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 11

Keiko stiffened and it seemed like the air around her felt colder. Putting a hand over the receiver she mouthed to Trowa, "It's private. I'll be back."

She left the room and shut herself inside her bedroom. For all that it was a semi-large sized apartment, the walls weren't very thick. Trowa gathered her weapons and took them into the kitchen, laying them on a counter. Then he went back to his food and silent and companion.

Keiko took her hand off the phone and said none too politely, "What the hell do you want!"

"Did you like the activity I planned earlier this afternoon?"

Keiko seethed, but couldn't think of anything to say to that. "Are there any more assassins stationed at the mansion?" she asked sharply.

An evil chuckle rang through the line, "I'm going to let you find that out, O Clever Great Assassin. But a message was given to me for you. It reads: Hello Keiko. Long time no spar. Let's see if you've gotten any better than last time. You're It, so come and find me! That was the whole message." Her client said.

Keiko was surprised, but then angered greatly. "How dare you bring him into this!" she spat.

"The job needs to be fulfilled, if not by Keiko the Ultimate Assassin, how about her greatest rival?" he countered.

"She will not be killed by anyone! I will see to that! No matter who you throw at me I will not be defeated do that she will be killed!" Keiko yelled into the phone. Without another word to him she hung up and stormed out of her bedroom.

The phone lines must be pulled!" she snapped when Trowa looked up at her livid face. Heero stared impassively as the two men watched as she jerked the phone line out of the socket, jamming the phone down in its cradle. She swiftly went to the other phone line in the guestroom and her own bedroom and pulled those too.

Her body sagged as her anger started to fade and plopped onto her bed. Luckily she had made the bed before her shower earlier that day. Sighing, her shoulders sagged even lower as the list of things to do got longer. She had an assassin to reveal and take care of; she had to call and inform Relena to stay within sight of Pierre. She then decided to upgrade the security system, maybe getting help from Heero if she was lucky.

But first things first, she needed to rat out her rival. And she also needed her cell phone from her car.

Keiko was broken out of her thoughts when Trowa stepped into the room. She looked up, a frown on her face, but it disappeared when he said, "I said your name twice."

Keiko lowered her eyes briefly but looked back up at him. Her anger was still just under the surface and as much as she wanted it to go, it would stay until this whole mess was over.

Trowa walked to stand before the girl. She followed him with her eyes ad had to tilt her head back to look up at him. He stared down into her eyes, moving until his legs were lightly pressing against her knees. Her knees parted and allowed him to move closer to her. Soon her arms went around him and she pressed herself against his lower body. Trowa's arms went around her and held her tightly. He leaned down and placed a kiss on top of her hair.

Trowa slid down in her embrace to kneel on the floor, tightening his arms around her small body. He kissed her cheeks, each one, then lightly kissed her forehead. He felt her anger dim and he cupped her face gently between his callused, yet gentle hands. She closed her eyes in time to feel him softly kiss her eyelids and then each cheek. A very tiny sound escaped her throat. With a smirk Trowa moved his mouth down to capture hers.

The kiss was deep, semi-desperate and clinging on Keiko's part. Trowa enjoyed the play of tongues and felt that Keiko did too. Her anger was no longer on the surface of her emotions and that was what he had intended. But even though he just wanted the anger away, he also wanted to kiss her. He didn't know why he wanted to, but he did and acted on the urge without any hesitation.

They pulled away from lack of air a few minutes later. Keiko leaned her forehead against his, reclaiming her breath as he did the same.

"Feel better?" he asked in a whisper a minute later.

"Yes," she answered in a bare whisper. "Thank you."

"No need to thank me. It's my pleasure." He smirked at her.

She gave him a tiny frown. He wasn't exactly making advances on her, but it definitely was subtle flirting on the semi-intimate level. His smirk remained and she finally had to return his smile.

"Okay, I've got things to do, people to talk to and rivals to kick ass of now." She said lightly.

Trowa's smirk widened into a smile and softly kissed her forehead. He released his hold on her and as he rose he pulled her up too.

Keiko straightened her dress, and slipping her hand into his she briefly squeezed his fingers. Then they both rejoined Heero in the kitchen.

"Can I have control of the laptop for a few minutes?" she asked the silent man.

Heero immediately lifted his hands from the keyboard and rose from the chair. The girl nodded her thanks and gracefully seated herself behind the screen. Within under two minutes Keiko had a new file up.

"Damn, damn, damn," she muttered. She scowled at the screen and then rose from the chair, "I must retrieve my cell phone."

Without another word Keiko silently left the apartment and hurried down to her car. When she reached the vehicle she all but threw open the door and ducked inside. Scooping up her phone, her fingers were already dialing Relena's number.

"Hello James' Residence." The butler, Fred said.

"Fred I need to speak with Ms. Relena right now. It's urgent." Keiko said compassionately. She shut her car door and swiftly went back up to her apartment where she had left the two men. She heard Fred cover the phone with a hand as he went in search for his employer.

Relena got on the phone just as Keiko re-entered her home.

"Hello?" Relena said.

"Relena, it's Syria." She said.

"Syria, what's the matter?" Relena asked, her voice concerned.

"You must find Pierre and stay by his side. Never stray from him okay?" Keiko said fervently.

"Okay, but why?" Relena asked, puzzled and now cautious.

"Just please stay by him like glue. I'll tell you when it's safe, okay? Just promise you won't ever leave without him or him you." Keiko said.

Heero and Trowa stared at her, one face impassive, and the other curious and concerned.

"Okay I promise." Relena said.

"Good. I'll talk to you as soon as I can." Keiko promised as she hung up. She didn't look at the men as she dialed another number.

"Yes?" Starlight's voice rang out cheerfully over the line.

"I need you as backup. Right now as in within the hour. Can you postpone your assignment?" Keiko said immediately.

"Of course. I've just finished mounting up. What are we doing and where?" Starlight replied.

"We're digging out a viper at Relena's." Keiko replied.

Starlight gave a small gasp. "Okay. Do you want me to drive to your place or to Relena's?" she asked.

"Relena's. I'll mount up and be there ASAP. See ya." Keiko hung up without hearing Starlight's reply.

Keiko finally looked at the men. "I must leave for awhile. Feel free to leave anytime. But Heero I would greatly appreciate it if you continued searching for assassins. I'm sure there's more." She said looking at the cobalt-eyed man.

He nodded and returned to his work. Trowa took a step closer to her.

"Do you want a number to call if you need some help?" he asked.

Keiko blinked and nodded, "Sure."

He turned away to search for a pen and paper and when he went back to her he handed her a small piece of paper.

"That's my cell phone." He said.

"Thank you." She replied as she went to the counter to collect her two guns and other knife with both sheaths. She retrieved her other knife from the wall before shutting herself into her room.

Setting the weapons on the bed she stripped out of her dress and took her shoes off. Flicking the light on in her closet she stepped inside. Choosing black tight stretch leggings and a loose fit black long-sleeved shirt she quickly pulled them on. From the floor of the closet she picked up some black leather boots that laced up and went to sit on her bed to put them on. Then she checked her guns, and slid the knife back into its sheath before looking at the other one. After checking them over she strapped the thigh holster on her right leg and dug out a shoulder holster from a desk drawer for her other gun. Slipping into that one she put the gun into it.

Gathering up her two knives she emerged from her room. Trowa stared at her when she entered the kitchen, but didn't speak. Keiko set the knives on the table and silently walked to the cabinet high above the stove. She opened it and going up on tiptoe put her hand into it and pulled out another gun. Setting it on the counter next to the stove she put her hand back inside. She felt around and a minute later pulled out a few small knives; throwing knives. There were actually four of them in sheaths of their own and all were on a slim black belt. Setting the belt beside the other gun she put her hand in again and pulled out a small box. Then she closed the door and gathering box and weapons went back to the table.

"What exactly are you going to do?" Trowa asked slowly. He watched as she wrapped the belt of throwing knives around her slender waist and buckle it in place.

"There is a ruthless assassin somewhere in Relena's home. I need to find him." Keiko replied simply.

"And is he your rival?" Trowa inquired.

"Yes. So I'm in for a rough time. And I need quite a few weapons." She said.

Trowa arched an eyebrow at her. "As if you don't have enough already?"

"He cheats."

"How so?"

"Usually he puts viper poison on his blades." Keiko said casually. She pushed up her sleeves and proceeded to slip into her dagger sheaths. When they were in place she tugged the sleeves down and smoothed them over the weapons. She flexed her arms ever so slightly to make sure the knives would release and then set herself to checking the gun. The safety was on while she looked it over and then aimed it away, checking the sight.

Satisfied with it she knelt on the ground to tuck into her boot.

"Isn't that uncomfortable?" Trowa asked.

"It is when I have to run, but otherwise not really. It's small, holding only one bullet." Keiko replied, rising back up after tucking it into a comfortable enough position.

"One bullet?" an eyebrow rose again.

"It's an emergency back up." She kept her attention solely on the box now. She opened it and revealed tiny, marble-sized balls of thin tin foil, though some of them were thin and rectangular. She chose three of the rectangular ones and tucked them into her hair. Then she picked out two of the ball ones, which had in fact earring pieces of them. She put them in her ears.

Closing the box she took it back to the cabinet and returned from where it came from. She took up her keys from the table and retrieved her cell phone from where she set it down.

"Bye." She said as she headed towards the door.

Trowa followed her and stopped her with a hand on her arm. She turned to look up into his face, a questioning look in her eyes. Trowa leaned down and placed a light kiss on her lips.

"Good luck," he said softly. Releasing her he gently pushed her towards the door once again. Then without another word went back to keep Heero company.

Blinking at Trowa's retreating form Keiko turned back towards the door.

TBC

Notes: Okay, please be patient with me now. The next chapter is still being written, and I'm kinda writer's blocked anyway. So it might take a month or maybe longer to get another chapter up. I'm sorry about the delay. But I'll try!