It's My Life

Okay, as promised, here's Lena's side of 'For Rel' and 'Get Rel'.

This is the end of the "For Rel" section, I will now be going into the "Get Rel" portion. I'm finally getting back into writing fan fiction.

At the airport in New York, waiting for the hour long layover to come to a close, Relena grabbed the closest vid-phone to her terminal. She could have used a regular phone for this call as it was less costly, but she wanted to see her friends one last time. One right, two rings, three rings…

"You're late!" Draca accused, startling Relena to the point that she almost dropped the phone. She had never been so sternly scolded by Draca for tardiness in the past; in fact, Draca was often the one to encourage Relena to exercise her right to be tardy at times. "Tardiness does not exist. It only exists to those who cannot appreciate someone taking her time to do things right does the word 'tardiness' exist," Draca had reasoned with the nuns at the St. Gabriel Institute each time she was late for class, it got her detention more often than not.

"I was worried that your hound dog had sniffed you out and caught you," added Draca, her tone and expression softening to one of relief. "Don't scare me like that ever again." Relena smiled gently and nodded, she had not meant to cause alarm but at least her friend was not angry with her, just concerned.

Sage gently nudged Draca from the screen with an apologetic expression. "Sorry 'bout that, we've been talking…and you see…" he cleared his throat, "we don't want you to go."

Relena was speechless despite the fact that Sage had said the last part rather slowly to prevent her from not understanding what he was saying. There were several responses Relena could have made like, "too bad," but these people were her consistently devoted friends who had been ethereally supportive, understanding, and loving. She was being selfish and they had encouraged her to be so when dealing with her personal life and goals for the last eight months. Yet, they wanted her safe, they wanted her…to stay with them and she wanted to stay with them too.

"I don't want to go Sage, but…I have to. Well, I don't really have to but I kind of need to unless I want to get caught," Relena muttered, feeling the stinging of tears at the corners of her eyes.

Now it was Sage's turn to be nudged aside by Adam. "Quit it Sage, you're going to make her cry," the twin scolded then turned to Relena with a twisted forlorn-happy smile that made Relena want to cry even more. "Everything's ready for you."

"Thank you, is she going to be there to pick me up?" Relena asked through the static. "She" meaning Lynn, who, for whatever reason, was not present to speak with Relena on the vid-phone.

"Yeah, she'll be there to pick you up and drop you off at the train station," nodded Adam with his "Adam grin" on his face. Now, he was back to normal, or as normal as was for Adam Witt.

Sage interjected, "Relena, you don't have to do this! Come on, you could talk to Heero and the others and convince them to at least let you finish the semester of college."

Tempting, the idea was tempting but frightening all at one. The fear suppressed the temptation making Relena shake her head. "No, he wouldn't understand my desire to go to school. Besides, this new college I'm going to Jo-Jo set me up, plus my record at college will be deleted as though I never existed." Heero was not the only person who thought ahead and he could blame himself for Relena's thoroughness as she had seen him do the same, or at least knew what he had done the same.

"Okay," Sage sighed defeated. The former Vice Foreign Minister felt the urge to somehow reach out and hug her friend, assure him that she was doing the right thing, but alas, technology had yet to reach the point where communication from opposite sides of earth and space could be physical and not just visual and verbal.

Draca elbowed the boys out of her way and got as close as she could the vid-screen. "Hey girl, I'm really going to miss you."

"I'll be missing you too, all of you. Perhaps we should do lunch sometime," suggested Relena with a hopeful smile, the dreadful tears were back.

"Do lunch? Sure, I can just hop on a plane and be right over, right?" Draca joked sarcastically.

"Smart mouth," she commented. It was true though, as long as Relena was going to stay in the United States she would not be able to see her friends whenever she wanted like in Italy.

"I know I'm a smart mouth, but seriously how would we do lunch?" inquired Draca. There was a new meaning to her words, Relena realized, Draca was asking, "When are we going to see each other you with gone?"

"We could set up a monthly day when we all do lunch together, the entire, entire group," proposed Relena, emphasizing "entire" to include her cousin's friends. "How does that sound to you all?"

Draca looked back at the boys with a pleading expression. "It's cool with us," Adam answered, standing beside Draca so he was Relena's sight and then Sage joined them.

"Flight I-85 to Verona, Italy is now boarding rows…"

"That's my flight. I have to go guys. I love you guys," Relena told them while being reluctant to hang up the phone.

"Before you go Relena we just want to say," Adam began as he glanced at Draca and Sage.

All at once they took a deep breath and began singing, "Show me the way to go home, I'm tired and wanna go to bed. I had a little drink about an hour ago, and it went right to my head. No matter where I roam. O'r land or sea or foam, you'll always hear me singin' this song. Show me the way to go home."

Laughter filled the feed and Relena wiped a tear from her eye. They were all truly the greatest friends a girl like herself could have asked for. "Okay guys, I seriously have to go. Bye," waved Relena, moving to hang up.

"We love you, girl!" she heard Draca yelled before the feed was cut.

"I love you guys too."

Relena did not sleep on the flight from New York to Italy, she was nervous. Part of her knew that Heero was getting closer to the truth or even worse, already knew that Salimar Reigns was a lie. Even if he did know, she prayed that she would make it back to Verona and to the train station before Heero could stop her. It was all a matter of timing, something every actress had to have in a performance.

"The actors are in place and the lights have risen again. Scene seven is ready to be performed," Relena muttered under her breathe as she watched the dark world known as Verona enlarge with the plane's descent.

Upon landing, Relena was relieved to be released from the confines of the plane and ran, literally, through the airport with her single bag and into Lynn outside the doors. "Ow."

"There you are, Lena, let's get going girl," Lynn smiled gently, leading the former Vice Foreign Minister to the van and opening the passenger door.

"I thought you couldn't park here," Relena commented, getting into the van with her bag planted between her feet as Lynn closed the door. Skipping in front of the vehicle, Lynn opened the driver door and slid into the seat, closing the door behind her.

Buckling up, Lynn answered, "I'm not parked," she shifted the van from "park" to "drive."

Relena rolled her eyes, "I see…"

"It's a precaution, the van's still running," Lynn nodded, checking her blind spots for a place to pull out into traffic with her blinker on. "Jo-jo's daughter, Joey, is picking you up at the train station to go to the United States. There's a photo of her in the glove compartment for you to take. Jo-jo gave it to me to give to you, she really admires you, you know, and she sends her best wishes for your future." She gave a small laugh. "As a side note she says, keep up the music and writing, you may make a great writer either in composing harmonies or fiction yet."

Having met the college director five times before entering college then almost everyday on campus, Relena knew Jo-jo Alley fairly well and that she had two children whose pictures she kept in a frame in her office. In fact Relena was certain Hilde would have noticed it when she went for "Salimar Reigns'" background information. Jo-jo Alley was a woman of flexible morals and if a person did not think outside the lines then it was hard to grasp her meanings or motives for actions, it was a trait Relena found out during their first meeting. Jo-jo was the only person Relena felt saw through her disguise as 'Salimar Reigns' but never questioned Relena about it.

Opening the compartment, Relena found the picture; Joey Alley was a girl with lengthy black hair, brilliant green eyes hidden behind black glasses, and a playful smirk playing on her lips. "She looks nice," the former politician commented, pocketing the picture.

"Your cousin says she's fun and is your escort," Lynn added as she pulled out of her parking space and into traffic. "There's a gift for you by your feet."

Bending down Relena found a box wrapped in newspaper comics which she wanted to read but it was too dark to read the strips. "I love the wrapping." Grabbing the present, she sat back and looked at Lynn with a reprimanding scowl. She was touched yet she felt there was no need for the gift. "Lynn…"

"Don't get your knickers in a twist," Lynn smiled, her voice starting to choke, "it's from all of us and we decided that you will not be able to escape as a blond girl or with green hair, so…just open the blasted box and see for yourself."

Without objection or hesitation, Relena tore at the covering feeling a tinge of guilt at ruining such perfect comics but she quickly dismissed the feeling as she opened the lid. Inside laid a wig made of gently curled red hair. It was not fiery red or a golden-red, just red like a fresh apple. On top laid two contact cases, one labeled 'B' and the other 'Bl.' 'B' obviously representing 'brown' and 'Bl' meaning 'blue.'

"Since you did not wear your glasses or take your contacts to Illinois with you--shame on you for that--I took the liberty of packing them. Your glasses should be in your mini-backpack and those contacts with the blue abbreviation are meant to further hide you from the Preventers at the train station," Lynn explained. "After all, your stalker, pretty-boy crush is supposed to be the best soldier and I would think he takes in the minor details."

Relena did not bother to point out that he seemed to have recently been lacking in that department for the last few months. Instead she simply said, "Thank you." Somehow that 'thank you' seemed so inadequate to Relena in summing up her gratitude to her friends. Hugging the sealed box close, she felt tears brimming the corners of her eyes.

Lynn noticed the hunched posture her friend had assumed and nudged the girl. "Hey, don't start shedding any tears on my. You know I hate emotional good-byes and if you start crying I'll start crying then I won't be able to see where I'm driving and we'll get into a car crash."

Laughing, Relena nodded and wiped her eyes with the back of her hand. "I really wish I did not need to go," she muttered.

There was a sign from Lynn that seemed to echo those sentiments but still acknowledge the reality behind the decision. "We all do Lena, but you have been playing a dangerous game with Heero. He could have figured everything out if he had decided to read the bracelets in his possession. Knowing this you continued to hide under his nose, a risky choice. You've played your cards well so far and you have the lead, now you're going to try your luck elsewhere before folding your hand and cashing in your winnings. It's a risk but you are willing to take it Lena, for that I commend you and wish you luck."

Pulling the van to the front of the train station, Lynn shifted the vehicle into 'park' and opened her visor mirror to pull out the blank envelope with Relena's ticket in it, Relena already had her passport. "Here you are a one-way to freedom. In the envelope I've included a fake passport in case you need to pretend you're a redhead and where you're to meet Joey."

Relena smiled, that was her friend always thinking of the minor details and the what-ifs. "Thanks Lynn," she muttered, reaching for the envelope. Instead of just taking the envelope, Relena lunged at her friend and hugged her.

Momentarily taken back, Lynn gapped at her friend's actions before she relaxed and patted Relena's back, feeling a few tears soak through her jacket. "Hey," she reprimanded, "what did I say about crying?" The runaway ignored her and began to shake. "Lena, don't cry hon, you know I can't stand to see you in tears, happy or sad. You should have a smile, a dreamy look, contemplative expression, anything rather than tears in your eyes."

"You guys are the best," Lynn vaguely heard Relena mumbled into her shoulder.

"So are you," returned Lynn, kissing Lena's cheek. "Now go, before you make me decide to kidnap you just to keep you from leaving."

Choking out a laugh, Relena released her hold and gathered her gift and carryon on bag. Opening the door, she stepped out and closed the door, then opened the back door; on the floor laid Relena's duffle bag, packed for another departure. Duffle bag slung over her shoulder, Relena closed the door and turned to the entrance.

Part of her wanted to jump back in the van and turn herself in, cash in her chips, but her mind told her to go with no more "good-byes" lest she give in to her id.

Entering the train station, Relena searched out the nearest bathroom as she figured that she had at best a half an hour before Heero and any other Preventer raided the station in hopes of catching her, so to prevent that from happening she was going to put on her new wig and her new contacts in. There was a restroom in the corner and Relena made a b-line for it.

Inside she deposited her bag by the farthest sink and took out her new wig and the contact sets. Disposing the box in a trashcan, it would be found eventually but by then it will not matter, Relena adjusted her hair to make it fit under the fake mass. Pulling the wig on with a practiced motion, she moved the curls from her eyes and adjusted the natural hair so none of it outshined the false strands. Opening the blue contact case, Relena swiftly and efficiently scooped up the contacts and placed each one in her eyes, one at a time.

Blinking a few times, the runaway saw her new image for the first time; a gently curled redhead with bright Persian blue eyes just like Heero's but different. Heero's eyes could be the window to his emotions at times when his guard was down but at other times they were vacant, like a doll's.

The image struck a nerve with Relena so violently that she snapped her head away, grabbed her bags and contact cases, and then left the bathroom. Standing amongst the crowd she opened the envelope Lynn had given her and shifted through for the not telling her where she was to meet Joey. She found it, a bench beneath the sign for the one o'clock train leaving for Paris.

Perfect, she thought, pulling out her ID and putting it in her back pocket for easy access in case she was asked about it. Everything in order, Relena moved with the crowd toward her destination, passing through baggage checks and ticket scan with flying colors. Finding the bench was easy but as the former Vice Foreign Minister sat there watching people come and go, to and fro, her mind turned to a more unwanted topic; Heero…

He seems…not happy but not miserable with Sylvia, she noted while thinking back at the time at Giorgio's bar and in the Noventa household. There had been moments during his short stay when the two were "alone" that there would be a brief kiss, touch, or when they would hold hands. Perhaps he is content with her, perhaps he loves her. The thought hurt but Relena could not decipher if it hurt because she felt guilty for being jealous that Heero found some semblance of love and normalcy with Sylvia, or if she was hurt because she felt betrayed. He deserves to be loved as much I deserve freedom from him.

It seemed to be a fair trade.

Resolute in her resolve, Relena opened her bag, ripping out a piece of paper and grabbing a pen from the fabric confines. Using the bench as a desk, Relena began to write. She paused once in a while to search her mind for the correct word to express her thoughts. It was most certainly not the most eloquent writing she ever did but it expressed her wishes, and that was all that counted.

Her work of expression done, Relena noticed that a girl sat on the bench across the crowds. The fact that someone sat there was not what caught Relena's attention; it was the fact that the girl had the moss green hair color Relena had been wearing for the last few weeks as Salimar Reigns. This fact made Relena gnaw at her lower lip as her brain began to finalize how to get this bit of writing to the right person or persons.

Emptying the envelope Lynn had given her the former politician folded her paper and stuffed it into the envelope not even bothering to seal it. With an elegant hand and with more flourish than necessary, Relena wrote two little words on the envelope and set it aside. Now, she just had to wait for the most opportune moment to arrive, preferably before the Preventers began to storm the station.

"Track 205 to Paris has now entered the station and is boarding. Due to the late arrival, the train will be departing in five minutes. We apologize for the inconvenience," the computer system announced.

No reaction from the girl and Relena felt any hopes that she had riding on a simple coincidence begin to fade to dust. Oh well, perhaps her little letter will not be leaving her side but she was still not going to allow herself to be caught.

A few minutes after the announcement the girl looked up from her book, checked her watch, and tilted her head as she tried to recall something. In distress she began to chew at her bottom lip and glance around the station for something or someone…

She gathered her one bag luggage and purse, tucking her book under an arm, and stood up. Instead of joining the crowd like Relena thought, the girl approached her with a shy yet bewildered expression that would pull the sympathy strings of just about anyone. However, as her sympathy strings were being pulled Relena's paranoia side of her mind pointed out that this girl might be a Preventer in disguise…

They wouldn't know where I am, Adam and the others wouldn't tell until Lynn got back, she reminded herself but the paranoid feeling persisted so she chose to remain on her guard with the girl even if she turned out to be an innocent.

"Ano…" The woman spoke Japanese, Relena almost groaned as her brain supplied the connection between the Japanese language and a certain Heero Yuy. "Can you tell me if the 205 train to Paris has arrived yet?"

Almost blinded by her good fortune Relena almost forgot to answer the woman. "Yes, it arrived a few minutes ago and it will be leaving soon so you had better hurry if you want to catch it," she replied in fluent Japanese. Most people had difficulties changing languages but for Relena it was as easy as breathing. It came hand in hand with traveling with Mr. Darlian and her former career as Vice Foreign Minister.

"Arigato," smiled the woman, taking off toward the train that was nearby.

Relena's inner mind cheered at her good fortune and took her opportunity, possibly her only opportunity, to scurry across the floor to the empty bench and stuff the envelope between two planks of wood, leaving half of the envelope sticking out. Not wanting to somehow be caught, Relena hurried back to her bench and picked up her book, holding back a river of giggles.

"Relena!"

Tensing, Relena sneaked a glance in the direction she heard Heero's voice call from. She did not have to look far for he zipped by her toward the train the girl had just boarded but he had the door closed in his face right when he got to the car. He stared inside the car and for a moment Relena was tempted to stand and reveal herself, but any thought of reveal vanished as Duo and Hilde appeared on the scene and scanned the area.

"Excuse me, miss," Duo said, approaching Relena, "but did you happen to see a girl with green hair or maybe blond hair that had boarded that train?"

Putting on an Italian accent, which sounded more like a foreigner who had spent months in the country and caught grasp of some of the accent, Relena replied, "There was one sitting on that bench there but she just left on the train just now." She indicated to the moving train that Heero was following after, banging on the door futilely.

"That guy," Hilde sighed, while Duo went over to inspect the bench. Now, it was guaranteed that the envelope would get to Heero. "Thank you very much ma'am, could I perchance have your name?"

She had to think fast, her fake ID was in her bag and she could not look at the ID for her "own name," yet she could not remember the name to save her life. "Tory Joan." It was a fabrication that, to Relena, was not only ridiculous but transparent so it came to her as a surprise when Hilde wrote the name down and accepted that as the truth.

No more questions were asked as Hilde noticed Heero was coming back without a sign of disappointment or defeat, he was just as determined and stoic as ever.

Watching the Preventers huddle together, Relena returned to her "reading" and observed the group from over the top of her book while opening a bag of beef jerky with one hand. Duo said something then handed Heero the envelope and Relena held her breath, unconsciously. Seconds ticked by loudly in the runaway's ear as she watched the Preventer open the envelope and read over the letter.

The answer did not come from a verbal response, it came from Heero crumbling the letter. Finally she could breathe again and nibble at a bit of beef jerky. A tired smile graced her lips, he was not going to give up like she had suggested apparently; on one hand it made her exasperated but on the other hand she felt excited that this game of cat and mouse was still on. She loved games and this game was still on… She could hardly wait for the second level of the game to begin, but this time she was going to need some new ideas and new helpers.

Another person approached her.

"Are you ready to go now, Relena?" asked the girl.

A quick glance up was all Relena needed to know that this was the girl she had been waiting for, Josephina Alley. Her escort was here. "Quite so Joey, lead the way," nodded the redhead, putting her book away. "The game is still on." An idea struck her. "You wouldn't happen to know a talented group of individuals who are willing to play a game of pretend and to help a girl out?"

The new girl lifted an eyebrow as she grabbed Relena's duffle bag and a mischievous glint appeared in her eyes. "I might know a few friends willing to play."

"Good. That's very good…for me, anyway."

Thank you to: Liz for reviewing both chapters 18 and 19 at the same time, Pureevil230, Morrighan of Crimson and Sable, and AirStriker. You guys are great and I'm hoping to update sooner next time so you're not waiting for months between chapters.