Chapter 2: Painted Dreams

Quatre and Dorothy flew in from L-4 to visit Relena and Heero two months after the dinner incident. Although only 21, Quatre and Dorothy already had three children after only four years of marriage. Quatre was following in his father's footsteps by having a big family. He wasn't, however, following in his decision for multiple wives, even though it was still up held as a sign of wealth and power on their colony.

The girls went maternity clothes and baby furniture shopping while the boys were left to paint the nursery. A soft blue had been chosen by Relena, the same day she found out it was a boy, for the room with a lamb and lion border to be put around the room at chair level.

They started painting and trading stories. Heero was glad to have someone who understood what he was going through and who he could ask his questions to.

"I think it's good that you are settling down." Quatre said an hour or two into the job.

Heero stopped painting and looked over to him, "I'm not settling down."

"Well you are going to stay with her right?"

"I guess, until she finds someone else." He rolled the roller up and down again.

"Who knows how long that might take."

Heero stopped again, "What does that mean?"

Quatre stopped, "It's not easy for a single mother to find someone, especially if she is living with a man. The responsibility usually out weighs any love."

"Shit, I didn't think of that."

"I think you two should just get married."

"Like that would work."

Quatre shrugged, "It might. A few of my sisters had arranged marriages, they are all really happy."

"This is Relena and I. How much more different can you get? We would never agree on anything, a kid shouldn't have to listen to that."

"You will still disagree if you aren't married." Quatre resumed painting. Heero followed a few moments later, his mind reeling from Quatre's suggestion. ****************************************************************************************** That night Heero had a dream, a terrible nightmare. Nightmares weren't uncommon for him, but they had never been like this. He flew up into a sitting position, "No!" He yelled. His breath was fast, he was perspiring heavily, and shaking like a dead leaf in the autumn wind.

The light in the hall turned on. Relena appeared in his doorway. When she way how he looked she continued in. She sat down at the side of his bed, "What's wrong?"

"It... it was... a dream a... horrible... dream." He said between heavy breaths.

Relena rubbed his leg, "Shhh, it's alright now. It's all over."

"It was so... real so... terrible."

"Why don't you tell me what happened."

Heero told her. He had been fighting OZ suits in Zero, not an uncommon scene for one of his dreams. Suddenly all the suits became her. It was like he was fighting a million Relena's. He couldn't bring his self to fight them, and they gained ground. He tried to make Zero stop, but it wouldn't, as if it wasn't responsible for the hallucination.

Then he heard someone calling his name. he looked down to the ground to see the real Relena calling up at him. Before he could respond one of the enemy suits shot her. He could see her face as the beam approached her. He tried to save her, but it was to late. She was gone.

Relena nodded, listening intently to every word. "What do you think it means?" She asked when he was done.

"I don't believe that dreams have meanings."

"I do. In fact a few nights before that party I dreamt that I was pregnant."

"Well once I had a dream that I was an emu, you don't see me growing feathers do you?"

She laughed, "I guess not."

"Oh!" She said suddenly. She giggled.

"What?"

"I think we woke the baby up." She said.

He just stared at her.

"Do you want to feel him?" She asked.

He nodded. He took his hand and laid it on her swollen belly.

She moved it over to the side, where the baby was kicking. "Do you feel that?"

He felt it. It was almost like some strange muscle spasm. He nodded.

"He's saying, 'Hi daddy.'"

He looked up at Relena, "Do you thin he can hear us?"

"He can."

"Hi." Heero said weakly, looking back down at her abdomen.

"Ever think about what we've gotten ourselves into?" He said

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, do you ever think about what this kid's going to be like?"

She smiled, "Yes, he's going to be smart, and handsome, and strong."

"Yeah, and independent, opinionative, strong willed, rebellious."

"And absolutely perfect." She smiled lovingly, caressing her abdomen.

"It's so wild isn't it?" He said.

"What is?"

"All of this, it's so... different."

"And it will only get more so."

"Don't remind me."

Relena smiled, "Why don't I bring you up a glass of warm milk so you can try to get back to sleep?"

He looked up at her. No one had ever gotten him warm milk before. He nodded slowly.

"Alright, I'll be right back."

Right before she left though she turned to him again. he was still troubled by the dream, enough to let down his tough guy facade. She didn't like seeing him this way. "Do you want me to stay with you tonight?"

Again he nodded slowly.

She was amazed. She had never seen him like this. He had totally abandoned his perfect soldier mentality; he had let down his guard. He was just a little boy on the inside, never allowed to grow up due to his troubled childhood. She smiled warmly at him and went downstairs to get his milk, leaving Heero to think about his dream.

Heero sat there; he tried to find the meaning in his dream, if there was some. He came up with three scenarios: he could never get away from her, she would die, the third scenario was the one that troubled him the most: that he loved her.

That night Heero held Relena close to him, her back to his front. He subconsciously wrapped an arm around her abdomen, hugging his unborn child. He stayed that way all night long, his child like mind not allowing him to let go. ****************************************************************************************** Heero sipped his strong, black coffee in its heavy paper cup at a table, all alone, in the coffee shop. He showed no interest in the happenings or people around him. He stared at the newspaper on the table with only mild interest.

Someone sat down at the table; he knew instantly who it was. "What do you want Duo?" He asked with out looking up.

"Good morning to you too." Duo said cheerfully. He waved to a girl across the room.

Heero quickly looked over to where he was waving, he glared at the pretty blond and went back to reading the paper.

"What was that for? Now she will never come over and talk to you."

"Good."

"You know Heero if I didn't know you better I would think you were gay."

This caught Heero's attention. He glared at Duo with a look that bore into his skull, "Why is that?"

"When was the last time you had a date?"

"I'm not interested in going on dates."

"A batcher for life eh?" Duo said. He smiled slyly, "Or, do you have plans with Relena?"

Heero threw back his head, he laughed as if what Duo said was the funniest joke he had ever heard, "That will be the day! Ask again when hell freezes over."

"So then you are single?" Duo prodded, knowing the answer.

"I swear to God, if you set me up on a blind date I will kill you." Heero glared at him even stronger then before.

Duo shifted uncomfortably, the glare was almost hurting his head. "Chill, I would never do that to you. I was just making sure. You know, just in case you have some mystery lady that none of us know about."

"Yeah, I keep her in my closet."

Duo laughed, "Slip her scraps under the door too I guess."

"I'm not kidding Duo." He said firmly.

Duo stopped laughing, "'Bout the chick in the closet?"

"No, about killing you. If you set me up with any girl- no mater how hot she might be- I will make you eat my gun." He stood, taking his coffee and paper with him. He casually walked out of the bustling coffee shop and headed for his car, which he naturally parked in the very back so no one would ding it's perfectly smooth sides. ****************************************************************************************** It only took three days before Duo broke his word. Heero answered the door that Friday evening. He was expecting one of Relena's many friends. It surprised him to see Duo standing with a beautiful brunette and a goofy smile on his face.

"Hey pal, I was in the neighborhood so I decided to introduce you to my friend Shayn." He said casually.

Shayn extended her hand to Heero, "Hi there, I'm Shayn. Wow, you are much cuter then Duo said you were, I take it you are a lot cooler then he mentioned too."

Heero didn't take Shayn's hand instead he pulled back his fist and planted it into Duo's face. The movement was too fast for Duo to catch, his face flew back, he stumbled and would of toppled to the ground if the porch wall didn't break his fall.

"What was that for?" He asked, checking the inside of his mouth for bleeding. He wasn't amazed when he drew the two fingers back out covered in bright red blood.

"I warned you about setting me up on a date."

"You said nothing about regular dates, only blind ones, and you know Shayn, I just introduced you." Duo was furious, seeing that he had done nothing wrong and was only trying to help a friend. He tried to repay Heero for the wonderful dental work he had given him.

Heero easily dodged Duo's arm. He grabbed hold of it and flipped Duo over on to his back. Duo groaned in pain as his back slammed on to the hard concrete.

Shayn looked at Heero. Her eyes glistened with excitement. "That was so awesome! Could you show me how to do that?"

Heero happily obliged, since it meant having the chance to flip Duo again, and again. He jerked Duo up to his feet. "Watch carefully." He turned to Duo, "Come at me again."

"Gladly." Duo said as he tried to punch him for a second time. Again Heero grabbed his arm before it made contact. He pulled it down and through, taking Duo with it to the ground.

"It's his momentum that carries out the movement. Just feel it, sense that it's there, and it's easy."

Shayn nodded, showing complete understanding. "Hey Duo, be a doll and do something for me."

"Hell no, I've had my required amount of flips for one day."

Heero jerked him back up with incredible force. He faced him towards Shayn, "Try and hit her."

Duo turned to Heero, "I don't have a problem hitting you, but I will not, I repeat I will NOT, hit the lady."

"Duo shut up and hit me damn it!" Shayn said firmly.

Heero smiled, he liked her.

"Alright, but afterwards you can't be mad at me for ruining your face." He reluctantly brought back his arm. Again, he found his self on the ground.

She looked at Heero, a broad smile on her face, waiting for his approval.

"Very nice, next time though, don't pull so hard, let the movement complete itself. Want to try again?"

"No!" Duo yelled, still on the ground.

"What's going on out here?" Relena asked, appearing at the door. She saw Duo on the porch, "Oh my God Duo!" She rushed over and helped him up. "What on earth happened to you?"

"Oh nothing, just a little marshal arts lesson."

"Your bleeding, we need to get you some ice so you don't swell up like a balloon."

Duo glared at Heero, "Thanks for helping man, leave the pregnant lady to it."

Heero just shrugged.

Shayn noticed the tension in the air and decided to break it up a bit. She extended her hand to Relena, "Hello, I'm Shayn." She said sweetly, even though she couldn't help but wonder what she was doing at- what she assumed to be- Heero's home.

"Hello there, I'm Relena, I'm Heero's-"

"Friend. My apartment burned down, I'm staying at Relena and her husband's house until I can find another." Heero said cutting off whatever Relena's so-called relation to him was going to be.

Relena looked hurt, even though she would of said practically the same thing; she was still hurt that he didn't tell her the truth. She masked it quickly with a smile. "How rude of me to not ask you in, come, make yourself at home."

"Actually Shayn and I are going out to dinner." He walked past her, brushing against her shoulder, and grabbed his jacket. He slung it over his shoulder and looked at Shayn, "Shall we?"

"We shall." Shayn said happily. She took his arm and they walked down the long path through the huge front yard to where his car was parked. ****************************************************************************************** The kitchen table was covered in books Saturday morning. Heero came in quietly in his boxers and tank top. He had a late night with Shayn; they hit it off really well. He didn't come home until around two.

Relena flipped though one of the books. She wrote something on a piece of paper. She was still in her pajamas as well. She had on a loose fitting t-shirt and a pair of Heero's boxers. Heero had long since gotten over that Relena raided his clothes. Hers had stopped fitting long ago; he could stand sharing his with her.

He walked past her and opened the refrigerator.

Relena looked up, "I'm trying to find a name." he told him.

"What do you have so far?" Heero put the orange juice back. He walked over to the table with his glass of juice.

"What about Xavier James?"

"Too rich."

"Well then what name do you have in mind?"

"Odin."

"That's worst then Xavier James."

He looked at her, showing no emotion.

She decided to elaborate. "Heero, it's so old. Honestly, that is a name our fathers could of had."

"He /was/ a father to me." Heero said in his same melancholy tone, only adding emphasis on the word 'was'. He calmly stood and walked out of the kitchen.

/Now you've done it./ Relena cursed herself for not asking why before dismissing the name. She stood and went after him.

The front door just closed, she hoped she could get to him before he drove off. She did. He was in his car, just about to go on a long drive when she climb into the passenger's side and closed the door.

He didn't take his eyes off the house. "Get out." He told her sternly.

"No, you need to learn to talk things out."

Heero continued to stare straight ahead.

"Heero I'm sorry. I wouldn't have said that if I knew." She paused, waiting for him to respond. The only sound was that of the idling engine. She finally gave up waiting for him. "How do you expect this to work if we can't talk?"

"I don't expect this to work." Heero said flatly. He turned off the car and left Relena there, stunned.

Relena struggled out of the car and followed him as he walked down towards the street. She ran up to him and cut him off.

"Leave me alone."

"How can you say that?"

"Relena, I don't w-"

"This isn't about what you want. It's always about what you want. I bend over backwards to make you happy, and what do you do in return? Screw pretty girls and leave me at home, that's what."

"I didn't sleep with Shayn." He stepped to the side and walked past her. He opened the privet gate leading out to the rest of the track.

"That isn't the point."

Heero didn't answer her. He continued to walk away from her and the discussion.

She cut him off again though, "Why don't you think it will work?"

"We are completely different people, it can't work."

"We can work that out, it's not like I'm asking the impossible."

Heero began to loose his cool. "You are asking me the impossible. You put me in an impossible situation. You can't expect me to be some model parent after one night."

This wasn't the answer Relena needed, "Oh that's right, it's only hard on you. Get a grip with reality! I'm the Foreign Minister to the whole colonies. Do you know how much respect I have lost because of this? I'm not moping around the house like you are. I shouldn't be the only one taking this in stride. I'm fucking pregnant with your child and you won't even give me the time of day. If anyone should be wanting to run it should be me, not you."

"First you insult the only person who ever cared weather I lived or died, then you call me a coward?"

"I'm sorry, I told you that, but how was I suppose to know? It's not like you go around telling everyone."

"It's my past. I can tell who ever I damn please about it."

"You tell no one anything. Oh boo-hoo you've been fighting since you were a kid. You're not the only one who had a hard childhood."

"What would you know about hard? You grew up rich on earth, not exactly in the warpath. How would you know what it was like? I knew how to aim a gun before I could walk Relena. I killed a man when I was three! I was raised for the sole purpose of being an assassin, that's not something you go telling everyone."

"Heero I-"

"Yeah, your sorry. Well don't be. Don't pity poor me. It's true that no combat training could ever prepare me for Odin's death, but the last thing I need is pity. So sorry if I'm not being a good father, they skipped the chapters on caring and compassion." Heero turned again, this time heading back towards the house, trying to get away from her for the last time.

Relena could feel eyes staring at her. She looked around; the little fight had grabbed the attention of the neighbors. She blushed with embarrassment and chased after Heero yet again, it was starting to get old, she intend on ending this.

She cut him off before he could get back in to his car. She threw her arms around him and brought her lips to his. He stared at her with wide eyes as she kissed him.

She pulled back, "Lesson one in caring and compassion: except apologies." ****************************************************************************************** "Relena what are we doing here?"

Relena looked annoyed towards Heero as they made their way though the automatic doors of the baby store, "I told you, we are buying some clothes for the baby."

"He's not even born and he already has more clothes then I do." Heero didn't hide the fact that he didn't want to be there. He already had to cancel plans with Shayn, his now steady girlfriend, to go on this little outing. He was eager to get it over with so they could go out.

"Which reminds me; when we are done here we are going shopping for you."

Confused, his look asked the unsaid question of why.

"All you own are those dingy old jeans and those horrible tank tops. I want you to have some nice outfits for when you go out."

She picked out a pair of tiny, blue, corduroy overalls, "How cute are these?" She asked in the high-pitched voice one naturally uses while looking at baby clothes.

Heero ignored the overalls. He didn't take his eyes off of Relena, "I have plans with Shayn."

"Which you canceled, come now, don't you want to look nice for her?"

"I don't think there is anything wrong with my clothes."

Relena stopped searching though the rack filled with petite outfits spangled with cho-cho trains and puppy dogs. "You have two pairs of jeans, the same two pairs you have had for nearly seven years."

"They are good pants."

"Look, I know you hate shopping, so please indulge me this once."

"I'm not wearing them."

"That's your choice."

She selected another miniature ensemble with airplanes on them, "Aren't these to die for?"

He shrugged his I-couldn't-care-less shrug, "What ever." He said unenthusiastically. ****************************************************************************************** After hours of shopping Heero and Relena stopped at a quaint, little restaurant for dinner before finally heading home. Heero had given up on doing something with Shayn. He trudged into the restaurant, looking at the floor. He silently protested his new ensemble, and hoped that no one he knew was at the restaurant.

He couldn't believe what she picked out for him. She dressed him up in clothes that Quatre would buy in an instant, with out a second thought for the prices, which Heero thought were ridiculous. He couldn't complain about the prices though, Relena insisted that she paid for everything, something that he happily agreed too.

They were shown to their table almost instantly. Seven months pregnant Relena struggled to sit in the seat, without help from Heero. She wished that she were taller so that the baby had more choices of where to grown besides out. An exhausted sign escaped her lips when she finally got into the seat. She picked up the menu and started the debate of what to order.

"Hey Heero!" Heero shuddered with recognition of the voice. Instead of looking up and acknowledging Duo he buried his face deeper into the menu.

Relena looked over. Her puffy face lit up with joy, "Duo, Hilde, it's been so long." She struggled to stand up to greet them.

Hilde helped her up, "Oh Relena don't push yourself for our sake."

"Nonsense, being pregnant is no excuse for being rude." She glared at Heero, who had no excuse for not greeting their friends.

He looked up, his eyes asked what, for his ever-silent mouth.

She shook her head and looked back to Duo and Hilde, "Lets have dinner together so we can catch up.

There was no objection from Duo and Hilde. At this point Heero didn't care what they did. ****************************************************************************************** The whole dinner Duo was dying to talk to Heero alone. He took his chance when the girls wanted to stay and have a cup of de-caff.

He put his arm around Hilde, pulling her close, and rubbed her shoulder, letting her know he wanted something. "Hey babe, Heero and I are going to slip away, you know, give you girls a chance to talk about how much you love us." He winked and slipped her his credit card, "Dinner's on me."

"Since when are you a model for Vogue?" He asked Heero flat out. "You look like a fucking clone of Quatre."

Heero stared vacantly at the fountain in front of the bench they were sitting on outside of the restaurant. "Relena got them for me."

"You guys are getting pretty close, even buying each other clothes."

"Didn't Shayn tell you that we have been going out for two months now?"

"Nah, I'm not friends with Shayn. I met her at the grocery store and she agreed to meet you."

Heero glared at him, he was discussed that he would do that to him. He wasn't going to say anything though; last thing he wanted was a fight over something that didn't mater.

"Tell her about Relena?"

"No."

"Are you going to?"

"No."

"Isn't she suspicious since she has never seen Relena's 'husband' at home?"

"No."

"Not much for conversation are you?"

"No."

"Still living with Relena?"

"Yes."

"Ah, so he does know more then one word. I can't believe you are still with her after you have been with that Shayn girl for so long."

Heero glared at him, "You were the one who told me to stay with her."

"I told you not to leave her, not go pick out curtains and wardrobes."

"We aren't, this is a one time thing. After she dragged me into all those shitty, expensive stores she better not expect me to get her something in return."

Duo looked up at the sky, resting his head in his hands, "I bet you that she thinks she is doing you a favor. I saw how Hilde looked at your clothes; she digs them. Chicks like classy guys, and that outfit makes you pretty damn classy."

"Shayn doesn't care about that stuff."

"I wish I was betting for money, I would be rich by now." ****************************************************************************************** Hilde watched the guys leave the restaurant. She shook her head in disbelief. "Heero was the last person I ever expected to see in French Connection and Banana Republic."

"So was he, you should of seen the fit he threw over the price of those Doc Marten shoes. He was acting like they were a million dollars, and he wasn't even the one paying for them." She laughed, "It was actually quite funny." She thought over the grueling trip, that she thought of as nerve-racking while it was going on, with good humor. She remembered how he called FCUK "FUCK" and how she had to literally drag him into Armani Exchange and Structure.

"I admire you Relena, I could never get Duo into one of those stores and I'm engaged to the man."

Relena nearly chocked on her de-caff, "Engaged?"

Hilde got all bubbly. "Yes!" She put her left hand forward, showing Relena her ring.

She took her hand in hers and looked at the diamond ring, "Oh Hilde, congratulations!"

"You will never believe how he asked me, it was so sweet and romantic." ****************************************************************************************** "You rented a gondola and sang "I Do" by 98 degrees why rowing?" Heero was laughing so hard he could barely get the question out.

"Then I knelt and proposed, right there in the middle of the lake." Duo said, finishing his story.

"How did she keep a state face?"

"Chicks eat up sappy romantic shit like that. She was crying and everything."

"I never though you were much of a romantic."

"I'm not, don't tell her I got the idea from a movie." He said with a wink.

A thick layer of silence blanketed the air. Duo tried to close the void a few minutes later, "Would you look at us? Getting married and stuff. I was convinced that we were going to be batchers forever."

"Yeah." Heero said with no enthusiasm, even though he agreed with Duo. He decided to point something out though, "I'm not marring Shayn."

"Geeze lighten up! I never said you were, I was just saying-"

"Heero!"

They both looked up, to see Shayn and a group of friends in front of them. She turned to her friends as she ran towards Heero, "Go on with out me, I'll catch up."

Heero smiled and stood, "Shayn." He said as she ran over and hugged him.

"Someone has gone prep, I love it." She said as she fixed the collar of his new DKNY leather jacket.

He was disappointed that she did care about what he looked like. He covered it up with a slight smile though. "I thought you might."

Relena and Hilde came out of the restaurant a few minutes later. Relena waved as they made their way over, "Shayn, it's nice to see you again."

"Hi Relena. My you're getting big." She said, rubbing her stomach.

Relena lovingly placed a hand on her belly, "Yes, only two more months."

"Say, what are you doing so far along with out your husband around to help you?" She said looking around for him.

Relena and Heero's eyes met, as did Duo and Hilde's. "Oh, he's away on business tonight."

"I guess Mr. Dorlain has to work quite a bit to afford that wonderful mansion you own."

Relena decided it was about time to change the subject, "I'm having the shower in a few weeks and I would love it if you could come."

Heero looked up suddenly. He shook his head at Relena. Relena noticed it and just shot him a glance back.

"Oh no, I couldn't intrude." Shayn said sweetly, she was at Heero's side and hadn't seen his objection.

"Nonsense, it will be wonderful."

"But I don't know any of your friends, I would feel so out of place."

"Come now, you know you want to come. I would love to get closer to you."

"Alright, you win, when is it?"

"The 26th of next month."

"Oh shoot. I'm sorry, but I'll be away that day. I have some meeting in Paris I have to attend."

Heero sighed with relief.

Relena smiled, "I understand, we'll miss you."

"Shayn hurry we're going to leave with out you!"

Shayn looked over her shoulder at her friend. "I'll be right there Adriana!"

She turned to Heero with two hands she gripped his jacket and pulled him to her, "Sorry babe but I gotta go before I'm left behind. Call me tomorrow, we can do something then."

"'K."

"Oh, the tall, dark, and silent type. Keep it up big boy." She teased him.

The others looked away embarrassed, Heero didn't care and Shayn didn't notice.

"Can I have something sweet before I go?"

Heero brushed a stray strand away from her face before leaning over to kiss her.

"Ummm, yummy." Shayn said with a smile.

"Shayn!"

She looked over to her friends. "Gotta jet. Bye babe." She kissed him quickly on the cheek before running over to her girlfriends.

Heero turned to Relena after Shayn had left, "What did you do that for?"

Relena didn't take her eyes off Hilde and only broke her conversation for an instant to answer, "Do what for?"

"Invite Shayn to the shower."

"Yes I know, that would be lovely at the shower- It was the polite thing to do." She replied in the same manner.

"You know what the main gist of the conversation will be there."

"I found these adorable plates with lions and-" She stopped and looked over to Heero. "She will find out sooner or later."

"Still."

"Oh Heero, don't go making a fuss, it doesn't mater, she can't go anyways. -Yes and lambs, they match the nursery perfectly."

Heero let it pass, "Let's go home."

"Oh that would be wonderful!- Can't you see I'm talking?"

"I'm tired of being out and about."

"Then go home, I'll get a ride with Hilde and Duo."

"Fine."

"Fine."

Heero stormed away, seething with anger, yet determined not to show it. His anger was intensified with the last bit of conversation he heard. "I honestly don't know what Heero sees in that airhead." He was unwilling to fight in public, and decided to drive off his anger. First though, he had to make a quick stop at Relena's. Relena refused to get into his corvette now due to the safety of the baby. Heero was forced to drive her boat of a sedan around when ever he went somewhere with here. After a quick car change he was off for a two-hour drive though the winding country roads that were carved into the mountainsides of the Sank kingdom.

Heero pulled his car into the driveway late that night. He slipped in the front door and quietly closed it behind him, thinking that Relena was asleep. he turned around, and to his surprise, saw Relena sitting on the couch.

"Relena?"

Relena looked up from her novel. She stood and went over to him. She wrapped her arms around him and pressed her face up against his chest, deeply inhaling the department store sent that still permeated his clothes. "Oh Heero, I was so afraid that you left." She cried.

Heero was absolutely confused, "Huh?" He asked.

"When I got home and you weren't here... there was no note, your car was gone, I thought you left."

"I just went for a drive."

"I'm so sorry, I shouldn't have said that. I was so rude to you, I'm so sorry."

Heero reluctantly put his arms stiffly around her waist, trying to comfort her. He still didn't understand her sudden flood of emotions, "Don't worry about it."

"Shayn's a nice girl, she really is. I just can't stand the secretary, I should of thought before I spoke."

"I said don't worry about it." He said with less compassion.

She pulled away from him, "Really?"

"Yeah."

She smiled and without thinking blurted, "Oh Heero, I love you."

Heero froze. He couldn't say anything in return. He couldn't return the phrase, or even a thank you.

She noticed his discomfort and instantly noticed her mistake. She dropped her arms and looked to the floor with embarrassment. "I...uh... sorry."

"It's... okay." Heero mumbled.

"I'm um... I'm going to bed. Goodnight."

"Yeah."

She walked away from him, her head low. She wished that he had answered her. She didn't care how; just any answer would of done.

Heero knew what she wanted him to say. He also knew, however, that those three words, could not truthfully come from his mouth. He felt like perhaps he should be ashamed that he couldn't return the feeling, but he let the notion pass. No, he told her that he didn't love her and that wouldn't change. She knew, it was her fault for bringing it up.

He stood in the foyer, waiting for the light in Relena's room to go off. Once it did he retired to his room. Unable to sleep he hacked into the USUN's mainframe, and played around. It was all just for fun, and to get his mind off of those three damn words; those three small words that he couldn't form, even if he wanted to. He was taught to be unloving, a trait that he couldn't shake.