AN: Ok, so you're all going to shoot me, I know. I've become a very unreliable person, but I'm trying here. With work and school and church…it's hard to keep up! But I'm trying!

Ch. 7 - Mind Over Mood Swings

"Relena!" Hilde shrieked, watching helplessly as her eyes rolled back in her head and Relena's limp body slipped out of her chair.

Cries of "Look!" and "What's wrong with that woman?" and "Isn't that Relena Peacecraft?" echoed through the crowd, all glaring at both Relena, and now Hilde, who hovered over her.

Then other voices mixed in, more familiar voices, the man who brought the drink, their waiter, Hilde, and….Heero? – Why would Heero be…here? - She tried to open her eyes but as soon as they opened the shut back again. She was exhausted and even the floor felt comfortable at this moment.

"Relena, Relena!" She jolted, sitting straight up and hitting her head against the table.

"Relena." She felt a man's arms around her and was startled at first, but then she realized it was Heero. Was he actually hugging her? Public displays of affection had never been Heero's thing he have meant what he'd said the other night? – Does he love me? Does he want things to change? To be better? – She felt herself burry her head in his chest.

"This is too much. You're not ready for all of this, yet." Heero scooped her up in his arms and tried to give enough glares to quiet the situation as he walked out the door with her, with Hilde trailing behind.

"What happened to you in there? What did the note say?" Hilde started bubbling out every question that popped into her mind.

"Note? What note?" Heero stopped dead in his tracks just outside the door of the restaurant.

"The one attached to that free drink she got."

Heero opened the door of the limo and laid Relena carefully down inside, then began to instruct the driver. "Watch her closely while I'm gone. I'll be back in just a minute." He then shut the door and turned to Hilde. "Now you show me exactly where that cup is."

"It was just on the table…" She began to lead him back inside, wondering what could possibly be so special about this cup. Sure, there had been a note, but that only might have contributed to Relena's fainting spell. She had been very spacey ever since Hilde picked her up. "See right…where'd it go?"

The table was spotless, cleaned magically in the instant they'd left. There were no rings from the glasses. The menus had been collected; the tablecloth straightened after Relena's fall, and this mysterious drink with the note had vanished.

"Did she drink any of it?" Heero barked, looking more angered than worried at the prospect. – She knows better…but then again, she hasn't been thinking much lately… -

"She didn't have time to. She just read the note and boom, hello floor."

- Good, at least this rules out poisoning. - "Go take care of Relena until I can get there. I have a few things to…take care of."

"All righty!" Hilde strolled back to the limo, ignoring the stares of those who had witnessed the incident. – What has gotten into you, Relena? – There was a lot more of the story that Hilde didn't know. Relena was hiding something.

-----------------------

She stared blankly at the white, white ceiling. How could something that never got dusted stay so white? Surely no one stood on the bed or on a chair to dust the ceilings…maybe it was gravity that kept them so white. She supposed it didn't really matter, but it was an interesting thought. It kept her mind off the obvious…Kevin had followed her here.

Should she tell Heero? Would it anger him? Or would it help him to help her? If she told him this…should she tell him everything? Should she tell him about Duo? Did Duo even matter? Did Duo mean something…? Perhaps she should stick to wondering about the ceilings…it was much less tiring.

"Mrs. Yuy," a soft female voice called out behind a barely cracked door, "Your brother is here to see you."

- Just what I need - Relena sighed, but put on that smile. "Thank you, Patricia."

"Relena," Milliardo's voice was gruff, as if he were restraining himself from killing someone, yet soft, a put-on for his baby sister's well-being.

"Hello, Milliardo." She sat up in the bed, allowing the sheet to drop into her lap. She still had on her dark green business suit, not bothering to remove it after returning home, and her shoes lay on the floor beside the bed. However, since her feet were covered, she considered herself appropriately dressed for company, even if she were in bed.

"I heard about a little…incident today." He gritted his teeth and tried his best to smile at her, but she could see the fire burning in his eyes. He was out for blood.

"Oh, that. It was nothing, brother. I am sorry to make more bad appearances. Truly, I am, but you must understand that all of this catch-up work has been very taxing. I simply need take no more vacations. Else wise, I might come down with something serious!" She laughed and smiled her delicate, sweet smile. Relena had learned long ago if you could out-smile someone you would make it a lot farther in outwitting them. She also knew her brother was only here for one reason. – well, maybe two – Maybe a little for her safety and health, but mostly, to prove he had been right about Heero.

"Relena…let's be serious. You know you can trust me." He laid a hand on hers.

"I do trust you, and if there were something to trust you with, here, I would. But trust me, Milliardo, when I say there is nothing going on except a little over-exertion."

The thought of 'over-exertion' brought thoughts that were in no way pertaining to work into Milliardo's mind, and he blushed and swallowed hard, closing his eyes.

"You know full well what I mean! Not that it would be any of your…if we…oh, forget it! I don't make references to your and Noin's love life when you say something a little, well, possibly, off color. Not that my remark was in that way at all, I just meant it strictly for what I meant it, business, work, and that's all!" Relena's face was flushed. Her hands were twisting in her lap. Her eyes stared down at them and then back up at her brother in flashing pulsations, back and forth and back and forth, even after she had ceased to speak.

"Relena, calm down. You've worked yourself into a tizzy." He put a comforting hand on her shoulder.

She shrugged it off and shot him a glare as piercing as broken glass. "I have not worked myself into anything. I would appreciate it if you would kindly leave me to my own dealings and not try to interrogate me about my husband. He is my husband, and if I intend for it to be that way, it will. If I do not, it will not. Understood?"

"I didn't even. . ."

"Enough!" She picked up the phone at her bedside table, "Christopher, would you kindly escort my brother to his car. He should be at the stairs any moment now." She continued to glare until Milliardo finally attempted his exit.

"I'm sorry. . . I love you, Relena." He frowned lightly as he gently closed the door. – What has gotten into that girl? –

AN: OK, everyone, I know you hate me, but I LOVE YOU! I'm sorry this is short, but it seemed like such a good place to stop, and I should be out with a chapter 8 before too long. Let's shoot for next weekend? Then it may be two weeks, but I'm trying to get back on a schedule (I make no promises, only aspirations)!

Special Thanks:

TheEvilAshleyness – ok, sorry to confuse. To answer your question, yes and no. I couldn't ruin HYxRP so I promise there will be some DMxHS, eventually. Thanks for the review!

LucreziaNoin86 – Thanks! I'm keeping them…as fast as I can…

Hououza – Yeah, poor Rel is having a time, but no worries. However, I have got a little more to put the poor girlie through.

crystal-gundam – Thank you, darling. To answer your question, eventually.