AN: First of all, let me say thank you to Kuroi Koneko for catching several grave mistakes of the same nature and even taking such note as where exactly each instance occurred. Your meticulousness is admirable! And to Gundamgirl818, thank you for the extensive review offering constructive criticism. Your point is wholly valid, and I am disappointed that I had not seen that detail myself. But I do stand by what I wrote, and I will not change it, because it came from my heart. I'm just so grateful that I am lucky enough to have such dedicated readers who not only just read my work but also look deeper and put it into their own context. And finally, to RedLion2, I have to say that you are just slightly mistaken; Trowa and Relena are simply good friends. I, too, am a devoted Heero/Relena fan. In this fic, and in my mind, she will never be paired with anyone else. A very important point to clear up. : ) Thank you, all readers and reviewers.

Disclaimer: I don't own Gundam Wing.

Relena flitted around the room like some sort of luminescent hummingbird. Here and there she stopped to speak with delegates and politicians - anyone who was any kind of a mover-and-shaker on the political scene. She liked to have roots in every corner and allies on every side.

As the evening progressed, and Relena's obligations were fulfilled one by one, the atmosphere of the great hall became decidedly light-hearted. The people truly were enjoying themselves; Quatre's wine and delicacies made many laps around the room upon large silver platters supported on the arms of waiters, Trowa's streamers still confounded the guests with their mystery, and Duo had climbed onto a table to make a fool of himself, much to the amusement and appall of the dignified gentlemen and ladies.

When the orchestra began to play the waltz, almost everybody paired up immediately, though the few people who remained off of the dance floor could boast some rather impressive company - Wufei Chang, Sally Po, Trowa Barton, Heero Yuy, and Relena Peacecraft herself. Wufei would not suffer the weakness of asking anyone, let alone Sally, to dance. Trowa stood sipping his wine, watching the room with cool eyes, unaffected by the looks of longing from the ladies to the side. Heero glared at any and everyone who so much as looked in his direction. He was in no mood to dance tonight. It would remind him too much of an incident six years ago, when he had waltzed with a girl in a blue dress. Relena had gotten many offers to dance, but, not wanting anyone to draw any conclusions based on "seems," had abstained from the first one. Besides, it was her duty as hostess to oversee the party and make sure everyone was having a good time before enjoying herself.

As for the other two Gundam pilots, Quatre and Duo, they had gone to the middle of the dance floor as soon as the first strains of the melody was played. Quatre took Dorothy there on his arm, but Duo, by contrast, got Hilde to get up with him by dragging her by the hand. She tried to pull her arm back from him, but he only laughed and trudged on through the sea of suits, prize in tow. His inhibition was more than slightly embarrassing, but also extremely infectious, so that soon Hilde was laughing openly as her boyfriend spun her around the floor happily.

When the first song ended and the second began, Wufei sighed and held his hand out to Sally silently.

"What's this?" said Sally, with an expression of great amusement on her face.

Wufei sighed, "Us. Dance." He would not even ask her properly, but Sally knew that this was already a monumental step for him.

She laid her hand in his, but she said clearly and smugly, "I win."

"This does not mean you win, Onna," he growled, "I just don't like to be missing out." Sally laughed at him and went along, but she made a mental note to continue making fun of him for this later.

Seeing them go off, Trowa stepped beside Relena and said, "Everyone's having fun but you. Would you like to dance?"

Relena looked up at him and saw one of his green eyes twinkling friendly. She smiled and nodded. He held out his arm for her, which she took, and together they went to the dance floor.

Only Heero was left.

Heero was always left. That was the way it went for him. That was the way he made it for himself.

Relena danced with her dear friend joyfully. When the dance ended and one of her politician colleagues asked to cut in, she was sorry to let go. Bracing herself for her politician's duty of sharing herself with everyone else, she composed her delicate features into passivity and went with the government big wig. It was in these situations that dancing became a pathetic chore. One after another they came and asked for her. Was there no end to it all?

Nearly an hour later, the conductor announced that the next dance would be the last of this first segment. Relena's mood instantly brightened up. The prospects of resting from the mundane activity of Politician Swinging and of returning to spend some time with her friends again drew a small smile on her face. It was then, when her beautiful face showed an expression of relief and contentment, that Relena suddenly felt a hand on her lower back. She stiffened as her heart gave a jolt and sped up markedly by a thought that jumped unbidden into her head like a lightning bolt. Heero! She spun around, tilting her head back to meet the Prussian blue eyes in the face above the broad chest.

From beneath the shock of brown hair a pair of storm-gray eyes looked down at her face with fierce intensity. Gray eyes? She gasped and took a step back.

AN: The deep breath before the plunge...