Six Months Later

The air was cooler now that the year had fallen into November. The leaves of the Sakura trees were falling gracefully to the ground as Hilde sat on her back deck early that morning. She was sitting on a lounge chair, her knees tucked up to her chest and her big knitted purple sweater was pulled over them, keeping her legs warm. At the moment she was sipping her coffee enjoying the crisp morning before her real day began. The wind blew suddenly and pulled through Hilde's long loose hair making her smile is genuine enjoyment of the simple things.

The mood was broken though with the ringing of her doorbell. 'Who could be here this early in the morning?' Hilde thought to herself as she set her coffee down on the clear glass deck table and entered her small two-bedroom house through the sliding glass door into her kitchen. Walking to the door and opening it, Hilde got the shock of her life.

"Heero??"

~*~

Seeing the expression on Hilde's face was extremely comical but Heero didn't laugh. He was here on official business and as much as he noticed she was only wearing and sweater and some jogging shorts, he couldn't let his mind wonder. He was about to ask her to do something extremely difficult, even for him.

"Hello Hilde."

Trying to get over her surprise Hilde replied,"Hey Heero. Um, can I help you?"

"Lady Une sent me."

Those simple words meant so much. She knew that Heero could have found her all those months ago if he choose too. Like she could have found him, though it would probably been a lot harder. Having him show up at her doorstep in a pair of jeans, a plain black T-shirt and leather jacket had definitely surprised her but now, with the mention of Lady Une, she knew something was wrong.

Becoming serious, Hilde opened the front door a little wider and invited him in.

The first thing Heero noticed was that Hilde's house was neat. The living room, which was the room he had entered in to, was simple. A couch, chair, and loveseat. There were little things he noticed, like the stack of CD's in front of the entertainment center, the pictures that looked like family, and a bookcase filled with books. Not really knowing what to do, he followed her through the kitchen and back outside onto the small wooden deck.

Taking up her seat Hilde gestured to the other three chairs and drank her coffee.

"Lady Une wants you for an assignment." Heero said breaking the ice.

"I figured as much. It must be something big if she sent you here." Hilde replied already feeling the butterflies rise up in her stomach. She just had an unnerving feeling that something was wrong.

"There's been a recent threat against the Vice-Foreign Minister."

"Relena." Just the mention of that name strung a chord inside her heart that made her want to cry. But she wasn't so wrapped up in her emotions that she didn't notice how Heero's eyes darkened and his face became fiercer.

"Why does Lady need me then?" Hilde asked softly, trying to bring Heero out of his daze.

Snapping out of his stupor he answered her as if nothing ever happened. "We don't exactly know where the threat is coming from. This group, which we haven't classified yet, is extremely deadly. They've been responsible for the 3 deaths of the colony representatives. We have reason to believe they're aiming for the Vice-Foreign Minister."

"Lady Une wants me to play spy for her huh?" Seeing the weird look on Heero's face Hilde continued. "You Gundam pilots weren't the only ones who know espionage. I was a soldier also Heero. Anyway," Hilde said depressed, knowing what was being asked of her,"Lady wants me to become all buddy buddy with Relena right? Act like I'm just an old time friend coming to visit her, it would work also if anyone checked my background. Of course the whole time I'd be undercover, being feed information and hopefully I would find these bad guys and save the day." Hilde finished dramatically.

"It's a little more than that." Heero stated.

"Oh?"

"I'm going with you."

Silence. Staring into his cobalt eyes, somewhat hidden by his still unruly hair, Hilde moved off her chair and swatted down in front of Heero. Reaching her hand out instinctively she brushed his bangs out of his eyes and asked him what he was thinking. When she asked she noticed the emotion flash through his eyes.

"Hasn't anyone ever asked you that Heero?" Hilde asked softly, wondering what he was thinking.

"No."

"Well, now I am. You don't have to answer but Heero, you know what you're asking me."

Unable to answer her he averted his gaze to the tree in small cubical back yard.

"Fine." She said turning away from him. "Tell Lady Une, I'll be in her office tomorrow morning to be briefed on all the information. You know where the door is. I'm sorry I can't see you out but I have to get ready for work."

~*~

He watched her go. He watched her turn away from him and walk back into her house. Sitting there Heero didn't know what to think. Yesterday when Lady Une told him his new assignment he handled it professionally. It's not like he had any personal reasons to decline the mission. The Vice-Foreign Minister was endangered and he promised himself that he would always protect her, even if it wasn't his job anymore. He never really faced the fact that he would be seeing…Relena again. Relena. The last time he had seen her, with her hair tousled and tears in her eyes, his heart, what was left of it, had been broken. That was three years ago now. And he had to face her.

"I know how you feel."

Her voice almost made him jump. Standing there in the doorway, in jeans and a long sleeve shirt, was Hilde, looking at him with understanding.

"I'm sorry." She said hurt. "I didn't mean to be rude to you but… it's been three years and I'm still to weak to face them. I thought that after all this time I could go back someday and smile sweetly. I could face him and tell him that I was alright. He was nothing to me and I had moved on with me life. But even after three long years I can't."

"Hn."

Laughing at his response Hilde walked over to Heero and grabbed his hand. "Heero Yuy, you are the most original human being I have ever meet."

Smirking he let Hilde lead him back through her house and out the front door. Standing in front of his car he got solemn again. He didn't know what to say to her now. Thankfully she did, staring in to his eyes like she always did.

"Thank you."

"For what?" He asked.

"For being there with me. I know we don't really know each other but… I do know that you understand and you'll be there."

"Why do you do that?"

"Do what Heero?"

"Stare into my eyes?" His voice sounded like that of a child but she didn't mind. She remembered someone else asking that.

"Because it's the only way I have the slightest idea about what's going on in your head. You may be the master at masking your face but you eyes are very expressive."

Standing there, in the morning coolness of November, beside Heero's car, staring in to each other's eyes Heero and Hilde found understanding.

Breaking away from him, "Look, I'm going to be late. I guess I'll see you tomorrow morning. Oh yeah." Hilde said walking toward her Jeep. "I hope you don't mind singing."

Smirking again at her laughter he got into his car and drove away.