Disclaimer: Unfortunate as it may seem, I do not own and I just play with dem youngins.

AN: This is first told from Heero's perspective but will eventually change.

Prologue

Relena Peacecraft Dorlian was dead. She was only twenty-six years old. She was not killed by terrorists as some believe. She did not commit suicide as others would believe. Fate, it would seem, had felt the need to end her life at a time when she was on top of the world. Most believe this to be true. It wasn't. Only a select few knew the bitter truth.

Relena had died because of a simple mistake made by some poor overworked and underpaid man on orders from his under-worked and overpaid boss. But no one wanted to believe that such a small mistake could snuff out the life of someone who represented hope, peace, and innocence. But such a thing did happen and Relena Peacecraft Dorlian, at twenty-six, was dead. She would have been twenty-seven in three weeks.

Relena Was Dead: Chapter One
by Wicked Child

Heero was numb. Duo was numb. Quatre was numb. Even Wufei was numb. It showed on all their faces. Zechs was heartbroken, taking comfort from no one, not even his ex-wife Lucrezia. Dorothy was shedding tears. Not the fake 20th century Hollywood tears but real ones, big fat ones. It surprised Une. Mariemaia held her mother's hand despite being a rebellious teen. Only Trowa was missing. No, so was Sally. No, Sally was sitting next to Lucrezia trying to comfort her best friend.

The door opened and Trowa gracefully walked in. He's numb too, thought Une. Trowa walked to the only available seat, looking at the others gathered in the room. As he sat, Une noticed that the former mercenary had quirked an eyebrow. No, he's not numb. He just doesn't care. Une shook her head. How sad. The others must have thought the same as Une as each glared at him whenever they remembered his presence.

"Thank you all for coming here," Zechs began. His voice was soft but raw. They had heard the rumors that he had been spending his nights screaming ever since Relena's passing. No one wanted to believe Relena's brother was slowly going insane. "I've asked you all here to help with the planning of Renela's…." Zechs stopped. He couldn't say it.

"Funeral," Trowa easily supplied for him.

"Yes, thank you Mr. Barton." The words were clipped and forced out. "I was hoping that you five young men would be pallbearers as will I."

The four numb men merely nodded. Trowa said nothing as it wasn't expected of him. Zechs ignored him.

"Dorothy, I was hoping you would dress my sister in whatever outfit she would have preferred at a time like this."

"Of course. Miss Relena and I discussed such matters. She will be dressed appropriately."

Zechs nodded. It didn't surprise him that Dorothy and his baby sister discussed their funerals. The two women, despite their status, had a rather morbid streak running through them.

"Une if you could be so kind as to handle all diplomatic requirements for my sister?"

"I've already begun looking into it," Une replied.

Once again Zechs merely nodded.

"Mariemaia, would you see to the flower arrangements?" At the tearful nod from the teenager, Zechs continued. "Noin, I would like you to stay with my sister until the time comes. Sally, please look ever all press related materials." Both women nodded and the room became silent, broken only here and there from feminine sobs.

No one looked at anyone. No one said anything. The sobs and silence all that they needed.

The door opened and Trowa prepared to leave. Heero stopped him.

"Where are you going Barton?" Heero's usual death glare had been replaced by one of pure animalistic fury.

"My presence is no longer required if in fact it ever was."

Heero grabbed the taller man's shirt making them both eye level. "Don't you even care Relena's gone? Isn't there some part of you that has actually been touched by her? My God! Wufei has shed tears for her. I have cried for her. Why can't you? What the hell is wrong with you?"

Trowa merely looked back at Heero. Heero wanted to rip out his throat. It rather amused the former mercenary.

"I don't cry tears I don't have. Yes the woman's death is unfortunate."

"Unfortunate?" Heero cried. "Are you even human?"

Interesting, Trowa thought. Heero of all people asking me if I'm human. Trowa would have laughed at Heero's question but didn't want to put up with the wrath of all those present. Instead he asked a question of his own.

"Do you cry for the dearly loved Relena, or do you cry for yourselves?" He looked at all of his so-called friends. "Tears are just a pathetic attempt to mask one's own selfishness and self involvement." He removed Heero's hand from its hold on his shirt and began to walk away.

The door remained open and no one tried to hide their harsh words regarding the former Heavyarms pilot.

Trowa stepped into the elevator and checked his watch. He was running late thanks to Heero's sudden show of affection for the decedent. Trowa looked up at the approach of soft footsteps. Quatre. Trying to discover the roots to my feelings or rather lack of them. Why are these elevator doors taking so long to close?

"Trowa."

"Quatre."

The blond looked at his best friend, trying to figure him out. After nearly ten years, the mask of no emotion still molded his face. It hurt Quatre to know that his friend still wouldn't allow anyone in. Quatre bit his lip in frustration. It made him look the way he did when they were younger.

"Why Trowa?" was all that he managed to get out.

"Why what Mr. Winner?"

"Don't call me that. Friends don't call each other by their formal names."

Trowa nodded in acquiesce.

"So answer me," Quatre said. He didn't like the way Trowa was acting. He seemed so distant and uncaring. There was more to Trowa than that.

"What was your question?"

"Why are you acting like this? Relena meant a lot to everybody, you included. So why the act?" Quatre was getting upset.

"Why prolong your own misery? Celebrate the life she led. Now if you'll excuse me, I have somewhere to be."

As the doors closed, Trowa added, "Don't let Dorothy dress her up in anything pink. It's a horrible color." What Quatre didn't hear after the doors shut completely was, "She hated that color with a passion in the end."

Quatre walked back to the room head bowed.

"Well?" Heero demanded. "What did that poor excuse for a human being have to say?"

Quatre looked at him. There was so much pain housed in those eyes. Poor Heero. He didn't know until it was too late. He had always been in love with Relena. "He said we should celebrate her life. He said that we shouldn't prolong our own misery."

"Clearly not human," Heero muttered.

Quatre sighed. "I don't know what's wrong with him. I tried to sense his feelings but couldn't. It's like he put up some sort of barrier around himself. The most inkling of a feeling that he threw off was…." Quatre stopped and shook his head not understanding.

"What Quatre?" Duo asked rather gently. "What did he let you feel?"

"Hate Duo. He let me know his hate." Silently Quatre shivered. Trowa had only thrown it off for a mere moment but it had run deep and was intense. It scared him he realized. Trowa scared him.

~~~

Trowa reached his apartment a half hour later than expected. The figure on the couch said nothing to this as he entered. Trowa's tardiness could easily be explained by the nature of his 'mission.'

"So Mr. Barton?"

Trowa smiled a genuine smile. "All is well. I am to be a pallbearer for the funeral. Relena Peacecraft Dorlian is truly dead."

The figure stretched as it got up and walked towards the green eyed man. "Good. May she rest in peace. That is, if a bitch like that can rest in peace." The figure kissed Trowa's lips. He tasted like cherries. "And our other plan?"

"Everything is prepared. You can leave anytime you wish and I will join you shortly thereafter." He began leading the other figure toward the main bedroom.

"I shall wait until you are ready to leave. Neither one of us needs to be lonely anymore. Our next adventure begins together."

Trowa nodded. As the two sank into the bed, Trowa realized that his life was taking on a semblance of peace. It felt wonderful and for that he would be eternally grateful to the now deceased Relena Peacecraft Dorlian.

~~~

The funeral was beautiful, all but six men crying. The cathedral covered in bouquets of pink and white carnations and roses. She looked peaceful to most who were allowed to view the coffin.

To Heero, she didn't look real. More like wax or a mannequin. She looks anything but Relena. My Relena.

He took his position on one side of the casket with Duo and Trowa behind him. Zechs, Quatre, and Wufei made up the other side. It took more strength to keep a stoic face for Heero than it did in any battle he ever fought.

The figure watching from above felt a little pang of guilt at causing the man so much pain. No one deserved to hurt but sometimes pain had to be endured to move on with life. The figure's eyes moved to rest on Trowa and all guilt fled. This was the right thing to do. Relena Peacecraft Dorlian had to die and Trowa had helped make it happen. If the figure hadn't already been in love with him, just the fact that he had helped in such a difficult task was enough to make the figure eternally beholden to him.

The figure then turned and slipped out. No need to visit the graveside service. All that needed to be said had been. The figure walked back to Trowa's apartment, a large weight lifted off its shoulders.