Hi everyone...back from my long semester, I've been pretty much tied up with classes and all. I would like to say thanks to the following reviewers from last chapter: Pure Angel Enchantress, Wing, Ladybug, Sakura123, and Kia. Disclaimer: I don't own Gundam Wing or any of its characters.
The Calm Before the Storm


Heero pulled out his gold-rimmed pocket watch and the dials already showed a quarter to six...he wasn't ready at all. He stood in his room just doing nothing right when Duo knocked. His long-time friend frowned upon his procrastination, "Why aren't you ready yet? Relena's ball is about to start in another hour." He zipped through the wardrobe closet and pulled a crisp black tuxedo into his arm. "Here this would be a good start." He then rummaged through a couple of drawers and tossed a pair of clean white gloves onto the bed, "I don't know why you always become this lethargic before social dances."

"Its just old habits..." he shrugged.

Duo mocked back, "Its just old habits...whatever you say. If you'll excuse me, I have to escort Hilde to the dance." He whipped around and walked out the door and clamored down the stairs.

Heero looked towards his bed, "Here goes nothing." He picked the tuxedo up and dressed himself in ten minutes flat. The stiff cotton rubbed against his neck and he hated the feeling of it, but he had to endure it for the next few hours. He smoothed out the collar and tucked in his white shirt.

The clock in the foyer rang out six chimes and each chime sent a chill down his spine. Time to release the hounds. He gave himself a quick glance in the mirror and headed down. By the time he reached the last step, mental alarms were sounding off...warning him that he was missing something. The gloves! He leaped up the stairs, skipping a couple here and there, until he made it back to his room and grabbed the light compact items. Still time to spare. This dance was started to wreck havoc on him. How could something like this unnerve his entire mind and he knew what the true reason to his behavior was...it was her. He quickly locked the doors to Duo's home and decided to take the long way to the Peacecrafts. The idea of arriving early would mean a barrage of questions from Martha and company on how he miraculously saved Relena and how he too was wounded in the conflict.

In the foreground, he could already see a line of carriages crossing to the Peacecraft mansion. He continued on by walking along the forest's dark edge and eventually traversed the lake's far end in no time. Even from that vantage point, the warm-up music drifted towards him and he knew he had to be there soon or else.

"Where could he be?" Relena peered through her lace curtains with her lucid blue eyes searching through the onslaught of incoming guests. She went back to her mirror and coiled her hair into a tight coiffure and adorned it with a baby blue silk ribbon that matched her evening dress.

"Are you ready dear?" Her mother called from the other side of her bedroom door. "We can't keep our guests waiting," a hint of impatience formed in the last syllables of her request.

"I know, mother." She gave a quick once over in her mirror and powdered her nose, "that should do it."

"And don't forget your gloves!" her mother called out with a tapping noise coming from her foot.

Within less than a minute, she appeared by her mother's side. "You don't have to stand by room constantly. I'm perfectly fine."

"I was just making sure you were being punctual," she started heading towards the stairs and behind her, Relena gave her a mocking expression.

By the time the pair reached the bottom, Martha and company emerged from the foyer dressed in their evenings finest. "You look lovely, my dear. Now tell me, where is this Heero Yuy of yours?"

"I haven't seen him yet, but he should be here soon." She tried to cover for him. "He promised."

A couple of the ladies began to frown upon his tardiness. Katrina saw the tension build slightly, "Shall we head over to the ballroom now and wait for the others? I don't think they'll mind at all."

"That's a splendid idea," replied Martha, who started to fan herself on this humid summer night.

The entourage entered the spacious chandeliered-lighted room and took their respective seats designated by silver foiled name cards. Rumors already spread that Heero was going to be a no show. One of the ladies seated next to Martha had a quibble about his tardiness, "I heard he didn't like attending these formal events," a sly look graced her already wrinkled features."

Relena saw the mini mutiny starting at the table and graced her presence once more, "My Gertrude that's a lovely dress you're wearing." She saw the instigator wear a simple black-laced dress that seemed out of the times for ball attendees.

"Well thank you, child," she forced a smile.

"And for your information, he'll be here, ladies." She hated the way that these women were already treating him...she hoped that the night would end on a lighter note.

Behind her, she could her small snippets of the gossip carrying over to her ears, "Do you think those two are smitten?" asked Gertrude, who was instigating something new.

"Gertrude Rose...I'm appalled by your question," Martha nearly spat out her sip of water.

"I just wanted to know the truth. The way she defended him could have suggested that." She looked over her shoulders and spotted the blonde in her sight.

"Just because you haven't found a husband is an attest to the fact of your sour personality," she knew she cornered Gertrude for the night. All the other ladies were shocked as well from her comment, but they were thankful for her move to quiet Gertrude.

"I see then...hmph," Gertrude's face grew even more wrinkled as the minutes passed.

A clank against glassware brought everyone out of their deep conversations. "May I please have everyone's attention...thank you all for coming tonight and for your undying support for these past several weeks...you don't know how much we truly appreciated it. And as the host for tonight's ball, I'm glad to say let the festivities begin." Katrina motioned her hand that ordered the quartet to start the music again.

Trudy peeped out from the back doors to see how the dance was starting, while as for her chores, the kitchen was filled with brimming pots and pans. Trudy, make sure the clam chowder is at its best along with the veal. At times, she swore that she could hear Katrina in her sleep. She hustled back to the kitchen where two other maids were manning the clam chowder. "That's enough stirring...the soup should be set by now."

"Good I think my arm is going to fall any minute, I would rather dust than do this..." one of the maids blew at a lose strand of her hair from her face.

"Mrs. Peacecraft will see to that if she was here," Trudy was already serving the soup into smaller bowls.

"See to what?" The matriarch just stood out a few feet from the kitchen and within earshot to their conversation.

"Oh nothing ma'am...the girls and I were just having a chat," she continued on with her work.

"Has anyone seen the servers for tonight?"

"No ma'am, but check the back porch. I believe I heard some chit chat going on." Trudy finished placing the fifty-some porcelain bowls onto three trolley carts.

"I don't want this last ball to end in a disaster," she quickly rushed out towards the back porch and caught the three lazy server boys lounging around.

Trudy and the others could hear muffled sounds of Katrina being flustered and all. The group heard the backdoor slam with Katrina rushing back to her guests with a terse look on her face. Minutes later, the three young gentlemen entered with terrified looks, but quickly wiped them off. "Cheer up, she's really not that way all the time." She then handed each of them a little muffin as a snack. "Now off you go."

The three lads entered the ballroom with their trolley carts, making sure that each of their guests received the piping hot soup. When one of the came across Heero's empty seat, he didn't know what to do. "Excuse me miss, is there someone sitting next to you?"

She smiled politely, "Yes...but I think he's running a little late. You could just place the bowl right there. Thank you."

"It looks like Heero will be a no show for tonight," Katrina scooped the creamy top layer her silver spoon.

"Now now dear...don't be judgmental on the boy," her father was starting to put his foot down. "You don't want to embarrass yourself in front of our guests." The three ate their soup quietly among the stirring chatter of their guests until Relena spoke up once more.

"I was thinking about this long and hard," she placed her soup spoon down, figuring that she'll end up fumbling with it in the long run, "Father, I know your re-election is coming up and how we're all needed back in Newberry, but I want to stay here for the remainder of the year."

"You're talking nonsense," her mother was appalled at her daughter's request.

"I'm not talking nonsense," she gripped the edge of the seat, "There's no life for me back at Newberry and during election time, there won't be anything for me to do in the long-run." She remained as calm as she could in the given surrounding area. "Can I just stay here for the remainder of the year?"

Katrina was about to open her mouth for a rebuttal, but was stop by her husband, "Enough said," he raised his hand to stop his wife from making a scene of herself, "She has a point, dear. You can stay here if you want, Relena, and you're always welcome to come home when you need to. I'm sure going to miss you on the campaign trail though."

"Thank you, father," a smile graced her petite features.

"Do you think he's going to be here, Duo?" Hilde looked at him with her cornflower eyes.

"He should be," he adjusted his collar slightly. The room was beginning to become a little too warm.

Hilde looked over to her friend at the main table, "Poor Relena...she must be feeling miserable by now." She fiddled with her soup,

Duo strained his neck to see the Peacecraft table, "I think she actually looks happy right now."

She took a sip of water, "You should have just dragged him along with you."

"Better yet, I should have taken my shotgun from the bedroom and used it on him to leave the house twenty minutes prior to the ball." He looked around the endless sea of black mixed with splashes of colors.

Pagan remained on the lookout for the missing guest. He heard a rustle in the far off bushes and immediately recognized who it was. "Ah there you are my boy. I'm glad you could come."

"Likewise." He removed a couple of leaves from his tuxedo. "Have they started?"

"Just a few minutes ago. Everyone thought you weren't attending tonight." He guided Heero to the room, where everyone was anticipating his arrival. "She'll be glad to see you."

He gave the old butler a weak smile.

"You'll do fine." The two stood out in front of the closed doors. "Ready?"

The young man nodded anticipated to see the whole room turn to see him. He never felt so nervous before.

Pagan turned the large ornate brass knobs and cleared his throat, "Heero Yuy has arrived." He turned towards him and bowed allowing him to enter.

Heero slowly walked into the large room lined with ten round tables filled with numerous guests. He smiled politely and headed straight to Relena's table after spotting her in her blue chiffon dress. "Good evening Mr. and Mrs. Peacecraft." He bowed to her parents and remained standing.

"Well hello, Heero," Katrina showed a look of surprise in her eyes to see the transformed young man in front of her.

"Nice to see you again, Heero," the patriarch gestured for him to sit by Relena.

The rest of the guests began their usual chatter again with a couple of sighs coming from a younger group of girls. "That Relena is sure lucky," one of them whispered.

"You have me worried for awhile," she whispered to him.

"Sorry about that...I just needed to get some things straightened out."

"Well you better eat up before the main course comes," she smiled at him.

The hours passed without any other serious engagements between the guests. Some of them came over to Heero and grilled him with some questions, nothing to personal or out in the open. At the head of the onslaught, Martha led the pack in this q and a.

"What do you do for a living?" Her eyes held an investigative look.

"I used to work for my father's firm back in New York."

"I like that...do you plan to have your own practice?"

"One day."

"Are you currently courting someone? Possibly Relena?"

He felt the temperature rise on his face, "No...will you please excuse me?"

"Of course my boy," she smiled happily, though she wanted to another question that focused on the incident.

He looked to where Relena was sitting, "May I have this dance?" He offered her his white-gloved hand.

"I thought you never asked." She could feel his hand pull her towards him. "I see that you survived another round of questions," she smiled at him.

He nodded, "...but I think Martha asked me those questions before it seems."

"She's getting old," she chuckled out loud. "I'm glad you made it tonight," she made sure she kept her distance from his body while they danced for the required waltz.

"How long is this supposed to last?" He noticed that a dozen or so pair of eyes were focused on them.

"Maybe another hour...right until the fireworks are launched," she looked directly into his eyes, as they waltzed around a corner.


"Eavesdropping are we?" A sly voice came behind her back.

"What's it to you?" She countered back and focused her eyes in front of the dance, eying a particular couple.

"Nothing," he placed his hands in his pockets. His hazel eyes focused on something else. "What brings you here to Winfield? I don't believe you're a regular around here."

"I'm just passing by on some business I need to attend to," she readjusted her position by the window.

"Really?" He walked closer to the female figure, who was crouched beneath a small bush now. "It seem like you're eying someone in particular." He went down to her vantage point and peeped through the window, "Let me take a stab at this...it seems to be you're taken with Heero Yuy." Even in the darkness, he already realized whom he was talking to.

"What's your reason behind your conjecture?" Her eyes flashed a sign of annoyance.

"Let's just say this article..." he wiped a wrinkled parchment from his pockets showing a picture of her and Heero. "And so it seems that are hometown hero has a dark secret brooding from New York."

She was left speechless for a brief period, "How did you find out?" she seethed.

"It's called reading." He grabbed the article from her hands. "Don't worry, your secret's safe with me." He quickly vanished into a looming fog.

"Where did he go?" She searched into the quiet darkness with its all too familiar sounds. I didn't even get his name. She quickly got up from her spot and ran away before anyone spotted her. Why was he so interested in Heero and me? She walked a couple of more minutes before she came upon someone. "Excuse me? Do you know where I can find the Maxwell Residence?"

The elder spoke in a crackling tone, "Um...let's see...from here you follow the road until the fork and take the left side. It'll be the first house on your left."

"Thank you, sir." She began to follow the man's directions and in no time, she was there. Well Heero...it seems like you've made a new life for yourself.

William followed a short path down to the main town square. So we finally meet, Ms. Sylvia Noventa. It looks like the cards are all laid out now...I couldn't have asked for better timing.

He ventured into the local bar, "Will it be your usual, Nate?" The scruffy bartender called out to him.

The hazel eyed man nodded and before long, two shots of whiskey were in front of him. Heero, prepare to meet your downfall. A slight chuckle escaped from him.

"You look chipper than normal." The bartender wiped away a couple of stains from the wooden table.

"I guess it seems like that," he threw a couple of silver pieces to pay for his drink. "I think fate has finally drawn a card I needed."

The bartender went back to washing down the tabletops, "There goes another dreamer...heh...it'll be rubbish in the end anyhow."

Back at the party, the last summer ball was concluding with a barrage of fireworks that lighted the night sky.

"I told you it wasn't going to be bad," she kissed him on his cheek.

"You wouldn't have known," he hugged her closer to him, as they both stared out into the sky away from onlookers.

"I wish this could last forever." She snuggled into his chest and listened to his heartbeat, not even the distant explosions could thwart her hearing.

"Be careful what you wish for," he teased her.

"What are you implying?" She looked at the evening sky.

"It might be granted one day." The two watched the last of the fireworks blast into the night sky.

To her, the silver spectacle represented hundreds of shooting stars and deep in her heart she made one wish that hopefully endured the test of time. "Heero?"

"Hmp...," her voice brought him out of his thought.

"I have something to tell you," she danced around the subject, trying to find the right words. "Never mind...it can wait."


TBC

What does Relena have to say to Heero? And when will Sylvia make her move along with "Nate?" Until next time...take care, everyone.