Disclaimer: Still don't own gundam wing…

Author: Angle Eyes

Notes: Same as in the last chapter. I'm too lazy to explain it again.        

Hidden Truth

"Y'sure this is going to work?" Duo whispered to Wufie as they followed Heero. So far, the gundam pilot of Wing Zero hadn't noticed the presence of four other boys. Wufie stopped and let Heero go a little further ahead. After a moment or two, Wufie turned to Duo.

"It will work if you don't shut up, got it?" he hissed back.

"Cool it you guys. I barely can keep him in sight. Let's go," Trowa ordered.

The guys watched Heero in the tree. He hadn't moved one muscle in the last ten minuets. Duo resisted the deadly urge to yawn.

"Look there he goes!" Quatre pointed out.

"Good. I'll give him about eight minuets and then will start," Wufie said.

"Y'sure he won't kill us afterwards?" Duo asked nervously.

"Relax, he'll thank us…maybe," Wufie said doubtfully. Duo gulped.

Wufie checked his watch and nodded to the other pilots. "I've given him plenty of time. Now, let's do something slow and easy. On the count of three, one…two…three!" Wufie sucked in a deep breath and blew into the long wooden flute. A deep, rich sound escaped the hole of the wooden instrument and transfixed everything around it. He played with his eyes closed, meditating on the notes his fingers helped make as they flew across the holes. He didn't see the others surprised faces. The way he played was so majestic; it was a gift.

After giving Wufie the introduction, Trowa leaned against a tree and placed his flute underneath his lip and blew easily into it, sending out a higher sound than Wufie's. The two flutes vocalized beautifully. Quatre closed his eyes, absorbing the harmonized melody before placing the violin under his chin and stringed away. Duo tapped on his small bongo lightly, not missing a beat although it was hard to concentrate when his attention was drawn to the magical notes that echoed in the night air.

~*~

Relena couldn't believe this was really happening. It was hard enough to believe that he had shown up out of now where, but to be dancing with him? She sighed deeply and enjoyed the moment. She relaxed, leaning against him with her arms around his neck. She was so tired. Relena felt how perfectly his hands seemed to firmly press against her hips and how they swayed easily to the soft music. She tried to stifle a yawn but it was too over powering. Heero looked down at her, noticing the bags under her eyes and how tired she looked.

"We can stop if you're tired," he whispered.

"No, no, I'm fine," she quickly said. She didn't want to ruin this moment just because she couldn't keep her yawns down. He gave her a questioning look by raising an eyebrow. "Really, I'm fine!" she smiled tiredly at him. He just shook his head.

He pulled her closer to him as he moved his hands from her hips to her lower back, giving her support. Relena rested her head on his strong shoulder.

He had grown taller but so had she. He may have grown a couple more inches and grown a little more buff, but his chocolate untamable brown hair and deep Prussian eyes were the same as when she first saw them on the beach. But his eyes weren't so empty and hard any longer. As she dared to take a glance at him, she saw something that looked like desire, pain and love that swarmed in them now.

She forced herself to look away. 'Stop imaging things, Relena! He's just going to disappear again tomorrow and leave you like always. Don't think this'll change anything between you two,' she hissed to herself.

'But I confessed my feelings to him,' a weaker Relena replied calmly, yet it didn't stop the doubt rising inside of her heart. The other Relena felt it.

'He didn't confess his feelings in return. He doesn't love you. He never will. You've just wasted all your love and thoughts on him. He'll just keep hurting you.'

'No, he said he didn't mean to hurt me. And what about that look in his eyes a moment ago?'

'Lust. It's what any horny guy would look like when they want it.'

The battle between herself continued. Tears of frustration formed in her eyes and she let them fall. She couldn't hide them, but she was too exhausted to prevent them from falling.

Heero looked down at her when he heard her small sniffling and he felt her wet tears. She was trying to hide her tears from him but was failing miserably. They were still dancing when he pulled away a little, just enough to look at her face.

Her white skin looked like heaven's light in the moonlight that was streaming through the windows. Her blond hair clung to the side of her face. She was beautiful, the most beautiful creature he had ever seen and he wanted her for himself. And yet, the eyes of the golden haired angel held a mixture of pain, sadness, and something else. It looked as if she was expecting him to hurt her. His eyes softened sadly.

Right when he opened his mouth to say something, Relena quickly spoke. "I'm sorry. It's all this stress that I'm building up. I don't know if I can take the pressure any longer. I'm not strong enough."

"Don't say that. You're strong, Relena, the strongest. Remember when you told me that you loved me?" Relena immediately blush a dark crimson. She turned her face to the side, trying to prevent him from seeing her embarrassment.

Heero watched her with slight amusement. Why was she embarrassed? He was the one bringing it up. "I don't know how you could love someone like me, Relena. I'm stained. All I am is blood, I'm covered with blood of the innocent."

The words suddenly struck him. He was bloody and dirty. She was pure and clean. He pulled away from her, taking some good couple feet away to distance himself from her. His movement hurt her, but she was powerless to reach out and grab him. She watched as he looked down at his hands, seeing something that she couldn't see. His hands started to shake a little, hardly visible but Relena saw it. She listened as he continued, " I'd only stain you. I've read it in the papers Relena…you're a dove, a white dove. I'm…I'm nothing but blood and evil. I'll kill you, I'll bring you down, drag you into misery and more pain."

"Oh Heero…" Relena whispered. Was this why he had kept away from her? Was he scared of him actually for-filling his promise he had made years ago?

"Don't…don't speak. I'm so sorry Relena. I've never wanted to hurt you, ever. I swore to protect you, but I guess I'm doing the opposite. It's not work that has been stressing you out, it's the fact that I'm not there to help you or for you to see me. Isn't it?

I don't want you hurt, Relena. I'd never be able to live with myself if you got hurt because of me. But I can't be close to you. I'll kill you, maybe not physically, but I'll break that strong spirit inside of you. I don't want to see that happen to you because of me. I…I just want you to answer this one question. Why do you…why do you love me?"

Her gaze never left him. Despite the few stumbles and pauses during sentences and words, it melting her like butter. But it wasn't the words or tone of voice that he used which mystified her, it was the sad, pleading look that cried out to her for answers. He seemed so lost and Relena could instantly see a smaller version of Heero, smaller and younger, a small boy, who was scared, a war orphan, a child who was trained for war. A child who had taken on the task of sacrificing his childhood, being, existence and life so that others wouldn't have to, a child who was lost and confused and didn't know what to do or what to believe.

"Heero, I…" she tried to say something, anything to get the sad look out of his eyes.

"Why do you love me?" he demanded gently. He came closer to her again. Relena shook her head slowly; she couldn't answer. Heero leaned dangerously close, titling her head up and letting his lips linger around hers in a teasingly way. She could feel his warm breath over her lips, playing against her face. "Answer me," he demanded a little harder this time.

Her breath caught in her throat like ice, numbing her senses. His lips stopped coming closer and started to pull away when he didn't receive an answer. She cursed herself inwardly.

Without thinking, she placed her hands behind his head and brought his face closer to hers. "Yuy, shut up and kiss me," she ordered. Heero smiled before immediately obeying her demands.

It was just a sweet, innocent kiss that only lasted for a couple moments, but to the two people, it was an eternity. Their lips seemed to fit together perfectly against the others, like a puzzle. Her lips were soft against him, making him hungry for more. He pulled away a little uncertain. He looked down at her with a small grin on his face. Relena looked up at him, losing herself in his blue eyes that stood out even in the dark.

"Why.Do.You.Love.Me?" he asked again. He was getting a little annoyed of this merry-go-round ride. He wanted an answer.

Still dumb stuck over the kiss, she shook the stars out of her eyes and swallowed before finally answering, "You're so different Heero. At the same time your cold and warm, rough and kind, sweet and hard, strong and gentle, and you're mysterious, understanding, considerate, loyal…you're irresistible and I'm surprised you're still free. You're unique, one of a kind. I don't think there could be anyone else more perfect than you." Besides, you look really good in those spandex shorts, Relena added silently. She bit her lip to keep herself from laughing at her thoughts.

"What about Chris?"

"I love him. But I don't love him like I love you. There's just something about you Heero, something that isn't in a lot of men. I've just been attracted to you. Maybe it was those blue eyes of yours. They tempted me to explore deeper and if I look hard enough, I see everything about you and I love it."

The only thing he could do was smile. Her answer pleased him greatly. For once in his life, he felt as if he had done something right, that his life meant something. And for the first time, he felt loved, the feeling of being needed, especially by her. And he felt like he wanted to please her, make the stars shine brighter and the sky bluer if she wanted it.

Heero could only stand there, looking at her. He didn't know how to react. When it came to girls, he was completely lost. Duo once told him that girls were unpredictable. They could act as if they loved you one minuet and then hate you the next. They were confusing, a storm of beauty that changed with every rumble of thunder.

Relena saw the lost look in his eyes. She stood up on her tiptoes and kissed his lips, surprising him. She made him want her all to himself. Possessiveness was a good word to describe this feeling that filled him whenever she was around another man. He tensed at first when she touched his lips with hers but then immediately relaxed, being swallowed by her sweetness, her sweetness that was being sacrificed for him. Yes, women were unpredictable. They drained everything out of you with one kiss, with one touch, making you feel completely hopeless and making you hold onto them longer.

This one was more passionate and long than the first one. They pulled away and looked at each other, love shinning in their star filled eyes. A smile gracing their tingling lips.

Heero pressed his forehead against hers, making their noses touch slightly. Swallowing, he allowed himself to speak the words he should have spoken long ago. "I love you, Relena. You and only you."

Tears glistened in her eyes, making her eyes having a glassy, watery look in them. Her face broke into a grin and she gave a happy laugh. She felt as light as a feather that fluttered on a spring breeze. She was light headed and her heart burned with happiness.

He pulled her close to him, breathing in the sent of her hair and perfume. She always smelt so good. Every time he came near her, he always caught the scent of Freesia.

Relena leaned comfortable in his arms. She rested her head against his chest, listening to his strong heartbeat that echoed inside his chest. She buried her nose in his shirt, absorbing the sent of lemon laundry detergent that tickled her nose. She always liked the smell of laundry detergent, but it seemed to smell extremely good when he was wearing it. Placing her chin on his firm chest, she spoke, "You want to know something?"

"Yes."

"I've loved you for a long time. At first it had been attraction, then respect, and when you saved me when OZ attacked out school, when we had that party, it became love. Ever since then I couldn't stop thinking about you." she confessed.

He smiled slightly.

She looked back up at him and asked, "You want to know something else? Something that won't hurt me?"

"Yes."

"Don't leave me without telling me."

He kissed her forehead, making her close her eyes in pleasure. "I won't."

She gave a little yawn before replacing her head against his chest. She closed her eyes, enjoying the moment of them slowly dancing in the moonlight with music playing quietly in the background.

"Relena, could you give me a second chance? Can we be together, at least give it a try?" he pleaded in a whisper. He felt her answer though the tight squeeze around his waist. He smiled and gripped her tighter. He'd never let her fall.

Heero felt her grow heavy. Suddenly, she collapsed onto him. Smiling, he picked her up with ease and carried her to her bed. He was tempted to crawl in next to her but decided against it. He caressed her jaw line with gentle strokes, enjoying the smooth skin under his fingertips. He felt special that he was able to touch her face, a face of a sleeping angle. "Beautiful," slipped from his tongue. It was just above a whisper.

He turned and went towards the window. He didn't see the tear that rolled down Relena's face or the small, happy smile that formed on her lips. He thinks I'm beautiful, Relena repeated to herself. Her heart felt lighter. His one word gave her pleasant dreams for the rest of the night.

Heero closed the window, locking it to make sure no one would be able to enter, and descended to the ground. He jumped the rest of the way, bending his legs so the impact wasn't as great. Slowly standing up, he looked over at his friends.

Wufie stood with his arms crossed over his chest. Heero glared at him, but wasn't able to control the grin that pulled at his mouth or the bright twinkle in his eyes that outshone the brightest star in the night sky. Wufie nodded and gave a look saying "finally" before he grinned as well. Duo jumped for joy, happy that he wasn't going to be beaten up and that it had worked. Trowa gave a soft smile. Quatre wore a smile that reached from ear to ear.

"Let's go home," Heero ordered. The other gundam pilots picked up their instruments and followed the soldier.

~*~

The next day, Relena went to Chris and broke the news to him that she couldn't marry him. She had thought about it and decided that it was too much for her at that moment. Chris just nodded and looked into her eyes.

"It's something else too. It's the gundam pilot, Heero. When you first told me about him, you had this look in your eyes and I knew straight off that if he ever came back, I would loose you. Guess I have. From what I've heard, you two deserved each other. Tell him he's a lucky guy." Chris smiled. He was thankful for his political training, the hard mask.

She only saw his smile, the smile that threw her off his scent. His smile looked accepting, and warm and happy for her. But deep down inside, he was ready to scream and yell and murder the man who had taken her away from him. He was so close in having her and it suddenly was ripped away from him. He was defeated.

"All right. Thanks for understanding, Chris." She said as she handed the ring back to him. He shook his head and handed it back to her.

"I gift from a friend."

"I can't do that! It's too much."

"Keep it. Think of it as a birthday present."

"You're so sweet. The woman who gets you will be one of the luckiest." She smiled sweetly.

Why can't that be you? Chris wanted to ask but he refrained. "I'll be waiting for her."

"She'll come around soon though. Don't worry. You'll love her more than you've loved me. I know it," she said as she kissed his cheek.

He just nodded. As he watched her walk away, into her silver convertible, he waved her off and whispered, "I'll never love someone like I've loved you."

~*~

Now what do you think? I probably didn't get all my grammar mistakes, sorry about that again. Bear with me people!

Now if you've completed in reading this chapter…push the blue button marked "GO" and wait for the box to appear. When it does, review! Thank you!

There will be only one more chapter and it'll be the epilogue. It's going to be short. Just wanted to let you know…

Sorry if this has taken a little long…