Disclaimer: I don't own any Gundam Wing characters. I only own Clare, and this plot.

Chapter Two: Twirl Me Faster

The Waltz – such a beautiful dance. It shows how graceful human beings can truly be in a state of vulnerability and despair. It shows honest emotions bursting out of the people at the seams, and laughter and smiling nearly comes naturally. People even lose all worries during the Waltz, just living it up in the moment. Most people, anyway. A group of ten twenty-somethings sat around the white table clothe covered round table, looking rather bored. Well, some of them looked bored, others looked longingly at the dance floor, some checked their manicures for at least the tenth time in the night, and some made small talk, or sad excuses for jokes. Many of the men had their legs crossed flimsily across the other, their hand holding up their chin. They added in slouching to really make them sparkle. The girls were beginning to feel the 'pain is beauty' rule, rubbing their Achilles tendon, their calves, or itching their neck where their necklace clung to.

The boys didn't seem to mind that they weren't dancing, but they were rather bored looking. The girls however, well, that was a different story.

Relena would glance from the dancers, to Heero, to her friends, and back down to her hands resting in her lap. Sally had her arms crossed her cheeks pink. She would occasionally death glare Wufei, but he didn't seem to notice. Catherine just sighed a few times, while Clare just eyeballed her friends, wondering what guy to dance with. Wufei was taken – and not her type, thankfully. Trowa seemed to be exclusive only to Cathy, Quatre was out of the question, cause well, duh, obvious one there. Heero was rather attractive, but it seemed like he had a hidden thing for Relena. That left Duo. However Clare didn't like Duo in that way, and wasn't sure if she ever could. She basically viewed him as her brother's braided, geeky-humored friend. Plus he was still pining over Hilde. Anyways, the girl who was in despair over not dancing the most was Dorothy. She'd look longingly at couples dancing, and even would whimper time to time.

There was silence, other than the distant mingling and music. Whimper. Clare winced.

Someone laughing, the crinkling of Catherine's napkin, whimper whimper.

"Oh for Heaven's sake!" Clare grumbled. She looked at their table for possible pawns to be forced into dancing with Dorothy to shut her up. She felt dismayed when she realized there was no one, but then a light bulb flashed on. She could bribe Quatre! She leaned over to her older brother, and whispered, "Quatre, ask Dorothy to dance."

He turned quickly to face his sister, and a look of bewilderment, horror, and disgust tickling his features. "You're kidding." He said, sheerly flabbergasted.

"No, really. It'll shut her up." Clare said, just as a perfectly-timed whimper sounded out. Everyone at the table winced, or did an irritated fidget. Heero just unlocked the safety on his gun. Quatre obviously heard the click, because a look of panic rushed on him. He certainly didn't want to feel guilty for a death.

He used his charming judgment and hoped there was a good part of Dorothy in there somewhere. Without a second's more hesitation, he said, flustered, "Dorothy, would you like to dance?"

"About damn time!" was her response. She didn't like Quatre, and even as a friend, he'd annoy her with his over-sensitivity. However, she was desperate to on the dance floor, and she preferred it be someone she knew, and not some sex pervert, so she was desperate. She knew it would just kill Quatre to know she wasn't interesting in him like that, however, he actually seemed to not be interested in her in that sense either, which made her raise an eyebrow. Usually she had a fan club of boys after her. It was almost an insult for someone not to like her. However, since she really wanted to dance, she kept her mouth shut. The two made it to the dance floor, and Quatre took her by the hand, and put his other hand on her hip. She looked a bit shocked, and flinched at first.

"Dorothy, we're dancing." Quatre said flatly to her reaction, as if she was overreacting.

"Well yeah, but I never thought you were a take-charge guy." She muttered, rolling her eyes.

She instantly wished to be sitting than dance with him.

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Back at the table, things weren't going much better. Sally was getting angrier every second Wufei didn't seize to ask her to dance. It appeared she was biting her tongue so she wouldn't bite his head off. Trowa would glance uncomfortably at Catherine, knowing very well he should ask her to dance. After all, she loved him enough o lie to be his sister, so why couldn't he return some form of a thanks or emotion?

"Cathy," He said, his voice sounding much more nervous that he intended it to be, "Would you like to dance?" Her grin nearly stretched off of her cheeks, and the two of them headed out by Quatre and Dorothy, who looked like they weren't have much fun at all. Quatre took a second to glare at Clare at the table, and she had to hold in a laugh. She knew she would be paying for this on later, but at the moment it was quite humorous.

"Wufei." Sally said, in a tone the others had never heard her speak in before; Wufei must have heard this tone though, because he instantly went pale, and turned his head slowly to stare at her, "Ask me to dance."

Her words certainly cut into him like knives, but the meaning of them didn't seem to click. "If you have to tell me to ask you, then what's the point?" Sally's eyes seriously looked like they flashed fire in them.

"The point is if you don't ask me to dance, then the couch will have a new bedtime partner." She spat out.

This seemed to click with him, and he muttered, "Wouldyouliketodance." She stood abruptly, yanking him to the dance floor.

Clare hid a smile, and she glanced at Duo to see him already planning some for of a retaliation joke for later. He glanced over, sensing someone staring at him, and his grin melted away. He just looked at her quizzically, and she raised an eyebrow. She certainly wasn't checking him out, but she knew that his ego was already demanding to him that was the case. She fluttered her eyes over to Relena, who wasn't having very much luck with Heero, who had his vision directly to the table top, and didn't even seem to register anything else happening.

"Relena." Clare said, glancing at Duo, and then to Heero, and then back to her, "Me and you should dance. Since these suckers don't seem to have any courage, why should we let our nights be spoiled?" She gave a devilish smirk.

Duo glanced over. He wasn't a sucker. Pfft. However, he did have to admit that was very intuitive for her to think of such a plot on the spot. It reminded him of himself, to be honest.

Relena looked startled, taking it in. She glanced to Heero, who didn't seem to have registered anything still. She glanced back down to her hands folded in her lap, thinking of an answer.

Heero was surprised. No outside feature could possibly show this. However, his heart raced a bit more, and he almost was feeling foolish for not seizing his chance. Then again, he knew Relena, and knew she wouldn't run and dance with Clare, not if there was a chance of dancing with him. "Sure." Relena said, grinning. WHAT? Heero's eyes fled over to the exuberant Relena. She was full of surprises, and that excited and scared him both at the same time.

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The girls made it to the dance floor and joined the others. "Well, why don't we go out there?" Duo asked, chuckling. Heero rolled his eyes.

"Duo.. no." He muttered, the first actual phrase he had said that night.

"Why not? You missed your chance to ask her, buddy. Besides, if we are out there, you might have a chance to sneak and get with her." Duo said, raising his eyebrows, like he did anytime he thought he had a brilliant plan.

"I could always pistol whip Clare out of the way." Heero said, picturing it.

"No!" Duo said, his eyes bugging out. He swallowed, and smiled, and said, "Er, don't do that. I'll just take her away from Relena."

Heero sat there like stone. Who am I kidding? Relena wouldn't want to dance with me. "No." Was his response. It was too late. Duo took charge, and was yanking Heero out there. "Duo!" He hissed, shoving his hand in his pocket to scare him into thinking he was going to shoot him.

"Come on, Heero! Tell her how you feel!" Duo said excitedly, obviously wanting to be the savior who started a relationship.

"I don't feel anything for her!" Heero whispered frantically, his face contorting into worry. They were getting closer to the two girls giggling and having fun. "They're having fun Duo." He muttered. Duo stopped dragging the usually silent boy. He seemed to have realized this as well, and didn't want to get two girls on his arse for butting in.

"Fine." Duo sighed. The two boys stood there a moment, and Duo grabbed Heero and started twirling around.

"Duo!" Heero belted out, frantically trying to pull his hands from his grasp.

"Heero, you're not doing it right…" Duo mumbled. Relena and Clare just glanced at them, and giggled at the situation.

"We don't need them to ask. He will come to you eventually, you know." Clare said, giving a reassuring smile to Relena, who suddenly looked depressed.

"Maybe." She breathed, not sounding very convincing.

A/N: I like this chapter! So far, I believe this to my favorite and best story that I've made, and I hope you feel the same way! Thanks for the review, and I hope you enjoy this chapter as much as I did while typing it! Sorry it's a little short, but I just wanted to individualize the dance as a single section. Alright, go review! Hehe.

-Kam