Disclaimers: I don't own Gundam Wing or any of its characters.


A Match Made


~*~


"A lady like you shouldn't be walking alone at night."


Relena had taken a step back and stumbled into a tree.  "Why are you here?  I nearly didn't recognize you in this darkness."


"I came to see how things were going for you."  His voice was calm and deep.  He looked towards her and noticed that her faint pink dress looked more like a pale white in the darkness.


"I'm doing fine, but father keeps wondering about you.  He seems to regret the day that mother drove you out of the house just because of your refusal to her plans.  How is Lucrezia doing?"


"She's doing fine.  I can see that nothing has changed since the day I left.  It seems like mother is up to her usual routine."


"You can say that again...how long have you been here?"


"Lucrezia and I just arrived here three days ago.  We're just passed the old Coopers' place.  I believe there is a new family living there currently, since the pastures around the farm were cleared."


The two then followed a run-downed footpath leading to the lake.


"I see you still come down here."


"It's our secret place...well sort of... minus the fact that mother knows about this too.  Remember the summers that we used to go swimming here?"


"I remember."  He threw a small pebble that skidded across the surface, making splash sounds at each point of intersection.


"You were always good at that."


"What can I say?"


"Why did you come?  Usually when we meet out here, you usually have something to say other than how the family has been doing."  She looked towards her brother and caught him with a guilty face on him.  "What is it, cat got your tongue?"


He didn't know how to cover his act of eavesdropping, but he decided to begin with a chilling statement, "You fell off from your horse, earlier this morning."


Relena had a perplex look on her face, "How did you know about that?  Only two other people would know."


"Well, I guess then it's a small world after all.  There was a young man that came to your aid. I believe his name is Heero Yuy." He looked towards his sister and noticed that she was still following him.


"What is your point then?  Are you saying that I should stay away from him?"


Milliardo picked up another smooth pebble and made it skid off the surface of the lake again.  "That's my point exactly."


"Why?"


"It just seems that he is not the type for you."


"Not the type for me?  You're just becoming like mother."


"I'm just being a protective brother...it's my duty."


"Well if it's your duty then, can you then please respect my own decisions.  He saved my life today.  Isn't that a sign of being a gentleman?"


Relena did prove a point to Milliardo.  She had stopped him in his tracks, "Just be careful when you're around him.  I must leave now."


"Say 'hello' to Lucrezia for me."


"Alright then.  Good night, Relena."


"Good night, Milliardo."  She watched her brother walk up a trail leading away from the lake.  Before long, his silvery hair disappeared into the dense underbrush. With that, Relena stood by the lake and admired the view.  In the background, she heard the crickets chirped and that wolves were howling somewhere off in the distance.  Right then, she felt someone's hands on her shoulders.


~*~


Back in the dance hall, Duo caught the eye with one of the ladies wearing a lilac colored chiffon dress.  He bowed to her and she curtsied in return.  "Would a lady like you care for a dance?"  he asked.


"I never thought you would ask.  Thank you."  She held out her right-gloved hand and Duo accepted it.  The two then went out on the dance floor and waltzed to a slow violin piece.


"So, are you an acquaintance with the Peacecrafts?"  Sparks of curiosity in her eyes.


He didn't know how to respond to her abrupt question, "Well, not quite exactly."


"So how did you get here, then?"


"Alright you caught me, I'm guilty.  My friend and I decided to dress for this dance."


"So you weren't invited then?"


"Not quite."


She smiled to herself, trying to keep the laughter from exploding within her.  "I guess that'll be our little secret then."  The two continued with their slow waltz as with the rest of the couples.  After the music stopped for a brief moment, the two left the dance floor and headed to an unoccupied table.


The mystery lady decided to start a conversation with Duo, "I've never seen you around here before?  Are you just visiting for the summer?"


"I actually live in the Maxwell residence...I'm Duo Maxwell."


"Really?"  Her eyes lighting up with more curiosity.


"And you are?"


"I'm Hil..."  a grandfather clock rang its chimes, in which Duo couldn't fully hear her name.


"I have to go now, I can't be late or my mother will scold me for not being punctual."


"So soon?"  Duo tried to make her stay a little longer.


"Yes, if you would please excuse me now."


Duo bowed in response and escorted her outside.  Out under the night sky, a carriage was already waiting for her to return home.  She untied the white ribbon that graced her coiffure and handed it to him.  "Here, you can keep this as a memento."  She lightly gave him a kiss on his cheek, leaving a faint pink imprint.  "Good night, now."  He watched her enter her carriage and saw it drive off into the night with lanterns hanging on each sides of the carriage.


He felt like he was in a trance and then it finally dawned on him as he contemplated to himself that he forgot one tidbit of information...he forgot to ask her for her name again.  "Why did that clock have to chime in the most inappropriate time?"  He slumped his head down in disappointment and headed back to his home, since he didn't see Heero in the dance hall for quite a while.


~*~


"It looks like the night is still active."  A voice whispered into her left ear.


"Who are you?"  She felt the hands lift from her shoulders and she then turned around to meet the unknown stranger that stood beside her.  She noticed that his stare was familiar.  "Why did you have to scare my horse earlier this morning?"  She continued to watch him, but she didn't hear a response to her question.


"I didn't know you were there," in his monotone voice.


She acknowledged his answer.  A faint breeze ran against her light pink dress, as the two continued to stand there in the darkness. "I haven't seen you around here before."  She was trying to strike up a conversation in hopes of gaining some history of him.


"I'm just visiting."


"From where?"


"New York."


"Do you have any family living there?"


"Yes...must you keep asking incessant questions?"


"I'm sorry then, I'm just trying to be polite.  Very well then, I'm returning back to my mother's dance."  She felt a tug on her left arm.  "What do you want now?"


"Nothing."  He then abruptly left her and walked off into the darkness again.


Relena stood by the lake, wondering why Heero decided to scare her by the lake.  But something nagged continually within her heart, each time she was near him. After she collected her wits again, she walked back to her family's mansion and sneaked in through the back patio door.


In the background, Heero heard the back patio door shut, figuring that Relena went back to her mother's dance.  With that, he continued to head back towards Duo's, where he could at least find some solace in his drinking habits.


~*~


Back in the dance hall, somewhere off to the corner of the room, Katrina and her husband were sitting at a table, admiring the joy of their company on the fine summer night.  But, Relena's mutinous act wasn't too far from her mind.  "Oh stop fretting over our daughter, Katrina.  She has made her decision and that's final.  As long our daughter is happy and healthy, that's all I can ask for."


"Alright then, I give up then."  She then saw her daughter emerge from the doors of the dance hall and made her way towards them.  "Where have you been?  You practically missed the entire dance for tonight."


"I was out talking to one of our newest neighbors."  She took a seat next to her father.


"Really?"


"His name is Heero Yuy and he says he comes from New York, but otherwise he keeps mostly to himself."


Her father noticed that the tension was mounting at the table and he decided to stop it before anything else happened,  "Would care for a dance, Katrina?" He held out his white-gloved hand in hopes of persuading his wife to grab hold of.


"Well, certainly."  She took his hand and the two began to dance, as Relena watched from the table.  She scanned the dance floor to find anyone else that she could recognize, but she couldn't, not even Quatre.  In hopes of passing the time away, she gingerly picked at the fine lace that decorated the table.


"It's looks like you can use some company, miss."  Relena looked up from the tablecloth and she saw a man with brown hair bowing to her.  And when he looked up, she was met with a pair of hazel eyes.  "My name is William Bennett."


"Please to meet you, Mr. Bennett."


"And you are?"


"Relena Peacecraft."


He gently kissed her right hand.  "May I have this dance?"


She got up from her seat and glided into the arms of William, who stood only two inches tall from her own height.  With that, the two began a conversation with William discussing about his family history.  "My family moved here not too long ago.  I think we're just a couple of miles down the road from here.  We're living in the old Coopers' place."


"I guess that does makes us new neighbors then."  She smiled up into his face.  She then thought to herself, "This must be the family that Milliardo was mentioning about."  She then continued her conversation with William, "My family uses this mansion as a summer home.  You can probably see that my mother hosted this entire dance.  She practically has one every weekend, which culminates in August before we go back to Newberry for the fall."


The two continued to dance before her parents spotted them, "Who is this young gentleman, Relena?"  Her mother eyeing him suspiciously with a warm smile.


Before Relena could introduce him, William decided to introduce himself, "My name is William Bennett, madam.  My family and I just moved into the old Coopers' place."


"Oh, yes, the Coopers.  They were fine friends of ours.  They came to my dances every summer.  I guess their invitation ended up in their mail still, but I'm glad you came still.  So where do attend school?"


"Harvard."  His voice was calm and collected.


"Very interesting.  And what is your family's occupation?"


"Mother."  Relena gave her a look to stop the interrogation of William.


"I don't mind, Relena.  We're in the textile industry."


"It is a profitable field, indeed.  Well, you have my blessings to see my daughter any time during the day."


"Mother!"


"What Relena, you do need to find a suitor."  With that statement, Relena blushed lightly.


"Well, I'm glad to meet you, William.  You seem to be a fine lad."


"Thanks, Mr. Peacecraft."


"Come now, Katrina, we must leave these two alone now."


She watched her parents leave the dance floor and they sat at their usual table.  "I'm sorry about that, I didn't think my mother would interrogate you right here."


"Not at all."  A small grin shown on his face.

~*~



Duo made it to his front steps of his home and noticed that a glow was coming from his living room.  He opened the front door and entered the foyer, and before him, he saw Heero sitting in front of an empty fireplace.  He noticed that a wine glass was placed on a small marble table.


"I see that you left the dance.  You didn't like any of the ladies?" hoping to strike up a conversation with his silent friend.


"Quit it."


"How did you go into my wine cellar after I nearly bolted it with two different locks?"


"I have my ways.  I'm going to my room now."  He rose from his seat in the living room and made his way to his room, which was located at the end of the hallway. The sounds of his black shoes clicked against the floorboards and echoed throughout the hall.  His eyes kept focusing in front of him, as he saw the wooden panels reflect the light from his candlestick that he was holding, since he was too lazy to light all of the candles along the edges of the hall.  Within minutes, he entered his room and took off his formal wear, only to leave them wrinkled on one of the velvet chairs that were situated in the corner of his room.


He stood in front of his mirror and stared into his own reflection, trying to figure out his feelings and the memories from his past.  His fists clenched in frustration on his dresser, and before long, the sounds of the ceramic pitcher breaking filled his room.  He felt the water seep at his feet and he watched the liquid as it slowly filled the cracks between the floorboards.  He carefully picked up the ceramic fragments and tossed them into a small container on his dresser.  With the mess cleared away, he went over to his bed, but he felt something sticky on his fingertips.  A single drop of red blood oozed from his right index finger, "It figures."  He wiped the blood with a small handkerchief that he kept on his nightstand that was situated on the left side of his bed.  For the night, sleep slowly took over his body and with that, he hoped that he could find some answers to his relentless images from his past.


~*~



"Who is the nice gentleman that is dancing with Relena?"  A woman with auburn hair asked Katrina.


"That is William Bennett.  His family just recently moved into the old Coopers' place."


"It looks like Relena has found her suitor after all."  Her brown eyes kept searching for the young couple.


"I guess your right, Martha."  The two women were cooling themselves with their silk fans.


"Does your husband approve of him?"


"Certainly."


"Well, look at the time, it's almost midnight.  I must go now.  It was a pleasure talking to you on this fine evening."  She gracefully rose from her seat and straightened out her green dress.


"Alright, Martha, I'll let you know what happens with Relena and William.  We should gossip over a cup of rose tea sometime soon."


"I would love that.  Good night then."


"Good night."  She watched Martha leave with her husband and she then sat back down into her seat.  A smile graced her face, since she was glad that Relena chose a suitor.


"Um...William...sorry to be rude, but I think we should take a break now.  My feet aren't used to all of this dancing."


"Sorry about that."  He led Relena off the dance floor and out of the dance hall.  The two headed out towards the front door, where they sat out on a front patio bench that was lined against the white railings.  "Is it possible that I could see you again some time soon?"



Relena was taken with his politeness.  "Um...yes it's possible."


"Great then."  He got up from his seat and took her right hand and kissed it gently.  "Good night, Relena."


"Good night, William."  She headed back into the door and watched the last of her mother's guests leave for the night.


"I believe the night was a success after all."


"Hello mother."


"I'm glad that you finally found someone.  He seems to be a really nice lad like your father says."


"Where's father right now?"  trying to change the subject from her mother's curious interrogating questions.


"Are you trying to change the subject?"


"Not really.  I just want to know where he is?  That's all, honestly, since he is my father."


"He already went up to sleep for the night.  And now, what about William?"


Relena paused a second before she spoke, trying to taunt her mother's anxiety, "He said that he'll be coming to see me again in the next few days."


"Well then, this is music to my ears."


"Good night, mother."  With that, she went up to her room and removed her pink chiffon dress along with her corset, and in minutes, she felt the tight hold of the fabric loosen and that she could breathe more easily.  She then slipped into a light linen nightgown.  After every clothing piece was put back in their respective places in her closet, she untied the pink ribbon that adorned her hair and with that, her hair uncurled down on her shoulders and back.  She seated herself by an open window and looked out into the twilight.  The full moon shone brightly in the night sky. She pondered about the differences between Heero and William, in which there were stark contrasts to be noticed.  Of course William was more open than Heero, but there was still something about Heero that Relena tried to fixate on...it was his cold stare that still continued to mesmerize her for no apparent reason.  In the back of her mind, her brother's warning slipped in and out of her reasoning.  Since she couldn't fall asleep, she decided to finish Wuthering Heights.  "Let's see what Heathcliff is up to now."


~*~


In the distance, he heard laughter coming from a corner of his room.  "Who's there?  What do you want from me?"  His eyes narrowed trying to find the mysterious stranger in the darkness.  He then heard his door open and sensed that someone had left his room.  With that as a cue, he followed the sound of the laughter and caught a vague image of somebody running away from him.  He continued to run in a darken hallway with the sounds of fleeing footsteps pattering somewhere in front of him. 


"See if you can catch me."  The voice continued to taunt to him.


He then yelled in frustration, "What do you want?  I'm tired of playing these games!"  He then saw the figure disappear into thin air.


Heero awoke from his sleep, his eyes were wide and his forehead was lined with sweat.  He found himself on the floor with his linen blanket entangled around his legs.  His breathing was rapid and deep, as he tried to collect his thoughts.  "Who is she?"  He stared into the darkness.


TBC