Author's notes:  I did not appreciate the latest reviews from some people!  You know who you are.  Shame on you for expecting such a quickly resolved plot and pressuring me to write a lemon!  I'm very disappointed.  However, I have decided that it would be unfair to punish those who have been well behaved just because some individuals were bad.  There's still no lemon, so there.  There is more coming, so just calm yourselves.  As always, reviews make me write faster ^_^

            "Now that you're here, Q-man, maybe Relena'll tell us this big secret she's been keeping,"  Duo spit out excitedly, ushering the group toward where Relena and Dorothy sat.  "C'mon, Relena!  Tell us now!"

            Relena looked at Dorothy and smiled.  Then she looked up at Heero, who had suddenly appeared behind her, and smiled even brighter.  "Well, Heero, do you want to tell them or shall I?"  Heero jerked his head, indicating that she could say it.  "Alright, then," Relena began as she stood up.  She put her hand on her stomach, which was bulging ever so slightly.  "The big secret is that Heero and I are going to have a baby."

            Excited shrieks and chuckle arose from the crowd.  Heero was patted on the back several times by Duo and once or twice by the other men.  Relena was inundated with hugs from every female, Duo and Quatre.  Enthusiastic conversation filled the air.

            "That's wonderful!  Congratulations, both of you,"  Quatre beamed.

            "Can I be the godfather?!  Can I? Can I? Can I?"

            "Maxwell, who in his right mind would entrust the spiritual education and possible custody of his child to a fool like you?  I congratulate you.  May this be the first of many sons for you."

            "Oh, I hope not," Hilde chirped.  "If it's a girl, we can dress her up, and take her shopping for her prom dress, and plan her wedding…"

            Heero suddenly stiffened.  "Prom?  Wedding…." He grumbled through clenched teeth.

            "Oh, Hilde!  What if Relena and Heero's daughter married our son?  That would be so cool!"

            "Marry Duo's son?!"

            "Honey, calm down.  We don't even know if it's going to be a girl, and Duo and Hilde haven't had any children yet either."

            "Well, actually we have an announcement, too,"  Hilde began.  "Not only are Duo and I now engaged," she said, presenting a diamond ring on her left ring finger for inspection, "but we're going to have a baby too!"

            As the happy conversation continued, Quatre looked over to see a still icily detached Dorothy.  Suddenly, his mood become less ecstatic and more enraged.  'How can she do this again?  All of what happened last night, all of this happy news, it can't mean nothing to her.  Grrr!  Why is she doing this?!'  He decided to do something about all of this; he needed time to think and devise a plan of attack.  'Allah! I'm starting to think like her!  This is war, and I shall win.'  "As much as I hate to break up this happy gathering, we have to prepare for the party tonight.  Well, I do anyway.  Trowa,"  the tall, dark-haired man looked toward his friend,  "would you mind helping me in my study?"

            Trowa raised a curious eyebrow, but simply stated, "sure, I'd be glad to," with a slightly questioning tone in his voice.

            "Well, if you'll excuse us then…."  The two young men departed from the group.

            Dorothy took hold of Relena's elbow.  "Miss Relena, let's go for a walk in the gardens.  I would very much like to speak with you."

            Relena smiled in return.  "Of course, Dorothy.  It's a lovely day for a walk."

            In Quatre's study, Trowa sat in a very comfortable wing-back chair, watching his best friend pace about the room gesticulating wildly and telling him a very strange story indeed.  He couldn't help but smile faintly as Quatre's face reddened in rage.  Trowa damn near laughed out loud when Quatre finished the story of the romantic encounters with Dorothy Catalonia and turned toward him, saying, "so what shall we do?  What is the plan of attack?"

            "Have you tried talking to her?"

            "Have I what?"  Quatre hadn't thought of that.  He automatically assumed that conflict with Dorothy could only be resolved through battle.

            "Quatre, you love her, right?" Trowa asked, still sitting calmly in the chair and resting his cheek on his fist.

            Quatre looked at Trowa as if he had just asked what 1+1 equals.  "Of course, I do!" Quatre roared.  "That's why I'm so damned angry at her!  I love her, but she won't have any part of it.  She just wants to keep on living her cold miserable life without me or anyone else.  Except maybe Relena…do you think she might be—"

            "No, Quatre, she isn't.  Remember this morning?  Clothes being pulled off?  Heavy snogging?"

            "Stop that.  That's unfair and you know it."

            "Whatever.  Look:  just tell her how you feel and that you can't stand to see her doing this to herself, blah, blah, blah.  Do it soon too; you have guests to entertain."

            "Okay, okay.  Where is she?"

            "I'm not sure."

            Out in the garden, a similar conversation was taking place between Dorothy and Relena.  "How do I get rid of him, Relena?  I cannot go around with some desperate little boy clinging to my dress, no matter how handsome and strong and sweet he might be….Damn!  I said that out loud, didn't I?"

            Relena laughed at her now blushing friend.  "Yes, you did."  Relena's tone changed from amused to imploring, "oh, Dorothy, please don't do this."

            "Don't do what?" Dorothy asked indignantly.

            "Push Quatre away when you know that you love him.  You've been sad long enough.  He makes you happy; I can tell.  Who else could get the dress off of Dorothy Catalonia, the Heroine of the Battlefield?"  Dorothy blushed even more, and Relena laughed again.  "That's what I thought.  He's everything any girl would want: sweet, rich, cute, talented, and, most importantly, in love with you.  Give the boy a chance.  Although, I guess he's not really a boy anymore is he.  I mean 20 years old with broad shoulders, defined muscles—"

            "And that's not all that's grown," Dorothy chimed in with a wicked grin.  Both young women sighed heavily.

            "I tell you, if I hadn't met Heero first…m'm…."

            "Relena…" Dorothy said menacingly.

            Relena jumped and blushed, covering her mouth with a delicate hand.  "Oh, I'm sorry.  Anyway, talk to him.  Tell him how you feel.  I'm sure that it will work out wonderfully.  I had better find Heero before he starts thinking that you kidnapped me as part of some evil plan."  Relena stood up carefully and began to walk away when Dorothy's voice stopped her.

            "Relena, thank you."

            She smiled a knowing smile and said, "oh, it was nothing.  I'm just using my motherly wisdom a little early."  Both friends smiled at that comment, and Relena disappeared into the garden, looking for her husband.  Soon after that, Dorothy found herself wandering back to her room.

            After his conversation, Quatre paced his study, thinking of exactly what he would say to Dorothy.  He hadn't really accomplished much besides getting even more wrapped around the axel.  Finally, he couldn't take it anymore.  He threw open the door to his study and began marching through the halls of his mansion, looking for Dorothy's room.  He burst through the door to find Dorothy sitting at her vanity, wearing a long white, silk dressing gown.  Hearing her door torn open surprised Dorothy, and she jumped around to face the intruder.  Seeing it was Quatre, she sighed a breath of relief and placed her hand over her racing heart.

            "Quatre, you scared me—" she managed to say before Quatre's growling voice interrupted her.

            "Be quiet!"  Dorothy opened her eyes wide in shock.  "Don't say a word until I've finished."  His voice was strong and angry as he began pacing the room.  "You are a wonderful, beautiful person, Dorothy.  You deserve to be happy and loved by a perfect man, but he doesn't exist.  So you're stuck with me!"

            Dorothy couldn't help but laugh.  "Yes, dear."

            Quatre continued as if she hadn't spoken.  "And I love you too much to watch you make yourself miserable any longer.  I," he pointed at his chest emphatically, "am going to make you the happiest woman alive because we are getting married, and we'll be together forever.  Do you understand?!"

            "Yes, dear," Dorothy repeated as she stood and walked over to Quatre, putting her arms around his neck and smiling up at him.

            Quatre was confused.  She was supposed to fight him.  "Really?"  Dorothy nodded in response.  "So you'll marry me?"  She nodded again.  Quatre let out an elated, triumphant yelp.  He lifted Dorothy up and spun her around.  All the while, both of them shrieked and laughed in celebration.