I wanted to thank everyone who left reviews on the first two chapters. It was lovely to check my email and read that someone had enjoyed my story! I'm writing this story because I feel like this is something I need to do for myself, but the comments really do make me smile. So, thank you!

It really took me a while to write this chapter for some reason. This chapter is kind of short and is mainly Heero and Relena thinking about their relationship. I'll have them interact with each other more in the next chapter. Enjoy!

Chapter 3

Relena sat at her desk, drumming her pen thoughtfully against her desk. The repetitive sound had drawn the attention of her assistant twice already, but Relena couldn't seem to sit still. Her thoughts were so jumbled that she found it difficult to concentrate on her work. For the past week, she had gone out of her way to avoid Heero and he had done the same as well. They had not spoken about what happened in the game room, but the tension regarding the encounter filled their interactions.

When she stopped to actually think about Heero and her feelings for him, Relena found that she did care for him as more than just a friend. She could not distinguish if those feelings stemmed from simply being attracted to Heero physically or if they came from something deeper. Trying to figure it out usually ended up with Relena thinking in circles and winding up with a headache.

Although she knew there was something deeper between Heero and herself, Relena was reluctant to broach the subject with him. He had been so skittish when they initially became friends, as if he expected her to propose to him or something equally absurd. With time, they had settled into a comfortable friendship. If Relena was honest with herself, she had to admit that Heero was her only real friend. She had countless acquaintances at the office, but it wasn't like she could turn to them with her problems. After the war, she became friends with Hilde, Duo, and Quatre, but they all lived on the colonies and she rarely saw or spoke to them.

When she had a long day and needed someone to talk to, Relena turned to Heero. Because of this, Relena was hesitant to do anything that would strain or break their friendship. Even if it meant acting like nothing had happened. With her decision made to simply act as if nothing ever happened in hope of the awkwardness fading, Relena focused on her work for the day.

Heero stared at the wall of his office, which was a few doors down from Relena's. His feet were propped up on the edge of his desk while he glared the wall into submission. Since he was her bodyguard, Heero accompanied Relena to her office every day and he was given his own office fairly quickly. While Relena reasoned that it was so he would have his own personal space in the building, Heero had a strong feeling it was the fact that the politicians Relena met with did not enjoy having him glare at them during meetings and had expressed their discomfort to Relena.

Heero wasn't particularly upset that Relena's fellow politicians did not care for him. Heero didn't generally trust politicians. The whole lot of them were insidious and self-serving in Heero's opinion. As far as he was concerned, Relena was the only exception to the stereotype and, therefore, the only politician he even remotely trusted. He was paid to protect her from any and all threats and as far as he was concerned all of the politicians were still under suspicion.

With a sigh, Heero moved his feet off the desk. He was paid to protect Relena, with his life if necessary. He was not paid to grope or kiss her. He dropped his head into his hands. What had he done? Heero tried to keep things in black and white, but thinking about Relena brought shades of gray into the picture that he wasn't accustomed to dealing with. He didn't want a relationship and he couldn't love someone, but when he thought about Relena a comfortable warmth settled in his chest.

He acknowledged the fact that he cared about her more than any other person he knew. That fact did not automatically make his feelings love though. Heero knew that this situation was far from simple and that he had endlessly complicated it in the game room.

A part of him was resentful because he felt that people expected Relena and him to eventually fall in love and get married. With that expectation, people put pressure on them with or without realizing it.

Heero had lived his life following orders and guidelines, but only to an extent. This was his life and he would live it as he saw fit. He occasionally had to remind himself not to rule out the possibility of a relationship with Relena simply to spite other people. Heero had lived his life since the war as he saw fit. No more orders. He was following his own path now that was determined by what he wanted.

What did he want though? He had enjoyed being her bodyguard these past few years. It was nice to know that he had a friend who cared about him and Heero enjoyed the time he spent with Relena. He never got bored with her and they just seemed to mesh well together. But love? They certainly had a good amount of compatibility, but that alone does not mean they were in love.

Did he even know how to love? Was he capable of feeling that emotion? His entire life was spent being a soldier. He was trained that his life did not matter, only the success of the mission mattered. What kind of foundation was that for learning to love?

Duo always teased him about being emotionally stunted and maybe he was right. Until Relena came along, Heero had never given his emotions much thought. Now he found himself thinking about emotions and how he knew next to nothing about them. Battle tactics, security, technology. These were all things that Heero was well versed in, but companionship and feelings were still quite new to him.

He could laugh and joke and pretend that he was normal, but Heero knew that he was still carrying the scars of his childhood. Perhaps he always would.

Heero sighed and leaned back in his chair. In he was so unsure about his feelings then he had no business acting on them. With any luck, Relena and him could slip back into their normal routine and his transgression would be overlooked.

After all, since he had become her personal bodyguard, Relena had given him no indication that she even wanted to pursue something more with him. He was probably just over thinking the situation. So they had kissed? It didn't change the world and it didn't have to change them.

Satisfied that he would simply act as he always had, Heero opened his laptop and began his work for the day.

Heero knocked softly on the doorframe of Relena's office. The sun was setting and most of the other employees had already left for the evening. Relena glanced up to see Heero standing in the doorway. A knot of dread settled in her stomach at the thought of another evening spent in awkward silence with him. Relena mentally psyched herself up to act normal and try to put the situation at ease.

To her surprise though Heero spoke first. He slyly smirked, "Aren't you ready to go yet? We spend enough time in this building. I'm ready to leave, which I can't do unless you're ready. So…" He finished his sentence with a quick nod of his head towards the door.

With a few brief sentences, Heero had managed to place them and their relationship firmly back on solid ground. Relena nearly wanted to cry with relief. They were going to be fine. Their friendship was strong. It was almost unsettling how well they understood each other sometimes.

Relena rolled her eyes at him, "You're like a child sometimes, Heero."

He scoffed at her remark and smiled as she began to put her papers into piles on her desk. Heero always did love to win a fight.

Upon noticing his smug expression, Relena paused. "Oh, stop smirking. I had wanted to leave anyway."

"Of course," Heero insincerely conceded.

As they exited the car and headed into the house, Heero and Relena talked amiably about their days. Both Heero and Relena were thankful and appreciative that their relationship was back to the status quo. Once something has changed though, it can never be exactly the same. This was a lesson they would both come to learn over the next few months.

End Chapter 3