It's a few days late, but I still hope you guys enjoy it. A few
reminders: takes place a few years into the future....around the time
when the boys and Relena are 18, I'm ignoring Endless Waltz but I'm
borrowing the Preventers for background purposes, eerrr...what
else...oi and aheh I tweaked with Dorothy a bit....you'll see what I
mean..... As for a rating...I'd say this is pretty tame but I'm
rating it PG-13 for very, very SLIGHT sexual innuendo (in first
paragraph) and a little language.
Disclaimer: I don't own em.....I'm just an obsessed fangirl ^_^
Hhhhhmmm....what else? OH yeah! What happened last time:
Heero snuck into Relena's room, they did the nasty (very unromantic
way of putting it, I know), and he left her to go on some suicide
mission, leaving a very torn up Relena in his wake *sniffs*
This chapter takes place 4 weeks (1 month) after the fact . . . .
Made of You: Chapter 1
by Guardian Kysra
She missed him. She missed the feel of his hands on her body as he
touched, caressed, and fondled with tenderness reflected in his every
action. She missed the weight of his body on hers, the electric
sensations he produced as his skin brushed against hers softly. She
missed his arms, warm and strong, holding her securely, making her
feel safe and at home, at peace. She missed the sound of his voice,
the insubstantial whispers breathed solemnly in her ear, the muffled
moans of pleasure as they moved together as one, even the deep
monotone of his customary, dispassionate voice. She missed the dark,
messy brown of his hair, cool silk sliding between her fingers in the
throws of passion as in the calm afterglow. She missed his eyes,
piercing blue orbs that turned to molten flame as he patiently watched
her, protected her, . . . pleased her, reflecting satisfaction as she
writhed beneath him. She missed his lips, searching, tugging,
kissing, tasting of her until she was totally aware and awakened,
giving her a reality of dreams as they discovered every hidden facet
of her body. Most of all, she missed his scent, that musky male scent
that was undeniably his, somehow hinting at danger and holding onto
the salty smell of the sea, the scent that hung onto her skin still.
She missed him so much.
Gripping the bedsheets to her face tightly, Relena struggled to
banish the feelings assailing her, fighting the tears that came to her
eyes when she realized her head rested where his had four
weeks ago. Four short, horribly endless weeks. She suddenly felt
nauseous.
Sitting up, she glanced at her bedside digital alarm clock. Two
o'clock, and here she was with a full schedule of meetings from six
till nine plus all the paperwork she still had to catch up on.
She would get no sleep this night even if she was mentally,
physically, and emotionally exhausted. So tired. She was just so
tired.
Relena lay back onto the plush pillows where Heero's scent rose
to greet her, comforting her while simultaneously making her stomach
churn with depression and worry. She let out a held breath and flung
one bare arm over her eyes, thinking of the horrors that awaited her
tomorrow.
The world of politics was a-buzz with the news of a new
anti-Peacecraft group who wished another war on humanity. Relena
hadn't been very worried about them at first. From the
information that was presented to her, they didn't look very
organized nor very numerous; however, talking it over with Quatre had
changed her mind drastically.
"Don't let the fact that they don't look organized blind you to the
fact that they may want you to think they're unorganized."
His words, softly spoken but forceful, had echoed in her mind since
he had spoken them to her, his serious expression burned into her
memory. Quatre was hardly ever grim, and she had learned through
experience to listen to him, by far the most sincere and emotional of
the Gundam pilots. Through countless meetings, political intrigues,
and threats, Quatre had been her confidante and ally, being her
support if ever she needed someone to back her on an issue,
lending her an ear if she needed it, and giving her advice when she
truly had no idea how to proceed with a new problem. They had become
very good friends, and she trusted him implicitly. She would trust
him now, and treat this newest threat to peace with caution no matter
how small the group was.
A smile pulled on her lips as she thought of her appointments.
Perhaps she should cancel them and have an off-day. Afterall, Quatre
and his family were on Earth for the month and Duo and Hilde, who had
just moved nearby, were supposedly having a party to celebrate their
engagement. It would be good to see everyone again, especially since
it had been such a long time since she had any carefree fun with
friends, always too busy to attend little get-togethers and
group dates. She felt like she was becoming distant from them,
existing on a different, very lonely, plane far below them.
The smile faded as that thought passed through her mind, causing the
nausea assailing her to intensify. Rolling onto her stomach, Relena
rested her chin on her folded arms, biting her lower lip thoughtfully,
her mind fixed on that tiny seed of profound thought.
It was true. She was below them now. They were moving on, all of
them, even Wufei and Trowa. They had lives independent of their
pasts, and she was stuck, her future hanging precariously from the
precipice, depending on the decision of one man. Heero Yuy.
Restless now, Relena slithered out of bed, suddenly feeling faint in
addition to the turbulence of her gut, and stepped lightly toward her
private bathroom. The room wasn't dark, the moon high
and full illuminating the rather large room for her benefit, and yet,
the shadows and blue/gray light meshed together, making her vision
swim as wave after wave of dizziness shrouded her senses.
"What . . . What's wrong with me?" she whispered to herself, bringing
one hand up to cover her eyes while the other searched for something
solid for support. It wasn't the first time she had felt
sick and dizzy. In fact, she could recount three episodes of this
sort from the past week, and if memory served, it got worse each time
it occurred.
Lowering herself to the floor, she breathed in deeply, her eyes
closed while trying to steady herself. There, she felt slightly
better. Opening her eyes, she found that she was still slightly
dizzy and the nausea had calmed somewhat. It was probably better to
wait a bit before making a move to get to the bathroom.
Her thoughts, as always, returned to Heero. What was he doing now?
Was he in danger? Was he having as bad a time as she was? Did he
think of her as she thought of him? Why was she driving herself crazy
with all of these questions?
With great effort, Relena pulled herself to her feet and tried again
for the bathroom. The nausea came back with a vengence, and she had
to run to avoid making a mess on her carpeted floor. She stayed like
that, head bowed over the toilet bowl for hours, her stomach emptying
itself of everything she had eaten the day before.
It was a long night, and she just knew that if her luck didn't
change soon, it was going to be an even worse day.
***
Deciding not to cancel all her appointments, Relena mused, had been a
very bad idea.
Surrounded by her bodyguards, she was pushed along through the crowd
of the press, blinded by the flashing lights of cameras, dodging the
microphones shoved in her face, deafened by the yelling voices of
questioning newsmen and women.
Issuing a few 'no comments', Relena let out a relieved sigh
when she reached her limo and Pagan opened the door for her. She
literally jumped into the vehicle, eager to be away from the rabid
wolves just outside the tinted window. It was days like this that
made her wish for a relatively normal teenaged life. It was days like
this that made it that much harder to keep the tears at bay.
Leaning her head back and closing her eyes, she groaned as a wave of
nausea washed over her. Motion sickness? She had never experienced
that before, but then again, she had been experiencing strange
illnesses for the past couple days. Nothing surprised her anymore.
Perhaps it was all the stress of being a young, female politician.
"Miss Relena?"
Opening her eyes, Relena met Pagan's gaze through the rearview
mirror.
"Yes Pagan?"
"Mr. Winner has invited you to have dinner and spend the night at
his mansion. What shall I tell him?"
Relena's eyes wandered to the window where she watched the
passing buildings, people, and trees with growing discomfort. She
didn't answer.
"He said that Miss Hilde, Mister Duo, and the others would also
be there, and if I may say so Miss, I think it would cheer you to see
them again."
Relena smiled and turned back to him, trying her damndest to keep the
contents of her stomach at bay. The decision had already been made
last night. She couldn't stand being alone anymore.
"I would be delighted to go."
"Shall I inform him of your impending arrival?"
The smile broadened, "No. I want this visit to be a surprise."
***
"Damn Quatre, quite a place you have here!"
*SMACK*
"Whadja hit me for Hilde-babe?" Duo whined, rubbing the back
of his head as he glared at his fiancee.
"Can you at least act as if you have manners? Besides, you
shouldn't cuss in front of Devon," Hilde flippantly replied as she
squatted down to greet Quatre's two year old son, Devon, who
looked like a carbon copy of his father but had inherited his
mother's eyes (thankfully not her eyebrows *shiver*).
While Hilde was occupied with the little boy, Duo and Quatre
exchanged glances that said more than if they had talked outright.
Despite appearances this 'party' wasn't just a gathering of old
friends but a gathering of the minds. Of course, Dorothy, Hilde, and
the other females involved with their respective Gundam pilots knew
nothing of the grim situation looming over their happy
little get-together, and the men wanted to keep it that way for the
time being . . . however . . .
"So is Relena coming?" Hilde asked, rising from her stooped
position with the toddler in her arms, his little head resting on her
shoulder.
Quatre smiled a tight smile that didn't quite reach his eyes,
"No, I'm afraid she was indisposed."
"Hilde! Duo! It's so good to see you both!" Dorothy
breezed in, and Duo suppressed a shudder. Old habits died hard.
Hilde smiled and hugged the other woman, marveling at the change in
the platinum blonde. Where there used to be a war-loving, blood
thirsty warrior, now stood a placid house wife and
mother. She supposed this change was credited in no small way to
Quatre, and while she had noticed the difference before, it was still
quite hard to accept that this woman and the woman who had very nearly
killed Quatre only a few years ago were the same person.
They were just stepping away to go into the living room when a knock
on the door halted all conversation. Quatre turned about and took the
few steps to the door, opening it to find Catherine, Sally, and Wufei,
the two women smiling brightly while the Chinese man glowered
morosely.
Quatre exclaimed happily, seeing them together then calmed and asked,
"Where's Trowa?"
"He's coming. He said he had something to do first . . . like wrap a
G-I-F-T for a certain blond, gray eyed little boy we all know and
love," Catherine answered as she took Devon from Hilde and whirled the
laughing child about.
Dorothy smiled, her eyes twinkling with happiness as she watched her
son laugh and chatter with his aunt, "We were just moving into the
living room . . ."
"Even better! Let's move into the dining room so we can eat!
I'm starved!"
"Hilde! Let go of the HAIR!!!"
"Shut up Duo! You're always hungry."
Everyone (with the exception of the slightly grinning Wufei) laughed
and followed Quatre and Dorothy into their living room, enjoying Hilde
and Duo's antics all the way.
***
"I've called and informed your brother of your whereabouts,
and he has promised to cancel the rest of your appointments until noon
tomorrow."
Relena nodded and smiled as she stepped out of the limo, feeling free
already, "Thank you Pagan." She moved to close the door when Pagan's
concerned voice reached her again, making her pause,
"Are you sure you don't wish me to drive you to Mister Winner's
gate?"
"No, but thank you again Pagan. I need to walk about a bit and
breathe a little. I'll be fine," she gave him a sweet smile, taking
in his wizened face . . . . . It was high time she try to convince
him to retire and spend more time with his family. If there was
anything she learned through the war and the subsequent events leading
up to Heero's final departure, it was that family and loved-ones were
more important than any occupation.
She closed the door and watched the limo disappear around a corner,
then began the mile walk to Quatre's home. The sidewalk and road were
empty, all signs of life shut away inside the rich mansions and large
houses barracaded by large iron gates and electric fences. The sun
was setting, creating the illusion that the sky was ablaze with an
angry fire . . No, not angry -- passion. A fire of passion lit the
sky. The color spread upon the earth, leaving no blade of grass
untouched by its brilliance, the reds, yellows, and oranges
reflecting the colors of her soul at that moment.
She was free till noon tomorrow, and she had no idea how to express
the jubilation that reality brought into her weary heart. With a
slight skip in her step, she pressed on, humming tunelessly
as her thoughts drifted to the colors of the sunset once more.
The passionate depths of the sky lended an almost sensual feel to an
innocent scene. It was almost as if the sun was making love to the
sky before leaving it to the darkness. What a fitting
picture for her set of circumstances. A sour expression marred
Relena's face at the comparison.
She was NOT going to be sullen. She was NOT going to sulk and brood
and be perverse about this. She WAS going to have fun with her
friends. She WAS going to enjoy her freedom for this
one night. She was NOT going to think about HIM and what they did.
She was NOT going to ruin a chance at enjoying herself.
Her mind made up, Relena began to hum again, turning her attention to
the houses she passed. Lights shown through the atmosphere as the
light of day dimmed into the darkness of night.
Such happy pinpoints of light, evidence of life being lived. She
wondered what each lit room held: a family dinner being served, two
lovers sitting together sipping champagne and making
plans for the future, a playroom filled with laughter as the children
played house, an elderly couple enjoying a quiet card game, old
friends chatting and giggling at old memories, or a solitary figure
crying out his/her regrets?
Shaking her head sadly, she picked up her pace a bit, seeing her
destination coming into view. A smile came slowly to her face as she
thought of everyone. She didn't know Trowa or Wufei all that well
since she didn't see them very much and really didn't
understand their personalities. Of course, that was her fault. She
was too busy, always another damn meeting, another social
function to be attended to, and she never tried to get to know them.
Tonight would be the perfect time to remedy that mistake.
Duo and Quatre were another story. While she didn't work closely
with Duo, he always made the effort to visit her when he was in town,
whether she was busy or not. To a degree, this annoyed her somewhat,
however, the visits also reminded her not to overdo things, to try and
balance work and simple pleasure, to not lose sight of what's
important in life.
Quatre was the same, only she saw much more of him due to their
respective social status. It wasn't uncommon for the two of them to
arrive at political meetings, conferences, and parties together, nor
was it unusual for them to have lunch dates and dinners afterward.
She valued Quatre's friendship more than she could ever say. He was a
kindred spirit, and understood what she was going through better than
anyone.
As for Hilde, Catherine, Dorothy, and Sally . . . well, they were her
female support group. Hilde had gone out of her way to befriend
Relena after the whole Peacemillion episode, and the two
often chatted late into the night since Relena usually didn't get
home from her political 'friends' till midnight. If Quatre was her
political confidante, then Hilde was her confidante for all things
non-political.
Catherine, while Relena didn't see her much, was a very close
friend also. It was Catherine who had witnessed a few crying spells
when Relena wanted to give up hope of ever seeing Heero
again, Catherine who patted Relena's hand when some snooty
reporter ran off at the mouth about Relena's decisions and policies,
and Catherine who brought a bit of sisterly loyalty into Relena's
life. True, Noin was there, but Relena didn't like taking
Noin's attention from her brother and vice versa. Catherine was a
godsend not only to Trowa but to her as well.
Relena's smile grew a little wider. Dorothy. After the war was
over, Dorothy had gone through a period of depression that had
astounded everyone. The girl who had so exulted war now cried
of its horrors, but was now so scared of living that it was a chore
trying to get her to eat. Relena had done everything she could to
help her pseudo-friend, at once concerned for the other girl's
sanity and suspicious that it was just an act, and when everyone had
given up hope, Quatre, newly recovered from his wounds, had swooped
down like a guardian angel and pulled Dorothy out of the embers under
which she was buried. One thing led to another, they were married,
had little Devon, and were now living in marital bliss.
And Sally Po . . . Sally was what Relena affectionately called
'Mother Hen.' It was Sally's job to see Relena protected from all
bodily harm, but she also protected Relena's mind. Relena could
look to Sally for emotional support. They had such a good rapport
with each other that Relena cleared her schedule each month so they
could have some quality time to talk about men, politics,
and stress. She trusted Sally with her most personal thoughts, and
it seemed Sally trusted her with the same. In a way, Sally was very
much a third mother to Relena.
All of these different relationships, Relena mused, and I still yearn
for more . . . Am I really that selfish?
As she got closer and closer to the Winner mansion, the smell of
smoke permeated her nostrils, and she suddenly felt sick. Halting
momentarily, Relena gripped the stiff metal bars of the
Winner gate, her eyes closed and breath coming in gasps. She felt
dizzy. God, not now . . . not NOW . . .
Screwing up her determination, Relena forced herself to go a few
steps forward. She was not going to let something as trivial as
dizziness and nausea ruin her night of independence, her night
to spend with her friends, her second family, sibling bonds forged in
the heat of war to be cooled and hardened by the winds of peace.
The world tilted and swayed, her vision becoming watery and blurred,
forcing her to stop and seek support again. Her hand rose and reached
for the iron gate again, but somehow missed just as a wave of
faintness rushed her, throwing her totally off-balance.
She felt herself falling, and miraculously had the presence of mind to
brace herself for impact, but just before her body hit
the ground, two strong arms stopped her descent and lifted her
against a warm, solid body. She had never felt so relieved.
Turning her head toward her savior, she tried to focus on his face
but found that her eyes were not being cooperative. Another tidal
wave of dizziness swept over her, and she felt the darkness
beckon.
"Hee . . . ro . . . ?" she murmered questioningly, hopefully.
She didn't get to hear the answer for the call of unconsciousness was
stronger than her will at that moment, and Relena Dorlian
Peacecraft did something she had never done before even in the face
of death . . . She gave into the illness and fainted.
Eheh....to be continued.....
All C&C Welcomed and Appreciated! ^_^
reminders: takes place a few years into the future....around the time
when the boys and Relena are 18, I'm ignoring Endless Waltz but I'm
borrowing the Preventers for background purposes, eerrr...what
else...oi and aheh I tweaked with Dorothy a bit....you'll see what I
mean..... As for a rating...I'd say this is pretty tame but I'm
rating it PG-13 for very, very SLIGHT sexual innuendo (in first
paragraph) and a little language.
Disclaimer: I don't own em.....I'm just an obsessed fangirl ^_^
Hhhhhmmm....what else? OH yeah! What happened last time:
Heero snuck into Relena's room, they did the nasty (very unromantic
way of putting it, I know), and he left her to go on some suicide
mission, leaving a very torn up Relena in his wake *sniffs*
This chapter takes place 4 weeks (1 month) after the fact . . . .
Made of You: Chapter 1
by Guardian Kysra
She missed him. She missed the feel of his hands on her body as he
touched, caressed, and fondled with tenderness reflected in his every
action. She missed the weight of his body on hers, the electric
sensations he produced as his skin brushed against hers softly. She
missed his arms, warm and strong, holding her securely, making her
feel safe and at home, at peace. She missed the sound of his voice,
the insubstantial whispers breathed solemnly in her ear, the muffled
moans of pleasure as they moved together as one, even the deep
monotone of his customary, dispassionate voice. She missed the dark,
messy brown of his hair, cool silk sliding between her fingers in the
throws of passion as in the calm afterglow. She missed his eyes,
piercing blue orbs that turned to molten flame as he patiently watched
her, protected her, . . . pleased her, reflecting satisfaction as she
writhed beneath him. She missed his lips, searching, tugging,
kissing, tasting of her until she was totally aware and awakened,
giving her a reality of dreams as they discovered every hidden facet
of her body. Most of all, she missed his scent, that musky male scent
that was undeniably his, somehow hinting at danger and holding onto
the salty smell of the sea, the scent that hung onto her skin still.
She missed him so much.
Gripping the bedsheets to her face tightly, Relena struggled to
banish the feelings assailing her, fighting the tears that came to her
eyes when she realized her head rested where his had four
weeks ago. Four short, horribly endless weeks. She suddenly felt
nauseous.
Sitting up, she glanced at her bedside digital alarm clock. Two
o'clock, and here she was with a full schedule of meetings from six
till nine plus all the paperwork she still had to catch up on.
She would get no sleep this night even if she was mentally,
physically, and emotionally exhausted. So tired. She was just so
tired.
Relena lay back onto the plush pillows where Heero's scent rose
to greet her, comforting her while simultaneously making her stomach
churn with depression and worry. She let out a held breath and flung
one bare arm over her eyes, thinking of the horrors that awaited her
tomorrow.
The world of politics was a-buzz with the news of a new
anti-Peacecraft group who wished another war on humanity. Relena
hadn't been very worried about them at first. From the
information that was presented to her, they didn't look very
organized nor very numerous; however, talking it over with Quatre had
changed her mind drastically.
"Don't let the fact that they don't look organized blind you to the
fact that they may want you to think they're unorganized."
His words, softly spoken but forceful, had echoed in her mind since
he had spoken them to her, his serious expression burned into her
memory. Quatre was hardly ever grim, and she had learned through
experience to listen to him, by far the most sincere and emotional of
the Gundam pilots. Through countless meetings, political intrigues,
and threats, Quatre had been her confidante and ally, being her
support if ever she needed someone to back her on an issue,
lending her an ear if she needed it, and giving her advice when she
truly had no idea how to proceed with a new problem. They had become
very good friends, and she trusted him implicitly. She would trust
him now, and treat this newest threat to peace with caution no matter
how small the group was.
A smile pulled on her lips as she thought of her appointments.
Perhaps she should cancel them and have an off-day. Afterall, Quatre
and his family were on Earth for the month and Duo and Hilde, who had
just moved nearby, were supposedly having a party to celebrate their
engagement. It would be good to see everyone again, especially since
it had been such a long time since she had any carefree fun with
friends, always too busy to attend little get-togethers and
group dates. She felt like she was becoming distant from them,
existing on a different, very lonely, plane far below them.
The smile faded as that thought passed through her mind, causing the
nausea assailing her to intensify. Rolling onto her stomach, Relena
rested her chin on her folded arms, biting her lower lip thoughtfully,
her mind fixed on that tiny seed of profound thought.
It was true. She was below them now. They were moving on, all of
them, even Wufei and Trowa. They had lives independent of their
pasts, and she was stuck, her future hanging precariously from the
precipice, depending on the decision of one man. Heero Yuy.
Restless now, Relena slithered out of bed, suddenly feeling faint in
addition to the turbulence of her gut, and stepped lightly toward her
private bathroom. The room wasn't dark, the moon high
and full illuminating the rather large room for her benefit, and yet,
the shadows and blue/gray light meshed together, making her vision
swim as wave after wave of dizziness shrouded her senses.
"What . . . What's wrong with me?" she whispered to herself, bringing
one hand up to cover her eyes while the other searched for something
solid for support. It wasn't the first time she had felt
sick and dizzy. In fact, she could recount three episodes of this
sort from the past week, and if memory served, it got worse each time
it occurred.
Lowering herself to the floor, she breathed in deeply, her eyes
closed while trying to steady herself. There, she felt slightly
better. Opening her eyes, she found that she was still slightly
dizzy and the nausea had calmed somewhat. It was probably better to
wait a bit before making a move to get to the bathroom.
Her thoughts, as always, returned to Heero. What was he doing now?
Was he in danger? Was he having as bad a time as she was? Did he
think of her as she thought of him? Why was she driving herself crazy
with all of these questions?
With great effort, Relena pulled herself to her feet and tried again
for the bathroom. The nausea came back with a vengence, and she had
to run to avoid making a mess on her carpeted floor. She stayed like
that, head bowed over the toilet bowl for hours, her stomach emptying
itself of everything she had eaten the day before.
It was a long night, and she just knew that if her luck didn't
change soon, it was going to be an even worse day.
***
Deciding not to cancel all her appointments, Relena mused, had been a
very bad idea.
Surrounded by her bodyguards, she was pushed along through the crowd
of the press, blinded by the flashing lights of cameras, dodging the
microphones shoved in her face, deafened by the yelling voices of
questioning newsmen and women.
Issuing a few 'no comments', Relena let out a relieved sigh
when she reached her limo and Pagan opened the door for her. She
literally jumped into the vehicle, eager to be away from the rabid
wolves just outside the tinted window. It was days like this that
made her wish for a relatively normal teenaged life. It was days like
this that made it that much harder to keep the tears at bay.
Leaning her head back and closing her eyes, she groaned as a wave of
nausea washed over her. Motion sickness? She had never experienced
that before, but then again, she had been experiencing strange
illnesses for the past couple days. Nothing surprised her anymore.
Perhaps it was all the stress of being a young, female politician.
"Miss Relena?"
Opening her eyes, Relena met Pagan's gaze through the rearview
mirror.
"Yes Pagan?"
"Mr. Winner has invited you to have dinner and spend the night at
his mansion. What shall I tell him?"
Relena's eyes wandered to the window where she watched the
passing buildings, people, and trees with growing discomfort. She
didn't answer.
"He said that Miss Hilde, Mister Duo, and the others would also
be there, and if I may say so Miss, I think it would cheer you to see
them again."
Relena smiled and turned back to him, trying her damndest to keep the
contents of her stomach at bay. The decision had already been made
last night. She couldn't stand being alone anymore.
"I would be delighted to go."
"Shall I inform him of your impending arrival?"
The smile broadened, "No. I want this visit to be a surprise."
***
"Damn Quatre, quite a place you have here!"
*SMACK*
"Whadja hit me for Hilde-babe?" Duo whined, rubbing the back
of his head as he glared at his fiancee.
"Can you at least act as if you have manners? Besides, you
shouldn't cuss in front of Devon," Hilde flippantly replied as she
squatted down to greet Quatre's two year old son, Devon, who
looked like a carbon copy of his father but had inherited his
mother's eyes (thankfully not her eyebrows *shiver*).
While Hilde was occupied with the little boy, Duo and Quatre
exchanged glances that said more than if they had talked outright.
Despite appearances this 'party' wasn't just a gathering of old
friends but a gathering of the minds. Of course, Dorothy, Hilde, and
the other females involved with their respective Gundam pilots knew
nothing of the grim situation looming over their happy
little get-together, and the men wanted to keep it that way for the
time being . . . however . . .
"So is Relena coming?" Hilde asked, rising from her stooped
position with the toddler in her arms, his little head resting on her
shoulder.
Quatre smiled a tight smile that didn't quite reach his eyes,
"No, I'm afraid she was indisposed."
"Hilde! Duo! It's so good to see you both!" Dorothy
breezed in, and Duo suppressed a shudder. Old habits died hard.
Hilde smiled and hugged the other woman, marveling at the change in
the platinum blonde. Where there used to be a war-loving, blood
thirsty warrior, now stood a placid house wife and
mother. She supposed this change was credited in no small way to
Quatre, and while she had noticed the difference before, it was still
quite hard to accept that this woman and the woman who had very nearly
killed Quatre only a few years ago were the same person.
They were just stepping away to go into the living room when a knock
on the door halted all conversation. Quatre turned about and took the
few steps to the door, opening it to find Catherine, Sally, and Wufei,
the two women smiling brightly while the Chinese man glowered
morosely.
Quatre exclaimed happily, seeing them together then calmed and asked,
"Where's Trowa?"
"He's coming. He said he had something to do first . . . like wrap a
G-I-F-T for a certain blond, gray eyed little boy we all know and
love," Catherine answered as she took Devon from Hilde and whirled the
laughing child about.
Dorothy smiled, her eyes twinkling with happiness as she watched her
son laugh and chatter with his aunt, "We were just moving into the
living room . . ."
"Even better! Let's move into the dining room so we can eat!
I'm starved!"
"Hilde! Let go of the HAIR!!!"
"Shut up Duo! You're always hungry."
Everyone (with the exception of the slightly grinning Wufei) laughed
and followed Quatre and Dorothy into their living room, enjoying Hilde
and Duo's antics all the way.
***
"I've called and informed your brother of your whereabouts,
and he has promised to cancel the rest of your appointments until noon
tomorrow."
Relena nodded and smiled as she stepped out of the limo, feeling free
already, "Thank you Pagan." She moved to close the door when Pagan's
concerned voice reached her again, making her pause,
"Are you sure you don't wish me to drive you to Mister Winner's
gate?"
"No, but thank you again Pagan. I need to walk about a bit and
breathe a little. I'll be fine," she gave him a sweet smile, taking
in his wizened face . . . . . It was high time she try to convince
him to retire and spend more time with his family. If there was
anything she learned through the war and the subsequent events leading
up to Heero's final departure, it was that family and loved-ones were
more important than any occupation.
She closed the door and watched the limo disappear around a corner,
then began the mile walk to Quatre's home. The sidewalk and road were
empty, all signs of life shut away inside the rich mansions and large
houses barracaded by large iron gates and electric fences. The sun
was setting, creating the illusion that the sky was ablaze with an
angry fire . . No, not angry -- passion. A fire of passion lit the
sky. The color spread upon the earth, leaving no blade of grass
untouched by its brilliance, the reds, yellows, and oranges
reflecting the colors of her soul at that moment.
She was free till noon tomorrow, and she had no idea how to express
the jubilation that reality brought into her weary heart. With a
slight skip in her step, she pressed on, humming tunelessly
as her thoughts drifted to the colors of the sunset once more.
The passionate depths of the sky lended an almost sensual feel to an
innocent scene. It was almost as if the sun was making love to the
sky before leaving it to the darkness. What a fitting
picture for her set of circumstances. A sour expression marred
Relena's face at the comparison.
She was NOT going to be sullen. She was NOT going to sulk and brood
and be perverse about this. She WAS going to have fun with her
friends. She WAS going to enjoy her freedom for this
one night. She was NOT going to think about HIM and what they did.
She was NOT going to ruin a chance at enjoying herself.
Her mind made up, Relena began to hum again, turning her attention to
the houses she passed. Lights shown through the atmosphere as the
light of day dimmed into the darkness of night.
Such happy pinpoints of light, evidence of life being lived. She
wondered what each lit room held: a family dinner being served, two
lovers sitting together sipping champagne and making
plans for the future, a playroom filled with laughter as the children
played house, an elderly couple enjoying a quiet card game, old
friends chatting and giggling at old memories, or a solitary figure
crying out his/her regrets?
Shaking her head sadly, she picked up her pace a bit, seeing her
destination coming into view. A smile came slowly to her face as she
thought of everyone. She didn't know Trowa or Wufei all that well
since she didn't see them very much and really didn't
understand their personalities. Of course, that was her fault. She
was too busy, always another damn meeting, another social
function to be attended to, and she never tried to get to know them.
Tonight would be the perfect time to remedy that mistake.
Duo and Quatre were another story. While she didn't work closely
with Duo, he always made the effort to visit her when he was in town,
whether she was busy or not. To a degree, this annoyed her somewhat,
however, the visits also reminded her not to overdo things, to try and
balance work and simple pleasure, to not lose sight of what's
important in life.
Quatre was the same, only she saw much more of him due to their
respective social status. It wasn't uncommon for the two of them to
arrive at political meetings, conferences, and parties together, nor
was it unusual for them to have lunch dates and dinners afterward.
She valued Quatre's friendship more than she could ever say. He was a
kindred spirit, and understood what she was going through better than
anyone.
As for Hilde, Catherine, Dorothy, and Sally . . . well, they were her
female support group. Hilde had gone out of her way to befriend
Relena after the whole Peacemillion episode, and the two
often chatted late into the night since Relena usually didn't get
home from her political 'friends' till midnight. If Quatre was her
political confidante, then Hilde was her confidante for all things
non-political.
Catherine, while Relena didn't see her much, was a very close
friend also. It was Catherine who had witnessed a few crying spells
when Relena wanted to give up hope of ever seeing Heero
again, Catherine who patted Relena's hand when some snooty
reporter ran off at the mouth about Relena's decisions and policies,
and Catherine who brought a bit of sisterly loyalty into Relena's
life. True, Noin was there, but Relena didn't like taking
Noin's attention from her brother and vice versa. Catherine was a
godsend not only to Trowa but to her as well.
Relena's smile grew a little wider. Dorothy. After the war was
over, Dorothy had gone through a period of depression that had
astounded everyone. The girl who had so exulted war now cried
of its horrors, but was now so scared of living that it was a chore
trying to get her to eat. Relena had done everything she could to
help her pseudo-friend, at once concerned for the other girl's
sanity and suspicious that it was just an act, and when everyone had
given up hope, Quatre, newly recovered from his wounds, had swooped
down like a guardian angel and pulled Dorothy out of the embers under
which she was buried. One thing led to another, they were married,
had little Devon, and were now living in marital bliss.
And Sally Po . . . Sally was what Relena affectionately called
'Mother Hen.' It was Sally's job to see Relena protected from all
bodily harm, but she also protected Relena's mind. Relena could
look to Sally for emotional support. They had such a good rapport
with each other that Relena cleared her schedule each month so they
could have some quality time to talk about men, politics,
and stress. She trusted Sally with her most personal thoughts, and
it seemed Sally trusted her with the same. In a way, Sally was very
much a third mother to Relena.
All of these different relationships, Relena mused, and I still yearn
for more . . . Am I really that selfish?
As she got closer and closer to the Winner mansion, the smell of
smoke permeated her nostrils, and she suddenly felt sick. Halting
momentarily, Relena gripped the stiff metal bars of the
Winner gate, her eyes closed and breath coming in gasps. She felt
dizzy. God, not now . . . not NOW . . .
Screwing up her determination, Relena forced herself to go a few
steps forward. She was not going to let something as trivial as
dizziness and nausea ruin her night of independence, her night
to spend with her friends, her second family, sibling bonds forged in
the heat of war to be cooled and hardened by the winds of peace.
The world tilted and swayed, her vision becoming watery and blurred,
forcing her to stop and seek support again. Her hand rose and reached
for the iron gate again, but somehow missed just as a wave of
faintness rushed her, throwing her totally off-balance.
She felt herself falling, and miraculously had the presence of mind to
brace herself for impact, but just before her body hit
the ground, two strong arms stopped her descent and lifted her
against a warm, solid body. She had never felt so relieved.
Turning her head toward her savior, she tried to focus on his face
but found that her eyes were not being cooperative. Another tidal
wave of dizziness swept over her, and she felt the darkness
beckon.
"Hee . . . ro . . . ?" she murmered questioningly, hopefully.
She didn't get to hear the answer for the call of unconsciousness was
stronger than her will at that moment, and Relena Dorlian
Peacecraft did something she had never done before even in the face
of death . . . She gave into the illness and fainted.
Eheh....to be continued.....
All C&C Welcomed and Appreciated! ^_^