Disclaimer: I do not own Gundam Wing or any of its characters. This was written purely for entertainment purposes and I receive no profits whatsoever.
Thanks to: Ley, Sorrow, Magnum, Rei2, the black Rose, Cat, Wing. I thank you all for leaving a review and I thank those that didn't leave a review yet read and enjoyed the story.
A little mistake I made with this, on the note of Anne Une, embarrassingly enough I forgot her first name. And I looked at a bio of her on the Internet and it said Emily. But I do suppose that I was wrong, but it's kind of too late in the story to change things since not everyone reads these mundane author notes. I say thank you to the reviewer who told me, I thank you very much. As always sit back and relax and enjoy.
Fade To BlackChapter 5: Hand in Hand
By Aku Tenshi
"Relena," called her mother softly to her sleeping daughter, she laid in a seemingly uncomfortable position on the couch a shawl used as a makeshift blanket, she gently shook her daughter "Honey you have to go to bed and sleep." She whispered into her ear, but when she received no reply but the soft intake and exhales of breath she sighed slowly and shook her head.
Her heels tapped on the floor quietly as she went into the guestroom and stripped the bed of its blankets. Only when she returned Relena was awake, shivering and crying softly. The blanket fell out of her grasp and onto the floor landing softly, she rushed to her daughter's side and embraced her.
"Mommy." Relena sobbed into her mothers chest, her sobs racking her body, "I'm so scared mommy."
"Honey what are you scared of?" She asked softly as she rubbed Relena's back holding back tears of her own from the sheer fear that resounded in her daughters voice.
"Mommy," Relena whispered, "I'm scared of dying like this." It was then that Relena was no longer the only person in that room fearing her death, but then she let her mother in on her terrifying secret.
Duo and Noin had since left the plane and were now retrieving their luggage as Hilde set about looking for a vendor stand to buy a cool drink for Duo.
"I still don't believe she would do this Lu, it's…." he trailed off as his eyes spotted someone in the far distance "Holy shit." He finished as he spotted a tall muscular man, his skin a healthy tan and his eyes the most piercing cobalt blue he'd ever seen; a few unruly chocolate brown locks splayed here and there.
Noin followed the gaze of her eyes and spotted the man herself, she thought for nearly a moment that her heart would just stop. Before she regained her wits and do something Duo was already halfway there the intense look of anger on his handsome features.
"Hilde!" she called with a wave of her arm as she rushed off after the angry young man, no he was beyond anger and treading on the fine line of rage and insanity.
Hilde was just paying for the cold iced tea when she spotted the frantic Noin, running towards her enraged boyfriend, and her boyfriend heading towards someone she thought she'd never see again. She left the drink and pocketed her money as she went of running, those days on the track team were coming in handy just about now, the hurtles the chairs and her opponent her boyfriend.
Heero spotted his own luggage and bent to retrieve it, just missing the fist that sailed over his head. His combat skills taking over he grabbed the would-be assailants arm and brought it behind the man's back his other arm locking the man in a chokehold. Just as the man began to gurgle for breath Heero was attacked from behind with a chair and he turned ready to knock the other person's lights out when he realized it was a woman and not just any woman it was Lucretzia Noin.
"Let him go!" she ordered loudly
"Hn." Heero muttered as he strengthened his hold.
"Let me rephrase that, let Duo go now Heero." She ordered in a steely tone.
With the look of surprise evident on his features Heero released Duo and watched as sure enough Duo's indigo eyes turned to him angrily, barely recognizable to Heero since he indeed was missing his braid. Hilde finally came to a stop and rushed to Duo's side standing protectively near him as he regained his breath. Noin watched as the security guards rushed in their guns out and ready as they approached the group precariously.
"This is a Preventers matter," she said loudly as she held up her badge "It has been taken care of already."
The guards made a respectful nod in her direction as they backed away and went back to their original posts.
"Why is it that everyone seems to have a death sentence against me?" Heero asked curiously.
"You're an asshole." Duo answered without hesitation as he frowned for a moment and the hostility from his face dispersed, "But it is good to see you again Heero."
"I know I was an asshole, good to see you too." He returned as he ran a hand through the wild mess of brown he called hair and stooped to retrieve his pet carrier and overnight bag.
"Gentlemen now that you've duked it out, I think it's best that we leave. I do so hate to draw more attention than we have already." Noin said as she bent to retrieve her own bag as Hilde and Duo grabbed theirs.
"I have a meeting with Quatre at Relena's compound tonight, I think we should all be there." Heero mentioned to the other three as they were leaving the shuttle port and heading towards Noin's car.
"Sure you're not just saying that so we'll be witnesses to the crime?" Hilde asked an eyebrow raised as Heero inwardly flinched.
If anyone had it out for him the worst, than it was Quatre. "No but I do think it's on Relena's behalf." He responded from his moment of thought.
"Gee, since when have you given a damn?" Hilde asked curtly as she began to hasten her pace to Noin's awaiting car.
"Babe." Duo said as he jogged up ahead and draped an arm around Hilde pulling her close to him as they walked, whispering into her ear.
"Everyone hates me, don't they Noin?" Heero asked stopping in his tracks his grip tightening on the overnight bag and pet carrier.
"No they're just mad as hell." She said stopping with a sigh, and turned back to face him the look in her inky blue eyes one of someone way beyond her years. "You left Heero, and you hurt all of us. Relena was heartbroken, sure she was only 16 and yes a schoolgirl crush it may have been, but you were supposed to be her first crush, Heero. Her first love." She shook her head slowly as she placed a sympathetic hand on his shoulder, and turned walking towards her car.
The young man with a mop of black hair and piercing sapphire eyes looked up at the cheerful looking mansion and sighed. This inside job maybe even easier than he thought; since Relena's resignation her number of bodyguards had dwindled. And now with security lowered; it was even easier for him to create a spurious resume and become her personal bodyguard. He began his ascent up the marble steps and rang the doorbell as an elder man, his uniform of gray pressed and clean, answered the door.
"Ah you must be Mr. Roberts, please come in Relena will be with you shortly." He greeted holding the door ajar.
Soon the young man found his voice and cleared his throat, "There must be some mistake here I'm…"
"Yes Mr. Roberts you are her new bodyguard, Relena likes to meet her new personnel in person, she has always been so kind. Please do come in."
He blinked at the butler and nodded as he made his way into the house, and stood patiently awaiting for his instructions as to where he should sit. He turned as soon as he heard heels lightly tapping on the marble floor and spotted his employer, she was dressed in a simple white summer dress the ended just above her supple knees, her hair tied and hidden beneath a straw hat, it seemed unfair for her to do so as if the hair were constrained and looking for freedom springing out here and there. The expression on her young and beautiful face nonchalant until a polite smile made its way to her rosy lips, but not quite to her violet eyes.
"Hello Mr. Roberts." She greeted coming down the stairs, a manicured hand resting gently on the gleaming mahogany banister.
"Please call me Morgan." he requested softly in his smooth timbre and returned her smile as she finished descending the stairs, he reached his hand out in greeting.
"Morgan it is." She said softly and returned the offer her small hand almost devoured by his larger one, "Please come walk with me in the garden; it's such a nice day out.
Morgan smirked and nodded, his sapphire orbs gleaming and inwardly laughing at how easy at the moment it would be to slit her pretty little throat.
Milliardo pulled a fifty dollar bill from his pocket and handed it to the cabbie
"Keep the change." He murmured and gave a short nod to the burly cabbie,
"eh you have the look of a dead man, good luck." The cabbie called as he started the engine and drove away down the winding road
Milliardo turned and looked at the somewhat looming Darlain mansion with its bright colors and seemingly cheerful tones, a loud sigh passed his lips and the look in his azure eyes softened.
"Relena." He murmured quietly as he began his trek up the stone drive.
His hand paused just in front of the glossy doorbell as he took a deep breath before he pressed the button, after hearing the even cheerful chime he waited only momentarily as the graying butler answered the door.
"Ah, Mr. Milliardo how great it is to see you." The butler expressed with false sentiment, and gave a polite smile. "Relena is busy at the moment but you can speak to…"
"He shall speak to me Geoffrey." Came the steely tone of the widow Darlain.
"I didn't come here to speak to you, I came to speak with my sister." Milliardo replied gruffly.
"You will speak to me and leave my daughter alone, you are the last person she wants to see," she walked pass the door "I will be in the foyer."
Geoffrey opened the door wider, allowing Milliardo to enter the mansion and bowed slightly as if he were the pastor offering condolence to the death row inmate, as he was strapped into the electric chair. Milliardo walked pass the butler and into the lavishly decorated foyer and was greeted with the widow's back as she stared listlessly at the mantel.
"My daughter cannot see you Milliardo, at least not at the moment."
"Bullshit! I'm her brother." He protested the volume of his voice rising.
"Brother." The widow mentioned as her face turned to him; it was then that Milliardo caught a glimpse of pain and torment in her eyes, "Hmm but she can't see you, she is not up to it, I want you to leave here right now and go wherever it is you go to, and when you return later tonight hopefully by then she will be up to seeing you." She turned her head back to the mantel her eyes focusing in on the copper urn of her husband.
"What? But why not now." He protested indignantly, like the child refused a cookie before dinner.
"Dammit Milliardo, will you listen to me. Come back later tonight, she'll be up to it by then." She finished "Hopefully." She muttered beneath her breath.
Milliardo glared at the back of her head for a moment before he got up and left abruptly; walking into the kitchen he took a key off the key ring and went into the garage slamming the door behind him, in his wake leaving the window-panes rattling. The widow Darlain released a long sigh of relief as she heard him leave.
"Hopefully Relena will be alright soon." She whispered to the urn as the tears silently rolled down her cheeks.
TBC
As always criticism welcomed.