Disclaimer: I don't own Gundam Wing or Borrowed Hearts.

Chapter Seven

The next morning there was an unusual silence at breakfast. Both Relena and Heero looked tired and withdrawn. Quatre noted this and really wondered what had happened. He hoped they didn't have an argument. It would be sad to see things fall apart now. They seemed to have gotten closer over the past few days.

'How do two people who are opposites of each other come together? I truly wish to see them be a family when this is all over,' thought Quatre. He sighed silently.

Suddenly Evan heard soft, twinkling like music, and he looked up from his breakfast. He glanced over at Quatre who appeared to be lost in thought. The music continued when Quatre looked back at Evan and smiled. Evan thought he saw Quatre's eyes sparkling. He rubbed his own to make sure. He looked at Quatre again, but the music had stopped, and Quatre was back to his old self.

"Evan, is something wrong?" Relena asked when she noticed her son rubbing his eyes. "Are you tired?" She was concerned that all the moving around last night had worn him out. It had certainly caused her to lose sleep when she thought about what happened.

"Mommy, did you hear that?" questioned Evan. He had to make sure. After all, Aunt Hilde had said angels appeared when he could hear music.

"I didn't hear anything," she replied.

Evan turned to Heero who shook his head. He went back to his food, feeling down. Why was he the only one who could hear the music? Was it because he was the only one who thought Quatre was an angel? Evan still needed proof. But what kind of proof?

Later on when Heero and Quatre had left for the office, and Relena was downstairs, Evan snuck into Quatre's room. "Shhh!" Evan whispered to Ebony who meowed as they crept inside. "Quiet, Ebony." He moved over to the big bed and lifted up one of the pillows. His eyes widened as he stared at the white feather laying there. He picked it up with his mouth wide open. Then Annie came in with a vacuum, and he rushed to show it to her.

"Evan, what are you doing in Mr. Winner's room?" she asked, setting down the vacuum.

"Look, Annie, it's a feather. That means he really is an angel," Evan exclaimed. He waved the feather around.

Annie was confused. She didn't understand what he was talking about. "An angel? Don't be silly. The feather probably came from the pillow."

"He is an angel. Just wait and see." With that he skipped out of the room with Ebony tailing him. Annie just shrugged and started vacuuming. Evan went downstairs to the library where Relena was on the phone with Hilde.

"So how is everything?" Hilde asked.

"Okay, I guess," Relena replied. She was curled up on one of the comfy chairs. She smiled at Evan when he came and climbed up onto her lap. "Do you want to say hi to Aunt Hilde?" She handed the phone to him.

"Hi, Aunt Hilde," Evan said, cheerfully.

"Hello, Evan. Are you being good like I told you?"

"Yes, and I heard the music just like you said. I found a feather, too," Evan explained excitedly.

"Really? That's great, but you still have to be a very good boy for your Mom," Hilde said. "Or else the angel won't help you."

"I will. Mommy wants to talk to you now." Evan handed the phone back and scampered off her lap.

"What was that about?" questioned Relena as soon as Evan had left the room.

"Nothing," Hilde replied innocently. She changed the subject by adding, "So everything is just okay? Nothing happened at all?"

"What makes you think anything happened?" Relena declared quickly.

That was a little too quickly for Hilde. "Oh, I don't know. Maybe it's the fact that you say nothing happened," Hilde answered. "I know you, Relena Peacecraft. You're hiding something, so spill it."

Relena sighed over the phone. Sometimes she wished that Hilde didn't know her so well. "It wasn't anything big or maybe it was. I don't know." She stopped and sighed again. "I sort of..."

"Sort of what?" prompted Hilde. She knew it had to be good if Relena was this hesitant.

"I sort of kissed my boss," Relena finally blurted out.

"Sort of kissed?! How can you sort of kissed your boss? Oh, you have to tell me everything. When did it happened?" Hilde asked, giggling. "Was it good?"

"Hilde, this isn't funny!" Relena nearly shouted.

"Okay, okay. Sorry." Hilde controlled her laughter. "I just can't picture you kissing him."

"It just sort of happened. It wasn't even really a kiss," explained Relena.

"Oh, I knew it! You're falling for him," Hilde exclaimed, a smile forming on her face.

"I am not!"

"Yes, you are. Why else do you sound so glum?" Hilde pointed out.

Relena wanted to retort, but she knew she couldn't. Her best friend was right. She was falling for Heero, and that was a problem. He was still her employer. She groaned miserably. Of all the men in the world, why did it have to be him? Why did he have to be so handsome and good? Why did he have to be so kind and gentle when he wanted to be? Why did her son have to like him so much? That was the worst part. When they have to leave, Evan was going be so sad.

"It could work out," Hilde said softly. "You never know."

Relena smiled at her encouraging tone. "Maybe, but I know better than to have hope again."

"Relena..."

"Everything will go back to the way it was when this is over," Relena declared firmly.

"What if it doesn't?"

"It will. It has to."

****

After dinner that night, everyone went to a nearby rink for some ice-skating. Evan was laughing and pulled Relena along in hurry to get on the ice. Relena was smiling, too as she looked back at the men who were trailing behind. She sighed when she noticed how gorgeous Heero looked in his leather jacket and jeans. Her attention went back to her son when he shouted for her to come and skate. She joined Evan on the ice and took his hand to make sure he didn't fall.

"I hope you're not too cold, Quatre. You're probably not use to this kind of weather," Heero said as they walked.

Quatre shook his head and rubbed his hands. "It's not so bad. Very invigorating, in fact. I happen to like winter. I feel it brings out happiness and innocence. Two things that I think are very rare in this world. For instance, your wife and son." He gestured at the pair who were holding hands and twirling around on the ice.

Heero turned and gazed at his so-called family. They were smiling, and he could hear the occasionally laughs emanating from them. His eyes stopped on Relena who was wearing a white sweater and long dark blue wool skirt. Her eyes were sparkling under the lights, and her cheeks were rosy due to the cold air. Next came Evan who looked like a little elf in his dark green jacket and pants. He even had on an elf like hat. They looked like a family, his family. Unbeknownst to him, a wistful expression appeared in his eyes, but Quatre noticed this and smiled.

"Like I said before, Heero, you are a very lucky man," Quatre said. He clapped a hand on Heero's shoulder. "Make sure it stays that way because once you lose happiness and innocence, you can never get them back. Now that would be a shame since you just found them." With that mysterious statement, he skated out onto the ice.

Bewildered, Heero stared after the blond haired man as he moved toward Relena and Evan. 'What did he mean by that?' he thought. 'Does he know?' Heero shook his head. It wasn't possible. He was sure that there was no mess up. Heero got on the ice and skated to them.

"Look, Daddy, I can skate backward," Evan exclaimed and started to skate backwards after Relena told him to be careful.

Heero was still startled whenever Evan called him Dad, but each time felt like a burst of joy in his heart. Heero was very fond of the boy despite the short time he knew him. Evan was like innocence wrapped up in a bundle of green polyester and cotton. Suddenly Quatre's words popped into his head again. 'Happiness and innocence.' He looked at Relena and immediately realized that she was happiness. He could happy with her, with both of them.

Evan skated over to Heero's side and grabbed his hand. "Here, Daddy, you can skate with Mommy." He started to pull Heero to Relena, meaning for them hold hands. It was all part of his plan to get his mom together with Heero.

Relena's breath caught at the thought of being so close to Heero. She wasn't sure she could handle it. After talking with Hilde, she was determined to halt whatever it was that she felt toward him. She just wasn't sure how or even if she could. She was saved when Heero stopped Evan from pulling him.

"Maybe later, Evan. Right now how about some hot chocolate?" he asked the little boy who slightly disappointed with the interruption of his plan. "With marshmallows."

Evan brightened up at the mention of marshmallows. He could just get them to skate later. He nodded and followed Heero to the hot chocolate stand. He stood next to him patiently while Heero ordered their chocolate. Evan glanced back at his mom and Quatre who were skating and talking.

"Your husband is incredibly successful in his business. I'm glad that I'm able to work with him," Quatre said after Heero and Evan had left.

"Heero is very ambitious. He doesn't let anything stand in his way," Relena replied softly.

"My first impressions of him made me think that he was a cold man," Quatre added.

Relena smiled gently because that was how she thought of him, too, at first. "That's what many people believe when they met him, but Heero is a very good man underneath his mask. You just have to be lucky enough to see beneath it. You'll be amazed at how wonderful he can be."

"Spoken like a loving wife," chuckled Quatre.

Relena flushed and averted her eyes, so he couldn't see the truth in them, a truth that she knew. She looked over at Heero was handing Evan a steaming cup of chocolate and smiled. He was being so kind to her son. It would be great if they were really a family. Relena thought about Quatre's words. Wife, no. Loving, maybe.