L10 Research Colony
"I still hear a flute playing, when I am falling asleep or waking." Trowa was standing by a glass wall watching the construction over the colony.
"How do you feel when you hear it?"
"Sometimes I feel comfort, and other times I feel anxious."
"This is, apparently, a memory of your own childhood." The psychologist that Heero insisted Trowa see daily was entering information in her digital notepad. "Have you been taking the anti-depressants I prescribed?"
"Yes," he lied. He would rather feel the pain than nothing at all.
"And the other memories?"
Trowa turned to look at the gray-haired woman who was staring intently at him over the wire rims of her glasses. She wanted to pry into his very soul, but Trowa wanted to save something for himself. Dr. Channing didn't need to know everything, especially that his memories – Trey's memories – didn't want to die despite the therapies she tried.
"They have faded," he lied.
She stared straight at him.
Trowa stared back.
They remained like that for several agonizing moments, neither blinking, before a knock at the door preceded the entrance of Heero Yuy into the doctor's office. Trowa couldn't help the resentment he felt toward Heero for forcing these sessions on him. He wanted his thoughts to be undisturbed and not pried open by an old woman who couldn't understand his feelings. Dr. Channing was a clueless psycho-quack who was easier to dupe than Miss Dimster in math class. She would believe anything he said.
Heero glanced from the doctor to Trowa. "I have some things to discuss with Dr. Channing."
"You are going to discuss me." He stated. "I'm not a child. Go ahead, talk in front of me." Trowa was tired of being treated as if he were shaped of fragile glass.
Heero looked back to Dr. Channing.
She nodded. "Sit down, Trowa."
"I'll remain standing." He had counted her wrinkles so many times and came up with a new number each time. The three-week journey from L4 the hag had made upon request from the king of the Cinq Kingdom to treat him wasn't worth the trouble.
Dr. Channing looked at Heero. "I assume you are here, Commander Yuy, to ascertain his fitness to return to active duty."
"He has been cleared physically."
"So now you want to see if I'm still out of my mind?" asked Trowa sarcastically. "The good doctor will tell you that I have come to terms with the brainwashing those two Calabrians used on me."
Heero looked at Dr. Channing. "Is that true? Has he recovered?"
Dr. Channing sat back and her hazel eyes met Trowa's. They stared at each other again, but he suddenly he felt unsure of her.
"No, it isn't true," she finally said. "He has been uncooperative in our sessions and he does not take his medication."
"I told you that I do!" insisted Trowa although he felt his face warming with shame.
"He is secretive and deceptive. He cannot be trusted to take care of himself let alone be responsible in any way for the security of this colony."
Clenching his fists, he took a step toward the doctor, but Heero stepped between them. "Thank you, doctor." He grabbed Trowa's arm and Trowa shot one last glare at the psychologist before he headed toward the door with Heero.
"I will see you tomorrow at the same time, Lt. Barton. Take your medication."
"Bitch!" he growled before walking out.
Heero didn't say anything for a few moments as they walked, then he said, "She's trying to help."
"Yeah, so what? You are all trying to help take away the only thing that had any meaning in my life."
"You are talking about another man's life, Trowa, not your own."
Trowa glared at Heero. "So, are you going to tell me I can't return to duty?"
"I don't have a choice. You have to cooperate with the doctor so that you can recover. She's right. You can't be trusted."
"You haven't trusted me since we left Earth," accused Trowa angrily. They entered the security observation deck where Heero had an office with a direct view of space. Now Trowa could see his gundam piloted by someone else, in a training battle with mobile dolls.
"Who is controlling Heavyarms?" he demanded. Trowa was furious to see the one thing that was real in his life being taken away.
Heero leaned against the edge of his desk. "I haven't decided who I will assign to pilot that gundam."
"That's my gundam!" Trowa walked to the glass and pressed his hands to it as if he could reach out to touch it. He had helped build that gundam, had risked his life to pilot it. No one had a right to pilot Heavyarms but him.
"Tayra Rothschild wanted to pilot it."
"You let that whore in my gundam?" Trowa spun to look at him.
"She couldn't even manage the simulated training exercise." Heero stared back at him. "Every time that worm hole opens, we are in danger, Trowa. I have to consider the safety of the colony and not your feelings or my own."
Trowa folded his arms over his chest. "So who is in my gundam? Relena? You like passing my gundam around to your women?"
"I will forget you said that," said Heero with gritted teeth. "Relena has no interest in piloting anything beyond a shuttle. Duo is in Heavyarms now, testing some adjustments Dr. Stryfe made."
Trowa looked back out to space, ashamed by his words. "I…I'm sorry." He felt a hand on his shoulder, but he didn't look back. Trowa hated all this pity and compassion, especially from his friends. During the last two months they rarely left him alone. Someone was with him even when he fell asleep, and when he awoke, he barely had a few moments to become oriented before either Relena, Trynity, Duo or Heero was at his door. He even received a weekly call from Quatre who did his best to cheer him up. Despite all their efforts, he still felt detached and alone. What he needed, who he needed, he could never have, so his life seemed so pointless.
He turned to look at Heero. "I need something to do, Heero. I can't sit around idle."
"What happened with Dr. Channing? Has she read the situation wrong?" Heero was watching him intently.
Trowa didn't lie to him. "I don't want her to take it away." He expected Heero to argue again, but he didn't. "I know it wasn't my life!" he burst out after a few moments of silence. "My head tells me so, but my heart doesn't want to believe it!"
Heero sighed. "I'm sorry, Trowa, but I can't risk the security of the colony on the whims of your heart."
"I understand." Part of him understood. "You mind if go talk to Duo, to see how Heavyarms performed?"
Heero had no objection, but as Trowa walked out, he caught a glimpse of Heero reaching out to press a button on his telecom. Not more than a minute passed before Relena appeared around a corner in the corridor. She looked past Trowa toward Heero's office for a moment, then smiled at him. "I suppose he's busy."
Trowa shrugged. "I suppose."
"Where are you going?" She played so innocent, yet he knew Heero had ordered her to keep an eye on him. Relena wasn't paying any visits to Heero.
"To the hanger. Why don't you keep me company?"
She blushed, obviously feeling guilty for deceiving him. "I would love to."
They walked in silence for a few moments before Trowa finally decided to make conversation because she didn't seem to know how to speak to him. "So you have been piloting shuttles?"
"It's not all that difficult," she said. "The computer does most of the work."
"You still have to program the flight."
"I haven't had any problem. I run people from one side of the colony to the other and deliver supplies." She fell silent. They had nothing further to say. Fortunately they arrived at the hanger where Relena moved away to talk to Trynity. Trynity waved to him, but she turned quickly back to her computer. So she was uncomfortable with him also. Usually Trynity was distracted when she baby-sat him, and he knew she was thinking about her father's projects or that fellowship that was hanging over her head like a scythe. Duo was distracted too. Trowa guessed he was worried about losing Trynity to her work. Trowa wanted to care because they were like family to him, but his own unhappiness prevented him.
The door to the outer hanger opened when the airlock was released, and Trowa went through, walking straight to his gundam. He stood under the silent Heavyarms for a moment, then reached out to touch the smooth gundanium.
A pain shot through his head.
"I have something for you."
Arora was swinging her battered sword at an invisible enemy, but she stopped and turned to look at him. Their eyes met. He wished he could give her more than what was in his hands. "You do not need to give me anything, my lord prince."
Trowa leaned against his gundam, pushing his fingers through his hair, pressing against his head trying to stop the memory that was not his.
"You have earned it, Arora." His hands were trembling as he carefully unwrapped the gift. Finally the silken cloth fell away, and the light of a sun reflected off a dazzling display of metal and jewels.
She caught her breath as she stared at the gift in his hands. "Trey, you cannot give that to me!"
"You will protect me with it." He held out the long, finely crafted sword to her. "Protect me until the day I must take my birthright."
"I cannot take your sword, Trey."
He took a step closer to her. "Please, Arora. Take my gift."
She stepped closer to him. Her eyes were on his, and they told him what she would never have the right to say. Slowly she reached out for the sword, and he placed it in her hands. For a moment they held the sword together. A surge of energy passed through him, and the sword glowed in their hands before he quickly released it, unable to overcome his fear of her Guerani powers.
Arora stared down at the sword, the sword of the crowned prince of Calabria, the sword he would one day use to kill his father so that he could take his place on the throne. "I will protect you, Trey, all the days of my life." She looked up and into his eyes again.
He wanted to touch her, but he dared not because of what Dax would do to her for even the slightest hint of dishonor to his house. Nor could he tell her how he felt. But he loved her. He would always love her. This was all they could have. This was all they could ever have.
"Hey, Trowa, good to see you."
Although he felt nauseous and light-headed, Trowa forced himself to look up to see Duo descending on the cable. When he hopped off, the cable quickly returned upwards. Duo was grinning, but Trowa knew he had orders to keep him off Heavyarms. Trowa felt like he was on the outside looking in, that he didn't belong anywhere. Arora and Apolo had taken away his life, and he didn't know how to get it back without letting them go. His heart didn't want to do it. His heart was beating for Arora.
"Heero told me Dr. Stryfe made some adjustments," he heard himself to say. Trowa wanted to go back to his room rather than be here.
Trynity came to slip an arm around Duo's waist. "Minor adjustments. Some wiring got messed up in the battle."
Trowa's heart sank. The wiring didn't get messed up during the battle. Either Arora or Apolo had sabotaged Heavyarms so that he could not attack their lord prince Dilan. He hadn't told anyone his suspicions. "Is it corrected?"
"Works like new," said Duo.
Trowa looked up at his gundam. Even Heavyarms hadn't been safe from them.
"You feel like going out with us tonight?" asked Duo, a smile still plastered to his face. Trowa saw pity in his eyes. "A dance club opened up in the entertainment sector."
"I'm dying to get Duo out on a dance floor." Trynity laughed. "With any luck, Heero Yuy won't destroy another chance to dance with twinkle toes here."
Trowa smiled as Duo laughed and dipped her. "Hey, babe, I think you and the Shadowhawk screwed first chance to hell."
They were so much in love it hurt to watch. It had hurt even before Arora came into his life, but now that he had loved and lost her, he ached so badly he wanted to cry. He thought of the medication that he was supposed to take. Dr. Channing told him it would take the edge off his raw feelings. What did she know? The pain was better than nothing. But as Duo leaned down to kiss a laughing Trynity, Trowa fished around his pocket and pulled out the small vial of pills. After dumping a couple into his hand, he looked at them for a moment. He was afraid they would take away his memories, then he would be left with nothing. Trowa didn't want to be alone. He didn't want to forget Arora.
But Trowa had to face the fact that he was alone. Arora would never be a part of his life. She had never wanted to be part of his life. He had been a tool to her, nothing more. What happened between them hadn't really happened with him, but with Prince Trey, a man who was dead. When he had touched her, she thought of Trey. When he looked into her eyes, she saw Trey. She had given her heart and soul to Trey, even her body. Trowa had been nothing to her but a substitute for the man she couldn't have.
He felt a touch on his shoulders, and he looked up to see that Duo and Trynity had put their hands there. Trynity was smiling at him. "It will be all right, Trowa."
For once, Duo looked serious. "Let it go, Trowa."
He sighed, then slipped the pills in his mouth. "Maybe I will join you guys, that is if you can stand to have me moping and spoiling your fun."
"You can't spoil our fun," laughed Trynity. "Relena is coming with, and if you don't come, we'll have to invite Lt. Sheraton. Now that would spoil our fun."
Relena left the men who had claimed her attention and came to them. "I heard that! Trowa, you have to come with us. I don't want to spend the evening slapping off Sheraton's hands."
"Maybe you'll have to slap off mine." Trowa couldn't even find the shocked expression on her face amusing. "Let me know when. I'll be in my quarters."
"Later!" called out Duo before the hanger door closed behind Trowa and he was in the corridor.
He waited until he turned a corner, and then he spit out the pills. Try as he might, he couldn't swallow them. Leaning against the wall, he closed his eyes, forcing back the tears.
Hearing someone approaching, he straightened and took a breath to calm his nerves. He recognized the woman, having seen her from afar, but he had never met her. Sheraton was not unfamiliar to him. Occasionally he hovered over Relena like a vulture when she was baby-sitting him.
"Lieutenant Barton, I see you are up and about." One of Sheraton's bleached white brows rose and he looked down on him in condescension. Prince Trey almost reared his proud head, but Trowa Barton's shoulders hunched forward in submission.
"I was checking on my gundam."
"Hard to believe you ever piloted that beast." Sheraton obviously found him lacking. Trowa didn't care.
"Sometimes the quietest ones are the most dangerous." Tayra moved closer to Trowa. She made his skin crawl. "You look pale. Sher, why don't you go ahead without me? I'll walk Lieutenant Barton to his quarters."
Sheraton grunted and continued on his way. Tayra reached out to take his arm, but Trowa shook her off. "I don't need your help!"
To his disgust, she walked beside him as he made his way to his quarters. "I think you just need to have a little fun."
"Your brand of fun? No thanks." He stepped into an elevator, and she followed. He looked at her as it descended. "I'm not interested."
"All men are interested." She pushed herself against him. "I know just what you need."
He glared down at her as he swallowed his nausea again. "You don't have a clue."
Tayra reached over to stop the elevator. "I do." She unzipped her flight jacket, slipped a hand inside, and then pulled out a vial. "One of these should do the trick." She held up a tiny blue pill.
"What the hell is that?" Trowa suspected it was not legal.
"A little bit of happiness. You could use it, couldn't you?" She held it before his mouth. "Open your mouth, and when I put this in, swallow it. I guarantee that you will feel better. It will give you anything you want."
Trowa stared at it, and while he knew it was wrong, he couldn't stand how he was living. He felt regret the moment he swallowed it, but the regret soon faded.
The elevator was moving again, but it felt as if it was far away from him.
He looked at Tayra.
She was smiling. Her face faded before him. He blinked, and as she came back into focus, he wasn't looking at Tayra anymore. Her blond hair had darkened, her blue eyes transformed into golden brown. Arora was smiling at him. Arora reached out to take his hand and lead him out of the elevator when it stopped. This wasn't really happening, he tried to tell himself, but it felt too good to stop. Arora was with him again! She took him to his room where she stayed. For one wonderful afternoon he was with Arora, but as the light began to fade into a simulated sunset, his head began to ache, his mouth felt dry, and he was aware that it wasn't Arora who was leaving his bed.
As she slipped on her clothing, she smiled at him. "Didn't I tell you I knew what you needed?"
Disgusted with himself, he turned away from her before he vomitted.
She leaned down to kiss his brow. "I'm sorry I am not that woman. Wish I were." Tayra walked to the door and turned to look at him. "I'm sure you'll know how to find me if you need me."
"I won't need you," he grumbled. "Just get the hell out!"
Through the early evening, he dozed until he heard a buzzer, and he reached out to turn on his telecom. It was Duo. "Hey, Trowa, are you going to meet us? Should I send Relena down to get you?"
"I'll meet her half-way." Trowa dragged himself out of bed. He felt light-headed, and a shower and change of clothing didn't improve his mounting depression. The thought of spending a night watching Duo and Trynity epitomize love and happiness almost drove to call Duo back and tell him he wasn't feeling well, but he forced himself out the door.
As he suspected, he was miserable with them. Trynity tried to get him to dance, but he refused to leave the table. At first, Relena stayed by him, but she got so many offers to dance that Trowa finally told her to go ahead. Just when he thought he could take the cheery atmosphere no longer, he saw Tayra enter the club with Sheraton. She was greeted by men and women alike. The slut was well liked. Trowa told himself he hadn't really been with her that afternoon. Whatever she had given him had worked a miracle. Yet now he seemed to feel even worse than before.
He couldn't help himself. Trowa pushed himself from the table and made his way toward her, moving around the crowd of people. She didn't seem surprised by his offer to dance. Sheraton didn't care that she ignored him.
"Well, well, well, Lieutenant Barton," she cooed in his ear as they swayed to the music. "After this afternoon, I am quite amazed you have the strength to walk."
"Shut up."
"Back for more?" She winked at him.
"What was that stuff?" he demanded. Trowa did want more.
"A little something Sher cooked up. If you want more, I'm afraid it is going to cost you."
"I didn't think you were in it for the sex."
Tayra laughed and patted his cheek. "You're almost worth it."
"How much?" Even holding her in his arms was making his stomach lurch. Yet she held the key to making his life livable again.
"We'll discuss this tomorrow, in a less public place." She reached up to pop a pill in her mouth, then drew his head to hers. When he parted his lips, she darted her tongue in and out of his mouth and he felt the pill she left behind. Then she spun away with a laugh.
When Trowa returned to the table, he found Heero waiting, a glum expression on his face. Feeling better already, Trowa chuckled. "You didn't bring a beam cannon with you, did you? I don't like that look and Trynity's worried you're going to spoil her night out."
Heero managed to smile although his mood was definitely dark. "You seem to be enjoying yourself."
Trowa picked up a beer and took a drink. "What's not to enjoy? Music, dancing and pretty girls."
Heero didn't detect any sarcasm in his friend's voice, so maybe Trowa was actually feeling better. "Forgive me for being skeptical, Trowa, but I wouldn't mind knowing what the hell is going on."
Trowa laughed. "I admit, I gave in. After our little talk today and seeing Trynity and Duo so damn happy today, I came to my senses and realized what an ass I was. I took Dr. Channing's prescription, and I guess it did the trick. Maybe she's not such a bitch after all."
Heero reached out to put his hand on Trowa's. "I can't tell you how glad I am to see you this way. I was very worried about you."
"Now you see you have nothing to fear. Say, do you know that blond girl over there?"
Heero looked in the direction Trowa indicated. "I believe she works in the information department."
"I wonder how easy she is." Before Heero could respond, Trowa left the table. Heero watched him make his way to the young woman. He couldn't decide whether he liked this hundred-eighty degree personality change. Trowa stayed at the bar with the young woman, buying her a drink, talking and laughing before they went onto the dance floor together.
"What has you so suspicious?" Trynity fell into the chair beside him as Duo left to get drinks.
An eager admirer who tried to steal a kiss also delivered Relena to the table. She made a smooth defensive move. Fortunately for the man because Heero was automatically reaching for his gun.
"Are you enjoying yourself?" he asked Relena.
She looked at him and frowned. "What happened to Trowa? Did that wet-blanket go back to his quarters already?"
"You're a bitch," remarked Heero.
She glared at him. "You are a bastard."
Trynity laughed. "Cut the love-talk. Where is Trowa?"
Heero took his eyes off Relena. They could have a staring contest another time. "He's dancing."
"Dancing? I saw him dancing with Tayra earlier. He didn't seem to be enjoying himself."
"How can you enjoy dancing with her when you're afraid of what communicable diseases she might pass along?" Duo set down four drinks. "I got you a beer, Heero, even though you are on duty. Say, you are on duty. What are you doing here?"
"His favorite pastime," remarked Relena after drinking. "Spying on Trowa Barton."
Heero raised a brow. "I am not spying on Trowa, but I do think his behavior is odd." They all turned to look find Trowa on the dance floor. The bump and grind he was doing with the blond indicated how he was going to spend the rest of the night.
"So he's having a little fun. Give him a break!" Relena drank more.
"Do you think you should be drinking so much?" asked Heero.
All he needed was a drunk Relena Peacecraft. God knew she caused enough trouble sober.
"I am not on duty tomorrow at all," she told him with a smart-ass smile. She was spending way too much time with Duo Maxwell. "I am going to get puking drunk."
"I wouldn't recommend it," commented Trynity.
Duo frowned at her. "When have you been puking drunk?"
"That time Lars got me wasted. I puked all over myself in that Sagitarien after making an ass of him." She shuddered, then looked at Heero. "We saw Trowa take his medication. I'm sure he's just feeling better. He deserves some trust after all he's been through."
A young man Heero recognized as one of the Cinq Kingdom officers came to take Relena onto the dance floor. Heero was watching them dance for a moment before he realized Trynity was talking. She asked him what had brought him there.
He sighed. "I thought the colony might remain free of trouble for a little longer, but we already have a problem."
"Anywhere you have a gathering of people, there's going to be bad apples," remarked Duo. "So what is the problem? Espionage from the colonies?"
"That is the least of my worries. I got a report from Zechs. The colonies have accepted the peace settlement negotiated by the Cinq Kingdom, and there hasn't been any trouble with the federation. There has been general disarmament."
"That's great!" exclaimed Trynity. "I think we will see peace in our lifetime." She reached out to squeeze Duo's hand. "There will be no need of gundams."
"There will always be a need for the gundams," commented Duo with a half-smile.
"He's right. Zechs' trump in the negotiations was the presence of the Epyon, Sandrock and the Altron." Heero chuckled. "Kind of hard to resist signing a peace treaty with the shadow of the gundams over your head." He looked at Duo. "I know I have put you in charge of patrols for space security around the colony, but keep your eyes and ears open. We have a drug problem already."
"Are you talking about those little blue pills?" asked Trynity. "I heard some talk of them in the lab."
"I don't know the source. Today two men were admitted to the emergency center. One of them is in a coma. The other is dead. Doctors analyzed the drug, and apparently it contains a poison that attaches to neurons, and when they build up, they cause brain function to cease."
"I'll be sure and bring that up to my father's staff," said Trynity.
"The drug is highly addictive. Unfortunately, they mimic endorphins, so the brain receptors allow them to attack, but the effect soon fades and leaves behind the poison." Heero drummed his fingers on the table. "I had hoped the hard work necessary to build this colony would keep people satisfied. Apparently someone out there thinks otherwise." His eyes went to the dance floor. Trowa was gone, along with the blond. Relena had settled at the bar and was surrounded by three men. She said something that made them laugh. Heero resisted the urge to walk over to the group and scan their identification cards just to intimidate them. She was a big girl. She could take care of herself.
"You aren't getting anywhere this way," remarked Duo.
Heero looked at him. "What are you talking about?"
"Princess Pain-in-the-Ass."
"I would prefer that you didn't call her that."
Trynity laughed. "Relena is quite used to it."
"I don't like it." Heero stood. "As you pointed out, I am on duty."
"Maybe you should stop putting Relena off duty when you are on and vice-versa," commented Duo.
Heero raised a brow. "I believe you are responsible for her duty schedule."
Duo chuckled. "Oh, yeah, you're right!"
"You are aware that I can countermand your orders?"
"But you won't!" Duo was laughing as Heero walked away. He paused at the door to flash him an obscene gesture, then left the dance club.
Relena watched him go, the smile fading from her face. Without a word to her group of cackling admirers, she left the bar and sat down at the table where Duo and Trynity were kissing. "Where did he go?"
Trynity sat back in her chair, obviously disappointed to be interrupted. "He's on duty. If you're so interested, go ask him yourself."
Relena rested her elbows on the table and put her chin in her hands. "This is boring!"
"You looked like you were having fun," remarked Duo. If he didn't think Relena could tell he was pawing Trynity with the hand she couldn't see as he lifted his beer for a drink, he was dumber than she thought. Besides, Trynity's blush was a giveaway.
"I am not having fun! I was just trying to get him jealous." Relena grabbed Heero's untouched beer. "I absolutely hate that jerk."
"Hey, there are plenty of other guys around, and quite a few wouldn't mind spending time with you," Duo said. "Sher isn't that bad a guy."
"He gives me the creeps," complained Relena. She had already tried to become interested in him. His kisses left her cold and disgusted, and he didn't seem to care that she was close to gagging after breaking them off. Even lummox Lars kissed better than he did.
"I don't know what you are thinking," said Duo, "but you have that bitch look on your face."
She glared at him. "You think because you are my superior officer that you can talk to me like that?"
"Damn right!" He put up his hand and beckoned her. "Bring it on, princess. I can take you with…."
Relena didn't give him a chance to finish. She balled her hand into a fist and lunged after him. The smack in his mocking, grinning face gave her a great deal of satisfaction. Trynity was laughing as Duo fell out of his chair. Relena didn't think it would hurt her hand so much. Her knuckles were aching and her hand felt broken.
Duo dragged himself up from the floor, blood at the corner of his mouth. "I'm not taking that crap from you!"
Relena gasped as he overturned the table and kicked the chair out from under her. Trynity was still laughing as she stumbled away, and Duo grabbed handfuls of Relena's jacket and jerked her up.
"Are you ready, princess?"
"Bring it on, dumb ass!" She spit at him. Jerk! Did he think she was scared? He wouldn't dare…
Suddenly she was flat on the floor, her jaw feeling broken, blood in her mouth, and the lights seemed overly bright. Duo was standing over her laughing. "Now that was funny!"
Relena was about to retaliate, but suddenly a few of the men who had danced with her earlier were all over Duo. Trynity came to help Relena off the floor so that she would not get caught up in the fight. Soon enough, the fight spread from the immediate area all around the dance club. Only a few minutes of chaos elapsed before alarms began to sound, and the doors were thrown open. Colony security managed to break up the fight, then begin interrogations to find the perpetrators.
Sitting on a chair outside Commander Yuy's office was not how Relena had planned to end the night. Well, she actually had no plans, but certainly getting a reprimand from him for her behavior was the furthest from her mind. In fact, she never would have imagined it.
The door opened, and Duo sauntered out. "Your turn, princess."
She rose. "What did you tell him?"
"Hey, just keep in mind I could fry your ass for striking your commanding officer." Duo walked out rubbing his jaw. "By the way, thanks for ruining my night. Old man Stryfe came to get Trynity."
As if they didn't find ways to get together!
When he had gone, Relena ran a hand through her hair, straightened her clothing, and then walked through the open door. Heero was typing at his computer. She went to stand before his desk, but for a couple of minutes he didn't look up.
Finally he remarked, "I don't think your brother will be happy to get this report."
She shrugged. "He shouldn't throw any stones. I doubt his military record is unblemished."
Heero stopped typing and sat back against the high-backed leather chair. "I doubt he started any barroom brawls."
"It wasn't a bar!" Relena clenched her fists. "Besides, Duo started it!"
His brows raised. She hated that look! "Are you telling me that Duo, Trynity, and at least a dozen witnesses who saw you throw the first punch were all lying?"
"Duo and Trynity ratted me out?" Relena slammed her hands on the desk and leaned forward. "He was asking for it!"
"Whatever possessed you to punch him?" His lips were twitching with a smile. "I'm going to enjoy watching the footage from the security camera."
"You…you…" She was furious that he was laughing at her.
Heero stood and put his own hands on the desk to lean toward her. "Do you want to punch me, too?"
She looked him in the eye. "Nothing would give me greater pleasure."
"Oh, I could think of something that might."
"I hate you!"
Heero's hands slid over hers. "I don't hate you, Relena."
She shuddered from the deep tone of his voice. "You're making fun of me!"
"I'm off duty in five minutes. You aren't on for another day." He reached up to caress her cheek with the backs of his fingers. "Why don't we just get it over with?"
Relena was so shocked and angry that she couldn't speak. Instead, she clenched her fist, and regardless of the consequences, she swung.
Later, as she stared up at the ceiling of her cell, she laughed. Oh well, spending her days off in the colony jail for assaulting an officer was well worth seeing the look on Heero's face when he realized she had given him a bloody nose. Maybe next time he would choose his words a little more carefully.