A/N: Sorry I took so long. I finally motivated myself past my writer's block and had chapter six nearly completed. But I wasn't happy with the results, so I scrapped the entire chapter and started over. Below is the result. I hope you enjoy it. I'll try to be more regular in my updates, but I'm afraid I can't promise anything. Anyway, thanks for reading and if you feel prone to review, well, that would really make my day!

Rain on the Roses
Chapter 6: Confession
By: Starlight – x1

"I'm worried about you Quatre."

The blonde ex-pilot looked up at his sister. Ariel stood, arms crossed as she frowned down at him. "You've been working too hard. You need a vacation."

Quatre smiled reassuringly up at her. "I'm fine Ari. I told you before; I'll take a vacation when I have the time, when things are less busy around here."

"Less busy? Quatre, things are NEVER less busy around here." Ariel threw her hands up in the air. "I don't know why I even bother, I mean, you're going to do what you're going to do. I'm just worried about you. You won't do anyone any good working yourself to death."

"I won't Ari, I promise." Quatre watched as his sister left his office, the door swinging shut silently behind her. He turned his gaze to the piles of paper filling his desktop. Reports, company policies, items that required his signature, they all sat, jostling each other, vying for his attention. No matter how long worked there would always be another pile for him in the morning. Ariel was right, Winner Inc was always busy, never less so.

A sudden feeling of frustration welled up inside him, one he'd been keeping locked deep within. His relationship with Relena wasn't progressing how he wished it would. Friendly, casual conversations over the vidphone weren't exactly cutting it anymore. He had tamped his feelings for her down so hard that now that he stopped to consider them they threatened to burst like water from a dam.

Quatre slammed both hands, palms down, on his desktop and rose, scattering paperwork. Ariel's visit had finally given him the impetus he needed. He stormed out of his office, startling his secretary.

"Mary, call and have my shuttle readied for a trip to Earth. Tell them I'll be there within an hour and forty five minutes. Forward all calls and paperwork to the proper department heads. If you absolutely must contact me you can call me, but only if it's an emergency."

"Yes Mr. Winner." Mary reached for her phone.

As Quatre left the office he could hear her requesting that his shuttle be ready. As he strode down the hallway towards the elevator bank he saw one of the doors begin to slide shut. "Hold the elevator please." He called out. The door suddenly reversed and he quickened his pace, bursting into the elevator car.

"My goodness." Iria released the button she'd pressed to keep the doors open. "Ariel was just telling me that she hadn't made any progress in convincing you to take a break. "

"Is there something wrong Quatre?" Ariel leaned forward and touched him lightly on the arm.

Quatre smiled at both his sisters as the elevator doors slid shut with a quiet whoosh. "Nothing to worry about Ari, I just decided to take your advice."

"Huh?" Ariel blinked.

"I'm being utterly and irrationally impulsive. I'm taking a spur of the moment vacation." Quate explained. "You were right when you said that things were never going to slow down around here."

"See Ari, he does listen to you, it just takes him a moment to process what you say sometimes." Iria teased before turning to Quatre. "But seriously, I'm glad you decided to take a break. You've accumulated too many stress lines recently." Iria tapped his forehead gently. "Anyway, don't worry about anything here. We'll manage, so don't think about cutting your vacation short just to hurry back here, right Ariel?"

"Uh huh. We'll take care of everything." Ariel smiled. "You really need to learn the art of delegating responsibility, little brother. Don't worry, we'll work on that when you get back."

Quatre shook his head at her. "You two, you're too much. But thanks, a bunch."

The elevator came to halt with the slightest hint of a jerk. The doors slid open with a ding. The three exited and stood for a moment in front of the elevators.

"Have a good time!" Ariel gave him a swift hug.

"Yes, do that." Iria added a hug of her own. "Just be careful."

"Aren't I always?" Quatre lifted a hand in a wave. "Don't worry, I'll be fine."

'''

Relena walked out of the conference center where she had been speaking with a group of politicians. She jumped as someone grabbed her arm. Swiveling she stared at the person who'd grabbed her. "Quatre?" She blinked at him. "I almost didn't recognize you with the sunglasses and ball cap."

"C'mon, I'm kidnapping you." Quatre gave her arm a tug.

"But…"

"It's all right, I've already cleared it with your bodyguard." Quatre sent a quick look at Trowa who nodded in response.

Relena looked back and forth between the two. "But…" She tried again.

Quatre gave her arm another tug. "You can protest in the car. Please Relena."

The plea in his voice quieted her protests and she allowed herself to be led to where Quatre had parked his car.

Relena leaned back and fastened her seatbelt as Quatre maneuvered the car out of the parking lot. "So, where are we going?"

"To a place with a nice view."

Relena tried to look at her watch surreptitiously. She caught Quatre's sidelong glance and flushed. "I'm sorry, I just have to pick up Eddie still. Hilde's watching him for me today."

"Don't worry, I called and told her you were going to be a little late today."

"My, you've got this all planned out don't you?"

Quatre pulled to the side of the road onto an outlook that looked out over the city. "I needed to talk to you." For a moment he sat, hand gripping the steering wheel so tightly his knuckles were white.

"Are you all right?" Relena released her seatbelt and looked at him carefully.

Quatre released his own seatbelt and then ran his hands through his hair, sighing loudly as he did so. "This is harder then I thought it would be." He turned towards her so suddenly that she jerked in surprise.

"I guess I should just come right out and say it." Quatre inhaled deeply. "Relena, I'm in love with you."

Relena blinked and felt her cheeks grow hot as she blushed. "I – I don't know what to say."

"That's all right. I know this has to be a shock." Quatre rubbed at his forehead. "This wasn't how I planned to tell you. I meant to take you out to a nice restaurant and tell you after dinner but when I saw you all I could think about was grabbing you and telling you right then and there." His voice trailed off.

They sat there in an awkward silence for a time. "Give me some time to think about this." Relena finally said softly.

"Take all the time you need." Quatre looked over at her, catching her gaze with his own. "I'll wait as long as it takes."

''''''

She stood outside her bedroom door, one hand touching the knob, fingers curled about the cool metal. She hesitated before turning the handle and slowly pushing the door open. Her feet sank into the thick carpeting. There was no sound as she entered the room. Everything was just as she remembered.

Relena moved to the window and looked down on the garden, fingers splayed against the glass

"Relena."

She whirled around. He was standing behind her, just looking at her. Relena's breath caught in her throat while her eyes drank in the sight of him. She found herself lost in the intensity of his gaze.

"Heero." She found she couldn't do anything more then whisper his name.

He came closer and gathered her in his arms. Relena looked up into his eyes. "I thought you were dead."

"I'm not dead." He was kissing her then, deep and long. She reached up to run her fingers through his hair. Hair that was suddenly blonde. Relena broke off the kiss and stumbled back, staring up into aquamarine eyes and a tender smile.

"Quatre!"

Relena sat up in bed, startled awake. She clutched her sheet to her chest, slumped back against her bed's headboard and let her breath out in a long sigh. Ever sense Quatre'd confessed his feelings for her she'd been having the same dream. First she would see Heero, but invariably, at some point he would turn into Quatre. With a sigh Relena reached up and pushed her hair back from her face.

Sitting up once again she pushed her covers aside and rose from her bed, slipping into her bathrobe and tying its belt firmly about her trim waist. Switching on her bedside lamp she headed to Eddie's room to check on him. She stood by his crib listening to the soft whistle the air made as he breathed in and out through barely parted lips. Reaching up she rubbed at her face with her hands. "What in the world should I do?"

Unable to fall back to sleep she headed downstairs to her brother's office and sat down in his comfortable leather chair, switching on the desk lamp as she did so. "Why can't I decide what to do?" Relena drew her legs up and rested her chin on her knees.

"Relena? What are you doing up?"

Relena looked up to see her sister-in-law standing in the doorway, her dark hair tousled. "Oh, Noin. I couldn't sleep."

"Something bothering you?" Noin sat down in a chair across from Relena and covered a yawn with her hand.

"I have a choice to make and I'm not really sure what I should do." Relena admitted.

"Wanna talk about it?"

"Hmm." Relena tilted her head to the side. "Do you think I should become involved in a relationship right now?"

"If you want to then I think it's a wonderful idea." Noin shrugged her shoulders. "You're the only one who can decide whether you're going to be happy getting involved or not. None of your friends or your brother and I are going to judge you if you decide it's time for you to move on with your life. If that involves another special someone then I'll be very happy." Noin stood and moved to stand next to Relena, slipping her arm around Relena's shoulders. "Do what you feel is right for you. Personally I don't think you were meant to live the rest of your life alone."

Noin gave her shoulders another squeeze before she walked out of the room. Relena sat hugging her knees for while longer. Taking a deep breath she reached hesitantly for the phone glancing up at the clock on the wall to check the time. Satisfied she wouldn't be walking him up from a dead sleep she dialed the room number of a certain blonde ex-pilot.

"Hello?"

"Did I wake you?" Relena twisted the phone cord nervously around her fingers.

"Relena? No, I was awake." Quatre fell silent and she could hear him breathing.

"I've thought about it and my answer is yes." Relena could feel her heart pounding against her chest; its throbbing loud in her ears.

There was silence on the other end of the line.

"Are you still there?" Relena asked after the silence had grown almost unbearable.

"I'm not dreaming am I?" Quatre sounded dazed. "You did just tell me you were willing to pursue a relationship with me didn't you?"

Relena laughed, relief spilling out of her in merry bursts. "Yes I did."

"Can I see you tomorrow?"

"Tomorrow?" Relena thought, trying to organize her schedule in her mind's eye. "I don't know…"

"It's taking every ounce of will power I have to keep me from jumping in my car and driving over to see you this instant." Quatre half growled. "You better have room to see me tomorrow otherwise I just might kidnap you for real."

"Supper at Duo and Hilde's." Relena announced. "Did you get invited?"

"That's right and yes I did." Quatre sighed. "I suppose I'll just have to be patient then."

There was another pause before Quatre spoke again.

"You're sure? I mean, you aren't just doing this because you felt sorry for me."

"I'm sure. I thought about it very seriously and I decided that it was something I wanted for me." Relena gave a soft laugh. "I suppose I'm being selfish."

"I think it's all right to be selfish once in a while. " Quatre assured her. "Meanwhile I'll stop being selfish and let you go."

"Until tomorrow."

"Yes, until then."

'''''

Next day Quatre came to pick her up. Relena rode with him to Duo and Hilde's house trading small talk the entire time. It wasn't until they reached the Maxwell home that she began to fully appreciate their newfound relationship. Quatre assisted her out of the car and kept his grip on her hand as they began to walk toward the front door of the house.

Relena could only concentrate on how his fingers curled so gently and yet protectively around her own. It had been so long since someone had held her hand like that. Unconsciously she tightened her grip on his hand. His thumb moved soothingly up and down the back of her hand in response.

"Welcome you two!" Hilde smiled cheerily at them from the door. Her gaze traveled down to their linked hands and then up again. "Come on in." She invited, not giving voice to the curiosity plain on her face.

Inside Quatre finally released Relena's hand but not before giving it a squeeze. Relena gave him a shy smile before she was whisked away by Hilde into the kitchen.

"Okay, spill. What's going on between you and Quatre?" Hilde propped her hands on her hips and waited expectantly for an answer.

"I guess you could say we're dating."

"Listen to the girl, acting so nonchalant." Hilde spoke to the ceiling, exasperated. "Relena, that's wonderful!" Hilde gave her a hug. "So when did this happen?"

"Just recently. You haven't missed anything, I promise. Now, where's my little boy?"

"In the living room with Duo and Leann." Hilde turned back to the stove. "I'm going to want full details later." She warned.

"Okay, I promise to tell you all about it. But you'll probably find it very boring." Relena said as she left the kitchen.

Hilde's disbelieving snort followed her.

In the living room she found Duo full length on the floor, face to face with Eddie, who stared back at him solemnly. Leann had climbed into Quatre's lap and was chattering away nonstop.

"There he is, there's my big boy!"

At the sound of his mother's voice Eddie looked around. When he saw Relena he became animated, waving his arms and babbling happily before he crawled over to her and tried to pull himself up by grabbing onto her pant leg.

"Better watch out. He's gonna be walking soon." Duo said as he stood up.

Relena scooped Eddie up kissing him soundly before she gave Duo a hug.

Hilde peeked around the corner. "Come on, supper's ready."

Relena looked over her shoulder. "That was fast."

"Yeah, well, Hilde's a veritable wizard in the kitchen." Duo said.

Hilde shook her head and disappeared.

"You ready to eat supper Leann?" Duo asked, looking over at her daughter.

"Uh-huh!" Leann slid off Quatre's lap and began tugging on his hand. "Come on Unca Quatre. It's time to eat."

"All right, I'm coming." Quatre stood and allowed the little girl to lead him to the dining room.

As they seated themselves around the table Hilde caught Relena's eye and lifted both her eyebrows in silent question. Relena shook her head in answer.

Relena half expected Hilde to make some reference to Relena and Quatre's new relationship. Instead her friend chatted on amiably, pulling up neutral topics for discussion.

After the meal was over Hilde enlisted Relena's help cleaning up the dishes and shooed the men out to the living room.

"You sure, babe?" Duo hesitated in the doorway.

"Yes, We'll be finished before you know it." Hilde said. When they were finally alone in the kitchen she turned toward her friend. "So, does anybody else know?"

Relena shook her head. "Noin might suspect something though. Like I told you it was a very recent thing. Oh, Trowa might know, he was there the day Quatre kidnapped me…"

"He kidnapped you?" Hilde gave an excited and very subdued squeal.

"Well, it was more of a pseudo kidnapping then anything else."

By the time they finished cleaning up Relena had given enough information to content the perky young woman.

"So do you mind if I tell my husband?" Hilde asked.

"Not at all. It's not something I'm trying to keep secret." Relena answered

"YO!" A call from the living room interrupted them.

"What's up?" Hilde yelled back.

"Get in here, Eddie's walking."

Relena and Hilde glanced at each other and then made a mad dash for the living room.

Eddie was standing in the middle of the living room floor, swaying slightly. Duo grinned at him. "All right buddy, show your stuff." He held out his arms. "Come on now."

Eddie just giggled and sat down hard as he lost his balance. Quatre crawled forward and set the little boy back on his feet.

Relena knelt on the floor and held out her hands. "Come to Mommy, Eddie," she coaxed, wiggling her fingers invitingly. Eddie stared at her for a moment before plopping down and beginning to crawl toward her.

"No, no, no." Duo shook his finger at the little boy. "What do you think you're doing? You're supposed to be showing off your walking skills. Everybody already knows you can crawl." Playfully he tickled Eddie's ribs making him squeal with laughter.

Relena cuddled her son for a little bit longer before setting him on his feet. "Go to Uncle Quatre," She urged.

Quatre obligingly held out his hands. Eddie looked at him and stuffed his right forefinger into his mouth.

"Move closer." Hilde suggested and Quatre knee-walked to a closer spot before holding out his hands again. Eddie looked at him thoughtfully, pulled his finger out of his mouth and took a shaky step towards him.

"Two, three…" Relena counted her son's wobbly steps almost breathlessly.

Eddie reached out for Quatre's hands and tumbled forward. Quatre caught him and gave him a hug.

"Good job." Relena clapped her hands excitedly before scootching over to kiss and congratulate her son.

Obviously bored with entire proceeding Eddie refused to perform anymore. Instead he crawled over to investigate the toys Leann was playing with.

"So, what's up with you?" Duo asked Relena, settling himself comfortably, back against the couch.

"Oh, I'm dating Quatre now." Relena answered.

Duo stared at her wide eyed before letting out a bark of laughter that startled the two children. "That figures," he said, shaking his head back and forth slowly. "Should I offer my congratulations?"

"Of course, you doofus." Hilde swatted playfully at her husband's head from where she was seated on the couch.

"Congratulations, then." Duo said, ducking away from Hilde's continued hits.

"Thanks, I think." Quatre said dryly.

"Oh, speaking of startling announcements, we've got one of our own." Duo reached up and patted Hilde's leg. "Hilde's expecting again. We're going to have another baby."

"Well that definitely calls for congratulations." Quatre said, smiling broadly at his friend.

Hilde bonked Duo lightly on the head with a fist. "He's determined I'm going to have a boy. I keep telling him it's a fifty-fifty chance either way."

"Hey, I could be right." Duo protested, tilting his head back to look at Hilde.

"I suppose so." Hilde leaned down and kissed Duo's forehead.

"Got any names yet?" Quatre asked.

"Not yet." Duo cast a cautious look at Hilde. "But we've discussed a few ideas here and there."

Relena listened to the conversation, feeling peaceful. She had slipped her hand into Quatre's and sat close to him, her arm brushing his.

"All right Eddie." Leann said suddenly. "You can knock it down now."

All four adults looked over just in time to see a tower of soft plastic blocks tumble to the floor, courtesy of Eddie's pudgy fist. He babbled delightedly while Leann gathered the blocks and began to methodically build another tower. Relena smiled. Sitting beside Quatre, watching her son play, enjoying the companionship and conversation of friends. Life couldn't get better then this.

''''

Fingers flew over a keyboard, typing out a message. Finished, Middie reread what she had written and nodded once, satisfied. She clicked the send button, knowing that her message, now encrypted, would reach Lady Une soon enough. A face filled her thoughts. Trowa. She missed him. Taking a deep breath she pushed the memory of green eyes and a small almost indistinct smile away.

A sharp rap on the door interrupted her. "Come in." She called, half turning.

The door opened and a man stepped in. "We've got new orders."

"All right." Middie stood and followed him out of the room.