Disclaimer: I don't own.

AN: Lots of Heero and Wufei in this one. Oh, and a quick shot of another pilot *nudges Engrish Spy.* But it's so quick you might miss him! Hope you like *wrings hands nervously.*

Within Relena's Shame: Chapter 5
by Wicked Child

"Relena was raped Heero."

The words echoed in his mind as he watched Wufei stand next to the bulletin board examining the bits of evidence gathered thus far. He had known something like this had happened, but it shocked him to the core to have it confirmed. Wufei apparently felt that he needed to see the proof as a set of pictures was thrust into his face.

"What do you make of these Yuy?" Wufei asked.

Heero glared at the man as he took the pictures of Relena at the hospital. He saw the bite marks, the bruises, and the scratches. He had never had to deal with a rape situation before and couldn't believe that pictures would be taken of the victim's nether regions. It made sense, but seeing it was a whole different matter. Besides, the victim isn't just anybody.

Wufei watched his co-worker closely. Looking at the photos would drive home the point that this was just as delicate as Une had said. He watched as the shock turned to sadness, then from sadness to barely checked anger.

"Do not ruin these photographs Yuy." Wufei walked back to him and took the photographs away. "They are still evidence."

"Tell me everything. From the beginning." Heero wanted to know every little detail and Chang had better deliver.

Wufei placed the photographs back in their original order and set them down. He looked back at Heero. The anger was barely kept in check. He would soon lose control and raise holy hell.

"May twenty-third, Relena met Catherine Bloom for dinner at approximately seven o'clock at night. The two left the restaurant a little before nine-thirty. While walking toward the subway she was attacked and dragged to a vehicle of some sort. We're positive it was a late model van of American make." Wufei paused a moment to shuffle his notes. He had already memorized the case but didn't want to miss something only for Heero to point out his mistake.

"Continue," Heero said calmly.

"According to Relena, she had been struck in the head with some object. The assailant then proceeded to rape the Vice Foreign Minister."

"Was there any semen present?" Heero was having a difficult time remaining calm. He wanted to know everything but at the same time he wanted to find this inhuman thing and beat it before killing it.

Wufei's face clouded over as he answered. "No. The rapist didn't use his penis. He felt that other objects would do the job just as nicely." Wufei remained quiet for a moment, lost in the memory of Relena's phone call to him that night. "We did however find a pubic hair not belonging to Relena which we sent to lab."

"The results?"

"All evidence pertaining to this case disappeared a week ago. What you see here is all that's left."

Heero stood and walked toward the bulletin board examining everything pinned up by Wufei. Even his board was organized and immaculate. Anal bastard.

"I don't understand," Heero finally said.

Wufei looked over. "What don't you understand?"

"If the maggot didn't use its penis, why was there a foreign hair found among Relena's? She hasn't had sex and I know there was no man or men in her life besides those with whom she works." He turned to face Wufei. "Unless there's something Relena isn't telling you."

The tired Preventer looked at his comrade. Anger was seething from every pore in his body. The rage making him tremble though Heero did not seem to notice. The tone of his voice as he spoke his last comment revealed more about Heero than Wufei had ever come close to finding out on his own.

Heero was in love with Relena. He didn't only love her, but was fall-down-drunk in love with the woman. Wufei now understood why the former assassin took everything personally whenever something happened to her. In his own way, Heero was obsessed and possessive of her but not to the point he would harm Relena. Just the opposite in fact.

"And just what do you think she isn't telling me?" Wufei asked calmly.

Heero's face darkened and his tone became hardened. "Maybe there is a man in her life that she doesn't want us to know about. She may have become intimate with someone else." He practically spat the words out.

Yes, Heero was in love with her and most assuredly jealous of any other man in her life.

No wonder he looks at me as though I were an obstacle that needed to chopped down.

Wufei shook his head. "Relena was, is, a virgin. Her doctor confirmed it."

Heero's stance slightly relaxed as he looked around the bedroom. It was painted a soft blue with white wicker furniture. The bedspread, what was visible despite the accumulation of notes and photographs, was a yellow and blue striped down comforter. A few landscape paintings adorned the walls. One in particular was a little off center where the rest were placed in an orderly fashion.

He knew this room. It was a room he had stayed in many times. He walked over to the one that was off center, oblivious of Wufei's critical eyes watching every move. Heero removed the picture revealing a hole in the wall left by an angry guest: him.

A small smile graced his lips as he remembered when he had forced Pagan to redecorate the wall. It had been three years prior when he had been assigned guard duty to Relena during a high profile ball. When he had asked Une why someone else couldn't do it she had explained that all other available and suitable men were already assigned to various assignments.

He hadn't understood why he couldn't just be Relena's date and escort her as well as guard. He was then informed by a rather smug looking Une that Relena already had a date. That night he had waited to escort Relena downstairs but was cheated out of that privilege as well by none other than Trowa Barton.

"What are you doing here?" Heero had demanded in the second story hallway. "Did Une send you as back up, thinking I couldn't handle a little ball?"

Trowa was dressed in an expensive looking tuxedo, not one of the cheap ones most Preventer agents rented. He merely looked at his friend, not answering him as it was not his place.

Relena's door opened and she walked out looking like vision in a beautiful emerald sleeveless gown. She wore her hair in the same manner as when she addressed the Romafellar Foundation. She was beautiful to Heero then, but at the moment he saw her as a goddess.

She smiled when saw them. "Trowa, you look absolutely amazing in that tuxedo. And Heero, look just as handsome as ever." She then walked forward and took Trowa's arm. "Are we ready for the ball?"

Heero was stunned. Trowa was her date, he could see it in the way she looked at the taller man. He couldn't believe it. Trowa had betrayed him. Relena had accepted. It was wrong. Relena wasn't allowed to be with other men.

He stood rooted to the floor as the couple made their way toward the stairs.

Trowa turned asking, "Are you coming tonight or not Agent Yuy?"

Heero scowled. "I'll be there in a moment. I need to get something from my room."

Trowa just nodded and the two continued their descent down the stairs. Heero returned to his room, uncontrollable fury coursing throughout his body. He stood staring at the floor, then the wall, and back again before he could contain it no longer. He raised his fist and slammed it into the wall. As he removed it, he began to feel a little better, though he would have preferred Trowa's face.

"Master Yuy?" Pagan asked in the hallway.

"What?" he snapped as he added a few more clips to his already small but lethal arsenal.

"Miss Relena will be late if you do not hurry." The old man looked at the wall. "Oh my. I must take care of that quickly."

Heero smirked. Pagan's way of taking care of it was hiding it with the picture. To Wufei he asked, "Why was I not informed?"

"You were on a mission at the time."

"Bullshit. I should have been informed the moment I returned." Heero spun around to face the other man.

"Why?" Wufei asked.

"What do you mean why? I've always known what goes on in her life. This should be no different. And don't give that shit about it not being in anyone's best interest for me to know. I am the only one who can protect her properly."

"Arrogant aren't we?" Wufei commented.

Heero's hand balled into a fist. "I'm warning you Chang."

Wufei sighed. The day had already been exhausting and Heero's presence wasn't making things any better. "If you must know, you were not informed at Relena's request." He looked over at Heero. "It was more of an order for you to remain in the dark. If you are going to be involved in this case, I ask that you let Relena think that you know nothing. Your presence here cannot be. Or if it is, Relena cannot know of it. You will remain hidden until the proper time. Understood?"

Heero's eyes narrowed. "I cannot protect her if I cannot be around her."

"It is not your job to protect her this time. It is mine and mine alone! I have been here since the beginning and I will not allow you to upset her because of your over inflated ego! She does not want you to know and that is how it will remain in her eyes!"

The two men stood face to face, ready to spring at any moment given the chance. For once in his life, Heero backed down first.

"All right. I'll remain in the shadows until further notice. There are many places for me to hide. But I will be watching Chang."

"I don't care what you do so long as Relena doesn't see you." With that Wufei walked out of the room and headed toward Relena's.

~~~

She was awake, her hands bandaged lovingly by Pagan. Despite what had happened earlier, Relena was in rather good spirits.

"Is dinner ready yet?" she teased.

Wufei did not smile. He was concerned about her mental state. "How are you feeling? Really?"

Relena let her smile fade. "I feel…. I don't know. I feel horrible and worthless. I know I'm not, but that's how I feel."

"I apologize for not telling you about the letters."

Relena looked at her friend. He had a dejected look about him. "Don't be. While I would have liked to know that I was receiving them, I am happy that you did not let me read them."

Wufei nodded and the two became silent. He walked over to the window and looked out, knowing that it was a window that Heero often used. He knew he didn't have to worry about the other Preventer showing his face if it meant Relena's safety and sanity.

Relena watched him as he studied the world through the window. Wufei was a proud man, a strong man, and she knew that he loathed babysitting jobs as he termed them. However, he had been nothing but supportive throughout her ordeal and she loved him for that. She knew that if her heart didn't already belong to one man, Wufei would have been the one holding it. She wondered what it would be like to sleep next to him, have his arms wrapped around her the way she wished Heero would.

"Wufei," she called to him.

The man turned around.

Relena pulled the sheets back and gestured to the spot next to her. "I'd feel a lot more comfortable if you slept here tonight. I'm sure it'd be more comfortable for you too instead of that dreadful couch."

Wufei considered her option and instinct told him to refuse. But the vain part of him said that he deserved a night on a comfortable bed, while the honorable side of him told him to forsake comfort and keep a working relationship with the other Preventer in the house. For once, he let vanity win.

"If that is what you feel is necessary," he responded as he walked toward the bed and lay down.

Relena smiled and scooted further underneath the sheets. It would only be one night and an innocent one at that. What harm could that bring?

With the day's trauma behind them for the time being, the two fell asleep. Neither knew of the heartbroken man watching.