My apologies to those that have been waiting for me to update the story. My keyboard HAS been returned, and your regular chapter updating will commence. Thank you for you patience!



.....Chp6.... AC 197 July

Heero walked in through the door of the local pub. It was Friday and he was here to meet Duo. It had become an unintentional tradition. It always went something like this.

Duo: So Heero whadda you doing this week?

He said this knowing that Heero had no social life to speak of, but he didn't want him to feel pressured into doing anything. So, he always left it open for Heero to back out by saying that yes indeed he DID have something to do. But of course he never did.

Heero: nothing.

'What an idiot,' Heero would think every time Duo asked him that. He knows that I have no social life to speak of. But something inside of him said that

Duo was doing it for his benefit so he always kept quiet about it. He really WAS loosening up.

Then Duo would reply " Want to go out with me Friday?"

And Heero would say "Where to?"

And Duo would answer "What about that little pub we go to. They have great beer."

And this was Heero's cue to say "Sure."

And so it became that he and Duo unconsciously had a boys' night out every week.

On this particular night Duo was late, so Heero just grabbed their usually table and ordered a drink. He looked over at the entrance to see Duo burst through the door, goofy grin already in place. This week it seemed particularly big. But then again all of Duo's grins were big. Heero rolled his eyes as Duo waved to him and walked over.

"So," Duo said taking his seat "Do you notice anything different about me?"

"You're acting like a bigger idiot than usual, and your wearing a engagement band," Heero stated blandly.

A look of pure shock graced Duo's features. Then the grin was back

" And here I was thinking that you'd lost your edge."

"I never lose my edge."

Duo grinned in response. The night bore on and they talked for a long while. Mostly about Duo's upcoming wedding. Duo wanted Heero to be his best man. It all seemed very normal. As it turned out, Heero was taking the stability for granted.

It all started when he was walking home. A very harmless act in his opinion. And then he remembered he needed a newspaper because he hadn't gotten one yet that day. So he walked over to the newsstand outside his apartment building and picked up one.

It was just by chance that he glanced at the tabloid. Completely by chance. What he saw made him do a double take. It was Relena! In the passionate embrace of another!

He immediately picked it up and paid for it along with his newspaper. He raced home and as quick as he could turned it to the page that had the story about the picture on it. He read the headline.

"Former Queen of the World Gets a Little Action in her Love Life."



Heero felt a falling sensation in the pit of his stomach. How could she do this? He looked at the pictures. One was of Relena hugging the unknown man. The other was of her looking into his eyes and smiling.

Suddenly the sick feeling he had disappeared. It was replaced by something far more powerful. Jealousy, betrayal and rage. Heero couldn't give name to these emotions himself but he felt them and hated it.

No, he hated HIM. 'I'll kill him' Heero thought. Then that voice spoke up. 'What if she really does love him?' it asked calmly. 'By killing him, you ultimately cause her pain. And that's the last thing you want.' Heero was furious but he had to agree with himself. If she truly did love him then he would step aside.

He wanted her happiness even if it meant he would have to endure…Heero stopped. 'Why did I want to say heartbreak?' His mind clamored for answers, but his heart rebelled.

The feelings that phrase evoked were too raw, too harsh to deal with now. No, now was not the time to soul search. Now was the time to get answers.

He would see her tonight he decided. And he would ask her about this man. 'And after that?' the gentle voice asked. Heero didn't have an answer.

*****

Relena groaned as she looked at the picture in the tabloid, and banged her forehead down on the table in an action of defeat.

Conner had come over bringing this…DELIGHTFUL surprise with him. Currently he was looking at her sympathetically and nodding. He knew that Relena would get a whole lot more grief from this than him. Although it had come as quite a surprise when he found out that his little Relena was the former Queen of the World. But he thought he had taken the news rather well.

***flashback***

"YOUR WHAT?!!"

"Yes. I hate to say it. I used my adoptive family surname so I wouldn't be recognized."

"YOUR WHAT?!!"

***end flashback***

Okay, so maybe he hadn't taken it that well, but it isn't everyday that your closest friend tells you that she was really Relena Peacecraft, famous advocate of peace. He patted her back.

"Relena" he said quietly "Aren't you going to get your head off the table?"

"This seems like a very appealing position considering the circumstances. This way I don't have to look anyone in the eye and they'll forget there ever was a Relena Peacecraft. From now on I'll be known as that crazy women with a table on her head."

Conner chuckled lightly before glancing at his watch. He gasped when he saw what time it was.

"Listen Relena, I hate to leave you in your time of need, but I gotta a date tonight."

Relena looked up with interest.

"Who is it?" She inquired eagerly.

" Oh I dunno. Just some chick named Judy." He said coyly.

"Conner! I can't believe you! You asked Judy out and didn't even bother to tell me!? You would have just left me there, thinking Poor Conner he'll be a bachelor the rest of his life. I don't even know why I'm surprised. It was really obvious that you guys wanted to go out you know, I could sense it a mile away."

"Oh I'm sure that even you had some doubts."

"And what makes you think that?"

"Well it got your head off the table didn't it?"

Relena shot him a glare as he laughed and walked out the door.

"See you later Relena, wish me luck!"

"Luck!" Relena called after him as he shut the door.



She cast the tabloid one more disgusted look before sighing and heading upstairs. She was going to change into her pajamas and settle down with her new book for the rest of the evening. Or maybe she'd take a bath and read her book. She stepped into her room and shut the door.

She had worked her shirt halfway up when she heard someone clear their throat from behind her. She gasped whirling around heart pounding. In the shadows of the room she saw Heero leaning up against the wall. Relena sighed in relief, then blushed, realizing how close she had come to giving him a free show.

"I'm not even gonna ask how you managed to get in here."

Heero just looked at her, not even bothering to respond. Relena looked at him more carefully. There seemed to be some tension in his shoulders. Yes, there was definitely a hint of rigidness in his posture.

She looked at his face. It was hard to see in the dark, but she had the moonlight going for her. It spilled through the window, catching on the planes of Heero's face, and outlining them in a silvery glow. Relena sighed out loud without realizing it at the sight. A thought fluttered somewhere in the recesses of her mind. 'Heero really is quite handsome'.

She shook her head slightly to clear out her dreamy haze and scrutinized his face again. She couldn't place the emotion but his eyes looked very guarded and a little cloudy. She couldn't be sure of this, of course, because of the lighting, but when it came to Heero it always seemed, to her at least, that she picked up on these sort of things before the others. Her stance and face softened with concern.

"Heero, is there something wrong?"

Her eyes widened when she saw the glint of metal as he stalked toward her. She looked again, closer this time…and her worst fears were confirmed. His handgun was grasped lightly in his fist.

************