Chapter 2
26 OCTOBER 293 - SUNDAY
09:53 AM
Heero awoke the next morning with the sun shining on his face and Relena in his arms. He had slept in; he could tell that immediately, and felt a slight twinge of panic, but then remembered that it was Saturday and closed his eyes again.
After a few moments, Relena elbowed him in the ribs and murmured, slightly groggy, "Do me the biggest and best favor of your life."
"What's that?"
"Make breakfast for once, will you?"
Heero groaned but opened his eyes again. "All right, but you'll have to be punished. I'll have to take you somewhere terribly romantic for dinner next week."
Relena smiled sleepily and, with her eyes closed, threw a pillow at him.
Heero stood and dressed slowly, still yawning. As he strode out of the room, Relena called, "Wake Amy up, will you?" Heero didn't reply, but as he passed his daughter's door he knocked once and called, "Time to get up, Amy!"
Heero went downstairs and into the spacious kitchen, opening the curtains and rummaging through the refrigerator to find the eggs and then the ingredients for pancake batter. In a half-hour he had the entire meal finished, and he sat down at the table with his own plate.
"Food's done, Re! Come on, Amy!"
Relena appeared down the stairs just a few minutes later, tying her bathrobe and yawning. "Where is she?"
"Coming," Heero replied shortly, focusing on his eggs.
"Did she say that?"
He made a face.
Relena gave him a mock glare and called, "Amy, sweetie, breakfast!"
There was no sound from upstairs, but Heero shrugged. "She's up. You know how she is."
"Yeah, as silent as you were," Relena said, grabbing a plate and sitting down across from him.
"Still are, sometimes."
"It's not a good thing, Heero."
"I'm not saying I'm proud of it."
Relena speared a piece of syrupy pancake and ate it hungrily. "Well, at least you can cook. I'm keeping you just for that, you know."
Heero grinned and held up a piece of egg on his fork. "Better watch what you're saying. I'm armed and dangerous."
Smiling, Relena shook her head and continued to eat. "The last time you did that I kicked your butt."
"Like I said – I remember."
Relena paused with her fork midway to her mouth. "Where is that girl?"
Heero realized that his daughter still wasn't with them and the grin faded from his face. "She knows she's not allowed to go outside without permission, doesn't she?"
Relena nodded. "She's probably still sleeping."
Heero stood up, taking his cup with him. "I'll go get her." He left the table, heading for the stairway. But Relena called, "Would you grab the paper?" With a grin, Heero turned mid-stride and headed for the front door instead.
But the instant he came within five feet from the door, Heero stopped short.
The door was unlocked and ajar.
The cup he was holding fell to his feet with a crash. Pieces of glass flew in all directions.
"Heero?" Relena called from the kitchen. "You okay?"
Swallowing, Heero didn't move, hoping that Relena had forgotten to lock in when she came in last night. "Come here, Re."
He heard her chair being pushed back, and her footsteps as she followed him to the entryway. "Is everything okay?"
Relena came up behind him, and the minute she saw what he saw she let out a gasp.
"Oh…my…g –"
But Heero was gone, tearing past the kitchen and taking the staircase three stairs at a time. He sprinted down the hallway, past his and Relena's room, past the bathroom, past the guest room, and arrived at Amy's door. To his horror, he found that it, too, was ajar, and cursed himself for failing to notice sooner. He stopped with his hand centimeters above the doorknob, praying that what he thought had happened was just the result of living his life amid war and fighting. A delusion. Nothing more. But then he heard Relena behind him, and with a surge of fear, swung open the door.
Immediately he saw the window, wide open, and Amy's bed, with the blankets gone and the pillows and countless stuffed animals all over the floor. Relena gave a strangled cry as Heero darted to the window. As he turned around she knew that everything was gone, everything they had had in the past five years. Their daughter had been kidnapped, and he realized suddenly that everything was going to change.
12:02 PM
Two hours later saw Heero and Relena – along with the Maxwells and the Winners – in the police headquarters. Zechs Marquise – Relena's brother, who had returned from a business trip to L5 just the night before – and his wife, Lucrezia Noin, were there also.
Heero found instantly that he didn't like the police chief. He was the very stereotype of a policeman; potbelly, gruff, and he even had a donut in his hand.
"Sir, I realize that you're daughter is missing –"
"Kidnapped," Heero said sternly.
The police chief – McFarland, read his glaze-splattered nameplate – said very slowly, as if explaining to a three-year-old, "We have no evidence, sir. Your daughter probably ran away – "
"She did not," Relena said firmly.
McFarland turned and started, recognizing her for the first time. "Oh – Miss – Miss Relena, ma'am, I'm so sorry – "
"My daughter is four and a half years old, sir," said Heero, without a trace of humor or light in his normally laughing dark eyes. "She would not run away. She was kidnapped, and I have evidence to prove it."
McFarland snorted. "Sir, any evidence you must have taken is almost certainly not valid, as you are only a civilian and not licen– "
"And a former Gundam pilot."
That shut the chief up quickly. He did a complete double take, then studied Heero more closely with his beady little eyes. "Wha? Did you say Gundam pilot, man?"
"Yes, I did," Heero said with a raised eyebrow and a stern glare. "I am a former Gundam pilot, along with these two other men." Taking their cue, Duo and Quatre stepped forward, both with folded arms and solemn faces. Relena would have laughed if the situation hadn't been so serious.
"You see?" Heero said. "Don't you dare tell me that I can't find evidence and you can, sir, my wife deserves to be police chief more than you do."
At the chief's outraged expression, Zechs came to stand next to Heero and said, "Forgive my brother-in-law, Chief. He's saddened and angry because of his daughter's kidnapping." Zechs emphasized the word, then continued apologetically, "Originally we would have gone to the Service, sir, but your headquarters was closer. We would appreciate any help that you could offer before we move to the Preventers."
The police chief nodded furiously and said, his words jumbled in his hurry, "Y-yes, of course, sir, right away. Please, take a seat, there's nothing you can do anymore."
Heero glared at the chief's chubby back as he retreated hastily and moved to head straight for the door, but Zechs grabbed him firmly by the arm. "Listen to the man, Heero," he hissed under his breath. "There is nothing you can do right now. Wait until they investigate the place."
Heero, angered, tried to tear away from Zechs's grip, but his brother-in-law held firm.
"I'm serious, Heero. I know your skills, but let the police do their jobs." He lowered his voice. "I'll sneak some Preventers in on the case anyhow, just to make sure they don't…overlook anything. Besides," Zechs added after a slight pause. "I think Relena needs you more than the police force does right now."
Heero glanced up at his wife. She was standing alone with her arms wrapped around her chest, her gaze on the ground. Even from fifteen feet away he could see the tears on her face. As always when she cried, Heero felt his heart twinge. He hated to see her sad. Hated it. It gave him the absolute worst feeling in the world, like his very being was tearing into two pieces. He couldn't stand to see her cry, because it made him feel guilty and immediately he had to apologize or comfort or encourage or something.
Swallowing, he nodded to Zechs. With a small sigh of relief, Zechs released Heero and, with his wife, exited the police office to head straight for the Preventers HQ.
Heero paused a moment before approaching Relena, but Quatre reached him before he could move. The blonde-haired pilot squeezed his friend's shoulder briefly, then said in his gentle voice, "Don't worry about a thing, Heero. With five Gundam pilots, the entire police force, and every squad of Preventers on the case, whoever kidnapped your daughter doesn't stand a chance." Quatre paused, then lifted his blonde-haired son, Samuel, onto his hip.
Heero nodded his thanks and watched Quatre leave with his wife, Dorothy. No sooner had the Winners left than the Maxwells came up to him.
Callie and Hilde had both been crying, and even Duo was far, far more serious than usual. Nathan was at home with a last-minute sitter (the Changs). Without a second thought, Hilde gave Heero a brief hug and said in a shaky voice, "We'll help in any way you can, Heero. Whatever you need – "
"I know, Hilde," Heero said quietly. "Thanks for everything. Go home and don't worry about us."
Hilde left, but not before giving a sarcastic, "Like that's ever going to happen" through her tears.
Duo stayed just a moment longer, to give Heero a brief one-armed hug too. "Hold up, okay, man? Don't go leaving on me. We'll find her, you know we will, right? We'll kick that son of a gun's butt, don't you worry. You got the God of Death on your side, remember?"
Heero attempted a small smile, and, not really satisfied but at least assured, Duo left.
Finally, Heero turned and pulled Relena into a hug. As soon as she was in his arms, the silent tears turned to heaving sobs, wracking her body and filling the empty waiting room. Feeling tears prick at his own eyes and coming dangerously near to falling steadily down his face, Heero held her tight and let her cry.
17:49 PM
They all had dinner at Zechs's house that night – late, because the entire day had been filled with police force investigations, interviews, statements, and Preventer paperwork. Relena kept her chin high and her eyes dry through the rest of the day, but Heero could see straight through the façade like none of the others could. That face was her Queen of the World face; her mask. Behind it she was hurting as badly – maybe even worse – as he was. Heero knew exactly how she felt; he, too, wore a mask that day, for the first time in a long time.
For the beginning of dinner, Lucrezia was absent; she was putting their youngest children, the twins Carter and Caleb, to bed. They were three, almost four, and still loved to be put to bed by their mother. They had been born just six months after Amy had been born, and Heero himself had a special place in his heart for the two little boys.
There had been another birth in the circle of friends, besides Lucrezia's twins and Hilde's Nathan – quiet Rebecca had given birth to a beautiful little girl, hers and Trowa's second after five-year-old Lira, and named her Tess. And even that wasn't all – both Sally and Dorothy were, once again, pregnant together and both due within a week of each other – in about one month, there would be two more additions to their families, respectively.
Dinner began silently; nobody was entirely sure how to act around Heero and Relena. But then Duo bravely struck up a conversation, and slowly, everyone joined in.
"At least the interviews are over with," Relena said quietly, watching her plate. Heero gave her a tender look; he knew how much pain and helplessness she felt. Duo caught the look and felt a twinge of sympathy for his friend – the worst feeling in the world for Heero was helplessness.
"Completely done?" asked Hilde.
Relena nodded, picking at her food. Zechs eyed his sister and her sudden lack of hunger – Relena was always hungry. Swallowing, he said, "Do you have anything tomorrow?"
"No," she replied quietly. "But I do day after tomorrow."
Heero raised an eyebrow.
"They've scheduled an emergency Senate meeting," she said reluctantly. "On my behalf, apparently."
Heero dropped his fork and sat back, slightly angered. "As if the Senate could do anything about it. All those buffoons know how to do is prance around in tuxedos and evening gowns and compliment people on the wine."
Relena sighed. "I know, Heero. It's not like I have a choice."
Slightly chastened, Heero closed his mouth.
"What are they going to discuss?" asked Sally Po, Wufei's wife and a top-ranking officer in the Preventers.
"Actions that can be taken, I guess," Relena answered forlornly. "Sometimes I really hate my job."
"What kind of actions?" asked Rebecca Barton, Trowa's quiet, red-haired wife.
"Negotiations," Heero answered for his wife, and Relena nodded in agreement. "They'll want to speak with whoever kidnapped Amy and make a deal."
"Which won't happen," cut in Wufei. Relena gave him a humorless, wry smile. "Of course," she said. "But I'm sure you five are planning something."
Heero sighed. "No, not yet." He gritted his teeth. "I'm under orders not to."
Zechs shrugged. "You know why, Heero."
"Don't worry, Relena," said Hilde with what she hoped was a comforting smile. "They'll figure out something so wild and crazy that nobody normal could ever pull it off…but then again, our husbands aren't exactly normal, are they?"
"No, they're weird," Heero answered, with a pointed look at Duo.
28 OCTOBER 293 - TUESDAY06:39 AM
Heero and Relena didn't sleep at their house that night, but nobody blamed them. Instead, they spent the next two nights at Zechs's spacious estate, sleeping in a very familiar guest room – they slept over at the Relena's brother's house quite often. The morning of the Senate meeting, Relena was up before Heero. She took a quick shower, dressed, and sat in the windowsill, watching the snowflakes fall steadily. Ten minutes later, Heero was up and sitting beside her, pulling her into his arms. She had cried herself to sleep the last two nights, and, as always when she was sad, Heero felt terrible.
"We're going to find her, you know," he said softly.
Relena took a deep, shuddering breath. "I know," she replied. "But I can't help and wonder what they're doing to her, Heero. I want her here, right now. In my arms. I want her sitting next to me while I read or study or sign papers, playing with her Barbies and getting mud all over my clothes. I want her laugh, her smile, her questions…" Relena trailed off, tears streaming down her face again.
Heero took a deep breath and closed his eyes. "So do I, Re. So do I."
14:21 PM
Heero drove her to the meeting later on that afternoon. The snow had turned slowly but steadily to rain, thick, fat drops that splattered on the windshield. Ominous black storm clouds were making their way to them from the west, and Heero expected a thunderstorm before five that evening. Relena sat the entire ride with her eyes out on the rain, her hand in Heero's. Watching her, Heero was overwhelmed with a familiar feeling of admiration. Her only daughter, her only child, had just been kidnapped, and here she was, continuing her work with that same aggressive, determined face and the kind heart. Heero had been given time off from his busy job as a Preventers officer – of course, with Zechs as his supervisor, that was to be expected. But Relena had to keep going, and Heero knew that if he were she, he wouldn't be able to stand it.
They arrived at City Hall – a huge building, but then again it was Relena Peacecraft (Yuy)'s City Hall – amid countless limousines and fancy cars. Heero got out with Relena amid the stream of reporters and spectators and guided her inside. The security guards at City Hall knew him on a first-name basis – and feared him too. Right before he left, however, Relena said softly, "Pick me up, too?"
With a smile that didn't reach his eyes, Heero gave her a brief hug and a kiss and was gone. Strengthened by his comfort, Relena turned and followed the stately line of so-called 'important people' to the meeting hall.
15:06 PM
"…and I tell you, for the third time, Senator Yates, that they will not negotiate," Relena said sternly, her eyes flashing as she glared across the room at the chubby man opposite her.
"But you do not have proof. You do not even know who these people are. There is no way you can tell us truthfully that you know they will not negotiate with our terms if you do not know who they are." Yates sat down, looking proud of himself.
Relena felt her blood boil. If someone asked her to name the absolute worst thing about politicians, she knew exactly what she would say: Their absolute, total confidence that they were right and no one else. Clenching her fists, Relena opened her mouth to give a sharp and fierce retort, when suddenly she was cut off.
"But surely you must agree, Senator Yates, that the people who did this are professionals."
Knowing exactly who had stopped her, Relena turned around to meet the handsome, blue-eyed gaze of Charles Maclemury and couldn't help but glare at him.
Charles gave a little smirk and continued, "They broke into the home of a former Gundam pilot, the best soldier known in the world today, and kidnapped his daughter without either Mr. Yuy or his wife noticing until later that morning. I think I am safe in saying, sir, that only somebody with skill and long hours of training could have done this."
Yates gave one of his trademark little smirks. "But surely, after all these years since actually piloting a Gundam, Mr. Yuy must have…gone a little soft."
Relena caught the sarcasm, stiffened, and turned her glare to Senator Yates. "I beg the differ," she said, fighting to stay calm. "My husband is as capable as he was twelve years ago, I assure you – as a matter of fact, I'd go as far to say he's even better. Besides, Gundam pilots were trained to keep and remember their training, Senator."
"But surely – "
"Senator," Relena said sternly. "Considering my past experience, I believe you should trust my judgment on this particular dispute."
That shut Yates up. Nobody argued with Relena on matters of the Gundam pilots – if only because nobody knew half as much as she did.
"As I was saying," said Charles, and Relena gave an inward sigh, half expecting him to say, 'Before I was so rudely interrupted…' She certainly wouldn't have put it past him. "I believe we are safe in declaring that the people who kidnapped Amy Yuy were professionals and therefore would not agree to any terms of negotiations. It has been three full days since the believed time of the little girl's kidnapping, and we have received no ransom note and no mysterious phone calls. I believe we should think about something other than negotiations for this particular situation."
As much as Relena had come to dislike him, she was completely on his side – reluctantly, of course, but for her daughter she was willing to team up with a conceited snob.
"What do you suggest, Mr. Maclemury?" she asked politely, but nobody could mistake the disdain in her eyes.
He gave her a victorious, triumphant grin and then turned to face the Senate, saying boldly, "I think that we should take action. Not political action, with treaties and deals and trades, but real action. Let's send out the best search team we've got, with the best and most up-to-date equipment and weapons, and bring back our Vice Foreign Minister's daughter."
He knew what he was doing, Relena had to admit. The 'best search team' they had was the Gundam pilots, of course, and he knew it. He was trying to tear her away from her husband while making himself look brilliant. Everybody knew that Relena was less forceful, more gullible, when her husband wasn't around. Just what he wanted her to be gullible for, she didn't know, and she didn't want to find out.
Senator Denton Schwartz, infamous for his quick, blazing temper and gigantic stubborn streak, stood up to have a word and Relena felt her stomach sink. "I, for one," he said, his deep bass voice booming across the room. Relena didn't sit down; she figured she'd have to argue this one out too, Charles or no Charles. "I think that young Mr. Maclemury here is right."
Relena did a double take. Schwartz never took her side.
"I think this Senate is infamous for its constant tries to negotiate with criminals and enemies," Schwartz continued. "And I think I am right in saying that, quite often, we fail. The fact is, criminals and enemies do not want to talk; they either want money, a trade, or in the worst cases, revenge. Now, all of these could be possible for the current crime that has been committed, but considering that the little girl who was kidnapped is Heero and Relena Yuy's daughter, I am ready to say that, this time, it is revenge that is wanted. My years in the military and service for the Earth Nation has left me with knowledge of what goes on in the twisted minds of criminals, and I completely agree with Mr. Maclemury – and yes, Relena, you too," he added, giving her a stern glance. Another thing she hated about Schwartz – he called her by her first name only, something he never did for anybody else. He still treated her like the naïve little seventeen-year-old who had first stood in a Senate and made her opinions known to the world. Everyone else seemed to have caught on that that naïve little girl was gone, but not Schwartz.
Brad Wilshaw, a man in his late sixties that had been in politics his entire life and had known Relena's father, stood up. "Then I believe that we can adjourn this council, ladies and gentlemen. Action – real action – will be taken immediately." He paused, then added in a softer tone, "And I'm sure Mrs. Peacecraft will be wanting to return to her husband."
Relena swallowed, giving Wilshaw a grateful glance. He was the most grandfatherly figure in her life, something that she was extremely thankful for. Sometimes he was the only person in the Senate to take her side and gently help the rest to see their point of view – that was, until Mr. Charles Maclemury the Third came along.
The board was dismissed, and everybody exited in quiet lines. As soon as they were back in the large entry hall, however, people split into small groups to discuss what they had heard. A few people were shooting Relena and Schwartz angry or disdainful glances, but, Relena noticed, nobody seemed hostile towards Maclemury.
It had been something she had had to deal with her entire life; because she was raised by an adoptive father until she met the Gundam pilots, Relena had had almost no political experience until she was almost seventeen. Then, she had been moved to the front of the line immediately, and everybody was expected to obey this supposedly immature young woman. And even if she had proved herself countless times, many people preferred to follow pedigreed, well-brought-up people like Maclemury instead of somebody like Relena. And, as primitive as it may seem, a few even looked down on her because she was female.
Wilshaw met her just inside the front doors with a gentle and sympathetic smile. Feeling just a bit impulsive, Relena gave him a quick hug and a murmured, "Thanks." Before she left, however, he caught her hand and replied quietly, "Don't worry, Relena. They'll find your daughter."
She gave him another grateful smile. She knew exactly what he was talking about – not the Senate, not Yates, not Maclemury, not even the Preventers – the Gundam pilots. Wilshaw gave her one more hug and then was gone.
With a sigh, Relena opened up her umbrella and stepped outside. They had finished early, but knowing Heero, he'd been there any second. Relena smiled just thinking about him; no other person held her up nearly as much as he did. She knew she wouldn't have been able to keep going to work and the meeting without his comfort and encouragement.
It was still raining; Relena took a deep breath of the smell of rain against pavement and took a seat on one of the nearby benches, keeping her head down. Reporters were still around.
Somebody sat next to her, and Relena scooted over a bit to give them room. Suddenly, whoever it was said in a way-too-confident voice, "I rather enjoyed the look on your face when I beat you to arguing with Yates."
Her head snapped up immediately to meet Charles Maclemury's blue eyes. Handsome all right, but she caught the self-assured smirk under what he obviously thought was a pleasant smile.
"I don't argue," she shot back. "I debate. I give my opinion."
"I saw your face," he retorted. "You were ready to chew him out."
"Actually, I was ready to chew you out."
"What?" he asked, the 'pleasant' smile dropping off instantly. "Miss Perfect Peacecraft doesn't like that somebody else has the entire Senate wrapped around their finger?"
"I don't like that you're bribing them," Relena retorted, her eyes flashing. "In the long run, it won't work. Believe me."
Charles raised a skeptical eyebrow. "I was born into politics, Miss Peacecraft."
"I'm married, Mr. Maclemury," she snapped. "Keep up to date on your current events."
"Oh, yes, married to that perfect husband of yours – "
"You keep my husband out of this," Relena interrupted him angrily.
"What about your husband?"
Relena turned around at the very familiar voice to see Heero standing behind her, an alert expression on his face. She gave him a warning glance and then turned back to Charles.
"Perfect timing. Mr. Maclemury, meet my husband, Heero."
Heero raised an eyebrow, but offered his hand. Charles, however, kept his hands in his pockets.
"Nice to meet you too," Heero said, shooting Relena a glance.
"Oh yes," Charles said silkily, and Relena immediately noticed a change in his tone. "Pleasure's all mine. Wonderful to finally meet the former top Gundam pilot, the one everybody talks about in complete awe. It's definitely a nice surprise to find that somebody so – so revered isn't conceited and full of himself, now is it? Then again," he added as a supposed afterthought. "I don't know you very well, do I?"
Heero folded his arms and appeared cool and calm, but Relena caught the flash of dislike and mild surprise in his eyes. "Do you always start conversations this way?"
"Against somebody who obviously is conceited and self-assured, yes."
Relena gave a derisive snort and couldn't hold back an admittedly childish comeback. "Look who's talking."
He gave her a distasteful glare. "Miss Peacecraft – "
"Mrs."
She didn't miss Heero's sudden grin.
"Mrs. Peacecraft," Charles said, switching his glare to Heero. "I am above arguments with people who obviously have no idea what they are talking about, and who have no idea how to run a nation, and I – "
"Just as an observation, Mr. Maclemury," Heero said in his quiet, mild tone. "I believe Relena is the one holding the position of Vice Foreign Minister and leader of the World Nation, not you. And I believe that the council is going to keep it that way for the next decade at least."
Immediately Charles closed his mouth, giving Heero what was obviously his fiercest glare. Relena glanced at her husband and almost burst out laughing – he was wearing that satisfied little smile that always aggravated her so much when they were fighting. He knew he had won.
"We'll see," he spat, and turned on his heel.
"Mr. Maclemury!" Heero called, and Charles turned slowly. Avoiding Relena's gaze, he said quickly, "Dinner tomorrow night sound good?"
He stopped in his tracks and whirled around, gave Heero a long, scrutinizing gaze. Heero's tone made it a question, but his position and rank made it an instant demand. Charles said spitefully, "If I must."
"Six thirty?"
But he was gone.
Relena was silent until Charles disappeared, then she said slowly, "I hope you have a good reason for that."
"I have a good reason for everything," Heero said, pointedly avoiding the unspoken question.
Relena was silent for a moment, knowing that, whatever his reason, it was good. After a minute, Heero said quietly, "I can see why you don't like him."
Relena smiled a little, and replied, "Actually I've never seen him so – worked up. I really don't think he likes you, Heero."
"Yeah, well, you're not at the top of his favorite person list either."
Relena looked up and caught his grin and the teasing light in his eyes, and gave him a quick kiss. "If you're ready, let's go."
The smile dropped off his face and Heero lowered his voice to a near whisper. "Quatre found out something about Amy. We think we might know where she is."
AN: Review?? Maybe?? ::hopeful look::