Chapter 2

     The next few days flew by. The debris was cleared away and the damage to the building fixed. Trying to ignore the pain in her heart, Relena filled her time with meetings and delegations, rising early with only a cup of tea, working through lunch and dinner and late into the night. And Heero was always there.

* * *

Heero stared at the twenty-one faces on the computer. Over the past few days, when not playing bodyguard to Relena, he had spent his time seeking to identify the White Fang sympathizers. Grunt troops who hadn't been killed or who hadn't surrendered; high-ranking personnel who'd jumped ship when they had first rammed the Libra, and others who'd escaped during the final explosion. Zechs Marquise. I know you're out there

"Heero." He turned to see Duo enter the room with an oddly apprehensive expression. "Relena's leaving. I know she didn't tell you, so . . ."

"Damn."

"What happened, man? She used to be all over you. Have a spat?" Duo's face acquired its normal grin. "Yeah, Hilde and I have those all the time. Makin' up's the fun part." His grin grew even wider as he nudged Heero with his elbow, but faltered when the pilot shoved past him to run from the room. "Ah, jeez. What's with those two? I don't get it."

* * *

Relena sighed as she settled into her new car. I had to get away. Too many meetings, too many strangers. Huh. That was the story of her life. Heero's too close. She'd try for a repeat of last week's afternoon, minus the car bomb. Besides, she needed a dress for the upcoming embassy ball . . .

A shadow fell over her. Gasping, she stared up into those ice-cold, Prussian blue eyes. "Heero?"

"Move over."

She squared her jaw. "I will not. What right do you have to-" she broke off in shock as he pulled the door handle from her grasp and deftly nipped her out of the seat. He's so strong -Hey! "Get your hands off me! You bastard! I'll . . . I'll have you locked up! Chained! How dare you-"

He grabbed her chin, pulled her face up to his. "Me? Just because you're too stupid to care about your own safety, about how much these people need you, doesn't mean I'm gonna let you get yourself killed." She smells so good. What the hell . . .? I can't let her distract me from the mission. He swung her up, carried her, kicking and screaming, to the other side, and stuck her into the passenger's seat. Slamming the door, he stalked back and dropped into the driver's seat. "Keys." When she didn't move, he turned to face her again. "You asked me to come. Now, you can give me the damned keys and let me do my job, or I can march you back up to your next meeting." Those lovely eyes stared into his, making him feel weak. He was falling into them. I can't let anyone hurt you. I just . . . can't. At a soft jingle, he looked down at the car keys she'd placed in his hand.

"I'd like to go to the Children's Hospital. Please." She had asked him to come. What's wrong with me? This is just what I wanted. Heero's here, taking care of me. But . . . But not because he cared. Because it coincided with his other objectives. Because he'd made a promise to the very brother who might be after her right now. "I'm sorry. I guess I'm just on edge. I do appreciate what you're doing, Heero. I just-"

"Right."

Oh, Heero.

* * *

He watched her through the glass. Sitting there in the hospital ward, surrounded by children, she looked so calm. Happy. She was reading to them from some book. At the tug on his pants, he looked down to see a little boy gazing up at him with wide eyes. "Are you the pilot from the story?"

"Huh?"

"Miss Relena told us a story about how you saved everyone from the falling space ship and she said you blew it up and were very brave and she showed us your picture." The child stopped to take a breath, then ran on. "She said that you were the bravest person she knew."

Heero could only stare at the kid. Relena said that? About me? But why? He knelt down. "Sometimes the bravest people aren't the ones who fight and blow things up. Sometimes they're the ones who just stand up for what they believe in." "You can't believe in anything unless you feel for it."

"Like Miss Relena?"

"Yeah." He turned to watch her again. And she's driving me crazy.

* * *

"You told them about me?"

Relena whirled to face him. "How . . .uh . . .yeah." She could feel her face growing hot. "Those children need heroes, strong people to admire and look up to. I, um, come every so often to spend time with them. They remind me of what I'm working for." She remembered her harsh words to him. "Maybe you're not the champion I thought you were." "Heero, I'm sorry for what I said the other night. I had no right . . ."

Silence.

"Anyway. Here's the address for my next stop."

Heero looked at the card, and the perfect soldier found himself wincing. "A dress shop?"

"There's an embassy ball next month. I suppose I should have told you earlier. You'll want to make sure everything's safe or something, right?"

"Or something."

The rest of the drive was made in silence. If I ask him now, after the way I've treated him, he'll say no. Well, he'd probably say no anyway, but . . .

Do I have to be so harsh? Yes. She doesn't matter, only what she stands for, what she can do for the Alliance, matters. Yeah, right. Get a grip, Heero.

"Um . . ." Better now than never, girl. Ask him. "I know you'll be there anyway, if this terrorist threat isn't handled by then, but . . .would you come to the ball as my . . ." Date? No, too heavy-handed. " . . .escort?" Heero just stared at her. A small, nervous grin grew over her face. "I decided not to give you a written invitation this time, so that you couldn't tear it up. You don't have to answer right now." She rushed on. "Just . . . think it over, okay?"

"Sure." Just like that. Had he heard himself correctly? Agreeing to take this dangerous woman to a formal affair? Oh God.

The nervous grin blossomed into a brilliant smile. "Fine. Let's go." Stay cool, girl. Oh, but I want to start jumping up and down!

Once at the boutique, Relena disappeared amidst a whirl of paper, material, and women chattering in French, leaving Heero feeling awkward and at loose ends. Bodyguard. Right. Something didn't feel right. I'll take a look around. And visit the tux shop next door.

"Marie, I need something different."

"Mademoiselle?"

Relena gestured at the suit she was wearing. "I'm tired of proper. These ambassadors need to see me as a grown woman capable of making decisions, not as a young girl trying to hold her own." And I want Heero to see me as a woman, period. Marie trilled in pleasure and went to work. I can't stay angry with him, no matter how hard I try. Well, we'll see how a different approach works.

* * *

Two hours later, Relena emerged from the dressing rooms to find an extremely bored and slightly uneasy-looking Heero sprawled in a waiting room chair. "I'm sorry to have taken so long, Heero."

"Sure."

The two walked out into the sunlight, but the Japanese pilot stopped. "Heero?"

"Something's not right. Where . . ." He grabbed hold of her arm, scanning the surrounding area. "Right . . .there!" Sunlight glistened off of chrome. "Get down!"

Time seemed to stop. Relena heard the shot. Felt the rough pavement as Heero swung her around behind him and pushed her to the ground. Heard him grunt and felt the impact as something struck his body. Smelled the blood and saw it explode out of his chest. "Heero?! No!" Those cool, blue eyes gazed dazedly into hers.

"Relena . . ."

Anything else she might have said, might have done, was forgotten as someone grabbed her from behind. "No!!" The last thing she remembered, before something hard struck her and sent her spiraling into darkness, was the sight of Heero reaching towards her as he sank to the ground.
* * *