Disclaimer:
Grrr....disclaimers....evil...I don't own Gundam. There, I said it! Happy? Grr....

OK...I'm sorry, I sorta left you all hanging with the last one. Well, here's the next chapter in the longest fic I have EVER written....(will it ever end?) Enjoy!!

Note: The Gundams were not destroyed at the end of Endless Waltz. Or, if they were, they were rebuilt. Whatever. The boys have them, that's all I care about. How they got them is up to you.

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Falling Angels: Chapter 9

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Chris stared after the shuttle, watching her leave. After it had disappeared from sight, he turned from the window and left.

Slowly, he walked back to the place where he had found her. He picked his gun up off the ground where he had dropped it, and hopped the fence to recover his box.

Lifting the box up, he started on his way home.

* * * * *

"Chris, you shouldn't have!" Kay yelled at him. "Leave the box where it's safe, hidden. Don't take it here!"

"Someone almost got into it." he informed her.

"Oh, well, I guess we have to find a new hiding place for it." she said, thoughtfully.

"Yeah..." he said, thinking. "Wait!" he cried.

He lunged over to the box and quickly unlocked it. Digging through the old toys and albums, he didn't find what he was looking for. "Dammit! She took it!"

"WHAT?!" Kitty rolled over next to him and peered into the box. "WHO took WHAT?!" she practically screamed.

"Cerena took my album! She threatened to show it to...to Duo!" he cringed at the thought. "And she probably will too! I'm dead!" he cried.

"Well, as long as it's *your* album, and not mine, I'm cool with it." she said, relieved, and turned around, to leave Chris swearing.

How could I have been so stupid? he asked himself. I forgot the reason why I was chasing her in the first place! he was mentally kicking himself as he walked out the door, leaving the box behind him.

* * * * *

Cerena had a nice apartment, with a little more furniture than the last. This time, she decided to check the building out before she rented an apartment. Working fire alarms and sprinklers...that sort of thing.

She quickly got a job as a secretary in an office building a few streets down, a building owned by the Winner Corporation, in fact. She was sure her name would never be seen by Quatre, except on some giant list he would only pretend to read. Even then, the name would read Cerena Dorlian. She liked this, the feeling of living right under his nose.

Less than a week after she moved in, she got a letter. A letter? I haven't even received any junk mail yet, who could have my address already? She wondered what it could be. Opening it, she found a small note.

Cerena,
I'm begging you, don't show Duo the album. Please. 
I'll do anything you want, just don't put me through 
that torture. Shinigami has no mercy.

Call me sometime, to tell me you're all right, OK?

 Love,
 Chris

She smiled, and said softly, "I'll only show him if you give me reason to. Hmm...Blackmail on Heero Yuy. Useful stuff." she made a mental note to call him that evening, and then left for work.

* * * * *

For about six months, it went on like this. Heero, Zechs, and Lady Une returned to earth. Mariemaia stayed at the Orphanage for a few weeks before returning herself. Relena Peacecraft was still missing.

It took them a while to get used to trusting Heero on the matter of Relena's safety. After about a month, they were able to read Heero, or Chris, as he now asked them to call him, like a book.

If he disappeared into his room with the door locked shut and the phone line busy for two hours every Friday night, Relena was fine.

Once, Duo walked by Chris's door during one of these phone calls. What he heard would haunt him for the rest of his life.

The man he knew as Heero Yuy was doing something Duo thought he would never see. He was laughing.

* * * * *

Cerena moved up quickly through the company, until she was the secretary of the vice-president who ran the building. She took it as a small risk Quatre would visit, he had about a hundred VP's for his corporation, it seemed.

Once, Quatre did visit. Still, he didn't recognize her through her now red curls. She liked trying new looks, and was thankful she had re-dyed and curled her hair the night before. She led him to her boss's office, and went back to her desk. A hour later, he left without a second glance to her. He looked worried.

Quatre was muttering to himself. Cerena's ears perked up. "Dammit, I have to tell the Preventers about this. Heero too."

Her eyes focused on him at the mention of his name. She stood up, and walked to him. "Can I help you, Mr. Winner?" she asked politely.

"No, I'm fine. I'll be leaving now." he didn't look at her, not liking the news he had just received.

"OK, would you like me to call someone to lead you out?"

"No, I'll be fine. Thank you, Miss..."

"Dorlian. Cerena Dorlian." she said, and he looked right at her, not recognizing her at all.

"Miss Dorlian. Goodbye." he walked towards the elevator.

Quatre got into the waiting limo, and dialed the Preventers.

Lady Une's secretary picked up. "Hello, Mr. Winner. How can I help you?"

Secretaries. They're all alike, clones or something. he thought, his mind wandering to the red-head he just met. "Yes, put me through to Lady Une, please."

"Yes, sir." she said, and put the call through.

"Hello, Quatre. What is it?" she asked, concerned.

"Bad news. Our friendly terrorists have let their target leak out. In two hours it's gonna blow." he said.

Heero appeared on the screen. "Where?"

Zechs was there too, seconding Heero's question.

"Right where I am now, I'm getting off the colony ASAP, and having Sandrock sent to L4 where I can pick it up."

"Where are you now?" Zechs pressed.

"Colony L2."

All color drained from Chris' face. (AN: yes, this is Chris now. Perfect Soldier exit, boy worried about Cerena enter)

Zechs saw this, and he paled as well. "Tha...that's where Relena is, right?" he stuttered. Chris only nodded. Then he stepped closer to the screen.

"Quatre, you've gotta find her, get her out of there!"

"But, I don't know where she is, or what name she's using! A colony is a big thing. It's like finding a needle in a hay--" he was cut off by Chris.

"Cerena Dorlian. She's got red hair, I've got her phone number and home address too." he said, quickly. "Just get her out of there."

"Cerena Dorlain? Red hair? You're sure?" Chris nodded. "Shit! I just saw her a moment ago. Driver, turn around! Yes, back to the building. Hurry! Bye, guys." he said, and hung up.

* * * * *

Cerena pushed back her hair, and walked out the door. It was her lunch break. She walked off towards her favorite restaurant. She felt like treating herself. Quatre hadn't suspected her for a moment.

She turned around as a black limo sped past her. It stopped in front of the building where she worked. She watched as Quatre climbed out, and ran into the building, cursing.

"Shit! He's on to me!" she cursed, and turn and ran out to the restaurant. She might as well have lunch anyway.

A few minutes Quatre ran out, yelling into his cell phone. "She's on her lunch break. She'll be back in an hour. I know, I know we can't wait, but she doesn't know! I won't be able to find her! I'll try for the bomb. You can get here in half an hour!? Oh, Wing Zero is fast. I'll see what I can dig up by then, Bye Chris."

He looked at his watch. "One hour 45 minutes to go." he said, looked up and down the sidewalk, then set off looking for the bombs.

Cerena saw him walk off, but she hadn't heard a single word. She sighed with as he went the other direction down the sidewalk. She sat back and nodded to the waiter as he delivered her food.

* * * * *

Chris hopped into Wing Zero, in the hanger under Preventer Headquarters.

"Do you think you can really make it to L2 in half an hour?" Zechs called up to him.

"I have to." he called down, and the cockpit door closed.

Wing Zero sped off into space, towards the colonies, and towards Cerena.

* * * * *

Emily nodded, and said, "We'll be there in twenty minutes. I'll be leaving Eric and Kitty here, but we can do this without fists. Both the brains are ready." she said.

"OK. You know we probably won't get out alive?"

"I've always known that." she said.

"Good luck, Demon."

"Good luck, Chris."

* * * * *

Oh no! I did it again! Ahhh!! Another cliffhanger....next chapter coming out as soon as I can type it out! Sorry this one is sorta short. Next one will be longer, I promise.

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-Ayanami_Chan
ayanami_rei@softhome.net