Go.... '
The voice. They wouldn't stop talking to him. Heero clutched his head in his hands and sank to the ground on his knees as he hunched over in a ball, as if trying to protect himself from the voices that lashed out at him all at once. He shook his head and bit his lip hard before suddenly jumping up, letting an arm fly sideways, and a pained expression slide onto his usual expressionless face.
" Leave me alone!! Jut go away! Get out of my head and let me have peace!! ", Heero shouted as he began to run straight into the pitch black area, not really caring which way he went or where he ended up.
' GO!!!!!!!!! '
" AERHGGGHH!!!!!!! ", Heero shouted as his toe caught on something and he pitched forward, head first, arms waving frantically as he fell into the dark abyss....
" Shit!! ", Heero cried as his eyes snapped open and he bolted up in the seat of Duo's sport's car.
He looked around nervously and then began to take deep breathes as he began to relax after slumping back against the leather seat. Tiny beads of sweat rolled down the sides of his face and he shook his head as he raked a hand through his hair.
" Only a dream... only a dream... ", He assured himself as he turned the key in the ignition and started the car.
The car roared to life and Heero quickly put it into drive as he backed out of the parking lot and began to head home. While driving down Calico.Ave, something - or someone - caught his eye as he drove right past them. Heero slammed down on the brakes and the smell of burning tires immediately filled the air along with the horrible screeching of the protesting tires as the brakes rubbed down againt them.
Heero quickly backed up the car and parked it. He squinted his eyes so he could get a better look at who was walking past the car, holding her side and limping as she walked. Her hair was messed, and her face had quite a bit scraps, cuts and bruises decorating it....
(A/N**: DUN DUN DUNNNNNNNNnnn!!!!!!!! Who could be the one who made Heero stop in the middle of the street? What's she doing out at almost six in the morning? Will the Peacecrafts really be executed? Find out next time on Truth or Consequences... *soap opera music plays softly in the background, followed closely by a commercial about the MTS bison...*)
Dedication: All to those who are being very, Very patient with me right now, thank you so much!!
~**~Chapter 6~**~
~*~I'd rather die at the gun of Heero Yuy...~*~
Relena sighed heavily as she was escorted up the set of stairs towards the double front doors where her grandfather; Marquise Weridge was standing. He watched her with kind dark blue eyes and felt his heart ache. If he couldn't be able to keep her safe for the next few days then it would all be over for peace and for them.
Heero had stayed with her most of the night, sitting by her bedside, watching her as she slept, holding her hand gently in his everynow and then whenever she had cried out in her sleep. But, when she had awoken the very next morning.... he was gone. Not a trace of him left, except for the lingering sensation of soft, tender lips on her right sleep flushed cheek.
Milliardo glanced over at his little sister and noticed that she hadn't said an entire thing at all that day or the day before that. He frowned lightly and cleared his throat, " So, Relena... what are you going to do now? "
Relena closed her eyes for a brief second before opening them again to look over into her brother's wondering face, " I don't know... join the army? ", she joked lightly.
Milliardo quirked an eyebrow, " Relena, please... this is very serious... "
Relena sighed, " I'm sorry, it's just that I don't think it's right for you to have me staying with grandfather. Why am I here? There has to be a reason besides for the one you gave me in the hospital... "
Milliardo knew what the other answer was, he just wasn't going to tell her in case she did something stupid and decided to agree to the United Earth's Sphere Alliance's wishes on having them all executed. But why would she? Would she honestly be that stupid to do something like that?
" You're here because we all want the Queen of the world to be safe and not in harm's way... "
Marquise overheard Milliardo and he nodded, " He's right, dear. You should listen to him once an while... it'll help lots.. "
Relena looked at Marquise and smiled gently as she walked over to him and wrapped her arms around him in a big hug, " Hello Grandfather! How are you doing? ", she asked as she pulled away and looked at him.
Marquise looked his only granddaughter over once and a smile of approval slid onto his face, " Just like your mother.... ", he whispered in awe.
Relena blushed lightly and giggled, " Thank you... but, could you tell me why I'm here? "
Marquise looked at Milliardo as Milliardo ran his left hand sideways across his neck, gesturing for him not to say a word, " Well, uh... you're here to be safe. We don't want you to do anything rash... ", he lied lightly.
Relena frowned deeply and then glanced over her shoulder at her brother, " Will you stop that, brother? You don't think I can see you making that damned gesture with you hand? "
Milliardo's eyebrows went up in mock surprise, " W-what? I'm not doing anything... I was just.. waving to grandfather because it's my time to head back to the hospital to see Noin... ", he lied over his shoulder as he began to make his way down the steps.
Relena sighed, exasperated, " What? No hug? Nothing for your poor little sister? ", she said with a pout.
Milliardo cringed and then turned back around to gather Relena into his arms and hug her hard, " You be good, and don't you go and play the disappearing act on grandfather again... ", he reminded her gently as he planted a soft kiss to her forehead.
Relena plastered a fake, innocent smile to her lips and nodded, " Oh, I won't do that again... "
Milliardo nodded, " Uh huh... ", he replied, slightly sarcastic as he turned around again and left Relena standing on the step with their grandfather.
Relena watched Milliardo climb into the limo and then take off down the cul-de-sac. Marquise walked up behind Relena and placed a hand on her shoulder, " Come inside, Relena. We must talk... unless you don't want to and you want to rest... "
Relena turned around and looked up at him. She nodded her head slightly and tucked a few loose strands of hair back behind her ear, " I think I'll go and rest for a while... just until suppertime. I'm still a little exhausted from the ride here and from what happened a few days ago... "
Marquise nodded, " Of course... "
Relena smiled sincerely as she gently brushed past her grandfather to made her way up the stairs towards her room. Once she was in the room, she locked the door and stuck a chair under the doorknob before she made her way to the balcony on the other side of the room.
Relena walked out into the fresh air and looked outside as she walked over the railing of the balcony. She looked over the edge and frowned as she tried to calculate how far the drop was to the ground, ' About... ten feet... ', she thought in slight dismay.
Relena backed up from the railing to go back into the room and sit on the edge of the bed. She hugged her arms to her stomach and doubled over slightly. Looking at the ground between the crack in her legs, she frowned deeply, " Why didn't I kill him? Why didn't he kill ME? That look.... the look in his eyes when he had his gun pointed at me two days ago. What was it? Determination? L-love? ", she shook her head. " No! He couldn't love me.... he doesn't have it in his cold heart to love another then himself... "
Relena sighed heavily and raked a hand through her hair, " This just isn't fair, and it just isn't right! I shouldn't have to be locked up in here... at my grandfather's. And why am I here in the first place? They never told me about why I was here... this isn't making any sense to me... ", she shouted to the quiet room and to the chirping birds outside.
" Miss Relena? Are you alright in there? Would you like it if I came in? ", a soft, yet firm voice called from the other side of the closed door.
Relena looked over at the door and shook her head, " Uh... n-no! I'm alright.... you don't have to worry about me. I'm just thinking outloud, that's all... ", she assured whoever was out there, on the other side of the door.
Silence.
Relena sighed in relief as she stood up from the bed and walked over to the closet. She pulled it open and to her surprise, she found it stocked with sheets and blankets for the upcoming winter season, which was approaching them quickly. In a few weeks to be precise.
A slightly evil grin caused the right corner of her lips to curl up as she reached into the closet and pulled out the sheets and blankets. Dragging them to the bed, Relena began to tie the ends together in tight knots that were impossible to get undone...
***
" Mr. Peacecraft? There are a few young gentlemen here who wish for an audience with you.... ", a soft voice called from the doorway of Noin's hospital room.
Milliardo looked up and gave the blonde nurse a brief nod of his head before standing up, stretching lazily and then quietly slipping from the room to find Quartre Raberba Winner and two other young men standing in the hallway or either sitting in the orange plastic chairs.
Quartre looked at Milliardo with worried eyes as he approached them quickly, " Milliardo... where's Relena? ", his first question slipped past his lips as a firm, quick demand.
Milliardo cocked an eyebrow, " So... abrupt? Why's that, Quartre? "
Quartre shook his head, " You're all in grave danger! Please.... "
Milliardo held up a gentle hand, " Whoa! Hold on for just one minute... I already know, Quartre... "
Quartre blinked, " Y-you do? "
" MM-hmm... "
" Then why are you still here and not out trying to escape before they capture you.... "
Trowa and Wufei both watched from the orange chairs that they both occupied. Milliardo looked at their expressionless faces and then looked at Quartre, " Relena's with her grandfather. She's safe and sound, Quartre... you don't need to worry.. "
Quartre shook his head and balled his hands into tight fists that hung limply at his sides, " It still isn't right for you to be here. Same with her... you should all be gone already, trying to find a place to hide out... "
Milliardo crossed his arms over his chest and stared down at the younger man, " And where would we go, Quartre? We have no place to go... no place to hide. "
" So... you're just going to give yourselves into them? ", Trowa spoke up from behind Quartre.
Milliardo looked into the deep, green eyes that told more then the man himself could. He shrugged, " I guess... I am... I'm not going to be turning Relena in. I'm turning myself into them. Relena has too much to live for already in her life... she shouldn't have to die like this... "
Wufei snorted, " Women are weak.... including Relena.... "
Milliardo narrowed his eyes and took a threatening step towards the young Japanese man, " You'd better watch what you say about my family, Chang! ", he growled under his breath.
Trowa stood up from his chair and placed himself between the two men, " Fighting about this now isn't going to solve anything. And besides... we aren't talking about Relena being weak, Wufei. We're talking about the Peacecraft's being executed for no reason... ", he remined him quickly over his shoulder.
Quartre nodded his head and then plowed a hand through his short pale blonde hair, " This just still isn't right! How'd you figure out that they were going to go along with this? Who told you? "
" My grandfather... "
" The one who Relena's staying with now? "
Milliardo nodded, " Yes... he told me over the phone while Relena was being hospitalized. After I heard it, the first thing he said was that he wanted Relena to be there with him, where he would be able to protect her if anything or anybody were to hurt her... "
Quartre nodded again and scratched his jaw lightly, " Alright... can I see her at least? To see how she's doing? ", he asked lightly.
Milliardo smiled gently, " Always the other brother for her, huh? "
Quartre shrugged lightly as he looked up at Milliardo, " Well, I have known you guys most of my life... so.... "
Milliardo nodded, " Yes... you can see her. How about you go over there tonight... she seemed rather lonely as she watched me leave he alone with grandfather. But... just don't mention the real reason why she's there... ", he warned.
Quartre nodded, " Of course... I know... "
Trowa ran his tongue over his lips and then went to sit back to sit down in the orange plastic chair beside Wufei, " How will we keep them safe? ", he asked Quartre lightly.
Milliardo, Quartre and Wufei all looked at Trowa. Milliardo shook his head, " You're not going to have to worry about keeping me safe. Just worry about making sure that the Queen of the world is safe and isn't dead by the end of the day... "
***
Heero blinked lightly as his fingers skimmed over the keyboard with grace and skill. He clicked the Enter button to enter a five digit code for the file that he was trying to hack into. A file that was top secret. Duo watched from the bed in the far corner of the dorm room.
" Hey, Heero! What the hell are you doing? It's like... five in the morning and you're up at your computer playing games? Yeesh, I guess I'll just never learn to really understand you, huh? ", Duo complained as he sat up and pushed the covers aside to reveal himself clad in nothing but a pair of black boxers that clung to his muscular legs.
Heero snorted, " Hn... I'm busy trying to hack into something, I don't think I'd call this a game, Duo... ", he replied calmly in his usual monotone voice.
Duo slowly got off the bed and walked over to the computer, scratching his head as he walked, trousling his loose long stands of dark chocolate that caressed his bare back as he walked, " Hack, huh? Into what and why? "
Heero squinted his eyes slightly as he tried to concentrate on his mission, but he was having trouble. Everytime he got too busy or buried in his mission, her smiling face would show up in his mind and her soft, whispery-like voice would caress his mind until it hurt to try and understand what she was telling him.
Duo went and sat down in the chair beside the computer desk. He propped an elbow on his bare knee and leaned forward as he leaned his chin on palm, " Hello?! Earth to Tyler O'Donnell!! You still in there? ", he asked as he waved a hand in front of Heero's face.
Heero quickly reached up and swatted the hand aside, " Stop it, Duo! I mean it... ", he snarled as his prussian blue eyes took on a hint of evil in them.
Duo frowned deeply and stood up, " Geez... remind me to tell Relena that you're not very good company to be around in the mornings whenever she has to wake up in bed with you by her side... ", he joked as he quickly made his way towards the bathroom to hop into the shower.
Heero sighed heavily as he heard the assuring sound of the water pelting the wall and the glass doors, " Ha! Relena won't ever be waking up by my side in the mornings... I can swear that to you, Duo... ", he promised softly as he tried once again to concentrate on his work.
The light tinkling of silver bells slid into his mind and he let out a loud, frustrated cry as he quickly turned off the laptop and pushed the chair back hard as he got up, sending it crashing to the ground. Heero walked over it and grabbed his jean jacket. He slung it over his shoulder and quietly left the room, keys in hand as he made his way down to the student parking lot to go for a drive in Duo's black sport's car....
***
Relena fumbled with the knots. She silently prayed that they would hold her weight, and if they didn't, then she would end up breaking a leg or two. Relena sighed loudly as she stood out on the balcony, bathed with bright light that was provided from the full moon that hung in the diamond sparkled sky.
" One more knot and... AHH!! Gotcha you now! ", she practically shouted outloud as she tugged on each sheet and blanket that was tied tightly together as a family.
Relena beamed at her handy work and then dropped the sheets and blankets to the ground as she went back into the bedroom to make sure the very end was wrapped tightly around the oak bedpost of her bed that she wouldn't be able to sleep in tonight. She tugged on the end and watched as it held on tightly.
" Good... ", she whispered as she walked back out onto the balcony, carrying the sheets and blankets piled in her arms.
Relena walked over to the end of the balcony and chucked the man-made rope over the edge. She looked over at the railing at the ground which really looked to fifty feet down. Relena swallowed her fears and doubts and bent over to grasp the rope with two hands.
She then quickly scrambled over the side of the railing, making sure that she got a good foothold before slowly lowering herself to the ground. As she was climbing downwards, she closed her eyes and began to pray silently to a God that probably had better things to do then listen to her prayers.
' God, please don't you let me fall. Don't let this rope give out on me and allow me to fall to my death or even break a bone.... please... I'd rather die at the gun of Heero Yuy then fall to my death from my very own balcony... '
Relena was about ten feet from her balcony when she finally opened her eyes and looked around at where she was. As soon as she looked down - which was a big mistake - her heart sank to her stomach as she looked at what appeared to be a long way to the ground, perhaps another thirty feet or so.
She first noticed the rest of the feet that were somehow added when she had begun to pray to her God, but that's when she noticed that her man-made rope was out of rope. Relena groaned loudly and rested her forehead against the cool brick of the wall.
" How could I have been so stupid? ", she cursed herself slightly.
There was a little tugging at the very top of the rope, way at the top where the balcony was and Relena's head snapped up to look for anyone who was there. She found no one. Only darkness that was beginning to close in on her as she looked back down at the ground.
Relena pushed down her fears as she continued to climb a few more feet down. As she continued to climb, there was another slight tug and then a jerk as the rope slightly gave way, leaving Relena's feet dangling as she grasped the rope with two hands after sliding down it, just ending at the very end of it all.
" No! ", she cried out.
Another jerk sent Relena and the rope a few more inches downwards. Very slowly it all went by for her. Her loud breathing was like loud planes that roared past right in her ears, her heartbeat was loud and quickly paced in her throat, and her feet, which scraped along the wall, trying to grab a foothold were like the sounds of a veru loud stampede that roared to life underneath her.
" Oh, God please! I beg of you!! ", she shouted now as another jerk caused the rope to tremble under her hands and then give way.
Relena fell back, through the air she flew, the end of the rope still clutched tightly in her hand as she fell through the air that rushed past her body, giving her no assurance that it would support her weight and float her back up to her balcony. A loud, wild scream tore past her lips as she fell to her death to the awaiting hard, pavement below....
***
" How do you think she's doing? ", Noin asked lightly as Milliardo came into the room holding two steaming hot chocolates in his hands.
Milliardo winced lightly as he quickly handed her the cup, " I think she's doing just fine. I mean... she's with grandfather, so... she'll be alright. ", he assured her gently as he cautiously sipped his hot chocolate.
Noin nodded her head slowly, suddenly staring off at the window in a daze. Milliardo lookd at her over the top of his mug and frowned as he licked the whipped cream from his upper lip. He reached out and gently laid a hand on her arm and watched as she jumped slightly and looked at him, tears sparkling in her eyes.
" Honey... what's the matter? What has you crying like that? "
Noin sniffled lightly and shook her head as she reached up to wipe away the lone tears that fell down her cheeks, " N-nothing.. I was just... thinking... "
Milliardo knitted his brows together and moved over closer to sit beside her on the bed. He wrapped an arm around her shoulders and held her close, " Don't worry.... she's going to be alright, Noin. She's a big girl, but sometimes... she just needs someone to watch over her... ", he whispered into her hair as he kissed her temple tenderly.
Noin rested her head against his chest and listened to the strong heartbeat, " I hope you're right.... I hope you're right... ", she whispered back. " I'm starting to get a really bad feeling about her... "
***
Heero reached out and flicked on the radio. Hard rock blared to life and Heero grimaced as he reached out and switched it to some news station. He sighed heavily and gently leaned an arm on the door that had it's window down. The cool breeze of the night ruffled his hair to the side or pushed it back everynow and then.
He pressed down on the accelerator and sped up a bit, trying to relieve himself of all the tension and stress that had caused, not only his muscles to bunch and knot up, but his mind. First he voewed to kill Relena, now he was protecting her. How could he have become so... soft?!
Heero shook his head in disbelief and easily guided the car around a curve, " I can't believe myself... so many times, yet I never went a head with it... why?! ", he grounded out through clenched teeth as he slammed a hand on the steerling wheel.
" I'm never going to understand, am I? ", he asked no one in particular.
Heero lifted his hand up to his face and opened it up so he could gaze at the symbol on his palm in the middle of his hand. He frowned lightly suddenly wondering what it was and where it came from. Relena's face came into his mind again and he shook his head to clear it.
He slammed both of his hands this time onto the steerling wheel and let out a stream of curses as he parked the car in an abandoned parking lot and sat there in silence with the top of the sport's car down, the wind caressing his anger flushed skin as a lover would do.
Heero leaned his head back against the leather seat and closed his eyes. Before his mind a story unravlled itself....
' Blood? Where could it be coming from? What's going on here? ', Heero thought as he watched the wide trail of blood continue to lead him on a wild goose chase.
Blood stained the snow covered grounds and everynow and then, Heero would come across the empty bullet shell of a shotgun. He shook his head and continued to follow the trail of blood. Something blue and violet clashed with the white snow and Heero's eyes were taken away from the blood to find a little blue-violet flower laying amongst the blood.
He picked it up and gently fingered it. Bringing it to his nose, he sniffed in the heavenly scent of flowers that he once loved.
' Relena... ', a voice whispered in the back of his mind.
Heero's eyes snapped open and the flower fell from his hand to land in the blood again and get completely soaked this time, " R-relena? She's the one who has the flowery scent in her hair and on her body... w-where is she though? ", he whispered as his eyes were back on the blood trail.
' Gonnnnnne...... ', the voice whispered.
Heero shook his head, " No! I won't believe it. She's not dead... she just can't be dead... ", he replied, his voice seeping with worry and fear.
' Gonnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnne..... ', the voice whispered again, only louder and firmer.
" NO! ", Heero shouted as he began to run along the trail of blood.
He suddenly stopped dead in his tracks as he spotted a body laying in the snow. The skin that was once probably a creamy colour was now as white as the snow itself. The long sandy blonde hair was fanned out around and over the body stained with blood. Her blood?
Heero swallowed thickly and slowly walked over to the body. He knelt down in the snow and reached out to flip the body over so he could see who it really was. As he flipped it over, the long hair fell over the face and Heero frowned lightly as he tried to push down the bile that had risen in his throat as the head was cradled in his lap.
He reached over and gently brushed the hair away from the face to reveal who it was. It was her alright. Heero closed his eyes and groaned loudly as he leaned over and placed his forehead to the girl's that laid on his lap. He encircled his arms around her and lifted her up higher so he could hug her to his body.
A warm, stinging in the back of his eyelids caused him to sniffled lightly and then wince as a lone tear slid down his cheek to land on the girl's chapped and blood crusted bottom lip, " Why?! Y-you... left me? Why? I promised to protect you and here you are... dead... in my arms.... and all because of what? I see no visible wounds.... ", Heero murmured as he opened his tear filled eyes and gazed down at the girl's peaceful looking face.
Her dark navy blue dress was torn everywhere, almost as if she had gotten into a fight or something before dying. Heero eached out and twirled a strand of her hair that would never feel the wind, or have the rain pelt it, around his callused finger before bringing it to his lips and kissing the soft silk.
" Oh, Relena.... ", he whispered as he hugged her to him hard, not ever wanting to let her go. But now was the time to elt her go, for she was already gone.
Heero laid one more gentle kiss on her forehead before laying her back down on the snow. He stood up and then began to walk back the way he came. All was lost to him now. She was dead and once she was dead... so was he. She was his heart, his world, basically everything to him, and there she was, laying on the ground, dead!!
" So... you think you've won? Now with Relena Peacecraft dead... everything will go as accordingly! ", a deep voice shouted to another man who was wearing a dark blue tux. His violet eyes narrowed slightly as he raked a hand through his light auburn hair.
" Everything will NOT go as accordingly, Benton! She's dead... but what about the rest of them? ", he questioned.
Benton cocked an eyebrow, " Well... I guess we'll just have to go and kill them off, now won't we? "
The man standing in front of the desk hesitated before nodded briefly. Heero blinked a couple of times before any of this could register.
' They wanted her... d-dead? Benton? Who is he? ', Heero wondered as he tried to walk into the room to reach over and strangle the man known as Benton.
" This isn't going to go as we had planned, Benton. Now that's she dead... everyone will want to know what happened to her. What are we going to say to them? "
Benton frowned lightly as he narrowed his Prussian blue eyes, " We'll think of something... don't we always? ", he replied with a smirk.
Heero outstretched hand towards Benton, but a loud yet soft voice in his head stopped him, ' Don't.... it's not worth it, Heero... '
Heero whirled around and began to scan the area behind him for anybody, but it was completely pitch black. He frowned deeply and turned back around to face Benton but he was gone. Heero blinked and then shook his head, " No! You bastard, you killed Relena! I'm going to make you pay for what you did..... ", he promised as he shouted it out to them so they could hear.
' Just let it all go... '
' Let it all go... '
' Go.... '
The voice. They wouldn't stop talking to him. Heero clutched his head in his hands and sank to the ground on his knees as he hunched over in a ball, as if trying to protect himself from the voices that lashed out at him all at once. He shook his head and bit his lip hard before suddenly jumping up, letting an arm fly sideways, and a pained expression slide onto his usual expressionless face.
" Leave me alone!! Jut go away! Get out of my head and let me have peace!! ", Heero shouted as he began to run straight into the pitch black area, not really caring which way he went or where he ended up.
' GO!!!!!!!!! '
" AERHGGGHH!!!!!!! ", Heero shouted as his toe caught on something and he pitched forward, head first, arms waving frantically as he fell into the dark abyss....
" Shit!! ", Heero cried as his eyes snapped open and he bolted up in the seat of Duo's sport's car.
He looked around nervously and then began to take deep breathes as he began to relax after slumping back against the leather seat. Tiny beads of sweat rolled down the sides of his face and he shook his head as he raked a hand through his hair.
" Only a dream... only a dream... ", He assured himself as he turned the key in the ignition and started the car.
The car roared to life and Heero quickly put it into drive as he backed out of the parking lot and began to head home. While driving down Calico.Ave, something - or someone - caught his eye as he drove right past them. Heero slammed down on the brakes and the smell of burning tires immediately filled the air along with the horrible screeching of the protesting tires as the brakes rubbed down againt them.
Heero quickly backed up the car and parked it. He squinted his eyes so he could get a better look at who was walking past the car, holding her side and limping as she walked. Her hair was messed, and her face had quite a bit scraps, cuts and bruises decorating it....
(A/N**: DUN DUN DUNNNNNNNNnnn!!!!!!!! Who could be the one who made Heero stop in the middle of the street? What's she doing out at almost six in the morning? Will the Peacecrafts really be executed? Find out next time on Truth or Consequences... *soap opera music plays softly in the background, followed closely by a commercial about the MTS bison...*)