Shiane to Frankie the Spunky One: Oh thank you for continuing to read my stuff! I feel so special that you like it that much. Encouragement is good, especially for one like me.
Notes and disclaimers: Okay so I don't own Gundam Wing but I own the Satostyee family (Keiko, Nataski, Nanaskae and Akirra), and Coldblade. I also own Starlight. All the other characters I could care less about.
Chapter 2
An hour before the dinner Relena invited her to, Keiko left Relena's mansion to pick up Starlight.
"Hey Keiko!" Starlight greeted as she joined her friend in the car.
"It's Syria tonight Chloe MacLaod." Keiko said seriously. "And don't you forget it."
"Yes Syria." Starlight saluted her friend with a grin.
Starlight changed the music station for the few minutes they were in the car. She did it because Keiko usually had it on instrumental or classical and the fact that Keiko hated it when Starlight changed the station is why she always did it.
"Ms. Syria! Come in, come in!" the butler prompted when he opened the door.
"Fred this is my friend Chloe MacLaod." Keiko introduced.
"Yes. Ms. Relena told me you were bringing a guest." Fred, the butler said with a smile. He shook hands with the Irish girl and then led them to the formal dining room.
"Syria! You're here!" someone exclaimed as they joined a group of people in their early twenties.
Keiko looked around and found the person she was protecting who was also her target, bounding up to her.
"Ms. Relena! We've finally made it." Keiko said smiling. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Starlight straighten her dress.
Starlight wore a brand new dress she just bought for this occasion. It was a halter-top dress, backless and the color-spring green. It ended at her mid-thigh and she wore white high heels with it. She put her hair up in a french twist and was almost impatiently waiting to meet the new people, particularly the guys she spotted around the room.
Keiko wore the dark blue dress she bought the day she received her present assignment. It ended an inch above the knee, backless with the spaghetti straps crossing her bare back. She also wore the silver lace up high heels and her long hair hung loose with a clip on each side, completing her look.
"I'm glad you could make it." A male near Keiko softly said.
The Asian nineteen-year-old looked and found Trowa next to her.
"Hello Trowa." Keiko said.
Starlight discreetly elbowed her friend and smiled.
"Oh, Trowa, Ms. Relena this is my friend Chloe MacLaod. Chloe, this is Ms. Relena and Trowa Barton." Keiko said.
"Please just use my name." Relena grinned. "Well let's introduce you to the others." Relena started leading Starlight away.
Keiko's arm was taken and slipped into Trowa's. He led her in Relena's wake to a group of other men in their early twenties.
"Duo, this is Syria Styee and her friend…Chloe MacLaod." Relena looked at the Asian to make sure she had it right. Keiko grinned at the Irishwoman. Starlight hated her real name and encouraged just about everyone to use her assassin name (Starlight). "Chloe, Syria, this is Duo Maxwell." Relena finished.
"Hi!" the man said with a big grin.
He had blue-violet eyes and chestnut colored hair that was well past his waist kept in a straight braid. He wore black jeans with a red shirt and a black leather jacket.
He shook hands with Starlight and when he did the same to Keiko, he held her hand longer than necessary. He kept eye contact with her until Trowa led her away, breaking the hold of hands. Duo looked a little surprised at Trowa's unspoken claim on the girl. Starlight saw what happened and slid her arm into Duo's.
"Well aren't you going to show me these other people?" Starlight teased lightly.
"Okay. This blond is Quatre Raberba Winner." Duo said, directing his words at a young man near him.
Quatre was blond with blue-green eyes and an inch shorter than Duo. He wore jeans and a blue t-shirt for their casual occasion. He shook hands with Starlight before turning to Keiko.
"I'm Syria Styee. Pleased to meet you." She said as she shook the blond's hand.
"Likewise." Quatre smiled warmly. He walked away just as a couple, older than the people Starlight and Keiko met so far, walked up to the two couples.
"Hello Duo, Trowa." The lady said. She had lovely blue eyes with short black hair. She wore a white sundress and clasped hands with a very handsome man. He had long, white blond hair and ice blue eyes.
"Hello. This is Chloe Maclaod and Syria Styee." Trowa introduced, "And this is Lucrezia and Zechs Merquise."
"Nice to meet you." Starlight said happily. The couple nodded as Keiko also gave a small smile.
By the time Relena had everyone sit down for dinner, Starlight had very much enjoyed herself. All of the young men she had met were all still single, with a couple of them very hot in their looks.
The two cutest, one of them being Duo, was a young man named Heero Yui. Though he did not talk much, his looks certainly made up for it.
He had messy dark brown hair with a fairly tan complexion. He was very muscular and his eyes were the darkest blue she had ever seen. He wore blue jeans and a green tank top. He also sat on one side of Starlight while Duo was on the other.
Then there was a Chinese man, the same age as the other four the two assassins had met. He had dark brown eyes with shoulder length black hair pulled back in a low ponytail at the nape of his neck. His clothing was that of a white material and he looked more like a Chinese warrior than anything else.
Relena's husband, Pierre, a former soldier sat beside his wife while holding their two-year-old daughter on his lap. On Relena's other side of the table Keiko sat quietly with Trowa.
Starlight looked around the table until she spotted the last girl she met.
Her name was Hilde Schbeiker. She had very short black hair with cornflower blue eyes. She was actually quite pretty, which Starlight couldn't understand why any of the single guys haven't taken her up. She wore a light blue mini skirt with a white halter top, with leather heel sandals to match.
Starlight's attention went back to Duo when he lightly squeezed her hand.
Keiko stared at her friend flirting with the braided man and vice versa. She looked back at Trowa and smiled a secret smile to herself, though both Relena and Starlight caught it.
After the dinner, they all moved to other places; Relena encouraged people splitting up into smaller groups, preferably couples (aimed at Hilde and the two assassins). Much to Relena's delight Duo and Starlight left the mansion to go out on their own but before Starlight managed to leave, Keiko pulled her into a private corner.
"What? What's wrong?" Starlight asked, concern showing in her eyes.
"I'm telling her." Keiko said flatly.
"When? Not tonight!" Starlight said on one breath.
"Of course not tonight! I'll tell her later in the week." Keiko shook her head.
Starlight looked somewhat relieved.
"Good. But I guess her friends are what made up your mind?" she asked.
Keiko nodded her head but then saw Duo walking around out the corner of her eye.
"You better go now. Your date is looking for you." She said, pushing the redhead into the open.
"I'll talk to you later." Starlight said in a whisper turning to leave. "Duo! Here I am! Let's go now." She raced to him eagerly. Then arm in arm the two flirters left Relena's mansion.
Keiko sank back into the shadows and watched Zechs and Lucrezia leave. Soon she saw Heero and Quatre leave, both going in separate directions to their cars. Wufei had left before Starlight and Duo, but Hilde nor Trowa had left yet. Keiko remained in the shadows and laced her fingers together. She leaned against the wall and closed her eyes in thought.
"She's innocent and whatever reason my client has for wanting her dead will not suffice. She is not going to die as long as I'm her protector. I will tell her who I really am and why I'm really here. I know she'll understand. I know what it's like to lose loved ones." She added, thinking over everything. She fingered the ends of her hair, sinking her body deeper into the darkness.
Not too long later, someone came up behind her, taking a hold of her elbow. With lightning quick reflexes Keiko whirled around, her right hand straight out and rigid, flying towards the person's neck. She halted her instinctive self-defense when she discovered that it was Trowa. Her hand stopped, but it was already against his neck and his hand was still on her elbow as they stared at each other.
Trowa's eyes were wide at her reflex self-defense.
"I'm sorry." She flushed, lowering her hand.
"It's my fault. I should've warned you that I was here." He said, not quite releasing his hold on her, "But where did you learn to move that fast?" he asked.
Keiko shrugged, "Around."
"You are not what you seem," Trowa remarked.
Keiko was mentally frightened, his face or body showed nothing, at what he implied, or could imply. So she retorted carefully, "And you are?"
"Shot. Well, you could be some karate blackbelt." He suggested, good-naturedly.
"Actually I am." Keiko replied, mentally relieved.
"Well, you wouldn't know just by looking at you." He said.
Keiko finally released her arm and a slight flush ran across her face. She was glad that she was still in the cover of the shadows.
"Would you care to exit these shadows? I'm sure Relena is wondering where you are." He asked. She nodded and allowed Trowa to take her arm and lead her to the sitting room where Relena, her husband and Hilde were. The baby had long been put to bed.
"You found her. Where was she?" Relena asked.
"Sticking around like a dark wall ornament." Trowa replied, giving the Asian a very small smirk.
Keiko flushed and sat in an empty chair.
"Syria, since your friend left before I had an actual chance to talk to her, would you know if she enjoyed tonight?" Relena asked.
"Oh don't worry. She loved it. Trust me on this. She would've been mad at me if I hadn't have brought her." Keiko replied grinning, adding giggles.
Relena and Hilde giggled along with the assassin while Pierre grinned and Trowa smirked. Trowa sat in a chair closest to Keiko and discreetly watched her.
Keiko stayed and chatted for awhile longer and when she rose to leave, Trowa stood and said, "I'll see you out."
Keiko simply stared at him and when she shook herself from it she replied, "Thank you. I appreciate it." She turned toward Relena, "Thank you for inviting me. I'll see you tomorrow."
"You don't have to come until later. Sleep in for the morning." Relena replied.
Keiko nodded and led Trowa out. When they were out of earshot Trowa softly asked, "Though you said your friend enjoyed herself, you did not voice your own feelings. Did you enjoy tonight?"
She gazed at him, her face unreadable. Then carefully replied, "I did. Why do you ask Trowa?"
"Curious."
"Curiosity killed the cat." She retorted instantly. Then she regretted her choice of words. She looked away from him.
"Your choice of words is quite interesting Ms. Styee. You are still not what you seem." He said calmly.
They reached her car in a matter of minutes silently. He opened the door for her and before she had a chance to get into the driver seat, Trowa grabbed her arm, pulled her close and kissed her swiftly on the lips. Then just as swiftly, moved away to retreat back into the shadows of the night.
Stunned and rooted to the spot, Keiko just stood staring into the direction he disappeared to. She blinked, pulling her self together, climbed into her car and drove to her apartment.
When she pulled the covers up around her later, then did she whisper, "Trowa just kissed me. I hardly know him and he kissed me!"
TBC