Title: Chimera
Author: Amber
Pairings: Not Sure Yet but there will definitely be Yaoi.
Disclaimer: Gundam belongs to Gundam and any scene or plot similarity to another person's story, movie or anime is purely coincidental. Any new OC belongs to said author and her imagination.
Turning Point
The first thing she did when she got to work was lock herself in her office. She had a hour before her first meeting and she intended to make use of every bit of it. A part of her just wanted to go back and redo the entire morning pretend nothing happened sadly though she wasn't one for avoidance. If you pressed right now about how she was feeling betrayed, betrayed was a good description and the tragic thing was she had no right to feel betrayed. Heero and Duo didn't run their life choices through her for approval the fact that they have a child the...same...age as they.. are. Relena stood moving to the window she started laughing at how insane that sounded. How in gods name did they have a child their age? Advances in clone acceleration were still years away until they could find a way to stabilize the mental instability that was a side effect of the forced acceleration.
"Gabriel," she looked upward blinking rapidly as her eyes filled with tears. "Why didn't you tell me?" All he wanted was to go home and he couldn't because of some obligation to her safety. It shouldn't be too hard to guess which bottom feeder wanted her dead a few phone calls and she would make plans. It was time for her to start acting like the Minister time to start utilizing her own sources after all how did they think she found Heero as much as she did. Heero, just thinking about him hurt more than she could say this whole Gabriel fiasco just served as a painful reminder of how insignificant she would become in his life. And it hurt. The discreet tones of her intercom beeped interrupting her dismal thoughts glancing at her wrist watch she smiled sadly right on time it didn't take a genius to figure out who that could be. Moving to initiate the connection she braced herself for the worst.
"Yes, Miriam."
"Mr. Maxwell is here to see you."
"Tell him, I'm busy right now I'll get back to him later." The silence on the com stretched Relena could almost see her secretary in her minds eye putting one and one together and getting two.
"Yes mam." Relena pushed away from her desk and had moved back to the window when the knock came.
"Come on Lena, I'm not going away let me in." The knocking continued for several minutes until silence descended. Then distinct sound of her door being unlocked and opened reached her ears. Relena turned and stared at Duo from across the room as he locked the door and stalked toward her desk.
"Damn it Lena, don't we have enough to worry about with Heero but now you run off?"
She shook her head. "I'm so ashamed."
Duo moved around the desk and pulled her into a hug. "Why," he asked in the same tone.
"I acted like a melodramatic schoolgirl today thinking only of myself when I could see you were hurt and angry too. But no, all I could think of was how betrayed I felt." She clutched Duo to her tighter. "And I have no reason to feel betrayed I'm not his lover, his children wont be mine. But I realized just how little I belonged in his life." She leaned back her eyes staring intensely into his, tears trailing down her face. "God Duo, how have you stood me being around? A constant reminder, a ditz who can't let go."
Duo bent and swung her off her feet moving to her couch he sat down with her on his lap. "Lena I love you. We're not in competition you haven't a mean bone in your body. If you were a selfish bitch I'd shoot you and bury the evidence but your not. We are a family. Do I feel cheated about the kid? Yes I wanted us.. to have children not some stranger showing up already fully grown. I still haven't given up on us being parents so in that sense yes I feel robbed of something precious. Right or wrong that's how I feel."
"Me too," she whispered. Relena laid her head against his chest as the emotional exertion took its toll. "I looked at Heero this morning and.. when he wouldn't tell me. Then Gabriel wouldn't even look at me. Duo, it hurts I liked him, trusted him so much. And Heero it was like we were fifteen again and he was freezing me out all over again."
He closed his eyes as if in pain, "I know babe, I know."
Relena worked steadily through lunch; actually it was pretty ironic how her mind operated on automatic pilot, doing the job whether she was bleeding inside or not. When the information she sought came in and it was almost anticlimactic really learning the identity of who wanted her dead so bad. It really didn't surprise her Kevan had always been ambitious, but apparently over the years his desire to win his fathers approval had made him insane. Well to her way of thinking. Buying up pieces of Thorne Industries through a dummy corporation had been clever, but not clever enough those working for her thrived on challenges. That and the fact they were amply rewarded. Kevan was Davron, no amount of middlemen hid that one. The things she saw proven, over and over, were that there was always a paper trail if you looked hard enough for it. And she had.
Relena sighed wearily, rubbing the ache between her eyes, she did feel horrible about Miriam. Telling her the man she was dating was a spy would be a painful betrayal. Miriam had been with her a long time, almost from the beginning. If you had to have bad news broken to you at least have someone that gives a damn about you do it. Still it was something she just wasn't looking forward to.
All that was left was confronting Kevan, and she needed Une for that she wanted nothing left to chance. He would pay for those deaths one-way or the other. She smiled wryly, there was no doubt there would be hell to pay for what she was about to do. Everyone probably wanted to have this finished and over with before she ever found out about it. Not this time this whole affair had her off balance from the beginning it was no wonder everyone felt they had to wrap her in cotton. She hadn't been showing anyone, she could behave like an adult since it began, too much personal life intruding, too much dissatisfaction.
"Ah Kevan, still such a greedy little boy with no thought to the damage you've done," she whispered.
Relena leaned forward initiating her vidphone. When Une answered she smiled politely but with determination. "Lady," she nodded. "I think we can help one another with Senator Swayne and Devron."
Une gazed at her shrewdly, "I have some free time right now. Would you like me to come down?"
Relena shook her head, "I could use the chance to stretch the kinks out."
Une nodded, "very well I'll see you in five."
"Thank you. Relena stood and swept out of her office stopping long enough to leave instructions with Miriam she left for Une's with every step she felt a little lighter as her sense of purpose returned. Finally. Mentally she shrugged at the imagined reactions this is who she was. She just wasn't one to sit back waiting for a rescue.
"All right Relena, turn and drop your shirt down a bit. This is the newest model, it's smaller not as bulky but with a stronger receiver, whatever happens we should pick it up."
"This is audio only?"
"Yes." Zechs finished taping it to the small of her back. She shivered. "Nervous?"
Relena shook her head, "cold hands."
"Haven't you heard cold hands, warm heart?" She turned shrugging back into her shirt to see a slight smile of amusement playing on his lips. "O I knew, I just wondered if you would ever feel safe enough to admit it."
"Relena." She lifted her finger placing it over his lips. "I love you, Milliardo."
Lucrezia stopped pacing to turn abruptly it was unraveling to fast there was no way she could safely keep Gabriel and Relena separate now and she knew he wouldn't tamely accept Relena's plan. "Relena, don't do this."
Relena and Zechs exchanged a look before he stood putting things away. "Lu it will be fine."
She shook her head, "this is reckless and unnecessary, between us we have plenty for an arrest."
Relena nodded, "yes but his father has connections if decides to intervene its always possible he could get away with it." Relena's expression became determined, "that is unacceptable."
Noin appealed to Une, "he could shoot her before we reach them to intervene". Une looked thoughtfully at Relena.
"Your looking at the wrong one Lu, she knows with or without her I will go through with this. With assistance I stand a better chance of ending this without anyone else being hurt."
'If he feels trapped he could kill you."
"Even when we were younger, he was the instigator never the instrument," she winced mentally wishing she could make her voice sound more convincing but because she couldn't honesty forced her to accede to the possibility. "But I suppose anything is possible. That's why I was smart enough to not try this on my own."
"Or ask Heero or Duo for help," she guessed shrewdly. "Or Gabriel." Relena stiffened looking at Zechs and Une, "could I have a moment please?"
Milliardo pulled her into a hug his hands tightening a second before he forced himself to let go. He kissed her cheek. "Don't make me regret you talking me into this. To activate the transmitter the patch is on the inside of your wrist I tried to keep it somewhere on you that it would look natural. You always interlock your fingers it's only a stretch from there to reach it. It wouldn't surprise me if he didn't have his own hardware to make sure your not wired so don't start it until your sure he's not suspicious."
Lucrezia shook her head, "Zechs I can't believe your going along with this."
He stopped in front of her and smiled sadly. "When she came to us with this proposal I felt as you. But she's right I..we can't lock her up forever we need to deal with this now. At least with us she's safer than without us." He cupped her cheek gently before leaving the room and closing the door. They stood across from each other silently watching the other.
"You knew. When I sat down and thought about the last few weeks I started seeing the pattern. But even then I couldn't understand the why? You knew all along Gabriel was Heero's son."
A look of surprise filled her eyes. "How?" Relena tried her best, she really did to give her smile that didn't show disappointment but she could feel it falter and die.
"Duo was more attentive than most of us, he became suspicious and called in a favor. I was there this morning when the details became public."
"Relena, I."
She held up her hand. "Don't I've heard the good for me speech before. It very well may be but it doesn't change the hurt. I do find it extraordinary under the circumstances that he shared that knowledge with you." There was a distance in her eyes as her mind followed a path of thought only she could see. Her eyes focused suddenly with a startling clarity. "Lucrezia tell me I'm wrong in what I'm thinking," she said in a voice not quite her own. Lucrezia bit her lip glancing away. "Well not even that then." She laughed a harsh wounded sound, "one less sin to atone for."
Lucrezia jerked her head up, "I can explain." The door slammed open. Surprised they turned together toward six feet of angry male. Gabriel stormed into the room followed by an impassive Heero.
"What the hell are you thinking?" Relena turned picking up her suit jacket with a feigned nonchalance she just didn't feel. She shrugged into it. "My job but I can understand why that shocks you since you've seen no evidence of it until now."
"Bull shit, your job isn't to go against terrorists."
He glared at Noin, "I can't believe your letting her."
"Excuse me, I am a fully functioning adult no one lets me do anything."
"Then act like it," he fired back.
She slowly stalked across to where he stood her eyes flashed a blue incandescence of anger, pain and equal parts hurt brought on by with held truths. Left with nowhere to go it lashed out at the first unfortunate soul to prod it into expression. "No one. No one threatens the peace we all bled sweated and cried for not if I can help it. And that is my job to stop it if I can. It's the only thing I'm good for," she said bitterly.
"Relena," his voice softened hesitantly he touched her arm with his fingertips. "Let me do what I was suppose to. You don't have to be in danger. Please, God! Be angry at me if you must but live to do it. Let me do this one last thing for you," his gaze entreated her. Her eyes softened before sliding a look at Heero.
"I swore years ago, I would never again sit idly by and let myself be rescued specially when I could see first hand the price the rescuer pays." Heero his usually stoic features turned pensive. She moved around him and headed for the door.
"Fuck that, if it means you live to be old and gray I can live with that." She turned her face strangely still, "you will compose yourself. If you interfere I'll have you locked up," her gaze moved around the room to encompass them all. Something close to pain shifted behind her eyes, "besides you have family here you three really should talk." She turned and opened the door. Duo appeared in the opening, he met her gaze with a searching one of his own, before lifting it to study the other occupants.
"Relena." Heero whispered to her retreating back. Her eyes slid closed pain visibly apparent across her face then she gathered her control around her like a cloak eyes fluttered and opened to Duo's understanding gaze. Drawing strength from that she forced a wobbly smile. She touched Duo's arm in thanks before heading out the door.
"Duo keep her safe." He studied Heero impassively before his violet eyes slide over Gabriel and Lucrezia with a glint of anger. He nodded once swinging away.
"Heero," Lucrezia began.
He looked at her coldly cutting her off. "She feels hurt and lied to she wont let me near her."
"What are you the resident expert?" Gabriel snapped before heading after her.
Heero's voice made him pause, "more than you. You should have kept focused on your mission and not screwed around with her feelings. Now your objectivity is impared."
"Screw you at least I have feelings."
"If you go, and you interfere. She wont hesitate to have you removed."
"They can try."
"Une wont try, she will have you removed she doesn't know the specifics. To her you're an unknown element to be removed. And Zechs won't care if he thinks you actions are endangering Relena he'll stop you himself." Hero slid a look at Noin. "Relena will be the only one hurt. Again."
"I don't want to hurt your people, but I finish what I start so stay out of my way. I will do whatever it takes."
"O God, maybe I should have told her," she whispered after he left.
"Hn maybe but its too late now she'll forgive allot of things hope she can forgive what she perceives as our inability to trust her."
Relena drew a steadying breath mentally going through some relaxation techniques she used when she had to make speeches. Clearing everything from her mind she focused on the bottom line. Getting him off the street and locked up opening a drawer she took a control unit and initiated video recordings it wasn't something she normally liked to do she wanted those within her office to feel confident that whatever went on in her office stayed in her office. But considering the situation their future wariness was something she could live with. When her secretary beeped her on his arrival no one looking at her would know she had a sick knot in her stomach the size of a basketball.
"Send him in Miriam." Relena stood expectantly. The door opened and she met them halfway as Miriam ushered him into the room. "Kevan, I appreciate you meeting with me."
"Ms. Relena, can I get you anything else?"
She looked quizzically at Kevan, "tea?" He grinned shaking his head, "can't stand the stuff I'll take some coffee if you have it."
Relena smiled, "coffee for the Senator and a pot of tea for me Miriam then you can go for the day." She caught his puzzled look before it was quickly smoothed over. Gesturing to the chairs she took a seat watching as he took the other across from her.
"I confess, I'm surprised to get your call with last weeks events I would have thought you would be at home taking some time to recuperate."
"Well with the amount of work.." A knock sounded as Miriam entered carrying a tray. Sitting the tray on the table between them she pour a cup for Kevan.
"Cream sugar?" He shook his head and smiled black is fine.
Nodding she smiled politely before turning to Relena. "Shall I pour?"
Relena shook her head, "no that's fine. Thank you for staying Miriam." She nodded once then bid them a subdued goodnight.
Kevan watched her go with a bemused smile, "is it me?"
Relena smiled lifting the pot and pouring her tea. "No, Miriam is having trouble with her young man." Relena glanced at him from beneath her lashes she thought she saw a flash of unease but nothing to suggest he was suspicious. She added cream and sugar before she leaned back in an appearance of ease. Her eyes drifted over him mentally comparing memories of yesterday to the man before her not bothering to hide the intense scrutiny she was sending his way. They drank in silence before he sat the cup down.
"Alright Relena, would you like to tell me what this is about I thought perhaps this was for pleasure but it's not is it?"
She took another sip of her tea sending him a level glance. "No Kevan, it isn't. I called you here like this for the truth it's just you and I here. Did you really think you could get away with it?" He stiffened then forced himself to relax portraying innocent confusion. She took another sip of tea and sighed. "I confess I'm disappointed Kevan, when someone is as single mindedly determined for my death as you are I'd think you would at least credit me with some intelligence."
His eyes went opaque as leaned into his pocket and clicked a cylinder device the steady flashing of the green light seemed to give him some of his confidence back he sat it on the table between them. She glanced once at the cylinder and sighed was nothing in her life ever easy she'd have to hope he wouldn't notice.
"How did you find out it was me?"
"I made it my business to know." He nodded smiling at her. "I have all the evidence I need Kevan. What I don't have is, understanding." She shifted clasping her hands, her nail grazed the patch and from the corner of her eye the green light went yellow.
"You know Relena,I can tie your accusations up in court for months and the recordings," he glanced a the cylinder. "Is inadmissible." She nodded, "true Kevan but I'm gambling with treason they wont be you tried to rob us of our peace with your greed. And for what?"
He laughed coldly, "what do you know about it from pampered princess, to queen, to politician, without breaking a sweat, while the rest of us had to crawl and scratch our way through life to get anywhere."
Don't, give me that Kevan I know where your from, you have a wealthy family as well as significant personal wealth. Mine or my lack there of, is not an adequate reason for your greed nor the indiscriminant taking of life. You tried to have me killed and innocent people paid the price. Their blood is on your conscience if I could be sure you had one."
He smiled wryly, "it wasn't personal Relena its just business."
"Perhaps, that's the problem."
Relena stood and moved around the desk she was reaching for the phone when she heard the click of a safety being removed. Looking up, she stared calmly at the gun. "Give it up Kevan. You have a chance for a life sentence. Shoot me and you'll get the death penalty for sure. Your many things but I don't think even you have the stomach to do your own dirty work."
"You know your problem Relena, you're so disgustingly sanctimonious and just don't know when to shut up." The door slammed open and someone dove into the room. Kevan whirled to fire. Relena dropped down behind her desk.
"Don't kill him," she yelled. "We got him." She heard another shot reaching up she pulled her hand held computer down. Peeking up looked to see if her was watching when he turned to fire again she flung her palm unit at his head.
There was a thud of a body falling then silence.
Warily, she pulled herself up Kevan had a rather sharp knife sticking from his dead. She swallowed heavily, "no."
Gabriel came toward her and pulled her abruptly into a hug. His arms were rock hard and tense as he clasped her desperately close. "God, I wanted to spare you this I," she faltered. She looked back at him with tears, "wanted you to stay. I know I didn't behave well today but it was such a shock. I just..."
He cupped her face and shook his head capturing her mouth in a desperate kiss. "I would never have let him live. As long as he was alive, he was a danger to you. Remember me, Princess remember me kindly. Don't hate me, because I have to leave. I do love you more than life itself."
Her hands clenched in his arms, "I lied," she whispered hoarsely. "Stay." Stay and let's see if this is can become more." He kissed her again the sound of people approaching had him glance toward the door. Torn he stood there a moment longer before he closed his eyes as if in pain. Looking around the room he glanced upward moving to her desk he lept up shoving aside the paneling and pulled himself up holding her gaze until the last possible second he smiled a singular sweet smile full of hope and peace a smile the such dreams are made. "I love you angel, live. Live for me.." And then he disappeared from view.
Heero came running into the room barely glancing at the body he slowed as he approached her. Putting his gun away, he hesitantly made as if to hold her then faltered. They stared at each other wanting to bridge the distance. He could have lost her today; he knew once again his inability to know the right thing to do when he felt too much had inadvertently pushed her away. And she because for one brief moment she had found someone that could have given her the love she so desperately wanted. He lifted his hand; his shields down a strangely pleading look on his face. Relena moved forward, tucking her head into the space beneath his chin, her arms sliding home around his waist.
"He's gone Heero; he's gone for good this time." Heero released a tiny sigh of relief that he couldn't admit to himself, much less her and hoped she was right. Instead he said what she needed to hear.
"I know, I'm sorry."
*** *** ***
The kids laughed and giggled among themselves as they wandered through the Government building. The guide groaned chanting it's almost over like a mantra. She had finally gotten to the last portion of the tour, usually from here on out the little monsters showed the most interest. It figured it was thier most bloody era. As soon as the Mecha models were spotted interest peaked.
She cleared her throat for their attention, and began in a tone loud enough to carry to the back. "We've come to the section of our history, where the Colonies rebelled against the Alliance. A significant point in our history, because it was the first step for the colonies in claiming their independence but as you can see it wasn't simple or clear cut. It was a long and bloody war, and the tide turned many times, giving rise to several rebellions afterward. OZ, White Fang, the Eve War with Dekim Barton and Marimeia Kushrenada." A small boy in the back raised his hand.
"Yes?"
"Whose the girl?"
"Ah, Relena Peacecraft . She along with the Gundam pilots was one of the most significant contributors to the peace you enjoy today. One of two surviving heirs, to the Sanc kingdom a pacifist nation, destroyed because of its peaceful beliefs. It was thought they were dead when the King and Queen were killed because she and her brother disappeared. Actually, she was smuggled out and adopted by Vice Foreign Minister Darlian at the time. Her brother remained more obscure. Some say he worked for OZ . Many, said he was closely aligned with the Gundams. Others dispute that, and say it was the Princess herself that was aligned with the Gundams and site as proof the fact that she lived with two of the former pilots until her death. If you'll look closely, along either sides of the room you'll see the holograms of the Gundams with each corresponding pilot and a brief biography."
Shifting her aching feet she watched them spread out across the room. She sighed preparing to give them the full spiel. "Here we have the two Gundams that Milliardo Peacecraft also know as Zechs Merquis used. At one point he was reputed to be the leader of White Fang and not only tried to kill his own sister but destroy the Earth with the ship Libra to make his point about wars. Whichever version, Relena Peacecraft went from Queen of the World at fifteen to later becoming Vice Foreign Minister all before she reached her majority. Two girls giggled then one raised her hand.
"Yes."
Blushing she grinned. "Which one did she pick?"
The young woman frowned looking to the actual portrait painted of the minister in her later years. She stood between two men, both impossibly handsome with three children surrounding them. One boy with long dark hair and eyes of midnight blue, looked older than his siblings. He stared solemnly ahead, a slight twinkle in his eyes. A puzzling contradiction, that seemed to sum up the unusual aspect of the Minister's home life out. The young girl with long blonde hair and violet eyes stared out at the world with laughing eyes an open book for all to see. The young man with a long brown braid and Prussian blue eyes had a gentle half smile curving his lips as if he knew something no one else did. It looked like a typically happy family
Unless you looked deeper, the Minister's eyes held ones attention the most. There was a haunting sadness there despite the smile. It was, the sort of look that one usually expected on someone who had loved deeply and lost. Despite that it was obvious that there was love between those with her in the portrait. More contradictions. The woman sighed sadly; if there was no happy ever after for her with two men then her own prospects were truly dismal.
"No she never married, the reasons vary as well as the stories. Some said she loved and lost. Many felt, because she was so closely intertwined with Heero Yuy she couldn't bare to be separated from him even after he made Duo Maxwell his life partner. There was even talk Duo Maxwell was in love with her. We'll never know. What is fact is Relena Peacecraft Darlian had three children and remained with the two pilots the rest of her life."
Fini
Author note: This may seem rushed I apologize writing this week was difficult. This may read incomplete. I did that for several reasons I scrapped what I originally planed and changed it. I didn't have the heart after NYC tragedy to write the words that would seal Gabriel's fate. So I purposely left things open to the possibilities or that small window of hope. I know I needed that after this week. I hope those reading this wont think to badly off me.
Peace Amber.
Author: Amber
Pairings: Not Sure Yet but there will definitely be Yaoi.
Disclaimer: Gundam belongs to Gundam and any scene or plot similarity to another person's story, movie or anime is purely coincidental. Any new OC belongs to said author and her imagination.
Turning Point
The first thing she did when she got to work was lock herself in her office. She had a hour before her first meeting and she intended to make use of every bit of it. A part of her just wanted to go back and redo the entire morning pretend nothing happened sadly though she wasn't one for avoidance. If you pressed right now about how she was feeling betrayed, betrayed was a good description and the tragic thing was she had no right to feel betrayed. Heero and Duo didn't run their life choices through her for approval the fact that they have a child the...same...age as they.. are. Relena stood moving to the window she started laughing at how insane that sounded. How in gods name did they have a child their age? Advances in clone acceleration were still years away until they could find a way to stabilize the mental instability that was a side effect of the forced acceleration.
"Gabriel," she looked upward blinking rapidly as her eyes filled with tears. "Why didn't you tell me?" All he wanted was to go home and he couldn't because of some obligation to her safety. It shouldn't be too hard to guess which bottom feeder wanted her dead a few phone calls and she would make plans. It was time for her to start acting like the Minister time to start utilizing her own sources after all how did they think she found Heero as much as she did. Heero, just thinking about him hurt more than she could say this whole Gabriel fiasco just served as a painful reminder of how insignificant she would become in his life. And it hurt. The discreet tones of her intercom beeped interrupting her dismal thoughts glancing at her wrist watch she smiled sadly right on time it didn't take a genius to figure out who that could be. Moving to initiate the connection she braced herself for the worst.
"Yes, Miriam."
"Mr. Maxwell is here to see you."
"Tell him, I'm busy right now I'll get back to him later." The silence on the com stretched Relena could almost see her secretary in her minds eye putting one and one together and getting two.
"Yes mam." Relena pushed away from her desk and had moved back to the window when the knock came.
"Come on Lena, I'm not going away let me in." The knocking continued for several minutes until silence descended. Then distinct sound of her door being unlocked and opened reached her ears. Relena turned and stared at Duo from across the room as he locked the door and stalked toward her desk.
"Damn it Lena, don't we have enough to worry about with Heero but now you run off?"
She shook her head. "I'm so ashamed."
Duo moved around the desk and pulled her into a hug. "Why," he asked in the same tone.
"I acted like a melodramatic schoolgirl today thinking only of myself when I could see you were hurt and angry too. But no, all I could think of was how betrayed I felt." She clutched Duo to her tighter. "And I have no reason to feel betrayed I'm not his lover, his children wont be mine. But I realized just how little I belonged in his life." She leaned back her eyes staring intensely into his, tears trailing down her face. "God Duo, how have you stood me being around? A constant reminder, a ditz who can't let go."
Duo bent and swung her off her feet moving to her couch he sat down with her on his lap. "Lena I love you. We're not in competition you haven't a mean bone in your body. If you were a selfish bitch I'd shoot you and bury the evidence but your not. We are a family. Do I feel cheated about the kid? Yes I wanted us.. to have children not some stranger showing up already fully grown. I still haven't given up on us being parents so in that sense yes I feel robbed of something precious. Right or wrong that's how I feel."
"Me too," she whispered. Relena laid her head against his chest as the emotional exertion took its toll. "I looked at Heero this morning and.. when he wouldn't tell me. Then Gabriel wouldn't even look at me. Duo, it hurts I liked him, trusted him so much. And Heero it was like we were fifteen again and he was freezing me out all over again."
He closed his eyes as if in pain, "I know babe, I know."
Relena worked steadily through lunch; actually it was pretty ironic how her mind operated on automatic pilot, doing the job whether she was bleeding inside or not. When the information she sought came in and it was almost anticlimactic really learning the identity of who wanted her dead so bad. It really didn't surprise her Kevan had always been ambitious, but apparently over the years his desire to win his fathers approval had made him insane. Well to her way of thinking. Buying up pieces of Thorne Industries through a dummy corporation had been clever, but not clever enough those working for her thrived on challenges. That and the fact they were amply rewarded. Kevan was Davron, no amount of middlemen hid that one. The things she saw proven, over and over, were that there was always a paper trail if you looked hard enough for it. And she had.
Relena sighed wearily, rubbing the ache between her eyes, she did feel horrible about Miriam. Telling her the man she was dating was a spy would be a painful betrayal. Miriam had been with her a long time, almost from the beginning. If you had to have bad news broken to you at least have someone that gives a damn about you do it. Still it was something she just wasn't looking forward to.
All that was left was confronting Kevan, and she needed Une for that she wanted nothing left to chance. He would pay for those deaths one-way or the other. She smiled wryly, there was no doubt there would be hell to pay for what she was about to do. Everyone probably wanted to have this finished and over with before she ever found out about it. Not this time this whole affair had her off balance from the beginning it was no wonder everyone felt they had to wrap her in cotton. She hadn't been showing anyone, she could behave like an adult since it began, too much personal life intruding, too much dissatisfaction.
"Ah Kevan, still such a greedy little boy with no thought to the damage you've done," she whispered.
Relena leaned forward initiating her vidphone. When Une answered she smiled politely but with determination. "Lady," she nodded. "I think we can help one another with Senator Swayne and Devron."
Une gazed at her shrewdly, "I have some free time right now. Would you like me to come down?"
Relena shook her head, "I could use the chance to stretch the kinks out."
Une nodded, "very well I'll see you in five."
"Thank you. Relena stood and swept out of her office stopping long enough to leave instructions with Miriam she left for Une's with every step she felt a little lighter as her sense of purpose returned. Finally. Mentally she shrugged at the imagined reactions this is who she was. She just wasn't one to sit back waiting for a rescue.
"All right Relena, turn and drop your shirt down a bit. This is the newest model, it's smaller not as bulky but with a stronger receiver, whatever happens we should pick it up."
"This is audio only?"
"Yes." Zechs finished taping it to the small of her back. She shivered. "Nervous?"
Relena shook her head, "cold hands."
"Haven't you heard cold hands, warm heart?" She turned shrugging back into her shirt to see a slight smile of amusement playing on his lips. "O I knew, I just wondered if you would ever feel safe enough to admit it."
"Relena." She lifted her finger placing it over his lips. "I love you, Milliardo."
Lucrezia stopped pacing to turn abruptly it was unraveling to fast there was no way she could safely keep Gabriel and Relena separate now and she knew he wouldn't tamely accept Relena's plan. "Relena, don't do this."
Relena and Zechs exchanged a look before he stood putting things away. "Lu it will be fine."
She shook her head, "this is reckless and unnecessary, between us we have plenty for an arrest."
Relena nodded, "yes but his father has connections if decides to intervene its always possible he could get away with it." Relena's expression became determined, "that is unacceptable."
Noin appealed to Une, "he could shoot her before we reach them to intervene". Une looked thoughtfully at Relena.
"Your looking at the wrong one Lu, she knows with or without her I will go through with this. With assistance I stand a better chance of ending this without anyone else being hurt."
'If he feels trapped he could kill you."
"Even when we were younger, he was the instigator never the instrument," she winced mentally wishing she could make her voice sound more convincing but because she couldn't honesty forced her to accede to the possibility. "But I suppose anything is possible. That's why I was smart enough to not try this on my own."
"Or ask Heero or Duo for help," she guessed shrewdly. "Or Gabriel." Relena stiffened looking at Zechs and Une, "could I have a moment please?"
Milliardo pulled her into a hug his hands tightening a second before he forced himself to let go. He kissed her cheek. "Don't make me regret you talking me into this. To activate the transmitter the patch is on the inside of your wrist I tried to keep it somewhere on you that it would look natural. You always interlock your fingers it's only a stretch from there to reach it. It wouldn't surprise me if he didn't have his own hardware to make sure your not wired so don't start it until your sure he's not suspicious."
Lucrezia shook her head, "Zechs I can't believe your going along with this."
He stopped in front of her and smiled sadly. "When she came to us with this proposal I felt as you. But she's right I..we can't lock her up forever we need to deal with this now. At least with us she's safer than without us." He cupped her cheek gently before leaving the room and closing the door. They stood across from each other silently watching the other.
"You knew. When I sat down and thought about the last few weeks I started seeing the pattern. But even then I couldn't understand the why? You knew all along Gabriel was Heero's son."
A look of surprise filled her eyes. "How?" Relena tried her best, she really did to give her smile that didn't show disappointment but she could feel it falter and die.
"Duo was more attentive than most of us, he became suspicious and called in a favor. I was there this morning when the details became public."
"Relena, I."
She held up her hand. "Don't I've heard the good for me speech before. It very well may be but it doesn't change the hurt. I do find it extraordinary under the circumstances that he shared that knowledge with you." There was a distance in her eyes as her mind followed a path of thought only she could see. Her eyes focused suddenly with a startling clarity. "Lucrezia tell me I'm wrong in what I'm thinking," she said in a voice not quite her own. Lucrezia bit her lip glancing away. "Well not even that then." She laughed a harsh wounded sound, "one less sin to atone for."
Lucrezia jerked her head up, "I can explain." The door slammed open. Surprised they turned together toward six feet of angry male. Gabriel stormed into the room followed by an impassive Heero.
"What the hell are you thinking?" Relena turned picking up her suit jacket with a feigned nonchalance she just didn't feel. She shrugged into it. "My job but I can understand why that shocks you since you've seen no evidence of it until now."
"Bull shit, your job isn't to go against terrorists."
He glared at Noin, "I can't believe your letting her."
"Excuse me, I am a fully functioning adult no one lets me do anything."
"Then act like it," he fired back.
She slowly stalked across to where he stood her eyes flashed a blue incandescence of anger, pain and equal parts hurt brought on by with held truths. Left with nowhere to go it lashed out at the first unfortunate soul to prod it into expression. "No one. No one threatens the peace we all bled sweated and cried for not if I can help it. And that is my job to stop it if I can. It's the only thing I'm good for," she said bitterly.
"Relena," his voice softened hesitantly he touched her arm with his fingertips. "Let me do what I was suppose to. You don't have to be in danger. Please, God! Be angry at me if you must but live to do it. Let me do this one last thing for you," his gaze entreated her. Her eyes softened before sliding a look at Heero.
"I swore years ago, I would never again sit idly by and let myself be rescued specially when I could see first hand the price the rescuer pays." Heero his usually stoic features turned pensive. She moved around him and headed for the door.
"Fuck that, if it means you live to be old and gray I can live with that." She turned her face strangely still, "you will compose yourself. If you interfere I'll have you locked up," her gaze moved around the room to encompass them all. Something close to pain shifted behind her eyes, "besides you have family here you three really should talk." She turned and opened the door. Duo appeared in the opening, he met her gaze with a searching one of his own, before lifting it to study the other occupants.
"Relena." Heero whispered to her retreating back. Her eyes slid closed pain visibly apparent across her face then she gathered her control around her like a cloak eyes fluttered and opened to Duo's understanding gaze. Drawing strength from that she forced a wobbly smile. She touched Duo's arm in thanks before heading out the door.
"Duo keep her safe." He studied Heero impassively before his violet eyes slide over Gabriel and Lucrezia with a glint of anger. He nodded once swinging away.
"Heero," Lucrezia began.
He looked at her coldly cutting her off. "She feels hurt and lied to she wont let me near her."
"What are you the resident expert?" Gabriel snapped before heading after her.
Heero's voice made him pause, "more than you. You should have kept focused on your mission and not screwed around with her feelings. Now your objectivity is impared."
"Screw you at least I have feelings."
"If you go, and you interfere. She wont hesitate to have you removed."
"They can try."
"Une wont try, she will have you removed she doesn't know the specifics. To her you're an unknown element to be removed. And Zechs won't care if he thinks you actions are endangering Relena he'll stop you himself." Hero slid a look at Noin. "Relena will be the only one hurt. Again."
"I don't want to hurt your people, but I finish what I start so stay out of my way. I will do whatever it takes."
"O God, maybe I should have told her," she whispered after he left.
"Hn maybe but its too late now she'll forgive allot of things hope she can forgive what she perceives as our inability to trust her."
Relena drew a steadying breath mentally going through some relaxation techniques she used when she had to make speeches. Clearing everything from her mind she focused on the bottom line. Getting him off the street and locked up opening a drawer she took a control unit and initiated video recordings it wasn't something she normally liked to do she wanted those within her office to feel confident that whatever went on in her office stayed in her office. But considering the situation their future wariness was something she could live with. When her secretary beeped her on his arrival no one looking at her would know she had a sick knot in her stomach the size of a basketball.
"Send him in Miriam." Relena stood expectantly. The door opened and she met them halfway as Miriam ushered him into the room. "Kevan, I appreciate you meeting with me."
"Ms. Relena, can I get you anything else?"
She looked quizzically at Kevan, "tea?" He grinned shaking his head, "can't stand the stuff I'll take some coffee if you have it."
Relena smiled, "coffee for the Senator and a pot of tea for me Miriam then you can go for the day." She caught his puzzled look before it was quickly smoothed over. Gesturing to the chairs she took a seat watching as he took the other across from her.
"I confess, I'm surprised to get your call with last weeks events I would have thought you would be at home taking some time to recuperate."
"Well with the amount of work.." A knock sounded as Miriam entered carrying a tray. Sitting the tray on the table between them she pour a cup for Kevan.
"Cream sugar?" He shook his head and smiled black is fine.
Nodding she smiled politely before turning to Relena. "Shall I pour?"
Relena shook her head, "no that's fine. Thank you for staying Miriam." She nodded once then bid them a subdued goodnight.
Kevan watched her go with a bemused smile, "is it me?"
Relena smiled lifting the pot and pouring her tea. "No, Miriam is having trouble with her young man." Relena glanced at him from beneath her lashes she thought she saw a flash of unease but nothing to suggest he was suspicious. She added cream and sugar before she leaned back in an appearance of ease. Her eyes drifted over him mentally comparing memories of yesterday to the man before her not bothering to hide the intense scrutiny she was sending his way. They drank in silence before he sat the cup down.
"Alright Relena, would you like to tell me what this is about I thought perhaps this was for pleasure but it's not is it?"
She took another sip of her tea sending him a level glance. "No Kevan, it isn't. I called you here like this for the truth it's just you and I here. Did you really think you could get away with it?" He stiffened then forced himself to relax portraying innocent confusion. She took another sip of tea and sighed. "I confess I'm disappointed Kevan, when someone is as single mindedly determined for my death as you are I'd think you would at least credit me with some intelligence."
His eyes went opaque as leaned into his pocket and clicked a cylinder device the steady flashing of the green light seemed to give him some of his confidence back he sat it on the table between them. She glanced once at the cylinder and sighed was nothing in her life ever easy she'd have to hope he wouldn't notice.
"How did you find out it was me?"
"I made it my business to know." He nodded smiling at her. "I have all the evidence I need Kevan. What I don't have is, understanding." She shifted clasping her hands, her nail grazed the patch and from the corner of her eye the green light went yellow.
"You know Relena,I can tie your accusations up in court for months and the recordings," he glanced a the cylinder. "Is inadmissible." She nodded, "true Kevan but I'm gambling with treason they wont be you tried to rob us of our peace with your greed. And for what?"
He laughed coldly, "what do you know about it from pampered princess, to queen, to politician, without breaking a sweat, while the rest of us had to crawl and scratch our way through life to get anywhere."
Don't, give me that Kevan I know where your from, you have a wealthy family as well as significant personal wealth. Mine or my lack there of, is not an adequate reason for your greed nor the indiscriminant taking of life. You tried to have me killed and innocent people paid the price. Their blood is on your conscience if I could be sure you had one."
He smiled wryly, "it wasn't personal Relena its just business."
"Perhaps, that's the problem."
Relena stood and moved around the desk she was reaching for the phone when she heard the click of a safety being removed. Looking up, she stared calmly at the gun. "Give it up Kevan. You have a chance for a life sentence. Shoot me and you'll get the death penalty for sure. Your many things but I don't think even you have the stomach to do your own dirty work."
"You know your problem Relena, you're so disgustingly sanctimonious and just don't know when to shut up." The door slammed open and someone dove into the room. Kevan whirled to fire. Relena dropped down behind her desk.
"Don't kill him," she yelled. "We got him." She heard another shot reaching up she pulled her hand held computer down. Peeking up looked to see if her was watching when he turned to fire again she flung her palm unit at his head.
There was a thud of a body falling then silence.
Warily, she pulled herself up Kevan had a rather sharp knife sticking from his dead. She swallowed heavily, "no."
Gabriel came toward her and pulled her abruptly into a hug. His arms were rock hard and tense as he clasped her desperately close. "God, I wanted to spare you this I," she faltered. She looked back at him with tears, "wanted you to stay. I know I didn't behave well today but it was such a shock. I just..."
He cupped her face and shook his head capturing her mouth in a desperate kiss. "I would never have let him live. As long as he was alive, he was a danger to you. Remember me, Princess remember me kindly. Don't hate me, because I have to leave. I do love you more than life itself."
Her hands clenched in his arms, "I lied," she whispered hoarsely. "Stay." Stay and let's see if this is can become more." He kissed her again the sound of people approaching had him glance toward the door. Torn he stood there a moment longer before he closed his eyes as if in pain. Looking around the room he glanced upward moving to her desk he lept up shoving aside the paneling and pulled himself up holding her gaze until the last possible second he smiled a singular sweet smile full of hope and peace a smile the such dreams are made. "I love you angel, live. Live for me.." And then he disappeared from view.
Heero came running into the room barely glancing at the body he slowed as he approached her. Putting his gun away, he hesitantly made as if to hold her then faltered. They stared at each other wanting to bridge the distance. He could have lost her today; he knew once again his inability to know the right thing to do when he felt too much had inadvertently pushed her away. And she because for one brief moment she had found someone that could have given her the love she so desperately wanted. He lifted his hand; his shields down a strangely pleading look on his face. Relena moved forward, tucking her head into the space beneath his chin, her arms sliding home around his waist.
"He's gone Heero; he's gone for good this time." Heero released a tiny sigh of relief that he couldn't admit to himself, much less her and hoped she was right. Instead he said what she needed to hear.
"I know, I'm sorry."
*** *** ***
The kids laughed and giggled among themselves as they wandered through the Government building. The guide groaned chanting it's almost over like a mantra. She had finally gotten to the last portion of the tour, usually from here on out the little monsters showed the most interest. It figured it was thier most bloody era. As soon as the Mecha models were spotted interest peaked.
She cleared her throat for their attention, and began in a tone loud enough to carry to the back. "We've come to the section of our history, where the Colonies rebelled against the Alliance. A significant point in our history, because it was the first step for the colonies in claiming their independence but as you can see it wasn't simple or clear cut. It was a long and bloody war, and the tide turned many times, giving rise to several rebellions afterward. OZ, White Fang, the Eve War with Dekim Barton and Marimeia Kushrenada." A small boy in the back raised his hand.
"Yes?"
"Whose the girl?"
"Ah, Relena Peacecraft . She along with the Gundam pilots was one of the most significant contributors to the peace you enjoy today. One of two surviving heirs, to the Sanc kingdom a pacifist nation, destroyed because of its peaceful beliefs. It was thought they were dead when the King and Queen were killed because she and her brother disappeared. Actually, she was smuggled out and adopted by Vice Foreign Minister Darlian at the time. Her brother remained more obscure. Some say he worked for OZ . Many, said he was closely aligned with the Gundams. Others dispute that, and say it was the Princess herself that was aligned with the Gundams and site as proof the fact that she lived with two of the former pilots until her death. If you'll look closely, along either sides of the room you'll see the holograms of the Gundams with each corresponding pilot and a brief biography."
Shifting her aching feet she watched them spread out across the room. She sighed preparing to give them the full spiel. "Here we have the two Gundams that Milliardo Peacecraft also know as Zechs Merquis used. At one point he was reputed to be the leader of White Fang and not only tried to kill his own sister but destroy the Earth with the ship Libra to make his point about wars. Whichever version, Relena Peacecraft went from Queen of the World at fifteen to later becoming Vice Foreign Minister all before she reached her majority. Two girls giggled then one raised her hand.
"Yes."
Blushing she grinned. "Which one did she pick?"
The young woman frowned looking to the actual portrait painted of the minister in her later years. She stood between two men, both impossibly handsome with three children surrounding them. One boy with long dark hair and eyes of midnight blue, looked older than his siblings. He stared solemnly ahead, a slight twinkle in his eyes. A puzzling contradiction, that seemed to sum up the unusual aspect of the Minister's home life out. The young girl with long blonde hair and violet eyes stared out at the world with laughing eyes an open book for all to see. The young man with a long brown braid and Prussian blue eyes had a gentle half smile curving his lips as if he knew something no one else did. It looked like a typically happy family
Unless you looked deeper, the Minister's eyes held ones attention the most. There was a haunting sadness there despite the smile. It was, the sort of look that one usually expected on someone who had loved deeply and lost. Despite that it was obvious that there was love between those with her in the portrait. More contradictions. The woman sighed sadly; if there was no happy ever after for her with two men then her own prospects were truly dismal.
"No she never married, the reasons vary as well as the stories. Some said she loved and lost. Many felt, because she was so closely intertwined with Heero Yuy she couldn't bare to be separated from him even after he made Duo Maxwell his life partner. There was even talk Duo Maxwell was in love with her. We'll never know. What is fact is Relena Peacecraft Darlian had three children and remained with the two pilots the rest of her life."
Fini
Author note: This may seem rushed I apologize writing this week was difficult. This may read incomplete. I did that for several reasons I scrapped what I originally planed and changed it. I didn't have the heart after NYC tragedy to write the words that would seal Gabriel's fate. So I purposely left things open to the possibilities or that small window of hope. I know I needed that after this week. I hope those reading this wont think to badly off me.
Peace Amber.