April 8, A.C. 210

Morning

Brussels, Belgium

Relena sat at her large mahogany desk, a mountain of paperwork stacked next to her keyboard. It was her first day back in the office since she'd taken a few days off to travel to Sanc for her birthday, an event that hadn't gone remotely as she'd envisioned. But Relena swept these thoughts away as she reached for another piece of paper scrawled with corrections that she would need to input into one of her department's many databases herself.

That's right, the Vice Foreign Minister was conducting data entry.

Why, she wasn't even sure. For some reason there was no one else around to do it. So Relena just suppressed another sigh and set about her task. Looking down at the paper in her hand, she frowned; it was barely readable. What language is this? Her brows knit together as she attempted to decipher the chicken scratch before her, when the voice of her personal assistant, Alice, chirped over the intercom.

"Miss Relena? You have a visitor."

Relena all but chucked the papers off of her desk, grateful for the sudden distraction. She pressed a manicured finger to the intercom button in record response time. "Who is it, please?" Excited as she was, she never liked to be caught off-guard.

"Heero Yuy," Alice answered nonchalantly.

Relena felt as if the floor had dropped out beneath her.

"Wha- he is?" she asked shakily. But she quickly realized she'd forgotten to press the button to respond. Relena cleared her throat and tried again. "Send him in," she said, trying to keep her voice level.

But staying calm was a difficult feat in his all-consuming presence. Relena had to work to stop her legs from shaking underneath her desk. Her bodily response to his mere existence was unnerving; she was a professional woman. One would think she had learned, by now, to keep her cool.

Especially when she was supposed to be pissed at him.

True, she had all but forgiven him for his role in the giant mess she found herself in. Talking everything over with Quatre the other day had soothed a lot of her anger toward Heero. She had even gone as far to reach out to him herself, stopping just short of apologizing for her own actions. She wasn't quite ready to own up to everything; not just yet. She did, however, feel the need to explain herself to him, or at least try.

But he had some nerve, ignoring her calls and texts and just showing up at her workplace with no forewarning. Just who does he think he is? Relena folded her arms over her chest and glowered at her door, awaiting the inevitable.

It opened with a soft click, which was kind of anti-climatic, considering. Since it was Heero, Relena expected him to burst through and leave a hole of splintered wood in his wake. Instead, he walked in slowly, cautiously, shutting the door quietly behind him without even looking her way. Relena drew in a shaky breath at the sight of his familiar rumpled hair, always a stark contrast to his sleek Preventers uniform, which was cut to fit his form expertly...

He turned and met her eyes, and it had the effect of a lightning bolt through her chest. His Prussian blues were steelier than the gun he'd first aimed straight at her, all those years ago. But, just like then, Relena refused to be intimidated by him. She matched his icy glare with one of her own.

"Heero," she said coolly, managing to regain some composure. "Why don't you have a seat." It wasn't exactly a suggestion, but she gestured vaguely toward one of the plush chairs in front of her desk that she reserved for guests.

"No thanks," Heero answered without a trace of emotion, his gaze cold and vacant. "I prefer to stand." He did, at least, take a few steps forward from the doorway as he said it. Relena tipped her chin up, refusing to give in to her wavering emotions.

"Fine, suit yourself. What brings you here?"

"We need to talk," Heero said sternly, his eyes tightening even more, somehow.

Relena scoffed and turned her head to the side. "That's what I said, when I called you," she snapped. "Or didn't you get any of my messages?" When she looked back up, Heero had closed some of the distance between them, coming to stop just a few feet from her desk, in front of the set of chairs that sat vacant. Still, he remained standing, his tall form looming over her. Relena, for her part, sat up straighter, determined not to shrink back and fall prey to whatever intimidation tactic he was trying to use on her. Anyway, she knew him too well. Frustrated as she was, she could tell there was something driving all of his bravado, and thought she could detect hurt behind his severe expression. He had, after all, entered quietly instead of barging in. She recognized the combative look in his eyes now as one of pure defense.

Well, he had his reasons for mounting defenses, she thought. They both did.

She watched Heero closely where he stood. A muscle feathered in his jaw as the tightness of his features started to fade. His eyes softened, the storm clouds gradually parting, and Relena swore she could feel oxygen returning to the room.

"Sorry I didn't call first," he said in a gruff voice. Relena sighed, her anger slowly ebbing.

"It's all right." She uncrossed her arms and clasped her hands in front of her, assuming a more businesslike position. "Now, please, sit down." She tried to sound a little friendlier since he had apologized for one thing, at least. Perhaps a larger apology was forthcoming…

Heero's eyes glinted, but he obeyed, folding himself into one of the armchairs in a fluid motion. His eyes never left hers, a fact Relena was painfully aware of. He just sat there, staring right at her with that intense gaze of his, until Relena nearly started to squirm.

"Well, you wanted to talk…" She began nervously. Heero nodded once.

"I thought we could attempt a more civilized discussion than last time."

Relena scoffed a laugh, recalling what had happened "last time." "Does that mean you're not going to manhandle me?"

Heero's stony expression stayed put, her words seemingly having no effect. "I wouldn't call that 'manhandling,'" he said with a hint of irritation. "I kissed you like I normally would. You didn't seem to have a problem with it. At first."

Relena felt her cheeks start to burn. "Yes, well I think we can both admit that things got… out of hand. Anyway." She sat up straighter in her seat. "What did you want to discuss?"

Now it was Heero's turn to laugh - a deep, masculine sound that reverberated in her large office. But there was a tinge of bitterness to it. "I want to know how this whole thing started." His eyes fell on her left hand, where the large diamond of her engagement ring sparkled up at them, a taunting reminder of how they had gone wrong. "You and Quatre," he added with a snarl. "How long have you been seeing him?"

Relena frowned at the question, but answered him honestly. "We've gone out a few times over the years. Never as anything more than friends. But, then-"

"Did you sleep with him?" Heero cut in. A flush immediately crawled up Relena's neck. Her mouth dropped open to respond, but then she didn't think he deserved one.

They'd had an agreement, after all. And she didn't know anything about any of the women he'd been with over the years… why all the outrage over who she was seeing, all of a sudden? It was unfair, and Relena was prepared to let him know it.

She watched as Heero's eyes narrowed at her silence. "I guess that answers that," he muttered, shifting somewhat awkwardly in his seat. But then he arched forward and rested his elbows on his knees, a predatory look creeping into his gaze. "When?"

Relena bit her lip and once again evaded the question. "I shouldn't have to answer that."

"After you'd seen me?" He all but spat the words, and the possessive way he regarded her was unmistakable, lust and anger colliding dangerously in his eyes. "Ever on the same day?"

"Now why would I do something like that?" Relena all but shrieked. Her heart was racing, and the way Heero's eyes appeared to be undressing her didn't help matters. How could he look like he wanted to kill her and devour her, all at the same time? It took her back to a place she had never wanted to return to with him, when he couldn't quite decide what to do with her - let her into his world, or silence her forever. Relena was tempted to kick him out of her office and slam the door in his face. How dare he come in there, accusing her like that-

"You mean like how you slept with me one week and got engaged to him the next?"

Relena's cheeks burned hotter as Heero sat back with a satisfied smirk. She wasn't about to let him have the final word, though.

"I never violated the terms of our agreement-" she started, but Heero abruptly launched to his feet and strode around her desk to where she sat. Relena pushed her chair back toward the wall, about to stand up herself, but it gave Heero the room he needed to come between her and the desk, boxing her in.

"Bullshit." He lowered himself to her, hooking the back of her neck with one hand before Relena could move another inch. She gasped involuntarily as he brought his face mere inches from hers.

"I've had it with this bullshit agreement," he continued hotly, his breath tickling her face as his nostrils flared. Relena resisted the urge to slap him.

"I thought I told you I'd had enough with the manhandling," she warned, her own irritation mounting. Heero chuckled in response, which didn't help.

"Fine. Tell me to leave and I will." His eyes sparked.

"I think you should go." Relena knew he had no intentions of going anywhere. Even worse, she didn't want him to - not really. "Right now," she added, but her voice shook.

She wasn't at all prepared for what happened next, given what usually occurred when things got heated between them. Something shifted in Heero's expression. It was over in a blink, but then he was releasing her and stepping away. Relena sat back in disbelief that she'd managed to disarm him so easily.

"All right. I'll go," Heero said in a low, husky tone. The words came out quiet, but his voice was thick with emotion. It was all Relena could do to keep from leaping to her feet and running after him - whenever he retreated like a wounded animal, he tended to have that effect on her.

Not this time; she was determined to stand her ground. But as she watched him cross the room, she realized with a sinking heart that they hadn't resolved any of the simmering tension between them. If anything, their interaction had only made things worse.

Relena felt something snap inside her as she darted to her feet.

"Heero, wait!" she called after him. He immediately halted at the doorway and turned back to look at her over his shoulder, his eyes wide in question.

"What?"

"I didn't sleep with Quatre." She clutched at her chest as the words tumbled out, fully aware of her vulnerability in giving up the one ace she'd had up her sleeve. She knew it meant she had officially lost this battle, but she no longer cared; she couldn't have Heero going on believing such a blatant falsehood. Even if she had wanted him to be jealous, just a tiny bit, she knew deep down that none of the anguish they'd put themselves through was worth it.

She watched Heero's face as a thousand different expressions seemed to wash over it.

"What?" he repeated, as if he hadn't heard her or didn't believe her.

"I said, I didn't sleep with him."

Heero turned around fully to face her, although he stayed close to the door. "You're telling the truth?"

"Yes." Relena exhaled, slowly releasing the breath she'd been holding, feeling a weight lift off of her chest.

Heero didn't look convinced, his eyes narrowing in her direction. "Why did he ask you to marry him?"

"Because he wanted to get married," Relena said simply. "And so did I. Like I told you before… he and I had…" She couldn't help but laugh at how absurd it all sounded. "Well. I guess we had an agreement of our own."

Heero frowned but took a few steps toward her. "Then… you're not in a relationship with him," he surmised, his frown deepening along with his apparent confusion.

Relena nodded. "I know it sounds crazy, but when you said you didn't want to get married, I decided to cash in on my agreement with Quatre. I was angry with you," she added more softly, "for not being willing to commit to me."

Heero paused where he stood and crossed his arms over his chest. "I never said I didn't want to get married. When you brought it up, it just... took me by surprise."

Relena couldn't help but sigh impatiently. "Did it really surprise you that I would want you to do something, after all this time?"

Heero was regarding her closely. "I didn't know what you wanted from me," he admitted. "I thought, in light of our agreement, that you didn't really want anything. Except sex." His eyes glinted at her.

"Well, it was more than just sex," Relena huffed. "Or so I thought… or else I wouldn't have been waiting for you to propose." She tipped her head to the side, looking up at him expectantly.

Slowly, Heero's lips curved upward. "It was more than that." He strode back over to Relena, and the way he looked at her sent shivers cascading down her spine. "It still is."

He came to stop less than a foot away from her, and Relena realized she was holding her breath again. It was no wonder, then, when he reached for her, she felt as if all the air was escaping her lungs.

This time, he wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her gently toward him, closing the remaining distance between them. His other hand snaked over to grab her left hand, grazing over her ring finger.

"What are we going to do about this?" he murmured, his lips hovering dangerously close to her ear. Relena glanced down at her ring, her face so close to Heero's neck, her lashes brushed against his skin.

"Well, I…" She flushed as the reality of their predicament came rushing back to her. "I suppose I'd better talk to Quatre…"

"I think you'd better," Heero said huskily, his chest rumbling as he spoke. Relena chanced a look up at him, and was immediately ensnared by the hungry look in his eyes. He released her hand and raised his hand to her face, caressing her cheek with gentle precision before tipping her chin upward.

Relena couldn't resist teasing him, doing her utmost to regain the upper hand. "Oh?" She arched a brow delicately. "And why's that?"

"Because," he murmured, a smile slowly crossing his lips. "I'd like a new agreement with you."

Relena's eyes widened at the implication, but she urged herself to keep her cool. "And what would that be?"

Heero's eyes sparked, and Relena could feel the flames rising between them, threatening to engulf them then and there. He bent his head toward hers, brushing their lips together in a soft, torturously chaste kiss that belied any of their shared experiences from over the years, as if they hadn't already seen each other naked. Thousands of times.

He gave her a small, mischievous smile as he carefully tucked a loose strand of her hair behind her ear.

"Marry me instead."

The floor could have opened and swallowed Relena whole and she wouldn't have even noticed. She would have continued to float where she was, buoyed by words she had never dreamed would actually cross Heero Yuy's lips.

Then Relena remembered that she had lips, too, and she needed to use them to answer him. "Heero, I-"

Beeeeeeeeeeeeep!

They were interrupted by the sudden blaring intrusion. Relena whipped her head around to discover the source of the obnoxious sound. "What is that?"

BEEEEEEEEEEEEEEP!

Heero looked just as confused, and annoyed at the interruption, as she was. Until his image began to dissipate, and the room around them disappeared into a dark, swirling void. Relena continued to tumble in confusion until she realized she was rolling. She cried out, but it was too late. She was crashing into… something.

She leapt up with a start, her heart racing, and took in her new… strangely familiar surroundings. "Heero?!"

She realized she was screaming his name when there was absolutely no need. Because she was on the floor of her bedroom, and her alarm was going off. It was 6:00 a.m. and time for her to get ready for work.

Relena stared up at the stupid object in utter disbelief.

A dream. It was only a bloody, utterly, soul-crushingly realistic, dream.

"Ugh!" Relena found her pillow, which had also wound up on the floor, and pounded it against the floor a few times before thrusting it back onto the bed. She proceeded to unleash a string of unladylike curses as she got up and finally silenced her alarm.

Relena traipsed into her bathroom, feeling deflated as she stepped into her shower. But as the hot water streamed over her achy muscles - no doubt due to her unexpected fall that morning - her world gradually came back to her. And she couldn't help but wonder… all those romantic things she'd imagined Heero saying… would he ever say anything like that to her, or was it only her pathetic wishful thinking that was capable of conjuring up such things? Was it even worth it to hope that they could just kiss and make up… just like that?

One thing was for sure, Relena decided as she pumped her grapefruit-scented body wash into her hands and worked it into a foaming lather… Only in her wildest dreams would Heero Yuy simply stride into her office, after all they'd been through, apologize for all of his wrongdoings, and propose to her, in one fell swoop. In fact, as Relena soaped herself up, she found herself laughing out loud at the notion. Surely, hell would have to freeze over first…

Her feeble laughter quickly dissolved into tears that mingled with the spray of water as she stepped directly under the showerhead to wet her hair. Then again, she didn't know whether she should laugh or cry at the ridiculous situation she found herself in...

How could I be so delusional?

Was it because that was all she really wanted? For Heero to just come back to her and make everything right?

The answer, like so many other things between them, seemed simple enough, but was far more complicated than it needed to be. And given the radio silence that had elapsed between them over the past twenty-four hours, Relena doubted she would ever get the answer she needed to hear.

A/N: Shout out to greentbag for this evil little idea I put to use in this chapter... Actually, I planned on doing something like this in this story at some point, but I decided I just HAD to do it here. Sorry to those of you who are unhappy with this little twist... But I promise you that I have a lot of fun things in store! So please don't be too mad at me ;)

Thanks to Mistaken-Miracles for reading this chapter over and giving it your seal of smexy approval! I'm sorry for messing with your mind in the process, but as always, I appreciate your input! I'll have to add a smexy scene in here somewhere... teehee...

To the rest of my lovely reader friends... please stay tuned for more updates, hopefully sooner rather than later, and let me know what you think in the meantime! Your feedback really spurns me on to continue, and you never know whether something you suggest to me in the reviews may end up in here! I'm pretty flexible that way, actually, so let me know! :D

Happy FRIYAY!

- RFP