YATTA! Youse got a chapter! Go me! Be sure to read the Authors Note at the end!


Warnings and disclaimer on page one

Dedicated to WWS! Who had better have her chapter up! YAY!


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CHAPTER 21


A tailor curiously fitted a suit to an oddly pear-shaped man. He could understand why the man would need a personal fitting, clothes just weren't made for his shape. He thought it odd, but he had seen odder. So he kept up his friendly conversation as he measured and pinned the mans clothes.


"Going somewhere exciting?"


The pear-shaped man, with a long chestnut braid grinned, "Oh yea, to see the Vice Foreign Minister herself." The tailor chuckled appreciatively at the joke and excused himself to get more pins.


Duo glanced around. He had taken quite a risk in coming here, but he didn't think seeing the Vice Foreign Minister in sweat pants would be appropriate. At least now he had a one suit, and he had told the tailor to leave some room at the waist. Duo crossed his fingers. Being pregnant was more work than he had thought. Duo stretched his slightly aching back.


The tailor returned and finished his pinning, it being somewhat tedious work with this man. He had promised to have it done in two days time, and by the looks of things he would be up late getting everything done. When he finished marking his measurements, he let the man off his stand and moved to the counter for payment.


Duo smiled cheerfully as he forked over his credit card and signed on the dotted line. For some reason the thought of signing his soul over to the devil flitted through his mind and he chuckled at his own thoughts. The tailor smiled at him, and handed him a receipt with a pick up slip. Duo bowed his thanks and walked out the door and down the street back to his garage.


Sam was waiting for him. He was leaned casually against the door, his cap at an angle covering his face. At Duo's approach he raised his head and looked at him straight in the eyes.


Duo quirked an eyebrow, Sam nodded. "I accept the job."


"Good," Duo said, remaining cool, knowing Sam needed to see him act in a manner similar to his previous bosses. Duo motioned him inside and showed him the garage. It was small but efficient. There were two cars being worked on at the moment and another in line. "I would like to let you start on this car, the muffler needs to be replaced. You can handle that? All parts are set out, and if you ever need one, you fill out a request form," Duo walked into the office and showed him the table he had set aside for all the forms. Then while he was in there, he pulled out an employment form.


"Wait a moment. You are hiring me already? You aren't even going to put me on probation?" Sam's eyes were clouded, his emotions hidden, but his disbelief apparent in his question.

Duo nodded, "I assumed that the help I gave your sister would guarantee a bona fide candidate. However if you think I should, I could give you a probation period of one month."


Sam clenched his jaw, and nodded. He then followed Duo, as the braided mechanic explained the procedures for accepting a new job; making deadlines, meeting deadlines, and what to do in case of emergency or many other assortment of occurrences.


Sam began to looked slightly overwhelmed, so Duo took a pause. "If you ever need to, just ask Jerry or myself. For now, how about you show me what you can do and replace this muffler. . . ."


~*~*~


The sky glowed a bright orange, the sun beginning its early setdown as it approached the shortest day of the year. Somewhere, in front of a large, imperial looking mansion, a young man shifted from foot to foot; seemingly awaiting the appearance of someone, as he kept glancing out into the street, looking both ways as if about to be crossed.


A thunderous roar grew in the distance, the chocolate haired man winced in anticipation of the sound approaching him. He stepped forward, correctly guessing that the noise's creator's owner was his long awaited arrival. The arrival wasn't late, the waiter was merely early.


The bike stopped in awe in front of the massive, curling iron gates. He stepped off his motorcycle, setting down the kickstand and turning the wheel in. The biker threw of his helmet and released his cascade of brown locks, bound by a neat french braid. He patted himself off, scratching irritatedly at a stubborn dirt spot. The long haired biker looked up with a grin to his acquaintance, and walked over to him.


"Heya Heero!" Duo took in a deep breath, "Ready?" Heero nodded and Duo wondered slightly about his stony demeanor. Perhaps it was for his job, but it certainly was a change. As Duo walked up beside him though, Heero's arm came up and gently squeezed his elbow. To any bystander it looked as if he was leading him in, but it comforted Duo greatly, and he felt a bit of his nervousness drain away. It was a long walk to the front door, made even longer by the nerves Duo didn't usually feel. Usually though he wasn't meeting someone so important. Important to Heero that is. If he had been meeting the former queen of the world on any other day, for any other reason, he wouldn't be at all anxious. He could rely on his own charm to repel or attract the person. If they clicked, they would hit it off, but some personalities grated with his. It had never bothered him before, but what if-


"I am sure you will love her," Heero said comfortingly, sensing his nervousness. Ah, Duo thought, but what if she doesn't like me? After a walk that seemed to rival the one to the gates of Heaven. Heero opened the door, nodding to the butler who eyed Duo suspiciously. Well, Duo assumed he was eying him, his eyes were covered by a set of bushy eyebrows that hung so low over there owners eyes that it seemed impossible for him to see. Duo smiled at him, waving with his hand, but got no reaction so he followed Heero. Duo swore the house, well mansion, was a maze. It would make sense though, to delay any attackers. When they got to about the center of the building, Heero turned and knocked politely on a door.


The door opened, and there appeared the Vice Foreign Minister, the most famous politician, and woman, in the world and colonies, wearing ripped open jeans, her hair down, and a long loose shirt hanging off her slender frame. Faint shadows rippled under her eyes, but a bright smile spread across her face and she held out a slender hand to Duo. "Hello, I'm Relena Darlian. Pleasure to meet you."


tsuzuku


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Gagh! So sorry! I thought I could go straight into the confrontation but I forgot about Sam when I said that and I just didn't have the time, and now my family is doing some 'family togetherness week' Bull! I see enough of them as it is!


Sorry, so, this was done on Sat... but I won't have time to update on Thursday... GOMEN! So I will try to have two the next week to make up. rolls eyes Family time my foot! ARGH! I don't know if I will survive!

Thanks to my reviewers! Arigatous are getting really long! So I am gonna do them only when I have time. They tend to add another hour to the chapter! Sorry!


~Annie