I do not own Gundam Wing. This fan fiction has no commercial value and I am not making any kind of profit or income off of this. I also do not own the quote below…and don't know who to contribute it to - other than perhaps the creators of Xena (don't ask).

You could miss your true path by the width of a hair, but that is the same thing as missing by a mile.

Chapter 2

While Relena escaped to the movies, Heero Yuy conducted an all-out manhunt. Preventers combed the Conference Hall and surrounding five-mile radius. After (unnecessarily) kicking in the swinging doors on each of the stalls, he caught a flash of his reflection in the women's restroom mirror; a permanent-looking scowl had taken up residence on his features. 'You were tricked. Again. Idiot.' He sighed.

The open window was clearly a ruse. It led nowhere and there were no footprints in the exposed patches of soil. He glanced up at the ceiling. 'Could she have managed that?' He shook his head. 'It's the only logical route. But, where?'

After a half hour of fruitless searching, Heero was forced to contact her chief of security - Relena's older brother, Zechs Merquise. Saying that wasn't a pleasant conversation...

...

"You lost her?"

Heero cringed. "Misplaced."

"You can't 'misplace' a person! If this were an actual branch of the military, I would have you thrown in the brig. Find her!"

...

Finally, the searchers found a missing ceiling tile in the men's restroom. Heero cursed and punched the wall.

Approximately two hours later, after all the credits had rolled and every other audience member was long gone, Relena left the safety of the theater and walked into the lobby of the movie house. She wasn't surprised to see the tall man with platinum-blonde hair she called brother, nor the sullen young man with piercing blue eyes she had escaped from earlier that day - standing apart from the cheerful, bubbling crowd. The matching Preventer uniforms and similar cold expressions froze the air around them. Relena squared her shoulders and prepared for the worst.

...

Zechs watched Relena stride through the milling after-movie mob to make her way over to them. She probably knew the Preventers had the place surrounded, and therefore didn't bother to put up a fight. They had tracked her down through the cab company, somehow missed that morning by the routine scanning of her phone records for recent, suspicious calls. His shoulders tensed and he couldn't help but grumble under his breath. "Idiots are supposed to catch that shit."

This wasn't the first time she had done something like this. But the ditching of her guard detail was going to stop - tonight.

...

Her face set in a grim expression, the young ESUN Minister approached the two men; she ducked her head, and took her place between the two men that guarded her life with all they were worth. The only difference was that to one, it was a labor of love, but to the other, he was just doing his job.

The three rode in strained silence back to the Peacecraft Mansion; Relena knew this was the proverbial calm before the storm. She'd received a warning the last time - a couple of weeks, ago, now. And the time before that. Her brother's temper had escalated over the last month, but then, so had her 'unsupervised outings'. A quick glance at her brother's profile - his mottled complexion, the hard set of his jaw... She cringed. Hurricane Zechs would touch land tonight; there would be no pity for those caught in his path.

When the small group arrived at Relena's home, Duo Maxwell stood up. He'd apparently been waiting - on the front steps; in full uniform. His face settled into his trademark grin with pinched eyebrows. A mischievous look on the mid-twenties former Gundam pilot. Complete with boyishly plump cheeks and long eyelashes. He stroked the end of his braid as Heero and Zechs accompanied the ESUN Minister into the house.

"So you thought you could do so much better, huh, Yuy? Guess you're not so smart after all." Duo taunted his friend and replacement as Relena's head bodyguard. He grinned at Relena, his violet eyes dancing as she climbed the small set of steps to the front door. She swallowed a smile when he winked at her.

Yes, the great Heero Yuy had been beaten.

Relena pressed fingers to her temples and lowered her eyes. It had been non-stop since she arrived home. Her brother had dragged her into his office and launched into his usual tirade. She sighed and let her mind wander as far as she could - with the angry ranting and droning a constant source of stress.

She'd heard it all before: Preventer was just trying to protect her; she had a responsibility. She was too important to maintain the peace. Blah blah blah. 'I'm a mid-level diplomat who was on the world stage eight years ago - for what felt like her fifteen minutes of fame'. Certainly, she didn't have to be kept in a glass enclosure forever.

Relena glanced up at the sound of her own voice. She hadn't meant to declare the sentiment out loud. She cringed as Milliard's complexion changed from its usual pale hue to a dark crimson red. "You're not a prisoner! How dare you insinuate-"

The ESUN Minister tuned him out again and went back to her inner turmoil. She didn't want her brother to worry, but she couldn't stand being followed around by a bodyguard all day, everyday, every minute. She couldn't eat or sleep without one being only a few feet away. The constant watchfulness in and of itself caused a certain level of strain... Irritation she had learned to live with for extended periods, but still needing the occasional free excursion.

'And then you found him and put him in charge of my daily life.' She caught her breath as hot acid leaked into her stomach. Her heart twisted.

At first, she had been pleased when Heero was assigned to take over Duo's old post. Not that Relena didn't like Duo – she just liked the thought of having Heero's attention. She thought there was a reason he came back, some deeper meaning to his motivations besides wanting to protect her.

'A mistake.' Relena shook her head.

Now, she was sorry for every time she had ditched Duo and made him look bad. In truth, Relena had regretted it before, and always apologized to her dear friend. She was just one of those people that needed to have time to herself. And 'losing' Duo had become somewhat of a game. She never thought they'd reassign him.

She let out the breath she had been holding, and realized her ears no longer reverberated with the deep sound of her brother's angry baritone. She looked up at him and waited to see if he would continue, but his pinched brow and lively complexion told her he had finished. This was the part where she normally apologized and tried to make up with him – telling him not to worry so much, the world was at peace, etc.

But not tonight.

No, she'd had enough of Mr. I-think-I'm-God, Yuy.

"Milliardo," she began and stood up.

Fire lit in her eyes as she met Zechs' gaze. This was supposed to be the part where she apologized and promised to change, where she told him not to worry so much. But this... This didn't sound like an act of contrition.

"I want Heero Yuy reassigned." Relena squared her shoulders as she stood up. "I don't want him as my personal bodyguard."

The former Oz soldier swallowed, felt something hit his throat, and had to cough. He sputtered, covering his mouth as he regarded his sister's rigid posture and clenched jaw. He glanced from his sister to Heero; dark blue eyes glared back.

Zechs shook his head. "Come again?"

"I want Heero Yuy reassigned. Place him somewhere else, anywhere else. I hear there are some nice space asteroids that Preventer has commandeered as outposts, if I could make a recommendation. But, bottom line, I don't want him as my personal bodyguard. I want him gone." Her tone sounded firm and crisp; she didn't even blink.

"But…"

"No. I will continue to be difficult and I promise that if he is not reassigned immediately, I will cease to obey his orders and lose him every chance I get."

"Relena, don't be a God damned fool! Yuy's the best there is." He paused, seething a breath before continuing. "Besides, I thought you two were," a shudder worked its way down his spine, "friends." No matter how hard he tried, Zechs couldn't help but trip over the last word.

Her aquamarine eyes blazed. "We were never friends, Milliard. It's apparent he doesn't give a damn about me personally. Someone like that isn't going to give one hundred percent to the task of protecting me." Her delicate hands wove themselves into a white knuckle grip in front of her waist.

"On the contrary, Relena, a lack of emotion on my part will always keep me focused on my mission." Heero's deep monotone materialized from the far corner of the room.

Relena stiffened as she spun around. Heero stepped out of a shadowy corner of the room. She glared at him before turning back to address her security advisor. "Despite what he says, brother, I find him inadequate for the task and I want him removed." Her voice rose as she strode towards the door. She paused mid-exit and tossed over her shoulder: "Immediately."

Milliardo watched his sister storm into the hallway, slamming the door to his office shut behind her. He pivoted to face the stone-faced young man. "She sounds serious, Yuy. What did you do?"

...

Heero shrugged. "I've done my job, nothing more, nothing less." He frowned, thinking of the hateful-sounding words she had uttered a few moments ago. "

I find him inadequate for the task…I want him reassigned."

The former Wing Zero pilot shook his head. He didn't understand why he felt so….hurt by her words. 'Pride.' The word surfaced in his mind. 'She's wounded my self-image.'

He met Zechs' gaze. "I can handle her. She won't get away again."

"See that she doesn't. She's apparently very unhappy with you for some reason. If she continues to remain so, I will have to have you reassigned. Even if it's her own foolishness, I can't have her endangering her life."

Heero nodded. "Understood."

It had been over a week since Relena had issued her ultimatum to fire Heero Yuy from his post as her bodyguard, and yet he still followed her every move - during daylight hours. Despite that fact, she was in a good mood. It was Friday, and her schedule was light in preparation for the weekend.

She placed a few necessities into her briefcase and headed downstairs for breakfast. As always, her dutiful shadow followed.

...

The ESUN Minister rode with Heero to her office in absolute silence. He noted that she hadn't spoken to him in days. He supposed it had something to do with the fact that he had yet to be reassigned, despite her insistence.

After her evening escape to the movie house - which wouldn't be complete without Zechs' tirade - Relena had submitted a formal request to Une. The head of the Preventer organization, a somewhat secretive paramilitary organization championed and formed at Relena's request, took the matter seriously and contacted the Minister's chief of security.

True to his nature, however, Zechs moved to block Heero's removal. And, in doing so, had added himself to Relena's 'not-on-speaking-terms-with' list.

Heero was surprised that despite her normally talkative nature, she had managed to keep silent for a week, already.

Again, he felt pain clutch his chest, but the former Gundam pilot pushed it aside. This was his job – no more, no less. If Relena didn't talk to him, fine - less distraction that way.

...

The car pulled up in front of the large steel and glass, modern-looking building and she got out. Relena no longer waited for Heero to open the door for her. She brushed past him with a stiff, haughty air, arriving at her office suite within a few minutes. She greeted her secretary and checked her agenda for the day. "Ah, a meeting with Ambassador Dixon from the L4 colony. Wonderful." She sighed and rolled her eyes.

The secretary frowned and glanced at the schedule, opening her mouth to address her boss, but Relena continued briskly into her inner office and shut the door. Seconds later, the panel opened and Heero marched in, taking up his usual post along the far wall and next to the window. Relena didn't even glance up as he entered the room.

Just before lunch, Relena pushed the button on the intercom. The secretary's voice came on. "Miss Relena, Ambassador Dixon is here."

"Thank you, Judy," Relena replied with a breathy sigh she hoped sounded fatigued. The ESUN Minister knew Heero hated what Duo called 'schmooze-fest' – where she had to greet foreign diplomats with more enthusiasm than she felt. "Heero, would you mind terribly much if I asked you to bring me something to drink to tide me over until lunch? I'm afraid Mr. Dixon can be quite long-winded."

...

Heero's raised an eyebrow and internally noted that a week was apparently her threshold for not speaking to him. He wordlessly agreed, thankful to miss out on the sickeningly animated greetings those 'diplomats', for lack of a better word, required from Relena. He left the office quickly to avoid seeing even the beginning of 'schmooze-fest'.

When he returned, the door was already locked. He could hear the Ambassador's voice droning on and on in a boorish monologue. He sighed and slumped into a chair just outside the room.

'How does she endure these guys?' He closed his eyes and let his mind drift into an empty space.

An hour went by. He found thoughts surfacing in his head like: 'I need to change the oil on my motorcycle this weekend.' And 'maybe I should just buy more socks and throw out the dirty ones.'

The old man's continued windbagging inside the ESUN Minister's office had to be boring the snot out of poor Relena… 'Poor Relena?' He frowned at the thought, but then pricked up his ears as his mind snagged a familiar phrase out of the Ambassador's endless babble.

"Tomorrow we will make a statement to the world…."

'Tomorrow's Saturday? There's nothing-' He jolted upright as he listened more closely to the Ambassador's speech. He had heard that last sentence before. With a burning, sinking feeling tunneling into his stomach, he realized he had heard the whole damned thing before.

"Damn it, Relena!" He cursed and stood up. Heero backed up a few steps and rushed at the door! He slammed one hardened shoulder and elbow into the edge of the panel. The wooden barrier flew aside.

"Shit!" He yelled at the empty room - save for the tape recorder on Relena's desk whining out Ambassador Dixon's disarmament treaty speech.

Heero picked it up and switched it off. A tight, breathless feeling gripped his ribcage. 'An hour headstart. She has a fuckin' hour head start.'

Anger welled, filled the empty spaces in his stomach, chest; it spilled into his arms, legs, shoulders. His hands shook.

"DAMMIT, RELENA!" He threw the tape recorder against the wall. The antiquated 'machine' exploded into tiny pieces of plastic and metal, sliding down the plaster wall and showering the floor with ribbons of tape spilling out of the wreckage.

'Why won't you let me protect you?'