- Chimera of Life -
Story Four: Uneasy Alliances
Chapter Elevenby Heartfire
***
'Room 818…' She stopped in front of the large closed mahogany double doors. Maybe she should turn back. Maybe she was worrying too much, but… No. With so many wrongs in the world, it would be better to question than ignore when one was feeling as anxious as she was.
With a deep breath, she opened the door to the room and her sharp gray eyes took in the office space. There was a secretary's desk right beside the room. An efficient looking woman stared at her computer, until she looked up and nodded at her curtly.
"Hello. May I help you?"
Her mouth suddenly became parched. What should she say? She's here because she's worried?! "I…" Her voice sounded like a squeak. What is wrong with her? This is only one person. She had always been at ease with people! She pushed her shoulders back, walked closer to the table, and tried again. "I am looking for Colonel Une."
The secretary looked at the woman again. Her clothes were decent. She had an honest face, wavy mass of brownish red hair… She didn't seem like the kind Colonel Une would usually talk to, but… "What is your name?" Her fingers typed in some commands and Une's schedule came out of the monitor.
"I don't have an appointment." She almost choked! The look the secretary gave her was that of complete indifference right after she said those words, and she wondered if she should have lied instead.
"I'm sorry, miss, Colonel Une is very busy right now."
"Oh…" What else could she have said? But… Darn it! She wants to see Une! "Are you sure?" Those gray eyes pleaded with the secretary, but it didn't even made a chip on the ice.
"Yes. I'm sorry."
Her hands gripped each other as she looked at the last door on the wall behind the secretary. She was so near… So near only to be shooed away! She closed her eyes then nodded. "All right… I understand…"
The secretary nodded without looking back at her. With full attention upon the computer, the visitor half turned, about to walk to back where she came from, but… out of nowhere, she made a quick decision that sent her running to the other door, while the secretary scrambled out of her chair.
She opened the door- Thank God it wasn't locked!- then hastily went inside. Her eyes caught sight of large windows before she was suddenly jerked back by a heavy hand, clamped around her wrists.
"Where do you think you're going?"
"Let go! I need to talk to her!" She struggled against the expert hold, though she knew her fight would be short lived.
"Jeanette? What's going on here?"
The soft, yet condescending tone, came from their left side, and both women quickly turned around only to find a brown haired woman of elegance and grace, staring at them with frowned eyes.
"Ma'am, she went inside without permission and-"
"I don't care about permissions! Trowa's missing! That's the only thing I care about right now!" She was screaming! Oh God, she was screaming but… she just couldn't… she can't lose Trowa again, not knowing what happened to him… left in the dark like this… She saw the brown haired woman signal to the person behind her, then she was let go.
"Leave us." It was a soft command…
"Yes ma'am."
Yes ma'am… That means… Her eyes riveted back to the woman who was now walking towards the table. That means- "Are you Colonel Une?" She asked just as the door behind her closed.
Une sat on her chair then waved to the seats in front of her. It was an open invitation to this woman who knew one of the Gundam pilots, and she willingly accepted. The sigh that left the visitor's lips showed how much she appreciated taking off the load from her feet. "Who are you?"
Intelligent gray eyes met clear brown ones. "My name is Catherine Bloom. I'm…" What is she? What is she to Trowa? "I'm… Trowa is like a family to me."
Une's hands met and curled. So this was the famous Catherine Bloom. Quatre had spoken a lot about her, saying that she takes care of Trowa. Her concern seems true enough. "Why are you here?"
The moment she uttered her question, those gray eyes grew dim and troubled. Cathy looked down at the hands on her lap, then up at Une once again. "He promised that he would write every month since he left seven months ago… It's now two weeks over from when his last letter's due… He's always prompt, but there's still no letter… I…"
Her eyes became tearful once again. She was babbling, but she couldn't help herself. "I love him like a brother. When he left the first time, I was worried sick. I couldn't sleep or eat properly, then I found him. He lost his memory. He looked so lost and scared… I… I can't go on with my life not knowing what happened to him!" Her hands reached out and grabbed the edge of the table while tears shone in her eyes. "I would rather learn that he's dead and know that he is buried, than be left… plagued with such unbearable thoughts."
Une took in Cathy's shaking hands, gripping her table. Cathy was prattling, but that was understandable. She could feel so much from this woman. She could understand love. She could understand family. Her cousin was the only one she has left in the world, other than Mariemaia, and there was never a time in a day when she would be beset with images too horrible to think…
"I… I don't know if you understand… I just hope you do… I can't put it in any other words…" Cathy's trembling voice reached Une.
Yes. She understood exactly what Cathy meant. She leaned over and touched Cathy's hand to show that she did, and to give her strength. "I will help in any way I can. We'll keep our eyes open."
She could see sincerity in her eyes and hear it from her voice, so she nodded. "Trowa said that you could be trusted… I can see why…"
Une smiled softly. "Thank you. Is there any way we could contact you?" With her other hand, she had already reached for a pad and pencil.
Cathy nodded as she accepted them then wrote in it. "Here. Thank you."
"It's all right." Une looked at the piece of paper, reminiscing some of her childhood days. There was a time when she wouldn't have understood Cathy… but now… 'I understand all too well…'
…
Wufei sighed as he dropped on the ground near the campfire. Everyone else had gone to sleep- or was trying to sleep… One could feel the tension radiating from everyone, thick as… as…
'Pea soup…' Wufei nearly smiled as he said one of Relena's usual sentences. His eyes drifted to Ping's sleeping bag, over her form, and wondered- 'I wonder what you're doing now, Relena…' Was she having fun with Heero?
He tried to picture a laughing Heero, but it was too hard to conjure. With another sigh, he stood up, ready to help do the rounds with their quadrupled guards. He just couldn't sleep.
Halfway to one of the sentry location, an urgent whisper reached his ears.
"Commander Chang!"
Wufei turned and saw Josh sprinting to his direction. The subordinate reached him, and through extreme training, didn't forget to salute. "What is it?" It was the middle of the night!
"There's someone who wants to talk to you on the vid phone, sir."
His eyebrow shot up. He just talked to Une a few moments ago and told her about the bodies in his report… "Who is it?"
A blush appeared on Josh's cheek, shuffled his feet for a few seconds and then bowed his head. "Ms. Relena Dorlian, sir."
Wufei's jaw nearly fell. He was just thinking of her a few minutes ago! With a nod, he started to walk to one of the helicopters, still grounded. They've set up radio control in it, and their supplies were loaded in case of any sudden need to depart.
He entered the helicopter, saw Christine, and nodded to her. "Take a break."
Christine nodded. She knew that he really meant- 'Get out of here, I don't want you to hear.' So she stood up and nodded. "Yes sir."
Wufei made sure that no one was around then he walked over to the monitor that showed… Relena's-
"What the hell happened to you?!" He nearly bellowed! Relena's eyes were dull and the bags under them were so pronounced, not to mention that her face looked ghostly white! He saw her lips tremble to a smile, and some light sparkle back to life in her eyes.
"Well, hello to you, too."
"I do not waste my time with cordialities- dammit!" Why was he so concerned anyway?! "Isn't Heero taking care of you?! Aren't you supposed to be relaxing and… and… Hell, onna! You look like you haven't slept a week!"
At that comment, Relena grimaced. "I guess that means I look terrible. Oh well… Guess it can't be helped."
Wufei's eyes slanted. "Onna, you better tell me what's going on…"
"You're such a bully Wufei… But I guess that's why I called you…" She looked down and Wufei fell silent. Her voice had grown hallow, as if she had given up on life, but when she looked up again, there was an unusually cheerful smile on her face. "Wufei, I've decided that I don't love Heero anymore."
A wild dog's howl echoed from somewhere… the insects' nightly song disappeared… Wufei couldn't believe his ears… For such a long time, he had admired that love… he had thought that Heero was undeserving of that love… and now-
"What did he do?" His hands tightened to fists. Heero must have done something! Relena isn't the kind of girl… "What the hell did that Yuy do to you?!"
Relena quickly shook her head. "Nothing, Wufei… He didn't do anything… It was just time that I faced reality."
She was lying. She knew it, and he knew it… Why did he suddenly want to be beside her when her eyes sparkled with unshed tears? Why did he want to wrap his arms around her, to comfort her as much as he could? He had always thought of her like a little girl… a little girl who was trying so hard to be grown up and strong, but right now she was a woman. His fisted hands shook… Heero Yuy did do something to her… He broke her heart…
Relena was the first person he had ever told about his wife… She had irritated him so much that he couldn't stop the barrage of curses and memories… She was there to hear him say as though it didn't affect him, but she knew… She knew and she had held him… He never truly experienced the comfort an embrace could give, but she showed it to him, though he didn't understand. He was stunned… he didn't embraced her back but she also knew why… He saw it in her eyes.
"You can't just decide on that, Relena…"
She shook her head. "I am the master of my fate… you told me that, Wufei. I have a strong will and a drive. I will make it through. Besides, weren't you the one who told me to move on with my life countless of times before?" Her tone was a sad rendition of exuberance.
He did… he did tell her that… but this was different… Wufei frowned. 'Why was it different?' Why was it that he doubts those words now? "Relena-"
"Wufei, don't… Please…" Relena reached out to touch the screen. "I don't want to talk about it anymore. I'm tired of the subject."
His mouth opened and closed, but he knew that look well enough… "Fine. If that's what you want, Relena, then nobody can make you change your mind."
Relena smiled softly. "Thank you… I miss you, Wufei. You're the best bullying kind of friend I've ever had. You're like an overprotective older brother."
He nearly smiled at that word but chose to scowl instead. "Onna! You stop saying that!" He received the pleasure of seeing her smile genuinely this time. Was it over seven years ago when she said those words about him to Quatre? She was in a hurry, her train of thought ran faster than she could speak and she said brother instead of bodyguard. Yes… he was probably like a big brother, and she was like an irritating, loveable little sister…
"I miss your screams." Relena wistfully said.
"I don't scream." Wufei's lips drew into a thin line.
"Oh yes you do."
"No. I. Don't!"
Relena's smile became wider, but the sadness in her eyes was still dominant. "You nearly did."
"Did not!"
Relena's laughter made him grin, but he kept that scowl on his face. That's exactly what he meant when he said Duo and Hilde had their influence on her… well, Quatre does tease him that way some times, too.
"When will you finish?"
Her question hung like a huge storm cloud over him… Why did he suddenly felt threatened? Dreadful? Anxious…? "Soon…"
"All right… soon. I have a conference tomorrow, and I still cannot think of how to end my speech."
"You'll think of something." He was sure of it.
"I have to go. I can hear Hilde and Duo arguing from over here."
As expected, Wufei's eyes darkened. "Duo is still there?"
"Now, don't you start. I'm glad they're here. They're helping me."
"Wait until I get my hands on him…" He cracked his knuckles, already imagining an expression on Duo's face.
"Do that when you get back here-" She looked behind her then back at him. Her voice notched a tone lower. "Good bye Wufei. Please take care. I don't want you to get hurt."
Then she was gone. The monitor, a dark blue screen once again… "Take care, Relena…" Another conference… Will the assassin be there? "Yuy… you better do your job right tomorrow…" With one last look at the monitor, he turned away and wondered… why he dreaded going back…
He passed by a few huddled forms under the bags, then stopped at the foot of one, with curly, golden hair to tell him who it was… Ping. He's going to have to wake her up later to change shifts. Wufei felt himself relax then with a sigh, he started to look for the sentries.
…
Une hastily dialed the number on the paper while her other hand pushed a button on the television remote control. She just came from the labs… and the conversation she had with the team still echoed inside her head while a screen on the wall flickered to show a stage with Relena, speaking…
"Ma'am, we did the search three times… there were no records in the bank to show their DNA's…"
"Their records had been erased…"
'Or maybe they were never recorded… there are still people out there like the gundam pilots who…' Une's eyes widened… Trowa was missing… It couldn't be… but why does she have this sickening feeling at the pit of her stomach?
Probably because she knew, deep inside, that where trouble was, a gundam pilot was never too far away… "Excuse me, gentlemen… I need to make a phone call."
"Hello? Hello…?"
Une jerked. "H-hello, good afternoon. I need to speak with Ms. Catherine Bloom, please."
"It's Mrs. Catherine Almeida now, ma'am." The deep voice on the other line announced then, "Just a minute."
The initial surprise that Catherine was married slowly disappeared as she heard the muffled 'Honey!' then 'Some lady' and finally, a soft- "Hello?"
"Catherine? This is Colonel Une."
"Ms. Une, what is it? Did you find anything?"
"Catherine…" Should she tell her-
As though she could read Une's thoughts, Cathy gripped the phone harder. "Please… I deserve to know… Don't…" She suddenly had a frightful feeling… God, does she really have something to say about Trowa?
Une heard a shallow breath, then a courageous voice.
"Just tell me…"
She closed her eyes. She remembered what she felt when she learned that Rascal was… and now… "We found a couple of bodies… We cannot locate their records in the data bank. I want a couple of men to go through Trowa's personal belongings and take anything that might help distinguish his DNA ."
From the other side, Catherine slumped against Keith. She had wanted the truth, and now… she could only hope that the DNA's doesn't match. With as much control as she could invoke, she pushed away from Keith then spoke. "Do you have a pen and paper right now, Ms. Une?"
Une looked up at the ceiling to force some tears to go away. "Yes, I do…" Then she glanced down once again to start writing. "Thank you, Catherine." Une looked at the screen once again and saw that the President had taken Relena's previous position.
"I hope that it isn't…" Cathy couldn't even say it…
The people behind the President stood up then Une saw Relena's head incline. Her brown eyes slanted when Relena's blue green eyes widened. Then Relena's lips uttered a warning shout… Une's heart pounded against her ribcage but she couldn't look away… Gunshots flowed from her speakers, and Une jerked as if she was the one the bullets hit. From the other line-
"My God! Cath! They just shot Relena Peacecraft!"
Then the transmission died just as she saw Heero appear on the stage with a gun in hand…
"Une! Une what's happening?!" Catherine's panicked voice reached her ears. She couldn't believe what she had just seen… She had met Relena only once, but she was… Trowa had fought with her… for her… she was… "Une!" Has the whole world gone mad?!
Une swallowed, trying to speak, but her voice came out in a croak. "Catherine… you're welcome in the base…" It was the only thing she could say at that moment, and then she hung up.
From the other side of the line, Cathy could only stare at the phone… Something was terribly wrong… there was something that the Preventers were hiding… Her brother had been a part of the fight a long time ago while she stayed where she was… well, now she will be in the middle… and in her way, take part in it.
"Keith…" Her stunned husband slowly turned to face her. She could understand… One person could mean so much to people. "Start packing…"
…
Silver blue eyes widened as he stared at the screen that had just turned black. Everyone was in shock around him, but not more than he…
"Relena…" His little sister had just been shot… and his practiced eyes knew that it was in a… fatal place… Memories flitted through his head. Childhood before Sank was destroyed… during the war… his sister in her Queenly garbs…
A scream of pure torture pierced through the air and he was suddenly pulled back to the present. Another cold hand gripped his heart and strangled it as his eyes riveted to stare at the pristine, solid metal double doors. "What the hell are they doing to my wife?!"
Two male nurses instantly went in front of him. He could easily knock them unconscious but at the moment, his strength was gone…
"Sir, please…"
"This is natural…"
He glared at them. His sister was fighting for her life… and it feels as if his wife was also-
The lights on top of the doors in front of him turned from orange to a flashing red and nurses and doctors quickly hurried inside.
"What's happening?" His eyes tried to catch sight of Noin's bed when the doors opened, but they also closed far too quickly. "What the hell is happening?!" He moved to the doors, and the two male nurses instantly took hold of his arms. "Let me go!" He knew that he was acting in a way he never had before. It was just that… hearing her agonized scream… He couldn't think of anything but her!
God! Is child bearing this… He would never… "Lucrezia! Lucrezia!!!" Something stung him on the neck… he suddenly felt his last strength leave him and then… his vision wavered.
"Bring him to a room…"
Whose voice was that? He couldn't distinguish it from male or female… What was happening to his… wife…? His sister…?
He couldn't feel anything… anymore… then his body slumped against the two nurses.
…
Numb hands turned on her cell phone and-
"Une! Where's my sister! Where's Relena! Is she all right?! Dammit! Answer me!"
"How can I answer when you wouldn't even let me speak, Charlie?!" Her voice came out in a near growl while her hands curled into fists.
"I- I'm sorry… Please Une… where is she? I want to be with her…"
She mentally forgave him… His panicked voice showed his true concern. "Charlie, she's being taken here."
"There?! That's not a hospital! She needs a damn hospital!" Charlie swerved into an open space, speeding his car on the freeway, damning any police who would pursue a chase.
She breathed in deeply for patience. "Charlie, this whole building is equipped with needed facilities. We have the best doctors, and the best technology. Relena is safer here than in a hospital. We will take care of her."
Charlie nodded while he relaxed his white knuckled hold on his steering wheel. "I'm on my way there." He turned off his phone. In his heart and mind, he could only pray for his sister's well being. She ran into it… she just ran into it… "You stupid idiot! Relena, you're so stupid!"
…
Her hands clutched against each other while she brought it to her trembling lips. "Please be all right, Relena… Oh, please…" She was so cold… Oh God! She's so cold…
"Ms. Noventa…? Where are you going?"
The crowd had dispersed. Her guards had finally let her go, and she slowly walked towards the stage where it all happened… She was in the upper level, just a viewer… She was supposed to be on the stage with them, but she came in late…
The whole place was a wreck…
"I want to see…" Her voice was barely heard, it felt unusual to talk.
Preventers worked here and there…
"You have an appointment in thirty minutes…"
She reached the stage and saw that spot of dark red blood… "Cancel it…" Her voice was caught. She couldn't breathe too well. That was Relena's blood… that was where Heero had held her and she saw more than she should have…
"But-"
"I said cancel it! Cancel all of my appointments!" She turned to face her doting secretary and bodyguards. "She's fighting for her life! How could you ask me to…" She shook her head then glared at them. "I'm going to her…"
Her staff had held her back when that shot came, fearing for her life while she was only thinking of getting to her friend. But now, she will not let anyone stop her. She pushed her way through them and started for her car. Relena had been her mentor and friend… Oh, she knew very well that Relena had feelings for Heero, but she didn't mind. She had forgiven Heero a long time ago for killing her father… She understood his mistake. It was an accident. But this one… this person who was behind all of this… She cannot… Not any time soon… whoever he, or she, is…
…
Wufei sat in front of the vid phone and the look Mariemaia gave him wrapped a blanket of ice around his heart. "What's wrong?"
"Wufei…" Mariemaia's eyes clouded with tears and Wufei knew it was something worse than-
"Who was it? The body… whose was it?" It was the body… could it be… one of his friends? He didn't even realize that he had called them friends.
"They're still working on it… but Relena…"
Something shattered somewhere in the background… a glass… and a stream of apologies echoed softly…
"What happened to Relena…?" His voice was unusually calm… How come he was calm?
"She was shot, Wufei… Someone was aiming for the President but Relena pushed him away and took the bullet instead…" Mariemaia cringed at the stream of curses that left Wufei's lips along with some pounding on the table, and then he was suddenly looking at her again.
"How is she?"
"Sally is with her… they're operating on her right now."
Wufei let that thought settle in him. He knew Sally's skills. She had improved well over the years… But it seemed that one person hadn't improved at all… Heero Yuy. His skills must have become as rotten as an apple full of worms that he wasn't able to protect Relena. "Yuy. Where is he?"
Mariemaia bit her lower lip as she remembered what happened in the hospital earlier. "He just…" She looked away. "Left."
A sneer left Wufei as he thought of all the possible torture he could inflict to Yuy. Well… he must credit Yuy to one thing, at least he knew when to retreat.
"Also, Wufei… Mother is on her way to Arche. Rascal is alive, and we think that Quatre might be in trouble…"
'Quatre?' Why did it feel as if one by one, his friends were being targeted? He wants to go back there. Go back there and ask what the hell Yuy was doing when everything happened. How could he let a damn assassin get past his nose! But he knew even now that he must stay. "What… what does Une want me to do?"
She could see it in his eyes. He wants to leave India to come back here, but… she must not let him. "It will be wise to stay in your fort, Wufei. The man Heero killed had the same pins with the man you fought with over there."
Wufei's hands curled over the table's edge. 'At least Yuy was able to get one of them. So… it was them who did it, whoever they are…' To think that he just talked to her yesterday… She was… His blood ran with a familiar thirst… a need… for justice… He nodded curtly at Mariemaia. "Is there anything else?"
"None at the moment."
"Fine. I need to tell the others." Wufei ended the transmission then sighed. How could he tell them?
"Wufei?" Ping's voice reached his cold heart, and her touch brought back slight warmth in his body. "What is it? What's wrong"
But right now, he doesn't want warmth… he wants to revel in the cold. It was war once again, after all… He jerked away and didn't even notice the pain that flashed across Ping's face. "Let's go outside… You will know soon enough." Deep in his mind, he pictured a fist connecting with Yuy's face. 'Where ever you are, Heero Yuy, I hope you know the extent of what you did with your carelessness.'
…
'Relena…' His hands caressed the rumpled sheets and blankets of her bed. It was the first time he saw it in such disarray at this time of the day. She usually has her room neat and orderly after her shower, save for those times when they made love… but things went awry that morning, as though predicting how the whole day… would turn out...
His shoulders trembled and his breath shuddered. So much pain encompassed his heart that he wished he would just die. But he couldn't. Not just yet.
He straightened from the bed, though his shoulders still drooped, then walked to her white dresser at the far left corner of her room. He had seen her, once, sitting on her rose print chair in front of the dresser, combing her beautiful silk hair while the sun's first rays caressed those strands.
His hands touched the brush reverently.
There was this one special moment when she had turned after her eyes caught his on the mirror. He was sitting on her bed, just admiring her and she had walked back to him to give him a kiss…
Heero breathed in deeply as he left the dresser and then walked to her closet. Gently, he opened them and took in the multitude colors pastels, whites, and blacks within. Simple cuts, elegant…
He caught sight of that dress she wore their first night together-
Alluring.
Tears misted his eyes, but none fell and he continued to look around, to embrace that feel that Relena will be all right. That she will return into this house with her smile, eat, do her sculptures… come back to him…
A box at the far end of the closet caught his attention, and he kneeled down to open it only to stare at the contents dumbly. His shaking hands reached for the bear in the middle, the one he gave her. The one he had nearly gone insane over deciding whether to buy or not, then whether to give it to her or not.
"You kept it…" His voice was hoarse, and full of emotion as he picked it and noticed that the bear was well taken care of. His eyes flickered over the other contents of the box and he noticed a worn white notebook, plain, thick, and simple. As though it would bite him, Heero gingerly took the book then opened it.
"We changed again, for the fifth time, white. Hello, my silent friend."
Heero frowned and he couldn't stop as he continued to read her elegant cursive.
"My secret keeper."
Heero's eyes turned to the box while his hands closed the notebook. He saw four others- pink, blue, yellow, lavender. He knew what he held in his hands- Relena's latest diary. Her precious thoughts, her inner most dreams.
He was tempted to read them, but to do so was to wrongfully invade. She did not give permission, and he will not strip her of that. She deserved better.
He pushed the book and the bear back inside, satisfied, and then closed the lid. Deep in his heart, he knew that once he gets back, he would find pleasure learning her secrets directly from her. Heero stood up, made sure that her whole room was secure, the whole house, then he slung a heavy bag over his shoulder and turned on the alarm.
Sad but determined eyes looked at the house he had considered his home. He already left a message for Mariemia in her computer if they needed clothes for Relena. He couldn't think of anything else he could do but to start his mission.
He will not let her down. He will hunt those bastards to the ends of the universe.
…
Did it all happen just seven days ago?
Wufei pushed a hand through his hair, too tired to even grimace. Quatre had called, and broke the news about Trowa's death… then told him to pack up. He never really knew the guy well, but he will say that Trowa was an honorable man. Someone who did not deserve to die so… harshly…
Quatre still couldn't accept it, though… That soft hearted man still couldn't accept the fact that his best friend was dead… still trying to prove that the doctors were wrong by hiring others.
He saw Catherine and Keith outside the laboratory and he felt his feet amble towards them. Her face was too pale, and Keith looked as if he was ready to pass out, but the way he supported Catherine… He could tell that Keith will never leave her to face this alone…
The couple looked up just as he stopped to face the tinted glass. Why did he even come here?
Memories of old missions with Trowa Barton… of the celebration after the second war… of Relena sneaking off with Duo and Hilde to watch one of Trowa's circus performances with him on their tail… Heh… Duo and Hilde had influenced her so much… "We'll get them, Catherine… We'll get them."
Cathy nodded. She could hear that determination in his voice. "I know, Wufei… I know that you and the others always try to do your best…" Or die trying, just like Trowa.
Wufei nodded, then walked away. His thoughts went to Relena. She still hadn't woken up. Sylvia Noventa and Charlie have been visiting her alternately, and he had been by her bed for a few minutes each day.
She didn't look like the Relena he knew. It wasn't her. It couldn't be her… His vision wavered during one of those visits, and he looked up at the ceiling, unable to accept those tears when he felt a tender touch on his shoulder, and then he was encompassed in an embrace… Ping.
She had stayed away from him before that day, almost as if she knew that he needed his time alone, and then afterwards, she kept her distance once again. Now, he was aching to see her… to just be near her… to look at her…
'Damn me to hell.'
He walked out of the elevator and instantly heard the sounds of cheers from the end of the hallway. The Gym. Curious, Wufei set off to investigate only to find half of the Intelligence Alliance on one side, half of the Red Team scattered around, and a bunch of other Preventers huddled around the other side. Some of them looked like they just got the crap beaten out of them. The air around the gym was so different from the deathly atmosphere on the higher levels. Good… That was good because he needs the men's spirit to stay strong.
Suddenly he stopped in mid step. Halfway to the gym, his eyes fell on the blue mat where a couple rolled away from each other and sprang onto their feet. 'Ping?!'
"Come on, big guy. Is that all you can do?" Her voice was taunting and mischievous at the same time. Her smirk and that haughty tilt of her head—she was asking for it, especially since the one she's fighting with was one of the top twenty.
"Heh… I'm just taking it easy on you, girl."
"Really?" Ping blew a lock of hair away from her face. "No wonder I'm still not out of breath. Come on! I want a work out! You guys promised me one and I've already beaten almost everyone here! Is this the best the Preventers can give me? If it is, then I'm very bored."
"Opie! Get her!" Cheers from the other side of the mat came, while the Red Patrol only shook their heads at their innocent companions. None of them had seen what Ping Rossi of the Intelligence Alliance could do, unlike them.
Wufei felt a smile on his face as he moved once again. She was one smart lady. He knew exactly what she was trying to do- instill confidence and spirit back into their shocked minds, and at the same time, give them a good work out. He knew there was a reason why he loved her so…
His train of thought faltered along with his steps. The voices around him faded and his eyes widened as Ping hit the mat with too much force… There was a ringing in his ears and he could only watch as she scissored her legs, caught a good kick against Opie's knee, then she was on her feet and had him on the ground in a matter of seconds.
The ringing in his ears slowly subsided as she punched the air above her with her gloved hands and smiled that wide happy smile of hers. He felt a stab of pure possessiveness. This woman was his. He loves her… Wufei brought a hand to his forehead to rub it, unable to believe the truth. How could he let himself do this?! How?!
He looked up and saw how the lights above glint against her curly mane, how her eyes sparkled while her friends took off her gloves, how she cheered with the men, and how his heart skipped a beat.
He loves her… loves her in a different way from how he previously… God!
"Ping, you're the first woman to ever beaten me!" Opie announced with that charming grin of his, and the others laughed.
He felt proud. That was his Ping who didn't even break a sweat to beat Opie…
"You need to marry me! Let's have strong kids together!" The consecutive 'me too's!' echoed in the gym.
Wufei nearly laughed out loud. Opie was known to be the playboy of the bunch and, Ping's clear laughter was a strong indication that she didn't take him seriously. He waited for her answer… what would she say?
Ping gave an all too enthusiastic grin at Opie. "Sorry boys, but I think you just have to make do with dreaming about me." She glanced over her shoulder with that saucy grin of hers. "I'm already married."
Wufei took a step back… He didn't hear what he just did, did he? She couldn't be… but… why is she smiling like that? Slowly, shock turned to anger and disgust. He had been played for a fool once again. This was what one gets when ruled by the heart.
His eyes slanted as he glared at the woman in the midst of excitement. She lied to him in a way worst than words could never do… Without another glance, he quickly turned and walked away to lick his wounds by himself, and let the raging anger propel him to a purpose.
…
The door to the room swished open and then closed once again and Quatre tiredly glanced up only to find a disturbing look of vengeance on Wufei's face. "Wufei? What's wrong?"
The pain, hate, and anger that he had not seen nor felt from Wufei since they saw each other a few days ago, hit him with full force. "I want a war, Quatre… I want justice against every goddamn pain seeking dishonorable assholes… If it takes a war to do that, then I want it… I want their blood…"
Quatre's eyes widened in shock, just as everyone stared at Wufei. His clearly said words sent a chill up their spine. He had changed… The pain and vengeance he could understand… but the level Wufei was exuding was beyond reason! What… what happened? What could have caused this… anger?