A/N: I got a review! ^_^ *dances around* yay! Hehe okay anyway, I don't know if I'm gonna be able to have some regular interval for putting these chapters up. . . but whenever I can, I'll put one or two up, deal?

Anyway, here's Chapter 3. . . ^_^

Chapter 3: Spiraling Downward

Duo got home the next evening and immediately sank down onto his couch. He was tired. He'd spent the entire day making plans and arrangements for Relena's birthday. He was going to take her to a theme park, because she'd told him once that she'd never been to one. Then he would take her to her favorite restaurant on the edge of town. That was where he would propose. He had even bought the ring that day, though not the diamond ring he had been looking at two days before.

He had thought there wouldn't be much planning in such a simple day, but he had done everything from making sure her day was - and would stay - free, to making sure neither the park nor the restaurant would be closed that day for any reason. Usually he would just wing it, plan by the moment. That was how he worked best, spontaneously. But this time… this time, he wanted everything to be perfect. And now, with her birthday being the very next day, he was all prepared. He would tell her the next morning of his plans to spend the day together, that where they were going would be a surprise, and that he had an extra-special present for her that evening. If only he had told her that night.

Relena left Quatre's mansion less than satisfied. As much faith as Quatre and Trowa had in Duo, the situation did sound fishy, and as he hadn't told anyone, even them, of his plans for her birthday, they'd had nothing to say in his defense. All they could do was comfort her and tell her how trustworthy Duo usually was, how everyone could always depend on him, how he had never let anyone down, especially not her. Even so, Relena was crying when she left. They hadn't been able to keep her from working herself into a hysteria. The more she talked about it, the worse the situation became in her mind, until finally she was absolutely convinced that Duo was indeed cheating on her.

Trowa and Quatre stood at the doorway watching her leave, Trowa's arm around Quatre's shoulders. "I'm worried about her, Trowa."

"Me too."

"She seemed really depressed over him. You don't think he really…"

"It doesn't look good."

"What is he thinking?"

Trowa just shook his head. Quatre leaned up against Trowa's chest, watching Relena's car as it drove away into the night.

"There's nothing we can do tonight. We'll talk to them both in the morning."

"I hope we can talk some sense into one of them. Or both of them."

I hope we're not too late, Trowa thought. But he didn't say anything to Quatre. He didn't want to worry him over something neither of them could control.

So, with that thought on both their minds, they closed their door to the world… at least for the night.

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

A/N: wow, another short chapter! I'm horrible at that. . . I either have no chapters at all, or rather short ones, as you can see here. . . Oh, well, maybe I'll just put up two chapters every time, how's that? So send in some feedback! ^_^